Kelli Shultz(AUSTIN) -- When Kelli Schultz discovered that she'd be on the same flight as her newlywed sister en route to her honeymoon in New Zealand, she couldn't resist the opportunity to give her an extra special wedding gift.



With help from United Airlines' flight attendants, Schultz got the passengers on the 130-seat plane from Austin, Texas, to San Francisco to write well wishes to her sister, Briana DuPriest, and her now-husband, Robert, en route to New Zealand through a connecting flight.



When the two sisters discovered they were on the same flight leaving the DuPriest's wedding on April 14, Schultz, 28, took it as a sign.



"The universe gives you gifts," the maid of honor, who also officiated the ceremony, told ABC News. "And I thought, 'OK, this is clearly like a smoke signal from God or the universe or whatever it is. I knew I wanted to do something a little extra, but I thought, 'What can I do?'"



After consulting a friend who's also a flight attendant, Schultz decided to bring goodie bags onto the flight filled with a single card and chocolates. The goodie bags included a note that read in part: "Hello fellow passenger, my sister Bri and her new husband Robert are on this flight on their way to their honeymoon in New Zealand. If you can write a piece of marriage advice or life advice and pass it up to Bri & Robert DuPriest in seats 8A and 8B."



With help from flight attendants, who passed out the goodie bags and Sharpie pens for passengers to write messages, the surprise began to unfold.



A representative for United Airlines told ABC News in a statement that they were happy to aid in the heartwarming surprise.



"We know there is a special reason behind everyones journey with us, and we are happy to have done our part to make this trip that much more special for this couple," a statement read.



Alisha Johnson, who was on board that United flight last week, was leaving a work trip in Austin when she received the card in her seat.



"I was listening to music and tuning out as I do when I noticed everyone around me was smiling," Johnson told ABC News.



Johnson, 33, later caught on that there were newlyweds on the flight and was soon handed one of the goodie bags.



She said she is usually in a "bad mood and tired" when traveling, so it was "a nice moment of levity when everyone became human, writing and smiling and pensively thinking through what to write to the couple. Johnson said she advised the couple to let their New Zealand honeymoon be the first of a "lifelong series of adventures."



Briana DuPriest told ABC News she and her husband were caught "totally off-guard" by the surprise.



"It's so Kelli to find an incredibly personal and meaningful way to make us feel special," the bride continued.



"People were coming up and handing us their cards with well-wishes. A flight attendant brought us glasses of champagne," Briana DuPriest added. "Being in the middle of traveling, we were slightly overwhelmed by the attention, but so honored that so many people chose to contribute touching advice to us."



The couple is now completing their honeymoon in New Zealand after, thanks to Schultz, getting off to a festive start.



"I am so lucky to have her as my sister. Her quick wit and entertaining personality eliminate the possibility of there ever being a dull moment," Briana DuPriest said.



Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.Posted Saturday, April 21, 2018 6:09 pm

Beth Grabowskis Bolivar Intermediate School students walked away from the Language Arts Department of Southwest Missouris fair with several honors, including two first-place finishes.

Students earning top honors include:

Mac Rich  haiku, honorable mention.

Cole Gervais  diamante, first place.

Garret Cook  narration, honorable mention.

Tucker Calvert  sonnet, second place.

Madalyn Benton  sonnet, third place.

Lilly Barzee and Sophia Smashey  original poetry anthology (small group), honorable mention.

Robin Dinwiddie and Stella Scowden  original illustrated book (group), first place.

The event culminates with a display of student work at Willard High School Saturday, April 28.The body of CRPF Sub Inspector Anil Kumar Maurya, who was killed in a naxal attack in Sukma in Chhattisgarh, was consigned to flames at his native Pure Khojwa village in this district.

Uttar Pradesh minister Mohsin Raza, who was present when the last rites were performed, presented a cheque of Rs 25 lakh to the bereaved family on behalf of the state government.

Maurya, 50, was posted in battalion number 212 of CPRPF at Sukma. He is survived by two sons and two daughters.

His body was taken to his ancestral village early morning by officials of his department in a special vehicle from Lucknow. In Lucknow, the body was brought by air after post-mortem at Raipur.

People from all walks of life thronged Maurya's village to pay heartfelt tributes.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A Dalit youth was shot dead by his friends following a drunken brawl in Pasgawan village in Bilsanda area of the district, police said.

The deceased was identified as Pappy, about 22 years old.

The body of the victim was found this morning after which his family members registered an FIR against three people.

A probe is on into the matter. The accused are on the run.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Bihu functions are the flavour in the Delhi-NCR area which has hosted several such events in the past 10 days or so to celebrate the Rongali Bihu festival that heralds the Assamese new year and the onset of spring.

If it was Gurgaon on April 14, the IGNCA grounds hosted a Bihu function the next day. Similar functions were held at Noida and Faridabad yesterday and one at Dwarka here today.

The highlights of these functions were husoris (group dances that are an integral part of the Bihu celebrations), Bihu songs and dhol (drum) performances. Also popular artistes from Assam like Zublee Baruah, Mousam Gogoi, Nirmali Das and Neel Akash gave spirited performances belting out Bihu and other numbers.

The Bihu at Gurgaon was a tribute to Assamese actor Biju Phukan and filmmaker Abdul Majid who passed away last year.

At the Delhi Bihu function, there was a dance performance on popular songs from Phukan's films.

"Assam Association Gurgaon (AAG) has been celebrating Rongali Bihu in Gurgaon since its inception in 2007. During its early years, it was an effort of few very highly motivated individuals to bring together the people who hail from Assam and live in Gurgaon to celebrate Bihu," says AAG general secretary Prabhakar Dutta.

"However, AAG grew in leaps and bounds in the subsequent years and today it has earned the reputation as an organisation to celebrate one of the most organised and colourful Bihu events in the entire NCR region," Dutta adds.

"Such functions provide an opportunity for Assamese people living in the national capital and the satellite towns to meet and enjoy the evening," says Assam Association Delhi general secretary Dipak Saikia.

The event at Noida was organised by the Assam People's Welfare Association, Trans Yamuna Delhi-NCR, and that in Faridabad by the Assam Association Faridabad.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Delhi Police today claimed to have solved a "blind" murder case with the arrest of two adults and a juvenile for allegedly stabbing to death a student after a scuffle over sharing of a cigarette between them last month.

The police initially had to struggle to solve the murder case of the 21-year-old software graphic student, who was killed on March 21 in Subhash Place area in northwest Delhi.

There was no evidence, Aslam Khan, deputy commissioner of police (northwest district), said.

He said the case was "totally blind without any evidence".

However yesterday, the police arrested Irshad (19) and Vishal (22) and apprehended a juvenile in connection with the case. Blood-stained clothes have been recovered from them.

The first clue the police received was when the victim's friends told the department that a scuffle had broken out between the accused and the student over sharing of a cigarette on that night.

The scuffle turned ugly and the student was stabbed, Khan said, adding, the victim succumbed on his way to a hospital.

According to the police, the team formed to investigate the case had only one clue: the accused were on a motorbike.

Footage from nearly 100 CCTV cameras were scanned to locate the bike. The team focused on the area where the bike was last seen in one of the videos and arrested the three persons, the police said.

After sustained interrogation, the accused confessed to the crime. They are residents of JJ Colony Shakurpur in Delhi.

The accused have been charged with murder, robbery and robbery with an attempt to cause death or grievous injury.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)DAVP, the nodal agency for central government advertisements, has filed a case against 282 newspapers that allegedly furnished incomplete details and usurped government funds to get advertisements, police said today.

A case was registered on the basis of a complaint given by R C Joshi, who is now an additional director general in the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP) but was a director when the matter came to the fore.

Initially, the complaint was submitted to south district's Lodhi Colony police station but subsequently the matter was transferred to the Delhi Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW).

Following this, an inquiry was initiated and a case was registered on April 19 by the EOW.In December 2016, a joint team of RNI (Registrar of Newspapers for India) and DAVP undertook on-the-spot verification of eight printing presses in Lucknow and Delhi.

"On the basis of verification reports, it is confirmed that the printing presses were either not operational or had printing capacity much less than printing order claimed by the owner/printer/publisher of the newspapers," said the agency in its complaint.

The DAVP also claimed in its complaint to the EOW that from the record of empanelled newspapers they have, it was found that 282 publications declared that they were published from these printing presses.

"None of these publications informed DAVP or RNI about stopping of publication, change of printers or change of circulation barring a few. As a result, they kept on receiving government advertisements and usurped government funds of several lakhs (sic)," it said.

The agency alleged that all the 282 newspapers printed in these printing presses deliberately submitted false information regarding their printing presses and inflated their circulation to DAVP to get government advertisements on higher rates.

The DAVP said that in 2015-16, close to Rs 1.95 crore and in 2016-17, close to Rs 1.19 crore was disbursed to these publishers.

A senior police officer said they have registered a case of cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy in the matter following a preliminary inquiry.

"It is going to be a cumbersome investigation verifying antecedents of 282 publications. Our teams will be visiting Lucknow where many printing presses whose verification was carried out by the DAVP are located," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Opening fragile inter-tidal areas for real estate and infrastructure development would have a huge bearing on coastal ecology and livelihood from fishing, researchers said after the Ministry came out with a new draft for coastal regulations.

The draft Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification, 2018, proposes expanding land area for development activities and tourism infrastructure, while simplifying the procedure for CRZ clearances.

Taking a critical view of the proposed rules, experts said there are two sets of problems with the new draft -- the process used for framing it and how it opens up coastal spaces for infrastructure development.

The draft notification is on the ministry's website and comments have been sought from the public within 60 days.

The recently uploaded draft has evidently been drafted by "Delhi-based babus" who are "uneducated" about the sea and have never experienced its violent energy, Chennai-based writer and social activist Nityanand Jayaraman, said.

Legal research director, Centre for Policy Research-Namati Justice Program, Kanchi Kohli, said the new draft rules reduces the no-development zone, opening fragile inter-tidal areas and rural areas for real estate and infrastructure development.

It also exempts areas within port limits from being no-development areas, Kohli said.

Experts claimed the proposed rules is in tune with the government's plans for seeing coastal areas as commercial and investment hubs, and not where established livelihood from fishing and ecosystems need to thrive.

Fishing unions, coastal communities and researchers have been asking the ministry not to dilute the coastal regulation and have a transparent process of amending the law, if any, Kohli told PTI.

"However, this has systematically been ignored. The Shailesh Nayak committee on which the changes have been premised is still not a public document and was selectively shared only after a CIC judgment.

"A law, which has a huge bearing on coastal ecology and livelihoods, should be a public matter, especially when the changes are this massive," she said.

The ministry had recently said in a statement that it had constituted a committee under the chairmanship of Nayak to examine concerns of coastal states, UTs and stakeholders, and to recommend appropriate changes in the CRZ Notification, 2011.

The report submitted by Nayak was examined in the ministry and consultations were held with stakeholders in this regard, it had said.

Under the new draft, CRZ limits on land along tidal influenced water bodies has been proposed to be reduced from 100 metres to 50 meters or the width of the creek, whichever is less.

In another change in the draft, two separate categories have been proposed for CRZ-III areas.

Kohli said the second and equally critical aspect is what it does to the coastal regulation.

"This new law, reduces the no-development zone, opening fragile inter-tidal areas and rural areas for real estate and infrastructure development, removes the requirement for the clearance for certain buildings in municipal areas and exempts areas within port limits from being no-development areas.

"It is in tune with the government's plans for seeing coastal areas as commercial and investment hubs, and not where well established fishing livelihoods and ecosystems need to thrive," she said.

Jayaraman said, "The drafters of this notification either do not believe climate change is real or expect the sheer grandness of India's Sagarmala plans to overawe nature into exempting us from climate change's disastrous effects."



"Climate change will result in increased frequency and intensity of extreme seaborne weather events. Sea level rise will eat up coastal real estate and inject salt into our coastal aquifers," he said.

Beaches, mangroves and coastal wetlands, and maintaining a respectful distance from the sea are the real defences against nature's fury, Jayaraman said.

"This is the time to be retreating from the sea and protecting what remains of our coastal wetlands. The 2011 notification, while not perfect, intended to do all this. It introduced the concept of a Hazard Line - a line drawn accounting for future sea level rise, and the action of waves, wind and tides.

"Areas between the High Tide Line and the Hazard Line are vulnerable; the 2011 notification severely restricts development within this area. The 2018 draft does away with those restrictions" he said.

"This government has exposed its hand by granting carte blanche to strategic and defence projects; these have gladdened the hearts of many Indian mega-corporates, and saddened and angered coastal communities across India," he pointed out.

Jayaraman maintained that strategic projects can come up at any location, inside the sea, in the inter-tidal areas and in coastal wetlands like lagoons and backwaters.

"Roads and other infrastructure for such projects can even obliterate coral reefs, mangroves, sand dunes and turtle nesting habitats. Sagarmala is a strategic project, with more than 400 proposals, including more than half a dozen mega ports, modernisation and expansion of several dozen more, and setting up of over 40 Coastal Economic Zones and Coastal Economic Units.

"Just as nobody really knows what a Smart City is, there is no clarity on what makes a project strategic. Today, it is Sagarmala; tomorrow other slogans - Bharatmala, Make In India, Digital India, even BetiBachao -- can be classified strategic and legitimately destroy our coast," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A deputy superintendent of police (DSP) was attacked allegedly by sand mafias in Rajasthan's Dholpur district today, an official said.

A tractor trolley laden with sand hit Chaudhary's jeep near Bijoli village, Dholpur SP Rajesh Singh said.

Chaudhary and his driver Ashok Kumar sustained severe injuries. Both of them were rushed to Sadar Hospital.

The DSP was later shifted to a hospital in Jaipur for further treatment.

On March 27, Dholpur DSP Satish Yadav had a close shave when some sand mafias opened fire at his vehicle.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari today said that he has raised the issue of inclusion of Bhojpuri language in the eighth Schedule of the Constitution, during a live interaction which Prime Minister Narendra Modi had with party MPs and MLAs from across the country on NaMo app.

The Prime Minister interacted with BJP parliamentarians and legislators through radio bridge technique using the app.

Tiwari who is also an MP of North East Delhi Lok Sabha constituency said, "I proposed expediting the campaign for inclusion of Bhojpuri in the eighth Schedule of the Constitution, in the next session of Parliament."



BJP legislator and Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta, who also took part in the interaction, said, "The Prime Minister shared his experiences and observations from his public life and offered suggestions to improve people-to-people connect as well as governance on the ground."



His outreach through social media and digital technology has brought him closer to people and made it possible to find solutions to problems in a more effective way, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said dynasty is a facet of Indian politics, which makes the job a lot easier but does not guarantee success.

Well, it would be dishonest on my part to suggest I would have been where I am, had I not belonged to a political family. It accorded me a huge opportunity and I took advantage of these opportunities. Belonging to a political family will get your foot in the door a lot more easily than it does for others, but it doesn't guarantee you success, he said.

He made these remarks while speaking at a seminar 'The path forward in Kashmir' at the University of Berkeley in California in the US.

As per his speech, followed by a question-and-answer session, the details of which was provided here, Omar spoke on varied topics, including the current political situation in the country in the run up to the 2019 general elections.

The former chief minister said "the Indian voter is a lot more informed today, a lot more willing to experiment with their votes and not shy of affecting changes using their votes if they are not happy with the performance of the elected representatives."



I have won elections, have lost elections. I am currently sitting in the Opposition. If belonging to a political family was a guarantee of success, then I would have been here as the chief minister of J-K and not as an Opposition leader. So, belonging to a political family gives you an opportunity and what you do with that opportunity is for you to do and to that extent there are similarities in other spheres as well."



Yes, there is a dynasty facet to Indian politics, but it is not be-all and end-all of the There are hundreds and thousands of politicians in India because they don't belong to political families you can't name them but they are there. Not every single Member of Parliament of Congress or other political parties belongs to a political dynasty, he said.

He said the politicians belonging to political families get more of a fair share of attention as well as expectations.

If Rahul Gandhi hadn't been a Gandhi and had been a regular Congress person, do you think he would have been subjected to the amount of ridicule and criticism that he gets. That is the reality that we have to live with. There is no point in sort of enjoying the advantages and saying 'look, I don't want to deal with the disadvantages'; they both come as a package deal, but there is more than enough space for good educated youngsters to join the political arena in India, he said.

He added social media has become a great leveller in terms of removing the barrier of the entry into politics.

When asked how he sees Rahul having evolved over the years, Omar, in a lighter vein, said the University of Berkeley, where the Congress president spoke last year, has to answer.

Well, you guys have a lot to answer for that. We sent one version of Rahul to Berkeley and you sent us a different version back, very new, very confident, very assertive, very outgoing and a very engaged Rahul Gandhi. So thank you Berkely!



"How have I seen him evolve; look, everybody changes. If you would have asked me to do this interaction with you 8-10 years ago, I wouldn't have been as engaging as I am now. I am very similar to Rahul, a lot more insular and not a very outgoing, gregarious sort of person. I am quite happy in my own company unlike a lot of other politicians," said Omar.

So, it takes a while to grow into these sort of interactions; that's I think (is) the biggest change that have seen in him. He is a lot more willing to engage. I think he has the advantage of not being part of the government. It's a lot easier to be a politician in the Opposition than it is to be in the government because in the Opposition all you have to do is to criticize. We don't have to deliver anything. In government, it's a lot more difficult. So I think that is obviously a crucial change, he said.

Omar said the 2019 polls will be a key indicator of how Rahul will evolve further. I think Berkeley has a lot to answer for and I think there will be a lot of people in the BJP who will not be happy with your university, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)ESAF Small Finance Bank, focused on small ticket loans, plans to raise Rs 350 crore equity capital this fiscal from investors to fund expansion.

As part of the expansion, the bank also plan to add about 200 branches to its network in the current fiscal.

"We are planning to raise between Rs 300 crore and Rs 350 crore from investors during this financial year to fund business growth," ESAF Small Finance Bank managing director and CEO K Paul Thomas told PTI.

The bank has already appointed investor banker for the fund-raising, he said.

The fund-raising will serve the twin purpose of providing growth capital and meeting regulatory requirements set by the RBI for the small finance bank, he said.

Besides, this will double the net worth of the bank which is Rs 325 crore.

ESAF Small Finance Bank was one among the 10 non-banking finance companies to receive in-principle' approval from Reserve Bank of India to start banking operations in 2016.

With regard to network expansion, Thomas said, currently the bank has 401 branches across 11 states, which will go up to 601 by March 2019.

The bank is looking at UP, Odisha and North East states to expand its presence.

With a client base of 23 lakh, the bank has mobilised Rs 2,500 crore and Rs 4,100 crore loans and thus generating a total business of Rs 6,600 crore within one year of operation.

The bank currently focused on micro-finance activities, retail loans and retail deposits but plans to diversify in others products including gold loan and third party products.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Could not establish database connection.

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The administrator has been notified and will resolve the problem ASAP.Actor Evan Rachel Wood has revealed that she had turned down a role in "Mean Girls".

During an appearance on the show "The Tonight Show", host Jimmy Fallon asked the "Westworld" star whether she auditioned for the hit film.

To this, Wood replied, "No, it's even worse. I turned it down."



"There's a good reason. The only reason is because I was already supposed to do a film called 'Pretty Persuasion' that was set in a high school, that was very Heathers-esque, and it was very similar (to 'Mean Girls'). And I was already kind of doing that. So I was like, I can't, I can't," she added.

However, the 30-year-old actor did not disclose the role she was offered in the Mark Waters-directed film.

"Mean Girls", starring Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Amanda Seyfried and Lacey Chabert, went on to enjoy a cult following over the years.

Tina Fey, who also starred in the movie, had written the screenplay.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Nearly 3,000 missing children have been traced in four days, thanks to the facial recognition system (FRS) software that the Delhi Police is using on a trial basis to track down such children.

The identities of the missing children have been established and efforts are on to help them reunite with their families.

The Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD), in an affidavit to the high court, said that the Delhi Police, on a trial basis, used the FRS on 45,000 children living in different children's homes. Of them, 2,930 children could be recognised between April 6 and April 10.

The Delhi Police took help of the software after the Delhi High Court asked it to test run the FRS which can help trace and rescue missing children.

Much recently, on April 5, the Delhi High Court expressed displeasure when it was informed by the Delhi Police's special commissioner (crime) that it has obtained its own FRS but it was unable to do trial run of the application as the WCD ministry has not provided the data.

The court had also pulled up the Centre for not sharing the details of missing children with the police despite its orders and warned of initiating contempt action if due seriousness was not shown in the 20-year-old matter.

Hours later, a meeting between the ministry and Delhi Police officials took place. The ministry provided data on some seven lakh missing children along with their photographs on the child tracking portal, after which the Delhi Police began the test run of the software.

Rakesh Srivastava, secretary to the Women and Child Development Ministry, said in the affidavit: "The Delhi Police shared the outcome of the FRS on April 10 with the WCD ministry. The police said that identities of 2,930 children were established. The ministry has sent the data to the National Informatics Centre (NIC) for further details. The court will be informed after completing further procedures."



Bhuwan Ribhu of Bachpan Bachao Andolan, which had given a proposal to give the software to the Delhi Police free of cost, said the NGO will request the court in the next hearing to constitute a national children's tribunal on the lines of the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

The FRS software stores the facial features of any child and matches them with photographs and database available with the Track Child portal as a result of which the identity of the child is instantly established.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has also advocated the use of such softwares which can help trace the missing children and reunite them with their families.

"If such a type of software helps trace missing children and reunite them with their families, nothing can be better than this," NCPCR member Yashwant Jain said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Four persons were arrested in Chhattisgarh"s Bastar district for allegedly betting during an IPL match that was held yesterday, a senior official said.

"Four persons were arrested yesterday night while they were betting online on a match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Kings XI Punjab from an apartment in Jagdalpur's Housing Board Colony," Kondagaon Additional Superintendent of Police, Maheshwar Nag, told PTI.

He added that police had received a tip-off about an online betting racket, involving IPL matches, in Kondagaon town.

A police team had also visited Visakhapatnam in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh on April 20 to nab some of those involved, the official said.

"However, we found that that these bookies had shifted to Jagdalpur following which we conducted a raid here and arrested the four," Nag said.

The official identified the four as Rakesh Dewangan, Pratap Panigrahi, Roshan Patel and Deepak Patel, all residents of Kondagaon.

Six mobile phones, one laptop, a television set and Rs 4,420 in cash were recovered from the spot, he added.

A case has been registered in this connection, the ASP said adding that further probe was underway.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Actor Aamir Khan has said that gathering people from villages to improve the water situation in Maharashtra was a huge challenge.

Aamir's Paani Foundation aims to impart knowledge and bring about a change at the grassroots level in Maharashtra about water conservation and watershed management.

"The biggest challenge is - people coming together. For example, water can only be stored in a pot which has no holes in it. Until human beings in a community, in the village, come together close (nothing can happen).

"If there are cracks in the society, the water will seep through. You have to remove all the cracks and then come together and then you will grab water," Aamir said in an interview here.

The 53-year-old actor added that the "biggest task is getting people together for this cause because society is fractured on many levels".

"... Politically, there are five parties in each village, we have different castes in villages, you have land owners... Some do not have land, some people have land close to the stream, some people have land away from the stream. We had to convince people that watershed management is actually going to help all of us.

"But certainly it's a challenge that has been overcome by the villagers themselves. We are just training them. That is the beauty of this idea. That the village does things on its own to solve the problem," he added.

At Paani Foundation, which was founded by Aamir in 2016, the team empowers villagers and gives them a sustainable solution for water conservation which is expected to help them for years.

"All the work will be done by the village. They will decide what is the area of their land, how many watersheds fall into it, what is the kind of work they need to do.

"So they make the plan and execute it. We just teach them how to do it. It is a demand-driven exercise. We don't choose villages, villages choose us."



When asked whether this initiative would help prevent farmer suicides, Aamir said it would a contributing factor.

"Certainly, it will contribute to that. Water is not the only reason for farmers' suicides," he said.

Aamir appealed to students and people living in the state's urban areas to join the initiative, by becoming "jalmitras" (water's true friends) on May 1, which happens to be Maharashtra Day.

People from cities can register on the website of Paani Foundation to work in villages, alongside local residents.

The last date for registration is midnight of April 25.

So far, over one lakh people have signed up and Aamir hoped more people from cities pitched in.

The actor revealed that while women were at the forefront of this cause, men often made excuses.

"Last year, when we went to a village, the women were doing 'shramdhaan' (donating efforts) every day working really hard and the men were lazing around and giving excuses.

"So the women decided that they won't go home. After work, they all told their husbands they are not coming home if they (men) don't come for shramdhaan," he said.

The "Dangal" actor has been getting strong support from the state since water conservation and drought elimination is one of the key projects of the Maharashtra government led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

"The government has a scheme, Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyaan, which does the same thing. They take 5,000 villages every year and help the villagers by funding some of the activities. We don't take money from the government but we do seek their help in other ways," he said.

"Like we are using Maharashtra State Road Transport buses. It is a big logistical effort but we do give a lump sum of Rs 50 lakh for this. So the CM facilitated that for us. They are helping us a lot. They are being extremely supportive," the actor added.

Talking about the reports in papers that he wanted to make Maharashtra drought-free in five years, Aamir said, "That's a claim that has come out in the papers. But I never said that. People asked us what is your hope and I said my hope is that in five years we should not be relevant anymore.

"All the villages should know by then how to do this (conserve water). We (the foundation) should become useless in five years and that's what I am hoping for. I am not even thinking of that (other villagers). I am only focusing on Maharashtra.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)has planned to get listed on the bourses over the next one year, a top official said.

GSL, Chairman and Managing Director, Shekhar Mittal said, "with a healthy balance sheet and order book size, within a year we plan to go public."



He said the company during the last four years, witnessed a turnaround and became a profit making firm.

The value of production increased to Rs 13.71 billion in 2017-18 from Rs 5 billion in 2013-14.

Responding to a query, during a recent interaction, Mittal said, the company clocked profits of Rs 3 billion last year with a total revenue of Rs 15 billion.

"We have been witnessing 30 per cent compounded (annual growth rate) over the last few years. We have the maximum number of deliveries of ships," he said.

He attributed the increase in revenue on account of completing projects ahead of time, delivery of ships and improving operational efficiencies.

The company recently signed a pact with Rolls-Royce to manufacture technologically-advanced MTU Series 8,000 engines, used in offshore patrol vessels, in the country.

As per the agreement, the would assemble 16-cylinder and 20-cylinder MTU Series 8,000 engines at the GSL's new facility to come up in Goa at investments of Rs 1 billion, Mittal said.

To a query, Mittal said the next phase of growth for the company would come through Mine Counter Measuring Vessels and Advanced Missile Frigates for the Navy. "Our plan is to move towards Rs 50 billion revenue in five years.".

On the investments made so far, he said, the company invested close to Rs 10 billion in capacity building.Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City must secure more Premier League titles to earn the respect necessary to win the Champions League following their tame exit from Europe's leading club competition.

City collected their third Premier League title in seven years last weekend, with a number of all-time domestic records still within their reach ahead of Sunday's match at home to Swansea.

But that magnificent league form contrasted with the Champions League, in which City were emphatically beaten 5-1 on aggregate by rivals Liverpool in the quarter-finals, and their manager insisted his club was still some way from being able to compete for that prize.

"I realised this season how difficult it will be to win the Champions League," said Guardiola, who lifted the European Cup as both a player and manager at Barcelona.

"May be, I am wrong but before you win the Champions League as a club you have to win more Premier Leagues in a row first, to get respect in Europe that you are a top club. If you don't, I realise this season it will be so complicated."



He added: "Of course we are going to try but I don't know if we are like a club to have the power on an off the pitch to achieve and to get there. So I would prefer, like this season, to be solid in the Premier League.

"The Premier League is the priority next season, absolutely. I will sign up right now if we can do what we did this season again next season. Right now. To win the Premier League together is the most important title."



'Constant'Guardiola declined to expand upon precisely how a lack of respect cost his club in Europe this season although, at the time, the City manager was vocal about what he believed were poor refereeing decisions in the Liverpool defeats.

However, at both Barcelona and Bayern Munich the Catalan followed his first league title by winning two more in succession and he insists domestic superiority remains the priority.

"When I came here the chairman and sporting director never said 'You have to win the Champions League' or 'You have to win the Premier League,'" said Guardiola.

"They didn't ask me for one title. They said to do what you believe to do and try to be constant for a long time, for as long as possible.

"We did it for one season but I think to be a solid team, and Europe can start watching what we have done, it is not just one season. After that maybe in Europe we can do that.

"But what I have experienced for two seasons with this club in Europe, it is better to be focused on the Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao (League) Cup and then after try to arrive at the best moment possible for the Champions League."



First, however, the City manager can enjoy the remainder of this extraordinary campaign, although Guardiola warned that next season would be tougher on his players -- as indeed would he.

"They think that because they've done it once they will do it again and that makes them lose energy," explained Guardiola. "When they used to run five metres now they run three metres. And that two metres makes the difference.

"That's why next season will be more difficult -- and it is also why next season will be much harder. It happened in Barcelona and it happened in Bayern Munich. I made the players press more, I made them work more, and I had to find other ways to control them. "I will be harder. Our relationship next season will not be this friendly.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar ordered a special girdawari (revenue survey) today to assess crop loss caused by fire due to high-velocity winds.

Last week, the state police honoured six personnel for saving the wheat crop of a farmer from fire by dousing the flames with tree branches in Fatehabad district.

While addressing farmers and dealers at a function here, Khattar said the state government is also working on different alternatives to increase the prescribed limit for procurement of mustard and bajra.

The chief minister congratulated farmers for a bumper wheat production in the state.

In the previous season, about 74 lakh metric tonnes of wheat was procured while this season, 65 lakh metric tonnes of wheat has already been procured and the procurement process would continue for ten more days, he said in an official statement released here.

Talking about mustard procurement, Khattar said the central government procured 25 per cent of the total production for maintenance of price, but after achieving the target of 2.7 lakh metric tonnes in the state, additional one lakh metric tonnes of mustard was procured through Haryana State Cooperative Supply and Marketing Federation Limited (Hafed).

Oil from mustard procured through Hafed would be made available at a cost of Rs 20 per litre for BPL families through public distribution system.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)With passion for acting and belief in his skills, Nawazuddin Siddiqui's journey in the Hindi film industry is a success story in itself and he just hopes his thought on cinema "never gets corrupt".

For about 19 years, Nawazuddin has been working relentlessly, doing exceptional work, be it as a junior artiste or a leading man in Bollywood today.

With films like "Patang: The Kite", "Miss Lovely", "Haraamkhor" and "The Lunchbox" among others - that travelled to various international film festivals - he has won the hearts of audiences across the globe.

"I just hope my thought on cinema does not get corrupt. The kind of cinema I am doing is getting overwhelming response - be it in India or internationally. The films are getting screened and recognised at prestigious festivals of the world, the appreciation that I get as an actor is great. I just hope this thought of doing good work continues and I do not get corrupt," Nawazuddin told PTI.

Coming from a small town in Uttar Pradesh, Nawazuddin graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry but when he moved to Delhi he joined the National School of Drama. After graduating from the NSD in 1996, he shifted his base to Mumbai in search of work in films.

Remembering his days at the NSD, the "Manjhi - The Mountain Man" actor says a lot of things used to happen around - from training in Kathak, Bharatnatyam to folk theatre practice.

"...Initially, we used to feel awkward as it was not our culture but this is our tradition and identity in the world like folk songs, folk dance, traditional plays."



Nawazuddin, who trained himself in acting at the NSD, believes self-education forms a crucial base for choosing a good script.

"I am not saying one should go to training school. Self-education is essential as you understand things on your own. The taste of good cinema builds in. Because of education we get to know how to judge a good script. This is my taste and I will continue doing such kind of cinema."



From the time Nawazuddin started following cinema that was high on content, he got more interested in it, so much so that he started choosing his films on the similar basis.

"So maybe, I have the capability of choosing a good script because of education, the surroundings and the films that I have seen as a viewer," the 43-year-old actor added.

He started his career with several blink-and-miss roles, in films like with Aamir Khan's "Sarfarosh" in 1999 and then appearing in Ram Gopal Varma's "Shool", "Jungle" and Rajkumar Hirani's "Munnabhai MBBS".

It was Aamir's home production 2010 film "Peepli Live" that got him wide recognition as an actor and he continued his journey on a road to success with movies like "Kahaani", "Gangs of Wasseypur", "Badlapur", "Bajrangi Bhaijaan" and "Raees", among others.

"I did not enter the film industry for recognition. I just wanted to do good work - be it doing street plays or television shows or films, be it doing small or big roles. I had not wish to become a star and that I will get recognition because I am a trained actor," he said.

"I just wanted to be busy in Mumbai, just like how I was in Delhi. When there is no work then you think something is wrong as physically you are wanting to work but there is no work," the actor added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Idea Cellular Ltd's proposal to allow up to 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) in the company is under consideration of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), an official said.

The proposal assumes significance against the backdrop of pending merger of Idea Cellular Ltd and Vodafone India to form the country's largest telecom operator.

The present foreign direct investment policy allows an overseas firm to buy up to 49 per cent stake in an Indian telecommunication company under automatic approval route. But government's approval is required for stake above 49 per cent.

Idea and Vodafone in 2017 announced that they would combine their operations to create the country's largest telecom operator worth over $23 billion, with a 35 per cent market share.

Foreign share holding in Idea as on March 31, 2018, stood at around 34 per cent, including 7.49 per cent in promoter group and the rest as public shareholders. While British telecom multinational Vodafone Group plc is a majority shareholder in Vodafone India.



Foreign shareholding in the combined Idea-Vodafone entity, thus, would breach the automatic approval limit of 49 per cent.

According to the Idea-Vodafone merger announcement in March, Vodafone would own 45.1 per cent of the combined company after transferring a 4.9 per cent stake to Aditya Birla Group for Rs 39 billion (Rs 3,900 crore) in cash, concurrent with completion of the merger.

"We have received the proposal from the Department of Telecommunications. As the department has added a condition in the proposal, the matter has been referred to the DIPP. It is under consideration of the department," a government official said.

The telecommunications department is awaiting the views of the DIPP on raising foreign direct investment limit in Idea Cellular Ltd to 100 per cent before approving its merger with Vodafone India.

"Only FDI clearance for Idea is pending before the proposed merger with Vodafone (India) can go through," another government official said.



After the abolition of the foreign investment promotion board, respective departments and ministries of 11 sectors, including telecommunications and print media, are competent authorities for approval of FDI proposals unless they want to add some condition or reject the proposal.

In such circumstances, they have to seek the views of the DIPP.

The merged Idea-Vodafone entity will have the highest subscriber base at 410 million (41 crore) accounting for over 35 per cent market share and second largest spectrum holding of 1,850 megahertz in the country.

The merger is expected to replace Bharti Airtel from its numero uno position in terms of the number of subscriber base, as per reports of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.



The debt of the resultant entity is expected to be around Rs 1.1 trillion (Rs 1.1 lakh crore) as per debt situation of Idea and Vodafone India at the end of September 2017.

(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.)Sanjay Mishra is one of the most successful actors today but to reach this stage, he had to overcome several struggles - from monetary crisis, lack of substantial roles to walking on the path of introspection when he left his career briefly only to return for his passion of movies.

In his film career of 23 years, Mishra, who has straddled both commercial and parallel cinema - from "Golmaal", "All The Best" to "Masaan" and "Ankhon Dekhi" more recently - is glad when people call him an underrated actor.

"When I came to Mumbai, I thought I'll get work within a year. If not, I knew I had to be patient. I always wanted to be an actor, not a hero. I wanted to live the life of an actor and experience that.

"Wherever I struggled for work, I never got work there. People call me an underrated actor. I'm glad I was underrated. If I was overrated I would've been outdated, I wouldn't have survived," Mishra told PTI in an interview.

The actor, who is a favourite of many filmmakers today, recalls the time he moved to Mumbai after finishing his studies from Delhi's National School of Drama and did not have work.

With a desire to become an actor and merely Rs 1,500, given to him by his father and younger brother, the 55-year-old actor arrived in the city in 1991.

Despite having a degree from the NSD, he had no work. So Mishra picked up his camera and started doing photography, clicking portfolios of budding actors and used to earn Rs 500-600.

Soon he started getting minuscule roles in films where he was paid around Rs 1,000, but it was still tough to survive in the Maximum City.

"After the NSD when I moved to Mumbai, I didn't like it here. I used to watch Delhi-bound Rajdhani train and cry. I so badly wanted to go back. I didn't have a family business to fall back on, so I had no other option but act."



Sadly, it was not his acting skills that mattered to people but his looks, and because of which, few doubted his calibre as an actor.

"A friend of mine and I went to Dara Singh once. He looked at me and said 'Eat something, what kind of an actor will you be? Actors should be like Dharam paaji'!" he says.

He finally bagged a comedy television show "Sorry Meri Lorry" in 1995, where Farhan Akhtar and Zoya Akhtar were assistants, and slowly started climbing up in his career.

Mishra's acting break in films came with Ketan Mehta's "Oh Darling Yeh Hai India"; a filmmaker he wanted to work with ever since he saw his "Mirch Masala".

"I did smaller roles in films to practise my craft. I used to minutely observe the actors and learn. Hence, today I am normal in front of any actor," he says, adding, "I am that actor who rehearses on producer's money."



His passion for collaborating with interesting directors led him to "Dil Se", helmed by Mani Ratnam.

The actor played a terrorist in the 1998 Shah Rukh Khan-Manisha Koirala-starrer and recalls how he was "so full of energy" that when the team was shooting the "Chhaiya Chhaiya" song, he refused to stay in his room.

"I wasn't needed in the song, but I wanted to be a part of the experience of shooting it on the top of a train. So my job was to blow whistle every time I saw a tree coming and everyone used to bend down! This was my love for cinema, I was so involved in it," he says.

It was the popular TV series "Office Office" and Rohit Shetty's "Golmaal" that made him a household name.

Life, however, took a turn when Mishra fell seriously ill nearly a decade ago. As fate would have it, his father passed away 15 days later.

His father's death pushed the actor in a zone of introspection that made him realise the transitory nature of life.

"I went to Rishikesh and stayed there for 15-20 days. Whatever little money I had, I was running out of it. Someone had opened a 'dhaba' (roadside eatery) there and since I love cooking, I went to him and asked for work.

"While I was working there, he noticed that people recognised me. (Director) Rohit Shetty was supposed to make 'All The Best' there and there was pressure to come back. Even my mother came to take me back.

"I had grown a long beard by then. My mother got it all shaved in Haridwar and I finally came back," the actor reminisces.

While Mishra's career was back on track, the actor says the hills still calm him down.

"Even today, it is my dream to settle on a hill, cook, and lead an organic life. If I became an actor, I know I can do this too.

"First, the struggle is to prove your worth to yourself, then you prove it to the society, and then you're free. No one should say, 'He was born, he died'. They should say 'He was born, and he did it'," Mishra says.

The actor is currently shooting for Anil Kapoor-Madhuri Dixit starrer "Total Dhamaal".

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Otherwise, click here to view your options for subscribing.The Indian Medical Association (IMA) today expressed disappointment over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reported remarks in London last week about alleged nexus between doctors and pharma companies, saying his comments brought disrepute to doctors in India.

In a letter to the prime minister, the IMA said the health system of the country would collapse without and the onus of the mess in the sector squarely falls on successive governments, including the present dispensation.

IMA Secretary-General Dr R N Tandon also said the doctors in the country are being "suppressed and exploited" by every means possible. "The health system of the country would collapse without Indian doctors," Tandon said in the letter.

The letter also highlighted that the IMA has supported the 'jan aushadhi' scheme launched in 2008.

"Why is a pharma company allowed to price the same drug categorised under different names with different profit margins? Doctors of this country are in no way in control of the price of this drug or stents," it said.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also did not agree with the prime minister's reported statement.

"I disagree wid Hon'ble PM. Our docs have made India proud. The same docs have made revolutionary transformation in health sector in Del in last 3 yrs wid Del govt. Given proper working environment wid no political interference, our docs can transform health sector nationally," he tweeted.Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama today called for the revival of the ancient Indian traditions and for integrating them with the modern education system, saying doing so would help fight issues such as war and global warming.

The 82-year-old monk was delivering a lecture on 'Role of Ethics and Culture in Promoting Global Peace and Harmony' in New Delhi. The programme was organised by Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, which aims to preserve the history of the Indian independence movement, and Antar-Rashtriya Sahyog Parishad, a non-political society founded in 1978 with an aim to keep close interaction with people all over the world.

"Serious discussions on how to include the ancient Indian traditions in educational system should begin. India has the capability to combine modern education with its ancient traditions to help solve problems in the world," the Dalai Lama said.

The greatness of the Indian civilisation is its spiritual brotherhood and harmony, he said, adding, it has produced the greatest philosophical thinkers and preachers who gave rise to the Nalanda tradition of Buddhism based on reason and logical conclusion.

A vast amount of what came to comprise the Tibetan Buddhism, stems from the teachers and traditions at Nalanda.

Nalanda is known for its Buddhist sites and monuments.

The Nalanda University, which attracted students and teachers from across the Indian subcontinent as well as China, Central Asia, and Tibet, was the most important Buddhist centre of learning in ancient and medieval India.

Citing quantum physics, which describes nature at the smallest scales of energy levels of atoms and subatomic particles, the Dalai Lama said the concept was explained 2,000 years ago by the Indian philosopher Nagarjuna.

"Buddha was an ancient Indian scientist. I consider myself as half monk and half scientist," he said, referring to his deliberations with scientists.

Terming war, terrorism and religious violence products of materialism, the spiritual leader expressed his sadness over the violence against the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.

The Rohingya, who had lived for centuries in the Buddhist-majority country, are one the most persecuted people in the world. Myanmar had denied them citizenship since 1982, effectively rendering them stateless. Nearly 70,000 Rohingya people had to flee Myanmar to Bangladesh after a surge in violence and military crackdown on in August least year.

He expressed concern over global warming, explaining that the amount of snowfall in Dharamshala, the seat of the Tibetan government in exile, has reduced worryingly over the years.

"Global warming has made life difficult for many people."



The Dalai Lama also said that Tibet may remain part of China if its geographical, cultural and linguistic autonomy is guaranteed. "Tibet will benefit from economy of China."



Citing the success Chinese people achieved in maintaining their identity through hard work, he suggested Indians around the world, too, should spread their ancient traditions.

"Try to revive ancient Indian traditions. Actual change does not come from prayer, it comes from action. Wherever Chinese go, they have a 'China Town'. Why not an 'India Town' by Indians?"



The programme was the first the Dalai Lama participated in the national capital, since an event to mark 60 years of his exile in India was cancelled and another was moved to Dharamshala in early March. He was to attend both the events.

That development had happened in the backdrop of a media report that the Indian government had directed its senior functionaries to skip events organised by Tibetans.

At the outset of the 1959 Tibetan uprising, the Dalai Lama fled to India in March that year to escape a Chinese crackdown.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)An income tax inspector posted in Vadodara has been arrested for allegedly killing his wife and burying her body over his affair with another woman, the police said today.

"Lokesh Chaudhary (30) called his wife (28) to Vadodara from Jaipur on April 11 and killed her. He later buried her body. A team reached Vadodara today to exhume the body, Additional DCP (East) Hanuman Prasad said.

The accused had filed a missing complaint of his wife with the Jaipur police to evade suspicion on him. But he later confessed to killing the woman with the help of an aide, the officer said.

Hailing from Alwar, Chaudhary got married in February last. His wife was studying in Jaipur. The accused developed a relationship with another girl, also hailing from Alwar, who pressurised him to divorce his wife, the police said.

The matter is being investigated, they added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Asserting that countries in India's constituency in the World Bank are the fastest growing block in South Asia and the world, Economic Affairs Secretary S C Garg made a case for increase in voting rights at the multilateral lending institution for faster development of the region.

While the World Bank Group - IBRD, IFC, IDA, MIGA has supported the growth and development of this constituency, it will need to continue in the foreseeable future, Economic Affairs Secretary S C Garg said at 97th Meeting of the Development Committee Plenary on the sidelines of Fund Bank spring meeting here yesterday.

He further said countries in India's constituency in the World Bank Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Sri Lanka now are the highest growing block in South Asia and the world at large.

It (block) will cross USD 3 trillion GDP this year. It attracts close to 100 billion dollars of FDI and Portfolio Investment and will grow around 7.5 per cent this year, he said.

However, these countries have widespread poverty and face enormous developmental challenges, he said, adding this is the reason capital increase has been a matter of critical interest for India.

He expressed happiness that there is now an agreement on the capital increase package and that it is reasonably large a USD 13 billion capital increase in International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and International Finance Corporation (IFC) together, which from the historical context, is a truly unprecedented expansion of capital.

He also expressed India's support for the shareholding review, including development of dynamic formula and the capital package.

Garg hoped that increased lending for middle income countries will start flowing soon and single borrower limits would be revised upwards quickly.

He also highlighted that the current capital increase package was due in 2015 and that this has been delivered only in 2018 and the next capital review, as agreed, is due in 2020.

Suggesting that next year (2019) will be the right time to start working on capital review, the secretary said the management could look at preparation for the same well in time to deliver it on time.

He urged the Bank to become more efficient in its capital management and this would call for having a fresh look soon on IBRD transfers to International Development Association (IDA) and efficient deployment of buffer being created now.

On the sidelines of 2018 Spring Meetings of the World Bank and IMF, Garg held bilateral meeting with the US Under Secretary of Treasury for International Affairs, David Malpass.

The discussion centred on the need to restart the dialogue under the Economic and Financial Partnership and for greater cooperation and coordination on issues of common concern especially in the multilateral fora.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)India today strongly condemned the "cowardly and barbaric" terror attacks in Kabul and northern Baghlan province of Afghanistan, which killed over 50 people and left dozens injured, in the latest wave of attacks that came ahead of parliamentary and district council elections in the country.

Afghan authorities said at least 48 people were killed in a bomb blast outside a voter registration centre in Afghan capital Kabul, while another blast in Baghlan province left five people dead.

Referring to the Kabul attack, India said it was not only an attack on innocent civilians but also an attack on the democratic rights of the Afghan people.

"What makes this attack particularly reprehensible is the fact that the terrorists and their backers chose to attack a voters' registration centre for the upcoming parliamentary and district council elections. The attack has resulted in the death of Afghans who firmly support and believe in the democratic process to empower themselves and make their voice heard," it said.

Condemning the strikes in Kabul and Baghlan and calling them "cowardly and barbaric", the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said India stands ready to extend all possible assistance, including for treatment of those injured in the attacks.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family members of the victims, and we wish quick and complete recovery to the injured," the MEA said.

India has been actively involved in reconstruction of war-ravaged Afghanistan and it has been pushing for an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led reconciliation process in the country to bring permanent peace and stability there.

An Islamic State suicide bomber killed at least 48 people including women and children and wounded 112 outside a voter registration centre in the Afghan capital Kabul. At least five people were killed when their vehicle struck a roadside bomb in the northern Baghlan province.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)India today said maintaining peace in the border areas with China was an "essential pre-requisite" for the smooth development of bilateral ties as External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj held crucial talks with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi to reset the relations after the Dokalam standoff.

Swaraj and Wang also exchanged views on cooperation on multilateral arena and discussed their perspectives on counter-terrorism and collaborative efforts to address other global challenges, such as climate change and sustainable development.

Swaraj arrived here yesterday on a four-day visit to take part in the foreign ministers' meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) from tomorrow.

She was received by Wang at the Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing ahead of their bilateral meeting.

This was their first meeting after Wang was elevated as state councillor last month which makes him the top diplomat of the country in the Chinese hierarchy. He also continues to be the foreign minister.

During the meeting, Wang announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold an informal summit from April 27-28 in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

In her initial remarks, Swaraj congratulated Wang on being elevated as state councillor and appointed the special representative for the India-China boundary talks.

"This shows how much trust your leadership has in your abilities. I think your new responsibilities will improve India-China relations," she said.

"We will work closely with the Chinese leadership to take India-China cooperation to new heights," she said before the meeting.

"While making efforts to progress our relations in diverse areas, we underlined that maintaining peace and tranquillity in the India-China border areas is an essential pre-requisite for the smooth development of bilateral ties," she said in a press statement with Wang after the meeting.

Following the Dokalam standoff last year, both countries increased dialogue to scale down tensions and improve relations with talks at various levels.

Swaraj said the two sides agreed that as two major countries and large emerging economies, healthy development of India-China relations was important for the emergence of the Asian Century.

"We believe that commonalities outweigh our differences and that we must build on our convergences, while seeking mutually acceptable resolution to our differences," she said.

Swaraj said as part of the preparatory discussions for the Modi-Xi summit, she and Wang noted with satisfaction the progress made in ties since their last meeting in December in New Delhi.

"The (Modi-Xi) meeting in Wuhan flows from the understanding reached by the two leaders last year that India-China ties are a factor for stability in a period of global changes and have a common responsibility for peace, security and prosperity in the world," she said.

Swaraj said during her meeting with Wang, they discussed the importance of strengthening people-to-people contact in bringing the two nations closer to each other.

She also conveyed India's appreciation to the Chinese side for their confirmation on resumption of data sharing on Brahmaputra and Sutlej rivers in 2018.

She expressed happiness that the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through the Nathu La route will be resumed this year.

On his part, Wang said China and India were natural partners in cooperation.

"Our common interests far outweigh our differences. The two countries have no choice other than pursuing ever lasting friendship, mutually beneficial cooperation and a common development," he said.

Wang said he also discussed the prevailing situation in the world and in the region with Swaraj.

"China and India are two major countries with global influence. It falls to both countries to jointly uphold the UN-centered multilateral system, to jointly preserve the WTO-centred international trading rules and to joint tackle terrorism, climate change and a host of other global challenges," Wang said.

"On the eve of the closing of China's National People's Congress this year, President Xi received a very important phone call from Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he said.

Wang said the call spurred a positive momentum in the dialogue process between the two countries.

"Our two leaders had in-depth exchange of views and reached important consensus on furthering the China-India relationship. We must work very hard to implement the consensus between our two leaders.

Today's meeting between Swaraj and Wang was part of efforts by the two countries to step up the pace of high-level interactions to improve relations.

Swaraj and Wang met in the immediate backdrop of the recent meeting between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and top official of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) Yang Jiechi in Shanghai.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A 24-year-old Indian man has gone missing in Pakistan during Baisakhi festival celebrations, according to a media report.

Amarjit Singh, a resident of Amritsar, had arrived in Pakistan along with other Sikh pilgrims to celebrate Baisakhi festival on April 12, Express Tribune reported.

His disappearance was only noticed when the entourage he came along with embarked upon the return journey to India.

Singh's passport, like other pilgrims, was with the officials of Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), who immediately informed the high officials when Singh failed to collect it within the stipulated time.

According to an initial probe, the Indian boy disappeared on reaching Lahore from Nankana Sahib. A search to locate him is underway, the report said.

Earlier, Kiran Bala alias Amna Bibi, who hailed from Punjab's Hoshiarpur district, had arrived in Lahore by a special train on April 12 to attend Baisakhi festival.

During her visit, she embraced Islam and married a resident of Hingerwal, Lahore, on April 16 at a ceremony held at an Islamic seminary here.

After contracting marriage, Kiran also wrote to the Foreign Office for extension to her visa as she is receiving "life threats".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Pharmaceutical major Vitabiotics, founded by an Indian-origin entrepreneur in the UK, today became the first vitamin company in the country's history to receive the Queen's award for innovation for the second time.

Kartar Singh Lalvani founded the company in London in 1971. It was awarded for its Perfectil beauty vitamins range.

According to an official release, "this is the first and only time that a vitamin company has received the award for innovation on two occasions.

"It marks the fourth Queen's Award that the company has received, including the Queen's Award for Enterprise in Innovation for its Pregnacare vitamin research in 2013".

It represents multiple innovations in the field of cosmetic science and nutrition, underpinned by a portfolio of granted and filed patents, as well as being the first choice of beauty experts and celebrities including Nicole Scherzinger.

A groundbreaking Perfectil clinical trial showed for the first time that supplementation can help protect against the ageing effects of harsh winter weather on the skin.

The pioneering work led to Vitabiotics founder and chairman Lalvani receiving an honorary professorship from the University of Franche-Comt.

This was the first time the award of professorship was given by the University to a British scientist in the field of dermatology.

Commenting on the new Queen's Award, company President Kartar Lalvani said: "Vitabiotics is immensely honoured to once again receive the Queen's Award for Innovation, in recognition of our unique and highly successful Perfectil research and innovation.

"This accolade is a testament to Vitabiotics and I would like to thank all of our dedicated staff, customers, suppliers and research partners".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Officials from India and the US have discussed the need to restart Economic and Financial Partnership dialogue for greater cooperation and coordination on issues of common concern especially in the multilateral fora.

The discussion took place here between Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Garg and US Under Secretary of Treasury for International Affairs David Malpass.

"The discussion centered on the need to restart the dialogue under the Economic and Financial Partnership and for greater cooperation and coordination on issues of common concern especially in the multilateral fora," a media release said.

Garg is currently on an official tour here to attend the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.

Among others, he met with the Belgian delegation led by Treasury Secretary Johan Van Overtveldt and discussed areas of economic cooperation, including India joining EBRD as a member.

Garg also met the Director General for Economic Development and International, DFID, Nick Dyer, the release said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)China's Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui today hoped that an informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping later this week in the Chinese city of Wuhan will enhance "good chemistry" between the two leaders and strengthen bilateral ties.

After a meeting with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced in Beijing that Modi and Xi will hold an informal summit in Wuhan city from April 27 to 28.

"The summit will highlight the personal friendship and enhance the good chemistry between the two leaders. I believe with the guidance of our two leaders and through joint efforts of the Chinese and Indian people including you and me, China-India relations will turn a new page,"? Luo said in a video message while making a debut on Twitter.

Luo said Wuhan is his home town and that it will be an honour for him to witness the "historic" event in the city.

In a separate tweet, he said, "Smt. @SushmaSwaraj's visit to China is part of the warm-up efforts for the informal summit between Chinese and Indian leaders.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)On Tuesday, our City Council is voting on the final reading of an ordinance to demolish Division II of Chattanooga City Court without the approval of the citizens of this city. According to our councils own statements, this is primarily because the current judge sitting in Division II believes that the position is not needed at this time based on emails that the Judge has sent ... (click for more)From writing fiction in English to poetry on love and death in Urdu, Assamese author Rohan Gogoi has been busy crossing linguistic and literary boundaries.

And now Gogoi, who describes himself as the first Urdu poet from the northeastern state, is focusing on his new project -- a book of verse in Urdu on Buddhism.

The 40-year-old poet said the warm reception to his debut collection of 'shayari' or Urdu poetry, which dealt with issues such as nature and nostalgia, prompted him to start work on his new project.

"Language is not for one particular religion. That is why I am trying to experiment with Buddhism in my next collection of Urdu poems," Gogoi told PTI.

After 'Rahgeer-e-Rehguzar', published in January this year, he is working on his new book of verse in Urdu on the Buddha's life and philosophy, dealing with aspects as varied as childhood, rebellion, greed, love, sympathy, patience and compassion.

"I am trying to bring out the different facets of Buddhist philosophy through Urdu shayari', he said, adding that he hopes to release the book by the year-end or early 2019.

The author of the novel 'Chasing Maya' said it was while he was writing his second book of fiction, called The Flying Yogi', that he discovered he could pen poetry in Urdu.

In the book, the central character from UP goes to Shillong as a writer of Urdu verse. Gogoi, who has penned scores of unpublished English poems, decided to translate his own verse into Urdu for the novel.

"I completed 56 nazms or ghazals, translated from my English poems as well as new writings. I chose 40 of them and published 'Rahgeer-e-Rehguzar', he said, adding that the book had been widely read in western India and was on the bestsellers' list for two months at the Crossword bookstores in Pune.

Born and raised in Assam's Nagaon, he is now settled in Pune and works in the communications division of a multinational power management company.

Gogoi, who writes his verse in Devnagri, has not formally learnt Urdu. He picked up the language by listening to old Hindi songs, and by consulting a dictionary every time he wanted a word to be explained.

"Sahir Ludhianvi has influenced me the most. I got astonished listening to his Hindi film songs during my childhood and used to wonder at how lyrical his thoughts were. Kaifi Azmi also inspired me a lot, he said.

Though many believe shayari' is mostly romantic, Gogoi said he wanted to experiment with other dimensions of people's lives.

"Poetry has romance but romance alone is not poetry. I want to write on religion, spiritualism, culture, social issues, minimalism, small town life and the Hindi heartland's approach to the North East among others," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Iraq said today its forces had killed "36 terrorists" belonging to the Islamic State jihadist group, including senior members, in air raids this past week in Syria.

A video of Thursday's operation showed two F-16 fighter jets destroying a house in eastern Syria.

"The Iraqi air raids, carried out by several F-16s in Syria on April 19, targeted IS terrorists who represented a danger to Iraq," said General Yahya Rasool, spokesman for the Joint Operations Command (JOC), which coordinates the fight against IS in Iraq.

"According to our information, the raids took place while there was a meeting of terrorist leaders and it achieved its goal with the death of 36 of them," he said. The US-led coalition battling IS jihadists confirmed the raid, which took place near the town of Hajin in the eastern Syrian province of Deir Ezzor, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the Iraqi border.

"These raids prove Iraq's commitment to destroy the remnants of IS that continue to threaten citizens," Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's office said on Thursday, adding that the operation was planned and executed by JOC, with support from the coalition.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) today staged a demonstration here as part of its campaign to press for early deportation of Rohingyas and Bangladeshi nationals.

Led by party chairman and former minister Harsh Dev Singh, a group of JKNPP activists staged the demonstration at Exhibition ground, raising slogans against the government and in support of their demand.

Accusing the state government of not being sincere in deportation of the illegally settled foreigners from Jammu, Singh claimed that they are the "biggest threat" to the communal harmony and composite culture of the region.

The criminal apathy of the PDP-BJP government over the issue has resulted in massive public outrage...The present dispensation had not responded to the alarming situation which could vitiate peace in the city of temples, the JKNPP leader told reporters.

He said it seems that the government is not bothered to contemplate any move to deport the foreign immigrants despite public revulsion which has reached its peak.

"The BJP is keeping Kashmir-centric leaders and the separatists in good humour by shelving the most dangerous issue which has been haunting Jammu region for a long time now, he said.

The JKNPP leader claimed that the number of illegal foreign immigrants posing a demographic threat to Jammu region had "soared under the BJP rule" with thousands of Rohingyas camping in Jammu and Samba districts.

They had illegally raised fabricated slums at several congested colonies in Jammu city and managed to procure Permanent Resident Certificates, Aadhaar cards, ration cards, free water and electricity connections, he said.

Singh targeted these immigrants and accused them of involving in fuelling narco smuggling, human trafficking, child abductions, sacrilegious acts and border crossing.

Besides they were also enjoying the patronage of the radical terror outfits like Jaish-e-Mohammad and Hizbul Mujahideen, he alleged.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A Jordanian MP, his wife and three of his children were among eight people killed late Saturday when their car collided with a winch truck, a security source said.

The truck's driver and his assistant were also killed in the crash on the desert highway south of Amman, along with MP Mohammad Amamreh, his wife, three children and his brother-in-law, the source said Sunday.

Parliament speaker Atef Tarawneh expressed his sorrow at the loss of Amamreh, a 53-year-old former army colonel from the southern Jordanian city of Maan.

Tarawneh decided to cancel a parliamentary session that was slated for Sunday, with a new date set for Monday, a statement said.

Jordan has a dire road safety record, with 750 people killed in 2016, nearly 150 more than the previous year.

Accidents are often attributed to the poor state of roads, disregard for driving rules and bad weather conditions, including sandstorms.

The desert highway that stretches from Amman to the southern port city of Aqaba is often the scene of fatal crashes.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Kerala Government today said it would provide Rs five lakh as immediate relief and extend all help to the family of Lithuanian tourist, Liga Skromene, whose highly decomposed body was recovered from near Kovalam, to be taken to her native place for the final rites.

Liga's family will be provided Rs five lakh as immediate relief, an official release said.

A highly decomposed body, with head severed,was recovered from Thiruvallam near Kovalam yesterday and police had expressed suspicion it was that of Liga, who was reported missing since March 14.

Her husband Andrews and sister Ilze had identified her by the clothes on the body and colour of her hair.

Police are however awaiting DNA test reports to conclusively prove if the body was indeed that of Liga.

Kerala Tourism director P Balakiran, who met Ilze today on the directions of tourism minister Kadakampally Surendran, said the amount would be handed over to her soon."



The government would also take care of all expenses of their stay and tickets, he said.

Ilze informed Balakiran that the family wanted to take her body home and requested that the government take steps to remove legal hurdles, if any.

Meanwhile, Ilze told television channels that she planned to meet Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, seeking a proper investigation into her sister's death.

She said the jacket on Liga's body was not hers and that she could not have come to the deserted place on her own.

The body was found from a bushy, isolated area near a mangrove forest on the banks of the Karmana river.

Police are also probing all angles, including murder, to find the truth.

33-year-old Liga who had had come for Ayurvedic treatment for depression, when she went missing from Kovalam.

Police had formed a Special Investigation Team and launched a massive search to trace Liga. They had also announced a reward of Rs two lakh for anyone providing information about the missing woman.

Liga was staying at a private Ayurveda treatment centre at nearby Pothencode.

Meanwhile, state Police chief Loknath Behara said Manoj Abraham, IG, Thiruvananthapuram range, would supervise the investigation relating to Liga's death.

In a statement here, he said while the identity of the deceased can be confirmed only after the DNA test, the probe team has decided that all angles in this death would be looked into, including suspicions/doubts of the family members.

"The team has a kept an open mind and we will conduct a scientific and professional investigation'.

The best of the Medico-legal and forensic experts would be made use of to cover all aspects, the release said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's promise to build "socialist economic construction" in his nuclear-armed but impoverished and isolated country could herald more Chinese-style economic reforms, according to analysts -- but he will never explicitly say so.

Alongside the declaration Saturday that the North had completed the development of its nuclear arsenal and no more atomic or missile tests were needed, Kim proclaimed that the "new strategic line" for the ruling Workers' Party would be "socialist economic construction".

The three words appeared a total of 56 times in the report by the official KCNA agency on Kim's speech and the subsequent party decision. It has a long way to go.

For a time after the Korean War the North was wealthier than the South, benefitting from a Japanese colonial decision to concentrate industrialisation there as it had more mineral resources and more hydroelectric power potential than the largely agricultural southern end of the peninsula.

But that situation reversed as the North -- long considered one of the most state-controlled economies in the world -- suffered from decades of economic mismanagement, worsened when the demise of the Soviet Union ended the financial support that had helped to plug the gaps.

Average incomes were less than one-twentieth of those in the South in 2016, according to the most recent statistics available from Seoul -- Pyongyang itself does not publish figures even for GDP growth.

The situation has been improving as Pyongyang quietly allows the market to play a greater role in its economy under Kim.

It recorded its fastest expansion in 17 years in 2016, according to the Bank of Korea, the South's central bank -- although that is threatened by recent UN Security Council sanctions imposed on sectors such as coal, fish and textiles over its weapons programmes.

Kim intends to pursue "essentially the Chinese-style economic programme he is busily implementing", said Andrei Lankov of Korea Risk Group.

"Economic reforms which are not going to be called economic reforms." In neighbouring China and nearby Vietnam, Kim has two examples of Communist parties that have embraced capitalism without threatening the rule of the one-party state -- even reinforcing their positions by delivering increasing prosperity.

Deng Xiaoping's "Reform and Opening" in the 1980s started a decades-long economic boom that propelled China from a lumbering backwater to the world's second-largest economy and a crucial driver of global growth.

Beijing calls it "Socialism with Chinese characteristics", and officials have long pressed Pyongyang to follow its example.

In public, Kim is having none of it. At the Workers' Party congress in 2016 -- the first such meeting for 36 years -- he pointedly decried "the filthy wind of bourgeois liberty and 'reform' and 'openness' blowing in our neighbourhood". But in practice he has brought in changes.

Under what Pyongyang calls the Socialist Corporate Responsible Management System, factory managers have told AFP that once they have satisfied the quotas allocated to them by the state, they are free to buy and sell from suppliers and to customers of their choice, at prices negotiated between them.

State-owned enterprises (SOEs) can set up subsidiaries in other areas of business -- the national airline Air Koryo has diversified into fields such as taxis and soft drinks.

That also effectively allows independent entrepreneurs to set up operations under SOEs' wings, to seek a level of protection in a system that remains murky and subject to arbitrary change.

Agriculture, too, has also been reformed, with members of co-operative farms cultivating plots of their own of almost 100 square metres, growing produce that is sold in the informal, technically illegal "jangmadang" markets to be found in every North Korean town.

Even so the North cannot produce enough food to adequately feed its people -- there is an annual shortfall of around one million metric tonnes, according to experts, with more than 40 percent of the population undernourished -- and there is no enough electricity to light its cities.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) will start a heritage tour down the Hooghly from April 28.

The cruise tour - 'A Voyage through Tide and Time' - will be "solely managed" by the port, KoPT chairman Vinit Kumar told PTI.

"The KoPT plans to run the service on weekends but it requires a group of at least 20 heads to conduct a tour. The tourism department will help us in promoting and marketing the heritage trip without any exclusive tie-ups," Kumar told PTI.

The tour will begin from the Maritime Heritage Centre at Old Fairlie Warehouse, where visitors would get a chance to learn about the country's maritime history.

The centre houses maritime documents that date back to the British era.

From the heritage centre, the tourists would then be taken to the historic Man-of-War Jetty at Prinsep Ghat to board a cruise vessel.

The vessel would pass along the historic ghats, travel upstream to the Koilaghat jetties - an erstwhile berth for foreign ships - touch the Howrah bridge, the Kidderpore Dock lockgates, the BNR House - where Nawab Wajid Ali Shah once resided - and the Suriname Memorial, before ending the journey at the Indenture Memorial and Old Clock Tower site.

The Suriname memorial was built in recognition and remembrance of labourers who set off from Calcutta to work in distant colonies.

"The tourists may even get to see ships moving into the port through the lock gates, if the timings match," Kumar said, adding that there would be guides to explain the importance of the landmarks.

The tentative three-hour tour will cost an Indian Rs 1399 while a foreigner will have to shell out Rs 2499.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Labour Ministry looks to appoint an actuary to assess if the Employees' Pension Scheme (EPS) is sustainable over a long term.

The EPS, 1995 is one of the three schemes meant for old-age social security of employees run by the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO). The other two schemes are Employees' Provident Fund Scheme, 1952 and Employees' Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme, 1976.

Earlier, the labour ministry had conducted actuarial valuation of EPS for fiscal ended March 2014.

"It is now required to assess the long-term financial viability of EPS'95 by conducting the annual valuation of Employees' Pension Fund as at March 31, 2016 and March 31, 2017 for which expression of interest is called for," Labour Ministry said in its request for proposal for the appointment of valuer for actuarial valuation of EPS, 1995 of EPFO.

The actuary will have to submit a report on the longtime financial sustainability of EPS'95, it said.

"It may be ascertained if the contribution rate of 9.49 per cent under the given asset return assumptions is sufficient for EPS and the scheme is sound in a fundamental sense," the labour ministry said listing the task for the valuer.

Apart from the valuation, the scope of work for the actuarial firm will involve making projection on impact of various amendments/changes in the EPS during the valuation period and future.

It has to analyse and advise on EPS investment and portfolios, mortality rate, growing trend in demographic profile, attrition behaviour, possible impact of HIV/AIDS epidemic and bilateral social security agreements.

The actuarial will also be tasked to quantify the impact of amendments in EPS such as increase in wage ceiling from existing Rs 6,500 per month to Rs 15,000 per month and calculate the pensionary benefits on higher wage ceiling.

It will also have to assess the long term impact and government liability on increase in minimum pension to Rs 1,000 per month under EPS as well as impact of allowing pension on higher salary.

The last date for receipt of the request for proposal is May 23, 2018.

The pension corpus under EPFO is managed by fund managers who are required to make investments only in accordance with the pattern prescribed by the labour ministry.

As per the data available with the labour ministry, the EPS had received contribution of Rs 32,037.08 crore in 2015-16 and it made benefit payments of Rs 13,545.17 crore during the year.

In 2014-15, the contribution were of Rs 24,251.50 crore while payouts were Rs 12,600.94 crore.

As on March 31, 2016, EPS scheme had a membership of 15,84,70,437 and number of pensioners were 51,04,397.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A lawyer was arrested today for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor girl tonight on the Thiruvananthapuram-Chennai express, police said.

The advocate allegedly assaulted her when she was asleep. The girl woke up and raised an alarm, following which her family nabbed him and informed the Travelling Ticket Examiner.

The Chennai based lawyer had boarded the train from Coimbatore, police said.

He was handed over to railway police here, who registered a case against him under The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act), 2012.

The lawyer was later lodged in a prison in Coimbatore.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Rapper Macklemore and wife Tricia Davis have welcomed their second child together.

The rapper, 34, revealed Davis gave birth to their second child, a baby girl , in March.

When asked by Spin 1038's Nathan O'Reilly and Nick Karkazis in Ireland about what he did for the holiday, Macklemore said, "I spent it in the hospital. With my brand new daughter who was born right before St Patrick's Day."



The baby girl joins two-and-half-years old sister Sloane Ava Simone.

Macklemore, whose real name is Ben Haggerty, first made the announcement that he and Davis were expecting on Instagram in September.

The couple got married in 2015 two months after the birth of their first daughter.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)China has received information that the U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin wishes to make a trip to China to negotiate economic and trade issues, according to a Ministry of Commerce (MOC) statement issued Sunday.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin speaks during a news conference at World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings, in Washington, Saturday, April 21, 2018. [Photo: AP/Jose Luis Magana]

The statement quoted an unnamed spokesperson for the MOC as saying China welcomes this information.Malaysian police say an investigation is underway into the gunning down of a Palestinian man and that security is being beefed up in the country following recent high-profile assassinations.

Gaza's ruling Hamas militant group said Fadi al-Batsh was an important member of the group and accused Israel of being behind his killing early yesterday in Kuala Lumpur.

His death comes just over a year after the brazen assassination of the estranged half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at Kuala Lumpur's international airport.

Two Southeast Asian women have pleaded not guilty to killing Kim Jong Nam by smearing a nerve agent on his face in a plot that prosecutors say was masterminded by North Korean agents.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Some MDMK workers were injured when stones were pelted at the vehicle of party leader Vaiko who is on a campaign against the Sterlite Plant, police said today.

Some miscreants pelted stones at the vehicle in Udankudi in this district late last night, they said.

Police said the miscreants had not been identified



Police said BJP district secretary Sivamurugan and some of his party workers had shown black flags to the MDMK leader.

Meanwhile some BJP workers were injured in a clash with MDMK workers, police said



Police intervened and dispersed the two groups.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Unidentified miscreants allegedly strangulated a minor girl to death and dumped her body in a deserted place near a village in Bihar's Sitamarhi district, police said today.

The incident happened at Gangwara village under the jurisdiction of Runni Saidpur police station and the 14-year-old girl's body was found on the outskirts of the village, the police said.

The girl was missing since yesterday. She had gone to her farm but she did not return home, the Station House Officer (SHO) of Runni Saidpur police station, Murari Prasad, said.

Her relatives began looking for her yesterday and found her body today, he said.

The police officer also said that it appeared that she was strangulated to death with her "dupatta".

The body has been sent to a hospital for post-mortem examination, the SHO said, adding that an investigation has been initiated.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank repeatedly warned at their meetings this week that intensifying trade tensions could jeopardize a healthy global economic expansion.

But US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin expressed cautious optimism Saturday that countries could settle their differences without a trade war.

Mnuchin met during the past three days with financial officials from China, Japan and Europe over a series of punitive tariffs unveiled by the Trump administration against China and other trading partners.

In a session with reporters, Mnuchin refused to say how close the United States was to resolving the various trade disputes, but he did say progress had been made.

The United States and China are on the brink of what would be the biggest trade dispute since World War II. Each has proposed imposing tariffs of USD 50 billion on each other's products; President Donald Trump is looking to impose tariffs up to USD 100 billion more on Chinese goods.

In a speech earlier this month, Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed to open China's market wider to foreign companies, raising hopes the dispute with Washington could be resolved. Mnuchin said he discussed Xi's proposals with Chinese officials.

"We are cautiously optimistic," Mnuchin told reporters, saying that he may soon travel to Beijing for further talks.

The Commerce Ministry in Beijing said Sunday that China welcomes a visit from the US to Beijing to discuss trade issues and confirms it has "received information" regarding Washington's interest in such a trip.

Trade tensions dominated the three days of talks among top finance officials attending meetings of the Group of 20 major economies, the 189-nation International Monetary Fund and its sister lending agency, the World Bank.

The officials roundly criticized Trump's get-tough approach to trade, a reversal of seven decades of U.S. support for increasing freedom in global commerce. In his speech to the IMF's policy committee yesterday, Yi Gang, the head of China's central bank, said that global growth could be hurt by "an escalation of trade frictions caused by unilateral actions," an obvious reference to America's threatened tariffs against China.

Mnuchin insisted that the United States was not trying to provoke a global trade war but seeking to protect American jobs from unfair competition.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Prime Minister Narendra Modi today congratulated the people of Jharkhand for the BJP's thumping victory in the recently concluded civic polls, an official release said.

The BJP won 26 posts of chairman/vice chairman out of total 58 posts of Nagar Parishads and Nagar Panchayats (councils) for which elections were held on April 16, besides winning all the five posts of mayors and deputy mayors of Municipal Corporations for which elections were simultaneously held.

Also congratulating the party workers, Modi said he learnt that 80 per cent of victories for the BJP had been in villages and small towns.

He congratulated the BJP workers and the people of Jharkhand as they had kept faith in development. They chose long-term solution instead of short-term benefit, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Mundra Solar PV, the solar photovoltaic manufacturing arm of diversified Adani Group, looks to become a USD 1 billion company over the next 2-3 years, a top company official said.

The company is also hoping to scale up its manufacturing capacity of modules and cells from the current 1,200 MW to around 3,000 MW in the next 2-3 years.

"We are very buoyant on growing our business and we are positive we will expand it depending on the way the government policy comes out which we feel will happen soon," company's chief executive Ramesh Nair told PTI over a telephonic interview.

He said already actions are on the ground as the government has given the go ahead for pass through of any hike in case of the safeguard duty and the manufacturing policy is in its final stages.

"Recently, the government announced that it will amend bidding rules to allow pass through of duty hike on solar. This has come as a major relief for developers as well. We hope we will be able to become a USD 1 billion company in the next 2-3 years," he added.

Currently, Mundra Solar has a manufacturing facility with a capacity of 1,200 MW in the Special Economic Zone at Mundra in Gujarat.

"Manufacturing in India will have to increase as we cannot continue with letting Chinese products being dumped here. With the recent decisions taken and the government's vision of 100 GW of solar capacity by 2022, manufacturing capacities in India will increase. We will also expand our capacity and depending on the manufacturing policy how it plays out we will also look at growing through backward integration," Nair added.

When asked whether the 100 GW target was achievable given the slow pace of awarding of contracts, he said, "It is indeed an achievable target. What is important is that the government needs to award contracts for almost 20 GW every year. Last year only 8,000 MW capacity was added but if we have to achieve the 100GW target the government will have to increase the pace of capacity addition.

(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 called on Governor E S L Narasimhan in Vijayawada.

The 90-minute meeting, which took place at a hotel, comes two days after Naidu sat on a day-long fast on his birthday seeking special category status for the state.

The governor made a sudden detour to Vijayawada from Visakhapatnam after attending an official programme last night. An official release said the chief minister made a "courtesy call" on the governor.

However, it did not provide details about the meeting.

Telugu Desam Party sources said the two discussed the current political scenario in wake of the agitation across Andhra Pradesh demanding special category status.

Naidu is said to have briefed the governor about the day-long fast.

The governor later left for Hyderabad.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu today set in motion the process of consultation on the impeachment notice against Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and held discussions with constitutional and legal experts.

The vice president cut short his visit to Hyderabad and reached here to hold deliberations over the notice given by the seven opposition parties.

According to officials, Naidu today spoke to former Lok Sabha secretary general Subhash Kashyap, ex-law secretary P K Malhotra and former legislative secretary Sanjay Singh on the issue.

He also held deliberations with senior officials of the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, the officials said, adding that he is also likely to meet former Supreme Court judge Sudarshan Reddy.

Leaders of the opposition parties had on Friday met Naidu and handed over the notice of impeachment against the chief justice of India (CJI) bearing signatures of 64 MPs and seven former members, who recently retired.

The opposition parties, led by the Congress, initiated the unprecedented step to impeach the CJI by moving the notice levelling charges against him. The parties had briefed the media after handing over the notice to the Upper House chairman.

While reviewing the notice, the Rajya Sabha officials had mentioned that making public the contents of a notice before it is admitted by the chair is in violation of parliamentary rules.

According to the provisions in the handbook for Rajya Sabha members, no advance publicity should be given to any notice to be taken up in the House till it is admitted by the chairman.

The move to propose impeachment notice against the CJI has led to a slugfest between the Congress and the BJP.

Meanwhile, the Congress said that the CJI should considering recusing himself from judicial and administrative duties until his name is cleared.

The BJP has said the Congress was trying to demean, degrade and denigrate the judiciary by moving the notice.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba today began a five-day visit to Iran, where he would attend a conclave of major naval powers of the region and explore ways to deepen engagement between navies of the two countries.

The sixth edition of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) and Conclave of Chiefs will be held in Tehran from April 23 to 25, the Indian Navy said.

The IONS, which began in 2008 following an initiative by India, has grown into a major naval forum of the region with 23 countries as members and nine nations as observers.

"The visit of the Chief of the Naval Staff is also aimed at consolidating bilateral naval relations between India and Iran and to explore new avenues for naval cooperation," it said in a statement.

Admiral Lanba will also hold bilateral discussions with the Commander of Iranian Navy and Navy chiefs of several other nations on the sidelines of the IONS.

The IONS was conceived by the Indian Navy in 2008. The aim of the initiative was to enhance maritime cooperation among navies of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region by providing an open and inclusive forum for discussion on regionally relevant maritime issues.

The inaugural edition of IONS was held in February 2008 in New Delhi, with Indian Navy as the Chair for two years.

Admiral Lanba is leading a four-member Indian delegation for the event in Tehran.

"A relatively young forum, barely in its 10th year of existence, the IONS has grown into a formidable organisation with 23 members and nine observers. As the founder nation, India will also be conducting commemorative activities in November 2018 at Kochi, to celebrate its 10th Anniversary this year," the Navy said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today asserted that Naxalism will be "wiped out" from the country as he lauded the efforts of the Nitish Kumar government in tackling the menace in Bihar.

Addressing an event organised by the state party unit on the eve of Babu Veer Kuer Singh's 160th Viyotsav Diwas in Patna, he said the number of incidents related to the rebels has come down since 2013.

Also, the number of deaths due to Naxal attacks has come down to one third, he said.

"Naxalite's confidence is shattered...Naxalism will be wiped out from the country," Singh said at the programme attended by a galaxy of BJP leaders and Union ministers.

"These Naxalites thrive at the cost of poor people...I would like to tell the poor of the country as well as those of Bihar that the Naxal leaders want them to remain poor, whereas their own children study in prominent colleges and universities, and some of them even study abroad. The Naxalite leaders have become crorepatis," he said.

The home minister asked the people to be on guard against the Naxalites' designs to win their sympathies.

Earlier, addressing a function to inaugurate the ITBP's 6th battalion's buildings at Saran, the headquarter town of Chapra district, the Union minister lauded the efforts of the Nitish Kumar government in tackling Naxalism.

"I would like to mention the situation of Naxalism in Bihar. The number of Naxal incidents has come down to less than half here since 2013 and the deaths to one-third," Singh said.

"I would like to thank CM Nitish Kumar, deputy CM Sushil Modi, the police and para military forces for this (achievement)," he said.

The senior BJP leader also appreciated the Bihar government for posting a resounding 10 per cent plus growth rate.

"Bihar's growth rate has increased tremendously during the NDA government. The state has clocked a growth rate of 10.3 per cent for the first time when the national growth stands at 7.3 per cent. Both Nitish Kumar and Sushil Modi deserve praise for this," he said.

Singh termed as "historic" the enforcement of complete prohibition in the state and said the decision had been taken for the better future of the state's people.

"As a home minister of the country, I can say that the crime rate has gone down in Bihar after the enforcement of prohibition," he said, adding that even Prime Minister Narendra Modi had appreciated the same during the recent centenary celebrations of Champaran satyagraha.

The Bihar chief minister, deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi and BJP MPs Janardan Singh Sigriwal and Rajiv Pratap Rudy were among those present at the programme.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday called for fostering new driving forces through informatization, to promote new development and make new achievements.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in a congratulatory letter sent to the first Digital China Summit, which opened Sunday in Fuzhou, provincial capital of east China's Fujian Province.

Chinese President Xi Jinping. [File Photo: Xinhua]

Digitalization, networking and the application of intelligent technologies, which have been greatly developed, are playing more and more important roles in promoting social and economic development, modernizing China's governance system and capacity, and meeting the people's ever-growing needs for a better life, he said in the letter.

Xi noted that the summit will show China's latest achievements in developing e-governance and the digital economy.

It will also enable people to exchange experience and perspectives about building a digital China, and help further build consensus, he said.

The summit will stimulate the enthusiasm, initiative and creativity of all sectors of society to build a digital China, as well as make informatization bring more benefits to the society and the people, Xi said.

Photo taken on April 21, 2018 shows the Fuzhou Strait International Conference and Exhibition Center, the main venue of the first Digital China Summit in Fuzhou, capital of southeast China's Fujian Province. The summit will be held here from April 22 to April 24. [Photo: Xinhua/Wei Peiquan]

Xi's letter was read at the opening ceremony Sunday. Huang Kunming, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, addressed the ceremony.

Huang urged implementing Xi's strategic thought and instructions on building China into an Internet power.

He also urged achieving breakthroughs in core technologies, promoting the upgrade of infrastructure, developing the digital economy and benefiting more from data resources.

The summit, which will run for three days until April 24, is jointly held by the Cyberspace Administration of China, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and the Fujian provincial government.

About 800 people, including officials, representatives of industrial organizations and experts, are attending the summit.Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said today there was nothing wrong in Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah contesting from two constituencies in the May 12 assembly polls, and expressed confidence he will win both the seats.

To build Siddaramaiah's case, Kharge recalled even Prime Minister Narendra Modi contested the 2014 Lok Sabha polls from two seats - Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh and Vadodara in Gujarat.

He termed the reported fears about Siddaramaiah losing from Chamundeshwari seat in Mysuru as BJP's "false propaganda."



The Karnataka chief minister is likely to file his nomination from Badami in north Karnataka on Tuesday.

"He can contest (from two constituencies). What is wrong in that? This is the high command's decision. People in Badami wanted him to contest from there also," Kharge told reporters.

"Didn't Modi contest from two constituencies? Did any question arise then," the Congress floor leader in Lok Sabha asked.

Siddaramaiah has filed his nomination papers from Chamundeshwari. He has said he was under pressure from party leaders in Bagalkote and Vijayapura districts to contest from Badami, but he would leave the final decision to the Congress "high command".

Responding to a question if Siddaramaiah was contesting from Badami because of the fear of losing in Chamundeshwari, Kharge said: "It is a propaganda of BJP. They are experts; false propaganda is their job."



He said "circumstances" have forced the Karnataka chief minister to contest from two constituencies.

Badami has a strong presence of Kuruba community, to which Siddaramaiah belongs. The constituency is seen as a safer option for him as reports have suggested the battle on Chamundeshwari seat will not be easy for the chief minister.

Siddaramaiah has won five times and defeated twice in Chamundeshwari. He has represented the Varuna constituency in Mysuru since 2008. It's now been allotted to his son Yatindra.

Asked whether Siddaramaiah's candidature from Badami was an after-thought, as another candidate's name was announced in the first list, Kharge said changes happen in all parties.

In the second and final list announced by Congress today, Siddaramaiah replaced Devraj Patil from Badami constituency.

Patil's name was there in the first list announced on April 15. But issuance of the 'B-form' to him was put on hold.

Siddaramaiah's reported wish to contest from two seats, was said to have met with stiff opposition from Kharge and another leader Veerappa Moily, after which the party decided to field Patil.

Kharge and Moily reportedly opposed two constituencies for Siddaramaiah stating it will consolidate Vokkaliga votes in favour of JD(S) in Mysuru region, and it will also send a wrong message about the chief minister lacking confidence.

Asked whether Siddaramaiah will be the chief minister again if Congress comes to power in Karnataka, Kharge said: "There is no such question. This is a hypothetical question. High command will decide."



On the promulgation of an ordinance for stringent punishment to child rapists, Kharge said Congress welcomes all measures to protect women, children and Dalits, but he questioned why the central government was not implementing properly the existing laws.

"As you did not implement the existing laws like the Nirbhaya law properly, there is a 500 per cent increase in crimes against women and children. This is an ineffective government," he alleged.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A nude gunman shot dead three people and injured at least four more in the early hours on Sunday at a restaurant on the outskirts of Nashville, Tennessee, police said.

The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said in a statement that the shooting occurred at a Waffle House in Antioch, a suburb southeast of Nashville, at 3:25 am.

"A patron wrestled away the gunman's rifle. He was nude & fled on foot. He is a white man with short hair," the statement added.Opposition parties in Andhra Pradesh today stepped up pressure on the state government over the alleged controversial appointments to Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams Board and demanded an apology and explanation from the Chief Minister.

Opposition parties, including the Congress and BJP wanted Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to respect the sentiments of Hindus and scrap the controversial appointments, including that of the Chairman and a member, who admitted that her family was "basically Christian."



However, neither the government nor Telugu Desam Party are yet to react formally on the issue.

The controversy is over the appointments of Board Chairman Putta Sudhakara Yadav and Vangalapudi Anita, who is also an MLA from Payakaraopet.

While Yadav claims to be a devout Hindu despite Hindu groups alleging he participated in Christian religious events, Anita has admitted that her family is "basically Christian."



The Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president N Raghuveera Reddy hit out at the government and said the Chief Minister should remove the controversial members.

"It is nothing but sacrilege. It is unprecedented. The Chief Minister should immediately apologise for this and remove the controversial members. Otherwise, the government will pay a heavy price for this," Reddy said.

It was unfortunate that appointments to the TTD Board have been made along political lines rather than on devotional credentials, he alleged.

Reddy, a former minister, also said the MLA was on record saying she always carried a Bible. "Nothing wrong in it, but she is ineligible to be a member of the TTD Board."



He alleged that the government went ahead with the controversial appointments with a 'pigheaded attitude' that none should question its decisions.

YSR Congress MLA R K Roja said it was unfortunate that appointments to the TTD Board became controversial and said the Chief Minister owed an explanation to people on this.

"The Board was constituted in a manner that hurt the sentiments of Hindus. The government should respect Hindus and temples.The responsibility is on the Chief Minister,"she said.

BJP state spokesman Sudheesh Rambhotla also took strong exception to the constitution of the new TTD Board.

Meanwhile, Anita speaking to a television channel, appealed to opposition parties not to create an issue over her appointment.

"Yes,my family is basically Christian but I am a devotee of Lord Venkateswara. I worship the Lord," she claimed.

Interestingly, the TDP government appointed Sapna Mungantiwar, wife of Maharashtra Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar of the BJP, as a member of the TTD Board along with philanthropist Sudha Narayana Murthy.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A day after a couple of party legislators expressed discontent over being ignored in Punjab cabinet expansion, the state Congress chief Sunil Jakhar said the party has many worthy leaders who might have been aspirants and maintained that issues will be resolved soon.

The Punjab Congress today tried to mollify discontent among a section of its leaders who are upset over non-inclusion in the state cabinet, which was expanded yesterday with the induction of nine new ministers.

Jakhar and party in-charge of Punjab affairs Asha Kumari and co-incharge Harish Choudhary in Chandigarh held a meeting with several legislators here.

Amritsar (west) MLA Raj Kumar Verka told media persons after the meeting that an entire chunk of Dalit community, which comprises nearly 35 lakh of Punjab's population, has been left out in the cabinet expansion.

"We have raised this issue at the party forum and the leadership will redress it," Verka, a prominent Dalit face of the party who was also a frontrunner for cabinet berth, said.

Jakhar told reporters that the party has many worthy leaders who might have been aspiring for a place in the cabinet. He said the issues would be resolved.

Replying to a question, he said that it was an internal matter of the party and was being addressed.

While three party MLAs claimed to have resigned in protest after the list of new ministers was announced on Friday, Asha Kumari, today, however, said that no resignation has been received by the party.

Three legislators -- Sangat Singh Gilzian from Urmur assembly segment, Nathu Ram from Balluana and Surjit Singh Dhiman from Amargarh -- had resigned from their posts in the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee.

Gilzian resigned on Friday when the names of the nine new ministers were announced after a meeting between Amarinder Singh and Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Delhi.

The two other resignations came in yesterday, just a few hours before the swearing-in ceremony.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) too had lashed at the Congress after the expansion, accusing it of ignoring the representation of Scheduled Caste and backward classes among the newly sworn in ministers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold an informal summit in China's Wuhan city from April 27 to 28 to exchange views on bilateral and international matters and to enhance mutual communication between the two leaders, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced here today.

Prime Minister Modi will be visiting the central Chinese city at the invitation of President Xi, Wang said at a joint media event with visiting External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj after their talks.

"The two leaders will have communications of a strategic nature concerning the once in a century shifts going on in the world. They will also exchange views on overarching long-term and strategic matters concerning the future of China-India relations," Wang said.

"The informal summit will be an important occasion for them to exchange views on bilateral and international matters from an over-arching and long-term perspective with the objective of enhancing mutual communication at the level of leaders," Swaraj said.

Swaraj is in China for talks with Wang and to take part in the two-day meeting of Foreign Ministers of the eight-nation Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) from tomorrow.

Informed sources told PTI that it will be an informal summit meeting between Xi and Modi during which both leaders will try to work out a new paradigm for the bilateral ties bogged down with a host of disputes and differences.

This will be fourth visit of Modi to China after he came to power in 2014. He is again due to visit China to take part in the SCO summit to be held at Qingdao city on June 9-10.

The Modi-Xi summit meeting is taking place in the backdrop of series of high level interactions between both the two countries starting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang's visit to India in December, the first after Dokalam standoff.

It was followed by two meetings between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi and the visit early this year by Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale to Beijing.

The two countries also held 11th Joint Economic Group meeting and the fifth Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) here recently.

Besides meetings between officials from the two foreign ministries on both sides held working mechanism meeting on border affairs and cross border rivers as well disarmament and non-proliferation dialogue in which India's entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) was discussed and culminated in today's talks between Swaraj and Wang.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and will hold a summit meeting in China's Wuhan city from April 27 to 28 to improve bilateral relations, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced here today.

Prime Minister Modi will be visiting the central Chinese city at the invitation of President Xi, Wang said at a joint media event with visiting External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj after their talks.

Swaraj is in China for talks with Wang and to take part in the two-day meeting of Foreign Ministers of the eight-nation Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) from tomorrow.

Informed sources told PTI that it will be an informal summit meeting between Xi and Modi during which both leaders will try to work out a new paradigm for the bilateral ties bogged down with a host of disputes and differences.

This will be fourth visit of Modi to China after he came to power in 2014. He is again due to visit China to take part in the SCO summit to be held at Qingdao city on June 9-10.

The Modi-Xi summit meeting is taking place in the backdrop of series of high level interactions between both the two countries starting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang's visit to India in December, the first after Dokalam standoff.

It was followed by two meetings between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi and the visit early this year by Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale to Beijing.

The two countries also held 11th Joint Economic Group meeting and the fifth Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) here recently.

Besides meetings between officials from the two foreign ministries on both sides held working mechanism meeting on border affairs and cross border rivers as well disarmament and non-proliferation dialogue in which India's entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) was discussed and culminated in today's talks between Swaraj and Wang.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The government has intervened in the bankruptcy proceedings of Nirav Modi firms in the US to protect the interests of Punjab National Bank (PNB), Union minister P P Chaudhary said, amid multi-pronged efforts to deal with the nearly Rs 130 billion (Rs 13,000 crore) scam.

Diamond merchants Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi are alleged to have perpetrated the country's biggest banking sector scam at Punjab National Bank, mainly by way of issuance of fraudulent Letters of Undertaking (LoUs).

Against the backdrop of a multi-agency probe into the case, Chaudhary said that some Nirav Modi firms filing for bankruptcy in the US would jeopardise the interests of Punjab National Bank.

The Minister of State for Corporate Affairs noted that committing of fraud and violation of Indian laws by these firms necessitates booking of the accused in India.



"Since the investigation against Nirav Modi led firms, ie Firestar Diamond and other firms, is still going on in India for committing fraud against the Punjab National Bank, the filing of bankruptcy by these firms in the US would jeopardise the interest of the Indian bank," he told PTI in an interview.

Chaudhary, who is the Minister of State for Law and Justice, said, "we have intervened in the bankruptcy proceedings in the US to safeguard our interests".

On February 27, Nirav Modi-owned Firestar Diamond Inc filed for bankruptcy in the US.



Last month, senior government officials had said the effort would be to try stall the bankruptcy proceedings so that the company's assets are not liquidated before completion of the probe into the scam.

On February 23, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) had restrained more than 60 entities, including Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi, various individuals, companies, and limited liability partnership firms, from selling their assets.

The Serious Fraud Investigation Office is probing 107 companies and seven limited liability partnerships (LLPs) linked to Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi groups with regard to the scam.



The minister said the SFIO would submit its report within six months.

Among other agencies, the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate are also investigating the fraud.Armenian police said protest leader Nikol Pashinyan was on Sunday "forcibly taken" from a protest rally, dismissing reports of his arrest as riot police and demonstrators clashed in Yerevan.

"Despite repeated calls to stop illegal rallies, Pashinyan continued leading a demonstration" in the capital, police said in a statement, adding that he and two other opposition MPs "were forcibly taken from the site" as riot police dispersed the rally.

An opposition MP Sasun Mikaelyan earlier told journalists that Pashinyan was arrested.

"People must liberate Nikol," he said.

As an MP, Pashinyan is protected by a parliamentary immunity and cannot be arrested without the approval of lawmakers, in accordance with the Armenian constitution.

Riot police using stun grenades clashed with demonstrators at the march led by Pashinyan in Yerevan's suburban district of Erebuni.

It came shortly after new Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian walked out of talks with the protest leader.

The televised meeting between the two only lasted for a couple of minutes on Sunday morning before the premier walked out, accusing the opposition of "blackmail".

Pashinyan had earlier announced the "start of a peaceful velvet revolution" in the landlocked South Caucasus nation of 2.9 million people.

Heeding a call from Pashinyan, protesters held rallies over the last 10 days to denounce Sarkisian's shift to the post of prime minister after a decade serving as president.

Opposition supporters have criticised the 63-year-old leader over poverty, corruption and the influence of powerful oligarchs.

Under a new parliamentary system of government, lawmakers elected him as prime minister last week.

Constitutional amendments approved in 2015 have transferred power from the presidency to the premiership.

After Sarkisian was first elected in 2008, 10 people died and hundreds were injured in bloody post-election clashes between police and supporters of the defeated opposition candidate.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A pregnant woman claimed today immigration officials at the Petrapole border with Bangladesh made her wait for six hours before processing her immigration papers to allow her into India, police said.

She said she fell sick due to the long wait under the sun.

The woman and her husband filed a complaint alleging harassment by immigration officials yesterday at the border check-post in North 24 Parganas district, police said.

A police investigation into the incident is under way.

She said she is a Bangladeshi citizen married to an Indian man for more than an year. They were returning to their home in Kolkata after visiting her parents in Bangladesh.

The woman claimed an immigration official questioned her over one or two partly-torn pages in her passport, though she did not face a similar questioning on the Bangladesh side of the border.

She said the official questioned her how she had a Bangladeshi passport when her husband was an Indian citizen.

"I requested the official to allow me to leave owing to my condition but he paid no heed," the woman claimed.

Her husband said he contacted Petrapole police after she felt unwell. They later took her to a government hospital wher she was provided medical assistance.

After that, the couple returned to their Kolkata residence.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Online fashion lingerie brand PrettySecrets is looking at more than doubling its offline retail distribution to 60 exclusive stores and over 600 retail counters by the end of this calendar year.

"After starting out as an online brand...we entered offline retail last year. We are looking at expanding this channel. We are looking at having 60 exclusive brand outlets by end of this year. We are also increasing the number of retail counters where our products are sold to over 600," Pretty Secrets Founder & CEO Karan Behal told PTI.

PrettySecrets, which started out with an e-store in 2012, at present sells through 6 distributers in about 250 retail counters. The company is looking at appointing 7 more distributors which will take its total retail counter distribution to over 600 by end of the year. PrettySecrets at present has 23 exclusive brand outlets.

When asked if the company is looking raising funds for its expansion, Behal said, "We are constantly in touch with venture capital/private equity players. We will need capital...however, we are looking at debt options at this point of time."



PrettySecrets has raised Rs 55 crore so far in multiple rounds of private equity investment from investors such as RB Investments Pte Ltd, Orios Venture Partners, Indian Angel Network, India Quotient and Harvard Business School Angels India.

Behal said the company is expected to break even by October this year.

The brand, which also sells its products on e-commerce websites of UAE and South East Asia, Souq.com and Lazada.com may also look at overseas foray with this year.

The brand offers about 1,000 products in the category of lingerie, night wear, swim wear and active wear.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Giant panda "Xingbao" eats in its enclosure in Qianlingshan Park in Guiyang, capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province, April 22, 2018. [Photo: Xinhua/Ou Dongqu]

Two giant pandas, born in Japan and Spain respectively, meet the public in southwest China's Guizhou Province on Sunday.

The two males, Hai Bang and Xing Bao, are on display for the public at Qianlingshan Park in Guiyang, capital of Guizhou. Hai Bang and his twin were born in Japan in 2010, while Xing Bao was born in Spain in 2013.

Giant panda "Haibang" eats in its enclosure in Qianlingshan Park in Guiyang, capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province, April 22, 2018. [Photo: Xinhua/Ou Dongqu]

Xing Bao remained low-key, while Hai Bang walked into the shade, shaking his head and twisting his body.

"This panda is so cute. Is he dancing?" said Wu Yuqi, a primary school student who viewed the pandas.

Li Da, head of the panda enclosure, said that shaking head and tail is a habit of Hai Bang whenever he is nervous or happy.

Tourists view giant panda "Xingbao" in Qianlingshan Park in Guiyang, capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province, April 22, 2018. [Photo: Xinhua/Ou Dongqu]

"As China has proposed the coordinated development of people and nature, bringing the pandas to Guiyang allow more Chinese to understand the importance of wildlife diversity," said Li.

He said the park has a 37-member team taking care of the pandas.Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold a summit in China's Wuhan city from April 27 to 28 for a "heart-to-heart" chat to explore a new paradigm for India-China ties and find ways to address the contentious issues like the border dispute.

Conceived on the lines of the ice-breaking visit undertaken by late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1988 and his far-reaching talks with China's paramount leader Deng Xiaoping, setting a new tone for the relations after the 1962 war, the Xi-Modi dialogue in the central Chinese city of Wuhan was aimed at a working a new paradigm for the bilateral relations for the next 15 years, informed sources told PTI here.

At the "informal summit" with a few officials and aides at a picturesque location, the two leaders plan to spend several hours exchanging their vision and perspectives about global and domestic scenarios and explore ideas to address the contentious bilateral issues like the border dispute, they said.

The talks will focus on adhering to the principle that both countries should be sensitive to each other's concerns and aspirations, the sources said.

At the summit, Modi and Xi will try to work out a general framework for relations to move ahead without much of great expectations about the outcome, they said.

It is a leadership-driven summit, providing a leadership driven-direction and a way forward to a more stable bilateral ties, the sources said.

While no major agreements were expected to be reached at the summit, the two leaders will have candid talks on the contentious issues like Xi's pet project, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) whose flagship project, the USD 50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has become a major stumbling block for the bilateral ties.

India protested about CPEC as it is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) disregarding India's sovereignty concerns.

Last year turned out to be an extremely complex and difficult year for Sino-Indian ties with a host of festering differences like China blocking India's entry into the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) as well as attempts to list Jaish-e-Muhammad leader Masood Azhar as a terrorist by the UN. The 73-day standoff at Dokalam also hit bilateral ties.

The Wuhan summit is aimed at giving an "honest try" by the two leaders to work out an understanding at the top on the future course of relations to navigate through the maze of differences and build strategic trust and communication between themselves, they said.

It will be the fourth visit by Modi to China since he took over power in 2014 and a second bilateral visit. He made first bilateral visit in 2015 followed by a visit to Hangzhou to take part in the G-20 summit in 2016 and BRICS summit in Xiamen last year.

He is again due to visit Chinese city of Qingdao in June this year to take part in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.

The two leaders decided to meet ahead of SCO meet as the summit of the eight-member group will offer little time and space for a lengthy interaction, the sources said.

The Modi-Xi meeting has been worked out by both sides following an understanding between the two governments that positive relations without much of tensions are most important for the development of both the countries.

While China sees India as a country of faster economic growth and safe destination for Chinese investments, and regard good ties with it is important for its peaceful rise, the thinking in India too is that peaceful relations with China is important for the progress of initiatives like the 'Make in India', they said.

At their summit, the two leaders were expected to have a "heart-to- heart" chat and look at the big picture of the bilateral ties, they said.

The summit is taking place as Xi, now regarded as the most powerful leader of China is poised for a longer tenure in the office after the last month's removal of the two-term limit for President.

The summit provides an opportunity for the 64-year-old Chinese leader to elaborate on the contours of his oft-stated Chinese dream of national rejuvenation, while Modi was expected to highlight the importance of campaigns like the 'Make in India' and his vision of "Vasudeva Kutumbakam", (world as a single family) they said.

The Modi-Xi summit meeting is taking place in the backdrop of a series of high level interactions between both the two countries starting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to India in December, the first after the Dokalam standoff.

It was followed by two meetings between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi and the visit early this year by Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale to Beijing.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Here's a special gift for children on World Book Day tomorrow - India's finest writers have come out with a riveting book about 10 timeless folktales.

"The Puffin Book of Folktales" is a motley treasure of heart-warming folktales by master storytellers such as Ruskin Bond, Sudha Murty, Devdutt Pattanaik, Kamala Das, Paro Anand and others, with each author adding an own special touch.

The book brings to life India's glorious cultural heritage in all its richness, along with generous doses of fun. Puffin India has partnered with Flipkart and UNESCO for the exclusive release of this edition on World Book Day on the online store.

According to Sohini Mitra, associate publisher of Puffin (Penguin Random House India), the vision is to nurture and spread the joy of reading, and make books and stories accessible to one and all.

"In keeping with the ethos of World Book Day which celebrates stories, books and the love for reading, we are delighted to bring to our readers an exquisite collection of folktales by India's leading authors," she says.

"We are thrilled to be partnering with UNESCO and Flipkart on this wonderful initiative! 'The Puffin Book of Folktales' features delightful stories and is available in an affordable paperback edition," she adds.

The other authors who have contributed to the book are Manjula Padmanabhan, Musharraf Ali Farooqi, Shashi Deshpande, A K Ramanujan and Meera Uberoi.

Nishit Garg, senior director (general merchandise), who also heads books at Flipkart, says it is in fairytales that one begins to see and chase his or her first dreams.

"On this World Book Day, we hope to bring every child closer to the world of dreams and possibilities by encouraging them to read," he says.

UNESCO's sector head and programme specialist for culture Junhi Han feels a collection of folktales such as this entertains and fascinates, encourages reading and listening among children, and helps them discover and rediscover India's rich oral heritage.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The victory of Rabri Devi along with two other RJD members and son of former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi in the biennial elections to the Bihar Legislative Council has brightened her chance of getting the status of Leader of Opposition in the upper house.

After announcement of results for 11 seats of Council on April 19 last, the RJD now has 9 members in the 75-member upper house.

Santosh Manjhi, son of former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, also won the council poll with the help of Lalu Prasad's party.

The strength of at least ten members is required for according the status of the Leader of Opposition in the Council.

Her son Tejashwi Yadav is the Leader of Opposition in the state Legislative Assembly after Grand Alliance comprising JD(U), RJD and Congress disintegrated. Nitish Kumar joined hands with the BJP to form a new government in July last year while the RJD moved into the opposition bench.

Earlier for want of numbers, Rabri Devi, wife of RJD president Lalu Prasad, was denied the status of Leader of Opposition in the Council. At that time RJD had only seven members including Rabri Devi.

RJD Bihar president Ramchandra Purve, who also became MLC after declaration of results on Thursday last, said the party would send a proposal to the Acting Chairman of the Council Haroon Rashid to accord opposition leader status to Rabri Devi.

When contacted, Rashid told PTI that he would deliberate on the issue when a proposal seeking opposition leader status came to him.

Currently, in the 75-member Bihar Legislative Council, JD(U) has 32 members followed by BJP 22, RJD 9, Congress 3, CPI and LJP 2 each, HAM (Hindustani Awam Morcha of Jitan Ram Manjhi) and RLSP of Union minister of state Upendra Kushwaha one each and Independents 3.

Rabri Devi had in August last attacked the new JD(U)-BJP government in Bihar for denying her the status of opposition leader in the Legislative Council under the "cover of rules" that RJD did not have the required number of MLCs needed for the post.

"Earlier, the status of Leader of Opposition was given to the then RJD leader Gulam Gaus even when the party's strength was 4-5 in the Council. But, now they (JD(U)-BJP) are taking the cover of rules," she said.

"Let them deny the post (to RJD), we are the leader of masses," she had said.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, his deputy Sushil Kumar Modi and RJD leader Rabri Devi were among the 11 candidates declared elected unopposed on April 19 last in the biennial elections to the state Legislative Council.

Since there were only 11 nominations for as many vacancies in the state Upper House, all the candidates were declared elected unopposed after end of the withdrawal deadline.

Among the winners, four belong to the RJD, three each to the JD(U) and the BJP besides one from the Congress.

Of the 11 members, whose term will expire on May 6, five belong to the JD(U), four to the BJP and one to the RJD.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Congress president Rahul Gandhi will arrive here on April 27 on the sixth leg of his election tour to attend a campaign meeting at Bantwal constituency, ahead of the May 12 Karnataka assembly elections.

State Forests Minister and Dakshina Kannada district-in-charge B Ramanath Rai is the party candidate in the constituency.

Gandhi would also attend a district-level conference of the party with senior leaders on the day, party sources said.

The Congress leader would proceed to Dharmasthala temple town after addressing the people near Brahmashri Narayana Guru circle in Bantwal, the sources said.

Gandhi had come to the coastal region on March 20 and had held many road shows.

He had also visited places of worship including Rosario Cathedral, Kudroli Temple and Ullal Dargah.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Rahul Gandhi keeps asking what the Modi government has done in the past four years when the country wants to know what the Congress did for the masses in its 50 years, BJP chief Amit Shah said today.

Shah said the top priority of the government, which is led by his party, was to ensure security on borders and handling terrorism strictly by adopting a zero tolerance policy.

The BJP chief was addressing the concluding session of the party's 'Mahila Morcha' national executive meeting at a private institute here.

Without taking any names he said when our "enemy" had forgotten the incident in which our soldiers were beheaded by its army, India launched surgical strikes to avenge the incident.

Attacking Gandhi, he said the Congress president keeps asking what had been done in four years of the Modi government. The country wants to know that what Congress had done in its regime of 50 years for the masses, Shah said.

The BJP government is providing loans to unemployed youths to make them self employed. The opposition parties took jibe on the issue by talking of pakodas', he said. Any kind of job which involves hardwork is considered dignified, he added.

The previous governments were indulging in corruption, he alleged as he lauded the Modi government.

India will lead climate change conference in the coming years, Shah said. He also gave some important tips to women workers of BJP to ensure victory in the forthcoming parliamentary elections. Shah exhorted party workers to work 24x7 achieve the target.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Home Minister Rajnath Singh today called up Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and took stock of the security situation in Gadchiroli district where at least 14 Naxals were killed by police, an official said.

During the telephonic conversation, the chief minister briefed the home minister on the details of the operation in which the Maoists were killed.

Singh also discussed with Fadnavis about the Left-Wing Extremism situation in Gadchiroli district and other related issues, the ministry official said.

Fourteen Naxals were killed in an encounter with police in Gadchiroli today, an official said, adding that a team of C-60 commandos, a specialised combat unit of the Gadchiroli police carried out the operation.

"...The combing operations are still on," said Inspector General of Police Sharad Shelar.

He said the combing operation, which started in the morning, was currently underway at Tadgaon forest in Bhamragad, around 750 kilometres from Mumbai.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Tasleema does not remember the last time she lived somewhere she could call home.

As she fled Arakan in Myanmar to Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh and finally arrived in New Delhi, Tasleema, a member of the besieged Rohingya community, found that she was always on the move.

A fire in the only Rohingya camp in Delhi has displaced her again.

At least 44 shanties housing Rohingya refugees in southeast Delhi's Sarita Vihar were gutted in a fire early last Sunday. It left 226 Rohingyas, including 100 women and 50 children, homeless once again.

Tasleema, 23, was among the 75,000 Rohingyas, the majority of them Muslims, displaced by two waves of violence between Buddhists and Muslims in Rakhine in 2012. Thousands of people fled Myanmar then to take refuge in neighbouring countries, including India.

"I have been on the move since I was 17. My children have been born as refugees and they are growing up seeing one problem after another," she told PTI.

The fire that broke out because of a short circuit in the electrical wiring system in the camp spread rapidly and razed it to the ground.

No casualties were reported, but the refugees lost all their belongings, including their UNHCR refugee cards which help prevent arbitrary arrests, detention and deportation.

The fire spread fast as many of our tents had plastic coverings and the houses that had gas cylinders burst, spreading the fire further," Abu Fazal, another resident of the camp, said.

Refugee Amina Begum noted how they had made peace with their situation and were trying to rebuild their lives, but the fire not only destroyed their shanties but also their hope of finally burying the horrors of the past.

"I had bought a sewing machine using which I started making clothes to earn a living but I even lost that machine in the fire. It is like we have been pushed six years back from where we started," Amina, 28, said.

Children in the camp still look for their belongings in the charred debris every day since the fire, she added.

We are still trying to cope up but what do I tell my children who lost all their toys and school books in the fire? Amina said through a tattered curtain in a tiny space where she was trying to put her six-month-old baby to bed.

Before the fire, the Rohingya refugees had constructed several brick and mud huts. They are now living under plastic covers. The men sleep outside and the women inside some 20 makeshift tents covered with dupattas, clothes and mosquito nets.

NGOs representatives said the camps lacked basic services such as sanitation, healthcare, education facilities or drinking water and after the fire the living condition in the shelter had further deteriorated.

"Children are especially vulnerable to mosquitoes and diseases and the makeshift camp is further increasing their vulnerability," said Syed Azhar, national secretary of the Students Islamic Organisation of India, one of the groups seeking to provide aid to the refugees.

Many refugees have lost their means of livelihood with the fire.

"The refugees had their own small society inside with small grocery and tailoring shops. Now they have to start from scratch," Azhar said.

The UNHCR, the UN's refugee agency, told PTI it had reissued cards to the 226 refugees that could act as their identification document.

As a matter of priority, UNHCR has re-issued documents to affected families. UNHCR ID cards help prevent arbitrary arrests, detention and deportation of refugees and asylum-seekers and ease their access to essential services such as health and education and legal assistance. Temporary shelter arrangements are currently in place near the site. Other shelter options are being explored," UNHCR policy associate Ipshita Sengupta said in response to an email.

She said UNHCR and partners were closely monitoring the situation.

A coordination platform has been establishment with UNHCR and partner agencies to take stock of assistance provided, identify unmet needs and coordinate response accordingly. We are working closely with the authorities for coordination of assistance and any other interventions as needed, she added.

But the refugees feared it was going to be a long haul.

"We were given a temporary shelter but for how long would we be able to live in this makeshift arrangement? I have a family of eight to support with six children and the living conditions here are worse than those in the camp," said a daily labourer living in the camp.

Myanmar had denied the Rohingya, who had lived for centuries in the Buddhist-majority country, citizenship since 1982, effectively rendering them stateless.

The Rakhine area in Myanmmar witnessed a recent surge in violence when a Myanmar military operation in the country's northwest in August sent nearly 700,000 Rohingya Muslims fleeing to Bangladesh.

The refugees reported killings, rapes and arson on a large scale.

Asked if they ever want to return to Myanmar, many said there were days when they longed for their homes, but were scared at the thought of returning because they had heard that their extended families back home were still being subjected to violence.

"In Myanmar, we needed special permission to cross a radius of 10 kilometres, but things are different here. We are adjusting and even slowly trying to cope with the recent fire disaster. India is our home now and we feel safe here," Abu Saleem, another resident of the camp, said as he looked at his twins playing nearby.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The state government's decision to develop the century-old 'Puspavant Palace' into a museum has come under fire from Manikya Bahadur, Tripura's royal scion and the grandson of last king Bir Bikram Kishore, who termed it as a move to "hijack indigenous heritage".

The Tripura government has recently issued a notification to announce that the 'Puspavant Palace', which served as the official residence of 16 state governors since 1972, is set to be transformed into a museum and research centre dedicated to Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.

Governor Tathagata Roy has shifted to a new Raj Bhavan building, which he inaugurated on April 18 at the capital complex here.

"I am against the renaming of any old monuments or palaces. It is sad to hear that the government of Tripura will be renaming the Puspavant Palace (governor's house) to Rabindranath Tagore museum," Bahadur said.

Samarjit Bhowmik, the secretary of Rajbhavan, however, clarified there was no question of changing the name of the palace, but it would be converted into a museum for Tagore.

When pointed out that the state does not intend to rename the palace, Bahadur said, "They are trying to hijack everything culturally. Eventually, they would rename the palace. I want to know why the historical place would be made into a museum. Let it remain as it is."



Tagore was a great friend of the maharajas of Tripura and the government is unnecessarily trying to drag the bard into the controversy, he said.

He equated the present government with the erstwhile Left Front rule that had tried to convert the Ujayanta Palace into a museum.

"How is this government different from the Left Front government, which tried to do something similar with Ujayanta Palace. If the government wants to build a museum for Rabindranath Tagore, I am willing to donate land for it, but remodelling the Puspavant Palace is not a good idea."



The Joint Action Committee of Civil Society (JACCS), an organization of the state's indigenous people, has also issued a statement two days ago to say that it strongly condemns the BJP government's decision to overhaul the royal abode.

The palace was built by King Birendra Kishore Manikya in 1917 and his statue should be installed in front of the palace, JACCS general secretary Anthony Debbarma suggested.

Pannalal Roy, who conducted a research on Tagore's relation with the Manikya kings of Tripura, said the bard has visited the state seven times and stayed at the palace in 1925 as the guest of Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur, the last Manikya king.

Tripura was elevated to the status of a full-fledged state in 1972, and since then, the palace, built on 1.76 hectares of land, served as the Raj Bhavan or the governor's house.

"The Puspavanta palace has been identified as a heritage building not only because of its association with royalty, but also because Tagore and other great personalities had stayed here as royal guests," the Raj Bhavan secretary added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today requested Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to set up 1-2 more battalions of Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) in the state.

As of now, Bihar has two ITBP battalions.

"There are two ITBP battalions in Bihar -- one at Saran and other at Katihar. I would request the Home Minister to set up one or two more battalions of ITBP in Bihar. We will give our full support and cooperation (for setting up the battalions)," Kumar was quoted as saying in an official release.

Kumar said this while speaking at a function organised on the occasion of inauguration of ITBP's 6th battalion's buildings at Kotheya village in Saran district.

Rajnath Singh inaugurated the buildings.

Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi and MPs Janardan Singh Sigriwal and Rajiv Pratap Rudy were also present on the occasion.

"I would request the Home Minister to create a 'system' wherein central forces should be made available at the request of Director General of Police (DGP) in times of tension for a brief period," Kumar said.

Thanking Rajnath for agreeing to the state government's request for setting up Rapid Action Force (RAF) unit in Vaishali district, Kumar said "RAF unit, at present, is called from Jamshedpur in times of tension. We have already made available around 29-30 acres of land for setting up RAF unit in the state. The work should expeditiously be completed on it."



Bihar is a disaster prone state, the CM said, adding the state government needs the help of central forces in tackling situations like disasters and tensions and hence more battalions of central forces be set up in the state.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A history-sheeter was arrested along with six of his accomplices today when they were lying in wait allegedly to rob vehicles on Badwai bypass road in Bhopal, police said.

Police recovered four country-made revolvers, 21 rounds, some sharp-edged weapons, and cash worth Rs 31,000 from their possession, said Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Bhopal Range, Dharmendra Choudhary.

"Nishatpura police arrested notorious criminal Jubair Maulana (29) and his accomplices Mohammed Waseem (28), Mohammed Danish (20), Sayyad Aman (21), Salman Ahmed (25), Mohammed Arbaz (20) and Mohsin Khan (29) when they were trying to loot vehicles on Badwai Jod bypass road on the outskirts of Bhopal," he told reporters.

Maulana is facing 49 criminal cases, the DIG said, adding that he had recently fired in air near Kilol Park and Roshanpura areas of the city in a bid to create panic among citizens.

The accused were booked under sections 399 (Making preparation to commit dacoity) and 402 (Assembling for purpose of committing dacoity) of the IPC.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)In secret, behind locked gates, our Nation's Oldest City dumped a landfill in a lake (Old City Reservoir), while emitting sewage in our rivers and salt marsh. Organized citizens exposed and defeated pollution, racism and cronyism. We elected a new Mayor. We're transforming our City -- advanced citizenship. Ask questions. Make disclosures. Demand answers. Be involved. Expect democracy. Report and expose corruption. Smile! Help enact a St. Augustine National Park and Seashore. We shall overcome!Shiv Sena leader Sachin Sawant was shot dead tonight allegedly by two motorbike-borne assailants in suburban Kandivali in Mumbai, police said.

The incident occurred around 8 PM when two persons riding a motorcycle allegedly fired four rounds at Sawant, an upa-shakha pramukh (deputy branch head of Shiv Sena), in Gokul Nagar area, a police official said.

Sawant was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was declared brought dead, he said.

Senior police officers refused to divulge details. The Kurar Police are investigating the matter.In politically significant remarks, the ruling AIADMK on Sunday said that signs of its working together with BJP like a "double-barrelled gun" in the political arena were visible and "no one can sever ties" between the two parties.

Coming out strongly against the principal opposition DMK-led persistent protests over the Cauvery imbroglio, the AIADMK said "whatever be the number of protests and demonstrations, no one can sever the ties between the AIADMK and the BJP."



No one can weaken the bond between "the Central and the State governments" either, the AIADMK said in its Tamil mouthpiece "Namadhu Puratchi Thalaivi Amma."



The state's ruling party said the protests by the DMK, its allies and friendly parties on the Cauvery issue were only aimed at spoiling the warmth between it and the BJP.

"The signs are (increasingly) becoming visible for the AIADMK and the BJP to work like a double-barrelled gun in Indian The pathway is clear," the daily said, while emphasising upon the need for the leadership of the two parties to chart out a roadmap for the purpose.

"A roadmap for it should be thrashed out by the high commands of both the parties. That is the need of the hour," the AIADMK mouthpiece added.

"The state and the Central regimes led by the AIADMK and the BJP respectively are working responsibly and are headed towards a final resolution of the issue," the daily said, referring to the Cauvery issue.

Under such circumstances, the AIADMK said, the main opposition DMK was holding "unnecessary protests" as it was "apprehensive" that the State and the Central governments, working in cohesion, would succeed in resolving the Cauvery issue.

Mocking the DMK for holding protests which did not enjoy the "people's support," the AIADMK hit out at its arch rival for trying to get an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi now on the issue after attempting to show black flags to him recently.

Asking if it was an act of "political civility," the AIADMK mouthpiece said no other party could indulge in such burying its self-respect.

The AIADMK said its government allowed protests like black flag demonstrations keeping democratic ethos in mind.

The daily, however, asked if the protesters succeeded in showing even a single black flag to Prime Minister Modi.

It may be recalled that the AIADMK top leadership has been maintaining that a friendly relationship with the Centre was imperative for the progress of the state through proper financial sanctions and support.

The DMK, however, has been unrelenting in its attack saying the ruling party was "subservient," to the Centre.

Notably, the AIADMK's assertion comes days after asking the Centre to change its mindset over the Cauvery issue.

On April 13, the party's mouthpiece had said, "Without waiting anymore, it will be good if the Central government changed its mindset and avoided partiality."



If this was not done, "it will lead to cracks in the unity and integration" (of the nation), it had cautioned.

The AIADMK's assertion assumes significance amid the persistent protests on the Cauvery issue.

The DMK-led Opposition and the pro-Tamil outfits have been holding back-to-back protests including the recent anti-IPL stir on the river water issue and a massive human chain demonstration (by DMK and its allies) has been announced across the state tomorrow.

The ruling party, after holding a day-long fast across Tamil Nadu on the issue earlier this month, has announced rallies between April 25 and 29 in the delta region to press the Centre to implement the Supreme Court verdict on the matter.

Following the February 16 Supreme Court verdict, Tamil Nadu has been insisting that the court's order to the Centre to formulate a "scheme" referred to the setting up of the CMB and the Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee (CWRC).

The Tamil Nadu government recently moved the top court, seeking contempt action against the Centre for its "failure" to frame the scheme for the constitution of the CMB and the CWRC within six weeks from February 16.

The court had on April 9 asked the Centre to frame a draft Cauvery management scheme and file it by May 3 for the implementation of its order on water distribution.The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has a new voice these days. And it is not that of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, but of his deputy, Manish Sisodia.

With Kejriwal increasingly maintaining a low profile, his education minister has taken on the task of voicing the Delhi government's grievances and spearheading the battle against the Centre.

He has been particulary active over the last one week.

From calling the Lt Governor a dictator and accusing him of running a parallel government to writing a three-page letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the removal of Delhi government's advisors, he has taken over from his mentor the job of attacking the Centre.

Sisodia even addressed a press conference, otherwise the forte of Kejriwal, launching a broadside against the Modi government.

But party leaders stressed that the two were working in tandem.

A party leader held that the emergence of Sisodia as the voice of AAP was a well planned strategy.

After AAP's lackluster performance in Punjab and Goa, many in the party believed that Kejriwal's rabble rousing had boomeranged.

Soon, the attacks on Modi by Kejriwal were not as aggressive as they used to be.

When a conscious decision was taken that Kejriwal would tone down his attacks, someone had to perform that role. And there was no one better than Manish to do so, said a senior party leader, requesting anonymity.

The Kejriwal-Sisodia association dates back to a time when both were activists---well before they started working on the Right to Information. Bureaucrat Kejriwal and journalist Sisodia started the Public Cause Research Foundation for transparent and participatory governance, especially in the slums of Delhi.

The two were together as activists and also when they took their first steps in The bond was so strong that Kejriwal made him his deputy after AAP rode to power for the second time in Delhi in 2015.

Such is the level of closeness between the two leaders that when they have to take a difficult decision and are not in a position to exchange words, they just look at each other and a message is conveyed," a senior AAP leader said.

There is another reason for Sisodia's rise.

The AAP government has been focusing on reforming the education and health sectors and Sisodia is at the forefront of both -- as the education minister he has been seeking to improve government schools and as the finance minister he has been pouring funds into AAP's mohalla clinics.

Kejriwal's right-hand man is also seen as a loyalist.

Kejriwal is not threatened by him, nor does he have issues with Sisodia, said another AAP leader.

He cited the case of Kumar Vishwas who many thought was trying to upstage Kejriwal in the party and government and was subsequently eased out.

While AAP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh denied that there was any such strategy at work, political analyst Sanjay Kumar agreed that Kejriwal's voice was muted, whereas Sisodia was more strident than ever.

But there is a difference between what the prime minister says and his ministers say. The prime minister's words will always carry greater weight. Similarly, what Sisodia says will not have as much of an impact as what Kejirwal says, Kumar added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)President Ram Nath Kovind today promulgated the criminal law amendment ordinance, paving the way for providing stringent punishment, includingdeathpenalty, for those convicted of raping girls below the age of 12 years.

The President's nod to the ordinance came after theUnion Cabinet's approval yesterday for tightening the law against people involved in rape, following public outcry over cases of sexual assault and murder of minors in Kathua and Surat and the rape of a girl in Unnao.

"Whereas Parliament is not in session and the President is satisfied that the circumstances exist which render it necessary for him to take immediate action.

"Now, therefore, inexerciseof the powers conferred by clause (1) of article 123 of the Constitution, the President is pleased to promulgate the following ordinance," the gazette notification said.

The ordinancestipulates stringent punishment for perpetrators of rape, particularly of girls below 16 and 12 years. Death sentence has been provided for rapists of girls under 12 years.

The minimum punishment in case of rape of women has been increased from rigorous imprisonment of seven years to 10 years, extendable to life imprisonment.

According to the ordinance, in case of rape of a girl under 16 years, the minimum punishment has been increased from 10 years to 20 years, extendable to imprisonment for rest of life, which means jail term till the convicts "natural life".

The punishment for gang rape of a girl below 16 years will invariably be imprisonment for the rest of life of the convict.

Stringent punishment for rape of a girl under 12 years has been provided with the minimum jail term being 20 years which may go up to life in prison or death sentence.Gangrape of a girl under 12 years of age will invite punishment of jail term for the rest of life or death, it said.

The Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Evidence Act, the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act stand amended with the promulgation of the ordinance after the approval of the President.

The measure also provides for speedy investigation and trial. The time limit for investigation of all cases of rape has been prescribed, which has to be mandatorily completed within two months.

The deadline for the completion of trial in all rape cases will be two months. A six-month time limit for the disposal of appeals in rape cases has also been prescribed.

There will also be no provision for anticipatory bail for a person accused of rape or gang rape of a girl under 16 years. It has also been prescribed that a court has to give notice of 15 days to a public prosecutor and the representative of the victim before deciding bail applications in case of rape of a girl under 16 years of age.

Enhancing the powers of the judiciary to provide stringent punishment in rape cases, the Union Cabinet had approved a number of measures, such as strengthening the prosecution, besides setting up new fast-track courts in consultation with the states and high courts concerned, according to an official.

The National Crime Records Bureau will maintain a national database and profile of sexual offenders. This data will be regularly shared with the states and the Union territories for tracking, monitoring and investigation, including verification of antecedents of sex offenders by the police, the official said.

The present scheme of One Stop Centres for assistance to victim will also be extended to all districts in the country.

After the Nirbhaya case in December 2012, when the criminal laws were amended, the provision of death penalty in case a woman either died or was left in a "vegetative state" after rape was introduced through an ordinance which later became the Criminal Law Amendment Act.

The government informed the Supreme Court on Friday that it is actively considering amending the law to introduce death penalty for those convicted of sexually abusing children up to 12 years.

In his first comments on the incidents of rape of a 17-year-old in Unnao in Uttar Pradesh and the sexual assault and murder of an eight-year-old girl Kathua in the Jammu region, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had last week said that no criminal will be spared and daughters will get justice.

"Such incidents shake our sensibilities. I want to assure the nation that no criminal will be spared. Justice will be done. Our daughters will get justice," he had said at an event to inaugurate the B R Ambedkar memorial in New Delhi.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A suicide bomber detonated explosives in a crowd gathered outside a voter and ID registration centre in western Kabul today, police said, underscoring security concerns ahead of upcoming elections.

"It happened at the entrance gate of the centre. It was a suicide attack. There are casualties, but we do not know how many for the time being," Dawood Amin, police chief of Kabul, told AFP.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A suicide bomber blew himself up in a crowd outside a voter registration centre in the Afghan capital Kabul on Sunday, killing four people and wounding 15.

"It happened at the entrance gate of the centre. It was a suicide attack. There are casualties," Dawood Amin, city police chief, told AFP.

Health ministry spokesman Waheed Majroh said at least four people had been killed and 15 wounded.

The attack -- the latest assault targeting a voter registration centre -- happened in a heavily Shiite-populated neighbourhood in the west of the city. Afghanistan on April 14 began registering voters for long-delayed legislative elections scheduled for October.

Election officials have acknowledged that security is a major concern as the Taliban and other militant groups control or contest large swathes of the country.

Afghan police and troops forces have been tasked with protecting polling centres, even as they struggle to get the upper hand against militants on the battlefield.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A minor, whose body was found here on April 6, and her mother may have been victims of human trafficking as the person who handed them over to the man accused of their killing had demanded Rs 35,000 for them, and as such relevant sections of the penal law have been added to the case, a senior police official said.

Surat Police Commissioner Satish Sharma said the accused, who was arrested from Sawai Madhopur district in Rajasthan on Friday, had confessed to having killed the girl and her mother.

The officer said the accused had told them that the woman, whose body was found in Sachin area here a few days before that of the minor girl in Pandesara locality, was the latter's mother.

"The man who handed over both the mother and daughter to Harsh Sahay Gurjar demanded Rs 35,000 for them. We are investigating a possible human trafficking angle and sections related to it have been added in the case," said Satish Sharma, Surat Police Commissioner.

The official said the girl was an eye-witness to the killing of her mother by Gurjar.

"The woman was brought to Surat after Diwali last year. She was killed as she wanted to stay with the accused but the latter opposed it as he was already married," Sharma said, adding at least six to seven more people were involved in the crime and a police team is in Rajasthan following leads on them.

Another police team is questioning suspects in Surat itself, the police commissioner said.

Gurjar was arrested from Ganganagar in Sawai Madhopur district in neighbouring Rajasthan on Friday after police zeroed in on him while investigating the antecedents of a black car, allegedly used to dump the bodies of the two victims.

The car came to the notice of the police while investigators were scouring CCTV images of Pandesara area.

Sharma said that more CCTVs would be installed in the city as they had played a vital role in cracking this case.

"This case appeared to be a blind one as both victims were unidentified. We are working towards setting up more CCTVs in the city, especially in areas where migrant labourers stay," Sharma said.

He said that 60 CCTV cameras would be installed in Pandesara locality, where the body of the minor girl was found, and police patrolling in the area would be intensified.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)External Affairs Minister on Sunday met her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and discussed a host of bilateral issues and ways to step up the pace of high-level interactions to improve the relationship.

Swaraj arrived here on Saturday on a four-day visit to take part in the foreign ministers' meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

She was received by Wang at the Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing ahead of their bilateral meeting.

This was their first meeting after Wang was elevated as state councillor last month which makes him the top diplomat of the country in the Chinese hierarchy. He also continues to be the foreign minister.

In her initial remarks, Swaraj congratulated Wang on being elevated as state councillor and appointed the special representative for the India-China boundary talks.

Wang said the bilateral ties have witnessed a good development and shown a positive momentum this year under the guidance of the leaders of the two nations.

"On the eve of the closing of China's People's Congress this year, President Xi Jinping received a very important phone call from Prime Minister Narendra Modi."



He said the call spurred a positive momentum in the dialogue process between the two countries.

"Our two leaders had in-depth exchange of views and reached important consensus on furthering the China-India relationship. We must work very hard to implement the consensus between our two leaders.

"India's membership to the SCO has expanded the orgainsation's potential and its influence, as well as providing a new platform for the India-China cooperation and I believe that India will make a positive and energetic contribution to the organisation," Wang said.

Their meeting is part of efforts by the two countries to step up the pace of high-level interactions to improve relations, official sources here told PTI before the meeting.

Following the Dokalam standoff last year both countries increased dialogue to scale down tensions and improve relations with talks at various levels.

Swaraj and Wang are meeting in the immediate backdrop of the recent meeting between Security Advisor Ajit Doval and top official of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) Yang Jiechi in Shanghai.

(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.)DCW chief Swati Maliwal today ended her hunger strike after President Ram Nath Kovind promulgated an ordinance to give stringent punishment, includingdeathpenalty, for those convicted of raping girls below 12 years.

She was on the hunger strike for the last 10 days at Rajghat here.

As she congratulated the people for the ordinance, Maliwal noted that very few protests had achieved so much in such less time, and termed the government's decision a "historic victory" for independent India.

According to the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance 2018, new fast-track courts will be set up to deal with rape cases and special forensic kits will be provided to all police stations and hospitals in the long run.

The ordinance stipulates stringent punishment for perpetrators of rape, particularly of girls below 12 and 16 years. Death sentence has been provided for rapists of girls under 12 years, officials said while quoting the ordinance.

The minimum punishment in case of rape of women has been increased from rigorous imprisonment of seven years to 10 years, extendable to life imprisonment, they said.

In case of rape of a girl under 16 years, the minimum punishment has been increased from 10 to 20 years, extendable to life imprisonment.

The punishment for gangrape of a girl below 16 years will invariably be imprisonment for the rest of life, the officials said.

Stringent punishment for rape of a girl under 12 years has been provided with the minimum jail term being 20 years which may go up to life in prison or death sentence, they added.

Ending her fast, Maliwal said, "Every day children aged three, four or six years are getting raped in a brutal manner. I wrote letters and issued notices. I even submitted 5.5 lakh letters written by citizens to the prime minister, but in vain.

"After which, I decided to sit on a hunger strike. There was no strategy, but gradually people joined the movement across the country. It gained such a momentum that the prime minister after returning to India had to make an amendment in the law. I congratulate the people of India for this victory," she said.

The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief had been demanding death penalty for rape of minors and setting up of fast-track courts across the country to try rape cases, along with other demands.

Amid a nationwide outrage over cases of sexual assault on girls and women at Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir, Surat in Gujarat and Unnao in Uttar Pradesh, the Union cabinet had yesterday approved the ordinance to provide stringent punishment, including death penalty, for those convicted of raping girls below the age of 12 years.

Maliwal had yesterday written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioning her six demands, including the passage of the ordinance, recruitment of police personnel as per the United Nations standards and fixing accountability of the police force.

She had also sought that files relating to the recruitment of 14,000 police personnel - approved by the Union home ministry but pending with the finance ministry - be cleared.

Maliwal also put forth her demand for constitution of a high-level committee, comprising Delhi chief minister, home minister and Lieutenant Governor to review safety of women in the national capital.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)DCW chief Swati Maliwal today ended her hunger strike after President Ram Nath Kovind promulgated an ordinance to give stringent punishment, includingdeathpenalty, for those convicted of raping girls below 12 years.

She was on the hunger strike for the last 10 days at Rajghat here.

As she congratulated the people for the ordinance, Maliwal noted that very few protests had achieved so much in such less time, and termed the government's decision a "historic victory" for independent India.

The DCW chief, however, said that it was not the end of the fight and if the government would not be able to implement the law in three months, she would fight again.

"I will keep fighting. I thank and salute all volunteers and NGOs who supported and worked with us day and night for this movement," she said.

According to the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance 2018, new fast-track courts will be set up to deal with rape cases and special forensic kits will be provided to all police stations and hospitals in the long run.

The ordinance stipulates stringent punishment for perpetrators of rape, particularly of girls below 12 and 16 years. Death sentence has been provided for rapists of girls under 12 years, officials said while quoting the ordinance.

The minimum punishment in case of rape of women has been increased from rigorous imprisonment of seven years to 10 years, extendable to life imprisonment, they said.

In case of rape of a girl under 16 years, the minimum punishment has been increased from 10 to 20 years, extendable to life imprisonment.

The punishment for gangrape of a girl below 16 years will invariably be imprisonment for the rest of life, the officials said.

Stringent punishment for rape of a girl under 12 years has been provided with the minimum jail term being 20 years which may go up to life in prison or death sentence, they added.

Ending her fast, Maliwal said, "Every day children aged three, four or six years are getting raped in a brutal manner. I wrote letters and issued notices. I even submitted 5.5 lakh letters written by citizens to the prime minister, but in vain.

"After which, I decided to sit on a hunger strike. There was no strategy, but gradually people joined the movement across the country. It gained such a momentum that the prime minister after returning to India had to make an amendment in the law. I congratulate the people of India for this victory," she said.

The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief had been demanding death penalty for rape of minors and setting up of fast-track courts across the country to try rape cases, along with other demands.

Amid a nationwide outrage over cases of sexual assault on girls and women at Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir, Surat in Gujarat and Unnao in Uttar Pradesh, the Union cabinet had yesterday approved the ordinance to provide stringent punishment, including death penalty, for those convicted of raping girls below the age of 12 years.

Maliwal had yesterday written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioning her six demands, including the passage of the ordinance, recruitment of police personnel as per the United Nations standards and fixing accountability of the police force.

She had also sought that files relating to the recruitment of 14,000 police personnel - approved by the Union home ministry but pending with the finance ministry - be cleared.

Maliwal had also put forth her demand for constitution of a high-level committee, comprising Delhi chief minister, home minister and Lieutenant Governor to review safety of women in the national capital.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 22) President Rodrigo Duterte is staying true to his call to the possibility of renewed peace talks with communists.

"My duty, my fundamental basic duty, is to see to it that the country is peaceful," the President said at an event in Legazpi City, Albay Saturday.

He also revealed he was talking to National Democratic Front (NDF) Chief Political Consultant Jose Ma. Sison on how to achieve this goal.

"I'm talking to Sison now. It's an off and on thing. Probably, ang mga military pati mga pulis may [the military and the police have] misgivings, but sinabi ko naman sa inyo [but I have told you] I am not a President who is a soldier and I am not a President who is a policeman," Duterte said.

On April 5, Duterte announced the government and the Communist Party of the Philippines-NDFP (CPP-NDFP) have 60 days to restart the peace talks.

The NDFP is the negotiating arm of the CPP.

On Saturday, Duterte advised that those who want to talk peace to make good use of the 60 days.

He said he was willing to spend for the cost of discussions, and would even order the military and police "to be nice" to the other side.

"Take advantage of that 60 days. If it succeeds, then I would like to thank God una [first] and the Filipino people and the military and the police and - for their understanding. Eh wala akong magawa eh [I can't do anything], I have to seek peace that is to be sought," he said.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorezana said on April 14 that he supported Duterte's push for the possible resumption of talks, but was skeptical of the sincerity of the communists rebels.

"Peace is not their purpose, but to take advantage. When the government declared ceasefire, the NPAs (New People's Army) benefited more than the government. Their leaders were freed and went abroad to join the negotiations and they also launched massive recruitment in upland areas, taking advantage of the peaceful situation," Lorenzana said.

Talks between both sides stopped in November 2017, after Duterte signed Proclamation 360 declaring the termination of peace negotiations with the NDFP-Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) -the New People's Army (NPA).

However, on April 4, the President said he was open to talking peace with communist rebels, but only if certain conditions were met.

A ceasefire and an end to the clamor for a revolutionary government and the collection of revolutionary taxes were Duterte's conditions.

In response, Sison said Duterte's demands should be brought to the negotiating panel.French defence company Thales has said it is working on doubling its footprint in India by expanding its overall product portfolios with a major focus on India's ambitious project to build a fleet of nuclear-powered attack submarines.

Senior Executive Vice-President (International Development) Pascale Sourisse said Thales was in particular looking at supplying key components such as sonars for India's nuclear-powered and other submarines.

India has been working on a secret project to build six nuclear-powered attack submarines which are expected to boost the Navy's overall strike capabilities. The government had last year also begun the process to acquire six conventionally-powered advanced stealth submarines at a cost of around Rs 60,000 crore under project P-75 (I).

"We can equip any kind of submarines including nuclear-powered submarines. We are equipping nuclear submarines in France," the senior executive of Europe's largest defence electronics company told PTI in an interview.

Six Scorpene-class submarines are currently being built under 'Project 75' of the Indian Navy. The submarines, designed by French firm Naval Group, are being built by the Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai. The project P-75 (I) will be a follow-on for Project 75.

Sourisse said India was one of the top three priority markets for Thales and the company planned to double its footprint in the country in the next two or three years by ramping up its supply chain and building a sustainable ecosystem of partners.

Thales expected defence manufacturing in India to grow because of the government's initiatives in boosting the production of weapons and military platforms, she said.

In particular, she referred to the government's decision to raise foreign direct investment in defence manufacturing to 74 per cent for certain niche segments.

Sourisse said the Thales strategy was not only to support the government's "Make in India" policy but also exports from India.

India is expected to spend close to USD 300 billion in the next five years in procuring defence equipment and almost all major global defence firms are eyeing a slice of it.

"We are in India for 65 years. Since 1953, we have been working with the Indian Air Force, the Navy and the Army," she said, adding the company was looking to expand its product portfolio as well supplies to all the three forces.

When asked about the project to upgrade the IAF's Mirage 2000 fighter jets, Sourisse said it was moving along "very well". Thales is a part of the project along with Dassault Aviation.

On the Rafale deal, she said it would be a "win-win" proposition for India. Thales will provide equipment and systems that are expected to account for about 25 per cent of the total value of each Rafale.

India had inked an inter-governmental agreement with France in September 2016 for the procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets at a cost of around Rs 58,000 crore.

In the naval domain, Sourisse said Thales was ready to produce its premier Search Master radar in India under the "Make in India" initiative.

She said the company was keen to produce various equipment and surveillance devices for the Indian Air Force as well and particularly mentioned the fire control radar solution.

Last week, Thales and India's MKU Limited had joined hands for the development and production of optronic devices and F90 close quarter battle (CQB) rifle for soldiers.

The optronic devices and F90 rifles will be manufactured in India at MKU's facilities in Kanpur.

Thales has been providing avionics and other equipment to the state-run aerospace behemoth Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for over four decades and Sourisse said the company was now looking at expanding the association further.

Earlier this week, Thales set up a new office in Bengaluru as part of its plans to strengthening its presence in India.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)India and Pakistan have squandered a lot of good chances to resolve the Kashmir issue, but there are still opportunities, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah has said.

He outlined the need for a dialogue process both internally as well as externally to address the issue, saying the solution cannot be driven by the barrel of the gun.

There are clearly two dimensions (to Kashmir issue). It is not simply a matter between New Delhi and J-K, nor is it a matter between Islamabad and J-K. A part of the state continues to remain with Pakistan and I belong to the part of the state that is with India, that acceded to India. So when we come to the way forward, both these dimensions of the problem will have to be tackled, he said.

He was speaking at an event on the path forward in Kashmir at University of Berkeley in California in the US last week.

His speech was followed by a question and answer session where he spoke on varied topics, including on the current political situation in the country and the run-up to the general elections next year.

Abdullah, the working president of the opposition National Conference (NC), wondered if the time had come to ask are we being overly ambitious and overly emotional in talking of getting Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) back.

Referring to the Kargil war of 1999 between the two neighbours, he said that even with the greatest of provocations that time, India respected the sanctity of the Line of Control (LoC).

In spite of the fact that we took losses on account of that, there were express instructions by the government of India that Indian planes and helicopters will not cross the LoC, that Indian troops will not cross the LoC. So, imagine even if with the provocation of Kargil we decided to respect the sanctity of the LoC, haven't we somewhere or the other, decided that perhaps this is the way and let's move forward, he said.

In this context, he said one of the ways to move forward is to sit down with Pakistan and once and for all, address this issue.

We can't do it with the international mediation. I think mediation is a word that particularly people in India have a lot of suspicion about. But facilitation is not something that we have a problem with. Perhaps friends in the right places can facilitate this process between India and Pakistan and address some of the suspicions that we have.

I believe that we came incredibly close during the time of (former Pakistan president) General Pervez Musharraf first with (former) Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and then with (ex-PM) Manmohan Singh, but time ran out for us because it took so long to finally put aside our suspicions of Musharraf as the architect of Kargil War that by the time we realised he was somebody we need to do business with, he wasn't nearly as powerful as we needed him to be, he said.

He, however, said there still was scope for forward movement.

"...I don't believe that all opportunities have been lost, but we have squandered a lot of good chances and I hope we don't do that going ahead, he said.

Without naming the separatists, Abdullah called for an internal dialogue with all shades of opinion.

The path forward has to start from the dialogue process both internally as well as externally. It has to take in all shades of opinion. It is no good that the government of India often hides behind this false screen that they create that let Kashmiris first agree on something and then we will talk. Look, Kashmir is not going to uniformly agree on one thing, no matter what solution you work out whether it's part of something similar to Musharraf's four-point formula or it is drastically different from that.

The fact is that you are not going to get a 100 per cent of population to agree on anything and therefore the effort has to be to bring in the majority of the population into whatever you agree and that can only be possible if we involve, in the dialogue process, those people, who at the moment we not only do disagree with but have kept away from that dialogue process. So, if we can agree to start talking to each other, start listening to each other rather than talking at each other, we can start addressing some of these problems, he said.

The NC working president said the state is facing a very unusual situation as the number of youths willing to pick up arms in the valley is more than the number of weapons actually available and stressed the need for political and economic measures to wean them away.

We need to create economic opportunities for the state. We need to create a promise of better future for the youngsters who are today being drawn to pick up the gun. It is a very unusual situation that we have in J-K today where there are more youngsters willing to pick up the guns than there are actually guns available.

And that sentiment needs to be addressed and it needs to be addressed both politically and in terms of giving them opportunities. Opportunities in education, opportunities in employment and hopefully creating avenues and opportunities for them beyond the boundaries of the state, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Re-elected CPI(M) General secretary Sitaram Yechury"today said that any non-BJP and non-Congress"third front would not be successful if it was formed"with the sole aim of coming to power.

Speaking at a public meeting here at the conclusion of the party's 22nd"Congress, he said the third front should have a strong basis and policy under which it should be formed and would emerge only through public movements.

He said the Telangana Chief Minister spoke with him some days back, wanting to bring a Non-Congress and non-BJP front.

"He asked my opinion. I said the third front exercise was done about 20 years ago in 1996. We formed a government under the leadership of Deve Gowda without BJP and Congress."



Yechury said the question now what was the main expectation of the third front and on what policies would it be formed.

"The front that will be formed specifically to come into power will not work. We will take a decision based on the policies on which the front would be formed," he said.

Yechury said defeating religious-based and 'religious fanatics' was the prime objective



"We will decide what sort of strategy is to be followed during elections. They"(religious forces)"will not be defeated"through"mere"poll alliances. We will have to strengthen public"movements"to"defeat"them,""he opined.

He alleged that the Modi Government waived Rs three lakh crore worth of loans to 'big capitalists' like Nirav Modi.

Yechury alleged that many of the persons involved in atrocities against children and women belong to RSS and BJP and that the government had failed to act against such people.

"There are no cases against them. On the contrary cases are filed against the victims. We have never faced such a state of affairs before this regime," he alleged.

Charging that the ruling"BJP"was trying to woo Hindu voters and consolidate their vote bank,"Yechury said BJP was endangering the secular fabric of this country in the name of 'Gau Raksha'.

"They dictate what we should eat and who should be our friends," he said.

He called for the unity of 'Lal Salam' and 'Jai Bheem' to fight the current regime.

Describing Modi as Duryodhana and Amit Shah as Dushyasana of the epic Mahabharat, he said the CPI(M) would defeat 'communal forces' through public movements.

He alleged that the Modi-led NDA Government had failed on all fronts, including providing Minimum Support Price to farmers.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said development of the country was hampered due to the 'neo-liberal' policies of the present government.

He opined that permanent jobs in all sectors had vanished due to the 'hire and fire' policies followed by employers.

Vijayan highlighted some of the developmental measures being undertaken by his government in Kerala.

Former"Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said only the Left party can provide an alternative to Congress and BJP.

"BJP cannot be the"alternative"of"Congress"and"Congress cannot be the alternative"to"BJP. They are two sides of the same coin. Only"the Left"and"democratic"forces can provide that alternative. That"situation"will emerge through movements"only,""he said.

CPI(M) Police Bureau member Brinda Karat was among those who spoke in the public meeting.

Earlier before the meeting, some of the party's"'Red Shirt' volunteers"took out a"march"from Malakpet to Saroornagar Stadium, where the public meeting was held.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)As a counter to BJP's policies, the party will come out with its own social and economic narrative as part of its determined effort to wrest power in next year's polls.

While revealing this, leader said his party will also need to stitch together an alliance that will not only help it win the elections but work on a long-term basis too.

The 41-year-old former Union minister and a close confidante of criticised the four-year rule of the government, saying it has failed on multiple counts, like the economic front, the social front as well as in the foreign policy arena.

At the same time, he said that simply attacking Prime Minister and his policies was "not enough".

"We have to tell the people that if you are upset and if you are disappointed and feel let down by the policies of last four years (of the Modi government), why you should vote for us," he said.

"We have to come up with a counter-narrative to the and Narendra Modi," said the young leader.

He underlined that the Congress needs to provide "a very clear narrative", socially and economically.

"Socially it is clear what we stand for. Economically, it is very critical that we come with a blueprint of what is our agenda of going forward and that is something which is happening," added Deora, who represented South constituency in the last

In the 2014 elections, the Congress had won only 44 out of the 543 seats after ruling the country for two successive terms of five years (2004-2014).

Regarding the coalition aspect, Deora said, "We have to think long-term as a party. We can't just think of winning elections, or defeating the We also have to think who are our partners, who want to govern, who will work with us."



He said the Congress needs to "stitch together a coalition that is not just going to win us elections but is a coalition of partners that we can govern with. That is a very critical element in this."



Talking about the elements required for the "right narrative", he said it will include aspects like "what is the team which will come to power, what will it look like, who are the people, what will be the economic plan, how will we help the poor and the down trodden, how will we help growth and industry, how will we encourage investment and jobs.

"All of that is something we are working towards now, which will take some time to come out but which is very very essential to come out."



During the interview, Deora said the sustained attack by leaders on was a sign of nervousness and an attempt to divert attention from problems like lynchings, cash crunch and other failures on the economic front.

"I actually see the attacks as a healthy sign... It demonstrates the fact that things are starting to change. It demonstrates the fact that nervousness is setting in," he said.

"The narrative has started to change. For a long time, when there were lynchings and caste violence, people would comment a bit here and there but the government was getting away and the PM was allowed to be silent. That is changing....

"Things have turned and the PM will not be able to maintain a stoic silence again.... Days have gone when people thought 'give the government a chance'.

"The people have given the government a chance. And on multiple fronts -- economic front, social front and foreign policy front -- there have been failures, some serious, some not so serious failures," the Congress leader said.

He said the ruling party is attacking the opposition to deflect attention from key issues.

"The honeymoon period is over and the government is being judged on the same parameters as any other government before...When the narrative starts to change, one way to deflect attention is to attack the opposition," he opined.Two Army personnel were killed and another went missing when a vehicle of the Madras Regiment skidded off the road and fell into the Kundil River in Lower Dibang Valley district early today, official sources said.

Four other officers also sustained minor injuries in the accident, they said.

The vehicle, with 18 personnel on board, was patrolling the Iduli village area of the district, near China border, around 2.30 am when the road suddenly caved in, Lower Dibang Valley Deputy Commissioner Mitali Namchoom said.

The driver lost control on the wheel and the car fell into the river, she said, adding that the area is prone to landslides.

The district administration, along with police and Army officers, is undertaking rescue operations, Namchoom said, adding that two bodies have been retrieved so far while the third is still missing.

"The bodies have been sent to the hospital and search is on for the missing personnel," she said.

The NDRF battalion, stationed at Changlang district, has left for the accident site.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu cut short his programmes here and proceeded to the national capital this afternoon.

His change of plan assumes significance in the wake of seven opposition parties, led by the Congress, initiating an unprecedented step to impeach Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra by moving a notice levelling charges against him in Rajya Sabha.

The Vice President is also the Chairman of the Upper House.

There was no official reason assigned for the "sudden" change in the tour schedule, government sources said.

"The Vice President was originally scheduled to participate in the Convocation of Tata Institute of Social Science tomorrow. He was expected to visit Swarna Bharat Trust on April 24 and leave for New Delhi."



"But he left in the afternoon today," one of the sources told PTI.

Naidu who reached the Telangana capital yesterday and participated in a programme organised by ISCON this morning.

He was the chief guest at a graduation ceremony of a private educational institution in the city last evening.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.): Noted Telugu poet-composer, musicologist and artist Balantrapu Rajanikantha Rao died in Vijayawada today due to old age, family sources said.

He was 98.

Rao, who worked for decades in All India Radio (AIR) and headed its Vijayawada division as director, is credited with composing the signature tune of 'Akashavani.'



He wrote and composed the first Telugu song ever broadcast in independent India on the midnight of 15 August, 1947.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Leader of Opposition Y S Jaganmohan Reddy condoled Rao's death.

Naidu announced that the last rites would be performed tomorrow with full state honours.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi will be the new special representative for India-China boundary talks.

Wang's appointment was confirmed today when External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj who held bilateral talks



with her Chinese counterpart congratulated him for being elevated as the state councillor and appointed as the special representative for the India-China boundary talks.

Wang, 64, succeeds his senior colleague Yang Jiechi who has now become a politburo member of the Communist Party of China's (CPC).

Wang was elevated as state councillor last month which makes him the top diplomat of the country in the Chinese hierarchy.

He will be the first Chinese official in recent years who will hold the dual posts of State Councillor and Foreign Minister.

State Councillor is designated as the Special Representative of the India-China boundary talks. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval is India's Special Representative.

Special Representatives oversee all aspects of India-China relations besides the boundary issues and periodically review progress of bilateral ties.

The two countries have so far held 20 rounds of talks to resolve the boundary dispute and worked out different mechanisms to keep peace along the 3,488-km long Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Doval and Yang met in Shanghai on April 13 during which they reported to have finalised the contours of the informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping to be held in China's Wuhan city on April 27-28.

A suave and seasoned carrier diplomat Wang has emerged as China's most influential Chinese diplomat with strong backing of President Xi.

Xi himself has become the most powerful leader after Parliament last month removed the two-term limit for President paving the way for his continuation in power for life.

Since he took over power in 2012, Xi has been giving top priority to diplomacy as China seeks to spread its influence globally after its emerges as world's second largest economy.

In his opening remarks during the meeting with Swaraj, Wang said the bilateral ties have witnessed good development and shown a positive momentum this year under the guidance of the leaders of the two nations.

Swaraj and Wang discussed a host of bilateral issues and ways to step up the pace of high-level interactions to improve the relationship.

She arrived here yesterday on a four-day visit to take part in the foreign ministers' meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) from tomorrow.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Filing of fresh nominations for the panchayat elections in West Bengal will be held for a day tomorrow following a Calcutta High Court order directing the State Election Commission (SEC) to extend the date.

The SEC has issued a fresh notification announcing April 23 as the extended date for the filing of nominations for the three-tier panchayat elections in the state.

The dates for the polls, which were earlier scheduled on May 1, 3 and 5, have, however, not been declared by the commission in its new notification issued yesterday.

Scrutiny of the nominations received tomorrow will be held on April 25 and the last date for the withdrawal of candidature is April 28, the notification said.

The filing of nominations will take place from 11 am to 3 pm, according to the commission.

The opposition parties had alleged widespread violence by the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) during the nomination process.

The TMC, on the other hand, had blamed the BJP for vitiating peace in some parts of the state in the run up to the local body elections.

At least two persons died and many others were injured in clashes during the nomination process which began earlier this month.

In line with the high court order, the SEC yesterday held meetings with political parties before issuing the notification.

The high court had on Friday quashed the SEC's April 10 order cancelling extension of the deadline for filing nominations and directed the commission to issue a fresh notification after consultations with the state authorities and other stakeholders.

Justice Subrata Talukdar had directed the commission to "reschedule the further dates in the election process as per statutory framework" and carry it forward from the extended date of filing nominations.

The high court had earlier stayed the election process on petitions by the BJP, the CPI(M) and the Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS), challenging the SEC's withdrawal of the notification extending the date for filing nominations by a day.

The nomination process for the panchayat polls ended on April 9, but it was extended by a day by the SEC following a Supreme Court order on petitions alleging that candidates backed by opposition parties were prevented from filing nominations.

The West Bengal government and the TMC had objected to the extension by the SEC, which had cited a Supreme Court direction to "allay apprehensions of intending candidates" in its notification extending the nomination process by a day.

The notification was withdrawn by the SEC on April 10 following the objections by the state government and the TMC.

The high court had stayed the election process on April 12 on petitions by the opposition parties challenging the SEC's withdrawal of its notification.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Debates over the safety of women have kicked up a dust, but done little to ensure their security, students and professionals say, stressing nothing has changed in the national capital after the 2012 brutal gangrape that briefly sparked some soul-searching and led to a new law.

Delhi reported 15,319 cases of crimes against women in 2014, 17,222 in 2015 and 15,310 in 2016, data collected by the National Crime Records Bureau stated.

It won the dubious sobriquet of the "national capital of rape" when the city registered the maximum number of 1,996 rape cases in the country in 2016, up from 1,893 in 2015.

But women stressed that little had changed since people came out to the streets in protest against the rape and death of a paramedical intern in 2012.

"Ask any girl, and she would tell you what happens with us daily in public spaces. People stare at our body, they wrongly brush past us, we are subjected to abuse and we get intimidated," said a 23-year-old MA student who did not wish to be identified.

These violations occurred in places that ranged from Metro trains and DTC buses to shopping malls and colleges, she said.

And they regularly took place on social media sites.

"I was even threatened on Facebook for not reciprocating to somebody's sexual advances," she said. "What business do people have in asking if I am a virgin or if my 'seal' is intact?"



Her parents worried about her safety every time she went out of the house, she said. adding that venturing out after 8 pm for her was a strict "no".

"But every other day we keep hearing of rape or molestation that happens not only to young women but to children, too," she said.

After the gangrape of the paramedical student on board a bus in Delhi on December 16, 2012, the Supreme Court had upheld death for the four accused in the case it described as the "most brutal and diabolical".

In its wake, the government amended the criminal law in April 2013, bringing stricter punishment for crimes including rape, sexual harassment, voyeurism, stalking and acid attacks.

"Even after the amendments, the ground level enforcement is really bad," said Anahita Bakshi, a public relations professional based out of South Delhi.

The 25-year-old professional said most women would say they felt unsafe if asked about the way the city treated them.

Sharper laws have been brought in, but few believed they had made a difference.

"Nothing has changed even six years after the Delhi gangrape case with respect to women's safety and the psychological fear that we have to deal with. The only change, perhaps, is that the situation has worsened," said the postgraduate student, advocating death penalty for rapists.

After the nation-wide public outrage over the Kathua and Unnao cases, the Union Cabinet yesterday gave its approval to the promulgation of an Ordinance with the death penalty for those who raped children up to 12 years of age.

President Ram Nath Kovind today promulgated the Ordinance.

Delhi Commission for Women chairperson Swati Maliwal too was on a hunger-strike for 10 days, demanding death for rapists.

However, victims and experts believed the death penalty could not be a deterrent to rape and crime against women unless the political leadership showed a commitment.

"The decision (by the Union Cabinet) is a mere 'lollipop' given to the people ahead of the general elections," said the father of the 2012 gangrape victim.

Talking to PTI, he said it had been four years since the lower court and the high court awarded the death sentence to the rapists and murderers of his daughter, orders upheld by the Supreme Court.

"When the government has not been able to hand down punishment to the culprits in this case what do we expect for others," he said, claiming that the government was not going to punish them.

He also stressed the death penalty would not deter people against such crimes, and added that the Union Cabinet's latest move was insensitive towards children above 12 years.

"And what if the accused of a rape turns out to be a juvenile? Will he face the gallows," he asked.

Supreme Court lawyer and rights activist Vrinda Grover also asserted that nothing had changed since 2012 in the levels of violence, mindsets of people, the legal system or in the political class.

"And the reason it hasn't changed is that the law requires a certain orientation for people to change the way they look at the law, look at women," she said.

One of the problems, she held, was that the political leadership was not committed to creating circumstances where women were equal citizens and could enjoy the freedom of liberty.

Referring to the Kathua and Unnao cases, Grover said the response from the political leadership came only after society had expressed extreme anguish and anger. An eight-year-old girl was raped and killed in Kathua in Jammu, while a teenager in Unnao in Uttar Pradesh said she had been gang-raped.

"Unless there is a commitment by political leadership there won't be any changes in the system," Grover added.

The lawyer, who is opposed to the death penalty, said the country had "very low levels" of conviction because of the shortcomings in the legal system.

"The investigation and prosecution is not the way it should be. And the problem is that it (the death penalty) is the only answer that the political class has -- whether it is the Delhi Commission for Women or the Prime Minister...," she said.

"Death sentences are going to bring no change in our lives. These are gimmicks and we are fed up... they are playing politics over the bodies of women," she said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 22)  Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade ordered the firing of the regional director of the Land Transportation and Regulatory Board in Bicol and three other LTFRB employees due to alleged corruption.

The order came a day before President Rodrigo Duterte spoke in Albay about the sacking of two government officials for graft and corruption.

LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra III personally served Tugade's order to Region V Director Jun Abrazaldo on Friday. Also sacked were hearing officer IV Atty. Mary Jil Caurel of LTFRB Bicol, and administrative aides Christine Yan and Erlisa Sedano due to alleged corrupt activities.

President Duterte appointed Vladimir Kahulugan, a retired colonel of the police highway patrol group, to take Abrazaldo's place on March 20. The LTFRB held the turnover ceremony on Friday which led to a confrontation between Abrazaldo and Delgra regarding the basis for relieving him of his position.

"He has already been informed of these reports as early as last year September, and to be fair to him we had a one-on-one talk with him in the office January 4 2018. Matagal yung usapan namin, [we talked for a while] so it is not to say na hindi niya alam itong sinasabi ko [it is not to say that he did not know what I am talking about]," Delgra told media on Friday.

Abrazaldo said he will see Delgra in court for kicking him out from the LTFRB by just mere accusations of corruption.

Abrazaldo said the situation was unfair because despite his labor and energy, he would be kicked out from LTFRB by just mere accusations.

On April 10, Caurel received a 90-day preventive suspension order due to administrative cases such as allegedly accepting money for the speedy resolution of Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC) applications. A CPC is required to operate public services without a franchise required by law.

Moreover, Atty. Caurel is facing an investigation over withholding the release of CPCs, extortion activities in exchange for the release of impounded vehicles, delay of franchise applications and falsification of Daily Time Record entries since 2016.

The two administrative aides will also be issued a show cause order for their alleged participation in Caurel's charges.

"We don't tolerate corruption under this administration. When your top official such as an RD (Regional Director) is allegedly involved, what can you expect from the entire office? Madaling makahawa 'yan, (They can easily influence others)" Delgra stated in a press release on Sunday.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said he recently sacked two government officials, without revealing their names, over graft and corruption charges based on complaints received from his hotline, 8888.

The President said he has an affidavit prepared against the officials he fired should they opt to return to their post.

"Yung finire (fire) out ko. Wala akong ebidensya, pero kung magbalik 'yung tao, may affidavit ako. (I may not have pieces of evidence against those I have fired, but I have affidavits of those complainants who kept coming back)," Duterte said.

READ: Duterte: Axed officials fired due to graft and corruption

The contents of the affidavit have not been disclosed, however, former Labor Undersecretary Dominador Say, when asked about the basis of the corruption allegations against him, told CNN Philippines about an "unnotarized affidavit containing statements that any lawyer will label as hearsay and double hearsay."

Say resigned as labor undersecretary for policy, employment and regional operations on Tuesday, citing policy differences over contractualization issues. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said on Thursday Say would have been sacked due to alleged corruption if he did not step down.

READ: Roque: DOLE Usec. Say would have been fired for corruptionAmazon.com Inc expects groceries and household products to account for over half of its business in India in the next five years, as it moves to broaden offerings in the segment and foray into areas such as fresh produce. Amit Agarwal, the India head of Amazon, said in an interview on Friday that groceries and goods such as creams, soaps and cleaning products, were already the largest product category on Amazon in terms of number of units sold in India. "I would not speculate on when we would launch AmazonFresh but, absolutely, if you ask me the next five years of vision - ...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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Digital EditorMetro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 22)  Local Chief executives in Carmen, North Cotabato turned over 102 loose firearms from 28 barangays to the 6th infantry Division of the Philippine Army in a handover ceremony on Thursday.

The ceremony served as the municipality's participation in the military's Balik Baril Program (BBP) which provides compensation to citizens who surrender their firearms.

According to the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, Carmen is the first municipality in North Cotabato to successfully implement the BBP.

Carmen Mayor Roger Talino led the ceremony. Among the attendees were Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza, 6th Infantry Division Commander Major General Arnel dela Vega, and Provincial Governor Emmylou Talino-Mendoza.

"This activity symbolizes unity and peace among Christian, Muslim and Indigenous people leaving in Carmen and supports the program of the beloved President," a statement from the Carmen Municipal Police Station said.

The municipality of Carmen is known for being a military hotspot due to encounters between the rebel groups and government forces.

On December 20 last year, the military launched an airstrike in Carmen against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) who were associated with the ISIS-linked group, Abu Turaife.

READ:Military launches attacks vs 'Turaife group' in N. Cotabato

Carmen was also one of the affected areas by bombs manufactured by BIFF bomb expert Buds Basilan, who was killed in a brief exchange of gunfire with the Army's 403rd Infantry Brigade on March 29.

The town is located approximately 71 kilometers away from Kidapawan, the capital of North Cotabato.

READ: 3 NPA, BIFF members killed in clashes with troopsGovernor's convoy Derick Jator

The convoy transporting South West Governor, Bernard Okalia Bilai and his entourage to Lebialem division in the South West region came under heavy attack Friday April 20, 2018 around the hilly village of Lewoh. Unidentified armed men alleged to be Ambazonia fighters engaged in a bullet battle with military for minutes before the convoy could cross over to Menji.

When the convoy arrived Lewoh village, believed to be the stronghold of the fighters, the military stopped and used a telescope to have a view of the environment before proceeding, but just few hours into Menji, they came under serious attack with shots emanating from the hilly mountains by unknown attackers.

The military also opened shots, shooting indiscriminately into the bushes until they crossed the zone.

Arriving Menji, South West Governor Bernard Okalia Bilai did not spend up to an hour to install the new Divisional Officer of Lebialem division, Eta Mokaya Ashu in an open space where no one but military, few delegation members and Journalists witnessed the event.

The convoy headed back to Buea, passing through the West region in Menoua, but came under a more serious attack than the previous, however no human life was lost in the process.

Mr Bernard Okalia Bilai before Fridays Installation has made a failed attempt to install the new SDO after armed civilians sent them back to Buea with a more serious frontal attack. This time around, armored vehicles accompanied the delegation.

The new SDO Eta Ashu replaces, Ugitoh Zachary, shot last month by Ambazonia fighters, he has barely spent one year in office.Friday, April 20, 2018 at 11:12AM

Microsoft is putting the power of the cloud and AI (Artificial Intelligence) to the service of the environment on Earth Day 2018. In its blog entry titled "Microsoft celebrates Earth Day with new way to enable anyone to protect the planet," the company outlines some ways its technology is helping the planet.

How the Snow Leopard Trust is doing that now. The Snow Leopard Trust is tasked with protecting the fewer than 7,000 snow leopards left in the world  and they see AI as a critical piece of this important work.

The Microsoft Green blog offers up profiles of some leading grantees doing work on biodiversity, and you can check out a new map of our more than 60 AI for Earth grantees working across more than 20 countries, or even apply for a grant if inspiration strikes.

A story about iNaturalist. With more than 8 million logged observations, this army of citizen scientists is changing the way field research is done. Now with Microsoft Azure and AI, iNaturalist is making it easier for both amateur and professional scientists to close the knowledge gap on biodiversity and enable precision conservation.

Find out more here.

news, latest-news

ACT Health Minister Meegan Fitzharris has called for an investigation into workplace practices at Calvary Hospital, following allegations of systemic bullying and harassment. The calls come following an investigation by The Sunday Canberra Times that revealed allegations of a toxic culture for hospital employees, with bullying rampant across multiple departments. Both former and current staff at the hospital said those who raised concerns about bullying would often have the investigation turn on themselves, with false allegations of improper workplace conduct made up about them as part of a smear campaign. The ACT branch of the Australian Medical Association also called for an investigation into the hospital this week. Ms Fitzharris said she had spoken to the chief executive of Little Company of Mary - the company that operates Calvary Hospital - Martin Bowles to make sure the hospital would look into the allegations. "I have asked Mr Bowles to provide assurance that there are appropriate processes in place at Calvary to report workplace cultural issues, and that Calvary is investigating and responding to the concerns raised in the media, particularly in relation to allegations of workplace bullying and complaints investigation procedures," she said. "I echo the call from the AMA for these matters to be investigated." Ms Fitzharris said ACT Health would not tolerate bullying and harassment within Canberra's hospitals. "I am committed to ensuring ACT Health and our public health services have a respectful, supportive and inclusive approach that values all its employees," she said. AMA ACT president Steve Robson said he was concerned by the allegations about Calvary Hospital's workplace culture. "The AMA ACT strongly supports a healthy workplace culture and calls for a thorough investigation of the allegations of bullying, harassment and poor workplace culture," he said. "They must be investigated fully and transparently." Hospital sources have told The Sunday Canberra Times that bullying within the hospital comes from fellow employees as well as those in managerial positions. The AMA president said patient safety was at risk when hospital staff were working in a poor environment. "Patient care should be the most important priority for health services and there is unequivocal evidence that patient care is compromised when hospital workplace culture is poor," Professor Robson said. "The public need to have confidence in the health services where they are cared for." A Calvary Hospital spokesman said WorkSafe ACT was investigating bullying and harassment allegations. "When that is complete, we will engage with stakeholders to address the findings or recommendations," he said. "That process will include many stakeholders involved in the delivery of public health and hospital services in the ACT, including employee and contractor representative organisations and other interest groups." The spokesman said Calvary Hospital had been in contact with Ms Fitzharris following her calls for an investigation. "Calvary has responded to the minister and reiterated that we share her desire for a positive workplace culture that provides all employees and contractors with a safe, respectful and productive setting for them to enjoy their work, individually and collegailly," he said. "We have not had any formal contact from the AMA, but as they represent a significant clinical cohort, we welcome their interest and contribution." The AMA ACT's chief executive Peter Sommerville said more needs to be done to create a positive workplace culture at Calvary. "Calvary has to take care of this themselves," he said. "I've been heartened to see the statement [on bullying from Calvary] but it really needs to be taken to the next level and come to the party on this." ACT Opposition Leader Alistair Coe said the Canberra Liberals would also welcome an investigation into the alleged bullying. "Accounts of bullying and intimidation at Calvary Hospital should not go unanswered," he said. "Victims of bullying need safe and respectful pathways to bring their situation to light."

/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/8e33d5bd-8640-4714-8cb6-978e5059bd8e/r0_246_4500_2788_w1200_h678_fmax.jpgnews, latest-news

The focus is on the smallest of details at the Australian War Memorial as preparations for Anzac Day ramp up, with as many as 60,000 people expected to attend this year's services. About 150 staff and volunteers are working feverishly to set up, with much of the infrastructure needed for the biggest day on the war memorial's calendar put in place on Wednesday, ahead of last Thursday's full dress rehearsal. Australian War Memorial assistant director Anne Bennie said it was predicted up to 50,000 people would come to the dawn service, with as many as 10,000 at the national service later in the morning. She said with events of this size, the biggest challenge was getting everyone on the same page. "The timings are the most challenging part, and the plan changes every year depending on the different elements we have in the ceremonies, who is marching and who the special guests are," Ms Bennie said. This year, more than 3000 veterans will march at the national ceremony, led for the first time by the army apprentices, which will bring together a contingent of 803 members from across Australia. Former Opposition leader Kim Beazley will deliver the formal commemorative address, with one of the last surviving members of the legendary Rats of Tobruk, 97-year-old Bob Semple, to give a special address. The "rats" were a group of Allied troops who took their name from what German propagandists intended to be an insult about the underground tunnels they dug during the famous World War II Siege of Tobruk. Unfazed by the slur, the Allies turned it into a badge of honour. "[The Rats of Tobruk] will all be gone soon, so to have Bob speak almost a generation on from his service is a real privilege," Ms Bennie said. "His address will be very important for Australians to hear." With most of the infrastructure, including video screens and 6600 chairs now in place, the days leading into Anzac Day will be dominated by meticulous scheduling, work on the War Memorial grounds, the preparation of wreaths, security briefings and transport arrangements. Free park and ride services and shuttle buses will take people to and from the services, and depart from several bus stations across Canberra. People are encouraged to call 13 17 10 or visit Eventbrite to register for the buses, with parking at the War Memorial only available to a limited number of mobility impaired visitors. From 4.30am on Anzac Day, representatives from each of the armed services will read excerpts from the letters and diaries of Australians who experienced war first-hand. The dawn service then begins at 5.30am, and runs until 6am. The two-hour national ceremony starts at 10.30am.

/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/0e8b2247-5048-4572-9bf8-2d7f888139ef/r0_253_4500_2795_w1200_h678_fmax.jpgnews, latest-news

There are fears of an increase in blood-borne viruses after reports that all of the ACT's needle and syringe vending machines have been either consistently empty or not functional over the past few months. According to one Canberra man, who asked not to be named, the six machines  which form part of the territory's needle and syringe program  have been largely out of action for months. "While needles can be obtained at most pharmacies, not-functional users generally aren't welcome and functional users would rather maintain their veneer of conformity," he said. "As you can imagine, there are some 'less discerning' of this exclusive clique who have taken to retrieving discarded sharps and sharing the same needles." When The Canberra Times attempted to use the machines, two were unavailable due to vandalism, while the others appeared to be empty, taking the $2 coins without providing the needle and syringe pack. The ACT's needle and syringe program is a harm minimisation strategy that seeks to reduce the spread of infections  such as hepatitis and HIV  among people who inject drugs, and the wider community. Needles and syringes are available through the program for free at health centres throughout the territory, for a small fee at a number of pharmacies and the vending machines. A Hepatitis ACT spokeswoman said the vending machines were commonly used and were an important part of the territory's needle and syringe program. "It's really concerning to see this happening because the machines are a really key part of the strategy," she said. "Our understanding is that a significant number of people do use the machine service. "We are a secondary service but certainly people do report they use them out of hours and on the weekend. "There are also barriers around stigma which leads people to use them, but as much as anything it's just around access to services that aren't open 24 hours a day." The Canberra man with knowledge of the use of the service said any continuation in the interruption of the vending machine service would have "dire" consequences. "Needles are being retrieved from sharps bins, re-used, and shared, with the potential for progress in the fight against the spread of associated diseases like hepatitis-C  gains that have taken years to realise  to be effectively undone overnight," he said. "Whatever the cause, its vital that this service be restored forthwith, as the cost to the community of its continued absence doesnt bear thinking about." The vending machines were introduced permanently more than a decade ago after a year trial found overwhelmingly positive outcomes. "The [vending machines] are serving both the usual clients of the other outlets for sterile injecting equipment  community pharmacies and NSPs  and others who are reluctant to use such outlets or find them inconvenient," the trial's report said. "The out-of-business hours provision of sterile injecting equipment through the [vending machines] is a particularly welcome innovation." The trial showed that between February 4, 2005 and January 31, 2006, 11,267 fit packs were sold from the then four syringe vending machines. There are now six vending machines across the territory. Directions Health Services chief executive officer Bronwyn Hendry said the organisation was investigating ways to improve the vending machines, including by making them tamper proof and providing more products. She said the empty vending machines would be refilled within 24 hours and vandalised machines fixed as a priority. It is financially difficult for the service provider when they keep getting vandalised but they have not indicated they intend to stop it," Ms Hendry said. An ACT Health spokeswoman said the government was committed to providing sterile injecting equipment as a key harm minimisation strategy. Canberra Alliance for Harm Minimisation and Advocacy manager Chris Gough said vending machines often presented a challenge to maintain but provided an essential service. He said it represented a broader problem with NSP services across the country and the lack of prioritisation of effective services. "They often get vandalised and drug users often get the blame when in fact it's often members of the broader community who are seeking money or people who have a problem with NSPs in general," he said.

/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/74f4b07b-13bf-4ef2-a252-9beab043cf40/r0_101_2000_1231_w1200_h678_fmax.jpgnews, latest-news

Workplace injuries are common among young people and most workers under 25 have been bullied or harassed on the job, a new survey by the ACT's peak union body says. The Unions ACT report published on Monday found 40 per cent of young workers said they had been injured at work in the past year, and the same amount hadn't been told what to do if they'd been hurt. Another 70 per cent of people aged 15-25 told the survey they had been bullied or harassed at work  the same figure as in last year's report  and the main perpetrators were their bosses (30 per cent) and co-workers (23 per cent). Unions ACT randomly surveyed 223 people for the report, Breaking Point: Young Worker Safety in the ACT, and used the findings to call for greater regulation of businesses employing young people and new penalties for those ignoring the law. The union body's secretary, Alex White, said a high percentage of young people were exposed to unsafe work and the risk of being injured. Most of the survey's respondents worked in retail and sales (36.9 per cent) and hospitality and tourism (23 per cent), over half were employed on a casual basis and another 20 per cent were employed informally through labour hire, an Australian Business Number or a rolling short-term contract. "The biggest challenge we've got is not that the ACT is worse than other jurisdictions, although it's bad, it's that people don't believe it's a problem and consequently are not willing to take the steps that are needed to protect young workers," Mr White said. Workplace Safety and Industrial Relations Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said WorkSafe ACT was auditing young worker safety in Canberra and the government would consider the findings of a Legislative Assembly inquiry into insecure work in the ACT. An advisory committee on apprentice safety and young workers would also consider and advise the government on worker safety, Ms Stephen-Smith said. The Unions ACT report also found nearly a third of young women had experienced gender discrimination at work, and that workers surveyed were unaware of their rights or of WorkSafe. Unions ACT recommended new penalties for exploiting young workers and record-keeping failures, a certificate system for employers of five or more young people, and mandatory training for supervisors. It also called for greater power for the Community Services Directorate to investigate, and for the ACT government to fund a union-developed workplace safety awareness program. The latest report's findings come after a Unions ACT survey last year reported seven out of 10 young workers felt bullied or harassed at work while one in two felt they had been forced to work in an unsafe environment.

/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/f6846f2d-5808-4c71-a8bf-624c7171d7d7/r0_119_4019_2390_w1200_h678_fmax.jpgUnfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.Coming over from the westside recently, obviously coming up to our multi-million dollar floating parking lot, I watched a guy on a red sportbike lane splitting. For some reason I do not know why it's not legal here.

Honestly with traffic only doing 15-20 kph, he looked very safe only doing roughly 5 kph faster than everyone else. Some of the drivers even pulling slightly over to give him a bit of room, and him waiting when there wasn't room, waving thanks to those that let him have a bit more room. I think for the Okanagan and lower mainland this just makes sense! Specially with the amount of riders we have in this area that would rather not be rear ended.

True it will take common sense, don't be doing 50 kph faster than main traffic. The rider on the red sportbike was able to keep continually going at a safe speed but even if still not up to the posted 60 kph he didn't bother anyone, and he freed up some space and congestion for everyone else just wanting to get where they need to go.

Nate CabVisiting our dump again, I drive past about 12 different ponds filled with who knows what chemicals and see the top of a manhole with a blue pipe on top. This must be the overflow portion of the ponds since every drop of precipitation needs to be dealt with and flow somewhere.

After our precipitation seeps down thru the dump layers of who knows what chemicals and bacteria, it flows out into the several ponds. From these ponds, we can assume that the sanitary sewer system accepts the overflow. This overflow of chemical soup will flow straight thru the sewer treatment plant and into our Okanagan Lake system.

Our sewer treatment plant is specific to removing solids and phosphates as well as nitrates (feces and urine derivatives i.e. fertilizers only) the rest is not removed and stays in suspension in mother natures solvent i.e. water. In Kelowna, all this happens on KLO sewer treatment plant and the pipe leads out into the Okanagan lake at KLO. Now we come to our cup of tea: if you live south of KLO, the Okanagan lake flows from the north to the south, you will enjoy your cup of tea made with the chemicals, bacteria and other good things derived from dump juices because your water intake is at Cedar Creek pumping station.

If you think this is exciting then consider that West Kelowna also dumps sewer plant effluent into Okanagan lake, then drive to Penticton and notice that this city also dumps sewer plant effluent into the Okanagan river (you may opt to float down the sewer effluent on a hot day). After you leave Penticton, each little town, if they have sewer treatment plant, will do the same, add to the river flow with treated sewer effluent. By the time the Americans receive our treated sewer effluent, you can only imagine how good your cup of tea would taste.

By the time this soup reaches the Pacific ocean, you must marvel that any fish would want to approach the river inlet to come up and spawn? If you consider global warming an item to worry about, I believe we should worry about our cup of tea first, without the tea, who cares how warm we are.

Jorgen Hansen

Some biased pundits and armchair politicians would have you believe, the current, FPTP, election system has served us well in the past. It has not!

While it was an improvement, in the thirteenth century, over the divine right of monarchs to decide who was to govern the people, it has failed to serve the majority of voters well at all, ever since. It continues to commonly elect representatives and install parties as government, when neither received a majority of the votes in the elections. Under FPTP the largest minority is usually given unfettered control over the governance of the citizens, even though a majority of them did not support that candidate or party. For example, both the last Stephen Harper government in 2011 and the Trudeau Liberals in 2015 received only 39 percent of the vote yet both also received a false majority of seats in parliament, giving them total power to govern the entire population even though over 60% of voters rejected their party platforms in the respective general elections.

This is contrary to the inviolable democratic principle that, the will of the majority of the people should prevail.

Modern proportional representation systems ensure that overall voters preferences are reflected in the

legislature and that government is composed of representatives who accurately represent a majority of

voters. Its sometimes pointed out that no electoral system is perfect, but none is as flawed as the outdated and blatantly undemocratic British colonial one, that we currently use in Canada.

We need to bring our elections into the 21st century. Why?, because its already 2018!

Terry W. RobertsonPhoto: The Canadian Press

Seventeen people were killed after two dragon boats capsized in southern China, authorities said Sunday.

The boats were practicing Saturday for a race in the Taohua River in the city of Guilin when the accident happened, said the fire department of the city of Guilin, capital of Guangxi region.

It was not immediately clear what caused the boats to capsize.

The fire department said on its official account on the social media site Sina Weibo that search efforts ended late Saturday and 17 people had been confirmed dead. A total of 60 people fell into the water.

The official Xinhua News Agency said eight boats and over 200 people had been deployed to the rescue.

Two organizers of the practice, from the village of Dunmu, were detained, Xinhua said.

China has sought to step up safety surrounding nationwide dragon boat racing during the Duanwu festival, which falls near the summer solstice and commemorates the death of the poet and minister Qu Yuan in the third century B.C.Photo: The Canadian Press

The world's oldest person, a 117-year-old Japanese woman, has died.

Nabi Tajima died of old age in a hospital Saturday evening in the town of Kikai in southern Japan, town official Susumu Yoshiyuki confirmed. She had been hospitalized since January.

Tajima, born on Aug. 4, 1900, was the last known person born in the 19th century. She reportedly had more than 160 descendants, including great-great-great grandchildren. Her town of Kikai is in Kagoshima prefecture on Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan's four main islands.

She became the world's oldest person seven months ago after the death in September of Violet Brown in Jamaica, also at the age of 117. Video shown on Japanese television showed Tajima moving her hands to the beat of music played on traditional Japanese instruments at a ceremony to mark the achievement.

The U.S.-based Gerontology Research Group says that another Japanese woman, Chiyo Miyako, is now the world's oldest person in its records. Miyako lives south of Tokyo in Kanagawa prefecture, and is due to turn 117 in 10 days.

Guinness World Records certified 112-year-old Masazo Nonaka of northern Japan as the world's oldest man earlier this month, and was planning to recognize Tajima as the world's oldest person.Photo: The Canadian Press

Government forces killed at least 14 Maoist rebels during a raid on their hideout Sunday in a forested area in western India, police said.

The fighting began after police commandos raided the rebels' hideout deep in a forested area in Gadchilori district in Maharashtra state, said police officer Prashant Diwate.

Diwate said exchange of gunfire between the rebels and troops lasted about half an hour. He said police were searching the area for more possible bodies.

He said police suffered no casualties.

The Maoist rebels, who claim inspiration from Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong, have been fighting the Indian government for more than four decades, demanding land and jobs for tenant farmers and the poor.

The rebels, also known as Naxalites, have ambushed police, destroyed government offices and abducted government officials for decades in their fight against the Indian government. They have blown up train tracks, attacked prisons to free their comrades and stolen weapons from police and paramilitary warehouses.

The insurgency began in 1967 as a network of left-wing ideologues and young recruits in the village of Naxalbari outside Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal state.

In their deadliest attack, rebels in 2010 killed 76 soldiers in Chhattisgarh, one of the most-affected states.

The government has called the rebels India's biggest internal security threat. With thousands of fighters, the rebels control vast swaths of area in the country.Photo: The Canadian Press

The mother of Michael Brown and the maker of a documentary about his death will be speaking at Harvard University.

Brown was an unarmed, black 18-year-old when he was fatally shot by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri. The officer was not charged. Brown's death touched off widespread protests and a national discussion about race relations and police.

His mother, Lezley McSpadden, will be at Harvard on Monday for a panel titled "The Movement for Black Lives: Justice for Michael Brown 4 Years Later."

She will be joined by attorneys for the Brown family and by Jason Pollock, a filmmaker whose documentary "Stranger Fruit" details Brown's death.

The documentary will be screened before the 6 p.m. discussion. The event is being hosted by Harvard's Kennedy School's Institute of Politics.Photo: The Canadian Press

Four people were killed in a shooting at a Waffle House restaurant in Tennessee early Sunday, according to police, who credited a bystander with saving many lives by wresting a weapon away from the gunman.

The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said via their Twitter account that authorities are searching for 29-year-old Travis Reinking of Morton, Illinois. They said they named him as a person of interest because the pickup truck that the gunman used to drive to the restaurant was registered to him.

Police spokesman Don Aaron said three people died at the scene and one person died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Aaron said the gunman arrived at the restaurant and sat in the parking lot for four minutes and shot two people with an assault rifle, then went inside and continued firing.

A 29-year-old male patron inside the restaurant wrested the rifle away from the suspect and tossed it over a counter, Aaron said.

"No doubt he saved many lives by wresting the gun away and tossing it over the counter and prompting the man to leave," Aaron said.

At least four people were injured.

A Waffle House spokesman didn't immediately return a telephone message seeking comment.

Aaron said the victims' names weren't immediately released.

The suspect, wearing only a green jacket, shed the jacket after fleeing the restaurant. Aaron said he lived at an apartment complex in the area and, based on witness reports, went to the complex and put on a pair of pants.

Aaron said witnesses saw a man in a nearby wooded area, and police dogs were tracking the man, some six hours after the 3:25 a.m. shooting.Photo: The Canadian Press

A suicide bomber struck a voter registration centre in the Afghan capital on Sunday, killing at least 57 people in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group.

Public Health Ministry spokesman Wahid Majro said another 119 people were wounded in Sunday's attack, updating an earlier toll. Gen. Daud Amin, the Kabul police chief, said the suicide bomber targeted civilians who had gathered to receive national identification cards.

The large explosion echoed across the city, shattering windows miles away from the attack site and damaging several nearby vehicles. Police blocked all roads to the blast site, with only ambulances allowed in. Local TV stations broadcast live footage of hundreds of distraught people gathered at nearby hospitals seeking word about loved ones.

Majro said there were five small children and 21 women among the dead. More than a dozen children and nearly 50 women were wounded, he said, adding that the tolls could still rise.

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility in a statement carried by its Aamaq news agency, saying it had targeted Shiite "apostates."

Afghanistan will hold parliamentary elections in October.

Last week, three police officers responsible for guarding voter registration centres in two Afghan provinces were killed by militants, according to authorities.

Afghan security forces have struggled to prevent attacks by the Islamic State affiliate as well as the more firmly established Taliban since the U.S. and NATO concluded their combat mission at the end of 2014. Both groups regularly launch attacks, with the Taliban usually targeting the government and security forces, and IS targeting the country's Shiite minority.

Both groups want to establish a harsh form of Islamic rule in Afghanistan, and are opposed to democratic elections.

Elsewhere in Afghanistan, at least five people were killed when their vehicle struck a roadside bomb in the northern Baghlan province. Zabihullah Shuja, spokesman for the provincial police chief, said four other people were wounded in Sunday's blast in Puli Khomri, the capital of the province.

The Taliban routinely target security forces and government officials with roadside bombs, which often end up killing civilians.

In the northern Balkh province, a district police chief died of his wounds after being shot Saturday during a gunbattle with insurgents, according to Sher Jan Durrani, spokesman for the provincial police chief. He said around a dozen insurgents were also killed in the battle, which is still underway.

Durrani identified the slain commander as Halim Khanjar, police chief for the Char Bolak district.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the killing.Photo: BANG Showbiz - BANG Showbiz.

A rare vintage poster for a 1955 Elvis Presley show in North Carolina has sold at auction for more than double the expected price.

The News & Observer of Raleigh reports the poster for a show on May 19, 1955, in Raleigh sold this month for $42,500. Giles Moon of Texas-based Heritage Auctions says he had expected the poster to sell for about $20,000.

The poster advertises a concert in Raleigh where Presley was on the lineup below Hank Snow, Faron Young and other acts.

Moon says both the buyer and the seller prefer to remain anonymous. He says the buyer is from California.

The poster was made by the iconic Hatch Show Print, based in Nashville, Tennessee.

___

Information from: The News & Observer, http://www.newsobserver.comFor full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browserAll of the Lefties know that they are all willing and are slinging fake bull shit at the President. Even in light of the Steele Dossier's having been revealed to contain absolute crap, and in the face of the revelation that it was falsely used to obtain a FISA warrant, in the face of all of that, James Comey continues to lie and imply about Russian prostitues and peeing. Comey is exactly like the rest of the Left. Willing to lie and lie and lie.



Frankly, I love it all. The more time marches on the more it is all being revealed to be a conniving plot to damage the President. Its this "resist" meme. Resist with fake made up BS.



Its all going to add up to a Trump re-election. His numbers keep moving upward as a direct result of these revelations.We Have History



Chelsea and Southampton lock horns for the 100th occasion in all competitions. We have won 41 of the previous 99 games compared to the Saints 30. It is also the south coast sides 50th visit to Stamford Bridge in all competitions.

As a league fixture, this was first played in February 1925, Southamptons fifth season after joining the Football League, their third in Division Two. Bob Turnbull scored the only goal of the game three days after signing for the Pensioners.

The Londoners biggest margin of victory in this fixture, 4-0, has been recorded twice. On the first occasion, November 1973, a new guard of Ian Britton, Chris Garland and Steve Kimber, twice, scored the goals. In the repeat, in May 2004, Martin Cranies second half own-goal opened the floodgates, with Frank Lampard (two goals) and Glen Johnson mopping up.PIKE Technologies was established in 1989 by Phil and Irene Brierley with the goal of creating a unique enterprise specializing in the imaginative design and creation of high quality custom spectroscopic accessories; thus the tag line Spectroscopic Creativity. They founded PIKE on the principle of making the life of the spectroscopist easier through replacing traditional, tedious sampling routines with a range of innovative products and techniques ... and all at an outstanding value!



From the start, PIKE has been a family business. The name itself is an acronym for their family, formed from the initials of their names (Phil, Irene, Kathryn and Elizabeth). PIKE employees are an extension of this family and they enjoy a professional, but informal workplace where the focus is on taking care of the customer.



Phils knowledge of optics, mechanics, and software along with his honesty and dedication earned him great respect. His fun-loving nature, thoughtfulness and loyalty made him many friends. He influenced the FTIR industry with high value accessories and dedication to never having an unhappy customer. Under his leadership, PIKE created a comprehensive line of sampling accessories including Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR), diffuse and specular reflectance, transmission cells and automation. The business consistently grew under his direction until his death in 1999. His ideals live on.



Today, PIKE continues to specialize in the development and manufacture of accessories and optical systems that enhance the performance of commercial spectrometers. The product line has grown from the first PIKE Horizontal ATR, which set the industry price/performance standard, to over two thousand products. In the year 2000, PIKE Technologies moved from the original location to our building at 2901 Commerce Park Drive, Madison, Wisconsin. PIKE Technologies has continued to enjoy market growth with the addition of many new products and employees and has become the leading provider of sampling accessories for molecular spectroscopy. We soon outgrew our location on Commerce Park Drive and in the summer of 2008 we moved to our new location at 6125 Cottonwood Drive, also in Madison, Wisconsin.



PIKE products are used in the petrochemical, food, forensic, pharmaceutical, semiconductor, agriculture, government and the material science industries as well as in many academic institutions around the world. They can be used for the analysis of organic and inorganic materials by FTIR, NIR, Raman and UV-VIS spectroscopy. Theory, detailed descriptions, and applications for PIKE accessories are available in our comprehensive product catalog. PIKE also specializes in the design and engineering of products for custom applications.



PIKE products are available worldwide through direct sales via our website, telephone or fax as well as through a network of distributors around the world.Wenger added that "if the fans were not happy I can understand that. ... I don't know if it was damaging. It was not corresponding to what I really feel our club is perceived and has to be perceived all over the world."Darryl Hope was shot in the arm, in the abdomen and in the leg near the front porch of his home in the 7600 block of South Calumet Avenue in the Chatham neighborhood shortly after midnight, according to Chicago police and Dolton Police Chief Robert Collins.Chicago police arrested Kenneth L. Williams, 38, at an O'Hare terminal early Thursday morning after he was captured on airport surveillance cameras stealing bags from United and American airline luggage carousels for the previous two days, according to his arrest report. The items held items worth more than $500, authorities said.Parrish Moorman described his youngest son as a friendly soul with a ready smile who would offer the shirt off his back or the food from his plate to anyone he saw who needed it. "He loved people. He was the type of kid that if you didn't have a friend, he would be your friend. He always said everybody needs a friend," Moorman said.Around 9 a.m., someone tried to carjack another off-duty officer in the 3700 block of West 79th Street in the city's Ashburn neighborhood on the Southwest Side, police said.Investigators were able to follow the two and were able to arrest them not far away, in the 500 block of North Franklin Street, where they found the 27-year-old victim's cash and other property in the car Means and Archer were in, police said.Officers were called to the 8600 block of South Calumet Avenue in the Chatham neighborhood for a well-being check around 7:55 p.m. and saw the woman pushing the cart, which contained a deceased female, according to police."We are in the streets asking for Ortega and his wife to go. This has already gone beyond the social security issue. Here there have been dead, wounded, and he does not even apologize for his killings or the savage repression against the people," said Mauri Hernandez, one of thousands of demonstrators at a central rotunda.Hart  who said Friday that he was retiring as chairman of his firm due to the negative press surrounding Pruitt's unusual housing rental arrangement with his wife  said in his statement that he had "assisted a friend who served on the Chesapeake Bay Commission, and this is inaccurately being tied to Smithfield Foods." His statement continued, "I was not paid for this assistance and any suggestion that I lobbied for Smithfield Foods is inaccurate."Another option, they suggested, would be to move first to enact constraints on the North's arsenal, such as capping the program with limits to contain the threat. This would allow the North the security of maintaining some level of nuclear proficiency while enacting curbs on key bomb fuels and delivery systems. At the same time, the two countries would work toward establishing greater trust that could lead to more serious talks over full disarmament down the road.For critics who think the president has been far too eager to cultivate friendly relations with Vladimir Putin, this nomination should be reassuring. In his CIA confirmation hearings last year, he said, "Russia has reasserted itself aggressively, invading and occupying Ukraine, threatening Europe, and doing nearly nothing to aid in the destruction of ISIS." In January he said that "we need to continue to push back against the Russians everywhere we find them."Report all errors to DonSurber@GMail.com

I am a retired newspaperman. I live in Poca, WV, with my wife of 43 years, Lou Ann. I grew up in Cleveland. Three kids. Grandfather.Since the recent passage of the tax cuts, some corporate executives have revealed how they will use windfall proceeds. A few have promised a portion will be used for one-time bonuses, increased per-hour wages. One I heard say that the company would set up a fund for an employee education program. None of these good deeds is mandated by the new law and may not occur or be duplicated or repeated. Gratuitous spending is not the way tax policy operates."This coupled with the fact that in the current environment Muslim women face actual incidents of assault and Muslim kids face regular incidents of bullying, simply for being Muslim," Rehab said. "Add to all this that this poem then greets them in a library of all places, a supposed safe space, and you can see why the public was as appalled as it was."3214 N. Southport Ave., No. 3N, Chicago: $1,299,000 | Listed: Aug. 18, 2021



This three-bedroom home has two full bathrooms, one half-bath, and crown molding. The kitchen has hardwood flooring, fresh tile backsplash, a pantry, an island and space for a table. An open concept living and dining room on the main level features wainscoting and a fireplace. A separate family room and a breakfast nook are also on the main level, and an upper-level living room can be converted into a fourth bedroom. This home has five private outdoor areas, including a composite rooftop deck, a front porch, an enclosed brick space thats turf and tile, and two rear decks. A wet bar with a wine refrigerator, a storage room, and garage parking complete this home.



Agent: Tommy Choi, Keller Williams, 773-851-5840



*Some listing photos are virtually staged, meaning they have been digitally altered to represent different furnishing or decorating options.



To feature your luxury listing of $800,000 or more in Chicago Tribunes Dream Homes, send listing information and high-res photos to ctc-realestate@chicagotribune.com.



Join our Chicago Dream Homes Facebook group for more luxury listings and real estate news.Through the years, the medium has changed from an analog format driven by vinyl records to a digital age. Now, fans who live close enough to the antenna can listen to the broadcast but listeners can also tune in anywhere through the Internet. In fact, besides the regular broadcasts, students also produce podcasts or stand-alone shows that will never get on regular radio. The station, too, has moved from the Vaughn building to the main North Campus building.Of course it wasn't just about the lobster. It was also about the special toasted cheese  there was a line there, too  and homemade marshmallows stacked between two homemade graham crackers and topped with ganache chocolate; and hot dogs with names like the Grill of the Dead and the Slasher; and empanadas stuffed with spinach and ricotta or beef and spicy sauce.Two people were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries Saturday after a two-vehicle accident left one of the vehicles upside-down at Quentin Road and Route 22 in Lake Zurich, authorities said.By stark contrast, Petroshius estimated that the price tag for a Genesee start-up model would be in the $1 million range. Among the amenities that could be realized with funding like that would be exhibits accented with virtual reality and augmented reality  if your kid played Pokemon Go in 2016, you know the allure of that latter concept. For example, tapping a tablet in front of your eyes would transform your surroundings into the red dust of Mars.Police said Adan ran off the roadway going northeast through the grass when she hit a late-model minivan driven by Leonard Scott, 32 of Michigan City. Scott was slowing down for the stop sign at the end of the ramp, according to the release.Trump is demanding Sessions fire his perceived political enemies . Months ago he went nuts on Sessions and FBI Director Christopher Wray about why they hadn't fired Peter Strzok and Lisa Page from the FBI for disloyalty to the all high Trumpanzee, unable to distinguish between loyalty to America and loyalty to the Fuhrer, who "pressed his attorney general and FBI director to work more aggressively to uncover derogatory information within the FBIs files to turn over to congressional Republicans working to discredit the two FBI officials."

The effort to discredit Strzok and Page has been part of a broader effort by Trump and his allies to discredit and even fire FBI officials who they believe will be damaging witnesses against the president in Muellers obstruction of justice probe.



Those attacks, in turn, are part of a broader push to denigrate Mueller himself and make it easier for Trump to publicly justify his potential firing. Those efforts have taken on new urgency as Mueller continues to rack up guilty pleas from former senior Trump officials like Michael Flynn and Rick Gates, and after the FBI, in conjunction with other federal prosecutors, raided the office, home, and hotel room of Michael Cohen, Trumps longtime lawyer. Trumps fury over the raid has made many of his closest advisers worry that hes inching closer to firing Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who oversees the Mueller probe, and possibly Mueller as well.

Washington Post national security reporters wrote that Friday night, a team ofnational security reporters wrote that Sessions said he'd quit if Trumpanzee fires Rosenstein . That might be another incentive for Senor T to initiate his own Saturday Night Massacre. I wonder if anyone has explained to the ignorant Putin puppet what the Saturday Night Massacre was and what it led to.





He's still fuming that Sessions recused himself from all things related to Putin-Gate and would love to see him leave the Justice Department. Sessions called Don McGahn, the official chief White House counseland told him if Trumpanzee fires Rosenstein over the Cohen raid, he may have to resign. The Post speculated that "the protest resignation of an attorney general-- which would be likely to incite other departures within the administration-- would create a moment of profound crisis for the White House." Really? Why? Trump only cares about what his base thinks and none of this would mean anything to them as long as Trump tweets something derogatory about Sessions.





The 4 Post writes pointed out that "Last summer, when it appeared Trump was going to fire Sessions or pressure him to resign, Republican lawmakers and conservative advocacy groups rallied to Sessionss side and warned the president not to move against him." Since then, Trump's power with the GOP has grown immensely and he doesn't care what Republican lawmakers or conservative advocacy groups whine about. If he's not king of America, he is king of the GOP. He dominates the Republican Party utterly and entirely. He refers to Sessions as Mr. Magoo and Rosenstein as Mr. Peepers. There is no one who can stand up to him--no one. And remember, Rosenstein isn't some Obama administration hold-over. Rosenstein, a Republican, was put in place by Senor Trumpanzee himself.





Trump had told senior officials last week that he was considering firing Rosenstein, who was confirmed by the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support last year. Since then, alumni of the Justice Department have rallied to Rosensteins defense.



As of Friday afternoon, more than 800 former Justice Department employees had signed an open letter calling on Congress to swiftly and forcefully respond to protect the founding principles of our Republic and the rule of law if Trump were to fire the deputy attorney general, special counsel Robert S. Mueller III or other senior Justice Department officials.



...Rosenstein, the Justice Departments No. 2 official, is tasked with running the day-to-day operations of the sprawling agency of 113,000 employees who work for the FBI; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Bureau of Prisons; U.S. attorneys offices; and Main Justice, the agencys headquarters. But from the time he was confirmed in May of last year, the investigation into possible coordination during the 2016 presidential campaign between Trump associates and agents of the Russian government has overshadowed everything he has done.



...A month after Rosenstein became deputy attorney general, he was criticized for his role in the firing of FBI Director James B. Comey. Rosenstein wrote a critical memo lambasting Comey for his handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation, and the White House later used the document as a pretext to remove the FBI director. After a few days, though, Trump said he was thinking about the Russia investigation when he fired Comey. Comey has said in recent days he believed Rosenstein acted dishonorably and could not be trusted.



At that point, Rosenstein was overseeing the Russia investigation because Sessions had recused himself. On May 17, about a week after the Comey firing, Rosenstein announced that he had appointed Mueller as special counsel to conduct the Russia investigation.



Rosenstein took the action without first consulting Sessions and notified him when he was at the White House meeting with Trump. The decision took Trump by surprise and greatly angered him.



A person close to the White House and the Justice Department said Sessions has vacillated, I think, from being concerned about the deputy leaving or being fired and recognizing that Rosenstein has not been a friend of either him or the department.



...This week, two of Trumps top legislative allies and leading members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus met with Rosenstein and pressed him for more documents about the conduct of law enforcement officials involved in the Russia probe. They warned him that he could face impeachment proceedings or an effort to hold him in contempt of Congress if he did not satisfy Republican demands for more documents.

By forcing the Justice Department into releasing Comey's memos to themselves, House Republicans-- who promptly leaked the memos to the press-- blundered into making Trump look even more repulsive and more guilty than he already looked. On top of which there's all this chatter about whether or not the sleaze-bag Michael Cohen will "flip" on Trump. It's unimaginable to be but... isn't Trump in the White no less unimaginable? [Also unimaginable: the media referring to yenta and Fox scumbag Alan Dershowitz as a "liberal."]Some 78 paintings of Buddha statues stolen from Tianlongshan Grottoes are currently on display in Taiyuan, capital of north China's Shanxi Province.





Construction began on Tianlongshan Grottoes, notable for its Buddhist statues, during the Northern Wei Dynasty (534-550). The site includes 25 caves built during five Chinese dynasties.





However, many valuable statues were stolen and smuggled overseas during wars or illegally sold in 1920s.





Using colored pencils or Chinese ink, Zhang Jinfeng, a 46-year-old painter, is trying to revive the lost glory of the Tianlongshan Grottoes through painting.





Zhang was born in a village near the grottoes, and as a child was told how beautiful the grottoes had been.





"I often visited the caves. Once, when I was about to leave, a ray of sunshine came into the cave, lighting up a broken Buddha statue. It was beautiful although damaged," he said. "I was moved and thought I should do something."





Over the past seven years, Zhang has drawn pictures of stolen Buddha statues based on photographs and videos he found online or in books, or from pictures taken by friends who visited the statues in overseas museums.





"The images in his paintings look like the real Buddha statues," said Wang Ding, curator of Taiyuan Museum of Art. Wang saw the paintings during a rural inspection and decided to help Zhang organize an exhibition.





"I hope to use my own methods to arouse public awareness of cultural relic protection," Zhang said.





China Cultural Relics Academy has estimated that over 10 million relics have been smuggled out of China since 1840 during wars or due to illegal sales.



Syria [Photo/Xinhua]

The cooperation among the U.S., the U.K. and France in launching military attacks against Syria raises more questions for the future than it answers. Although U.S. President Donald Trump considers the small-scale operation a "mission accomplished" despite the negative connotation of this terminology, the day after does not seem ideal for Syria and its people. Efforts toward dialogue and stabilization can hardly be enhanced while the future reaction of Russia remains unknown. Meanwhile, the continuous dispute between Washington and Moscow only fuels existing tensions.

No one disagrees that the use of chemical weapons should be strongly condemned and  if possible  prevented. The U.S., the U.K. and France argue that the Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad received the necessary message. In that regard, an article published in The Guardian suggested the West was "serious about chemical weapons." But is this indeed the case? Were chemical weapons used on the ground, and by whom? The following statement from a press briefing of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs offers a useful perspective: "We believe that it is very irresponsible to launch military strikes on a sovereign country on the ground of presumption of guilt. The issue of Syrian chemical weapons calls for truth."

Additionally, U.S. policy in Syria is ambivalent. Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, for example, said on CNN that there was no strategy. On the one hand, Trump is saying that American troops might leave Syria. And on the other, he is threatening Russia on Twitter and opts for military strikes. Theoretically, the two issues are not necessarily linked to each other. The presence of ground forces has aimed at defeating the Islamic State, while the recent air strikes sought to punish the Syrian regime for the alleged use of chemical weapons. But it still is not easy to understand Trump's actions. One might conclude that American foreign policy has been largely based on his temperament. It is not a coincidence that  according to the New York Times  both Republicans and Democrats have pressed for a broader strategy in confronting the war-torn region.

From a public opinion perspective, Americans are largely skeptical about the necessity of wars. But American society is generally divided, so Trump's actions are finding both support and opposition. The same happened in 2017 when he decided to bombard Syria for a similar reason. Drawing on last year's opinion poll data, the U.S. President may be trying to achieve some partisan rallying ahead of this year's midterm elections. Before the recent strikes, a new Washington Post-ABC News poll showed his approval rating standing at 40 percent.

Data are more worrying in the U.K. An exclusive survey of The Independent reveals that only a quarter of Britons backed London's decision to launch air strikes in Syria. Critics of Prime Minister Theresa May also claim that she avoided a debate in Parliament and acted quickly before it was necessary. May is clearly investing in the special relationship with the U.S., not only in the aftermath of the poisoning affair and the shaping of a common anti-Russia stance, but principally in looking for close allies to better negotiate Brexit with the EU.

Regarding France, an online survey by the influential Le Figaro newspaper exhibited that, at the time of writing, 60 percent of respondents disapproved of the attacks. But President Emmanuel Macron is attempting to persuade his compatriots that his country is back in international affairs after years of inertia, and can undertake significant initiatives.

At first glance, the collaboration of these three countries denotes that Trump is not alone. But where are other important European players? Germany, for instance, disagreed and refused to take part  another indication of the EU's inability to act with one voice in world politics when significant issues are at stake. Furthermore, the failure of the joint military operation of Washington, London and Paris to bring stability to Libya seven years ago is not encouraging.

On the whole, the drama of the Syrian people wears on seven years after the outbreak of civil war. The risk of a large-scale confrontation between the U.S. and Russia on foreign soil has recently overshadowed developments, even as more people are killed, injured or displaced, adding to the growing number of casualties and refugees. If now is not the time for compromise and peace, then when?

George N. Tzogopoulos is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:

http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/GeorgeNTzogopoulos.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.



Politico readerts-- that Maryland Congressman is " This morning David Siders started a column with a fair assumption forreaderts-- that Maryland Congressman is " little known ." Few people even know he's running for president-- and few of those are taking his run seriously. He's a very wealthy New Dem, a devoted Wall Street ally who served their interests on the House Financial Services Committee... and who's already spending big.





Let me start with a little background. After the Democratic-controlled Maryland legislature gerrymandered the state, Delaney beat longtime congressman Roscoe Bartlett, a moderate Republican, in 2012. Delaney spent $2,370,556 of his own in the race, which was over half the $4,423,738 he spent and was the third most-- after Suzan DelBene and Scott Peters-- any Democrat that year spent to buy himself a House seat. Needless to say all 3 immediately joined the extremely corrupt, pro-business/anti-family New Dems. Delaney had beaten Bartlett handily-- 58.8% to 37.9%. But in the next cycle, a midterm, Democrats already had gotten a taste for what a total piece of shit Delaney is. After 2 years of watching him back the Republicans over and over gain, Democratic grassroots voters weren't interested in voting for him again. He was forced to spend $937,912 out of his own pocket and only beat Republican Dan Bongino 49.7% to 48.2%. In 2016 he spent another $354,125 of his own money to win again-- this time against a rich Republican, Amie Hoeber, who spent $787,000 out of her own wealth.





Delaney was, of course, an anti-Bernie Democrat who endorsed Hillary in the 2016 primary. Once he got into Congress he quickly became a fount of Republican ideas-- like forbidding the EPA from protecting clean drinking water in streams and lakes, raising the retirement age for the working poor and forcing chained CPI down the throats of Social Security recipients. Delaney has been the perfect Democrat for Fox News, always eager to blame progressives for everything, always eager to equate progressives with the extremists, Confederates and fascists that dominate the Republican Party. He's an advocate of the "both sides are equally wrong" simplemindedness. "Washington," he wrote in a Washington Post OpEd in 2015, "is paralyzed by extreme political rhetoric that creates powerful sound bites but poor policy... With Washington already broken, the last thing we need is a left-wing version of the tea party. But I am worried about where some of the loudest voices in the room could take the Democratic Party." Delaney is worried. Why doesn't he hop the fence and join the GOP officially? From his OpEd:

Rejecting a trade agreement with Asia, expanding entitlement programs that crowd out other priorities and a desire to relitigate the financial crisis are becoming dominant positions among Democrats. Although these subjects may make for good partisan talking points, they do not provide the building blocks for a positive and bold agenda to create jobs and improve the lives of Americans.



...[W]e need a philosophical shift in the Democratic Party, a new willingness to support programs that create pathways for nongovernmental and philanthropic innovation and investment to help solve the problems of society. We should embrace approaches, such as social impact bonds, that combine private-sector capital and expertise with public-interest goals to produce better government services. Such changes will require Democrats to leave our ideological comfort zone and move away from the idea that government, and government alone, is the answer to our problems.



But instead of being used to voice an agenda that can bring the country together, the party microphone has been hijacked by people more interested in scoring points than in solving problems. They propose expanding Social Security rather than prioritizing serious efforts to preserve the program-- even though it will be unable to provide full benefits as soon as 2032, the Congressional Budget Office has made clear. The only way a large-scale expansion could work is by allocating new revenue away from needed investments in the next generation or by shifting the financial burden to workers or our children.

In a barely veiled critique of Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Sherrod Brown, Alan Grayson, Raul Grijalva, Keith Ellison, Mark Pocan and other stalwart progressive fighters, Delaney wrote that "some in our party continue to engage in time-consuming rhetoric attacking banks that has little chance of producing more financial reform and distracts from far more consequential areas of economic risk, such as climate change, chronic underinvestment in the next generation and our broken immigration and housing finance systems."





He's painting an entirely false picture, especially when you consider that the same legislators attacking his Wall Street pals happen to be the most determined fighters for immigration reform, for low-income housing, for reforming the education system, for restoring American infrastructure and, of course, for battling against climate change. But painting false pictures is John Delaney's stock-in-trade. It's what he does; it's all he seems capable of doing.





Two of Congress' most dedicated and enlightened progressives, at the time, reacted badly to Delaney's nonsense. Alan Grayson mused that "corporate tax breaks, corporate welfare, corporate trade giveaways and sucking up to Wall Street... 'New Democrats' sound a lot like old Republicans." Mark Pocan told us at the time that "The surest way to avoid the creation of a tea party on the left wing is to stop the Democratic Party from moving to the right. It's clear people are for progressive values and the Democratic Party should reflect that or face defeats at the polls."





Another Democratic congressmember who asked for anonymity fumed that Delaney is the "poster child for what's wrong with the Democratic Party. Recruiting clueless, rich people who have no real values is almost always a failure."





Delaney's district was blue enough for him to have the breathing space to act like a real Democrat without any worries but instead he's always represented the interests of his own socio-economic class: rich assholes. He introduced a bill Wall Street loves. It would grant a tax amnesty to multinational corporations bringing home billions of dollars of profits now offshore.





Delaney's bill, H.R. 2084, was designed to reward big corporations that avoid taxes through overseas accounting tricks, encourage more future offshore tax dodging, fail to create jobs in America and increase the deficit-- another tax holiday for the wealthy like Delaney himself that is "nothing more than a blatant attempt to escape their tax obligations and shift the burden onto taxpaying Americans, small businesses and domestic firms." His co-sponsors were all Republicans and a gaggle of corrupt New Dems like Kyrsten Sinema (AZ), Ami Bera (CA), Gerald Connolly (VA), Patrick Murphy (FL) and Scott Peters (CA). And now he's "running" for president. Siders wrote that "Delaney-- a wealthy, little-known congressman from Maryland-- has spent more than $1 million on TV in Iowa, hired staffers and opened a campaign office in Des Moines. Since announcing his bid last July, hes made 110 campaign stops in 48 of Iowas 99 counties. He has visited New Hampshire six times, and on Friday made his second trek to South Carolina... [I]n his massive investment of time and resources-- his Iowa TV buy marks the earliest significant paid advertising from a presidential candidate in memory-- he is testing the limits of a virtually unknown politicians ability to gain early-state traction by starting first and spending heavily." Flash

Twenty students from 13 German colleges joined a Chinese proficiency competition for foreign college students on Saturday in Dusseldorf, a city in western Germany.





The competition, hosted by the Confucius Institute Headquarters in China, is the German regional final and is also a preliminary competition of the "Chinese Bridge", a contest for foreign college students on their mastery of the Chinese language, to be held in China.





The competition held at the Clara Schumann Music School was jointly undertaken by the Chinese Embassy in German and Confucius Institute at the University of Dusseldorf.





The students gave speeches in Chinese, and were tested knowledge about China. They also demonstrated their talents -- Chinese songs, Chinese instruments, Chinese calligraphy, as well as Kung Fu.





After fierce competition, Andreas Melts, from the Free University of Berlin, won the first prize and will travel to China to compete with contestants from other countries in this year's "Chinese Bridge" event, also known as Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students.





Andreas said he could not believe that he had won the first place because he had been studying Chinese for only a year and a half and had never been to China. He chose to learn Chinese as he wants to be more competitive.





According to the Education Office of the Chinese Embassy in Germany, there are 19 Confucius Institutes, 4 Confucius classrooms in middle schools in Germany. While, more than 300 primary and secondary schools have been offering Chinese courses, of which nearly 70 have Chinese as their formal credits and a high school graduation examination subject.



 Flash

The United States is closely monitoring events in Cuba, seeking to take advantage of the current transition of power to push a regime change, some prominent political scientists have said.





"They are stalking, like wild beasts, because they think this is a moment of weakness in which they can attack," said Luis Rene Fernandez, a research professor at the University of Havana's Center for United States and Hemispheric Studies.





On Thursday, Raul Castro, 86, finished two terms as Cuba's president, passing the baton to his successor Miguel Diaz-Canel.





While Castro will continue to help make key decisions, as the first secretary of the Central Committee of the ruling Communist Party of Cuba (PCC), he will no longer be involved in the day-to-day management of national affairs.





Washington sees the absence of the heavily symbolic Castro name as a window of opportunity, Fernandez told Xinhua, noting that alongside his legendary brother Fidel Castro, who died in 2016, Raul played a role in the historic 1959 Revolution, whereas Diaz-Canel had yet to be born.





"Fidel Castro is physically gone. They always thought that by killing him, the Cuban Revolution could disappear because he was evidently a factor of strength," the academic said.





Former U.S. president Thomas Jefferson once said Cuba "would be the best addition to the union," a phrase that reflects Washington's attitude towards the island, said Fernandez.





Cuba's new government, he said, faces the challenge of maintaining a strong Communist party, strengthening institutions and continuing economic reforms as it grapples with a more hardline U.S. administration.





Though Castro's government has taken many steps to modernize the economy, "much still remains to be done," said Fernandez, referring to guidelines designed to be implemented between 2016 and 2021.





The guidelines, approved in April 2011 by the sixth Congress of the PCC and updated in April 2016, include some 300 measures.





"We must be prepared to face a tougher U.S. (foreign) policy, whoever the president might be," he added.





Political scientist Enrique Ubieta, who runs a cultural website called "La Calle del Medio," agreed the great challenge for Cuba's new president is that he represents a departure from the founding fathers of the socialist state, yet Ubieta remains optimistic.





"The founding fathers will no longer be there, but we have their teachings. And the (Cuban) people are better prepared in regard to politics and culture, in addition to being more united," said Ubieta.





For Ubieta, little has changed in Washington's policy towards Cuba, or Latin America in general, with the 19th-century Monroe Doctrine of U.S. supremacy over the Americas still relevant today.





The Trump administration "revealed to us the strength of history, not only with the issue of the Monroe Doctrine, but with the falsification of concrete facts to create pretexts to attack us," said Ubieta, referring to an ongoing scuffle over the alleged "sonic" attacks against U.S. diplomatic personnel in Cuba.





In August 2017, there were reports that the U.S. and Canadian diplomats in Cuba had fallen ill in Havana back in late 2016. The United States later accused Cuba of committing unspecified health-related attacks.





"Washington's behavior has been the same for all Latin America," said Ubieta. "Only the internal unity forged by Fidel Castro will allow us to survive in the future."Oops-- might not be a chemical facility after all



-by Reese Erlich





In 1998, al Qaeda killed 224 people when it attacked U.S. embassies in east Africa. In retaliation, President Bill Clinton ordered a missile strike against what he described as an al Qaeda nerve gas factory in Sudan. For years, he insisted that the attack had dealt a tough blow against terrorists.





Turns out the chemical weapons factory was a pharmaceutical plant . Journalists who arrived at the scene in protective clothing expected nerve gas fallout. They found aspirin scattered among the wreckage instead.





Now it looks like history is repeating itself.





In coordination with the United States, Israel bombed the Syrian T-4 airbase on April 9. On April 13, the United States, Britain and France bombed three sites in Syria that were supposedly key to Syria's chemical weapons program.





Western missiles flattened the Barzeh Research Center in Damascus. Washington claimed it was a lab used to make chemical weapons.





Turns out it may have just been a research facility making such products as antidotes for snake bites and childrens medicine. After the missile strike, the Assad government took foreign reporters to the site. The building was still smoldering but no chemical weapons fumes came from the structure.





Said Said, an official at the center, told the international news agency Agence France-Presse, If there were chemical weapons, we would not be able to stand here. Ive been here since 5:30 am in full health-- Im not coughing. CBS News produced a similar report.





Such contrary evidence didnt prevent the Pentagon from boasting of success. Lt. Gen. Kenneth McKenzie Jr., director of the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, said the attacks are going to set Syrian chemical weapons program back for years.





President Donald Trump led the cheerleading, tweeting Mission Accomplished, a declaration that immediately reminded everyone of George W. Bushs premature 2003 pronouncement regarding his failed war in Iraq.













In fact, the attack is unlikely to have an impact on Assads war plans.





I cant believe that the Pentagon seriously thought that this wimpy missile attack would actually serve as a deterrent, William Beeman, professor of Anthropology at the University of Minnesota, told me. This was a cosmetic strike. The Russians were warned, and it didnt come close to attacking the full range of suspected chemical facilities.





So what actually happened?





On April 7, the White Helmets and other groups posted videos from the Damascus suburb of Douma showing people dying from what they described as a Syrian Air Force chemical attack. They said the attack was likely chlorine gas or possibly the far deadlier nerve agent, sarin.





Douma is controlled by a rightwing political Islamist group known as the Army of Islam (Jaish al-Islam), which has been accused of using chemical weapons against the Kurds. It has a vested interest in discrediting the Assad regime.





British Independent, Robert Fisk, a journalist with the raised serious questions in his first-hand reporting from Douma. He interviewed a doctor who said people died from a lack of oxygen in underground tunnels, not chemical weapons.





The air attack happened just hours before the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons was scheduled to inspect the site. Later, the inspectors were blocked by Syrian and Russian authorities.





Inspectors are hoping to gain entrance to Douma and if allowed in should be able to determine if banned weapons were used. The organization does not seek to determine who, if anyone, unleashed the chemicals.





It may be as difficult to determine what happened in Douma as it has been in previous alleged chemical attacks. Both sides have used chemical weapons in the past. Rebel groups such as the al Qaeda affiliated al Nusra Front used sarin to attack Syrian troops in 2013, as I described in my book Inside Syria.





United Nations chemical weapons inspectors have verified cases of the Syrian air force dropping chlorine gas. Assads military has been willing to face international condemnation because chemical weapons are a relatively cheap method of killing, wounding, and demoralizing an enemy.





Regardless of what happened in Douma, the United States has no legal or moral right to bomb Syria. The U.N. Security Council did not authorize this or other recent U.S. actions (Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Somalia, or previous attacks on Syria). The Trump Administration is also violating the U.S. War Powers Act, which prohibits the President from waging war without Congressional approval.





The most recent missile attacks had less to do with chemical weapons than sending a message to Assad, who has defeated insurgent groups throughout his country with crucial help from Russia and Iran. Top Washington leaders care little about human rights in Syria but very much want to control the country for geopolitical reasons.





Syria does not have significant amounts of oil, but it does occupy a strategic location bordering Israel, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, and Jordan. British and French empires competed for control of the region before World War II, and modern day imperialists are doing the same.





Wall Street Journal editorial page, which often represents the views of the ultra-conservative business elite, now The United States now has more than 2,000 troops in northern Syria and is allied with a Kurdish group. Theeditorial page, which often represents the views of the ultra-conservative business elite, now advocates intensified bombing and creation of a no-fly zone in northern Syria, which would effectively carve out that region from Syrian government control.





The Journal also reports that Trump is asking Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and other Sunni Muslim countries to also reports that Trump is asking Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and other Sunni Muslim countries to send troops to the Kurdish region to replace those of the United States. Its an absurd proposal. Assad and the Kurds will certainly oppose it. Egypt is consumed with fighting terrorist groups in the Sinai; Saudi Arabia is already losing another war in Yemen.





Russia has its own imperialist interests in Syria. It occupies two large military bases in western Syria with leases that wont expire for another half century, and that can be renewed for another 50 years. The base agreements give Russian citizens extra-territorial rights; they cant be tried in Syrian courts for crimes committed in Syria. With Syria as a permanent ally, Russia seeks to block U.S. influence in the region.





Vladimir Putin has the same goal as Peter the Great, says Beeman, a permanent warm-water port, an outpost in the Middle East, [and]... a watch post for U.S. activities in the area.





The missile attacks on Syria lessen the already remote chances of a political settlement in Syrias civil war. At the moment, four countries have troops in Syria: United States, Turkey, Iran, and Russia. All foreign powers will need to pull out if the people of Syria are to determine their own future.The 20-episode Bloody bet thriller to be broadcast on Ucom's Armenia Premium TV channel

Statement by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group

UCOM offers affordable gadgets at bigger discount

Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan will pay a working visit to New York

Google Ad

Governments preventing publication of Haykakan Zhamanak newspaper during state of emergency

UCOM prolongs the unlimited internet offer for the level up 4700 and level up 5500 subscribers

Ucom employees received recognition for their services to the homeland

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

"uDays" special offer at Ucom: discounts for all smartphones and accessories for 2 days only

For more than 3 hours, 50 or more Azerbaijani servicemen have blocked the interstate road

Call on the international community for an adequate response against azerbaijani aggresssion

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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Joint statement

Statement by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group

Covid-19: 163 new cases in Armenia

Armenia: Remarks by Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi at the press point with Acting Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan

The United States Welcomes Azerbaijans Release of Armenian Detainees and Armenias Actions to Facilitate Demining

The Coronavirus-Related Situation in Armenia

International aviation: Council greenlights signing of major agreements with four countries

With UCOMs level up tariff plans subscribers have unlimited access to Netflix, Duolingo and Zoom

Armenia: Statement by the Spokesperson on the early parliamentary elections

Armenias Parliamentary Elections PRESS STATEMENT

COVID19:77 new cases

Armenias early parliamentary elections were competitive and well run, but polarized and marred by aggressive rhetoric, international observers say

International election observers to Armenias early parliamentary elections held press conferenceThe 20-episode Bloody bet thriller to be broadcast on Ucom's Armenia Premium TV channel

Statement by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group

UCOM offers affordable gadgets at bigger discount

Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan will pay a working visit to New York

Governments preventing publication of Haykakan Zhamanak newspaper during state of emergency

UCOM prolongs the unlimited internet offer for the level up 4700 and level up 5500 subscribers

Ucom employees received recognition for their services to the homeland

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

"uDays" special offer at Ucom: discounts for all smartphones and accessories for 2 days only

For more than 3 hours, 50 or more Azerbaijani servicemen have blocked the interstate road

Call on the international community for an adequate response against azerbaijani aggresssion

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

Google Ad

Joint statement

Statement by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group

Covid-19: 163 new cases in Armenia

Armenia: Remarks by Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi at the press point with Acting Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan

The United States Welcomes Azerbaijans Release of Armenian Detainees and Armenias Actions to Facilitate Demining

The Coronavirus-Related Situation in Armenia

International aviation: Council greenlights signing of major agreements with four countries

With UCOMs level up tariff plans subscribers have unlimited access to Netflix, Duolingo and Zoom

Armenia: Statement by the Spokesperson on the early parliamentary elections

Armenias Parliamentary Elections PRESS STATEMENT

COVID19:77 new cases

Armenias early parliamentary elections were competitive and well run, but polarized and marred by aggressive rhetoric, international observers say

International election observers to Armenias early parliamentary elections held press conferenceCopyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.

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Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to formWe attempted to send a notification to your email address but we were unable to verify that you provided a valid email address. Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message.Great tragedies tend to stay with us long after curtain call. Unlike happier fare, this genre of artistic expression has the power to draw you in more than any other. The most plausible reason for this is that the human race relates to tragedy more than it does to joy or any other uplifting emotion. Majid Majidis exceptional Beyond The Clouds is every bit the crushing film it attempts to be. And Mehran Kashanis poignant writing ensures that the characters youre rooting for onscreen arent particularly better off once the credits have rolled. All this is not to suggest that the film is devoid of hope. But when those moments of upliftment are tossed aside by a jolting reality check, it puts the viewer in the most vulnerable position of all.

Cast: Ishaan Khatter, Malavika Mohanan, Gautam Ghose, GV Sharada, Tannishtha Chatterjee

Director: Majid Majidi

Mumbais seedy underbelly, its debilitating poverty, the hope that makes the citys most disenfranchised carry on, the exploitation of the less privileged, peoples broken dreams  all these remarkable moments captured by Majidis vision  are reminiscent of another fine film in Mira Nairs Salaam Bombay. It is rare for foreign directors to get a complete understanding of India in their films. The best and most recent case in point is the dreadful Slumdog Millionaire. The writer-director duo of Majidi and Kashani have been extra sensitive in their portrayal of a deeply Indian tale of urban woe. It is perhaps their more eastern roots that have ensured this.

At the heart of Beyond The Clouds is Amir, a cocksure young drug-runner looking to hit the jackpot and make it out of his slum-dwelling existence. His sister, Tara, is disapproving of his risky ways. On the run from a police drug bust, Amir rushes to deliver some cash to his sister. She reluctantly agrees to hold on to it, as the police give Amir chase. A neighbour, Akshi, helps Amir out as the police comb the dhobi ghaat in which the latter takes cover. The siblings have an emotionally charged conversation, and Tara heads back to retrieve her brothers ill-gotten gains the following day. Noticing her come out of a mans room, Akshi walks towards her while gesticulating that he has Amirs cash with him. She follows him into an area filled with drying sheets. There, Akshi declares that Tara must not see other men, as he loves her, and that she belongs to him. Tara attempts to take the money and flee, but Akshi tries to sexually assault her. In the ensuing struggle, Tara wounds Akshi in self-defence. She is automatically thrown in prison, with her assailant fighting for his life in a Government hospital. A raging Amir is flatly informed by the cops that her case will only be taken up once Akshi wakes up and registers his statement. Until then, she will languish behind bars. Akshi does regain consciousness eventually, but he is unable to speak. Desperate to see his sister free, Amir threatens Akshi to come clean about the incident.

Beyond The Clouds is a highly character-driven film that operates at three levels, all of which are intertwined with one another. First, theres Amir and his quest for the big time. Khatters impressive portrayal gives us an antihero we can all root for. Though he can be violent and manipulative on occasion, he is a fully formed person with the regular range of emotions. His conscience is taken to the test several times in the narrative, but, despite the trying circumstances, he succeeds in keeping the human in him alive. Then theres Tara, whose fear of dying in jail is kept at bay by a child she tends to when his sick mother (serving time for murdering her husband) is perpetually in and out of the hospital. And finally, we have Akshis family, who have the unfortunate burden of arriving on the scene and not being told the full extent of the story. While there is much love, compassion, and empathy that develops overtime amongst these characters, the director never stops reminding us of the utter hopelessness of their circumstance. As a lovely moment dawns on the audience, it is cruelly snatched away by a tragic twist of fate. Poignant from the word go, Beyond The Clouds sheds light on how far one is willing to go for the sake of those they hold dear. It scores superlatively on all the facets cinema ought to be judged on.MORELAND HILLS, Ohio -- Noise complaint, Chagrin Boulevard: A resident in the 35000 block reported shortly before 8:30 p.m. April 13 that three people were in his yard singing.

The trio was located a short time later at the Sunoco station and given a courtesy ride to a hotel in Beachwood, after being advised about trespassing.

Disturbance, East Juniper Lane: Police responded late on April 14 to a report of a party with cars parked on both sides of the street.

A rescue squad was called initially for a male who appeared to be intoxicated, but hospital transport was later canceled, with a release being signed.

Suspicion, Stonewood Drive: A resident reported shortly after 9:30 p.m. April 14 that someone was banging on the front door with no visitors expected. Police checked the yard and told her to call back if it happened again.

Fire call, Jackson Road: A resident reported on the evening of April 13 that the carbon monoxide detector in their house was going off, although no one was ill.

The residents waited outside while the hazard was located, and the house was ventilated within about 15 minutes.

Harassment (general), Creekview Circle: A resident came to the police station April 9 to report that an ex-boyfriend was calling and texting her against her wishes. He was reached by police and told not to contact her or trespass on her property.

Suspicion, Quartermane Circle: Police were asked to check on the whereabouts of two men in a silver SUV parked for an extended period on a residential street in Solon before leaving about 11:30 a.m. April 12.

With a rash of burglaries lately in Solon and Twinsburg, police checked the area and believed that these two men were surveyors.

If you would like to discuss the police blotter, please visit our crime and courts comments page.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- House Republicans, led by Rep Devin Nunes and Rep Jim Jordan, demanded the Department of Justice release James Comey's memos, anticipating they would incriminate and embarrass the fired FBI director. Instead, the memos reveal President Trump being fixated on the topic of hookers and claiming Vladimir Putin touted the beauty of Russia's hookers.

In a Feb. 8, 2017 memo Comey recalls one of the conversations he had with Trump.

"The President said 'the hookers thing' is nonsense but that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin had told him ' we have some on the most beautiful hookers in the world' He did not say when Putin had told him this and I don't recall [ Redacted]."

For House Republicans like Nunes and Jordan, this Comey memo is further proof that Trump and Putin were not colluding over Hillary, they were conversing over hookers. Case closed, Rudy Giuliani can now tell Mueller.

We've wondered what Putin and Trump have talked about in their phone conversations and meetings, now we know. Or do we? Doubts have been raised about whether Putin made the hooker boast to Trump, or if Trump conflated an earlier public comment Putin made as something said to him in private. In January, 2017 public remarks, Putin refuted the Steele dossier golden shower claim, but added that Russia's prostitutes "are the best in the world, of course."

Will hookers come up in Trump-Kim Jong Un talks?

Following Kim Jong Un's secret meetings in China and with Mike Pompeo, North Korea has made several concessions in advance of a possible summit with President Trump.

"Rocket Man" Kim Jong Un has suspended North Korea missile launches and closed its nuclear testing site.

North Korea has accepted U.S. troops remaining in South Korea.

Pompeo was given assurances by North Korea that the release of three Americans would likely be a part of a summit meeting between Kim and Trump.

The concessions were a good sign from North Korea. Although it should be remembered that Kim can reopen the nuclear test site just as quickly as he shut it down.

Just as the concessions were a good sign from North Korea, Mike Pompeo's secret trip to meet with Kim Jong Un was a good sign from the Trump administration.

Pompeo is one of the few "adults in the room" that Trump actually appears to respect and listen to. The Senate should not delay confirming Pompeo as Secretary of State, he's clearly qualified. With everything else going on in the administration, a position as important as Secretary of State should not needlessly remain unfilled on the eve of a critical and historic Trump-Kim summit.

At a news conference with Japan's visiting Prime Minister, Trump said he'll approach meeting Kim with caution.

"If we don't think it's going to be successful, we won't have it. If I don't think it's a meeting that's going to be fruitful, we won't go. If the meeting when I'm there is not fruitful, I will respectfully leave the meeting."

Trump likely will not find it "fruitful" If Kim Jong Un starts trash talking Russian and U.S. hookers.CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio - If Syria is an issue in the Democratic gubernatorial primary, it didn't show Saturday night at a debate in this largely liberal Cleveland suburb.

Just days after news broke that former U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich took $20,000 from a pro-Syrian government group for a speech in London, Kucinich along with former Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Richard Cordray, state Sen. Joe Schiavoni and former Ohio Supreme Court Justice Bill O'Neill took the stage at the Cleveland Heights Community Center.

The initial news of Kucinich's payment - and the initial lack of disclosure - received condemnation on social media. The former congressman from Cleveland had already been lambasted numerous times for visiting Syrian President Bashar Assad - who multiple intelligence agencies have concluded used chemical weapons on his own people.

Kucinich's staunch refusal to condemn Assad for the chemical weapons attack has only compounded the criticism, with Kucinich's detractors saying he is providing cover to the Syrian dictator.

Former Gov. Ted Strickland, the only Democrat elected to the governor's office since 1990, slammed Kucinich in a call to press on Thursday while also publicly endorsing Cordray.

But any talk of Syria was nonexistent Saturday evening.

Not from the moderators. Not from Kucinich's opponents. Not from the crowd of more than 150 people who packed the room.

In what was likely the last time the four candidates will be on stage together in public, Syria just wasn't an issue.

"Frankly, I haven't missed a step because I've been going to ward clubs and engaging with people," Kucinich said. "And what do they want to know about? They want to know about jobs, health care, education, clean water. They want to know about assault weapons and what I intend to do. That's what they want to know about. They want to know about what Ohio is talking about."

Kucinich might be right. A half-dozen voters interviewed after the forum's conclusion said the disclosure either wasn't a matter or was less pressing than other problems in the state.

The issues voters like Ian Shakelton, 43, of Bratenahl, cared most about were in Ohio - education, infrastructure and making sure Republicans don't keep the governor's seat - not the Middle East.

"Not having Mike DeWine as my governor is probably number one," Shakelton said. "There's so many things Ohio can do better right now."

Angela Davis, 46, of Cleveland, said she didn't get her questions answered during the 90-minute debate. But her questions weren't about Syria. She wanted to know about alternative degrees for high schoolers who are failing.

As for Kucinich, Davis said she gladly voted for him regardless of his cozying up to Assad.

"Dennis is the only one of the candidates who has been coming to inner city Cleveland schools," she said. "I haven't seen Cordray in Cleveland at all."

Mary Zaller, 57, of Cleveland, and her spouse Mary Prevel, hadn't heard much about Kucinich's speech.

They said it was troubling because it spoke to Kucinich's decision making, but issues like equality and rebuilding the state were more important.

"It's not at the front of my mind," Zaller said. "Guns is a big deal to me."

The other candidates didn't bite either. Despite criticism from Schiavoni earlier in the week and a missive from Cordray's campaign just minutes before the forum's start, Syria just never came up.

Kucinich, ever confident, walked around the room shaking hands after the end of the forum with a smile.

As he's done all week during coverage of the news, he blamed what he called the "pro-war" faction of the Democratic Party for the media coverage and trying to sabotage his quest to take progressive politics to Columbus, but said he wouldn't let that bring him down.

"Their attempt to smear me isn't playing. Period," Kucinich said. "It's not playing. It went over like a lead balloon."Grant Goodrich

Six Democrats are vying for their party's nomination to succeed four-term Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci of the 16th Congressional District. Renacci is running for U.S. Senate.

The far-flung 16th district begins near the lake in Westlake and Rocky River, snakes through Parma, Strongsville and North Royalton, then Brunswick and Medina in Medina County, ranges east to Rootstown in Portage County and then all the way south to Wooster in Wayne County in the west and North Canton In Stark County on the east.

The six Democrats have two things in common: All live in Cuyahoga County. And none has ever held an elective office. They are:

Mark Dent

Aaron Godfrey

Grant Goodrich

TJ Malloy

Susan Moran Palmer

John Wilson

While none has practical experience in the workings of government, some offer qualifications that could serve them well in Congress -- notably Palmer, who touts her long experience addressing health care problems and solutions, and Malloy, who spoke of his experience resolving disputes and problems on union jobs.

But Goodrich is clearly the superior candidate. A former interim CEO of the local economic development group Team NEO, Goodrich's wide-ranging experience, both as a civilian working with government officials on energy policy, and with U.S. Special Operations Command exposed to foreign policy challenges, including in Mali and Niger in West Africa, would uniquely equip him to be an effective member of Congress. Goodrich pledges to push campaign finance and gun reform, infrastructure investments and to embrace what science can tell us about future risks - and opportunities.

Grant Goodrich would give Democrats their strongest chance to take this district back from the GOP. The winner of the May 8 Democratic primary will take on the winner of a three-way May 8 Republican primary in the November election. Early voting in the primary has begun.

Mark Dent, Aaron Godfrey, Grant Goodrich, TJ Mulloy, Susan Moran Palmer and John Wilson, candidates in the May 8 Democratic primary for Ohio Congressional District 16, were interviewed by the editorial board of cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer as part of its endorsement process on March 22, 2018. The seat is now occupied by Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci, who is running for the U.S. Senate. Listen to full audio of this interview below:

About our editorials: Editorials express the view of the editorial board of cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer -- the senior leadership and editorial-writing staff. As is traditional, editorials are unsigned and intended to be seen as the voice of the news organization.

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* Email general questions about our editorial board or comments on this editorial to Elizabeth Sullivan, director of opinion, at esullivan@cleveland.com.CLEVELAND, Ohio - The number of travelers using Cleveland Hopkins International Airport was higher in 2017 than it was four years earlier, the last full year of United Airlines' hub - a remarkable recovery from what was once seen as a devastating blow to air travel in Northeast Ohio.

But passenger numbers don't tell the whole story of how Hopkins has evolved in the years since United's downsizing.

True, passenger numbers are up, but the number of nonstop destinations served from Cleveland is down significantly, from 72 in 2013 to 48 in 2017.

The number of daily flights is down, too, not only because of United's cutbacks, but also because U.S. airlines, across the nation, are reducing their reliance on smaller, regional jets in favor of larger airplanes.

Meanwhile, fares have plummeted, falling 41 percent in four years, from $472 in late 2013 to $287 in late 2017, according to U.S. Department of Transportation data.

The changes at Hopkins are neither all good nor all bad - a lot depends on the type of traveler you are and what's most important to you.

Leisure travelers are cheering the cheaper fares to popular vacation destinations, including Florida, Las Vegas and Southern California. "There are people who can travel now who were never able to travel before," said Airport Director Robert Kennedy in a recent interview.

Business travelers, meanwhile, continue to lament the loss of both nonstop destinations and flight frequency, which gave them greater flexibility when traveling to and from Cleveland for work.

"For business folks who want to get there and back ASAP and have plenty of choices because schedules always change, life has gotten worse, not better," wrote one local business traveler, John Dunn of Cleveland, in a recent email. "Connecting/layover times are either riskily short or unbearably long."

The downsizing by United Airlines in Cleveland is largely responsible for the decrease in nonstop flights. United flew to only 18 destinations in 2017 - down from 68 in 2013.

And that number is about to get even smaller. Earlier this month, the airline announced it would cut another city - Milwaukee - from its roster, starting in early June. Milwaukee, however, remains a destination from Cleveland via Southwest Airlines, whose entry into that market last year is largely seen as the reason for United's departure.

Kennedy said his team continues to work on adding new destinations, based on a priority list from travelers. "I would love to have 200 destinations out of here," he said.

He pointed out, however, that it's up to the community to support these new routes. San Diego, added by Frontier Airlines last spring, was cut a few months later because it didn't attract a big enough customer base, he said.

While United continues to cut routes, other airlines continue to fill in the gaps. Three new airlines - Spirit, JetBlue and Allegiant - started flying from Cleveland in the past four years, adding service to New Orleans, Fort Lauderdale, Boston and other destinations.

In addition, every other existing airline has increased its traffic in the past four years, adding both destinations and passenger numbers.

Here's a detailed look at how Cleveland's airlines have evolved over the past four years:

Airline Passengers 2013 Passengers 2017 Percentage change Destinations 2013 Destinations 2017 Air Canada 39,491 79,883 102% 1 1 Allegiant 0 234,913 0 11 American 549,296 1,376,462 150% 5 8 Delta 734,371 1,345,691 83% 5 8 Frontier 114,704 1,194,168 938% 3 18 JetBlue 0 274,755 0 2 Southwest 945,821 1,464,788 55% 6 9 Spirit 0 757,258 0 11 United 6,104,467 2,370,974 -61% 68 18 US Airways 574,838 0 2 0

Note: Numbers for American Airlines and US Airways reflect the merger of the two carriers in 2015.

Here's a look at fares, passengers per flight and flights per day.Without kickass special effects, Star Wars would be a chamber piece, Jurassic Park wouldn't have any dinosaurs, and we'd only ever get to see the top of Tom Cruise's head on screen. As we've covered before , though, sometimes when computer effects get taken away, the magic and drama of Hollywood are immediately reduced to slapstick insanity. Such as how ...

8 Doctor Strange Looks Like A Disorderly Rave

Presumably because Robert Downey Jr.'s love of money isn't going away any time soon, Marvel launched a new series about a goateed jackass who becomes a better person after suffering a grievous injury and dabbling in some superpowers: Doctor Strange. Thanks to some magic doodads and the Ancient One (who turns out to be a middle-aged white lady), Strange is able to fight with balls of energy and bolts of otherworldly lightning.

Marvel Studios Goku has aged quite gracefully.

Without The CGI, Though ...

Dude was swinging around a glow stick. Doctor Strange's fight with Kaecilius looks like a drunken brawl at a rave for middle-aged men. It's less "magical battle to save the Universe" and more "using Christmas lights to disarm a Juggalo of his Devil Sticks."

Marvel Studios21 Nisan 2018 Cumartesi, 13:41

KADRI GURSEL

The ruling partys affairs were rapidly turning for the worse and, knowing that they were powerless to halt this, they had to embark on a snap election with no time to spare.

The 24 June decision was a logical decision in accordance with the Erdogan-Bahceli alliances interests. Had this not been done and had the elections been held as per schedule on 3 November 2019, the cost of all kinds of measures taken to counter not least the negative developments in the economy and the strengthening dynamics of alliance on the Good Party-SP axis on the right-wing opposition would have risen exponentially with the passage of time.

This road to be embarked on in an environment of crisis could have ended with the ruling party itself collapsing under the pressure of this heavy cost or its collapse being precipitated due to this.

Now, conversely, by holding a snap election in two months time, they will attempt to shore up their power at a relatively low cost against the destructive consequences as things turn for the worse. Please note I am not talking about them being able to rectify the situation through a snap election. If they stay in power, there will be no change in the direction and outcome of developments.

Moreover, we are not the ones alleging that things are heading for the worse; the alliance partners say so. In MHP General Chair Devlet Bahcelis speech at his partys parliamentary group last Tuesday incumbent on him thanks to the division of labour between him and his partner President Erdogan, the words he chose to justify his call for an early election spoke volumes:

Under todays conditions in which there is a wish to drown Turkey in debate over the system, it becomes increasingly difficult with each passing day to make it through to 3 November 2019 in a state of stability and balance.

Meaning that the systemic crisis was threatening the countrys stability and balance.

None less than Bahceli was speaking of the gradual escalation of the ongoing regime crisis in Turkey where the ruling party cannot dispense with the state of emergency.

And in no uncertain terms:

Many negative factors which affect social, economic and political dynamics are blooming along the road leading to the election process.

What Bahceli is getting at is that a multidimensional and complex crisis has erupted and is escalating. This is as much as the poor fellow can bring himself to say.

Meanwhile, with Bahceli having requested a 26 August election last Tuesday, Erdogans announcement the day before yesterday of the snap election date of 24 June following the meeting of half an hour that he duly held with the latter was political theatre staged as dictated by the role sharing among partners.

But, there was also ad-libbing in this theatre.

For example, Bahceli implied that if an immediate election were not held, the alliance between him and Erdogan could crack:

It is necessary for Turkeys survival that that the national agreement having come into being with the Peoples Alliance be preserved with care and attain its goals.

It is necessary to concede that the MHP General Chair had special reasons for desiring an early election. He needed an election to prevent slippage from the party base into the Good Party and, to this end, to see to it that the ranks of the MHP, hungry for power since 2002, immediately started to taste the fruits of power.

On the other hand, how could, Turkeys regional and international relations and their social, political and military ramifications, and also the uncontrolled migration under the direction of international actors, to which he referred in his speech, constitute a reason for bringing the election forward?

I mean, would those in power be incapable of withstanding these threats if there were no snap election?

The army, intelligence, police, judiciary and media  everything  are under the ruling partys full control. It is impossible for power to be strengthened further because everything power related is in the rulers hands anyhow.

This invites the thought that there must be an expectation of the risks in the problematic areas that Bahceli mentioned above coming to fruition. For example, certain unwanted clashes in Syria and a wave of migration from Idlib. There you have it. The wish is for the elections be held at once before these threats become reality and for the Erdogan-Bahceli alliance not to lose votes due to these factors.

These very points were raised by President Erdogan the day before yesterday in the speech in which he announced the election date:

Events of historical importance centred around Syria and Iraq make it imperative for Turkey to surmount the uncertainties...

The intensity of the agenda facing Turkey dictates that the ensuing uncertainty be eliminated immediately by announcing an early election decision.

Developments in Syria...

There is clearly a reason of foreign origin for the holding of this election in a snap manner. The Syria issue impacting on the ballot box to the alliances detriment.

Let me also ask: What uncertainty?

Is this new method of government that was approved by a narrow majority in the tainted 16 April 2017 referendum not itself the source of the uncertainty and unpredictability in that it has consolidated all power and authority into the hands of a single person and made the balance and oversight inherent in democracies impossible and has deactivated the institutional mechanisms that block arbitrary rule?

Ic ve ds krizlerden once baskn secimHer engagement ring already contains two diamonds from Diana's collection

Meghan is likely to wear 'something borrowed' from Princess Diana on her wedding day in May, according to royal experts.

Royal commentator Grant Harrold has suggested Prince Harry's fiancee, 36, could wear something from the Princess of Wales' jewellery collection when she walks down the aisle at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, in May.

The former actress's bespoke engagement ring, believed to worth up to 200,000, already contains two diamonds from Diana's collection, along with a stone from Botswana.

Meghan is likely to wear 'something borrowed' from Princess Diana on her wedding day in May, royal experts say

It comes after speculation that Meghan could give a nod to Diana through her choice of tiara on the big day, with suggestions that the Spencer Tiara famously worn by Harry's late mother is a possible contender.

Harrold, also known as The Royal Butler, told FEMAIL: 'For Prince Harry, one of the most important and influential people of his life - his mother - will of course not be there to participate in his special day.

'I believe that they will do their best to keep her spirit alive and be part of the wedding day by Ms Markle wearing a piece of Princess Diana's personal jewellery which was left to her boys upon her death.

'This would be very poignant, and a very personal thing between the young couple, and it would symbolically allow his mother to be part of this magical day.'

Here FEMAIL looks at the potential contenders for Meghan's 'something borrowed' on her big day...

QATAR DIAMOND AND PEARL EARRINGS

Meghan could wear these diamond and pearl earrings, gifted to Diana by the Emir of Qatar

These dazzling earrings were a wedding gift to Diana from the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani.

They were a favourite of Diana's, with the Princess of Wales pictured wearing them on numerous occasions.

The earrings feature a cluster of diamonds at the top, with a delicate pearl dangling down from each.

The jewels would be an elegant choice for Meghan to wear on her wedding day.

DIAMOND AND SOUTH SEA PEARL EARRINGS

Diana's diamond and South Sea pearl earrings were a favourite of hers, and could be an elegant choice for Meghan

If Meghan does choose to wear pearls on her wedding day, these earrings worn by Diana may be another contender.

They feature diamonds in a crescent shape at the top, with large South Sea pearl drops at the bottom.

South Sea pearls are very rare, and are much larger and smoother than normal pearls.

The pearls can be detached from the earrings, allowing the cluster of diamonds to be worn alone.

ART DECO BRACELET

Diana's bracelet featuring 12-carat diamonds and emerald stones could be gifted to Meghan

Meghan could choose to wear a bracelet from Diana's personal collection, including this piece featuring 12-carat diamonds and emerald stones.

The dazzling piece was a wedding gift from Prince Charles, and a rare piece in Diana's jewellery box that contained emeralds.

The piece was last worn by Diana on her 36th birthday and hasn't been seen in public for years, meaning Harry could choose to gift it to Meghan.

THE SAUDI SUITE

A piece from the sapphire set given to Diana by the Saudi Crown Prince could also be a potential option for Meghan

If Meghan goes for sapphires, this wedding gift from the Saudi Crown Prince is a potential option.

It consists of a necklace, earrings, bracelet and watch - meaning that the royal bride-to-be could again potentially choose one piece from the set to wear on her big day.

However, Meghan is unlikely to wear the earrings from the set, as Prince William gifted them to Kate shortly after their engagement.

THE SULTAN OF OMAN SAPPHIRE SUITE

Meghan could choose this striking sapphire suite gifted to Diana by the Sultan Of Oman if she goes for a modern choice

Meghan is expected to add a modern touch to proceedings in May, and this striking jewellery set gifted to Diana by the Sultan Of Oman would be a bold choice for the bride.

The entire set consists of a choker, crescent shaped earrings, and a diamond bracelet, but Meghan could choose to wear just one piece from the collection.

Diana was known for wearing sapphires, with the Duchess of Cambridge famously given her sapphire engagement ring.When it comes to internet shopping, there are plenty of ways to save and nab yourself a bargain.

While you might already be familiar with using coupons or codes, there are also a raft of other ways to pay less online, according Lorica Clarke, co-founder of shopping website, Cashrewards.

From tracking down the best deals to using price comparison sites, here FEMAIL takes a look at the simple ways you could save hundreds when shopping online.

There are a raft of other ways to pay less online, according Lorica Clarke (pictured), co-founder of shopping website, Cashrewards.

1. Be a follower

There's nothing better when you hit the checkout of your favourite online store and you've got a discount code to cut the cost of your spend.

'It's always good to monitor the social media pages of your favourite stores. Some stores offer discount codes exclusively on social media sites, Ms Clarke told FEMAIL.

The shopping entrepreneur also suggested using online forums, such as Ozbargain, to find great deals.

She explained people use these sites to share information about where they bought items from for the best possible price using coupon codes, and she added, the sites can be a goldmine for finding out about top bargain buys.

There's nothing better when you hit the checkout of your favourite online store and you've got a discount code to cut the cost of your spend (stock image)

Another trick to turning up cheap offers when shopping online is to make sure you Google first to see if there's a valid coupon for what you want to buy.

Type in the name of the store or product along with words like 'coupon' or 'voucher' and you could land an easy way to slash as much as 15 per cent off your total.

It's worth noting some stores will offer a promotional code to use the first time you shop with them.

2. Walk away from the shopping cart or wishlist

Lorica Clarke's online shopping tips: * Rewards for shopping: Use a shopping portal to earn rewards (on top of loyalty rewards and credit card points) * Automate coupons and cashback: Download and use tools from shopping sites that automatically add cashback as well as finding the best coupons and deals from your favourite stores * Find gift cards: Use discounts offered on these to save as a much as five per cent on purchases from major retailers Source: Cashrewards.com.au Advertisement

Taking some time out before you buy is always a good idea, but leaving your goods in your shopping cart could also see you save.

The idea is that by turning your back on potential purchases for a period of time, the retailer may be prompted to send you a discount voucher to encourage you complete your transaction.

Really Simple Money offers a variation on this where you create another account (make sure your clear your cache first) but not use it to buy anything - which could see you land a first time customer reward.

3. Chat with online specialists

While you probably ignore the live chat window that pops up when you're shopping, as it turns out, taking time to strike up a conversation could be worth the effort.

Apart from the fact the person chatting to you can help you find the exact item you're looking for, it's possible you could haggle for a discount, ask for shipping costs to be waived or receive a coupon code.

Another trick to turning up bargain offers when shopping online is to make sure you Google first to see if there's a valid coupon for what you want to buy (stock image)

4. Use price comparison sites and apps

Price comparison websites are a simple way you can check out whether or not the item you are buying is listed cheaper anywhere else.

Google Shopping, MyShopping, GetPrice, Au.shopping and Shopbot are some of the more popular sites you can use to compare prices on a listed item.

Some price comparison apps like ShopSavvy, ScanLife or QuickScan allow you to scan in bar-codes of goods in-store and compare prices with other stores or websites.

Use price comparison websites to check out whether or not the item you are buying is listed cheaper anywhere else (stock image)

5. Use in-store pick-up to save on shipping costs

While it might be more convenient to have goods shipped directly to your door, major savings can be made if you choose to use the in-store pick-up option.

Although some etailers offer free shipping, this often comes after you have spent a certain amount.

By choosing to collect goods in-store, not only do you save yourself from buying extra things you don't need, but you can also avoid hefty shipping costs too.Meghan Markle has reportedly had her bridal gown repeatedly altered in the run up to the big day after going on a pre-wedding health kick.

The former Suits star who is rumoured to have enlisted London-based design duo Ralph and Russo to create her gown, has had 'at least three fittings at Kensington Palace, with the dress taken in each time', according toThe Sun.

'Like most brides, Meghan has been on a bit of a health kick and has lost a significant amount of weight,' a source said.

The insider added that the retired actress has asked for a 40,000 'ornate and intricate' gown that will be more of a 'showstopper' than Kate's while still ticking the royal protocol boxes.

Accordingly, Meghan's shoulders will be covered in St George's Chapel at Windsor, when she exchanges vows with Harry on 19th May.

After going on a pre-wedding health kick, the former Suits star has had 'at least three fittings at Kensington Palace, with the dress taken in each time'

Meghan, pictured in a wedding dress in Suits, has reportedly enlisted Ralph & Russo to make an elaborate 'showstopper' of a dress

According to sources even Prince Harry doesnt know which designer his bride-to-be has plumped for.

Hes being very traditional and wants it to be a complete surprise on the day, they said.

The designer of Miss Markles dress will only be revealed by Kensington Palace after she arrives at St Georges Chapel in May 19 and is one of the most closely guarded secrets around the wedding day.

Design duo Ralph & Russo who made the daring black sheer evening gown worn by the former actress in her first official portrait with Prince Harry are now 10-11 odds on with bookmaker Coral to be unveiled as her dress designer.

Traditional Harry has no idea who Meghan has picked as her designer as he wants a 'complete surprise' on the day

The tradition of picking a headline designer for a royal wedding dress was established by Queen Victoria in 1840, when she chose a crinoline-style court dress in white silk-satin made by Mary Bettans with lace designed by William Dyce, head of the Government School of Design,

Victoria asked that the gown be made from fabric woven in Spitalfields, east London - where the areas weavers were suffering in the face of cheap foreign imports - and trimmed with a deep flounce and trimmings of lace hand-made in Honiton and Beer, Devon, to demonstrate her support for British industry.

The present Queen chose a design by Norman Hartnell, saving up her ration coupons to pay for the gown which featured 10,000 seed pearls, and a 13-foot, star-patterned lace train.She announced her engagement in to film writer and director Brad Falchuk in January of this year, after three years of dating.

And Gwyneth Paltrow has now described their romance as her 'first adult relationship', despite previously dating A-listers Brad Pitt, Ben Affleck, and being married to Chris Martin for over a decade.

The American Sliding Doors actress, 45, made the confession during a discussion on how to keep the spark alive in a marriage, and admitted she had a problem with intimacy before meeting her current fiance.

Gwyneth Paltrow has described her romance with fiance Brad Falchuk as her 'first adult relationship', despite dating Brad Pitt, Ben Affleck, and being married to Chris Martin

Speaking to the Sunday Times Style magazine, Gwyneth told how she was surrounded by friends in strong marriages, and admitted to feeling like a 'failure' when she divorced Coldplay star Chris.

The actress also said she felt as though the relationship sector was the only area she didn't do well at, describing it as 'broken' and admitting that she would either be the one chasing, or in fear of committing.

'It took me a while to reframe that divorce isn't a failure,' she said.

'In the past I've been in relationships with men who had intimacy issues so I could be like "I'm fine I'm ready to do this" and let myself think that he's the one with the problem. Some of the relationships were designed to keep me out of intimacy.'

Gwyn announced her split from singer Chris Martin, who she shares children Apple and Moses with, in 2014 after over a decade of marriage

And she went on to admit that her relationship with fiance Brad Falchuk felt like her first 'adult' relationship.

She concluded: 'For the first time I feel like I'm in an adult relationship that is sometimes uncomfortable, because he sort of demands a certain level of intimacy and communication that I haven't been held to before.'

Actress Gwyneth first came to prominence at the age of 24 as the fiance of Brad Pitt, her Seven co-star and nineties heartthrob.

And although Brad Pitt was lusted after by women the world over, Gwyneth has since admitted that she broke his heart and was responsible for the end of their engagement.

Gwyneth first came to prominence at the age of 24 as the fiance of Brad Pitt, her Seven co-star and nineties heartthrob

Gwyneth moved on to Ben Affleck, enjoying an on-off union with him that lasted until 2000

The couple were together from 1994 until 1997, and were so close that at one stage they even had matching hairstyles, and soon became tabloid fodder.

Following her ill-fated relationship with Pitt, Gwyneth moved on to Ben Affleck, enjoying an on-off union with him that lasted until 2000.

And her next long term relationship was with Coldplay front-man Chris Martin, who she met in October 2002.

The duo married in a secret ceremony in Mexico in December 2003, before welcoming children Apple and Moses.

However they announced their shock split in 2014, and consciously uncoupled before she met film director Brad Falchuk later that year.When the world is full of potential lovers, why restrict yourself to just one? I wrote those words in an article on monogamy in 2007  and how bitterly they have come back to haunt me.

The piece affirmed what I then believed  that pleasurable sex between consenting adults was simply not that big a deal  and described all the boyfriends I had cheated on with a brash, careless arrogance that now makes me squirm.

At 28, I believed I had found someone whose pain mattered more to me than my own selfish pleasure and I was truly convinced it would never happen again.

And yet, after 12 years of marriage, I once again had an affair and the relationship in which I had invested so much hope and love ended in divorce.

Lisa Hilton (pictured) revealed she still feels anguish from having an affair in her marriage of 12 years. She shared the signs of cheating and reasons why people may do it

I have still not fully come to terms with the anguish my behaviour caused and I dont believe I may ever do so. The divorce remains a fissure of pain across my life, dividing it irrevocably into before and after.

Yet, while I will never stop regretting that failure, I dont believe the affair was its root cause. There were many other reasons for the unhappiness my husband and I lived through, but somehow, we were, I think, both trapped by our expectations and by a culture in which infidelity still remains the ultimate taboo.

There are many more ways to betray a person than infidelity but, as crimes against marriage go, it is still the trump card  the sin that cancels out all others.

And, for men and women alike, it has never been so easy to find a willing partner for sex outside our marriages. Indeed, recent statistics suggest a 40 per cent increase in the number of women conducting affairs, while the figure for men has remained relatively stable at 22 per cent.

The rise of smartphones and social media has affected all of our lives, but none more so than those looking for extramarital sex. Online dating, hook-up apps and sexting have entirely redrawn the parameters of our collective behaviour.

Perhaps the last social change of equal significance was the invention of the contraceptive pill in the Sixties, which finally freed women from the fear of illegitimate pregnancy.

Just as that innovation heralded a rethinking of sexual politics, perhaps the accessibility and temptations offered by the web might require us to reconsider our attitudes to extra-marital affairs.

Adultery ends so many marriages and causes so much suffering. If we were to take a more generous and adult view, this could change.

In my own case, I had genuinely tried for years to discuss my feelings with my husband, but it just didnt work. I dont pretend I was driven into another mans arms  I knew exactly what I was doing and made a conscious choice. Yet, as soon as the affair came to light (he looked through my phone  the modern classic), it was as though all the other issues in our marriage ceased to be relevant.

Lisa (pictured) believes the temptation for infidelity is popular throughout our culture and it can make us feel young

Cheating is a complex, delicate, emotionally harrowing subject, so it often seems easier to reach for a cliche to explain it.

We are all familiar with the conventional wisdoms: the middle-aged man desperate to cling on to his waning youth; the exhausted wife who lets herself go or loses interest in sex after childbirth; the sex addict who cauterises childhood traumas with endless affairs.

But maybe we could start by being honest about one thing  people cheat because its fun. Infidelity necessitates hypocrisy, but perhaps the worst form of dishonesty is not admitting to enjoying it.

Lust turns us all into infatuated teenagers: desired, beautiful, powerful. It keeps Agent Provocateur and much of the hotel industry in business.

The temptations of infidelity are a constant in our culture. The intensity and drama of cheating are what keep us glued to TV dramas such as Dr Foster and The Affair, so is it surprising if we sometimes want to be the star of our own forbidden romance? And, perhaps exactly because it makes us feel young, I wonder whether cheating becomes even more tempting with age.

Can a relationship last after an affair? 35 per cent of couples will stay together after an affair Advertisement

As responsibilities and regrets pile up, the question of what if? can morph from idle curiosity into burning necessity  a kind of sexual rage against the dying of the light.

If I go to a business lunch at a smart restaurant, I find I still have a radar for the adulterous couples  theyre the only ones ordering wine, holding hands across the table, anticipating their stolen afternoon.

I dont judge, because I remember all too well the heady sense of release that comes from re-experiencing desire.

I might regret the affair that ended my own marriage, but I cant honestly say that I didnt enjoy it at the time.

Along with the guilt and anxiety came a delicious sense of secrecy, of repossessing a part of my femininity I thought I had lost, of being flattered and spoiled and paid attention to.

Maybe theres even a sense in which being a mistress feels somehow more empowering than being labelled as a wife  one can imagine oneself (however naively) as a figure charged with some magical, carnal power, rather than the quotidian creature of the supermarket shop and the school run.

Lisa believes many people are obsessed with fidelity despite upper-classes traditionally taking a more relaxed view

Perhaps that lure of secrecy is even more entrancing than physical sex  the sense of recovering a forgotten, hidden self, of sharing an identity that hovers a glimmering inch or two above pedestrian reality. The reality of the affair may be furtive and squalid, but thats never how it feels at the time.

Easy to dismiss as pathetic, but I know I am not alone.

Many people might agree that marriages cant, or shouldnt, function without the assurance of sexual exclusivity, but there are other models of romantic love available.

The French (who have always been terribly good at adultery) and the English upper-classes have traditionally taken a more relaxed view.

So long as there was no scandal, wives were quite prepared to countenance their husbands peccadilloes. More recently, the bestselling author and relationship therapist Esther Perel, suggested in her latest study, The State Of Affairs, that infidelity can be understandable, acceptable, even an act of boldness and courage.

Why are you worried if you have nothing to hide?

Yet, if anything, as a society, our views on the subject seem to be evolving in quite the opposite direction.

Over the past few years, I have dated several younger men, all of whom seemed to be obsessed with fidelity.

I broke up with my last boyfriend when I found him looking through my phone for the second time.

While I considered such an invasion of privacy completely unacceptable, he genuinely seemed bewildered that I should care. Why are you worried if you have nothing to hide?

As it happened, I didnt have anything to hide  I have finally learned my lesson.

But, nonetheless, it seems as though the concept of privacy has fundamentally shifted, that our hyper-connected world has fuelled insecurity and paranoia as never before.

Lisa (pictured) wishes she had the chance to discuss why she cheated on her husband at the time and questions if it would've saved her marriage

We might consider ourselves far more sexually liberated than our parents generation, but it seems that we are also far more anxious and judgmental.

Looking back on my own marriage, I can see that infidelity was easier than working on the emotional core of our difficulties. I have subsequently had therapy to discuss and work on the reasons why this was the case and I know now that I simply never want to be in that situation again.

I can only wish that, at the time, I had been able to discuss why I did it, rather than being immediately censured, that we had been able to find a way out of the hurt and confusion provoked by my affair without it ending my marriage.

Of course, staying in a bad marriage is never a good idea and we should certainly be grateful that women are no longer condemned by the expense and stigma of divorce to remain with abusive or serially unfaithful partners.

But, equally, I question whether infidelity in itself necessarily implies that a marriage is bad.

If we accept, as everyone who has had an affair knows, that infidelity can offer satisfaction that even a happy marriage cant provide, might we not allow ourselves the possibility of a more gentle and tolerant version of commitment?

Confessing to infidelity is a huge challenge and, for those who have been cheated on, the hurt and anger can black out a more reasonable response, but in reacting to such a confession, it is also important to accept that solving infidelity  just like committing it  takes two.

This is a terrible truth to confront, but the price for not doing so may, as I know, be even higher.

What are the signs of cheating? Now Im in my 40s, I have begun to observe the telltale signs of extra-marital adventures among my long-married friends. They include . . . 1 An unusual willingness to run errands  allowing precious time to call the mistress. 2 A makeover, a sudden interest in the gym, or new clothes that leave them looking slimmer and sharper. 3 Slightly-too-frequent business trips, coupled with the appearance of unexpected guilt presents. 4 A change in smartphone habits  for example, turning off WhatsApp notifications in case an indiscreet message glides on to the screen during the Ocado shop, or the sound of furtive texting from the bathroom. 5 Adverts for hotel chains or lingerie stores suddenly appearing on websites, a telltale sign of what hes been searching for online and the 21st-century version of lipstick on the collar. Advertisement

Lisa Hiltons book Ultima, the last in the Maestra series, is out now (Zaffre, 12.99).The pencil skirt  for ever associated with Mad Mens Joan and her glorious curves and Marilyn Monroe wiggling along the steam-filled platform in the film Some Like It Hot  is back.

And, good news: this springs version has a modern, slouchier cut than its predecessors. As a rule of thumb, if you cant stride across to the photocopier in the skirt, youre probably doing it wrong.

On the catwalks for spring, Gucci, Calvin Klein, Max Mara, Fendi, Prada and Victoria Beckham (the latter herself an icon of pencil skirt chic) were among many labels showing the slimline skirt.

To get a handle on the silhouette, its worth studying the shapes on Pradas catwalk  youll see they are longer and roomier than pencil skirts of yore and styled with a certain boyish nonchalance.

Flair for a flare: Meghan Markle (pictured) in a pencil skirt paired with court heels

For the new, skirt-wearing muse, look no further than Meghan Markle, who chose a green take on the trend for her recent Northern Ireland trip.

She wore it with a simple sweater and ever-so-slightly oversized coat, looking every inch the sleek, modern woman of purpose.

The skirt, by Canadian label Greta Constantine, featured a tiny kick flare just below the knee, making it a hobble skirt, in fashion-speak.

As historians will tell you, the hobble is the progenitor of the pencil skirt.

It was invented, supposedly, when the first female airplane passenger, Edith Berg, took to the air in a Wright Brothers propellor plane, in 1908, and they tied a rope around her skirts to stop them being caught up in the machinery.

As the story goes, this image caught the imagination of the Parisian fashion designers and a new skirt shape was born.

For the classic pencil skirt, we can thank Christian Dior, who produced beautiful, narrow skirt suits in the late Forties and early Fifties and created the definitive pencil in his 1954 H-line collection.

Considering the ongoing fascination with the House of Dior, which has just celebrated its 70th anniversary, and the success of the recent film Phantom Thread, set in a couture house in 1954, its small wonder pencil skirts are in the fashion zeitgeist.

Alexa Chung's front-split skirt (pictured) is likely to carry the pencil skirt trend from now until autumn, 295, net-a-porter.com

I have always been slightly scared of the pencil skirt. Its just a shade too close to bodycon dressing for me. But that all changed last summer, when I bought a Boden Icons skirt: mid-calf length, front split, made from a heavy twill cloth and embellished with folkloric embroidery.

Why? Because it is so flattering. The secret lies in the structure of the fabric.

As Christian Dior might have been inclined to comment (if he were alive today), a skirt that requires suction underwear to achieve a smooth line is not a skirt worth buying. In this vein, Alexa Chungs fabulous front-split pencil in Prince of Wales check, a fabric trend that is going nowhere for autumn, has caught my eye (295, net-a-porter.com). It is lined and would look equally good with a ribbed knit and a block-heeled loafer as with a wow blouse and heels.

What are the rules for wearing pencil skirts? Pencil skirts made from heavier fabrics need to be lined to hang properly.

The new look is roomier  you shouldnt be relying on Lycra shapewear.

Paperbag waists are a good way to make your silhouette more relaxed.

Avoid stilettos and bodycon tops  these can make the look too vampy. Advertisement

On the High Street, I love Asoss side-buttoning version (30, asos.com), which will be perfect for warm weather office dressing. Style it with a button-through silk shirt and a mid-heeled sandal.

Whats the key to styling your pencil skirt so it looks fresh, not dated or vampy? On the shoe front, keep your heel height in check. On top, its all about ease. Think Lauren Hutton in a masculine/ feminine shirt in the Seventies. Or refer to Meghan, wearing a light knit that cocoons, rather than hugs, the body.

When shopping for your new-look skirt, go for a style that puts you in mind of an hourglass. If it strays anywhere near Rizzo from Grease territory, step away from the rail.

Sarah Bailey is executive brand editor at PorterA guide dog has become an online sensation after repeatedly leading his owner into a pet store in order to score himself some treats.

Delaware Valley University student Danielle Sykora, 20, returns to New Jersey every weekend with her guide dog Thai. Sometimes, these trips home include an excursion or two to the local mall, where Danielle's father began noticing a funny thing that kept happening every time they walked by a certain store.

Last weekend, Danielle's older sister Michele, 22, came along on such a trip, and as the group approached a store called 'Cool Dog Gear,' the girls' father told Michele to take notice.

Sweet pup: Delaware Valley University student Danielle Sykora, 20, and her guide dog Thai were snapped during a recent trip to the mall in New Jersey, where Thai led her into a pet store

'The next time we went to that mall, I was with them and my dad secretly said to me, "Last time we were here Thai brought himself into the pet store; lets see if he does it again,"' Michele told BuzzFeed.

As Danielle and her dog approached the store, Thai began to turn his owner, unprompted, straight into the entrance of the pet shop.

Luckily, Michele caught the funny moment on camera, accented with her own giggle as she watched her sister be led right into the store.

Michele shared the video on Twitter, writing: 'My sister's guide dog always sneakily walks her into this store without her knowing. I love dogs, man.'

Moving in: The video was filmed by Danielle's sister Michele, who giggles as she watches Thai lead the unsuspecting Danielle into the store called Cool Dog Gear

Getting attention: Michele shared the video on Twitter, where it has been shared more than 130,000 times

New fans: People fell in love with the sneaky pup's plan to get himself some presents

One person who wasn't surprised by the pup's mischeviousness is Danielle, who revealed to BuzzFeed that this is was far from the first time her guide dog has led her somewhat astray for his own reasons.

'Sometimes he shows me places that he just likes,' Danielle said. 'Hell show me Starbucks, because he knows I like to go to Starbucks, and hell show me the pet store, because treats are fun.'

The video of Thai's little adventure quickly went viral, with Michele's video being shared on the site more than 130,000 times - and followers couldn't get enough.

Feeling the pain: The story inspired others to share their own stories about their mischevious guide dogs

'I can't believe this real store called "COOL DOG GEAR" in comic sans exists out there somewhere,' joked one user, while another called the video 'the cutest s*** I've ever seen.'

The video also inspired other dog owners to share their own tales of guide dogs going rogue.

'Haha classic guide dog behavior!' wrote one user. 'Lyric always tries to walk me to the park.'

One wrote that his dog 'tries to do this with the pet aisle in the supermarket' while another added that her service pooch 'fakes alerts so he can get treats.'Can women have it all? That perennial question has taken on a new form in corporate Britain, where investors are asking whether a handful of women can scoop up all the directorships.

They are known as the Golden Skirts, which sounds sexist  because it is, even though it was coined in politically correct Norway where there are boardroom quotas for women and then adopted by cerebral magazine The Economist.

The phenomenon came about because Norwegian companies felt there was a shortage of suitable females to fill their quotas, so a small group of elite women were offered the lions share of the jobs.

Golden Trousers are actually a far bigger problem than Golden Skirts, says Ruth Sunderland

The label Golden Skirts implies it is the women themselves who are somehow to blame for this situation.

Not true. The real culprits are executives  often, but not always male  who have failed to help women reach their full potential at work, failed to introduce family-friendly policies, and who have lacked the imagination to cast their nets wider when hiring.

In this country, we have steered clear of gender quotas.

But a Government-backed campaign to increase the number of female directors set a target of 33 per cent by 2020.

Firms are scrambling to meet that goal and have stumbled into the Norwegian trap of all trying to hire the same tiny cohort of candidates deemed suitable in spite of their womanhood.

But the issue of overboarding  another choice bit of corporate jargon describing bosses who have too many directorships  is one for both genders.

Golden Trousers are actually a far bigger problem than Golden Skirts.

Anita Frew, for example, is one highly regarded woman with a clutch of top directorships, earning around 800,000 a year from her roles as chairman of chemicals group Croda, deputy chair of Lloyds banking group and non-executive at miner BHP Billiton.

But a boardroom analysis conducted last autumn by The Mail on Sunday found many more men who have multiple directorships at big companies, including half a dozen who were holding two FTSE 100 chairmanships at once.

There is no formal prohibition on the same person chairing two Footsie companies. Many shareholders dont like it, however, because they fear if there is a sticky situation at one or both of the businesses, the chairman might not have enough time to sort it out properly. As it happens, some of the two jobs brigade did have a lot on their plate.

'Overboarding': Donald Brydon was chair of software group Sage and the London Stock Exchange while the latter was in merger talks with Deutsche Boerse

Mike Turner was a busy man, chairing engineer Babcock (which subsequently dropped out of the blue-chip index) as well as leading the board at GKN when it unsuccessfully tried to fight a hostile bid from Melrose.

Donald Brydon was chair of software group Sage and the London Stock Exchange while the latter was in merger talks with Deutsche Boerse. He then found himself under assault from activist investor TCI.

Roberto Quarta is currently in the chair at medical supplies group Smith & Nephew at the same time as trying to find a successor to Sir Martin Sorrell at WPP.

No doubt these men are supremely talented. Yet it does rather beg the question of whether there really is such a dire drought of potential chairmen that it is impossible even to find a hundred of them without having to double up.

If there is genuinely such a skills shortage, then it is a big indictment.

A look at who chairs FTSE 100 companies is revealing. At the time of our analysis last year there were 15 Sirs; 13 men named John, four men called Sir John and four women.

This suggests there is not only a problem with sexism, but with resistance to change, lack of openness and group-think.

It doesnt sound like a recipe for innovation and growth.Tony Hetherington is Financial Mail on Sunday's ace investigator, fighting readers corners, revealing the truth that lies behind closed doors and winning victories for those who have been left out-of-pocket. Find out how to contact him below.

P.G. writes: In 2003 we opened savings accounts at Nationwide Building Society for our two sons. My wife set up a standing order from her Lloyds account to pay 15 monthly into each Nationwide account.

When we looked at our sons accounts last year, only one had received the monthly payments. One Nationwide account had eight digits while the other had nine.

Nationwide initially said it was not possible to pay into an eight-digit account but after numerous calls staff changed their mind. Lloyds says it no longer has records from 2003 and considers the matter closed while Nationwide says it has failed to retrieve our sons money from the holder of the eight-digit account. No one seems able to help.

Sorted: Nationwide has refunded the lost money

Ever since banks and building societies began making customers responsible for supplying sort codes and account numbers, while at the same time ignoring the name of the person who was supposed to be on the receiving end of any cash transfer, there has been an upsurge in the number of customers whose cash simply vanishes into the system.

The tiniest error means money goes to the wrong account. Everything then depends on the honesty of the accidental recipient. If they help themselves to the cash, the banks refuse to identify the thief because that would breach their privacy. It takes a court order to overcome this with no guarantee that the thief will be traced and will not have spent every penny.

In 2003 your wife slipped up and incorrectly typed an eight-digit Nationwide number to receive 15 a month. This did not match any account as the prefix number was wrong. Nationwide has been honest and admitted it should have queried this or sent the money back to Lloyds.

Instead, someone at the society tried to be helpful and corrected the account number to what they thought was right. But this meant that every month your wife has been sending 15 to a stranger  and that person has withdrawn the cash and disappeared. This leaves you with one son enjoying a nest egg while the other has nothing. At least this would be the case except that Nationwide has now put things right.

The society told me: We have accepted we should have queried the different prefix or rejected the payment. As such, we will refund 2,565  171 monthly payments of 15. Nationwide is also adding 200 to make up for what happened. Lloyds Bank could also have done more. It told me: We could have been more proactive in contacting Nationwide on her behalf in an attempt to recover the funds paid.

So Lloyds will also be offering 200. In the end, a very good result for your son.

Clone fund crooks who targeted pensioner

R.B. writes: On January 22, I received a call from Keystone Investment Trust of Moorfields in London regarding an investment I held in land. It offered 16,300 for this, subject to a fee of 3,750 to be paid on February 19. Later, it asked for a further 2,200 and I paid both sums and was told the 16,300 would reach my bank account on February 26. When the money did not arrive, I called Keystone and was told a further payment was required. I said I was not prepared to pay, and now realise it was a scam. I am 87 and should have known better.

First of all, let me say that you were never in touch with the real Keystone Investment Trust. This is a genuine investment fund. But you were called by a clone run by fraudsters who set up a fake website at keystoneinvestmentstrust.com. Note the extra letter s that turns investment into investments and makes sure you see the fake website.

I contacted the real Keystone which is part of investment giant Invesco Perpetual. It told me it was well aware of the scam. It said: We have taken appropriate steps and continue to report to the enforcing authorities.

Those bodies are the Financial Conduct Authority and the police-run Action Fraud. Despite this, when I rang the fake firm last Thursday on 0207 129 7316, it was still in business. Sadly, whoever answered hung up as soon as I gave my name, so I was not able to ask how it felt about stealing thousands of pounds from a pensioner. That is one mystery but the bigger puzzle is why the thieves are allowed to carry on stealing.

If you believe you are the victim of financial wrongdoing, write to Tony Hetherington at Financial Mail, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TS or email tony.hetherington@mailonsunday.co.uk. Because of the high volume of enquiries, personal replies cannot be given. Please send only copies of original documents, which we regret cannot be returned.

Read Tony Hetherington's case files at thisismoney.co.uk/hetheringtonConfident: Chetan Sehgal has taken over the reins at the trust

It is all change at Franklin Templetons emerging market investment operations based in Singapore, which manages some $50billion (35billion) of assets.

Out through Franklins revolving doors have gone both Dr Mark Mobius and Carlos Hardenberg, renowned emerging market investment managers. In has come Manraj Sekhon from Fullerton Fund Management as chief investment officer.

All this shuffling at the top has been accompanied by a greater concentration of investment resources in Singapore.

The changes have had ramifications for Templeton Emerging Markets, the countrys longest established investment trust managing assets in the worlds developing countries.

Mobius, who managed the 2.3billion trust for more than 26 years before latterly becoming an adviser to the fund, will no longer have an input, having decided to put his boots up and retire from the trust.

Hardenberg, who succeeded Mobius at the helm in October 2015, left for pastures new last month. Up has stepped Chetan Sehgal, senior research analyst, to take over the trusts running, an individual with 22 years experience of watching emerging markets.

In London last week to update financial advisers and the media about the trust and introduce himself as the new face of Templeton Emerging Markets, Sehgal was in confident mood.

Risks: The trusts 9 per cent exposure to Russia has been hit by Americas decision to impose sanctions on a number of Russian tycoons and businesses

Although he acknowledged that the loss of Mobius  often dubbed Mr Emerging Markets  and Hardenberg were big blows, he said that it was very much business as normal.

There will be no significant changes in investment philosophy, he reassured listeners. This trusts management is about we rather than I, emphasising the fact that behind him is a long-established team of analysts and country specialists who spend their working lives identifying investment opportunities.

It has been a baptism of fire for Sehgal, as the trusts 9 per cent exposure to Russia has been hit by Americas decision to impose sanctions on a number of Russian tycoons and businesses.

Big holdings include Chinese internet giants Alibaba and Tencent

Although some Russian positions have been reduced, the trust continues to hold stakes in energy giant Gazprom, web search engine Yandex, internet company Mail Ru and mining firm Norilsk Nickel. Sehgal talks of collateral damage only but is keeping a watchful eye on developments.

He says that with the notable exception of Russia, most emerging markets remain in a sweet spot. He says stronger commodity prices have been good news for many natural resource based companies operating in emerging markets  Peruvian mining giant Buenaventura is a top ten holding.

He is also excited by the technology revolution that is taking place in countries such as China.

Indeed, technology is the biggest theme within the trusts portfolio, accounting for nearly a third of assets. Big holdings include Chinese internet giants Alibaba and Tencent.

Technology is also helping Sehgal change the way the trust is managed. In the past, Mobius was renowned for circumnavigating the globe to meet company bosses.

Now, a lot of key financial information can be obtained via the internet which means Sehgal will spend more time behind his desk in Singapore.

Yet seeing company management will remain part of his job. A lot of the companies pass through Singapore, he says. It is vital to meet them.Bank lending to small and medium-sized businesses has virtually halved since the financial crisis.

New rules make it much tougher for banks to lend to most firms and many no longer even want to borrow from traditional lenders. The trust has gone, terms are often prohibitive and companies frequently prefer to stay away.

A number are turning to alternative sources of finance, such as peer-to-peer lending. Now a new option has emerged.

Bright future: Duke Royalty lends to a firm that makes paint for GT4 cars

Duke Royalty is an Aim-listed business specialising in providing royalty-style finance to companies in fields such as industry, leisure and technology. The shares are 39p and should increase substantially as the firm expands and develops. There is also a generous quarterly dividend policy and an annual yield of more than 5 per cent.

Royalty finance has existed for decades in the mining industry. Mining groups looking for cash borrow from royalty specialists and in return pay a proportion of their annual revenues to those financiers.

The approach has turned tiny minnows into mining giants over the years, it spread into the biotech industry and, over the past decade, royalty finance has sprung up as a source of cash for companies more broadly.

The idea was pioneered in the US and Canada but Duke Royalty has brought the concept to the UK and Europe.

The firm was founded in 2015 by Neil Johnson, who spent 19 years working for top Canadian investment bank Cannacord Genuity.

Johnson, a Canadian by birth, was a leading force at Cannacords London office, helping the European arm of the business to increase revenues from less than 5million to more than 50million, while completing more than 100 deals for companies.

Ambitious: Founder Neil Johnson

Johnson is equally, if not more ambitious, for Duke Royalty. Having listed on Aim in March 2017, the group has completed royalty deals with three businesses  Temarca, a 20-year-old Dutch river cruiser firm, Lynx Equity, a mini-conglomerate, and Trimite Global Coatings, an industrial paint specialist, founded in the 1940s.

Trimites paint is used on a huge range of products, from German trains to GT4 racing cars to brightly coloured baking tins.

These businesses could have borrowed from traditional banks or other lenders but royalty finance offers particular benefits. The deals are extremely long term  generally 25 to 30 years  and repayments vary slightly from year to year, depending on the borrowers performance.

When sales go up, repayments rise but when sales dip, repayments slacken. Crucially too, companies repay both interest and principal from the beginning so they do not have to find huge lump sums to repay their debt as it falls due. And Duke does not buy shares in any of the businesses it works with so managers retain full control.

Interest is similar to banks but, because royalty finance is structured in a more manageable way, demand is high. Duke is about to sign a fourth transaction, with a British glass manufacturer, and Johnson expects to complete around six deals a year.

Once the glass manufacturing agreement has been signed, Duke will have lent almost 30million. That is expected to rise to around 50million in 2019 and 2020, increasing to about 100million thereafter.

Nonetheless, the group is highly selective in the deals that it does. Johnson and his team have already seen around 150 prospective borrowers but just a handful have passed muster. That approach will persist over the coming years.

As the company grows, it will ask shareholders for more money but Johnson will make sure there is a pipeline of deals before turning to investors for cash.

New shares will invariably be offered at a slight discount to the prevailing price and new royalty agreements will always be signed on terms that increase Dukes profitability and its potential to pay dividends.

In December, for example, Duke raised 20million at 40p a share, when the market price was 42p and it subsequently announced the Trimite deal and an increase in the dividend.

The groups chief investment officer, Jim Webster, pioneered the worlds first publicly listed drug royalty company in 1993, and he has worked in the industry ever since, raising 4 billion for companies across the world.

Dukes shareholder register is reassuring too, including blue-chip names such as Hargreave Hale, Axa Framlington and Janus Henderson. Johnson and fellow directors own 12 per cent of the shares so they are incentivised to run the business well.

Dukes financial year ended on March 31 and results will be out in a couple of months. Brokers expect profits of around 500,000 with a dividend of 2p. Next year, profits are expected to surge to 3.6million with the dividend rising to 3.2p.

Midas verdict: Royalty finance is a new concept in the UK for companies outside mining and biotech but it can certainly help businesses to grow without borrowing from banks. Duke Royalty is a relatively new business too but the management team know what they are doing, demand is there and the shares should rise, while offering healthy dividends too. Buy.Enticing: The app showing Maloufs luxury yacht Mischief

Australian businessman Ian Malouf is making waves with a new superyacht charter service described as Airbnb for the super-rich.

The self-made waste management tycoon charters his 22million superyacht Mischief for up to 263,000 per week, but says managing bookings through yacht brokers is slow and cumbersome.

He plans to shake up the luxury yachting industry by launching a digital platform called The Ahoy Club that allows owners to connect with wealthy holidaymakers via an app or website, reducing the booking time from weeks to minutes.

Crewed superyachts cost an average of 88,000 a week to charter, although the largest megayachts  those over 70 metres  can be up to 1.3million.

Malouf estimates there are around 3,000 superyachts available for charter globally, but says owners are put off leasing them by traditional yacht brokers high fees.

The Ahoy Club will undercut yacht brokers by charging 4 per cent commission instead of 20 per cent. It will also offer clients a personal assistant to manage their bookings.

Malouf said: Superyachts around the world are seriously underused as an asset. The brokerage fees are out of touch with todays market. Having made his fortune with garbage empire Dial-A-Dump, he has invested a significant sum in The Ahoy Club and is not seeking outside investment.

The service will launch next month in London and Sydney and has so far signed up 2,000 superyacht owners, including captains of industry, sportsmen and celebrities.

It plans to expand to New York and Hong Kong, targeting emerging markets such as China.Under fire: Flemming Ornskov

The boss of Shire could take home up to $57million (40million) from a sale of the drugs giant, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

The FTSE 100 company is a target for rival pharmaceutical firms and has already rejected approaches from Japans Takeda worth up to 44billion in cash and shares.

Botox maker Allergan said on Thursday that it was also considering making an offer for Shire, a rare disease specialist. But it pulled out of the race shortly afterwards.

Shire, which is based in Dublin but listed in London, is now weighing up the latest offer from Takeda and said it would make an announcement in due course. Rival bidders could yet enter the fray.

Chief executive Flemming Ornskov has faced major shareholder revolts over his huge bonuses in the past. He has shares and options worth about $57million, according to details buried in a 216-page document released by Shire last month.

Some are only due to mature in years to come, but a takeover would accelerate payment of these. The exact amount would depend on how Shire has done, but even excluding performance-related options, Ornskov would be in a position to pocket $25million after a sale.

The Danish executive will face renewed criticism over his pay at Shires annual meeting on Tuesday.

Ornskovs maximum bonus, set at 780 per cent of his salary, has been called excessive by the shareholder adviser Pensions & Investment Research Consultants (Pirc).

He took a pay cut last year, but still took home $5.3million. He was paid $10.6million the year before.

It is not the first time Shire has been a subject of takeover attempts. In 2014, American firm AbbVie had to abandon an agreed 32billion deal for Shire after the US introduced rules to prevent firms from doing overseas deals that would lower their corporate tax rates.Bankrupted customers of a lender co-founded by Sean Connery are pushing for historic complaints to be covered by a new tribunal for disputes involving small firms.

More than 100 entrepreneurs who were backed by Dunbar Bank were made bankrupt in 2011, in what victims say was a savage unwinding of the bank, set up in the late Sixties by the James Bond star and other investors.

The bank is accused of inducing borrowers to sign away their homes as guarantees. It seized the properties a year later.

Action: Bond star Sean Connery has co-founded Dunbar Bank

Dozens of customers, many running buy-to-let businesses, were bankrupted. One compared Dunbar to Royal Bank of Scotlands GRG unit which preyed on thousands of small business clients. They made GRG look like girl guides, he said.

Victims hope for redress if a new tribunal system is set up that allows the existing six-year time limit for claims to be set aside. Many could not bring claims because they had no money.

Alongside MPs on the All Party Parliamentary Group on Fair Business Banking, The Mail on Sunday has campaigned for a simpler, cheaper means of bringing complaints against banks than the UK courts system.

The APPG plans to raise the issue in a Commons debate. Connery has had nothing to do with the bank for many years. It was owned by insurer Zurich when it was wound down. Zurich denied wrongdoing.

It added: In a recent High Court case, suggestions Dunbar has behaved improperly in recovering debts were rejected in strong terms, with the Judge describing aspects of that claim as fanciful and incredible.A fraudster is trying to help himself to 3.75million of taxpayers money from a compensation payout intended for small savers ripped off by Royal Bank of Scotland, a court has heard.

Significant new information has emerged in court following a six-month investigation by The Mail on Sunday that has detailed the deeply concerning background of Gerard Walsh, who co-founded the RBoS Shareholders Action Group company.

This company established itself as a public-spirited group dedicated to helping small shareholders win justice after being duped by RBS in the financial crisis.

However, we reveal today allegations Walsh has sought to use the action group company as a vehicle to enrich himself through a secret agreement to the tune of millions of pounds to be paid to him.

Shares battle: Royal Bank of Scotland

We can disclose that Walsh is accused of:

Trying to extract a sum of 3.75million for himself;

Presenting himself as a volunteer for the group when in fact he was raking in 80 an hour plus expenses for consultancy services over several years;

Being responsible for registering 130million phantom shares  which would have inflated the value of the claim against RBS;

Acting as a shadow director of the action group company despite officially standing down when he was made bankrupt in 2011;

Masquerading under false names.

The allegations surfaced at a High Court hearing last week where Walshs camp argued the payments were justified for work done over many years.

The legal showdown came after months of battling between the RBoS Shareholders Action Group company and tycoon Trevor Hemmings, who himself lost millions on RBS shares in the financial crisis.

Thousands of investors bought shares in 2008 when the bank asked for 12billion to see it through an economic squeeze. Soon after, their value collapsed and the bank had to be bailed out by the Government, which still owns a 70 per cent stake.

In despair, around 7,000 small investors signed up to the RBoS Shareholders Action Group company  which Walsh had co-founded  knowing nothing of his background or subsequently of his alleged scheme to pay himself 3.75million through a secret arrangement.

Controversial: Gerard Walsh denies wrongdoing

The claimants won a landmark settlement of 200million from the bank last year, prompting Walsh to take steps to seek payment from the funds. But he may be thwarted by Hemmings. Walsh and the action group company were stripped of the right to administer the claim and settlement, which has been handed instead to one of Hemmings companies, Manx Capital.

Manx has appointed a law firm, Signature Litigation, to handle the claim and make payouts to small investors.

Last week, Manx applied to the High Court for access to all of the action group companys files for the payout process. One major concern was an agreement  allegedly concealed from claimants  to pay millions of pounds to Walsh and his associates through a company called Evalusafety.

The court heard that Walsh is claiming 3.75million for himself from Evalusafety and 250,000 for his daughter Rachel.

Manx and Signature want to assess whether these payments can legitimately be made. The action group company argues the payments are justified for work over many years.

The court heard that it also paid Walsh 80 an hour from March 2009, despite him having portrayed himself as a volunteer, according to Manx and Signature.

In response, the action group company has challenged the fees of Signature. The group says Signature has overcharged investors by around 4million.

Signature denies this. A spokesman for Manx said the law firm has discounted its fees very substantially and is good value for money for claimants. He added: This is just a smokescreen tactic by the company.

Manx told the court the action group may have committed a criminal offence in allegedly trying to blackmail Signature into rubber-stamping payments under the Evalusafety payment.

It said the 130million phantom shares  which they claim never existed  could constitute a criminal offence of fraud.

Manx also alleged that Walsh had posed as two characters associated with the action group company: Mike Neill, who wrote to investors asking them for subscription payments to the group, and Ed Montgomery, who was allegedly involved in putting 40 million phantom shares into the claim.

Fightback: Trevor Hemmings

Signature questions whether these individuals actually exist.

As previously reported by The Mail on Sunday, Walsh has been involved in two earlier fraud cases. Walsh said: I have never been convicted by any court of being a fraudster.

However, the Jersey Royal Court described him as a fraudster in 2014 in a case where he induced a wealthy Irish family into various investments and took swathes of cash for himself.

In a separate case, the Irish High Court ruled in 1997 he was guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation by posing as a Lamborghini salesman.

The Mail on Sunday has spoken to several people who say they were victims of his dishonesty.

Walsh also denied that he registered the phantom shares.

In court last week a barrister for the action group denied Walsh has been found to be a fraudster by two courts and added that, although he would not respond to every allegation made by Manx, it should not be taken they are accepted as fact.

The allegations raise serious questions for a separate company, the RBS GRG Business Action Group, which also names Walsh as a volunteer adviser.

That company claims to represent more than 500 small firms seeking to sue RBS over maltreatment by its controversial restructuring unit.

The GRG group said Walshs role is genuinely voluntary, adding: Hes never taken money from the GRG Business Action Group or asked for any  whether as salary, bonus or any other fee.

He made it clear, and recently reaffirmed, that he will not be involved in the day to day running of the group.Companies are under fire for appointing the same small group of female directors to a string of boardroom jobs, raising concerns over the rise of the Golden Skirts.

Firms are under mounting pressure to appoint more women to their boards. This has led to a handful of highly qualified female bosses being in heavy demand and holding multiple directorships.

The trend has become so pronounced that many investors now fear that some female directors may be overstretched.

Busy: Dr Marion Helmes is accused of serving on too many boards

The term Golden Skirts originated in Norway, which a decade ago forced companies to increase the number of women on boards to 40 per cent by law. Many firms claimed there were too few qualified females to fulfil the quotas.

The phrase was later enshrined in the work of Norwegian academic Professor Morten Huse. It has subsequently been picked up by business publications including The Economist.

The Mail on Sunday has learned that shareholder advisory bodies ISS and Glass Lewis have urged investors to vote against Dr Marion Helmes being reappointed as a non-executive director of British American Tobacco at the FTSE 100 stalwarts annual meeting in London on Wednesday.

ISS, which describes the German businesswoman as a professional director, said: Aside from being a non-executive director at British American Tobacco, Marion Helmes is also a director at six other companies.

It said even after stepping down from her role at German engineering firm Bilfinger later this year she will have six positions in aggregate and each of these companies are very large, therefore raising questions regarding her ability to devote sufficient time to her role at British American Tobacco.

ISS added that Helmes had not turned up to a BAT board meeting in February nor to a crucial meeting to approve the 40billion takeover of US rival Reynolds, due to prior commitments.

Advisory group Glass Lewis bluntly said the 52-year-old serves on too many boards. It added: We believe that a non-executive director of a FTSE 350-listed company should retain some spare capacity in case a crisis or other event escalates the demand on their time.

Helmes is also on the boards of German firms ProSiebenSat.1 Media, Uniper and Siemens Healthineers as well as Dutch companies Heineken and NXP Semiconductors.

After being contacted by The Mail on Sunday, A BAT spokesman said Helmes will step down from the board of another company, leaving her with five directorships, which it said Glass Lewis and ISS consider an acceptable number.

There was a similar Golden Skirts revolt last year when almost 40 per cent of shareholders in catering giant Compass Group voted against the re-election of Ireena Vittal. Almost one in five voted against her this year.

Even after shedding three of her board seats, which she plans to do by June, Vittal will still be a director of five firms plus Compass.

THE GOLDEN SKIRTS Rakhi Goss-Custard Rakhi Goss-Custard Age: 44 Nationality: American Boards: Non-executive director at Schroders, Kingfisher, Intu, Rightmove and Be Heard Group Pay: 320,000 Background: Prolific director who owns a vineyard in Berkshire with husband Daniel Lesley Knox Lesley Opportunity Knox Age: 64 Nationality: British Boards: Legal & General, Thomas Cook, chair of Grosvenor Group and two private companies Pay: At least 256,000 Background: Once said of sexism in the City: Ive had lots of experiences that these days you could sue for. Married to Brian with daughter Fenella Deanna Oppenheimer Deanna The Banker Oppenheimer Age: 60 Nationality: American Boards: Chair at Hargreaves Lansdown and director at Tesco, Whitbread, Axa, Joshua Green Corp and Vettd Pay: At least 316,000 Background: Tipped for top at Barclays before departing to turn professional boardroom director Susan Kilsby Susan Deal Queen Kilsby Age: 59 Nationality: American Boards: Chairman of drug-maker Shire, director of Diageo, Goldman Sachs International, BBA Aviation and Fortune Brands Home & Security Inc Pay: At least 718,000 Background: At helm of Shire as suitors circle the 40bn drugs giant Gwyn Burr Gwyn Six Jobs Burr Age: 55 Nationality: British Board roles: Six including Just Eat, Hammerson, Taylor Wimpey, Sainsburys Bank, German retail group Metro and Ingleby Farms. Pay: At least 200,000 Background: At Asda during one of the most historic turnarounds in UK corporate history

Other women with a number of seats on high-profile boards include 44-year-old Rakhi Goss-Custard. She is a non-executive director at two FTSE 100 companies  fund manager Schroders and DIY group Kingfisher.

She also has board positions at shopping centre owner Intu, online property group Rightmove and digital marketing firm Be Heard Group. Goss-Custard, who owns a vineyard in Berkshire with her husband Daniel, has not held an executive position since she left a senior post at Amazon in 2014.

A review in 2015, led by former Standard Chartered chairman Lord Davies, led to a call for firms to promote more women to senior positions just below the board.

This would have created a reservoir of women who could later progress to boardroom posts, but there are still too few females breaking into this tier.

According to Cranfield University, women accounted for 33 per cent of FTSE 100 non-executive directors last year  up from 15 per cent in 2007.

By comparison, only 10 per cent of executive board directors and just 7 per cent of chief executives are women. In 2007, those figures were 4 per cent and 3 per cent respectively.

Cranfields Professor Sue Vinnicombe said: I dont think the issue is a lack of talented women, but women dont have the same corporate careers as men. Prof Vinnicombe insisted that efforts to increase women on boards have sought to avoid the Golden Skirts effect.

She added: The idea was to broaden the talent pool and not just to give all of the important jobs to the same group of women.Two women who held senior posts at the AA breakdown company are accusing the organisation of sexism after claiming they suffered discrimination when they became pregnant.

Lucy Burnford and Sally Matthews both spoke out against the AA this weekend in exclusive interviews with The Mail on Sunday.

It is not the first time the company has been in the spotlight over an alleged toxic atmosphere.

Battle: Motoriety founder Lucy Burnford was made redundant by the AA

The AAs former executive chairman, Bob Mackenzie, is suing the firm after being sacked for punching a colleague in a Surrey hotel.

He is claiming 225million in damages, claiming the brawl was caused by stress due to the AAs toxic boardroom culture. The AA is vigorously contesting his claims.

The GMB union said it has handled more than 1,000 bullying complaints from AA employees since 2004 when the company was taken over by private equity firms, although not all relate to sexism or gender discrimination.

Burnford, 38, this month launched an employment tribunal case for unfair dismissal and sex discrimination after she was made redundant last July when she was seven months pregnant.

She had sold the company a 50 per cent stake in a car maintenance website called Motoriety, which she had founded. The AA agreed to bankroll the website until it broke even and she became an employee of the joint venture.

Burnford claims AA bosses became hostile when she told them she was pregnant and alleges they subjected her to intense boardroom bullying.

Motoriety subsequently went into administration when the AA refused to loan funds to the business, wiping out Burnfords six-figure investment. Her claim said: The AA... did not think someone who was planning to take time away from the office to have a baby deserved to profit from growth in her employer.

Suing AA: The AAs former executive chairman, Bob Mackenzie

Burnford said: My experience at the AA is not unique. There appears to be a longstanding culture where if you are no longer seen as valuable, you are disposed of.

She is backed by Matthews, a former AA finance executive, who says she was treated unfairly after the birth of her first child.

Matthews left the AA six years ago, moving to Tesco and Unilever and then to her current job as finance chief at food delivery company Gousto. She said she wishes she had spoken out sooner but at the time thought it best to simply move to another job.

Matthews joined the AA in 2004 and was promoted rapidly. By her early 30s she was earning 80,000 plus bonus for running the finance team in its insurance and breakdown divisions. But she alleges she was demoted to a much reduced role after returning from maternity leave in 2010.

She took legal advice and launched internal grievance proceedings, but says she found the process hugely stressful and costly. Matthews says she dropped the claim to safeguard her health when she became pregnant again.

I couldnt fight because the AA seemed to be stringing it out to make it prohibitively expensive.

She added: There were a lot more men than women in senior positions. The culture was old-school and definitely sexist. I can see it still perpetuates.

A spokesman for the AA said: The AA totally refutes any accusations of sexism. Full, fair and proper procedures were followed in line with company policy.

The AA has recently been under fire over its male-dominated board. Lobby group The Investment Association wrote to the company this month warning it could face an investor revolt as just two of its nine directors are female.

Have you experienced sexism or discrimination by the AA? Email business@mailonsunday.co.ukCrowds of onlookers gather at many incidents as police begin their painstaking investigations into crimes

Archived police images give a glimpse of the brutal criminal underworld of Sydney in the 1920s and 1930s

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WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES BELOW

An abandoned abortion clinic, a freak fatality and blood spatter spread through a well-kept empty home - these eerie images capture a glimpse of Sydney's underworld in the early 20th century.

The haunting archived photographs give an insight into what life was like through the eyes of police in Australia's largest city during the first decades of last century.

It was a violent time in Sydney's history, between two world wars, when unemployment was high and respect for the law among many was low.

Cocaine was sold over the counter at chemists and used by dentists but back-alley dealers flourished as well. Bars and pubs were ordered to close at 6pm but 'sly grog' joints traded outside legal hours.

Darlinghurst, Surry Hills, Woolloomooloo and Kings Cross became crime war zones as 'razor gangs' fought to take over inner-city suburbs in the 1920s and 1930s.

Razor gang leaders Tilly Devine and Kate Leigh went head-to-head to assume control over the vice trades.

Pitched battles such as 1929's 'Battle of Blood Alley' in Kings Cross - a 30 minute brawl between two rival gangs armed with guns, razors and clubs - terrified the populace.

The bustling streets of the inner-city we know now filled with cafes and hipster bars is shown in these startling photographs as the scene of murders, backyard abortion clinics and mysterious fires.

A man died at at the end of an alley of a Sydney suburb in the late 1930s. The corpse was found propped up with a bottle next to the dead man and his hat still on

A rare image of an illegal abortion clinic in the late 1930s. It shows a room fitted with a single bed, chair and dresser. The dresser has a bottle on top and various other utensils for surgery

Robbers damaged these safes in a commercial building in the late 1930s. While an attempt has been made to open the safes, which are covered in fingerprint dust, a filing cabinet remains untouched

Claud Tozer (pictured), was a well-known GP on Sydney's north shore. He was shot in the back of the head by his lover in 1920. His lover had gone to visit Tozer to end their affair while under the influence of a narcotic. She shot the doctor and herself

A driver lost control of their vehicle and drove through an overpass barricade, landing on top of a wire covering over a set of train tracks, then coming to rest against a wall

A car is destroyed on the dimly-lit Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1947 after a major accident, the cause of which is unknown

The Strand Arcade in the central business district was left in ruins after a fire ran through the popular shopping spot

A man was found dead in a vacant lot in unknown circumstances in 1933. The image shows dried blood across the dead man's face and his body limp on the grass. An officer looks over the body as a crowd of people gathers to observe the grim scene

A car ploughed into a shopfront at night in the early 1940s on Liverpool Street. Onlookers including a group of sailors inspect the damage

A female murder victim died with her hand draped over her single bed at an apartment block. Her white pillow is covered in blood and her chest appears to be bloodied

The scene of what is believed to have been a domestic confrontation in which there was a violent struggle. Blood spatter covers the dining room's white door

A passerby was killed by falling debris after an awning collapsed in a Sydney suburb. A boy stands by the rubble while a man to the left of the image walks by

Crowds flocked to the scene when a coal truck and tram collided. Men work to put the overturned truck back on it wheels

The contents of a coal truck is sprawled across the tracks of a tram line after the truck and a tramr collided. Onlookers examine the damage

Four men stand at the Town Hall train station air raid shelter. One man is covered in soot while another smokes a cigarette staring at the camera

A man's hat rests near his pillow after he was killed at an unidentified crime scene in the early to mid 1940s. Blood has drenched the white bedding and dripped onto the floor

A body rests across a sandy beach-like track in an unknown location. A group of suited detectives huddles together examining the scene

Police watch closely from an elevated area for illegal ticket sellers - or scalpers - on a busy Sydney street

An accident photographed by police in the early 1940s. A car has been pushed onto its driver's side and stuck between a truck and a brick wall

A glimpse into the kitchen of a home where a murder took place at Hurlstone Park. Everyday utensils hang from the wall

A taxi which hit and killed a pedestrian on a dimly-lit road on Broadway. The fatality happened near the corner of City Road in 1948

A seemingly quiet Liverpool Street near the corner of Riley Street at Darlinghurst in 1936. Darlinghurst was home to a turf war between razor gangs in the 1920s and 1930s

Detectives wearing suits, coats and hats cover their faces with handkerchiefs in this picture taken in 1933

The interior of a Sydney home is shown complete with silk pillows, chairs and a piano in this unknown crime scene

A detective at the scene of an inner-city taxi crash in 1946. The bonnet of the vehicle has been badly dented

A street scene in the late 1940s shows a truck parked in the middle of an alley with a detective and uniformed officer nearbyA convicted killer and Nomads life member has slammed modern-day bikies, saying they prefer to 'buy' new members rather than make them earn their colours.

Mouhamed 'Moudi' Tajjour, 34, made a name for himself after he joined the outlaw motorcycle gang and acted as right-hand man to its national president, his older brother Sleiman.

But Tajjour told Daily Mail Australia the 'good old days' of earning your place inside a bikie club through bare knuckle fights are gone, claiming MCs now choose to simply open their chequebooks and buy 'hard core' members into their club.

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Moudi (right) poses for a photo with fellow two Nomads members - his brother Sleiman (back) and their cousin Michael Ibrahim (front), the brother of Kings Cross nightclub owner John

Tajjour has made headlines in recent months for his volatile marriage to Sanaa Mehajer (left), the younger sister of Salim. The pair have since split and Ms Mehajer has an AVO against him

Fresh faced and without a tattoo in sight, Moudi Tajjour was barely a teenager when he became the youngest ever member of the Nomads MC in the late 1990s.

After leaving school in Year 8, he joined the Nomads as a 'nominee' at the age of just 15 and had to wait 16 months before becoming a fully fledged member.

Since then he's spent four years in prison for manslaughter and more recently made headlines as a result of his volatile marriage to Salim Mehajer's younger sister, Sanaa.

While he's no longer involved in day-to-day gang life, Tajjour told of his disgust at the way some MCs go about their business - claiming they simply open the chequebook to pry members away from rivals.

'It's totally different. These days you get your colours straight away, back in my day it was a minimum 12 months as a nominee,' the heavily-tattooed bikie said.

'I was 15 years old - the youngest bikie to ever join a club - but I was a nominee for 16 months because I kept punching on with members, so my cousin Sam Ibrahim kept taking my colours.

'You'd get put in a circle and have a crack with the boys for a few minutes, and if you didn't drop your guard and fought until you got knocked out, you'd get your colours.

'You'd come into the clubhouse and they'd say: "It's on now, are you sure you want to do this? How much do you want your colours?"... and you'd punch on with hard men, but you'd earn your colours the right way.

Tajjour has slammed modern day bikie gangs for prefering to 'buy' members rather than make them earn their colours. He is pictured walking out of Burwood Local Court last Wednesday

Moudi (left), the national sergeant at arms, pictured alongside brother Sleiman (right), who at the time held the role of president

Moudi (front right) poses with fellow high-ranking members of the Nomads in the mid-2000s

'Now, anyone can join a club. You can be a weak piece of s**t but if you've got a bit of coin you can pay to get into a club. Plus clubs are f**king buying boys its like a sport.'

In a rare photo of his early days as a Nomads member, Moudi is pictured standing in club colours alongside brother Sleiman and their cousin Michael Ibrahim, youngest brother of Kings Cross nightclub owner John.

Moudi is the only one of those in the photo not to currently be in jail or out on bail.

Having spent the best part of the last two decades as part of the Nomads MC, Tajjour said a recent spate of shootings involving rival MCs in Sydney was a bad look.

The assassination death of Tajjour's 'good friend' Mick Hawi in February is the kind of violence that has crept into underworld as a result of a 'new generation' of bikies, he said.

'I've been in the club since I was 15 and now I'm 34 so I've seen the life change a new generation,' Tajjour said.

'There was no rivalry or violence back in the day, there was just respect.

'Don't open in my area obviously but you can come over and we'll welcome you with open hands. We'd invite you to parties, have you over to the clubhouse for dinner.

Tajjour (left) is the cousin of famous Kings Cross nightclub owner John Ibrahim (right)

'Clubs are f**king buying boys its like a sport': Moudi (right) said times have changed since he first joined the Nomads alongside brother Sleiman (left)

Tajjour (front right) poses for a photo in his 'vice president' cut alongside his Nomads mates

'But the new generation, these youngsters, have got a new mentality. They're trigger happy and have no education, and actually think joining a gang means you've got to be the baddest guy in Sydney.

'I'm not going to go and kill someone just because they're part of a different gang.

'We used to ride every weekend. We'd take our sleeping bags out tied onto the front of the bike and sleep on the side of the freeway.

'It's not about riding with your mates or going on a bender, it's all about dramas. You don't ride bikes anymore - it's a f**king joke.'

Late last year, Tajjour and Sleiman stepped down as vice president and president of the Nomads, a role they had held for close to a decade.

As the owner of consulting and wedding motorcycle escorts companies, Tajjour says the demands of his businesses forced him to trade in his vice presidents patch.

With more than 30,000 followers on Instagram, the convicted killer claims his life as a heavily-tattooed convicted killer is over - determined instead to focus on legitimate work.

Tajjour said the assassination shooting of his 'good friend' Mick Hawi (pictured) was a sign of a new breed of violence among bikies

Tajjour (pictured with estranged wife Sanaa Mehajer) told Daily Mail Australia most bikies are now 'all about drama'

'My main focus in life is making money. I don't care about politics and colours, it's not my concern anymore,' Tajjour said.

'I'm not going to be a tough c**t for the rest of my life. I'm going to be old and fragile one day, so I need to put some money away for then.

'I was the national vice president for many years and I thought it's time for someone else to experience that, so Sleiman and I stood down.

'We both said we've been in that position too long and it's not fair for two brothers to be in that position, so let's stand down and give it to someone else.

'Now, my aim is to make enough money to live comfortable for the rest of my life. I'm not the richest man, but I'm not poor.'Russia said on Saturday the United States was trying to fence off Russians with a 'visa wall' after two Bolshoi ballet dancers were refused visas to perform in New York.

The Foreign Ministry expressed regret over the United States' decision to refuse visas to Russian prima ballerina Olga Smirnova and soloist dancer Jacopo Tissi, who were due to perform at a Lincoln Center gala.

'This did not happen even during the Cold War,' the ministry said in a statement on its website.

The Foreign Ministry expressed regret over the United States' decision to refuse visas to Russian prima ballerina Olga Smirnova (right) and soloist dancer Jacopo Tissi (left), who were due to perform at a Lincoln Center gala

'But today, influential forces in the USA, preoccupied with trying to pressure Russia hard, do not stop at anything... They are trying to fence off Americans from Russians with a visa wall, as we've said before, making trips of our citizens to the USA practically impossible,' it said.

Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre said it could not comment because it did not organise the tour and had no information on the visa applications.

Russia said on Saturday the United States was trying to fence off Russians with a 'visa wall' after two Bolshoi ballet dancers were refused visas to perform in New York

Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre said it could not comment because it did not organise the tour and had no information on the visa applications

'Since the work visa was also not issued on time for Jacopo Tissi, an Italian national, we would like to think that this was related to procedural formalities and not to the current political tensions,' its press office said in emailed comments.

The U.S. embassy in Moscow did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

On Friday, Kremlin said the United States was deliberately making it difficult for Aeroflot crews to obtain U.S. visas, after the Russian foreign ministry said it could not rule out the possibility that flights between the two countries might have to be halted because of the situation.A Sydney man has been caught making $1 million in counterfeit $50 notes, despite Australia boasting it has one of the lowest rates of counterfeiting in the world.

Benjamin Gillette-Rothschild, 34, pleaded guilty in the Downing Centre District Court, The Daily Telegraph reports.

How he made the fake notes remains a secret due to the court order, but he boasted the process was so easy he did it all from the comfort of a leather chair.

Can you spot the fake? One of these $50 notes is real, and one of them is not. The genuine bill is at the top, and the fake at the bottom. The fake $50 is more pale, its edges are skewed, has only four stars and the embossing on the window is missing (photo obtained by The Daily Telegraph)

Gillette-Rothschild allegedly used 'fake names' to buy three commercial printers for $80,000, ink, and specialised plastic.

He pleaded guilty to eight charges of making counterfeit money, and was sentenced in February.

The Australian Federal Police arrested him in September 2016, while raiding a house in New South Wales.

According to court documents, he asked four international people to 'get change at retail stores' for $100,000 worth of counterfeit notes, according to the,The Daily Telegraph.

Police however, allegedly intercepted a phone call between two men.

About $850,000 of the fake money (genuine $50 notes pictured) has allegedly been recovered

The other man was given a suspended jail sentence in 2017.

The Reserve Bank of Australia, on its website, boasts Australia has one of the lowest rates of counterfeiting in the world.

'Most people will never see a counterfeit, the website stated.'

'Even so, it is important to be aware of the security features included on Australia's banknotes so you can protect yourself against accepting a counterfeit. It is important to note that counterfeits have no value.'

About $850,000 of the fake money has reportedly been recovered.Former The Bachelor star turned celebrity personal trainer Sam Wood has hit back claims that he and his staff copied a recipe from a fellow fitness fanatic.

The Sunday Telegraph obtained emails from his fitness company '28 By Sam Wood', which revealed it has published similar recipes to those created by Instagram fitness stars Steph Claire Smith and Laura Henshaw for their Keep It Cleaner program.

In leaked emails, one of Sam Wood's staff members allegedly described how she 'went in and downloaded all their good recipes'.

Instagram fitness stars Steph Claire Smith and Laura Henshaw are the minds behind the Keep It Cleaner program

Sam Wood created fitness company 28 By Sam Wood after starring and finding love on the 2015 Australian season of The Bachelor

A shocked Ms Smith said she felt betrayed by Wood, someone she considered a close friend.

'We didn't want to believe it but after seeing the imagery and method and recipes themselves, it's blatantly obvious,' she told the Sunday Telegraph.

'We have never been on his website to look at his recipes.'

28 By Sam Wood costs $49 a month for subscribers.

It has 140,000 Instagram followers and 275,395 Facebook fans compared to Keep It Cleaner's 165,000 Instagram followers and 12,220 Facebook fans.

Launched in 2016, Keep It Cleaner's online program costs $19.50 a month for subscribers.

A shocked Ms Smith (pictured right) said she felt betrayed by Sam Wood, someone she calls a friend after finding out his company has been copying her recipes

Can you spot the difference between the two recipes? Sam Wood's nut cup recipe is right while KIC's is left

Instagram stars Steph Claire Smith and Laura Henshaw began their Keep It Cleaner program in 2016

One of the recipes on both sites is choc nut cups, which first appeared on Keep It Cleaners blog in 2016.

Wood said it was a recipe requested by many of his members.

'Our almond butter nut cups are part of our overall program and were created by our nutritionist and chef,' Mr Wood told the publication.

The star of the 2015 Australian season of The Bachelor admitted he and his staff seek ideas from other high profile fitness fanatics such as Michelle Bridges and British fitness star Joe Wicks.

'It's a competitive industry so naturally we watch our competition, as they watch us.'

28 By Sam Wood costs $49 a month for subscribers. It has 140,000 Instagram followers and 275,395 Facebook fans

Keep It Cleaner's online program costs $19.50 a month for subscribers. It has 165,000 Instagram followers and 12,220 Facebook fansMore than 60 people have been charged with drug offences and three others have been admitted to hospital following a dance party in Sydney.

The 'State of Trance' overnight dance party at Sydney Olympic Park saw more than 12,700 people pile through its doors during the eight-hour festival.

But the notorious festival, which was the scene of a suspected overdose death in 2015, was marred by a series of arrests and suspected drug overdoses.

On-site medical staff treated 45 people with suspected overdoses, a NSW Police spokesman told AAP.

The event's social media page declared its strict policy, writing: 'Symbiotic has a zero tolerance policy regarding the use of illicit substances.'

A State Of Trance #850 took over Sydney Olympic Park in the inner west over night, raging from 9pm April 21 to 5am April 22

However the festival was marred by drug arrests, with 55 people charged for posession

Eight people were charged for supplying drugs including a 20-year-old man who allegedly was found with 150 caps of MDMA, 26 ecstasy tablets and eight grams of cocaine.

A 19-year-old man was charged with drug supply after allegedly being found with 120 MDMA caps while a 23-year-old woman was charged with drug supply after she was allegedly found with 47 MDMA caps.

They are both due in Burwood Local Court on May 10.

Detective Inspector Gus Viera said it 'never ceased to amaze him' how many people ignored the health warnings and took the risk to 'carry illegal drugs into the venue'.

Three men, aged between 18 and 22, were taken to Concord Hospital with a suspected drug overdose.

These men are reported to be in a stable condition on Sunday morning.

One man, 20-year-old, was allegedly found with 150 caps of MDMA, 26 ecstasy tablets and eight grams of cocaine and arrested for supplying drugs

Police were stationed at all entry points and drug detection dogs were constantly sweeping the area.

'Yet people still think they can bring drugs into these functions without being stopped,' Detective Inspector Viera said.

'Poor choices can have serious consequences and we urge all people attending these functions to party safely, look after your friends, and dont risk your health or your good reputation.'

In 2015 a 19-year-old man collapsed and died after attending the festival in Sydney.

At the time, it was revealed the young man had been playing a pill game, Assistant Commissioner Frank Mennilli called the move 'idiotic', according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

The publication also reported that three men died at the Jakarta version of the festival, and another man died the year before at A State Of Trance event in Malaysia, which was a part of Future Music Festival Asia.Its a sight that makes a mockery of Britains drug laws.

As families relaxed in the warm sunshine, thousands of drug users gathered in a Central London park to smoke cannabis  in full view of the police.

Officers stood by in Hyde Park and watched, smiling, as plumes of pungent smoke filled the air.

Revellers, including some teen-agers, lay sprawled on the grass, confident the police would do nothing at the crowded 420 rally, an annual event which calls for the legalisation of cannabis.

One man said: Im not that bothered about being arrested. The police will just take it off us  and weve got more anyway.

There were no arrests at Fridays rally, even though possession of the Class B drug carries a maximum jail sentence of five years.

Revellers, including some teen-agers, lay sprawled on the grass, confident the police would do nothing at the crowded 420 rally, an annual event which calls for the legalisation of cannabis

There were no arrests at Fridays rally, even though possession of the Class B drug carries a maximum jail sentence of five years

The shocking failure to enforce the law comes as The Mail on Sunday today reveals nine out of ten teenagers in drug clinics are being treated for cannabis abuse.

A Met Police spokesman last night defended their lack of action, saying its approach to enforcing drug laws meant [the rally] passed off largely without incident and was no different from any other day.

Their leniency is mirrored by new figures showing the police and courts are increasingly going soft on drugs. The number of proven drug law offenders plummeted to 102,948 in 2016  a fall of a quarter in two years, according to the Focal Point on Drugs report.

Of these, the majority were dealt with outside court, with 41,831 sentenced in court, the rest given a warning or caution. The most common sentence was a fine, meted out to a third, while a fifth were jailed, including 1,009 for possession and 7,459 for trafficking.

The 420 event is believed to have been named after a group of 1970s Californian youngsters who met after school at 4.20pm to smoke marijuana. The day April 20 has since become an informal festival to celebrate the drug.They already boast magnificent architecture, priceless works of art and spectacular grounds.

And now some of Britains grandest stately homes are welcoming a new addition: rescued hedgehogs.

Scores of the creatures are being released into historic estates such as Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, Alnwick Castle in Northumberland, and the late Princess Dianas childhood home at Althorp.

The initiative has been pioneered by the Duke of Marlborough, who last year adopted a batch of 22 from the Andrew Hedgehog Hospital charity for the 12,500 acres of Oxfordshire countryside around 187-room Blenheim Palace.

Scores of hedgehogs are being released into historic estates such as Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, Alnwick Castle in Northumberland

The once-wayward Duke, who battled drug addiction in his youth, is now the patron of the charity that has been rescuing and treating injured or orphaned hedgehogs since 1993.

This year, with his encouragement, a growing number of other stately homes are following suit, with the 13,000-acre Althorp estate in Northamptonshire taking 22 last week. Earl Spencer said that he hoped the grounds where his sister Princess Diana is buried would provide a quiet habitat for the creatures.

Next week, the 3,000 acres around Woburn Abbey in Bedfordshire will take in a similar number.

Frank Tett, the 78-year-old who founded the hospital at his home near Scunthorpe, said the grounds of stately homes were ideal as they provided plentiful foraging and nesting material, privacy for the mammals and an absence of badgers, their main predator.Advertisement

This is the State of the Trance music festival, which drew more than 13,000 revellers overnight.

The 'biggest trance festival in the world' was hosted at Olympic Park in Sydney's west on Saturday night, featuring some of the dance music industry's biggest artists including Armin Van Buuren.

Photos taken at the event, which ran until 5am on Sunday, show revellers in a range of barely-there and eccentric outfits, from women in lingerie and fishnet stockings, to topless men wearing only 'bum bags'.

This group of women posed on a pool ledge in lingerie and fishnet stockings ahead of the festival

With their arms in the air, these three women appeared excited as they geared up for the dance music

Yakiboy (centre) made an appearance! The heavily-tattooed gym junkie was once friends with slain hitman Pasquale Barbaro, but later described him as a 'dog police informant'

Taking a breather: Two women pose with their arms in the air as they take a break from the music outside the event

One particularly well-dressed trio used the festival as an opportunity to showcase the latest fashion trend.

Posing on a pool ledge before the event, the girls waved their arms in the air as they posed in only lingerie with ultra-fashionable fishnet stockings.

The girls also wore matching black and white sneakers on their feet.

Another on-trend festival-goer posted a photo of herself in matching leopard print top and bottoms before she left home for the party.

The woman wore a green two-piece ensemble, paired with bulky high-heeled boots.

Closing her eyes to showcase her incredible green eyeshadow, the young woman posed with her long blonde tresses falling over her shoulders.

Another on-trend festival-goer posted a photo of herself posing in matching leopard print top and bottoms before she left home for the event

The woman wore a green two-piece ensemble, paired with bulky high-heeled boots

The devil in their ear? Two blonds wore devil horns and wings, paired with black singlets

Balancing act: This woman opted to wear her sunglasses as she posed for a photo while simultaneously dancing to the beat

This group of four women posed with their arms around each other as they enjoyed the music

Matching! These two girls wore almost the exact same outfit; a bralette paired with navy leggings and a navy jacket tied around their waste

Make-up or mask? One woman stunned with skeleton inspired make-up across her face as she stood with her friend at the event

Sky high: This woman appeared to be over the moon with excitement as she sat on her friend's shoulders

When the festival kicked off at 7pm, Instagram was hit with hoards of photos of scantily-clad revellers.

A group of three men were seen flexing their biceps for a photo inside the event, with one man appearing to wear nothing on his top-half except for a face mask.

A second man, wearing shorts and a bag strapped across his body, appeared to be the only one smiling as he posed for the group snap.

The two men posed with heavily-tattooed Instagram-famous gym junkie, Yakiboy.

Yakiboy, who describes himself as a 'Muslim Shia soldier', was close friends with underworld kingpin Pasquale Barbaro, who was shot in the head by two hooded hitmen in south-west Sydney in 2016.

Yakiboy parted ways with Barbaro before the underworld figure was shot dead, with Yakiboy describing his former friend as a 'dog' and accusing him of being a police informant.

Yakiboy has denied having any involvement with outlaw motorcycle gangs.

This happy woman smiled for the camera as her friend planted a kiss on her cheek

This man is seen sitting on his mate's shoulders to get a better view of the stage

Surrounded by dancing punters, this girl put her friend on her shoulders so she could get a better view of the stage

Other photos showed revellers enjoying the music as they danced in the massive mosh pit.

One photo shows a woman on the shoulders of her friend, both with their arms in the air as others raved around them.

In a series of snaps to come from inside the event, music legend Avicii appeared to be celebrated, with his face plastered across the big screen.

DJ Avicii, whose real name is Tim Birling, died at the age of 28 on Friday.

Festival organisers took to the event's Facebook page on Saturday to pay tribute to Avicii, who was a big name in the dance music industry.

'The news of Avicii's passing has hit us hard. We would like to express our sympathy and offer our condolences to his family,' they said.

'The world of electronic dance music won't be the same without him.'

In a series of snaps to come out of the event, music legend Avicii appeared to be celebrated on the big screenBake Off star Nadiya Hussain has branded Theresa May a monster and a threat over her decision to order air strikes in Syria.

The star blasted Mrs May in a tweet just hours after the Prime Minister spoke in defence of the UKs military action with France and the United States a week ago following chemical attacks by the Syrian regime.

Ms Hussain wrote: This woman [Mrs May] is the threat. We must take a stand and defend ourselves from these monsters that call themselves leaders.

It is believed Ms Hussain  one of six children born to Bangladeshi parents in Luton  posted the tweet shortly after the Prime Minister publicly defended the missile strikes.

Ms Hussain wrote: This woman [Mrs May] is the threat. We must take a stand and defend ourselves from these monsters that call themselves leaders

Ms Hussain, 33, a Muslim mother-of-three who is one of the BBCs biggest stars, deleted the tweet shortly afterwards.

Ms Hussains comments are likely to shock many of her fans and may also be at odds with BBC guidelines that limit the extent to which its stars and presenters can comment on political issues.

Tory MP Andrew Bridgen last night slammed Ms Hussain, saying: Nadiya Hussain is very fortunate in that she lives in an open, free, democratic country. As such, she is entitled to hold whatever views she wishes, however misguided and offensive, on all issues including Government policies.

However, given she works for our impartial taxpayer-funded national broadcaster, I am unsurprised she thought better of her bizarre tweet and deleted it.

I believe her comments were not only extremely unwise, given her position, they were also wrong. Surely the monsters were the people who authorised and carried out the horrific gas attack against innocent women and children in Douma?

Ms Hussain, who shot to fame when she won the BBCs The Great British Bake Off in 2015, has posted several tweets about Syria. In one, she said: Fighting fire with fire can never be the answer. It aggravates an already volatile situation. How do we help as a country?

In another, she said: Is it just me, or is anyone else trying to convince their children that there wont be a World War 3.

Ms Hussain has become something of a national treasure. She baked a cake for the Queens 90th birthday and has been named as one of the most influential women in Britain. But her latest tirade will embarrass BBC bosses. In the past two years, she has presented several shows for the broadcaster such as The Chronicles Of Nadiya and Nadiyas British Food Adventure. She also co-hosted The Big Family Cooking Showdown.

BBC editorial guidelines on the use of social media state: Personal use of the internet by BBC staff must be tempered by an awareness of the potential conflicts that may arise On social networking sites, you should be mindful that the information you disclose does not bring the BBC into disrepute Non editorial staff should make their role clear if they wish to engage in political activity.

A BBC spokesman last night insisted: Nadiya Hussain is not a BBC staff member and her personal social media accounts are not connected to her work as a BBC presenter. A spokesman for Ms Hussain said: As a food and travel presenter, Nadiya is not in breach of BBC guidelines.British intelligence investigating the Salisbury poisonings have identified a Russian assassin who could be behind the attack.

Codenamed 'Gordon', the 54-year-old former FSB spy is thought to use the cover name Mihails Savickis and two other aliases.

However, police fear the suspect has already travelled back to Russia and may never be brought to justice.

British authorities believe there were six agents acting in the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.

Codenamed 'Gordon', the 54-year-old former FSB spy is thought to use the cover name Mihails Savickis and two other aliases

Toxic trace amounts of the Novichok poison is believed to have been administered in liquid form to target Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33

The attempted assassins, thought to be now residing in Russia, targeted former double agent Skripal and smeared the chemical nerve agent Novichok - in liquid form - on the front door of his home in Wiltshire, Salisbury, authorities believe.

Counter-terrorism police are building a case against 'persons of interest', The Daily Telegraph reports.

It is understood that analysis of flight records in and out of the UK has provided officers with specific names connected to the case.

While police have also referred to CCTV footage in Salisbury and trawled car number plate recognition cameras.

But police fear they will hit a diplomatic brick wall in trying to interview, or at a later date, prosecute the suspects.

The revelations come following a report by experts at the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) confirmed Britain's analysis that the attack on the Skripals in Salisbury on March 4 was conducted with the nerve agent Novichok.

Yet Alexander Yakovenko said the details of the OPCW gave Russia cause for concern.

Alexander Yakovenko said the details of the OPCW gave Russia cause for concern. Pictured: Alexander Yakovenko speaking at a news conference at the Russian Embassy in London

The OPCW reported that the Novichok contained in blood samples from the victims showed little sign of decomposition, even though the agent would normally be expected to react with naturally-occurring chemicals inside the body, he said.

'This is strange, given that 18 days passed between the poisoning and the arrival of the OPCW in the UK,' said Mr Yakovenko.

'It might mean that the chemical was intentionally injected just before the blood samples were taken.'

He claimed that the speed with which the chemical was identified after the attack suggested the UK already had its own samples.

Referring to the Government's defence research establishment at Porton Down, he said: 'We know what kind of laboratory is only 10 miles from Salisbury.'

Mr Yakovenko challenged the independence of the OPCW investigation, saying that it had been arranged on a bilateral basis with the UK rather than under the standard practices set out in the Chemical Weapons Convention.

He said: 'The work of the OPCW experts was conducted under the control of the British side. Pressure on them can't be ruled out.

'They checked only the sites designated by the UK beforehand and they looked only for the substance identified by the UK.

'The format chosen cannot guarantee impartiality and the comprehensive nature of the verification.'

Russia would not take the report's conclusions at face value unless it was given full access to the victims and to the materials gathered in the investigation, he said.

He doubled-down on Russia's demands the meet the former spy and his daughter, claiming the UK's failure to grant access to meant the case should be seen as 'an abduction of two Russian citizens'.

Defra today announced that there are nine sites which remain cordoned off following the nerve agent attack

It comes after dangerous levels of the potentially lethal nerve agent used to target the pair may still be present in 'hot spots' around Salisbury, Government scientists warned yesterday.

Work has begun to decontaminate nine sites across the city where experts believe the substance could still be present, in a multi-million pound operation that could take months.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), local council officials, police and health representatives updated locals on the progress being made on Thursday evening.

When quizzed as to whether the chemical remains at the same 'lethal' dosage as the day it was put on Mr Skripal's door, Defra chief scientist Ian Boyd said: ' We have to make an assumption that in certain circumstances there will be relatively high concentrations, probably in very, very specific locations, which could be at levels that could be toxic to individuals.'

'That's an assumption, it's also one we've tested in some circumstances and we do know that there are hot spots like that around, so we have to make those assumptions that some of the hot spots we've still got to find.

'But those hot spots will still be in the locations we are talking about.

'In these locations, there may well be higher concentrations that we still have to find, but we already know there are some high concentrations within those locations.'

The meeting was held as work began to replace the police cordon around the Maltings area in the city centre, the nearby Zizzi restaurant and the Mill pub with more robust hoardings.

Members of the emergency services in green biohazard at the scene in Salisbury

It is believed liquid form of the poison was left on the door of the Skripal's flat. Pictured: Door of the flat that Yulia Skripal and Stepan Vikeev rented before Yulia traveled to UK

Army officers remove the bench, where Sergei Skripal and his daughter were found in Salisbury

Nine sites are STILL potentially contaminated 1. Zizzi 2. The Maltings shopping centre 3. Ashley Wood Compound 4. The Mill pub 5. Bourne Hill police station 6. Salisbury ambulance station 7. Amesbury ambulance station 8. The home of police officer Nick Bailey 9. The home of Sergei Skripal Advertisement

Locals were told the Bourne Hill building, housing Salisbury's police station as well as Wiltshire council's offices will close for up to eight weeks from Friday.

Decontamination work will focus on the evidence room and two lockers inside the police station, which were sealed off following the attack on March 4.

The decontamination work will focus on the evidence room and two lockers inside the station, which were sealed off after the March 4 attack.

Deputy Chief Constable Paul Mills from Wiltshire Police said it would be 'business as usual' as operations move to other sites in and around the city.

Other areas earmarked for chemical cleaning include two ambulance stations, a car compound and the home of poisoned police officer Nick Bailey.

Mr Skripal's home, which is still part of the police investigation, will be the last to be decontaminated.Dale Winton died of a broken heart after he was dumped by toyboy hairdresser 20 years younger than him, his friends have claimed.

Friends of the TV legend have said Dale was dumped just after flying him from the US over to the UK to meet Elton John.

They told the Sun that he struggled to cope with the split and his health deteriorated.

John Grant, who lived near the Supermarket Sweep star in Sarasota, Florida, said: 'The depression over the split was going on for years.

'Dale said it took everything out of him. He must have been heavily in love with this person.

A neighbour who lived near the Supermarket Sweep star in Sarasota, Florida, said Dale Winton (pictured on Dale Winton's Florida Fly Drive) died of a broken heart

Friends of the TV legend have said Dale was dumped just after flying him from the US over to the UK to meet Elton John (pictured: Dale and another friend in Florida Fly Drive)

'He would say that he couldn't have fun anymore and that the break-up had got him all f***** up.

'Sometimes he would say he was fabulous, but you could see inside that he wasn't. The broken heart was killing him for a long time.'

Winton, who died on Wednesday, had recently sold his grand townhouse in Regent's Park in central London and moved out on March 23 to the suburbs.

He rented a five-bedroom, semi-detached house in Whetstone, 10-miles north, which backs on to a park and is set just off the busy High Road opposite a bus stop.

The presenter's silver Range Rover  complete with personalised number plate  remains on the driveway beyond the property's locked gates.

Although a far cry from the glitz and glamour of central London, Winton had started making Whetstone his home.

Another neighbour, Mark Collins, told the Sun: 'He flew the guy to London and they had lunch with Elton. When they came back he kind of dumped him. He just said: "Goodbye Dale".

'Dale went into a tailspin on that one. This was a couple of years ago. He was really upset.'

Police were called to Dale's home just after 4pm on Wednesday and are at this stage treating his death as unexplained but not suspicious.

Neighbours have said three ambulance first responder cars and an ambulance also attended.

Two years before his death Dale admitted on Loose Women that hed become depressed after a bad split.

He said: 'It was triggered by a very bad break-up. God, I cant half pick em!'Beefed up security measures including crowd control, bag checks and new vehicle blockers will be deployed across Sydney for this year's Anzac Day commemorations.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to attend Anzac Day events across the city on Wednesday, with NSW Counter Terrorism Minister David Elliott saying there is no specific threat and the measures are in place to ensure the community felt safe.

'The Anzac Day march covers a significant part of the Sydney CBD attracting thousands of people and increased security measures need to be in place to ensure the safety of both marchers and spectators,' he said in a statement on Sunday.

Beefed up security measures including crowd control, bag checks and new vehicle blockers will be deployed across Sydney for this year's Anzac Day commemorations

NSW Counter Terrorism Minister David Elliott saying there is no specific threat and the measures are in place to ensure the community felt safe

The new vehicle blockers are being trialled for major events like Anzac Day and at other locations across Sydney's CBD as part of the NSW government's commitment to public protection, Mr Elliott says.

Crowds attending Anzac Day events in the city are being told to plan their trip and allow extra time for bag checks.

People are urged to avoid driving and instead use the additional public transport services with extensive road closures in place from 2.30am to 4pm.

The new vehicle blockers are being trialled for major events like Anzac Day and at other locations across Sydney's CBD as part of the NSW government's commitment to public protection

Crowds attending Anzac Day events in the city are being told to plan their trip and allow extra time for bag checks

Transport NSW are encouraging motorists to avoid any unnecessary travel through the Sydney CBD while traffic closures are in place.

Pedestrian crossings will be monitored at preset pints along the parade route on Elizabeth Street through underground access at the Museum station on Liverpool Street.

Free public transport is also being offered to veterans and their families.

The Dawn Service will begin at 4.30am at the Cenotaph on Martin Place and the Anzac Day March will begin at 9am.

The start point for the March is the intersection of Elizabeth Street and Martin Place.Police are to drop their controversial policy of automatically believing anyone who reports a crime, it can be revealed.

A top-level report obtained by The Mail on Sunday says official guidance should be changed to tell detectives they must listen to victims and take them seriously  but not automatically assume they are telling the truth.

The dramatic move follows a series of flawed inquiries based on false allegations that left dozens of innocent people's lives and reputations destroyed, including high-profile figures such as pop legend Sir Cliff Richard and DJ Paul Gambaccini.

Former minister David Mellor, pictured, said the policy of automatic belief 'invites time wasters and it is an invitation to cranks to come forward with ridiculous claims'

In the most notorious case, Scotland Yard wrongly described as 'credible and true' a fantasist's lurid claims of a VIP sex abuse ring in Westminster involving former Home Secretary Lord Brittan, war hero Lord Bramall and ex-Tory MP Harvey Proctor.

The U-turn has been drawn up by the College of Policing, which sets national standards, and after being considered by chief constables last week it will be sent to Home Office Ministers to become official policy.

Last night, former Police Minister David Mellor, who served under Leon Brittan, told the MoS: 'It's been obvious for years that the policy of automatic belief invites time-wasters and it's an invitation to cranks to come forward with ludicrous allegations.

'Plainly if someone complains of a crime, that has got to be looked at, but the idea police should assume they're telling the truth invites dreadful injustice. It meant a distinguished public servant like Leon Brittan went to his grave thinking his reputation had been trashed by an individual who retains his anonymity.'

The new policy has been introduced by Robert Beckley, pictured, who wrote a report for the College of Policing

However, the change will be fiercely opposed by some campaigners who say it will deter genuine rape victims from coming forward, for fear they will be disbelieved or ignored.

The report was written by Assistant Commissioner Rob Beckley  currently in charge of the new Hillsborough investigation  in a bid to end years of dispute over how police should approach crime investigations, particularly allegations of rape and historical abuse where little forensic evidence exists.

Savile scandal let police to change their tactics TV star and DJ Jimmy Savile had long been the subject of dark rumours  but died in 2011 without a conviction to his name. It only emerged after his death at the age of 84 that he had used his fame and power to abuse hundreds of children and young women with impunity throughout his life. Police changed their policies as a result of the fall out of the Jimmy Savile scandal Savile, pictured, had in fact been investigated by several police forces while alive but none had taken the claims against him seriously and in some cases had even warned people off making complaints. There were also concerns that even in cases not involving high-profile figures, detectives had too much discretion to write off allegations rather than recording them as crimes, while victims felt that their accounts were interrogated too harshly. Fearful of accusations that other predators could escape justice and that genuine victims were being ignored, police began taking all claims of sex abuse more seriously. In 2015, it was then written into Home Office rules for recording crime that: 'The intention is that victims are believed.' Latest figures show that since 2014, some 5,740 people have come forward to make allegations of historic abuse to police, naming 4,801 suspects including dozens of celebrities, politicians and sportsmen. But in some cases, it became apparent innocent people were being wrongly impugned because claims against them were not properly scrutinised. Advertisement

After the Jimmy Savile scandal, it was widely accepted that police had not taken seriously many rape claims, particularly those made against the rich and famous, and had too much power to decide whether or not allegations should be investigated. So in 2014 the HM Inspectorate of Constabulary declared 'the presumption that the victim should always be believed should be institutionalised'.

This led the following year to the Home Office writing into its rules on recording crime: 'The intention is that victims are believed.'

Then in 2016, the head of the College of Policing wrote to all forces: 'At the point when someone makes an allegation of crime, the police should believe the account given and a crime report should be completed.'

But the policy fell into disrepute as more and more people began reporting alleged sex abuse by prominent people, many of them elderly or dead.

The Metropolitan Police spent 2.5 million on Operation Midland, an investigation into alleged child abuse and murder carried out by leading politicians and military figures  based entirely on the claims of a fantasist known only as Nick.

When the case collapsed, retired judge Sir Richard Henriques carried out a review and concluded that 'the instruction to believe a victim's account should cease'.

And now, in a report seen by this newspaper, the College of Policing has agreed to change the terminology used.

It found that police should be open-minded and impartial and that automatically believing victims could 'undermine' the investigative process by not being fair to all.

However, the report was adamant that police should not take a 'disbelieving stance' as this would damage the confidence of anyone thinking of coming forward.

It concluded that the college should 'propose a change removing the word 'believe' but reinforce that fact that any crime will be treated seriously'.

It also concluded, however, that police should keep using the term 'victim' instead of 'complainant'.

Angela Rafferty QC, chairman of the Criminal Bar Association, said last night: 'Recalibrating the approach of the police from automatically believing to listening and taking seriously will better ensure the police carefully and dispassionately investigate and pursue all relevant inquiries.'

A College of Policing spokesman said: 'The police service has worked closely with others in the criminal justice process to build confidence of victims to come forward and report allegations of crime.

'When they do so, it is vital that they are received with empathy, feel supported and that their allegation has been taken seriously, to ensure the public's confidence in reporting crime continues to improve.

'The role of investigators is then to keep an open mind and carry out a full and impartial investigation, to prove or disprove allegations.

'The College of Policing is currently considering the outcome of a review into the terminology used to guide police when an allegation of crime is made, which is set out in Home Office crime counting rules.

'This was discussed at a Chief Constables' Council meeting on 18 April and the College will now consider the views expressed, alongside other feedback from policing, before taking any further action.'

The change of policy which is too late for these men... Sir Cliff Richard faced claims he had molested a 16-year-old boy in 1985 SIR CLIFF RICHARD: It was only when the BBC broadcast a raid on his Berkshire mansion that the singer learned he faced claims he had molested a 16-year-old boy at a Christian rally in 1985. After a two-year inquiry, the CPS said there was 'insufficient evidence' to charge him. Paul Gambaccini, pictured, was arrested by Operation Yewtree over allegations involving two underage boys which were later dropped PAUL GAMBACCINI: The US-born DJ was arrested by Operation Yewtree over allegations against two underage boys. He was left on bail for a year, claiming he was used as 'human flypaper' by police to attract other complainants, before being told he would not face charges. Leon Brittan had been the subject of lurid and incorrect rumours that he had been involved in a VIP child abuse ring LORD BRITTAN: The former Home Secretary had long been the subject of lurid false rumours and the Met searched his homes in 2015 after he was wrongly linked to an alleged VIP abuse ring. He died before learning he would not be charged, with his widow receiving an apology and compensation. Lord Bramall was dragged into the Operation Midland investigation after false allegations were made against him LORD BRAMALL: A decorated D-Day veteran who became Chief of the Defence Staff, Lord Bramall was 91 when he was falsely accused of being part of a Westminster paedophile ring by Operation Midland. He had to wait ten months before he was cleared. He also received an apology. Advertisement

Fantasist's lies cost my my job, my home... and nearly my life: Former Tory MP HARVEY PROCTOR hails 'long overdue' policy change after falling victim to false allegations of murder and sex abuse

Former Tory MP Harvey Proctor has praised the plan to change police policy when investigating allegations of sex abuse

It's been long overdue. Now at last comes recognition that the original policy of believing anyone who reports a crime

was wrong. This was a cruel inversion of justice that had devastating consequences for me and so many others.

I was a suspect, having been accused falsely in 2015 of child serial murders and child sexual abuse and torture by a man known only as 'Nick'.

As a result of the Metropolitan Police Service automatically believing their star witness and his heinous allegations against me and others, including Field Marshal Lord Bramall, I lost my job, my home and 28 years of my rehabilitation from earlier tribulations were demolished.

I came close to losing my life by my own hand in despair at these foul allegations being believed by the head of Operation Midland, Detective Superintendent Kenny McDonald.

He claimed that Nick's allegations were 'credible and true' before his investigation had started, and the creme de la creme of the Met's homicide and sexual abuse detectives concurred.

It started with Jimmy Savile  after that the police were concerned that they might make further errors, so they came to the conclusion that they would believe everyone.

That didn't matter until a fraudulent person came forward and made a number of outrageous allegations against various prominent people and me. And even that wouldn't have mattered if the police had questioned his claims, but instead they automatically believed him.

It is my view that this new report by the College of Policing reveals for the first time that Nick gave five differing accounts to police over six months, raising the question as to which one they should believe.

My hunch is that they believed the most outrageous one, to put themselves politically in the right. If the complainant makes different allegations at different times, it places the police in an impossible position  but one of their own making.

However, it should have alerted any sensible investigator to the problems with Nick.

They were warned but they took no notice because they wanted to believe him.

Eventually the then Met Commissioner, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, went on TV and said we were innocent and he apologised to me in person.

But he didn't take personal responsibility  he should have resigned. This review by the College of Policing is clear on the policy of 'belief', and the change should be welcomed.

But I remain disappointed that the review has not accepted the sugestion that the word 'victim' should be ditched in favour of 'complainant'  derived from the French 'to lament' which I believe would be would be a far more appropriate term for those making historic claims.

In addition, Parliament should reinstate in law the English tradition of 'innocence before being found guilty' which has been trashed in recent years by certain sections of the police, the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Home Secretary, MPs, magistrates and the courts themselves.

It is too late for me but other innocent people should not be placed in the same invidious position to which I was subjected.When their new dog ran off at the start of a walk, the Campbell family hoped catching him would be a quick and easy enough task.

Seven months on, the hunt for their runaway pet has become a quest of epic proportions involving everything from remote wildlife cameras to traps baited with sardines and old T-shirts.

The Campbells rehomed the German shepherd cross  calling him Drogo after a character in TVs Game of Thrones  from a rescue centre in Bosnia last year after seeing an advertisement online.

German Shepherd rescue dog Drogo, pictured, bolted away from his owner in September and is still on the loose

The year-old dog went to live with them on the Isle of Arran, but escaped from their car in September.

Since then, they have gone to ever more elaborate lengths to get him home. After basic searching and calling failed, they tried to lure with him treats such as sirloin steak and butchers sausages.

They also tried enticing him with scent from a bitch in heat and even with unwashed clothes worn by his favourite member of staff from the rescue centre.

The Campbells then adopted Drogos sister from Bosnia, to see if a family bond would bring him home.

Meanwhile, Drogo has roamed the island, living wild, even through the harsh Scottish winter.

Although he has evaded capture, the Campbells know he is alive and well. As well as sightings from across Arran he has been seen on a network of wildlife cameras installed by the family.

Yesterday they pledged to keep trying to find their missing pet.

Paramedic Emma Campbell, 43, says that they have tried to tempt their pet back with sirloin steak and a bitch in heat but had no luck

Emma Campbell, 43, said: Hes a local celebrity. Everyone knows about this dog.

Paramedic Mrs Campbell and her husband Alan, 50, a roughcaster, have two children, Shaila, eight, and Gordon, five.

The family, from Lamlash on the east coast of the island, rehomed Drogo as a replacement for their beloved dog, Bubba, who had died.

When Drogo arrived, he was extremely nervous. Mr Campbell said: Hes a lovely big dog. He never snarled, never bit anyone. But he was just so nervous.

Mrs Campbell said: I spoke to a specialist dog trainer, did research on how to settle him in, and stayed in touch with the rescuers in Bosnia. We got him toys, bowls, leads and a harness.

Four weeks later, Drogo bolted on his first proper walk.

Mrs Campbell said: He just panicked, knocked the lead out of my hand, and bolted. I did the wrong thing, and ran about trying to catch him. I now know youre meant to crouch down and be quiet.

The dog is named after Game of Thrones character Khal Drogo, pictured, who is played by Jason Momoa

We searched for hours. My friend put a post on Facebook and within hours the community rushed to help.

'We had 20 or 30 people out with dog treats looking for him in the first few weeks. But we were told he had gone into survival mode, wild mode, and he would just think everyone was a predator.

Drogo has been spotted across the island, which is 20 miles long and ten miles wide.

Following expert advice, the family have moved traps and cameras to each new location.

Mrs Campbell added: Its been crazy. After one sighting my friend Janis and I, and her dog, were sitting in Brodick graveyard for nearly an hour. We were going, What the hell are we doing? Were sitting in a graveyard with a bag of hot dogs.

In September, missing dogs charity Harveys Army lent the family a cage trap. Baited with sardines, it was also fitted with cameras.

In October, Julia Bate-Poxon, who runs the Bosnian shelter, sent a parcel.

Mrs Campbell said: Julia wore a couple of T-shirts constantly for three or four days. She sent them over with the scent on them.

We put them in the traps, but a dog behaviourist said to also tie them in high places so the scent went further. By this time, Harveys Army had fundraised for six extra cameras.

'Every time there was a sighting we went out and set them up. It took hours. We did it constantly for months.

In December, the family even rehomed Goldie, Drogos sister, hoping that would lure their pet back.

They know that Drogo has settled in the south of the island but now face a race against time  before lambing season begins in earnest.Nabi Tajima, who held the title of world's oldest living person for seven months, died at the age of 117 in a hospital on Saturday evening in the town of Kikai in southern Japan

A Japanese woman who held the title of world's oldest living person for seven months has died.

Nabi Tajima died at the age of 117 in a hospital on Saturday evening in the town of Kikai in southern Japan, town official Susumu Yoshiyuki confirmed.

She died of old age, after having been hospitalized since January, as the third oldest person ever to have lived, according to modern standards of evaluation.

Tajima had seven sons and two daughters, who gave her more than 160 descendants.

Tajima became the world's oldest living person in September, after the death of Jamaica's Violet Brown, who also lived to the age of 117.

Video that aired on Japanese television showed Tajima moving her hands to the beat of music played on traditional Japanese instruments at a ceremony to mark the achievement.

Tajima is seen here (center) with Kagoshima Prefecture Governor Satoshi Mitazono (left) and family members during the 'Respect-For-Aged' Day celebration at a special nursing home on September 18 in Kikai, Kagoshima, Japan

The age of 117 has appeared to be a pattern for individuals living the longest, to date.

Prior to Tajima and Brown, Guinness World Records had named Emma Martina Luigia Morano of Vercelli, Italy, the world's oldest living woman, and also person, until her death at the age of 117, whichGuinness learned of and shared in article dated April 15, 2017.

Born on November 29, 1899, Morano was the last known person to die who was born in the 19th century.

Her record, which she held for just under one year, was verified before her death by Gerontology Research Group, which is a US-based company.

That same organization has now said that another Japanese woman, Chiyo Miyako, is the world's oldest living person in its records.

Yoshida lives south of Tokyo in Kanagawa prefecture, and is due to turn 117 in 10 days.

Video that aired on Japanese television showed Tajima moving her hands to the beat of music played on traditional Japanese instruments at a ceremony to mark the achievement

Prior to Tajima and Brown, Guinness World Records had named Emma Martina Luigia Morano of Vercelli, Italy, the world's oldest living person, and the world's oldest living woman, until her death at the age of 117, which Guinness learned of and shared in article dated April 15, 2017

Guinness certified 112-year-old Masazo Nonaka of northern Japan as the world's oldest living man earlier this month.

The record-keeping organization was planning to formally recognize Tajima as the world's oldest living person, before her passing.

Tajima was born on August 4, 1900, making her exactly 117 years, 260 days old when she died.

She reportedly had more than 160 descendants, including great-great-great grandchildren.

Her town of Kikai is in Kagoshima prefecture on Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan's four main islands.

Tajima's passing marks her as the third oldest person ever to have lived, according to modern record keeping, behind Jeanne Calment and Sarah Knauss.

Knauss, born Sarah DeRemer Clark on September 24, 1880, died on December 30, 1999 in Allentown, Pennsylvania at 119 years, 97 days old.

Calment, born on February 21, 1875, was 122 years, 164 days old when she died on August 4, 1997 in Alres, France.



The visit will be made at the invitation of National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, announced the NAs Committee for External Affairs.

Vietnam and Sri Lanka established diplomatic relations in 1970. The two countries are targeting USD1 billion in two-way trade in 2020./.President Donald Trump has doubled down on his insistence that former FBI Director James Comey broke the law by leaking memos about their interactions before Trump fired him.

'James Comeys Memos are Classified, I did not Declassify them. They belong to our Government! Therefore, he broke the law!' Trump wrote on Twitter on Saturday afternoon.

'Additionally, he totally made up many of the things he said I said, and he is already a proven liar and leaker. Where are Memos on Clinton, Lynch & others?' Trump continued.

Trump also quoted a Friday report from the Wall Street Journal, which said two of the four memos that Comey shared with a friend last year were classified.

Trump doubled down on his insistence that former FBI Director James Comey (right) broke the law by leaking memos about their interactions

The Department of Justice's internal watchdog is investigating Comey for leaking the memos, the newspaper reported.

The revelation prompted a tweet from the president, who hinted that the leak delegitimized Special Counsel Rober Mueller, who was appointed in response to the Comey memos.

Trump, suggesting that the probe undermined the ongoing Special Counsel investigation into his campaign and administration's alleged links with Russia, said: James Comey illegally leaked classified documents to the press in order to generate a Special Council[sic]?

Therefore, the Special Council [sic] was established based on an illegal act? Really, does everybody know what that means?

The leaked memos contained Comey's contemporaneous claim that in February, Trump asked him to end an investigation into his former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn who resigned after lying to the FBI about his contact with Russian officials.

Trump was most likely referring to a report in The Wall Street Journal on Friday about a review of Comeys memos by the Department of Justices internal watchdog.

Trump tweeted late Friday: James Comey illegally leaked classified documents to the press in order to generate a Special Council[sic]? Therefore, the Special Council [sic] was established based on an illegal act? Really, does everybody know what that means?

Comey has said that he leaked the memos after he was fired by Trump he felt a duty as a private citizen to ensure that a Special Counsel be named to continue the investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 elections. Mueller is seen in the image above

Two of the memos that Comey wrote and then gave to a friend from outside of the government contained classified information, according to the Journal.

In one memo, Comey redacted the parts that he knew to be classified before he gave them to a friend.

But the second memo is said to have information that was later upgraded to confidential - the lowest level of classification.

Those memos are now being reviewed by the inspector general of the Department of Justice.

Comey has said that he leaked the memos after he was fired by Trump as head of the FBI because he felt a duty as a private citizen to ensure that a Special Counsel be named to continue the investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 elections.

Comey gave four memos to Daniel Richman, a former federal prosecutor and a professor at Columbia Law School.

Of the four memos, three were not classified at the time and one did have classified information that Comey himself redacted.

An FBI director has the power to determine what information is regarded as classified and what is not.

But once Comey became a private citizen, the FBI is legally authorized to determine what counts as classified information.

Sometime after Comeys firing, the FBI upgraded the classification of the memos.

Besides Richman, the inspector general has also interviewed other associates of Comey's from outside of the FBI who may have also received copies of memos, CNN is reporting late Friday.

Trumps tweet late Friday appears to be an attempt by the president to use the new review by the inspector general as a rationale for firing Mueller.

Trump has denied reports that he privately refers to Attorney General Jeff Sessions (right) as 'Mr Magoo', a bumbling elderly myopic cartoon character (left)

Trump also denied calling Rod Rosenstein (right) Mister Peepers (left) a meek high school teacher who often inadvertently landed himself in embarrassing situations

On Wednesday, Trump refused to say whether he planned to fire Mueller and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, as he's been reportedly wanting to do.

Rosenstein is overseeing the Russia investigation after his boss, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, recused himself.

On Saturday, Trump denied reports in the Washington Post that he privately calls Sessions 'Mr Magoo' and Rosenstein 'Mister Peepers'.

Mr Magoo is a bumbling elderly myopic cartoon character. Mister Peepers was a character from a 1950s sitcom, a meek high school teacher who often inadvertently landed himself in embarrassing situations.

On Thursday, Trump tweeted that the newly released memos written by Comey vindicate him.

James Comey Memos just out and show clearly that there was NO COLLUSION and NO OBSTRUCTION, the president tweeted.

Also, he leaked classified information. WOW! Will the Witch Hunt continue?

It has been alleged that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia during the 2016 elections  allegations that are being investigated by Mueller.

Trump fired Comey as FBI director last year.

Investigators want to know if the presidents dismissal of Comey was aimed at derailing the investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 elections  an act that could be construed as obstruction of justice.

Trump has denied there was any collusion with Russia.

Trump tweeted late Thursday that the newly released memos written by fired FBI Director James Comey vindicate him

Comey has said he was fired by Trump after the president told him he wanted the 'cloud' of the Russia investigation removed.

In a series of startlingly candid conversations, Trump told former FBI Director James Comey that he had serious concerns about the judgment of a top adviser, asked about the possibility of jailing journalists and described a boast from Vladimir Putin about Russia prostitutes, according to Comey's notes of the talks obtained by The Associated Press on Thursday night.

The 15 pages of documents contain new details about a series of interactions with Trump that Comey found so unnerving that he chose to document them in writing.

Those seven encounters in the weeks and months before Comey's May 2017 firing include a Trump Tower discussion about a possible encounter between Trump and prostitutes in Moscow; a White House dinner at which Comey says Trump asked him for his loyalty; and a private Oval Office discussion where the ex-FBI head says the president asked him to end an investigation into Michael Flynn, the former White House national security adviser.

The documents had been eagerly anticipated since their existence was first revealed last year, especially since Comey's interactions with Trump are a critical part of Mueller's investigation into whether the president sought to obstruct justice.

In explaining the purpose of creating the memos, which have been provided to Mueller, Comey has said he 'knew there might come a day when I would need a record of what had happened' to defend not only himself but the FBI as well.

The memos cover the first three months of the Trump administration, a period of upheaval marked by staff turnover, a cascade of damaging headlines and revelations of an FBI investigation into potential ties between the Trump campaign and Russia.

The documents reflect Trump's uneasiness about that investigation, though not always in ways that Comey seemed to anticipate.

In a February 2017 conversation, for instance, Trump told Comey how Putin told him, 'we have some of the most beautiful hookers in the world' even as he adamantly, and repeatedly, distanced himself from a salacious allegation concerning him and prostitutes in Moscow, according to one memo.

In another memo, Comey recounts how Trump at a private White House dinner pointed his fingers at his head and complained that Flynn, his embattled national security adviser, 'has serious judgment issues.'

The president blamed Flynn for failing to alert him promptly to a congratulatory call from a world leader, causing a delay for Trump in returning a message to an official whose name is redacted in the documents.

'I did not comment at any point during this topic and there was no mention or acknowledgment of any FBI interest in or contact with General Flynn,' Comey wrote.

By that point, the FBI had already interviewed Flynn about his contacts with the Russian ambassador, Sergey Kislyak, and the Justice Department had already warned White House officials that they were concerned Flynn was vulnerable to blackmail.

Flynn was fired Feb. 13, 2017, after White House officials said he had misled them about his Russian contacts during the transition period by saying that he had not discussed sanctions.

The following day, according to a separate memo, Comey says Trump cleared the Oval Office of other officials, encouraged him to let go of the investigation into Flynn and called him a good guy.

Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and is now cooperating with Mueller's investigation.

The memos reveal that days before Flynn's firing, then-White House chief of staff Reince Priebus asked Comey if Flynn's communications were being monitored under a secret surveillance warrant.

'Do you have a FISA order on Mike Flynn?' Priebus asked Comey, according to the memos, referring to an order under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

Comey said he 'paused for a few seconds and then said that I would answer here, but that this illustrated the kind of question that had to be asked and answered through established channels.'

Comey's response is redacted on the unclassified memos.

The memos also show Trump's continued distress at a dossier of allegations - since revealed to have been funded by the Democratic National Committee and the Clinton campaign - examining potential ties between him and his aides and the Kremlin.

Comey writes how Trump repeatedly denied to him having been involved in an encounter with Russian prostitutes in a Moscow hotel.

'The President said 'the hookers thing' is nonsense, but that Putin had told him "we have some of the most beautiful hookers in the world",' according to one memo. Comey says Trump did not say when Putin had made the comment.

The documents also include the president's musings about pursing leakers and imprisoning journalists.

They also provide insight into Comey's personal and professional opinions.

He judges the administration's travel ban to be legally valid, and he takes a swipe at former Attorney General Loretta Lynch, calling her predecessor, Eric Holder, 'smarter and more sophisticated and smoother.'

The memos were provided to Congress earlier Thursday as House Republicans escalated criticism of the Justice Department, threatening to subpoena the documents and questioning officials.

In a letter sent to three Republican House committee chairmen Thursday evening, Assistant Attorney General Stephen Boyd wrote that the department was sending a classified version of the memos and an unclassified version.

The department released Boyd's letter publicly but did not release the memos.

The chairman issued a statement late Thursday saying the memos show that Comey clearly never felt obstructed or threatened.

Justice officials had allowed some lawmakers to view the memos but had never provided copies to Congress.

Boyd wrote that the department had also provided the memos to several Senate committees.

Boyd wrote in the letter that the department 'consulted the relevant parties' and concluded that releasing the memos would not adversely affect any ongoing investigations.

Mueller is investigating potential ties between Russia and Trump's 2016 campaign as well as possible obstruction of justice by the president.

Comey is on a publicity tour to promote his new book, A Higher Loyalty.

He revealed last year that he had written the memos after conversations with Trump.

He said in an interview Thursday with CNN that he's 'fine' with the Justice Department turning his memos over to Congress.

'I think what folks will see if they get to see the memos is I've been consistent since the very beginning, right after my encounters with President Trump, and I'm consistent in the book and tried to be transparent in the book as well,' he said.Most students enter university in the hope that their degree will land them a better-paid job. But almost half of graduates from some institutions are still earning less than 17,465 up to eight years after leaving college, The Mail on Sunday has learned.

The figure represents the threshold for paying back student loans for those who graduated between 2010 and 2014, and is well below the average UK salary of 27,000.

Bolton was the worst performing university, with just 56 per cent of graduates hitting the level. Its vice-chancellor George Holmes is paid more than 220,000 a year, and has controversially said that students should be inspired by being taught by rich people.

Bolton University vice-chancellor George Holmes, pictured, is on 220,000 a year, despite his university having the lowest number of graduated earning the loan repayment threshold

Prof Holmes claimed starting salaries for Bolton students are lower because of reduced living costs in the town.

He said: Students do not hit the payback threshold as quickly but have a better standard of living with more disposable income.

Top of the league for well-paid jobs is the London School of Economics, where almost nine in ten graduates are earning above the threshold. The Mail on Sunday obtained the figures from the Student Loans Company, the Government-owned body responsible for administering loans.

Tory MP Rob Halfon, chairman of the Commons Education Select Committee, said: Between a fifth and a third of graduates are not getting good graduate jobs when they leave university. Instead of doing courses that are not going to get them graduate jobs, we should put a huge amount of money into degree apprenticeships, so that students earn while they learn and get a job at the end of it.

And Charlie Mullins, founder of the Pimlico Plumbers empire, suggested it was fraud for universities to tell prospective students they need degrees to get well-paid jobs.

A major report last year calculated that, in the long term, the Government will foot the bill for 5.9 billion a year in unpaid student loans.The wives of two brothers facing trials over murder and drug smuggling charges are selling their million-dollar homes to pay the government $3million of unpaid tax.

Sydney brothers Mahmoud 'Brownie' Ahmad and Ahmad 'Rock' Ahmad are both in custody after their arrests last year.

Mahmoud, 35, is accused of shooting and killing a man in a brazen gunfight outside a smash repair business in southwest Sydney in 2016.

Sydney brothers Mahmoud 'Brownie' Ahmad and Ahmad 'Rock' Ahmad (pictured left and right with his wife Latifah Ahmad) are both in custody awaiting trial

Latifah Ahmad, 39, put her lavish home (pictured) in Lavender Ave, Punchbowl on the market in July 2016 for $1.9million - but is yet to sell up

His older brother, the family patriarch, was arrested and charged last August over an alleged multi-million-dollar international drug-smuggling ring.

Now the pair are being chased by the taxman, forcing their wives to find the money.

Mahmoud's wife, Carmen Piscioneri, 32, sold the couple's five-bedroom home in Highview Ave, Greenacre for $1.2million on April 4.

Mahmoud 'Brownie' Ahmad (pictured) owes the taxman $1.5million

Her sister-in-law Latifah Ahmad, 39, put her lavish mansion in Lavender Ave, Punchbowl on the market in July 2016 for $1.9million - but is yet to sell up.

She is living in a rented Bankstown townhouse while her husband remains in custody, reported The Daily Telegraph.

Mrs Ahmad reportedly owes the taxman $1.5million while Ms Piscioneri has to pay $1million.

The wife of convicted killer Walid Ahmad, a third Ahmad brother who was assassinated at a Sydney shopping centre in 2016, allegedly has to pay a more modest $230,000.

When contacted by Daily Mail Australia, an Australian Taxation Office spokesman declined to comment for confidentiality reasons.

Mahmoud was arrested by NSW Police at Sydney airport in March 2017 immediately after touching down from Lebanon, where he was living for a year.

He told Fairfax Media while in Lebanon that he had 'nothing to clear up' with authorities.

'Tell the cops to get their facts right first. I'm not running or hiding so f*** off,' he said.

Mahmoud (centre being arrested) was aprehended by NSW Police at Sydney airport in March 2017 immediately after touching down from Lebanon, where he was living for a yearFormer Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the living room at 10 Downing Street, London

Margaret Thatcher's outraged opposition to her own Government's bid to protect gay men from AIDS is revealed today  in her own handwriting.

She scrawled across a Downing Street document setting out the plans 'I am absolutely against this' and 'No Government money' should be spent on the matter'.

To make the strength of her opinion clear, the former PM used capital letters and heavy underlinings, saying the Government did not have the right to meddle in private lives.

And she suggested it was all a waste of taxpayers' money, stating it would only 'possibly reduce the margin of error' in curbing AIDS.

The fresh insight into Mrs Thatcher's views is contained in a book, People Like Us, by her former No 10 private secretary Caroline Slocock. It says Mrs Thatcher initially blocked a Government campaign warning people of the dangers of AIDS.

She was worried about 'alerting children to the existence of certain practices'  and said the adverts should be posted in 'public toilets, not broadcast on television'.

She also suggested they were against the Obscene Publications Act.

Ms Slocock says Mrs Thatcher's 'sensitivity about discussing sex' emerged when she put into her prime ministerial Red Box a Health Department briefing on a national survey into sexual practices.

Her indignant note: In this extract, she writes: 'I think people rightly would be deeply offended by questions of this kind and I do not think we are entitled to intrude into their privacy. Neither Government, nor Government money should be involved in any way - if this survey goes ahead.'

The aim was to calculate how many people were at risk from AIDS and how to minimise the risk. Ms Slocock writes: 'She scrawled over my measured minute, 'All this just to reduce (possibly) a margin of error. I am absolutely against this. I think people rightly would be deeply offended by questions of this kind.' '

Ms Slocock says that despite Mrs Thatcher's protests, the research went ahead but without Government backing. According to the author, Mrs Thatcher saw 'any positive mention of gay sex in schools as subversive, potentially corrupting young minds away from family life'.

Ms Slocock says many people have never forgiven Mrs Thatcher for her 'infamous Section 28 law' that prohibited the promotion of homosexuality in schools.

Defiant: Mrs Thatcher initially opposed the Government's campaign about AIDS

But she adds Mrs Thatcher's 'strong interest in gay sex' was demonstrated by her response to another document put in her Red Box, an explicit 30-page Whitehall document on sexual practices.

An aide wanted her to ban it on the grounds that it was 'bordering on pornographic'.

The book continues: 'It was a view Mrs Thatcher heartily endorsed. It went into exhaustive, explicit and colourful detail about every imaginable form of sexual practice that might be 'safe'.

...But she was never afraid to use her 'fine ankles' to get her way Mrs Thatcher glowed with sex appeal and used it to wield power over male politicians, according to Ms Slococks book. She would wear sheer black tights and sit in a way she knew showed off her fine ankles and pins because it helped her win arguments with men. And she did it far more subtly than Theresa May, says Ms Slocock. Mrs Thatcher did not resort to low-cut outfits  unlike Theresa May on one of her first trips to try to negotiate Brexit with EU ministers, an unfortunate look, I thought. However, Mrs Thatcher had no qualms about using her femininity in the exercise of her power. Ms Slocock recalls: I could see when I sat taking notes with her in the No 10 study at one-to-ones with Ministers or other men. It was obvious to me, as it would be to any other woman, that she knew she had good legs and fine ankles, even in her 60s. She arranged them so that others could always admire them, wearing black sheer tights and shaving her legs. Ms Slocock says the effect Mrs Thatcher had on entering a room packed full of men was electric, energising and exciting. She was after power, not sex but the hormonal effects are similar: you glow  and liked tall men who looked as at home in a military uniform as a business suit. A young journalist called her distinctly sexy, with a naughty flush about her cheeks. The writers name was Boris Johnson. Advertisement

'If you followed the advice, 'You could have safe sex with hundreds of strangers and never catch anything'.' It came back with more outraged scrawlings  but for all her indignation, it was obvious she had read it from beginning to end.

'The underlinings sometimes veered off the horizontal, as they did when it was late at night and her pen was dropping as she was nodding off. But she kept going. She wanted to know everything, and nothing was going to stop her.'

However, Ms Slocock denies Mrs Thatcher was anti-gay, pointing out she was one of the Tory MPs to vote for the decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1967.

Ms Slocock says she saw at first hand Mrs Thatcher's 'kindness, empathy and sympathy' towards two men dying from AIDS when she made a private visit to London's Mildmay Hospital  the same hospital visited by Princess Diana.

'My diary recalls how sweet and tender she was toward them. It made a great impression on me. I'd seen the woman, not the politician, and the woman had an open heart.'George Nathaniel, 54, was removed from his Minnesota school bus route last week after parents complained that he was leading students in prayer

A Minnesota school bus driver has been removed from his route for leading his young passengers in prayer.

George Nathaniel, 54, was booted off his route to Russian charter school Nasha Shkola in the Twin Cities area last week after the school received complaints that he was forcing the pupils to pray.

Nathaniel, who was fired from another bus route in Burnsville four years ago for the same reason, said that he did not force any children to pray.

He added that his removal violates his constitutional rights to freely practice his religion.

'That's where the Constitution comes in. You've got the freedom to exercise your religious beliefs,' he said to the Star Tribune.

He was removed from his school route by Quality Care Transportation last week.

The owner of Quality Care Muk Musa said that Nathaniel was not fired but he hasn't been assigned a new route yet.

Nathaniel is also a pastor of a congregation in Minneapolis and said to the Star Tribune that he wants to turn people to Christianity.

However he claimed that he never forced the pupils on his route to pray, saying: 'The students would volunteer to lead the prayer'.

The K-8 school complaints said that he was 'influencing minors to the point where he was forcing them to pray'.

Musa clarified that the company allows drivers time for personal prayer but not to influence the bus passengers.

'He's not going to change. His main focus is to influence even one person in following what he worships,' Musa said.

This is the second time that Nathaniel, who is also a pastor of a Minneapolis congregation, was removed from his bus route for leading students to pray. File image above

He was removed from his route to Russian charter school Nasha Shkola, pictured above, in the Twin Cities-area and has not been given a new route yet

He added that Nathaniel sought to bring prayer back into public schools.

Nathaniel said that he brought up his praying on the bus to the parents of the students he drove to school and that he's 'shocked' with their complaints.

He said that he believes the parents true complaints lie in that he disciplined misbehaving students by moving them to another area of the bus, according to the Star Tribune.

Parent Art Loghinov said that most of the children at the school are Russian and Christian, several of whom fled the Soviet Union to avoid persecution.

Loghinov said that he didn't mind Nathaniel's prayer with his two children aboard the bus.

'As a Christian, of course I want kids to know more about Jesus, but I don't want kids or parents to be pushed,' he said.

When Nathaniel was fired four years ago in Burnsville for leading his pupils in prayer he said: 'I let them know I am a pastor and I am going to pray,' the Star Tribune reported at the time.

'We start out with a song. Then each person will pray if they want to pray. If they dont want to pray, they dont have to pray. Then I will pray and ask them if they want to join me in prayer. Just give them something constructive and positive to go to school with,' he added.

Back then he too expressed his free speech rights saying: 'They are trying to take away every right the Christian has to express our Christian belief in this supposed to have been Christian nation'.A woman died in a jail cell just hours after being arrested.

She was found dead at 2am on Saturday during a routine check at Ipswich Watch House, on the outskirts of Brisbane.

The 44-year-old, from Ellen Grove, Brisbane, had been detained over drug matters and for missing a court appearance.

The woman was found dead at 2am on Saturday during a routine check at Ipswich Watch House, on the outskirts of Brisbane

The Ethical Standards Command, overseen by the Crime and Corruption Commission, is investigating.

A coroner will determine the cause of death.Advertisement

Young children were seen among dozens of heavily-armed protesters gathered in Boulder, Colorado, to show their anger at plans to ban assault rifles.

Many people at Saturday's rally carried weapons that would become illegal if the proposed ban is passed by Boulder City Council, including AR-15 style rifles like the one used to shoot 17 dead at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

The ordinance, which has passed its first reading, would outlaw the sale and possession of assault weapons - defined as semi-automatic rifles or handguns with detachable magazines.

Jody Johnson (left) carrying a Sig Sauer MCX rifle stands with her son Ryatt at a pro-gun rally on Saturday in Boulder, Colorado. The city is considering enacting an ordinance that will ban the sale and possession of assault weapons

Protest organizer Jason Boros was joined by around 200 demonstrators carrying placards including 'I will not comply' and 'I love the second amendment'

The ordinance, which has passed its first reading, would outlaw the sale and possession of assault weapons - defined as semi-automatic rifles or handguns with detachable magazines. These protesters openly carried rifles and pistols

One man carries a banner with a verse from Luke 22:36 while another holds one stating 'guns are not an issue' at Saturday's rally

Protest organizer Jason Boros told the Daily Camera he sees the legislation as 'extreme'. He was joined by around 200 demonstrators carrying placards including 'I will not comply' and 'I love the second amendment'.

Jody Johnson carried a Sig Sauer MCX rifle while walking hand-in-hand with her son, Ryatt, who held a sign which read, 'Gun free zones are sitting duck zones'.

Another protester, who gave his name only as Brandon, came armed with an AR-15, as did his wife.

They had decided to bring along their two young children, he said, to show that 'average families' owned rifles that would be banned under the new law.

One man carried a copy of the US Constitution while another had the second amendment tattooed on his forearm.

Ty Lawson, meanwhile, claimed the planned ordinance was a 'knee jerk' to mass shootings, adding: 'I don't feel my Second Amendment rights should be infringed upon because of it.'

Organizers had told protesters to avoid partisan political symbols, such as Confederate flags or pro-Trump merchandise, and this order was largely abided by. There was a similar rally on Saturday in Washington.

There was no counter-demonstration, although some drivers swore at the protesters as they passed, and one man shouted 'stop killing kids'.

Organizers had told protesters to avoid partisan political symbols, such as Confederate flags or pro-Trump merchandise, and this order was largely abided by

Johnson and her son, Ryatt, walk along the sidewalk past crowds of protesters. There was no counter-demonstration, although some drivers swore at the protesters as they passed, and one man shouted 'stop killing kids'

Daniel Fithian holds his Scar 16S .556 rifle and a Gadsden revolutionary-era flag at a pro-gun rally in downtown Boulder on Saturday

Men wearing shirts emblazoned with the words 'for God and county' and 'bleed red white and blue' stand by the road during a pro-gun rally in Boulder on Saturday

Arguments in favour of controlling the sale of assault rifles have gained momentum in recent months but have been vigorously resisted by protesters including the ones gathered in Boulder on Saturday

This man held a sign which read, 'Make yourselves sheep and the wolves will eat you' as he joined pro-gun protesters in Boulder on Saturday

Arguments in favour of controlling the sale of assault rifles have gained momentum in recent months.

It was a key demand of the organizers of March For Our Lives, which saw hundreds of thousands of protesters converge on Washington DC and New York last month.

In February, the Florida state senate voted down a ban on assault weapons, although they did agree to raise the legal age for purchasing a firearm to 21.

But a ban was passed on April 4 in the town of Deerfield, Illinois, with supporters saying it was a direct response to the Parkland shooting.

A man shows off his tattoo of the second amendment to the US constitution at the protest against plans to ban the sale and ownership of assault rifles in Boulder, Colorado

A demonstrator at Saturday's pro-gun rally carries a pistol inside a black holster with the Stars and Stripes sticking out of it

A protester carries a rifle and a pistol by his side on a holster reading 'alcohol, tobacco & firearms, should be a convenience store, not a government agency'

A Humvee painted in the colours of the American flag, an assault rifle, and the words 'In God We Trust' parked at the rally on SaturdayA flu-stricken baby has died following a car crash as family members ran a red light while rushing to the hospital.

Six-month-old Demir Rahming died early on Saturday in Staten Island, New York, after his mother mother Flavia Earps checked and found him barely breathing with a flu infection around 2.30am, the New York Post reported.

Earps called her cousin who rushed over to give the mother and child a ride to Richmond University Medical Center.

The cousin blew through a red light at the corner of Forest Avenue and Broadway and was struck by a 2008 Jeep Liberty.

Six-month-old Demir Rahming died early on Saturday in Staten Island, New York after a car crash on the way to the hospital to treat his flu symptoms

Earps was sitting in the back seat with Demir and chatting on the phone with her husband Kasem Rahming at the time of the crash.

'There was yelling and screaming so I waited and waited because I knew that if I hung up the phone I wouldnt have been able to call back,' he recalled to the Post.

'She finally gets on the phone and says "We were in a car accident and the baby is in an ambulance,"' the husband said.

Paramedics rushed the child to Richmond University Medical Center but it was too late.

Both vehicles remained on scene and there were no other reported injuries.

It is unclear whether the child died from complications of the flu or injuries sustained in the crash but both parents think the flu is to blame.

'The sickness was just too much for his little body,' said Earps.Bristol Palin and husband Dakota Meyer appear to be giving their marriage another shot.

The couple, who wed in 2016 and have two daughters together, have seemingly reconciled - just three months after Meyer filed for divorce.

Palin hinted at the reunion Saturday sharing a sweet family photo of Meyer with their two-year-old daughter Sailor and her nine-year-old son Tripp.

'Thankful for you,' Palin captioned the photo, adding a heart emoji and tagging her husband in the post.

Scroll down for video

Thankful for you: Bristol Palin and husband Dakota Meyer have seemingly reconciled. Palin shared a family snap of Meyer with Tripp and daughter Sailor on Saturday

Meyer also hinted at a reconciliation posting videos of him hanging out with his daughters Atlee and Sailor (pictured in both photos)

Meyer also brought Palin's son Tripp along. The ex-Marine supposedly was not allowed to see Tripp during his split from Palin

Palin also updated her Instagram name to include her husband's last name.

Shortly after news of her split made headlines the 27-year-old mom-of-three changed her last name from Meyer to Palin on the social media site.

It now reads Bristol Meyer again.

Meyer is also hinting at their reconciliation. Earlier Saturday, the ex-Marine posted several videos on his Instagram Story of him hanging out with his daughters and Tripp, who he supposedly wasn't allowed to see during his split from Palin.

In one video, the kids are seated in the back seat as Meyer films.

'Where are we going?' Meyer asks excitedly as Sailor screams 'Cabela's', which is a specialty retail store for sporting, fishing and hunting gear.

'Get ready,' he says, as Tripp smiles at the camera.

As Dailymail.com exclusively reported in February, Meyer filed for divorce from Palin on January 29 in Texas citing 'discord or conflict of personalities' as the reason for their split.

The couple had been married less than two years before Meyer threw in the towel. It was also revealed that the 29-year-old veteran had moved out of the couple's home in December.

It's not clear if Meyer has since moved back in.

Palin and Meyer's rocky romance dates back several years.

Meyer, who is the youngest person ever to be awarded the Medal of Honor, first met Palin in May 2014 during filming of Sarah Palin's Sportsman Channel show Amazing America.

Meyer (on the left with daughter Atlee and Palin's son Tripp) filed for divorce in January after less than two years of marriage. Palin is pictured on the right with daughter Sailor during Easter

Meyer and Palin (pictured with Sailor and Tripp in a November 2017 photo) secretly got married in 2016, after abruptly calling off their first wedding the year before

Meyer cited 'discord or conflict of personalities' as the reason for their split, but it seems the couple have worked things out. He's pictured above with daughters Atlee and Sailor in a March 2018 photo

Meyer (pictured on the right with Palin and Tripp in a September 2017 photo) had also moved out of the family home. It's not clear if he has since returned

Meyer and Palin have been together on-and-off since 2014 after meeting during filming of Sarah Palin's Sportsman Channel show Amazing America. Meyer is pictured above with daughters Sailor and Atlee in a January 2018 photo

The pair got engaged during a Rascal Flatts concert in Las Vegas in early 2015, planning a wedding in his native Kentucky for May 2015.

But less than a week before the ceremony, Palin announced the wedding would not take place and instead of tying the knot she set off on an RV trip in Alaska with an exotic model.

A month later she announced she was pregnant with her second child, but initially refused to say whether Meyer was the father.

Sailor Grace, was born on December 23, 2015.

In June 2016, the couple revealed they had secretly gotten married. They welcomed their second child together, daughter Atlee Bay, last May.

Palin also has another child, nine-year-old son Tripp, from her relationship with fiancee Levi Johnston.

Last month, Palin and Meyer reunited to celebrate Easter with their kids. Meyer shared a snap of him, Palin and the children posting with the Easter Bunny, writing: 'Happy Easter #family #thegreaterthepurposethegreatertheconflict #heisrisen #purpose.'New York City police are seeking a black man wearing a 'Make America Great Again' hat for allegedly pushing a Hispanic male onto the subway tracks in a hate crime attack.

The shocking incident took place on Friday night in Manhattan's 14th Street-Union Square station, where the two men had a verbal altercation on a 4 Train as it was approaching the station.

Police say the black male made several remarks disparaging the Hispanic man's ethnicity, and the altercation spilled out onto the platform at Union Square.

The suspect punched the Hispanic man in the head several times before pushing him off the platform onto the tracks, cops say.

Fortunately, a friend of the victim and a bystander helped him back onto the platform before he was struck by a train.

The victim was rushed to an area hospital with a head laceration that required several staples, and is recovering.

The suspect fled the scene on foot, hopping on a Brooklyn-bound L Train.

NYPD detectives are seeking this suspect in a hate crime attack on a Hispanic man on Friday

He was wearing a red hat and red shirt, both of which read 'Make America Great Again', Donald Trump's famous campaign slogan.

The suspect was also wearing blue overalls, a black jacket and jewelry around his neck, police said.

Anyone with information about the suspect is urged to call the NYPD Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS.Representatives of OSJD took a photo with the host Vietnam. (Photo: CPV)

In 2017, OSJD mainly focused on completing and developing international railway passenger and freight transport, improving the competitive capacity of passenger and cargo transport in Europe-Asia, and enhancing legal framework to achieve the best efficiency in railway transport and meet the demand of its members.

In his speech in front of nearly 120 delegates from 20 units of the OSJD country members, 7 joint ventures and 2 international organizations, Deputy Transport Minister Nguyen Ngoc Dong said that together with institution reform and human resources development, Vietnam considers infrastructure development as a strategic breakthrough.

The Government and the Ministry of Transport have issued a number of policies to create a liberal legal corridor, especially the mechanism to attract both domestic and foreign investment, in an effort to mobilise resources from all economic components for infrastructure development.

In addition, the railway sector actively restructured and renewed management, business and production, sped up investment, construction and connection with international network such as China, Laos, Cambodia and ASEAN in order to improve the competitive capacity, attract more customers and expand transport market share.

The ministry will submit the policy of building North-South high-speed railway and studying construction of Hai Phong-Hanoi-Lao Cai railway route to the Government for consideration and to the National Assembly for approval.

In addition, the agency continues to assist the railway sector to realize the set targets under railway transport strategies by 2020, with a vision to 2015; significantly contributing to the overall development of the OSJD network.

As a dynamic developing country in Asia-Pacific, Vietnam has actively participated into and carried out many trade agreements with other countries, especially the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and is preparing to sign a free trade agreement between Vietnam and the EU.

After many discussions, the event adopted 16 resolutions on April 19th to ensure the organisation's operations over 2018-2019, focusing on various fields, such as freight and passenger traffic, infrastructure, mutual accounting, and the mechanism for debt repayments.

On the sidelines, Vietnam Railways Corporation held bilateral meetings with other rail units on exchanges of cooperation opportunities to develop logistics by rail between Vietnam and OSJD member countries, as well as discussing running container liners from Vietnam through the organization to Europe.

The OSJD was established on June 28th, 1956 at an international ministerial meeting in Bulgaria. With an initial length of about 227,000 kilometers, so far the organization has a total rail length of more than 281,000 km, with about four billion passengers and six billion tonnes of freight carried every year./.Two teenagers have been charged over a fatal hit-and-run that claimed the lives of a newly-married couple in Melbourne.

Matt Goland, 38, died at the scene and Bita Zaeim, 32, was rushed to hospital but died a short time later. The pair were tragically just minutes away from their home.

Police allege the teenagers travelled at 'horrendous speeds' and ran a red light before crashing into a Holden Commodore in Wantirna South shortly after midnight.

Two teenagers have been charged over a fatal hit-and-run that claimed the lives of a newly-married couple in Melbourne

Matt Goland, 38, died at the scene and Bita Zaeim, 32, was rushed to hospital but died a short time later

The teenagers (pictured left) allegedly fled the scene following the fatal crash as CCTV footage showed witnesses running to the scene to offer assistance

Police alleged a grey Lexus four-wheel-drive travelling south along Stud Road in Wantirna South collided with an eastbound black Holden Commodore (pictured)

A 19-year-old Boronia man was charged with two counts of culpable driving and one count of theft of motor vehicle.

A 15-year-old Belgrave girl was charged with two counts of culpable driving (accessory after the fact) and one count of theft of motor vehicle.

The Boronia man faced the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Sunday, while the Belgrave girl will face a Children's Court at a later date.

Mr Goland's parents visited the site of the hit and run which claimed their son and daughter in law's lives

Locals have also visited the scene of the hit and run to pay their respects to the victims

The teenagers, who allegedly fled the crash site, received medical treatment under police guard after their arrest at a Belgrave home about 1.15pm on Saturday.

Acting Superintendent Stuart McGregor told reporters the 'abhorrent' events seemed to be 'a bit of a game' for the teenagers.

'There's nothing fun about this, this is not a game, this is real life, this is where people have died and this is where people will be going to jail,' he told reporters.

Major Collision Investigation Unit detectives pictured investigating circumstances surrounding the crash

Matt Goland and Bita Zaeim (pictured) lived in The Basin and had only been married for 12 months

'Everyone in the community just cannot understand how someone can think it's right to travel at speed - horrendous speeds - through a red light and then when you know you've done so much damage to another car, to another person, to two people, to think of themselves and just flee.'

One of the dead couple's parents visited the Wantirna South crash site on Saturday morning.

'I've seen some pretty terrible incidents, this is probably up there. I've been able to explain how the collision occurred but I can't tell her why. This behaviour is just abhorrent,' Sup McGregor said.

'Dealing with them and talking to them and seeing that state of shock, you never want to see that.'

The occupants of the Lexus (pictured) ran westbound on Stud Road after the crash

The male passenger in the Holden died at the scene and his wife passed away in hospital

The road toll now stands at 64 for 2018, compared to 78 for the same time last year.

Acting Superintendent Stuart McGregor said the memory of informing the next of kin about the fatalities would haunt him for the rest of his life.

'I've had to stand at the intersection with the parents of one of the deceased, I've been able to explain how it has occurred but not why,' he said.

Matt Goland, 38, and Bita Zaeim, 32, were married only a year ago

'This behaviour is abhorrent. No one in the community can understand why.

'The image of mum and dad of the male passenger will probably stay with me for the rest of my life.'

Mr McGregor said the teens appeared to be treating taking other people's lives into their own hands as though it was a 'game'.

'This is not a game, this is real life. The reality is that two people are dead and two more are going to jail,' he said.

Major Collision Investigation Unit detectives are investigating circumstances surrounding the crash.A Harvard-bound biracial high school senior was stunned when he was trolled online by a former Texas State Board of Education employee who asked if he got in by 'merit or quota'.

Drake Johnson, 18, proudly took to Twitter to say 'Its official, Im Harvard bound #Harvard2022' on Wednesday.

However what his announcement was belittled by George Clayton, a former employee with the Texas Board of Education, who insinuated the California teenager got into the school because he fulfilled a race quota.

'Congrats. Were you admitted on merit or quota?' Clayton wrote on Twitter Friday.

18-year-old Drake Johnson (left) announced he was Harvard-bound on Wednesday but was soon after trolled by former Texas educator George Clayton (right) who asked if he was admitted by 'merit or quota?'

Johnson proudly shared his acceptance on Twitter Wednesday saying: 'Its official, Im Harvard bound #Harvard2022'

Controversial: Clayton responded saying: 'Congrats. Were you admitted on merit or quota?'

The Marina, California teenager swiftly responded with a list of his accomplishments to prove that he got into the Ivy League by merit and not to fill a race quota

The question confused the Marina, California teenager as it hinted that his race won him a seat at the prestigious university, rather than his accomplishments.

Speaking on seeing the tweet, Johnson said he wanted to prove Clayton wrong.

'I wanted some subtle way to prove him wrong, but not be aggressive. I thought that was the best way to civilly defuse the situation and clearly show I was accepted on merit,' he said to Dallas News.

Johnson responded saying: 'Thank you! Valedictorian, ASB President, World Champion, good SAT, and a couple handfuls of other involvements, so I would think merit?'

The senior was not only his student body's president but he was also a champion cheerleader, National Honor Society member, and the president of two clubs at his school.

His credentials didn't just catch the eye of Harvard, he received a total of 10 acceptance letters including offers from Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell and UCLA.

Clayton's racism-laced comment ignited a firestorm on Twitter.

'Drake: I'm a college prof. I was about to sink to Mr. Clayton's level and tweet something vile to him after reading about his cruelty to you. But your civil and mature response stopped me. Wishing you unlimited good things. You're quite a guy,' Twitter user Steve Gorelick wrote.

'I agree; your mature response stopped me from tweeting something I'd regret. I wish you well in the future; you've obviously worked hard, and you deserve EVERY great thing that is ahead of you! Thank you for being you!' another user wrote.

The teen swiftly replied with a list of his accomplishments spanning being class president, valedictorian, and a cheerleading champion, pictured above in cheer uniform

Another teenager revealed she too was trolled by Clayton who asked 'merit or quota?'

Moving on: Johnson said Clayton's comment was 'ignorant and suggestively hurtful'

Online troll: Clayton asked his question to multiple students of color on Twitter

He warned one student to work hard and 'thank the merit applicant you replaced'

He peppered multiple students of color with the same 'merit or quota' admittance question

To one student he asked 'do you know the difference' between merit and quota admissions

Other students of color responded to the message saying the Clayton bombarded them with the same 'merit or quota' message as well.

'Funny, he said the same to me about my acceptance to Brown... Its not like Ive spent the past 4 years working my a** off to manage my academics, cheer, and extracurriculars right? I dont know you personally, but I know YOU worked for this and DEFINITELY earned it,' user Hannah Ponce wrote.

Johnson responded saying: 'Thank you! Despite ignorant and suggestively hurtful comments like these, I know well both still thrive'.

Riled up Twitter users began to flag Clayton's tweet to the Texas Board of Education, where he used to work and where he is a candidate to rejoin the board in 2018, according to his Twitter page.

'Hey @TXSBOE I just thought I would bring this to your attention. One of your candidates for the Texas State Board thinks its ok to tweet ignorant things to successful people of color. Is this what you would like to have representing your board of education?!' one Twitter user wrote.

Clayton's racist comment stirred controversy online, leading many to applaud Johnson's mature reponse

Twitter users brought the racist tweet to the attention of the Texas Board of Education, where Clayton was formerly employed

The chair of the board responded congratulating Johnson on his merit-earned Harvard admission

Other Texas teachers applauded Johnson as well and reprimanded Clayton for the comment

Members of the board proceeded to priase Johnson for his merit-earned acceptance.

'As a former member of the @TXSBOE I applaud your accomplishment. Academics and extra curricular balance is what will ensure a bright future for you and the USA. Well done,' Thomas Ratliff wrote.

'As Chair of the @TXSBOE BIG CONGRATS to you, Drake! Well done!! My only complaint is you won't be headed to Texas!' Donna Bahorich said.

Johnson's mother said she did not know how Clayton found her son's tweet which she interpreted as racist.

'Why do you care, and why are you asking that particular question to a kid who is clearly of some type of mixed race? That is just so frustrating,' she said.

'He's this kid who really thinks about what he's doing and saying. He knows how hard he works to get where he's at. He wants people to understand that that's why he's getting what he's getting, nothing's being handed to him,' she added.

According to Clayton's Twitter page he previous worked on the Texas Board of Education where he held the District 12 seat from 2010 to 2012.

On his page he claims to be running for a spot on the board again, but there is no record of him filing for candidacy, according to Dallas News.

Clayton declined to comment on the matter saying that he has retired from public life and no longer speaks to press.A South Florida judge resigned on Friday after being recorded berating a woman in a wheelchair who was having trouble breathing due to multiple medical conditions, and died just three days later.

Broward County Circuit Court Judge Merrilee Ehrlich gave defendant Sandra Faye Twiggs, 59, who was in her court facing misdemeanor charges following a family dispute, a verbal beat-down in a video dated April 15.

Ehrlich's tongue-lashing of Twiggs was so extreme that her public defender, Howard Finkelstein, demanded the judge be banned from presiding over criminal proceedings.

'It is not appropriate for anyone to endure that kind of treatment,' Finkelstein's chief assistant, Gordon Weekes, told the Miami Herald.

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Florida Judge Merrilee Ehrlich resigned on Friday after being recorded berating wheelchair-bound Sandra Faye Twiggs, 59, who was having trouble breathing and died three days later

Twiggs appeared before Ehrlich in a video feed from the North Broward Bureau during the hearing in bond court.

In the video, she can be heard attempting to broach the issue of her medical condition with Judge Ehrlich, who shouts her down, saying, 'I'm not here to talk about your breathing treatments.'

A family friend of Twiggs said that Twiggs, who suffered from both asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), had difficulty getting her medications while in custody after being arrested for a domestic violence issue in Lauderhill on April 13.

Upon returning home after the hearing, Carolyn Porter described Twiggs as starving, dizzy and borderline breathless.

'She came home so devastated she couldn't catch her breath,' Porter said.

Twiggs' family and friends were outraged when they saw the video of her berating by Ehrlich

Twiggs' sister, Anna Twiggs (right), is seen here talking to ABC News reporters

Ehrlich's entire encounter with Twiggs was marked with aggressive shouting as Twiggs tried to answer questions.

Ehrlich also turned her ire on the attorneys in the room, imploring them to chastise Twiggs for what she perceived as bad courtroom manners from the defendant.

'Will you say something in the microphone so that she can hear you and you can give her instructions about propriety in the court?' the judge said.

'I'm not going to spend all day with her interrupting me.'

At other points in the video, Ehrlich shouted at Twiggs, 'You've already said too much!' and admonished her for saying more than 'yes' or 'no' when she tried to explain that her 19-year-old daughter, Michelle Ballard, lived both with her, and her sister, in Miami.

Ehrlich also turned her ire on the attorneys in the room, imploring them to chastise Twiggs for what she perceived as bad courtroom manners from the defendant

Ehrlich's behavior was described as 'aggressive and tyrannical' by Twiggs' public defender

Twiggs' sister, Anna Twiggs, told ABC News that the experience affected the defendant so much, that she found her dead in her home on Wednesday.

Recalling what her sister told her after coming home from the hearing, Anna Twiggs recounted: 'She said, "They treated me so bad," and she said, "All I wanted was some medical attention and some help."

Twiggs wasn't the only one verbally attacked by Ehrlich that day, either.

'She raised her voice to many defendants, berated the attorneys and was impatient and exasperated during the proceedings,' FInkelstein wrote in a letter to Chief Judge Jack Tuter, dated April 20.

'Judge Ehrlich's bullying continued into the next hearing, another misdemeanor allegation. The Judge was informed that Nefreteri Tamalo had no income and was a stay-at-home mother to her nine month old child,' he wrote.

'In making a bond determination, Judge Ehrlich stated that the father of Ms. Tamalo's infant was at home to care for the child. When a panicked and crying Ms. Tamalo tried to correct this mistake, the Judge angrily silenced her. As with the previous hearing, Judge Ehrlich would not listen to the defendant. Concerned about her child, Ms. Tamalo again tried to speak and the Judge yelled, "Ma'am, be quiet or be removed. Be quiet."'

He described Ehrlich's behavior as 'aggressive and tyrannical.'

Referring back to Ehrlich's treatment of Twiggs, who died following her encounter with the judge, Finkelstein's chief assistant noted the woman 'never had the opportunity to have her dignity restored.'

'All that was required was a bit of patience, and a bit of respect to allow this lady to speak, to gather herself and to breathe,' Weekes said.

Ehrlich was not immediately available for comment.Instagram-famous bodybuilder Yakiboy has been spotted enjoying a wild night of dancing and partying with friends at the 'world's biggest trance festival'.

The self-described 'Muslim Shia soldier' rose to social media stardom after posting selfies alongside AK-47s and flashing a full set of golden teeth and lavish jewellery.

The gym junkie spent the day lifting weights and flexing with friends before heading to the 'State of the Trance' festival at Sydney Olympic Park overnight.

Scroll down for video.

This picture was posted of the social media star Yakiboy (middle) by his friend dee_kay88 at the notorious dance party Stat of Trance where 65 people were arrested

Yakiboy, the self described 'Muslim Shia soldier,' rose to Instagram fame after posting selfies of his heavily tattooed body

Yakiboy was close friends with underworld kingpin Barbaro, who was shot in the head by two hooded hit-men in south-west in 2016.

After Daily Mail Australia published a story about the pair's connection, he distanced himself from the slain bikie, saying: 'My only regret in life was being friends with that dog Pasquale.'

Yakiboy was one of 12,7000 revellers who flocked to the huge dance festival.

The buff bodybuilder uploaded videos of himself and his crew dancing into the early hours of Sunday morning.

It wasn't the first time he and his friend, who has the Instagram handle dee_kay88, have been out partying together. In February they attend a dance night at Hordern Pavillion together.

Yakiboy courted controversy earlier this year after getting into a fight with fans over his iconic tattoos.

Yakiboy (pictured) rose to fame after posting pictures of guns and swords to Instagram

He has over 40,000 followers on the social media platform (pictured is Yakiboy with a samurai sword)

The avid body-builder has a strict routine and recently attended Sydney's fitness expo (Yakiboy at the fitness expo)

A revealing before-and-after shot shows how the social media star covered almost every inch of his skin in just four years

Over social media he shared a Snapchat message he received from a 'rubbish person' asking: 'Are you ever scared that on the day of judgement Allah will ask you about your tattoos?'

'F**k u [sic],' Yakiboy replied. 'Allah (God) watch my inside not like u and all the rubbish people judge anyone with eyes.'

Other followers also questioned his tattoos and if they are haram, meaning they're forbidden by Islamic law.

Yakiboy is pictured here flashing his grillz, which are expensive gold teeth coverings

The bodybuilder ifs often photographed around Sydney's famous beaches

Yakiboy poses in front of a mirror with only a pizza emoji for privacy to show off the Japanese-style ink which covers his entire body (pictured)

'Tatooed, alcohol and muslim? I don't think so,' one commenter posted.

'I wish you 'body build' the brain too mate,' another said.

But Yakiboy, who made a name for himself by posting revealing photos showcasing his tattoos, shrugged his detractors off.

He has built a following of over 42,000 for posting revealing photos, such as one where he is wearing nothing except a pizza emoji over his privates.

Other photos show the body-builder holding an AK-47 or flashing his grills, which are expensive gold teeth coverings.

In other photos he is sporting designer brands such as Versace sunglasses and Gucci.

The revealing photos are part of his online following and helped him gain as many followers as he has

Here he shows off his ripped body and complete tattoo covering with only an emoji to cover him up

'I'm not a bikie or with any group, I don't have any issue with anyone, I'm a Muslim Shia soldier, always by myself.'

Barbaro had ties to the mafia and famously feuded with several Sydney gangsters. After he was killed rumours circled that he had been a police informant.

At the time of his death, sources close to the underworld claimed Barbaro owned $1million to one Sydney gang, and had taken to wearing a bulletproof vest in the weeks before he was gunned down.

In a move that could not be more contrasting to celebrating guns and gangsters the body-builder posted in January that he is expecting the birth of his first child.

He announced the news over Instagram with a video of him and his wife, who normally stays out of the limelight, celebrating with a gender reveal balloon.

The video shows him popping the balloon and pink confetti flying out. The couple who are not often photographed together celebrate by hugging and kissing.

Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting Yakiboy had any links to Barbaro's alleged criminal activity, or is involved in any legal wrongdoing in any capacity.The 19-year-old man accused of opening fire at a Florida high school was denied bail at his first court appearance on Saturday.

Sky Bouche walked into his old school in Florida on Friday where he opened fire and wounded a 17-year-old student.

Judge Willard Pope at Marion County Jail told Bouche he would be held without bond due nature of the charges that span terrorism, aggravated assault with a firearm, carrying a concealed firearm and armed trespass on school property.

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Sky Bouche, 19, above, made his first court appearance Saturday at Marion County Jail

Bouche, above, was told he would be held without bond due nature of the serious charges

His charges span terrorism, aggravated assault with a firearm, carrying a concealed firearm and armed trespass on school property. Pictured right signing a document in handcuffs

Bouche is on suicide watch and under close surveillance at Marion County Jail in Florida

Bouche is on suicide watch at the jail and is under close surveillance, according to The Ocala Star-Banner.

His next court date was set for May 22.

Bouche entered Forest High School in Ocala, Florida armed with a shotgun on Friday, the 19th anniversary of the Columbine massacre, and the very same day students across the nation participated in a walkout to protest gun violence.

Bouche shot at a locked door where pellets ricocheted off the door and wounded a 17-year-old male student.

He was taken down by a school resource officer and arrested, just three minutes after he opened fire.

A detective's report revealed that Bouche had a 17  inch shotgun concealed in a guitar case that he brought into school.

After entering he went to the bathroom, put on a tactical vest and gloves, then walked into the hallway where he shot the door.

He dropped the gun and surrendered to one of his former teachers Kelly McManis-Panasuk, according to WSVN.

Deputy James Long, a resource officer for Forest High School in Oscala, has been hailed a hero after he arrested suspected shooter Sky Bouche three minutes after he opened fire

Bouche was taken away from the school in a hazmat suit to preserve the evidence on his body

The shooting took place at Forest High School (pictured) in Ocala, Florida, on Friday morning. It was the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School massacre in Colorado

'His hands were up and he said he wanted to be arrested ... "I am mentally ill,"' McManis-Panasuk quoted him saying.

She asked if he shot the gun and where.

'I shot a door. I didn't think it (the gun) would work,' he responded.

The two spoke until school resource officer Deputy Jim Long and principal Brent Carson arrived and took the troubled teenager into custody.

Speaking to detectives, Bouche said the motive was to 'inflict fear in students, but he did not intend to kill anyone.'

He told police that he purchased the shotgun in a private sale a week after the Parkland shooting and that there was no paperwork or background check for the transaction as it was a private sale.

Friday morning he said he felt 'an adrenaline rush' to carry out the shooting.

He said the excitement wore off and he was unable to carry out his plan.

In this April 20, 2018, photo by Jake Mailhiot, desks, chairs and filing cabinets are used to barricade a classroom door during the shooting that injured one on Friday morning

Hands up! Students were told to put their hands up as police swept through classrooms

The suspected gunman did not reveal a motive for the shooting that sent a 17-year-old male to the hospital

Emotions ran high as students walked hand-in-hand outside their school on Friday to be united with parents and teachers who were waiting

Students and teachers are pictured hugging in front of Forest High School after Friday morning's shooting

Bouche apologized as he was led away in handcuffs.

'I didn't shoot anyone,' he said to reporters.

'I just shot through the door. Sorry, it doesn't matter anyway,' he told reporters on his way to a patrol car.

Bouche had been planning a shooting for some time.

He told detectives he wanted to do it on Friday the 13th but changed his mind.

He added he wanted to do a church shooting at first but decided to go with a school shooting as it 'creates more attention'.

He added that he was prompted to complete Fridays shooting after suffering nightmares.

He said wanted to go to jail as he could 'potentially conduct another shooting in the future' the detective report stated.

Speaking with the The Ocala Star-Banner he revealed that he once wanted to join the Marines but could not as he was 'Baker Acted when I was 14' meaning he was committed for a mental health evaluation at the age of 14.The unexplained death of a woman who was in police custody has prompted calls for an independent investigation after it was revealed she did not take her own life.

Queensland Police Ethical Standards Command will investigate the death of a 44-year-old Brisbane mother-of-two Cindy Miller.

She was found dead at 2am on Saturday during a routine check at Ipswich Watch House, on the outskirts of Brisbane.

Queensland Police Ethical Standards Command will investigate the death of a 44-year-old Brisbane woman Cindy Miller (pictured) who died in the Ipswich watch house just hours after being detained

ABC News reported that by all indications Miss Miller did not take her own life.

The 44-year-old, from Ellen Grove, Brisbane, had been detained over drug matters and for missing a court appearance.

Debbie Kilroy, from prisoner advocacy group Sisters Inside said it was not acceptable for the police to be investigating themselves in the matter and fears bias.

'It's a big issue when police investigate themselves, this is not appropriate, we are calling for an independent investigation, not police investigating police,' she said.

Cindy Miller, 44, was found dead at 2am on Saturday during a routine check at Ipswich Watch House, on the outskirts of Brisbane, where she had been detained for missing a court date

Mrs Kilroy said that Miss Miller was a much loved member of the community and that the death came as a shock to everyone.

'No more information has been provided to the family. They're very distressed not knowing what happened,' she said.

'We were not aware of any health issues, so her death has come as a shock.'

The Crime and Corruption Commission are set to oversee the investigation into Miss Miller's death.

A coroner will determine the cause of death.Advertisement

A neo-Nazi group has held a swastika burning after a rally in Georgia, with black-clad members of the racist hate group raising their arms in a massed Hitler salute as flames lit up the night air.

Members of the National Socialist Movement, one of the largest neo-Nazi groups in the US, gathered in a field to torch the wooden swastikas in a ceremony reminiscent of similar acts by other white supremacist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan.

Saturday's swastika burning took place several hours after a rally in Newnan, George, which passed off without violence despite the presence of hundreds of armed antifa protesters.

Members of the National Socialist Movement, one of the largest neo-Nazi groups in the US, gathered in a field to torch the wooden swastikas in a ceremony on Saturday night reminiscent of similar acts by other white supremacist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan

The swastika burning took place several hours after a rally in Newnan, George, which passed off without violence despite the presence of hundreds of armed antifa protesters

The town, which is about 40 miles south-west of the state's capital, permitted the National Socialist Movement to host a rally from 3 to 5pm on Saturday to celebrate Adolph Hitler's birthday.

After a delay, few dozen members of the neo-Nazi group rallied briefly in Greenville Street Park with fences and armed police separating them from protesters before disbanding at 5pm.

The group claimed in speeches about immigration and foreign and domestic policy that they are 'fighting for a better tomorrow'.

An estimated 400 law enforcement officers arrived early for the event to barricade the streets where the rally was held. Cops made at least 10 arrests during the day, many of them antifa who refused to take their masks off.

Neo-Nazis begin to set fire to a swastika which was anchored into the field with a stake. They then gathered in a line and performed a Hitler salute

A member of the National Socialist Movement posts up a beer to toast a burning swastika during the ceremony on Saturday night

A shirtless man holds both hands other his head as others pull Nazi salutes as the flames from the burning swastika fill the night air

A member of the National Socialist Movement holds a burning torch in preparation for setting alight to the swastikas

County records show two arrests on Saturday for wearing masks in public, as well as three for obstructing a peace officer, one for blocking a highway, and one for disorderly conduct.

The other arrests in Coweta county on Saturday were for theft, drug and probation violation charges, and it wasn't immediately clear whether they were related to the protests.

The Atlanta Antifa and other counter-protesters organized their own rally to start earlier in Newnan to outnumber the white nationalist group and challenge their beliefs.

Anti-fascist members were seen armed with guns, masks and signs in protest, with several of them being taken into custody.

Members of the National Socialist Movement and their supporters march to hold a rally on Saturday in Newnan, Georgia, earlier on Saturday

A man wearing the insignia of the League of the South (center) joins the NSM march to Greenville Street Park

Only about 25 NSM supporters turned up for the rally in the park, while counter-protesters numbered in the hundreds

Members and supporters of the National Socialist Movement, a neo-Nazi group, hold a rally on Saturday in Newnan, Georgia. Community members opposed the rally and security was heavy

Members of the National Socialist Movement (NSM) and other white nationalists rally at Greenville Street Park in Newnan

An armed member of the National Socialist Movement was seen in Newnan Saturday during the rally. The neo-Nazis started later than scheduled after encountering protesters

The rally participants march away after the brief rally. Police successfully prevented clashes between the NSM and antifa

Early footage from the counter-protest before the white nationalist rally shows antifa getting arrested after they refused to take off their masks.

Citizens are allowed to carry a weapon in public under Georgia law, but they are not allowed to wear a mask.

According to Georgia law, a person is guilty of a misdemeanor if they wear a mask, hood or any other device to conceal their face. This law was passed in 1951 by the state as a measure to help unmask members of the Ku Klux Klan.

These counter-protesters arrived in the town to object the group's ability to host a rally about their controversial beliefs.

Hundreds of antifa counter-protesters (pictured) showed up to oppose the neo-Nazi rally honoring Adolph Hitler's birthday

Antifa strike a pose ahead of the rally, include one man (standing far right) openly carrying an AR-15-style rifle

Earlier in the day, police arrested antifa for wearing masks. There were hundreds of protesters opposed to the NSM rally

Several antifa were arrested as police attempted to keep the crowds under control during the rally amid fierce opposition

Local citizens interact with with a Department of Corrections officer brought in to help maintain peace during the rally

A shirtless local citizen regards the scene alongside a deputy assigned to keep protesters separate from neo-Nazis

A male individual exclaims as police take him into custody. At least 10 protesters and antifa were arrested during the rally

Police haul away a protester in Newnan, Georgia, where hundreds of antifa protesters showed up hoping to battle neo-Nazis

Antifa are seen congregating on a sidewalk hoping to to confront the neo-Nazi group ahead of the rally

'The City of Newnan has a responsibility to protect free speech rights, the individuals and groups that chose to exercise those rights and the broader community in which those rights may be exercised,' the city said in a statement earlier this week.

One member of the organization, Burt Colucci, told Atlanta Journal-Constitution before the rally that it was within the group's First Amendment right to talk about these racial issues, including illegal immigration.

'We need to round (illegal immigrants) up and put them in camps if need be. Like we did the Italians, Germans and Japanese. We are at war with the illegals,' he told the newspaper.

The National Socialist Movement obtained a permit for the demonstration last month and the event has since sparked counter-protesters to organize their own rally.

The extra safety measures the city has implemented include road closures and more law enforcement staff available during the demonstration, which will be held in Newnan's Greenville State Park.

In response to the neo-Nazi demonstration, Atlanta's Antifa and other counter-protesters began gathering in Newnan starting around 1.30pm.

Newnan, Georgia staffed an estimated 400 police officers from surrounding jurisdictions for the NSM rally on Saturday

Police made a heavy show of force and succeeded in keeping antifa and the neo-Nazis separate, preventing violence

Police are anticipated to outnumber the neo-Nazi members Saturday during their rally in celebration of Adolf Hitler's birthday

Correction officers arrive hours before members of the National Socialist Movement are expected to arrive in Newnan for their rally Saturday

Another group called the No Nazi Newnan coalition has chastised the city for allowing the white supremacists to rally in the first place.

In a press release Tuesday afternoon, the coalition stated that 'city of Newnan authorities have lectured their residents about not protesting the National Socialist Movement', the Newnan Times-Herald reports.

But members of the coalition disagree with about not counter-protesting because they believe 'turning a blind eye' is not going to stop 'bigotry, hatred or violence.'

'What is needed is a large-scale display of unity and community vigilance against organized white supremacists,' the statement said.

Most businesses have shutdown amid the demonstrations and residents are worried that the protests could turn violent.

Newnan residents October Strange (left), six, her mother Ashley Frazier (center) and sister Lily Strange (right), seven, showed up in the town square to voice their opposition to the rally held nearby by the National Socialist Movement

Local residents chant in opposition to members of the National Socialist Movement and other white nationalists

Residents chant in opposition to members of the National Socialist Movement and other white nationalists who were rallying

Residents of the the Georgia town have spoken against the rally saying the area is 'no place for hate'. Some members of the community are concerned about potential violent clashes

Some local businesses have been closed an anticipation of the events Saturday to encourage residents to stay away from the demonstration

In preparation for the event, police officers have put up barricades around the area

'It's scary that this is coming to our town because we didn't ask for this,' said Newnan resident Gina Godfrey to CBS 46.

She was trying to go to the bank Friday, but the building was already barricaded in anticipation of Saturday's rally.

Residents' fears about the rally stems from the Charlottesville, Virginia, white nationalist event in August 2017.

The day turned violent when a vehicle slammed into counter-protesters killing Heather Heyer, 32, and injuring 19 people. The driver, James Fields Jr, was charged with second-degree murder.A man who went missing in 1990 after developing amnesia and who assumed a new identity for years in California has been ruled to be the once-presumed dead Winston Bright of the East Village.

Still going by his assumed named of Kwame Seku, the 69-year-old won the six-year-long legal battle to be declared his former self, with a court order entered on April 13 by Manhattan Surrogates Court Judge Rita Mella.

'The court finds that Kwame Seku has established his identity,' Mella wrote in her decision.

The order, however, is not what his wife, Leslie Bright, wanted to hear, who had been collecting his $300-per-month pension, due to her as the assumed survivor of the former telephone worker, since his presumed death in 2000.

However, Leslie has told the New York Daily News that Seku has decided not to pursue the pension for himself.

Kwame Seku, 69, who went missing in 1990 and assumed a new identity for years in California after developing amnesia has been ruled to be the once-presumed dead Winston Bright of the East Village; He is seen here (left) with his mother, Mary Bright, age 85

At the hearing on April 13, Seku's mother, 85-year-old Mary Bright, testified that she knew instantly upon seeing Seku that he was her missing son, as he had maintained the same mannerisms, and his eyes looked exactly the same.

In addition to that, she said, his wit gave it away immediately.

'He was always making jokes and things,' she said. 'He still had that sense of humor about him.'

Seku said that he was stricken with amnesia and found himself wandering the streets of San Diego with only a few dollars in his pocket and no idea who he was.

But after years of searching, he realized his true identity as Winston Bright, a New Yorker and father of three who vanished for no reason.

Seku, who adopted his current name after reading it in a magazine, built a new life in California but said he would occasionally remember fragments of his previous existence.

Leslie Bright is pictured above with her husband Winston when they married; She maintained that Seku was making up his claims, but has now admitted he is the same man

Winston Bright is pictured in a missing person's poster issued shortly after he vanished in 1990

He found out about his missing person's case online and, he claimed, realized that he was the man in question, despite the fact that a Manhattan court declared Bright dead in 2000.

Bright's widow, Leslie Bright, searched for him for years before giving up hope that he was alive, and seeking the court declaration which allowed her to collect her husband's pension from Verizon, with whom he had 20 years' service.

Winston Bright went missing on October 12, 1990. Bright recalled her husband calling her up from work at lunchtime, and again once he was home. But he never arrived.

According to Seku's claims, his memory around that time is a complete blank, and his first clear recollection is finding himself wandering in California.

Seku said he found out about his missing person's case online and, he claimed, realized that he was the man in question, despite the fact that a Manhattan court declared Bright dead in 2000

A judge in California granted him a new identity. He qualified as a teacher and worked until his retirement, before remembering his past life, beginning in 2008.

He was on a trip to New York when he recognized a former acquaintance from a Jehovahs Witness group he belonged to. That acquaintance then notified his former wife.

Seku first sought the aid of the New York court to affirm his identity so he could claim the Verizon pension for himself.

Seku had tried to overturn the declaration of death before, in 2012, and have himself recognized as Winston Bright, but the case was thrown out because he had no way to prove it.

But with current technology, Seku was finally able to provide blood tests comparing his DNA with that of his mother and his adult children, to prove he and Winston Bright are, in fact, the same person.

In an early hearing in the case taking place on October 17, 2014, Leslie Bright slammed Seku as a 'scammer' who never attempted to provide any proof.

'I know if I had a family and I had amnesia, I would show them,' she said. 'He just expected us to believe it. I would have been shouting it off to the roof to my kids to let them know what happened.'

Her children appeared to back up her claims at that time.

Leslie Bright said on Thursday that she acknowledged Seku is, in fact, Winston Bright, but said she didn't believe his amnesia claim because she hadn't seen any medical records to prove he was afflicted with such memory loss.

Leslie said that Seku has since decided not to pursue claiming his pension, so she may be able to keep it.

Seku currently resides in California.A 'kind and cheerful' schoolboy suddenly died of heart failure just four days after his devastated father took him to hospital with a swollen face.

Single father-of-five Stuart Watson, from Maryborough, Queensland, noticed his son Ayden's face was 'a little more puffy than normal' when he woke up on April 10.

He took the nine-year-old for a check-up where doctors found he had a rare heart condition called dilated cardiomyopathy.

Just four days later, Mr Watson found himself making the heartbreaking decision to switch off Ayden's life support after the youngster suffered a critical heart failure in Brisbane hospital.

'It all happened so suddenly,' the shattered father told Daily Mail Australia on Sunday.

'I keep pinching myself and hoping I'm going to wake up from this horrible nightmare.'

Kind and cheerful: Ayden Watson (pictured right and left proudly displaying a catch) suddenly died of heart failure just four days after his devastated father took him to hospital with a swollen face

Tragedy: Single father-of-five Stuart Watson, from Maryborough, Queensland, noticed his son Ayden's face was 'a little more puffy than normal' when he woke up on April 10. Pictured: Ayden with his twin brother and 'partner in crime' Mason, who is 'lost' without him

Devastated: Mr Watson (pictured taking his boys fishing) found himself making the heartbreaking decision to switch off Ayden's life support after the youngster suffered a critical heart failure in Brisbane hospital

Mr Watson raised Ayden alone alongside his older brother Ethan, 10, twin brother and 'partner in crime' Mason, and two younger sisters Isabella, seven, and Haylie, six.

'Ayden's twin is hurting the most,' he said. 'I've never seen him so lost like he is right now. All the kids are not themselves.'

Mr Watson first took Ayden to Hervey Bay Hospital but, after doctors discovered his condition, the pair were flown to Brisbane Hospital with the royal flying doctors.

'Once in Brisbane it was shock after shock,' he said. 'I could only watch as the disease was destroying his little heart.'

Mr Watson said the cardiologist told him the hospital had only seen one similar case in the last fifteen years.

Partners in crime: Mr Watson took Ayden for a check-up where doctors found he had a rare heart condition called dilated cardiomyopathy. Pictured: Ayden with his twin Mason

Mr Watson raised Ayden alone alongside the boy's older brother Ethan (centre), 10, his twin brother and 'partner in crime' Mason (left), and his two younger sisters Isabella, seven, and Haylie, six (top with Father Christmas)

Much-loved: Ayden's principal said his 'friendly and caring presence had a positive impact on all those around him.'

Mr Watson (pictured with his son Ethan) said the cardiologist told him the hospital had only seen one similar case in the last fifteen years

'The doctors had no answers and were just shocked at the severity of it and how fast and suddenly it came on,' he said of the disease.

'Ayden's twin is hurting the most. I've never seen him so lost like he is right now. All the kids are not themselves

Two days after waking up with a swollen face, Ayden suffered a critical heart failure. Doctors gave him CPR for an hour but failed to revive him. His life support was switched off two days after that.

Mr Watson, a former pastry chef who is studying for a diploma in remedial massage while raising four children alone, has arranged Ayden's funeral for Tuesday.

He invited family and friends with a Facebook post in which he asked mourners to wear bright colours or blue, Ayden's favourite. He said of his son who loved fishing: 'He's fishing with the angels now.'

Two days after waking up with a swollen face, Ayden (pictured at the back with his siblings at Christmas time) suffered a critical heart failure

Doctors gave Ayden (pictured with his siblings) CPR for an hour but failed to revive him. His life support was switched off two days after that

Tributes from friends and family poured in on social media, calling the boy 'cheerful,' 'caring' and kind-hearted'. Pictured: The family on a recent trip to the zoo

Mr Watson (pictured with his children), a former pastry chef who is studying for a diploma in remedial massage while raising four children alone, has arranged Ayden's funeral for Tuesday

Ayden's principal said his 'friendly and caring presence had a positive impact on all those around him.'

Tributes from friends and family poured in on social media, calling the boy 'cheerful,' 'caring' and kind-hearted'.

Mr Watson's cousin has set up a GoFundMe page to help with funeral costs.

It reads: 'Ayden was a gorgeous friendly nine-year-old boy whose heart just couldnt beat any longer.'

You can donate here.Advertisement

The first wave of the migrant caravan has hit the US border, with a group of about 50 seeking asylum at the Tijuana crossing into California.

The group of 50 Central American migrants who set out from southern Mexico in late March arrived in Tijuana, Mexico on Wednesday, after splintering off from the original caravan of 1,500.

'Since yesterday, some began to cross into the United States to turn themselves in from Tijuana and request asylum. We understand more of (the migrants) will do the same,' said Jose Maria Garcia, director of Juventud 2000, an organization dedicated to assisting migrants.

He said more migrants, many of whom are stranded in Mexico's central states, are expected to arrive in the coming days.

The splinter groups headed toward the US have been undeterred by President Donald Trump's threat to deploy the National Guard along the border, after Trump called California's contribution to the mission a 'charade'.

A Central American migrant from the caravan is seen as a group of 500 migrants arrives in Hermosillo, Sonora state on Saturday. Another splinter group of about 50 members from the caravan has already arrived in Tijuana to claim asylum

Central American migrants ride a northern-bound train known as 'La Bestia,' or The Beast, as they arrive to Hermosillo

Central American migrants ride a northern-bound train known as 'La Bestia,' or The Beast, in Hermisillio on Saturday

A migrant from El Salvador jumps off the northern-bound train known as 'La Bestia,' in Hermosillo, Sonora state on Saturday

Central American migrants from the caravan rest at a community shelter after arriving by train to Hermosillo, Sonora state, Mexico on Saturday. They hope to reach the US by Tuesday

Honduran migrants from the caravan pose for photos with their national flag on Saturday as they make their way to the US

A US Border Patrol agent walks near the secondary fence separating Tijuana, Mexico and San Diego in this file photo

'We will continue to receive them and it will be up to them if they stay in the country or leave,' Garcia said.

Many of the migrants seeking asylum will likely claim they are fleeing gang violence in their home countries. Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala are among the most violent and impoverished countries in the Americas.

Migrants claiming asylum, in particular those traveling with children, are typically released into the US after they are processed, and told to appear in court to support their asylum claim.

Critics say the process offers a loophole for entry into the US and that bogus asylum seekers will simply disappear after they are released. Immigrant advocates believe the vast majority of asylum seekers have legitimate claims, however.

Meanwhile, another group of about 500 caravan members has jumped a freight train headed north toward the border.

They were last spotted on Saturday in Hermisillo, Sonora state, about 175 miles south of the crossing at Nogales, Arizona.

The group riding the freight trains north hope to reach the US border by Tuesday. Freight lines from Hermisillo run both to Nogales and to Mexicali, on the border with California.

Nicaraguan migrant Jesus Emmanuel Diaz Rubio eats a sandwich after getting off 'La Bestia' on Saturday

Central American migrants, moving in a caravan through Mexico, rest in Mazatlan, in Sinaloa state, Mexico on Saturday

A Central American migrant,rests at a community shelter after arriving by train to Hermosillo, Mexico on Saturday

Earlier in the week, they were seen in Guanajuato state stretching out on the roofs of freight cars as they made for the border.

One of the migrants is Honduran Mirna Ruiz. He said: 'We are heading north seeking a better life.'

'As you know, in Honduras we just can't live there anymore because of the gangs. We can't even go shopping because we are afraid.

'We are also worried that our children will be recruited by the gangs. Those are the fears in our country.'

Since peaking at around 1,500 people, the so-called migrant 'caravan' has dwindled under pressure from Trump and Mexican migration authorities, who vowed to separate those migrants with a right to stay in Mexico from those who did not.

In Mexico City, Organizer Irineo Mujica had said the capital was the caravan's last official stop, but many of the migrants feared going solo on the dangerous final leg north and decided to keep travelling en masse.

Some who had split off to press on alone reported back about kidnappings and having their papers for safe passage torn up.

The caravan is an annual, symbolic event held around Easter each year to raise awareness about the plight of migrants. It historically does not go all the way to the border and that was not the original plan this year, Mujica said.Performers play traditional Chinese music during the 9th Chinese Language Day at the headquarters of the United Nations in New York, April 20, 2018. The United Nations marked its ninth Chinese Language Day on Friday at its headquarters in New York. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, April 20 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations marked its ninth Chinese Language Day on Friday at its headquarters in New York.

This year's celebrations included lectures on Chinese culture, film screenings, panel discussions on education and art exhibitions.

Lectures on Chinese poetry, calligraphy and painting drew UN staff members from around the world, who wanted to know more about the unique Chinese culture.

The event also provided them an opportunity to practice Chinese calligraphy, draw in the Chinese style, and play classical Chinese musical instruments.

Professors and scholars from China's Zhejiang University and Columbia University in the United States talked about education in China in relation to the UN's sustainable development goals.

At the opening ceremony, Liu Zhenmin, UN under-secretary-general for economic and social affairs, said Chinese is one of the oldest languages in the world. One of the six official languages of the UN, its importance is rising with China's economic growth and increasing involvement in global affairs.

Wu Haitao, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, said the Chinese language bears testimony to the evolvement of the UN, as well as the increasingly closer relationship between it and China.

The UN is the most universal, representative and authoritative intergovernmental organization in today's world, while China is a permanent member of the UN Security Council and the world's largest developing country. "Maintaining world peace and promoting common development are our shared goals," he said.

Today, more and more diplomats and UN staff are learning Chinese and familiarizing themselves with the Chinese culture. Over 10 million people follow the UN on Chinese social media such as Weibo and WeChat, Wu added.

The UN Chinese Language Day is observed on April 20 every year since 2010, celebrating the language's contribution to the world while encouraging more people to learn it.

April 20 marks the Guyu, Grain Rain or "Rain of Millet" in Chinese. The Guyu is sixth of the 24 solar terms in the traditional lunar calendar, the day when farmers start sowing.

It is also the day to pay tribute to Cangjie, an imaginary figure in traditional Chinese lore regarded as the inventor of Chinese characters. Legend has it that when he invented the characters, the gods and ghosts cried and the sky rained millet.

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[ Editor: zyq ]Six juveniles have been arrested in Perth following an alleged crime spree that involved stealing cars and bags.

Dramatic footage from Western Australia Police Air shows how law enforcement hunted the boys, aged between 14 and 16, in South Lake.

In the footage the boys stop the car they were in before jumping out and attempting to escape on foot.

Dramatic footage from Western Australia Police Air shows how law enforcement hunting the boys, aged between 14 and 16, in South Lake

According to police at 10.15pm on April 21 a man in Northbridge was allegedly threatened with an axe by a group of males who then stole his bag and drove away in a Honda Odyssey

It appears three of the boys fell and police were quick to apprehend them.

Others flee between houses and parks in an attempt to evade police - two were arrested in park land and a third hiding in an apartment complex.

In the video Police Air Wing direct officers on the ground to the teenagers' location.

The operation involving police, police dogs and air police.

According to police at 10.15pm on April 21 a man in Northbridge was allegedly threatened with an axe by a group of males who then stole his bag and drove away in a Honda Odyssey.

Five minutes later a woman handed over her bank card to the group in the Odyssey.

Between 10.50pm and 10.55pm another man was approached by the group in the Honda Odyssey at Burswood Park carpark

The Odyssey had been stolen during a burglary in Booragoon between the late hours of April 20 and early hours of April 21

Between 10.50pm and 10.55pm another man was approached by the group in the Honda Odyssey at Burswood Park carpark.

He was also threatened with an axe and his Honda Jazz was stolen.

The Odyssey had allegedly been stolen during a burglary in Booragoon between the late hours of April 20 and early hours of April 21.

The two groups then drove to a service station in South Lake.

Police allege in a statement: 'One of the vehicles struck the other (rear end crash), and some of the occupants entered the service station. One of the group stole items from the store, while the other paid for items. Due to the stolen items and suspicious conduct the service station staff member contacted Police.'

After the driver failed to stop, the air operation began in Fremantle.

Police are still looking for the Honda Jazz, which is believed to have been involved an allege stealing incident at a taxi rank where someone from the Jazz went into an empty taxi and stole coins from the car.

The six boys in the Odyssey, one of who was 16, three were 15 and two aged 14, were arrested and taken to Cockburn Police Station.Russian students and graduates living in Britain should go home immediately, so they can be sent to study or work in Siberia, says a new official initiative.

The threat of security problems and 'provocations' in the wake of the Skripals' poisoning means they should flee now and move to the 'wild east' of Russia.

A campaign aimed at bringing home young people studying in the UK and other Western countries has been launched by an official group representing former Soviet states.

They are told that there are excellent opportunities in the far east of Siberia instead of London - but the plan has been mocked on social media.

Vladimir Putin's government is advising Russians studying in the UK to swap Britain for Siberia in wake of the Salisbury poisonings

In recent years some of Russia's brightest students, as well as high-flying financial and technological graduates, have gravitated to major British universities and companies.

But they now face a 'noticeable negative impact of Russophobic attitudes' in the wake of the Salisbury poisonings, warned Olga Evko, a representative of Rossotrudnichestvo, the Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation.

Russians are informed by their state-run media that the Skripals were poisoned not by Moscow but an MI5 or MI6 in a conspiracy to damage the Kremlin.

Britain has been blamed, too, for the chemical attack on Syria.

Another figure behind Moscow's 'It's time to go home' returnee scheme, Oksana Buryak, said: 'The question for our youngsters studying abroad is very serious indeed.

'We have real grounds to worry that young Russians may suffer in provocations in counties that show an unfriendly attitude to (us).'

Oleg Mansurov, of PreActum entrepreneurial community, told a Moscow conference on the plan that those with education and work experience in Britain 'will be ready to take part in ambitious projects and move again, including to the Far East of Russia'.

An official campaign warns of 'Russophobic attitudes' after Sergei and Yulia Skripal (pictured) were nearly killed with a deadly nerve agent on British soil

He called for 'passionate graduates' to return and help develop Russia's backward far east.

High salaries will be offered to the best brains, he indicated.

Vladimir Putin is seeking to radically boost the economy of eastern Siberia and Russia's Pacific rim to counter the negative impact of Western sanctions by expanding gas and oil production, gold and diamond mining, as well as nuclear energy and the digital economy.

Returnees are told it is 'highly likely' they will be welcomed back: the same phrase used by Theresa May to describe the probability of the attack in Salisbury being by the Russian state.

Some student returnees may not have to endure exile as far away as Siberia.

Some going back to Russia will be fast-tracked into top universities in the capital including the prestigious Moscow State Institute of International Relations, it is reported.

The British embassy was quoted saying 'as ever' Russians were welcome in the UK as students or tourists.

And a survey by Kommersant newspaper failed to detect any hostility to Russians in Britain.

Russians are being told that there are excellent opportunities in the far east of Siberia instead of London - but the plan has been mocked on social media. Pictured: Putin

The initiative was ridiculed on social media. Yana Prigozhina said: 'I just can't stop laughing.

'People who invested so much time in the often an incredibly hard step of moving to study abroad are supposed to buy the idea of 'building the digital economy' in the Far East of Russia.?'

Referring to a former Gulag transit point in eastern Siberia, Maria G asked sarcastically 'Why don't I just swap my PhD in Cambridge for a job in Magadan?

'I don't even know*!'

Timur said: 'They better make sure they select real patriots for this task.

'What if these guys that come back turn to be MI6? My God, what a scandal.'

Buryak added: 'Relations between Russia, USA and a number of European countries - first of all, with Great Britain - lately got a lot more complicated.

'Sanctions were introduced against our country. More than hundred diplomats were sent home overall.

'The initiative came from Great Britain, which forced several other European countries into solidarity.

'Therefore today there is a serious issues over security of young Russians who study abroad.

'There are real concerns that young people, young Russians might suffer in provocations in countries that demonstrate unfriendly attitude towards (us).'An undercover reporter bought an NHS vaccine pass, including a unique digital QR code (inset), on behalf of someone who has not yet been vaccinated. It was uploaded on to the official NHS app four days after the order was taken. After verifying the pass was genuine, the QR code was used to gain access to a nightclub in London and the Louvre Museum in Paris. It was also used to successfully fill in the Government's passenger locator form, which is intended to protect Britain's borders by ensuring that those entering the UK have been double-jabbed. Doctor J initially demanded payment via PayPal or Bitcoin, a cryptocurrency used by criminals to mask their identities, but our reporter persuaded him to accept a payment via bank transfer which allowed us to uncover his true identity as Jordan Goodall (left, right a conversation between the reporter and Goodall). The 23-year-old, from Oakley, a village near Basingstoke in Hampshire, describes himself on the LinkedIn website as an independent foreign exchange trader who set up a fund management company in July. He lives with his parents and drives a silver BMW 3 Series car.The cousin of Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi has spoken of the 'betrayal' he felt after his family lent a bank card to the 22-year-old killer.

Isaac Forjani thought little of it when Abedi asked if he could borrow a bank card to 'order something online' as their families were neighbours and often helped each other out.

Abedi bought 500-worth of car batteries with the card using a computer in Forjani's parents' home.

He then used these to make the bomb which killed 22 people and injured scores more at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester last May.

Pictured: A shirtless Isaac Forjani in Libya with brother Abdallah, second from left, bomber Salman Abedi, far right, and Abedis brother Ismail, far left

Mr Forjani, 25, a university student in the city, told the Sunday Times how he lost 'everything' after the bombing - including access to his son Jacob, who was six months old at the time.

Image of Salman Abedi taken from CCTV on the night he committed the attack

The father was arrested along with his younger brother, Abdallah, by officers who then believed the pair knew about Abedi's plans.

'I told them I didn't know anything,' Forjani said. 'They knew that he had bought things using my younger brother's card in my house. Salman's reason was, "Oh, my card isn't working".'

'Can you imagine somebody convincing you that if you blow yourself up with all those people, you're going to heaven? He's evil. Simple as that,' he said.

Upon hearing the news, Mr Forjani said he felt 'sick'.

He said: 'I will never, ever forget it until the day I die. I got my mum to ring up the family in Libya and try to confirm what was being said about Salman being the bomber. Then we heard back from a relative who confirmed he was missing.'

The cousin added that at the time the family thought Abedi was living in Tripoli, the capital of Libya, with relatives.

Ariana Grande released her first new material since the bombing earlier this week. The video for No Tears Left To Cry holds a tribute to Manchester, as a worker bee can be seen in the final seconds of the video.following him home from the pub

Kelsall stabbed Mr Huxley, 31, 20 times after following him home from the pub

A baby-faced killer who viciously sexually assaulted and murdered a stranger in his own bed after following him home 'would kill again'.

That is the view of the forensic psychologist who interviewed Daniel Kelsall for police over the murder of Sydney businessman Morgan Huxley.

Dr Susan Pulman described him as one of the most chilling murderers she had come across adding the 'cold and calculated attack' was planned out and he was just waiting for his moment to strike.

Daniel Kelsall (pictured), the baby-faced killer who murdered Sydney businessman Morgan Huxley

Dr Susan Pulman described Kelsall as the most chilling killer she had met during 20 years interviewing murderers and terrorists

Mr Huxley, 31, was killed in his own bed in his unit in Neutral Bay in September 2013 in a horrific attack

CCTV due to air in a document on Sunday night on Foxtel shows Kelsall stalking Mr Huxley on his way home

Kelsall stabbed Mr Huxley, 31, 20 times after pursuing him home when he left a pub in Neutral Bay in September 2013.

The 25-year-old chef was jailed in March 2015 - then aged 22 - for 40 years and will not be eligible for parole for three decades.

Dr Pulman features in a new documentary about Mr Huxley's murder on Crimes That Shook Australia, which airs on Foxtel on Sunday night.

The psychologist has 20 years experience interviewing murderers and terrorists but says Kelsall was unlike the others.

The 25-year-old chef was jailed in March 2015 - then aged 22 - for 40 years after a jury found him guilty in less than three hours

'He'd been given all the opportunities and here he was throwing it all away for a thrill kill. That's why I found it very chilling,' Dr Pulman said

'He was from a middle class family, (from Sydney's) lower North Shore,' she said.

'He'd been given all the opportunities and here he was throwing it all away for a thrill kill. That's why I found it very chilling.'

In building up a profile of Kelsall, Dr Pulman noted he did not have a background of violence, drugs or alcohol abuse or any mental illness.

Kelsall stabbed Mr Huxley (pictured right) 20 times after pursuing him home when he left a pub in Neutral Bay

In 2017, Kelsall claimed he had mental illness as he launched an appeal against his sentence

In 2017, he claimed he had mental illness as he launched an appeal against his sentence and had previously said he had Asperger's syndrome during his trial.

But three psychiatrists were unable to diagnose him regarding any mental illness and his appeal was thrown out.

'I don't see how he's fundamentally going to change, I just think that's who he is and that's what scares me,' Dr Pulman added.

But three psychiatrists were unable to diagnose him regarding any mental illness and his appeal was thrown out

Exhibits presented in evidence at Kelsall's trial in 2015 which heard Mr Huxley was stabbed in the torso, neck and head

In a trailer for the documentary, interviewers claim Kelsall denied the murder saying he would not have been caught if he had carried it out.

A jury took just three hours to find Kelsall guilty of killing Mr Huxley, who was stabbed in the torso, neck and head.

Kelsall was found to have stalked Mr Huxley, who was a marine engineer, as he returned to his unlocked unit from The Oaks Hotel.

CCTV captured Mr Huxley's final moments alive as he was followed by Kelsall down the road after leaving the pub.

Crimes That Shook Australia airs on Crime and Investigation channel on Sunday at 7.30pm.A 19-year-old woman has been arrested after speaking to police about the alleged shooting of Jacob Bell in Brisbane.

The news comes as tributes continue to flow for the man, allegedly shot to death in the chest, in his Petrie apartment on Friday.

Luke Cunningham 21, appeared in court Saturday charged with his murder, and was remanded in custody to appear in court on June 11.

A picture of Jacob with his father, posted on the 'In Loving Memory Of Jacob Bell' Facebook page

Bell was allegedly shot dead in his apartment on Friday night in Petrie, north of Brisbane.

The woman voluntarily attended a police station Sunday afternoon and after speaking with police, she was arrested.

Mr Bell, 24, was found with a bullet wound to his chest at a unit block on Young Street shortly after midnight Friday night.

He was rushed to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital in critical condition but later died from his injuries.

Luke Cunningham (pictured) fronted court Saturday charged with the murder of Jacob Bell after allegedly shooting him dead at a Petrie complex, north of Brisbane, Friday night

His father posted a moving tribute to Facebook on Saturday, confiding he loved his eldest son with all his heart, which is now breaking.

'Yesterday, I lost my eldest son, such a waste of life, he said.

'I loved him and my heart is breaking to pieces right now'

'A young man stolen from the world way too soon.'

Mr Bell, 24 (pictured), was rushed to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital in critical condition but later died from his injuries

Neighbours said they heard a 'massive bang' and then a woman scream 'my boyfriend's been shot, please help me' at the time of the incident,' Courier Mail reported.

'It was quite scary,' neighbour Charlotte Bate told the publication.

Peter Schnitzerling, who lives the block of units next door, said he heard people 'freaking out about the police' before fleeing in cars.

Homicide detectives were seen in the area Friday morning as they searched for the suspect.

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Neighbours said they heard a 'massive bang' and then a woman scream 'my boyfriend's been shot, please help me' at the time of the incident,' Courier Mail reported.The Vatican is being urged to make John Bradburne a saint

A British missionary may be made a saint following reports that he miraculously cured a man of a brain tumour and the blood was seen dripping from his coffin.

The Vatican is being urged to make John Bradburne a saint by crowdfunders who are trying to raise 20,000 to beatify the missionary.

Campaigners have attracted an array of support from linguistics experts to the man who wrote the London 2012 Olympic opening ceremony.

The money will go towards the Vatican's formal process of investigating the poet - in order to verify details of his life, including miracles attributed to him. In Mr Bradburne's case, a Scottish man's brain tumour was miraculously cured after praying to the saint, supporters claim.

If the Vatican canonises Mr Bradburne, he will be the first English person to become a Saint in nearly 50 years.

In 1970, Pope Paul VI canonised Cuthbert Mayne and 39 of his English and Welsh companions. The group, known as 'The 40 Martyrs of England and Wales' were a group of Catholic women and men who were executed for treason between 1535 and 1679.

Mr Bradburne was born in Skirwith, Cumbria the son of an Anglican Clergyman.

He aimed to go to University after finishing school in 1939, but was drafted straight into the army as World War II began.

He later converted to Catholicism following his experiences fighting in the War.

After having a religious experience in Malaya, and wondering through Europe and the Middle East he became the warden of a leper colony in Mutemwa, Zimbabwe.

He died in 1979, aged 58, after guerrilla fighters at war against white minority rule killed him when he refused to leave the colony.

Zimbabwe has never had a saint, and supporters of Mr Bradburne say efforts to canonise him have been held back due to the fact it would make the country's first saint a white man.

John visiting villagers in the leper colony in Mutemwa, Zimbabwe - where he became a warden

John with nuns in Zimbabwe, the Vatican is being urged to make him a saint

At his funeral, blood was seen dropping from his coffin. On inspection, nothing was seen inside his casket.

Since, several miracles have been attributed to Mr Bradburne, who wrote more than 6000 poems in his life.

One man in Scotland claims he was cured of a brain tumour after praying to him.

Staff and patients at Mutemwa, Zimbabwe, including a man in a wheelchair and an Christian aid van

John Bradburne and Jeromia, a patient in the leper colony

Tens of thousands of pilgrims now gather in Mutemwa every year to mark the anniversary of his death.

Mr Bradburne's niece, Celia Brigstocke, 63, is leading the campaign to beatify the missionary.

Ms Brigstocke, the secretary of the John Bradburne Memorial Society, told the Sunday Telegraph: 'People relate to John - they like the story, it's both sad, and also a very rewarding story. I think it's an inspiration to people.'

If the Vatican canonises Mr Bradburne (pictured with a dog) he will be the first English person to become a Saint in nearly 50 years

Mr Bradburne, pictured with friends in Mutemwa, may be made a saint following reports that he miraculously cured a man of a brain tumour and the blood was seen dripping from his coffin

John Bradburne with Fr. Dave Outside Mr Bradburne's hut known as 'Pipers Vale' in Zimbabwe

The novelist and screenwriter who the London 2012 Olympic opening ceremony, Frank Cottrell Boyce, has donated 400 to the campaign

'He hasn't tried to cure his weakness, he's taken it out there and given it to people. It's really beautiful,' he said.

'There's no big machine behind him - he's just a secular person, he's not a member of a religious order, he's not a priest as such, he's just a guy trying to live a good life. For logistical reasons those people are underrepresented in the canon as saints.'This was the stunning moment a shark was seen swimming just feet from a kayaker off the coast of Cornwall.

A seven-metre shadow of the creature can be spotted in remarkable photographs taken at the West Country village of Porthcurno.

Rachel Hosken snapped the images of the shark and captured on-lookers stopping to stare at the rare sight on Saturday morning.

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This was the terrifying moment a shark was seen swimming just feet from a kayaker off the coast of Cornwall

A seven-metre shadow of the creature can be spotted in remarkable photographs taken at the West Country village of Porthcurno

One picture shows a kayaker floating dangerously close to the creature - seemingly unaware of what lurks beneath.

Yet as frightening as the image seems, the animal captured was a basking shark and while they are the largest fish found in British waters, they are in fact harmless to humans.

The fierce looking creatures are known as 'gentle giants' - they are one of only three plankton-feeding shark species.

They swim slowly just beneath the surface with their mouths open in a terrifyingly wide gape to filter the tiny organisms from seawater.

Regions of Britain known as basking shark hotspots include the South West of England, the Isle of Man and the west coast of Scotland.

Basking sharks can reach lengths of up to 40ft, and have been protected from fishing since 1998. They usually appear in spring and summer.

One picture shows a kayaker floating dangerously close to the creature - seemingly unaware of what lurks beneathDramatic footage shows the moment police raided an illegal orgy at a hotel in Thailand catching middle aged British men with young Thai women.

Images from the raid in Pattaya, often referred to as the sex capital of the world, show the middle-aged Brits sweating heavily and rushing to cover themselves up.

Police burst in on the illegal sex party on Saturday night after getting a tip off guests had paid 1,500 baht (35) to take part in an orgy.

They stormed the Tulip Hotel at 11.30pm last night sparking chaotic scenes.

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Dramatic footage shows the moment police raided an illegal orgy at a hotel in Thailand catching sweating middle aged British men with young Thai women

Images from the raid in Pattaya, often referred to as the sex capital of the world, show the middle-aged Brits sweating heavily and rushing to cover themselves up

Video from a local news report captured the moment 18 men were rounded up with their female partners clutching them to hide their faces.

The British men were also accompanied by Americans, Germans, Canadians, Australians, Russians, Malaysians and Chinese party-goers, who were all questioned and released.

The Chinese hotel owner was arrested for running a hotel illegally and hosting sex parties.

Naris Niwapantawong, District Sheriff in the Banglamung area of Pattaya where the raid happened, said the men from many different countries 'exchanged partners with each other'.

Police burst in on the illegal sex party (pictured) on Saturday night after getting a tip off guests had paid 1,500 baht (35) to take part in an orgy

He added: 'We received a complaint about the Tulip Hotel. We were told they organised sex parties at the weekends.

'My staff co-ordinated with police, immigration and the military to strike quickly and accurately.

'We carried out the operation while they were having sex and we shut them down.'

The Tulip Hotel in the Nong Prue district of Pattaya has 30 rooms over four different floors. It is split into several zones, with the one floor dedicated as the 'play zone'.

Officers said that 'almost all of the participants' were in the play zone when the building was raided.

There were also three hotel staff, who were allegedly tasked with serving hot tea to the guests, cleaning up the rooms and joining in with the sex games.

It took place at the Tulip Hotel in Pattaya, often referred to as the sex capital of the world

Condoms, lubricants and sex toys were also found scattered around the building and collected as evidence.

The hotel owner Sheng Liao Yang, 53, from China was arrested on suspicion of running a hotel without a license and hosting obscene events.

Sheriff Niwapantawong added: 'The site was hosting parties for those who prefer sex that involve exchanging partners.

'To attend the event, participants had to register through a website. There was a rule that party members must be male and female couples. The cost per night was 1,500 baht per person.

Video from a local news report captured the moment 18 men were rounded up with their female partners clutching them to hide their faces

'Police investigated the claims first and gathered evidence and a warrant before striking the premises.

'The men were found to be from many countries including the United Kingdom, America, Australia, Germany and Malaysia. Many guests had visited previously.

'A prosecutor is now developing the case against the hotel owner.'

Pattaya on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand has become known as the sex capital of the world since American servicemen began visiting in the 1960s during 'rest and relaxation' time from duties in Vietnam.

A bustling night life scene grew and the area is now home to thousands of bars, strip clubs and massage parlours.Labour accused the Government of 'institutional racism' today amid mounting calls for Amber Rudd to quit over the Windrush scandal.

Shadow equalities minister Dawn Butler said she had reached her conclusion with a 'heavy heart' but said the legislation behind the scandal was 'racist'.

The incendiary intervention came as Ms Rudd was defended by colleagues who insisted she should not resign over badly implemented but legitimate policy.

Justice Secretary David Gauke said the Home Secretary was right to have apologised for 'very significant failings'.

Ministers have been condemned after it emerged hundreds of British citizens from the Windrush generation have faced deportation because they do not have paperwork to prove their status.

Labour's Dawn Butler accused the Government of 'institutional racism' today amid mounting calls for Amber Rudd to quit over the Windrush scandal.

Justice Secretary David Gauke blamed officials for badly implementing a legitimate policy to control illegal immigration

Mr Gauke denied Amber Rudd should resign over the Windrush scandal despite admitting to 'very significant failures'

Asked if the Government could be described as institutionally racist, Ms Butler told Sky News's Paterson on Sunday: 'I think they can.'

Ms Butler said she had reached her conclusion based on studying the Stephen Lawrence murder and listening to victims of the Windrush scandal.

She said: 'It lays solely at the door of Theresa May that her policies where she wanted to create a hostile environment has actually created an environment that disproportionately affects and discriminates people of colour and therefore could be classified as institutionally racist.

'I dont say that lightly, I say that with a very heavy heart.

Speaking to Nick Robinson on the BBC's Andrew Marr show, Mr Gauke said the Home Secretary should not resign.

He said: 'No, absolutely, because when it comes down to it, the central policy is right.

'Clearly, there have been very significant failures in terms of how this has been implemented.

'I think it is right that both the Home Secretary and Prime Minister have apologised for this.'

Asked if he felt ashamed about what had happened, Mr Gauke said: 'Yes. It is wrong what has happened. It should not have happened.'

Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry led calls for Ms Rudd to go today.

She told Robinson: 'People have died, people have lost their jobs, lost their futures. People working in the national health service all their lives suddenly lose their jobs.

Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry led calls for Ms Rudd to go today, warning it the scandal 'could not be worse'

'It could not be worse and yet the Home Secretary thinks 'I can apologise and it will be alright'. Well, it won't be.

'I really think she should quit.'

Prime Minister Theresa May (pictured with husband Philip at church today) also faces pressure over policies she implemented as Home Secretary

When asked whether she believed ministers had implemented a racist policy, Ms Thornberry said: 'I don't like to bandy around these things, I'd rather just stick to the evidence.

'I'm happy to say there is something rotten at the heart of Government.

'I think that the idea of cutting immigration back to tens of thousands when you know you have no control over one of the major drivers and so, therefore, you need to be enforcing rules and be fundamentally unfair on those from outside the European Union, that is wrong and that is rotten.'

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell told ITV's Peston on Sunday Ms Rudd needed to accept 'her responsibilities' and step down.

He said: 'The Home Secretary, who's the Home Secretary now, should accept her responsibilities and just as Theresa May way back when we were in power, when Labour was in government, was calling for ministers to take their responsibilities and resign, I believe Amber Rudd should go.'During a meeting with visiting Chairman of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Chen Wu in Hanoi on April 20, Minister Anh praised the leading role of Guangxi in cooperating with Vietnam in many fields, and Vietnamese localities in particular, especially in economy and trade.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) attaches special importance to developing cooperation with Guangxi, and considers the locality an important bridge connecting Vietnam with the Chinese market, he said, adding that Vietnam is willing to become a conduit to help Guangxi as well as other Chinese localities boost bonds with other Southeast Asian markets.

He used the occasion to ask the Guangxi side to urge China's quarantine agency to expeditiously complete the risk assessment procedures, thus allowing Vietnam to officially export milk and dairy products, fruit, pigs, and pork to China.

Chen, for his part, said the two should strengthen the construction and connection of border gates, and increase trade facilitation in order to meet the increasing demand for trade between their enterprises, he stressed.

Chen proposed that the two sides boost research and development of the One-stop-shop clearance model for some commodities such as watermelons and dragon fruit of Vietnam which are exported through the pairs of Huu Nghi-Huu Nghi Quan (Friendship-Friendship Gate) border gate; and Mong Cai - Dongxing border gate, making it easier for import and export activities between the two nations.

The annual China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) held in Guangxi is a great opportunity for Vietnamese and Chinese businesses to promote cooperation, he noted.

According to statistics from the Guangxi side, Vietnam has been the largest trade partner for Guangxi over many consecutive years. Their two-way trade always accounts for about one third of the total trade between the two nations. In 2017, trade between Vietnam and Guangxi hit US$ 24.12 billion, up 0.4 percent year-on-year, of which Guangxis exports to Vietnam reached more than US$ 13.77 billion, down 0.7 percent, while its imports from Vietnam were over US$ 10.35 billion, up 2 percent.Advertisement

A suicide bomber blew himself up outside a voter registration centre in the Afghan capital Kabul on Sunday, killing at least 31 people and wounding more than 50, most of whom were waiting in line to receive identity cards, officials said.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack which underscores growing concerns about security in the lead-up to legislative elections scheduled for October 20, which are seen as a test-run for next year's presidential poll.

Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danesh said a bomber on foot approached the centre where officials had been issuing identity cards as part of voters' registration process for the election.

A suicide bomber blew himself up outside a voter registration centre in the Afghan capital Kabul on Sunday, killing at least 31 people and wounding more than 50, most of whom were waiting in line to receive identity cards, officials said

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack which underscores growing concerns about security in the lead-up to legislative elections scheduled for October 20, which are seen as a test-run for next year's presidential poll. Pictured: An Afghan man inspects the site left by the bomb

President Ghani has been under heavy pressure from his international partners to ensure the elections are held this year, ahead of a presidential election due in 2019 although there has been widespread scepticism that they will take place. Pictured: The voter registration centre after the attack

'They should be keeping the country safe, if they can't, someone else should be in their place,' said Sajeda, who was wounded in the blast along with three other members of her family as they lined up for their cards

A spokesman for the ministry of public health said at least 31 people were confirmed dead and 54 wounded. The explosion destroyed cars and shattered windows in nearby buildings, leaving rubble strewn across the street.

It was the most serious attack in Kabul since a bomb concealed in an ambulance killed around 100 people in January.

After weeks of relative calm, the blast took place in Dasht-e Barchi, an area of western Kabul inhabited by many members of the mainly Shi'ite Hazara minority, which has been repeatedly hit by attacks claimed by Islamic State.

'There were women, children. Everyone had come to get their identity cards,' said Bashir Ahmad who had been nearby the blast, which occurred despite heightened security measures following the January attack.

Unless the process of registering millions of voters, many of whom do not have national identity cards, can be completed before winter sets, the election would almost certainly have to be postponed until next year. Pictured: Crowds gathered to see the destruction left

Voter registration began this month but there have already been a number of attacks apparently aimed at disrupting the preparations

Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danesh said a bomber on foot approached the centre where officials had been issuing identity cards as part of voters' registration process for the election

A spokesman for the ministry of public health said at least 31 people were confirmed dead and 54 wounded. The explosion destroyed cars and shattered windows in nearby buildings, leaving rubble strewn across the street

Voter registration centres have been set up across Afghanistan ahead of long-delayed parliamentary and district council elections and there have been serious concerns that militants might attack them.

A witness to the attack named Akbar told Tolo TV: 'Now we know the government cannot provide us security: we have to get armed and protect ourselves.'

President Ghani has been under heavy pressure from his international partners to ensure the elections are held this year, ahead of a presidential election due in 2019 although there has been widespread scepticism that they will take place.

'They should be keeping the country safe, if they can't, someone else should be in their place,' said Sajeda, who was wounded in the blast along with three other members of her family as they lined up for their cards.

Also on Sunday, a roadside bomb near a voter registration centre in the northern city of Pul-i Khumri killed six members of a family and wounded three as they drove past the site although there was no indication the attacks were linked.

It was the most serious attack in Kabul since a bomb concealed in an ambulance killed around 100 people in January

After weeks of relative calm, the blast - which left many wounded (pictured) - took place in Dasht-e Barchi, an area of western Kabul inhabited by many members of the mainly Shi'ite Hazara minority, which has been repeatedly hit by attacks claimed by Islamic State

'There were women, children. Everyone had come to get their identity cards,' said Bashir Ahmad who had been nearby the blast, which occurred despite heightened security measures following the January attack

Afghans search ID papers and photos of their relatives on the ground outside the voter registration centre after being attacked

Pictured: Blood-stained National ID papers and voters' photos are seen on the ground outside. Officials have acknowledged that security is a major concern as militant groups control or contest large swathes of the country

Afghan police and troops have been tasked with protecting polling centres, even as they struggle to get the upper hand against insurgents on the battlefield

Voter registration began this month but there have already been a number of attacks apparently aimed at disrupting the preparations.

Officials have acknowledged that security is a major concern as militant groups control or contest large swathes of the country.

Afghan police and troops have been tasked with protecting polling centres, even as they struggle to get the upper hand against insurgents on the battlefield.

Over the next two months, authorities hope to register up to 14 million adults at more than 7,000 polling centres for the parliamentary and district council elections.

Officials have been pushing people to register amid fears a low turnout will undermine the credibility of the polls.

Unless the process of registering millions of voters, many of whom do not have national identity cards, can be completed before winter sets, the election would almost certainly have to be postponed until next year.

According to U.N. figures, more than 750 people have been killed or maimed in suicide attacks and bombings by militant groups during the three months to March.Tourist were evacuated from Mont-Saint-Michel in France after a visitor said he 'wanted to kill police officers'.

The suspect made the threats after getting off a shuttle bus at the Normandy beauty spot at around 7.45am local time today. Officers have closed the site until 2pm when a search for the suspect proved unsuccessful.

He is believed to be between 20 and 30-years-old and was captured on CCTV trying to carry out a street performance, but became angry after getting into an argument with a passer-by.

An anti-terror operation was put into action but was stood down and tourists allowed back in later in the day.

Tourist were evacuated from Mont-Saint-Michel in western France (pictured) after a visitor said he 'wanted to kill police officers'

The suspect made the threats after getting off a shuttle bus to the Normandy beauty spot (pictured) at around 7.45am local time today

Large crowds were evacuated or turned away from the popular tourist attraction this morning as the national gendarme service arrived and helicopters flew overhead.

House-to-house searches were carried out in the surrounding area with hotel guests also evacuated.

The few permanent residents on the island were told to stay inside and religious services for the day cancelled, according to French media reports.

'We wanted to go the mass at the abbey. But now we can't,' said Clotilde, a 23-year-old from Paris who arrived Sunday morning.

Her friend Claire said, 'We saw people walking back but we wanted to see as much as we could. So we tried to try to see it anyway but we were told to go back.'

An official with the gendarme service said the threat was vague, but prompted authorities to order an evacuation

The head of the regional administration, Jean-Marc Sabathe, told Francetvinfo the man made the threat when he was trying to stage a street performance and got in an argument with a cafe worker. He said the man was caught on video surveillance cameras.

'I am ordering house-by-house searches to verify if the individual is still on Mont-Saint-Michel.

'It's possible that the individual left the Mont with the flux of tourists,' Sabathe said.

The site is one of the most visited in France, with several thousand tourists a day.

The abbey, whose origins date to the 10th century, and surrounding sites attract large crowds throughout the year.A colossal, aggressive shark has reportedly chased surfers out of the water off the coast of Western Australia - less than a week after multiple people were mauled in the state's waters.

A beach-goer claims to have spotted the massive four-metre long great white at Twilight Beach in Esperance on Sunday morning, some thirty metres offshore.

Surf Life Saving WA's report of the encounter stated that the shark was 'aggressive' and 'chased surfers out of water.'

A four-metre long, aggressive great white shark was spotted in the waters off Esperance, in Western Australia on Sunday morning

The shark reportedly 'chased' surfers out of the water - less than a week after two men were mauled in separate incidents while rufing in Western Australian waters

The sighting comes just days after the Margaret River Pro surfing competition was cancelled due to fears of shark attacks.

Two surfers were attacked in separate incidents during the competition, calling the safety of competitors into question.

Alejandro Travaglini, 37, needed surgery to both legs after he was mauled, while Jason Longgrass, 41, was bitten on the leg at a nearby break just hours later.

Mr Travaglini later explained that there had been a sighting of a shark earlier in the day but the group of surfers he was with were monitoring the water and thought it had gone.

In addition to the competition being cancelled, the attacks prompted a groundswell push for more effective anti-shark technology, with pressure mounting against the Western Australian government to take action.

Alejandro Travaglini, 37, needed surgery to both legs after he was mauled, while Jason Longgrass, 41 (pictured) was bitten on the leg at a nearby break just hours laterAdvertisement

The family of world-famous DJ Avicii have arrived in Oman, where the musician's body was found.

Oman Police said Avicii's parents, brother and two sisters are in the country to organise the return of his body. The authorities also said the family are 'completely devastated', reports People Magazine.

According to a source in the Oman police force, there is 'no criminal suspicion' around the death of the DJ.

The Grammy-nominated electronic dance artist, born Tim Birling, died at the age of 28 on Friday and his body was found in Muscat, Oman.

Avicii's body is set to be flown home to Sweden later this week.

The cause of death is still unclear, although a source claims that there is absolutely no criminal suspicion behind it following two post-mortem examinations.

The latest update was revealed by a Sky News source in the Oman police force who said 'we absolutely confirmed that there is no criminal suspicion of death'.

Avicii's brother, David Bergling, has reportedly travelled to Muscat to find out more about his sibling's death as the cause is not yet known.

Police told People magazine: 'He is survived by his parents, two brothers and sister  who are all completely devastated.'

Earlier, thousands gathered to mourn the Swedish born musician - who was known for his EDM hits Wake Me Up, Levels and Hey Brother - at Sergels Torg in central Stockholm.

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A photo shows DJ Avicii holding a drink just one day before his death. The electronic musician, who died on Friday while vacationing in Oman, was seen relaxing on a yacht, reports TMZ

Thousands of fans of Avicii's gathered to honour the much-loved producer at Sergels Torg in central Stockholm today

Many of his fans took to Twitter to share their experiences of Sergels Torg and to pay heartfelt tributes to the Swedish DJ

Others described the emotion of the event, which saw fans sing, dance and cry while recounting some of their memories of the DJ and his music

The square was filled with admirers who wanted to pay tribute to the star after he was found dead on Friday in Omar

People came to mourn together as they heard about the producers death - with the cause still not yet known

Fans flooded to Sergels Torg to pay tribute to the DJ, listening to his music and celebrating his memory together.

They took to social media to share photos and videos from the memorial.

On Instagram, user pridesussie shared a series of photos from the event and wrote: 'Today at Sergels Torg. Memorial time as well as tribute to Avicii. Too young, he became a guardian angel among the clouds.'

On Twitter, user Lena Ankarklo commented: 'Avicii on Sergels Torg. We are here and remember and honor the nice, the great and the best Tim. All thoughts to his mom Anki.'

While user namjooncito wrote: 'Went to the memorial for Avicii at Sergels Torg and lots of cameras on our faces when we sang along/cried! But this was so big and memorable.'

Vladi Mart also shared a photo and wrote: 'Serguei Square, Stockholm. People gathered to say goodbye to the wonderful musician, Tim Bergling. I liked his work, the themes in which he reminded of the value of time and the need to live exactly for today. Thanks for the melodies that bring us joy! He left at the age of 28. Truly, very sorry.'

Randi Haussler shared a photo from the scene and said: 'Hands up to honor and music from idol Avicii on the Sergelstorg in Stockholm.'

Instagram user emmyelsa said: 'Heaven just got a new star. Thanks for the music, memories and all the joy you gave millions of people, Tim. Rest in peace and see you on the other side. Love goes out to family & friends in this sad time.'

Several of the DJ's most popular hits were played during the tribute with thousands of fans seen dancing and singing along

One Avicii fan thanked the DJ for reminding him of the importance of 'living exactly for today' while sharing a photo of the memorial

This fan shared a heartfelt tribute to the DJ, saying that he gave joy to millions of people and that heaven now has a new star

There was also a poignant moment of silence for the DJ with the thousands of fans respectfully and impeccably observing it

There was hardly a free space in the entire area as fans lined every inch in order to celebrate the life of the popular DJ

The musician was seen just days ago while posing with fans at the luxury Muscat Hills Resort, though to be some of the last photos of him alive.

Born Tim Bergling, Avicii quit touring in 2016 due to battles with his health, suffering from acute pancreatitis and had to have his gallbladder and appendix removed in 2014.

In the past, the DJ struggled with addiction and was hospitalised twice for alcohol related issues.

The fans waved their hands in the air, sang and danced while listening to some of his biggest hits, including hit single Don't Wake Me Up

Thousands flooded to central Stockholm to pay tribute to the DJ and took to social media to share photos from the event held in his memory

Last picture? Avicii was found dead aged 28 in Oman on Friday. The musician was seen days ago at Muscat Hills Resort, posing with DJ Maitrai Joshi (pictured)

A fan posted this photo of the musician, writing: 'RIP @avicii, can't believe I got to meet you in Muscat just 6 days ago, far too young to go'

Avicii dead at 28: Swedish DJ Tim Bergling's body found in Oman leaving family 'devastated'; he is seen in Los Angeles late last year

His brother has checked into an upscale hotel just 15 minutes from where Avicii stayed, claims TMZ.

Swedish reports say the DJ had checked out of Muscat Hills sometime last week and David will most likely want to discover exactly where his brother went in the days leading up to his death.

It comes as fans around the world noticed the heartbreaking final tweet from the legendary DJ, as it gains new poignancy in the wake of his death.

Avicii was recently nominated for the Billboard Music Awards 2018 in the 'Top Dance/Electronic Album', for his six-track EP Avici.

He wrote a few days ago: 'Thanks for the nomination! @billboard #BBMAS'

The DJ's publicist said in a statement: 'It is with profound sorrow that we announce the loss of Tim Bergling, also known as Avicii.

'He was found dead in Muscat, Oman this Friday afternoon local time, April 20th.

'The family is devastated and we ask everyone to please respect their need for privacy in this difficult time. No further statements will be given.'

No more details about his death were provided. Oman police and state media had no immediate report late Friday night on the artist's death.

Avicii was recently nominated for the Billboard Music Awards 2018 in the 'Top Dance/Electronic Album', for his six-track EP Avici. He wrote a few days ago: 'Thanks for the nomination! @billboard #BBMAS'

Although the DJ had been hospitalised in the past for excessive drinking, he claimed to have never taken the drug MDMA or Molly, which is known for being popular with fans of his music

Maitrai Joshi, who is resident DJ at the resort, is seen in one of the photos with Avicii at the resort.

Joshi, 29, told Mail Online that he met the famous producer last weekend, seeing him on Friday and Saturday.

He said: 'It was shocking for us to see him there in Oman. He was on vacation, he said it was his first time in Oman.'

The DJ was enjoying himself so much in the Middle Eastern country that he extended his stay an extra eight days; he was supposed to go home that Sunday, according to Joshi.

Joshi said he didn't recall if Avicii was drinking but noted that he was in good spirits while enjoying the luxury resort with a small group of friends.

He added to Norwegian paper VG: 'He was very nice, in good shape. Last Friday they were out on a boat, and the day after I know he was having dinner with friends. This is shocking news.

'I do not know what might have happened. He was very nice and happy.'

American Christina Hlosek also was seen in a photo with Avicii, she said: 'It's a shock to me that he's dead now. I could not believe the news when I read it.'

In November 2017, footage (pictured) was released of the musician hospital-ridden in Australia while struggling with his health during his worldwide arena tour

Last post: Avicii shared this picture of himself posing in the rain on April 4, writing 'It's always sunny in California'

Avicii battled with acute pancreatitis - which is a potentially life-threatening inflammation of the pancreas - due in part to excessive drinking.

What is acute pancreatitis and how is it different from pancreatitis? Pancreatitis, inflammation of the pancreas, can come on quickly, when it is described as 'acute', with symptoms ranging from mild to severe. It also can be a long-standing problem, when it's known as 'chronic', where the pancreas slowly becomes more damaged over time. The most common symptom for both is pain in the abdomen that radiates to the back, along with nausea and vomiting. The theory is alcohol can cause the pancreatic duct to spasm, blocking the release of digestive juices. That inflames the pancreatic tissue. Other less common factors are faulty genes and viral infections such as measles or mumps. The dead tissue is vulnerable to infection and can lead to organ failure, so it needs to be removed. Around 25,000 cases of pancreatitis every year in Britain are acute. In 80 per cent of these, patients recover within a week. However, 5 per cent of patients will be extremely unwell, with serious and even fatal complications. Advertisement

As a result he had his gallbladder and appendix removed in 2014, cancelling a series of shows in attempt to recover.

He quit touring in 2016 in order to focus on his health and recovery.

In November 2017, footage was released of the musician hospital-ridden in Australia while struggling with his health during his worldwide arena tour.

The snippet was from the Swedish artist's documentary, AVICII: TRUE STORIES.

The clip was uploaded to Avicii's Facebook and the star admitted at the time he was apprehensive about sharing his in-depth battles against stress, anxiety and illness.

He wrote about the video: 'I'm really excited. I'm also a bit nervous because it is kind of gritty sometimes. It's very personal. There's a lot of ups and downs. It's going to be interesting to see what people say.'

Footage shot by documentary maker Levan Tsikurishvili between 2013 and 2016 shows Australian doctors telling the DJ his gall bladder needs removing.

'Normally you'd take your gall bladder out before you go home on hospital admission, the reason being, so you don't get another attack in the mean time,' the doctor says.

'We understand your situation in that you're in the middle of a world tour...we think at some stage you need your gall bladder out.'

The video later shows the 28-year-old appearing disoriented and light-headed as he tried to grasp what day it is.

He looked exhausted, and his eyes went into a haze and rolled back into his head several times.

Although the DJ had been hospitalised in the past for excessive drinking, he claimed to have never taken the drug MDMA or Molly, which is known for being popular with fans of his music.

In an interview with GQ in 2013, he said: 'I mean, I want to take it. But I'm sort of afraid of anything that makes you feel out of control.'

The DJ was last romantically linked to former Canadian model Raquel Bettencourt (pictured together in 2013)

He won two MTV Music Awards, one Billboard Music Award and earned two Grammy nominations. Known for Wake Me Up! The Days, You Make Me, and the recent Lonely Together with Rita Ora, Avicii's biggest hit was Levels

Pictured: The late producer and DJ with his mother during his childhood

In the piece, he also touched on his battle with anxiety and drinking.

He said: 'You are traveling around, you live in a suitcase, you get to this place, there's free alcohol everywhereit's sort of weird if you don't drink.

'I just got into a habit, because you rely on that encouragement and self-confidence you get from alcohol, and then you get dependent on it.'

Music veteran Nile Rodgers has paid tribute to the star and revealed his fears over the producers alcohol issues as he was 'drunk' the last time they saw each other.

Nile, who worked alongside Avicii many times over the years, last teamed up with the star at a concert three years ago.

The Chic star revealed he was distraught to discover his friend was 'drunk' and warned him about the risks to his health.

He told the Associated Press: 'He had promised me he would stop drinking, and when I saw him he was drunk that night. And I was like, 'Whoa. Dude. C'mon. What are you doing? What's going on? You said that that was done,'

Music veteran Nile Rodgers has now revealed his fears over the producers alcohol issues as he was 'drunk' the last time they saw each other

Nile Rodgers paid tribute to the DJ on Twitter calling him his 'little bro' (pictured)

'We did a show and I was a little upset. I didn't even stick around for his performance because it was breaking my heart.'

He added: 'I'm shocked because I don't know medically what happened, but I can just say as a person, as a friend, and more importantly, as a musician, Tim was one of the greatest, natural melody writers I've ever worked with, and I've worked with some of the most brilliant musicians on this planet.'

Although Avicii quit touring two years ago, the DJ continued making music in the studio, and collaborated with everyone from Madonna to Coldplay.

'It's been a very crazy journey. I started producing when I was 16. I started touring when I was 18. From that point on, I just jumped into 100 percent,' Avicii told Billboard magazine in 2016.

'When I look back on my life, I think: whoa, did I do that? It was the best time of my life in a sense. It came with a price - a lot of stress a lot of anxiety for me - but it was the best journey of my life.'

Avicii was a pioneer of the contemporary Electronic Dance Movement and a rare DJ capable of worldwide arena tour.

He was part of the wave of DJ-producers, like David Guetta, Calvin Harris and Swedish House Mafia, who broke out on the scene as lead performers in their own right, earning international hits, fame, awards and more like typical pop stars.

Avicii earned $250,000 a night when playing out sold-out shows, according to GQ, and was once named as one of Forbes' highest paid DJs.

Popular: Avicii was a pioneer of the contemporary Electronic Dance Movement and a rare DJ capable of worldwide arena tour

Fellow producer Calvin Harris was one of the first to tweet, writing: 'Devastating news about Avicii. A beautiful soul, passionate and extremely talented with so much more to do. My heart goes out to his family. God bless you Tim'

Avicii was part of the wave of DJ-producers, like David Guetta, Calvin Harris and Swedish House Mafia, who broke out on the scene as lead performers in their own right. Pictured: Louis Tomlinson posted this photo with the DJ

He won two MTV Music Awards, one Billboard Music Award and earned two Grammy nominations. Known for Wake Me Up! The Days, You Make Me, and the recent Lonely Together with Rita Ora, Avicii's biggest hit was Levels.

Avicii's death comes just days after he was nominated for a Billboard Music Award for top dance/electronic album for his EP Avicii (01), which he released last August.

Last year, the musician posted a statement on his website in which he said creating music was what he lived for.

He wrote: '[Creating music] is what I live for, what I feel I was born to do.

'Last year I quit performing live, and many of you thought that was it. But the end of live never meant the end of Avicii or my music. Instead, I went back to the place where it all made sense  the studio.

'The next stage will be all about my love of making music to you guys. It is the beginning of something new.'

As news of his death broke on Friday, Avicii's celebrity friends rushed to pay tribute.

Tragedy: Dua Lipa followed suit saying: 'Such sad news to hear about Avicii passing. Too young and way too soon. My condolences go out to his family, friends and fans x.'

Condolences: Avicii's collaborators and friends rushed to pay tribute as the news broke

Fellow producer Calvin Harris was one of the first to tweet, writing: 'Devastating news about Avicii. A beautiful soul, passionate and extremely talented with so much more to do. My heart goes out to his family. God bless you Tim.'

Former One Direction star Liam Payne wrote: 'Oh my god truly devastated for Avicii very very sad news way to young ... what a talent he was. rest in peace.'

Charlie Puth added: 'Wow, I would like to take a moment to pay tribute to the man who really opened my eyes as to what my productions could one day sound like. Avicii was a genius and a music innovator, and I can not believe he is no longer with us. RIP to the very best.'

Dua Lipa followed suit saying: 'Such sad news to hear about Avicii passing. Too young and way too soon. My condolences go out to his family, friends and fans x.' (sic)

Ellie Goulding expressed: 'Rest easy Avicii, you inspired so many of us. Wish I could have said that to you in person x.' (sic)

Fans were likewise distressed,flooding social media with tributes.Dramatic footage shows the moment police raided an illegal orgy at a hotel in Thailand, catching middle-aged Australian men with young Thai women.

Images from the raid in Pattaya, often referred to as the sex capital of the world, show the middle-aged men sweating heavily and rushing to cover themselves up.

Police burst in on the illegal sex party on Saturday night after getting a tip off guests had paid 1,500 baht ($62) to take part in an orgy.

They stormed the Tulip Hotel at 11.30pm Saturday night, sparking chaotic scenes.

Dramatic footage shows the moment police raided an illegal orgy at a hotel in Thailand catching sweating middle aged British men with young Thai women

Images from the raid in Pattaya, often referred to as the sex capital of the world, show the middle-aged Brits sweating heavily and rushing to cover themselves up

Video from a local news report captured the moment 28 men were rounded up with their female partners clutching them to hide their faces.

None of the individuals pictured are accused of committing any wrongdoing.

The Australian men were also accompanied by Americans,Canadians, Brits, Germans, Russians, Malaysians and Chinese party-goers, who were all questioned and released.

The Chinese hotel owner was arrested for running a hotel illegally and hosting sex parties.

Naris Niwapantawong, District Sheriff in the Banglamung area of Pattaya, said the men from many different countries 'exchanged partners with each other'.

Police burst in on the illegal sex party (pictured) on Saturday night after getting a tip off guests had paid 1,500 baht ($62) to take part in an orgy

He added: 'We received a complaint about the Tulip Hotel. We were told they organised sex parties at the weekends.

'My staff co-ordinated with police, immigration and the military to strike quickly and accurately.

'We carried out the operation while they were having sex and we shut them down.'

The Tulip Hotel in South Pattaya has 30 rooms over four different floors. It is split into several zones, with the one floor dedicated as the 'play zone'.

Officers said that 'almost all of the participants' were in the play zone when the building was raided.

There were also three hotel staff, who were tasked with serving hot tea to the guests, cleaning up the rooms and joining in with the sex games.

It took place at the Tulip Hotel in Pattaya, often referred to as the sex capital of the world

Condoms, lubricants and sex toys were also found scattered around the building and collected as evidence.

The hotel owner Sheng Liao Yang, 53, from China was arrested on suspicion of running a hotel without a license and hosting obscene events.

Sheriff Niwapantawong added: 'The site was hosting parties for those who prefer sex that involve exchanging partners.

'To attend the event, participants had to register through a website. There was a rule that party members must be male and female couples. The cost per night was 1,500 baht per person.

Video from a local news report captured the moment 18 men were rounded up with their female partners clutching them to hide their faces

'Police investigated the claims first and gathered evidence and a warrant before striking the premises.

'The men were found to be from many countries including Australia, America, the United Kingdom, Germany and Malaysia. Many guests had visited previously.

'A prosecutor is now developing the case against the hotel owner.'

Pattaya on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand has become known as the sex capital of the world since American servicemen began visiting in the 1960s during 'rest and relaxation' time from duties in Vietnam.

A bustling night life scene grew and the area is now home to thousands of bars, strip clubs and massage parlours.The 29-year-old man who stopped a naked gunman after he opened fire at a Tennessee Waffle House on Sunday said he doesn't feel like a hero.

James Shaw Jr has been identified as the man who wrestled with suspected gunman Travis Reinking.

Reinking, 29, killed four people and injured seven others in Antioch on Sunday morning before fleeing.

Authorities identified those killed in the shooting as 29-year-old restaurant worker Taurean C. Sanderlin of Goodlettsville, 20-year-old restaurant patron Joe R. Perez of Nashville, 23-year-old Akilah Dasilva of Nashville and Deebony Groves, a 21-year-old woman from Gallatin, Tennessee.

Sanderlin and Perez were killed outside the restaurant and Dasilva was critically wounded inside and later died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Groves was shot dead inside the restaurant.

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Authorities have identified Travis Reinking, 29, as a person of interest in a Waffle House shooting that left four dead and seven others injured

Police said many more lives would have been lost if James Shaw Jr (pictured with his gunshot wound at the hospital after the shooting) had not fought Reinking

Shaw Jr, 29, is being hailed a hero after he wrestled the gunman and threw his assault rifle over the counter at Waffle House

Shots rang out at the restaurant (pictured after the shooting) in Antioch, near Nashville, around 3.25am on Sunday, according to the Metro Nashville Police Department

Akilah Dasilva, 23, (pictured) has been identified as one of the four people killed on Sunday

Reinking was nearly naked, wearing only a green jacket and brandishing an assault-style rifle when he opened fire in the parking lot and then stormed the restaurant

He was added to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation's Top 10 Most Wanted List and is described as 6ft 4in and 180 pounds. He is considered armed and dangerous.

He was last seen Sunday around a wooded area near an apartment complex where he lived. Authorities said Reinking could be armed and weren't ruling out that he had left the area. He was believed to be wearing only pants and no shirt or shoes.

Shaw Jr said he was just trying to stay alive when he tackled the shooter and grabbed his assault rifle, throwing it over the counter.

'I'm not a hero, I'm just a regular person,' he said at a press conference on Sunday afternoon while tearing up.

'I think anybody could have did what I did if they're just pushed in that kind of cage. You have to either react or you're going to fold and I chose to react because I didn't see any other way of me living, and that's what I wanted to do, I wanted to live.'

Shaw Jr's hand was severely burned after he grabbed the barrel of the AR-15 on Sunday

Shaw Jr was visibly emotional as he sat during a press conference for the shooting on Sunday

Distress: James Shaw Jr. breaks down in tears at a press conference in Nashville where he was thanked for his bravery

Waffle House President and CEO, Walt Ehmer embraces patron James Shaw, Jr. at a press conference discussing the shooting

Shaw Jr was grazed by a bullet and treated for a minor gunshot wound on his elbow. He has since been released from the hospital

Reinking arrived at the Waffle House parking lot around 3.19am and sat in his pick-up truck for three to four minutes while staring at people inside the restaurant, according to Metropolitan Nashville Police Department spokesman Don Aaron.

Completely naked except for a green jacket, Reinking opened fire with an AR-15 at 3.25am. The green jacket was later found with two magazines containing AR-15 ammunition.

'He clearly came armed with a lot of firepower intending to devastate the south Nashville area,' Aaron said.

Reinking first fatally shot two people standing outside the restaurant before he entered.

Shaw Jr, a Nashville native who works at AT&T and is a father to a four-year old girl, had been at a club when he and his best friend decided to get some food, he said.

They initially went to a different Waffle House but it was too packed, so they decided to another two miles away.

Shaw Jr said he saw Reinking sitting in truck as he headed into the restaurant.

When the shots first rang out, Shaw Jr thought a stack of plates had fallen to the ground.

Restaurant worker Taurean C. Sanderlin, 29, and 20-year-old customer Joe R. Perez were among the four shot dead by a gunman at a Nashville Waffle House on Sunday

Deebony Groves, 21, and Akilah Dasilva, 23, were also killed when the gunman stormed in and opened fire with an assault rifle

'Then the second one happened, then the third one happened, and I saw the Waffle House employees scatter and I saw a person lying on the ground at the entrance of the door,' he said.

When the gunman entered the restaurant Shaw Jr tried to hide behind a swivel door.

'He shot through that door and it grazed my arm. That's when I made up my mind - if it was going to come down to it, he was going to have to work to kill me,' he said.

Shaw Jr then saw a window of opportunity when the gunman was 'trying to reload'.

'I ran through the swivel door, hit him with the swivel door, and the gun was kind of jammed up and pushed down so we were scuffling,' he said.

'I managed to get him with one hand on the gun and I grabbed it from him and threw it over the counter.'

Shaw Jr said he didn't even feel the heat of the barrel when he grabbed the gun. After he got rid of the weapon, he pushed the gunman out of the restaurant.

The gunman fled and Shaw Jr said he didn't follow because he was scared he might have another gun. Soon after, he flagged down passing drivers to call 911.

Police have since shared a photo of the assault rife that was used in the shooting on Sunday

Metro Nashville Police Department said Reinking is now wanted for murder and warrants have been prepared

Shaw Jr said he was sorry he couldn't save more lives.

'It wasn't really a process of thinking, it was more so a now, you have to do this now or it's not...if I let him load that weapon there wasn't going to be another window,' he told News Channel 5.

'There wasn't going to be another chance. It was pretty much like shooting fish in a barrel, there was a brick wall behind us and nowhere to go.'

Shaw Jr was grazed by a bullet and treated for a minor gunshot wound on his elbow. His hands were also severely burned from grabbing the assault rifle.

After he was released from the hospital, Shaw Jr changed clothes and attended church with his family. He was joined by Nashville Mayor David Briley.

Shaw Jr said that although he is not very religious, he went to church because he felt there was 'some divine entity' looking over him during the shooting.

'In a tenth of a second something was with me to run through that door and get the gun from him,' he said during the press conference.

'You could probably do that 10 times and only come out one time with the outcome I came out with. Something, some divine entity, was looking over me.'

Shaw Jr was also adamant in his belief that he was not a hero, despite being lauded by the police, FBI, and Waffle House executives.

'I just wanted to persevere,' he said. 'I don't want people to think I'm the Terminator or Superman.'

'I just figured if I was going to die, he was going to have to work for it. I rushed him and it worked out in my favor.'

'I don't want this to be the focal point of my life. I don't want this to be a major moment in my life, even though I know it's going to be.'

Waffle House CEO Walt Ehmer thanked Shaw Jr and said: 'You don't get to meet too many heroes in life but you are my hero'.

Coroners carry out a body from the Waffle House where four died in the early hours of Sunday

Three of the victims died at the scene and a fourth died at the hospital. Coroners could be seen removing bodies from the restaurant on Sunday afternoon

More than 80 Nashville police officers continued to search for Reinking early Monday as disturbing reports about the wanted man's past behavior came to light.

Reinking, who is from Morton, Illinois, was on the radar of both the FBI and Illinois law enforcement.

He was arrested by the US Secret Service for crossing an exterior security barrier near the White House complex in July 2017 and charged with unlawful entry.

Reinking told Secret Service officials he was trying to set up a meeting with President Donald Trump.

After Reinking was interviewed by the FBI and Tazewell Sheriff's Department, his Illinois gun license was revoked at the request of the FBI.

Four of his weapons were seized by Tazewell authorities, including the AR-15 used in the Waffle House shooting, and the investigation was closed in October 2017.

The guns, however, were eventually returned to Reinking's father who has since admitted to giving them back to his son. The AR-15 used in the Waffle House shooting was among the four weapons.

Police recovered three of the four guns that were originally taken from Reinking, but believe he is armed with at least one handgun.

Prior to the White House incident, police reports have previously described Reinking as 'delusional' and talked about his 'mental health issues'.

His parents called 911 in 2016 because their son was convinced Taylor Swift was stalking him and he had spoken of killing himself.

'Travis is hostile toward police and does not recognize police authority. Travis also possesses several firearms,' a police report said.

Authorities said a total of eight people were taken to the hospital with injuries, including six who had gunshot wounds

Police said the suspect shot out the front window of the restaurant, leaving many people inside with visible cuts on their faces from glass

Police said the suspect shot out the front window of the restaurant, leaving many people inside with visible cuts on their faces from glass.

Witnesses said he ran to a nearby apartment complex, where he is a resident, and put on black pants before entering the woods barefoot.

A SWAT team swarmed his apartment in the morning with their guns drawn and screamed at nearby residents to 'get back'.

It was declared cleared at 3pm, with no sight of Reinking.

Reinking had moved into an apartment complex near the Waffle House just two months ago, his neighbor Brianna Bolen told the Tennessean.

Authorities also used helicopters and dogs to search a wooded area near Reinking's apartment.

Reinking is belived to have moved to Nashville in the fall of 2017 and worked in the construction trade.

Authorities said he was fired three weeks ago from one employer and recently received a job from another.

His new boss said Reinking showed up to work on Monday this week but had not been seen since.

Two of the people who died were killed outside of Waffle House and one person was fatally shot inside the restaurant

Authorities said a man believed to be Reinking was last seen walking at a nearby apartment complex. He was wearing black pants and no shirt

Authorities are currently at the scene of Reinking's apartment complex (pictured). A neighbor said he just moved in two months ago

Metro Nashville Police used a SWAT team and bomb squad to serve a search warrant at Reinking's apartment

Swat members with assault weapons could be seen patrolling the neighborhood on Sunday

Metro Davidson County Police inspect a gold truck (pictured) registered to Reinking's name

Witness Chuck Cordero went by the restaurant on Sunday morning to see his friends when the shooting began.

Cordero, 50, said he saw the gunman shoot his friend as well as a man standing at the door of the restaurant.

'He did not say anything. He pulled up, got out of his car and was all business,' Cordero told The Tennessean.

'I couldn't run, I was so scared. I was crawling on the ground.'

'From underneath my car I could see that he stood out in front of the restaurant and shot a few shots through the windows, and then he went inside.'

'I tried to run across the parking lot to get further away and once I got to the other side I looked back and there was a gentleman wrestling with the gunman.'

Cordero called Shaw Jr a 'hero'.

'Had that guy had a chance to reload his weapon, there were plenty more people in that restaurant. He really saved some people, I'm positive he did.'

Cordero said there 30 people in the restaurant at the time of the shooting.

FBI investigators arrived at Waffle House as well on Sunday afternoon following the shooting

A fourth person died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where one victim remains in critical condition and another is in critical but stable condition

Witness Chuck Cordero, 50, said he saw the gunman shoot his friend as well as a man standing at the door of the restaurant when the shooting began

Waffle House is 'very concerned' and 'gathering all the details' surrounding the shooting, spokesman Pat Warner said

Waffle House said it was 'deeply saddened by this tragic incident'.

'Right now, our first thoughts are with the victims and their families, and we will be there for them in this most difficult time,' the statement read.

'This is a very sad day for the Waffle House family.'

Mayor Briley called it a 'tragic day' for the city.

'This morning our city woke up to tragic news, the fragility of life was brought home to all of us by the death of four innocent Nashvillians,' he said in a statement.

'Our heart goes out to all the victims and their families and I ask that Nashville continue to pray and rally around them.'

He also called for increased gun control for assault weapons, citing an earlier shooting at a Nashville church that killed one and injured seven others.

'It's been only seven months since we had another mass shooting here in Nashville,' he said. 'And that is far too frequent.'

'If we can all just come together for the greater good, we can take these weapons of war off the streets of our country.'

'Clearly, the victims of this shooting deserve our prayers and our thoughts, but they also deserve leaders who will step up and take action and do something to take these weapons off our streets.'

Metro Davidson County Police search for the suspect involved in a wooded area near the Waffle House and Reinking's apartment

Reiking still remained at large as of Sunday morning as police remained at the Waffle House

Waffle House said it was 'deeply saddened by this tragic incident' and had senior leadership at the scene of the shootingQatar's prime minister was a guest of honour at an event thrown by one of the world's most prolific terrorism financiers.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani, the Qatari prime minister, was pictured alongside Abd al-Rahman bin Umayr al-Nuaymi at his son's wedding.

It comes after Qatar claimed to be cracking down on support for terrorism amid its decision to designate al-Nuaymi a financier of terrorism - following similar statements made by the UK, US and theUnited Nations Security Council.

Qatar's prime minister, right, greets the groom, whose father is Abd al-Rahman bin Umayr al-Nuaymi

Qatar - through its claims of taking a zero-tolerance approach to terror financiers - is attempting to end a blockade by neighbouring states that accuse the country of supporting terrorist groups

Yet only two days after Qatar's Emir assured Donald Trump: 'We do not tolerate people who support and fund terrorism', the state's prime minister was seen at the wedding of al-Nuaymi's son, Abdullah, on April 11 this year.

He was pictured at the event with the groom while al-Nuaymi looked on in the background. The image was posted on social media by a photographer who went to the event.

The Qatar government confirmed that Sheikh Abdullah had attended the wedding and had been invited 'personally' by the groom - who they described as an 'upstanding young man' and 'a government employee of the state of Qatar'.

Officials added: 'Qatar exercises due process, and does also not believe that justice is served when children are punished for a parent's bad act.

'There is no hypocrisy at work here. The prime minister will continue to support the good work of his employees and will not avoid a family affair because a defendant standing trial may possibly be in attendance,' reported the Telegraph.

Al-Nuaymi has been banned from travelling and had his assets frozen since 2015, and Qatar prosecutors were 'building a new case' after he was acquitted 'due to lack of evidence' following time in prison.

Pictured: The prime minister, centre, in another wedding picture, with al-Nuaymi to his left

He has previously been an adviser to the Qatari government and is accused by the US of sending more than 1million a month to al-Qaeda jihadists in Iraq.

Al-Nuaymi denies the allegations against him and the Qatari government denies funding terrorism.

The alleged terrorist financier was added to a list of suspects targeted with financial sanctions in the UK in 2014.

The move came 10 months after the US authorities imposed sanctions on him, saying al-Nuaymi was a 'terrorist financier and facilitator who has provided money and material support and conveyed communications to al Qaida and its affiliates in Syria, Iraq, Somalia and Yemen for more than a decade'.A new variety of meat has hit Australian supermarket shelves with one customer discovering a not-so-tasty range of gourmet sausages.

The 'fresh from the farm' sausages were spotted by a woman grocery shopping at her local Foodland in Valley View, a suburb northeast of Adelaide.

'It's good to see that they're using the whole cow,' the photo was captioned.

A new variety of meat has hit Australian supermarket shelves with one customer discovering a not-so-tasty range of gourmet sausages

The beef sausages had an unfortunate labeling mishap when the 'g' disappeared somewhere in the manufacturing process.

After the woman posted the photo to an Adelaide Instagram page, many shoppers were keen to point out the packaging may not have been a mistake after all.

'I suspect thats an honest listing of ingredients,' one person wrote.

'At least we know where our food comes from,' said another.

The beef sausages had an unfortunate labeling mishap when the 'g' disappeared somewhere in the manufacturing process

Many speculated as to what sort of meat were in sausages in the first place, while others vowed they would eat vegan.

'Theyre not bunnings, but sound exotic ... No wastage there!' one optimistic person said.

Thinking ahead, some Adelaide locals suggested the mislabeled snags would soon be on special.

'Watch all the budget shoppers come Saturday for markdown theyll be all over them.'

The sausages were supplied to Foodland Adelaide outlets by Auspork Pty Ltd.Adam Bradford, 25, claims to have suffered a torrent of abuse online after sordid details of the work carried out by Hans Asperger, emerged this week

A man with Asperger's claims he has been accused of being a 'Nazi' following a study which found the doctor who named the condition collaborated with the Third Reich.

Adam Bradford, 25, claims to have suffered a torrent of abuse online after sordid details of the work carried out by Hans Asperger, emerged this week.

The pioneering paediatrician reportedly sent hundreds of disabled children to their deaths under Nazi rule at Spiegelgrund, a clinic in Vienna that was part of a euthanasia programme.

Mr Bradford says the revelation regarding Mr Asperger has 'cast a dark spell' over the autism community.

He also says the new study conclusions have sparked bullying similar to what he suffered during his childhood which he thought was behind him.

The 25-year-old even claims several people have told him the condition is false and suggested Mr Asperger invented it as part of a cover-up because of his links to Nazism.

But the entrepreneur, who received a Queen's Young Leader award for his work with young people in 2016, has rubbished those claims and says the condition is real and is supported by credible research.

Asperger's Syndrome, marked by an impaired ability to interact socially with others, tends to affect people of average or above average intelligence.

Mr Bradford said: 'People have been suggesting on social media the whole condition could be false and it was a cover-up for his Nazi background.

'It's not made up, he {Mr Asperger} did credible research around autism and it has been accepted for many decades.

'I have engaged in conversation with people who have been saying the condition is not even real and those diagnosed are making it up to get attention.

Mr Bradford suffered a torrent of abuse online following the news that the Han Asperger had Nazi-links

'I have a psychological diagnosis from a psychologist. People have been saying to me 'maybe you are a Nazi if you are sticking up for him'.

'I certainly can justify on behalf of myself that it's real.

'I don't think there is any association with people who have Asperger's and this one professor who was linked to Nazism.

'The autism community is up in arms about it, having this right-wing argument thrown at you is really quite nasty.'

Mr Bradford says the name of the Asperger's condition should be changed for the 'protection' of the community.

The entrepreneur, who received a Queen's Young Leader award for his work with young people in 2016, has asked for the name of the condition to change

Mr Bradford claims the new study conclusions have sparked bullying similar to what he suffered during his childhood which he thought was behind him

'We need to change the name because we have to suffer the abuse on his behalf,' he added.

'It's a shame because it has cast such a dark spell over the autism community.'

Mr Bradford was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, aged 11 after being referred to a psychology by a teacher at school.

The referral came after the entrepreneur, from Sheffield, South Yorkshire, says he was bullied by other pupils.

'It was really difficult at the time, I didn't fit in and a lot of people started saying 'he is weird and different',' he added.

Mr Bradford with his parents. His father (right) was jailed in 2014 was fraud

WHO WAS HANS ASPERGER AND WHAT IS HIS LEGACY? Hans Asperger was born in Austria in 1906 and lived through both World Wars. As a paediatrician, he studied mental disorders in children around his native Vienna. After graduating with his medical degree in 1931 he went on to become director of the special education section at the university children's clinic in Vienna in 1932. As an adult male in 1939 when the Second World War broke out, he was a medical officer and opened a school for children. After this was bombed and destroyed, a lot of his research was lost. Despite this, he published his first work in 1944. He defined a condition which would later adopt his name in four young boys. He observed a pattern of behaviour and abilities that he called 'autistic psychopathy'. The pattern included 'a lack of empathy, little ability to form friendships, one-sided conversation, intense absorption in a special interest, and clumsy movements.' Asperger called children with this condition 'little professors,' because of their ability to talk about their favourite subject in great detail. One of the boys, named Fritz V, became an astronomer who solved an error in Isaac Newton's original work. During his lifetime, he received little recognition for his work and only won a handful or accolades in his local area. After his death in 1980, his work was translated from his native German and the term 'Asperger's syndrome' was first coined. Posthumously, his definition and work has gained widespread recognition. A recent study by Dr Herwig Czech, a historian of medicine, has analysed previously unseen documents including Dr Asperger's personnel file and case records of his patients from between 1928 and 1944 which had previously been thought to have been destroyed. The documents suggest that Professor Asperger ingratiated himself with the Nazi regime to the extent of participating in its murderous euthanasia programme. Asperger is said to have referred profoundly disabled children to the notorious Am Spiegelgrund clinic, where their "unworthy" lives were snuffed out. An estimated 789 children, many with severe mental problems, were systematically killed at the Vienna clinic, mostly by lethal injection and gassing. Others died from disease and starvation, or were subjected to harsh medical experiments. Advertisement

'I didn't have any friends so there was nowhere for me to turn, it can be very isolating.'

Three years ago, Mr Bradford made headlines after his father was jailed for fraud.

His father defrauded a Welsh company out of more than 50,000 to repay private bank loans and secret gambling debts.

Adam then shared a heartfelt letter he received from his father behind bars, urging others with a gambling addiction to get help.

He claimed after the sentencing that he 'was in absolute disbelief and disgust' at his father's actions.

He went n to launch a campaign calling for tighter regulations and control of the online gambling industry to protect those suffering from compulsive behaviours.

At the time he said: 'We will lose everything we've got. Our house is on the line, our life is in turmoil and my father is similarly suffering from psychological problems.

'Life will never be the same for us and my dad's letter shows for the first time how dangerous compulsive behaviour can be, made ever worse by the availability of money and gambling in the modern world.

'I hope my father's story and honesty helps others to know this situation is not as rare as it sounds, help and support is available. Do not be afraid to reach out and access it.'

Mr Asperger has for decades been regarded as a hero in the field of autism treatment and research.

But analysis of a crucial set of documents shows he not only collaborated with the Nazis but 'actively contributed' to their eugenics programme.

Herwig Czech, from the Medical University of Vienna, set out the claims against Prof Asperger after trawling through previously unexamined documents from the Nazi era including personnel files and patient records.

Published in the journal Molecular Autsim, the new study says Asperger referred 'profoundly disabled' children to the Am Spiegelgrund clinic in Vienna, despite knowing what took place there.

An estimated 789 children, many with severe mental problems, were systematically killed at the Vienna clinic, mostly by lethal injection and gassing.

'Aktion T4', the horrific euthanasia programme personally authorised by Adolf Hitler, set out to cull the incurable and severely disabled.

Their cause of death was recorded as pneumonia.

Asperger's was first identified by Professor Asperger in 1944 who used the term 'autistic psychopathy' to describe the condition of four children under his care.

In 1981, the British psychiatrist Lorna Wing, who helped establish the National Autistic Society in the UK, introduced the diagnosis of 'Asperger's Syndrome' in honour of her predecessor who died the previous year.Former President Bill Clinton reportedly spread a rumor that The New York Times played up the FBIs investigation into his wifes use of a private email server as part of a secret deal with Donald Trump to destroy her chances of becoming president.

The conspiracy theory which was reportedly spread by the former president holds that the Times was eager to see Trump elected because it would boost readership.

After the election, Bill would spread a more absurd Times conspiracy: The publisher had struck a deal with Trump that wed destroy Hillary on her emails to help him get elected, if he kept driving traffic and boosting the companys stock price, writes Amy Chozick, herself a Times reporter and the author of a new book, Chasing Hillary: Ten Years, Two Presidential Campaigns, and One Intact Glass Ceiling.

The excerpt about Bill Clinton's conspiracy theory was reported by The Daily Beast.

Bill Clinton (seen left with his wife, Hillary Clinton and her running mate, Tim Kaine on November 9, 2016) reportedly spread a rumor that The New York Times made a secret deal with Donald Trump to destroy her chances of becoming president

Clinton reportedly believed that the then-publisher of the Times, Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr (above), made a deal with Trump to undercut Clinton's chances of winning because having Trump in the White House would boost readership

The Times has been attacked by Clinton supporters who say the newspaper of record devoted excessive coverage to the email server investigation. On October 29, the Times devote three front-page, above-the-fold stories about the probe - 11 days before the election

Chozick, who covered Hillary Clintons campaign from the outset, details the Clintons anger at the Gray Lady over what they perceive as anti-Clinton bias.

The Times has come under repeated attack from Clinton supporters who say the newspaper of record devoted excessive coverage to the email server investigation.

When then-FBI Director James Comey sent a letter to Congress 11 days before the election announcing that the bureau was revisiting the probe into the email server, the Times wrote three front-page, above-the-fold stories about it in its October 29 issue.

Comey and the FBI eventually decided to close the investigation, but it is believed that the letter from October 28 did enough damage to Clinton that it cost her precious votes in key states, paving the way for Trumps shock victory just days later.

The publisher of the Times during that period was Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr, 66.

On January 1 of this year, Sulzberger Jr stepped down as publisher, handing the reins over to his son, Arthur Gregg Sulzberger, 37.

The revelations are detailed in a new book by Times reporter Amy Chozick, who covered the Clinton campaign for the newspaper

Sulzberger Jr has remained as chairman of The New York Times Company, the parent entity which owns the newspaper as well as other assets.

Though there is no evidence of a conspiracy, having Trump in the White House appears to have helped the Times financially.

The newspaper reported that in 2017 it generated over $1billion in revenue from digital-only subscriptions.

During that same year, overall revenue jumped 8 per cent to $1.7billion.

Trump, of course, has repeatedly attacked the failing Times for its coverage.

On Saturday, the president tweeted that the newspapers White House correspondent, Maggie Haberman, was a third rate reporter and a Crooked H flunkie who I dont speak to and have nothing to do with.

The tweet was in response to a story that Haberman co-authored in which she quoted two known associates of Trump as saying that the president has treated his longtime lawyer and confidante, Michael Cohen, like garbage.

Cohen, who is under criminal investigation, is believed likely to turn on his boss and cooperate with the federal government if faced with charges.

Chozick's book contains other revelations about the doomed Clinton campaign.

She writes that during the primaries, Clinton aides wanted to 'maximize' Trump because they perceived him as the weakest Republican candidate who would give her the best chance to win the election.

That was one of several assumptions that ultimately proved false.

Vice President Joe Biden, who had a fundraising network and Pennsylvania roots that helped connect him to some of the voters Clinton once ham handedly mocked as 'deplorables,' confided he stayed out of the race partly out of concern to what Clinton's vaunted network would do to him.

According to the book, Clinton 's campaign held a strategy session on how to build up Trump when he was a reality TV star hurling insults at rival Republicans

'Biden had confided (off the record) to the White House press corps that he wanted to run, but he added something like "You guys don't understand these people. The Clintons will try to destroy me",' Chozick writes.

In another poor decision, Chelsea Clinton poured French champagne into people's glasses at about 9 pm, hours before her loss, according to Chozick.

She says someone told her it was Veuve Clicquot, according to a preview in The New York Times.

When the election was lost, it fell to campaign manager Robby Mook to deliver the bad news to the candidate.

'I knew it. I knew this would happen to me,' Clinton responded, according to the book. 'They were never going to let me be president.'

The defeat was the culmination of a long campaign where a retinue of mainly female reporters contended with a candidate who kept herself at a distance, dismissing the email scandal, and eager to have it end.

Some of them were calling it 'Hillary's Death March to Victory.'

Among Chozick's other observations: 'Her only clear vision of the presidency seemed to be herself in it.'

Trump's attacks were able to set the tone for the campaign.

'Hillary had berated our pea-size political brains for being uninterested in policy. Now, Trump had made her as devoid of substance as he was,' she writes in a Washington Post excerpt.

She also writes of Clinton: 'For all the lesbian theories, Hillary enjoys nothing more than flirting with a handsome, preferably straight man,' mentioning Ed Henry of Fox News getting called on in front of a skein of female reporters.The event saw the participation of representatives from the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD); the Vietnamese Embassy and Commercial Affair in Malaysia; Malaysias Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry; and those from leading enterprises in the processing, exporting, and importing of livestock products in the two countries.

In his opening speech, Deputy Minister of MARD Tran Thanh Nam said the livestock cooperation between Vietnam and Malaysia still remains modest compared to its potential, and opportunities and mechanisms for businesses of both sides to strengthen links is limited.

He hoped that through the seminar, authorities and enterprises of the two countries would develop a greater understanding of each other's situation and abilities, thus proposing ways to enhance cooperation between the two countries in the field.

Vietnamese enterprises such as Vinamilk and Minh Dang Groups introduced their activities and products. They said their products could meet the demands of the Malaysian market, expressing their wish to establish links with Malaysian partners, with the intention of exporting their products to the country in the near future.

Meanwhile, Malaysian businesses expressed their interest in some Vietnamese products such as beef, milk, dairy products, and animal feed.

They revealed that Malaysian dairy and beef firms meet only about 60 percent, and 23 percent of the domestic market demand, respectively.

The Malaysian side affirmed it would consider the possibility of collaborating with Vietnamese partners on imports of those products in the coming time.

Malaysian enterprises also said they could cooperate with Vietnamese firms through providing technologies of processing and preservation of livestock products, and veterinary medicines.

Previously, on April 20, Deputy Minister Nam held a working session with representatives from the Malaysian Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry, during which the two sides discussed measures to boost their agricultural and breeding collaboration.Australia is a target for Russian spies because of the world-class technology hidden in the country, according to an espionage expert.

John Blaxland believes there is a 'very high probability' Vladimir Putin's government has a strong interest in Australia with agents located in the country.

But the Russian ambassador to Australia has denied there are intelligence officers operating within his nation's embassy.

Australia is a target for Russian spies because of its world-class technology, according to John Blaxland (pictured)

There is a 'very high probability' Vladimir Putin's government has a strong interest in Australia, he said

In an interview with 60 Minutes on Sunday, Grigory Logvinov remained tight-lipped of Russian involvement as tensions on the world stage continue to grow.

Professor Blaxland, who is an intelligence and international security academic at the Australian National University, said it was 'almost guaranteed' there are spies in Australia.

He said: 'There has been a long-standing issue about the perception of Australia not being a target for intelligence collection, for espionage.

'Australia actually has world class technology that other people want to steal.'

Grigory Logvinov, the Russian ambassador to Australia, remained tight-lipped of Russian involvement as tensions on the world stage continue to grow

He questioned the line often issued ruling out Australia as a place other countries want to collect intelligence from.

But Russia is refusing to be drawn on whether it has intelligence assets working out of its embassy in Canberra.

Mr Logvinov said: 'No ambassador of any country would ever say this there are spies or intelligence officers in his embassy.'

But Russia is refusing to be drawn on whether it has intelligence assets working out of its embassy in Canberra

The ambassador warned the world was moving towards a 'very dangerous brink' claiming nuclear conflict 'would not be Russia's choice'

But he agreed his statement did not imply there are definitely no spies at all.

The ambassador warned the world was moving towards a 'very dangerous brink' claiming nuclear conflict 'would not be Russia's choice'.

Mr Logvinov laughed off claims Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad was a mass murderer calling for more evidence to be presented, saying: 'Oh my gosh. Mass murderer?'

Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad is known to be a close ally of the Russian president Vladimir Putin (pictured)

Mr Logvinov also denied Russian involvement in the MH17 plane crash, which killed 298 people including 38 Australians

Assad is known to be a close ally of the Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Mr Logvinov also denied Russian involvement in the MH17 plane crash, which killed 298 people including 38 Australians.

He said he was sorry for the loss of life but described the victims as 'muppets' in a 'dirty political game'.Images have emerged from the wedding of a young couple who were tragically killed in a hit-and-run on Sunday morning.

Matt Goland, 38, and Bita Zaeim, 32, had been married just 12 months when a car travelling at 'horrendous speeds' collided with their family sedan, killing them both.

The couple's dream wedding took place in Bali last year.

Images have emerged from the recent wedding of Matt Goland, 38, and Bita Zaeim, 32 - a young couple who were tragically killed in a hit-and-run on Sunday morning

Photos from the joyous occasion, which took place in Bali just 12 months ago, show the couple smiling in a loving embrace

Photos of the joyous occasion show Matt and Bita smiling in a loving embrace - clearly ecstatic at having just started the rest of their lives together.

The couple were just minutes from their east Melbourne home on Sunday morning when the allegedly stolen vehicle, a Lexus, crashed into them.

Two teenagers have been charged over the fatal hit-and-run, with police alleging that they ran a red light before slamming into Matt and Bita's Holden Commodore in Wantirna South shortly after midnight.

Eric Victorsen, a 19-year-old man from Boronia, is accused of being behind the wheel of the stolen car. He is being charged with two counts of culpable driving and one count of theft of motor vehicle

Two teenagers have been charged over a fatal hit-and-run that claimed the lives of a newly-married couple in Melbourne

Matt Goland, 38, died at the scene and Bita Zaeim, 32, was rushed to hospital but died a short time later

The teenagers (pictured left) allegedly fled the scene following the fatal crash as CCTV footage showed witnesses running to the scene to offer assistance

Police alleged a grey Lexus four-wheel-drive travelling south along Stud Road in Wantirna South collided with an eastbound black Holden Commodore (pictured)

Eric Victorsen, a 19-year-old man from Boronia, is accused of being behind the wheel of the Lexus.

He is being charged with two counts of culpable driving and one count of theft of motor vehicle. It is believed he has an intellectual disability.

A 15-year-old Belgrave girl was charged with two counts of culpable driving (accessory after the fact) and one count of theft of motor vehicle.

Victorsen faced the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Sunday, while the Belgrave girl will face a Children's Court at a later date.

Mr Goland's parents visited the site of the hit and run which claimed their son and daughter in law's lives

Locals have also visited the scene of the hit and run to pay their respects to the victims

The teenagers, who allegedly fled the crash site, received medical treatment under police guard after their arrest at a Belgrave home about 1.15pm on Saturday.

Acting Superintendent Stuart McGregor told reporters the 'abhorrent' events seemed to be 'a bit of a game' for the teenagers.

'There's nothing fun about this, this is not a game, this is real life, this is where people have died and this is where people will be going to jail,' he told reporters.

Major Collision Investigation Unit detectives pictured investigating circumstances surrounding the crash

Matt Goland and Bita Zaeim (pictured) lived in The Basin and had only been married for 12 months

'Everyone in the community just cannot understand how someone can think it's right to travel at speed - horrendous speeds - through a red light and then when you know you've done so much damage to another car, to another person, to two people, to think of themselves and just flee.'

One of the dead couple's parents visited the Wantirna South crash site on Saturday morning.

'I've seen some pretty terrible incidents, this is probably up there. I've been able to explain how the collision occurred but I can't tell her why. This behaviour is just abhorrent,' Sup McGregor said.

'Dealing with them and talking to them and seeing that state of shock, you never want to see that.'

The occupants of the Lexus (pictured) ran westbound on Stud Road after the crash

The male passenger in the Holden died at the scene and his wife passed away in hospital

The road toll now stands at 64 for 2018, compared to 78 for the same time last year.

Acting Superintendent Stuart McGregor said the memory of informing the next of kin about the fatalities would haunt him for the rest of his life.

'I've had to stand at the intersection with the parents of one of the deceased, I've been able to explain how it has occurred but not why,' he said.

Matt Goland, 38, and Bita Zaeim, 32, were married only a year ago

'This behaviour is abhorrent. No one in the community can understand why.

'The image of mum and dad of the male passenger will probably stay with me for the rest of my life.'

Mr McGregor said the teens appeared to be treating taking other people's lives into their own hands as though it was a 'game'.

'This is not a game, this is real life. The reality is that two people are dead and two more are going to jail,' he said.

Major Collision Investigation Unit detectives are investigating circumstances surrounding the crash.A 25-year-old woman discovered a hidden camera taped inside a Starbuck's bathroom in Georgia, police revealed.

After police confiscated the device, they found about 25 videos stored on the camera, several of which showed people using the toilet.

McRae-Helena discovered the hidden camera on Tuesday taped underneath a changing table located directly in front of the toilet in the bathroom.

The female patron removed the camera and reported it to a manager of the store in Alpharetta, a suburb of Atlanta.

A 25-year-old woman discovered a hidden camera taped underneath a changing table in a Starbucks bathroom. The camera had a direct view of the toilet

The hidden camera was discovered in an Alpharetta, Georgia, Starbucks (pictured) on Tuesday morning

'We were quite concerned to learn this and are grateful to our customers and partners who took action to involve local authorities,' a spokesperson for Starbucks wrote in an email to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

'We will continue to support them in any way we can.'

The manager then called Starbuck's corporate office to inform them of the discovery before contacting the police.

Police reviewed the footage and said at least eight to 10 men and women were filmed while using the bathroom, but the videos were poor quality so no 'private parts could be seen, Atlanta's Fox 5 reported.

No suspects have been identified yet following the discovery of the camera. If found, they could face charges of eavesdropping.

This incident comes after Starbucks faced backlash from a Philadelphia store that called the cops on two black men.

Since the backlash, the company announced it would close 8,000 of its stores on May 29 for employee racial bias training.While President Trump is known for his love of nicknames, he's denying a Washington Post report that says he has ones for his attorney general and the No. 2 at the Justice Department.

'The Washington Post said I refer to Jeff Sessions as "Mr. Magoo" and Rod Rosenstein as "Mr. Peepers." This is "according to people with whom the president has spoken." There are no such people and don't know these characters,' Trump wrote in a Saturday tweet. 'Just more Fake & Disgusting News to create ill will!'

On Friday, the Post ran a story that said the president 'at times' used these nicknames for Rosenstein and Sessions, both based on television characters from the 1950s.

Trump denied calling Rod Rosenstein (right) Mister Peepers (left) a meek high school teacher who often inadvertently landed himself in embarrassing situations

The president denied a report in the Washington Post that said he had private nicknames for both his attorney general and the deputy attorney general

Trump denied reports that he privately refers to Attorney General Jeff Sessions (right) as 'Mr Magoo,' a bumbling elderly myopic cartoon character (left)

The nicknames were a mere detail in a larger narrative about Sessions threatening to quit his job as attorney general if Trump were to fire Rosenstein.

Sessions recused himself from handling the FBI's Russia investigation, as he had done work for President Trump's campaign.

In turn, Rosenstein decided to appoint Special Counsel Robert Mueller to handle the probe, in the aftermath of the president's decision to fire FBI Director James Comey.

Rosenstein also recently signed off on the FBI's raid of the offices, home and hotel room of longtime Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, who's told reporters that he spent $130,000 of his own money to pay porn star Stormy Daniels several weeks before the 2016 election, so that she signed a non-disclosure document agreeing not to speak about an alleged sexual encounter with the now-president that she says occurred in 2006.

The Washington Post story stated that Sessions called White House counsel Don McGahn and told him he'd quit if the president decided to fire Rosenstein.

Sessions had wanted details from McGahn about an April 12 meeting between the president and Rosenstein, and was relieved to hear that it was 'largely cordial,' reporters at the Post wrote.

A senior administration official also told the paper that Sessions hasn't liked how Trump has treated Rosenstein, but hasn't been able to do much about it because of his own diminished standing with the president.

Trump has publicly voiced his frustration with Sessions over the ex-senator's decision to recuse himself from the Russia probe.

In February, Sessions, Rosenstein and Solicitor General Noel Francisco were spotted dining together at a D.C. restaurant situated right across the street from Trump's Washington, D.C. hotel, in what was considered a show of solidarity among the three men.

Throughout the weekend, Trump attacked the press on multiple occasions.

On Saturday he had also called New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman a 'Crooked H[illary] flunkie,' who the president charged with trying to 'destroy' Cohen.

'They use non-existent "sources" and a drunk/drugged up loser who hates Michael, a fine person with a wonderful family,' Trump claimed. 'Most people will flip if the Government lets them out of trouble, even if it means lying or making up stories.'

'Sorry, I dont see Michael doing that despite the horrible Witch Hunt and the dishonest media!' the president added.

On Sunday, the president hammered Meet the Press host Chuck Todd.

'Sleepy Eyes Chuck Todd of Fake News NBC just stated that we have given up so much in our negotiations with North Korea, and they have given up nothing. Wow, we havent given up anything & they have agreed to denuclearization (so great for World), site closure, & no more testing!' the president wrote.Friends of a woman who died in police custody just hours after she was arrested say there needs to be a full investigation into her death.

Cindy Miller, 44, was found dead in a cell at the Ipswich Watch House in Queensland in the early hours of Saturday.

Queensland Police has launched an internal review into what happened as tributes were paid to the mother-of-three from Ellen Grove in Brisbane's south west.

Queensland Police Ethical Standards Command will investigate the death of a 44-year-old Brisbane woman Cindy Miller (pictured) who died in the Ipswich watch house just hours after being detained

Gabrielle Hedley said she looked to Ms Miller as her 'second mum' and that her family meant everything.

'She was one of the most loving caring people I've ever met,' she said. 'She loved her three kids, grandbabies and family more than anything in this world.

'I still don't believe she's gone. She always had the biggest smile on her face every time I saw her. She's one of a kind and is going to be missed so so much.

'This shouldn't have happened. She should be here having a glass of wine and about to say goodnight to her kids.

Friends said here needs to be a full investigation carried out to identify how Ms Miller died

'There definitely needs to be a big investigation into it. You're meant to be safe and cared for while in police custody.'

Another friend, Dan Armitt said: 'Rest in peace sweetheart. You were a crazy chick may you be somewhere beautiful now.'

Queensland Police Ethical Standards Command will investigate Ms Miller's death and it will be monitored by the Crime and Corruption Commission.

The force confirmed on Sunday a woman had been detained over drug matters and for missing a court appearance.

Queensland Police has launched an internal review into what happened on Friday evening

Ms Miller was due to appear in court on Monday morning but her body was found at around 2am on Saturday.

She had been arrested on Friday evening and was being held in custody after a warrant was issued for skipping the court date.

A police spokesman said: 'Sadly, the woman was located deceased during a routine cell check in the early hours of Saturday morning.

'The Ethical Standards Command are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death on behalf of the Coroner and is being overviewed by the Crime and Corruption Commission.'

Earlier, the unexplained death prompted calls for an independent investigation when it was reported it appeared Ms Miller had not taken her life

Earlier, the unexplained death prompted calls for an independent investigation after it was revealed she did not take her own life.

Debbie Kilroy, from prisoner advocacy group Sisters Inside said it was not acceptable for the police to be investigating themselves in the matter and fears bias.

'It's a big issue when police investigate themselves, this is not appropriate, we are calling for an independent investigation, not police investigating police,' she said.

Mrs Kilroy said that Miss Miller was a much loved member of the community and that the death came as a shock to everyone.

'No more information has been provided to the family. They're very distressed not knowing what happened,' she said.

Ms Miller was found during a routine check at Ipswich Watch House where she had been detained for missing a court date

'We were not aware of any health issues, so her death has come as a shock.'

Custody staff carried out CPR when she was found in the cell, which have CCTV fitted and is now due to be included in evidence during the investigation.

Police claim she had been checked on by staff at around 1.40am but was had died less than 15 minutes later when another check took place, according to Nine News.

ABC News reported that by all indications Miss Miller did not take her own life.

A coroner will determine the cause of death.Priscilla Flores, 34, is accused of leaving her two children at home alone while she went out to drink

A Texas mother has been arrested after police allegedly found her belligerently drunk at an Applebee's while her two children were home alone.

Priscilla Marisol Flores, 34, was charged with two counts of child abandonment with intent to return and cited for public intoxication on Wednesday in Laredo.

Police say they were called to the restaurant on San Dario Avenue at about 1am because of an intoxicated woman who was taking food from other people's plates and falling off a chair.

When they arrived they found Flores, incoherent and with bloodshot eyes, dancing on top of the bar, El Manana newspaper reported.

Flores allegedly cursed at the officers and tried hitting them when they told her to get down, according to the paper.

She was reportedly with a female companion who refused to take her home.

The officers offered to take her home and when they got to her house found Flores' two 12-year-old children asleep in separate bedrooms.

When police arrived at the Appebee's they found Flores, incoherent and with bloodshot eyes, dancing on top of the bar

There was no adult in the home even though Flores had told police she left her children with her mother, police say.

She was taken into custody at about 2.15am and the children were handed to their grandmother.

Flores was allegedly kicking the police car's windows and being violent while on her way to jail.

An investigation into their living conditions has been opened.Former Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has acknowledged there are 'peculiar circumstances' surrounding the birth of his newborn son, but says his main focus is now being the 'best dad' he can be.

Mr Joyce welcomed baby Sebastian with his partner, and former staffer, Vikki Campion at Armidale Hospital in northern New South Wales last week.

Sebastian is the politician's first son, following four daughters he shares with his ex-wife.

Mr Joyce said he was trying to move forward from the controversy surrounding the child's conception and wanted to be the best father to his newborn son.

Barnaby Joyce (pictured) labelled a Coalition policy that partners cannot work for MP's as 'insane' in an interview with ABC on Sunday night

'We're just enjoying our own company, trying to be a family and hanging around the dinner table. I really enjoy that,' he told Radio National ABC on Sunday.

Mr Joyce resigned as deputy prime minister in February after news broke of his affair with his former media adviser Ms Campion.

'I know it's peculiar circumstances and people have their pluses and minuses about it,' he said.

'But I'm going to try and do the very best job I possibly can and make sure that Seb has the very best dad he can possibly get.'

Mr Joyce welcomed baby boy Sebastian into the world with partner Vikki Campion (pictured) on Friday.

Following the controversy, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull introduced a ban on MPs having romantic or sexual relationships with their staffers.

Barnaby Joyce slammed the new rule.

'It's insane to think that if she (Vikki) did want to work for me, she couldn't,' he said.

Mr Joyce said he believed a change to the policy would help keep families together and would not amount to a conflict of interest.

And he says it was 'insane' that someone qualified for a job can not do it because of their relationship.

'Canberra's a weird place,' Mr Joyce said.

'It's like a big old boarding school up on the hill ...everyone travels from miles away to get there.

'We should be making changes to make sure families stick together as much as possible.

'And we should be allowing partners, as much as possible, to be there as well.'

Mr Joyce (pictured left) said he believed a change to the policy would help keep families together and would not amount to a conflict of interest. He is pictured with Vikki Campion at a Sydney bar in 2017.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce and his partner Vikki Campion have welcomed their baby boy

Mr Joyce celebrated his own birthday just a day later, turning 51 on Tuesday.

'We are very happy and just taking it quietly,' Mr Joyce told Fairfax Media on Friday afternoon.

Mr Joyce has previously said he did not want his child with Ms Campion, 33, to grow up 'as some sort of public display'.

During the couple's first public comments on their relationship in February, Ms Campion said their son's middle names would be given in honour of her brother.

In a March interview Mr Joyce cast doubt on the paternity of the child, calling it a 'bit of a grey area', but later conceded those comments were a mistake.

When asked after the baby's birth whether the date ended any paternity doubts, Mr Joyce said that it did.

Named Sebastian, the baby was born on Monday and weighed eight pounds and seven ounces - 3.8kilograms - at birth

Baby Sebastian is Mr Joyce's fifth child and first son, and follows the four daughters he shared with estranged wife Natalie JoyceA father-of-two has rescued his young children from their burning Adelaide home after a fire broke out in his son's bedroom.

Hayden Hewett said he heard his five-year-old son screaming from his room in Para Hills West, about 16km west of Adelaide, just after sunrise.

'Koopa said he woke up and his room was on fire,' Mr Hewett said.

'He said "daddy I was scared" and I couldnt open the door,' Mr Hewett told Daily Mail Australia.

Scroll down for video

Hayden Hewett, (right) a father-of-two, has rescued his young children including his 5-year-old son Koopa (left) from their burning Adelaide home after a fire broke out in his son's bedroom

Koopa's father explained that the children had a rubber lock on their door so he would be able to hear if they were going to the toilet during the night.

He said he broke into the bedroom, grabbing his son and three-year-old daughter but there was significant pressure built up from the fire inside.

The fire had already caused second degree burns to Koopa's body and significant damage to room as the flames had tore up the walls.

The South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service said the fire was caused by a child playing with a lighter, 7 News reported.

Mr Hewett said he broke into the bedroom (pictured) but there was significant pressure built up from the fire inside

But Mr Hewett and his family strongly deny the children were playing with a lighter before the fire broke out.

'There was no lighter found and the assessor for the insurance and the electrician said and agreed it was an electrical fault,' Mr Hewett told Daily Mail Australia.

'Someone will look silly once the reports come through from everyone,' he said.

'It dont make sense at all.'

Mr Hewett said his son was doing well in hospital and should come out on Monday or Tuesday.Kellyanne Conway lashed out at CNN's Dana Bash after the news anchor asked the counselor to the president about her husband's tweets.

'I'll just ask you one question that a lot of people are asking me, probably you too. And that is, what is up with your husband's tweets?' Bash had asked Sunday morning during CNN's State of the Union program.

Conway went on the attack, calling it a 'double standard' to be asked about tweets written by her husband George, who often says things on Twitter that make it look like he's trolling President Trump.

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Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway called it a 'double standard' Sunday when she was asked about her husband's tweets on CNN

CNN's Dana Bash has asked Kellyanne Conway about George Conway's tweets, which are often critical of President Trump

Bash had pointed to a tweet sent out by George Conway, in which the lawyer shared a piece of CNN's Kaitlan Collins' reporting, with the journalist stating that officials are hesitant to speak for Trump because he 'says one thing, then does the opposite.'

'So true. It's absurd,' George Conway had written.

Kellyanne Conway started her pushback by saying that her husband also tweets 'things that are also supportive, and he writes a lot of things about corgis and Philadelphia Eagles and sports, too.'

She then said she had two points to make to the anchor.

'Number one, that, again that woman who lost the election whose name I never say on TV anymore is wrong, I think she said white women have to listen to their, the men in their life, to form their own political opinions. Wrong again lady,' Conway said, trying to take a whack at ex-Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, who suggested on a trip to India that white women were influenced by their spouses to cast a vote for President Trump.

Conway then turned to her other favorite boogeyman: the news media.

'Number two, it's fascinating to me that CNN would go there,' she said. 'But it's very good for the whole world to have just witnessed that it's now fair game ... how people's spouses and significant others may differ from them.'

'I'm really surprised, but very, in some way, relieved and gratified to see that,' she continued.

'That should really be fun,' Conway added.

Bash interjected and said she would have asked the Trump official the same question if she were a man and her wife had been sending out critical tweets.

'It's about questioning, publicly questioning what you are doing for a living and with regard for your boss,' Bash said. 'And it has nothing to do with your gender.'

Bash also said her question wasn't meant to be critical.

'Oh, of course it was,' Conway shot back. 'It was meant to harass and embarrass.'

'By definition, spouses have a difference of opinion when one is, I don't know, draining the joint bank account to support things that maybe the other disagrees with,' she continued. 'So, this is a fascinating cross the Rubicon moment. And I will leave it at that.'

Bash replied that she hadn't intended to 'cross any Rubicon.'

'It was actually intended to be somewhat lighthearted about the fact that we are all grownups who have different opinions,' the newswoman continued. 'But I'm sorry that you took it that [way].'

Conway shot back again, pointing out that Bash had asked her a 'question that is on everybody's mind.'

'Yes, it is. It is. It is. I'm sure you, I'm sure you have heard it too,' Bash replied.

Numerous outlets have written about George Conway's Twitter habit and it continued through this weekend with the lawyer retweeting a tweet from the New York Times' Maggie Haberman, in which the journalist shared a photo of George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, Laura Bush, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Michelle and Barack Obama, and Melania Trump.

'When you contrast this photo with a weekend-long tweetstorm from current @potus, its striking,' Haberman wrote.

Trump personally went after Habeman on Twitter on Saturday and referred to one of her sources as a 'drunk/drugged up loser.'

Bash said she thought it might be 'hard' for Conway and her husband to hold different political views, and she called it 'unusual' that he would send out the tweets.

'It's hard for the two adults? My husband and me? Now you're talking about my marriage again?' Conway asked.

Bash said she wasn't talking about Conway's marriage.

'Kellyanne, Kellyanne, here was my whole in this  is that you are a professional working for the president of the United States, and your husband is a well-respected lawyer,' Bash said. 'And my point is, that we don't often see, in fact I don't remember the last time we saw somebody working for the president in a high-profile position when their spouse is saying critical things about them,' Bash said. 'That is all, that is all.'

Conway responded by telling the journalist that that wasn't true'

'There are other family members whose  of people who work at the White House who certainly don't support the president privately and publicly,' she state.

She added that there were people in the administration who had worked for Democrats and donated to Democrats in the past.

'But all that aside, that really is meant to divert attention from, again, the big issues that American cares about,' Conway replied. 'But, like I said, CNN chose to go there. I think that's going to be fascinating moving forward. And don't deny that, when you said it must be difficult.'

'I do want you to clarify, though, for the whole worldwide audience  and, in fact, for me, since you raised m  it's "difficult" for whom to have two adults what?' Conway said, trying to slap back. 'Difficult for my children, who are probably watching you right now? Because it's not hard for them.'

Bash pointed out that she wasn't the person who sent out the tweets.

'They've already seen a double standard for their mother for two years,' Conway said, pulling out the sexism card again.

'It is not about gender,' Bash shot back. 'I don't want to have this conversation. And you know that I don't believe it's about gender.'

Bash pointed to how President Trump criticized former Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe over the fact that his wife ran for political office as a Democrat and received a donation from former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe's PAC, as McAuliffe was a longtime supporter of Bill and Hillary Clinton.

Conway tried to say the criticism wasn't about McCabe's spouse.

'The president knew something early that everybody else is now finding out,' Conway said. 'The president has excellent instincts. And he knew Jim Comey and Andrew McCabe ... could not be trusted.'

Bash threw in the towel with Conway after that, ending their segment by pointing out that the inspector general, the watchdog at the Justice Department, had referred its finding on McCabe to the U.S. Attorney's office in Washington for possible prosecution.

'And we are covering that. And we will continue to cover that,' Bash said ending the segment.President Donald Trump on Sunday claimed North Korea has agreed to 'denuclearization' before his potential meeting with Kim Jong Un. But that's not the case.

North Korea said Friday it would suspend nuclear tests and intercontinental ballistic missile launches ahead of summits with the U.S. and South Korea.

Kim also said a nuclear test site would be closed and 'dismantled' now that the country has learned how to make nuclear weapons and mount warheads on ballistic rockets.

But the North has stopped short of saying it has any intention of abandoning its nuclear arsenal, with Kim making clear that nukes remain a 'treasured sword.'

Trump nonetheless tweeted Sunday that the North has 'agreed to denuclearization (so great for World), site closure, & no more testing!'

He also used the tweet to hammer 'Sleepy Eyes Chuck Todd of Fake News NBC' for suggesting that the U.S. had 'given up so much in our negotiations with North Korea, and they have given up nothing.'

President Trump (left) suggested in a tweet Sunday that North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un (right) had agreed to 'denuclearization,' which he hasn't

President Trump used Twitter to troll Meet the Press host Chuck Todd, though in that same statement made a blunder by saying that North Korea had agreed to 'denuclearization'

Later Sunday afternoon, President Trump tweeted about North Korea again, this time taking on the talking heads on television for suggesting the deal he should make to get the regime to give up their nuclear weapons program

'We are a long way from conclusion on North Korea, maybe things will work out, and maybe they wont - only time will tell....But the work I am doing now should have been done a long time ago!' Trump also said.

In a later tweet Sunday, Trump tweeted, ''Funny how all of the Pundits that couldnt come close to making a deal on North Korea are now all over the place telling me how to make a deal!'

When asked additional questions about North Korea by reporters as he was leaving Florida for Washington, D.C., Trump flashed a thumbs up and said 'very good.'

Denuclearization would be very good, but that's not what the North Koreans agreed to, they instead indicated they were committed to the concept.

South Korea, which is set to meet with North Korea later this week, has said Kim has expressed genuine interest in dealing away his nuclear weapons.

But the North for decades has been pushing a concept of 'denuclearization' that bears no resemblance to the American definition, vowing to pursue nuclear development unless Washington removes its troops from the Korean Peninsula and the nuclear umbrella defending South Korea and Japan.

South Korea's president has said Kim isn't asking for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the Korean Peninsula as a condition for abandoning his nuclear weapons. If true, that would seem to remove a major sticking point to a potential disarmament deal.

But that still doesn't address a North Korean arsenal that now includes purported thermonuclear warheads and developmental ICBMs developed during a decadeslong cycle of crises, stalemates and broken promises.

Trump agreed to meet with Kim after an invitation was delivered by a South Korean delegation that had just returned from Pyongyang.

President Trump is seen giving a thumbs up from his motorcade on the way to the airport from the 'Winter White House,' Mar-a-Lago

President Trump is seen boarding Air Force One after sending out a flurry of tweets on Sunday, some of which were on North Korea

'I told President Trump that in our meeting, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he's committed to denuclearization,' South Korea's national security adviser later told reporters on the White House driveway. 'Kim pledged that North Korea will refrain from any further nuclear or missile tests.'

A place and date have yet to be set, but Trump's pick to be the next secretary of state, CIA Director Mike Pompeo, traveled to North Korea on Easter weekend to lay the groundwork for the meeting.

Trump has called the talks a success, but it's unclear exactly what was agreed to, if anything, as a condition for the leader-to-leader talks.

'Look, this is a great public relations effort by Kim Jong-un. And I think people recognize that,' Sen. Bob Corker, a Republican from Tennessee, said Sunday on CNN's 'State of the Union.' But asked whether be believed the North would denuclearize, Corker offered caution.

'Well, I don't think he said anything about denuclearizing on the front end necessarily,' he said.

He added on ABC's 'This Week' that it's unrealistic to think that 'somebody's going to go in and charm' Kim out of keeping his nuclear weapons.

'Is it realistic that he's just willy-nilly going to do that? Absolutely not,' Corker said. 'But, you know, progress can be made, freezing the program, who knows what he's - what his ambitions are as it relates to South Korea.'

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, was equally as skeptical on CBS' 'Face the Nation,' arguing that North Korea's recent statements are easily reversible and that no announcement has been made about short- or medium-range ballistic missiles that threaten South Korea and Japan.

'Well, I think this announcement on Friday is better than continued testing, but it's not much better than that,' he said. 'But I do think they show that the president has put Kim Jong Un on the wrong foot for the first time.'

Asked what denuclearization means to both sides, White House Legislative Director Marc Short said on NBC's 'Meet the Press' that there needs to be a sit-down meeting to make sure everyone's on the same page.

'But I think from our perspective, it means full denuclearization,' he said. 'No longer having nuclear weapons that can be used in warfare against any of our allies.'

Still, Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, told CBS that if the president goes through with the meeting, it's 'very important' that it 'goes well and that there is an ability to put together some terms of an agreement that might exist.'

'The question,' she said, 'is whether it lasts or not. And of course the reputation of the North Koreans has been that they don't necessarily keep their agreements.'Minister Lam briefed the embassys staff on the political and socio-economic situation in the home country, especially its efforts in crime prevention.

He also informed them of the outcomes of the previous talks between the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security and the National Security Committee of Kazakhstan, saying that both sides shared experience in fighting crime and vowed to work closely together to prevent any individual or organisation from taking advantage of one countrys land to sabotage the other, while ensuring the security and safety of diplomatic representative agencies, as well as promoting trade, investment, labour and tourism activities.

The minister expressed his wish that each embassy official and staff member would strive to fulfill their assigned tasks and serve as a bridge to foster the traditional friendship between the two countries.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Kazakhstan Doan Thi Xuan Hien said the embassy actively launched celebrations for the 25th founding anniversary of the diplomatic ties between Vietnam and Kazakhstan last year.A senior Syrian government minister has claimed Britain was 'absolutely' involved in faking a chemical attack in Douma to justify the western air strikes against Assad's regime.

The suspected chlorine assault is believed to have killed around 75 civilians including children and led to US, UK and French airstrikes targeting major areas linked to Syria's chemical weapons programme.

Deputy foreign minister, Faisal Mekdad, said: 'We are not aware that women and children were killed. We think this is a theatre.'

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Men load a carpet and mattress on to a bicycle in front of damaged buildings in the town of Douma, the site of a suspected chemical weapons attack

The suspected chlorine assault is believed to have killed around 75 civilians including children and led to US, UK and French airstrikes targeting major areas linked to Syria's chemical weapons programme

A young child is treated by specialists after being taken to Aleppo in the wake of the gas attack on Douma

'That was made to be used by the western powers to launch such an attack against Syria,' Mekdad told ITV News.

'I believe what our doctors who were there in the hospital, in that minute, they were saying they did not see any dead person,' he added. 'I believe our doctors, not international propaganda.'

Yet the head of the largest medical relief agency in Syria claims those who treated patients after the attack were told their families would be targeted if they spoke out.

Doctors were subjected to 'extreme intimidation' by Syrian officials who demanded their silence, report the Guardian.

Mekdad said those who told of their heartbreak after losing their children in the alleged attack 'forced to give such testimonies'.

Asked about the videos of dead bodies he said: 'I think the bodies may be imported from somewhere else. I believe that, because this was a big lie.'

The minister also accused Britain of helping terrorist groups in Syria and being a part of this 'conspiracy'.

Deputy foreign minister, Faisal Mekdadhas (left), claimed Britain was 'absolutely' involved in faking a chemical attack in Douma to justify the western air strikes against Assad's (right) regime

It comes after Russia's military chiefs claimed to have evidence that Britain had 'direct involvement' in staging the suspected chemical attack in Syria.

Britain's UN ambassador Karen Pierce said the suggestion was 'grotesque' and a 'blatant lie' following an emergency meeting of the Security Council.

Inspectors have now finally visited one of the sites of the alleged attack report ITV - but their visit was heavily delayed after they were shot at when approaching the area.

The Syria government says it has retaken control of Douma from rebels, but Mekdad said 'sleeping cells' from terrorist groups remain there.

Russia has also been accused of delaying the inspectors in order to hide any evidence of chemical weapons use.

The OPCW plan to have results from their first inspection within a week.The Netherlands tallest church tower played songs using its bells in honour of the late DJ Avicii.

The Swedish artist, real name Tim Bergling, was found dead in Oman on Friday afternoon.

Utrecht's carillonneur (chief bellringer) Malgosia Fiebeg announced on Twitter that the Dom Tower carrilon would play three songs in memory of the 28-year-old.

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Utrecht's carillonneur (chief bellringer) Malgosia Fiebeg announced on Twitter that the Dom Tower carrilon would play three songs in memory of the 28-year-old

At 11am on Saturday, the towers 13 bells rang out to the tune of Wake Me Up, Without You and Hey Brother.

Reddit user Bafkonijn filmed the special moment and posted it on the site, where it has been viewed thousands of times.

The family of world-famous DJ Avicii have arrived in Oman, where the musician's body was found.

Oman Police said Avicii's parents, brother and two sisters are in the country to organise the return of his body. The authorities also said the family are 'completely devastated', reports People Magazine.

According to a source in the Oman police force, there is 'no criminal suspicion' around the death of the DJ.

The Grammy-nominated electronic dance artist, born Tim Birling, died at the age of 28 on Friday and his body was found in Muscat, Oman.

Avicii's body is set to be flown home to Sweden later this week.

The cause of death is still unclear, although a source claims that there is absolutely no criminal suspicion behind it following two post-mortem examinations.

The latest update was revealed by a Sky News source in the Oman police force who said 'we absolutely confirmed that there is no criminal suspicion of death'.

Thousands gathered to mourn the Swedish born musician - who was known for his EDM hits Wake Me Up, Levels and Hey Brother - at Sergels Torg in central Stockholm.

Fans flooded to Sergels Torg to pay tribute to the DJ, listening to his music and celebrating his memory together.

A photo shows DJ Avicii holding a drink just one day before his death. The electronic musician, who died on Friday while vacationing in Oman, was seen relaxing on a yacht, reports TMZ

The church bells rung at 11am on Saturday following news of Avicii's death

Avicii aka Tim Bergling Avicii in concert in Union Square Park, San Francisco

The bells of Dom Toren played three of Aviciis songs (MicheldeWinter/Getty Images)

Thousands of fans of Avicii's gathered to honour the much-loved producer at Sergels Torg in central Stockholm today

People came to mourn together as they heard about the producers death - with the cause still not yet known

Several of the DJ's most popular hits were played during the tribute with thousands of fans seen dancing and singing alongA Texas sheriff has fired a deputy who fatally shot an unarmed black man during a confrontation in Houston.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez announced Friday that Deputy Cameron Brewer, who is black, was being fired for failure to follow the department's use-of-force policy in the March 22 fatal shooting of 34-year-old Danny Ray Thomas.

In doing so, Brewer chose not to use his Taser first in an effort to subdue Thomas.

Thomas was shot dead in a confrontation captured on police and civilian video.

Thomas had his pants around his ankles and was unarmed as he advanced toward Brewer, despite warnings to stop.

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT IN IMAGES AND VIDEO

A Texas sheriff has fired Cameron Brewer (above), a deputy who fatally shot an unarmed man during a confrontation in Houston. The victim, Danny Ray Thomas, 34, is seen right

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez announced Friday that Brewer, who is black, was being fired for failure to follow the department's use-of-force policy in the March 22 fatal shooting of Thomas

Thomas' family is suing the county for wrongful death.

The Harris County Deputies' Organization criticized Gonzalez's decision and plans an appeal.

Cellphone and dash cam video of the moments leading up to the shooting surfaced earlier last month.

The cell phone video, obtained by the Houston Chronicle from a civilian witness, does not show the actual shooting because a car passes in front of the cellphone camera as the Harris County deputy fired a single shot.

Harris County officials also released dash cam footage showing Thomas in a confrontation with a motorist just before he was killed.

Thomas had an object in his hand, but no weapon was recovered at the scene, according to the sheriff's office.

Family members said Thomas had been devastated after two of his children were killed in 2016.

The children's mother is accused of drowning them in a bathtub.

Officers were responding to reports that a man was walking in the intersection with his pants down, hitting cars as he mumbled to himself.

Before Brewer, a motorist had stopped in the intersection to confront Thomas.

Brewer broke up the altercation and can be seen in the video walking backward away from Thomas with his gun drawn, shouting commands at Thomas.

He can be seen telling Thomas to stop walking and get down, but Thomas continues to approach the deputy.

A gunshot can be heard on the video, but can't been seen.

Cellphone and dash cam video of the moments leading up to the shooting surfaced earlier last month. Thomas is seen with his pants down around his ankles as he approaches Brewer, who is not seen in the image above

Brewer is seen confronting Thomas just moments before he fatally shoots him

Brewer is next seen on the video crouching over Thomas, who is face down on the pavement.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas issued a statement calling on the sheriff's department to release any dash cam and body-camera footage in the shooting and for the department to review its use-of-force policies to 'demand lethal force only be used as a last resort.'

'It's difficult to imagine how this shooting could possibly be justified. We must demand that our law enforcement agencies, who are sworn to protect our communities, be held accountable whenever deadly force is used unlawfully,' Sharon Watkins-Jones, director of political strategies of the ACLU of Texas, said.

'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.'

Thomas' sister, Kita Thomas, said she and her brother both suffered depression and helped each other survive recent events.

According to court records, Sheborah Thomas, the mother of Danny Thomas' children, is facing two capital murder charges for allegedly drowning their 5-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son in a bathtub before hiding their bodies under a neighbor's house in August 2016.

Court records show Danny Thomas was serving a prison sentence for a drug-related offense when the children were killed.An 11-year-old boy was killed after he participated in a school walkout to protest gun violence and was hit by a car.

Police say Jonathan Benko was with other students from Parkland Middle School in El Paso, Texas, when they left the designated walkout area Friday morning.

The students attempted to cross a busy highway when Benko, who was at the back of the pack, got struck by a Ford F150 truck.

Benko sustained critical injuries from the hit and was taken to the University Medical Center Emergency Department in El Paso where he died.

Jonathan Benko, 11, was participating in a National School Walkout at Parkland Middle School in El Paso, Texas, when he was hit by a truck

The superintendent said the student left with a group of children who wanted to use the time to visit the park. Benko was hit when he was crossing a busy highway. Pictured is the school

Ysleta Independent School District Superintendent Xavier De La Torre said Benko was one among 12 to 15 students who used the National School Walkout as an opportunity to leave the middle school to go to the park, the El Paso Times reported.

The school district sent parents a voicemail after the accident to inform them that it was a student from Parkland Middle School.

'It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we inform you of the death of a Parkland Middle School student who left campus this morning and was struck by a vehicle on Loop 375,' the voicemail said.

A memorial fund for the family has been set up by the University Medical Center Foundation after Benko died.

The student's mother, Ashley, reportedly works as a registered nurse at the UMC's Emergency Department and his uncle, Michael Benko, works as a respiratory therapist.

'All of us at UMC are heartbroken by the loss of a child belonging to one of our Associates, especially a child as young as Jonathan,' said Jacob Cintron, UMC President & CEO.

'As a father, I can only imagine how hard this must be for Ashley and her family. She is also one of our family at UMC. Our support, thoughts and prayers are with her and her family throughout this difficult time.'A British man has been rushed to hospital in Spain after the car he was driving plunged 100 foot down a hillside.

The vehicle was battered as it rolled over several times before it finally stopped at the bottom of the riverbed in the Costa del Sol.

The incident is believed to have happened at around 4am this morning but was only reported by a passing driver at around 8am.

The vehicle was battered as it rolled over several times as finally stopped at the bottom of the riverbed in the Costa del Sol

Firefighters were seen carrying one of the injured men out of the river on a stretcher

The British driver and a Spanish passenger were taken to the Carlos Haya Hospital in Malaga after suffering serious head injuries and internal bleeding.

One of the men is believed to have been launched out of the vehicle as it made its way down the hillside although it is unclear whether this was the Briton or Spaniard.

The accident took place on a stretch of road away from the A45 linking Malaga to inland town of Antequera near a restaurant called Venta Cotrina.

Emergency services rushed to the mangled car at around 8.15am after a passing motorist driving on the same stretch of road saw the mangled wreckage.

Shocking footage has emerged of firefighters freeing one of the victims from the wreckage of the car before being stretchered away from the shallow river.

A rescue worker said today: 'The accident happened around 4am this morning but it wasn't till just after daylight that a motorist spotted the wrecked vehicle on the riverbed below the road.'

No-one was immediately available at Carlos Haya Hospital to comment on the condition of the two casualties.

The accident, thought to have happened after the unnamed driver lost control of the vehicle, is being probed by police.

The car rolled down the side of a hill for more than 100 feetA Manchester city centre hotel was evacuated this afternoon after reports of a suspicious package in a room on the fifth floor.

Police and the Army's Explosive Ordnance Disposal personnel were called to the Premier Inn on Victoria Bridge Road, with 80 guests asked to leave the building while bomb disposal experts examined the package.

It was later confirmed to be a 'non-viable device and not suspicious', Greater Manchester Police said.

Inspector David Whelan said experts were carrying out a 'visual assessment' at the scene, with cordons in place and nearby roads closed.

A Manchester city centre hotel has been evacuated after reports of a suspicious package

Police are on the scene after they received reports of a suspicious package at the hotel

Police and Explosive Ordnance Disposal personnel have been called to the Premier Inn on Victoria Bridge Road

Emergency services were pictured at the scene after the Premier Inn hotel was evacuated

'We are dealing with a suspicious device and the hotel chose to evacuate by pressing the alarm, which has helped us,' Inspector Whelan said earlier.

'The hotel manager is being very co-operative and is in the process of trying to find alternative accommodation for people.

'The hotel is cordoned off so we can operate in a safe environment.'

A spokeswoman for Premier Inn said few details were available at this stage, but added: 'The hotel was evacuated and guests and team members have gone to a local hotel to make sure they are comfortable.'

There are a number of police vehicles in the area of Chapel Street and Deansgate and sirens have been heard across the city centre.

Victoria Bridge Road has been closed and police have urged people to avoid the area.An elderly woman was found pushing around a shopping cart with a dead body inside through a Chicago neighborhood.

Police received a call around 8pm on Saturday about a woman who was walking around the neighborhood of Chatham.

When they arrived, the police found the woman with the body of another female in her cart.

An elderly woman was found pushing around a shopping cart with a dead body inside through a Chicago neighborhood of Chatham (pictured)

It was originally reported that the body was a man, but police confirmed later that the dead person was a woman.

The identity and age of the woman is not yet known, police said.

The investigation is currently ongoing.Sen. Susan Collins said Sunday that she wishes former FBI Director James Comey would have held off on releasing his book.

'I cannot imagine why an FBI director would seek to essentially cash in on a book when the investigation is very much alive,' she told Meet the Press host Chuck Todd, pointing toward the Mueller probe. 'He should have waited to do his memoir.'

Todd had first asked the Maine Republican if she thought that Mueller was coloring within his lines.

Sen. Susan Collins told NBC News' Chuck Todd that she would have preferred former FBI Director James Comey to have held off from releasing his book

Former FBI Director James Comey, seen testifying before Congress in June 2017, has been on a media tour to promote his new book

'I believe he's staying within the parameters,' Collins said.

Collins pointed out how Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team had punted longtime Trump lawyer Michael Cohen's case to the U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York, instead of handling it as part of the Russia probe.

Earlier this month, Cohen's office, hotel room and home were raided by the FBI, in a move approved by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who oversees the Mueller probe.

Todd then asked the moderate Republican senator what she thought of Comey's book tour.

Last Sunday, Comey sat down with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos, and has been participating in media interviews nearly every single day, as part of the release of his new book 'A Higher Loyalty.'

'Well, If I were advising a future FBI Director I would say two things. One: always follow the Department of Justice's protocols and guidelines, which unfortunately James Comey did not do in the Hillary Clinton investigation,' she said.

In July 2016, Comey held his own press conference to announce the FBI's recommendations  that no reasonable prosecutor would charge the ex-secretary of state with a crime.

'And he did not do when he leaked documents that were FBI work documents to a friend of his knowing that they would go to the press,' Collins continued.

Comey leaked his memos, which recounted his interactions with President Trump, to reporters through a friend.

'So that would be my first advice,' Collins said. 'The second would be don't write a book in the middle of an investigation that's ongoing.'

Todd asked Collins if Comey's book could be 'potentially disruptive to the Mueller probe.'

'That's what worries me,' Collins said.Southwest Airlines has canceled dozens of flights and delayed hundreds more on Sunday as some of the airplanes in its fleet undergo engine inspections following Tuesdays midair explosion that killed one passenger.

The Federal Aviation Administration has ordered the inspections of Southwest plane engines across the country - though the delays and cancellations have thus far only affected a small fraction of the companys operations nationwide.

We don't have exact cancellation numbers related to fan blade inspections, an airline spokesperson told WISN 12 News in Milwaukee on Sunday.

We can confirm there are some cancellations and delays related to the inspection work, but the Southwest Team is working diligently to route aircraft proactively and utilize spare aircraft to minimize disruptions to our operations.

Southwest Airlines has canceled dozens of flights and delayed hundreds more on Sunday as some of the airplanes in its fleet undergo engine inspections following Tuesdays midair explosion that killed one passenger. A Southwest jet is seen in the above stock image

This harrowing image taken before the plane made its emergency landing shows the state of the exploded engine aboard Southwest Flight 1380 from New York to Dallas on Tuesday

Southwest service has also seen disruptions in Phoenix, a major hub of more than 180 daily nonstop flights to more than 50 cities nationwide.

A handful of early-morning departures from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport to cities including San Diego, St. Louis, and Chicago were canceled, The Arizona Republic reported on Sunday.

Overall, Southwest has canceled 48 flights and delayed almost 400, according to FlightAware.

US and European airline regulators on Friday ordered emergency inspections within 20 days of nearly 700 aircraft engines similar to the one involved in a fatal Southwest Airlines.

Jennifer Riordan, a mother-of-two from Albuquerque, died. Southwest Airlines would not reveal on Friday if it had offered her family anything in the form of compensation

The directives by the FAA and the European Aviation Safety Agency for inspections of CFM56-7B engines, made by CFM International, indicated rising concerns since a similar failure in 2016 of the same type of engine.

The engine explosion on Southwest Airlines flight 1380 on Tuesday was caused by a fan blade that broke off, the FAA said.

The blast shattered a window, killing a passenger, in the first US passenger airline fatality since 2009.

'The unsafe condition,' the FAA said in the order, 'is likely to exist or develop in other products of the same design.'

The inspections ordered are a sharp step-up from actions by both the European and US regulators after a Southwest flight in August 2016 made a safe emergency landing in Pensacola, Florida, after a fan blade separated from the same type of engine and debris ripped a hole above the left wing.

The European agency had given airlines nine months to check engines, while US regulators still were considering what to do.

Ultrasonic inspections on fan blades that have been used in more than 30,000 cycles, or in service for about 20 years, will be required in the next 20 days, the agencies said on Friday. A cycle includes one take-off and landing.

That order will affect about 680 engines globally, including about 350 in the United States, the FAA said.

The engine that blew apart on Tuesdays Southwest flight would have been affected, since the company said it had 40,000 cycles.

The coordinated 20-day measure partially resolves a gap in previous responses to the 2016 accident by the worlds two largest and most influential aviation regulators, a person familiar with the discussions said and published documents show.

The FAA in August 2017 drafted an order giving airline up to 18 months to carry out checks, but it had not finalized the measure by the time of Tuesdays fatal second accident.

Southwest Airlines issued this letter to survivors of Flight 1380 this week offering them a $5,000 check and a $1,000 voucher

The EASA had rejected a request by one airline to double the time allowed for checks to 18 months, matching the FAAs roll-out, saying data did not justify that.

Southwest Airlines is giving passengers on board the disastrous flight in which Jennifer Riordan died when she was sucked out of the window this week $5,000 each and a $1,000 travel voucher.

The airline's CEO Gary Kelly sent a letter to the 142 passengers who survived, apologizing for the 'circumstances' which surrounded the flight and offering their help reuniting them with luggage.

No blame has been assigned to the airline for the engine explosion which sent a piece of shrapnel flying through the window next to Riordan.

It caused the window to smash and Riordan, a 43-year-old mother-of-two was partially sucked through the hole in the plane and died as a result.Stormy Daniels' lawyer has claimed that the relationship between President Donald Trump's personal attorney, Michael Cohen, and Fox News pundit Sean Hannity is 'far more extensive' than either has let on.

'I think that the relationship is going to be far more extensive than Mr. Hannity has led people to believe,' Michael Avenatti told CNN on Sunday.

'I don't know that there's anything nefarious that went on between Mr. Hannity and Mr. Cohen, or that there was any NDA-type involvement or anything of that nature,' he said.

'But what I do know is I think it's going to be far more extensive than people have been led to believe.'

Michael Avenatti says that he thinks Sean Hannity's relationship with Michael Cohen is "far more extensive than people have been led to believe." (via CNN) https://t.co/kXJRt6moXQ  Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) April 22, 2018

Stormy Daniels' lawyer, Michael Avenatti (above), has claimed that the relationship between President Donald Trump's personal attorney, Michael Cohen, and Fox News pundit Sean Hannity is 'far more extensive' than either has let on

Last week, it was learned in a Manhattan court that Hannity (left) was a client of Cohen's (right)

An NDA, or a non-disclosure agreement, is a binding contract where one party agrees not to reveal certain information.

Cohen has admitted to arranging an NDA with Daniels, who was paid $130,000 in exchange for her silence about an alleged affair with Trump over a decade ago.

Daniels, an adult film actress, is suing the president, claiming the NDA that prevents her from talking about her relationship with Trump is null and void.

Trump has claimed that he had no knowledge of the payment, which Cohen says came out of his own pocket.

That payment has drawn the attention of federal investigators, who may file criminal charges against Cohen related to bank fraud and wire fraud.

The FBI raided Cohen's offices and home earlier this month - provoking an angry response from Trump and right-wing media.

Hannity is the host of the nightly Fox News talk show that bears his name.

Last week, it was learned in a Manhattan court that Hannity was a client of Cohen's.

The nature of Cohen's work for Hannity remains unclear.

Hannity has denied paying Cohen for legal work. He says he consulted with Cohen on real estate matters.

Fox News defied calls for Hannity to be suspended in the wake of the bombshell revelation.

Cohen has admitted to arranging an NDA with Daniels (seen above last week in New York), who was paid $130,000 in exchange for her silence about an alleged affair with Trump over a decade ago

The network issued a statement saying its biggest star had its 'full support' - even though he had never told them about the relationship, while repeatedly attacking the FBI raid on Cohen on his show.

'While Fox News was unaware of Sean Hannity's informal relationship with Michael Cohen and was surprised by the announcement in court yesterday, we have reviewed the matter and spoken to Sean and he continues to have our full support,' the statement said.

The statement, first reported by Fox News media commentator Howard Kurtz, came after mounting criticism of Hannity and his bosses.

Meet the Press anchor Chuck Todd became the highest-profile journalist to question Hannity's integrity and that of the network as he tweeted: 'No serious news org would allow someone this conflicted to cover this story.'

And Democrats including Media Matters for America, the liberal campaign group which has focused its efforts on attacking Fox News, called for Fox to suspend Hannity, accusing him of an ethical breach.The delegation was led by Hoang Trung Hai, Politburo member and Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee. Hai was joined by Nguyen Duc Chung, Chairman of the Hanoi Peoples Committee, and Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc, Chairwoman of the Hanoi Peoples Council.

This is an annual activity whereby the Hanoi leaders pay tribute to Lenin, a great leader, an outstanding politician, and a great teacher of the working class all over the world.

At the statue of Lenin, Hanoi leaders commemorated his huge sacrifices for the worlds revolutionary cause, pledging to be persistent with the implementation of the proletarian revolution ideal and path, the MarxismLeninism, and the Ho Chi Minh Thought, to build increasingly wealthy, civilized, and modern Vietnam and Hanoi, thus contributing to the worlds proletarian revolutionary cause.Police have named a 47-year-old woman who died following an 'awful attack' near the Lakeside shopping centre in Essex.

Julie Hunt, from Rainham, East London, was assaulted near the A1306 Arterial Road in West Thurrock at around 8.30am on Friday and died at the scene, Essex Police said.

Unemployed Florin Ion, 31, of Ipswich Crescent, Birmingham, has since been charged with her murder and is set to appear at Basildon Crown Court on Tuesday.

Detective Superintendent Tracey Harman, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said officers have spent many hours taking witness statements, as well as reviewing CCTV and dash cam footage.

Police have named a 47-year-old woman who died following an 'awful attack' near the Lakeside shopping centre in Essex (pictured)

'We now have a clearer picture around the circumstances of this awful attack,' she said.

'However, there are still a number of people we would like to talk to and we are making attempts to locate up to six drivers who are key witnesses in this investigation.

'Dedicated family liaison officers are continuing to support Ms Hunt's family during this investigation and I ask members of the community to respect their privacy during this difficult and distressing time.'

Essex Police said they found a woman who was seriously injured and died a short time later despite the best efforts of paramedics.

The road, not far from the major shopping centre, was closed while police investigated. Thurrock Council said it had since reopened.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police.The head of Scotland Yard has clashed with the Archbisop of York over the extent to which the murder of Stephen Lawrence changed British policing.

Commissioner Cressida Dick said on the 25th anniversary of the racist murder yesterday that the 18-year-olds death had personally shaped her approach to policing and had been a catalyst for change throughout UK forces.

But just hours after making her comments, Archbishop John Sentamu, who was Bishop of Stepney at the time of the killing, said many of the recommendations for change following the killing which shocked a nation needed to be revisited.

He said the Macpherson Report which concluded the police made mistakes in the murder probe and were guilty of institutional racism needed to be looked at again.

Archbishop John Sentamu, who was Bishop of Stepney, said many of the recommendations for change following the Stephen Lawrence killing needed to be revisited

He told BBC Radio 4s Sunday programme: I think the 72 recommendations, which were accepted by the then Home Secretary, and there was an action plan.... Im afraid it needs to be revisited by every police service so that they learn the lessons that were very clear.

When asked what needed to be done to improve attitudes which may be considered racist, he added: I think it is a question of greater training, people need to be more vigilant and they need to realise that if you stereotype people, you end up disadvantaging them. Earlier, the Met Commissioner insisted the force had changed but she pledged to listen and continue to build on Stephens legacy.

She praised his parents Neville and Doreens fight for justice as inspirational after their son was stabbed to death just because he was black.

Commissioner Cressida Dick said on the 25th anniversary of the racist murder yesterday that the 18-year-olds death had personally shaped her approach to policing

The aspiring architect was set upon by a white gang at a bus stop and left to die in Eltham, south London on April 22, 1993.

Two of the group have been convicted of murder, but the rest have evaded justice.

David Norris and Gary Dobson are both serving life sentences while three other men accused of the killing, Jamie Acourt, 41, his brother Neil Acourt, 42, who uses his mothers maiden name Stuart, and Luke Knight, 41, remain at large.

It has been nearly 25 years since Stephen Lawrence (pictured) was murdered

Yesterday it emerged that Jamie Acourt is living the high life in Marbella while on the run from police who are hunting him over links to a drug dealing gang.

The Met Commissioner said: As we approach 25 years since the murder of Stephen Lawrence we should all pause and reflect on the huge impact that his death has had. We remember the grief and loss of his family and friends and also the extraordinary legacy his death has left.

My own involvement over many years has personally shaped and informed my own approach to policing like no other case, and it was a catalyst for huge and really positive change throughout British Policing.

The Met of today is not the Met of 25 years ago. However, we must not and I will not allow us to stand still.

We must build even further on Stephens legacy.

We police the most diverse and wonderful capital city. Each and every person we serve must feel we are compassionate; professional and listen, that we act on behalf of everyone.

We will build even stronger relationships with communities; champion the most professional investigations; compassionately support those who need us and through our recruitment grow even more representative of Londons diversity.

The dignity Stephens parents have shown throughout the last 25 years is inspirational. Stephens murder, and his parents drive and passion, have brought so much change for London, policing and society, which I and the Met will always remember.A severely autistic boy has been found dead at a train station after running away from a care facility.

The 11-year-old, who was non-verbal, ran from a facility in Oatley, south Sydney at 7.15pm on Sunday.

Police searching with dog units found his body at Oatley station at 9.30pm. It is believed he was hit by a train. A report will be prepared for the Coroner.

A boy has been found dead at Oatley train station (pictured) in south Sydney after running away from his carer

The 11-year-old with mental health difficulties ran from a care facility in Oatley, south Sydney at 7.15pm on Sunday. Pictured: Oatley station where the boy was found

Police (pictured at the scene) searching with dog units found his body at 9.30pm. It is believed he was hit by a train

NSW state MP for Oatley Mark Coure said: 'My heart goes out to the family, friends and carer this morning.

'I want to thank the emergency services, and all the locals who last night helped to search for this little boy.

'As a father, I can only imagine the grief of the family and extend my deepest sympathies for their unimaginable loss.

'I would encourage anyone with any information regarding this ongoing investigation, to please contact the police.'

A New South Wales police spokesman said: 'Officers from St George Police Area Command, the Dog Unit and Polair, had been searching for an 11-year-old boy after he ran from a care facililty about 7.15pm.

'Shortly before 9.30pm, it was confirmed the child had been found deceased at Oatley Train Station.

'An investigation is underway into the circumstances surrounding the child's death, and police are appealing to anyone with information to contact St George Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.'

A report will be prepared for the Coroner. Pictured: Police at Oatley station where the boy was killed

A New South Wales polices spokesman said: 'Officers from St George Police Area Command, the Dog Unit and Polair, had been searching for an 11-year-old boy after he ran from his carer about 7.15pm'. Pictured: Police at Oatley station where the boy was killedVideo footage captured on Saturday shows a layer of ice on the Aroostook River in Caribou, Maine breaking away and floating downstream.

This drone footage, which was filmed by eyewitness Paul Wolfe, shows a view of the ice jam from above.

The Aroostook River freezes every winter and the start of spring is marked by the breakup of the ice.

Despite the excitement for spring, officials are on guard in case of flooding.

Members of the Aroostook Emergency Management Agency recently met with officials in flood-prone municipalities and representatives of the National Weather Service to discuss this spring's flooding outlook and prepare for responding to any potential flooding.

According to the NWS, in much of Aroostook County, the level of water in the snow is currently between 8 inches and 11 inches, Fiddlehead Focus reported.

Video footage captured on Saturday shows a layer of ice on the Aroostook River in Caribou, Maine breaking away and floating downstream

This drone footage, which was filmed by eyewitness Paul Wolfe, shows a view of the ice jam from above

'We're cautiously optimistic that if the weather patterns work in our favor, we should not have an extremely eventful ice out season,' Darren Woods, director of the Aroostook County EMA said.

'All of that is really going to depend on the weather pattern. We're hoping for warm thawing days, and nice cold freezing nights, for a slow progression of melting away the ice and snow without overwhelming rivers, streams and rainwater systems,' Woods said.

'We always hope we're not going to have a very wet spring. Ten years ago 13 communities flooded in the county. A big factor in that was rainfall.'

The Aroostook River freezes every winter and the start of spring is marked by the breakup of the iceMelbourne airport was plunged into chaos again this morning as thick fog delayed and cancelled flights for the second time in three days.

The city woke up to thick fog on Monday morning, forcing air traffic control to reduce the number of flights coming in to land per hour. The same thing happened on Friday.

A spokesman for Melbourne Airport told Daily Mail Australia that a 'handful' of domestic flights were cancelled or delayed.

Melbourne airport (pictured today) was plunged into chaos again as thick fog delayed and cancelled flights for the second time in three days

Melbourne airport was plunged into chaos today as low cloud (pictured) cancelled flights

Thick fog: The city (pictured this morning) was engulfed in a thick haze which grounded flights

A spokesman for Qantas said: 'We're experiencing some delays and cancellations due to thick fog. Affected passengers will be put on the next available flight.'

A spokesman for Jetstar said two flights from Melbourne to the Gold Coast were cancelled and others were delayed.

A spokesman for Virgin Air said 'five or six flights' have been cancelled with passengers moved on to the next one available.

The fog is due to clear with temperatures of 28C expected in Melbourne this afternoon.

A spokesman for Qantas said: 'We're experiencing some delays and cancellations due to thick fog. Affected passengers will be put on the next available flight.'

Melbourne woke up to thick fog (pictured) this morning, forcing air traffic control to reduce the number of flights coming in to land per hourComedian Sarah Silverman slammed Amazon founder billionaire Jeff Bezos for flaunting his lavish Norway vacation on social media, asking why his employees live off food stamps and government assistance.

Bezos, 54, was declared the world's richest billionaire by Forbes in March with a net worth of $126billion.

Despite Amazon's massive growth, many of its employees still make a meager living as hundreds of workers in Ohio live off of food stamps and require government assistance to get by.

Sarah Silverman slammed Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, the richest man in the world, on Twitter on Sunday asking why his employees live off of food stamps as he vacationed in Norway

On Sunday Bezos posted a video of himself dog-sledding in Norway, which led Twitter firestorm where users admonished the Amazon founder for poorly compensating workers

Silverman responded to the tweet saying: 'Be an example of fair payment & take the pressure off the taxpayers who are subsidizing your lack of fair pay'

On Sunday Jeff Bezos tweeted his dog-sledding adventure for Earth Day.

'Dog sledding above the Arctic Circle in Norway. Jim Lovell says its not that you go to heaven when you die, but "you go to heaven when youre born." Earth is the best planet in our solar system. We go to space to save the Earth. @BlueOrigin #NoPlanB #GradatimFerociter #EarthDay,' he tweeted.

Actress Silverman fired back at his tweet saying: 'Why do your employees need to be on food stamps & govt assistance?'

'Be an example of fair payment & take the pressure off the taxpayers who are subsidizing ur lack of fair pay. I KNOW you can do it, Jeff! Dont be like the Waltons of Walmart,' she added.

Silverman's sharp comments referred to a Policy Matters Ohio report released in January that revealed that as of August 2017 more than 700 Amazon employees in Ohio drew benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), according to Business Insider.

The report revealed that 10 per cent of all Amazon employees in Ohio relied on food stamps to survive.

To add to the blow, Amazon employees who rely on food stamps cannot use the coupons at Amazon's cashier-free store Amazon Go, according to CNBC.

Bezos was named the world's richest person on Forbes 2018 list with a net worth of $126billion

Twitter users attacked the Amazon founder demanding he offer 'livable wages' to workers

Others stressed the poverty that Amazon employees on food stamps experience

'Do better for all, not just for yourself' a Tom Paine Twitter account wrote on Sunday

While Bezos compares his vacation to heaven, his critics were quick to point out his employees' hellish reality on their poor salaries

'You capitalist pig': Many Twitter users were quick to demand that he redistribute his company's wealth

One user wrote: 'Treat your employees the way you would want to be treat'

One user told Bezos to improve wages so that his employees could also afford lavish vacations

'The sudden emergence of Amazon as an employer of so many who need that assistance raises a question: Why is this giant, successful company offering such limited pay and hours of work that many of its workers need help buying food?' Policy Matters research director Zach Schiller said in a press release.

On Wednesday Amazon revealed that its median employee made less than $30,000 in 2017.

Amazon said that the tech giant employs 560,000 people in more than 50 countries, resulting in a median pay of $28,445 in 2017.

Bezos makes 59 times the median employee, according to MarketWatch.

But the 47-year-old actress wasn't the only critic to attack Bezos for the stark salary disparity with his employees.

Twitter users began to attack the tech giant founder, demanding he redistribute the company's wealth.

'Livable wages. Taxes. Less packaging. Fix these things that are entirely within your control for your corporation and then Ill take you seriously,' one Twitter user wrote.

'At lot of your employees cant afford to feed their dogs some days. Have fun up in heaven though. Do better,' another user wrote.

'Redistribute your wealth or suffer at the hands of the working class you capitalist pig,' one user warned.

'You have plenty of money - more than youll ever need. Pay living wages. Treat your employees the way you would want to be treated,' Lori Ann said.

'You know what would be heaven? Paying your employees a livable wage and watching their posts about sledding in Norway. Pass the good fortune, not the pee bottles,' user Gregory Clark wrote.The gunman who opened fire at a Nashville Waffle House with an AR-15 wearing nothing but a green jacket is still on the run and police have warned he is armed and dangerous.

Travis Reinking, 29, shot dead four people and injured several more at the Waffle House in Antioch early Sunday morning before shedding his jacket and fleeing.

More than 80 Nashville police officers continued to search for Reinking early Monday as disturbing reports about the wanted man's past behavior came to light.

Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson said there was no clear motive for the shooting but noted that Reinking may have 'mental issues.'

Police said Reinking had his Illinois gun license revoked last year at the request of the FBI and four of his weapons were seized by authorities in Tazewell back in October.

Travis Reinking, 29, shot dead four people and injured seven others at the Waffle House in Antioch early Sunday morning before shedding his jacket and fleeing

The guns, however, were eventually returned to Reinking's father who has since admitted to giving them back to his son. The AR-15 used in the Waffle House shooting was among the four weapons.

Police recovered three of the four guns that were originally taken from Reinking, but believe he is armed with at least one handgun.

Authorities seized Reinking's weapons following an incident at the White House in July last year when he was arrested by the Secret Service for crossing an exterior security barrier and charged with unlawful entry.

Reinking told Secret Service officials he was trying to set up a meeting with President Donald Trump.

According to Heavy, a poster on Reddit said before Reinking's arrest at the White House that he had wanted to 'kill Trump'. The poster referred to Reinking as 'schizophrenic' and 'unstable.'

However the arrest report at the time did not indicate that Reinking wanted to kill the President.

Prior to the White House incident, police reports have previously described Reinking as 'delusional' and talked about his 'mental health issues'.

In May 2016, deputies from Tazewell County, Illinois, were called to a CVS parking lot where Reinking told officers that Taylor Swift was stalking him and hacking his phone, and that his family was also involved, according to a report released Sunday.

It is not clear why Reinking moved to Nashville and if it had anything to do with being near the pop/country superstar.

In August, after the White House incident, Reinking told police in Tazewell County, Illinois, that he wanted to file a report about 20 to 30 people tapping into his computer and phone. He also complained that people were 'barking like dogs' outside his residence, according to a report.

Reinking agreed to go to a local hospital for an evaluation after repeatedly resisting the request, the report said.

Another report from the sheriff's office said Reinking barged into a community pool in Tremont, Illinois, last June and jumped into the water wearing a pink woman's coat over his underwear. Investigators believed he had an AR-15 rifle in his car trunk, but it was never displayed. No charges were filed.

The AR-15 (above) used in the Waffle House shooting was among Reinking's four weapons that the FBI confiscated in October following an incident at the White House

Police said arrest warrants charging Reinking with murder have been issued as authorities continue to search for the gunman following the Waffle House shooting

Restaurant worker Taurean C. Sanderlin, 29, and 20-year-old customer Joe R. Perez were among the four shot dead by a gunman at a Nashville Waffle House on Sunday

Deebony Groves, 21, and Akilah Dasilva, 23, were also killed when the gunman stormed in and opened fire with an assault rifle

The Metro Nashville Police Department said arrest warrants charging Reinking with murder have been issued as authorities continue to search for the gunman.

'He's on foot,' Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson said. 'Unless he's been picked up by a car, he would be fairly close. We don't want to alarm people, but certainly, everybody should take precautions. It could be he's in an unoccupied house. We want everybody to be concerned. Neighbors should check on each other.'

Officials with the Nashville public school system say schools will go into 'lock-out' mode if Reinking isn't found in time for class Monday.

Police said he arrived at the Waffle House before dawn on Sunday and waited in the parking lot for four minutes before shooting two people outside.

When Reinking entered the restaurant, a hero diner identified as James Shaw Jr managed to grab the rifle and toss it over a counter.

The gunman then fled and was seen walking, nude, on a road, authorities said.

Witnesses said he ran to a nearby apartment complex where he lived and put on black pants before entering the woods barefoot.

Hero diner James Shaw Jr managed to grab the rifle and toss it over a counter after the gunman opened fire. Shaw shows off his injured hand after he grabbed the gun barrel

A SWAT team swarmed his apartment in the morning with their guns drawn and screamed at nearby residents to 'get back'.

Police declared the scene clear at about 3pm, with no sight of Reinking.

Authorities used helicopters and dogs to search a wooded area near Reinking's apartment.

Authorities identified those killed in the shooting as 29-year-old restaurant worker Taurean C. Sanderlin of Goodlettsville, 20-year-old restaurant patron Joe R. Perez of Nashville, 23-year-old Akilah Dasilva of Nashville and Deebony Groves, a 21-year-old woman from Gallatin, Tennessee.

Sanderlin and Perez were killed outside the restaurant and Dasilva was critically wounded inside and later died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Groves was shot dead inside the restaurant.

Perez's mother posted a picture of her son on Facebook and asked for prayers, saying it was the hardest day of her life. 'Me, my husband and sons are broken right now with this loss,' Trisha Perez said in the post. 'Our lives are shattered.'

Groves, who was a student at Nashville's Belmont University, was remembered as an exceptional student who made the Dean's list and a tenacious basketball player.

Authorities seized Reinking's (above) weapons following an incident at the White House in July last year when he was arrested by the Secret Service for crossing a security barrier

Police said he arrived at the Waffle House before dawn on Sunday and waited in the parking lot for four minutes before opening fire

Coroners carry out a body from the Waffle House where four died in the early hours of Sunday

Three of the victims died at the scene and a fourth died at the hospital. Coroners could be seen removing bodies from the restaurant on Sunday afternoon

Two people - Shanita Waggoner, 21, and Sharita Henderson, 24, are also being treated for gunshot wounds at Vanderbilt.

James Shaw Jr., the man who wrestled the gun from the shooter, said he had only entered the restaurant just two minutes ahead of Reinking.

He said he had gone there to eat early on Sunday after visiting a nightclub.

When he heard the gunshots, Shaw said he initially thought they were stacks of plates that had fallen over. Shaw said it was then that he saw restaurant workers scatter and a body near the front door as the gunman burst through the entrance.

'He shot through that door; I'm pretty sure he grazed my arm. At that time I made up my mind... that he was going to have to work to kill me,' he said.

'When the gun jammed or whatever happened, I hit him with the swivel door.'

The gun then jammed up and Shaw said he managed to get one hand on the gun and grab it. He then threw it over the countertop and took the shooter with him out the entrance.

Shaw said the shooter then ran away.

Authorities are hailing Shaw a hero for preventing further bloodshed at the restaurant.

Police added Reinking to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation's Top 10 Most Wanted List described him as being 6ft 4in and 180 pounds.

A SWAT team swarmed the gunman's apartment (above) in the morning with their guns drawnYou never know who you'll bump into in New York City, and on Sunday Bill Clinton and Emma Thompson bumped into each other by Madison Square Park.

His daughter Chelsea live on the park in a $12million apartment with her unemployed husband Marc and two kids, and he was likely nearby to visit his grandchildren.

But despite the glorious weather, Thompson, 59, looked concerned as she talked to the former president, who just one day earlier was in Texas at the funeral service for Barbara Bush, sitting by the Obamas and just down from Melania Trump.

Emma Thompson bumped into Bill Clinton by Madison Square park on Sunday, just north from the iconic Flatiron Building

Thompson stood with her a hand on her hip and a concerned look on her face as she chatted with the former president

Bill was dressed in a blazer and loafers and seemed unconcerned with the fact he was standing in the road

Thompson played a fictionalized version of Hillary Clinton in the movie Primary Colors twenty years ago, with John Travolta in the role based on Bill. While filming that movie, Donald Trump asked Thompson on a date

Multiple Secret Service agents, wearing ear pieces and conspicuous in their khakis and blazers, kept the celebrity duo safe from cars and tourists wanting selfies

Thompson, dressed for the warm day in a oversized jacket, sneakers and a backpack, once played a character based on Hillary Clinton in the film Primary Colors.

The Oscar winner revealed last year that Trump once asked her on a date in 1997, while she was filming that movie, and had she accepted than maybe she could have changed the course the of history and he wouldn't be president now.

But Thompson married Greg Wise and had daughter Gaia instead of being the third Mrs Trump, and Sunday found herself in Manhattan bumping into Bubba, whose wife lost to Mr Trump.

The pair chatted in the middle of the street, with Clinton's Secret Service agents making sure no one could get too close to the famous pair and also ensuring that they weren't hit by a car.The 19-year-old man accused of opening fire at a Florida high school and injuring one has revealed chilling details of the crime in a jailhouse interview.

'I prepared to go and scare people,' Sky Bouche recalled of the attack on Friday morning at Forest High School in Ocala, Florida, in a televised interview from behind bars with KTVU.

'Put my shotgun in my guitar case, took two pills of Phenibut, put my tactical vest in my backpack and went to Forest,' Bouche said. Phenibut is an anti-anxiety medication which is banned in the US but obtainable online.

When asked why he did it, Bouche replied: 'It's just built up since I was a young child. Just not around good things, a lot of mental illness, some violence, mostly neglect.'

'I don't know, it just wasn't a good day,' he said.

Scroll down for videos

Sky Bouche, 19, above, made his first court appearance Saturday at Marion County Jail

Bouche said that when he entered the school a girl walked by him, but he hesitated in pulling out the gun. 'I just didn't want to shoot or kill people, because at that point the adrenaline and the excitement just kind of faded immediately.'

Instead, he said fired through a door and dropped the gun, thinking he hadn't hit anyone. But a 17-year-old boy on the other side of the door was struck in the ankle.

'I could have pumped the shotgun. I didn't, I just dropped it,' Bouche said. Addressing the injured student he added, 'There's nothing I can say, I can say sorry all I want, but he can think what he wants.'

'This is what I wanted, was to be away from everyone else, so I'm not hurting anyone else,' he said, sitting stony faced in jailhouse stripes. 'That was my primary goal. Cause I knew if I didn't, you know, snap now, it would have been later and it would've been a hundred times worse.'

Bouche was denied bail at his first court appearance on Saturday.

Judge Willard Pope at Marion County Jail told Bouche he would be held without bond due nature of the charges that span terrorism, aggravated assault with a firearm, carrying a concealed firearm and armed trespass on school property.

Bouche, above, was told he would be held without bond due nature of the serious charges

His charges span terrorism, aggravated assault with a firearm, carrying a concealed firearm and armed trespass on school property. Pictured right signing a document in handcuffs

Bouche is on suicide watch and under close surveillance at Marion County Jail in Florida

Bouche is on suicide watch at the jail and is under close surveillance, according to The Ocala Star-Banner.

His next court date was set for May 22.

Bouche entered Forest High School in Ocala, Florida, armed with a shotgun on Friday, the 19th anniversary of the Columbine massacre, and the very same day students across the nation participated in a walkout to protest gun violence.

Bouche shot at a locked door where pellets ricocheted off the door and wounded a 17-year-old male student.

He was taken down by a school resource officer and arrested, just three minutes after he opened fire.

A detective's report revealed that Bouche had a 17  inch shotgun concealed in a guitar case that he brought into school.

After entering he went to the bathroom, put on a tactical vest and gloves, then walked into the hallway where he shot the door.

He dropped the gun and surrendered to one of his former teachers Kelly McManis-Panasuk, according to WSVN.

Deputy James Long, a resource officer for Forest High School in Oscala, has been hailed a hero after he arrested suspected shooter Sky Bouche three minutes after he opened fire

Bouche was taken away from the school in a hazmat suit to preserve the evidence on his body

The shooting took place at Forest High School (pictured) in Ocala, Florida, on Friday morning. It was the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School massacre in Colorado

'His hands were up and he said he wanted to be arrested ... 'I am mentally ill,'' McManis-Panasuk quoted him saying.

She asked if he shot the gun and where.

'I shot a door. I didn't think it (the gun) would work,' he responded.

The two spoke until school resource officer Deputy Jim Long and principal Brent Carson arrived and took the troubled teenager into custody.

Speaking to detectives, Bouche said the motive was to 'inflict fear in students, but he did not intend to kill anyone.'

He told police that he purchased the shotgun in a private sale a week after the Parkland shooting and that there was no paperwork or background check for the transaction as it was a private sale.

Friday morning he said he felt 'an adrenaline rush' to carry out the shooting.

He said the excitement wore off and he was unable to carry out his plan.

In this April 20, 2018, photo by Jake Mailhiot, desks, chairs and filing cabinets are used to barricade a classroom door during the shooting that injured one on Friday morning

Hands up! Students were told to put their hands up as police swept through classrooms

The suspected gunman did not reveal a motive for the shooting that sent a 17-year-old male to the hospital

Emotions ran high as students walked hand-in-hand outside their school on Friday to be united with parents and teachers who were waiting

Students and teachers are pictured hugging in front of Forest High School after Friday morning's shooting

Bouche apologized as he was led away in handcuffs.

'I didn't shoot anyone,' he said to reporters.

'I just shot through the door. Sorry, it doesn't matter anyway,' he told reporters on his way to a patrol car.

Bouche had been planning a shooting for some time.

He told detectives he wanted to do it on Friday the 13th but changed his mind.

He added he wanted to do a church shooting at first but decided to go with a school shooting as it 'creates more attention'.

He added that he was prompted to complete Friday's shooting after suffering nightmares.

He said wanted to go to jail as he could 'potentially conduct another shooting in the future' the detective report stated.

Speaking with the The Ocala Star-Banner he revealed that he once wanted to join the Marines but could not as he was 'Baker Acted when I was 14' meaning he was committed for a mental health evaluation at the age of 14.A Texas judge handed down a 50-year prison sentence on Friday to a man who was caught stealing more than $1.2million worth of fajitas.

Gilberto Escamilla, a former employee with the Juvenile Justice Department, was charged with first-degree theft in October 2017.

The 53-year-old later tearfully pleaded guilty to theft by a public servant earlier this month.

Gilberto Escamilla, a former employee with the Juvenile Justice Department in Texas, has been sentenced to 50 years in prison for stealing $1.2million worth of fajitas last year

Escamilla, a former employee with the Juvenile Justice Department, was charged with first-degree theft in October 2017. The 53-year-old later tearfully pleaded guilty to theft by a public servant earlier this month. Judge J Manuel Banales sentences Escamilla on Friday

He also waived his right to a trial, according to Chron.com.

'It was selfish,' Escamilla testified. 'It got to the point where I couldn't control it anymore.'

He testified that what began small had spiraled out of control.

'If it wasn't so serious, you'd think it was a Saturday Night Live skit. But this is the real thing,' District Attorney Luis V. Saenz told The Brownsville Herald at the time.

Prosecutors said Escamilla (pictured) ordered 800 pounds of fajitas in August 2017

Prosecutors said that on August 7, 2017, Escamilla took the day off to go to a medical appointment.

During his absence, a driver from Labatt Food Service - the Juvenile Justice Department's meat vendor - called to verify an order they were preparing to deliver: 800 pounds of fajitas.

An employee at the department first dismissed the order as a mistake, given the fact that the facility does not serve fajitas.

It was then that the driver informed the woman on the phone that his company has been filling the fajita order to the facility for nearly a decade.

'The receiver of the call rushes off to the supervisor and conveys to her the discussion that had been had, and that breaks the case,' Saenz said at the time.

When Escamilla reported to work the next day, he was confronted with the discussion and admitted then to stealing fajitas for nine years.

Escamilla was immediately fired from his position and placed under arrest on August 9.

When police searched his home, they discovered his refrigerator packed with fajitas.

Law enforcement officials said that after looking through inventory records and conducting an audit at Labatt Food Service, they concluded that Escamilla had stolen $1,251,578 worth of food.

'He would literally, on the day he ordered them, deliver them to customers he had already lined up,' Saenz said shortly after Escamilla's arrest.

Saenz said they were able to uncover two of his purchasers, who cooperated with their investigation.

After Escamilla's arrest, Saenz ordered a full review of the department so new measures aimed at instituting new 'procedures, controls and safeguards' into the system could be implemented.

The Juvenile Justice Department where Escamilla worked is pictured aboveSpeaking at the event, South African Ambassador to Vietnam Mpetjane Kgaogelo Lekgoro highlighted the progressive developments in relations between the two nations.

The two countries agreed to intensify their time-honoured friendship and multifaceted cooperation, especially in politics, trade, justice, science, technology, and defence.

The bilateral collaboration in telecommunications, training, and crime prevention has also been stepped up since the South Africa-Vietnam Inter-Governmental Partnership Forum was set up in 2004, he added.

Mentioning the role of South Africas Honorary Consul in HCM City Do Thi Kim Lien, the ambassador affirmed that she has made great contributions to boosting bilateral ties by initiating and organising various exchange programmes and trade promotion activities.

The Honorary Consul had received a letter of compliment from the South African Government for her active contributions in raising its profile within Vietnam, Lekgoro said.

Le Quang Long, Director of the municipal Department of Foreign Affairs, said Vietnam always attaches importance to the partnership for cooperation and development with South Africa.

He showed his belief that the bilateral relationship will develop to be even stronger this year thanks to the concerted efforts of both sides, for the common interests of their people.

On this occasion, the Honorary Consulate of South Africa provided an aid grant worth 5 billion VND (220,000 USD) to support charitable activities in Vietnam, including building houses for the poor, caring for Heroic Vietnamese Mothers, and awarding scholarships to academically gifted poor students and disabled students.A police department in Alabama found itself mired in controversy on Sunday after footage showing officers forcefully arrest a young black woman surfaced online.

The Saraland Police Department said that they have opened an investigation into the arrest of 25-year-old Chikesia Clemons early Sunday morning at the Waffle House restaurant on Industry Parkway in Mobile.

Video of the incident shows three officers briefly speaking with a visibly agitated Clemons moments before forcefully pulling her from a chair and pinning her to the ground of the Waffle House.

The Saraland Police Department said that they have opened an investigation into the arrest of 25-year-old Chikesia Clemons (Pictured) on Sunday

Video of the incident shows officers briefly speaking with a visibly agitated Clemons moments before forcefully pulling her to the ground of a Waffle House

Clemons was booked on charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest and placed on $1000 bond

'What are you doing?' Clemons asks indignantly as the officers struggle to place Clemons into handcuffs.

'I'll break your arm, that's what I'm about to do,' one of the officers responds.

In the process of the arrest, footage shows Clemons' top come down, exposing her breasts as patrons in the background continue to eat their food.

The incident comes amid a national backlash over the arrest of two black men last week inside a Philadelphia Starbucks after sitting at a table without purchasing any items as they waited for a friend to use the bathroom.

Canita Adams (Pictured), who is Clemon's friend, filmed the incident and uploaded it to social media

The Saraland Police Department report shows that the incident unraveled at 2.45am when Clemons asked a Waffle House employee for plastic utensils after placing an order, according to al.com.

The conversation appeared to escalate after the employee informed Clemons that the plastic cutlery would cost an extra 50 cents.

Clemons, along with her friend Canita Adams - who filmed the incident on her cell phone - were perplexed by the additional fee, informing the employee that they had been at the restaurant the previous evening and were not made to pay an additional charge.

In response, the employee canceled the order, prompting Clemons to ask for the contact information of the Waffle House district manager who oversees the Saraland location, al.com reported.

'They didn't even ask her to leave, she was waiting for them to give her the district manager's card so she could file a complaint on one of the waitresses,' said Clemons' mother, Chiquitta Clemons-Howard.

'When they went to go get the card, that's when the police showed up. The officer should've come in and said we need you to leave,' she added.

Clemons was booked on charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest and placed on $1,000 bond.

Following the incident, Mobile NAACP President David Smith said that they plan to hold a demonstration in the parking lot of the Waffle House to protest Clemons' arrest.

'In light of the current situation in our country - such as the arrest of two young black men at a Philadelphia Starbucks coffee shop - we felt it was important for our members to get a first-hand account of the incident, which has now gone viral on social media locally and across the country,' Smith said.

Spokeswoman with the Saraland Police Department, Det. Collette Little, said in a statement that they have opened a probe into the incident and will release a full report after their investigation is complete.

'The Saraland Police Department is aware of the arrest at Waffle House and the accompanying video on social media,' the statement said.

'The situation is being thoroughly reviewed and is under active investigation right now. Our department strives for transparency and we encourage our community to be aware of current events.'Foreign fishermen are being given millions in Government aid to help develop their businesses  just as ministers are accused of abandoning British firms, the Daily Mail can reveal.

Britains foreign aid department has funded huge fish farming and aquaculture projects in countries all over the world including Malawi, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and Nepal.

Money has gone towards the development of artisanal freshwater fish farming in Liberia, and helping farmers in the Niger Delta develop their fish-smoking industry.

The huge spending comes as the Government stands accused of betraying British fishing firms by failing to take control of our waters post-Brexit.

Foreign fishermen are being given millions in Government aid to help develop their businesses  just as ministers are accused of abandoning British firms (file photo)

It emerged last week that large foreign firms will keep their rights to fish in our coastal waters even after we leave the EU. And the Mail revealed that the Foreign Office had handed six fishing licences around South Georgia in the South Atlantic to foreign firms  rejecting all the British-based applicants.

The Government insists that fishing is a vital source of income for thousands of people in poorer countries. But the revelation that millions are being spent abroad is unlikely to go down well with UK-based fishermen who are struggling to make a living.

The Department for International Development said the UK had spent 14.3million on a market development scheme in the Niger Delta to help the fish-smoking industry.

Some 870,000 has been given to the global charity WorldFish and other organisations to develop aquaculture in Bangladesh.

Another 337,000 went towards the development of aquaculture enterprises in Malawi, such as the construction of ponds near towns and the donation of manufactured fish feed.

DfID said: The new project aims to create and foster a supportive business environment in which an optimally located network of 60 small-scale fish farmers can operate on a commercial basis.

A similar scheme in the same country benefited from 23,000 in aid. As a six-month pilot, this project will encourage smallholder farmers to engage in small-scale commercial aquaculture for income generation, DfID said.

More than 120,000 has gone to a scheme to help people living in southwestern Bangladesh adapt their lives to climate change.

Britains foreign aid department has funded huge fish farming and aquaculture projects in countries all over the world including Malawi, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and Nepal (file photo)

Britain is helping 20 tiger widows  women whose husbands were killed by tigers  receive training on agriculture, fisheries and livestock in the context of climate-adaptive livelihoods. Money has also been ploughed into Liberia to bring about improved artisanal freshwater fish farming.

DfID said: Project beneficiaries will be female-headed households and young mothers, who will receive fish ponds and fish fingerlings, with the aim of producing enough to provide for the households needs as well as for them to earn a living.

In Nepal, Britain is funding fish farming to the tune of 264,000. Some 780 households will be taught about fish farming and livestock management.

An integrated food income and nutrition scheme for the Binga district of Zimbabwe, costing 616,000, will help farmers who work with small livestock such as fish.

And 3,400 is even going towards a fish appeal to search for the rare Mangarahara cichlid in Madagascar.

Last night a Government spokesman said: Fishing jobs are a vital source of income for some of the worlds poorest people  it is in all our interests that we provide the tools and the environment for people in developing countries to make a living, feed their families and stand on their own two feet.

At the same time we recognise the importance of the UKs historic fishing industry, which is why we are supporting our coastal communities to regenerate and grow.The four people who died after being shot at a Nashville Waffle House have been identified as authorities continue to hunt the armed gunman.

Travis Reinking, 29, stormed the restaurant in Antioch before dawn on Sunday and opened fire with an assault rifle, killing four people before a customer rushed him and wrestled the weapon away.

The Metropolitan Nashville Police released the names of the slain victims on Sunday afternoon.

Restaurant worker Taurean C. Sanderlin, 29, and customers Joe R. Perez, 20, Akilah Dasilva, 23, and Deebony Groves, 21, were all killed in the shooting.

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Restaurant worker Taurean C. Sanderlin, 29, and 20-year-old customer Joe R. Perez were among the four shot dead by a gunman at a Nashville Waffle House on Sunday

Deebony Groves, 21, and Akilah Dasilva, 23, were also killed when the gunman stormed in and opened fire with an assault rifle

Police said Sanderlin and Perez were killed outside the restaurant.

Dasilva was critically wounded inside and later died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Groves was shot dead inside the restaurant.

A number of others were also wounded in the shooting, including Shanita Waggoner, 21, and Sharita Henderson, 24, who were being treated for gunshot wounds at Vanderbilt.

James Shaw Jr., the man who wrestled the gun from the shooter, was also grazed by one of the bullets and suffered injuries to his hand after grabbing the barrel of the gun.

Shaw said he had only entered the restaurant just two minutes ahead of Reinking after going there to eat when he left a nearby nightclub.

Travis Reinking, 29, shot dead four people and injured seven others at the Waffle House in Antioch early Sunday morning before shedding his jacket and fleeing

The AR-15 (above) used in the Waffle House shooting was among Reinking's four weapons that the FBI confiscated in October following an incident at the White House

Police said arrest warrants charging Reinking with murder have been issued as authorities continue to search for the gunman following the Waffle House shooting

When he heard the gunshots, Shaw said he initially thought they were stacks of plates that had fallen over. Shaw said it was then that he saw restaurant workers scatter and a body near the front door as the gunman burst through the entrance.

'He shot through that door; I'm pretty sure he grazed my arm. At that time I made up my mind... that he was going to have to work to kill me,' he said.

'When the gun jammed or whatever happened, I hit him with the swivel door.'

The gun then jammed up and Shaw said he managed to get one hand on the gun and grab it. He then threw it over the countertop and took the shooter with him out the entrance.

Shaw said the shooter then ran away.

Authorities are hailing Shaw a hero for preventing further bloodshed at the restaurant.

Police are still hunting for the gunman who was spotted walking nude along a road after fleeing the scene.

Witnesses said he ran to a nearby apartment complex where he lived and put on black pants before entering the woods barefoot.

Hero diner James Shaw Jr managed to grab the rifle and toss it over a counter after the gunman opened fire. Shaw shows off his injured hand after he grabbed the gun barrel

Authorities seized Reinking's (above) weapons following an incident at the White House in July last year when he was arrested by the Secret Service for crossing a security barrier

Police said he arrived at the Waffle House before dawn on Sunday and waited in the parking lot for four minutes before opening fire

A SWAT team swarmed his apartment in the morning with their guns drawn and screamed at nearby residents to 'get back'.

Police declared the scene clear at about 3pm, with no sight of Reinking.

Authorities used helicopters and dogs to search a wooded area near Reinking's apartment.

Police said Reinking had his Illinois gun license revoked last year at the request of the FBI and four of his weapons were seized by authorities in Tazewell back in October.

The guns, however, were eventually returned to Reinking's father who has since admitted to giving them back to his son.

The AR-15 used in the Waffle House shooting was among the four weapons.

Police recovered three of the four guns that were originally taken from Reinking, but believe he is armed with at least one handgun.

They have warned that he is armed and dangerous.

Authorities seized Reinking's weapons following an incident at the White House in July last year when he was arrested by the Secret Service for crossing an exterior security barrier and charged with unlawful entry.

Reinking told Secret Service officials he was trying to set up a meeting with President Donald Trump.

In May 2016, deputies from Tazewell County, Illinois, were called to a CVS parking lot where Reinking told officers that Taylor Swift was stalking him and hacking his phone, and that his family was also involved, according to a report released Sunday.

Coroners carry out a body from the Waffle House where four died in the early hours of SundayAdvertisement

A unit in Sydney only metres from the beach is on the market for less than $1million.

The art-deco property in Coogee is set to go under the hammer on Saturday with a price guide of $675,000.

The one-bedroom apartment at 6/184 Arden St is one of 15 apartments in the Beach Court building and has views of the water.

A unit in Sydney only metres from the beach is on the market for less than $1million

The apartment has high ceilings throughout and private access to a balcony

The one-bedroom apartment at 6/184 Arden St is one of 15 apartments in the Beach Court building and has views of the water

The art-deco property in Coogee is set to go under the hammer on Saturday with a price guide of $675,000

Peter Maras bought the unit three years ago, but had to completely change his lifestyle to do so.

'I had accumulated some savings by living and eating smashed avocado at home,' Mr Maras told realestate.com.au.

'When I made the decision to buy, I gave up drinking, dining and going out because I was limited by the deposit requirements at the time.'

The apartment has high ceilings throughout and private access to a balcony.

'A prime beachside location, footsteps to the surf, sand and cafe scene is a major drawcard for buyers looking for a character property in the heart of Coogee,' the listing reads.

The unit is up for auction on Saturday at 9am through Mark Foy and Ted Pye of Belle Property.

The one-bedroom apartment is one of 15 apartments in the Beach Court building

6/184 Arden Street in Coogee will go under the hammer this Saturday

The unit is up for auction on Saturday at 9am through Mark Foy and Ted Pye of Belle PropertyArmin Van Buuren has become the latest artist to pay tribute to Avicii after the 28-year-old DJ's shock death.

The world-famous DJ, whose real name is Tim Bergling, was found dead in Muscat, Oman where he was holidaying on Friday.

Armin Van Buuren paid a touching tribute to the young artist during his set at Sydney's A State of Trance music festival on Saturday night.

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Van Buuren remembered Avicii with a montage of photographs of the performer splashed on the big screen, while playing Coldplay's A Sky Full of Stars

Armin Van Buuren paid a touching tribute to the young artist during his set at Sydney's A State of Trance music festival on Saturday night (pictured)

Van Buuren (performing in Las Vegas last June) paid a tribute to Avicii while performing at Sydney's A State of Trance festival

Van Buuren remembered Avicii with a montage of photographs of the performer splashed on the big screen, while playing Coldplay's A Sky Full of Stars.

Festival goers raised their lighters and waved them in the air, while others captured the moving tribute on their mobile phones.

Speaking to an American radio station earlier in the day, Van Buuren said he was 'in shock'.

'I woke up and my phone exploded, I've never seen so many messages,' he said.

'Everybody's in shock, I'm lost for words, I'm just sitting at the airport and I'm staring and I can't believe it.

Festival goers raised their lighters and waved them in the air, while others captured the moving tribute on their mobile phones

The world-famous DJ, whose real name is Tim Bergling, was found dead in Muscat, Oman where he was holidaying on Friday

Steve Aoki, Armin van Buuren, and Avicii are pictured together on March 22, 2013 in Miami, Florida

'It's probably the saddest day the dance music industry has ever had. I'm lost for words.'

Van Buuren said he knew Avicii well and there was 'a lot of respect for each other'.

'I knew how incredibly passionate he was and how talented he was,' he said.

Van Buuren was one of a string of artists to pay tribute to Avicii in their shows across the world, including Tiesto, Kaskade and Steve Aoki.

Van Buuren said he knew Avicii (pictured) well and there was 'a lot of respect for each other'Couples are at risk of being exploited by foreign IVF clinics which promise up to 97 per cent success rates, the head of the fertility regulator has warned.

Only a quarter of women become pregnant with a child after one cycle of IVF, official statistics suggest.

But Bahceci IVF Centre in Istanbul, Turkey, claims a success rate of 97.82 per cent on its website.

The firm, which exhibited at the Manchester Fertility Show last month, charges just 1,350 for conventional IVF  less than half the average price for fertility treatment in the UK of 3,000 to 5,000.

It is only when you look at the small print of the companys leaflets that it is explained that the 97 per cent success rate is based on three cycles with donated eggs or embryos from other people.

Donated eggs are often from younger women and can therefore provide a much greater chance of pregnancy. IVF Cube Fertility Clinic in the Czech Republic, which charges 2,540 for an IVF cycle, did not host a stand at the Fertility Show but sent leaflets to be handed out there. Its website claims success rates of 84 per cent.

Foreign clinics were found to be offering cut-price treatments at under half the price of their UK equivalents

IVF is a complicated procedure - with recent scientific developments only leading to a small rise in success rates

In the UK, 25.6 per cent of women who undergo IVF end up conceiving after a single cycle, according to regulator  the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.

Sally Cheshire, chairman of the HFEA, has now warned that the UK regulator has no control over claims made by foreign clinics. Speaking at an event hosted by the fertility charity Progress Educational Trust, Mrs Cheshire said: We are concerned vulnerable patients may be exploited, as our data over the last 25 years shows such success rates are highly unlikely.

In other countries, where there is often no similar standard of regulation, clinics can be less transparent about a patients chances of having a baby. Professor Adam Balen, former chairman of the British Fertility Society, said: [Foreign clinics] are presenting false hope to vulnerable people who may be seduced into going overseas when in reality they will not get any better treatment.

In the UK clinics are highly regulated by the HFEA and can only give their true success rates. There should be similar advertising standards for overseas clinics who advertise in the UK.

Hamdi Bahceci, chief executive of Bahceci Health Group, said: The success rate we communicate with patients is the cumulative pregnancy rate after three subsequent treat- ment cycles of egg or embryo donation.

An IVF Cube spokesman said: Our 84 per cent success rate is based on the number of women who have become pregnant from a single egg collection, which can include up to ten to 11 eggs.'He was recently fined a record 86,000 and banned from the road for one year and eight months after pleading guilty to drink-driving.

And after entering rehab and stepping down from TV commitments, Britain's Got Talent has reportedly been forced to 'drop' footage of Ant McPartlin driving an Union Jack painted Jaguar after the legal proceedings.

The Geordie presenter, 42, filmed the scene with co-host Declan Donnelly just a mile from where he crashed his Mini into two cars in March,The Sun reports.

Awkward: Britain's Got Talent has reportedly been forced to 'drop' footage of Ant McPartlin driving an Union Jack painted Jaguar after the legal proceedings

An insider told the publication: 'Bosses have been forced to drop the footage. It would have been inappropriate and insensitive.'

The presenter was fined 86,000 after pleading guilty to drink driving at Wimbledon Magistrates Court on April 16.

During legal proceedings, Ant - who was twice the legal alcohol limit - admitted he was 'ashamed and mortified'.

He told reporters: 'I let myself down. I let a lot of people down and for that I'm truly sorry.'

Unfortunate: According to The Sun , the Geordie presenter filmed the scene just a mile from where he crashed his Mini into two cars, leaving a four-year-old girl injured, in March

Stepping down from TV: During the legal proceedings, which took place on Monday, Ant - who was twice the legal alcohol limit, admitted he was 'ashamed and mortified'

The 'dropped' Union Jack Jaguar scene comes after Ant and Dec were reportedly axed from Suzuki's car advertising deal.

The motoring firm continued to sponsor the last two episodes of Saturday Night Takeaway, but the duo were pulled from the commercials.

In the adverts, the presenting duo were seen driving around and giving away cars to members of the public.

Axed advertisement: Meanwhile, the 'dropped' Union Jack Jaguar scene comes after the presenting duo were reportedly axed from Suzuki's car advertising deal

Statement: The motoring firm continued to sponsor the last two episodes of Saturday Night Takeaway, but the duo were pulled from the commercials.

Released before the conclusion of Saturday Night Takeaway, a statement from Suzuki GB PLC, said: 'Suzuki are withdrawing their advertising campaign with Ant & Dec. No further material featuring the duo will be aired and Suzukis endorsement deal with the pair has come to an end.

'We agree with ITV and Ant & Dec that it was the correct decision not to broadcast Saturday Night Takeaway this weekend.

'As a car brand we recognise the seriousness of Ants charge. We completely support Ants decision to seek treatment.

Adverts: In the adverts, the presenting duo were seen driving around and giving away cars to members of the public

'Suzuki will however continue to sponsor the last two episodes of this series of Saturday Night Takeaway with our current idents.

'Suzuki very much supports Dec and ITVs decision to broadcast the shows and as headline sponsors we also want to support the competition winners who have won places on the plane to Florida for the series finale.'

MailOnline has contacted an ITV representative for further comment.He went public with his new relationship in November, shortly after his 15-year relationship with his childhood sweetheart and mother to his two children, Lauren Shippey, came to an end.

And Jack P. Shepherd proved that his romance with Hanni Treweek is going from strength to strength as he treated her to a romantic getaway in Rome, Italy, over the weekend.

The Coronation Street actor, who plays David Platt, took to Instagram to share his affections for his other half on both Friday and Saturday.

Love: Jack P. Shepherd proved that his romance with Hanni Treweek is going from strength to strength as he treated her to a romantic getaway in Rome, Italy, over the weekend

In one picture, the soap star took a cosy selfie of them together sightseeing as he captioned it as: 'Roma with this goddess @ladyhanni89,' followed by an Italian flag, red heart and rose emoji.

While a separate photo saw Jack packing on the PDA as he kissed Hanni, while she held two red roses in her arms - presumably from her beau.

He captioned the sweet snap with: 'Spanish steps in Rome. [Italian flag and rose emoji] @ladyhanni89.' (sic)

Romantic: While a separate photo saw Jack packing on the PDA as he kissed Hanni, while she held two red roses in her arms - presumably from her beau

While it is believed that Jack and his ex Lauren are still friends, running a stage school together and sharing custody of their children Nyla, eight, and Reuben, four.

The romantic Italy trip comes after the soap star enjoyed some drinks with his co-stars after he shared a poorly timed social media video about spiking drinks, as his character David recovers from a brutal rape on the ITV soap.

Taking a break from filming, the soap actor, 30, and his pals were keen on making the most of Britain's eagerly anticipated sunshine.

Smitten: The Coronation Street actor, who plays David Platt, took to Instagram to share his affections for his other half on both Friday and Saturday

Jack looked like he was on holiday as he opted for a pair of floral print shorts, teamed with a striped nautical-inspired top.

Beers in hand, it seemed as though his only priority was letting loose as he soaked up the sun.

The TV star proved to be in a great mood as he enjoyed plenty of giggles, as well as hearty chatter with his companions.

Fun in the sun: Jack recently put all his current controversy to one side as he enjoyed some drinks with his Coronation Street co-stars on Thursday

Also joining him was co-star Julia Goulding who embraced summer chic in a loose-fitting vest top and burnt orange skirt.

Sair Khan joined the summery outing and showed off her lean legs in a stylish black and red floral dress.

Their fun day in the sun comes after Jack sharing a poorly timed social media video in which a joke is made about spiking drinks, as his on-screen character recovers from a brutal rape.

Letting loose: Beers in hand, it seemed as though his only priority was letting loose as he soaked up the sun

Jack was accompanied by co-star Colson Smith and his young children when the ill-conceived gag was made during an appearance at a Manchester pub.

In a short video shared on social media, Jacks daughter Nyla is accosted by a member of the group after she is seen putting something into Colson's drink while playfully climbing onto his shoulders.

What have you just put in his drink?' Someone is heard saying as friends laugh in the background, adding: (She) just put something in his drink spiked your daughters spike!

The comment comes after Shepard's soap character David attempted to self-harm following his harrowing rape at the hands of Josh Tucker, played by Ryan Clayton.

Blunder: Jack was accompanied by co-star Colson Smith (pictured) and his young children when the ill-conceived gag was made during an appearance at a Manchester pub

Awkward: In a short video shared on social media, Jacks daughter Nyla is accosted by a member of the group after she is seen putting something into Colson's drink while climbing onto his shoulders

David screamed out in agony as he failed to cut his arm with a pair of scissors, trashing the Weatherfield hair salon in the process as weeks of emotional tension finally came to a head.

The scenes proved be dark territory for what has already been a controversial storyline, as viewers praised actor Jack for his performance while also expressing their sympathy for what David was going through.

One fan tweeted: 'Get goosebumps every time I watch @JackPShepherd88 play an amazing part in @itvcorrie. He really does need to win an award for this part because he is playing it phenominally!'

Ill-timed: What have you just put in his drink?' Someone is heard saying as friends laugh in the background, adding: (She) just put something in his drink spiked your daughters spike!'

Another wrote: 'In tears watching #Corrie @jackpshepherd is playing a blinder. Such a tough storyline.'

Series producer Kate Oates has previously defended the storyline's no-holds-barred portrayal of male rape, saying it is designed to show the effects such an attack can have on a man's mental health.

Speaking on This Morning she said: 'I think it's because it's a male rape it's in a different category. It's a double standard against male. It's not about shocking visual, we're pre-watershed and we make our decisions very carefully.'

MailOnline has contacted a Coronation Street representative for further comment.She recently started her own beauty business with former 90210 co-star, Ian Ziering.

And on Saturday, Tori Spelling attended her company's Beauty Leadership Conference in Provo, Utah.

While there, the mother-of-five was recognized 'for achieving the highest level' in the duo's business.

Business-minded: On Saturday, Tori Spelling, 44, attended her company's Beauty Leadership Conference in Provo, Utah

'So amazing to work hard and be acknowledged for that hard work!' began Tori, who looked like a fairy tale bohemian princess in a white dress.

'This weekend at our Beauty Leadership Conference I got recognized for achieving the highest level in our company.'

'#TeamElite & I also got to be a proud mama as I watched my team members get recognized for their levels of achievement.'

Top honor: While there, the mother-of-five was recognized 'for achieving the highest level' in the duo's business

Having fun: In the snaps, Tori can be seen dancing playfully

Tori shared a collection of photos from her conference.

The event was attended by business co-founder Ian as well as the company's members.

In the snaps, Tori can be seen posing for group shots and dancing playfully.

Storybook Tori: The actress looked lovely in a fairytale princess white dress

Beautiful lip color: The star shared this very pretty selfie

On her website, JoinTori.com, the Tori & Dean star said that Ian, 54, approached her with a business idea, while the two were at a fan convention for the show.

'When he started to tell me about the business, I would essentially have my own business...and I could do it from home. And then he said the magic words," spend more time with your kids."'

'Yes, I'm in!' she exclaimed.

The star's business appears to be a cosmetics company that seeks out brand ambassadors to promote their product using only social media.

'All you have to do is cut, and paste and then share. And then, we will help you make money on social media,' she said.They excitedly announced they were expecting their first child in a sweet Instagram post of an ultrasound scan in February.

And now Tom Daley and husband Dustin Lance Black looked happier than ever as they kicked off the celebrations before their bundle of joy arrives with a surprise baby shower and shared snaps from the shindig via Instagram on Saturday.

The Olympic diver, 23, beamed with pride as he posed alongside his American beau, 43, clad in Oh Baby gold glasses and Daddy To Be sashes.

Loved up: Tom Daley and husband Dustin Lance Black looked totally smitten as they celebrated their baby shower on Saturday and shared the adorable snaps on Instagram

In on joyous snap, Tom - clad in a printed blue shirt and dusky pink shorts - lovingly placed his hand on Dustin's chest as they posed next to a tower of delicious cakes and treats for their guests.

Dustin opted for a similar style for the event, rocking a lemon-print T-shirt while wrapping his arm around Tom as they celebrated their impeding arrival.

Tom clearly couldn't get enough of the festivities, posting another adorable snap shot of the cute couple to his Instagram Stories, sharing a sweet moment as Dustin lovingly looked towards the diver before tucking into the calorific delicacies next to them.

Dads to be! In another hilarious picture, Tom and Dustin posed with their custom baby bottle cocktails while overlooking the London skyline

In another hilarious picture, Tom and Dustin posed with their custom baby bottle cocktails while overlooking the London skyline.

Following the baby celebrations, the Devon native shared the numerous multi-coloured cocktails that flowed, decorated with the confetti over the Oh Baby gold party plates.

Tom and Dustin excitedly confirmed they were welcoming a son later this year while chatting to Fearne Cotton on her Happy Place podcast last month.

Sweet moment: Tom clearly couldn't get enough of the festivities, sharing a sweet moment as Dustin lovingly looked towards the diver before tucking into the calorific delicacies

Excitement: Following the baby celebrations, the Devon native shared the numerous multi-coloured cocktails that flowed, with confetti falling over the Oh Baby gold party plates

Talking to the radio host, the Olympic medalist gushed: 'We're going to have a little boy!'

However, after confirming the happy news, Tom went on to reveal some of the backlash he and Dustin have faced for welcoming their child via surrogate.

He said: 'With Kim Kardashian West, people felt sorry she's not able to have to have a child because of health reasons  'How lovely it is that a surrogate has been willing to do that!'

'But for every other gay couple that is not able to have a child, but desperately would love to bring up a child like any heterosexual couple, we have been treated quite differently.'

New arrival: The couple announced their baby joy on Valentine's Day, with a sweet photo of their ultrasound scan shared to their respective Instagram pages

The pair excitedly announced they were expecting a baby with the Instagram snap in February, before a spokesperson for the diver added: 'Tom and Dustin are thrilled to share that they are expecting their first child in 2018.'

Their ultrasound picture confirmed the couple were using a surrogate mother to become parents, rather than adopting. It is not known who the surrogate mother is.

The baby's development suggests the ultrasound picture was taken around the 20-week mark.

This would mean the couple are probably expecting to become fathers at the start of the summer.

Tom and Dustin, who are twenty years apart in age, first met at an industry event five years ago.

The diver made the first move by typing his phone number into Dustin's phone, with an invitation to call him.

After years of dating, they became engaged in October 2015, and went onto tie the knot in a lavish ceremony at Bovey Castle, near Plymouth, Devon in May 2017.Watch the ceremony

Raymond Loretan, the new President of the Foundation, took up his position in January 2018, succeeding Carlo Lamprecht, who had served as president since the creation of the foundation in 2011. He will continue to develop the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Geneve at national and international level and guarantee the strict independence and neutrality of the Grand Prix. He will also explore new modes of cooperation and continue to promote the Swiss watch industry both at a global level.

Raymond Loretan

Loretan has moved from diplomacy to economics, politics, the media and business. After graduating with a law degree from the University of Fribourg and a degree in European law from the University of Strasbourg, he began his career with an internship at the United Nations in New York and The Hague. He was recruited to the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs in 1983 and worked as Diplomatic Secretary of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Edouard Brunner, then as personal assistant to Federal Council Arnold Koller at the Federal Department of Defence and at the Federal Department of Justice and Police between 1987 and 1990. He served as Swiss Ambassador to Singapore and Brunei from 1997 to 2003 and then as Swiss Consul General in New York until 2007. He is the incumbent President of the Diplomatic Club of Geneva.

From 1993 to 1997 he was Secretary General of the Swiss PDC (Christian Democratic Peoples Party). In 2008, he was elected a member of the Genevas Constituent Assembly with a seat on the Territorial Organisation and External Relations Commission. Since 2016, he has been Chair of the Lake Crossing Consultative Commission. He also chaired the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG SSR) from 2012 to 2015 and in 2017 took the helm of the Board of the new AGEFI financial daily. He is also Executive Chairman of Swiss Medical Network since 2007 and officiates as Vice-Chairman of Aevis Holding and holds various other directorships.She rose to the title of Victoria's Secret Angel in 2015.

And Romee Strijd proved her supermodel credentials once again on Thursday, slipping into a white one-piece swimsuit in Palm Springs.

The 22-year-old Dutchwoman glided across a swimming pool on a floatee shaped like half of a sliced avocado in photos she posted to Instagram.

A place in the sun: Romee Strijd proved her supermodel credentials once again on Thursday, slipping into a white one-piece swimsuit in Palm Springs

Romee shielded her face from the sun in a pair of barely-tinted shades, popping on a couple of bracelets that glinted in the sunlight.

Arcing her sculpted legs for the camera, she brandished a giant walnut brown beach ball that was made to resemble the sliced avocado's pit.

This Monday, she had posted an Instagram album in which she posed up a storm on the sands in the Palm Beach area as windmills churned behind her.

She had slid herself into a chain mini-dress, but the metal-work was so open that her black underwear was fully visible underneath.

Kissy face: The 22-year-old Dutchwoman glided across a swimming pool on a floatee shaped like half of a sliced avocado in photos she posted to Instagram

Romee matched the undergarments with a pair of thigh-high boots and let her aviators slide far enough down the bridge of her nose that she could see over them.

The Zoetermeer-born model wrote the adorably misspelled caption: 'from dutch windmills to the dessert ones' - but has since corrected the mistake.

By this Saturday, Romee informed her 4.2 million Instagram followers she was in the Big Apple, where she lives now, but that she was dashing off to her native continent.

Out and about: Three days prior, she had posted an Instagram album in which she posed up a storm on the sands in the Palm Beach area as windmills churned behind her

When you got it: She had slid herself into a chain mini-dress, but the metal-work was so open that her black underwear was fully visible underneath

Shooting the camera a smoldering stare through cat-eye tortoiseshell shades, she tucked an off-the-shoulder canary yellow top into glinting red and green sweats.

The catwalk-stomper, whose suitcase had an avocado-shaped tag on its strap, trumpeted in her caption that she was 'off to europe, guess where?'

Romee is dating hunky brunette Laurens Van Leeuwen, whose father Bert is the famous Dutch television presenter of reality series Het Familiediner.

She walked as a newcomer at the 2014 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in London, and took her current role as a Victoria's Secret Angel the following year.She recently set pulses racing after putting on a cosy display with her boyfriend Joshua Ritchie on a romantic Maldives getaway.

And a rather worse for wear Charlotte Crosby continued to do so as she flaunted her toned curves in a green bodycon dress for her friend, Jamie Corbett's, 30th birthday party at the Black Dog Ballroom in Manchester on Saturday night.

The former Geordie Shore star appeared to let her hair down as she was spotted bleary eyed in the city.

Oops!: A rather worse for wear Charlotte Crosby flaunted her toned curves in a green bodycon dress for Jamie Corbett's 30th birthday party in Manchester on Saturday

At one stage, Charlotte put her arms up in the air as she cupped her hands on her ears and stood in the middle of the pavement.

While later on, good friends Jamie and his new fiance, In The Style owner Adam Frisby, helped support her and even held her hand.

For the fun outing, Charlotte showed off her enviable figure in a mini green bodycon dress.

Girls just wanna have fun: The former Geordie Shore star appeared to let her hair down as she was spotted bleary eyed in the city

Letting her hair down: At one stage, Charlotte put her arms up in the air as she cupped her hands on her ears and stood in the middle of the pavement

The MTV star added height to her frame with a pair of nude studded heels.

Charlotte styled her brunette locks into a tousled centre parting hairdo.

While she added a slick of make-up, which included false eyelashes, bronzer and a nude lipstick.

During the fun birthday night out, Adam romantically proposed to Jamie, with Charlotte later taking to her Instagram stories to share the exciting news with: 'He's engaged I love him so much.'

Friends' points: While later on, good friends Jamie and his new fiance, In The Style owner Adam Frisby, helped support her and even held her hand

Stylish: For the fun outing, Charlotte showed off her enviable and toned figure in a mini green bodycon dress

Earlier on Saturday, Charlotte touched down at Heathrow Airport with boyfriend Joshua following their romantic trip to Mauritius.

During their break, the latest episode of her reality programme The Charlotte Show aired on MTV, with typically shocking scenes in place.

Charlotte, who described her beau as a 'big d**ked beast', was seen getting angry over his on-screen antics, shortly before running around on camera while sporting no underwear and baring her entire derriere.

Gorgeous: While she added a slick of make-up, which included false eyelashes, bronzer and a nude lipstick to her look

Charlotte has been dating Josh since late last year, following the demise of her romance with Stephen Bear, and the couple are as enamoured as ever.

Having previously made candid confessions about their love life, the brunette beauty left viewers red-faced when she described the Love Island as a 'big d**ked beast'.

Atop soaring to fame in 2015 on Love Island, Josh went on to star on Ex On The Beach the following year - where he naturally got up close with co-stars.

Painstakingly taunting herself, Charlotte made the upsetting decision to look up her beau online, after her best friend Mel Wharton said: 'Charlotte have you ever Googled Josh? I didnt like him on Love Island you know.'

Hold me close: During their break, the latest episode of her reality programme The Charlotte Show aired on MTV, with typically shocking scenes in placeShe's known for her sartorial elegance both on and off the red carpet.

And Suki Waterhouse made it clear why she's a fashion favourite as she stepped out for the screening of her latest film Jonathan during the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival in New York on Saturday.

All eyes were on the 26-year-old model-and-actress, who dazzled in a semi-sheer embroidered gown which gave an eyeful of her black lingerie underneath.

Barely there: Suki Waterhouse dazzled in a semi-sheer embroidered gown as she graced the red carpet at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York on Saturday

Suki's slender figure was on full display in the daring belted design, while the barely-there skirt allowed her impeccable pins to grab some attention.

Clearly dressing to impress, the cover star let her quirky ensemble do all the work as she paired the look with classic black kitten heels.

Suki left the glitzy accessories at home, instead opting for dainty silver rings to glam up her red carpet display.

Stunner: Suki's slender figure was on full display in the daring belted design, while the barely-there skirt allowed her impeccable pins to grab some attention

The fashionista let her glossy blonde tresses fall in a soft wave as nude make-up accentuated her natural beauty.

Suki was joined on the red carpet with Jonathan co-star Ansel Elgort, who stood out in an sharply tailored deep maroon suit.

The Fault In Our Stars actor looked ever the leading man with a crisp white shirt and black skinny tie polishing off his dapper ensemble.

Unique ensemble: Suki left the glitzy accessories at home, instead opting for dainty silver rings to glam up her red carpet display

Ansel paired down his entire look down with fresh-out-the-box white sneakers as he cosied up to his co-star on the red carpet.

Jonathan marks the 10th big screen outing for Suki, who plays Elena in the sci-fi thriller.

British-born Suki started modeling at the tender age of 16 after being discovered in a pub, and has graced several international glossy magazine covers, including Vogue, Tatler and Elle.

Suki has turned her talents to acting of late, having been cast in the serial killer drama Charlie Says.

Sharp pairing: Suki was joined on the red carpet with Jonathan co-star Ansel Elgort, who stood out in an sharply tailored deep maroon suit

Clearly dedicated to the craft, Suki revealed to Vogue that she has been growing out her leg and chin hair for her role as cult Mary Brunner.

'I'm growing all my leg hair out.' she told the fashion mag. 'I really don't mind it, I've done it lazily before. This is an opportunity to grow my chin hair out.'

Suki will star alongside Matt Smith - who will play psychopathic serial killer Charles Manson - in a new film focusing on the female Manson family members.

Aside from her acting aspirations, Suki has already cemented her name in the fashion industry not just as a model, but also a designer.

Suki set up accessories brand Pop & Suki with gal pal Poppy Jamie and boasts a celebrity following, including Jessica Alba, Cara Delevingne and Taylor Hill.She recently won a Golden Globe for her performance in the indie film Lady Bird.

And now Saoirse Ronan is hitting the film circuit for her new movie The Seagull.

The 24-year-old actress looked angelic on the Tribeca Film Festival red carpet as she donned a cream-colored suit.

Leading lady: Saoirse Ronan is hitting the film circuit for her new movie The Seagull

Ronan's blonde hair, styled by Rebekah Forecast, was parted to the side and embodied soft waves.

Her lips were brushed with a pink gloss and her pale skin glowed thanks to makeup artist Talia Sparrow.

The NYC native was joined on the carpet by two of her female co-stars Annette Bening and Mare Winningham. Missing was Elisabeth Moss of A Handmaid's Tale.

Classic look: The 24-year-old actress looked angelic on the Tribeca Film Festival red carpet as she donned a cream-colored suit

Flawless: Ronan's blonde hair, styled by Rebekah Forecast, was parted to the side and embodied soft waves

The Seagull, in theaters May 11, is a story of summer love.

Saoirse plays Nina, an innocent young woman who falls for a famous and much older writer named Boris Trigorin, played by Corey Stoll.

Meanwhile, a young Konstantin, played by Billy Howle, pursues Nina as well.

Co-star chemistry: The NYC native embraced her female co-star Annette Bening following the screening of their new film

Hollywood legend: Annette Bening looked elegant in a navy velvet frock

The indie film is based on Anton Chekhov's 1896 play The Seagull.

Over the years, actors including Kristin Scott Thomas and Peter Sarsgaard have taken the stage to perform various adaptations of the Russian love story.

In an interview with Tribeca, Ronan revealed that the cast did a full reading of the play more than a year before camera even started rolling.

'It was an experience that helped each of us consider and develop the characters over time,' she said.

Co-star: Mare Winningham attended the screening in a floral dress and a black sweater

Cast photo: The Seagull hits select theaters on May 11

Star-spotting: Ewan McGregor was snapped Saturday at the premiere for his new film Zoe at the BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center with his 22-year-old daughter Clara

Rising star: The veteran actor's daughter is a model for the Wilhelmina agency

Dynamic duo: Lily James and Tessa Thompson (R) were front-and-center at the debut of their new crime drama Little Woods

Talented trio: The actresses flanked Little Woods director Nina DaCosta (center) at the debut

Complementary: Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro - who have appeared alongside one another in films such as Limitless and Silver Linings Playbook - appeared together on a panel as part of the festival

Tribeca royalty: Cooper and De Niro posed with producer Jane Rosenthal (center), who founded the festival with the two-time Oscar winner

Happy night: Alec Baldwin and Annette Bening were at the premiere for The SeagullAdvertisement

She's been a long-time presenter on The Block.

And Shelly Craft has listed her Byron Bay block with plans, 12 months after she purchased it.

The blonde TV personality paid $1.35 million for the block, which sits near Belongil beach.

Million dollar views! The Block presenter Shelley Craft has listed her Byron Bay block, which they snagged for 1.35 million last year

The block sits on the Belongil peninsula, which is known for its scenic beauty.

First reported in The Sunday Telegraph, the longtime TV presenter's real estate agent husband Christian Sergiacomi, said it was a good time to explore the market.

'We have our DA (development application) and are looking to explore the market with the block,' he was reportedly said.

'We have our DA (development application) and are looking to explore the market with the block,' Shelley's husband Christian told The Daily Telegraph

'There is some good energy currently in Belongil and we believe our block is one of the best positioned there': Shelley's husband, Christian, said of the block

He added: 'There is some good energy currently in Belongil and we believe our block is one of the best positioned there.'

The 650sqm block holds a special place in the couple's hearts with it reportedly being only a short distance from where the pair tied the knot in 2009.

The bubbly blonde first met her husband Sergiacomi when they worked on TV series The Great Outdoors together in 2007, with Christian working as a cameraman at the time.

Off the plans! The pair got a DA approved for an elaborate build, with an construction cost of $800,000

The pair, who live with the couple's two daughters, initially brought the block in order to create a holiday rental but have since changed their plans.

For the project, the couple had engaged architect Paul Uhlmann, who they have worked with before, in order to create plans for a home, which had a construction cost of $800,000.

The plans now come with the sale.

Shelly and her husband appear to have done well between them, with the pair owning a second luxe property in Byron Bay, valued at $3 million.

Big buy! The high-profile pair own a second $3 million home in Byron Bay

Her own block! The long-time TV presenter is also a bit of a property mogul with her husband, ChristianHe was portrayed as Married At First Sight's 'mama's boy.'

But on Saturday, it was all about Patrick Miller's little sister, Astrid, as she wed her partner, Michelle, in an intimate ceremony.

The TV groom took to Instagram to share an emotional video of the newlyweds exchanging vows.

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'This is how the YES vote influenced my life': Married At First Sight's Patrick Miller celebrates his little sister's same-sex wedding

'This is how the YES vote influenced my life,' he captioned. 'I'm proud of you lil sis..or should I say sister's.'

In the footage, which was shared to his Instagram Story, Patrick's sister becomes tearful as she and her girlfriend exchange vows, on a balcony overlooking bushland.

At one point, the reality star panned the camera to himself, with his face showing a distinct look of pride and happiness for the two women.

For the nuptials, the bride wore a tasteful teal silk dress with a plunging neckline while her new spouse wore a white frock.

Patrick, who has remained largely silent on the issue of marriage equality in the past, is known to be close to his family.

The 35-year-old, who has regularly posted about his love for clingy mother Ruby, often gushes about his close-knit kin.

So proud! The Melbourne based TV groom gushed over his little sister's big day

Sharing a throwback snap under his mother's Instagram handle, Patrick gushed over his outspoken parent, who it was revealed still did his grocery shopping on the show.

'My Mum, the strongest woman I've known,' he captioned the cutesy vintage snap.

'She taught us to be kind, tolerant and respectful. Mums are the best!' adding the Instagram handle, @pattymiller_mafs.

Family occasion: Patrick, has largely been silent on the issue of marriage equality, but is known to be close to his family

Not so blissful! The Melbourne-based TV groom shot to fame after being paired with Charlene Perera (pictured) on the show

More recently, Patrick was romantically linked to fellow Married At First Sight alum, Nadia Stamp, at a Melbourne restaurant.

The reality star beamed as Nadia gave him a flirty kiss on the cheek, before stealing a cheeky grab of his bum when they had turned away from the cameras.

The pair seemed to be in great spirits as they chatted and laughed away together, with Nadia beaming as she wrapped an arm around Patrick's waist.

The glamour model, who appeared on last year's Married At First Sight, ensured she turned heads in a skintight blue dress with racy lace-up detail.It's been a trying year, as Billy Kimmel has had to endure multiple procedures to correct a heart problem.

So it's no surprise that his father Jimmy was overjoyed to celebrate his son's first birthday on Saturday.

The 50-year-old talk show host took to Instagram to mark the occasion.

Proud dad! Jimmy Kimmel was overjoyed to celebrate his son Billy's first birthday on Saturday

In the snap he shared, William 'Billy' Kimmel sits in a high chair surrounded by balloons.

He's dressed in an adorable checked shirt, which is paired with a red bow tie.

Of course he wears a classic conical party hat, while he seems to be enjoying a tasty treat.

'A yr ago today, God gave us this tough little boy,' gushed the host in his caption.

To the internet! The 50-year-old talk show host took to Instagram to mark the occasion

Dynamic duo! Of course Billy's saga has been a very public one thanks to his father, who has been giving updates on his progress since he was born

'Today, we thank the nurses & doctors at @CedarsSinai & @ChildrensLA who saved his life & those who shared thoughts & prayers. We cannot stay quiet. Please wish Billy happy birthday by REGISTERING TO VOTE! vote.gov'

Of course Billy's saga has been a very public one thanks to his father, who has been giving updates on his progress since he was born.

Back in May, an emotional Kimmel tearfully revealed his baby son had to have lifesaving open-heart surgery three days after he was born.

The late night TV host opened his show with the news that his wife Molly McNearney, 39, had given birth to their second child, William 'Billy' Kimmel, on April 21 in Los Angeles.

Scary: Back in May, an emotional Kimmel tearfully revealed his baby son had to have lifesaving open-heart surgery soon after he was born 10 days ago

But Kimmel then quickly broke down as he detailed the terrifying health troubles Billy had endured and that he had successfully undergone risky heart surgery after he was born.

'It is a scary story... but it has a happy ending,' he said as he began a teary 15-minute opening monologue.

'My wife was in bed relaxing, a very attentive nurse at Cedars-Sinai heard a murmur in his heart and noticed he was a bit purple, which is not common.

Worrying: Kimmel shared this photo of his son William 'Billy' Kimmel shortly after he was born and rushed into emergency surgery for a hole in his heart

'(The doctors) determined he wasn't getting enough oxygen in his blood, either in his heart or lungs. They did an x-ray and his lungs were fine, which meant his heart wasn't. It's a terrifying thing.'

'They found that Billy was born with a heart disease.'

Kimmel said the congenital heart disease meant his son had a 'hole in the wall of the left and right side of his heart'.

Bright future: Kimmel said the surgery was a success but Billy will have to have another surgery in 3-6 months and a third non-evasive surgery when he's older

Billy was rushed to Children's Hospital Los Angeles for emergency heart surgery.

Kimmel said the surgery was a success but Billy will have to have another surgery in three to six months and a third non-evasive surgery when he's older.

Billy is Kimmel's fourth child. He has two older children from his first marriage to Gina Maddy, 25-year-old Katherine and 23-year-old Kevin. He also has a two-year-old daughter, Jane, with his current wife.

All together! Kimmel said Billy had successfully undergone the risky heart surgery and was able to go home with Molly and their two-year-old daughter JaneShe's a celebrated author, television host and lifestyle business owner.

But despite her successful career, The Daily Edition host Sally Obermeder has admitted to falling victim to tall poppy syndrome over the years.

The 44-year-old described downplaying her achievements at an InStyle Women of Style Awards breakfast, held on Thursday at Chiswick restaurant in Sydney.

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Self-love: Despite her successful career, The Daily Edition host Sally Obermeder has admitted to falling victim to tall poppy syndrome over the years

'I think it's a thing that women do. Maybe it's also an Australian thing, because you don't want anyone to think you are up yourself,' she described.

The mother of two credited a rousing speech from champion surfer Layne Beachley at last year's awards show for being a 'real turning point' in her own confidence.

'I thought, no more will I say my achievements are nothing. I wasn't just doing myself a disservice, I was also doing other women a disservice,' she offered.

'I think it's a thing that women do. Maybe it's also an Australian thing, because you don't want anyone to think you are up yourself,' she described

She shared how her accomplishments resulted from 'long hours and many sacrifices' and made it clear none of her career efforts 'magically happened' overnight.

'Yes, there are moments of good fortune, but they are not luck; you never wake up and someone just hands you all of these things,' she stated.

Under their brand 'Swiish', Sally and her sister Maha Koraiem run a popular lifestyle business that sells everything from apparel to accessories to 'super-food' powders.

'I thought, no more will I say my achievements are nothing. I wasn't just doing myself a disservice, I was also doing other women a disservice,' she offered

Sally and Maha also released Australia's number one best-selling smoothie book, Super Green Smoothies, in April 2015 after Sally survived a battle with breast cancer.

Sallys latest book, Super Green Simple & Lean, was released in September last year and was in the Top 10 Nonfiction Bestseller List by October.

The Sydney-born media personality was also the recipient of the prestigious Readers Choice Award at the InStyle and Audi Women of Style Awards, 2017.

'Yes, there are moments of good fortune, but they are not luck; you never wake up and someone just hands you all of these things,' she stated



Nikki Bella made her first public appearance since her split from John Cena, 40, on Saturday.

The 34-year-old professional wrestler appeared at the Nirvana Food and Wine Festival in Arizona, where she and twin sister Brie Bella hosted a rose tasting party in partnership with their wine line, Belle Radici.

She was not wearing her 4.5-carat diamond engagement ring.

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Family time: Nikki Bella (right) made her first public appearance since her split from John Cena, 40, on Saturday; pictured with her twin sister Brie Bella (left)

Nikki was spotted on the company's Instagram story wearing a white and and blue polka dot dress.

Her long dark hair fell straight down both sides of her neck as she toasted and sipped throughout the day.

Close up: She was not wearing her 4.5-carat diamond engagement ring

The event took place nearly a week after she and Cena announced their split.

Just over a year after Cena proposed to Nikki at 2017's Wrestlemania, the couple of six years announced their split in a joint statement on April 15.

'While this decision was a difficult one, we continue to have a great deal of love and respect for one another. We ask that you respect our privacy during this time in our lives,' read the statement.

Their destination wedding was scheduled for May 5.

On the grind: The 34-year-old professional wrestler appeared at the Nirvana Food and Wine Festival in Arizona, where she and twin sister Brie Bella hosted a rose tasting party in partnership with their wine line, Belle Radici

Good times: The event took place nearly a week after she and Cena announced their split; her sister Brie pictured

Wine o'clock: Nikki was spotted on the company's Instagram story wearing a white and and blue polka dot dress

Brie broke her silence on Wednesday regarding the split between Cena and her twin sister.

The Diva posted an excerpt from a news story claiming she was furious with her almost-brother-in-law, circling in red line which claimed she wanted 'to kill him.'

'Id never say this and Ill always love @johncena like a brother,' she wrote on Instagram. 'False!!'

'Hell always be family. My heart is hurting for he and my sister #Truth' she added.

Arizona sun: Her long dark hair fell straight down both sides of her neck as she toasted and sipped throughout the day

Speaking out: Brie broke her silence on Wednesday regarding the split between Cena and he twin sisterShe is a judge on Lifetime's new TV series Glam Masters.

Laverne Cox, who also plays a leading role on Orange Is The New Black, rocked a little black dress for her appearance at Beautycon in NYC on Saturday.

The 45-year-old actress joined her co-judges for a special Glam Masters panel at the festival.

Va-va-voom! Laverne Cox, who is a judge on Lifetime's new TV series Glam Masters, rocked a little black dress for her appearance at Beautycon in NYC on Saturday

Fashion icon: The 45-year-old actress joined her co-judges for a special Glam Masters panel at the festival

The Mobile, Alabama native wowed in an Opening Ceremony dress and feathery Urban Zen coat.

Fans couldn't miss her hot-pink nails nor her lace-up Kenneth Cole heels.

Laverne posed on the pink carpet with her Glam Masters teamKandee Johnson, Zanna Roberts, and Mario Dedivanovic.

Showstopper: Fans couldn't miss her hot-pink nails nor her lace-up Kenneth Cole heels

The 45-year-old actress joined her co-judgesKandee Johnson, Zanna Roberts, and Mario Dedivanovic for a special Glam Masters panel at the festival

During the panel, Cox revealed her self esteem trick for the days when she doesn't feel very pretty.

'I turn off social media,' she said. 'And I tell myself: You are beautiful. You are smart. You are amazing.'

Laverne added: 'We have to make sure we have a sense of reality and know how to love ourselves after all the glam comes off.'

Confidence is key: During the panel, Cox revealed her self esteem trick for the days when she doesn't feel very pretty. 'I turn off social media,' she said. 'And I tell myself: You are beautiful. You are smart. You are amazing'

Eye-catching: Dascha Polanco looked red hot as she arrived at Beautycon NYC in a sheer dress and a fur crop top

The glam competition judge was alongside several beauty A-listers at the NYC extravaganza including Paris Hilton, Iskra Lawrence, Jonathan Cheban, and Dascha Polanco.

The two-day sold out bazaar was held at the Javits Center in Manhattan.

And thousands showed up to test new products, meet their influencer idols, and of course, shop.

Hilton heiress: Paris Hilton was one of the many sponsors of the NYC event

Seeing stripes! Iskra Lawrence rocked a matching crop top and high-waisted trousers on the pink carpetIslamic State claimed group responsibility for a blast that hit a voter registration center in the Afghan capital Kabul on Sunday, the militant group's AMAQ news agency said.

The blast, carried out by a suicide bomber wearing an explosive vest, killed at least 31 people and wounded 54 others, a health ministry spokesman said.

AMAQ did not provide further details or evidence to back up its report.

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Lily James and Tessa Thompson dazzled at a screening for their new crime drama Little Woods at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City on Saturday.

James wore a black pantsuit with wide bottoms on the red carpet of the motion picture debut. The 29-year-old English actress, who wore her flowing blonde locks back, posed alongside her co-stars Thompson, James Badge Dale and Charlie Ray Reid, as well as director Nina DaCosta.

Thompson, 34, wore a Christian Dior ensemble of a black sport coat with white stitching in plaid patterns, a fine white button-up top, and a floor-length flowing dress composed of vertical strips in many patterns and colors, with black boots with chunky red heels.

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Double trouble: Lily James, 29, and Tessa Thompson, 34, dazzled at a screening for their new crime drama Little Woods at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City on Saturday

The breakout star, best known for her roles as Valkyrie in Thor: Ragnarok, and Charlotte Hale on the returning Westworld, wore her black locks in a curly bob, with dangling earrings.

James, who played Lady Rose MacClare on Downton Abbey, stars as Deb in the film, which is based in a North Dakota boomtown impacted by the oil industry.

In the story, Ollie (Thompson) has an illegal racket going in which she helps locals obtain medication and health services from nearby Canada, but eventually is nabbed by authorities. Deb lures her back into the trade amid dire financial circumstances stemming from the death of their mother.

The movie marks DaCosta's first time behind the camera for a full-length feature and she wrote it as well. (She worked on past short films including Night and Day and Odessa. )

Friends: The ladies gasped as they found each other on the red carpet

Talented trio: The actresses posed with director Nina DaCosta (center) as the filmmaker directs her first feature with the crime drama

Happy: The Downton Abbey alum posed with young co-star Charlie Ray Reid on the red carpet

Dynamic duo: Lily and Tessa, who plays sisters in the film, are both surging in their respective careers

Earlier this month, Deadline reported that the U.K. film company Independent obtained rights to sell the film abroad as it picks up buzz heading into next month's Cannes Film Festival.

Sarah Lebutsch, the company's head of sales, told the outlet, 'We couldnt be more thrilled to represent Nias debut feature.

'She is a hugely talented director who establishes an obvious immediate rapport to the actors she works with. We look forward to introducing Little Woods to buyers in Cannes.'

Gorgeous: Lily rocked a striped blue blazer for a photocall at the festival SaturdayShe is the author of a New York best-seller: We're Going to Need More Wine: Stories That Are Funny, Complicated, and True.

And on Saturday, Gabrielle Union promoted her work at the 23rd Annual LA Times Festival of Books at University of Southern California.

While there, the 45-year-old signed copies of her literature for her patiently waiting fans.

Proud author: On Saturday, Gabrielle Union, 45, promoted her work at the 23rd Annual LA Times Festival of Books at University of Southern California

Gabrielle wore a printed, colorful dress complete with bell sleeves. The gorgeous actress paired frock with a set of navy heels.

The wife of Dwayne Wade highlighted her eyes with earth-toned shadows.

The Being Mary Jane star wore her hair down and braided.

Feminine in florals: Gabrielle wore a printed, colorful dress complete with bell sleeves. The gorgeous actress paired her frock with a set of navy heels.

Looking great: The wife of Dwayne Wade highlighted her eyes with earth-toned shadows.The Being Mary Jane star wore her hair down and braided

Also at the event was Vivica A. Fox, 53. The actress was there to sign autographs of her book, Every Day I'm Hustling.

Danica McKellar, 43, came out with husband Scott Sveslosky. The Hallmark beauty looked elegant in a butterfly-inspired dress.'

Danica was there to promote her book, Ten Magic Butterflies.

Playful: Also at the event was Vivica A. Fox, 53. The Independence Day star suited up in a white jumpsuit complete with cartoon designs

John Hancock: The actress was there to sign autographs of her book, Every Day I'm Hustling

Supporting his lady: Danica McKellar, 43, came out with husband Scott Sveslosky

Showing off their books! The Hallmark beauty looked elegant in a butterfly-inspired dress. Meanwhile, Natalie Morales, 45, looked gorgeous in a yellow dress with nude strap heels

Meanwhile, Natalie Morales, 45, looked gorgeous in a yellow dress with nude strap heels.

The star attended the event in order to promote her recipe book; At Home With Natalie : Simple Recipes for Healthy Living from My Familys Kitchen to Yours.

Laila Ali, 40, also promoted her recipe book, Food for Life: Delicious & Healthy Comfort Food from My Table to Yours! The mother-of-two wowed in a floral print, red dress.

Cooking something up: Laila Ali, 40, also promoted her recipe book, Food for Life:Delicious & Healthy Comfort Food from My Table to Yours!She's known for her recent role in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

And on Saturday Katherine Waterston looked like quite a star as she attended a screening for her latest project State Like Sleep.

The film was screened as part of the tony Tribeca Film Festival which is currently underway in New York City.

A-lister! On Saturday Katherine Waterston looked like quite a star as she attended a screening for her latest project State Like Sleep

The 38-year-old London-born actress dazzled on the red carpet in her black frock, which fell all the way to the floor.

A massively plunging neck exposed her decolletage, while the garment's lack of sleeves showcased her toned arms.

The satiny dress even featured a split up the middle, which offered a glimpse of her long legs.

Elegant! The 38-year-old London-born actress dazzled on the red carpet in her black frock, which fell all the way to the floor

Youthful! Her brunette locks fell straight down to her shoulders, and the beauty looked as though she kept her make-up natural-looking

Unique modern-looking stilettos added a few more inches to her already impressive 6ft tall frame.

Her brunette locks fell straight down to her shoulders, and the beauty looked as though she kept her make-up natural-looking.

Though she started out on the red carpet looking quite serious, she eventually seemed to start enjoying herself, as she smiled widely for a later shot.

Having fun! Though she started out on the red carpet looking quite serious, she eventually seemed to start enjoying herself, as she smiled widely for a later shot

Star studded! Katherine also looked quite pleased to take a photo with her cast mates, which included Boardwalk Empire star Michael Shannon, and Michiel Huisman

Katherine also looked quite pleased to take a photo with her cast mates, which included Boardwalk Empire star Michael Shannon, and Michiel Huisman.

The film follows a widow, played by Katherine, who must uncover her husband's secret double life after his unexpected death.

While starring in said drama is no doubt an honor, Katherine has a highly anticipated project in the pipeline consisting of big-budget sequel Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, which is due out in November.They endured an emotional time together during Married At First Sight's last season.

And gal pals Charlene Perera, Tracey Jewel and Sarah Roza caught up for a ladies day out in Melbourne on Sunday.

The smiling trio met for a breakfast date, with Charlene and Sarah possibly welcoming Tracey to their hometown after she recently made the move from Perth.

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Gal pals! Married At First Sight stars Charlene Perera, Tracey Jewel and Sarah Roza caught up for a ladies day out in Melbourne on Sunday

The reality stars were dressed appropriately for the chilly weather, with Charlene, 33, and Sarah, 38, opting for leather jackets and Tracey, 34, donning a wool coat.

Charlene paired hers with a full-length skirt and ankle boots, while Sarah wore a tight dress and stilettos and Tracey's ensemble featured a simple t-shirt, jeans and flats.

Charlene bid farewell to Tracey with a friendly peck on the cheek, a departure from their time on MAFS when she berated her for staying with 'ex-husband' Dean Wells.

Rugged up: The reality stars were dressed appropriately for the chilly weather, with Charlene, 33, and Sarah, 38, opting for leather jackets and Tracey, 34, donning a wool coat

The ladies have all broken up with their arranged 'husbands' from the romance experiment, with Tracey now in a relationship with co-star Sean Thomsen.

Tracey revealed to New Idea last month she and Sean were moving to Melbourne to further their respective careers.

'When we move there, I want to focus on my writing and Seans almost qualified as a personal trainer,' she told the publication.

Friendly terms: Charlene bid farewell to Tracey with a peck on the cheek, a departure from their time on MAFS when she berated her for staying with 'ex-husband' Dean Wells

As for her eight-year-old daughter who lives in Perth, Tracey revealed: 'I'll travel to Perth regularly to see my daughter and shell come here on school holidays.'

Meanwhile Charlene, who split from Patrick Miller, told 9Honey her biggest lesson from the show was learning 'how important it is to think before you speak'.

Sarah has seen her 'husband' Telv Williams move on with new girlfriend Maddie Carolan, with the pair frequently snapped during recent nights out in Melbourne.They started talking through social media and after some time started dating.

And in a new development to their whirlwind romance, model Liv Pollock moved from Australia last week to be with her US-based boyfriend, Dacre Montgomery, 23.

Liv, 19, spoke with The Sunday Telegraph about her relationship with the Stranger Things actor and how their bond isn't affected by his growing fame.

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Lovebirds: In a new development to their whirlwind romance, model Liv Pollock moved from Australia last week to be with her US-based beau, Stranger Things star Dacre Montgomery

'It doesnt change anything, our relationship has been built on our similar values and an adventurous nature,' she described.

'Just because his career places him within the public eye, doesnt and would never be a factor that we would let influence our relationship, nor should it,' she continued.

The genetically-blessed pair, who both hail from Perth, stepped out on Saturday to the 9th Annual Thirst Gala at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.

Dazzling: Live, 19 and her boyfriend, 23, stepped out on Saturday to the 9th Annual Thirst Gala at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles

Liv looked decadent in a red floor-length gown that accentuated her ample decolletage and enviable curves.

The dress featured a daring middle split that showcased her shapely legs and strappy beige stilettos, which she matched with her leather clutch.

The green-eyed knockout wore her blonde tresses with a stylish middle part and in cascading waves, showcasing her natural beauty with a minimal makeup palette.

Stunning: The green-eyed knockout wore her blonde tresses with a stylish middle part and in cascading waves, showcasing her natural beauty with a minimal makeup palette

Represented by Vivien's Agency, Liv told the Telegraph she's taken a gap year from architecture studies at the University of Western Australia to focus on modeling.

'Modelling has allowed me to meet fantastic people and taken me travelling. I will continue to pursue this career path coupled with finishing my architecture degree.'

She also explained how her and her beau were 'drawn to each other'' through their mutual love of design, with Dacre once studying interior design.She tied the knot with her long-time partner Neil Varcoe at their Warramba property on Saturday.

And Sunrise reporter Edwina Bartholomew looked utterly smitten as she celebrated her nuptials with Neil in candid behind-the-scenes snaps from the wedding.

The 34-year-old beamed as she shared a tender kiss with her husband at sunset, before holding his hand as they looked out across the idyllic rural landscape.

Pucker up! Smitten Edwina Bartholomew shared a sweet kiss with her new husband Neil Varcoe as they celebrated their nuptials in candid snaps from their idyllic wedding

The couple were a picture of happiness as they posed arm-in-arm against the panoramic backdrop.

Edwina shared a gushing post on Instagram, thanking her friends and organisers for making the special day go to plan.

'Its so hard to find the words to describe the most beautiful day of our lives,' she penned on Sunday.

'This morning I woke up early and went back to our amazing marquee to soak in the sun. We are so incredibly indebted to every single person on this list who made our wedding day so spectacular.'

A helping hand: The 34-year-old held her husband's hand as they looked out across the idyllic rural landscape

Love is in the air: The couple looked utterly smitten as they posed for photographs against the panoramic backdrop

She continued: 'From hail storms, bogan moth plagues, generators running out of diesel, kids left colouring-in in the dark, g-strings on the dance floor and camp fire sing-a-longs. It was epic.'

'Thank you for all of your beautiful messages and kind thoughts. We are overwhelmed and so grateful.'

The 34-year-old said in an official statement: 'Everyone has been so kind since we announced our engagement last April. We have felt very loved.'

Stunning: The beaming bride stunned in an ornate white gown on the big day, which was restored by Cappellazzo couture and featured lace detail

First dance: The couple kissed as they danced in front of their cheering guests, who lit up the marquee with sparklers

The high-profile pair tied the knot around midday at their rural property in the Capertee Valley, which sits between Lithgow and Mudgee, located north-west of Sydney.

The bubbly reporter wore a dress which has been passed down through three generations of her family including her much-loved grandmother in 1944.

The ornate dress, which featured a floral lace pattern, was finished with a veil that was given to the bride's great grandmother by her sister for her wedding in 1915.

It was was re-created by designer Sonia Cappellazzo and took twelve months and a number of fittings in order to finish.

'Just so many amazing memories to share!' Edwina shared this joyful snap of her with her 'best friends' from the big day

Idyllic: The high-profile pair tied the knot around midday at their rural property in the Capertee Valley, which sits between Lithgow and Mudgee, located north-west of Sydney

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Sonia said the pair worked together to ensure the the 1920s vintage cotton and lace dress was given a modern twist for the bride.

Despite the risks of using the delicate garment, Sonia said they had to use it: 'We have to use it and make it work.'

Due to the delicacy of the lace, Sonia said she made an extended train to ensure the fragile lace wouldn't get snagged on anything as Edwina walked down the aisle.

Sentimental: The bubbly reporter wore a dress which has been passed down through three generations of her family including her much-loved grandmother in 1944

The couple said 'I do' in front of 160 guests - which included mostly family and friends - and a number of cast and crew from the Sunrise team.

TV personalities Larry Emdur, Samantha Armytage, Natalie Barr, Talitha Cummins, Laura Tunstall and Mark Beretta were also at the ceremony.

Guests were treated to food and wine all sourced locally in Mudgee and the NSW Central Coast - with guests going home with honey from the couple's farm.

First meeting at radio station 2GB, the couple have been together for seven years, with Neil getting down on bended knee last April.

Husband Neil, who also works in media, hails from Lithgow which is why the pair wanted to get married in the region.

Dinner time! Guests were treated to food and wine all sourced locally in Mudgee and the NSW Central Coast - with guests going home with honey from the couple's farmShe's the former Home And Away star who has also lent her face to a number of causes.

And Isabel Lucas exuded class on Friday when she attended the Humane Society of the United States' To The Rescue gala in Los Angeles.

The 33-year-old wore a cream-coloured dress with a button-up front that clung to her svelte frame.

Good cause: Isabel Lucas exuded class on Friday when she attended the Humane Society of the United States' To The Rescue gala in Los Angeles.

The dress, featuring a V-neck and three-quarter length sleeves, finished at Isabel's knees, offering a hint of her lithe legs.

She accessorised with a pair of gold pendant earrings, matching box purse and a pair of strappy heels.

Her golden locks were kept loose for the event cascaded freely down her back.

Chic: The 33-year-old wore a cream-coloured dress with a button-up front that clung to her svelte frame.

She also wore a light rose shade for her lip, flawless foundation and a subtle application of mascara.

Standing at the podium at the event, Isabel looked truly in her element as she addressed the crowd.

The Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen star supports a number of causes including Sea Shepherd, Oxfam, Save The Whales and Women Against Violence.

Orator: Standing at the podium at the event, Isabel looked truly in her element as she addressed the crowd

Crusader: The Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen star supports a number of causes including Sea Shepherd, Oxfam, Save The Whales and Women Against Violence.

In 2007 she was questioned by Japanese police after taking part in a protest against dolphin fishing.

Last year Isabel appeared in a video protesting dolphin captivity for non profit Australia for Dolphins.

After years of working and living in Hollywood Isabel has pledged to spend more time in Australia.

In 2016 she paid $857,500 for a treehouse-style home near the beach in Byron Bay.

'I have moved back home to Australia because I feel I am happy here, I want to be around my family more, my sister lives in Byron,' she told News Corp last May.Bethenny Frankel has branded Donald Trump 'bad luck' and claimed the current state of the US gives her 'a lot of anxiety'.

The Real Housewives Of New York star claimed there's a link between Trump becoming President on January 20 and a record number of natural disasters hitting America.

'This isn't normal. There's never been so many natural disasters. There's been so many since Trump's been in office,' the 47-year-old told the Daily Telegraph.

Opinionated: Bethenny Frankel has branded Donald Trump 'bad luck' and claimed the current state of the US gives her 'a lot of anxiety'

Her seven-year-old daughter Bryn then asked if Trump was 'bad luck' to which she replied: 'Maybe ... I'm not sure. He might be bad luck.'

The US was hit with a slew of natural disasters last year - including three strong hurricanes, wildfires, hail, flooding, tornadoes and drought and tallied a record high bill of $306billion.

America had 16 disasters last year with damage exceeding a billion dollars.

Bethenny has been critical of the Trump family in the past, as she accused Donald's wife Melania of being 'closed off' when asked if she had the potential to appear on RHONY.

Interesting theory: The Real Housewives Of New York star claimed there's a link between Trump becoming President on January 20 and a record number of natural disasters hitting America

'Melania doesn't have the right personality. She is completely closed off,' she told Fairfax media.

'She is extremely strategic so she won't be caught with her hair down. Ivanka wouldn't do it either, she would not be entertaining at all.'

Meanwhile, Bethenny, who announced her split from Dennis Shields last May after ayear of dating, admitted her dating life has hit a dry spell.

The SkinnyGirl mogul told Daily Mail Australia last week: 'I'm not in any relationship whatsoever, I cannot even remember the last time I had sex!'

Speaking out: 'This isn't normal. There's never been so many natural disasters. There's been so many since Trump's been in office,' the 47-year-old told the Daily Telegraph

When asked about rumors that she is open to dating Hollywood actor Russell Crowe, she joked: 'He would have to ask me to find out. I really dont know anything about him.'

Bethenny split from New York banker Dennis in May last year and despite rekindling their romance a few months later in August, by January this year - they had again parted ways.

'My single life is just that: utterly single... But I have a date tomorrow, so I'm working on it!' she previously told Us magazine.She recently broke her silence over her relationship with Paul Hollywood, saying their 30-year age gap doesn't worry her.

And Summer Monteys-Fullham, 22, reportedly dated 47-year-old property tycoon Walter Collins for two years, prior to starting a relationship with the Great British Bake Off judge, 52.

The former bartender, is said to have started a romance with Walter in 2015 after meeting at the gastropub she works at in Kent- before finding love with Paul.

Love-life: Summer Monteys-Fullham, 22, reportedly dated 47-year-old property tycoon Walter Collins for two years, prior to starting a relationship with the Great British Bake Off judge, 52

A source told The Sun: 'There's no doubt that Summer has a type.

'She has a taste for the finer things in life and it was not unusual for her to have her eye on a more mature man.'

MailOnline has contacted Paul's representative for comment.

It comes after Summer spoke for the first time of her love for the TV chef in an exclusive interview with MailOnline.

She said: 'Last November I was emotionally drained  but now I'm loving life.'

Loved-up: The Kent beauty recently broke her silence over her relationship with Paul Hollywood, saying their 30-year age gap doesn't worry her

Summer said she came into Hollywood's life after his 19-year marriage to wife Alexandra had already ended.

Asked if the age gap bothered her, she said: 'I'm fine and I'm enjoying life. I'm not upset I'm happy. Why should it [the age gap] bother me?'

Speaking about the fact that her lover is in his fifties and old enough to be her father, she said she had no concerns.

'There are many other people in the world with age gaps, and marriages and kids and everything else and I'm fine.'

She said there had been a huge amount of interest in her since their romance had become public.

Summer insisted: 'I came [into a relationship with Hollywood] way after his marriage ended.'

The former model, was whisked off by Hollywood on a romantic 1,000-a-night holiday in Mauritius last month, having met last year at the star's local pub where he organised a party for his estranged wife Alexandra's birthday

Break-up: Hollywood and Alexandra, who married in 1998 and have a 16-year-old son, are said to have parted ways in early 2017

Paul and Alexandra, who married in 1998 and have a 16-year-old son, have announced their split and are said to have parted ways in early 2017.

They previously separated in 2013 when the TV chef admitted his affair with Marcela Valladolid, his co-star on the US version of Bake Off.

The American spin-off was cancelled after just one series for having poor ratings.

The couple reconciled a few months later and he described the incident as 'the biggest mistake of my life' in an interview with BBC radio.

Speaking at the time, he told the BBC he 'was shocked about the whole thing kicking off the way it did... but I deserved it and I've taken it. It was my punishment.'She's been soaking up the sun during her idyllic Gran Canaria break with her sister and Ex On The Beach star Chloe Goodman.

So it's no surprise Lauryn Goodman was spotted frolicking along a picturesque beach in the Spanish island on Saturday morning.

The fashion designer, 27, looked every inch the vixen with her scantily-clad appearance, as she donned a scanty purple bikini.

Sizzling hot! Lauryn Goodman was spotted frolicking along a picturesque beach in the Spanish island on Saturday morning

The blonde beauty flaunted her sizzling cleavage and peachy posterior as her skimpy two-piece was held together by thin white straps.

Injecting a hint of glamour into her look, the British beauty accessorised with a dainty silver necklace and protected her eyes with a chic pair of square-framed glasses.

The beauty influencer opted for her signature make-up look as she sported glossy nude lipstick.

Sultry: The fashion designer, 27, looked every inch the vixen with her scantily-clad appearance, as she donned a scanty purple bikini

Wow-factor! The blonde beauty flaunted her sizzling cleavage and peachy posterior as her skimpy two-piece was held together by thin white straps

Stunning: Injecting a hint of glamour into her look, the British beauty accessorised with a dainty silver necklace and protected her eyes with a chic pair of square-framed glasses

Sipping fresh coconut water, Lauryn beamed with delight as she larked around the sandy shores.

Lauryn is currently on a girls break with her reality star sister Chloe, although she did not appear to be on the beach outing.

They headed off across the globe without the charming company of their youngest Goodman sister Amelia.

In March, Lauryn jetted off to Cape Verde while her sister Chloe headed off to Cyprus so naturally the girls wanted to go away together in April.

All eyes on her: The beauty influencer opted for her signature make-up look as she sported glossy nude lipstick

Full relaxation mode: Sipping fresh coconut water, Lauryn beamed with delight as she larked around the sandy shores

Jet-setter: In March, Lauryn enjoyed a break in Cape Verde while her sister Chloe headed off to Cyprus

Their incredibly fond and close relationship as siblings comes as no surprise as the pair share the same striking genes and reality star dreams.

Despite looking the picture of confidence on the beach, Lauryn spoke honestly on social media over Easter as she confessed her fears of putting on weight.

'Right think its time to slow down on the Easter Eggs the pounds are really piling on my lower half. Ill be rolling down the street soon,' she tweeted.Egypt has welcomed the announcement by North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un on Saturday that the Asian nation plans to freeze its program of ballistic-missile and nuclear tests.



In a statement issued on Saturday, the Egyptian Ministy of Foreign Affairs described the move as a "positive development", Al-Ahram Arabic news website reported.



"This positive development will boost confidence and pave the way for a peace process on the Korean Peninsula, thus starting to defuse tensions and achieve development and stability," the statement read.



North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he would halt nuclear tests and intercontinental ballistic-missile launches, a move welcomed by US President Donald Trump ahead of a much-anticipated summit between the two men.



The Egyptian ministry affirmed Egypt's rejection of any kind of threats or force as a means of solving international disputes, emphasising the importance of seeking peaceful solutions.



The statement also called for the complete elimination of all nuclear weapons in the world, affirming Egypt's support for the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, commonly known as the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).



The NPT is an international treaty that aims to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Further, among its goals is to achieve nuclear disarmament generally around the world.



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Tying the knot in her grandmother's vintage lace gown, Edwina Bartholomew's country wedding was the epitome of class.

But it appears the blushing bride, her groom and their gaggle of guests got a little more rowdy during the reception that followed on Saturday night.

Taking to Instagram the morning after, the Sunrise star revealed the evening was complete with 'G-strings on the dance floor'.

'It was epic': The morning after her breathtaking country wedding, Edwina Bartholomew took to Instagram to thank her guests - and hinted at a rather rowdy reception

'From hail storms, bogan moth plagues, and G-strings on the dancefloor': Edwina shared this snap as the sun rose on Sunday

Sharing a photo as the sun rose the morning after her wedding, 34-year-old Edwina captioned: 'I woke up early and went back to our amazing marquee to soak in the sun.'

'We are so incredibly indebted to every single person on this list who made our wedding day so spectacular.'

She continued by alluding to the raucous reception, writing: 'From hail storms, bogong moth plagues, generators running out of diesel, kids left colouring-in in the dark, G-strings on the dance floor and camp fire sing-a-longs. It was epic.'

Raucous reception: The couple kissed as they danced in front of their cheering guests, who lit up the marquee with sparklers

Famous guests! Edwina's famous Channel 7 colleagues were quick to leave comments cooing over the special day

Edwina's famous Channel 7 colleagues were quick to leave comments cooing over the special day.

Sunrise co-star Sam Armytage gushed: 'Best. Party. Ever. Loved it guys. Thank you for letting us share your beautiful day.'

Natalie Barr added: 'Such an amazing day full of love and laughter'.

'We were raving about it all the way home': Larry Emdur attended with wife Sylvie

The Morning Show's Larry Emdur added: 'We were raving about it all the way home. Incredible day, incredible venue, just 10000% WOW!! xxxxx'

The stars were among the 160 guests who watched Edwina tie the knot with her long-time partner Neil Varcoe.

The couple chose to wed at their Warramba property, located in the Capertee Valley, between Lithgow and Mudgee, in rural New South Wales.

Edwina won praise for her stunning wedding dress which has been passed down through three generations of her family.

It was worn by her much-loved grandmother in 1944, and was updated with the help of Melbourne designer Sonia Cappellazzo.She was rejected by Michael Turnbull after trying to kiss him and has endured several other failed flings on Bachelor In Paradise.

And Leah Costa proved to be unlucky in love once again as she was brutally spurned by American intruder, Jared Haibon, on Sunday night's episode.

Leah, 25, made it clera that she didn't want a 'pity rose' after Jared awkwardly explained that he has now set his sights on newcomer Rachael Gouvignon.

'I don't want a pity rose!' Bachelor In Paradise's Leah Costa was brutally rejected AGAIN after Jared revealed his feelings for newbie Rachael on Sunday night's episode

'I wanted to talk to Leah so she could understand why I gave her a rose and tell her that I want to spend more time with Rachael,' he explained.

Calling Leah over for a chat, he said: 'I think it was pretty clear I wanted to give my rose to Rachael.

'The situation obviously changed when Rachael accepted a rose from Thomas and I was unable to give her a rose.'

He added: 'But if I'm going to hand out a friendship rose, I want to be loyal to someone.'

Awkward! The former topless waitress whined that she didn't want a 'pity rose' after Jared awkwardly explained that he has set his sights on newcomer Rachael Gouvignon (pictured)

Leah exclaimed in irritation: 'I don't want a pity rose! You've given me a pity rose, which is the last thing I wanted.'

Wincing, Jared admitted: 'I don't know if it was the right decision to make. But I was just trying to make the best decision possible in the situation that was handed to me.'

'You've kind of kept me here and then kind of dumped me all at the same time,' Leah said accusingly.

Oh dear: 'You've kind of kept me here and then kind of dumped me all at the same time,' Leah said accusingly

'We've been here for a while. I think it has gotten better but we haven't really progressed all that much. So I think the idea of us trying to stay here and progress further would be... pointless,' Jared countered hesitantly.

Leah retorted: 'Fine. I'll give you your rose back if you don't want to give it to me. I'm cool to go home.'

Speaking privately later on, Leah looked gutted as she lamented: 'Yeah. I thought I was on to something good. And now I've just been spun around, you know, and hung out to dry all over again.'

It comes after Leah was rejected by Michael Turnbull after trying to kiss him.

Clash: Wincing, Jared admitted: 'I don't know if it was the right decision to make. But I was just trying to make the best decision possible in the situation that was handed to me'

Speaking to the camera, she admitted: 'So, last night after the rose ceremony, I had a few champers and tried to kiss Michael.'

She continued: 'And it didn't work... I pashed and he dashed!'

She then referenced her failed kiss with Matty J on The Bachelor during a photoshoot- which ended in rejection.

'It's Matty J all over again,' she sighed. 'The shame just keeps following me.'

Leah has also had failed romances with both Davey Lloyd and Grant Kemp in the Fiji villa.Florence Alexandra was booted from Bachelor In Paradise three weeks ago after her suitor Jake Ellis chose to give his rose to her love rival Megan Marx.

But the jilted beauty returned to the show on Sunday night, and seemed determined to get revenge on her ex.

Her shock re-entry into the competition caused a stunned Jake to gasp: 'You're f**king kidding me!'

Look who's back! Jilted Bachelor In Paradise star Florence Alexandra returned to the show on Sunday night, three weeks after she was booted from the show by her ex Jake Ellis

In a piece to camera, Florence stated: 'The fact is Jake sent me home. I feel like I got played big time and I'm expecting answers!'

The Dutch stunner sported a wicked smile on her face, seeming to hint that she's set to cause fireworks in Jake's burgeoning romance with Megan.

Strutting back into Paradise in a red frock, many of the show's stars were overjoyed by her return to the series, running up for a hug.

'You're f**king kidding me!' Jake was left reeling by the surprise re-entry of his ex

But Jake candidly stated he was 'nervous' that Florence's bombshell re-entry would 'unhinge' his relationship with Megan.

And Megan herself was less than impressed, stating: 'This, to me, just screams of drama'.

It comes three weeks after Florence was brutally booted from the show during a savage rose ceremony, which saw Jake choose Megan.

'This, to me, just screams of drama': Fiery Flo seemed adamant to shake things up in Paradise for a second time

Not happy: Jake was nervous that Florence's return could ' unhinge' his new relationship with Megan (pictured centre)

Florence was left blindsided as she believed she and Jake had a blooming romance.

At the time, the fiery star famously confronted Jake, throwing champagne in his face.

'You're so f**king narcissistic. Go f**k yourself,' the seething stunner fumed before the sound of glass shattering could be heard.She's been staying in Italy while filming for a new commercial.

And Cindy Crawford was making the most of her trip to Rome, stepping out on Saturday night for a spot of local cuisine and some sightseeing.

The 55-year-old supermodel was spotted dining al fresco at Pierluigi's Restaurant with a few friends, looking beautiful as ever.

TourtistCindy Crawford was making the most of her trip to Rome, stepping out on Saturday night for a spot of local cuisine and some sightseeing

Cindy turned heads in a pretty ruffled frock with ruching on the skirt and voluminous bell sleeves.

The age-defying beauty put the focus on her long, tanned legs, adding some extra height to her frame with a pair of nude heels.

She carried a white leather clutch under one arm and accessorised with a pendant necklace.

Tucking in: The 55-year-old supermodel was spotted dining al fresco at Pierluigi's Restaurant with a few friends, looking beautiful as ever

Cindy highlighted her pretty features with a slick of nude lipstick and lined her eyes with black kohl.

And the 52-year-old beauty was captured doing what she does best Friday, while in Rome shooting a commercial with revered Italian director Gabriele Muccino, 50.





The Vogue cover girl proved that modeling came like second nature, as she struck a pose in a tan suit-styled top and matching slacks on the old, stone steps of The Eternal City.

It takes a village! Later the Vogue model thanked legendary MUA Sonia Kashuk and hairstylist Stephen Knoll on Instagram

Cindy didn't look a day over 40, displaying her toned arms in a sleeveless top with menswear-inspired lapels and a plunging neckline.

The DeKalb, Illinois native teamed the slim slacks with matching mules featuring a chunky block heel.

Climbing up the stairs for another shot, the beauty was seen sipping on a bottle of store-bought iced tea before passing it off to an assistant wearing black gloves.

Earlier the wife of Rande Gerber was seen stepping onto set in a flowy denim shirt tucked into tight, white pants to reveal a handsome Gucci belt.

Stylish: Earlier the wife of Rande Gerber was seen stepping onto set in a flowy denim shirt tucked into tight, white pants to reveal a handsome Gucci belt

Taking in the city! While she was busy working on ads, Crawford and team made time for a little tourism, sharing a group selfie from The Colosseum captioned: 'Fitting in a little sightseeing with the team'

She accessorized with a colorful scarf and white slides.

Though Cindy's outfit hadn't been styled yet, her beauty look was picture perfect.

She teamed well-contoured cheekbones with golden-brown hair styled into a full-bodied waves, later thanking legendary MUA Sonia Kashuk and hairstylist Stephen Knoll on Instagram.

From the star's Instagram tags, it appeared like she was shooting a commercial for Italian beverage brand San Benedetto.

A social media post from Thursday showed Cindy posing in front of some beautiful blooms while the brand's tag was tucked into the corner of the photo.

While she was busy working on ads, Crawford and team made time for a little tourist time as Cindy shared a group selfie from The Colosseum captioned: 'Fitting in a little sightseeing with the team.'

It seems that the star was without her family for this trip, leaving up-and-coming model offspring Kaia Gerber, 16, and older brother Presley, 18, at home in Malibu.Florence Alexandra made a shock re-entry into Bachelor In Paradise on Sunday night, and it didn't take long for the Dutch model to confront her ex, Jake Ellis.

The 28-year-old told her former suitor that she felt like she had been 'played big time' when he ditched for co-star Megan Marx.

'I felt like you were dancing on my f**king grave,' Florence bluntly told Jake during their awkward chat, adding that she felt 'hurt' and 'betrayed' by his actions.

Confrontation: Following Florence Alexandra's Sunday night return to Bachelor In Paradise, the jilted reality star confronted her ex Jake Ellis

Florence's return came three weeks after she was booted from the show, when Jake gave his rose to Megan and not her.

And on Sunday, the re-instated reality star told Jake that she believed he had led her on, giving her clear signals that he was going to give choose her during that fateful rose ceremony.

Jake's rejection of her left her blindsided and rejected from the show - and she was only bought back on Sunday night after being given a second chance by producers.

'I just don't understand why you would say the things you said just to send me home five minutes later': Florence felt she was 'played' by Jake

'I just don't understand why you would say the things you said just to send me home five minutes later. I don't understand that. It doesn't add up. The things that you said to me made me think that you meant it,' Florence told Jake during Sunday night's intense confrontation.

She continued: 'You did hurt me and you really upset me. I was standing there (at the rose ceremony) and I was like, "I'm so stupid. I can't believe that I bought everything you told me". I did not cry when I left the Bachelor after three months with Matty. But I was so upset when I left this place. So, you did hurt me.'

Jake explained that he was conflicted with his feelings - claiming he was torn between Florence and Megan.

'I was so upset': Florence told Jake she felt 'stupid' when she was left rejected at the brutal rose ceremony

Torn: Jake told Florence he was torn between her and Megan - and that the decision wasn't an easy one

He stated: 'Don't think it was easy, like the second you left I was dancing around. That's not how it was. Be angry at me, whatever it is, you know, I do apologise for that. I can't take that back. But hopefully I can be better. I'm happy you're back'.

Appearing somewhat moved by Jake's apology, Florence appeared ready to forgive, but not forget.

'I don't hate you - but I don't like you very much either,' she said, as she managed a smile.

In a piece to camera she then stated: 'I think after everything I've been through in Paradise with Jake and the amount of tears I've cried, that I was just happy that it was a good chat, like, a normal chat and we're both still alive and we didn't try to kill each other!'She reignited rumours she was dating Paris Jackson after they told their Instagram followers they were FaceTiming on Wednesday.

And Cara Delevingne embraced low-key chic as she strolled through JFK airport in New York City on Saturday.

The model, 25, who was pictured passionately kissing Paris, 20, back in March, was casually-clad in a striking blue jumper and baggy grey joggers following her flight.

Cara Delevingne embraced low-key chic as she strolled through JFK airport in New York City on Saturday

She layered a khaki biker jacket atop of the slogan jumper, which hid her toned frame.

Opting for comfort, Cara teamed the look with white trainers and kept her travel essentials in a black shoulder bag.

She added a touch of bling to her ensemble by sporting a pink jewel headband in her short peroxide crop and appeared to go make-up free for the flight, shielding her eyes with a pair of oversized sunglasses as she sauntered through the terminal.

Low-key figure: The model, 25, was casually-clad in a striking blue jumper and baggy grey joggers following her flight

It comes after Paris shared some snaps of her FaceTiming session with the supermodel.

The daughter of the late pop icon, Michael Jackson, was pictured passionately kissing her back in March, while out with her godfather Macaulay Culkin and his girlfriend Brenda Song.

It had previously been reported the pair had 'split' a week after that night - although they could simply just have had a passionate friendship.

What's going on? Paris Jackson FaceTimed Cara Delevingne from her holiday in Venice on Wednesday following 'split' claims... a month after they were seem passionately kissing

During their FaceTime on Wednesday, Paris was sporting a Kurt Cobain T-shirt, while Cara wore a casual blue sweatshirt.

With her platinum blonde cropped locks on show, one frame saw her cover her face with a pretty purple orchid.

A second saw Cara wearing a chunky silver ring as she licked her forefinger.

Cute: A second frame from the call saw Cara wearing posing with a pretty purple orchid

Rumours have swirled for months the nature of the pair's relationship.

Paris hasn't given too much away with her latest social media posts but it's clear that the duo are still on good terms.

Fans were left baffled when the girls posted another friendly black and white snap days after they were rumoured to have split.

Question time: Fans were left baffled when the girls posted another friendly black and white snap days after they were rumoured to have split

Cosy: Cara was not present at Paris' 20th birthday on April 3, and a week later, Paris stepped out with Hollywood promoter Andrei Gillott, 33, (pictured)

But then Cara was not present at Paris' 20th birthday on April 3, and a week later, Paris stepped out with Hollywood promoter Andrei Gillott, 33.

Paris' latest Instagram story also saw her conversing with Frances' Bean Cobain, daughter of Kurt.

In a written conversation with Paris, she said, 'I just realised our names are Paris and France[s]. Y'all come on now, that's so funny.'

Frances is listed as space_witch666 on Instagram.She recently sent her fans wild after she shared a clip of herself walking along the edge of a high-rise building.

And Paris Jackson's antics have reportedly caused concern for her family, who believe that she has 'lost it' and could be heading for a 'serious meltdown'.

According to Page Six, relatives have compared the bold video with Michael Jackson's infamous 2002 incident, which saw Paris' late father dangle his son Blanket - who son as just a few months old at the time - over a hotel balcony.

Scared? Paris Jackson's antics have reportedly caused concern for her family, who believe that she has 'lost it' and could be heading for a 'serious meltdown'

However, family members allegedly believe the Gringo actress' act was even more concerning.

A Jackson family source stated: 'This is worse than that because I still think Michael had control of Blanket and they werent nearly as high up as Paris is in this video. Shes lost it. She really has.'

In the clip, the activist, 20, briefly lost her balance as she larked around with her rumoured girlfriend Cara Delevingne, captioning the video: 'I almost died'.

The insider continued: 'Everyone saw that video, and even though we all knew that shes now OK, watching it was so traumatic that nobody wants to show it to either Katherine or Joe [Paris's paternal grandparents].'

Sad: According to Page Six, relatives have compared the bold video with Michael Jackson's infamous hotel incident, where Paris' late father dangled his son Blanket - who was just a few months old at the time - over a hotel balcony in 2002

'[An intervention] is not happening, but everyone will regret it if she dies out there.'

MailOnline has contacted Paris' representatives for comment.

The edgy star has been keeping herself busy as she recently made her movie debut in comedy film Gringo.

Paris rang in her 20th birthday with a star-studded party at LA hotspot Hyde Sunset a few weeks ago.

Strange: In the clip, the activist, 20, briefly lost her balance as she larked around with her rumoured girlfriend Cara Delevingne, captioning the video: 'I almost died'

The A-List bash included the likes of Chris Brown, Paris Hilton and Ashlee Simpson, while the celebrity offspring made sure all eyes were on her in a retro 60s inspired getup.

In March, Paris and her lady-love Cara sealed their love with a passionate kiss at the end of a double date with Paris's actor godfather Macaulay Culkin and his girlfriend.

The couple were out for a low-key night in West Hollywood, visiting the district's upmarket Argentinean steakhouse Carlito's.

At the end of their meal, the group headed outside, with statuesque star Cara leaning down to ask a giggling Paris to dance.

Sweet: In March, Paris and her lady-love Cara sealed their love with a passionate kiss at the end of a double date with Paris's actor godfather Macaulay Culkin and his girlfriend

Still flushed from their two-step, Paris eventually nestled into Cara's arms on the cold evening.

The kiss followed relationship rumours that started earlier that week when they shared their Netflix-and-chill session on social media.

The Beverly Hills-born beauty and the British star cuddled in bed while watching Todd Haynes' fifties-set lesbian flick, Carol.She runs her own multi-million dollar business and is a busy mother-of-three.

But Jessica Alba was spending some quality time with her friends on Sunday, visiting her pals in Santa Monica for a fun-filled catch up.

The Hollywood star looked lovely in a chic patterned mini dress with a low neckline and a pretty, ruffled skirt.

Stepping out in style: Jessica Alba was spending some quality time with her friends on Sunday, visiting her pals in Santa Monica for a fun-filled catch up

She worn the garment belted at the waist, giving the ensemble a boho twist.

Jessica style her ombre locks in tousled waves and kept her make-up simple and natural.

The Sin City actress was spotted biding farewell to her friends, sharing a warm hug as they parted ways.

Friendly goodbye: Jessica style her ombre locks in tousled waves and kept her make-up simple and natural

Bath time! On Thursday Jessica recently showed off three-month-old Hayes, the latest addition to her family, in an Instagram Story

Jessica recently showed off a picture of her three-month-old son Hayes, the latest addition to her family in an Instagram Story.

The adorable baby boy sat in a bowl inside the kitchen sink, gawking at the camera, his dark curls a wet mess atop the youngster's head.

The actress gave birth to her third child with husband Cash Warren in December.

Jessica already shares two daughters with her husband of nine years - Honor, nine, and Haven, six.

Baby love! The actress gave birth to her third child with husband Cash Warren in December. She's seen here in August 2017

The brunette beauty has recently been spotted filming scenes for an untitled Bad Boys spinoff with co-star Gabrielle Union.

The series will follow Union's character Syd, from the original franchise, as she leaves her job at the DEA to join the LAPD as a detective.

On Thursday, the Sin City starlet posted pics of herself behind the scenes on the show, getting her makeup done in her trailer.

She captioned the candid shots with 'Getting [hair and makeup] did'.Kourtney Kardashian flaunted her cleavage in a nude tank top for a fun family trip to Disneyland in Anaheim on Saturday with her daughter Penelope, 5; and son Mason, 8.

The half-Armenian 39-year-old was also joined by her towering toyboy Younes Bendjima coordinating with her in parachute pants, along with a T-shirt and New Balance sneakers.

The Calabasas socialite has been romancing the Algerian boxer-turned-model - turning 25 in two weeks - since October 2016 when they first met in Paris.

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Fun family trip: Kourtney Kardashian flaunted her cleavage in a nude tank top for a day at Disneyland in Anaheim on Saturday with her daughter Penelope, 5; and son Mason, 8

Kourtney and Younes both daringly raised their arms while riding Radiator Springs Racers at the neighboring Disney California Adventure theme park.

Kardashian was also joined in Orange County by her red Adidas tracksuit-clad momager Kris Jenner and her 37-year-old toyboy, Corey Gamble, who used to be Justin Bieber's tour manager.

The KUWTK clan - who enlisted three bodyguards - screamed down the 50ft drop on the log flume ride, Splash Mountain, based on Disney's controversial 1946 film Song of the South.

The 15th season of Keeping Up with the Kardashians premieres June 3 as part of the family's massive $100M deal with the E! Network through 2020 - according to Variety.

Parachute-pant pair: The half-Armenian 39-year-old was also joined by her towering toyboy Younes Bendjima

Beau: The Calabasas socialite has been romancing the Algerian boxer-turned-model - turning 25 in two weeks - since October 2016 when they first met in Paris

Weee! Kourtney and Younes both daringly raised their arms while riding Radiator Springs Racers at the neighboring Disney California Adventure theme park

Red Adidas tracksuit: Kardashian was also joined by her momager Kris Jenner and her 37-year-old toyboy, Corey Gamble (R), who used to be Justin Bieber's tour manager

The E! reality stars also took the mine train roller coaster Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Frontierland as well as the flight motion simulator, Soarin' Around the World.

Meal-wise, Kourtney and her family had lunch at the River Belle Terrace in Frontierland and dinner at one of the restaurants in Downtown Disney.

Kardashian - who boasts 101.5M social media followers - later Insta-storied night snaps from the VIP fireworks observation deck as well as the top of Tomorrowland's Astro Orbiter attraction.

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah! The KUWTK clan screamed down the 50ft drop on the log flume ride, Splash Mountain, based on Disney's controversial 1946 film Song of the South

Enjoying a break: The 15th season of Keeping Up with the Kardashians premieres June 3 as part of the family's massive $100M deal with the E! Network through 2020

Hands up! The E! reality stars also took the mine train roller coaster Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Frontierland as well as the flight motion simulator, Soarin' Around the World

Enlisted three bodyguards: Meal-wise, Kourtney and her family had lunch at the River Belle Terrace in Frontierland and dinner at one of the restaurants in Downtown Disney

Disney after dark: Kardashian later Insta-storied night snaps from the VIP fireworks observation deck as well as the top of Tomorrowland's Astro Orbiter attraction

Missing from the outing was the Calvin Klein spokesmodel's youngest child - three-year-old son Reign - who was taking a private jet Saturday with his father, Scott Disick.

The co-parents-of-three 'have never been better' since finally ending their nine-year on/off relationship in 2015.

'They're both in happy relationships. They get on so well and co-parent so successfully,' a source told People on Friday.

'Whata guy': Missing from the outing was the Calvin Klein spokesmodel's youngest child - three-year-old son Reign - who was taking a private jet Saturday with his father, Scott Disick

'They're both in happy relationships': The co-parents-of-three 'have never been better' since finally ending their nine-year on/off relationship in 2015

'[34-year-old Disick, who's romancing 19-year-old Sofia Richie,] has very much shaped up in the past few months. Kourtney is happy Scott is doing better.'

This Tuesday, Kourtney and her half-sister Kylie Jenner will release their cosmetics collaboration, KOURT X KYLIE, featuring three eyeshadow palettes and a lipkit to go with each palette.

It's not a surprise considering an eagle-eyed KUWTK viewer had noticed a Kylie Cosmetics brand lip gloss marked 'Kourtney' during the December 10 episode of KUWTK.

KOURT X KYLIE: This Tuesday, Kourtney and her half-sister Kylie Jenner will release their cosmetics collaboration featuring three eyeshadow palettes and three lipkitsThey enjoyed a casual dinner date together in Malibu.

But Caitlyn Jenner and her trans gal pal Sophia Hutchins, opted not to go to the celebrity haunts around the popular Malibu Country Mart.

Instead they drove a few miles north to Zuma Beach to Kristy's Village Cafe overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Date night: Caitlyn Jenner and her trans gal pal Sophia Hutchins opted not to go to the celebrity haunts around the popular Malibu Country Mart for their Saturday evening dinner

It's become the favorite spot of the 68-year-old former Olympian and her 21-year-old constant companion, who were spotted there last Sunday.

The former Bruce Jenner, who revealed her transition to Caitlyn in April 2015, wore a feminine blue and white stripped maxi dress with a low, round neckline.

Standing 6ft 2ins, she teamed her dress with low-heeled orange sandals opting not to add to much height.

The brunette, whose tresses cascaded over her shoulders, slung a black purse over her shoulder and carried a brown bag of yummie leftovers from Kristy's.

Constant companions: Instead they drove a few miles north to Zuma Beach to Kristy's Village Cafe overlooking the Pacific Ocean, one of their favorite spots

Sophia, an aspiring model, wore a plunging v-neck top that showed off her decolletage and a keyhole cutout just above her waist.

She teamed it with a white, pencil miniskirt and nude, high-heeled sandals.

Both women wore trendy sunglasses as they walked back to their car.

The former Keeping Up With The Kardashians star has given up more than her male identity following the transition.

Dressing up: Caitlyn, 68, wore a feminine blue and white stripped maxi dress with a low neckline while Sophia, 21, donned a plunging v-neck top and a white miniskirt

She reportedly hasn't spoken to her step-daughters Kourtney, 39, Kim, 37, and Khloe Kardashian 33, or their mother, her ex-wife Kris, 62, for more than a year,

But she is said to be in contact with the daughters she shares with Kris, Kylie, 20, and 22-year-old Kendall Jenner.

There's no news on whether she has met her grandchild, Kylie's daughter Stormi, who was born on February 1.More than a billion Muslims around the world abstain from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk during the holy month

The Islamic holy-month of Ramadan is set to start on Thursday 17 May in Egypt, the country's National Astronomy and Geophysics Institute announced on Sunday.

Ramadan takes place during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, the month in which the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. More than a billion Muslims around the world abstain from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk during Ramadan.

The head of the Egyptian institute, Hatem Aouda, said on Sunday that the crescent moon by which the start of Ramadan is measured will be seen on 15 May. This will mark the end of the eighth month of the Islamic calendar on May 16, the state-owned MENA news agency reported.

During the holy month, Muslims fast for a full lunar month. The fasting begins at the fajr call to prayer, just before sunrise, and is broken at sundown.

As the times for sunrise and sunset change each day, fasting hours in Ramadan also change by a few minutes throughout the month.

This year, there are expected to be an average of 15 fasting hours each day in Egypt. The length of fasting hours differs from one country to another.

In recent years, Ramadan has moved into the summer months, bringing longer days and sweltering heat for many countries, especially in the Middle East.

Eid Al-Fitr, or "the feast of breaking the fast", is a three-day religious holiday marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan and celebrated by Muslims worldwide.

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She's the rising star who's already graced the big screen alongside Hollywood heavyweights Chris Hemsworth and Olivia Wilde.

And Hannah Britland looked right at home on the red carpet as she led the arrivals at the BAFTA Craft Awards at London's The Brewery on Saturday, alongside Game Of Thrones actress Hannah Murray.

Britland, 30, made sure all eyes were on her as she slipped into a plunging black blazer which gave an eyeful of her ample cleavage.

Daring style: Hannah Britland stunned in a plunging black blazer as she led the star-studded arrivals at the BAFTA Craft Awards in London on Sunday

Hannah paired the blazer with a pair of chic black cigarette pants as she injected a pop of colour with vibrant red kitten heels.

The Lovesick star polished off her sophisticated sartorial choices with a midnight blue leather clutch bag and dainty silver bracelet.

Hannah let the daring look speak for itself, leaving any eye-catching statement accessories at home, and styled her copper tresses into soft corkscrew curls.

All that glitters: Game Of Thrones beauty Hannah Murray dazzled in her own glittering display outside the awards in an eye-catching sequinned gown with flirty side cutouts

Chic style: The Lovesick star polished off her sophisticated sartorial choices with a midnight blue leather clutch bag and dainty silver bracelet

Smiles: The Rush actress accentuated her stunning features with a dramatic make-up as she perfected her red carpet poses next to the famed BAFTA gong

The Rush actress accentuated her stunning features with a dramatic make-up as she perfected her red carpet poses next to the famed BAFTA gong.

Hannah first landed on the small screen in E4's gritty teen drama Skins before landing a regular role on Lovesick, which premiered its third season on Netflix in January.

Game Of Thrones beauty Hannah Murray dazzled in her own glittering display outside the awards in an eye-catching sequinned gown with flirty side cutouts.

Sharp: Hannah and co-star John Bradley (left) were there to see GOT pick up a special award

Stylish: Hannah swept her chocolate locks back into a loose ponytail with soft tendrils framing her face, with minimalist make-up polishing off her red carpet look

Co-stars: The HBO regular let her ensemble do all the talking, pairing the glamorous look with simple pearl drop earrings as she posed alongside GoT co-star John Bradley

Glamorous affair: The 28-year-old Bristol native flashed a huge smile as she posed outside the swanky venue, as she added height in a pair of nude block sandals

The 28-year-old Bristol native flashed a huge smile as she posed outside the swanky venue, as she added height in a pair of nude block sandals.

Hannah swept her chocolate locks back into a loose ponytail with soft tendrils framing her face, with minimalist make-up polishing off her red carpet look.

With her glistening gown catching the sunlight, the HBO regular let her ensemble do all the talking, pairing the glamorous look with simple pearl drop earrings.

Dapper style: Looking worlds away from Westeros, John rocked a sharp back suit and patent black shoes for the showbiz shindig

Men of the hour: Host Stephen Mangan (L) opted for a three-piece suit with a tailored waistcoat, while comedian Charlie Brooker (R) followed with his own classic black ensemble

Ready to report: BBC journalist Riz Lateef proudly displayed her chic sense of style in a midnight blue gown with striking aqua heels

Before taking on the role of Gilly in the fantasy drama, Hannah honed her skills alongside her red carpet counterpart Hannah Britland on Skins as troubled teen Cassie Ainsworth.

Hannah joined the cast of Game Of Thrones in 2012 and took a break from filming the hotly anticipated final season to celebrate the show picking up its first two BAFTA awards for Costume and Production Design.

As well as the two impressive accolades, the HBO drama was also presented with the BAFTA Special Award in recognition of the industry-leading talent behind the scenes and outstanding contribution to different TV crafts, with Hannah and co-star John Bradley taking to the stage on behalf of the behind-the-scenes crew.

Quirky: Stand up comic Sian Gibson stood out from the crowd in her unusual Barot dress, with striking floral embellishments

Handsome: Pirates Of The Caribbean star Mackenzie Crook (L) and Poldark actor Harry Richardson (R) opted for blue hues for their BAFTA suits

Funny lady: Comedian Roisin Conaty made sure she stood out in a vintage silver floral gown with ultra chic black cutout heels

Lady in red: Poldark beauty Ellise Chappell was on hand for the celebrations and caught the eye in a ravishing red gown with a semi sheer cascading skirt

Dazzling style: Making sure to catch attention, Ellise showed off a glimpse of her pert derriere in the saucy design as she strolled to the event in sky scraper heels

Emerald beauty: Cariad Lloyd looked oh-so-elegant in a green floral mid-length gown with chic black strappy heels for the showbiz bash

Game Of Thrones joined Blue Planet II, Chris Packham: Aspergers and Me, and World War One Remembered: Passchendaele as the big winners of the evening, each picking up three awards.

Netflix's royal hit The Crown also saw success in three out of seven nominations, accepting the gong for Sound and Photography in the Fiction category.

The BBC's Three Girls picked up three awards for their gritty true-life drama in Rochedale, picking up awards for best Director, Writer and Editing for Fiction.

Awards ready: The Office star rocked his signature mousey brown mustache and feathered locks as he posed outside of the swanky venue

Monochrome ladies: Irish actress Sinead Keenan (L) and Countdown's Susie Dent both went bold in black for their red carpet moment

Through the ages: Fashion historian Amber Butchart took a trip down memory lane with her vintage ensemble in high waisted slacks and a sophisticated peach head wrap

Game Of Thrones scooped a hat-trick of accolades on the night , with Michele Clapton taking the Costume Design prize and Deborah Riley and Rob Cameron won the Production Design gong, while the series also won the Special Award, which had already been announced.

John Bradley - who plays Samwell Tarly - and Hannah Murray (Gilly) accepted the award on the show's behalf.

Hannah told the audience: We, as actors, are so lucky to get to step into the world they create and we are as in awe of their work as the fans of the show all over the world.

The show is a global phenomenon and what makes us proudest is that the work of so many British and Irish talents are being recognised on such a grand scale.

Screen kings: Jaygann Ayeh (R) and Krishnendu Majumdar also posed next to the famed BAFTA gong in their own head-turning red carpet outfits

Cheers: Rob Delaney joined guests backstage at the event on Sunday evening

Three Girls - which was based on the true stories of victims of grooming and sexual abuse in Rochdale - also picked up a trio of awards, with Philippa Lowthorpe handed the Director: Fiction prize, the second BAFTA of her career.

The drama's Una Ni Dhonghaile received the BAFTA for Editing: Fiction and Nicole Taylor was recognised in the Writer: Drama category.

A number of shows were double winners on the night, including 'Blue Planet II' and 'World War One Remembered: Passchendaele', with the latter taking home the Director: Multi-Camera and Entertainment Craft Team prizes.

Side by side: Harry Richardson and Ellise Chappell rubbed shoulders at the celebratory awards ceremony

Charlie Russell was presented with the Director: Factual gong at the ceremony - which was hosted by Stephen Mangan at London's The Brewery on Sunday night - for Chris Packham: Aspergers And Me', and he dedicated the award to the TV presenter.

In his acceptance speech, he said: This is for Chris, whose exceptional mind never let me get away with being an average director.

But Chris took to Twitter to insist the director fully deserved the "fabulous" prize.

Say cheese: Game Of Thrones stars Hannah Murray and John Bradley posed with guests after the show scooped three awards on Sunday evening

He tweeted: Nonsense. This is all Charlies, his calm, insightful and considerate approach and real desire to peer inside my world to find some good and tell an honest story means he deserves this fabulous accolade . Scratchy still barks at him though which is worrying ! (sic)

Reece Shearsmith took home the Writer: Comedy award along with Steve Pemberton for Inside No. 9.

He tweeted afterwards: Thanks for all kind words about our BAFTA writing win for Inside No 9. Shocked and delighted.

The BAFTA Craft awards were hosted by British funnyman Stephen Mangan, and famous faces also in attendence included writer Charlie Brooker and Mackenzie Cook.The Alienist actress Dakota Fanning was spotted cooling off with a refreshing beverage while visiting the Studio City Farmers Market on Sunday.

The 24-year-old SAG Award nominee - who relies on stylist Samantha McMillen - was wearing a chambray shirt-dress, white studded sandals, and a matching tote.

The Georgia-born blonde wore her golden locks in a braid and she sported translucent-framed sunglasses over her alabaster complexion.

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Sunny stroll: The Alienist actress Dakota Fanning was spotted cooling off with a refreshing beverage while visiting the Studio City Farmers Market on Sunday

That same morning, Fanning's 'perfect' 20-year-old sister Elle was in the Czech Republic getting acclimated as she only just arrived in the central European country Saturday.

Perhaps the Beguiled beauty was on location working on one of her three films in production - Disney's Maleficent 2, Miguel Arteta's All the Bright Places, or Max Minghella's Teen Spirit.

'We are sisters still but we are also friends,' Elle (born Mary) told ET back in June.

'We have been looking, like, we definitely want to [co-star in a project]. It would have to be something perfect though.'

Smile: The 24-year-old SAG Award nominee - who relies on stylist Samantha McMillen - was wearing a chambray shirt-dress, white studded sandals, and a matching tote

Plaited: The Georgia-born blonde wore her golden locks in a braid and she sported translucent-framed sunglasses over her alabaster complexion

That same morning: Fanning's 'perfect' 20-year-old sister Elle was in the Czech Republic getting acclimated as she only just arrived in the central European country Saturday

American tourist: Perhaps the Beguiled beauty was on location working on one of her three films in production

Sipping a warm beverage: Elle (born Mary) will next work on Disney's Maleficent 2, Miguel Arteta's All the Bright Places, or Max Minghella's Teen Spirit

Missing from the Former child star's side Sunday was her boyfriend - University of Vermont grad Henry Frye - whom she confirmed she was dating October 15 via Instagram.

Dakota (born Hannah) will next play a mystery role in Gary Ross' star-studded ensemble heist flick Ocean's 8, which hits US theaters June 7 and UK theaters June 22.

And when the Miu Miu muse is not in front of a camera, she studies gender in cinema part-time at New York University's Gallatin School of Individualized Study.

Fanning told ET back in June: 'We are sisters still but we are also friends. We have been looking, like, we definitely want to [co-star in a project]. It would have to be something perfect though'Fans began rejoining last December when Big Little Lies was renewed for a second season.

Now Shailene Woodley, 26, and Zoe Kravitz, 29, are giving them even more to get excited about as they were seen filming scenes along the picturesque Northern California coast.

It looked to be a cold day at the beach as the actresses, who play single mother Jane Chapman and stepmother Bonnie Carlson, bundled up for filming.

Back to the coast: Shailene Woodley, 26, wore a puffy, sage-colored jacket and a grey beanie and looked ready to hit the surf while filming Big Little Lies Season Two

Dressed in what looked to be a black wetsuit, Woodley did handstands in an effort to keep warm.

The California-born actress added a puffy, sage-colored jacket and a grey beanie and looked ready to hit the surf.

Her distinguishing dark locks fell freely out of her hat as she left some handprints in the sand.

Spring: Dressed in what looked to be a black wetsuit, the actress did handstands in an effort to keep warm

Chilly: Zoe Kravitz, 29, did her best to keep warm by pulling the sleeves of her blue sweater over her hands

Kravitz did her best to keep warm by pulling the sleeves of her blue sweater over her hands.

She wore a large white shirt underneath along with black and grey leggings.

The X-Men: First Class actress had her dark curls pulled into a ponytail as she took a shiver-inducing walk along the coast.

Her distinguishing dark locks fell freely out of her hat as she left some handprints in the sand

The cast began filming the award-winning show's second season earlier this month.

The entire main cast, which also includes Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern, and Adam Scott, have returned, with exception of Alexander Skarsgard.

Oscar winner Meryl Streep, 68, will join the star-studded line-up for series two as Mary Louise Wright, the mother of the late Perry (Alexander Skarsgard).

The It's Complicated star's character arrives in Monterey, California, looking for answers surrounding the mystery of her son's death.

According to Deadline, the second series will explore Bonnie's guilt as she struggles with murdering Perry after the Audrey Hepburn or Elvis Presley-themed trivia night.

While few details are known about the second series, Big Little Lies promises more lies that threaten to destroy friendships and marriages as well as parenting.

Add it to the trophy case: Oscar winner Meryl Streep, 68, will join the star-studded line-up for series two as Mary Louise Wright, the mother of the late Perry (Alexander Skarsgard)Davina Rankin and Dean Wells were accused of having an affair on Married At First Sight.

And in Monday's NW magazine, it's been claimed that the former co-stars are 'still messaging now'.

An insider alleged to the publication that the pair had been 'sexting' after the reunion episode.

However Davina told Daily Mail Australia on Monday that they have 'definitely not been sexting' and the last time they spoke was Dean wishing her 'a happy birthday.'

'They were still sexting': Married At First Sight's Davina Rankin, 27, and Dean Wells, 39, are said to 'very much be in contact' following the reunion episode

'They were still sexting at that point [after the MAFS reunion] and are still messaging now,' a source close to production reportedly told NW.

The insider went on to claim that Dean, 39, 'even flew to Byron Bay to spend time' with Davina, 27, in March, but 'they had to scrap it after the paparazzi found out about their plans and were waiting at the airport to follow him.'

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to both Davina and Dean for comment.

Claims: 'They were still sexting at that point [after the MAFS reunion] and are still messaging now,' a source close to production reportedly told NW

Davina was labelled the 'villain' on Married At First Sight after co-star Tracey Jewel discovered the model's 'affair' with her 'TV husband' Dean.

The brunette angered some viewers by refusing to apologise to Tracey for her actions, telling her: 'I thought your boyfriend was hot (and) he didn't want to be with you.'

Becoming more enraged by the minute, Tracey said it was a matter of respect and that Davina lacked any of that for her during the experiment.

Headlines: Davina was labelled the 'villain' by some viewers after her 'affair' with co-star Dean was made public

Tracey initially gave Dean a second chance, she was unable to forgive him for his betrayal.

During their vow renewal ceremony, Tracey dumped Dean and told him that she 'deserves better.'

The relationship expert has since found love with MAFS co-star Sean Thomsen.

Angered: Dean's 'TV wife' Tracey Jewel was left enraged and was unable to forgive her 'husband' for his cheating waysThe evening marked a new and exciting era for her brainchild, Harry Potter.

And author J.K. Rowling was celebrating with a youthful image overhaul as she turned out to see the Harry Potter And The Cursed Child play open on Broadway.

The 52-year-old proudly returned to the red carpet at the Lyric Theater in New York as stars gathered to celebrate the Stateside arrival of the hit play.

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Flame-haired: J.K. Rowling debuted a new flame-coloured blow dry on Sunday night, as Harry Potter And The Cursed Child had its Broadway opening in New York

J.K's signature blonde locks were turned a striking copper colour for the occasion, as she offset the shade with a blue dress and tan boots.

Rowling was joined by husband Dr Neil Murray, who made an equally rare public appearance to support the star.

Harry Potter And The Cursed Child, which originally opened in London in 2016, officially opens this week on Broadway.

Effortless: The Harry Potter author (right, in February 2017) had switched up her signature blonde hair look for copper (left)

She's back: The author is rarely seen on red carpets, but this was a special event

Guests at the event also included actress Sarah Hyland and her beau Wells Adams, as well as Brooke Shields.

The play is written by Jack Thorne and based on the story of original series author J.K. Rowling.

Olivier Award winning Jamie Parker and Noma Dumezweni return to play Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. Paul Thornley will play Ron Weasley.

JK Rowling was 'deeply honoured and proud' to be made a Companion of Honour by Prince William at Buckingham Palace in December.

On the red carpet: Joining her, was husband Neil Murray (right) on a rare red carpet date night

Giving her say: The writer was speaking of her pride inside the Lyric Theater

Stunner: Brooke Shields arrived at Harry Potter And The Cursed Child in New York on Sunday

Liev Schreiber and his sons Samuel Schreiber and Alexander Schreiber pose at 'Harry Potter and The Cursed Child parts 1 & 2' on Broadway Opening Night

The decoration, for services to literature and philanthropy is in addition to her OBE, which she was awarded in 2001.

The play Harry Potter And The Cursed Child is believed to be among the major money-spinners in J.K's climbing 650 million fortune.

At the close of 2017, The Daily Mail's Sebastian Shakespeare reported a 34 million royalty cheque was coming J.K's way as earnings from the Harry Potter books and films continue to roll in.

Over the period May 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017, cash in her private company leapt from 3.3 million to 46.5 million, primarily owing to income from books, films and merchandising.

So much in love: Sarah Hyland cuddled up to her beau Wells Adams at the bow of Harry Potter And The Cursed Child at Broadway's Lyric Theatre in New York on Sunday

Cute couple: The 27-year-old Modern family star stretched up to kiss her 33-year-old Bachelorette beau who, at 6ft, towered over the petite actressReality TV royalty Paris Hilton looked spring fresh while braving Manhattan's 50F-degree chill for a meet-and-greet at her Beautycon booth on Sunday.

The 37-year-old perfume mogul paraded her slim 5ft8in figure in a blue floral mini-dress, a cropped periwinkle blazer, and white pumps for the sold-out convention.

The hotel heiress-turned-DJ wore sparkly cat-eye shades over her made-up complexion and ditched her signature hair extensions in favor a more polished-looking bob.

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'Hello New York!' Reality TV royalty Paris Hilton looked spring fresh while braving Manhattan's 50F-degree chill for a meet-and-greet at her Beautycon booth on Sunday

It was Paris' second day inside the Javits Center where she had discussed the #MeToo movement during a panel discussion on Saturday with Teen Vogue CCO Phillip Picardi.

'With this entire #MeToo movement, and all the women coming together and coming forward and ending this, because it's just been happening for so long - in politics, in Hollywood, and the modeling industry,' Hilton said on the main stage.

'There's just so many ways where people use their power to take advantage of others and I just want to applaud all the women who have come forward and said something, because it needs to stop. Kim Crawford wine officially poured at the event.

On a less serious note, the I Need You songstress also admitted at Beautycon: 'I feel like I'm half unicorn.'

'Cant wait to see you all there!' The 37-year-old perfume mogul paraded her slim 5ft8in figure in a blue floral mini-dress, a cropped periwinkle blazer, and white pumps

Sold-out convention: The hotel heiress-turned-DJ wore sparkly cat-eye shades over her made-up complexion and ditched her signature hair extensions in favor a more polished-looking bob

'Headed to her meet and greet!' It was Paris' second day inside the Javits Center where she had discussed the #MeToo movement during a panel discussion on Saturday

Hilton said Saturday: 'There's just so many ways where people use their power to take advantage of others and I just want to applaud all the women who have come forward and said something, because it needs to stop'

On a less serious note, the I Need You songstress also admitted at Beautycon: 'I feel like I'm half unicorn'

Embracing YouTuber Tyler Oakley (R): It's unclear if the Donald Trump supporter happened to rub elbows backstage with former Democratic presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton (L), who was sporting a cast on the wrist she fractured in India

It's unclear if the Donald Trump supporter happened to rub elbows backstage with former Democratic presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, who was sporting a cast on the wrist she fractured in India.

Sunday was also Earth Day, and Paris made sure to celebrate the environmentally-friendly holiday by sharing a clip from her old MTV series, The Simple Life.

'This is earth,' Hilton - who boats 34.2M followers - tweeted. 'It's hot. Don't pollute.'

Missing from the globetrotting bride-to-be's side Sunday was her fiance of three months, Chris Zylka, whom she 'can't wait' to marry this winter.

Don't pollute!' Sunday was also Earth Day, and Paris made sure to celebrate the environmentally-friendly holiday by sharing a clip from her old MTV series, The Simple Life

Wants two children: Missing from the globetrotting bride-to-be's side Sunday was her fiance of three months, Chris Zylka, whom she 'can't wait' to marry this winter (pictured April 14)

Paris' mother Kathy told People: 'She is getting married at our church where her father and I were married  the Good Shepherd Church [in Beverly Hills]' (2016 stock shot)

'I will say she is getting married at our church where her father and I were married -the Good Shepherd Church [in Beverly Hills],' Paris' mother Kathy told People on Thursday.

'So it's very special. Beautiful, beautiful. It is our family [church]. My mother used to go every morning at six. My father-in-law would go every morning at six. So it's very meaningful.'

Hilton is also in New York to attend next Friday's premiere of Bert Marcus' social media documentary, The American Meme, at Robert De Niro's Tribeca Film Festival.In recent weeks, the scandal surrounding Sonya and Hadil's dinner party showdown with Jess and Emma has made headlines.

But behind the scenes, another contestant - 21-year-old WA waitress Jazzey - was secretly struggling with the pressures of the show.

Speaking to TV Week on Monday, Jazzey claimed she gained weight and was left 'broke' as a result of the lengthy filming schedule.

'I was in tears because I had to go up a dress size': Jazzey (right) has confessed to TV Week she 'got fat' while filming My Kitchen Rules. Pictured with Stella (left)

'My Kitchen Rules was honestly the best and worst thing I've ever done in my life,' she told the magazine.

'I got fat, I was broke and I couldn't talk to anyone at home for months,' she added. 'I was in tears recently in wardrobe because we had a fitting for new clothes and I had to go up a dress size.'

Jazzey didn't confirm how much weight she had gained during the show, but admitted she could notice it on camera.

'I've put on weight for sure': Jazzey told the magazine on Monday, 'I was in tears recently in wardrobe because we had a fitting for new clothes and I had to go up a dress size'

She explained: 'I've put on weight for sure. I can see it in my face. It's hard, because you're eating delicious food all the time.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel Seven for comment.

Jazzey and her friend Stella, also 21, hosted an Instant Restaurant on Sunday's episode of My Kitchen Rules.

Stressful: 'MKR was honestly the best and worst thing I've ever done in my life,' said Jazzey

They scored 57 points, saving themselves from elimination.

During the dinner party, judges Manu Feildel and Pete Evans also addressed Sonya and Hadil's dismissal from the show.

After being sent home last week following a clash with Jess and Emma, Pete confirmed they were no longer in the competition.Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin after wrapping up his visit to London for CHOGM.

They are expected to discuss plans for a free trade agreement in that meeting, with Ms Merkel running Europe's largest economy and a key voice at the EU.

The prime minister is also expected to talk to NATO about Russia, and push the free trade agreement with the EU in Brussels early in the week before travelling to France for Anzac Day commemorations.

On the eve of Anzac Day, he will officially open the Sir John Monash Centre in Villers-Bretonneux, on the 100th anniversary of the famous battle.

Before leaving the UK, Mr Turnbull discussed trade and security with British Prime Minister Theresa May at Chequers Court, the country retreat of UK leaders.

He also hosted Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle at a reception for the Invictus Games that will be held in Sydney in October.The final campaigns of World War One will be the focus of Anzac Day commemorations across Australia.

This year marks the centenary of the last battles which led to the Armistice being declared in November 1918.

At the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, excerpts from letters and diaries of WWI soldiers will be read ahead of the dawn service.

Acting Prime Minister Michael McCormack will be in attendance, while Malcolm Turnbull takes part in the centenary of the Battle of Villers-Bretonneux dawn service in France.

The Villers-Bretonneux event will mark the day 100 years ago when the Australian 13th and 15th brigades successfully retook the village from German forces in a surprise night attack.

"In 2018 we mark the centenary of the end of the First World War, the war to end all wars," Mr Turnbull said.

Mr Turnbull called it one of Australia's most remarkable military feats, that "turned the tide of that terrible war".

On Tuesday, the prime minister, his predecessor Tony Abbott, Defence Minister Marise Payne and will attend the opening of the Sir John Monash Centre at Villers-Bretonneux.

The new interpretive centre at Villers-Bretonneux will be opened for this Anzac Day. As well, a new statue of Monash will be placed in the grounds of the Australian War Memorial.

The Prince of Wales and the prime minister of France, Edouard Philippe, will join the Australian dignitaries at the dawn service on Wednesday.

Prince Charles will deliver a reading and lay a wreath at the service.

In Australia, the national march will be led this year by the Army Apprentices and the last post ceremony at the AWM will focus on the story of WWI officer, Lieutenant Ralph Elsmere Claridge, from the 50th Australian Infantry Battalion.

Adelaide-born Claridge died on April 25, 1918, in France aged 25.

He is remembered at the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial.

Other overseas events are planned for Turkey, Belgium, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia.

In Perth, a group of Maori and Aboriginal dancers will combine the traditional Haka and corroboree at Anzac Day commemorations, following the dawn service.

Female veterans and military personnel will lead marches in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.

At a wreath-laying ceremony at the Australian war memorial in London on Saturday, Mr Turnbull pledged support for the members of the armed forces.

"We best honour the Anzacs of 1918, by supporting you, the service men and women of today," he said.Hundreds of Armenian demonstrators have marched through Sydney's CBD, calling on the Australian government to recognise the mass slaughter of their ancestors more than a century ago as genocide.

Turkey denies up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed at the hands of the Ottoman Empire from 1915.

Turkey's political influence has meant many nations, including Australia, do not recognise the event as genocide.

Many of the demonstrators beat drums and waved flags as the procession wound its way from Hyde Park to Circular Quay on Sunday afternoon.

Large banners read "Turkey is guilty of Armenian genocide" while smaller placards called on Australia to stand with the victims of the crime.

Refusal to use the term "genocide" denies surviving families a chance to heal from the trauma, Armenian National Committee of Australia's executive director Haig Kayserian told AAP on Sunday.

"We're talking about thousands of Australian citizens 14000 km away from where their ancestors were deported 103 years ago, saying they're going to continue to march until justice is done."

Mr Kayserian said the Armenian community expect Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and the federal government to stop using human rights "as a bargaining chip with a foreign dictatorship".

"What we are expecting is (it) to stop kowtowing to a foreign government which is trying to write Australian foreign policy," he said.

"We're looking for Australia to stand up and take a stance so Australian values are upheld when it comes to human rights."

Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop has been contacted for comment.Egypt's foreign ministry has expressed its regret at what it says is UNESCO's intention to award a press freedom prize to Egyptian photojournalist Mahmoud Abou-Zeid, widely known as Shawkan, who has been in detention since 2013.

Shawkan, 31, is a freelance photojournalist who was arrested in August 2013 while covering the dispersal of the Rabaa El-Adawiya sit-in in Cairo, where supporters of ex-president Mohamed Morsi had gathered to protest his ouster.

The statement by ministry spokesperson Ahmed Abu Zeid said he had been accused of terrorism offences and criminal offences, which include murder, attempted murder, assault on police and citizens, and the burning and destruction of public and private property.

Abu Zeid said that the ministry had been informed of UNESCO's intention to grant Shawkan this years UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize.

"We warn against the politicisation of UNESCO and its involvement in the implementation of the agenda of certain countries, while drifting away from its cultural mission," the statement read.

Abu Zeid added that the ministry had asked the permanent representative of Egypt to UNESCO in Paris to pass a complete file on all the charges attributed to Shawkan to the secretariat of the UN body.

"The nomination of Shawkan was motivated by a number of non-governmental organisations, including organisations driven by the state of Qatar that are known for their support of the Muslim Brotherhood terrorist organisation and their continuing attempt to defend the group," the statement read.

UNESCO has not made public statements about those nominated for this years prize, which is awarded annually on 3 May, World Press Freedom Day.

Every year the UN body invites the governments of member states and international or regional NGOs that are active in the field of press freedom to nominate candidates for the prize, which honours a person, organisation or institution that has made an outstanding contribution to the defence and, or promotion of press freedom anywhere in the world, and especially when this has been achieved in the face of danger.

This month international NGO Reporters Sans Frontiers began a campaign in solidarity with Shawkan on Twitter.

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Sharks make WA an "environmentally wild place" compared to other parts of the world, but the state government is doing all it can to mitigate the risk of an attack, the premier says.

Alejandro Travaglini, 37, needed surgery to both legs after he was mauled at Cobblestones beach in Gracetown last Monday, while Jason Longgrass, 41, was bitten several hours later at nearby Lefthanders break, which had been closed.

WA Premier Mark McGowan said the state government was doing all it could to mitigate the shark risk, but there was also a degree of personal responsibility.

"We have helicopter patrols, we've put in place more swimming enclosures, we've got a subsidy program for people to use shark deterrent devices whether they're surfers or divers, we've got an enhanced monitoring program, we put new receivers in the ocean," he told reporters on Sunday.

"All of those things are being done, as well as a range of scientific programs.

"But when you go in the ocean, you run a very, very, very small risk and I think most people understand that that is the case."

Another deterrent device, which fits on a surfboard, is being tested and the premier said once it was scientifically proven it could also be included in the subsidy program.

Mr McGowan said he would have preferred the remainder of the Margaret River Pro to have continued but there was a "perfect storm" of problems, including the salmon run and a whale carcass.

He also brushed off criticism from Brazilian surfers Italo Ferreira and Gabriel Medina, who said they felt unsafe.

"Whether it's snakes or whether it's sharks, we are in a relatively environmentally wild place by world standards," Mr McGowan said.

The WA government will look into using SMART drumlines after monitoring its success in NSW, but Mr McGowan says they are very expensive.

Opposition Leader Mike Nahan said SMART drumlines would have saved the Margaret River Pro.

"There are technologies to mitigate risk (but) the government has consistently failed to utilise them," he told reporters.

"Yes it costs, but life is worth investing in."

Dr Nahan has also called for clever buoys, drones and the reopening of the south west shark fishery.Besart Berisha has sent Melbourne Victory into the A-League semi-finals, producing a last-gasp overhead kick stunner to defeat Adelaide United 2-1.

Sunday night's slow-burn elimination final classic looked destined for extra time when Leroy George cancelled out Nikola Mileusnic's breakaway opener.

Enter Berisha, who rescued the match with a piece of brilliance.

The Kosovo international had barely had a moment to savour through a tricky night.

But in the 89th minute he climbed into the air, despite Jordan Elsey's close attention, to score the winner at AAMI Park from Kosta Barbarouses' cross.

The result was tough on United, which brought a superb attitude to Melbourne.

Adelaide won the pressure battle in the first half, led by combative German Daniel Adlung and anchorman Isaias.

For their enterprise, United didn't have a shot on target until Mileusnic's 57th-minute breakthrough.

Isaias' raking ball from a free kick put Miluesnic through on goal, with the South Australian outrunning Rhys Williams to flick past Lawrence Thomas and celebrate in the arms of the rapturous away fans.

Things were looking sour for Victory, with Carl Valeri lucky to stay on the pitch for a studs-up challenge on Ersan Gulum, before Berisha and James Troisi engaged in an on-field slanging match.

Then other half of Kevin Muscat's attacked levelled the match.

Barbarouses danced his way down the right, dinking the ball across goal for George to head home.

Victory were finally up and about, with the Dutchman at the heart of two missed chances in the following minutes.

Berisha botched a one-on-one chance after George's dazzling run through midfield and misjudged a header from Troisi with Victory on top.

As injury time loomed, the 32-year-old wouldn't be denied, reminding all of his finals pedigree.

He, and Victory, will get another chance to test that record next Saturday night in a semi-final against Sydney FC - a rematch of last year's grand final.Barnaby Joyce is trying to be the best dad he can be to his new son Sebastian, despite the hoopla surrounding his conception.

Mr Joyce and his partner Vikki Campion welcomed their baby boy last week at Armidale Hospital in northern NSW.

Sebastian is the fifth child and first son for the former deputy prime minister, and Ms Campion's first child.

"Seb, Vikki and I went out to the national park today. We went down to the footy yesterday," Mr Joyce told ABC television on Sunday night.

"We're just enjoying our own company, trying to be a family and hanging around the dinner table. I really enjoy that."

Mr Joyce quit as deputy PM in February after 16 days of scandal over his affair with Ms Campion, his former media adviser.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull later introduced a ban on ministers having sexual relations with their staff.

But Mr Joyce said he's now focused on spending time as a regular family and being a good father and partner.

"I know it's peculiar circumstances and people have their pluses and minuses about it," he said.

"But I'm going to try to do the very best job I possibly can and make sure that Seb has the very best dad he can possibly get."

Mr Joyce said partners of federal politicians should be allowed to work for MPs in Canberra.

He believe it would help keep families together and would not amount to a conflict of interest.

And he says it's "insane" that someone qualified for a job but can not do it because of their relationship.

"Canberra's a weird place," Mr Joyce said.

"It's like a big old boarding school up on the hill ... Everyone travels from miles away to get there.

"And we should be allowing partners, as much as possible, to be there as well.

"It's insane to think that if she (Vikki) did want to work for me, she couldn't."Forecast falls in university and vocational training participation levels could risk Australia's future productivity, researchers believe.

Modelling by Victoria University's Mitchell Institute found two-year caps on higher eduction student funding would see participation rates flatline, while ongoing caps would result in a sharp decline.

Multiple scenarios studied on vocational education and training all recorded declining participation rates.

With most new jobs requiring post-school qualifications, more Australians will need VET or university qualifications to support the future workforce and offset the ageing population, the study found.

"Without comprehensive, considered policies that support both VET and higher education, we face a real danger of having less working-age Australians contributing to our economy," Professor Peter Noonan said.Nine years is a long commitment for a 15-year-old to make to the Army, but for thousands of apprentices it was one they made to serve their country.

This year marks 70 years since the Australian Army Apprentices School was formed and to mark the event they're leading this year's Anzac Day march from the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.

More than 600 former apprentices, retired and still serving army members, will march in one of the biggest leading contingents in recent years.

Tim Wilde was one of those who made the lengthy commitment.

For 15, 16 and 17-year-olds, the apprenticeship scheme was their way into the army while they were still officially too young to join.

He signed up as a gas fitter and turner and after two to three years learning the trade he and other apprentices went into the regular army to learn the practical side of things.

"It was a way to build a trade base for the army and also for the building of the nation, so to speak," he told AAP.

"Once we were qualified if we decided to leave and go out into the workforce we were well trained, well disciplined, young ex-soldiers that were good tradesmen."

The scheme began in 1948 and, beginning with Vietnam, apprentices have served in every conflict since.

More than 1000 served in Vietnam, 678 in East Timor, 288 in Afghanistan and 227 in Iraq.

With an air of disappointment, Mr Wilde revealed he continued beyond the nine-year commitment, moving through the ranks, but left the army the year before Timor.

"You train for that sort of thing and not being able to put it into use is a bit of a downside but the era I was in there wasn't that deployment, there wasn't that activity in the world at that stage," he said.

Those who did deploy overseas weren't out of harm's way. While in Canberra for Anzac Day, members will gather for a Last Post Ceremony to remember their fallen colleagues.

Mr Wilde now works as a senior project manager.

Other apprentices are spread far and wide across the globe in a range of industries, but still share a lot in common.

"When we get together with apprentice mates we joke about who still polishes their shoes, irons their own clothes," he said.

The training college closed in 1995 but more than 400 former apprentices remain in the army.It's taken three decades but in her final year serving in the Australian military Major Kelliegh Jackson will this week lead Sydney's Anzac Day march alongside hundreds of other female veterans.

Maj Jackson will leave the army in 2018 year after joining in 1987 when she was just 18.

She hopes by leading Wednesday's march alongside other women she'll change people's traditional view of the Australian military.

"So many women won't put their uniform on and won't wear their medals because of the perception this is a warlike culture," Maj Jackson told AAP.

"But this isn't about war. We are a much bigger machine."

The 49-year-old will be marching alongside up to 500 female veterans on Wednesday to mark 103 years since Anzac troops landed at Gallipoli on April 25, 1915.

"It doesn't matter who marches at the front or the back - we're all there as a team," she said.

Other NSW marches outside Sydney will follow suit with female leads to mark the final year of the centenary of WWI.

RSL NSW president James Brown says the decision to have women at the front is about addressing a "real problem".

"For 100 years the image of a veteran has been an older man and we've had an issue in recent years with a lot of female veterans being challenged about wearing their own medals on the wrong side," Mr Brown told AAP.

Veterans wear their medals on the left breast while relatives - if they choose to wear a loved one's medals - do so on the right.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to start Anzac Day at the Cenotaph in Martin Place for the 4.15am dawn service.

The 9am march will then proceed along Elizabeth Street - instead of the usual George Street route - finishing at the Anzac Memorial in Hyde Park for the 12.30pm commemoration service.

A final sunset service will be held at 5pm at the Cenotaph again.

Extra buses and trains will run across Sydney from the morning with motorists advised road closures will be in place from 2am.The circumstances surrounding the death of a Brisbane woman in custody will be investigated by Queensland's corruption watchdog.

A 44-year-old Ellen Grove woman was found dead in her cell at Ipswich Watch House in the early hours of Saturday morning.

She had been arrested hours earlier for failing to appear in court on drug matters.

A Queensland Police spokeswoman told AAP an investigation had been launched by the Ethical Standards Command on behalf of the coroner.

The investigation is being overseen by the Crime and Corruption Commission.Farmers want their say on the future of live exports and representatives will meet with a crucial opponent of the trade to put forward their position.

Heads of the National Farmers' Federation and WAFarmers will sit down with Liberal MP Sussan Ley in Albury on Monday.

The former minister has called for a ban on live sheep exports to the Middle East and has announced plans to introduce a private member's bill.

Ms Ley, a former farmer from NSW, has said she's becoming increasingly incredulous at the "business as usual" approach by exporters to sheep deaths aboard their ships.

She says it's "inherently impossible" to transport sheep to the Middle East during the northern summer in a humane way.

WAFarmers chief executive Trent Kensett-Smith says the western state's position must be considered in discussions about the industry "given its dominant representation of 85 per cent of the national live sheep trade".

"WAFarmers seeks to deliver an insight as to the importance of the trade to the Western Australian agricultural economy and to farming businesses across the state," he said in a statement.

The NFF has said it's committed to the future of the trade, as long as it operates to a standard that meets the animal welfare expectations of farmers and Australians.

Vet Michael McCarthy is leading a review into the trade of sheep to the Middle East in the hottest months of the year after shocking footage emerged of animals dying in cruel conditions last year.Tasmania will join a nationwide move to have female veterans and current servicewomen lead traditional Anzac Day marches.

Thousands are expected to rug up on a cool morning for the state's main service at Hobart's cenotaph to remember the last centenary year of World War I.

RSL state president Terry Roe says the decision to have women front and centre for the 11am march is about giving overdue acknowledgement.

"Our female veterans and serving defence women serve on the frontline alongside our male counterparts and have done for a long, long time," he told AAP.

"For far too long they've not been getting the recognition they deserve."

It will be 100 years since Australian troops launched a stealthy attack to help the allies recapture French town Villiers-Bretonneux from the Germans - a turning point in the Great War.

About 2500 Australians died in two battles for the town that changed hands twice in a matter of weeks.

While huge crowds will flock to services in Sydney and Melbourne, many Tasmanians will pay their respects in a more personal way.

Nearly 130 services are ready to be held across the Apple Isle, including Cape Barren Island off the state's north and Strahan on the rugged west.

"In the smaller isolated parts of Tasmania, they (the RSL) work very closely with the community," Mr Roe said.

"It's a big occasion for small communities and I must say they do come out in numbers to pay their respects."

The 6am dawn service in Hobart will be followed by a mid-morning march beginning at the corner of Macquarie and Victoria Streets.

Scouts will hold overnight vigil starting on Tuesday at the cenotaph.The Anzac Day parade in Darwin will be led by women for the first time with about 150 former and current members of the Australian Defence Force to march on Wednesday.

The first female vice president of the Returned and Services League in Darwin Chris Cates will be part of the march.

It was an important nod to inclusiveness in Darwin, where the Larrakeyah military base is located, said Darwin RSL president Bob Shewring.

"We've selected the Women Veterans Network NT to lead our march, which is really important for inclusiveness and we have got all of our women veterans and serving ADF women who will march as a block," Mr Shewring told AAP.

"It will recognise all of the good work women do in the services and as veterans."

Darwin's dawn service is considered a significant one, located on high cliffs that overlook the harbour where the Australian mainland was attacked for the first time during World War II.

The bombing of Darwin in 1942 was the largest and most deadly single attack ever on Australia.

Prince Charles visited the site of the USS Peary, a US warship on which 92 sailors died when it was destroyed by the Japanese, during his visit to Darwin earlier this month.

It's been a busy couple of weeks for the Darwin's military community.

Mr Shewring and Chief Minister Michael Gunner escorted the prince during a ceremony at Darwin's Cenotaph in which he met the families of NT defence force members killed in war, including the Commando Scott Palmer, killed in Afghanistan, and the family of Vietnam veteran Reg Hillier.

Mr Shewring served in the Vietnam War and is heavily involved in the welfare of veterans.

His father served in WWII and his great uncle Edmund Johnson was killed in a WWI battle in Villers-Bretonneux in France.

That battle is receiving significant attention this year because it is 100 years since Australian troops were hailed for played a leading role in seizing the town from the Germans in a major strategic success.

Between 6000-7000 people are expected at the dawn service on The Esplanade starting at 6am with the parade to also start there at 9am.A surprise meeting was held Sunday to debate the legislative amendments necessary to turn the 'Support Egypt' coalition into a political party

More than 400 members of the majority "Support Egypt" coalition in Egypt's parliament held a meeting on Sunday to probe the possibility of forming a political party.

Mohamed El-Sewedy, head of the coalition, told reporters that "a legislative and constitutional study will be conducted to see whether the majority 'Support Egypt' coalition could turn into a political party. Intensive contacts will be held with political parties in the coming period to discuss this issue.

"Today's meeting could be described as a tea-party meeting and it aimed at preparing members for the idea of turning the coalition into a political party," said El-Sewedy.

Parliament speaker Ali Abdel-Aal argued that the coalition meets all the conditions necessary to make it a strong political party.

"My point of view is that Egypt's political life can never be healthy without having a parliamentary majority party, and the Support Egypt coalition is well suited to become this party," said Abdel-Aal.

Saad El-Gammal, head of parliament's Arab Affairs Committee and a leading Support Egypt official, told reporters that the meeting also involved discussions on the future relationship between the government of Prime Minister Sherif Ismail and parliament.

"We told members that they should be keen on attending parliament's plenary meetings in the cg months so that laws can be discussed and voted on in a much better way," said El-Gammal.

The Support Egypt coalition was formed following the end of Egypt's parliamentary elections in January 2016 to defend the policies of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi. The coalition comprises around 10 political parties, notably the Free Egyptians Party (65 seats) and the Future of a Nation Party (53 seats).

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Malcolm Turnbull says starting a banking royal commission two years ago would have helped him politically but he wanted to fix the laws rather than wait for a report.

The prime minister originally strongly rejected the need for the investigation into Australia's financial service sector before eventually relenting when Nationals MPs threatened to cross the floor.

After shocking evidence of financial abuse was uncovered, Mr Turnbull has faced criticism for not starting the commission sooner.

"You're all right when you say it would have been better for us politically if we had done so years ago," Mr Turnbull told reporters in Berlin on Sunday.

"No doubt Bill Shorten should have called a royal commission when he was financial services minister in the Labor government.

"But the reason I didn't proceed with a royal commission is this: I wanted to make sure we took the steps to reform immediately, and got on with the job."

The prime minister gave a speech at a Westpac function in April 2016 where he tore into the banks for their "unacceptable behaviour" but he refused to back a royal commission.

Mr Turnbull said he was concerned a commission would drag on and paralyse reform, as everyone would wait until it had made recommendations.

"With the benefit of hindsight and recognising you can't live your life backward, isn't it better we've got on with all those reforms?" he said.

Under new proposed laws, bank executives can be heavily fined and jailed while banks can lose up to 10 per cent of their turnover, and the corporate watchdog has been beefed up.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has written a letter to Mr Turnbull demanding an apology for two years of inaction, and a compensation scheme for victims.

The prime minister said the compensation scheme is already in the commission's terms of reference.

"I think what Bill should do is, he should read the terms of reference," Mr Turnbull said.

He would not be drawn on Senator Pauline Hanson's call for the big banks to miss out on a proposed corporate tax cut and put that money towards paying back victims.

"Where banks have done the wrong thing they must pay compensation," Mr Turnbull said.Europe must bring down restrictive barriers that hurt Australian farming exports if a free trade deal is to be done, Malcolm Turnbull says.

The prime minister is set to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday to discuss a free trade agreement Australia hopes to sign with the European Union.

In a speech on Sunday night in Berlin, Mr Turnbull said the deal must look after Australians.

"The (free trade agreement) we are seeking will deliver for Australian producers and farmers as well as their European consumers," Mr Turnbull said.

"And it must also signal to the EU's agrifood sector the huge opportunities for expanded EU trade with and investment in Australia.

"The agreement must address the very restrictive farm tariffs and quotas that our farmers currently face."

Europe is Australia's second-largest trading partner and largest source of foreign direct investment, with trade worth $99.5 billion.

"Angela Merkel, who I'll meet with tomorrow, is a very strong supporter of a high-quality free trade agreement with Australia," Mr Turnbull told reporters.

Mr Turnbull pointed to Aldi and Siemens as examples of German companies making a positive economic contribution in Australia.

The prime minister met with German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday and inspected some of the armoured vehicles Rheinmetall will build in Queensland.

"More and more Australian companies are going to find their way into the global supply chain for Rheinmetall's combat reconnaissance vehicles," he said.

Mr Turnbull will later meet with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in a bid to push ahead with the free trade agreement.

The prime minister said striking a deal with Europe would help counter "state capitalism in China and rising protectionism in the United States".A Briton has been charged with glassing a man in the face during a party in Sydney's eastern suburbs.

A 25-year-old man was approached by a 24-year-old man who hit him in the face with a glass beer bottle at a home in Coogee in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The bottle shattered on impact, with the 24-year-old allegedly punching the victim, who fell to the ground, police said. The victim suffered serious cuts to the left side of his face.

The alleged assailant was arrested about 7pm on Sunday and charged. He was refused bail to appear in Waverley Local Court later on Monday.An extra 1000 call centre staff will be contracted to help Centrelink answer the more than one million telephone queries from welfare recipients each week.

Human Services Minister Michael Keenan has told News Corp Australia the extra operators are needed to "help ease the burden on busy phone lines", with more than one million calls received each week.

The new staff will be based in Australia, but will be hired by private companies after a six-month trial of 250 call centre operators employed by Serco.The former Westpac financial planner criticised at the financial services royal commission says he's been made a scapegoat by the bank.

Andrew Smith was named at the commission last week when Westpac executive and BT Finance national head Michael Wright gave evidence.

Mr Wright told the inquiry he believed one of the reasons the planner gave inappropriate advice to numerous clients was to maintain his "level of remuneration".

Mr Smith, who worked at Westpac and St George Bank from 2007 until his resignation in 2015, has told The Australian Financial Review "I have been made a scapegoat".

"I did not act dishonestly at any time and was under their instruction on how certain matters were to be done," he told the AFR in an article published on Monday.

The commission heard Mr Smith charged fees without providing a service and recommended hybrid securities to clients when the product was not appropriate for the customer.

Mr Smith blamed staff cuts at the bank for lower levels of client service.

"Given I have practised successfully since leaving Westpac is a testament to the fact that with a proper working environment I am able to discharge my duty properly and diligently," he told the AFR.

Westpac will refund about $2.1 million to 91 customers of the adviser, the inquiry heard last week.Disgraced Sydney businessman Salim Mehajer is expected to challenge a court which ruled him insolvent because "only God" has the power to declare him bankrupt.

A Federal Circuit Court judge declared the property developer bankrupt in March while he was in prison, having been refused bail over claims he staged a car crash and defrauded an insurance company.

But the former Auburn deputy mayor is expected to ask Justice Michael Lee to annul the decision on Monday.

The 31-year-old last week announced on social media platform Instagram he'd lodged an application to "set aside this joke", claiming "only God can bankrupt me".

Mehajer successfully mounted a fourth bid for bail in early April following a two-month stint in jail. Last week he was found guilty of electoral fraud and immediately vowed to appeal.Police have released images of a man filling up a stolen car with petrol just hours after the car went missing from a Melbourne home.

Investigators were told the keys to the 2017 metallic grey Land Rover were stolen from a home at Clayton South on March 12, with the thief returning the following day to take the car.

Later that day, a man was seen filling the stolen car with fuel at a petrol station at nearby Noble Park. The car remains missing.Kevin Rudd has accused Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull of punching China in the face and taking a flame thrower to Australia's relationship with Beijing.

The former prime minister has accused Mr Turnbull of derailing the Australia-China relationship in favour of trade deals with Europe following comments he made in Beijing last year.

Mr Rudd says he supports trade with Europe.

"(Mr Turnbull) seems to think to do that automatically means it's a smart thing to then publicly punch the Chinese in the face, which is what he did with his extraordinarily ridiculous statement to Beijing that the Australian people had finally 'stood up' to confront the Chinese," he told Sky News on Monday.

He called that a gratuitous insult toward China which went in excess of normal tensions in the relationship.

Mr Rudd then accused Mr Turnbull of pointing a flamethrower at Beijing to ignite a fire in the relationship over former Labor senator Sam Dastyari's contact with Chinese businesspeople regarding donations.

"I think it's time for sober heads and sober minds like Julie Bishop as foreign minister and others to frankly douse the flames and get this relationship back on track," he said.

Mr Rudd's own relationship with China when he was prime minister wasn't always smooth sailing.

At a 2009 climate change summit in Copenhagen, he reportedly told journalists "those Chinese rat f***ers are trying to ratf*** us".

His relationship with Mr Turnbull is also rocky.

Mr Turnbull refused to back Mr Rudd to be secretary general of the United Nations in 2016, saying he was not suited to the role.Since Sunni dictator Saddam Hussein was toppled in the US-led invasion of 2003, the constitution has vested key powers in the prime minister, a post reserved for the majority Shiite population

An incumbent prime minister, his ousted predecessor and a paramilitary chief instrumental in defeating the Islamic State group are the three favourites vying for Iraq's premiership.

Since Sunni dictator Saddam Hussein was toppled in the US-led invasion of 2003, the constitution has vested key powers in the prime minister, a post reserved for the majority Shiite population.

Under a system of checks and balances designed to avoid a return to dictatorship, the winner of the May 12 parliamentary elections will have to form alliances with other Shiite, Sunni Arab and Kurdish lists to secure a majority.

Two of the favourites topping the lists were among the architects of victory against IS, which in 2014 seized a third of Iraq's territory in a lightning offensive.

The incumbent prime minister, 66 year-old Haider al-Abadi, took over the reins from Nuri al-Maliki in September 2014 at the high watermark of the security crisis.

The vote will pit Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi (L) against Hadi al-Amiri (C), head of the Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary coalition, and former premier Nuri al-Maliki (R)

The fightback which allowed Abadi to declare Iraq's victory over the jihadists in December, has silenced critics of his lack of military experience.

An engineering graduate and holder of a doctorate from the University of Manchester in Britain, Abadi is from the same Dawa party as his predecessor Maliki.

He owes his position to the support of the marjaiya, the supreme council of Iraq's Shiite clerics, and to an international consensus.

"He is acceptable to all foreign stakeholders, from the Iranians, to the Americans (and) the Saudis," said Fanar Haddad, a senior research fellow at the National University of Singapore's Middle East Institute.

- Military credentials key -

As the official head of Iraq's military, Abadi has bolstered morale by drafting in foreign trainers, who have helped professionalise tens of thousands of soldiers.

Under his watch and backed by a US-led international coalition, the army has banished IS from all its urban strongholds in Iraq, leaving jihadists largely confined to areas close to the Syrian border.

The Iraqi military has also pushed back the Kurds in the north's oil-rich Kirkuk province, bolstering Abadi's status as frontrunner going into the election.

"He has a popular base which transcends confessional and ethnic lines. He offers a narrative as a statesman and he is not tarnished by corruption," said Iraqi political scientist Essam al-Fili.

Haddad said: "Abadi remains the single strongest contender but not strong enough to win anything close to a majority."

His main contender is Hadi al-Ameri -- a leader of Hashed al-Shaabi, a paramilitary network that played a pivotal role in defeating IS.

Ameri comes from Diyala province and is a statistics graduate from Baghdad University. He fled to Iran in 1980 after Saddam executed top Shiite cleric Ayatollah Mohammed Baqr al-Sadr.

The 64-year old is widely viewed as Tehran's favoured candidate.

He fought alongside Iranian forces in the Iran-Iraq war of 1980 to 1988 as part of the Badr organisation, and he only returned from exile after Saddam's ouster.

During Maliki's 2010-2014 term as premier, Ameri was a lawmaker and then transport minister, but he was blocked in a bid to head the interior ministry by an American veto.

The paramilitary chief ditched his civilian clothes in favour of military fatigues in 2014, to rally efforts against an ascendant IS.

At the battlefront, he operated alongside his old friend Qassem Soleimani, who runs the foreign operations wing of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards.

- 'Joker in the pack' -

"I think Ameri will have a strong hand in the post-ballot negotiations but that government formation is likely to remain with Dawa and in all likelihood with Abadi," said Haddad.

Beyond Ameri's military credentials, his appeal has been bolstered by Hashed putting its bulldozers to work in rebuilding Basra and the capital's Sadr City district, exposing the state's deficiencies.

"With Dawa divided, I think Ameri sees himself as the joker in the pack, as a prime minister who can rebuild the civil state with the same success that he led the military," said Fili.

Under a system of checks and balances designed to avoid a return to dictatorship, the winner of the May 12 parliamentary elections will have to form alliances with other Shiite, Sunni Arab and Kurdish lists to secure a majority

The third candidate, 68-year-old Maliki, has been chomping at the bit since he was forced out in 2014, after serving eight years as prime minister.

While still a prominent Dawa leader, he was accused of marginalising Sunnis and promoting corruption during his tenure.

"He is trying to focus his efforts on areas where the Dawa party is strong and is attempting to get closer to Shiite armed groups to stay in the spotlight," said Fili.

For Haddad, the former premier's chances are modest.

"Maliki's fortunes have taken an irreversible hit. His second term is not remembered well by Iraqis in general."

"The upper limit of his prospects might be to play second fiddle to Ameri," Haddad said.A patient walks into the Jackson Women's Health Organization, the last abortion clinic in Mississippi, on April 5, 2018

Five female pro-life activists stand outside Mississippi's last abortion clinic, intercepting patients on their way in.

"There's a baby that loves you," they preach. "Jesus loves you."

The noisy scenes outside the Jackson Women's Health Center, known as the Pink House, play on repeatedly in this deeply conservative and religious state in the heart of America's Bible Belt.

Both men and women take up positions in front of the bubblegum-pink art deco building in Jackson attempting to sway women against exercising their abortion rights -- an already high hurdle due to immense social and economic pressure in the poorest US state.

Mississippi is among seven US states with just one place where women can seek an abortion.

"Life is precious, and I believe what's done here is wrong because a baby is a baby at the time of conception," said one activist, 21-year-old Rebekah, the speaker blaring music at full volume.

She grounds her stance in religion: "The father says in the word that, before he formed them in the womb, he knew them, before they were even born."

Another anti-abortion activist, Pam Miller, urges women to reconsider their choices.

"Go with me and I'll take you to the CPC, Center for Pregnancy Choices," she tells one patient. "They have beautiful, life-affirming options."

"Not too late to change your mind."

- 'Emotional barriers' -

A pro-life activist waits for patients to arrive outside the Jackson Women's Health Organization

Women have been able to legally seek an abortion throughout the United States since 1973's landmark Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade.

But the right to reproductive choice remains tenuous as debate rages over the issue, especially in conservative states like Mississippi that have introduced measures restricting access to services -- effectively creating a ban for many women.

The southern state's Republican Governor Phil Bryant enacted a law currently tied up in court banning abortion beyond 15 weeks of pregnancy, well below the limit generally allowed in the US between 22 and 24 weeks.

The bar is high for women who want to go to the Pink House, where an abortion costs a steep $600, and often requires distant travel and hotel bills.

Terminating a pregnancy in Mississippi also demands two clinic visits: after the initial consultation, women must reflect on their decision for 24 hours.

The Pink House, which carries out some 200 abortions a month, flies doctors in from other states, as finding in-state physicians willing to perform the procedure proves nearly impossible because they risk severe harassment.

The clinic therefore offers abortion services only two-and-half days a week.

And even those who overcome legal, financial and logistical obstacles face social shaming: the Pink House sets the stage for an almost daily showdown between pro-choice and anti-abortion activists.

Sporting jeans and aviator sunglasses, Derenda Hancock escorts women seeking services to the clinic, sheltering them from anti-abortion demonstrators.

"Besides all of the physical barriers that they have to overcome, then they have to overcome the emotional barriers of the position that these people and this state and religion puts them in," she said.

- Legal threats -

Volunteers escort patients into the Jackson Women's Health Organization

After signing the "Gestational Age Act" last month banning abortions after 15 weeks, Bryant declared on Twitter he was "committed to making Mississippi the safest place in America for an unborn child."

In 2012, he had enacted legislation requiring all doctors associated with an abortion facility to also have the right to admit patients to local hospitals -- which would effectively shutter the Pink House.

The Jackson Women's Health Organization sued the state government over the legislation, which was blocked by a federal court and remains tied up in legal wrangling.

Kaylie Hanson Long, communications director for the pro-choice organization NARAL, points to a number of legal attempts to undermine Roe v. Wade, saying they hurt low-income women in particular.

"You're impacting these women disproportionately," she said. "Lower-income women may not have the opportunity to take time off of work from their job to go have an abortion."

Despite legal threats and vitriolic protests in front of the Pink House, its owner and women's rights activist Diane Derzis refuses to back down from her commitment to provide access to safe, legal abortions.

To her clinic's vehement critics, Derzis, a long-time women's rights activist, points to the social injustices many people face when considering the course of their futures.

"You want to stop abortion? Then make it easier for women to have children, and give these children a good life, feed them, clothe them, educate them," she says.

"As far as the state of Mississippi is concerned, if you're in the utero, you need help, but if you are not, when you emerge, God help you -- because we're not going to."Saudi Arabia was finalising regulation for the use of recreational drones, state media said Sunday, after a toy aircraft sparked security alarm as it hovered close to royal palaces in Riyadh.

Saudi Arabia was finalising regulation for the use of recreational drones, state media said Sunday, after a toy aircraft sparked security alarm as it hovered close to royal palaces in Riyadh.

"The regulation for the use of remote controlled drones is in its final stages," the Saudi Press Agency said, citing the interior ministry.

Until the new guidelines are adopted drone enthusiast must obtain police permission to fly their devices in "permitted sites" only, the ministry said.

The statement comes a day after the kingdom said it shot down an unidentified toy drone that hovered over a neighbourhood home to royal palaces in the capital Riyadh.

Unconfirmed videos on social media appeared to show heavy volleys of gunfire in the neighbourhood, triggering speculation of a possible coup attempt.

But the government ruled out any major security breach, adding that an investigation had been launched into the incident.

The Saudi civil aviation authority in 2015 banned the use of remotely controlled drones "of all types and sizes" without prior permits.

Security around the palaces appears to have tightened in recent months as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman oversees landmark social and economic reforms to prepare for a post-oil era, despite the risk of riling religious hardliners.

The powerful 32-year-old prince has also overseen a major military shake-up and a royal purge as he consolidates power to a degree well beyond that wielded by previous rulers.

Last October a gunman shot dead two Saudi guards and wounded three others at the gate of the royal palace in the Red Sea city of Jeddah, according to the interior ministry.

Royal guards killed the gunman, identified by the ministry as a 28-year-old Saudi national armed with a Kalashnikov assault rifle and three grenades.

Saudi Arabia is also embroiled in a long-running conflict with Iran-backed Huthi rebels in neighbouring Yemen, dubbed by the United Nations as the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Huthi rebels have repeatedly fired missiles into Saudi territory, including Riyadh. Saudi Arabia claims to have intercepted most of them.

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Defense lawyer Tom Mesereau's hardball tactics, forensic cross-examination and attempts at character assassination against Bill Cosby accusers send shivers down the spine of supporters of sexual assault victims

Tom Mesereau is a Hollywood lawyer to the stars who got Michael Jackson acquitted of child molesting. The question is, can he do the same for Bill Cosby at the first celebrity trial of the #MeToo era?

Instantly recognizable by his striking helmet of white hair, the 67-year-old is tall and stocky -- yet remarkably sedate, even ponderous in court.

Quiet and cerebral, Mesereau shuns the theatrics of many a showman lawyer, spending much of Cosby's sexual assault retrial silent, sitting erect in his chair, until he steps purposefully behind the lecturn.

There his hardball tactics, forensic cross-examination and attempts at character assassination against Cosby accusers send shivers down the spine of supporters of victims of sexual assault.

One witness for the prosecution called him "sleazy" and his tactics "repugnant," yet even Cosby's detractors admit Mesereau is doing the best he can for an actor slayed in the court of public opinion.

An acquittal for "America's Dad," publicly accused by 60 women of sexual misconduct, would cement Mesereau's reputation as the attorney celebrities call when their back is against the wall.

Friends underscore his integrity, or his decades of free legal aid for poor African Americans and those facing the death penalty as evidence of his commitment to justice.

"His cross-examination skills are unmatched by anybody," says Charles Salvagio, a criminal defense attorney who has worked on pro-bono cases with Mesereau in Alabama since 1998, and considers him a close friend.

"He leads you down a path and you're not even realizing where he's leading you to and then all of a sudden he'll bang you with something."

- 'Extraordinary' -

Mesereau's opening statement was an electric, rhetoric-laden attack on Andrea Constand, the woman Cosby is accused of drugging and assaulting 14 years ago.

He called her a liar blinded by greed, playing with the emotions of a lonely, grieving father to hoodwink him out of a $3.4 million settlement as a way out of financial problems.

"A con artist, ladies and gentlemen of the jury. And we'll prove it," he hectored. "She's now a multi-millionaire because she pulled it off."

It is a radically different defense than that pursued at Cosby's first trial by Philadelphia lawyer Brian McMonagle, who called one witness.

Mesereau tore into Cosby accusers Janice Baker-Kinney and Janice Dickinson.

If barred from admitting testimony about what he called Constand's "extensive" use of magic mushrooms and marijuana, it was not without a backhanded compliment from Judge Steven O'Neill.

"I understand that you are an extraordinary advocate," O'Neill said.

But Mesereau's tough approach has not always dealt a killer punch.

"Are you rolling your eyes at me?" Baker-Kinney shot back, refusing to budge an inch. "You're kind of turning my words around," she said.

Born in West Point, New York, the son of a World War II lieutenant colonel, Mesereau was educated at Harvard, the London School of Economics and the University of California's Hastings College of the Law.

A one-time speechwriter for a US congressman, he worked as a state prosecutor in southern California before entering private practice.

- 'Wait and see' -

Mesereau is best known for acquitting the late Michael Jackson in 2005 on all 14 charges of child molestation after a four-month trial, despite the star's own admission that he liked sharing his bed with children

His record speaks for itself.

Mesereau is best known for acquitting the late Jackson in 2005 on all 14 charges of child molestation after a four-month trial, despite the star's own admission that he liked sharing his bed with children.

In May, he got a black client acquitted of murdering a white Iraq War veteran in Alabama, a racially-charged case whose outcome drew condemnation from the Ku Klux Klan.

Mike Tyson is another one of his celebrity clients, and Mesereau managed to get sexual assault charges against the boxer dropped.

"I don't know anybody with more integrity," Salvagio told AFP, saying Mesereau has "never charged a dime" on cases for the poor in Alabama.

Dressed impeccably each day in a navy suit, white shirt and tie, Mesereau has kept his distance from the press, shunning the microphone and giving his largely female defense team chances to shine.

Yet in a case with no physical evidence, Mesereau's cross-examination of Constand may prove most crucial, and under his sustained barrage, she squirmed in her seat, conceding inconsistency after inconsistency.

"Mr Mesereau is doing the best he can under the circumstances," said lawyer Gloria Allred, who represents many Cosby accusers and who Mesereau has repeatedly claimed wants to secure money on their behalf.

"We'll have to wait and see what the jury decides."French President Emmanuel Macron has the tricky task of trying to save the Iran nuclear deal when he meets with US leader Donald Trump at the White House

French President Emmanuel Macron seems, as much as any world leader, to have developed a rapport with his American counterpart Donald Trump.

But will their apparent bond help European capitals in their struggle to save the Iran nuclear deal from Trump's wrath?

The idea will be tested Monday when the young French leader begins a state visit in Washington, and European diplomats have a lot invested in what seems a tricky task.

There is not much time. Trump is due to decide by May 12 whether talks with Paris, Berlin and London on tougher anti-Iran measures have advanced far enough.

If he feels the "flaws" in the 2015 deal have not been adequately repaired, he may decide to withdraw his support, opening the way for renewed US sanctions that could torpedo the whole accord.

Europe would see this as a disaster, both in terms of the deal itself -- a central plank in their non-proliferation strategy -- and in terms of relations with Washington.

If anyone can talk down Trump, it might be Macron, who has better relations with the White House than his British and German counterparts Theresa May and Angela Merkel.

Paris was the first European ally to suggest tougher measures against Iran's ballistic missile programs to "supplement" the nuclear deal -- but will that suffice?

Trump also wants to reform the agreement itself to end the so-called "sunset clauses" that would allow Iran to progressively restart parts of its nuclear program after 2025.

Macron has urged Trump not to scrap the deal in the absence of an alternative.

- No 'Plan B' -

"I don't have any Plan B for nuclear -- against Iran," Macron told Fox News Sunday in an English-language interview, arguing that working to curb Tehran's missile program and contain its regional influence could be accomplished in addition to the 2015 accord.

"So that's a question we will discuss," he said, as he prepared to head to Washington.

The West cannot unilaterally reopen the text, and Iran has said the deal is final and warned it is ready to relaunch its nuclear program -- which the West alleges is designed to produce an atomic bomb -- if it fails.

In addition, the agreement was the fruit of months of intense diplomacy between Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States -- under EU auspices.

Only Trump wants to rip it up.

"It's a dialogue of the deaf," complained one European envoy. A US diplomat acknowledged that getting Trump to buy in will be the "trickiest" part of the problem.

British, French and German representatives have been in deep talks with the US State Department's head of policy Brian Hook on what a supplemental deal would look like.

But the representatives complain privately that, despite progress with their American counterparts, they have no idea whether they are close to an agreement that the mercurial president would accept.

To appease Trump, European capitals are working on a document that would amount to a political engagement to prevent Iran from returning to the nuclear path after the 2015 deal starts to expire.

The Europeans could even call such a statement a new "deal," if it convinces the US leader to stay within the terms of the original and "true" agreement.

Therein lies the rub.

"He hates the deal," another European diplomat acknowledged.

- 'Fix this deal' -

All Hook can say is that once he comes to terms with his European partners, it will be up to Trump, in consultations with his hardline new National Security Advisor John Bolton, to decide.

"If we can reach an agreement, then that will be presented to the president by the secretary of state and the NSA, and then he will make a decision on whether he wants to remain in the deal or stop waiving sanctions," Hook said.

"We always have to prepare for any eventuality, and so we are engaged in contingency planning because it would not be responsible not to engage in it."

The appointment of Bolton, an avowed Iran hawk, fueled Europe's pessimism, as did the nomination of CIA director Mike Pompeo to become the next US secretary of state.

But Pompeo, who has always talked tough on Iran, played down the May 12 deadline in his Senate confirmation hearing.

"I want to fix this deal. That's the objective," he told lawmakers concerned that he might push for war.

"If there is no chance to fix it, I'll recommend to the president we do our level best to work with our allies to achieve a better outcome and better deal. Even after May 12th, even after May 12th, there's still much diplomatic work to be done."

As the deadline looms, even some of the more hawkish Washington pundits have begun to suggest the return of US nuclear-related sanctions could be postponed until a new fixed date.

But if all the talk fails and Trump follows his clear inclination to tear up the "terrible deal," there appears to be no alternative, at least from Europe.

After Macron's visit, there is only one from Merkel, whose chemistry with the US leader appears more toxic than productive, and then the ball is in Trump's hands.Just 20 people were granted asylum in Japan last year out of the nearly 20,000 who applied

The suicide of an Indian man being held at an immigration detention centre in Japan has sparked a hunger strike among detainees and revived concerns about conditions.

Deepak Kumar was found dead on April 13 after apparently hanging himself in the shower at the Ushiku facility, northeast of Tokyo.

At least eight detainees, including Kumar, have died in immigration detention facilities since 2010, according to a tally by the Japan Association for Refugees (JAR), an NGO.

Kumar's death prompted a hunger strike, with around 70 people at the Ushiku facility refusing food by Friday, according to an official, and reports that people held at other centres were also protesting.

Around 1,000 people are held in immigration detention centres around Japan, according to JAR, and there have long been concerns about conditions, with a series of deaths raising questions about medical access and oversight.

Last year, a Vietnamese man died in the Ushiku facility after having a stroke, and in 2014 two detainees, an Iranian and a Cameroonian died there.

"One death in ten years is too much," said Eri Ishikawa, chair of JAR's board.

"But in reality, in these three to five years, every year there has been an incidence of death among detainees," she told AFP.

Authorities deny that detainees are being mistreated or neglected.

"We respect their human rights," said Daisuke Akinaga, an official at the Ushiku facility.

"We try to listen to them and meet their requests. For example, there was a complaint about cold inside the facility and we improved the situation," he said.

"Applications for provisional release are a different story. They have to go through proper procedures."

- Calls for reform -

Detainees at the facilities are generally facing deportation, but many are seeking asylum and can file for provisional release while their claims are being processed.

Kumar appears to have committed suicide after learning that his provisional release request had been denied, said Kimiko Tanaka, 65, a long-time activist.

"His provisional release request had been turned down in March, but he only learned about it on April 12, according to a detainee who was sharing a room with him," she said.

Kumar's brother Sanju told AFP that the family was devastated, and was calling for an investigation.

"There was no reason for him to commit suicide, he was a courageous man and had a fighting spirit," he said from Ludhiana, in India's Punjab state.

"He called me a day before his death and was in a good mood. He promised to call again in five days."

"We don't believe the authorities and demand that his death be investigated," he added.

Activists and rights group have long urged reforms to the immigration detention system, including ending the practice of long-term detention, improving medical access and allowing independent oversight.

They also criticise the government's stringent rules on granting refugee status. Last year just 20 people out of nearly 20,000 applicants received asylum.

The government says most applicants are economic migrants, but activists and the UN say Japan imposes onerous evidence requirements that can be impossible to meet, even for those in real danger.

- 'He didn't do anything wrong' -

Tanaka said Kumar had applied for asylum, though it was unclear on what grounds.

"The man was detained almost the entire year after he arrived in Japan as a political refugee," she said.

"We have to once again realise the mercilessness of Japan's immigration law and the refugee recognition law."

Detainees allege that if they complain about medical problems to guards, they are simply handed sleeping pills or anti-anxiety medication.

"We are concerned that around 20 percent of the detainees are given medication like sleeping pills," Ishikawa said.

"There is no independent mechanism to monitor the situation."

A migrant detained under a deportation order can be held indefinitely, a situation Tanaka described as deeply damaging.

"Long-term detentions damage people mentally and physically," she said.

Detainees in immigration facilities have gone on hunger strike before, to little effect. But Tanaka said Kumar's death and the perceived indifference of facility guards had caused widespread anger.

A friend of Kumar's, who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity saying he was afraid of immigration authorities despite having legal residence, said he couldn't understand why Kumar was detained for so long.

"He didn't do anything wrong. He didn't get into a fight, he didn't steal anything. It doesn't make sense that he had to be put in prison for a year."The rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir has caused widespread public anger, and is fuelling sectarian tensions

The internet is being cut for hours on end in Jammu as authorities try to halt protests that have grown in the Kashmir winter capital since the rape-murder of an eight year old girl opened a new front in India's Hindu-Muslim divide.

With near daily protests held across the country over the brutal killing, Jammu police say the digital clampdown is to halt the spread of "rumours" that inflame tensions.

Much damage has already been done in the city. Eight Hindu men are on trial for the rape and murder of the Muslim girl, or for trying to destroy evidence.

On the streets, Muslims are demanding justice while Hindu radicals say the inquiry is biased. Threats have been made and state politicians forced to resign.

"Hang the real guilty," read banners carried by about 100 mainly Hindu protesters on a Jammu road on Friday. The group were demanding a new investigation into the events in Kathua district about 60 kilometres (35 miles) from Jammu.

According to police the girl was drugged, held captive in a Hindu temple for five days, repeatedly raped and then killed.

They say the killing in January was part of a plot to drive the girl's Muslim nomad community, the Bakarwal, out of the region.

Activists for the girl "have made a big fuss so that innocent men are put behind bars," said Rajimder Abrol, a lawyer who took part in the Jammu protest by Hindus.

In an illustration of the communal distrust that permeates the region, Deepak Kamora, an insurance company employee who was among the protesters, accused Muslims of taking part in drug dealing and "terrorist" activities.

- Jammu powder keg -

Hindu radicals see the murder charges as part of a conspiracy against them. Muslim activists say the murder is new proof of their persecution in the Hindu-majority region.

While Jammu and Kashmir as a whole is Muslim majority, the Jammu region in the south is Hindu-dominated.

"They call Jammu the 'City of Temples' but they are changing it, they are replacing temples with mosques," said Kamora.

Before the eight were charged, a group of Hindu lawyers tried to stop police entering a court in Kathua to register charges in the rape case.

Kirty Bhushan Mahajan, head of the lawyers group in the district, told AFP the events had been twisted.

The controversy over the protest was "a conspiracy aimed at upsetting community harmony in the region".

"We do not support the rapists. We do not know who the guilty people are," he added, criticising the police investigation.

The Jammu powder keg is so primed however that India's Supreme Court ordered police protection for the family of the girl, who have taken their cattle into the Kashmir hills.

Their lawyer says he has received death threats and their house is also under armed guard.

Talib Hussain, a lawyer and activist for the Muslim nomads who has led protests to demand faster action in the rape case, said Hindu-Muslim relations are at their lowest point since the deadly 1948 partition of India.

Hussain accuses Hindu nationalists, particularly the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) -- the powerful ideological group behind Prime Minister Narendra Modi's right wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government -- of manipulating the Hindu protests.

Two BJP ministers in the Kashmir state government resigned after they took part in protests in support of the accused rapists.

Muslims in Jammu say they have no reason to trust the national government.

"The Hindu fundamentalists are putting people against Muslims," said Hussain.Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told journalists in New York that Tehran's "probable" response to a US withdrawal would be to restart production of enriched uranium, a key bomb-making ingredient

Iran is ready to "vigorously" resume nuclear enrichment if the United States ditches the 2015 nuclear deal, and further "drastic measures" are being considered in response to a US exit, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif warned Saturday.

Zarif told reporters in New York that Iran is not seeking to acquire a nuclear bomb, but that Tehran's "probable" response to a US withdrawal would be to restart production of enriched uranium -- a key bomb-making ingredient.

"America never should have feared Iran producing a nuclear bomb, but we will pursue vigorously our nuclear enrichment," added the foreign minister, who is in the United States to attend a UN meeting on sustaining peace.

US President Donald Trump has set a May 12 deadline for the Europeans to "fix" the 2015 agreement that provides for curbs to Iran's nuclear program in exchange for relief from financial sanctions.

Zarif's comments marked a further escalation of rhetoric following a warning earlier this month from Iranian President Hassan Rouhani that Washington would "regret" withdrawing from the nuclear deal, and that Iran would respond within a week if it did.

The fate of the Iran deal will be a key issue during French President Emmanuel Macron's state visit to Washington beginning Monday, followed by talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Washington on Friday.

Zarif said the European leaders must press Trump to stick to the deal if the United States "intends to maintain any credibility in the international community" and to abide by it, "rather than demand more."

The foreign minister warned against offering any concessions to Trump.

"To try to appease the president, I think, would be an exercise in futility," he said.

European leaders are hoping to persuade Trump to save the deal if they, in turn, agree to press Iran to enter into agreement on missile tests and moderating its regional influence in Yemen, Syria and Lebanon.

If the United States buries the deal, Iran is unlikely to stick to the agreement alongside the other signatories -- Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia --- said the foreign minister.

"That's highly unlikely," he said. "It is important for Iran to receive the benefits of the agreement and there is no way that Iran would do a one-sided implementation of the agreement."

Zarif, who will attend a UN meeting on sustaining peace this week, warned of "drastic measures" under discussion in Iran.

He declined to be more specific, pointing to "what certain members of our parliament are saying about Iran's options."Prominent Twitter users in Southeast and East Asia have seen a surge in follows from anonymous, new Twitter accounts

It has been jokingly referred to as "Botmageddon". But a surge in new, anonymous Twitter accounts across swathes of Southeast and East Asia has deepened fears the region is in the throes of US-style mass social media manipulation.

Maya Gilliss-Chapman, a Cambodian tech entrepreneur currently working in Silicon Valley, noticed something odd was happening in early April.

Her Twitter account @MayaGC was being swamped by a daily deluge of follows from new users.

"I acquired well over 1,000 new followers since the beginning of March. So, that's approximately a 227 percent increase in just a month," she told AFP.

While many might delight in such a popularity spike, Gilliss-Chapman, who has previously worked for tech companies to root out spam, was immediately suspicious.

The vast majority of these new accounts contained no identifying photograph and had barely tweeted since their creation.

But they all seemed to be following prominent Twitter users in Cambodia including journalists, business figures, academics and celebrities.

She did some digging and published her findings online, detailing how the vast majority of accounts were recently created in batches by unknown operators who worked hard to hide their real identities.

She wasn't alone.

Soon prominent Twitter users in Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka noticed the same phenomenon -- a surge in follows from anonymous, recently created accounts, adopting local sounding names but barely engaging on the platform, as if lying in wait for someone's command.

- 'Organic users'? -

While Facebook has received the lion's share of international opprobrium in recent months over allegations it has been slow to respond to people and state actors manipulating its platform, Twitter has also faced accusations it has not done enough to rid the platform of fake users.

Most bots are used for commercial spam. But they have been deployed politically in Asia before. During the 2016 Philippines presidential election, there was a surge of organised bots and trolls deployed to support the man who eventually won that contest, the firebrand populist Rodrigo Duterte.

And after Myanmar's military last year launched a crackdown against the country's Rohingya Muslim minority, there was a wave of accounts that cropped up supportive of the government on Twitter, a platform that until then had very few Burmese users.

With elections due in Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia in the next two years, many hit by the Twitter follow surge in Asia are asking whether the Silicon Valley tech giants are doing enough to stop fake accounts before they are given their marching orders.

Facebook has received the lion's share of international opprobrium in recent months over being slow to react to manipulation

So far Twitter has found nothing untoward.

A spokesperson for the company said engineers were "looking into the accounts in question and will take action against any account found to be in violation of the Twitter Rules".

A source with knowledge of the probe said they believe the accounts are "new, organic users" who were likely being suggested prominent Twitter users across Asia to follow when they sign up.

"It's something we're keeping an eye on, but for now, it looks like a pretty standard sign-up/onboarding issue," the source told AFP.

But many experts have been left unconvinced by such explanations.

"Are there really this many new, genuine users joining Twitter, all with the same crude hallmarks of fake accounts?" Raymond Serrato, an expert at Democracy Reporting International who has been monitoring the suspicious accounts, told AFP.

- 'Like a cancer' -

The issue of fake users is hugely sensitive for Twitter because a crackdown could severely dent its roughly 330 million audience -- the company's main selling point.

In a 2014 report to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Twitter estimated some 5-8.5 percent of users were bots.

But Emilio Ferrara, a research professor at the University of Southern California, published research last year suggesting it could be double that: 9-15 percent.

Last week Pew Research Center released a report analysing 1.2 million English language tweets which contained links to popular websites. Two-thirds of the tweets came from suspected bot accounts.

Twitter Audit Report, a third party company that scans people's followers using software to estimate how many are fake, suggests as many as 16 million of Donald Trump's 51 million followers are not real people.

Jennifer Grygiel, an expert on social media at Syracuse University, New York, said the US presidential election has provided a blueprint for others to copy.

"Bad actors around the world have really followed the potential of social media to influence the political process," she told AFP.

Twitter, she said, is a minnow compared to Facebook's more than two billion users. But it can still be influential because many prominent opinion formers such as journalists, politicians and academics have a major presence on the platform.

"If you can get information within this population, then you've scored," she said.

Serrato, from Democracy Reporting International, said the fake accounts could still pose a threat even if they are currently inactive.

"The accounts can be used at a later date to amplify certain tweets, hijack hashtags, or harass people," he said.

Grygiel used a more blunt metaphor.

"The risk is the accounts are sitting there like a cancer," she said.Palestinians gather in mourning outside the family home of 35-year-old professor and Hamas member Fadi Mohammad al-Batsh, who was killed early in the day in Malaysia, in Jabalia in the northern Gaza strip on April 21, 2018

Israel's defence minister on Sunday dismissed claims the country's spy agency was behind the assassination of a Palestinian scientist in Malaysia, suggesting instead that his killing was a "settling of accounts".

Speaking to Israeli radio, Avigdor Lieberman described the dead Palestinian, a member of Islamist militant group Hamas, as "no saint" and said he had been involved in rocket production.

Fadi Mohammad al-Batsh, 35, was killed in a Kuala Lumpur drive-by shooting on Saturday, according to Malaysian authorities, with his family accusing Israel's Mossad spy agency of the assassination.

Hamas said Batsh, a research scientist specialising in energy issues, was one of its members.

"There's a tradition among terror organisations of blaming Israel for every instance of settling of accounts," Lieberman told public radio, noting the reports that Batsh's work involved improving the range and accuracy of rockets.

"The man was no saint and settling accounts among terror groups and different factions is something we see all the time," he said. "I assume this was the case here too."

An autopsy was being carried out Sunday on the body of Batsh, who was walking to dawn prayers at a local mosque in the Kuala Lumpur suburb of Gombak when he was shot by two gunmen riding a motorcycle, Malaysian officials said.

At the crime scene, police markers indicated 14 bullets had been sprayed at the victim, some of them hitting a wall.

Malaysian Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was quoted by the state-run Bernama news agency as saying Batsh was "an electrical engineer and an expert at making rockets".

Militants in Hamas-ruled Gaza fire rockets at southern Israel, but usually without casualties.

- 'Definitely Mossad' -

Malaysia's police chief Mohamad Fuzi Harun said a task force has been formed to investigate the killing but would not speculate on the motive or whether foreign assassins were involved.

Pedestrians walk past a bullet-riddled wall at the scene where Palestinian scientist Fadi Mohammad al-Batsh was gunned down in what his family claim was an assassination by Israel's Mossad spy agency

Photos of the two suspects provided by witnesses showed they looked like Europeans, he told a news conference Sunday afternoon.

When asked if there was evidence of foreign involvement in the killing, he said: "We want to ensure a complete probe. We are still investigating the motive. I urge people not to make any conclusion."

No arrests have been made and the murder weapon has not been recovered, he said.

Palestinian representative to Malaysia Anwar al-Agha said Fadi's body would be taken back to the Palestinian territories for burial.

Mohammad Shedad, 17, a student and a relative of the victim, also blamed Mossad for the killing.

"It is definitely the work of Mossad. Fadi is a very clever person, anyone who is clever is a threat to Israel," he told AFP outside the victim's Malaysian apartment.

"Fadi is a Hamas member and knows how to make rockets. So (Israel) think he is dangerous."

Batsh was married with three young children and had lived in Malaysia for 10 years.

It was the second high-profile killing of a foreigner in Malaysia in just over a year.

In February 2017 assassins smeared the banned VX nerve agent on the face of Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korea's leader, at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, killing him within minutes.

The Mossad is believed to have assassinated Palestinian militants and scientists in the past, but rarely confirms such operations.

Hamas has accused Mossad of assassinating one of its drone experts -- Mohamed Zouari -- in Tunisia in 2016, and the spy agency is also believed to have been behind the 2010 murder of top Hamas militant Mahmud al-Mabhuh in a Dubai hotel.

In Iran, a total of five scientists -- four of them involved in the country's nuclear programme -- were killed in bomb and gun attacks in Tehran between 2010 and 2012 at the height of tensions over the country's nuclear ambitions.

Iran has accused Mossad and the CIA of ordering the killings.

At the crime scene, police markers indicated that 14 bullets were sprayed at the victim, some of them hitting a wall

Tensions between Israel and Gaza are high, with 38 Palestinians killed in four weeks of clashes along the border.

On Sunday, Israel announced the arrest of 19 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, 15 of them allegedly affiliated with Hamas in Gaza "who were instructed to carry out different missions on behalf of the Hamas terror organisation," the army said.Only a few dozen neo-Nazis showed up to the rally in Newnan, Georgia, among them the National Socialist Movement's leader Jeff Schoep, who gave a enraged address

Ten people were arrested Saturday when a rally attended by a handful of neo-Nazis was met with hundreds of counter-protesters in a usually quiet Georgia town, local media reported.

Hundreds of police officers were deployed in Newnan, Georgia -- around 40 miles (65 kilometers) southeast of Atlanta -- ahead of the event organized by the National Socialist Movement, one of the US's largest neo-Nazi groups.

There were fears the event could escalate into a repeat of the violence that stemmed from a white supremacist rally last August, in Charlottesville, Virginia.

However, only a few dozen far-right members showed up, among them the movement's leader Jeff Schoep.

"We're against illegal immigration. We're standing up on a pro-white platform. And we're trying to get our message out," he said.

According to local media, the ten arrested at the rally, held in a downtown park, were counter-protesters.

"The Rally has ended, it was very peaceful for the most part. No injuries to any public safety or protesters. We had a handful of arrests," the Coweta County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.

On Friday, locals covered the surfaces and paths of Greenville Street Park with chalk messages and drawings representing love and peace.

"Today we're standing together to unite a group of people against this hate group. We're showing them that we don't support this. It's not welcome here in America," counter-protester Robert Allen said during the rally.

The event came a day after neo-Nazis in Germany, which is witnessing a revival of far-right and ultra-nationalist groups, marked Adolf Hitler's birthday with the start of a two-day festival.Nabi Tajima (2nd L), then 117 years old, in Kikaicho on Kikai island in Japan's Kagoshima prefecture, in a picture received from Kikaicho Town Hall via Jiji Press and taken on September 18, 2017

A 117-year-old Japanese woman, thought to be the world's oldest person, has died, a local official told AFP Sunday.

Nabi Tajima, who was born August 4, 1900, died around 8:00 pm (1100 GMT) Saturday at a hospital on her native Kikai Island in Kagoshima region, according to Susumu Yoshiyuki, a health and welfare official.

Tajima, who became the oldest woman in Japan in September 2015, could have been the oldest person in the world since Violet Brown of Jamaica died in September 2017 at age 117, Japanese media said.

Since Brown's death, Guinness World Records has been investigating who is the oldest person in the world and was yet to recognise Tajima as such.

The oldest man in the world is 112-year-old Masazo Nonaka of Japan, the organisation announced on April 10.

Japan is known for the longevity of its people with around 68,000 people aged 100 or older in the country, the government said last year

"Ms Tajima was living at a nursing centre for the elderly. In January, she became weaker, so she was taken to a local hospital," Yoshiyuki told AFP.

"She died there (Saturday) due to her advanced age," he said.

Japan is known for the longevity of its people and has been home to several oldest title holders.

There are around 68,000 people aged 100 or older in the country, the government said last year.A picture taken on April 21, 2018, shows smoke billowing from the Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmuk during regime strikes targeting the Islamic State group

Five civilians have been killed in 24 hours in regime shelling on a southern district of Syria's capital held by the Islamic State group, a monitor said Sunday.

Syrian troops are waging an intense bombing campaign against Yarmuk, a Palestinian refugee camp on the edge of Damascus, and nearby districts that are held by IS.

An elderly man was killed Sunday in shelling on Yarmuk, and another died after he was wounded in bombardment there the previous day, said the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

A woman, her husband, and their child were killed in shelling in Yarmuk late Saturday, it said.

"This brings to 11 the number of civilians killed since the shelling escalated on Thursday," said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman.

The bombing and clashes continued into Sunday, Abdel Rahman said, with air strikes, artillery, and surface-to-surface missiles hitting the neighbourhood.

Chris Gunness, spokesman for the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA), said the bombardment had pushed most Yarmuk residents to flee their homes and put the area's last hospital out of service.

"Since the start of fighting four days ago, most of the 6,000 civilians in Yarmuk camp have been forcibly displaced to the neighbouring area of Yalda," he said.

"The last functioning hospital inside Yarmuk, Palestine Hospital, is now completely unable to operate," Gunness said.

He called on all sides to allow civilians to leave safely, for the sick and wounded to be evacuated, and for safe access for humanitarian workers to distribute food and medicine.

Yarmuk was once a densely populated and thriving district of the capital, but it has been ravaged by violence since Syria's conflict broke out in 2011.

Syria's government imposed a crippling siege on it in 2012, and fighting among rebels and rival jihadists has exhausted residents.

In 2015, IS overran most of Yarmuk, and the small numbers of other rebels and jihadists, including from Al-Qaeda's former affiliate, that had a presence there agreed to withdraw just a few weeks ago.

Simultaneously, the Syrian army was finishing off the last rebel pockets in Eastern Ghouta, a suburb of Damascus that had been the opposition's main bastion near the capital.

Securing Eastern Ghouta has allowed the regime to refocus on Yarmuk, but the escalating shelling has sparked worries among humanitarian organisations.An autopsy was being carried out Sunday on the body of a Palestinian professor who was gunned down in what his family claim was an assassination by Israel's Mossad spy agency.

An autopsy was being carried out Sunday on the body of a Palestinian professor who was gunned down in what his family claim was an assassination by Israel's Mossad spy agency.

Fadi Mohammad al-Batsh, 35, was killed in a drive-by shooting on Saturday, according to Malaysian authorities.

He was walking from his highrise apartment to dawn prayers at a local mosque in the Kuala Lumpur suburb of Gombak when he was shot by two gunmen riding a motorcycle, officials added.

At the crime scene, police markers indicated 14 bullets had been sprayed at the victim, some of them hitting a wall. An iron grille hit by a bullet was dented.

Malaysian Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was quoted by the state-run Bernama news agency as saying Batsh was "an electrical engineer and an expert at making rockets".

In a statement from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, the victim's family said: "We accuse the Mossad of being behind the assassination."

Hamas said Batsh, described as a research scientist specialising in energy issues, was one of its members.

Malaysia's police chief Mohamad Fuzi Harun said a task force has been formed to investigate the killing but would not speculate on the motive or whether foreign assassins were involved.

Photos of the two suspects provided by witnesses showed they looked like Europeans but police could not confirm they were in fact from Europe, he told a news conference Sunday afternoon.

When asked if there was evidence of foreign involvement in the killing, he said: "It is still premature to conclude.

"We want to ensure a complete probe. We are still investigating the motive. I urge people not to make any conclusion."

No arrests have been made so far and the murder weapon has not been recovered, he said as he appealed for witnesses to come forward.

Palestinian representative to Malaysia Anwar al-Asha said Fadi's body will be taken back to the Palestinian territories for burial after it is handed back to the family.

"We are now talking to the handling company to make the arrangements," he told AFP.

Mohammad Shedad, 17, a student and a relative of the victim, also blamed Mossad for the killing.

"It is definitely the work of Mossad. Fadi is a very clever person, anyone who is clever is a threat to Israel," he told AFP outside the victim's Malaysian apartment.

"Fadi is a Hamas member and knows how to make rockets. So (Israel) think he is dangerous."

Batsh leaves a wife and three young children. He had lived in Malaysia for the past 10 years.

Ahmad Abu Bakar, 33, a foreign student studying in Malaysia, said he had known the victim for two years.

"He is friendly and he preaches good things. He never preached any hatred. I am shocked by the killing," he said.

It was the second high-profile killing of a foreigner in Malaysia in just over a year.

In February 2017 assassins smeared the banned VX nerve agent on the face of Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korea's leader, at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, killing him within minutes.

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Preparing for lift-off? Kim's declared end to missile launches and rocket tests was accompanied by a claim that Pyongyang would now concentrate on growing its struggling economy

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's promise to build "socialist economic construction" in his nuclear-armed but impoverished and isolated country could herald more Chinese-style economic reforms, according to analysts -- but he will never explicitly say so.

Alongside the declaration Saturday that the North had completed the development of its nuclear arsenal and no more atomic or missile tests were needed, Kim proclaimed that the "new strategic line" for the ruling Workers' Party would be "socialist economic construction".

The three words appeared a total of 56 times in the report by the official KCNA news agency on Kim's speech and the subsequent party decision.

It has a long way to go.

For a time after the Korean War the North was wealthier than the South, benefitting from a Japanese colonial decision to concentrate industrialisation there as it had more mineral resources and more hydroelectric power potential than the largely agricultural southern end of the peninsula.

But that situation reversed as the North -- long considered one of the most state-controlled economies in the world -- suffered from decades of economic mismanagement, worsened when the demise of the Soviet Union ended the financial support that had helped to plug the gaps.

Average incomes were less than one-twentieth of those in the South in 2016, according to the most recent statistics available from Seoul -- Pyongyang itself does not publish figures even for GDP growth.

Pyongyang does not provide figures on the size of its economy, but it has suffered from decades of mismanagement and companies are controlled by the state

The situation has been improving as Pyongyang quietly allows the market to play a greater role in its economy under Kim.

It recorded its fastest expansion in 17 years in 2016, according to the Bank of Korea, the South's central bank -- although that is threatened by recent UN Security Council sanctions imposed on sectors such as coal, fish and textiles over its weapons programmes.

- Socialism with North Korean characteristics? -

Kim intends to pursue "essentially the Chinese-style economic programme he is busily implementing", said Andrei Lankov of Korea Risk Group. "Economic reforms which are not going to be called economic reforms."

In neighbouring China and nearby Vietnam, Kim has two examples of Communist parties that have embraced capitalism without threatening the rule of the one-party state -- even reinforcing their positions by delivering increasing prosperity.

For the wealthy inhabitants of Pyongyang, most things are available to buy

Deng Xiaoping's "Reform and Opening" in the 1980s started a decades-long economic boom that propelled China from a lumbering backwater to the world's second-largest economy and a crucial driver of global growth.

Beijing calls it "Socialism with Chinese characteristics", and officials have long pressed Pyongyang to follow its example.

In public, Kim is having none of it. At the Workers' Party congress in 2016 -- the first such meeting for 36 years -- he pointedly decried "the filthy wind of bourgeois liberty and 'reform' and 'openness' blowing in our neighbourhood".

But in practice he has brought in changes.

Under what Pyongyang calls the Socialist Corporate Responsible Management System, factory managers have told AFP that once they have satisfied the quotas allocated to them by the state, they are free to buy and sell from suppliers and to customers of their choice, at prices negotiated between them.

Global sanctions, imposed in the wake of repeated nuclear and missile tests, have cramped North Korea's coal exports, limiting a crucial source of foreign currency

State-owned enterprises (SOEs) can set up subsidiaries in other areas of business -- the national airline Air Koryo has diversified into fields such as taxis and soft drinks.

That also effectively allows independent entrepreneurs to set up operations under SOEs' wings, to seek a level of protection in a system that remains murky and subject to arbitrary change.

Agriculture, too, has also been reformed, with members of co-operative farms cultivating plots of their own of almost 100 square metres, growing produce that is sold in the informal, technically illegal "jangmadang" markets to be found in every North Korean town.

Even so the North cannot produce enough food to adequately feed its people -- there is an annual shortfall of around one million metric tonnes, according to experts, with more than 40 percent of the population undernourished -- and there is no enough electricity to light its cities.

Lankov predicted more investment in infrastructure, industrial reforms including more autonomy for SOEs and greater rights for managers to retain profits, along with further agricultural development, "essentially privatisation of the land".

Kim "hopes that he will achieve sustainable economic growth, improving living standards," he told AFP. "They don't care about lifestyles, they just care about the amount of calories."

- Science and education -

On his trip to China last month -- his first overseas journey since inheriting power from his father in 2011 -- Kim visited an exhibition in the Beijing tech hub of Zhongguancun showcasing recent innovations by the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

"We can grasp the mightiness of China," he wrote in the visitors' book, according to KCNA, and he told the Workers Party that the North needed to boost science and education to build "a scientific and technical power and a talent power".

Not Amazon: Analysts say Pyongyang would like to bolster digital technology to help grow its economy, but widespread internet shopping - like that seen in the US - is probably a little way off

Chinese tech firms Alibaba and Tencent are among the biggest companies in the world, and Koh Yu-hwan, professor of North Korean Studies at Dongguk University, said Pyongyang wanted to "quickly adopt the fourth industrial revolution" -- the transformation wrought by digital technology -- "so its economy can take a leap".

But the North remains a closely-controlled society, and one where the authorities cannot declare an about-turn in economic policy.

Kim is pro-business, Lankov said. "Unlike his father or his grandfather he has no sentimental attachment nor ideological commitment to the socialist model."

But while Khrushchev denounced Stalin and Deng criticised Mao, Kim could not do the same with his legitimacy resting in large part on his family heritage.

"You cannot change much in the ideology because you cannot say that your father or grandfather was wrong."Former Iranian prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi, shown here in 2000, has been taken to prison months after being sentenced over the death in custody of a protestor

A former Iranian prosecutor has finally been taken to prison months after being sentenced over the death in custody of a protestor, the judiciary's news agency said Sunday.

The delay in starting Saeed Mortazavi's two-year sentence had caused anger and ridicule in recent weeks, with mocked-up "Wanted" posters appearing for the notorious former prosecutor online and around Tehran.

Mortazavi's lawyer was unable to confirm whether he had been taken into custody, telling the reformist ILNA news agency: "I have no information on this issue."

But the judiciary-linked Mizanonline news agency, citing an unnamed source, said: "The process of transferring Mortazavi to prison to serve his term is underway."

He "was identified and arrested some hours ago by law enforcement officers in one of the northern cities of the country," it added.

The former chief prosecutor for Tehran was sentenced last year over the death of a protester who had been jailed for taking part in the mass protests over alleged election-rigging in 2009.

In recent days, reformist lawmakers had demanded answers over why Mortazavi was still a free man, particularly after a judiciary spokesman said the authorities had "not been successful in getting (their) hands on him".

A journalist for the Ghanoon newspaper, Mira Ghorbanifar, tweeted earlier this month that she had phoned Mortazavi and he had calmly told her he was at home in Tehran.

Mortazavi is subject to sanctions by the United States and the European Union for "grave violations of human rights" including the arrest of "hundreds of activists, journalists and students" during the 2009 protests.

He was suspended from the judiciary in November 2014 in connection with the deaths of three protestors in Kahrizak prison, south of Tehran, in July 2009.

Mortazavi was ultimately found guilty in relation to one of the three deaths and sentenced to five years, but this was commuted to two years in November, with no possibility of further appeal.

He had already become a hate figure among reformists in the early 2000s, when he earned the nickname "the butcher of the press" for closing dozens of reformist newspapers and cracking down on dissident bloggers.Moe Yan Naing leaves the court after giving his evidence

The family of a Myanmar policeman who testified in court that two Reuters reporters had been set up was evicted from their police housing a day after his evidence, his wife said.

Deputy police Major Moe Yan Naing, a prosecution witness, surprised the Yangon courtroom on Friday by describing how his colleagues were ordered by a senior officer to "get" reporter Wa Lone by handing him sensitive documents at a meeting.

The 32-year-old Myanmar journalist and his colleague Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, have been detained since they were arrested in December and accused of possessing classified papers.

The case, which has sparked global alarm over eroding press freedom in Myanmar, could see the pair jailed for up to 14 years.

Moe Yan Naing's testimony was an extremely rare case of a security official breaking ranks in the former junta-run country, where the army remains immensely powerful.

The defence team quickly expressed fears for the safety of the policeman, who was returned to detention after the pre-trial hearing.

He has also been held by authorities since December and is facing charges for breaching police regulations.

The day after his testimony Moe Yan Naing's wife, Tu Tu, posted on Facebook that "a senior officer asked us to leave our barrack" in the capital Naypyidaw.

"I feel like I was hit by a thunderstorm. We were kicked out to the roadside," she wrote, alongside photos of the family's belongings piled up outside.

When reached by phone on Sunday she told AFP briefly that she was travelling back to her home town in the central region of Sagaing.

A police spokesman denied the eviction had any connection to her husband's testimony, saying the family had been supposed to leave the capital months ago after Moe Yan Naing was transferred to Yangon.

"It's not related with his statement at court... it was just a coincidence," Colonel Myo Thu Soe told AFP.

Officials have sought to curtail reporting on a military crackdown in Rakhine state which the UN says amounts to ethnic cleansing of the Muslim Rohingya minority.

At the time of their arrests the reporters had been investigating security officers' roles in the massacre of 10 Rohingya men in northern Rakhine, centre of the army campaign that has seen some 700,000 Rohingya flee to neighbouring Bangladesh since August.

The military later conceded that security officers took part in the killings, which rights groups say is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to atrocities against the Rohingya.

The stateless group has faced decades of systematic discrimination and persecution in mainly Buddhist Myanmar.The family of Korean Air's underfire chairman have had their homes raided by police investigating smuggling claims, it has emerged.

Customs officials swooped on properties belonging to Cho Yang-ho's family amid reports they had smuggled expensive liquor or luxury items using Korean Air flights to evade taxes.

In a separate probe, police said they were looking into whether his wife, Lee Myung-hee, had abused airline staff and workers renovating her home amid accusations of screaming, cursing, slapping and kicking.

The hot-tempered clan landed in hot water earlier this month after chairman Cho Yang-ho's second daughter was accused of throwing water into an advertising agency manager's face in a fit of rage during a business meeting.

That came after her sister made global headlines in 2014 for angrily kicking a cabin crew member off a plane after being served macadamia nuts in a bag rather than a bowl.

Cho Hyun-min, the younger daughter who is marketing executive at the South Korean flag carrier, is under police investigation for assault after she was accused of throwing water into a man's face at a business meeting

Cho Hyun-ah (centre) made global headlines for angrily kicking a cabin crew member off a plane after being served macadamia nuts in a bag rather than a bowl - an incident quickly dubbed 'nut rage'

The incident was dubbed 'nut rage', prompting the sister's case to be described as 'water rage'.

Cho Yang-ho has since apologised for for the 'immature' behaviour of his two daughters and said they would both resign from their company posts.

'As chairman of Korean Air, as well as a father, I feel terrible about the immature actions of my daughters,' he said in a statement.

'Everything is my fault and my wrongdoing. I apologise to the people.'

The Korean Air chief added his two daughters will immediately step down from all positions within the company.

Seoul police said last week they were launching a formal investigation into the younger Cho, based on the testimonies of people present at the meeting.

Following the incident, the 34-year-old issued a wide-ranging email apology to 'everyone' she had worked with for her behaviour, although she has denied throwing water in anyone's face.

Korean Air's chairman Cho Yang-ho (centre) has apologised for the 'immature' behaviour of his two daughters and said they would both resign from their company posts following separate controversies

The 2014 'nut rage' incident saw the older Cho, then the firm's vice president, forcing two flight attendants to kneel and beg for forgiveness on a Seoul-bound flight from New York before ejecting one of them from the plane before takeoff.

The incident was one of the most infamous cases involving offspring of one of South Korea's mega-wealthy business elite families, whose arrogance and bad behaviour regularly make headlines.

The notorious heiress was jailed but had returned to work as an executive of Korean Air's hotel affiliate in March.

In the latest instalment, police said on Monday they were looking into whether the sisters' mother Lee Myung-hee had herself abused employees verbally and physically.

Media reports accused Lee, who is in her late 60s, of a litany of abuse of multiple workers renovating her home and of Korean Air employees, including screaming, cursing, slapping and kicking.

'We have launched a preliminary probe into suspicions that Lee... assaulted and verbally abused multiple people,' Yonhap news agency quoted an unidentified police official as saying.

Meanwhile, an official at the Korea Customs Service confirmed that authorities raided the airline's headquarters in Seoul seeking evidence on alleged smuggling and tariff evasion.

South Korean media reports have cited anonymous tips from airline employees that the Cho family smuggled foreign goods into South Korea by disguising them as corporate assets. A Korean Air spokesman said the family is fully cooperating with the investigation.Meron Eren, co-founder and owner of the Kedem auction house, holds a letter by German anti-Semitic composer Richard Wagner which will be auctioned in Jerusalem next week

A letter penned by Richard Wagner warning of Jewish influence in culture will be auctioned next week in Israel, where public performances of German anti-Semitic composer's works are effectively banned.

Wagner, whose grandiose and nationalistic 19th century work is infused with anti-Semitism, misogyny and proto-Nazi ideas of racial purity, was Adolf Hitler's favourite composer.

While there is no law in Israel banning his works from being played in Israel, orchestras and venues refrain from doing so because of the public outcry and disturbances accompanying past attempts.

Tuesday's sale of the handwritten letter, dated April 25, 1869 and addressed to French philosopher Edouard Schure, could rekindle the debate in Israel on the controversial composer.

Wagner wrote in the letter that Jewish assimilation into French society prevents the observation of "the corroding influence of the Jewish spirit on modern culture", adding that the French know "very little" about the Jews.

In 1850, Wagner published under a pseudonym his infamous anti-Semitic pamphlet, "Judaism in Music", in which he lambasted Jews. It was re-issued in 1869 under his full name.

Meron Eren, a co-founder and owner of the Kedem auction house which will be selling the letter on Tuesday, said this was the first time he was dealing with a Wagner item.

"Wagner would roll over in his grave" if he knew that a bearded Jew in Jerusalem was going to profit from his letter, Eren said.

Ruth HaCohen, a musicology professor at Hebrew University, said the letter shows Wagner's desire to have his anti-Semitic views accepted by the public, describing its sale in Jerusalem of all places an "irony".

Public performances of Wagner's works are effectively banned in Israel as he is considered Adolf Hitler's favourite composer

But there are those in Israel who are trying to break the taboo surrounding Wagner and promote his music, like Jonathan Livny, an attorney and hear of the Israel Wagner Society.

He said although Israelis embrace German products like Volkswagen and Mercedes cars and Israeli trains and submarines are made in Germany, they continue to boycott Wagner.

"It's easy to boycott him because most of the people don't listen to his music," said Livny.

Wagner has become a "symbol of the Holocaust", Livny added.A widow lays a wreath on the pyre of her policeman husband, who was killed fighting India's Maoists in 2017: the revolt has continued since the 1960s

At least 14 suspected Maoist guerillas were killed Sunday in a gunfight in India's western state of Maharashtra, police said, yet another violent clash in the country's longest-running conflict.

Police said nearly 100 rebels were intercepted in a remote forest in Gadchiroli district roughly 900 kilometres (560 miles) east of Mumbai, and ordered to surrender.

But the guerrillas opened fire, sparking a battle with special police units that lasted hours, Maharashtra police said.

"We are continuing with search operations in the area. So far we have recovered 14 bodies," the state's head of anti-Maoist operations, Sharad Shelar, told AFP. The police suffered no casualties.

The Maoist insurgency began in the 1960s, inspired by Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong, and has cost thousands of lives in almost daily incidents of violence.

Thousands of armed men and women -- also known as Naxals -- have fought authorities in the so-called "Red Corridor" that stretches through central and eastern India.

They claim to be fighting for the rights of the indigenous tribal people, including the right to land, resources and jobs.

The Maoists are believed to be present in at least 20 Indian states but are most active in forested resource-rich areas in the states of Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand and Maharashtra.

Last month eight members of the security forces were killed in Chhattisgarh after suspected rebels blew up their vehicle with a landmine.

Two soldiers were killed last week in a similar explosion in the central state.A Syrian boy waves from inside a bus transporting fighters and their families from al-Ruhaiba and eastern Qalamun, upon arriving at a checkpoint in the city of al-Bab in the northern countryside of Aleppo on April 22, 2018

Syrian rebels and civilians bussed out of an area near Damascus were heading Sunday to a northwestern pocket of the country held by pro-Turkish forces, a monitor and rebel sources said.

The displacement was the result of a negotiated withdrawal of rebels from the East Qalamun area, 60 kilometres (35 miles) northeast of Syria's capital.

Under the deal, several thousand anti-government fighters and their relatives are to be granted safe passage from East Qalamun to rebel-held territory in the north.

Some were being bussed even further to the area of Afrin, a hilly enclave in northwest Syria that Ankara-backed forces captured in recent months from Kurdish fighters.

Rebels said they were headed to a camp for the displaced in the area.

"There are 1,148 people on this convoy, going from the East Qalamun region to the Jandairis camp" in the Afrin region, said Abu Mahmoud, a rebel fighter responsible for the convoy's security.

He spoke to AFP near Al-Bab, a northern rebel town used as a way station for such evacuation deals in recent months.

As the convoy paused outside Al-Bab at a security checkpoint, children could be seen scampering off the shabby-looking buses for a break in the sun.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said parts of the convoy were already arriving in the Afrin region.

"The convoy has arrived and there are already several thousand rebels and civilians resettled in Afrin," Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said.

"Some are squatting in abandoned homes," he added.

Tens of thousands of people were displaced by the Turkish-led assault on the Afrin region, whose small towns and villages were home to mostly Syrian Kurds.

The offensive, waged by Turkish soldiers and allied rebels, began on January 20 and eventually captured the main city of Afrin.

The Observatory said dozens of civilians were killed in the push but Ankara says it avoided any civilian casualties.

The resettlement of rebels and civilians to the area has prompted concerns about demographic changes, especially as much of the rhetoric around the original offensive included an ethnic dimension.

Ankara has accused the Kurdish militia who once held Afrin of being "terrorists".Chinese President Xi Jinping plans to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi this week

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet in central China this week, Beijing announced Sunday, as the Asian powers work to improve strained ties.

The two leaders will hold an "informal summit" in the city of Wuhan on Friday and Saturday, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said after talks with his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj.

"The summit will go a long way towards deeping the mutual trust between the two great neighbours," Wang said.

Xi and Modi "will set a general direction, identify new goals and create a new dynamic for the growth of China-India relations.

"This will benefit not just our two countries and peoples, but will also have an important and positive impact on peace and development in our region and the world at large," he added.

Swaraj said the summit will be "an important occasion for them to exchange views on bilateral and international matters, from an overarching and long term perspective, with the objective of enhancing mutual communication at the level of leaders."

Swaraj and Wang met in Beijing before a meeting on Tuesday of foreign ministers from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), a regional security grouping spearheaded by China and Russia.

China will host an SCO summit in June. India and its arch-rival Pakistan formally joined the bloc last year and Modi is expected to attend the summit, according to Indian media.

This week's meeting between Xi and Modi comes months after the two countries resolved a tense border standoff.

- Himalayan face-off -

Indian and Chinese troops faced off last June on the Doklam plateau, an area high in the Himalayas claimed both by China and by India's ally Bhutan.

The dispute began when Chinese troops started building a road on the plateau and India deployed troops to stop the project.

A crisis was averted in August when the two nuclear-armed nations pulled back their troops.

"We believe that our commonalities outweigh our differences, and that we must build our convergences, while seeking mutually acceptable resolutions to our differences," Swaraj said.

"While making efforts to make progress in our relations in diverse areas, we underlined that maintaining peace and tranquility in the India-China border areas is an essential prerequisite for the smooth development of bilateral relations," she said.

India and China have a long history of mistrust as they jostle for regional supremacy.

China has fostered closer ties with Pakistan in recent years, while India is revamping its military and bolstering its partnership with the United States.

Both nations say they are committed to solving longstanding border disagreements through dialogue, but progress has been glacial.

India and China went to war in 1962 over Arunachal Pradesh, with Chinese troops temporarily capturing part of the Himalayan territory.

The dispute remains unresolved, with India considering Arunachal Pradesh one of its northeastern states while China stakes claim to about 90,000 square kilometres of the state.

In February Beijing lodged an angry protest with New Delhi over a trip by Modi to the state.

India has also raised concerns about an economic corridor China is building in Pakistan as the project cuts through Pakistan-administered Kashmir, disputed territory that New Delhi claims is illegally occupied.

But Modi called Xi in March to congratulate the Chinese leader on his re-appointment as president, with New Delhi saying both agreed that "as two major powers growing rapidly, bilateral relations between India and China are vital".Two people were killed and 16 wounded in clashes in Madagascar

The president of Madagascar on Sunday condemned as a "coup" deadly opposition-led protests against new electoral laws and warned "troublemakers" against further action.

"I call on all the people of Madagascar to be calm, respect democracy, but what happened on Saturday is nothing but a coup," President Hery Rajaonarimampianina said in a television address, referring to clashes between security forces and police and opposition protesters.

"We must all be convinced that a coup detat brings no solution for our country's future. I warn troublemakers and those who insist on hatred and clashes in search of a bloodbath or loss in human life," he added.

Two people were killed and 16 wounded in the clashes on Saturday.

Dozens of soldiers had earlier been deployed around the public square in the capital of the restive island nation.

The soldiers later vacated the square in Antananarivo, clearing the way for some 100 opposition activists to gather, an AFP reporter at the scene said.

The demonstrators were protesting against new electoral laws that the opposition claim could bar some candidates from standing in upcoming presidential elections.

- ' Nothing but a coup' -

The large Indian Ocean island is due to hold polls in late November or December.

Authorities had declared the Saturday protest illegal, but opposition activists defied the order.

"I came here to pay homage to those killed yesterday here," said protester Nirina, who refused to give her surname.

"I was afraid that there would be more deaths today, but fortunately the soldiers left," she added, saying that she thought more soldiers had been deployed.

She said she and other protesters were calling for President Hery Rajaonarimampianina "to resign".

- 'The worst regime' -

Elected in 2013, Rajaonarimampianina has not yet announced whether he will stand for re-election.

But two former heads of state have already mooted runs: Marc Ravalomanana, who was president from 2002 to 2009, and Andry Rajoelina, who removed him during a coup.

Both were barred from running in 2013 and their parties have been involved in the protests.

Madagascar endured several years of turmoil after Ravalomanana was ousted as president in the 2009 coup.

He was overthrown following an army mutiny that allowed Rajoelina -- then Antananarivo mayor -- to become the country's unelected transition president until 2014.

Rajaonarimampianina's arrival in power brought a temporary end to Madagascar's long series of political crises.

"I have lived under different regimes in Madagascar but it is this one, under Rajaonarimampianina, which is the worst," said protester Aime Abel Jocelyn, who travelled 500 kilometres from the town of Betroka.

"I came here to help bring change... to find a solution for my country."

The European Union mission in Madagascar in a statement called on the country's political actors to exercise restraint and expressed its support for "credible, transparent and inclusive presidential elections in 2018".

The African Union representative in Madagascar, Ahmed Youssouf Hawa, also called for calm, restraint and accountability.

"Madagascar does not need to plunge back into a difficult situation just a few months before the elections," he said in a statement.The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said that the shooting occurred at a Waffle House restaurant in Antioch, a suburb southeast of Nashville, at 3:25 am (0825 GMT) Sunday

A nude gunman shot dead three people and injured at least four more in the early hours of Sunday at a restaurant on the outskirts of Nashville, Tennessee, police said.

The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said in a statement that the shooting occurred at a Waffle House restaurant in Antioch, a suburb southeast of Nashville, at 3:25 am (0825 GMT).

"A patron wrestled away the gunman's rifle. He was nude & fled on foot. He is a white man with short hair," the statement added.

A following statement named 29-year-old Travis Reinking, of Morton, Illinois -- a village located some 450 miles north of Antioch -- as a person of interest. Police said the suspect arrived in a car registered to Reinking.

They added the gunman, who had shed his coat, was last seen walking on Murfreesboro Pike, where the 24-hour diner is located.

Local media citing police on the scene reported the gunman was armed with an AR-15 assault rifle -- a weapon commonly used by mass shooters in the US, where debate over gun control is fierce and shootings are all-too-frequent.

Reports added at least one victim was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, located in Nashville itself.

AR-15 rifles were used to kill 58 people in Las Vegas last October, while Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz in February opened fire on his former high school with an AR-15 style rifle, killing 17 students and staff members.

In the wake of the Florida massacre, student survivors launched a gun control campaign -- drawing hundreds of thousands to demonstrations -- and businesses including Walmart and Dick's Sporting Goods took measures to restrict access to assault weapons and firearms in general.

However, Congress is sitting on its hands when it comes to the issue.

Meanwhile, an ABC News/Washington Post poll published Friday suggested that support for a ban on assault weapons has risen sharply in the past few months.

Sixty-two percent of those polled said they support a nationwide ban on the sale of assault weapons, up from 50 percent in mid-February and 45 percent in late 2015.Related Iraq says it carried out air raid against IS group in Syria

An Iraqi air strike in Syria on April 19 has killed 36 Islamic State militants, including some of the group's leaders in Syria, an Iraqi military spokesman told Reuters on Sunday.

Iraqi warplanes had attacked an Islamic State group explosives factory and other positions inside Syria on Thursday, a rare air assault across the border.

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People often use hand tools in the small scale mines in eastern Cameroon, such as this one outside the town of Betare Oya

Killings, land grabs, corruption... tensions and violence are rising in eastern Cameroon as Chinese firms take advantage of a regulatory twilight zone to mine gold.

"There are constant conflicts between Cameroonians and the Chinese" over gold mining, said Narma Ndoyama, a farmer in Longa Mali, a small village in the middle of the mining area.

At the beginning of April, four companies were banned from mining in East Cameroon, according to Foder, a group that campaigns for protecting the environment and rural development.

One of them was the Chinese firm Lu and Lang, which is notorious in the region after one of its employees allegedly killed a Cameroonian who was looking for gold on land claimed by the company, according to Foder.

"Villagers rioted and killed the Chinese man" by stoning him, said Ndoyama.

The mining company resumed its activities at Longa Mali after a brief halt.

The Chinese "killed my son, but they did nothing" for me, said Philippe Balla, the victim's father. "They are working and no one bothers them."

Anger still simmers among locals over companies buying agricultural land "for crumbs", said Michel Pilo, who is the village elder for Mali, the area which encompasses Longa Mali.

"They devastate our fields," he said, saying a patch of land worth 500,000 CFA francs (750 euros, $925) was purchased for 80,000.

Farmers feel they have no choice but to sell, said a local official.

"You can't refuse because if you do your land will be dug up without the payment of any compensation," said the official on condition of anonymity.

Ndoyama is one of the few farmers to still have cultivable land.

He sees the encroachment of Chinese miners as a threat to his cassava farm.

"They are already alongside my field" where they are digging up the earth looking for gold.

"They haven't trampled on my land, but I am afraid they will," said Ndoyama.

Locals have repeatedly called, in vain, for authorities to properly set property boundaries.

"I am waiting for my land to be surveyed to launch a case to save my farm," said Ndoyama.

AFP contacted several Chinese miners in the region who declined to discuss the complaints of locals against them.

- 'No transparency' -

Employees at a Chinese mining company operate machinery at a mining site near Longa Mali

"It is easy to vent anger against the Chinese, but who brought them in" to the region? said Gabriel Yadji, a representative of the eastern region in the mining ministry.

"It is Cameroonians that have led them to behave like they do," he added.

The process of gaining a mining permit is labyrinthine and none has ever been awarded for industrial mining. All mining is small scale.

The individuals who receive permits, Cameroonians mostly, rent or sell them to foreign companies.

"There is no transparency on the procedures to obtain mining permits," said Foder, which says it tried in vain to gain access to the register of issued permits.

The local press says the Cameroonian elite -- including generals, colonels, lawmakers, ministers and a nephew of President Paul Biya hold mining permits, but it is impossible to confirm the information.

The suspicions of corruption do not only surround the obtention of mining permits.

"The army protects the Chinese at all their mining sites to the detriment of nearby communities and it participates in intimidating them and racketeering," said one activist, who asked not to be named.

There is no official data on the amount of land being mined in eastern Cameroon, which is believed to be rich in mineral resources, but remains underdeveloped and mired in poverty.

While the government has created an agency to monitor the small scale mining industry, it does not have sufficient resources to monitor all production, an employee acknowledged.

"In many cases we are happy with Chinese companies declaring their production volumes themselves," said the employee.

Cameroon's legislation stipulates that 25 percent of gold production should be handed over to the government.

In 2017, Capam said it received 255 kilos of gold from miners across the entire country. That puts the value of nation's gold output at roughly $41 million.General Sultan Hashim Ahmad, defence minister under late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, is one of 14 Saddam-era officials still behind bars in the country

Fourteen officials from Saddam Hussein's regime are still in Iraq's prisons, 15 years after the late dictator was deposed by a US-led invasion in 2003, according to an AFP survey.

Of the list of 55 suspects most wanted by the coalition that invaded Iraq, six were executed, six were killed in combat, eight died in captivity, five are on the run, and 16 were freed by the Americans before they pulled out of the country in 2011.

Saddam's two sons -- Uday and Qusay -- were among those killed in fighting.

The remaining detainees include the dictator's defence minister, General Sultan Hashim Ahmad, sentenced to death in June 2007 but never executed.

The others are mid-level Baath party cadres who held positions in the military or government.

The latest to be detained is Abdel Baqi Abdel Karim Abdallah, a top Baath party official who was arrested in June 2015 in Kirkuk while in hiding.

All detained former regime officials are being held in Nasiriyah prison in the country's south, according to Badia Araf, a lawyer representing some of the detainees.

The conditions in detention are "very bad", the lawyer said, adding that General Ahmad's health was "deteriorating".

Araf said that with the exception of Jamal Mustafa Abdallah Sultan, the former "number two" for tribal affairs in jail since 2003 and the husband of Saddam's daughter Hala, the others have been sentenced.

Most of them have been condemned to death.

"I filed 30 release requests with the authorities, who didn't even answer me," said Araf.

"I think these prisoners will remain in detention until death without the intervention of human rights organisations, who have done nothing so far."

Five of Saddam's lieutenants are still believed to be on the run, the most famous being Ezzat al-Duri, former vice president of the dictator's Revolutionary Command Council whose death has been announced by authorities several times.

One of the former Baath party officials, Saif el-Din Mashhadani, was executed in Mosul by Islamic State group jihadists in 2014.

Saddam himself was captured near his hometown Tikrit in December 2003 and hanged in late 2006.Some 15,000 nurses fighting for better salaries and work conditions walked off the job last Monday, paralysing major hospitals

Thousands of Zimbabwe nurses who were sacked after they went on strike for better wages have been told to return to work by their union, in a bid to allow fresh negotiations with the government.

Some 15,000 nurses fighting for better work conditions walked out of public hospital wards last Monday, paralysing major hospitals resulting in patients being turned away.

Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, dismissed them a day after, accusing them of being "politically motivated."

"To pave way for re-opening of negotiations and protection of our workers we have decided to call off the industrial action," the Zimbabwe Nurses Association said in a statement Saturday night, urging all nurses to report for duty by Monday.

The nurses said their strike had been politicised, but gave no details.

"It is highly regrettable that our cause of collective job action has been highly politicised," said the statement.

The nurses are demanding better wages and are complaining about lack of basics in government hospitals, including drugs.

After sacking the striking nurses, the government resorted to hiring unemployed nurses and recalling those who have retired to fill the vacant posts.

The nurses on Friday filed an urgent application in court seeking to have their dismissals nullified.

They asked the High Court to "restrain and interdict" the government "from terminating the services of some striking nurses and to stop the government from recruiting new staff", according to a statement from the country's human rights lawyers.

The court ruling is yet to be handed down.

The dismissal of the nurses was seen as a hardline response by the country's new leadership to growing labour unrest.

After Robert Mugabe's 37-year rule, Emmerson Mnangagwa took over, vowing to revive the country's moribund economy and attract foreign investment to fund better public services.Pakistan's Pashtuns have begaun a protest campaign against their treatment by security forces

Thousands of Pashtuns defied authorities and held a mass rally in the Pakistani city of Lahore on Sunday, chanting anti-military slogans just hours after security forces cracked down on their leaders.

The rapidly growing Pashtun Protection Movement (PTM) has rattled Pakistan's powerful military since it burst onto the scene three months ago with a nationwide campaign against alleged abuses against ethnic Pashtuns by security forces.

The Pashtuns are a fiercely independent ethnic group that straddle both sides of the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Both the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban are dominated by Pashtuns, leading to repeated military operations in the region.

But PTM's leadership say Pashtun civilians have born the brunt of the army's long fight against militants and are calling for an end to what they say are rampant extrajudicial killings and "disappearances".

Despite a far-reaching media blackout the movement has nonetheless drawn thousands of supporters, in one of the strongest challenges to Pakistan's security establishment for years.

PTM's leader Manzoor Pashteen on Sunday addressed supporters in the eastern city of Lahore, lashing out at the country's top military brass over their alleged abuses and "dirty tactics".

"They are thieves and they have only one goal in life, that is to make as much money as they can," he said.

An AFP reporter at the scene estimated about 5,000 people attended the rally -- smaller than recent protests, but a significant showing considering Lahore lies far from the movement's base in northwest Pakistan.

The crowd, which included non-Pashtun supporters, chanted the PTM slogan: "The uniforms are behind the terrorists."

The protest went ahead despite authorities refusing to issue permits, citing security reasons.

"We do not accept the Pakistan that is for the generals and the mullahs, we want a Pakistan for the Sindhis, for the Baloch, for the Pashtun and for the working class of Punjab," said PTM supporter Fanoos Gujar, referring to the country's major ethnic groups.

- Crackdown -

The rally was held hours after officials in Lahore detained several PTM leaders late Saturday following raids on Punjab University and a hotel.

A local police officer confirmed the raids but said the activists have since been released.

Some of Pakistan's key militant movements are made up of Pashtuns, but many say innocent Pashtun civilians are caught up in security crackdowns

The crackdown sparked anger on social media with the hashtags #ReleasePTMWorkers and #ShameOnPunjabPolice gaining traction.

Human Rights Watch's Pakistan representative Saroop Ijaz called the incident "worrying".

"It's an attack on the right to assembly and free expression," said Ijaz.

PTM supporters from across the country had flocked to Lahore in recent days ahead of the rally. Following the raids, PTM leader Pashteen -- who was not detained -- vowed to continue with the demonstration.

"We won't stay silent. We will hold the rally at any cost," said Pashteen in a message posted early Sunday.

The PTM came to prominence in February after the killing of a young social media star in Karachi unleashed festering anger at authorities over alleged targeting of Pashtuns.

Pakistan's military has accused the PTM of colluding with arch-rival India and overseeing a campaign to destabilise the country.

Criticism of Pakistan's powerful armed forces, especially their counter-insurgency operations, is largely seen as a red line in the country, hence the media blackout.

Pashtuns account for roughly 15 percent of Pakistan's population, with a majority of the 30 million-strong group living in the northwest.Illegal migrants of different African nationalities arrive at a naval base in Libya's capital Tripoli on April 22, 2018, after being rescued off the coast of Zlitan from two inflatable boats

At least eleven migrants died at sea and another 263 were rescued on Sunday in two separate operations off the coast of Libya, the country's navy said.

In the first operation, "a coastguard patrol... was able to rescue 83 illegal migrants and recovered 11 bodies in a rubber boat five nautical miles northeast of Sabratha", navy spokesman General Ayoub Kacem told AFP.

Sabratha is about 70 kilometres (40 miles) west of Tripoli.

"The 11 dead migrants drowned when the dinghy overturned but were recovered by the survivors and hoisted into the boat," said Mohamad Erhouma, a member of the nearby city of Zawiyah's coastguard.

The second rescue operation took place off the coast of Zliten in the country's east, where 180 migrants were rescued from two boats, according to General Kacem.

Zliten is about 170 kilometres (100 miles) east of Tripoli.

The migrants, of different African nationalities, "were aboard two inflatable boats when they were intercepted and then brought back to the port of Tripoli", he said.

Since the 2011 fall and killing of longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi, Libya has become a key launch pad for migrants making desperate bids to reach Europe, often on unseaworthy vessels.

Last year alone, 3,116 people died attempting the crossing, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), including 2,833 from Libya.

The conflict-riven country is regularly singled out for the exploitation and ill-treatment of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa.German Chancellor Angela Merkel gestures during a news conference on April 12, 2018 at the Chancellery in Berlin

German Chancellor Angela Merkel denounced the emergence of "another form of anti-Semitism" from refugees of Arab origin in Germany, in an interview with Israeli television broadcast on Sunday.

"We have a new phenomenon, as we have many refugees among whom there are, for example, people of Arab origin who bring another form of anti-Semitism into the country," Merkel told the private Channel 10 network.

Her remarks come after an alleged anti-Semitic attack Tuesday in Berlin caused a stir in Germany.

According the German tabloid Bild, the main alleged perpetrator, who surrendered to police, is a Syrian refugee who lived in a centre for migrants near Berlin.

In the interview, Merkel said the German government had appointed a commissioner to fight against anti-Semitism.

"The fact that no nursery, no school, no synagogue can be left without police protection dismays us," she said.

Merkel also reaffirmed that Israel's security was a central concern for Germany because of its "eternal responsibility" for the Holocaust.

But she rejected the possibility that Berlin would follow Washington's example and move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

"We must work for a two-state solution, and according to that, the status of Jerusalem must be clarified," she said.

The US move has angered Palestinians who see east Jerusalem, annexed by Israel, as the capital of any future Palestinian state.

Merkel also reiterated Germany's support for the continuation of the Iran nuclear deal, which provides for curbs to Tehran's nuclear programme in exchange for relief from international sanctions.

"We think it's better to have an agreement, even if it's not perfect, than no agreement," she said.

Israeli leaders and US President Donald Trump's administration think the deal -- signed in 2015 between Iran and the world's five nuclear powers, plus Germany -- is too lax.

Trump has threatened to restore sanctions against Iran and withdraw from the deal if his European partners do not "fix" it by May 12.British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, left, met Acting US Secretary of State John Sullivan on the sidelines of the meeting to express concern over the fate of the Iran nuclear deal

The Group of Seven industrialized nations presented a stern common front against Russian aggression Sunday at their foreign ministers conference in Toronto.

But for all the talk of resisting the "malign activities" of Vladimir Putin's Kremlin, Washington's European partners are still concerned that President Donald Trump will tear up the Iran nuclear deal.

And all the G7 partners remain anxious for clues as to how the unpredictable US leader will handle a planned disarmament summit with North Korea's Kim Jong Un.

"There was G7 unity on opposing Russia's malign behavior," a senior US official told reporters, citing Moscow's failure to prevent Syrian forces from using chemical weapons and interference in Western elections.

The final joint statement from the talks will not be released until Monday, but officials from other nations confirmed that the ministers had taken a tough line on Russia's alleged crimes.

France's President Emmanuel Macron, who begins a series of meetings with Trump on Monday, said in an interview that the West must stand up to Putin's attacks on western democracy, including the spreading of "fake news."

"He's strong and smart. But don't be naive. He's obsessed by interference in our democracies," Macron told "Fox News Sunday" before setting off for Washington.

"That's why I do believe that we should never be weak with President Putin. When you are weak, he uses it."

Canada's Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland hosted the meeting and invited her G7 colleagues plus the European Union's representative to a working lunch to discuss the crisis in Ukraine, where Russian-backed rebels have seized an eastern region.

Later, she said G7 members had "reaffirmed our unity in support of Ukraine and a rules-based international order where state sovereignty and territorial integrity are respected by all."

- Deadly nerve agent -

Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland (L) and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, opened a meeting of G7 ministers with a tribute to their female counterparts around the world

G7 capitals are also worried about Russia's support for Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad's regime in his country's brutal civil war and alleged attempt to kill a defector with a nerve agent on British soil.

The senior US official stressed that this month's joint US, French and British air strikes against Assad's chemical sites were "not a one-off but was part of a sustained allied campaign to reestablish the deterrent against chemical weapons, and that includes using military means again if necessary."

But, while the Western allies appeared united in their resolve to face down Russia, the European partners remain concerned that Trump may tear up the 2015 Iran nuclear deal next month.

Trump has threatened to abandon the accord unless European capitals agree to supplement it with tougher controls on Iran's missile program and future ability to enrich nuclear fuel.

His partners maintain that the implementation of the agreement under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) represents the best way to prevent Tehran from seeking the atomic bomb.

"We've been negotiating with the Europeans," a senior US official accompanying Acting Secretary of State John Sullivan told reporters. "We've made a great deal of progress but we're not there yet."

During a day-long series of talks, Sullivan stepped aside for a brief bilateral meeting with British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson.

As the pair sat down in the office of the chancellor of the University of Toronto, Johnson was heard telling his US counterpart "one of the things we are concerned about now is the JCPOA and where that is headed."

A French diplomatic source told AFP that: "Several G7 ministers, led by the French, made a strong appeal to the United States... As it stands, we must not throw the JCPOA out with the bath water."

The Europeans are willing to work on a supplement to the deal which would not abrogate it, and would toughen controls on Iran's missile program but "not give Iran a pretext to pull out, which would have disastrous consequences."

The ministers also discussed North Korea.

Last month, in one of the most surprising twists in world affairs for decades, Trump accepted an invitation from Pyongyang's autocrat to a summit to discuss to discuss his nuclear disarmament.

- Tougher nuclear controls -

The G7 members, including frontline state Japan, support efforts to convince Kim to end his efforts to develop a strategic nuclear missile arsenal, but are also keen to hear more from the US side.

Kim is sure to make wide demands of the West, and allies are keen to ensure that Trump does not give too much away to secure a historic deal.

After the foreign affairs meeting, the ministers will be joined on Monday by their domestic security counterparts and discussions will be widened to encompass counterterrorism and cyber security.Officers investigate the scene of the shooting where a semi-nude gunman killed four people and wounded two others

US police hunted a semi-nude gunman who shot four people dead at a waffle restaurant Sunday after he fled from a "hero" who disarmed him.

Police in the Tennessee city of Nashville said the suspect in the country's latest mass shooting may have had "mental issues," and the incident led the city's mayor to issue an unusually blunt call for "comprehensive gun reform."

The Metro Nashville Police Department said Taurean Sanderlin, 29, Joe Perez, 20, and Deebony Groves, 21, were shot dead at the all-night Waffle House restaurant in the suburb of Antioch at 3:25 am (0825 GMT).

The fourth victim, 23-year-old Akilah Dasilva, died in hospital.

Meanwhile Shanita Waggoner, 21, and Sharita Henderson, 24, were wounded and taken to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville.

Police identified the suspect as 29-year-old Travis Reinking and said he could be armed with a rifle and a handgun, after firing an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle at the restaurant, where he was nude except for a green jacket.

A military-style weapon, the AR-15 has been regularly used in US mass shootings.

James Shaw, 29, told a press conference that he and his friend had sat down in the diner after visiting a nightclub, when they thought a pile of plates had crashed.

"I saw the Waffle House employees scatter. Then I looked back and I saw a person laying on the ground right at the entrance of the door," said Shaw, wearing a brown suit jacket and with his right forearm bandaged.

Shaw said he slid from his table and moved toward the door, which the gunman was trying to enter after apparently firing through the glass.

"I'm pretty sure he grazed my arm," said Shaw.

"I kind of made up my mind, because there's no way to lock that door, that if it was gonna come down to it, he was gonna have to work to kill me."

As the shooter was either reloading, or the weapon jammed, Shaw ran and hit him with the swivel door, leading to a scuffle.

"I managed to get him with one hand on the gun, and then I grabbed it from him and threw it over the countertop," before getting the suspect outside, Shaw said.

Police said they believe the gunman discarded the jacket while fleeing to his home, where he put on a pair of pants and then disappeared into nearby woods.

- Guns were confiscated -

It was the second shooting in months to traumatize Nashville, but only the latest of many in the US with large casualties.

Travis Reinking, 29, is the main suspect in the deadly shooting

A grassroots campaign featuring mass rallies for gun control has emerged since February, when a former student opened fire with an AR-15 at a Florida high school, killing 17 students and staff.

After that attack, businesses including Walmart and Dick's Sporting Goods took measures to restrict access to firearms but there has been no major legislation to control guns.

In September, a 25-year-old killed one person and wounded six others during Sunday services at a church in Nashville, which prefers to be known for its country music heritage.

That was just one of the more than 30,000 gun-related deaths annually in the United States.

"We need comprehensive gun reform to address mass shootings, domestic shootings, accidental shootings and homicides," Nashville Mayor David Briley told the press conference.

He said these "weapons of war" should be removed from the nation's streets.

"It's happening too much. Enough is enough," Briley added.

The mayor hailed Shaw's courage, as did Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson and Waffle House CEO Walt Ehmer.

Police say this rifle was used in the semi-nude gunman's deadly shooting

"You don't get to meet many heroes in life, Mr. Shaw, but you are a hero. You are my hero. You saved people's lives," Ehmer told him.

"We're forever in your debt."

Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron told reporters that Reinking, originally from Illinois, had been arrested by the US Secret Service for being in a restricted area near the White House in July 2017.

At that time, his Illinois firearms authorization was revoked and his weapons -- including the AR-15 -- were seized.

But local authorities in Illinois later returned them to Reinking's father, "who has now acknowledged giving them back to his son," Aaron said.MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - A Minneapolis-area church pastor who also drives a school bus says his rights to free speech and to practice his religion were violated when he was taken off his route for leading students in prayer.

It is not the first time George Nathaniel, 54, has faced consequences for leading prayers. Nathaniel was fired from driving children to school in the town of Burnsville, Minnesota, four years ago for the same reason.

Quality Care Transportation removed Nathaniel from his route last week, the Star Tribune reported . He began working for the company in January 2017 and drove children to Nasha Shkola, a charter school in Brooklyn Park focused on Russian language and culture.

He started incorporating prayer into the bus ride this winter.

"The students would volunteer to lead the prayer," Nathaniel said.

Nathaniel said children need more pray in their lives and he's determined to bring prayer back to public schools.

School officials received complaints that Nathaniel was forcing minors to pray, said Muk Musa, owner of Quality Care. While bus drivers are given time for personal prayer, leading children isn't part of the job, he said.

Nathaniel said he wants to turn people to Christianity, but he never forced students to pray. He said he's shocked parents complained because he'd discussed the issue with them.

"That's where the Constitution comes in," Nathaniel said. "You've got the freedom to exercise your religious beliefs."

Nathaniel isn't fired, but hasn't received a new route either, Musa said.

"He's not going to change," Musa said. "His main focus is to influence even one person in following what he worships."

Nathaniel is also a pastor of a Minneapolis congregation.

Nasha Shkola administrators didn't immediately respond to the newspaper's request for comment.

___

Information from: Star Tribune, http://www.startribune.comWEST VALLEY CITY, Utah (AP) - The Latest on Mitt Romney's bid to win the GOP nomination for a U.S. Senate seat in Utah at the party's state convention. (all times local):

8:40 p.m.

Mitt Romney says he is looking forward to a primary campaign after failing to win the nomination for the U.S. Senate seat in Utah at the state GOP convention.

FILE - In this Feb. 16, 2018, file photo, shows former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney sitting behind the wheel of a tractor during a tour of Gibson's Green Acres Dairy in Ogden, Utah. Romney is gearing up for arguably the biggest challenge of his Senate campaign: A Utah Republican party convention where he'll have to face down nearly a dozen contenders in front of a far-right-leaning audience. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)'

Romney said Saturday he expects to do well in the primary and the general election after coming in a close second to state lawmaker Mike Kennedy at the convention in suburban Salt Lake City.

The former presidential nominee appeared upbeat after it was announced that he was edged out by state lawmaker Mike Kennedy, who got 51 percent of the vote to Romney's 49 percent.

Romney suggested that he'll focus his campaign on his experience in government, business and with the 2002 Olympics in Utah.

___

8:10 p.m.

Mitt Romney said he hasn't decided whether to support Donald Trump for re-election.

The former Republican presidential nominee told reporters Saturday that he wants to see what the field of candidates looks like before making any commitment.

Romney said backstage at the Utah Republican convention that he doesn't want to miss finding out what all the candidates would do for Utah.

Romney is seeking Utah's GOP nomination for Senate but was forced into a primary race against state lawmaker Mike Kennedy.

Romney said he supports many of Trump's policies but is also not afraid to criticize the president when necessary.

___

7:30 p.m.

Mitt Romney has been forced into a Republican primary for a U.S. Senate seat in Utah as he looks to restart his political career by replacing long-serving Sen. Orrin Hatch.

Romney already has collected enough signatures to advance to a GOP primary. But if he had won the vote of party delegates Saturday, he would have bypassed a primary altogether.

Instead, he was edged out by state lawmaker Mike Kennedy, and voters will decide between the two in a June 26 primary.

The loss is a stumble for Romney. He went up against 11 other candidates, mostly political newcomers who questioned Romney's criticism of President Donald Trump and the depth of his ties to Utah

Romney remains the heavy favorite overall to win the Senate seat in November.

___

3 a.m.

Mitt Romney may have one of the best-known names in national politics, but he's still going to have to face down nearly a dozen Republican contenders in Utah on Saturday in his bid to restart his political career with a U.S. Senate seat.

Romney will face an unpredictable crowd of far-right-leaning delegates at the Utah Republican Party convention. But while a loss would be awkward for the former presidential candidate, it wouldn't end his campaign.

That's because candidates can also win a primary spot in Utah by gathering voter signatures, which Romney has done. Though the law is a source of contention in the party, some high-profile candidates like Utah Gov. Gary Herbert have taken that route to victory despite losing at convention.

Romney will be one of 12 candidates vying for the support of core party members in the race to replace long-serving Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch.

A win on Saturday would let Romney bypass the June primary and likely cruise to Election Day victory in deep-red Utah.

The state party delegates elected by their neighbors are gathering at the convention to choose nominees for races ranging from U.S. Senate to state Legislature.

Republican U.S. Reps. Rob Bishop, John Curtis and Chris Stewart are all facing off against challengers and looking to secure the path to re-election. U.S. Rep. Mia Love is unopposed in seeking the nomination, but could face a well-known Democratic opponent in a general election battle in November.

Romney, 71, will ask for the delegates' vote after spending two months on the campaign trail visiting dairy farms, taking selfies with college students and making stump speeches in small towns.

After his failed 2012 presidential campaign, he moved to Utah, where he is also known for his role in the 2002 Winter Olympics and for becoming the first Mormon presidential nominee of a major political party.

He's worked to keep the focus on state issues rather than his history of well-documented feuds with President Donald Trump, whom he called a "con-man" and a phony during the 2016 race. Trump fired back that Romney "choked like a dog" during his own White House run. But the two men have shown fresh signs of burying the hatchet, and Romney has accepted Trump's endorsement.

Romney's competitors are largely political newcomers aside from state Rep. Mike Kennedy, a Republican from Alpine who has served in the Legislature since 2013.

In this Friday, March 2, 2018 photo, Mitt Romney poses with a group at the Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife Banquet during a campaign stop, in Blanding, Utah. Romney is gearing up for arguably the biggest challenge of his Senate campaign: A Utah Republican party convention where he'll have to face down nearly a dozen contenders in front of a far-right-leaning audience. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)

In this Saturday, March 3, 2018, photo, shows Mitt Romney during a tour of Arches National Park, near Moab, Utah. Romney is gearing up for arguably the biggest challenge of his Senate campaign: A Utah Republican party convention where he'll have to face down nearly a dozen contenders in front of a far-right-leaning audience. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)

FILE - In this Feb. 16, 2018, file photo, former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, left, poses for a photo as he greets students at Utah Valley University, in Orem, Utah. Romney is gearing up for arguably the biggest challenge of his Senate campaign: A Utah Republican party convention where he'll have to face down nearly a dozen contenders in front of a far-right-leaning audience. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)

FILE - In this March 3, 2018, file photo, Mitt Romney speaks with a group during a breakfast campaign stop in Green River, Utah. Romney is gearing up for arguably the biggest challenge of his Senate campaign: A Utah Republican party convention where he'll have to face down nearly a dozen contenders in front of a far-right-leaning audience. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)

FILE - In this Feb. 16, 2018, file photo, shows former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney standing near cows during a tour of Gibson's Green Acres Dairy in Ogden, Utah. Romney is gearing up for arguably the biggest challenge of his Senate campaign: A Utah Republican party convention where he'll have to face down nearly a dozen contenders in front of a far-right-leaning audience. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)

FILE - In this March 1, 2018, file photo, shows Rep. Mike Kennedy, R-Alpine, speaking during news conference at the Utah State Capitol, in Salt Lake City. Romney is gearing up for arguably the biggest challenge of his Senate campaign: A Utah Republican party convention where he'll have to face down nearly a dozen contenders in front of a far-right-leaning audience. Others in the crowded field include state Rep. Kennedy, who has served in the Legislature since 2013. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)A suicide bomber blew himself up outside a voter registration centre in the Afghan capital Kabul on Sunday, killing at least 57 people and injuring more than 100, in the most serious attack yet on preparations for elections scheduled for October.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack on a project of key importance to the credibility of President Ashraf Ghani's government, which has been under international pressure to ensure long-delayed parliamentary polls take place this year.

Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danesh said a bomber on foot approached the centre where officials were issuing identity cards as part of the registration process for around 10 million voters across Afghanistan. Registration began this month.

President Ghani issued a statement condemning the attack and said it "cannot divert us from our aims or weaken this national democratic process".

A spokesman for the ministry of public health said at least 57 people, including eight children, were confirmed dead and 119 wounded, but the total could still rise.

The explosion destroyed cars and shattered windows in nearby buildings, leaving rubble strewn across the blood-stained street.

It was the deadliest blast in Kabul since about 100 people were killed in January by a bomb concealed in an ambulance, and it came after repeated warnings that militants could try to disrupt the election process.

Acting U.S. Secretary of State John Sullivan condemned the attack, saying it exposed "the savagery and inhumanity of terrorists."

Tadamichi Yamamoto, the senior United Nations official in Afghanistan, said the attack appeared to be an effort "to deter Afghan citizens from carrying out their constitutional right to take part in elections."

After weeks of relative calm, the blast took place in Dasht-e Barchi, an area of western Kabul inhabited by many members of the mainly Shi'ite Hazara minority, which has been repeatedly hit by attacks claimed by Islamic State.

"There were women, children. Everyone had come to get their identity cards," said Bashir Ahmad who had been near the blast, which occurred despite heightened security after the January attack.

According to U.N. figures, more than 750 people have been killed or maimed in suicide attacks and bombings by militant groups during the three months to March ahead of an expected start of the Taliban's usual spring offensive.

Bitter Reaction

Afghanistan's international partners have insisted that the elections should be held this year before a presidential vote due in 2019, although there has been widespread scepticism that they will go ahead.

More than 7,000 voter registration centres have been set up across Afghanistan to handle about 10 million registrations in a process that has been repeatedly disrupted by technical and organisational problems.

Officials had pledged tight security to ensure the process, which will be vital to ensuring a ballot broad-based enough to be accepted as legitimate, proceeded safely. But those caught by Sunday's attack voiced frustration at what many Kabul residents see as government shortcomings in securing the capital.

"They should be keeping the country safe, if they can't, someone else should be in their place," said Sajeda, who was wounded in the blast along with three other members of her family as they lined up for their cards.

The voter registration process, designed to reduce the electoral fraud that has marred past ballots, began this month but there have already been several security incidents.

On Sunday, a roadside bomb near a registration centre in the northern city of Pul-i Khumri killed six members of a family and wounded three, although there was no indication that the incident was directly linked to the Kabul attack.

Last week, two police officers in the eastern city of Jalalabad were killed outside a voter registration centre, while a voter centre in the central province of Ghor was burned down last week and electoral officials briefly abducted.

The vote could be postponed to next year if registration of voters, many of whom do not have national identity cards, is not completed before winter sets.

Parliament is still sitting three years after its term officially expired and further delays would seriously weaken already fragile confidence in the political system.

There was an additional scare on Sunday when a NATO military convoy in Kabul accidentally hit and injured a child and triggered a protest that police dispersed by firing into the air. A NATO spokesman said the child had been taken to hospital and was in a stable condition.

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The family of Randy Potter, whose body sat in a Kansas City International Airport parking lot for months, is suing the company responsible for monitoring vehicles in the lot

The family of a man whose body sat in a Kansas City International Airport parking lot for months is suing the company responsible for monitoring vehicles in the lot.

The Kansas City Star reports that Randy Potter's, 56, widow and children sued SP+ Corporation and two of its employees Friday.

The lawsuit accuses the Delaware-based company of causing the family 'extreme trauma and emotional distress.'

Airport police found Potter's body in September in a white Dodge Ram truck, when someone called to report a bad smell.

Potter's parking pass was dated January 17. Police said it appeared Potter committed suicide.

The lawsuit says the family provided SP+ employees a description of Potter's truck and license plate about a week after he disappeared and were assured that if Potter's truck were in the lot, it would soon be found.

His family reported him missing and spent the last eight month's searching for Randy and didn't find him until September last year. Pictured on the right is Randy's widow Carolina Potter

SP+ attorney Jan Paul Miller said the company would be 'vigorously defending the suit.' A judge scheduled a hearing date on July 20.

Potter worked at a T Mobile store and lived in Lenexa, Kansas with his wife.

On January 17, the father-of-two never showed up to work.

His family reported him missing and spent the last eight month's searching for Randy and didn't find him until September last year.

Randy's widow Carolina Potter told KCTV5: 'Every dead body found, I was calling the police department and asking if it was my husband.'

'Nobody should have to go through this.'4 dead in Waffle House shooting in Tennessee; suspect sought

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A nearly naked gunman wearing only a green jacket and brandishing an assault rifle stormed a Waffle House restaurant in Nashville early Sunday, shooting four people to death before a customer rushed him and wrestled the weapon away.

Authorities were searching for the 29-year-old suspect, Travis Reinking, who they said drove to the busy restaurant and killed two people in the parking lot before entering and continuing to fire. When his AR-15 rifle either jammed or the clip was empty, the customer disarmed him in a scuffle.

Four people were also wounded before the gunman fled, throwing off his jacket.

Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson said there was no clear motive, though Reinking may have "mental issues." He may still be armed, Anderson told a mid-afternoon news conference, because he was known to have owned a handgun that authorities have not recovered.

U.S. Secret Service agents arrested Reinking last July for being in a restricted area near the White House, officials said. Special Agent Todd Hudson said Reinking was detained after refusing to leave the restricted area, saying he wanted to meet President Donald Trump.

___

Man fought gunman: He 'was going to have to work to kill me'

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The man who wrestled the gun away from the Waffle House shooting suspect in Tennessee said Sunday if he were going to die, the gunman would "have to work to kill me."

Police are calling James Shaw Jr. a hero for saving lives in the busy restaurant, but the 29-year-old Nashville resident said he only made a split-second decision to challenge the shooter and called it a "selfish" act to avoid being killed.

Shaw said at a news conference Sunday he had spent an evening out at a nightclub and entered the restaurant minutes ahead of the gunman. He said he and another friend were seated at a counter when he heard gunshots, thinking at first that a stack of freshly washed plates had crashed down.

Then, he said, restaurant workers scattered and he turned and saw a body near the front door as the gunman burst in. It was then he realized he had heard gunshots.

"I looked back and I saw a person lying on the ground right at the entrance of the door, then I jumped and slid ... I went behind a push door - a swivel door," Shaw said. "He shot through that door; I'm pretty sure he grazed my arm. At that time I made up my mind ... that he was going to have to work to kill me. When the gun jammed or whatever happened, I hit him with the swivel door."

___

Memorial service held for woman killed in Southwest flight

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - Family and friends gathered Sunday to mourn an Albuquerque bank executive who died after the Southwest Airlines plane she was on blew an engine in midair.

Nearly a thousand people attended the evening service for Jennifer Riordan, the Albuquerque Journal reported . The service was held at Popejoy Hall on the University of New Mexico campus, her alma mater.

"We appreciate the outpouring of support from the community. It truly touches our hearts," the Riordan family wrote in a statement. "We know there are many in the community who want to celebrate Jennifer."

The 43-year-old community leader and mother of two had been heading home from a business trip Tuesday on a flight from New York's LaGuardia Airport bound for Dallas.

Early in the flight as the plane was at 32,000 feet (9,754 meters), one of its twin engines suddenly exploded. The impact showered the jet with debris and shattered the window next to Riordan.

___

Trump says North Korea agreed to denuclearize. It hasn't.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) - President Donald Trump on Sunday claimed North Korea has agreed to "denuclearization" before his potential meeting with Kim Jong Un. But that's not the case.

North Korea said Friday it would suspend nuclear tests and intercontinental ballistic missile launches ahead of summits with the U.S. and South Korea. Kim also said a nuclear test site would be closed and "dismantled" now that the country has learned how to make nuclear weapons and mount warheads on ballistic rockets.

But the North has stopped short of saying it has any intention of abandoning its nuclear arsenal, with Kim making clear that nukes remain a "treasured sword."

Trump nonetheless tweeted Sunday that the North has "agreed to denuclearization (so great for World), site closure, & no more testing!"

Being committed to the concept of denuclearization, however, is not the same as agreeing to it, as Trump claims.

___

Islamic State suicide bomber kills 57 in Afghan capital

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - An Islamic State suicide bomber carried out an attack at a voter registration center in the capital Kabul on Sunday, killing 57 people and wounding more than 100 others, said officials from the Afghan interior and public health ministries.

Public Health Ministry spokesman Wahid Majro said that among 57 who were killed in the attack, 22 were women and eight are children. Majro added that 119 people were wounded in Sunday's attack, among them 17 children and 52 women. "The tolls could still rise," he added.

Gen. Daud Amin, the Kabul police chief, said the suicide bomber targeted civilians who were registering for national identification cards.

The large explosion echoed across the city, shattering windows miles away from the attack site and damaging several nearby vehicles. Police blocked all roads to the blast site, with only ambulances allowed in. Local TV stations broadcast live footage of hundreds of distraught locals gathered at nearby hospitals seeking word about loved ones.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement carried by its Aamaq news agency, saying it had targeted Shiite "apostates."

___

Syrian military pummels IS-held districts in Damascus

BEIRUT (AP) - Syrian government forces used warplanes, helicopters and artillery on Sunday to pound districts of the capital held by the Islamic State group, in a bid to enforce an evacuation deal reached with the militants earlier in the week.

Two Palestinian refugees, a father and a son, were killed during the fighting at the Yarmouk refugee camp in Damascus, according to the United Nation's Palestinian refugee agency, which added that thousands of homes have been destroyed in four days of fighting.

Hundreds of IS militants hold parts of the Yarmouk camp and nearby area of Hajar al-Aswad in southern Damascus. They agreed to give up their last pocket there on Friday but have yet to begin surrendering to government forces and relocating to IS-held areas elsewhere in the country.

State-run al-Ikhbariya TV showed thick gray smoke billowing from the Hajar al-Aswad neighborhood on Sunday, and government warplanes streaking overhead amid heavy bombardment of the area.

Residents of Damascus reported hearing loud booms throughout the night and Sunday morning.

___

Cosby defense team lobs attacks in court of public opinion

NORRISTOWN, Pa. (AP) - Jurors weren't allowed to hear testimony that Bill Cosby's chief accuser was once hooked on hallucinogenic mushrooms or had her sights set on becoming a millionaire, but that hasn't stopped the defense from airing the explosive claims about Andrea Constand in the court of public opinion.

With Cosby's sexual assault retrial heading for deliberations this week, the 80-year-old comedian's lawyers and publicists are increasingly playing to an audience of millions, not just the 12 people deciding his fate.

They're hitting at Constand's credibility in the media with attacks that Judge Steven O'Neill is deeming too prejudicial or irrelevant for court, and they're holding daily press briefings portraying Cosby as the victim of an overzealous prosecutor and an unjust legal system.

Cosby spokesman Andrew Wyatt has decried Constand's allegations of drugging and molestation as "fantastical stories" and deemed District Attorney Kevin Steele an "extortionist" for spending taxpayer money on the case.

Lawyer Dennis McAndrews, who's been in court following the retrial, said prominent defendants like Cosby almost always play to the court of public opinion when there's no gag order, but that his team's approach hasn't been "particularly effective or convincing."

___

Nicaragua's president cancels social security overhaul

MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP) - Nicaragua's president on Sunday withdrew changes to the social security system that had triggered deadly protests and looting.

President Daniel Ortega said in a message to the nation that the social security board of directors had canceled the changes implemented on April 16.

The overhaul was intended to shore up Nicaragua's troubled social security system by both reducing benefits and increasing taxes.

The changes touched off protests across the Central American nation that escalated into clashes with police as well as looting. The demonstrations appeared to expand to include broader anti-government grievances.

Human rights groups said at least 26 people were killed in several days of clashes. Dozens of shops in the Nicaraguan capital of Managua were looted during unrest that extended into Sunday.

___

Report: Autopsies show nothing suspicious in Avicii's death

STOCKHOLM (AP) - Sweden's public broadcaster says police in Oman have conducted two autopsies on the body of Grammy-nominated electronic dance DJ Avicii, who died Friday at age 28.

Public broadcaster SVT, citing information from an anonymous police official in Oman, reported Sunday that the autopsies revealed nothing suspicious and foul play has been ruled out in the performer's death.

The broadcaster says the body has been cleared to be taken back to Avicii's native Sweden, where he was born as Tim Bergling. Fans in Stockholm observed a minute of silence in his honor on Saturday.

Swedish tabloid Expressen says Avicii stayed at the Muscat Hills Resort while vacationing in Oman. Expressen says he spent time with friends, went kitesurfing and enjoyed the country so much was planning to stay a few extra days.

___

'Bow-Z' wows crowd at bulldog pageant for Drake Relays

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - A 2-year-old pup once destined to be euthanized was crowned the winner of Sunday's "Beautiful Bulldog Contest" at Drake University.

The 39th annual tongue-in-cheek pageant for English bulldogs, Drake's mascot, is the unofficial start to this week's Drake Relays track meet.

This year's champion, "Bow-Z," hails from nearby Pella, Iowa. She was set to be put down as a puppy because of various physical ailments but was re-routed to a no-kill shelter instead.

Bow-Z beat a field of 40 slobbering bulldogs - most of which were decked out in outlandish costumes - with names like Rocky, Tucker and Beau.

The Drake Relays being in earnest on Thursday and wrap up on Saturday.WASHINGTON (AP) - The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank repeatedly warned at their meetings this week that intensifying trade tensions could jeopardize a healthy global economic expansion.

But U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin expressed cautious optimism Saturday that countries could settle their differences without a trade war.

Mnuchin met during the past three days with financial officials from China, Japan and Europe over a series of punitive tariffs unveiled by the Trump administration against China and other trading partners.

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin speaks during a news conference at World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings, in Washington, Saturday, April 21, 2018. ( AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

In a session with reporters, Mnuchin refused to say how close the United States was to resolving the various trade disputes, but he did say progress had been made.

The United States and China are on the brink of what would be the biggest trade dispute since World War II. Each has proposed imposing tariffs of $50 billion on each other's products; President Donald Trump is looking to impose tariffs up to $100 billion more on Chinese goods.

In a speech earlier this month, Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed to open China's market wider to foreign companies, raising hopes the dispute with Washington could be resolved. Mnuchin said he discussed Xi's proposals with Chinese officials. "We are cautiously optimistic," Mnuchin told reporters, saying that he may soon travel to Beijing for further talks.

The Commerce Ministry in Beijing said Sunday that China welcomes a visit from the U.S. to Beijing to discuss trade issues and confirms it has "received information" regarding Washington's interest in such a trip.

Trade tensions dominated the three days of talks among top finance officials attending meetings of the Group of 20 major economies, the 189-nation International Monetary Fund and its sister lending agency, the World Bank.

The officials roundly criticized Trump's get-tough approach to trade, a reversal of seven decades of U.S. support for increasing freedom in global commerce. In his speech to the IMF's policy committee Saturday, Yi Gang, the head of China's central bank, said that global growth could be hurt by "an escalation of trade frictions caused by unilateral actions," an obvious reference to America's threatened tariffs against China.

Mnuchin insisted that the United States was not trying to provoke a global trade war but seeking to protect American jobs from unfair competition. "The president has been very clear on what our objectives are," Mnuchin said. "We are looking for reciprocal treatment. This is not about protectionism."

There were signs of conciliation. The U.S. dropped its objection to the first increase in the World Bank's capital resources since 2010, clearing the way for the bank's board to OK a $13 billion increase in its capacity to make loans to poor countries. The move was tied to a package of reforms the U.S. had sought.

Both the World Bank and IMF held meetings of their policy committees on Saturday. In a closing communique, the IMF expressed concern that the rising trade tensions could dim what at the moment are bright prospects for the global economy, which is expected to grow this year at the fastest pace since 2011.

"Trade tensions are not to the benefit of anyone," said Lesetja Kganyago, who leads the policymaking committee and is governor of the South African Reserve Bank. "If there is a trade conflict, there could never be winners. We could all only be losers."

On Friday, Mnuchin had called on the IMF to do more to police countries running large trade surpluses, a role that has traditionally been left to the Geneva-based World Trade Organization. The final IMF communique did state: "We will work together to reduce excessive global imbalances in a way that supports global growth." The communique did not spell out how this would be accomplished.

CORRECTS TO SATURDAY APRIL 21, 2018-World Bank President Jim Yong Kim speaks at the panel Building Human Capital: A Project for the World, during the World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings, in Washington, Saturday, April 21, 2018. ( AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP) - Nicaragua's president on Sunday withdrew changes to the social security system that had triggered deadly protests and looting.

President Daniel Ortega said in a message to the nation that the social security board of directors had canceled the changes implemented on April 16.

The overhaul was intended to shore up Nicaragua's troubled social security system by both reducing benefits and increasing taxes.

Masked protesters, one with a Nicaraguan flag, yell from the road block they erected as they face off with security forces near the University Politecnica de Nicaragua (UPOLI) in Managua, Nicaragua, Saturday, April 21, 2018. Nicaragua's government said on Saturday it is willing to negotiate over controversial social security reforms that have prompted protests and deadly clashes this week. (AP Photo/Alfredo Zuniga)

The changes touched off protests across the Central American nation that escalated into clashes with police as well as looting. The demonstrations appeared to expand to include broader anti-government grievances.

Human rights groups said at least 26 people were killed in several days of clashes. Dozens of shops in the Nicaraguan capital of Managua were looted during unrest that extended into Sunday.

Unlike his appearance on Saturday with the police chief, Ortega announced the cancellation of the overhaul accompanied by business executives who account for about 130,000 jobs and millions of dollars in exports.

Earlier in the day, Pope Francis said at the Vatican that he was "very worried" about the situation in Nicaragua and echoed the call of local bishops for an end to all violence.

Images broadcast by local news media showed looted shops in the capital's sprawling Oriental Market district and at least one Walmart.

Police apparently did not intervene Sunday, in contrast to what had been a strong response to earlier demonstrations in which dozens were injured or arrested.

"We are seeing social chaos in Nicaragua provoked by the absence of government leadership, and the crisis has been combined with poverty, and that in any society is a time bomb," sociologist and analyst Cirilo Otero said.

Ortega had said Saturday that he was willing to negotiate on the social security overhaul, but said the talks would be only with business leaders.

He seemed to try to justify the tough response against protesters by the government and allied groups, accusing demonstrators, most of them university students, of being manipulated by unspecified "minority" political interests and of being infiltrated by gangsters.

"The kids do not even know the party that is manipulating them. ... Gang members are being brought into the kids' protests and are criminalizing the protests. That is why they are put at risk," Ortega said.

Those remarks appeared to fan the flames, as soon afterward thousands of people spilled back into the streets in seven cities.

Looters walk away with a mattresses they have just lifted from a store in Managua, Nicaragua, Sunday, April 22, 2018. Dozens of shops in the Nicaraguan capital have been looted in the continuation of protests and disturbances sparked by government social security reforms. (AP Photo/Alfredo Zuniga)

Looters walk away with a scooter they have just lifted from a store in Managua, Nicaragua, Sunday, April 22, 2018. Dozens of shops in the Nicaraguan capital have been looted in the continuation of protests and disturbances sparked by government social security reforms. (AP Photo/Alfredo Zuniga)

People stand in front of a store that has just been forced open and looted, in Managua, Nicaragua, Sunday, April 22, 2018. Dozens of shops in the Nicaraguan capital have been looted in the continuation of protests and disturbances sparked by government social security reforms. (AP Photo/Alfredo Zuniga)

Anti-government protesters pull down a statue that is emblematic of the government of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, at the Jean Paul Jennie round-about in Managua, Nicaragua, Saturday, April 21, 2018. Ortega said Saturday that his government is willing to enter into talks over social security reforms that have sparked four days of protests and clashes in which, rights monitors say, at least 25 people have died. A journalist covering the unrest was also killed. (AP Photo/Alfredo Zuniga)

Anti-government protesters pull down one of two metal tree sculptures that are emblematic of the government of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, at the Jean Paul Jennie round-about in Managua, Nicaragua, Saturday, April 21, 2018. Ortega said Saturday that his government is willing to enter into talks over social security reforms that have sparked four days of protests and clashes in which, rights monitors say, at least 25 people have died. A journalist covering the unrest was also killed. (AP Photo/Alfredo Zuniga)

An anti-government protester holds up the Spanish sign: "Nicaragua free" at the Jean Paul Jennie round-about where protesters pulled down a statue that is emblematic of the government of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, in Managua, Nicaragua, Saturday, April 21, 2018. Ortega said Saturday that his government is willing to enter into talks over social security reforms that have sparked four days of protests and clashes in which, rights monitors say, at least 25 people have died. A journalist covering the unrest was also killed. (AP Photo/Alfredo Zuniga)WASHINGTON (AP) - Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt met in his office last year with a veteran Washington lobbyist tied to the bargain-priced condo where Pruitt was living.

Both Pruitt and lobbyist Steven Hart had previously denied Hart had conducted any recent business with EPA.

A spokesman for Hart confirmed Saturday that the lobbyist met with Pruitt at EPA headquarters in July 2017 to discuss efforts to preserve the Chesapeake Bay.

FILE - In this Tuesday, April 3, 2018, file photo, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt attends a news conference at the EPA in Washington, on his decision to scrap Obama administration fuel standards. The fossil-fuels lobbyist tied to the bargain-priced Capitol Hill condo leased by Pruitt is taking early retirement as a result of the scandal. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

The admission about the meeting came after the lobbying firm Williams & Jensen filed a new disclosure report late Friday hours after Hart announced his early retirement as chairman. The firm's filing , first reported by The Hill, says Hart lobbied EPA during the first quarter of 2018 on behalf of Smithfield Foods.

The world's largest pork producer, Smithfield has been involved with efforts to clean up the bay since EPA fined the company $12.6 million in 1997 for illegally dumping hog waste into a tributary.

EPA's press office did not respond to questions about Pruitt's meeting with Hart.

Pruitt's connections to the prominent lobbyist have been under intense scrutiny since last month, when media reports first revealed that the EPA chief had rented a luxury Capitol Hill condo from a corporation co-owned by Hart's wife for just $50 a night. Pruitt's daughter, then a White House summer intern, also stayed at the condo.

On Pruitt's 2017 condo lease, a copy of which was reviewed by AP, Steven Hart's name was originally typed in as "landlord" but was scratched out. The name of his wife, health care lobbyist Vicki Hart, was scribbled in.

Pruitt's public calendar shows he meet at EPA headquarters on July 11 with the Smithfield Foundation, the pork-producer's philanthropic arm. The calendar entry does not include a list of attendees.

Pruitt's calendar does not disclose any 2018 meetings with Smithfield or its affiliates, the period covered by the report filed by Williams & Jensen.

Hart's spokesman, Ryan Williams, confirmed on Saturday that the lobbyist had met with Pruitt at EPA in July. In a statement, Hart disputed the legal filing made by his former firm.

"I assisted a friend who served on the Chesapeake Bay Commission, and this is inaccurately being tied to Smithfield Foods," Hart said. "I was not paid for this assistance and any suggestion that I lobbied for Smithfield Foods is inaccurate."

Lobbying disclosures show Williams & Jensen has represented Smithfield for more than a decade, with Hart intermittently reported as working directly on the pork-producer's behalf. The firm reported receiving $70,000 from Smithfield in the first quarter of this year.

In a statement issued Saturday, Smithfield said it did not direct any contacts with EPA about the Chesapeake Bay.

"The objective, while laudable, was not undertaken at the direction of or on behalf of Smithfield Foods," said a written statement provided by Smithfield spokeswoman Diana Souder. "These activities were conducted at the request of a then former executive and current Smithfield Foundation board member, Dennis Treacy, in his personal capacity."

Treacy is a member of the Chesapeake Bay Commission, which was created by the states of Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania to coordinate on issues involving the bay. He did not respond to a phone message on Saturday seeking comment.

Pruitt denied in an interview earlier with Fox News earlier this month that there was anything improper with his rental of the condo from Hart's wife.

"Mr. Hart has no client that has business before this agency," Pruitt said. "It was like an Airbnb situation."

Hart also denied having any meaningful recent contacts with the EPA chief.

"Pruitt is a casual friend but I have had no contact with him for many months except for a brief pass by at the National Prayer Breakfast in 2018," Hart said last month.

Prior to being tapped by Trump to lead EPA, Pruitt served as the elected attorney general of Oklahoma. Williams & Jensen represents several clients with interests before the agency, including OGE Energy Corp., an electricity provider in Pruitt's home state.

Campaign finance records show Hart hosted a 2014 fundraiser for Pruitt's state re-election effort where more than three dozen OGE executives cut checks, even though he was running without a Democratic opponent.

Records show that once Pruitt arrived at EPA last year, he met with a lobbyist from Hart's firm and two executives from OGE Energy, which was then seeking to scuttle tighter pollution standards for coal-fired power plants. The company paid Williams & Jensen $400,000 in lobbying fees last year.

Pruitt's calendar also shows another meeting with OGE last month, though the agency provided no specifics about who attended.

Hart's spokesman declined to answer Saturday whether the lobbyist attended those or any other additional meetings with Pruitt.

___

Follow Associated Press environmental reporter Michael Biesecker at http://twitter.com/mbieseckTEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iranian police have arrested a former prosecutor known as the "torturer of Tehran," who faces a two-year jail term over the death of prisoners following protests in 2009, Iranian media reported on Sunday.

The official website of the judiciary, Mizanonline.com, said former Tehran prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi has been arrested, without elaborating. The semi-official Tasnim news agency said police detained Mortazavi in a villa in northern Iran, near the Caspian Sea.

Mortazavi was sentenced to prison by an appeals court in December. That court found him guilty of "aiding and abetting" the torture and deaths of protesters arrested after the disputed re-election of hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

FILE- In this April 19, 2009, Tehran former prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi, speaks to the media at a news conference in Tehran, Iran. Iran's official judicial news agency is reporting that police have arrested the former Tehran prosecutor who faces a two-year prison sentence over the death of prisoners following the country's 2009 protests. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Since that court decision, Mortazavi apparently couldn't be found by authorities.

"They could not find him despite the arrest warrant," judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejehi said last week.

After the reports of his disappearance, wanted posters printed by activists began appearing around Tehran.

Mortazavi's wife and lawyer denied he was missing, but said he intends to appeal the ruling. His lawyer could not be immediately reached Sunday.

Canada has blamed Mortazavi for the death in custody of Iranian-Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi in 2003. Iranian reformists accused Mortazavi of trying to stage a cover-up because it was he who reported that Kazemi had died of a stroke.

A government committee probing her death later found that she had died of a fractured skull and a brain hemorrhage from a blow to the head. No charges were filed against Mortazavi.

He is detested by those pushing for social and political reforms and critics have dubbed him the "butcher of the press," and the "torturer of Tehran." He was behind the closure of some 120 newspapers and the jailing of many journalists and political activists over the past decade.KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - An Islamic State suicide bomber attacked a voter registration center in Afghanistan's capital on Sunday, killing 57 people and wounding more than 100 others, officials said.

Public Health Ministry spokesman Wahid Majro said that among 57 people killed, 22 were women and eight were children. He said 119 people were wounded, among them 17 children and 52 women, and "the tolls could still rise."

The bomber targeted civilians who were registering for national identification cards, Kabul police chief Gen. Daud Amin said.

An Afghan man walks outside a voter registration center, which was attacked by a suicide bomber in Kabul, Sunday, April 22, 2018. (AP Photo/ Rahmat Gul)

The large explosion echoed across the city, shattering windows miles from the attack site and damaging nearby vehicles. Police blocked all roads to the blast site, with only ambulances allowed in. TV stations broadcast live footage of hundreds of distraught locals gathered at hospitals seeking word about loved ones.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement carried by its Aamaq news agency, saying it had targeted Shiite "apostates."

The attack comes almost a month after an IS suicide bomber carried out an attack near a Shiite shrine in Kabul that targeted attendees celebrating the Persian new year. That attack killed 31 people and wounded 65 others.

In a statement issued by the president's office condemned Sunday's attack and quoted President Ashraf Ghani as saying such "terrorist attacks" won't prevent people from participating in upcoming parliamentary elections.

Afghanistan will hold parliamentary elections in October and voter registration started a week ago.

Last week, three police officers guarding voter registration centers in two Afghan provinces were killed by militants, according to authorities.

Afghan security forces have struggled to prevent attacks by the local Islamic State affiliate as well as the more firmly established Taliban since the U.S. and NATO concluded their combat mission at the end of 2014. Both groups regularly carry out attacks, with the Taliban usually targeting the government and security forces and IS targeting the country's Shiite minority.

Both groups want to establish a strict form of Islamic rule in Afghanistan and are opposed to democratic elections.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack and called for those responsible to be brought to justice, in a statement from his spokesman in New York.

Elsewhere in Afghanistan, at least five people were killed when their vehicle struck a roadside bomb in the northern Baghlan province. Zabihullah Shuja, spokesman for the provincial police chief, said four other people were wounded in Sunday's blast in Puli Khomri, the province's capital.

The Taliban routinely target security forces and government officials with roadside bombs, which often end up killing civilians.

In the northern Balkh province, a district police chief died of his wounds after being shot Saturday during an exchange of gunfire with insurgents, according to Sher Jan Durrani, spokesman for the provincial police chief. He said around a dozen insurgents were also killed in the battle, which is still underway.

Durrani identified the slain commander as Halim Khanjar, police chief for the Char Bolak district.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the killing.

___

Associated Press writer Maamoun Youssef in Cairo contributed to this report.

A woman shouts and cries at a hospital after she lost her son in a suicide attack on a voter registration center in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, April 22, 2018. Gen. Daud Amin, the Kabul police chief, said a suicide bomber targeted civilians who had gathered to receive national identification cards. (AP Photo/Massoud Hossaini)

A wounded man, who lost his two daughters, lies on a bed while crying in a hospital after a deadly suicide attack on a voter registration center in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, April 22, 2018. Gen. Daud Amin, the Kabul police chief, said a suicide bomber targeted civilians who had gathered to receive national identification cards. (AP Photo/Massoud Hossaini)

People gather outside a voter registration center, which was attacked by a suicide bomber in Kabul, Sunday, April 22, 2018. (AP Photo/ Rahmat Gul)

A woman cries at a hospital after she lost her son in a suicide attack on a voter registration center in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, April 22, 2018. Gen. Daud Amin, the Kabul police chief, said the suicide bomber targeted civilians who had gathered to receive national identification cards. (AP Photo/Massoud Hossaini)

Afghans search ID papers and photos of their relatives on the ground outside a voter registration center after being attacked by a suicide bomber in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, April 22, 2018. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

An Afghan police officer stands outside a voter registration center which was attacked by a suicide bomber in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, April 22, 2018. Gen. Daud Amin, the Kabul police chief, said the suicide bomber targeted civilians who had gathered to receive national identification cards. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

A woman cries at a hospital after she lost her relative in a suicide attack on a voter registration center in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, April 22, 2018. Gen. Daud Amin, the Kabul police chief, said the suicide bomber targeted civilians who had gathered to receive national identification cards. (AP Photo/Massoud Hossaini)

Women cry at a hospital after they lost their children in a deadly suicide attack on a voter registration center in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, April 22, 2018. Gen. Daud Amin, the Kabul police chief, said a suicide bomber targeted civilians who had gathered to receive national identification cards. (AP Photo/Massoud Hossaini)

People gather outside a voter registration center which was attacked by a suicide bomber in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, April 22, 2018. Gen. Daud Amin, the Kabul police chief, said the suicide bomber targeted civilians who had gathered to receive national identification cards. (AP Photo/ Rahmat Gul)

Afghans are seen through shattered windows of a voter registration center which was attacked by a suicide bomber in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, April 22, 2018. Gen. Daud Amin, the Kabul police chief, said the suicide bomber targeted civilians who had gathered to receive national identification cards. (AP Photo/ Rahmat Gul)

An Afghan man looks out of a door of a voter registration center which was attacked by a suicide bomber in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, April 22, 2018. Gen. Daud Amin, the Kabul police chief, said the suicide bomber targeted civilians who had gathered to receive national identification cards. (AP Photo/ Rahmat Gul)

A relative of a victim cries outside a voter registration center which was attacked by a suicide bomber in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, April 22, 2018. Gen. Daud Amin, the Kabul police chief, said the suicide bomber targeted civilians who had gathered to receive national identification cards. (AP Photo/ Rahmat Gul)

A security person collects evidence at the site of a suicide attack outside a voter registration center in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, April 22, 2018. Gen. Daud Amin, the Kabul police chief, said the suicide bomber targeted civilians who had gathered to receive national identification cards. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

An Afghan police walks outside a voter registration center which was attacked by a suicide bomber in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, April 22, 2018. Gen. Daud Amin, the Kabul police chief, said the suicide bomber targeted civilians who had gathered to receive national identification cards. (AP Photo/ Rahmat Gul)

A wounded man, who lost two his daughters, lies on a bed in a hospital after a deadly suicide attack on a voter registration center in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, April 22, 2018. Gen. Daud Amin, the Kabul police chief, said a suicide bomber targeted civilians who had gathered to receive national identification cards. (AP Photo/Massoud Hossaini)

A wounded woman is carried on a stretcher to a hospital after a deadly suicide attack on a voter registration center in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, April 22, 2018. Gen. Daud Amin, the Kabul police chief, said the suicide bomber targeted civilians who had gathered to receive national identification cards. (AP Photo/Massoud Hossaini)

People gather outside a voter registration center which was attacked by a suicide bomber in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, April 22, 2018. Gen. Daud Amin, the Kabul police chief, said the suicide bomber targeted civilians who had gathered to receive national identification cards. (AP Photo/ Rahmat Gul)KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - The Latest on the violence in Afghanistan (all times local):

6 a.m.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned the attack on a voter registration center in Afghanistan.

Women cry in a hospital after they lost their children in a deadly suicide attack on a voter registration center in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, April 22, 2018. Gen. Daud Amin, the Kabul police chief, said a suicide bomber targeted civilians who had gathered to receive national identification cards. (AP Photo/Massoud Hossaini)

The suicide bombing in Kabul on Sunday killed at least 57 people with more than 100 wounded. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility, saying it targeted Shiite "apostates."

Guterres said the culprits must be brought to justice. "They must not be allowed to succeed in deterring Afghan citizens from carrying out their constitutional right to take part in forthcoming elections."

He extended condolences to the families and expressed solidarity with the Afghan government in the statement issued in New York by spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

6:30 p.m.

Afghan officials say the toll from a suicide bombing in Kabul claimed by the Islamic State group has risen to 57 dead and 119 wounded.

Public Health Ministry spokesman Wahid Majro confirmed the toll of Sunday's attack, in which the bomber targeted a voter registration center in the capital. IS claimed the attack, saying it targeted Shiite "apostates."

Both IS and the more well-established Taliban have stepped up attacks across Afghanistan in recent years.

___

4:45 p.m.

Afghan officials say the toll from a suicide bombing in Kabul claimed by the Islamic State group has risen to 48 dead and 112 wounded.

Public Health Ministry spokesman Wahid Majro confirmed the toll from Sunday's attack, in which the bomber targeted a voter registration center in the capital. IS claimed the attack, saying it targeted Shiite "apostates."

Both IS and the more well-established Taliban have stepped up attacks across Afghanistan in recent years.

The U.S. and NATO formally concluded their combat mission in Afghanistan at the end of 2014, shifting to a focus on counterterrorism, training and support.

___

2 p.m.

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing in the Afghan capital that killed more than 30 people and wounded dozens.

The group claimed Sunday's attack in a statement carried by its Aamaq news agency, saying it had targeted Shiite "apostates."

Afghan officials say a suicide bomber targeted a crowd of people gathered at a voter registration center in Kabul.

The extremist group is opposed to democratic elections.

___

1:15 p.m.

An Afghan official says that at least five people were killed when their vehicle struck a roadside bomb in the northern Baghlan province.

Zabihullah Shuja, spokesman for the provincial police chief, says four other people were wounded in Sunday's blast in Puli Khomri, the capital of the province.

The Taliban routinely target security forces and government officials with roadside bombs, which often end up killing civilians.

___

1 p.m.

Afghan officials say the toll from a suicide bombing in Kabul that targeted a voter registration center has climbed to at least 31 killed and 54 wounded.

Public Health Ministry spokesman Wahid Majro confirmed the toll from Sunday's attack, originally placed at four dead and 15 wounded.

The Taliban denied involvement in the attack, which indicates it may have been carried out by an Islamic State affiliate.

___

12:25 p.m.

Afghan officials say the toll from a suicide bombing in Kabul has climbed to at least 12 killed and 57 wounded.

Public Health Ministry spokesman Wahid Majro said the toll from Sunday's attack, originally placed at four dead and 15 wounded, could climb further.

The suicide bomber targeted a crowd that had gathered to pick up national identification cards at a voter registration center in the capital.

The Taliban denied involvement in the attack, which indicates it may have been carried out by an Islamic State affiliate.

___

11 a.m.

Afghan officials say a suicide bomber has attacked a voter registration center in the capital, killing at least four people.

Public Health Ministry spokesman Wahid Majro says another 15 people were wounded in Sunday's attack. Kabul police spokesman Akmal Ahmadzai confirmed the location of the attack.

No one immediately claimed responsibility. The Taliban and a local Islamic State affiliate both view Afghanistan's government and democratic elections as illegitimate.

Afghanistan will hold parliamentary elections in October.

An Afghan man shows the ID paper of his relative outside a voter registration center which was attacked by a suicide bomber in Kabul, Sunday, April 22, 2018. Gen. Daud Amin, the Kabul police chief, said the suicide bomber targeted civilians who had gathered to receive national identification cards. (AP Photo/ Rahmat Gul)

Afghan security personnel stand outside a voter registration center, after a suicide attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, April 22, 2018. Gen. Daud Amin, the Kabul police chief, said the suicide bomber targeted civilians who had gathered to receive national identification cards. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

A woman shouts and cries at a hospital after she lost her son in a suicide attack on a voter registration center in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, April 22, 2018. Gen. Daud Amin, the Kabul police chief, said a suicide bomber targeted civilians who had gathered to receive national identification cards. (AP Photo/Massoud Hossaini)BEIJING (AP) - The biggest global auto show of the year showcases China's ambitions to become a leader in electric cars and the industry's multibillion-dollar scramble to roll out models that appeal to price-conscious but demanding Chinese drivers.

Auto China 2018, which opens this week, follows Beijing's decision to allow full foreign ownership of Chinese automakers in a move to make the industry more flexible as it promotes electrics.

The ruling Communist Party has transformed China into the biggest market for electrics with billions of dollars in subsidies to producers and buyers. Now, Beijing is winding down that support and shifting the financial burden to automakers with sales quotas that push them to develop models Chinese drivers want to buy.

In this April 19, 2018, photo, visitors look at the Infiniti electric concept sedan at a showroom ahead of the Auto China 2018 to be held in Beijing, China. Auto China 2018, the biggest global auto show of the year, showcases China's ambitions to become a leader in electric cars and the industry's multibillion-dollar scramble to roll out models that appeal to price-conscious but demanding Chinese drivers. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

That is reflected in the auto show lineup: Global and Chinese brands including General Motors Co., Volkswagen AG and Nissan Motor Co. plan to display dozens of electrics and hybrids, from luxurious SUVs to compacts priced as low as 152,000 yuan ($24,000).

Communist leaders see electric cars as both a way to clean up smog-choked cities and a key ingredient in plans to transform China into a global competitor in an array of technology fields from robotics to solar power to biotech.

"Just in the last two or three years, China rose from being a very small player in the global EV market to be nearly 50 percent of sales in 2017," said Christopher Robinson, who follows the industry for Lux Research.

"It attracted nearly every automaker in the world," said Robinson.

Starting in 2019, automakers will be required to earn credits by selling electrics or else buy them from competitors. More stringent fuel efficiency standards will require a big share of each brand's sales to be non-gasoline models.

Global automakers say electrics should account for 35 to over 50 percent of their China sales by 2025.

"There is huge potential for vehicle electrification here," said Roland Krueger, chairman of Infiniti Motor Co., Nissan's luxury brand.

Chinese sales of electrics and gasoline-electric hybrids rose 154 percent in the first quarter over a year earlier to 143,000 units, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. That compares with sales of just under 200,000 for all of last year in the United States, the No. 2 market.

GM plans to display five all-electric vehicles including a concept Buick SUV it says can travel 600 kilometers (375 miles) on one charge, plus a hybrid Cadillac XT5 28E.

The Detroit automaker, which vies with VW for the status of China's biggest brand, is launching 10 electrics or hybrids in China from in 2016 to 2020.

VW is due to launch 15 electrics and hybrids in the next two to three years as part of a 10 billion euro ($12 billion) development plan announced in November.

Nissan is unveiling an electric model at the auto show designed for China and will display an updated version of its Leaf and an electric concept car.

The Japanese automaker also plans to develop a lower-priced electric with a local partner, state-owned Dongfeng Motor Co. Two more versions of that are to be sold under their jointly owned Venucia brand.

China's BYD Auto, the biggest global maker of electrics by volume with 2017 sales of 113,669 units, plans to unveil two new hybrid SUVs and an electric concept car. The company also plans to display nine other hybrid and plug-in electric models.

Infiniti plans to display a concept sedan, the Q Inspiration, that Krueger said will be the basis for future electric models.

The sleek Q Inspiration has no air-drawing engine, and thus no front grill - a change Krueger said was suggested by Chinese designers at Infiniti's Beijing studio.

The car has the roomier back seat that has become standard among luxury brands that want to appeal to Chinese customers who have a driver and ride in back.

"The first car is going to cater specifically to the needs of the Chinese market," said Krueger.

Ford Motor Co. has announced a "product onslaught" this month for China that includes at least 15 electrified vehicles and 35 other models through 2025. Ford's first plug-in hybrid in China, the Mondeo Energi, went on sale last month.

Washington and other trading partners have been irked by the Chinese controls that required global automakers to work through state-owned local partners and imposed other restrictions.

Automakers complained joint ventures were cumbersome and expensive but complied because they gained access to a market that passed the United States in 2009 as the world's biggest.

Last year's sales of SUVs, sedans and minivans totaled 24.7 million units, compared with 17.2 million for the United States.

The Cabinet's planning agency announced last week Beijing will loosen those controls by allowing full foreign ownership in the industry, starting with electric vehicle producers this year. Limits for commercial vehicles would end in 2020 and for all passenger vehicles in 2022.

That would end a 50 percent cap on foreign ownership of an auto venture, a limit that required automakers to share technology with potential competitors, adding to President Donald Trump's trade complaints against Beijing.

"Now you're going to see the difference between the partners that you want and partners imposed on you," said Carlos Ghosn, chairman of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance.

Ghosn said his companies were happy with their Chinese partners. But he said with electrics, autonomous driving and other innovations give companies a new chance to consider a partnership or work independently.

"Every time there is a new opportunity we're going to consider, should we go with a partner? What are the advantages? Or should we go by ourself?" said Ghosn. "This is a new freedom for carmakers, which is welcome."

Still, while electrics may be China's future, most brands lose money making them. Profits come from sales of SUVs that are wildly popular with Chinese drivers who see them as the safest option on the country's rough, chaotic roads.

First-quarter SUVs sales rose 11.3 percent over a year earlier to 2.6 million, or almost 45 percent of all auto sales, according to CAAM. Electrics accounted for just over 2 percent.

___

AP Business Writer Kelvin Chan in Hong Kong contributed to this report.

In this April 19, 2018, photo, workers remove the veil from the Infiniti electric concept sedan at a showroom ahead of the Auto China 2018 to be held in Beijing, China. Auto China 2018, the biggest global auto show of the year, showcases China's ambitions to become a leader in electric cars and the industry's multibillion-dollar scramble to roll out models that appeal to price-conscious but demanding Chinese drivers. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

In this April 19, 2018, photo, visitors look at the Infiniti electric concept sedan at a showroom ahead of the Auto China 2018 to be held in Beijing, China. Auto China 2018, the biggest global auto show of the year, showcases China's ambitions to become a leader in electric cars and the industry's multibillion-dollar scramble to roll out models that appeal to price-conscious but demanding Chinese drivers. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

In this April 19, 2018, photo, visitors look at the Infiniti electric concept sedan at a showroom ahead of the Auto China 2018 to be held in Beijing, China. Auto China 2018, the biggest global auto show of the year, showcases China's ambitions to become a leader in electric cars and the industry's multibillion-dollar scramble to roll out models that appeal to price-conscious but demanding Chinese drivers. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

In this April 19, 2018, photo, visitors look at the Infiniti electric concept sedan at a showroom ahead of the Auto China 2018 to be held in Beijing, China. Auto China 2018, the biggest global auto show of the year, showcases China's ambitions to become a leader in electric cars and the industry's multibillion-dollar scramble to roll out models that appeal to price-conscious but demanding Chinese drivers. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

In this April 20, 2018, photo, a woman stands near the silhouette of an electric concept car from auto startup BYTON during a press event held ahead of the Auto China 2018 in Beijing, China. Auto China 2018, the biggest global auto show of the year, showcases China's ambitions to become a leader in electric cars and the industry's multibillion-dollar scramble to roll out models that appeal to price-conscious but demanding Chinese drivers. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

In this April 20, 2018, photo, a worker examine the interior of the BYTON electric concept car during a press event held ahead of the Auto China 2018 in Beijing, China. Auto China 2018, the biggest global auto show of the year, showcases China's ambitions to become a leader in electric cars and the industry's multibillion-dollar scramble to roll out models that appeal to price-conscious but demanding Chinese drivers. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

In this April 20, 2018, photo, a visitor looks at the large display panel of the BYTON electric concept car during a press event held ahead of the Auto China 2018 in Beijing, China. Auto China 2018, the biggest global auto show of the year, showcases China's ambitions to become a leader in electric cars and the industry's multibillion-dollar scramble to roll out models that appeal to price-conscious but demanding Chinese drivers. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

In this April 20, 2018, photo, a worker examines the interior of the BYTON electric concept car during a press event held ahead of the Auto China 2018 in Beijing, China. Auto China 2018, the biggest global auto show of the year, showcases China's ambitions to become a leader in electric cars and the industry's multibillion-dollar scramble to roll out models that appeal to price-conscious but demanding Chinese drivers. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)MONT-SAINT-MICHEL, France (AP) - French authorities evacuated tourists from the Mont-Saint-Michel abbey and searched houses Sunday on the famed outcropping in the English Channel for a visitor who apparently threatened to attack security services.

The exceptional evacuation of one of France's most-visited tourist sites came after a string of sporadic attacks around France in recent years targeting police, some of them fatal.

The site reopened Sunday afternoon and a trickle of tourists started returning to the Mont across a promontory that connects it to the mainland. Several hours of searching failed to turn up the suspect, and police expanded their search to neighboring towns, according to the national gendarme service.

Police attend the scene of an evacuation at Mont Saint-Michel, on France's northern coast, Sunday April 22, 2018. Authorities are evacuating tourists and others from the Mont-Saint-Michel abbey and monument in western France after a visitor apparently threatened to attack security services. (Denis Surfys via AP)

Details of Sunday's threat were unclear, but the gendarme service said authorities ordered the evacuation as a precaution.

During the police operation, an Associated Press reporter at the scene saw at least three police helicopters circling over the peninsula, notably famous for being isolated by high tides. The hilltop abbey, whose origins date to the 10th century, and surrounding sites attract more than 2 million visitors every year.

Police officers patrolled the steep cobblestone paths leading up to the abbey, packed with restaurants and souvenir shops - and normally packed with tourists and pilgrims 365 days a year.

Thousands of people were affected by the evacuation, but the mood was calm. Some tourists were taken out of their hotels, while others were blocked upon arrival.

"We wanted to go to Mass at the abbey. But now we can't," said Clotilde, a 23-year-old from Paris who arrived Sunday morning.

Some angry South Korean tourists shouted at an organizer trying to explain the situation. Their group of 32 was turned back to Paris after being blocked from reaching Mont-Saint-Michel.

Tour guide Andrew Rui remained calm, however, noting that the evacuation was prompted by security reasons.

"We cannot control the situation so we accept this phenomenon," he told the AP.

The regional prosecutor's office opened an investigation into the threat, amid contradictory information about what happened. An official with the national gendarme service said the man made the threat Sunday on one of the shuttles serving the site.

The head of the regional administration, Jean-Marc Sabathe, told broadcaster Francetvinfo that the man made the threat when he was trying to stage a street performance and got in an argument with a cafe worker. He said the man was caught on video surveillance cameras.

"I am ordering house-by-house searches to verify if the individual is still on Mont-Saint-Michel. It's possible that the individual left the Mont with the flux of tourists," Sabathe said.

Monks and nuns were told to stay inside the abbey during the evacuation, according to the gendarme service, and the Mont's few other residents were told to stay in their homes.

___

Angela Charlton reported from Paris.

Police attend the scene of an evacuation at Mont Saint-Michel, on France's northern coast, Sunday April 22, 2018. Authorities are evacuating tourists and others from the Mont-Saint-Michel abbey and monument in western France after a visitor apparently threatened to attack security services. (AP Photo/Randall Hackley)

FILE - In this March 21, 2015 file photo, a high tide submerges a narrow causeway leading to the Mont Saint-Michel, on France's northern coast. Authorities are evacuating tourists and others from the Mont-Saint-Michel abbey and monument in western France on Sunday April 22, 2018, after a visitor apparently threatened to attack security services. (AP Photo) FRANCE OUT

Police attend the scene of an evacuation at Mont Saint-Michel, on France's northern coast, Sunday April 22, 2018. Authorities are evacuating tourists and others from the Mont-Saint-Michel abbey and monument in western France after a visitor apparently threatened to attack security services. (AP Photo/Randall Hackley)Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet in central China this week, Beijing announced Sunday, as the Asian powers work to improve strained ties.

The two leaders will hold an "informal summit" in the city of Wuhan on Friday and Saturday, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said after talks with his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj.

"The summit will go a long way towards deeping the mutual trust between the two great neighbours," Wang said.

Xi and Modi "will set a general direction, identify new goals and create a new dynamic for the growth of China-India relations.

"This will benefit not just our two countries and peoples, but will also have an important and positive impact on peace and development in our region and the world at large," he said.

Swaraj and Wang met in Beijing before a meeting this week of foreign ministers from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), a regional security grouping spearheaded by China and Russia.

China will host an SCO summit in June. India and its arch-rival Pakistan formally joined the bloc last year and Modi is expected to attend the summit, according to Indian media.

This week's meeting between Xi and Modi comes months after the two countries resolved a tense border standoff.

Indian and Chinese troops faced off last June on the Doklam plateau, an area high in the Himalayas claimed both by China and by India's ally Bhutan.

The dispute began when Chinese troops started building a road on the plateau and India deployed troops to stop the project.

A crisis was averted in August when the two nuclear-armed nations pulled back their troops.

India and China have a long history of mistrust as they jostle for regional supremacy.

China has fostered closer ties with Pakistan in recent years, while India is revamping its military and bolstering its partnership with the United States.

Both nations say they are committed to solving longstanding border disagreements through dialogue, but progress has been glacial.

India and China went to war in 1962 over Arunachal Pradesh, with Chinese troops temporarily capturing part of the Himalayan territory.

The dispute remains unresolved, with India considering Arunachal Pradesh one of its northeastern states while China stakes claim to about 90,000 square kilometres of the state.

In February Beijing lodged an angry protest with New Delhi over a trip by Modi to the state.

But Modi called Xi in March to congratulate the Chinese leader on his re-appointment as president, with New Delhi saying both agreed that "as two major powers growing rapidly, bilateral relations between India and China are vital".

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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - Malaysian police said Sunday that an investigation was underway into the gunning down of a Palestinian man a day earlier and gave assurances that security was being beefed up in the country following recent high-profile assassinations.

Gaza's ruling Hamas militant group said Fadi al-Batsh was an important member of the group and accused Israel of being behind his killing early Saturday in Kuala Lumpur.

His death comes just over a year after the brazen assassination of the estranged half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at Kuala Lumpur's international airport. Two Southeast Asian women have pleaded not guilty to killing Kim Jong Nam by smearing a nerve agent on his face in a plot that prosecutors say was masterminded by North Korean agents.

Malaysia's national police chief, Mohamad Fuzi Harun, said Sunday that security has been beefed up and an investigation is underway to determine the motive behind al-Batsh's killing.

"This is an unfortunate incident that we would like to have avoided, but it has happened," Fuzi said at a news conference. "I give an assurance that we will do our best to improve the level of security, especially in Kuala Lumpur."

Malaysian police say the 34-year-old al-Batsh was gunned down by two assailants who shot at least eight bullets from a motorbike as he was heading to a mosque for dawn prayers in Kuala Lumpur. It said closed-circuit television footage showed him targeted by assassins who had waited for him for almost 20 minutes.

Hamas initially stopped short of blaming Israel, saying only that he had been "assassinated by the hand of treachery." But later its top leader accused Israel's Mossad spy agency intelligence of killing him and threatened retaliation.

The Israeli government had no comment. But Israel has a long history of suspected targeting of wanted Palestinian militants in daring overseas operations around the globe and has been linked to other assassinations as well, though it has rarely publicly acknowledged them.

Fuzi said al-Batsh had lived in Malaysia for more than seven years and was a permanent resident of the country.

He had a degree in electrical engineering and lectured at a local university, according to Fuzi, who said he could not confirm reports that al-Batsh was an expert in rocket making.

He said al-Batsh, who traveled locally and abroad to speak on Palestinian issues, was due to fly to Turkey for a conference when he was killed.

Fuzi said witness accounts showed that the assailants had European features, but that it was premature to confirm whether foreign agents were involved in the killing.

The nongovernmental group Humanitarian Care Malaysia said it had engaged al-Batsh as an imam for the past few years to raise awareness on Palestinian issues in Malaysia.NEW DELHI (AP) - Government forces killed at least 14 Maoist rebels during a raid on their hideout Sunday in a forested area in western India, police said.

The fighting began after police commandos raided the rebels' hideout deep in a forested area in Gadchilori district in Maharashtra state, said police officer Prashant Diwate.

Diwate said exchange of gunfire between the rebels and troops lasted about half an hour. He said police were searching the area for more possible bodies.

FILE - In this April 13, 2007 file photo, Maoist rebels or Naxalites, raise their arms during an exercise at a temporary base in the Abujh Marh forests, in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh. Indian police say government forces have killed at least 14 Maoist rebels during a raid on their hideout in a forested area in western India. (AP Photo/Mustafa Quraishi, File)

He said police suffered no casualties.

The Maoist rebels, who claim inspiration from Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong, have been fighting the Indian government for more than four decades, demanding land and jobs for tenant farmers and the poor.

The rebels, also known as Naxalites, have ambushed police, destroyed government offices and abducted government officials for decades in their fight against the Indian government. They have blown up train tracks, attacked prisons to free their comrades and stolen weapons from police and paramilitary warehouses.

The insurgency began in 1967 as a network of left-wing ideologues and young recruits in the village of Naxalbari outside Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal state.

In their deadliest attack, rebels in 2010 killed 76 soldiers in Chhattisgarh, one of the most-affected states.

The government has called the rebels India's biggest internal security threat. With thousands of fighters, the rebels control vast swaths of area in the country.MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP) - The latest on unrest in Nicaragua (all times local):

5:30 p.m.

Nicaragua's president says the government is withdrawing changes to the social security system that had triggered protests, riots and looting over the past week.

People stand in front of a store that has just been forced open and looted, in Managua, Nicaragua, Sunday, April 22, 2018. Dozens of shops in the Nicaraguan capital have been looted in the continuation of protests and disturbances sparked by government social security reforms. (AP Photo/Alfredo Zuniga)

President Daniel Ortega said Sunday in a message to the nation that the social security board of directors has canceled the changes implemented on April 16.

The overhaul sought to shore up Nicaragua's troubled social security system with a combination of reduced benefits and increased taxes.

The changes touched off protests across the Central American nation that escalated into clashes with police as well as looting.

Human rights groups say at least 26 people have been killed in several days of clashes. Dozens of shops in the Nicaraguan capital of Managua have been looted.

___

12:45 p.m.

The U.S. State Department is accusing Nicaragua's government of overreacting to protests during days of unrest in which human rights groups say more than two dozen people have died.

Sunday's statement says U.S. officials "condemn the violence and the excessive force used by police and others against civilians who are exercising their constitutional right to freedom of expression and assembly. "

It's calling for "broad?-based dialogue involving all sectors o?f society" and urges the government to allow an independent investigation into the deaths.

___

4:40 a.m.

Pope Francis has expressed deep worry over deadly violence in Nicaragua fueled by protests and he's pressing for a peaceful solution.

Human rights advocates say that since April 18 at least 26 people have been killed in unrest over social security reforms planned by President Daniel Ortega's government. Dozens have been injured or arrested.

Francis told people in St. Peter's Square that he's "very worried" about the situation in the Central American country.

He said he's expressing "closeness in prayer to that beloved country" and joining local bishops in seeking an end to "every violence, that useless bloodshed is avoided and that open issues are resolved peacefully and with a sense of responsibility."

Ortega says his government is willing to enter into talks over the dispute.

___

10:25 p.m.

In the grainy, nighttime video, journalist Angel Gahona, clad in jeans and a blue shirt, holds up a cellphone and narrates as he approaches the facade of city hall in Bluefields, Nicaragua, reporting live via Facebook on protests that have rocked the Central American nation for four days.

Seconds later a gunshot rings out and Gahona slumps lifeless to the curb. Voices cry his name and someone presses a piece of cloth to his head to try to staunch the stream of blood. Another Bluefields reporter, Ileana Lacayo, confirms that he died before reaching the hospital.

Besides Gahona at least 25 others have been killed since Wednesday in unrest over social security reforms planned by President Daniel Ortega's government, according to a human rights group.

Masked protesters, one with a Nicaraguan flag, yell from the road block they erected as they face off with security forces near the University Politecnica de Nicaragua (UPOLI) in Managua, Nicaragua, Saturday, April 21, 2018. Nicaragua's government said on Saturday it is willing to negotiate over controversial social security reforms that have prompted protests and deadly clashes this week. (AP Photo/Alfredo Zuniga)

Anti-government protesters pull down a statue that is emblematic of the government of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, at the Jean Paul Jennie round-about in Managua, Nicaragua, Saturday, April 21, 2018. Ortega said Saturday that his government is willing to enter into talks over social security reforms that have sparked four days of protests and clashes in which, rights monitors say, at least 25 people have died. A journalist covering the unrest was also killed. (AP Photo/Alfredo Zuniga)

Anti-government protesters pull down one of two metal tree sculptures that are emblematic of the government of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, at the Jean Paul Jennie round-about in Managua, Nicaragua, Saturday, April 21, 2018. Ortega said Saturday that his government is willing to enter into talks over social security reforms that have sparked four days of protests and clashes in which, rights monitors say, at least 25 people have died. A journalist covering the unrest was also killed. (AP Photo/Alfredo Zuniga)

An anti-government protester holds up the Spanish sign: "Nicaragua free" at the Jean Paul Jennie round-about where protesters pulled down a statue that is emblematic of the government of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, in Managua, Nicaragua, Saturday, April 21, 2018. Ortega said Saturday that his government is willing to enter into talks over social security reforms that have sparked four days of protests and clashes in which, rights monitors say, at least 25 people have died. A journalist covering the unrest was also killed. (AP Photo/Alfredo Zuniga)QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) - Gunmen killed two Shiites and wounded a third in Quetta on Sunday, the latest in a recent series of attacks on the religious minority, police said.

Police chief Abdur Razzaq Cheema said both deceased men were local officials in Shiite community organizations; Ali Raza was a Baluchistan Shiite Conference official while Syed Zaman worked for the Hazara Welfare Foundation.

Cheema said the attackers fled the scene on motorcycles after Sunday's shooting and that a search is underway. No arrests have been made.

People comfort a man who lost his son in a deadly shooting incident outside a hospital in Quetta, Pakistan, Sunday, April 22, 2018. Police in Pakistan said gunmen have killed multiple Shiites, the latest in a recent series of attacks on the religious minority. (AP Photo/Arshad Butt)

It was the fifth attack in recent months targeting Shiites in Quetta. Last week, a Shiite shopkeeper was killed in a drive-by shooting.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility in a statement carried by its Aamaq news agency. Sunni extremists view Shiites as heretics and apostates.ZARQA, Jordan (AP) - U.S. and Jordanian forces in protective suits have practiced how to handle chemical, biological and nuclear materials.

In Sunday's scenario, the materials were detected in a simulated smuggling incident. Mobile laboratory teams surveyed the area, collected samples and then went through decontamination.

The drill was part of the annual 12-day "Eager Lion" military exercise involving more than 7,000 troops, including 3,500 U.S. service members. It was held near the Jordanian town of Zarqa, east of the capital, Amman.

U.S. and Jordanian forces respond to scenarios involving the simulated detection of chemical, biological or nuclear materials in a joint drill on Sunday, April 22, 2018, in a training area near the town of Zarqa, east of Jordan's capital of Amman. The drill is part of the annual "Eager Lion" military exercise, which includes scenarios ranging from border security to counter-terrorism and a simulated chemical incident. (AP Photo/Raad Adayleh)

Jordan is a close U.S. ally in the region.

Eager Lion began a week ago, just a day after the U.S., France and Britain launched missiles at Syrian military targets in response to an alleged chemical weapons attack near Damascus earlier this month.

U.S. and Jordanian forces respond to scenarios involving the simulated detection of chemical, biological or nuclear materials in a joint drill on Sunday, April 22, 2018, in a training area near the town of Zarqa, east of Jordan's capital of Amman. The drill is part of the annual "Eager Lion" military exercise, which includes scenarios ranging from border security to counter-terrorism and a simulated chemical incident. (AP Photo/Raad Adayleh)BAGHDAD (AP) - A spokesman for Iraq's military says 36 Islamic State militants have been killed in Thursday's airstrikes by Iraq's air force in Syria.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Brig. Gen. Yahya Rasool says that the airstrikes hit a location where IS militants were meeting, among other targets. Rasool added that six IS leaders were among the dead.

Hours after launching the airstrikes, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's office said Iraqi fighter jets had hit IS positions in an area along the border, saying they posed a threat to Iraq.

Syrian and Iraqi forces have driven IS from nearly all the territory it once held, but the extremists have maintained a presence in the remote desert areas along the border. Iraq has previously carried out airstrikes against the group in Syria.ASUNCION, Paraguay (AP) - The son of a former dictator's top aide won the presidential election in Paraguay on Sunday, helped by a booming economy under his party.

Mario Abdo Benitez of the governing Colorado Party had 46.5 percent of the votes, with 96 percent of 21, 000 polling stations reporting, electoral officials said. Efrain Alegre of the Authentic Radical Liberal Party finished second with 42.7 percent of the ballots. Eight other candidates finished far out of the running.

Both candidates are conservatives and the election was closer than the 20-point edge that opinion polls had given Abdo going into the election. Alegre, a 55-year-old lawyer who also finished second in the last presidential election, declined to concede, saying he would wait for the final count, though electoral officials said there were not enough ballots left to be counted to change the result.

Paraguay's President Elect Mario Abdo Benitez. left, of Colorado Party, and his wife Silvana Lopez Moreira wave at supporters during celebrations at the party headquarter's in Asuncion, Paraguay, Sunday, April 22, 2018. Abdo, the son of an aide to Paraguay's former dictator won the presidential election Sunday, helped by a booming economy under his party. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

The new president begins a five-year term Aug. 15.

Abdo, a 46-year-old marketing expert, campaigned on a promise to continue the business-friendly policies of outgoing President Horacio Cartes and he played down any fears of a return to the heavy-handed past of dictator Alfredo Stroessner, who ruled from 1954 to 1989. Abdo's father was Stroessner's private secretary.

After the results were announced, Abdo promised an "unwavering commitment" to being a good manager of the government.

"We built an electoral project with a dialogue of reconciliation and pardon among all Paraguayans," he said.

The top two candidates had similar platforms, promising to attract foreign investment to create jobs in an economy that has been one of the fastest-growing in the region but that still suffers from high poverty levels, extreme inequality and endemic corruption.

Both also are social conservatives who criticized sex education and abortion rights.

The Colorado Party has led Paraguay with only a few interruptions since the mid-20th Century. The landlocked nation of about 7 million people borders Argentina, Bolivia and Brazil.

Election officials reported no serious disturbances during the balloting, though a woman was detained for hitting Abdo in the shoulder while he was at the polling place. Police said her motive was unclear.

Sunday's voting also elected all seats in Congress and 17 governorships nationwide.

Paraguay's President Elect Mario Abdo Benitez, of the Colorado Party, talks to his supporters during victory celebrations at the party headquarter's in Asuncion, Paraguay, Sunday, April 22, 2018. Abdo, the son of an aide to Paraguay's former dictator won the presidential election Sunday, helped by a booming economy under his party. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

Supporters of Paraguay's President Elect Mario Abdo Benitez celebrate their victory at the party headquarter's in Asuncion, Paraguay, Sunday, April 22, 2018. Abdo, the son of an aide to Paraguay's former dictator won the presidential election Sunday, helped by a booming economy under his party. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

Presidential candidate Efrain Alegre of the "Ganar" alliance speaks with the press in Lambare, Paraguay, Sunday, April, 22, 2018. Alegre of the Authentic Radical Liberal Party which is part of the "Ganar" alliance conceded the election to Mario Abdo Benitez of the governing Colorado Party. (AP Photo/Marta Escurra)LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson got an "A'' rating from the National Rifle Association when he ran for governor in 2014 and can tout a series of tax cuts he's championed since taking office. But that apparently isn't enough for Jan Morgan, the owner of a gun range she once declared "Muslim-free," who is mounting an uphill bid to unseat Hutchinson in the Republican primary as not conservative enough on gun rights, taxes and other issues.

Morgan insists she has a chance to defeat Hutchinson on May 22, even though he is generally popular and she has only $16,000 in the bank to the governor's $2.4 million. She is portraying the race as emblematic of the divide among Republicans nationally and in the state.

"Asa and I are total representations of that divide. Asa is a big government, tax and spend establishment progressive. He is a DC insider," Morgan said. "Jan Morgan is a constitutional and fiscal conservative."

FILE - In this Feb. 26, 2018, file photo, gun range owner Jan Morgan talks to reporters at the Arkansas state Capitol in Little Rock after filing paperwork to run against Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson in the state's May 22 Republican primary. (AP Photo/Andrew Demillo, File)

Hutchinson, who ran unsuccessfully for statewide office three times before being elected governor in 2014, scoffs at the description.

"Anybody who knows my history and my consistent, conservative positions in my time in the political arena almost laughs at those accusations," Hutchinson said.

Both candidates tout themselves as gun rights defenders. Morgan gained national attention four years ago when she declared her Hot Springs range "Muslim-free," and launched her gubernatorial bid several months after opposing legislation Hutchinson signed into law exempting college sporting events from a new measure expanding where concealed handguns are allowed. She also supports allowing residents to carry firearms either openly or concealed without a license.

Hutchinson believes a license is still required to carry a concealed handgun. Hutchinson has previously received endorsements and high marks from the NRA, and headed a task force for the gun rights group that called for trained, armed staff at schools following the 2012 Newtown, Connecticut, school shooting. The NRA has not released endorsements or grades in this year's governor's race.

Hutchinson has successfully pushed for two income tax cuts since taking office - a $100 million middle income tax cut in 2015 and a $50 million lower income cut last year - and has proposed cutting income taxes for the state's top earners by $180 million next year. The governor last week also said he'd ask lawmakers to increase a property tax credit homeowners receive from $350 to $375. Morgan has said she'd also push for tax cuts if elected, but has not released a specific tax cut plan.

Morgan has criticized Hutchinson for tax increases that he signed into law last year to offset a measure exempting military retirement benefits from the income tax. To help pay for the $13 million exemption, the measure levied sales taxes on e-books, digital music and ringtones. It also called for levying the state's full 6.5 percent sales tax - rather than the lowered 1.5 percent rate for groceries - on soda and candy and made unemployment benefits subject to income taxes. The law also cut the tax that restaurants and retailers pay on syrup for soft drinks.

"He's played a shell game with the people," Morgan said.

Hutchinson accused Morgan of misrepresenting his record on tax cuts, and said the offsets were needed to ensure Arkansas kept a balanced budget and didn't jeopardize other services.

"We're not Washington, DC. We actually have to balance the budget," he said.

The two have also split over the state's hybrid Medicaid expansion, which uses federal and state funds to purchase private insurance for low-income residents. An opponent of the federal health law that allowed the expansion, Hutchinson declined during his bid four years ago to say whether he'd keep the program. After his election, and after a task force studied the issue, he called for the keeping the expanded coverage with new restrictions. Earlier this year, the federal government approved the state's plan to impose a work requirement on some recipients.

Morgan has called for ending the program and also endorsed a proposal to freeze its enrollment.

The two have also clashed over Arkansas' economic development incentives. Morgan has criticized the state offering incentives to companies from China, citing reported persecution of Christians in the Communist country.

"I support economic development incentives with Arkansas entrepreneurs, not Communist billionaires," she said.

Hutchinson, however, said it's a "dangerous slope" for the state to single out countries whose companies it won't offer incentives. Several Chinese firms have announced plans since Hutchinson took office to open facilities in the state.

"As long as they follow our rules, as long as it's investment here that expands jobs, I think it's a good thing," Hutchinson said.

The winner of the race will face the winner of the Democratic primary, which features former education nonprofit executive Jared Henderson and Leticia Sanders, and Libertarian nominee Mark West.

___

Follow Andrew DeMillo on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ademillo

___

Online:

Jan Morgan: www.janmorganforgovernor.com

Asa Hutchinson: www.asa2018.comCHILLICOTHE, Ohio (AP) - Authorities say an Ohio woman who provided alcohol to a 17-year-old boy whose body was found near her home has been charged with involuntary manslaughter.

The Chillicothe Gazette reports that 33-year-old Sandy France, of Chillicothe, was arrested Friday after being indicted by a Ross County grand jury.

An autopsy showed that Jason Bartley Jr. died of acute alcohol intoxication and abuse of benzodiazepines, a drug typically prescribed to treat anxiety and insomnia last year. He was found by a homeless coordinator Oct. 18.

A Ross County prosecutor says France gave the teen a bottle of vodka that he drank before his death. He says France was the mother of one of Bartley's friends.

It's unclear whether France has an attorney.

___

Information from: Chillicothe Gazette, http://www.chillicothegazette.comThe National Bank of Egypt has joined enterprise software firm R3s global blockchain, an initiative of over 200 financial services firms comprising technology companies, banks, trade associations and regulators, according to bank officials.

The R3 global network started as a consortium of banks looking to use blockchain technology, recently broadening its ambitions by proposing its distributed ledger technology (DLT) platform, known as Corda, used to link together a wide range of businesses.

The NBEs joining of the blockchain comes in line with Egypts national digital transformation strategy, and in support of the Central Bank of Egypts plan to encourage the financial services industry to adopt innovative financial technologies.

The new technology will enhance instantaneous processing of transactions across multiple distributed databases efficiently and securely. 

"By joining the initiative together with world banks and companies we will be able to closely monitor and engage directly in global blockchain developments, said NBEs chairman Hisham Okasha, stressing that its application is to assess the value the technology could bring to the banking industry and the impact it can have on faster and more cost-effective services.

David E. Rutter, CEO of R3, affirmed the addition of the NBE to the growing Corda network, is to enhance R3 engagement with the global financial industry, particularly in the Middle East and North African region.

By joining the alliance, the NBE will have the opportunity to train its IT talent on R3's enterprise-grade blockchain platform, with access to all research and technical meetings with multinational banks and entities.

The bank will also be able to present a project idea to the alliance to apply the technology in one of the banking services in cooperation with other regional and international banks.

Headquartered in New York City and founded in 2014, R3 currently leads a consortium of more than 70 of the world's biggest financial institutions in research and development of distributed ledger DLT usage in the financial system.

The bank will be able to present a project idea to the alliance to apply the technology in one of the banking services in cooperation with other regional and international banks.

Founded in 1898, the National Bank of Egypt is one the countrys oldest state-run financial corporations.

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ROME (AP) - Election results from one of Italy's tiniest regions were eagerly awaited Monday for any possible shift in voter sentiment as right-wing political leaders in Rome jockey to form a government following inconclusive national elections seven weeks ago.

Residents of the southern region of Molise cast ballots Sunday for governor and regional representatives.

Normally, the outcome of a local vote in one of the country's least populous regions has limited impact on the national political scene. But the two men who are vying to be premier following Italy's March 4 parliamentary elections - populist 5-Star Movement leader Luigi Di Maio and Matteo Salvini, leader of the anti-migrant League - are looking for any momentum from the results in Molise.

The leader of the Five-Star Movement, Luigi Di Maio, center, visits the Design Week, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, April 21, 2018. The Milan Design week is taking place in various locations across Milan from April 17 through 22, 2018. (Flavio lo Scalzo/ANSA via AP)

By the time polls closed at 11 p.m. Sunday, some 52 percent of eligible voters had cast ballots, regional authorities said, down from about 62 percent turnout in the previous regional election in 2013.

Results were expected later Monday.

The 5-Star Movement, which bills itself as anti-establishment, emerged as Parliament's largest party in the March general election. It made huge gains with voters in southern Italy, where chronically high unemployment has fed voter resentment of establishment parties.

Salvini's party, which is dominant in the country's north, emerged as the top vote-getter in a right-leaning, multi-party alliance that together controls more seats in Parliament than the 5-Stars do.

But neither force alone has enough seats to govern.

President Sergio Mattarella was taking the weekend to reflect on his next move after the latest round of consultations, the presidential palace said. The discussions last week failed to yield a political formula that would guarantee Italy's next government could command a majority in Parliament.

As head of state, Mattarella either will tap someone eventually to try to forge a governing coalition out of the country's bickering parties or turn to a respected figure above the political fray to lead some kind of "institutional" government with a lifespan likely to be short. The president also could conclude there is no possibility of ending the impasse and another election is needed.

The stalemate presents Salvini with a dilemma. Should he stay true to the center-right alliance that made his party a junior partner in all three of media mogul Silvio Berlusconi's governments, or break with the ex-premier and cut a deal with Di Maio?

Berlusconi's loathing for the 5-Stars was plain during the election campaign, when he branded them as dangerous for democracy. Last week, he ruled out any possibility of his party allying with the Movement, denigrating its politicians as fit only to clean toilets.

In an interview published in Sunday's Corriere della Sera newspaper, Berlusconi dismissed the prospect of Salvini bolting their alliance to join forces with Di Maio.

"Frankly, I don't see this danger," Berlusconi said.

Molise's outgoing governor is a Democrat, the lead party in Italy's current caretaker government.

___

Frances D'Emilio on Twitter: a href='http://www.twitter.com/fdemilio%3c'www.twitter.com/fdemilio/aISLAMABAD (AP) - An upstart Islamic State affiliate that first appeared in Afghanistan in 2014 is becoming increasingly deadly and their attacks on the country's minority Shiites have grown bolder. In Sunday's devastating bombing, a suicide bomber walked up to a crowd outside a voter registration office and blew himself up killing 57 people.

Most of the dead were ethnic Hazaras, who are Shiites Muslims. Another 119 people were wounded, many of them seriously.

It was the latest in a series of attacks by IS against the country's minority Shiites. Following last year's attack on the Iraq Embassy in Kabul, the extremist group issued a warning to Shiites that they were coming for them. Since then, they have carried out a number of horrific assaults targeting their places of worship in Kabul and Herat in western Afghanistan.

An Afghan police officer stands outside a voter registration center which was attacked by a suicide bomber in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, April 22, 2018. Gen. Daud Amin, the Kabul police chief, said the suicide bomber targeted civilians who had gathered to receive national identification cards. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Like their counterparts in Syria and Iraq, insurgents belonging to Afghanistan's Islamic State group are radical Sunni Muslims who revile Shiites as apostates and believe that the entire Muslim world should be ruled by a single caliphate. In Afghanistan, it is known as the Islamic State in Khorazan province, the ancient name of an area that included parts of Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia.

HOW STRONG IS THE ISLAMIC STATE IN AFGHANISTAN, AND WHO IS ACTIVE IN IT?

When the Islamic State group first appeared in Afghanistan its ranks were mostly culled from among the most ferocious of Pakistani Taliban from Pakistan's Bajaur tribal region, driven out by a military offensive, as well as from among disgruntled Taliban, who were frustrated with a leadership reigning in its violence and considering negotiations to end fighting.

At its outset, the Islamic State was mostly confined to eastern Afghanistan's Nangarhar province, but in recent years it has gained ground in the north and northeast of Afghanistan. Their ranks quickly swelled with Uzbek fighters, mostly from Central Asia's Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, many of whom were driven out of Pakistan's South Waziristan tribal region by a military offensive. Analysts say the movement brutality's was unmatched and, as outsiders to Afghanistan, the Uzbek fighters show no compunction about carrying out mass killings. IS, with the aid of Uzbeks, has made inroads into northern Afghanistan where Afghan Uzbeks mostly live. There have been several reports of open recruitment by IMU members. The size of IS in Afghanistan is unknown, but estimates generally run between 3,000 and 5,000 fighters.

WHAT DO THEY WANT?

The IS in Khorazan province shares the Syrian and Iraqi IS goal of establishing a caliphate that governs the entire Muslim world. Their only stated goal for Afghanistan, however, is to rid it of Shiite Muslims, who make up roughly 15 per cent of the country's 35 million people. The overwhelming majority are Sunni Muslims, who historically have lived in peace with their Shiite brethren. Shiites have stepped up security around their places of worship but Afghanistan's security forces seem confounded on how to prevent the relentless attacks.

DO THEY HAVE SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT IN THE POPULATION?

There is little support among Afghans for a movement whose sole goal is killing Shiite Muslims. While Afghanistan is a conservative Muslim country that has been alternately ruled by radical religious groups __ first anti-Soviet mujahedeen groups and later the Taliban __ there is practically no support for rule by caliphate. Afghanistan's rulers, even the radical religious ones, have been nationalists, ready to go to war to protect their sovereignty.

WHAT IS THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO THE TALIBAN?

IS and Taliban are battlefield adversaries which has prompted countries like Russia to confer with the Taliban, who they see as a bulwark against a formidable IS on its southern border. While loosely constructed, the Taliban since the death of its supreme leader Mullah Mohammed Omar several years ago are mostly comprised of ethnic Pashtuns and Arab-speaking nationals with ties to al-Qaida. They have condemned IS and the two groups have fought each other in eastern Nangarhar province where both seek full control, and where U.S. and Afghan security forces have been carrying out offensives against IS hideouts.MONT-SAINT-MICHEL, France (AP) - The Latest on the evacuation of a French tourist site due to security concerns (all times local):

3:20 p.m.

France's Mont-Saint-Michel abbey has reopened after several hours of searching by police failed to locate a visitor who allegedly threatened French security services.

FILE - In this March 21, 2015 file photo, a high tide submerges a narrow causeway leading to the Mont Saint-Michel, on France's northern coast. Authorities are evacuating tourists and others from the Mont-Saint-Michel abbey and monument in western France on Sunday April 22, 2018, after a visitor apparently threatened to attack security services. (AP Photo) FRANCE OUT

A trickle of tourists started returning to the Mont across a promontory that connects the popular site in the English Channel to the mainland.

French authorities evacuated tourists and others from the Mont-Saint-Michel abbey and monument on Sunday morning after hearing about the reported threat. The site was closed for about four hours.

Details of the threat were unclear, but the national gendarme service said authorities ordered the evacuation as a precaution.

The gendarme service says police have expanded their search to neighboring towns.

___

12:50 p.m.

Police officers are patrolling the steep cobblestone paths leading up to the Mont-Saint-Michel abbey after the site - normally packed with tourists and pilgrims 365 days a year - was evacuated as a precaution.

French authorities cleared the popular English Channel tourist site after a visitor allegedly threatened to attack members of the country's security services on Sunday. The regional prosecutor's office has opened an investigation.

Thousands of people were affected by the evacuation, but the mood mostly was calm. Some tourists were taken out of their hotels, while others were blocked upon arrival.

Some angry South Korean tourists shouted at an organizer trying to explain the situation. Their group of 32 was turned back to Paris after being blocked from reaching Mont-Saint-Michel.

France's gendarme service says monks and nuns have been instructed to stay inside the abbey during the evacuation, while the Mont's few other residents were told to stay in their homes.

___

10:40 p.m.

French officials are providing contradictory information about the circumstances of a security threat that motivated authorities to evacuate Mont-Saint-Michael as a precaution.

An official with the national gendarme service said a visitor threatened to attack French security services while riding on one of the shuttles serving the popular site.

The head of the regional administration, Jean-Marc Sabathe, told broadcaster Francetvinfo that the man made the threat when he was trying to stage a street performance and got into an argument with a cafe worker.

He says the man was caught on video surveillance cameras. Sabathe ordered house-by-house searches to verify if the suspect is still on Mont-Saint-Michel or had left the Mont.

Hotels on the Mont were being evacuated, but its few permanent residents were being told to stay indoors.

- By Angela Charlton

___

11:10 a.m.

French authorities are evacuating tourists and others from the Mont-Saint-Michel abbey and monument in western France after a visitor apparently threatened to attack security services.

The national gendarme service said the man made the threat Sunday on one of the shuttles serving the site, on a peninsula in the English Channel. An official with the gendarme service said the threat was vague, but prompted authorities to order an evacuation.

Police are searching for the man who made the threat.

A shuttle service official said large crowds are being evacuated or turned away and a police helicopter is flying overhead, but the atmosphere is calm.

Both officials weren't authorized to be publicly named.

The site is one of the most visited in France, with several thousand tourists a day.

Police attend the scene of an evacuation at Mont Saint-Michel, on France's northern coast, Sunday April 22, 2018. Authorities are evacuating tourists and others from the Mont-Saint-Michel abbey and monument in western France after a visitor apparently threatened to attack security services. (Denis Surfys via AP)

Police attend the scene of an evacuation at Mont Saint-Michel, on France's northern coast, Sunday April 22, 2018. Authorities are evacuating tourists and others from the Mont-Saint-Michel abbey and monument in western France after a visitor apparently threatened to attack security services. (AP Photo/Randall Hackley)

Police attend the scene of an evacuation at Mont Saint-Michel, on France's northern coast, Sunday April 22, 2018. Authorities are evacuating tourists and others from the Mont-Saint-Michel abbey and monument in western France after a visitor apparently threatened to attack security services. (AP Photo/Randall Hackley)About 200 people gathered on a Maine beach on Sunday to remember Barbara Bush, who with her husband, former President George H.W. Bush, spent years at their summer home in Kennebunkport.

Barbara Bush died on Tuesday at home in Houston at the age of 92. She was laid to rest on Saturday at her husband's presidential library in Texas.

At the Maine memorial, some also donated children's books to be given to two local libraries and a children's hospital in her memory.

About 200 people gathered on a Maine beach on Sunday to remember Barbara Bush, who with her husband, former President George H.W. Bush, spent years at their summer home in Kennebunkport

Dog walkers gather to remember former first lady Barbara Bush at Gooch's Beach in Kennebunk, Maine on Sunday

'That's our farewell to Barbara,' said Diane Denk, who helped organize the memorial and often saw Bush on the beach in the early morning with her dogs.

'Barbara was just a real stand-up lady. She was a good lady,' she said. 'She was very philanthropic, she and George, and they just, they loved their community, they loved the state, they donated to children's hospitals, they donated to just about every philanthropic cause around here.'

People gathered in a large circle to share stories about their encounters with Bush on the beach. She used to walk her dogs there with a Secret Service agent following behind.

Kathy Lowery, of Kennebunk, Maine, with her dog Abby, tells a story about a memorable encounter with Barbara Beach during a gathering to remember former first lady at Gooch's Beach in Kennebunk

A board featuring a photo of Barbara Bush posing with beach walkers and their dogs is signed at a gathering to remember the former first lady at Gooch's Beach in Kennebunk

Dog walkers gather to remember former first lady Barbara Bush at Gooch's Beach in Kennebunk, Maine

One participant made clear that Bush indeed always picked up after her dogs; it wasn't the job of the Secret Service.

Many people signed a large poster board that featured a photo of the former first lady and several beach walkers and their dogs. Some also tossed flowers into the sea.

At the ceremony Saturday where the former first lady was laid to rest, family spokesman Jim McGrath said it was 'a very brief but poignant and beautiful ending to a very moving and incredible day'.

'It would have been exactly what Barbara Bush wanted,' McGrath added.

Former first lady Barbara Bush has been laid to rest at her husband's presidential library in Texas. Pictured: Her casket sits near her husband George H.W. Bush

Family spokesman Jim McGrath said the ceremony was 'a very brief but poignant and beautiful ending to a very moving and incredible day'

About 1,500 people attended a private funeral on Saturday in Houston for the wife of former President George H.W. Bush.

The elder Bush and the couple's son, former president George W. Bush, were among four former US presidents at the service.

Bill Clinton and Barack Obama were in attendance, along with four former first ladies.

Former first ladies Michelle Obama, Laura Bush, Hillary Clinton attended the service and were joined by current First Lady Melania Trump.

'It would have been exactly what Barbara Bush wanted,' McGrath said. About 1,500 people attended a private funeral on Saturday in HoustonMOSCOW (AP) - A Russian lawyer who discussed sanctions with Donald Trump Jr. in New York during his father's 2016 campaign for the U.S. presidency said Sunday that special counsel Robert Mueller has not contacted her yet.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Natalia Veselnitskaya also detailed her recent meeting in Berlin with investigators from the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee. Like Mueller, the committee is investigating allegations of Russian interference in the U.S. presidential election.

Veselnitskaya met in June 2016 with then-candidate Donald Trump's son, his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort, his campaign chairman at the time, Paul Manafort, after Trump Jr. was told the Russian lawyer had potentially incriminating information about Hillary Clinton.

Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, April 22, 2018. Veselnitskaya who discussed sanctions with Donald Trump Jr. in New York during the 2016 campaign told The Associated Press in an interview that she has not been contacted by special counsel Robert Mueller and alleged that he was not interested in getting to the truth. (AP Photo/Dmitry Serebryakov)

Mueller, a former FBI director, is leading a federal probe of possible collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign. He has filed charges against multiple former Trump campaign aides.

Veselnitskaya alleged in her interview with the AP in downtown Moscow that if Mueller's team never questions her, it would mean that it "is not working to discover the truth."

Veselnitskaya is a well-connected Moscow lawyer who has worked with a company called Prevezon Holdings Ltd. The company's owner is the son of a former Russian government official and a fierce advocate for rolling back U.S. sanctions on Russia.

At the time of her 2016 meeting at Trump Tower, she was defending Prevezon against charges it had engaged in money laundering from a $230 million Russian tax fraud scheme.

Trump Jr. and others in attendance have downplayed the meeting, saying nothing came of it. Trump has denied that he or his campaign coordinated with any Russian attempts to interfere in the election.

The Senate Intelligence Committee has expressed interest in determining whether Veselnitskaya's appointment with Trump Jr., Kushner and Manafort was part of a Russian government effort to help President Donald Trump's campaign for the White House. It was described that way in emails to Trump Jr. before it took place.

Several congressional committees are looking into whether Russia interfered in the 2016 election and whether there were collusion by Trump's campaign. The House Intelligence Committee has finished its investigation and said it found no evidence of collusion or coordination with Russians.

The Senate Intelligence Committee approached Veselnitskaya earlier this year, but she refused to go the United States, saying she feared for her safety. The lawyer and the committee's investigators instead met in a Berlin hotel on March 26 and talked for three hours.

"That was essentially a monologue. They were not interrupting me," Veselnitskaya said. "They listened very carefully...Their questions were very sharp, pin-pointed."

The investigators mainly wanted to know about Trump Tower meeting, she said. Veselnitskaya said she repeated her previous statements about it, insisting that she was not linked to the Russian government and merely wanted to discuss sanctions against Russia.

Veselnitskaya's said the Berlin interview also focused on information in memos compiled by a former British spy whose work was funded by the Democratic National Committee and Clinton's campaign. The dossier contains numerous allegations of Russian ties to Trump, his associates and the Trump campaign.

Veselnitskaya dismissed the dossier as "absolute nonsense." She insisted that Glenn Simpson, whose firm Fusion GPS was hired to compile the dossier and who was questioned by the House Intelligence Committee in January, had been "framed."

The Senate committee has not sent her the minutes of the interview yet, Veselnitskaya said, because no one has figured out a safe way to get them to her.

Asked why she decided to meet with the U.S. investigators in Berlin, Veselnitskaya said she felt compelled to tell her account after being into the heart of the Russia probe.

"I'm ready to explain things that may seem odd to you or maybe you have suspicions," she said.

Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya listens to a question during an interview with The Associated Press in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, April 22, 2018. Veselnitskaya who discussed sanctions with Donald Trump Jr. in New York during the 2016 campaign told The Associated Press in an interview that she has not been contacted by special counsel Robert Mueller and alleged that he was not interested in getting to the truth. (AP Photo/Dmitry Serebryakov)

Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, April 22, 2018. Veselnitskaya who discussed sanctions with Donald Trump Jr. in New York during the 2016 campaign told The Associated Press in an interview that she has not been contacted by special counsel Robert Mueller and alleged that he was not interested in getting to the truth. (AP Photo/Dmitry Serebryakov)

Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya listens to a question during an interview with The Associated Press in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, April 22, 2018. Veselnitskaya who discussed sanctions with Donald Trump Jr. in New York during the 2016 campaign told The Associated Press in an interview that she has not been contacted by special counsel Robert Mueller and alleged that he was not interested in getting to the truth. (AP Photo/Dmitry Serebryakov)

Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, April 22, 2018. Veselnitskaya who discussed sanctions with Donald Trump Jr. in New York during the 2016 campaign told The Associated Press in an interview that she has not been contacted by special counsel Robert Mueller and alleged that he was not interested in getting to the truth. (AP Photo/Dmitry Serebryakov)Florida authorities went to a funeral home and used a dead man's finger to try to unlock his cellphone as part of their investigation.

Linus Phillip, 30, was fatally shot six times in the back by a Largo police officer last month after authorities say he tried to drive away before an officer could search him.

At the Sylvan Abbey Funeral Home, two detectives held the man's hands up to the phone's fingerprint sensor but could not unlock it.

Linus Phillip, 30, was fatally shot six times in the back by a Largo police officer last month after authorities say he tried to drive away before an officer could search him

Phillip's fiancee Victoria Armstrong says she felt violated and disrespected. The couple have two children together. Their young daughter lost her battle with leukemia last year but their son Isaac is 16-months-old.

Legal experts mostly agree that what the detectives did was legal, but they question whether it was appropriate.

Charles Rose, a professor at Stetson University College of Law, tells the Tampa Bay Times that dead people can't assert their Fourth Amendment protections because you can't own property when you're dead. But those rights could apply to whoever inherits the property.

Phillip's fiancee Victoria Armstrong said she felt violated and disrespected after two detectives held the man's hands up to the phone's fingerprint sensor but could not unlock it

Philip's mother Martha Hicks told ABC : ' They killed him after his 30th birthday. Oh god he turned 30 on March 11. It's too much too much we just want to know what happened'

After the family witnessed police officers attempt to use Phillip's fingerprint after his death, their attorney filed a complaint against the detective.

They said they are also considering a lawsuit against the City of Largo for unwarranted search and seizure, and obtaining illegal access to the body after it had left city custody.

Philip's family said he was pulled over at a WaWa gas station because the window tint on his rental car was too dark, according to officers.

The police claimed they could smell marijuana, so they tried to detain him, but they said he tried to drive away, causing police to fire four shots through the passenger window, killing him.

A GoFundMe page was set up for Phillip, which was titled Justice for Linus Phillip. Their goal is to raise $50,000

After the fatal ordeal police told the family that WaWas security cameras caught video of the incident. However, they later said that all the cameras had an obscured view, and as a result, only had video of the police rendering CPR on Linus.

Police later told the familys attorney, John Trevena, that no video existed.

Philip's mother Martha Hicks told ABC: 'They killed him after his 30th birthday. Oh god he turned 30 on March 11. It's too much too much we just want to know what happened.'

Armstrong said: 'My son is no longer going to go have a father, or to make his dad proud. He's not here anymore because of this and the police are slandering his name like some awful person. We are fighting to find out what happened.'

Philip's family said he was pulled over at a WaWa gas station because the window tint on his rental car was too dark, according to officers

A GoFundMe page was set up for Phillip, which was titled Justice for Linus Phillip. Their goal is to raise $50,000.

In the description they wrote: 'Another unarmed black man killed by police.'

It also read: 'Linus Phillip loved his children, and was a devoted family man. He loved taking his kids to the park and spending time with family. When his daughter was born with a rare cancer, he refused to leave the hospital, even to get a haircut.'

'He also enjoyed sports, and playing Madden Football and NBA2K on PS4. He also loved comedy clubs, and often took his wife Victoria to the Improv in Tampa.'ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) - Israel's Justice minister vowed to help Ethiopia's Jews immigrate to Israel as soon as possible during a rare visit to Ethiopia.

Ayelet Shaked visited the synagogue in Addis Ababa on Sunday.

"These programs that will eventually reunite Ethiopian Jews with their families in Israel are not generally easy," said Shaked to the group gathered in the synagogue.

Israel's Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked receives traditional clothes from members of Ethiopia's Jewish community, during a visit to a synagogue in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Sunday, April 22, 2018. Shaked visited the synagogue in a rare visit from the high office of Israel's government and her first trip to Africa. (AP Photo/Mulugeta Ayene)

"But I will try everything within my power to work with relevant offices to make this happen in the shortest time possible," she said.

Shaked, on what is reported to be her first official visit to Africa, said she came to find out more about the situation of Ethiopia's estimated 8,000 remaining Jews.

Members of the Ethiopian Jews who attended the meeting told her that they want to move to Israel, where many family members moved years ago. They said they want "aliya," the Hebrew term for the immigration of Jews in other parts of the world to Israel.

"We know aliyah for Jews that are descendants in other countries happened so swiftly that sometimes even their dogs were also included as they moved to Israel. Are we less important than these dogs?" asked Meles Sidisto, the community head of Ethiopia's Jews in Addis Ababa.

In an emotional speech, Sidisto reaffirmed that members of Ethiopia's Jewish population plan to stage a mass hunger strike should Israel fail to reunite them with their families soon.

"We are unhappy here. We have had enough here. If our situation is not resolved in a very short time, we will hold a momentous mass hunger strike that will help us present our voice to Israel and the world," he said.

The Ethiopian Jews met with Shaked in the small hall decorated with Israeli flags and scriptures. Some said they have been separated for decades from close family members who moved to Israel.

Tigabu Worku, one of the synagogue's most active members, read a letter to Shaked in which he complained that he has been separated from his family for years.

"I have been torn from my younger sisters Leah and Sarah for 18 years," said Tigabu. "Eighteen years I have missed them. Eighteen years I have waited to see their faces that I no longer remember."

Ethiopia's Falashmuras are believed to be descendants of one of the Ten Lost Tribes of ancient Israel. Ethiopia's Jewish people mainly live in the Amhara and Tigray provinces.

Thousands of Falashmuras moved to Israel following the Law of Return in April 1975 and most of those who remain in Ethiopia have been separated for well over a decards from family members who moved to Israel.

About 140,000 Ethiopian Jews live in Israel today, a small minority in a country of over 8 million. Their assimilation hasn't been smooth, with many arriving without a modern education and then falling into unemployment and poverty.

Although many of those remaining in Ethiopia are practicing Jews, Israel doesn't consider them Jewish, meaning they are not automatically eligible to immigrate under its "law of return," which grants automatic citizenship to anyone with at least one Jewish grandparent. Instead, the government must OK their arrival.

Ethiopian community members have been permitted to immigrate over the last two decades in limited bursts that have left hundreds of families torn apart.

The Israeli government did not approve the funding for the movement of the Ethiopians in its new budget but said a special ministerial committee would to discuss the issue. A date for that meeting had not been announced.

Members of Ethiopia's Jewish community wait for the arrival of Israel's Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked at a synagogue in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Sunday, April 22, 2018. Shaked visited the synagogue in a rare visit from the high office of Israel's government and her first trip to Africa. (AP Photo/Mulugeta Ayene)

Israel's Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked speaks to members of Ethiopia's Jewish community, during a visit to a synagogue in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Sunday, April 22, 2018. Shaked visited the synagogue in a rare visit from the high office of Israel's government and her first trip to Africa. (AP Photo/Mulugeta Ayene)

Israel's Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked speaks to members of Ethiopia's Jewish community, during a visit to a synagogue in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Sunday, April 22, 2018. Shaked visited the synagogue in a rare visit from the high office of Israel's government and her first trip to Africa. (AP Photo/Mulugeta Ayene)

Israel's Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked speaks to members of Ethiopia's Jewish community, during a visit to a synagogue in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Sunday, April 22, 2018. Shaked visited the synagogue in a rare visit from the high office of Israel's government and her first trip to Africa. (AP Photo/Mulugeta Ayene)

Members of Ethiopia's Jewish community listen as Israel's Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked speaks during a visit to a synagogue in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Sunday, April 22, 2018. Shaked visited the synagogue in a rare visit from the high office of Israel's government and her first trip to Africa. (AP Photo/Mulugeta Ayene)CHICAGO (AP) - Federal prosecutors say a former California college student charged with providing material support for a terrorist group isn't entitled to the sort of immunity that often applies to soldiers in national armies during wartime.

Aws Mohammed Younis Al-Jayab is accused of traveling overseas to fight with terrorist organizations and lying about his activities to immigration authorities. Lawyers for Al-Jayab argued that he should be entitled to immunity because he hooked up with the kind of Syrian rebels the U.S. has backed to topple the Bashar al-Assad regime, not with terrorists, and that the conflict is international in scope.

But in a Friday court filing, prosecutors said the Syrian conflict doesn't qualify as international and that Al-Jayab was part of terrorist-linked groups, not a legitimate army.

Al-Jayab has pleaded not guilty in the case, which was brought in Chicago. He could face up to 15 years in prison.MADISON, Wis. (AP) - In a story April 22 about Bryan Steil running for House Speaker Paul Ryan's congressional seat, The Associated Press reported erroneously that Beloit is in the district. It is not.

A corrected version of the story is below:

Bryan Steil becomes GOP front-runner to win Paul Ryan's seat

A former personal driver for House Speaker Paul Ryan who has been active in Republican politics in Wisconsin for years is running to succeed Ryan in Congress

By SCOTT BAUER

Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - A former driver for House Speaker Paul Ryan who has been active in Wisconsin Republican politics for years announced Sunday that he is running to succeed Ryan in Congress.

Bryan Steil, an attorney from Ryan's hometown of Janesville and a member of the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, becomes the likely Republican front-runner after the field of better-known potential candidates cleared for his entry.

"I want to take my problem-solving skills to Congress. I think they need problem solvers, doers ... not talkers," Steil said in prepared remarks announcing his candidacy.

He cited the need for a good education, quality schools and skilled workers for jobs of the future.

"I want to take our Wisconsin work ethic and my problem-solving experience to Washington's non-stop crisis factory," he said.

Steil, 37, entered the race less than two weeks after Ryan said he would not seek re-election. Ryan said Friday that he had no immediate plans to endorse anyone.

Steil has been a regent since 2016 and works as general counsel and secretary at Charter NEX Films Inc., an independent producer of polyethylene film used for food and consumer packaging. Steil, whose name is pronounced "style," worked as Ryan's personal driver from 2003 to 2004.

Steil is the first vice chairman on the Rock County Republican board and is well-known to GOP activists in Ryan's southeastern Wisconsin congressional district, even though he doesn't have a high public profile.

That will change in the coming weeks, with money expected to pour into the district as Republicans look to keep the seat and to avoid a potentially embarrassing Democratic win.

Among the other Republicans running for the seat are two former Ryan opponents. One of them, Jeremy Ryan, is known for riding his Segway and being a prominent liberal protester in Madison. He got 6 percent of the vote against Ryan in 2014.

Another candidate, Paul Nehlen, was banned by Twitter for racist and anti-Semitic posts earlier this year and lost to Ryan in the 2016 primary by 68 percentage points. Ryan's campaign, among others, has said Nehlen is not fit to hold office.

Two other GOP candidates, security consulting firm co-owner and former Green Beret Nick Polce and applications engineer Kevin Adam Steen, are political newcomers.

On the Democratic side, union iron worker Randy Bryce faces Janesville teacher Cathy Myers. Bryce, who made a national splash with his launch video and nickname "Iron Stache," has been leading in fundraising and was put on the national House Democrats' list of top challengers in Republican-held districts even before Ryan stepped aside.

In a statement, Bryce campaign spokeswoman Lauren Hitt called Steil "part of the institutional Republican swamp that believes we should give tax breaks to the wealthy and pay for it by attacking working people's retirements and healthcare."

Myers criticized Steil's record as regent. "Voters don't want another rubber stamp in Washington, they want a representative who will fight for them," Myers said in a statement.

The primary is Aug. 14.

The 1st congressional district runs from the Illinois border north to the southern suburbs of Milwaukee and includes the blue collar cities of Janesville and Kenosha. But it also reaches into conservative Waukesha County and includes more Republican-friendly rural areas, which has helped Ryan win re-election over his 20-year career by at least 55 points each time.

President Donald Trump won the district by more than 10 percentage points while winning statewide by less than a point. In the race for an open Wisconsin Supreme Court seat earliest this month, the conservative candidate won the district by over 5 points while losing statewide by 12.

Blake Gober is a Republican strategist who is helping run Steil's campaign for Congress. Gober said he first met Steil in 2011 when Gober was working on then-Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice David Prosser's campaign.

"Whenever there's been a conservative candidate, he's been out there supporting them, working for them in whatever way possible," Gober said of Steil. "The grassroots knows him and trusts him."

Gober said that even though Steil has been closely tied with Ryan, he won't be viewed as a "creature" of Madison or Washington because he's never run for office.

"He's going to run as Bryan Steil, not as the second coming of Paul Ryan," Gober said.

___

Follow Scott Bauer on Twitter: https://twitter.com/sbauerAPNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A nearly naked gunman wearing only a green jacket and brandishing an assault rifle stormed a Waffle House restaurant in Nashville early Sunday, shooting four people to death before a customer rushed him and wrestled the weapon away.

Authorities were searching for the 29-year-old suspect, Travis Reinking, who they said drove to the busy restaurant and killed two people in the parking lot before entering and continuing to fire. When his AR-15 rifle either jammed or the clip was empty, the customer disarmed him in a scuffle.

Four people were also wounded before the gunman fled, throwing off his jacket.

Police tape blocks off a Waffle House restaurant Sunday, April 22, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. At least four people died after a gunman opened fire at the restaurant early Sunday.(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson said there was no clear motive, though Reinking may have "mental issues." He may still be armed, Anderson told a mid-afternoon news conference, because he was known to have owned a handgun that authorities have not recovered.

U.S. Secret Service agents arrested Reinking last July for being in a restricted area near the White House, officials said. Special Agent Todd Hudson said Reinking was detained after refusing to leave the restricted area, saying he wanted to meet President Donald Trump.

State police in Illinois, where Reinking lived until last fall, subsequently revoked his state firearms card at the request of the FBI and four guns were then taken from him, including the AR-15 used in Sunday's shooting as well as a handgun, authorities said.

Sheriff Robert Huston in Tazewell County, Illinois, said deputies allowed Reinking's father to take possession of the guns on the promise that he would "keep the weapons secure and out of the possession of Travis." Huston added that, based on past deputies' encounters with Reinking, "there's certainly evidence that there's some sort of mental health issues involved."

While Huston said it was unclear how Reinking reclaimed the guns, Nashville Police spokesman Don Aaron said that his father "has now acknowledged giving them back to his son."

Phone calls to a number listed for the father, Jeffrey Reinking, went unanswered.

Meanwhile, authorities hailed the customer who intervened to stop a further bloodbath, 29-year-old James Shaw, Jr., as a hero - though the father of a 4-year-old girl demurred and said he was just trying to survive.

One hand bandaged, Shaw told reporters he first thought the gunshots fired around 3:25 a.m. were plates falling from a dishwashing station.

When he realized what was happening, he took cover behind a door as shots shattered windows. The gun either jammed or needed a new clip, and that's when Shaw said he pounced after making up his mind that "he was going to have to work to kill me."

Shaw said he was not a religious man, but "for a tenth of a second, something was with me to run through that door and get the gun from him."

They cursed at each other as they scuffled, Shaw said, and he was able to grab the gun and toss it over a counter. The gunman then ran away into the dark of the working- and middle-class Antioch neighborhood of southeast Nashville.

Authorities said he shed his jacket nearby and police found two AR-15 magazines loaded with bullets in the pockets. He was seen walking, naked, on a road, officials said, but later was spotted wearing pants but no shirt after apparently returning to his apartment.

Another witness, Chuck Cordero, told The Tennessean newspaper he had stopped to get a cup of coffee and was outside the Waffle House when the chaos unfolded.

"He did not say anything," Cordero said of the gunman, who he described as "all business."

Cordero said Shaw saved lives. "There was plenty more people in that restaurant," he said.

The dead were identified as 29-year-old restaurant worker Taurean C. Sanderlin, and restaurant patrons Joe R. Perez, 20, Akilah Dasilva, 23, and DeEbony Groves, 21. A police statement said Sanderlin and Perez were killed outside the restaurant, Groves was fatally shot inside, and Dasilva was critically wounded inside and later died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Aaron, the police spokesman, said two of the wounded were being treated for gunshot wounds at the medical center, where spokeswoman Jennifer Wetzel said one was in critical condition and the other was in critical but stable condition.

TriStar Southern Hills Medical Center spokeswoman Katie Radel in Nashville said two people were treated for minor injuries and released.

Aaron said Reinking had been employed in construction and lived near the restaurant, and police used yellow crime scene tape to block public access to an apartment complex about a half-mile from the Waffle House. Reinking is originally from Morton, Illinois.

"This is a very sad day for the Waffle House family," the company said in a statement on Twitter. "We ask for everyone to keep the victims and their families in their thoughts and prayers."

Nashville Mayor David Briley described the shooting as "a tragic day" for the city.

"My heart goes out to the families & friends of every person who was killed or wounded," Briley said in an emailed statement. "I know all of their lives will be forever changed by this devastating crime."

U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, whose district includes Nashville, said in an emailed statement that the shooting shows the need for tighter restrictions on "widespread civilian access to military-grade assault weapons."

Nashville Chief Anderson said there was no Tennessee law that would have barred Reinking from having guns, though weapons could be taken away if the suspect had serious mental health issues. That would require taking him to court and having his rights taken away because of illness, a sometimes lengthy and difficult process, Anderson said.

Police reports filed in Illinois showed past run-ins with authorities there.

In May 2016, Tazewell County deputies were called to a CVS parking lot where Reinking told officers that Taylor Swift was stalking him and hacking his phone, and that his family was also involved, according to a report released Sunday. Reinking agreed to go to a local hospital for an evaluation after repeatedly resisting the request, the report said.

Another report from the sheriff's office said Reinking barged into a community pool in Tremont, Illinois, last June and jumped into the water wearing a pink woman's coat over his underwear. Investigators believed he had an AR-15 rifle in his car trunk, but it was never displayed. No charges were filed.

___

Associated Press writers John Raby in Charleston, West Virginia; Ed White in Detroit; and Justin Pritchard in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

James Shaw Jr., shows his hand that was injured when he disarmed a shooter inside a Waffle House on Sunday, April 22, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. A gunman stormed the Waffle House restaurant and shot several people to death before dawn, according to police, who credited Shaw, a customer with saving lives by wresting the assailant's weapon away. (Larry McCormack/The Tennessean via AP)

This photo provided by Metro Nashville Police Department shows Travis Reinking, who police are searching for in connection with a fatal shooting at a Waffle House restaurant in the Antioch neighborhood of Nashville early Sunday, April 22, 2018. (Metro Nashville Police Department via AP)

James Shaw, right, gets a hug from Waffle House CEO Walt Ehmer during a press conference on the Waffle House shooting Sunday, April 22, 2018 in Nashville, Tenn. Shaw wrestled the gun from the suspect. (Wade Payne/The Tennessean via AP)

A body is carried out of a Waffle House in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, April 22, 2018. At least four people died after a gunman opened fire at the restaurant early Sunday. (George Walker IV/ The Tennessean via AP)

Law enforcement officials work the scene of a fatal shooting at a Waffle House in the Antioch neighborhood of Nashville, Sunday, April 22, 2018. (George Walker IV/The Tennessean via AP)

This photo provided by the Metro Nashville Police Department photo shows the rifle used in the deadly shooting at a Waffle House on Sunday, April 22, 2018, in the Antioch neighborhood of Nashville. (Metro Nashville Police Department via AP)

A Metro Nashville police officer places police tape at Discover at Mountain View Apartments near the Waffle House where four people died after a gunman opened fire early Sunday, April 22, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (Shelley Mays/The Tennessean via AP)

A suspect's truck sits at a Waffle House in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, April 22, 2018. At least four people died after a gunman opened fire at the restaurant early Sunday. (George Walker IV/The Tennessean via AP)

Metro Nashville Police bomb squad personnel arrive at Discovery at Mountain View Apartments Sunday, April 22, 2018 in Nashville, Tenn. At least four people died when a gunman opened fire at a nearby Waffle House restaurant earlier in the day. (Shelley Mays, The Tennessean via AP)

Law enforcement officials work the scene of a fatal shooting at a Waffle House in the Antioch neighborhood of Nashville, Sunday, April 22, 2018. (George Walker IV/The Tennessean via AP)

Bullet holes are seen at a Waffle House after a fatal shooting in the Antioch neighborhood of Nashville, Sunday, April 22, 2018. (George Walker IV/The Tennessean via AP)

Hero James Shaw wipes tears away during a press conference on the Waffle House shooting Sunday, April 22, 2018 in Nashville, Tenn. Shaw wrestled the gun from the suspect. To Shaw's right is Nashville Metro Mayor David Briley and to his left is FBI Special Agent in Charge Matthew Espenshade. (Wade Payn/The Tennessean via AP)

Hero James Shaw speaks during a press conference on the Waffle House shooting Sunday, April 22, 2018 in Nashville, Tenn. Shaw wrestled the gun from the suspect. (Wade Payne/The Tennessean via AP)

James Shaw speaks after a news conference Sunday, April 22, 2018 in Nashville, Tenn. Shaw wrestled the gun from a man who opened fire in a Waffle House restaurant earlier in the day, killing at least four people. (AP Photo/Sheila Burke)

Menus and a cup sit on a table next to a window shot out at a Waffle House restaurant Sunday, April 22, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. At least four people died after a gunman opened fire at the restaurant early Sunday. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Nashville police officers gather alongside a wooded area as they search for a shooting suspect near a Waffle House restaurant Sunday, April 22, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. At least four people died after a gunman opened fire at the restaurant early Sunday. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Nashville police officers search a neighborhood near a Waffle House restaurant Sunday, April 22, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. At least four people died after a gunman opened fire at the restaurant early Sunday. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Nashville police officers search a neighborhood near a Waffle House restaurant Sunday, April 22, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. At least four people died after a gunman opened fire at the restaurant early Sunday. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Nashville police officers search a neighborhood near a Waffle House restaurant Sunday, April 22, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. At least four people died after a gunman opened fire at the restaurant early Sunday. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Hero James Shaw wipes tears away during a press conference on the Waffle House shooting Sunday, April 22, 2018 in Nashville, Tenn. Shaw wrestled the gun from the suspect. To Shaw's right is Nashville Metro Mayor David Briley and to his left is FBI Special Agent in Charge Matthew Espenshade. (Wade Payn/The Tennessean via AP)

Waffle House hero James Shaw speaks during a press conference on the shooting Sunday, April 22, 2018 in Nashville, Tenn. Shaw wrestled the gun from the suspect. (Wade Payne/The Tennessean via AP)

Waffle House CEO Walt Ehmer pauses while speaking during a press conference on the Waffle House shooting Sunday, April 22, 2018 in Nashville, Tenn. (Wade Payne/The Tennessean via AP)Egyptian archaeologists made the surprise discoveries recently at the temples of Karnak and Kom Ombo

Egyptian archaeological missions in Upper Egypt have made two rare discoveries, unearthing a marble head of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius in Aswan and an unusually positioned Osirian temple in Luxor.

The Luxor discovery was made at the southern side of Karnak Temples tenth pylon, with archaeologists revealing architectural elements of a Late Period shrine dedicated for god Osiris-Ptah-Neb.

The well-preserved find consists of an entrance, foundation remains, columns, inner walls and ruins of a third hall located at the eastern side. Paving stones from the shrine floor were also uncovered, along with other extension structures built during a later period.

Essam Nagy, head of the archaeological mission, described the discovery as important because the shrine is not located on the eastern or northern side of the Amun-Re temple in line with the ancient Egyptian belief. Rather, it is on the southern side, pointing to the importance of the Osirian belief at that time.

Also uncovered were a collection of clay pots, remains of statues, and a winged frame relief decorated with offering tables bearing a sheep and a goose. The relief, Nagy said, bears the name of kings Taharka and Tanut Amun, the last ruler of the 25th Dynasty.

In Aswan, meanwhile, an Egyptian mission working to reduce the subterranean water level at Kom Ombo Temple uncovered a marble head of the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius.

Aymen Ashmawi, head of the ancient Egyptian Sector at the Ministry of Antiquities, told Ahram Online that the head depicts Emperor Aurelius with wavy hair and beard. He describes the head as "unique", saying that statues of the Roman ruler are rare.

The head is now in the archaeological store, awaiting restoration and preservation work.

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A suicide bomber has struck at a voter registration centre in the Afghan capital, killing at least 48 people in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group.

Public Health Ministry spokesman Wahid Majro said another 112 people were wounded in Sundays attack in Kabul, updating an earlier toll.

Gen Daud Amin, the Kabul police chief, said the suicide bomber targeted civilians who had gathered to receive national identification cards.

The large explosion echoed across the city, shattering windows miles away from the attack site and damaging several nearby vehicles.

Police blocked all roads to the blast site, with only ambulances allowed in.

Local TV stations broadcast live footage of hundreds of distraught people gathered at nearby hospitals seeking word about loved ones.

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility in a statement carried by its Aamaq news agency, saying it had targeted Shiite apostates.

Blood-stained National ID papers and voters photos are seen on the ground (Rahmat Gul/AP)

Afghanistan will hold parliamentary elections in October.

Last week, three police officers responsible for guarding voter registration centres in two Afghan provinces were killed by militants, according to authorities.

Afghan security forces have struggled to prevent attacks by the Islamic State affiliate as well as the more firmly established Taliban since the US and Nato concluded their combat mission at the end of 2014.

Both groups regularly launch attacks, with the Taliban usually targeting the government and security forces, and IS targeting the countrys Shiite minority.

Both groups want to establish a harsh form of Islamic rule in Afghanistan, and are opposed to democratic elections.Germany has ramped up the rhetoric as the battle to wrench euro clearing from London after Brexit continues, with a top politician dismissing the Citys claim that fragmentation represents a risk to the financial system.

Tarek Al-Wazir, economy minister for the German state of Hesse, where the countrys financial centre Frankfurt is situated, said Londons own dominance over the euro clearing industry was in itself a concern for the EU.

He told the Press Association: If you look at the risks  everything concentrated in one place is, at the end, the riskiest thing you can have.

I dont think that if you have two places, for example, or three places (where euro clearing is based) that its more risky. I think the opposite is true.

Euro clearing is currently concentrated in London (PA)

If you have the risk offshore  and dont forget from the perspective of the European Union the UK will be something like offshore  why should the European taxpayer accept that in case something goes wrong that you have to, in the worst case, help someone to survive if you have no possibility to somehow supervise what hes doing?

The comments come as rival European centres vie for the multibillion-pound market that could leave London as a result of Brexit.

The European Commission last year put forward proposals which would impose stricter supervision of clearing houses by EU central banks and the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), and in some cases force bigger operations to move operations to the bloc.

The move brings London one step closer to losing its dominance over the euro-clearing market, which settles business and trade conducted in the EU currency.

But Square Mile figures have argued that splitting up euro clearing will lead to higher costs and threaten stability, citing a liquidity squeeze that would reduce clearing houses ability to diversify their risks.

City of London Corporations policy chairwoman Catherine McGuinness has said that if euro clearing fragments, it could introduce greater risk into the system.

If we split bits of clearing well lose that netting  theres another question on cost, but by fragmenting clearing we could well introduce greater risk into the system. So thats a real issue, she said.

I am worried that some of the repercussions from Brexit could introduce risk back into the system that weve managed to reduce, Ms McGuinness added.

But Mr Al-Wazir also dismissed the idea of the greater cost implications, saying that it is simply an attempt to maintain clearing in London.

We also read what the cost of euro clearing relocation would be, but if you really look closely on what was written there, its just not true.

I understand what they do  or what theyre trying to do  of course they want to keep their business, I understand that.

Champions for London have also argued that the process of relocating all or part of a clearing business would be legally and operationally complex.

The Bank of England has tried to ease the burden on banks and financial firms by allowing lenders and clearing houses to continue using existing passport rights to operate in the UK throughout the Brexit transition period until the end of 2020.

A report conducted by EY for the London Stock Exchange in the wake of the Brexit vote in 2016 claimed that up to 83,000 clearing jobs could be lost over the next seven years if euro-denominated clearing leaves London.

It said that job losses could create a domino effect on other financial sectors, affecting up to 232,000 jobs across the UK.Great Britain captain Anne Keothavong defended her decision to send out Johanna Konta and Heather Watson for the decisive doubles tie after suffering Fed Cup despair in Miki.

Britains wait to play in the World Group will continue after they were beaten 3-2 by Japan in their promotion play-off  Konta and Watson losing the deciding doubles rubber to Miyu Kato and Makoto Ninomiya 3-6 6-3 6-3.

Anna Smith and debutant Gabi Taylor were the original nominations for the doubles but Keothavong replaced them with the more experienced pairing after Watson lost Sundays second singles match.

32@miyukato1121 and Makoto Ninomiya defeat Konta/Watson 36 63 63 and Japan defeats Great Britain 3-2 to book its place in #FedCup World Group II for 2019!! pic.twitter.com/begQwGR0cL  Billie Jean King Cup (@BJKCup) April 22, 2018

We are gutted about the result. One day our opportunity will come, Keothavong was quoted as saying on the BBC Sport website.

If you keep knocking on the door, it will eventually open. It wasnt to be this year but who is to say it wont be next year.

Im proud of the effort both Jo and Heather put into the singles and doubles.

Despite the short turnaround time I have no doubts that was the right decision for them to play the doubles.

Great Britain captain Anne Keothavong defended her doubles team decision (Steve Paston/PA)

Britain will compete again in Europe/Africa Group I in February 2019, playing three matches against three nations in a neutral venue in an attempt to reach another play-off.

It was a desperately disappointing outcome for Britain, especially after Konta put them 2-1 up with a superb 6-3 6-3 victory against the in-form Naomi Osaka  the British number ones second straight sets win.

Japan levelled the tie as Kurumi Nara beat Watson 7-6 (9-7) 6-4 to give the partisan home crowd their wish of a doubles decider.

Not to be for the GB @FedCup Team as Japan win the deciding doubles 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 #BackTheBrits  pic.twitter.com/8R5wEOjQX0  LTA (@the_LTA) April 22, 2018

Watson and Konta started slowly as the Japanese duo reeled off five points in a row to break the Konta serve in the opening game and then held their own serve to love to move 2-0 ahead.

However, Konta and Watson rallied to win five games in a row before closing out the set.

Japan hit the ground running in the second set and raced into a 5-0 lead before recovering from a brief wobble to take the tie into the decider.

You know it's your day when...



22 #FedCup pic.twitter.com/DlbXV2f2ZF  Billie Jean King Cup (@BJKCup) April 22, 2018

Kato and Ninomiya broke the British pair in the second set to take a 2-0 lead before saving four break points to move into a position of authority at 3-0.

They reeled off four points in a row and then saved another break point to make it 5-0.

Britain finally got on the board and broke before trimming the deficit further to 5-3, but although Watson and Konta saved two match points, they could not save a third as Kato and Ninomiya closed out victory.Rafael Nadal powered to a record 11th Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters title with a straight-sets victory over Kei Nishikori.

The world number one recovered from going a break down early in the first set to win 6-3 6-2 in 93 minutes and has now won 36 consecutive sets on clay, a run which stretches back to the first round of last years French Open.

None of Nadals opponents have won more than four games in any of those sets, a statistic Nishikori looked like changing when he broke for a 2-1 lead at Monte Carlo Country Club.

Rafael Nadal won the Monte Carlo Masters for a record 11th time (John Walton/PA)

However, Nadal had other ideas and broke straight back on his way to winning five of the next six games, the 31-year-old then breaking Nishikori twice more in the second set to seal a 31st Masters 1000 title, one more than Novak Djokovic.

LA UNDECIMA 



Congratulations @RafaelNadal on an incredible 11th title in Monte Carlo #RolexMCMasters pic.twitter.com/Etv7OyTjdy  Tennis TV (@TennisTV) April 22, 2018

Speaking at the presentation ceremony on court, Nadal said: I want to congratulate Kei for a great week. Its always difficult to be back from injury and Im happy to see you again playing well.

I want to thank all my team and my family. We had some tough moments during the last five months after a couple of injuries in a row.

Its great to have a group of great people behind me. I can say thank you very much always for being there and supporting me when I really need it.

Its always special for me to be back here, having this trophy. Its one of the most important events of the year for me.

Nadal has now won 36 consecutive sets on clay, breaking his personal record of 32. #RolexMCMasters pic.twitter.com/57R8PeSKLn  Tennis TV (@TennisTV) April 22, 2018

After retiring with a hip injury during his Australian Open quarter-final against Marin Cilic, Nadal withdrew from the Mexican Open, Indian Wells Masters and Miami Open due to the problem.

The left-hander returned to action at the start of the month and won both his singles matches to help Spain beat Germany in the quarter-finals of the Davis Cup in Valencia.Amir Khans promoter Eddie Hearn believes his fighter has half a dozen options for his next opponent following his first-round demolition of Phil Lo Greco on Saturday night.

Khan, back in the ring for the first time since losing to Saul Canelo Alvarez in May 2016, stunned Lo Greco with a first-round knockout in just 39 seconds.

Having signed a three-fight deal with Matchroom, Khan is expected to return to the ring in late August.

Here Press Association Sport assesses who the 31-year-old could potentially meet now.

Kell Brook

Most British fans would like to see this and it was a possibility that became more likely when Khan signed with fellow Briton Brooks promoter Hearn. Following Khans victory in Liverpool, Hearn said it became a contest worthy of being staged at Wembley. The biggest issue would be the weight. Khan would be more comfortable at welterweight, though that is a 147lb limit that Brook has struggled to reach. It could be overcome if they agree to meet at a catchweight and it does appear inevitable they will finally clash at some stage.

Adrien Broner

I thought Broner nicked a very close decision but he cant really complain about the draw as he allowed it to get to close at times. Broner Vs Khan is a really good fight but lets not kid ourselves the fight EVERYONE in this country wants is Khan Vs Brook. Will it happen?  Tony Bellew (@TonyBellew) April 22, 2018

Trash-talking Broner was someone Khan suggested he was interested in. The 28-year-old American has fought numerous times at the 147 limit Khan feels most comfortable at and their schedules would fit given Broner was also in action on Saturday, when he had a majority draw against Jessie Vargas. Broner has only won three of his last six fights and may therefore be attracted by a big payday in Britain, though there would no world title to make it even more appealing to Khan.

Errol Spence Jr

Errol Spence Jr, right, beat Kell Brook in Sheffield last year (Richard Sellers/PA)

The last man to beat Brook was one of three namechecked by Khan on Saturday evening as someone he wanted to get in the ring with. Spence has an impressive 23-0 record with 20 knockouts and he beat Brook in his own backyard to claim the IBF welterweight title, which he successfully defended against Lamont Peterson, who is one of the four men to beat Khan. The timing is not ideal for Khan  Spence fights again in mid-June  and as he is the belt holder Hearn may have to take his man across the pond again.

Manny Pacquiao

Watching the Horn v Corcoran fight live, Now I know why #MannyPacquiao picked horn to fight & not me,,,, & he still lost   Amir Khan (@amirkingkhan) December 13, 2017

This one, between two of trainer Freddie Roachs former fighters, came close to happening in the past. In February 2017 the two men announced on Twitter that they had agreed terms on a date in April, yet in March Pacquiaos promoter Bob Arum stated it would not go ahead. Pacquiao, who recently split from Roach, would then fight in Australia against Jeff Horn, to whom he lost his WBO welterweight title. Pacquiao turns 40 this year so time is running out to sort out a deal with Khan.

Danny Garcia

When Khan was brutally knocked out by Alvarez, he dismissed talk of retirement and stated his wish to avenge his defeat to Garcia in 2012. Khan was stopped in the fourth round by Garcia in Las Vegas to suffer his second successive loss and he split from Roach shortly after. In a Twitter question-and-answer session in December, Khan said the Garcia loss was the toughest of his career and that he wasnt focused.

Keith Thurman

I love the Thurman fight. After March tune up https://t.co/WvsiFdF6Hn  Amir Khan (@amirkingkhan) December 24, 2017

Another unbeaten welterweight world champion, another attractive proposition to Khan. Thurman has a 28-0 record, with 22 knockouts, and his last victory came over Garcia in March 2017. Thurman himself said he was highly interested in facing Khan back in 2015, though he has never fought outside of North America so may be reluctant to cross the Atlantic.An Islamic State suicide bomber has attacked a voter registration centre in the Afghan capital Kabul, killing 57 people and wounding more than 100 others.

Public Health Ministry spokesman Wahid Majro said that among 57 who were killed in the attack, 22 were women and eight were children.

Mr Majro added that 119 people were wounded in Sundays attack, among them 17 children and 52 women.

General Daud Amin, the Kabul police chief, said the suicide bomber targeted civilians who were registering for national identification cards.

A woman shouts and cries at a hospital after she lost her son in the attack (Massoud Hossaini/AP)

The large explosion echoed across the city, shattering windows miles away from the attack site and damaging several nearby vehicles.

Police blocked all roads to the blast site, with only ambulances allowed in. Local TV stations broadcast live footage of hundreds of distraught locals gathered at nearby hospitals seeking word about loved ones.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement carried by its Aamaq news agency, saying it had targeted Shiite apostates.

The attack comes almost a month after another deadly attack by IS in which a suicide bomber carried out an attack near a Shiite shrine in Kabul that targeted people celebrating the Persian new year. That attack killed 31 people and wounded 65 others.

President Ashraf Ghani said terrorist attacks will not prevent people from participating in upcoming parliamentary elections.

Afghanistan will hold parliamentary elections in October and voter registration started a week ago.

Blood-stained National ID papers and voters photos are seen on the ground (Rahmat Gul/AP)

Last week, three police officers guarding voter registration centres in two Afghan provinces were killed by militants.

Afghan security forces have struggled to prevent attacks by the local Islamic State affiliate as well as the more firmly established Taliban since the US and Nato concluded their combat mission at the end of 2014.

Both groups regularly carry out attacks, with the Taliban usually targeting the government and security forces and IS targeting the countrys Shiite minority.

Both groups want to establish a strict form of Islamic rule in Afghanistan and are opposed to democratic elections.

Elsewhere in Afghanistan, at least five people were killed when their vehicle struck a roadside bomb in the northern Baghlan province. Zabihullah Shuja, spokesman for the provincial police chief, said four other people were wounded in Sundays blast in Puli Khomri, the provinces capital.

The Taliban routinely target security forces and government officials with roadside bombs, which often end up killing civilians.

In the northern Balkh province, a district police chief died of his wounds after being shot on Saturday during an exchange of gunfire with insurgents, according to Sher Jan Durrani, spokesman for the provincial police chief. He said around a dozen insurgents were also killed in the battle.A gunman wearing nothing but a green jacket and brandishing an assault rifle stormed a US Waffle House restaurant and killed four people before dawn, according to police, before a customer saving lives by wresting the assailants weapon away.

The gunman shot people in the car park before entering the restaurant, where he continued firing until a customer grabbed the rifle, Nashville Police spokesman Don Aaron said.

Four people were also wounded before the gunman fled, shedding his jacket.

Authorities said they were searching for the suspect, 29-year-old Travis Reinking, and that they were drafting murder warrants for him.

Nashville police tweeted that the pick-up vehicle the gunman drove to the restaurant was registered to Reinking.

BREAKING: Travis Reinking, 29, of Morton, IL, is person of interest in Waffle House shooting. Vehicle the gunman arrived in is registered to him. Gunman last seen walking south on Murfreesboro Pike. He shed is coat and is nude. See Reinking? Pls call 615-862-8600 immediately. pic.twitter.com/duoWCo5fC0  Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) April 22, 2018

Witness Chuck Cordero told The Tennessean newspaper he had stopped to get a cup of coffee and was outside the restaurant when the chaos unfolded around 3.25am.

James Shaw Jr, shows his hand that was injured when he disarmed a gunman (Larry McCormack/AP)

He did not say anything, Mr Cordero said of the gunman, who he described as all business.

Mr Cordero said the man who wrested the gun from the suspect saved lives.

Had that guy had a chance to reload his weapon, there was plenty more people in that restaurant, he said.

Police identified the man who grabbed the weapon as 29-year-old James Shaw, Jr.

This is a very sad day for the Waffle House family. We ask for everyone to keep the victims and their families in their thoughts and prayers.  Waffle House News (@WaffleHouseNews) April 22, 2018

Mr Shaw told The Tennessean in an interview that he was just trying to get myself out.

I saw the opportunity and pretty much took it.

The newspaper reported that Mr Shaw was grazed by a bullet, treated and released.

When I was in the ambulance to hospital I kept thinking that Im going to wake up and its not going to be real, Mr Shaw said.

It is something out a movie.

Crissy and I are deeply saddened by the tragic incident in Antioch early this morning, and we mourn the lives taken in this senseless act of violence. I encourage everyone in the Antioch area to take safety precautions as Metro Police continue to search for the suspect.  Bill Haslam (@BillHaslam) April 22, 2018

Im OK though, but I hate that it happened.

Mr Aaron, the police spokesman, said three people died at the restaurant and one person died at Vanderbilt University Medical Centre, where two others were being treated for gunshot wounds.

Medical Centre spokeswoman Jennifer Wetzel said one was in critical condition and the other was in critical but stable condition.

TriStar Southern Hills Medical Centre spokeswoman Katie Radel in Nashville said two people were treated for minor injuries and released.

Police at the scene of the shooting (George Walker IV/AP)

Mr Aaron said the gunman arrived at the restaurant and waited in the car park for four minutes before shooting two people outside.

At some point after the gunman entered, Mr Shaw grabbed his rifle and tossed it over a counter, Aaron said.

The gunman then fled and was seen walking, nude, on a road, authorities said.

Police were still searching for him amid a steady rain more than 10 hours after the shooting.

Mr Aaron said Reinking lived near the restaurant in the working- and middle-class Antioch neighbourhood of southeast Nashville, and police used yellow crime scene tape to block public access to an apartment complex about a half-mile from the Waffle House.

Reinking is originally from Morton, Illinois, and was known to both Illinois and federal law enforcement, Mr Aaron said.

The victims names were not immediately released.

This photo provided by the Metro Nashville Police Department photo shows the rifle used in the deadly shooting (Police/AP)

Police initially described Reinking as a person of interest, but Mr Aaron later told reporters authorities were searching for a gunman we fully believe to be Travis Reinking.

I think its safe to say that person of interest and suspect in this matter is synonymous, he said.

This is a very sad day for the Waffle House family, the company said in a statement on Twitter.

Its a tragic day for our city anytime people lose their lives at the hands of a gunman. My heart goes out to the families & friends of every person who was killed or wounded in this mornings shooting. I know all of their lives will be forever changed by this devastating crime.  David Briley for Judge (@DavidBriley) April 22, 2018

We ask for everyone to keep the victims and their families in their thoughts and prayers.

Nashville mayor David Briley described the shooting as a tragic day for the city.

My heart goes out to the families & friends of every person who was killed or wounded, Mr Briley said in an emailed statement.

I know all of their lives will be forever changed by this devastating crime.

Congressman Jim Cooper, whose district includes Nashville, said in an emailed statement that the shooting shows the need for tighter restrictions on widespread civilian access to military-grade assault weapons.

Hero James Shaw wipes tears away during a press conference (Wade Payne/AP)

Tennessee governor Bill Haslam said he and his wife, Crissy, are deeply saddened by the tragic incident in Antioch early this morning, and we mourn the lives taken in this senseless act of violence.

Authorities say the suspect was arrested last year by the US Secret Service for being in a restricted area near the White House.

Mr Aaron said Reinkings firearms authorisation was then revoked at the request of the FBI.

Four weapons were seized, including the AK-15 that he allegedly used in the shooting at the Waffle House restaurant.

Aaron says the four guns were returned to the suspects father, who acknowledged giving them back to his son.

A Secret Service agent said Reinking had hoped to talk to President Donald Trump.

Special Agent Todd Hudson in Nashville said the suspect wanted to set up a meeting with the president.Two men taken to hospital after being stabbed in a fight outside a Tube station have been arrested.

The pair were found with knife wounds on Upper Tooting Road, near Tooting Bec Underground, south London, at around 6pm on Saturday.

Police confirmed the men suffered superficial injures and were arrested on suspicion of affray upon being discharged from hospital. They remain in custody.

The men were stabbed outside Tooting Bec Tube station (Nick Ansell/PA)

A person has been stabbed in the road next to the pub Im in in Tooting Bec pic.twitter.com/e14fyPs5a4  Sam Petherick (@sampetherick) April 21, 2018

The incident was one of a number involving violence on Londons streets.

Less than half an hour after the Tooting incidents, paramedics were called to help a 14-year-old boy who had been stabbed in the leg in Lloyd Park, Walthamstow.

Meanwhile, in the early hours of Saturday, a 20-year-old man was stabbed to death in Finsbury Park, north London, involving a number of other people, the Met said.

One man has been charged with possession of an offensive weapon in relation to the incident.

Brayane Tchenda, of Camden, north London, is due to appear in a London court on Monday.

The capital has been rocked by a spike of stabbings and shootings, with more than 60 murder investigations launched by the Metropolitan Police so far this year.Jose Mourinho says people will be out to kill him if Manchester United do not win the FA Cup this season.

Brought in after Louis van Gaals prosaic style and lack of progress cost him his job in 2016, the Portuguese oversaw Europa League, EFL Cup and Community Shield glory in his first campaign.

Uniteds sixth-place finish in the Premier League tempered that success, but Mourinho is on course to finish second this term  the clubs highest finish since Sir Alex Ferguson bowed out as champion in 2013.

However, the Red Devils boss has been widely criticised for his style this term and knows even more flak will head his way if he does not overcome former club Chelsea in next months FA Cup final.

Looking back on a top day at Wembley roll on Saturday 19 May! #EmiratesFACup #MUFC pic.twitter.com/qTeDT9ikiI  Manchester United (@ManUtd) April 22, 2018

When I dont win, you kill me, said Mourinho, whose team reached the May 19 showpiece by beating Tottenham 2-1 at Wembley on Saturday. Because I almost do that all the time, when I dont do it, you kill me, which is what you are all ready to do.

Uniteds style has come into question more than their substance, although seeing rivals Manchester City win the Premier League with five games to spare has heightened scrutiny.

Summer signing Romelu Lukaku highlighted inconsistency as a key issue and Mourinho accepts they can do much better.

I keep saying that I think we should have probably eight, nine, 10 more points than we had, the United boss said.

Mourinho acknowledges United should have picked up more points this term (Nick Potts/PA)

We could finish this season with 88, 89, 90 points. Not acceptable, the last defeat (1-0 at home to West Brom on April 15). Not acceptable, the performance at Huddersfield (2-1 defeat in October). Not acceptable, the performance at Newcastle (1-0 defeat in February).

So, we lost a few matches that we should do better. Can we improve next season? Lets try.

Can Manchester City keep this level or improve this level? Only they can say.

But if they have the team they have and if they are going to invest on top of the team they have, of course it is going to be very difficult for us.

Q: Jose said it's going to be your last season as a player?@Carras16: "Yes. There comes a time when, as much as you like or don't like it, your body tells you it's time to stop playing. It's something you have to accept." #MUFC  Manchester United (@ManUtd) March 12, 2018

Put to Mourinho that United would need to improve their side, he added: We are going to invest the basic to improve our squad.

We need to find a replacement for Michael Carrick. If Marouane Fellaini leaves, we need to find a replacement for Marouane Fellaini.

There is always in the group of players, in the squad, there is always a player or a couple of players, they are not playing a lot, and they will try obviously to leave, so we are going again to touch our squad and to believe that more than spend, spend, spend, is probably the evolution of our players.

We have some young players that need to get with both hands opportunities with their evolution, so lets see.

But in this moment, I dont even think about next season or the final, I think about Arsenal (Premier League match at Old Trafford on April 29) because we need one point to finish top four, but we need seven points to finish second and we deserve to finish second and we have to finish second.A contestant on a new Channel 4 show walked away with a life-changing order after convincing retailers to buy her product.

Buy It Now gives Britains inventors and entrepreneurs the chance to sell their products in front of potential customers and the buyers of major retailers.

In Mondays episode, Sylvia reduced host Brian Conley to tears when she scooped orders with a retail value of 225,175 for her solution to preventing painful blisters on your feet.

Buy It Now contestant Sylvia, who walked away with a life-changing retail order after impressing with her blister product (Channel 4/PA)

The supply teacher, from Sutton, London, was inspired to create Heeling Powers after spending days on her feet and chasing around after her four-year-old son.

The product is a gel insole with a back padding that she claims reduces the chances of getting blisters and can be used in a variety of both mens and womens shoes.

She said: I really love smart, beautiful shoes, but they often gave me blisters, blister plasters come off, and then along came those gel heel inserts which sort of rolled off and felt like a loose jellyfish in your shoe.

Sylvia had just 90 seconds to reveal her product to the studio audience of real shoppers and get them interested.

Sylvia impressed retailers with her product Heeling Powers, which is used to prevent blisters on your feet (Channel 4/PA)

At the end of her sales pitch, Conley congratulated Sylvia and revealed 31 shoppers turned their lights green, meaning they were interested in buying the product.

But one audience member remained sceptical, arguing the product was similar to others on the market.

Before Sylvia revealed the price of the product, Conley told her 10 extra shoppers had turned their lights green, meaning 41 shoppers were now interested in buying the product.

He explained that Sylvia only needed to keep one shopper in order to go on to face the retailers.

Sylvia had to convince buyers from major retailers to order he product (Channel 4/PA)

Representatives from shopping channel JML, online and TV retailer Ideal Shopping and online retailer Firebox each asked Sylvia a question, from how she intended to stand out in the marketplace, to the market research she had already carried out.

In a staggering result for Sylvia, Kristian from Firebox placed an order for 500 pairs.

Fran from Ideal Shopping placed an order for 2,000 pairs.

Ken from JML placed an order for 20,000 adding: Theres some huge multinational companies in this space and your product is so much better than theirs. This should be in every supermarket and every health and beauty store.

Host Brian Conley was reduced to tears when Sylvia scooped a massive order (Channel 4/PA)

With tears in his eyes Conley said: Look at that result, I am genuinely excited about that, its such early days for you. Absolutely fantastic. You started this business with just 500.

He continued: That is a total of 22,540 sales, and this is quite incredible and is why Im getting so emotional because it is a retail value of 225,175.

A delighted Sylvia said: Its going to change my life, thank you so much thats incredible. I didnt expect such a great response, I cant put it into words. I can just picture telling my family and how happy theyll be.

Buy It Now airs at 5.30pm on Monday on Channel 4.MPs and campaigners have urged the Government to go further in reforming benefits for disabled people after ministers published their response to a major review.

The Department for Work and Pensions has pledged to make recording assessments for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) a standard part of the process.

This is one of the recommendations the Government has accepted after an inquiry by the Work and Pensions select committee into PIP and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).

However, ministers rejected other recommendations in areas such as collecting evidence and ensuring claimants are sent a copy of their assessment report.

The Department for Work and Pensions said the committees inquiry showed that assessments worked well for the vast majority of people, and it was committed to putting transparency at the heart of the process.

Labour MP Frank Field, chairman of the select committee, said recording PIP assessments as standard was a tremendous step forward.

The process relies on trust, and our inquiry found it sorely lacking. This move should go a long way to restoring trust and driving up the quality of assessments, added the former welfare minister.

But the response falls short in several areas. For example, we think claimants should always receive their assessment reports without having to ask, and we are concerned that the Government lacks the levers to get value for money out of its private contractors.

This response marks the start of another stage in our work on PIP and ESA  we will use House of Commons debates to push the Government to go further in support of disabled people.

Nearly 3,500 people provided evidence to the committee about their experience of PIP and ESA, in what Mr Field said was an unprecedented response.

Disability minister Sarah Newton (Anthony Devlin/PA)

MPs found that for at least 290,000 claimants of PIP and ESA, 6% of all those assessed, the right decision on entitlement was not made first time around.

There was concern over the cost of the appeals process, with Press Association research showing 108.1 million was spent on direct staffing costs for ESA and PIP appeals since October 2015, with the Ministry of Justice spending a further 103.1 million on social security and child support tribunals in 2016/17.

The private firms carrying out PIP assessments have been paid 824 million since the benefit was introduced in 2013, according to figures obtained by the Independent.

The committees final report in February expressed concerns over assessment reports riddled with errors and omissions and that public contract failures had led to a loss of trust that risks undermining the operation of major disability benefits.

It also suggested the assessments for PIP and ESA may be better delivered in-house.

We've published a major report on the trust failings in the #PIP and #ESA claim process that risk undermining the entire operation of #disability #benefits https://t.co/Ca0OcAFtv3 pic.twitter.com/guyY6LM7Z5  Work & Pensions Committee (@CommonsWorkPen) February 14, 2018

In its response, the DWP said the quality of both PIP assessments and the work capability assessment for ESA claimants was improving year on year and its use of contractual levers over the last contracts has led to consistent improvements across both PIP and ESA.

In response to the select committee report, the DWP is to commission independent research to improve the application forms, which Mr Field has dubbed gruelling.

However, ministers rejected a recommendation to send claimants copies of their assessment reports as standard, saying only that they would improve communications to ensure people know they can request a copy.

The Government also rejected calls for a checklist system for assessors to monitor what evidence they were using in their decisions, saying all supporting evidence is already recorded and attached to claims.

Charities Disability Rights UK and the MS Society welcomed the move to record assessments, but urged the Government go further.

Overall, the current assessment providers offer poor value for money for the taxpayer and we urge the Government to consider very seriously the option of returning the assessment process in house, given the contracts are up for review, said Philip Connolly, policy manager at Disability Rights UK.

But we have to remember that PIP and ESA are not well designed benefits, and fail to meet the needs of many disabled people.

Changes to the assessment process for the better are welcome, but there are wider issues which need to be addressed.

Genevieve Edwards, director of external affairs at the MS Society, added that a lot more needs to be done before we see a welfare system that makes sense.

She said: Were particularly concerned the Government wont make improvements around how healthcare professionals can consistently provide evidence.

Department for Work and Pensions (Kirsty OConnor/PA)

Without this, assessors dont have enough knowledge about MS and this is causing many people to be denied what they are rightly entitled to.

A Department for Work and Pensions spokeswoman said: As the committee highlights, assessments work well for the vast majority of people.

But one persons poor experience is one too many, and were committed to continuously improving the process for people so that they get the support they need.

Well continue to take forward our actions to improve assessments, with an emphasis on promoting transparency and ensuring people get the right decision, first time round.

Labours shadow work and pensions secretary Margaret Greenwood said: The Government is failing sick and disabled people. This response falls far short of the urgent action needed to end the unnecessary stress and anxiety being inflicted through both the ESA and PIP assessment processes.

Under private contractors these processes are getting worse, not better, often damaging the health and well-being of the very people who need support.

The Government should scrap the current assessment regime, put an end to the privatisation and work to deliver a social security system in which people can have confidence.

Labour will replace this failing system with personalised, holistic support, responsive to individual needs.Strictly Come Dancing head judge Shirley Ballas has addressed her alleged feud with Brendan Cole describing him as an amazing dancer, amazing person.

Ballas, 57, and Cole clashed on air during the last series of the BBC One show over his tango with Good Morning Britains Charlotte Hawkins.

Shirley and her son Mark in this weeks Hello! magazine (Hello!).

New Zealand-born Cole revealed in January he would not be returning to Strictly following the BBCs editorial decision not to renew his contract.

In an interview with Hello! magazine, Ballas said: I dont have any recollection on a personal level of bridges ever being broken or rebuilt between me and Brendan.

He is an amazing dancer, an amazing person, whose career I have followed for many, many years and Im extremely proud of what hes achieved both at work and at home.

One of the things people learn with me is I dont need to pull someone else down to build myself up and I will live and die by that rule.

There has been no face-to-face confrontation and all I can say is I wish him, his wife and their two beautiful children well because, whatever he does next, I know he will bring 100% to his role.

The ballroom dancing champion said she would like to return to the series again this year but that nothing was as yet official.

During a photo shoot at her Los Angeles home, she told Hello!: I hope to be back, Id like to, but as yet nothings official. My critiques will always remain firm. I will say it as I see it, though you cant help but get emotionally attached to the couples.

Read the full story in this weeks issue of Hello!Maxine Peake has revealed her latest film had to have a male star in order to get financed.

The British actress stars in Funny Cow, in which she plays an aspiring stand-up comic on the Yorkshire working mens club circuit.

And in an interview with The Big Issue, Peake said the film would not have been made if her co-star Paddy Considine had not agreed to take part.

Paddy Considine stars alongside Maxine Peake in Funny Cow (Ian West/PA)

She told the magazine: Ironically, we had to have a male star to get it financed And that is where Paddy Considine, bless him, stepped up and said he would be in it.

And he is brilliant. Some actors have an energy that just shines out of them.

Peake, who has starred in Shameless and Black Mirror, was also asked about her career.

She said: When I started, I just wanted to act. In anything Now I have to stop and question what I am doing it for. My desire for fulfilment has changed. I want to do stuff I feel invested in.

But it is a struggle. There are not that many good scripts I call myself a writer now. That has been a big shift.

The actress, who has previously voiced her support for Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, criticised Prime Minister Theresa May and labelled the countrys immigration policy as cruel and criminal and it is bullying.

"British films are rarely this fearless"  Financial Times

 The Independent  The Guardian  The Times  Empire

Dont miss FUNNY COW, in cinemas now. Find your nearest screening here: https://t.co/DfsaVSfJsB #funnycow pic.twitter.com/hvQypo7sXO  Funny Cow (@FunnyCowFilm) April 20, 2018

Asked about the housing crisis, she said: As a society how can you look yourself in the eye when people dont have the basics, like a roof over their heads?

We should be out on the street  and I dont just mean a nice day out on the South Bank with a placard. It has to be more than that.

Peake also spoke of her recent collaboration with former The Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr.

The pair recorded a spoken-word project entitled The Priest, based on a series of diary entries of former The Big Issue vendor Joe Gallagher, who wrote in the magazine about his experiences of sleeping rough in Edinburgh.

Peake said: I was looking for first-person narratives on homelessness. I found Joes diaries in The Big Issue. And it was amazing.

We had been talking about the homelessness situation in Manchester and how overwhelmed by it we were. It is so heartbreaking and it felt like it was being ignored.

We got in touch with Joe, he was so open, so blown away by the fact we had done it. But not as blown away as we were by him writing with such eloquence. What an amazing guy.

Peake also revealed she is working on an album with Marr.

She said: I have been writing words, he is doing the music, and we want to do a live show.

It is going to be quite an undertaking  we want it quite theatrical.

The Big Issue is on sale from Monday April 23.

Funny Cow is in UK cinemas now.By Lesley Wroughton and David Brunnstrom

WASHINGTON, April 20 (Reuters) - The United States labeled China, Russia, Iran and North Korea on Friday as "morally reprehensible" governments that it said violated human rights within their borders on a daily basis, making them "forces of instability".

In releasing the State Department's global human rights report for 2017, acting Secretary of State John Sullivan also singled out Syria, Myanmar, Turkey and Venezuela as nations with a poor human rights record. Improved human rights in Uzbekistan, Liberia and Mexico were global "bright spots," Sullivan added.

Michael Kozak, a senior State Department official who helped oversee the report, said he did not think policies by President Donald Trump's administration on freedom of the press, refugees, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights and other issues undermined the report or left the United States open to accusations of hypocrisy.

The governments of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea "violate the human rights of those within their borders on a daily basis and are forces of instability as a result," Sullivan said in a preface to the congressionally mandated report that documents human rights in nearly 200 countries and territories.

Countries like these that restrict freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly, allow and commit violence against religious, ethnic and other minority groups or undermine the people's fundamental dignity "are morally reprehensible and undermine our interests," Sullivan added.

Sullivan said Russia's government "continues to quash dissent and civil society, even while it invades its neighbors and undermines the sovereignty of Western nations."

"We once again urge Russia to end its brutal occupation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula, to halt the abuses perpetrated by Russian-led forces in Ukraine's Donbas region, and to address impunity for the human rights violations and abuses in the Republic of Chechnya," Sullivan said.

Sullivan said the United States seeks to lead other nations by example in promoting just and effective governance based on the rule of law and respect for human rights.

He said the right of peaceful assembly and freedoms of association and expression are "under attack almost daily" in Iran, drawing criticism from Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi.

The Iranian state news agency IRNA quoted Qasemi as saying the report was "completely biased and politically motivated, and presented a distorted and unrealistic image of the conditions in Iran".

'QUITE A DISTINCTION'

Critics in the United States and globally have accused Trump of giving short shrift to human rights as a foreign policy issue, and of cozying up to authoritarian leaders in Russia, the Philippines and the Middle East. Trump also frequently attacks the U.S. news media.

"I think we make quite a distinction between political leaders being able to speak out and say, 'That story was not accurate,' or using even stronger words sometimes, and using state power to prevent the journalists from continuing to do their work," Kozak told reporters.

Kozak said the standards used in the report, which is among the most widely read U.S. government documents, tended to be derived from international treaties or American law.

"I think the report is very clear about the kinds of things that we consider to be inappropriate restrictions on freedom of the media ... using the legal system to go after members of the press, using physical force and so on. It doesn't go to the nature of discourse in a country," Kozak said.

The report's release comes at a time of increased tensions with China over trade and other matters.

It also coincides with deteriorating relations with Moscow over its support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whom Washington accuses of using chemical weapons on his own people, and U.S. accusations of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Sullivan accused China of spreading "the worst features of its authoritarian system" by restricting activists, civil society and freedom of expression.

"We are particularly concerned about the efforts of Chinese authorities to eliminate the religious, linguistic and cultural identities of Uighur Muslims and Tibetan Buddhists, as well as restrictions on the worship of Christians," Sullivan added.

Trump has agreed to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the coming months even as Washington increases pressure on Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons.

Sullivan said Kim oversees one of the most "repressive and abusive regimes in the world" and accused Pyongyang of "systematically" neglecting its own people to "underwrite and fund its illicit weapons program and child labor."

He also condemned what he called "ethnic cleaning" of Muslim Rohingya in Myanmar, and said those responsible for attacks against the Rohingya should be held accountable.

(Additional reporting by David Alexander and Dubai newsroom; Editing by Dan Grebler and Will Dunham)Reviewed by Fr Chryso Pieris SJ, Galle

All authentic prophets, modern or ancient, are voices in the wilderness yet never wavering from their stand, never compromising with power, prestige or pelf, always consistent, comprehensive and compassionate.

Dr Mervyn D. De Silva is one such rare prophet from Sri Lanka in our times. I had, now and then, read some of his articles in the newspapers but this collection is a real boon to all those who are interested in the common good of not only the people of Sri Lanka, especially the poor, but of the whole world.

The world today, for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear and for intelligent and objective observers, has sunk into decadence, economically, socially, culturally, morally, ethically and seems to be immersed in a quagmire of unprecedented superficiality. There are wars between nations, ethnic and religious groups, social upheavals between haves and have-nots, heinous forms of crimes, domestic violence, political violence, breakdown of law and order, revolutions and counter-revolutions; corruption by the mightiest, politicians, bankers and businessmen, blatant violations of time-honored principles and codes of conduct and decency; blatant violation of constitutions, democracy, the judiciary and the executive organs of administration. - Page 9.

Though the author starts this paragraph with the words The world today actually it is all about the current ugly situation in our own country, Sri Lanka.



And that is what the subtitle of the book says:

The failed Neoliberal Paradigms of Economics, Politics, Governance, Society and Science in Sri Lanka and Globally

Agriculture is the speciality of Dr Mervyn and eradication of poverty is his chosen goal in life. For him, the two are connected but the powers that be are so ignorantly and culpably superficial about this connection it is tragic.

 the governments undertaking utterly puerile tamashas in the rural paddy fields (1977) and farmer seminars in the capital city (1996) reveals the truth that the crux of the success of the modern techniques of food production and the massive support it requires have not been properly understood by the rulers.  page 34.

Dr De Silva consistently shows that the root cause of every unjust and evil aspect of society is economic poverty.

Whether it is hunger and starvation, violence and terrorism, overseas slave labour and human trafficking, drugs and prostitution, inequality and income disparities, ill health and failure in education, are all due to the basic fact that the majority cannot make ends meet at the end of the day.

For him, the eradication of poverty is a top priority and the ethical, moral, social and political imperative of any responsible government.

His scathing attacks on the Washington Consensus Institutions, The World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organization are unmatched by any leftist rhetoric.

Nothing escapes his eagle eye: Glasnost-Perestroika, GATT and RCN (Remote Control Neo-Colonial Status) Debt Crisis and Aid, Structural Adjustments, Mad Cow Disease, Free Market, Super NGOs, Privatization and Ecological Disasters.

"If the people lead, the leaders will follow our attempts to end this unapologetic barbarism. Rise up to the occasion please"



He exposes their hidden agendas, double standards and hypocrisy, objectively and fearlessly.

He was in the Ministry of Planning and later an MP in the Sirimavo Bandaranayake Government.

He comments on why planning became an anathema, what the proper role of the Ministry is, the Presidential responsibilities, performance monitoring and reorganization of the Ministry.

He reveals with great clarity and responsibility how democracy in our country began to erode from the seventies onward. Today it is a mere facade and the people are left utterly helpless, politically stranded and their dignity dragged in the mud.

The articles are all relevant to the immediate socio-political needs of the country; searching for solutions to vital problems; analyzing the situation and critiquing it; but always Dr Mervins basic tenets are clear and demanding; the unitary status of the country, the inalienable sovereignty of the people, a legislature of honest, committed ladies and gentlemen untainted by corruption and nepotism and the top priority of a sustained campaign to eradicate poverty not in some hazy future but within a planned rational time frame and clear deadlines.

A victim of Government wrath when he exposed the Dambala Hoax Dr De Silva has paid dearly for his uncompromising stand against injustice, dishonesty and corruption.

Dr De Silva insists that there can be no question of abandoning those in need. Director of Tulana Fr Aloysius Pieris SJ states.



The dire need of the hour, if we want to save this country intact for another generation, is for us all good and honest people to rouse ourselves and work together to bring about the downfall of the present governing kleptocracy; this indeed is the last plea of Dr Mervin in his collected articles; it is on page 302;

Patriotic countrymen with brains, guts and courage take up the gauntlet, get on the phones, make e-mail connections, contact anyone prepared to help, assemble groups, contact professional associations, inspire confidence, do more and talk less, dont throw cold water. Lets take one step in the right direction. If the people lead, the leaders will follow our attempts to end this unapologetic barbarism. Rise up to the occasion please.

I dream somebody taking his articles and translating them into Sinhala and Tamil and publishing them, one by one, serially, in our national vernacular newspapers. I wish very much my dream comes true soon.

The book itself is a beauty, thanks to the Media Unit of the Tulana Research Centre led by Robert Crusz, Sudath Attanayake and the printers Karunaratne & Sons (Pvt) Ltd.A Sri Lankan couple, who attempted to smuggle out gold pieces and jewelry worth of Rs 9.1 million to Mumbai had been taken into custody by the Customs officers at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) this morning.

BIA Customs said the gold, weighing two kilogrammes and 355 grammes, was found during the luggage scan.

The suspects identified as traders from Maradana were to board the Mumbai bound flight at 5.45 this morning.

The Customs said that this was the first arrest made after the recent tax increase on gold. BIA Customs is conducting investigations. (T.K.G. Kapila)Dr. Nadeera Rupesinghe, the new Director-General of the revamped National Archives of Sri Lanka, is determined to turn it into a user-friendly, world-class institution.

A scholar specializing in Dutch Period Studies and only the second woman Director General of the National Archives, she took time off from her busy schedule to show me around the spacious building.

It was a far cry from the hot, humid structure I frequented a decade ago. Much of it is now air-conditioned and the entrance area was cordoned off for repairs.

There is nothing inside which now looks neglected. In a country where, more often than not, neglect is the legacy of institutions and structures related to culture and heritage, this came as a pleasant surprise indeed.

The National Archives building, whose first wing was opened in 1976, is actually an impressive building, designed by architect Pani Tennekoon, whose reputation is not what it should be, perhaps because he worked for the Government Sector.

It is a very modern and graceful design and makes one think of Le Corbusier and the international style.

The interior is very spacious and accessible.



Dr Rupesinghe, a much-travelled scholar, maintains that Sri Lanka can be proud of its National Archives when compared to similar institutions in many parts of the world.

She notes too, that it is easily accessible to everyone, including foreigners, with a minimum of red tape, in contrast to archives in the Indian subcontinent, where scholars are sometimes required to get Police clearance.

Formerly a lecturer in history of science and technology at the Open University, she turned down a Senior Lecturer Post there and opted to take this position in August 2017.

As we walked along the spacious corridors, which overlook the spacious lobby, she showed me a series of portrait paintings of former Governors of the island, starting from the Dutch period till independence from Britain in 1948, and some of our national leaders since then.

These paintings are enigmatic. They are oils, and very few carry the artists signature. Most probably, they date from the latter part of the British Period. The surfaces of these portraits do not show any cracks, which happens to oils as they age. In that case, however, how the artist found out the likenesses of subjects from the Dutch period remains a mystery.

Portrait painting was big business in the Netherlands, when the Dutch ruled the coastal areas of this country. Unless the artist had access to family portraits of that period, the works must be from the imagination.

These may not be the work of a Dutch artist because the style doesnt correspond to that period.

In fact, the Dutch portraits arent really very good because, though the artist has drawn the faces and figures competently, the hands often look amateurish.



I feel that the origin of these Dutch Period paintings is just one of the many mysteries of the National Archives waiting to be deciphered.

There is no count of the number of publications stored in here. Instead, one speaks of kilometres  there are twenty-two kilometers of stored documents, and Dr. Nadeera says there is enough storage space for the next fifty years.

That she is a scholar fluent in Dutch has special relevance here because the concept of modern archives goes back to Dutch times and there are over 7,000 Dutch language volumes at the National Archives, and over two-thirds have been microfilmed.

The Dutch kept meticulous records everywhere they went, and trade and diplomacy meant that their different colonies were linked by this archival tradition.

For example, Indonesia, which the Dutch ruled as Batavia, has records relevant to Dutch-period Sri Lanka.

Dr Rupesinghe shows me one of the leather-bound volumes, called Thombu, in which they kept details of all important land transactions.

The curlicued handwriting in ink, though fading with time, is still quite distinct and one can marvel at both the quality of paper, the dedication and patience which went into this routine administrative task.

Two-thirds of the Dutch documents have been microfilmed.

We visit the air-conditioned reading room where scholars poring intently over parchment-like pages. Though the new archives, is a far cry from the old one, it is still acutely short of staff. It has 117 employees whereas the required number is 292.

Dr Rupesinghe assures me that this is due to red tape rather than lack of funding.

Another glaring deficit is the lack of Tamil staff. There are only two Tamil speaking employees, and this is a handicap especially during the surveys conducted by the National Archives throughout the island. About eighty such surveys are carried out annually, during which government ministries and other agencies are visited and their record keeping checked.

The National Archives is the official registrar of all books and newspapers published in Sri Lanka. Every printer in the country is required to send five copies of each printed publication to the National Archives.

"In an age of rapid digitisation, the National Archives maintains the old-fashioned tradition of keeping hard copies because, as Dr Rupesinghe points out, digitisation is an expensive process because digital storage systems and formats become obsolete very quickly, and the constant upgrading is a big financial strain "



In the past, one of these copies was acquired by the British Library. But this practice has now been stopped, and that copy is now sent to the University of Ruhuna instead.

This leads to the vital subject of record management.

Dr Rupesinghe says:

We are responsible for taking care of a public document even before it is created, in order to ensure the integrity of that document and to ensure that in the final disposal action selected documents are transferred to the National Archives. It is in that context that we receive documents after twenty-five years or in some cases less from government institutions. But it is important to care for documents from the moment of creation, and not just when some documents that manage to survive or are salvaged are transferred to the archives and then they become archives.

The term archives refers to both the institution that holds the documents and the documents themselves. If they come to us as an afterthought, we often face an uphill task of meeting their conservation needs. In an ideal world, we should work towards being no difference between records and archives.



An artificial division has been created that does not facilitate proper custodianship of Government records. This aspect of record management has become especially important in Sri Lanka with the Right to Information Act. No. 12 of 2016, which has the potential to revolutionalise governance in this country. Freedom of information or right to information legislation, however, is ineffective if proper record management practices are not in place in all government institutions, if the information is not easily retrievable, or if it is lost.

In this context, the National Archives holds training programmes for Government officials on the importance of record management.

Providing access to public records in a key responsibility of the National Archives.

It is common for archives to collaborate by exchanging copies of their collections. The National Archives is bound by law to either acquire originals or copies of archival collections of interest. Dr Rupesinghe has received sales offers by the British Pathe film company and the British Library, the former offering old documentary films from Sri Lanka from 1916 onwards, while the latter offered digitized copies of British East India Company documents, for sale by the company which carried out the digitisation.

But these rights of use are sold at very high prices, said Dr Rupesinghe.

That represents one model of meeting the high demand for digitization in the archival world  of getting private companies to carry out the digitization and then awarding them the rights of resale.

Another method, which we are trying to establish with the Hague Archives, is to mutually exchange digital collections relevant to the two institutions and to make such collections available worldwide to researchers on a non-profit basis.

"Another glaring deficit is the lack of Tamil staff. There are only two Tamil speaking employees, and this is a handicap especially during the surveys conducted by the National Archives throughout the island"



The latter model facilitates more widespread research and encourages the exchange of knowledge and capacity building between archival institutions, an essential way forward of survival in the still emerging field of archival science and in meeting the increasing demands for archival and records management in a country.

In an age of rapid digitisation, the National Archives maintains the old-fashioned tradition of keeping hard copies because, as Dr Rupesinghe points out, digitisation is an expensive process because digital storage systems and formats become obsolete very quickly, and the constant upgrading is a big financial strain.

That is why the National Archives prefers to maintain its microfilm process.

Visiting the studio and laboratory where the microfilming is done and the film is processed was like stepping back in time.

The black and white images are captured in the negative film, which comes in 100 ft cans, and the photography is done with two special cameras. The processing is done with a developing machine.

The section where books and newspapers are bound and pressed has equipment dating back to the early and mid-20th century.



Several government institutions such as the Government Press had similar machinery, but everything has been discarded and destroyed as updating and modernisation took place over the past two decades.

Dr Rupesinghe, on the contrary, believes some of this antique equipment should be preserved as museum pieces.

It is the contrast between the old and the new which makes the National Archives such a fascinating place today. The National Film, TV and Sound Archives was opened as part of the complex in 2014. While the TV and sound archives still doesnt contain much, the film section as 274 Sri Lankan feature films handed over by the National Film Corporation as well documentaries. The feature films are mostly in colour and date from the 1980s. The older films are mostly in the hands of a few so-called conservationists who have neither the knowledge nor the facilities to conserve them scientifically.

They should visit the temperature and humidity-controlled storage rooms of the archives, and hand over their collections for the benefit of the public domain.

The spacious lobby has been closed for renovation. When this is done, Dr Rupesinghe envisages a user-friendly space hosting public events, ensuring that the National Archives will not remain a cloistered, somewhat intimidating institution.A 37-year-old man was killed and four others including a woman were injured in a shooting incident at a musical show in Attanagalle last night.

Police said the injured were admitted to the Wathupitiwala Hospital.

The deceased was identified as a resident of Heiyantuduwa. No arrest had been made so far. (Darshana Sanjeewa)

Video by BuddhiThe great-great-great-grandmother regarded as the world's oldest person has died in Japan at the age of 117.

An official in the southern Japanese town of Kikai said Nabi Tajima died in a hospital on Saturday night. She had been there since January.

Ms Tajima was born on August 4, 1900, and reportedly had more than 160 descendants, including great-great-great grandchildren.

Her town of Kikai is in Kagoshima prefecture on Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan's four main islands.

She became the world's oldest person seven months ago after the death of Violet Brown in Jamaica, also at the age of 117.

Guinness World Records certified 112-year-old Masazo Nonaka of northern Japan as the world's oldest man earlier this month, and was planning to recognise Ms Tajima as the world's oldest person.

The US-based Gerontology Research Group said another Japanese woman, Chiyo Yoshida, was now the world's oldest person in its records. She is due to turn 117 in 10 days.

Ms Tajima's death comes three days after the death of Celino Villanueva Jaramillo, who claimed he was 121 years old.

Mr Jaramillo's ID card stated he was born on July 25, 1896, but he was not recognised as the world's oldest person by Guinness due to a lack of official documentation.

The Chilean lost his birth certificate in a fire that burned his house down 20 years prior.(ABC)12 September 2017 (UNCCD)  There is broad evidence to suggest that direct human alteration of terrestrial ecosystems by hunting, foraging, land clearing, agriculture, and other activities started about 12,000 years ago. Sometimes referred to as the Neolithic Revolution, agriculture slowly began to transform societies and the way in which people lived; traditional hunter-gatherer lifestyles were abandoned in favor of more permanent settlements and a reliable food supply. This transformation was particularly significant in some regions, which experienced long-term changes from forest clearing, increased frequency of fire, megafaunal extinctions, species invasions, and soil erosion.Beginning around 8,000 years ago, agricultural land use expanded in Mesopotamia and in the Fertile Crescent areas of southwest Asia; this was followed by growth in China, India, and Europe. Intensive land use patterns developed in India, especially on the Ganges plains; in China, along the lower Yellow and Yangtze rivers; in Africa, throughout the Sahel; and in South America, along the Andes. This agricultural expansion led to the development of more complex forms of societal organization. Fertile land and the domestication of wild food crop species allowed nomadic tribes to settle and form early towns and cities. The landscapes of the neo-tropical dry forests of South America, for instance, played a pivotal role in the emergence of pre-Colombian civilizations, such as the Incas. By approximately 6,000 years ago, agricultural expansion had spread across most continents, leading to the clearing of native vegetation and to the culling, or domestication, of herbivores. Native flora and fauna were replaced with intensive crop and livestock management practices as human populations grew and became denser. Starting around 1750, the transformation of land started to accelerate, and rapid land use change continues to be a dominant influence today.By the start of the Common Era (CE), up to 60 per cent of the land in Europe was being used by humans, albeit with significant fluctuations as some areas were periodically abandoned due to war, famine, and other events that affected human populations. By the Middle Ages (14th and 15th centuries), land use intensity in both Europe and China increased greatly following the development of cities and towns. During the same period, nearly 90 per cent of the indigenous peoples of the Americas died as a result of European contact, through slaughter and, principally, disease. This led to the massive regrowth of natural vegetation, especially of forests in the Amazon, Andes, Mesoamerica, and the western areas of North America. These pre-1700 land use changes were substantially smaller, more localized, and less intensive than those that came later but still transformed landscapes, e.g., from closed to open woodlands, altering soils, fire regimes, and regional patterns of biodiversity. In some cases, relatively small human populations are thought to have made widespread and profound ecological changes over 3,000 years ago.Country

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United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of ZimbabweRepeat business is both an honour that confirms youre doing something right, and a reminder to push yourself to keep serving the people who love what youre doing, says entrepreneur Kyla Kirkpatrick. Here, she shares her secrets to earning repeat business.

It has been 10 years since I started The Champagne Dame and I am still surprised by the number of people who keep coming back to my masterclasses and events.

After years working as a brand ambassador for Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy I decided to start The Champagne Dame, which allowed me to be an independent ambassador of the Champagne region. My first public champagne masterclass was in 2008. I listed the event online and waited with trepidation for people to purchase tickets. I had worked really hard on my content and on the day I delivered my presentation with passion and gusto, which spelled success.

A few months later I listed another public event, a little more confident after how well the first had gone. When I turned up for that class I was panicked to find out that 70% of the room had been at my last event  but I was set to deliver the same content. It was both an honour to discover that they had enjoyed and learnt so much at the previous class that they wanted to know more, and a wake-up call to me. From that moment on I realised that I would have to keep changing, improving and creating new products and content for these loyal clients.

Since then, Ive been careful to nurture repeat customers. It is not only more cost effective to turn existing clientele into repeat customers compared to acquiring someone new, but if you treat them well, loyal clientele become great advocates for your business.

Build a database and acknowledge loyalty

Collect your clients details  with permission, of course  and put them on a club member or VIP list so you have a ready-made database for future reference. If you have an ecommerce site, you probably already have a mechanism that does this for you, extracting from customers shipping and contact details. If your business is more service-oriented like mine, use events where customers are present to distribute loyalty cards or data capture cards that they fill in  offering a prize draw will guarantee they fill this card in.

Building a database is critical for repeat business. By using a database, contact with customers who already know and trust you becomes cost effective. Regular communication is key, but avoid constantly selling to them. Give them value: interesting content, advanced notice of events, or an insider look at something they wont get anywhere else. Use association  give them content you know your customers will relate to. For example, if you own a restaurant in Australia, give your clients the top ten restaurants to dine in when in Paris.

Build a community

Focus on building a special community between your loyal clients. Let them share their experiences to foster a sense of belonging between them. As The Champagne Dame, I try to enhance my attendees experience by adding them to my VIP guest list, which gives them offers and events exclusive to my community.

You can create a club or forum on your website, but existing platforms, like a private Facebook group, are also great as members can communicate between themselves in a familiar format. The best part is you dont need to be highly involved in this, as most connections will develop organically.

Build a following and keep innovating

While repeat business is great, it also takes a different kind of hard work to make sure you stay relevant and in demand. I have now presented to more than 10,000 people in a decade and let me tell you it doesnt get easier.

Today, more than ever, its critical to aim for continuous improvement and delivering something new  whether you intended it or not, customers see that as part of your offering. People have shorter attention spans, higher expectations and have seen it all before. You need to keep extending yourself so that your product or service is ahead of the market and the best version it can possibly be.

Avoid complacency by taking time out to critically review your offering and think about how to take it to the next level. Sometimes this leads to new opportunities, for example, through The Champagne Dame masterclasses I kept hearing the same thing from attendees about the narrow range and quality of champagne available in Australia. Pairing that with my knowledge that the Australian market was the fastest growing in the world led me to my new online business, Emperor Champagne, founded on research obtained through loyal clientele. These learnings (some of them surprising) have allowed us to shape the business and stay relevant as well as grow through innovation.

While acquiring new customers is exciting, weve found that investing in repeat business is extremely rewarding. Not only do happy, engaged customers spread the word on our behalf, they give us new ideas and opportunities to grow as well. Listen and learn from your loyal customer base and you will thrive.

About the author

Kyla Kirkpatrick is the CEO and founder of The Champagne Dame and Emperor Champagne. Kyla, who has a double degree in commerce and Chinese mandarin, left a promising career in finance in 2005 to move to France to study the world of Champagne. Three years later she launched The Champagne Dame and has since presented to over 10,000 people including Kerry packer and Elle Macpherson. Recognised as one of Australias leading champagne educators, in late 2017 Kyla launched Emperor, Australias largest online champagne retailer.The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) has refused to rule out possible job cuts within the bank, as they prepare for the worst.

According to CBA chief executive Ralph Norris, the economy is set to get worse as unemployment rises and further threatens the banking system.

Theres no doubt that the toughest period in the Australian economy still lies ahead of us unfortunately the unemployment rate will rise, and defaults will increase, he told a business lunch in Melbourne yesterday.

He believes that the turmoil currently being felt in Europe will begin to filter through to Australia in the next couple of months.

Now were seeing the collapse of the Eastern European countries currencies. This has led to a huge amount of debt in local currencies that has not been hedged, and this is obviously going to come back and haunt the banks that have lent money to these sorts of countries.

Norris said that CBAs profit margin on home lending is significantly low and credit conditions remain tight.



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Greg Scileppi, President of International Staffing Operations at Robert Half International, looks at how to deal with changes in the workforce and create a more flexible way of working.

The traditional workplace is changing rapidly. We have reached a point where the combination of generations and demographics has resulted in often diverging expectations of work and what workers want to achieve. To create a more inclusive environment suitable for an increasingly diverse range of employees, organisations need to be prepared and embrace a different way of working.

For many organisations, its about creating a more inclusive and open working ecosystem. This transcends simply rethinking the physical setting. Forward-looking businesses are redesigning the overall working environment and process for a modern workforce  one that facilitates a more collaborative and flexible way of working that appeals to different demographics and caters for everyone.

To embrace a more flexible way of working, businesses need to adapt quickly to ensure they are in a position to take advantage of the opportunities that a modern workforce offers. New technology and collaboration tools have had a huge impact on how people expect to work. For example, the speed of technology and information has further facilitated the need and use of independent contractors and offers businesses a more flexible approach to how they manage key project initiatives and workload fluctuations. Much of this so-called gig economy centres around highly-skilled senior professionals offering businesses the opportunity to leverage these specialist skills to supplement their core teams. The challenge will be understanding how to balance the advantages of a more flexible workforce with the need for creating a workplace that is collaborative, motivated and ultimately happy.

A more flexible way of working

Our global research also shows how roles will change over the coming years. It reveals that the workforce will embrace a different resource configuration with job rotation (34%), interim staff (33%), and job sharing either with an automated tool (29%) or with other part-time employees (28%) becoming the norm. We can also expect to see a change in employment contracts across all levels with contract/interim workers operating on either a short-term of less than six months (33%) or long-term basis of more than six months (41%) catching-up with permanent employees (37%). Although, the focus of the evolution differs between countries.

This new approach to working will help combine the insights and skill sets of staff with different experiences, levels and backgrounds to make the most of available talent. Increasingly as organisations evolve and grow, there is likely to be an increase in the inclusion of interim professionals who can support the business when workloads are higher or when specific skills are required to navigate times of change. It also reflects the proliferation of independent contractors that are seeking a more flexible way of working. However, the changing mixture of the workforce will place a new demand on businesses to consider how they are effectively introducing interim professionals to support the organisation as it evolves and grows.

Interim workers have the potential to enrich particular sectors of the workforce. Yet, for organisations to successfully embrace contract workers, its important to have the right measures in place  including trusted recruitment partners  to check and validate their purported skills. Another challenge facing organisations is how to balance the advantages of a more flexible workforce with the happiness of both permanent and interim staff. To keep the companys mission and values at the forefront, it is crucial to find ways of continuing to manage the performance and engagement of interim employees throughout their tenure. This could be through giving employees the freedom and flexibility to experiment with new ideas, empowering staff to contribute their ideas in meetings or introducing new social events to encourage cohesion. Ultimately, organisations need to find ways of making all types of workers feel part of one team by creating a company culture rooted in diversity, openness and inclusivity that appeals to all.

Pay to play

As the nature of work changes, remuneration and bonuses will also evolve to appeal to a modern workforce. For nearly a quarter (24%) of businesses there will be greater individual flexibility allowing employees to swap a proportion of their salary in return for non-financial perks. Other approaches include readdressing the balance between basic salaries and bonuses as well as offering benefits that more greatly appeal to ones own individual preferences  including healthy-living schemes, remote working and charitable donations or time off for volunteerism.

Its important to remember that for a modern workforce, money is only one side of the remuneration coin. While it remains a key driver, top candidates receiving multiple top job offers are also keen on re-addressing the work-life balance that has been lost in an always-on, digital-first society. As such, remuneration packages that include a flexible work schedule, sabbaticals, emergency childcare or elderly care, relocation or housing assistance and financial planning, go a long way to enticing todays talent.

At the moment, many businesses are tackling this change by introducing greater agility through hot-desking (37%), rotational task-based seating (31%) and communal co-working spaces where individuals can come together to work on separate projects (30%). One in five companies will take it even further and envision a future where every employee will work from home or remotely in the next five years. Naturally there are limitations based on industry and job responsibilities so companies need to consider how to best make the modern workplace work for them.

The key is to balance the ability for employees to work wherever and whenever they want, with a clear understanding of what that entails. In this age of constant stimuli, its important that staff feel they can switch-off. By having a clear understanding and agreement about what is expected, the discussion stops being about reading e-mails outside of work hours. Instead it is more about letting work and personal lives flow together as one integrated life.

Managing change

The modern workplace will require organisations to adopt and rethink how they manage this new workforce. For organisations to support their employees in their career progression and preferred ways of working, there is a need to create a flexible environment that advocates cross-working across levels and departments. It also involves finding new ways to provide leadership and accountability at different levels of the organisation to create an open and consistent culture that recognises the diversity of the roles, yet includes all.

If this can be achieved, then businesses will be able to help an increasing number of people to work in the way that best suits them. It will enable the modern workforce to combine the positive aspects of flexible working, such as freedom, flexibility and variety, with the security of career development, access to benefits and exciting opportunities.

About the author

Greg Scileppi is President of International Staffing Operations at specialist recruitment firm Robert Half International.I guess moving to another age bracket this year just gave me a totally new perspective on fashion and beauty and life in general.

I attended the launch of Forever 21 Philippines #WeareForever21 cmpaign releasing their Summer 2018 collection and new brand ambassadors and I absolutely had a hard time connecting with them anymore.

Not that the styles are not applealing I guess the way they deliver the message was a little off. First claiming that the brand ambassadors they launched are the first ever Forever 21 Philippines brand ambassadors aint factual. The first were introduced 8 years ago when the brand was fairly new in the country.

Also maybe because of generation gap lol, I dont know any of those they introduce except for one whom. I have worked with in another campaign.

Instead also on focusing on the brand and the syle they asked the attendees to focus on the ambassadors. They are selling clothes not convincing people to beleieve the people they selected.

While these kids may actually reflect the so called todays generation of Filipino Youth. They were selected for a reason, they work hard and play haed, I know one of them so they were selected with the same categories.

I love the clothes.. No doubt about it. I am maybe too old and too tita and picky to buy in to the look at them you wanna be them or false claims that they were thr first to bring more hype. Knowing your brand and being a credit grabber totally blows. Or is it just me who believes that way and that generation gap I am now experiencing.

Anyways take a look at gorgeous Forever 21 San Tropez collection for Summer 2018 #WeareForever21 as worn by the models and their latest brand ambassadors.

I would like to name the brand ambassadors but the press release they gave us dont have names. I only know one Helen Payawal and she deserves to be there and represent the plus size community .

I am sorry this sounded like a rant more than a praise I should learn to shut up my mouth sometines but if I dont speak who else will. I will just take the hate and spark the thought of whats going around than be one of the mute ones who does nothing .

Say gorgeous everyone!

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Latest News

Bengal boy Dr Amartya Sengupta tops NEET-PG exam Earlier this year, Dr Sengupta has also secured AIR 1 in the INI CET held by AIIMS

NDMC retains 667 contract teachers at primary schools The contract of these teachers was terminated in 2020

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'If we were power-hungry, we had the chance to remain longer'

Speaking about the early election, President Erdogan said the ruling AK Party will continue its tenure if the nation wills, and will step down if it says "enough.

The parliament on Friday passed a bill calling for early elections on June 24, with 386 lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition parties supporting the move. The polls were expected to be held in November 2019.

In an interview to Turkish channel NTV on April 21, President Erdogan explained the circumstances which led to the decision to hold snap polls. He said they were compelled to consider the issue, following a proposition by Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli, who is set to enter an alliance with the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party. The statement of our ally with whom we are realizing a public alliance, compelled us to assess the situation. We have evaluated it, and therefore we have reached.





Erdogan stressed that if the ruling AK Party was power-hungry, they had the chance to remain in power for 17,18 months more.

He added that a public opinion survey will be conducted to determine his party candidates for the parliament.US drops Occupied Palestinian Territories from annual human rights report

An annual US government report on human rights worldwide in 2017 has dropped reference to the Palestinian territories as occupied.

US State Departments annual human rights report released Friday stops using the phrase Occupied Territories to describe Palestinian lands West Bank, including East Jerusalem and Gaza, which were occupied by Israel.

Turkey on Sunday criticized the US State Department's report for privileging the views of terrorist-linked sources and ignoring the facts.

Turkey is deeply disappointed by the report, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on the annual report, released on Friday.

The present report is based on a distant understanding of responsibility by presenting the allegations and accusations of terrorist-related circles as real it added. The report is 'filled with allegations and claims in the section relevant to our country that cannot be accepted' said the ministry.

US ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, a staunch supporter of Israels illegal settlement policy in the occupied territories, had asked the State Department in December to stop referring to the occupied territories as occupied.Written by ACM



*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- An Independent Experts' Inquiry on Corruption, exceptionally set up top check Allegations of wrongdoing in CoE's Parliamentary Assembly (PACE), might Extend its Findings and/or Conclusions also to various Other Areas of the 47 Member Countries-wide PanEuropean Organisation, as it results from Converging Sources which spoke to "Eurofora", before a Final Report might soon become Public.



Indeed, a very well informed Source, concerning that Independent External Committee, has Revealed to "Eurofora", already since the Beginning of 2018, that its Investigations had Found that, in fact, Corruption-related Problems go Deeper and would be much More Widely Spread than initially thought, Extending also in several Other among CoE's many Activities and/or Bodies, withOut being Limited Only to certain MEPs.



The initial Time-limit of that Exceptional Independent Investigation, Decided on April 2017 and Set up since June that same year, had been Scheduled for the End of 2017, but, later-on, its Mandate was Prolonged further, also into 2018, resulting nowadays in a Confidential Report that will be Discussed by PACE's Bureau on the forthcoming Sunday, which will Decide on any concrete Measures that might be necessary to be taken.



=> During the regular Press-Briefing of Strasbourg's permanent European Journalists, this Friday Morning, (April 19, 2018), "Eurofora" asked PACE's experienced Secretary General, Wojciech Sawicki, from Poland, whether, in Theory, as a matter of General Principle, it might be Possible for that Special Independent Committee to eventually Conclude that Anti-Corruption Measures should also Extend to several Other CoE's areas of activities, bodies and/or staff, (f.ex. Inter-Governemental or Independent, Secretariat, Ad Hoc Experts, Local/Regional Authorities' representatives, INGOS, etc).



- Given the Fact that both the Activities of that Independent Anti-Corruption Committee, as well as its Draft Report, are, at least until Sunday Evening, strictly Confidential, Sawicki naturally Replied that he canNot Say Anything Now about the Actual Content of that Report.



- But, from a purely "Theoretical" point of view, "Nothing is Impossible", he Carefully added to the amove-mentioned "Eurofora"s Question. The Members of that "Group of Investigation on Allegations of Corruption" (known as "GIAC") are the former President of ECHR, Sir Nicolas Bratza, from the UK, Top Judge Jean-Luis Bruguiere, formerly in charge of Anti-Terrorist Investigations in France during a Long Time, and Anti-Terrorist Expert for International Organisations, as well as for Other States, and Elisabet Fura, former ECHR's Swedish Euro-Judge and f. Parliamentary Head Ombudsperson in Sweden.



Whatever might, eventually, be the Outcome of GIAC's Report, it obviously seems almost certain that it will be Discussed, in one way or another, during PACE's Plenary Session for Spring 2018, Next Week in Strasbourg (from Monday to Friday, included, April 23-27, 2018).

Already, a "Side Event" on the "Follow-up of the Inquiry on Allegations of Corruption inside the Parliamentary Asszembly", is Organized by MEPs Franck Schwabe from Germany, and Pieter Omtzigt from the Netherlands, (a Socialist and a ChristianDemocrat/EPP, respectively), for Monday Afternoon.



Curiously, it was Scheduled at Exactly the Same Day, and even Hours and Minutes, with anOther "Side Event", on "the Turkish (Military) Invasion of (Syria's Kurdish Canton of) Afrin : an Urgent Humanitarian Crisis", organized by MEPs Tiny Cox and Nikolaj Villumsen, respectively from the Netherlands and Denmark, both from the "EuroLeft" Group, of which the First is its Long-Time President.



Thirty (30) various such "Side Events" are currently Scheduled during 4 Days, between Monday and Thursday (included), as usual, at Different Times, (on Various Hours in the Mornings, Noons, or Early Afternoons, even at the Evening).

(../..)3 EU Parliament votes to boost EuroGroup !

---------------------------------

After EuroZone Paris Summit's succes, Sarkozy calls to "think anew how to re-construct Europe !

"EuroZone and EU Institutional debates pave the way to 2009 discussions on EU Future, including Enlargment, Turkey etc. ?





23 October 2008



After EU Parliament strongly suppported in 3 successive Votes this week in Strasbourg French EU Chairmanship's move to boost Euro-Group at EU's core, while ideas on EU Institutional problems are awaited on December, "it's an open Question now" if this may lead to a debate on EU's Future, or not, told us French President, Nicolas Sarkozy''s Spokesman, Pierre-Jerome Henin.



MEPs voted on Thursday fresh Funds to support EuroGroup, after adopting on Wednesday a Resolution asking a "further Evolution" to "the 1st ever meeting of Heads of State and of Government of the Euro-Zone, taking decisions in that capacity", while earlier this week a Report asked "a stronger Institutional setting" for "EuroGroup", extended from "competitiveness/industry" to "environment, employment and education", with "increased powers for Political decision-making", according to a text drafted by French MEP Francoise Beres and German MEP Werner Langen, "10 Years after the creation of Euro" (1999 - 2009).



- Brussels' subsequent "EU Council ..(simply)..ratified the measures decided by EuroGroup on October 12" in Paris, which "were necessary to contain the current Financial Crisis", Resolution observes, expressing also support to the new process succesfully initiated by Sarkozy and due to be completed by agreements with USA and other countries at a Global level.



From now on, it's between two differend but parallel moves : EU's delay, and EuroZone's acceleration, that Enlargement and particularly Turkey's controversial EU bid, will have to search its way :



Indeed, EU's 27 expect a "Roadmap on how to deal with the Irish problem" on Lisbon Treaty ratification after December, risking to pass even 2009 Elections and next Commission with the old Nice Treaty of 2000, out-dated and unfit even for 2004's Enlargement...



On the contrary, EU's core launches a real "Economic Governance for EuroZone at the highest level of Heads of State/Government" of the 15, which started in Paris on October 12 and was strongly supported this week in Strasbourg by Sarkozy and EU Parliament.

----------

- "It's a good idea, to launch such a debate ("on EU's Future") in EU Parliament in view of 2009 Euro-Election : Perhaps some MEPs will seize an opportunity", told us mainstream French MEP Alain Lamassoure, former EU Minister and EU Spokesman for France's governing party UMP.



- "All MEPs' debates on such EU Councils are also part of the larger debate on Europe's future : Now with EuroZone, and even more when, on December, Irish Prime Minister is due to table proposals in Strasbourg on how to deal with EU Treaty's ratification", replied earlier to our question EU Parliament's Press Director and Spokesman, Jaume Duch.

--------------------------------------

Sarkozy has formally anounced his intention to open EU Debates on Economy, Identity/Enlargement (i.e. mainly Turkey), etc. both linked to a popular Political view of Europe, since his Historic speeches on EU in Strasbourg, on February and July 2007, when he stressed that "Europe needs a New Renaissance". At the beginning of the French EU Presidency, on July 2008, replying to a MEP, he suggested that EU Parliament takes an active part in Debates on EU's Future.



- Now, in 2008, "Crisis are an opportunity to re-think how to re-construct Europe", Sarkozy stressed. At any case, the Historic 1st EuroZone Summit of Heads of State/Government, which started replying to the Financial crisis,"is a Turning Point : After that, Europe cannot be governed as before, but differently" : People "like a Europe with Strong Will".



- "We must make the System move !", "Europe needs Innovation" and free political debates. EU "Elections are in a few Months", Sarkozy warned.



He invited EU Parliament to fully play its role as "the Democratic Heart of the Europe we want : United, Independent and Voluntarist, because the World needs Europe's voice".



- "It's no more possible for Euro-Zone to continue without an Economic Government" at the Highest Level of Heads of State/Government, who provide "Democratic Legitimity" and can take important decisions, he announced, strongly supported by EU Parliament's Economic Committee which just voted to boost the "Institutional" aspects of "EuroGroup".



Plasticity offered by the current absence of a special Treaty on EuroZone's Institutions "made it easy to adapt the organization of the 1st Summit with imagination, to efficiently meet urgent needs", he observed, on the occasion of Brittish Prime Minister's exceptionnal presence at the greatest part of EuroGroup's Paris Summit.



- "In EuroZone we have the same Bank, the same Money, and, thus, a same duty for Unity" : "By bringing together EuroGroup's 15 members States we suceeded to find a solution and prepare a Giant Plan of 1.800 Billion euros", Sarkozy reminded of Paris' 1st Historic EuroZone's Summit.



Afterwards, Brussels' EU Council followed the move, and USA's Paulson II Plan was inspired from that. "Europe must promote the idea of Global Economy's Refoundation", he stressed.







- "I was frankly astonished when I found, at the EU, a rigid system, where any New Idea was seen from the outset as a sacrilege, while, on the contrary, Europe needs Innovation !", he described.



F.ex. ,"'When we first spoke about the "Union for the Mediterranean", it was misunderstood as something extraordinary.. When later we had the Russia -Georgia crisis, it seemed against EU's custom to act "in the middle of August", instead of staying a passive spectator ! And when, in front of the Financial ciris, we gathered the 1st EuroZone Summit of the "15", some thought of it as a lese-majeste", he denounced.

----------------------

On Geo-Political Principles :

----------------------

- But, by moving resolutely, "EU obtained the ...withdrawal of Occupation Troops in 2 Months !", reminded Sarkozy, observing that Russia "fulfilled its commitments", in the Georgian crisis, where a "disroportionate reaction" from Moscow followed a "totally inappropriate action" from Tbilisi's troops. "It would be crazy to reply by military means : EU should not become accomplice of another Cold War, imposed by lack of cool heads".. as he said.



In future, "the creation of a common European Economic Area with EU and Russia, would also obtain a raprochment on our Human Rights and Democratic Values", added Sarkozy, in a statement which should logically be applied, a fortiori, to controversial EU "candidate" Turkey..



Particularly when, the same week that EU Parliament voted 2009 EU Funds for Turkey's controversial EU bid, ECHR took a series of judgements condemning Turkey for grave Violations of Human Rights, such as : Torture, death of a political prisoner in unclear circumstances followed by failure to conduct a proper Investigation, "enforced Disappearance" of a youngster aged 17, Killing of a sepherd with Tank Shells, persecuting Journalists for articles on "Missing" People, even a former President of Human Rights' Association, (etc)



- "We (EU) can defend our ideas on respect of Sovereignity and territorial Integrity, on Human Rights and other differences ... without confrontation", Sarkozy stressed, on the occasion of Russian/Georgian conflict, reminding that : "we were only 2 steps from catastroph", when a Peace agreement brokered in Moscow prevented, at the last minute, Russian troops' advance towards Tbilisi.



An EU Parliament Resolution adopted Wednesday in Strasbourg on the occasion of Russia - Georgia conflict, outlines a set of Principle which apply elsewhere too, (particularly when EU Rapporteur for Russia and Turkey is one and same person ; Dutch MEP Ria Oomen-Ruijtanen !)



Clearly rejecting any "military solution to the conflicts", MEPs "condemn ..all those who resorted to force and violence". They denounce a "disproportionate military action", "as well as (an) unilateral decision to recognise the independence" of brekaway regions, "calling.. to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity" of the concerned country, "and the inviolability of its borders recognised by all EU Member States". They warn that "EU must review its policy towards" a 3rd Country, "should .(it)...not comply with its commitments", and "stress that the withdrawal of.... troops from the areas ....is an essential additional step".



EU Parliament "calls for the safe and quick return of refugees, (accepted by Russian President Medvedev) accompanied by the deployment of EU observers on the ground", and "regrets ...that ..EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM) is not allowed to enter the ...breakaway regions". Moreover, "It's important to ensure that persons and NGOs ..engaged in defending human and civil rights can operate". "Until ...all remaining issues (are) resolved..., and notably the continuing ...Military presence", "relations with the EU ..cannot be fully normalised", MEPS warned.



As nobody likes to be accused to practice "Double Standards", this should be regarded as "Principles" applicable to any Third Country at EU's Neighborhood.. No ?

-------------------

On Economy :

-----------------------

- "When Financial crisis shook US and EU's Banks, without result from the 1st (American) Paulsen plan, it was the common reply of the 1st EuroZone's Summit, involving some 1800 Billion euros, which started a positive move in the markets, soon strengthened by the follow-up of the US Paulson 2 Plan, noted Sarkozy.



- "Europe should not be only on the defensive, but, if necessary, know also how to take an offensive", he said, brushing away hesitationsto act on Economy: - "I'm for a refondation of Capitaliism, but against Speculators, who betray its values" : "Lack of Rules was profitable to speculators, Not to businessmen !" We must make sure to prevent any such crisis in future". "We, the rest of the World, cannot continue to bear the deficits of the 1st World power without saying anything !", the French President said, applauded by EU Parliament. All this needs "a New Global Governance", on which EU Parliament must debate. That's why "we proposed together with USA, several Summits from mid-November", to which G-8, enlarged to China, India a.o. countries, should participate. UNO's SG; Ban Ki Moon, the IMF, etc.



Financial crisis lowered shares' prices even for healthy companies, sometimes to 1/3 of their initial price, so that strangers might buy EU industries for only a portion of their real value, and Europeans may wake up one day with their main industries sold out to foreigners !



That's one of the reasons for which EU should debate about creating "Golden Shares" for States to jointly take Strategic participations to help European Industries until the end of the Crisis, particularly against distording competition, he suggested, pointing at USA's 35 billion $ plan for American Car Industry."We shall struggle for Europe to be able to build Airplanes, Ships, Trains, Cars, because we need a strong Industry", he concluded.



"F.ex. as we did back in 2004, when as Finance Minister, we bought Alsthom's shares for 800.000 euros, and, after restructuring, we sold them for 2 Millions : Help a company and make money is not so bad"...



As for the UK, "when Ireland announced that it would guarantee only Irish Banks, London City emptied from liquidities in 24 hours : It's the EU which helped to restore the situation, Not the UK alone !", reminded Sarkozy to nationalist British MEP Nigel Farage.







On the contrary, in a last-minute attempt for the EU to catch-up with its Institutional delay "before the European Elections" of June 2009, MEPs simply voted a call for a "set of proposals" to be made for the "Irish public opinion" at the end of the year...

- "As long as Lisbon Treaty is not ratified by all 27 EU Member States, there is an unanimous decision to stop Enlargement, reminded Wednesday in Strasbourg the French Minister for EU affairs, Jean-Pierre Jouyet..

Added to an indirect but clear warning that, without Lisbon Treaty, all 27 EU Member Countries may not have a Commissioner in the 2009 resuffle, MEPS in the Constitutional/Foreign affairs Committees applauded hoping that this might motivate their Irish friends..I will be in France for at least another 6 months and my license expires in June. I am still NY resident and all that but I wasn't planning to go to the States so is there a way to renew the license from here?



The main problem is the eye exam of course.



"Out of the state or country

When out of NY State we recommend that you renew your NY driver license through the mail. 10 Send usthe renewal notice we mailed you (MV-2) or if you don't have it, a completed Application for Permit, Driver License, or Non-driver ID (MV-44)

a Vision Test Report (MV-619) completed by an eye care professional

a check or money order payable to Commissioner of Motor Vehicles

Send us a pre-addressed priority mail return envelope with your application. This will help ensure that we send your license to the correct address.



."



The confusing part is the form MV-619 which seems to be allowed to be completed only by approved locations but the above instructions seem to suggest that it could be filled out by 'an eye care professional' who is not necessarily in US even.





Has anyone done this from France?Manitoba said: Is that not how the long term leases here work? Basically you "buy" the house for 25 or 50 years and at the end of that time the property reverts to the original owner.



How else would the PRA allow the SRRV deposit to be converted in a long term lease situation? Do you think that they would give me back my $US20k and allow me to sign a long term lease when was making monthly payments? Click to expand...

Finding a 25 + 25 year lease may be difficult to find, in all the years we looked at property we never saw any advertised, may be wrong though.This is what we did. When we found the property we wanted we negotiated the price obviously, consulted an attorney.The land was put in my partners name, the house and improvements were put in my name, a 25 + 25 year lease was drawn up and the purchase price of the land (PHP 5M) was payment in full on the lease for 50 years so in effect paying PHP 100K per year rent. The lease is registered on the title (encumbered) so it can't be sold or borrowed against.The lease gives me the right over the property for development, improvements, at my discretion as well as lots of other stuff written into it like being able to sell that lease and buildings if I choose to. If I die the lease can be bequeathed etc.While this works for us it may not suit others, you could simply find a Filipino you trust and give him or her the opportunity to ad the property to his/her portfolio though it can't be touched for 50 years.You also have to make the decision on where to live based on your needs and whether to put roots down in one place.I too hope to use this lease to get the US 20K back when I accomplish my SRRV.Cheers, Steve.Manitoba, The most efficient way to transfer money for the purposes you mention is by electronic bank transfer. In the case of purchasing a vehicle from the dealer, you would ask the sales rep to put you in touch with the accounts department and obtain their bank details (its best, but not necessary, to do this via the sales rep as they will know you are a bona fida customer). Setting up the arrangement with your Ph bank is a 2-step affair, enrolment and activation. Enrolment can be done online or at your bank branch. As soon as you have enrolled the dealer's bank details, you then activate the enrolment either at the branch or at an ATM; different banks have different procedures. All of this can usually be achieved within 24hrs. As soon as you activate the account, you are in a position to make your first online transfer, although some banks will make you wait an additional 24hrs from the time of activation to making your first transfer. Again, for security reasons, banks have different policies pertaining to the maximum amounts that one can send in one transfer, or transfer in one day. It could take 3 transfers to send the amount you are talking about. By this stage you are only clicking a few buttons on your computer so it's no problem. If you are new to this, you would transfer a small amount such as Php200 to the dealer as a trial run and call the accounts dept to see if they received it before making the larger transfer/s. Transfers between the same bank are instantaneous so they will be able to see the incoming transfer of funds immediately. The majority of this administration can be done from the comfort of your armchair so it really isnt much hassle, especially if you're familiar with online banking.



Incidentally, this arrangement also works well for smaller, regular purchases. We use it pay for coffee beans, baking goods, spices etc being sent from Manila or Cebu; being able to electronic transfer funds direct to the supplier makes life very easy. Bearing in mind the old adage of 'Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves', always ask the company whom you want to transfer the funds to if they have more than one bank account, as transfers are free when transferring between the same banks. If you need any further info and would prefer to discuss it via PM, feel free to do so.With just 42 students signed up at United South Centrals kindergarten round up, signs of dwindling enrollment are made evident not only by the small incoming class, but of a termination and non-renewal of a contract with probationary kindergarten teacher Carol Supalla.

This was because of the change from three to two sections in kindergarten, said School Board chair, Dale Stevermer.

During their regularly scheduled School Board meeting last Tuesday evening, members of the USC?School Board had to make the tough decision of approving a resolution relating to the termination and non-renewal of Supallas teaching contract. Supalla was hired in the late summer of 2017 as a kindergarten teacher. The 2017-18 kindergarten class was 50 plus students strong.

The majority roll call vote to terminate the contract effective at the end of the current school year was passed unanimously.

The incoming kindergarten class was a factor that would have affected our 2018-19 staffing recommendation, so at this point, Im going to be recommending two sections of kindergarten. We will monitor our incoming kindergarten class throughout the summer, explained USC Superintendent Keith Fleming.

Board members also discussed and eventually approved the 2018-19 classroom teacher staffing proposal. The proposal included both elementary and high school staffing numbers.

The superintendent made mention of the large outgoing first grade class, which will also be a change in the original staffing proposal to accommodate a larger number of incoming second graders.

The USC?Elementary School stands at two kindergarten sections, three first grade sections, three second grade sections, two third grade sections, three fourth grade sections, two fifth grade sections, and three sixth grade sections, tallying a total of 18 classrooms or sections.

Current FTE (full time equivalent) at the high school, with the exception of art will be reduced, and Spanish will be reduced, says Fleming.

In the high school, the full-time equivalent staff currently stands with language arts, math, science, and social studies at 3.0 FTE, while Ag, business, family and consumer science, and industrial technologies are at 1.0 FTE. Art is currently at .5, while Spanish sits at .67 FTE.

All of USCs K-12 departments, including special education, music, physical education, and elementary technology, will not see any FTE?changes.

The staffing proposal was approved by the School Board.

Fleming also discussed, during his administrative report, the Southern Plains Education Cooperative will be extending their planning conversation on the new facility building.

Weve had to delay that process a little bit because weve continued to have some discussions with the joint powers agreement, said Fleming. We do have a board meeting scheduled with a consultant to help us with that process at 4 oclock, and, as a reminder, all board members in the area are welcome to attend.

The School Board also:

Approved the purchase of two seven-passenger minivans,

Accepted approval of 3.6 FTE temporary summer custodial positions,

Backed the 2018-19 capital expenditures proposal, which included a change to some physical education audio equipment, which saved the school $10,000.

After realizing the latest School District General Records Retention Schedule still stated Wells-Easton school, updated the adoption to reflect the merger of the USC Districts surrounding communities.

Authorized the replacement of a damaged box on a school utility truck to include a new electronic dump box for ease of use. This proposal came in after an accident during snow removal caused damage to the current box on the schools truck.

Was informed of USCs educational fundraiser known as The Price Is Right which took place at the USC?schools performance center last Saturday evening.AUSTRALIAN farmers would lose a competitive exporting edge into major markets for commodities like grains if the US returned to the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP).

And Federal Trade Minister Steve Ciobo has responded to Donald Trumps indication the US is taking steps to consider joining the 11 other TPP nations like Australia and Japan, by saying theres currently very little appetite for a renegotiation.

Mr Trumps recent about face on the TPP arrives at the same time as hes suffering increased pressure from the American farming sector due to igniting a tit-for-tat tariff trade war with China thats hit the US soybean industry particularly hard.

Grain Growers trade and economics manager Luke Mathews said thered been significant talk of a possible US return to the TPP which would have mixed blessings from a grains industry perspective.

On one hand, a possible return of the US to the TPP fold sends a positive signal that seeking a liberalised trade agenda is important for the worlds largest economy and historic key-advocate for global free trade, he said.

This is particularly important given the current global economic climate, the increasing protectionist activities and rhetoric of some countries, and the challenges for achieving further reform at the multilateral level.

But on the other hand, if the US re-enters TPP, Australia will lose its competitive edge for a number of agricultural commodities into TPP markets.

Mr Matthews said under the Japan Australia Economic Partnership Agreement, the local grains sector enjoyed more favourable market access compared to the US into the Japanese market.

He said that was particularly the case for Australian wheat exports to Japan, which have averaged $330 million over the past five years, and compete directly with US wheat exports into the high-priced market.

Mr Mathews said under the second version of the TPP, with the remaining 11 countries, Australias market access advantage against US exports into Japan had increased further.

If the US re-enters TPP they will achieve the same market access outcomes as Australia currently enjoys  this will place both the US and Australian grain exporters on an equal footing into Japan, he said.

Australian grain exporters will be no worse off than US exporters.

However Australian grain exporters will be worse off compared to if the US had not re-joined at all.

Mr Ciobo said hed commented previously that having the US come back into the TPP-11 would be a step in the right direction.

But he said currently, Australian agricultural exporters in particular, were materially advantaged relative to American agricultural exporters.

And I think thats one of the reasons why the United States is having a second look at possibly re-joining the TPP, he said.

But lets also be clear, I think theres very little appetite among these TPP-11 countries for there to be any meaningful renegotiation, or indeed, any substantial renegotiation of the TPP-11 at all.

What were all focussed on is making sure we can bring the TPP-11 into effect as soon as possible.

Mr Ciobo said all 11 TPP countries were going through their domestic ratification processes, Australia included and he hoped it would come into effect at the start of next year.

I dont believe there will be any appetite to put pause on that while we have further discussions with the United States, he said.

At best, I would see a process where these two events operate in parallel, namely the TPP-11 have their domestic ratification processes underway with the view to bringing the TPP-11 into effect.

Meanwhile we can, if the United States wants to pursue those conversations, have conversations with the United States about what that might look like.

But again, I would stress, and I certainly dont speak on behalf of the TPP-11, Im only speaking in terms of Australias view, we welcome the United States coming back to the table, but I dont see any wholesale appetite for any material renegotiation of the TPP-11.

GrainGrowers said after the US pulled out of the TPP under new President Donald Trump at the start of 2017, Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, NZ, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam reached agreement on the final Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership at an officials-level meeting in Tokyo, Japan, in late January.

At a broad glance, the agreement will eliminate 98pc of all tariffs in the free trade area and its benefits apply to a broad range of agriculture products, including beef, dairy, sheep meat, cotton, wool, and grains.

The TPP-11 includes five of Australias important grain export markets in Japan, Vietnam, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore and accounts for 15-20pc of Australian grain trade, which is dominated by wheat.

GrainGrowers said under the original TPP agreement the US grains sector would have had equal access to the Australian industry.

Mr Ciobo said Australias agricultural lobby and farmers were big beneficiaries of a host of different free trade agreements the Coalition had put into place over the past several years.

We havent yet felt the benefits of (TPP-11) yet because it hasnt yet come into effect but it is very promising, he said.

We get access to two totally new markets, including Canada and Mexico.

It builds off the great work that weve done with China, with Japan and with South Korea and of course, the work that now Im continuing to build on with Singapore as well as in Latin America, through Peru, and the negotiations were having with the Pacific Alliance countries.

As well as, of course, the negotiations we hope will commence soon with the European Union and the UK.

Like anything, there are pros and cons - weve got to work our way through it - but lets just see what the Americans do.

The federal Opposition said they would first need to see if it was a serious proposition and then what the US was asking for, to re-join the TPP.A PUBLIC forum held last week clarified that the Federal government will not create a separate visa for South African farmers looking to leave their country in the face of political turmoil.

The forum, held at Lakelands, was a chance for attendees to express their concerns about the issue to Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs Minister Alan Tudge.

More than 600 people attended, with many people sharing stories of violent physical and sexual attacks suffered by their families, neighbours and friends in South Africa.

Forum organiser Andrew Hastie, MP for the federal electorate of Canning, said Australia should be responding to the awful situations endured by many South African farmers.

Australia has a generous, non-discriminatory humanitarian visa program that is able to respond to need and crises, Mr Hastie said.

Since the 1970s our nation has accepted suffering people from around the world through this program and we should be proud of that.

Mr Hastie shared a story of a mother in South Africa, who on March 23 was at home with her three children aged 15, 13 and 9 years.

An attacker entered their home and fired several shots at her sons head as he was sitting on the couch, she was shot and later raped while her other children managed to escape.

I spoke to this woman on the phone for half an hour, while she resides in Port Elizabeth and stays with friends because she is too scared and traumatised to go back to her house on the family orchard, Mr Hastie said.

Ladies and gentlemen there is a serious problem in South Africa, people are being persecuted and people are living in fear.

South African community leader Sake Van Der Merwe said the minister had come to listen to what forum participants had to say and they were not demanding anything, but asking for help.

Accusations have been made that white farmers would be favoured in visa processing, although Mr Van Der Meer was adamant that there is proof of racial vilification.

We are being accused of things that we know are not true, all lives matter to us, whether it is pink, black, white, purple, whatever you are, we care, he said.

It is just that the white farmers are being singled out apparently  of the nearly 2000 farmers, most of them tortured to death, the vast majority, about 98 per cent, were white.

Mr Tudge said Mr Hastie is the main person who has put this issue on the agenda.

We would like recognise the fact that we are acutely aware of some of the issues which are occurring in South Africa, Mr Tudge said.

He said unfortunately there were tens of millions of displaced people and refugees worldwide, with a United Nations estimate of 21 million people.

As a nation we cannot take everybody who seeks refuge but we have to do our share and we do our share, he said.

We have been lifting the numbers quite steadily over the years, next financial year we will rise to 18,750 people who will come in through that humanitarian category and there are sub-classes to that.

There are a few visa categories available for South African people who wish to legally enter Australia.

Mr Tudge ran through these options for South African families and concerned members of the community so they could relay this information back to South Africa.

There is a Skills Migration Program, which used to be the 457 visa program and is now called TSS, which has an age restriction of under 45 years and the applicant must have a specific skill.

Humanitarian visas are for people who are facing persecution and wish to seek refuge in Australia.

Mr Hastie said that program is able to respond to need and crises and has done so for people all over the world and I believe the terrible crimes that these farmers face qualify them for consideration under that program.

Mr Tudge announced a special visa class would be trialled from July 1.

It is called a special humanitarian visa category subclass 202 and within that there is an element that is coming into place, that community-supported place, which in essence is where people will sponsor a person who is being persecuted into Australia with a job which they offer with some financial assistance, he said.

Labor released an email the morning of the forum stating Mr Hastie was out of touch as they asked members to contribute more money in their bid to win the seat of Canning and rid Mr Hastie of his position.

The email, authorised by Labor Senator Louise Pratt said Andrew Hastie has joined a group of extreme right wingers wanting to change Australias humanitarian visa program to give special treatment to white South Africans.

It continued to say he is holding a public meeting in Canning to get support for ending the current non-discriminatory humanitarian visa system and finished with a link to donate now to win the seat of Canning for Labor.

This email is a new low from the Labor Party and from Louise Pratt, Mr Hastie said.

Trying to fundraise off the back of people who are suffering persecution and personal tragedy is repugnant.

Pastoral and Graziers Association (PGA) past president Barry Court was at the forum to voice his opinion of the agricultural opportunities.

Similar violence occurred in Zimbabwe and I contacted the people there and advised them that we will be able to help them if they came to WA, he said.

Mr Court offered a similar deal at the forum stating that farmers of WA, and himself, will be of any help they can of employing South African refugees.

We dont expect you to buy farms because the currency exchange is a bit different, but we will certainly help you finding jobs on farms in WA and showing you around the State, Mr Court said.

PGA president Tony Seabrook said the group strongly endorses bringing South Africans into Australia.

They have a terrific fit, they have a common language, common occupation, a good work ethic, and I think of the humanitarian issues there, the fact that they are at risk to the extent they are, they tick all the box in regards to bringing people into Australia that are at risk, Mr Seabrook said.

Certainly amongst our membership, we are more than happy to let them all know that there is an opportunity here to employ experienced people with a familiarity to living in the bush.

Mr Seabrook said they encourage the government to do what ever it can to facilitate the migration to Australia for these South African farmers.

The Farm Machinery and Industry Association of WA (FMIA) executive officer John Henchy said anything that is going to be positive for agriculture is a good move.

If you are talking about people who have experience in the mechanisation industry, certainly from a service perspective, yes that would be an advantage and if they have experience in servicing equipment absolutely, Mr Henchy said.

Put it this way, a lot of Australians are reluctant to work in the bush, so if we can get people who are comfortable in coming to the country areas, it has got to be a plus.

farmers are being singled out apparently  of the nearly 2000 farmers, most of them tortured to death, the vast majority, about 98 per cent, were white.

Mr Tudge said Mr Hastie is the main person who has put this issue on the agenda.

We would like to recognise the fact that we are acutely aware of some of the issues which are occurring in South Africa, Mr Tudge said.

He said unfortunately there were tens of millions of displaced people and refugees worldwide, with a United Nations estimate of 21 million people.

As a nation we cannot take everybody who seeks refuge but we have to do our share and we do our share, he said.

We have been lifting the numbers quite steadily over the years, next financial year we will rise to 18,750 people who will come in through that humanitarian category and there are sub-classes to that.

There are a few visa categories available for South African people who wish to legally enter Australia.

Mr Tudge ran through these options for South African families and concerned members of the community so they could relay this information back to South Africa.

There is a Skills Migration Program, which used to be the 457 visa program and is now called TSS, which has an age restriction of under 45 years and the applicant must have a specific skill.

Humanitarian visas are for people who are facing persecution and wish to seek refuge in Australia.

Mr Hastie said that program is able to respond to need and crises and has done so for people all over the world and I believe the terrible crimes that these farmers face qualify them for consideration under that program.

Mr Tudge announced a special visa class would be trialled from July 1.

It is called a special humanitarian visa category subclass 202 and within that there is an element that is coming into place, that community-supported place, which in essence is where people will sponsor a person who is being persecuted into Australia with a job which they offer with some financial assistance, he said.

Labor released an email the morning of the forum stating Mr Hastie was out of touch as they asked members to contribute more money in their bid to win the seat of Canning and rid Mr Hastie of his position.

The email, authorised by Labor Senator Louise Pratt said Andrew Hastie has joined a group of extreme right wingers wanting to change Australias humanitarian visa program to give special treatment to white South Africans.

It continued to say he is holding a public meeting in Canning to get support for ending the current non-discriminatory humanitarian visa system and finished with a link to donate now to win the seat of Canning for Labor.

This email is a new low from the Labor Party and from Louise Pratt, Mr Hastie said.

Trying to fundraise off the back of people who are suffering persecution and personal tragedy is repugnant.

Pastoralists and Graziers Association (PGA) past president Barry Court was at the forum to voice his opinion of the agricultural opportunities.

Similar violence occurred in Zimbabwe and I contacted the people there and advised them that we would be able to help them if they came to WA, he said.

Mr Court offered a similar deal at the forum stating that farmers of WA, and himself, will be of any help they can in employing South African refugees.

We dont expect you to buy farms because the currency exchange is a bit different, but we will certainly help you finding jobs on farms in WA and showing you around the State, Mr Court said.

PGA president Tony Seabrook said the group strongly endorses bringing South Africans into Australia.

They have a terrific fit, they have a common language, common occupation, a good work ethic, and I think of the humanitarian issues there, the fact that they are at risk to the extent they are, they tick all the box in regards to bringing people into Australia that are at risk, Mr Seabrook said.

Certainly amongst our membership, we are more than happy to let them all know that there is an opportunity here to employ experienced people with a familiarity to living in the bush.

Mr Seabrook said they encourage the government to do what ever it can to facilitate the migration to Australia for these South African farmers.

The Farm Machinery and Industry Association of WA (FMIA) executive officer John Henchy said anything that is going to be positive for agriculture is a good move.

If you are talking about people who have experience in the mechanisation industry, certainly from a service perspective, yes that would be an advantage and if they have experience in servicing equipment absolutely, Mr Henchy said.

Put it this way, a lot of Australians are reluctant to work in the bush, so if we can get people who are comfortable in coming to the country areas, it has got to be a plus.Job Title: Director, Ethics & Compliance Officer

Employer: Boehringer Ingelheim

Location: Duluth, Georgia USA

Description: As a member of the U.S. Ethics & Compliance Leadership Team, the Local Ethics and Compliance Officer (E&CO) will provide E&C expertise to Boehringer Ingelheim USA (BI-USA) with a primary focus on BI U.S. Animal Health (BI-AH) activities. The E&CO will initially focus on implementing a robust compliance program for BI-AH as well as well as integrating it into the BI-USA E&C Program. The position will also provide guidance and support to the other US BI OPUs as needed. . . . Continue ReadingCategory Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release

SubCategory Select Sub-CategoryHON PM BAINIMARAMA ADDRESSES THE FIJIAN COMMUNITY IN BRITAIN





My fellow Fijians,Im delighted to be among so many friends this evening and can I start by thanking the organisers for the work that they have done to bring us all together. Its been a big week at CHOGM and we can all relax knowing that once again, a lot of good work has been done to advance Fijis interests in the Commonwealth and the wider world. And especially to draw attention to the challenges we are facing because of the threat to our oceans and climate change.To those of you who may not have met them, can I introduce our Climate Champion and the Minister for Agriculture, Rural and Maritime Development and National Disaster Management, Inia Seruiratu, the Minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism, Faiyaz Koya, our Climate Negotiator, Ambassador Luke Daunivalu, The Permanent Secretary in my office, Yogesh Karan, the Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Ioane Navailarua, the Governor of the Reserve Bank, Ariff Ali, and our High Commissioner here in London, Jitoko Tikolevu. And my thanks goes to all of the members of our hardworking delegation for making our participation in CHOGM a success.Friends, I have to say that came to London very reluctantly. Because as you know, many Fijians are suffering back home because of the two back-to back cyclones since Easter.First Cyclone Josie and then Cyclone Keni killed at least eight people, caused serious storm damage in Kadavu and flooded several of our cities and towns, including Nadi, Ba and Rakiraki on Viti Levu and Labasa and Savusavu in Vanua Levu. Once again, peoples homes and businesses and some of our nations infrastructure was damaged or destroyed. And once again, too many Fijian families were left mourning the deaths of their loved ones.As soon as these cyclones subsided, I was out in the affected areas making sure that the government is being as responsive as possible to our peoples needs. The one positive thing I can say about these repeated events is that they are teaching us how to respond more effectively. And Im proud of the way our Care for Fiji initiative that I announced as I was leaving Fiji is already making a big difference to alleviate the suffering in the affected areas.This initiative cuts across the whole of government  every ministry and department - to make sure that we quickly and effectively target those areas and sectors of the economy that are most in need.At one stage, I thought of cancelling my trip to London altogether to continue to be with our people in the affected areas. But as important as it is to extend a helping hand to our people in Fiji, we must also step up our effort to persuade the world to address the root cause of these terrible events. And that means using the authority I have as President of COP23 to keep demanding a more ambitious response from the global community to climate change.The Commonwealth is made up of 53 countries with a combined population of 2.4 billion people  around one third of all 7.5 billion people on the planet. And it was very important for me to come to London to give voice to the concerns of Fijians and all climate vulnerable people the world over that we are simply not doing enough.Friends, as Josie and Keni showed us just over two years after Cyclone Winston, these cyclones are a matter of life and death for our people. The world has done me the honour of making me a voice for the vulnerable as we try to move the climate negotiations forward. And in the end, I knew that I needed to have that voice heard in London, just as we must be heard in all the great forums of the world if we are to have any chance of confronting the magnitude of this challenge.I always say that I trust the intelligence and common sense of the Fijian people. They know that I am fighting for their interests at home and overseas. And I draw great strength from the support I am getting as I lead this battle as President of COP23. Because the Fijian people know that this is a struggle not only for our own generation but generations of Fijians to come.We must persuade the world to limit the increase in global warming that is causing these events to no more than 1.5 degree Celsius above that of the pre-industrial age. We must succeed with the Talanoa Dialogue to raise the ambition of all nations to make deeper cuts in the carbon emissions that are causing this warming.That is the message that I have conveyed in London and will keep hammering home at every possible opportunity. Because the cuts that are on the table now will result in an average global temperature of at least 3 degrees by the centurys end, not 1.5 degrees, and that will be catastrophic for the whole planet.Friends, I want to use this opportunity to also brief you on my governments priorities at home. Tonight is not a time for politics but many of you have asked for an outline of where we are heading as a nation together. And I want to stress the unity of that effort - the fact that we are all in the same canoe and are on the same journey towards creating a better nation, a stronger nation, and one more worthy of our children and the generations to come.Whatever our political differences, we can all agree on certain values that define us as Fijians. And the first and foremost of these is that we are a caring nation. A nation in which we care for each other and care about the people living in other nations as well.I was again struck in the flood-affected areas in the last couple of weeks about the way so many Fijians came to the assistance of those who were suffering. Of how ordinary people banded together to raise money or donate essential supplies. Or simply got in their vehicles and went to the affected areas to lend a hand in the disaster response and the clean-up.This goes to the heart of what it means to be Fijian  the yalo loloma, the loving heart, that defines our relationships with each other and with the world.This year marks the 40th anniversary of our contribution to UN Peacekeeping  our service men and women reaching out from our island home to protect vulnerable ordinary people in troubled parts of the world. As a people, we are fighting injustice at home and injustice in the world. And I want to make special mention of those of you in the room tonight who are helping to fight injustice, terrorism and tyranny in the service of the British armed forces.The Fijian people as one salute you and thank you for that service. Because it is a fight for the values we all share with our great friends in the United Kingdom and the other nations who share the same values.We all know people who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in that struggle - for Britain and for Fiji. And I want to say to their families and friends that these are our nations greatest heroes. And each has a special place in our hearts and in our prayers, along with those who are continuing to place themselves in danger in defence of our common values.Friends, at home, the top priorities of my government continue to be equality of opportunity for all Fijians, empowerment through such things as access to free education, increasing our economic prosperity to spread the benefits as widely as possible and leaving not a single Fijian behind.Maintaining the health of our economy is our number one priority because sustainable growth is the only way path to sustainable development. And Im very proud to say that the Fijian economy is about to chalk up its ninth successive year of growth, something that has never happened before.My right hand man, the Attorney General and Minister of Economy and I are completely focussed on the consistent and steadfast financial management of our economy. Because we know that everything else flows from that: the record number of jobs we have created, the new infrastructure everywhere  roads, airports and all manner of development  and our ability to provide free schooling, tertiary scholarships and loans, free medicine and water and subsidised electricity for low income earners, the first social security system in Fijian history. None of this is possible without a healthy economy. And the sound and prudent management of that economy is undoubtedly my governments greatest achievement, along with levelling the playing field to give every Fijian child the same chance to pursue their dreams.Friends, I can give you a long list of our achievements but I urge as many of you as possible to make the long journey home and see things for yourself. If you go through Singapore, Hong Kong and now Japan or Los Angeles going the other way, you can step onto a state-of-the-art Fiji Airways Airbus and begin to feel at home straight away.Fiji Airways  when it was Air Pacific  was once six weeks away from crashing altogether. Now it has just made a profit of almost 100-million dollars and the staff have all shared in that windfall.Then youll finally arrive at Nadi Airport and boy, will you notice the difference. A new terminal that is of global standard and has all the services we associate with the worlds best airports. Then youll leave the airport on a four-laned highway that now goes all the way to Denarau, lined with proper street lights that we are installing throughout Fiji.We have put a huge amount of work into our roads and bridges to bring them up to standard. Unfortunately the punishing impact of these cyclones and floods means we often have to do the work again. But all over Fiji, you will notice the infrastructure development that my government has made possible through our sound management of the economy and our ability to raise loans to build that infrastructure on affordable and favourable terms.The list of our achievements goes on, but the biggest thing you will notice isnt necessarily physical but a real difference in the national mood.You will meet children who are happily benefiting from free schooling, free textbooks and subsidised bus fares. You will meet other young people who are able to pursue higher education in our new network of technical colleges and our universities thanks to our tertiary loans and scholarships. You will meet taxi drivers who can afford to buy a better and more comfortable car. You will meet a lot more people with decent and worthwhile jobs and more money in their pockets. And you will certainly find a level of optimism that isnt dampened by the odd setback like losing the rugby 7s Commonwealth Gold medal to New Zealand.Friends, of course we still have a long way to go to bring the benefits of this development to every Fijian. And for my government, that effort will never cease. But the national mood in Fiji has been transformed because our reforms have unquestionably created more opportunity. People have been empowered, whether it is through our education revolution or our grants to small and micro business owners. Our assistance for agriculture and women or better access to roads, health and communications in rural and maritime areas.Friends, Fiji is on the move. The lost years in which we argued about who deserves a bigger slice of the national cake are over. We are growing the cake, year by year, to ensure that everyone can get a bigger slice. And the unity and national focus we have created has transformed our prospects and is providing ordinary Fijians with more opportunity than at any other time in our history.The Fijian people know it. The world knows it. And it has lifted our national stature in the global community. The world knows that we are making the Fijian Made brand of goods and services a byword for quality. More overseas visitors are descending on Fiji than ever before. The world knows that we can be relied on to deliver, whether it is in UN peacekeeping, leading the fight to protect and preserve our oceans or leading the global fight against climate change. So we have never been more respected. Nor have we been relied on so much to carry our share of the duty all nations have to work together for the good of humanity.Friends, my government proudly governs for all Fijians, yes even the opposition. I said at the outset that this isnt an occasion for politics. But I do urge all of you to make sure that you are registered to vote in the forthcoming election. We havent announced the date but it will be soon. And I want all of you who are eligible to vote to exercise your democratic right.It has been a wonderful week for Fiji in London. And on behalf of my delegation, vinaka vakalevu for this wonderful evening and the care and hospitality you have shown us. I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible. May God bless us all on our journey forward together and may God bless our beloved Fiji.Vinaka vakalevu. Thank you.Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.LUXEMBOURG, April 23, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Inceptua Group (previously Multipharma) today announces that its Clinical Trial Supplies business unit is rebranding to Inceptua Clinical Trial Services. Going forward, all of the group's three business units including Clinical Trial Services, Medicines Access and Commercial Products will be marketed under the same corporate brand name, Inceptua.

Since the founding in 1997, Inceptua Group - headquartered in Luxembourg - has grown to become one of the leading global players in the clinical trial services market, offering reliable sourcing and logistics expertise for comparator drugs, clinical trial supplies, and clinical manufacturing services.

"The name change marks the shift from Multipharma to Inceptua and a new era for the company. We have a strong heritage sourcing medicine supplies for clinical trials, and we will continue to strategically develop our offering in this niche and operate as recognized experts in this area," says Alan Raffensperger, Chief Executive Officer, Inceptua Group.

"At the same time the change reflects that Inceptua as a group is further developing our position as a strategic partner for pharma and biotech companies, advising our clients on strategies and supporting them with solutions and services across the entire value chain -clinical trials, medicines access and commercialization of products. As of today, our new trademark Inceptua allows us to market our combined offer to clients under the same brand name, reflecting our strategy to be a trusted partner covering the value chain from trial to commercialization."

As of 2018, the company is operating from offices in Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, the US, the UK, Sweden and China. Inceptua's multinational team has a global network as well as people on the ground with local knowledge and expertise. This extensive network of global connections means that while the majority of purchasing is direct from manufacturers, the group also has access to qualified distributors to meet customer needs, as well as critical understanding of local and regional regulatory and compliance requirements.

Looking ahead, Inceptua Group has a clear ambition to grow even further and to help solve complex, medical challenges globally:

"Our aim is to further realize the potential of our position as a trusted partner for our clients, by understanding their needs and delivering value in a long-term strategic partnership, both within clinical trial services as well as in our other business areas, medicines access, and commercial products and services. We offer a personalized approach and aim to provide our customers and clients with solutions that positively impact patients' lives worldwide," says Kay-Christian Karstadt, Chief Operating Officer.

"We have seen a rapid, increasing and significant development of growth in the need for clinical trial services to meet today's healthcare burden in areas of high unmet medical need. It is our strategy with Inceptua Clinical Trial Servicesto navigate the complex and highly dynamic environment, providing a vital advisory role for customers and supporting them throughout the process."

About Inceptua Clinical Trial Services

Inceptua Clinical Trial Services offers a range of solutions, including strategic planning, clinical trial supply sourcing, clinical manufacturing, and end-to-end depot and distribution management to ensure the precise requirements of your trial are met.

The team has a thorough understanding of customers' requirements during the procurement process, whether they require commercial drugs for comparator trials or innovator products for biosimilar development.

Inceptua Clinical Trial Services is a business unit of Inceptua, a specialist multinational company headquartered in Luxembourg that has been providing unlicensed medicines for named patient programs since 1997, and medicine supplies for clinical trials since 2004. For more information, please visit our website at http://www.inceptua.com.

About Inceptua

The Inceptua Group is a global, dynamic and future-oriented service provider and partner for the pharmaceutical and biotech industry, providing critical treatments to patients in need. Inceptua has global operations within clinical trial supply chain and manufacturing, medicine access and unlicensed medicines, as well as commercial products and services.LONDON, April 23, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Business Secretary Greg Clark and Science Minister Sam Gyimah officially ope ned c entre

Centre will ' bridge the gap ' between scientific research and commercialisation of the medicines of the future

Over 60 million of Industrial Strategy investmentis being used to develop the new centre

Today, the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult's (CGT Catapult) unique cell and gene therapy manufacturing centre was officially opened by the Business Secretary Greg Clark and Science Minister Sam Gyimah.

Backed by over 60 million of UK Government investment from its Industrial Strategy, the centre will support and develop the rapidly growing global cell and gene therapy industry in the United Kingdom whilst demonstrating the government's modern Industrial Strategy in action.

The Stevenage-based centre, operating to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards for clinical product manufacturing, will provide the global Advanced Therapeutics industry with the infrastructure to develop manufacturing capability and systems for large-scale cell and gene therapy clinical studies, and accelerate commercialisation.

The centre will also supply the network of world-first, UK-based Advanced Therapies Treatment Centres (ATTCs) formed as part of the government's investment of 146 million through its Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund in medicines manufacturing. By providing access to the expertise, skills, facilities and equipment needed to help organisations develop new, sophisticated technologies and systems for large-scale manufacturing, the new centre can help accelerate a company's growth.

"Through our Industrial Strategy we are determined to boost innovation, create new highly skilled jobs and use government investment to change people's lives for the better," said Business Secretary Greg Clark. "This unique new centre will bring together our expertise in medicines manufacturing with our world-beating science and research base to create revolutionary treatments that fight diseases like cancer and save lives.

"We are determined to make the UK the most innovative nation in the world through our Industrial Strategy and its Grand Challenges which is why we are investing a record 7 billion in R&D by 2021, the highest increase in 40 years, and have committed to investing 2.4% of GDP on R&D by 2027."

Cell and gene therapies offer revolutionary treatments which repair, replace, regenerate and re-engineer genes, cells and tissues to restore normal function or enhance their ability to fight diseases, like cancer. By enabling collaborators at the centre to turn their cell and gene therapy innovations into commercially viable new medicines, the CGT Catapult is supporting the routine delivery of these therapies to hospitals, clinics and patients globally.

"We are thrilled to open the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult manufacturing centre with the Business Secretary Greg Clark and our initial collaborators Autolus, Cell Medica, AdaptImmune, Freeline, and Thermo Fisher Scientific," said Keith Thompson, Chief Executive Officer, CGT Catapult. "These companies have international activities and choices, and have chosen to develop European-based manufacturing in the UK. The manufacturing centre is integral to the development of a thriving global cell and gene therapy industry. This is an area of medicine that has shown potential for decades and we now need new manufacturing technology like never before. The centre is a major statement of intent and a springboard for industry in its global development. The launch of this important facility pushes the agenda forward and accelerates the timeframe for bringing these living medicines to patients."

Located within the rapidly growing European cell and gene therapy cluster at the Stevenage BioScience Catalyst, the manufacturing centre, alongside wider CGT Catapult initiatives, reinforces the UK Government's ambition to drive the UK life sciences industry forward faster, more efficiently and with stronger returns.

"This new cell and gene centre represents our ambitious Industrial Strategy in action," said Science Minister Sam Gyimah. "By bringing together universities and businesses we can not only create the high value jobs we need but also develop potentially lifesaving treatments. The UK is a world leader in science, research and innovation and through our commitment to invest 2.4% of GDP on R&D by 2027, we are determined to seize the opportunities of tomorrow and help build a Britain fit for the future."

"The Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult manufacturing centre is a crucial component of the industrial strategy and part of the leading-edge healthcare technology challenge fund," said Dr Ian Campbell, Interim Executive-Chair Designate for Innovate UK. "This world-leading centre will bring manufacturing of pioneering treatments closer to patients and will complement the new Advanced Therapy Treatment Centres. Innovate UK has been investing in advanced therapeutics since 2009 and is proud to support this centre as it continues its mission to bring together enterprise and innovation for the benefit of society and the economy."

For more information please visit ct.catapult.org.uk or visit http://www.gov.uk/innovate-uk.

For further information, please contact:

FTI Consulting for the CGT Catapult:

Con Franklin +44(0)7817-573-659 / con.franklin@fticonsulting.com

Michael Trace +44(0)203-319-5674 / michael.trace@fticonsulting.com.           .    .             ... :      ,      

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Google is rolling out a new update to Photos app for Android which brings advanced movie editor, reorganized bottom bar and more. The advanced movie editor was earlier spotted in a teardown of v3.16 and now it is finally started rolling out in the v3.18 release.

The new movie editor leaves behind the black background and takes on the white color scheme which Google seems to be following off lately. The new movie editor puts the primary video viewer toward the top of the screen and places each of your selected clips below it and only displays how much of each is included in the current edit. This U.I look is aimed at reducing the time it takes to make adjustments to the length of a clip. The new layout places all of the sliders front and center for speedy edits.

Though the functionality remains the same, the look and feel are being updated like repositioning clips from one spot in the timeline to another by long-pressing on the thumbnail and then dragging it to a new location. Tapping on the overflow button next to a clip shows several features that werent part of the old UI. Features like moving a clip up or down in the timeline, showing or hiding the unused portions of a clip, muting the audio, inserting a new clip, duplicating the current one, or removing it from the timeline.

It still doesnt support Instagram-like visual themes, but should come at some point. Furthermore, Photos also gets a new reorganization to the bottom bar, though this is a minor tweak, it now matches the Google Photos client on the web. The Assistant tab is no longer the first one from the left, instead, the ordering is now; apps main view leads, Albums, and then Assistant. Sharing retains its last-place position at the right. The update is rolling out, and these features will only work on V3.18.

Source 1, 2Back in February, it was reported that Walmart is likely to acquire more than 40% stake in Flipkart. However, now report from Reuters says that Walmart could seal a deal to buy a more than 51% stake in Flipkart as early as next week.

The U.S retail giant has been in the talks with Flipkart for quite some time now to acquire a controlling stake in Flipkart as it is aiming to take on rival Amazon in India. SoftBank Group, which owns about a fifth of Flipkart was unwilling to sell a part of its stake since Walmart was offering to buy existing shares at a valuation of $12 billion, which it thought was low.

However, sources claim that stalemate between SoftBank and Walmart has ended, but it was not immediately clear though, whether SoftBank had agreed to sell some of its shares in Flipkart. Walmarts purchase of new equity might value Flipkart at a minimum $18 billion.Walmart has made a proposal to acquire 51% or more of Flipkart for between $10 billion to $12 billion, but things could still push back to May should anything happen.

On the other hand, some of Flipkarts main investors including U.S. hedge fund Tiger Global Management, South African tech investor Naspers and venture capital firm Accel are likely to exit as Walmart purchases their shares. Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal might also sell a part of their stake as part of the deal. Since this information is from unknown sources, they might or might not turn out to be true, so take this news with a pinch of salt until we hear it from the officials.

SourceLife on the set of The Seagull sounded like a nature hell.

Corey Stoll, Michael Zegen, Billy Howle and Mare Winningham all opened up to Page Six at the Tribeca Film Festival premiere of The Seagull Saturday about dealing with heat, mosquitoes and even a bear sighting.

But it was Annette Bening who had the ultimate scare: she was bitten by a tick and taken to the hospital.

It wasnt bad. Im from California, so Lyme disease is very scary. I overreacted a little bit it was no big deal, and I tend to be pretty calm about things in general, but when that tick bit me I was scared.

She took all the necessary antibiotics, Zegen told us of Benings bite.

Despite the nature scares, everyone said it felt like summer camp.

This article originally appeared in Page Six.NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

April is Autism Awareness Month, and while its a good idea to remind people about awareness for autism, few need reminding. With nearly 1 in 68 people being diagnosed, its getting harder to find people who arent directly impacted or know of a friend or family member who is on the spectrum. Current diagnoses rates are up nearly 300 percent and expected to increase to 1,292 percent by 2020. ASD is 4.5 times more common in boys  1 in 42  than it is in girls  1-189  according to the CDC.

Given the massive number of individuals that are impacted by ASD, one would think wed do a much better job at helping autistic individuals gain employment. But the sad truth is, we dont. Nine in every 10 people with ASD are either unemployed or underemployed. In California, where I live, just 6 percent of young adults with ASD have any form of competitive employment.

What is so shameful about these numbers is that many young people with ASD possess the skills and talents that could help so many businesses. These individuals oftentimes remain highly focused on tasks and can be a real asset to a business. But businesses need to know how to work with individuals on the spectrum. Although every experience of autism is unique, there are some trends employers should know about:

We must change public perception about individuals on the spectrum.

Individuals on the spectrum see things differently and can bring new perspectives to ways of working and thinking. They often have novel approaches to problem solving and working because of their unique thought processes. With encouragement to be different, employees on the spectrum can bring a whole new level of innovation to an organization.

Individuals on the spectrum can struggle with social awareness, but they will tell you what everyone else is thinking but doesnt want to say. These individuals are very honest and usually have a high level of integrity. In addition, employees on the spectrum are often more accepting of others and differences and can be very positive role models for their colleagues.

Individuals on the spectrum often like routine and predictability, they are able to stick to tasks that others often get bored with. This can include having in-depth knowledge of a particular subject that they have studied, and because of their high levels of concentration, they are less likely to be distracted during tasks.

We must change public perception about individuals on the spectrum. Part of my work with Meristem, a school in Fair Oaks, California, is to help highly functioning autistic students develop skills to be able to live independently and contribute to their communities. This can be done, but we must evolve our thinking in the value that these individuals can bring.

For far too long an ASD diagnosis has crippled families and individuals with the belief that there is no future for someone with ASD. But with the supportive work of federal and state governments and individual employers, businesses can harness the good that comes from these individuals and continue to thrive in business.NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

I live much of my life online. You probably do, too.

We pay our bills, reach out to friends and family and express our opinions. That last one is getting people into a lot of trouble -- especially conservatives.

Prominent conservatives are being shut down all across the internet. They have videos deleted, posts removed and accounts suspended or banned. The targets read like a Whos Who of the the right: Michelle Malkin, Dennis Prager and Rep. Marsha Blackburn have all been targets of our new censors. Its not just a war on free speech. Its a war on conservative speech.

The tech companies will deny it, assuredly. But I know a fight when I see it because Ive seen my share. This is just a new kind of battlefield. Unfortunately, I also know conservatives are losing. For now.

Top tech companies are the problem -- sites like Twitter, Facebook, Google and Googles video site, YouTube. Malkin had one YouTube video removed for years. PragerU is suing YouTube claiming many of its videos have been targeted and demonetized.

Blackburn even had Twitter censor a pro-life ad she tried to run. They eventually caved for her because shes in Congress, but Live Action still cant advertise on Twitter. The company tried to make the pro-life group remove content off its own site before they would let it even buy ads.

If we dont do something, conservative speech and ideals could easily be wiped out online. I think that makes this a battle worth fighting.

And we saw Project Veritas reveal the bias behind the scenes at Twitter. Veritas showed how engineers admitted on camera that they shut down accounts they thought were automated -- because they used the words God or America.

I guess Im a bot, as well. I use those words all the time. Proudly.

There are many more examples. If I listed all the major examples, it would end up being a report nearly 20,000 words long. I know, because the Media Research Center just did that report, called: CENSORED! How Online Media Companies Are Suppressing Conservative Speech. Even with that many words, it cant begin to touch on everything. We saw more about the problem when Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified on Capitol Hill and was pressed about how conservatives are mistreated online.

MRC focused on the worst of the worst. That starts within the companies themselves.

The left-wing groupthink at Twitter, Facebook, Google and YouTube is astonishing. Google and Facebook actually rely on hate list information from the anti-conservative Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) to see who to censor.

You might remember the SPLC. That group conflates hate with disagreement. They have an online list of anyone they oppose, calling them hate groups. They go after organizations that support traditional marriage and lump them in with the evil that is the Ku Klux Klan.

Back in 2012, Floyd Lee Corkins used the list to target the headquarters of the pro-marriage and pro-life Family Research Council (FRC), so he could kill as many people as possible. Thank God a hero stopped him and took a bullet in the process.

Corkins got 25 years for charges that included domestic terrorism. But the SPLC didnt learn its lesson. I went to its website this week and the Featured Group among its Extremist Groups was still the FRC. Thats who Google and YouTube are relying on to identify hate speech.

Twitter is just as bad. It has a Trust and Safety Council with 25 members and nearly half are liberal. Just one is conservative. They rely on the LGBT group GLAAD and the Anti-Defamation League, both of which regularly go after organizations on the right.

That 12-to-1 ratio is typical for how conservatives are treated now online and off.

Just ask former Google engineer James Damore. He was fired from the worlds No. 1 search engine company for a memo that criticized the firms Ideological Echo Chamber. They refused to hear his argument that men and women might have different interests. His lawsuit against Google said the company uses illegal hiring quotas and discriminates against men, conservatives and white people.

A recruiter is suing YouTube for similar reasons. According to The Wall Street Journal, he claims YouTube discriminated against white and Asian male applicants in favor of hiring other people of color and women.

Its no shock that Eric Schmidt, the head of Googles parent company, advised Hillary Clinton. Google donations during the election went 63 times more for Clinton than for Donald Trump.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is also liberal and Gizmodo reported that his staffers were manipulating the newsfeed back in 2016 to downplay conservative content and promote their own agendas.

These top tech companies push progressive values within their organizations. We shouldnt be surprised when they inflict them on the rest of us online.

So what do we do?

Any military man worth his salt will tell you that you cant win if you dont fight. Silicon Valley needs to understand conservatives wont take this lying down.

If we dont do something, conservative speech and ideals could easily be wiped out online. I think that makes this a battle worth fighting.NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

The effort by Senate Democrats to block CIA Director Mike Pompeo from being confirmed as secretary of state is just the latest political stunt that unhinged liberals are trying to pull. Our Founding Fathers did not design our constitutional republic with this level of obstruction in mind from the minority party in the legislative branch.

Pompeo recently traveled to North Korea to meet with that nations leader  Kim Jong Un  to lay the groundwork for denuclearization talks with President Trump. Kim subsequently announced Saturday that he is suspending tests of nuclear weapons and missiles, and closing a nuclear test site.

Democratic obstruction of Pompeos confirmation at this sensitive time  an effort led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.  is flat-out dangerous.

Pompeo has the trust of President Trump and is uniquely qualified to be our nations next chief diplomat. He was confirmed by this same group of senators as CIA director by a vote of 66-32 just 15 short months ago in January 2017. And he is highly regarded for his foreign policy intellect, experience and leadership skills.

In addition to being first in his class at West Point, Pompeo served as a platoon leader in the Army and graduated from Harvard Law School. He served in Congress from 2011 to 2017 and was a member of the House Intelligence Committee.

Pompeo enjoys bipartisan support today and there is absolutely no reason not to confirm him to head the State Department. In past administrations  Republican and Democratic alike  nominees for secretary of state have received strong support from senators on both sides of the aisle. This is because of the importance of the position in the eyes of the leaders around the world.

This is a serious charge but it needs to be said. These irresponsible actions by Democratic senators continue to show the unmistakable fact that they hate President Trump more than they love their country.

For example, Madeleine Albright was confirmed as secretary of state with a 99-0 vote; Colin Powell was approved by voice vote; Condoleezza Rice was confirmed 85-13; Hillary Clinton 94-2; and John Kerry 94-3. Senators in both parties put Americas security ahead of politics in these votes.

However, the Democratic Party today is not functioning in a manner that makes American interests and security its top priority. These Democrats, driven by their enraged and radical base across the country, are determined to delegitimize and destroy President Trump and his America First agenda by any means necessary  even if it means endangering Americas national security.

This is a serious charge but it needs to be said. These irresponsible actions by Democratic senators continue to show the unmistakable fact that they hate President Trump more than they love their country.

This type of unhinged political opposition needs to be handled differently by the majority party in the United States Senate. As Ive written on several occasions, Senate Republicans should suspend filibuster rules  in a responsible manner  on matters that affect our national security.

Such matters include building a wall to secure our southern border, and confirming the presidents nominee for secretary of state during a time when were trying to rid North Korea of its horrifying nuclear capabilities.

Lets face facts: if and when these Democrats ever gain control of the Senate, the filibuster will be a thing of the past on issues large and small.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., should understand where the radical left is headed and act accordingly without delay. The American people are tired of the gridlock in Washington and are beginning to see the Democrats for what they are. More than anything, our citizens are hungry for action and results on the issues that are most important to them.

The political games being propagated by Democrats in Congress are doing harm to our country and our system of government. While its true that President Trump is an outsider who refuses to bow at the altar of the failed status quo in Washington, this is no reason to obstruct each and every thing hes trying to do  even his qualified choice as secretary of state.

What will it take for the Democratic leadership to put national security over the next election? This is serious business during very serious times and the American people are paying attention. Its time to confirm Mike Pompeo  with a simple majority if necessary.

After that, the Senate can move on to the other pressing issues languishing in the halls of Congress due to the Democrats unprecedented obstruction efforts. If Republicans in Congress move forward with the Trump agenda in the lead-up to the midterm elections, they will be rewarded with keeping the majority.NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

You think about a lot of things when youre in a hospital bed with tubes in you and pieces of your body sewn back on, all the while knowing you really should be dead. At first, how you judge yourself is the worst of it.

I had been a Green Beret for 18 years. I was physically tough and had all these skills earned in sweat and blood. But after being blown up, shot and badly burned on a battlefield in Afghanistan, I found Id only worked to harden the parts that had been blown up and burned away.

I found that everything I needed to really be strong was undeveloped and little understood, and that mainstream society, and even the Army, didnt grasp this.

I was aware that other soldiers in the hospital with me had taken their own lives. I knew others whod gotten out with missing limbs and PTSD whod turned to alcohol and drugs.

I was a warrior, which meant I always trained for external threats. Now I had to look inward to avoid these traps.

We shouldnt allow ourselves to be deceived by the Lefts identity politics. The Left too often insists we behave as victims of the powerful, of our physical limitations and more. We must instead define ourselves by whats inside of us. From that basis we can conquer anything.

After a year in the hospital recovering, and after years of telling my story and giving my hard-earned perspective to audiences first as the official spokesperson for the Green Berets, the first they ever had, and then later as a retired soldier, I came to understand what had to be said. It was then that I sat down to write Conquer AnythingA Green Berets Guide to Building Your A-Team.

Still, I dont see myself as a hero and I didnt want to write a book casting myself that way. If I was going to write a book it was going to be about something bigger than myself.

A first clue had come when my father, a career soldier who also had to overcome horrible wounds, visited me in the hospital and told me, Son, remember when I told you that if you want sympathy youll find it in the dictionary between sh%@ and syphilis?

I nodded and tried to smile.

Heres something else, said my father. I need you to know now that sympathy may pay well in the short term, but if you cash in on sympathy it will take everything from you in the long run.

This led me to the realization that its a mistake to define a soldier wounded in war as a wounded warrior. Doing that defines them by their wounds and makes them look for sympathy. They begin to think of themselves as victims. If you volunteer you cant be a victim. The way to recover, I found, is to define yourself not by your body, but by your soul.

Defining yourself according to perceived limitations, after all, is to concede defeat before you even begin. Nevertheless, that is what popular culture so often does. And not just for wounded warriors, but for anyone with an addiction to overcome, an illness to beat or any other perceived physical or psychological limitation.

Next, I found, comes taking the positive steps I learned in the Green Berets, the methodology I taught when I was an instructor at the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School.

Special Forces teams have a mystique about them, as they work expertly to execute complex and deadly missions, often behind enemy lines. What I learned in my recovery, however, is that the system theyve developed can help all of us build our own A-Teams to conquer anything.

Doing so means first defining ourselves by whats inside of us. Next are the steps to lead. This begins with defining the mission, understanding our code and then recruiting a team and understanding how a diverse team becomes one. It begins from inside and then moves out, but we must stay true to who we are.

We are all individuals. We shouldnt allow ourselves to be deceived by the lefts identity politics. The left too often insists we behave as victims of the powerful, of our physical limitations and more. We must instead define ourselves by whats inside of us. At the same time, we must respect others as individuals, all with human dignity.

From that basis we can conquer anything.Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney ran into an obstacle Saturday in his bid to succeed Utahs retiring U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch.

At the states Republican Party convention in West Valley City, Romney finished second in votes from party delegates, behind state lawmaker Mike Kennedy.

That means Kennedy, who captured 50.18 percent of the delegate vote, and Romney (49.12 percent) will face each other in a GOP primary election June 26.

In comments after the vote, Romney kept an upbeat tone.

Im delighted with the outcome. Did very, very well, Romney told Salt Lake City's FOX 13. On to a good, important primary ahead. This is terrific for the people of Utah.

Kennedy, too, was pleased with the results, the station reported.

Im a candidate with a compelling life story and a unique set of life circumstances Id like to use to serve the people of Utah, he told FOX 13.

Saturdays convention lasted more than eight hours, mostly because of bickering over rules, the Salt Lake Tribune reported.

The delegates at the convention tend to be more conservative than Utahs general electorate, the newspaper noted.

Romney, 71, who ran against Barack Obama for president in 2012, went up against 11 other candidates seeking the Utahs GOP nomination for U.S. Senate. Most of them were political newcomers who questioned Romney's criticism of President Donald Trump and the depth of his ties to Utah. (Romney is a former governor of Massachusetts, and his late father, George Romney, was a former governor of Michigan.)

Romney is perhaps best known in Utah for his chairmanship of the 2002 Winter Olympics, which were held in the state, and also because he was the first Mormon to be the presidential nominee of a major party. He moved to Utah after his 2012 campaign failed.

In launching his U.S. Senate bid, Romney has tried to keep the focus on state issues rather than his history of well-documented feuds with President Donald Trump, whom he called a "con man" and a phony during the 2016 race.

Trump fired back that Romney "choked like a dog" during his own White House run. But the two men have shown fresh signs of burying the hatchet, and Romney has accepted Trump's endorsement.

Hatch, 83, the longest-serving Republican in the Senate, announced his retirement plans several months ago, despite efforts by President Trump to convince him to stay in Washington.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.French President Emmanuel Macron insisted Sunday that he has a solid relationship with President Trump, ahead of his Washington visit this week, but also appeared to caution the president about his aggressive stances on Iran, climate change and international trade, in an exclusive Fox News Sunday interview.

You cannot make a trade war with your allies, Macron said in the interview conducted on Friday in France. Its too complicated. If you make war against everybody, you make trade war against China, trade war against Europe, war in Syria, war against Iran -- come on -- it doesnt work. You need allies.

Macron spoke ahead of his visit this week to the United States that includes a dinner Monday with wife Brigitte, Trump and first lady Melania Trump at Mount Vernon, the home of America's first president, George Washington, on the banks of the Potomac River in Virginia.

The trip will mark the first time that Trump has hosted an official state visit since taking office last year and will include a state dinner Tuesday night at the White House and Macron making a joint address to Congress on Wednesday.

The 40-year-old Macron said Sunday that he has a very special relationship with Trump, suggesting theyre political mavericks mutually committed to fighting terrorism and reducing the influence of rogue nations and dictators.

However, he suggested that Trump stay in the so-called Iran Nuclear Deal, in which economic sanctions are lifted on Iran in exchange for leaders winding down their nuclear program, ahead of a May 12 sanctions deadline.

Im not satisfied with the situation with Iran but dont leave the deal without a better option, said Macron, adding that the issue would be discussed this week. He also expressed optimism that Trump in the coming days will exempt European countries from the international tariffs he intends to impose on aluminum and steel.

You dont make trade war with your allies, he repeated. Lets see what he will decide on May 1. I just say, where are your priorities?

Trump last year said the U.S. will withdraw, for economic reasons, from the so-called 2015 Paris Agreement, in which world leaders agreed to reduce carbon emissions.

Macron, a former investment banker elected last year on a centrist, anti-establishment platform, also attempted to settle a controversy about whether he indeed persuaded Trump to keep U.S. forces in Syria -- after the two countries and the United Kingdom recently participated in a U.S.-led missile strike on chemical weapons facilities in Syria connected to regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

The French president suggested the U.S. at least maintain a diplomatic presence in Syria, considering a regime change would fuel the new terrorists and create a vacuum in which the Iranian regime would thrive.

Its not automatically U.S. forces, but thats U.S. diplomacy and thats your presence, Macron told Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace. We will have to build a new Syria after war. And thats why I think the U.S. role is very important to play.

Macron also said hell ask Congress for its support in efforts to stamp out terrorism and reign in rouge nations.

He described the U.S. as one of the last resorts for peace and multilateralism. And he thinks special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into whether the 2016 Trump presidential campaign colluded with Russia to influence the outcome of the White House race has no impact on Trumps credibility and his effectiveness on the world stage.

Macron also said Im not the one to judge Trump over current controversies or investigations.

He said he and Trump have a very special relationship because both of us are probably the maverick of the systems on both sides. I think President Trumps election was unexpected in your country, and probably my election was unexpected in my country. And we are not part of the classical political system.  We are very much attached to the same values . especially liberty and peace, he said. And I think the U.S. today has a very strong role to play for peace in different regions of the world and especially the Middle East.Lawmakers across the aisle Sunday described North Koreas announcement that it would halt nuclear tests and missile launches as essentially a publicity stunt.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Vice Chairman Francis Rooney, R-Fla., weighed in on Fox News Americas News HQ, saying theres no sign the dictator Kim Jong Un has changed his spots at all.

This guy has been negotiating through three consecutive presidents, he said about the Korean leader. Hes launched ballistic missiles. I dont think Iran has done that.

Rooney added that until there is demonstrable evidence that can be verified, We better be very skeptical.

Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, told CBS News' Face the Nation that if President Trump goes through with the meeting, its very important that it goes well and that there is an ability to put together some terms of an agreement that might exist.

The question, she said, is whether it lasts or not. And of course the reputation of the North Koreans has been that they dont necessarily keep their agreements.

North Korea said Friday it would suspend nuclear tests and intercontinental ballistic missile launches ahead of summits with the U.S. and South Korea. Kim also said a nuclear test site would be closed and dismantled now that the country has learned how to make nuclear weapons and mount warheads on ballistic rockets.

However, the rogue nation stopped short of saying it had any intention of abandoning its nuclear arsenal, with Kim making clear that nukes remained a treasured sword.

When asked Sunday as he was boarding Air Force One what his message to North Korea was, Trump twice said very good with a thumbs up.

Rooney said he hoped Trumps meeting with Kim wouldn't produce another bad deal for America, but he added that Trump could bring an A-team with national security advisor John Bolton and Mike Pompeo if confirmed as secretary of state.

Look, this is a great public relations effort by Kim Jong Un. And I think people recognize that, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tenn., said Sunday on CNNs State of the Union.

He added on ABC News This Week that its unrealistic to think that somebodys going to go in and charm Kim out of keeping his nuclear weapons.

Is it realistic that hes just willy-nilly going to do that? Absolutely not, Corker said. But, you know, progress can be made, freezing the program, who knows what hes  what his ambitions are as it relates to South Korea.

Fox News' Leland Vittert and The Associated Press contributed to this report.A Texas appeals court last week struck down a state law that criminalized the sharing of sexually explicit photos and videos of an individual online without their consent, ruling the revenge porn measure a violation of the First Amendment.

The 12th Court of Appeals in Tyler  about 98 miles east of Dallas  said the law was too broad and infringed on free speech with its restrictions on sharing inherently expressive media online, the Texas Tribune reported.

The revenge porn statute is an invalid content-based restriction and overbroad in the sense that it violates rights of too many third parties by restricting more speech than the Constitution permits, the court ruled.

The court also called the law vague, breaching the rights of third parties who may unintentionally share the private images.

Some state lawmakers expressed frustration with the court's decision.

"I am disappointed to learn that a state appeals court has struck down Texas revenge porn legislation that made it illegal to post intimate photos on the internet without consent," state Rep. Matt Shaheen, R-Plano, tweeted. "This type of disgusting act must be punished."

The 2015 law, enacted by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, made it a crime to share a persons intimate content online without their consent, the Tribune reported. The misdemeanor punishment carried a charge of up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $4,000.

Similar laws exist in dozens of other states, though their consequences vary. New Jersey punishments carry no jail time, but violators can face a fine of up to $30,000. In California, its punishable by up to a years imprisonment and a fine not exceeding $2,000.

The Texas courts ruling blocked the law in about a dozen counties in Northeast Texas under the 12th Court of Appeals, though courts serving the other districts could consider its decision for similar cases, the Tribune reported.

Alongside its ruling, the court dropped a revenge porn charge against Jordan Bartlett Jones ahead of his trial for allegedly sharing a naked photo of a woman that revealed her identity, the Austin American-Statesman reported.

The Office of State Prosecuting Attorney will seek to overturn the ruling in an appeal, the paper reported. If unsuccessful, the agency will bring it to the Court of Criminal Appeals  Texas highest court for criminal cases.Residents in the San Francisco Bay Area are living along a fault that is a "ticking time bomb" that could generate an earthquake that could kill hundreds, according to a report released Wednesday.

The U.S. Geological Survey said in a report called the "HayWired Scenario" that a magnitude 7.0 earthquake on Hayward Fault located under Oakland could kill as many as 800 people and injure up to 18,000.

This fault is what we sort of call a tectonic time bomb, USGS earthquake geologist emeritus David Schwartz told the Los Angeles Times. Its just waiting to go off.

Researches said the Hayward Fault is dangerous because it runs through "one of the most urbanized" areas in the nation, stretching along the East Bay from Richmond and Berkeley up north, through Oakland, and spanning south toward Fremont.

The USGS, citing findings from a simulated tremor with an epicenter in Oakland modeled to take place at 4:18 p.m. on April 18, said the disaster would cause 400 fires that could destroy 50,000 homes. Nearly half a million people would be displaced, authorities said.

Researchers said East Bay residents could be without water from anywhere between six weeks to six months, according to the report. Electricity could be out for up to four weeks in some locations.

Jack Moehle, a professor of structural engineering at the University of California at Berkeley, told KTVU the study shows that people need to get ready for the "big one."

VOLCANOES, EARTHQUAKES, TSUNAMIS: THE 'RING OF FIRE' EXPLAINED

"Preparedness for the inevitable earthquake is really important and that preparedness comes first at home and the workplace, he said. But preparedness also occurs in how we build our buildings."

Researchers released the study the day before the 112th anniversary of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake that struck along the San Andreas Fault, located under the western part of Bay Area. That quake killed up to 3,000 people.

California is located along the volatile "Ring of Fire" seismic fault system.

More than half the world's active volcanoes located above ground are in this ring, according to the USGS.

The region is the location of most of Earth's subduction zones, where oceanic plates slide under the lighter continental plates. Earthquakes tend to happen when those plates scrape or subside underneath each other, and, when that happens at sea, it can trigger tsunamis.A Colorado man achieved a distinction last week that few people would probably want to match.

When Dylan McWilliams was bitten by a shark Thursday in Hawaii, it meant he had been bitten by a shark, a bear and a rattlesnake  all in less than four years.

I dont know, McWilliams told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Friday. Im either really lucky or really unlucky.

Not surprisingly, the 20-year-old from Grand Junction says he spends a lot of time outdoors.

In Thursdays attack, about 50 yards from Shipwrecks Beach off Poipu, McWilliams suffered deep cuts to one of his legs, but the injury wasnt life-threatening, Hawaii News Now reported.

"The scariest part was swimming back," he told the news outlet, adding that he was hoping the shark wouldnt continue following the trail of blood from his leg.

The leg wound required seven stitches, the Star-Advertiser reported.

Last July, McWilliams told the paper, he received nine staples in his scalp after a nearly 300-pound bear invaded his Colorado campsite.

"The bear grabbed the back of my head and started pulling me and I was fighting back as best as I could," he told Hawaii News Now. "It dropped me and stomped on me a little bit, and I was able to get back to the group and they scared it away."

As for the rattlesnake, that encounter occurred about three and a half years ago in Utah, McWilliams told the Star-Advertiser.

Luckily, he took in only a small amount of venom, so he was only briefly ill afterward, he told the newspaper.

My parents are grateful Im still alive, he said.

Fox News reporter Christopher Carbone contributed to this report.An American Airlines employee has been sentenced to 14 months in prison after trying to bypass a Transportation Security Agency checkpoint at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, and then threatening, cursing and using racial slurs at police and airport security once they turned him away.

Jordan Moore, 31, was sentenced to 14 months in prison and two years of supervised release on Friday, over a year after his arrest, by a federal judge for interfering with security screening personnel at the North Carolina airport.

DELTA PASSENGER TOPPLED DRINK CART, THREW COFFEE BEFORE ATTACKING AIR MARSHAL, POLICE SAY

According to court documents, the incident took place on March 30, 2017 at about 5:25 pm, when Moore attempted to go through the airports TSA pre-check line without the proper boarding pass.

TSA officers denied Moore access to the express line. In response, Moore called a TSA supervisor a b---- ass n----- and threatened to kick his ass and kill him, the Charlotte Observer reported.

Moore went on to unsuccessfully try to get through two other pre-check lines before American Airlines security agents and police told him he could not fly and ordered him to leave the airport.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers were leading Moore out of the airport when Moore used the same racial slur at the TSA supervisor and then fled down a flight of stairs and jumped on a departing bus, the Charlotte Observer reported.

Moore returned two hours later and tried, again, to get through the TSA checkpoint.

A TSA officer who had seen Moores photo shared with security personnel, asked the man to wait. Moore instead walked to baggage screening and placed his luggage on the conveyor belt.

"I am not going to do a f------ thing," Moore told an agent, according to the indictment. "I am going in. Just watch me."

Police approached Moore, who attempted to continue with his baggage screening.

"You cannot stop me, I am an airline employee," he said to police, the Charlotte Observer reported.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

The police officers tried to remove Moores personal items from the screening table. Moore tried to grab the bin from the officers and cursed and told police Dont touch my stuff.

A police officer tried to detain Moore who violently resisted arrest, according to court documents. Five police officers came to restrain him.

Initially Moore pleaded guilty in November to a single count of interfering with security personnel.

Moore said he accepted responsibility "for what I actually did," but he told the judge he "just wanted to go home" to see his family, find a job and apply to pharmacy school, the Charlotte Observer reported.A 29-year-old woman was forced to head to China alone after her beloved cat, Pepper, escaped from a carrier at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.

Peppers owner, who was not named, works as an attorney and was relocating to China for a job. She was checking in for her flight late Friday morning when the cats carrier fell and the door popped open, causing the feline to flee.

DOG REUNITED WITH FAMILY AFTER AIRPORT ESCAPE

According to New York Daily News, Pepper jumped onto the check-in counter and then leapt onto a low roof of the check-in kiosk before running away.

"It's a lovable cat," the owners friend, who also requested not to be named, told New York Daily News. "I don't know why it ran off. I think it was in shock with everything that was going on."

The friend shared a photo of Pepper hoping someone would see it running around the international terminal.

The Port Authority Police Department conducted an exhausted search for the pet on Friday hoping to reunite the worried traveler with Pepper, but could not locate the missing animal.

"She was really upset," the friend said to New York Daily News. "She was crying for hours. She had that cat for four years. I think she got the cat originally in California at a shelter."

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

Port Authority police are still searching for the black and white cat, as are travelers -- some of whom reported seeing the tail of the cat, but have not been able to capture it.A woman on a Delta Air Lines flight was arrested Thursday after she toppled a drink cart, threw coffee on passengers while running up and down the aisle before assaulting an air marshal, police said.

Sarah Maria Beach, 45, was on a flight from London to Salt Lake City, Utah, when she allegedly went on a rampage that ultimately left her handcuffed for the remainder of the trip, FOX13 Salt Lake City reported. She doused coffee on passengers, knocked over a drink cart and repeatedly ran up and down the aircrafts aisle, the criminal complaint stated.

Martin Nicholls, who was on the flight, told KSL that Beach literally sprinted down to the end of the plane.

"She literally sprinted down the end. And I mean she's only a small woman, really," Nicholls recalled to the news station. "Everyones becoming very concerned because, I thought, we're at 30-odd thousand feet over the sea. What if she tried to open the door? She couldn't get to the back door but then she ran again."

ALASKA AIRLINES TIGHTENS EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL POLICY

Nicholls said Beach, an American citizen who lives in London, tossed a cup of coffee into the air, hitting the ceiling that caused the liquid to go "down the walls.

It went over probably about six or seven passengers, some, almost, to the other side of the plane, he said.

The flight attendants then asked the federal air marshals on the flight to help with Beach. The unruly passenger was initially calm with the air marshals and escorted her to the bathroom three times.

After she finished in the bathroom the third time, she jumped on the back of one of the air marshals and placed her hands on his head, neck and jawline," the complaint stated.

A second air marshal pulled Beach off his colleagues back and handcuffed her.

Beach was charged with misdemeanor assault. She was arraigned on Friday and ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation.A county commissioner in Florida is facing pressure to resign after being arrested last week on multiple prostitution-related charges.

Nick Nicholson, 71, an official in Hernando County, north of Tampa, allegedly paid two women for sex on an on-going basis, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

He allegedly paid one woman for sex on Mondays and Wednesdays, and another for sex on Tuesdays and Saturdays, the newspaper reported.

One of the women, Valerie Surette, 30, described herself as a stripper with an on-and-off drug problem. She told the Times she served as Nicholsons sex slave in exchange for cash for groceries and a place to live.

What he wanted, I had to, she said.

According to the Times, Surette moved into Nicholsons home with her husband. Nicholson allegedly paid the couple $300 for sex with Surette on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Surettes husband told the paper that Nicholson also let Surette bring "clients" to the house as well.

Another woman, Melinda Baker, 38, allegedly received money from Nicholson for rent and rehab clinic bills in exchange for sex on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Prostitution charges against the women were not expected at this time, a sheriffs lieutenant told the Times.

Nicholson has been barred from returning to his home pending an injunction for protection against sexual violence. Neighbors  who said they saw an endless cycle of cars and "clients" show up at the house  expressed relief that the commissioner had been arrested.

It doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure out whats going, one neighbor said.

Nicholson was bailed out shortly after his arrest and resumed work Friday.

Meanwhile, the executive committee of Hernando County's Republican Party voted unanimously to ask Nicholson to step down from his post. But as of Friday, the commissioner had not resigned.A public health professor at the City University of New York is the first person to bring a civil suit under New York Citys new revenge porn lawagainst her ex-boyfriend for allegedly posting explicit images and videos of her online alongside a screenshot of her faculty page.

Dr. Spring Chenoa Cooper, who studies sexual health, sexuality, adolescent health and other topics, broke up with 31-year-old Brooklyn comedian Ryan Broems in November after a tumultuous year-long relationship, reports the New York Post.

They split after she learned that hed slept with five other women in the previous week, according to the lawsuit she filed on April 13 in Manhattans Supreme Court.

Then, Broems began a campaign of harassment that included sending early morning Snapchats to Cooper in which he was masturbating, according to court papers.

WAFFLE HOUSE SHOOTING LEAVES 4 DEAD, SEVERAL INJURED

She blocked him on Snapchat, but then he began to broadcast pictures and videos of Cooper on Tumblr along with her CUNY, OKCupid and Facebook profiles, the lawsuit says.

On Jan. 15, Cooper received a message from someone using the online name CALIDADDY26 who said I know who you are, be my personal webslut, or Ill post you on my slut exposing blog.

The following day, that person, who the CUNY professor suspects is her ex, posted three compromising images of her on Tumblr. The pictures were ones Cooper claims she had only ever shared with Broems.

I never expected anybody that I loved to betray the trust I had put in them, Cooper told the Post in an interview. I was worried that my career would be over, Cooper said.

Although Cooper reportedly obtained an order of protection in Family Court, the posts kept coming.

She filed a police report; Broems was arrested in February and charged with six misdemeanors. But then she was harassed by viewers of the revenge porn, the lawsuit says.

I have strangers contact me constantly through my work phone and email address and on Facebook, Cooper told the Post. They are very rude. They say very inappropriate things, she said, like slut and stupid c--t.

I never expected anybody that I loved to betray the trust I had put in them. I was worried that my career would be over."  Dr. Spring Chenoa Cooper

In total, CALIDDADDY26 and another user with a different moniker, who Cooper suspects is also her ex, have posted 11 images and six videos online.

Her exs actions were undertaken specifically to humiliate and terrorize plaintiff, who has devoted her life to sexual health and sexual assault prevention, the suit says.

Coopers attorney, Daniel Szalkiewicz, says she is the first to file a civil suit under the citys revenge porn law that went into effect in February.

COUNTY OFFICIAL PAID WOMEN'S BILLS IN EXCHANGE FOR SEX, AUTHORITIES SAY

I applaud Dr. Cooper for having the courage to stand up and be the first to bring an action under the new New York City statute, Szalkiewicz told the Post.

The criminal component of the statute provides for up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine. Victims also can sue for money damages, legal fees and injunctions to block postings.

Coopers lawsuit seeks an unspecified sum for severe emotional distress.

I think its very important that we get cases on the books, she said. I want to make real change so that this stops happening.

Broems strongly denied the allegations and told the Post that he had zero to do with that.A neighborhood cleanup for Earth Day in one Indiana neighborhood turned into a crime scene investigation on Saturday after volunteers found a set of human remains along a creek that may belong to a missing mother.

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department told FOX59 the partially covered remains were discovered on the city's east side around 11 a.m.

Its a little scary to know that something could have happened so close to home and theres body evidence or possible evidence of it," resident Carrie Hawk said. "So, its a little scary. I have two children who I send on the bus and my son walks back and forth using the city bus."

Detectives spent the day searching for evidence, and the coroner's office was called in to help identify the remains and a possible cause of death.

The grisly discovery on Saturday brought out Susanne Gill, who's sister Jamie Beasley was last seen a couple blocks away on Dec. 15. Beasley, 32, has a 9-year-old daughter.

TEEN WHO HELPED FIND MISSING FRIEND'S BODY WAS THE KILLER, POLICE SAY

It scares me because its so close to the house she went missing in," Gill said. "Weve checked here several times. Many people have checked here.

The family has a makeshift memorial near where Beasley was last seen, according to FOX59.

Beasley's mother, Sherrie Price, told RTV6 in January her daughter missed a Christmas celebration in Indianapolis, prompting the family to put up missing person flyers around the neighborhood.

"I fear that something bad has happened to her and I just want to find her and bring her home," she said.

Price told the television station that Beasley's boyfriend, Jeff Myers, was the last person to see her alive. Myers told RTV6 he had no idea where she was.

Its not easy to say that I want it to be her, because I want the peace and I want her laid to rest," Gill said. "If that is the case, then at the same time, how could someone do that to anybody and leave them like that.A man wearing a Make America Great Again hat and shirt on Friday allegedly yelled derogatory statements at a commuter before punching the victim multiple times in the head and throwing him onto the subway tracks in New York City, police said.

The unidentified attacker got into a verbal dispute with a 24-year-old man while riding the No. 4 train around 8:15 p.m. Friday that escalated onto the platform at the Union Square-14th Street stop, police said. The attacker yelled derogatory statements at the Hispanic man during their verbal argument.

The man then followed the commuter off the train, punched him in the head several times before throwing him onto the train tracks.

The attacker fled the station by getting on the Brooklyn-bound L train.

The victims friend and another person helped the injured commuter back onto the platform. The victim was taken to the hospital and treated for a cut on his head.

Police described the attacker as a man with a heavy build. Along with the Make American Great Again apparel, the suspect was wearing blue jean overalls, a black jacket and jewelry around his neck.Millions of people 65 or older will soon get new Medicare cards to prevent identity theft, but fraudsters are exploiting the nationwide rollout to try and fleece seniors into revealing personal information, according to reports.

Social Security numbers arent being printed on the new cards. Instead, they will contain 11-digit personal identifiers with numbers and letters. As of this month, the new cards are being sent to the nations 58 million Medicare recipients.

But now con artists are cold calling seniors around the U.S. about the new cards, the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud reported. Theyre trying to steal seniors Social Security numbers, bank account numbers and credit card information.

"They're sneaky. Very sneaky," Virginia Baize, of Muncie, Ind., told WTHR-TV last week.

As she and her husband wait to get their new Medicare cards they have noticed an increase in phone solicitations from scammers posing as telemarketers, the station reported.

They told the station about one guy who called recently, saying he was from a Medicare senior group.

"He kept saying to me, kept repeating, I need your red and blue card number. I need that number off your red and blue card,'" Virginia said. "He said the change is coming in spring for new cards and you need to use this now."

The caller never got their personal information. He got angry and threatened to revoke their health insurance, the station reported.

"I told him You can't do that,' and I hung up on him. I really think people are trying to take advantage of us," Virginia said.

Indianas Senior Medicare Patrol program director Nancy Moore told WTHR that the phishing scams targeting seniors are now on the rise because scammers sense they are running out of time. They are desperately trying to convince seniors to divulge their Social Security numbers before those numbers disappear completely from Medicare cards.

"It's happening nationwide and it's happening in Indiana," Moore told the station. "People need to know Medicare won't call you. They only operate via U.S. mail, but the scammers are very persistent. If they call you, just hang up. Don't give out any personal information. They're just really after your Social Security number."

The Southwest Times in Pulaski, Va., reported that Medicare clients of New River Valley Agency on Aging have been contacted by scammers pretending to represent Medicare. They want to confirm the clients' Medicare card number so the new card can be mailed to them.

The nonprofits Elizabeth Wray told the paper that Medicare doesnt call a client requesting such information.

Scammers have also been calling Medicare recipients to demand payment of a fee for the new card, according to the Maui News in Hawaii.

The AARP says no such fee exists.

The new Medicare cards are a step forward for fraud prevention, but con artists are working overtime on new ways to scam seniors, AARP Hawaii state director Barbara Kim Stanton told the paper.A neo-Nazi rally near Atlanta on Saturday resulted in about 10 arrests, as some 700 law enforcement officers were on duty in a bid to maintain order, reports said.

Local officials were determined to avoid the level of violence seen at similar events held elsewhere, Atlanta's Fox 5 reported.

The demonstration in Newnan, Ga., 38 miles southwest of the state capital, appeared to be the largest face-off between neo-Nazis and anti-fascist demonstrators, since clashes in Charlottesville, Va., last year that killed one person, USA Today reported.

Some anti-fascist counter-protesters were reportedly arrested for wearing masks, which were listed among prohibited items.

A row of officers wearing riot gear formed a human shield to prevent groups from clashing, the report said.

Members of the National Socialist Movement, a white nationalist organization labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, gained a permit last month for the Saturday rally, the New York Times reported. About two-dozen of its members attended, wearing black clothing and performing the Nazi salute.

Speakers talked about white power, as Newnan strong was written below a brick stage covered by a large, chalk-drawn rainbow, the report said.

At least 100 people stood in opposition to the gathering, the Times reported. Some included members of Antifa, the anti-fascist movement, who held signs such as Take your HATE elsewhere.

Other signs said Love thy neighbor, while a helicopter pulled a banner that said, Newnan believes in love for all.

Newnan police Chief Douglas Buster Meadows said he was very relieved to see the event didnt include any violence. No injuries or property damage were reported, he said.

The lead-up to the event rattled Newnan, a town of about 33,000 people, USA Today reported.

"Praying for Newnan," Georgia Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle tweeted Saturday. "We must condemn the bigotry spread by hate groups. Our thoughts are with Sheriff Yeager, city officials, and all law enforcement officers who are working to protect residents and we hope the protests remains nonviolent."

Burt Colucci, a member of the National Socialist Movement, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the group's leaders "pick these rallies randomly."

Its always preferable that it is a white town, he said.

By 6 p.m., downtown Newnan seemed calm, a Fox 5 Atlanta photographer tweeted.Several New York City police officers sprang into action on Friday and saved a tourist who suffered a heart attack while celebrating his 60th wedding anniversary in Manhattan's midtown.

Ron Gargalowitz and his wife were in Times Square around 7:40 p.m. when the 83-year-old suddenly collapsed, CBS New York reported. Gargalowitz, who was visiting from Massachusetts, told the news station he had just finished dinner with 20 other relatives when he suffered a heart attack.

I passed out and fell down, didnt even realize anything. And the officers were very nearby and someone alerted them, he told the news station.

A person flagged down Robert Pepe, who was in the area for an unrelated issue.

He did not have a pulse and I saw he had no chest rise, Pepe said in a news conference. Instantly, I just remembered what they taught us in the academy and started chest compressions, started CPR.

Officer Patrick Riodan arrived at the scene and requested an AED defibrillator that Officer Michael Tommasino brought over within minutes. Tommasino administered one shock to the man.

Officer Christopher Mallette continued chest compressions until the man became awake and somewhat alert, the New York Post reported.

Officers Michael Gallagher and Louis Lara-Faavedva were also at the scene assisting the incident.

Gargalowitzs daughter, Christine Yoken, said her father was walking and talking at the hospital on Saturday.

Its nothing short of a miracle, she said. They went above and beyond the call of duty. My father means everything to us. They not only saved my father, they saved my whole family. I cant thank them enough.

The celebration of the anniversary is not canceled, she said. Just postponed because my dad is still here [at the hospital].

Pepe said it felt amazing to see Gargalowitz doing well after the near-fatal heart attack.

Not many people come back from that in the condition that he looked like he was in upstairs where he was walking, he was talking, his hair was all done, he was happy, he said. Theres no better feeling in the world than to see something like that; youve actually affected someone in a very positive way.Police have launched an investigation after a camera was discovered last week inside a restroom at a Starbucks store in an Atlanta suburb.

A 25-year-old customer reportedly found the device Tuesday, taped under a baby changing station.

According to a police report, the woman removed the camera and alerted the manager. The manager then notified Starbucks corporate office.

We were quite concerned to learn this and are grateful to our customers and partners who took action to involve local authorities, a Starbucks spokesperson told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The manager gave the camera to police for inspection. Authorities reportedly found 25 videos stored on the camera, including several that reportedly showed people using the restroom.

Weve learned that the device had about an hours worth of recorded video on it and detectives found 8 to 10 men and women videotaped while in that restroom, one officer told Atlanta's FOX 5. He added that the video quality was poor and no private parts were seen.

No suspects have been identified. Police say whoever is responsible faces a charge of eavesdropping, which is a felony.

Tuesdays discovery comes less than a week after the coffee giant faced a national backlash over an incident at a Philadelphia location in which two black men were arrested for allegedly trespassing.

The arrests drew apologies from the company and from Philadelphia's police commissioner. The company announced that it would close 8,000 locations on May 29 to conduct racial bias training.The downside of a booming U.S. job market: It can hurt the U.S. Army's recruitment efforts.

The Army said last week that it will not meet its goal of recruiting 80,000 active-duty soldiers this year and has officially lowered that goal to 76,500.

So far this year the U.S. military branch has brought in just 28,000 new soldiers, Army Sgt. Maj. Daniel Dailey said Friday.

Yet retaining current soldiers has been more successful this year than in the past, with 86 percent staying on, he said, compared with 81 percent in previous years.

The struggle to meet this year's higher recruiting numbers was partially attributed to the favorable U.S. economy and increased competition from private-sector employers, military officials said.

Earlier this month, the Congressional Budget Office said in a report that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, which President Donald Trump signed in December, will likely spark stronger economic growth than previously estimated.

Maj. Gen. Jeff Snow, head of the Army's recruiting command, predicted late last year that the higher enlistment goal would be difficult to meet. Meeting the increased mission this year, Snow said, could force the Army to take in more recruits who would require waivers for marijuana use, low test scores or other more basic health issues.

Military leaders have increasingly warned of recruitment challenges, noting that a strong economy and the declining quality of recruits has steadily shrunk the number of young people considered eligible.

Meanwhile, Defense Department officials have warned that the American public is increasingly disconnected from the military, despite 16 years of wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and military actions in other locations. They say that misconceptions exist about serving in the armed forces, and most people dont personally know any service members.

This time of year is usually the toughest for military recruiters, since this is the period when high school seniors start getting acceptance letters from colleges.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.A Florida judge was relieved of her duties Friday after berating a woman in a wheelchair who was having trouble breathing due to two medical conditions and who died at home three days after the encounter.

Broward County Circuit Judge Merrilee Ehrlich gave defendant Sandra Faye Twiggs, 59, who was in court facing misdemeanor charges resulting from a family dispute, a tongue-lashing in a video dated April 15.

The judges berating of Twiggs was so extreme that the wheelchair-bound womans public defender, Howard Finkelstein, called for the judge to be banned from presiding over criminal proceedings.

It is not appropriate for anyone to endure that kind of treatment, Finkelstein's chief assistant, Gordon Weekes, told the Miami Herald.

During the video, which was posted on YouTube and as a comment on a judicial gossip site, Twiggs asks about receiving treatments and the judge can be heard shouting her down, saying, Im not here to talk about your breathing treatments.

CUNY PROFESSOR FILES FIRST LAWSUIT UNDER NEW REVENGE PORN LAW

Twiggs appeared before Ehrlich in a video feed from the North Broward Bureau during the hearing in bond court.

At another point in the hearing, the judge shouted, Youve already said too much!

Broward Chief Administrative Judge Jack Tuter said Saturday that hes telling Ehrlich not to return to the courthouse because of her treatment of Twiggs, reports the Sun-Sentinel.

In light of recent events, we have decided Judge Ehrlich will be told not to return to the courthouse as her retirement is effective June 30, Tuter said. I will be working this weekend to find a substitute to cover Judge Ehrlich's [family court] division.

Twiggs, who suffered from asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, had been released on bail and died Wednesday in her sleep.

We never knew anything about this video until yesterday, Carolyn Porter, Twiggs goddaughter, told the Florida publication. She tried to tell us how they treated her, but she had anxiety, and every time she tried to talk about it, she couldnt breathe.

What I saw there was somebody that is not mentally and emotionally fit to sit in judgment of human beings. Nobody should suffer attacks like that.  Howard Finkelstein, public defender

In an April 20 letter to Tuter, the public defender said that Ehrlich was bullying other defendants that day.

DELTA PASSENGER TOPPLED DRINK CART, THREW COFFEE BEFORE ATTACKING AIR MARSHALL

She raised her voice to many defendants, berated the attorneys and was impatient and exasperated during the proceedings, Finkelstein wrote.

He went on to write that Ehrlichs demeanor was embarrassing and lacked civility, describing her as aggressive and tyrannical.

Her sister, Anna Lee Twiggs, told CBS Miami that Sandra Faye said Anna, they treated me like a dog in the courthouse. They didnt let me talk. The judge was so cruel.

When she came home from being in there she was never the same, Carolyn Porter, Twiggs goddaughter, told CBS Miami.

I was outraged, Finkelstein told the Sun-Sentinel. What I saw there was somebody that is not mentally and emotionally fit to sit in judgment of human beings. ... Nobody should suffer attacks like that because a judge is having a bad day.

Attorney Bill Gelin, who runs the JAABlog site, told the paper that he contacted Twiggs family on Friday to confirm that she had died.

No one had spoken to them or apologized on behalf of the legal system for the despicable way Twiggs was treated until I called, said Gelin. This was sickening to me, so I did it for them.A 29-year-old man was hailed a hero Sunday after he seized the opportunity to wrestle the gun away from the shooter at a Tennessee Waffle House, saving countless lives during a rampage that left at least four people dead and several others injured.

James Shaw Jr. was dining at the Waffle House in Antioch, about 16 miles southeast of downtown Nashville, around 3:25 a.m. when suspect Travis Reinking allegedly opened fire outside the restaurant. Shaw said at a news conference Sunday afternoon that he felt he had the opportunity to potentially stop the attack during the hail of bullets.

I was just trying to get myself out. I saw the opportunity and pretty much took it, Shaw told the Tennessean.

The 29-year-old said that he had made up his mind about his potential death at the hands of the alleged gunman.

"I figured if I was going to die, he was going to have to work with it," Shaw said, as Fox 17 reported. "He was gonna have to work to kill me."

Shaw said he charged at the shooter and disarmed him, tossing what police confirmed to be an AR-15 rifle over the restaurant's counter.

[Shaw] is the hero here and no doubt he saved many lives by wrestling the gun away and tossing it over the counter and prompting the [gunman] to leave, Metro Nashville Police spokesman Don Aaron said.

Chuck Cordero, who was outside of the restaurant during the shooting, recalled to WTVF that he saw a man who "jumped in" as the gunman was reloading the rifle.

"There's a gentleman who was in there that when the guy stopped to reload his gun he jumped him," Cordero said. "Had that guy reloaded, there was plenty of people in that restaurant that would not have made it home this morning."

Shaw, however, said he didn't feel like a hero, adding that he was just trying to stay alive in the moment.

"I want people to know that I did that completely out of selfish act," Shaw said at the news conference. "I was completely doing that just to save myself."

WAFFLE HOUSE SHOOTING LEAVES 4 DEAD, SEVERAL INJURED; GUNMAN SOUGHT

Shaw, who has a 4-year-old daughter, was grazed by a bullet on his elbow. He was taken to the hospital and treated for the elbow injury and other abrasions before being released later in the morning.

I dont know if it has hit me yet as far as witnessing other people dying, the heroic patron told the news outlet. It's kind of, it shouldnt have happened. When I was in the ambulance to hospital I kept thinking that Im going to wake up and its not going to be real. It is something out a movie. Im OK though, but I hate that it happened.

Authorities launched a manhunt for Reinking after they matched the pickup truck at the scene to the 29-year-olds name. Reinking allegedly opened fire outside of the restaurant, killing two people before entering the business and gunning down patrons. One person was pronounced dead inside the restaurant while another individual died at the hospital.

Two of the four people injured suffered gunshot wounds.

Reinking, who was wearing only a green jacket at the time, shed the coat and was naked when he bolted from the scene, police said. Aaron added that Reinking appeared to have gone into the apartment complex where he lived and put on black pants before running off.

Fox News' Nicole Darrah contributed to this report.An urgent manhunt is underway Sunday for a shooter who gunned down at least four people and injured several others at a Tennessee Waffle House before a "hero" patron wrestled the weapon away, police said.

Authorities surrounded an apartment complex where they believe alleged gunman Travis Reinking, 29, may be hiding after he shot at patrons at a Waffle House in Antioch, located about 16 miles southeast of downtown Nashville. They reportedly later cleared the area after it appeared Reinking was not there.

"A man believed to be Travis Reinking was last seen in a wood line near Discovery at Mountain View Apts. on Mountain Springs Dr. near the Waffle House. The man was seen wearing black pants and no shirt," Nashville police tweeted just after 8 a.m. Sunday, the last time he was spotted.

Don Aaron, spokesman of the Metro Nashville Police Department, initially told WTVF: "If you see a nude guy walking around this morning call the police department."

Reinking, who was last spotted with black pants and no shirt on after fleeing the scene naked, pulled up to the restaurant in his pickup truck about 3:25 a.m. and fatally shot two people outside with an assault-type rifle, police said. The alleged shooter then gunned down patrons dining inside, killing at least one person. Another individual died at the hospital.

No further details about the victims were released.

Chuck Cordero, who is a regular customer and friends with the employees at the Waffle House, told WTVF he was waiting outside the restaurant when he heard gunshots. Cordero said the restaurant was busy and he was waiting for the booth he usually sits in to clear out.

"I showed up tonight and they were a little busy so I stayed in my car. As I got out, this lunatic in a pickup pulled up," Cordero said. "[The gunman] shot a customer going in the door, shot my friend on sidewalk, shot through windows and then went in shooting. He pulled up, got right out; he was prepared to do what he did."

A 29-year-old patron, identified as James Shaw Jr., was attempting to flee the gunfire when he saw the shooter struggling with the rifle at one point. Shaw told the Tennessean he saw an opportunity and charged at the shooter, wrestled the weapon away and tossed it over the restaurants counter.

"He is the hero here and no doubt he saved many lives by wrestling the gun away," Aaron said.

Cordero said he also saw a man who "jumped in" as the gunman was reloading the rifle.

"There's a gentleman who was in there that when the guy stopped to reload his gun he jumped him," Cordero recalled. "Had that guy reloaded, there was plenty of people in that restaurant that would not have made it home this morning."

Shaw suffered an elbow injury and other abrasions when he was grazed by a bullet. He was treated for his injuries and released from the hospital.

At least two of the four injured suffered gunshot wounds. One person is said to be in critical condition and another is in critical but stable condition, FOX17 reported. Aaron said some people at the restaurant had "visible cuts" on their faces due to flying glass when shots were fired.

"The people inside the restaurant were very very shaken. They were in tears," Aaron said. "Some of the folks who didnt have to be transported [to the hospital] had glass wounds on their faces.

Police initially described the gunman as a man with short hair who was last seen walking on Murfreesboro Pike after the shooting. They added that Reinking allegedly shed his green coat after firing his gun and is nude. Reinking reportedly then ran to a nearby apartment complex, where he lives, and put pants, Aaron said. Several residents in the area reported seeing a naked man in the area.

Authorities identified Reinking as the suspect after finding the vehicle allegedly used by the gunman was registered in that name. Aaron said officials are still gathering information on Reinking, but found that the alleged gunmans license goes back to Illinois. Nashville police checked with authorities in Illinois who said Reinking has a history with firearms in that state.

The motive of the deadly shooting or why Reinking was in Nashville is still unclear.

UTAH PARENTS KILL THEIR 2 CHILDREN BEFORE THEMSELVES AFTER BELIEVING MOM HAD TERMINAL DISEASE

Pat Warner, Waffle House's director of PR and external affairs, said in a statement to Fox News that members of management are at the Nashville location assisting with the incident. He deferred all other questions to the Metro Nashville Police Department.

"We are deeply saddened by this tragic incident. Right now, our first thoughts are with the victims and their families, and we will be there for them in this most difficult time. We are still gathering the details, and so we do not have much information to share," the statement read.

"This is a very sad day for the Waffle House family, and we ask for everyone to keep the victims and their families in their thoughts and prayers," Warner added.

Nashville Mayor David Briley tweeted: "Its a tragic day for our city anytime people lose their lives at the hands of a gunman. My heart goes out to the families & friends of every person who was killed or wounded in this mornings shooting. I know all of their lives will be forever changed by this devastating crime."

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam said he and his wife, Crissy, "are deeply saddened by the tragic incident in Antioch early this morning, and we mourn the lives taken in this senseless act of violence."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.The man suspected of killing four people in a half-naked shooting rampage inside a Waffle House outside of Nashville may be carrying a pistol as he evades police  and has what authorities described as a history of mental illness.

The suspect, 29-year-old Travis Reinking, was arrested in July 2017 for being in a restricted area near the White House, investigators revealed in a Sunday news conference, saying he "wanted to set up a meeting" with President Trump. More than a year before that, Reinking claimed the singer Taylor Swift was stalking him, police said.

WAFFLE HOUSE PATRON, 29, HAILED A HERO AFTER WRESTLING GUN AWAY FROM SHOOTER

A possible motive for the shooting at a Waffle House in Antioch early Sunday morning was unclear, according to police. Investigators said in a news conference Sunday afternoon that two guns were missing, but tweeted later that just one gun was unaccounted for.

"Reinking was charged with unlawful entry after crossing an exterior security barrier near the White House Complex," the Secret Service told Fox News of his arrest last summer. "Information regarding the arrest was provided to our law enforcement partners, including the FBI, at the time of arrest to ensure all appropriate authorities were aware of the circumstances surrounding Reinkings arrest."

In May 2016, law enforcement officials in Tazewell County, Illinois, said they encountered the suspect, who was "delusional." Reinking claimed Swift had been stalking him, and that "everyone including his own family and the police" had been involved, a police report obtained by Fox News stated.

Reinking who relatives claimed had been having delusions since August 2014, said Swift had hacked his Netflix account and told him to meet her at a Dairy Queen, according to the report.

In addition, Reinking reportedly had exposed himself in a public pool after swimming in his underwear in June 2017. Someone had called the cops on Reinking, who was apparently "wearing a pink womans house coat and had a AR-15 rifle."

A Tazewell County Sheriff's Office report stated that in August 2017, Reinking wanted to report that 20 to 30 people were "tapping into his computer and phone," and said that he's been hearing people outside of his house "barking like dogs."

Reinking told the officer he felt people were "baiting him into breaking the law" and watching him, and explained "that this all started after he started writing Taylor Swift."

Reinking's firearms authorization was revoked at the request of the FBI after the arrest near the White House, Metro Nashville Police Department spokesman Don Aaron said Sunday. He added that four weapons were seized, including the AR-15 that Reinking allegedly used in Sunday's shooting.

Aaron said the four guns were returned to the suspect's father, who acknowledged giving them back to his son.

The AR-15 was among the guns recovered by law enforcement on Sunday.

Craneworks, a company which Reinking worked for for a day, said in a statement that the suspect "was designated to work on a probationary basis," and "did not work in any sensitive position nor did he work in a position of authority."

The company, which said Reinking didn't return for his second day of work and was terminated, noted that it "had no reason to know or suspect that [Reinking] was mentally unstable or capable of committing these senseless crimes."

Reinking was wearing a green jacket with no shirt and no pants during the shooting, Aaron said. After the suspect bolted from the restaurant, he apparently returned home and put on pants before running off again, police added.

Officials identified the four people who were killed in the shooting as Taurean Sanderlin, 29; Joe Perez, 20; Akilah Dasilva, 23; and DeEbony Groves, 21.

Two other people  Shanita Waggoner, 21, and Sharita Henderson, 24  were being treated for gunshot wounds at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, officials added.

A man who was dining at the restaurant said he spotted an opportunity to confront the shooter and pull away his gun.

"I figured if I was going to die, [the gunman] was going to have to work for it," James Shaw Jr. said of the incident at the news conference. He had entered the restaurant just two minutes ahead of the gunman.

"He shot through that door; I'm pretty sure he grazed my arm. At that time I made up my mind ... that he was going to have to work to kill me. When the gun jammed or whatever happened, I hit him with the swivel door," Shaw said.

Shaw said he managed to get one hand on the gun and grab it, then threw it over a countertop and took the shooter with him outside before the suspect ran away  a situation Shaw said "worked out in my favor."

WAFFLE HOUSE SHOOTING HERO DESCRIBES STOPPING GUNMAN

Even though Shaw said he acted against the gunman "completely out of a selfish act," officials called him a hero, and said the 29-year-old saved "many lives in his heroic actions."

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation added Reinking to its "Top 10 Most Wanted" list on Sunday and is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to his arrest. The bureau said he's 6'4" and weighs 180 pounds.

Fox News' Kevin Kirby and The Associated Press contributed to this report.Chemical weapons inspectors reportedly visited the Syrian city of Douma to gather samples on Saturday following a suspected chemical attack in the area earlier this month.

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in a statement said their team went to one of the sites in the city to collect samples related to the alleged used of chemical weapons on April 7.

The samples are to be sent to OPCW labs to be analyzed, the statement said, and the organization will evaluate the situation and consider future steps including another possible visit to Douma.

RUSSIA, SYRIA WORKED TO SANITIZE, REMOVE INCRIMINATING EVIDENCE FROM CHEMICAL ATTACK SITE, US SAYS

The team will build a report based on the test results, in addition to other information and materials collected by the team, the statement said.

The visit would allow the agency to move forward with an independent investigation to find out what chemicals, if any, were used. The OPCW mission is not required to lay blame.

The alleged chemical weapons attack in Douma left at least 40 people dead and more than 500 people, mostly women and children, injured. The city is about 10 miles east of the Syrian capital, Damascus.

The incident prompted the United States, Britain and France, who blamed Syrian President Bashar Assads government, to launch precision military strikes in the country. President Trump announced the strikes in an address to the nation on April 13.

US STRIKES SYRIA AFTER SUSPECTED CHEMICAL ATTACK BY ASSAD REGIME

Pentagon officials said the attacks targeted the heart of Assad's programs to develop and produce chemical weapons.

The Syrian government and its ally Russia denied responsibility for the attack. Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the strikes, calling them an act of aggression, that had the destructive influence on the entire system of international relations and will exacerbate humanitarian catastrophe in Syria.

OPCW inspectors arrived in Damascus just hours before the strikes but were delayed from visiting the site until Saturday, leading Western officials and Syrian activists to accuse Russia and the Syrian government of staging a cover-up.

Fox News Tariq Khan, Kathleen Joyce and The Associated Press contributed to this report.A dog in Australia proved its loyalty after sticking by a 3-year-old girl for an entire night after she got lost in the bushlands of Australia on Friday.

The girl, named Aurora, had wandered off from her home in Warwick, located about 105 miles southwest of Brisbane, prompting a search involving more than 100 people, ABC News reported.

Aurora was found at 8 a.m. the next day with the dog named Max, a 14-year-old Australian Cattle Dog who is deaf and partially blind.

State Emergency Services area controller Ian Phipps told ABC News the pair were found just over a mile from the house, but still on the family property.

"The area around the house is quite mountainous and is very inhospitable terrain to go walking in, so she'd traveled quite a distance with her dog that was quite loyal to her," Phipps said.

DOG 'ARRESTED' FOR BEING A BAD BOY, PICKING FIGHTS WITH DEER

Leisa Bennett, Aurora's grandmother, told ABC News she shouted out to her granddaughter while searching on Saturday morning and faintly heard her responding.

"I shot up the mountain and when I got to the top, the dog came to me and led me straight to her," she said.

Queensland Police praised Max's efforts Saturday on Twitter, saying the dog is now an honorary member of the force.

"SUCH A GOOD BOY, MAX! He stayed with his 3-year-old human who was lost near Warwick last night while we frantically searched for her," police said. "For keeping her safe, you're now an honorary police dog."The People's Liberation Army (PLA) will conduct regular and ongoing exercises at the Taiwan Straits, showing Chinese mainland's determination in safeguarding territorial integrity, experts noted on Friday after the PLA Air Force announced that it has sent jets to patrol around the island.

Compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits should stand on high alert against "Taiwan independence" activities, said Ma Xiaoguang, spokesperson of the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office on Thursday, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Ma called secessionist activities the biggest threat to peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits.

"No individual or element should underestimate our resolve and ability to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity," Ma said when asked about the recent island patrols by the PLA Air Force.

The PLA Air Force recently dispatched several bombers to patrol around the island to practice and upgrade its capability to protect national sovereignty and territorial integrity, according to PLA Air Force spokesperson, Shen Jinke, on the air force's official WeChat account on Thursday.

The announcement came after PLA's live-fire military exercises in the Taiwan Straits on Wednesday.

"Taiwan media has been trying to weaken the influence and the scale of the drills in their reports. However, the island patrols are to prove that the PLA's drills are actually targeting 'Taiwan independence,'" Jin Yi, an expert with the Institute of Taiwan Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times Friday.

The drills and island patrols represent the Chinese mainland's determination and ability to tackle "Taiwan independence" forces, Jin noted.

Several types of warplanes participated in the "real-time military exercises on the sea," including the H-6K bombers, Su-30 fighter jets, J-11 fighter jets, according to the air force report on WeChat.

The PLA Air Force has been organizing real-battle drills at sea according to international laws and practices. These drills included flying across the Bashi Channel, Tsushima Strait and Miyako Strait near the island of Taiwan.

The Air Force will continue to organize "island patrols" using multiple warplanes according to plans that have been made, the PLA Air Force Wechat report said.

"The exercises show that the Chinese mainland is preparing for a future military conflict," Jin said, noting that if "Taiwan independence" forces take real action or foreign powers intervene, the PLA will be well prepared to repel them.

The PLA Air Force on Thursday also released a promotional video of the "island patrol" with two versions - in English and in Hakka, the southern Fujian dialect which is widely spoken on the island of Taiwan.

"The Hakka version is targeting residents of the island it will let them better know the capability of the PLA Air Force," Jin noted.At least 57 people were killed when a suicide bomber struck a voter registration center in Afghanistan's capital in an attack claimed by the Islamic State terror group.

Public Health Ministry spokesman Wahid Majro told the Associated Press that 119 people were wounded in the massive blast in Kabul, which shattered windows miles away from the attack site.

Majro told TOLO News the wounded have been taken to a number of Kabul hospitals, and that officials are orking to identify the victims.

Majro said there were five small children and 21 women among the dead. More than a dozen children and nearly 50 women were wounded, he said, adding that the tolls could still rise.

Police blocked all roads to the blast site, with only ambulances allowed in.

Local TV stations broadcast live footage of hundreds of distraught people gathered at nearby hospitals seeking word about loved ones.

Gen. Daud Amin, the Kabul police chief, told the AP the suicide bomber targeted civilians who had gathered to receive national identification cards. Afghanistan will hold parliamentary elections in October.

ISIS claimed responsibility in a statement carried by its Aamaq news agency, saying it had targeted Shiite "apostates."

US DROPS MORE BOMBS IN AFGHANISTAN AS WAR AGAINST ISIS WINDS DOWN

The bombing on Sunday was the fourth attack on the election process since voter registration started last Saturday, according to TOLO News.

Last week, three police officers responsible for guarding voter registration centers in two Afghan provinces were killed by militants, according to authorities.

Afghan security forces have struggled to prevent attacks by ISIS as well as the more firmly established Taliban since the U.S. and NATO concluded their combat mission at the end of 2014.

Both groups regularly launch attacks, with the Taliban usually targeting the government and security forces, and IS targeting the country's Shiite minority.

Both groups want to establish a harsh form of Islamic rule in Afghanistan, and are opposed to democratic elections.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.A group of about 50 Central American migrants who fled southern Mexico in late March have reportedly reached the U.S. border and plan to seek asylum.

Ever since it peaked at around 1,500 people, the so-called migrant caravan has mostly shrunk and dispersed under pressure from Mexican migration authorities, who vowed to separate those migrants with a right to stay in Mexico from those who did not, and President Trump, who called in National Guard troops to help secure the border.

Some of these migrants, who say they are fleeing gang-driven violence in Honduras, will request asylum in America.

Since yesterday, some began to cross into the United States to turn themselves in from Tijuana and request asylum. We understand more of (the migrants) will do the same, Jose Maria Garcia, director of Juventud 2000, an organization dedicated to assisting migrants, told Reuters.

Per U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, asylum seekers must "demonstrate [they] have suffered persecution or fear that they will suffer persecution due to" five factors: race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.

More migrants reportedly will be arriving in the coming days.

The caravan left the Guatemala-Mexico border in late March and grew to more than 1,000 migrants who found safety traveling in numbers. It was to have formally ended in Mexico City, but many of the migrants feared going solo on the dangerous final leg north and decided to keep traveling together.

Some who had split off to press on alone reported back about kidnappings and having their papers for safe passage torn up.

Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala are among the most violent and impoverished countries in the Americas, which prompts many people to leave in search of a better, safer life.

On Thursday, Mexico's National Immigration Institute said its agents found a total of 191 mostly Central American migrants jammed into a truck and a bus in southern and central Mexico.

The institute said 103 migrants were found packed into a truck in the Gulf Coast state of Veracruz. The people had gone two days without food or water. All but two are from Guatemala, and 55 are minors.

Agents also found 88 migrants crowded into a bus that had seating for only 42 people in the north-central state of Hidalgo. Eighty are from Guatemala, among them 45 minors accompanied by relatives.

Meanwhile, Arizona, Texas and New Mexico have deployed National Guard troops to the border at the Trump administration's request.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.A Shinto priest (R) leads Japanese lawmakers after their prayer at the altar of Yasukuni Shrine during the shrine's spring festival in Tokyo on April 21, 2017. /VCG Photo

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Friday urged Japan to "make a clean break with militarism" after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent a ritual offering to the notorious Yasukuni Shrine.

"China has always firmly opposed these kinds of acts by Japanese politicians," spokesman Lu Kang said at a routine press briefing.

"Japan should abide by the spirit of the four political documents between the two countries, earnestly implement their four-point principled agreement reached in late 2014, and reflect deeply on the history of aggression," he added.

He urged the Japanese side to obtain the trust of neighboring Asian countries and the international community through action.

Abe has not visited the Yasukuni Shrine since December 2013, a year after he became prime minister for the second time. Instead, he makes the same "masakaki" offerings for the country's spring and autumn festivals.

The offering at the Yasukuni Shrine followed the approval by Japans education ministry of the inclusion of "jukendo" or bayonet fighting in middle school students physical education curriculum. That has raised concerns of reviving nostalgia for militarism among students.

According to Kyodo News, a group of lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition camps visited the controversial site in central Tokyo Friday morning. They are expected to go to the shrine at some point during the festival that ends Sunday, the report added.

The Yasukuni shrine honors over two million Japanese war dead, including 14 A-Class criminals like Hideki Tojo, who was hanged by an Allied tribunal.

Over the past few years, visits by Japanese government officials to the infamous shrine has angered China and South Korea, which regard it as a symbol of past Japanese militarism that killed millions in both countries during World War II.

China said Japans past military aggression brought enormous suffering to the people of China and other Asian countries. Beijing has urged leaders in Tokyo to deeply reflect on Japans actions in World War II and handle related issues responsibly.

In early April, the prime minister's wife Akie praised the countrys ultra-nationalistic education policies and called for Japanese leaders to be allowed to visit the Yasukuni Shrine despite criticism from "neighboring countries."KABUL, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Up to 36 people have been confirmed dead and 60 others sustained injuries as militants targeted election-related activities for the upcoming elections in the insurgency-battered Afghanistan on Sunday.

In the first attack which occurred in Dashti Barchi district of Kabul at around 10:00 a.m. local time (0530 GMT), 31 people, mostly civilians, were killed and 56 others injured, according to Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish and hospital sources.

Hundreds of people were lining up to obtain Tazkira or National Identity Card to vote in the upcoming parliamentary and district councils' elections slated for Oct. 20 when a suicide bomber blew himself up.

The first parliamentary election in the post-Taliban Afghanistan was held in 2005 while the second parliamentary polls took place in 2010.

The voter registration process started on April 14 for the next parliamentary polls.

The parliamentary votes, originally scheduled in early 2015 following the presidential election, have been repeatedly delayed.

The hardliner Islamic State (IS) group claimed responsibility for the deadly attack in Kabul, which has been widely condemned by Afghans as a coward terrorist attack and an attempt to sabotage the election process.

"The attack on the site of voters' registration here in Dashti Barchi area of Kabul is to sabotage the upcoming elections in the country," legislator Aref Rahmani told Xinhua.

In the northern Baghlan province, a roadside bombing killed five civilians and injured four others at around noon Sunday.

Anti-government militants have abducted three employees of the voters' registration service in the southern Ghor province and shot dead two guards of the registration site in the eastern Nangarhar province over the past week.Free Freightnet Membership

List your company in the Freightnet directory. It's Free, it's Easy and your company can be displayed in front of potential freight buyers within 24 hours.KABUL, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Ten Taliban militants have been killed and four others wounded in two separate airstrikes in Afghanistan, the Defense Ministry said Sunday.

In one attack, six militants were killed and four others wounded on Saturday, after Afghan air force struck a militants' hideout in Maywand district of Kandahar province, the ministry said in a statement.

A militants' weapons cache was also destroyed in the province, 450 km south of Kabul.

In eastern Wardak province, four militants were killed in a similar attack on the outskirts of provincial capital Maidan Shar city, 35 km west of Kabul, on the same day, according to the statement.

In an unrelated development, seven Taliban militants surrendered to the provincial government in western Herat province earlier on Sunday, Mehiuddin Noori, deputy provincial governor, told Xinhua.

He said the surrendered militants also handed over seven guns and eight rounds of hand grenades to security authorities in the province, 640 km west of Kabul.Galveston, TX (77553)

Today

Isolated thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low near 75F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Isolated thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low near 75F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.U.S. Rep. Michelle Steel, whose district includes Huntington and Newport beaches and other coastal cities, sent a letter to President Biden requesting disaster relief to help with cleanup costs.Home  Just In  Nepal PM says he has talked with India, Pakistan to reactivate SAARC

Kathmandu, April 22

Nepals Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli says he has talked with prime ministers of India and Pakistan in a bid to clear all misunderstandings about the functioning of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and reactivate it.

Owing to multiple disputes between the two arch rivals, the regional body has failed to host its 19th Summit, scheduled for 2016 in Pakistan. SAARC last held its successful summit in 2014 in Nepal.

As the last successful host, Nepal is the current chair of the regional body. Therefore, Oli said he talked with Indias Narendra Modi and Pakistans Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to end misunderstandings and ensure SAARCs smooth functioning.

Addressing a book launch event in Kathmandu today, he said the chair country was stressing talks to resolve the issue.

He also stated that questions should not be raised against the rationale of such regional and international bodies just because of a tension between two countries.New Zealand's premier mixed martial artist Dan Hooker has made a major statement in the UFC's lightweight division.

We spoke to him ahead of his fight:

'The Hangman' knocked out American Jim Miller in the first round of their three-round fight at UFC Fight Night in New Jersey.

Miller is a veteran of the division, having equalled the record for most fights in the UFC in his bout with the Kiwi.

The win marks Hooker's third-straight victory inside the octagon, all finishes - and given Miler's reputation, he should find himself inside the rankings the next time he enters the cage.

Post-fight, the 28-year-old was all about respect for his opponent.President Buhari Returns To Nigeria After Blasting #LazyNigerianYouths In London (Video)

nametalkam at 22-04-2018 07:48 AM (3 years ago) (m)

The president of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari finally returns to Abuja, after participating in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings (CHOGM) and meeting with Prime Minister Theresa May.

The president of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari finally returns to Abuja, after participating in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings (CHOGM) and meeting with Prime Minister Theresa May.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6Wcf1v6LEI

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(m) this disgrace of a man What is the color beneath your skin? Posted: at 22-04-2018 10:38 AM (3 years ago) | Hero this disgrace of a man Reply

EDDYPRINCE at 22-04-2018 10:38 AM (3 years ago)

(m) Our mumu Don show, why is Okorocha always arrd buhari, open all him teeth like imbecile, like gov when nor get state to manage. Igbos, this is my problem with them. the igbos Posted: at 22-04-2018 10:38 AM (3 years ago) | Addicted Hero Our mumu Don show, why is Okorocha always arrd buhari, open all him teeth like imbecile, like gov when nor get state to manage. Igbos, this is my problem with them. the igbos Reply

nametalkam at 22-04-2018 10:50 AM (3 years ago)

(m) Quote from: EDDYPRINCE on 22-04-2018 10:38 AM Our mumu Don show, why is Okorocha always arrd buhari, open all him teeth like imbecile, like gov when nor get state to manage. Igbos, this is my problem with them. the igbos



Okorocha is Buhari's side chic I specialize in investigative reportage across several subject matter and sectors but mainly focus on metro events and investigation. Do leave your thoughts and opinion on my reports to let me know what you think about them. Thank you Posted: at 22-04-2018 10:50 AM (3 years ago) | Hero Okorocha is Buhari's side chic Reply

dareper at 22-04-2018 11:10 AM (3 years ago)

(m) I thing nollywod should act a movie titled... "Buhari in London" part 1&2. Bloody fool. Posted: at 22-04-2018 11:10 AM (3 years ago) | Hero I thing nollywod should act a movie titled... "Buhari in London" part 1&2. Bloody fool. Reply

EDDYPRINCE at 22-04-2018 11:22 AM (3 years ago)

(m) When I see buhari I see disgrace, how did we get here in the first place Posted: at 22-04-2018 11:22 AM (3 years ago) | Addicted Hero When I see buhari I see disgrace, how did we get here in the first place Reply

Jeonleon at 22-04-2018 11:30 AM (3 years ago)

(m) Here comes the President of the lazy ones... Posted: at 22-04-2018 11:30 AM (3 years ago) | Upcoming Here comes the President of the lazy ones... Reply

sandra78 at 22-04-2018 11:38 AM (3 years ago)

(f) Quote from: EDDYPRINCE on 22-04-2018 10:38 AM Our mumu Don show, why is Okorocha always arrd buhari, open all him teeth like imbecile, like gov when nor get state to manage. Igbos, this is my problem with them. the igbos



Rochas Okoro iyoroba Posted: at 22-04-2018 11:38 AM (3 years ago) | Gistmaniac Rochas Okoro iyoroba Reply

blowout at 22-04-2018 12:51 PM (3 years ago)

(m) Quote from: dareper on 22-04-2018 11:10 AM I thing nollywod should act a movie titled... "Buhari in London" part 1&2. Bloody fool.

E go reach part 6. Posted: at 22-04-2018 12:51 PM (3 years ago) | Gistmaniac E go reach part 6. Reply

crocatum at 22-04-2018 12:58 PM (3 years ago)

(m) wow interesting.next topic. Posted: at 22-04-2018 12:58 PM (3 years ago) | Gistmaniac wow interesting.next topic. Reply

gogoman at 22-04-2018 01:01 PM (3 years ago)

(m) buhari of life Posted: at 22-04-2018 01:01 PM (3 years ago) | Addicted Hero buhari of life Reply

Otikadinje at 22-04-2018 01:14 PM (3 years ago)

(m) You are not welcome at all Oscardeejay Posted: at 22-04-2018 01:14 PM (3 years ago) | Gistmaniac You are not welcome at all Reply

fineboy77 at 22-04-2018 02:26 PM (3 years ago)

(m) Quote from: EDDYPRINCE on 22-04-2018 10:38 AM Our mumu Don show, why is Okorocha always arrd buhari, open all him teeth like imbecile, like gov when nor get state to manage. Igbos, this is my problem with them. the igbos

Na only Okorocha be Igbo Governor?,abi na only Okorocha you dey see around Buhari?,Stupidity nor get state or ethnic or race. What is the color beneath your skin? Posted: at 22-04-2018 02:26 PM (3 years ago) | Hero Na only Okorocha be Igbo Governor?,abi na only Okorocha you dey see around Buhari?,Stupidity nor get state or ethnic or race. Reply

fineboy77 at 22-04-2018 02:27 PM (3 years ago)

(m) Quote from: Zaki68 on 22-04-2018 08:18 AM WELCOME BACK PRESIDO

See this lazy Nigerian youth licking the herdsmans as$ What is the color beneath your skin? Posted: at 22-04-2018 02:27 PM (3 years ago) | Hero See this lazy Nigerian youth licking the herdsmans as$ ReplyThe content you are looking for has either been removed or requires you to login to view

Please login below or register for an account With Naijapals.comThis blog is dedicated to the understanding of the current Greek (but also European) economic, political and institutional crisis. It was created by Prof. Aristides Hatzis of the University of Athens , after many requests by his students who seek a source of reliable analysis on the Greek current affairs. Its aim is to post commentary and reports published mainly in the major U.S. and European media and to encourage a rigorous discussion.Agriculture ministry proposes cutting 131 business conditions

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has proposed cutting 131 business conditions in agriculture.









There are many barriers in the agriculture sector that curb businesses operations. (Photo: theleader.vn)







The ministrys legal department said it is reviewing 33 lines of business and 345 business conditions in the direction of cutting or simplifying them.



Specifically, 131 out of 172 business conditions for animal health, animal feed, plant protection and quarantine, quality management of genetically modified products will be adjusted, supplemented or annulled. Many other business conditions prescribed in the laws on fisheries and forestry will also be considered for streamlining. In the future, the laws on cultivation and animal husbandry along with decrees guiding the implementation of these two laws will also be subject to revision.



According to Dau Anh Tuan, head of the legal department of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, it is necessary to reduce business conditions across production sectors to create greater space for business development and improve the business and investment environment, thus attracting more investment.



Tran Van Thien from the Vietnam Veterinary Pharmaceutical Association said in fact, business conditions regulated in decrees do not pose big problems, instead it is the sub-licences put forth by guiding circulars that hinder businesses. He urged the MARD to review sub-law documents and learn from experience of related ministries and sectors to continue trimming regulations that cause difficulties to businesses.



Dr Tran Anh Quan of the Institute for Machinery and Industrial Instruments (IMI) stressed that the reduction of business conditions will allow enterprises to save resources for their operation./.VNACurrent Articles | Archives Saturday, April 21, 2018 House-Senate Conference Committee Finalizes Budget Negotiations

By News Release @ 11:54 PM :: 5489 Views :: Hawaii State Government, Homelessness Hanabusas Legislators Choke on Plan to Push Homeless Back onto Streets HNN: A new state budget is on track to being approved after House and Senate committees finalized House Bill 1900 Friday. The budget bill emphasizes spending on homeless services and improvements to medical care. "Instead of dividing various amounts for separate programs, the state Homeless Programs Office needs the flexibility to decide where best to use the money," State Rep. Sylvia Luke said. "The state cannot be rigid, especially with our homeless population. It must be able to move funds around to take care of circumstances as they come up." $28,000,000 in operating subsidy for Maui Health System.... $15,000,000 lump sum to fund homeless programs and services across the state. (Listen? Do you hear them choking?) The legislature will vote on the bill next week. If approved, it will be sent to the governor's desk. Related: House-Senate Conference Committee Finalizes Budget Negotiations

CB: House, Senate Agree To $14 Billion State Budget Bill

Nice Try: Hanabusa Campaign Plan: Send swarms of homeless into streets as absentee ballots drop read  State leaders approve final state budget bill with emphasis on health, human services * * * * * Hanabusas Legislators are Already Putting Homeless People on the Streets SA: Gov. Davig Ige requested more than $8 million to continue to fund existing homeless programs, but the (Hanabusa supporters in the) House wiped out the request and instead proposed pouring $30 million in capital improvement money into the new concept of homeless ohana zones. House Speaker Scott Saiki (a Hanabusa endorser) has said existing programs still could be funded through stand-alone bills once the state budget is settled. The Senate wants to provide $15.9 million to continue existing programs, including Housing First and rapid re-housing, and $650,000 for an ohana zone pilot project for Hawaii County. Through Housing First some of Hawaii islands most hard-core, chronically homeless are getting stabilized or are stabilized, Menino said. Legislators invested in the program. Then they dont even give the time to consider the lives of the people they saved. The uncertainty is affecting progress on Hawaii island, Menino said. Were hesitating in putting more people into this program if itll only contribute to them being moved onto the street come July when the current funding ends, she said. And for Hawaii island landlords, who have already taken a chance on renting their properties to homeless people, the lack of assurances from the Legislature to ensure future funds puts the credibility of Housing First at risk, Menino said. Menino is hardly alone in her concerns. Across the state a hui representing 67 social service agencies told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that both the House and the Senate appear reluctant to ensure long-term funding for existing programs  including Housing First and rapid re-housing  that they say are proved to reduce homelessness and are endorsed by federal housing officials. Reducing Housing First money alone would send people back on the street, where theyre frequently in the ER, frequently in the courts, frequently in the jails or prison, said Ellen Carson, who represents Housing Now, a program of Faith Action for Community Equity (FACE). It is really important to keep these programs going, said Catherine Graham, co-chairwoman of FACEs Housing Now task force for FACE. Rather than spend $30 million to lay infrastructure for ohana zones that are supposed to be temporary, Ryan Kusumoto, vice chairman of the board of directors of PHOCUSED, said legislators might instead be guided by a simple thought: Think about whats working right now, he said. (Or they could just keep on thinking about August 11th.) Precisely as Explained: Hanabusa Campaign Plan: Send swarms of homeless into streets as absentee ballots drop Big Q: What do you think of Hawaiis top four lawmakers collaborating on a fundraiser for Gov. David Iges opponent, Colleen Hanabusa, at the height of the legislative session? (65% Oppose) read  Hanabusa * * * * * HOUSE AND SENATE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE FINALIZE NEGOTIATIONS ON THE STATE BUDGET BILL Priorities include health and homeless services, additional ambulances News Release from House and Senate Communications, April 20, 2018 House and Senate conferees today approved a final version of HB1900 HD1 SD1, the state budget bill, which includes operating and capital improvement monies to run the state government. The bill puts a priority on appropriating funds for critical health and human service needs that will benefit our residents statewide. House Finance Chair Sylvia Luke said this budget provides $15 million to fund homeless services, $3 million more than requested by the Governor, to allow the State the flexibility needed to take decisive action and systematically address long-standing problems in the community. "Instead of dividing various amounts for separate programs, the state Homeless Programs Office needs the flexibility to decide where best to use the money. The state cannot be rigid, especially with our homeless population. It must be able to move funds around to take care of circumstances as they come up," said Representative Luke (Makiki, Punchbowl, Nuuanu, Dowsett Highlands, Pacific Heights, Pauoa). The committee also agreed on funding $4.5 million to provide three new ambulances and staff for Kauai, Hawaii Island and Honolulu; a $28 million operating subsidy for the Maui Health System; and $3.8 million in additional funds for the Kupuna Care program and $1.2 million more for the Kupuna Caregiver Fund. The House Finance and Senate Ways and Means conference committee worked quickly to close the budget a week earlier than scheduled. On Wednesday, the committee passed Senate Bill 192 to provide $125 million in immediate disaster relief funding for Kauai and other areas affected by recent destructive flooding. The state constitution requires that the budget bill be passed before other appropriation measures. We worked double time to pass disaster relief for those impacted by the floods and we were challenged to find the funding to adequately address the other critical needs of the state. But we were able to work together and what we presented here today is a good product that we can be proud of, said Sen. Donovan M. Dela Cruz (Mililani Mauka, Waipio Acres, Wheeler, Wahiawa, Whitmore Village, portion of Poamoho) Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. At todays hearing, the committee highlighted many budget items upon which the House and Senate reached agreement. Department of Accounting and General Services $163,425 for 3 positions and supplies to Central Services for maintenance and servicing of state cemeteries.

$150,000 to establish a motor vehicle replacement schedule for neighbor island school repair and maintenance. Department of the Attorney General $50,000 for Community Protection and Outreach.

Additional 2 positions and $500,000 for the Internet Crimes Against Children task force. Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism $1,500,000 for the Excelerator Program to aid development of local businesses.

$500,000 for an Aquaculture accelerator initiative to help local startups in the aquaculture industry. Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs $1,210,906 federal grant spending ceiling and 2 positions to implement insurance market reforms and consumer protections for Insurance Regulatory Services.

Establishment of Deputy Securities Commissioner for Business Registration and Securities Regulation. Department of Defense $1,646,200 in general funds for renovation, repair, and maintenance projects at facilities statewide.

$95,000 for a director for the Hawaii State Fusion Center. Department of Education Additional $500,000 for the Early College program.

$500,000 to provide additional support to English Language Learners.

$4,500,000 and one position for Alternative Learning Centers.

$400,000 for the Teacher Certification Stipend Program to help increase the number of qualified public-school teachers.

$1,100,000 for the Alternative Teacher Route Program to help with recruitment and certification of potential public-school teachers.

$850,000 in general funds for athletic travel to provide students with the opportunity to compete in interscholastic athletic competitions. Department of Human Services $450,000 for the State Rent Supplement Program to provide housing support for vulnerable families.

$15,000,000 lump sum to fund homeless programs and services across the state.

$5,250,000 to Medquest to support online enrollment for Medicaid. Department of Health $28,000,000 in operating subsidy for Maui Health System. $4,500,000 for (3) new ambulances, (1) each for County of Kauai, County of Hawaii, and the City and County of Honolulu. $3,877,063 in additional funds for the Kupuna Care program.

$1,200,000 in additional funds for the Kupuna Caregiver fund. Department of Land and Natural Resources $450,000 for the Hawaii Association of Conservation Districts to support environmental protection efforts.

$500,000 to support fire response activities for DOFAW across the state.

$800,000 to combat the spread of Rapid Ohia Death on the island of Hawaii.

$500,928 to establish a DOCARE training academy. Department of Taxation Funds for 6 additional investigator positions for the Special Enforcement Section. Department of Transportation $11,000,000 for replacement of the Wiki Wiki Shuttle bus fleet with electric vehicles.

$39,000,000 for Consolidated Rental Car Facilities at Daniel K. Inouye Honolulu International Airport and Kahului International Airport.

$11,000,000 for Special Maintenance Highway Projects, Statewide.

$500,000 for Safety Oversight on the Rail Project. University of Hawaii $300,000 for the Student Success Initiative to help support the wide variety of students and their individual needs at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

$300,000 for Rat Lungworm Research at Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy.

$130,000 for 6.2 positions for the Health Sciences Academy at the University of Hawaii at West Oahu.

$260,000 to support the Apprentice Program at the University of Hawaii, Community Colleges.

$750,000 and 8 positions for student success initiative at University of Hawaii, Community Colleges. The Capital Improvement Project portion of the budget includes about $800 million for Department of Education projects and an additional $40 million to finish construction of the new women's prison which will free up space at the overcrowded Oahu Community Correctional Center. Capital Improvement Project Totals: FY2018: $1.027 Billion General Obligation Bond Funds

FY2019: $734.4 Million General Obligation Bond Funds

FY2018: $2.289 Billion All Means of Financing Funds

FY2019: $2.369 Billion All Means of Financing Funds HB 1900, the budget bill, will be voted upon by the Legislature next week and if approved, sent to the governor for his signature. Budget worksheets detailing the appropriations in the overall Executive, Judiciary and Office of Hawaiian Affairs budget bills are available on the Capitol website at http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/budget/2018budget.aspx. * * * * * HOUSE AND SENATE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE BEGINS NEGOTIATIONS ON STATE BUDGET Early agreements include funds for foster children, kupuna services, libraries News Release from Conference Committee, April 17, 2018 Honolulu, Hawaii  House and Senate conferees began negotiations today on a final version of HB1900 HD1 SD1 , the state budget bill. Early agreement on a number of budget items included $7.1 million to increase payments supporting foster children and resource caregivers; $1.7 million for services at Aging and Disability Resource Centers; $3.4 million for rescue and fire fighting staff and vehicles at Lihue Airport; and $500,000 for repair and maintenance projects and $500,000 for books and materials for public libraries statewide. Lawmakers will continue to meet to iron out differences between the House and Senate versions through April 27, the deadline for all fiscal bills to pass out of conference committee. A final conference draft will then be voted upon by the Legislature and if approved, will be sent to the Governor for his signature. Among the operating budget items agreed upon to date are: Department of Accounting and General Services $265,000 to Hawaii State Digital Archives for server infrastructure and network-attached storage to support archival processing and preservation. Department of the Attorney General $95,000 for the Hawaii Integrated Justice Information System. Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs $142,400 to establish an in-house attorney to provide legal expertise for the Division of Financial Institutions. Department of Defense $146,200 for the Homeland Security Office.

$1,646,200 in general funds for renovation, repair, and maintenance projects at facilities statewide.

$150,000 for the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency.

$200,000 for repair and maintenance of building and structures at the Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery. Department of Education $20,000 for Professional Learning System

$65,016 for two positions for the Early Learning Board and the Executive Office on Early Learning. Department of Human Services $7,129,680 to increase payments supporting foster children and resource caregivers across the state.

$240,000 for programs to encourage rehabilitation of youths in the juvenile justice system. Department of Health $94,894 to fund a program for youth who are at risk of mainland placement.

$1,700,000 to fund continued services at Aging and Disability Resource Centers.

$27,546 to fund one Information Specialist to assist in providing support for online and web-based resources to Hawaii residents. Department of Land and Natural Resources $92,100 for two program managers to oversee the Division of Aquatic Resources.

$26,478 for one fire response coordinator for the Division of Forestry and Wildlife's Oahu Branch.

$84,730 for one position to oversee the state's water audit program.

$53,010 to establish 24/7 dispatch communications for the Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement.

$450,000 to establish a data management system for Historic Preservation.

$73,422 for three positions to monitor nearshore aquatic resources.

$188,820 for ten positions to improve visitor experience and preserve State Parks across the state. Department of Public Safety $142,144 for psychological screening of applicant Deputy Sheriffs and Adult Corrections Officers.

$93,101 for the Narcotics Enforcement Forensic Drug Laboratory. Department of Taxation $86,170 to establish one investigator position for the Special Enforcement Section. Department of Transportation $200,000 for automated passport control kiosk maintenance.

$3,414,352 for airport rescue and fire fighting staff and vehicles at Lihue Airport.

$400,000 towards the Hawaii Statewide Transportation Master Plan update. University of Hawaii $79,000 for an Instruction and Student Support Coordinator at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. Hawaii State Public Libraries $500,000 for repair and maintenance projects for public libraries statewide.

$500,000 for library books and materials. Budget worksheets detailing agreements and disagreements in the state, judiciary, and Office of Hawaiian Affairs budget bills are available on the Capitol website at 2018budget.aspx . The conference committee will reconvene on Friday, April 20, at 2 p.m. in room 309.REMARKS TO THE COMMONWEALTH CLUB

by Michael Crichton - San Francisco - September 15, 2003

I have been asked to talk about what I consider the most important challenge facing mankind, and I have a fundamental answer. The greatest challenge facing mankind is the challenge of distinguishing reality from fantasy, truth from propaganda. Perceiving the truth has always been a challenge to mankind, but in the information age (or as I think of it, the disinformation age) it takes on a special urgency and importance.

We must daily decide whether the threats we face are real, whether the solutions we are offered will do any good, whether the problems we're told exist are in fact real problems, or non-problems. Every one of us has a sense of the world, and we all know that this sense is in part given to us by what other people and society tell us; in part generated by our emotional state, which we project outward; and in part by our genuine perceptions of reality. In short, our struggle to determine what is true is the struggle to decide which of our perceptions are genuine, and which are false because they are handed down, or sold to us, or generated by our own hopes and fears.

As an example of this challenge, I want to talk today about environmentalism. And in order not to be misunderstood, I want it perfectly clear that I believe it is incumbent on us to conduct our lives in a way that takes into account all the consequences of our actions, including the consequences to other people, and the consequences to the environment. I believe it is important to act in ways that are sympathetic to the environment, and I believe this will always be a need, carrying into the future. I believe the world has genuine problems and I believe it can and should be improved. But I also think that deciding what constitutes responsible action is immensely difficult, and the consequences of our actions are often difficult to know in advance. I think our past record of environmental action is discouraging, to put it mildly, because even our best intended efforts often go awry. But I think we do not recognize our past failures, and face them squarely. And I think I know why.

I studied anthropology in college, and one of the things I learned was that certain human social structures always reappear. They can't be eliminated from society. One of those structures is religion. Today it is said we live in a secular society in which many people---the best people, the most enlightened people---do not believe in any religion. But I think that you cannot eliminate religion from the psyche of mankind. If you suppress it in one form, it merely re-emerges in another form. You can not believe in God, but you still have to believe in something that gives meaning to your life, and shapes your sense of the world. Such a belief is religious.

Today, one of the most powerful religions in the Western World is environmentalism. Environmentalism seems to be the religion of choice for urban atheists. Why do I say it's a religion? Well, just look at the beliefs. If you look carefully, you see that environmentalism is in fact a perfect 21st century remapping of traditional Judeo-Christian beliefs and myths.

There's an initial Eden, a paradise, a state of grace and unity with nature, there's a fall from grace into a state of pollution as a result of eating from the tree of knowledge, and as a result of our actions there is a judgment day coming for us all. We are all energy sinners, doomed to die, unless we seek salvation, which is now called sustainability. Sustainability is salvation in the church of the environment. Just as organic food is its communion, that pesticide-free wafer that the right people with the right beliefs, imbibe.

Eden, the fall of man, the loss of grace, the coming doomsday---these are deeply held mythic structures. They are profoundly conservative beliefs. They may even be hard-wired in the brain, for all I know. I certainly don't want to talk anybody out of them, as I don't want to talk anybody out of a belief that Jesus Christ is the son of God who rose from the dead. But the reason I don't want to talk anybody out of these beliefs is that I know that I can't talk anybody out of them. These are not facts that can be argued. These are issues of faith.

And so it is, sadly, with environmentalism. Increasingly it seems facts aren't necessary, because the tenets of environmentalism are all about belief. It's about whether you are going to be a sinner, or saved. Whether you are going to be one of the people on the side of salvation, or on the side of doom. Whether you are going to be one of us, or one of them.

Am I exaggerating to make a point? I am afraid not. Because we know a lot more about the world than we did forty or fifty years ago. And what we know now is not so supportive of certain core environmental myths, yet the myths do not die. Let's examine some of those beliefs.

There is no Eden. There never was. What was that Eden of the wonderful mythic past? Is it the time when infant mortality was 80%, when four children in five died of disease before the age of five? When one woman in six died in childbirth? When the average lifespan was 40, as it was in America a century ago. When plagues swept across the planet, killing millions in a stroke. Was it when millions starved to death? Is that when it was Eden?

And what about indigenous peoples, living in a state of harmony with the Eden-like environment? Well, they never did. On this continent, the newly arrived people who crossed the land bridge almost immediately set about wiping out hundreds of species of large animals, and they did this several thousand years before the white man showed up, to accelerate the process. And what was the condition of life? Loving, peaceful, harmonious? Hardly: the early peoples of the New World lived in a state of constant warfare. Generations of hatred, tribal hatreds, constant battles. The warlike tribes of this continent are famous: the Comanche, Sioux, Apache, Mohawk, Aztecs, Toltec, Incas. Some of them practiced infanticide, and human sacrifice. And those tribes that were not fiercely warlike were exterminated, or learned to build their villages high in the cliffs to attain some measure of safety.

How about the human condition in the rest of the world? The Maori of New Zealand committed massacres regularly. The dyaks of Borneo were headhunters. The Polynesians, living in an environment as close to paradise as one can imagine, fought constantly, and created a society so hideously restrictive that you could lose your life if you stepped in the footprint of a chief. It was the Polynesians who gave us the very concept of taboo, as well as the word itself. The noble savage is a fantasy, and it was never true. That anyone still believes it, 200 years after Rousseau, shows the tenacity of religious myths, their ability to hang on in the face of centuries of factual contradiction.

There was even an academic movement, during the latter 20th century, that claimed that cannibalism was a white man's invention to demonize the indigenous peoples. (Only academics could fight such a battle.) It was some thirty years before professors finally agreed that yes, cannibalism does indeed occur among human beings. Meanwhile, all during this time New Guinea highlanders in the 20th century continued to eat the brains of their enemies until they were finally made to understand that they risked kuru, a fatal neurological disease, when they did so.

More recently still the gentle Tasaday of the Philippines turned out to be a publicity stunt, a nonexistent tribe. And African pygmies have one of the highest murder rates on the planet.

In short, the romantic view of the natural world as a blissful Eden is only held by people who have no actual experience of nature. People who live in nature are not romantic about it at all. They may hold spiritual beliefs about the world around them, they may have a sense of the unity of nature or the aliveness of all things, but they still kill the animals and uproot the plants in order to eat, to live. If they don't, they will die.

And if you, even now, put yourself in nature even for a matter of days, you will quickly be disabused of all your romantic fantasies. Take a trek through the jungles of Borneo, and in short order you will have festering sores on your skin, you'll have bugs all over your body, biting in your hair, crawling up your nose and into your ears, you'll have infections and sickness and if you're not with somebody who knows what they're doing, you'll quickly starve to death. But chances are that even in the jungles of Borneo you won't experience nature so directly, because you will have covered your entire body with DEET and you will be doing everything you can to keep those bugs off you.

The truth is, almost nobody wants to experience real nature. What people want is to spend a week or two in a cabin in the woods, with screens on the windows. They want a simplified life for a while, without all their stuff. Or a nice river rafting trip for a few days, with somebody else doing the cooking. Nobody wants to go back to nature in any real way, and nobody does. It's all talk-and as the years go on, and the world population grows increasingly urban, it's uninformed talk. Farmers know what they're talking about. City people don't. It's all fantasy.

One way to measure the prevalence of fantasy is to note the number of people who die because they haven't the least knowledge of how nature really is. They stand beside wild animals, like buffalo, for a picture and get trampled to death; they climb a mountain in dicey weather without proper gear, and freeze to death. They drown in the surf on holiday because they can't conceive the real power of what we blithely call "the force of nature." They have seen the ocean. But they haven't been in it.

The television generation expects nature to act the way they want it to be. They think all life experiences can be tivo-ed. The notion that the natural world obeys its own rules and doesn't give a damn about your expectations comes as a massive shock. Well-to-do, educated people in an urban environment experience the ability to fashion their daily lives as they wish. They buy clothes that suit their taste, and decorate their apartments as they wish. Within limits, they can contrive a daily urban world that pleases them.

But the natural world is not so malleable. On the contrary, it will demand that you adapt to it-and if you don't, you die. It is a harsh, powerful, and unforgiving world, that most urban westerners have never experienced.

Many years ago I was trekking in the Karakorum mountains of northern Pakistan, when my group came to a river that we had to cross. It was a glacial river, freezing cold, and it was running very fast, but it wasn't deep---maybe three feet at most. My guide set out ropes for people to hold as they crossed the river, and everybody proceeded, one at a time, with extreme care. I asked the guide what was the big deal about crossing a three-foot river. He said, well, supposing you fell and suffered a compound fracture. We were now four days trek from the last big town, where there was a radio. Even if the guide went back double time to get help, it'd still be at least three days before he could return with a helicopter. If a helicopter were available at all. And in three days, I'd probably be dead from my injuries. So that was why everybody was crossing carefully. Because out in nature a little slip could be deadly.

But let's return to religion. If Eden is a fantasy that never existed, and mankind wasn't ever noble and kind and loving, if we didn't fall from grace, then what about the rest of the religious tenets? What about salvation, sustainability, and judgment day? What about the coming environmental doom from fossil fuels and global warming, if we all don't get down on our knees and conserve every day?

Well, it's interesting. You may have noticed that something has been left off the doomsday list, lately. Although the preachers of environmentalism have been yelling about population for fifty years, over the last decade world population seems to be taking an unexpected turn. Fertility rates are falling almost everywhere. As a result, over the course of my lifetime the thoughtful predictions for total world population have gone from a high of 20 billion, to 15 billion, to 11 billion (which was the UN estimate around 1990) to now 9 billion, and soon, perhaps less. There are some who think that world population will peak in 2050 and then start to decline. There are some who predict we will have fewer people in 2100 than we do today. Is this a reason to rejoice, to say halleluiah? Certainly not. Without a pause, we now hear about the coming crisis of world economy from a shrinking population. We hear about the impending crisis of an aging population. Nobody anywhere will say that the core fears expressed for most of my life have turned out not to be true. As we have moved into the future, these doomsday visions vanished, like a mirage in the desert. They were never there---though they still appear, in the future. As mirages do.

Okay, so, the preachers made a mistake. They got one prediction wrong; they're human. So what. Unfortunately, it's not just one prediction. It's a whole slew of them. We are running out of oil. We are running out of all natural resources. Paul Ehrlich: 60 million Americans will die of starvation in the 1980s. Forty thousand species become extinct every year. Half of all species on the planet will be extinct by 2000. And on and on and on.

With so many past failures, you might think that environmental predictions would become more cautious. But not if it's a religion. Remember, the nut on the sidewalk carrying the placard that predicts the end of the world doesn't quit when the world doesn't end on the day he expects. He just changes his placard, sets a new doomsday date, and goes back to walking the streets. One of the defining features of religion is that your beliefs are not troubled by facts, because they have nothing to do with facts.

So I can tell you some facts. I know you haven't read any of what I am about to tell you in the newspaper, because newspapers literally don't report them. I can tell you that DDT is not a carcinogen and did not cause birds to die and should never have been banned. I can tell you that the people who banned it knew that it wasn't carcinogenic and banned it anyway. I can tell you that the DDT ban has caused the deaths of tens of millions of poor people, mostly children, whose deaths are directly attributable to a callous, technologically advanced western society that promoted the new cause of environmentalism by pushing a fantasy about a pesticide, and thus irrevocably harmed the third world. Banning DDT is one of the most disgraceful episodes in the twentieth century history of America. We knew better, and we did it anyway, and we let people around the world die and didn't give a damn.

I can tell you that second hand smoke is not a health hazard to anyone and never was, and the EPA has always known it. I can tell you that the evidence for global warming is far weaker than its proponents would ever admit. I can tell you the percentage the US land area that is taken by urbanization, including cities and roads, is 5%. I can tell you that the Sahara desert is shrinking, and the total ice of Antarctica is increasing. I can tell you that a blue-ribbon panel in Science magazine concluded that there is no known technology that will enable us to halt the rise of carbon dioxide in the 21st century. Not wind, not solar, not even nuclear. The panel concluded a totally new technology-like nuclear fusion-was necessary, otherwise nothing could be done and in the meantime all efforts would be a waste of time. They said that when the UN IPCC reports stated alternative technologies existed that could control greenhouse gases, the UN was wrong.

I can, with a lot of time, give you the factual basis for these views, and I can cite the appropriate journal articles not in whacko magazines, but in the most prestigeous science journals, such as Science and Nature. But such references probably won't impact more than a handful of you, because the beliefs of a religion are not dependant on facts, but rather are matters of faith. Unshakeable belief.

Most of us have had some experience interacting with religious fundamentalists, and we understand that one of the problems with fundamentalists is that they have no perspective on themselves. They never recognize that their way of thinking is just one of many other possible ways of thinking, which may be equally useful or good. On the contrary, they believe their way is the right way, everyone else is wrong; they are in the business of salvation, and they want to help you to see things the right way. They want to help you be saved. They are totally rigid and totally uninterested in opposing points of view. In our modern complex world, fundamentalism is dangerous because of its rigidity and its imperviousness to other ideas.

I want to argue that it is now time for us to make a major shift in our thinking about the environment, similar to the shift that occurred around the first Earth Day in 1970, when this awareness was first heightened. But this time around, we need to get environmentalism out of the sphere of religion. We need to stop the mythic fantasies, and we need to stop the doomsday predictions. We need to start doing hard science instead.

There are two reasons why I think we all need to get rid of the religion of environmentalism.

First, we need an environmental movement, and such a movement is not very effective if it is conducted as a religion. We know from history that religions tend to kill people, and environmentalism has already killed somewhere between 10-30 million people since the 1970s. It's not a good record. Environmentalism needs to be absolutely based in objective and verifiable science, it needs to be rational, and it needs to be flexible. And it needs to be apolitical. To mix environmental concerns with the frantic fantasies that people have about one political party or another is to miss the cold truth---that there is very little difference between the parties, except a difference in pandering rhetoric. The effort to promote effective legislation for the environment is not helped by thinking that the Democrats will save us and the Republicans won't. Political history is more complicated than that. Never forget which president started the EPA: Richard Nixon. And never forget which president sold federal oil leases, allowing oil drilling in Santa Barbara: Lyndon Johnson. So get politics out of your thinking about the environment.

The second reason to abandon environmental religion is more pressing. Religions think they know it all, but the unhappy truth of the environment is that we are dealing with incredibly complex, evolving systems, and we usually are not certain how best to proceed. Those who are certain are demonstrating their personality type, or their belief system, not the state of their knowledge. Our record in the past, for example managing national parks, is humiliating. Our fifty-year effort at forest-fire suppression is a well-intentioned disaster from which our forests will never recover. We need to be humble, deeply humble, in the face of what we are trying to accomplish. We need to be trying various methods of accomplishing things. We need to be open-minded about assessing results of our efforts, and we need to be flexible about balancing needs. Religions are good at none of these things.

How will we manage to get environmentalism out of the clutches of religion, and back to a scientific discipline? There's a simple answer: we must institute far more stringent requirements for what constitutes knowledge in the environmental realm. I am thoroughly sick of politicized so-called facts that simply aren't true. It isn't that these "facts" are exaggerations of an underlying truth. Nor is it that certain organizations are spinning their case to present it in the strongest way. Not at all---what more and more groups are doing is putting out is lies, pure and simple. Falsehoods that they know to be false.

This trend began with the DDT campaign, and it persists to this day. At this moment, the EPA is hopelessly politicized. In the wake of Carol Browner, it is probably better to shut it down and start over. What we need is a new organization much closer to the FDA. We need an organization that will be ruthless about acquiring verifiable results, that will fund identical research projects to more than one group, and that will make everybody in this field get honest fast.

Because in the end, science offers us the only way out of politics. And if we allow science to become politicized, then we are lost. We will enter the Internet version of the dark ages, an era of shifting fears and wild prejudices, transmitted to people who don't know any better. That's not a good future for the human race. That's our past. So it's time to abandon the religion of environmentalism, and return to the science of environmentalism, and base our public policy decisions firmly on that.

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The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those.State Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier has filed an amendment to support the St. Mary the Morningstar campus redevelopment.

Farley-Bouvier to Push For St. Mary's, Early Ed Funding

This is the second in a series of interviews with the Berkshire representative delegation on local budget priorities for fiscal 2019. The interview with state Rep. Paul Mark can be found here.

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  Each representative across the commonwealth has filed a number of amendments to the state's fiscal 2019 budget for specific projects in their district.

This year, state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier is putting all of her efforts behind just one: St. Mary the Morningstar.

"This year my priority is going to be the morning star housing project at St. Mary's Church. There are some funding gaps there," she said.

"The story of St. Mar'ys is almost storied at this point. It is cool the way the community came together to fight back against what I consider a very poor decision for development. And market rate housing couldn't be a better use for that property. I think it will leverage some serious activity down there."

The Pittsfield Democrat has filed an amendment request $200,000 be directed toward that project. Developer David Carver has purchased the campus and is looking to create 29 market rate housing units in the former church buildings.

Farley-Bouvier said she worked on legislation to get the Transformative Development Initiative started and then funded. Pittsfield ultimately got into the program that focused on Morningside, where St. Mary's Church is one of the largest redevelopment sites on Tyler Street.

She feels the redevelopment will bring young professionals to the neighborhood and ultimately kick-start the opening of new restaurants and coffee shops.

On statewide initiatives, she is particularly looking to ensure funding for early education. She said this year she'll be advocating for an increased salary reserved for preschool teachers. That would allow providers to apply for money to pay for salaries of teachers.

"We've done a lot over the last several years to require and support early ed teachers to get their associates, to get their bachelor's, and some even get their master's and then we continue to pay them at minimum wage or just above that," Farley-Bouvier said.

"We really want to raise the profession of early educators."

The focus stems from her work with the Progressive Caucus, which has prioritized early education. Farley-Bouvier said she was lucky this year because increases to that line are already in the proposal.

"Both the new chair of Ways and Means [Jeffrey Sanchez] and the Speaker [Robert Deleo] are very aligned with the progressive caucus when it comes to early education. We have found we don't need to file amendments because the funding came through," Farley-Bouvier said.

Last year, Farley-Bouvier had gotten a budget amendment allocating money for Pittsfield to retain two preschool classes that would have been cut from the local budget. She said Chapter 70 funding for education is increased in the budget proposal and she won't need to advocate for another budget amendment for that.

Gov. Charlie Baker had increased the Chapter 70 amount and Farley-Bouvier said the House Ways and Means budget increased it even further. That will provide extra funds for cities and towns. In Pittsfield's case, for example, the School Department is proposing to bring back kindergarten paraprofessionals and enhance its therapeutic program. Those initiatives will be covered by the increased state funding.

The state's budget is also expected to increase local aid to cities and towns.

Another amendment Farley-Bouvier is supporting is for the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation. That program provides free legal support to low-income residents. Farley-Bouvier said she is looking to bolster that program. She is also backing funding for youth works programs.

The budget debate starts on Monday and there is uncertainty. Farley-Bouvier is particularly waiting for a proposal for MassHealth after the House rejected the governor's proposal to move thousands of people to new plans. Farley-Bouvier said Baker's proposal would be a detriment to the working poor.

"We work really hard to smooth out what we call the cliff effect. Once you start working, someone who is on assistance starts earning a little bit of money, and then you start to lose benefits until the point where it cost you more to work than to not be working," Farley-Bouvier said, adding that the governor's plan would further that cliff.

"He needs to find a way and not balance the budget on the backs of the working poor. These are working people. A lot of people get upset about giving benefits to people who don't work. These are, by definition, working people."

There are also questions on revenues. Right now, the state is some $800 million over benchmarks. But, Farley-Bouvier said that isn't likely going to hold. She said a lot of people filed taxes early to take advantage of federal laws and she expects a typical April bump in revenues to come in lower than in the past.

Nonetheless, she said there will still be some additional revenue to work with as opposed to prior years when revenues were routinely coming in short.

"That makes it better than being under. There is a little bit more wiggle room," Farley-Bouvier said. "That being said, there are worries. There is a ballot question that would cut the sales tax down to 5 percent. That's $600 million less in our budget."

Outside of the budget debate, Farley-Bouvier said the state is funding five more recovery centers and she is working with the Crane Center on an application to be one of those.

"It is widely utilized. The numbers are just unbelievable and I want to make sure we get some state funding to keep that going," Farley-Bouvier said.Imperial Valley News Center

School Employee Pleads Guilty to Role in Bribery Scheme Involving VA Program for Disabled Military Veterans

Washington, DC - The financial manager of Atius Technology Institute (Atius), a privately owned, non-accredited school specializing in information technology courses, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to bribe a public official at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in exchange for the public officials facilitation of over $1.4 million in payments that were supposed to be dedicated to providing vocational training for military veterans with service-connected disabilities.

Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Departments Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia, Assistant Director in Charge Nancy McNamara of FBIs Washington Field Office and Special Agent in Charge Kim Lampkins of U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General (OIG), Mid-Atlantic Field Office made the announcement.

Sombo Kanneh, 29, of McLean, Virginia, pleaded guilty to an Information alleging one count of conspiracy to bribe a public official. The plea was entered before U.S. District Judge John D. Bates of the District of Columbia. Atiuss owner, Albert Poawui, 41, of Laurel, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to his role in the scheme on April 16.

According to admissions made in connection with Kannehs plea, the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) program is a VA program that provides disabled U.S. military veterans with education and employment-related services. VR&E program counselors advise veterans under their supervision which schools to attend and facilitate payments to those schools for veterans tuition and necessary supplies.

According to admissions made in connection with her plea, Kanneh joined the conspiracy in or about October 2016, when she was hired as Atiuss financial manager. Pursuant to an agreement that Poawui and a VR&E program counselor had entered the prior year, Poawui would pay the counselor a seven percent cash kickback of all payments made by the VA to Atius. In exchange, the counselor steered VR&E program veterans to Atius and approved Atiuss invoices for payment.

Kanneh admitted that she routinely moved money between Atiuss bank accounts to facilitate bribe payments to the VR&E counselor. Kanneh also admitted that she personally hand-delivered cash bribes to the VR&E counselor on numerous occasions. Between August 2015 and December 2017, Kanneh and the schemes other participants caused the VA to pay Atius approximately $1,423,030. During that time period, Kanneh and others paid the VR&E counselor approximately $106,454 in exchange for the counselors official acts in furtherance of the scheme to commit bribery and defraud the VA.

Kannehs plea is the result of an ongoing investigation by the FBIs Washington Field Office and the VA OIG. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sonali D. Patel of the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Simon J. Cataldo of the Criminal Divisions Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case.Imperial Valley News Center

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer Pleads Guilty to Obstruction of Justice

Las Cruces, New Mexico - The Justice Department today announced that former U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer Christopher M. Holbrook pleaded guilty in federal court in Las Cruces, New Mexico, to obstruction of justice.

The charge stems from Holbrooks falsification of a report regarding his use of force against an individual, referred to as R.A.M., on March 23, 2015. At the time of the incident, Holbrook, 31, was working as a CBP officer in Las Cruces.

In his plea agreement, Holbrook admitted falsifying an official document. Specifically, Holbrook falsely claimed in his use-of-force report that when he detained R.A.M., R.A.M. actively resisted and attempted to pull away. Holbrook further falsely claimed that he used the minimal amount of force necessary to control R.A.M. but that he lost control and they both fell to the floor. In pleading guilty, Holbrook admitted that in fact, and as he knew at the time, he intentionally swept R.A.M.s legs out from under him and caused R.A.M.s head to hit the floor. Holbrook also admitted that he falsified his use-of-force report to avoid getting in trouble with CBP.

Holbrook faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date has yet to be scheduled.

Federal law enforcement officers have an unassailable duty to uphold the law, said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore of the Civil Rights Division. The defendants unlawful actions, obstruction of justice, and intentional falsification of a report, undermines the publics confidence in our criminal justice system. This Justice Department will continue to vigorously prosecute such violations of the law.

Law enforcement officers are accorded tremendous power to enforce the law and ensure justice. Preventing the abuse of this authority is necessary to protect the rights of our citizens and to maintain public trust in law enforcement agencies, said U.S. Attorney John C. Anderson of the District of New Mexico. Those who take an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States must be held accountable when they willfully violate the constitutional rights of others and obstruct justice to cover up their crimes.

This case was investigated by CBPs Office of Professional Responsibility. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brock Taylor of the District of New Mexico U.S. Attorneys Las Cruces Branch Office and Trial Attorney Julia Gegenheimer of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice are prosecuting the case.California Resident Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to File Fraudulent Tax Returns Seeking More Than $9.7 Million in Refunds

Sacramento, California - A Salinas, California, resident pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiring to file fraudulent claims for income tax refunds, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Departments Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Alex G. Tse for the Northern District of California.

According to documents and information provided to the court, during 2012, Ana Bajo a/k/a Ana Covarrubias, 43, conspired with others to obtain the personal identifying information of others and use it to file more than 2,300 fraudulent income tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). These returns reported fake wages and fraudulently claimed dependents, education expenses and tax credits. In total, the returns sought approximately $9.7 million in refunds, of which the IRS paid more than $7.5 million. Bajo, and her co-conspirators, directed the fraudulently obtained refund checks into bank accounts that they controlled.

U.S. District Court Judge Koh scheduled sentencing for Sept. 26. Bajo faces a statutory maximum sentence of ten years in prison, as well as a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and Acting U.S. Attorney Tse commended special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael G. Pitman and Trial Attorney Christopher Magnani of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting this case.Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud Scheme

Washington, DC - A former U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) Special Agent pleaded guilty today to devising a wire fraud scheme that defrauded SunTrust Mortgage and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) of over $40,000, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Departments Criminal Division.

Shauna Kay N. Sutherland, 37, of Corpus Christi, Texas, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud before U.S. District Judge Robert N. Scola Jr. of the Southern District of Florida.



According to admissions in the plea agreement, Sutherland defrauded SunTrust Mortgage and Freddie Mac into allowing a short sale of her property in Gainesville, Georgia, to a family friend who acted as a straw purchaser. Sutherland falsely represented that there were no hidden agreements and requested forgiveness of over $40,000 owed on the mortgage due to her purported financial hardship. Based on those material representations, SunTrust Mortgage and Freddie Mac accepted the short sale offer, with the family friend purchasing the property for approximately $34,000, in exchange for SunTrust Mortgage and Freddie Mac releasing Sutherland from her outstanding debt. Freddie Mac, which had by then purchased the mortgage, calculated a total loss of more than $42,000 as a result of this transaction.



In reality, however, Sutherland admitted that pursuant to the secret agreement with her family friend, Sutherland herself provided the purchase money for the short sale using funds wired to her by her mother. Sutherland remained the de facto owner of the property, collected rent from tenants and paid for maintenance. Sutherland adopted the straw purchasers identity to communicate by email about the property and signed that persons signature on relevant documents. She also used the straw purchasers bank account as a conduit for financial transactions related to the property. Sutherland, through the straw purchaser, later sold the property in 2013 and used the proceeds to buy another property in Florida.



Sutherland will be sentenced on June 29 before U.S. District Judge Robert N. Scola Jr. of the Southern District of Florida.



ICEs Office of Professional Responsibility, the Department of Homeland Securitys Office of Inspector General and the FBI investigated the case with assistance provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Professional Responsibility. Trial Attorneys Luke Cass and Simon J. Cataldo of the Criminal Divisions Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case.California Man Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison for Renewable Fuel Fraud

Washington, DC - Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood of the Justice Departments Environment and Natural Resources Division and United States Attorney Joseph H. Harrington for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Jin Chul Jacob Cha, 41, of Tustin, California, who pleaded guilty on January 11, 2018 to conspiracy to defraud the government and conspiracy to commit wire fraud was sentenced Friday. United States District Judge Salvador Mendoza, Jr. imposed a 51-month prison term to be followed by a three-year term of court supervision after he is released from prison.

According to information disclosed during the court proceedings, Cha was a member of a conspiracy involving Gen-X Energy Group, Inc. (Gen-X), a renewable energy company formerly located in Pasco and Moses Lake, Washington. Between October 2012 and March 2015, Cha and his co-conspirators falsely claimed the production of more than 9,400,000 marketable renewable energy credits, which they then sold for more than $6,000,000, and filed false claims with the IRS for $2,506,094 in excise credit refunds. Throughout this period, much of the renewable fuel claimed to be produced at the Gen-X facilities was either not produced or re-processed multiple times.

The defendant, Mr. Cha, has been sentenced to spend years in prison for his role in a multi-million dollar conspiracy to defraud the renewable fuels program, said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood of the Justice Departments Environment and Natural Resources Division. This prosecution, which is part of a broader effort involving the Gen-X Energy Group, shows there are serious consequences for this kind of fraudulent conduct. I applaud the work of the federal, state, and local law enforcement personnel involved in bringing down this criminal enterprise.

I commend the tenacious and thorough efforts of investigators from IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Environmental Protection Agencys Criminal Investigation Division, said U.S. Attorney Harrington. The United States Attorneys Office will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to aggressively prosecute fraud and other white collar crimes in the Eastern District of Washington."

The defendant defrauded taxpayers and biofuels companies out of millions of dollars, said Assistant Administrator Susan Bodine for EPAs Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. This case shows that EPA and its law enforcement partners will prosecute those who seek to profit by breaking the law.

"Today, Mr. Cha and the Gen-X Energy Group are being held accountable for their massive and complex $65 million fraud," said Special Agent in Charge Darrell Waldon of IRS Criminal Investigation." Along with our law enforcement partners, IRS Criminal Investigation will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute white collar criminals who pursue illegal schemes to steal from the U.S. taxpayer."

This investigation was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, the Environmental Protection Agencys Criminal Investigation Division, and the United States Secret Service, with assistance from the Washington State Patrol and the Los Angeles Port Police Departments Hazardous Materials Investigations Unit. The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Adam Cullman and Thomas Franzinger for the Justice Departments Environmental Crimes Section, Assistant United States Attorney Scott T. Jones for the Eastern District of Washington, and EPA Regional Criminal Enforcement Counsel and Special Assistant United States Attorney Karla G. Perrin for the Eastern District of Washington.Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Yamamoto Travel to East Africa

Washington, DC - Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Ambassador Donald Y. Yamamoto will travel to Eritrea from April 22-24 for bilateral consultations with Eritrean government officials, to meet with the diplomatic community, and to visit the Embassys staff based in Asmara.

He will then lead the U.S. delegation to the U.S.-Djibouti Binational Forum April 24-25 in Djibouti, our annual dialogue on matters of political, economic, assistance, and security cooperation. Ambassador Yamamoto will travel to Ethiopia on April 26 to meet with Ethiopian government officials to discuss shared interests and concerns.Acting Secretary Sullivan's Meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Klimkin

Washington, DC - Acting Secretary of State John J. Sullivan met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin on April 21, on the margins of the G7 Foreign Ministers Meeting in Toronto, Canada.

The Acting Secretary reaffirmed the United States ironclad support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. He urged Ukraine to redouble reform efforts and adhere to IMF programs by adopting legislation to establish a truly independent anti-corruption court and raising gas tariffs to import parity levels.

Acting Secretary Sullivan and Foreign Minister Klimkin called on Russia to finally fulfill its commitments under the Minsk agreements and end its occupation of Crimea.#KCCI KCCI head congratulates Japan's new PM, hoping for better bilateral ties The chief of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has sent a congratulatory letter to prospective Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, expressing hope for better tie...16 year old Nigerian Teen

Think Nigerian Youths are Lazy, fam Think AGAIN!!!

A 16-year-old Nigerian girl is making the country proud in America. The first year student of Augsburg University, Oluwatofunmi Oteju, was awarded the Emerging Leader of the Year award for 2018 by the University held on the 8th of April, 2018.

The award designed to recognize students who participated in the Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) during 2017 fall semester, was used by the University to celebrate students who demonstrated active involvement in student activities, student governance, and student life at Augsburg during the academic year.

In recommending Oluwatofunmi for the award, her international student advisors, James Tresland Porter and Angela Bonfigilio wrote that she exhibited calm presence and showed strong leadership within her short stay on campus.

In her short time here, despite her age, she has shown extreme maturity and leadership on campus,  her Advisor wrote in her recommendation form.

The recommendation stated further that Tofunmi was awarded for her selfless contributions in the area of guiding International Students in settling into the University environment.

The University stated that Tofunmi impressed it with her confidence in navigating Augsburg and the opportunities around her with humility.

Credit: Sulaimon Mojeed Sanni

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Nigerian lady explains Cee-Cs bitterness

A viewer of the Big Brother Naija show, has asked other viewers not to judge controversial housemate, Cee-C, saying that the reason shes the way she is is because of her family background.

This lady, Adenike, who presumably knows at least a handful about the drama queens family, shared why viewers shouldnt be quick to judge her actions in the house but rather be sympathetic with her.





She says her father brought bitterness to their family and this is what is affecting her in the Big Brother house Adenike wrote,

Guys, CeeCs dad left her sick mum to marry his secretary, only for the woman to die and her married a second, and only for the family to discover the secretary already had two kids for him while their mum was alive. CeeC them are from Ozubulu in Anambra state and her father lives at New Haven in Enugu. Most of these happenings in their family made them angry and bitter. Please do not blame her too much.

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Punch

Some suspected Fulani herdsmen invaded six communities in Saghev council ward of the Guma Local Government Area of Benue State where 10 persons were reportedly killed.

Vanguard

On the march again! Whereas Professor Attahiru Jega, immediate past National Chairman of the Independent National

The Nation

The Police are still working round the clock to arrest the eight men who, on Wednesday, stormed the Senate chamber and ran away with the mace.

The Sun

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has stated that Rivers people would not allow any form of political robbery in 2019. Thisday

The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, has expressed disappointment over the federal governments poor attitude to the attraction of foreign investors. Sanusi said this in an interview with journalists at the on-going US-Nigeria Investment Summit 2018 taking place in Washington DC.

Daily Times

The National Youth Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Sunday Udeh-Okoye, has lashed out at President Muhammadu Buhari over his comments in London describing Nigerian youths as lazy and uneducated.

Tribune

MINISTER of Sports, Solomon Dalong has said if the President Muhammad Buhari loses the 2019 election, he and his colleagues will accept the outcome of the election and escort the president to Daura.

Leadership

President Muhammadu Buhari has paid tribute to Nigerias foremost social critic and selfless legal luminary, Chief Abdul Ganiyu Gani Fawehinmi, SAN, on his posthumous 80th birthday, describing the late legal icon as a true conscience of the nation, defender of democracy and peoples rights advocate.The Handmaids Tale Photoshoot

4/22/2018 ISO 1200 Magazine 0 Comments









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About Antti Karppinen:

Antti Karppinen is internationally awarded commercial photographer / digital artist and educator from Finland. Antti has won dozens international awards for visual artistry & commercial photography and is now working and educating worldwide. Major merits are World Photographic Cup Gold medal in the illustrative category and FEP photographer of the year Golden camera also in the illustrative category. He has also won the portrait photographer of Finland competition. Let's Get Connected: www.anttikarppinen.com Antti Karppinen is internationally awarded commercial photographer / digital artist and educator from Finland. Antti has won dozens international awards for visual artistry & commercial photography and is now working and educating worldwide. Major merits are World Photographic Cup Gold medal in the illustrative category and FEP photographer of the year Golden camera also in the illustrative category. He has also won the portrait photographer of Finland competition.







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Capturing a feeling on the film, relaying an emotion with a camera. This is what great movies do, and this is what I aspire to do with my images. This is probably also why Im so keen on making movie themed images, which I consider to be a form of art trying to express the mood of the film with one single picture. Now, imagine me watching a powerful and strikingly visual tv-production I cannot help it, I need to try out if I can express the same emotions through my work.This project also got me thinking about the difference between photography and what I do. A great photograph is usually considered to be an accurate, often beautiful repetition of reality. For me, creating an image is more like a movie production where Im the director having a vision and bringing all the components together rather than the cinematographer behind the camera dealing with the technical aspects of making the shots. In my work also the end result is not necessarily a depiction of reality but an expression of what could be.This time it was the dystopian world imagined by Margaret Atwood in her television adaptation HBO Hulu hit series The Handmaids Tale . If you havent seen it yet, you should, because both the visuals and the story are haunting. The storyline seems impossible, unbelievable, even ridiculous: a story of a woman living in a patriarchal society with only men having access to education and holding political positions, where women are regarded as second-class citizens. They are not allowed to hold any property, vote, be employed or even read or write. All fertile women are assigned to be slaves to a high-class family where their duty is to get pregnant by the men and provide them with a child. Not possible, right?A society where religion is used to justify all the terrible things people do to each other, where the laws are strict and breaking them is punished ruthlessly. A world where media is censored and being replaced with propaganda to shove ideals and values to the throats of the citizens. Not possible.right?This is the story taking place in the imaginary Republic of Gilead , but there are eerily familiar echoes of our world today. It is downright scary to think that a totalitarian region like Gilead could actually happen somewhere and that even a safe country with western values like Finland could be brainwashed to trade out its core values. We already have countries led by bigotry leaders corrupted by unlimited power, running only their agenda, disrespecting women, suppressing minorities and trying to stop media from reporting it like straight from the regime of Gilead. I hope that this kind of dystopian future is never going to happen, and seeing the warning signs will turn us toward more tolerable and equal future instead. We all want to live in a world where people can be fully in charge of their own bodies, dreams and hopes. It is possible, right?Better never means better for everyone It always means worse, for some.The story really got under my skin, and you can see from the images that the photo shoot was emotional also to my models Laura and Karri. I know how strong a single image can be, and I hope that the distressing feeling of Gilead carries through from the images even for people who have not seen the TV-show, after all the story is about the universal themes of domestic abuse, rape, loneliness, depression, religion, corruption by power, infertility but also empowerment, resilience and silent resistance. Even though this series of images is not delightful, I hope that the last image will leave you with one of the most important messages of the Handmaids Tale:Nolite te Bastardes Carborundorum. Dont let the bastards grind you down.-CREDITSHandmaid : Laura Putila (costume / hair / makeup)Commander: Karri Lampsa Assistant: Juho Korpela Special thanks to Koivumaen Kartano for letting us have our small photoshoot in your premisesClose Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

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Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.By CURT ANDERSON , Associated Press

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP)  A gunman who carried a shotgun in a guitar case opened fire Friday in a Florida high school, wounding one student before he was arrested on a day planned for a national classroom walkout to protest gun violence, authorities said.

It happened at Forest High School, which was put on lockdown, the Marion County Sheriff's Office reported. A 17-year-old boy was taken to a local hospital for treatment of a non-life threatening wound to his ankle.

Some students and teachers piled desks and filing cabinets against classroom doors as a makeshift barricade.

Police initially said the 19-year-old suspect is also a student at the school, but later said he was a former student not currently enrolled. No charges were immediately announced.

The shooting comes just over two months after a gunman killed 17 people and wounded 17 others at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Nikolas Cruz, 19, faces the death penalty if convicted in that Valentine's Day shooting.

It also coincided with a nationwide student walkout to protest gun violence on the anniversary of the 1999 massacre at Colorado's Columbine High School. The Ocala school had planned its version of a walkout, students said.

Chris Oliver told the Ocala Star-Banner that his 16-year-old son, a Forest student, told him the shooting happened near his classroom. The boy told Oliver the shooter stood in a hallway and fired at a closed classroom door. The shooter then dropped the weapon, ran and tried to hide, the boy told his father.

Craig Ham, deputy superintendent of Ocala schools operations, said the gunman carried the shotgun in a guitar case into the school by blending in with students. Ham told reporters the shooter fired at the bottom of a locked classroom door, and pellets struck the victim in the ankle.

Jake Mailhiot's psychology class had just begun Friday morning when school officials announced a "code red" alert over the intercom.

"You could hear in their voice that this wasn't a drill," the 16-year-old junior said.

Prepared for such alerts, students and teachers leapt into action to barricade the classroom's one door and block the door's window.

"Our teachers started pushing file cabinets and desks toward the door, and a few friends and I joined in," Mailhiot said. "We also started tying together some jackets to hang out the window, in case we needed another way out."

In a photograph Mailhiot shared on social media, the classroom door is invisible behind a tall pile of furniture.

Mailhiot said about 15 people in the classroom waited over 30 minutes to be evacuated by Ocala police. They were instructed to leave with their hands up, he said.

The school had planned to participate around 11 a.m. in a walkout commemorating the Columbine shooting.

Marion County schools Superintendent Heidi Maier decided weeks ago that any students who walked out would be punished. Instead, Maier instructed the seven mainstream high school principals to meet with students to develop a topic of discussion for a 30-minute session. All such events were canceled Friday.

Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods praised the quick response by the school resource officer, as well as school personnel and first responders. In the Parkland shooting, school resource officer Scot Peterson retired amid accusations he didn't do enough to confront the Stoneman Douglas gunman.

The Forest resource officer, Marion County Sheriff's Deputy James Long, "did not hesitate. He went right in," Woods said at a news conference. Woods said Long heard a "large, loud banging sound" and immediately responded.

The sheriff said the suspect wasn't injured, wasn't fired at and was arrested without resistance.

"Marion County does everything to protect their children," Woods said.

Afterward, all students were taken by bus with a police escort to First Baptist Church of Ocala, where parents gathered to pick them up, officials said.

Rachael Carter was at the church waiting to be reunited with her daughter, a 10th-grader who turned 16 this week. Carter's pastor called her when he saw a post on social media.

"I'm shaking like a leaf in a hurricane," Carter said.

She that once she's reunited with her daughter, she will "stick to her like Velcro."

Students who saw anything related to the shooting were being interviewed by investigators.Ocala police, the sheriff's office, the Florida Highway Patrol and the FBI were investigating. They divided into teams that cleared all buildings, vehicles and the parking lot area. Once all students were off campus, authorities began conducting a more methodical search.

Forest High has an enrollment of more than 2,000 students, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

___

Associated Press reporter Jennifer Kay in Miami contributed to this story.Police attend the scene of an evacuation at Mont Saint-Michel, on France's northern coast, Sunday April 22, 2018. Authorities are evacuating tourists and others from the Mont-Saint-Michel abbey and monument in western France after a visitor apparently threatened to attack security services. (Denis Surfys via AP)recorder report



ISLAMABAD: After no successful projects in 2014-16 and below par performance since 2010, Pakistan posted its best performance with 50 percent of operations assessed successful in 2015-17, says Asian Development Bank (ADB).



The ADB in its latest annual evaluation review 2018, the quality of project design and preparation for efficiency and sustainability stated that in 2017, 6 of 10 non-sovereign projects were found successful including two projects in Pakistan, ie, (i) construction of the first wind power plant in Pakistan under a new regulatory environment with the projects viability contributing to a subsequent expansion of the sector and (ii) large-scale hydropower viability for Pakistan.



The report further stated that technical assistance for the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India natural gas pipeline helped reduce political risk and is serving as a catalyst for private investments.



The ADB has also facilitated government initiatives to export power to regional markets through the TurkmenistanUzbekistanTajikistanAfghanistanPakistanIndia electricity transmission lines.



The average efficiency level of the eight largest portfolios in 201017 (Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam) was 70 percent, compared with 65 percent for other developing member countries (DMCs). This was an improvement over 200109 when the eight largest DMCs had an average efficiency level of 57 percent.



The Peoples Republic of China showed the highest level of efficiency and Pakistan the lowest in both periods. In 201017, the proportion of projects of the eight largest borrowers judged likely sustainable (70 percent) was higher than the proportion for the rest of ADBs DMCs (62 percent).



Completed projects in Vietnam showed the highest level of sustainability while projects in Pakistan showed the lowest level in 200109.



SALEM, Ore -- Marion County Sheriff's deputies are investigating a multi-vehicle crash that happened at 4:51 a.m. on April 21. Two 16-year-old males were traveling in a Black Ford Explorer.

The driver of the Explorer is currently lodged at the Marion County Juvenile Detention Center on charges of assault in the second degree, reckless driving, and felony hit-and-run. The passenger was transferred to the hospital with serious injuries. The names of either of the teenagers have not been released.

The Sheriff's Office reported that the Explorer was traveling east on Marht Ave and was going very fast, in a manner that was reckless. The driver then crashed into a Black Toyota and two other parked cars. The crash also caused significant damage to the yard of a residence. The exact speed is unknown at this time. The driver of the Toyota, Josue Amezquita Fonseca, 26, of Salem was taken to the hospital.

This crash in under investigation.EUGENE, Ore. - Pro-gun activists gathered at the federal courthouse in Eugene on Saturday, April 21, to show their support for the second amendment. Specifically, a group of women organized the event to show female support for the right to bear arms and discomfort with the idea of proposed gun reforms.

In the wake of different events like national walkouts and the March for Our Lives events, supporters say theres been a lot of talk about gun reform that they dont feel happy about. They said the right to bear arms is just that, a right, and theyre not planning on giving up that right.

"People assume that this is up for debate. And this is one of our rights, and we will keep them," said Abigail Mathews, a co-organizer and speaker at the event.

Many supporters felt that proposed gun reforms wouldnt actually end up making the country or state safer. They would just end up leaving responsible citizens defenseless.

"The criminals are not going to turn their guns in. They're still going to keep their weapons, and the law-abiding citizens, we're not going to have our weapons. We're not going to be able to protect ourselves," said Lesley Reeves, another co-organizer and speaker at the rally.

Organizers of the event said its important to recognize why women would support the second amendment. Many of them said they carry to defend themselves because it can be a scary world for a girl. One woman said she has a teenage daughter that lives on her own, and she couldnt imagine her not being able to protect herself against a possible home invader. Another woman shared a story about a time a man tried to break into her home, and the only thing that stopped him from harming her or her son was her gun.

Supporters said they know this isnt the end of their fight. They said theyll continue to push back against proposed reform that they feel infringes on their rights.ROCHESTER, Minn. - St. Mary's Hospital has updated the condition report on the three victims of a Saturday crash in Olmsted County.

Sharada Yanambaka is now listed in fair condition and Ahmed Ali has been upgraded to good. Barbara Sauter remains in critical condition.

Previous story below

HIGH FOREST TOWNSHIP, Minn.  Three people suffered what are described as life-threatening injuries after a two-vehicle collision Saturday in Olmsted County.

The Minnesota State Patrol says it took place around 5:50 pm at the intersection of Highway 30 and Olmsted County Road 8, west of Stewartville. The State Patrol says a southbound car driven by Sharada Yanambaka, 24 of Rochester, apparently failed to obey the stop sign and crashed with the westbound car driven by Barbara Noreen Sauter, 68 of Hayfield.

Yanambaka, Sauter, and a passenger in Yanambakas vehicle, 21-year-old Ahmed Mohsin Ali of Rochester, were all taken to St. Marys Hospital for treatment. As of Sunday morning, Yanambaka is listed in serious condition, Sauter is being described as critical, and Ali is listed in fair condition.

The Olmsted County Sheriffs Office, Stewartville Fire Department, Gold Cross Ambulance, and Mayo One assisted at the scene of this collision.SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he would halt nuclear tests and intercontinental missile launches, in a Saturday announcement welcomed by US President Donald Trump ahead of a much-anticipated summit between the two men.



Pyongyangs declaration, long sought by Washington, will be seen as a crucial step in the fast diplomatic dance on and around the Korean peninsula.



It comes less than a week before the North Korean leader meets South Korean President Moon Jae-in for a summit in the Demilitarised Zone that divides the peninsula, ahead of the eagerly-awaited encounter with Trump himself.



But Kim gave no indication Pyongyang might be willing to give up its nuclear weapons, or the missiles with which it can reach the mainland United States.



The North had successfully developed its arsenal, including miniaturising warheads to fit them on to missiles, Kim said, and so no nuclear test and intermediate-range and inter-continental ballistic rocket test-fire are necessary for the DPRK now.



As such the Norths nuclear testing site was no longer needed, he told the central committee of the ruling Workers Party, according to the official KCNA news agency.



The party decided that nuclear blasts and ICBM launches will cease as of Saturday  the North has not carried any out since November  and the atomic test site at Punggye-ri will be dismantled to transparently guarantee the end of testing.



Within minutes of the report being issued, Trump tweeted: This is very good news for North Korea and the World  big progress! Look forward to our Summit.



Seoul too welcomed the announcement, calling it meaningful progress towards the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.



But Kim offered no sign he might be willing to give up what he called the Norths treasured sword, saying its possession of nuclear weapons was the firm guarantee by which our descendants can enjoy the most dignified and happiest life in the world.



Pyongyang has made rapid technological progress in its weapons programmes under Kim, which has seen it subjected to increasingly strict sanctions by the UN Security Council, the United States, the European Union, South Korea and others.



Last year it carried out its sixth nuclear blast, by far its most powerful to date, while Kim and Trump traded threats of war and personal insults as tensions ramped up.



Even when there was an extended pause in testing, US officials said that it could not be interpreted as a halt without an explicit statement from Pyongyang.



South Korean envoys have previously cited Kim as promising no more tests, but Saturdays news is the first such announcement directly by Pyongyang.



Analysts cautioned that the declaration was promising but limited.



Certainly this is a positive development, said Daniel Pinkston of Troy University. Its a necessary but not sufficient step in North Korea returning to its past non-proliferation commitments.



And Christopher Green of the International Crisis Group added on Twitter: I dont see how North Korean statement constitutes a step toward denuclearisation. It is a moratorium on testing, but recommits North Korea to nuclear weapons status.



Japan  which has seen missiles fly over its territory  gave a mixed response, with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe offering a cautious welcome but his defence minister saying North Korea did not mention the short- or medium-range missiles that put Tokyo within reach.



Beijing said it believed the move would help to promote the process of denuclearisation and attempts to find a political settlement on the penAFP



UN chief Antonio Guterres hailed Kims announcement as a positive step forward on the path towards denuclearisation.



The EU also welcomed it while Russia said it was an important step towards the future easing of tensions on the peninsula.



The formal declaration of an end to testing comes after Kim reiterated the Norths nuclear status in his New Year speech and said he had a nuclear button on his desk  prompting Trump to tweet that he had a bigger one of his own.



Events have moved rapidly since then, catalysed by the Winter Olympics in the South, and Seoul is now pushing for a peace treaty to formally end the Korean War, raising hopes that a settlement can finally be reached on the peninsula.



But there is a long way to go and Moon himself acknowledged this week that the devil is in the details.



The US is seeking the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation of the North, while according to Moon, Pyongyang wants security guarantees, potentially leaving much space for disagreement.



The North has long demanded the withdrawal of US troops from the peninsula and an end to its nuclear umbrella over South Korea, something unthinkable in Washington.



But Kim told the Workers Party meeting: A fresh climate of detente and peace is being created on the Korean peninsula and the region and dramatic changes are being made in the international political landscape.



For years, the impoverished North has pursued a byungjin policy of simultaneous development of both the military and the economy.



But the leader said that as it was now a powerful state, the whole party and country should concentrate on socialist economic construction.



Several factors have driven the Korean rapprochement, including the North feeling that it can now negotiate from a position of strength, concern about the belligerence of the Trump administration, and the looming impact of sanctions.-AFP



ROCHESTER, Minn. --

On Saturday, the Rochester Habitat for Humanity Restore hosted pre-Earth Day festivities.

Shoppers had the opportunity to play ring toss to earn 10, 20, or 30 percent off of their purchase, or plant vegetable or flower seeds in biodegradable egg cartons.

Earth Day ties in with the Restore's mission to be sustainable by keeping donated items out of the garbage.

"We're constantly helping people dispose of things they no longer need, while keeping it out of the trash. We're able to bring it in here, sell things that are still in good, usable shape, and get it a new home," explains assistant manager Amanda Kintzi.

100% of profits from the Restore go to the Rochester Area Habitat for Humanity.CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa  A federal judge has thrown out most of the lawsuit filed by a former inmate of the Cerro Gordo County Jail.

King Allah James, 27 of Mason City, sued the jail, several members of the jail staff, and Cerro Gordo County Sheriff Kevin Pals in October 2017. James claimed he had been physically mistreated while being returned to his cell as a prisoner, been given the wrong medication, and forced to use a soap that irritated his skin. The defendants denied all of those allegations.

Linda Reade, U.S. District Court Judge for the Northern District of Iowa, has issued a summary judgment in favor of the defendants on those claims. In her ruling, Judge Reade states that James offered no evidence to support his accusations other than his own uncorroborated statements.

However, James filed an additional complaint that accuses a jailer of using unreasonable force when escorting James back to his cell on a different occasion, says James was tightly restrained and placed in the back of a van without a seat belt for a 2  hour drive during which the driver repeatedly sped up and hit the brakes to cause James pain, and alleges James was placed in a padded cell for five days and denied running water, hot meals, and medical treatment. The defendants filed a response denying the accusations in general but Judge Reade ruled that because they did not deny the specific details alleged by James, this additional complaint may proceed through the court system.

James is currently serving a two-year state prison sentence for assault on a jailer. He is expected to be released in September.ROCHESTER, Minn.  Mary Idso and her husband built a near net-zero energy home, meaning it saves almost the same about of energy as it uses.

Mary said its kind of her dream house. It not only shows their commitment to living a more green lifestyle, it saves them some green too.

We probably are spending one third of what we would spend normally, Mary said.

This thanks in part to good appliances, insulating infrastructure, and solar panels that help convert sun energy into usable energy from the house. Mary and her husband also get money by selling unused energy back to Rochester Public Utilities.

The couple is opening up their home for tours, hoping to show people how living sustainably can be done. But Mary recognizes not everyone can spend three years building a home such as hers, but says little differences every day can make a big difference.

Taking your own bag to the grocery store, saying you don't need a straw or three or four in your glass of water or in your glass of water or soda, she said. You know it's, those are small things. But if everyone was doing the same thing, it would make a huge, huge difference.

And as a mother and grandmother, Mary asks why someone whouldnt want to help make a difference.

These next generations, it's going to be a whole different thing for them. And we did not want our grandkids to turn around and say why didn't you do something, she said. Who would not want to have a better planet to turn over to the next generation?

The tours of Marys home will be on Friday, April 20 starting at 2pm.GOODHUE, Minn.

"We obviously can't just go burn houses down to train for the real thing," explains Rochester Fire Department Captain Caleb Feine. That's why area fire fighters light fires in buildings people want demolished. They practice extinguishing the fires, and then burn down the structure at the end of the day.

The Goodhue Fire Department hosted the training burn on Saturday for their crew as well as firefighters from Rochester, Mazeppa, and Cannon Falls.

The old farm house they burned down in Goodhue was in rough shape. Burning it down will make room for the new house the family wants to build on the property, while also giving firefighters real-life experience in a controlled setting.

The process allows firefighters in training to not only get real life experience putting out a fire, but also understand how and why fires spread in a certain way, and why the techniques they use work to extinguish it.

Feine says this is his third training burn of the year, and he estimates he will likely attend around a dozen in a year.

For inexperienced firefighters, "This is a great opportunity to get them that first fire not in an emergency setting and know more of what to expect," says Captain Feine.

The Rochester Fire Department is also promoting Close Before You Doze, a national campaign that encourages people to close their doors before they go to sleep.

Feine explains, "Having a barrier between the fire and you will give you more time get out of the house in such an emergency."

Because of increased use of synthetic materials in houses and furniture, fires spread much more quickly than they did years ago.

According to the Close Your Door website, while people once had 17 minutes to escape a fire 40 years ago, that number has dropped to 3 minutes.CAFOs house large numbers of pigs, chickens, cows or other farm animals in what are described as "confinement buildings." (Pixabay)More than 90 percent of U.S. high school students don't get enough exercise to stay fit and healthy, according to a 2016 Journal of Pediatrics study. (pixabay)Man arrested on murder, arson charges





Edwin Neil King - Image courtesy of TBI



NASHVILLE  An investigation by Special Agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Ardmore Police Department, and Tennessee Fire Investigation Services has resulted in the arrest of a Giles County man on multiple charges, including murder and aggravated arson.



At the request of 22nd District Attorney General Brent Cooper and Ardmore Police, on February 21st, TBI Agents joined investigators with TFIS in investigating a series of arsons in Ardmore. Since January 2018, the Ardmore Police Department had responded to 13 fire scenes. One of those occurred at a residence on Pheasant Run, where the female homeowner was inside. The woman, 83-year-old Paulene Shelton, was pulled from the fire and transported to a hospital, where she later died from her injuries. During the course of the investigation, Agents developed information that identified Edwin King as the individual who set nine of the fires, including the fire that killed Paulene Shelton.



On Monday, the Giles County Grand Jury returned indictments charging 19-year-old Edwin Neil King with one count of First Degree Murder, two counts of Aggravated Arson, and four counts of Arson. King was arrested on Thursday and booked into the Giles County Jail on a $20,000 bond.

Published April 22, 2018













Knox County Court kiosk will assist self-represented litigants





All kiosks will provide information based on the Help4TN.org platform - Image courtesy of Help4TN.org



NASHVILLE  Self-represented litigants in Knox County will soon be able to conveniently access valuable legal information and resources. This is made possible through a grant provided by The Tennessee Supreme Court and the Administrative Office of the Courts.



The court kiosks will connect civil litigants with a variety of tools that they can use to better navigate the legal system, including information about legal aid offices, pro bono projects, court-approved documents, and more.



Courthouse visitors will access these resources via an onsite computer or tablet. The initiative, piloted by the Tennessee Supreme Court Access to Justice Commission, seeks to address a prevalent issue in the state.



A lack of legal representation is a problem that affects too many Tennesseans, Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Cornelia Clark said. While defendants in most criminal cases are guaranteed a lawyer, the same is not true for those who find themselves involved in civil cases. Often these cases deal with serious issues related to a persons health and well-being, which makes it especially important that litigants are aware of the legal resources available to them. I am both proud and excited that the Tennessee Supreme Court Access to Justice Commission has recently taken meaningful action to help mitigate this problem in the form of the court kiosk project.



So far, the AOC has announced eight counties that will receive funding to launch the kiosks over the next year. Courthouses in the following counties will get kiosks: Anderson County, Blount County, Dickson County, Hamilton County, Hawkins County, Knox County, Shelby County, and Sullivan County.



Each kiosk will be customized for the particular county. All kiosks, though, will provide information based on the Help4TN.org platform, which was developed by the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services and West Tennessee Legal Services. Help4TN.org serves as a storehouse of legal resources for self-represented litigants, offering educational materials related to a variety of subjects such as renters rights and child support, to name just a few.



The inspiration for the kiosk project came from the Access to Justice Public Awareness Subcommittee. General Sessions Judge Lee Bussart was on that committee and had grown concerned about the number of people she regularly saw in her courthouse in Marshall County who were in need of legal advice but were not represented by an attorney. On some days, as many as 400 people stream into the courthouse.



They ask the clerks so many questions, and I get a lot of questions in court: What do I do, what do I do? Judge Bussart said. And, I think its a bad advertisement for our system to just say to those people, I cant help you.



As a judge, she is not allowed to give legal advice to pro se litigants and clerks cannot offer advice either because they are not attorneys. Judge Bussart decided it would be a good idea to try to help those litigants find free, reliable information online that could be of use to them.



Ive seen a lot of people pay for bad advice, and it was important to me to...not give them junk and not make them pay for junk, Judge Bussart said.



Building off of that idea, she convinced the Marshall County Bar Association to purchase a Chromebook for self-represented litigants to consult when they came to the courthouse. The Chromebook opens to a page designed to resemble Help4TN.org. From that page, litigants can find links to a number of free resources offering legal aid. The Marshall County Bar Association won a most innovative program award from the American Bar Association for its efforts.



The money for the kiosk grants came from both the Administrative Office of the Courts technology fund and from excess funding collected as a part of the Supreme Courts continuing legal education efforts.



The Tennessee Supreme Courts Access to Justice Commission was formed in 2009 as part of the Courts Access to Justice Initiative. That initiative is dedicated to meeting the legal needs of the many Tennesseans each year who are confronted with legal problems that they may not have the expertise or the means to adequately address.



More information about the Access to Justice Initiative is available on its website, justiceforalltn.com.

Published April 22, 2018













Strategy and Finance Minister Kim Dong-yeon, left, shakes hands with his U.S. counterpart Steven Mnuchin at a bilateral meeting in Washington, D.C., Saturday (local time). The meeting was on the sidelines of the G-20 finance ministers and central bank governors meeting. / Yonhap

By Jhoo Dong-chan



Korea's top economic policymaker has failed to reach an agreement with his U.S. counterpart on how and to what extent the Korean government discloses its interventions in the currency exchange market.



According to the Ministry of Strategy and Finance, Sunday, Finance Minister Kim Dong-yeon met U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in Washington, D.C., on Saturday on the sidelines of the G-20 finance ministers and central bank governors meeting. It was their fifth meeting since Mnuchin took the post.



The meeting drew market attention since the U.S. Treasury has long been demanding Seoul "make its interventions on the foreign exchange market transparent while promptly reporting" related data. Believing there's still room for further discussion, however, both sides have decided to continue negotiating over the issue.



"It's good for us to disclose (the records) gradually, and that can help it make a soft landing," Kim said.



"We will look into other variables such as IMF recommendations, G-20 agreements and other countries' cases, and it will reveal its records on currency market interventions at a gradual pace as part of efforts to lessen the possible impact on the market."



The ministry said Mnuchin agreed to further discuss details of the disclosure, but both sides are likely to face an uphill battle before narrowing their differences.



The key difference here is timing of the disclosure.



Sources say the Korean government wants to report its intervention records three months after it intervenes in the foreign exchange market based on 2015 Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) standards.



The U.S. government is, however, reportedly demanding 30-day disclosures. Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP11) member states such as Vietnam and Singapore reveal their intervention records on a biannual basis.



The meeting was a follow-up measure after Kim met IMF chief Christine Lagarde Thursday at the IMF head office in Washington, D.C. During the meeting, Kim stressed the government is considering measures to enhance market transparency.



Lagarde said the disclosure won't cause unwanted consequences.



Earlier this month, Washington announced it kept Korea on its "monitoring list" in the foreign exchange market, but has yet to designate it as a currency manipulator.



The U.S. has vowed to aggressively keep tabs on and combat unfair currency practices, saying it cannot and will not bear the burden of an international trading system it claims unfairly disadvantages American exports and gives an edge to its trading partners.

Incoming NH Financial Group Chairman Kim Gwang-soo

By Jhoo Dong-chan



New Nonghyup (NH) Financial Group Chairman Kim Gwang-soo said he will strengthen the non-banking sectors as the group's future growth engines. He did not specify a detailed plan, but the group will also expand its overseas operations as well.



"It is inappropriate to speak about my aspirations as the new NH Financial Group Chairman at this point since I am currently only the appointee. However, I do have a plan as CEO. I will explain my position at the inauguration," Kim was quoted as saying.



Kim said, however, during his interview for the chairman's post that he will strengthen the financial group's non-banking sectors such as securities, insurance and asset management while focusing on its global operations if he is appointed.



Former Korea Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) head Kim is set to lead NH as CEO starting April. 23. Kim's term of office is two years.



Sources said incumbent head Kim Yong-hwan was more likely to be given a third term in the position, given his track record of helping NH improve profit, but he failed to keep his post against the 61-year-old seasoned bureaucrat in finance.



A graduate of Seoul National University in economics, Kim started his public service career by passing the 27th Public Administration Examination. Recognized for his excellence in directing and managing financial policies, Kim was said to be in the vanguard of the nation's financial sector in helping overcome the 2008 Global Financial Crisis.



He is also known to have close connections with top government officials in the Moon Jae-in administration. Born in South Jeolla Province, Kim went to Gwangju Jeil High School, from which Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon also graduated.



Kim is also a close friend with Cheong Wa Dae's chief policy maker Jang Ha-sung, an economist and longtime activist who has called for chaebol reform and economic democratization.



He was even said to be nominated to head the Financial Services Commission (FSC) when President Moon was elected last year. He was then nominated to be the CEO and Chairman of the Korea Exchange.



Kim, however, left a scar on his shiny career when he was indicted for allegedly receiving a bribe from Busan Savings Bank in 2011 when he started working at the FIU. He managed to restore his reputation after he was found not guilty at the final ruling of the case by the Supreme Court.



After the scandal, he has been working as an advisor at local law firm Yulchon since 2014.



NH Financial Group posted a 859 billion won ($802 million) profit last year, doubling its earnings from the 402 billion won it reported in 2015, according to a filing with the Korea Exchange.

Song Yeon-ju, 24, an applicant for this year's state exam to select civil servants, seeks counseling from Deungmyoung, a young Buddhist monk who runs the "Mind Charging Station" in Noryangjin of southern Seoul, Wednesday. / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk



Buddhist monk runs 'Mind Charging Station' for troubled test-takers in Noryangjin



By Park Jin-hai



Song Yeon-ju, a 24-year-old applicant for this year's state exam to select civil servants, spends much time in Noryangjin in southern Seoul, and describes the place as an "isolated island" away from all the fashion and glamour of the city.



"Faced with the streets with many old buildings that house private academies that prepare students for the civil service exam, many worried looking young people my age wearing loose-fitting sportswear and slippers who even try to save their lunch times for studying, I feel the heartlessness and stuffiness in it," she said. She spent over one year to become a ninth-grade civil servant, an entry-level civil servant.



"On a warm spring day, my friends who landed decent jobs post their date pictures under the cherry blossom trees on social media, while I'm locked up here alone, going between institutes and study rooms. I ask myself: What am I doing here?"



Song is one of over 155,000 people who took the entry-level civil service exam earlier this month from which less than 5,000 people will be hired. Passing the test became difficult as the competition ratio is more than 31 to one.





Monk Deungmyoung leads the "Mind Charging Station," a mediation and counseling center opened in January by his teacher Rev. Magga in Noryangjin, southern Seoul, inspired by an elderly woman he met last year whose only son committed suicide after failing civil service exams for nine straight years there. The center aims to save young people wandering the streets. / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-sukSouth Korea and United States will hold their annual Key Resolve training exercise starting this week as scheduled, a military official said Sunday.

The simulation-based, command-post drill between the two allies is set to begin Monday and run for the next two weeks, the official said. The two countries started their four-week Foal Eagle field training at the beginning of this month.

But it's unclear whether the training will take place this Friday, when leaders of South Korea and North Korea are set to meet for a historical summit, the official said.

Seoul and Washington have maintained a low-key stance in carrying out their annual joint military drills since Pyongyang extended a series of reconciliatory gestures from early this year. The country participated in the PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games in the South in February.

Some observers raised concern over continuing the drills on the day of the inter-Korean summit, given the primary purpose of the military exercises, which is to train against a North Korean attack.

North Korea has long denounced such military exercises as a rehearsal for the staging of an invasion.

About 12,200 military troops have taken part in the annual drills in the past and the figure will be about the same for this year, according to the military. (Yonhap)Dozens of family members of American soldiers who either died or went missing while serving in the 1950-53 Korean War will come to South Korea this week to attend a memorial service program offered by the Seoul government, Seoul's ministry of veterans affairs said Sunday.

The families of eight fallen and 16 still unaccounted-for soldiers will arrive in Seoul on Monday for a six-day trip hosted by the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, the ministry said.

They plan to visit various places, including the national cemetery and key heritage sites, such as ancient royal palaces, as part of their tour, it added.

On Wednesday, they will attend a memorial service for American soldiers in Gyeonggi Province just outside of the capital. Stephanie Sims, granddaughter of missing Sergeant First Class John McCall will recite a letter she wrote to him.

Also on the trip will be a relative of Army Major Hugh Boyd Casey, who died during the war, the ministry said. One of the U.S. military camps in South Korea is named after him.

The U.S. and 15 other countries dispatched troops to help the South fight against invading North Korea during the war. Five others sent medical teams.

Nearly 1.8 million American troops participated in the conflict, with 33,686 of them killed and 92,134 wounded, official data showed. 3,737 went missing, and 4,439 were taken prisoner. (Yonhap)The Peace House, a building in the southern side of Panmunjeom, is seen at the truce village, Sunday. The house underwent renovation for the third inter-Korean summit to be held Friday. / Yonhap



Mobile coverage of summit to be available



By Kim Rahn



The two Koreas are gearing up preparations for the inter-Korean summit, with only four days to go before the historic bilateral talks over denuclearization slated for Friday.



Officials of the South and the North will have rehearsals of the meeting between President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un over many times this week, sometimes separately and sometimes jointly.



While discussions are still underway for some of the issues concerning protocol, security and media coverage, Seoul and Pyongyang agreed on many other parts of the meeting, such as live coverage of the two leaders' first encounter, their signing a visitors' book, and their conversation at the beginning of the meeting.



People will also be able to get real-time coverage of the scenes through mobile devices.



Two weeks of renovation work on Peace House, a building on the southern side of Panmunjeom that will be the summit venue, was finished last Friday. A meeting room was set up on the second floor of the house and a banquet room on the third, in case the two leaders have lunch or dinner together, which has not yet been decided.



The government is now bringing necessary electronic equipment, furniture, paintings, flowers and red carpets to the house, and the decoration work will be finished today.



On Tuesday, staffers of the summit preparation committee's subcommittees on agenda setting, communications and operational support will have a rehearsal of the whole process of the summit. Then more staffers will have another rehearsal in a more detailed way on Thursday, a day before the big day, sorting out any glitches that may be found during Tuesday's rehearsal.



North Korea will also send an advance group to Peace House on Tuesday and have similar rehearsals _ it means working-level officials of the two Koreas will virtually stay there together until the day of the summit, having real-time communications and cooperation.



Some of the protocol, security and media coverage issues have not been worked out, such as how Kim will cross the military demarcation line, how Moon will greet him, whether the first ladies will attend and meet together, whether the two leaders will have lunch or dinner together, and whether they will have a joint press conference after the meeting.



The two Koreas will have a third round of working-level meetings today to decide on such issues, and a second round of high-level meetings can be held as well if they need to finalize more details.



A situation room will be set up at Freedom House, another building on the southern side of Panmunjeom, where operational and security staffers from related ministries will stay until the day of the summit.



The main press center will open on Thursday at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, where nearly 2,800 journalists from around the world are expected to come. About 1,000 journalists came for the first inter-Korean summit in 2000, and around 1,700 for the second in 2007.



Moon and Kim will also likely have their first phone call as early as today through a hotline that was set up Friday. The direct communication line was installed between Moon's office and Kim's office at the State Affairs Commission, where Kim serves as chairman.



"The first phone conversation will be a chance for the two leaders to hear each other's voices directly for the first time," a Cheong Wa Dae official said. "They are likely to have a casual conversation, pledging to produce a substantial outcome in the upcoming summit."

Kim Jong-un seeks to gain more leverage in future negotiations



By Kim Bo-eun



North Korea is seeking to gain more leverage in future negotiations with the United States by dubbing itself a nuclear power state, according to sources. The reclusive nation is seeking to highlight its nuclear status to secure more economic incentives and guarantees of regime safety, they said.



North Korea announced Saturday the regime had completed developing nuclear weapons and readied them for use. The announcement came a day after a meeting of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party, presided over by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.



A resolution passed at the meeting stated it would suspend its nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.



Victor Cha, senior adviser and Korea chair for the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), made clear the declaration "is not a denuclearization statement."



This is because it only pledged not to make further provocations and did not state it would give up the nuclear weapons it retains.



Referring to a "test ban, no first use, and no transfer" in the statement, Cha told news outlet Axios on Saturday, "It is a statement that DPRK can be a responsible nuclear weapons state." DPRK is the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.



The international community cautiously welcomed North Korea's decision to freeze nuclear and missile tests and shut down its Pyunggye-ri nuclear test site, with different interpretations lingering over the intentions of the surprise decision.



Key states welcomed Pyongyang's decision, especially at this time when North Korea will have a summit over denuclearization with South Korea this week and with the U.S. in late May or June.





Seoul should not be dazzled by NK's missile test suspension



This is the first in a series of interviews with international experts on the Korean Peninsula to discuss key issues at the upcoming inter-Korean summit slated for April 27.  ED.



By Kim Jae-kyoung





Stephan Haggard

South Korean President Moon Jae-in should not rush to settle things at the upcoming summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, according to an international expert on the Korean Peninsula, Sunday.



He stressed Moon and his administration should consider the summit as the first step of a long process to achieve denuclearization and ensure peace on the peninsula.



"We have to remember this is a process, and some initial steps toward dialogue are probably the most important outcome," Stephan Haggard, distinguished professor of political science at the University of California (UC) San Diego, said in an interview.



Haggard is the director of the Korea-Pacific Program at the UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy.



"Things will not be settled at the summit itself; they will gradually be settled by setting in a train of negotiations and channels between North and South that will permit other things to be done."



The specialist on the political economy of Korea called on Moon to raise some contentious issues during the historic summit scheduled for this Friday even if they might irritate the North's recalcitrant leader.



"Moon should at least raise difficult questions such as how conventional forces are deployed, the pursuit of new conventional weapons systems, family reunions, the ability of North Koreans to travel to the South and so on," he said.



Regarding Kim's announcement Saturday to suspend all missile tests and shut down a nuclear test site, he said not to give too much weight to his statement.



"The statement is really not saying that much. First, they have already paused and typically do when talks are going forward," he said.



Two survivors of a Vietnam War massacre, both named Nguyen Thi Thanh, take part in a press conference held at the National Assembly, Thursday. / Yonhap



By Choi Ha-young



Two survivors of a 1968 Vietnam War massacre, allegedly committed by South Korean soldiers, gave their testimonies in a hypothetical court hosted by local civic groups over the weekend, calling on the nation to admit to and apologize for the wartime crime.



The two Vietnamese women who have the same name  Nguyen Thi Thanh  respectively from Phong Nhi Village and Ha My Village, where massacres took place, relived their distressing memories during the "People's Tribunal" held at Oil Tank Culture Park in western Seoul.



Though it was a mock trial, it was held in preparation for their envisioned lawsuit for state compensation against the Korean government. Neither the Korean nor Vietnamese government has officially recognized the alleged massacre of Vietnamese civilians by Korean soldiers.



Former Supreme Court Justice Kim Young-ran, who is more famous for the anti-graft law named after her, presided over the trial.



The plaintiff from Phong Nhi Village, 58, lost her mother, older sister, younger brother and an aunt in a grenade attack by Korean soldiers on Feb. 12, 1968.



"Feeling suspicious about the atmosphere, my aunt told us to hide in the dugout in my home," she said. "About three Korean soldiers, holding a grenade, beckoned us to come closer. Then my brother moved toward the soldiers and they shot him."



The woman who was then a nine-year-old girl vividly remembers the bloody scene after the killings. "After gunshots, a Korean soldier started a fire in my home. My aunt, holding her baby, tried to stop him and he stabbed her in the stomach."



She and her older brother ran away from the burning home. Out of thirst she drank water and saw her intestines coming out through the wounds in her stomach. Later, she figured out one of the bodies piled in the rice paddies was that of her mother.



The other woman named Nguyen from Ha My Village, 61, said she survived a grenade attack by South Korean soldiers, thanks to her mother who protected her children under her body.



"Recovering from fainting, I learned my mother was killed. I couldn't save my younger brother," she said with sobs. "Later, my older brother went to the dugout and buried corpses of the villagers, but later found their tombs were destroyed."



Lawyers for the plaintiffs claimed Korean soldiers intentionally damaged their bodies to conceal their actions. The lawyers also revealed videotaped interviews of some of the former Korean soldiers who admitted to the killings. One of the soldiers, 72, said he served as an advance guard for the second squad.



"I heard it was the first squad that committed the massacre in Phong Nhi Village," he said in the interview. "On the next day, I went to Phong Nhi Village for reconnaissance and witnessed corpses placed in a row in front of me. Later I heard a company commander was summoned to Korea (who was in charge of the incidents) after being investigated."



At the end of the trial, the judge ruled against the defendant, the Korean government. "The court rules the government should compensate the victims and officially admit its responsibility for the massacres to restore their dignity. Further, it recommends the government investigate the military's wartime crimes during their war participation from 1964 to 1973."



The judge especially urged the government to make clear its wartime atrocities at facilities about Korean soldiers' participation in the war, such as exhibitions at the War Memorial of Korea.



Still, doubts remain about the motivation of the atrocities. The victims commonly said the villagers had friendly relations with the Korean soldiers, saying the soldiers often distributed food and snacks to the children. A villager of Ha My said he survived thanks to a Korean soldier he had made acquaintance with.



Civic activists who organized the event said authorities should answer to such matters. For this, they are planning to urge the National Assembly to set up a special taskforce to look into the cases and are also considering helping the victims file compensation suits against the Korean government.



"If the real court rules in favor of the victims, it will spur an official apology by the Korean President and initiate a state-led investigation into the case," said lawyer Lim Jae-sung, one of the event organizers.

By Yi Whan-woo







Turkey will celebrate the 98th founding anniversary of its parliament and Children's Day in Seoul on April 23.







The Turkish Embassy in Korea said last week the celebration will begin at 10 a.m. at Korea International School (KIS) in Gangnam-gu.







Other Turkish embassies around the world will celebrate with their own ceremonies.







The program in Seoul will include awards presented by Turkish Airlines. Three students will be awarded roundtrip tickets to Turkey for winning in an art and essay contest jointly organized by the embassy and KIS







A choir and orchestra comprised of students as well as a Turkish actress will be invited to the event.







Free Turkish ice cream will be available after lunch.







Representatives from Hana Bank will give gifts to the participants.







Turkey commemorates the first gathering of the Grand National Assembly on April 23, 1920, by attending ceremonies or laying wreaths at monuments to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the country.







Ataturk dedicated the country to children and Turkish schoolchildren take seats in the parliament for the day and symbolically govern the country. For instance, they elect a child president who addresses the country on national television.

By Yi Whan-woo



The embassies of France and the United Kingdom in Korea are joining their respective governments' campaigns against the use of chemical weapons.



Last week, the French Embassy released a statement by its President Emmanuel Macron over the intervention by French armed forces in Syria following a poison gas attack on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun in northern Syria.



It is suspected Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government was behind the chemical weapons attack. Both France and the U.K. joined the U.S.-led airstrike aimed at obliterating key weapons facilities in Syria on April 14.



"We cannot tolerate the normalization of the employment of chemical weapons, which is an immediate danger to the Syrian people and to our collective security. That is the meaning of the initiatives constantly promoted by France at the U.N. Security Council," the presidential statement read. "France and its partners will today continue their efforts at the U.N. to enable the creation of an international mechanism to establish responsibility, prevent impunity and obstruct any temptation on the part of the Syrian regime to repeat these acts."



The embassy also released a separate statement by Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian on the Syrian crisis. The minister listed out why the chemical escalation in Syria is not acceptable.



"It is not acceptable, because the use of chemical weapons is a violation of a fundamental standard of international law and humanitarian law," the statement read.



"The chemical escalation is not acceptable, because the Syrian regime had committed to fully decommissioning its arsenal. The chemical escalation in Syria is not acceptable, because, since the declarations by the French president, everyone has been aware of the consequences of a violation of the commitments made by the Syrian regime before the international community."



The statement announced by British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and released by the British Embassy here dealt with the attempted assassination last month of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salibsbury, England.



The Skripals were hospitalized for weeks in critical condition after being exposed to a Soviet-developed type of nerve agent known as Novichok. The father continues to be treated while the daughter has been released from hospital.



"We will now work tirelessly with our partners to help stamp out the grotesque use of weapons of this kind," the statement read.



"We must, as a world community, stand up for the rules-based order which keeps us all safe. The use of weapons of this kind can never be justified, and must be ended."



The U.K. held Russia responsible for the attack while Moscow has denied the accusations.

Chinese Ambassador to Korea Qiu Guohong, left, speaks with Army Lt. Gen. Kim Hae-seok, president of Korea National Defense University, during his visit to the school in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province, April 16. The ambassador later gave a lecture to senior officers of the Army, the Navy, the Air Force and the Marine Corps as well as high-level goverment officials. / YonhapBy Kim Jae-heun







Police searched a publishing company, Sunday, concerning an opinion-rigging scandal involving a ruling party lawmaker.







According to the police, they searched the company in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, and secured evidence including recorded footage from security cameras installed in and around the building.







The search occurred as the police have beefed up their investigation into the alleged massive manipulation of internet comments in online news articles amid growing criticism of their lax investigation.







The case has been sparked by allegations that Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Rep. Kim Kyoung-soo, a key loyalist to President Moon, is said to have been in contact with a blogger nicknamed Druking for years. The blogger is suspected of leading the online campaign.







The police said their investigation team is comprised of 36 officers after adding six experts and they are specialized in law, tax accounting and intellectual crime.







The police confirmed the suspect, known only by his surname Kim, sent 5 million won ($4,675) to the lawmaker's aide as a bribe. The lawmaker argued he returned the money.

By Lee Kyung-min



Hanjin Group Cho Yang-ho removed his two daughters from company management, in a move to limit blowback on the company over the fast-spreading controversy over their "anger management issues."



"I offer my deepest apology to the victims, company officials and the public at large on behalf of my daughters' misbehavior," Cho said in a press statement.



"I will have my daughters Cho Hyun-ah and Cho Hyun-min resign as KAL Hotel president and Korean Air senior executive, respectively. I will overhaul company management by strengthening the professional-oriented decision-making structure to prevent recurrence of any similar incidents."



The decision came amid souring public sentiment against group heiress Cho Hyun-min embroiled in allegations she splashed water in the face of an ad agency official  among many other forms of abuse  because she was "enraged" at his work performance.





The so-called "water rage" incident is similar to the "nut rage" case of her older sister Cho Hyun-ah that sparked nationwide outrage over the rich and powerful abusing their positions.



The announcement also follows an investigation launched by government agencies that failed to oversee the business affairs of the group. An internal inspection is underway at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport over why it failed to disqualify Cho Hyun-min, a U.S. citizen who identifies herself as Emily Lee Cho, from retaining a board of directors post at Jin Air, the group's low-cost carrier, for six years. Under the related law, a foreign national cannot hold a post on the board of a domestic or international logistics company.



Heavy punishment is expected for a number of ministry officials that had been responsible for paper reviews before granting the company's request for changes to the board of directors on three occasions between 2010 and 2016. The written requests submitted on all three occasions, according to the ministry, stated her name as Emily Lee Cho and her citizenship as American, a clear irregularity supervising officials should have detected. Jin Air said it was unaware of the related law, increasing criticism on the ministry for failing to observe proper enforcement of the law. The internal investigation could be expanded if referred to police or the prosecution to determine whether the conglomerate and the ministry condoned such an illegality knowingly and deliberately based on mutual understanding and possible quid pro quo.



The move to uncover many similar activities involving the Cho family is the latest in belated efforts to rectify the wrongdoings occurred under former administrations. The Korea Customs Service started an investigation into allegations the two sisters used the airline to smuggle luxury goods, furniture and other personal items by bypassing the necessary customs clearance protocols.



A team of agency investigators searched the homes of the two sisters and their brother as well as company headquarters at Incheon International Airport, Saturday, to identify whether they paid the due amount of taxes on furniture, personal clothing and home appliances purchased overseas. The officials said overseas financial transaction records will be matched with the items.



Meanwhile, a police investigation is ongoing into Cho Hyun-min over an allegation of evidence-tampering in the "water rage" case. Police searched offices belonging to her and the marketing department to confiscate four cellphones including two used by Cho and two others used by company executives attending the meeting at which the alleged abuse occurred. The officials looked into whether she made any efforts to talk the witnesses out of making statements against her by threatening or bribing them. Some witnesses said she threw an empty glass at the ad agency employee in which case she could be prosecuted for aggravated assault. Cho has denied the allegation, claiming she did not throw the glass. Hanjin is the largest shareholder of the full-service airline.





In July 1971, President Richard Nixon jolted the international status quo _ and set diplomatic nerves worldwide fluttering _ by announcing he would visit China. "Never in history, to our knowledge, have diplomatic relations progressed so fast from the ping-pong table to the presidency," this page breathlessly observed.







Nixon's bold overture reshaped the modern world and has paid vast dividends to Washington, to Beijing and to the general stability of global geopolitics.







Now another potentially seismic diplomatic event takes shape: President Donald Trump plans to clink glasses with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un. Yes, the same dictator Trump taunted on Twitter as "Little Rocket Man." Trump hopes to strike a deal with the North Korean leader to relinquish his nuclear weapons arsenal.







What could go wrong? Just about everything, critics say. Skeptics carp that Kim wins a huge propaganda bonanza just by sitting down with the West's leader without first promising concessions in return.







But Trump is taking a smart calculated risk.







The main reason is that Trump doesn't have any better options to resolve this conundrum without military action. Several decades of patient American diplomacy, from the Clinton administration in the 1990s through those of Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, failed to achieve the key goal: to prevent North Korea from threatening the U.S. and the world with nuclear weapons.







Kim now has up to 60, and he is intent on building more. He also has ballistic missiles that could hit U.S. cities, including Chicago, with a nuclear payload.







The Trump-Kim summit is tentatively planned for late May or June in a location to be determined. Meanwhile, Trump is cleverly lowering expectations _ here and in Pyongyang _ about what, if anything, the meeting may yield.







"If I think that it's a meeting that is not going to be fruitful, we're not going to go," he said. "If the meeting, when I'm there is not fruitful, I will respectfully leave the meeting."







Translation for Kim: Don't bring empty promises. The U.S. has been there and done that with your predecessors.







Should the two hit it off, Trump has plenty to offer Kim in return for surrendering nukes. One bargaining chip is a final peace treaty with South Korea, which is also reportedly on the agenda of upcoming talks between Seoul and Pyongyang.







Americans may be surprised to learn that the Korean War technically isn't over. Combat ended with an armistice signed in 1953. But negotiations over a peace treaty stalled.







A treaty now could eventually bring normal relations and allow Pyongyang to escape Western sanctions. But will Kim pay the price? Or does he merely seek to upstage the master showman and keep building nukes? The hermetically sealed Hermit Kingdom is mysterious: Outsiders don't know its arcane internal politics.







Could Trump dazzle the world with a foreign relations master stroke? Sure. Nixon went to China and returned triumphant. Not because he delivered a big deal, but because he started a diplomatic process that eventually opened China to the world.







True, Trump is no savvy foreign relations pro like Nixon. He's a deal-maker, blusterer and serial mind-changer. His diplomatic maneuvering is as subtle as a body slam.







This matchup could yield nothing more than bombast and political theater. But we hope to write a post-summit headline like the one that appeared on this page after Nixon finished his 1972 visit: "Yes, It Was Worth It."









The above editorial appeared in the Chicago Tribune (

). It was distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.









More than 1,000 protesters march to support #MeToo near Hyehwa Station, northeastern Seoul, Saturday. / Korea Times photo by Lee Suh-yoon



By Lee Suh-yoon



Thousands of people rallied across the nation, Saturday, to renew their commitment to #MeToo and call for more constructive moves.



"We cannot let #MeToo end as a one-time event," said Kim Hye-jung, deputy director at the Korea Sexual Violence Relief Center, who joined the massive march in Hyehwa, northeastern Seoul.



"Spring is here. The real work begins now."



Along with Seoul, protestors rallied in five cities  Gwangju, Jeonju, Daegu, Gimhae, and Pohang  on the day.



In the capital, more than 1,000 protesters marched from Marronnier Park to Sungkyunkwan University, shouting "We will build a new society with #MeToo. We are the wave of change."



The rallies took place amid growing signs of concern that the #MeToo movement is losing steam.



"The process is slow because perpetrators and their complicit spectators are fighting back against #MeToo," said Mun Jeong-in, a 21-year-old university student who also joined the rally on Saturday.



"They are aware  and afraid  of our new empowered presence."



Local media outlets, which were massively keen on #MeToo involving politicians and celebrities just a few weeks ago, have moved on to different topics. There is still, however, a steady stream of new #MeToo allegations by ordinary individuals on social media platforms such as Facebook.



"There is definitely less coverage of #MeToo in the news, but as you can see by the increasing number of people at #MeToo rallies, more people are actively identifying with feminism," said Bang Seung-hyun, a 24-year-old university student who identifies himself as a feminist.



Protesters hold handmade signs at a #MeToo rally held in Hyehwa, northeastern Seoul, Saturday. The sign on the right reads "My life matters more than your feelings." / Korea Times photo by Lee Suh-yoonA savory spicy hot noodle dish, known as "jjambbong" in South Korea, would not be complete without plenty of seafood dipped in hot spicy broth. / Photo from bbkk.kr



By Ko Dong-hwan



A shortage of squid in South Korea is confusing people in restaurants and convenience stores, with the crisis making the seafood more valuable than ever before and costlier to taste.



The amount of squid caught off South Korea and in other oceans fell by more than half in 2017. Only 130,000 tons were caught last year, as against more than 330,000 tons in 2014.



The shortage has hit retail markets and restaurants. At a Chinese restaurant in Seoul, some customers complained about spicy hot noodle, known "jjambbong" in Korea, because it did not contain as much squid as usual. The affordable popular dish contains seafood such as mussels, clams, oysters, shrimps and squid dipped in hot pepper-based red or white broth.



A spokesperson said that if the restaurant used the same amount of squid as before, the price would have to be raised. Chosun Ilbo referred to the popular ingredient as "golden squid."



Local franchise diner Jaws Ddeokbboki raised the price of a piece of deep-fried squid from 700 won ($0.65) to 1,000 won. Convenience store chain CU has raised the price of 24 snacks containing manufactured squids by up to 20 percent. Sauce and food manufacturer Sempio stopped making its two squid snacks in March.



The Korea Maritime Institute (KMI) said the price of one kilogram of refrigerator-stored squid in retail markets in April was 14,400 won, up 64 percent from two years ago. The same amount of frozen squid, selling for 11,800 won this month, was up 74 percent.



The rising temperature of oceans surrounding the Korean Peninsula is a major cause of the crisis. The species, which lives where cold and warm currents meet and form temperatures between 12-18C, have migrated from their usual areas in the East Sea to cooler North Korean waters.



Another reason is Chinese illegal fishing off South Korea. The KMI said Chinese vessels had taken seafood worth 1.3 trillion won a year from Korea waters.



Amid the crisis, Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said it would stabilize the domestic squid market by investing 17.78 billion won to buy 3,200 tons of squid in advance and roll them out in markets during the Lunar New Year holiday and Thanksgiving Day holiday when demand is heavy.





North Korea's state-run television KRT said on Saturday (April 21) that North Korea would suspend nuclear and missile tests effective immediately and abolish a nuclear test site in a bid to pursue economic growth and peace on the Korean peninsula.

North Korea leader Kim Jong Un said his country no longer needed to conduct nuclear tests or intercontinental ballistic missile tests because it has completed its goal of developing nuclear weapons, KRT said.

It marked the first time North Korea directly addressed its nuclear weapons programs, ahead of leader Kim's planned summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in next week and a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in late May or early June.

The North's official news agency KCNA released still photographs of the ruling party's plenary meeting held on Friday (April 20) where the decision was made.









North Korea may not possess transport capable of getting leader Kim Jong Un to his May meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, reports the Washington Post.

Citing a former CIA analyst, the Post reports that North Korea uses old long range Soviet aircraft. Analysts also told the paper that North Korean airline Koryo has shorter-range Tupolev jets.

Unconfirmed reports last month put Kim in China, saying he got there via an armored green train. If true, he could also travel by rail to a European venue via Moscow or to a spot in Russia itself. There are several North Korea to Russia train services in operation, according to travel website Seat61.com

Analysts say Kim could also borrow aircraft from one of its neighbors, or travel with South Korea or Sweden. However, the Post reports these options could be embarrassing for the North Korean leader. (Reuters)





By Arthur I. Cyr





The announcement by Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) that he will not seek reelection in 2018 is important but not entirely surprising. His campaign war chest is substantial, as always, and until the April 11 public retirement announcement, he has been characteristically active. Nevertheless, public as well as private speculation was growing that he would bow out this year.



The stated reason is that he wants to spend more time with his family. Observers rightly regard Ryan as a committed family man. He and wife Janna have three teenage children, a particularly challenging period in life.



Yet the relentless pressures of the post of House Speaker were also clearly a factor in his decision. His grimly determined demeanor of recent months provides visible evidence of the strain involved. Ryan also faced at least the possibility of election defeat in November.



Beyond personal considerations, structural changes in Congress make life tough for any House Speaker. Since the turmoil of the 1968 election, which included the assassination of Democratic presidential contender Senator Robert Kennedy (D-NY), both parties have embraced state primary elections to nominate their candidates.



In theory, the reform was supposed to make the whole process more fair and transparent. In 1968, RFK and rival Senator Eugene McCarthy (D-MN) slugged out a bitter battle in the few available primaries, while Vice President Hubert Humphrey sewed up the nomination through the route of party caucuses and party bosses.



In practice, relatively few voters participate in primaries. They are often intense activists, left-wing Democrats and right-wing Republicans. Reconciling the rigid zealots now populating Congress steadily gets harder.



Ryan's predecessor Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) stunned everyone, including allies, by announcing in September 2015 he was retiring from Congress. His tour of service in the top leadership post had been particularly, painfully difficult.



Republican right-wing zealots reacted with glee that Boehner would soon be gone. Their outlook is essentially narrow, shortsighted and ultimately destructive.



In 2013, Republicans managed to shut down the government for sixteen days as part of the effort to derail the Affordable Care Act. Democrats led by President Barack Obama used the Republican effort to political advantage. Boehner's move headed off a shutdown.



The practice of holding the federal budget hostage to controversial partisan party maneuvers has now gone on for some years. In 1994, Republicans took control of the U.S. House of Representatives after forty years in minority status. New Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich (R-GA) dramatically accelerated the trend of shifting that office from a relatively nonpartisan to highly partisan pulpit, a marked departure.



Then and later, White House Democrats and Congressional Republicans played an escalating game of budgetary chicken. The federal government did shut down briefly. In the political and public media maneuvering, President Bill Clinton  a brilliant political operator  was able to put the onus squarely on the Gingrich Republicans.



Publicly cool and politically cunning, Clinton moved ahead in the public opinion polls. He was helped by emphasizing fiscal restraint. In the 1996 presidential election, he defeated Republican nominee Senator Bob Dole of Kansas.



Sam Rayburn (D-TX) remains the longest-serving Speaker of the House. From the 1940s into the 1960s, he successfully practiced bipartisanship, despite the difficult politics of that era. Rayburn possessed exceptional political skills, but he had the advantage that both parties then were politically diverse and pragmatic.



Additionally, we expected presidents to be executives, not pure celebrities.



Arthur I. Cyr is Clausen Distinguished Professor at Carthage College and author of "After the Cold War." Contact acyr@carthage.edu

By Carl Bildt





STOCKHOLM  In an age defined by U.S. President Donald Trump's rage, Russian President Vladimir Putin's revisionism, and Chinese President Xi Jinping's unbridled ambition, the international order is becoming increasingly disorderly, dysfunctional, and even dangerous. How did we arrive at this state of affairs? And how can we leave it behind?



Until recently, the era following World War II was a time of benevolent liberal internationalism. The postwar order had begun to take shape as early as 1941, when U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill drafted the Atlantic Charter on a ship anchored in Canada's Placentia Bay.



Though Hitler had been victorious on the battlefields of Europe, Churchill and Roosevelt were determined not only to defeat the Nazi onslaught, but also to lay the groundwork for a future of peace and democracy.



They succeeded beyond what they probably imagined was possible. After the Atlantic Charter came the United Nations, the Bretton Woods institutions, the global trade system, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and much more. During the postwar decades of decolonization, many new countries emerged, and former enemies united under new alliances and an overarching structure of integration.



China's great "opening up" and the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991 marked the start of a quarter-century of truly remarkable global progress. In fact, judging by standard economic, political, and social indicators, it might well have been the best quarter-century in human history. There were no major wars between superpowers, global trade expanded and drove economic growth, poverty was more than halved, and rapid advances in science and technology delivered benefits to every corner of the world.



In recent years, however, the world has entered a new phase. The politics of idealism and hope have been replaced by the politics of identity and fear. This trend took root in one Western country after another, but its most notable manifestations have been in the two Anglo-Saxon countries that made the previous period of miraculous progress possible in the first place.



Today, the confused political debates in the United Kingdom are tragic to behold. Since the June 2016 Brexit referendum, Britain has searched in vain for an illusory concept of sovereignty that might prevent the massive loss of international power and influence that awaits it after its departure from the European Union. The kind of global statesmanship that the U.K. once offered the world has given way to parochial bickering.



But the confused politics of Trump's White House are of even greater consequence. For decades, the White House was a font of global leadership; today, it is a source of belligerent rhetoric that does not even pay lip service to the idea of a global order.



Indeed, the Trump administration's official National Security Strategy portrays U.S. efforts to safeguard the global order as counterproductive and self-defeating. The future it envisions will be defined wholly by conflicts between sovereign countries.



Revisions to America's strategic posture would be a reasonable response to Russian aggression and rule-breaking, particularly in Eastern Europe, and to China's growing assertiveness on the world stage.



But the U.S. president's first instinct should be to defend the international order against rising threats, while making adjustments to account for new realities. Addressing climate change, increased migration, and the revolution in information and communication technologies (ICT) will require new, comprehensive international agreements to protect the interests of sovereign countries.



Sadly, the pronouncements from Trump's White House seem to be aimed at undermining any sense of order, with the hope that the U.S. will come out on top in some future Hobbesian struggle for total global dominance.



By this logic, international trade should be regulated not by rules and institutions, but through unilateral protectionist measures and arm-twisting. And institutions like the EU  which aims to ensure order and stability through integration  are treated with indifference, if not disdain.



From China's perspective, the Trump administration's Hobbesian vision could prove appealing, provided that its economy continues to grow, and that it avoids serious domestic social or political upheaval. After all, with fewer global rules, China will face even fewer obstacles when asserting its growing influence abroad.



In this scenario, the loser would undoubtedly be the wider West, meaning not just Europe but countries like India, which will remain committed to liberal democracy, economic openness, and the values underpinning that miraculous quarter-century after the Cold War.



Even barring worst-case scenarios, the West will be facing a new world with new aspirants making new demands about the future. It would thus be a fateful mistake for Western powers to abandon the ideas and institutions that delivered prosperity and stability in previous decades. Above all, the two countries most responsible for creating the postwar international order must not turn their backs on it now.



Carl Bildt is a former prime minister and foreign minister of Sweden. Copyright belongs to Project Syndicate ( www.project-syndicate.org).

By Andrew Hammond





Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe finished his two day meeting with Donald Trump, Wednesday, after another U.S. geopolitical surprise. Trump confirmed that Secretary of State-designate Mike Pompeo had met over Easter with Kim Jong-un, the first such high level bilateral contact since 2000.



The Pompeo-Kim revelation is only the latest occasion in which Abe has been blindsided by Washington in recent weeks. Last month, for instance, he was caught on the hop by the White House's announcement of a potential summit between Kim and Trump.



While Abe said Tuesday that the president had shown "courage" in agreeing to meet Kim, Abe pressed that Trump put on the table the issue of Japanese nationals abducted in the 1970 and 1980s. He also took Japan's broader security interests into account in the meeting.



Tokyo remains worried Trump may look to a deal with Kim under which Pyongyang would agree to give up missiles capable of reaching the United States, without eliminating short- and medium-range missiles that threaten Japan. Here he will not have been reassured by Pompeo who said that Trump would seek "an agreement  such that the North Korean leadership will step away from its efforts to hold America at risk with nuclear weapons."



Abe was also caught unawares last month by Trump's announcement over U.S. trade tariffs, and he is especially concerned to mitigate tensions on the economic front given Trump's negative comments on the 2016 campaign trail about Japan.



While President Trump had warm words for Japan about a new potential bilateral free trade deal Wednesday, he has  previously  strongly criticized Tokyo for unfair trade practices involving car imports and exports; accused it of using monetary policy to devalue its currency to boost exports; and asserted that the bilateral security relationship had become too one-side with Japan needing to undertake more financial burden-sharing.



For Abe, his meeting at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida was therefore intended to showcase the enduring strength of U.S.-Japan relations. He sought assurances from Trump that it remains his view that "the bond between our two nations and the friendship between our two peoples runs very, very deep. This administration is committed to bringing those ties even closer."



Securing these commitments is important for Abe, right now, for two reasons. Firstly, his poll ratings have been hit by several domestic scandals over suspected favoritism and cover-ups. This political misfortune, which former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi asserts means Abe could resign as soon as June, has come as he had been contemplating a potential new term of office in a September vote, pledging to reboot the economy and bolster defense, and potentially being on a pathway to becoming the nation's longest serving premier.



Aside from North Korea, the key international reason Abe is keen to be close to Trump is Japanese concerns about a "rising China" in Asia-Pacific. He has particular worries about Beijing's growing influence in the context of the uncertainties that Trump's presidency will bring, including U.S. withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) which is a trade and investment deal originally intended to lock Washington into deeper economic partnerships with traditional U.S. allies in the region.



Moreover, there are also continuing tensions in the South China Sea. In this theater, it is not just Japan and the United States, but also other countries such as Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Brunei, that are in dispute with China in the sea through which some $5 trillion of ship-borne trade passes each year.



In this fluid geopolitical landscape, Abe is seeking to align his longstanding foreign policy plans around that of Trump's nascent agenda. Thus, in a context whereby Trump appears to want a more internationally assertive Japan, Abe would still like to overturn much of the remaining legal and political underpinning of the country's postwar pacifist security identity so that it can become more externally engaged.



One big, specific measure Abe wishes to push for is abolition of Article Nine. This is the clause in Japan's postwar constitution which constrains the country's military to a strictly defensive role rather than a conventional army, and has meant that defense spending has most often remained below 1 percent of GDP.



To overturn this, Abe would need not just a two-thirds majority in both chambers of the legislature, but also a simple majority in a national referendum. This could prove a major challenge  especially given his current domestic troubles  given the large body of Japanese public opinion which still values its postwar pacifism in the only country in the world to have ever been attacked with nuclear weapons.



Taken overall, the Florida meetings represented Abe's latest move to fortify Japan's longstanding U.S. alliance. With his domestic political standing at a potential tipping point, he doubled down on extracting concessions from Trump, including on North Korea, with only mixed success.



Andrew Hammond is an associate at LSE IDEAS at the London School of Economics. Contact him at andrewkorea@outlook.com.

North Korea should commit to complete denuclearization



North Korea's decision to suspend nuclear and missile tests and shut down its atomic test site bodes well for the April 27 inter-Korean summit and the Pyongyang-Washington summit set for May or June.



Citing the outcome of a key meeting of the ruling Workers' Party held on Friday, the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) announced the decision. "We will discontinue nuclear test and intercontinental ballistic rocket test-fire from April 21," the state-run media said Saturday.



The announcement does not necessarily come as a surprise as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has already expressed his willingness to denuclearize the North. Pyongyang has refrained from any nuclear tests since it conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear experiment last September. It has not launched any ballistic missiles since last November.



However, it was the first time Pyongyang officially announced its decision to halt any nuclear and missile tests. It also promised to shut down its nuclear test site in Punggye-ri. The North is apparently trying to create a favorable atmosphere for the upcoming summits.



Thus, we positively assess the North's decision and hope the reclusive country will move toward denuclearization and peace. Yet it would be better to express a cautious welcome because Kim has yet to promise to give up his nuclear and missile development programs.



The nuclear test suspension is certainly a step in the right direction. It is a necessary but not sufficient step toward scrapping the North's nuclear program. If history is any guide, Pyongyang has shown a track record of breaking its promises of denuclearization over the past 25 years.



That's why many North Korea experts at home and abroad are mixed with Pyongyang's move, although the South Korean presidential office and U.S. President Donald Trump welcome it. It is natural to be still dubious about what Kim is really up to.



In order to clear such skepticism, Kim should prove his genuine intent on denuclearization during his summit with Moon and Trump. Of course, Kim is trying to use the nuclear issue as a bargaining chip to extract as many concessions as possible from the South and the U.S.



At stake is how to narrow the difference between the North and the U.S. over how to denuclearize. Kim seeks a phased and simultaneous method to get rewards for every step he takes. On the other hand, Trump wants complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization.



Another positive sign is that Kim might shift his policy focus to reviving the impoverished North Korean economy. He has so far pursued a "byongjin" policy of developing nuclear weapons and the economy at the same time since he took power after the 2011 death of his father.



Now, Kim seems to be changing the policy so he can concentrate more on the economy after he declared the North a nuclear state. Seoul and Washington can take advantage of such a change to press Kim to abandon his nuclear ambitions in return for economic carrots plus security guarantees. The Moon-Kim summit this Friday will be the first testing ground for denuclearization and peace.





By Tong Kim





U.S. Secretary of State nominee Mike Pompeo traveled to Pyongyang for a secret meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un over the Easter weekend.



On April 18, U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted: "Mike Pompeo met with Kim Jong-un in North Korea. Meeting went very smoothly and a good relationship was formed. Details of summit are being worked out now. Denuclearization will be a great thing for world, but also for North Korea!"



Perhaps the most important task for Pompeo was to verify Kim's intent and his awareness of what is happening or what can happen to impact North Korea, and his seriousness to discuss denuclearization with Trump.



Pompeo seems to have confirmed Kim's commitment to denuclearization. It appears Pompeo returned home with the answers to other questions as well.



Pompeo told a Senate confirmation hearing on April 12, after his return from Pyongyang: "I'm optimistic that the United States government can set the conditions  so that the president and the North Korean leader can have that conversation [that] will set us down the course of achieving a diplomatic outcome that America and the world so desperately need."



On April 19, in a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Trump showed optimism for "a great meeting" with the North Korean leader in early June or sooner, for which the venue is yet to be determined. But he also said he will cancel the meeting or walk out "if it is not going to be fruitful." This time he said he wants to be flexible, not unpredictable.



Trump has warned that if the meeting fails, he would go back to maximum pressure on North Korea. All things considered, including his political interests at home, Trump genuinely seems to desire a resolution of the North Korean nuclear program with his wishes for both Koreas "to live in security, peace and prosperity."



At Panmunjeom on April 27, the leaders of the two Koreas are expected to lay out an initial path to end the technical state of war in Korea that has lasted for 65 years since the armistice agreement was signed in 1953.



Trump said: "They do have my blessing to discuss the end of the war." Trump's comment shows Seoul's close consultation with Washington regarding its preparations for the summit with the North.



Of course, the two Koreas cannot establish a peace regime or conclude a peace treaty alone without the agreement of the U.S. or also China. But they can and should take the initiative to that end.



If Moon and Kim announce a declaration to end the war and to begin the peace process, along with an agreement to work together for denuclearization, it would be encouraging progress in support of the coming U.S.-North Korea summit.



In the past, Pyongyang has shown its flexibility on the troop issue. In 1992 and 2000, the DPRK conveyed to Washington its willingness to allow a continued U.S. military presence in return for improvement of bilateral relations, provided the U.S. military changes its role from an invasion force to peace keeping, maintaining regional balance and stability.



One of the biggest impediments to a peace agreement has been North Korea's linkage to it with its demand of U.S. troop withdrawal. Some believe that the U.S. troop presence was the pretext for North Korea's nuclear development. This argument may be fundamentally correct. But the North Koreans have complained more about military threats from the combined ROK-U.S. military drills and U.S. hostile policy to stifle their regime.



At this point, Seoul and Washington have accepted the DPRK as their negotiating counterpart. No advocacy for regime change or military action against the North is being voiced. Yet, there is a lot of concern and uncertainty about what could really happen to the fate of the Korean Peninsula from these summits.



The inter-Korean summit will herald a prelude to the potential summit between Washington and Pyongyang. Even if both summits are successful, they are not expected to resolve all the complicated details at once. It will take follow-up negotiations over time, possibly a minimum of one to two years. Expecting too much too soon is a non-starter.



Tong Kim (tong.kim8@yahoo.com) is a Washington correspondent and columnist for The Korea Times. He is also a fellow at the Institute of Korean-American Studies.

By Jacco Zwetsloot





With the North and South Korea summit to take place in just a week, it makes me think back to my observation of inter-Korean relations since I arrived.



North Korea's Eternal President Kim Il Sung had died in 1994, and then-South Korean President Kim Young-sam, instead of sending condolences, allowed his Prime Minister to label him a war criminal and blame him for starting the Korean War.



Yet late that same year, the Agreed Framework with the United States was signed. It was designed to stop Pyongyang's nuclear program in its infancy, and in exchange a new international consortium called KEDO would build light water reactors to supply power to North Korea in a way that would not produce fissile material that could be turned into weapons.



During my first year in Korea, I saw no hope or expectation of a summit. In fact, things were quite tense, and direct communication between the two Koreas was cut off within six months of my arrival (no causal link there), despite South Korea's involvement in KEDO. Nevertheless, I did not have any feeling of danger coming to live here at that time. That might have been youthful feelings of immortality or just plain ignorance.



That first year offered several surprising inter-Korean events, which I followed closely in The Korea Times. In September 1996, a North Korean submarine was stranded off the coast of Gangwon Province, leading to a seven-week manhunt to capture or kill the crew of 24 soldiers. (Pyongyang first denied responsibility or ownership of the submarine, but ultimately expressed "deep regret" in a statement at the end of the year.)



In October, a South Korean consular official was murdered by poisoning in Vladivostok, possibly in retaliation for the submariners' deaths. That same month, the ROK government announced its plans to resume the spring Team Spirit join exercises with the U.S. military, after a three-year moratorium. In November, the North shut its liaison office in the Panmunjeom truce village.



There was great concern and excitement in February 1997, when Hwang Jang-yop, head lecturer in philosophy at Kim Il Sung University and according to some the architect of North Korea's state ideology, defected at the South Korean embassy in Beijing.



I remember a lot of anger from Pyongyang at the time, first claiming Hwang had been kidnapped, and then eventually dismissing him as human trash when it became clear he had switched sides voluntarily.



Shortly afterwards, an earlier North Korean defector, Yi Han-yong, was shot and killed outside his home in Bundang, possibly in retaliation for a book he had written exposing the secrets of the North Korean leadership.



So things were not looking good. But in 1998, Hyundai founder Jeong Ju-young, suddenly led a convoy of trucks carrying 500 live cows across the demilitarized zone into North Korea, as a peace offering and a kind of food aid. This was his first trip across the border since the Korean War, and the North allowed him to visit his home town.



It was the first sign of possible rapprochement that I saw, but I also remember media reports of Pyongyang complaining that some of the cows were unhealthy and had died due to pieces of plastic in their stomachs, and blaming the Seoul government for trying to sabotage the event. Jeong made a second trip a few months later with 500 more cows.



It was hard for me, a novice at inter-Korean affairs, to make sense of all this. Sometimes things would appear to be improving, and then there would be a dramatic downturn and more hostilities. In preparing this blog post I looked back at the timeline of inter-Korean relations on the website of the Wilson Center, and reminded myself of all the things I had forgotten or that had slipped my mind (the first battle of Yeonpyeong in June 1999, North Korea nullifying the Northern Limit Line in September that same year, and so on).



With all these seemingly contradictory things going on, I guess at some point I became inured, and adopted a distance in order to stay sane. Also, like many others, I began to see things operating in a kind of cycle of crisis followed by abatement. Retired US Army officer Steve Tharp, whom I had the good fortune to meet many years later, had personal experience of this cycle and wrote a good column on it for this paper in May 2017 that is still available online.



In 2000 my wife and I were living in Australia, so we watched the first North-South summit from afar. I remember seeing the footage of Kim Dae-jung being greeted at Pyongyang Airport by Kim Jong Il and being overcome with emotion. This is it, I thought. Finally a breakthrough. Like many in South Korea, I hoped for real inter-Korean reconciliation. I cheered when DJ won the Nobel Peace Prize that year. But disappointment eventually and seemingly inevitably followed. The cycle had started again.



By the time of the October 2007 summit between then-President Roh Moo-hyun and Kim Jong-il, I was back in Seoul, but did not have much hope for anything. It all seemed too rushed and desperate, with South Korea eager to get a deal of some sort before the next presidential election.



In 2013 conservative politicians would allege that Roh had offered to do away altogether with the Northern Limit Line in the Yellow Sea, and that current President Moon Jae-in, who at the time was Roh's chief of staff, had deleted the relevant portions of summit transcripts. These charges were investigated by the Public Prosecutor, but I am still not sure what the upshot was.



Now here we are, 10-and-a-half years later, and a week from the third inter-Korean summit, but I feel somewhat cynical and jaded. This time I hope that President Moon will be savvy and not negotiate from a position of naivete. He does seem to have learned from the mistakes of his predecessors, but who knows?



Also, I am telling myself to remain stoic and keep calm. The quality of any deal is not in the paper that is signed or the joint statement that is made; it is in the follow-up steps and procedures. Therefore, it is likely that we won't know the full value or outcomes of this summit for months or even years after the meeting itself.



But I would encourage all curious listeners to check out the weekly NK News podcast that I host  available on YouTube, SoundCloud, iTunes, and Stitcher  in which I interview experts and journalists about all matters relating to North Korea.

By Jun Ji-hye



ROME  The ongoing construction boom in Europe will be a great chance for companies such as Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics to successfully enter the European built-in appliances market, according to IFA Executive Director, Jens Heithecker.





IFA Executive Director Jens Heithecker speaks during an interview with Korean reporters on the sidelines of the IFA Global Press Conference in Rome, Saturday. / Korea Times photo by Jun Ji-hye



By Park Jae-hyuk







Fair Trade Commission Chairman Kim Sang-jo has reaffirmed his positive view about Hyundai Motor Group's governance reform plan, during a meeting with foreign correspondents in Seoul, Friday.







"I think Hyundai made the right decision at the right time," he was quoted as saying. "The conglomerate's decision was beyond the expectations of local analysts. It opted to pay 1 trillion won ($935 million) in transfer taxes for future stock transactions of the group's large shareholders, instead of choosing a holding company structure that would help tighten the large shareholders' grip on the group."







Kim, who is dubbed a "chaebol sniper," reportedly cited Hyundai's case as "the most desirable" for local conglomerates that are required to restructure their circular cross-shareholding schemes largely aimed at strengthening family control.







At the press conference, the antitrust regulator also denied concerns about Elliott's interference in the group's management, according to the correspondents.







"Hyundai must have been prepared for attacks from hedge funds," he was quoted as saying. "Unlike Elliott's previous behavior during a merger of Samsung C&T with Cheil Industries, the two will exchange predictable suggestions and responses."







Last month, the nation's largest automotive group came up with a governance reform plan to end its circular ownership, saying the chairman and vice chairman will sell all of their stakes in Hyundai Glovis to Kia Motors to secure funds for purchasing a stake in Hyundai Mobis.







The decision came after the antitrust regulator requested the group streamline its complicated shareholding structure among affiliates.







At that time, Kim said he was satisfied with the conglomerate's efforts to improve its governance structure in line with market demand.







Elliott, the U.S.-based activist fund holding a 1 percent stake in Hyundai's affiliates, also said it was pleased that Hyundai has taken the first step towards an improved and more sustainable corporate structure.

South Korea's NEXTEEL Co. said Sunday that it has taken the U.S. Commerce Department to court for the "unfair levying" of antidumping duties on its products.



The steelmaker said it is contesting the final ruling taken against its oil country tubular goods (OCTG) and asked U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) to determine the validity of the 75.81 percent duties imposed on the pipes it makes.



NEXTEEL has maintained that Washington opted to levy duties that were 29.44 percentage points higher than the preliminary ruling because of translation error involving a single phrase. This error was used by the Commerce Department to invoke the Adverse Facts Available (AFA) provision to take punitive actions.



Washington argued that there was a problem in the translation that hindered it from making an accurate assessment on NEXTEEL's products. The U.S. government, moreover, said that because of the problem found, it could not fully trust if other documents submitted by the steelmaker did not have faults.



The provision allows for the levying of extremely high tariffs if a company doesn't hand in data demanded by the U.S. government.



The company said the decision to levy the extremely high antidumping rates on its OCTG were not based on sound evidence of any unfair trading practices and actually were in violation of related laws and regulations.



The CIT can order the government to change its ruling if it finds problems in the decision making process.



"For the company, taking the matter to the CIT is the only option available," a NEXTEEL representative said.



He said that while it is not the same case, it successfully took legal action against antidumping duties some years ago and was able to reduce the antidumping rates. (Yonhap)



LG Chem researchers test RO filters at the chemical firm's factory in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, in this file photo. / Courtesy of LG Chem



Actress Lee Na-young promotes Pra.L home beauty care products/ Courtesy of LG Electronics



Constant innovation brings diverse cosmetic products to users' homes



By Kim Ji-soo



Korean cosmetics have earned a reputation for its spirit of innovation. Of late, more niche products are becoming popular, like the ampoule and home-beauty equipment like LED masks.

There is nothing new about the ampoule, which is a concentrated serum formerly found in spas and used frequently by older consumers in their 40s or older. The concentrated serum, also known as a dropper, was effective but also pricey.



Today, however, Korean cosmetics companies are launching their own ampoules at affordable prices to cater to younger generations. Mediheal, one of the well-known makers of facial masks for its N.M.F Aquaring Ampoule Mask, has introduced its Layering Making Ampoule. Top actress Kim Ji-won, who co-starred in the Korean drama "Descendants of the Sun," promotes the product.

"Ampoules were normally used by older cosmetic users, as they tend to be effective, albeit more expensive. So our new products are aimed at providing effective yet affordable ampoule products to younger users in their 20s and 30s," said Leo Choi, a PR official at Mediheal.



A set of three four-milliliter ampoules costs 11,000. Usually, once they are opened they need to be used within a short span of time (e.g., 24 hours). However, Mediheal's ampoules can be used for up to a week because of their special packaging. TonyMoly, another domestic cosmetic brand, has released the BIO EX Cell-Peptide Ampoule, which is pricier at 128,000 won for 28 eight-milliliter ampoules.



An image of Mediheal ampoules / Courtesy of MedihealSouth Korean washer exports to the United States plunged 45.4 percent on-year as safeguard measures took effect, an international traders organization here said Sunday.

The data released by the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) showed outbound shipments standing at around $30 million in the first three months of 2018 compared to $55 million a year earlier.

Under the safeguard measure that took effect on Feb. 7, 20 percent tariff have been slapped on the first 1.2 million imported washers in the first year and a 50 percent tariff on machines beyond that number.

KITA said that while higher import duties affected export to some extent, the biggest reason for the sharp decline is due to moves by South Korean manufacturers to assemble washing machines in the North American country to sidestep the safeguard measure.

Samsung Electronics Co. said it started production at its South Carolina plant in January.

In addition to exports to the leading consumer market, the latest trade data showed, overall global shipments of South Korean washer contracted 35.1 percent on year in the first quarter to $164 million vis-a-vis $252 million a year earlier.

"The drop is caused by local companies unable to find other markets and stiffer competition from Chinese rivals," the trade agency said.

It said exports had been falling since 2011 and that the U.S. safeguards accelerated the trend.

In regards to solar panels, which were also affected by the latest trade protectionist action, data showed a slight increase in exports.

From January through March exports to the United States reached $211 million up 4.3 percent from $202 million last year.

"In the U.S there is solid demand for South Korean made panels that are of higher quality than those imported from China," a local source said. He, however, said that numbers will likely fall going forward as safeguard measures start to bite.

Washington has slapped 30 percent tariffs on foreign solar cells and modules in order to better protect its own manufacturers.

Global export numbers, meanwhile, jumped 25.6 percent on-year to $1.37 billion, a clear indication that more people are favoring eco-friendly ways of generating electricity. (Yonhap)By Jung Da-min, Jung Min-ho





The CEO of Sellev, an online media company that has garnered more than 1.1 million followers on Facebook with people's success stories, has made headlines this week with his epic failure.





Lim Sang-hoon, 34, said Saturday that he will resign after former Sellev employees accused him of repeated "gapjil"  bullying the weak in a hierarchical structure.





"My role as the CEO of Sellev has ended," he wrote on Facebook.





His resignation came two days after Kim Young-joo, who briefly worked there as a project manager, accused him on Facebook of frequently abusing his employees. The post immediately went viral.





She claimed Lim often shouted at his employees. She also said he took them, including women, to hostess bars, where they were forced to sit next to hostesses and drink.





Sellev, which started two years ago, has become popular among inspiration-seeking young people by creating and sharing interview videos with successful people.

Kendallville, IN (46755)

Today

Thunderstorms this evening with a few showers possible overnight. Low near 60F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms this evening with a few showers possible overnight. Low near 60F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%.Members of the Alaska Grassroots Alliance said they were attacked during a training on non-violent protests at a church.

Joni Bruner, an organizer with the group said they were meeting for an exercise on non-violent civil disobedience training."The door swung open and someone stared spraying us. All I could see is orange spray coming right at my face," said Bruner.

Bruner said twelve people were in the room and several were directly hit with the spray, known to cause intense skin reactions like burning and itching.

According to the Anchorage Police Department the suspect is a white male, in his sixties with grayish hair and a beard. APD is asking for surveillance footage from businesses and homes in the area in hopes of getting a better look at the suspect.

Anyone with information is asked to call the non-emergency line at 311 or remain anonymous by contacting Crime Stoppers at 561-STOP.Oman authorities have ruled out criminal suspicion in the death of the Swedish DJ Avicii, multiple media sources have reported. Avicii, whose real name is Tim Bergling, died Friday while he was vacationing in the Oman capital of Muscat in the Arabian Peninsula. He was 28.

Two postmortems were carried out ... and we can confirm that there is no criminal suspicion in the death, Royal Oman Police told CNN.

CNN also reported that Aviciis parents, two sisters and one brother are in the country to recover his body.

Bergling, well-known in the EDM world, was one of the first crossover successes in the U.S.

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He released his LP True in 2013. His single with Aloe Blacc, Wake Me Up, peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in 2013. Hey Brother hit No. 16 the following year.

In 2012, he was hospitalized with acute pancreatitis exacerbated by heavy drinking. After gallbladder and appendix surgeries, he canceled a run of tour dates. He announced his retirement days after his last performance at Miamis Ultra Music Festival in 2016, citing longstanding health issues.

For me, its creating music. That is what I live for, what I feel I was born to do, he said in a statement at the time. Last year I quit performing live, and many of you thought that was it. But the end of live never meant the end of Avicii or my music. Instead, I went back to the place where it all made sense  the studio. The next stage will be all about my love of making music to you guys. It is the beginning of something new. Hope youll enjoy it as much as I do.

Last year, Bergling released a new EP, AVICI and a documentary, True Stories, about his retirement from touring and new focus on studio work.

alejandra.reyesvelarde@latimes.com

Twitter: @r_valejandraOn a busy five-point intersection in Boyle Heights is a monolith honoring all Mexican Americans who fought in World War II. Nearby, across the street, a concrete monument reads Morin Memorial Square.

Since the late 1940s, the veterans memorial has been a symbol of pride for the Eastside community. Every year on the eve of Memorial Day, volunteers stand guard for 24 hours until the morning of the national holiday.

But for more than 10 years now, a bitter dispute has divided Latino war veterans over the memorials official name.

Its been an uphill battle, said Vietnam veteran Eddie Morin, 75. The whole campaign has left me weary and frustrated.

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Eddie Morin, 75, son of Raul Morin, walks around the veterans memorial at a five-point intersection in Boyle Heights. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times )

Morin said that in July 1967, the city named the veterans memorial after his father, Raul Morin, a decorated veteran of World War II and author of Among the Valiant, a book about the contributions Mexican Americans in the military made during World War II and the Korean War.

But a group of veterans disagrees with Eddie Morin.

Everyone has always known it as Mexican American All Wars Memorial, said Tony Zapata, who is also a Vietnam veteran. We shouldnt name it for one person, it should be named for the men and women of Mexican descent who have died fighting for this country.

The dispute over the name of the veterans memorial began over a decade ago when city officials proposed to create a traffic circle and revamp the veterans memorial. A small committee of Latino war veterans was formed to assist with the design and public meetings were held to discuss the project. Morin said he attended those meetings.

They kept referring to it as All Wars Memorial and I said its not called that, he said. I told them its called Morin Memorial Square and they looked at me like I was crazy.

At the next meeting, he said he showed up with a city proclamation that defined the area as Morin Square Memorial, but he said the group ignored him and moved forward to name it as Mexican Americans All Wars Memorial.

Morin claims the group plans to remove Morin Memorial Square from his fathers concrete monument. Zapata said that isnt true.

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The Los Angeles Department of Transportation did not respond to questions regarding engineering plans about the traffic circle but said the project started in September 2005 with $10.9 million in Proposition C funding, including 65% from Metro and a 35% match from the city.

Zapata said relocation fees are being allocated for the removal of a business before construction can begin.

Disputes over the name of the memorial have erupted over the years whenever the memorial has made news.

Morin said he has reached out to L.A. City Councilman Jose Huizar in the past in hopes of resolving the issue.

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The veterans are ultimately going to decide what its going to be called, said Rick Coca, communications director for Huizar. If people want to call it something else they can, its in their right.

Frustrated, Morin and his friends held a silent protest on Memorial Day in 2009, wearing T-shirts that said Morin Memorial Square, Now and Forever.

Many veterans say they were angered by the protest because it was disrespectful to the fallen soldiers they were trying to honor that day.

The event also turned physical when Morin went on stage and asked a field deputy with Huizars office to turn the microphone on so he could speak. When the official declined, Morin allegedly began to shove him, according to a written summary of the encounter by the field Deputy David Miranda.

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Morin did not dispute the allegations.

The veterans memorial sits on kitty-corner from Evergreen Cemetery. It is made up of two traffic islands shaped like triangles that sit between Lorena and Indiana Streets. Splitting them apart is Cesar E. Chavez Avenue.

The memorial has been a gathering point for Memorial Day and is a reminder of Mexican Americans who fought in World War II.

More than 500,000 Latinos fought in the war, including 350,000 Mexican Americans, who have the highest percentage of Medal of Honor winners of any minority in the United States.

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The memorial was also the location of the first Chicano Moratorium protest march against the Vietnam war in 1970.

Residents in the area said theyve known about the memorial and its history and say some have known it not as the names that the Latino war veterans have mentioned, but as the Five Points Memorial.

Claudia Amaya, 36, who lives in Boyle Heights, said she doesnt know the official name of the memorial but she hopes that the memorial continues to remain where it is.

Its important for my grandchildren to know about the history of our culture here, she said. It represents us.

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ruben.vives@latimes.com

For more Southern California news, follow @latvives on Twitter.Two brothers who were found dead in an abandoned car in Burbank earlier this week were shot and killed, coroners officials determined Saturday.

Jan Carlos Amiama, 21, and his 23-year-old brother Lucas Josh Amiama died of multiple gunshot wounds to the head, according to the Los Angeles County Coroners office.

The bodies of the brothers and a third victim were discovered in the 1300 block of South Varney Street in Burbank just after 7 a.m. Tuesday, when a parking officer responded to a report about a Jeep Patriot that hadnt been moved in a while.

The officer noticed an odor emitting from the vehicle and saw a person inside who appeared to be dead.

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The third victim has yet to be identified, and a cause of death remains unknown. A spokesman for the coroners office was unable to offer additional information Saturday.

The Amiama brothers had been reported missing in Bakersfield last weekend, authorities said. Their family said they were traveling to a Riverside home with a friend, Carlos Lopez.

Sgt. Derek Green, a Burbank police spokesman, said earlier this week that local detectives and investigators from the Riverside County Sheriffs Department had obtained a search warrant for a home in the 5200 block of Stone Avenue in Riverside where the three were said to have gone.

By Thursday afternoon, Green said, enough evidence was found at the Riverside home to suggest the three men had been the victims of a crime there.

james.queally@latimes.com

Follow @JamesQueallyLAT for crime and police news in California.An argument turned deadly in Compton early Saturday after a man shot and killed his girlfriend and wounded the couples young daughter, investigators said.

Juan Rodriguez, 29, of Compton, was arrested on suspicion of murder and assault with a deadly weapon after gunfire broke out in the 12400 block of S. Grandee Avenue shortly before 2 a.m. Saturday, according to a statement issued by the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department.

Rodriguez and his girlfriend, who was not identified, were involved in a verbal altercation when he opened fire, authorities said. The woman was shot in the upper torso and died a short time later.

The couples daughter was shot accidentally, and remains hospitalized in critical condition, according to the Sheriffs Department. Some media reports said the girl is 8.

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The suspect and the victim lived together and had been dating for roughly nine years, authorities said. Rodriguez is being held without bail.

james.queally@latimes.com

Follow @JamesQueallyLAT for crime and police news in California.Seven strangers sat at a dinner table in downtown Los Angeles, ringed by reporters jotting down notes, and set out to talk about race.

They included a Muslim physician originally from Pakistan; a Los Angeles transplant who had lived in Canada and Japan and whose family had emmigrated from Taiwan to New Jersey; a bisexual man with Cantonese and Ashkenazi Jewish roots; the Mexican American lobbyist who had welcomed them into her chic apartment; and their facilitator, a black man born in Inglewood who reassured them as they settled in for soul food and a guided discussion.

Im not an expert either, said Anthony Foster, major donor and events coordinator for Community Coalition. I think were all here from a curious place.

They were brought together by an unusual effort, brokered through City Hall, to foster understanding, healing and growth. The initiative, called embRACE L.A., had been championed by one of the most powerful politicians in Los Angeles, who announced last summer that he wanted the city to host scores of intimate dinners focused on race and inequity.

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 Veronica Perez hosts an embRACE L.A. dinner at her home in Los Angeles.

City Council President Herb Wesson teamed up with Councilman Mitch OFarrell and Community Coalition, a South L.A. community organizing group once led by Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson, to make it happen. One hundred free dinners were held last week as part of a new program funded with $500,000 from the city.

We have an opportunity to kick-start or ignite a conversation on race that could travel throughout the nation, Wesson said.

Word spread online. Several people at the downtown dinner said they heard about it through Facebook. Thousands of people signed up to attend dinners throughout the city  twice as many as city officials had initially arranged for, Wesson spokeswoman Vanessa Rodriguez said. A second round of dinners is being planned to accommodate them.

Los Angeles is a place that sort of prides itself on diversity. How many other places gave birth to Korean taco trucks? said Manuel Pastor, director of the Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration at USC. But theres a lot of social segregation  particularly at a neighborhood level. I think theres been a hunger for this.

Amna Qazi, from left, Tom Chang, Ernesto Hidalgo and Veronica Perez participate in an embRACE L.A. dinner. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times )

After the dinnergoers introduced themselves, Foster guided the conversation with questions: What did they love about Los Angeles, and what about it caused them pain? How had race shaped their interactions with other people? Had they ever had to have difficult discussions about race?

They talked about the toll of homelessness on daily life in Los Angeles. Why the homeless population seemed to be disproportionately black.

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How they felt about giving money to panhandlers. Why so few women hold elected office at City Hall. Islamophobia. Coming out as queer.

That viral video of two black men getting arrested at Starbucks in Philadelphia.

I think its getting worse, said Amna Qazi, who sits on the city Human Relations Commission. I would not say better.

Veronica Perez, the lobbyist hosting the dinner, asked her why. Qazi replied that there was hatred out there, adding, I hope you guys are not very happy with the current POTUS?

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Laughter rolled around the table. No one volunteered that they were.

Another guest remarked that institutional problems with race had long predated President Trump, and would not go away when he leaves.

Part of the reason that there might seem to be more problems with race now, said Danny Hom, is that social media has spotlighted problems that once were under the rug.

So I dont know if this just  goes away when the president goes away, said Hom, who works for a nonprofit that provides solar installation for low-income families.

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Los Angeles has tried to bring people together to talk through differences before: Amid stark divisions over the verdict in the O.J. Simpson trial, then-Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas convened people in what became the Days of Dialogue program. Elsewhere in the country, people have broken bread together in Chicago, Chattanooga, Tenn., Dallas and Wichita, Kan.

But if tough topics arent brought up, its a bunch of people sitting around, looking differently, having a kumbaya moment, said Delores Jones-Brown, professor emeritus at the City University of New York Graduate Center.

Wesson, the first African American to serve as council president, said that face-to-face conversations in college and at church had changed his own outlook, helping him to open up after he suffered racist attacks as a youth. Having the dialogue, in itself, is a victory, he said.

At one dinner last week, Wesson said, he heard one person recount seeing No Reds signs barring Native Americans from businesses as a youth. A white woman, in turn, talked about having the privilege of race never factoring into what she wanted to do.

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Which was interesting  because race factors into just about anything I want to do, Wesson said.

In skid row, the dinner was deep. It was soulful. It was moving, said Pete White, executive director of the Los Angeles Community Action Network, which hosted a meal for its members and partners. White said people were asked about their grandmothers, and stories ended up stretching back to slavery and sharecropping.

And at a Chatsworth co-working space, dinner host Sonia Smith-Kang said the talk turned to Rodney King, the black motorist whose beating at the hands of police  and the acquittal of the officers  led to one of the most tumultuous periods in Los Angeles history. Having folks representing Korean Americans and African Americans, to hear each others side, that really stuck out to me, said Smith-Kang, who heads a nonprofit that advocates for the multiracial community.

Anthony Foster, middle, facilitates an embRACE L.A. dinner party last week. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times )

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But even some Angelenos sympathetic to the cause are skeptical that a simple dinner can address deeper issues. Melina Abdullah, a Cal State L.A. professor and Black Lives Matter organizer, said she attended the first dinner with Wesson at his home that became the model for embRACE L.A. Sitting down together for dinner is a good start, she said, but only a start.

We have to get beyond polite conversation and say, What is your role in dismantling the way in which power structures, especially policing systems, abuse black people, brown people and poor people? Abdullah said, pointing to the recent shooting of 30-year-old Grechario Mack at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw mall.

Another question is who shows up to such dinners and who doesnt. Smith-Kang said that though her Chatsworth dinner included millennials, baby boomers, African Americans, Korean Americans and people of mixed heritage, it sounded like everybody was on the same page on many issues, leaving her wondering how to bring in others who were not.

Foster said that although no one volunteered that they backed Trump at the downtown dinner attended by reporters, there had been conservative guests  and sometimes tenser exchanges  at some other meals across the city. Polling by the Pew Research Center has shown that Republicans and Democrats are much more sharply divided than in the past on questions about racial discrimination and immigrants.

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 Dr. Amna Qazi speaks about what brought her to the table for the embRACE L.A. dinner party in Los Angeles.

Americans are really coming to terms with just how bad the polarization is, said Ange-Marie Hancock Alfaro, professor and chairwoman of gender studies at USC. Part of the problem, she said, is that with the rise of social media, people are drawn into ideological echo chambers.

But Alfaro added that even if people at the dinner table seem to be politically simpatico, talking about race is still important. If Angelenos think that Los Angeles is a very liberal place, a very diverse place, and therefore they must get the race question right, she said, they might end up having a bit of a reality check as they start talking to other folks.

Wesson added that the dinners would also have a ripple effect, as attendees go back and talk with family and friends who might not have turned out to discuss race with strangers. He plans to sort through their feedback to decide what should come next.

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That question was also on the minds of the dinnergoers gathered downtown as they wrapped up hours of discussion over black-eyed peas and baked macaroni and cheese. At the end of the night, they were handed a list of local groups focused on racial justice, immigrant rights, homelessness and other issues that touch diverse communities.

I hope that we can continue to have these conversations, Foster told them, after the cameras leave.

Days later, Hom reflected on what had been said and what had not.

He had left the downtown dinner feeling grateful to be heard and recognized as a multiracial person, and knowing that he had heard other people. But he felt they could have pushed harder to talk through tough issues like how policing in L.A. affects black and brown communities.

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Maybe, he said, it was hard for their particular group  educated professionals with the privileges that status carries  to name the city as the entity with the power to step up and make institutional change.

He hoped that city leaders, in turn, would take feedback from the dinners and use their power to fix the daunting problems that were discussed.

Id like the talk to be translated into action, Hom said, for our collective good.

 Tom Chang, speaks on race at the embRACE L.A dinner party in Los Angeles.

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emily.alpert@latimes.com

Twitter: @AlpertReyesThe Salk Institute in La Jolla said Saturday that it placed star cancer scientist Inder Verma on leave because of unspecified allegations, further rocking a center that was earlier accused of gender discrimination by three of its female professors.

The Institute did not say whether the allegations are sexual in nature. But when asked about the matter, Verma said in an email: I have never used my position at the Salk Institute to take advantage of others. I have also never engaged in any sort of intimate relationship with anyone affiliated with the Salk Institute.

I have never inappropriately touched, nor have I made any sexually charged comments, to anyone affiliated with the Salk Institute. I have never allowed any offensive or sexually charged conversations, jokes, material, etc. to occur at the Salk Institute, he said.

The suspension comes less than four months after Verma, one of the worlds foremost experts on gene therapy, was placed on temporary leave as editor of the prestigious journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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Verma, 70, told the San Diego Union-Tribune that the leave stemmed from the lawsuits that Salk professors Katherine Jones, Beverly Emerson and Vicky Lundblad separately filed against the Institute in July.

The three women accused the Salk of being an old boys club that systemically discriminates against women in terms of salary, promotions and opportunities to compete for large private donations.

In her lawsuit, Lundblad said that Verma is one of the leaders at the Salk who has made it difficult for women to succeed  something Verma has denied.

Salk officials have called the accusations groundless.

The institute did not disclose Saturday whether the action it took against Verma was related to the three faculty lawsuits but said in a statement that it had recently learned of unspecified allegations against Verma, and that an independent investigation is being done by an outside party.

The statement also said that the journal Science is preparing a story on Verma, and that it contains unspecified related allegations.

The Salk said a reporter from Science presented the Institute with information about her story that included claims the Institute was not previously aware of. We take these allegations very seriously and have expanded the scope of the investigation.

Yesterday, our Board of Trustees met to determine an appropriate course of action. Effective immediately, Dr. Verma has been placed on administrative leave, pending the outcome of the investigation, the institute said. He will not be performing scientific or administrative roles on behalf of the Institute during this period.

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In his email denying misconduct allegations to the Union-Tribune, Verma said, I believe that it is inappropriate for an individual in a position of authority to engage in any intimate relationship with a direct report or to use that position of authority to take advantage of others.

The Salk is a small but preeminent biomedical institute that was founded by Jonas Salk, who developed the first effective vaccine against polio. The institute has built a global reputation for the quality of its studies on the basic mechanics of life  work that has helped lead to the development of new drugs, especially to fight cancer.

The institute has had leadership issues over the years. But the Salk has been deeply roiled by the gender discrimination allegations filed by its three professors.

Elizabeth Blackburn, the Nobel laureate who serves as president of the Salk, took the unusual step of criticizing the quality and quantity of the scientific work done by Jones and Lundblad.

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That led to a backlash by some of the nations top scientists, who criticized the way Blackburn handled the controversy. The critics included researcher Carol Greider, with whom Blackburn shared the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine in 2009.

Blackburn softened her criticism. In December, she unexpectedly announced that she would retire as president after less than three years in office. Her presidency will end in late summer.

Her announcement came just four months after Ted Waitt, chairman of Salks board of trustees, unexpectedly announced that he was stepping down from the position. The institute hasnt clarified exactly when he left the chairmanship.

The lawsuits and unexpected retirements have produced bad publicity and turmoil at the Salk, raising the possibility that the institute could have trouble recruiting top leaders and faculty.

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It goes without saying that the past year has been a challenging one for us, board Chairman Dan Lewis said in a statement.

It also has been a time for introspection and reflection, particularly as we have worked during this transition period to enhance our operations and ensure the Institute is well positioned to continue to lead the way in bold scientific discovery.

gary.robbins@sduniontribune.com

Robbings writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.A homeless man who randomly stabbed a patron in a crowded Ventura restaurant to death as his 5-year-old daughter sat on his lap was reported hours earlier for disruptive behavior, but police determined he was not a threat, authorities said Saturday.

Jamal Jackson, 49, is facing a first-degree murder charge in the death of Anthony Mele, 35. He was being held in Ventura County jail on a $1.5-million bail. It was unclear if Jackson, who is also a convicted felon, had an attorney.

Mele and his wife were eating dinner with their daughter Wednesday at Aloha Steakhouse in the seaside city. The girl was sitting on her fathers lap when Jackson walked up and stabbed Mele in the neck, prosecutors say.

Prosecutor Richard Simon said customers and a restaurant employee followed Jackson out of the restaurant, even though he still had the knife. They kept track of him until Ventura police arrived and arrested him.

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Mele was taken to a hospital and died Thursday after being taken off life support.

Its horrible, Simon said. You dont think youre going to be killed when you go out to dinner at a nice restaurant with your family and you didnt do anything.

Simon said the two men had not interacted before the attack.

He was just sitting there with his daughter in his lap, Simon said. Youre not supposed to die that way.

Meles loved ones started a GoFundMe page to help raise money for his funeral and to support his wife and daughter.

Meles Facebook page was filled with photos of his daughter and said he was a manager at an AT&T store.

Police confirmed that a bystander reported a man  who turned out to be Jackson  for disruptive behavior several hours before the stabbing.

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According to the bystander, a man was yelling on the promenade not far from the beach-side restaurant about three hours before the attack.

Patrol officers were out on other calls so command center staff monitored the man via a pier security camera system for more than 20 minutes before deciding he didnt seem to be a threat, police said.

Police are asking anyone who spoke with Jackson during that time to contact investigators in the city, about 70 miles northwest of Los Angeles.

Jackson also had half a dozen contacts with police in Ventura since the beginning of the year, including an arrest after a physical fight at a park, Cmdr. Tom Higgins said.

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He was also stopped on March 31 after a passerby reported he was brandishing a knife. Police searched his bag and found a knife but there was no victim so no charge was filed, Higgins said.

Jackson has a lengthy rap sheet including charges in San Bernardino County, Higgins said, as well as convictions for burglary and unlawful sexual intercourse dating back to the 1990s.

The killing prompted the Ventura City Council to increase police patrols in the area and add staff members to monitor security cameras, among other measures.

We are extremely disheartened and infuriated by this criminal attack, Mayor Neal Andrews said in a statement. We will not tolerate this in our community. Nothing is more important than the safety of our visitors, residents and businesses.

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If convicted, Jackson faces up to 55 years in prison.Within minutes of North Koreas announcement that it was suspending nuclear and missile tests and closing a test site, President Trump proclaimed a victory of sorts.

Big progress! he tweeted, eager to bask in the glow of credit for having influenced a significant reversal by a traditionally intractable foe. Look forward to our Summit, a potentially historic first-time meeting between a sitting U.S. president and a North Korean leader.

But Kim Jong Un was also basking in what he sees as his new and fortified position of strength.

Kims announcement merely reiterated promises he had made last month: a moratorium on nuclear tests in the run-up to a summit this week with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and then the Trump encounter planned to take place by mid-June.

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Kim can afford to suspend tests because, he proclaimed earlier this year, his nuclear arsenal is complete  and capable, he claims, of attacking the United States. He has not offered to give up any bombs or dismantle any production infrastructure.

According to the South Koreans, Kim has also offered to drop his usual demands that U.S. troops leave the Korean peninsula and that Seoul and Washington end joint military exercises.

The eagerness with which many in Trumps inner circle seem willing to embrace Kims apparent overtures would bolster a notion percolating in the administration  not acknowledged publicly  that a nuclear-armed North Korea is already a fait accompli. The more realistic goal now is to freeze, reduce or contain North Koreas bellicose capabilities, but not eliminate them.

Tacitly, North Korea would be unofficially recognized as a nuclear power, fulfilling Kims dream, albeit short of becoming a full-fledged member of the so-called nuclear club under terms of the 1970 international nonproliferation treaty.

Officially, the U.S. goal remains a complete, irreversible and verifiable ending of North Koreas nuclear program, as unlikely as many experts here and in Asia believe that to be.

A senior U.S. administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said North Korea would not receive any economic assistance unless it takes steps to remove or destroy the weapons.

We are not to give them a nickel until they substantively dismantle their nukes, the official said.

Japan has also been assured that Trump will not strike a deal that allows Kim to keep short- and medium-range missiles, which threaten Japan. The president was very strong and reassuring on that front, the official said.

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Veteran U.S. diplomats warn that any apparent concessions that Kim offers in the run-up to the summits do not mean the wily leader has changed his spots.

Kim studied at the feet of the master, another administration official said, also speaking on condition of anonymity, alluding to the dynastic nature of the North Korean leadership. Kim learned from his ruthless father, who learned from his father, the revered founder of the nation.

Kim has long invested his legitimacy in his nuclear program. But, the diplomats said, he may now believe that, by building the arsenal and killing or otherwise eliminating potential challengers, he has consolidated his power to the degree that he can change the narrative and reshape his image and that of his struggling country.

Also of concern, the United States and North Korea speak with different vocabularies. Denuclearization does not necessarily mean the same thing to both countries, a nuance that the inexperienced Trump entourage may not grasp.

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Trump last week expressed optimism about the summit  its exact date and location yet to be determined  after the secret visit in early April of CIA Director Mike Pompeo to North Korea to discuss details with Kim. Pompeo is now Trumps nominee for secretary of State.

I think were going to be successful, Trump said, while also promising to walk out of the talks if he did not sense progress. But for any reason if I think were not [successful], we end, he said.

Some experts fear the opposite could take place. Trump, with his gift of braggadocio, might declare a great accomplishment when nothing of substance had in fact been agreed upon.

Trump loyalists at the State Department and within the White House have credited his campaign of maximum pressure, a combination of crippling economic sanctions, aggressive rhetoric and occasional words of outreach, with changing Kims behavior.

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The president has made clear that continuation of the pressure campaign is the tool that enables the opportunity to achieve a successful diplomatic outcome in North Korea, Pompeo testified at his hearing to become secretary of State before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee this month.

President Trump isnt one to play games at the negotiating table and I wont be either, he added.

Indeed, Kim may have met his match in hyperbolic threats when Little Rocket Man  Trumps onetime derogatory nickname for Kim  took on the Deranged Dotard, as Kim responded in describing Trump.

And the sanctions, which the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, says have choked off nearly 90% of North Koreas legal export revenue, have clearly hurt an already impoverished nation. Sanctions packages have been imposed unanimously by the U.N. Security Council and also unilaterally by the Trump administration, essentially a continuation and ratcheting up of President Obamas policies.

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Our sanctions are working, Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.), a Trump supporter, said Saturday. The message is becoming clear to Kim Jong Un that hes been isolated by sanctions and no one in the modern world wants North Korea to have nuclear capabilities.

But other factors are also at play. Moon, a recently elected progressive with a more reconciliatory attitude toward Pyongyang, has instigated and championed most of the rapprochement that may now be coming to fruition.

Chinas role has been key. As North Koreas principal ally, President Xi Jinping is uniquely positioned to demand actions from Kim. Kim made his only known travel outside North Korea since becoming leader to meet with Xi in Beijing in March.

Xi had been angry with Kim for upstaging several major events in China with showy launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles. At the same time, Xi, fearful of regional instability, is reluctant to make conditions so difficult for Kim that he might lose control of his population.

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In their March meeting, however, where Xi treated Kim like a visiting high-level dignitary, it is possible that the Chinese leader persuaded Kim to cooperate with his longtime rivals in exchange for economic relief and steadfast Chinese support and protection.

Victor Cha, a Washington-based academic and expert on Korean issues, warned that inflated expectations could well doom the Trump-Kim summit. Cha, whom the administration considered for the ambassadorship in Seoul until he criticized U.S. contingency plans for a preemptive military strike on North Korea, urged caution regarding what Kim may be offering, and what he actually does.

Lots of pre-summit talk about what [North Korea is] willing to do, Cha said via Twitter, but little on what [the United States and South Korea are] willing to give (which is, of course, the hard part).

The administration has insisted it need not make concessions ahead of the Trump-Kim summit. But the more that Kim appears to be ceding, the more the pressure will be on the United States to offer something.

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tracy.wilkinson@latimes.com

For more on international affairs, follow @TracyKWilkinson on Twitter

Times staff writers Cathleen Decker and Noah Bierman in Washington contributed to this report.Elmore Bolling defied the odds against black men and built several successful businesses during the harsh era of Jim Crow segregation in the South. He had more money than a lot of whites, which his descendants believe was all it took to get him lynched in 1947.

He was shot to death by a white neighbor, according to news accounts at the time, and the shooter was never prosecuted.

But Bollings name is now listed among thousands on a new memorial for victims of hate-inspired lynchings that terrorized generations of U.S. blacks. Daughter Josephine Bolling McCall is anxious to see the monument, located about 20 miles from where her father was killed in rural Lowndes County.

The National Memorial for Peace and Justice, opening Thursday, is a project of the nonprofit Equal Justice Initiative, a legal advocacy group in Montgomery. The organization says the combined museum and memorial will be the nations first site to document racial inequality in America from slavery through Jim Crow to the issues of today.

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In the American South, we dont talk about slavery. We dont have monuments and memorials that confront the legacy of lynching. We havent really confronted the difficulties of segregation. And because of that, I think we are still burdened by that history, said the groups executive director, Bryan Stevenson.

The site includes a memorial to the victims of 4,400 terror lynchings of black people in 800 U.S. counties from 1877 through 1950. All but about 300 were in the South, and prosecutions were rare. Stevenson said the lynching era was being emphasized because he believes its an aspect of the nations racial history thats discussed the least.

Most people in this country cant name a single African American who was lynched between 1877 and 1950 even though thousands of African Americans were subjected to this violence, Stevenson said.

The organization said a common theme ran through the slayings, which it differentiates from extrajudicial killings in places that simply lacked courts: a desire to impose fear on minorities and maintain strict white control. Some lynchings drew huge crowds and were even photographed, yet authorities routinely ruled they were committed by persons unknown.

McCall, 75, said her fathers killing still hangs over her family. The memorial could help heal individual families and the nation by acknowledging the painful legacy of racial murders, she said.

Its important that the people to whom the injustices have been given are actually being recognized and at least some measure  some measure  of relief is sought through discussion, McCall said.

Combined, the memorial and an accompanying museum a few miles away at the Equal Justice Initiative headquarters tell a story spanning slavery, racial segregation, violence and todays era of swollen prison populations.

E.M. Beck, who studied lynching for 30 years and has written books on the subject, said the memorial might actually understate the scope of lynching even though it lists thousands of victims.

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I think its an underestimate because the number and amount of violence in early Reconstruction in the 1870s will probably never be known. There was just an incredible amount of violence taking place during that period of time, said Beck, sociology professor emeritus at the University of Georgia.

The memorials design evokes the image of a racist hanging, featuring scores of dark metal columns suspended in the air from above. The rectangular structures, some of which lie flat on the ground and resemble graves, include the names of counties where lynchings occurred, plus dates and the names of the victims. The goal is for individual counties to claim the columns on the ground and erect their own memorials.

Not all lynchings were by hanging. The Equal Justice Initiative says it scoured old newspapers, archives and court documents to find the stories of victims who were gunned down, drowned, beaten and burned alive. The monument is a memorial to all of them, with room for names to be added as additional victims are identified.

The monuments opening on Thursday will be marked by a two-day summit focusing on racial and social justice, to be followed by a concert Friday featuring top acts including Common, Usher, the Dave Matthews Band and the Roots.

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McCall plans to view the memorial with her five living siblings. She says they suffered more than she did, since she was only 5 when their father was slain.

A newspaper account from the time said the 39-year-old Bolling, who owned a store and trucking company and farmed, was shot seven times on a road near his store by a white man, Clarke Luckie, who said Bolling had insulted his wife during a phone call.

McCall, who researched the slaying extensively for a book about her father, said its more likely that Luckie, a stockyard employee, resented her father, who had thousands of dollars in the bank and three tractor-trailer rigs and employed about 40 people.

He was jealous and he filled him with bullets, she said.

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Luckie was arrested, but a grand jury issued no indictment and no one was ever prosecuted. McCall believes the white people who controlled the county at the time purposely covered for the killer, who died decades ago.President Trump faces a European double bill this week as a crucial deadline looms for a decision on whether to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal.

French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, arriving back to back, will bring a unified message: Save the deal.

I dont have any Plan B for nuclear [protections] against Iran, Macron said Sunday on Fox News. Lets preserve the framework because it is better than a sort of North Korea-type situation.

Irans foreign minister made the point more dramatically, warning that if Trump quits the 2015 accord, Tehran may respond by relaunching and intensifying its now-blocked nuclear program.

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Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who helped negotiate the nuclear deal, said on CBS Face the Nation that Iran might consider resuming at a much greater speed its nuclear activities.

Obviously the rest of the world cannot ask us to unilaterally and one-sidedly implement a deal that has already been broken, Zarif said.

I think the international community has seen that  the United States under this administration has not been in a mood to fulfill its obligations, he said. So that makes the United States not very trustworthy.

The dual nuclear dilemmas  Iran and North Korea  are coming to a head in a dramatically short span of time.

Trump has vowed to scrap the 2015 Iran accord unless co-signatories France, Germany and Britain can fix it. Unless revisions are made, he has vowed not to sign another waiver of U.S. sanctions on May 12, the next deadline, potentially wrecking the deal.

Trump also is hoping to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un by mid-June in a push to roll back the countrys growing nuclear arsenal. On Sunday, Trump uncharacteristically sought to downplay expectations of the proposed summit. Only time will tell, he tweeted.

U.S. and European diplomats have been brainstorming ways to address some of Trumps concerns, including Irans production of ballistic missiles and its support for militant groups elsewhere in the Middle East  issues that were never tied to the nuclear deal.

But the diplomats still are not across the finish line, a senior administration official told reporters Friday.

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Both Macron and Merkel will try to persuade Trump not to renege on the deal.

Macron, who arrives Monday for a three-day official state visit, and Merkel, who comes Friday for a 24-hour working visit, have other concerns, including the tariffs that Trump has imposed on steel and aluminum.

Macron has the best chance of getting through to Trump. The U.S. president seemed enamored of the brash, self-confident French leader, admiring his Bastille Day military parade last summer and dinner under the stars at the Eiffel Tower.

We have a very special relationship because both of us are probably the maverick of the systems on both sides, Macron said Sunday.

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The bonne amitie seems to be growing between the two leaders despite divergent political views on issues from the international role in Syria to climate change.

Macron has broken the code when it comes to dealing with President Trump, said Heather Conley, director of the Europe program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a nonpartisan Washington think tank.

He has been, I think, the most successful in trying to convince the president to think through some very important issues  to France and to the European Union, Conley added.

French and British warplanes joined the U.S. military in recent airstrikes on three alleged chemical weapons facilities in Syria, a contribution that the White House was quick to applaud.

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Trumps relationship with Merkel has been less warm. Unlike in France, which has a semi-presidential system, Germanys chancellor is not directly elected, so Europes longest-serving elected leader must act through compromise and coalition, messy concepts for Trump.

After the Iranian nuclear deal, trade will top Merkels agenda. She, Macron and other European leaders often express frustration that Trump, in his emphasis on bilateral trade agreements, displays a misunderstanding of how the European Union works.

Most trade and commerce must be handled through rules governing the 28-nation bloc, not individual member states.

Macron will get Trumps first official state dinner, a formal affair Tuesday night at the White House. The Trumps also will dine with Macron and his wife, Brigitte, on Monday night in private at Mount Vernon in Virginia, the plantation home of George Washington, and Macron will lay a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery.

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Most significant, perhaps, he will address a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, a rare honor. Invited by Republican congressional leadership, Macron will speak on the anniversary of President Charles de Gaulles historic speech to Congress in 1960.

The Francophile fanfare is a far cry from 2003, when Republican lawmakers, angry that France opposed the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, ordered cafeterias on Capitol Hill to change offerings of French fries to Freedom fries, and French toast to Freedom toast.

Unlike Macron, the staid Merkel has never really gotten along with Trump. He openly mocked her on Germanys decision to accept refugees flowing out of Syria.

Because she heads the largest economy in the European Union, Merkel will lobby Trump for exemptions to his plans to impose trade tariffs. Analysts say she has repeatedly pointed out to Trump that German investment in the U.S. is larger than the other way around  to the tune of $291 billion that creates 680,000 U.S. jobs.

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It is a clear sticking point, said Jeffrey Rathke, a former State Department official who is a senior fellow at CSIS. Anything that damages the [transatlantic] trading relationship has the potential to spiral out of control.

Even Macron, for all his affinity for Trump, has few concrete accomplishments to cite from the relationship. He failed to stop Trump from pulling out of the Paris climate accord, and he views Russian President Vladimir Putin with alarm.

The Iran deal is likely to be the next major point of friction in U.S.-Europe relations.

French, German and British officials say they have been negotiating in good faith with their American counterparts on ways to improve what all agree is a flawed deal. But they also say they have little certainty of what Trump really wants or would accept.

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Some of Trumps major objections are time limits on some restrictions in the deal, so-called sunset clauses.

Europe has spent the last 15 months muddling through, trying to understand what Trumps actual policies are  and with limited success, said Derek Chollet, a defense and security expert at the German Marshall Fund of the United States. The best you can say about U.S.- European relations now is that theyre extremely fragile.

Staff writer Noah Bierman contributed to this report.

tracy.wilkinson@latimes.com

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Twitter: @TracyKWilkinson

laura.king@latimes.com

Twitter: @laurakingLATPresident Trump pushed back Sunday against criticism that his decision to hold face-to-face talks with North Koreas leader amounted to a major concession to Pyongyang, with no gain for Washington in return.

Wow, we havent given up anything, the president tweeted from his Florida resort.

In the same tweet, Trump asserted that North Korea had agreed to denuclearization, apparently referring to Pyongyangs announcement last week that it would stop nuclear and missile tests and shut down a nuclear test site.

Most observers interpreted the announcement far more narrowly. Those included one of Trumps closest Republican allies in the Senate, Tom Cotton of Arkansas, who pointed to North Koreas record of failing to adhere to pledges about its nuclear program.

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I think this announcement is better than continued [nuclear and ballistic] testing, but its not much better than that, Cotton said Sunday on CBS Face the Nation, calling it an easily reversible decision.

Cotton noted, moreover, that North Korea made no announcement about their medium- or short-range ballistic missiles that threaten hundreds of thousands of Americans in Korea and Japan, just like it threatens our allies there.

Confusion over what denuclearization means to the White House  and North Korea  has raised questions about the administrations degree of preparation for the direct talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, which are planned by mid-June. The precise date and venue have not been set.

Trumps legislative director Marc Short, interviewed on Meet the Press, acknowledged that the two sides interpretations of the term had not yet been resolved.

I think there has to be a sit-down conversation to get to that point, he said. The U.S. view, he said, was that it means full denuclearization  no longer having nuclear weapons that can be used in warfare against any of our allies. North Korea has made no such promise.

A leading GOP senator who has been the target of barbed tweets from Trump offered a skeptical view of whether the summit would bring any real progress toward getting Kim to abandon nuclear ambitions.

Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said on ABCs This Week that it was unlikely the North Korean leader would give up nuclear weapons based on a friendly personal encounter.

To think that someones going to go in and charm him out of that is not realistic, said Corker, who has announced his retirement. But the senator said he did not rule out the possibility of positive developments from the planned meeting.

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Is there some progress that can be made? I hope so, he said.

Trump himself sought to play down expectations about the meeting with Kim, writing on Twitter that maybe things will work out, and maybe they wont  only time will tell.

But he took another opportunity to criticize his predecessors policies on North Korea, writing: The work I am doing now should have been done a long time ago!

laura.king@latimes.com

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@laurakingLATThe 29-year-old suspect in a shooting early Sunday at a restaurant in Nashville that left four dead was arrested last year by the U.S. Secret Service for being in a restricted area near the White House.

Metro Nashville Police Department spokesman Don Aaron said Travis Reinkings firearms authorization was then revoked at the request of the FBI, and four weapons were seized, including the AK-15 that he allegedly used in the shooting at the Waffle House restaurant early Sunday.

Aaron said the four guns were returned to the suspects father, who acknowledged giving them back to his son.

Police have the AK-15 and another gun found during a search earlier Sunday. But two other guns are unaccounted for. Aaron said Reinking is still at large following the 3:25 a.m. shooting and could possibly be armed with the two guns.

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The suspect in the predawn shooting Sunday was wearing nothing but a green jacket and brandished an assault rifle as he stormed the Waffle House restaurantand shot four people, according to police, who credited a customer with saving lives by wresting the gunmans weapon away.

Witness Chuck Cordero told The Tennessean newspaper he had stopped to get a cup of coffee and was outside the restaurant when he saw the chaos unfold around 3:25 a.m.

He did not say anything, Cordero said of the gunman, who he described as all business.

This photo provided by police shows Travis Reinking. (Metro Nashville Police Department via Associated Press )

Cordero said the man who wrested the gun from the suspect saved lives. Had that guy had a chance to reload his weapon, there was plenty more people in that restaurant, he said.

Police identified the customer as 29-year-old James Shaw Jr.

Shaw told the Tennessean in an interview that he was just trying to get myself out. I saw the opportunity and pretty much took it.

The newspaper said Shaw was grazed by a bullet, treated and released.

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When I was in the ambulance to hospital I kept thinking that Im going to wake up and its not going to be real, Shaw said. It is something out a movie. Im OK though, but I hate that it happened.

Police spokesman Aaron said three people died at the restaurant and one person died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where two others were being treated for gunshot wounds. Medical Center spokeswoman Jennifer Wetzel said one was in critical condition and the other was in critical but stable condition.

TriStar Southern Hills Medical Center spokeswoman Katie Radel in Nashville said two people were treated for minor injuries and released.

Aaron said the gunman arrived at the restaurant, sat in the parking lot for four minutes before shooting two people outside, then entering.

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Inside, Shaw grabbed the rifle from the suspect and tossed it over a counter, Aaron said. After that, the gunman fled.

No doubt he saved many lives, Aaron said of the customer, whom he described as a hero.

Police say this is the rifle used in the deadly shooting at a Waffle House on Sunday. (Metro Nashville Police Department via Associated Press )

After fleeing, the suspect shed his jacket. Aaron said he lived at an apartment complex in the working- and middle-class area of southeast Nashville and, based on witness reports, went there and put on a pair of pants.

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Aaron said witnesses saw a man in a nearby wooded area, and police were still tracking the man more than eight hours after the shooting.

Police said Reinking was from Morton, Ill. Later on Sunday, Metro Nashville police tweeted that they were drafting murder warrants against him.

Aaron said Reinking was known to both Illinois and federal law enforcement.

The victims names werent immediately released.

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This is a very sad day for the Waffle House family, the company said in a statement on Twitter. We ask for everyone to keep the victims and their families in their thoughts and prayers.

Nashville Mayor David Briley said the shooting represents a tragic day for the city.

My heart goes out to the families & friends of every person who was killed or wounded in this mornings shooting. I know all of their lives will be forever changed by this devastating crime, Briley said in an emailed statement.

U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, whose district includes Nashville, said in an emailed statement that the shooting shows the need for tighter restrictions on widespread civilian access to military-grade assault weapons.

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Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam said he and his wife, Crissy, are deeply saddened by the tragic incident in Antioch early this morning, and we mourn the lives taken in this senseless act of violence.

A body is carried out of Nashville Waffle House after a gunman killed four people on Sunday. (George Walker IV / Associated Press )

UPDATES:

12:54 a.m.: Updated with information about suspects prior arrest near White House.

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11:15 a.m.: Updated with new details on the customer who wrested the weapon away from the gunman.

8:18 a.m.: Updated with fourth fatality.

5:25 a.m.: Updated with Associated Press reporting.

This article was first published at 4:50 a.m.The attorney for Chevron Oil was attempting a classic bit of courtroom performance: Offer a stunning admission  then make a protest of innocence.

Chevron accepts the scientific consensus regarding climate change, Theodore J. Boutrous Jr., an attorney for the California-based oil giant, said last month at the Federal District Courthouse in San Francisco. Then he dodged blame, telling the court that its not energy companies like Chevron driving global warming, but how people are leading their lives.

That scene encapsulates the central argument coming soon to courtrooms across the country: Who is responsible for the destructive effects of climate change  the hurricanes, droughts, fires and rising seas? Is it all of us? Or the companies that extract refine and sell fossil fuels?

In the landmark cases now in federal court, eight California cities and counties are suing to make Chevron, ExxonMobil, Shell and other companies pay for some of the tens of millions of dollars local governments must spend to prepare for rising sea levels. New York City filed a similar suit in January, arguing that a corporation that makes a product causing severe harm when used exactly as intended should shoulder the costs of abating that harm. Last Tuesday, the city of Boulder and two Colorado counties sued ExxonMobil and Suncor (the biggest Canadian oil company) to recover costs stemming from extreme flooding, more frequent fires, and declining snowpack. Attorneys hint that more such lawsuits are coming.

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Oil and energy companies, through their actions and inaction, have knowingly fueled the destruction of Earths essential life system for decades.

How the courts decide to handle these various lawsuits will play a critical role in whether we, as a society, are able to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for knowingly wreaking havoc on Earths entire atmosphere.

Like other attempts to remedy historical wrongs  reparations to African American descendants of slaves being the best known  climate litigation is bedeviled by the immensity of the injustices involved. Just as the problems of climate change overwhelm our cognitive and [emotional] systems  they also swamp the machinery of morality, Dale Jamieson, a philosopher of environmental ethics, has written.

Part of the problem is time. The violent weather patterns we are experiencing now are the result of carbon emissions from decades ago. Even if we stop emitting all greenhouse gases today, climate change will persist for generations. In sum, many of the perpetrators are dead, and the majority of those who will suffer most arent yet born.

Then theres the issue of space. Every transatlantic flight from New York to London contributes, in some small measure, to record-breaking temperatures in Australia or a drought in the Amazon. So much distance lies between cause and effect that its hard to locate blame.

Finally, theres the complication of scope. We are, each of us, complicit to a degree every time we fire up the cars engine or jet off to a faraway place.

Still, its a myth that all of us are equally liable for the ongoing disasters wrought by climate change. Oil and energy companies, through their actions and inaction, have knowingly fueled the destruction of Earths essential life system for decades.

Unsurprisingly, the defendants see it differently. In response to the raft of lawsuits, BPs chief executive, Bob Dudley, swatted away any analogy to the Big Tobacco lawsuit, in which dozens of state attorneys general charged that cigarette makers had misled the public and were responsible for taxpayer-borne medical costs. People dont need to smoke cigarettes, Dudley said earlier this year, but they have needed energy for many decades. At some level, oil executives know a reckoning is coming, so they seek to dilute their responsibility with every gallon of fuel they sell.

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A fair reading of history would conclude that the public at large has known about the dangers of our daily energy consumption at least since 1992, when the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change was adopted. From that point on, human morality demanded that we each take steps to reduce our energy consumption and therefore carbon emissions: go by bike rather than car, forgo the steak in favor of the vegetarian meal, have fewer children.

The controlling ethic of energy companies, by contrast, is the enrichment of shareholders. Confronted by the science of climate change, they went into profiteering mode.

The leadership of Big Oil knew about the dangers of global warming long before most of us. In a 1980 presentation to members of the American Petroleum Institute, a scientist warned that a global temperature rise of 2.5C would likely have major economic consequences and that further rises would likely produce globally catastrophic effects.

Yet instead of sounding the alarm, or even just sharing their findings with the government and the public, major oil corporations began a well-orchestrated campaign of deception. A memo circulated among API members in 1998  six years after the first UN Climate pact  declared that victory would be achieved when average citizens understand (recognize) the uncertainties in climate science. Everything went according to plan. Between 2006 and 2016, the percentage of Americans who believed that humans were responsible for global warming went down, even as scientists confidence in their warnings increased. Meanwhile, in the last 20 years, ExxonMobil routinely broke U.S. records for corporate earnings.

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The fossil fuel giants possessed the early scientific awareness, the economic might, and the political influence to shift the direction of human affairs and avoid climate chaos. They chose not to.

Even if the pending cases succeed, the question of climate restitution may well be too large for the courtroom, the damages too vast for any single judge or jury to decide. Tort law alone isnt going to save the planet.

Some kind of a reckoning must be made, and the courts are, for now, the best venue. But climate justice is ultimately a political problem. After all, we are not merely consumers seeking compensation for a defective product. We are citizens insisting that impunity is unacceptable in a republic governed by the rule of law.

Jason Mark is the author of Satellites in the High Country and the editor in chief of SIERRA, the national magazine of the Sierra Club, where a much longer version of this essay will appear in the May/June edition.

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Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand FacebookAs is common throughout the South, the lawn at the Clarke County Courthouse in Mississippi, is peppered with monuments. A granite marker lists the Ten Commandments, and a veterans memorial honors residents who fell in foreign wars. A Confederate soldier tops another granite monument installed over a century ago: Though Your Ranks Now Fast Are Melting, the inscription reads, and the Stars and Bars Are Furled. Yet the South Will Live Forever In the Glory of Your World.

Now the Equal Justice Initiative, a legal advocacy organization in Montgomery, Ala., proposes to add another monument to the courthouse lawn: a six-foot-high, rust-colored steel column inscribed with the names of Ernest Green, Charlie Lang and eight other African Americans lynched in Clarke County.

On Thursday, the National Memorial for Peace and Justice  known, informally, as the lynching memorial  opens to the public in Montgomery, the first capital of the Confederacy. It consists of 805 engraved columns, a county-by-county listing of the names and dates of death of the victims of racial terror lynching in the United States. Since 2010, the Equal Justice Initiative has meticulously documented the deaths  4,400 and counting. On the grounds surrounding the memorial structure lie 805 additional columns, duplicates of those on permanent display, waiting for county officials from across the country to claim them and take them home.

Hanging Bridge, near Shubuta, Miss. The bridge in Clarke County, Miss., is where Ernest Green and Charlie Lang were lynched in 1942. It was the site of another multiple lynching in 1918. (Andrew Lichtenstein / Contact Press Images )

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As those duplicate markers disappear from the site  if they disappear  the memorial will begin to fill in a gap in American history, recognizing the thousands who died at the hands of mobs that lynched with impunity as local government looked away, or worse, participated.

Green and Lang were accused of attempted rape by a white girl in Shubuta, Miss., in October 1942. Local officers jailed the two black boys, barely in their teens, on specious evidence and then failed to stop vigilantes from seizing them from the Clarke County jail and hanging them from a nearby bridge.

Several days after the lynching, a New York reporter met Clarke Countys sheriff in his patrol car, parked in front of the courthouse. Behind it stood the adjoining jailhouse, where a midnight posse had abducted the two black boys with remarkable ease.

The Eastland Plantation, Doddsville, Miss. James O. Eastland  who served in Congress briefly, by appointment, in 1941, and then from 1943 to 1978  was among the senators who blocked national civil rights legislation, including an anti-lynching law, for much of the 20th century (Andrew Lichtenstein / Contact Press Images )

First off, the papers got the ages wrong, the sheriff complained. You better put it down. Them niggers wasnt 14, they were maybe 16 to 18. His halfhearted investigation had yielded no leads, as he put it, because people dont like to tell on their friends. As for killing black boys  who were in fact 14 and 15  he explained, Were all for law and order here. But, of course, we got some good folks who get kind of wild.

The sheriffs words echo the Equal Justice Initiatives research, which confirms that communities bore a collective responsibility for killings they failed to stop and killers they refused to punish. By tabulating and memorializing victims of racial terror by county, the EJI follows in a long tradition of anti-lynching activists who stressed the complicity of local officials in mob violence. And though many lynchings occurred literally on the courthouse lawn, as NAACP Legal Defense Fund director Sherrilyn Ifill notes in a masterful study titled just that, far more occurred with the acquiescence or outright assistance of the courthouse clique. This is why federal anti-lynching legislation, proposed numerous times yet never passed by Congress, stipulated penalties not only for those who lynched but for law officers and county officials who allowed a lynching to occur on their watch.

The North Canadian River, outside Okemah, Okla. In 1911, near this present-day bridge, Laura and L.D. Nelson were lynched before they could come to trial for theft. (Andrew Lichtenstein / Contact Press Images )

The EJIs offer of ready-made monuments is as much a challenge as an invitation to the counties represented by the steel columns assembled and arrayed in Montgomery. That aspect of the memorial answers the call  or calls the bluff  of public officials who have responded to demands for the removal of Confederate statues by arguing for, as Vice President Mike Pence put it, more monuments, not less. Will the hundreds of communities that already make room for monuments to white supremacy now find space for a memorial to victims of white supremacist violence?

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Jason Morgan Ward is professor of history at Mississippi State University and author of Hanging Bridge: Racial Violence and Americas Civil Rights Century.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand FacebookTo the editor: I remain of the belief that Elon Musk is one of the greatest innovators of the modern era.

However, while SpaceX seems to work well (for government work), my question is this: Will the fast-tracked, technology-testing tunnel being built by Musks Boring Co. proceed as well, and as quickly, as the Los Angeles City Councils public works committee hopes? Or will we see an underground version of the Tesla Model 3, with its seemingly never-ending hiccups and sticker-price add-ons? Or will it come to fruition as well as Musks Nevada Gigafactory, where success is always just around the corner? (Los Angeles could fast-track Elon Musks first tunnel project in West L.A., April 18)

I am convinced that, notwithstanding the beauty and drivability of Musks Tesla Model S and his (generally) returnable and reusable rocket stages, Musk has a sucker list that Bernie Madoff would envy.

Charles Ruebsamen, Rancho Cucamonga

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..

To the editor: I was heartened to read your coverage of the heroism of Southwest Airlines Capt. Tammie Jo Shults in calmly and safely landing a crippled Southwest airplane with 149 people on board. But I was disappointed and angry that the news article regarding her admirable feat was buried in the Business section  and on Page 3, not the sections front page.

Meanwhile, there was an article on the front page of your newspaper regarding Musks tunnel project receiving a break on local environmental law. Im curious: How is the tunnel project update more newsworthy than the actions of a pilot in averting an aviation disaster?

Just what level of heroism does a woman need to exhibit before the L.A. Times will provide front-page news coverage?

Catherine Watson, La Canada Flintridge

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook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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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Last October, after accusations of a pervasive culture of sexual misconduct in politics blazed through Sacramento, the question was whether the California Legislature would disclose records pertaining to abuse investigations.

The answer, in a limited fashion, was yes. Six months later, the question is whether lawmakers will continue to rely on an ad-hoc process that can be canceled anytime they want. Legislation to ensure access to sexual harassment records has sat in limbo in the state Assembly since January.

And as of now, it looks as though that bill will miss a key deadline and effectively be killed without ever being heard in public.

California Legislature has spent $294,271 investigating sexual harassment claims since 2006 

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We need to change the statute, said Assemblyman Mark Stone (D-Scotts Valley). The proposal in question, Assembly Bill 2032, was written by the committee he chairs. But Stone cant push the bill forward without action first by the Assembly Rules Committee.

AB 2032 would modify the states Legislative Open Records Act, a 43-year-old statute giving lawmakers unique power to shield their internal documents. It would guarantee public access to documents related to complaints of harassment, discrimination or other misconduct by a lawmaker or high-level staff member  but only for complaints judged true or well-founded.

That language wasnt chosen at random. Its what Assembly and Senate leaders agreed to in early January, after several weeks of warnings from The Times that their refusal could be challenged in court. In February, legislative officials released documents covering 18 sexual harassment investigations since 2006, and this month produced more documents, some from as far back as 1992.

Californias Legislature has its own disclosure rules, different than those for anyone else 

None of those actions was mandatory. In fact, a top Senate aide said at the time that the disclosure policy would simply be added to the custom and practices of the house  guidelines that appear to be even weaker than the standing rules of operation.

Stone believes that such rules cant be effective under the existing Legislative Open Records Act. Thats why changing the statute is so important, he said last week.

On Friday, though, the chairman of the Assembly Rules Committee said he wont move the bill forward before a live-or-die legislative deadline next month. Assemblyman Ken Cooley (D-Rancho Cordova) said he supports the concept but wants members of a special sexual harassment subcommittee formed last year to lead the conversation instead. They have to be allowed to do their work, Cooley said in an interview.

AB 2032 wouldnt change that process. Even then, the bill could be rewritten with additional guidance all the way through late summer. Its untimely death will strike some as curious, given how non-controversial and narrow its provisions seem to be. The bill does not, for example, offer any explanation for why disclosure of serious sexual misconduct allegations should be limited to high-level legislative staff, given that harassment isnt limited to incidents between a supervisor and his or her subordinate.

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In early January, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) told his colleagues that when it comes to sexual misconduct, they must become what California is on so many other issues, an example of how to go forward. Lawmakers can certainly boast theyve done some of that in 2018. But if the bill in question is killed, transparency in Capitol sexual misconduct cases will continue to be guided by rule of thumb and not the rule of law.

john.myers@latimes.com

Follow @johnmyers on Twitter, sign up for our daily Essential Politics newsletter and listen to the weekly California Politics Podcast

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Updates on California politicsYOSEMITE

Workshop

An REI expert will help you discover Yosemite National Park and share tips on making the most of your adventures

When, where: 7 p.m. April 24 at the REI store in Woodland Hills, 6220 Topanga Canyon Blvd.

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Admission, info: Free. (818) 703-5300APPALACHIAN TRAIL

Presentation

Runner Scott Jurek will discuss his new book, North: Finding My Way While Running the Appalachian Trail.

When, where: 6:30 p.m. April 27 at the Adventure 16 store, 11161 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles

Admission, info: Free. (310) 473-4574.

JOSHUA TREE

Day hike

Discover Pine City on a 4.3-mile round-trip hike that will introduce you to the national parks high-desert plants and human history as well as the Desert Queen Mine.

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When, where: 8 a.m. April 28 at Oasis Visitor Center, 74485 National Park Drive, Twentynine Palms.

Admission, info: $45. (760) 367-5535 

Please email announcements at least three weeks before the event to travel@latimes.com.In regard to Mingle With Millenniums, by Alice Short, April 8: I was in Malta in October, and there are a couple of things that should have been mentioned.

The streets are very narrow and the roads are very congested, but theres a great bus system with a 21 euro (about $26) ticket that lets you ride as many times as you want for one week.

Oh, yes, it was warm enough to swim in October.

Salvinu C. Vella

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Ledyard, Conn.

The boarding process

In regard to On That Mad Rush to Board, On the Spot by Catharine Hamm, April 8: Airlines should have strong, specialist boarding assistants to load the overhead bins and speed up the process.

Michael MacDermott

San Marino

::

Ive never understood the attraction of being a first-class traveler, seated in a fancy seat, and then having the privilege of watching the rest of the passengers shuffle by for many minutes. It could appeal only to someone who wants to be seen enjoying a privilege by those who do not have that privilege. I would find it much more luxurious and privileged to stay in the VIP lounge until the chaos of the economy section is settled.

In the economy cabin, having the people sitting in the back of the plane board first is logical. The issue of bins being full and a passenger swimming upstream to stuff a bag in a bin could be resolved in many ways: 1. Charge for all items carried on the plane. Cabin real estate is valuable. The charge for checked baggage has created an incentive to carry on as much as one can get away with.

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2. Have assigned bin space. If your carry-ons dont fit, the crew will whisk them away to be checked below. This will eliminate the salmon swimming upstream.

3. Passengers must demonstrate that their carry-on items fit in the sizing box/cage at every gate.

4. Have modular bins at the gate. If you want to carry on an item, you must rent one (or more) of the bins. The bins fit into overhead slots on the plane. Everything gets pre-screened/pre-fitted before getting on the plane.

5. Charge for carry-ons, but not for checked items, so that passengers have the incentive to carry on only what they absolutely must have. This is opposite of the current system in which you carry on everything you can possibly get away with, including emotional support animals.

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Ian McIlvaine

Venice

travel@latimes.com

@latimestravelIn February 2015, security forces in southern Thailand hauled in a 26-year-old Muslim man and demanded he confess to participating in a violent separatist insurgency. Officers tied him to a chair, covered his face with a shirt and poured water into his mouth until he choked.

It was one of dozens of torture cases documented by human rights groups in which Thais have been subjected to mock executions, held in painful stress positions, deprived of sleep or waterboarded.

The methods were introduced here in 2002  by the CIA.

Thailand was home to the agencys first secret prison, or black site, after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. There, American officers repeatedly waterboarded at least two high-profile detainees, part of the so-called enhanced interrogation techniques that much of the world would later describe as torture.

In all, 10 CIA prisoners were arrested or held on Thai soil before being transferred without due process to the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba or to other countries, according to a 2013 report by the Open Society Justice Initiative, which has studied the detention program.

That dark chapter in CIA history has reemerged with President Trumps nomination of a new director, Gina Haspel, a career undercover officer who oversaw the Thai black site in late 2002. At her confirmation hearing, which is scheduled for May 9, Haspel will face sharp questions from senators who argue that the tactics failed to extract useful intelligence and damaged U.S. standing in the world.

But in Thailand, collaboration with the CIA ushered in an era of impunity for security forces, according to rights advocates, who accuse the army and police of adopting the agencys most extreme methods to punish Muslim separatists and other dissidents.

The legacy of the CIA secret prison is a daily reality in Thailand today, said Sunai Phasuk, a Bangkok-based researcher with Human Rights Watch.

Every week we have a new case of torture, and the tactics are very similar to what we learned about what the CIA did. These are seen as effective tools. We had never heard of waterboarding before  it was only after 2004 or 2005 that its been used here.

The legacy of the CIA secret prison is a daily reality in Thailand today. Sunai Phasuk, Human Rights Watch

There has never been an investigation into the Thai officials or agencies involved in the CIAs covert detentions, which continued until at least 2004 and probably violated national laws.

Successive Thai governments have denied there was a black site. The military leadership that has ruled the country since 2014 includes generals who might have known about or signed off on it, while the political opposition includes supporters of the prime minister at the time, Thaksin Shinawatra, who now lives in exile.

The existence of a U.S. black site is one of Thailands worst kept secrets, said Andrea Giorgetta, Asia director for the International Federation for Human Rights, in Paris. It is unlikely to be an issue that will resurface here because nobody would benefit from bringing it up.

Thailand is far from alone in failing to examine its role in the CIA program, which allowed terrorism suspects to be interrogated without any of the standard U.S. legal protections. Of 54 countries that Open Society identified as having captured, held, questioned, tortured or helped transport CIA detainees, fewer than half have opened domestic inquiries or heard court cases challenging their involvement.

Panitan Wattanayagorn, a political scientist and advisor to Thailands deputy prime minister on security affairs, said that many Thais endorsed the armys tough measures, particularly against insurgents, and that officials who would have been aware of the black site had faded from public view.

It has been a long time, he said. The case doesnt intrigue the public anymore unless there is new evidence  and that would have to come from the United States.

::

Even the prisons location remains cloaked in mystery.

Many experts believe it was situated at a former U.S. intelligence post in the remote northeastern province of Udon Thani. Some say it was at an air base southeast of Bangkok that U.S. forces have used as a refueling hub for flights into Afghanistan. Still others point to a section of Bangkoks Don Mueang International Airport controlled by the Thai air force.

What is known is that the black site was established to hold Abu Zubaydah, a Palestinian who was considered an Al Qaeda suspect when he was captured in Pakistan in March 2002.

The agency wanted a facility where the comings and goings of agency officers and their guests would not easily attract attention, wrote Jose Rodriguez, who ran the counter-terrorism center at CIA headquarters and detailed some of the history of black sites in a 2012 book, Hard Measures.

Thailand, which was already operating a joint intelligence center with the U.S., agreed to help.

To our potential hosts we promised three things: our gratitude, a sizable amount of money and our assurances that we would do everything in our power to keep their support secret, wrote Rodriguez, who didnt identify the country in his book.

Al Qaeda suspect Abu Zubaydah is shown in a photo provided by U.S. Central Command. Associated Press

At a facility code-named Detention Site Green, Abu Zubaydah was kept in a white, windowless cell illuminated by four halogen lamps, according to a 499-page, partially redacted summary of the detention program that the Senate Intelligence Committee released in 2014. He was typically interrogated while naked and shackled to a chair after being kept awake for hours.

The first CIA prisoner to undergo the enhanced measures, he was slammed against a wall, stuffed into a coffin-like box and waterboarded  strapped to a gurney as water was poured over his face to simulate drowning  83 times, often to the point of vomiting, the report said.

Thailand was the test case, said Benjamin Zawacki, author of a recent book on U.S.-Thai relations. It was the first place where the CIA applied their techniques without constraints on a foreign national.

The Senate report concluded that the techniques didnt elicit any useful information from Abu Zubaydah. He was eventually transferred to Guantanamo Bay, where he remains.

But at the time, his interrogators judged the aggressive phase in Thailand a success, the Senate report found. They wrote to CIA headquarters that it should be used as a template for future interrogation of high-value captives.

::

Haspel reportedly arrived in Thailand after Abu Zubaydahs interrogations and ran the site during the questioning of another Al Qaeda suspect, Abd al Rahim al Nashiri, a Saudi national thought to be involved in the 2000 bombing of the U.S. destroyer Cole.

Nashiri was imprisoned in Thailand for about a month and waterboarded at least three times, the Senate report said. James Mitchell, one of the psychologists who helped develop the interrogation program, recalled that Nashiris small frame made it difficult to keep him strapped down.

When the guards stood the gurney up on end so that he could clear his sinuses, Nashiri would slide down, and his arms and hands would almost slip out from under the wide Velcro bands designed to hold him in place, Mitchell wrote in his 2016 book, Enhanced Interrogation.

Abd al Rahim al Nashiri, an alleged Al Qaeda operative in the Persian Gulf, was waterboarded at a CIA black site in Thailand. Getty Images

When CIA officials worried the location of the black site had leaked to U.S. media  and that too many Thai officials were also in on the secret  they closed it down in December 2002. Nashiri was moved to a CIA facility in another country and is currently awaiting military trial at Guantanamo Bay.

Three years later, at the urging of Haspel and others, the agency destroyed 92 tapes of the interrogations that were stored at the CIA station in Bangkok.

Amid the renewed controversy over Haspels background, her colleagues are gearing up to defend her record. On Friday, the CIA released a declassified 2011 memo saying the agency found "no fault" in Haspel's role in the destruction of the tapes.

Through the confirmation process, the American public will get to know Ms. Haspel for the first time, said Jonathan Liu, a CIA spokesman. When they do, we are confident America will be proud to have her as the next CIA director.

::

It is unclear when Thailands prime minister learned of the prison. In November 2005, when the Washington Post broke the story, Thaksin issued heated denials and briefly threatened to sue the newspaper, according to a leaked State Department cable.

He and his aides continue to deny prior knowledge of the black site. But for several years, the telecommunications-tycoon-turned-politician secured concessions from President George W. Bush for supporting the U.S.-declared war on terrorism.

Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra denied that his country hosted a CIA secret prison. Apichart Weerawong / Associated Press

In June 2003, just before he traveled to Washington to meet Bush, Thaksin signed an agreement not to extradite Americans accused of war crimes to the International Criminal Court. His government also granted itself sweeping powers to detain terrorism suspects in what critics likened to a Thai version of the USA Patriot Act.

Shortly afterward, U.S. and Thai personnel captured Riduan Isamuddin, an Indonesian Al Qaeda suspect better known as Hambali, outside Bangkok. Over several days, CIA officers kept Hambali naked, held him in stress positions and deprived him of solid food, according to the Open Society report. He is currently imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay.

That October, when Bush was in Bangkok for a regional summit, he praised Thai forces for ending [Hambalis] lethal career.

Two months later, the Bush administration upgraded Thailand to the status of a major non-NATO ally, allowing the Thai military to purchase U.S. weapons at reduced prices.

In return, the U.S. offered only muted criticism as Thaksin amassed power, unleashed a bloody drug war that left thousands dead and imposed a state of emergency to quell separatist unrest. The army overthrew Thaksin in 2006, accusing him of corruption, but has continued to use harsh tactics against civilians in the south under military leader Prayuth Chan-ocha.

Thailand's prime minister, retired Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, is shown in 2014. Sakchai Lalit / Associated Press

We are living with the effects of the U.S. cooperation, said Pornpen Khongkachonkiet, director of the Cross Cultural Foundation, an advocacy group that produced a 2016 report on torture by soldiers and paramilitary groups in southern Thailand.

The report documented 54 torture cases, many of which included intense psychological abuse that seemed designed to create a sense of helplessness. Although its unclear whether any Thai personnel were present during CIA interrogations, Pornpen said local interrogators appear to have adopted some of the severest U.S. tactics.

A 41-year-old man said he was made to stand naked on one leg in extremely low temperatures. A 36-year-old was force-fed water until he passed out. Several detainees said they were prevented from sleeping and warned they would be killed if they didnt confess to crimes.

Thai soldiers appear at an inspection ceremony this month. The army is accused of torturing detainees as it battles a Muslim insurgency in southern Thailand. Madaree Tohlala / AFP/Getty Images

Instead of investigating the claims, the army filed a criminal defamation suit against Pornpen and two colleagues. The charges were later dropped, but Pornpen said threats of official retaliation keep victims from speaking out.

The fears appear to be well founded. In 2004, Somchai Neelapaijit, a human rights lawyer representing five men who said police tortured them into falsely confessing to an attack, went missing and was never found.

Five police officers accused in Somchais disappearance were acquitted. In 2011, one of his clients was convicted of making false statements about his alleged torture and sentenced to two years in prison.

::

Few Thais have attempted to pierce the secrecy surrounding the CIA detentions.

Sunai, the human rights researcher, was working as a legislative aide when the black site was disclosed and recalled that opposition lawmakers filed a parliamentary motion to force Thaksin and senior Cabinet members to answer questions.

They refused to respond and that was it, Sunai said. Theres no penalty to refuse. And it was the only time anyone tried to start an inquiry.

Some time later, Kraisak Choonhavan, then the chairman of the Thai Senates foreign affairs committee, was approached by American lawyers representing a Libyan couple who were detained in Bangkok in 2004. The woman, who was six months pregnant, was bound, gagged and photographed naked as several American intelligence officers watched, according to a letter that Sen. John McCain sent to Haspel last month posing questions about her role in the detentions.

Kraisak relayed questions to contacts in the Thai intelligence community.

Nobody knew anything, he said. That meant to me that it was strictly a CIA operation.

Now 70 and ailing from throat cancer, Kraisak said Haspels nomination probably represents his last chance to learn more about what the CIA did in Thailand.

For most people, this is a non-issue. Why? Because in Thailand, torture by officers is common, he said. But I am truly ashamed at my country for allowing this to happen.

Bengali reported from Bangkok and Megerian from Washington.

shashank.bengali@latimes.com

chris.megerian@latimes.com

Shashank Bengali is The Times South Asia correspondent. Follow him on Twitter at @SBengali

Twitter: @ChrisMegerianThe Gaza Strips ruling Hamas militant group said Saturday that a man who was gunned down in Malaysia was an important member of the organization, accusing Israel of being behind the brazen killing.

Hamas said Palestinian engineer Fadi Batsh was a loyal member and a scientist of Palestines youth scholars. It gave no further details on his scientific accomplishments but said he had made important contributions and participated in international forums in the field of energy.

Hamas initially stopped short of blaming Israel, saying only that Batsh had been assassinated by the hand of treachery. But later its top leader, Ismail Haniyeh, accused Israels Mossad spy agency of killing him and threatened retaliation.

Haniyeh told the Associated Press on Saturday that based on previous assassinations Mossad is not away from this disgraceful, terrible crime.

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There will be an unsettled account between us and it, Haniyeh said at a mourning tent in Gaza, referring to Mossad.

The Israeli government had no comment. But Israel has long been suspected of targeting wanted Palestinian militants in daring overseas operations and has been linked to other assassinations as well, though it has rarely publicly acknowledged them.

Malaysian police say the 34-year-old Batsh was gunned down early Saturday by two assailants who shot at least eight bullets from a motorbike as he was heading to a mosque for dawn prayers in Kuala Lumpur. Authorities said closed-circuit television footage showed Batsh targeted by assassins who had waited for him for almost 20 minutes.

Malaysias deputy prime minister, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, said the government was looking into the possibility of the involvement of foreign agents in the killing. He told local media that initial investigations showed the assailants were white men driving a powerful BMW motorbike.

Batsh received his PhD from Kuala Lumpurs University of Malaya in 2015 and was a senior lecturer at the British Malaysian Institute. His official biography said his research interests included power converters, power quality and renewable energy.

However, Israeli media reported that he was also deeply involved in the Hamas drone development project.

Israel and Hamas are bitter foes who have fought three wars since 2008. Tension has risen in recent weeks with a series of mass protests along the Gaza border in which 32 Palestinians have been shot dead by Israeli troops since late March.

Hamas says the protests are aimed at breaking a crippling border blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt after the Islamist militant group overran Gaza in 2007, a year after winning Palestinian parliamentary elections. The group says it also aims to assert the right of refugees to return to their former homes in Israel.

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Israel accuses Hamas, which has carried out dozens of deadly suicide bombings against Israel, of cynically exploiting Gaza civilians for its political aims by staging the protests and trying to carry out attacks under their cover.The son of a top aide to former dictator Alfredo Stroessner is expected to be elected president of this South American nation as Paraguayans go to the polls Sunday.

The heavy favorite is Mario Abdo Benitez, 46, a former senator and standard-bearer of the center-right Colorado Party, which has long dominated governance in this land-locked nation of 6.8 million.

Abdo, a U.S.-educated construction magnate, is the son of the former private secretary of Stroessner, who ruled Paraguay in authoritarian fashion for 35 years until he was forced into exile in Brazil in 1989.

Stroessner, a Cold War ally of Washington and longtime leader of the Colorado Party, oversaw a military dictatorship that was notorious for the imprisonment, killings and disappearances of political opponents labeled subversives or communist sympathizers. Stroessner died in Brazil in 2006.

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Abdo has disassociated himself from the dark Stroessner legacy and says he is committed to democracy and human rights. His fathers link to Paraguays late maximum leader does not appear to have diminished Abdos chances of ascending to the presidency.

I was 15 or 16 years old at the end of the Stroessner era; I wasnt involved in politics at that time, Abdo told an interviewer. I represent politics in a positive fashion.

Abdo is running on a pro-business platform and backs Paraguays current regimen of low taxes and an emphasis on the export market  policies that have drawn strong criticism from the left. The opposition has called for higher taxes on agricultural production as a means of reducing poverty and inequality, especially in rural areas, where about 40% of Paraguayans still reside.

Some polls show Abdo with an advantage of as many as 25 points over his chief opponent, Efrain Alegre Sasiain, who represents a coalition of center-left parties known as the Alianza Ganar, or Win Alliance.

The opposition alliance includes the party of former center-left President Fernando Lugo, an ex-Roman Catholic bishop whose election in 2008 broke the Colorado Partys historic grip on power. Lugo, a candidate for a Senate seat in Sundays balloting, was removed from the presidency in 2012 in a disputed impeachment process.

Paraguay has enjoyed an economic boom in recent years thanks largely to exports of commodities, especially soybeans, and the production of hydroelectric power at the huge Itaipu and Yacyreta plants. Much of the economic growth has been concentrated in the capital, Asuncion, where new shopping malls, hotel complexes and apartment buildings have sprung up in recent years.

However, critics say the export-fueled boom has largely benefited the countrys elite in a nation where more than one-quarter of the population still lives in poverty. Various peasant movements demanding more equitable distribution of resources occasionally clash with Paraguayan authorities.

The challenge for the next government is to spread equality and fight against poverty so that the macroeconomic success is shared by more sectors of Paraguayan society, said Augusto dos Santos, a political analyst.

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Paraguays next president will succeed the current chief executive, Horacio Cartes, of the Colorado Party. The new president is to serve a five-year term beginning in August without the possibility of reelection, under current constitutional rules.

More than 4 million are eligible to vote in Sundays elections in Paraguay, which is slightly larger geographically than Japan. Along with the president, Paraguayans will be voting for all of the nations congressional seats and 17 gubernatorial posts.

Special correspondent DAlessandro reported from Asuncion and Times staff writer McDonnell from Mexico City.

patrick.mcdonnell@latimes.com

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Twitter: @PmcdonnellLATWhat would $832,000 buy for the taxpayers of Bethlehem Township?

How would the First Presbyterian Church of Easton use a $362,000 infusion of cash?

These aren't hypothetical questions. Those amounts represent documented thefts of money from the township and the church, and although justice has been served in one sense -- the responsible parties were convicted and sent to jail -- Bethlehem Township and First Presbyterian could still lose out on court-ordered restitution. According to recent a recent state court ruling, they have no legal standing to recoup their losses.

In 2016 the Pennsylvania Superior Court decided that only a "person" may be reimbursed for losses resulting from a crime. That narrow interpretation of the law not only cheats government entities and potentially nonprofit organizations victimized by thieves and embezzlers, but erases a critical part of one's "debt to society" -- making good on what you took.

The Superior Court ruling gave a free pass to former House Whip Michael Veon, a Democrat who defrauded state agencies of $136,000 in the Bonusgate scandal. A similar ruling wiped out the $1 million payback imposed on Republican operative Brian Preski, convicted of using taxpayer money for GOP campaign business in the Computergate scandal.

The reprieves weren't limited to corrupt power brokers. One was extended to one of the two men who left Bethlehem Township high and dry on a $832,000 street light contract. Robert Kearns, who's serving a jail term in Northampton County, appealed his restitution order and won. His partner, Patrick McLaine, is expected to be freed of his share if he appeals, leaving the township with a bad debt.

The theft from First Presbyterian Church of Easton was crippling to the institution and its community programs. Former treasurer Ann Marie Ballentine admitted she stole $362,000 over several years. She was sentenced to a minimum of nine months in jail. She applied to Northampton County Court to be released from her restitution order and was denied, but that might not be the last word in the case.

Do government pilferers deserve longer prison sentences? No argument here.

Should nonprofits do a better job of protecting their bank accounts? Undoubtedly, in many cases.

Still, this problem needs a legislative fix. Charitable organizations and tax-supported agencies are no less victimized than individuals when they are defrauded and sucked dry.

The Pennsylvania Legislature is sitting on a reform measure at the moment. We join Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli in asking why. Why is a relatively easy remedy -- a phrase in the restitution law -- lingering in a committee?

It's a given that a small percentage of people in positions of trust will steal money, simply because they can. If the worst fate that befalls them is a jail term measured in months -- with no payback -- where's the deterrence? And the idea that their victims should, whenever possible, be made whole?A trash incinerator in Warren County has been burning liquid waste for the past two years of its nearly 30-year run.

That was through a research, development and demonstration project authorized by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

Now, Covanta Warren Energy Resource Co. LLC is looking for a permanent permit to take in up to 32,000 gallons of liquid waste per day. The deliveries will count toward the Oxford Township facility's limit of accepting 200,000 tons of trash per year for processing, according to the DEP.

A 30-day public comment period on the permit request is open until May 5. A public hearing may be scheduled on the application if requested and "issues of fact relevant to the proposed agency action" are raised, according to the DEP.

The liquid trash is what the DEP refers to as Type 72 waste, and encompasses bulk liquids and semi-liquids. Covanta Warren's research project began March 10, 2016, and its been incinerating the liquid waste ever since via a Liquid Direct Injection system, state officials said. The research permit expires Sept. 30, according to the DEP.

Covanta Warren began operating in July 1988 and also disposes of Type 10 municipal waste (household, commercial and institutional); Type 23 vegetative waste and Type 27 dry industrial waste. That last category excludes hazardous waste like asbestos and non-hazardous pesticides, oil and chemical waste.

"The liquid waste is injected into the boilers along with regular municipal solid waste, and it's just another way to defer liquid waste out of the landfills," said James F. Regan, spokesman for Covanta Warren's parent company.

The DEP describes the source of the Type 72 liquid waste as "varied" but mainly comprising "liquids from industrial processes that may upset the biological treatment processes of a sewage treatment plant, like soapy waters.

"Some of the sources are boiler blow-down water, washdown wastes, washdown of tanks from the manufacture of paints. These wastes have a composition that is greater than 90 percent water, and they come from many different areas in the eastern United States."

Examples of potential sources of the liquid waste include a shampoo that may have failed quality-control testing or expired products, according to Regan.

"It's non-hazardous industrial liquid waste," the Covanta spokesman said. "The majority of it is water-based and things like lotions or creams, shampoo products, but it's 95 to 97 percent water with traces of shampoo and lotions and creams and manufacturing/industrial processes wouldn't want to send this material to landfill."

The liquid waste coming in to Covanta Warren for incineration passes through the weigh station at the 218 Mt. Pisgah Ave. facility. From there, it goes to the Liquid Direct Injection -- or LDI -- unloading area for "a sampling procedure to ensure all incoming material is compliant with all approved paperwork," the DEP says.

"All Waste Type 72 streams that are considered for LDI undergo a rigorous review and waste characterization by Covanta," according to the DEP. "Covanta utilizes a 'Waste Approval Flow Chart' to ensure only compatible non-hazardous liquid waste streams are accepted at the facility."

Covanta has been using the LDI process to incinerate liquid waste for about a decade at three of its other facilities, in Indianapolis, Indiana; Springfield, Massachusetts; and Niagara Falls, New York, according to the New Jersey DEP.

Covanta Warren uses two processing lines to incinerate waste at up to 752 degrees Fahrenheit. The high-temperature, high-pressure steam that is generated passes through a turbine that drives a generator to produce electricity. The Warren County incinerator produces up to 13.7 megawatts to operate the facility, with surplus power sold to the JCP&L electrical grid. Exhaust steam from the turbine is air-cooled and condensed to be recirculated through the boiler as feedwater.

The facility draws water from two offsite wells near the Pequest River. Its peak daily water demand from 2007 through 2011 was 480,222 gallons per day in October 2007, the DEP says. That's less than the original operating permit's peak demand projection of 563,200 gallons per day.

Thanks to reusing cooling tower condensate, Covanta Warren from 2007-11 averaged 7,784 gallons per day of wastewater discharged to the nearby Pequest River Municipal Utilities treatment plant -- well below original projections of 87,843 gallons per day of wastewater.

Covanta Warren's air pollution controls include spray dryer absorbers (scrubbers) for acid gas control, baghouses for particulate removal, carbon injection for mercury reduction and two systems -- one of which is proprietary -- for the reduction of nitrogen oxides.

The new waste stream is projected to "help sustain the long-term viability" of the Covanta Warren facility, the DEP says, while providing "local businesses with a local disposal option that is an alternative, less expensive and sustainable means of disposal." In addition, Warren County receives "revenue sharing that potentially benefits the local communities," the department says in a review of the proposal.

According to the DEP's review of the Type 72 permit request: "Evaluations of the traffic, noise, air and other potential environmental impacts have demonstrated that the facility has satisfied the regulatory requirements to operate the facility by maintaining compliance with the conditions of the draft permit tentatively approved by the department."

Covanta Warren does not anticipate any capital improvements or increased processing of liquid waste as part of the permanent Type 72 permit, said Regan, the spokesman.

Anyone looking to comment on the permit application may do so in writing to Anthony Fontana, Chief New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Division of Solid & Hazardous Waste Bureau of Solid Waste Permitting, Mail Code 401-02C, P.O. Box 420, Trenton, NJ, 08625-0420.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.Stock Market News

Sunday newspaper round-up: WPP, Sir Martin Sorrell, contactless fraud, Whitbread, Metro Bank 22-04-2018 17:31



Stock News headlines are gathered from financial news sources around the web. Views and opinions on each item are from their respective authors and website. They are not opinions of LiveCharts.co.ukMore from Newshub:

The 18-year-old from Stillwater Area High School, Minnesota, posted a video to Twitter on April 16 in which she asked the wrestler-turned-actor to accompany her to her school's prom in May.

Dressed in a turtleneck, jeans and fanny pack in imitation of an infamous photo taken of Johnson in the 1990s, Katie described herself as "the biggest Dwayne Johnson fan" and showed off her impressive collection of merchandise featuring the star.

"So Dwayne, will you 'rock' it at prom with me?" she concluded.

On Friday (local time) he answered her question - albeit in a very unusual way.

Video taken from inside Katie's classroom shows her listening to the school's regular intercom announcements before realising that the voice on the speaker was none other than Johnson himself.

"You're probably thinking, 'what is 'The Rock' doing on our intercom system?'" he can be heard saying. "Well, I'm sending a message to a very special young lady."

As Katie realises her celebrity crush is talking directly to her, she gasps and dissolves into tears.

While he couldn't make it to her prom due to filming commitments in Hawaii, he tells Katie he'd rented out an entire 232-seat movie theatre for her and her friends to see his new film Rampage.

"And all the popcorn and candy and soda you can drink, it's all on me. Everything is free and I want you to go have the greatest time."Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2018 > Promoting Bad Governance Is Bad

IMPRESSIONS

So its mixture as beforeShri Arun Jaitleyis wise, ministers of Southern States are dumb. The South objected to the Centre taking the 2011 population figures as the yardstick for the devolution of tax revenues to the States. Shri Jaitley dismissed the objections in convoluted phraseology. To wit: Population proxies very well for the needs of the people in quantitative sense. The Income Distance which captures very well relative poverty of people in the States is used to assess qualitative needs. Got it?

For the benefit of those who are slow on the uptake, Shri Jaitley explained that more resources will go to the populous and poorer States which need additional funds for providing education, health and other services to the people. Very considerate of Shri Jaitley. But Shri Jaitley did not pause to ask why the populous and poorer States have remained populous and poorer seven decades after independence and four glorious years after Shri Jaitleys party came to power.

The Southern States are less populous and less poor because they worked harder to achieve progress. Between the 1971 and the 2011 censuses, when Tamil Nadus population rose by 75 per cent, Uttar Pradeshs rose by 130 per cent. The South controlled its head count by actively pursuing modern ideas on social indicators such as female literacy. They also advanced in education and on the economic front. Nothing of the kind took place in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and UP, appro-priately called BIMARU States (meaning they are unwell).

Instead of pulling up those who mismanaged their affairs, Shri Jaitely wants BIMARU to be financed by TATKKAPU (Tamil Nadu, Andhra, Telangana, Kerala, Karnataka and Puducherry). This injustice was objected to by four Southern States that held a conclave last week, the first of its kind in history. Telangana did not attend, but its Chief Minister is on record saying that the weightage for population in tax devolution should be reduced. Tamil Nadu did not attend for political reasons that all could understand. But DMK leader Stalin was the first to object to the Centres new initiative. The south is sending a message to Delhi: Promoting bad governance is bad; penalising good governance is worse.

Theres more in this than robbing Peter Shetty to pay Paul Sinha. The Centres terms of reference mentions also the performance of States on flagship Central programmes. These are the flagships of the BJP Government, such as Start-up India and Swachch Bharat. In other words, what the States get by way of financial devolution depends also on the degree of their loyalty to the BJPs flagships. This makes a farce of the federal system, and violates the constitu-tional neutrality of the Finance Commission. And it is being imposed unilaterally with no consultation with the States.

None of this is reason enough to raise demands like Dravidasthan, an idea that found some airing in Tamil Nadu. The political integrity of India is too precious to be turned into a bargaining tool. India is one and must remain so. But in this united India, there should be no discriminatory policies that pit language against language, region against region and religion against religion. New Delhis approach to sharing national resources should not give the impression that some are treated as more equal than others. It certainly should not favour one political party at the expense of others.

Shri Jaitely and his government would have been less vulnerable if they had made an effort to push the Hindi States to perform better. What we see in fact is the Hindi States feeling complacent about their inefficiency. Nothing brought this out more grotesquely than Yogi Adityanath asking Kerala to learn from UPs health system.

Arroganceand studied ignoranceof this type make the performing States feel bitter about their money being diverted to the non-performers. The Central Governments partisan-ship adds to the discontent in the South. The feeling that Delhi is promoting the interests of the Hindi belt at the cost of others creates a North-South divide. The Centres insensitiveness on this matter is really difficult to fathom. Even in electoral terms, the sense of hurt in Southern States should worry the BJP. The south uniting against the Finance Commission issue is in reality the South uniting against the BJP. The wise will learn.Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2018 > Oli in India: Changing Perceptions

by Sangeeta Thapliyal

Perception is an essential component of foreign policy. How a countrys government and people perceive the other has a substantial influence in forming its relations with them. Assessing Prime Minister K.P. Olis visit to India unfolds certain prevailing perceptions in both India and Nepal.

In Nepal the popular perception is that K.P. Oli is a nationalist who stood up to India during the economic blockade. In fact, this perception was carefully constructed and used during the elections by the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist Leninist) (CPN (UML), the party to which Oli belongs. Nepalese had suffered from the earthquake and the blockade by the Madhesis further added to their woes. People perceived the Madhesi agitators being supported by India. The UML used the sufferings of the Nepalese to its political advantage and played up being victim from the interference of the southern neighbour. It is yet another matter that the Nepali Congress, faction-ridden with a weak leadership, was not a formidable opposition in the elections.

In India Oli is perceived to be close to China. During his earlier tenure as the Prime Minister of the country, Oli had signed agreements with China ranging from trade to cross-border connectivity and infrastructure development, cooperation on energy, tourism, finance, education and culture. Nepal and China have opened the Kerung-Rasuwagarhi Pass for trade purposes and have also agreed to have a railway link from Kerung to Kathmandu, Pokhara and Lumbini. Both the countries have also agreed to open seven new trade routes and custom offices. Nepal is a signatory to Chinas BRI. These agreements were signed during the border blockade even though discussions with China on certain projects had started earlier.

Olis attempt to use China as a balancer earned him the label of pro-China among the Nepal experts in India. Straightjacket labels like these make us believe that the leadership in Nepal has shifted its focus from India to China. On the contrary like any other leader Oli is pro his own interests and not pro India or China. In fact, he had blamed India for the dismissal of his government in 2016, and considered Indian support to madhesis as an act of interference in Nepals domestic affairs..

Prime Minister Oli has emphatically stated that Nepal would develop relations with both its neighbours. At this juncture Oli gets support from his people who want to take benefits from the economic growth of China. However, till such time the infrastructure connectivity with China is complete Nepal will be dependent on India. Its a common knowledge that the goods from sea are cheaper than through the land route but there isnt much thought on the cost benefit of such projects. Nepals rail and road projects may have less economic benefits but more geostrategic and political significance.

By opting India for his maiden visit as the Prime Minister of Nepal, Oli has followed the tradition that is more ceremonial. There was a reaffirmation of the close socio-cultural and political ties with an emphasis on economic development. The visit was not about major breakthroughs but about the resolve to work on the existing projects. In an age where infrastructure linkages and connectivity is the buzzword, India and Nepal have already signed projects on rail and road connectivity. Rail link between Jayanagar-Janakpur will be completed by this year and some projects are at the Detailed Project Report stage. The present agreement on the rail link from Raxaul to Kathmandu is one more agreement within the existing idea of connectivity. With the drive towards connectivity both the countries also agreed to explore waterways for trans-shipment of goods.

There is a perceptible change in India and Nepal on infrastructure links. India wants to develop rail and road links with Nepal whereas the latter wants to develop with both India and China. Nepal is trying to redefine its role as a transit country, which could get benefits from the movement of goods between its two neighbours. In fact Nepal wants to remodel its role and act as a link between India and China.

China does not share socio-cultural links with Nepal nor does it have an easier terrain for mobility but in the common mans perception China does no harm and it delivers. Nepalese consider China as an alternative to lessen dependence on India. India will not find it easy to deter Nepal from developing infrastructural links with China. First, China is more aggressive and powerful. It was a variable in Indias relations with Nepal and it would continue to exist with active involvement through trade and economic links. Secondly, the younger generation in Nepal is not much enamored by the close socio-cultural relations with India. They look for economic development irrespective of the source. The Indian perception towards Nepal hasnt changed. It still perceives Nepal from the same old prism of strategic interests. Whereas Indian leverages in Nepal do not work as effectively as earlier such as the border blockade.

Prof Sangeeta Thapliyal is a Professor at the Centre for Inner Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2018 > How Gandhi led Niranjan Takle to the Judge Loya Story

At a commemorative meeting in Mumbai the journalist who did the story for Caravan talks about how Loyas family decided that he should be the one to tell their story.

by Jyoti Punwani

Shortly before independence there was a journalist who was killed trying to save lives during a communal riot. In recent years there have been efforts to commemorate Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi, and this years memorial meeting in Mumbai, organised by the Mumbai Sarvodaya Mandal and the Janmukti Sangharsh Vahini, ended up connecting some seemingly unrelated dots.

One of the invited speakers was an unassuming middle-aged journalist, a believer in Gandhis ideas, recently made famous by his story in Caravan on the mystery surrounding the death of Judge Loya, who was hearing the Sohrabbudin Sheikh case. Niranjan Takle spoke on the relevance of Mahatma Gandhi, communalism, and of how he came upon the Judge Loya story, back in 2015.

It fell into his lap, but Takle didnt immediately set off to work on it.

And here is how it fell into only his lap.

In 2015, Takle undertook an unusual train journey. He followed the footsteps of Gandhis yatra 100 years ago. Soon after arriving in India from South Africa, Gandhi had undertaken a train journey in a Third Class compartment to understand the problems of the poor.

Takle followed Gandhis route, also travelling 14,432 kms in the general compartment, to under-stand how India had changed in the last 100 years, and whether Gandhi was still relevant.

Speaking at the meeting held last month Takle recalled finding many instances to show that Gandhis ideas remained relevant. He quoted a 27-year-old mason he met on the train, who said: Earlier, they would hesitate, but today, many openly praise Gandhis killer. Yet, no one has had the guts to name his son Nathuram. When that name becomes common, we will know that Gandhi is dead.

He also recounted another instance wherein a Hindu mother and daughter had run out of water and couldnt get off the packed train to refill their bottles. At 3 am, a Muslim youth woke them up to tell them he had got the water for them.

I saw the real India on that journey, he said, And I realised that the poor are really secular. Because they need to be. They are dependent on one another for their daily needs. When your income increases and you stop depending on others, arrogance and isolation creeps in.

Some weeks after his train journey, Takle was narrating to a friend his experiences and how much he had learnt from it. He was in the restaurant of a Pune hotel, where he was staying for a few days. The next day, a young girl visited him in the hotel. Introducing herself as Nupur Biyani, she told him her family had been looking for a journalist for a long time. After overhearing his conversation, she felt he was the one who could write their story. She then proceeded to tell him about what had happened to her uncle, Judge Loya.

But, recalled Takle, 80 per cent of her story was hearsay. Only 20 per cent was what the judge had himself told her. He needed to speak to her mother to get a more authentic account. Thats how he met Anuradha Biyani, sister of the judge.

Takle then went to meet Loyas father. There, he met Anuj, the judges 18-year-old son. He asked him what he was doing, his grandfather replied that he was studying law. Where, asked Takle. Again, the grandfather replied. Why doesnt the boy speak, asked Takle. Because he has lost faith in everything after his fathers death, replied the grandfather. He no longer believes in the government, in courts, not even in the media. He doesnt talk to anyone.

Takle left the house in a turmoil, and called up his 19-year-old daughter. I asked her, can you explain to me how an 18-year-old can stop talking to anyone because he has lost faith? How can a teenager live like that? Her reply is what finally prompted him to investigate the suspicious death of Judge Loya in earnest. She told him: If he has stopped talking, what can you do for him? Can you restore his faith in your profession at least?

My profession was what fed and educated my daughter, said Takle. I wanted her to have faith in my profession at least.

Today, said Takle, his phones are tapped and he never gets a mail marked Unread, all his mails are read before he can read them. But his daughter is proud of him.

Despite this harassment, he felt the constant talk these days about an atmosphere of fear is exaggerated. The more we talk about it, the more it multiplies, he said.

Among the many criticisms Takle and the Caravan, which published his story, received for it, was that it was timed to influence the Gujarat elections. So they released the story only partially, he said. He continues to work on it, and many instalments are still to come.

From his talk, Takles strong feelings for Gandhi came through. He pointed out that when Modi and his Cabinet bowed before Veer Savarkars portrait in Parliament, they perforce had to turn their backs on Gandhi. On a TV discussion on Gandhi, a BJP spokesman had told him that he was not neutral, as a journalist should be. Takle had countered: Can a journalist be neutral when it comes to writing about Ram and Ravan? So is Gandhi Ram? the BJP spokesman had asked, to which Takle had retorted: Have you accepted yourself as Ravan?

The meet on Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi was held at the Press Club of Mumbai. But it had not been organised by any media body. The Mumbai Sarvodaya Mandal and the Janmukti Sangharsh Vahini, comprise a group of Gandhians and Jayprakash Narayan followers who have been observing the journalists anniversary for the last three years. This year, they invited two journalists to speak on the occasion: Saroj Tripathi, former student activist, who writes for the Navbharat Times and runs the Bombay Universitys Hindi journalism course, and Niranjan Takle.

Tripathi gave a detailed account of Vidyarthis life and work. The founder-editor of the weekly Pratap was as much a trade unionist as a journalist. When he was killed in 1931 while trying to save people from communal violence in Kanpur, he was just 41 years old. By then, he had been imprisoned twice for his trade union work and for sedition. He opposed the British, but he also opposed local bigwigs, superstition and communalism, said Tripathi. Thats the reason even the Congress, on whose ticket he was elected to the UP Provincial Council in 1925, and whose State Committee President he was, never honoured his memory. He went against everything the Congress came to represent after independence. As for the current CM, Yogi Adityanath, he is even less likely to honour him, for Vidyarthi once said: Babas and bairaagis are the biggest enemy of society. He was against the concept of a Hindu Rashtra.

Tripathi revealed that Vidyarthi was asked to flee while he was rescuing Muslim women during the Kanpur riot, but he refused to, and was done to death. What role does todays media play in times of communal strife? asked Tripathi.

At the end, Takle pledged to make Vidyarthi his ideal. Till now, when people or the press made a noise, things happened, sometimes Ministers resigned. Today, your phones are tapped! he said, adding: Yet, its up to us to keep the credibility of our profession alive. He recited a brief verse in Hindi which translated into: After death, a man neither says anything, nor thinks anything. But one who says nothing and thinks nothing while he is alive, may as well be dead.

(April 6, 2018)

(Courtesy: Thehoot.org)Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2018 > The Paths of the CPI and the CPI-M are Divergent

by Ajayakumar Kodoth

The Party Congresses of the CPI and CPI-M are currently taking place in South India. This article is being published in that context.

Prime Minister Narendra Modis speech in Parliament in reply to the Presidents policy statement, had a ring of hauteur to it. His hatred towards the Congress Party was as undisguised as ever. What this points to is a fascist tendency to twist historical truths in order to establish counterfactuals. The danger and threat lurking behind it can be fully realised only if we remember the fact that when the RSS (founded in 1925) made its presence felt during the Indian nationalist movement, it did so as a reactionary counter-revolutionary organisation. Therefore, an attack launched by its represen-tativewhile occupying the seat of the Prime Ministeragainst Jawaharlal Nehru as well as the tradition of the freedom struggle of the Indian National Congress is the most eloquent evidence of the hubris of an organisation which had nothing to do with the nations anti-colonial movement. In a similar fashion, the slogan Congress-free India floated by Amit Shah, on his becoming the BJP President following his partys victory in the 2014 elections, points to the most anti-democratic, Fascist sentiment ever heard in independent India.

Therefore the moot question is whether in the 2019 general elections all the political parties that believe in secular, democratic values will stand together as a single force to bring down the Sangh Parivar. All Indians, including intellectuals who espouse liberal values, are anxious about this issue. That is the reason why when the Karat group disregarded the Yechury line that called for the creation of a broad secular front which would include the Congress in order to defeat Hindu fascism, and won the majority vote in the CPI-M Central Committee, Jayati Ghosh, expert economist and Left intellectual in the JNU, remarked that the BJP had captured the CPI-M Central Committee by 55 votes to 31!

There is no doubt that the misuse of power during the Emergency and the unparalleled tragedy that followed it dealt a body blow to Indian democracy. But we should not forget that it was the CPI-M, ready to woo any devil in order to defeat the Congress, which had lent support to Jayaprakash Narayans Total Revolution movement that had the full backing of the RSS. The genie, that had the gone into hiding when it became the target of social criticism following the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, was let out of the bottle, and the fact that the CPI-M too had contributed to it cannot be denied. In these troubled times, characterised by a defiant political stand adopted by the CPI-M, in tune with its hatred towards the Congress Party (a move that is bound to serve only the interests of the extreme Right), the draft political document awaiting recognition at the 23rd Party Congress of the CPI seems to emit a ray of hope. Not only as an initiative for the creation of a broad secular platform against communal fascism but also as an opening for the renewal of policies of the Left parties in India. What should be done to combat communal fascism? The creation of a broad secular, democratic political front that includes the Indian National Congress, or merely a platform? The ideological stand taken by the Left towards the Indian National Congress, the mainstream movement of the Indian nationalist struggle, should have been different. The Left has to change its approach towards the Congress because that is the need of the hour. In these fearful political times, when the hold on Tripura too has been lost, the Left should prepare itself for a rethink on the issue.

The Indian Revolution

Indias anti-colonial struggle that lasted nearly two centuries (1757-1947) was a great popular movement that belongs in the same league as the French, American, Russian and Chinese Revolutions. Even the bourgeois movements of France and America are termed revolutions in history! The late Marxist historian and scholar, Prof Bipan Chandra, had severely criticised academic researchers who refused to call the Indian anti-colonial movement a revolution. Even before Lenin and Hobson, the founding fathers of the Indian National Congress had recognised the ramifications of the financial exploitation of the colonies by the imperial powers. Dadabhai Naorojis Drain Theory is in itself the best example.

What everyone witnessed on August 15, 1947 was the birth of not only an independent nation called India but also a nation-state capable of making crucial contributions to the progress of Asia and the world. And in Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the Socialist bloc of that time, including the Soviet Union, as well as the newly indepen-dent nations in the Asian, African and South American continents found a great leader capable of leading it. Ralph Buultjens, the famous Sri Lankan intellectual, in an article written in the Mainstream weekly (1985) evaluated the neutralism of the Non-Aligned Movement initiated by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru not as an impotent Switzerland model but as an instance of positive neutralism that could strengthen the anti-imperial stand adopted by the Soviet Union.

A small group of Indian Communist leaders, like P.C. Joshi, had the visionary power to see that the Indian nationalist movement, founded on the fundamental values of the anti-colonial world view, parliamentary democracy, and secularism, had the ability to accommodate progressive ideas including land reforms. (Karachi AICC resolution, 1931) That was why, even as early as in the 1940s, P. C. Joshi suggested that the Communist Party join hands with the liberal group led by Jawaharlal Nehru in order to build a nation-state in independent India. What the Indian Communist Party, which had played an active role in anti-colonial struggles, needed to realise was that it had the responsibility of revolutionising the aims and policies of the Indian nationalist movement, and therefore it was the inheritor of the nationalist movement. It seems when K. Damodaran, the Indian Communist leader, got an opportunity to interview Ho Chi Minh in Hanoi in 1960, he asked how the Vietnamese party which was only as big as the Indian Communist Party in the 1930s had managed to take the revolution to success whereas the Communist Party had failed to do so in India. Ho Chi Minhs famous reply was: There you had Mahatma Gandhi. Here, I am the Mahatma Gandhi!

The majority of the Indian Communist leadership did not realise the relevance of Mahatma Gandhi then. If it had, it would have acknowledged his leadership in the anti-colonial struggle, and through that, reached the national mainstream, and later, following the attainment of indepen-dence, represented a progressive section within the Congress, and joined hands with Jawaharlal Nehru in the efforts to build a nation-state. The Communist leaders who could not acknowledge this fact were the ones who, under the leadership of B.T. Ranadive, became the spokesmen of the Calcutta Thesis in 1948, and the inheritors of this sectarian legacy were the ones who split the CPI, and created the CPI-M.

The Unjustifiable Split

The CPI-M was formed in 1964 as the result of a split that went against the spirit of intra-party democratic discipline of the Indian Communist Party. Thirtytwo members among more than 100 who had assembled for a National Council meeting walked out and gave shape to the CPI-M. Differences had erupted many years earlier within the party over the stand to be taken towards the Congress. Towards the end of 1960, after the World Meeting of Communist Workers Parties at Moscow, a group of the Indian Communist Party was drawn towards the Immediate Revolution programme of the Chinese Communist Party. This led to the split in 1964. Those who were attracted towards the Maoist slogans that echoed in the 1960s saw the split as a sacred revolutionary act and this had global repercussions. Just as the Communist Party split in India, those in Italy, France, Indonesia, Australia and Brazil followed suit despite the fact that there were no pro-Right Dangeists in those countries.

Those who gave leadership to the split in India first made unfounded allegations against S.A. Dange who had always and most eloquently spoken about the need for a national policy for the Indian Communist Party. What they showed as proof was a letter allegedly written by him to the British Viceroy in 1924, while he was serving a prison sentence in a jail run by the British Government. That this was utterly fabricated has been stated by Mohit Sen in his autobiography and by K. Damodaran in an interview with Tariq Ali. The comrades, whounder the leadership of P. Sundarayyacreated a ruckus in the National Council over allegations against Dange, and later went on to form the CPI-M, were not prepared to consider the fact that Danges very name had been wrongly written in the alleged letter of 1924 to the British authorities. Danges actual name was Shripad Amrit Dange but in the letter it was written as Shripat Amrit Dange. The letter was discovered after independence by the Communist researcher Dwijendra Nandi in the National Archives. No other document to support this allegation was found, nor any action on the part of Dange detected to provoke suspicions that he was keeping himself away from the anti-British struggle after 1924.

Nevertheless those who were raring to split the party threatened to mutiny in order to have their demand for Danges expulsion addressed. On receiving a copy of the letter from Nandi, P. Sundarayya used it as a weapon, made copies and distributed them among the members of the National Council as well as in the press. This group made a concerted effort to throw out Dange under the shadow of doubt, and spread scandals against him. The Maoists, newly sprung in the undivided CPI, in their zest for propagating information about the inevitability of a split, were not prepared to concede that S.A. Dange was an undisputed Communist leader who had grown into that position as much by his being in the forefront of the anti-colonial struggle organised by the Left movement from 1925 till the British left India, serving a prison sentence after being named a party in the Meerut Conspiracy Case, and leading endless workers strikes by dint of his intelligence.

K. Damodaran, in his interview with Tariq Ali, has made it clear that what took place against Dange in the undivided Communist Party was the Chinese Maoist party leaders move against revisionism that began in the 1960s. The Maoist rebel group within the National Council of the undivided Communist Party regarded Dange as a major spokesman of revisionism and isolated him for attack. After the death of Lenin, Stalin initiated a purge in the Russian Communist Party by alleging that all the Polit-Bureau members were agents of the Czar and global capitalism. He succeeded in removing them and anointing himself the dictator. Lenin escaped only because he died in 1924! But democratic India in the 1960s was not the Stalinist Russia of the post-Lenin period. S.A. Dange was not prepared to do a Bukharin act within the Indian Communist Party, and mortgage his dignity. The majority of the National Council during the 1964 split period supported Dange who was then the Chairman of the undivided Communist Party.

Despite this support, Dange was willing to co-operate with a three-member investigation committee set up to look into the allegations made by the rebel group led by P. Sundarayya. Although the members were Bhupesh Gupta, Sohan Singh Josh and Hiren Mukherjee, none known to be on Danges side, ideologically, Dange welcomed their intervention. But the rebel group was not ready for it. They had already prepared themselves for splitting the party, in response to the Maoist call. They bayed for Danges blood, and used the allegations as a smokescreen to conceal their intention to foment trouble.

However, even without the allegations raised against Dange, the Communist Party was already heading for a split. The differences between the Maoist adherents and the Dange supporters had reached a flashpoint at that time on three counts. The CPI-CPI-M split of 1964 needs to be looked at from this ideological prism as well. Only an understanding of the ideological background behind the creation of the CPI-M will help a student of history to fathom the depth of the crisis that the party finds itself in at the moment. The three issues are as follows:

1. Even after the Communist Party acknow-ledged in 1952 that the Calcutta Thesis was a mistake, the sectarian attitude contained in it continued to influence a segment of the Indian Communist Party. The issue that troubled the party in 1948 had been whether the attainment of independence in 1947 was genuine or not. What the 1964 party split revealed was that most of Ranadives supporters still stuck to their guns. They had delusions about toppling what they considered to be a fake democratic government led by Jawaharlal Nehru by means of an armed struggle, and believed that the Chinese Communist Party and its Red Army would give them full support. It was this group that stood with the CPI-M in 1964. A minority led by S. A. Dange opposed it and remained with the CPI. That was why those who defected to the CPI-M saw the CPI comrades as pro-Right. It is not difficult to see that the phrase Right Communist Party came into being from such a sectarian viewpoint.

2. Following the attainment of independence, those who acknowledged that India had become a nation-state built on the foundation of parliamentary democracy, and those who believed that by nurturing peoples struggles in a democratic manner both inside and outside Parliament, a transformation into socialism was possible, remained firm in the CPI. On the other hand, those who rejected this possibility and sought to liberate Indian cities and villages through an immediate and armed revolution, threw in their lot with the CPI-M. Certain lines written by P. Sundarayya in his preface to the history of the Telengana struggle can be read as a criticism of the CPI standpoint branded by the CPI-M as pro-Right, and as a clear justification of the sectarian attitude adopted by the CPI-M after 1964. He wrote: It was not just accidental, and maybe of interest to note, that in the party split that came about in the year 1962-63, the division in the State party unit of Visalandhra remained, more or less, of the same character and with the same composition as was witnessed during the 1950-51 inner-party strife. With the exception of a handful of individual communist leaders and caders, who might have changed their loyalties and political convictions, the bulk that stood opposed to the Telengana struggle, on one count or another, opted to side with the right reformist and Revisionist Right Communist Party while the overwhelming majority, that defended the struggle to the last, rallied firmly behind the Communist Party of India-Marxist. A student of history can easily detect that the CPI-M comrades weddedness to the Maoist Immediate Revolution project was at work here.

3. The CPI policy was built on a recognition that there was a progressive group within the Indian National Congress which was essentially a party of the national bourgeoisie, as well as a conviction that by joining forces with it, the process of national democratic revolution could be completed. This would also ensure the entry of the communist movement into the national mainstream. The comrades who accepted this policy stood with S.A. Dange. The stand taken by the CPI-M was totally opposed to it. They saw the Indian National Congress as the reactionary counter-revolutionary party in India. This was in continuation with the stand adopted by Roy in the M.N. Roy vs Lenin debate that took place at the Second Communist International, regarding the strategy of colonial nations. That was the reason why later, under the pretext of opposing the Emergency, on the basis of their readiness as mentioned earlier, to woo any devil in order to defeat the Congress, it publicly joined hands with the real reactionary anti-revolutionary party, the RSS. This alliance did not end even when, after the Congress defeat in the 1977 elections, the RSS (Jana Sangh) won more than 90 seats and, hiding behind the Janata Party, took on the reins of power at the Centre. It was this support that gave the RSS an air of political legitimacy, it had lost with the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. The alliance continued until

the problem of dual membership arose within the Janata Party in connection with the RSS.

According to the M.N. Roy principle, the reactionary powers that needed to be obliterated from Indian politics were Gandhian ideas and the Congress. The influence of such a sectarian mentality can be detected in the political stand of the CPI-M right from 1964. However, after the party split, the CPI-M made no effort to lead an armed struggle. It was content with increasing its seats in the State Assemblies and Parliament. Only when suspicions about a possible dilution of the arguments that precipitated the split arose did the Naxalite movement take birth within a segment of the CPI-M in 1968. If we examine the arguments arrayed by the CPI-M to engineer the split, we will realise that it lost its political relevance the moment the Naxalite movement was born. The factor that earned the CPI-M its continued political existence was the CPIs decision to accept the CPI-M policy of the Left Democratic Front. The declaration of Emergency in 1975 and the fears it generated about the possible negative fallouts had caused the CPI to abandon its political agenda of Unity and Struggle with the Congress, a policy that had been in force from 1969 to 1977.

Looking back from the fearful present state of Indian politics, it is evident that the 1964 split caused by the CPI-M was totally unjustifiable.

The Lesson from the Achutha Menon Government

It has already been mentioned that the CPI abandoned its alliance with the Congress following the decision taken at the 1978 Bhatinda Party Congress. When the Janata Government crashed in 1977, the CPI-M line was that the Congress and BJP were both enemies. Therefore it sought to build an alternate alliancethe Left Democratic Frontthat would lead the nation towards Leftist policies. As a result, an LDF Government came to power in Kerala in 1981 under the CPI-M leadership. The CPI became a member of the CPI-M-led Left Front that had been in power in Bengal from 1977. What students of history should examine is which provided a better alternativethe Achutha Menon Government which ruled Kerala from 1970 to 1977 or the LDF Government which ruled Kerala intermittently from 1981 and continuously in Bengal for 35 years. We have been witness to the complete annihilation of the CPI-M and the Left Front after 35 continuous years of rule. A similar phenomenon took place in Tripura. In Kerala, after 1981, the Left Front could not complete its term even once. But the Achutha Menon Government, a coalition of the Congress and Communist Partieswhich ruled Kerala in 1970-77got a thumping victory in the 1977 elections.

After the Emergency when both the Congress and CPI faced a severe drubbing all over India, why did the people of Kerala bring the Achutha Menon Government back to power with a huge majority? In the elections to 140 Legislative Assembly seats and 20 Parliament seats, the Congress-CPI front won 117 and all the 20 respectively, when the entire nation, including the poor illiterates of Bihar and UP, opposed Emergency seeing it as a symbol of autocracy. The CPI-M and several others condemned the Malayalis because despite being in the forefront in terms of literacy and life indices, they had succumbed to Indira Gandhis dictatorship, and thereby revealed their impotence. The sarcasm and criticism of the CPI-M continue even to this day. It is used as a stick to silence and beat the CPI with.

The criticism of the Achutha Menon Government continues to be a weapon in the hands of the CPI-M with which it hurts the CPI because, in their view, the period of the Achutha Menon Government was a shameful chapter in the history of modern Kerala. Was it really impotence that made the people decide to reinstate a government with an unprecedented majority? There are three explanations to prove that it was not so.

1. The Achutha Menon Government is the best coalition government that independent India has seen so far. The much acclaimed Kerala model of development was initiated during his time. Needless to say, land reforms constituted the most important factor that pushed Kerala from its traditional social and economic structure, based on the feudal system, towards modernity. In the 1930s, it was the slogan Farmlands to the Farmer that helped the peasant and communist movements to strike deep roots in the political soil of Kerala, especially Malabar. When the first Communist Ministry of 1957 sought to pass the Land Reforms Bill, the government was not given permission to execute it. The Nehru Government dismissed the EMS Ministry following the liberation revolution. In 1964, the Communist Party split up. In 1969, the Congress-CPI alliance came into power at the Centre. It was in the same year that the Achutha Menon Government, after assuming power, led the liberation revolution with the support of the Congress and Muslim League, and made history by legalising land reforms. Not much later the CPI-Congress alliance faced another Assembly election in Kerala, got elected and exhibited good governance in the 1970-77 period.

In this context, two crucial issues need to be discussed. One, the attitude of the Congress towards progressive ideas like land reform had by now changed from what it had maintained during the time of the liberation struggle in 1957-59; two, the Congress had come to accept the CPI policy of Union and Struggle with the Congress as its partner. The query raised by Jawaharlal Nehru to a group of Communist Party representatives is famous: How did you manage to isolate yourselves completely from the people so quickly in such a short span of time? What the CPI did in 1957 was to bring about an immediate revolution by introducing the land reform bill and the education bill simultaneously. That is what turned a majority of the conservative population against the Communist Government.

The Congress, which even during the time of the freedom movement had stood on the side of the landlords in the Communist Partys anti-feudal struggles, came forward in support of the Land Reforms Bill in 1969. It was not a small matter. The Congress had never shown readiness to seriously consider implementing progressive policies including land reforms which had been contained in the resolution of the 1931 Karachi AICC meeting. But gradually the number of those in the Congress espousing progressive ideas increased. Its support to the Land Reforms Bill in Kerala is proof of this phenomenon. In short, what the Congress-Communist coalition government inaugurated was an alternate political system. The measures taken by it to improve the quality of life were what the people of Kerala acknowledges in the 1977 elections.

2. The Achutha Menon Government could take giant strides in the fields of health, elementary education as well as science and technology. The Sri Chitra Thirunal Institute of Medical Sciences, the Regional Cancer Centre, the Centre for Development Studies, and so on stand tall as examples of its achievements. The Keltron is another example in the field of public sector undertakings in India. Its founder K.P.P. Nambiar, speaking about the Achutha Menon Government, in an interview to this writer, remarked that its greatest specialty was that it was a Congress-Communist Government.

3. The attitude that the CPI-M took towards the Achutha Menon Government was one of defiance and violence. This was an approach that had no connection whatsoever with the real Communist tradition in India. Perhaps a re-look at history is in order at this point. It is commonplace that the Indian communist movement had ignored the Gandhian path because it was built on the principle of non-violence. Gandhiji had adopted it on the strength of his discovery that one, the Indian social order was by and large governed by non-violence and two, the democratic tradition of the British Government would, to a certain extent, rein in its own suppression of freedom in India. Over and above these, the British wanted to hoodwink the world by wearing the mask of modernising agents in India. What is interesting is that all its scorn for Gandhijis movement did not unleash violent methods in any great measure during the period of the anti-colonial struggle in India. Thus the fact is that violence or non-violence should not be used as a yardstick to assess a movement. It was only in Telengana and Punnapra, where freedom of action and press freedom were denied, that the Communist struggle took a violent turn. The Communist Party could not spread it as a pan-Indian movement thereafter.

In Malabar where freedom of action was left more or less untouched, the policy of the communist movement was by and large non-violent. The violent incidents that broke out in Morazha, Mattannur and Thalassery on September 15, 1940 were only isolated instances. And the Kayyoor incident of March 29, 1941 was absolutely accidental. Thus the picture that we get of the communist movement in Kerala and India is one of non-violence. The Communist Parties had from the beginning followed methods like demonstrations, dharnas, picketing and other Gandhian methods of resistance. However in the 1970s the Achutha Menon Government had to contend with a level of violence that was in opposition to the tradition followed in India until then.

The culture of physically attacking ones enemya practice followed in Kannur district even todayis a continuation of the policy that the CPI-M adopted after the split. In the name of revolution, the CPI-M unleashed unprece-dented attacks in order to torpedo the welfare schemes of the Achutha Menon Government. It was something unheard of in the history of modern Kerala.

This method was one that could not be accepted by a refined society. The torching of a public transport bus, which caused the death of three people, in connection with a KSRTC strike, the destruction of hundreds of trans-formers, the torching of tractors in a bid to stop the modernisation of the agriculture sector and so on. Even the foundation stones of houses, built under the one lakh house scheme for the homeless were removed and destroyed, not to speak of the widespread physical attacks on CPI leaders and workers. All these were viewed by the CPI-M as a revolution against the govern-ment. The most ironical fact was that when certain youngsters, influenced by the revolu-tionary fervour it had espoused, were drawn towards Naxalism, the CPI-M did not spare them either. This tendency came in the way of sourcing capital for the process of industrialisa-tion that was inevitable after the implementation of the land reforms. Even small scale enterprises ground to a halt. Work culture too, to a large extent, suffered a setback. The policy of violence perpetuated by the CPI-M during this time dealt a harsh blow on modern Kerala.

The Congress-CPI alliance came back to power in Kerala with majority support overcoming the obstacles it faced all over India during the 1977 general elections. This was because Kerala refused to accept the violent methods of the CPI-M, and acknowledged the welfare schemes as well as the progressive nature of the Achutha Menon Government. As the CPI-M and a group of intellectuals liked to believe, it was not because Kerala society was impotent or too submissive to authorities to oppose the Emergency. In Kerala, the CPI and a segment of the Congress succeeded, in great measure, in maintaining vigil against abuse of power committed behind the veil of the Emergency. The fascist tendency of the Ministry of Home Affairs under the chief ministership of K. Karunakaran was what precipitated utterly despicable and unjustifiable crimes, including the Rajan incident. The Rajan murder would not have taken place with the knowledge of Achutha Menon. It anyone believes to the contrary that is because they do not know Achutha Menon well enough. Nevertheless that several youth, particularly Naxalites, became victims of bestial police brutality was nothing but destruction of democracy. No one can wash their hands of the affair by merely by blaming a few anti-people police officers like Jayaram Padikkal and Lakshmanan.

In the present political circumstances, what the Achutha Menon Ministry teaches us is that if in future we succeed in defeating communal fascism in Kerala and in India, it will be through the efforts of a government built on a Congress-Communist alliance. What is the alternative that the Left Font alone has to offer to the people? The decrepit Soviet model? Or the Chinese model built on market economy? Or the decimated Bengal model? Why is the Left Front not willing to have prominent economists and fellow-travellers like Amartya Sen, Prabhat Patnaik and others conduct discussions with an expert like Manmohan Singh to chalk out an alternate economic policy in these circumstances? If in the fight against the Sangh Parivar, the Left finds the neo-liberal economic policy of the Congress a hurdle in the path towards joining forces, it should own up the responsibility of putting forward its alternate economic policy and inviting the Congress, which is even today the largest secular, democratic national power in India, to discussions. Not that the Congress does not have its own responsibility to discharge. In times of crises, when issues related to responsibility towards the people and nation arise, ordinary people as well as intellectuals look to the Left party first for response. The Left should not destroy this expectation and belie their hopes.

The Emergency and the CPI

The Emergency is a burning issue even today, a topic used not only by all counter-revolutionary forces within the nation, including the RSS, but he CPI as well at all times against the Congress; and by the CPI-M to pile accusations on the CPI. Two books that throw light on the nooks and crannies of the circumstances leading to the declaration of the Emergency are A Traveller and the Road (2203), the autobiography by the Communist leader Mohit Sen, and the more recent The Communist Party of India and the Indian Emergency (2016) by the Australian researcher David Lockwood.

The initial years of the 1970s saw efforts by American imperialism through its CIA to interfere in Indias national politics and indulge in conspiracies armed at destabilizing India. The force within the country that lent it support was the extreme Right wing. Those were the times when after the Indo-Pak War of 1971 Indira Gandhis stocks had increased multifold both at home and abroad. She had triumphed over the conservative elements of the leadership that had broken away from the Congress, under the influence of Morarji Desai, by the end of the 1960s. It was later, in 1969 to be precise, that she started progressive projects like nationalising the banking and insurance sectors, putting an end to the privy purse system and so on. But Indira Gandhi, who had come into power through democratic means, had become a mote in the eye of American imperialism and the extreme Right within the country, including the RSS. The threats the two posed were not to be ignored. America found it difficult to see the Indian Government position itself on the side of the Soviet bloc, after its victory in the 1971 Indo-Pak War. The CIA agenda was to topple such countries in the Asian, African and Latin American continents. The assassination of Salvador Allende in Chile is a grim example of this. Patrice Lumumba, the leader of the pan-African movement, had been killed in similar circumstances in 1961.

Against the background of the aforementioned political circumstances, certain national-international events of 1960-70 that are pointed out in Mohit Sens and Lockwoods books are noteworthy. The CPI leadership of that time had suspected that a joint conspiracy of American imperialism, World Bank and IMF was behind the devaluation of the India rupee in 1966 aimed at sabotaging the Indian economy. The progressive section of the Indian Congress held the same view. The common friends of Indira Gandhi and the CPI leadership, and Indira Gandhis trusted advisers P.N. Dar and P. N. Haskar had concluded that America was Indias greatest enemy. Indias anti-American stand, including in the Vietnam War, was the result of such a view.

Lockwood states that the grip of American imperialism on Indian governance, the political movements in India and in the fields of trade and commerce was considerably lost only by the end of the 1960s and the beginning of the 1970s. The end result of this attitude was increased sense of revenge. There were occasions of direct confrontation between the Indira Gandhi government and the Johnson-Nixon administrations. The defeat that India inflicted on Pakistan in 1971 Bangladesh war a slap on the American face. That Indira Gandhi moved closer to the Soviet Union due to the influence of the CPI during these times is no secret. Mohit Sen makes it clear that it was through the Soviet Union that Indira Gandhi came to know about the CIA plot to assassinate her, Mujib ur Rehman and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the undisputed leaders in the Asian continent who played a pivotal role in the creation of Bangladesh. In 1975, Indira Gandhi declared Emergency and in August of the same year, Mujib ur Rehman and his family were killed most heinously.

The American attempts to destabilise the country succeeded in creating ripples internally. The most telling example of this phenomenon was the Total Revolution project that gained strength and momentum during 1973-74 under the leadership of Jayaprakash Narayan. Jayaprakash Narayan made no bones about the fact that the intention of the RSS, which formed the backbone of his project, was to bring down Indira Gandhi. Despite that, the CPI-M continued to be part of the movement. Anti-Congress sentiment was the most important aspect of its policy. When Jayaprakash Narayan publicly asked the military and police forces not to obey government orders, the country went into a boil. Indira Gandhi could not be blamed if she feared the repercussions, considering the extent to which the CIA went in engineering a military coup as well as the assassination of Salvador Allende in Chile, and thereby paving the way for Augusto Pinochets ascent to power. It was at this point of time that the Allahabad High Court annulled her election and even banned her from contesting for the next six years. Mohit Sen alludes to this verdict in order to argue that the judiciary too had been drawn into the conspiracy. This was followed by widespread law and order issues including the murder of the Central Minister Lalith Narayan Misra in a bomb explosion, and the attempted murder of the Indian Chief Justice.

It was under such extremely complicated circumstances that the Emergency was declared, and the CPI, which had maintained good relations with Indira Gandhi since 1969, decided to support the decision for the sake of protecting national interests. Although Indira Gandhi initially concurred with the CPI directions to dismiss Parliament and conduct immediate elections, instead of declaring Emergency, she went back on her word on Sanjay Gandhis intervention. This had been recorded by David Lockwood.

The political stand of the CPI in backing the Emergency was that a government that came to power through democratic means was not wrong in using its authority to destroy the evil power Jayaprakash Narayans Total Revolution had garnered with the support of the extreme Right that was capable of swallowing the entire nation. The reason why fascists gained victory in Italy and Germany was that state power was not harnessed to defeat Mussolini or Hitler. It should not be forgotten that Indira Gandhi initially succeeded, to a certain extent, in using state power to overcome the coup attempts of the extreme Right and imperialist forces. Jayaprakash Narayan wrote a letter, submitting himself to Indira Gandhis authority, even before the Allahabad High Court verdict was announced. Mohit Sen argues that the RSS chief Balasaheb Deoras too wrote a letter to Indira Gandhi declaring his innocence. The Allahabad High Court verdict was what gave a new lease of life and vigour to the counter-revolutionary forces that had begun to subside. The Emergency gradually began to lose its direction from the time rogue elements under the leadership of Sanjay Gandhi took control and began to abuse power. This became a serious blot on Indian democracy.

The CPI warned Indira Gandhi of the danger lurking behind the fascist style of functioning adopted by Sanjay Gandhi, and sent its leader Bhupesh Gupta to demand the immediate withdrawal of the Emergency. But Indira Gandhi, blinded by maternal love, paid no regard to it. (This is reminiscent of Jawaharlal Nehrus unconscious destruction of his own popularity when, driven by paternal love, he heeded to the Congress President Indira Gandhis advice, and dismissed the Communist Government of Kerala in 1957.) Indira Gandhi went forward to commit greater mistakes by abusing her power most brazenly in order to bring about constitutional amendments and thereby postpone elections. She turned against the CPI activists when it began to criticise Sanjay Gandhi, and sent hundreds of CPI activists into jails in north India. Later by the time she withdrew the Emergency, things had gone completely out of hand. Senior editors like Edatata Narayanan and Nikhil Chakravartty, other prominent persons like Aruna Asaf Ali, who went along with the CPI, had stood by Indira Gandhi in facing challenges during that time, found themselves in the enemy camp when they began to criticize Sanjay Gandhi. Bhupesh Gupta, the CPI leader, who had maintained a cordial relationship with Indira Gandhi from her student days in London, became an enemy for the same reason. Pro-CPI newspapers like Link and Patriot refused to even print the name of Sanjay Gandhi. CPI fellow-traveller Nikhil Chakravartty stopped publishing his Mainstream weekly. History finally had to witness the fall of the Emergency that had been declared in order to break the confluence of national and international reactionary forces that aimed to destabilise the newly independent nation-state of India.

The nation experienced all the tragedies during the Emergency period that absolute power usually inflicts. D.K. Barua, the AICC President, and other flatterers like him even popularised slogans like Indira is India and India is Indira. But with the defeat in the 1977 elections, all the advantage went to the extreme Right party, the RSS. In the Janata Party Government that assumed office thereafter more than 90 MPs were RSS men. The RSS gradually infiltrated the Civil Services, the military and even Doordarshan.

It was the unwillingness of the CPI-M to foresee the great long-term danger to a secular democratic nation like India that made them support this Ministry. The damage such a defiant political attitude of the CPI-M inflicted on the country should not be viewed lightly. That the CPI, now gearing itself for the 23rd Party Congress, has taken cognisance of the threat is a huge source of relief indeed. But with the 2019 elections just round the corner, the sectarian attitude of the CPI-M remains unchanged. It needs to be seen how far party General Secretary Sitaram Yechurys moves will succeed.

David Lockwood writes about the growth of the CPI as a prominent Left party during the time it followed the Union and Struggle policy with the Congress in the period 1969-77. That was the time when the CPI gave precedence to struggle over unity vis-a-vis the Congress. The agitations and rallies organised to demand that the Congress honour its 1972 election promises, as well as the nationwide protests against hoarding and black marketing in 1973 and 1974 were all highly successful. The CPI and AITUC led huge struggles of the railway employees in 1974, and also the Bombay textile mill workers and the Bengal jute mill workers. The world anti-fascist meeting held in Patna, the capital of Bihar, in 1974, challenging the American imperialist project to destabilise India as well as internal anti-revolutionary forces that supported it, attracted widespread attention. Mohit Sen makes it clear that the mass support which the CPI could canvass for the huge rally conducted in connection with the meeting, gave the party the confidence to rule Bihar on its own. During the same time, the CPI could give the lead to coal mine workers and peasants agitations too. As a result of all these struggles, the number of members at the time of the 1978 Bhatinda Congress had risen from 3,55,525 (in 1975) to 5,46,343. David Lockwoods research reveals this fact.

However, it was at the Bhatinda Congress that the CPI withdrew from the Unity and Struggle policy with the Congress. This was after the severe beating suffered in the elections in 1977. What Lockwoods study establishes is that when the Party Congress condemned the period (1975-77) as the CPIs cursed phase because of the support it lent the Emergency, it was the same period (1975-78) that CPI recorded its highest ever level of membership. The number had increased by more than two lakh members. Lockwoods conclusions demand a serious study of the growth (or lack of it) of the CPI from 1978 to 2018, following its change of policy vis-a-vis the Congress.

There is no doubt that the misuse of the Emergency was the greatest blow to Indian democracy. If Indira Gandhi had listened to the advice of the CPI and Soviet Union and prepared herself for an election instead of declaring the Emergency, many tragedies could have been averted. The CPI need no longer consider that it had sinned by lending support to the Emergency for the sake of protecting national interests. The reason is that by supporting the Emergency it was only trying to oppose the great menace of communal fascism. Today we are all witness to the fact that the very same menace has begun to eat into every part of secular democratic Indian society. When we acknowledge that the defiant anti-Congress politics of the CPI-M, set off in 1964, also contributed to the sowing of the seeds of this menace in India, we realise there is no reason for the CPI to nurse a guilty conscience.

Prof Bipan Chandras Conclusions and the Future of the Left

What is astonishing is that it took only three years for Indira Gandhi to recover from the setback following the Emergency. Perhaps the mistakes committed by the political adversaries, more than her own strength, made the return easy. In the 1981 elections she who was even described as the worst fascist India has ever seen, came back to power through purely democratic means. Before facing the elections, she approached the CPI leadership and sought their support. Giani Zail Singh, who would later become the President of India, went to Ajoy Bhavan, the CPI headquarters in New Delhi, met the Party General Secretary C. Rajeswara Rao and discussed this matter. Mohit Sen mentions this fact in his book. The Congress saw not only the gains to be won in the states of Bihar, Punjab, Andhra and Kerala, but the support of the Soviet Bloc as well, which was in power during that time. But the CPI had completely abandoned its alliance with the Congress at the 1978 Bhatinda Party Congress. What were the losses that this inflicted on the Left movement in India and on the prospects of secular democracy in this country? This is a serious question that begs answers, and a question that has assumed greater relevance at present. There is an answer to it, and it was given by Prof Bipan Chandra more than a quarter century ago.

In July 1995, this writer got an opportunity to meet Prof Bipan Chandra, one of the finest Marxist historians of India, at Mangalore University and conduct a lengthy interview with him (along with Dr Balan, a colleague). This took place in the active presence of the senior Communist journalist T.V. Krishnan (TVK), the noted professor history Dr Kesavan Veluthat, and former member of ICHR Dr Surendra Rao. The insights that the interview occasioned seem to gain more relevance in the present political context. The subjects covered a wide rangenationalism, the Mandal Commission, future of the Left, and so on. This interview however focused more on how the growing menace of communal fascism was acting as a counter-revolutionary force and affecting the developing nation-state of India.

Prof Bipan Chandra began by stating that Hindu communal fascism was the chief threat to the progress of India. He was of the firm opinion that the Sangh Parivar, comprising the RSS and the BJP, should be seen as Indias reactionary counter-revolutionary power. The greatest failure of the Left was that from the very beginning it placed the national bourgeoisie movement, the Indian National Congress, in this position instead of the extreme Right. Bipan Chandra feared that if the Sangh Parivar, with its ultranationalist attitude, came to power, it would cause another partition of India in a span of ten years. Modi, who came to power in 2014 has completed nearly four years in office, and we are already witnessing the threat of worsening social disintegration.

Bipan Chandras conclusions about Indian nationalism have greater relevance today. It is the product of the Indian national movement. The anti-colonial struggle was what made India an integrated people or a unified country. Bipan Chandra however rejects the notion that the purposefulness of nationalism ended with the success of the anti-colonial struggle. The reason is that the world is a confederation of many nations. In the struggle for power among them, a few stronger ones may try to weaken the rest and establish authority over them. The attitude of American imperialism towards India and other newly liberated nations is an example of this trend. Therefore it is imperative that India remains a strong nation-state, attains social and economic progress and establishes itself as a united people.

In this era of nation-states, there is no existence for any country other than as a nation-state. Africa has failed to progress or become a great power because it is not united. Palestine was an appropriate platform for the Arabs to show their strength and unity. But because of their disunity, Israel with the support of America has been able to establish its superiority over them. Latin America has enough manpower and other natural resources but disagreement among its nations has prompted American imperialism to pit one against the other. Only the concept of nationalism can keep the people of India, with their different languages, cultures, religions and castes, united. Class ideology cannot achieve this because it can be used only to organise struggles for social justice.

Bipan Chandra is of the opinion that nationalism has to be constantly reinterpreted. Only nationalist ideology can inspire people to make sacrifices. But Indian nationalism should simultaneously fight for equality in the fullest sense. What we require is a nationalism built on justice as well as social and economic equality among religions, castes, classes, genders, and in developed as well as undeveloped regions. Nationalism should essentially be related to the life of the people. The need of the hour is a nationalism that is organically connected to the people and their lives.

India is not a land of a single language-speaking community, a single race or a single religious and cultural group. Despite this, Indian nationalism is strong precisely because it is the product of the Indian nationalist movement. It was this movement that made India a unified nation. According to the fundamental ideology of the Sangh Parivar, India is a Hindu Rashtra. This strikes at the very root of the Indian nationalist values. Bipan Chandra states very categorically that the true extent of danger can be fathomed only if we acknowledge that communalism is an ideology. It is on the strength of this conviction that he feared India would be split again if the BJP were to remain in power for ten years.

Another opinion of contemporary relevance that he made was with regard to the Left attitude towards the threat of communal fascism, and also what attitude the Left should take towards the Indian National Congress. He also touched upon the historical blunder committed by the Left in their approach to the Congress in the past as well as the importance of a Congress-Communist alliance to resist communal fascism. He began with commenting on the Left attitude towards Gandhiji. Gandhiji was a thorough opponent of colonialism, a great national leader who fought an uncompromising battle for the people through his own path. Just as Karl Marx was the product of prosperous European culture and working class intellectual power, Gandhiji was the product of Indian culture and intelligence. Those who believe in scientific socialism may not be able to accept many of Gandhijis viewpoints. But unfortu-nately the Marxists saw Gandhiji merely as a bourgeois leader who struck a compromise with the British. The Left needs to understand that instead of condemning Gandhiji it should learn many things from him. If the Indian Communists had taken such a stand, it would have brought benefit not only to the Left movement in India but to the movements in other countries as well.

To a question about the relevance of a Congress-Communist alliance to confront communal fascism, especially in the context of the growing strength of the extreme Right parties like the RSS and the BJP in the post-Emergency era, Bipan Chandras reply was very clear-cut. He said: I strongly believe there is. It will help remove the lumpen elements in the Congress and bring the Communists to the national mainstream. That there arent many honest men in the Congress is a shame, no doubt. But such a union is not immediately possible. It is a union that should crystallise gradually. For that, the Congress should retrieve its rich legacy and the Communists should bring about some fundamental changes in their policies. A Rama Rao-Mulayam Singh-Kanshi Ram alliance, or a political front incorporating the BJP, the symbol of fascism, is no good alternative to the Congress. Such an alternative will weaken the country.

The last question sought was Bipan Chandras opinion about the future of the CPI and the CPI-M. His reply was When the Communist Party split in 1964, I was sympathetic towards the CPI-M. But later I had to correct my stand. I saw that the CPI had the possibility of growing into a vast Left movement. But the CPI-M always remained Stalinist. After the Emergency, the CPI quickly changed its approach towards Indira Gandhi and the Congress. As a result it is ruining itself. If such a change of policy had not happened, the CPI would by now have grown to be an influential Left movement. The Congress is, even today, the biggest secular democratic party. I do not see a sanguine future for either Communist Party in the present Indian circumstances unless a radical change in policy, including its blind opposition to the Congress, is brought about.

The Hopes that the Kanhaiya Kumars give the CPI

This writer had the opportunity to meet Kanhaiya Kumar and talk to him at length about politics when he came to Kanhangad (North Kerala) to receive the first award (2017) instituted in the name of the freedom fighter and Communist leader K. Madhavan. It is this writers conviction that it is not the leader who creates a movement but rather it is the movement that creates a leader. Kanhaiya Kumar had captured headlines worldwide within the course of a single night, through an accidental event in the JNU. The fire that lay in Kanhaiya Kumar had blazed forth only on that day. Such Kanhaiya Kumars hold great promise as far as the CPI is concerned. If the CPI succeeds in leading him appropriately to the forefront, he will bring more such courageous Kanhaiya Kumars along, and thus become a valuable asset in the future. What are his prospects?

Kanhaiya Kumar became the symbol of the youth in their secular, democratic struggle for freedom against communal fascism, through a single event that took place in the JNU. The university, in the name of Jawaharlal Nehru and founded under the leadership of his daughter, became the haven of Left intellectuals in India in course of time. But it has been a target on the radar screen of the Sangh Parivar since 2014.

During the time of Indira Gandhis electoral defeat, after the withdrawal of the Emergency, the JNU students union was led by a young Sitaram Yechury. Indira Gandhi, who held the post of the Chancellor of the JNU while she served as the Prime Minister of the country, refused to step down after her political debacle. One day when she reached the JNU, the students blocked her path and their president, Yechury, read out a resolution demanding her resignation from the post of the Chancellor. A photograph capturing the scene gained great publicity. The body language of the smiling Indira Gandhi in that photograph is very eloquent. Does she appear as a Lady Hitler as she was described by the CPI-M and the SFI? It should not be forgotten that the JNU saw and experienced the Left, and became pro-Left with the generous backing of her government. It also quickly became a centre of Left intellectuals during the Congress regime. It was in the same period that the NCERT history books came to be written by Romila Thapar, Bipan Chandra, R. S. Sharma and other Marxist historians. We should remember that these books are in the hit-list of the Sangh Parivar today. The JNU was a centre that attracted not only academic intellectuals but propagators of Marxist ideology as well, like D. D. Kosambi, the CPI leader from Bihar, Prof. R. S. Sharma, Bipan Chandra, Romila Thapar, Prabhat Patnaik and numerous others of national and international fame. The P.C. Joshi Centre, housed, if my memory serves me right, in the eighth floor of its library complex, is the chief attraction for those doing research on the communist movement. It is not surprising that the Central Government operating from Nagpur should train its guns on such a centre. It is in this context that Kanhaiya Kumar becomes relevant.

Born into an impoverished family with Left leanings in a backward village in Bihar, Kanhaiya Kumar reached the JNU, became an AISF leader and eventually the students union President by dint of his own effort. Although he did not have the means to fight the elections depending upon the strength of the AISF alone, he won. Incidentally, even after the Kanhaiya Kumar incident, an AISF-SFI unity has not taken place in the JNU elections. When asked about it, the reply was an astonishing one. Needless to say, the attitude maintained by certain revolutionary organisations in this matter, even when the country is going through trying times, is extremely discouraging.

Through the JNU incident, what Kanhaiya Kumar did was to pull down the mask from Narendra Modis face, the mask of a larger-than-life incarnation, striding across the globe with the blessings of national and multinational corporates. After his release from the Tihar jail, when he returned to the JNU and delivered a fiery speech, hundreds of thousands of people the world over sat up and listened. What he brought to light through that speech was the RSS agenda to destroy the university that enjoys international renown. The victory and relevance of Kanhaiya Kumar lies in his success in drawing world attention to the trespass into civil liberties by the Sangh Parivar. What Panniyan Ravindran wrote in his preface to a book on Kanhaiya Kumar brought out by Prabhat Book House is indeed true: It was when Modi stood shining on the strength of the event-managed propaganda, that Kanhaiya Kumar came to the scene like a red blanket. There is a right time for striking ones opponent. It is in this aspect that the young Kanhaiya Kumar stands as an example and inspiration. Today he stands tall as a youth icon, a leader of a struggle for rights. Fascism grows when corporate capital and ultra-communal forces join forces. Today the government is in their hands. Therefore the immediate responsibility of secular democratic forces is to liberate the state from the grip of these retrograde forces.

That Kanhaiya Kumar has internalised this politics is very evident in his speeches. By now he has been able to attract a considerable segment of the youth, including those inside and outside the campus, and thereby the Dalits and the minorities, on a national scale. The future of struggles against communal fascism is in the hands of the Indian youth like Kanhaiya Kumar and Jignesh Mevani. In the speeches of Kanhaiya Kumar and Jignesh Mevani, we can detect only one enemycommunal fascism. That is what the present situation demands. However we should not forget the fact that when Kanhaiya Kumars life was in danger at the site of the struggle in the JNU, one among the prominent people who came at the right moment to save him was Rahul Gandhi. That this gesture created a bit of uneasiness within the Congress Party is also a known fact. But Rahul Gandhi ignored it. He had gone to the Hyderabad University campus too when it had turned turbulent following the suicide of Rohith Vemula. On release, Kanhaiya Kumar along with his friends, paid a visit to Rahul Gandhi as a gesture of gratitude.

When the 2019 general elections, very crucial as far as Indian democracy is concerned, take place Kanhaiya Kumar will contest from his own constituency of Begusarai in Bihar. It is not in the interest of the CPI alone that Kanhaiya Kumar reaches Parliament. Rather, it is the dream of the youth, including the Dalits and other backward communities, who are preparing themselves to lash out against fascism in the country. As far as the CPI is concerned, such an opportunity is itself a great achieve-ment. Imagine that Kanhaiya Kumar contests the parliamentary elections as a CPI candidate from Begusarai. That is possible today only if he gets support from secular democratic parties including the Congress. People like Rahul Gandhi will certainly pray for his victory.

This raises a relevant question. What then, for example, will be the attitude of the CPI regarding the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency? Will it decide to defeat a person like Shashi Tharoor who is known in the country and abroad, and at important international fora as the supporter of secular democratic slogans heard loudly all over India? This is the predica-ment that the Left in India faces today. In order to find a way out of this conundrum, the CPI should, at its 23rd Party Congress, seriously consider the draft resolution regarding ways to fight fascist forces, think of an alliance rather than a platform, and adopt it as a practical political stance. If we consider the history of policies adopted by the CPI-M from 1964, we will realise this is not very easy for it.

What the RSS agenda challenges is the real Indian nationalism based on plurality. The times demand a national policy from the Left parties in order to combat this challenge. The response should be a clear-cut one. If, on the other hand, one policy is adopted in Kerala, another in Bengal and yet another in Bihar, the Left will only be revealing that it has no single national policy. Without it, how can the challenge to Indian nationalism be overcome?

2019  The Final Chance?

The 2019 general elections are going to be crucial not only for Indian secularism and democracy but for the future of the Indian Left as well. If the Sangh Parivar gets two-thirds majority in both the Houses of Parliament and in all State Assemblies as well, the situation will turn really grave. The Sangh Parivar does not respect the Indian Constitution which enshrines plurality. What it aims to have is not the Ambedkarian one which accommodates all sections of the population including the Dalits and the minorities, but a Manuvadi Constitution built on Hindutva ideology and protective of the interests of the upper castes. Instead of an inclusive Constitution, embracing all sections irrespective of differences in caste, religion and class, it will be content only with an exclusive Constitution that will strengthen the hegemony of the savarna population. It will not sanction plurality or multi-party democracy or a secular federal system of governance. The declarationthat if the Indian military requires six months to be battle-ready, the RSS requires only three daysis a warning about preparations for such a coup. Here the question is simple: Where will the Left parties stand in the struggle that should be waged to ensure that we do no lose all that the secular democratic powers earned for us through the nationalist movement? It is now clear that the CPI and the Yechury group within the CPI-M have a practical attitude towards the issue. But the dyed-in-the-wool anti-Congress sentiment harboured by the CPI-M in Kerala is a major obstacle.

It was in 1925 that the RSS and the Communist Party were founded. The Communist Party of India was the main Opposition party in the first Lok Sabha, and the Opposition leader was AKG. In the second parliamentary elections, the Jan Sangh got only four seats and 5.97 per cent votes. The Communist Party won 27 seats and 8.92 per cent votes. S.A. Dange, who was elected from the Bombay City Central Parliament seat, garnered more votes than Jawaharlal Nehru did. The victories of many Communist Party leaders were with marvellous majority. The Mayors of Delhi and Bombay corporations were CPI leaders, Aruna Asaf Ali and S.S. Mirajkar respectively. It seems if Dange lifted as much as his finger, the whole of Bombay would come to a standstill. How about today? Isnt it evident that something is rotten somewhere?

Yet we can see light at the end of the tunnel. The election results of the North Eastern States, including Tripura, are not a reflection of the political situation prevailing all over India. What Tripura witnessed was a naked victory of money power. No doubt, it points to dangers in the near future. Nonetheless, the surge of the Congress in the Gujarat elections, the Congress victorytwo Lok Sabha seats and one State Assembly seatin Rajastan, and its victory in the MP Assembly are good indicators. When we consider the financial crunch that demoneti-sation precipitated, the sense of insecurity suffered by the Dalits and the minorities, and the agricultural crisis, we see great possibilities for a resurgence of the Opposition parties in India today. The recent change perceived in Rahul Gandhi offers scope for hope. This appears to be the most appropriate time for the coming together of all secular democratic parties against communal fascism. Should a segment of the CPI-M seek to destroy this driven by the anti-Congress sentiment? Has not the CPI-M, which joined hands with the RSS to defeat Indira Gandhi, learnt anything from their experiences from 1977 to 2018? What Sitaram Yechury reminded the Malayali Communists at Thrissur recently was that they should think not merely about the fates of 3.25 crore Keralites who form only a small portion of the great Indian subcontinent with its population of 125 crores, but also of the fate of India, the fates of millions of her poor, and the fates of a majority who still have faith in secularism and democracy.

This is where the intervention of the CPI becomes relevant. The present demands a harmonious alliance of secular democratic forces, including the Congress, in order to fight communal fascism. The possibilities that the realisation of this opens up for the growth of the Left party should not be ignored. As the country goes through challenging times, the expectation is that the CPI will take a path different from that of the CPI-M. The political line put forward by the draft resolution prepared for the 23rd Party Congress is different from the sectarian attitude of the CPI-M. The CPI stand in this regard internalises the Indians nationalist interests, and therefore opens up possibilities for the formulation of a policy that will work at the national level for a broadbased national policy to defeat communal fascism.

Dr Ajayakumar Kodoth is a former member, Kerala Public Service Commission and son of veteran Communist leader, late K. Madhvan, of North Malabar.Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2018 > Instability Intensified

From N.C.s Writings

This week marks the completion of six months after the demolition of the Babri Masjid at Ayodhya on December 6. As one looks back on these six troubled months, one has to concede that December 6 has emerged as a distinct watershed in Indian politics. The period that has opened up since that date is qualitatively different from the period preceding it.

Whoever was responsible for the disappea-rance of the Babri Masjidthe act of violent demolition on the part of the extreme wing of the militant kar sevaks gathering there on the initiative of the Sangh Parivar or the extraordinary supineness on the part of the government which had publicly pledged to protect the disputed structurethe result has been a serious erosion of the authority of the government which since then has hardly demonstrated its capacity to reassert its authority in the totality of national life. It is not just the case of a political establishment caught in a snowdrift, but one which has so far found no way out of it, rather getting bogged in it more and more. And those who are criticising the government from within the ruling party as also those who are outright attacking it from outside, have put forward no solution to any of the many problems that beset the nation today. The result has been that utter demoralisation has overtaken practically all departments of national life.

Take the case of the Muslim minority. After the partition of the country that come along with independence, the large sections of the community that chose to stay on and refused to migrate to Pakistan, should have been regarded as an asset for the newly-independent country. In the task of nation-building, the Muslim contribution has been undeniable. As a minority community it was but natural for it to seek the protection of the ruing estblishment and hence the Congress with its 20-year monopoly rule at the State-level (1947-1967) and thirty years at the Centre (1947-1977), it was but natural for the Muslim community, by and large, to be known as a dependent ally of the Congress party. The critics of the Congress, particularly the BJP and its former incarnation, the Jana Sangh, looked upon the Muslim community as part of the vote-bank of the Congress party.

The allergy of the Hindu orthodoxy against the Muslim community has been of long standing and from the beginning assumed the character of an ideological irreconciliability. With the progressive decline of the Congress both in its quality of leadership and its spread across the country, it was almost inevitable that the Hindu orthodoxy should more and more take a strident stand against the minority Muslim community, while the robust anti-communalism of the Congress suffered grievous erosion as it indulged in opportunist alliances with the communal taint in the electoral game of power politics. It is worth recalling here that the very first of such alliances between the Congress and Muslim League was forged in 1958-60 in Kerala to oust the first Communist-led Ministry in the country. Once such opportunism was resorted to by the premier national party which claimed to have led the country to freedom, it was but natural for other political parties to follow suit. Ten years later, in 1967, the Communists themselves discarded their antipathy towards the Jana Sangh in joining coalition Ministries in several States; while in Kerala, they followed in the footsteps of the Congress in wooing the Muslim League for coalition Ministries, in Punjab they accepted the Akalis as coalition partners. Today there is no major party in the country which can claim that it has consistently kept away from communal formations in its political career.

The imperatives of election politics have led these parties into a jungle of contradictions. This could be seen from the chequered history of the Babri Masjid itself. In the fever-pitch of the partition, the Babri Masjid saw the mysterious installation of the idol of Ram inside the deserted mosque itself. To avert any communal tension at this peculiar development, the entire premise was put under lock and key by the Congress leaders, among whom could be counted such stalwarts as Sardar Patel and Govind Ballabh Pant. The dispute was taken to the court where it has been dragging along all these years. But under Rajiv Gandhi, a thoroughly misconceived calculation led the government to unlock the gates of the Babri Masjid. The anxiety to cultivate the Hindu vote in the election bazar led him to begin his countrywide election campaign in 1989 from the city of Ayodhya sanctified in Hindu mythology, and soon after his Home Minister permitted the laying of the foundation stone (shilanyas) of the proposed Ram temple, whose plan wanted the pulling down of the Babri Masjid.

All this time there was no concern whatsoever on the part of the Congress leadership about the dangerous consequences of this opportunist politics. The upshot of it all has been the progressive loss of credibility of the Congress leadership in the eyes of both the Muslim and Hindu communitieson one side, the BJP could reap the harvest in the Hindu community while among the Muslims, the downright dogmatists could consolidate their sway on the other. From Kerala to Kashmir, the deleterious effects of this unprincipled politics could be felt damaging the very fibre of the nations integrity.

It is this bankruptcy at the political level that has led the Congress leaders to desperately take recourse to the judicial process to solve essentially political disputes created and magnified by the political leaders themselves. That was why last year the ruling Congress party leadership had nothing to fall back upon but the Supreme Court, not only to settle the dispute over the Babri Masjid but even to save the disputed structure in the face of the surge of the kar sevaks rallied by the militant fellow-travellers of the BJP. It was a dangerous gamble to get the judiciary to pull the executives chestnut out of the fire, while the executive with the entire law-enforcing machinery at its disposal, chose to play the passive bystander. And the inexorable result was the disaster of December 6, 1992.

Since then, there has been one retreat after another. The flare-up of communal violence all over the countryunprecedented since the blood-soaked partition fortyfive years agowith its hideous manifestation in Surat and Bombay, the pathetic abdication of authority by the Congress Government in the face of the Shiv Senas pogrom and the climax reached with the planned bomb blasts of March 12, all this has grievously undermined the standing of the government at the Centre as being inert and insensitive. The image of the Union Home Ministry, the portfolio responsible for the maintenance of law-and-order in the country, has been badly eroded as it has become known that there is no love lost between the Cabinet Minister and his Minister of State

The executive measures taken in the wake of the December 6 disaster betrayed the responses of a govenment in panic moving by fits and starts, and not one which could calmly work out its line of action in the face of a crisis. Hence the peremptory dismissal of all the four elected State governments under the BJP rulea step which neither constitutional propriety nor political sagacity could warrant. The mess over the peremptory banning of some fo the outfits of the Sangh Parivar has brought no glory for the government. Altogether, it has been an unrelieved picture of drift and disarray.

What is perhaps must disquieting is that the ruling party with its huge stock of manpower and enormous material resources, has not cared to build up a nationwide campaign for communal harmony. Barring occasional statements to the press by some Congress leader or the other, there has so far been no effort at all on the part of the Congress leadership to stir the conscience of the nation for Hindu-Muslim unity. Even at the gala get-together at the Surajkund AICC which came four months after December 6, there was no clarion call for building communal unity. Despite prodding by some of the concerned members, the National Integration Council has not met ever since the Ayodhya violence. The only tangible thing that has been officially announced is the governments desire to set up two trustsone to build a mosque to replace the demolished Babri Masjid, and the other to build the proposed Ram temple. The ambiguity surrounding both has not endeared the government to either community. Would the proposed mosque be built at the very same spot where the Babri Masjid stood? Would it be feasible or desirable? And the proposed Ram temple, would it be as per the plan popularised by the Sangh Parivar, that is, to include the site of the Babri Masjid? Again, the government has taken recourse to the judiciary to bale itself out. The Supreme Court has been approached to give its award whether where was a Hindu temple on whose ruins the Babri Masjid was built. The governments hope is that once this moot point was settled, the Muslims would not insist on having the mosque at the same site, because the Prophet has ordained it so in the Koran. This way, the government hopes to mollify both the communities. Rather a thin hope because polarisation between the two sides has become acute, and this can hardly be overcome by gimmicks.

And yet, it seems the ruling establishment is bent on backing those who have specialised on gimmickry. There was little to conceal the support that the ruling establishment extended to the bounder of a godman, Chandraswamys soma yagya at Ayodhya which was supposed to break the hold of the mahants pledged to build the Ram temple. The fiasco of this bogus show has brought no laurels for the Congress. Meanwhile, the administration of the States under Presidents Rule is yet to take off even after six long months of dismissal of the elected governments.

The unsettled state of things is a matter of anxiety not only for the minority but for every citizen concerned with the fate of our great republic.

(Mainstream, June 12, 1993)Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2018 > Its Modis BJP!

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is now all in all in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He has installed his close lieutenant, Amit Shah, as the party President. However, peoples memory is short. The founder was Atal Behari Vajpayee who subsequently occupied the office of the Prime Minister to lead the NDA Government, a coalition of several parties.

The miracle of the Congres demise took place under the leadership of Jayaprakash Narayan, a Gandhian socialist. There was such a strong movement that all non-Congress parties came together on one platform. The old Jana Sangh members were very particular about maintaining their link with the RSS. This meant that the Hindutva ideology would remain to define the partys communal agenda.

JPs clothes of secularism did not fit the pro-Hindu Jana Sangh. Then the party was called the Jana Sangh. It was JP who admitted it into the Opposition combination fighting the authoritarian rule of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. JP was conscious that the Jana Sangh was a political arm of the RSS. But he had been given an undertaking that the two would part company.

When the Janata Party came into being, JP insisted on the Jana Sangh members, who occupied key positions in the Janata Party and government, to sever their link with the RSS. JP knew how they had created an atmosphere where a Hindu would assassinate Mahatma Gandhi. Nathuram Godse touched Gandhis feet and shot the Mahatma point-blank. It became clear later that there was a well-prepared plan. The RSS was banned. The organisations chief M.S. Golwalkar was arrested. But he was released after a year or so on the assurance that the RSS would not enter into electoral politics. It is another matter that they hid the fact that they were the guiding force. Today the organisation is selecting the BJP candidates for the State Assemblies. The Lok Sabha poll would see the same trend.

The undertaking of the RSS had turned out to be a ruse to join the Janata Party. JPs reminders to the Jana Sangh leaders to make good on their promise had no effect. How could they have done so when the Jana Sangh itself was an RSS creation, with the avowed aim of creating a Hindu Rashtra? Initially, the Jana Sangh members tried to explain to JP that the RSS wasnt what it was made out to be. When it came to the crunch, they refused point-blank to break their ties with the RSS. JP felt cheated. But by then he was too sick to go back to the people to expose the Jana Sangh. He did make it public that his trust had been violated but he was helpless because of ill-health.

When the Janata Party raised the membership issue, the Jana Sangh members preferred to walk out. Curiously, by that time, they had acquired the credibility which the Jana Sangh, now the BJP, had not managed even after a few decades of Gandhis assassination.

The two-year stay in the Janata Party and the portfolios they held in the Central Ministry helped the BJP immensely. On the one hand, the party went ahead to saffronise the new members. On the other, they selected persons for even assertive portfolios like Information and Broadcasting. Today the RSS seems to run on a daily basis.

The BJP also adopted at one time a positive stance which confused the Hindu intelligentsia. When a leader like Atal Behari Vajpayee was at the helm of affairs he did a balancing act and rode two horses at the same time. The Ayodhya-cum-Babri Masjid dispute and other factors percolated down to the BJPs winning 181 seats in 1998, against the usual single digit tally, in a 545-member house. After that, even JPs close followers found alibis to join hands with the BJP in the NDA so as to stay in the driving seat.

By then it was evident that the BJP was desperate to widen its base. Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani minimised the differences between the political BJP and the totalitarian RSS. He had done everything to unify the Hindus, the most dangerous being the rath yatra he led through northern India, dividing Hindus and Muslims who had lived together for centuries. Advani was so satisfied with the results drawing a clear line between the two communties that he equated his rath yatra to Ayodhya with Gandhis Dandi Salt march.

Prime Minister Modi is underlining all the time that he is bigger than the party. Even after four years of rule, it is not clear which direction he is taking the country. Granted that his diluted form of Hindutva is spreading in the country, but this process has stopped at the Vindhyas. The Southern States do not seem to give the impression of full participants.

And once again the introduction of Hindi is creating the same problem as it did during the last days of Jawaharlal Nehru. Then his successor, Lal Bahadur Shastri, assured the nation on the floor of the House that the switch-over to Hindi would solely depend on the non-Hindi-speaking States who could say that they were ready for the switch-over. It is up to Modi to see how he is able to reconcile with the two different trends. It is obvious that he would have to nudge the Hindi-speaking States. Only time will tell if he can do so.

The author is a veteran journalist renowned not only in this country but also in our neighbouring states of Pakistan and Bangladesh where his columns are widely read. His website is www.kuldipnayar.comHome > Archives (2006 on) > 2018 > Narendra Modi in London

EDITORIAL

PM Narendra Modi is now in London to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). At a public function there yesterdayan event of the Indian diaspora in the UK called Bharat ki Baat, Sabke Saathhe did unequivocally condemn the Kathua rape case wherein an eight-year-old girl was kidnapped by several culprits, taken to a secluded place, repeatedly raped for days and then brutally murdered. Incidentally, Modi was among the first BJP functionaries to do so, most of the others, including his Cabinet colleagues, having adopted shameful silence over the heart-rending incident that has rocked the whole country and even stirred the conscience of international public opinion. Though Modi qualified his condemnation by criticising the OppositionA rape is a rape. How can we tolerate this exploitation of our daughters? But can we compare the number of rapes under different governments? We cant say there were this many rapes in our government and that many in yours. There cannot be a worse way to deal with this issuethe very fact that he belatedly denounced this incident was in itself noteworthy. However, given the growing international opinion against the deafening silence of the ruling dispensation, he had no option but to condemn the gruesome happening in London.

Modi attended several functions in the British capital. Besides calling on Queen Elizabeth at the Royal Palace, he held detailed talks with British PM Theresa May and then in a joint statement slammed Russia without mentioning it by name for the appalling nerve agent attack in Salisbury on a former Russian spy, Sergei Skirpal, an his daughter Yulia. And during the talks he brought up the issue of extradition of fugitive Vijay Mallya. The two leaders also agreed to strengthen cooperation to take concrete action against globally-proscribed terrorists and terror entities including Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad etc.

However, one subject that assumes significance in the context of Indo-UK relations this year is that of Britain unambiguously seeking forgiveness from India for the ghastly tragedy engineered by it at Amritsars Jallianwala Bagh. This took place on April 13, 1919. This year happens to be its 99th anniversary (next year being its centenary). British Brigadier General E.H. Dyer ordered his troops to fire 1600 rounds on countless innocent people who had gathered at Jallianwala Bagh to observe the Baisakhi festival, and this killed, according to British estimates, 379 people (although unofficially the number would be around a thousand). Rabindranath Tagore returned his Knighthood (given to him by the British authorities) as a token of his protest against that incident. So it would have been most appropriate for Modi as the PM to raise the matter with the British Government and ask them to seek pardon for such a ruthless act that was a slur on humanity as a whole.

However, very few people have faith in a PM who belongs to an organisation (RSS) which had during the British rule supported the alien govern-ment at every crucial juncturewhether it was the execution of Bhagat Singh in March 1931 or Gandhijis Do or Die call during the August 1942 Quit India movement. So it would have been too much to expect Modi to raise such a demand regardless of his current emphasis on nationalism to hoodwink the public.

April 19 S.C.New Delhi: Vice President Venkaiyah Naidu on last day blamed colonial and foreign rule in India for the lack of respect towards women which leads to crime against them.

Without mentioning the barbaric rape of an eight-year-old girl child in Kathua recently or the rape controversy involving a BJP lawmaker in Uttar Pradesh, Mr Naidu said that the Indian tradition had always given a lot of respect to women.

The Vice president also added that it was shameful that despite such traditions, women were not getting the respect they deserved and the foreign rule, over the centuries was responsible for this.Thiruvananthapuram : The Centre has deputed a high-level team to study environmental issues and concerns regarding the acquisition of paddy land for a proposed National Highway at Keezhattur in Kannur district. The tiny hamlet in north Kerala district had recently witnessed a series of agitations by farmers and local people against the state government's move to take over agricultural land for the NH project.

The expert team, headed by John Thomas, a research officer at the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, would visit Keezhattur on May 3 and 4 and submit a report to the government, BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan today said. The leader said that he was informed by the Ministry about the panel's visit. Officials of the National Highway Authority and state government officials would also accompany the panel members, he said here in a release.

Rajasekharan had recently approached the Environment Ministry against the state government's move to acquire paddy land and apprised them about the concerns of local people. PTISix comrades of the IMT were abducted today in Karachi by the Army and Sindh Rangers, a paramilitary state department notorious for extra-judicial killings. We need to raise this in the labour and student movements around the world. We need messages of protest and of solidarity. Act now!

Click here for the latest information on the abductions, a letter to send to your local Pakistani embassy and a model motion for trade union branches and student groups.

The comrades were targeted because they joined the solidarity protest of Pahstun Tahafuz (Protection) Movement (PTM) in front of the Karachi Press club today. Comrade Karim Parhar from Quetta and Dr. Aftab Ashraf from Lahore also addressed the protestors and explained the reactionary and brutal role of the Pakistani State. Other comrades were raising slogans in solidarity with the PTM and condemning the atrocities of the Pakistani State against Pashtuns in the tribal areas and across the country.

The protest in Karachi was being organized on the call of the leadership of the PTM as they were being denied the right to hold a peaceful public meeting in Lahore today. Some leaders of the PTM were arrested in Lahore the night before the meeting and the meeting place was filled with sewage water. Later on, those arrested leaders of the PTM in Lahore were released under the pressure of the movement, but the leadership asked its members and sympathizers to hold protests in all the cities across the country.

In the protest in Karachi the comrades of the IMT went to extend complete solidarity against this brutal oppression and support for the PTM.

The PTM is holding a Long March in Pakistan in which they have held public meetings in many cities across the country. On 8 April a public meeting was held in Peshawar in which more than 150,000 people participated. In that meeting the leadership announced their next meeting in Lahore on 22 April. The State authorities tried their best to stop this meeting from taking place. Threatening calls were made to the organizers and anyone who was trying to extend solidarity with this movement. The Lahore public meeting was a huge step forward for this movement because up till now it was restricted to the Pashtun areas only. But this meeting could spread it to other areas across the country and people of other nationalities could join it to share their grievances against the State.

Against all odds this meeting was held successfully today in which thousands of people participated, not only from Lahore but from other cities of the Punjab. The leadership of the movement once again explained the incidents happening in the tribal areas over the last decade in which innocent people were killed in the name of Army operations while the Taliban and other Islamic fundamentalists were fully backed and supported by the State. It was also revealed that nearly 4000 innocent people were sold off to the Americans as terrorists. When their families tried to search for them through legal and official channels they were harassed and threatened with severe consequences. The PTM is demanding the release of 32,000 missing persons abducted by the Pakistan Army.

IMT Pakistan and the comrades of the Progressive Youth Alliance have from the very beginning supported this movement, which has been trying to spread its voice to areas across the country. The PYA invited the leader of the PTM Manzoor Pashteen to Faisalabad for 15 April so that students and workers of Faisalabad could extend solidarity to him. But the state authorities cancelled the booking of the Hall in the Faisalabad Press Club and threatened the organizers through intimidating calls. The comrades of the PYA then arranged a new hall of the Lawyers Association but that was also cancelled at the last hour under immense pressure from the Pakistan Army. The University Administration also forced the students organizing this event to cancel it otherwise they would be rusticated (suspended) from the university. Students were also threatened that they could also become Missing Persons if they didnt stop supporting the PTM. At that moment the leadership of the PTM decided to cancel the event and focus on the preparations for the Lahore meeting on 22 April.

In a separate incident comrades of the PYA in Multan were also threatened by the secret agencies of Pakistan and were interrogated for three hours. They also asked them to cancel the event on 13 April in which they were observing the first death anniversary of Mashal Khan. In this meeting they were also going to support the PTM. Later on, the comrades converted this meeting into a protest and held it in front of the Multan Press Club.

Later on, a leading comrade of the IMT Pakistan, comrade Aftab Ashraf, was approached and interrogated by the secret agencies for more than one hour. He was asked to stop his revolutionary activities.

Despite all threats and intimidations, a huge delegation of comrades of the IMT participated in the PTM public meeting in Lahore and raised revolutionary slogans. They were also carrying banners extending solidarity with the demands of the PTM and vowed to carry it to the workers and students of Lahore.

IMT comrades also joined the solidarity protests in Karachi, Quetta and other cities across the country.

In Karachi the comrades were followed by agents of the secret services after the protest and were seized under a huge presence of armed personnel and the bomb disposal squad. Though the operation was led by the Rangers (a paramilitary outfit), Army personnel was also present guiding the operation.

Those abducted so far are:

1) Karim Parhar, leader of PTM and RWF Quetta

2) Attaullah Afridi, Organizer of PYA Karachi

3) Aftab Ashraf, central organizer of RWF

4) Umer Riaz, Organizer of PYA Islamabad

5) Zain ul Abideen, Central Organizer of PYA

6) Gulbaz, Organizer of RWF Kashmir

Nobody has been told about their whereabouts so far and no case has been registered against them. This is the usual practice of the police and the Army in Pakistan against which a huge movement of the masses has erupted in Pakistan. The State authorities are trying their best to crush this movement and drown it in blood. The corrupt media of Pakistan has so far boycotted this huge movement and is spewing venomous hatred against it. All political parties in parliament are also accomplices in this crime and support the brutal state apparatus in the political arena.

Rao Anwar, a police officer who is the killer of Naqibullah Mehsud against whose killing this movement started, has so far been given a royal protocol by the Supreme Court of Pakistan and all other state authorities. Zardari, former president of Pakistan and leader of the PPP has called Rao Anwar, a brave boy in a TV interview after this killing.

The workers and peasants of Pakistan, along with the revolutionary students, have no friends in the leaderships of these parties, while the brutal State is crushing them with full force. They only appeal to their brothers and sisters across the world to extend solidarity with them in this critical hour.

We demand immediate release of our six comrades of the IMT abducted by the Pakistan Army. Their only crime is to have expressed their views about the Pakistani State and supported the PTM in front of the Karachi Press Club today.

We also demand that the demands of the PTM should be accepted immediately and State should end its atrocities in the tribal areas and stop supporting Islamic fundamentalism.

We also condemn the imperialist interventions in Pakistan which have created these monsters and have supported the brutal Pakistani State.

Our only strength is our solidarity. We vow to keep fighting till the last victory.Our final aim is to remove this rotten capitalist system through a socialist transformation of society!

Long Live the IMT!

Workers of the world Unite!

Lal Salaam!

Please take this case to your trade union branch, party branch, student unions and groups and send protest messages:

To your local Pakistan Embassy, which you can find here:

https://www.embassypages.com/pakistan

To the Prime Minister, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, at the Prime Ministers Office Islamabad at info@pmo.gov.pk

The National Police Bureau of Pakistan: at:

http://www.npb.gov.pk/index.php/play-part/

With copies to editor@marxist.pk

And editor@marxist.comWhen College of Our Lady of the Elms student Marie F. Romagnano first read online two months ago about 20th-century Polish Catholic nurse Hanna Chrzanowska, she was delighted to find someone who shared her views on nursing and spirituality.

"She was a very, very talented and hardworking nurse," Romagnano said of Hanna Chrzanowska. "Her sanctity was based on her excellent patient care."

Chrzanowska will be beatified -- brought one step closer to canonization in the Catholic Church -- on April 28 at the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Lagiewniki, Poland, and Romagnano will be there.

An Elms College master of science in nursing education student she said it is important that Chrzanowska be recognized "as extremely important to nursing today."

Chrzanowska was a Polish nurse, born in 1902 into a family that was known for charitable and philanthropic work. She worked tirelessly -- frequently risking her life -- during World War II to help the homeless and refugees in Krakow avoid mass hunger and starvation in the overcrowded city. She took special care of orphans, including Jewish children, finding foster families and safe shelters for them. After the war, she established and coordinated Catholic parish nursing in communist Poland.

Chrzanowska, who contributed to the formation of the Catholic Union of Polish Nurses in 1937, worked in schools of nursing in Poland for most of her professional life, serving as a qualified nursing instructor in community nursing. Her Catholic faith grew steadily throughout her life until it became the foundation of her nursing practice.

A Benedictine Oblate, she died in 1973, and the future St. John Paul II presided at her funeral.

In 1995 nurses from the Catholic Association of Nurses and Midwives requested that a cause for canonization be opened on behalf of Chrzanowska; it was formally opened in 1998. Last year Pope Francis declared that a miracle attributed to the Venerable Servant of God Hanna Chrzanowska had prepared the way for her beatification.

Romagnano, a registered nurse who specializes in catastrophic-injury medical case management, is the founder and president of Med-Link Inc. In 2001, she founded Nurses for Divine Mercy, which has become Healthcare Professionals for Divine Mercy, a professional organization that focuses on training nurses and other health care professions in spiritual care of sick. She wrote "Nursing with the Hands of Jesus: A Guide to Nurses for Divine Mercy," a training guidebook for nurses and those in direct contact in any setting with the sick, injured and dying.

"I would have loved to have met her," Romagnano said of Chrzanowska. "She is an outstanding example of how all of us nurses could potentially be saints by doing our patient care well and trying to help in every way possible the sick, the injured and the dying."

The 14th annual Divine Mercy Medicine, Bioethics and Spirituality Conference will take place May 10 and 11 at The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester sponsored by Healthcare Professionals for Divine Mercy. For information, call 800-462-7426.It was 6 in the morning on June 30, 1967.

His parents had dropped 17-year-old John "Jake" Donovan off at the military recruiting station on State Street in Springfield and headed back home to Chesterfield.



From the time he was a kid, Donovan, who had graduated that spring from Gateway Regional High School in Huntington, wanted to become a Marine. Even with a war raging half a world away and a nation being torn apart by race riots, civil rights demonstrations and anti-war protests, he wanted to join the military.

His father had encouraged Donovan to go to college, but he wanted no part of it. "I just always wanted to serve my country and always wanted to be in the Marines, plus their uniforms looked pretty good," he says.

Donovan recalls the recruiting station being filled with young men that morning, mostly teenagers like him, maybe 75 to 100 of them, bound for service in all branches of the military. He didn't know a soul, but Donovan remembers Marc Kuzma walking in. "He was a big guy," Donovan says.

He and Kuzma, a year older at 18, wound up among five recruits put in a corner of the room together as they were the lone group to join Marine Corps. They hit it off immediately, Donovan recalls. "We should have known then what we were getting into," the now 68-year-old Donovan reflects.

They were sworn in and told they were free to go until noon when they'd be loaded onto buses that would take them to Bradley International Airport to begin the next chapters of their lives.

Outside the recruiting station, Kuzma, who was from South Hadley, introduced his mother to Donovan. "I didn't know anyone, and Mark said, 'Come with me.' I thought the woman outside was his grandmother. She was a little old lady with gray hair who took us to breakfast."

During conversation at a nearby restaurant, Anna Kuzma, who would have been 59 at the time, became "very persistent" with Donovan, telling him repeatedly, "You keep my boy safe. I want you to bring my boy home to me."

Donovan remembers telling her, "I don't really know what we're getting into." Still, he says, he assured Mrs. Kuzma he'd do his best.

At boot camp on Parris Island, Kuzma and Donovan trained side by side for the next 12 weeks. "All through boot camp, we hung out together. He was a big guy, kind of a goofy kid. He'd say things at the wrong time, and, because we were buddies, the (drill instructor) would say, 'OK, you two. Give me 100 pushups," recalls Donovan.

Donovan remembers one middle-of-the-night drill when they were ordered out of bed to do 50 laps around the barracks, a route that included having to duck underneath a clothesline out in back of the building. "I was running in front of Mark and all of sudden I heard an awful scream," Donovan shares. "It was Mark. He forgot to duck."

They were two brothers-in-arms, "just trying to survive 12 weeks of boot camp," Donovan says. They talked about everything, from the task at hand, to what awaited them, to girlfriends, to going home again. "How well do you get to know a guy in 12 weeks," Donovan says, "but it was like I had known him forever."

Donovan had enlisted in the Marine Corps with an "aviation guarantee," meaning he'd be eventually posted somewhere in an air wing. Kuzma had no such guarantee, and, like many Marine recruits at the time, wound up headed to serve as a ground troop in the infantry. Together, they completed eight more weeks in an Infantry Training Regiment at Camp Lejeune, where their platoon earned top honors for each week of their schooling, the unit's guidon embellished with all the ribbons of their success.

Then, as 1967 was winding down, they parted ways, Donovan headed to his military occupational specialty training in aviation and Kuzma headed to advanced infantry training. "I told him, 'See you when we get out. Now, don't do something stupid and get yourself killed," Donovan recalls.

Less than six months later, while in training in Memphis, Donovan got a telephone call from his parents in which they told him a young man from South Hadley had been killed in Vietnam. He knew the casualty of war was the boy he'd befriended at the recruiting station in Springfield.

It would be some time before Donovan would learn the full story of how Kuzma's life ended on a battlefield in Vietnam 50 years ago this coming week. Donovan volunteered to go to Vietnam, but the Marine Corps didn't agree, assigning to him as a crew chief to help train medical evacuation helicopter crews. Like the one that flew into harm's way on April 26, 1968 in a place called Quang Tri, Vietnam, to rescue their fellow soldiers.



Pvt. 1st Class Marc John Kuzma had arrived in Vietnam in December 1967, a rifleman with Company A, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 3rd Marine Division. On that April day, assigned to reconnoiter an enemy bunker complex, Kuzma's squad came under heavy fire from the North Vietnamese.



"Realizing the seriousness of the situation, Private Kuzma unhesitatingly exposed himself to the hostile fire in order to return to the platoon patrol base and guide reinforcements to the location of his besieged squad," reads an account of what transpired. The account, which serves as the citation for the award of the Navy Cross, one of our nation's highest honors for gallantry, is filled with references like "disregarding his own safety." It tells of how Kuzma took fire and gave fire to protect his squad, how he let battalion leaders know where the enemy was and where his wounded comrades lay.

Donovan says he connected before war's end with a member of the medical evacuation crew that went into fire that day to try to rescue Kuzma and his squad. From that Marine, he learned that his friend had been barely alive but on a stretcher headed into the belly of C-46 helicopter. "He must have done something to really make the (Vietnamese) angry. They opened up and hit him on the stretcher. That's where he died, getting in the back of a helicopter," Donovan shares.

Two years later to the day, on April 26, 1970, Donovan would lose another Marine Corps buddy, this one a childhood friend from Huntington, in a car crash in Worthington while both were home on leave together.

"I feel guilty I'm still here," Donovan remarks. Life's been good for him, and he knows it better than most. He's a father and grandfather. A successful businessman, he heads a family-run sand-and-gravel business in Berkshire County.

He also knows, Donovan says, "I didn't fulfill that promise."



The promise to a mother about keeping her son safe and brining him home to her.

Once a month, he travels from Berkshire County to the quiet Village Cemetery in South Hadley Falls where Private Kuzma is buried. Donovan spends time at the grave of the teenager who befriended him all those years ago. He's done it largely unnoticed until now. "It's not about me. It's about Marc," he explains.

Once, when he saw the military marker was settling too far into the ground, he brought buckets of sand from his gravel pit and crowbars so he could raise and reset the footstone. Confronted by the cemetery caretaker who asked, "What the hell are you doing," Donovan says he responded, "I'm just raising my buddy's footstone."



"I just do it," Donovan explains of the visits he's made for decades. "It's kind of like a part of me. He was a good kid. A lot of good kids got killed over there."

Donovan never reconnected with Kuzma's mother and had been unaware the town established a memorial to his friend, known as the "Huckleberry Finn of South Hadley, in Canal Park along the Connecticut River. Thanks to a column by Barbara C. Bernard in The Republican last month which shared the text of the Navy Cross citation awarded posthumously to Kuzma, Donovan will visit the memorial and plans to connect soon with the widow of Kuzma's step-brother, Paul R. Dineen, who worked to help honor his brother's memory.

Donovan made the journey to the see the wall of the national Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., where Kuzma's name is engraved. And, at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico, Virginia, in a place called Semper Fidelis Park ("It's beautiful," he says), Donovan saw to it that there is a commemorative brick in honor of Kuzma there, too.

Donovan, like other veterans who saw duty in those turbulent times, remembers what it was like to come home from the service back then, greeted more often by epithets than parades. "It wasn't very nice for us," he says, noting with pride how his little hometown of Chesterfield was among the first in the state to erect a memorial to its Vietnam veterans.



"We just did our jobs. It's all turned around now," Donovan says. "It's still a great country, still the best one in the world. I guess we fought for each other, more than the country."



Cynthia G. Simison is managing editor of The Republican. She may be reached by email to csimison@repub.com.NORTHAMPTON - Thousands of people from throughout New England packed up their pipes and Baja ponchos and traveled to the Three County Fairgrounds in Northampton Saturday to enjoy the 27th Extravaganja.

The annual event--which openly celebrates cannabis culture--is one of the largest festivals of its kind in the Northeast. It is facilitated by the UMass Cannabis Reform Coalition, a student-run drug reform group.

The festival, which allows attendees to freely partake and enjoy marijuana, also offers an array of activities--including food, vendors, art and music.

In many ways, Saturday was very much like past festivals. A familiar odor wafted through the air as groups milled about, sat and smoked on blankets, or danced to live music.

However, many festival goers were particularly enthused this year, given the fact that retail marijuana will soon be a reality throughout Massachusetts.

Northampton, in particular, has spent the last several months readying itself for the new market, with the city recently passing a bevy of legislation to prepare--including a local sales tax on the product.

Among other things, Saturday's event featured a number of speeches by known cannabis activists, including Dick Evans, also known as "Mr. Marijuana," John Dvorak, Diane Russell, Ellen Brown, and Robert Jeffrey.

Many festival goers expressed enthusiasm for the coming legal pot industry.

Dave Edelson, 54, the owner of Unbreakabowl--a Connecticut based company that sells pipes that are guaranteed not to break--said that, despite living out of state, he is nevertheless looking forward to legalization in Massachusetts.

"We're from Connecticut but we still look forward to some opportunities in Massachusetts," Edelson said, adding he hoped Connecticut would legalize recreational marijuana soon.

Edelson, who could be seen selling his wares to passerby at the fairgrounds Saturday, said he has been a marijuana enthusiast his "whole life," adding that he very much enjoys the vibe at the festival. "Everybody's always so nice when you come to these events," he said. "I'd rather deal with a bunch of stoners than a bunch of drunks."

New attendees commented on the size and overall scope of the festival.

Andrew, 28, and Brian, 30, both of Springfield, said they were newcomers to the festival but were very impressed by it.

"I didn't know it was all this," said Brian, gesturing to the tents and vendors. "My friend kept referring to it as the "Big E" of marijuana," he said.

Both men said they were looking forward to legalization.

"Anything that can create more freedom and also help with criminal justice reform is a good thing," Brian said.UPDATE: Police say a total of six people were shot. Four people were fatally shot and two others were injured. Originally police said four people were injured by gunfire.

Four people were fatally shot, and another four people were injured when a man opened fire inside a Tennessee Waffle House Sunday morning, authorities said.

The Metro Nashville Police Department said a gunman entered the Waffle House in the Nashville area and began to shoot around 3:25 a.m.

Police say a patron inside the restaurant wrestled the rifle away from the gunman.

The shooter was nude and ran from the scene.

Police said 29-year-old Travis Reinking is a person of interest in the shooting. The vehicle used by the gunman is registered to Reinking, police.

BREAKING: Travis Reinking, 29, of Morton, IL, is person of interest in Waffle House shooting. Vehicle the gunman arrived in is registered to him. Gunman last seen walking south on Murfreesboro Pike. He shed is coat and is nude. See Reinking? Pls call 615-862-8600 immediately. pic.twitter.com/duoWCo5fC0  Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) April 22, 2018

Authorities continue to search for the suspect and investigate the killings.HOLYOKE -- Desire to spend time with his wife, grandchildren and other family members coupled with awareness of his family's health history told Police Chief James M. Neiswanger the time was now.

Neiswanger, 55, gave a formal announcement Friday to speculation that had run for weeks that he would retire effective July 20 after leading the department for seven years.

"It's time for me. I've been doing this for 34 years. The other day, I went to Sgt. Gannon's funeral in Yarmouth and it absolutely breaks my heart, a young, heroic man serving his community. And I've been to, quite frankly, too many police funerals," Neiswanger said.

Yarmouth Police Sgt. Sean M. Gannon, 32, was fatally shot April 12 while serving a warrant.

"I've had some siblings who've had some heart-related issues in their 50's," Neiswanger said. "I lost a brother to a heart-related issue in his 50's. While I'm young and relatively healthy, I'd like to get healthier and be able to stick around on this planet for another 20 or 30 years.

"That's not to say that I couldn't do that here, but there is a fair amount of stress to being chief of police. So you know, it's better for me, it's better for my family. It's time," Neiswanger said.

See below for Neiswanger's retirement letter and statements from officials about the departing chief.

Neiswanger eventually will move to North Carolina where he has family including two grandchildren, ages nearly 3 and 1. He and wife Carla have three daughters.

Neiswanger discussed his tenure as chief, including establishing and then having to reduce community policing, specific traits like a thick skin needed to be police chief here and why it was time to leave.

He spoke in the City Hall office of Mayor Alex B. Morse, who praised Neiswanger. The mayor said he will appoint a new chief from within the department, invited the four police captains to apply for the position and said a new chief will be named before Neiswanger departs.

The captains are Denise Duguay, David Pratt, Manuel Febo and Matthew Moriarty. The police chief's yearly salary is $151,288.

"I could not have asked for a better partner in our city's public safety efforts than Chief Neiswanger," Morse said. "He has led the department with honor, professionalism and respect. Due to his steady leadership, we have seen historic decreases in crime over the last seven years, and a renewed focus on community policing that has drastically improved the relationship between our police officers and the residents we serve."

Neiswanger took over as chief from the retired Anthony Scott in July 2011, having been a captain with the Police Department in Manchester, Conn., where he was born and raised.

He owes his career to his wife, Carla, Neiswanger said.

"She's been my rock all along. She's been a real trouper and, you know, I think a lot of this has been tough for her. You know, people look at her and they engage her, but they don't engage her as a person, they engage her because she's the chief's wife. And she's so much more than that," he said.

Neiswanger said he was fortunate to have worked with Holyoke officers. He praised their work in cutting crime such as at the former drug den at 5 Adams St., obtaining grants and helping in neighborhoods such as with community policing and the establishment of a community policing truck.

"I'm extremely proud of the men and women of the Holyoke Police Department. They're some of the finest people I know. Every day, they heroically step up," he said.

Being a police officer means making sacrifices, he said.

"I have men and women that tackle and disarm armed suspects. I am just extremely proud of them," Neiswanger said.

Crime dropped in Neiswanger's tenure. Violent crime including robbery, murder and rape fell 2.3 percent in 2015 compared to 2014, and the city's rate for property crimes including burglary and vehicle theft fell to is lowest since at least 1997, according to FBI crime data released in September 2016. Still, the violent crime rate in Holyoke was higher than the national average for communities of similar size.

Overall, between 2001 and 2015, reported crimes here fell from 8,070 to 5,329, or 34 percent.

The community policing under Neiswanger began in the Churchill Neighborhood and soon such patrols were working the South Holyoke and Downtown neighborhoods, as well, in 2012.

Perhaps too much too soon, Neiswanger said.

"Tough part of that time when we were doing that was, we probably expanded too fast, too quickly. Not enough, quite honestly, officers in the community policing, boots on the ground, the size of the areas. They ended up taking on a much greater area, those that were assigned to that. But the officers did a great job when they were there," he said.

Nelson R. Roman, the Ward 2 representative on the City Council, said Neiswanger was an above-average chief. He could have done better in several areas such as with community policing, "true community policing, not just tents and camp-outs, but actual community policing with police who live in the neighborhoods," he said.

"I think Latinos applaud the chief in some areas and in others are hoping to see a change in direction with one of the four candidates for chief," Roman said. "This chief is friendly, supportive of his officers and has worked towards saving the city money. Latinos are grateful to the chief's trust and support of (Capt.) Manny Febo, a Latino Holyoker who has deep ties with the community."

Gladys Lebron-Martinez, Ward 1 representative on the City Council, said her experience was that Neiswanger was helpful to Latinos, in the community and in supporting the hiring of Latinos for the Police Department.

"During the chief's service, there was not a time that I made a phone call that he was not responsive," Lebron-Martinez said. "He always got back or solved the problem or looked into the issue. Most of the time the issues were constituents' complaints or concerns and I brought it to his attention and he would send someone off to take care of the situation."

Neiswanger said that dealing with a budget in this poor city -- nearly a third of the population of 40,000 lives in poverty -- that tightens and forces stoppage of programs like community policing is one of the skills needed in being chief here. (see video above)

"I think you have to have a sense of direction, where you want to go, where you want the culture of the agency to go," he said.

Accepting and adapting, such as by pursuing grants, to realities like financial constraints are key, he said.

And the chief must be able to deal with criticism, he said.

"I think the chief has to be very thick-skinned. Just because you're chief, there are people that aren't going to like you. You're going to have to make decisions sometimes that aren't popular. But that comes with the job," he said.

The chief must ensure officers have the equipment they need; be responsive to the mayor, City Council and public; be aware of special-interest groups and their agendas; and know that nationwide police issues like use-of-force episodes will be felt here, he said.

Fire Chief John A. Pond credited Neiswanger for the Fire and Police departments working well together.

"Chief Neiswanger was a pleasure to work with. His collaborative, honest and straight forward approach to public safety provided an open dialogue to help his department and other city departments improve public safety in the city of Holyoke," Pond said.

"I would like to thank Chief Neiswanger and his family for all they have done to help move Holyoke forward."

Here is Mayor Alex B. Morse's statement on the retirement of Police Chief James M. Neiswanger:

I could not have asked for a better partner in our city's public safety efforts than Chief Neiswanger. He has led the department with honor, professionalism, and respect. Due to his steady leadership, we have seen historic decreases in crime over the last seven years, and a renewed focus on community policing that has drastically improved the relationship between our police officers and the residents we serve. He has helped usher in a new era in the department, improving its image and building a newfound trust among citizens in every corner of our community. I will certainly miss working with him, but I'm confident that his legacy will be sustained in the coming years as we build upon the progress he has accomplished.

Because of Chief Neiswanger's leadership, the Holyoke Police Department is stronger than at any time in recent memory - both internally, and in its relationship to the wider community. Given this, I believe it is time to look within the department for our city's next police chief. It is important for our next chief to have an understanding of our community and our people. Stability is important as we continue to face a number of public safety challenges. I also want the men and women of the Holyoke Police Department to know that if they work hard enough, and are committed to the core values of community policing, they too can be chief of this department one day.

In the next two weeks I will be inviting the four captains within the department to apply for the position, and I expect to make a decision soon after.

City Council President Todd A. McGee:

It is truly sad to see the chief's retirement letter. He has been a tremendous leader and asset to the Police Department and the city of Holyoke. He is a true professional that has served this city with honor and dedication. I wish the chief a happy and restful retirement and thank him for all his years of service to this great city.

Jossie M. Valentin, Ward 4 representative on the City Council:

I wish Chief Neiswanger the best of luck in his retirement. He was always a pleasure to work with and we treated each other with respect, even if we did not always see eye to eye.

Nelson R. Roman, Ward 2 representative on the City Council:

I think Latinos applaud the chief in some areas and in others are hoping to see a change in direction with one of the four candidates for chief. This chief is friendly, supportive of his officers and has worked towards saving the city money. Latinos are grateful to the chief's trust and support of (Capt.) Manny Febo, a Latino Holyoker who has deep ties with the community. I applaud former Mayor Elaine Pluta for her hiring of the chief who I believe has helped train up four capable individuals who could be chief.

The areas, however, that the community is now not pleased with and that need improvement, include:

true community policing, not just tents and camp-outs, but actual community policing with police who live in the neighborhoods;

a Police Department that believes and supports restorative justice practices as alternatives to arrests;a chief who would welcome and support a civilian police commission;

a police force that is as diverse as the city of Holyoke;

a police force that does better when it comes to responding to neighborhood issues and complaints.

Furthermore the area of poor performance of the department under this chief is that of the HPD continuing to be inside of the HPS (Holyoke public schools), the high rate of school arrests which contribute to the school to prison pipeline. Pat downs and prison like sweeps occurring all too frequently. Thirty-three youth (were) arrested last school year and 15 arrested for disruption and disturbing. Making officers dress in uniform in the schools instead of plain clothed, and not having a job description/application process for school resource officers.

The chief and the mayor tout citywide crime (as being) down, (but) in the neighborhoods of Ward 2 the same cannot be proven true. The lack of a neighborhood data is vital and on that front I am grateful to the Chief for filling this position (of data officer).

I believe the reviews will overall be this chief was above average and hopefully the next chief can begin to genuinely bridge the gaps between the communities that still feel oppressed and disconnected from those sworn to protect and serve.

Gladys Lebron-Martinez, Ward 1 representative on the City Council:

During the chief's service, there was not a time that I made a phone call that he was not responsive. He always got back or solved the problem or looked into the issue. Most of the time the issues were constituents' complaints or concerns and I brought it to his attention and he would send someone off to take care of the situation. In addition, I know during his service or time of leadership, he did hire and gave many Latinos opportunities to become officers, as well as serving in the auxiliary program. I'm very sad to hear that he will be retiring, but I wish him the best and hope that we can bring someone else as good with his leadership.

Kathleen G. Anderson, president of the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce and of the Greater Holyoke Chamber Centennial Foundation:

Chief Neiswanger will definitely be missed. He was well respected in the business community and was always willing to get involved when asked. I personally have loved working with the chief over the years, both as (city) planning and development director and the head of the Chamber of Commerce. I am happy for him and his family and wish the chief well in his retirement.

Rebecca Lisi, city councilor at large:

I think that Chief Neiswanger did a wonderful job. His focus on community policing alongside education and training for the officers put the city as well as the police force in a strong position to maintain safe streets and develop positive relationships with our residents. I wish him well in his retirement.

Retirement letter from Holyoke Police Chief James M. Neiswanger: by Mike Plaisance on ScribdUpdate: Police have located Stolarz. She is being evaluated by paramedics.

LUDLOW - Police are asking for help to find a 77-year-old woman who has been missing since early Sunday morning.

Jeannette M. Stolarz left her home around 9 a.m. and has not been home since. Her granddaughter reported her missing after she did not return for more than three hours, Police Sgt. Daniel Valadas said.

Stolarz may be driving a 2003 Pontiac Grand-Am with a Massachusetts license plate of 188HH7.

A be-on-the-lookout has been broadcast to regional police and she has been listed as a missing person, he said.

Anyone who has any information about her or has seen her car is asked to call Ludlow police at 413-583-8305.NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- A nearly naked gunman wearing only a green jacket and brandishing an assault rifle stormed a Waffle House restaurant in Nashville early Sunday, shooting four people to death before a customer rushed him and wrestled the weapon away.

Authorities were searching for the 29-year-old suspect, Travis Reinking, who they said drove to the busy restaurant and killed two people in the parking lot before entering and continuing to fire. When his AR-15 rifle either jammed or the clip was empty, the customer disarmed him in a scuffle.

Four people were also wounded before the gunman fled, throwing off his jacket.

Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson said there was no clear motive, though Reinking may have "mental issues." He may still be armed, Anderson told a mid-afternoon news conference, because he was known to have owned a handgun that authorities have not recovered.

U.S. Secret Service agents arrested Reinking last July for being in a restricted area near the White House, officials said. Special Agent Todd Hudson said Reinking was detained after refusing to leave the restricted area, saying he wanted to meet President Donald Trump.

State police in Illinois, where Reinking lived until last fall, subsequently revoked his state firearms card at the request of the FBI and four guns were then taken from him, including the AR-15 used in Sunday's shooting as well as a handgun, authorities said.

Sheriff Robert Huston in Tazewell County, Illinois, said deputies allowed Reinking's father to take possession of the guns on the promise that he would "keep the weapons secure and out of the possession of Travis." Huston added that, based on past deputies' encounters with Reinking, "there's certainly evidence that there's some sort of mental health issues involved."

While Huston said it was unclear how Reinking reclaimed the guns, Nashville Police spokesman Don Aaron said that his father "has now acknowledged giving them back to his son."

Phone calls to a number listed for the father, Jeffrey Reinking, went unanswered.

Meanwhile, authorities hailed the customer who intervened to stop a further bloodbath, 29-year-old James Shaw, Jr., as a hero -- though the father of a 4-year-old girl demurred and said he was just trying to survive.

One hand bandaged, Shaw told reporters he first thought the gunshots fired around 3:25 a.m. were plates falling from a dishwashing station.

When he realized what was happening, he took cover behind a door as shots shattered windows. The gun either jammed or needed a new clip, and that's when Shaw said he pounced after making up his mind that "he was going to have to work to kill me."

Shaw said he was not a religious man, but "for a tenth of a second, something was with me to run through that door and get the gun from him."

They cursed at each other as they scuffled, Shaw said, and he was able to grab the gun and toss it over a counter. The gunman then ran away into the dark of the working- and middle-class Antioch neighborhood of southeast Nashville.

Authorities said he shed his jacket nearby and police found two AR-15 magazines loaded with bullets in the pockets. He was seen walking, naked, on a road, officials said, but later was spotted wearing pants but no shirt after apparently returning to his apartment.

Another witness, Chuck Cordero, told The Tennessean newspaper he had stopped to get a cup of coffee and was outside the Waffle House when the chaos unfolded.

"He did not say anything," Cordero said of the gunman, who he described as "all business."

Cordero said Shaw saved lives. "There was plenty more people in that restaurant," he said.

The dead were identified as 29-year-old restaurant worker Taurean C. Sanderlin, and restaurant patrons Joe R. Perez, 20, Akilah Dasilva, 23, and DeEbony Groves, 21. A police statement said Sanderlin and Perez were killed outside the restaurant, Groves was fatally shot inside, and Dasilva was critically wounded inside and later died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Aaron, the police spokesman, said two of the wounded were being treated for gunshot wounds at the medical center, where spokeswoman Jennifer Wetzel said one was in critical condition and the other was in critical but stable condition.

TriStar Southern Hills Medical Center spokeswoman Katie Radel in Nashville said two people were treated for minor injuries and released.

Aaron said Reinking had been employed in construction and lived near the restaurant, and police used yellow crime scene tape to block public access to an apartment complex about a half-mile from the Waffle House. Reinking is originally from Morton, Illinois.

"This is a very sad day for the Waffle House family," the company said in a statement on Twitter. "We ask for everyone to keep the victims and their families in their thoughts and prayers."

Nashville Mayor David Briley described the shooting as "a tragic day" for the city.

"My heart goes out to the families & friends of every person who was killed or wounded," Briley said in an emailed statement. "I know all of their lives will be forever changed by this devastating crime."

U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, whose district includes Nashville, said in an emailed statement that the shooting shows the need for tighter restrictions on "widespread civilian access to military-grade assault weapons."

Nashville Chief Anderson said there was no Tennessee law that would have barred Reinking from having guns, though weapons could be taken away if the suspect had serious mental health issues. That would require taking him to court and having his rights taken away because of illness, a sometimes lengthy and difficult process, Anderson said.

Police reports filed in Illinois showed past run-ins with authorities there.

In May 2016, Tazewell County deputies were called to a CVS parking lot where Reinking told officers that Taylor Swift was stalking him and hacking his phone, and that his family was also involved, according to a report released Sunday. Reinking agreed to go to a local hospital for an evaluation after repeatedly resisting the request, the report said.

Another report from the sheriff's office said Reinking barged into a community pool in Tremont, Illinois, last June and jumped into the water wearing a pink woman's coat over his underwear. Investigators believed he had an AR-15 rifle in his car trunk, but it was never displayed. No charges were filed.

By Sheila Burke, Associated Press. Associated Press writers John Raby in Charleston, West Virginia, and Justin Pritchard in Los Angeles contributed to this report.PELHAM - A fire destroyed a home Saturday and the embers ignited nearby vegetation, creating a large brush fire.

The fire was reported at about 5:30 p.m. on 123 Pacardville Road. No one was home at the time of the fire and there were no injuries, Pelham Police said.

The fire was extinguished relatively quickly. Firefighters from Amherst, Belchertown and Shutesbury Fire departments assisted Pelham in putting out the flames, police said.

The cause of the fire in the single-family home remains under investigation.

The road was closed while firefighters extinguished the flames.Authorities in Tennessee continue to search for the gunman who fatally shot four people inside a Waffle House Sunday.

The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said on Twitter that they continue to search for 29-year-old Travis Reinking of Morton, Illinois, a man they first deemed a person of interest.

He was named a person of interest in the shooting because the pickup truck used by the gunman to drive to the restaurant outside Nashville is registered to him, police said.

"Murder warrants are now being drafted against Travis Reinking," police announced Sunday.



Six people were shot Sunday around 3:25 a.m. Three people died at the scene and a fourth person died at a local hospital. Two other people are being treated at an area hospital for gunshot wounds.



The Tennessean reports one person is in critical condition and another is in critical, but stable, condition. The newspaper reports two other people were injured, but not from gunfire. The injuries were minor.



Police said on Twitter that a patron inside the restaurant wrestled the rifle out of the suspect's hands. A picture of the rifle was released by police on Twitter. The restaurant is located in Antioch.

The Tennessean reports the suspect fired shots from the parking lot first, then entered the restaurant and continued to shoot. The suspect ran from the scene, nude, after the shooting.



Reinking was spotted near an apartment complex after the shooting. Authorities said they had prior interactions with him, the Tennessean reports.SPRINGFIELD- More than 700 guests attended Mercy Medical Center's annual Caritas Gala at the MassMutual Center Saturday, including Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker.

Honorary Chairpersons for the Caritas Gala included Dr. Mohamed and Kimberly Hamdani along with Paul and Anna Mancinone. Longtime supporters are Dr. Hamdani, who has served as chairman of surgery, chairman of credentials and the president of the medical staff. Paul Mancinone serves on the board for Trinity Health of New England.

Baker was selected to receive the Sister Caritas Award for his vision and leadership around prevention and treatment efforts for those suffering from substance use disorder and his support of individuals and families in recovery.

"Recognizing that the opioid crisis is one of the most significant public health issues facing America, Governor Baker has mobilized efforts across the Commonwealth to tackle the issue through prevention and treatment services. He was a unanimous choice for this important award," said Mark Fulco, president of Mercy Medical Center and its affiliates.

A second Sister Caritas Award was presented to Daniel Keenan, vice president of Advocacy and Government Relations for Trinity Health Of New England, for his advocacy efforts on behalf of patients at Mercy Medical Center and Providence Behavioral Health Hospital.

An attorney and former state representative, he is active in behavioral health advocacy including work with the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association and the Massachusetts Association of Behavioral Health Systems.

"Dan has worked tirelessly to improve access for behavioral health and addiction services and to help remove the stigma of conditions in these areas. He has also been a true partner in this work with the Commonwealth and Governor Baker," said Fulco.

The Gala featured a Red Carpet VIP cocktail reception, a silent auction, dinner, and live music with two bands, Radiance and Motor City Magic.

The Motown-themed "Reach Out" Gala fundraiser will help support Mercy Behavioral Health Care and the Mercy Emergency Department's Opioid Community Outreach for education, intervention, and treatment programs.

For more information about Mercy Behavioral Health Care serives, visit their website at www.mercycares.com/behavioral-healthSPRINGFIELD - A proposal by the Police Department to hire back some of its retired officers to fill extra-duty jobs, such as road construction details, returns to the City Council on Monday for possible approval.

The proposal was first considered by the council on April 9, but was referred to the council's Public Safety Committee for additional details.

The Public Safety Committee will meet with police officials at 5 p.m. Monday at City Hall, followed by consideration by the full council at 7 p.m.

Deputy Police Chief Cheryl Clapprood, explaining the program earlier this month, said the department is hoping to begin with about 20 retired officers for the road jobs. They would be paid $46.37 per hour under a union contract, according to the Police Department.

The extra duty jobs are filled by regular police officers first, Clapprood said. However, the demand for the details is so high, especially in the summer months, that some jobs have been going unfilled, Clapprood said. The retired officers would get the jobs that go unfilled, she said.

A special act is needed to permit the use of the retired officers to serve as "special officers." If approved by the council, it also needs approval by the state Legislature and governor.

Retired officers are eligible to become special officers if they have retired in the past five years, Clapprood said.

Some councilors wanted to vote on the issue April 9, in order to get the officers hired as soon as possible. But Councilor Justin Hurst, chairman of the Public Safety Committee, said there was a need for more information and clarification.

"Something of this nature, I think it's necessary to be vetted through the Public Safety Committee, something of this magnitude," Hurst said.

Council President Orlando Ramos told councilors he would bring the issue back for Monday's meeting, and added it to the agenda.MOSCOW -- A Russian lawyer who discussed sanctions with Donald Trump Jr. in New York during his father's 2016 campaign for the U.S. presidency said Sunday that special counsel Robert Mueller has not contacted her and she thinks he isn't interested in finding the truth.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Natalia Veselnitskaya also detailed her recent meeting in Berlin with the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee, which is investigating allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election as well.

Veselnitskaya met with Donald Trump Jr., the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort in June 2016 after Trump Jr. was told she could provide potentially incriminating information about Hillary Clinton.

Mueller, a former FBI director, is leading a federal probe of possible collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign. He has filed charges against multiple former Trump campaign aides.

The apparent lack of interest shown by Mueller's team in her testimony could be a sign the special counsel is not eager to find out what happened, Veselnitskaya told the AP in the interview in downtown Moscow.

"If Mueller's team is not working to discover the truth, they will never question me," she said.

Veselnitskaya also said she was thinking about approaching Mueller to discuss the hacking of her email in February that she claimed bears resemblance to the 2015 hacking of the Democratic National Committee.

Veselnitskaya is a well-connected Moscow lawyer who has worked with a company called Prevezon Holdings Ltd. The company's owner is the son of a former Russian government official and a fierce advocate for rolling back U.S. sanctions on Russia.

At the time of her 2016 meeting at Trump Tower, Veselnitskaya was helping defend Prevezon against charges it had engaged in money laundering from a $230 million Russian tax fraud scheme.

Trump Jr. and others in attendance have downplayed the meeting, saying nothing came of it. Trump has denied that he or his campaign coordinated with any Russian attempts to interfere in the election.

Veselnitskaya on Sunday showed to the AP screenshots of what she said were phishing emails and subsequent messages, showing that her email account had been hacked. She said three of her email accounts were targeted in February, around the time when she began negotiating a meeting with the Senate Intelligence Committee.

The committee has expressed interest in determining whether Veselnitskaya's appointment with Trump Jr., Kushner and Manafort was part of a Russian government effort to help Donald Trump's White House campaign. It was described that way in emails to Trump Jr. in the days before it took place.

Several congressional committees are looking into whether Russia interfered in the 2016 election and whether there were Russian ties to Trump's campaign. The House Intelligence Committee has finished its investigation and said it found no evidence of collusion or coordination with Russians.

The Senate Intelligence Committee approached Veselnitskaya earlier this year, but she refused to go the United States, saying she feared for her safety. The lawyer and the committee's investigators instead met in a Berlin hotel on March 26 and talked for three hours.

"That was essentially a monologue. They were not interrupting me," Veselnitskaya said. "They listened very carefully...Their questions were very sharp, pin-pointed."

The investigators mainly wanted to know about her 2016 meeting at Trump Tower. Veselnitskaya says she repeated her previous statements about it, insisting that she was not linked to the Russian government and merely wanted to discuss sanctions against Russia.

Veselnitskaya's said the Berlin interview also focused on information in memos compiled by a former British spy whose work was funded by the Democratic National Committee and Clinton's campaign. The dossier contains numerous allegations of Russian ties to Trump, his associates and the Trump campaign.

Veselnitskaya dismissed the dossier as "absolute nonsense." She insisted that Glenn Simpson, whose firm Fusion GPS was hired to compile the dossier and who was questioned by the House Intelligence Committee in January, had been "framed."

The Senate committee has not sent her the minutes of the interview yet, Veselnitskaya said, because no one has figured out a safe way to get them to her.

Asked why she decided to meet with the U.S. investigators in Berlin, Veselnitskaya said she felt compelled to tell her account after being into the heart of the Russia probe.

"I'm ready to explain things that may seem odd to you or maybe you have suspicions," she said.

By Nataliya Vasilyeva, Associated Press"For small to medium to national organizations, for events and fundraisers of any size, in any format  live, virtual or hybrid  the platform is built for scale."Being instantly likable isnt rocket science, but this checklist takes practice to master in the short space of a first impression.

Whats the point of networking if not to get other people to like you? Sure, you need new contacts to see you as interesting, competent, professional, and potentially valuable to thembut if they dont also find you likable, nobody will feel motivated to reach out later and work with you.

The reason why all comes down to emotional intelligence, the set of skills and qualities that allow people to form deeper, closer relationships with others. Likability is a key ingredient in that, and its career benefits are pretty obvious. For instance, being likableand liking your coworkers in returncan increase your chances of getting promoted.

BY HARVEY DEUTSCHENDORF

Full Story: https://www.fastcompany.com/40441365/do-these-5-emotionally-intelligent-things-within-5-minutes-of-meeting-someoneThe Billings Fire Department is the latest organization to sign on as an early adopter of a new system that pinpoints and tracks chemical plumes.

Its the newest technology from Diamond B Companies http://www.diamondbco.com/ , based in the TransTech Center on the Billings West End. Last summer Diamond B signed an exclusive licensing deal with the U.S. Army to produce commercially the Local-Rapid Evaluation of Atmospheric Conditions, or L-REAC.

The system, designed by the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, uses 3-D modeling, sensors, real-time maps and cloud technology to pinpoint chemical plumes. The research lab was awarded a patent for the technology last month.

By ROB ROGERS [email protected]

http://billingsgazette.com/news/local/billings-fire-department-signs-up-for-chemical-plume-monitoring-technology/article_cdfaa54b-19cf-5cb4-b30b-fdb0014080bc.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1Economist Bryce Ward believes workers are better off in Billings, and on Friday, Ward peppered a Pub Station crowd with reasons why workers are, for the most part, better off in the Magic City.

Ward, associate director of the Bureau of Business and Economic Research at the University of Montana, talked about his research during the annual "Better Off in Billings" workforce development conference, put on by BillingsWorks and Big Sky Economic Development. More than 100 people attended.

MIKE FERGUSON [email protected]

http://billingsgazette.com/news/government-and-politics/economist-explains-why-workers-are-better-off-in-billings/article_168cefc8-8ef9-56e7-86fb-79aa2d13035e.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-2A common misconception about Trailhead is that were an incubator for tech startups. While we have some of those, our 350 members come from all sides of entrepreneurialism. Forty-five percent work in some form of consulting. Another 11 percent work in advertising and marketing. Many or our members are sole proprietors, including Seth Dahl, who recently gave the Trailhead community reason to celebrate.

Seth, 35, is a longtime guide on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River and a veteran of the Iraq War. Since moving from Montana to Boise a little more than two years ago, Seth channeled his love of the outdoors into Big Cedar Media http://bigcedarmedia.com/, a one-man video production company. Hes tackled all kinds of products, but most, in some way or another, center on telling stories that combine inspiring people doing interesting things in natures splendor.

He cuts a mean video, and his subjects are amazing. His current video project will feature a kayaking trio that includes a vet who lost both legs fighting in Afghanistan, an Iraq War vet whos coping with combat stress and their blind friend. Together, they navigate rivers. They bond. They heal.

BY DAN FARICY

http://www.idahostatesman.com/news/business/article209542639.htmlThe Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST) was created by the state Legislature during the depth of the oil bust in 1987. OCAST was established to diversify and grow Oklahomas economy through science and technology-based activities that would ensure that the state would not depend on any one industry sector.

By Jim Stafford For The Oklahoman

http://newsok.com/article/5588418In the 1968 classic "Bullitt," Steve McQueen gave every future James Bond and Jason Bourne a driving lesson.

Audiences felt as though they were riding shotgun. It was Hollywoods first major car chase shot not on a studio lot, but in real- time, at real speeds, out on the streets and hills of San Francisco.

Mark Strassmann

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-return-of-steve-mcqueen-bullitt-mustang/Following a pre-Series A round of USD 3 million, Webrock, the investment company that brought the number one digital health app in Brazil to South America, and Healthforce, a digital health company majority-owned by South Africas leading retail pharmacy chain Dis-Chem, will be taking the cutting-edge technology behind the second most downloaded doctor app in Europe, Doktor.se, to Africa.

Doing so will provide the continent with a complete digital primary care platform. It will first be launching in South Africa, with a further continent-wide roll-out planned.

The platform, which makes use of a freemium model and innovative approaches to reduce data costs, offers on-demand and scheduled consultations with nurses, general practitioners, and mental health professionals, while also providing ongoing wellness management. Its design ensures a fully integrated end-to-end healthcare system that allows for a holistic and comprehensive view of each patient across different cadres of healthcare workers in order to allocate the most appropriate resource to meet the needs of the patient. Additionally, it will be incorporated into Healthforces network of 450 primary care clinics across South Africa where hands-on care will be provided if needed. The solution is set to reduce the cost of quality care while measurably improving health outcomes, reach patients in remote areas, and alleviate the pressure on the traditional medical support systems.

Currently, only 16% of South Africans[i], 9% of Nigerians[ii] and 1% of Ugandans[iii] for example have medical scheme cover since the costs remain out of reach for the majority of the African population. While governments on the continent are attempting to make quality health services more accessible via national health insurance schemes, universal healthcare provision has not proven feasible seeing that there are people living in rural areas with little to no access to facilities, while others reside in urban areas and have these on their doorstep. But this new platform, to a large extent, ensures everyone can enjoy the same quality care from the same group of healthcare professionals, no matter where in Africa they are situated, as long as they have a cellphone and internet connection, says Saul Kornik, CEO of Healthforce.

Given the speed at which telehealth has grown over the past few years globally, coupled with our experience from successfully building Brazils largest digital health company, ViBe Saude, there is a window of opportunity to transform access to healthcare on the African continent. With a large population and rapidly increasing smartphone and internet penetration, Africa is an obvious and attractive healthtech market opportunity. Using data is infinitely cheaper than having to spend time and money traveling to and from clinics, not to mention paying for the clinic visit itself, adds Joshin Raghubar, Partner at Webrock Ventures Africa.

The partners believe that it is the perfect time to launch such a platform due to the digital adoption that accompanied the COVID-19 crisis which has made South Africans more comfortable with using tech to access services.

We are happy to be a part of unlocking the potential of telemedicine in Sub-Saharan Africa. Weve done this before with Webrock Ventures in Brazil and are proud to form a strategic partnership to repeat this success in a new market. Thanks to Healthforces impressive infrastructure, we believe that it will be possible to launch better and more accessible healthcare for everyone at a record pace., concludes Martin Lindman, Co-Founder & CEO at Doktor.se.

The newco aims to care for 75 million people in the next 10 years

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Michigan population inched up about 0.8% between 2010 and 2017, and that growth came from two factors: Immigration and there were more births than deaths statewide, according to the latest Census numbers.

No surprise, that growth was uneven across the state. Only 25 of the state's 83 counties have seen population gains since 2010, and they are largely urban/surburban counties.

The top six, in order: Ottawa and Kent counties, which have grown 8%; Washtenaw and Grand Traverse, at 6%, and Livingston and Kalamazoo at 5%.

At the other end of the spectrum, three counties at the western end of the Upper Peninsula -- Ontonagon, Gogebic and Iron -- rank Nos. 1, 2 and 3 in counties losing population.

The Census Bureau estimates Ontonagon, home to the Porcupine Mountains, has lost 13% of its population since 2010. The U.P. as a whole has dropped 3%.

Here is an interactive map that shows the population change since 2010 by county.

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You can put your cursor over a county to see the underlying data.

Next is an online database that allows you to quickly find the Census Bureau's estimates for any county in regards to births, deaths and the net change from people moving in and out of the county between April 1, 2010, and July 1, 2017.

Population shifts by county, 2010 to 2017

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Caveat: The numbers you see here are Census Bureau estimates, and have a margin of error that increases for smaller counties.

Statewide, Michigan had 12.3 births for every 10 deaths between 2010 and 2017. The Census Bureau estimates Michigan's population declined 225,302 through the net change in domestic migration (people moving to and from elsewhere in the U.S.), but that was partially offset by a net gain of 150,756 through international migration.

The counties with the biggest gains in overall net migration: Lake, Grand Traverse, Ottawa, Washtenaw and Roscommon. Grand Traverse, Lake and Roscommon are among the northern Michigan counties seeing an influx of retirees moving to their areas. Ottawa and Washtenaw are two of the state's most-prosperous counties.

The counties with the greatest net loss from migration: Ontonagon, Wayne, Branch, Genesee, Tuscola, Saginaw, Sanilac and Shiawassee. Wayne, Genesee, Saginaw and Shiawassee reflect the sharp job declines in the manufacturing hubs of Detroit, Flint and Saginaw. Sanilac and Tuscola are both in the Thumb.

Next is a ranking of the 83 counties by ratio of births to deaths, starting with the counties that have the highest ratio. It also expands on the numbers in the database by showing the breakdown of international and domestic migration.

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1. Kent County: 19.6 births per 10 deaths

Kent's 2017 estimated population is 648,594, a change of 7.6% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

31,350 net gain from 64,044 births and 32,694 deaths.

14,933 net gain from migration, including a net gain of 4,457 from domestic moves and a net gain of 10,476 from international moves.

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2. Ottawa County: 18.8 births per 10 deaths

Ottawa's 2017 estimated population is 286,383, a change of 8.6% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

11,405 net gain from 24,362 births and 12,957 deaths.

11,307 net gain from migration, including a net gain of 8,116 from domestic moves and a net gain of 3,191 from international moves.

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3. Washtenaw County: 17.2 births per 10 deaths

Washtenaw's 2017 estimated population is 367,627, a change of 6.5% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

11,270 net gain from 27,004 births and 15,734 deaths.

11,512 net gain from migration, including a net loss of -3,381 from domestic moves and a net gain of 14,893 from international moves.

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4. Ingham County: 16 births per 10 deaths

Ingham's 2017 estimated population is 290,186, a change of 3.3% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

8,916 net gain from 23,896 births and 14,980 deaths.

285 net gain from migration, including a net loss of -12,723 from domestic moves and a net gain of 13,008 from international moves.

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5. Kalamazoo County: 15.2 births per 10 deaths

Kalamazoo's 2017 estimated population is 262,985, a change of 5.1% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

7,791 net gain from 22,767 births and 14,976 deaths.

5,054 net gain from migration, including a net gain of 1,209 from domestic moves and a net gain of 3,845 from international moves.

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6. Allegan County: 14.5 births per 10 deaths

Allegan's 2017 estimated population is 116,447, a change of 4.5% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

3,074 net gain from 9,839 births and 6,765 deaths.

1,998 net gain from migration, including a net gain of 1,561 from domestic moves and a net gain of 437 from international moves.

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7. Ionia County: 14.5 births per 10 deaths

Ionia's 2017 estimated population is 64,291, a change of 0.6% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

1,668 net gain from 5,347 births and 3,679 deaths.

-1,264 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -1,294 from domestic moves and a net gain of 30 from international moves.

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8. Isabella County: 14.2 births per 10 deaths

Isabella's 2017 estimated population is 71,063, a change of 1.1% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

1,421 net gain from 4,785 births and 3,364 deaths.

-693 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -2,207 from domestic moves and a net gain of 1,514 from international moves.

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9. Clinton County: 13.5 births per 10 deaths

Clinton's 2017 estimated population is 78,443, a change of 4.1% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

1,485 net gain from 5,747 births and 4,262 deaths.

1,612 net gain from migration, including a net gain of 1,026 from domestic moves and a net gain of 586 from international moves..

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10. St. Joseph County: 13.1 births per 10 deaths

St. Joseph's 2017 estimated population is 60,947, a change of -0.6% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

1,405 net gain from 5,877 births and 4,472 deaths.

-1,746 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -2,067 from domestic moves and a net gain of 321 from international moves.

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11. Oakland County: 13.1 births per 10 deaths

Oakland's 2017 estimated population is 1,250,836, a change of 4.0% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

23,060 net gain from 97,310 births and 74,250 deaths.

26,128 net gain from migration, including a net loss of -11,113 from domestic moves and a net gain of 37,241 from international moves.

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12. Wayne County: 13 births per 10 deaths

Wayne's 2017 estimated population is 1,753,616, a change of -3.7% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

39,232 net gain from 169,496 births and 130,264 deaths.

-107,979 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -136,921 from domestic moves and a net gain of 28,942 from international moves.

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13. Livingston County: 12.8 births per 10 deaths

Livingston's 2017 estimated population is 189,651, a change of 4.8% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

2,769 net gain from 12,831 births and 10,062 deaths.

6,042 net gain from migration, including a net gain of 5,566 from domestic moves and a net gain of 476 from international moves.

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14. Muskegon County: 12.5 births per 10 deaths

Muskegon's 2017 estimated population is 173,693, a change of 0.9% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

3,080 net gain from 15,282 births and 12,202 deaths.

-1,614 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -2,001 from domestic moves and a net gain of 387 from international moves.

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15. Van Buren County: 12.4 births per 10 deaths

Van Buren's 2017 estimated population is 75,353, a change of -1.2% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

1,271 net gain from 6,559 births and 5,288 deaths.

-2,201 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -2,537 from domestic moves and a net gain of 336 from international moves.

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16. Montcalm County: 12.3 births per 10 deaths

Montcalm's 2017 estimated population is 63,550, a change of 0.3% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

966 net gain from 5,243 births and 4,277 deaths.

-752 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -834 from domestic moves and a net gain of 82 from international moves.

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17. Branch County: 12.2 births per 10 deaths

Branch's 2017 estimated population is 43,410, a change of -4.1% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

689 net gain from 3,819 births and 3,130 deaths.

-2,570 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -2,882 from domestic moves and a net gain of 312 from international moves.

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18. Midland County: 12.1 births per 10 deaths

Midland's 2017 estimated population is 83,411, a change of -0.3% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

1,054 net gain from 6,180 births and 5,126 deaths.

-1,258 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -2,384 from domestic moves and a net gain of 1,126 from international moves.

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19. Barry County: 12 births per 10 deaths

Barry's 2017 estimated population is 60,586, a change of 2.4% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

768 net gain from 4,565 births and 3,797 deaths.

667 net gain from migration, including a net gain of 616 from domestic moves and a net gain of 51 from international moves.

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20. Eaton County: 12 births per 10 deaths

Eaton's 2017 estimated population is 109,027, a change of 1.2% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

1,420 net gain from 8,460 births and 7,040 deaths.

-90 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -956 from domestic moves and a net gain of 866 from international moves.

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21. Oceana County: 11.9 births per 10 deaths

Oceana's 2017 estimated population is 26,442, a change of -0.5% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

355 net gain from 2,239 births and 1,884 deaths.

-479 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -692 from domestic moves and a net gain of 213 from international moves.

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22. Hillsdale County: 11.7 births per 10 deaths

Hillsdale's 2017 estimated population is 45,879, a change of -1.7% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

570 net gain from 3,912 births and 3,342 deaths.

-1,366 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -1,360 from domestic moves and a net loss of -6 from international moves.

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23. Wexford County: 11.7 births per 10 deaths

Wexford's 2017 estimated population is 33,276, a change of 1.7% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

410 net gain from 2,953 births and 2,543 deaths.

148 net gain from migration, including a net gain of 85 from domestic moves and a net gain of 63 from international moves.

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24. Grand Traverse County: 11.4 births per 10 deaths

Grand Traverse's 2017 estimated population is 91,807, a change of 5.5% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

806 net gain from 6,706 births and 5,900 deaths.

4,002 net gain from migration, including a net gain of 3,905 from domestic moves and a net gain of 97 from international moves.

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25. Mecosta County: 11.4 births per 10 deaths

Mecosta's 2017 estimated population is 43,391, a change of 1.4% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

367 net gain from 3,062 births and 2,695 deaths.

231 net gain from migration, including a net loss of -223 from domestic moves and a net gain of 454 from international moves.

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26. Calhoun County: 11.3 births per 10 deaths

Calhoun's 2017 estimated population is 134,128, a change of -1.5% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

1,386 net gain from 11,991 births and 10,605 deaths.

-3,406 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -5,319 from domestic moves and a net gain of 1,913 from international moves.

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27. Genesee County: 1.13 births per 1 death

Genesee's 2017 estimated population is 407,385, a change of -4.3% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

4,013 net gain from 35,720 births and 31,707 deaths.

-22,658 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -23,912 from domestic moves and a net gain of 1,254 from international moves.

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28. Macomb County: 1.11 births per 1 death

Macomb's 2017 estimated population is 871,375, a change of 3.6% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

6,856 net gain from 67,193 births and 60,337 deaths.

24,081 net gain from migration, including a net gain of 5,453 from domestic moves and a net gain of 18,628 from international moves.

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29. Newaygo County: 11.1 births per 10 deaths

Newaygo's 2017 estimated population is 48,242, a change of -0.4% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

400 net gain from 3,952 births and 3,552 deaths.

-604 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -703 from domestic moves and a net gain of 99 from international moves.

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30. Jackson County: 11.1 births per 10 deaths

Jackson's 2017 estimated population is 158,640, a change of -1.0% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

1,265 net gain from 12,936 births and 11,671 deaths.

-2,805 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -3,288 from domestic moves and a net gain of 483 from international moves.

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31. Saginaw County: 11 births per 10 deaths

Saginaw's 2017 estimated population is 191,934, a change of -4.1% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

1,468 net gain from 16,380 births and 14,912 deaths.

-9,783 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -11,051 from domestic moves and a net gain of 1,268 from international moves.

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32. Monroe County: 11 births per 10 deaths

Monroe's 2017 estimated population is 149,649, a change of -1.6% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

970 net gain from 11,068 births and 10,098 deaths.

-3,353 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -3,796 from domestic moves and a net gain of 443 from international moves.

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33. Osceola County: 10.9 births per 10 deaths

Osceola's 2017 estimated population is 23,260, a change of -1.1% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

163 net gain from 1,903 births and 1,740 deaths.

-421 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -486 from domestic moves and a net gain of 65 from international moves.

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34. Berrien County: 10.8 births per 10 deaths

Berrien's 2017 estimated population is 154,259, a change of -1.6% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

939 net gain from 13,168 births and 12,229 deaths.

-3,467 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -6,115 from domestic moves and a net gain of 2,648 from international moves.

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35. Houghton County: 10.8 births per 10 deaths

Houghton's 2017 estimated population is 36,305, a change of -0.9% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

192 net gain from 2,732 births and 2,540 deaths.

-533 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -1,697 from domestic moves and a net gain of 1,164 from international moves.

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36. Missaukee County: 10.7 births per 10 deaths

Missaukee's 2017 estimated population is 14,998, a change of 1.0% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

89 net gain from 1,280 births and 1,191 deaths.

65 net gain from migration, including a net loss of -16 from domestic moves and a net gain of 81 from international moves.

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37. Lenawee County: 10.7 births per 10 deaths

Lenawee's 2017 estimated population is 98,623, a change of -1.3% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

499 net gain from 7,601 births and 7,102 deaths.

-1,765 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -1,984 from domestic moves and a net gain of 219 from international moves

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38. Lapeer County: 10.1 births per 10 deaths

Lapeer's 2017 estimated population is 88,174, a change of -0.2% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

52 net gain from 5,884 births and 5,832 deaths.

-171 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -519 from domestic moves and a net gain of 348 from international moves.

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39. Shiawassee County: 10.1 births per 10 deaths

Shiawassee's 2017 estimated population is 68,446, a change of -3.1% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

45 net gain from 5,144 births and 5,099 deaths.

-2,265 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -2,314 from domestic moves and a net gain of 49 from international moves.

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40. Marquette County: 9.8 births per 10 deaths

Marquette's 2017 estimated population is 66,502, a change of -0.9% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-83 net loss from 4,642 births and 4,725 deaths.

-460 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -688 from domestic moves and a net gain of 228 from international moves.

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41. Chippewa County: 9.8 births per 10 deaths

Chippewa's 2017 estimated population is 37,711, a change of -2.5% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-56 net loss from 2,559 births and 2,615 deaths.

-924 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -1,258 from domestic moves and a net gain of 334 from international moves.

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42. Tuscola County: 9.6 births per 10 deaths

Tuscola's 2017 estimated population is 52,764, a change of -5.3% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-165 net loss from 3,989 births and 4,154 deaths.

-2,825 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -2,889 from domestic moves and a net gain of 64 from international moves.

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43. Otsego County: 9.6 births per 10 deaths

Otsego's 2017 estimated population is 24,538, a change of 1.5% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-82 net loss from 1,821 births and 1,903 deaths.

472 net gain from migration, including a net gain of 370 from domestic moves and a net gain of 102 from international moves.

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44. Sanilac County: 9.5 births per 10 deaths

Sanilac's 2017 estimated population is 41,269, a change of -4.3% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-158 net loss from 3,214 births and 3,372 deaths.

-1,698 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -1,743 from domestic moves and a net gain of 45 from international moves.

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45. Kalkaska County: 9.5 births per 10 deaths

Kalkaska's 2017 estimated population is 17,634, a change of 2.8% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-66 net loss from 1,248 births and 1,314 deaths.

557 net gain from migration, including a net gain of 511 from domestic moves and a net gain of 46 from international moves.

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46. Cass County: 9.3 births per 10 deaths

Cass's 2017 estimated population is 51,381, a change of -1.7% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-253 net loss from 3,484 births and 3,737 deaths.

-623 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -591 from domestic moves and a net loss of -32 from international moves.

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47. Gratiot County: 9.3 births per 10 deaths

Gratiot's 2017 estimated population is 41,018, a change of -3.4% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-218 net loss from 2,957 births and 3,175 deaths.

-1,246 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -1,341 from domestic moves and a net gain of 95 from international moves.

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48. St. Clair County: 9.2 births per 10 deaths

St. Clair's 2017 estimated population is 159,350, a change of -2.3% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-939 net loss from 11,407 births and 12,346 deaths.

-2,741 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -3,472 from domestic moves and a net gain of 731 from international moves.

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49. Keweenaw County: 9 births per 10 deaths

Keweenaw's 2017 estimated population is 2,105, a change of -2.4% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-14 net loss from 130 births and 144 deaths.

-38 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -39 from domestic moves and a net gain of 1 from international moves.

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50. Emmet County: 9 births per 10 deaths

Emmet's 2017 estimated population is 33,193, a change of 1.5% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-240 net loss from 2,203 births and 2,443 deaths.

767 net gain from migration, including a net gain of 679 from domestic moves and a net gain of 88 from international moves.

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51. Bay County: 9 births per 10 deaths

Bay's 2017 estimated population is 104,239, a change of -3.3% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-840 net loss from 7,706 births and 8,546 deaths.

-2,644 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -2,834 from domestic moves and a net gain of 190 from international moves.

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52. Mason County: 9 births per 10 deaths

Mason's 2017 estimated population is 29,073, a change of 1.3% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-233 net loss from 2,133 births and 2,366 deaths.

641 net gain from migration, including a net gain of 570 from domestic moves and a net gain of 71 from international moves.

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53. Delta County: 8.6 births per 10 deaths

Delta's 2017 estimated population is 35,965, a change of -3.0% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-426 net loss from 2,647 births and 3,073 deaths.

-655 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -652 from domestic moves and a net loss of -3 from international moves.

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54. Charlevoix County: 8.5 births per 10 deaths

Charlevoix's 2017 estimated population is 26,139, a change of 0.7% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-296 net loss from 1,692 births and 1,988 deaths.

505 net gain from migration, including a net gain of 290 from domestic moves and a net gain of 215 from international moves.

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55. Clare County: 8.2 births per 10 deaths

Clare's 2017 estimated population is 30,653, a change of -0.9% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-509 net loss from 2,348 births and 2,857 deaths.

249 net gain from migration, including a net gain of 231 from domestic moves and a net gain of 18 from international moves.

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56. Dickinson County: 8.2 births per 10 deaths

Dickinson's 2017 estimated population is 25,415, a change of -2.9% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-410 net loss from 1,812 births and 2,222 deaths.

-332 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -312 from domestic moves and a net loss of -20 from international moves.

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56. Menominee County: 7.6 births per 10 deaths

Menominee's 2017 estimated population is 23,046, a change of -4.1% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-461 net loss from 1,464 births and 1,925 deaths.

-507 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -509 from domestic moves and a net gain of 2 from international moves.

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57. Gladwin County: 7.5 births per 10 deaths

Gladwin's 2017 estimated population is 25,234, a change of -1.8% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-604 net loss from 1,841 births and 2,445 deaths.

156 net gain from migration, including a net gain of 139 from domestic moves and a net gain of 17 from international moves.

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59. Baraga County: 7.5 births per 10 deaths

Baraga's 2017 estimated population is 8,441, a change of -4.7% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-185 net loss from 552 births and 737 deaths.

-232 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -263 from domestic moves and a net gain of 31 from international moves.

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60. Antrim County: 7.4 births per 10 deaths

Antrim's 2017 estimated population is 23,292, a change of -1.2% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-517 net loss from 1,440 births and 1,957 deaths.

245 net gain from migration, including a net gain of 209 from domestic moves and a net gain of 36 from international moves.

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61. Alpena County: 7.3 births per 10 deaths

Alpena's 2017 estimated population is 28,462, a change of -3.8% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-704 net loss from 1,916 births and 2,620 deaths.

-413 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -422 from domestic moves and a net gain of 9 from international moves.

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62. Leelanau County: 7.3 births per 10 deaths

Leelanau's 2017 estimated population is 21,657, a change of -0.2% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-455 net loss from 1,230 births and 1,685 deaths.

408 net gain from migration, including a net gain of 296 from domestic moves and a net gain of 112 from international moves.

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63. Luce County: 7.2 births per 10 deaths

Luce's 2017 estimated population is 6,358, a change of -4.1% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-144 net loss from 373 births and 517 deaths.

-134 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -145 from domestic moves and a net gain of 11 from international moves.

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64. Benzie County: 7.2 births per 10 deaths

Benzie's 2017 estimated population is 17,573, a change of 0.3% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-427 net loss from 1,100 births and 1,527 deaths.

483 net gain from migration, including a net gain of 505 from domestic moves and a net loss of -22 from international moves.

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65. Oscoda County: 7.1 births per 10 deaths

Oscoda's 2017 estimated population is 8,287, a change of -4.1% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-262 net loss from 633 births and 895 deaths.

-90 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -102 from domestic moves and a net gain of 12 from international moves.

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66. Crawford County: 7 births per 10 deaths

Crawford's 2017 estimated population is 13,907, a change of -1.2% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-362 net loss from 865 births and 1,227 deaths.

199 net gain from migration, including a net gain of 155 from domestic moves and a net gain of 44 from international moves.

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67. Huron County: 6.8 births per 10 deaths

Huron's 2017 estimated population is 31,280, a change of -5.5% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-1,032 net loss from 2,183 births and 3,215 deaths.

-789 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -889 from domestic moves and a net gain of 100 from international moves.

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68. Lake County: 6.4 births per 10 deaths

Lake's 2017 estimated population is 12,013, a change of 4.1% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-401 net loss from 712 births and 1,113 deaths.

864 net gain from migration, including a net gain of 817 from domestic moves and a net gain of 47 from international moves.

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69. Manistee County: 6.3 births per 10 deaths

Manistee's 2017 estimated population is 24,427, a change of -1.3% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-814 net loss from 1,416 births and 2,230 deaths.

488 net gain from migration, including a net gain of 425 from domestic moves and a net gain of 63 from international moves.

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70. Ogemaw County: 6.3 births per 10 deaths

Ogemaw's 2017 estimated population is 20,981, a change of -3.3% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-802 net loss from 1,356 births and 2,158 deaths.

102 net gain from migration, including a net gain of 13 from domestic moves and a net gain of 89 from international moves.

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71. Cheboygan County: 6.3 births per 10 deaths

Cheboygan's 2017 estimated population is 25,369, a change of -3.0% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-865 net loss from 1,456 births and 2,321 deaths.

102 net gain from migration, including a net gain of 84 from domestic moves and a net gain of 18 from international moves.

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72. Schoolcraft County: 6.2 births per 10 deaths

Schoolcraft's 2017 estimated population is 8,049, a change of -5.1% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-298 net loss from 478 births and 776 deaths.

-134 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -147 from domestic moves and a net gain of 13 from international moves.

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73. Mackinac County: 6.1 births per 10 deaths

Mackinac's 2017 estimated population is 10,712, a change of -3.6% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-381 net loss from 603 births and 984 deaths.

-17 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -117 from domestic moves and a net gain of 100 from international moves.

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74. Arenac County: 6.1 births per 10 deaths

Arenac's 2017 estimated population is 15,045, a change of -5.4% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-587 net loss from 910 births and 1,497 deaths.

-255 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -253 from domestic moves and a net loss of -2 from international moves.

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75. Gogebic County: 5.8 births per 10 deaths

Gogebic's 2017 estimated population is 15,342, a change of -6.6% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-643 net loss from 897 births and 1,540 deaths.

-440 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -479 from domestic moves and a net gain of 39 from international moves.

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76. Iosco County: 5.7 births per 10 deaths

Iosco's 2017 estimated population is 25,162, a change of -2.8% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-1,227 net loss from 1,641 births and 2,868 deaths.

508 net gain from migration, including a net gain of 445 from domestic moves and a net gain of 63 from international moves.

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77. Alger County: 5 births per 10 deaths

Alger's 2017 estimated population is 9,121, a change of -5.0% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-411 net loss from 418 births and 829 deaths.

-64 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -69 from domestic moves and a net gain of 5 from international moves.

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78. Presque Isle County: 4.9 births per 10 deaths

Presque Isle's 2017 estimated population is 12,791, a change of -4.4% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-707 net loss from 685 births and 1,392 deaths.

131 net gain from migration, including a net gain of 102 from domestic moves and a net gain of 29 from international moves.

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79. Iron County: 4.9 births per 10 deaths

Iron's 2017 estimated population is 11,124, a change of -5.9% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-687 net loss from 648 births and 1,335 deaths.

6 net gain from migration, including a net gain of 2 from domestic moves and a net gain of 4 from international moves.

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80. Roscommon County: 4.4 births per 10 deaths

Roscommon's 2017 estimated population is 23,895, a change of -2.3% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-1,566 net loss from 1,242 births and 2,808 deaths.

1,004 net gain from migration, including a net gain of 897 from domestic moves and a net gain of 107 from international moves.

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81. Montmorency County: 4.3 births per 10 deaths

Montmorency's 2017 estimated population is 9,250, a change of -5.3% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-635 net loss from 483 births and 1,118 deaths.

123 net gain from migration, including a net gain of 117 from domestic moves and a net gain of 6 from international moves.

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82. Alcona County: 3.3 births per 10 deaths

Alcona's 2017 estimated population is 10,351, a change of -5.4% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-891 net loss from 440 births and 1,331 deaths.

302 net gain from migration, including a net gain of 276 from domestic moves and a net gain of 26 from international moves.

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83. Ontonagon County: 3.2 births per 10 deaths

Ontonagon's 2017 estimated population is 5,881, a change of -13.3% compared to 2010. The breakdown:

-483 net loss from 223 births and 706 deaths.

-419 net loss from migration, including a net loss of -440 from domestic moves and a net gain of 21 from international moves.GENESEE COUNTY, Michigan -- Voting is now open in the annual Blueberry Ambassador People's Choice Award contest.

The poll is below. Vote early. Vote often.

The winning school will receive a $1,000 donation to honor their students' work to perform random acts of kindness Blueberry Ambassadors.

Read all the Blueberry Moments here to decide your vote.

Voting is allowed once per hour (from each computer) -- and the whole purpose of the voting is to show the student volunteers who served as Blueberry Ambassadors that the community sees what they have achieved and supports them.

"I think the biggest thing about voting is to show from the community the appreciation for the students' efforts. It says to the kids that their effort they put forward is being appreciated, honored and recognized. That's the value of the contest," said Phil Shaltz, who founded the program. "I think these kids deserve that."

Voting will continue through 11:59 p.m. Monday, April 30, 2018. The winner will be announced at the annual pizza party awards ceremony.

For more information on the "I'm Concerned About the Blueberries" program, email BlueberryAmbassador@gmail.com.YPSILANTI, MI - Eastern Michigan University students celebrated the culmination of years of hard work during the university's winter commencement ceremony Saturday, April 21.

A total of 2,669 degree candidates registered for EMU's 2018 winter commencement, which took place during two ceremonies on Saturday in the EMU Convocation Center. This includes 1,897 undergraduates, 762 graduate students and 10 doctoral candidates.

A total of 4,596 bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees were awarded during the 2017 academic year.

U.S. Rep Debbie Dingell and recently-retired Ford Motor Company executive Donna Inch served as commencement speakers for EMU's two graduation ceremonies.

Dingell represents the 12th District of Michigan in the U.S. House of Representatives. She serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee and as a Senior Whip. Before being elected to Congress, she was chair of the Wayne State University Board of Governors.

She previously served as president of the GM Foundation.

Inch, an EMU alumnus, is a financial management leader who spent more than 35 years at Ford Motor Company before her recent retirement. She served as Chairman and CEO of Ford Land Development Corporation through 2016 in her last role with the automaker.GENESEE COUNTY, MI -- As part of the Michigan College Access Network program, Clio, Bentley and Genesee high schools were chosen to host college advisers for the 2018-2019 school year, according to a press release.

AdviseMI, now in its fourth year, places recent college graduates into high schools across the state to help seniors navigate the complex college exploration process by focusing on researching college opportunities, retaking admission tests, submitting college applications, completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and enrolling in postsecondary institutions, the release said.

Advisers supplement the work of school counselors and staff to create a college-going culture and ease the transition from high school to post-secondary education. Michigan high school counselors currently average caseloads of more than 700 students apiece, making it difficult for them to afford the time and attention necessary to equip students with customized college and career guidance, the release said.

The advisers are recent graduates from 17 partner colleges across the state, and new advisers will complete rigorous training throughout July and August to prepare them for the fall, the release said.

To see the full list of 71 high schools receiving a college adviser, visit here.FLINT, MI -- A final on-air date has been set for public television station WCMZ-TV following its February 2017 sale during the Federal Communications Commission spectrum auction.

The channel serving residents in Flint, Detroit, Ann Arbor, and other areas will cease over the air broadcasts as of 11:59 p.m. Monday, April 23, according to a statement from WCMU Public Media.

It's all part of a plan by Central Michigan University, which owns the station, for its five public television and eight radio stations.

"This was a difficult decision," George Ross, CMU president, previously said after the station sold for $14 million, $13 million more than the university paid for it when it bought the station in 2009.

He cited two factors -- nearly all viewers still having access to PBS through other sources and using the available resources for students -- in making the move after the sale took place.

"This decision was made to benefit Michigan families, including those in Flint," said Ross.

The CMU Board of Trustees approved in December 2017 that the funding go toward three student support initiatives, including $7 million for the Bellow scholarship, named after Charles Bellows, the university's first president.

A $5 million portion of the sale proceeds will go to funding the Forever Maroon and Gold advising initiative that will offer academic and career advising at orientation and extend to alumni, according to the university.

Support of learning experiences, such as newswriting, on-air performance, engineering, public relations, for students through WCMU Public Media will be bolstered by $2 million on the proceeds.

The university has said 99 percent of the station's viewers live in an area that's served by other public broadcasting stations and the move wouldn't result in any job losses as the Flint station consists of a transmission tower and small building.

Affected residents may still be able to pick up WCMU-TV, another public television station owned by Central Michigan University through Charter Spectrum, AT&T U-Verse, DirecTV, or Dish Network.

Most WCMU programs are also available for online streaming at wcmu.org/passport.

Public broadcasting stations WDCQ-TV in Saginaw, WKAR-TV in East Lansing, and WTVS-TV in Detroit can possibly be picked up by residents with an antenna, on cable, or satellite TV.DAVISON, MI--Dressed in their best and ready to impress, 143 Bendle High School students attended prom on April 21 at the Davison Country Club.

Bendle High School Principle Brandon Chapman said the venue was chosen in part because one the event's sponsors had a connection to the country club in Davison.

The venue where prom is held changes every few years because the students like to experience something new, Chapman said.

The theme for Bendle High School's prom was masquerade, it was chosen by the junior class.

"The junior class representatives had four themes they had to narrow down to one and so they sought their peers' opinions and ended up deciding on masquerade," Chapman said.

The Flint Journal and MLive.com are photographing the special moments from proms across Genesee County, including Burton Bendle and Swartz Creek this weekend and more throughout the state.

Have a look at MLive's prom coverage here.HUDSONVILLE, MI - The Pinnacle Center rolled out the red carpet for Jenison High School students Saturday, April 21, for their "Vintage Hollywood'' themed prom.

The event was a fun and fashionable affair with students wearing glamorous dresses and traditional and trendy suits and tuxedos.

Prom is the last major event of the school year before graduation that lots of students look forward to, in part, because it is often their first formal affair.

Prom season is well underway in West Michigan through the end of May. MLive's The Grand Rapids Press will capture as many images as possible from area schools to highlight the high school milestone.

Besides Jenison, there were several other Kent and Ottawa county schools had proms this weekend, including Hudsonville, Grandville and Kenowa Hills.By Derek Dobies

JACKSON, MI - The opioid epidemic is now the most fatal drug crisis on record in United States history, and far too many families have suffered under an unaccountable system.

The fraudulent marketing and liberal prescriptions for these highly addictive drugs has created widespread abuse and precipitated a gateway to cheaper, more accessible illicit drugs like heroin. It's for these reasons that President Trump recently declared opioid abuse a public-health emergency.

Consider Michigan: Between 2007-14 Schedule II drug prescriptions (which includes opioids) nearly quadrupled, and hospitalizations involving opioids more than doubled from 2000-11. From 1999 to 2014, Michigan experienced a four-fold increase in unintentional fatal drug poisonings. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, Michigan experienced a 32-percent increase in opioid-related deaths in 2016.

The Center for Disease Control now ranks Michigan 10th in the nation for per capita opioid prescriptions and 15th in the nation for overdose deaths. Defying decades of increase, life expectancy actually declined for the second year in a row in 2016.

Jackson is no exception. In 2014, we saw 566,099 days or $1,433,539 worth of prescriptions - just in those covered by Medicare Part D. That's enough for every single man, woman, and child in Jackson to have more than 16 days of prescription opioids annually.

In the first six months of receiving the lifesaving drug Narcan in 2016, the Jackson Fire Department used it once a week on average. That's only increased. First responders claim to average an overdose every other day in Jackson. Some of those are multiple calls a day to the same victim.

It's clear Jackson has an opioid problem.

That's why City Council recently requested state lawmakers repeal Michigan's only-in-the-nation drug industry immunity law that prohibits victims from suing drug companies when their products harm or kill people.

It's also why I voted with council members Arlene Robinson, Freddie Dancy, Andrew Frounfelker and Colleen Sullivan to join more than 50 communities across Michigan in multidistrict litigation to tackle the genesis of the opioid problem head on.

This low-risk, contingency-fee suit will allow the city of Jackson to prosecute and adjust for past and future damages based on the culpable conduct of pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors and retailers of opioids by:

Declaring the opioid epidemic a public nuisance.

Seeking injunctive relief by curtailing fraudulent business practices that fuel the misuse of these drugs.

Recovering monetary damages incurred by our city, like costs of first responders, the diversion of critical resources, and resulting increases in criminal activity and decreased in property values.

While we continue investigative efforts to identify and prosecute suppliers, engage with community stakeholders and participate in the Jackson County Task Force on Heroin and Prescription Abuse, I believe this lawsuit is an important line in the sand to addressing our community's opioid problem.

As a city, we must also continue to support the vision and efforts of organizations like the Home of New Vision and the Jackson Area Recovery Community who are not only fighting addiction and overdose prevention, but also providing services to aid in successful recovery and promoting awareness campaigns so that we can challenge the negative stigmas associated with victims of substance use disorders.

Bold leadership and collaborative vision can help make Jackson a leader in combating the opioid epidemic.

- Derek Dobies is the mayor of Jackson.KALAMAZOO, MI -- Hackett Catholic Prep High School students showed off their 2018 prom style during a promenade Saturday evening.

Before heading to the Kalamazoo Country Club for a night of dancing under a "City of Lights," the students showcased their sparkly dresses and trendy tuxedos at the high school Saturday, April 21.

This weekend starts off the prom season in the Kalamazoo area with students from Kalamazoo Central, Lawton, Hackett Catholic Prep and Mattawan high schools spending their Saturday night on the dance floor.MUSKEGON, MI - At least one person is dead and another is listed in fair condition after a domestic dispute led to a shooting in Muskegon and a police standoff in Ottawa County on Sunday morning, according to Muskegon police.

No arrest has been made and the investigation is ongoing, said Capt. Shawn Bride of the Muskegon Police Department. Bride added that the shooting death is being investigated as a homicide.

Ottawa County dispatch could not confirm details of the standoff, which occurred at the West Olive Estates in West Olive, but the event appears to be over.

The homicide in Muskegon is believed to be related to a domestic incident and was not a random act, Bride said. Police have declined to name the two victims at this time.

Officers responded at around 7:23 a.m. to a residence in the 300 block of Merrill Avenue on a report that a 25-year-old woman and a 29-year-old man had been shot. Officers arrived and located the victims shortly thereafter.

The male victim died on scene, Bride said. The female victim was taken to an area hospital by ambulance, and she is receiving treatment for her wounds.

At around 8 a.m., the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office received reports of an armed subject at a home at West Olive Estates in West Olive. The man was believed to be a suspect in the incident at the time.

Several sheriff units including armored vehicles and tactical squads were dispatched to the address on Brickersville Drive where a standoff began between deputies and the subject.

It is unknown whether an arrest was made on scene.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.WEST OLIVE, MI - The suspect of a homicide in Muskegon that led to a standoff with the Ottawa County Sherriff's Office was shot and killed on Sunday morning, according to WOOD TV.

Deputies are identifying the suspect as a 27-year-old West Olive man but have not yet released his name. Muskegon police have not released the name of the victim, who was identified by as a 29-year-old Muskegon man.

A 25-year-old Muskegon woman was also shot during the incident but is listed as being in fair condition, said Capt. Shawn Bride of the Muskegon Police department.

A message seeking comment from the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office was not returned.

Officers responded at around 7:23 a.m. to a residence in the 300 block of Merrill Avenue on a report that a 25-year-old woman and a 29-year-old man had been shot. Officers arrived and located the victims shortly thereafter.

The male victim died on scene, Bride said. The female victim was taken to an area hospital by ambulance, and she is receiving treatment for her wounds.

At around 8 a.m., the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office received reports of an armed subject at a home on Brickersville Drive at the West Olive Estates in West Olive, Michigan. The man was believed to be a suspect in the incident at the time.

Several sheriff units including armored vehicles and tactical squads were dispatched to the address on Brickersville Drive where a standoff began between deputies and the subject.

At around 9 a.m., the man exited his home with a gun to his wife's head. Deputies said the man was making threats to kill his wife and opened fire. The man's wife, who has not been named, was unharmed, WOOD reports.MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI - An effort to recall Muskegon County Drain Commissioner Brenda Moore - which was initially rejected by county election officials earlier this year - has been revived after the state's Board of Canvassers failed to act on its wording.

Brenda Moore

A petition filed in January seeking Moore's recall claimed she overstepped her bounds when she approved tax assessments for more than $2 million in improvements to the Kuis Drain district.

That petition was rejected 3-0 by the county's Election Commission. At the time, Muskegon County Clerk Nancy Waters said the petition lacked the necessary clarity and didn't indicate any wrongdoing on the part of Moore.

Recently, a second petition was filed with the Michigan Board of State Canvassers, again seeking Moore's recall. The petition was filed by Fruitport Township resident Jeremy Hooker on March 16.

In his petition, Hooker wrote that Moore "elected to take the broadest scope of work and most expensive options proposed by her engineers for each project assessed during her current term of office, when less expensive alternatives were proposed to her."

Hooker didn't return a message seeking further comment.

A recent law requires the Board of Canvassers to meet and consider whether petitions for recall are clear and factual. That meeting had to occur between the 10th and 20th day after the recall petition was filed.

A meeting was scheduled on April 5 in Lansing, but the meeting never happened.

Fred Woodhams, a spokesman for the Secretary of State's office, said the meeting was cancelled because the too few members of the four-person board could attend and a quorum was not met. Woodhams added that spring break travel caused scheduling conflicts.

The State Board of Canvassers is made up of two Democrats and two Republicans. They operate independently of the Secretary of State, but the office handles the board's clerical work.

Their inaction means Hooker's petition was approved by default, Woodhams said.

Waters said she found it hard to believe that the board couldn't find time to meet within the 11 day window required by law.

Woodhams said the situation regarding the canceled April 5 meeting was extraordinary.

"They have considered many, if not dozens, of petitions since the law changed," Woodhams said. "We met as required for those, but unfortunately, they were not able to meet for this one. The only thing that happens now is that is deemed approved."

James Waters, Moore's attorney and Waters' husband, has called the allegations false and salacious, and has filed an appeal with the Michigan Court of Appeals in Grand Rapids to prevent Hooker from circulating his petition.

The appeal was filed on April 11. An affidavit signed by Moore on the same day disputes Hooker's claims, saying that she accepted low bids, sought reduced costs and held several public hearings regarding Kuis Drain work.

In addition, Moore's attorney sent a letter to Hooker on April 12 asking for a formal retraction, alleging that Hooker was "guilty of making false slanderous" comments about Moore.

James Waters didn't return several messages seeking further comment.

The drain project aims to find a better way to move groundwater away from neighborhoods in parts of Fruitport and Sullivan townships and into Black Creek. Several homeowners complained, and refused to pay for the work that they claim wasn't needed.

Moore was elected in 2016, but was first appointed to the position in 2013. By law, any county-level officer can be subject to recall. However, officers serving in their first or last six months in office are exempt from recall.UPDATE: Muskegon homicide, standoff was preceded by a domestic dispute

MUSKEGON, MI - One person is dead after a shooting in Muskegon on Sunday morning and police are currently closing in on a possible suspect in Ottawa County, according to police.

The suspect is armed and several police units are converging on an address at the West Olive Estates in West Olive, Michigan. Police are advising that residents stay in their homes and stay clear of the area.

Muskegon Police Chief Jeff Lewis said that at least one person is dead and that two people were reported shot at 7:23 a.m. in Muskegon.

Muskegon police were later informed that a man who is considered a possible suspect was at a location within the neighborhood.

Deputies from the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office are currently on scene, according to the sheriff's dispatch.

Lewis said that Muskegon police are working to confirm with the sheriff's office if the standoff and the homicide are related.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.FRANKENMUTH, MI -- More than 260 students from Birch Run High School danced "Around the World" at prom on Saturday, April 21.

The international travel- themed prom was held at Sullivan's Black Forest. The prom featured dancing, a photo booth with props, professional photos and and a buffet style dinner.

During the event students got a chance to win a bag full of items donated from local businesses.

Check back with MLive as we provide coverage of proms across the region.Education

Montgomery County Community College will present the spring installment of the interview/talk show program Issues and Insights April 20 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in Science Center room 214, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The programs will be simulcast to the Colleges West Campus in South Hall room 216, 101 College Drive, Pottstown. Dr. Kolsky will offer a humorous presentation, Carrots, Sticks and Politics: A State of the Nation and the World Message. In this speech, he will provide his interpretation of domestic and international politics and then welcome questions from the audience for discussion. Issues and Insights, is free and open to the public. For information, contact Dr. Thomas Kolsky, professor of political science, at 215-641-6380 or tkolsky@mc3.edu.

Montgomery County Community Colleges STEM Scholars Program will host a STEM Jam! open house April 25 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Advanced Technology Center at the Colleges Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The drop-in event is designed for students interested in learning more about careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Activities will include STEM program information and career advising, STEM speakers throughout the day from industry and academia, micro-helicopter and robotics competitive obstacle courses and demonstrations and static models of STEM student and faculty work. For more information about STEM Jam! or STEM programs at MCCC, contact William Brownlowe at wbrownlowe@mc3.edu or 215-641-6644, or Robin Zuhlke at 215-619-7440 or rzuhlke@mc3.edu.

Temple Ambler, located at 580 Meetinghouse Road, presents the following events:

International Club Global Bazaar April 15 from 5 to 8 p.m. The Ambler Campus International Club invites all students, faculty, staff and the community to celebrate a multitude of diverse cultures, which will be showcased at the organizations Global Bazaar. This family friendly event will highlight cultural traditions and celebrations in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, South American, North America and Africa through music, entertainment, food and informative displays developed and presented by students at the Ambler Campus. Young visitors will be provided with passports, which they may get stamped at each country they visit. Prizes will be awarded to world travelers who talk to cultural representatives, answer questions about the countries theyve visited and take part in fun-filled activities designed to help them learn about the rich diversity of cultures found throughout the world. Refreshments will be served. The event is free. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail tuc36466@temple.edu.

EarthFest 2011 April 29 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. More than 75 exhibitors, including the Philadelphia Zoo, The Franklin Institute, the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Elmwood Park Zoo and the Insectarium, will take part in EarthFest 2011. School students of all ages are invited to attend and develop displays of their own. EarthFest partner the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society also offers its Kids Grow Expo, featuring the Junior Flower Show, as part of the event. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail duffyj@temple.edu.

Annual Spring Plant Sale May 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The plant sale  an Ambler Campus tradition dating back to the early 1900s  will feature woody plants and perennials in portable sizes, hardy trees, shrubs, and vines, native plants that are attractive to wildlife, herbs, and hanging baskets. There will also be numerous special plants for sale to highlight Amblers special anniversary year. Garden books and garden tools will also be available for sale. Students, staff, and volunteers from the Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture and the Ambler Arboretum Advisory Committee will be available to answer questions. All proceeds from the Spring Plant Sale will support the Ambler Arboretum Fund and the Pi Alpha Xi National Honor Society. Information: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary.

June Homecoming/Louise Bush-Brown Garden Dedication June 5 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. (June Homecoming), Bright Hall Lounge; 2 p.m. (Garden Dedication), Ambler Campus Formal Perennial Gardens. Tickets  June Homecoming: Participant  $18 per person; Sustainer  $25 per person; Benefactor  $40 per person. The 2011 June Homecoming, sponsored by the School of Environmental Design Alumni Association, will include the Alumni Association annual meeting and luncheon. June Homecoming will be followed by the formal dedication of Temple University Amblers Formal Perennial Gardens as the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Gardens. During this 100th anniversary of the campus, Temple University Ambler and the Ambler Arboretum of the Temple University is honoring Louise Bush-Browns many contributions to the history of the campus by formally dedicating the gardens in her honor. During the program, campus Executive William Parshall will welcome guests, Ambler Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey will speak about the Bush-Browns and the history of the garden, and an official ribbon cutting will be held for the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Garden. Following the ribbon cutting, guests are invited to take a tour of the gardens, which will wend their way to the Campus Greenhouse for the School of Environmental Designs annual Plant Auction. Information (Garden Dedication): 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Information (June Homecoming): 215-482-0722. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary.

Northview Garden Tour and Fundraiser for the Ambler Arboretum June 12 from noon to 5 p.m. Call for reservations. Tickets: $15 per person or $20 at the door. In addition to the gardens of the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University, Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey has a garden oasis all her own right in Ambler  Northview. Visitors will have the opportunity to take self-guided tours throughout the many gardens, where garden experts will be available to answer questions about the various designs. The Ambler Keystone Chapter of the Womans National Farm and Garden Association will also provide tea and refreshments. All proceeds from the tours will support the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University. Information or to register: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary.

The Senior Adult Activities Center of Montgomery County, 536 George Street, Norristown, will hold the following events:

SAAC Adult Day Care, an alternative to Nursing Home Care is available  for information call 610-275-1960

Volunteers are needed for Meals on Wheels Program (call the number above)

SAACs Fifth Avenue Boutique opens Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Exercise with Theresa will be held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1 p.m.

Dance class is held every Monday at 10 a.m.

Tai Chi is held every Monday at 10 a.m.

Yoga is held every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m.

Line Dancing is held every Thursday at 10:30 a.m.

Dancing with Joan is held every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m.

Sculpture Class is held Wednesdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m.

Why Should I Learn Spanish? will be held Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m.

Generations On-Line computer classes for seniors will be held Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.  4 p.m.  computers are available during those hours.

Health Living will be held every Tuesday at 1 p.m.

Boomer U will hold the following events. Boomer U is located at 45 Forest Avenue, Ambler. Registration & payment is required for all events: 215-619-8863.

Pilates Class is held Wednesdays and Fridays at 9:30 a.m. First class is free; please bring a mat. For information call 610-291-5376.

Blue Bell School of Dance, 921 Penllyn Blue Bell Pike, Blue Bell, hosts Argentine Tango Classes and a Milonga dance party every Friday evening. Lessons start at 8:30 p.m. followed by dancing at 9:30 p.m. Andrew Conway, master Argentine Tango dancer, instructor and performer and his partner Linda Chase will instruct. All levels welcome and no partner is needed. Refreshments will be served. Fee is $12 per person and includes lesson and dancing. Information: 215-634-1101 or www.amoretango.com.

The Montgomery Hospital Medical Center will offer the following classes:

Childbirth Education Class- all parents are invited to participate, including those who are delivering at

other hospitals. For more information on maternity services or classes, call 610-270-2020.

CPR and First Aid Courses are offered for beginners to experiences health care providers. Call 610-270-2313.

The Ambler SAAC (Senior Adult Activities Center), located at 45 Forest Ave in Ambler will hold the following events:

Tai Chi every Monday and Thursday at 11 a.m.

Yoga is every Tuesday at 1 p.m. and Friday at 10:30 a.m.

Strength and balance training every Wednesday at 10 a.m.

Armchair Aerobics is held every Monday at 10 a.m.

Gourmet Weight Wise every Thursday at 12:30.

Fitness Center and Pool Room open daily 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

The Diabetes Education Center will offer day and evening classes each month. Health insurance pays for diabetes education classes. Preregistration is required. Call 610-270-2301.

For Kids & Families

The Ambler Kiwanis Club will host its annual Easter Egg Hunt April 26 at 10 a.m. in Ambler Borough Park, located just off of the intersection of Hendricks Street and Valley Brook Road. Members of the Wissahickon Key Club will assist Kiwanians in hiding thousands of wrapped chocolate eggs in a designated area of the park. Also hidden will be plastic colored eggs, which are redeemed for prizes. Elementary school children are separated by age.

Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation will hold its 21st annual Storybook Egg-Stravaganza April 15 fom 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Upper Dublin Township Building. Toddlers and preschoolers love this annual event where photo opportunities with favorite friends abound! Treasures are collected from UDP&Rs assortment of lifesize cutouts of favorite cartoon characters from Disney, Sesame Street, Nickelodeon and other well-known animation. Children can have their picture taken with Bugsy OHare; bring your own camera. And dont forget a basket for goodies! $7 for UD residents; $12 for non-residents. Pre-register at 215-643-1600 ext. 3443.

Splash Week is a free week-long program that teaches children and families basic swimming skills and water safety practices. All YMCA branches will host multiple classes each day from April 11 to 15. For more information, contact the Ambler Area YMCA at 215-628-9950.

Healthy Kids Day is April 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The day is filled with fun, engaging and artistic activities that cultivate healthy living as part of the YMCAs larger efforts to help more kids and families become physically active. All activities are free and open to the community. For more information, contact the Ambler YMCA at 215-628-9950. No reservation is required.

The Ambler Area YMCA has added several new programs for area youngsters. Classes are held late afternoons or evenings on various weekdays. For more information, visit philaymca.org or call 215-628-9950.

Basic Beading: Ages: 10+. Wednesdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. This class will teach you the fundamentals of wiring and stringing along with how color can be used to create unique and vibrant beadwork design. You will create various jewelry including earrings, bracelets, charm pendants and much more! Supplies will be provided. Bringing your own jewelry pliers or tools would be a plus.

Messin with the Masters: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. Learn about some of the worlds greatest artists. You will be inspired to create your own Starry Night with oil pastels and tempera paints, a tissue paper painted Monet garden, a Picasso head using scraps of paper, a Georgia OKeeffe clay flower bowl and a Rousseau jungle collage.

Super Scientist: Ages: 5-7. Mondays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Well be concocting chemistry experiments such as making slime, mixing potions and having fun with magnet magic. Your budding little scientist will enhance his/her creative thinking and motor skills and to top it off will learn that science can be serious fun.

Wacky Junk Art: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 6 to 6:45 p.m. Why throw it away! Instead join us to make household junk into aliens from outer space, wacky specs, crazy hats, body masks or a recycled train.

Globe Trotters: Ages: 4-6. Tuesdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Youre never too young to start thinking globally. Each week, we explore a new country through crafts, games, music, stories and even some taste-testing. A perfect introduction to our great big world!

Crazy about Crafts: Ages: 5-7, Thursdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Let your childs creative juices flow with our fun arts and crafts projects each week. Fine motor skills and creative thinking skills will be enhanced with this crafty class.

Come out and join the Ambler Area YMCAs Teen and Junior Leaders Club. Participants are given the freedom to plan community service projects year round and truly make a difference in the lives of people in need. Those in Teen and Junior Leaders also attend leadership retreats all along the East Coast three times a year and meet other leaders who are doing the same great work in their respective areas. Dont miss out on this inspiring opportunity. Teen Leaders, ages 13-17, meet every Wednesday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Junior Leaders, ages 10-12, will begin in the spring and will meet every Monday. For more information, contact Mike Miles, Teen Director, 215- 628-9950 x 1540 or mmiles@philaymca.org.

Did you know that the new Ambler Area YMCA holds childrens birthday parties at its site for members and non members as well. The Ambler Y does all the work from start to finish and birthday parties include a personalized cake, ice cream, beverage and paper products. Parties are held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and include two party hosts to lead activities, set-up, clean-up and assist with serving. You can have a Splash Party for children ages six to 12 in the new zero depth entry pool with water slide and spray fountains. Up to 25 children have exclusive use of the pool area with 30 minutes in the party room. Sports Parties are offered for kids ages four to 12 with age appropriate activities and games, and sports such as floor hockey, soccer, basketball or dodge ball. Children ages three to five years of age will enjoy parties in the Family Active Center with use of the Moon Bounce and organized activities, such as parachute play and songs. For information, 215-628-9950 ext. 1583.

Community Events at the Ambler Y:

-YAchievers YMCA Achievers is a developmentally based, extracurricular, educational and team mentoring program designed to help students in grades five through 12 prepare for fulfilled livelihoods in college and beyond. Participation is free and all students in this program receive a free YMCA membership. Registration for the 2009 program begins now. You do not need to be a YMCA member to utilize these special services. Call 215-628-9950 to register.

Greater Norristown Art Leagues Childrens Weeklong Summer Art Camps will be held at 800 West Germantown Pike in East Norriton, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday throughout the summer. The cost per session is $125 per student for ages 6 and up. Jo Ann Cooksey Bono teaches an introduction to basic drawing skills and techniques from 10 a.m. until the lunch break each day. In the afternoon sessions, Mary Vogel Lozinak involves the students in hands on projects such as collage, papermaking, T-shirt printing, 3D design and sculpy clay. Fridays Graduation Day includes an art show, awards ceremony and reception for parents, siblings, grandparents and friends. All supplies are included. Students provide their own lunch. A refrigerator is available and the building is air-conditioned. This is the 15th year to run this successful program. Both instructors are professional artists with State Police and Child Abuse Clearances. To register, call Jo Ann at 610-279-1008, or register on-line at www.gnal.org.

Health

Dresher Physical Therapy is hosting an interactive seminar discussing its Golf Assessment Progam April 30 from 10 a.m. to noon at Dresher Physical Therapy, 1075 Virginia Drive, Suite 200, Fort Washington. Physical therapist Chris Miller, certified through the Titleist Performance Institute, will discuss why your body may be the most important piece of golf equipment you invest in and how this can drastically improve your game. $10 in advance; $15 at the door. Call 215-619-4545 to reserve your spot.

The Chestnut Hill Center for Enrichment, Center on the Hill and Chestnut Hill Hospital will host a Senior Health and Resource Fair April 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Chestnut Hill Presbyterian Church, 8855 Germantown Ave. The event is free. For more information, call 215-248-0180 or e-mail chseniors@cavtel.net.

The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is hosting Help Yourself to Health, a new six-week workshop for older adults with ongoing health conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety, heart disease and others. The free workshop will take place at the Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center, 45 Forest Ave. on six Thursdays, May 12 through June 16 from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Although there is no charge to participate, registration is required. To register, call 215-619-8863.

The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is sponsoring an eight-week program called A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls. Presented by the Montgomery County Health Department, this workshop will be held on Tuesdays, May 3 to June 21 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Ambler Center, 45 Forest Ave. If you pre-register by April 27, the fee is only $5! Registration at the first class is $10. (Checks should be payable to SAAC and will benefit our Meals on Wheels program that serves homebound seniors.) A workbook will be provided and refreshments will be served. Call 215-619-8863 to register or for more information.

Fort Washington Wellness Center classes are ongoing. There are several offered during lunch or right after work, for your convenience: Boot Camp from noon to 1 p.m. on Monday; Zumba is MWF from 11 a.m. to noon and Friday at 4 p.m.; there are 25 cycling classes; Ashtanga and Vinyasana Yoga and Pilates; and a group Womens Strength Training class M-F from 10 to 11 a.m. Questions, call Cathy DeMarco at 215-641-1245.

Following the success of other local area programs, Impact Sports and Upper Dublin Parks and Recreation are delighted to team up again to offer a spring program for the 2011 season! Upper Dublin area children ages 3-5 years old can attend a Sports Program featuring their favorite sports games; soccer, rugby, hockey, track and field, basketball, and more. The program will start on April 27 and run through June 1. Cost for the program is $85 for the six weeks. The classes will be running 12- 1 p.m.; 1- 2 p.m.; 2- 3 p.m. For more info or to register, call Upper Dublin Township on 215 643 1600 or visit their website a http://www.upperdublin.net.

Spring Aquatic Programs  UDHS Pool:

-Summer is just around the corner  Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool can help get you into shape! Programs begin in March; preregistration is required.

 Shallow Water Aerobics  Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 8-8:45 p.m., $40R/$50NR.

 Adult Swim Instructions  Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 7-8 p.m., $50R/$60NR

-Open Rec Swims are fun for the whole family! Come out on Fridays from 7-9 p.m. or Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. and enjoy use of the pool and diving area. Fridays are offered through June 17; Saturdays are offered March 12-May 21.

-Join a growing group of adult lap swimmers and water walkers. Lanes are set aside evenings and weekends for use; lanes are shared. Monday  Thursday from 7:30-9:30 p.m.; Fridays from 7-9 p.m. and Saturdays (March 12-May 21) from 1-4 p.m.

-Private Swimming & Diving Lessons for ages 3-adult are offered at the UDHS Pool through a partnership with the Upper Dublin Aquatic Club (UDAC). Visit the UDAC website for more information, www.udac.us, and click the link to UDHS Private Lessons.

-Looking for local programs for US Masters Swimming (adults) or Water Polo (all ages)? UDAC and UDSD are working together to develop programs that will be offered at the UDHS Pool. Add your name to Interest Lists by emailing slohoefer@upperdublin.net. emails will be sent about clinics and program start dates.

Questions about Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool, group use of the pool or pool rental? Contact Susan Lohoefer, Facility & Community Affairs Manager at slohoefer@upperdublin.net or call 215-643-8800 x8994.

SilverSneakers Fitness Program. The Healthyways SilverSneakers Fitness Program is a result-oriented program that enables older adults to take charge of their health. The program is an innovative blend of physical activity, healthy lifestyle and socially oriented programing. Members of the program are eligible for a free YMCA membership, with use of the pool and exercise equipment, along with customized classes designed for older adults who want to improve their strength, flexibility, balance and endurance. If you are a subscriber to Independence Blue Cross (Personal Choice 65 PPO) or Keystone 65 HMO, Bravo Health, or Health Options Programs (HOP), call the Ambler Area YMCA, 215-628-9950 or Hatboro Area YMCA, 215-674-4545. You can also visit www.silversneakers.com.

Zumba Fitness offers Zumba dance/fitness classes at Academy of Dance and Music/BBAD Studio located at 1524 DeKalb Pike in Blue Bell (behind Sherwin Williams). Classes are offered three times a week: Tuesdays at 6 p.m., Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. For a free trial pass for your first class, email us at info@danceandmusic.biz or call 610-277-2557. For more info, visit our site at www.academyofdanceandmusic.org.

Chestnut Hill Health Systems presents the following Health Education Programs:

FITNESS CLASSES

Golden Yoga: A Breathing, Stretching and Relaxation Class. Fridays, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Lea Auditorium, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. Registration for four classes at a time required. Golden Yoga is Classical Yoga, adapted by the SKY Foundation, to accommodate those who have difficulty getting up and down from the floor. The program includes postures, breathing, relaxation and meditation techniques, all performed while sitting in a chair and standing. Registration required. Call 215-247-3029. Cost: $20 for 4 classes per month.

Tai Chi: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 8:30  9:30 a.m. Springfield Residence, 8601 Stenton Ave. Classes, for the novice or beginner/intermediate student, are designed to improve balance, power, posture, coordination, flexibility and mental focus. Slow, gentle movements are modified to most everyones abilities. For more information or to sign up for a free introductory class, call 215-882-2804. Cost: $8 per class/paid monthly.

SUPPORT GROUPS

Weight Loss Surgery Support Group: Fourth Wednesday of the month, 7-8 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. Join us for a monthly get-together where well share information for those interested in weight loss surgery, learn from guest speakers discussing current news on issues including lifestyle modification, nutrition and exercise and provide ongoing support for those who have completed surgery. Registration required. Call 215-753-2000.

Breast Cancer Networking Group: Fourth Tuesday of the month 5:30  7 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. A free, confidential support group for women living with a diagnosis of breast cancer designed to provide a forum for sharing information, feelings and concerns associated with breast cancer. Facilitated by Tish Wakefield, LCSW, Oncology Social Worker. Registration required. To register or for more information, call 215-248-8047.

New Moms Support Groups Tuesdays 10:30 a.m.  12 p.m.; contact Jeanine ORourke, MSW or 2:30  4 p.m.; contact Susan Schack, Ph.D Volunteer Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. The Center for Postpartum Depression at Chestnut Hill Hospital is pleased to offer two new support groups to support new moms. Both groups will be run by experienced mental health professionals who really get it when it comes to new motherhood and juggling relationships, extended family, work/family balance and self-care. If you are experiencing new mom challenges that often heighten anxiety and involve hormonally driven depression, join us for an informative and supportive forum to connect with other moms. Infants are welcome. $30 per session (flexible based on need). Registration is required. Call Dr. Schack, 646-265-2484, or Ms. ORourke, 215-206-2931.

Man to Man Prostate Cancer Support Group Third Thursday of the month 8-9 a.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. A networking group for men diagnosed with prostate cancer designed to provide education, support and encouragement. Spouses and partners welcome. Harry M. Baer, MD, Chief, Urology Division, will host Ask the Doctor. Registration required. Call 215-248-8325.

Contact the Senior Center by phone 215-248-0180 or email (chseniors@cavtel.net) with your questions about these programs or any of our on-going activities and classes.

Holy Redeemer HomeCare and Hospice seeks compassionate and emotionally mature volunteers to provide support to local hospice patients and their families in Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. Volunteers may also assist with pet therapy and administrative work within the hospice department and are requested to have daytime availability. Hospice patient care volunteers visit with patients in their homes or nursing facilities once a week for two to three hours. They provide emotional support and companionship to patients and family members, assist with errands or provide respite for caregivers. Bereavement volunteers support the families of hospice patients following the loss of a loved one, while administrative volunteers assist with typing, mailings and/or filing. Hospice care workers provide a great service to families and loved ones of hospice patients. Many volunteers also report a great deal of personal satisfaction as a result of their services. Patient care and bereavement volunteers complete an application and attend an 18-hour volunteer training program that covers the medical, psychological and spiritual aspects of hospice volunteering. Day and evening training programs are offered. To sign up for volunteer opportunities in Pennsylvania, contact Holy Redeemer Volunteer Coordinator Jean Francis at 215-698-3737 or email jfrancis@holyredeemer.com.

Librarytalk

Upper Dublin Public Library, 805 Loch Alsh Avenue, Ft. Washington, 215-628-8744

www.upperdublinlibrary.org

APRIL CHILDRENS PROGRAMS:

Storytimes: Please register in the library.

o Wee Ones: 0 to 23 months Thursdays and Fridays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m.

o Tiny Tots: age 2. Wednesdays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m. and Fridays 11 to 11:20 a.m.

o Jr. Book Lovers: ages 3 to 6. Tuesdays 10:30 to 11 a.m.

o Bedtime Storytimes: 7 to 7:30 p.m. April 20 and 27. Wear your jammies, bring your teddy & hear Miss Barbara read bedtime stories! For ages 3 to 6.

APRIL TEEN PROGRAMS:

North Hills Library Teens April 28 from 4 to 6 p.m. Movie Matinee

APRIL UDPL ADULT PROGRAMS:

NEW! ESL Conversation Group. Tuesdays from 7 to 8 p.m. Interested in practicing your English in a safe and caring environment? Come to our conversation group and improve your skills! Please register with Kay Klocko at 215-628-8744 or kklocko@mclinc.org.

One-on-One Computer Mentoring. Get personalized assistance from experienced computer volunteers! Sign-up for a one-hour session. Limit one session per month. Please register  contact info above.

Book Groups Please register with Kay Klocko 215-628-8744.

o Daytimers: April 21 at 1:30 p.m. Tired of book groups where you all read the same book? Read any fiction or non-fiction book on this months theme: Explorers. Please register.

Meetings:

Annual Meeting of the Friends of UDPL: April 14 at 1 p.m.

Board of Directors: April 20 at 7 p.m.

Blue Bell Library www.wvpl.org Upcoming Events: The Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 650 Skippack Pike (Route 73) in Blue Bell, is diagonally across from the Blue Bell Inn. Call 215-643-1320 or visit their website at www.wvpl.org.

For children and teens at Blue Bell:

* Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian.

* Mondays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages.

* Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages.

* Fridays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages.

* Family Movies, new releases, second Saturdays of the month at 1:30 p.m.

* May 14  Despicable Me

* June 11  Alpha and Omega

* Special Events

* April  watch for date of spring/Easter events

* April 14 at 4:30 p.m.  Junior Lego Club for children ages 3 through 5. Parents and caregivers need to stay with children.

* April 14 at 7 p.m.  Jeopardy for ages 11 to 18. Test your book and library knowledge for prizes. Sign up to be a contestant. No sign up to be in the audience. Snacks provided.

* April 16 at 1 p.m.  Adult Mystery Book Group discussing The Beekeepers Apprentice by Laurie King.

* April 16 at 1:30 p.m.  Childrens event for One Book, Every Young Child celebration. Story and craft for book Whose Shoes?

* April 19 at 7 p.m. and April 26 at 1:30 p.m.- Adult book group discusses The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester. Group led by Adam Button.

* April 30 through May 3  Friends book sale with about 10,000 items for sale for children, teens and adults.

* May  sign up for Science in the Summer

* June  sign up for Enrichment Programs for Elementary-Age children

* June  sign up for Summer Reading, all ages

For adults at Blue Bell:

* Daytime Book Discussion Group  fourth Tuesday, Jan  April at 1:30 p.m.

* April 26  The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester

* Night-time Book Discussion Group  third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m.

o April 19  The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester

* Art Series with Dr. Sheldon Weintraub, docent at The Barnes and speaker at local colleges

o April 27 at 2 p.m. The Art of Looking at Art-Is She Nude or Is She Naked?

*Mystery Book Discussion Group, third Saturday of the month at 1 p.m.; new mystery theme each month; www.wvpl.org/programs

* Yoga on Mondays at 1:30 p.m. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop-in class.

* Tai Chi on Mondays at 3 p.m. with Dr. Kurt Findeisen. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop in class.

* Philadelphia Museum of Art presents class on their Marc Chagall exhibit, April 13 at 2 p.m.

* Giant Book Sale, April 29  May 3

o Starts with almost 10,000 items for children and adults!

o Held during library hours.

o Preview for members of the Friends of the Library, April 28 at 7 p.m.

o Join the Friends and attend the preview sale. Modest fee to join.

* Blooms at Blue Bell Gardening Series

o May 11 at 1 p.m.  Summer Bulbs by PA Horticultural Society

* Knitting group Mondays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. Work on your project or observe and learn. The groups continue year-round in the community room.

* Socrates Cafe discussion group every Monday at 7 p.m. You pick the topic to discuss each week. No sign-up, nothing to read.

* Bridge every Friday at 12:30 p.m. New players welcome.

* Mah Jong every Wednesday at 1 p.m. New players welcome.

*Chess every Wednesday at 7p.m. for adults and teens 14 and older.

* Movie Matinee showing recent releases every Thursday at 2 p.m. April 14: Maos Last Dancer; April 21: Welcome to the Rileys; April 28: Conviction; May 5: Inception; May 12: Inside Job; May 19 The Kings Speech; May 26 The Fighter; June 2 Rabbit Hole; June 9 Black Swan; June 16 127 Hours

* Ongoing like-new, year-round book sale for adults & children during library hours

* Library opening at 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday!

Ambler Library, a branch of the Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 209 Race St., 215-646-1072. www.wvpl.org. All the following events occur at the Ambler Library.

* Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian.

* Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages.

* Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages.

* For adults:

* Beading Group meets the first and third Monday of every month at 1 p.m. Work on your own projects or come to watch and learn.

* Free Family History Lookup with Connie Briggs. Email Connie for an appointment at the Ambler Library. conniebriggs@comcast.net

* Special Events:

* April 14 at 1:30 p.m.  Book Group discusses Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian.

* April 19 at 7 p.m.  Travel to Paris with world traveler Harry Balin. Tea and scones at 6:30 p.m.

* April 21 at 7 p.m.  Art with Sara for children in fourth through seventh grades.

*May 2 at 6:30 p.m.  Discuss the movie Lone Star with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time.

*May 10  Robert Capucci discusses Art into Fashion. Tea and scones served at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m.

*May 12 at 1:30p.m.  Book Group discusses The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman.

*May 17  Tour the gardens of Devon and Southwest England with Lois McMullen. Tea and Scones at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m.

*June 13 at 6:30 p.m.  Discuss the movie Blade Runner with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time.

Meetings and Lectures

The Unisys Blue Bell Retiree Group will meet in the Church on the Mall in the Plymouth Meeting Mall April 14 at 1:30 p.m. Kathy Sacket Young, director/trainer with the North Penn YMCA, will speak on Keeping Fit in Retirement. For more information, contact Membership Committee Chairperson Jerry Feldscher at 610-275-3538 or President Al Rollin at 215-368-4833.

The next FWBA meeting will be April 28 at the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Networking begins at 11:30 a.m.; meeting from noon to 1 p.m. Leon Singletary, Principal, First Contact HR and FWBA Executive Board, will present: Social Media: How to Use It To Get More Business. Lunch is provided courtesy of the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Members are welcome to bring a guest. An RSVP is requested by return email or 215-628-0313.

Big Brothers Big Sisters Southeastern PA is hosting a information sessions over the next few weeks on how to become a Big Brother. The information sessions will take place: April 16 at noon, April 19 at 8 a.m. and April 28 at 6 p.m. All sessions will be held at the groups Norristown Office,t 530 DeKalb St., Norristown. For more information, call 610-277-2200.

The North Penn Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) normally meets on the third Tuesday of each month from now until May. Meetings are held at the William Penn Inn on Route 202 and Sumneytown Pike, Upper Gwynedd, PA. Social hour starts at 5:30 p.m., dinner is served at 6:30 p.m., and the technical program begins at 7 p.m. Cost with reservation is $28 for members. Members without reservations and guests pay $30. Students with reservations pay $15. Reservations may be made by noon on the Monday preceding the meeting by phoning 215-371-1854 or emailing the reservation to northpennima@yahoo.com northpennima@yahoo.com. Information about the North Penn Chapter is available at http://northpenn.imanet.org/.

LeTip, a professional organization of men and women who are dedicated to the highest standards of competence and service meets every Tuesday at Cedar Brook Country Club, 180 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell at 7 a.m. -meeting officially starts at 7:16 a.m. and ends at 8:31 a.m. Our purpose is the exchange of business tips, leads, and referrals. Each business category is represented by one member and conflicts of interest are disallowed. Guests are welcome to visit any of our breakfast meetings.

Every third Thursday of month, Sunrise Assisted Living of Blue Bell (795 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422, 215-619-2777) serves as a satellite site to 148th Legislative district PA congressman Mike Gerber from 10 a.m. to noon. Stop by for help needed with things such as disability placards and license plates, vehicle registration, utilities issues, birth/death certificates,property tax/rent rebates, etc. Notary services arranged by appointment.

The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce is an action-oriented organization dedicated to promoting its members and the economic health of eastern Montgomery county. The Chamber is committed to serving as a catalyst by uniting business, community agencies, government and education to make our county a great place to live and work. For information, call 215-887-5122 or visit www.emccc.org.

Do you have a fear of public speaking? Blue Bell Toastmasters Club can help. We meet from 7 to 9 p.m., on the second and fourth Tuesday at the Marriott Courtyard, located on Route 202, directly across from the Montgomeryville Mall. Learn how to improve communication and leadership skills in a friendly and supportive environment. Guests are welcome. Admission fee: $5. For more info, visit www.bbtoast.org.

The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will hold the following meetings (for reservations to any of the following, email info@PennSuburban.org)

-Breakfast News Network, 7:30-8:45 a.m. at Normandy Farm Hotel (1401 Morris Road, Blue Bell, PA 19422) $15 members, includes full buffet breakfast. Join us for a networking program at Normandy Farm Hotel every Thursday morning for breakfast, business news, informative speakers, and plenty of networking. The cost includes a full breakfast buffet. Copies of the business cards will be made available to those who would like them.

The BNI, Fort Washington Chapter meets every Monday at The Hilton Garden Inn, 520 Pennsylvania Ave., Fort Washington for a networking meeting. Meetings are from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. Visitors are welcome. The only cost to attend is the cost of your meal. For information or a reservation to attend, please call Luanne Cram at 215-947-7784, or visit our Internet site at: http://www.BNIDVR.Com and click on the menu item Find a Chapter.

For the past seven years, people have enjoyed participating in WVWAs Adopt-a-Tree program. Individuals can support the Association in its reforestation efforts by purchasing native trees to be planted. Supporters can plant their adopted tree or have WVWA volunteers will plant it. Trees cost $30 each. If you would like to volunteer or purchase a tree(s), please contact: Bob Adams at Bob@wvwa.org or call: 215-646-8866 for more information. Check www.WVWA.org for directions and maps.

Sustainable Upper Dublin, http://sustainableupperdublin.org, meets the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m., at the Upper Dublin Township Building, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington, PA 19034. Please send any questions to suec@sustainableupperdublin.org or call 610-996-6316. To learn more about Sustainable Upper Dublin, view or join the discussion at http://googlegroups.com/group/sustainableupperdublin.

Special Events

The Mattie N. Dixon Community Cupboard will hold its first nutrition class April 19 at 10 a.m. at the Community Cupboard, 150 N. Main St., Ambler. Lynne Sinclair, a nutritionist from Abington Memorial Hospital specializing in diabetic nutrition, will conduct the class. Topics will include healthy eating, beneficial foods, recipes, making meals with every day foods, and how to use unfamiliar produce. A healthy snack will be provided.The class is is open to all residents in Montgomery County.

The Historical Society of Fort Washington presents The History of Conshohocken April 19 at 8 p.m. at the Clifton House, 473 Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington. Jack Coll will present an illustrated program on the history of the Borough of Conshohocken. Coll is a longtime resident of Conshohocken and a member of the Conshohocken Historical Society. He is co-author with his son, Brian, of the Arcadia Then and Now Series book Conshohocken. He has also done books Conshohocken and West Conshohocken Sports and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Italian Feast. He has taken many photos for the Conshohocken Record and the Norristown Times Herald. This program is free. Refreshments will be served. For additional information, call 215-646-6065.

Taste of the White House Soiree featuring former White House Chef Walter Scheib will take place April 29 at 6 p.m. at Manufacturers Golf & Country Club in Fort Washington to celebrate HealthLinks 10th anniversary and honor its founders, the Eugene Jackson Family. The evening will heat up with a Chef Meet & Greet, followed by a specially selected presidential menu. Gala tickets are $150 per person. Proceeds benefit HealthLink, a free clinic providing compassionate, quality medical and dental care to uninsured, working adults in Bucks and Montgomery counties who fall in between the health care cracks. Go to http://tasteofthewhitehouse.charityhappenings.org to make reservations online or lend support through sponsorship. For event information, call 267-699-0124 or email jmarushak@healthlinkmedical.org.

The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association will hold an open house at the Evans-Mumbower Mill April 17 from 1 to 4 p.m. The Mill is at the corner of Swedesford and Township Line Roads in Upper Gwynedd. The open house is free but donations are welcome. For more information, call 215-646-8866 o email info@wvwa.org.

The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce will host Breakfast With Your County Commissioners and State Representatives April 21 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Fort Washington, 432 W. Pennasylvania Ave. Commissioners: James R. Matthews (Chairman), Joseph M. Hoeffel (Vice Chair), State Representatives: Todd Stephens (District 151) and Josh Shapiro (District 153). Register onlineat www.emccc.org. $10 for EMCCC member; $20 for non-members.

Upper Dublins Districtwide Allied Art Show will be held April 27 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. in the Upper Dublin High School Athletic Complex.

The Rev. Alfred Muli, chaplain at Fort Washington Estates, will be the featured speaker at the Kiwanis sponsored breakfast observing the National Day of Prayer May 5 at 7 a.m. at the William Penn Inn. The breakfast is open to the public ($15). Reservations can be made by calling 215-646-4356 or by emailing georgesaurman@Juno.com.

The Upper Dublin Shade Tree Commission invites people to participate in its spring bare root planting events, sponsored in part by Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Friends of Robbins Park. On April 9, zix trees will be planted at the Evelyn B. Wright Park & Community Pool, 401 Logan Ave., North Hills, at 9 a.m., followed by the planting of 10 trees at Sheeleigh Park, Loch Alsh Avenue and Douglas Street, Ambler, at 10:15 a.m. On April 29, students from Upper Dublin High School will join the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society to plant 16 trees in Robbins Park, Butler Pike and Meetinghouse Road, Ambler, to help launch the societys Million Trees campaign. This event will occur in conjunction with Temple Amblers EarthFest. Experienced tree-tenders are sought to assist the students. For more information,contact Ron Ayres at 215-653-0421 or 215-483-4348.

The Friends of the Wissahickon and the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association are teaming up once again to clean the Wissahickon Creek from top to bottom April 30 from 9 a.m. to noon. This spring marks the 41st anniversary of Wissahickon Valley Watershed Associations annual Creek Clean Up, and the second year that FOW has teamed up with WVWA. Volunteers of all ages will clean the creek, the surrounding trails and the many tributaries of the Wissahickon Creek. Armed with bags, volunteers will be assigned to sections of the creek. Following the clean up, all volunteers are invited to WVWAs Talkin Trash picnic in Fort Washington State Park, with food provided by Whole Foods Market of North Wales. The pavilion is located on Mill Road in Flourtown. To help out in Montgomery County, all volunteers must be pre-assigned a section of the Wissahickon Creek to clean. Please contact Bob Adams, WVWA director of stewardship, at 215-646-8866 ext. 14 or bob@wvwa.org. To work with the Friends of the Wissahickon in Philadelphia, meet at the pavilion along Forbidden Drive, a short distance south of the intersection of Forbidden Drive and Northwestern Avenue. Limited parking is available along Northwestern Avenue and other nearby streets. Volunteers are encouraged to bike or carpool to the event. To participate, register at www.fow.org. Contact Kevin Groves with questions at 215-247-0417 ext. 105 or groves@fow.org.

Montgomery County Community Colleges International Club invites the community to the second annual International Festival April 20 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The rain date is April 26. The International Club will transform the outside quad area into multicultural celebration with various performances by dancers, singers and musicians. Artists will share their artwork at various display tables. Activities include games, raffles, Easter egg decorating and henna tattoos. Students will have samples of international cuisine at tables representing different countries and will serve food from various local ethnic restaurants. Throughout the evening, volunteers will accept donations and will raffle gift baskets and prizes to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity. Donations of food, international clothes and prizes are needed. Volunteers, including artists and performers, are welcome. For more information or to sponsor an activity, contact Gillian Nel, International Club president, at gnel9277@students.mc3.edu or 267-974-0163.

The Arts and Humanities Division at Montgomery County Community College is partnering with the Philadelphia Writers Conference to host Memoirs Matter: How Life Stories (Including Yours) Can Transform Your Relationship to Literature April 23 from 1 to 3 p.m. in Advanced Technology Center room 101, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The event is free and open to the public. In the first part of this two-hour seminar, professor and author Robert Waxler will explain how writing his two memoirs affected his life as well as his relationship to literature. In the second part, blogger and workshop leader Jerry Waxler will present a sequence of steps to help writers find their own story. For information, contact Dana Resente at dresente@mc3.edu.

The Maple Glen Garden Club will hold its fourth annual Plant Sale on May 7 from 8 to 11 a.m. Perennials, shrubs, vegetables and native plants grown by the club members will be sold. The club uses the plant sale proceeds to fund community projects, a college scholarship and community plantings. The sale will be held in the 500 block of Coach Road, Horsham, as part of a neighborhood garage sale. Plants will be sold at bargain prices. For more information, email MapleGlenGardenClub@gmail.com.

The Relay for Life Craft Show is looking for local crafters to participate in show, which will be May 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Wissahickon High School track, 521 Houston Road, Ambler. There is a $10 entry fee, and 20 percent of sales are donated to the American Cancer Society. Participants will receive a 6-foot table under a tent. For information, contact Joanne at joannescoles@comcast.net or Mindy at mcamsilver@comcast.net.

Spring House Estates is hosting its annual book fair on April 18 from 4 to 7 p.m. and April 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Included will be hardback and paperback used books. Spring House Estates is located at 728 Norristown Road, Lower Gwynedd.

The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will present the Penn Suburban/Hatfield Joint Business Card Exchange April 20 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Univest Bank Lansdale Area Financial Service Center, 120 Forty Foot Road, Hatfield. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. Join Univest National Bank and Trust Co. for a spring-inspired Business Card Exchange at its newest office in the Hatfield Pointe Shopping Center. Come out and meet members of Univests executive management team while enjoying fine food and beverages.

13th Annual Community Reading Day Kick-off Breakfast Get Together April 26 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the North Wales Area Library, 233 Swartley St., North Wales. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. For more information, contact the chamber office at 215-362-9200 or info@pennsuburban.org. Join presenting sponsor Verizon, chamber staff and fellow members for the Community Reading Day volunteer get together. The Community Reading Day program allows volunteers to read a designated book to second-grade students throughout 38 area public and private schools and present the book as a gift to each class. Even if you are not a volunteer, you are cordially invited to stop by to network, enjoy coffee and pastries.

Ambler Mennonite Church is hosting a Spring Craft Show and Flea Market May 21 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Rain date will be May 28. The community is invited to shop the great craft booths, find some gifts and deals, as well as enjoy home baked goods and tasty lunch specials. Childrens activities are planned. All vendors are encouraged to contact the church at 215-643-4876 or AmblerMennonite@verizon.net. Advertising, signage, customer parking and a shuttle to auxiliary parking at nearby lots for vendors will be provided. 10 foot by 10 foot spaces can be rented for $5 each and tables for an additional $5 each. All proceeds from space and table rentals go toward school kits for children around the world. The church is located at the corner of East Mt. Pleasant Avenue and North Spring Garden Street, Ambler.

The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association presents The Life & Times of Aquatic Insects in the Wissahickon Creek April 16 from 1 to 3 p.m. Join WVWA for a hands-on program. RSVP required: www.wvwa.org or 215-646-8866. WVWA member fee: $5 per person / $15 per family. Non-WVWA member fee: $10 per person / $20 per family.

The photography exhibition Natures Palette by photo-artist Judy Miller will run March 18 to May 19 at the Art in the Storefront gallery, 41 E. Butler Pike, Ambler.

JPRN  Networking For People in Transition & People Who Can Help Them  Unemployment remains high. JPRN, the Jarrettown Professional Relationship Network can help. Are you trying to network your way to a new job? Do you have expertise or contacts that can help people in transition? Is your company or organization looking for people in the area? This is a free outreach program to support those seeking work, involve people with contacts and networking know how, and involve local companies. Meetings held monthly at Jarrettown United Methodist Church, Limekiln Pike.

Pennsylvanias Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) grant program is now open for the 2010-11 heating season. Grants are based on income, family size, type of heating fuel and region. Additional information, such as specific income limits, and applications for LIHEAP grants are available online via the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Access to Social Services (COMPASS) website at www.compass.state.pa.us. Applications are available at most public officals district offices, county assistance offices, local utility companies and community service agencies, such as Area Agencies on Aging or community action agencies.

Begin your holiday shopping at Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation! Entertainment books for 2011, Philadelphia North, are now on sale at $30 each. Regal/United Artists movie tickets are on sale for just $7.50 each, and tickets to the Adventure Aquarium, Baltimore Aquarium, and the Philadelphia Zoo are also available. Discounted ski vouchers to area mountains will be arriving in December; call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

RSVP of Montgomery County and the Wissahickon Valley Public Library have partnered again to offer the public their popular free mock interview sessions. The mock interviews are conducted by RSVP volunteers who are retired professionals, some of whom were in hiring positions themselves. Packets of information which include a sample employment application and interviewing tips with mock interview questions are available at the library to pick up prior to a scheduled mock interview or will be sent via email once the interview is scheduled. To schedule your interview, please contact Janis Glusman at RSVP 610-834-1040, ext. 16. The library is also offering a free resume review service. Bring in your current resume and the professional reference staff will assist you with hints and tips on capturing your work history accurately.

Registration for Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation summer playgrounds, Camp B.I.G. and Small Folks, X-Zone, and sports camps has began. Register online at www.upperdublin.net/store, or at the UDP&R office, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington. Call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information.

Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Danielles Espresso Cafe presents Mornings at Mondaug Bark Park April 16 and May 21 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Meet fellow dog lovers. These events include complimentary coffee, treats for people and pups and raffles/giveaways.

Upper Dublins Annual Spring Flea Market will be held June 4 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Reserve a table, or come and shop. Tables are $15 for UD residents, $20 for non-residents. This successful event occurs rain or shine. Refreshments available. Call 215-643-1600 ext. 3443 to register for a table.

Regal movie tickets available for purchase at Upper Dublin Township Parks & Recreation. Reduced rate: $7.50 per ticket. Some restrictions apply. Call 215-643-1600 x3443.

Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation movie tickets $7.50 Regal Cinemas, United Artist & Edwards Cinemas on sale throughout the year Monday  Friday from 9 a.m.  4 p.m.

Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation Camp Sign-ups for Stony Creek Day Camp  Stony Creek Tracers and Park n Tots. Register on-line at www.whitpaintownship.org OrCome to Township Building with check or Visa MasterCard Monday  Friday from 9 a.m.  4 p.m. For additional information call 610.277-2400 ext. 374

Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation offers exciting new programs for the fall:

-Returning favorites include UK Elite Petite Soccer, Tiny Dancers, Kiddie Tennis, Fun-nastics, Messy Playtime, Little Chefs, and more. Babysitters Training will be offered in November and December. Continuing Adult Fitness Classes include Cardio Circuit, Core & More, Yoga, Boxing, and Adult G.Y.M. For more information call 215-643-1600 x3443. Register for programs online at www.upperdublin.net/store.

Music and Theater

The community is invited to a Cantors Concert April 16 at 8 p.m. Congregation Beth Or, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen. Listen and hum-along to the Yiddish, pop tunes and classical music performed by Congregation Beth Ors own Cantor David Green and his special guest, Cantor Irvin Bell, from Temple Beth Israel in Deerfield Beach, Fla. The cantors will be accompanied by Mark Sobol and his Klezmer musicians. Tickets are $18 in advance and $25 at the door. RSVP with payment to Barb Murtha, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen, PA 19002, or call 215-646-5806 ext. 220.

Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse will host the Jameson Sisters May 14. Doors open at 7:30 pm, performance at 8:00 pm. Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse is located at the corner of Rte. 202 & Sumneytown Pike, Gwynedd. $5 suggested donation. Light refreshment available at a modest cost. For further information, call 215-393-9576 or visit gwyneddmeeting.org/coffeehouse.html.

Celebrate patriotism through song with Gwynedd-Mercy Colleges choir, the Voices of Gwynedd, as it presents Hear America Singing April 15 at 8 p.m. The choir will perform song selections from all over the country, including Georgia on My Mind, New York State of Mind, and a medley including Philadelphia Freedom and Allentown. The performance will end with When the Saints Go Marching In to acknowledge the choirs upcoming tour in New Orleans. Hear America Singing will take place in the Julia Ball Auditorium, located in St. Bernard Hall. Parking is available in lots A, C and D. Admission is free.

The Choristers will present Anton Dvoraks Stabat Mater April 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Upper Dublin Lutheran Church in Ambler. The choir will be accompanied by a 41-piece orchestra. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for senior citizens, $10 for students and children are free. Tickets will be sold in advance or at the door. For more information, call 215-542-7871 or visit TheChoristers.org

Religious News

The Staircase Gallery at Or Hadash: A Reconstructionist Congregation in Fort Washington will feature the work of Emily Ennuat-Lustine. The artist will be showing paintings and graphics inspired by her own personal spiritual journey and quest for meaning. Some of the works to be shown have been inspired by Biblical Psalms and writings. Her work has been shown at Abington Art Center, Cheltenham Arts Center and Old City Gallery of Jewish Art among others. The exhibition is open Friday evenings starting Feb. 18 after Shabbat services. Gallery hours are: Mondays through Thursdays 10-4:30, Fridays 10-3 and following Shabbat Services and Sundays 10-1. The synagogue is located at 190 Camp Hill Road in Fort Washington. For additional information contact the synagogue office at 215-283-0276.

Reunions

St. Matthews High School Conshohocken Class of 1961 is looking for classmates. For details, contact Greg Marincola at 215-646-2239, 215-740-1296 or gregcola@comcast.net.

Olney High School Class of 1971 is Lloking for classmates for a 40th reunion Oct. 28. For details, contact Judy at ohsclassof71@yahoo.com or 215-870-7572.

Abington High School Class of 1961 is seeking classmates for a 50-year reunion to be held Oct. 14-15, 2011.Visit the website, www.abington61.com, for details or call 215-947-1779.

Overbrook High School class of January 1956 is having a 55 year reunion on May 22, 2011 at the Bala Golf Club in Philadelphia. For information please contact overbrookreunion56@comcast.net

Germantown High School Class Of January 1961 is looking for classmates for 50th year reunion to take place in May of 2011. Please contact: 215-362-9148, 856-577-0659 or samdelcomo@comcast.net

The June 1961 class of Germantown High School is holding their 50th reunion on May 15, which will be a brunch. For further details please contact Linda Dorfman Alten at lindaalten@yahoo.com or call 215-441-8411.

Support

New Life Presbyterian Church in Dresher, will host GriefShare, a special seminar and support group which will run on Monday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m., from March 7 through June 6. At each meeting there will be a DVD about the grief process, discussion and reference to a grief workbook. Preregistration is required to secure a place in the group and to purchase a GriefShare notebook (for a one-time fee of $15). The notebook goes along with the 13-week schedule covering such topics as: living with grief, the effects of grief, and stuck in grief. For more information or to register, call: Sandy Elder at 215-884-5149.

PUPS (People Understanding Parkinsons) A self-help group for those adjusting to a new diagnosis or dealing with the early stages of Parkinsons Disease. Meets fourth Tuesday of the month from 1 to 2:30 p.m., at Abington Health Center, Schilling Campus, Willowood Building, 2510 Maryland Road, Suite 251, Willow Grove. For more information or to RSVP, contact Lorna at 215-542-2931.

The North Penn Visiting Nurse Associations Meals on Wheels program is looking for volunteers to pack or deliver meals to the elderly and infirmed. Meals are packed and delivered mornings, Monday through Friday. You can volunteer for as many days per week or month as you would like. Packaging meals requires approximately 2-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves making sandwiches, packaging food into individual serving containers and packing coolers with the meals. Delivering meals requires approximately 1-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves loading coolers into your car and delivering a route of approximately 10 to 15 stops. The Meals on Wheels program is also in need of emergency, winter-weather volunteers to pack and deliver meals in bad weather. North Penn VNA is located at 51 Medical Campus Drive in Lansdale and delivers meals in the Lansdale, North Wales and Blue Bell areas. For more information or to volunteer, please call Bridget, North Penn VNA Meals on Wheels coordinator at 215-855-8296.

Elkins Park Area CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) meets the first Tuesday of every month, 7- 8:30 p.m., at Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital in Elkins Park. For information on CHADD or ADHD, please see our website www.chadd.net/249 or call Claire Noyes at: 215-779-6656.

Center for Loss and Bereavement, 3847 Skippack Pike, Skippack (610-222-4110) www.bereavementcenter.org Offers professional counseling for individuals, couples, children and families dealing with issues of loss and bereavement. Six-week adult support groups: Newly forming young adult grief support group  every other Wednesday, 7  8:15 p.m. (free of charge); Monthly loss of child support  second Mondays, 7-8:15 p.m.; Six-week young loss of spouse/partner  Thursdays, 10-11:15 a.m.; Other groups scheduled as interest is shown for suicide loss support, adult loss of parent, motherless daughters, adult loss of sibling, coping with chronic illness and disability and mens loss of spouse. Nellos Corner Family Bereavement program offers peer grief support groups for ages 4 through teen and their caregivers  Every other Tuesday or Wednesday (free of charge) Local chapter of Parents of Murdered Children also meets at the Center. Registration required. Call for further information.

CHADD is a national organization for children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder, providing education, advocacy and support for individuals and their families with AD/HD. Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital, 60 Township Line Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027, will host children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder on the First Tuesday of each month 7  8:30 p.m. Free, no childcare provided.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphias Kehillah of Old York Road is sponsoring a free Caregiver Support Group for individuals who care for an elderly person with cognitive and/or physical impairments. The group meets at SarahCare Adult Day Care Center, 101 Washington Lane, Suite G-6, Jenkintown, Pa., on the first Wednesday of each month. Patty Rich,Building Homes for Heroes donates home to war veteran and her childrenApril 21, 2018

The Media War On Truthful Reporting And Legitimate Opinions - A Documentary

Early in life I have noticed that no event is ever correctly reported in a newspaper, but in Spain, for the first time, I saw newspaper reports which did not bear any relation to the facts, not even the relationship which is implied in an ordinary lie. I saw great battles reported where there had been no fighting, and complete silence where hundreds of men had been killed. I saw troops who had fought bravely denounced as cowards and traitors, and others who had never seen a shot fired hailed as the heroes of imaginary victories; and I saw newspapers in London retailing these lies and eager intellectuals building emotional superstructures over events that had never happened. I saw, in fact, history being written not in terms of what happened but of what ought to have happened according to various party lines.

George Orwell, Looking back on the Spanish War, Chapter 4

Last week saw an extreme intensifying of the warmongers' campaign against individuals who publicly hold and defend a different view than the powers-that-be want to promote. The campaign has a longer history but recently turned personal. It now endangers the life and livelihood of real people.





In fall 2016 a smear campaign was launched against 200 websites which did not confirm to NATO propaganda. Prominent sites like Naked Capitalism were among them as well as this site:

While the ProPornOT campaign was against websites the next and larger attack was a general defaming of specific content.





The neoconservative Alliance For Securing Democracy declared that any doubt of the veracity of U.S. propaganda stories discussed on Twitter was part of a "Russian influence campaign". Their 'dashboard' shows the most prominent hashtags and themes tweeted and retweeted by some 600 hand-selected but undisclosed accounts. (I have reason to believe that @MoonofA is among them.) The dashboard gave rise to an endless line of main-stream stories faking concern over alleged "Russian influence". The New York Times published several such stories including this recent one:

Russia did not respond militarily to the Friday strike, but American officials noted a sharp spike in Russian online activity around the time it was launched. A snapshot on Friday night recorded a 2,000 percent increase in Russian troll activity overall, according to Tyler Q. Houlton, a spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security. One known Russian bot, #SyriaStrikes, had a 4,443 percent increase in activity while another, #Damsucs, saw a 2,800 percent jump, Mr. Houlton said.

A person on Twitter, or a bot, is tagged by a chosen name led with an @-sign. Anything led with a #-sign is a 'hashtag', a categorizing attribute of a place, text or tweet. Hashtags have nothing to do with any "troll activity". The use of the attribute or hashtag #syriastrike increased dramatically when a U.S. strike on Syria happened. Duh. A lot of people remarked on the strikes and used the hashtag #syriastrike to categorize their remarks. It made it easier for others to find information about the incident.

The hashtag #Damsucs does not exit. How could it have a 2,800% increase? It is obviously a mistyping of #Damascus or someone may have used as a joke. In June 2013 an Associated Press story famously carried the dateline "Damsucs". The city was then under artillery attack from various Takfiri groups. The author likely felt that the situation sucked.

The spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security Tyler Q. Holton, to which the Times attributes the "bot" nonsense, has a Twitter account under his name and also tweets as @SpoxDHS. Peter Baker, the NYT author, has some 150,000 followers on Twitter and tweets several times per day. Holton and Tyler surely know what @accounts and #hashtags are.

One suspects that Holton used the bizzare statistic of the infamous 'Dashboard' created by the neoconservative, anti-Russian lobby. The dashboard creators asserted that the use of certain hashtags is a sign of 'Russian bots'. On December 25 the dashboard showed that Russian trolls and bots made extensive use of the hashtag #MerryChristmas to undermine America's moral.

One of the creators of the dashboard, Clint Watts, has since confessed that it is mere bullshit:

Im not convinced on this bot thing, said Watts, the cofounder of a project that is widely cited as the main, if not only, source of information on Russian bots. He also called the narrative overdone.

As government spokesperson Holton is supposed to spout propaganda that supports the government's policies. But propaganda is ineffective when it does not adhere to basic realities. Holton is bad at his job. Baker, the NYT author, did even worse. He repeated the government's propaganda bullshit without pointing out and explaining that it obviously did not make any sense. He used it to further his own opinionated, false narrative. It took a day for the Times to issue a paritial correction of the fact free tale.





With the situation in Syria developing in favor of the Syrian people, with dubious government claims around the Skripal affair in Salisbury and the recent faked 'chemical attack' in Douma the campaign against dissenting reports and opinions became more and more personal.

Last December the Guardian commissioned a hatchet job against Vanessa Beeley and Eva Bartlett. Beeley and Bartlett extensively reported (vid) from the ground in Syria on the British propaganda racket "White Helmets". The Guardian piece defended the 'heros' of the White Helmets and insinuated that both journalists were Russian paid stooges.

In March the self proclaimed whistle-blower and blowhard Sibel Edmonds of Newsbud launched a lunatic broadside smear attack (vid) against Vanessa Beeley and Eva Bartlett. The Corbett Report debunked (vid) the nonsense. (The debunking received 59,000 views. Edmonds public wanking was seen by less than 23,000 people.)





Some time ago the CIA propaganda outlets Voice of America and Radio Free Europe started a 'fact-checking' website and named it Polygraph.info. (Some satirist or a clueless intern must have come up with that name. No country but the U.S. believes that the unscientific results of polygraph tests have any relation to truthfulness. To any educated non-U.S. citizen the first association with the term 'polygraph' is the term 'fake'.)

On April 4 the Polygraph wrote a smear piece about the Twitter account Ian56 (@Ian56789). Its headline: Disinfo News: Doing the Kremlins Work: A Fake Twitter Troll Pushes Many Opinions:

Ben Nimmo, the Senior Fellow for Information Defense at the Atlantic Councils Digital Forensic Research Lab, studies the exploits of Ian56 and similar accounts on Twitter. His recent article in the online publication Medium profiles such fake pro-Kremlin accounts and demonstrates how they operate.

...

Nimmo, and several other dimwits quoted in the piece, came to the conclusion that Ian56 is a Kremlin paid troll, not a real person. Next to Ian56 Nimmo 'identified' other 'Russian troll' accounts:

Ben Nimmo @benimmo - 10:50 UTC - 24 Mar 2018 One particularly influential retweeter (judging by the number of accounts which then retweeted it) was @ValLisitsa, which posts in English and Russian. Last year, this account joined the troll-factory #StopMorganLie campaign.

Nimmo's employer, the Atlantic Council, is a lobby of companies who profit from war.

Had Nimmo, a former NATO spokesperson, had some decent education he would have know that @ValLisitsa, aka Valentina Lisitsa, is a famous American-Ukrainian pianist. Yes, she sometimes tweets in Russian language to her many fans in Russia and the Ukraine. Is that now a crime? The videos of her world wide performances on Youtube have more than 170 million views. It is absurd to claim that she is a 'Russian troll' and to insinuate that she is taking Kremlin money to push 'Russian troll' opinions.





Earlier this month Newsweek also targeted the journalists Beeley and Bartlett and smeared a group of people who had traveled to Syria as 'Assad's pawns'.





On April 14 Murdoch's London Times took personal aim at the members of a group of British academics who assembled to scientificly investigate dubious claims against Syria. Their first investigation report though, was about the Skripal incident in Salisbury. The London Times also targeted Bartlett and Beeley. The piece was leading on page one with the headline: "Apologists for Assad working in universities". A page two splash and an editorial complemented the full fledged attack on the livelihood of the scientists.

Tim Hayward, who initiated the academic group, published a (too) mild response.





On April 18 the NPR station Wabenews smeared the black activists Anoa Changa and Eugene Puryear for appearing on a Russian TV station. It was the begin of an ongoing, well concerted campaign launched with at least seven prominent smear pieces issued on a single day against the opposition to a wider war on Syria.

On April 19 the BBC took aim at Sarah Abdallah, a Twitter account with over 130,000 followers that takes a generally pro Syrian government stand. The piece also attacked Vanessa Beeley and defended the 'White Helmets':

In addition to pictures of herself, Sarah Abdallah tweets constant pro-Russia and pro-Assad messages, with a dollop of retweeting mostly aimed at attacking Barack Obama, other US Democrats and Saudi Arabia.

...

The Sarah Abdallah account is, according to a recent study by the online research firm Graphika, one of the most influential social media accounts in the online conversation about Syria, and specifically in pushing misinformation about a 2017 chemical weapons attack and the Syria Civil Defence, whose rescue workers are widely known as the "White Helmets".

...

Graphika was commissioned to prepare a report on online chatter by The Syria Campaign, a UK-based advocacy group organisation which campaigns for a democratic future for Syria and supports the White Helmets.

The Syria Campaign Ltd. is a for profit 'regime change' lobby which, like the White Helmets it promotes, is sponsored with millions of British and U.S. taxpayer money.

Brian Whitaker, a former Middle East editor for the Guardian, alleged that Sarah Abdullah has a 'Hizbullah connection'. He assumes that from two terms she used which point to a southern Lebanese heritage. But south Lebanon is by far not solely Hizbullah and Sarah Abdallah certainly does not dress herself like a pious Shia. She is more likely a Maronite or secular whatever. Exposing here as 'Hizbullah' can easily endanger her life. Replying to Whitaker the British politician George Galloway asked:

George Galloway @georgegalloway - 14:50 UTC - Replying to @Brian_Whit Will you be content when shes dead Brian?

...

Will you be content Brian when ISIS cut off her head and eat her heart? You are beneath contempt. Even for a former Guardian man

Whitaker's smear piece was not even researched by himself. He plagiarized it, without naming his source, from Joumana Gebara, a CentCom approved Social Media Advisor to parts of the Syrian 'opposition'. Whitaker is prone to fall for scams like the 'White Helmets'. Back in mid 2011 he promoted the "Gay Girl in Damascus", a scam by a 40 year old U.S. man with dubious financial sources who pretended to be a progressive Syrian woman.





Also on April 19 the Guardian stenographed a British government smear against two other prominent Twitter accounts:

Russia used trolls and bots to unleash disinformation on to social media in the wake of the Salisbury poisoning, according to fresh Whitehall analysis. Government sources said experts had uncovered an increase of up to 4,000% in the spread of propaganda from Russia-based accounts since the attack,  many of which were identifiable as automated bots.

Notice that this idiotic % increase claim, without giving a base number, is similar to the one made in the New York Times piece quoted above. It is likely also based on the lunatic 'dashboard'.

[C]ivil servants identified a sharp increase in the flow of fake news after the Salisbury poisoning, which continued in the runup to the airstrikes on Syria. One bot, @Ian56789, was sending 100 posts a day during a 12-day period from 7 April, and reached 23 million users, before the account was suspended. It focused on claims that the chemical weapons attack on Douma had been falsified, using the hashtag #falseflag. Another, @Partisangirl, reached 61 million users with 2,300 posts over the same 12-day period. The prime minister discussed the matter at a security briefing with fellow Commonwealth leaders Malcolm Turnbull, Jacinda Ardern and Justin Trudeau earlier this week. They were briefed by experts from GCHQ and the National Cyber Security Centre about the security situation in the aftermath of the Syrian airstrikes.

The political editor of the Guardian, Heather Steward, admitted that her 'reporting' was a mere copy of government claims:

Heather Stewart @GuardianHeather - 10:38 UTC - 20 Apr 2018 It's not my analysis - as the piece makes quite clear - it's the government's.

The government claim was also picked up by other British outlets like Sky News (vid).

A day earlier Ian56/@Ian56789 account with 35,000 followers had suddenly been blocked by Twitter. Ben Nimmo was extremely happy about this success. But after many users protested to the Twitter censors the account was revived.

Neither Ian, nor Partisangirl, are 'bots' or have anything to do with Russia. Partisangirl, aka Syria Girl, is the twitter moniker of Maram Susli, a Syrian-Australian scientist specialized in quantum chemistry. She was already interviewed on Australian TV (vid) four years ago and has been back since. She has published videos of herself talking about Syria on Youtube and on Twitter and held presentations on Syria at several international conferences. Her account is marked as 'verified' by Twitter. Any cursory search would have shown that she is a real person.

The claim of bots and the numbers of their tweets the government gave to the Guardian and Sky News are evidently false. With just a few clicks the Guardian and Sky News 'journalists' could have debunked the British government claims. But these stenograhers do not even try and just run with whatever nonsense the government claims. Sky News even manipulated the picture of Partisangirl's Twitter homepage in the video and screenshot above. The original shows Maram Susli speaking about Syrian refugees at a conference in Germany. The picture provides that she is evidently a living person and not a 'bot'. But Sky News did not dare to show that. It would have debunked the government's claim.

After some negative feed back on social media Sky News contacted the 'Russian bot' Ian and invited him to a live interview (vid). Ian Shilling, a wakeful British pensioner, managed to deliver a few zingers against the government and Sky News. He also published a written response:

I have been campaigning against the Neocons and the Neocon Wars since January 2002, when I first realised Dick Cheney and the PNAC crowd were going to use 9/11 as the pretext to launch a disastrous invasion of Iraq. This has nothing to do with Russia. It has EVERYTHING to do with the massive lies constantly told by the UK & US governments about their illegal Wars of Aggression.

...

Brian Whitaker could not hold back. Within the 156,000 tweets Ian wrote over seven years Whitaker found one(!) with a murky theory (not a denial) about the Holocaust. He alleged that Ian believes in 'conspiracy theories'. Whitaker then linked to and discussed one Conspirador Norteno who peddles 'Russian bots' conspiracy theories. Presumably Whitaker did not get the consp-irony of doing such.





On the same day as the other reports the British version of the Huffington Post joined the Times in its earlier smear against British academics, accusing Professor Hayward and Professor Piers Robinson of "whitewashing war crimes". They have done no such thing. Vanessa Beeley was additionally attacked.





Also on the 19th the London Times aimed at another target. Citizen Halo, a well known Finnish grandma, was declared to be a 'Russian troll' based on Ben Nimmo's pseudo-scientific trash, for not believing in the Skripal tale and the faked 'chemical attack' in Syria. The Times doubted her nationality and existence by using quotes around her as a "Finnish activist".

Meanwhile the defense editor of the Times, Deborah Haynes, is stalking Valentina Lisitsa on Twitter. A fresh smear-piece against the pianist is surely in the works.





The obviously organized campaign against critical thinking in Britain extended beyond the Atlantic. While the BBC, Guardian, HuffPo, Times and Sky News published smear pieces depicting dissenting people as 'Russian bots', the Intercept pushed a piece by Mehdi Hasan bashing an amorphous 'left' for rejecting a U.S. war on Syria: Dear Bashar al-Assad Apologists: Your Hero Is a War Criminal Even If He Didnt Gas Syrians.

Mehdi Hasan is of course eminently qualified to write such a piece. Until recently he worked for Al Jazeerah, the media outlet of the Wahhabi dictatorship of Qatar which supports the Qatari sponsored al-Qaeda in its war against Syria. The Mehdi Hasan's piece repeats every false and debunked claim that has been raised against the Syrian government as evidence for the Syrian president's viciousness. Naturally many of the links he provides point back to Al Jazeerah's propaganda. A few years ago Mehdi Hasan tried to get a job with the conservative British tabloid Daily Mail. The Mail did not want him. During a later TV discussion Hasan slammed the Daily Mail for its reporting and conservative editorial position. The paper responded by publishing his old job application. In it Mehdi Hasan emphasized his own conservative believes:

I am also attracted by the Mail's social conservatism on issues like marriage, the family, abortion and teenage pregnancies.

A conservative war-on-Syria promoter is bashing an anonymous 'left' which he falsely accuses of supporting Assad when it takes a stand against imperial wars. Is that a 'progressive' Muslim Brotherhood position? (Added: Stephen Gowans and Kurt Nimmo respond to Hasan's screed.)





On the same day Sonali Kolhatkar at Truthdig, as pseudo-progressive as the Intercept, published a quite similar piece: Why Are Some on the Left Falling for Fake News on Syria?. She bashes the 'left' - without citing any example - for not falling for the recent scam of the 'chemical attack' in Douma and for distrusting the U.S./UK government paid White Helmets. The comments against the piece are lively.





Those working in the media are up in arms over alleged fake news and they lament the loss of paying readership. But they have only themselves to blame. They are the biggest creators of fake news and provider of government falsehood. Their attacks on critical readers and commentators are despicable.

Until two years ago Hala Jabar was foreign correspondent in the Middle East for the Sunday Times. After fourteen years with the paper and winning six awards for her work she was 'made redundant' for her objective reporting on Syria. She remarks on the recent media push against truth about Syria and the very personal attacks against non-conformist opinions:

Hala Jaber @HalaJaber - 18:36 UTC - 19 Apr 2018 In my entire career, spanning more than three decades of professional journalism, I have never seen MSM resolve to such ugly smear campaigns & hit pieces against those questioning mainstream narratives, with a different view point, as I have seen on Syria, recently. .2/ This is a dangerous manoeuvre , a witch hunt in fact, aimed not only at character assassination, but at attempting to silence those who think differently or even sway from mainstream & state narrative. .3/ It would have been more productive, to actually question the reason why more & more people are indeed turning to alternative voices for information & news, than to dish out ad hominem smears aimed at intimidating by labelling alternative voices as conspirators or apologists. .4/ The journalists, activists, professors & citizens under attack are presenting an alternative view point. Surely, people are entitled to hear those and are intelligent enough to make their own judgments. .5/ Or is there an assumption, (patronizing, if so), that the tens of thousands of people collectively following these alternative voices are too dumb & unintelligent to reach their own conclusions by sifting through the mass information being dished at them daily from all sides? .6/ Like it or hate it, agree or disagree with them, the bottom line is that the people under attack do present an alternative view point. Least we forget, no one has a monopoly on truth. Are all those currently launching this witch hunt suggesting they do?

The governments and media would like to handle the war on Syria like they handled the war in Spain. They want reports without "any relation to the facts". The media want to "retail the lies" and eager propagandists want to "build emotional superstructures over events that never happened."

The new communication networks allow everyone to follow the war on Syria as diligently as George Orwell followed the war in Spain in which he took part. We no longer have to travel to see the differences of what really happens and what gets reported in the main stream press. We can debunk false government claims with freely available knowledge.

The governments, media and their stenographers would love to go back to the old times when they were not plagued by reports and tweets from Eva, Vanessa, Ian, Maram and Sarah or by blogposts like this one. The vicious campaign against any dissenting report or opinion is a sorry attempt to go back in time and to again gain the monopoly on 'truth'.

It is on us to not let them succeed.

Posted by b on April 21, 2018 at 23:02 UTC | Permalink

Comments

next page April 22, 2018

The MoA Week In Review And Open Thread 2018-19

The U.S. is currently attempting Color Revolutions by Force in Nicaragua and Armenia. This form of 'regime change' uses the typical 'peaceful demonstrators' schemes and media push but adds an armed element that is supposed to shoot at both sides - the protesters as well as government forces - to create marketable victims and chaos. The war on Syria was started this way as was the war in Libya and the violent regime change in Ukraine.

Telesur TV has a good write up on the situation in Nicaragua. Earlier today a journalist was shot in Bluefields, Nicaragua, during live reporting, probably by the opposition which now accuses the government.

AFP has an overview of the conflict in Armenia. It is sympathetic to the 'western' sponsored opposition. Just an hour ago the opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan was arrested after a short talk with the Prime Minister. He demanded total surrender of the government. I expect that further demonstrations will be shut down.

Last week's posts on MoA:

Yesterday, a week after arriving in Damascus, the OPCW fact finding mission finally reached one of the sites and took some probes to be analyzed elsewhere. It will take several weeks before the results are in.

I reported that the ISIS Takfiris in the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp had given up and were ready to be transported into the eastern desert. But, as happened before in Douma, some hardliners killed the lead negotiator of the Takfiris and the fighting resumed. Artillery fire and aerial bombing continued today. The Syrian army has now plenty of capacities and, unless they give up, will turn all the Takfiris into fertilizer without taking many losses.

The Bolivian actress Carla Ortiz is back from Syria where she produced a new documentary. Jimmy Dore interviews her (vid, 40 min) and shows some of her footage. It is excellent and I recommend it.

Apr 21 - The Media War On Truthful Reporting And Legitimate Opinions - A Documentary

(This was the longest piece I have ever written for this site and, I believe, it is quite important. Please spread it.)

The war on dissenting opinions described therein continues with the Sunday Times smearing Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn because one or two of the 2,444 people he follows on Twitter once wrote something the Sunday Times dislikes:

Use as open thread ...

Posted by b on April 22, 2018 at 14:00 UTC | Permalink

Comments

next page WASHINGTON (AP)  The Latest on the global finance meetings in Washington (all times local):

5:15 p.m.

The World Bank's policy committee has approved a $13 billion increase in the bank's lending capacity.

The proposal was approved late Saturday by the World Bank's Development Committee, which sets policies for the 189-nation lending agency. The increase in lending capacity was tied to a package of lending reforms that had been sought by the United States.

World Bank President Jim Yong Kim hailed the action as a demonstration of "renewed confidence in global cooperation."

___

1:10 p.m.

The International Monetary Fund's policymaking committee says a strong world economy is threatened by increasing tension over trade and a heavy global debt load.

Officials say longer-term global prospects are clouded by sluggish productivity growth and aging populations in wealthy countries.

Policymakers say in a statement at the end of three days of meetings that countries should take advantage of the broadest-based expansion in a decade and enact reforms that will make their economies more efficient. And cutting government debts is urged.

The IMF expects the world economy to grow 3.9 percent this year and next  that would be the fastest since 2011.

But an intensifying dispute between the U.S. and China over Beijing's aggressive attempt to challenge U.S. technological dominance has raised the prospect of a trade war that could drag down worldwide growth.

___

1 p.m.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin (mih-NOO'-shin) says he's had a number of discussions with his counterparts  during global finance meetings in Washington  that have dealt with President Donald Trump's "America First" trade policies.

Mnuchin says he's tried to make clear that the United States isn't trying to erect protectionist barriers through its proposals to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imports and up to $150 billion worth of Chinese goods.

Mnuchin says Trump "has been very clear on what on what our objectives are. We are looking for reciprocal treatment."

He says some of his one-on-one talks concerned requests for exemptions from the U.S. tariffs. He says he's considering making a trip soon to China.

___

11:25 a.m.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin (mih-NOO'-shin) is urging the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank to pursue reforms that will support Trump administration foreign policy initiatives.

Mnuchin says the World Bank needs to continue to shift its lending from fast-growing developing countries such as China to poorer nations.

He says in a speech prepared for the World Bank's policy committee that the bank should direct its resources at "poorer borrowers and away from countries better able to finance their own development objectives."

Mnuchin cites progress in achieving changes at the World Bank that the U.S. put forward last year, but says more needs to be done.

The administration's America First trade policies put it the U.S. at odds with other countries at this weekend's global finance meetings in Washington.

___

12:50 a.m.

The United States is resisting pressure to back off President Donald Trump's tough America First trade policy at a meeting of global finance leaders worried about the threat of a damaging trade war.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin (mih-NOO'-shin) charged that "unfair global trade practices impede stronger U.S. and global growth, acting as a persistent drag on the global economy." He urged the International Monetary Fund to do more to combat unfair trade practices.

Mnuchin issued the comments Friday during the spring meetings of the 189-country IMF and its sister lending agency, the World Bank. The three days of meetings wrap up Saturday.

Other countries have used the gathering to protest Trump's protectionist trade policies, which mark a reversal of seven decades of U.S. support for ever-freer global commerce.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.NORRISTOWN, Pa. (AP)  Jurors weren't allowed to hear testimony that Bill Cosby's chief accuser was once hooked on hallucinogenic mushrooms or had her sights set on becoming a millionaire, but that hasn't stopped the defense from airing the explosive claims about Andrea Constand in the court of public opinion.

With Cosby's sexual assault retrial heading for deliberations this week, the 80-year-old comedian's lawyers and publicists are increasingly playing to an audience of millions, not just the 12 people deciding his fate.

They're hitting at Constand's credibility in the media with attacks that Judge Steven O'Neill is deeming too prejudicial or irrelevant for court, and they're holding daily press briefings portraying Cosby as the victim of an overzealous prosecutor and an unjust legal system.

Cosby spokesman Andrew Wyatt has decried Constand's allegations of drugging and molestation as "fantastical stories" and deemed District Attorney Kevin Steele an "extortionist" for spending taxpayer money on the case.

Lawyer Dennis McAndrews, who's been in court following the retrial, said prominent defendants like Cosby almost always play to the court of public opinion when there's no gag order, but that his team's approach hasn't been "particularly effective or convincing."

"It is so strident, and it is so hyperbolic, I think most people will turn it off," said McAndrews, who prosecuted chemical heir John E. du Pont for murder in 1997 and is not associated with either side in the Cosby case.

O'Neill is expected to rule Monday on what could be the Cosby team's last line of attack in the courtroom: whether jurors can hear deposition testimony that Cosby's lawyers say could have insights into what led Constand to accuse him.

Constand's confidante, Sheri Williams, gave the testimony as part of Constand's 2005 lawsuit against Cosby, which he wound up settling for nearly $3.4 million. Cosby's lawyers said that testimony is vital because Williams is not responding to subpoena attempts.

Cosby's lawyers are expected to call an agent and an aviation consultant to the witness stand on Monday as they continue to make the case that he never visited his suburban Philadelphia mansion in January 2004  the month Constand says he knocked her out with pills and molested her there.

The date is important because Cosby was not charged until December 2015, just before the 12-year statute of limitations was set to expire.

Cosby's lead attorney, Tom Mesereau, opened the retrial by calling Constand a "con artist" who framed Cosby for a big payday. Her former Temple University colleague Marguerite Jackson testified that Constand once mused about setting up a high-profile person.

Mesereau raised Constand's alleged drug use on Friday in a courtroom full of reporters, but no jurors, saying bus driver Robert Russell's testimony would contradict her claims of living a healthy, holistic life. Wyatt repeated the allegations to the TV cameras outside the courthouse.

Constand's lawyer, Dolores Troiani, said in an interview that she had serious doubts about Russell's claims that Constand made extensive use of mushrooms and marijuana when they were friends in Toronto in 2001.

"This lady is a health nut," said Troiani.

In court, Mesereau argued that Russell's testimony would crack Constand's "false aura" that she's the "purest person" and undercut the prosecution's suggestion that she's "some innocent babe in the woods."

"According to her close friend for a number of years, that's nonsense," Mesereau said.

O'Neill swiftly rejected the drug testimony, saying Constand's behavior three years before the alleged assault was irrelevant.

He also prevented Russell from testifying that Constand went to the U.S. with a goal of becoming a millionaire, saying it was too broad a claim to have any relevance to the assertion that she framed Cosby for money.

Some damage was already done, Troiani said.

"It is absolutely part of their strategy to smear her reputation," Troiani said. "They know they have judicial immunity, so they can say these things whether or not there's a basis in fact."

The Associated Press does not typically identify people who say they are victims of sexual assault unless they grant permission, which Constand has done.

___

Follow Mike Sisak at https://twitter.com/mikesisak.

___

For more coverage visit https://www.apnews.com/tag/CosbyonTrial.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  The Latest on shooting at Tennessee restaurant that left four dead (all times local):

4:15 p.m.

A sheriff in Illinois says Travis Reinking's state firearms card was revoked last year by state police, but his guns were given to his father with the promise that they wouldn't be shared with his son.

Police in Tennessee are searching for the 29-year-old Reinking, saying he's suspected of fatally shooting four people at a Nashville restaurant early Sunday. The Metro Nashville Police Department says arrest warrants charging Reinking with murder have been issued. Police say Reinking was from Morton, Illinois, but moved to Nashville in 2017.

Sheriff Robert Huston in Tazewell County, Illinois, says his department has "no information" on how Reinking got the weapons again. Huston says Reinking's father has a valid firearm ownership card, and his officers didn't believe they had any authority to seize the weapons. He says the father agreed to "keep the weapons secure and out of the possession of Travis."

Phone calls to an Illinois phone number for Jeffrey Reinking, the father of the suspect, went unanswered.

___

3:55 p.m.

A Secret Service agent says the suspect in a fatal Tennessee restaurant shooting who was arrested last July outside the White House complex had hoped to talk to President Donald Trump.

Special Agent Todd Hudson in Nashville says Travis Reinking "wanted to set up a meeting with the president."

Hudson says Reinking tried to cross bike racks near the White House grounds that were part of security barriers. Reinking was asked to leave the restricted area, and when he declined, Hudson says he was arrested on a charge of unlawful entry.

Reinking, who is from Morton, Illinois, was subsequently released and was later interviewed by the FBI and authorities in Tazewell County, Illinois.

Police have issued arrest warrants charging the 29-year-old Reinking with multiple counts of criminal homicide in Sunday's shootings at a Nashville Waffle House that killed four people.

___

3:30 p.m.

Police have released the names of the four people who died after being shot at a Nashville Waffle House.

In a news release, Metropolitan Nashville Police identified those killed Sunday as 29-year-old restaurant worker Taurean C. Sanderlin of Goodlettsville, 20-year-old restaurant patron Joe R. Perez of Nashville, and 23-year-old Akilah Dasilva of Nashville.

The statement says Sanderlin and Perez were killed outside the restaurant and Dasilva was critically wounded inside and later died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. DeEbony Groves, a 21-year-old woman from Gallatin, Tennessee, was fatally wounded inside the restaurant.

Also being treated for gunshot wounds at Vanderbilt are 21-year-old Shanita Waggoner and 24-year-old Sharita Henderson, both of Nashville.

Police spokesman Don Aaron says efforts to locate 29-year-old suspect Travis Reinking are continuing.

___

3 p.m.

The man who wrested the gun away from the suspect in Nashville's Waffle House shooting says he had entered the restaurant just two minutes ahead of the gunman.

James Shaw Jr. says he had gone to eat early Sunday after visiting a nightclub. He then heard gunshots, but initially though they were stacks of plates that had fallen over. Shaw says it was then that he saw restaurant workers scatter and a body near the front door as the gunman burst through the entrance.

"He shot through that door; I'm pretty sure he grazed my arm. At that time I made up my mind ... that he was going to have to work to kill me. When the gun jammed or whatever happened, I hit him with the swivel door," Shaw told a news conference Sunday.

The gun then jammed up, and Shaw managed to get one hand on the gun and grab it. He then threw it over the countertop and took the shooter with him out the entrance. Shaw says the shooter then trotted away.

Authorities are hailing Shaw as a hero for preventing further bloodshed at the restaurant.

___

2:30 p.m.

Authorities say the suspect in a deadly shooting at a restaurant in Nashville was arrested last year by the U.S. Secret Service for being in a restricted area near the White House.

Metro Nashville Police Department spokesman Don Aaron said 29-year-old Travis Reinking's firearms authorization was then revoked at the request of the FBI, and four weapons were seized, including the AR-15 that he allegedly used in the shooting at the Waffle House restaurant early Sunday. Four people were killed.

Aaron says the four guns were returned to the suspect's father, who acknowledged giving them back to his son.

Police have the AR-15 and another gun found during a search earlier Sunday. But two other guns are unaccounted for. Aaron says Reinking is still at large following the 3:25 a.m. shooting and could possibly be armed with the two guns.

__

11 a.m.

A U.S. congressman is calling for restricting access to some assault weapons in the wake of a shooting at a restaurant in Tennessee on Sunday that left four people dead.

Rep. Jim Cooper issued a statement Sunday, calling for restricting "widespread civilian access to military-grade assault weapons."

Cooper's statement came in the wake of a shooting at a Waffle House restaurant in Nashville. In addition to the four deaths, at least two people were injured.

The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said via Twitter that authorities are searching for 29-year-old Travis Reinking in connection with the shooting. Authorities had characterized the weapon used in the shooting as an "assault-type" rifle.

___

7:30 a.m.

Police in Nashville say three people are dead and four are injured after a shooting at a Waffle House restaurant early Sunday.

The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department says the gunman was a white man with short hair who was wearing only black pants and a coat. A customer at the restaurant took the gun from the suspect, who then took off his coat and fled the area.

Police said via their Twitter account that authorities are searching for 29-year-old Travis Reinking. They said they named him as a suspect because the car that the gunman arrived in was registered to him.

___

This story has been corrects that Aaron said weapon used was an AR15, not AK-15, in first entry.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Gubernatorial candidate Gwen Graham is on Political Connections this Sunday.

The Democrat talked to our Eric Levy about how she wants to move Florida forward if elected.

"I want to make sure that when I'm governor, that I'm someone that's working hard for all Floridians, being someone that brings people together, not divides us," Graham said.

Levy asked Graham about her thoughts on public education in Florida, on immigration, on offshore drilling, on guns, and on how she would handle governing Florida.

Political Connections: Sunday at 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Spectrum News 13

This week: Gwen Graham, the death of Barbara Bush, DACA, guns and the latest local political news

RELATED: Florida's Democratic candidates for governor face off in first debate

ON EDUCATION

"We have got to put education back in the hands of our teachers. We've got it in this high-stakes standardized testing. It's taken over our schools, our teachers are being forced to teach to the test."

"I think we need to bring technical training down to the middle school years, where kids are trying to figure out, you know, what does my future hold. Let's give them something exciting to to work toward."

"We've got to make sure that the lottery dollars which were promised as an enhancement education funding, that we get back to using those lottery dollars as the people of Florida voted overwhelmingly that they wanted them to be spent."

ON GUN LAWS

"I'm glad that something happened in the last legislature after 20 years and the gun lobby having absolute carte blanche in whatever they want to do in Tallahassee. Something was done, but it is not nearly enough.

"We've got to ban the sale a military-style assault weapons, we've got to make sure that we have comprehensive background checks. My husband is in law enforcement and we talk about this all the time, there is no reason why a weapon of war needs to be on our streets. And in terms of comprehensive background checks, we need to make sure that anyone who has a gun has the ability to use that gun in a way that is not going to do harm to others, that they have the mental stability to have a gun."

ON IMMIGRATION

"I want to tap into the best among us, which means that we want to take care of people and help people. The Dreamers are a perfect example, these tens of thousands of young people here in Florida who are contributing to our communities, who are doing great things. We should not want those young people to live in fear. So as governor, I'm going to be welcoming to people that are such an incredible part of Florida's fabric."

ON OFFSHORE DRILLING

"I live in North Florida where we saw the impact of the B.P. oil spill, and even then, when there really was not oil lapping up on the beaches but the perception was that there was, and therefore the economy in North Florida took a huge hit. Can you imagine what would happen if we had a major oil spill off of our beaches? It would destroy our tourism economy. So yes, we have got to actually ban offshore oil drilling."

ON SOLAR ENERGY

"Every single one of our rooftops should be covered in in solar panels. The reason why we don't have that is the utility companies have control over third party ownership of solar power. We've got to make sure that any Florida citizen can have solar energy as one of their primary sources of energy, and it's going to be important that we have a governor, and I'm going to be that governor, that's able to get this done."

ON JOBS

"My thoughts are we need to be doing whatever we can to broaden the economic base here in Florida, and space exploration is certainly one of those ways that we can do it. We need to be growing our economy, too many people are trapped in low-paying jobs.

"Whether it's the space industry or new technology jobs or robotics or... there are so many new opportunities for jobs to bring them here to Florida."By Associated Press

KABUL: A suicide bomber struck a voter registration center in the Afghan capital on Sunday, killing at least 57 people in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group.

Public Health Ministry spokesman Wahid Majro said another 119 people were wounded in Sunday's attack, updating an earlier toll. Gen. Daud Amin, the Kabul police chief, said the suicide bomber targeted civilians who had gathered to receive national identification cards.

The large explosion echoed across the city, shattering windows miles away from the attack site and damaging several nearby vehicles. Police blocked all roads to the blast site, with only ambulances allowed in. Local TV stations broadcast live footage of hundreds of distraught people gathered at nearby hospitals seeking word about loved ones.

IN PICTURES | Suicide bomber strike at Kabul voter registration centre kills 57

Majro said there were five small children and 21 women among the dead. More than a dozen children and nearly 50 women were wounded, he said, adding that the tolls could still rise.

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility in a statement carried by its Aamaq news agency, saying it had targeted Shiite "apostates."

Afghanistan will hold parliamentary elections in October.

Last week, three police officers responsible for guarding voter registration centers in two Afghan provinces were killed by militants, according to authorities.

Afghan security forces have struggled to prevent attacks by the Islamic State affiliate as well as the more firmly established Taliban since the U.S. and NATO concluded their combat mission at the end of 2014. Both groups regularly launch attacks, with the Taliban usually targeting the government and security forces, and IS targeting the country's Shiite minority.

Both groups want to establish a harsh form of Islamic rule in Afghanistan, and are opposed to democratic elections.

Elsewhere in Afghanistan, at least five people were killed when their vehicle struck a roadside bomb in the northern Baghlan province. Zabihullah Shuja, spokesman for the provincial police chief, said four other people were wounded in Sunday's blast in Puli Khomri, the capital of the province.

The Taliban routinely target security forces and government officials with roadside bombs, which often end up killing civilians.

In the northern Balkh province, a district police chief died of his wounds after being shot Saturday during a gunbattle with insurgents, according to Sher Jan Durrani, spokesman for the provincial police chief. He said around a dozen insurgents were also killed in the battle, which is still underway.

Durrani identified the slain commander as Halim Khanjar, police chief for the Char Bolak district.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the killing.By AFP

KUALA LUMPUR: An autopsy was being carried out Sunday on the body of a Palestinian professor who was gunned down in what his family claim was an assassination by Israel's Mossad spy agency.

Fadi Mohammad al-Batsh, 35, was killed in a drive-by shooting on Saturday, according to Malaysian authorities.

He was walking from his highrise apartment to dawn prayers at a local mosque in the Kuala Lumpur suburb of Gombak when he was shot by two gunmen riding a motorcycle, officials added.

At the crime scene, police markers indicated 14 bullets had been sprayed at the victim, some of them hitting a wall. An iron grille hit by a bullet was dented.

Malaysian Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was quoted by the state-run Bernama news agency as saying Batsh was "an electrical engineer and an expert at making rockets".

In a statement from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, the victim's family said: "We accuse the Mossad of being behind the assassination."

Hamas said Batsh, described as a research scientist specialising in energy issues, was one of its members.

Malaysia's police chief Mohamad Fuzi Harun said a task force has been formed to investigate the killing but would not speculate on the motive or whether foreign assassins were involved.

Photos of the two suspects provided by witnesses showed they looked like Europeans but police could not confirm they were in fact from Europe, he told a news conference Sunday afternoon.

When asked if there was evidence of foreign involvement in the killing, he said: "It is still premature to conclude.

"We want to ensure a complete probe. We are still investigating the motive. I urge people not to make any conclusion."

No arrests have been made so far and the murder weapon has not been recovered, he said as he appealed for witnesses to come forward.

Palestinian representative to Malaysia Anwar al-Asha said Fadi's body will be taken back to the Palestinian territories for burial after it is handed back to the family.

"We are now talking to the handling company to make the arrangements," he told AFP.

Mohammad Shedad, 17, a student and a relative of the victim, also blamed Mossad for the killing.

"It is definitely the work of Mossad. Fadi is a very clever person, anyone who is clever is a threat to Israel," he told AFP outside the victim's Malaysian apartment.

"Fadi is a Hamas member and knows how to make rockets. So (Israel) think he is dangerous."

Batsh leaves a wife and three young children. He had lived in Malaysia for the past 10 years.

Ahmad Abu Bakar, 33, a foreign student studying in Malaysia, said he had known the victim for two years.

"He is friendly and he preaches good things. He never preached any hatred. I am shocked by the killing," he said.

It was the second high-profile killing of a foreigner in Malaysia in just over a year.

In February 2017 assassins smeared the banned VX nerve agent on the face of Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korea's leader, at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, killing him within minutes.Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 61F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 61F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.Reporter/Columnist

Julie Wurth is a reporter covering the University of Illinois at The News-Gazette. Her email is jwurth@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@jawurth).Columnist

Tom Kacich is a columnist and the author of Tom's Mailbag at The News-Gazette. His column appears Sundays. His email is tkacich@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@tkacich).DARTMOUTH, Nova Scotia, April 22, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- RTDNA Canada is pleased to recognize journalistic excellence with the winners of the East Region RTDNA Awards of Excellence.



RTDNA Canada Awards honour the best journalists, programs, stations and news gathering organizations in radio, television and digital. With a record number of entries this year, the competition was as tough as ever and our valued judges presided over some truly remarkable submissions said RTDNA Canada President Ian Koenigsfest. The exceptionally high standard of entries from all regions and all market sizes indicates that quality of journalism continues to thrive in Canada. Winning an RTDNA Award of Excellence once again indicates the pinnacle of our craft on all platforms. Congratulations to everyone involved in producing the winning entries, your work is proudly part of Canadas journalistic legacy.

2018 RTDNA Awards - EAST Region Winners:

Digital

Continuing Coverage  Ron Laidlaw Award

CBC Nova Scotia, CBC Investigates: IWK Expense Scandal

Data Storytelling Award

Global Halifax, Halifax Explosion

Digital Media Award (Small/Medium Market)

NEWS957, Halifax Explosion at 100, The City Remembers

Diversity  Adrienne Clarkson Award

CBC New Brunswick, "Don't Be Racist", Moncton Students Unite When Racism Erupts at High School Football Game

Podcast Award

CBC NL, Tedwalks: Holly Hogan

Social Media Award

CBC Nova Scotia Facebook, Christopher Garnier Trial

Multiplatform



Indepth or Investigative  Dan McArthur Award

CBC New Brunswick, The Lost Children

Innovation Award

CBC New Brunswick, At Loggerheads: J.D. Irving and Other Forest Companies Take an Axe to the Longtime Marketing Board System

Radio

Continuing Coverage  Ron Laidlaw Award

VOCM, Municipal Election 2017

Long Feature (Small/Medium Market)  Dave Rogers Award

CBC Fredericton, Finding Max

News-Live Special Events  Gord Sinclair Award

NEWS957, Nova Scotia Votes 2017

Radio News Information Program  Peter Gzowski Award

CBC Prince Edward Island, Island Morning

Radio Newscast (Small/Medium Market)  Byron MacGregor Award

NEWS957, The NEWS957 Morning News

Short Feature (Small/Medium Market)  Dave Rogers Award

NEWS957, Lenore Zann Speaks Out, #metooMLA

Sound  Dick Smyth Award

CBC Prince Edward Island, Riley's Collection

Television

Breaking News  Charlie Edwards Award

NTV News, Froude Avenue Fire

Continuing Coverage  Ron Laidlaw Award

CBC Atlantic, Deep Trouble: The Perils of the Right Whale

Diversity  Adrienne Clarkson Award

CBC NL, Access Denied

Long Feature (Small/Medium Market)  Dave Rogers Award

CTV Atlantic, Mystery & Murder: The Last Public Execution in Halifax

News-Live Special Events  Gord Sinclair Award

Global Halifax, Decision Nova Scotia: Election 2017

Short Feature (Small/Medium Market)  Dave Rogers Award

Global News, Dramatic Cat Rescue

Sports Feature Reporting Award

NTV News, Little Hero, Big Champion

TV News Information Program  Trina McQueen Award

CTV Atlantic, Grand Adventure in Grand Pre: Celebrating a 400-Year Friendship

TV Newscast (Small/Medium Market)  Bert Cannings Award

CTV Atlantic, Battling the Blizzard: Weather Bomb Blankets the Maritimes

These East Region winners will now compete with winners from West, Prairie and Central regions for the best of the best, the National Awards. Those winners will be announced at the RTDNA Canada 2018 National Conference & Awards Gala. Join us May 25-26, 2018 at the Sheraton Hotel in Toronto!

For more information, please visit http://www.rtdnacanada.com/events/2018-national-conference/

About RTDNA

RTDNA Canada is the voice of electronic and digital journalists and news managers in Canada. The members of RTDNA Canada recognize the responsibility of broadcast and digital journalists to promote and to protect the freedom to report independently about matters of public interest and to present a wide range of expressions, opinions and ideas. The RTDNA Canada Journalistic Code of Ethics, adopted by the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council, is used to measure fairness and accuracy in our profession.

Become a Member: https://rtdna.wildapricot.org/joinus

Contact Information

Ian Koenigsfest

President, RTDNA Canada

president@rtdnacanada.com

Dan Appleby

Chair, East Region, RTDNA Canada

Dan.Appleby@bellmedia.ca

Jennifer Nguyen

RTDNA Canada Awards

info@rtdnacanada.com

http://www.rtdnacanada.com

Chinas navy to conduct live-fire drills in Taiwan Strait



Naval exercise billed as largest ever underscores rising tension in western Pacific



Charles Clover in Beijing and Edward White in Hong Kong





Xi Jinping, China's president, makes a speech on board the destroyer Changsha on April 12  AP





Chinas navy announced it would hold live-fire military drills in the Taiwan Strait next Wednesday amid a worsening of tension in the western Pacific region.



On Thursday night the defence ministry carried a statement from the Maritime Safety Administration of Fujian province, bordering Taiwan, warning shipping from entering the area of the exercises on April 18.



They will be the first naval manoeuvres by China in the sensitive waters since 2015, and are sure to infuriate Taiwan. They also come as Washington and Beijing engage in a tit-for-tat military build-up in the disputed South China Sea, with China installing communications jamming gear on one of its artificial island bases and the US sailing two aircraft carriers through the sea in the past two months.



The defence ministry announcement followed a large exercise by the Peoples Liberation Army Navy on Thursday and a speech by Xi Jinping, Chinas president, from the deck of a destroyer announcing the need for China would build the worlds leading naval force.



This "has never been more pressing than today" Mr Xi told officers on the deck of the Changsha, in a nationally televised speech. He then watched through binoculars as four J-15 fighter jets took off from the Liaoning, China's first and only operational aircraft carrier.



The exercise was billed by state media as the largest Chinese naval drill ever, involving 10,000 personnel, 48 ships and submarines and 76 fighter jets.



There is a good possibility that these military drills were planned many months ago, but they serve as a useful warning to Taiwan and the US not to cross Chinese red lines, said Bonnie Glaser, director of the China power project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a US think-tank. Taipei should remain calm, and not look for ways to retaliate that would ratchet up tension.



Ian Easton, a research fellow at the Project 2049 Institute, a US security think-tank, and the author of a book on the threat of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, said the drills did not amount to a major escalation.









It is a PLA attempt to use the media to inflame a sense of insecurity in Taiwan, classic political warfare, he said. Nonetheless, you can bet US and Taiwanese military intelligence will be monitoring this exercise closely, just in case there is more than meets the eye.



Taiwans president, Tsai Ing-wen, was on Friday scheduled to inspect a naval base at Suao on the islands north-east coast. While the visit was not directly linked to Chinas drills on Thursday, a senior official told the Financial Times that Ms Tsai has instructed government agencies to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of crisis management due to the growth of China's military activities and other regional security threats.



The Tsai administration is resolutely determined to accelerate the modernisation of the armed forces, the official said.



The US Navy has been steadily building its presence in the western Pacific this year. On April 10 the US aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt sailed through the South China Sea, which China claims as its territorial waters. Another aircraft carrier, the Carl Vinson, made a similar passage in February, angering Beijing.



In response, China late last month held the then largest-ever military exercises in the South China Sea with 40 ships, including the Liaoning. On April 10, US officials said China had installed communications-jamming equipment on Mischief Reef, one of the artificial islands it has built in the sea, despite repeated promises not to militarise the islands.



In another step which angered Beijing, Taiwan on April 9 announced the US had agreed to grant it a licence to buy sensitive technology so it could build its own submarines. That came just weeks after US president Donald Trump signed new legislation promoting higher level visits between Taiwan and the US.



Some commentators have also connected the timing of the Taiwan Strait exercises next week to increasing tension over Syria, and Chinese support for Russia, which has troops fighting alongside Syrian government forces there. The US has threatened to bomb Syria in response to the recent chemical weapons attack on civilians.



Chinas defence ministry has been particularly vocal about its support for Russia. On April 3, defence minister Wei Fenghe visited Moscow for a security conference and was quoted by Russian state news agency Itar-Tass as saying the Chinese side has come to show Americans the close ties between the armed forces of China and Russia, especially in this situation.



Alexander Gabuev, an expert on Russia-China relations at the Carnegie Moscow Centre, tweeted in response: This is the 1st time in many years that a senior Chinese military leader says [something] like that publicly.





Additional reporting by Ben Bland in Hong Kong(Newser)  Mitt Romney did anything but cruise to the Republican nomination for Orrin Hatch's Utah Senate seat on Saturday in what CNN calls "a wild and raucous day of voting" at the state's nominating convention. Romney, among a dozen Republicans seeking Hatch's seat, was unable to secure 60% of the votes and thus the nomination; on the second round of voting, state representative Mark Kennedy came out on top with 50.88%, with Romney nipping at his heels with 49.12%. The two will now face off in a primary on June 26; it will be the first such primary since 2010, notes the Washington Post, and sets up something of a David-vs.-Goliath race, as Romney has raised $1.68 million to Kennedy's $289,000.

story continues below

Romney has President Trump's endorsement, despite being a vocal Trump critic during the 2016 campaign, but it's not clear if that's going to be a two-way street in 2020. "As a person of political experience, if I endorse someone, I'll want to know what's in it for Utah and what help would he provide for us on key priorities in Utah," he said Saturday. The former Massachusetts governor is also being painted by Kennedy as a carpetbagger. (Read more Mitt Romney stories.)(Newser)  Florida police have raised eyebrows by showing up at a funeral home and trying to use a dead man's finger to access his phone, the Tampa Bay Times reports. Victoria Armstrong was at Sylvan Abbey Funeral Home in Clearwater when two detectives showed up and held the hands of her fiance, Linus Phillip, to the fingerprint sensor on his phone. "I just felt so disrespected and violated," Armstrong says. The unlocking attempt failed, but policewho shot and killed Phillip in a gas-station clash last month, per WFLAsay the phone's data could have helped in probing the man's death and resolving a drug inquiry that includes Phillip. The move also triggered debate about using a corpse to unlock a phone.

story continues below

"While the deceased person doesnt have a vested interest in the remains of their body, the family sure does, so it really doesnt pass the smell test," says a professor at Stetson University College of Law. "Theres a ghoulish component to it thats troubling to most people." But police say they got Phillip's phone within a 48- to 72-hour period when fingerprint access is allowed, and Florida law only states who is authorized to get rid of a dead person's remainsnot who has access to them. So this will likely go to the courts, where judges aren't always kind to the dead. "The law has been most cruel, really unforgiving to a dead person," says another law professor. "It provides no entitlement or legal rights after death to a deceased person." (Read more smartphones stories.)(Newser)  President Trump on Sunday claimed North Korea has agreed to "denuclearization" before his potential meeting with Kim Jong Un, the AP reports. But that's not the case. North Korea said Friday it would suspend nuclear tests and intercontinental ballistic missile launches ahead of summits with the US and South Korea. Kim also said a nuclear test site would be closed and "dismantled" now that the country has learned how to make nuclear weapons and mount warheads on ballistic rockets. But the North has stopped short of saying it has any intention of abandoning its nuclear arsenal, with Kim making clear that nukes remain a "treasured sword."

story continues below

Trump nonetheless tweeted Sunday that the North has "agreed to denuclearization (so great for World), site closure, & no more testing!" Being committed to the concept of denuclearization, however, is not the same as agreeing to it, as Trump claims. South Korea, which is set to meet with North Korea later this week, has said Kim has expressed genuine interest in dealing away his nuclear weapons. But the North for decades has been pushing a concept of "denuclearization" that bears no resemblance to the American definition, vowing to pursue nuclear development unless Washington removes its troops from the Korean Peninsula and the nuclear umbrella defending South Korea and Japan. Click for the whole story.

(Read more President Trump stories.)(Newser)  The family of Avicii has arrived in Oman to claim the DJ's body amid a search for answers in his as yet unexplained death. On Sunday, authorities in the Gulf state revealed that foul play has been ruled out in the case. Avicii, born Tim Bergling, was found dead while on vacation in Muscat on Friday. His parents and siblings traveled to the capital city to repatriate his body to their native Sweden, cops told CNN. The Royal Oman Police also confirmed to the network that two postmortems have taken place, though no cause of death has been revealed. The electronic dance music star, who the AP says helped pioneer the musical genre, was just 28. (Read more Avicii stories.)(Newser)  A sheriff in Illinois says Travis Reinking's state firearms card was revoked last year by state police, but his guns were given to his father with the promise that they wouldn't be shared with his son. Police in Tennessee are searching for the 29-year-old Reinking, saying he's suspected of fatally shooting four people at a Nashville restaurant early Sunday. The Metro Nashville Police Department says arrest warrants charging Reinking with murder have been issued. Police say Reinking was from Morton, Ill., but moved to Nashville in 2017. Sheriff Robert Huston in Tazewell County, Illinois says his department has "no information" on how Reinking got the weapons again. Per the AP, Huston says Reinking's father has a valid firearm ownership card, and his officers didn't believe they had any authority to seize the weapons.

story continues below

He says the father agreed to "keep the weapons secure and out of the possession of Travis. However, cops say that Reinking was armed with an assault rifle when he allegedly entered a Nashville-area Waffle House around 3:30am Sunday and killed four people before a patron managed to grab the weapon, reported ABC News. Reinking, who remained on the run as of early Sunday evening, has reportedly had run-ins with authorities before. According to the AP, he was arrested last July outside the White House complex where he'd hoped to talk to President Trump. Reinking was asked to leave the restricted area, and when he declined, Special Agent Todd Hudson in Nashville says he was arrested on a charge of unlawful entry. He was subsequently released and was later interviewed by the FBI and authorities in Tazewell County, Ill.

(Read more Waffle House stories.)Sorry!

This content is not available in your region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Fairbanks, AK (99707)

Today

Snow this evening will taper off and give way to cloudy skies late. Low 28F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 80%..

Tonight

Snow this evening will taper off and give way to cloudy skies late. Low 28F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 80%.The Daily News-Miner encourages residents to make themselves heard through the Opinion pages. Readers' letters and columns also appear online at newsminer.com. Contact the editor with questions at letters@newsminer.com or call 459-7574.

Community Perspective

Send Community Perspective submissions by mail (P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks AK 99707) or via email (letters@newsminer.com). Submissions must be 500 to 750 words. Columns are welcome on a wide range of issues and should be well-written and well-researched with attribution of sources. Include a full name, email address, daytime telephone number and headshot photograph suitable for publication (email jpg or tiff files at 150 dpi.) You may also schedule a photo to be taken at the News-Miner office. The News-Miner reserves the right to edit submissions or to reject those of poor quality or taste without consulting the writer.

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Send letters to the editor by mail (P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks AK 99707), by fax (907-452-7917) or via email (letters@newsminer.com). Writers are limited to one letter every two weeks (14 days.) All letters must contain no more than 350 words and include a full name (no abbreviation), daytime and evening phone numbers and physical address. (If no phone, then provide a mailing address or email address.) The Daily News-Miner reserves the right to edit or reject letters without consulting the writer.New Delhi:

German automaker BMW on Friday released a teaser of its upcoming electric iX3 ahead of its launch at the Beijing Motor Show 2018 on April 25.

The new iX3 is the electrical version of the companys very popular X3 SUV.

The teaser revealed, however, does not announce much about the electric auto, but it shows the front grille and the much-known fact that it will feature the fifth-generation electric powertrain established by the company.

Apart from the front grille, the teaser also showcased the twin exhaust for the plug-in charge port. The company plans to compete with the likes of Audi e-Tron and the Jaguar I-Pace with the new iX3.

The company tweeted "Something exciting is coming. Stay tuned for the Auto China Beijing 2018! #BMWBeijing @BMWi #BMWi"

The iX3 electric SUV joins the likes of the BMW i4, which was showcased at the Geneva Motor Show in the month of March. The group will offer all-electric vehicles with a range of up to 700 kms and plug-in hybrids with an electrical range of up to 100 kms.

Also Read: Volkswagen introduces Polo VRS at 2018 Indonesia International Motor Show

Over the course of the year, we will present a number of pure-electric concept vehicles that will all go into series production, like: The first all-electric BMW  the iX3. Our new technology flagship, the BMW iNEXT, the captivating BMW i Vision Dynamics, which I just announced in Geneva as the BMW i4. We will produce both the iNEXT and the BMW i4 in Germany, said Harald Kruger, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG.

BMW has confirmed that the iX3 SUV will go on sale globally in 2020. Starting 2020, BMW is also confident that the company will be able to fit all model series with any type of drivetrain. "There is more to come: In 2020, BMW will launch the iX3. More on that soon at the auto show in Beijing. 2019 will see the first pure electric MINI. The first MINI plug-in hybrid  the Countryman  is already proving very popular. As an urban brand, MINI is practically made for e-mobility," Kruger added.New Delhi:

Hollywood actor Verne Troyer, who played the role of as Mini-Me in the popular franchise Austin Powers, left for his heavenly abode on Saturday. He was 49.

Verneas representatives posted a statement on his official Instagram account which said that The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus actor passed away on Saturday.

No cause of death was mentioned in the statement, but it described Verne Troyer as a fighter when it comes to fighting the battles.

aaHe inspired people around the world with his drive, determination, and attitude. On film & television sets, commercial shoots, at comic-conas & personal appearances, to his own YouTube videos, he was there to show everyone what he was capable of doing. Even though his stature was small and his parents often wondered if head be able to reach up and open doors on his own in his life, he went on to open more doors for himself and others than anyone could have imagined. He also touched more peopleas hearts than he will ever knowaa, the statement read.

Popular actress Marlee Matlin took to Twitter to mourn the death of the talented actor.

So sad to read of the passing of Verne Troyer. A lovely smile with a caring and big heart, he helped raise money on behalf of @starkeycares for free hearing aids for deaf and hard of hearing people. RIP pic.twitter.com/pgA91tWPo6 a Marlee Matlin (@MarleeMatlin) April 21, 2018

WWE superstar The Miz, who was involved in a segment with the actor on RAW, mourned Verne Troyer's death.

Gonna miss #VerneTroyer Thanks for the laughs. Rest in peace bud. pic.twitter.com/XlxkpL7jlX a The Miz (@mikethemiz) April 22, 2018

Several other celebrities alsoA also reacted to the sudden demise of theA Harry Potter and the Philosopher's StoneA actor.

So sad to hear that my friend @VerneTroyer has passed away. We shared a mutual respect for each otheras work, and I always admired his good humour and lovely nature in the face of adversity. Now, for the first time, heall be looking down on us all, and laughing! #RIPVerneTroyer pic.twitter.com/vLGwpWTYpE a Warwick Davis (@WarwickADavis) April 22, 2018

Thanks for all the laughs, generosity and heartfelt support, @VerneTroyer; I will always be a big fan, and it was a huge honor when you bought my used shoes and skateboard at our @THF auction. pic.twitter.com/hv1F2LLpjd a Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) April 21, 2018

For all the Latest Entertainment News, Hollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

An Air India flight from Amritsar to New Delhi with over 240 air passengers on Thursday experienced commotion soon after the flight took off from Amritsar.

The turbulence left at least three people with minor injuries and caused a window panel inside the aircraft to break away, said four airline officials.

Apart from Air India, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (AAIB) are probing the incident which occurred on April 19, one of the officials said.

The duration of Amritsar-Delhi flight is about 35 minutes and on April 19, the flight was full with over 240 passengers, another official said.

The officials said the flight experienced turbulence soon after take-off when the altitude was around 15,000 feet due to bad weather.

At least three passengers had minor injuries and were given first aid after landing at the Delhi airport. Later, they took their connecting flights for onward journey. A window panel inside the plane also came off when the flight experienced turbulence, the officials said.

Also Read| Maharashtra: 14 Naxals killed in police encounter in Gadchiroli, search operation underway

According to the officials, the turbulence continued for around 10-12 minutes.

There was no official statement from Air India about the incident.

A purported 50-second long video clip of happenings inside that flight showed an air hostess trying to fix the window panel that came off and pacifying an elderly woman passenger seated on that particular window seat.

The video clip was circulated in WhatsApp groups and other social media platforms.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

In a massive anti-Naxal operation, Maharashtra police on Sunday killed at least 16 Naxals in an encounter in Gadchiroli district.

Gadchiroli is one of the worst Naxal-hit areas of Maharashtra and the police had launched a massive manhunt to nab the Naxalites.

According to the sources, the Naxals started firing at the police team, which retaliated in a befitting manner. During the retaliation, 16 were killed while few others injured.

Naxalites are considered one of the biggest internal security threats in India. Earlier on April 3, police killed three Naxals, including a high-ranking cadre, inA South Gadchiroli.

TheA movement of Naxalites in South Gadchiroli had been crippled since December 2017. The Naxalites have lost 25 of their cadres in last 5 months.

Maharashtra: 13 naxals killed in an encounter with police in Etapalli's Boriya forest area in Gadchiroli district. pic.twitter.com/3RnO5nR7cH a ANI (@ANI) April 22, 2018

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.Ahmedabad:

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday alleged that Pakistan was trying to 'break up India' by helping terrorists sneak into the country, but the Armed Forces are giving it a befitting reply.

Addressing a gathering at Diu in the Union Territory of Daman and Diu, Singh said, "all our neighbours are good, except one".

"We want to maintain good relations with all our neighbours. Our sages said the whole world is one family....We accept our neighbours as friends. All neighbours are good except one which does not agree. You know which one," he said, alluding to Pakistan.

"If (this neighbour is) not agreeing with us today, it will have to do so tomorrow. The entire international fraternity is putting pressure on it to leave the path of terrorism. It is helping terrorists sneak into India, conspiring to break up India despite being a neighbour. It should look at its own weaknesses," Singh said.

He lauded the armed forces for giving a 'befitting reply' to terrorists.

"We told the Border Security Force in September 2014 itself that we should maintain good relations with neighbours, and also with Pakistan because it is our neighbour.

Also Read | Union Cabinet approves death penalty for rapists of children below 12 years

I told the BSF and armed forces not to fire the first bullet, but when the other side fires, don't count how many bullets you fire (in retaliation)," he said to a cheering crowd.

Singh was here to inaugurate various projects. Diu will soon become a Smart City with the Centre allocating Rs 1,400 crore for its development, he said.

India cannot become a developed country until all states develop equally, "irrespective of whether they are big or small, or which party is ruling them", Singh said.

"This is why we have a federal structure, and our government is moving ahead with this idea," he said.

He also mentioned the Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill, the ordinance of which has been approved by the Cabinet.

"The opposition blames us, saying `they (fraudsters) fled abroad, Nirav (Modi), Choksi.... I say this happened even before (the BJP came to power). The question is what the government is doing now. Our government has prepared a bill, Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill.

Also Read | Death Penalty for Child Rapists: A small step in the right direction

"If an absconder, however big he is, flees India, his property was not seized earlier. Now with this Bill, his entire property will be seized," the Union home minister said.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

To improve the strained ties between the South Asian powers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold an informal summit from April 27 to 28 in China.

In a joint press briefing with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Chinas Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday announced that Modi would visit the central Chinese city Wuhan at the invitation of President Xi.

According to the sources, Modi and XI will try to work out a new paradigm for the bilateral ties bogged down with a host of border disputes.

This will be the fourth visit of Modi to China after he came to power in 2014. He is again due to visit China to take part in the SCO summit to be held at Qingdao city on June 9-10.

Swaraj is in China to take part in the two-day meeting of Foreign Ministers of the eight-nation Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) for the first time.

On behalf of the Chinese side, I once again offer congratulations to India becoming a member of SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation)) & express a warm welcome to the minister for representing India for the 1st time in SCO foreign ministers meeting, Yi said.

China agrees to share data on Sutlej and Brahmaputra rivers in 2018

Following the months-long Doklam standoff, China had stopped sharing water data on Sutlej and Brahmaputra rivers.

But now the country has once again confirmed data sharing on both Sutlej and Brahmaputra rivers in 2018.

China has confirmed data sharing on Sutlej and Brahmaputra rivers in 2018. As it directly affects lives of people living there we welcome this, Swaraj said.

The dragon has also agreed to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through Nathu La pass in 2018.

We (India-China) agreed to work together on issues like terrorism, climate change, sustainable development, global healthcare etc, EAM Swaraj said.

(With inputs from agencies)

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

A day after the Union Cabinets approval, President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday promulgated an ordinance to amend the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, which allows death penalty to those found guilty of raping children below 12 years of age.

Early on Saturday, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved a number of measures to amend the POCSO Act.

The new amendments included death penalty to those convicted of raping a minor below 12 years of age and stringent punishment for perpetrators found guilty of raping girls below 16 years.

Talking about the latest development, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said, "This is a historic decision by the cabinet."

"Such a law is needed to punish people who commit such heinous crimes. This decision has been welcomed unanimously," Singh added.

This is a historic decision by the cabinet, such a law is needed to punish people who commit such heinous crimes. This decision has been welcomed unanimously: HM Rajnath Singh on ordinance to amend POCSO act pic.twitter.com/A0lEDKKjug  ANI (@ANI) April 22, 2018

The government has also decided to put in place measures for speedy investigation and trial of rape cases.

The minimum punishment for rape will now be life imprisonment as opposed to rigorous imprisonment of seven-10 years earlier.

Also Read | Death Penalty for Child Rapists: A small step in the right direction

In case of rape of a girl under 16 years, the minimum punishment has been increased from 10 years to 20 years, extendable to imprisonment for rest of his life.

President #RamNathKovind promulgates the ordinance to amend POCSO act(death sentence to those found guilty of raping a child below 12 years of age) pic.twitter.com/AryWHQy4Mt  ANI (@ANI) April 22, 2018

The decision has been taken against the backdrop of the rape and murder of an eight-year-old in Jammu and Kashmirs Kathua. The alleged rape of a minor in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao is among other instances. In yet another heart-shivering incident, an eight-year-old was raped and tortured to death in Gujarat's Surat.

Also Read | Union Cabinet approves death penalty for rapists of children below 12 years

As per the latest figure, released by the government, a child is sexually abused every 15 minutes in India. Uttar Pradesh tops the chart with around 15% crime against minors in the country.

However, the Supreme Court's three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra along with Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud, fixed the POCSO Act matter for further hearing on April 27.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday warned the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators and told them to take care before making any irresponsible statement in front of the media.

The prime minister, who was addressing the lawmakers via a video conference call using the Narendra Modi app, asked the BJP MPs and MLAs across the country to avoid making foot-in-mouth remarks on every issue.

He warned all the legislators and said not to make any ill-informed statements which could later be used by the media and urged the leaders to use social media instead to connect with the people.

PM Modi elicits how it has been BJPs connect with people and not mistakes of the Congress party which brought BJP to power in his address to BJP MPs and MLAs through Narendra Modi App. pic.twitter.com/pYuMfpv9Tx  BJP (@BJP4India) April 22, 2018

We commit mistakes and give masala to media. The moment we see a camera, we jump to make a statement as if we are great social scientists or experts ... and then these ill-informed statements are used by media. It is not the media's fault, Modi said via the video conference.

Also Read: Rapes unfortunate but cant be stopped, says Modis Minister Santosh Gangwar

PM Modis statements sternly came after Minister of State for Finance Santosh Gangwar said while commenting on the recent heated Kathua and Unnao rape case. Such incidents (rape cases) are unfortunate. However, sometimes you can't stop them. Government is vigilant everywhere, investigations are being conducted. In a nation as big as India, one or two incidents of rape should not be hyped, news agency ANI quoted Gangwar as saying.

Aisi ghatnaye(rape cases) durbhagyapurn hoti hain,par kabhi kabhi roka nahi ja sakta hai.Sarkar sakriya hai sab jagah ,karyavahi kar rahi hai.Itne bade desh mein ek do ghatna ho jaye to baat ka batangad nahi banana chahiye: Santosh Gangwar,Union Minister pic.twitter.com/yy3JJQQ4oz  ANI (@ANI) April 22, 2018

Modi also asked the representatives to try and expand their outreach among the people of the country. He also said that it was not because of any weakness in Congress, but BJPs grassroots level outreach efforts that had brought the party vast majority in 2014.

While addressing the leaders of the party, Modi said that their connection with the people has made a positive change by ensuring that the schemes launched by the party reach the masses, along with the concerns of the people reaching the lawmakers.

PM Modi also asserted on the need to focus on skill development during the one-hour long interaction and highlighted the benefit of the Mudra Yojana. He said, Women in self-help groups are coming up with new employment opportunities in various sectors.

On the recently launched Ayushman Bharat scheme, Modi said, The government wants to establish wellness centres for villages, so that people can avail the best healthcare facilities. The government is focusing on education to children, opportunities for youth and medicine for elderly.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

While President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday promulgated an ordinance to amend the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, Union Minister Santosh Gangwar made an insensitive remark about rapes.

Gangwar, who holds the charge of Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Labour and Employment, said that in a big nation like India, rapes cant be stopped and such cases should not be given hype.

"Such incidents (rape cases) are unfortunate. However, sometimes you can't stop them. Government is vigilant everywhere, investigations are being conducted. In a nation as big as India, one or two incidents of rape should not be hyped, Gangwar told ANI.

The statement from the Union minister came hours after President Kovind promulgated an ordinance to amend the POCSO Act, which allows courts to grant death penalty to those found guilty of raping children below 12 years of age.

Early on Saturday, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved a number of measures to amend the POCSO Act.

The new amendments included death penalty to those convicted of raping a minor below 12 years of age and stringent punishment for perpetrators found guilty of raping girls below 16 years.

Also Read | President Ram Nath Kovind signs ordinance to award death penalty to child rapists

Gangwar was not the only ruling party leader who made controversial remarks about rapes.

Earlier, BJP MLA from Uttar Pradesh's Bairia, Surendra Singh faced peoples backlash for his remarks in favour of Unnao Rape accused and his colleague Kuldeep Singh Sengar.

I am speaking from a psychological point of view; no one can rape a mother of three children. It is not possible, this is a conspiracy against him (Kuldeep Singh Sengar), news agency ANI quoted Singh as saying.

Yes maybe her father was thrashed by some people but I refuse to believe rape charge, he added.

Sengar, a BJP MLA from Uttar Pradesh's Bangarmau constituency, had allegedly raped a 17-year-old girl in June 2017.

Earlier this month, he was arrested by CBI after the victim attempted suicide outside Yogi Adityanaths house and her father died in police custody while fighting to get his daughter justice.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who embarked on her two-nation visit to China and Mongolia on Saturday, will hold no bilateral meeting with her Pakistani counterpart Khawaja Muhammad Asif on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in China, say official sources.

Swaraj is scheduled to take part in a ministerial-level meeting of the SCO on April 24. She will set the tone for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to China.

Meanwhile, on the same day, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will participate in the meeting of foreign defence ministers of SCO. India became a full member of the SCO in 2017.

Several ministers from Pakistan are expected to attend both the events.

On a related note, PM Modi, who attended the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London, did not interact with his Pakistani counterpart on the sidelines of CHOGM.

Read | Pakistan conspiring to break up India, says Rajnath Singh

Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was present to lead his delegation in CHOGM 2018.

However, Swaraj will also hold bilateral talks with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, besides similar talks with some other members of the SCO.

Delhi: EAM Sushma Swaraj departs for visit to China & Mongolia from 21 to 26 April. pic.twitter.com/KUDLyGCvYf  ANI (@ANI) April 21, 2018

Post that, Swaraj will depart for Mongolia on Tuesday. She will be in Mongolia from April 24 to April 25.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

A naked gunman on Sunday shot dead four people and wounded at least 6 more at a Waffle House restaurant in landlocked US state of Tennessee.

The incident took place at around 3:25 am when a man wearing nothing but a green jacket stormed the restaurant in Antioch, part of the Nashville area.

The gunmen later removed his jacket and continued firing indiscriminately, Metro Nashville Police said.

"A patron wrestled away the gunman's rifle. He was nude & fled on foot. He is a white man with short hair," authorities said.

According to the police, the person of interest in the Waffle House shooting was identified as 29-year-old Travis Reinking, a resident of Morton, IL.

"Travis Reinking, 29, of Morton, IL, is person of interest in Waffle House shooting," Metro Nashville PD tweeted.

Vehicle the gunman arrived in is registered to him. Gunman last seen walking south on Murfreesboro Pike. He shed is coat and is nude. See Reinking? Pls call 615-862-8600 immediately, the tweet further read.

So far, the motive of the shooting was not cleared but the police suspect it to be a random one.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.A summer-like spell of hot weather has gripped Japan, with temperatures soaring above 30 degrees Celsius across the country.

The Meteorological Agency says clear skies prevailed nationwide on Saturday due to a high pressure system over the Japanese archipelago. It adds that warm southerly winds blew into areas along the Sea of Japan coast and elsewhere.

Daytime highs hit 32.1 degrees in Kawamoto Town in the western prefecture of Shimane, and 31.8 degrees in both Toyooka City in the western prefecture of Hyogo and Marumori Town in the northeastern prefecture of Miyagi.

Temperatures topped 30 degrees at 27 observation points from northeastern to southwestern Japan.

Record-high temperatures for the month of April were recorded at 19 points.

More hot weather is forecast for Sunday. The daytime high in central Tokyo will likely hit 28 degrees, the highest this year.

The Meteorological Agency is advising people to drink plenty of fluids to prevent heatstroke.Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Saturday praised North Korea's decisions to stop nuclear testing and test-firing of intercontinental ballistic missiles, and abolish its nuclear test site in the northern part of the country.

"We want to welcome the decisions as a positive move," Abe told reporters in Tokyo.

"We'll closely watch if the move will lead to the complete, verifiable and irreversible abandonment of North Korea's nuclear arms, weapons of mass destruction and missiles," he said, urging Pyongyang to take concrete actions.

The North Korean decisions were made at the Third Plenary Meeting of the Workers' Party of Korea's Seventh Central Committee on Friday, according to a report by the country's state-run Korean Central News Agency on Saturday.

On Tokyo's response, Abe said that Japan and the United States have fully discussed how to deal with possible changes in North Korea's policy. "Based on the discussions, Japan plans to handle the situation (bilaterally) with the United States and (trilaterally) with the United States and South Korea," he added.The Tokyo Summary Court ordered a former taxi driver to pay a fine of 300,000 yen for stalking actress Momoko Kikuchi at her residence, reports TV Asahi

On Friday, the court ordered Hiromitsu Iizuka, a 56-year-old resident of Adachi Ward, to pay the fine for visiting the property of Kikuchi in December of last year and this past March and attempting to contact her through the intercom.

aThere were various things I wanted to talk about with her,a the suspect was quoted by the Ikebukuro Police Station in admitting to the allegations.

The driver is believed to have learned the whereabouts of Kikuchias residence after driving her home last fall. After the stalking started, the agency of Kikuchi contacted police about the stalking of Iizuka. This year, police issued a warning to the suspect.

On March 31, officers apprehended Iizuka after they noticed a post on Twitter from him in which he said that he was going to visit Kikuchias residence.A 58-year-old man was stabbed in the back as he walked home in Nagareyama, Chiba Prefecture, police said Saturday.

The incident occurred at around 6:40 p.m. on Friday, Fuji TV reported. The victim, Toshiaki Hara, a company employee, was on his way home when a man came up behind him and stabbed him in the left side of his back. The assailant fled on a bicycle, according to a witness.

Immediately after the attack, Hara was able to call police but then collapsed and fell unconscious. He was taken to hospital where he was in a stable condition Saturday, police said.

Police said they are examining street surveillance camera footage to try and identify the attacker and the bicycle.Osaka has been considered something of a pioneer in LGBT rights in Japan. Back in 2013, Yodogawa Ward was the first government body in the country to officially declare support for LGBT communities. While merely a symbolic gesture at first, it has spread into a larger movement of sensitivity that now includes all wards in Osaka.

Sweeping regulations have been made in efforts to accommodate all lifestyles in municipal affairs such as filling out applications that require gender and training staff to be open to a wider range of needs from all citizens.

Among all these changes, the city had decided to affix a rainbow flag marker and message that LGBT people were welcome to use their Kamutoteki Toilets or amultipurpose restrooms.a These are single-person restrooms designed to accommodate men, women, people with babies, people in wheelchairsa pretty much anyone who would need to use a toilet or change a diaper.

Wikipedia

By the beginning of this year, these rainbow signs could be seen on about 240 restrooms in public spaces around Osaka. However on 20 April, Osaka announced that the signs would no longer be used after they had received complaints from LGBT groups.

At first I thought I could see why: although their hearts seemed to be in the right place, there was something weird and tone-deaf about declaring a toilet available to a group of people it had already been available to. It would be like McDonaldas starting a campaign with the slogan: aLGBT can eat our Big Macs!a

But it turned out I was wrong. According to city officials, LGBT groups complained that by placing the rainbow marks on certain toilets, members of those communities would feel as if they were being identified as such by their choice of restrooms.Tokyo Metropolitan Police have re-arrested a 30-year-old actor in the aKamen Ridera television series for molesting a second woman in Setagaya Ward last month, reports Jiji Press

In the second case, Tsunenori Aoki, 30, who appeared as the character Ryoma Sengoku in aKamen Rider Gaim,a allegedly pushed down the woman, aged in her 30s, on a road in the Taishido area at around 1:30 a.m. on March 4. He then reached under her skirt with his right hand.

Aoki, who has been accused of attempted indecent assault, told the Setagaya Police Station that he was drunk at the time and does not recall the incident.

On April 5, police first arrested Aoki over the alleged indecent assault resulting in injury of another woman in the same area at around the same time.

Aoki became a person of interest for police after an examination of security camera footage taken in the area. He is suspected in two other cases in involving other women that took place that same day.Tokyo Metropolitan Police arrested a member of a comedy duo over illicit filming of a woman at a subway station the day before the unit broke up, reports Nippon News Network.

On the afternoon of April 21, Shoichi Suesugu, a 29-year-old member of Devil Pomeranian, allegedly used a smartphone to film up the skirt of a woman, aged in her 20s, at Akebonobashi Station in Shinjuku Ward.

After the woman noticed Susesugu behaving suspiciously, she alerted police. The suspect, who was later accused of violating a public nuisance ordinance, admitted to the allegations.

A representative of Yoshimoto Kogyo, which represents Devil Pomeranian, said that it was in the process of confirming the facts of the case. The duo was scheduled to cease activities after a performance scheduled for April 22.ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- State lawmakers in New York are examining a legislative proposal to give terminally ill people the right to seek life-ending medication from their physician.

The Assembly's Health Committee is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the measure Monday in Albany. A second hearing is planned for May 3 in New York City.

A proposal now before lawmakers would require two doctors to sign off on the use of life-ending medication. It has been proposed for years but has yet to receive a vote in the Legislature.

Colorado, Washington, Vermont, California, Oregon and Washington, D.C., have laws allowing people to seek a doctor's help in ending their life.In what is becoming a weekly sordid ritual, 61 persons were, over the weekend, killed in separate dastardly incidents in Benue and Zamfa...

In what is becoming a weekly sordid ritual, 61 persons were, over the weekend, killed in separate dastardly incidents in Benue and Zamfara States. Whereas 31persons, mostly women and children, lost their lives in six communities of Guma Local Government Area of Benue State in the hands of suspected herdsmen, another 30 were massacred in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State, by suspected gunmen.It was gathered that 25 persons were killed in coordinated attacks on Tse-Abi, Tse-Ginde, Tse-Peviv, Tse-Ikyo, Agenke and Gbenke communities of Unzughul, Saghev Council Ward in Guma; the killings were said to have commenced from late Friday to the early hours of Saturday. 82 houses were razed by the herdsmen during their orgy of killings in the affected areas of Benue State. Still in Benue, a bloody clash of rival political and cult groups in Otukpo Local Government Area of the state, accounted for six of the deceased 31.An eye witness to the Zamfara killings, Mr Shuaibu Kabaro, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maru, that the suspected gunmen attacked the two communities and the incident was immediately reported to the security agents. He said three of the bandits were arrested by security agents following the prompt report of the incident to the security personnel. Benue killings According to a resident of one of the affected communities, some of the invaders who stormed the communities were dressed in military fatigue and armed with sophisticated weapons. They came around 10pm and started shooting sporadically, killing people and razing houses and hurts in the communities. People ran for their lives but many, especially women and children, could not escape the rage of the assailants. While some were butchered, several others were gunned down in cold blood  including two children of a Makurdi-based pastor who traveled home for holidays. After the attack, the invaders as usual retreated. It is a sorry sight in the communities, scores sustained injuries, many of the houses are still burning as I speak with you. The invaders also looted the valuables and food of their helpless victims.The Benue State Government, in a statement through the Chief Press Secretary, CPS, to the Governor, Mr. Terver Akase confirmed the attack. The statement read in part, I can confirm that herdsmen last night and earlier today invaded Saghev Ward of Guma Local Gvernment Area, killing many innocent persons. 10 corpses have so far been recovered with many still missing and scores injured. The armed herdsmen also burnt numerous houses, shops and other property in the area. This mindless attack was unprovoked, and we urge security agencies to arrest the herdsmen behind the killings for prosecution. Meanwhile, the Mdzough U Tiv, MUT, a socio-cultural organisation of Tiv speaking people in the country has again alleged that the governor of a neighbouring state, had provided a safe haven for militant herdsmen from where they launch attacks on defenseless Tiv indigenes of both Nasarawa and Benue States. In a statement signed by the President General of MUT, Chief Edward Ujege, and the Secretary General, Dr. Boniface Ukende, lamented that the said governor had done nothing to check the relentless attacks.The statement read, MUT can authoritatively reveal that between 15th, 19th of April 2018, the herdsmen invaded Tiv villages in Awe, Obi, Keana, Dome and Lafia Local Government Areas of Nasarawa State and killed over 75 Tiv people and ransacked villages and displaced over 100,000 Tiv people. It can be recalled that in January, 2018, it was made public that herdsmen were harbored in TUNGA settlement in Awe Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. This was later confirmed by security agents when their kingpin was arrested in Tunga. Currently we are informed that the herdsmen that recently attacked and killed over 75 Tiv people are accommodated in Adudu in Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. They have made Adudu their second base from where they spring to unleash terror on defenseless indigenous Tiv people of Nasarawa and Benue States.In consequence therefore, the herdsmen have taken over and occupied Tiv houses unchecked and where they cannot for want of number they set such abandoned properties ablaze. We call on all well meaning Nigerians, the National Assembly, National Human Rights Commission and International Community to urgently wade into this issue. Meanwhile there were conflicting accounts on the murder of six persons in Otukpo local government at the weekend. A source in the town allegedly linked the crisis leading to the murder of the victims to the caucus meeting of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Benue South, held in the town.Another account linked the killings to a rival bloody cult fight which also left scores injured. In a statement exonerating his party from the crisis, the APC Director of Publicity, Peter Apeh, told newsmen on phone that there were no fracas, not to talk of killing during the caucus meeting of the party in Benue South last Friday contrary to speculations that the incumbent state chairman, Abba Yaro, brought in thugs to manhandle his political opponents. Apeh, however, alleged that The thing was said to have started from Thursday. I heard that boys, rival cult boys were moving from street to street killing people. It was not like it happened at the venue of our meeting. I also heard rumours that it was the state chairman that instigated it.How can somebody that has been endorsed instigate such? Abba Yaro is such a man that will not stoop low to indulge in such activity. If there was anything of such, it might have been caused by the an aspirant. When contacted, the Benue state Police Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent, ASP, Moses Yamu, said he was yet to get details of the incidents.30 killed again in ZamfaraThe eye witness to the Zamfara massacre said, the gunmen, in turn went and mobilised more gang members and returned in multitude to carry out the attack which left about 30 dead and many others injured in the two communities. The Maru Local Government Council Chairman, Alhaji Salisu Dangulbi, and the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Mohammed Shehu, both confirmed the killings. According to them, many of the villagers deserted their homes for fear of further attacks which has now become the modus operandi of the gunmen. The duo said, with the presence of security personnel now in the area however, many of the villagers have started to return home.The PPRO further explained that units of mobile police working with the military and other security agents were immediately mobilised to the affected areas, adding that peace and normalcy have since been restored. The police spokesman, however, said that the actual number of those killed was still being worked on and until this is done, l cannot give you actual figure at the moment. (NAN)The Anambra Police Command says it has arrested three masqueraders for allegedly disrupting a church programme on Friday night at Uke, ...

The Anambra Police Command says it has arrested three masqueraders for allegedly disrupting a church programme on Friday night at Uke, Idemili North Local Government Area of the state.The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mrs Nkeiruka Nwode, told newsmen on Saturday in Awka that the suspects attacked worshipers at the Holy Ghost Adoration Ministry, Uke.Three masqueraders have been arrested in connection with the church attack. We have commenced investigation into the cause of the incident and would notify you when concluded, Nwode said.The masqueraders were celebrating a festival known as Uzo Iyi festival.Nwode, however, denied that the masqueraders attacked the police officers from Special Anti Robbery Squad, who responded to calls on the breach of peace.It was gathered that about 10 masqueraders invaded the church, assaulted the worshipers and attempted to whisk away the spiritual director of the centre, Rev. Fr Emmanuel Obinna, but for the quick response of the police.A witness said the leadership of the church called the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the police to help their internal security to protect worshipers.On arrival, the operatives arrested three masqueraders, who were involved in the attack, but their colleagues attempted to stop them from taking the arrested masqueraders away, prompting SARS operatives to shoot sporadically into the air before taking them away, the source saidThe Personal Assistant to the spiritual director of the centre, Mr Francis Okoye, told journalists that a Catholic Priest, Rev Fr. Henry Nnajiofor, a seminarian and 28 others were injured during the attack on the worshipers.The normal masquerade activities in Uke, to the best of my knowledge, ends by 6 p.m but as at 8 p.m on Friday, the masqueraders were still parading at the entrance route of Uke Adoration ground, extorting money from our members and robbing others in the guise of masquerade festival.As at 8.30 p.m, we started receiving information that some masqueraders were attacking our members, flogging them and inflicting injuries.They flogged some of them, stabbed some with their weapons including machetes, while others were robbed of their mobile phones and other valuables.We quickly contacted the SARS office to assist our Adoration security team, who could not handle the situation at that point in time.When SARS arrived an hour later, they arrested two masqueraders but on their way back, the youths blocked the road and insisted that the masqueraders must be released; that was when SARS officials fired shots in the air to disperse them.When SARS left, they re-grouped and this time came in their numbers to the Adoration premises, beating everybody including the elderly, the sick and pregnant women.Our Adoration youths, in defence, pursued them and arrested one other masquerader, who stayed in the Adoration ground with us until this morning when we handed him over to the officials of the Nigerian Army, who came to our rescue.The Police are still working round the clock to arrest the eight men who, on Wednesday, stormed the Senate chamber and ran away with the...

The Police are still working round the clock to arrest the eight men who, on Wednesday, stormed the Senate chamber and ran away with the mace.The suspects were allegedly brought to Abuja from Delta State.A monitoring committee raised by the Inspector-General of Police to probe the matter has retrieved the video clips of the invasion for analysis.It is expected that the video clips will assist in tracking down the suspects.The monitoring committee is headed by a Commissioner of Police.Although the National Assembly has a Close Circuit TV (CCTV) system, it was unclear yesterday if the device was working at the time of the incident.The committee may be required to give its opinion on the CCTV system as part of its findings.A female Sergeant-at-arms, Sandra Davou, who was injured in the process of resisting the hoodlums and was subsequently hospitalized, has recovered.She was let home on Friday.Sandra was slapped, beaten, and pushed to the floor and chairs smashed on her head.The Senate is insisting that the culprits be brought to book.The Nation gathered in Abuja yesterday that detectives are on the trail of the suspects.Heads of security units in the National Assembly may be quizzed by the police in the course of the ongoing investigation.A source said yesterday that the police are determined to get to the root of the invasion.The Monitoring Committee has retrieved video clips of the invasion and a forensic analysis will be done accordingly to identify the culprits, the source said.The team might also review the CCTV in the National Assembly if it was functional at that time. Some heads of security units and Sergeant-at-arms are expected to interact with the police investigators.A principal officer in the Senate said the Red Chambers expects that having made our position known to the Presidency, it must fish out the suspects. Anything short of arrest of the suspects will not augur well for the Executive-Legislature relationship.Some Nigerians have done well by providing information on some of the suspects. Their list was all over the Internet based on the video and photographs of the incident. There were even photographs of some of the suspects in chains which were widely circulated.So, left to me, Nigerians and the media have done 50 per cent of the job for the police. We expect swift investigation or else we will be sending a wrong signal to the outside world.Sergeant-at-arms Sandra Davou is now celebrated as a heroine in the National Assembly following her confrontation with the hoodlums.An eye witness to the incident said: When the thugs invaded the chamber, she confronted them. But she was slapped, beaten, and pushed to the floor with chairs smashed on her head.She fought gallantly but the thugs overwhelmed her. She has been discharged from hospital. We are all expecting her on duty from next week.Senate President Bukola Saraki who was on an official assignment in the United States of America (USA) during the attack is now back in the county.He has since been briefed about the situation and he has taken charge, a ranking Senator said yesterday.He added: The appropriate response of the Senate to the invasion and theft of the mace will be known from this week.The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu had spoken with the media on Wednesday after briefing Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.He said: For us its a threat to our democracy, the invasion of the parliament is not acceptable to any person, its not acceptable to me, its not acceptable to the VP, its not acceptable to my colleagues, I believe its not also acceptable to the president. So, those who acted this script must be on their own.All we need to do as a country is to ensure that this is forestalled, and I want to appeal to the media to help us discourage this kind of brigandage so that people have to behave in a very responsible manner.Police is still investigating, we are going to find out the details of those who aided him to come in and then some of them, I believe, have been arrested and we will get to the root of the matter.It's a moment everyone dreads: That sinking feeling that something's missing from your luggage.

Maybe your laptop's gone, or that camera you take everywhere, or that piece of jewelry you knew you shouldn't pack into your checked baggage. Your mind races through everything you did that day, from grabbing coffee to getting off the plane. But you're sure you had it in your bag.

It's a terrible situation. And, data shows, it's about to get much worse.

An NJ Advance Media analysis of seven years of lost or damaged item claims filed at the nation's 15 busiest airports, including Newark Liberty International, found the Transportation Security Administration is far more likely to reject travelers' requests for reimbursement than pay out.

Of the 34,127 claims filed at these airports from 2010 to 2017, almost 41 percent -- or four out of every 10 requests -- were denied. In contrast, about 26 percent were approved for payment or settled for a lesser amount. About 13 percent were under review, and the rest had been canceled.

Critics say the TSA takes an overly harsh approach, often claiming it can't find evidence that it was responsible for the loss or damage. And the agency continues to deny the problem of theft at airports, they say, though there's few other explanations for the losses.

"This is an agency that has a transparency problem," said Paul Hudson, president of Flyers Rights, a non-profit advocacy organization and a member of the FAA Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee differed. "The problem of theft is well documented and there have been people who have been arrested. So a denial is not credible."

Michelle Negron, a spokeswoman for the TSA, said claims are denied "when the evidence does not support a finding that TSA was responsible for the loss or damage."

Claims typically take 60 to 90 days, though they can take longer if they are more complex, Negron said. If you haven't heard anything by six months, she said, the claim can be considered denied and you can take the agency to federal court.

As for theft?

"For nearly all these claims, TSA has no evidence supporting a finding that the loss was due to theft," Negron said. "TSA does not tolerate theft or other improper or criminal behavior by its employees. When theft is suspected, it is reported to law enforcement. TSA aggressively investigates all allegations of misconduct and, when infractions are discovered, moves swiftly to end the federal careers of the offenders."

She added that there are hidden security cameras in all TSA screening areas.

So how are so many items disappearing from people's bags?

About 60 percent of all the claims at these airports related to property loss. In Newark, 1,232 of the claims involved property loss from checked baggage. Most cases of loss or damage involved checked baggage, followed by alleged loss at security screening checkpoints.

Of the items that went missing, baggage/cases/purses were the most common, followed by computers, clothing, jewelry and watches. At security checkpoints, computers, personal electronics, jewelry and watches were most commonly claimed to have been lost.

For the seven-year period at these 15 airports, the TSA paid out nearly $2 million for approved claims and settlements, the data shows. That includes almost $200,000 at Newark airport and more than $300,000 at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City.

It's difficult for travelers to know who's responsible for loss or damage. Items could go missing because of an airline mistake, or theft by an airline baggage handler. It could be the result of a TSA employee. Or it could have been taken off the luggage belt by the wrong person.

If a TSA employee opens a bag, they are supposed to leave behind a slip of paper to inform the traveler. According to the agency's website, many claims are denied when an investigation determines that TSA officers did not open a bag for a physical inspection.

Where do you stand the greatest risk of losing something and getting no money in return?

That's McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, which led the group in denials, rejecting 56.49 percent, or 1,174 of the 2,078 claims filed.

At Newark airport, travelers fared better than the group as a whole. About 33 percent of the 2,510 claims filed during the seven years were denied, while about 32 percent resulted in a full payment of the amount requested or a settlement for less than what was requested.

The average settlement amount across the 15 airports was $87, compared to $117 at Newark.

There are steps you can take to protect yourself against problems.

For one, travelers' rights groups recommend against packing anything valuable in checked baggage, including your car keys. They also recommend reporting any potential loss or damage immediately, or within 24 hours to both the airline and the TSA.

Travelers who suspect the TSA was at fault can fill out a form online. Claimants must provide proof of the loss or damage, the cost and TSA's negligence.

Editor's note: For more than a month, the TSA failed to respond to several specific questions for this story. Only after it was published did the agency provide more detailed answers. They have since been added.

Disha Raychaudhuri may be reached at draychaudhuri@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter.One of New Jersey's most influential political figures will take the stage at Temple University next month to address its newest class of graduates as they head out into the post-college world.

U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., will address the class of 2018 at the May 10 commencement ceremony and receive an honorary degree, the Philadelphia-based university announced this week.

He will not be paid for the speech, according to a university spokesman.

Booker, who in 2013 became the state's first Black senator, was previously a two-term mayor of Newark. He was born in Washington, D.C., and moved with his family to Harrington Park in Bergen County.

He earned undergraduate and master's degrees from Stanford University, attended Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar and got a law degree from Yale University. His political career began when he served as a Newark city councilor for four years before he was elected mayor in 2006.

Booker is also scheduled to deliver the commencement speech at other colleges this spring, including Kean University and Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa. He will speak to Princeton University students the day before commencement.

Last year, he addressed the University of Pennsylvania's class of 2017 at their graduation.

Booker previously spoke at Temple in 2014 at a memorial service for the late Trustee Lewis Katz, whose name is on the university's medical school.

Robert Bogle, the president and CEO of The Philadelphia Tribune, and Meryl Levitz, the president and CEO of the tourism company Visit Philadelphia, will also receive honorary degrees from Temple.

Marisa Iati may be reached at miati@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @Marisa_Iati or on Facebook here. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tipsSECAUCUS -- With prom season right around the corner in Hudson County, high school students organized a special night of dinner and dancing for local senior citizens.

On Thursday night, Secaucus High School's Service Activities Involvement and Leadership program hosted a prom for 120 seniors in their town.

Awards were also given out during the event, hosted at the performing arts center, for best dressed, best friends, best dancer, best smile, and best personality. A couple was also named king and queen of the prom.

Students Amanda Silva, Toni Ann Cioce, Rachael O'Boyle, Cesar Quinones, and Sally Rizzo were each awarded scholarships during a ceremony.

Check out photos from the prom in the gallery above.

Caitlin Mota may be reached at cmota@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitlin_mota. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.The City Council held its monthly meeting Wednesday night, the last one before voters head to the polls on May 8 to decide who will govern the city for the next four years.

A number of hot-button issues were discussed, including the city's animal control contract, a residency requirement ordinance, and the ferry operator bid, among others.

Here are five things you need to know from last week's meeting:

Bid out for ferry operator

The council approved a resolution authorizing the city to go out to bid for a ferry terminal operator.

The city finalized a deal with the Port Authority last month, agreeing to lease land owned by the bi-state agency for more than $200,000 annually for a terminal.

The city will now seek a bid from a ferry operator in the next 10 days.

Residents at the meeting had concerns, however, about the price of a one-way trip on a ferry. The city's demand study estimated that a one-way ride would cost roughly $13.

Officials were quick to point out that the cost will be market-driven, and an operator will likely set a low price initially in order to secure a demand.

"Whoever the provider is going to be would set the price and they'll obviously make it so that people can use it," Council President Sharon Nadrowski said. "They're not going to come in and make it astronomical ... It would be prudent for them to make it affordable."

Animal control contract approved

The city approved an animal control contract with Liberty Humane Society, and will no longer contract with New Jersey Animal Control and Rescue, the city's previous provider for such services.

The contract will begin May 15, and the city will pay LHS $7,075 a month. The city will retroactively pay NJACR until May 14, city law director John "Jay" Coffey II said.

The owner of NJACR, Geoff Santini, is in hot water after an investigation revealed that in addition to his animal control business, he also had a "low-show" job with the North Bergen Housing Authority but only spent a few hours a week tending to the duties of that position, which paid him $81,000 annually. He was fired from the NBHA on March 28.

Santini still has various animal control contracts within Hudson County.

Residency requirement ordinance repealed

The city was forced to repeal a residency requirement ordinance after a Hudson County judge ruled in March that the city must certify a referendum petition that city officials originally struck down.

The ordinance, approved in August 2017, granted amnesty to city employees who do not live in Bayonne and were hired before Oct. 1, 2017.

The city will now have to enforce its original ordinance that multiple mayoral administrations have ignored for more than 20 years: all city employees who are not protected by state statute (police, firefighters, teachers and other employees with special skills) must now live in Bayonne.

It is unclear exactly how many employees will be affected. Those who don't currently live in the city will be given a six-month notice that they must maintain residency in the Peninsula City.

After the notice, out-of-town employees are vulnerable to termination.

Police officers in schools

The city authorized the police department to hire a special class of armed officers to patrol local schools.

The move comes in response to the Parkland, Florida school massacre, as well subsequent threats Bayonne's School District faced in the aftermath of the Feb. 14 shooting.

The police department can now hire retired police officers to guard the city's various public and private schools. The officers will be armed, but will be limited in their capacity to act as police officers. The number officers who will patrol each school has yet to be worked out by the district.

Police body cameras

The police department was granted authorization to purchase 200 body cameras for its officers.

The cameras will be paid for through various grants and awards and will not be expensed through municipal funds. Bayonne Police Chief Drew Sisk previously told The Jersey Journal he plans to roll the cameras out in May.

"I welcome them and every officer should welcome them," Deputy Chief Peter Nevins said at a forum hosted by the city's branch of the NAACP. "The whole purpose is to be transparent, and have a record of an encounter."Asbury Park can add yet another Jersey shore icon to its list of attractions, with the planned opening of a Maruca's Tomato Pies, famous for its 24-inch swirled pizzas, as part of a makeover of two boardwalk pavilions.

"I haven't been to Asbury Park in, I don't know how long, but I hear it's up and coming," said Joe Maruca, who runs the original Maruca's with his brother Domenic in Seaside Heights. "I think it's good for everyone."

Maruca's -- a contender in countless best Jersey pizza rankings, including last summer's list by NJ.com food columnist Peter Genovese -- is one of two new restaurants planned for Asbury Park's Fourth and Fifth Avenue Pavilions, according to the city's designated boardwalk developer, Madison Marquette.

A seafood restaurant yet to be named will be located in the overhauled Fifth Avenue Pavilion, said Pasqualina DeBoer, a Madison Marquette spokeswoman.

The pavilions are situated between the boardwalk and Ocean Avenue, Asbury Park's main drag and home to several of the city's well-known landmarks: the Stone Pony, the rock 'n roll venue long associated with Bruce Springsteen; and a replica of the iconic Tillie mural painted on the exterior of Wonder Bar, after the original had adorned the now demolished Palace Amusements hall.

The Fifth Avenue Pavilion, just south of historic Boardwalk Hall, is in itself one of Asbury Park's most recognizable structures, with its corona-shaped former Howard Johnson's space on one end, and its rooftop concert venue, both of which will be part of the revamped pavilion, Madison Marquette said.

DeBoer said retailers will begin opening in the Fifth Avenue Pavilion in June, while work continues on other elements.

The Fourth Avenue Pavilion will include ground floor retail and restaurant space, and the first-ever office space along Asbury's boardwalk, located on the second floor, DeBoer said. A rooftop deck will top it off.

DeBoer said the Fourth Avenue overhaul still needs city approval, and new uses are not expected to begin opening there until late in the year. DeBoer said both pavilion projects are intended to expand dining, shopping and work space options in Asbury Park beyond the summer season.

Local activists have expressed concern that development has lagged far behind the waterfront in Asbury Park's working class neighborhoods on the west side of town, though this week the developer of the 64-unit Renaissance affordable housing complex announced a $1 million grant that would help keep the project on track for completion in 2019.

NJ.com food guru Genovese welcomed word of Maruca's expansion into Asbury Park, a city with a strong appetite for pizza.

"I've always regarded Maruca's the best of the Jersey Shore boardwalk pizzerias," Genovese said, commending the business for its resiliency, as well as its red source. "They have a long history and they bounced back after Sandy wiped them out. As far as Asbury, it's an interesting and, at first glance, a gutsy move, considering Asbury is home to three top-notch pizzerias -- Talula's, Porta and Medusa.

"But those three specialize in Neapolitan-style pizzas, which Maruca's doesn't do," Genovese added. "So I think Maruca's will do well. They have a brand name and identity from 50-plus years in business. Their presence can only add to Asbury's already strong food culture."

Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky. Find NJ.com on Facebook.By Jeff Tittel

This year will be the most important Earth Day since the first one.

All the progress we have made in the past 48 years is at risk from the Trump administration. It has declared war on the environment -- clean air and water, cleaning up toxic sites, fighting climate change. People have been outraged by these attacks and have been showing up at protests and demonstrations.

We need to take all that energy and hard work and make real changes to protect our environment at the local, state and national levels. As the public mobilizes on green issues, we can use that momentum to pass important environmental legislation.

More than 20 million people took part in the first Earth Day, many of whom were too young to vote. Those citizens not only took part in protests and cleanups, they also learned how to organize and get involved politically, supporting pro-environmental candidates. This led to targeting the "dirty dozen" of Congress in 1970. The country came together to vote for candidates who would fight for the environment rather than cater to corporate polluters. We defeated seven out of the 12, sending political shock waves throughout Washington and across the country.

That political action led to the election of hundreds of pro-environmental candidates at state and local levels. More important, it pressured Congress to pass landmark environmental legislation, including the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, and to create the Environmental Protection Agency.

This is the year I personally got very politically active, helping to elect a pro-environmental mayor of Hillside, Alex Menza, who went on to become a state senator. Others included Betty Wilson as deputy commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Protection and Jerry English as a state senator. I joined the New Democratic Coalition, which was the "Indivisible" of the time. This led to New Jersey passing landmark laws such as the Pinelands Act and the Spill Act.

This year there again is inspired leadership from the youth movement. March for Our Lives was very much what we did back then -- organized and carried out by teenagers across the country.

We have the power to enact change and our youth shows us this. We need to use the same momentum to fight for the environment and against President Donald Trump's dangerous anti-environmental actions. Polls show that almost three-quarters of Americans believe in the threat of climate change, and 85 percent of New Jersey citizens are concerned about our drinking water. People care about the environment, but now we need everyone to start voting on it.

Trump is dismantling all of the progress that has been made by ending programs to stop climate change and reduce air pollution. He eliminated former President Barack Obama's Clean Power Plan, pulled us out of the Paris climate accords, rolled back protections for clean air and water, and made massive cuts to the EPA. The Trump administration is opening public lands and coasts for drilling and pushing through pipelines without environmental reviews. When you eliminate clean air protections, our air becomes poisoned. When you allow coal mines to dump toxic waste into our rivers, they get poisoned. When you cut programs for lead, children get poisoned.

It's not enough to make promises. We need the Murphy administration to implement important rules for protecting our environment and preventing Trump's rollbacks. New Jersey needs to pass legislation to commit to 100 percent renewable energy by 2050 and get us off fossil fuels, and Gov. Phil Murphy must veto the nuclear-energy subsidy bill.

They need to pass bills such as the Defend New Jersey Act to protect us against federal rollbacks. We can install charging networks to promote electric vehicles and implement strong clean air and water regulations while banning fracking and fracking waste to protect our resources.

We must focus more on making the environment a political issue so that more people will vote for candidates who will protect it and fight climate change. We need to hold our Congress members accountable, especially those such as Rep. Leonard Lance, R-7th Dist., who used to vote for the environment and now does not, and Rep. Tom MacArthur, R-3rd Dist., who has one of the worst environmental records in Congress.

The polls show that people care about the environment; now we need these people to come out and vote for it. We need to organize, register and vote like we've never done before because our planet depends on it.

Jeff Tittel is the director of the New Jersey Sierra Club.

Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.With the enactment in 2010 of New Jersey's Offshore Wind Economic Development Act (OWEDA), sponsored by Sen. Stephen Sweeney, our state was set to become a leader in electricity from offshore wind.

This was going to open up an entire new sector of the economy that would have created good-paying jobs for decades to come, attracted an enormous amount of businesses and capital, and generated cheap, clean energy. Unfortunately, after enthusiastically signing the bill, Gov. Chris Christie and his administration failed to follow through.

Delays in establishing regulations meant that the good results never happened, allowing other eastern seaboard states to surpass New Jersey in wind power over the last eight years.

However, we have another chance at this opportunity. Sweeney (D-Gloucester), now the Senate president, is sponsoring new legislation that will require the state to comply with the OWEDA regardless of who is sitting on the Board of Public Utilities or occupying the governor's office. The bill has passed both houses of the Legislature, and it is looking looking like current Gov. Phil. Murphy will sign it. (In January, Murphy signed an executive order directing the BPU to implement the law.)

Now that we can finally put OWEDA into effect, existing plans for six turbines in the ocean off of Atlantic City can be approved in a few months. This would bring all the construction, manufacturing, engineering and maintenance jobs that the project was supposed to supply.

The good news would continue, under an effort to provide 35 percent of the state's electrical energy needs from renewable sources within seven years. OWEDA is a big opportunity, and we should take full advantage of it.

Kevin Hink, West Deptford Township

Business bathrooms not for everyone

Concerning the South Jersey Times' April 17 editorial, "Starbucks suddenly lacks taste," about the arrest of two black people who wanted to use the bathroom at a Philadelphia location, but had not purchased anything:

The editorial asked why businesses that are open to the public have to be so "stingy" about bathroom use:

"It's weird to think that a place that charges $7 or $8 for an upgraded cup-o-joe will suffer any economic harm from a few extra flushes of the hopper by non-imbibers.

I guess that means that business owners have no say in how they operate. If there is a "Bathrooms for Customers Only" rule, what's the problem?

And, if someone, like the Starbucks manager, asks you to leave their place of business, you comply. Simple.

Or, in the case of the two men, they could have bought something immediately, or clearly explained that they were waiting for the rest of their party to arrive.

Respect is not a one-way street.

Carl Wenske, Stockton, Calif.

Send a letter to the editor of South Jersey Times at sjletters@njadvancemedia.com

Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.New Jerseyans pretty much agree that tens of thousands of women who cannot afford mammograms and cancer screenings should have access to them.

By a considerable majority, we think that medical marijuana should be available for people in ceaseless pain from migraines or lupus and other musculoskeletal nightmares.

We want to live in a state where workers are not only given the dignity to earn their own bread, but also not forced to choose between keeping their jobs and nursing an illness or a sick child.

Our residents really want to get to work on a transit system that doesn't feel like it was rejected by Mumbai.

We generally want to live in a place where elected leaders protect the sick from unexpected $5,000 body slams from out-of-network medical specialists.

New Jerseyans agree that we shouldn't allow the pizza delivery boy to carry a gun just because he is afraid of your dyspeptic Rottweiler.

We also want to live in a state where the top law enforcement official is incensed by wrongful convictions, and takes measures to hold prosecutors as accountable as the falsely accused.

It is far too early to judge Phil Murphy as a governor. His greatest challenges lie ahead - starting with the intractable fiscal crisis he has yet to address - and his political skill is a work in progress.

But Chris Christie's legacy is starting to dissolve in the fog of time, and in the first 100 days of the new administration, it feels as though his successor is beginning to restore the state of normalcy that New Jerseyans want to live in.

Murphy has signed bills - some anodyne, some significant. He has issued executive orders, proposed initiatives, reinstated programs, restored funding, joined lawsuits, and essentially has begun to unravel the Christie agenda, which 82 percent of the electorate wanted scrubbed from the state's pantheon.

"For me," Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg says, "having a Senate President who posts the bills and moves a progressive agenda forward, along with a governor who signs them and celebrates their passage into law, is pretty terrific."

It won't always be as smooth as our state's progressive conscience wants it - given our grim fiscal realities and the juvenile pie fight between Murphy and Senate President Steve Sweeney - but here's what Weinberg is talking about in three specific areas:

Health.

Christie eliminated $7.5 million in state grants to support family planning and women's health clinics, forcing six of them to close - a contrived act of malice that he assumed would please pro-life crowds in New Hampshire. As promised, Murphy has restored that funding.

Soon Murphy will sign a bill that will make New Jersey the first state to protect its insurance marketplace by restoring the individual mandate eliminated by Congress. He has also protected our residents in state-regulated plans from those out-of-network thunderbolts. He has given more than a million private-sector workers earned sick leave. And overnight, he turned a shell of a medical marijuana program into a national model.

Safety, general welfare.

Three out of four New Jerseyans want stronger gun laws, but Christie, eager to prove his NRA cred, unilaterally made it easier to obtain gun permits. Murphy will soon re-raise that bar and sign five more bills, including a ban of armor-piercing bullets and magazines that hold more than 10 rounds.

The lives for 900,000 commuters are likely to grow more tolerable, given the $100 million boost Murphy gave to NJ Transit's operating budget, and now he just needs a push from the Legislature to establish a long-term funding mechanism.

If those commuters work in Jersey, they'll have employers adhere to the most stringent equal pay law in the country, which Christie had repeatedly vetoed.

And, inspired by two NJ Advance Media investigations, Murphy took a step toward eliminating predatory teachers from the education system by signing what is known as the Pass The Trash bill; and he has vowed to support reforms for our horrendous state medical examiner system.

Environment.

To satisfy the climate change deniers in 2011, Christie opted out of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a carbon-trading program. It has cost the state at least $300 million. Two weeks into his job, Murphy rejoined RGGI through executive order.

He also signed a bill that bans offshore drilling (which Christie would likely do), restarted off-shore wind through executive order (which Christie stalled), and joined a 16-state alliance that upholds the Paris Climate Accord abandoned by President Trump.

Indeed, the heavy lifting - pension reform, education funding, property taxes - is yet to come, despite Christie's earnest effort to contain government costs while improving urban education.

And given the disparate priorities, the budget fights, and the personality conflicts endemic to Jersey politics, it is likely to be a bumpy ride.

The major players acknowledge this: "It's not easy at the start when hopes are big and resources are limited," says Sen. Joseph Vitale, D-Middlesex.

"But it's always better to try. Trenton can be a chainsaw to smart ideas. I believe the governor will keep fighting for what he thinks is right."

We can't agree on everything. But most of us believe in a state government that is marked by fairness, a government that isn't afraid to use words like "compassion," one with the wisdom to prevent ego from subverting our political imagination.

The last eight years felt like the Dark Ages. The last three months have felt like a blast of fresh air. It would be a colossal blunder to let this window close.

Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.I bet that Sen. Mitch McConnell wears a seat belt, even though a car crash on any given day is unlikely.

But he abandons that logic when it comes to Robert Mueller's investigation. He says he doesn't believe President Trump will fire Mueller, so there is no need to offer protection.

Why wear a seat belt when you're unlikely to crash?

This is the kind of Alice-in-Wonderland thinking we hear from Republicans these days, as they strain to justify Trump's behavior. If they want to play ball on this team, they have to swallow the red pill, abandon all standards, and fight for the tribe.

Is McConnell right when he predicts Trump won't fire Mueller? I don't know, and neither does he. But it's obviously a threat.

Trump ordered his chief counsel to fire Mueller last June but backed down after the counsel threatened to resign. Earlier this month, Trump called Mueller's investigation "an attack on our country" and threatened again to fire him.

"Why don't I just fire Mueller?" he mused. "Well, I think it's a disgrace what's going on. We'll see what happens."

That is a classic trial balloon. Trump wants to know if his fellow Republicans will let him have his way, even on this.

So, this is a telling moment, one that history will remember. And as it happens, New Jersey has two Republican members of Congress in neighboring swing districts that offer a study in contrasts.

Rep. Leonard Lance (R-7th) is taking the high road, signing on as a sponsor of legislation to protect Mueller, and give a panel of three judges the final word on firing him. Only a handful of Republicans have joined him.

Yes, it's true that Lance is scared to death of losing in November, in a toss-up district that Hillary Clinton won by a point. And it's true that his mere presence in the House strengthens Trump's hand by helping ensure his GOP majority. My Democratic friends hate it when I praise him.

But folks, he's doing the right thing here.

"I intend to be the lead Republican on this," says Lance (R-7th). "I have been in the Republican Party a lot longer than Donald Trump has."

Taking the low road, as usual, is Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-3rd), Trump's most loyal supporter in New Jersey. Trump carried the district by six points last year, and MacArthur has decided to go all-in with the rogue president.

He supported the GOP tax plan, and obediently calls it a middle-class tax cut, even though 83 percent of the money goes to the top 1 percent. He supported the Obamacare repeal, even though it would have gutted funding for the opioid crisis and left 23 million more Americans with no health coverage --

causes that he claims to care deeply about.

And now this: He won't support the bill to protect Mueller.

"Mueller should be left alone to complete the investigation and get to the truth, whatever that may be," said Chris Russell, his campaign spokesman.

Ok, but what if Trump fires him? MacArthur refuses to discuss that, just as he's refused to hold town hall meetings to discuss his other peculiar votes.

Maybe it's just me, but I suspect he's hiding under his desk because he has no good answers. He wants to be on the Trump team. He swallowed the pill.

"This is about protecting the rule of law," says Andy Kim, the lead Democrat lined up against MacArthur. "This is a swing district that voted for Obama twice. But he's become the state's strongest supporter of Trump."

During the Watergate scandal, the Republican Party came up large in the end. It was a Republican senator, Howard Baker of Tennessee, who galvanized the nation by asking the core question, "What did the president know, and when did he know it?" And it was another Republican senator, Barry Goldwater of Arizona, who visited Nixon in the Oval Office a few days before the end, warning that even Republican senators would vote to remove him from office if he refused to resign.

I worry that today's Republican Party will fall short. Trump has emasculated them all.

But we'll see. Republicans didn't abandon Nixon in great numbers until he refused to turn over the Oval Office tapes to Senate investigators. The same could happen if Trump fires Mueller.

As for Lance, he remains in a peculiar spot. He opposed Trump's two biggest initiatives, the Obamacare repeal and the tax cut, and now this.

His leading Democratic opponent, Tom Malinowski, says protecting Mueller does not go far enough.

"It's not likely Trump will fire Mueller," he says. "What Trump is trying to do is a little different, but equally dangerous. He is trying to turn the millions of Americans who loyally support him against law enforcement in America. For months he's been launching despicable attacks on the integrity of the Justice Department and FBI, as well as Mr. Mueller.

"That's incredibly dangerous. Because we do not have a democracy in America if we start politicizing law enforcement. I'm still waiting for Lance to defend the integrity and honor of the FBI and Justice Department against these vicious and dangerous attacks."

I called Lance again, as Malinowski suggested, and asked if he has stood up for the FBI against GOP attacks. "I'll do it right now," he said. "I do not favor attacking the integrity of the men and women who work at the FBI."

For voters in MacArthur's district, November presents a simple choice. If you like Trump, then MacArthur is your man. If not, then Kim is.

For voters in Lance's district, it's not so simple. He has supported Trump on nearly 90 percent of the votes, but he's dissented on the biggest ones. And now he wants to be a leader in the biggest fight of all, the one over Trump's survival.

"There is a coalition of centrist Democrats and Republicans, and I want to be part of that," Lance says.

I asked what he thinks of Republican leaders predicting that Trump will never fire Mueller. "I hope they're right, but I'm not convinced they are," he said. "I'm wearing my seat belt."

The bill doesn't have a prayer of reaching Trump's desk any time soon. But remember how things changed during Watergate. And keep hope alive.

More: Tom Moran columns

Tom Moran may be reached at tmoran@starledger.com or call (973) 836-4909. Follow him on Twitter @tomamoran. Find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.Unable to shake his insatiable mancrush on Russian strongman Vladimir Putin, President Trump unceremoniously put the kibosh on Russia sanctions his U.N. Ambassador had just announced a few days earlier. The sanctions were to be linked to Russia's involvement in Syria, one of the greatest human rights disasters in recent memory. Syria's sin of using chemical weapons on it's own citizens, with backing from Russia and Iran, was deemed bad enough that military action was ordered and missiles were launched.

The president saw military intervention as a perfectly reasonable response to Assad's actions, but to sanction the government that is actively supporting his slaughter of the Syrian people is just too harsh.

Why punish Russia? They only propped up a madman intent on slaughter with cash, weapons and troops. He declares mission accomplished in Syria in one breath, proclaims himself the toughest president ever on Russia and in the next breath drops planned sanctions. If he's going to gaslight us, at least make it less obvious.

Then there's poor Nikki Haley. The administration sent her out in front of the UN, Colin Powell style, to announce tough new sanctions on Russia and the next day yank the rug out from under her making her look like a fool in front of the international community. Nikki Haley doesn't deserve this kind of treatment. Just kidding, she agreed to work for the diaper baby in chief, humiliation comes with the job. If she had a conscience she never would have taken the job. If she has any dignity, she'll quit.

Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.(Above: I was at the inauguration listening to Donald Trump pledge an "America-first" foreign policy that would end the regime-change efforts by his predecessors that caused chaos in the Mideast. But with that strike in Syria he's taking the side of Islamic rebels against the government.)

It looks like the War on Terror is over.

Terror won.

That's the only possible conclusion after reading the accounts from reporters who got into that city in Syria where that alleged poison-gas attack took place.

You know, the one that led President Trump to mount a counterattack on Twitter that had more impact than the actual missiles he fired.

At the time Trump took action, no Western journalists had visited the town of Douma to investigate the story behind the video that sparked the attack. But when British war correspondent Robert Fisk visited the town, he could find little evidence to support the reports of a poison-gas attack.

Fisk, who has been covering the Mideast for four decades, wrote of interviewing a Dr. Rahaibani, who runs the clinic where the disputed video was made.

The doctor told him there was a lot of conventional shelling on the night in question, and "huge dust clouds began to come into the basements and cellars where people lived. People began to arrive here suffering from hypoxia, oxygen loss. Then someone at the door, a 'White Helmet', shouted 'Gas!", and a panic began. People started throwing water over each other. Yes, the video was filmed here, it is genuine, but what you see are people suffering from hypoxia - not gas poisoning."

(Below: The Syria debacle was entirely predictable back in 2012; I know because I predicted it.)

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, who has questioned the legality of our presence in Syria, also said he is skeptical about what happened in Douma. In an interview with Wolf Blitzer of CNN, the Kentucky Republican said Syrian President Bashar Assad would have to have been "the dumbest dictator on the planet" to order such a strike while Trump was proposing to the pull the U.S out of Syria.

"I haven't seen evidence he did do it," said Paul.

The counter-narrative we're hearing is that the people interviewed by Fisk lied because they did not want to incur the wrath of the Syrian government, which took control of the town a few days after the alleged gas attack.

Ex-CIA agent Larry Johnson also told me he is skeptical of the video.

Which side is telling the truth?

We don't know for certain. So why didn't Trump wait for the results of that international study before committing to that entirely symbolic attack on some empty buildings?

I have no idea. But I do know that we've reached a point in the so-called "War on Terror" when the Washington crowd initiated a strike against a government that was fighting a group of rebels that most Americans would regard as terroristic.

State Sen. Mike Doherty of Warren County, a West Point grad who was the first prominent Republican in the state to support Trump, said The Donald seems to have forgotten his campaign promise to stop meddling in the Mideast.

"We're on the side of people who take women as hostages, put them in cages and parade them around in flatbed trucks," said Doherty said. "Where's the outrage about that?"

The London-based Daily Mail and Daily Telegraph have released videos of the cages in which women in burkhas were held captive by Jaish al-Islam rebels before they were chased from Douma by the army.

And the British news media also carried accounts of the rebel group imposing a level of oppression on the civilian population almost as bad as the Islamic State's practices.

Of course, we don't know for sure whether those accounts are genuine either. That's why Trump was right when he said during the campaign that we shouldn't be trying to sort out the Mideast, Doherty said.

"He got elected because he said he was going to end incursions into the Mideast," Doherty said. "Why did he surround himself with people who didn't support him, like Nikki Haley and John Bolton?"

Haley is Trump's U.N. ambassador and Bolton is his national security adviser. (Both are ardent interventionists who've pushed policies directly opposed to those Trump endorsed during the campaign.)

The pair pushes the view that the U.S. role in Syria is not merely to rid the country of ISIS, as Trump promised, but to pursue grander geopolitical goals regarding Russia and Iran.

But if there's one thing we've learned since 9/11, it's that the Beltway leadership of both parties is entirely incompetent when it comes to achieving geopolitical goals.

Back in 2001, the Mideast was relatively calm and those Al Qaeda attacks were seen as an aberration. Thanks to the Beltway's brilliance, we have since seen the rise of the Islamic State, a group that made Al Qaeda seem almost reasonable by comparison.

(Ron Paul asks, "Do we really want to be al-Qaeda and ISIS's airforce? Is that going to keep us safer? I remember when al-Qaeda was actually considered our enemy, not an ally in overthrowing the last secular government in the Middle East.)

Far from the original goal of eradicating terrorism, this has been the geopolitical equivalent of a botched surgery that spreads cancer cells around the body instead of eradicating them.

Let's quit while we're ahead.

Or behind.

ADD - CLUELESS 'CONSERVATIVES' ON THE SYRIA STRIKE: Every time I write on the topic of Syria I get responses from clueless wannabe "conservatives" who still haven't figured out that the U.S. is taking the side of the terrorists in this war to overthrow the secular government of Syria started by the Obama/Clinton regime.

So is Trump, of course. This missile strike puts him on the side of Jaesh al-Islam against the government that is trying to drive this terror group from Syria.

Ex-CIA agent Larry Johnson pointed out to me that it's highly likely that some of the Islamic radicals occupying Douma were almost certainly trained by the CIA as part of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton's effort to field a force of "moderate rebels" to fight against the Syrian government.

Trump had it right in the campaign when he promised to stop trying to oust secular dictators like Assad, for the obvious reason that those dictators need dictatorial powers to keep Islamic radicals in check.

We saw what happened when Saddam Hussein was ousted in Iraq. Almost immediately the U.S. was fighting radical Sunni rebels in the provinces while fighting radical Shia rebels in Baghdad.

You would have to be downright stupid to think that deposing Assad would result in anything different.

Unfortunately virtually everyone inside the Beltway is downright stupid.

There's a simple cure for that. Instead of mounting that Twitter-inspired missile strike, Trump should have stuck to his campaign promise and gotten us out of Syria. Failing that, he should have followed the constitution and asked for a declaration of war in Syria.

Then maybe we'd get a real examination of what happened in Douma. At the moment there is not sufficient evidence to draw a conclusion, as Rand Paul pointed out in an interview with Wolf Blitzer. It's possible the civilians were poisoned by one of the rebels' own poison-gas arsenals.

Then there is this video from another media crew that went to Douma.

It's possible of course that this reporter and Fisk were told lies by the local residents. But sorting that out is not America's job.

Any conservative who believes in the Constitution would have to conclude, as Paul does, that the U.S. has no business in Syria without a declaration of war:A gay employee in a South Jersey school district was harassed by his coworkers over his desire to be a foster parent with one telling him to "just get another pet" instead of a child and he should "find a woman" to have a child with, a lawsuit claims.

Joseph Longo III, a Salem City School district employee, is suing over claims he is being harassed because he is a gay man and a foster parent. (Provided Photo)

Joseph Longo III filed suit on Feb. 9 in Superior Court under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination alleging "harassment based upon sexual orientation, familial, status and discrimination and discrimination based upon gender stereotype" by the Salem City School District and employees there.

In his suit, Longo of Quinton, identified himself as a homosexual male and foster parent. He says he began working in the district in September 2000 and is listed on the district's website as a social worker affiliated with the Child Study Team.

Along with the district, those named in the suit are Pamela Bates-Thomas, director of special services; Dale Garner, transition coordinator; Dr. Billy Slaughter, school psychologist; Dr. Amiot Patrick Michel, superintendent, and Robin Winrow in human resources.

Open public records act advocate John Paff first reported on the suit.

The district's attorneys, in their answer to the suit filed April 2, deny the allegations against the district and its employees.

Longo claims the harassment began in September 2016 after he told Bates-Thomas he was taking classes to become a foster parent.

According to the suit, Bates-Thomas and Garner would say things to Longo like "You don't need foster kids, you need to find a woman and have kids with a woman" and "You don't need kids, just get another pet."

Longo claims the two also told him because he was a single man he "did not know what he was doing" and Bates-Thomas and Garner encouraged him to drop his foster children off at the state Department of Children and Families office because he "did not need this."

Those type of comments were frequent, Longo claims.

In May 2017, the suit alleges, Slaughter learned two foster children had recently left Longo's home and told him "I hope you learned your lesson, you don't need any children."

After Longo took in a new foster child that same month, he says he took a day off in order to take the child to a doctor.

He claims he asked Bates-Thomas to mark that as a family personal day, but she told him he didn't "deserve" it and he should take it as a sick day. The family personal day was later denied.

He claims in the suit Bates-Thomas told him he was not "a real parent" and advised him he needed to "choose between being a foster parent and his career."

Longo says Bates-Thomas eventually submitted Longo's request to Michel.

That same day, at Michel's request, Longo gave a copy of his guardianship papers to Michel, Bates-Thomas and Winrow.

The suit alleges Michel began to ask Longo "invasive and harassing questions" including whether he intended to adopt his foster child and if he was being paid to care for the child.

Michel allegedly told Longo, the suit says, Longo he was not a "real parent" if he was paid to take care of a foster child.

He claims he was told by Bates-Thomas that since he could return a foster child he was not entitled to the same rights an adoptive/natural parent.s.

Longo is seeking a jury trial in the suit, according to the firm representing him, along with punitive and compensatory damages and attorney's fees.

In court papers, the district says the family day Longo sought was not allowed under his union contract. Also, "all of (the district's) actions were based on legitimate, non-retaliatory and non-discriminatory business reasons."

The district's attorneys say the court should dismiss Longo's "frivolous, unreasonable, groundless" suit and require Longo to pay all court costs and attorney fees incurred by the school district.

Bill Gallo Jr. may be reached at bgallo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Bill Gallo Jr. on Twitter @bgallojr. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tipsA 40-year-old man is accused of setting the same house in the St. Roch neighborhood on fire five times in one week, according to his arrest warrant.

Archie Morris last set the house in the 2200 block of North Prieur Street on fire two weeks ago (April 7), his warrant states. According to the warrant, Morris put lighter fluid on the back wall of the double-family house and lit it shortly after 1:30 p.m. on April 7.

Before lighting the fire, police said Morris threatened the people who live in the home, the warrant states. While being questioned by New Orleans police, Morris admitted to starting the April 7 fire, as well as four other fires he set at the same home, according to his warrant.

The five fires were all lit between April 2 and April 7, according to the warrant, though it did not state the severity of the fires. The New Orleans Fire Department did not respond to a request for additional information. A request sent to the New Orleans Police Department is pending.

Morris was booked into Orleans Justice Center jail April 8 on one count each of aggravated arson, criminal damage to property and simple battery. He appeared in court two days later, where Orleans Parish Magistrate Judge Harry Cantrell set his bond for $15,000 and assigned a public defender to his case.

As of Saturday evening, the condition of the home was not clear.The Times-Picayune editorial board makes the following recommendation for the April 28 ballot.

JEFFERSON PARISH

WEST JEFFERSON LEVEE DISTRICT PROPOSITION

To increase property taxes by 4.75 mills for 10 years for maintenance of the flood control system

Yes

When the federal government invested $4.2 billion after Hurricane Katrina to strengthen levees, floodwalls and pumps protecting West Jefferson, part of the bargain was that the local levee district would maintain the system.

Those bills are coming due.

As of this month, the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-West should have full responsibility for operating and maintaining the new system for the West Jefferson Levee District. It will cost $61.3 million to raise and armor levees and do pump station maintenance over the next decade, but the levee district has only $18.8 million of that covered.

Levee officials are asking for residents to make up the $42.5 million gap in funding. It is crucial for this tax to pass.

"Without the maintenance, the levees would lose height due to settling and soil subsidence, and pump station operations could be impaired," the Bureau of Governmental Research said in its analysis supporting the tax. "Businesses and residents would be more vulnerable to storm surge and flooding from nearby lakes and waterways."

That could be catastrophic during a strong storm. And the cost of repairing the damage to homes and businesses would be far greater than the cost of the tax.

Repairing damage to communities from Katrina and the levee breaches in 2005 cost between $120 billion and $150 billion. That dwarfs the $20 million invested after the disaster in 350 miles of levees, floodwalls, storm surge gates and pumps to help keep greater New Orleans dry.

The post-Katrina levee improvements also helped lower flood insurance costs for 40,000 West Bank properties, either lowering base flood elevations or moving homes and businesses to a less risky flood zone, the BGR report said.

Residents ought to see maintaining the system as self-preservation. Yet voters have been reluctant to pay up.

In November 2015, West Jefferson Levee District voters turned down a 30-year, 5.5-mill increase. In August 2017, the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-West agreed to reduce the amount and length of time of the proposed tax to respond to complaints.

That resulted in the request to raise property taxes by 4.75 mills that is on the ballot April 28. The cost per home is minimal. The owner of a home valued at $151,000 with a homestead exemption would pay an extra $36.10 per year.

The return on investment is huge: peace of mind the next time a storm threatens.

West Jefferson voters aren't the only ones who have resisted tax increases for flood protection.

St. Bernard Parish residents have twice voted down property taxes to pay for maintenance on the $1.4 billion in levee improvements made around Lake Borgne post-Katrina. The annual cost would have been only $38.25 per year for the average home, but voters said, "No."

Essentially every home in St. Bernard was damaged by storm surge during Katrina. But opponents to the tax argued that parish residents were being asked to pay the full cost to maintain levees that also protect New Orleans and Jefferson Parish.

That is a valid concern but leaving the flood protection authority short of cash for vital maintenance is not wise.

Fortunately, the reluctance to increase local taxes for hurricane surge protection is not shared by residents in the Terrebonne Parish Levee District and the South Lafourche Levee District, which have successfully asked voters for sales tax increases that have been combined with state money to build the first parts of the Morganza to the Gulf levee system protecting the Houma area.

There is more at stake in these decisions than individual homes and businesses. The New Orleans region is still trying to persuade Congress -- and the American taxpayers -- to invest more in our flood protection.

The $20 billion spent after Katrina resulted in a system of levees, gates and pumps to defend south Louisiana from 100-year floods, which have a 1 percent chance of occurring in any given year. Congress ordered the Army Corps of Engineers to look at protecting New Orleans from Category 5 storms, which the corps interpreted as 500-year protection.

That didn't happen. The post-Katrina flood protection work has made New Orleans safer, but a 10-month examination by NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune and New York Times reporters found that the city is still in danger of flooding in Katrina-like storms. The risk is heightened by rising sea levels due to climate change.

The state also is trying to persuade taxpayers across the country to help Louisiana pay for its 50-year, $90 billion coastal master plan. Shoring up Louisiana's coast is essential to the national economy. But how can we hope to persuade taxpayers in Montana and Ohio that the federal government should invest in our safety if voters here won't do the same?

We're in a tough fight to get help from outside Louisiana, but we will never win it if we can't get residents here to invest in their own protection.The pilot and passenger of a two-seat plane were uninjured after landing on State Route 14 in Vancouver at about 5 p.m. Saturday.

The single engine 1973 Cessna came to rest in the shoulder of the highway's westbound lane near milepost 3 after a power failure, Washington State Patrol said. It didn't hit any cars.

The plane is registered to Aero Maintenance, which is based at Pearson Field in Vancouver, federal records show. A company representative couldn't immediately be reached.

A student and instructor were on board, said Trooper Will Finn, a state patrol spokesman.

The plane is being towed.

VanWA - WB SR14/MP3 - Right lane partially BLOCKED! Expect delays through area! pic.twitter.com/T3HLZfJtFU  Trooper Will Finn (@wspd5pio) April 22, 2018

They stuck the landing. Traffic was halted around 5pm for an emergency landing on SR 14 WB just shy of Pearson Airfield. Thanks for your help @wspd5pio pic.twitter.com/djpqL37nIF  SWESA (@SWESAlerts) April 22, 2018

-- Rob Davis

rdavis@oregonian.com

503.294.7657; @robwdavisBy Margaret O'Hartigan

Portland's Bureau of Planning and Sustainability opposes a developer's request to re-zone residential property in Walnut Park to allow a 60-foot tall commercial/mixed use behemoth into this quiet neighborhood. Now the developer is asking the Portland City Council to give his project special treatment by promising to provide affordable housing. The Council is scheduled to vote on the matter April 25.

Walnut Park residents' objections to the proposed re-zoning of the Alberta Abbey property to commercial from residential has little to nothing to do with NIMBY-ism or lack of support for affordable housing. It has everything to do with Walnut Park neighbors opposing this 21st-century version of red-lining.

But to understand why that's true, you need to know something about Walnut Park, our history, and our people.

Walnut Park is approximately 80 acres, platted in 1904 and bounded on the north by Killingsworth, on the south by Northeast Alberta Street, on the west by North Commercial Avenue and on the east by Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.

Unlike Irvington, Alameda, Laurelhurst and most other Portland neighborhoods, Walnut Park never had exclusionary ethnic clauses written into our property deeds. Consequently, Walnut Park has a long history of welcoming minorities discriminated against by the majority of Portlanders and Oregonians who were white, Anglo-Saxon and Protestant. For example, Irish Catholics comprised a significant portion of our population in the early decades of the 20th century even as the Ku Klux Klan was promoting -- and passing -- anti-Catholic legislation against us.

And as Portland's African-American population increased 10-fold during the 1940s, racist city officials, racist bankers and the racist Portland Realty Board used red-lining and other discriminatory housing practices to restrict African Americans to Walnut Park and Albina neighborhoods. As a result, Walnut Park has one of the most diverse, integrated neighborhoods in Oregon history. And contrary to claims of gentrification, we still have many black families, Catholics and other minorities.

Then there's Walnut Park's long-standing support of affordable housing. Out of our neighborhood's 24 square blocks, four blocks' worth is devoted to subsidized housing. That's one-sixth of our neighborhood. Compare that to Irvington, Alameda, Laurelhurst, Grant Park, Overlook or University Park. Getting the picture yet?

Nearly one-third of Walnut Park's surface area is devoted to those in need: include the full block taken up by Multnomah County services, including Meals on Wheels and senior services; the full block occupied by the state unemployment office; and the nearly full block of Salvation Army facilities.

I have heard nothing but support among my neighbors for affordable housing going in at the Alberta Abbey site. What we object to - strenuously - is the imposition of commercial zoning that brings a vastly out-of-scale development built right up to property lines with no set-backs and none of the protections provided by residential zoning.

Margaret O'Hartigan is an 18-year resident of Walnut Park, and author of a walking guide entitled "Walnut Park Revealed."Marian Drake's April 15 letter, "Merkley's time to step up," preaches the liberal diatribe against corporations and politics that distorts the bigger picture of campaign contributions. Has Drake never heard of industrial labor unions, environmental organizations, nurses' associations, teachers unions or public employee unions? These groups also contribute heavily to influence political support for their issues. I have no problem with some limitations on amount of contributions, but the rules have to apply equally to all parties.

This liberal tendency to demonize corporations begins in the classroom as pointed out in Michele Beckler's April 16 letter, "Liberal echo chamber in Portland schools."

I was similarly offended in reviewing homework essay assignments my son prepared in the 1970s -- totally against corporations, which reflected their teacher's liberal opinion.

Unfortunately, school administrators at all levels don't acknowledge political orientation in their pursuit of diversity. The result is a liberal-conservative imbalance in classroom instruction. The lower grades are where children with moldable minds get indoctrinated, hence minds that don't question or reason. Too bad for America.

Ron Nutting, Northwest PortlandBeth Nakamura | The Oregonian/OregonLive

By MAXINE BERNSTEIN

The Oregonian | OregonLive

References in the mystery papers of Rajneeshpuram are often incomplete, sometimes cryptic, but relatively easy to decipher given the notoriety of the case.

It was an incredible chapter of Oregons past when worshipers of the Indian guru put down stakes at an empty cattle ranch, battled with the locals, poisoned many and plotted to kill people standing in their way.

Here are some of the more intriguing excerpts from 13 pages found in a folder hidden in a locked file cabinet from the commune and made public here for the first time.

The handwritten notes are in different colored ink, different styles and sometimes highlighted in pink or green.

The margins of the papers list names of followers of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, with information jotted beside each one: Anupa, Devaraj, Devika, Dharmakaya, Suburo.

It could be that those are the people who provided a particular account or who were involved in the actions described, but its hard to tell.

The authors repeatedly mention members of the communes inner circle of administrators: Sheela, Puja, Ava, Devarish.

Some of the pages list years: 1982, 1983, summer and fall of 1984 and June 1985.

Passages from the papers are followed here by an explanation of actual events based on news accounts and court documents from the time.

Don't Edit

Beth Nakamura | The Oregonian/OregonLive

POISONINGS

Puja asked lab to culture salmonella. Parambodhi was lab tech. Asked him to teach her to make salmonella. Lots of secret stuff going on Puja had lab in Chinese laundry secretly. Lots of things happening. People going to Dalles. Ava called in to Sheela told we have to destroy the Dalles. One enlightened Master worth 10,000 asleep people.

Ma Anand Sheela, the former top aide to Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, and Ma Anand Puja, the former secretary of the Rajneesh Medical Corp. clinic at the ranch, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to tamper with consumer products after an estimated 750 people became ill in August and September 1984. They had eaten at restaurants in The Dalles, where Rajneeshees had put salmonella bacteria on food.

Puja served almost 39 months in prison, including time spent in a German jail before she was extradited to the United States in late 1985.

Sheela served two years and five months in prison for attempted murder, arson, immigration fraud and The Dalles poisoning.

Ma Anand Ava was one of Sheelas trusted operatives. Parambodhi was the laboratory technician at the Rajneesh Medical Corp. who helped Puja in culturing the salmonella.

Don't Edit

Beth Nakamura | The Oregonian/OregonLive

PUJA

Puja distributed drugs to keep people happy, out of pain, Asleep. 

Puja asked if could obtain rat poisoning

Puja prescribed Haldol because psychopathe & could murder someone No general knowledge of treatment.

Puja asked for syringes day she left (got them)

Puja had pharmacy key/schedule drugs w/o scripts/ 

Puja would request medications for J.G. (valium, percodin)Puja frequently got NO2 for J.G

Puja comes up many times in the papers as the commune chemist or nurse who provided drugs to keep people in check at the ranch. The Filipino-born nurse practitioner conducted medical experiments at the commune. Jesus Grove (J.G. above) was the housing compound where Sheela and other top Rajneesh disciples lived.

Federal prosecutors had heard stories that the Bhagwan loved to use nitrous oxide (actually N2O), commonly known as laughing gas.

Don't Edit

Beth Nakamura | The Oregonian/OregonLive

ATTACK ON DOCTOR



6/85 meeting Sheela said DR was going to kill Bhagwan. Everyone freaked out. Said they were going to poison DR during festival. Ava said no. Sheela told her to shut up.

Sees DR get up. Shanti B near him when he stands up. Other 3 in back. DR foaming at the mouth. Put him in ambulance. Takes him to RMS. Havidasi told Ava that DR said that someone injected him with something. Shant B real excited that day DR injected with high dosage of adrenalin.

Sheela had sent another woman to stab the Bhagwans personal physician, Swami Devaraj, referred to above as DR, with a syringe filled with adrenaline out of fear Deveraj was using his access to the guru to undermine her.

Ma Shanti Bhadra, also known as Shanti B, plunged a hypodermic needle into Devaraj during a ranch celebration, almost killing him. Bhadra, born Catherine Jane Stork, was convicted of attempted murder in 1986 and served almost three years in prison. She was later convicted in the conspiracy to kill Oregons U.S. Attorney Charles Turner, a 1985 plot that was aborted, sentenced to time served and five years of probation.

Don't Edit

Beth Nakamura| The Oregonian/OregonLive

PLOT TO POISON FORMER DISCIPLE



Helen Byron trial  Ava sent to Portland to follow her & poison her. Sheela told her to do it. Puja gave her the stuffthey failed, Sheela really pissed off.

A federal jury in Portland in May 1985 awarded $1.7 million to Helen C. Byron, 66, of Santa Fe, a former Rajneesh disciple, in her suit against Rajneesh Foundation International. In 1980, Byron had lent the sect nearly $310,000, a sum that Sheela later claimed was a contribution. The jury found that Sheela deliberately deceived Byron. Sheela described Byrons suit as part of a government plan to destroy the Rajneeshees.

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Beth Nakamura | The Oregonian/OregonLive

PLOT TO POISON OUTSPOKEN CRITIC, LOCAL RANCHER

Sagun told Jagruti to poison Rosemary McGreer. Samadhi called Sheela said Jags too freaked out message to drop it. Jagruti to Sheela later she wouldnt do it.

McGreer, who still lives on a six-generation family farm that abutted the Rajneesh ranch, was a critic of the commune and went on The Merv Griffin Show in mid-1982. Sheela also was a guest on the show. That October, Rajneesh Foundation International sued McGreer for defamation, highlighting her claims that donations to the church benefited only a few Rajneeshees and that Rajneeshee children saw their parents only on weekends.

The suit went nowhere, and McGreer countersued for defamation, winning $75,000 that she never received.

Im sure thats the reason, McGreer said in a recent interview, adding that she never heard of the plot to poison her before.

Ma Anand Jagruti pleaded guilty to a federal wiretapping charge and a state felony charge of election fraud.

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Beth Nakamura | The Oregonian/OregonLive

TRANQUILIZER INJECTED INTO BEER



It was injected nitely into the S.A.H. beer by Puja using a large syringe at Jesus Grove Probably used more specifically on individual problem cases through tea administered by moms.

In an attempt to overthrow the Wasco County government, the Rajneeshees bused in thousands of homeless people under the auspices of a humanitarian effort they called Share A Home (S.A.H. for short) and had them register to vote. But when the newcomers started to disrupt the commune, the Rajneesh inner circle drugged them with Haldol, injecting the tranquilizer into their beer. Sheela lived at Jesus Grove.

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FRAUDULENT IMMIGRATION RECORDS



kept off books/dont attach slips  book wouldnt show / Devam & Puja pulled J.G. charts to change for INS raid.

"blue files  kept in special cabinet/ knew for people w/INS problems one nite helped remove time sections/mainly 'old timers'/removals shredded/Puja there but not helping"

Federal officials launched a vast immigration fraud investigation into the Bhagwan and his followers. Five disciples pleaded guilty to conspiracy to arrange sham marriages between U.S. citizens and foreign sect members. The Bhagwan pleaded guilty to two counts of immigration fraud and paid a $400,000 fine before he was deported. At the time, Oregons U.S. Attorney Charles Turner said the Rajneeshees engaged in the largest recorded marriage fraud in the United States, involving more than 400 sham marriages.

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Beth Nakamura | The Oregonian/OregonLive

DRUGGING, SHIPPING OUT HOMELESS PEOPLE



Puja told Ava to pick up P.W. Said she was going to give him a test. Puja injects him with Sodium Penthathol. Julian, Sheela, Savita, Anugiten, Dipo around to talk to P.W. They interrogated him. Puja put him on I.V. valium. He was out for 3 days. Puja wrote fake heart letter. He was shipped out.

Under page heading S.A.H. - William Allen:

-- "psychotic. Doctors decided to send him out. Allen couldn't function. He was on amatrytaline. Shipped out found dead. died from exposure."

-- William Allen: Filled several scripts. found with menatripaline in system, prescribed given enough for 2 day supply. got 6 tabs (would take 14  20). and Shunyo: William Allen - had seen him but he did not have lethal dose of Elavil.

Two men were recruited to the commune and were later shipped out of the ranch. Felton Walker, spelled Phelton in the notes (P.W. above), was given so-called truth serum and interrogated by Sheela and others after information surfaced that he talked about kidnapping the guru.

William Allen was pushed out of the ranch and sent on a bus to Portland after he was given an anti-psychotic drug. Allen, 28, was found dead of exposure behind a restaurant in Government Camp in 1984. His mother Evelyn Allen filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Ma Anand Puja in 1989. An autopsy revealed Allen died of hypothermia, although a deputy medical examiner was quoted in wire service reports at the time as saying that a quantity of Elavil, an anti-depressant, in his body contributed to his death.

According to federal court records, a judgment was entered on March 30, 1989, awarding Allens mother $500,000 in a wrongful death lawsuit she filed against Puja. Her lawyer, now 70, said he remembers there was a settlement but doesnt remember if the judgment was ever paid. The mother has died.

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Beth Nakamura | The Oregonian/OregonLive

PLOT AGAINST OREGON'S ATTORNEY GENERAL



"Samadhi told about how she'd go and got some stuff all over her, she did something at Frohnmeyers (sic) house.''

Federal agents said at a bail hearing that theyd been told by a former Rajneeshee, Ava Avalos, about a plot to assassinate the states attorney general, Dave Frohnmayer, as well as Oregons U.S. Attorney Charlies Turner.

The recent Netflix documentary series, Wild Wild Country, reported that animal innards were found on the driveway to Frohnmayers house, suspected to have been left there by Rajneeshee followers.

-- Maxine Bernstein

mbernstein@oregonian.com

503-221-8212

@maxoregonian

Don't EditA man says he was held down and repeatedly punched by a nude man angry that the alleged victim's dog was not on a leash at Sauvie Island's clothing-optional beach.

The assault allegation is under investigation by Oregon State Police, who on Sunday asked for the public's help identifying the suspect.

The alleged incident took place between noon and 3 p.m. on Thursday. The assault caused "visible injury," police said. Police said the suspect is a regular at Collins Beach and has "reportedly accosted" others about their off-leash dogs.

The police description includes the suspect's height, weight, build and notes his receding hairline but naturally leaves out clothing since he wasn't wearing any.

State police Fish and Wildlife troopers are continuing to investigate the assault and anybody with information on this suspect, including past encounters is asked to call the OSP Northern Command Center at *OSP or email Trooper Joe Dezso at Joseph.Dezso@state.or.us.

-- The OregonianUntil this month, students taking Forest Grove High School's online U.S. history course started the lesson on the civil rights movement with a cartoon about Rosa Parks.

Parks is shown with two time-traveling teenagers, a black girl and a white boy. The girl introduces Parks as one of her heroes and Parks says, "Why am I one of your heroes? I haven't done anything, dear."

The girl asks the boy for a "little help" and he holds out a chair for Parks.

"You're offering your seat to me?" Parks asks.

"Well, yeah, you're a lady," he says. "Guys are supposed to be polite."

"That gives me an idea!" Parks says.

We can only assume it's an idea to fight for gender-based social customs, based on this non-history lesson.

That cartoon was copyrighted 2009. The fact that it took nine years for anyone to question it is a sign of bigger problems in the ways we teach civil rights history.

"There are so many things wrong with that cartoon, it's really hard to know where to begin," said Maureen Costello, director of Teaching Tolerance, a program of the civil rights nonprofit, the Southern Poverty Law Center. "What this does is reduce it, at best, to something that occurred to her just out of nowhere, and it happened to be introduced by some hapless teenage white dude. It basically takes everything away from the agency of Rosa Parks. It reduces this incredibly serious moment to a joke."

Forest Grove senior Amy Renzema said she was "flabbergasted" when she came across the cartoon in her history course last month.

"This was just so bad that I couldn't not say anything," she said. "It demeans everything (Parks) stood for."

Renzema emailed her assistant principal. He passed her complaint to OdysseyWare, the company that supplies Forest Grove, and many other school districts, with online curriculum.

A spokesperson for Glynlyon, OdysseyWare's parent company, did not answer questions about how the cartoon was approved or the number of schools that use OdysseyWare programs. A 2016 company press release said it has customers in thousands of school districts.

In a statement, Glynlyon CEO Matthew Given commended Renzema for speaking up and said the cartoon was removed after her complaint.

"Though this particular piece of content was created many years ago, it was never historically accurate," the statement read. "We apologize for the misrepresentation and any harm it may have caused."

What the cartoon  and the rest of the lesson  fails to mention is that Parks was well aware of her rights when she was arrested for refusing to leave her seat for a white passenger on a Montgomery, Alabama, bus in 1955. She had attended the Highlander Folk School in Tennessee, which trained activists in the civil rights movement. She was an active member and secretary for the local chapter of the NAACP.

She wasn't old and tired. She was 42 and ready to fight.

"The historical memory of Mrs. Parks is often misconstrued," said Felicia Bell, director of the Rosa Parks Museum in Montgomery, Alabama. "It's what people are comfortable with remembering, probably."

Part of the museum's mission is to develop lesson plans around the civil rights movement and to tell the story of Parks' lifetime of activism. Eleven years before being arrested on a bus, she investigated the case of Recy Taylor, a black woman raped by six white men. Parks was an advocate for reproductive rights and later served on the board of Planned Parenthood.

"I think people want to keep her on the bus, if you will, and not think of Mrs. Parks as a woman who was active all her life in causes for social justice and equality," Bell said.

Costello has a theory about that.

She suspects schools simplify the stories of the civil rights movement "because you don't want to give young people the tools to lead social movements," she said. "You don't want to tell them what really takes place in activism. In a sense, I think, the power structure wants to tell a story that makes it seem like white people recognized a change was needed and made the change fairly easily."

The Odysseyware lesson tries to wrap things up as if race relations in America have been solved.

"Despite the setbacks, the civil rights movement had achieved a great deal," the lesson reads. "Segregation was outlawed, and blacks were given equal voting rights. America was finally on a path to end all forms of racial discrimination."

This narrative makes it easier to teach what happened in the 1950s and 1960s without addressing what's happening now with movements like Black Lives Matter.

Renzema, too, sees this pattern. She wrote an article about Black History Month for the school newspaper, but it wasn't published. Her student editor said Renzema focused too much on today's problems, writing, "The idea was to celebrate the strides that have been made."

"It's much more comfortable to talk about this triumphant story," Costello said, "because then you don't have to actually acknowledge the fact that the kids sitting in front of you are still dealing with racial injustice."

But schools are where we teach young people how to be citizens. If we don't trust them with serious discussions about the ugly parts of America's past, we aren't equipping them to face the problems of America's present.

-- Samantha Swindler is a columnist for The Oregonian/Oregonlive

@editorswindler / 503-294-4031

sswindler@oregonian.com"Describe Robert Mueller in one word."

James Comey dropped his head to consider the question from the audience, then quickly looked up.

"Atticus," he said.

The packed house at Portland's Revolution Hall on Saturday gasped at the former FBI director's comparison of the special counsel to Atticus Finch, the morally upright father and lawyer in Harper Lee's classic novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" -- and then burst into applause.

Mueller is charged with investigating the alleged "collusion" between President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign and Russian government operatives who sought to undermine America's democracy. Mueller's appointment as special counsel grew directly out of Trump's firing of Comey in May 2017, an action that the president's former White House strategist, Steve Bannon, has called the biggest mistake "maybe in modern political history."

Comey, who came to Portland on Saturday to talk about his new book, "A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership," insisted that if Mueller is allowed to complete his work "he will find the facts." (Washington, D.C., and the national media have been awash in rumors about the president being intent on ousting the special counsel.)

"I don't know where the facts will take us," Comey added. "I don't think we should be rooting for a certain result. ... I'm rooting for the facts to be found."

Inside Revolution Hall before James Comey took the stage.

More important, he's rooting for the facts -- whatever they turn out to be -- to matter. "There are things that are true and there are things that are false," he said. If we lose sight of the importance of truth and truthfulness, he insisted, we are lost as a nation.

Comey hastened to point out that his book, part memoir and part meditation on the value of personal ethics, isn't about President Trump.

He said that only three of the 14 chapters in the book are related to Trump. The other chapters track, among other things, his pursuit of New York mobsters when he was a young prosecutor in the 1980s and '90s, and his interactions with President Barack Obama, who appointed him as FBI director in 2013.

As for the three chapters about Trump: "They're depressing," he admitted.

Comey said he sensed the president is driven by deep insecurity -- and unfettered ego. "Moral, ethical leaders have external reference points to make decisions, a set of values," he said. "Trump has only one reference point, and it's internal. It's, 'What's best for me?' It's amoral."

The former FBI director declared that his criticism of Trump isn't about partisanship, pointing out that when he was in the private sector, he gave money to the 2008 and 2012 Republican presidential nominees.

It's about character.

"Trump's not morally fit," he said. "He lies about all matters big and small. That is not a political statement. And [that lying] should matter to all of us, no matter what your political stripe is."

Lately, Comey has been on the receiving end of vitriol from the president and the president's supporters. (Trump has called him a "slimeball" and said he should be in jail.) And the former FBI chief seems to be at peace with that. After all, he faced anger from Democrats before it came from Republicans. Democratic partisans have argued that the way he handled the FBI's investigation of Hillary Clinton's email practices is the reason she lost the 2016 presidential election.

In the end, Comey insists that ethical leadership, not whether the country is led by Republicans or Democrats, is what's important. He highlighted this theme again and again at the Revolution Hall event. He also highlighted it at the very beginning of "A Higher Loyalty," with an epigraph by the late ethicist Reinhold Niebuhr, a personal hero of his.

"Man's capacity for justice makes democracy possible," Niebuhr wrote, "but man's inclination to injustice makes democracy necessary."

-- Douglas PerryWe have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription.Last week, the Bureau of Justice Statistics released a statement that proposes to leave out LGBTQ kids 16 and below from their National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS).

The NCVS is a national survey that gathers information on the frequency of crime victimization, as well as signs and consequences of victimization. It is conducted twice a year, with its main sample being youth and adults in over 49,000 households across the country. And just like any other survey should, the NCVS asks for the gender identity and sexual orientation of its takerswhich is essential to get data on the LGBTQ community. However, the recent announcement has suggested to only ask for this information from people 18 years old and above. This, then, would not look into data on LGBTQ youth at ages 16 and below.

Rewire News reports that the Human Rights Watch's 2016 report concluded that LGBTQ youth are more than twice as likely to be physically attacked in school than non-LGBTQ youth. Some accounts from said report tell of instances of crimes against genderqueer kids as young as 14. And so it seems necessary for the NCVS to take note of these victims moving forward.

This isn't the first time offices under the Trump-Pence administration have made questionable decisions regarding data collection that affects the LGBTQ community. The questions proposed in early 2018 for the 2020 Census did not include any questions on the topic of sexual orientation, which is quite problematic given that LGBTQ issues have become a big part of the people's concern.

Image via Getty

Back in 2014 Patently Apple posted a report titled "The BBC Report about Apple is motivated by Politics and Unions." It was a hit job on Apple on an epic scale bringing in Ralf Nader and the BBC's Richard Bilton whose disdain for Apple was evident in the documentary titled 'Broken Promises.' The photo below was from that documentary where he's pointing to Apple's cultists with utter contempt. He's the same reporter who reported on the Paradise Papers where he tells us a tale of his own invention against Apple and once again shows us his clear bias.





The Union group 'China Labor Watch' was at it again in January about violations at an Apple partner plant involving occupational health, safety, pollution and more. In the two major reports about China Labor Watch versus Apple, the press fell over themselves to cover big bad Apple.

On April 05, 2018 Samsung sued the South Korean government over disclosure of reports on working conditions in their chip fabs.

A former Samsung worker who was diagnosed with leukemia died in 2014. The victim's family claimed for access to the reports.

Samsung claims that revealing the reports is an act of infringement of trade secrets, especially at a critical time when China is strategically promoting its semiconductor industry.

A Samsung official stated in a Korean tech report that "The semiconductor production areas are designated by the government as restricted areas for national core technologies, whose security is overseen by the National Intelligence Service. The purpose of filing the lawsuit is to prevent reckless exposure of key technologies and trade secrets to unspecified public."

Below are other Korean reports on this issue:

April 12, 2018: Samsung Display to ask gov't to review workplace report

April 15, 2018: Biz group says disclosure of Samsung' workplace environment should be limited

April 19, 2018: Court accepts Samsung's request to block disclosure of workplace assessment reports

In the April 19th report it noted that "The assessment reports apparently contain results on workers' exposure to some 190 harmful chemical substances within the workplaces. The company is required to submit the reports to the district ministry branch every six months.

April 20, 2018: Samsung Display files administrative suit over sensitive workplace reports

April 20, 2018: Samsung Display joins move to halt disclosure of workplace reports

With the BBC's reporter Richard Bilton chasing Apple to the ends of the earth to report on dangerous working conditions, where's the BBC reporter on this case with Samsung? Apparently it's okay to turn a blind eye if it's not Apple. I guess the Korean Unions just aren't willing to pay for Bilton's smear tactic talents.

Where's the U.S. press coverage on this case about 190 harmful chemical substances within Samsung's chip plant who killed an employee due to exposure to these chemicals after only working at the plant for three years? If this case had the name Apple assigned to it, it would be the headline on every blog and reputable magazine on the planet worldwide. Apple's stock would be in danger of tumbling for 'colluding with the government.'



You'd think that the number one smartphone company in the world based on volume would at least get a byline from some major publication about how the court is bowing to the whims of Samsung  but no. What is Samsung really afraid of in this case?

Until the big guns in the U.S. press make it an issue, Samsung will continue to get away with hiding the results of the government agency's findings. If Samsung is pulling out all the stops to limit this report, it must be damning.

In the end, it appears that South Korea is more concerned about China challenging their dominance in semiconductors than they are about a few sick or dying employees. It boils down to it being economic warfare and casualties are expected and accepted.





About Making Comments on our Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments. Those using abusive language or negative behavior will result in being blacklisted on Disqus.Continuing a bit more with my first pass through a manuscript that I hope to finish within the next six months or so:

The Middle East is a mess. That is perhaps the most obvious fact about the area. It is, possibly, the worst-governed region on the globe. Or perhaps it just seems to be so bad because we give the area so much attention. We do that because the place is so important to us, and not merely because of its oil reserves. It is the source of much of our own culture. Many of our most sacred values come from a barren peninsula known as the Sinai. The region exercises a huge influence on our imaginations. Hardly a schoolchild is unaware of the pyramids or the Sphinx. Bible readers who may know nothing of ancient history in general know of Babylon and Nebuchadnezzar, of the Philistines and the Canaanites. More importantly, they know of Israel, and the place names of a small territory called Palestine linger in our minds: Galilee, Sodom and Gomorrah, Jerusalem, the River Jordan.

The continent of Africa, too, suffers from incompetent and evil rulers, but we in the West seldom notice it. For most of us, Africa is central neither to our belief system nor to our personal identities. Furthermore, with spectacular recent exceptions like Rwanda and Somalia, Africans generally do not intrude upon our consciousness. They suffer, relative to us, in silence. Their agonies rarely make the front pages of our newspapers. But disputes in the Middle East are likely to spill over into terrorist attacks in New York, Washington DC, Madrid, and Paris, to bring airliners down in rural Pennsylvania. Why this should be so deserves our attention.

Politics in the Middle East can be seen as a combination of three entirely different traditions, interacting somewhat uneasily.[1] The first of these traditions can be loosely described as the politics of the tribe. This is probably the oldest form of politics in the region and perhaps the oldest anywhere. And it is the form of politics to which, when things get rough, the Arab situation tends to revert. The modern national boundaries of the Middle East are often artificial, and the governments that rule the nations of the region, although they may appear to the superficial eye to be modern and to have all the institutional trappings of up-to-date regimes (presidents, prime ministers, parliaments, and the like), are frequently every bit as inauthentic. In tribal politics, the individuals loyalty is given first and foremost to his kinship group, his clan, or to his religious denomination. The object of his loyalties may or may not be a literal tribe as in Arabia before Islam, but it will often behave as if it were. (We have seen this reflected in the Ottoman Empires millet system.) Relations between the tribes are often characterized by suspicion, rivalry, and terrible vengeance for wrongs suffered or perceived. It is only by taking such vengeance, by intimidating and discouraging potential enemies, that one can be reasonably certain of safety in the future. There is, as there was in pre-Islamic Arabia, no higher authority to appeal to, no police force to protect. Thus, we have an Alawite religious minority dominating Syria to its own benefit. In Iraq, a kind of mafia from the village of Tikrit ruled the country for years until it was brought down by an American invasion. It persecuted the Kurds of the north and, being itself Sunni Muslim (at least in name), persecuted the Shiite majority that resides mainly in the countrys south. The classic illustration of this tribal politics is to be found in Lebanon, which will be discussed below, but it is certainly not foreign to Israel, where a tribe of Palestinian Arabs is locked in a struggle with a tribe of Israeli Jews. Today, just as in the Middle Periods, the ruling elite in the Near East is often religiously or otherwise foreign to the populace. There is a gulf between the ruler and the ruled.

[1] My formulation of these three traditions rests heavily upon Thomas L. Friedman, From Beirut to Jerusalem (New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 1989), 87-101, although I have long thought along these general lines and have, I hope, given the subject my own twist. (The brilliant Arab historian and social theorist Ibn Khaldun had, after all, developed the idea of tribal solidarity [asabiyya] as a force in history already by the end of the fourteenth century.) Still, I learned a great deal from Friedmans extraordinarily insightful book, as is demonstrated throughout this chapter. Other books that have taught me much include Gilles Kepel, The Revenge of God: The Resurgence of Islam, Christianity and Judaism in the Modern World, translated by Alan Braley (University Park: Pennsylvania State, 1994); Emmanuel Sivan, Radical Islam: Medieval Theology and Modern Politics (New Haven: Yale, 1985); Barry Rubin, Revolution until Victory? The Politics and History of the PLO (Cambridge: Harvard, 1994). Ziad Abu-Amr, Islamic Fundamentalism in the West Bank and Gaza: Muslim Brotherhood and Islamic Jihad (Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana, 1994), is a useful guide into the confusing world of Palestinian Islamic militancy.

Posted from Amman, JordanIran Detains Saeed Mortazavi, Ex-Prosecutor Convicted In 2009 Prisoner's Death

04/22/18

Source: RFE/RL

An Iranian news agency affiliated with the judiciary is reporting that police have arrested a former Tehran prosecutor who faces a two-year prison sentence over the death of a prisoner arrested during Iran's 2009 mass anti-government protests.



Saeed Mortazavi cartoon on cover of Hamshahri Javan magazine

The website of the Mizanonline news agency said on April 22, citing an "informed source'" that Saeed Mortazavi had been identified and arrested in a city in the north of the country.



Mortazavi, former chief prosecutor for the capital, Tehran, was sentenced to two years in prison in November 2017 for complicity in the death of a person arrested during Iran's 2009 antigovernment protests.



Last week, judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei said that while a warrant has been issued for Mortazavi's arrest, the authorities had "not been successful in getting [their] hands on him."



Mortazavi's wife and lawyer had denied he was missing, but said he was looking to appeal the ruling.



During his six years as Tehran's prosecutor and before that as a judge, Mortazavi was linked to the closure of dozens of reformist publications and the jailing of dozens of journalists.



He is blacklisted by the United States and the European Union for "grave violations of human rights."



Canada has blamed Mortazavi for the 2003 death in custody of Iranian-Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi.



Mortazavi was suspended by the judiciary in 2014 in connection with the 2009 deaths of three protesters in a detention center in Tehran.



With reporting by AP, Mizanonline and ISNAOn Monday, April 23, the Armenian Students Association (ASA) club will commemorate the deaths of 1.5 million Armenians, the victims of an early 20th century genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire, with a show celebrating Armenian culture.

The event will take place in the Westerbeck Hall from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and include performances of varying mediums such as singing, dancing, poetry readings and instrumental numbers. The event is open to everyone, and has been held annually by the ASA club for several years.

We want to show people the culture, more than just mourning the deaths of 1.5 million Armenians, its about showing people about us now, and the culture that we have now, and the culture we thrive in as a community, said club member Nareg Bouldoukian.

However, the club does aim to inform and educate those in attendance about the Armenian Genocide and why it is significant. For decades, the nation of Turkey, formerly the Ottoman Empire, has denied that this atrocity even occurred.

Weve been doing this dozens ofalmost 100years, a little over 100 years actually, but still some people dont know about it. Still some people arent giving it the credit it deserves as a cause, as a mission for us, Bouldoukian explained.

The event will also feature a keynote speaker discussing a topic relevant to the Armenian community. The substance of the speeches has ranged in the past from the work currently undertaken by the Armenian National Committee of America to developments taking place in Armenia.

For example, three years ago, it was the centennial, 2015, and then 2016, there was a four day war between the Azeris and the Armenians, and people were remembering the martyrs, of course, and then it was around the time of April too so, they kind of commemorated the April 24th and the four day war around the same time, said club president Daron Assadourian.

The event is intended to educate and illuminate on matters pertaining to Armenian culture, history and concerns but everyone is welcome to attend and all viewpoints are tolerated.

We want to be all inclusive, said Assadourian. Invite everybody to possibly educate them, possibly learn from them, their point of view. Maybe they have thought of something we havent thought of before in regards to this topic.

On Wednesday, April 4, ASA club vice president Brittney Salinas spoke to the PCC Board of Trustees to stress the need to acknowledge the historical validity of the Armenian Genocide and suggest the need for curriculum changes to history courses. She called for changes that would highlight the rich history of Armenia, as well as other nations, regions and peoples that are not adequately described and detailed in existing history curriculum.

It deserves to be heard because its history, like any other history. Its like American history or Chinese history or Russian history but its Armenian history, said Bouldoukian. We were the first Christian nation, weve been in our region for over 2000, 3000 years. Maybe even longer.

Salinas emphasized the current inability of the Turkish government to recognize the Armenian Genocide as the most frustrating obstacle, and the most pressing goal.

You know, even after the genocide had happened, Turkey pretended it didnt happen, said Salinas. So one of the big things is trying to get everyone to recognize that it did. We will not let them force us out of history.Presidential hopeful of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Professor, Joshua Alabi says he is ready to transform Ghana and make it the center of business in Africa.



According to the former University of Professional Studies (UPSA) Vice Chancellor, he has the drive to reflect on the national level, the way and manner he did for the educational institution if he is made Ghanas next president.



I want to lead because like I said sometime ago, the way and manner I transformed the University of Professional Studies (UPSA), I want that to be reflected on the national level and I have said that I want to make Ghana the Swiss of Africa. He said.



Prof Alabi, who endorsed President Akufo-Addos Ghana Beyond Aid Agenda, said like Switzerland is the moneyhub of the world, he is ready to make Ghana a peaceful and progressive country where citizens from other African countries will be comfortable enough to invest in the country without having any sense of insecurity.



Explaining his motivation in an interview on 21 minutes with KKB, Prof Alabi explained, by Swiss of Africa, what I mean by that is, I want to make Ghana a peaceful country. I want to make Ghana a progressive country. I want to make Ghana a country where Africans can feel free and have the confidence to invest. Thereby making Ghana the money hub of Africa  like Switzerland is the money hub of the world.



He indicated that making Ghana the center of investment on the African continent opens the door for the capitalization of more resources which will eventually lead to the creation of more jobs.



Mr Alabi disclosed to host Kwabena Kyenkyenhene Boateng it is unfortunate his statement has been misunderstood by many Ghanaians who are of the perception that making Ghana the Swiss of Africa meant Im going to every village to make skyscrapers.



Its unfortunate the way we think sometimes in our country. Its very very unfortunate, he added.



Prof Alabi, who professed that Ghana is not enjoying a peaceful status, specified that what he intends doing is to set the basic foundation which is to make the country progressive, peaceful, and progressive.



Confident he will be the next head of state come 2020 polls, Prof Joshua Alabi voiced that Ghana should be a place where people in Africa will have full confidence in Ghana to bring in their money. Then when they bring their money then we have more resources to create more jobs.

Source: GNA









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Featured VideoBlack Stars captain Asamoah Gyan has signed a partnership deal with top UK investment company, Investment Development Capital.



The deal signed by the CEO of Baby Jet investments Samuel Anim will see their new partners advice them on the development of its investment portfolio including Baby Jet Airlines.



Andrew Naylor, CEO of DCP, said Asamoah Gyan is a high profile personality both in Ghana and internationally and we are delighted to have been chosen to support the development of his business portfolio including Baby Jet Airlines.



Sammy Anim Addo, CEO of Gyan Investments, said We are delighted to have the support of DCP in the development of Asamoah Gyans investment portfolio.



Development Capital Partners provides financial advisory, debt arranging and transaction structuring services for clients seeking to structure bankable investments in emerging economies.



The firms partners have extensive experience of doing business for clients in some of the most challenging countries on the African subcontinent.











Source: Starrsportsgh









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.

Featured VideoThe Ghana Standards Authority has told Citi Business News it will go ahead with the implementation of its EasyPass program from next month.



The GSA, earlier suspended the implementation of its EasyPass program which is aimed at ensuring that some selected products imported into Ghana, meet the required standards to protect public health and safety.



The Authority said the suspension was to allow for further engagement with stakeholders.



But speaking to Citi Business News, the Director of Communications at the Ghana Standard Authority, Dr. Kofi Amponsah Bediako, said the GSA has the support of all relevant trade stakeholders, hence will implement the EasyPass program from 1st May 2018.



The program begins on the 1st of May; that date has been fixed because we have already consulted the various trade associations and these associations are united under the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA). Our management and board members met them.



Dr. Kofi Amponsah Bediako went on to outline how the program will be implemented, stating that it will ultimately benefit all importers who come on board.



Initially the program will be voluntary; importers who however come on board will have their goods cleared quicker if it is ascertained that their goods are of good quality.



The EasyPass programme when successful, will ensure that regulated imported products are verified before they are exported to Ghana.



Meanwhile the importers and exporters who will be affected by the Easy Pass Programme say they have not been consulted by the GSA, hence will kick against the programme.



Executive Secretary of the Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana, Sampson Assaki Awingobit in an interview with Citi Business News said the GSA has failed to consult them on the programme even after it was initially suspended.



I met with members of the Ghana Union of Traders Association and they told me that the GSA authorities told them they want to introduce the EasyPass and that they would meet with them to discuss the details of its implementation. But till date, there has been no stake holder consultation with any of us which is not fair. My point is if it is a good policy for the country, there should still be stake holder consultation with the relevant stakeholders before its implementation.

Source: citinewsroom.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.

Featured VideoSixteen government employees have been detained in Cameroon for allegedly leaking official documents on social media since the start of the year.



In an increasingly common phenomenon, the texts of President Paul Biya's two most recent nationwide addresses were circulating before he even delivered them.



And in March, a confidential presidential memo began circulating on the country's social media sites. The memo instructed security agencies to restrict travel for about two dozen senior state workers accused of stealing state funds.



Three police officers are now behind bars awaiting trial in connection with that leak.



In April, another confidential presidential order surfaced online. This one increased the allowances of soldiers deployed to the turbulent English-speaking regions. Two defense ministry staffers were called up for questioning.



Rights groups have long criticized Cameroon and other African governments, for being overly opaque.



Cameroon-born analyst Tem Fuh Mbuh, with the Dakar-based Open Society Initiative for West Africa, said the crackdown is part of a broader campaign against dissent.



"It is not only about those who are leaking official information, but there has been [a] systematic crackdown against all those who try to dissent in Cameroon," he said. "So it's a very alarming situation, and civic space in Cameroon has been closing very considerably in the last few years."



Mbuh said this is particularly concerning ahead of the country's elections in the later part of 2018.



Transparency vs. stability



Often, the response from African governments is that transparency must take a back seat to stability.



In March, Cameroon's Prime Minister Philomen Yang said leaking sensitive official documents threatens both the Biya administration and national security. His office declined VOA's request for an interview.



Lawyers for state employees detained over alleged leaks declined to comment to VOA as the cases are ongoing.



But at a documentation center in Yaounde, VOA found several government workers either printing or typing documents from their offices. They say they lacked the necessary computer equipment or had run short of ink.



Information technology specialist, Peter Suife, said state workers need education on dealing with sensitive information electronically.



"You have government offices that have computers, the operators of these computers don't know how to probably store some documents in their files," he said. "When they type, they take the key to a documentation center for printing. After printing, they are supposed to cancel what they have printed in that documentation, rather than allow it in the machine. Tomorrow, you see the documents already on streets before the state ever makes a statement."



The law in Cameroon says government employees must protect classified and confidential materials. Failure to do so could lead to dismissal, as well as penalties ranging from a $10 (5000 CFA) fine to as much as one year's imprisonment.

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.

Featured VideoThe Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has denied reports that the immediate past Executive Director of the agency, Mr Peter Abum Sarkodie, and two other officials, spent $81,000 on a six-day trip to Finland.



The agency stated that rather, $14,200 (GH62,809.64) was released for the official trip of Mr Sarkodie, the acting Director of Inter-sectorial Networking of the agency, Mr Ransford Sekyi and the Communications Director, Mrs Angelina Tutua Mensah, to sign strategic partnership agreements with Oulu University in Finland and the Finland Environmental Protection Agency.



Mischievous reports



The Deputy Executive Director in-charge of Finance and Administration, Mr Charles Cudjoe Amevor, who disclosed this in an interview the Daily Graphic, said these media reports are basically untrue and mischievous as they are crafted to tarnish the hard-earned reputation of Mr Sarkodie and the two EPA officials, Mr Amevor stated.



A copy of the payment voucher, prepared by Mr J. M. Addo, an accountant of the EPA, was made available to the Daily Graphic, showing that the agency released $14,200 for the six-day trip of the three officials on February 27, 2018.



It would be recalled that the Executive Director of the EPA, Mr Sarkodie, was relieved of his post by the President last Thursday.



A letter signed by the Executive Secretary to the President, Nana Asante Bediatuo, directed Mr Sarkodie to hand over to the Deputy Director of Field Operations of the agency, Mr John Pwamang.



Reports making rounds in the media had attributed Mr Sarkodies removal from office to allegedly blowing $81,000 belonging to the agency on a three-week foreign trip together with two officials of the agency to Finland to sign an agreement with a University Oulu.



Unrecognised association



Reacting to media reports that some staff of the EPA known as Concerned Citizens Association had called for the dismissal Mr Sarkodie in a petition forwarded to the Presidency on September 8, 2017 and March 29, 2018, the Vice President of the Senior Staff Association of the agency, Mr Amoah Antwi-Bosiako, denied knowledge of such group or any agitation by staff against Mr Sarkodie.



There are only three recognised groups within the agencythe Senior Staff Association, the TUC and the EPA Ladies Association  and we are not aware of any Concerned Citizens Association at EPA, he explained.



University never paid for trip



For his part, the Chief Executive Officer of the Acqua Minerals Ghana, Mr Samuel Owusu-Asare, who facilitated the meeting between the EPA and the Finnish university, debunked media reports that the University of Oulu paid for the trip of Mr Sarkodie and the two officials of the EPA to Finland.



It was impossible for the Oulu University to pay for the ticket of the EPA officials because there was no reason for the university to do that since meeting we had was not at the instance of the university.

Source: Graphic.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.

Featured VideoThe attention of the office of Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings, former President of Ghana, has been drawn to a post on various media, especially in Nigeria, professing his support for comments made by President Muhammadu Buhari on Nigerian youth.



The office wishes to state that former President Rawlings has made no comment whatsoever or issued a statement on the comments by President Buhari.



Any comments purportedly coming from Mr. Rawlings are false and a creation of individuals who wish to use the former President of Ghanas name for their own political interests.



All official statements or comments by Flt Lt Rawlings can be found on his Twitter handle @officeofJJR or his Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ President.J.J.Rawlings/

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.

Featured VideoThe Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Otiko Afisah Djaba on April 20, 2018, received a special award for Promoting Gender Equality in Ghana and Africa at large.



The Africa Public Sector Conference and Awards (APSCA) is an initiative geared towards honoring Africas top public servants, key decision makers, stakeholders in government and private sector for their efforts towards the development and growth of their countries.



The award was presented to her during the Africa Public Sector Conference and Awards ceremony which took place in Kigali, Rwanda.



Ghana's Gender Minister was awarded in recognition of her contributions to the empowerment of women and girls in Africa.



Otiko Afisah Djaba who also received another award on behalf of the First Lady, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo for also empowering women and girls, expressed her appreciation to staff of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection for their hard work and dedication to achieving the mandate of the Ministry.



She stated the Ministry will not relent in ensuring no one is left out or behind in the development of Ghana.



"Its by Grace and the support of people like you. My Ministry also won an award and our First Lady Rebecca was also given an Award for her contribution in Empowering women and children. So I received it on her behalf as she is in London with the President for the Commonwealth Heads of State Forum.



"I felt very proud because Ghana won the most awards" the Gender Minister stated.



Ms Otiko revealed MOGCSP has submitted to Cabinet the Affirmative Action Bill which soon will be laid before Parliament for passage. The passage of the Bill she said will ensure gender equality in decision making and inclusive governance in Ghana.



Africa Public Sector Conference and Awards (APSCA) night also saw the Chief Executive Officers of Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and Public Procurement Authority receiving awards for their contributions to the development of Ghana.



The Africa Public Sector Conference and Awards brought together leaders in the public and private sectors with opportunities to build partnerships, share insights on strategies, policies and best practices that will drive more efficient and smarter publications services in Africa.

Source: jfm/ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured VideoPresident Nana Akufo-Addo has said although Ghanas media are often irritating and irksome, he would rather put up with a reckless press than a monotonous, praise-singing one.



Speaking at the London School of Economics Africa Summit on the theme: Africa At Work: Educated, Employed And Empowered, the Ghanaian leader said: The media in Ghana has come into its own, and what used to be called the culture of silence has been replaced with a cacophony that now worries some.



I have said it before, and I believe it bears repeating, I would much rather put up with a reckless press than a monotonous, praise-singing one.



In his view, A democracy has no place for a media that does not keep public authorities on their toes. I acknowledge that we are all still trying to keep pace with the changing technology, and work out how we deal with social media, and, dare I say it, the phenomenon of fake news. (I shall not say more on that, and leave it to those more knowledgeable on that subject).



But I am a firm believer in a strong and vibrant media, and I have no doubt that it is a force for good, no matter how irritating and how irksome they can be and often are. They provide the avenue for the other point of view, he added.



Read the president's full speech below:



Speech By The President Of The Republic Of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, At The London School Of Economics Africa Summit On The Theme Africa At Work: Educated, Employed And Empowered, At The London School Of Economics



Chairperson, I thank the organisers for the invitation to come here and participate in this summit. In the short period since I assumed the high office of President of the Republic of Ghana, I will have had the good fortune to address audiences in the three most celebrated institutions of higher learning in this country.



The first was at Cambridge University on 20th November, 2017, where I spoke on Democracy and Development. The second is today at the London School of Economics, where I will be speaking on Africa At Work: Educated, Employed and Empowered. The third, the icing on the cake, will be when I speak on 11th May at Oxford University. I am, indeed, fortunate.



This place, the London School of Economics, was founded by one of the most remarkable couples of British history  Beatrice and Sidney Webb  who devoted their lives to the betterment of society. Great social reformers, they were leading elements in the massive mobilisation of the early 20th century that brought about significant reforms in British social life. One such was the establishment of this institution, which has played such a notable part in the modern development of Britain.



It holds a special place, too, in the history of our African continent. There is a long list of Africans, who have been through these hallowed halls and gone on to have influence and direct the affairs of their countries. Let me mention just a few: Jomo Kenyatta, Sylvanus Olympio, Kwame Nkrumah, J.H. Mensah, Gilchrist Olympio, Hilla Limann, John Evans Atta-Mills; persons who have all had, in varying degrees, great impact on the development of their countries and of Africa. So, you can see, LSE has become part of Africas DNA, and continues to incubate new generations of Africans, who will persevere with the tradition of service and leadership.



This summit has also grown to acquire a formidable reputation, and I am grateful that the organizers decided to make me part of this years events. They have chosen the most relevant theme of Africas contemporary situation, a theme which sums up the essence of African aspirations  an Africa at work: educated, employed and empowered.



However, the stark truth is that, today, much of Africa is not at work, a large section is uneducated, an alarming proportion is unemployed, and almost all of it feels dependent. I take it, therefore, that your gathering aims to find how we get to this scene of the educated, employed and empowered Africa at work.



I stated somewhere, recently, that it appears the words Africa and Africans have more resonance outside the continent than inside. When we are home on our continent, it always seems very important to assert that we are Ghanaians, Kenyans, Zambians, Swazis, Senegalese, Rwandans, South Africans and, of course, that we are Nigerians, who, we are told, are set soon to number 200 million. Many of us do not want anyone to forget that there are 54 sovereign nations on the continent, with different cultures, languages and rates of development. I pointed out the fact that a bomb explosion in Brussels does not lead to people cancelling trips to Amsterdam, whereas a bomb in Mombasa would trigger a travel advisory to Kampala. In other words, I was saying, perhaps it would be fairer to treat us as 54 sovereign nations, just as the nations of Europe are treated separately.



We have divisions that are linked to our colonial experiences, and indeed, we, the Anglophones, have just finished a successful Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting here in London, and we claim an affinity with each other, that we cannot, at first blush, find with our Francophone neighbours. Then we find ourselves outside the continent, and we discover that, to the outside world, there are no Ghanaians, there are no Senegalese, and there are no Tanzanians, there are Africans, we are all simply Africans.



The lesson is clear: our destinies are intricately linked with each other, and we are talking not only about those of us on the continent, but about the Africans in the diaspora as well. You can be an honour graduate from LSE or any of the other top universities in this country, you can be a second or third generation British, and you can be in a well-paid job; if there is an outbreak of Ebola some place on the African continent, you are an African.



Ladies and gentlemen, so what is this Africa and who are we, what defines us and who defines us? Ours is a continent that is home to some of the most spectacular scenes that nature bestowed on this planet. Our continent has every mineral that mankind lusts after, and which is required to run a modern economy. 30% of the earths remaining minerals can be found on the continent. Paradoxically, the African people happen also to be the poorest in the world.



Our continent also has the youngest population, and the biggest pool of unemployed, and our youth, who bear the brunt of the suffering, now resort to desperate measures to get out. They brave the Sahara Desert on foot, and those, who survive the ravages of the desert, risk being sold in slave markets in Libya or risk journeys across the Mediterranean Sea on rickety boats, all in the forlorn hope of a better life in Europe in countries and amongst people where they are obviously not welcome.



To the outside world, therefore, we are defined as that modern entity called an illegal migrant.



Africa has been called many names throughout the ages: dark, beleaguered, a scar on the conscience of the world, hapless, and hopeless are some of the more frequent and colourful ones that can be repeated in decent company, until the recent dramatic intervention of President Donald Trump.



Anyone, everybody in a position of leadership in Africa today, thus, has his work cut out. I do not suggest that we lock up our young people to prevent them embarking on these hazardous journeys.



The urgent responsibility we face is to make our countries and our continent attractive for our youth, to see as places of opportunities. It means we must provide education, quality education and skills training. It means our young people must acquire the skills that run modern economies.



There will always be those among our young people, who would want to try their luck in foreign countries. When they are skilled, they would not have to risk drowning in the Mediterranean Sea, they would be head hunted, and treated with dignity.



A few months back, I was in Dakar, Senegal to attend a special conference called to raise monies to fund education in Africa. I said it there and it bears repeating here, there is or maybe I should say, there should be enough money in Africa to be enable us pay for educating and training our young people, and make them ready to compete and face the world.



Where is this money, I hear you ask? As a start, I refer to the report of the panel, chaired by the highly respected former South African President, Thabo Mbeki, on the illicit flow of funds (IFFs) from Africa, which has raised the lid on what many had always suspected, but did not have the figures to support.



According to the report, Africa is losing, annually, more than $50 billion through illicit financial outflows. The report revealed further that, between 2000 and 2008, $252 billion, representing 56.2%, of the illicit flow of funds from the continent, was from the extractive industries, including mining. The dispiriting part of the story, of course, is the fact that some Africans are complicit for taking these monies out of our countries, and into western countries.



But the majority of it is spirited out by those who come, claiming to do business with us. It is clear that we are not well equipped to cope with those who come to conduct business in our countries, with the aim of making extraordinary returns through unorthodox and illegal means.



Ladies and gentlemen, it is obvious that no one is going to sort out these matters for Africa, except Africans themselves. We must match those who come to do business with us in all the skills they possess. We must have our own set of bright and sharp lawyers, our own set of bright and sharp accountants to keep us abreast with the sharp and bright lawyers and accountants that our trade partners have. In much the same way, we need to have our own bright and sharp technologists to keep us abreast with our competitors.



Some investors always find innovative ways to avoid paying the taxes that they should in the African countries, in which they operate.



It is in these areas that it becomes obvious that there is great advantage in African countries operating together as a block, rather than as individual countries. As our elders say, there is strength in unity.



It has been shown that countries or groups of countries with the largest share of world trade are located within regions with the highest share of intra-regional trade. Trade between African countries remains low, compared to other parts of the world. In 2000, intra-regional trade accounted for 10% of Africas total trade, and increased marginally to 11% in 2015. Trading amongst members of the European Union, for example, amounted to 70% in 2015. With Africas population set to reach some 2 billion people in 20 years time, an African Common Market presents immense opportunities to bring prosperity to our continent and its longsuffering peoples with hard work, creativity, ingenuity, innovation and enterprise. We made a significant start, a few weeks ago, when, on 21st March, 2018, close to 50 member states of the African Union signed the Continental Free Trade Area Agreement in Kigali, in Rwanda.



The free trade area will succeed as we transform the structure of our economies from economies that are dependent on the production and export of raw materials to value-adding economies, with a modernised agriculture, which enables us not only to feed ourselves, but also to generate the thousands and thousands of jobs that our young people need. Trade, then, is made on the basis not of raw material exports, but on the basis of things we make. That is the surest route to prosperity, widespread employment and enhanced incomes.



For this free trade area to be viable, there must be peace and stability on the continent. Nothing undermines the prospects of our continent more than being known as unstable, and, unfortunately, our politics has been the main source of the spark for instability.



I know I have to tread gingerly here, lest I come across as preaching to anyone on this particular subject. I would only say that we, in Ghana, having tried everything else, have finally reached a consensus that a multi-party system of governance works best for us. Our 4th Republic has lasted for 25 years under a multi-party Constitution, the longest, uninterrupted period of stable, constitutional governance in our hitherto turbulent history. We are stable, and there have been three peaceful changes of government from a ruling party to an opposition party. Principles of democratic accountability, respect for human rights and the rule of law, are now firmly entrenched in our body politic, and are helping to promote accountable governance.



It is still early days, but our institutions are growing and the self-confidence of the people is becoming manifest. I dare say that we are even beginning to accept that a political party can lose an election with grace, and serve with honour in opposition.



The greatest challenge for us in Ghana, and for the entire continent, remains the creation of sustainable jobs.



The African Unions Agenda 2063, titled The Africa We Want, calls for an education and skills revolution to meet the human resource needs for inspiring Africas socio-economic development. The African Union has, quite correctly, placed high premium on science, technology and innovation as critical ingredients to the achievement of Agenda 2063. All over the world, governments encourage universities to promote technological advancement by investing public funds into research and development (R&D), and stimulate linkages between academia and the private sector.



We still have a lot of work to do to in these areas. It is time, ladies and gentlemen, to encourage our researchers to think big, and for governments to offer the incentives and extend the protection they need for their inventions.



Another important sub-theme, which is also critical to our sustainability as a continent, is graduate employability. Studies have shown that investment in human resource is one venture that yields the maximum benefit to any nation. According to the State of Education in Africa Report 2015, published by the Africa-America Institute, returns on investments in higher education in Africa is 21 percentthe highest in the world. While this is good news for us, as a continent, we should face the very unpleasant fact that, for many of our graduates, a university education no longer guarantees a job.



We need to make sure that the curricula we offer are relevant to the skills needs of the job market. Our products should have transferable skills, to enable them cope with the realities of the modern-day world of work, which has embraced the digital revolution. In current global dispensations, where universities are becoming entrepreneurial to remain relevant, our universities have to engage more with the private sector.



The African Unions Agenda 2063 has laid out clear implementation strategies, namely the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA-2025) and the Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA-2024), as well as the renewed focus on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). In Ghana, my government has aligned all TVET institutions, which were previously being managed by 19 different public entities, under the Ministry of Education, to provide for better co-ordination of their curricula and more effective training.



Ladies and gentlemen, the provision of education for our young people should not become an ideological tussle. We should never have to make a choice between basic education or higher education. We should never have to rely on the World Bank or any other institution to decide for us where the emphasis should be in our education needs. Education is the key to our development, and we must run our economies to be able to fund the education of our children. We should not get into arguments with donor agencies about our priorities. We must set our own priorities, and we must accept that we should provide the funds to translate our plans into reality. That is why, despite the bleak economic situation my government inherited, we decided to implement immediately the pledge we had made about providing Free Senior High School education. The most dramatic aspect of its implementation has been that 90,000 more students entered senior high school in September last year, the first term of the policy, than in 2016.



Again, we are reviving the strength of our National Health Insurance Scheme, which, under the previous administration, was being strangled by debt. Of the GH1.2 billion debt we inherited, the equivalent of $300 million, we have paid, in the last 15 months, GH1 billion, the equivalent of $250 million, and payments to service providers are now current. The Scheme is regaining its effectiveness, so that for a minimum amount, subscribers can have access to a wide range of medical services.



We have done enough talking, and, dare I say, we have had enough conferences and workshops. We know what we need to do. It is time just to do it. We have run out of excuses for the state of our continent. We have the manpower, we should have the political will, it is time to make Africa work.



There might be 54 countries, and we might sometimes resent being lumped together for the wrong reasons, but there are strong ties that bind us together as Africans.



We have good reasons to be proud of who we are, and the beautiful continent that is ours. The geographic space covered by Africa makes it the second largest of the seven continents. It has some of the most breath-taking scenes on our planet. It has plants and animals that are wonders of the world, and critical for the survival of the planet.



I hear a lot about the need to change our narrative and tell our own good stories. Ladies and gentlemen, as the saying goes, nothing succeeds as much as success.



If we work at it, if we stop being beggars, and spend Africas monies inside the continent, Africa would not need to ask for respect from anyone. We would get the respect we deserve. Over thirty years ago, Princeton University, one of Americas most prestigious Ivy League Universities, offered a course in Mandarin, which, for years, had virtually no takers. Today, there is standing room only. And it is not because the course is any easier, it is because the position of China has changed. Thirty years ago, twenty years ago, China was nowhere near where it is today. China does not ask anyone for respect now, she does not need to.



We have a responsibility to take care of our environment. We have the most spectacular natural surroundings, grandest of rivers and mountains. We have a dynamic and young population. Yes, we have music that reaches the soul. We bring humanity alive. Let us make our continent the prosperous and joyful place it should be. We would get the respect we deserve.



Our young people must see and feel the dividends of the democratic system of governance. In Ghana, whereas the indications are that the economic dividends are on the horizon, there are other areas where we are thriving.



The media in Ghana has come into its own, and what used to be called the culture of silence has been replaced with a cacophony that now worries some. I have said it before, and I believe it bears repeating, I would much rather put up with a reckless press than a monotonous, praise-singing one.



A democracy has no place for a media that does not keep public authorities on their toes. I acknowledge that we are all still trying to keep pace with the changing technology, and work out how we deal with social media, and, dare I say it, the phenomenon of fake news. (I shall not say more on that, and leave it to those more knowledgeable on that subject).



But I am a firm believer in a strong and vibrant media, and I have no doubt that it is a force for good, no matter how irritating and how irksome they can be and often are. They provide the avenue for the other point of view.



Our success story and changed narrative come with building our economies that are not dependent on charity and handouts.



Then we shall put an educated, employed and empowered Africa to work, and repudiate the recent culture of failure. We shall then take our rightful place in the world.



May God bless us all, and Mother Africa, and make her great and strong. Once again, many thanks for the invitation, and thank you very much for your attention.

















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.

Featured VideoThird-degree burns on the hands and arms of a 2-year-old boy has launched an investigation into possible child abuse.

According to the Pennsylvania State Police in Jonestown, investigators were called on Friday to the Good Samaritan Hospital in Lebanon for a report of potential child abuse.

An emergency room doctor told police the 2-year-old Myerstown boy had third-degree burns on both hands and arms. It is unknown how the child was burned.

Police are investigating.The body found behind a vacant mobile home in the Poconos area has been identified as that of a 24-year-old Philadelphia woman who had been missing for months.

The Monroe County Coroner's Office identified the body discovered in Tunkhannock Township Friday as Nicole Murray and has ruled her death suspicious, WNEP is reporting.

She was reported missing from her Kensington home not long after New Year's and told friends she had left for the Poconos, Philly.com is reporting.

Deborah Prosser, who lives in the mobile home park, told WNEP she met Murray around Halloween and described her as "really sweet, very friendly." She said she had no idea her friends and family were looking for her.

Those same friends and family started a Facebook page to keep tabs on the investigation.

An autopsy is scheduled for Monday.After investigators accused a Pennsylvania mayor of agreeing to pay a woman $200 for sex, the mayor is arguing the woman he visited is a friend and not a prostitute.

And he believes he is being targeted because he is the mayor.

"Very embarrassing incident. All I can say is that my lawyer and I are going to fight these charges," Bloomsburg Mayor Eric Bower told WNEP on Saturday.

Bower, 36, was charged with misdemeanor counts of criminal solicitation, criminal attempt to patronize prostitutes and two counts of patronizing prostitutes by the Pennsylvania State Police on Friday, WKOK is reporting.

But what the police are charging him with is not what actually happened, Bower said.

"This woman was not random. She's someone that I had an ongoing relationship of some kind with," Bower explained to WNEP. "I believe this was just a setup because of my political position and nature, and if it was anyone else, it probably would not be occurring."

Bower is due in court May 2, and according to reports, he is not stepping down as mayor.One firefighter was slightly injured during a three-alarm building fire in York County early Saturday morning, according to a report from The Hanover Evening Sun.

The fire was first reported at 1:27 a.m. along the 500 block of Baer Avenue in Penn Township, according to York County 911. The building included apartments and garages, officials said.

Hanover Area Fire and Rescue Chief Tony Clousher said the firefighter was "transported from the scene to Hanover Hospital after suffering a heat stress-related injury," then later discharged, according to the report.

3rd alarm bldg fire, Penn Twp, Hanover. Fire department has been operating now 60 minutes. Multioccupancy building with apartments and multiple garage & cars involved. Tptal loss pic.twitter.com/Ffg0Yrchgx  911 PHOTOGRAPHY (@911Photography) April 21, 2018

The Red Cross of Central Pennsylvania is assisting one adult and three children.By Calvin K. Lai

Calvin K. Lai (The Conversation Photo)

A Starbucks manager in Philadelphia called the police on two black men on April 12, leading to their arrest. The two men, who had been waiting for a friend at the store, were released without being charged.

Starbucks has since apologized and announced it will close more than 8,000 of its stores in the United States to provide "racial bias" training for its 175,000 employees. Starbucks' COO Roz Brewer said the sessions would focus on "unconscious bias training," a form of diversity education that focuses on the hidden causes of everyday racial discrimination.

Unconscious bias training has become a popular approach to diversity education. The trainings often begin with demonstrations of how the mind operates in ways that are outside of conscious awareness or control. These demonstrations show that people make, and sometimes act on, snap judgments based on the other person's race, without any conscious intention.

Research shows that this source of racial discrimination can be reduced in a number of ways. For example, setting objective criteria for decision-making could have made a difference in the Starbucks incident. As Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson described, the manager used personal judgment in calling the police. Formal rules that prevent the influence of racial bias in calling the police could have prevented the incident altogether.

Some unconscious bias trainings incorporate discussions of solutions such as these. But there is no standard format for trainings. Some involve little more than a series of narrated PowerPoint slides. Others involve expert instructors who hold small, intensive workshops that can last for days.

The novelty of unconscious bias training means there is little direct evidence about whether it works. To determine its potential, researchers have turned to clues from other types of training.

One study looked at older types of diversity trainings that focused on the negative legal consequences of discrimination. It found that such trainings can backfire when managers resent the possibility that they could be singled out for punishment.

By contrast, employees may be more open to unconscious bias training because it focuses on how bias is universal, rather than singling out a few "bad apples."

However, other research shows that highlighting the prevalence of bias makes people more likely to express their bias.

Unconscious bias training will not solve the whole problem. Discrimination has other causes that aren't fully dealt with in this kind of training, such as explicit prejudice or policies that have disparate impacts on people of different races. Effective solutions will require multiple approaches to addressing discrimination, not just one.

Calvin K. Lai is an assistant professor of psychological and brain sciences at Washington University in St. Louis. He wrote this piece for The Conversation, where it first appeared.Barbara Bush's United States Secret Service code name was 'Tranquility.'

Kirstin Snow (PennLive file)

She's known for many notable heart-warming quotes, though a few, in particular show her incredibly witty side- not often seen as she considered herself a relatively private person.

My personal favorites include:

"The future of this nation does not depend on what happens at the White House, but what happens at your house."

"Somewhere out there in this audience may be someone who will one day follow my footsteps, and preside over the White House as the president's spouse. I wish him well."

And this zinger, from the woman who was often referred to as "America's Grandmother":

"Clinton lied. A man might forget where he parks or where he lives, but he never forgets oral sex -- no matter how bad it is."

As we reflect on the life of First Lady Barbara Bush, who died last week at age 92, it provides an opportunity to further consider the role of (to date) the wife of the President of the United States.

In researching this column, I was annoyed but not surprised, that an incredibly large amount of information about First Ladies- even so far back as Dolley Madison- sadly referenced the very things that modern presidents' spouses (or any female in politics) still endure.

They are the three H's. Hair, Hemlines, and Husbands.

Even the beloved Barbara Bush was often taunted during her long life for her aged appearance.

White-haired for decades, and with a sun-weathered face, she often looked much older than her husband.

When she passed, Jen Spyra, a writer for the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, tweeted, 'RIP Barbara Bush. The only woman who was 92 for the last 30 years.'

A Google search of America's most amazing first ladies generates list after list of results of 'hottest first ladies' and 'sexiest women in the white house.' Very little of editorial substance appears.

Substance. I think most of us would agree we want our First Ladies to have that quality. At the same time, the role of First Lady doesn't always make room for substance to shine.

The position has no job description. It is unpaid (yes, we know our presidents normally don't have to worry about income, but it's a matter of principal.) It was decades before the role would be deemed worthy enough to have a chief of staff.

She's expected to leave whatever career she may have built to become the steward of the physical building that is the White House. She is the nation's hostess with the most-est.

And she endures scrutiny only set aside for the President's female spouse. Are her heels too high? Her hemlines too short? Her hair too long, blonde, red, badly styled? Is she wearing outfits that are too expensive, or too cheap? Should she show bare arms? Wear too many pantsuits? Have cankles? Is she too independent and involved in policy, or is she a doormat?

Fortunately, despite the near impossibility of doing the job to the country's satisfaction, there are myriad examples of fierce, pioneering First Ladies.

To quote the Atlantic, 'Lady Bird Johnson was well suited to modernizing the role of the first lady. By 1934, she had earned two back-to-back honors degrees from the University of Texas, when male enrollment outnumbered female four to one. She bought a small media company with a $17,000 inheritance and managed it independently throughout the course of her marriage.

By the time her husband became president, it was worth $9 million. She helped finance his first campaign for Congress and managed his House office for eight months while he was serving in World War II.'

A 1964 TIME cover story quote Robert Kennedy as saying, "Lady Bird carried Texas for us."

Yet the same article also said "her nose is a bit too long, her mouth a bit too wide, her ankles a bit less than trim, and she is not outstanding at clothesmanship."

Abigail Fillmore was one of President Fillmore's teachers at Hope Academy- at two years his senior- and created the White House library.

In 1919 when President Wilson suffered a stroke, his wife Edith basically took control of the presidency. She made daily decisions about what items should or should not be taken to her husband for input.

If it was not important in her eyes, then she would not pass it on to the president, a style for which she was widely criticized.

Betty Ford was willing as first lady to openly discuss her experiences with psychiatric treatment.

She was also a major advocate for the Equal Rights Amendment and the legalization of abortion.

She went through a mastectomy and spoke out about breast cancer awareness. Her candor and openness about her private life was virtually unprecedented for such a high profile public figure.

There remain many more who've left indelible marks on our nation, both for reasons cheered and jeered.

It leaves one to ponder, however, what our current First Lady's legacy will be.

PennLive Opinion Contributor Kirstin Snow is the principal of Snow Public Affairs. Her "Donkeys & Elephants" column appears weekly opposite conservative commentator Charlie Gerow.Thelma Favel, Tina Fontaine's great-aunt and the woman who raised her, weeps as she enters the law courts in Winnipeg the day the jury delivered a not-guilty verdict in the second degree murder trial of Raymond Cormier, Thursday, February 22, 2018. The woman who raised Tina Fontaine wants changes to Manitoba's child welfare system to prevent chronic runaways from ending up in grave danger. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John WoodsFILE - In this April 13, 2007 file photo, Maoist rebels or Naxalites, raise their arms during an exercise at a temporary base in the Abujh Marh forests, in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh. Indian police say government forces have killed at least 14 Maoist rebels during a raid on their hideout in a forested area in western India. (AP Photo/Mustafa Quraishi, File)File - In this April 27, 2016, file photo Lezley McSpadden, mother of Michael Brown, speaks during an interview in St. Louis. Brown was an unarmed, black 18-year-old when he was fatally shot by a white police officer in Ferguson, Mo. The officer was not charged. Brown's death touched off widespread protests and a national discussion about race relations and police. McSpadden is to be at Harvard University, Monday, April 23, 2018 for a panel titled "The Movement for Black Lives: Justice for Michael Brown 4 Years Later." (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)The 8th annual Food for Thought takes over the Reading Terminal Market on Saturday, May 5. Read more

Dive into DiNic's roast pork, enjoy a sweet scoop from Bassetts Ice Cream, and chow down on a variety of other tasty eats at the Reading Terminal Market, all in support of a good cause during the 8th annual Food for Thought presented by PECO.

The event returns on Saturday, May 5, taking over one of Philly's greatest meccas of food for an after-hours event (7:30 to 10:30 p.m.) curated by ACHIEVEability, a nonprofit driven to break the generational cycle of poverty for low income, single parent, and homeless families.

"Philadelphia has the highest poverty rate at 26 percent across the 10 largest cities," says Jamila Harris-Morrison, executive director of ACHIEVEability. "Being able to bring awareness and attentiveness to that issue while also raising critical resources is essential, and this also allows us to do so in a fun way. We call it a party with a purpose."

All of the proceeds from the food-filled affair will go towards ACHIEVEability's mission to fight poverty through higher education, affordable housing, supportive services, community and economic development, and accountability initiatives.

More than 10 Reading Terminal Market vendors are participating, which beyond DiNic's and Bassetts Ice Cream, include Beck's Cajun Cafe, Hershel's East Side Deli, Kamal's Middle Eastern Specialties, Keven Parker's Soul Food Cafe, Molly Malloy's, Sang Kee Peking Duck, Shanghai Gourmet, and Spataro's Cheesesteaks.

Delicious demonstrations from Miller's Twist, Valley Shepherd Creamery and Meltkraft will also unfold, and Old City Coffee will keep a steady stream of caffeine flowing throughout the night.

Also part of the evenings festivities, games, live music, and an auction will take place, as will an awards ceremony honoring State Senator Vincent Hughes and Councilman Curtis Jones. Both will receive the Community Champion award for their commitment to serving the residents of Cobbs Creek and Haddington community of West Philadelphia.

Tickets to the event can be found on foodforthoughtphilly.org.

7:30-10:30 p.m. May 5, Reading Terminal Market, 51 N. 12th St., $200 for general admission, $125 for guests 35 and younger, foodforthoughtphilly.orgAn audience member disrupted a performance of the play Passage at the Wilma Theater in Center City on Thursday night, and an actor's Facebook post about the uncomfortable impasse went viral.

In a long Facebook post shortly after the performance, poet, playwright, and Barrymore Award-winning actor Jaylene Clark Owens wrote that "Tonight I had the worst experience I have ever had on stage. Also, one of the worst experiences period." She said in an interview on Saturday that "I felt scared and threatened."

"He then says something along the lines of 'I don't mean to interrupt your Black Panther party, and I'm not Forrest Gump,' " Clark wrote on Facebook. She said she learned only later that the line comes from the film Forrest Gump, and is spoken by Gump while leaving a Panther party in which he has been in a fight ("Sorry I had a fight in the middle of your Black Panther party").

The man's loud objections continued, despite the efforts of one of the actors to reason with him. Clark wrote that her impression was that the man was intoxicated. When the house manager asked the man to leave, he said loudly, "Now I've been kicked out. Well I'm not leaving."

At intermission, he was not allowed to return. Owens wrote that he told a professor that "he was apologetic, but he felt marginalized and attacked, which led to his disturbance.  He was allowed to leave the theatre on his own accord, and we continued with the show."

Blanka Zizka, cofounder of the Wilma and director of Passage, said Saturday that the man was part of a 60-student contingent from Drexel University attending the play together. "We found out that the man was an Iraq veteran who recently had brain surgery," she added. The audience member's name has not been released.

Afterward, the Wilma contacted other theaters and universities to consult them on procedures for handling triggering situations. "None of the theaters had anything like this happen before," Zizka said. "But the universities often have had controversial speakers come to talk, and they did have procedures in place regarding audience disruption. In this situation, we simply were not prepared, and I do wish that we had been informed beforehand. On Saturday morning, we gathered with the cast and crew and talked this situation through, and by Saturday's performance, we had procedures in place." Owens said by text message that "I am happy in the Wilma's new plan on how to respond should something like this happen again."

But the fear was real. "There was a lot of soul-searching about the fact that we had a situation in which an actor was in fear," Zizka said. "Looking back, I feel that maybe the moment when the house manager asked him to leave and he refused  that was the moment we should have stopped the show. Actors must feel they have the freedom to stop the show in a case like this."

In the Saturday interview, Owens said: "The audience member was only seven to five feet away from us, and anything could have happened." Her discomfort extended to the following scene, in which she remained close to the audience but in darkness: "Then I felt the most fear. He could have come up on stage. I was thinking, 'Is my life in danger?' It was a scary moment."

"I've never had an experience anything like this in the theater," said Owens. "Nothing where I felt literally as if I were in danger. People have gotten vocal, but nothing where I felt scared, or where someone interrupted the show."

Passage is by Christopher Chen, a San Francisco Bay Obie Award-winning playwright whose work, according to his website, explores "the hidden patterns beneath complex systems: socio-political systems, psychological systems, systems of power." Zizka said that "this play is very much about now, and your reaction depends on what you bring into the theater with you. We are finding that people of different races and backgrounds have very different reactions to it. The play does really challenge the audience and asks you questions and asks you to have an opinion. I have seldom directed anything which is so directly about right now." Passage is a production of the Wilma Theater Hothouse, the experimental collaborative of which Beschler, Jain, and Owens are all members. Owens also is executive director of the Harlem KW Project, a collaborative theater company. Their play Renaissance in the Belly of a Killer Whale will appear at Theatre Horizon in Norristown during the 2018-19 season.

Owens explained that as written by Chen, in Passage race and gender are meant to be dynamic and interchangeable among the characters. "We don't talk about race directly," she said, "and I cannot speak for this gentleman, but it's possible that perhaps he wanted a clear idea of whose side I was on and couldn't tell. He sees me, a black woman, so maybe he associated me with certain types of ideas, and maybe from there it was easy to think Country Y represents white America and Country X black America."

What racially charged the moment, she said, "was his reference to the Black Panther party."

Owens agreed that ironically, the play did its job  "to challenge the audience to examine values, to think critically," but that in this case it triggered a defensive reaction. "If you act defensively, you stop listening and we can't move forward," she said. "It's not that anger or sadness are not valid emotions. But if we listen, perhaps we can start doing the actual work we need to do to make things happen, not just in our own minds, but in economic and social policy. I hope this man has been able to reflect on it and is doing well."The story of how one wealthy man engaged in secret negotiations with officials to impose his will on one suburban high school became front-page news for days. Commentaries expressed outrage about the district's rushed vote to rename Abington Senior High School in exchange for a $25 million gift from billionaire businessman Stephen Schwarzman, along with several other conditions, including changes in curriculum and technology. "Someone coming in with a lot of money can have a whole lot of influence over a public school," warned one parent at a subsequent school board meeting. One Inquirer columnist expressed uneasiness "that public schools could become beggars at the table of the uber-rich."

To these suburban parents and pundits, we say: Welcome to our world.

In November 2011, the state-imposed School Reform Commission (SRC), absent any public deliberation, approved a multimillion-dollar grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. In return, the SRC agreed to several conditions, including yearly charter expansion, implementation of Common Core standards, more school "choice" and testing, and permanent school closures. No one elected Bill Gates, typically portrayed in the media as just a very generous rich guy, to make decisions about Philadelphia's public schools. But his mandates have had devastating and lasting effects on the district, much more than renaming one school.

Abington residents were shocked to learn of the district's covert establishment of a foundation that would make decisions, rather than the elected school board, about how to spend money from donors. Here in Philadelphia, the Gates Compact conferred authority upon the Philadelphia School Partnership (PSP) "to provide funding to low-performing or developing schools." PSP has since raised tens of millions from a stable of wealthy donors; most has gone to charter schools, in keeping with Gates' pro-privatization ideology.

PSP's influence has grown in the last seven years: the group now funds and operates teacher and principal training programs, oversees a website rating all Philadelphia schools, and holds the district's yearly high school fair. PSP's money, like Schwarzman's, always comes with strings attached, whether that means changing a school's curriculum or a complete overhaul of faculty and staff, as its 2014 grant to two North Philadelphia schools mandated.

Meetings of the PSP board, where decisions about funding, curriculum, and staff training of public schools are made, are closed to the public. This board, composed mostly of wealthy suburban businesspeople, often has more influence over city public schools than the residents do.

This practice of ceding public decisions to private investors on a large scale first reared its head in 2001, when Philadelphia came dangerously close to privatizing the entire district and handing over the reins to the for-profit Edison Schools founded by media mogul Chris Whittle.

>> Read more: Many public institutions, like libraries, are funded by private money, but caution is key

Gates, whose Compact has been adopted in several other cities, including Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Nashville, and New Orleans, is just one member of what education writer Diane Ravitch calls the "Billionaires Boys Club" of corporate education reformers. Real estate developer Eli Broad is using his wealth and political power to stave off community opposition to his push to charter-ize half of Los Angeles' public schools. The family of Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, heirs to the Amway fortune, have used their billions to privatize public education through the unregulated proliferation of for-profit charters in Detroit and other cities throughout Michigan. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg gave $100 million toward then-Gov. Chris Christie's 2010 plan to transfer Newark students from neighborhood schools to charters. Newark residents, who learned about this massive cash infusion when it was announced on Oprah, had never been consulted about what they wanted in the "One Newark" plan.

Abington residents were justifiably angry about the board's intention to rush through a vote without full public disclosure.

Like the opioid crisis, it seems to have taken a less urban and more middle-class population to alter the media's perspective on the damage inflicted. This appears to be a brushfire in Abington, while rule by the rich has been a fact of life for almost two decades in Philadelphia, where the less affluent, mostly minority community continues to be disenfranchised in matters of school governance.

Lisa Haver is a retired Philadelphia teacher and cofounder of the Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools. Deborah Grill is a retired teacher and school librarian and a research coordinator for the alliance. appsphilly.net.A Common Pleas Court judge on Friday threw out the convictions of three defendants who had been arrested by a tainted former Philadelphia narcotics agent, saying the officer  who also arrested the rapper Meek Mill  had "credibility issues."

Judge Sheila Woods-Skipper, who dismissed the three cases involving former Officer Reginald V. Graham, also set a June 29 hearing date for 103 pending petitions for new trials for other suspects whom Graham arrested between 2002 to 2014.

Public defender Bradley S. Bridge, who represented the three, said the public should expect more dismissals.

"Because of investigations into this officer that raised serious doubts about his credibility, convictions involving him cannot stand," Bridge said after the hearing.

A police internal investigation said Graham stole money in a drug bust and failed an FBI lie detector test when questioned about it in 2014.

The Philadelphia District Attorney's Office on Monday cited Graham's credibility problems in a request to the judge handling Mill's case  Judge Genece Bradley  that the rapper get a new trial on his 2007 arrest on gun and drug charges. Brinkley set a hearing for Mill's request for June.

Graham, who resigned from the force last year after the police review determined that he lied to investigators, could not be reached for comment. In the past he has declined to comment on his police work.

Mill, in a statement from a state prison in Delaware County, where he is serving a two-year sentence for a probation violation stemming from his 2007 arrest by Graham, said, "Today, I am thankful that 3 peoples cases were DISMISSED by President Judge Wood Skipper after the DA took the exact position that he took in my case.His devotion to John Williams, for one, is the gift that keeps giving  most recently in Wednesday's special program benefiting the orchestra musicians' pension fund, with composer and conductor sharing the podium. But the 47-year-old French composer Guillaume Connesson?

Ostensibly a tribute to Beethoven, Flammenschrift owes more to 20th-century composers Albert Roussel and Arthur Honegger, and shows Connesson at his most exciting. But because the piece doesn't tap into the composer's distinctive gift for melody, it's not his most satisfying. The music colorfully surges all over the place with short, punchy motifs (similar to Beethoven, though not as interesting) but ultimately seems busy without being edgy, like Christopher Rouse without mania.

It's clever, accomplished, and has learned well from past composers  maybe a little too well. The ending almost revisits the concluding moments of Ravel's La Valse, suspense techniques and all. And with La Valse ending the concert, Flammenschrift faced an unflattering comparison.

Though Ravel's music seems to depict no less than old-world Europe waltzing its way into collapse after World War I, Flammenschrift just gave you an orchestral effect that you could mindlessly applaud, especially as the Philadelphia Orchestra gave it the concert's best performance.

And the rest of the program? Problems here and there in the orchestra were apparent, though minor. La Valse seemed under-rehearsed, with some muddy inner voices  always obvious in Ravel  though the closer the piece hurtled toward the ruined gentility of its conclusion, the more clean and committed the performance was, achieving an appropriately splashy conclusion.

Russian violinist Vadim Repin stood in for Hilary Hahn, who was originally scheduled to play the Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 1. In contrast to Hahn, Repin has never been the most technically sturdy player out there (and felt more fallible than usual on Thursday), though his depth of understanding makes his performances something I always seek out.

His playing of the concerto's opening pages  among Prokofiev's most magical  was a pretty special moment. From there, Repin was gentlemanly, observing the piece with respect rather than intense engagement. That in itself is a virtue, though not a crowd-pleasing one.

Repin is best with more mature works. Prokofiev was in his mid-20s when he wrote this piece, which may explain why this concerto isn't among those in his discography.

The program is repeated at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Kimmel Center. Tickets: $44-$163. Information: 215-893-1999 or philorch.org.Nicole D. Murray, 24, was found dead in the Poconos on Friday, after going missing after Christmas 2017. The Philadelphia woman's family had set up a GoFundMe page to fund the investigation (Credit: Facebook) Read more

A missing Philadelphia woman, Nicole Danielle Murray, has been found dead in the Poconos, according to a private detective hired by the family and social-media reports.

Murray, 24, was last seen in Philadelphia's Kensington neighborhood in late December and was reported missing in January not long after New Year's; she told friends she had left for the Poconos.

Pocono Mountain Regional Police Chief Chris Wagner was quoted in local media saying Murray's remains were discovered Friday on a piece of property on Foliage Drive in Blakeslee, Tunkhannock Township, in Monroe County. The mobile home on the lot was abandoned. The death is considered suspicious, and an autopsy is scheduled for Monday. Investigators did not say who found the body.

On a Facebook group titled "Bring Home Nicole Murray," set up to keep tabs on the search, Murray's family wrote on Saturday: "We are heartbroken to confirm that the body found in the Poconos is our beautiful, kind sweet Nicole. We want to thank everyone for all your kind words and prayers during these difficult last few months. We also like to thank the Poconos Detectives, Philadelphia Police Department and the PA State Police for their dedication and perseverance to bringing Nicole home. Though we only held Nicole in our arms for a short while we will hold in our hearts forever."

A tip from local residents led to the location of the body, said Kevin Ryan, a private investigator working on behalf of the family.

"It's unfortunate she was found deceased; however, the investigation into her suspicious death will remain with Monroe County, where they located her body, and we will assist in any way we can," said Philadelphia Police Department Officer Tanya Little, who confirmed the discovery.

Murray's friends and family posted on the Facebook page regularly over the last several months.

"On January 7th, Bob used Murray's cell phone to call her mother to tell her that Murray left the Poconos on foot on the night of January 3rd, leaving behind not only her cell phone but all of her belongings," according to a GoFundMe account set up by Murray's friends. "Murray was last heard from on January 3rd when she asked a friend to pick her up from the Poconos."Alonzo Carter, 25, was charged with killing Devanna Cornitcher in front of her two small children. Read more

Alonzo Carter was sitting against a wall, covered in blood and smoking a cigarette, when police arrived at the Chester apartment occupied by Devanna Cornitcher and her two children on Friday night.

Three feet away from Carter lay the body of Cornitcher, 25, along with a bloody kitchen knife.

"I did it 'cause she tried to stab me," he told police, according to an affidavit.

On Saturday, police arrested Carter, 25, on charges of first- and third-degree murder, possession of an instrument of crime, and reckless endangerment of Cornitcher's two young children, who were at the scene.

Chester police responded to a call for a domestic disturbance, and were greeted by a neighbor, who had seen Cornitcher and Carter arguing in the stairwell. Cornitcher's 6-year-old daughter told them, "He killed my mommy." They proceeded upstairs and found a locked door; they could hear a child crying inside, according to the affidavit. The child was Cornitcher's 3-year-old son.

Cornitcher and Carter had been romantically involved for three or four months, a neighbor told police. On April 12, a protection-from-abuse order had been placed against Carter, though it was under a different name: Rafiq Williams. Carter was also on probation for a 2014 aggravated assault in Philadelphia.Nicole D. Murray, 24, was found dead in the Poconos on Friday, after going missing after Christmas 2017. Read more

Nicole Murray loved Wawa and David Bowie and taking selfies  that much one can discern from her Facebook page.

She didn't attempt to hide that she was also dealing with deep pain. Someone asked, when she updated her profile photo for the sixth time in a year, why she always looked so sad. She replied simply: "I am."

But what happened over the final days of Murray's life  after she was last seen in Kensington in late December 2017, and before her body was found on Friday near a vacant trailer in rural Tunkhannock Township, about 30 miles east of Wilkes-Barre  remains a mystery.

Murray, 24, of Northeast Philadelphia, had studied at Community College of Philadelphia and had recently been accepted into a nursing program, according to her aunt Diane Scully.

"She was so sweet, so beautiful, so smart, so kind," said Scully, of Holland, Bucks County. "A tiny little person with a squeaky voice, but a big heart."

But, according to Facebook posts by friends and family, Murray had numbed the grief of losing her father to cancer five years ago with drugs, a coping mechanism that blossomed into addiction.

She became a familiar face to some of Kensington's homeless heroin users. Sometime after Christmas, one of them saw her get into a car with a man who was also well-known to that community and drive off.

Murray was last heard from via text message on Jan. 3, Scully said.

On Jan. 8, a Facebook post purportedly from Murray's mother reported that the man had called her from Murray's phone, and told her Murray had left three days earlier, leaving her possessions behind.

The trail went cold until Friday, when a Tunkhannock resident called in a tip to the police. But answers are still scarce. The property where Murray was found was not the location where she was believed to have been staying.

"The investigation is ongoing," Pocono Mountain Regional Police Chief Chris Wagner said in a statement. "An autopsy is scheduled for Monday."

After that, a toxicology report could take four to six weeks, according to Kevin Ryan, a missing-persons investigator retained by Murray's family.

While Murray's death has been labeled suspicious, Ryan said, "from what I understand, I don't suspect it was a homicide at this point, but I can't say for sure. Nothing is ruled out. All possible causes of death are still on the table."

Scully is adamant that Murray was clean at the time she disappeared.

She does not know why Murray went to the Poconos. "We think she just went up there for a week and she was looking to come home. She had reached out to one of her friends to come home, and that was the last anybody ever heard from her," Scully said.

The man who reportedly drove Murray there had previously invited other women to his rural home  and had been spotted near a homeless encampment under the Frankford Avenue bridge in Kensington as recently as Saturday.

Kaelyn Bragger, 28, said she had gone upstate with the same man just last year. She was high on Xanax at the time. She described him as a meth and crack user, and a regular patron of prostitutes.

"I might've dodged a bullet," she said upon learning of Murray's death.

"I remember telling the cops, if she was with him and he took her up there, good luck finding her," she said. "If you offered me a million dollars to get back to that cabin, I couldn't find it."

David Levinson, 55, who knew Murray from Kensington, said he had been concerned since he watched the man pick her up in his white Chrysler convertible. "He preys on women in addiction," Levinson said.

He said he had been staying at the encampment along Emerald Street at the time, but is now clean. Murray, too, had been working to leave Kensington behind, he said.

"She was cutting back on her opiate use, cutting back on everything," he said. "But for whatever reason, she always kept running back."

Murray's family, though, said that claims from people in Kensington had only clouded the investigation with misinformation and bad tips.

"We don't think heroin played a part in any of this," Scully said. "We just think she went with the wrong person."In this Friday, April 21, 2017, file photo, United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions stands near a secondary border fence during a news conference at the U.S.-Mexican border next to the Brown Field Border Patrol Station in San Diego. Read more

WASHINGTON  Attorney General Jeff Sessions recently told the White House he might have to leave his job if President Trump fired his deputy, Rod Rosenstein, who oversees the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, according to people familiar with the exchange.

Sessions made his position known in a phone call to White House counsel Donald McGahn last weekend, as Trump's fury at Rosenstein peaked after the deputy attorney general approved the FBI's raid April 9 on the president's personal attorney Michael Cohen.

Sessions's message to the White House, which has not previously been reported, underscores the political firestorm that Trump would invite should he attempt to remove the deputy attorney general. While Trump also has railed against Sessions at times, the protest resignation of an attorney general  which would be likely to incite other departures within the administration  would create a moment of profound crisis for the White House.

In the phone call with McGahn, Sessions wanted details of a meeting Trump and Rosenstein held at the White House on April 12, according to a person with knowledge of the call. Sessions expressed relief to learn that their meeting was largely cordial. Sessions said he would have had to consider leaving as the attorney general had Trump ousted Rosenstein, this person said.

Another person familiar with the exchange said Sessions did not intend to threaten the White House but rather wanted to convey the untenable position that Rosenstein's firing would put him in.

A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment.

Rosenstein's status remains uncertain, but the pressure he is facing seemed to subside after last week.

Last summer, when it appeared Trump was going to fire Sessions or pressure him to resign, Republican lawmakers and conservative advocacy groups rallied to Sessions's side and warned the president not to move against him.

Trump had told senior officials last week that he was considering firing Rosenstein, who was confirmed by the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support last year. Since then, alumni of the Justice Department have rallied to Rosenstein's defense.

As of Friday afternoon, more than 800 former Justice Department employees had signed an open letter calling on Congress to "swiftly and forcefully respond to protect the founding principles of our Republic and the rule of law" if Trump were to fire the deputy attorney general, special counsel Robert Mueller or other senior Justice Department officials. The group MoveOn.org has sought to organize nationwide protests if such an event were to occur.

Rosenstein, on behalf of the Justice Department, is set to argue a sentencing case, Chavez-Meza v. United States, before the Supreme Court on Monday. Appearing before the high court has long been a professional goal, people close to Rosenstein say.

A senior administration official said Sessions does not like the way Rosenstein has been treated by the president and had expressed such concerns for months. He has regularly sought guidance from the White House about Rosenstein's standing with the president and asked about his interactions with Trump, this official said.

But Sessions has had little ability to do anything about it, given his own shaky standing with Trump for recusing himself from the Russia investigation, this official said. Trump has, at times, referred to Sessions as "Mr. Magoo" and Rosenstein as "Mr. Peepers," a character from a 1950s sitcom, according to people with whom the president has spoken.

The relationship between Sessions and Rosenstein  and their staffs  has been strained at times over the first year of the Trump administration. But people familiar with Sessions's thinking say that he has said several times that he would find it difficult to remain as attorney general if Trump fired for no good reason the veteran prosecutor in Baltimore that Sessions chose to be his deputy. The two men, along with Solicitor General Noel Francisco, were spotted in February dining together at a restaurant near the Justice Department, generating some speculation that they were attempting a display of solidarity.

Rosenstein, the Justice Department's No. 2 official, is tasked with running the day-to-day operations of the sprawling agency of 113,000 employees who work for the FBI; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Bureau of Prisons; U.S. attorneys offices; and Main Justice, the agency's headquarters. But from the time he was confirmed in May of last year, the investigation into possible coordination during the 2016 presidential campaign between Trump associates and agents of the Russian government has overshadowed everything he has done.

James Trusty, a partner at Ifrah Law and a friend of Rosenstein's, said the deputy attorney general "went into the job with a pretty fatalistic view," but he "probably didn't know it was going to be this much of a storm."

"I remember him joking at his going-away party that nine months was the average tenure for the deputy attorney general," Trusty said.

A wall of photographs outside Rosenstein's fourth-floor office at the Justice Department illustrates the high-stress and political nature of the deputy attorney general's position. President Barack Obama's first deputy attorney general, David Ogden, stepped down from the job after less than a year. One of President Bill Clinton's deputy attorneys general, Philip Heymann, lasted 10 months.

Trusty, who said he had spoken with Rosenstein about three weeks ago, said Rosenstein had kept his views on the situation largely private and had not sought surrogates or anyone else to press his case.

"I think he tends to view things in a very long-range way, kind of a this-too-shall-pass philosophy about the slings and arrows that will come at you," Trusty said.

A month after Rosenstein became deputy attorney general, he was criticized for his role in the firing of FBI Director James Comey. Rosenstein authored a critical memo lambasting Comey for his handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation, and the White House later used the document as a pretext to remove the FBI director. After a few days, though, Trump said he was thinking about the Russia investigation when he fired Comey. Comey has said in recent days he believed Rosenstein "acted dishonorably" and could not be trusted.

At that point, Rosenstein was overseeing the Russia investigation because Sessions had recused himself. On May 17, about a week after the Comey firing, Rosenstein announced that he had appointed Mueller as special counsel to conduct the Russia investigation.

Rosenstein took the action without first consulting Sessions and notified him when he was at the White House meeting with Trump. The decision took Trump by surprise and greatly angered him.

A person close to the White House and the Justice Department said Sessions has "vacillated, I think, from being concerned about the deputy leaving or being fired and recognizing that Rosenstein has not been a friend of either him or the department."

During the past year, Rosenstein has been involved in several policy issues in the Justice Department, as well as complex prosecutions involving cybercrimes and the first charges against Chinese-based fentanyl manufacturers and distributors.

But Russia continues to consume his days. This week, two of Trump's top legislative allies and leading members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus met with Rosenstein and pressed him for more documents about the conduct of law enforcement officials involved in the Russia probe. They warned him that he could face impeachment proceedings or an effort to hold him in contempt of Congress if he did not satisfy Republican demands for more documents.

The Post's Robert Barnes contributed to this report.Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush speaks during a funeral service for his mother, former first lady Barbara Bush at St. Martin's Episcopal Church, Saturday, April 21, 2018, in Houston. Read more

More than a thousand guests attended a private funeral for former first lady Barbara Bush Saturday, including four former presidents and three former first ladies, as well as the current first lady.

Mourners gathered at St. Martin's Episcopal Church in Houston to celebrate the life of the matriarch of the Bush family, who was the wife of a president and the mother of another. She died Tuesday at 92.

Several dignitaries and public figures were in attendance, including former president Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, and former president Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, who were seated next to first lady Melania Trump in the front row of the church.

Bush's husband, former president George H.W. Bush, who was in a wheelchair, and her son, former president George W. Bush, sat at the front of the church, along with former first lady Laura Bush. Bush's only living daughter, Dorothy Bush Koch, could be seen with her arm around her father.

Jeb Bush delivered the eulogy for Bush on behalf of the family.

"She was our teacher and role model on how to live a life of purpose and meaning," he said in a tribute. Jeb Bush emphasized his mother's humor, her authenticity, and strong will. "She called her style a benevolent dictatorship, but honestly it wasn't always benevolent." he said, to big laughs from the guests.

Not in attendance at the Saturday service was President Trump, who wanted to "avoid disruptions" and out of respect for the Bush family, the White House has said. Former president Jimmy Carter will also not be in attendance; he is caring for his wife, Rosalynn Carter, who is recovering from surgery, he said in a statement.

Minutes before the start of the service, Trump said on Twitter, "Heading to the Southern White House to watch the Funeral Service of Barbara Bush. First Lady Melania has arrived in Houston to pay our respects. Will be a beautiful day!"

The first eulogy was delivered by Jon Meacham, who wrote a biography of Bush's husband, former president George H.W. Bush. "Barbara Bush was the first lady of the greatest generation," he said, describing her as a "point of light." Reflecting the celebratory spirit of the ceremony, Meacham drew roaring laughter from the guests, relaying self-deprecating anecdotes about Bush's preference for another author, John Grisham, and her tendency to lovingly prod her children.

In another tribute, Susan Baker, the wife of former secretary of state James Baker and Bush's longtime friend and confidante, called her a "vibrantly beautiful human being."

The selection of Jeb Bush as the final eulogist, and not her son, the former president, is notable in part because of his antagonistic relationship with Trump during the 2016 campaign and after. Bush herself was critical of Trump during the election, saying during one interview it was "incomprehensible" to her that anyone would vote for Trump because of his abusive comments.

While Saturday's invitation-only service will be for family and friends, a viewing was held on Friday for the public, where people paid their respects at the church until midnight. Former president George H.W. Bush made a last minute decision to greet mourners at the church.

On Saturday morning he hosted a reception for the visiting dignitaries before the private service. Meanwhile the church began to fill with less-recognizable friends of the family, including former staffers and Secret Service members who protected them for more than three decades.

Many of the women in attendance eschewed black in favor of a vibrant royal blue, Bush's signature color. The mood inside the church was celebratory rather than sad  full of hugs and kisses  akin to a reunion of old friends.

Bush's eight grandson served as pallbearers, carrying the casket out of the church. As the family exited, former president George W. Bush pushed his father's wheelchair down the aisle. Guests reached out to both, jumping up and shaking their hands as they moved toward the door. But no sign of tears.

The Bush family will then drive by motorcade about 90 miles to the grounds of the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas, where she will be buried. She will be laid to rest next to her daughter Robin, who died of leukemia when she was three years old.

At the public viewing Friday night, attendees received a remembrance card with a statement from Bush that read, "George Bush and I have been the two luckiest people in the world, and when all the dust is settled and all the crowds are gone, the things that matter are faith, family and friends."

Roxanne Roberts contributed to this report from Houston.A bagpiper leads Martin Luther King High School Junior Reserve Officer Training Cadets and others in a procession through the Philadelphia National Cemetery for the dedication of a new storyboard honoring the U.S. Colored Troops (USCT). Read more

On a day when 300 people gathered at Philadelphia National Cemetery to honor the black Civil War soldiers buried there, Mayor Kenney, a guest speaker at the event, lamented the lingering ill will that caused the troops' sacrifice to be forgotten.

Strains of the racial animus that relegated the U.S. Colored Troops (USCT) to a place in the shadows behind others who served still infects the nation, the mayor said Saturday, even surfacing earlier this month at a Starbucks coffee shop near Rittenhouse Square.

"The residual effects of that mind-set are still in the DNA of this country," Kenney said, "and we have to figure out a way to change it."

The mayor linked the ceremony to recognize the contributions of the USCT and the scandal involving the Starbucks arrests on April 12 of two African American men, Rashon Nelson and Donte Robinson, in an interview during the dedication of a storyboard at the 156-year-old veterans cemetery in West Oak Lane. The arrests were captured on a video by a customer at the coffee shop at 18th and Spruce Streets that went viral and sparked national outrage.

The 2-by-3-foot polymer monument that tells the story of the USCT was unveiled Saturday in an observance that community activists described as long overdue. The storyboard is one of three now installed at Philadelphia National, where at least 350 USCT who fought in the Civil War and trained at Camp William Penn in Cheltenham are buried.

At the ceremony Saturday, local officials, veterans, historians, and reenactors paid tribute to the black Civil War troops in a 90-minute observance that included military pomp courtesy of a color guard unit from Martin Luther King High School, patriotic songs by the Intermezzo Choir Ministry, and music by the Doane Academy Band of Burlington, N.J.

"I am overwhelmed. This [ceremony] feels like divine providence," said historian Charles Blockson, curator emeritus of the Charles Blockson Afro-American Collection at Temple University. Blockson's great-great-granduncle Benjamin Blockson, a private in the USCT, is buried in the cemetery.

The dedication was the culmination of a four-year effort started by history buff Ed McLaughlin, a veteran and retired satellite designer for Lockheed Martin. The Flourtown resident had visited the cemetery for years, wondering why he was often the only one walking the grounds of what he called a "historical treasure."

McLaughlin vowed to help raise the profile of the cemetery and the Civil War troops buried in it. First up, lobby the VA National Cemetery Administration for a storyboard like the one dedicated to the 184 Confederate soldiers buried at Philadelphia National who had been wounded in the Battle of Gettysburg and died in area hospitals.

McLaughlin began lobbying the cemetery administration, joining forces with veterans organizations, reenactors, historians, museum officials, and community groups, including the Citizens for the Restoration of Historical La Mott, a preservation group that runs the Camp William Penn Museum in Elkins Park.

After an intensive letter-writing campaign, officials of the VA agreed to add the storyboard. Members of the lobbying group, including Robert Hicks, director of the Mutter Museum, helped write the copy and design the small monument.

Kenney told the group gathered Saturday that he was saddened that the USCT had to wait so long for recognition. Irv Brockington, a commissioner in Cheltenham Township, talked about discrimination faced by the soldiers and other blacks. He also made a passing reference to the Starbucks arrests.

"In 1867, the laws changed allowing Negroes to have the right to ride in public streetcars  and maybe sit inside a Starbucks," Brockington said to shouts of affirmation from the crowd.

Kenney called a planned 3 p.m. demonstration Sunday at the Starbucks where Nelson and Robinson were arrested, organized by Omega Psi Phi, Nelson's fraternity, an understandable product of what the mayor described as an "unfair situation."

"We have to keep educating people that we are all human beings, people who live in a democracy and should be able to share the same space," he said in an interview at the cemetery, adding that learning about heroes such as the USCT is a good place for youngsters to start.Former FBI Director James Comey documented his conversations with President Trump in seven memos (15 pages in all) produced in redacted form by the Department of Justice to Congress last week. I am embedding them below. I want to offer a few, mostly obvious notes and queries on the memos. I think they warrant your attention. Except as part of the perpetual Trump hatefest on CNN and MSNBC, insufficient attention has been paid to the memos. I urge you to take a look and draw your own conclusions.

1. These memos were requested by Congress last year and should have been released long ago. Why were they kept under wraps for so long? I havent seen a good explanation.

2. I think that President Trump has fairly observed the Comey memos demonstrate NO COLLUSION and NO OBSTRUCTION. The New York Timess Michael Schmidt mostly overlooks this aspect of the memos, for example, in his six takeaways. By contrast, Politifact argues expressly to the contrary while giving Trump a Pants on Fire rating. I rate Politifact Pants Full of It.

3. One of the headings of Schmidts six takeaways asserts that the Steele Dossiers allegations were corroborated. That is not quite right. Comey makes the assertion in the context of his justification for briefing Trump on the dossiers most lurid story. Comey asserts: I explained that the analysts from all three agencies agreed it was relevant and that portions of the material were corroborated by other intelligence. Portions of the material were corroborated  thats it. What portions? Comey hasnt said and we dont know, although he has testified under oath that the dossier was salacious and unverified. (Politifact argues with this point as well.) I think the corroboration to which Comey was referring is the intelligence assessment that Russia sought to interfere with the presidential election. Big whoop.

4. Comeys reference to corroboration reflects Comey papering the record to justify himself. It is the weasel defending his weaselly actions. Mollie Hemingway establishes this point to my satisfaction in Comey dossier memos indicate briefing of Trump was a setup. Incidentally, did Comey know that the dossier was procured and paid for by the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign? We know that he didnt tell Trump that it was.

5. The memos convict Comey in his own words. He quotes himself telling Trump: I dont do sneaky things, I dont leak, I dont do weasel moves. Yet Comey turned over four of the memos to his Columbia Law School friend Daniel Richman to be leaked to the New York Times. He is sneaky, he leaks, he does weasel moves.

6. Comey characterizes the memos as his personal property. Yet they were prepared on the clock in his capacity as FBI Director to memorialize conversations held with the president in his official capacity. If those memos are his personal property, Ill eat my hat.

7. Four of the memos are marked classified. Comey may have turned over classified information to Richman. The Wall Street Journal reports that the Department of Justice Inspector General is probing Comeys conduct on this point. Neither the facts nor the law is clear to me on this point. See the excellent columns by Jonathan Turley (the column needs some editing) and Eric Felten.

8. When he testified before Congress under oath, Comey failed to name Richman. He simply described him as his friend on the faculty at Columbia Law School  the friend to whom he had given a memo to be leaked to the Times and arouse a furor that would lead to the appointment of a Special Counsel. I infer that Richman was not representing Comey at the time that Comey gave him the memos to be leaked to the Times. Why didnt Comey leak the memo(s) himself? We still dont know.

9. Richman has since turned up as one of the attorneys representing Comey in his dealings with the Special Counsel. Hillary Clinton taught the old dog some new tricks. Nobody here but us chickens!

10. Is the president entitled to the confidentiality of conversations with the senior officers of his administration? I think he is. Comey does not. Comey is unconstrained by the rules that govern mere mortals.

Comey Memos by Scott Johnson on ScribdPresident Trump is hailing North Koreas announcement that the regime is willing to end the testing of its ICBMs. He tweeted:

North Korea has agreed to suspend all Nuclear Tests and close up a major test site. This is very good news for North Korea and the World  big progress! Look forward to our Summit.

I dont want to rain on Trumps parade. If he gets a boost in popularity for this news, thats fine with me. He has taken plenty of undeserved hits in the past 15 months.

I must say, however, that (1) North Korea has given up little if anything by agreeing to stop testing and to close down a test facility; (2) getting North Korea to a summit isnt much of an accomplishment.

As to testing, Kim Jong Un has said:

Nuclear development has proceeded scientifically and in due order and the development of the delivery strike means also proceeded scientifically and verified the completion of nuclear weapons. We no longer need any nuclear test or test launches of intermediate and intercontinental range ballistics missiles and because of this the northern nuclear test site has finished its mission.

(Emphasis added)

Hes probably right.

Think of North Koreas willingness to stop testing as similar to Irans agreement to freeze, more or less, its nuclear program for a period of years, the difference being that North Korea is even further along. Few conservatives were impressed by Irans action. I see North Koreas as no more meaningful.

As to the summit, North Korea has typically been willing to talk to the U.S. It was more than happy, for example, to negotiate with the Clinton administration. It will be even happier to talk directly with President Trump. Kim Jong Un expects, reasonably, to boost his prestige by doing so.

Again, the Iran analogy seems apt. Few conservatives were impressed that Iran was willing to negotiate with the U.S. Its to be expected that a nation well along the path to nuclear weapons will attempt to see what concessions we will grant in exchange for slowing down a bit or maybe just promising to.

Im not saying the U.S. shouldnt talk to North Korea or that Trump shouldnt meet with Kim. Talking seems no worse than the alternatives left to us at this point. It might prove to be better. Indeed, talking to Kim might be necessary in order to maintain a good relationship with South Korea.

However, we shouldnt expect much good to come from the talks and we should perhaps worry that Trump, in his eagerness to reach a deal, will make more concessions than he should in exchange for what the U.S. will get.Andrew McCabe reportedly is planning to sue for wrongful termination and defamation. The defendant in his wrongful termination suit would have to be the government, I think. The defendant is his defamation suit apparently would be President Trump. McCabes lawyer says Trump has engaged in continuing slander against the former FBI man.

I dont know what specific slanders McCabes lawyer is referring to, but a defamation suit against Trump would likely be frivolous. Because McCabe is a public figure, he would have to prove actual malice by the president. This means he would have to show that Trump knew his statements are false or acted with reckless disregard for whether his statements are true or false.

Trump sometimes appears not to care much about whether what he says is true, but that doesnt seem to be the case with McCabe. I havent reviewed everything Trump has tweeted or said about McCabe, but the statements I have seen  e.g., that McCabe lied and leaked  are supported by the findings of the Justice Departments Inspector General and were prompted by the IGs report or word of it. Even if the IGs findings turn out to be erroneous, Trumps reliance on them would negate any suggestion of actual malice.

Depending on the statements by Trump that form the basis of a future lawsuit, Trump might also be able to invoke the opinion defense. It applies to statements that are not provable as false by objective evidence and to statements that cannot reasonably interpreted as stating actual facts  e.g., statements using loose, figurative, or hyperbolic language.

Much of what Trump says seems loose, figurative, or hyperbolic. Thats why were supposed to take him seriously but not literally.

Theres also the question of whether the president can be sued at all. Paula Jones case establishes that a president can be sued for actions undertaken before he was president. However, McCabes case would be based on statements Trump made while in office.

As president, Trump has, at a minimum, immunity for all acts within the outer perimeter of his official responsibility. Commenting about government officials strikes me as falling within that perimeter. I suppose the counter argument is that defaming people does not.

In arguing that a defamation case by McCabe against Trump would very likely be frivolous, I dont mean to say McCabe couldnt find a federal judge who would entertain it. Weve seen that the federal bench contains more than a few members of the resistance  judges who are quite willing to bend the law in the interest of the anti-Trump cause. Entertaining a defamation suit against Trump likely would require considerable bending, but there are probably some judges up to the task.

McCabe may have his hands full on the legal action front just defending himself against criminal charges. As we have noted, the IG has referred McCabes case to a U.S. Attorney for possible prosecution. Its possible, of course, to be a criminal defendant and a civil plaintiff at the same time in matters involving similar fact. Possible, but expensive.

McCabe, though, was able to raise half a million dollars almost overnight via the internet for his legal defense. If leftists were willing to fund his criminal defense, imagine how eager they will be to fund a suit against their arch-enemy himself.Ive written about Chris Hillman several times over the years. He has a new disc out with his long-time friend and musical partner Herb Pedersen (Bidin My Time, produced by Tom Petty and Herb). Chris and Herb came through town this past Thursday to play at the Dakota Jazz Club and Restaurant in downtown Minneapolis, where we saw them up close. I snapped the photo at right from our table.

Chris had a good word to say about everyone he mentioned Thursday night: Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark, Reba McEntire, Tom Petty, and a few others come to mind. He spoke well of them, repeatedly. He spoke ill of no one. Chris and Herb have themselves been friends for well over 50 years. He had good words to say about Herb too. I wish he would write a memoir of his life in music. Hes had many musical lives and, for him personally, it hasnt all been clear sailin, to borrow the title of one of his solo albums. Johnny Rogans thick books on the Byrds have useful background on Chriss life before the Byrds.

Chris and Herbs two-hour set drew on their distinguished careers in music. I have loved Chriss work and learned a lot about American popular music from following his career. This morning I want to post some videos illustrating his career and featuring a few of the songs they had in their set Thursday night. My thought is that interested readers might find something to enjoy or discover a new byway to explore.

Chris was a teenage bluegrass star on the Los Angeles music scene in the early 60s. He made a name for himself with the Scottsville Squirrel Barkers (I just had to say it) in San Diego (his hometown). Before long Chris was fronting a group named the Hillmen in his honor. Among other things, the Hillmen set Bob Dylan to bluegrass. Unbelievably, the work of the Hillmen is now available on YouTube. In the video below, you can hear how good they were.

With the Dylan angle, the Hillmen were on to something. Chris moved from mandolin to bass to become one of the founding members of the Byrds together with Roger (then Jim) McGuinn, David Crosby, and Gene Clark. The Byrds exploded overnight by adding Beatlesque harmonies to Dylans music backed by McGuinns 12-string guitar. Having returned to acoustic music, Chris has reinvented several Byrds songs in recent years. Here is an acoustic version of the Byrds epochal Eight Miles High with Chris, Herb, guitarist Larry Park, fiddler David Mansfield, and bassist Bill Bryson at Edwards Barn in 2009.

Hillman was promoted to the front line of the Byrds (as he puts it) and came into his own as a songwriter on such Byrds gems as Younger Than Yesterday (recorded in 1966 with the original group minus Gene Clark) and The Notorious Byrd Brothers (recorded in 1967, with only McGuinn and Hillman remaining from the original group by the time recording was completed). One of his songs from this period with the Byrds is Have You Seen Her Face? (video below). Thats Herb Pedersen on the harmony vocal.

Herb has played with several groups and has had an incredible career as a studio musician. At the show Thursday night they plucked She Sang Hymns Out of Tune from Herbs work with the Dillards in 1968. The original of this one is below, I think, from the Dillards Wheatstraw Suite.

In 1968, Hillman recruited Gram Parsons to the Byrds for their pioneering album of country rock, Sweeheart of the Rodeo. Hillman turned in by far the sweetest vocal on Sweetheart, an utterly heartfelt reading of Merle Traviss I Am a Pilgrim. I infer from his music that Chris is a Christian. What a beautiful song.

In mid-1968, Hillman and Parsons left the Byrds to found the Flying Burrito Brothers and pursue Parsons vision of the Cosmic American Music. Among the songs Chris wrote with Parsons for the Flying Burrito Brothers is Sin City (that would be Los Angeles, not Las Vegas). Here it is with Herb and Emmylou Harris on harmony vocals.

The Burritos disbanded after four albums and Hillman joined Stephen Stills in Manassas, a short-lived group in which he was responsible for several of the highlights on the groups outstanding debut album. Through the rest of the 70s Hillman fronted his own band while occasionally reuniting with subsets of his former Byrds mates. I should also mention the Souther, Hillman, Furay Band from this phase of his career.

For the past 30 years, he has more or less returned to his bluegrass and country roots, first with the Desert Rose Band and later in projects with Herb (also of the DRB) and Tony Rice. The Desert Rose Band achieved substantial commercial success with country audiences in the 80s. The video below catches Chris and Herb together with the DRB in an incandescent performance of The Price I Pay with John Jorgenson burning it up on lead guitar. Do they still make music like this?

Since the DRB broke up Hillman has continued to make great music for smaller audiences. I absolutely love each of the discs Chris has recorded with Herb including At Edwards Barn and, most recently, Bidin My Time. They are all full of good music and great musicians. At the show Thursday night Chris said that Tom Petty insisted they record the Everly Brothers Walk Right Back for Bidin My Time when he heard Chris and Herb warming up with it in the studio. I think this might bring it all back home.( Read 5882 Times)

Source :

Microvita is the mysterious creative entities (cosmic seeds) of life and matter in the Universe. The theory of microvita provides a unified field, philosophy to provide an explanatory framework for the mysteries of science regarding origin of matter, origin of life and evolution. This new conceptual link between varioys sciences needs scientific validation which may require well advacned physical laboratories as well as high developed conceptual minds.Keywords: Cosmic seeds, Unified theory, MicrovitumIntroductionScience is a specialized activity seeking to know the causal laws underlying natural phenomena. The knowledge which it seeks is always verifiable and eminently useful. Science in a broader sense is that which teaches the proper use of material things. It should be for service and beatitude and always be utilized for the proper progress of human society. Unfortunately, the modern science, despite its innumerable spectacular achievements, has not yet fathomed the mysteries of mind much less of consciousness. The reason is that science has an analytical (reductionist) view point and what is required is a synthetic (holistic) mental stance. Spirituality, on the other hand, concerns the Supreme Cognitive Principle based on rationality. It is also a science in itself, far advance than physical science, more subtle, precise, practical and synthetic in nature1.In every scientific field, there is a search for unity within the diversity of observed phenomena. Physicists are trying to find a fundamental theory of matter and energy  a unified field theory. Biologists are searching for a unified theory of evolution. Spiritualists in their search are trying to experience the wholeness of single.Universal entity. So, in every field, scientists and spiritualists are trying to invade the mysteries of this phenomenal Universe in order to get one final answer. In this search, the unanswered questions are the origin of matter, origin of life, origin of Universe and evolution. Physicists and biologists are working in this field to get answer of these enigmatic queries. In this diverse search of matter, mind, life and evolution, is there any scope of unifying concept which imbibes and explains all these questions and later on this concept can be proved by developed scientific methods? The answer is affirmative. The unifying concept is theory of microvita. It is a new scientific concept introduced by Shrii P.R. Sarkar2 in 1986. It is perhaps the most unifying ideas in physical and other branches of science which are existent and which are yet to come.Microvita-new scienceMicrovitum (Micro  Small, Vitum  living) or in pleural microvita as described by Sarkar are "the entities or objects which come within the realm of both physicality and psychic expression which are smaller or subtler than atoms, electrons or protons; and in the psychic realm may be subtler than ectoplasm or its extra-psychic coverage, endoplasm."PhysicalityMicrovita are smaller than electron on physical level and smaller than ectoplasm (mind stuff) on psychic level but they are neither electron nor ectoplasm. They are in fact a sliver line between matter and mind (idea). If atom is the constituent of matter, idea is the constituent of Microvita (Fig. 1). In other words, if matter maintains a close proximity to microvita, microvita maintains a close proximity to idea. If atom is powdered down then one can get microvita, but if microvita could be powdered down by any means, one can get idea (Fig. 2). Thus microvita are link between matter and consciousness.As microvita are so small and subtle entity it is not going to be easy to demonstrate and prove their existence with the presently available laboratory facilities. Therefore, we can think of microvita for the time being as a creative scientific hypothesis till we get verification of their existence scientifically or intuitionally i.e. in both physical and mental laboratories.Basic characteristicsMicrovita have all the characteristics of living entity, like, existence, multiplication, mobility and death. By nature, microvitum is more energy than matter so it can travel and move through inferences. Microvitum, being the minutest entity or object, therefore, it cant have structure that of an atom not it can have its structural formula. They are the creation of cosmic mind. They are the mysterious emanations of cosmic factor. They are conducive in physical, psychic and spiritual evolution but not the original controller. They are created by cosmic mind which in turn is an evolutionary product of pure consciousness.Categories of microvitaMicrovita have been categorized as per their density or subtlety or depending on nature of behaviour.A) Based on density or subtletyFirst : Crude varietyThese are the microvita coming within the scope of perception but requires a highly developed microscope. The so called virus come under this category which require a sophisticated electron microscope to perceive. However, virus is a vague term, better term will be microvitum.Second : Subtle varietyThis category of microvita are subtler and therefore, not coming within the scope of a perception but coming within the scope of perception as a result of their expression or actional vibration. Here the physical laboratory means will not be helpful bur require a developed intuitional mind. As the subtle variety of microvita can move in psychic sphere which is a subtle region that exists in the mind; they can move from one mind to another and can carry ideas from one mind to another. A person who has a certain idea may be that idea was brought to that persons mind by a microvitum from another mind. It is therefore, possible that an individual who can control microvita will be able to spread his ideas with the help of microvita to the society at large.Third : Subtler varietyThese microvita are very subtler and therefore not coming within the scope of common perception but coming within the scope of a special type of perception which is actually the reflection of conception within the periphery of perception. It is perceived or known by only persons with highly evolved, spiritually oriented conceptual minds.These microvita exist at borderline between the psychic and spiritual space (psycho-spiritual microvita). They influence human mind in such a way that mind is attracted towards spirituality. These types of microvita have been called luminous bodies. In Indian traditional script, they are also called as siddhas (Devyoniis).In short, crude variety of microvita have their field of activity in matter. They create a stir within the physical structure and involved in emanations of life throughout the cosmos. Subtle variety, on the other hand, functions within the world of perception through inferences like sound, touch, form, taste and smell. They directly function within the subtler realm of human mind.B) Based on natureMicrovita based on nature can be categorized into positive, negative and neutral or ordinary. As microvita are composed of both ectoplasm and matter, positive microvita are having more mind than matter while negative microvita are of more matter than mind.Positive microvitaThey are pro-ectoplasmic meaning thereby, they are of more ectoplasm than matter. They start their functioning first in the mental level then filters down towards physical matter. They are beneficial to the human beings and help in their spiritual elevation. They move more freely in both the physical and psychic arenas and barely touch the border of spiritual world. But they cannot enter the spiritual world (fig. 3). They dont spread by natural means but by specially created waves.Negative microvitaThese microvita are pro-materialistic, having more matter than mind (Ectoplasm). They start functioning in matter and moves toward the mind. They move only in the area of physicality and just touch on the psychic arena; but can not enter the psychic world (Fig. 3). They are detrimental to human beings and spread on their own by natural forces.Most of the viral diseases for example, AIDS, SARS, Dengue, Chickenguniya, Swine flu, bird flu, hepatitis etc. are the diseases caused by negative microvita and not by virus as thought of.Positive and negative microvita maintain a balance in this world. Whenever the collective strength of Negative microvita exceed Positive microvita, the world moves towards degeneration. When positive microvita are in excess of negative microvita, a spiritual revolution occurs. At present, we are in the phase of degeneration. Only the collective strength of positive microvita can save us. Shrii Sarkar emphasizes that we are to invite positive microvita for our all-round progress and all-round elevation and to denounce the advancement of negative microvita because it is detrimental to the cause of sweet and beautiful Universe.For that matter, to increase positive microvita, we have to chose strictly sanctified food (Sa`tvik A`ha`r), Good company (Satsang), Good books and literature (Sva`dhyaya), Good songs (Bhajan) and devotional chanting (Kiirtan).In ancient times, the Indian sages described different species or entities which fit Sarkars description of Microvita. These are seven types of Devayonii (Positive Microvita), seven types of Pretayonii (Negative Microvita) and types of Gandhyakshinii (Neutral Microvita). Therefore, the basic concept of microvita is not new but has a history. Shrii P.R. Sarkar has modernized the ancient traditional knowledge and put in a scientific context. It is in real sense a synthesis of modern and ancient wisdom, a synthesis of science and spirituality.Movement of MicrovitaMicrovita have remarkable mobility. They move throughout the entire universe from one celestial body to another. They move everywhere, crossing the boundaries of nebulae, piercing through milky ways, galaxies, stars, satellites, planets and meteors, without caring for the atmospheric conditions like temperature and pressure. They move through a medium or media. They move through inferences (Tanma`tra`s) of smell, taste, visual forms, touch and sound. The most subltle microvita move through the media of idea.Physics and science of microvitaPhysics describes fundamental entities of matter as waves and particles. Some experiments treat them like waves while other experiments like particle. For example electron is considered to be both as a wave and a particle and so also the photon. Microvita can also be considered as both wave and particleEverything in this world is moving and therefore, has certain rhythm, wavelength and vibration and so also microvita. By the movement of microvita, fundamental particles of physics like electron and photon are created. When millions of microvita are moving together they would organize their own energy to create the fundamental particles.As per atomic physics, photon of light has certain spin, moves in certain direction and also have a certain wavelength. When something that has a certain spin and direction, it actually creates a shape as a spiro or a helix. Sarkar has also described microvita in a spiro movement. If the spiro moving microvita didnt move in a straight line but turned into a curve and close upon themselves and continue to circulate their energies in a closed form then that entity created would be a particle.Therefore, matter would be created when a spiro moving group of microvita move in a closed form. Those microvita would then be called an electron or a photon. Interestingly, microvita in the sub-atomic particles could create their wave length which is observed in physics experiments as ghost effect. This needs further research3.Microvita  the intelligent organizers of energyMicrovita are more of energy than matter. They have qualities of energy but they are not the same as energy. Both energy and microvita are active. The effect of energy is in physical plane, it is a blind force, must be directed by intelligence, indestructible but transferable. The effect of microvita is in physico-psychic plane, they have a consciousness and behave with a type of intelligence, they can live and die, non transferable and cannot be interchanged. In a nutshell one can designate microvita as Intelligent organizers of energy.Atoms, Electrons and MicrovitaAtoms, Electrons and Microvitum all are the small entities with a difference. Atom is the smallest possible particle which retains its chemical properties. Electron is the small physical entity, a hypothetical statistical cloud around atom. It is light in weight and carries a negative charge (Negatorn, e-). Microvitum is of different order, smaller than electron. It doesnt have an internal structure. It is more energy than matter and move through inferences.Origin of LifeLife is not explained scientifically. How it came into existence? The current theory tells that life evolves from carbon atoms and molecules. The carbon molecule is the basis of every protoplasmic structure. But as per the theory of microvita, the root cause of life is not the unicellular protozoic or unit protoplasmic cell nor carbon atoms or carbon molecules but this unit of microvitum. If one considers microvita as the fundamental organizers of energy; then microvita also organize atoms and molecules into the smallest living structure which we call life. In fact, the carbon atom itself is constituted of millions of microvita. The theory of microvita can really throw light on the different facts of creation of matter and life. This is one are of research that unify different areas of knowledge.Creation of matter / Origin of Universe  a scientific viewScientifically, the question, how matter first came into existence still remain unanswered. The most popular theory was Big Bang theory suggesting that Universe was created out of nothing and came into existence like an explosion. However, it is not logical to think. How can something come out of nothing?The recent experiment on Higgs-Boson or God particle is also not the right way. The term God in God particle is a vague and it is not wise and even meaningless to connect Him to only one thing specifically. In fact, they are virtual particles with a mean life time of 10-22 sec4.Creation of Matter / Origin of Universe  A spiritualist viewScience of spirituality designates Universe as a projection or transformation of Cosmic Consciousness. Consciousness using its creative power, transforms itself into Cosmic mind, which in turn transforms part of itself into the physical world. It may come out as a burst or an explosion but has to come from something (Fig.4).So, this is the contribution, spiritual philosophy can make to modern science, to show that you cant get something from nothing even if you are talking about the Origin of Universe. The most important thing of spiritual philosophy of cosmic cycle of creation is, that it shows, that matter comes out of consciousness (cosmic mind) and unit mind is evolved from matter. Microvita are the creation of cosmic mind and instrumental in the creation of matter and mind5,6.The theory of microvita therefore, throw light on the different unknown facts of creation of matter and life and because of their movement through the entire universe, they can spread life. This is how life has spread through the Universe and reached the earth. It is not by a random evolution of a primordial soup. It is the microvita, which are participating in organizing carbon molecules into living beings and spreading life everywhere. This is one area of research that unify different areas of knowledge.Microvita  for human welfareThe theory of microvita has immense potentialities in applying for human welfare. The field of chemistry, biochemistry, biology, commerce, pharmco-chemistry, biotechnology and pyro-technology will undergo a revolutionary change and they can be applied for betterment of living beings. What is required is extensive research in this field.Social environment can be improved with the application of Neohumanistic education. It will be further uplifted if the science of microvita (microvitology) is incorporated on this education system; where by density of positive microvita may be increased by inclusion of concept of sentient food, the effulgent of good company, the impact of good literature on the mind and wisely selection of music, lyrics and devotional chanting in the curriculum along with timely incorporation of Yogic postures and spiritual meditation practice to the young masses. The implementation of neohumanistic education with microvitology will definitely bring heaven on this dusty earth.Need of ResearchSarkar in his first discourse on microvita suggested the need of research on microvita. He stated that There should be extensive research work regarding this microvitum or these microvita. Our task is gigantic and we are to start our research work regarding these microvita immediately without any further delay, otherwise many problems in modern society will not be solved in a nice way. The statement becomes more meaningful when we look at the rising up of epidemics of negative microvita (virus) diseases with high mortality. There is no definite treatment for these negative microvita diseases. There is, therefore, impressive need to start research in this field, as pointed out by Shrii Sarkar, which can bring solace to humanity in terms of prevention and treatment of these deadly diseases.However, it has to be remembered that for all round progress and development of human society, both spirituality and physical science have got to be encouraged and pursued. In the present age, spiritual values (positive microvita) are on the wane therefore physicality (negative microvita) enjoying the pride of place. If spirituality is pushed up again to the top, the man can reach greater height than ever. The science of microvita will certainly prove to be conducive in this direction and for all round development of humanity.(Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/680317/Dubai_Marina.jpg )



(Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/680318/Downtown_Dubai.jpg )



"Since 2007, we have been shaping a new identity and presence in the hospitality scene, and we have now achieved a milestone in our growth journey of having a portfolio of 50 hospitality projects - operational and upcoming - together offering over 25,000 rooms and residences. While our primary footprint is the UAE and the Middle East and North Africa region, we are delighted by the response from owners and developers to our hotel concepts, and are expanding to new geographies," said Harnisch.

Emaar Hospitality Group's upcoming international projects are in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, Turkey and The Maldives, with new destinations to be added shortly. "Our ambition is to be one of the world's most admired and trusted hospitality companies, and with Dubai evolving as a global tourism and business hub, we have earned remarkable brand recognition in international markets."

With a focus on brand differentiation to drive customer personalisation, Emaar Hospitality Group has launched three brands - the premium luxury Address Hotels + Resorts, the upscale lifestyle Vida Hotels and Resorts, and the contemporary midscale Rove Hotels, the latter as a joint venture between Emaar Properties and Meraas Holding.

Harnisch said each of these brands has gained significant traction - and all are fast-expanding their footprint to meet the fast aspirations of a fast-changing tourist demographic, especially the millennial travellers. The expansion of Emaar Hospitality Group is complemented through higher operational efficiency and a customer-first approach highlighted through an organisation-wide digital transformation strategy.

Emaar Hospitality Group has 12 operational hotels in Dubai - five each under the Address and Rove brands and two by Vida. The development pipeline in the UAE includes 12 Address, nine Vida and four Rove hotels. Internationally, seven Address hotels are being developed in addition to three Vida properties and one Rove hotel. http://www.emaarhospitality.com

For details, contact:

Kelly Home

ASDA'A B-M

+9714-4507-600

[email protected]

SOURCE Emaar Hospitality Group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Salmon-crested cockatoos on Seram Island "The unsustainable parrot trade is leading to the decline of species in Southeast Asia. In tackling the trade, IPP, together with other wildlife agencies, has dedicated itself to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of parrot species back into their native ranges of Indonesia.

Earth Day is a global event when people to come together and protect our planet, forests and wildlife, explains Bonnie Zimmermann, Executive Director, Indonesian Parrot Project. In the case of the Indonesian Parrot Project, we see an alarming decline in the populations of endangered cockatoos and parrots due to habitat loss, extreme poverty of the local communities, and the illegal trade. Numbers show that over 12,000 parrots are trapped for the illegal trade each year in Maluku alone and the mortality rate is extremely high. We have been working on the ground in Indonesia since 2001 and currently are focusing our efforts on the Salmon-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua moluccensis), the White Cockatoo (Cacatua alba) and the Abbotti Cockatoo (Cacatua sulphurea abbotti). The wild population of the Abbotti Cockatoo is down to 22 birds and is on the brink of extinction. Our documentary focuses on these issues, she adds.

The documentary will be dedicated to Dr. Stewart Metz, the founder of IPP, and his contributions to the conservation and protection of critically endangered parrots and cockatoos. The film will be produced by Wildlife Messengers, a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, in close collaboration with IPP. WM specializes in films focusing on wildlife conservation. For the last 8 years the scientists and filmmakers who founded WM have been filming conservation projects in remote parts of the world, including Kenya, Cape York of Australia, the tropical rainforests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Peru.

Footage was shot in late 2017 and includes interviews with IPP team members, local community stakeholders, a tribe of former head-hunters who eat cockatoos as part of their spirit culture, ex-poachers, tourists and scientists. Additional footage features parrots in the wild, confiscations of birds from the illegal trade, bird markets, local culture and eco-tourism.

Along with the sneak preview of the trailer, a crowd-funding campaign will also be launched on Earth Day on GoFundMe to raise $15,800 for post-production and distribution.

We expect enormous interest in our cause, Zimmermann continues. Any funds raised greater than the amount needed to produce the film will support the ongoing efforts of the IPP, she notes.

IPP collaborator Dr. Jessica Lee, Senior Manager, Conservation, Research and Veterinary Services, Wildlife Reserves Singapore adds The unsustainable parrot trade is leading to the decline of species in Southeast Asia. In tackling the trade, IPP, together with other wildlife agencies, has dedicated itself to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of parrot species back into their native ranges of Indonesia.

Indonesias rainforests are home to some of the highest levels of biological diversity in the world. Many sources credit Indonesia as the most species-rich country on earth. Spread over 18,000 islands, Indonesia contains the worlds third largest area of rainforest after the Amazon and Africas Congo Basin. It is also culturally diverse with a mix of over 600 dialects spoken and is a mix of Muslim, Christian, Hindu and tribal cultures.

Sadly, the rapid loss of Indonesias biologically wealthy rainforests is driving many species to the very edge of survival. Only decisive action and a paradigm shift towards meaningful conservation commitments by industry and the Indonesian government will prevent a catastrophic epidemic of extinctions in the coming decades.

Incredibly, with just 1% of the Earths land area, Indonesias rainforest contains 10% of the worlds known plant species, 12% of mammal species - including endangered orangutans and critically endangered Sumatran tigers and rhinos - and 17% of critically endangered birds and parrots. And there is still much to be discovered. The Indonesian Ministry of the Environment estimates that more than half of Indonesias species are still unrecorded."Sustainability is ingrained in our corporate culture."

On Thursday, April 19th, just three days before Earth Day, Stony Point Design/Build, LLC was honored at Viridiant's Sustainable Leadership Awards, receiving the "Single Family Builder of the Year" award.

The annual awards recognize the region's premiere developers, builders, architects, government officials and other industry professionals for their work in advancing the benefits of sustainable building through the EarthCraft family of green building programs. Stony Point Design/Build was honored on Thursday evening at a ceremony in downtown Richmond which brought together close to 200 individuals representing home builders, non-profit and for-profit housing providers and developers, affordable housing advocates and those interested in creating green housing opportunities in Virginia. Awards were presented in a variety of categories to cover new construction, renovation, single family homes, multifamily housing and more.

Stony Point Design/Build is Building Better By Design through innovative architecture, universal design features, and high performance construction techniques. Creating great places and enhancing lives through the built environment is core to the company's mission. Stony Point Design/Build constructs single family homes, multifamily buildings, and mixed-use communities in Charlottesville, VA.

Chris Henry, President of Stony Point Design/Build states, "Sustainability is ingrained in our corporate culture. Certifying each of our projects through the EarthCraft suite of programs is one way that we uphold that core value. We are honored to receive recognition for our work with the EarthCraft program and thankful to all of our passionate trade partners that made this recognition possible."

"Each year, our nominees and winners amaze us with their cutting edge projects that are transforming today's housing market and serve as proof that the science of sustainability can deliver a housing future that is more affordable, more durable and more liveable. This year is no exception," said KC Bleile, Executive Director of Viridiant. "It is truly our honor to recognize the work of these dedicated teams and their passion for high performance home building."

For more information about the 9th Annual Sustainable Leadership Awards, visit http://www.viridiant.org/aboutus/events_annual/viridiant-sustainable-leadership-awards/.

About Stony Point Design/Build, LLC

Stony Point Design/Build is Building Better By Design through innovative architecture, universal design features, and high performance construction techniques. Creating great places and enhancing lives through the built environment is core to the company's mission. Stony Point Design/Build constructs single family homes, multifamily buildings, and mixed-use communities in Charlottesville, VA.

About Viridiant

Viridiant is a non-profit organization committed to supporting sustainable building processes through education, consultation and certification. Through these efforts, Viridiant helps to set a path for businesses and homeowners to create structures that are more affordable, more livable and more durable. Learn more at viridiant.org.

About EarthCraft

The EarthCraft program was created in 1999 by a partnership between Southface Energy Institute and the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association and was brought to Virginia in 2006. Operated by Viridiant in Virginia, Washington DC and Maryland, EarthCraft is a family of green building certification programs designed to address climate, energy and water issues unique to the southeastern United States. The program serves as a blueprint for energy and resource-efficient single family homes, multifamily structures, renovation projects, community developments, light commercial buildings and sustainable preservation projects.Plenus Group Inc. has been based in Lowell, MA since 2002. "We are fortunate to work with such a terrific partner who pushes us to the boundaries of food innovation," Joe Jolly, PGI CEO.

Plenus Group Inc. (PGI), a Lowell, MA based manufacturer of premium soups, sauces and value-added frozen foods, has been recognized as the 2017 Supplier of the Year by Whole Foods Markets Northeast Region.

PGIs close partnership with the Northeast Regions prepared foods team has led to the development of over 40 varieties of soups for their hot bars and more than 60 authentic sauces from cuisines across the globefrom Peru to Jamaica, Korea to Mexico, Thailand to Germany, and beyond. The development of these recipes called on PGIs considerable culinary and manufacturing skills, and their ability to source quality, hard-to-find ingredients. The Whole Foods Market Northeast region includes over 40 stores in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

Winning the inaugural Northeast Region Supplier of the Year award is hugely meaningful to all of us at PGI, said PGI CEO Joe Jolly. Our success is proof of Whole Food Markets commitment to working with local, artisanal producers. We are fortunate to work with such a terrific partner who pushes us to the boundaries of food innovation. Their passion for quality and innovation matches ours and we look forward to extending our partnership to other Whole Foods regions."

Whole Foods Markets Supplier Awards spotlight producers who represent Whole Foods mission and core values. The award was one of 27 given out at a reception in Austin, TX on Wednesday, April 18th.

About Plenus Group Inc.

Plenus Group Inc. operates a USDA-FDA inspected, HACCP compliant and SQF Level II certified food manufacturing facility in Lowell, MA. PGI specializes in the manufacture of premium soups, authentic sauces and gourmet value added frozen food items. In addition to private label development, PGI owns two premier brands: Boston Chowda Co and East Coast Gourmet. For more information visit our site at http://www.pgifoods.com

Contact:

Michael Jolly

Plenus Group Inc.

978-970-3832

mfjolly(at)plenus-group(dot)com"Representative democracy has failed. It's time for the people to take direct action."

The Stop The Killing Committee launched its website early today. The committee was formed in March of this year with the mission of amending the Florida Constitution to ban the possession of assault style guns by private persons. The website can be found at http://www.stopthekilling.us

Donald Cleveland, Chairman of the Committee, said  The website has an active link to allow Florida registered voters to download, print and sign the committees approved constitutional amendment petition.  He added, Florida must lead the nation by exercising the rights in a democracy to take direct citizen action to change the laws. Representative government has failed miserably to protect kids in school, social gatherings at night clubs and concert attendees.

The website also contains links for volunteer workers, donations and an up-to-date historical record of mass shootings in the United States. Cleveland said,  January of 2018 was a bad month for children going to school; 31 school children were killed in mass shootings with assault weapons.

Every registered voter in the State of Florida can now print the ballot petition from the website, sign it and send it to our campaign office, said Cleveland

The petition approved by the Secretary of States office last week is the first such petition to control private possession of assault type weapons in Florida.

Cleveland served 10 years in the U.S. Army, and won a large number of marksmanship awards in competition including the Distinguished Marksmanship award from the National Rifle Association.

Donald Cleveland

Chairman

Stop The Killing Committee

Day : 561-460-5917

Night: 954-675-8529Welcome Guest! You Are Here:Many people spend workdays indoors under fluorescent lights and in front of computers, then return home to bask in the glow of television screens.

But research suggests it's important to make time to get outdoors as well, since doing so is beneficial  maybe essential  for human health. Psychologists and health researchers are finding more and more science-backed reasons we should go outside and enjoy the natural world.

In her book, "The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative," journalist Florence Williams writes that she started investigating the health benefits of nature after moving from the mountainous terrain of Boulder, Colorado, to what she describes as "the anti-Arcadia that is the nation's capital": Washington, DC.

"I felt disoriented, overwhelmed, depressed," she wrote. "My mind had trouble focusing. I couldn't finish thoughts. I couldn't make decisions and I wasn't keen to get out of bed."

We don't all need to move to beautiful places like Boulder  there are good reasons for many of us to live in bigger cities.

But humans do need to spend time in natural environments if they want to improve their physical and mental health. That could mean taking advantage of hiking trails near your home, playing in the snow, swimming in the ocean, or just spending time every week in a local park.

Here are 12 reasons why it's so important.

Walking in nature could improve your short-term memory.

One group took a walk around an arboretum, and the other took a walk down a city street. When the participants returned and did the test again, those who had walked among trees did almost20% percent better than they had first time. The people who had taken in city sights instead did not consistently improve.

A similar study on depressed individuals found that walks in nature boosted working memory much more than walks in urban environments.

Being outdoors has a demonstrated de-stressing effect.

Something about being outside changes the physical expression of stress in the body.

One study found that students sent into the forest for two nights had lower levels of cortisol  a hormone often used as a marker for stress  than those who spent that time in a city.

In another study, researchers found a decrease in both the heart rates and levels of cortisol of participants who spent time in the forest compared to those in the city.

"Stressful states can be relieved by forest therapy," the researchers concluded.

Among office workers, even a view of nature out a window is associated with lower stress and higher job satisfaction.

Spending time outside reduces inflammation.

When inflammation goes into overdrive, it's associated with a wide range of ills, including autoimmune disorders, inflammatory bowel disease, depression, and cancer. Spending time in nature may be one way to help keep that in check.

In one study, students who spent time in the forest had lower levels of inflammation than those who spent time in the city. In another, elderly patients who had been sent on a weeklong trip into the forest showed reduced signs of inflammation. There were some indications that the woodsy jaunt had a positive effect on those patients' hypertension levels as well.

Enjoying the outdoors helps eliminate fatigue.

You know that feeling when your brain seems to be sputtering to a halt? Researchers call that "mental fatigue."

One thing that can help get your mind back into gear is exposing it to restorative environments, which, research has found, generally means the great outdoors. One study found that people's mental energy bounced back even when they just looked at pictures of nature. (Pictures of city scenes had no such effect.)

Studies have also found that natural beauty can elicit feelings of awe, which is one of the surest ways to experience a mental boost.

Outdoor experiences may help fight depression and anxiety.

Anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues may all be eased by some time in nature  especially when that's combined with exercise.

One study found that walks in the forest were associated with decreased levels of anxiety and bad moods, and another found that outdoor walks could be "useful clinically as a supplement to existing treatments" for major depressive disorder.

"Every green environment improved both self-esteem and mood," found an analysis of 10 earlier studies about so-called "green exercise." That review also indicated that "the mentally ill had one of the greatest self-esteem improvements."

The presence of water made the positive effects even stronger, the findings suggested.

Being outside may protect your vision.

At least in children, a fairly large body of research has found that outdoor activity may have a protective effect on the eyes and reduce the risk of developing nearsightedness (myopia).

"Increasing time spent outdoors may be a simple strategy by which to reduce the risk of developing myopia and its progression in children and adolescents," a 2012 review of the research concluded.

In Taiwan, researchers studied two nearby schools where myopia was equally common. They told one school to encourage outdoor activity during recess and monitored the other as a control. After one year, the rate of myopia in the control school was 17.65%; in the "play outside" school, it was just 8.41%.

Spending time outside lowers blood pressure.

With all these other salutary effects, it's no surprise that outdoor time  which usually involves walking  lowers blood pressure too.

That effect has been demonstrated by a number of studies. One intensive study of 280 participants in Japan found that along with decreasing stress hormone concentrations by more than 15%, a walk in the forest lowered participants' average pulse by almost 4% and blood pressure by just over 2%.

It could improve your ability to focus.

We know the natural environment is "restorative"  that even applies to your waning attention.

In one study, researchers worked to deplete participants' ability to focus. Then some people took a walk in nature, others took a walk through the city, and the rest just relaxed. When everyone returned, the nature group scored the best on a proofreading task.

The attention-improving effect of nature is so strong it might even help kids with ADHD: they've been found to concentrate better after just 20 minutes in a park.

"'Doses of nature' might serve as a safe, inexpensive, widely accessible new tool ... for managing ADHD symptoms," researchers wrote.

You may perform better on creative tasks after being outside.

"Imagine a therapy that had no known side effects, was readily available, and could improve your cognitive functioning at zero cost." That's the dramatic opening to a 2008 paper describing the promise of so-called "nature therapy"  or, as a non-academic might call it, time spent outside.

Another study found that people immersed in nature for four days boosted their performance on a creative problem-solving test by 50%.

Outdoor sessions may even help prevent cancer.

Boosts in the levels of these proteins that people get from being in the woods may may last up to seven days after the trip.

Studies in Japan, where "shinrin-yoku" or "forest-bathing" is considered a form of preventative medicine, have also found that areas with greater forest coverage have lower mortality rates from a wide variety of cancers.

While there are too many confounding factors to come to a definitive conclusion about what this might mean, it's a promising area for future research.

Forests also might boost your immune system.

The cellular activity associated with a forest's possible anti-cancer effects is also indicative of a general boost to the immune system (the body's natural ability to fight off less serious ills like colds, flus, and other infections).

A 2010 review of research related to this effect noted that "all of these findings strongly suggest that forest environments have beneficial effects on human immune function." But the researchers acknowledged that more research on the relationship is still needed.

With all this, it's not surprising that outdoor time is associated with a lower overall risk of early death.

Nearby green space seems to be especially important for residents of urban environments, according to a Dutch study of 250,782 people, which found a strong positive connection between green space and health.

A follow-up study by the same research team found that a wide variety of diseases were less prevalent among people who lived in close proximity to green space. Other studies have made a direct link between time spent in forests and other measures of overall health.

A recent study published in Environmental Health Perspectives found a similar connection: greater exposure to greenness was associated with a 12% lower mortality rate. The biggest improvements were related to reduced risk of death from cancer, lung disease, and kidney disease.Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected!For a brand like Glitz Africa, which stands currently as the only structure that holds the helm of fashion in Ghana, or perhaps the leading fashion brand which highlights the life of the contemporary African, it becomes very disturbing if an award to celebrate women in the social, economic and political fields who did exceptionally well in the year under review neglects the effort of at least one fashion stakeholder.

Considering the fact that Glitz Africa has always been about the fashion; how much that waist is cinched, how far that slit parts ways to the pelvis and about that silhouette you can create with an outfit, It is a clear detour they have taken.

That not withstanding, we do express our immense appreciation for the fact that women, in particular, are being appreciated in their respective spheres that is an ode to the feminist movement. The only issue here is that wed love the fashion mavericks to get an effigy for all the slaying theyve been doing.

READ ALSO:See what your favorite female celebrities wore to the 2018 Ghana Woman Awards

The list for tastemaker ranges from Nana Akua Addo, who has trended and made news every time she strutted on the red carpet and has even had a review piece from BBC which really shows how much of a controversy her style reeks. PISTIS, the luxury brand that has always made the likes of Joselyn Dumas, Shirley Frimpong, and Samira Bawumia really seem chick at every event.

In the wise words of Nikki Giovanni "Art is to cultivate taste, not for the cultivated taste its a big scare to these style mavens.The protesters, clad in colours of the Ghana flag, registered their displeasure against the Ghana-US military cooperation agreement.

They held placards with inscriptions "Ghana is not for sale," "Ghana is not USA" while chanting "Akufo-Addo is a traitor."

Back in Ghana, the Ghana First First Patriotic Front (GFPF) health a massive demonstration in Tamale against the military cooperation agreement.

Demonstrators, clad in red, held placards with inscriptions: "No to US military base in Ghana," "This wasn't what you promised us King Promise," "Ghanaians deserve some respect Mr Akufo-Addo," "We want jobs not military base," "Our sovereignty is not for sale" among others.

The military agreement gives the US military "unimpeded" access to Ghana, immunity for US soldiers, access to runways, tax exceptions, radio frequency among others.

READ MORE: It appears Eugene has been moved as communications directorHe also cautioned the president that no amount of armed-twisting or anger will dampen the people's interest

He said: Ghana is for Ghanaians. The citizens of Ghana will continue defending the interest of Ghana, no matter what it takes; the peoples interest shall not be dampen by any arm-twisting parties or by the anger of any President. So we want Nana Addo to take the message from Tamale clear."

Demonstrators, clad in red, held placards with inscriptions: "No to US military base in Ghana," "This wasn't what you promised us King Promise," "Ghanaians deserve some respect Mr Akufo-Addo," "We want jobs not military base," "Our sovereignty is not for sale" among others.He said: I think that it is not proper for a group of persons who were ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction to halt a process but decided to flout the court order and go ahead with that process. I am not happy at all because I see it as a stab in the back of democracy.The former 2016 campaign chairman of the president urged them to verify media reports about the president with New Patriotic Party (NPP) bigwigs.

He also urged them to protect the government from opposition propaganda that seeks to sink the image of the government.

He was addressing delegates of the NPP in the Western Region who had gathered for the party's regional election on Saturday.The forum is backed by the Ethiopian government as an African-owned initiative to explore solutions by Africans for the continents security challenges.

On Friday, ex-president Mahama spoke on 'Self-Reliance in Africa's Peace and Security' at a public lecture at the Bahir Dar University as part of the 7th TANA High-Level Forum on Security in Africa.

He stressed that academic institutions and not-for-profit organizations as a whole should :contribute towards the realization of self-reliance both in terms of clarity of ideas and concreteness of policies.

He added: It goes without saying that the purpose of academic institutions is research, teaching, and rendering services to the community. As hubs of research and innovation, academic institutions must contribute to the attainment of self-reliance by refining and concretize the notion and relevance of self-reliance itself in the areas of peace, security, and governance."

The greatest threat to Africas peace and security is the rapid rate of population growth.

This should be of serious concern, considering that the population of Africa is growing faster than all the other continents. It is estimated that nearly 60% of the worlds growth will occur on our continent by the year 2050.A statement from the former president's office said the reports are "false and a creation of individuals who wish to use the former President of Ghanas name for their own political interests."

"The attention of the office of Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings, former President of Ghana, has been drawn to a post on various media, especially in Nigeria, professing his support for comments made by President Muhammadu Buhari on Nigerian youth," the statement noted.

It continued: "The office wishes to state that former President Rawlings has made no comment whatsoever or issued a statement on the comments by President Buhari."Any comments purportedly coming from Mr. Rawlings are false and a creation of individuals who wish to use the former President of Ghanas name for their own political interests."All official statements or comments by Flt Lt Rawlings can be found on his Twitter handle @officeofJJR or his Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/President.J.J.Rawlings/."

The Nigerian leader is facing backlash on social media following the remarks he made in reply to a question posed to him at the Commonwealth summit.

"We have a very young population. More than 60% of the population is below the age of 30. A lot of them haven't been to school and they are claiming that Nigeria has been an oil-producing country, therefore they should sit and do nothing and get housing, healthcare, education free," Buhari said in reply.

Many Nigerians on social media interpreted the comments to mean he was branding the nation's youth as lazy.Speaking at the Ghana First Patriotic Front rally against the Ghana-US military cooperation agreement in Tamale, he noted that the president will be compelled to live with dissent.

He said: "let him be reminded that Ghana is a democratic state and there is room for dissenthe must be prepared to accommodate dissent.

"He is compelled to live with dissent and we will compel him to live with dissent."Fadi Mohammad al-Batsh, 35, was killed in a Kuala Lumpur drive-by shooting on Saturday, according to Malaysian authorities, with his family accusing Israel's Mossad spy agency of the assassination.

Hamas said Batsh, a research scientist specialising in energy issues, was one of its members.

"There's a tradition among terror organisations of blaming Israel for every instance of settling of accounts," Lieberman told public radio, noting the reports that Batsh's work involved improving the range and accuracy of rockets.

"The man was no saint and settling accounts among terror groups and different factions is something we see all the time," he said. "I assume this was the case here too."

An autopsy was being carried out Sunday on the body of Batsh, who was walking to dawn prayers at a local mosque in the Kuala Lumpur suburb of Gombak when he was shot by two gunmen riding a motorcycle, Malaysian officials said.

At the crime scene, police markers indicated 14 bullets had been sprayed at the victim, some of them hitting a wall.

Malaysian Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was quoted by the state-run Bernama news agency as saying Batsh was "an electrical engineer and an expert at making rockets".

Militants in Hamas-ruled Gaza fire rockets at southern Israel, but usually without casualties.

'Definitely Mossad'

Malaysia's police chief Mohamad Fuzi Harun said a task force has been formed to investigate the killing but would not speculate on the motive or whether foreign assassins were involved.

Photos of the two suspects provided by witnesses showed they looked like Europeans, he told a news conference Sunday afternoon.

When asked if there was evidence of foreign involvement in the killing, he said: "We want to ensure a complete probe. We are still investigating the motive. I urge people not to make any conclusion."

No arrests have been made and the murder weapon has not been recovered, he said.

Palestinian representative to Malaysia Anwar al-Agha said Fadi's body would be taken back to the Palestinian territories for burial.

Mohammad Shedad, 17, a student and a relative of the victim, also blamed Mossad for the killing.

"It is definitely the work of Mossad. Fadi is a very clever person, anyone who is clever is a threat to Israel," he told AFP outside the victim's Malaysian apartment.

"Fadi is a Hamas member and knows how to make rockets. So (Israel) think he is dangerous."

Batsh was married with three young children and had lived in Malaysia for 10 years.

It was the second high-profile killing of a foreigner in Malaysia in just over a year.

In February 2017 assassins smeared the banned VX nerve agent on the face of Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korea's leader, at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, killing him within minutes.

The Mossad is believed to have assassinated Palestinian militants and scientists in the past, but rarely confirms such operations.

Hamas has accused Mossad of assassinating one of its drone experts -- Mohamed Zouari -- in Tunisia in 2016, and the spy agency is also believed to have been behind the 2010 murder of top Hamas militant Mahmud al-Mabhuh in a Dubai hotel.

In Iran, a total of five scientists -- four of them involved in the country's nuclear programme -- were killed in bomb and gun attacks in Tehran between 2010 and 2012 at the height of tensions over the country's nuclear ambitions.

Iran has accused Mossad and the CIA of ordering the killings.

Tensions between Israel and Gaza are high, with 38 Palestinians killed in four weeks of clashes along the border.Campaigning hard against immigration, the 54-year-old Orban's overwhelming victory April 8 saw his Fidesz party secure around half the vote.

But among criticisms regarding the fairness of the election, observers from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation said the campaign was marked by media bias.

As part of sweeping reforms since he came into power in 2010, Orban has turned the public media channels into what his critics call "government mouthpieces".

Many of the demonstrators, most of whom were young, chanted "democracy" and brandished Hungarian and European Union flags.

An organiser, Viktor Gyetvai, 20, told AFP the protest "was not going to change the system overnight" but was aimed at sparking a "civil movement" to challenge Orban.

"These are first steps, a sign that there are many Hungarians who want to live in a democracy, with independent institutions, and a free media," said Gyetvai.

More demonstrations will be held in provincial cities in coming weeks, he said.

Last Saturday some 100,000 protestors held a protest in Budapest days after Orban's win.

The victory handed Orban his third consecutive two-thirds parliamentary majority and a legislative free rein for the next four years.

Since then Orban has signalled an escalation of his long-running onslaught on non-governmental organisations (NGOs) linked to the liberal US billionaire George Soros.

Orban accuses the Hungarian-born 87-year-old of plotting to destroy Europe though mass immigration.

A pro-Orban newspaper recently published a list of some 200 "Soros mercenaries" that included staff at NGOs, universities and investigative journalism websites.

A vote on a controversial "Stop Soros" package of bills targeting NGOs is likely to be among the first to pass through parliament after it convenes May 8.

The package apes similar laws in Russia and would slap taxes on foreign-funded NGOs that "support" illegal immigration.

Under the proposals, foreigners deemed to support asylum seekers could be stopped from entering Hungary, NGO staff face being barred from approaching border areas and organisations will undergo "security tests".

Soros's Open Society Foundations (OSF) network said Friday it is considering moving its office from Budapest, possibly to Berlin, if the laws are approved.

Organisers of Saturday's opposition rally said the next demonstration would take place outside parliament May 8.

"This system is not democracy," said the main speaker at the rally, Peter Marki-Zay, a former Fidesz voter who shot to nationwide prominence in February after winning a shock mayoral election against Orban's party in a provincial city.Strohl, a violist in her 58th season at the Metropolitan Opera, had come in to retrieve her bow. Two days before, shed dropped it off for re-hairing  a service it requires frequently. She needed the bow to perform Elektra that evening.

Eighty-one sixty-six, right? she asked, counting out bills for David Segal, the firms proprietor. In minutes she was gone.

String musicians, professional and amateur, come and go from this shop on a quiet side street off Columbus Avenue  all of them needing immediate satisfaction, said Segal, who has been in business at this location for 32 years.

A native of Israel, Segal inherited his love of string instruments from his father, who also made violins for a living. After studying the craft in Italy, the younger Segal came to New York and worked for Rembert R. Wurlitzer, a renowned authority on violins and other string instruments, before starting his own business in 1975.

Like many violin makers, he set up shop in the vicinity of Carnegie Hall. After relocating a few times, he ended up in his current space four blocks from Lincoln Center.

Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Segal makes new violins at his home in Yonkers, New York, while a manager runs the shop in Manhattan, which is open Monday through Friday. The other days of the workweek, Segal joins the manager and a few other staff members at the store to focus on repairs.

String instruments, he explained, are delicate creations, each made of dozens of pieces, any of which might break from use or changes in weather. The wood is susceptible to dryness and humidity, Segal said. It shrinks and swells.

Sometimes, too, there are mishaps, as when a woman came in with her 16-year-olds cello. Its neck had cracked in two when the strap on its case broke and the contents had crashed to the ground.

On a recent afternoon, Segal  wearing a brown apron and glasses, which made him look a little like Geppetto as he sat hunched over a workbench  methodically took apart a violin that had developed a crack in its top. To put the instrument back together, he would use glue made of boiled-down fish skin that was being kept warm in a little electric pot.

Customers might spend anywhere from $2 for an E string (such small items are stored in the labeled drawers of an old wooden card catalog) to millions of dollars for rare, centuries-old violins, which are kept in a safe.

The young viola player in the room off reception, Lukas Shrout, a junior at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, was looking for something in the $15,000 to $20,000 range while he was home on spring break. His mother, a physical therapist, sat on a stool and pondered how she would pay for this. She had been told, she said, that many musicians take out a home equity line of credit.

Finnegan Shanahan, a professional violinist and the shop managers assistant, went between Shrout and the workshop, where violins are tucked in rug-cushioned cubbies, cellos lean against the walls and violas hang from the ceiling. After consulting with his boss, Shanahan reached up and took down another viola to show Shrout, who reached out, eager to try it.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.The outspoken clergy man also chided the Federal Government for doing nothing about to solve the issue of the herdsmen killings, Daily Post reports.

He said, Can I tell you my anger against this government? No feeling for human lives. You cant be destroying the work of my father and I will be happy with you. You know what God said? I am angry with the wicked everyday.

Talk is cheap! You see where change brought us today since 2015? The changest change!

1 naira will be one dollar. Fuel will be sold at 45 naira. Any responsible government will bring power in 3 months.

If you bring the scoresheet out, its 0%. Do you want change? Work it out ! You better wake up so you dont suffer the Nigerian kind of change. Theoretical change.

3 refineries working! (They must be) located in space. Defending killers! Gods judgement will hit!

If you are happy with what God is angry with, you are ungodly.

Those who have made others childless, wifeless, husbandless, so shall they become! Do you pray for Armed Robbers? Evil shall not prevail in Nigeria!

President Buhari recently angered Nigerians when he described Nigerian youths as lazy.

The President made the statement at the Commonwealth Business Forum in Westminster on Wednesday, April 18, 2018.The Emerging Leader of the Year award was designed to celebrate students, who demonstrated active involvement in student activities, student governance, and student life at Augsburg.

According to her international student advisors, James Tresland Porter and Angela Bonfiglio, Oteju exhibited calm presence and showed strong leadership within her short stay on campus.

ALSO READ: 10 universities of technologies in Nigeria and their rankings

In her short time here, despite her age, she has shown extreme maturity and leadership on campus,  her Advisor wrote in her recommendation form.

The recommendation stated further that the 16-year-old girl was awarded for her selfless contributions in the area of guiding International Students in settling into the University environment.

Also, the University said that Oteju impressed it with her confidence in navigating Augsburg and the opportunities around her with humility.

She has stepped up this semester to come and welcome the new students and on her own has made sure to reach out to the new students and make them feel at home. She has already shown interest in being a board member next year for ISO and bringing her skills and talents to the group by helping with planning for ISO Banquet.

17-yr-old Nigerian offered admission from 19 top universities

Two weeks ago, Oludamilola Oluwadara Adekeye, a 17-year-old Nigerian was reportedly accepted by 19 of the world's top universities including Yale, Stanford, Columbia and the London School of Economics.

While speaking with CNN, Oluwadamilola, who is a student of Brighton College, Abu Dhabi said she applied to 20 universities and was accepted by 19 of them.Walida in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria said Zamfara is a peaceful state adding that Corps members should disregard any negative information about the state.

The NYSC management and Corps members have been living peacefully with the people of the state.

I am therefore calling on them to take this orientation course with seriousness to derive the benefit in it.

The State Coordinator also assured the new corps members that facilities at the camp have been upgraded for their comfort.

ALSO READ: 10 Universities of Technology in Nigeria and their ranking

You know the NYSC Director-General recently renovated our multipurpose hall, clinic and some broken down toilets and bathrooms in addition to the renovation of hostels, offices and staff accommodation by the state government.

I am using this opportunity to call on our new corps members to be law abiding and respect the rules and regulations of the camp.

They should cooperate with the NYSC officials, security agencies and the Man O War brigade to have peaceful orientation exercise.The suspect reportedly attacked his brother with a machete while fighting over a missing cow, delivering a fatal blow to Abdullahi's neck.

The State Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Bello, revealed that the incident occurred on March 9, 2018.

ALSO READ: Police arrest 10 men destroying farmlands in Benue

Recounting the shocking incident to The Sun, the suspect said, My brother, Abdullahi and myself took our cattle for grazing. Later, we discovered that one cattle which was not our own had joined our herd.

"We were three who made the discovery  Abdullahi, one Ibrahim and myself. Abdullahi and I agreed to sell it. Later, he asked me to go and sell it in the market. As I was taking the cattle, it escaped from me. I returned back to tell Abdullahi.

"He did not believe me. He accused of selling the cattle for N300,000. I tried to explain to him, but he insisted that I sold the cattle for N300,000. My father tried to settle the matter, without success.

"Abdullahi said that I must pay N300,000 for the cattle or he would kill me. I challenged him on why he would want to kill me over the cattle that escaped from me.

Then he began making phone calls to his friends, telling them I am a liar and that I sold the cattle for N300,000. I became very angry and we started fighting. In the course of the fight, he injured me on my right hand and I cut him with my cutlass on the neck.

Upon the conclusion of the ongoing investigation, the suspect will be charged to court.

Fulani Herdsmen and their licence to kill

Nowadays, any mention of a Fulani herdsman is about illicit fear, terror, and fright. They have become licensed killers who go about wrecking havoc, destruction, and devastation anywhere they go.

Long gone are the sticks and machetes they used in chasing away dangerous animals coming for their cattle. They are now replaced with AK-47 guns, assault rifles, rocket launchers and grenades which they use to sack whole communities, kill and rape women with reckless abandon.

They are no longer the mind-your-business-I -mind-my-business guy who goes about with his flute to entertain himself while his wife milks the cows to take to town to sell Fura da nono.

No one can say exactly when the easy going Fulani herdsman became a killer and bloodthirsty war monger but the transition has taken many by surprise.

From Plateau State to Adamawa, from Benue to Kogi, Kaduna to Bauchi, Delta to Edo, Enugu to Anambra, we wake up every day to hear how Fulani herdsmen wrecked one havoc or the other, killing indigenes with reckless abandon, as if they have a license to kill and maim members of their host communities.

The menace of the Fulani herdsmen has gone for too long without a check from security forces and the government seems unable or willing to check it and nip it in the bud.

In the last two years, they have become more daring with the attacks becoming more fierce and well-coordinated that it seems they have some backing from the security agencies.

It is now a common sight to hear how they stormed a community, attack the people, kill at random, burn down houses and sack the indigenes with none of them being apprehended despite the fact that they keep occurring at an alarming frequency.

When the menace started, many thought it had religious and ethnic coloration but these days, they do not care if the community is inhabited by Muslims or Christians.

Before now, they would attack churches and communities largely inhabited by Christians but these days, they do not care as they strike even Muslim communities as in the case witnessed last weekend when they attacked a Mosque in Niger State, killing more than 20 people.

Though security agencies and the government has come out to say most of the atrocities carried out are not necessarily done by the herdsmen as most of the attackers are foreigners who sneak into the country, the bottom line still lies in the fact that nothing is being done to put them in check.

In some instances, some of the actions of government make people wonder if they are really ready to take the fight to the so-called aliens.

The truth remains that the killing spree has continued unabated. Though one cannot completely say they are carried out by the Fulani herdsmen, the issue still remains that any of such attacks are attributed to them and nothing is being done to arrest the tide.

ALSO READ: Nigeria does not need prayers

The state governors are doing practically nothing to provide security for their people as the rampaging herdsmen go about their killing spree, yet they collect billions as security funds every month.The 25-year-old Christian woman in based Sialkot, Pakistan was attacked by the 30-yr-old suspect, Rizwan Gujjar, who left her disfigured.

The victim has been working as a beautician for the last two years and was making a good living.

ALSO READ: 25-yr-old woman bathed with acid for accepting a marriage proposal

It was gathered that her 23-year-old brother, Nabeel Yaqoob who works as a panaflex-maker (banner print-worker), met Rizwan and over a period of time, became friends with him.

Rizwan often visited Nabeel at his family home and during one of such visits, he met and fell in love with Asma.

Asma had been friendly to Rizwan because of his relationship with her brother but 3 months ago when the suspect asked for Asma's hand in marriage, she turned him down flat.

According to the reports, Asma did not embarass the suspect by informing her family of the development, especially out of concern for her brother.

Rizwan soon developed a harsh attitude towards Asma and being unable to control his feelings, planned to attack her.

On April 10, 2018, Asma went to work on a bride in Pak Pura town, Sialkot. At about 11 pm, Asma received information that her brother was looking for her.

However, Asma found Rizwan waiting for her as he had used her brother's name to deceive her into meeting him.

Rizwan immediately covered Asma with large amounts of acid, then lit the flammable solution before fleeing the scene.

Asma screamed as the fire engulfed her but the bride's family quickly put out the flames and rushed Asma to the nearby Civil Hospital.

Asma's family were later informed that Asma had little chance of survival because she had suffered 90% burns and the hospital had no special burns unit.

The victim was later taken to Mayo Hospital, Lahore.

Asma is recovering very slowly now after being admitted for the past 10 days but doctors fear even the slightest infection could kill her.

Rizwan has since been arrested after Asma's family lodged a report with the Haji Pura Police Station on the day of the attack. The police have reportedly begun an investigation into the case after which Rizwan will be charged to court.

The Chairman of the BPCA, Wilson Chowdhry, said:

"This depraved attack reveals the low worth of Christian girls in the mindset that has evolved amongst most Muslim men in Pakistan. Through a biased national curriculum and rogue Imams preaching a special place in heaven for those who rape and convert Christian girls, most of them deem minority women as war-booty.

"A Muslim NGO in 2014 estimated 700 Christians girls are kidnapped, raped and forced into Islamic marriage, but did not take into account the many other crimes Christian women face.

"Even the figure they suggest for the abductions seems extremely low but that is too be expected, as most families do not pursue justice after becoming despondent due to police inactivity when crimes are reported.

"Seeing young Asma in such pain is heart-wrenching for all of us in the West, but the authorities of Pakistan just seem to accept this as the culture of Pakistan. It is this warped belief that has to be reconstructed before we can start to fashion a new more egalitarian nation, however the desire will have to be one driven by the country's Government - sadly I have never experienced a more selfish bunch of politicians."

Keri-Lynn Gibbs, British Pakistani Christian Association (BPCA) researcher, said:

"Acid attacks are a very real threat and have become increasingly frequent across the world over the past few years. Viciously threatening to mar the life of an innocent woman for spurning sexual advances is not something that should be tolerated in a civil society.

"In Pakistan these horrible violations happen so frequently that there is an organization wholey committed to helping victims of acid attacks, so we hope that law enforcement will take not only this attack seriously but the sexual harassment of particularly marginalized groups like religious minorities so such atrocities can be prevented.

"Despite forced marriage being made illegal in 2017, the statistics show that upward of 700 Christian girls are kidnapped, raped and forced into Islamic marriage every year, and this shows no signs of decreasing. Martial choice, especially for the meagre percentage of Pakistani Christians, remains a concern when the risks of refusing a marriage proposal from a man with a seemingly higher social standing are so great.

"The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) reports that 143 women were victims of acid attack or were set on fire in 2017, an action that has unfortunately become a possible response for spurned suitors after having a marriage proposal declined. Another incident happened in Punjab province to 3 Gurat University students just days ago."

ALSO READ: Couple remanded in prison for bathing woman with acid

Asma is currently receiving special medical treatment but has been advised to get to a private hospital to receive the required care for the period of time it will be needed.

Asma's family members are seeking assistance to cover the costs of the necessary specialist services.The suspect identified as Soji Ogunrinola a.k.a Bulldozer was reportedly arrested following a complaint lodged by one Monsuru Badmus M of Ogiri Ojule village in Odeda local government area of the state.

Badmus who is also the stepfather of the victim reported the case at the Odeda police station, stating that the suspect forcefully had carnal knowledge of the girl who had come to spend the holidays in the village.

ALSO READ: 23-yr-old man risks life imprisonment over alleged defilement

The complainant added that the suspect threatened to kill his victim if she ever tells anybody what had happened.

Unfortunately for him, the mother of the victim noticed blood stains on her clothes causing her to question her daughter.

The victim eventually revealed the atrocious act to her mother and the fact that the suspect had threatened her life.

Knowing the suspect to be a thug in the village, the mother of the victim immediately alerted her husband of the shocking incident, after which he filed a complaint with the police.

The DPO Odeda Division CSP Muhammad Baba Suleiman immediately led detectives to the scene where the suspect was arrested.

During the interrogation, Bulldozer confessed to committing the crime while the victim was taken to Federal medical centre, Abeokuta, for medical examination.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmed Iliyasu, has ordered that the case is transferred to the anti-human trafficking and child labour unit of the state criminal investigation and intelligence department for proper investigation and prosecution of the suspect.

The CP also appealed to parents to be watchful and pay attention to their children's welfare, especially as the children are just resuming school, in order to protect them from this type of incidences.

Commercial driver remanded for allegedly defiling 13-yr-old girl

Meanwhile, a commercial driver, Sunday Elo, 42, who allegedly defiled a 13-year-old girl, was on Thursday, April 19, 2018, remanded in kirikiri Prisons, Lagos, by an Ikeja Magistrates Court.

The Magistrate Mrs B.O. Osunsanmi, did not take the plea of the accused but ordered that he be kept behind bars, pending the advice from the state Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

She adjourned the case till June 13 for mention.

The accused, who resides in Olateju area of Mushin, Lagos, is standing trial on one-count charge of defilement.

The Prosecutor, ASP Ezekiel Ayorinde, told the court that the accused committed the offence between March 27 and April 7 at his residence.

He said that the commercial driver unlawfully had sexual intercourse with the 13-year-old girl.

The accused who is without wife and children kept the girl in his house for days and had canal knowledge of her, he said.

ALSO READ: 40-yr-old man faces child defilement charge

Ayorinde said that when the girls parents discovered that their daughter was missing, they went in search of her.

When the parents discovered that their daughter was nowhere to be found, they went to one of her friends house.

The friend took them to the house of the accused and met both of them naked in the bedroom.

The girl told her parents that the accused had been sleeping with her since she was 10 years old, he added.

The Prosecutor said the case was reported to the police and the accused was arrested.

He said that the offence contravened Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).Brig.-Gen. Texas Chukwu, the Director, Amy Public Relations, said in a statement that three soldiers and two members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) also lost their lives in the encounter.

Chukwu said: troops of 25 Task Force Brigade on operation LAFIYA DOLE have neutralised three members of the Boko Haram terrorists following an attack on the troops.

Unfortunately, three soldiers lost their lives during the encounter. Also, two members of the Civilian Joint Task Force were neutralised in the exchange of fire, he said.

Chukwu added that the troops recovered Rocket Propelled Gun parts and a fully loaded FN rifle magazine of 7.62mm NATO round belt.

In another encounter, Chukwu said troops of 151 Task Force Battalion of operation LAFIYA DOLE while on patrol, intercepted and killed one insurgent on Ngurosoye-Bama Road, Borno.

Chukwu said that the Boko Haram terrorist was killed during exchange of fire while other members of the group fled.

He added that the troops recovered two bicycles, two bags of guinea-corn and a bag of onion.

According to him, troops of 25 Task Force Brigade in the on-going clearance operation intercepted three women and children.

The women on interrogation confessed of being wives of Boko Haram terrorists who escaped from Mangusun, following the on-going clearance operation in the area by troops.

They are currently in military custody and preliminary investigation is on-going, he added.The Chairman of the Council, Mr Baba-Shehu Gulumba, confirmed the incident to NAN that four persons were killed in the early morning attack.

Gulumba disclosed that two teenage suicide bombers, a male and female, infiltrated a mosque at Bama-Dina quarters and detonated Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) strapped to their bodies.

He explained that the incident occurred at about 5: 00 am, when Muslims faithful gathered for early morning prayers.

Gulumba said that three persons died on the spot while one other died later at the Specialist Hospital, Maiduguri, adding that the wounded persons were also referred to the hospital for treatment.

The chairman noted that the state government, in collaboration with the military, police and other security agencies had deployed personnel and constructed trenches to fortify security in the town.

He said: We restricted movement from 6 : 30 pm in the town and called on people to abide by the restriction order.Buhari was a guest speaker at the Commonwealth Business Forum in Westminster on Wednesday, April 18, 2018.

The President also met with the Prime Minister of Britain, Theresa May.

Buharis controversial statement.

The President also caused a stir in Nigeria with his comment at the business forum.

Buhari said that the country's youthful population is reliant on the notion that Nigeria is an oil-rich nation, which leads to the demand for free things.

He said "More than 60 percent of the population is below 30, a lot of them haven't been to school and they are claiming that Nigeria has been an oil producing country, therefore, they should sit and do nothing, and get housing, healthcare, education free.

Buhari should apologise

According to PDP, Buhari only went to London to disgrace Nigeria.

The spokesman of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan said that the President did not attract any investment as a result of his trip.

Ologbondiyan said President Muhammadu Buharis attendance of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in United Kingdom, which came at huge cost to the nation, was a colossal waste.

Nigerians are not surprised that the President returned last night, empty handed and with no tangible dividend, a development which is the direct consequence of his negative comments about Nigerians and his presentation of false performance indices to his hosts.

While other commonwealth heads of state used the occasion to negotiate businesses and showcase the potentials and opportunities in their countries, our President only succeeded in de-marketing our dear country and painting our citizens, particularly the youths, in the negative.

Nigerians may recall that during his meeting with British Prime Minister, Theresa May, President Buhari, in the quest to hide the failures of his administration and push his 2019 re-election bid, Mr President downplayed the worsened economic and security situation in the country under his watch, but opted for self praise and brandishing unsubstantiated record of performance.

This self-serving stance ultimately blocked all beneficial bilateral engagements that could have helped secure the much needed international interventions in those critical areas.

Two days after, President Buhari again took the stage at the Commonwealth Business Forum in London and announced to international investors that Nigerian youths, a demography that forms the bulk of our nations workforce, are uneducated and lovers of freebies.

We were therefore not surprised that no serious investor sealed any meaningful investment deal with Nigeria as dividend from the CHOGM.

It is also instructive to note that despite the public outrage that trailed his denigration of our youths, the Buhari Presidency has not offered any apology to the nation, particularly our youths, thus further confirming the disdain in which this administration holds our young men and woman.

Having returned from CHOGM with nothing but wasted opportunities, the next move by the Buhari Presidency would be to hugely mobilize their spin-doctors with public resources and direct them to inundate the media with claims of imaginary gains in an effort to befool Nigerians, he added.Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Group, said this at the inauguration and handing over of the school with well-equipped laboratories to Nawair-Ud-Deen Comprehensive College, Idi-Oro, Mushin.

Aliko Dangote Foundation started in 1993 with the principle of `to whom much is given, much is expected and looking at the less privileged ones among us have compelled the foundation to provide some reliefs.

The four major goals of Aliko Dangote Foundation are education, health and nutrition, economic empowerment and disaster reliefs, he said in a statement by Mr Tony Chiejina, the Head of Communications of the group.

He said his education mission was targeted at reducing the number of out-of-school children, supporting talented and underprivileged young children to achieve their full potential as well as educating girls and women on health-related issues.

Dangote said apart from donating the school building, the foundation would sponsor 250 students whose parents might not be able to afford the yearly school fees.

In addition, he said furniture for both teachers and the students as well as a sound-proof high capacity generator had been provided to ensure constant electricity in the school.

I have already authorised my foundation to come up with a strategic plan to implement a scholarship programme for desiring less privileged children in this community.

According to him, over the past five years, the foundation has spent over N4 billion in building of classrooms, scholarships, upgrading infrastructure across the various universities and behavioral change communication programmes targeted at girls and women.

Dangote said:We have just recently inaugurated the Dangote Business School in Kano, the only Business School in Nigeria that is well equipped.

We will also be inaugurating similar projects in University of Ibadan. We have done quite a lot in the education system and we are looking to do more.

Investing in the young people to us means we are all working together to build a better Nigeria.

Dangote said in preparing youths to proffer solutions to present challenges, Dangote Academy was established in Kogi to provide specialised training and management skills that would suit the various sectors of the economy.

He pledged continued support to government in its quest to provide quality education to the population toward securing a great future for the country.

Alhaji Ola Yussuff, the Chairman, Nawair-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Lagos, commended Dangote for the donation and for single-handedly undertaking to construct the college.

Yussuff said the gesture was in line with Bill Gates recent call for serious commitment to the human capital development in the country and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).He said that a number of houses in both villages were completely razed by unknown hoodlums while five persons were shot dead.

The ruler said that one person, he simply identified as Musa, was also missing.

He said that those killed included the Madaki of Biroko, Alhaji Mohammed Umar and four of his subjects.

Bukar said that so many houses including that of the late Madaki were also razed by the invaders.

The traditional ruler said that he immediately informed security agents of the development but said that the damage was already done before their arrival.

Also the police, in an update on the incident, said that six of the bandits that invaded Kpanche earlier in the day were killed and not five as earlier announced.

The state police commands spokesman, ASP William Aya said in a statement that 15 houses were also burnt down in Kpanche.

He said upon receiving distress calls from residents, mobile policemen and soldiers were promptly dispatched to restore peace and order.

 On sighting the security personnel, they opened fire at them, but were vehemently resisted by the fire power of the security personnel where six of the attackers were killed, he said.

However, the release was silent on the attacks and killings at Ozugbe and Biroko communities.

Aya said the Commissioner of police, Mr Ali Janga has ordered a thorough investigation into the unfortunate incidents.

 He vowed to prosecute anyone linked to the attacks no matter highly placed so as to serve as a deterrent to others.According to The Cable, the meeting was organised by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The following ministers were supposed to handle sessions at the meeting: Audu Ogbeh, Ogbonnaya Onu, Lai Mohammed, Babatunde Fashola, Ibe Kachikwu, Kemi Adeosun, and Kayode Fayemi.

Also, Godwin Emefiele, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Executive secretary of Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, Yewande Sadiku and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo were also absent.

According to Sanusi, who also served as Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), said that Nigeria might lose investments because of carelessness.

He also alleged that the ministers were in Washington DC, but did not attend the meeting.

The Cable also reports that only the Transportation minister, Rotimi Amaechi present at the meeting.

Sanusi said For the person sitting in London and who has a billion dollars to invest, hes got Nigeria, hes got Ghana, hes got Rwanda, Kenya, South Africa, you may be the biggest economy, but he may decide that rather than go through the hassle of investing $500 million in Nigeria, why not put $100 million in Ghana, $100 million in Rwanda, $100 million in Cote dIvore, just to have diversification benefit and the benefit of reaching out.

We had a meeting today with investors, we were supposed to start by 9am we started at 10. When I came in, they took me to the ambassadors office to sit down, when investors were waiting down there. We had a list of people who were to be here, vice president, ministers, some of them are in town, but they havent come up.

You invite top investors, your ministers are in Washington and they do not come to talk to the investors about Nigeria. That is not how you attract investors. If you have this forum in the Rwandan embassy, I assure you President Kagame himself would be there telling people to come to Rwanda.

Meeting started late

Sanusi also expressed displeasure that the investment meeting started an hour late.

The monarch said Sometimes it is about how we market ourselves, how we package ourselves. There is absolutely no reason for the Nigerian embassy to arrange a Nigeria is open for business forum with ministers in town, with governors in town and not have the coordination that they are actually here to meet with these investors.

There is no reason why we should start one hour late, and there is no reason why the public address system should not work. Because at the end of the day, this is the first point of the country, he hasnt even come to Nigeria so what will be his experience in Abuja and he is saying if I am having this experience in Washington, what will happen when I go to Abuja, when I go to Kano, how do I get to see the governor will it take me 10 hours?

Slash ministers salaries

The former CBN Governor recently called for the salaries of ministers and legislators to be slashed by half.

According to him, If the salary of each member of the National Assembly was divided into two, it would go a long way to provide more jobs for 70,400 jobless Nigerians at between N90, 000 and N92, 500 monthly salary.Davou was injured on April 18 while trying to stop some unknown persons who invaded the Senate and carted away the Mace.

This is contained in a statement released by the Chief Press Secretary to the President of the Senate, Sanni Onogu in Abuja.

Onogu said that Saraki visited the officer in her residence.

According to him, Davou who lives in Bwari Area Council of FCT is presently recuperating after she was treated and discharged from the hospital.

Saraki was accompanied on the visit by his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, Sen. Isa Hamma Misau, and Sen. Baba Kaka Garbai.

He extolled the commitment of Davou and her colleagues, who had put up a spirited fight to prevent the invaders from gaining access to the Senate Chambers.

Saraki also commended Ekweremadu and all his colleagues, who successfully took charge and safeguarded the National Assembly and the countrys democracy.

He said that the visit was meant to thank and show appreciation to Davou and her colleagues for their hard work, commitment, and courage.

Saraki was quoted as telling some journalists in an interview during the visit that he was away in Washington DC on official assignment at the time the incident occurred.

He said he was briefed about all that ensued during the incident.

We felt that for the sacrifice they made by putting their lives at stake beyond the call of duty for our democracy, we have to come and appreciate her.

I keep on emphasising that what really defines a democratic nation is the parliament and the moment the parliament is not there, democracy does not exist.

So what she and her colleagues have done fills us all with gratitude and therefore we have come here to thank her and show that we really appreciate what she and her colleagues did.

Saraki described the incident as sad and disgraceful.

My colleagues and I have said that the day of the unfortunate invasion was a sad day for democracy.

It was a disgrace to our country at large; such things should not be associated with our country.Gowon, who attended a special prayer summit in Yenagoa, said that he had prayed and hoped at the end of the Nigerian Civil War that the country would not go through that path again.

He spoke with journalists shortly after a special church service in Yenagoa on Sunday

Gowon, Chairman and convener of Nigeria Prays, said the activities of militant groups, the Boko Haram and the killings perpetrated by the so called Fulani herdsmen were of serious concern to the leaders, elders and indeed, the citizens.

He explained that the countrys leaders were having sleepless nights over the acts of brutality and wickedness across the country.

Gowon called on Nigerians to give the requisite support to those in leadership positions in the bid to address the emergent security challenges in the country.

This is worrisome. When I recall the end of the civil war, I had hoped and prayed that Nigeria would never go through the same experience again.

This was what I prayed for and you can see how worrying it is.

All these spate of crises: Is it the militants, is it the Boko Haram, is it the so called Fulani herdsmen?

All sorts of things that are happening. Mans inhumanity to man, that is happening through out the length and breath of Nigeria.

Sadly, it is worrying to all Nigerians, and this is what all of us who are in leadership positions, your governor, and his assistants as well as all the governors throughout the country.

All of us who are leaders are concerned about it, and always aim for whatever we can do to put it under control.

But it is not only the leaders that can do it. They need the press and support of the people so that they can deal with the problem together.

And this is our prayer, prayer for the everyone in Nigeria and all Nigerians wherever they are. We hope for greater peace than what we have for now, Gowon said

Also,Gov Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa said the state government decided to join Nigeria Prays Group led by Gowon to pray for the country so that the leaders and indeed, the county would do the right thing.

The governor noted yearly prayer meeting of Nigeria Prays network was hosted at the Ecumenical Centre, Yenagoa, because of the conviction that Nigerians of all faiths should pray for the peace, stability and progress of the country.

And of course, there are lots challenges, principally, security challenges, challenges of wanton killings, conduct of government officials, challenges of building harmony, and so we align with the remarks of our leader.The mace is generally believed to be theofficial symbol of the legislative chamber in Nigeria.

The act was blamed on Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, who had reportedly entered the chamber the same time as the perpetrators.

Nowhere in the constitution

Speaking further, Falana said that the constitution does not imply in anyway that legislative business cannot take place without the mace.

The lawyer said that the House of Reps or enate can sit and take binding decisions as far as they can form a quorum.

According to Vanguard, he said Since the restoration of democratic rule in Nigeria in May 1999, several houses of assembly have been shut down due to the disappearance of the mace which is believed to be the authority of every legislative house in the country.

Last Wednesday, the senate was invaded by five disgruntled young men in a commando-like operation. During the commando raid the mace on the central table in the senate was snatched and taken away.

The business of the day could not continue until a replacement was found by the senators. Even though the stolen mace has since been handed over to the senate leadership, there have been strident calls for the prosecution of the invaders.

Some have even suggested that the suspects be tried for treason. It is curious to know that the national assembly has not deemed it fit to enact a law to protect the mace which is so regularly snatched or stolen by legislators.

However, while the investigation into the embarrassing invasion of the senate police is in progress it is pertinent to point out that the Mace is not a prerequisite for parliamentary business in Nigeria. In other words, the proceedings of a legislative house cannot be invalidated because of the absence of a mace.

ALSO READ:5 times the Mace has come under attack in history

By virtue of section 54 of the constitution, either of two houses of the national assembly is competent to sit and conduct proceedings once the quorum of the members is formed.

Nowhere in the constitution is it expressly or impliedly provided that a mace shall be provided before the senate or house of representatives or any other legislative house can sit and conduct legislative business.

Saraki condemns hijacking of Senate's mace

Meanwhile, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki has described the hijacking of the mace by protesters as a disgrace.

Saraki said this at 4th Anniversary Lecture of online media platform, The Nitche, which held in Lagos.

The mace has however been recovered by Nigerian Police.Secondus also stated that the PDP is determined to take over power from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The PDP chairman said this on Saturday, April 22, 2018, at a reception organised for the Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa by the people of Delta North Senatorial District, Daily Post reports.

According to Secondus, the APC has been unable to fulfil the campaign promises they made to Nigerians in 2015.

He said I bring you greetings from the national secretariat, and want to say that the part is very proud of Okowa.

We have promised to provide a level playing field for everybody. There will be no imposition or impunity. This is the new rebranded PDP, and we are determined to regain the lost ground.

No amount of intimidation, lies or propaganda will stop the PDP from taking over in 2019. If they like, they should arrest and detain our leaders.

If they like they should continue to announce names of alleged corrupt Nigerians, they will not get through again with lies and propaganda.

ALSO READ:EFCC reportedly moves to prosecute those on looters list

APC is a sinking ship and that is why they are harassing and intimidating everybody and telling all sorts of lies that will not work this time. They did it in 2015, but it is not going to work in 2019.

Secondus drags Lai Mohammed, FG to court

Uche Secondus recently filed a lawsuitagainst the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed for defamation of character.

The minister of information had released a list of people who looted funds and the PDPchairmans name was on the list.

According to the list, Secondus received N200million from the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki.They included stools from the Hemingway Bar, a 19th-century bathtub, and sofas and a harp from the Proust Lounge.

The Ritz sale outperformed other hotels around the world, the auction house said.

In 2013 in Paris, Hotel de Crillon made 5.9 million euros from a furniture sale while Plaza Athenee made 1.4 million euros.

The 3,400 lots that were up for grabs were on sale between April 17 and 21.

Buyers bid on objects ranging from velvet security cordons and curtain ties, to rugs, bedframes and sets of bathrobes and slippers embroidered with the Ritz insignia.

Price estimates ran from 100 euros for a pair of tablecloths to 10,000 euros for a pair of nymph sculptures carrying bronze candelabras that used to decorate the lobby.

"The Ritz has excited a sudden passion, attracting buyers from all over the world," auctioneer Francois Tajan told AFP.

The Ritz decided to sell the pieces from its famous Place Vendome address when it reopened in June 2016 after four years of extensive renovations.

Owned by Egyptian billionaire Mohamed Al-Fayed since 1979, the hotel had accumulated impressive quantities of objects since it was opened in 1898 by Cesar Ritz.

It has served as the backdrop to several key moments in French history.

The Nazis requisitioned it during World War II but had cleared out by the time Ernest Hemingway burst in with a group of Resistance fighters on August 25, 1944, gun in hand, to "personally liberate" it.

Realising he was too late Hemingway took to the bar where he is said to have run up a tab for 51 dry Martinis.

In 1997, tragedy befell the hotel when Britain's Princess Diana, who had been staying there, was killed in a car accident in a Paris tunnel while being pursued by paparazzi.The envoys from the world's most powerful democracies are meeting to plan for June's G7 summit of rich-world leaders in Charlevoix, Quebec -- but Russia will never be far from their minds.

Acting US Secretary of State John Sullivan's first bilateral meeting in Toronto late Saturday was with Ukraine's Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin. Neither official spoke to reporters as the talks began.

From Klimkin, Sullivan would expect to hear about Kiev's struggles to regain control over eastern Ukraine's Donbas region, in the hands of Russian-backed rebels, and Crimea, which Moscow has annexed.

On Sunday, Canada's Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland will host all of her G7 colleagues plus the European Union's representative at a working lunch to discuss the crisis in Russia and Ukraine.

Deadly nerve agent

G7 capitals are also worried about Russia's role in supporting Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad's regime in his country's brutal civil war and alleged attempt to kill a defector with a nerve agent on Russian soil.

On Monday, the foreign ministers issued a joint statement urging the Kremlin to address "all questions related to the incident" and to make a "full and complete disclosure of its previously undeclared Novichok program."

Novichok is a group of deadly chemical compounds reportedly developed by the Soviet government in the 1970s and 80s and which Britain suspects was used to poison former Russian spy Sergei Skripal in Salisbury in March.

After their lunch, the ministers will also hold a meeting on North Korea and nuclear non-proliferation.

Last month, in one of the most surprising twists in world affair for decades, Trump accepted an invitation from Pyongyang's eccentric autocrat Kim to a summit to discuss his nuclear disarmament.

Tougher nuclear controls

The G7 members, including frontline state Japan, support efforts to convince Kim to end his efforts to develop a strategic nuclear missile arsenal, but are also keen to hear more from the US side.

Kim is sure to have demands of the West, and the allies are keen to ensure that Trump does not give too much away to secure a historic deal.

The North Korea meeting will be followed by one of the so-called "Quad" -- the United States plus France, Britain and Germany, the Western partners who, with Russia and China, signed the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

Trump has threatened to tear the agreement up unless European capitals agree to supplement it with tougher controls on Iran's missile program and future ability to return to nuclear fuel enrichment.

But his partners continue to believe the core agreement represents to best way to prevent Tehran from seeking the atomic bomb, and will not miss a chance to lobby Sullivan to convince Trump to reverse course.The news has gone viral taking dominance in international media.

Historically, President Museveni has been described as a tyrant and autocrat because of his hard stance on issues bothering on morality and the fact that he has held onto power for over three decades, as well as his declaration of interest in contesting the next election after Machiavellian removal of ceiling on presidential terms.

At a press conference held recently, the East African leader is quoted as saying: Let me take this opportunity to warn our people publicly about the wrong practices indulged in and promoted by some of the outsiders.

One of them is what they call oral sex. The mouth is for eating, not for sex. We know the address of sex, we know where sex is.

You push the mouth there, you can come back with worms and they enter your stomach because that is a wrong address.Several others were rushed to hospital in critical condition following the 2:30 am accident which occurred at Mumbi area, Machakos county.

The accident happened when a matatu heading to Nairobi from Loitoktok rammed into a stationary trailer parked by the roadside, killing 6 people on the spot.

The driver of the matatu is among those who died on the spot while two others succumbed to injuries in hospital.

Police officers and members of the public rushed to the scene to coordinate rescue efforts.

Police have further urged motorists to be careful due to the current weather conditions.

The heavy rains experienced across different parts of the country reduce visibility and make roads slippery.The surviving 10 German tourists and their two Peruvian crewmembers were taken to hospital in Arequipa, a police official in Chivay said.

Chivay, home to about 6,500 inhabitants, is located more than 3,600 kilometers (2,240 miles) above sea level in the mountains of the Colca Valley, a popular tourist destination in the South American country.

Hours earlier, another accident occurred in the same region that left seven dead and 18 injured, after a passenger bus fell into a 60-meter (yards) ravine.

A separate bus plunge on Friday, in the northern region of La Libertad, killed at least 11 people when it landed at the bottom of a 200-meter chasm, police said.

Peruvian authorities recommend driving with extreme caution in the winding and narrow Andean routes.

On January 2, 52 people died, while 45 were killed on February 21 -- in both cases after passenger buses fell into ravines of nearly 100 meters.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!Newshub News Desk

Newshub welcomes your news tips and information.

Please email us: news@newshub.co.nz or

call the news team on 0800 Newshub.

The network news centre is in Auckland, with journalists in Wellington and Christchurch, as well as the Press Gallery office at Parliament, combined with a team of freelance reporters around the country.



Newshub supplies news and sport to all 140 MediaWorks radio stations, making it the most listened-to commercial radio news service in New Zealand.

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Nearby CaliforniaFrom the evidently pre-selected questions to the promotional slides on a screen redolent of the official audio-visual department, the choreography was palpably intended to present the prime minister in as good a light as possible in a 'safe' environment insulated from uncomfortable questions,' says Amulya Ganguli.



IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra D Modi with Prasoon Joshi at the Bharat Ki Baat event in London, April 18, 2018. Photograph: @PIBIndia/Twitter

For all the hype on saffron-hued television channels about an unprecedented and unscripted interaction with the hoi polloi by Narendra D Modi in London, the show turned out to be yet another stage-managed presentation for which the BJP's spin doctors have acquired fame or notoriety, depending on the viewer's perspective.

Going by what the author of The Brotherhood in Saffron, Walter Andersen recently said about the behind-the-scene role played by the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, which is affiliated to the RSS, in New York to drum up support for Modi at a similar function meant for the Indian Diaspora, there is little doubt that about the RSS hand behind the London event as well.

What was noteworthy was how all the dissenting voices were kept out by controlling the number of visitors via a system of registration.

As a result, a group of students who wanted to ask the prime minister about the recent rapes in India found no place in the auditorium. Nor a satisfactory reply when they asked the foreign secretary about their exclusion.

Not surprisingly, the audience proved to be no different from what might be expected in a party forum, clapping and cheering the prime minister as he spoke on the various government programmes such as health care and even provide a glimpse into how he regards his 1.25 billion countrymen as members of his family, which is why serving them does not tire him out.

This response was to a question from a member of the audience who wanted to know the secret behind his seemingly unbounded energy.

The anchor, who is the censor board chief and a poet, Prasoon Joshi, played his facilitating role to the hilt, even asking why some in the Opposition criticized the army -- shades of a pro-BJP television channel! -- which made Modi play the forgiving elder statesman to seek divine intervention in driving sense into such elements.

From the evidently pre-selected questions to the promotional slides on a screen redolent of the official audio-visual department, the choreography was palpably intended to present the prime minister in as good a light as possible in a 'safe' environment insulated from uncomfortable questions.

Since he was preaching to the converted, the event had a surreal atmosphere.

From this aspect, Modi adhered to his routine of avoiding the kind of open press conferences which his predecessors from V P Singh to Manmohan Singh used to hold or the leaders of democratic countries continue to address.

The prime minister will be entering his fifth year in office, therefore, without having had to allow himself to be questioned at a large gathering of media personnel. His focus, instead, remains on delivering monologues whether at a public rally or during a closed door event.

Subsequently, a BJP MP remarked on Modi's confidence, but who wouldn't be self-assured if there was no one to ask who 'misled' the two BJP MLAs in Jammu and Kashmir into supporting the accused in the rape of an eight-year-old child in Kathua.

Or about the arrest of another BJP MLA in connection with the rape of a 17 year old in Unnao, UP, but only after the state government had been criticised by the Allahabad high court for not nabbing the suspect earlier.

Or about the attack on four Dalits by gau rakshaks in Modi's home province of Gujarat.

Or about the agrarian distress which made an estimated 50,000 farmers march for a week from Nashik to Mumbai, a distance of 180 km.

Or about the communal riots in Bihar after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar joined the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance and about the arrest of a Union minister's son for inciting violence against Muslims during the recent Ram Navami festival.

Or about the efficacy of the sabka saath, sabka vikas mantra of development for all when a BJP MP, Vinay Katiyar, says that after the creation of Pakistan and Bangladesh, Muslims have no right to live in India.

Or about the observation by the founder of the Jan Sangh-BJP, Syama Prasad Mookerjee, that only a civil war can solve the Hindu-Muslim 'problem', as quoted by Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy, formerly of the BJP.

As a former diplomat said during a television discussion on Modi's speech, the division of the Diaspora between those who admire the ruling party and those who don't was a tactic which earlier prime ministers, including the BJP's Atal Bihari Vajpayee, didn't follow. They always addressed the NRIs as a whole.

The rift seemingly favoured by the present government carries the danger of dividing the Diaspora into nationalists and anti-nationalists, as is being done in India.

Amulya Ganguli is a writer on current affairs.'All-India alliances are not the priority today.'

'Therefore, the CPI-M's political line dovetails with the emergent political reality in the country,' says M K Bhadrakumar.



IMAGE: Communist Party of India General Secretary Sitaram Yechuri, second from left, before the CPI-M's 22nd party congress begins at the RTC Kalyana Mandapam in Hyderabad. April 18, 2018. Photograph: Snaps India

The political resolution at the Communist Party of India-Marxist party congress in Hyderabad marks the culmination of what has turned out to be a riveting display of the Marxist-Leninist principle of democratic centralism in real time.

Democratic centralism involves a method of leadership in which political decisions taken by a Communist party are meticulously reached through discussions and debates within its democratically elected bodies.

The principle of democratic centralism was enunciated by Vladimir Lenin in his classic pamphlet What is to be done? Burning Questions of Our Movement, written in 1901. The CPI-M has scrupulously adhered to the principle.

Inevitably, the intense debates and plurality of opinions articulated within the various elected bodies of the CPI-M gave rise to wild speculation among outsiders who misread them as personality clashes.

The heart of the matter is that the present moment is a historic juncture as the countdown to the 2019 general election in India has all but begun and the country's future hangs in the balance.

India today, after nearly four years of BJP rule, is a badly polarised country.

A segment of opinion, which is less than one-third of the electorate, is imposing itself on the body-polity as the majority opinion, thanks to overt and covert State patronage.

Not a single State institution has been spared in this vandalism.

Never before in independent India's history has the country faced such threats undermining its secular foundations.

Never before has an incumbent government systematically and brazenly infiltrated its cadres into the body polity.

Never before has such a concerted attempt been made to stifle dissent and free opinion.

Never before has a ruling party taken as its principal mission the elimination of the main Opposition party from the country's electoral map, overlooking that political pluralism is the life blood of democracy.

Never before have the minority communities been bludgeoned and humiliated through seen an unseen ways into submission as second class citizens.

The idea of India as we have known for over six decades will not survive another five years under the yoke of Hindutva ideology.

Therefore, as progressive forces, it is incumbent on the Left to be in the vanguard of resistance.

The CPI-M has a key role to play here insofar as it is by far the flag carrier of the Communist movement in India and constitutes the vanguard of the struggle against the BJP and the RSS.

According to media reports, the CPI-M party congress at Hyderabad is debating the party line on how best to fight the BJP and the RSS and to ensure their defeat.

The consensus opinion seems to be coalescing around the imperative need for the CPI-M having an understanding with all secular Opposition parties, including the Congress party, in Parliament on agreed issues and to co-operate with them outside Parliament as well in the struggle against communalism.

Even joint actions involving class and mass organisations are envisaged. However, such understanding precludes any political alliance as such with the Congress, given the profound ideological and political differences.

To my mind, this is the only correct line possible under the circumstances, taking into account the tactical necessity to avoid any split in non-BJP votes while at the same time also keeping in view the CPI-M's political agenda and long-term strategy.

Given the relative spread of the CPI-M and Congress in various states on the electoral map, there is no contradiction either.

At any rate, the 2019 poll will be fought on the basis of state-wise understanding among secular parties that aims to consolidate anti-BJP votes.

All-India alliances or electoral fronts are not the priority today. Therefore, the CPI-M's political line dovetails with the emergent political reality in the country.

It is realistic and pragmatic and at the same time, a principled line. The CPI-M is prioritising the consolidation of anti-BJP votes in the country.

Democratic centralism implies that the political resolution adopted at the party congress will be binding upon all members of the party.

For the anti-Communist lobby, this may come as a disappointment. Its apocalyptic predictions turned out to be wishful thinking.'A speedy trial is absolutely essential.'

'Not only justice is given, it is given expeditiously.'

IMAGE: Citizens protest the Kathua and Unnao rapes in Mumbai, April 15, 2018. Photograph: Uttam Ghosh/ Rediff.com

Supreme Court lawyer Alakh Alok Srivastava has taken it as his mission to ensure that the death penalty is awarded to sex offenders of small children.

Srivastava filed a PIL in the Supreme Court seeking investigation into and trial of cases involving the rape of children below the age of 12 years, under the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act, to be completed within six months from the date of lodging of the FIR.

After the shocking gang-rape and murder of an 8-year-old child in Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir, the government on Saturday issued an ordinance to amend the POCSO Act that prescribes the death penalty for those convicted of the rape of children below the age of 12.

"We should not get misguided by vested interests who are trying to give a religious and political colour to a gruesome tragedy," Srivatsava, below, tells Rediff.com's Shobha Warrier.

The last time we spoke, it was in the wake of the shocking rape of an eight-month-old baby, now it is the shocking rape of an 8-year-old child in Kathua. Such gruesome rapes are happening again and again...

That is because there is no fear of law.

The Kathua rape did not happen now; it is a three-month-old case. People started talking about it now because the media picked it up suddenly.

Why did we not see the outrage three months ago? That is because we have become so insensitive that if there is a news item about a rape in some corner of the newspaper, we tend to ignore it.

The rape of the 8-month-old baby happened just a month ago.

The fact is, with every passing day, India is witnessing more and more gruesome, barbaric and inhuman incidents of rape.

Unless strong punishment is given at the appropriate time, this will not stop.

You wanted rapists of children below the age of 12 to be given the death sentence.

I had sent a request to the prime minister to consider amending the POCSO Act. It is after that Minister Maneka Gandhi announced that they were going to move a Cabinet note to provide the death penalty for such sex offenders.

Like we discussed the last time, merely providing the death penalty is not sufficient, everyone in the system needs to sensitised.

Above all, a speedy trial is absolutely essential. Such cases have to be dealt with expeditiously.

Now that the government is going to include the death penalty, the entire machinery has to be upgraded and improved in a holistic manner so that small children get justice.

Some states already have the law. The truth is we have not heard of a single death penalty for such crimes.

Let me correct you. There are death penalties being awarded.

So, what is needed is not just giving the death penalty, there has to be a provision that it is actually done.

In the case of the Nirbhaya case, the delay is on the part of the judiciary.

The case has been pending in court for the last many years and hanging has not taken place.

This gives courage to such criminals to commit the crime without any fear.

There was so much outrage over the Nirbhaya case, yet nothing has happened to the criminals. So, these criminals think nothing will happen to them also.

Were you not disturbed by the conduct of lawyers in the Kathua court?

Yes, of course.

In the Kathua case, there are two broad aspects that have to be considered.

The first pertains to the gruesome manner in which the crime was committed. I feel all of us are guilty of something so inhuman happening to a small child.

We could neither stop such the crime nor provide justice to her.

The second most disturbing part is the conduct shown by my fellow lawyers of the Kathua court.

The way they tried to obstruct, the way they tried to prevent the SIT from submitting its report, and the way they raised slogans like 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' has been very unfortunate.

I have heard that an FIR has been registered, and rightly so.

We the Supreme Court lawyers totally condemn the conduct of the Kathua court lawyers.

We want to send a message to the country that all lawyers of the country do not support the inhuman behaviour of the Kathua court lawyers.

In fact, we are against it and condemn it in very strong words. They are trying to give a wrong colour to the whole case.

Can religion be dragged into such rape cases?

You just cannot drag Hindu-Muslim into a case trying to provide justice to an 8-year-old girl.

You just cannot bring religious sentiments into such cases.

Do you think the case has got a political colour now?

That is because in the last three months, nothing happened.

So, today, if political leaders and celebrities are raising their voice against the Kathua rape, that is because the government did not act in the month of January.

If the government had acted swiftly and imparted justice, the trial would have taken place by now.

Or, when the protests were going on, if the government has acted in a more effective way, the outrage we see now would not have happened.

At the same time, let me also say that we must not bring politics into such a brutal and inhuman crime.

Politics has nothing to do with it. I want all political parties to stay away from the issue.

We also have to deal with the case with utmost urgency.

Can anything justify political parties playing politics over such a heinous crime?

It was absolutely shocking.

In all the cases, the real sufferers are the small children.

It is unpardonable to give political and religious colour to such crimes.

We are only dealing with some wrong elements in society. Let us not allow any party to play politics over a crime committed on a small child.

I would also say that our entire system is such that the delay or negligence taking place in such cases is giving a chance to political parties to play politics.

Just because our justice system is incapable of providing justice at the right time, just because the child was born in a country where there was no fear of law, the criminals are not afraid of committing such crimes.

Is it the fault of the child that she was born in India?

With every passing day, we are witnessing more and more gruesome rape cases and India has got the image of a rape country.

All the other glories we have achieved are fading in front of this.

Let us not differentiate between the rape of an 8-month-old baby in Delhi or this 8 year old in Kathua and all the other cases that have happened in other places too.

The only message we are giving to the world is that India is the rape capital of the world.

You spoke of sensitising the system. Don't you think we have to sensitise the political system first?

Absolutely. The policy-makers and law-makers have to be sensitised first. They are required to lead the way.

Then, the bureaucrats and others down the line will also get sensitised.

When we went to court asking for the death penalty to sex offenders, the government had opposed it. Today, they have realised the need to change their stand.

I must say the government has taken a huge step. But it has to go beyond.

You need a speedy trial too. Not only justice is given, it is given expeditiously.

The fact is, if you don't raise your voice when such crimes are happening in your neighbour's house, tomorrow it can happen in your house, too.

Before it is too late, let everyone be responsible.The Indian Medical Association and the Mumbai Association of Medical Consultant have written a letter to Narendra Modi expressing disappointment over his statement during the Bharat ki Baat Sabke saath event in London.

The Indian Medical Association and the Mumbai Association of Medical Consultant has expressed disappointment over Prime Minister Narendra Modis statement in London where he had highlighted an alleged nexus between doctors and pharmaceutical firms and said that doctors attend conferences abroad to promote these companies.

The medical bodies have written a letter to Modi expressing their dissent over his statement.

In a press statement, IMA Secretary-General Dr R N Tandon said that the health system of the country would collapse without Indian doctors and added that the statement made by the prime minister is not accepted.

Indian doctors have brought international acclaim and repute due to their world-class proficiency and skill. Engaging in small talk and maligning the entire medical fraternity in India with a broad brush on foreign soil was certainly not expected out of the prime minister of the country, Dr Tandon said in the statement.

IMA expresses its displeasure on your unfortunate remarks, he added.

He also alleged that doctors of India are being suppressed and exploited by every means possible and put the onus of the mess in healthcare on the Centre.

The statement further read that the IMA has always supported the use of generic drugs, but the only hitch is the issue of quality assurance.

The current level of quality testing by the Centre is less than one per cent of the total drugs manufactured. In such a state of affairs, how can doctors betray the confidence of the patients and support the populistic posturing of the government? Dr Tandon asked.

He further assured the prime minister that the day the central government would be able to assure the quality of all the drugs manufactured in India, they will find the doctors of this country wanting.

India has a robust price control policy for drugs. This being so why does the government allow huge profit margin in the pharmaceutical industry? Dr Tandon asked.

Why is a pharmaceutical company allowed pricing the same drug categorised under different names with different profit margins? he said, adding that the Indian doctors in no way control the price of drugs or stems.

IMA national president Dr Ravi S Wankhedkar also expressed anguished over the prime ministers statement and asked him to reconsider it.

We are all saddened by Prime Minister Modis remarks on Indian doctors, that also in a country (United Kingdom) where the medical system is run by 70 per cent Indians. Issues like medicine prices are in the hands of the government, not us. We humbly request the PM to reconsider his remark, Dr Wankhedkar said.

Meanwhile, AMC has also expressed displeasure over the remark and said that the talk of the PM on a foreign land should have highlighted the good in India and not the bad.

In general, we never talk negatively of our own countrymen, in front of external folks. India is already perceived as being corrupt by many polls and rankings. For our own prime minister to talk about corruption in medical practice on an international platform is extremely hurtful to the medical fraternity in India, the AMC said in a statement.

The AMC said that by singling out the medical fraternity and painting all with the same brush, the PM has hurt, brought shame and humiliation to Indians as a whole.

It also noted that by the statement of Prime Minister Modi, the whole world will look with suspicion at the Indian doctors.

Stricter pricing control on the pharmaceutical industry is required, and not pointing fingers at the doctors, as we do not control the pricing of medicines or stents. Indias budgetary allocation for health is amongst one of the lowest in the world, the AMC said.

The doctors cannot be made scapegoats for the failure of successive governments to provide affordable healthcare to our populace, it added.

The Mumbai AMCs Media communication Chairperson Dr Veena Pandit accepted that such practices exist, but raised an objection over putting all the doctors in this category.

Yes some exist but to paint all doctors as unethical is really bad, that to on a public platform in a foreign country. Failure of successive governments cant be blamed on doctors, Dr Pandit said.

Narendra Modi in Bharat Ki Baat Sabke Saath event, organised in Londons Westminster recently cited examples of various international conferences allegedly funded by pharma companies, where doctors regularly participate.

He had said that to end the nexus between doctors and pharmaceutical companies, which results in the sale of expensive medicines the Centre has launched generic stores in India.

Doctors visit Singapore, Dubai to attend conferences; they dont go there because someone is sick. The pharma companies invite them for that. To finally break the resultant sale of expensive medicines the government has launched generic stores where medicines of similar quality are sold at cheaper prices, the PM had said.The signatories to the letter include scholars from universities across the globe including the New York University, the Brown University, the Harvard, the Columbia and prominent IITs.

Over 600 academicians and scholars from across the globe have written an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing their anguish over the Kathua and Unnao rape cases and held his government responsible for the terrible state of affairs.

The academicians also raised concerns over the prime ministers prolonged silence on the issue and the non-specific assurance of justice for the victims of the two rape cases that have shocked the entire nation.

We wish to express our deep anger and anguish over the events in Kathua and Unnao and the aftermath of these events; over the efforts of those administering the relevant states to protect the alleged perpetrators of these monstrous crimes; over the subsequent profoundly distasteful efforts of rationalisation and the deflection and diversion that have been so much in evidence in the reactions of your partys spokespersons in the media, the letter read.

We have observed that there has been a prolonged silence on your part over the terrible state of affairs in the country and an undeniable association of violence with the ruling dispensation, it added.

We send you this letter because it is our duty to do so; so that we are not guilty of silence; and so that callousness and cowardice might finally draw the line at the broken body of a little girl and the rape of a young woman

The signatories to the letter include academicians and scholars from universities across the globe including the New York University, the Brown University, the Harvard, the Columbia and prominent IITs, among others.

The academicians also said the prime minister broke his prolonged (and by now familiar) silence with wholly inadequate, platitudinous, and non-specific assurances of justice for the victims.

They further said the Unnao and Kathua cases are not isolated incidents, but part of a sequence of repeated targets.

We send you this letter because it is our duty to do so; so that we are not guilty of silence; and so that callousness and cowardice might finally draw the line at the broken body of a little girl and the rape of a young woman, the letter concluded.

The letter comes on the day the Union Cabinet approved an ordinance to provide stringent punishment, including death penalty, for those convicted of rape of girls below 12 years, amid a nation-wide outrage over cases of sexual assault and murder of minors in Kathua and Surat and the rape of a girl in Unnao.

Photograph: Daniel Berehulak/Getty ImagesThis will be the fourth visit of Modi to China after he came to power in 2014.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and will hold a summit meeting in Wuhan city, China on April from April 27 to 28 to improve bilateral relations, Chinas Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced on Sunday.

Prime Minister Modi will be visiting the central Chinese city at the invitation of President Xi, Wang said at a joint media event with visiting External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj after their talks.

Swaraj is in China for talks with Wang and to take part in the two-day meeting of foreign ministers of the eight-nation Shanghai Cooperation Organisation from Monday.

Informed sources said that it will be an informal summit meeting between Xi and Modi during which both leaders will try to work out a new paradigm for the bilateral ties bogged down with a host of disputes and differences.

This will be fourth visit of Modi to China after he came to power in 2014. He is again due to visit China to take part in the SCO summit to be held at Qingdao city on June 9-10.

The Modi-Xi summit meeting is taking place in the backdrop of series of high level interactions between both the two countries starting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wangs visit to India in December, the first after Doklam standoff.

It was followed by two meetings between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi and the visit early this year by Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale to Beijing.

The two countries also held 11th Joint Economic Group meeting and the fifth Strategic Economic Dialogue recently.

Besides meetings between officials from the two foreign ministries on both sides held working mechanism meeting on border affairs and cross border rivers as well disarmament and non-proliferation dialogue in which Indias entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group was discussed and culminated in todays talks between Swaraj and Wang.In case of rape of a girl under 16 years, the minimum punishment has been increased from 10 years to 20 years, extendable to imprisonment for rest of life, which means jail term till the convicts natural life.

President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday promulgated the criminal law amendment ordinance, paving the way for providing stringent punishment, including death penalty, for those convicted of raping girls below the age of 12 years.

The Presidents nod to the ordinance came after the Union Cabinets approval yesterday for tightening the law against people involved in rape, following public outcry over cases of sexual assault and murder of minors in Kathua and Surat and the rape of a girl in Unnao.

Whereas Parliament is not in session and the President is satisfied that the circumstances exist which render it necessary for him to take immediate action.

Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (1) of article 123 of the Constitution, the President is pleased to promulgate the following ordinance, the gazette notification said.

The ordinance stipulates stringent punishment for perpetrators of rape, particularly of girls below 16 and 12 years. Death sentence has been provided for rapists of girls under 12 years.

The minimum punishment in case of rape of women has been increased from rigorous imprisonment of seven years to 10 years, extendable to life imprisonment.

According to the ordinance, in case of rape of a girl under 16 years, the minimum punishment has been increased from 10 years to 20 years, extendable to imprisonment for rest of life, which means jail term till the convicts natural life.

The punishment for gang rape of a girl below 16 years will invariably be imprisonment for the rest of life of the convict.

Stringent punishment for rape of a girl under 12 years has been provided with the minimum jail term being 20 years which may go up to life in prison or death sentence. Gang rape of a girl under 12 years of age will invite punishment of jail term for the rest of life or death, it said.

The Indian Penal Code, the Evidence Act, the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act stand amended with the promulgation of the ordinance after the approval of the President.

The measure also provides for speedy investigation and trial. The time limit for investigation of all cases of rape has been prescribed, which has to be mandatorily completed within two months.

The deadline for the completion of trial in all rape cases will be two months. A six-month time limit for the disposal of appeals in rape cases has also been prescribed.

There will also be no provision for anticipatory bail for a person accused of rape or gang rape of a girl under 16 years.

It has also been prescribed that a court has to give notice of 15 days to a public prosecutor and the representative of the victim before deciding bail applications in case of rape of a girl under 16 years of age.

Enhancing the powers of the judiciary to provide stringent punishment in rape cases, the Union Cabinet had approved a number of measures, such as strengthening the prosecution, besides setting up new fast-track courts in consultation with the states and high courts concerned, according to an official.

The National Crime Records Bureau will maintain a national database and profile of sexual offenders. This data will be regularly shared with the states and the Union territories for tracking, monitoring and investigation, including verification of antecedents of sex offenders by the police, the official said.

The present scheme of One Stop Centres for assistance to victim will also be extended to all districts in the country.

After the Delhi gang rape case in December 2012, when the criminal laws were amended, the provision of death penalty in case a woman either died or was left in a vegetative state after rape was introduced through an ordinance which later became the Criminal Law Amendment Act.

The government informed the Supreme Court on Friday that it is actively considering amending the law to introduce death penalty for those convicted of sexually abusing children up to 12 years.

In his first comments on the incidents of rape of a 17-year-old in Unnao in Uttar Pradesh and the sexual assault and murder of an eight-year-old girl Kathua in the Jammu region, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had last week said that no criminal will be spared and daughters will get justice.

Such incidents shake our sensibilities. I want to assure the nation that no criminal will be spared. Justice will be done. Our daughters will get justice, he had said at an event to inaugurate the B R Ambedkar memorial in New Delhi.Santosh Gangwar said that a hue and cry should not be created if one or two such incidents rake up in a big country like India.

Wading into a controversy, Union Minister Santosh Gangwar on Sunday said brouhaha should not be created over one or two rape cases in a big country like India.

The remarks come at a time when the country is witnessing public outrage over brutal rape and murder of a minor girl in Kathua and that of a 17-year-old girl in Uttar Pradeshs Unnao allegedly by a Bharatiya Janata Party MLA.

Such incidents (rape cases) are unfortunate situation... But sometimes you cant stop them. Government is active everywhere and taking action which is visible to everyone,  he told reporters in Bareilly.

In a big country like ours, if one or two incidents take place, brouhaha should not be created over it. This is not fair... Government is taking effective steps...Whatever is necessary will be done, he said.

Gangwar, who is the BJP MP from Bareilly, is the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Labour and Employment.

President Ram Nath Kovind today promulgated an ordinance to provide stringent punishment, including death penalty, for those convicted of rape of girls below 12 years.

Under the Criminal Law Amendment Ordinance cleared by a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, new fast-track courts will be set up to deal with such cases and special forensic kits for rape cases will be given to all police stations and hospitals in the long term.

In his first comments on the incidents of rape in Unnao and the sexual assault and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had last week said that no criminal will be spared and daughters will get justice.

Such incidents shake our sensibilities. I want to assure the nation that no criminal will be spared. Justice will be done. Our daughters will get justice, he had said at an event to inaugurate the B R Ambedkar memorial.

While in London to attend the just-concluded Commonwealth Summit, Modi had said that rape of a daughter was a matter of shame for the country.

In the Unnao case, the Central Bureau of Investigation arrested BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar on April 13, hours after an Allahabad High Court order that he was influencing the law and order machinery.The DCW chief had been demanding death penalty for rape of minors and setting up of fast-track courts across the country to try rape cases, along with other demands.

DCW chief Swati Maliwal broke her 10-day fast on Sunday after the POSCO Act was amended. Photograph: Ravi Choudhary/PTI Photo

Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal on Sunday ended her hunger strike after President Ram Nath Kovind promulgated an ordinance to give stringent punishment, including death penalty, for those convicted of raping girls below 12 years.

She was on the hunger strike for the last 10 days at Rajghat.

As she congratulated the people for the ordinance, Maliwal noted that very few protests had achieved so much in such less time, and termed the governments decision a historic victory for independent India.

According to the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance 2018, new fast-track courts will be set up to deal with rape cases and special forensic kits will be provided to all police stations and hospitals in the long run.

The ordinance stipulates stringent punishment for perpetrators of rape, particularly of girls below 12 and 16 years. Death sentence has been provided for rapists of girls under 12 years, officials said while quoting the ordinance.

The minimum punishment in case of rape of women has been increased from rigorous imprisonment of seven years to 10 years, extendable to life imprisonment, they said.

In case of rape of a girl under 16 years, the minimum punishment has been increased from 10 to 20 years, extendable to life imprisonment.

The punishment for gang rape of a girl below 16 years will invariably be imprisonment for the rest of life, the officials said.

Stringent punishment for rape of a girl under 12 years has been provided with the minimum jail term being 20 years which may go up to life in prison or death sentence, they added.

Ending her fast, Maliwal said, Every day children aged three, four or six years are getting raped in a brutal manner. I wrote letters and issued notices. I even submitted 5.5 lakh letters written by citizens to the prime minister, but in vain.

After which, I decided to sit on a hunger strike. There was no strategy, but gradually people joined the movement across the country. It gained such a momentum that the prime minister after returning to India had to make an amendment in the law. I congratulate the people of India for this victory, she said.

The DCW chief had been demanding death penalty for rape of minors and setting up of fast-track courts across the country to try rape cases, along with other demands.

Amid a nationwide outrage over cases of sexual assault on girls and women at Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir, Surat in Gujarat and Unnao in Uttar Pradesh, the Union cabinet had yesterday approved the ordinance to provide stringent punishment, including death penalty, for those convicted of raping girls below the age of 12 years.

Maliwal had on Saturday written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioning her six demands, including the passage of the ordinance, recruitment of police personnel as per the United Nations standards and fixing accountability of the police force.

She had also sought that files relating to the recruitment of 14,000 police personnel - approved by the Union home ministry but pending with the finance ministry - be cleared.

Maliwal also put forth her demand for constitution of a high-level committee, comprising Delhi chief minister, home minister and Lieutenant Governor to review safety of women in the national capital.'Defence does not new 'planning commissions'; it needs an implementation commission.'

Ajai Shukla reports.



IMAGE: National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.

Successive defence ministries have adopted the adage: When nothing else is working, set up a committee.

Give it a sweeping mandate. Demand a comprehensive report.

Then, implement a few recommendations and put the important ones in cold storage.

Over the preceding two decades, two National Democratic Alliance and two United Progressive Alliance governments have done exactly this.

In 1999, the Kargil Review Committee reported on defence reform, with a group of ministers reiterating many of its key recommendations in 2001.

In 2005-2006, the Vijay Kelkar committee submitted its seminal report on revitalising defence production.

In 2012, it was the Naresh Chandra Task Force and in 2016 the Shekatkar Committee.

Many of their key recommendations were related to higher defence planning. None were implemented except the semi-empowered Integrated Defence Staff was set up half-heatedly in 2004.

The integration of the military services (army, navy and air force) headquarters and the civilian ministry of defence remains a mirage.

Now, in its penultimate year and staring at a worrying lack of achievement in defence planning, procurement and force structuring, the current government has constituted yet another body called the Defence Planning Committee.

Hailed as 'overarching' and a 'super-committee' by some news outlets, the DPC, headed by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, comprises officials from several government departments that feed into national security.

Unlike earlier committees, this one is staffed by senior serving officials.

There are the three service chiefs (with the senior-most being the ex-officio Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee), and the secretaries of defence, external affairs and expenditure.

The principal secretary in the prime minister's office is a part as well.

The idea of such a committee, even the name, is not original.

In 1978, the Morarji Desai government set up a Defence Planning Committee under the Cabinet secretary.

It included the secretary in the PMO and those of defence, defence production, external affairs, finance and the planning commission.

After achieving little, the 1978 DPC faded away.

The current DPC's mandate is expansive. It will prepare draft reports on national security strategy and international defence engagement.

It will prepare a roadmap for building a defence manufacturing eco-system and a strategy to boost defence exports.

According to media reports, the DPC will submit its reports to Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

It is already being whispered that the DPC will upend established decision-making structures.

While Sitharaman remains the de jure head, government insiders clearly see a shift in influence towards the National Security Council and the PMO. They say that was the trend anyway.

The Indian Express has commented that bringing together key officials on one platform 'can obviate the usual bureaucratic problem of important issues being moved on file only, to be debated in silos in different ministries.'

However, the DPC is only a deliberative body. Its decisions would still require to be moved on file and cleared, and will be subject to implementation delays.

"Bringing additional departments and bureaucratic structures into decision-making is seldom a good way of speeding up things," says a senior defence ministry bureaucrat, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

"We have planners and thinkers aplenty. The problem is unlocking implementation logjams. Defence does not new 'planning commissions'; it needs an implementation commission," says a defence industry chief executive.

"There is already a Defence Production Policy of 2018 that envisions creating a defence manufacturing eco-system and exponentially increasing defence exports. There is a Defence Procurement Procedure as well. Will the DPC work with existing rules, or create its own framework?" wonders the defence ministry official.

The big plus in the DPC could be a new, holistic, approach to national security planning, enabling a combination of diplomacy, defence and economic means to be deployed in managing threats like a two-front war, or a naval blockade of Indian ports.

Another positive is the inclusion of civilian planners into the formulation of military doctrines and objectives. Currently, this is entirely left to military planners.

'One reason we don't know where Indian civilians stand on the army's Cold Start Doctrine is because there was no formal or informal process for civilians to review service doctrines. This new (DPC) appears to provide just such a forum. That's good!' tweeted Christopher Clary, a US-based academic who studies Indian security and strategy.

According to media reports, the DPC will have four sub-committees dealing with: Policy and strategy; plans, capability development; defence diplomacy and defence manufacturing eco-system.We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.(Agencia CMA Latam) - Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) are a way to solve infrastructure problems, and in Argentina, this process is being launched, according to Finance Minister Luis Caputo, as part of prepared remarks at the World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington.

"We have been working closely with Jim Yong Kim and his team to come up with innovative ideas that would allow us to increase funding from the World Bank and other multilateral agencies. We have found some structures such as the PPP model that allows us to leverage loans more than ten times," the official said.

Also, he said that in Argentina there are 60 projects for almost US$ 30 billion to be executed in the next four years. "We are working with the Jim Yong Kim team to improve the quality of these investments," Caputo added.

by Agencia CMA Latam

For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com

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What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more.Team SHK/Scallywag is back in the water and scheduled to take the start of Leg 8 of the Volvo Ocean Race in Itajai, Brazil on Sunday afternoon.

The team had been in a race against time to have its boat prepared for racing after it was delivered to Itajai on Thursday.But the Boatyard crew, along with team members, suppliers, and with assistance from the other teams in the race, have readied the boat for racing in near record time and early on Saturday afternoon, it returned to the water."We're grateful for the support we've had from the other competitors and everyone who has helped out," said Scallywag skipper David Witt. "It's a real testament to the character of the people who do this race.""It's great to be able to get Scallywag back in the water in time for the start," said Neil Cox, the head of the Boatyard. "We needed everyone to pull together to make it and as you would expect in these circumstances, that is exactly what happened."Both SHK/Scallywag and Vestas 11th Hour Racing retired from Leg 7 and had their boats sailed to Itajai by delivery crews. After quick turnarounds, both are now ready to re-join the fleet for the 5,700 nautical mile race north to Newport, Rhode Island.It promises to be a challenging leg, with light winds in the forecast for the first days, followed by tradewind sailing leading into the final doldrums crossing of the race before the final push north to the highly anticipated Newport stopover."Newport is a sailing mecca of the United States," said Charlie Enright of Vestas 11th Hour Racing. "People are passionate about their sailing there and it will be an amazing experience. We want to get a great result sailing into Newport and I'm really looking forward to it. "The leaderboard is tight, with a new team on top as Dongfeng Race Team take over pole position from MAPFRE by just a single point."One point is nothing because as we have seen in the last legs, things can change very quickly and the race is far from finished," said Dongfeng skipper Charles Caudrelier."But it's very positive to be on top now because since the start I think it's been a bit frustrating for us to always be just behind MAPFRE. It's good for the team spirit and motivation. Nothing is better than a good result to give us extra energy to finish the race."1. Dongfeng Race Team (Charles Caudrelier), 46 points2. MAPFRE (Xabi Fernandez), 45 points3. Team Brunel (Bouwe Bekking), 36 points4. Team AkzoNobel (Simeon Tienpont), 33 points5. Sun Hung Kai Scallywag (David Witt), 26 points6. Vestas 11th Hour Racing (Charlie Enright), 23 points7. Turn The Tide on Plastic (Dee Caffari), 20 points



How to follow the start of Leg 8 from Itajai, Brazil to Newport, Rhode Island



The Leg 8 start is at 14:00 local time (1700 UTC), with our broadcast beginning at 13:45 local time.



Watch it on the website:

Head to www.volvooceanrace.com to catch a live stream of the action from 1345 local time (1645 UTC).



Watch on Live Race Tracker:

The Race Tracker will be live for the first 24 hours of the leg. Follow your favourite team as they race up the coast of Brazil.Dear Editor

Re: Why child labour exists in Samoa?

Samoas isolation in the heart of the Pacific has forged and maintained unique strong culture of sharing and family kinship in society for thousands of years, and this is the strength of any nation.

The strength that has been consistently eroded in all her facets by foreign influences based on foreign economic ideals.

A visionary government would have looked at strengthening the rural areas based on this backbone of the Samoan society - the faasamoa, a backbone of self sufficiency and sharing ... and I point at the rural areas, since the last remnants of the faasamoa is still thriving in that sector of Samoa and is where the capitalism ideals of foreigners are slowly seeping through!

The prevalence of the growing and increasingly serious child labour issues in Samoa is spreading like wildfire in Apia over the last three decades, and is the obvious consequence of the progressively embrace of foreign economic ideals by our leaders.

The foreign economic ideals that have rapidly burnt away the sharing culture of family kinship was fueled largely by the adoption of foreign policies by the present government, to the detriment of the faasamoa.

The socio-infrastructure and bureaucratic structures are in existenceits just a matter of realisation at the national level and proper channeling of appropriate developmental programmes more in the context of local culture than that of foreign ideals, and none of foreign interests.

It would mean developing small families subsistence and cash crops, developing village and district structures, developing the appropriate use of resources in land and sea; and education and health.

It would also mean - doing away with selling off customary rights of the people of Samoa from their heritage and divine properties - their extended-families lands.

In the faasamoa, the children of Samoa should be involved in families as treasures, but not as treasure seekers for family survival in the world of economic foreign ideals within Samoan soil.

Ropati V.The Supreme Court has dismissed criminal charges of theft and obtaining by deception filed by the Police against lawyer, Pau Tafaogalupe Mulitalo.

The decision was delivered by Justice Vaemoa Vaepule Vaai.

The matter is in connection to the construction of a home and office for Pau. The defendant was represented by Lealiifano Tanielu while prosecuting the case was Lucy Maria Sio from the Attorney Generals office.

The complainant in the matter is Alapati Brown, owner of A.L.C.C. Brown Construction.

A trial was held last month and the decision was delivered by Justice Vaepule last week.

The defendant wanted to build a house on a property he owns in Lalovaea and became acquainted with the complainant and found he was a builder when he (Pau) represented him in Court proceedings in 2015."

While celebrating the outcome of the case, the defendant asked the complainant if he was willing to build a house for him.

Mr. Brown agreed to build the house, however Pau did not agree to a price for the work or a time for the work to be completed.

He did not sign a contract either which was prepared by the defendant for the building work.

The construction started on May 2015 and at the same time tools and equipment required were moved to Lalovaea.

The complainant did not comply with the plan the building permit was granted for."

He followed instead the specifications the defendant and his wife wanted."

As a result, the house the complainant built was bigger than the plan and four weeks into the works, the defendant suddenly halted the work and informed the workers not to remove the equipment.

Mr. Brown, according to the decision, noted he received $26,000 from Pau when the work stopped.

Justice Vaemoa in his decision pointed out four weeks into the construction of the house, the defendant informed Mr. Brown in a letter that he and his workers were no longer permitted onto the building site.

Also the equipment on site would not be returned until the money the defendant had paid was refunded the following week.

In his decision, Justice Vaemoa pointed out that Mr. Brown, despite the letter, asked Pau to return the equipment however efforts were unsuccessful.

The complainant then sought the assistance of the Police to return the equipment."

He lodged a complaint and gave the Police a list of the equipment the defendant refused to return.

Meanwhile, about a week after stopping the construction work, Pau hired another builder and they used the equipment the defendant refused to return to Mr. Brown.

In relation to the theft charge, Justice Vaemoa pointed out the prosecution claims Pau dishonestly used or dealt with Mr. Browns equipment.

The wider issue the Court must look at in determining the defendants guilt on this element is not whether he had a Court order or whether the Police believed he had a Court order as the basis for refusing to return the equipment between 29 May and 1 July, 2015."

Instead it is whether his use of or dealing with the equipment during the relevant period was dishonest because he said he had a Court order when he didnt or because he was irresponsible when he permitted the other contractor and his men to use the equipment."

In the context of the issue as defined, the prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant dishonestly used or dealt with the equipment."

I am not satisfied it has done that, said Justice Vaemoa.

This means the charge of theft against the defendant must fail.

In regards to the obtaining by deception, Justice Vaemoa said after hearing the evidence by the prosecution, he was uncertain whether the defendant told Mr. Brown he had a Court order or he was seeking a Court order.

The distinction is critical because the defendants guilt is determined not by whether he had a Court order but by whether he said he had a Court order.

The witnesses recollection and the documentary evidence do not satisfy the Court that the defendant definitively told the complainant he had a Court order or he seeking a Court order, said Justice Vaepule.

The Supreme Court Justice pointed out the evidence about what the defendant said is too conflicting and could lean either way.

He said the charge of obtaining by deception is not proven.

It is obvious from the above discussion and the reasons given that the charges of theft and obtaining by deception against the defendant are not proved and are accordingly dismissed.On Tuesday, 10th of April, 2018, the Samoa Observer published an open letter addressed to me by Faapale Taumua. His letter moved me deeply and this is my response.

On returning to Samoa from the University of Auckland Pacific Law, Custom and Constitutionalism (P.L.C.C.) conference held February 12th to 14th, I have been reading with great interest our current public debates on Samoan customary land and land laws.

Faapale is right. Samoa is now at a significant cross-road in her governing history. Not just in terms of trying to figure out how best to protect our customary land from foreign or alien interests, but also how to protect ourselves from ourselves. I will explain what I mean further on. Suffice to say for now that this is the most dangerous issue facing us since our fight for the return of our Independence.

Since Samoa regained Independence we have taken our faasamoa for granted. We as leaders have assumed that so long as we have governing control over ourselves, Samoa mo Samoa, we will never lose it. But the loss of culture and core values can happen slowly, subtly and stealthily, and on our own watch.

Today it has become clear that we can no longer escape the reality that as leaders we must take a public stand against allowing the ambiguity of Article 102 of our Constitution to persist. We must admit that in light of the accumulating evidence (some of which I will speak to shortly) this ambiguity has been exploited in ways that now seriously undermines the integrity and purpose of Article 102, i.e. to protect customary lands from alienation. Today I make a plea that as a nation whose faasinomaga (identity) and tofi (inheritance) are inextricably connected to our customary lands that we stand together and demand that this ambiguity be properly attended to, and that following this the Article be accordingly amended. This is our right; it is our right as suli (heirs) of all customary lands in Samoa, whether you live in Samoa or not.

The preamble of our Constitution talks unashamedly about love. It says that God is an ever-loving God; that his love or alofa is ever-lasting. In drafting our Constitution, the supreme law of our land, our forebears recognised that they must preserve what makes us unique as a people. They wrote that Samoa is a country founded on God; a country where only God has absolute sovereignty over everything; and a country where we as a people have authority (pule) over our Samoan heritage, our tu ma aganuu Samoa, and that this heritage is a sacred heritage, a tofi paia tuufaasolo, a heritage that is to be passed on from one generation to the next, forever.

Our tu ma aganuu Samoa tells us that we are of the land and the land is of us. The ritual burying of a childs pute and a mothers fanua in the land is because we believe that we are of the land and the land is of us. Our faasinomaga is nothing without land. Our matai titles have little meaning without land. To be landless in our faasamoa is therefore to belong to nowhere; to live without identity; to have no roots or home.

The title of my address is: O fea le alofa? Meaning: Where is love? Where has the principle of alofa gone? Professor Tony Angelo, a well-respected New Zealand constitutional law specialist, in the Pacific Law, Custom and Constitutionalism conference mentioned earlier, asked in the midst of a heated interchange of views: where is love? Following this there were giggles and muffled laughter from the audience. For me, however, this question had a profound and lingering impact.

I asked someone what the learned professor might have meant by his question and it was suggested to me that perhaps more than anything else it had to do with the fact that the language of love is no longer a part of the language of law. Sadly, even Samoan custom law. Therefore, in asking: o fea le alofa? where has the principle of alofa gone? I am deliberately drawing our attention to the fact that the language and spirit of our laws today have taken us so far away from their original source of inspiration, the tu ma aganuu Samoa wherein love is a given, that we are now in the position of having to re-educate and restore its logic, mana and integrity in our laws. And, we do this not because we have the pule or authority as Samoans to do so, but because we have a deep and everlasting love or alofa as Samoans for our nation, our villages, our families, our individual selves, and our faasamoa. This is where the principle of alofa resides and finds meaning.

Let us turn to the ambiguity at issue here in Article 102 of the Constitution. The ambiguity lies in how best to read the relationship between the wording of the main body of the Article and the wording of its two subsections or sub-clauses, particularly the first. Let me cite the Article.

[Article] 102. No alienation of customary land  It shall not be lawful or competent for any person to make any alienation or disposition of customary land or of any interest in customary land, whether by way of sale, mortgage or otherwise howsoever, nor shall customary land or any interest therein be capable of being taken in execution or be assets for the payment of the debts of any person on his decease or insolvency:

Provided that an Act of Parliament may authorise 

(a) The granting of a lease or licence of any customary land or of any interest therein;

(b) The taking of any customary land or any interest therein for public purposes.

The purpose of Article 102 is clearly expressed by its title: No alienation of customary lands. The rest of the Article is however less clear, i.e. there is ambiguity within. In laymans terms the Article says that it is illegal to alienate customary lands unless an Act of Parliament allows for 1. a lease or licence to be granted over customary land, or 2. customary land is to be taken for public purposes. I do not have any problems with the taking of customary land for public purposes, assuming of course that such public purposes are indeed valid public purposes. What I have a problem with is the ambiguity that arises as a result of reading the sub-clause that states that an Act of Parliament may authorise the granting of a lease or licence of any customary land or of any interest therein alongside the wording of the main text of the Article which says no alienation of customary land whether by way of sale, mortgage or otherwise howsoever. This sub-clause (a) also makes no specific mention of mortgaging a lease-hold interest. To read this within the words or of any interest therein would seem to run against the plain meaning of the words of the main body of the Article which explicitly prohibits against mortgages. Therein lies our ambiguity.

Our Constitutional forebears put their faith in us to make just decisions moving forward in relation to protecting our customary lands. Decisions that would progress us as a nation whereby we would not only stand proud alongside other nations in our ability to be economically viable in terms of our needs, but also in the knowledge that we did not sell our souls, our sacred heritage, our tofi paia tuufaasolo, in the process. The provisions of the Land Titles Registration Act 2008 (L.T.R.A.) have raised significant doubt and controversy over Article 102s ability to meet its constitutional promise of protecting customary land against alienation. So too has the reasoning offered by government for the Alienation of Customary Land Amendment Bill 2017 (A.C.L.A.B.).

I make reference here to section 25 of the L.T.R.A. in particular as evidence of how law is being used to erode our rights as suli on the one hand, and to subsection 1.1.2 of the explanatory memorandum of the A.C.L.A.B. as evidence of how the ambiguity of Article 102 is being negatively exploited to pass legislation that would legalise the mortgaging of customary land (even if it is only in terms of the mortgaging of a leasehold interest on it), on the other.

The subsection of Section 25 of the L.T.R.A. that I want to highlight is subsection (4). It relates to the provision of what it calls a certificate of correctness. I am told that this certificate is only relevant to the registration of freehold land, and that there is another process for the registration of a leasehold or licence interest over customary land. This other process is that by law the owners of customary land must file an Application to Grant a Lease of Customary Land with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (M.N.R.E.) for approval. If approved the M.N.R.E. would then draw up the lease or licence, and then the Minister signs the lease as trustee for the customary landowners. Here the landowners I am told is not meant to actually sign the lease or licence. However, there is evidence to the contrary. Leaving aside the issue of multiple owners and the proposed pule faasao for the moment (as the problematics of this has been well argued in public debates to date), section 25 is of interest to me insofar as it raises two pertinent questions: why have we vested such power in one person, even if he is the Minister, over our customary lands? And, why is there not a similarly transparent standard of correctness required of registration of interests over customary land as seems the case for freehold land? The imperative to finding answers to these questions lies in the need of suli to gain trust in these laws and the protection mechanisms they purport to give to ensuring that our customary lands are not unlawfully alienated.

In Samoan custom law (both aganuu and agaifanua) the only person that has any rights over customary land is a suli. Suli retain their suli rights forever. Once a suli always a suli; it does not matter whether they reside in or outside of Samoa. In other words, a suli does not lose his or her suli status if they decide to live outside Samoa. In the custom law of our faasamoa this is a given; it is fundamental to being a suli. Any impositions by the state, however well-meaning, on our rights as suli is a breach of our tu ma aganuu protected by the Constitution.

In terms of the legalisation of mortgaging of leasehold interests over customary land as is promoted by subsection 1.1.2 of the explanatory memorandum to the A.C.L.A.B, this is both negatively exploitative and dangerous. It negatively exploits the ambiguity discussed already in Article 102 and creates a dangerous platform by which the effective alienation of customary land can be enabled. This in itself also runs contrary to the primary purpose of Article 102, i.e. no alienation of customary land.

The Sasina Village Councils recent decision to lease customary lands to foreign investors for 100 years for a sum of $250,000.00 SAT per year, for example, means that they could unwittingly open the doors to their customary lands being subjected to mortgagor interests should their tenants decide to mortgage their leasehold interests as per the A.C.L.A.B. This potential for mortgaging of leasehold interests opens the door further to other potential foreigners imposing their interests on Sasina land for at least 100 years, thus potentially putting access to Sasina land out of the reach of at least three generations of current and future suli of Sasina should they want to access it. The question arises, who has a right to take this access away from suli of the Sasina lands at issue and for such a period?

One hundred years is a long time. With the speed at which fundamental changes to Samoa have occurred over the last 30 years, it is not hard to imagine what could happen in a hundred years if we were to continue on this type of law-making path. The seriously negative implications that these scenarios have presented have given rise to Faapale and others call for serious national leadership attention and action. I hear your call.

In 2008 as Head of State I was assured by the Attorney General that the provisions of the L.T.R. Bill would not impact in any way on the customary land rights of suli. The Attorney General and his or her office is tasked with a sacred duty to provide the Head of State with the best legal advice possible. Parliament is tasked with a similar sacred duty to consider the full implications of all the bills that come before it. The Prime Minister is also tasked with the same sacred duty. He must ensure that by the Third Reading and before the Bill is passed officially into law, i.e. when he advises the Head of State to give his assent so that the bill can become law, that he has properly considered the full implications of the said bill on the people. Our Constitution states that where all this has properly occurred and the Prime Minister does in fact advise the Head of State to give his assent, the Head of State must give his assent. That is the process and protocol for law-making set down for us by our Constitutional forebears. It is, as Faapale writes, a process and protocol that assumes that our leaders are capable of fulfilling their sacred duties, that they have the skills and support to do so, and that they do so with the alofa demanded of them by our forebears. The checks and balances on the power and proper work of the state if not operating well then needs to be fixed. Today we have no choice but to admit that there is something not operating well here and that we, collectively, have an obligation to identify and fix it.

Today we have the responsibility of admitting that there is a problem with Article 102; that the ambiguity within is serious enough to warrant the attention of our best minds in order to make Article 102 unambiguous. These minds, however, must be able to locate the principle of alofa in their custom law and statutory law assessments and have it sing in harmony alongside their assessments of pule, and of legal certainty and transparency. These minds must come up with ways to fix the ambiguity whereby the process for fixing it is as much about strengthening people and culture as it is about strengthening the law. And, these minds will have to advise the country on how best to frame the amendment so that when the proposed amendment is put to a public referendum as per Article 109 of the Constitution that the country will be well equipped to make the right decision in accordance with their conscience.

We as a nation have a sacred duty to find these minds and to support them by putting our personal and political biases aside so that we can work together as one people to achieve the balance and protection desired by our Constitutional forebears in Article 102  the balance between gaining economic environmental sustainability for all families and villages and retaining the cultural integrity of our tu ma aganuu Samoa, and the protection of our customary lands against undue alienation.

In the last 30 years there has been a paradigm shift. We have moved from a faasamoa where pule and alofa co-existed in relative harmony, to one where pule now seems to rule alone. In this new paradigm we see the introduction of laws where instead of the pule of a sao being dependent on the love and support of the auaiga (supporting family and/or village members), the sao is capable of existing and exercising pule quite independently from them. In the faasamoa this is wrong. It is repugnant to everything that the faasamoa stands for. The faamatai exists and draws meaning and value from the reciprocal love and respect between matai and auaiga (family members). Even for tama-a-aiga this is true.

When Samoa was fighting for the return of our Independence during the Mau the leadership of tama-a-aiga would not have amounted to anything had it not been for the reciprocal love, respect and support they shared with all those in their auaiga who rallied behind and alongside them. During that fateful Black Saturday when he heard gunfire and was told where it was coming from and of the wounded, Tupua Tamasese Lealofi III did not hesitate to make his stance against colonial administrative tyranny. Knowing full well that he may get shot if he walked towards the gunfire, he went, along with fellow leaders, anyway. Theirs was an act of leadership, of ultimate service and sacrifice. It was an act of love and protection  protection of land, family, and the dignity of Samoa.

This reciprocity of love is what fuels us to go beyond the call of duty to sacrifice our comforts for the greater good.

This kind of reciprocal love is what motivates parents to care for their children notwithstanding. It is what motivates children to care for their parents no matter what. It is what motivates families and villages to care for their members. And it is what makes members of our nation proud to be a part of this nation. There is a saying in Leulumoega: O le matua o Leulumoega e le se matua e fafaga i fale, o le matua e gasese: meaning, the leaders of Leulumoega (i.e. Tumua) are not leaders by virtue of status, they are leaders by virtue of the love and self-less service they give to their people and receive in return. To emphasise pule without alofa is to strip pule of what will ensure its longevity. In other words, if a matai exercises his or her pule without alofa their pule will be short-lived.

Let me return to my question: o fea le alofa  where is love? where has the principle of alofa gone? In this new paradigm we ourselves have stripped ourselves of the power of this most fundamental principle to protect us against our own arrogance and greed. When we stand by and watch the passing of legislative enactments that undermine or make alofa irrelevant in law we are complicit in that act of colonial disempowerment. Here the colonial, nay neo-colonial, master is not an outsider forcing us to do something against our will, he is right within us, moving among us, preying on our vulnerabilities, luring us to believe that there is no other option for economic development but the alienation of customary lands.

Our forebears knew this would happen. Thats why they made Articles 102 and 109 such as significant part of our Constitution. We know from current private sector agricultural practices that this is not the only option. We know that with the right state support it is possible for local businesses to set up profitable partnerships with villages and families to develop their customary lands to produce goods and services for both internal and external markets. In knowing this our Constitutional forebears are challenging us to rise to the occasion to do all we can to protect ourselves from ourselves, to protect ourselves from unnecessarily alienating our customary lands, whether actual or constructive; the lands they fought so hard to protect. To do this we must remember and revive in our custom law, our tu ma aganuu, our languaging and practices, the importance of alofa; of their alofa.

I end with the story from Sataua. It is the story about the origins of the saying ua segia le mauli (the mauli or soul has been stolen). The saying is one of the few Samoan sayings that remains today that uses the term mauli for soul. The story is about a couple, Fine and Sau, and their son Mataulufotu. Mataulufotu, was not only able to take away souls and thus cause death, but he was also able to restore them and so restore life. The story begins that Fine and Sau had several sons and each time a son was born they gave him to the sea eel for food. One day the father, not wanting to give any more of his children to the sea eel, asked his wife to run away inland with him to hide from the sea eel. After a time, the mother gave birth to another son. They named him Mataulufotu. When the father went looking for food, mother and son remained behind.

One day, the mother, a cannibal, then decided to kill her son, bury his head under the breadfruit tree and eat his body. When the father returned he asked after his son. The mother denied knowing where he was. The father climbed the breadfruit tree and when he got to the top heard the head of his son shouting to him to look down to where he was lying. The father saw his son and climbed down ready to beat his wife. The son, who still cared for his mother, asked his father not to beat her to death but to instead weave a basket of pandanus leaves to carry his head in, for they should leave. The basket with his head was to be carried by his mother on her back. The head and his parents came to the village Sataua.

The village were hosting a great malaga or travelling party. The old man and his wife entered the chiefs house by first lifting up the shutters at the front of the house. People inside the house told them off, asking them not to lift the shutters in case moisture entered the house but to instead enter via the back of the house. The travelling party ate and then slept. They did not offer any food to the old man, his wife or the head. When the cock crowed to signal the coming of dawn the following day the head told his mother to wake his father for it was time to leave. When they left all the people sleeping in the house were dead. The head had taken their souls.

As the head travelled on with his parents they came across a ship that had come to Savaii from Fiji in search of a doctor who could restore the life of Sina, the daughter of their liege lord, Tui Fiti. The ship was about to return to Fiji when the head called out to his father to tell the crew that they will return with them to Fiji.

The father did so but the crew did not listen and continued to move their ship away from the shore. The head froze the ship long enough so that he and his parents could jump in. When their ship came close to Fiji they came across a reef channel that the crew wanted to avoid because the Anaeoso, a fish belonging to Sina, was there and was considered dangerous. The head told his father to tell the crew to proceed through the channel, not to be afraid for everything will be okay. The Fijian crew proceeded cautiously but made sure that the old man, woman and head knew that if the ship sunk they would kill them. The head gave the crew a song to sing to help guide the ship safely through the channel. The ship reached the shore safely. On the shore the Tui Fitis daughters body was covered with a fine mat.

The head spoke to his parents. He told them to go ashore, not to avoid the fine mat or the body but to sit right next to it. The Tui Fiti welcomed the old man and woman. He told them that his people had gone to Samoa in search of a doctor to revive his daughter but were unable to find one. The head told his father to tell the Tui Fiti that he was to continue trying to bring his daughter back to life. Meanwhile the head would go to the heavens to also try to restore Sinas life.

The head went into the nine heavens to see Fuluulaalematoto, who was a woman who devoured human beings. When he got there Fuluulaalematoto was not there, but her son was. Along the ridge pole of their house in the heavens the head saw little baskets hanging, in the midst of them was a basket that seemed new. The head asked the boy what was in the new basket. The boy replied: that is the soul of the Tui Fitis daughter that my mother brought. Mataulufotu reached up and brought down Sinas soul. When he returned it to Sina, she came back to life.

The Tui Fiti was overjoyed, but he was conscious that he did not have a suitable gift for the head and his parents, but gave to them Sinas jumping fish, Anaeoso, which they gratefully took back with them to Samoa. When this fish appears in Savaii people are reminded of this story and say: o le alugaloa na i Sataua; o le Malaga na ave e Mataulufotu o latou agaga  literally meaning, the long bamboo pillows at Sataua; the travelling party whose souls Mataulufotu took.

The heavens, as the residences of God, are where souls can be retrieved and restored. In going to the heavens to find Sinas soul, Mataulufotu figuratively announces that good souls, like Sinas, can be restored. Selfish souls, like those of the travelling party at Sataua, will remain dead. In searching for what should be restored and what should not the moral imperative is that we ought to always aim for the heavens in our search. The message that love and respect is what keeps our souls alive is implicit. If it is stolen or taken away, ua segia, it is only through love that it will be returned and restored.

The land law issue we are embroiled in now has the potential to strip us of our soul. There is a divisiveness here that we must avoid at all costs. But to avoid this we must re-locate, re-inscribe and re-inspirit in the heart and mind of our laws the wisdom of our tu ma aganuu Samoa and our tofi paia tuufaasolo. This we cannot do without finding and reviving the principle of alofa in law.

We have faced many challenges as a nation since regaining Independence but this is the most serious. To overcome this challenge, we must first recognise that the challenge now comes not from outside but from within. We must recognise that, like Joshua and the Israelites, the only way to cross the river as a nation with our souls intact is to find understanding in the wisdom of our forebears and their trust in God.

In Joshua 4: 2-7, the Lord said to Joshua: Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight. So, Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, and said to them, Go over before the ark of the Lord your God in the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, What do these stones mean? Tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever (NIV).

Our stand against the unconstitutionality of any Act of Parliament that seeks to undermine Article 102 and for the need to make our Constitution unambiguous and free from negative exploitation are our memorial stones in the river crossing exercise we are now facing. Despite the heavy weight of these stones we must carry and place them firmly in the river so that they will stand the test of time and the force of changing currents so that when future suli ask: o fea le alofa, where is love, where is the principle of love in what we did, we can proudly say, there it is.

Soifua.The frustrations expressed by the Samoa Chamber of Commerce and Industry over the Governments latest cost of living stunt called the Customs and Tariff Bill should be taken very seriously.

As if this law was not already unpopular with members of the public, the sentiments by the business community echoed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber, Lemauga Hobart Vaai, is absolute proof of another truth weve known for a long time now.

That the Government, through the Ministry of Revenue, has once more used its one party state advantage in Parliament to muscle through another piece of legislation that will only hurt everyone  including some of the poorest people in this country.

Ironically, when the bill was discussed and passed into law, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegoi said the new tax is to help promote a healthy Samoa. He said they wanted to make imported chicken expensive so people can return to the old way of living.

This column said at the time that this explanation was a load of rubbish. We still maintain that it is absolute garbage.

Folks, the health ticket was only being used as a front by a Government desperate for monies to plug a number of holes created by wasted spending, their luxurious lifestyles and that sickness called corruption that they cannot seem to be able to heal.

The people of this country are not stupid. They can see this from a mile out.

Why on earth would a government make chicken, the one piece of imported meat that is affordable for the majority of families, more expensive if they were not desperate?

Think of families living below the poverty line and middle income earners who can barely get by on a daily basis. Think of the families of those street vendors all over Samoa. There are kids sleeping on street corners in a bid to find money so their families can survive. What are they going to do?

I disagree with the Government on increasing the tax on chicken given the cost of living that we have today in Samoa, said Eseta Faasao of Falelauniu.

Increasing the tax for health reasons, I dont think thats even right. I only hope the Government could have considered that chicken today in Samoa is much cheaper than of tinned fish.

Waldell Brown of Leauvaa-uta said the increase is ridiculous.

My family eats chicken almost every day because thats the only meat we can afford. Its an excuse when they said the extra tax on chicken is for health reasons.

I have been eating chicken when I was a kid, I am 58 years old now and I am still strong and well. If they are going to increase the tax on chicken, they might as well decrease the price on the tinned fish or even increase the minimum wage rate.

Eseta and Waldell have summed up well what most people are thinking today.

Now youd think that the Government would first consult the business community, given the impact such a law would have on them. Well apparently not.

According to Lemauga, the whole process lacks transparency.

The Samoa Chamber of Commerce and Industry is disappointed that once again, despite a standing agreement with the Government to have a no surprises approach to any proposed changes to the policies and laws that impact on the private sector and consumers, import duties on imported frozen chicken are being imposed with little or no timely consultation, Lemauga said.

Such an approach lacks transparency and fosters uncertainty which could regrettably result in job losses as well as higher end-user food costs.

Candid and timely dialogue would enable the Samoa Chamber of Commerce and Industry to provide fully informed impact assessments of any proposed changes as well as possible appropriate alternate solutions for addressing the issues underlying any proposed changes.

Lemauga says should proposed changes ultimately go through, the private sector would require time to take the measures necessary to respond to such significant changes.

The Samoa Chamber of Commerce and Industry desires a return to a no surprises approach to avoid potential negative impacts on employees through job losses, consumers through higher end-user prices and businesses through a presumably unintended quashing of the entrepreneurial spirit.

Now lets hope the Ministry of Revenue and the relevant authorities in the Government are listening. And if they are, do they care? Stay tuned!

Have a wonderful week Samoa, God bless!Dear Editor,

I write in response to Petelos Suanius letter titled A load of rubbish.

Well speak of the devil, its Stuis rubbish boy. Petelo, the L.T.R.A. 2008 is unconstitutional when H.R.P.P. government decided to skip an important directive in our Constitution.

Let me re-quote if you missed it the first time.

109. Amendment of Constitution

(1) Any of the provisions of this Constitution may be amended or repealed by Act, and new provisions may be inserted in this Constitution by Act, if a bill for any such purpose is supported at its third reading by the votes of not less than two-thirds of the total number of Members of Parliament (including vacancies) and if not fewer than 90 days elapse between the second and third readings of that bill:

Provided that no bill amending, repealing or adding to the provisions of Article 102 or the provisions of this proviso shall be submitted to the Head of State for assent until it has been submitted to a poll of the electors on the rolls for the territorial constituencies established under the provisions of Article 44 and unless it has been supported by two-thirds of the valid votes cast in such a poll.

(2) A certificate under the hand of the Speaker that a bill has been passed under the provisions of clause (1) shall be conclusive and shall not be questioned in any court.

No bill amending, repealing or adding to Article 102 shall be submitted to Head of State for assent until there is a poll of the electors. How else do you want to spin it, Mr. Spin Doctor? There was never a referendum of the voters!

Yes nobody took this matter to Court because the government was giving out mixed signals plus denying it was a Torrens title registration system.

Like I said all lands under L.T.A. 1992/1993 was automatically converted to L.T.R.A. 2008 and registered without a fuss because most people had no idea.

It was during A.D.BS help in establishing C.L.A.C. 2013 to appease the financial sector that the mortgaging of Lease was fully understood. The citizens of Samoa left it in good faith thinking the H.R.P.P. government was doing the right thing by them but obviously it was to satisfy the big Bankers first.

So many critics queried and asked the government for clarification of L.T.R.A. 2008 and now most recently S.L.R.C.s Dr. Lalotoa Mulitalo Seumanutfa confirmed in Auckland that L.T.R.A. 2008 is in fact a Torrens system.

The Land Registration Act 1992/1993 was a deed system of registration, and the Land Titles Registration Act 2008 introduced the Torrens system of land registration in Samoa.

It may be a better way of registration and keeping track of land ownership but the argument is about registering one person as owner and allowing of customary land lease to be mortgaged.

The main object of the Torrens Title System is to make the register conclusive. Once your name is registered on the Torrens Title register, you become the owner of the property to the exclusion of all others. You therefore obtain title by registration, which is a pivotal concept of Torrens Title.

Under the system, a Certificate of Title exists for every separate piece of land. The certificate contains a reference that includes a volume and folio number, ownership details, easements and/or rights of way affecting the land and any encumbrances including mortgages, leases and other interests in the land.

Another thing you say customary land lease/license still under A.C.L.A. 1965.

Yet it is allowed to be mortgaged under C.L.A.C. 2013 and registered under L.T.R.A. 2008. Please ask your uncle to clarify this. Ia sei ou alu e fai sau ipu ti ma ai sau pagugu.

OisoleThe learning environment at Loto Taumafai Society (L.T.S.) has just received a major boost thanks to a series of genuine Acts of Kindness by a number of wonderful people in Sydney, Australia.

Since early February, the group of donors and sponsors have been working to ensure L.T.S. receives much-needed desks, lockers, miscellaneous furniture and other items for use in its work with the children and families with disabilities.

The labour of love project was coordinated by a passionate Samoan couple residing in Sydney Australia, Jason and Roberta Chang, who have a big heart for community outreach work.

This passion to support the vulnerable community of people with disabilities was birthed for the Chang family when they spent a year doing missionary work in Samoa in 2015).

During that time, they established a relationship with L.T.S. and greatly supported a major fundraising event at the time for people with disabilities.

Fast forward three years later, an opportunity emerged for Jason and Roberta Chang and their company, J.R. Synergies, to spearhead a project to give practically.

Delaney College, a Catholic school in Sydney where Sheryl Temu, a good friend of Roberta works, had purchased new furniture and were looking for a good home for their used furniture.

She contacted Roberta and consequently connection was made with Loto Taumafai School. From that point on Roberta, began her work in sourcing the best price and sponsors for the shipment costs from Sydney to Samoa.

Through their business contacts and community connections, the Changs persisted to make their passion become a reality.

The container has arrived in Samoa.

L.T.S. as the recipients of these tremendous donations wishes to pay tribute and acknowledge the combined effort of the significant individuals and companies, who worked collaboratively to make this project possible in every way, said Loto Taumafai School Principal, Lagi Natanielu.

Through it all the faithfulness and divine provision of our Great God was evident.

L.T.S. acknowledges the generous financial sponsor of all the shipment costs by Greg and Kim Fisk of City Mutual Group, Sydney Australia, a loyal business friend to Mr. & Mrs. Chang.

Furthermore, through her contact Theresa Iputau at Pacificonnect Pty Ltd, Roberta was able to negotiate a significantly discounted price for the shipment with the assistance of the Managing Director Mr Polikapi Foketi. LTS is most grateful for this tremendous support towards the shipment of the container to Samoa.

The loading of all the items was carried out by an amazing group of volunteers who worked tirelessly to pack the container.

This was organised by Roberta Chang and sponsored by JR Synergies. The team included Sheryl Temu from the donor school Delany College, and her husband Marcus. In addition Helen and Ness Fepuleai, Linda Muipu, Kaylyn and Jerome Gabriel. Provision of the truck by Palemia Alaalatoa to transport all the contents made the job easier.

L.T.S. is very thankful to this team of volunteers for their labour of love, Mrs. Natanielu said.

From the outset, negotiations were also in place with local partners to this project, Betham Brothers Enterprise (B.B.E.), who kindly agreed to support through their sponsor of the local financial costs of the clearance of the container. In addition we also acknowledge the great contribution of Molida Shipping (local agent for Matson) for waiving their local fees.

L.T.S. is sincerely appreciative for all the support and favour demonstrated by these two local companies. Special thanks to the hard working team at B.B.E. for co-ordinating the whole clearance process from the arrival of the container to its delivery to our premises at Vaitele.

Loto Taumafai Society is a non-government organisation that serves the local community of people with disabilities through the Special School, Community Disability Services, and Vocation Unit.

Any Acts of Kindness by sponsors and donors that contribute to the ongoing work of our organisation are all deeply appreciated and embraced by the C.E.O Letaa Devoe, all the employees as well as the community members who are involved in the services provided by L.T.S.

This collaborative project from beginning to end truly demonstrates the declaration in Psalm 133, where there is unity, God commands a blessing! From L.T.S to you all  Faafetai tele lava mai le taele o matou agaga. E moni ai upu a le Tusi Paia Ua taumasuasua lau ipu.

To Jason and Roberta Chang, you are legends. Thank you for all of the community projects you passionately coordinate and execute with love in which L.T.S. are the blessed recipients this time around. Most importantly all glory and praises belong to our Sovereign God for all that He has done.

We are humbled by all the genuine support in this project. Our prayer, is for Gods abundant blessings to be upon all of the sponsor, donors and volunteers who contributed to this collaborative labour of love.A father of four from Leone has revealed his embarrassing experience at the Savalalo Fish Market where the Police allegedly manhandled him while they were searching for drugs.

Speaking to the Samoa Observer, Pea Lesatele, said the Police must treat people with respect, even if they suspect them of a crime.

During the incident last Friday, more than 20 Police officers surrounded the Fish Market premises.

The roads leading to the Market were even blocked with some Police officers stationed on fishing boats.

They took two suspects to be inspected and one of them was Mr. Lesatele.

The 37-year-old revealed that they searched him three times and they found nothing.

But it was the manner they had conducted their search publicly, which has upset Mr. Lesatele.

I dont know what the Police officers were searching for, he said.

I was shocked when they came to me and told me if I could come but then I had just arrived, I was there to buy fish. So I followed them because I knew that I had nothing to hide.

They could at least bring their Police dogs to look for what they were looking for. They even went through my bag and pulled my shorts up and everything.

The unfortunate part of their actions was searching me like that in front of people. I feel very ashamed because of the way they treated me and those who were watching would consider me a thief.

Everyone was watching and what the officers did was not right.

Mr. Lesatele said there are many ways that the Police could have solved this matter without violating his rights.

The right thing that they could have done was to take us down to the Police station instead of doing it in public and to find out there was nothing on me and the other guy, he said.

What they did was not right and if I were a Policeman I would not search anybody if I was not certain and without a good cause.

Even though they would say that they were doing their job but they should also be considerate of the rights of the citizens of this country. We are all protective of our image and our families.

He explained: If my relatives overseas saw what happened today (yesterday) they will not be willing to help me if I ask them for things.

I would also then be disowned by my own family here because of the way they treated me like a criminal.

If they are here to look for the drug dealers then go for them and be certain that they find the right person.

I have children and if my kids were here to witness what happened they would be upset with me.

I heard on the television last night that there were burglars who were roaming around this area and I even heard it on the radio. I think that is what the Police are after which is why they falsely suspected that I was one of those people.

Mr. Lesatele said he is looking at taking his complaint to another level of authority to ensure no one else suffers from what he went through.

Contacted for a comment, Police Superintendent, Auapa'au Logoitino Filipo, defended the actions of the Police.

He said the Police officers were looking for drugs.

Auapa'au says they have found what they were looking for and Mr. Lesatele was reported by the public to be a well-known drug dealer at the flea market.

Later, the Police issued the following statement about the raid.

It is published below verbatim:

The Samoa Police Service carried out a raid at the Savalalo Flea market in search of marijuana this morning the 20th of April 2018 (Friday).

A concerning number of the public have address the issue of marijuana being sold at the flea market and pose a risk to the youth of Samoa.

A majority of these men are known to police for being dealers and suppliers of marijuana.

However, due to their histories they have master ways of concealing narcotics from the police and K9 dogs.

A total of 8 individual were arrested and 6 were charged for possession of narcotics. Police also managed to seize a certain amount of marijuana cigarettes found on these individuals. Please be advised that marijuana is illegal in Samoa.

We also thank the general public for their patience during todays raid and if anyone has any concerns with regards to any narcotics matter please contact our Narcotics Division on 22 222 ext 292. Faafetai lava and be safe out there Samoa!The mystery of the whereabouts of a gun submitted as evidence during the hearing of a Police officer remains an unsolved puzzle for the Court and the Police.

The gun was stolen from the Ministry of Justice and Courts Administration building and up until now; no one seems to know where it went and who took it.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Justice and Courts Administration (M.J.C.A), Papalii John Papalii, said they are extremely concerned about the lack of developments into the hunt for it.

Since the gun disappeared last year, he said it has not been found and there are no leads on what happened to it or who might be responsible.

The matter is still with the Police and we have not received any updates as to the status of the case, he said.

The weapon disappeared from the Courts evidence room in September last year.

Immediately after, the Police launched an investigation in a bid to find the weapon.

The missing gun is the evidence in the heading of a suspended Police officer who is 10 criminal charges, including the discharging of a firearm.

Police Superintendent, Auapaau Logoitino Filipo said the investigating is continuing.

This case is still being investigated by the Police, he said.

I cannot reveal details of cases that are being investigated, that information will be made available in Court if and when the case reaches the Courts.

In the meantime, Papalii said the removal of the gun has forced the Ministry to reconsider how evidence from Court cases are stored.

He said they are now locked away in a safe place with only one key.

I have that key and it will not leave my sight, he said.

All the exhibits that come in will be handed over to me for safe keeping ensuring this issue is not repeated.

Before, the Samoa Observer understands that exhibits and evidence were usually stored at the office of an A.C.E.O.

However, for some reason this gun was stored in the office storage room and from there it went missing.

A notice has been circulated among the Ministrys staff members in the bid to locate the gun.

A notice was given to the employees for information about the missing weapon as there is no one who has access to the storage room but the employees.The former Head of State, His Highness Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi, has delivered a passionate plea for all Samoans to make a public stand to address what he describes as an ambiguity in article 102 of the Constitution, which could endanger Samoas customary lands. Tui Atua issued the plea during an address he delivered at Tuaefu last Friday. The address was prompted by an open letter written by one Faapale Taumua and published in the Samoa Observer. Tui Atua said the letter moved him to tears. We are reprinting the letter below, due to popular demand:

An open letter to His Highness Tui Atua

First and foremost, I humbly and respectfully apologize for my presumption to approach your Highness without invitation.

I am confident though that the former Prime Minister that I remember as a youth, a humble man full of wisdom, will welcome any and all contributions to the conversation on all subject matters irrespective of rank or title, involving welfare of nation.

The subject matter addressed here, the circumstances and the long term detrimental impact of L.T.R.A. of 2008 to community, warrants temporary suspension of decorum so as to enable community to voice opinions on matters that will directly affect us all.

I pray that if this call reaches you, that the subject matter be your foremost concern and not the source. And I again apologize for my presumption and any inconvenience I may cause for calling on you for assistance.

I have the urge to present this point to check if it crossed your mind. It had been discussed and voiced in the past but we are now on that cross road demanding direction from our leaders. Being that you are the Tui Atua, you are the Father and Leader of the nation based on the Aganuu, the Faa-Samoa. Therefore, on behalf of all those concerned with the long-term impact of the L.T.R.A. 2008, I hereby seek your opinion regarding questions raised below.

The opposing voices about L.T.R.A 2008, focus more about the risk the Prime Minister is exposing our lands to. I have reviewed due process procedures only under Part 2, drafted up for the protections of families and their lands, and what I find are word-playing tricks drafted by lawyers that I prefer to believe, the Prime Minister himself understands.

Our elders may not be so educated in these kinds of governing processes with laws written out in complicated technical jargons and their meanings, but that does not excuse anyone to treat them as fools. The tricks written into this Part 2 alone reveals how the government views our community as a whole. Being simple in matters of the outside world does not mean theyre idiots.

It is my general understanding that you signed off on this law. This is perhaps why you are so far reluctant to come out publically to join the protests.

I dont blame you. This is because one of the strengths of our culture, is the unquestioning trust we place on family and community leaders that they will do their utmost to protect us from harm.

But in the hands of irresponsible individuals and leaders, this unquestioning trust can turn into a double-edged sword. You did the same here. You trusted that the Prime Minister will not intentionally harm the community and signed off without reading it thoroughly.

But if you regret it now, then you also regret the Faa-Samoa that raised you and made you the man that you are today. You trusted a leader like you were supposed to. It is an automated reaction as the culture demands of us all even today. All of us would have done the same.

But as Abraham Lincoln once said, I walk slowly, but I never walk backward. Walking slowly in this case, works out for the best. This is because this law, presents a scenario that had been avoided but must be dealt with eventually. If you hadnt signed it, we would not have had the chance to deal with this issue to its final conclusion. But as least for now, we have you, the best of all of us to deal with it.

I have a separate concern besides the danger the L.T.R.A. of 2008 poses on our customary lands. My concern is about maintaining the rule of law as established by the Aganuu Faa-Samoa for thousands of years.

We generally view the Faa-Samoa as a culture, but what we overlook is the fact that the Faa-Samoa also had the authority to make rules, established traditions that became accepted practices, which became laws that regulated our social lives.

This authority to make rules and regulations means that the Aganuu Faa-Samoa, falls under the category of government consistent with its modern definition. It was the Faa-Samoa that established a regulation and rule of how a family land shall be owned.

There had been other rules and regulations as well that we continue to apply today that are critical in maintaining and strengthening our culture, identity, and continue to promote harmony amongst community members.

Another example of this is that families are left to choose their Matais on their own without government interference.

The rankings of Matai Titles also are left to standards set by our ancestors undisturbed as another example. These were rules and regulations and as they were established by the Aganuu Faa-Samoa, we must consider the Faa-Samoa as a governing body equal to all forms of modern governments as defined, because of its authority to make rules and regulations for community to live by.

Because of how ancient our regulation is regarding land ownership, some Judicial Systems like the Americans, will definitely view this regulation as a law that granted all citizens a fundamental right or fundamental liberty, to be a part owner of family land, equal to all members of family. In America, there are not that many rights or liberties considered fundamental.

I believe you understand this point very clearly. These fundamental rights include the right to worship any god of your choosing, the right to associate with anyone, the right to raise your child as a parent, and the right to choose your spouse.

These fall under the umbrella of natural rights of man to Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness. This is because these rights were practiced by humans individually all over the world, before men began organizing communities to form modern governing bodies to govern their lives.

Some were added onto this list by the American Constitution however. The American Courts have guarded these rights zealously and will carefully review any government interests seeking to interfere with, or deny the exercise of these fundamental rights and liberties.

This generally means that to interfere or deny these rights, government must prove that there are no other alternatives left to them in pursuit of their goals, but to interfere and deny the exercise of these rights and liberties outright.

Because of how ancient our rule and regulation is as to land ownership, we can claim following the American system that each of our family members has a fundamental right or liberty to land ownership equal to all other members.

In that case, under American law, the question the Court asks in a challenge against a government policy that seeks to interfere with, or deny exercise of right is: how compelling is the government interest that now seeks to eliminate this right completely, a right so ancient that it might had been the very first right established by our ancestors?

The government interest that justified the LTRA of 2008 is to make money. How compelling is this interest when there are plenty of other alternatives available that will accomplish same goal, but leave this ancient right undisturbed?

My opinion is that the authority that must deal with this question and other related ones is the office responsible for maintaining and prolonging the Aganuu Faa-Samoa. This office is the office of the Tui Atua. This is because the fundamental right interfered with and deleted by the LTRA, was a fundamental right granted to us all by a governing body that is still operating today, the Aganuu Faa-Samoa.

My first question is: does the government have authority to overrule any rule or regulation set in place by the Aganuu Faa-Samoa? Out of respect for our elders, your peers and subjects of the Tui Atua, I believe this question needs to be presented for their overall opinions.

They all have a right in deciding this question. I kind of remember a question of this kind, that of separation of the powers between the Aganuu Faa-Samoa and government floating around during your term as a Member of Parliament in the 70s, but not of the circumstances that brought it up.

I remember it not only because my father (who looked up to you (he wished he was educated as you)) had an opinion of it, but also because it was unique.

But here it is again confronting us except that this time, the government is now seeking to pull out the corner stone of the foundation that the Aganuu Faa-Samoa is based on. This is a huge structural change to our way of life.

This rule had been set in place so far back that the memory of its beginning is lost to us all. It must had been very important to our ancestors to set this up in place. Whatever their purposes were, it brought harmony to the community and implanted on all of us a sense of belonging.

This is the psychological element that the Prime Minister does not see. The land came first before man and therefore acted as the cornerstone which began the roots of the culture that came to be known as the Faa-Samoa.

The next question is this: If someone is to pull out this cornerstone, is that someone a Tuilaepa, or under the authority of other Titles he represents? And if it is, then why is he worthy of a monumental structural change that will forever change the core of the Aganuu Faa-Samoa?

In other words, what had any of these Matai titles he represents done to deserve this honor? My answer is no. This is not to demean the honor of these families, but it is because I believe that nobody alive has earned that right. Can you imagine a vision so far ahead of its time in both social and psychological impact that went into shaping this rule for our community? I dont believe schools or universities were invented yet then?

And yet, our ancestors devised this scheme so beautiful that it seems like it was passed directly from God. And yet, minds framed by so called advanced education fail to see the advantages that such wisdom contributed to our identity. So who is worthy then?

The L.T.R.A. of 2008 has brought this confrontation head on. To support what the government is seeking here, is a vote granting the government authority from this point forward of regulating all areas pertaining to our social lives that were once regulated by the Aganuu Faa-Samoa. The government may seek to tell you who the Matai of your family shall be and as precedent is already set here, you may have to accept that too. As of now, there is no one speaking up to represent the Aganuu Faa-Samoa and its interests. The only worthy representative is one with the Tui Atua honor. So this issue falls on your lap unfortunately. But as difficult as may be, you are worthy of the task. But that is speaking from a biased point of view.

I was a boy of around ten years old when my father and I began sitting around our little radio mesmerized by your voice, wisdom and delivery as a Member of Parliament. It was the only time that I noticed my father had stopped working. But I believe it was the same with most of our country at that time. Everything kind of stopped when Tupuola Efi spoke. That kind of manna had not been seen since. I then discovered a speech you gave the United Nations sometimes in the late 70s or early eighties rejecting South Africas apartheid policy. I had goose bumps and tears as I remembered those early days with my father as I was reading this. But even more so was the knowledge that my father wished for while listening to you that was spelled out in details on this speech. Like the ancestors who drew up this plan for the distribution of our lands, you were ahead of the times. These so called advanced societies with education degrees to prove their worth, had no idea of what freedom to individual liberty was, but our Tupuola Efi did. I was so proud.

I am calling for that hero today who understood and defended individual freedom to liberty. We need the Tui Atuas wisdom in deciding whether a government formed by ideas of outsiders, has the authority to change rules and regulations set up by our ancestors under the Aganuu Faa-Samoa?

There is nobody worthy amongst us to lead the discussion. It may seem like this law only deals with land ownership, but it is not. There are unforeseen consequences of this change that has opened up the nation to another form of foreign invaders.

You will leave behind a broken foundation that will never be repaired. This is the beginning of the end of the Aganuu Faa-Samoa as we know it as this structural change will slowly divide the nation into classes of landowners and serfs.

A knowledgeable man like yourself fully understands how this kind of system worked out for minorities all over the world! The Faa-Samoa is the only thing that separates us from other cultures and responsible for our national identity. If we let the government delete one fundamental right and liberty for such minimal justification as to make money, where will it end?

Can you envision a Chinese Tupua Tamasese when future government decides to fix budget shortfalls by selling our Matai names to the highest bidder?

I trust in your leadership as if anyone understands the nature of fundamental rights and liberties and what they pertain, it is you my Tui Atua. This is your watch.

With the Utmost Respect,

Faapale Taumua.







Challenges faced by the media in Samoa  with the onset of internet technology  will be the focus of a National Forum on Freedom of Expression Online.

It is part of World Press Freedom Day activities being organized by U.N.E.S.C.O. and the Journalists Association of (Western) Samoa (J.A.W.S.).

To be held at the Insel Fehmarn Hotel in Tanugamanono on 3 May 2018, the theme of the Forum this year is "Looking over Internet Risks and Challenges.

The gathering will also look at the Government criticisms of media reports, fears about censorship, violence and the harassment of journalists in general.

We intend to bring together several stakeholders to discuss the above theme and develop strategies to address issues as a result of Social Media, said J.A.W.S. President, Rudy Bartley.

It should also encourage a discussion how media freedom can be upheld and defended.

According to Mr. Bartley, there will be a panel to discuss safety of journalists.

Journalists who have been attacked or harassed online will be invited to tell their stories and from there the moderator should initiate a discussion on how journalists can keep themselves safe (ethical and professional behaviours).

He said the open nature of the internet is a benefit to freedom of expression and access to information, but it does have challenges.

The negative side of internet is the openness to transmit hate speech, deliberate defamation under the guise of freedom of speech, sharing and leaking personal information and the spread of fake news.

These risks cannot be effectively monitored if there is the lack of and under-resourcing of self-regulatory systems by internet intermediaries or other stakeholders with a role to monitor online content.

Elsewhere, it has fueled the growth of legislation and regulation imposing restrictions on freedom of the press.

The national forum will create a platform for the J.A.W.S. and relevant stakeholders to talk about the challenges to media freedom online and offline in Samoa.The Samoa Workers Congress (S.W.C.) is on the move to make a difference.

It has just completed a successful Leadership in Union and Social Dialogue workshop.

Held last week, the training focussed on identifying the skills and processes necessary for a union leader to lead effectively. It was also to develop an understanding of social dialogue, its processes and its benefits.

The participants came from the Samoa First Union, Samoa Ports Authority Staff Association, Development Bank of Samoa Staff Association, Samoa National Provident Fund Staff Association, Samoa Nurses Association, Samoa National Teachers Association, Samoa Qualifications Authority Staff Association and Fire and Emergency Services Authority Staff Association.

The Main facilitator was Gatoloai Tili Afamasaga. She was assisted by other presenters from different sectors including I.L.O. National Coordinator for Samoa and Manager of Women In Leadership Project with UN Women.

Their presentations focussed on the links between the work plan of S.W.C. under the Samoa Decent Work Country Programme and other critical issues.

S.W.C. was established in March 2014 as the umbrella body for all workers unions and associations, both in the public and private sector.

As of February 2018, S.W.C. had seven affiliates representing a total of 4,100 workers, up from six affiliates and 3000 workers two years ago.

According to a statement from the Group, the challenge now is to organise workers to ensure that union leaders in their workplaces understand their crucial role as leaders, organisers, problem solvers, communicators, and educators to ensure they protect the interests of their members and enforce labour standards.

Union leaders must also ensure their representation at all levels, to give them a voice to dialogue with employers and government to ensure the improvement of working conditions, equitable labour laws and most of all a secure living.

There is a great need to build the capacity of not only S.W.C. but workers from other entities to enable them to organise themselves and to see the benefits that will flow. This proposal for a workshop will address this need.

Approval of a strategy to restore the deteriorating Buena Vista Lagoon, possibly returning it to a saltwater system, will take at least a few more months, a county official said.

The board of the San Diego Association of Governments, the countys regional planning agency, was scheduled to review the projects final environmental impact report in January, and to choose one of four possible alternatives.

But a last-minute flood of 70 additional comment letters forced a postponement of the hearing until this summer.

At issue is the SANDAG staffs recommendation to remove the weir, which is a low dam, at the mouth of Southern Californias only freshwater lagoon, covering more than 220 acres at the border of Carlsbad and Oceanside.

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Without the weir, the ocean tides could flow in and out, creating a predominantly saltwater system.

The idea has strong support from conservationists, environmentalists and government agencies, and equally ardent opposition from property owners on or near the lagoon.

The government has wrongfully been on autopilot on opening these things, said Jim Petronella of the Save the Fresh Water Lagoon Association. The group was formed in January by six homeowners associations along and near the lagoon west of Interstate 5 to oppose the saltwater option.

First built in the 1940s, the weir is on private property owned by two groups: the St. Malo Homeowners Association, a 90-year-old gated community on the sand just north of the weir in Oceanside; and the Beach Homeowners Association, representing 14 owners south of the weir on Rue Des Chateaux in Carlsbad. They have always fought the removal, saying the open channel would be a safety hazard, and that the mud flats exposed at low tide would be smelly and unsightly.

SANDAG took over as the lead agency on the project in 2012, a year after the state Fish and Wildlife Department, then known as Fish and Game, bowed out citing a lack of cooperation by beachfront property owners.

Freshwater lagoons are more productive because they include a wider variety of plants and animals, even though some of them are not native species, said Petronella, who lives in a Carlsbad condominium overlooking the lagoon. He said the lagoon has been widely recognized as a national treasure, and it would be ruined by a change.

But almost everyone agrees the treasure is tarnished. Its slowly being choked by sediment, and the difficult question is how to shine it up.

We support saltwater, as does every other conservation group, said Diane Nygaard, an Oceanside activist and president of the nonprofit Preserve Calavera, in an email Friday.

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Other saltwater project supporters include the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the California Coastal Conservancy and the Buena Vista Audubon Society.

All the studies that have been done, very carefully, costing millions of dollars ... show it would improve vector control, water quality, flood control  and would be the greatest benefit to biological diversity, Natalie Shapiro, president of the local Audubon Societys board, said earlier this year.

Mosquitoes that breed in the reeds and cattails around the lagoon have plagued nearby residents for years. Saltwater supporters say tidal exchanges would solve that problem, while freshwater fans say saltwater mosquitoes would be just as bad.

The only municipality to take a stance on the project, the Carlsbad City Council, voted unanimously in November to support the saltwater alternative.

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The Buena Vista Lagoon Foundation was formed in 1982 to work for the restoration, originally as a freshwater body. However, after 35 years with no progress, some foundation members have said they would be happy to get a freshwater or saltwater project, anything to improve the lagoon.

The latest round of comments set the projects SANDAG hearing back to at least June or July, project manager Keith Greer said Wednesday.

We have to respond to each letter, and each comment in each letter, Greer said. That is being finalized now.

The most recent comments and the responses to them will be posted on SANDAGs website for the public to review before the final document goes to the board, he said.

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Even if the board approves the plan, construction is years away.

So far, no funding has been identified, though the project could get environmental mitigation money from the North Coast Corridor program, a series of freeway and rail transportation improvement projects from downtown San Diego to the Orange County border. The corridor program is paying for the San Elijo Lagoon enhancement, a four-year, $120 million project that began in December.

The Buena Vista project will need permits from numerous government agencies, including the state Fish and Wildlife Service, the California Coastal Commission, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and others.

Some of those agencies have said they will only support a saltwater project because it would have the most environmental benefits.

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No significant new issues were raised in the recent Buena Vista comment letters, Greer said, and the staffs recommendation to support the saltwater alternative is unlikely to change.

Though the lagoon project is sometimes called a restoration, thats not the correct term, he said.

Enhancement is a more accurate description, because the lagoon can never be restored to the way it was 100 or 1,000 years ago. Too many bridges, homes and shopping centers have been built on and around it over the years, dramatically changing the lagoon.

Along with removing the weir, three other alternatives were considered in the report: restoring the freshwater lagoon as it is, with the weir in the same spot; a hybrid restoration that would move the weir, making the lagoon half saltwater and half freshwater; and no restoration at all.

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Estimated construction costs range from $42 million to $46 million to restore the fresh-water lagoon, between $60 million and $65 million for the saltwater alternative, and only slightly more, $60 million to $67 million, for the hybrid lagoon.

Its a tough one, Greer said of the choice. Any of the alternatives is better than whats out there now. But some are better than others, and thats what people are arguing over.

A previous round of comments was collected after the initial draft of the environmental impact report was released in 2015, and the responses to those comments were included in the final report. The earlier draft did not include the SANDAG staffs choice of a preferred alternative.

Most of San Diego Countys lagoons are only intermittently open to the ocean. During the summer, waves push up a sand berm on the beach that closes them and, unless they are bulldozed open to release stagnant water, they remain closed until a strong winter rain creates enough storm runoff to push away the berm.

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Some studies show that Buena Vista, relative to other lagoons such as San Elijo and San Dieguito, may have stayed closed more of the year than the others.

Only one of the local lagoons, Agua Hedionda in Carlsbad, has been kept open year round since the 1950s by annual dredging to provide cooling water for the Encina power plant.

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philip.diehl@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @phildiehlAs a crowd lined up outside a voter registration center in Kabul on Sunday, a suicide bomber blew himself up, killing 57 people in the deadliest of a spate of attacks targeting Afghanistans upcoming elections, officials said.

Six more people were killed when a vehicle struck a roadside bomb near a voter registration center in the northern province of Baghlan, the fifth attack in a week on the election process, Afghan media reported.

The Kabul attack, in a western neighborhood heavily populated with members of the Hazara ethnic group, targeted a compound where government statistics officials were distributing national identification cards.

The number of casualties climbed steadily throughout the day, and by nightfall it stood at 57 dead and 119 wounded, said Wahidullah Majrooh, a spokesman for the Health Ministry.

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At least five of the dead were children, believed to have been students at a nearby high school.

Witnesses said only two police officers were guarding the center, adding to fears that Afghan security forces were ill-prepared to stop insurgent attacks on parliamentary elections scheduled for October.

The bomber detonated his vest in the crowd before he could be searched by police, said Hashmat Stanikzai, a Kabul police spokesman. He could not confirm how many officers were posted at the center.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack via its Amaq news agency, saying its target was Shiite Muslims; most Hazaras are Shiites. The Sunni extremist group has claimed several high-profile bombings against Shiites in Afghanistan, including one at a mosque in October that left more than 50 dead.

A U.S.-led campaign of ground and air operations has reduced Islamic States presence in Afghanistan to several hundred fighters. But they have continued to claim devastating assaults on the heart of Kabul, illustrating the inability of Afghan forces to secure prominent public places.

Witnesses had complained to police a day before the bombing that there was far too little security at the registration center, which is located in a residential area. Haji Zaman, a tribal elder, said that on Saturday more than 100 people were waiting in line outside the compound with just two police officers guarding the center.

I argued with policemen and some more people came to support me, saying theres no security outside the compound and people shouldnt gather there, Zaman said. He said he called the head of the center and told him to shut it down because civilians could be at risk.

When the center opened a week ago as President Ashraf Ghani launched a voter registration drive, Zaman said, authorities promised to erect barriers and station about 60 security officers around the center. They never did, he said.

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On Sunday, Zaman was standing near the line when a woman approached him holding her photo, asking for his help in registering to vote. As he spoke with her, the blast ripped through the air, throwing them to the ground.

Zaman escaped unharmed, but the woman was wounded. Blood-spattered bodies lay everywhere, he said; bits of flesh were caught in the trees.

Jawad, a 34-year-old who uses only one name, said the explosion left his ears ringing for several minutes. He helped get bodies into ambulances but said that no additional security forces arrived until most of the victims had been taken to hospitals.

Hours after the blast, he stood outside the center carrying a white plastic bag that he had salvaged from the site. Inside were the ID papers of someone he had never met.

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The government has been calling on people to get registered and vote, and now Im holding an ID and a voting card of a victim fallen in blood, Jawad said. Is this the way that the government promises to secure the voting process?

Special correspondent Faizy reported from Kabul and Times staff writer Bengali from Mumbai, India.

shashank.bengali@latimes.com

Shashank Bengali covers South Asia for The Times. Follow him on Twitter at @SBengali

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UPDATES:

11 a.m.: This story has been updated with additional details and reaction from witnesses.

10:05 a.m.: This article was updated throughout with staff reporting, a higher death toll and news of a second attack.

5:35 a.m.: Updated with 48 dead.

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3:20 a.m.: Updated to raise the death toll to 31.

This article was first published at 1:10 a.m.For 21-year-old Abdiel De La O of Logan Heights, Chicano Park Day is one of the biggest events on his calendar.

I come here to the park every year, I never miss it, said De La O, who works at a charter school. Its an important part of my life because its part of my culture and it makes me feel like Im at home.



For the record: This story has been updated to clarify the details of a protest at Chicano Park in February.

Organizers of the 48th annual celebration commemorating the parks heritage estimated about 5,000 people attended the festivities Saturday that included speeches, traditional folk dancing, a car show and booths selling food, clothing and arts and crafts.

The upbeat atmosphere on a sun-splashed day was a marked change from tensions that have enveloped the park in recent months.

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In February, a group that claimed the park discriminates against non-Hispanics gathered for a protest.

A far larger assembly of park supporters that day confronted the group that was holding what it called a Patriot Picnic. Shouting matches ensued and San Diego police said a few people instigated fights in the street as the crowd dispersed. Three arrests were made and outside the park a police officer was struck in the face.

A 39-year-old man is facing felony charges in the incident that left the officer with a broken nose, a badly damaged jaw and a cut over his eye that required eight stiches. The defendant, however, said he was not part of the Chicano Park protest.

An earlier confrontation between the groups last September resulted in angry verbal exchanges but no violence.

San Diego police said there were no altercations Saturday.

Josephine S. Talamantez, one of the event organizers and chairperson of the Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center, said the park welcomes people of all ethnic backgrounds.

This park was based on love, Talamantez told the crowd from the main stage. We had to deal with the alt-right this year but we will outlast them.

Chicano Park was founded in 1970 when the community of Barrio Logan and activists joined forces to protest the construction of a California Highway Patrol station. The site is the 8-acre park under the freeway ramps to the San Diego-Coronado Bridge.

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Every year since then, thousands turn out to celebrate its founding.

Silvia Robledo, a painter from South Bay, said Chicano Park Day is an event she cant miss.

1 / 16 Three-year-old Misael Carrillo from South San Diego sits in the replica 1951 Mercury convertible, as his dad, Jose pushed him during the 48th annual Chicano Park Day. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 2 / 16 Thousand people visited Chicano Park for 48th annual Chicano Park Day. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 3 / 16 Olivia Garcia of Chula Vista takes a picture of her dads car, a 1951 Pontiac Fleetleader Canadian, one of the many cars on display during the 48th annual Chicano Park Day. The car was sold in Canada, and differs form the version sold in The United States. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 4 / 16 Aztec dancers from numerous groups in The United States and Mexico performed during the 48th Chicano Park Day. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 5 / 16 Visitors to the 48th annual Chicano Park Day gathered in Chicano Park around the Chunky Sanchez stage in the park to hear speeches, prayers, blessings and see performances. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 6 / 16 Lowriders were on display in Chicano Park during the 48th annual Chicano Park Day. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 7 / 16 Several thousand people visited Chicano Park for 48th annual Chicano Park Day. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 8 / 16 Members of the Brown Berets raise their fists during the 48th annual Chicano Park Day. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 9 / 16 James Villalobos of the San Pasqual Indian Reservation listens to the speakers during the 48th Chicano Park Day. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 10 / 16 Members of Ballet Folkloric El Tapatio performed during the 48th annual Chicano Park Day in Chicano Park. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 11 / 16 Thousand people visited Chicano Park for 48th annual Chicano Park Day. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 12 / 16 Jose Macias, left, and Jose Valez, right, of South Los Angeles, look at the cars on display during the 48th annual Chicano Park Day. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 13 / 16 Juan Caro of City Heights lowers his head in prayer during the opening blessing at the 48th annual Chicano Park Day. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 14 / 16 Silvia Robledo of Imperial Beach, dressed as La Catrina, a legendary figure from Mexican lore that combines elegance, beauty and elements of the Day of the Dead traditions, was dressed in a wedding gown during the 48th annual Chicano Park Day. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 15 / 16 Three-year-old Misael Carrillo from South San Diego sits in the replica 1951 Mercury convertible during the 48th annual Chicano Park Day. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 16 / 16 Cell phone cameras got a good workout during the 48th annual Chicano Park Day. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune)

Robledo stood out from the crowd on Saturday dressed as La Catrina, a legendary figure in Mexican lore who combines beauty and elements of the Day of the Dead tradition. Robledo wore a wedding gown and her face was painted to resemble a skull.

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Its a part of my culture and everyone loves it, Robledo said between many requests by passers-by to have their picture taken with her and their children, who are sometimes intrigued and sometimes scared. Its about half and half, Robledo said with a laugh.

Noah Gomez drove to Chicano Park from his home in Los Angeles to help as a drummer for Danza Azteca Calpulli Mexihca, a dance group whose members wear traditional Aztec garb that includes elaborately feathered headdresses.

When we dance we dance as a form of prayer. So this is a sacred dance, Gomez said. Every dance has its own meaning, its own rhythm, its own beat. We do it to keep the tradition alive.

The streets around the park were lined with 325 lowrider cars, including a 1948 Chevy Fleetline in near-mint condition, owned by Alfonso Santiago, a tire salesman from Lancaster.

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A lot of guys do this for trophies, but my trophy is driving down the street and having people give me the thumbs-up, Santiago said.

Just outside the park, small businesses stayed busy.

Ernesto Gastelum, co-owner of Barrio Dogg, said he was on track to sell out all of the 800 high-end hot dogs his eatery had in stock for the day.

There are people here from Northern California, Nevada, L.A., Gastelum said. Chicano Park Day is not just a San Diego thing, he said. The words gotten out. Every year it gets bigger and bigger.

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rob.nikolewski@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1251 Twitter: @robnikolewskiSeven strangers sat at a dinner table in downtown Los Angeles, ringed by reporters jotting down notes, and set out to talk about race.

They included a Muslim physician originally from Pakistan; a Los Angeles transplant who had lived in Canada and Japan and whose family had emmigrated from Taiwan to New Jersey; a bisexual man with Cantonese and Ashkenazi Jewish roots; the Mexican American lobbyist who had welcomed them into her chic apartment; and their facilitator, a black man born in Inglewood who reassured them as they settled in for soul food and a guided discussion.

Im not an expert either, said Anthony Foster, major donor and events coordinator for Community Coalition. I think were all here from a curious place.

They were brought together by an unusual effort, brokered through City Hall, to foster understanding, healing and growth. The initiative, called embRACE L.A., had been championed by one of the most powerful politicians in Los Angeles, who announced last summer that he wanted the city to host scores of intimate dinners focused on race and inequity.

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 Veronica Perez hosts an embRACE L.A. dinner at her home in Los Angeles.

City Council President Herb Wesson teamed up with Councilman Mitch OFarrell and Community Coalition, a South L.A. community organizing group once led by Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson, to make it happen. One hundred free dinners were held last week as part of a new program funded with $500,000 from the city.

We have an opportunity to kick-start or ignite a conversation on race that could travel throughout the nation, Wesson said.

Word spread online. Several people at the downtown dinner said they heard about it through Facebook. Thousands of people signed up to attend dinners throughout the city  twice as many as city officials had initially arranged for, Wesson spokeswoman Vanessa Rodriguez said. A second round of dinners is being planned to accommodate them.

Los Angeles is a place that sort of prides itself on diversity. How many other places gave birth to Korean taco trucks? said Manuel Pastor, director of the Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration at USC. But theres a lot of social segregation  particularly at a neighborhood level. I think theres been a hunger for this.

Amna Qazi, from left, Tom Chang, Ernesto Hidalgo and Veronica Perez participate in an embRACE L.A. dinner. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times )

After the dinnergoers introduced themselves, Foster guided the conversation with questions: What did they love about Los Angeles, and what about it caused them pain? How had race shaped their interactions with other people? Had they ever had to have difficult discussions about race?

They talked about the toll of homelessness on daily life in Los Angeles. Why the homeless population seemed to be disproportionately black.

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How they felt about giving money to panhandlers. Why so few women hold elected office at City Hall. Islamophobia. Coming out as queer.

That viral video of two black men getting arrested at Starbucks in Philadelphia.

I think its getting worse, said Amna Qazi, who sits on the city Human Relations Commission. I would not say better.

Veronica Perez, the lobbyist hosting the dinner, asked her why. Qazi replied that there was hatred out there, adding, I hope you guys are not very happy with the current POTUS?

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Laughter rolled around the table. No one volunteered that they were.

Another guest remarked that institutional problems with race had long predated President Trump, and would not go away when he leaves.

Part of the reason that there might seem to be more problems with race now, said Danny Hom, is that social media has spotlighted problems that once were under the rug.

So I dont know if this just  goes away when the president goes away, said Hom, who works for a nonprofit that provides solar installation for low-income families.

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Los Angeles has tried to bring people together to talk through differences before: Amid stark divisions over the verdict in the O.J. Simpson trial, then-Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas convened people in what became the Days of Dialogue program. Elsewhere in the country, people have broken bread together in Chicago, Chattanooga, Tenn., Dallas and Wichita, Kan.

But if tough topics arent brought up, its a bunch of people sitting around, looking differently, having a kumbaya moment, said Delores Jones-Brown, professor emeritus at the City University of New York Graduate Center.

Wesson, the first African American to serve as council president, said that face-to-face conversations in college and at church had changed his own outlook, helping him to open up after he suffered racist attacks as a youth. Having the dialogue, in itself, is a victory, he said.

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At one dinner last week, Wesson said, he heard one person recount seeing No Reds signs barring Native Americans from businesses as a youth. A white woman, in turn, talked about having the privilege of race never factoring into what she wanted to do.

Which was interesting  because race factors into just about anything I want to do, Wesson said.

In skid row, the dinner was deep. It was soulful. It was moving, said Pete White, executive director of the Los Angeles Community Action Network, which hosted a meal for its members and partners. White said people were asked about their grandmothers, and stories ended up stretching back to slavery and sharecropping.

And at a Chatsworth co-working space, dinner host Sonia Smith-Kang said the talk turned to Rodney King, the black motorist whose beating at the hands of police  and the acquittal of the officers  led to one of the most tumultuous periods in Los Angeles history. Having folks representing Korean Americans and African Americans, to hear each others side, that really stuck out to me, said Smith-Kang, who heads a nonprofit that advocates for the multiracial community.

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Anthony Foster, middle, facilitates an embRACE L.A. dinner party last week. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times )

But even some Angelenos sympathetic to the cause are skeptical that a simple dinner can address deeper issues. Melina Abdullah, a Cal State L.A. professor and Black Lives Matter organizer, said she attended the first dinner with Wesson at his home that became the model for embRACE L.A. Sitting down together for dinner is a good start, she said, but only a start.

We have to get beyond polite conversation and say, What is your role in dismantling the way in which power structures, especially policing systems, abuse black people, brown people and poor people? Abdullah said, pointing to the recent shooting of 30-year-old Grechario Mack at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw mall.

Another question is who shows up to such dinners and who doesnt. Smith-Kang said that though her Chatsworth dinner included millennials, baby boomers, African Americans, Korean Americans and people of mixed heritage, it sounded like everybody was on the same page on many issues, leaving her wondering how to bring in others who were not.

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Foster said that although no one volunteered that they backed Trump at the downtown dinner attended by reporters, there had been conservative guests  and sometimes tenser exchanges  at some other meals across the city. Polling by the Pew Research Center has shown that Republicans and Democrats are much more sharply divided than in the past on questions about racial discrimination and immigrants.

 Dr. Amna Qazi speaks about what brought her to the table for the embRACE L.A. dinner party in Los Angeles.

Americans are really coming to terms with just how bad the polarization is, said Ange-Marie Hancock Alfaro, professor and chairwoman of gender studies at USC. Part of the problem, she said, is that with the rise of social media, people are drawn into ideological echo chambers.

But Alfaro added that even if people at the dinner table seem to be politically simpatico, talking about race is still important. If Angelenos think that Los Angeles is a very liberal place, a very diverse place, and therefore they must get the race question right, she said, they might end up having a bit of a reality check as they start talking to other folks.

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Wesson added that the dinners would also have a ripple effect, as attendees go back and talk with family and friends who might not have turned out to discuss race with strangers. He plans to sort through their feedback to decide what should come next.

That question was also on the minds of the dinnergoers gathered downtown as they wrapped up hours of discussion over black-eyed peas and baked macaroni and cheese. At the end of the night, they were handed a list of local groups focused on racial justice, immigrant rights, homelessness and other issues that touch diverse communities.

I hope that we can continue to have these conversations, Foster told them, after the cameras leave.

Days later, Hom reflected on what had been said and what had not.

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He had left the downtown dinner feeling grateful to be heard and recognized as a multiracial person, and knowing that he had heard other people. But he felt they could have pushed harder to talk through tough issues like how policing in L.A. affects black and brown communities.

Maybe, he said, it was hard for their particular group  educated professionals with the privileges that status carries  to name the city as the entity with the power to step up and make institutional change.

He hoped that city leaders, in turn, would take feedback from the dinners and use their power to fix the daunting problems that were discussed.

Id like the talk to be translated into action, Hom said, for our collective good.

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 Tom Chang, speaks on race at the embRACE L.A dinner party in Los Angeles.

emily.alpert@latimes.com

Twitter: @AlpertReyesOn one day last week, all the complexities of San Diegos immigration and border politics were on display.

At the county building, the Republican Board of Supervisors voted on Tuesday to back a federal lawsuit seeking to overturn Californias immigrant sanctuary laws.

Nearly 1,500 miles away in Mexico City, a large bipartisan contingent of San Diegos political and business leaders were talking about improving border traffic waits, bolstering cross-border commerce and stopping Tijuana sewage from fouling the ocean off Imperial Beach.

San Diego is like nowhere else because of its geographic, economic, cultural and social ties to Mexico. The region has the busiest border crossing in the Western Hemisphere.

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The shared interests, relationships and on-the-ground familiarity makes for a nuanced reality not usually found in the typical blunt immigration debate, whether it occurs in Dubuque or San Diego.

Immigration politics often heats up in cycles and is usually linked to economic downturns and significant increases in illegal border crossings. Right now, the economy is humming and illegal crossings were down significantly last year, though they have increased recently. Also, crime rates in San Diego are at historic lows, despite some upticks in violent crime (not attributed to unauthorized immigrants).

Candidate and President Donald Trump has broken that cycle with his demand for an expanded wall, castigation of unauthorized immigrants as criminals and targeting of Californias laws that give some protection to those here who mostly dont cause serious trouble.

But Trump is not the only reason why things seem different. Immigration-related issues only occasionally came into the purview of state and, particularly, local government. Not anymore.

Long before Trumps candidacy and presidency, the California Legislature and Gov. Jerry Brown moved aggressively to expand benefits to unauthorized immigrants  including allowing them to get driver licenses  and protect them from deportation if they hadnt done anything more than commit minor infractions. Bill after bill was signed.

This was when Democrat Barack Obama was president and his administration had ramped up deportations well beyond what they had been.

The governor boasted that the state was filling the void on immigration reform created by Congress.

While Washington waffles on immigration, Californias forging ahead, Brown said when he signed the Trust Act in 2013. Im not waiting.

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There were critics, but they seemed fewer and their voices werent that loud. As now, the Democrats controlled state government and were largely supportive of the immigrant bills. Republicans lawmakers, though mostly voting against them, muted their criticism, lest the party further alienate Latinos as it had in the past.

Mostly what we had been doing was watching Washington, D.C., watching whats been going on in Arizona, said Thad Kossuer, a UC San Diego political science professor.

But California has never fully lived up to its image as friendly to unauthorized immigrants. Proposition 187, which authorized withholding state services from immigrants without legal standing, passed in 1994  by a two-thirds majority in San Diego County  though it was largely overturned by the courts.

The Minuteman Project, which for a time organized militia units to patrol the border in California and other states, had its supporters in some pockets. And many people across the spectrum backed stronger border security and crackdowns, such as Operation Gatekeeper, launched in San Diego under President Bill Clinton.

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It almost gets lost in all the shouting that weve had a border fence here longer than most places.

This is not an all-blue state in immigration politics, Kossuer said.

To be sure, all those immigration moves had many vocal critics locally.

Then Trump came along and made immigration his political centerpiece with some extreme proposals  remember when he suggested deporting all 11 million unauthorized immigrants?  and superheated rhetoric.

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California went on the defensive -- defiantly -- and passed the sanctuary laws to give even more protection to unauthorized immigrants. Some cities got into the act. The San Diego City Council passed a resolution condemning Trumps wall and directed the city attorney to file a brief in support of a lawsuit seeking to thwart Trumps move to ban refugees from some countries from entering the U.S.

On the flip side, Escondido in recent years had weighed into the immigration realm with efforts to go after landlords who rent to unauthorized immigrants and setting up daytime police traffic checkpoints in heavily Latino areas.

But the real flash point came Jan. 1, when the state law SB 54, limiting local police agencies interaction with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, took effect. There are misconceptions about what this sanctuary law does. Contrary to some claims, it does allow local authorities to turn perpetrators of serious and violent crimes over to ICE.

Regardless, this did not sit well in Republican strongholds in Southern California. Now the state was telling cities and counties how their police could and couldnt work with another law enforcement agency. The locals did more than just complain about it. Orange County, San Diego County, Escondido and other cities recently took official action to join or support Trumps lawsuit.

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For decades, local governments, particularly in conservative areas, have chafed at state mandates, which often dont come with enough, if any, state funding. The sanctuary laws built on that frustration.

But this revolution in California, as Trump called it, also has come during an election year when some leading the charge against the sanctuary laws  such as Escondido Mayor Sam Abed, Supervisor Kristin Gaspar and El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells  are running for re-election or higher office.

Trump has stirred up a segment of the population concerned about (immigration) and you have local officials try to exploit that, said Tom Shepard, longtime San Diego political consultant.

The bulk of San Diegos establishment  some Democrats and mostly business-oriented Republicans  has largely kept out of the immigration fight. Many local leaders see it as an impediment to their mission to improve cross-border relations and trade that they believe are vital to the regions well-being. The San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce sponsored the Mexico City trip last week, as it has annually.

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The fact that the chamber and others have kept a laser-like focus on that is one of the more courageous things I have seen in recent years, and I applaud them for that, Shepard said.

Its not that they arent concerned about illegal immigration or think its a good thing, but they want it addressed through comprehensive federal reform. The harsh rhetoric and tougher policies dont make their dealings with Mexico any easier.

In a border city, immigration is not abstract. Its a firsthand experience. There are real frustrations and negative impacts from people crossing the border illegally. Theres an economic engine that needs fuel from cross-border trade, along with generations of rich binational culture baked into the regions DNA.

Its safe to say that those realities will continue to coexist, uneasily, for a very long time, as they always have.

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Tweet of the Week

Goes to Sara Libby (@SaraLibby), managing editor of Voice of San Diego reflecting on the U-Ts Sandra Dibble story about the $122 million upgrade for the Otay Mesa Port of Entry.

Reminder, re: the presidents tirade about Californias border -- the folks who actually live here keep trying to make the border easier to cross.Two of the deepest thinkers in science and religion convened Saturday for a celebration of Planet Earth and a discussion of whether their respective disciplines are mutually exclusive, and how they could be wedded to overcome the most vexing challenges facing the world.

World-renowned climate scientist Veerabhadran Ramanathan and noted philosopher and theologian the Rev. John Cobb Jr. said both facts and faith will be required to reverse a slew of worrisome ecological trends that are threatening human survival.

We are in a crisis stage and very few of us realize that, Ramanathan said at a pre-Earth Day event at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego.

Ive been working in this field for 40 years and waiting for our leaders to solve this problem, said Ramanathan, who has counseled Pope Francis and his two predecessors on climate change and is a distinguished professor at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. We have many powerful leaders, but we need to work from the bottom up.

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He said the church, and spiritual leaders across the planet, will have to play a key role in eliminating the greenhouses gases that are warming the planet so dramatically. We need a non-political forum like this to solve the problem, the scientist said.

Cobb, who has authored more than 50 books on philosophy and theology over his 93 years, said the historical divide between faith and science is as simple as the clash between open acceptance of information and a close-mindedness that borders on idolatry.

We make them into absolutes, he said of religious tenets. Did any of the religions of the world begin that way? The answer is no.

Without a fundamental rethinking of the cornerstones of Christianity and other organized religions  justice, mercy, humility  Cobb said global warming, acidifying oceans and soil erosion will become too pervasive to turn back.

We are living in an unsustainable world, and that means we who are living will not be sustained, he warned. Resistance to the evidence comes far more from the people who will lose money.

The discussions, which unfolded between hours of music, dance and food at the century-old church in Hillcrest, were billed as a reunion of science and religion, a melding of head and heart.

More than 200 people turned out for the event held one day ahead of Earth Day, which blossomed into a worldwide recognition of healthy environmental stewardship since it was first celebrated in 1970.

Catherine Banbury, a retired business professor from Clairemont, was among those who attended the celebration. She said it is important for scientists and people of faith to recognize value in each school of thought, and she sees that happening more than ever.

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Historically, science has discounted religion as superstition, she said. But at this time in history, scientists are now moving toward a deeper understanding of the universe that includes the divine as part of everything.

Ben White, an attorney-turned-soils researcher for the U.S. Forest Service, drove from Palm Springs to hear the two experts speak, and was glad he made the effort.

The most important thing for me is the community of committed people who are gathering together and thinking about how to address our common problems, he said.

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jeff.mcdonald@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1708 @sdutMcDonaldMany American consumers may be unwittingly participating in a multibillion-dollar black market that is threatening animal species around the globe  including in the United States.

Officials admit theyre barely scratching the surface of this illicit and lucrative trade, which for smugglers carries the risk of hefty fines but relatively little prison time.

Criminal organizations that traffic in drugs and weapons have, according to federal authorities, boosted their earnings in recent years by adding to their inventories, everything from alligator boots and endangered fish bladders to live tigers and king cobras.

This illegal trade goes far beyond the well-publicized poaching of elephants for their ivory or rhinoceroses for their horns. Even pangolins, sought after for their scales and meat, and thought to be the worlds most heavily trafficked mammal, only make up only a tiny fraction of the variety of animals smuggled into the United States every year.

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The overwhelming majority of illegal wildlife seized by federal officials from Southern California to New York to Miami is far less glamorous but increasingly imperiled, from sea cucumbers to iguanas to parrots to butterflies to coral.

1 / 36 At the LAX freight terminal, US Fish and Wildlife Inspector Cory Kawabata uses a flashlight to look at a bag with coral being imported from Indonesia in to the United States for the aquarium trade. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 2 / 36 Wildlife Inspector and K-9 handler Raymond Hernandez, with his dog Lockett, searched through a freight terminal at LAX seeing if Lockett alerted on any items. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 3 / 36 Live coral that is rubber banded together to look like a single piece is a way that exporters use to get around the quota limits established to maintain species. In this case, one piece would be put back in the shipment and the rest were confiscated. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 4 / 36 USFWS Inspector Joe Ventura examined a vampire turtle that was being exported to China. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 5 / 36 ,- US Fish and Wildlife inspector Rene Galindo looked at a vampire turtle from the Pacific northwest that was one of hundreds being shipped to China for the aquarium trade. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 6 / 36 A box full of vampire turtles that was one of many being shipped to China was examined by inspectors. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 7 / 36 USFWS Inspector Joe Ventura held a bag with a slender seahorse from Sri Lanka that was one of hundreds being imported to the US from Sri Lanka, a legal transaction for the aquarium trade. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 8 / 36 USFWS inspectors worked alongside Customs and Border Patrol agents at an inspection area at LAX passenger terminal, inspecting inbound packages and luggage. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 9 / 36 USFWS Inspector Joe Ventura held a bag with slender seahorses from Sri Lanka that was one of hundreds being imported to the US from Sri Lanka, a legal transaction for the aquarium trade. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 10 / 36 CBP agriculture specialist Monica Tiponko, who works closely with US Fish and Wildlife service, examined a bag full of cumin seeds coming in in a passengers luggage through LAX. She found seeds for an invasive species of weed mixed in and confiscated the cumin. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 11 / 36 Conservation posters are abundant in the flight arrival area at LAX. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 12 / 36 USFWS inspector Rene Galindo looked at items in a travelers luggage at LAX. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 13 / 36 A gold plated reptile skinned camera that was seized in a case. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 14 / 36 A stuffed caiman that was seized at some point. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 15 / 36 Stools made from an elephant foot, left and right rear, and one made from a rhino foot, right. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 16 / 36 Pool cues inlaid with elephant ivory that were seized from the mails. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 17 / 36 An elephant foot foot stool that was confiscated. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 18 / 36 A stuffed green sea turtle in the property room at the USFWS office in Torrance. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 19 / 36 Stuffed Koalas in the property room at the USFWS office in Torrance. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 20 / 36 Carved monkey heads. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 21 / 36 Raptor talons that were seized and are now in the property room at the USFWS office in Torrance. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 22 / 36 A stuffed puffin that was seized in the property room at the USFWS office in Torrance. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 23 / 36 A butterfly collection that was seized is in the property room at the USFWS offices in Torrance. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 24 / 36 A swim bladder from the endangered totouva, which only lives in the upper Sea of Cortez, is worth $5,000 to the fisherman who takes it and $30,000 on the open market in China. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 25 / 36 A carved walrus mandible that was seized and is in the property room at the USFWS office in Torrance. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 26 / 36 A carved elephant tusk that was seized in the property room at the USFWS office in Torrance. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 27 / 36 A carved and decorated monkey skull in the property room at the USFWS office in Torrance. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 28 / 36 A mounted tiger head. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 29 / 36 A Golden Eagle that was seized and is now in the property room at the USFWS office in Torrance. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 30 / 36 USFWS inspector Ray Hernandez in the property room at their offices in Torrance. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 31 / 36 A crocodile that was seized and is now in the property room at the USFWS office in Torrance.Agents from the Los Angeles office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Torrance are responsible for enforcement from Santa Barbara south to the Mexican Border. PHOTO/JOHN GIBBINS, Staff photographer, San Diego Union-Tribune) copyright 2018 (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 32 / 36 Erin Dean, Resident Agent in Charge of the US Fish and Wildlife Service in Southern California, shows some of the different garments made of animal pelts and skins that have been seized over the years, including this jacket made of crocodile and alligator skin that was taken from Sylvester Stalone. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 33 / 36 USFWS inspector Ray Hernandez in the property room at their offices in Torrance. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 34 / 36 L-r, Erin Dean, Resident Agent In Charge of the US Fish and Wildlife Service in Los Angeles and Wildlife Inspector K-9 handler Raymond Hernandez in the departments property room full of items seized over the years. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 35 / 36 A stuffed tiger that was seized and is now in the USFWS office in Torrance. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 36 / 36 A stuffed grizzly bear and a young lion that are now at the offices of the USFWS in Torrance. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune)

As habitat destruction and over consumption continues to threaten plants and animals around the world, this type of illegal harvesting can quickly take its toll, bringing creatures to the brink of extinction, said Brad Shaffer, director of UCLAs Institute of the Environment and Sustainability.

You can see this cycle where species go from being common to being rare because of the food trade, and then rare to extremely rare or extinct because of the exotic pet trade, he said.

Illegally trafficked animals, he added, are often not the charismatic megafauna that people think about, as opposed to the ball python trade of skins coming out of Africa or the just incredible movement of literally millions of turtles and tortoises across international boundaries illegally.

A report in March from the National Wildlife Federation found that a third of Americas wildlife is at risk of being permanently wiped out. That research comes as scientists continue to debate whether the planet is on the verge of the largest mass extinction since the dinosaurs.

To help combat this staggering loss of biodiversity, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service says it pursues more than 10,000 wildlife crime investigations every year, resulting in roughly $20 million in fines and several dozen of years of prison time annually.

While these numbers might sound impressive, a closer look reveals an agency overwhelmed by the sheer volume of animals and products flooding into the country.

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I have to say, its overwhelming how much is out there and how few of us there are. Erin Dean, resident agent in charge of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Southern California

Data obtained by the San Diego Union-Tribune from the wildlife service show that since 2004 inspectors have conducted an average of fewer than 4,300 seizures a year at ports around the country. Live animals account for only about 230 of those seizures annually, more than half of which are for coral.

Thats just 11 seizures a day at docks, airports and land borders in roughly 70 metropolitan regions around the country. Half of those cases are people caught bringing in items for personal use, such as an ivory statue ordered through the mail or snake-skin boots purchased while on vacation.

Wildlife service officials have been candid about the agencys lack of capacity, given its limited workforce. The federal Fish and Wildlife service employs about 355 inspectors and agents for the entire U.S, staffing levels that have been effectively unchanged for decades.

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I have to say, its overwhelming how much is out there and how few of us there are, said Erin Dean, resident agent in charge of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement in Southern California.

I get asked a lot how much do you miss, added the 24-year veteran, who oversees 17 inspectors and agents in Los Angeles County and four in San Diego. Well, I dont know. But with so few of us, I cant imagine what gets across without us knowing, unfortunately.

In addition to traditional inspection efforts at sea and airports, Dean said recently her team has put more of a focus on undercover investigations that target criminal enterprises in the community.

Last fall they announced the biggest wildlife trafficking bust in Southern California history. Operation Jungle Book charged 16 people and seized 200 animals, including monitor lizards, king cobras and a Bengal tiger.

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We are getting smarter, Dean said. We are working in areas that we havent worked in the past. Our intel unit has blossomed.

Still, its unclear if this approach can make a significant difference as long as demand remains strong for exotic pets and animal products.

As law enforcement struggles to keep up with the flood of wildlife brought into the country, complex rules for shipping wildlife make it often impossible for the average consumer to discern whats been illegally trafficked. Even frontline officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which wildlife inspectors rely heavily upon to flag them to potential abuses, can be unfamiliar with the maze of laws that govern the importation of certain species.

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Complicating the issue, illegal wildlife often makes its way across international borders as part of otherwise legitimate commercial shipments, which are regulated under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora or CITES.

On Thursday at a warehouse in Los Angeles International Airport, Dean and her team cut open several boxes of live coral from Indonesia during a routine inspection. Nobody seemed too surprised to find that the specimens  most likely destined for personal aquariums  had been rubber-banded together to avoid international quotas allowed under the shipments CITES permit.

While the undeclared coral was confiscated, the rest of the shipment was allowed through. It was clear that for businesses, bending the rules came with little consequences.

Thats why some animal advocacy organizations have urged people to forgo buying all exotic pets and nonessential wildlife products.

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Our main message is that when the buying stops, the killing does too, said John Baker, chief program officer of WildAid. You can live without wildlife products. Dont buy them.

WildAid has worked with shipping companies to ban delivery of technically legal animal products that often get mingled with illegal shipments, such as the United Parcel Service of America, UPS, did several years ago for shark fins.

Baker said other companies, such as FedEx, have balked at drawing such a hard line.

In response to questions about its policy around shipping wildlife, FedEx said in an email that its committed to strict compliance with the law: We have long been opposed to the trafficking of animal parts that are obtained from the exploitation of any species protected by law.

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Because so much of illegal wildlife is purchased and traded on line, a number of tech companies announced in March a campaign to reduce trafficking on their platforms by 80 percent within the next two years by blacklisting companies known to engage in such activities. Etsy, eBay, Facebook and Google are a few of the 21 businesses that have joined the effort, which was spearheaded by The World Wildlife Federation and other advocacy groups.

These efforts come as illegal smugglers have started to increasingly targeting wildlife in North America to replace stocks of wildlife that have been decimated in other parts of the globe. Increasingly, succulents from California, turtles from the Gulf Coast, eels from Maine and fish from Baja California have been targeted by those looking to capitalize on the exploitation of such animals.

In Southern California, wildlife service officials said their highest priority is catching smugglers of the totoaba fish, which are poached in the Sea of Cortez located in the Gulf of California and then shipped overseas from international ports in Ensenada and Southern California.

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The fishing village of San Felipe has embraced using gill nets to illegally capture the massive 120-pound fish and cut out their bladders, which when dried sell for as much as $30,000 in China. In the process, the nets suffocate other wildlife species, from whales to sharks to sea turtle to dolphins and rays.

Fishing the totoaba, which is itself listed as critically endangered, has also brought the vaquita porpoise to the brink of extinction. Experts believe there are fewer than 30 left in the world.

Andrea Crosta, executive director of Elephant Action League, has been tracking the totoaba trade from remote parts of China to Baja. He estimates that hundreds of bladders are being trafficked out of the Sea of Cortez every month by Mexican cartels and other criminal middlemen.

Theres no law enforcement, he said. Its a lucrative trade and pretty much risk free. Its gold swimming in the water.

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The fisherman are very poor, he added. The make maybe $500 a month and just one totoaba is $5,000.

There have been a handful of busts for totoaba by agents in San Diego and Los Angeles counties, but nothing compared with the volume thats making its way to foreign markets, Crosta said.

Certainly it goes through the border, he said. They dont really check much. I did it myself walking in and out many times.

This situation has led Crosta to the same conclusion as WildAid and other animal advocacy groups that government enforcement alone will not end trafficking of endangered animals.

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Federal officials have also recognized the need for increased public awareness. Thanks to public-private partnerships, billboards and signage about the impacts of wildlife trafficking are staples in airports around the country. Wildlife service officials also regularly conduct public outreach events in schools and other venues.

Dean, with Fish and Wildlife in Southern California, said it can be overwhelming for consumers to discern whats legal, so she always tells people the same thing: If you dont know, dont buy it.

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Twitter: @jemersmith

Phone: (619) 293-2234

Email: joshua.smith@sduniontribune.comGrowing up in Tijuana, Sergio Sandoval didnt know how much his birthplace would affect his ability to reach his dreams.

Sandoval plans to be an aerospace engineer and is well on his way to achieving that goal. He graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology and works for NASA. Hes planning to get a masters degree from San Diego State University.

All of this was possible because of a decision his mother made before he was born  she crossed the border to give birth to him in San Diego, making him a U.S. citizen. As soon as she was released from the hospital, she went with him back to Mexico.

I have no idea why she wanted to do it, honestly, Sandoval said.

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Though he resented not being full Mexican during his childhood, he said, once he realized that he wanted to become an aerospace engineer and would be able to attend college north of the border, he came to appreciate his cross-border identity.

Sandoval, 24, was educated through the end of high school in Tijuana, and as he looked to his future, he didnt know what he wanted to do.

I was a good student, but I didnt have a passion, Sandoval said.

Then someone pointed out to him that with his aptitude for math, hed make a good engineer, and Sandoval began researching the career.

It caught my attention because it looked hard, Sandoval said. I had never thought of how planes fly.

It was something crazy that I could do, he added, his face lighting up.

In Mexico, he explained, people usually go to universities near home. Aerospace engineering wasnt available as a major at any of the schools nearby, he said. He realized that San Diego State University, across the border from home, had a program.

But first, he needed to learn English and how to navigate the American education system.

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He began his higher education in 2011 at San Diego City College where he joined the Math, Engineering, Science Achievement, or MESA, program. At first, he lived with his aunt in San Diego, but after a couple of months, he moved back in with his family in Tijuana and crossed the border every day for classes.

He woke up at 3 a.m., and an hour later his father would drop him off at the border. After waiting in line to cross, often with his best friend who also attended City College, he took the trolley up to campus, usually arriving by 8 a.m. If the line to cross was shorter than he expected, he sometimes made it to campus well before he needed to be there and would nap in the grass outside his building until it opened for the day.

It teaches you a lot, he said of the commute. For me, it was a lot of patience, and it made me realize I was serious about what I wanted to do.

As a child in Tijuana, he was used to crossing the border frequently to go shopping or take trips with his family, so crossing daily for school didnt seem like a big deal. On his journey, he saw many of the same faces every day, people crossing for work or even for high school.

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People think its the most amazing thing that I did that, he said. Its just normal. The border, its always been there for me.

He knew it was the path to achieve what he wanted to do, so he did it, he said.

When I came to the U.S., I tried to leave behind all my fears and be the person I wanted to be, Sandoval said.

That included being punctual and organized and not being afraid to speak English, a language he had studied a little bit in high school but didnt feel comfortable using.

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I think it took me an entire year to know how to pronounce engineering, he recalled. He used to emphasize the wrong syllable.

He read books in English, looking up every word that he didnt know. He read the dictionary daily, he said.

After a year, he could understand what people said to him. Speaking fluently took about three years, he said.

To challenge himself more, he decided to go farther away from home to get his bachelors. He applied to Georgia Tech, a top university for engineering programs.

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In the fall of 2013, he moved to Atlanta. That experience helped him mature, he said.

From day one, you are on your own, Sandoval said. You have your family, you have a lot of people who support you, but you realize they are not always there. A lot of times, youre going to have to fight on your own and find solutions for yourself.

While at Georgia Tech, he began interning with NASA, first at the Jet Propulsion Lab in 2016 and then at the Johnson Space Center.

When he graduated in December 2017, his family made the trip to Atlanta to celebrate with him  he was the first to go to college.

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It was really a family effort, he said.

He plans to continue working at the space center in Houston this summer before starting his masters program in the fall.

Keep faith in yourself, he said when asked what advice he would give to others. Find your passion. Find the thing that moves you to do every crazy thing, and do it.

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kate.morrissey@sduniontribune.com, @bgirledukate on TwitterOne man died and another man was injured in a Paradise Hills house fire Sunday night and investigators are trying to determined how the blaze started, fire officials said.

The fire was reported on Calle Cumbre near Sedgewick Street around 10:15 p.m. and by time firefighters arrived, the single-family home was fully engulfed with flames showing from the windows, fire officials said.

When firefighters were able to enter the home, they found two people inside suffering from burn injuries.

Paramedics performed CPR on one of the men at the scene before transporting him to the hospital. The second victim also was in critical status and was transported to the UCSD Regional Burn Center, San Diego Fire-Rescue Battalion Chief Rick Ballard told OnScene TV.

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Neighbors said two older men shared the house, but rarely went outside or interacted with others on the street. The name of the man who died was not immediately released.

They were very quiet, said Sylvia Soltero, who lives nearby. I hardly ever saw them outside.

Flowers left as a makeshift memorial outside the Paradise Hills home where a fire broke out Saturday night, killing one man and leaving another in critical condition (Deborah Sullivan Brennan )

Neighbors said they heard a loud nose from the home and rushed to investigate.

We were settling down for the night and I heard a big boom, said next-door neighbor Cristal Gonzales.. It woke me, it shook my house. I heard our dog going crazy.

Her husband, Mitchell Gonzales, said he ran outside to check on the noise and saw smoke coming from the front door. I saw flames coming from the front door and started hollering, he said. No one responded.

They called 911, and he began spraying down the house with a garden hose to try to contain the blaze. When smoke began seeping from the side window, neighbors helped him pull the hose around the house, but they still couldnt get in, he said.

They continued calling to the occupants, and finally heard one of the men cry out from the garage.

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Thats when I heard screams, and asked Where are you?  Mitchell Gonzales said.

Metro Arson Strike Team investigators determined that the fire was accidental, although they dont know what caused it. It took fire crews from the San Diego and National City fire departments about 45 minutes to get the fire completely knocked down, said San Diego Fire-Rescue Department spokeswoman Monica Munoz.

Ballard said fire crews had a difficult time making their way into the home because the house was so filled with furniture and personal items.

Theres just a lot of items in the house, he said. It was high-piled with newspapers, a lot of clothing and furniture. There were no clear pathways within the house.

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Mitchell Gonzales said the mens cats also died in the blaze.

One man died and a second was hurt early Sunday in a house fire on Calle Cumbre in Paradise Hills. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune )

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pauline.repard@sduniontribune

Twitter: @pdrepard

UPDATES:

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1:00 p.m. This article was updated with additional details.

This article was originally published at 10:40 p.m.Since January 2017, San Diego taxpayers have been paying almost $18,000 a day to rent a vacant downtown office building.

City officials say building improvements are more extensive than they expected, but the lease-to-own agreement remains a good deal.

The citys Independent Budget Analyst and some members of the City Council are skeptical.

What started as an effort to consolidate San Diego city workers in new downtown office space has devolved into a long-term arrangement that is costing taxpayers almost $18,000 a day in rent for a building that is likely to remain vacant for months to come.

Hundreds of city employees were supposed to move into the former Sempra Energy headquarters at 101 Ash St. in July, but various delays have left the 19-story office tower unused since San Diego city officials signed a lease-to-own agreement in January 2017.

At $535,000 a month plus operating and maintenance expenses, the lease has cost more than $8.5 million so far. Such costs will exceed $200 million over 20 years for a building that sold for $72 million in 2016.

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Aides to Mayor Kevin Faulconer cannot say when the office tower may be ready to occupy, though they hope sometime during the next fiscal year, which starts July 1. First they have to reconfigure work spaces, deal with an asbestos issue and comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, among other things.

Although the building may appear ready for occupancy, the ultimate goal is to maximize the number of staff that will be permanently located in the building and to bring the building up to current code, Chief Operating Officer Kris Michell wrote in response to questions. The current timeline is FY 2019.

City officials presented a different timetable a year and a half ago, when they sought and received approval from the City Council to invest in the property.

According to a report to council members in advance of that October 2016 vote, the former Sempra building was in great condition and would need little more than a $10,000 power-washing before up to 1,100 employees could move in.

The building is considered Class A (highest tier) office space due to the excellent condition of the interior finishes and the upgraded mechanical systems, Real Estate Assets Department Director Cybele Thompson and Deputy Chief Operating Officer Ronald Villa wrote.

But thats not what happened.

Instead of moving employees into the 315,000-square-foot high-rise by July 2017, as planned, the city hired a consultant to redesign the work spaces. During that process, city officials decided to boost the number of eventual workers from 800 to about 1,150.

That meant more renovations to the plumbing, heating, air-conditioning and lighting systems and other changes, Michell told Councilwoman Barbara Bry in a memo this month.

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The price tag for tenant improvements rose past $27 million  more than five times what the city received from the seller for that purpose under the lease. With operating costs estimated at $3 million a year and design and other costs piling up, city officials can no longer say how much the Ash Street investment will cost.

Expenses associated with this project, as well as relocation costs, are still being determined, Michell wrote to Bry.

The District 1 representative, elected weeks after the council vote to proceed with the lease, criticized San Diego officials for their handling of the project at a meeting of the budget and government efficiency committee last week.

Normally when you buy a building, you get your space planning done before you buy the building, she said. If its going to cost millions more, maybe you shouldnt buy the building  I think it was bungled from the very beginning.

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The plan adopted by the City Council in 2016 authorized the mayor to spend up to $202 million over 20 years on the lease and related costs. The deal included $5 million for tenant improvements paid by the seller.

City officials said the lease-to-own agreement  with annual rental payments of just over $6.4 million  will cost roughly the same as financing a $72 million purchase over multiple decades.

They originally estimated the project would save $44 million over two decades by eliminating payments for other leased work space. That savings projection recently was revised downward to $35 million.

Mid-century high-rise

The office tower at 101 Ash St. dates back to 1968, when San Diego Gas & Electric Co. moved from its longtime address in the nearby Timken Building at Sixth Avenue and E Street.

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Over the years, SDG&E sold the property and was acquired by what became Sempra Energy, which relocated in 2015 from Ash Street to a new structure on Eighth Avenue.

The citys path to eventual ownership took some unusual turns.

SDG&E sold the tower to Liberty Mutual Insurance in 1975 when the utility was seeking extra revenue. The insurance company later sold the property to developer Sandor Shapery, who owned it for years until selling a 49 percent stake to businessman Douglas Manchester in 2015 for $20 milliion.

The partners toyed with the idea of converting the building to a hotel or apartments, but Manchester cashed out the following year.

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According to Independent Budget Analyst Andrea Tevlins 2016 report, the building owner then approached City Hall with an offer to sell for $100 million  well above the appraised value of $67.1 million.

Given the $100 million sale price offered to the city, the city did not pursue negotiations to purchase the building directly from its current owner, Tevlin wrote.

About the same time, Cisterra Development opened negotiations with Shapery to acquire the office tower.

Shapery struck a deal to sell the building to Cisterra for $72.5 million.

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Before that deal closed, the development company had signed a separate agreement with the city granting San Diego two options, Tevlin said. The city could buy the building for $110.6 million, financed over 20 years, or acquire it under a lease-to-own arrangement costing $127.8 million over the same two decades.

City officials told Tevlin that because language in the sale agreement between Shapery and Cisterra could prompt litigation if the development company signed the agreement over to the city, staff recommended that the council embrace the lease-to-own option.

The budget analyst wasnt entirely convinced.

It is important that the city carefully consider major real estate purchases and long-term agreements in order to ensure that the best interests of the city are protected, Tevlin concluded in her report.

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San Diego spokeswoman Katie Keach said in a statement that San Diego was not in a position to purchase the office tower directly from Shapery.

The previous owner had offered the building to the city for $100 million, she wrote. And Cisterra was offering the building to the city for $72.5 with the ability to enter into a lease-to-own agreement.

Escalating rents

More than 11,000 people work for the city of San Diego. About 2,500 of them share 800,000 square feet of space in five separate buildings downtown, where city officials forecast a notable increase in rents over the next few years.

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San Diego owns about 275,000 square feet of its central-city workspace, split nearly evenly between City Hall on C Street and the operations center two blocks away.

About 520,000 square feet in three other three buildings Procopio Tower on B Street, the Executive Complex on Second Avenue and the Civic Center Plaza across from City Hall  also house municipal employees, although the city entered a similar lease-to-own deal for the plaza building in 2015.

Keach said current leases on B Street rent for $3 per square foot and higher, and they are expected to keep rising. The Ash Street lease locks in more favorable rates for years to come, even with the five-fold increase in tenant-improvement costs, she said.

This deal will lead to long-term savings for taxpayers, Keach wrote.

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Bill Shaw, a retired construction company executive and former board member of the citys downtown redevelopment agency, said city officials dropped the ball in examining how the building would be used and how much the renovations would cost.

The due diligence done by the city prior to entering the lease, knowing what their space requirements were going to be, was negligible, he said. To go out and buy the building without knowing what it was going to cost was negligent.

Bry wasnt the only elected official to raise questions about the Ash Street investment at the budget committee meeting last week. Council members Chris Ward, Georgette Gomez and Chris Cate all asked about the delayed opening and higher renovation costs.

The middle of last year we should have had people in the building, at least a couple of floors, Ward said. This is coming at a cost to the city, and I just dont want to wait any longer.

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They also chastised Michell for failing to keep them abreast of changes to the project, a criticism the citys COO acknowledged and pledged to fix.

It probably wasnt the most elegant process that weve engaged on with the city, Michell told the budget committee. We probably did not do the best job communicating with the council along the way.

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jeff.mcdonald@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1708 @sdutMcDonald

Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.The iconic SMW, which has been copied by maritime centres across the globe, is this year themed Positioning for Future Growth  Driving Connectivity, Innovation and Talent, and as with previous editions aims not just to engage the industry but also raise public awareness of the sector. In keeping with this SMW 2018 was launched the busy Suntec City Mall on Sunday afternoon, by Lam Pin Min, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Health.

The annual Singapore Maritime Week is here again. This year, it comes at a time when change to the global maritime industry has gathered pace  from the rise of disruptive technologies and the entry of non-traditional players, to the demand for better safety and environmental standards, said Minister Lam.

Against this backdrop, it is timely and useful for the maritime industry to hear from thought leaders on how we can overcome key challenges and seize new opportunities, so that we can collectively steer the maritime industry forward.

Read all the news from Singapore Maritime Week on our dedicated Live From Singapore Maritime Week 2018 page

The location for the opening also features the SMW Exhibition 2018 from 21  28 April where the general public can gain a greater insight into the industry. The exhibition highlights the next generation Tuas port project through innovative project showcases, from which visitors can learn about the various technologies that are transforming the maritime industry, such as remote pilotage and digital fleet management systems, as well as wearable technology which leverages augmented reality and biosensors.

More than 30,000 maritime professionals are expected to attend 34 events this week, which include the Sea Asia LNG Forum 2018 on 24 April, and the Seatrade Maritime Awards Asia on 25 April.Press Release

April 21, 2018 Legarda Joins Calls to End Plastic Pollution in Celebration of Earth Day Senator Loren Legarda today joined calls to end plastic pollution, which is the theme for this year's Earth Day celebration (April 22). Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Climate Change and UNISDR Global Champion for Resilience, said that plastics have been polluting land and bodies of water and threaten marine life and human health. "Plastics are ubiquitous components of the world's consumer culture. They symbolize the throwaway culture that we have developed. We cannot go business as usual as it pollutes our oceans and water, and even the air when burned," Legarda stressed. The Senator noted a 2016 report, The New Plastics Economy: Rethinking the Future of Plastics by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, which showed that the world produced 20 times more plastic in 2014 (311 million tonnes) than it did in 1964 (15 million tonnes) and at this rate, oceans are expected to contain more plastic than fish (by weight) by the year 2050. In February, a male sperm whale was found dead off the coast of Spain. It was determined that the whale was killed by gastric shock to its stomach and intestines after ingesting 64 pounds of plastic. Legarda also lamented that, according to Ocean Conservancy, the Philippines is one of the top sources of plastic trash dumped into the sea with 2.7 million metric tons of plastic waste and half a million metric tons of plastic-waste leakage per year. Legarda has already filed the proposed Plastic Bags Regulation Act under Senate Bill No. 430, which aims to strictly regulate the production, importation, sale and use of plastic bags. "This proposed measure discourages the use of plastic bags and encourages the use of native reusable bags made of organic or recycled materials, and reusable containers made of glass or non-toxic and non-hazardous materials," she said. However, Legarda, who is in Washington D.C. as Alternate Head of the Philippine Delegation to the 2018 Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group, wants to go even further. During her participation at the High-Level event, "Towards a Blue Economy: Concrete Actions for Addressing the Ocean Health," Legarda expressed her intention to file measures to promote a circular economy, in which resources are used for as long as possible and the use of non-renewable resources is minimized, and to ban the use of microplastics. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), microplastics are small plastic pieces that can easily pass through water filtration systems and end up in the ocean, posing threat to the aquatic life and human health. Microbeads is a type of microplastic that are added as exfoliants to cleansers, toothpaste, beauty products, and shampoo. USA already has a Microbead-Free Waters Act, Canada has banned products with plastic microbeads, and the United Kingdom has officially banned the use of plastic microbeads in cosmetics and personal care products. The Senator also encouraged individuals to try to limit their use of plastics, which is doable. Legarda, who has been strictly implementing segregation of waste in her home and workplace, discourages the use of plastic bags and other disposable utensils. She encourages the use of reusable containers and cloth bags when going to the market and doing grocery. She has also prohibited bottled water and the use of disposable cups and straw during her committee hearings in the Senate to reduce waste. Instead, purified water in dispenser and glassware are available for the guests and they are encouraged to bring their own refillable water bottles. "We should all make conscious efforts to change daily routine and practices to produce a positive impact on our environment. We need to reduce wastage and veer away from a throwaway culture, because the waste that we produce, especially plastics that take hundreds of years to degrade, will affect both our environment and human life," Legarda concluded.Press Release

April 21, 2018 Legarda: Belt and Road Initiative Can Bring Increased Trade, Infra Investments to PH Senator Loren Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, today said that the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) could bring in a multitude of benefits to the Philippines, particularly in trade and infrastructure investments. Legarda, Alternate Head of the Philippine Delegation to the 2018 Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group in Washington, D.C., made the statement after attending the High-Level Roundtable on Maximizing the Development Impact of the Belt and Road Initiative. The BRI is a development strategy proposed by the Government of China to improve stronger economic cooperation among countries through a network of maritime routes and land infrastructure. It will usher in huge investments for infrastructure projects across Asia, Africa, and Europe. "The Philippines' participation in the Belt and Road Initiative is of strategic timing and importance. It can help raise our competitive game to meet our challenges," said Legarda. "However, national interests dictate that key considerations be carefully studied and addressed as we approach and give our full support and cooperation to this ambitious project," she stressed. The Senator said that a key consideration that the country's economic managers need to address is if the projects we are contemplating under the BRI are strategically positioned in the context of the "Build, Build, Build" Program. "How can the BRI help the country achieve sustainability, reliance, and reliability in energy and transportation, which are two sectors facing some of the biggest challenges in our society today? We also need to ensure that funding of projects under the BRI, which will certainly form part of the country's debts, are undertaken well within the safety levels," said Legarda, who also chairs the Senate Committee on Finance. Legarda explained that the country's participation in the BRI needs to be consistent with its infrastructure and sustainable development plans, otherwise, "it could distract us from the much needed focus we need in order to fulfill our economic and development goals in the short- to medium-term." "If done right, the BRI will help bring significant benefits to the Philippines in the form of increased trade and investments in infrastructure. With the right set of policies and effective implementation of projects, these can contribute to achieving a more inclusive growth that benefits all," Legarda concluded.Press Release

April 21, 2018 Music draws crowds to Las Pinas for 4th chorale competition Music lovers flocked to Las Pinas City to enjoy the symphony of voices from all over the country in the 4th Las Pinas Chorale competition sponsored by the Villar SIPAG (Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance). Amid the day's melodies and tunes, Sen. Cynthia A. Villar expressed delight over the animated participation of choral groups nationwide in the annual competition, where seven (7) groups showcased their talents in singing. 'My heart is filled with pleasure over the successful turnout of this event. In a nation where technology has been the raging trend, it is heartwarming to see so many people immensely enjoying the music of these choral groups. This is a rare but welcoming sight,' said Villar, who is the Managing Director of Villar SIPAG. Villar said the annual event seeks to continually reconnect the people to the gone days where everything was simple, easy and convenient; and to the era when music calms the mind and the soul. The crowd at the Santuario de San Ezekiel Moreno in Las Pinas City cheered to the singing of the Alab Vocal Ensemble from Paranaque City, Quorista from Muntinlupa City, Chorus Vocales Philippines from Makati City, Tarlac Chamber Choir from Tarlac City, Philippine Normal University Chorale from Manila, The Summerwind Choir from Dasmarinas in Cavite, and Kawit Singing Ambassadors from Kawit, also in Cavite. From among the seven groups, the Philippine Normal University Chorale lorded the competition and won the Grand Champion trophy and a cash prize of P60, 000; Chorus Vocales Philippines won the first runner-up trophy and a P40, 000 cash prize; and Alab Vocal Ensemble won the second runner-up trophy and P25, 000 cash prize. The rest of the groups got P10, 000 each as consolation winners. Each group was judged according to their Songs Interpretation (Manner in which the piece is internalized and presented) - 30 percent; Delivery (Quality of voice, fluency, pronunciation, blending and harmony) - 30 percent; Stage Presence (Stage poise, eye contact and audience impact) - 20 percent; Costume & Sounds (Attire is related to concept, sound production, mixed voices) - 10 percent; and Mastery of piece - 10 percent. The groups performed the Villar SIPAG hymn Sandata as contest piece (70 percent), and side piece themed on inspiration and love (30 percent). The performances were judged by composer, conductor and director Jerry Dadap; Gregorio Asilo, Jr., Corporate Accounting of Savers Appliance Depot, the major event partner of Villar SIPAG for the 4th Las Pinas Chorale Festival; and Jack Uy. The 4th Las Pinas Chorale Festival is an annual event held in honor of St. Ezekiel Moreno, who was beatified by Pope Paul VI in 1975 and canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1992.Press Release

April 21, 2018 Plastic pollution choking our waters - Villar Sen. Cynthia A. Villar over the weekend underscored the pressing need to end the prevalent problem of plastic pollution all over the country, as she highlighted the worsening threat of plastic waste leakages to the country's wildlife and marine resources. Villar, who is the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, rallied for expanded national efforts to dramatically reduce, if not totally stop, plastic use as an initial solution to end plastic waste pollution throughout the country, especially in urban areas where plastic products are regularly used as packaging materials. 'The use of plastic products over the years has taken its grim toll on our natural resources. Our marine waters are choking from plastic wastes that have been dumped into our waters. We are ranked third next to China and Indonesia in terms of estimated volume of mismanaged plastic wastes produced by the population that could potentially enter the seas and oceans,' Villar lamented even as she acknowledged that 'the campaign against plastic consumption has been moving slowly because both manufacturers and users continue to be unmindful of the environmental, climate and health impacts of plastic use.' Villar made the remarks during the celebration of Earth Day 2018 and the 11th Anniversary of the establishment of the 175-hectare Las Pinas-Paranaque Wetland Park as the last coastal frontier of the Asean region. The twin celebrations were held at the Las-Pinas Paranaque Wetland Park. 'The government needs to take bolder and more innovative measures to control the entry of plastic wastes into our waters, which are destroying our marine natural resources and the habitats of resident and migratory wild birds,' the environment advocate said, noting research findings indicating that the Philippines is included among countries with the most number of plastic wastes being dumped into the seas. The senator expressed hope that government and environmental groups would sustain their ongoing campaigns to stop plastic waste leakages. Villar and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-National Capital Region (DENR-NCR) has partnered to celebrate this year's Earth Day, which has 'End Plastic Pollution' as its theme, aptly timed to generate government and public interest in further protecting the Las Pinas-Paranaque Wetland Park, a nature reserve with mangroves, ponds and lagoons, mudflats, salt marshes, and mixed beach forest. The partnership likewise celebrated the 11th year since Las Pinas-Paranaque Wetland Park was established through Presidential Decree 1412 as the first critical habitat in the country. It was also recognized as a wetland of international importance by the Ramsar Convention in 2013. The Las Pinas-Paranaque Wetland Park consists of 2 islands - Freedom Island and Long Island, which have been the favorite resting and refueling stops for migratory birds using the East Asian - Australasian Migratory Flyway. It hosts 41 species of migratory birds, with some coming from as far as China, Japan anf Siberia. Additionally, it has 114 hectares of mudflats which serve as feeding grounds for wild birds. Las Pinas-Paranaque Wetland Park also has more than 36 hectares of mangrove forest, the thickest and most diverse among the remaining mangroves within Manila Bay. It also has salt marshes, which play an important role in determining the health of a coastal area. In celebrating Earth Day 2018 and the 11th Anniversary of the Las Pinas-Paranaque Wetland Park establishment, Villar and the DENR joined Greenpeace Philippines and organized a photo exhibit, entitled 'Plastic Pollution: Threats and Solutions', which focused the klieglights on the issue of plastic pollution and its impact on resident and migratory wild birds that frequent Las Pinas-Paranaque Wetland Park. The exhibit also showcased an installation art that recreated the layers of trash within the beaches of Las Pinas-Paranaque Wetland Park to emphasize the magnitude of the plastic pollution in Manila Bay. The exhibit likewise featured creative solutions to reduce and recycle plastic pollutants. Groups like the Cavitex, Villar SIPAG Foundation and Polystyrene Packaging Council of the Philippines displayed products derived from recycled plastic; while the Holy Spirit Entrepreneurs, Diega's Group and Human Heart Nature showed and sold products made out of various wastes, including plastics and eco-friendly products. A participative mural was also on display, where volunteers can paint the unfinished part of the design as a pledge to reduce the use of plastics in their lifestyle. At the end of the event, a coastal clean-up at the coasts of the Las Pinas-Paranaque Wetland Park, where most garbages are accumulated, was also carried out with the participation of representatives from the Local Government Units of Las Pinas City and Paranaque City, Department of Public Works and Highways - NCR, and the Metro Manila Development Authority.Press Release

April 22, 2018 De Lima vows to resist gov't lies, deceits Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has pledged to resist state-sponsored fake news, notably across social media platforms, by being vigilant about the lies peddled by the Duterte administration and helping the public see through their deceits. De Lima, the most vocal critic of the government's all-out war on drugs, underscored the importance of constantly calling out what she called "the inconsistencies and duplicities" in what the officials of the present administration say and do. "The manipulators are so good at what they do that people can't tell their own opinions apart from the people they listen to. But that's why these manipulators are so successful and why they are being rewarded by their benefactors and backers," she said. "It's going to be difficult, but we have to try to emancipate the people from these cults of personalities," she added. De Lima herself has been continually targeted by fake news stories by some sinister quarters aiming to deliberately tarnish her reputation and silence her from calling out the excesses of the administration in its all-out war on drugs. It may be recalled that there were previous reports that falsely claimed she had stepped down as senator, that she purchased a USD 6-million mansion in New York, USA, and that detained De Lima was hospitalized after attempting secret suicide. According to De Lima, Filipinos became gullible to fake news because most of the citizens want to easily keep in touch with their families and friends, which was made possible by the social media platforms, notably Facebook and YouTube. "I don't know if we, Filipino, are especially vulnerable to fake news than people from other countries but I think we are all seeing that no one is really immune from fake news because the fakers are getting better and better at their evil activities," she said. "We, Filipinos, were more exposed to fake news because social media tapped into our needs and desire to stay connected with one another. It took something good, and used it to do evil. That makes it that much more heinous in my mind," she added. If anything, the former justice secretary said she hopes that every social media user would be more critical of and discerning about the information they read online, especially from dubious websites or sources. "Make people believe in their own judgment, enable them to make good judgment based on legitimate information - instead of relying on what bloggers tell them to believe," she said.And now, a billionaire intends to settle the red planet within a decade. On February 6, Elon Musks SpaceX corporation blasted a Tesla Roadster into orbit, a test of the Falcon Heavy rocketthe most powerful on the market. The launch became the second-most livestreamed video in YouTube history, and the rockets successalongside Musks subsequent publicity tourset off renewed excitement about space travel.

When Ive spoken to left-leaning friends and family about all this, most arent sure what to think. Many socialists are skeptical of the union-busting MuskKate Aronoff, writing for In These Times, said it was time to nationalize the entrepreneur and put his space program in public hands. Others oppose throwing money into space so long as inequality remains at home. As poet Gil Scott-Heron wrote in 1970, I cant pay no doctor bill. / (But Whiteys on the moon).

But not all on the Left are anti-space. In the 2015 Jacobin piece Democratize the Universe, Nick Levine argues that a collectively owned space mining industry could be a tool for wealth redistribution, while avoiding the harms of mining Earth. The late Stephen Hawking, a vocal progressive, suggested that humans must leave the nest if we want to survive climate change.

For the layperson, its hard enough to know whether these futuristic visions are even plausible. Parsing the political implications feels out of our wheelhouse.

The same cannot be said for Kim Stanley Robinson. The award-winning science-fiction writeran anti-capitalist himselfspent more than a decade researching and writing his Mars trilogy, a centuries-spanning epic sketching out a possible future of Mars settlement. Sci-fi maestro Arthur C. Clarke called 1993s Red Mars, the first in the series, The best novel on the colonization of Mars that has ever been written.  It should be required reading for the colonists of the next century.

The next century has arrived, and the colonists are getting their plans in order. In These Times spoke with Robinson about Mars, our own fragile planet and his hopes for a robust space science program.

In Red Mars, the first mission to settle Mars launches in 2026. SpaceX is hoping to send the first crewed mission to Mars before that. Did you expect the real world to move this quickly?

I am surprised by the speed of SpaceXs accomplishments. We needed a big booster like the Falcon Heavy, and I expect it will get put to good usemeaning not just SpaceX using it, but other entities doing interesting things like sending landers to the moon or to asteroids.

But Elon Musks Mars plan is still a science fiction story, in the same way that grant proposals and fundraising pitches are science fiction stories. Theyre set in the future, and they hope to bring that future into being by telling the story in advance.

So as far as settling Mars, I didnt have any expectations then, and I still dont. All these projects are contingent on human decisions. The technical problems are only one aspect, and the other aspects, including funding, are unpredictable.

Is there a danger to putting a billionaire in charge of space exploration?

Its a mistake to say a billionaire is in charge of space exploration. Landing people on Mars will require an actor network that includes Mars itself, the space between, the laws of physics and many parts of human civilization both public and private: scientists, workers, politicians and more.

No one actor in this network can do it just because they have a passion for it. It would have to be done on the cheap, and this would create unacceptably high risks for the astronauts involved. Landing people on Mars is harder than many people seem to think; robot landers have only a 50 percent success rate, and human landers would be much harder. As the 2020s pass with nothing much happening in the Mars way, the difficulty will become more obvious. Although probably the stories will continue full speed ahead.

Some on the Left suggest that putting resources into space takes away resources from the social good here at home. Do they have a point?

No. Space science is an Earth science. Our current presence in space is all about science and communications. Communications satellites are a big part of our civilization right now, and mostly in a good way.

Space science is important because we live on a planet that we are impacting in unexpected ways, so we need to know more about planets to help figure out what to do about that. A good example of this is when we found out we were creating a hole in our atmospheres ozone layer, and managed to stop creating that hole before we all died from it. How did we do that? By sending orbiters to Venus and Mars and studying their atmospheres.

There are many other examples of this kind of useful knowledge, because comparative planetology is a real thing. Earth is a planet, and we depend completely on it for our existence. Now that were damaging it in very dangerous ways, we have to invent a sustainable relationship with it. In that project, space science is useful. It isnt a cure-all, not even close, and should only be funded in proportion to its usefulness. But it is useful.

At the recent SXSW festival, Elon Musk mentioned that having a reserve population in outer spaceon the moon or on Marscould be helpful in case World War III devastates humanity. Is this a viable solution? Or might the rich leave for space while the rest of us suffer?

Billionaires moving to space is not just similar to a sci-fi plotit is a sci-fi plot, and not very realistic.

It has to be said: There is no Planet B. Its here for us, or nowhere. But really, that is very obvious. Very few people actually believe that setting up a small settlement on Mars is an adequate safeguard or mitigation for the damage we are doing here on Earth. Those who do are fooling themselves.

Mars and all the rest of outer space are spectacularly unsuited as another basket to put our eggs in. The rich can always just move to Malibu or Davos and hire guards. Thats the outer space being referred to.STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- As a police investigation continues, it remains unclear Saturday night whether the flu ultimately killed a six-month-old boy who had been battling illness and died following a car crash in West Brighton while headed to the hospital.

There have been six pediatric deaths connected to the flu in New York State in the 2017-2018 season, according to the state's Department of Health. Police say the medical examiner will determine the exact cause of death.

NYPD Detectives have been stationed in front of the late-Damaris Earps' home in Mariners Harbor since early Saturday afternoon.

At approximately 5:05 p.m., as media gathered in front of the two-family home on Andrea Place, investigators escorted four minors and two adult women into unmarked NYPD vehicles.

Flavia Earps, Damaris' mother, was one of the women, according to sources with knowledge of the investigation.

Kasem Rahming, the child's father, ushered his family to the police cars, though he remained on scene after the vehicles departed, sources confirmed.

Both parents declined to answer questions from the media.

A 36-year-old female relative was rushing the medically distressed child and his 39-year-old mother to the hospital when they collided with another vehicle at the corner of Forest Avenue and Broadway at around 2:40 a.m. Saturday, according to a law enforcement source.

Police said Damaris had been suffering from flu-like symptoms for the past few weeks.

The mother was holding her child, who was conscious but unresponsive, in her lap when the vehicle was struck, said the source.

NYPD: 6-month-old baby dies after car crash in West Brighton Posted by Staten Island Advance on Saturday, April 21, 2018

"[My wife] was actually explaining to me what was wrong with him, but as she's explaining his symptoms I hear, 'Ahhh!'" Rahming told The New York Post.

"There was yelling and screaming, so I waited and waited because I knew that if I hung up the phone, I wouldn't have been able to call back. She finally gets on the phone and says, 'We were in a car accident and the baby is in an ambulance,'" he told the Post.

After the accident, police found the baby unconscious and unresponsive inside a 2003 Chevy van.

EMS transported Earps to Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

The preliminary crash investigation found that the Chevy van was traveling eastbound on Forest Avenue when it went through a red light and collided with a Jeep Liberty traveling north on Broadway, according to a statement from the NYPD's Deputy Commissioner of Public Information. A 28-year-old woman was driving the jeep.

Both vehicles remained at the scene and there were no other reported injuries, police said.

There have been no arrests or summonses.

About a half-dozen police vehicles and several cops and detectives were still at the scene, near the McDonald's, investigating the crash Saturday morning.

"I heard a child died," said an employee at a nearby store. "It's awful. The officers were in here looking for surveillance video."

Several neighbors declined to comment when questioned by the Advance.Beijing says welcomes Mnuchin visit for crunch trade talks



Beijing, April 22 (AFP) Apr 22, 2018



Beijing on Sunday said it would welcome a visit from US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who said he was considering a trip to the Chinese capital to hold talks on the trade dispute seen as a threat to the global economy.

Tensions between the world's two largest economies have cast a shadow over the gathering of finance ministers in Washington, with concerns a trade war could undercut the global recovery.

Mnuchin had said Saturday during the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank in the US capital that "a trip is under consideration".

The Chinese Commerce Ministry on Sunday welcomed the move.

"China has received the information that the US side wish to come in Beijing in order to conduct economic and trade consultations. China welcomes this."

US President Donald Trump last month approved steep tariffs on tens of billions of dollars of Chinese imports, while Beijing has slapped duties on key US agricultural exports and has threatened to do likewise for the sensitive American soybean industry.

Among 18 bilateral meetings with his counterparts this week, Mnuchin said he had met with Chinese central bank chief Yi Gang.

While the meeting with Yi did not focus on trade with China, Mnuchin said he remains "cautiously optimistic" about the issue.

"The discussions were really around the governor's actions at the PBOC and certain actions they've announced in terms of opening their markets which we very much encourage and appreciate," Mnuchin said.

He also confirmed that the United States now supports a $13 billion capital increase for the World Bank in tandem with a set of reforms, including reducing lending to wealthier countries -- a move widely seen as targeting China.

"I look at this as a package transaction... we support a capital increase on the World Bank along with the associated reforms that they're talking about making," Mnuchin said, adding that he was hopeful Congress would approve the increase.

The heated trade rhetoric between the US and China comes at a delicate moment, as Washington and Beijing are seeking to address North Korea's nuclear programme. Pyongyang announced Saturday it would halt nuclear tests intercontinental ballistic missile launches.Dear MP WYCLIFFE SMITH,

I doubted very long whether I would write this letter.

Let me begin by congratulating pastor Wycliff Smith with his upcoming executive position as Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (ECYS). I believe that a man with your experience can contribute a lot to policies in these fields, especially education. But reading all publications recently in the newpaper and on social media, I start to doubt whether youll be strong enough to stand your ground once in that chair. Pastor Wycliff Smith in public stated that he was not willing to form any government with criminals (suspected!), not under his watch and therefor he rejects to form with the USP of Frans Richardson. One can discuss such a stand, but one must admit that at least its clear.

MP Chanel Brownbill recently in Court got convicted on a tax evading criminal law suite to 18 months in prison of which 15 month suspended. Of course MP Chanel Brownbil appeals this verdict, which doesnt make any difference that he is CONVICTED on a criminal charge of tax evading.

Now everyone turn to the pastor Wycliff Smith to hear what now? The pastor Wycliff Smith answers that the law must have its course and that he is not willing or planning to break with the negotations to form a new government.

Pastor Wycliff Smith now behaves as a Pharisee (read Matthew 6.5 and more). Again I always said that the pastor was walking in too large political Shoes and would make wrong political public statements. But he promised us time after time to be transparant in all decision making. So I will accept the pastor saying he wants to become Minister of ECYS, because he believes he can make a difference. And therefor willing to accept the support of a CONVICTED criminal in Parliament but rejects the support of a SUSPECTED criminal in Parliament. The Pharisee pastor Wycliff Smith even goes further by stating that he also believes that a fall of Government in these days is not desireable nor good for Sint Maarten. For your information Sir, NO GOVERNMENT ISNT GOING TO FALL IF YOU HOLD YOUR STAND OF NOT FORM A GOVERNMENT WITH CRIMINALS. It only probably means that for your ptincipal youll have to give up on your personal ambition to become Minister of ECYS. We have a caretakersgovernment in place until a new government coalition is formed! Its arrogant assuming that you not forming a government will mean a fall of government. Believe me, a new government at all time will be formed with or without you pastor Wycliff Smith.

ED GUMBSPHILIPSBURG:--- The world, the region, St. Martin, our communities are crying out for visionaries. What and who exactly is a visionary leader? Author and executive director of The Center for Visionary Leadership Corrinne McClaughlin shares a significant definition of a visionary:

Visionary leaders are the builders of a new dawn, working with imagination, insight, and boldness. They present a challenge that calls forth the best in people and brings them together around a shared sense of purpose. They search for solutions that transcend the usual adversarial approaches and address the causal level of problems. They find a higher synthesis of the best of both sides of an issue and address the systemic root causes of problems to create real breakthroughs.

McLaughlins description of a visionary leader is the criteria Victorious Living Foundation is using for its Visionary Leader Worth Following Awards and Symposium to be held on May 5th from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at Belair Community Center. This visionary leader should exemplify the following values:

 Integrity: Possess honesty and uncompromising morals.

 Authenticity: Represent him/herself in a genuine nature.

 People-First: Focus on individuals over numbers.

 Excellence: Pursue surpassing ordinary standards.

 Discipline: Exercise a commitment to a purpose.

A call was made to the general public and VLFs Leadercast community of leaders to nominate a visionary leader worth following. Only two nominees for the visionary leader were submitted which adhered to VLFs nomination stipulations. These nominees are Apostle Napolina Richardson, CEO of Repairers of Broken Walls Ministries and Ken Crossely, a poet who significantly assisted many persons in the community during and post Hurricane Irma. Following are a few comments from persons who support these two nominees:

I'm nominating Ken Crossely because he personally ran into my apartment to save me and my five year old daughter after our roof blew off and our windows broke. He got us out safely to a neighbour's house. He ensured that medication and water were available to the sick. He packed food items into vehicles for distribution by himself sometimes, in order for the communities of South Reward, Ebenezer and Weymouth Hill to get aid. His distribution plan was so effective that other community leaders and some Government officials used it and were able to get more done and reach more persons during this time. At a time when most persons were taking available flights and boats back to their home country, he stayed and rendered much needed assistance and expertise in organizing a group of young and old persons to give back to their respective communities. He organized a night watch" and as a result the communities didn't suffer from vandalism and robberies. He did all he could do, expecting nothing in return.

Napolina Richardson along with her husband Kurt Richardson are the founders and CEOs of The Repairers of Broken Walls International Ministries (ROBWIM). She pioneered this work because she has been involved in education and ministry for over 30 years and realized that there is a void that she could contribute to filling. She envisioned and started ROBWIM because she has this indubitable duty to see people excel, reach their full capacity and fulfill the purpose for which they were created. Her fair and unbiased method of handling sensitive situations has enabled her to guide countless people towards successfully working through and triumphing over difficult situations. ROBWIM offers counselling, raising awareness of the depraved conditions in St. Maarten and other Caribbean islands, drug rehabilitation, shelter and relief to persons before and after the hurricanes. She is not only a visionary leader in St. Maarten but has expanded her reach to the USA where she established a branch of ROBWIM in New York.

Voting to determine VLFs Leader Worth Following Awardee 2018 ends April 23rd at 12 midnight. To vote, click on or visit: TinyURL.com/VLFLeadershipAwards. To learn more about VLFs Leadership Summit or to register, visit: www.victoriouslivingfoundation.com or call 1-721-524-8731.Samoa has overcome a strong challenge from Malaysia in the bid to host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (C.H.O.G.M.) in 2022.

Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr. Sailele Malielegaoi, who was in London for C.H.O.G.M. meeting, spearheaded Samoas bid against other nations.

The Sunday Samoan understands that the final decision came down to Samoa and Malaysia, which Samoa won.

The decision was announced in the 2018 C.H.O.G.M. communique.

Heads welcomed and accepted the offer of the President of Rwanda to host their next meeting in 2020, it reads. They also welcomed the offer of Samoa to host the 2022 C.H.O.G.M.

Fiji had apparently lost to Rwanda in the bidding for the next C.H.O.G.M.

It was not possible to get a comment from the Prime Minister yesterday. He has not arrived back in the country.

Tuilaepa is accompanied by the Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Agafili Shem Leo, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Peseta Noumea Simi.

Tuilaepa attended the C.H.O.G.M. retreat where it was agreed that Prince Charles would take over as the next head of the Commonwealth from Queen Elizabeth II (see story page 22).

If all goes according to plan, Prince Charles will be one of the star attractions in Apia come 2022. The C.H.O.G.M. will continue Samoas proud history of hosting international meetings and sporting competitions.

Speaking at the meeting, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth said the Commonwealth has come a long way.

Here at Buckingham Palace in 1949, my father met the Heads of Government when they ratified the London Declaration, which created the Commonwealth as we know it today  then comprising just eight nations, she said.

Who then -- or in 1952, when I became Head of the Commonwealth -- would have guessed that a gathering of its member states would one day number 53, or that it would comprise 2.4 billion people?"

Put simply, we are one of the world's great convening powers: a global association of volunteers who believe in the tangible benefits that flow from exchanging ideas and experiences and respecting each other's point of view.

And we seem to be growing stronger year by year. The advantages are plain to see. An increasing emphasis on trade between our countries is helping us all to discover exciting new ways of doing business. And imaginative initiatives have shown how together we can bring about change on a global scale. The Commonwealth Canopy has emphasised our interdependence, while the Commonwealth Blue Charter promises to do the same in protecting our shared ocean resources. The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust is providing life-changing eye treatment to many thousands, through the generosity and cooperation of the nations represented here today.Voters and candidates in Iraq's election



Baghdad, April 22 (AFP) Apr 22, 2018



Iraqis are set to head to the polls on May 12 for parliamentary elections.

At the end of the ballot, the 329 members of parliament elected from party lists will be tasked with forming a government and electing a prime minister and president.

Here is everything you need to know about Iraq's fourth election since the US-led invasion in 2003.



- Voters -



Nearly 24.5 million of Iraq's than 35 million people are registered to vote. They are spread out across 18 provinces.

Voters can cast their ballots at 8,148 polling stations across the country, all of which are equipped for electronic voting.

According to Iraqi authorities, nearly 11 million biometric identity cards have been distributed to authenticate identities.

The 285,564 internal refugees eligible to vote will do so in one of 166 polling stations in 70 camps spread across eight provinces in the country.

Iraqis in the diaspora can also vote in 19 countries.

Voters will select party lists and seats will be divided up according to the number of votes each list secures.



- Candidates -



There are 6,982 candidates, including 2,014 women, set to run in the polls.

They will be competing for 329 seats, including nine reserved for minorities -- Christians, Shabaks, Yezidis, Mandeans and Fayli Kurds -- and 83 for women.

Candidates, selected based on their position in the party, will be elected to four-year terms in parliament.

There are 87 party lists in this year's election.



The main lists are as follows:

- VICTORY COALITION, led by outgoing Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.

This year, for the first time since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003, the ranks of the deposed leader's oldest opponents, the Shiite Dawa Party, are divided.

Abadi, who heads the Dawa Party, has put together a list composed mainly of civil society personalities that cross sectarian lines.

- CONQUEST ALLIANCE, led by Hadi al-Ameri, head of the Badr organisation and leader of the mostly Shiite Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary units, which played a key role in rolling back Islamic State (IS) group jihadists.

His candidates officially quit their military roles to run for office.

- RULE OF LAW ALLIANCE, led by former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki.

The list relies principally on the Dawa Party, which Maliki led before leaving office in 2014.

But while it is popular with public servants hired under his mandate, the list suffers from criticisms aimed at Maliki because IS seized one-third of the country under his watch.

- MARCHING TOWARDS REFORM, an unprecedented alliance between Shiite leader Moqtada al-Sadr and communists.

It includes mostly secular groups including the Iraqi Communist Party and Istiqama (Arabic for righteousness), a technocrat party backed by Sadr, who suspended his Ahrar bloc and called on his 33 ministers not to run in the polls.

- SUNNIS appear on several lists. The main list, "The National Alliance", is led by Shiite Vice President Iyad Allaqi -- who presents himself as secular -- and Sunni head of parliament Salim al-Joubouri.

Weakened after three years of IS rule, Sunnis could be the biggest loser in this year's elections.

- KURDS will head to polls with divided ranks to fill their northern autonomous region's 46 seats, two of which are reserved for Christians.

The main Kurdish parties are the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Kurdistan Patriotic Union (PUK).

There are also three opposition parties: the main Jamaa Islamiya, the newly created New Generation movement, and Goran (Kurdish for change).Iran 'ready' to resume nuclear program if US exits deal: FM



New York, April 22 (AFP) Apr 22, 2018



Iran is ready to resume its controversial nuclear program "at a much greater speed" if the United States walks away from the landmark 2015 nuclear deal, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has warned.

US President Donald Trump has set a May 12 deadline for the Europeans to "fix" the agreement that provides for curbs to Iran's nuclear program in exchange for relief from financial sanctions.

In a CBS interview to be broadcast Sunday on "Face the Nation," Zarif doubled down on a warning this month from Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who vowed Washington would "regret" withdrawing from the nuclear deal, and that Iran would respond within a week if it did.

"If the decision comes from President Trump to officially withdraw from the deal, then Iran will take decisions that have been provided for under the JCPOA and outside JCPOA," Zarif said, referring to the 2015 accord.

"We have put a number of options for ourselves and those options are ready, including options that would involve resuming at a much greater speed our nuclear activities.

"And those are all envisioned within the deal. And those options are ready to be implemented and we would make the necessary decision when we see fit," added the foreign minister, who is in the United States to attend a UN meeting on sustaining peace.

The fate of the Iran deal will be a key issue during French President Emmanuel Macron's state visit to Washington beginning Monday, followed by talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Washington on Friday.

Zarif said the European leaders must press Trump to stick to the deal if the United States intends to maintain any credibility in the international community.

European leaders are hoping to persuade Trump to save the deal if they, in turn, agree to press Iran to enter into agreement on missile tests and moderating its regional influence in Yemen, Syria and Lebanon.

If the United States buries the deal, Iran is unlikely to stick to the agreement alongside the other signatories -- Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia, said the foreign minister.

"Obviously, the rest of the world cannot ask us to unilaterally and one-sidedly implement a deal that has already been broken," Zarif said.Iran threatens to 'vigorously' resume enrichment if US quits nuclear deal



New York, April 22 (AFP) Apr 22, 2018



Iran is ready to "vigorously" resume nuclear enrichment if the United States ditches the 2015 nuclear deal, and further "drastic measures" are being considered in response to a US exit, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif warned Saturday.

Zarif told reporters in New York that Iran is not seeking to acquire a nuclear bomb, but that Tehran's "probable" response to a US withdrawal would be to restart production of enriched uranium -- a key bomb-making ingredient.

"America never should have feared Iran producing a nuclear bomb, but we will pursue vigorously our nuclear enrichment," added the foreign minister, who is in the United States to attend a UN meeting on sustaining peace.

US President Donald Trump has set a May 12 deadline for the Europeans to "fix" the 2015 agreement that provides for curbs to Iran's nuclear program in exchange for relief from financial sanctions.

Zarif's comments marked a further escalation of rhetoric following a warning earlier this month from Iranian President Hassan Rouhani that Washington would "regret" withdrawing from the nuclear deal, and that Iran would respond within a week if it did.

The fate of the Iran deal will be a key issue during French President Emmanuel Macron's state visit to Washington beginning Monday, followed by talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Washington on Friday.

Zarif said the European leaders must press Trump to stick to the deal if the United States "intends to maintain any credibility in the international community" and to abide by it, "rather than demand more."

The foreign minister warned against offering any concessions to Trump.

"To try to appease the president, I think, would be an exercise in futility," he said.

European leaders are hoping to persuade Trump to save the deal if they, in turn, agree to press Iran to enter into agreement on missile tests and moderating its regional influence in Yemen, Syria and Lebanon.

If the United States buries the deal, Iran is unlikely to stick to the agreement alongside the other signatories -- Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia --- said the foreign minister.

"That's highly unlikely," he said. "It is important for Iran to receive the benefits of the agreement and there is no way that Iran would do a one-sided implementation of the agreement."

Zarif, who will attend a UN meeting on sustaining peace this week, warned of "drastic measures" under discussion in Iran.

He declined to be more specific, pointing to "what certain members of our parliament are saying about Iran's options."Greek president rejects soldier swap with Turkey



Athens, April 22 (AFP) Apr 22, 2018



Greek president Prokopis Pavlopoulos on Sunday rejected the suggestion of a swap deal involving two Greek soldiers jailed in Turkey in exchange for Turkish soldiers wanted by Ankara over the 2016 failed coup.

Pavlopoulos ruled out the potential swap after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday said his government would consider the Greek soldiers' case if Athens extradited the Turkish soldiers.

"The exchange of the two Greek soldiers that are jailed with the eight Turkish soldiers that are in Greece is out of the question", said Pavlopoulos.

The two Greek soldiers were charged with espionage in Turkey after crossing over the border on March 2. They claim to have lost their way in the fog.

The eight Turkish soldiers fled their homecountry to Greece after the failed 2016 coup.

Greece's Supreme Court has ruled that the men will not be extradited, despite Turkish demands for them to face charges at home. The men deny involvement in the coup attempt.

"They (Greece) ask us to give back the Greek soldiers and we told them 'if you make such a demand, you should first give us FETO soldiers involved in a coup against our state'," Erdogan told the private NTV television in an interview on Saturday.

"If they are handed to us, we will consider" the situation on Greek soldiers, Erdogan said.

FETO is the name Ankara uses for the movement led by Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen, who Turkey blames for masterminding the coup attempt.

Gulen, based in the US state of Pennyslvania, denies the accusations.

"When I spoke about a hostage situation of the Greek soldiers I was mocked. Sadly, I am confirmed by this proposal of exchange", the Greek Defense Minister, Panos Kammenos said on Saturday, commenting on Erdogan's interview.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras earlier this month demanded the release of the two soldiers, arguing that they should not be "pawns to blackmail".Iraq says it killed 36 'IS terrorists' in Syria raid



Baghdad, April 22 (AFP) Apr 22, 2018



Iraq said Sunday its forces had killed "36 terrorists" belonging to the Islamic State jihadist group, including senior members, in air raids this past week in Syria.

A video of Thursday's operation showed two F-16 fighter jets destroying a house in eastern Syria.

"The Iraqi air raids, carried out by several F-16s in Syria on April 19, targeted IS terrorists who represented a danger to Iraq," said General Yahya Rasool, spokesman for the Joint Operations Command (JOC), which coordinates the fight against IS in Iraq.

"According to our information, the raids took place while there was a meeting of terrorist leaders and it achieved its goal with the death of 36 of them," he said.

The US-led coalition battling IS jihadists confirmed the raid, which took place near the town of Hajin in the eastern Syrian province of Deir Ezzor, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the Iraqi border.

"These raids prove Iraq's commitment to destroy the remnants of IS that continue to threaten citizens," Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's office said on Thursday, adding that the operation was planned and executed by JOC, with support from the coalition.Trump: US has conceded 'nothing' to N.Korea



Washington, April 22 (AFP) Apr 22, 2018



President Donald Trump asserted Sunday that North Korea has agreed to "denuclearization" and a halt to testing while the United States had so far conceded "nothing" in return.

North Korea pledged this week to halt nuclear and missile tests as the two countries prepare for a summit between Kim Jong Un and Trump, but has not committed to giving up its nuclear weapons -- which Pyongyang views as a shield against the Western overthrow of its government.

"We haven't given up anything & they have agreed to denuclearization (so great for World), site closure, & no more testing!" Trump wrote on Twitter, apparently responding to remarks made by an NBC news host.

"We are a long way from conclusion on North Korea, maybe things will work out, and maybe they won't - only time will tell....But the work I am doing now should have been done a long time ago!"

Kim said Saturday that his country would halt testing and close a nuclear test site, which Trump hailed as "big progress."

But observers warn those concessions could be easily reversed if Kim decides to do so.

Some experts meanwhile view the planned summit itself -- and the legitimacy a meeting with a sitting US president confers on Kim and his government -- as a win for Pyongyang.

"This is a great public relations effort by Kim Jong Un and I think people recognize that. I think everyone within the administration and Congress approaches this with skepticism and caution," Bob Corker, the Republican chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said on CNN's State of the Union.

"You can easily reverse that and all of us know that," said the senator, noting that Kim has begun "the meetings in a way that almost put the United States on the defensive."Macron on Iran nuclear deal: There is no 'Plan B'



Washington, April 22 (AFP) Apr 22, 2018



French President Emmanuel Macron, who is heading to Washington to urge his US counterpart to stay in the Iran nuclear deal, said in an interview broadcast Sunday that there is no "Plan B" if the accord is scrapped.

"I don't have any Plan B for nuclear -- against Iran," Macron told Fox News Sunday, in an English-language interview broadcast on the eve of his three-day state visit.

"So that's a question we will discuss, but that's why I just want to say, on nuclear -- let's present this framework because it's better than the sort of North Korean type of situation,"

North Korea has developed and tested nuclear weapons as well as intercontinental ballistic missiles, posing a significant threat to global security.

US President Donald Trump is threatening to tear up the 2015 agreement aimed at curbing Tehran's nuclear efforts unless European capitals agree to supplement it with tougher controls on Iran's missile program and future ability to return to nuclear fuel enrichment.

Iran is upping the rhetoric in return -- with Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif warning Saturday Tehran is ready to "vigorously" resume enrichment if the United States ditches the nuclear accord.

Macron said he too supports efforts to curb Iran's ballistic missile program, but that this does not require scrapping the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear accord.

"I'm not satisfied with the situation with Iran. I want to fight against ballistic missiles, I want to contain their influence in the region," he said.

"My point is to say don't leave now the JCPOA as long as you have not a better option for nuclear, and let's complete it with ballistic missile and regional containment."

Macron also cited the shared goal of reining in Iran's influence as he argued for a long-term US commitment in Syria -- where Paris and Washington have cooperated in the fight against the Islamic State group and coordinated strikes on Syrian regime chemical weapons installations.

"We will have to build a new Syria after war," Macron said. "And that's why I think the US role is very important to play."

"Why? I will be very blunt. The day we will have finished this war against ISIS, if we leave, definitely and totally, even from a political point of view, we will leave the floor to the Iranian regime, Bashar al-Assad and these guys."

"And they will prepare the new war. They will fuel the new terrorists."Greek anarchists throw paint at French consulate



Athens, April 22 (AFP) Apr 22, 2018



A Greek anarchist group on Sunday attacked the French consulate in Athens, Greek police said, in protest at France's involvement in airstrikes against Syria.

Fifteen members of the Rouvikonas (Rubicon) group threw red and black paint at the consulate building in central Athens, adjacent to the French embassy. One person was arrested.

Rouvikonas claimed the attack in a post on an anti-establishment website saying it came after French involvement in the strikes against Syria and because "French imperialism has surpassed that of Germany...."

The statement also referred to the support France was giving "to Greece in its dogfight with Turkey" and the fact that it appeared to be selling warships to Athens.

The Greek defence ministry said on Friday it would lease two state-of-the-art French warships in an effort to bolster its defences in the Aegean Sea amid growing tensions with Turkey.

Rouvikonas group has claimed responsibility for numerous attacks against public buildings, companies, banks and embassies.

The Greek Foreign ministry in a statement condemned the attack as "unacceptable".The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2018 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy StatementBir Lehlou, 21 April 2018 - President of the Republic, Secretary General of the POLISARIO Front, Brahim Ghali, has sent a congratulatory message to President of the United Republic of Tanzania, H.E. Dr. John Pombe Joseph Magufuli, on the occasion of the 54th anniversary of the founding of the United Republic of Tanzania.



The 54th Anniversary of the historical union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar, establishing the United Republic of Tanzania, is a propitious occasion to convey to your Excellency and to the brotherly people of Tanzania my warmest congratulations and most sincere wishes for more prosperity and success on behalf of the Saharawi people, the Government of the Saharawi Republic and on my own behalf, said the President of the Republic.



I take this happy opportunity to renew to your Excellency our strong resolve to further consolidate the bonds of solidarity, friendship and cooperation already existing between our two peoples and nations and to reiterate our profound gratitude and appreciation for the solidarity and support Tanzania has constantly extended to our people in their legitimate struggle of liberation, added the President of the Republic in his message to President of the United Republic of Tanzania. (SPS)



062/SPS/TRAEnglish22/04/2018

SRNA News Roundup /II/ - April 22, 2018





REPUBLIKA SRPSKA



TESLIC - President of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik says that in order to foster mutual trust in Bosnia and Herzegovina it would be good to form a joint commission of entity governments that would define the state of facts regarding the production of weapons and ammunition in the Federation of BiH, which is outside the control of the joint BiH institutions, but he is not confident the Federation will accept the idea.



TESLIC - President Milorad Dodik said Sunday the opposition is making political moves to use certain sad and emotional events to bring into question operations of the Entity police.



BANJALUKA - Chair of the National Assembly Committee on Applications, Proposals and Social Supervision Slobodan Protic expects the Ministry of Justice to submit a law on amnesty to the parliament for consideration in an urgent procedure.



BANJALUKA - Mayor of Banjaluka Igor Radojicic said on Sunday the city intends to secure the position of a regional centre and foster its cooperation with other cities in the country and abroad.



BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA



BANJALUKA - Officers of the BiH Indirect Taxation Authority in cooperation with members of the Border Police discovered 22 kilograms of marijuana at the Deleusa border crossing near Montenegro, which an Albanian citizen was trying to smuggle.



SERBIA



BELGRADE - The Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Holocaust, Genocide and Other Victims of Fascism was marked at the old fairground near the monument to the victims of WWII genocide in Belgrade on Sunday.



BELGRADE - It is high time to build a memorial centre to victims of genocide committed in the Independent State of Croatia /NDH/ in Belgrade, says Miodrag Linta, head of the Union of Serbs from the Region.



REGION



MLAKA - Serbian Patriarch Irinej stated in Mlaka outside Jasenovac on Sunday that the Serbs must not forget their victims, including more than 20,000 children killed in Mlaka and the Ustasha-led Jasenovac concentration camp. He added that the Christian people needed to forgive as well.



MLAKA - Boris Milosevic, a Croatian MP of the Independent Democratic Serb Party, says Croatia and Serbia should take care about the position of minorities and build good neighbourly relations.



JASENOVAC - The Croatian national commemoration to victims of the Ustasha-led Jasenovac concentration camp ended on Sunday with laying of wreaths to the Stone Flower in Jasenovac.



JASENOVAC - Ahead of a national commemoration to victims of Jasenovac, two men rolled out the flag of the Croatian Defence Forces /HOS/ chanting the Ustasha salute Ready for the Homeland! reports the website Index.hr. /end/dsJANE Lapotaire quoted William Shakespeare to roars of laughter as she accepted this years Pragnell Award at the Shakespeare Celebrations on Saturday.

Jane Lapotaire accepts the 2018 Pragnell Shakespeare Award from Professor Michael Dobson, director of the Shakespeare Institute, at Saturday's Shakespeare Birthday Lunch. Photo: Mark Williamson.

The acclaimed actress told 400 guests at the Crowne Plaza Hotel: Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em [Twelfth Night].

And as far as this prestigious award goes, I certainly count myself in with the last lot."

Jane, who almost had to quit acting altogether after suffering a brain haemorrhage nearly 20 years ago, added: To have my name on the same list as Peggy Ashcroft... thats something that whats left of my brain will never get around.

It is a unique award, it reaches parts that other awards cant reach, it has made me happy.

And thats down solely to the extraordinary generosity of the Pragnell family, their continued support of the Royal Shakespeare Company actors and directors, and to the Pragnell Award Committee for their profound discernment and exquisite taste!

Presenting the award to Jane was Professor Michael Dobson, director of the Shakespeare Institute.

He said: It is appropriate that we should be recognising Jane Lapotaire on the birthday of a Queen, since she excels at playing queens herself.

"On BBC television, for instance, an irresistible Cleopatra and a Lady Macbeth so sensual that the spirits she called upon to unsex her were clearly going to have a very hard time.

"On film, Mary Tudor in Trevor Nunns film Lady Jane, and on a white horse in the yard of Shakespeares Globe in in London 1997, Elizabeth I.

"She has also played Gertrude to Kenneth Branaghs Hamlet, Titania in the legendary performance at Stanley Wells 80th birthday party, and a heartbreaking Katherine of Aragon in a fine RSC production of Henry VIII in 1996, directed by a relatively obscure but rather promising actor-turned-director, poacher-turned-gamekeeper, called Gregory Doran."

RSC artistic director, Gregory Doran, told the Herald: She [Jane Lapotaire] is one our great Shakespeareans, she has an access to the depth of Shakespeares emotion that is just extraordinary.

The lunch is one of the highlights of the birthday weekend and took place at the Crowne Plaza for the second year.

There were several tributes throughout the afternoon to the RSCs co-founders, Sir Peter Hall, and John Barton, who both died recently within four months of each other.

Michael Billington, the Guardians theatre critic, who gave the speech and toast to Shakespeares immortal memory, said: The RSC owes its very existence to their work.

Alan Haigh, who organised the lunch with his wife, Ros, said: The speakers were great, I enjoyed it, it was wonderful.

"On the whole it worked, although serving 450 people is never easy.

But everything went extremely well, and we'll start straight away for next year.

For more from Jane Lapotaire, Michael Billington, and Gregory Doran, see our Shakespeare Celebrations special in next Thursday's Herald.Similar jobs pay $39k - $55k

Actual pay amount is not disclosed by the employerThe Fuengirola British Scout group is looking for a new meeting place after 20 years at the Ark Christian Fellowship hall. The Scouts and Guides will be unable to follow the church to new premises later this year and hope to find a suitable place to call their headquarters from September.

This does not imply a closure of the units, Robert Troost, the Group Scout Leader stressed. We see this as a chance to help the Scout and Girlguiding movements grow and we have a dream of eventually having our own dedicated meeting place.

Lynne Armitage, Brown Owl for the Brownie Unit in Fuengirola and also Commissioner for Girlguiding in Spain said: We are appealing to the local community to help us in our quest for a suitable venue.

She explained that the groups are looking for a sizeable space, that is child-friendly with a strong roof and reasonable access for parents to drop off and collect children, as well as access to a toilet and running water.

In total, the units only meet for around eight hours a week on two nights so we are not in a position to rent premises on a monthly basis, but would prefer any rental to be at an hourly rate, Lynne added.

The group leaders are now busy approaching town halls as well as business and community leaders for help to find a suitable venue and parents and members of the local community have been invited to make suggestions.

Carol Wright, District Commissioner for France and Iberia, said: Here in Fuengirola the children are lucky, because we have a team of dedicated leaders who turn up every week to offer the children a chance to expand their own horizons and personal development, empowering them to make a positive contribution to society.

Suggestions to help the Scouts find a new home can be sent to robert.troost@britishscoutingoverseas.org.uk or lynneBGIFC@gmail.comLYSANDER, N.Y. -- An Orange County dentist was arrested Friday for using a computer virus scam to steal $8,500 from a couple in Baldwinsville, according to New York State police.

Saidapet R. Sridhar, 46, of Orange County, was charged with criminal possession of stolen property, police said.

In May of 2017, the couple received a pop-up message on their computer about a virus that had infected their computer, police said. The message prompted them to call "Microsoft" at a phone number on the screen, police said. The couple bought virus protection, police said.

On July 12, 2017, Sridhar contacted them again to tell them they were due a refund for the virus protection because the company was moving out of the country, police said.

They gave him their bank account number and Sridhar told them he deposited an extra $8,500 into their account. The transferred $8,500 to a Bank of America savings account number Sridhar gave them, police said.

When the couple transferred the money to Sridhar, he transferred it to his checking account to pay personal expenses, police said.

He was arraigned in Town of Windsor Court and released on his own recognizance, police said.

Police are still investigating the incident, they said.Donny Bibbes keeps asking his mom the same question:

"Mom, what happened to my head?"

The 10-year-old Buffalo boy knows he hurt himself somehow. An M-shaped scar zigzags across his head. He's partially blind and has problems with his short-term memory.

"Did I fall off my bike? Was I doing a wheelie? I should've worn my helmet."

Chawniqua Johnson doesn't know how to answer her son. So she tells him she didn't see what happened.

But she did.

20 months after devastating shooting, Buffalo boy goes back to school https://t.co/80KazYBYps  The Buffalo News (@TheBuffaloNews) April 22, 2018

On the night of Aug. 25, 2016, when Donny was 8, someone opened fire on Johnson's car just after she parked. A bullet struck the boy in the head, piercing his brain and shattering the front of his skull.

Speeding away from the scene, she asked Donny's half-brother who was in the backseat with him: "Is Donny alright?"

"No," he said.

Donny slumped in his seat unconscious, blood trickling down his head.

Twenty long months later, Donny is finally well enough to go back to the school. Wednesday was his first day at the New York State School for the Blind in Batavia.

"I feel good about him going to school," Johnson said. "He can do something different. He's always sitting at home. It's always just me and him. He don't get to do too much."

She's nervous though. She's barely left his side since that night. Their family has gone through so much since then.

'He could die'

At first, she thought it was fireworks.

All summer long, they would hear the exploding fireworks at the end of Buffalo Bisons games at Coca-Cola Field when they would visit Johnson's sister on South Division Street.

On the night of Aug. 25, Johnson and Donny, whose birth name is Donnell, were with Donny's half-brothers, Davieon White, then 19, and his brother Raheem White, then 23. Johnson drove them to McDonald's before heading to her sister's home.

It was raining as Johnson parked on the street. She asked Donny, who was eating in the back with Raheem White: "You almost done with your food?"

Donny was starting to reply when they heard a sound. They looked back, Johnson said.

Police said at the time that a gunman got out of another vehicle and approached the Johnson vehicle. The shooter opened fire with a handgun from about 20 to 30 feet away and fired as many as 15 bullets.

Johnson drove away from the gunfire. She needed to find help for Donny. He was unconscious and bleeding.

A bullet struck him on the right side of his head and exited through the left side. Johnson said she saw a police car near the McDonald's where they had just been. The officer was dealing with a fender bender.

An ambulance arrived and paramedics began working on Donny.

"Is he OK?" Johnson remembered asking.

"He has a strong pulse," an EMT responded. They rushed him to Women & Children's Hospital on Bryant Street.

A police officer brought Johnson to the homicide unit at police headquarters and questioned her about the shooting. Police would later say they believed Davieon White was the intended target.

A second boy struck by violence leaves a city grieving

Eventually a detective insisted Johnson be allowed to go to the hospital to be with her son.

"I was scared," Johnson said, as she sat in the waiting room as doctors worked to save Donny.

Johnson still remembers the somber look on the surgeon's face when he came out to the waiting room to give her updates on Donny.

"He was like: 'We don't know. We don't know. He could die,' " she recalled.

To treat the injury to his brain, the surgeon removed part of Donny's skull and placed it inside his abdomen. It would stay there for six months until the swelling in the brain had gone down and the injury had healed.

Signs of recovery

Just before Donny's 9th birthday on Sept. 12, doctors removed his breathing tube, a sign that the boy was beginning to recover, his mother said.

Soon after he started trying to communicate. He would smile sometimes. Tears would fall when something hurt. He would squeeze his mother's hand when she asked him to. Then one day he pointed to the diaper that had been put on him and grunted: "Uh-uhn." He didn't want it.

The doctors were thrilled. "This is excellent," one told her.

She stayed by her son's side. "I didn't leave one day," Johnson said.

That brought financial difficulties. Johnson, who had a job as an inspector at a local auto manufacturing plant, couldn't work. She lost her apartment and her car. She had to take their dog, a friendly pit bull named Ciroc, to the SPCA.

As Donny's health improved, he was moved to a rehabilitation center in Rochester. There he learned to talk and walk again.

And that was when he started to ask questions about how he had hurt his head.

"Tell me the truth?" he would ask.

Another tragedy

On Jan. 25, Johnson's family was struck by another tragedy.

Her son, Lewis Brewer, was killed in a shooting. He was 16. Police said that again, his older brother, Daveion White, was the intended target. The brothers had just left a store on French Street with two other young men when someone opened fire on them.

"He was a good kid," Johnson said of Lewis. "I never had a problem with him."

Street crime devastates family; one son slain, the other blinded

Johnson told Donny about what happened to Lewis. It was devastating for the boy. "They were extremely close," she said.

Donny was able to attend the funeral. It was the one time, Johnson said, that she was glad he was blind. "He couldn't see anything," she said.

After his rehabilitation was over in Rochester, Donny returned to Children's where doctors removed the piece of his skull from his stomach and put it back over his brain.

After six months, he was finally able to go home .

Getting back to normal

Today, Donny has some vision but it's extremely impaired.

"His peripheral vision, that's gone," Johnson said. Donny has trouble focusing his eyes. He often has to put his head down and look up to be able to see straight.

Working with a tutor at home, he's relearning how to read and write.

"He can write his name now," she said, although he has a hard time keeping his letters between lines.

The ordeal has been difficult on Johnson and her family. Her daughter, Dazhanique, 20, was deeply upset by what happened to Donny and Lewis. She has been in and out of hospitals with stomach ailments that doctors think may be the result of severe stress. Johnson has struggled with depression and insomnia. Daveion White was arrested on a burglary charge last year and is in prison.

But things also are starting to get back to normal.

Donny is the same shy boy he was before. He turns away and rolls his eyes when he's asked to talk about himself. He loves video games, especially anything involving race cars, which doctors say is good for his vision. He likes to play on an iPad given to him by a Buffalo police captain.

Donny idolizes LeSean McCoy. "Shady!" he says with a big smile when he hears the Buffalo Bills' running back's name.

He's also getting big. He's 5 feet 4 inches tall already.

For the last month, the family has been in a new apartment. And last week, Donny started at the New York State School for the Blind in Batavia, a small public school that provides highly specialized care. It's a long bus ride -- up to an hour in each direction, but Johnson is hopeful her son will get the specialized attention he needs.

"He's doing good," his mother said of his first couple of days. She calls the school every day and Donny checks in with her at lunch time. "They said he's interacting. He's a fast learner," she said the teachers told her.

As for Johnson, she can't help but worry. Her son may not know what happened to him, but she'll never forget.

"I'm just trying to hold everything together, keep my mind right," she said. "I don't have a choice but to stay focused."

Fundraiser for Donny

To help Donny, Charles Burgin, an anti-gun violence activist who is the chairman of the District Parent Coordinating Council Mentor Trauma and Violence Committee, has helped establish a trust fund for him.

The fund will be highlighted at an event Burgin is organizing called "Take a Stand against Gun Violence and Support for Students Suffering from Trauma and Anxiety Movement" scheduled for 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. May 21 in East Community High School, 820 Northampton St.

Donations to the fund, which was set up with assistance by the Hodgson Russ law firm, can be mailed to Donnell Bibbes Trust Fund, c/o DPCC Mentor Trauma and Violence Committee, PO Box 233 Buffalo NY 14201 with checks made out to the Donnell Bibbes Trust Fund.

--By Maki Becker, The Buffalo News, N.Y.Candidates named in city and school elections

With the passing of the filing deadline for the upcoming city and school election, several area governing bodies including the City of Tama and ...Lack of vitamin D puts healthy people at greater risk for diabetes, findings by epidemiologists from UCSD and Seoul National University suggests.

A cohort study of 903 healthy adults with no history of either prediabetes or diabetes measured the vitamin D levels of the participants in the blood, as well as fasting plasma glucose and glucose tolerance from 1997 to 1999 and were followed through 2009.

Sufficient Level Of Vitamin D

Over the 10-year period, the researchers noted 47 new cases of diabetes and 337 new cases of prediabetes. They reported that the participants had elevated blood sugar but were not enough to categorize them as type 2 diabetes.

"We found that participants with blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D that were above 30 nanograms per milliliter had one-third of the risk of diabetes and those with levels above 50 nanograms per milliliter had one-fifth of the risk of developing diabetes," said study author Dr. Sue K. Park, from Seoul National University College of Medicine in South Korea.

Co-author Dr. Cedric F. Garland, adjunct professor at the UCSD School of Medicine, said that people with 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels lower than 30 nanograms per milliliter were considered deficient in vitamin D.

In 2010, the Institute of Medicine recommended 20 nanograms per milliliter of vitamin D levels in the blood plasma. However, many groups challenged the idea and argued that a person should have at least 50 nanograms per milliliter of vitamin D in the body, although it is still a widely debated topic.

Garland said that further studies are needed to determine if high levels of vitamin D can prevent type 2 diabetes or the transition from prediabetes to diabetes.

The study was published April 19 on PLOS One.

What Makes People Vitamin D Deficient?

A 2006 study determined that age and lifestyle can contribute to vitamin D deficiency.

"The mechanisms needed to synthesize its structure from cholesterol become less efficient through time, as is the case with most intrinsic synthesizing methods in the human body," said Dr. Mark Moyad in an article published in Medscape.

Moyad also cited a related study in 2008 stating that lower levels of vitamin D are prevalent in individuals with huge deposits of fat in their belly or visceral obesity. Individuals with high cholesterol levels show lower vitamin D levels while those taking with cholesterol-lowering agents such as statins may experience better vitamin D synthesis.

Benefits Of Vitamin D

Vitamin D, also called the sunshine vitamin, is essential for bone health. It aids in the absorption of calcium and phosphorous. Also, it helps in normal immune function.

Studies have shown that natural sources and supplementation of vitamin D reduces risks of multiple sclerosis, heart diseases, and flu. One study also found that vitamin D helps regulate mood and prevent depression.

Recently, researchers at Cambridge University reported that people who had regularly taken vitamin D and calcium supplements were able to lose more weight than those in the placebo group.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.Two cases of multi-drug resistant gonorrhea are detected in Western Australia and Queensland. This came as the first patient diagnosed with the disease was cured in UK.

Australia's Department of Health said that evidence suggested that one of the two patients acquired the disease after traveling in Southeast Asia.

Meanwhile, the UK patient who became the first person with the super gonorrhea strain has luckily been cured. Incidentally, the person had also contracted the infection from Southeast Asia.

Dr. Gwenda Hughes, Consultant Scientist and Head of Sexually Transmitted Infection Section at Public Health England, confirmed that the man was cured by the antibiotic ertapenem.

The doctor adds that the two recent cases of super gonorrhea in Australia are a timely reminder that more cases of multi-drug resistant gonorrhea are expected in the future.

Super Gonorrhea Spreading In Countries

While drug-resistant gonorrhea is being reported in many countries, the cases in the two Australians, including the person in UK, is the first ever strain that is resistant to all routine antibiotics. Two antibiotics, namely azithromycin, and ceftriaxone, have previously been effective against the sexually transmitted disease.

Generally, there has been growth in cases of antibiotic-resistant diseases or what is commonly referred to as "superbugs." These highly resistant strains occur because of the misuse of antibiotics. People who are prescribed antibiotics usually did not finish the recommended duration of their intake. Another misuse is that antibiotics are available over the counter, particularly in the third world countries.

Super Gonorrhea Prevention

The best way to prevent gonorrhea is to practice safe sex, says the Department of Health in Australia. The department also advises using condoms when engaging in all types of sexual activity. People who have new sexual partners are highly recommended to get tested regularly.

As of September 2017, before the above-mentioned cases in Australia and UK, the recommended treatment regimen from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is the dual therapy consisting of ceftriaxone and azithromycin. The UK patient, however, was resistant to both treatments.

Gonorrhea In The United States

Gonorrhea is the second most commonly reported disease in the United States, and CDC has estimated that 820,000 new infections may actually occur each year. Thirty percent of new gonorrhea infections each year are resistant to at least one drug.

In 2013, CDC released the Antibiotic Resistance Threats in the United States report. It is the first report to look at threats by antibiotic-resistance diseases. The report listed antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea among the three most urgent threats of its kind in the country.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.The Supreme Court in the UK rules that Alfie Evans, a toddler with undiagnosed brain disease, be withdrawn from life support despite his parents' objection and appeals.

The court agreed to the decision of Alder Hey Children's Hospital that ending the life of the 23-month-old boy is most advisable. Furthermore, the court also refused to grant permission to his parents' plan of bringing the case to the European Court of Human Rights.

The Case

Alfie's parents filed a case against the hospital when it refused to release him after they had decided that they will bring Alfie to a hospital in Rome for further treatment. The hospital intervened in their decision, arguing that it will not be for Alfie's best interest.

Tom Evans, Alfie's father, took to Facebook to air his devastation over the court's ruling in favor of the hospital. In his post, he highlights that Alfie is neither suffering nor he is in pain. The problem is that he remained undiagnosed.

He is heartbroken about the decision, particularly because Milan, Genoa, Rome, and Munich have all wanted to help Alfie. There are also several companies that are offering air ambulance service.

Two days before the Supreme Court's ruling, Tom flew to Rome, asking Pope Francis to intervene in their legal battle. He asked the Pope for asylum for Alfie.

Alfie Evans's Story

Alfie has been ill since having a seizure in December 2016 when he was only 7 months old. He, however, managed to come off his life support machine three times despite his doctors' objection. In fact, he managed a maximum of 13 days off the machine. His medical charts also showed that his pain is almost non-existent.

Despite all these positive signs, Alder Hey Children's Hospital refused to allow him to be transferred to a hospital in Europe. The hospital also initiated an application to the courts to take off his ventilation.

Before his seizure, Alfie had always loved sleeping but got agitated when awake. At some point, it became hard for him to lift his head from the bed. He also had to clench his fist and needed to jerk his arms and legs just to make them move. Eventually, he just rolled his eyes up.

He was first taken to the hospital for confinement when he contracted a chest infection. Subsequently, he had bronchitis, common cold, pneumonia, and finally epileptic seizures every five to 20 minutes. He has since been connected to a life support.

The Court Ruling

In the official copy of the court's ruling, it states that even if Alfie still looks like a normal baby, the doctors unanimously said that scans of his brain revealed that it is no longer the case. Almost all of his brain has been destroyed.

The destruction of his brain continues to happen because of the undiagnosed neurodegenerative disease. He could no longer breathe, eat, and drink without the life support.

"It was not in his best interest for the treatment which sustained his life to be continued or for him to be taken by air ambulance to another country for this purpose," reads the court ruling.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.Engineers at MIT have successfully manufactured long strips of high-quality graphene, which, if scaled industrially, could potentially revolutionize the production of technology and health devices.

Graphene is a thin layer of pure carbon that forms a hexagonal shape. It is typically applied in batteries, polymers used in aerospace and wind energy technologies, sensors, in mechanical cardiovascular valves and cancer treatment, as well as in paints due to its anti-corrosive properties.

However, the production of graphene is costly, which is why it is manufactured in small batches only.

Dry Run

A breakthrough study published in the journal Applied Materials and Interfaces demonstrated that graphene can be manufactured in large quantities as ultrathin membranes in a roll-to-roll approach.

In roll-to-roll or end-to-end approach, it starts with attaching two spools to a conveyor that runs through a hot furnace. Then, the researchers manufactured graphene through a process called chemical vapor deposition.

A sample of copper foil is then heated before a combination of carbon and other gases are added to it. Graphene is an impervious material that even the smallest of atoms like helium cannot penetrate.

"We know that for industrialization, it would need to be a continuous process," said John Hart, associate professor and the director of Laboratory for Manufacturing at MIT. "You would never be able to make enough by making just pieces. And membranes that are used commercially need to be fairly big - some so big that you would have to send a poster-wide sheet of foil into a furnace to make a membrane."

The team also was able to manufacture 10 meters of continuous graphene in under four hours at a rate of 5 centimeters per minute. The researchers also processed at different speeds with different ratios of methane and hydrogen gas to determine the quality of graphene.

Hart said that if graphene membranes would be produced commercially, it has to be in large quantities and of high quality.

"For now, we've demonstrated that this process can be scaled up, and we hope this increases confidence and interest in graphene-based membrane technologies and provides a pathway to commercialization," Hart said.

Uses Of Graphene

Experts believe that harnessing graphene could open up new possibilities and even replace old or existing technologies. Scientists at the University of Manchester in the UK proposed that graphene could make nuclear energy greener and less costly.

The study published in Nature Communications reported that the graphene could reduce carbon dioxide emissions brought by heavy water production by up to a million tons annually.

"This is a crucial milestone in the path to taking this revolutionary technology to industrial application. The potential gains are high enough to justify its introduction even in the highly conservative nuclear industry," said Dr. Marcelo Lozada-Hidalgo, a research fellow at the University of Manchester.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.A tick species previously not present in the United States has possibly become established in New Jersey. Authorities are working to contain the species from spreading to surrounding areas.

Tick Discovery On Sheep

On Aug. 1, 2017, a resident brought tick samples to the Hunterdon County Health Office in New Jersey after shearing Hannah, her 12-year-old Icelandic sheep. Evidently, upon ridding Hannah of her thick coat, hundreds of ticks were found to have made her their home.

Though sheep normally get infected with ticks, the discovery of East Asian ticks (Haemaphysalis longicornis) on the sheep is rather unique, as they have not been previously seen in the United States but are native to East Asia. The East Asian tick, also called the longhorned tick, has also become a major pest in New Zealand, some parts of Australia, and some Pacific Islands.

An investigation revealed that the ticks have practically invaded the property, as investigators found numerous ticks in various active life stages all over the sheep's body and found larva from the field.

"The ticks in the paddock were so numerous that they crawled on investigators' pants soon after setting foot inside," stated researchers in the paper published in the Journal of Medical Entomology, detailing the discovery.

She has since been treated with a permethrin wash, and follow-up visits showed that there were no more ticks on the sheep or in the property. However, the dates of the follow-ups were associated with below-freezing temperatures, so at the time, researchers surmised that the ticks might have died off or retreated below the soil.

Overwintered In New Jersey

New Jersey authorities' latest update on the matter reveals that the ticks successfully overwintered in the state and thus has possibly become an established species. As such, local, state, and federal authorities are working together to contain the ticks' spread to surrounding areas and to eradicate the pest. They're also expected to work with the public to gather vital information, as well as to educate them on how to protect livestock and pets.

As such, authorities are urging the public to contact the state veterinarian and the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of Wildlife Management should anyone notice unusual ticks.

So far, investigators are still unsure as to how the ticks came to the state since Hannah has no history of traveling internationally or even just outside the county.

Potential Threat

Though initial investigations did not reveal any tick-borne diseases from the ticks, the threat of disease transmission persists. Further, as the ticks are very small and known to infest deer and other hosts, it has a potential to transfer from one animal to another without going noticed, opening the possibility of infecting multiple Northern American wildlife species.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.PORT ALLEN  March 29 started out as a day brimming with hope for the Huggins family as they continued the next leg of their three-day journey from California to Florida, where dad Jeremiah Huggins had accepted a new job.

But as they approached the Interstate 10 bridge across the Mississippi River about 5 p.m.  a time when Baton Rouges notorious rush-hour traffic congestion tends to be at its worst  the day turned tragic.

Jeremiah Huggins, who was behind the wheel of a moving truck carrying their belongings, was killed and his 9-year-old daughter, Evelyn Huggins, was injured after traffic approaching the bridge came to a screeching halt and he was unable to stop in time, slamming into the back of a semi-truck in front of him.

His wife was following the moving truck in the couples Suburban with their other two daughters and the familys three dogs. She watched in horror as the moving truck and their boxed-up possessions were reduced to a pile of twisted metal, glass shards and debris.

"Traffic stopped; time just froze," said Erin Huggins, Jeremiah Huggins' wife of 10 years.

The horrific scene played out within a 2-mile stretch of I-10 between La. 415 and the new Mississippi River bridge in Port Allen.

Lt. Ken Albarez, traffic commander for the West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office, calls the corridor "the devil's triangle of interstates" as the frequency of crashes like Jeremiah Huggins' increases, in part, to daily traffic congestion along the Mississippi River bridge.

"It's a dangerous, dangerous stretch," he said. "You're not anticipating [traffic] coming to a stop coming in from Lafayette."

According to crash data provided to The Advocate by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, there were 235 crashes within the 2-mile corridor between Jan. 1, 2015, and April 11, 2018.

A majority, 169 to be exact, were rear-end collisions, the crash data show. Forty-four of the crashes occurred because of side swiping.

Rodney Mallet, a DOTD spokesman, stopped short of calling the 2-mile corridor dangerous, but he acknowledged that the number of crashes along the stretch is an anomaly for the I-10 system.

"Typically, we don't see this high of a number of rear-enders on the interstate, he said. "However, because of the nature of the interstate in this area, it backs up often during peak hours, and therefore, there is more opportunity for rear-ended crashes."

A 5-year-old boy was killed along the same corridor six months before Jeremiah Huggins' crash when an 18-wheeler failed to stop for a traffic pile-up and plowed into three vehicles, one of which contained the child and his parents.

The driver of the 18-wheeler was booked on one count of negligent homicide.

"The government officials need to fix this dangerous spot," said Erin Huggins. "I heard they call it a dead mans triangle. Really? That's saying something."

Huggins says her husband was in the right lane on I-10 East behind two semi-trucks. She said they were both traveling approximately 65 miles per hour  the speed limit along the 2-mile stretch is 60 mph  when the flow of traffic just came to an abrupt stop.

"My Jeremiah immediately slammed on his brakes and swerved to the right; however, he did not make enough of a right to pass in enough time," she said. "I immediately swerved to the right and slammed on my brakes in the nick of time, not hitting them."

Huggins said her husband, who was 39, shielded their daughter during the crash, which likely saved her life.

When she approached the wreckage, Huggins found her daughter tangled up in her dad's limp arms. The 9-year-old's chin, left arm and two left fingers were badly bruised, she said. She also had a few cuts on her left cheekbone from broken glass.

Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

"I dont want anyone to say she walked away fine because she didnt," Huggins said, referencing the emotional pain her daughters are struggling with in the wake of their father's death. "The entire engine was gone. Half of the door and top of cab area where they were sitting was gone. I tried to reach for him, but people were pulling me away from the truck while I screamed, 'Stay with me, Jay! Stay with me!' 

Jay was the nickname used for her husband.

Huggins said there were no signs of traffic stopping. She doesn't remember seeing the semi-trucks' brake lights flash or any hazardous lights or warning signs alerting drivers to a possible backup.

However, there are two signs along the I-10 stretch approaching the bridge that read "Be Prepared To Stop."

Mallet said the high number of crashes, especially rear-end ones, keep happening because too many drivers are distracted and not paying attention to the various safety measures the state has installed to try to cut down on the crashes.

DOTD has installed signs and flashing lights in five spots within a 5-mile radius of the Mississippi River bridge, rumble strips and cable barriers along the median, and it has partnered with Waze, a mobile app that provides real-time road conditions to its users, Mallet said.

"We cant engineer for all driver behavior," he said. "Even with all the improvements in place, the key to reducing crashes is for drivers to pay attention, be prepared to stop and not drive distracted."

Traffic backups occur regularly when traffic gets choked up near the I-10 and La. 1 interchange and where traffic coming off the Mississippi River bridge has to merge with oncoming traffic from I-110 South from Baton Rouge.

The I-110 and I-10 interchange has been an aggravating chokepoint for years. Two lanes coming off the bridge are essentially forced into one lane that must merge with oncoming traffic along I-110 becaue the second lane along I-10 East becomes an exit lane for Washington Street.

The La. 1 and I-10 intersection on the west bank of the river is another problem spot in the area. Two lanes of traffic from La. 1 must squeeze into the oncoming traffic from I-10 East.

+3 West Baton Rouge political, business leaders talk traffic woes and whats needed to fix them ADDIS  Brusly Mayor Joey Normand said Wednesday he thinks it will take a statewide, voter-approved tax to generate the more than $1 billion i

According to 2016 daily traffic counts from DOTD, more than 50,000 vehicles travel La. 1 near the Mississippi River bridge; more than 75,000 traverse the 2-mile stretch between La. 415 and the bridge; and approximately 100,000 cars cross the I-10 Mississippi River bridge every day.

Mallet said a proposed expansion project under development at DOTD could relieve some of the congestion along I-10 in Port Allen.

"The project calls for an additional lane on I-10 between La. 415 and La. 1," he said. "Once constructed, eastbound traffic exiting La. 1 could move to the far right lane and therefore help reduce the queue of traffic waiting to cross the bridge."

The same project, Mallet said, also calls for an additional lane on I-10 in each direction from the east foot of the bridge to the I-10 and I-12 junction, more commonly known as the split."

That improvement will provide two through lanes on eastbound I-10 coming off of the Mississippi River bridge rather than the current one through lane. The project is in the environmental stage, Mallet said.

Two BR-area road projects not game-changers, but should ease traffic woes Although a study of state transportation needs is barely underway, the Baton Rouge area already is in line for two long-sought projects that w

Albarez, of the West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office, offers up a cheap solution in the interim. He said the state should consider coning off a lane of I-110 South near the I-10 intersection during certain times of the day, reducing traffic out of downtown Baton Rouge down to one lane and giving drivers coming off the new bridge a little more wiggle room to merge and keep traffic flowing more smoothly.

"They could do that immediately," he said.

Mallet said DOTD already has looked into that option but determined it would just cause a traffic pileup extending north of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport along I-110.

"As much as people want to find an easy road-related solution, the key factor in the majority of these accidents is driver behavior," Mallet said.Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commissionAs the Louisiana Senate takes up a House-passed state budget proposal that makes deep cuts in popular government services, the lower chamber is being asked to look at Senate-passed legislation that would raise some revenue by permanently reducing three popular tax rebates.

Sen. Jay Luneau, D-Alexandria, wants to make permanent reductions set to expire June 30 for three growing economic development incentives: Quality Jobs, Enterprise Zones and Competitive Salaries.

How well-received the idea is in the House could be an early indicator of whether Louisiana lawmakers can overcome their philosophical differences about raising revenue.

Citizens say no new taxes and I agree, Luneau told The Advocate. We have a lot of taxes on our rolls, but we dont collect a lot.

Though Senate Bill 493 passed the Senate easily, he knows the business community opposes the measure. He said he is frustrated because business leaders wont meet with him.

Sen. Barrow Peacock, R-Shreveport, is one who is vocal in his opposition.

Im concerned that we are losing private sector jobs, and were not going to get out of our budget problems until we bring back those private sector jobs, Peacock argued. Shorting popular incentives wont bring new businesses to Louisiana and wont encourage existing businesses to expand, he said.

These are some of the most lucrative programs of any state in the United States, Luneau countered. We give away a lot of money to these folks, so when we have an opportunity to throttle them back a little bit and the department (Louisiana Economic Development) agrees they can live within those means  we ought to take advantage of that.

Louisiana gives away a lot of its possible tax revenue in the form of exemptions, credits and rebates. The state expects to collect $15.6 billion in taxes in 2018, according to the Department of Revenue. But various tax breaks should keep about $7 billion out of the public treasury.

The House on Thursday sent the Senate a spending plan for the fiscal year beginning July 1 with cuts to the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students, safety-net hospitals, disabled care and other services to cover a revenue shortfall of about $650 million.

+12 'Shame on us': Louisiana House-passed budget blasted; GOP leaders say drastic cuts not final The Louisiana House has endorsed a spending plan for the coming year that critics, including Gov. John Bel Edwards, say would have catastrophi

Senators had to thread a legal and political obstacle course to get to the legislation Luneau is championing.

For more than three decades, the Louisiana Constitution allows lawmakers to consider taxes, fees and credits only during sessions in odd-numbered years. This is why legislators met  and failed  in a special session two months ago to find the money to cover the deficit without having to cut services.

Lawmakers cant touch credits, like the one that attracts filmmakers to Louisiana, but the constitution is silent on rebates. This gave Senate lawyers enough wiggle room to give the OK to go after three of the rebate programs.

In 2015 and 2016, the Legislature reduced by 20 percent the rebates on various taxes  the state writes checks directly  for companies that located in Louisiana and created jobs with health care benefits, or built or expanded manufacturing facilities. Luneaus bill makes that reduction permanent for all facets of the three rebate programs.

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SB493 wouldnt change existing contracts. But for projects beginning after July 1, for example, that would qualify for a $1 million rebate would get $800,000 instead. It would save $96.5 million over five years.

The Quality Jobs program is expected to cost the state $100 million in 2018; the Enterprise Zones, another $40 million; and Competitive Payroll Incentive, an additional $400,000.

My solution is we need to chip away at the stone a little bit, Luneau said.

When issues arose, the bill was amended.

For instance, Luneau initially wanted to limit the total amount of money available, similar to what the state did for the film tax credit program last year. But some worried that capping this year didnt give industry or state officials who actually solicit businesses to move here enough time to plan and prepare. Luneau removed that provision.

Senate Revenue and Finance Committee Chairman JP Morrell, D-New Orleans, said he introduced the amendment to see if there is any reasonableness in this building or if they are just people who like free money.

Speaking during a committee hearing attended a phalanx of trade association lobbyists, sitting quietly as the measure was debated, Morrell asked for input from the business community. We always hear, consistently, this affects so many industries, but they never show up, Morrell said.

Only one person spoke against the measure.

Rhonda Reap-Curiel, a lobbyist representing the Louisiana Industrial Development Executives Association, said her clients were concerned that the number of applications would decrease.

I appreciate these programs, but we dont have the revenue to pay for them, Morrell lectured the business community representatives. If you want to afford these programs, I hope you have a solution for the budget crisis. Because if we dont solve these problems in a very comprehensive, coherent way, were just going to start slashing stuff.

Luneau said he is worried about the measures reception in the House Ways and Means Committee. The immediate concern is getting it out of that committee; not a whole lot of bills have moved out there, Luneau said.

Some Ways and Means Committee members deny that their panel is where revenue-raising measures go to die, but they say they havent read the bill.

Vice Chairman Jim Morris, R-Oil City, is one of them, saying he couldnt offer an opinion yet, other than it would be fairly considered.

It may be a great idea. I just dont know, Morris said. Well see.One phrase sums up the issue of expanding felon voting rights in Louisiana: If it aint broke, dont fix it.They looked like handicappers at an off-track betting parlor, albeit better dressed.

A couple of college system presidents, a couple of agency heads, and a handful of lobbyists  a few tourists watched from the periphery  gathered under a massive television monitor hanging in the Art Deco lobby of the Louisiana House Chamber.

Democratic Caucus Chair Robert Johnson, his grandmothers rosary in his pocket, was on the screen making an emotional plea to reject a state spending plan that deeply cuts services for the poor and disabled, chops TOPS and nearly defunds safety-net hospitals.

It was the denouement of an effort by House leadership, which has repeatedly failed to find a majority among the cliques of Republicans on fiscal measures, to pass a state budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1.

+12 'Shame on us': Louisiana House-passed budget blasted; GOP leaders say drastic cuts not final The Louisiana House has endorsed a spending plan for the coming year that critics, including Gov. John Bel Edwards, say would have catastrophi

But nobody seemed to want to vote for a bill with so many cuts. State Rep. Stuart Bishop, of Lafayette, wandered through the lobby and jokingly asked former state Rep. Chris Broadwater, also a Republican, to vote in his stead  laughter all around.

What really mattered was the count  in this case 53 yea votes out of 105 members. (Seventy votes are needed to pass a tax or fee increase.) Passing a state budget with deep cuts to cover about $650 million in lost revenues when some taxes expire on June 30 was going to be a close-run thing. Forty-one Democrats were no votes, and up to a dozen of the 61 Republicans were wavering as were two of the three without party affiliation.

The handicappers traded intelligence about how House Majority Leader Lance Harris worked on possible GOP defectors, often relying on a reps business constituents to phone their legislators.

Estimates in the lobby ran from 54 to 58 yea votes.

Harris had amended the bill to take about 20 percent of the money from the popular TOPS grant, which helps pay college tuition, and shift part of it to the hospitals. Not much, but enough perhaps sway a couple of rural representatives to support the bill.

Bogalusa state Rep. Malinda White would have none of it. The $3.4 million Harris designated for the Franciscan Missionaries contracted to run her areas acute care hospital, she said, was a mere drop in a $34.9 million bucket needed for the emergency room in rural Washington Parish, where the next closest facility was a 30-minute drive over winding roads to Picayune, Mississippi.

You can give it to somebody else, White said. Harris shrugged.

Both Harris and Appropriations Chair Cameron Henry said the state didnt have enough money to fund promised services. Both said they would back revenue-raising measures, i.e. taxes, in a special session expected to be called in mid-May.

But this exercise was part of a process to give lawmakers a much firmer grasp on how much would be needed, both Henry and Harris insisted.

The size of the fiscal cliff has shrunk since the first special session. "The number is getting smaller and smaller," Henry said.

This is what a responsible budget looks like  dealing with the actual figures, the actual money that's available to the state today, Harris said after the vote. While not perfect  there is still a lot of work to do  we passed a budget, and its on its way to the Senate to finish work on the budget using the funds that we have today.

What happens in the state Senate is still up in the air. Senators could rearrange the funding and cut different programs. Or they could stall and wait for a special session.

What we saw today out of the House is proof of what we've been saying all along: There simply isn't enough revenue, Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards said after the vote.

Back in the lobby, Jack Montoucet, head of the state Wildlife and Fisheries agency, tried to divine clues from the state budget vote that could apply to his effort to streamline hunting and fishing licenses and raise the fees on some of them. He needs the money to help meet federal matching dollars for conservation efforts.

House Bill 687 comes up for a vote on Monday, and Montoucet doesnt know if he has the 70 votes necessary to advance a fee hike measure to the Senate.

Hunting and fishing license increase goes to full Louisiana House An effort to increase the cost of Louisiana hunting and fishing licenses advanced Wednesday out of a House committee.

He lowered the fee increase request from $5 to $2 in hopes of attracting a few more votes. Was it enough? Well see, he shrugged.

On the budget bill, the 61-member GOP House caucus absorbed seven Republican defections. All but one Democrat voted against House Bill 1, which passed 55-47.

Among the handicappers, only veteran lobbyist Tommy Williams had the right number of yea votes.By the time authorities fished Bobby Byrd out of the Red River in 2011, they were pretty sick of him.

Hed led police on a chase through downtown Shreveport and into neighboring Bossier City before ditching his car and jumping into the drink.

A police dog paddled out and bit him. Officers then pummeled him on the riverbank with what they called distraction strikes, saying he continued to resist. Byrd arrived at the hospital with his nose and eye socket broken, a kidney injured and his wrists in handcuffs.

Police had been looking for a serial burglar in a tan minivan, and Byrds vehicle was a match. But it was his refusal to stop  not any heist  that left him at the mercy of a Caddo Parish jury.

Less than two years later, in January 2013, he was on trial for his life, charged with aggravated flight from the law.

The flight charge itself topped out at two years in prison, and Byrd had no violent felonies on his record  only drug raps and a conviction for attempted simple robbery. But those guilty pleas made him eligible for the life sentence prosecutors vowed to unleash on him under Louisianas repeat-offender law.

Byrd rose from the defense table to hear the guilty verdict. What came next blindsided him, he said.

When my lawyer polled the jury and one of them stood and said, Not guilty, I was shocked and confused, he wrote to The Advocate.

How could I be found guilty when one of the jury members found me not guilty? There was clearly reasonable doubt in his mind as to my guilt. I felt cheated.

Now 45, Byrd is five years into a stint at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola that will end when he dies. He has exhausted his appeals.

A grim calculus

Louisiana and Oregon are the only two U.S states that allow for split-jury verdicts in felony cases. And Louisiana is alone in the way it combines that lower bar for conviction with harsh sentencing practices and a punitive multiple-offender law.

Its a potent cocktail that puts awesome power in the hands of prosecutors, who need only 10 votes on a jury to convict.

The combined effect is simple: more people serving more time in prison. On a per capita basis, Louisiana is the nations leading jailer. And it has nearly twice as many people serving life without parole as its nearest rival, Mississippi.

In Byrds case, Caddo Parish prosecutors made clear from the get-go that they were playing hardball, according to Byrd and his lawyer, Gerald Weeks. Both figure that the federal civil rights lawsuit Byrd filed, accusing officers of using excessive force, didnt help his cause.

The Caddo Parish District Attorneys Office declined comment on the case. But Byrd says he was never offered any sort of deal until after the jury was picked  when prosecutors told him he could plead guilty as charged and serve 25 years. He declined.

Byrd came out on the losing end of a grim calculus that Louisiana felony defendants confront as a matter of course: weighing a guilty plea and a hefty prison term against the tall odds of convincing at least three jurors that prosecutors got it wrong.

Whichever the choice, plea or trial, jurists and defense attorneys say the split-verdict rule plays a significant role in keeping Louisiana at the top of the nation's incarceration pyramid. Precisely how big a role is open for debate.

I do think clearly its a contributing factor to the number of people incarcerated, Paul Bonin, a Criminal District Court judge in Orleans Parish who previously served as an appellate judge, said of the split-verdict rule.

Once you lower the threshold for a guilty verdict, that spills over into a lawyer's and his clients evaluation of what your chances are at trial. ... Its the hidden thing.

State public defender Jay Dixon agreed: I think our prison population speaks for itself. Look no further. You cant tell me thats not part of the problem.

Most of Louisianas roughly 33,000 state inmates did not wind up in prison because they were convicted by juries  unanimous or otherwise. More than 90 percent of new inmates enter the prison system after taking plea deals.

But if trials are rare, they serve a vital purpose, setting an upper bound for a defendants potential punishment and a deadline for copping a plea.

The split-verdict law is baked into the risk analysis, defense attorneys say.

The 10-2 rule causes some defendants that might not otherwise plead to consider a plea, said Ralph Capitelli, a longtime defense lawyer who once served as top deputy to former Orleans Parish District Attorney Harry Connick Sr.

As a prosecutor, you have the luxury of saying, even if you have one or two jurors who you believe are problematic, well, you can still get the conviction. It gives you a little bit of margin.

Ed Tarpley, the former Grant Parish district attorney who has become a leading advocate for changing the split-verdict law, says the force exerted by the law is hard to overstate. He describes its effect as hidden but heavy, an unseen hand stirring the pot.

The state goes into any criminal trial with an overwhelming advantage, Tarpley said. Thats why a lot of cases dont go to trial. Defense lawyers realize that because of this law, the burden is so huge they dont feel like theyve got a chance. So the best thing is to work out a plea.

Tim Meche, a veteran defense lawyer in New Orleans who has practiced in other states, put it in gamblers terms.

It raises the price of poker, he said.

Measuring the effect

Cases that go to trial tend to involve more serious charges, and ultimately more severe penalties, than those resolved by plea deals, according to an Advocate analysis of thousands of trial records and state prison admissions data.

Thats why the relatively small number of inmates sentenced to prison each year following jury verdicts carve a larger footprint in Louisianas towering incarceration rate.

But its not easy to measure the laws direct effect because state corrections officials dont keep track of who got to prison by way of trial versus plea deal.

The data that are available, however, make clear that most inmates are behind bars because they took plea bargains. For instance, there were just over 500 jury trials in Louisiana in 2015, a year that saw more than 8,200 inmates admitted to state prisons. So even if every single trial defendant that year was found guilty and sent to prison, they would have made up only 6 percent of new prison admissions.

The true share is smaller than that.

While the data make clear that most new inmates did not go to trial, its equally plain that the ones who did, and lost, were far more apt to receive lengthy sentences.

Meanwhile, of the inmates who got less punitive sentences, the defendants who went to trial received substantially more prison time than those who took plea deals.

Consider Jefferson Parish, which consistently ranks at or near the top in filling Louisiana prison beds.

In 2015, jury verdicts resulted in prison time for 34 Jefferson Parish defendants  just over 4 percent of total prison admissions from the parish that year. Two-thirds of them remain in prison today.

But of those who pleaded guilty in exchange for prison time, just 1 in 5 remains there, according to an Advocate analysis of trials and state prison rolls. Sentences of five years or less were handed down for two-thirds of those making guilty pleas.

Excluding life prisoners, the median sentence for inmates convicted by Jefferson Parish juries in 2015 was just over a decade  more than double the sentence of defendants who pleaded guilty. And all 20 inmates who were sentenced to more than 45 years in Jefferson Parish that year  including a dozen who got life  were found guilty by juries.

The result is that even though comparatively few Louisiana inmates enter the prison system after jury verdicts, their numbers accumulate over time.

Although its hard to say precisely what proportion of Louisianas 33,000 state inmates wound up in prison after a jury trial, coming up with a baseline is not difficult.

That's because nearly all of the 6,052 Louisiana inmates serving life without parole, or a virtual life sentence of 50 years or more, were convicted by a jury.

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Taken together, these inmates make up more than 18 percent of the states prison population.

Overall, about 4 in 10 of those found guilty at a trial likely were convicted by a jury that had at least one dissenter, according to The Advocates database of 993 cases where the jury vote was known.

Of course, thats not to say these inmates would otherwise have been acquitted. But many likely would be serving less time were it not for Louisianas unique law.

Many veteran lawyers say that, were the state to end its law allowing nonunanimous verdicts, many juries that couldnt reach unanimity still would convict the defendant but on a lower charge carrying less time in prison.

The hidden impact

The shadow cast by Louisianas unusual rule stretches far beyond the jury deliberation room. The thousands of inmates who opted against a jury trial still likely felt its effect.

When a Louisiana district attorney is deciding on whether to offer a plea deal, the law is one more advantage for him or her. Many defendants consider those long odds and take a deal.

King Alexander, a Calcasieu Parish public defender and an advocate for changing the law, said prosecutors often overcharge clients  for instance, charging second-degree murder when the evidence points to the lesser crime of manslaughter  because of the leverage it gives them.

A conviction on manslaughter leaves the next decision to a judge, who can sentence a defendant to anything from zero to 40 years. With a murder conviction, the judge has one option: life.

A lot of people plead guilty to charges that prosecutors would have a hard time convicting people of with (a requirement for) a unanimous jury, Alexander said. I have clients who would have gone to trial on manslaughter and taken their chances. But looking at life without parole from a nonunanimous jury, knowing hes facing the possibility of being convicted by 10 of 12, he takes the deal.

Alexander recalled a recent case in which his client, Randell Roy Austin, 67, faced a charge of second-degree murder in a killing in which Alexander believed he had a plausible claim to self-defense.

But Austin agreed to plead guilty to manslaughter under a deal in which he would serve no more than five years. The prospect of a 10-2 murder verdict, which would have mandated a life sentence, weighed heavily in Randells decision, Alexander said.

David Belfield, a New Orleans defense lawyer, said his entire strategy would change if the law did. I would take that shot (at trial) more than I do now, Belfield said. Right now, I need three (jurors to vote for not guilty), when all I would need is one.

Retired Orleans Parish Judge Frank Marullo, who likely presided over more jury trials than any other Louisiana judge, describes the split-jury law as an obvious muscle boost for prosecutors in a system already tilted in their favor.

You get a prosecutor who really wants to come down on a person because of their rap sheet  theres this bad-boy effect, Marullo said. If you really want to look at it, the whole sentencing scheme is a tremendous advantage for the state. It makes the guy plead guilty because hes afraid.

But the leverage game can cut both ways: Because prosecutors have so many arrows in their quiver, the deals they offer arent as good because they dont fear losing, Alexander said. And that can almost force some defendants to go to trial, figuring they have little to lose.

This guy is a badass

Consider the case of Cornelius Kirsh.

In 2014, he took a hard left into a Slidell subdivision as a patrol car sped toward him. The officers were responding to a report of possible gunfire.

The police pursuit was over in seconds: Kirsh, then 23, stopped his SUV a few hundred feet down the road when a second police unit blocked the way. One of his passengers jumped out and fled.

The police report says Kirsh was driving at an extremely high rate of speed without regard to children playing nearby and that officers smelled the strong odor of freshly fired gun powder.

Still, they marked it down as a relatively minor affair, booking Kirsh on a count of reckless driving and two lesser violations. A conviction would have meant a maximum of 90 days in prison and a $200 fine.

The stakes soon got much higher. A St. Tammany Parish prosecutor, Nick Noriea, got a heads-up on the arrest and found a pair of robbery convictions on Kirshs record. He yanked the case out of Slidell's municipal court and transferred it to 22nd Judicial District Court.

They had brought him to Slidell City Court on a misdemeanor, Noriea recalled with gusto. The prosecutor there was working with my old investigator, who told me: This guy is a badass, and they got him charged with some little thing.

I said, Let me look at it. 

Noriea also saw that Kirsh was suspected of firing at a house in a separate case. But authorities had trouble getting witnesses to cooperate, which Noriea blamed on the fear Kirsh inspired.

So he dropped the moving violation and instead charged Kirsh with aggravated flight and aggravated obstruction of a highway of commerce, an exotic count that carries a maximum penalty of 15 years. And although police never turned up a gun, or even saw one, Noriea also charged Kirsh with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The offer then made to him was this: Plead guilty and serve 30 years in prison. Kirsh said no thanks.

A jury deliberated for 5 hours before returning guilty verdicts against Kirsh on two of the original charges and a reduced charge.

The jury's vote is not in the court record, but several jurors said it was 10-2 on at least one of the charges, with the only two black jurors in opposition. Kirsh is black.

Judge Allison Penzato later threw out the firearm conviction, citing a lack of evidence. But it hardly mattered: Prosecutors invoked the habitual-offender statute. With no real wiggle room, Penzato sentenced Kirsh to life without parole.

He went from a ticket that he didnt want to pay to a life sentence, Noriea crowed.

Like the prosecutor, Kirsh marveled at the outcome of his case, though it still baffles him.

"I have been trying to understand how is it even legal for the state of Louisiana to give a person a LIFE sentence for a traffic violation," he wrote to The Advocate.

Jurors arent supposed to consider potential penalties, but three of them told The Advocate they were troubled to hear theyd unwittingly handed a life sentence to Kirsh for his actions that day.

Honestly, had a few of us known that could have been a possibility, I think we would have had more votes go the other way, said Dana McKinney, the jury forewoman.

Kirshs lawyer, Russell Stegeman, said he still shakes his head over the outcome, which has been upheld on appeal.

The evidence was horrible; the charges were ridiculous, he said. The DA just wanted to get this guy. It was really, really flimsy.

District Attorney Warren Montgomery said he hasnt lost any sleep over Kirshs fate. Even if Kirsh didnt hurt anyone in the chase, it was only a matter of time before he did, the district attorney said.

I have no regrets whatsoever about that guy, Montgomery said. He needs to be off the streets.

Not on the table

Gov. John Bel Edwards has made no secret of his desire to end Louisianas status as the worlds leading jailer, and last year he strongly backed a slate of reforms aimed at achieving that goal.

The bills passed, and Oklahoma is expected to become Americas top jailer sometime this year.

But notably absent from the 2017 debate was any discussion of changing the 10-2 law  in part because measuring the laws effect on incarceration seemed so challenging and also because any change would have been politically perilous.

Not that anyone has asked him, but Bobby Byrd, who will spend the rest of his life in prison for running from the cops, has some ideas about what the Legislature ought to do.

Eliminate the 10-2, and change the habitual-offender laws, he wrote. Take drug offenses out of it when its obvious the offender is clearly an addict. Its cheaper to rehabilitate than incarcerate.

Byrd, who is now in his sixth year of a life sentence, admits he never should have run from police. But he portrays himself as a nonviolent drug addict and a schizophrenic  someone who needed therapy, not a lifetime behind bars.

I didnt hurt nobody, didnt use my vehicle as a weapon, he said. There was no specific victim, nobody saying, He did this to me. None of those type of things. All I did was, I drove away from the officers.Parish spending is St. Tammany topic

Two members of the St. Tammany Parish Council will sponsor a program titled What do I get for my tax dollars in St. Tammany Parish? on Monday night.

The program will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the first-floor conference room at SMH Founders Building, 1150 Robert Blvd., Slidell.

It is being presented by council members Gene Bellisario of District 9 and Michele Blanchard of District 13.

The program is intended to answer questions such as: How much do parish taxing bodies receive? What state unfunded mandates must they pay? What services do residents get?

Parish officials invited to speak or send representatives include Assessor Louis Fitzmorris, School Superintendent Trey Folse, Coroner Charles Preston, Clerk of Court Melissa Henry, Sheriff Randy Smith, President Pat Brister and Fire District 1 Chief Chris Kaufmann.

St. Bernard seeks old, unwanted drugs

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St. Bernard Parish Sheriff James Pohlmann encourages residents to properly dispose of unwanted or expired prescriptions and over-the-counter medications on Saturday as the Sheriffs Office participates in the annual National Prescription Drug Take-Back.

Narcotics officers with the Sheriff's Office will accept unwanted medications from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Special Investigations Division substation, 7001 W. Judge Perez Drive in Arabi, near Aycock Street.

"Residents should take this opportunity to clean out their medicine cabinets and get rid of unused drugs so they don't fall into the hands of youngsters who might misuse them or thieves who could sell them on our streets," Pohlmann said.

The initiative, part of a national effort spearheaded by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, has seen more than 4.8 million pounds of prescription drugs collected since 2010.

The Sheriffs Office also has a drop box for drugs located year-round at the substation at 4700 Paris Road in Chalmette.

The drop box was installed as part of an initiative by state Attorney General Jeff Landry, Blue Cross Blue Shield and the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators. The goal of the initiative is to have a location in every Louisiana parish where residents can drop off unwanted medications at any time in an effort to fight the opioid epidemic.

We have been participating in the Drug Take-Back initiative for a number of years by inviting the public to properly dispose of unwanted medications on specific days throughout the year, Pohlmann said. Now, having a drop box at one of our substations year-round will create better, more convenient opportunities for people to do so.On the Louisiana Senate floor this month, one lawmaker shared a dirty little secret about a calculation some prosecutors make when deciding what charges to level against a felony suspect.

Sen. Dan Claitor, R-Baton Rouge, served as an assistant district attorney in New Orleans in the late 1980s. He recalled filing more severe felony charges than the evidence might have warranted against some criminal suspects  simply to ensure that jury unanimity would not be required.

Im going to put myself out there that, if I had a particularly hard case and I had the opportunity to have a more difficult felony, that I would upcharge em, Claitor said, because it was easier for me to convict em with 10 out of 12 (jurors)  Im not proud of that  than it is 6 out of 6.

Prosecutors in Louisiana have broad discretion over such choices. For instance, they can charge a suspect found with a modest quantity of illicit drugs on a possession count  or alternatively, with possession with intent to distribute the drug.

The former would be tried by a six-pack jury, where unanimity is required. The latter, because the sentence is necessarily at hard labor, demands a jury of 12  only 10 of whom must agree, even if they ultimately find a defendant guilty only of simple possession.

The same calculation could apply to a robbery case. Defendants charged with simple robbery are tried by a six-member jury, while 12-member juries hear cases of second-degree robbery.

The Advocates review of thousands of jury trials over a six-year period  including those involving both types of juries  suggests that the tactic Claitor revealed may in fact improve prosecutors chances.

Although its tricky to compare across jurisdictions, the data indicate that defendants who go to trial in Louisiana face longer-than-usual odds.

In more than 1,800 trials with 12-member juries from The Advocate's database, 81 percent ended with the jury  or at least 10 jurors  voting to convict a defendant of at least one charge.

Thats well above the 71 percent rate reported by the National Center for State Courts in a 2003 survey of 30 large counties across the country.

The disparity may result in part from the lower bar to conviction that nonunanimous verdicts allow. The Advocates review also found that 12-member juries in Louisiana are more likely to convict than six-member juries drawn from the same pools of residents.

In 679 six-pack jury trials in The Advocate's database, 70 percent ended with a conviction on at least one count  a rate more in line with the overall national trial conviction rate.

Those six-member juries dont necessarily mean the punishment cant be steep if they convict.

Simple robbery, for instance, carries a maximum seven-year sentence in Louisiana. The top sentence for simple burglary is 12 years. Both charges are tried by six-pack juries. And the same habitual-offender law applies, allowing for greatly increased penalties, should prosecutors invoke it following a conviction by either type of jury.

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The Advocates trial database, for instance, includes 14 defendants who received life prison terms as a result of guilty verdicts by six-member juries.

But along with giving prosecutors two free outs in jury selection, 12-member jury trials often mean a longer menu of lesser charges on which a jury can decide to convict instead of the most severe charge  offering a wider scope for compromise guilty verdicts.

Claitor was arguing this month for a proposal to place a referendum on Louisianas 120-year-old split-verdict law before state voters. Just how often prosecutors actually file more severe charges for the reasons he suggested is almost impossible to know.

Other former prosecutors acknowledged that "upcharging" is common practice but gave varied accounts for whether the size of the jury enters into the equation.

Most said the benefit of having one or two jurors whose votes dont matter  mulligans, as Claitor described them  takes a back seat to the greater leverage that more serious charges afford prosecutors in plea negotiations.

Orleans Parish Criminal District Court Judge Keva Landrum-Johnson, who became the citys first female district attorney in 2007, insisted that jury size didnt come into play while she was a prosecutor.

I felt like if a case could be proven, I could prove it either way, to a six- or 12-person jury, she said.

But Graham Bosworth, a defense attorney who worked in the same DA's Office from 2005 to 2010, mostly in the appeals section, recalled such discussions.

Im not surprised that Sen. Claitor admitted hes done it. Its definitely part of the conversation, Bosworth said. I was involved in a couple of those discussions, be it drugs or crimes of violence.

Former prosecutors often say their goal was to convince the whole jury; then, if one or two went astray, they still had a conviction.

But Kevin Boshea, a New Orleans-area defense attorney who once prosecuted cases alongside the current Orleans Parish district attorney, Leon Cannizzaro, said they all learned to count.

I used to pick juries with Leon, Boshea said as he began to mimic Cannizzaro's brusque cadence.

"He'd say, Kevin, are there 10 up there? Do we have 10?' 

A spokesman said Cannizzaro couldnt recall the episode.Wilfred Moliere feels somewhat vindicated now. But he recalls the isolation he felt two decades ago inside a Jefferson Parish jury room, where his doubts about the murder case against Travis Hayes were met with silence from other jurors.

A retired longshoreman, Moliere said he was the last black person questioned  and the only one picked  for the jury that convicted Hayes for the 1997 murder of a Bridge City grocer.

Hayes was black. The grocer, Tommy Vanhoose, was white. And to Moliere, the whole thing felt like a railroad job, with him as the foil.

They wanted to make it look good: Were going to have one black (on the jury). Were not going to have three because they all might vote like that,  he said. Why is that? Whats the thinking, whats the feeling behind that? Theyre not smart enough, or what? I just dont get it.

Moliere, 68, said he harbored genuine suspicion about the evidence prosecutors presented against Hayes, who was 17 when he was accused of driving the getaway car in a stickup that turned deadly.

The arresting officer, who happened to be Molieres neighbor, never took the stand, Moliere said. And one of the eyewitnesses seemed overly rehearsed, too polished in his telling of what he saw.

By the time they reached the jury room late at night to discuss the case, though, it was all over but the counting.

I said, Something is not right here. Something is wrong with this case. There was no reaction, Moliere said. The ones who spoke up  it was one or two  they were satisfied with what they heard. There was only one vote. And that was the end of it.

The jury foreman knocked on the door for the bailiff. Back in the courtroom, the judge asked them to fill out slips with their votes. A second juror had joined Moliere in dissent, the court transcript shows.

Moliere slid into his Pontiac Bonneville and headed home. Hayes would be going off to state prison, handed an automatic life prison sentence  one that would be thrown out eight years later.

Ryan Matthews, the convicted triggerman and Hayes friend, went free from death row, where hed been sent by a unanimous jury. Testing of DNA material from a ski mask tossed from the getaway car pointed to another man.

District Attorney Paul Connick's office at first denied Hayes a similar reprieve, defending his conviction and life sentence. He had confessed to the crime over six hours of grilling, in what his attorneys called an obviously false confession. A judge threw out Hayes murder conviction in 2006, and prosecutors declined to retry him.

His case is among at least a dozen instances in recent times in which inmates who were found guilty by nonunanimous Louisiana juries later won their freedom, their convictions deemed bogus, according to a roster provided by the Innocence Project New Orleans.

Ten of those 12 men later received payments of up to $250,000 from the states Innocence Compensation Fund, state data show. Nine of those 10 men are black. To qualify for that money, a judge must declare  or the state must concede  that they were factually innocent of those crimes, a higher bar than just "wrongfully convicted."

Those figures, while troubling, are far too small to draw any statistical conclusions about whether divided juries are more likely to send innocent people to prison.

More Louisiana convicts have been freed under similar circumstances after being convicted by unanimous juries. In a few cases, judges rendered the later-discredited guilty verdicts without a jury.

Louisiana is among the nations leaders, per capita, in the number of state convicts who have been freed based on bad convictions. Yet even those state-by-state comparisons are fraught.

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The National Registry of Exonerations, which counts 52 such cases since 1989 in Louisiana state courts, notes that more than half of the nearly 2,200 cases in its national database were challenged by local or regional advocacy groups such as the Innocence Project New Orleans, or by a smattering of district attorneys offices that have launched conviction review programs.

Those initiatives do not exist in every state, and some are more robust than others.

The places that dont have a lot of exonerations, it could be they have a better track record, said Barbara OBrien, editor of the national registry. Or it could be you dont catch those mistakes, and those people just languish.

Maurice Possley, a senior researcher for the registry, noted that it includes only exonerations the researchers have been made aware of through media accounts, defense attorneys, the former convicts themselves, advocacy groups or, in rare cases, prosecutors. Others likely happen with no fanfare.

Few would deny, though, that Louisiana has been home to an unhealthy share of bad convictions.

To dissenting jurors like Moliere, the states split-verdict law only makes injustice easier by allowing the majority to brush past reasonable doubt on the part of a couple of jurors with little thought.

Im not a violent person. Anytime someone gets hurt, thats not something to play with. Youre supposed to be serious, he said. But (the other jurors) werent, to me. It was, 'OK, lets get this over with.' 

Even before the jury met to deliberate, Moliere said, he sensed the attitudes of jurors ready to convict. He recalled flippant comments during breaks in the trial  about the defense attorneys excessive spittle, about Hayes sitting at the defense table looking all foolish and out of place, like he dont care.

Moliere drew parallels to his childhood in Plaquemines Parish in the 1950s and 1960s, a time and place when racial segregation was strictly enforced and discrimination was rampant.

I can remember just like yesterday, we would get what was, to us, new books. But they had the white peoples name in them, that had em the year before in the white school, he said. You didnt go in the front door to a restaurant; you had to go around to a window to get served.

Moliere said hed been called for jury duty previously, but Hayes case marked the first time he served on a panel. He later watched the trial of the man accused in his brothers murder, he said. The guilty verdict in that case, he said, was unanimous.

I still think about that sometimes, he said of his jury service. Just the unfairness, the things they try to pull over, the jury selection.

Im not going to say (I feel) vindicated, like, Oh yeah, I was right,  he said.

But dont just do it because you know you can do it," he added of overly zealous prosecutions. "If youre going to be fair, lets be fair. You wouldnt have all the bitterness. It gets to you after a while. It just gets to you.

Hayes, now 38, has since returned to prison on a 15-year stint as a habitual drug offender, following a guilty plea in 2010. He is due for release in 2024.

Maurice Chammah, of The Marshall Project, contributed to this story.River sediment is a nuisance and a need in Louisiana.

On one hand, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredges tens of millions of cubic yards of the stuff out of local waterways every year in its effort to keep those waterways clear for ship traffic, a lifeblood of the state's and nation's economy.

Most of that sediment then gets dumped right back in the water: either in the Gulf of Mexico or in deeper parts of the same waterway, where the current is expected to carry it downstream and away from the dredged area. By law, the Corps is required to do the most cost-effective thing with the dredged material, which limits the options on its use.

On the other hand, sediment is serving a valuable purpose: helping to rebuild and reinforce Louisiana's retreating coastline and wetlands.

A centerpiece of the state's plan to fight coastal loss is the construction of two large sediment diversions, which, it is hoped, will help rebuild land in areas that have received too little sediment since the federal levee system was constructed and flooding eliminated.

In several smaller projects, dredges are being used to pull sediment from places like Lake Pontchartrain and pump it into the marsh, where it is used to create new land that will reduce the risk of storm surge and restore ecosystems.

A new pilot program is attempting to bring the two activities together. The Corps is soliciting projects aimed at using dredged material for "beneficial use," which is defined as a use that reduces storm damage, promotes public safety or recreation, bolsters aquatic ecosystems or reduces cost.

At present, only about 42 percent of dredged material is used for beneficial projects, said Sarah Bradley, of the Corps of Engineers. The rest is disposed of in the most cost-efficient way possible, she said.

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Nationwide, 94 projects have been proposed for the pilot program, 13 of them in Louisiana. Florida submitted nine and Washington eight, according to information from the Corps. Ten projects from around the country will be selected in June and  once funding is allotted  executed, Bradley said.

"It's a classic win-win," said Bren Haase, head of planning and research for the state's Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, which has partnered with local agencies on five of Louisiana's 13 proposals. "We have to get this stuff out of the navigation channels, and we have a tremendous need for this sediment."

The CPRA's five projects are along the Mississippi, Atchafalaya and Calcasieu rivers, all of which are among Louisiana's most heavily dredged waterways, Haase said. The projected costs for the five projects range between $24 million and $52 million, according to CPRA estimates.

Other programs in Louisiana have shown that using dredged material can be helpful, Haase said.

"We have demonstrated that it's a viable technique, that it's something that's needed," he said. "We would love to see this develop into a long-funded program."

Building land is a focus of the state's coastal restoration program because it is estimated that the state lost an area nearly the size of Delaware between 1932 and 2010. Marsh creation, often with dredged material, is a centerpiece of the state's plan to at least slow the rate of that loss over the next 50 years.

Using more of the sediment that's taken out of the water to facilitate navigation could provide a boost to the state's efforts in that regard, Haase said.

"It's got the potential to be a big deal," he said.Healthcare stocks around the world are attracting heavy investor interest for many reasons, chief among them the expanding ageing population and longer life spans. Within the ASX Healthcare sector, the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences subsector is especially attractive to risk tolerant investors looking for explosive gains.

The most attractive typically are micro or mid-cap clinical stage start-ups with an appealing story to tell of treatments or drugs with untold potential. Unfortunately, the massive gains these stocks can post based on positive developments can quickly evaporate into losses on negative news.

The website Biotechdaily.com.au is a source of valuable information on the progress of more than 140 biotechs listed on the ASX as well as information from research institutes and on government policy. Although subscription based, the website has paywall-free information, including the performance of the BDI-40  the Biotech Daily Top 40 Index, created and tracked by the website operators.

For the decade ending on 30 June 2017, the BDI-40 posted an impressive gain of 79.6%, dramatically outperforming the ASX 200, which fell 8.8% over the same period.

In the opinion of the website operators, a 2% drop in March of 2018 was due to the Trump effect. Despite the one-month decline, we found four biotechs posting double digit year to date gains and one with a 20% rise in the month of March.

Although the reputation of this sub-sector is marked by high volatility, all of these stocks have Beta values under 1.0, indicating below average volatility when compared to the overall market. The following table lists the companies by market cap.



>> BACK TO THE NEWSLETTER: Click here to read other articles from this weeks newsletterBanking sector not out of the woods

The banking sector isnt out of the woods after the Turnbull government announced tough new penalties as disturbing practices were uncovered by the royal commission.

Individuals found guilty of misconduct in the finance sector will now face up to 10 years behind bars, while corporations could be fined up to 10 per cent of their turnover.

Treasurer Scott Morrison stressed the new measures had been considered over a long period of time, rather than a quick-fire response to evidence before the inquiry.

As disturbing and distressing as these things are, we need to ensure that our responses are well-considered, Mr Morrison said.

Assistant minister Jane Prentice backed a call from former competition watchdog chairman Allan Fels to stop banks from offering financial advice.

I do believe there should be a separation between people who benefit from the advice they give, Ms Prentice told ABC TV.

Id like to see some more independent advice.

More than $1.3 billion was wiped off the AMPs market capitalisation this week, after its executives admitted to charging clients for advice they never received and repeatedly lying to the corporate watchdog.

AMP chief executive Craig Meller was the inquirys first major scalp, quitting on Friday before he was due to retire at the end of the year.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia has been under the spotlight, with the commission hearing one of its units had been extracting fees from dead people, in one case, for more than a decade.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten labelled them grave diggers before calling for root and branch reform of the sector.

The intense scrutiny on the sector is likely to continue, with the government open to extending the inquiry beyond its current deadline, which is to provide a final report by February 1 next year.Not long ago, I dashed off a quick email to Mickey Drexler, the former chief executive of J. Crew and perhaps the greatest merchant of his generation, to ask him if he had any thoughts about why Canada Goose overcoats had become so popular.

You know the coats I mean, dont you? Those big winter coats, usually black or blue, with the circular red, white and blue arm badges that say Canada Goose Arctic Program." The ones that cost upwards of $1,000. In New York, you see them everywhere, even now in April, with weather still nippy but hardly cold enough to require arctic gear.

Dont know much, he replied a few seconds later. Other than very hot!

Id been curious about Canada Goose ever since Id started seeing the overcoats in New York about three years ago. I didnt really understand why they had become so ubiquitous. Not only were they ridiculously expensive, but you couldnt really call them stylish either.

The Italian company Moncler SpA, which competes with Canada Goose, also makes expensive winter wear. But many of its styles are designed to look good as they keep you warm. By contrast, Canada Gooses basic coats are bulky, almost shapeless.

While they may be perfect for Antarctica, the coats seem a bit over-the-top for the U.S. Northeast. I asked the company for a loaner this winter so I could better understand their appeal, but it didnt really help. Although I certainly liked wearing it on the very coldest days, I found it almost too warm. Whenever I wore one in the subway, I emerged drenched in sweat.

When I spoke to Dani Reiss, Canada Gooses 44-year-old chief executive and the grandson of its founder, the word he kept using to explain why the brand was so hot was authenticity.

Authenticity is everything for us, he said. Weve never believed in fancy ad campaigns. They are not authentic.

Well, maybe. But as I began to learn about the company, I discovered that Reiss may not use fancy ad campaigns, but hes one heck of a marketer just the same.

Canada Goose Holdings Inc.  its original name was Metro Sportswear Ltd.  was founded by Sam Tick in Toronto in 1957. The company didnt really find its niche until the 1980s, when Reisss father and Ticks son-in-law, David Reiss, created a parka built specifically to keep scientists warm at McMurdo Station in Antarctica. (His key innovation was a special down filling machine he invented.) In 1982, the company scored its first marketing coup, when Laurie Skreslet wore a custom-made Canada Goose parka en route to becaming the first Canadian to reach the summit of Mt. Everest.

By the time Dani Reiss became CEO in 2001, at the age of 28, the company was in the process of conquering its second niche market: Hollywood.

With pockets to store gear, scripts and other essentials, and warmth thats designed to endure the chill of long production days, (as Canada Goose says on its website) film crews began using it when they had to do a shoot in cold weather.

Reiss took the next obvious step: product placement. Manchester by the Sea, X-Men 2, Money Monsters  actors in all those movies have worn Canada Goose coats.

What seems to have set Reiss apart from his father and grandfather was his ambition. When I started with the company in 1997, he told me, I thought I would use the job to make some quick cash and then travel and write. Instead, he became smitten with the coats his predecessors had created  and determined to make them better known.

His father and grandfather had built a company that made high-performance gear for small groups for whom such coats were not a luxury but a necessity. Reiss decided he wanted to sell Canada Goose coats to people for whom it was not a necessity but a luxury.

He began building the brand in Europe, starting with Stockholm, a city that can be chilly in the winter. It was almost all word of mouth. Because Canada Goose still had limited manufacturing capacity, there were often shortages, which Reiss soon realized was an odd sort of blessing: it made customers want the product all the more. On more than one occasion, people lined up to get a coat, knowing that a new shipment had just arrived. Suddenly, spending $1,000 on a winter coat didnt seem any more outrageous than spending $1,000 on an iPhone X.

That logo on the sleeve was part of it too. Reiss says that people are forever approaching him to say that they noticed a Canada Goose logo for the first time the other day. Now I see it everywhere, they say. What the hell?

The key modern moment, though, came when Reiss realized that turbocharging the companys growth would require a big infusion of capital. So in 2013, he sold a majority stake to Bain Capital Private Equity, which allowed him to expand the companys manufacturing facilities in Winnipeg and Toronto, among other things.

Read also: Show must go on: NY Fashion Week weathers #MeToo storm

The expansion went well enough that four years later, Canada Goose did a successful public offering, raising $255 million. The stock jumped 25 percent on its first day of trading and kept right on rising.

Now Canada Goose has also opened boutiques in New York, Toronto, Toyko and a handful of other cities. It once had 20 styles; it now has 200. A few months ago, it hired a new chief financial officer away from the high-end shoe retailer Jimmy Choo. It promotes and supports a group it calls Goose People  a champion dogsledder, an extreme adventure athlete, a polar explorer. You get the idea.

Still, Reiss will never stop talking about authenticity, and you cant blame him. He revels in his companys Canadian-ness, and its roots. As he put it a few years ago:

There are a lot of brands out there that try to attach a story to their product, but it's not real. But we actually are the real story. Were the Land Rover of clothing. We started in Northern Canada, and the coats were the uniform of the high Arctic. They were made for people working in the coldest places on Earth.

On the other hand, when I walked into Canada Gooses New York store recently to return the coat the company had loaned me, I saw rows of lightweight jackets and vests. It was the new spring line, I was told. I thought to myself, Theyre not wearing these clothes in the arctic.

Which, of course, raises the question: Are people in New York and Toronto and Tokyo really wearing Canada Goose coats because thats what scientists wear at McMurdo Station? Or are they wearing them because, thanks to Reisss clever marketing, they now confer almost the same status as a Bottega Veneta handbag or a Cartier watch?

In 2015, during a warm spell in December, WWD deputy editor Arthur Zaczkiewicz suggested the answer: Its warm out, but the fashionistas are all wearing their Canada Goose, he said. Fashion trumps the weather.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.The Indonesian Embassy in Washington DC held an event entitled Ngopi Sore, or Afternoon Coffee, on April 13. The event was designed to introduce coffee as a part of the Indonesian lifestyle and culture. The embassy also invited coffee shop owners, baristas, coffee brewers, importers and coffee enthusiasts to a sharing session about coffee.

Washington DC trade attache, Reza Pahlevi said in an official press release, We want to convey the story behind Indonesias premium coffee beans. US consumers are very interested in the story behind the coffee that they consume.

The event featured a documentary film teaser entitled Legacy of Java, a continuation of a documentary titled Aroma of Heaven, which was featured in the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) Expo in Atlanta, Georgia in 2016. In the event, Indonesia was featured as Portrait Country.

Director of the documentary film, Budi Kurniawan said, "This is the second part of the Aroma of Heaven heptalogy. The documentary focuses on the coffee scene in Javas big cities from the point of view of coffee business owners. It also features the concerns of coffee farmers in villages about coffee sustainability.

Budi hoped the documentary would provide US coffee businessmen with a new perspective about Indonesian coffee and encourage them to work with the farmers.

The Ngopi Sore event also featured a fun cupping session where guests were invited to taste several high-quality micro lot coffees, including Jawa Puntang, Jawa Bowongso, Aceh Gayo, Sumatra Tiga Raja, Sulawesi Rantemario and Flores Manggarai.

The event was also attended by staff from the Government of the District of Columbia, US Congress, a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) deputy director and several students from Maryland University.

Read also: Coffee guerrillas fighting for the perfect cup

Indonesias coffee exports to the US in 2017 were recorded at US$313 million, a 3 percent increase from the previous year. Indonesia is the fifth-biggest coffee exporter to the US with 5 percent market share after Brazil (21 percent), Colombia (17 percent), Vietnam (8.4 percent) and Canada (8.7 percent).

We always strive to raise Indonesian coffees image in the US through storytelling. In every meeting with partners in Washington DC, we always give away Indonesian coffee as souvenirs as a form of our coffee diplomacy, Reza said.

Ngopi Sore was a part of a string of events promoting Indonesian premium coffee in the US, followed by the Global Specialty Coffee Expo (GSCE) that is being held in Seattle from April 20-22. Indonesias participation is a result of a collaboration between the Indonesian Embassy in Washington DC, the San Francisco consulate general and the Indonesian Trade Promotion Centers in Chicago and Los Angeles.

The exhibition will be attended by the governor of Aceh, three cooperatives from Aceh province, members of the Indonesia Coffee Export and Industry Association (AEKI) and the Specialty Coffee Association of Indonesia (SCAI).

Aside from the supporting activities of the 2018 GSCE exhibition, there will also be an Indonesia - America Business Forum event held in partnership with the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce to develop collaboration opportunities and investment between Aceh province and the state of Washington in agriculture, energy, tourism and infrastructure. (asw)Six magnums of rare Chateau Lafleur 1982 wine from the Pomerol region fetched 54,970 pounds ($77,095), or more than $12,000 each, as a selection of historic Bordeaux vintages dating as far back as 1909 went under the hammer at a Sothebys auction in London this week.

A lot comprising 34 bottles of all sizes of Chateau Montrose 2010 from Saint Estephe, ranging from 0.375-liter half-bottles to an 18-liter Melchior, sold for 38,240 pounds, while 10 bottles of Petrus 1988 fetched 20,315 pounds and five bottles of the same producers 1989 vintage sold for 14,340 pounds, according to an emailed Sothebys statement.

The sale took place as the attention of collectors is starting to focus on the 2017 Bordeaux vintage being shown to merchants and the wider wine trade this month, prior to going on sale as en primeur futures for delivery in two years. The arrival of a new vintage on the market can divert attention from older wines, although the auction season follows a cycle of its own.

Bordeaux dominated the results, Stephen Mould, Sothebys head of wine for Europe, said in the statement. The price for the Lafleur 82 top lot, which beat its pre-sale estimate, reflected its impeccable provenance, he said.

Read also: Hunting for handbags, watches and more at Christies

Prices for leading Bordeaux wines are rebounding after falling 40 percent from a 2011 peak before leveling out. The Liv-ex Fine Wine 50 Index is now up more than 30 percent from the floor it reached in 2015.

The sale included 12 bottles of Chateau Lafite Rothschild 2000, which fetched 13,145 pounds, and six bottles of the same estates 1982 wine, which sold for 11,711 pounds. Four bottles of Petrus 1982 attracted a bid of 11,950 pounds.

A dozen bottles of Chateau dYquem 1967 sweet white dessert wine sold for 11,711 pounds, while six bottles of Chateau Mouton Rothschild 2000 went for 10,994 pounds and six magnums of Chateau Cheval Blanc from Saint Emilion cost 10,755 pounds.

The sale, on April 18, totaled 1.05 million pounds, and further auctions were scheduled for New York this weekend and London on May 16.Past presidents, family and friends came together Saturday to bid a tearful farewell to Barbara Bush, the matriarch of one of America's most prominent political dynasties, at her funeral in Texas.

Bush, who died Tuesday aged 92, was wife to the 41st US president and mother to the 43rd. She was remembered for her friendship, her wit and her strength.

The invitation-only service at St Martin's Episcopal Church in Houston was attended by four former presidents: George H.W. Bush -- Barbara's husband of 73 years -- their son George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, as well as other former senior officials.

First Lady Melania Trump attended but her husband President Donald Trump did not, with the White House saying his decision to stay in Washington was taken "to avoid disruptions due to added security."

"My thoughts and prayers are with the entire Bush family," the president wrote on Twitter, saying he planned to watch the funeral ceremony.

"It was my honor to travel to Houston to give my respects to Barbara Bush," Melania Trump said in a statement.

"My sincerest thoughts and prayers continue to be with George H.W. and the entire Bush family."

The public had the opportunity to pay their respects to Barbara Bush at a visitation the previous day.

"Barbara Bush filled our lives with laughter and joy," her son Jeb, a former Florida governor and presidential candidate, said during the service.

"She was our teacher and role model on how to live a life of purpose and meaning," he said.

"Mom got us through our difficult times with consistent, take-it-to-the-bank, unconditional but tough love."

Read also: Former US first lady Barbara Bush dead at 92: family

'Strong, fun and feisty'

Known for her trademark faux pearls -- which Jeb mentioned in his eulogy -- and tart comments about life in and out of Washington, Barbara Bush was in many ways a figure more popular among ordinary Americans than her high-flying husband and sons.

She met her husband-to-be at age 16 when she was a schoolgirl and he was a student at an elite Massachusetts preparatory school, and they married in 1945 while he was on leave from wartime service.

Bush made history as one of just two women to be wife and mother to US presidents. Abigail Adams, who died in 1818, was the other.

"She was smart, strong, fun and feisty," said Susan Baker, wife of George H.W. Bush's secretary of state and chief of staff James Baker.

And she was "a remarkable and selfless companion to her beloved husband George. It was extraordinary how she managed their rambunctious household in 29 different homes in 17 cities," Baker said in her eulogy.

Bush was her husband's companion and advisor as they traveled the world, moving multiple times as he rose from Texas oilman to congressman, US ambassador to the United Nations and envoy to China, director of the CIA and eventually to the vice presidency and the White House.

But she made a point of avoiding direct involvement in politics, and the posturing that comes with it -- gaining a reputation for toughness, wry humor and straight talking.

Having undergone heart surgery in 2009, she was treated for years for Graves' disease, a thyroid condition. As her health failed in recent days, she was moved into comfort care at her home in Houston.

Barbara Bush is survived by five children, 17 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. She lost a sixth child -- daughter Robin -- to leukemia as a toddler.

She was buried at the George Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas, US media reported Saturday evening.A study has shown that giving up Facebook can reduce the stress chemicals present in a persons body.

University of Queensland researchers discovered that by taking a short five-day break from Facebook, a persons cortisol levels could be reduced significantly. Cortisol is a hormone that is related to stress and is commonly found in a person's saliva.

The typical Facebook user may occasionally find the large amount of social information available taxing, and Facebook vacations could ameliorate this stressat least in the short term, the researchers wrote in their report.

Read also: Five signs you are way too stressed

However, its not as simple as saying that "Facebook makes you feel stressed and bad". At the end of the five-day experiment, most of the 138 volunteers that took part reported a drop in well-being and were actually looking forward to going back to Facebook.

While participants in our study showed an improvement in physiological stress by giving up Facebook, they also reported lower feelings of well-being. People said they felt more unsatisfied with their life, and were looking forward to resuming their Facebook activity, psychologist Eric Vanman from the University of Queensland concluded in a statement. (ely/kes)Muchlis Fachri, widely known as Muklay, is a pop-art painter who recently collaborated with retail fashion brand Uniqlo. He is one of four Southeast Asian artists to collaborate with the brand in its Feel the SEA (ASEAN Artist UT) project.

Muklay, a pop-art painter who recently collaborated with retail fashion brand Uniqlo. (JP/File)

Muklays works for Uniqlo are inspired by the life of youths in Jakarta. He said in a statement that he was excited to collaborate with the brand, as it brings him the chance to introduce his art to a wider audience.

I was curious about how crazy it is at the production part in Uniqlo, and, who doesnt know Uniqlo? Muklay said about the collaboration.

Read also: Tiarma Dame Ruth Sirait: Combining art and fashion

Meanwhile, renown mural artist Darbotz recently collaborated with Jakarta Intercultural School (JIS) middle and high school students to make a mural on a 2.54-meter by 15.3-m wall. The students began with making a sketch inspired by their school batik uniform, and Darbotz finished with his signature art that blends with the students creation.

JIS students drawing sketches inspired by their batik uniform. (JP/File)

Darbotz said in a statement that he was glad to be able to work with JIS students and share with them a message that young artists should thrive to success, be consistent and enjoy the process of self-formation to become an artist.

In the beginning of my journey as a mural artist, I admired and became inspired by the lifestyle of JIS students in Indonesia, that includes graffiti art, Darbotz went on to say.

His love for graffiti has led him to notable collaborative works, such as the mural at Artotel Thamrin and a special edition of DC Shoes.

Speaking of artistic collaborations that involve hotels, Yats Colony Yogyakarta is one of many boutique hotels that have featured art works since it opened a little more a year ago. It commissioned artists to create works for its rooms and public spaces and collaborated with craftspeople and brands for temporary projects.

A cardboard decoration created by Dusdukduk for Yats Colony. (JP/File)

To celebrate its first anniversary, for example, Yats Colony worked with craftspeople to create cardboard arts, plant arrangements, ceramics and knitworks. Among the collaborators are Dus Duk Duk who made cardboard decorations, Rajut Kejut who made knitworks and Taman Hayat on plant arrangements and ceramics.

A Yats Colony room decorated partly by Mita Larasati, a paper craftmaker. (JP/File)

Collaborations like these are likely seen to become a solution for consumers who always look for added values, and brands aiming to improve their businesses. They are expected to generate commercial value and reach new audiences.Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin N. Adri (The Jakarta Post) Balikpapan  Sun, April 22, 2018 06:33 1261 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cfdd441 1 National asylum-seekers,Immigrants,Balikpapan Free

Dozens of Afghan migrants at the Balikpapan detention center went on a rampage on Friday night, damaging CCTV equipment and doors in a protest against the local governments policy to treat them like prisoners.

They broke 20 CCTV cameras, Balikpapan Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Wiwin Firta said on Saturday.

The police have deployed 180 personnel, including members of the Indonesian Military, to the detention center to control the situation.

The International Organization for Migration mediated between the police and protestors, who demanded they be allowed to leave the detention center, saying that they are not prisoners.

They also want to be relocated outside Balikpapan, the police officer said.

Most of the undocumented migrants at the center are Afghans who fled violence in their home country and are now seeking asylum in Australia. Some of them have been granted asylum seeker status by the UNHCR, but Indonesia is not a signatory to the UN Refugee Convention and thus considers them as illegal migrants.

In 2015, some of the migrants were allowed to live at the official house of the Balikpapan Immigration Office, but their presence later stirred concern among locals, forcing the administration to return them to the detention center.

We have a simple wish. We want to go to a country that wants to take us as there is no hope in Afghanistan. Indonesia is just a transit stop, said Abdullah, who has stayed in Balikpapan since 2014. (ahw)Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, April 22, 2018 18:30 1260 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cff4b25 4 National accident,infrastructure,bridge-collapsed,bridge,Tegal,Central-Java Free

A bridge connecting Pagerbarang district and Margasari district, Tegal regency, Central Java, collapsed on Saturday, adding to Indonesias long list of infrastructure accidents in recent months.

No casualties were reported in Saturdays incident. However, a 25-ton loaded truck had been on the bridge during the collapse and fell into the river, tribunnews.com reported.

A bridge connecting Pagerbarang district and Margasari district, Tegal regency, Central Java, collapsed on Saturday, adding to Indonesias growing list of infrastructure accidents.

No casualties were reported in Saturdays incident. However, a 25-ton loaded truck had been on the bridge during the collapse and fell into the river, tribunnews.com reported.

The Tegal Polices traffic unit chief, Adj. Comr. Ahmad Ghifar Al Ahfaqsy, said police personnel had been deployed to reroute traffic at the site and to remove the truck.

Residents had prior to the incident complained about cracks in the bridge. They placed empty jerrycans along the structure to limit the number of vehicles passing it.

Similar incidents have occurred across the country in recent weeks. Last Tuesday, a bridge connecting Lamongan and Tuban regencies in East Java, and an overpass under construction in North Sulawesi also collapsed. (evi)Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin Carole Landry (Agence France-Presse) New York  Sun, April 22, 2018 13:13 1260 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cfe6828 2 World Iran,Nuclear,US Free

Iran warned Saturday it is ready to "vigorously" resume nuclear enrichment if the United States ditches the 2015 nuclear deal, and said further "drastic measures" are being considered in response to a US exit.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told reporters in New York that Iran is not seeking to acquire a nuclear bomb, but that its "probable" response to a US withdrawal would be to restart production of enriched uranium -- a key bomb-making ingredient.

"America never should have feared Iran producing a nuclear bomb, but we will pursue vigorously our nuclear enrichment," added Zarif, who is in the United States to attend a UN meeting on sustaining peace.

US President Donald Trump has set a May 12 deadline for the Europeans to "fix" the 2015 agreement that provides for curbs to Iran's nuclear program in exchange for relief from financial sanctions.

Zarif's comments marked a further hardening of rhetoric following a warning earlier this month from Iranian President Hassan Rouhani that Washington would "regret" withdrawing from the nuclear deal, and that Iran would respond within a week if it did.

The fate of the Iran deal will be a key issue during French President Emmanuel Macron's state visit to Washington beginning Monday, followed by talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Washington on Friday.

Zarif said the European leaders must press Trump to stick to the deal if the United States "intends to maintain any credibility in the international community" and to abide by it, "rather than demand more."

The foreign minister also warned against offering any concessions to Trump.

"To try to appease the president, I think, would be an exercise in futility," he said.

European leaders are hoping to persuade Trump to save the deal if they, in turn, agree to press Iran to enter into agreement on missile tests and moderating its regional influence in Yemen, Syria and Lebanon.

No one-sided deal

If the United States buries the deal, Iran is unlikely to stick to the agreement alongside the other signatories - Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia, said the foreign minister.

"That's highly unlikely," he said. "It is important for Iran to receive the benefits of the agreement and there is no way that Iran would do a one-sided implementation of the agreement."

European diplomats have argued that the deal could be salvaged without the United States, with a view to bringing Washington back in the fold at a later time, possibly under a new administration.

"The United States under the Trump administration has done everything it could to prevent Iran from benefiting from this agreement," Zarif charged.

The foreign minister warned of "drastic measures" under discussion in Iran.

Zarif declined to specify, pointing to "what certain members of our parliament are saying about Iran's options."

Despite the threats of a tough response to a US pullout, Zarif also left open the possibility of diplomatic action during a 45-day period to formally notify the withdrawal.

"Whether other things can be done during those 45 days ... is a hypothetical question that needs to be addressed at that time," said Zarif.

A decision by Trump to walk away, he warned, would send a message to all governments "that you should never come to an agreement with the United States, because at the end of the day, the operating principle for the United States is, what's mine is mine, what's yours is negotiable."Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin Andrew Mayeda (Bloomberg) Washington, United States  Sun, April 22, 2018 16:25 1260 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cff0123 2 Business US,China,Trade,war Free

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said hes considering a trip to China, adding that hes cautiously optimistic of reaching an agreement that defuses a dispute over trade.

A trip is under consideration, Mnuchin told reporters on Saturday in Washington at the IMFs spring meetings. Im not going to make a comment on timing, nor do I have anything confirmed.

A trip by the US Treasury secretary to China could signal a breakthrough in the spat between the worlds two biggest economies, which have threatened to slap tariffs on each other. A visit would come at a sensitive time for the regions geopolitics, with negotiations under way on a meeting between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un.

Mnuchin said he met with Yi Gang, governor of the Peoples Bank of China, at the IMF gathering this week. The discussions focused on issues related to the Chinese central bank, not trade, said the secretary. Mnuchin said they also discussed Chinas planned further opening of some of the countrys markets, a move that US has encouraged and appreciated.

Mnuchin said China has been very helpful in supporting US sanctions against North Korea, and he welcomed Kims suspension of nuclear testing that was announced less than a day earlier.

We are going to continue the sanctions and a maximum pressure campaign until North Korea abandons its nuclear-weapons program in a verifiable way, he said.

China Talks

Mnuchin indicated hes involved in a dialogue with the Chinese government to resolve the trade dispute. Were cautiously optimistic to see if we can try to reach an agreement, Mnuchin said.

Escalating tensions between the US and China have rattled financial markets and raised concerns the world is barreling toward a trade war. Trump has proposed imposing tariffs on as much as $150 billion on Chinese imports, while China has vowed to retaliate on everything from American soybeans to planes.

Mnuchin also said he met with Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov during the IMF meeting, at Russias request. Moscow is seeking clarification on US sanctions, Mnuchin said, without elaborating. These are very important tools. We will continue to look at the use of sanctions in all different areas, he said.

The US has had discussions with Japan on a bilateral trade agreement, the secretary said. Trump had a very successful meeting this week in Florida with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Mnuchin said.Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin N. Adri (The Jakarta Post) Balikpapan  Mon, April 23, 2018 05:11 1260 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e00215f 1 National #BalikpapanOilSpill,#OilSpill,environment,pertamina,Balikpapan,Balikpapan-Bay,East-Kalimantan Free

The removal of broken undersea oil pipes in Balikpapan Bay, East Kalimantan, was completed on Sunday afternoon after being hampered by bad weather on Saturday.

State-owned oil and gas company PT Pertamina lifted the last piece of the pipe on Sunday after removing the first two on Friday. The first piece measured 7 m and weighed 3.5 metric tons, the second 12 m and 9 tons. The last one was 24 m and 12 tons.

Read also: Pertamina sanctioned for Balikpapan oil spill

The pipe was made of 12-milimeter-thick steel and measured around 30 centimeters in diameter. It had been covered with concrete and planted more than 20 m under the seabed.

Pertamina used a crane and deployed 19 divers for the mission, which had been ordered by the East Kalimantan Polices Special Crime Directorate. The lifting was supervised by the police, Balikpapan Prosecutors Office and Indonesian Navy.

Read also: Balikpapan oil spill: What we know and dont know

Cutting the pipe took quite some time, Yudi Nugraha, Pertaminas manager of communications and corporate social responsibility (CSR) for Kalimantan, said over the weekend.

A preliminary investigation concluded that the pipe broke and began leaking after it was dragged 120 m from its initial location by the anchor of Panamian ship MV Ever Judger. The ship is now accused of dropping anchor in a prohibited area.

Reports say the anchor was 3 m tall, 2 m wide and weighed 12 tons.

Our divers found a gorge [in the seabed], 1.6 m to 2.5 m wide, 40 cm to 70 cm deep and 498.82 m in length, head of the Navys Hydrography and Oceanography Center, Cmdr. Harjo Susmoro, said on Saturday.

He suspected it had been the result of the anchor dragging across the seabed.

Joko Suyono, secretary of Indonesian National Shipowner Association (INSA) in Balikpapan, said ships were not allowed to drop anchor haphazardly in Semayang Port.

Ship captains are required to report their arrival to the port traffic controller and local authorities. Afterwards, a tugboat would escort the ship through the bay, he said.

Director of the East Kalimantan Polices Special Crime Directorate, Sr. Comr. Yustan Alpiani, said investigators have a recording of the MV Ever Judgers communications.

On the day the oil spill triggered a fire, the MV Ever Judger was also set ablaze and the Water Police saved the ships 22-member crew. One of them suffered serious burns and is being treated at Pertamina Balikpapan Hospital. (evi)Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Riyadh, Saudi Arabia  Sun, April 22, 2018 09:20 1260 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cfdf0f5 2 World Saudi-Arabia,#SaudiArabia,saudi-prince,drone Free

Saudi forces on Saturday shot down an unidentified toy drone that hovered over a Riyadh neighbourhood home to royal palaces, state media said, prompting a security alarm in the capital.

"At 1950 (1650 GMT) a security checkpoint in Khuzama neighborhood of Riyadh spotted a recreational remote-controlled drone," the Saudi Press Agency reported.

"Security personnel at the checkpoint dealt with it according to their orders and instructions in this regard," SPA added, implying that the drone had been shot down.

The statement followed unconfirmed videos on social media that appeared to show heavy volleys of gunfire in that neighborhood, triggering speculation of a possible coup attempt.

But the government ruled out any major security breach, adding that an investigation had been launched into the incident.

Government officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the whereabouts of the Saudi king and crown prince during the incident.

Security around the palaces appears to have tightened in recent months as powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman oversees landmark social and economic reforms to prepare for a post-oil era, despite the risk of riling religious hardliners.

The 32-year-old prince has also overseen a major military shake-up and a royal purge as he consolidates power to a degree well beyond that wielded by previous rulers.

Last October a gunman shot dead two Saudi guards and wounded three others at the gate of the royal palace in the Red Sea city of Jeddah, according to the interior ministry.

Royal guards killed the gunman, identified by the ministry as a 28-year-old Saudi national armed with a Kalashnikov and three grenades.

Saudi Arabia is also embroiled in a long-running conflict with Iran-backed Huthi rebels in neighbouring Yemen, dubbed by the United Nations as the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Huthi rebels have repeatedly fired missiles into Saudi territory, including the capital Riyadh. Saudi Arabia claims to have intercepted most of them.Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin Rizal Harahap (The Jakarta Post) Pekanbaru  Sun, April 22, 2018 11:13 1260 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cfe1429 1 National tiger,animal-conservation,Riau,Indonesia,environment Free

After being hunted for more than 100 days, a Sumatran tiger, called Bonita by animal conservationists, was captured alive on Friday in Indragiri Hilir regency in Riau.

Bonita had been haunting human neighborhoods, scaring residents for months. The latest tiger-human conflict in Sumatra saw a tiger brutally killed, as angry residents in North Sumatra speared the animal to death and later hung it from a ceiling.

Read also: Tiger brutally killed in North Sumatra, hung from ceiling

Following the incident, activists have been campaigning for Bonitas life, pleading with residents and Riau authorities to capture the big cat alive.

Bonita, estimated to be four years old, had been shot twice with tranquilizer, Riau Natural Resources Conservation Agency head Suharyono said in the provincial capital of Pekanbaru on Saturday.

Read also: Why blaming superstition for tiger's death is wrong

A joint team had been on patrol in the wee hours of Friday, amid heavy rain, in a plantation area run by PT Tabung Haji Indo Plantation in Tanjung Simpang village, Pelangiran district. Earlier, they had found Bonitas traces and followed them. Her favorite track is hard soil, Suharyono said.

Bonita was different from other tigers, Suharyono said. Besides preferring a beaten path instead of the bushes, Bonita also showed a calm demeanor when she found herself in a cage. Other tigers would usually fight for their freedom, he said. (evi)Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Warsaw, Poland  Sun, April 22, 2018 19:57 1260 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cffdab7 2 World Poland,adolf-hitler,Fascism Free

Two men have been detained in Poland on suspicion of spreading fascism by organising a concert to mark Adolf Hitler's birthday, a prosecutor told AFP on Sunday.

The men, who have not been identified, were detained during a series of raids in Dzierzoniow on Saturday evening by around 300 policemen and agents from Poland's Internal Security Agency.

"The Polish men, the main organisers of the concert in question, were detained on Saturday. Tomorrow they will be questioned by prosecutors," Tomasz Orepuk, spokesman for the district prosecutor's office in Swidnica, south-western Poland.

Around 100 people showed up for the concert, according to Orepuk, and police confiscated neo-fascist paraphernalia including flags and banners.

The public propagation of totalitarian ideologies like fascism or communism and ethnic or racial hatred is banned in Poland, a country still grappling with the memory of Nazi occupation, and carries a penalty of up to two years behind bars.

The raids in Dzierzoniow came as hundreds of neo-Nazis massed on Friday, Adolf Hitler's birthday, just over the border in the eastern German town of Ostritz for a weekend festival.

Citizens and anti-fascist groups staged spirited counter-protests.

In January, Polish prosecutors charged three men for allegedly propagating Nazism after hidden camera footage of a group celebrating Adolf Hitler's birthday sparked public uproar.

Legal measures have since been taken aimed at banning the far-right Pride and Modernity group associated with the men.

World War II erupted when Nazi Germany invaded Poland in September 1939.

Some six million Polish citizens, half of whom were Jewish, perished under the Nazi occupation that lasted until 1945.

In November, leaders of the governing right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party spoke out against xenophobia after several government ministers initially defended a controversial Independence Day march organised by nationalist and far-right groups.

It drew 60,000 participants and a chorus of condemnation from around the globe over openly racist banners and slogans.

While many marchers denied membership of or sympathy for extreme right groups, the event also drew representatives of far-right parties from across Europe.Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Tokyo, Japan  Sun, April 22, 2018 15:45 1260 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cfedb12 2 World Japan,demography,OldestLivingPerson Free

A 117-year-old Japanese woman, thought to be the world's oldest person, has died, a local official told AFP Sunday.

Nabi Tajima, who was born August 4, 1900, died around 8:00 pm (1100 GMT) Saturday at a hospital on her native Kikai Island in Kagoshima region, according to Susumu Yoshiyuki, a health and welfare official.

Tajima, who became the oldest woman in Japan in September 2015, could have been the oldest person in the world since Violet Brown of Jamaica died in September 2017 at age 117, Japanese media said.

Since Brown's death, Guinness World Records has been investigating who is the oldest person in the world and was yet to recognise Tajima as such.

The oldest man in the world is 112-year-old Masazo Nonaka of Japan, the organisation announced on April 10.

"Ms Tajima was living at a nursing centre for the elderly. In January, she became weaker, so she was taken to a local hospital," Yoshiyuki told AFP.

"She died there (Saturday) due to her advanced age," he said.

Japan is known for the longevity of its people and has been home to several oldest title holders.

There are around 68,000 people aged 100 or older in the country, the government said last year.Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post)  Mon, April 23 2018

Going high-tech: Under bright lights generated from solar panels provided by the Blue Carbon Consortium, fishermen examine their catch on a traditional floating fish cage in Jor Bay, West Nusa Tenggara. (JP/Tarko Sudiarno)

Renewable energy development in Indonesia is hampered by inconsistent government policies that still emphasize affordability rather than cleanliness. The lack of business transparency and misplaced priorities jeopardize Indonesias commitment to slashing 29 percent of its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, reports The Jakarta Posts Viriya P. Singgih.



Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Ignasius Jonan is so fond of an old and tired anecdote that illustrates the wisdom of equitable energy solutions that he shares it with his audience at every event on the electricity industry.



His address usually b...Share this article Whatsapp

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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia  Sun, April 22, 2018 14:25 1260 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cfe7d98 2 SE Asia Malaysia,Palestine,murder,Israel Free

An autopsy was being carried out Sunday on the body of a Palestinian professor who was gunned down in what his family claim was an assassination by Israel's Mossad spy agency.

Fadi Mohammad al-Batsh, 35, was killed in a drive-by shooting on Saturday, according to Malaysian authorities.

He was walking from his highrise apartment to dawn prayers at a local mosque in the Kuala Lumpur suburb of Gombak when he was shot by two gunmen riding a motorcycle, officials added.

At the crime scene, police markers indicated 14 bullets had been sprayed at the victim, some of them hitting a wall. An iron grill hit by a bullet was dented.

Malaysian Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, was quoted by the state-run Bernama news agency as saying Batsh was "an electrical engineer and an expert at making rockets".

Kuala Lumpur police chief Mazlan Lazim said the investigation was ongoing.

"We are investigating all angles. I have to investigate very carefully and deeply. This is an international issue," Mazlan said Sunday.

He said the autopsy was being carried out at a hospital after which the body would be released to the family.

In a statement from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, the victim's family said: "We accuse the Mossad of being behind the assassination."

The Islamist Palestinian movement said Batsh, a research scientist specialising in energy issues, was one of its members.

Mohammad Shedad, 17, a student and a relative of the victim, also blamed Mossad for the killing.

"It is definitely the work of Mossad. Fadi is a very clever person, anyone who is clever is a threat to Israel," he told AFP outside the victim's Malaysian home.Korean Air Chairman Cho Yang-ho on Sunday apologised for the "immature" behaviour of his two daughters and said they would both immediately resign from their company posts following separate controversies.

Cho Hyun-min, the younger daughter who is marketing executive at the South Korean flag carrier, is under police investigation for assault after she was accused of throwing water into a man's face at a business meeting.

Four years ago her older sister Cho Hyun-ah made global headlines for angrily kicking a cabin crew member off a plane after being served macadamia nuts in a bag rather than a bowl -- an incident quickly dubbed "nut rage".

"As chairman of Korean Air, as well as a father, I feel terrible about the immature actions of my daughters," Cho said in a statement.

"Everything is my fault and my wrongdoing. I apologise to the people."

The Korean Air chief added his two daughters will immediately step down from all positions within the company.

Read also: South Korea's Air Busan cabin crew under fire for allegedly mocking passengers

Seoul police said last week they were launching a formal investigation into the younger Cho, based on the testimonies of people present at the meeting.

Following the incident, the 34-year-old issued a wide-ranging email apology to "everyone" she had worked with for her behaviour, although she has denied throwing water in anyone's face.

The 2014 "nut rage" incident saw the older Cho, then the firm's vice president, forcing two flight attendants to kneel and beg for forgiveness on a Seoul-bound flight from New York before ejecting one of them from the plane before takeoff.

The incident was one of the most infamous cases involving offspring of one of South Korea's mega-wealthy business elite families, whose arrogance and bad behaviour regularly make headlines.

The notorious heiress was jailed but had returned to work as an executive of Korean Air's hotel affiliate in March.The Sleman Tourism Agency sees lots of potential in Kedai Kopi Merapi (Merapi Coffee Shop) in Petung hamlet, Kepuharjo village, Cangkringan, to lure tourists to the area.

"Tourists who visit the slopes of Mount Merapi, whether in the Kaliurang or Lava Tour Cangkringan areas, usually flock to this place to enjoy its signature coffee after marveling at the surroundings during an off-road trip in a jeep," the agency's head, Sudarningsih, told news agency Antara on Friday.

Merapi coffee is said to be quite popular among the locals of Yogyakarta as well as outside the city and even abroad.

"Sleman Regent Sri Purnomo is currently promoting Merapi coffee in Finland, as the country is interested in its taste as well as uniqueness," he added.

Kedai Kopi Merapi manager Sumijo said the coffee shop had welcomed all kinds of people, including government officials, businesspeople and celebrities.

In a good month, the number of visitors of the coffee shop exceed 10,000, the weekends and public holidays being particularly busy.

Read also: Gamplong hamlet in Sleman a popular destination for handicraft products

"Our monthly revenue can reach Rp 180 million [US$13,000] from selling coffee drinks, coffee powder and all kinds of Merapi food and souvenirs," said Sumijo.

He said the coffee shop was initially a coffee plantation business, which was popular among the locals of Petung hamlet prior to the huge Merapi eruption in 2010.

"Petung hamlet was initially prepared as a coffee tourist village given the coffee plantations in this area. We later took the initiative to establish a coffee shop."

The 2010 eruption destroyed both the coffee shop and plantations.

"We opened the coffee shop again in 2012. As time went by, Merapi coffee became more and more popular among the public."

Not short of ideas to attract more visitors, the coffee shop has come up with a new concept it calls wisata edukasi kopi (coffee educational tourism), "where we invite tourists to watch the coffee-making process, starting from the cultivation and processing to the technique of brewing it. Visitors can also join coffee-themed camping or trekking events," said Sumijo. (kes)Sumba Island in East Nusa Tenggara is quickly becoming a popular travel destination.

The island is home to the country's vastest savanna landscape, as well as distinct natural and cultural highlights such as the dancing trees on Walakiri Beach and the traditional village of Ratenggaro.

Here are seven important things to know before visiting Sumba, as compiled by tempo.co.

1. Landing in Waingapu or Tambolaka

Sumba is home to two airports, namely Umbu Mehang Kunda Airport in Waingapu and Tambolaka Airport in Tambolaka. Waingapu is located in the eastern part of the island, while Tambolaka sits in the southwest region. Choosing the location usually depends on the travel route planned.

"If you want to go to the traditional villages first, disembark at Tambolaka. That is where Rotenggaros traditional homes are to be found," Frannoto, the owner of Piknik Nusantara Tour and Travel, told tempo.co recently.

Meanwhile, those who want to experience the savannah need to land in Waingapu.

2. Rent motorbikes in East Sumba, rent cars in West Sumba

Upon arrival, those who want to explore the island on a motorbike can find rentals in the east or in Waingapu. While in West Sumba, it is advisable to rent a car. "For safety reasons," Frannoto said.

Motorcycle rental costs around Rp 100,000 (US$7.26) per day, while renting a car costs approximately Rp 800,000 per day, which includes a driver and gas.

3. Physical stamina

The landscape in Sumba has fairly difficult terrain so travelers need to do some hiking to explore the hills and see waterfalls.

"It gets slippery when it rains. It is also physically draining," Frannoto said, adding that travelers should be reasonably fit when traveling to the island.

Read also: Exploring Sumba Island's natural and cultural riches

4. Locals may carry parang knives

Parang (a type of machete or cleaver) is commonly carried as part of the Sumba peoples traditional wear, especially in the southwestern parts of the island. It is always pinned to a sarong or an outer garment. "They usually wear it because it is their culture and also for self protection," Frannoto said.

Travelers should not be shocked or scared when coming across this, Frannoto added. "If necessary, get a local tour guide," he suggested, as locals would be more familiar with what to expect.

5. Beware of network constraints

The main obstacle travelers may face when visiting Sumba is the cellular network. "There's only one provider that can pick up the signal," Frannoto said, adding that it was also the only in the city area.

6. Prepare a sufficient budget for food

Despite it being a regional destination, dining in Sumba is not necessarily cheap. Travelers should prepare to splash out at least Rp 35,000 for a meal. Restaurants are also mostly centered round the city areas, mainly Tambolaka and Waingapu.

7. Shop for souvenirs in Waingapu

Souvenirs, except for woven fabrics, can be found in Waingapu. Stores in the city also sell traditional culinary fares such as locally flavored nuts, with prices starting at Rp 20,000. (liz/kes)Casual racism today in Sheffield Hallam Adsetts library on feedback board, hope this is investigated fully @sheffhallamuni @hallamunion pic.twitter.com/j9yCeicZSK  maisie (@maisiebithell) April 16, 2018

Thank you for alerting us, Maisie. We're very disappointed to see this, and we've asked the library team to look into it. Racism and hate speech are not welcome in our university community, and won't be tolerated.  Sheffield Hallam University (@sheffhallamuni) April 17, 2018

Racism and hate speech are absolutely not welcome in our university community, and won't be tolerated.

No-one should be made to feel vulnerable, unwelcome or at risk. We continue to champion the importance of student safety, the code of behaviour and the fundamental right to respect and equality without prejudice."

Media student, Maisie Bithell, was leaving Adsetts Library with a friend when one of them pointed the message out. The following message was displayed on a library board asking students for feedback: 'We have extra staff in the quiet and silent study areas... Tell us how it's been working for you below." In response, some students praised the increase of staff. However, one message left behind criticised the library for having "too many Asians" staff members, they further added "brown ones."Speaking to TNS, Maisie told us that she tweeted the post to the university later that day. The university addressed the issue over social media after she contacted BME Officer Abdullah Mohammed."I was with my friends and we were just leaving the library when one of them pointed it out," she told us. "Someone mentioned wiping it off but before we did I decided to take a picture with the intention of sending it back to the uni later." The university has relocated the board so that its use can be monitored, they have also added some guidance on its use. A Sheffield Hallam University spokesperson said:Unfortunately, The Content Is Not Here

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Home PageRecent decisions by the Land Commission of the Republic of Liberia to provide Policy Recommendations for land rights in Liberia, which centered on four basic areas: Public Land, Government Land, Customary Land, and Private Land are laudable efforts. However, to undertake Land Administration reform, especially in a country that has seen and continued to see unpredictable consequences in land tenure and land disputes, it is important to draw on best practices in Land Reform Administration; certainly, it is important to consider and adopt factors that affect the reform and the choice of the specific strategies adopted.



These strategies are many and varied which re-enforces the proposition that the Land Administration System for Liberia should encompass a holistic approach that addresses each strategy. Certainly, strategies can be developed using a Tool Box approach, i.e. each specific strategy and resulting system should be made up of many separate, well understood, proven and widely accepted components (International Conference on Land Policy Reform, 2000). Liberians quests for a secure and predictable access to land as a productive source is key to the livelihoods of every Liberian. As such, any policy documentation addressing land rights and land ownership in Liberia should also address areas that have experienced heighten tensions among various stakeholders. In Liberia, land has been and continued to be key and oftentimes contentious issues. Secure land tenure enables all Liberians to reap the benefits of their investments without fear that their right to own land will be tempered upon. As such, formal and informal land rights should therefore be seen as key to improving the conditions of the poor in every part of Liberia, in terms of economic growth, agricultural production, food security, natural resource management, gender-related inequalities, conflict management and local governance process more generally.



Existing evidence suggests that the effects of land property rights administration in Liberia over the years have been poorly administered. For example, prior to the drafting of these policy documents by the Land Rights Commission of Liberia, land ownership in Liberia has been based on Common Law which requires an owner to have a title deed. Also, a parallel system of traditional laws, based on verbal agreement, is also prevalent, creating widespread confusion over who owns what. Because of the breadth and depth of disputes that have characterized land issues in Liberia, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) also highlighted in its reports the need for Land Reform as one of the priorities for boosting long-term stability.



The caveat though is to lament that the need for comprehensive Land Rights Policy documents should not be seen as a political expediency, rather as a right that should be bestowed upon every Liberian. We know the level of disputes that have occurred all over the country, especially areas that experienced massive displacement of the population during the civil war, such as Lofa, Bong, Nimba, and Montserrado counties. We also believed that the current policy documents drafted by the Land Rights Commission of Liberia lacks specificity, and did not address some of the prevailing, and indeed contentious issues surrounding squatters and illegal dwellers of Government and Private Land, lest did the document addressed retrospective issues surrounding land disputes and the uncanonical manner in which lands were awarded to concession companies.



Henceforth, the objective of this chronicles is to provide a critical analysis of the current policy document drafted by the Land Rights Commission of Liberia. My analysis of this document will be first, to provide some historical perspectives on land administration and distribution in Liberia; its impact on today best practices of land rights administration. A discussion will follow on the merits and demerits of the documents, as well as a statement synthesizing whether the policy documents addressed every area of concern to the Liberian people. This will be followed subsequently by recommendations regarding best practices that will help mitigate some of Liberias land tenures and Land disputes.



According to a 2010 Framework and Guidelines on Land Policy in Africa drafted jointly by the African Union, African Development Bank and the Economic Commission for Africa, the land question facing Africa in general, Liberia included, has its origins in geopolitical, economic, social, and demographic factors, compounded more recently by emerging global and strategic imperatives. In Liberia, for example, these include different forms and modes in various parts of the countrythe diversity and degree of persistence of indigenous cultural and normative systems and forms of economic organization. For example, in Liberia, the creation of the Land Rights Policy addressing four categories, i.e.(Public Land, Government Land, Customary Land, and Private Land), as well as sub-categories called Protected Areas, that is conserved for the benefit of all Liberians needs critical review.



Historical perspectives on land policies, land tenures and land disputes in Liberia.

Chapter three of Liberias constitution (which came into force in 1986 contains a wide range of fundamental rights for every citizen. Amongst them is the right to own property. Under Article 22(a), every person shall have the right to own property alone, as well as in association with others.



Unfortunately, property owners in rural communities have been treated unfairly over the years with respect to their ability to enjoy these rights. This is due in part to the government drive not only to raise revenues but also its quest to attract foreign direct investment (FDI). Also, according to a scholarly paper written by Major DiDomenico of the U.S. Air Force in fulfillment of his thesisLand Disputes Unearth Shaky Legal Foundation: Will Liberias Land Reform Provide Stability? The Liberian Government has committed itself to land use and land rights to foreign investors over an area totaling approximately 75% of the total land mass. This exercise has resulted in eviction and subsequent displacement of rural dwellers, many of whom have never possessed formal title deeds to their resource-rich ancestral lands, as analyzed by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, (IDEA). Accordingly, IDEA also laments that the practice since 1956 has been to consider all lands without a title as public lands over which the state, as per a 1973 Public Land Law, reserves the right to grant concessions on. Also, access to land and its resources was a factor, and arguably, the impetus for conflict in Liberia in both the 1980s and 1990s. This idea was explored by anthropologist Paul Richards who argues that the conflict in Liberia was a result of tensions over access to land. Richards asserts that the internal conflicts in Liberia were a product of domestic labor exploitation and abuse, especially of young people, which prevailed in the countryside in Liberia. These exploitations were a result of the indirect rule imposed by the elite class in Monrovia. Chiefs had imposed heavy and unjust fines and abuse of rural customs, particularly regarding marriage and land rights.



After the civil wars, and the ousting of Charles Taylor, and the subsequent establishment of the Ellen Sirleaf administration, the degradation of customary land rights continued. For example, new laws like the National Forestry Reform Law of 2006, declared all forest resources in Liberia to be held in trust by the Republic for the benefits of the people.



As most customary lands do not have titles attached to them, these lands are often considered as public lands. Similarly, the government has often left customary lands owners out of the negotiation process or any direct rights to benefit from the proceeds of such investment; rural communities have often been left only with promises to social development and local economic empowerment, none of which has even been realized.



Aggravating this situation is the co-option of rural elites and often illegitimate appropriation of rural lands by wealthy, influential Liberians with a connection to the government for their private investments at the expense of poorer rural dwellers, for whom 70% of these lands, according to IMF estimates, are a source of livelihoods. Government lacks clear policy Land Administration Reforms and the appropriation of rural lands have become sources of friction over many years between the companies and communities on the one hand, and the state and citizens on the other hand. For example, in 2007 violence broke out in Grand Bassa County, against the expansion of projects of the Liberia Agriculture Company, (LAC); there has also been a recent tension between the Sime Darby Plantation and the people of Grand Cape Mount County. In each case, locals contested the companies encroachment on ancestral graves and other cultural and religious shrines found on lands leased to companies for development. The complex and largely unresolved issues of ownership and claims over land are in the views of most Liberians the primary reason for social tension in the country.



Criticism of the Land Reforms Policy Documents

Implementing land reform will require changes in several government agencies and administrative policies and the provision of adequate resources. Cited by the Liberia Institute of Public Opinions analysis of the 2013-2014 national budget, about $897,220 USD of donor funding was allocated to the Land Commission; and out of 26 agencies listed, the Land Commission is second to the last in donor funding allocated.



Like many developing democracies, particularly in Africa, Liberia continued to struggle with issues of saturated greed, fraud, and corruption. Not surprisingly, with vast resources with potentially significant income, land management has also fallen victim to fraudulent and corrupt acts and abuse of power by government officials. Even the Supreme Court of Liberia has recently recognized the violation of integrity and credibility of government institutions charged with maintaining documents of title in its opinion.



Similarly, the lack of reliability and genuineness of documents prepared by a government agency calls into question the governments ability to affect change in reforming land tenure laws and indicate much larger problems with evidence of instability of the bureaucratic system. The effects of fraud, corruption, and abuse of power by officials and agencies are felt not only in urban areas where squatters are disputing land rights against displaced returnees, but are also strongly felt in the hinterland.



The Liberian Land Reform Commission did not consider population growth and migration in its policy documents. Although the extent of urban concentration will continue to vary from cities to cities, with Monrovia experiencing the fastest pace in growth. Urbanization throughout Liberia is still essentially driven by large-scale migration from the countryside as a result of a variety of factors, such as poverty, and often times, the general perception that cities offer a better quality of life. An important factor to note, however, is that urbanization in Liberia will continue to be characterized by informal settlement developments where over about 26% of the population currently live.



The Land Administration System is inadequately resourced and performing poorly below expected standards with tendencies for fraud and corruption. The system of land administration (the formal/statutory and informal/customary) breeds conflict, confusion and overlaps in institutional mandates.



Oftentimes laws are made to be prospective when dealing with issues, but because of the breadth and depth of disputes surrounding land tenures and land issues in Liberia, the Land Commission did not provide provision for remedies that address retrospective land tenures and land disputes as well as abominable concessionaires deals entered into by past administrations and companies operating in Liberia. For example, click on the link below for a thorough review of landmark areas being covered by various concessionaires from various companies and countries.

http://www.landmatrix.org/media/filer_public/70/48/704880d0-dea4-499e-8f9e-4d9a271b23bc/land_matrix_focal_point_africa_-_country_profile_liberia.pdf

Section 5.2.1.7 lacks specific time as to how long information sharing with the public regarding the sale and or lease of government land. For example, should such information be published in local dallies and broadcast in local vernaculars for a period of 30 days? Information sharing on government or public land lease or sale should not be restricted in areas affected by said lease or sale only; also, reasonable period as indicated in the document is not a definitive time frame; this section of the document is rather elusive in my opinion.



Section 5.2.1.7 did not highlight the need to entertain public views. Given the inherent complexity of land tenures and land disputes in Liberia, what economic use is made of a government or public land to be leased? How are the rights of the lessee embedded within wider social and cultural relationship with the locals? There is a need to entertain viewssuggestions and objections to any part of a lease or sale of government or public land. A grace period for public input should be spelled out and procedures and processes outlined thereto.



7. The policy document did not take into account the issues of squatters occupying government, and or public lands, and even so, disputes arising out of squatters occupying private lands.



Recommendations

The administration and proper management of land is an important factor in the development and ensuring and preserving peace and security.

Land Rights Policy and legal Reform should provide remedies to the often-contentious legal battles surrounding land tenure and land rights issues in Liberia. The Land Commission should provide a fair, equitable, and comprehensive land policy administration in Liberia that provide a way forward that seeks to encourage agriculture and livestock productions in Liberias economies; the commission should also help greatly enhance and radically restructure a number of constraints, such as over-dependence on imports of food, and low level of mechanization especially in terms of irrigation development resulting in sub-optimal use of Liberias land resources. The Liberian Land Reform Commission should regard land in Liberia as not just simply an economic or environmental asset, but as a social, cultural and ontological resource, and an important source of asset-based security for the poor and rural dwellers. Land should remain an important factor in the construction of social identity, the organization of religious life and the production and reproduction of culture. In order to successfully implement the recommended land tenure reform, thereby lessening internal conflict and class tension, the Government of Liberia must provide the political will for land reform by offering robust and trustworthy government agencies to ensure collective community landowners rights are protected, eradicate fraud, corruption and abuse of power by bureaucrats and local community leaders, and provide affordable access to a fair legal system honoring customary and individuals rights rather than favoring local elites or foreign investors.

In conclusion, I want to commend President George Manneh Weah, for his foresight in putting together a formidable team to review and revisit all concessionaires agreements entered into by past administrations. I also wish to state unequivocally clear that this is a call to actionto protect the rights of the Liberian peoples, and wish to remind those involved with this noble tasks to guide against conflict of interest. Recuse yourself if there is any semblance of a conflict of interest in this endeavor. Anything to the contrary borders upon the frivolous.



Similarly, while it may be true that we need partners in our quest to develop this country, we should do so with foresight, rather than creating a piteous situation, thereby jargonizing the interest of the Liberian people. Allowing people of non-negro-descendent to acquire and own land in Liberia is, in my opinion, unpalatable. I think the government should, instead, put into place necessary structures and reforms that will create the necessary imperatives for a sustained middle-class growth and development that engender critical thinking and informed judgments.



Also, allowing individuals of non-negro descendent to acquire and own property in Liberia, may not be the best way forward in my opinion; instead, we should all, (irrespective of political affiliations), support the pro-poor government led by President Weah to muster the political will to eliminate waste, abuse and misuse of resources in government as it has been in past administrations, and utilize the meager resources prudently to spur economic growth and developments. Let us guide against past experiences of countries such as Zimbabwe and now South Africa. An article fully analyzing the issues of individuals of non-negro descendants acquiring and owning land in Liberia, and my own position maybe the next issue of disquisition. Finally, the writer of this chronicles assumes all responsibility for errors of facts and judgments.

The author: is an Educator, Financial Expert, a Writer and an Advocate. BSC, M.Ed., MBA & Graduate Certificate Financial Analysis. He can be reached at:e.bombo@yahoo.comCentral Bank of Liberia -

Sets Rules for Commencial Banks Without Makinig Planning A Requirement

Many people, including Liberians, want to operate a business. Some people undertake the enterprise for pleasure, while others carry it out to support their living. However, many small and medium-size entrepreneurs always avoid the prerequisites, to write a detailed plan, according to a chief executive. He said public research shows that small business owners do not put time and research into a business plan meant to keep them from making a fatal mistake. Wrongly, they conclude that their enthusiasm and creativity are the most important prerequisites; hence, they brush off advice to write a detailed plan, he added.



Further, he stated, Business plans arent like classroom busy work. A business plan helps entrepreneurs understand the market, where they fit in, how they compete and how many customers they need to succeed. Business plans spell out the relationships between operating expenses, prices, and profits, all essential information for an entrepreneur.





1.4a: Commercial Banks' Loans By Economic Sector  2015

Thousands of Liberian Dollar

Above is page # 20 of the Financial Analysis of 2017-2019 prepared by the Central Bank of Liberia that an entrepreneur could begin with to develop a plan. The numbers on page depict the different sectors of businesses and the amounts borrowed from commercial banks. The borrowed amounts do indicate investment in a business sector and project the level of investment. For example, it shows that Liberians invested a minimal amount in manufacturing (2%), while they invested a significant amount (45%) in trade. Also, the minuscule amount borrowed to produce diamond and gold indicates that Liberia does not have a significant quantity of these precious resources or that local investors with detailed feasibility plan could be used to entice foreign partners to form a joint venture. For manufacturing, the limited borrowed amount indicates that the Liberia government pays the largest payroll.



Subsequently, when a significant number of the employable population depends on government meager wages, entrepreneurs might find it difficult to sell luxurious goods and, or services, even if they were to invest in manufacturing. By extension, money-lending industry (banking institution) might not survive since it must rely on revenue generated from cashing checks and serving customers of Western Union and MoneyGram, primarily, because manufacturing industries are limited or do not exist. Can service industry that many small entrepreneurs focus on survive? In the case of Liberia, an investigation might provide a clue.



From a laymans view, many Liberian entrepreneurs have and, or are encountering the consequences of starting a business without a detailed plan. For instance, many school-aged-children, moving between vehicles, to sell anything, from three pairs of shoes, to a few sticks of cigarettes, to sell a few bundles of Dead White-man Clothes (used clothing), are not making ends meet. Unemployed residents, operating Mom and Pop Beer Shops in almost every corner of urban towns, are crushed by economic hardships. The story of business failures is not different for residents within rural villages who have abandoned food production and have opted to operate gold and, or diamond business.

The hotel industry in Liberia has limited financial information. So, in order to find out if real estate investors wrote plans for prestigious hotels located in Monrovia, let us look at one of the most luxurious hotels in Liberia, the Farmington Hotel. It is located less than 100 meters from Robert International Airports. Commenting on revenue, Mr. Richard Robaix, the general manager of the hotel, stated that management has to develop a plan to drag customers from Monrovia to the hotel order to increase the hotels occupancy rate from 20% to 40%. Another clue came from a financial consultant, who surmised that luxury hotels are relying on money laundering, an activity the government is struggling to curb, according to speakers at the Workshop held on April 17, through 19, 2018 in Monrovia.

Put aside the issue of using the illegal money to finance the 81 hotels in Liberia, how come the amount of loan allocated to the hotel is minuscule? Going back to the Chart above, the LD 118,000,000 loan allocated to restaurant versus LD 401,819,000 loan allocated to Hotels raise questions. Did the investors use their personal fortune or borrow loan from banks located outside of Liberia? Again, Mr. Robaix is now searching for a plan to drag customers from Monrovia to Farmington, all because investors failed to plan in the first place.



Are profits of money-lending institutions (commercial banks) the results of good business plans, or are the results of illegal activities? Central Bank reported in its 2017-2019 Report that commercial banks were strong, but their profits were not promising. Implicitly, the Central Bank stated that commercial banks did not generate significant revenue from money lending, its core business activities. Published documents show that they earned significant non-interest income. Okay, commercial banks do generate non-interest income (fees, commission, gains, etc.) from wiring and transferring money, managing clients assets, selling and buying clients stocks and bonds, etc., but these activities are secondary to money lending.

2014 AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS



REVENUE: E.BAN-LIB. GTB-LIB. LBDI-LIB. E.BAN-GH CITIBANK-USA INTEREST. INCOME LD1.1M LD317M LD599M CD790M $47B NON-INTEREST. INCOME LD1.2M LD444M LD484M CD330M $29B

Let us review the Interest Income and Non-interest income as per the Chart above. Non-interest income earned by Liberian commercial Banks is high, while Eco bank of Ghana and Citibank of America earned low non-interest income. If I may ask, what are the assets or economic activities, which generated the Non-interest income since banks make interest income on customers deposits? This is because the banks Audited Financial Statements did not report any significant Other Assets and, or services from which they generated their Non-interest Income. Neither did any of the Central Banks Reports and the 2017-2019 Financial Analysis include any non-money lending activities (i.e., selling and buying stocks, managing clients assets, investigating financial activities etc.) in Liberia.

Leaving Monrovia aside, did investors write plans to operate bank branches within other Cities of the fourteen Counties? A business plan, if written, would have revealed the minimal existence of good borrowing clients such as manufacturing industry within those counties, according to the 2008-2011 County Development Agenda prepared by the then Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs and Internal Affairs. These findings indicated that residents of the fourteen Counties do dependent on the government payroll. So, it did not come as a surprise in 2017 when commercial banks closed six branches in some of the fourteen Counties. In Zorzor District, Lofa County, for example, where Eco bank closed its branch, the logging company is the only big business.

Therefore, please review some facts (i.e., employed population, purchasing power, location, competition, suppliers, etc.) before you invest.

SOURCE:

CENTRAL BANK OF LIBERIA: https://cbl.org.lr/doc/strategicplan20172019.pdf

ECOBANK-LIBERIA- https://www.ecobank.com/upload/publication/20160608095901050RJ4WJ6Q3FE/2015061805402246076166CN3zWy2m2014.pdf

CITIBANK-USA: http://www.citi.com/citi/investor/data/k16a.pdf

LBDI: http://www.lbdi.net/Reports/LBDI-FINANCIAL-STATEMENTS-DECEMBER-31-2015.pdf

ECOBANK-GHANA:http://www.annualreportsghana.com/Home/Documents/GSE-Filings/2017/PR---063-EGH--FINANCIAL-STATEMENTS-FOR-YEAR-EN-(1).aspx

GTB-BANK:http://www.gtbanklr.com/images/pdf-folder/2014AuditedFinancialStatements.pdf

The Executive Mansion

How long will the President of Liberia be internally displaced? Former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was displaced for almost 12 years. Will President George Manneh Weah remain displaced as well or will he follow Ellens undemocratic legacy by discharging presidential duties from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?

Liberias 19th President William V. S. Tubman spent US$9 million in 3 years to build our eight-story Executive Mansion while former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf spent US$31.7 million to renovate our mansion in 12 years, and it is yet to be renovated.



In this third edition of our series The Red Rooster from Ducor, we are scrupulously telescoping:

1. The incomplete renovation of Liberias eight-story Executive Mansion

2. The urgency for President Sirleaf and her cronies to account for over US$31.7 million appropriated for the renovation of our Executive Mansion.

The Roosters Crow:

1. The incomplete renovation of Liberias eight-story Executive Mansion

The official home of the Ghanaian President is the Golden Jubilee House while the official home of the Nigerian President is the State House. President Donald Trump cannot leave the White House to operate from the State Department neither can Prime Minister Theresa May of Great Britain leave 10 Downing Street to operate from the Department of Education.



Sadly, former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf purposefully chose to run our government from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs even though 7 contracts costing US$31,705,072 were awarded to different engineering and construction companies to renovate the Executive Mansion according to a 2016 GAC Audit Report. Since 2006 up to now, the Executive Mansion is yet to be renovated. Who accounts for these millions?



The Executive Mansion is the official home of the Liberian Presidency. It was built by 2000 workers and 150 foreign technicians and officially dedicated in 1964 under the administration of President William Vacanarat Shadrach Tubman. The eight-story Executive Mansion, which costs US$9 million, has an atomic-bomb shelter, an underground swimming pool, a private chapel, a trophy room, a cinema, an emergency power plant, water supply and sewage system, among others.



This constitutional palace of the Liberian presidency went into flames on July 26, 2006, while four West African leaders were guests of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf during Liberias 159th Independence Day celebration. It was exactly seven months ten days following her inauguration on January 16, 2006, when this fire invasion took place.



According to South African Forensic Scientists, the fire eruption at the Executive Mansion was caused as a result of the electrical fault. Due to this incident, President Sirleaf said she was unable to perform State functions at her official office for 12 years. Was this not a blatant violation of our law especially when millions of dollars were made available since 2006 to refurbish this same Mansion?



The reluctance and refusal of President Sirleaf to run a business from the Executive Mansion was not only on purpose, but her action grossly undermined the democratic norms of our nation and the sacredness of the presidency. She felt very complacent about administering State affairs from an unofficial location.



The Foreign Ministry is not meant to discharge Presidential duties. H.E. Nana Akufo-Addo cannot perform his statutory mandate as President of Ghana out of the Golden Jubilee House. Even though we claim to model our system of governance after America, but most often we exhibit undemocratic actions that do not even conform to existing realities.



What does it take to renovate our Executive Mansion? The estimated cost to renovate the Executive Mansion in 2008 was USD$7 million according to Milton and Richards Architecture Firm. The total amount of USD$3 million was allocated in the 2008-2009 national budget to fund phase one of this project. Unfortunately, our Mansion still lies in ruin.



We encourage our new President to immediately focus on the completion of the Executive Mansion because discharging presidential functions from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs overtly contravenes statutory guidelines which are in compliance with democratic due diligence. We hope President Weah will return to his official home before this years Independence Day.



Furthermore, it would be rational for our people to know some basic facts surrounding appropriations made to revamp our Executive since it was gutted by fire in 2006. Under the Public Sector Investment Plan and Technical Services Budget of the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs, a total of US$22,135,561 was appropriated in just 2 years for the renovation of the Executive Mansion.



This is a succinct fiscal breakdown per annum:

1. 2016/2017  US$12,135,561

2. 2017/2018  US$10,000,000

Reference 1: Budget Line 102 and Budget Code 0008 under MoFA Government of Liberia Funded Project (2016/2017).

Reference 2: Budget Line 102 and Budget Code 0008 under Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Liberia funded Project (2017/2018).

Besides this whopping US22.1 million, a total of US$8 million was appropriated in the approved National Budget to renovate this same Executive Mansion between 2006 and 2010 according to 2016 GAC audit report. Why is this Mansion not renovated up to date even though the cost of renovation was placed at US$7 million?



2. The urgency for President Sirleaf and her cronies to account for over US$31.7 million appropriated for the renovation of our Executive Mansion:

Today, there are huge public concerns about the completion of this Mansion even though the government of President Sirleaf has already paid US$15,769,800.21 to contractors, some of whom are ghosts. The Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs must give a comprehensive account of these millions. President George M. Weah must ensure that former Head of State EJS and all those linked to the renovation of our Mansion fully account for these public resources.

For instance, US$5,161,767.22 was paid to contractors from 2012-2014 without any supporting documentation while US$1.5 million was clandestinely in fiscal year 2007/2008 without any financial documentation according to GAC 2016 audit report. This pro-poor President must pursue all those who siphoned these millions.

Furthermore, our President cannot continue to be internally displaced in his own country. Again, we caution President Weah to focus on completing the Executive Mansion. Using the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not only risky, unsafe and undemocratic, but it poses a NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT to the presidency, our nation and its people.

Our ultimate interest is to ensure that our government does what is RIGHT and RIGHTEOUS in the best interest of our PEOPLE. We have a national duty never to economize with THE FACTS, but to demonstrate a sense of PATRIOTISM. We have made a solemn pledge to remain loyal to Liberia, and no one else.

From the largest slum of West Point and the top of Ducor, I see a NEW LIBERIA rising above the African Continent. HOPE is blooming  Change is in sight  Liberia will rise.



Martin K. N. Kollie is a student studying Economics at the University of Liberia, a youth and student activist, a global columnist and a stalwart of the Student Unification Party. He can be reached via martinkerkula1989@yahoo.comCollin Dingsor leaps into Watertown homecoming history, Week 7 list of top performers

Watertown High School senior Collin Dingsor is a pretty good hurdler in track and field and put those skills to use on the football field to head the Public Opinions Week 7 list of top area high school football performers.Montreal, CA (H4T1V6)

Today

Some clouds. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 17C. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 8C. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph.Romanias president and the countrys foreign minister downplayed a statement from the leader of Romanias ruling party that the country was ready to soon join the U.S. and move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

Liviu Dragnea, the chairman of the Social Democratic Party who effectively runs the Romanian government, said in a television interview late Thursday that the government had decided to move the embassy from Tel Aviv.

On Friday, President Klaus Iohannis, who is in charge of Romanias foreign policy, said he hadnt been informed and that the decision lacked a solid  base. However, he said such a decision could be made after a deep analysis which takes into consideration all the foreign policy consequences and implications.

And Romanias foreign ministry said authorities were analyzing the situation and would consult and coordinate with strategic allies.

Last year, U.S. President Donald Trump broke with tradition and authorized the relocation of the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, a decision that led to howls of protest from all around the world, particularly within other countries in the Middle East.

(AP)Panic and fear gripped another Florida school Friday when a gunman opened fire, wounding one student before being taken into custody on a day planned for a national classroom walkout to protest gun violence, authorities said.

It happened Friday morning at Forest High School, which was put on lockdown, the Marion County Sheriffs Office reported. The wounded student, a 17-year-old boy, was taken to a local hospital for treatment of a non-life threatening injury to his ankle.

Some students and teachers piled desks and filing cabinets against classroom doors as a makeshift barricade.

Police initially said the 19-year-old suspect is also a student at the school, but later said he was a former student not currently enrolled. No charges were immediately announced. The sheriffs office said no other schools in the county were under any threat.

The Ocala shooting comes just over two months after a gunman killed 17 people and wounded 17 others at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Nikolas Cruz, 19, faces the death penalty if convicted in that Valentines Days shooting.

The shooting also coincided with a nationwide student walkout to protest gun violence on the anniversary of the 1999 massacre at Colorados Columbine High School. The Ocala school had planned its version of a walkout, students said.

Chris Oliver told the Ocala Star-Banner that his 16-year-old son, a Forest student, told him the shooting happened near his classroom. The boy told Oliver the shooter was standing in a hallway and fired at a closed classroom door. The shooter then dropped what authorities said was a shotgun, ran and tried to hide, the boy told his father.

Craig Ham, deputy superintendent of Ocala schools operations, said the gunman carried a shotgun in a guitar case into the school by blending in with students. Ham told reporters the shooter fired at the bottom of a classroom door, which was locked, and pellets struck the victim in the ankle.

Jake Mailhiots psychology class had just begun Friday morning when school officials announced a code red alert over the intercom.

You could hear in their voice that this wasnt a drill, the 16-year-old junior said.

Students and teachers had been prepared for such alerts and leapt into action to barricade the classrooms one door and block the doors window.

Our teachers started pushing file cabinets and desks toward the door, and a few friends and I joined in, Mailhiot said. We also started tying together some jackets to hang out the window, in case we needed another way out.

In a photograph Mailhiot shared on social media, the classroom door is invisible behind a tall pile of furniture.

Mailhiot said about 15 people in the classroom waited over 30 minutes to be evacuated by Ocala police. They were instructed to leave the room with their hands up, he said.

The school had planned to participate around 11 a.m. in a walkout commemorating the Columbine shooting. Mailhiot said he had hesitated to participate in the walkout because he was worried the large crowd outside the school would present a large target for anyone waiting to cause a disturbance.

I worried if something was to happen, thats where it would happen, Mailhiot said.

Marion County schools Superintendent Heidi Maier decided six weeks ago that any students who walked out would be punished. Instead, Maier instructed the seven mainstream high school principals to meet with their schools student body to develop a topic of discussion for a 30-minute session. All such events were canceled Friday.

Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods praised the quick response by the school resource officer, as well as school personnel and first responders. In the Parkland shooting, school resource officer Scot Peterson retired amid accusations he did not do enough to confront the Stoneman Douglas gunman.

The Forest resource officer, Marion County Sheriffs Deputy James Long, did not hesitate. He went right in, Woods said at a news conference.

Woods said Long heard a large, loud banging sound and immediately responded. Long recognized what we had at that time, he said.

The sheriff said the suspect was not injured, was not fired at and was arrested without resistance.

Marion County does everything to protect their children, Woods said.

After the shooting, all students were taken by bus with a police escort to First Baptist Church of Ocala, where parents gathered to pick them up, officials said.

Rachael Carter was at the church waiting to be reunited with her daughter, a 10th-grader who turned 16 this week. Carters pastor called her when he saw a post on social media.

Im shaking like a leaf in a hurricane, Carter said.

She that once she is reunited with her daughter, she will stick to her like Velcro.

Students who saw anything related to the shooting were separated so they could be interviewed by investigators.

School district spokesman Kevin Christian sent a recorded phone message urging parents to stay away from the school.

Ocala police, the sheriffs office, the Florida Highway Patrol and the FBI were investigating. They divided into teams that cleared all buildings, vehicles and the parking lot area. Once all students were off campus, authorities began conducting a more methodical search of the campus.

Forest High has an enrollment of more than 2,000 students, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

(AP)Russias foreign minister said Friday that the U.S. sought out and respected Moscows positions in Syria when it launched its air strikes last week.

Lavrov noted that despite the escalating tensions between Moscow and Washington, the U.S. made sure it didnt harm any Russian personnel and positions during the strikes against the regime of President Bashar Assad following a suspected chemical attack on the town of Douma.

We told them where our red lines were, including the geographical red lines, Lavrov told Russian state television. The results have shown that they havent crossed those lines.

Moscow had warned the U.S. before the strike that it could hit back if the U.S. actions jeopardize Russian servicemen in Syria, and the allies had given Russia an advance warning to make sure no Russians were in the line of fire.

Lavrov also revealed that Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin discussed the possibility of visiting each others country when the U.S. president rang up Russian counterpart last month to congratulate him on his re-election.

Lavrov that Trump indicated he could make a reciprocal trip to Russia if Putin were able to accept his invitation to the White House.

Previously, both the White House and the Kremlin had only revealed that Trump had invited Putin to the White House during the same call on March 20.

Lavrov says the Trump administration hasnt followed up on the offer and Russia has urged the U.S. to discuss specifics about such a meeting.

He added that Russian officials dont want to be too obtrusive, but dont want to be impolite.

President Putin is ready for such a meeting, Lavrov said.

Moscows hopes for better ties with Washington under Trump have withered amid the ongoing investigations into the alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.

Russia-U.S. relations have sunk to post-Cold War lows over the Ukrainian crisis, the war in Syria and the allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

In recent weeks, tensions have risen further over the March poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter, which Britain has blamed on Russia. The U.S., Britain and other Western allies responded by expelling over 150 Russian diplomats, and Moscow, which has fervently denied the British accusations, responded in kind.

Further stoking tensions was the purported chemical attack in Douma on April 7. That prompted the U.S., Britain and France to launch a missile strike on Syria. Russia condemned the strike on its ally as an act of aggression.

The Pentagon said that all 105 missiles fired at three Syrian chemical facilities reached their targets, while the Russian military said Syrian air defenses downed 71 out of 103 U.S. missiles.

Lavrov, who said Russia will soon offer evidence to back up its claims, added that Moscow may reconsider a pledge it gave a decade ago not to provide Syria with sophisticated long-range S-300 missiles in light of the strikes.

We no longer have such moral obligations, Lavrov said.

Asked about the danger of a Russia-U.S. military clash, Lavrov voiced hope that military leaders realize that any actions that could provoke a direct clash between the Russian and the U.S. militaries are unacceptable.

Im 100 percent convinced that the military wont allow it, Lavrov said, adding that the Russian and U.S. presidents also bear responsibility before the people which elected them for peace and security.

(AP)Gazas ruling Hamas terror group said Saturday that a man who was gunned down in Malaysia was an important member of the organization, accusing Israel of being behind the brazen killing.

Hamas said Palestinian engineer Fadi al-Batsh was a loyal member and a scientist of Palestines youth scholars. It gave no further details on his scientific accomplishments but said he had made important contributions and participated in international forums in the field of energy.

Hamas initially stopped short of blaming Israel, saying only that he had been assassinated by the hand of treachery. But later its top leader accused Israels Mossad spy agency intelligence of killing him and threatened retaliation.

Ismail Haniyeh told The Associated Press Saturday that based on previous assassinations Mossad is not away from this disgraceful, terrible crime.

There will be an unsettled account between us and it, Haniyeh said at the Gaza mourning tent, referring to Mossad. We cannot give up on the blood of our sons, youths and scholars.

The Israeli government had no comment. But Israel has a long history of suspected targeting of wanted Palestinian terrorists in daring overseas operations around the globe and has been linked to other assassinations as well, though it has rarely publicly acknowledged them.

Malaysian police say the 34-year-old al-Batsh was gunned down early Saturday by two assailants who shot at least eight bullets from a motorbike as he was heading to a mosque for dawn prayers in Kuala Lampur. It said closed-circuit television footage showed him targeted by assassins who had waited for him for almost 20 minutes.

Malaysias deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the government was looking into the possibility of the involvement of foreign agents in his killing. He told local media that initial investigations showed the assailants were white men driving a powerful BMW 1100cc motorbike.

Besides his Hamas affiliation, al-Batsh was also a cousin of Khaled al-Batsh, a senior official in the Islamic Jihad terrorist group, who accused Mossad of the assassination, without providing evidence.

Though Hamas stressed al-Batshs scientific background, the funeral service of the Islamic movements militant wing suggested al-Batsh was actually one of its military commanders. At a mourning tent in the Gaza Strip, a banner described al-Batsh as a member of the military wing. Ten masked militants in camouflage uniforms stood in a line outside the tent in Jabaliya, the slain mans hometown, to greet mourners. The ceremony is typical for senior Hamas commanders.

Al-Batsh specialized in electrical and electronic engineering and worked at a Malaysian university. He had lived there with his family for the past eight years and was an imam at a local mosque.

He received his Ph.D degree from the University of Malaya in 2015 and was a senior lecturer at the British Malaysian Institute. His official biography said his research interests included power converters, power quality and renewable energy.

However, Israeli media reported that he was also deeply involved in the Hamas drone development project.

(AP)Three Belgian companies have been called to court after it was learned they sold chemicals to Syria. According to various European news agency reports, at least one of the agents sold to Syria could be used for the manufacture of sarin nerve gas.

Isopropanol, which is commonly known to many as rubbing alcohol, is an ingredient in many household items including disinfectants, but it is also an ingredient in the manufacture of sarin. The Syrian regime has been accused of using chemical weapons against civilians in the ongoing civil war in that country numerous times.

Euronews quotes Roland Cassier, a spokesman for the Antwerp Criminal Court, who announced a trial date of May 15 has been set for the three companies  Belgian chemical group AAE Chemie and two handling agents, Danmar Logistics and Anex Customs.

After investigating the matter, Belgiums federal customs administration believes that the export of various chemical substances had been carried out without a proper export license for these products, said Cassiers.

The court will address the sale of the chemicals without proper licensing during the years 2014 to 2016. Sales were made to both Lebanon and Syria.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)MANZINI - The Swaziland Construction Association (SCA) board must be dissolved.



This was the instruction of concerned Swaziland contractors during their meeting which was held at The George Hotel last Tuesday.

The contractors resolved that after addressing the issues of the Construction Industry Council (CIC) draft regulations, they would deal with SCA.



The contractors took this resolution after it was revealed that SCA was currently liquidating because it was registered as a company instead of an association.

One of the concerned contractors said they want the board out of office because they were doing things as if they (contractors) do not exist.



We will replace them with a people who have our interest at heart.

The contractor said they need to clarify who was SCA in order to know who they were. He highlighted that their biggest challenge was that the association was registered as a company, which meant that there were people who own it yet it was supposed to be a non profit organisation.



The meeting which was chaired by Maurice Du-Pont agreed that, they need a committee that would represent them even in CIC. They even made an example that if the people in the committee had their interests at heart, they would not be debating about the CIC draft regulations as contractors as it was the work of the association.



It is worth noting that this is not the first time the concerned Swaziland contractors publicly say that they want the SCA committee out of office as they did in 2017. The reason was that they felt it does not have their interests at heart.Sir,



As we move forward, then looking forward is a very deadly game that the current circus government can play. Authentic as it is that our government is led by a very academically brilliant person, I have, however, come to realise that being academically capable does not make one to be socially brilliant. I look back to the mid 1990s when the once feared Jan Sithole was calling the shorts and was almost worshiped as a Mandela of the day. Those were the days when the whole country came to a standstill and the wrath of the people was felt by almost everybody in the country.



I read with great pain the news that NO PAY RAISE FOR CIVIL SERVANTS. I first thought that maybe its an April fool prank but, I since realised that no its a reality.



wants to experiment



I asked myself if at all someone somewhere wants to experiment what we went through during the mid 1990s. It was a terrible experience. I can almost bet my balls that sooner than we can imagine, we shall experience the same. Why on earth would someone remain so stubborn and arrogant to an extent that he would sacrifice the country for his personal gain?

Why the civil servants are not awarded the deserved raises in their very meagre salaries. The reason is becoming so clear that the main thing why emabandla are getting their salary increases is simply because someone will be retiring very soon and will be joining the same emabandla, so automatically, he wont feel the pinch of being out of work and his benefits will continue to accrue. This egocentric government is really setting up the whole nation against our good leader  His Majesty the King.

They forget that our leader is younger than them and when they are all dead, He will remain with the very same oppressed people. I can almost say boldly that this government hates our leaders.



orchestrating anarchy



They pretend as if they love our leaders and yet they are sawing the seat our leaders are sitting on. Someone somewhere is orchestrating anarchy in the nation. Its only a pity that he will be identified very late when the damage has already been done and repairing it will be an uphill battle.

We have already celebrated our 50/50 and that tells us that this is a very special year to us as Swazis. We do not need any uprisings, any strikes, and any trouble from anybody. All we need is a peaceful year as we celebrated the coming of age of our benevolent leader and the freedom from colonial rule.

The crux of the matter is that we should be praying and thanking our Almighty God for having been with us to this far and thanking Him for all the good he has done for this country. However, we are still reeling from shock that there wont be any increments for the poor majority. Why is this so? My guess is that this celebration which was supposed to be celebrated with great enthusiasm was celebrated on an angry note. Yes because we are hungry, we went there to line up for the free food but deep in us we were bleeding in our hearts.



It is now evident even to a lay man person that government hates our leader. If government loved our leader, all these bad things it does would be none existent. I once again appeal to the next prime minister and government to restore the confidence of the people.

I am really tired of this gullible government.



I can only pray for a very sensible government to liberate the majority of the marginalised Swazis and I am praying that may God punish this government for all the misdeeds. It is only a pity that there are those who claim to be pastors serving in this government, but at least I now know that they are not what they claim to be.



By: Khokhumncadvo Dlamini  Ebutsini - KazondwakoThe principal said colleges should not be established close to army camps or police stations in the first place.Srinagar, April 22: Interference of local police in student protests results in law and order situation in and outside campuses, principals of various institutions told education minister AltafBukhari on Thursday.Bukhari met the principals at a meeting held to work out ways to ensure normal functioning of schools and colleges whose students have been protesting for the past two weeks against the brutal rape and murder of an eight-year-old child in Kathua.

The principal of a college in southern Kashmir told the meeting that whenever students of his college start protesting peacefully, they are stopped by the policemen from the police station adjacent to the campus, which leads to clashes.

The principal said colleges should not be established close to army camps or police stations in the first place.

Another principal said students do not always protest during college hours but when they leave for homes. He said colleges located along busy roads have been relatively more volatile than those in the interiors.

Principals representing a few colleges in northern areas complained police were using indiscriminate force on peaceful student protests.

I have had the worst experience last year when policemen crashed into the campus. They tried to fire teargas canisters into protesting students inside the campus and also heckled me when I tried to stop them from entering the campus, the principal said.

Another principal said police interference in peaceful student protests leads to clashes.

The police also demand footage of protests to identify protesting students, he said.

The principals also said that some colleges dont have proper fencing, which makes it easy for outsiders to enter campuses to join student protests.

But in some cases police fires teargas shells into even peaceful protesters which aggravates the situation, he said.

The principal of a Srinagar college said students are provoked by protesting students from other institutions.

A few vice-chancellors of universities suggested the principals to focus on building good teacher-student relations.

In his speech, Bukhari told principals to treat students as their own children, not share video footage of protests with police and accompany students who are called to police stations.

It is unfortunate that education has become the biggest casualty of the prevailing situation in Kashmir and it is our collective responsibility to think over the terrible consequences of the loss of education of our children, he said.

He asked teachers to work overtime to make up for the time lost to protests.MANZINI - Aphi kantsi lama cellphones? That was the question asked by the early birds after gates were opened by members of the security forces to the public at around 6:30am.



After going through the screening processes, people rushed into the almost empty stadium with the anticipation that they would receive the phones.

Instead of taking their seats, the close to 100 people assembled next to a reserved stand, demanding to be handed the gadgets.

In separate interviews, most alleged that they had queued from as early as 4am in order to be among the first 1 000 people.



SITELE TINCINGO KUPHELA



Others were overheard saying, sitele letincingo kuphela, siya jika.

This is loosely translated, We have only come here just for the phones, and we will be going back to our respective homes.

After waiting for about 20 minutes, some members of the armed forces requested the crowd which was by then swelling, to move to a temporary stand.

It was explained to them that there was never a promise for phones. The disappointed members of the public politely walked away.

However, it could not be established which mobile network provider had promised the early birds the gadgets.



Swazi Mobile Corporate Communications Manager Macford Sibandze sounded shocked when informed that members of the public antincipated to get free phones.

Kute intfo lenjalo (there was no such thing). I think it was just propaganda, said a laughing Sibandze.



As the day progressed, around 7:30am, a stampede was almost witnessed as the crowd pushed and shoved for kanga (lihiya), which were being distributed by some ushers to invited guests.

Police and ministry of home affairs officers had to rush to save the situation by promising that the 50/50 lihiya would be distributed later.

The kangas came in different colours; some were red while the rest were maroon.





MBABANE  Which is the correct way of writing the countrys newly-assumed name?

Is it eSwatini or Eswatini?



If you have no idea, you are not the only one in that quagmire. Even the Deputy Prime Minister, Paul Dlamini, who is the Acting Prime Minister, is not sure.

Dlamini is not the only one, the Minister of Home Affairs and member of the Royal family, Princess Tsandzile, is equally in the dark.



Dlamini - the DPM  was the one who introduced and invited His Majesty King Mswati III to the podium to deliver his speech during the 50/50 Double Celebrations held at Mavuso Trade and Exhibition Centre on Thursday.

It was in this speech that the King made the key announcement of the country changing its name from the Kingdom of Swaziland to the KINGDOM of ESWATINI. From that moment, people have been wondering if it should be Kingdom of Eswatini or Kingdom of eSwatini.



The DPM, when sought for clarity on this first said it should be small letter e, followed by capital letter S.

Then he said: I havent thought about it but that is my thinking. I dont know because I am yet to consult but that is my first reaction.

We cannot say what is official or what is not because we got the message from the King and it is yet to be properly interrogated. What I am saying now is purely my thinking, not an official position. No one will crucify you if you use either of the two ways of writing and what I was saying was my opinion.



On the other hand, Princess Tsandzile admitted not having a clue on how the new name was supposed to be written.

I have no idea. I have asked myself about this and I came with no answers. I guess we will get to know and learn about the correct way as we go along, the minister said.

She said even though she did not know who could have an idea about the correct way of writing the name, she suspected the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Chief Mgwagwa Gamedze could be in the know.



Efforts to get hold of Gamedze were not successful as his mobile phone was not available on the Swazi MTN network. It was later understood that he may have switched it off because he was attending a dinner held last evening in His Majestys honour.

But the way, the name was written in His Majestys speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September last year could give an idea how it should appear.

The Kings speech had the name written as the Kingdom of eSwatini.



The confusion on the correct way of writing the name was largely discussed on social media networks, especially Facebook.

Some, including lawyer Leo Gama, said the most appropriate name should be Kingdom of Swatini.



Former principal secretary in the Ministry of Health Dr Steven Shongwe seemed to agree with Gama as he posted that: I am definitely Swazi living in Swatini (not Eswatini). I have never introduced myself as Swati.

Mbongeni Dlamini said: We are called Emaswati, ruled by Mswati III, in Eswatini.



One of the Facebook users argued: What does the E stand for because if we go ES we will still confuse the public that are from Espanola (Spain). We are impoverished, we dont have money to fall for that Eswatini probably we will go Kingdom of Eswatini (Swaziland) to our ancient leadership popular names. We Swazis were addressed bakaNgwane, there is nothing tracking Eswatini we could revert to Kingdom of Ngwane (sic).

Princess Tsandzile was, however, quoted by the SABC to have said that the changing of the name of the country to the Kingdom of eSwatini would happen overnight.



She said the renaming process would be done cautiously to prevent high costs. The minister was reacting to assumptions that the process would have serious financial effects. She said the new name was used before the British colonised the country.

The princess said the country was renamed at the appropriate time when it is 50 years.MBABANE  Did Cabinet mislead His Majesty the King into appointing the Phil Mnisi-led Commission to review terms and conditions for parliamentarians at this time of the year?

This is so because the two documents outlining the terms and conditions of service for politicians do not allow government to facilitate the review now.



The first document titled Review of Terms and Conditions of Service for Politicians, states that the review must happen 18 months before the new term of office. It is also stated in the same document that the revision must be forward looking and not aimed at impacting the current or departing parliamentarians terms and conditions of service.

However, Prime Minister Sibusiso Dlamini-led Cabinet decided to include one specific item in the commissions terms of references, which is intended to benefit the current Parliament.



terms of condition



It reads: The Royal Commission shall review the terms and conditions of service in respect of the concerns expressed, including examining issues relating to the 10th Parliament, that are outstanding and requiring resolution.

The outstanding issues to be examined have not been disclosed.

On the other hand, Finance Circular No.2 of 2013 refers to a review that must happen every five years.



This policy shall at minimum be reviewed every five years from the effective date by the established independent commission as appointed by His Majesty the King, reads the circular.

Informed sources said five years had not elapsed when Mnisis Commission was appointed in March 2018. They said the Commission should have been set up either in October or November 2018.

This is due to the fact that the effective date in terms of the circular is the date of the appointment of the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers, Regional Administrators and the date of the swearing in of the members of parliament and senate.



His Majesty the King appointed the prime minister on October 28, 2013 while the deputy prime minister and ministers were appointed on November 3, 2013.

Regional Administrators were appointed on November 8, 2013, while Members of Parliament took the oath on October 17, 2013.

Sources said Parliament had been left with seven months to complete its five-year term when Cabinet recommended for the setting up of the commission.



The idea is that a new prime minister and new Parliament must craft their own circular based on economic conditions prevailing at the time, a politician close to government said.

The current prime minister, Cabinet and Parliament cannot prescribe laws for the next Parliament.



Sipho Gumedze, a renowned Human Rights and Constitutional Attorney, said Cabinet or government should have considered the effective date or review date when advising the King to set up the commission.

Since the circular is now a legal document, he said Cabinet or government should have waited for until the review date, which is October/November.

You cannot initiate an exercise in contravention of the legal document, Gumedze said.



MBABANE  Is it a cakewalk to funding for a ministers wifes entity Siyagijima Association at Ngudzeni?



At least this is the feeling expressed by a section of disgruntled individuals from the constituency, whose MP is Minister of Informational, Communication and Technology (ICT) Dumisani Christopher Ndlangamandla.

The association, which has a couple of Ndlangamandla members among its 25 membership, is reportedly on the verge of being awarded a E1.1 million funding for the purchase of a TLB excavator from the Regional Development Fund (RDF) to complete a brace of major financial assistance in the past two financial years.



The association is said to be so far, in the past years, the only benefactor from the income generating category of the RDF in the constituency.

Government first allocated E80 million for the 55 Tinkhundla Centres for the RDF. Each region received E20 million.



There are 12 constituencies in the Shiselweni region and Ngudzeni is one of them. This means that each of the 12 constituencies have received at least E7 million in the past five years.

This comes after Siyagijima Association had allegedly received E1.3 million for a truck that was allegedly further sub-contracted to Inyatsi Construction. And for the project, they were able to allegedly raise the E130 000 which was the 10 per cent deposit for the project.



If the E1.1 million TLB funding is approved, the associations total benefit could be E2.4 million.

The application for the TLB excavator has passed the first phase at the constituency level and is now at the regional level, where further scrutiny would be applied before the application could be finally endorsed.

The fund is accessible to all associations in all 55 constituencies but, recipients should apply, have their application vetoed before being approved.



Siyagijima is one of the associations under Ngudzeni Inkhundla, and it has 25 members, who include the wife of the constituencys Member of Parliament (MP), who doubles as the Minister of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) Ndlangamandla, his son and the politicians elder brother, among others.



STRUGGLING



However, there are constituency members whose associations struggled to get a share of the RDF because they were unable to raise the mandatory 10 per cent cash deposit required for the intended project and are grumbling over the decision to give Siyagijima the lions share of the fund.



They alleged that their dominance stemmed from the fact that the majority of their members were civil servants, who included the ministers wife, a teacher by profession.

Others are soldiers, warders and teachers. And they easily raise the mandatory 10 per cent payable upfront for any project they have proposed to do. This is why most of their applications are considered, one disgruntled community member said.



They also alleged the fact that since most of the members of the association were allegedly related to the MP it made it easier for their applications to be considered, even when certain requirements stipulated in the RDF were allegedly not met.

The law is clear that any association should have set up an office in the area before they can get funding for a project. Siyagijima has won both applications without having set up an office in the area, alleged the member.

However, it should be stated that the RDF clause states that associations should have secured land first before their applications could be approved by the Constituency Development Committee.



Furthermore, it was alleged Siyagijima had been promised a piece of land to set up their offices by the Inner Council, according to the constituency Headman Raymond Mahlwayizela Ngcamphalala. He also confirmed that the association has had both proposals; for the truck and excavator/TLB approved, but on merit.



He said they always had the edge over others because they had the money to pay the 10 per cent deposit for each of the projects, which other associations found cumbersome.

There are 25 members of the association and among them is the ministers wife. But the members come from two chiefdoms; Endushulweni and Phobane. The procedure was followed in all the applications, which also go to the Regional Offices, he said.



Ngcamphalala assured that everything was done above board, but noted that a majority of individuals were justified in complaining about the mandatory 10 per cent deposit, which put most of the unemployed at a disadvantage. I know that the truck is sub-contracted to Inyatsi and I have personally seen it around Sikhuphe, Ngcamphalala said.



TAKE LOANS



When contacted, minister Ndlangamandla said there was plenty of funding to be exploited from the RDF, but the challenge was that most associations were failing to pay the 10 per cent deposit which was an essential element for consideration when approvals were made for any application.



He said in the 2015/16 financial, the constituency received E1.5 million, where he said the E1.3 million for the Siyagijima Association truck was sourced.

The current financial year saw the constituency getting E1.9 million.

While we have issued a couple of funding for infrastructural projects like electricity schemes worth E2 million in the past, there has been one benefactor from the income generating category and it was the E1.3 million truck for Siyagijima.



There was one application for an association that wanted funding to purchase a tent for rental purposes, but they could not raise the E5 000, which is the 10 per cent of the total cost of the tent, he said.

Commenting on allegations that most members of Siyagijima were his relatives, he said there were about four from his family. My wife is there and so is my first born son, Thabo, but there are plenty other individuals who are benefiting from it. They have secured a contract with Inyatsi, which is key in uplifting their lives.



What other people are failing to understand is that members of Siyagijima are prepared to take loans to be able to raise the needed 10 per cent. I would advise others to follow suit and approach saving schemes at Ngudzeni, that loan out money to individuals, he said.



The MP said it was worrying that most people opted to speak or complain behind the back of the constituency structures, where solutions for whatever challenges encountered could be sought. It might be that some are beginning to campaign and de-campaign others because no one has come to me to seek assistance on how they can raise the 10 per cent because it is mandatory.

We cannot bend the law because that is what caused challenges in the fund in the past. I would advise those who have complaints to approach the rightful structures than to run to the media, because they wont find solutions there, he said.

A member of Siyagijima association Mduduzi Ndlangamandla, though confirming his membership with the association, referred all comments regarding the association to the chairman, Derrick Mkhaliphi.

The latter did not pick up his cell phone when called.



The ministers wife Phindile could only confirm that she was just like all willing residents of the constituency and she was a member of the association alongside three other family members from the 25 to complete the organisation. I cannot be left out on an opportunity to develop myself, unless people expect me to wait for 2019, she said briefly.



CONCERN

Meanwhile, chairperson of the constituency development committee Mphikeleli Wilson Ngcamphalala said they had noted that only one association was benefitting and that most of its members were relatives of the MP and minister.

They have secured the funding for the TLB after also getting one for the truck. However, we are also concerned about this and we need to consider the concerns raised by some of the associations, he said.

He said the issue of the 10 per cent deposit needed for one to secure funding was inhibiting most disadvantaged individuals, who though might have brilliant business proposals, could still not qualify to get financial assistance.

He said the MP, who is also the ICT minister, had not been involved in the whole Siyagijima Association saga, even though most of the members were allegedly either his relatives or brethren in church.

The rural development fund was established in 1999 by the King but was legalised in 2000 through the promulgation of the Legal Notice number 101, to alleviate and eventually eradicate poverty in all the four regions of Swaziland.

At inception, the fund was first administered under the Deputy Prime Ministers office, but after 2008 it was then moved to the Ministry of Tinkhundla Administration and Development, which oversees the management of the fund, whereby the allocation of the fund is made to associations in the different constituencies.Washington, April 22: The US State Department in its Annual Human Rights Report for the year 2017 has said that the civilians were reportedly killed in a staged encounter and later accused of being foreign militants. The report mentioned the suspension of life sentences by the Armed Forces Tribunal of five army personnel involved in the 2010 killing of three civilians from Jammu and Kashmir. The report also discusses the draconian law, Public Safety Act, which applies only in Jammu and Kashmir, which permits the authorities to detain persons without charge or judicial review for up to two years without visitation from family members. The report pointed out that police in Jammu and Kashmir allegedly routinely employed arbitrary detention and denied detainees access to lawyers and medical attention.

The report further said that of 186 complaints of human rights violations reported against the armed forces under the draconian law Armed Forces Special Powers Act, between 2012 and 2016, 49.5 percent were from Jammu and Kashmir. The report citing family members of the detainees said that the authorities denied access to relatives, particularly in conflict areas including Jammu and Kashmir. It says that prisons were often severely overcrowded, and food, medical care, sanitation, and environmental conditions often were inadequate. Potable water was often unavailable. Prisons and detention centers remained underfunded, understaffed, and lacking sufficient infrastructure. Prisoners were physically mistreated.

Below are main points of US annual Human Rights report on Jammu and Kashmir:-

Complaints

The NGO Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative noted in its 2016 report that of 186 complaints of human rights violations reported against the armed forces in states under the AFSPA, between 2012 and 2016, 49.5 percent were from the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The data supplied by the Ministry of Home Affairs under the RTI Act did not, however, indicate whether complaints were deemed to have merit.

Civilian Killing

On July 27, the Armed Forces Tribunal suspended the life sentences of five army personnel involved in the 2010 killing of three civilians from the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The civilians were reportedly killed in a staged encounter and later accused of being foreign militants.

The law permits preventive detention in certain cases. The National Security Act allows police to detain persons considered security risks anywhere in the country, except the state of Jammu and Kashmir, without charge or trial for as long as one year. The law allows family members and lawyers to visit national security detainees and requires authorities to inform a detainee of the grounds for detention within five days, or 10 to 15 days in exceptional circumstances.

PSA Law

The Public Safety Act, which applies only in the state of Jammu and Kashmir permits state authorities to detain persons without charge or judicial review for up to two years without visitation from family members. Authorities allowed detainees access to a lawyer during interrogation, but police in the state of Jammu and Kashmir allegedly routinely employed arbitrary detention and denied detainees access to lawyers and medical attention.

Political Prisoners

There were reports of political prisoners and detainees. NGOs reported the state of Jammu and Kashmir held political prisoners and temporarily detained individuals under the Public Safety Act (PSA). More than 650 such cases were registered by the Jammu and Kashmir state government under the PSA through June and referred to the Jammu and Kashmir High Court.

UAPA Law

The UAPA provides an additional legal basis for warrantless searches. The UAPA also allows use of evidence obtained from intercepted communications in terrorist cases. In the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Manipur, security officials have special authorities to search and arrest without a warrant.

Human Shield

In July the SHRC directed the state of Jammu and Kashmir to pay one million rupees ($16,000) as compensation to a textile worker who was tied to the front bumper of a military jeep by an army major and used as a human shield against demonstrators in central Kashmir in May. Media reported Major Nitin Gogoi used the victim to prevent an angry mob from attacking military personnel during a parliamentary by-election on April 9. Human rights activists also criticized Army Chief General Bipin Rawats statement backing Gogois actions. Gogoi was also awarded the army chiefs commendation card for his action and was not individually punished.

There were few investigations and prosecutions of human rights violations arising from internal conflicts. NGOs claimed that due to AFSPA immunity provisions, authorities did not hold the armed forces responsible for the deaths of civilians killed in the state of Jammu and Kashmir in previous years.

Killings

Various domestic and international human rights organizations continued to express serious concern at the use of pellet guns by security forces for crowd control purposes in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. In 143 instances in which pellet guns were reportedly used across 12 districts of the Kashmir Valley through July 31, one civilian was killed and 36 were injured. By comparison in 2016 777 instances of pellet gun use across the state of Jammu and Kashmir, mostly during violent protests following the July 2016 killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani, left at least 15 civilians dead and 396 injured. In a report during the year, Amnesty International detailed cases of 88 individuals in the country whose eyesight was damaged by metal pellets fired by the state of Jammu and Kashmir police and the Central Reserve Police Force in the years 2014-17. Both national and international media sources and NGOs have reported on the harm, both physical and psychological, to individuals injured by pellet guns.

Censorship

Censorship or Content Restrictions: In June the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting denied permission to screen three films at a film festival in Kerala. Films screened at festivals do not require certification by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), but they need a censor exemption from the ministry. The three films were about protests at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, the unrest in Kashmir, and the suicide of doctoral student activist Rohith Vemula.

National Security

In some cases government authorities cited laws protecting national interest to restrict media content. For example, on April 26, the state of Jammu and Kashmir ordered internet service providers to block 22 social media and instant messaging sites, including Facebook, WhatsApp, and Twitter, for one month after persistent street demonstrations. This was the first time the state government banned individual social media websites rather than restricting internet and data services.

Internet Ban

Internet access and services were frequently curtailed during several weeks of violence and curfew in the state of Jammu and Kashmir and occasionally in other parts of the country, including in Haryana during large-scale demonstrations by the Dera Sacha Sauda religious sect in August. The government claimed that it was sometimes necessary to restrict access to the internet to prevent violence fueled by social media. According to HRW authorities sometimes failed to follow legal procedures and in some instances ordered shutdowns unnecessarily.

In July and August, the central governments Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, based on a complaint filed by the State of Jammu and Kashmir Police, reportedly asked Twitter to block 248 accounts, tweets, and hashtags in view of threats posed by them. The ministry requested that a list of 115 accounts and tweets, which were found propagating objectionable contents, be blocked in the interest of the public order as well as for preventing any cognizable offense.

FREEDOM OF PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY

The law provides for freedom of assembly. Authorities often required permits and notification before parades or demonstrations, and local governments generally respected the right to protest peacefully, except in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, where the state government sometimes denied permits to separatist political parties for public gatherings, and security forces sometimes reportedly detained and assaulted members of political groups engaged in peaceful protest (see section 1.g.). During periods of civil unrest in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, authorities used the law to ban public assemblies or impose curfews.

In-country Movement: The central government relaxed restrictions on travel by foreigners to Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur, and parts of Jammu and Kashmir, excluding foreign nationals from Pakistan, China, and Burma. The Ministry of Home Affairs and state governments required citizens to obtain special permits upon arrival when traveling to certain restricted areas.

The trend of delaying issuance and renewal of passports to citizens from the state of Jammu and Kashmir continued, sometimes up to two years. The government reportedly subjected applicants born in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, including children born to military officers deployed in the state, to additional scrutiny and police clearances before issuing them passports.

INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (IDPS)

Authorities located IDP settlements throughout the country, including those containing groups displaced by internal armed conflicts in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, Maoist-affected areas, the northeastern states (see section 1.g.), and Gujarat. The 2016 annual report of the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center asserted that longstanding regional conflicts had displaced at least 796,000 persons. Estimating precise numbers of those displaced by conflict or violence was difficult, because the government does not monitor the movements of displaced persons, and humanitarian and human rights agencies had limited access to camps and affected regions. While authorities registered residents of IDP camps, an unknown number of displaced persons resided outside camps. Many IDPs lacked sufficient food, clean water, shelter, and health care (see section 1.g., Other Conflict-related Abuse).

Human Rights NGOs

The NHRC worked cooperatively with numerous NGOs. Several NHRC committees had NGO representation. Human rights monitors in the state of Jammu and Kashmir were able to document human rights violations, but security forces, police, and other law enforcement authorities reportedly restrained or harassed them at times.

State Human Rights Commission

The Jammu and Kashmir commission does not have the authority to investigate alleged human rights violations committed by members of paramilitary security forces. The NHRC has jurisdiction over all human rights violations, except in certain cases involving the army. The NHRC has authority to investigate cases of human rights violations committed by Ministry of Home Affairs paramilitary forces operating under the AFSPA in the northeast states and in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Rape of Women

Women in conflict areas, such as in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, the northeast, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh, as well as vulnerable Dalit or tribal women, were often victims of rape or threats of rape. National crime statistics indicated Dalit women were disproportionately victimized compared with other caste affiliations.

With inputs from Agencies/Web

Source: http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm?year=2017&dlid=277281

PDF Downaload1,500 hectares forestland encroached in Jajarkot

Around 1,500 hectares of forest cover in Jajarkot has been encroached upon and being converted into private properties, according to the District Forest Office (DFO).Title pretty much says it all. My Google search is suddenly really slow (taking several seconds of a completely blank white page before showing results), and it looks... odd... The Google Image search also looks horrible, and is equally slow. I threw in some screenshots.I have not installed any new extensions lately, and I'm running Chrome on Windows 10.I could add that it looks like the page actually actually loads at the right pace, with the title of the page coming up on the tab, and the little loading icon disappearing. It still shows a blank page for a couple seconds though.Any idea what this could be?Afghanistan: Kabul voter centre suicide attack kills dozens

A suicide attack at a voter registration centre in the Afghan capital Kabul has killed at least 31 people, BBC reported quoting officials."Americas eviction problem is now being described as an epidemic. Our half-hour documentary, Evicted, takes an in-depth look at the issue across the Kansas City metro through the lives of those most affected. Tune in at 7:30 May 17 on KCPT."The shooting happened at near 3rd and Grand around 2PM today









Another tragedy today for the TOY TRAIN as a nearby Toyota and its passengers suffered a spate of gunfire that has sent two people to the hospital clinging to live.A woman and man were hit but KCPD have not yet released the victims identities, nor any suspect information.Links . . .Developing . . .Two men were shot during a domestic disturbance Saturday morning in Lee's Summit, police said. Lee's Summit police said the dispute centered around someone's girlfriend. Police said officers were called at 8 a.m. to the 1000 block of Northeast Bryco Drive on a report that two men were knocking on the door, refusing to leave.The Egyptian government and the World Bank have signed an agreement for the $500 million supporting the Egypt Education Reform project, which aims to improve teaching and learning conditions in Egypts public education system.



The signing took place on the margins of the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund Spring Meetings, with Dr Sahar Nasr, Minister of Investment and International Cooperation signing on behalf of Egypt and Dr Asad Alam, country director for Egypt, Yemen and Djibouti, on behalf of the World Bank, reported Emirates news agency Wam.

Dr Tarek Shawki, Egypts Minister of Education and Technical Education and World Bank vice president for Mena Dr Hafez Ghanem also attended the signing ceremony.



In support of Egypts education sector reforms, the five-year project aims to expand access to quality kindergarten for around 500,000 children, train 500,000 teachers and education officials, while providing 1.5 million students and teachers with digital learning resources. In addition, more than two million students will benefit from the new student assessment and examinations system.



This reform effort aims to bring learning back to the classroom through: (1) improving access to and the quality of early childhood education, (2) developing a reliable student assessment and examination system, (3) enhancing capacity of teachers, education leaders and supervisors, and (4) using modern technology for teaching and learning, assessing students, and collecting data, as well as expanding the use of digital learning resources.



The World Bank currently has a portfolio of 16 projects with a total commitment of $6.69 billion.  TradeArabia News ServiceTurkey has witnessed a robust growth in the number of English-language international schools, registering an increase of 40 per cent over the last five years, said a report.



From just 84 in 2013, the number of English-language, K-12 international schools in the country has increased to 118 this year, with a total of 69,600 students and 8,200 full-time teaching staff, according to ISC Research, a leading supplier of data and intelligence on the English-medium K-12 international schools market.



The report comes ahead of the second edition of the GESS Turkey education conference and exhibition that will take place from October 25 to 27 at the WOW Istanbul Convention Centre.



The steady growth of international schools in Turkey affirms the countrys rising appeal as a global education hub, said Sarah Palmer, the marketing and conference director, Tarsus F&E Middle East, the event organisers.



We organised the inaugural edition of the show last year to provide a platform for companies from all over the world to connect with decision makers from schools to meet an equally increasing demand for various products and solutions to help teaching professionals deliver quality education to a growing student population.



Alongside the exhibition component of the show, GESS Turkey features a conference packed with useful workshops and presentations from leading education gurus locally and internationally, providing the latest advances in teaching, curriculum development as well as management and leadership strategies for teachers and school administrators.



The English-medium, international schools market in Turkey is currently generating revenues of $622 million from tuition fee income, according to the report.



This represents a very good opportunity for anyone seeking to provide services and solutions relevant to the development needs of schools in Turkey, stated Palmer.



A crucial factor that will support the continued growth of international schools in Turkey will be the recruitment of quality education professionals to fill teaching positions that will be required because of the expected increase in demand, she noted.



"Most teachers at international schools in Turkey are local teachers. The most popular expatriate teachers are North American (19 per cent of the international school teaching population) and British (7 per cent of the teaching population), revealed Diane Glass, the commercial director at ISC Research.



The expatriate teachers and leaders who have experienced a wide range of education supplies in past teaching jobs are particularly influential in identifying resources that would be beneficial in their classrooms, she added.-TradeArabia News ServiceDubai-based Scientechnic, the flagship company of the Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group, has partnered with Switzerlands Datwyler Middle East for the exclusive distribution of fire cables in the region.



The Swiss manufacturing company provides system solutions and services for future-proof ICT networks, fire safety cable systems and elevator cable systems in public and commercial buildings, said a statement.



Datwlyers halogen-free safety cables are certified by Dubai Civil Defence and used for emergency lighting and fire alarm systems in residential and commercial buildings guaranteeing reliable power supply to the safety systems installed, it said.



Scientechnics general manager Easa F Al Gurg said: As the importance of security investment in infrastructure continues to grow, this strategic partnership with Datwyler will assist us in offering extensive tailor-made solutions to a critical industry sector.



By combining our proven expertise with distribution, trading and fire safety solutions, we can provide additional value to customers and clients in the region, he said.



At the time of finalising the contract, present from the Swiss manufacturing company were managing director of Datwyler Middle East, Asem Shadid; head of technical and project management, Shaheer Shaban; and sales manager, Ahmed Krayem.



Panichiyil, division manager of industrial stock sales and Mohammed Abdul Mubeen, senior sales executive, industrial stock sales represented Scientechnic.



Scientechnic works in partnership with the best in the industry worldwide to provide 360 degree services right from design, supply, installation, testing, commissioning and maintenance of renowned electrical products and solutions.



Datwyler will join Scientechnics growing portfolio of world-renowned exclusive partnerships with brands like Siemens, ERCO, Osram, Ledvance, Protec and RP-Technik, it stated.  TradeArabia News ServiceBGC Brokers LP Bahrain, an entity within BGC Partners group of companies - a leading global brokerage company servicing the financial and real estate markets, has launched its graduates training programme for Bahrain.



The launch took place at an event for Bahraini University graduates, who attended the kick-off presentation about voice and electronic broking at Manamas Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, said a statement.



The successful candidates will be enrolled in a 12-month programme, which includes comprehensive technical training and mentoring at BGCs offices in London, UK, followed by continued mentoring and specialist training in Bahrain, leading to employment as Junior Brokers.



BGC Brokers LP Bahrain began its operations in Bahrain in September 2017. The launch of the training programme confirms BGCs commitment to Bahrain in providing opportunities and developing the local workforce in the financial services sector.



Anthony Warner, executive managing director, BGC Brokers LP, said: We are pleased to launch the BGC graduates training programme in the kingdom for Bahraini graduates, seeking a career in the financial services industry.



Bahrain is home to a pool of high-calibre talent and at BGC we recognize the importance of offering a great start to young professionals careers, he added.



David Parker, executive director of business development, financial services at Bahrain Economic Development Board, said: We are delighted that BGC is establishing a graduate training programme, which will allow it to advance the trainees development and ensure they have the resources to further their skills and remain competitive in this rapidly evolving sector.



This announcement demonstrates BGCs commitment to the growth of the sector, in which Bahrainis already represent over 60 per cent of the workforce, he added.



The multilevel training programme prepares junior employees for a successful career in one of the most exciting sectors connected to the global financial markets. After completing the initial technical curriculum that teaches graduates about multiple asset classes, the graduates will continue their training on the desk, assisting the brokerage team by calculating prices, recording brokerage transactions, interacting with customers, attending and contributing to team meetings.



As a valued member of the desk, the trainee brokers will build the relationships needed to build business with existing and new customers all over the world.



Warner continued: BGCs position as an innovative integrated voice and electronic brokerage firm provides an ideal environment for ensuring a solid foundation for long-term career development.



Our global presence gives the graduates space to grow, fulfil their ambition and ultimately further their careers, he concluded.  TradeArabia News ServiceA wide range of new features and attractions within the ever-changing world of information technology will be showcased at the 28th edition of the Comex Technology Week, which opens tomorrow (April 23) in Oman.



Being held under the patronage of the Information Technology Authority, the event will run until April 28, at the Oman Convention & Exhibition Center.



The World Economic Forum recently ranked Oman as 44th in network readiness, demonstrating the governments commitment to ensuring that the Country has all the required infrastructure in place to take advantage of all the breakthroughs in smart, new technologies that will play such a central and critical role in the countrys future and the development of the economy and social fabric of society.



Divided into three principle areas  Government, Business and Retail  the event aims to showcase all that is new and on offer to increase productivity and efficiency for the end-user, said a statement.



This year Comex Business is highlighting a number of key industries that form part of Omans Five Year Plan, namely manufacturing, tourism, transport and logistics as well as oil and gas, healthcare and education.



The government participation at Comex eOman is also showcasing solutions and services on offer from 20 different departments along with regional representations from the governments of Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.



Within the IT Industry itself a number of sectors are being put in the spotlight this year, where developments are becoming part of our everyday lives including - AR VR, cybersecurity, Big Data, cloud computing, IoT and AI.



On the retail side, Comex Shopper is also set to host all that is new and exciting in the world of gaming, smart homes technology and robotics as well as all sorts of exciting offers on new products for sale in IT hardware, software and mobiles.



Running alongside Comex is the second edition of the Smart Cities and Industry 4.0 Summit. Focusing this year on artificial intelligence and the Internet of things, the conference will delve into more detail on new initiatives in manufacturing, education, urban development and cognitive city planning as well as the use of the IoT in the oil and gas industry and advanced solutions for artificial intelligence within the logistics and healthcare industries.



A look at rolling out fibre optic broadband, cybersecurity, Industry 4.0 and wireless technologies will also be discussed along with the opportunities and challenges faced in transformation of Smart City development.



Comex is supported by Omantel; Gulf Business Machines (GBM) as Diamond Sponsor; Ooredoo as official digital partner; Oracle, Cisco, Awasr, Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), SAP, Mideast Data Systems, Fireware, IBM, Symantec, F5 and Juniper as Lead Sponsors; Exceed IT Services & Oman Broadband as Platinum Sponsors; Microsoft, Google Cloud, Digisol, Prime Business Solutions and Integrated IT & Telecom Distributors as Gold Sponsors; Colouring as Silver Sponsor, Gulf Infotech is the Cloud Sponsor, SBS as Robotics Partner.



The gaming zone is sponsored by Jumbo Electronics and powered by Game World while Panaroma Mall is featured sponsor, Technowave is the technology partner, Abeer Hospital is health care partner and T FM are Radio Partners, it stated.  TradeArabia News ServiceInternational airport operator Groupe Aeroports de Paris (ADP) has completed the acquisition of a controlling 51 per cent stake in Airport International Group (AIG), operator of Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, Jordan.



The announcement came during a press conference, which involved a tour of the airport, held at Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA), in the presence of Jordanian Minister of Transport and Municipal Affairs Eng. Walid Masri; Muhannad Shehadeh, Jordanian Minister of State for Investment Affairs and chairman of the Jordan Investment Commission (JIC); Groupe ADP chairman and CEO, Augustin de Romanet; ADP International chief international officer and the new chairman of Airport International Group, Fernando Echegaray; Airport International Group CEO, Kjeld Binger, and several representatives of the local and international media.



Groupe ADP, which offers expertise in international airport investment and operation, with airports such as Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport among its enterprises, has owned a 9.5 per cent stake in Airport International Group via a subsidiary since 2007, when Airport International Group was awarded a 25-year Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) concession agreement to rehabilitate, expand and operate Queen Alia International Airport through an $850 million public-private partnership (PPP) plan.



With this acquisition, Groupe ADP now owns 51 per cent, with the remaining shares distributed among Meridiam Eastern Europe Investments  32 per cent, Mena Airport Holding Ltd.  12.25 per cent and Edgo Investment Holdings Ltd.  4.75 per cent.



Following the completion of the acquisition, Groupe ADP will be implementing strategies in the near future to further enhance the services and traveller experience offered at QAIA. Its top priorities will be integrating QAIA routes into Groupe ADPs broad network, managing extension and upgrading works and ensuring continuous advancement across all operations.



On behalf of Groupe ADP, Romanet said: This new step is strategic for Groupe ADP as it serves to strengthen our ties with Jordan, and I extend my thanks to the Government of Jordan for its confidence and trust in us. Queen Alia International Airport is one of the best airports in the Middle East, and Groupe ADP, having already been a shareholder of Airport International Group through ADP International, has contributed to the superb performance and growth of the airport over the last 10 years. By acquiring control of Airport International Group, Groupe ADP will be able to fully spread its limitless know-how, expertise and offerings. Alongside our co-shareholders, Meridiam Eastern Europe Investments and Edgo Investment Holdings Ltd., we aim to reinforce the routes network, departing from Amman, and improve the quality of service for passengers and the performance of aeronautical and retail activities, for the benefit of all stakeholders. Lastly, a big part of our goal is to ensure sustainable and socially responsible operations and the continuous development of the infrastructure for the remaining duration of the concession.



Binger said: In recent years, Jordan has been in the global spotlight, evoking the interest of foreign investors with its investment-friendly environment and policies, which in turn, contributes to the kingdoms economic growth. We are proud to be working with Groupe ADP, as they possess a repertoire of internationally acclaimed airports and worldwide experience in airport management. This step marks a pivotal moment in our journey with Queen Alia International Airport, as we aspire to build on the substantial success we have achieved thus far, and reach unprecedented levels of excellence and innovation in the years to come. - TradeArabia News Service

The Malaysian Director General of Tourism, Mirza Mohammad Taiyab, is leading a delegation of 108 Malaysian participants from 69 organizations to attend the Arabian Travel Market (ATM), which opened today (April 22) in Dubai.



The Malaysian delegation comprises of different hotels, resorts, travel agents, tourism product owners, and Malaysian states tourism offices representatives. During the four-day event, they will be highlighting their respective tourism products and services that are tailored carefully to cater for the Middle East market.



Taiyab will also be launching Visit Malaysia 2020 promotion campaign during the press conference. This campaign is planned to attract more tourists from Middle East to its shores by offering more benefits, better services and new attractions.



Taiyab is scheduled to meet with senior figures from the aviation, tourism and travel industry. He is also invited to be a keynote speaker at the first "International Conference in University of Sharjah (Khorfakan Campus) on Sustainable Tourism Development.



In addition, Taiyab will host visitors and dignitaries at a Gala Dinner at one of the luxurious hotels in Dubai to thank Dubai's tourism industry, as well as local media for their continued support to Malaysia's tourism industry.



"Malaysia is proud to be associated with the Arabian Travel Market as the leading tourism event in the region, which will provide leading business opportunities in the Middle East. The Arabian Travel Market is, of course, an ideal platform for the Malaysian delegation to communicate and form strategic alliances with suppliers, which will help strengthen Malaysia's presence in the Gulf region. " Taiyab said



He added: "The Malaysian participation in ATM aligns with Tourism Malaysias tremendous efforts to boost arrivals from this market by highlighting the countrys latest attractions, shopping destinations, family fun, eco-adventure and tourism, honeymooners products, and luxury holidays."



The Tourism Malaysia will launch a number of packages during the Arabian Travel Market in cooperation with industry players in UAE such as Dnata Travel & Explore the Wonders. Tourism Malaysia also is in discussion with Etihad Airways to start a marketing campaign for GCC and Egypt market. - TradeArabia News ServiceAnother tiger found dead in Chitwan

In yet another setback to tiger conservation efforts, a female tiger was found dead some three kilometers from sector office in Chitwan National Park on Sunday morning.Kanoo Travel, a fully owned business division of Yusuf bin Ahmed Kanoo Group, recently launched its best-in-class cloud travel technology solution, Krystal Online, to deliver exceptional and seamless online booking experiences to its customers across the region.



Owned and distributed by Kanoo Travel, Krystal Online allows users to search and book from multiple global suppliers, over 500,000 hotels & car rentals worldwide, with dynamic content such as maps, hotels, photos, and videos, multiple payment options, assign credit limits, manage branches users, suppliers and markups through its travel affiliate network programme.



Our innovative business travel management platform uses advanced technologies to provide optimised solutions for corporate travel managers, travel management companies and suppliers. By working with leading organisations, we are able to drive overall business performance for our customers more effectively, said Nabeel Khalid Kanoo, director of Kanoo Travel.



The new online system is a self-booking tool that is easy to use and ideal for Travel Agents, which gives 24/7 access to an end-to-end travel portal consisting of a wide range of flights, hotels and car rentals/limo services, travel insurance, with more choices at competitive rates.



"Our goal is to automate, transform business travel and eliminate the hassles of conventional travel platforms. The new integration delivers leading travel management services where companies/travel agents can instantly make their travel bookings with quick turnaround and instant confirmation," remarked interim executive general manager of Kanoo Travel, Zaeem Gama.



Nabeel Kanoo added: Our goal is to further strengthen our footprint across the GCC and beyond and reassure our clients of our position as the leading travel management company since 1937. We are eager to build upon what we have already accomplished while also working on ways to give more value to our customers.



Were strongly focused on meeting our customers needs within the aspects of price, payment options, quality service, and trust. For years, Kanoo Travel has been recognised for its excellent reputation as one of the frontrunners in providing professional corporate travel, retail and leisure travel services in the Middle East.



Gama further said: The new system gives us an opportunity to meet the expectations of our next generation customers. Its a customised solution built on their needs to stay ahead of the ever-burgeoning market competition. Mostly it will benefit our clienteles as it helps them maximise their revenue, reduce their cost and create more personalised experiences for travellers.



Kanoo Travel boasts a wide market presence with offices in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Oman, Egypt, UK and France. It also prides itself in solely representing American Express, one of the largest travel management companies globally.



Kanoo Travel has also implemented a Travel Business Intelligence (BI) solution to its system to effectively offer its corporate clients a clear visibility on their corporate travel spend and identify areas of travel expense savings, thus allowing them to gain a competitive advantage in the industry and to improve overall performance.



With Kanoo Travels newly developed Business Intelligence solution, customers are now able to view multiple dashboards and reports that supply them with accurate information about cost, suppliers, saving opportunities, flight trends, and operating capacity for numerous travel destinations at any time of the year. Using this information, managers are able to better optimise their own expenses so as to improve their travel program while complying with their travel policy and procedures.



Kanoo Travel is participating at the 2018 Arabian Travel Market (ATM) from April 22-25 where corporate clients can visit and get full insight about the new end-to-end technology platform, Krystal Online, and Kanoo Travels Business Intelligence to enhance customers travel business needs. - TradeArabia News ServiceCasteised economy

State failed to support traditional leather makers even as leather industry boonedROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM

SC Vasudeva

Q. I am a PSPCL pensioner. Recently on 02.02.2018, the Finance Minister had announced Rs 50,000 tax exemption on interest income for elderly. Kindly advise whether interest income is to be calculated from savings account or also interest income received from fixed deposit.  Ramesh Kumar

A. The Finance Act, 2018 has introduced a new Section 80TTB. According to the provisions of the said section, a deduction to the extent of Rs 50,000 is allowable in case of a senior citizen in respect of interest earned from the bank, post office and cooperative society engaged in carrying on business of banking. This deduction is admissible for the assessment year 2019-20 i.e. financial year 2018-19.

Q. Kindly guide if a regular state government employee who is otherwise entitled to pension after retirement, can contribute towards National Pension Scheme in addition to the amount he is already contributing towards GPF, PPF? My income and deductions are as under:

1. Emoluments/income for the year:

Rs 8,30,000

2. Deductions:

(a) GPF contribution per annum: Rs 1,80,000

(b) PPF, LIC contribution pa: Rs 1,50,000

(c) Total: Rs 3,30,000

Deduction permissible: Rs 1,50,000

(d) NPS Contribution pa: Rs 50,000

Deduction permissible: Rs 50,000

3. Total deduction permissible from annual income: Rs 1,50,000+Rs 50,000= Rs 2,00,000

4. Taxable income: Rs 8,30,000-2,00,000= Rs 6,30,000

Kindly advise if the above calculation is correct.  Sushila Behl

A. Deduction under Section 80CCD (1B) of the Income-tax Act 1961 (The Act) to the extent of Rs 50,000 is allowable provided the amount has been contributed towards the National Pension Scheme notified by the Central Government. Therefore, the calculation made by you with regard to the deduction admissible from your total income is correct. Your net taxable income on the basis of the figures given in the query is Rs 6,30,000.

Q. This is with reference to a query with regard to the Income-tax Act raised by Tejinder Singh Kalra in The Tribune dated 26.02.2018. In the last doubt with regard to fixed medical allowance, please advise whether the said instructions are applicable from 01.04.2017 or 01.04.2018 and the section under which this deduction is to be shown.  SD Khurana

A. The reply to the query of Tejinder Singh Kalra is based on the provisions of Section 80D of the Act which provides for a deduction of medical expenses to the extent of Rs 30,000 incurred on the health of the assessee or any member of his family in case of a very senior citizen for assessment year 2018-19 i.e financial year 2017-18 and to the extent of Rs 50,000 for a senior citizen for assessment year 2019-20 i.e financial year 2018-19. The word very has been deleted by the Finance Act, 2018. The amendment is applicable for assessment year 2019-20 as stated above.

(Readers can send their queries to delhi@scvindia.com)pardeepdhull@gmail.com

Washington, April 22

In a major development, the World Bank Group has endorsed an ambitious package of measures that include a USD 13 billion increase in paid-in capital.

The decision came late Saturday along with a series of internal reforms, and a set of policy measures that greatly strengthen the global poverty fighting institutions ability to scale up resources and deliver on its mission in areas of the world that need the most assistance.

World Bank president Jim Yong Kim hailed the decision as historic as International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde welcomed the move.

The package approved by the Development Committee of the Board of Governors consists of USD 7.5 billion paid-in capital for International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and USD 5.5 billion paid-in capital for International Finance Commission (IFC), through both general and selective capital increases, a media statement said.

It also includes a USD 52.6 billion callable capital increase for the IBRD. The boost in capital will be augmented by a broad range of internal measures, including operational changes and effectiveness reforms, loan pricing measures, and other policy steps to create an even stronger World Bank Group.

The capital package for the IBRD and the IFC agreed to today builds on the strong commitment of contributors to the IDA, as demonstrated in the IDA18 replenishment, the successful launch of IDA in the capital market, and strengthened MIGA financial capacity, the statement said.

Following the decision, the combined financing arms of the World Bank Group are expected to reach an average annual capacity of nearly USD 100 billion between fiscal 2019 and fiscal 2030, benefiting all Bank Group members across the income spectrum.

Through the historic agreement endorsed today, our shareholders have clearly demonstrated a renewed confidence in global cooperation, and we greatly appreciate this strong support from our member countries, Kim said.

This boost in capital was essential for us to advance our efforts to mobilise additional finance for development to meet the aspirations of the people we serve, he added.

The package endorsed by the Development Committee follows through on shareholders commitment to the World Bank Group to better assist all client countries in addressing global challenges while deploying scaled-up assistance to areas that most need financing.

Across client groups, the World Bank Group will be able to support drivers of long-term sustainable growth, including investments in human capital and resilience, the statement said.

The package also puts forward a robust commitment by the World Bank Group to further strengthen its operational model and effectiveness, it said. PTIROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM

Tribune News Service

Mohali, April 22

Giving relief to landowners, the Bench of the national lok adalat at Mohali issued directions to GMADA to pay increased rates (around Rs 18 crore) in lieu of their land, which was acquired by it at various places for development projects.

The court asked GMADA to pay the amount to the farmers within a week.

Several farmers had approached the court seeking an increase in the rates for their land, acquired by GMADA from time to time.

On Sunday, the lok adalat ordered GMADA to release Rs 5 crore to compensate farmers of Chaumajra village, whose land was acquired for the IT City project. GMADA had announced an award of Rs 1.36 crore per acre following which several farmers, including Dalwinder Singh, Buta Singh and Rajinder Singh, had approached the District Courts, which increased the land rate to Rs 3.03 crore per acre.

The lok adalat on Sunday also gave relief to Ballomajra residents Piara Singh and Daljit Singh, whose land rate was increased from Rs 1.35 crore to Rs 4.10 crore by the District Courts, by directing GMADA to release Rs 3 crore for them. Their land was acquired by GMADA to construct Airport Road.

In another similar case, the lok adalat gave relief to Raipur Khurd farmers, including Sarbjit Singh, Bhag Singh and Jaspal Singh, whose land was acquired to develop Sector 82 here. The lok adalat directed GMADA to pay them a compensation of around Rs 6.50 crore.

In another such case, GMADA has been ordered to pay a compensation of Rs 80 lakh to farmers, including Rajinder Singh, Amrik Singh and Manjit Kaur, whose land was acquired to construct the Mullanpur-Garibdas-Chandigarh road and Rs 15 lakh to some farmers of Chilla village and Sohana, whose properties were acquired to develop Sector 76 to 80 here.Ex-DIG Govinda Niraula arrested in 33 kg gold smuggling case

A special team formed by the Ministry of Home Affairs to probe the 33 kg gold smuggling case on Sunday arrested former Deputy Inspector General of Police Govinda Niraula .ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 22

The miscreants involved in the temple thefts in the city used to sell the stolen valuables to a Uttarakhand resident, who used to melt the gold and silver ornaments into bricks so that these could be easily sold in the market.

The UT police arrested the jeweller and recovered two silver bricks, weighing 8.40 kg and 5.50 kg. The police also recovered Rs 1 lakh on the disclosure made by one of the accused arrested earlier.

DSP (East) Satish Kumar said the three accused arrested earlier for thefts at the Sector 24, Sector 16 and two other temples in Sector 27 had revealed the name of Hanuman (39), a resident of Kashipur, Uttarakhand, who used to purchase the stolen gold and silver ornaments from the thieves.

The accused used to melt the jewellery into bricks and further sell these, the DSP said. Two silver bricks, which were made from the jewellery stolen from the temples in Sector 16 and 24, have been recovered from the accused. Two gold nose rings, which were stolen from the temple in Sector 24, were also recovered from the accused. The police said the estimated cost of the silver bricks was around Rs 6 lakh.

The DSP said on the disclosure made by Harjeet Singh, alias Jeet, who, along with two other accomplices, was arrested earlier, the police managed to recover Rs 1 lakh from his brothers house. Investigations have revealed that the silver chhatar, weighing around 10 kg, that was stolen from the Digamber Jain temple in Sector 27, was also sold by the accused. The police said the accused used to return to Delhi after committing the thefts.

Three more at large

Three more accused involved in the temple thefts are still at large.

Sector 28 temple was next target

The police said a temple in Sector 28 was next on the target of the thieves as they had already done a recce. However, they were arrested before they could strike.Sandeep Dikshit

Sandeep Dikshit

Last week saw considerable excitement in the national security circles with the setting up of a Defence Planning Committee (DPC). For a government which wants India to pull its weight in the world, it was surprising that the Modi government sought to mould Indias defence doctrine to its world view so late in the day in its tenure.

NSA Dovals interventions in the security sphere so far have been worthy of an excellent field level operative. Doval firsthand supervised the Myanmar and Pakistan surgical strikes, monitored the hanged Yakub Memons funeral in Mumbai and flew to West Bengal to inspect houses damaged in a bomb blast by a Bangladeshi militant outfit. But even the most cunning and crafty tactical level intervention cannot be a replacement for strategy.

This might be the moment for Indias security czar to nurture and bequeath to the nation the Modi governments blueprint to meet Indias external and internal security obligations. The DPC has over half a dozen top managers of the countrys defence apparatus  NSA Ajit Doval himself, the three service chiefs, the defence and foreign secretaries, besides Secretary (Expenditure) of the Ministry of Finance. The secretariat of the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (CIDS), which is already neck-deep in many of the objectives outlined for the DPC, will provide the institutional backup.

The goals are fittingly lofty for a dispensation that, before taking power, had grumbled about Indias tendency to punch below its weight; of practicing defensive realism that entails self-imposition of restraint in a neighbourhood that does not understand such grammar; and, of its 125 crore people and immense landmass not having the commensurate power to shape the security environment. If the Modi governments vision is to approach anywhere near reality, it needs to cater to three broad aspects  doctrinal revision, organisational reform and equipment acquisitions  as well as hope for a second term to see them home.

Each of the three is a mountain to climb. On the level of doctrines, India never had a strategic doctrine in written form. Forget periodic updating to adjust to alterations in the security environment, India has never produced a strategic doctrine white paper. It does have good experience with military doctrines but needs a change of tack now that successive parliamentary committees and service chiefs themselves have laid bare the defence cupboard.

The DPC needs a burst of creativity in order to be the harbinger of something new instead of becoming a reflection of status quoist voices repeating largely boilerplate formulations. Since military doctrine should precede long-term weapon acquisition planning, would it examine if India needs to persist with World War II amassed formations of military hardware? Or should it blend it with innovative solutions by countries like Iran that, like India, are equally cash-starpped? Can it, like China (BRI) provided the impetus for military reforms in China), weave its economic strategy with defence restructuring so that both lean on and draw from each other? Or to confound the enemy insert, like PLA, the concept of unrestricted warfare that throws in electronic, cyber and other changes brought about by technology?

Its second major mandate of weapons acquisitions can, at best, achieve the limited goal of shaving off some of the time taken for a few of the acquisitions given the sorry state of the corresponding ecosystem. Even this is doubtful for most of the political bosses of DPC members do exactly the same in the Cabinet Commitee on Security. The DPC may, however, achieve the elusive goal of approving the armed forces 15-year perspective plan for weapons acquisition.

Organisational reform should follow doctrinal revision and equipment acquisitions. But Dovals vision needs more ballast. The taxpayer is hurting from virtually negligible efforts to cut the flab from the Indian armed forces. Organisational restructuring is most crucial in any stab at reform because too much of the taxpayers money goes for upkeep, leaving just 40 per cent for weapons acquisitions, whereas the ratio should ideally be reverse. Previous attempts at restructuring have been unedifying. Gen VP Maliks downsizing by 50,000 was abandoned after the outbreak of the Kargil conflict. The Modi government, with the ballast provided by the Gen Shekatkar committee, has been reducing nonoperational flab to divert the savings for weapons acquisitions.

But the expected reduction of up to 80,000 men is a long distance from the expectations of a military whose three wings, besides the space and cyber wings, must function as a seamless fighting force without the irritation of inter-service compartmentalisation. In comparison, China has reduced its troops by three lakh, the US army will shrink to pre-World War II levels while Moscow too is cutting its military cloth to adjust to the falling oil revenues.

India is also an exception among the four major militaries operating in the region  the US, China, Russia and India  for showing trepidation in separating the powers of the civilian bureaucrats and military officers with the creation of a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), a single military commander for all the three services. In India, the most powerful recommendation for CDS had come from the one of Indias leading security thinkers K Subrahmanyam after examining the lessons of the Kargil conflict. He found that the present system of rotating Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (CoSC) was ineffective in seamless operations among services. In fact, the dissonance in approach was evident from the IAF and the Army giving different codenames to the Kargil conflict: Safed Sagar and Operation Vijay. A decade later, the Naresh Chandra committee found the situation unchanged.

This has implications for the border with Tibet where all of Chinas military instruments of response are controlled by one commander with access to Xi Jinping as the head of Chinas top politico-military body, the Central Military Commission. In comparison, four Indian Army Commanders and two IAF Commanders facing Tibet will have to ensure internal coordination and travel through layers to reach the political leadership.

India has been acutely hesitant. The UPA government spent a decade claiming that political consensus on restructuring the Indian military was elusive.

Security is like a chain and humans are always the weakest link. The world over, offensive realism, despite its dubious and unproven merit, cannot be implemented by doctrinal exercises alone. If, as the Modi government feels, India has not measured up to its weight and has been reactive, the need is to go beyond symbolic gestures by naming a CDS or, at least, a fixed tenure Chairman of the CoSC.

sandeep4731@gmail.comsinghking99@yahoo.com

The author of Critique of Pure Reason and German philosopher Immanuel Kant told us that a priori knowledge, like knowledge of metaphysics, is true by definition. Thus tautologies, mathematics and other such bodies of knowledge are valid simply because they are true by definition. They are unlike empirical knowledge, in so far as we dont need to verify them by experiments or observationthey are true by definition.

The Revivalist School of Indian Philosophy would be entirely in agreement with this, especially since whatever they utter is a priori knowledge. Yes, we have just started discovering that the Internet was available to the gods during the time of the Mahabharata. Nary a bandwidth problem that plagues present-day Kurukshetra. When King Dhritrashtra fought the epic battle, he used the Net to communicate with his charioteer Sanjaya who used advanced cybernetics to give a detailed account and description to the vision-impaired king. Naturally, such a battlefield network has to be supported by communication satellites, which too were there, CM Biplab Kumar Deb of Tripura recently pronounced.

Heathens who took to Twitter and other social media sites to challenge his views were duly silenced by trolls generated by saffron cyber warriors, who take inspiration from the ancient warriors themselves. The world has yet to realise the historical wealth of the country. Its focus should be metaphysical, not material. Contemporary history has too many warts that need to be airbrushed; ancient India history provides us with the glory that eclipses the patches of darkness which blot our beloved nation today. Poverty, lack of development, ugly rents in the social fabric, lack of money in the ATMs  these petty problems of the present should be ignored. Internet users should forget about outages and patchy connectivity; they should just remember the glory of the past. We were the first, we were the best, we did it all before anyone else. It is just that in the decades after Independence, we forgot ourselves and dilated with scientific temper and rationality. We should not have done that. Remember, what Kant and other Western philosophers said, we have it all in our Indian schools of philosophy. If you need more clarity, just ask a bhakt, and a thousand will reply in cyberspace.editorial@tribune.com

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 22

Just over a fortnight after the Punjab and Haryana High Court made clear its intent to revisit guidelines on interception of phone calls, Haryana and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) have undertaken to inform the Bench about knowledge of private phone operators regarding the entire exercise.

Justice Rajan Gupta has asked the Haryana counsel to apprise the Bench whether provisions of the Indian Telegraph Act were followed while intercepting phone calls of an accused.

Justice Rajan Gupta had, on the previous date of hearing, asked the state counsel to specify whether interception of phones was done in accordance with the guidelines, if any.

The query came during the hearing of a regular bail plea filed by Yogesh Rathi against the CBI in a case around the attack on Finance Minister Capt Abhimanyus house.

As the petition came up for resumed hearing, CBI counsel Sumeet Goel produced a notification dated January 28, 2014, bringing an amendment in the Indian Telegraph Act.

Goel submitted that the amendment was in consonance with the law laid down by the apex court in the Peoples Union for Civil Liberties versus the Union of India. The state counsel prayed for additional time to address the court.

Taking note of the assertions, Justice Gupta asserted that the state counsel might apprise the court whether provisions of the Indian Telegraph Act were followed while intercepting calls of accused in the present case.

The counsel further submit that they can address on the question whether private telephone companies are made aware of the decision to intercept calls and whether they are conscious of such exercise being undertaken in respect of particular customer, Justice Gupta observed.

The issue came under the judicial scanner after a reply by a CBI Additional Superintendent of Police was placed before the Bench.

Referring to the reply, CBI counsel submitted that the investigating agency of the state police had, during proceedings, intercepted certain telephone calls. Record of the same was available in a sealed cover and would be shown to the court, he added.

Justice Gupta had then asked the counsel to specify whether guidelines, if any, were complied with at the time of intercepting the phone calls.

Responding to the query, the counsel said the apex court judgment had laid down broad parameters under which the state could resort to such measures.

The FIR was registered after a mob attacked and put on fire Capt Abhimanyus house in Rohtak. Keeping in view the gravity of the offence, the investigation was handed over to the CBI.editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh/Karnal, April 22

As wheat arrivals in grain markets in the state pick pace, the lifting of already procured wheat is slowing down, resulting in space crunch for unloading fresh arrivals.

Around 6.52 lakh metric tonnes of wheat was procured in Karnal district while a large chunk of wheat was yet to be lifted. Despite a ban, arrival of wheat from Uttar Pradesh, brought by some traders from Karnal, Gharaunda and Taraori, and harvesting by local farmers contributed to the space crunch.

Raj Kumar, a farmer, said hundreds of wheat bags were lying in the grain market, but nobody cared for these. He admitted that procurement was smooth, but there was no space under sheds. In the Nigdhu and Assandh grain markets, scores of farmers were waiting for space to unload.

Aditya Dahiya, Deputy Commissioner, said procurement agencies had been directed to speed up lifting. If any farmer faces space crunch due to poor lifting, he should bring it to the notice of the authorities. Action will be initiated against transporters concerned, he said.

Faridabad/Palwal: With no purchase or procurement in the past few days, mandis were witnessing a glut. Between 30 per cent and 40 per cent of the procured wheat had been lifted till date. We feel stranded midway in view of the halt in purchase, said Naresh Kumar of Maujpur village in Faridabad.

Amarnath of Narhawali village claimed that farmers were at the receiving end as the produce had no takers at the MSP. Like hundreds of others, we may have to sell the produce below the MSP to private buyers, he said. Officials concerned said fresh purchase would done as per government orders.

Panipat: Of the 2,73,139 metric tonnes of wheat at 13 grain markets and purchase counters in the district, agencies had procured only 1,47,581 metric tonnes.

Halwant Singh Kadyan, former president of the grain market association, said between 80 per cent and 90 per cent of the crop had reached markets, but there were problems in lifting. Similar sentiments were echoed by Rajbeer, an arhtiya in Shimla Gujran village.

Sonepat: There was a major problem in lifting of purchased stock. There had been no lifting in the Rai grain market for the last 10 days and around 5 lakh bags were lying in the market.

Ved Varat of Bahalgarh and Ram Dhari of Khewra said farmers were unable to unload their produce for want of space. Procurement agencies pointed out shortage of labourers for lifting.

Hisar: Delay in lifting slowed procurement of wheat and mustard in Hisar and Bhiwani districts. A strike by computer operators in revenue offices caused inconvenience to farmers as they were unable to get their land records, which were mandatory for selling mustard yield to Hafed.

Sube Singh, a farmer in the Hisar grain market, said Hafed resumed weighing of mustard on Sunday after around 10 days. We met the Deputy Commissioner, after which he directed Hafed officials to expedite purchase, he said.

Grain market association chief Sant Kumar stated that procurement had slowed down due to shortage of gunny bags and slow lifting by transport operators.

Farmers were facing problems in Tosham, Dighawa, Jui, Bahal, Loharu and Bhiwani. Mewa Singh, a farmer leader, said he visited all mandis on Sunday and saw that mustard yield was not being purchased by Hafed.

It is evident that the state government does not want to procure mustard and has slowed down the process. The government seems to be waiting for May 15, when it will officially stop procurement, he said.

Kaithal: Huge stocks of wheat accumulated in the new mandi due to speedy arrivals and slow lifting. Krishan Mittal, president of the market body, said around 17 lakh wheat bags were lying in the mandi, of which 12 lakh bags had been purchased.

He said the contractor was able to lift around 50,000 bags a day and it would take months to clear the stock. Baldev Singh of Patti Khot and other local farmers said they were getting payment at least 10 days after sale of produce.

Mewat: Farmers accused their Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh counterparts of selling their produce in Haryana. Hundreds of farmers were reaching Farukhnagar, Ferozpur Jhirka, Nuh and Taoru mandis and selling wheat and mustard at low rates.

They put the blame on the governments apathy and inefficiency of procurement authorities and mandi agents. Untimely rain played spoilsport as lack of space and drying facilities led to rejection of produce.

Gurugram: While procurement crawled in Gurugram mandis, space crunch was bothering farmers. They allege that after waiting for hours, grain was not being accepted the same day in Sohna and Farukhnagar mandis.

Even if it was let in, it was not getting transported to the warehouse straightaway, resulting in exposure to unpredictable showers. Farmers said the authorities kept non-registered sellers from other states at bay, but lack of facilities was leading to wastage.

Kurukshetra: Farmer Mallu Singh of Kurukshetras Bodhi village was worried about timely sale of his wheat in Pipli. Tardy lifting delayed procurement of his produce.

We have been asked to wait. I do not know how much time it will take as the mandi is already packed with fresh arrivals, he said.

Kurukshetra DFSO Virender Singh said 4.53 lakh metric tonnes of wheat had been procured and state agencies expected purchase of about 1 lakh metric tonnes in a week.

He said, Due to rain on April 11, wheat harvesting was delayed. Since farmers started arriving on April 15, heavy procurement caused a glut-like situation. Coordinated efforts are being made to expedite transport.

Yamunanagar: Agencies procured 1.73 lakh metric tonnes of wheat till Saturday, but only 1.5 lakh metric tonnes was lifted. Surinder Kumar, District Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Controller, said they had directed the contractor to increase labour to speed up lifting.

Two racks have been loaded and three more will be loaded in the next three or four days, he said. Jasnish Singh of Nandgarh village said due to space shortage, they were left with no option but to sit and guard the produce.

Ambala: Heavy wheat arrivals, coupled with tardy lifting, choked the grain market in Ambala City. In the absence of adequate space, farmers were forced to offload their produce nearby. Around 9.8 lakh bags of procured wheat were lying in the grain market and HUDA ground on Sunday.

Prem Singh of Rajpura said I had to offload my produce at the HUDA ground. There are no proper arrangements for toilets and drinking water. Several farmers are aged and it is difficult for them to stay for such long time in this weather.

Jhajjar: The sluggish pace of lifting of procured wheat in local grain market has become a cause for concern. The arrival of 3.62 lakh quintals of wheat was recorded in the Jhajjar grain market and 3.48 lakh quintals procured. Sources said lifting had sped up in the past couple of days.

Rohtak: Massive arrivals led to pile-ups of wheat. Government agencies provided sacks and other amenities, but lifting was going on at a slow pace. Heaps of wheat were lying all around. ADC Ajay Kumar said nodal officials had been directed to expedite procurement and lifting.

Wheat from Rajasthan confiscated in Karnal

Karnal: Gaurav Kumar Arya, secretary, market committee, Taraori, confiscated three trucks of wheat from a rice mill in Taraori on Saturday. The wheat had been procured from Rajasthan and was being packed in government bags. He suspended the licence of Garg Trading Company, the firm concerned. TNSeditorial@tribune.com

Pratibha Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 22

The ambitious project of the Department of Tourism and Civil Aviation to restore and conserve two landmark heritage structures, the Christ Church and the Catholic Church, faces the threat of being shelved with there being divisions among the Christian community over the management of the exhaustive work.

The Rs 15-crore restoration and conservation project to save the Catholic Church, located near the Army Training Command, and the Christ Church on The Ridge had been proposed. The restoration work of the two-century-old churches was part of second phase of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) project. The Tourism Department had roped in renowned conservation architects, structural engineers, stone conservation specialists and stained glass and pipe organ conservators to restore the original structure in these churches.

A sum of Rs 7.50 crore had been approved for the restoration of the Christ Church on The Ridge, but at the time of signing the MoU for the execution of the work, two factions of the Christian community staked claim that the management of the church was with them, revealed an official. With the threat of one of the two factions moving court looming large, the project is likely to be shelved.

In case of the Catholic Church near the Deputy Commissioner office, the move to conserve the structure has been dropped as the structure can collapse. Though we have consulted structural engineers and experts, the threat of a collapse is high, said an official. The department has been advised that there is dire need to address the structural problem before architectural and aesthetic issues are taken up.

With cracks appearing on the monolithic columns, floor and chancel arch of the Catholic Church, the load bearing retaining wall in the South-West portion of the church, built between 1927 and 1930, has become vulnerable. Structural and geo-technical experts from IIT, Chennai, had inspected the site and recommended certain measures, failing which the entire structure could collapse.

Prof RJ Vasavda, a renowned conservation expert from the Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT) was also consulted for the restoration work. Tapan K Das from Hurry Brothers, Kolkata, had been entrusted with the task of restoring the non-functional 1901 pipe organ, which formed part of the original St Michael and St Joseph Churches built in 1885 by Lord Ripon.

The entire roof component consisting of a wooden ceiling, trusses and stone gutters of the Catholic Church need complete repair as there is a lot of leakage. As a result, some wooden elements have weathered.

The Tourism Department had even got a complete documentation of all churches and cemeteries in Himachal done with the objective of attracting tourists from Britain. There are some old churches at places like Shimla, Kasauli, McLeodganj and Dalhousie.editorial@tribune.com

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, April 22

Despite the Supreme Court banning mining and the state government claiming to have tightened the noose around the mafia, the activity is still on in the slate mines of Khaniara village, 7 km from Dharamsala.

Residents of Khaniara lost the right to mine slate in the Dhauladhars after the state government failed to deposit about Rs 1.6 crore as the net present value (NPV) of 25-hectare forest land, which was to be diverted for mining with the Compensatory Afforestation Monitoring and Planning Authority (CAMPA).

As per documents available with The Tribune, the Union Ministry for Environment and Forests had set March 13, 2014, as the deadline for the state government to deposit the NPV, failing which it had threatened to cancel ad hoc permission for mining on the land.

Sources said to date, the state government had not deposited the NPV, but the illegal mining on the land was continuing.

District Forest Officials in Dharamsala had written to the Industries Department for the deposition of NPV with CAMPA. The General Manager, Industries, said the matter was to be dealt with by the Mining Department.

Khaniara village was once a hub of slate mining for entire Himachal. However, due to its impact on the Dhauladhars, the Supreme Court had banned the activity in the area.

The state government represented the case of Khaniara residents whose main source of livelihood was slate mining in the Supreme Court. The court had then allowed mining in 25-hectare forest land in the village 2002. However, before the forest land could be diverted for mining, the state government through its Mining Department had to deposit the NPV of the forest land with CAMPA.

The sources alleged that the entire mining taking place at Khaniara village was illegal. As per rules, the NPV had to be deposited by the state government with CAMPA. Till the amount was deposited, mining could not be allowed on the land in question. However, despite the fact that the NPV has not been deposited and the land has not been diverted in documents, the mining is going on. Forest officials, responsible for checking illegal activities on forest land, have turned a blind eye. The Union Ministry for Environment and Forests had written a letter to the Principal Secretary, Conservator of Forests, Himachal, on January 31, 2014, that the state government had not deposited the net present value for diverting the 25-hectare forest land for other purposes.

In the letter, a copy of which was available with The Tribune, the ministry maintained that in case the under agency (Mining Department in the present case) failed to deposit the NPV within the stipulated period, it would not consider approval for allowing mining on land under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980. Environmentalists have demanded an inquiry into the matter.editorial@tribune.com

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, April 22

The Cabinet has decided to implement the Supreme Court guidelines for school buses. The decision comes in the wake of the Nurpur bus accident in which 24 schoolchildren were killed.

The district administration and the police have started issuing challans to private vehicles ferrying schoolchildren. However, this reactionary implementation of laws on school buses has posed problems for the parents and the school managements.

No dedicated fleet of buses

In Kangra region, hardly any school has its own dedicated fleet of buses for ferrying children. Parents pool and hire private vehicles to ferry their wards to schools. The school authorities maintain that it is the responsibility of parents to drop their children to schools. Although this is convenient for parents too, it is in violation of the apex court guidelines and pose risk to the lives of children.

Parents in trouble

The police and the local administration recently carried out a drive against private vehicles ferrying schoolchildren and overloading of school buses. In Una district, several schools were penalised on account of illegal parking of vehicles on roads. The result of the action was that in Dharamsala, the owners of private vehicles went on a strike. The parents were forced to drop their children to schools in their own vehicles, leading to chaos and traffic on roads near schools. Stating that the police were challaning them for overloading, private vehicle owners increased the fare from Rs 800 per month to Rs 1,500 per month in Dharamsala region. The increase in the fare has raised hue and cry among parents.

Deadline for school mgmts

The government has set a one-year deadline for the school managements to have their own fleet of buses. The school managements have two ways to do it. Either they will have to buy their own buses, hire permanent drivers and maintenance staff or outsource the services to a private transporter, who will maintain a dedicated fleet for the school. Either way, it is likely to lead to a steep hike in bus fares.

The principal of a renowned school said in case they abide by the rules, three employees  the driver, a male attendant and a female attendant  would have to be hired for each bus. These employees would cost nearly Rs 20,000 per month per bus to the school. If other expenditure for running the buses was included, the cost of ferrying children per month could go up to Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 per month depending upon the area. In this hill state, the parents, especially from the rural area, might not be in a position to bear this financial burden, he added.

Students safety: Solan admn seeks suggestions

Solan: The district administration has invited suggestions from the public on how to ensure safe transportation of schoolchildren and devise an effective policy. At a meeting convened under the chairmanship of Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Dr Rajiv Saizal, school principals were directed to ensure that all norms pertaining to the safety of schoolchildren as per the directions of the apex court were adhered to. Dr Saizal said there would be no compromise on the issue as it involved childrens safety. He directed all school bus owners and taxi operators to adhere to traffic rules. Schools were told to promote car pooling in order to avoid traffic congestion. The minister also asked schools in towns to avoid parent-teacher meetings on working days and asked them to fix such meetings on Sundays. Solan SP directed the staff to ensure that vehicles failing to abide by the norms were challaned, adding that private vehicles being used as taxis to carry schoolchildren would not be allowed. Several such vehicle drivers had raised a banner of protest when challaned for transporting schoolchildren in violation of the laid-down norms.editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, April 20

Strong winds and showers in Dhauladhar mountain ranges marked the beginning of the 23rd Tibetan Opera Festival known as Shoton (Yogurt) festival at the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA) in McLeodganj on Friday.

The festival is celebrated every year by the Tibetan government-in-exile to exhibit unique Tibetan artistic heritage of opera called Ache Lhamo in Tibetan. President of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) Lobsang Sangay was the chief guest at the inauguration function.

The festival was earlier scheduled to begin on April 18 but was postponed due the tragic bus accident in Himachal Pradesh that killed 28 persons, including 24 children.

Lobsang Sangay, while speaking on the occasion, said, In Tibet, the monks of Drepung monastery end their annual summer meditation by eating yogurt. The people from nearby towns come to the monastery at this time to offer yogurt and seek the blessings of the monks. Opera troupes also come to perform at the festival and thats how it came to be called Shoton  the Yogurt Festival.

It is said that Thangtong Gyalpo, a Tibetan yogi and mystic, led an opera troupe and performed at various places to raise funds to build iron suspension bridges to ease travel along the valleys of Tibet. Moreover, under the fifth Dalai Lama, who was himself a great opera aficionado, Tibetan opera received a huge boost. Since then, Tibetan opera became an intrinsic part of Tibetan culture, Sangay said.

He also drew a stark contrast in the situation inside Tibet under China and in exile. He said that China was employing a concerted strategy to annihilate Tibetan culture in their attempt to transform Tibetans into Chinese and Tibet into China. However, in exile under the guidance of the Dalai Lama, he noted that Tibetan culture had revived from the early days of exile and is flourishing.

He stressed the importance of Tibetan culture such as opera and expressed the Kashag (cabinet of Tibetan government in exile) fervent efforts to retain these ancient Tibetan traditions. As advised by the Dalai Lama, the Kashag of the Central Tibetan Administration consider Tibetan opera as an important component of Tibetan culture that needs to be preserved.

Sangay also spoke briefly about opera cultures in other parts of the world where operas have played crucial roles in the expression of political dissent and dissatisfaction. However, he said that Tibetan opera was unique in the sense that opera was considered sacred in Tibet as it contained holy texts from Buddhist scriptures.

Wangdue Tsering, Director of Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts, said 11 troupes from different parts of India and one from Nepal are participating in this years festival. Each troupe will present a short excerpt of their performances on the opening day.

Performances will be staged afrom April 21 to 25. A performance of the opera Gyalsa Bhelsa by artistes of TIPA will mark the closing of the festival on April 25.Experts identify 36 fish species in Karnali River

A new scientific method of identifying different fish species has debuted in Nepal with researchers listing 36 unique varieties from 12 different families in Karnali River.ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM

The Rs 2-trillion question is why is there a shortage of currency in certain parts of the country  manifested in ATMs running out of cash  despite the RBIs claim "there is sufficient cash in its vaults and currency chests". The central bank has also stated that printing of notes has been ramped up in all its four note printing presses. The Union Finance Minister has also assured the nation that the shortage is only temporary, caused by a "sudden and unusual increase in demand", and is being tackled quickly as there are adequate currency stocks with the banks.

The official response, naturally, raises the question as to why there is such a spike in demand. The explanations trotted out include the heavy cash requirements for the rabi harvest season as during Baisakhi and various festivals. But these seasonal events occur every year without causing any surge in the cash demand. There is also a suggestion that cash is the king with the public thats worried about the crisis in the banking system, especially the public sector banks. But this view does not hold as there is no evidence so far of any run on these banks although deposit growth has slowed.

Perhaps a clue about the unusual cash demand lies in the observations of a former RBI governor in April 2016. "Around election time, cash with the public does normally increase. You can guess as to the reasons why, we can guess also guess" he told reporters after a bi-monthly monetary policy review. The elections then included those for Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry that saw a substantial increase in money with the public of Rs 600 billion. He added that one observed a spike not just in the state going to elections but also in neighbouring states.

Two years later, there is again a sharp spurt in currency with the public ahead of important elections in Karnataka, Rajasthan and Chattisgarh. Shortages are being reported in Telengana and Andhra as well. Currency with the public has seen a massive increase in the past two to three months of this year. In early January, the money in peoples hands was Rs 16.3 trillion. The latest number indicated by SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar to CNBC TV18 is Rs 18.3 trillion. In other words, people have withdrawn (or hoarded) a whopping Rs 2 trillion from the banking system from January to April this year.

While money in peoples hands has sharply increased, the problem of running out cash has been compounded by flaws in the management of the currency supply system. The RBI has stopped printing Rs 2,000 notes, in which the bulk of the cash with the public is being held. Somewhat belatedly, it is stepping up five-fold the printing of Rs 500 notes. Its clear preference is to increase the share of smaller denomination notes amid reports that its press at Nashik has stopped printing of Rs 200, Rs 100 and Rs 20 notes altogether since April 1.

What is to be done? The currency supply system needs to be revamped and geared up to meet the transactional cash demand in a fast growing economy. One of the changing goalposts of the demonetisation exercise of November 8, 2016 was to reduce the use of cash. But contrary to the views of officialdom, there is no cashless economy in the world. Even in the US, cash accounts for 45 per cent of transactions. There is no appropriate level to which cash must be reduced, as a vast segments of Indias agrarian and informal economy is still cash-driven and whose requirements must be met.

 The writer is New Delhi-based economics and business commentator

RBIs infrastructure

A network of 19 issue offices

4,034 currency chests (including sub-treasury offices, a currency chest of RBI at Kochi

3,707 small coin depots of commercial, cooperative and regional rural banks

Currency chests & depots

Category Currency Small Coin

Chest Depot

SBI 1,893 1,793

SBI associate banks 754 722

Nationalised banks 1,198 1,014

Private Sector Banks 168 164

Co-operative Banks 4 4

Foreign Banks 4 4

Regional Rural Banks 5 5

State Treasury Offices (STOs) 7 0

RBI 1 1

TOTAL 4,034 3,707

BANKNOTES SUPPLIED TO RBI REGIONAL OFFICES (In Rs Crore)

RBI Regional Offices Nov 8, 2016 April 1, 2017- Total

to Mar 31, 2017 Feb 28, 2018

Ahmadabad 76,147 40,954 1,17,100

Belapur 49,979 33,215 83,194

Bengaluru 75,614 33,564 1,09,178

Bhopal 47,687 38,884 86,571

Bhubneshwar 31,484 21,192 52,676

Chandigarh 71,068 32,154 1,03,222

Chennai 78,497 35,437 1,13,934

Guwahati 34,492 25,029 59,521

Hyderabad 90,568 54,337 1,44,905

Jaipur 52,791 23,654 76,445

Jammu 15,157 8,973 24,130

Kanpur 74,462 25,307 99,769

Kolkata 61,902 30,121 92,024

Lucknow 61,691 28,716 90,407

Mumbai 54,985 30,373 85,358

Nagpur 46,972 40,047 87,019

New Delhi 75,176 21,168 96,344

Patna 58,712 39,937 98,649

Thiruvananthpuram 41,232 29,845 71,077

GRAND TOTAL 10,98,617 5,92,906 16,91,523

From Press to ATMs

Based on RBIs indent, designated printing presses and mints dispatch banknotes and coins to RBI offices

From RBI offices, banknotes and coins are remitted to 4,034 currency chests and 3,707 coin depots operated by commercial banks

Commercial bank branches receive banknotes and coins from currency chests and coin depots

Banknotes and coins are then distributed through bank branches and ATMs

MONEY TRAIL

RBI releases currencies under the RBI Act, 1934 and Indian Coinage Act, 2011

It assesses annual demand through its regional offices

It ensures quality of banknotes by timely replacing soiled notes

Manages with regional offices and currency chests of banks

Annual currency printing capacity is about 24 billion banknotes

After demonetisation, notes worth over Rs 16.92 lakh crore printed

Over Rs 15.28 lakh crore demonetised notes returned by June 2017





Minting & Printing

Four printing presses to print and supply banknotes

Dewas in Madhya Pradesh (owned by SPMCIL*, GoI)

Nasik in Maharashtra (owned by SPMCIL, GoI)

Mysore in Karnataka (owned by BRBNMPL**, RBI)

Salboni in West Bengal (owned by BRBNMPL, RBI)

Four government-owned mints for coinseditorial@tribune.com

Amit Khajuria

Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 22

In the process of digitising the system, the Transport Department of Jammu and Kashmir has made it more complicated for the public to register their vehicles as it take more visits to the Regional Transport Office (RTO) to complete the online process.

The department, which has started digitising the system, has made almost everything online as people have to apply online for a driving licence, its renewal and for the registration of the vehicle.

The department has now given exclusive rights to vehicle dealers to collect a token tax and issuance of temporary numbers on the sale of new vehicles after which the customers do not have to deposit the token at the RTO. But despite paying the token to the dealer, the customer has to visit the office for vehicle inspection.

The department has started another facility for customers of informing them about the registration of their vehicle through SMS. But despite getting information, the customer has to visit the office to deposit fee for the high-security number plate (HSPN) for the vehicle on which the date and time for fitment will be indicated.

The process doesnt stop here. The customer has to visit the HSNP fitment centre to install the plate and get the receipt of fitment. The receipt has to be deposited at the RTO after which the office prints the registration certificate.

What kind of digitisation is this? It should have made the process more convenient and time-saving for the customers as well as the department but this has become harassment for the customers, said Sushil Raina, a customer at the Jammu RTO.

It has become a big task to get the vehicle registered. It took me almost a month to get the registration certificate of my new vehicle, he added.

The department, however, calls it a much convenient service for the customers as they do not have to make a file of documents.

The customer does not have to make a file and complete documents for submission at the RTO office. They just have to visit there for the inspection of the vehicle after which they get the SMS of their registration number, said Saugat Biswas, Transport Commissioner.

We have made it mandatory to get a receipt of installation of high-security number plates to get the registration certificate as people were not installing them, he added.editorial@tribune.com

Ishfaq Tantry

Tribune News Service

srinagar, April 22

The hardline woman separatist leader, Asiya Andrabi, has been remanded in eight-day police custody and lodged at Srinagar Central Jail for engineering student protests against the rape-murder of a minor Kathua girl.

As per police reports, Andrabi along with her four women associates was arrested on Friday evening from the Aaang area of Anchidora in Anantnag district of south Kashmir.

She was arrested for engineering student protests, said Senior Superintendent of Police, Anantnag, Altaf Khan. He said Andrabi was sent to eight-day police remand.

Four Hurriyat Conference activists, including tehsil president of the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Ashiq Narchoor, were also arrested by the police in raids.

The moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference has condemned the arrests and the detention of the resistance leaders under the Public Safety Act.

On the one side, resistance leaders are being either detained in their houses or in police stations and on the other, political activists are being subjected to crackdown and atrocities. The arrests and lodging of Asiya Andrabi in jail is condemnable and is part of the political vendetta by the government, the Hurriyat said in a statement, adding that by resorting to such tactics, the government cannot break the resolve of the resistance leadership.

The Kashmir High Court Bar Association has termed the grounds on which Andrabi was arrested as flimsy, terming the peaceful protests and demonstrations a fundamental right.

Syeda Asiya Andrabi, Fahmeeda Sofi and Nahida Nasreen, who were on their way to Anantnag, were arrested by the police on a flimsy charge of orchestrating the student protests in Anantnag, ignoring the fact that holding demonstrations and protests is a legal and fundamental right of every individual or group of individuals, the Bar said, adding that in recent past, such protests have not only been held in Kashmir but also all over the world against the brutal rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua.

No one other than Kashmiris have been arrested and put behind bars for a peaceful activity, which is highly shameful and deserves a strong notice by the peace-loving people of the world, the Bar said.vinaymishra188@gmail.com

Jasmine Singh

A seeker, a traveller, a reader, an observer and yes, a writer; Punjabi screenplay, dialogue and script writer Jass Grewal from Nabha, Punjab is all of it, but there is still more to him that meets the eye.

The man behind the film stories Jatt James Bond, Faraar, Bambukat, Rabb Da Radio, Daana Paani, Jass moulds and nurtures the characters from the depths of his heart and from the memories that remain stuck to the walls of his mind. Most of my characters come from real life, from people I have observed. For instance, the character of Binnu Dhillon in Bambukat comes from a real life character that I once observed. And as far as the stories are concerned, I really dont know the source. An idea comes and it takes a form eventually, shares the writer who had once worked with Nadira Babbars Ekjute Theatre Group. In fact, it was then that he found his interest tilting towards words, stories and magic that lies in them. Even though I worked as an assistant director in Punjabi films like Ekam, Singh Vs Kaur, but writing always appealed to me.

Jass, who is now a known name in the industry, has a good number of hit films under his name, but this hasnt changed this man who virtually lives in a world created by him, that lies somewhere in between his mind and heart. I think good response to the work has made me confident, other than that nothing much has changed. Or maybe, I have become slightly technical in my writing, but my stories still come from the heart, and also a source unknown, he smiles.

As Punjabi film industry stands to acknowledge the worth of writers, Jass too feels the change, the appreciation that writers are now getting. Making an entry up to the A grade filmmakers was kind of difficult, but once I got in, it was all about telling stories and gladly, all of them have been received and appreciated well.

The writer who likes to shut himself in a hotel room to write a story wants to write a film like Guide someday. But before that, there are many other subjects that I need to come close to...I read a lot, and I read anything that comes my way, History, Archaeology, fiction, anything. There is a curiosity inside me to dive into the unknown, the eagerness to unravel and this I fulfil through books, and people around. Though Jass is a self-confessed lost, a man who loves to live in his thoughts, who mingles with people once in a while with a heavy heart! I wish I had less meetings to attend, I wish I could go on a dedicated holiday, which of course I havent gone in a long while. A long holiday means a good story! Till he finds the right dates to zero in on, Jass is already working on a new project Vidia Padhai which he is thoroughly excited about. This film focuses on the inner turmoil of a child who fails in class. This story is from my heart, he adds. Like the rest, we bet! jasmine@tribunemail.comsinghking99@yahoo.com

Mumbai, April 22

Fourteen Naxals were killed in an encounter with the police in Maharashtras Gadchiroli district on Sunday, a senior official said. A couple of high-ranking unit commanders were likely to be among the dead.

A team of C-60 commandos, a specialised combat unit of the Gadchiroli police, carried out the operation in Tadgaon forest of Bhamragad. Fourteen Naxals were killed in the encounter. The combing operations are still on, said IGP Sharad Shelar.

In an operation in Kasanasur jungle area bordering Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh, an exchange of fire took place between C-60 commandos and Maoists. During search, at least 12 bodies of Naxals have been recovered. Further searches are on, said DGP Satish Mathur.

The DGP said there was a possibility that Naxal leaders of DVC ranks (high-ranking commanders) Sainath and Sinu, alias Srikant, were among those killed. This is the biggest success ever in the Dandakaranya area by any anti-Naxal force. There are no major injuries on our side. The police teams are still in operation The count may go up, he said.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh later called up Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and took stock of the security situation, an official said. Singh discussed with Fadnavis the Left-wing extremism situation in Gadchiroli district and other related issues, the ministry official said.  PTI

NIA wing to trace Maoist funding

New Delhi: A dedicated wing is being set up in the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to go after Maoist leaders and their sympathisers allegedly involved in money laundering and spending huge amounts in higher education of their children, say officials. The Home Ministry recently approved the setting up of a wing in the NIA for the task, said an official. PTIpardeepdhull@gmail.com

Mumbai, April 22

Fourteen Naxals were on Sunday killed in an encounter with the police in Maharashtras Gadchiroli district, a senior official said.

He said a team of C-60 commandos, a specialised combat unit of the Gadchiroli police, carried out the operation.

Fourteen Naxals were killed in the encounter. Combing operations are still on, Sharad Shelar, Inspector General of Police, said.

He said the combing operation, which started in the morning, was currently under way at Tadgaon forest in Bhamragad, around 750 kilometres from here.

The official said that two district-level commandersof the proscribed outfit, identified as Sainath and Sainyu, were among those killed in the encounter.

Director General of Police Satish Mathur congratulated the C-60 team which participated in the encounter.

This is a major operation against Naxals in recent times, Mathur said. PTIuttara@tribuneindia.com

New Delhi, April 22

In a nightmare for over 240 air passengers, an Air India flight from Amristar to the National Capital last week experienced turbulence leaving at least three people with minor injuries and causing a window panel inside the aircraft to break away, according to four airline officials.

Besides Air India, aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (AAIB) are probing the incident, which happened on April 19 soon after the flight took off from Amristar, one of the officials said.

The duration of Amristar-Delhi flight is about 35 minutes and on April 19, the flight was full with over 240 passengers, another official said.

The officials said the flight experienced turbulence soon after take-off when the altitude was around 15,000 feet due to bad weather.

At least three passengers had minor injuries and were given first aid after landing at the Delhi airport. Later, they took their connecting flights for onward journey, they added.

A window panel inside the plane also came off when the flight experienced turbulence, the officials said.

According to the officials, the turbulence continued for around 10-12 minutes.

There was no official statement from Air India about the incident.

A purported 50-second long video clip of happenings inside that flight showed an air hostess trying to fix the window panel that came off and pacifying an elderly woman passenger seated on that particular window seat. The video clip has been circulated in WhatsApp groups and social media platforms. PTI

Here is a video of the incident:amansharma@tribunemail.com

Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 22

The move to impeach Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra appears to have divided the legal eagles of the Congress with former Law Minister Ashwani Kumar terming it constitutional adventurism.

It is my considered personal view  both as a lawyer and as a citizen  that the impeachment motion is neither constitutionally sustainable, nor politically advisable, Kumar told The Tribune.

He said, Although impeachment motion appears to be a done deal, I wish there had been a more in-depth and larger deliberation on the question of such vital importance which concerns the health and future of critical institutions of our constitutional democracy.

The former Law Minister said, While certainly all is not well in the highest echelons of judiciary, it is doubtful whether the impeachment motion will serve any useful purpose, considering the overall circumstances.

Even Justice Chelameswar  one of the four judges who raised questions about judicial administration in the Supreme Court has himself gone on record to state that impeachment of CJI is not the only way forward to address the issue, he said.

Kumar said the political class was sharply divided on the advisability of the move.

In my personal view, the reasons given do not constitute sufficient ground for impeachment, unless those who have signed it have more information than what has been publicly disclosed, said Kumar.

The former Law Minister said, I strongly feel that at this crucial juncture of our history, we should avoid constitutional adventurism. I hope that some way can be found to give a quietus to the issue.

Kumar, however, said he did not dispute the rights of MPs to decide on the issue. He also sought to clarify that the impeachment motion was required to be moved by MPs and not the political parties they belong to.

Senior Congress leader and party spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi, said he was the last to sign the motion for impeachment of the CJI. I am not happy and I dont relish it.I have signed it as a disciplined member of the party, he added.

Asked if he was convinced that the allegations against CJI Misra amounted to proved misconduct, Singhvi said it was for the committee to be set up by Rajya Sabha Chairperson to decide.

Earlier, former Law Minister Salman Khurshid had spoken against the move. "Impeachment is too serious a matter to be played with frivolously on the grounds of disagreement with any judgment or point of view of the Court," Khurshid had said.gspannu7@gmail.com

New Delhi, April 22

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Sunday called for the revival of the ancient Indian traditions and for integrating them with the modern education system, saying doing so would help fight issues such as war and global warming.

The 82-year-old monk was delivering a lecture on Role of Ethics and Culture in Promoting Global Peace and Harmony in New Delhi.

The programme was organised by Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, which aims to preserve the history of the Indian Independence movement, and Antar-Rashtriya Sahyog Parishad, a non-political society founded in 1978 with an aim to keep close interaction with people all over the world.

Serious discussions on how to include the ancient Indian traditions in educational system should begin. India has the capability to combine modern education with its ancient traditions to help solve problems in the world, the Dalai Lama said.

The greatness of the Indian civilisation is its spiritual brotherhood and harmony, he said, adding, it has produced the greatest philosophical thinkers and preachers who gave rise to the Nalanda tradition of Buddhism based on reason and logical conclusion.

A vast amount of what came to comprise the Tibetan Buddhism, stems from the teachers and traditions at Nalanda.

Nalanda is known for its Buddhist sites and monuments.

The Nalanda University, which attracted students and teachers from across the Indian subcontinent as well as China, Central Asia, and Tibet, was the most important Buddhist centre of learning in ancient and medieval India.

Citing quantum physics, which describes nature at the smallest scales of energy levels of atoms and subatomic particles, the Dalai Lama said the concept was explained 2,000 years ago by the Indian philosopher Nagarjuna.

Buddha was an ancient Indian scientist. I consider myself as half monk and half scientist, he said, referring to his deliberations with scientists.

Terming war, terrorism and religious violence products of materialism, the spiritual leader expressed his sadness over the violence against the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.

The Rohingya, who had lived for centuries in the Buddhist-majority country, are one the most persecuted people in the world. Myanmar had denied them citizenship since 1982, effectively rendering them stateless.

Nearly 70,000 Rohingya people had to flee Myanmar to Bangladesh after a surge in violence and military crackdown in August last year.

He expressed concern over global warming, explaining that the amount of snowfall in Dharamsala, the seat of the Tibetan government in exile, has reduced worryingly over the years.

Global warming has made life difficult for many people. The Dalai Lama also said that Tibet may remain part of China if its geographical, cultural and linguistic autonomy is guaranteed. Tibet will benefit from economy of China.

Citing the success Chinese people achieved in maintaining their identity through hard work, he suggested Indians around the world, too, should spread their ancient traditions.

Try to revive ancient Indian traditions. Actual change does not come from prayer, it comes from action. Wherever Chinese go, they have a China Town. Why not an India Town by Indians?

The programme was the first the Dalai Lama participated in the national capital, since an event to mark 60 years of his exile in India was cancelled and another was moved to Dharamsala in early March. He was to attend both the events.

That development had happened in the backdrop of a media report that the Indian Government had directed its senior functionaries to skip events organised by Tibetans.

At the outset of the 1959 Tibetan uprising, the Dalai Lama fled to India in March that year to escape a Chinese crackdown.  PTIpardeepdhull@gmail.com

Beijing, April 22

India and China on Sunday agreed to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through the Nathu La route in Sikkim, Ministry of External Affairs said, 10 months after the pilgrimage was stopped following the Doklam standoff.

The decision was made during External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj talks with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi here.

We are also happy that the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through the Nathu La route will be resumed this year.

I am confident that with Chinese sides full cooperation, this year the yatra will be a fulfilling experience for the visiting Indian pilgrims, Swaraj said during a joint press statement with Wang.

The yatra was stopped by China in the aftermath of the military face-off with India last year at Doklam.

The standoff began on June 16 after the Indian troops intervened and stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the area claimed by Bhutan as it posed a security risk to Chicken Neck, the narrow corridor connecting India with its north-eastern states. Finally, the two armies disengaged on August 28.

Ministry of External Affairs organises the yatra from June to September each year through two different routesLipulekh Pass (Uttarakhand) and Nathu La Pass (Sikkim).

The yatra, which holds religious value, cultural significance, is undertaken by hundreds of people every year.

Holding significance for Hindus as the abode of Lord Shiva, it holds religious importance also for the Jains and the Buddhists. It is open to eligible Indian citizens, holding valid Indian passports, who wish to proceed to Kailash Manasarovar for religious purposes.

Swaraj arrived here on Saturday on a four-day visit to take part in the Foreign Ministers meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

She was received by Wang at the Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing ahead of their bilateral meeting.

This was their first meeting after Wang was elevated as state councillor last month which makes him the top diplomat of the country in the Chinese hierarchy. He also continues to be the foreign minister.

In her initial remarks, Swaraj congratulated Wang on being elevated as state councillor and appointed the special representative for the India-China boundary talks.

Wang said the bilateral ties have witnessed a good development and shown a positive momentum this year under the guidance of the leaders of the two nations.

On the eve of the closing of Chinas National Peoples Congress this year, President Xi Jinping received a very important phone call from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He said the call spurred a positive momentum in the dialogue process between the two countries.

Our two leaders had in-depth exchange of views and reached important consensus on furthering the China-India relationship. We must work very hard to implement the consensus between our two leaders.

Indias membership to the SCO has expanded the orgainsations potential and its influence, as well as providing a new platform for the India-China cooperation and I believe that India will make a positive and energetic contribution to the organisation, Wang said.

Their meeting is part of efforts by the two countries to step up the pace of high-level interactions to improve relations, official sources here told PTI before the meeting.  PTIImpact of demonetisation

Why this issue was not raised during PM Olis state visit to India remains a mysterysinghking99@yahoo.com

Patna: An imposing equestrian statue of Veer Kunwar Singh, known for his heroics in the 1857 Mutiny, has been shifted from a public roundabout to the historic Hardinge Park here, which will be inaugurated on Monday. The bronze statue shows Singh, who staged a rebellion against the British while he neared the age of 80, astride a horse, holding its reins in one hand and brandishing a sword in the other. PTI

50 IIT alumni quit jobs to form political party

New Delhi: A group of 50 alumni from the prestigious IITs across the country have quit their jobs to form a political party to fight for the rights of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes. The group, which is waiting for an approval from the Election Commission, has named their outfit Bahujan Azad Party. The party, however, is unlikely to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. PTI

Worlds oldest person dies in Japan aged 117

Tokyo: The world's oldest person has died in Kikai town of southern Japan at the age of 117. Nabi Tajima, hospitalised since January, died in a hospital on Saturday shortly before 8 pm. Born on August 4, 1900, she reportedly had more than 160 descendants. She became the oldest person seven months ago after the death of Violet Brown in Jamaica, also at the age of 117. AP

A first: UP Sainik School admits girls

Lucknow: For the first time in the country, a Sainik School here has opened its doors for girls. As many as 15 girls from different family backgrounds have got admission in the Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey Uttar Pradesh Sainik School here in Class IX for the academic year 2018-19. The nine girls were chosen from among 2,500 aspirants. PTIsinghking99@yahoo.com

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 22

Exactly a month after the Ministry of Defence removed the fee cap it had imposed on expenses paid to children of martyrs or those disabled in action, the Army is now discussing a scheme to actually have a fee cap, albeit a liberal one that is more in tune with realities of education in todays times.

On March 21, the Ministry of Defence issued an order saying, Educational expenses shall continue without the cap of Rs 10,000. This order was to rescind its earlier order of September 2017 which imposed a cap of Rs 10,000 per month. It had led to protests as fee in professional courses like MBA, MBBS, law or engineering streams runs into lakhs.

The MoD pays the fee of children of those killed in action and some 3,200 students in schools, colleges and professional institutions are given this facility as of now. At the Army Commander conference, here last week, the matter of education fee was discussed.

Top sources told The Tribune that the Army is of the view that an upper limit of fee payment is needed. However, it should be Rs 10 lakh per annum. This would cover the fee in any private professional college in India. The limit can be reviewed after a few years, but for now this limit would be sufficient, is the suggestion.

A discussion on the fee cap did take place, said a senior functionary who is in the know of things. The previous cap of Rs 10,000 per month or Rs 1.20 lakh per annum had led to several representations from Army widows as they were unable to pay the fee of children, especially those studying in colleges.

The MoD order of September 2017 to cap the fee was as per the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission. Notably, this fee cap issue was not part of the 50-point anomalies submitted by the Army.

The scheme to bear the cost of education of children of martyrs was announced in the Lok Sabha on December 18, 1971, two days after the Pakistani forces surrendered to the Indian forces at Dacca (now known as Dhaka). In 1990, the MoD extended the scheme to children of officers and jawans killed or disabled in Operation Meghdoot (Siachen) and Operation Pawan (Sri Lanka).

Another amendment in 2003 included children of those killed or disabled in counter-insurgency operations.gspannu7@gmail.com

Smita Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 22

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to China this week for an informal summit meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping on April 27 to 28.

This first-of-its-kind meeting between the two top leaders will be held in Wuhan City in China, incidentally the home town of the current Chinese envoy to India, Lou Zhaohui.

The formal announcement was made after Sushma Swaraj held bilateral talks with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi along sidelines of the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) Foreign Ministers' meet in Beijing on Sunday.

"My discussion with Minister Wang Yi was to prepare for the informal meeting between our leaders. It will be an important occasion for them to exchange views on bilateral and international matters with objective of enhancing mutual communication at level of leaders," Swaraj said.

Wang stressed that the informal summit would add a new milestone in Sino-Indian relations. "We see socialism with Chinese characteristics entering a new era and India acts as a crucial stage in its development and revitalisation. It is against this backdrop that President Xi and Prime Minister Modi have decided to hold the informal summit," said Wang.

First reported by The Tribune in January this year about preparations under way for this informal meeting, Modi's visit comes ahead of the SCO summit to be held in Qingdao in China in June. India and Pakistan became full members of the SCO last year.

According to sources, this diplomatic initiative was first proposed at the BRICS summit in Xiamen last September. Modi could attend the BRICS summit only after Indian and Chinese militaries mutually disengaged following a 73-day tense eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation at the Doklam tri-junction with Bhutan. Diplomatic sources say the idea is to facilitate a free flowing conversation in retreat like settings on all issues, including contentious ones, between the two Asian leaders without the restraints of a formal joint statement.

Calling this a bold step, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale's predecessor S Jaishankar who retired in January this year remarked, "They will be meeting in an informal environment. The agenda will be open. They will spend a lot of time over two days and there will be different kind of conversations, much more personal interactive." Both Jaishankar and Gokhale are considered old China hands.

India is only the second country after the United States that President Xi, the most powerful man today in China with his thoughts enshrined in the constitution, will hold such a conversation with. Xi has held informal meetings with US Presidents Barack Obama and Donald J Trump so far.

Meanwhile, striking the right notes as Wang and Swaraj prepared grounds for the informal meeting, India and China agreed to work together on issues like terrorism, climate change, sustainable development and global healthcare.

"China has confirmed data sharing on Sutlej and Brahmaputra rivers in 2018. As it directly affects lives of people living there we welcome this. Also, Kailash Mansarovar Yatra will resume this year through Nathu La pass," Swaraj said.

China's veto shield to terror mastermind Masood Azhar at the Security Council and its opposition to India's membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), and Tibetan spiritual leader in-exile in India, the Dalai Lama's engagements are among major trust deficit issues in ties. But in recent overtures, India supported China's bid for Vice Chair of FATF (Financial Action Task Force), the global body mandated to combat funding of terror.

Interestingly, delivering a special lecture at the Nehru Memorial earlier today, the Dalai Lama emphasised, "We are not seeking independence for Tibet." Tibet can benefit from China's prosperity, as long as Tibetan identity is recognised in Chinese constitution and Tibetan Autonomous Region has equal rights, the Dalai Lama added.singhking99@yahoo.com

Smita Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 22

In a first-of-its-kind meeting between the top leaders of India and China, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping will meet in Wuhan, a city in central China and the hometown of Chinese envoy to India Lou Zhaohui, on April 27-28.

A formal announcement was made after Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj held bilateral talks with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) Foreign Ministers meet in Beijing on Sunday.

My discussion with Minister Wang Yi was to prepare for the informal meeting between our leaders. It will be an important occasion for them to exchange views on bilateral and international matters with objective of enhancing mutual communication at level of leaders, said Swaraj.

Wang stressed that the informal summit would add a new milestone in Sino-India relations. We see socialism with Chinese characteristics entering a new era and India acts as a crucial stage in its development and revitalisation. It is against this backdrop that President Xi and Prime Minister Modi have decided to hold the informal summit, said Wang.

First reported by The Tribune in January about preparations underway for this informal meeting, PM Modis visit comes ahead of the SCO Summit in Chinas Qingdao in June. India and Pakistan became full members of the SCO last year.

According to sources, this diplomatic initiative was first proposed at the BRICS Summit in Xiamen last September. PM Modi could attend the Summit only after Indian and Chinese militaries mutually disengaged following a 73-day tense eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation at the Doklam tri-junction with Bhutan.

Diplomatic sources say the idea is to facilitate a free-flowing conversation in retreat-like settings on all issues, including contentious ones, between the two Asian leaders without the restraints of a formal joint statement.

Calling this a bold step, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhales predecessor S Jaishankar who retired in January remarked: They will be meeting in an informal environment. The agenda will be open. They will spend a lot of time over two days and there will be different kind of conversations, much more personal interactive. Both Jaishankar and Gokhale are considered old China hands.

India is only the second country after the US that President Xi, the most powerful man today in China with his thoughts enshrined in the constitution, will hold such a conversation with. Xi has held informal meetings with US Presidents Barack Obama and Donald J Trump so far.

Meanwhile, striking the right notes as Wang and Swaraj prepared grounds for the informal meeting, India and China agreed to work together on issues like terrorism, climate change, sustainable development, global healthcare, etc.

China has confirmed data-sharing on the Sutlej and Brahmaputra in 2018. As it directly affects lives of people living there, we welcome this. Also Kailash Mansarovar Yatra will resume this year through Nathu La, said Swaraj.

Chinas veto shield to terror mastermind Masood Azhar at the United Nations Security Council, and its opposition to Indias membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and Tibetan spiritual leader in exile in India the Dalai Lamas engagements are among major trust deficit issues in ties.

But in recent overtures, India supported Chinas bid for Vice Chair of FATF (Financial Action Task Force), the global body mandated to combat funding of terror.

Interestingly, delivering a special lecture at the Nehru Memorial on Sunday, the Dalai Lama emphasised: We are not seeking independence for Tibet. Tibet can benefit from Chinas prosperity, as long as Tibetan identity is recognised in Chinese constitution and Tibetan Autonomous Region has equal rights, the Dalai Lama added.

Yatra via Nathu La, river data-sharing back

China has agreed to resume sharing of hydrological data of the Brahmaputra and Sutlej rivers, besides restarting the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through the Nathu La route in Sikkim.singhking99@yahoo.com

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 22

Two days after the Opposition parties submitted an impeachment motion seeking removal of Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, also the Rajya Sabha Chairman, today set in motion the consultation process to decide on the motion.

Naidu, who was out of Delhi, has rescheduled his tour and returned to the national capital as some of those who he wanted to consult had conveyed their availability (in Delhi) on Sunday.

Top sources said Naidu on Sunday consulted Attorney General KK Venugopal, former Supreme Court judge, P Sudarshan Reddy, former Lok Sabha Secretary General Subhash Kashyap, ex-Law Secretary PK Malhotra, former Legislative Secretary Sanjay Singh, besides senior officials of the Rajya Sabha secretariat.

The Vice President, if he decides to admit the motion, will have to set-up a committee to investigate the allegations as required under the Judges Inquiry Act, 1968.

On April 20, 71 MPs of seven Opposition parties, including the Congress, NCP, CPI, CPM, SP, BSP and the Muslim League, signed the motion seeking Justice Misras impeachment. Parties like the TMC, DMK and the AIADMK maintained a distance. The minimum requirement to move a notice for impeachment was 50 members in the Rajya Sabha.

After moving the motion, Congress leader Kapil Sibal listed out five allegations of misbehaviour against Justice Misra. The five charges levelled against the CJI in the notice include "conspiracy to pay illegal gratification" in the Prasad Education Trust case and denial of permission to proceed against a retired high court judge in the same matter. Another charge listed by the Opposition parties pertains to a piece of land, which the CJI acquired as an advocate by giving a "false affidavit".

Some of these allegations were also raised in January by four top judges of the Supreme Court who had held an unprecedented press conference.singhking99@yahoo.com

Suresh Dharur

Tribune News Service

Hyderabad, April 22

Sitaram Yechury, who defied the majority view in his party and successfully pitched for a tactical understanding with the Congress, was on Sunday re-elected as CPM general secretary for a second term. The re-election, capping weeks of speculation over his future amid internal rift over the political-tactical line, came on the concluding day of the partys 22nd congress in Hyderabad.

The new 95-member central committee unanimously elected Yechury (65) for another three-year term. He was first elevated to the post at the partys 21st congress at Visakhapatnam in 2015.

The committee also elected a 17-member Polit Bureau. West Bengal leader Tapan Sen and Nilotpal Basu find a place in the new Polit Bureau while former CITU leader AK Padmanabhan has been relieved. Kerala leader S Ramchandran Pillai continues in the Polit Bureau. MV Govindan Master, chief editor of party publication Deshabhimani in Kerala, and former Kerala Assembly Speaker K Radhakrishnan are the new faces in the central committee. Prakash Karat, Brinda Karat, Manik Sarkar, Pinarayi Vijayan, Ramachandran Pillai and Biman Basu are among the members on the central committee.

The main task today is to defeat this BJP government and for that all necessary measures will be undertaken, Yechury said in his acceptance speech. Terming the 22nd party congress as momentous, he said, If any message that should go to the rank and file and to our class enemy, it is the CPM has emerged as a united party. Let us re-dedicate ourselves to the task of protecting the countrys unity and integrity and the Constitution, he said.

It was a sort of a double win for Yechury as his political formulation, favouring an electoral understanding with the Congress to achieve the larger goal of defeating the BJP, was accepted by the party on Friday when an amended political resolution was adopted without voting.

The amended version removed the phrase without any understanding or electoral alliance with the Congress and added without a political alliance with the Congress. This was seen as a boost for the Yechury camp. The climbdown came after intense pressure from Yechury's supporters who pressed for a secret ballot vote on the amendments to the draft political resolution moved by Politburo member Prakash Karat.

The modification assumes significance in the wake of growing convergence among the Opposition parties on the need to build an alternative rainbow coalition to take on the BJP-led NDA in the next General Election. Though the CPM will not have a political alliance with Congress, there will now be a greater flexibility to reach tactical understanding with secular parties, including the Congress.editorial@tribune.com

Our Correspondent

Abohar, April 22

The entire canal system in the Abohar irrigation circle  spread over Abohar, Balluana and Fazilka constituencies  has been closed for three weeks for the cleaning of sub-canals. The purpose was to ensure sufficient supply of water to the tail-end villages. But no work has been done.

The authorities had promised to release water on Sunday to facilitate the sowing of cotton as per the schedule suggested by agricultural scientists, but it was not done.

Upset over it, hundreds of farmers from Ghallu, Khippanwali, Azamwala, Katehra, Ramkot and Bodiwala Peetha on Sunday staged a protest near Ghallu village on the Abohar-Fazilka stretch of the national highway. Braving 41C temperature, women too raised slogans against the government for water mismanagement.

Senior officials, including SP (D) Vinod Kumar; SP Abohar Amarjit Singh Matwani; DSP (Balluana) Rahul Bhardwaj and Mukhtiar Singh Rana, Executive Engineer, Irrigation Department; negotiated with the protesters. The protesters were led by Khippanwali sarpanch Satya Dev, Jagjit Singh Gill and Rajinder Singh Brar.

Farmers said that during the decade-long rule of the SAD-BJP alliance, the area was neglected. Sub-canals were neither repaired nor cleaned, thereby economically ruining the farmers in the tail-end villages.

At that time, Congress leaders had led farmers protests. But after the party formed the government a year ago, nothing substantial was done to improve the situation.

After about two-hour protest, the farmers agreed to defer the dharna by 48 hours. XEN Rana assured to start the cleaning work by arranging JCB machines on Monday. Workers under the MGNREGA scheme would also be deployed to clean the Arniwala minor and other sub-canals manually, he said.amansharma@tribunemail.com

Amritsar, April 22

After another pilgrim, who was part of the Sikh jatha to Pakistan failed to return, his family on Sunday urged the government to do something to get him back.

"We are worried about him, the government should do something to get him back," family members of 24-year-old Amarjit Singh, a resident of Niranjanpura village in Amritsar district, said.

Earlier, a woman member of the Jatha, Kiran Bala too failed to come back after she reportedly solemnised marriage in Pakistan with a Muslim after embracing Islam.

Amarjit, who had gone to Pakistan on a 10-day pilgrimage as part of the Sikh Jatha on April 12, did not return home even as other pilgrims came back yesterday.

"The group of Sikh pilgrims after observing Baisakhi festival and paying obeisance at various Sikh shrines in Pakistan returned yesterday but Amarjit Singh was found missing," Amritsar (Rural) SSP Parampal Singh said.

Singh had arrived in Pakistan along with other pilgrims to celebrate Baisakhi on April 12.

His disappearance was only noticed when the Jatha started its return journey to India, according to a Pakistani media report.

Singh's passport, like that of other pilgrims, was with the officials of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), who immediately informed top officials when Singh failed to collect it within the stipulated time.

"Initial investigation shows that Amarjit Singh separated himself from the group members on a visit to Gurdwara Janamestan in Nankana Sahib (80 km from Lahore) on April 16 and disappeared," an official of ETPB told PTI.

The ETPB came to know about his disappearance when Singh did not turn up yesterday along with other visiting Indian Sikhs at the Wagah railway station to leave for their homeland.

Singh and others have a valid Pakistani visa for April 21.

The official further said the police have launched a search in Nankana Sahib where a good number of Sikh families are residing.

"No FIR has been registered as yet in this regard," he said.

According to an initial probe, Singh disappeared on reaching Lahore from Nankana Sahib. A search to locate him is underway, the report said.

Meanwhile, the Lahore High Court has directed the interior ministry to decide by Monday the application of Kiran Bala, seeking Pakistani citizenship and extension to her visa.

Both Amarjit and Bala had gone to Pakistan for a 10-day pilgrimage as part of the Jatha on April 12. - AgenciesDeepkamal Kaur

Deepkamal Kaur in Phagwara

Over 2,000 Punjab Police & paramilitary personnel with anti-riot special squads are deployed across this small town along the National Highway for the past one week. Schools and colleges did not open last week. Internet services remained suspended for three days in many parts of the prosperous Doaba region (Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur and Nawanshahr). Markets, too, remained shut and shopkeepers are yet to get their customers back.

No one is ready to shoulder the responsibility for the violent clash between the Dalits and caste Hindu activists that took place a day ahead of the Ambedkar Jayanti function on April 14. There are six statues of Dr BR Ambedkar, the Indian Constitution architect, in the town. The violence was so serious that no big leader performed the perfunctory garlanding of the statues  these have had to be protected with round-the-clock security.

It has perhaps been the most troubled time for Phagwara in the almost a decade. The people of Phagwara want heightened security retained for more time. So, we will not thin out till everything is settled, says Naunihal Singh, Inspector General (Jalandhar zone).

Economic-social disorder

The caste tension hangs heavy over an area known for the highest foreign remittances by NRIs (of the total around Rs 1,000 crore per month for Punjab), where the banks report a low credit offtake, and where land holdings are not very large. The caste reservation for government jobs in Doaba is: 25 per cent seats for Scheduled Caste (12.5 per cent Valmiki/Majhbi Sikhs and 12.5 per cent Ravidassia) and Backward Castes: 15 per cent.

If we take into account all factors such as agriculture, industry, remittances, education and living standards, Doaba and northern Malwa are the most prosperous parts of Punjab. Even the Dalits of Doaba are far more educated and prosperous than those concentrated in parts of southern Malwa, says Prof emeritus HS Shergill, Department of Economics, Panjab University, Chandigarh.

One factor, then, looks apparent for the recent clashes in the region: Doaba has a massive 35 per cent Dalit vote bank. The predominant party is the BJP. Phagwara was the only region that remained affected during April 10 shut-down by general caste community when caste Hindu leaders reportedly tried to get shops closed and Dalits opposed it. In July 2016, the situation had turned communal. In February 2015, violence broke out at Phagwara railway station over the alleged custodial death of a Dalit youth.

The spark and fire

On April 2, the region saw an effective bandh following reports of alleged dilution of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act by the Supreme Court. Things came to a head a day before Ambedkars birth anniversary in Phagwara over renaming a prominent roundabout near the highway as Samvidhan Chowk. An icon in the shape of Constitution lying in open hands was readied around 9.30pm to be placed at the roundabout the next day. Hours later, this was removed and its pedestal was broken by armed caste activists, who claimed that neither the NHAI nor the civic body had allowed any changes in the place.

Soon, it was a free-for-all: the police looked on and violent scenes recorded on mobile phones went viral. As the tension escalated, the lights went off. It was a mischief, says Satish Salhotra, president of Central Valmiki Sabha Punjab. Bullets then rang out. Two Dalit youths were injured: one in the leg and the other in the head. The bullets splinter is still lodged in Yashwant Kumar Bobbys brain as his condition remains critical at Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana.

The retaliation was swift the next morning: Shiv Sena Punjab leader Rajesh Palta was stripped and beaten up at Valmiki Chowk. His T-shirt has been kept hanging at the Chowk.

Whats your caste?

The Dalit communitys sit-in continues at Valmiki Chowk with both sides to the Chowk barricaded. Young boys holding a rope refuse entry to motorists and allow only those whom the community members agree to. As this reporter went with a prior permission through known contacts and began making a few queries, a cross question came from a known local Dalit leader: What is your caste?

Dharamvir Sethi of the Joint Action Front of the community puts up a stout defence. Dont ask what we did. We were unarmed. We only flung a few stones that we picked from roadsides, those too in self-defence. We are not opposed to general category people. We only want that the police should teach a lesson to some fringe elements within them.

Girish Sharma, general secretary of General Samaj Manch counters: Frequent clashes have made our lives so miserable that we cannot even think of asking our youngsters to settle here. We want their lives to be peaceful, which seems a remote possibility.

Security forces have held flag marches in the area. All-party political meetings have taken place. Peace marches have been taken out. The entire administration from Kapurthala, the district headquarters based about 45 km from Phagwara, has been camping in the town. But the tension persists.

Dalit women allege govt inaction

sangrur: Anger is brewing among Dalit women in some villages over the alleged harassment by upper-caste landlords and the lack of action by the police. At a Mahapanchayat in March at Kheri village of district, Dalit women from around 150 villages had raised their voice against harassment. These women say that despite repeated complaints, the authorities act very late, and in some cases, and not at all, says Amandeep Kaur Deol, general secretary of Istri Jagriti Manch.

A three-member panel of the Manch in its 20-day investigation report in April last year claimed to have identified 51 Dalit women, who faced physical attacks and resisted molestation from landlords during their struggle for their share of reserved land. Though

the panel provided the authorities with details of victims such as their names and villages, neither the government nor the police took any action.

Some women, requesting their names not be disclosed, alleged that the biggest headache for them was arranging fodder for their animals. Since they do not own any land, they are always dependent on landlords. Most Dalit women prefer to keep quite to avoid clashes said a woman from Jhaloor village. Parvesh SharmaIndian man arrested with smuggled textile worth Rs 4.4m

Police have caught an Indian man along with a vehicle full of textile that he had smuggled to Nepal on Sunday.singhking99@yahoo.com

MR. Lloyd George's speech made it perfectly clear that American opinion had had a decisive share in the settlement of the Irish question. American opinion, said the Premier, supported the justice of the Man Power Bill provided that self-government was offered to Ireland. This opinion was vital to us because America was coming to our aid in one of the most remarkable decisions ever taken by an executive. America was entitled to expect, Mr. George added, that their difficulties would be smoothed as far as possible though they could not ask any Government to carry domestic legislation of any particular character. He was sure that nothing would be more helpful at present to secure the full measure of American assistance than the determination of the British Parliament to tender of Ireland such a measure of self-government as would satisfy American opinion.singhking99@yahoo.com

WHILE the attitude of the Irish party is doubtful, that of the Government is free from all doubt. Mr. Lloyd George has assumed a determined attitude, and in his speech he uttered a grave warning to the Nationalists. He said that there would be trouble in Ireland. He did not doubt it. But if Ireland resisted this measure it was essential that the conscience of this country should be clear before any measures were taken of a stringent character. It was useless passing the Bill unless it was intended to enforce it, and it was useless to enforce it unless behind the Government there was the feeling that Ireland had been justly treated. This is deeply significant language and it shows that unless the Nationalists will accept conscription on the condition that conscription and Home rule shall come together, Mr. George's Government will not hesitate to force conscription upon Ireland.pardeepdhull@gmail.com

Beijing, April 22

Two dragon boats practicing for a race on a river in southern China have overturned, drowning 17 people, authorities said on Sunday.

The accident happened at about 1:30 pm on Saturday when the dragon boats, 18 meters long and with a capacity of 30 passengers each, overturned during the practice session on Taohuajiang River in Guilin, the regional capital.

About 60 people fell into the water.

Seventeen people were killed after the boats overturned yesterday in southern Chinas Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the authorities said.

Eight boats and over 200 people were dispatched for the rescue.

Authorities in Guilin said villagers in Dunmu Village organised the practice session without notifying police beforehand. Two organisers have been detained, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. PTIvermaajay1968@gmail.com

Kabul, April 22

A suicide bomber blew himself up outside a voter registration centre in the Afghan capital Kabul on Sunday, killing at least 52 persons and wounding more than 100, in the most serious attack yet on preparations for elections scheduled for October.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack on a project of key importance to the credibility of President Ashraf Ghanis government, which has been under international pressure to ensure long-delayed parliamentary polls take place this year.

Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danesh said a bomber on foot approached the centre where officials were issuing identity cards as part of the registration process for around 10 million voters across Afghanistan. Registration began this month.

President Ghani issued a statement condemning the attack and said it cannot divert us from our aims or weaken this national democratic process.

A spokesman for the ministry of public health said at least 52 persons were confirmed dead and 112 wounded. He said the total could climb. The explosion destroyed cars and shattered windows in nearby buildings, leaving rubble strewn across the blood-stained street.

It was the deadliest blast in Kabul since about 100 persons were killed in January by a bomb concealed in an ambulance and it came after repeated warnings that militants could try to disrupt the election process. Tadamichi Yamamoto, the senior United Nations official in Afghanistan, issued a statement condemning the attack. Compounding the callous disregard for the lives of civilians, the killing appears to be part of a wholly unacceptable effort by extremists to deter Afghan citizens from carrying out their constitutional right to take part in elections, he said.

After weeks of relative calm, the blast took place in Dasht-e Barchi, an area of western Kabul inhabited by many members of the mainly Shiite Hazara minority, which has been repeatedly hit by attacks claimed by Islamic State.

There were women, children. Everyone had come to get their identity cards, said Bashir Ahmad who had been near the blast, which occurred despite heightened security after the January attack.

According to UN figures, more than 750 persons have been killed or maimed in suicide attacks and bombings by militant groups during the three months to March ahead of an expected start of the Talibans normal spring offensive.

Afghanistans international partners have insisted that the elections should be held this year before a presidential vote due in 2019, although there has been widespread scepticism that they will go ahead. Meanwhile, five persons were killed when their vehicle struck a roadside bomb in the northern Baghlan province.  Reuters

Voter registration process began on April 14

Afghanistan began registering voters on April 14 for the long-delayed legislative elections. The voter registration process is designed to reduce the electoral fraud that has marred past ballots

More than 7,000 voter registration centres have been set up across Afghanistan to handle about 10 million registrations

The vote could be postponed to next year if registration of voters, many of whom do not have national identity cards, is not completed before winter sets

Parliament is still sitting three years after its term officially expired and further delays would seriously weaken already fragile confidence in the political system

India condemns Afghan terrorvermaajay1968@gmail.com

Asuncion, April 22

The US-educated son of a top aide to Paraguays late dictator is favourite to win todays presidential election in one of Latin Americas poorest countries. Opinion polls give Mario Abdo Benitez of the ruling conservative Colorado party a clear lead over his centrist opponent, Efrain Alegre, in a two-horse race to succeed outgoing conservative President Horacio Cartes.

Landlocked Paraguay-sandwiched between Bolivia, Argentina and Brazil-has enjoyed consistent economic growth under tobacco magnate Cartes, but has failed to shrug off persistent poverty, corruption and drug trafficking.

It remains a land of contrasts, still marked by the 1954-1989 dictatorship of General Alfredo Stroessner.

However, a new generation of voter among the electorate of 4.2 million-born after the dictatorship responsible for the deaths or disappearances of up to 3,000 people-seems ready to turn the page.

Forty-three per cent of the population is aged between 18 and 34.

Polls in recent weeks have given Abdo Benitez, the twice-divorced son of Stroessners personal secretary, a lead of 20 points ahead of 55-year-old Alegre in the race to succeed Cartes.

However, the latest opinion polls predict a neck and neck finish and predicate an Abdo Benitez win on a turnout of less than 70 per cent.

In addition to choosing a president, the electorate will also elect a new parliament and governors of the countrys 17 departments.  AFPpardeepdhull@gmail.com

Tehran, April 22

Iranian Foreign Ministry on Saturday rejected recent anti-Iran human rights allegations by the US as biased and politically-motivated.

The US annual rights report about Iran is a distorted and unreal picture from the current situation from the country, Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said in a statement.

Not only is the US itself a big violator of human rights, but it plays a role in supporting other violators of the human rights including Israel and some reactionary regimes in the region, Xinhua quoted the statement as saying.

Qasemi also warned the US against interference in the internal affairs of other countries.

The recent annual report by the US State Department accused Iran of high rates of execution and restrictions on freedom of expression.

Iran has insisted that the reports about the Islamic republic are blind about Irans progress and determined efforts in this field.  IANSvermaajay1968@gmail.com

Mexico City, April 22

In the grainy, night-time video, journalist Angel Gahona, clad in jeans and a blue shirt, holds up a cellphone and narrates as he approaches the facade of city hall in Bluefields, Nicaragua, reporting live via Facebook on protests that have rocked the Central American nation for four days.

Seconds later a gunshot rings out and Gahona slumps lifeless to the curb. Voices cry his name and someone presses a piece of cloth to his head to try to staunch the stream of blood. Another Bluefields reporter, Ileana Lacayo, confirms that he died before reaching the hospital.

Besides Gahona at least 25 others have been killed since Wednesday in unrest over social security reforms planned by President Daniel Ortegas government, according to a human rights group. Dozens more have been injured or arrested. Ortega said Saturday in his first public appearance since the demonstrations began that his government is willing to enter into talks over the dispute.

In a nationally televised address, he said he is open to negotiations so that there is no more terror for Nicaraguan families. But he said the dialogue would be just with business leaders and not with other sectors of society.

He also seemed to try to justify what has been a heavy-handed response by the government and allied groups, accusing demonstrators, most of them university students, of being manipulated by unspecified minority political interests and of being infiltrated by gangsters.  APvermaajay1968@gmail.com

WASHINGTON, April 22

French President Emmanuel Macron said he has no plan B for the Iran nuclear deal and that the US should stay in the agreement as long as there is no better option.

In a Fox News interview on Sunday, the day before he arrives in Washington for a three-day state visit, Macron also said the US, France and other allies will have a very important role to play in rebuilding Syria after they defeat Islamic State militants.

President Donald Trump has said he wants US forces to leave Syria as quickly as possible, but Macron warned that Iran, which has been Syrian President Bashar al-Assads most supportive ally, will overrun Syria if the countries exit too quickly.

Macron and Trump will discuss the Iran nuclear agreement at the White House on Tuesday, a senior US administration official said on Friday. They will also discuss the joint military strike on Syria this month following a suspected chemical weapons attack near Damascus, the official said.

The 2015 deal reached between Iran, the US and five other world powers put curbs on Irans nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief.

I dont have any plan B, Macron said. Lets present this framework because its better than the sort of North Korean-type situation.

Macron, who said he and Trump have a very special relationship, said he wanted to complete the Iran deal by addressing ballistic missiles and working to contain Irans influence in the region.  ReutersIntel unit to keep tabs on money laundering

The government is set to create an intelligence unit under the Department of Money Laundering Investigation to probe suspects in money laundering and terrorist financing cases.KMC to rebuild Rani Pokhari next month

Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has decided to tear down the concrete structures in Rani Pokhari and start the rebuilding process afresh from mid-May.The domain turkeytelegraph.com may be for sale. Please click here to inquireSyrian civil engineer Anan Jakich risked her life to bring her family to safety. Now a refugee in Germany, she has joined a community of women newcomers rebuilding their lives through a shared love of technology.

On a Saturday morning in Berlin, Anan and her classmates, many of whom also fled the Syrian conflict, are absorbed in a lesson on cybersecurity. She peers at the words safe and not safe scrawled on a whiteboard at the front of the class.

We were just looking for safety, says Anan, 48, of her decision to flee her home in the city of Salamiyah in 2014. I couldnt live with that fear any longer, or the worries about the future. I couldnt sit and wait for my family to get into worse difficulties.

The mother of four knew she had to get her family out, but leaving seemed nearly as dangerous as staying. We tried to find a safe way to leave but it was impossible, adds Anan. It was difficult and dangerous. I just wanted my family to be safe.

Berlin tech teachers help refugee women cross digital divide (Michelle Hoffman, producer / Bela Szandelszky, camera-editor)

Anan travelled to Turkey where she boarded a tiny dinghy bound for Greece. Once at sea, the overcrowded vessel ran into difficulties and had to unload the passengers on to a small, uninhabited strip of land. As the sun set and no help came, Anan was sure she would die.

The idea of dying there on that island was too awful.

I was terrified... the idea of dying there on that island, not in Syria, and my family waiting for me. It was too awful, she remembers.

After 24 hours without food or water, Anan was rescued by volunteers and taken to safety in Greece. Two weeks later, she arrived in Germany. But she could not rest until her children were also safe.

She applied for family reunification but was devastated to learn there would be a long wait. Her family was finally able to join her after 18 months. While waiting, Anan learned German and took a series of internships. However, it was not until her children arrived in March 2016 that she could begin rebuilding her life in earnest. Her two older children, in their 20s, are still studying, while the younger ones are at school.

Finding a full-time job was her priority. In Syria, she had qualified as a civil engineer at Al-Baath University in Homs and ran her own company.

She soon realized the years of conflict and flight, during which she had had no computer access, had taken its toll on her IT skills. It was then that she heard about ReDI, a Berlin-based non-profit school offering free coding and digital courses to newcomers.

Anan Jakich is one of the first students at the ReDI school's Digital Women's Programme.  UNHCR/Gordon Welters

Anan Jakich (centre) talks to fellow students after their class at the ReDI school in Berlin.  UNHCR/Gordon Welters

Notices on the wall of the ReDI school in Berlin express participants' views on the Digital Women's Programme.  UNHCR/Gordon Welters

Participants in the Digital Women's Programme at the ReDI in Berlin school exchange ideas during class.  UNHCR/Gordon Welters

Class discussion during courses aimed at getting more women learning about technology.  UNHCR/Gordon Welters

Syrian instructor Rita Butman (left) talks to a student after class at the ReDI school.  UNHCR/Gordon Welters

On April 24, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) are launching an ambitious action plan to try and boost employment opportunities for refugees through a number of innovative actions, like ReDI. The plan aims to ensure that the economic potential of refugees is fully harnessed, offering a win-win to all  refugees, employers and hosts.

This spring Anan became one of the first students to join ReDIs Digital Womens Programme, a series of all-female courses aimed at getting more women learning about technology. Set up for newcomers like Anan without computer access at home, the three-month course takes students with basic skills to the point where they can build their own online businesses.

Programme organizers say free extras such as child care, translators and a catering service have gone a long way towards tempting more women into their previously male-dominated tech courses. Students stand to gain more than just new skills. The school offers access to a network of women working in technology, contacts that have led to job offers for former students.

Im a true example of what the school can do to change lives.

One such success story is Syrian instructor Rita Butman, who came to Germany from Damascus on a student visa in 2017. After completing an advanced course with ReDI, she landed a paid internship with a multinational networking company, one of the schools corporate sponsors.

Im a true example of what the school can do with people to change lives, says Rita, 31, who had been scraping a living washing dishes before joining the school. I got to know really amazing people that could give me new horizons.

Keen to pass opportunities on to others, Rita returns to the school once a week to volunteer as a teacher. This sharing attitude is something programme organizers have noticed more often among their female students.

Educating women has a ripple effect on the community, explains Edlira Kasaj, head of the ReDI Digital Women Programme. The benefit gets passed down through family structures to many more people.

Anan, who uses her updated IT skills in a new job at the German rail network Deutsche Bahn, is no exception. She often takes her children with her to her Saturday classes at ReDI, so they can also benefit from the schools informal network. We have a lot of fun and good communication, she laughs. The atmosphere here at the school is like a family. They are all good people, who look after us and support us. Were all a lot more confident than we used to be.Dhaka, Apr 22 ( UNI) Quite a number of large development projects, especially power plants in Patuakhali coastal region of Bangladesh, considered the biggest sanctuary for hilsa fish, are putting their routes of migration at stake, fisheries experts say.

In only one 'upazila' (sub-district) Kalapara, the government has taken projects to set up six power plants, one sea port, a special economic zone and a four-lane highway.

The power energy and mineral resources ministry has declared Kalapara a 'power hub'.

The government has built four bridges from Barisal to Kalapara. The Barisal-Kuakata highway has turned into a four-lane highway. It has also plans to build an airport in the region. There are some other development

projects. A total of 30,000 acres of land will be needed for implementing all these projects, according to Kalapara upazila officials. Already some 15,000 acres of land have been acquired and handed over to different companies.

The construction works of Payra Sea port and coal-fired power plants have begun.

According to conservationists, once a major sanctuary of hilsa fish, Chandpur, is no longer a good habitat for the flocks of this fish variety due to poor navigability of the river and pollution. Now, the Patuakhali coastal region, particularly Andharmanik, Payra, Bamnabad and Noakhali river, have become the good sanctuary for hilsa fish.

Once power plants are built, the rivers of this region will be the source of water for the plants and hot water and wastes will be dumped into the river, experts cautioned. Many ships will be plying on the rivers. Thus, the most crucial migration route for the hilsa fish to come to rivers from the Bay of Bengal will be disrupted.

A research report by Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute, the United Nations University and the United Kingdom-based International Institute of Environment and Development (IIED) said that Kalapara and Kuakata are the most critical route and sanctuary for the hilsa.

During the jatka (hilsa fries) phase, they move in Andharmanik river and then return to the Bay of Bengal, according to the report. As there is still no pollution there, the hilsas have good food supply.

Waterkeepers Bangladesh and Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (BAPA) conducted a research on the impact of six power plants and other development projects in Patuakhali.

It raised question as to whether the landmass of Patuakhali can accommodate these industries.

Waterkeepers Bangladesh convenor Sharif Jamil said that hilsa trade in Patuakhali amounts to Tk 40 billion every year. The big projects will affect the success Bangladesh has achieved in the past decade in increasing hilsa production. The flocks of hilsas may leave the place.

State-owned North-West Power Generation and China are jointly implementing a 1,320-megawatt coal-based power project and 35 per cent of its work is so far complete.

In the environmental impact assessment report of the project, it was said that a total of 4.8 million coal will be fired a year and 1,000 tonnes of ashes will be produced. A total of 4,200 cubic meters of water will be collected from the Bamnabad river and the hot water will be released there.

Centre for Environment and Geographical Information Services (CGIS), a trustee research organisation of the Water Resources Ministry, conducted the research. It said hilsa sanctuaries will be affected by the projects.

Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute, chief scientific officer and hilsa reseacher Anisur Rahman told UNI that Hilsa fish is very sensitive to pollution and the projects in Kalapara will certainly have serious impact on them.

BRAC University professor emeritus Ainun Nishat said a good number of power plants in a particular region might be the cause for large-scale pollution there.

He said as per environmental law, there should be combined assessed of impacts and risks of these power plants.

Bangladesh Agricultural University's Fisheries department professor Abdul Wahab said hilsa production doubled in Bangladesh in a decade, thanks to varies government projects. He, however, expressed his concern that this achievement might be affected by the large power plants.

'The rivers in Kalapara are a large sanctuary for hilsa, not only in Bangladesh but also in a global context. The power plants may leave serious negative impact on the hilsa production,' he said.

When contacted, the State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral resources Nasrul Hamid said they are making environmental impact assessment for every power plant they are setting up in Kalapara.

He, however, admitted that the government has not done any strategic environmental assessment in this region as the country's experts did not recommend it.

UNI MAZ SV 0922Modi likely to visit Nepal in second week of May

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to pay a state visit to Nepal in the second week of May, his third flight to Nepal after assuming office in 2014.Top government sources said PM Modi would land in Kathmandu after the Assembly elections in the Indian state of Karnataka. According to top officials, discussions are going on for scheduling the visit.NC CWC meet to resume today

The Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting of the Nepali Congress (NC) is to restart Sunday to review the party's recent elections results.Start your day with Sunrise, a roundup of B.C. news and opinions delivered straight to your inbox

Start your day with Sunrise, delivered straight to your inbox

Sign up now>Air France CEO threatens to resign if strikes continue, photo AFP

Staff and management at the French carrier have been locked in a dispute over pay since February.

Unions say workers deserve to benefit from years of belt-tightening that have returned the carrier to operating profitability, after seeing their wages effectively frozen since 2011.

Management says it cannot afford their demands of a 5.1 percent increase this year, saying it would undo the benefits of the restructuring efforts.

It is offering an increase of two percent for 2018, with another five percent staggered between 2019 and 2021.

Janaillac said he would circumvent the unions to put the proposals directly to staff in an online ballot.

"I will assume all the consequences of the result of this consultation," he said.

"My future is nothing compared to what is at stake for the future of Air France."

The strikes have chiefly affected short-haul flights.

The airline says the dispute has set it back by 220 million euros ($272 million).China's ZTE vows to fight US supplier ban, photo AFP

The decision announced by Washington this week has clouded prospects for the telecom and phone maker, which depends on US technology such as chips and the Android operating system for its mobile phones.

The tough sanctions come as the battle over technology takes centre stage in a US spat with China that has fanned fears of a trade war.

Washington has taken particular grievance with Beijing's "Made in China 2025" policy to harbour national champions in technology fields the US sees as critical to its future. In Beijing the action against ZTE will likely heighten fears about the reliance on US technology for critical industries.

The order "seriously endangers the survival of ZTE", the company said in a statement Friday, adding "we cannot accept it!"

The firm said it would "not give up its efforts to resolve the problems through communication and dialogue, but would also resolutely protect its legitimate rights and interests through all legally permitted methods".

The company has one or two months of stored component supplies before the ban will start to impact its business, investment bank CICC estimated in a research report cited by Beijing Business Today. ZTE has halted trading of its shares in Hong Kong and Shenzhen since Tuesday.

Washington's control of the company's fate -- with roughly 80,000 employees mostly based in southern China -- has stirred ire and angst in China, where officials prize stability.

"China will pay close attention to the development of the situation and stands ready to take the necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises," commerce ministry spokesman Gao Feng said Thursday.

"The US's actions are ostensibly aimed at China, but they will ultimately hurt the US itself. It will not only lose tens of thousands of jobs but also affect tonnes of related US companies," Gao said.

The options left at the company's disposal are unclear.

When introducing the export ban in Washington, a commerce department official told reporters there was no "off ramp" for the company to seek a reversal of the blockade.

The export ban followed a five-year US government probe into ZTE's evasion of sanctions on Iran and North Korea, first revealed in March 2016.

From January 2010 to March 2016, the company shipped $32 million of US cellular network equipment to Iran, and made 283 shipments of cellphones to North Korea, with the full knowledge of the highest levels of management, officials said.

The company pleaded guilty in March 2017 to unlawful exports and was hit with $1.2 billion in fines, the largest criminal penalty in US history in an export control case.

On Monday, Washington said ZTE had failed to follow through on pledges to punish staff responsible for illegal exports to Iran and North Korea.The EU and Mexico released a statement, about an "agreement in principle" over trade, from EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom (L), Mexico Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo Villarreal (R) (seen in 2017) and EU Agricultural Minister Phil Hogan. (Photo: AFP/Pedro Pardo)

Under the updated terms of the 2000 deal, "practically all bilateral trade in goods will now be duty-free, including in the agricultural sector," the European Commission, the EU's executive arm, said in a statement.

The move is seen as sending a strong signal to Trump who last year launched renegotiations of what he has previously referred to as Mexico's "cash cow" - the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

The US leader's threat to even axe NAFTA altogether if he is not happy with the new conditions has stoked tensions and uncertainty among signatories to the deal, which also include Canada.

The EU-Mexico agreement was reached after "months of intense negotiations, said a statement co-signed by EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom, her agriculture counterpart Phil Hogan, and Mexico's Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo Villarreal.

While some "technical issues" remained, Brussels said it expected to finalise the full legal text by the end of the year.

"In less than two years the EU and Mexico have delivered a deal fit for the economic and political challenges of the 21st century," said Malmstrom.

"Today's agreement also sends a strong message to other partners that it is possible to modernise existing trade relations when both partners share a clear belief in the merits of openness, and of free and fair trade."

The pact, which is modelled on a recently agreed trade deal between Brussels and Canada, will then need to be green-lighted by the bloc's 28 member states and the European Parliament.

On Wednesday, the EU unveiled plans to fast-track deals with Japan and Singapore, saying it was leading the defence of free trade in the face of US "protectionism".

"With this agreement, Mexico joins Canada, Japan and Singapore in the growing list of partners willing to work with the EU in defending open, fair and rules-based trade," European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said Saturday.

The deal guarantees Mexico easier access to EU agricultural goods including cheeses, milk powder, pork and chocolate.

It will also protect "340 distinctive European foods and drink products in Mexico" from imitation, Brussels said.

The pact also contains provisions to simplify custom proceedings, fight corruption and strengthen the Paris Agreement on climate change.

Since the deal was first signed in 2000, trade between the EU and Mexico has risen at a yearly rate of around 8 per cent per year, resulting in an overall increase of 148 per cent over that period, according to the European Commission.France's Kristina Mladenovic serves to Team USA's CoCo Vandeweghe during the Fed Cup semi-final between France and USA, on Apr 21, 2018 at the Arena stadium in Aix-en-Provence. (Photo: AFP/Boris Horvat)

The US, playing without Serena and Venus Williams, had taken a 1-0 lead in Aix-en-Provence after US Open champion Sloane Stephens defeated Pauline Parmentier 7-6 (7/3), 7-5.

However, world number 20 Mladenovic then shrugged off a back injury to come from a set down and defeat 16th-ranked Vandeweghe 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 to leave the semi-final delicately poised ahead of Sunday's two reverse singles and doubles rubber.

Mladenovic, who won all of her matches in February's first round victory over Belgium, looked dead and buried at a set and 3-0 down to the big-hitting American.

But the 24-year-old Frenchwoman hauled herself back to 3-3 and never looked back as Vandeweghe's game fell apart.

World number nine Stephens claimed her first win in the Fed Cup in two years but it was hard work against Parmentier, ranked a lowly 122 and only playing after seventh-ranked Caroline Garcia and number 35 Alize Cornet opted not to take part.

Parmentier had led 5-2 in the first set and had break points for a potential 5-3 advantage in the second before Stephens, fresh off her title run in Miami, battled back.

"That was a battle," admitted Stephens. "My first Fed Cup win in two years feels awesome."

France captain Yannick Noah admitted: "We could have been 2-0 ahead in the tie if things had gone differently."

In the other semi-final in Stuttgart, 10-time champions Czech Republic romped into a 2-0 lead over Germany.

Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, the world number 10, needed just over an hour for an emphatic 6-3, 6-2 win over 11th-ranked Julia Goerges.

Karolina Pliskova, the match's highest-ranked player at six, followed that up with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Angelique Kerber, a fellow former world number one.

"Nobody expected that," said Pliskova, who had been 3-7 in career meetings before Saturday against former Australian and US Open champion Kerber.

For Kvitova, it was a fifth win in six meetings with Georges.

The Czechs now look well set to continue their impressive recent Fed Cup form having won the title five times in the last seven years.

Germany have only beaten the Czechs once in eight meetings and that was back in 1987 in Vancouver.

Goerges will now be under pressure to win Sunday's opening rubber against Pliskova to save the Germans from defeat in their home semi.Nepal records BoP deficit of Rs24.7 billion

Outflow of funds from the countrys economy surpassed inflows by Rs24.7 billion in the first eight months of the current fiscal year, as countrys trade deficit widened by over 23 percent.Nepali-American wins globally acclaimed young-economist award

Parag Pathak, a young American economist of Nepali origin, has won the prestigious John Bates Clark Medal 2018 from the American Economic Association (AEA), bolstering his chances of becoming a Nobel laureate in future.Nepse surges by over 110 points

Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse) index gained a whooping 110.76 points to close at 1,388.31 points last week as investors remained hopeful that the market would take an upward trend due to the improving liquidity position of banks.James Cameron. Photo: Joshua Blanchard/Getty Images for AMC

While promoting his new documentary series AMC Visionaries: James Camerons Story of Science Fiction on Saturday morning, James Cameron expressed that he hopes people will finally get tired of Avengers movies so they can start getting tired of Avatar sequels. Im hoping were going to start getting Avenger fatigue, the Academy Award-winning director said. Not that I dont love the movies. Its just, come on, guys, there are other stories to tell besides, you know, hypogonadal males without families doing death-defying things for two hours and wrecking cities in the process. Yikes, I kind of think he might actually not love the movies.

But Cameron may just be tired of the constant flow of Hollywood films that rely heavily on CGI and ever-expanding cinematic universes, which is understandable. So, he decided to make four more Avatar movies and produce another Terminator reboot. Of the Avatar films, the director said, I found myself as a father of five, starting to think about what would an Avatar story be like if it was a family drama, if it was The Godfather. Well, the Navi would probably need to wear more hats and learn to make cannolis.No records of resources spent on officials foreign visits

Various ministries are spending lavishly from the state coffers in the name of foreign visits without studying the benefits, the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) has pointed out.Belgian's Gregory Wathelet won his first Longines Global Champions Tour title in three years with a dominant performance in Shanghai.

Starting in third place in a 12-horse jump-off, Wathelet knew he had to gamble if he wanted to have a shot at winning.

Gregory Wathelet and mare Coree win lone Asian leg of 16-stop circuit The Belgian last won a LGCT title in 2015 The London Knights triumph in the Global Champions League

"I knew I had to take all the risks and she jumped amazing," Wathelet said after clinching the jump-off on his 12-year-old grey Westphalian mare, Coree, with a clear round in 37.91 seconds.

Britain's Ben Maher and Explosion W finished second in 38.55 seconds, followed by Germany's Daniel Beusser with Tobago Z in 39.11 seconds, in front of a fashionable sellout crowd at the China Art Palace.

READ: Why equestrian sports are booming in China

Short turn

Head-to-head television pictures showing both Maher and Wathelet's rounds showed the 37-year-old Belgian took the lead with a sharp, short turn into the third fence.

"The turn to No. 3, I had a really good turn," said Wathelet, who started riding on his father's farm when he was eight years old.

Although he competed in his first regional show at the age of 16, he initially didn't want to take up riding professionally because he thought it would be too expensive. After it proved too hard to combine school with competing, he decided to give full-time riding a go when he 19, and has never looked back.

Wathelet's previous victory on the LGCT came at Chantilly in 2015 with Conrad de Hus.

His victory in Shanghai has earned him a spot in the inaugural Longines Global Champions Super Grand Prix, which will see the winners of each Tour leg competing against each other in Prague in December.

Smolders returns

The lone Asian stop of the 16-leg LGCT also marked the return to competition of defending overall champion Harrie Smolders and his stallion Don VHP Z.

It was solid start for the Dutchman, who finished sixth in the jump-off, almost two seconds slower than Wathelet as he took no risk with his tall stallion.

After events in Mexico City, Miami Beach and Shanghai, Britain's Scott Brash is leading the overall standings with 99 points, while Edwina Tops-Alexander of Australia and Deusser are both lying in second place with 72 points.

Brash and Tops-Alexander are both trying to become the first rider to win the overall title three times.

READ: Tops-Alexander returns from maternity leave with a win in Miami Beach

London Knights win team event

The third leg of the team competition was a nail-biter, with British riders Emily Moffitt and Ben Maher claiming the first win for London Knights by the tiniest of margins.

The Knights, who had been in the lead after the first round earlier in the week, won the Global Champions League event by 27 hundredths of a second ahead of Simon Delestre and Jerome Guery of the Monaco Aces. Roger-Yves Bost and Dayro Arroyave of the Chantilly Pegasus finished in third place.

"I'm feeling pretty awesome," Under-25 rider Moffit told the GCL website. "It's my first GCL this year and it's really exciting. I think it's even better as I'm [in a team] with my trainer, which brings extra excitement. The U25 riders are not expected to win, so this is really cool!"

Maher, who brought home the win as he raced across the finish line with his chestnut Explosion W, said: "We had a lead from round one -- I knew we had to jump clear and we managed to do it today."

Their win in Shanghai also handed the London Knights the joint lead in the overall standings alongside Valkenswaard United, with both teams tied at 62 points. Prague Lions are third with 52 points.

Asked about the inaugural $3 million GC Prague Play Offs in December, Maher said: "the prize money is huge this year, and there are a lot of good riders and horses, so we're trying to keep up with our ranking -- it's very important for us to make it to Prague."

He added: "It's a long season -- we have great horses, Emily is riding amazing so hopefully we have a good season."

After the first three legs took place in North America and Asia, the Global Champions circuit moves to Europe next month. The first of 12 European events will be hosted by Madrid between May 4 and 6. Other stops along the way include Paris, Monaco, Cannes, London and Rome.(CNN) -- The Alabama chapter of the NAACP is clashing with Gov. Kay Ivey over a campaign ad in which she celebrates the Memorial Preservation Act, a law she signed last May that critics say protects the state's Confederate monuments.

The group has denounced the campaign ad, saying Ivey shouldn't be proud of the act, or use it to get votes.

"We're upset about her using this campaign ad to attract voters to tell people why they should vote for her," said Benard Simelton, the president of the Alabama NAACP. The group spoke out against Ivey and the state legislature when the act was passed, he said, "but we weren't surprised, if you know what I'm saying."

The law's detractors have said it's a thinly veiled effort to protect Alabama's Confederate monuments at a time when other states and cities, like New Orleans, have moved to take theirs down.

'Politically correct nonsense'

Ivey's campaign released the ad on Tuesday.

"Up in Washington, they always know better," Ivey says at the opening of the ad, as images of different monuments across the state fade in and out. "Politically correct nonsense, I say."

Ivey says she's proud of signing the law, saying she stood up to "special interests" who wanted to take down monuments.

"We can't change or erase our history," Ivey says, "but here in Alabama, we know something Washington doesn't."

"To get where we're going means understanding where we've been."

Ivey -- who's only been in office for about a year, taking over after Gov. Robert Bentley's ouster -- signed the Memorial Preservation Act 11 months ago. The law stops local governments from removing, renaming or altering monuments, memorial streets and significant buildings that have been on public property for more than 40 years.

The bill also created the Committee on Alabama Monument Protection, which is responsible for giving the green light to proposed modifications to monuments or memorials.

Ivey's office said at the time that the law's goal was preserving history "for all generations to learn not only from our heroes and our greatest achievements, but to also ensure that we learn from our mistakes and our darkest hours."

According to a 2016 tally by the Southern Poverty Law Center, there are 48 Confederate monuments on public property throughout Alabama.

Ad includes memorial to battle for civil rights

At the time the bill was passed, state Sen. Hank Sanders, a Democrat from Selma, said it was "clearly" meant to protect Confederate memorials and monuments and honor the memory of white supremacists.

But the law's supporters have said it's inclusive to all monuments, not just Confederate ones. Ivey's campaign appears to try to illustrate this in the ad -- of the three monuments shown, one is a memorial and mural that sits near the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, commemorating the chapter of the civil rights struggle that unfolded there.

"She used that to try and say that (the act) is all-inclusive -- that she's preserving all monuments regardless of if it's African-American or the Confederacy," the NAACP's Simelton told CNN. "I think it's a travesty that she would use something like that and use that memorial and put it in the same ad with the Confederate monuments. That's two totally different things."

Alabama 'not moving forward,' critic says

Simelton told CNN the ad shows Ivey's "lack of concern for all Alabamians." The African-American community in Alabama wants to see those monuments taken down and put in a museum, instead of adorning public property.

"They don't represent this state," he said. "They don't represent this country or what we should stand for or what we should be standing for."

Reached for comment Friday, an Ivey campaign spokesperson told CNN, "Our ad highlights a law that was passed by the legislature and signed by the governor to protect all of our historical monuments. We can't -- and we shouldn't -- change, erase or tear down history. We should learn from all of it."

But Simelton says he doesn't believe leaving the Confederate monuments in place helps the state. Instead, it shows that Alabama is stuck in the past.

"It reflects that Alabama still is not moving forward to being an inclusive state," he said. "We are still trying to be a divisive state."

Simelton noted that the Alabama conference of the NAACP sent a letter to Ivey last August, asking her to denounce white supremacist groups in the wake of violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, and meet with the group to discuss forming a commission to examine race relations in the state. But her staff said she wasn't interested in meeting on that issue, Simelton said.

"The impression that I got was that she didn't think it was an issue in the state of Alabama," Simelton said.

The-CNN-Wire

 &  2018 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.Sangam Prasain is Business Editor at The Kathmandu Post, covering tourism, agriculture, mountaineering, aviation, infrastructure and other economic affairs. He joined The Kathmandu Post in October 2009.Rs 25 million goes in vain on Ranipokhari reconstruction

As many as Rs 25 million spent for reconstruction of the Ranipokhari temple, demolished in the earthquake, went in vain after the dispute emerged among the locals, Department of Archaeology, and Kathmandu Metropolis.Washington: The European Union and Mexico have announced a major update to their free trade pact signed nearly two decades ago, a development that will allow almost all goods, including agricultural products, to move between Europe and Mexico duty-free.

The deal, which has yet to be formally signed, is expected to increase trade in dairy, pork, services, digital goods and medicines between the economies. It will also give Mexico greater access to an advanced consumer market, as negotiations with the Trump administration over the modernisation of the North American Free Trade Agreement still appear to be on uncertain ground.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker says trade can and should be a win-win process. Credit:AP

And it sends a message to President Donald Trump that some of the United States' closest trading partners are moving ahead with deals of their own  potentially leaving US exporters on the losing end in foreign markets.

In its announcement, Mexico said the agreement would help modernise its commercial relationship.When Russell Stewart was in the dock admitting to causing the death of his wife, daughter and a family friend, members of the Exclusive Brethren church packed the public gallery.

The community was, according to one report, walking at his side as he dealt with the grief and guilt of crashing his ute near Dargaville, on New Zealand's North Island, after an afternoon of drinking alcohol at Baylys Beach.

His lawyers had left no stone unturned in scouring the earth for experts in the fields of neuroscience, car crashes and pathology to test the Crown's case that he had driven drunk, and carelessly, before crashing into a tree.

Russell Stewart admitted to causing the death of his wife, daughter and a family friend. Credit:NZ Police

The most serious charges were dropped. Stewart eventually pleaded guilty to careless driving causing death in relation to the deaths of Susanna, 48, and Sadie Stewart, 16, and James Wearmouth, 18 and was given a four month sentence of community detention.Dieppe: The mayor of a city in France's Normandy region says a 103-year-old nun known as the "White Angel" to allied soldiers injured during a failed World War II raid has died.

The city of Dieppe in Normandy said that a tribute to Sister Agnes-Marie Valois will be held on April 24 at the Canadian cemetery. The ceremony is set to be attended by Canada's ambassador to France.

Most of the soldiers killed or captured during the August 19, 1942 raid in Dieppe were Canadian, as were the troops the French nun and nurse cared for.

Sister Agnes-Marie Valois pictured in 2012. Credit:AP

Dieppe Mayor Nicolas Langlois says flags have been lowered to half-mast in the city to pay tribute to "a great lady of our history".The British Royal Family is a modern-day melting pot of pageantry, tradition, romance, fashion, celebrity and, of course, scandal. If you're a monarchist, or just a consumer of glossy mags, the House of Windsor is the perfect package. And I'm hooked.

1977 Wedgwood souvenir mug to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Credit:Alamy

For me, being pro-monarchy has always felt instinctual, rather than a deliberate choice. The royals first entered my consciousness in 1981, while I was shopping with my mother for shoes to match the canary yellow flower-girl dress I'd be wearing at my aunt's wedding. The sky was overcast and there was an added sense of haste that afternoon. Everyone wanted to get home in time to watch the wedding of Prince Charles to Lady Diana Spencer.

I scrapbooked it all  Charles and Di, then Andrew and Fergie. I just couldn't get enough. But despite this teenage ardour, I can't boast of a collection of royal memorabilia worthy of a current affairs story. You see, I discovered heavy metal and found the commemorative plates clashed with my posters of long-haired musicians and penchant for wearing black.

Nonetheless, my love for all things royal has endured. I've sobbed through every wedding, celebrated the birth of the future king with a high tea at home with my two-year-old (my second child shares a birth date with Prince George, you know) and applauded Prince Philip as one of the funniest and most un-PC buggers still breathing.New York: Stories are shared many ways. They are recounted in books and magazines. They are read aloud around the campfire at night. They are randomly dispensed from stand-alone kiosks, doled out on strips of paper like grocery store receipts.

Wait, what was that last one?

Leave it to the French, with their love of Voltaire and Simone de Beauvoir, to revive literature in the era of hot takes, fast news and smartphone addiction. Short Edition, a French community publisher of short-form literature, has installed more than 30 story dispensers in the United States in the past year to deliver fiction at the push of a button at restaurants and universities, government offices and transportation hubs.

Acustomer at Cafe Zoetrope in San Francisco reads one of the short stories served by Short Editions story dispenser.

Francis Ford Coppola, the film director and winemaker, liked the idea so much that he invested in the company and placed a dispenser at his Cafe Zoetrope in the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco. Last month public libraries in four cities  Philadelphia; Akron, Ohio; Wichita, Kansas; and Columbia, South Carolina  announced they would be installing them too. There is one on the campus at Penn State. A few can be found in downtown West Palm Beach, Florida. And Short Edition plans to announce more, including at Los Angeles International Airport.Three municipalities of Bhaktapur halt their works

Three municipalities of Bhaktapur district halted their services on Sunday protesting against the attack on Mayor of Madhyapur Thimi municipality, Madan Sundar Shrestha.Email To : Multiple e-mail addresses must be separated with a comma character(maximum 200 characters) Email To is required.

Your Full Name: (optional)

Your Email Address: Your Email Address is required.Survival Seminar May 7 at Marshall Co. Library

Advertisement

By West Kentucky Star Staff

Apr. 21, 2018 | BENTON, KY

By West Kentucky Star Staff Apr. 21, 2018 | 09:58 PM | BENTON, KY

Craig Caudill, Director of the Nature Reliance School and author of Extreme Wilderness Survival and Ultimate Wilderness Gear, will return to the Marshall County Public Library in Benton on Monday, May 7, for a Disaster Readiness and Preparedness program.



The workshop will cover the mindset, skills, techniques, and gear needed to deal with natural and man-made disasters. The goal is to give participants the ability to proactively take care of their needs rather than being reactionary under the stress of a disaster-related event.



We are excited to have Craig come back to the library for another program, says Lenisa Jones, Branch Manager of the Marshall County Public Library. Weve had him come out twice before  once for a survival workshop and again for a program on edible plants  and both were very informative and well-attended. Craig knows a lot about nature and survival, and hes great at communicating what he knows.



Caudill is a frequent contributor to TV outlets including Kentucky Afield, Kentucky Life, Tim Farmers Country Kitchen, area news shows, blog sites, and magazines, and is a popular educator on his YouTube channel.



The program will be held at 5:00 pm and will be free and open to the public. For more information on this program and other events taking place at the Marshall County Public Library, visit www.marshallcolibrary.org.AAA: Check vehicle battery before temperatures get too coldThank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.Iran's foreign minister warned that President Donald Trump's threats to pull out of the Iran nuclear agreement send a "very dangerous message" about the wisdom of negotiating a deal with the United States.

Speaking to reporters in New York, Mohammad Javad Zarif said the United States has failed to implement its side of the nuclear pact between Iran and six major powers. Under the deal, which went into force in January 2016 when President Barack Obama was still in office, Iran agreed to put limits on parts of its nuclear program in exchange for the termination of all nuclear-related sanctions.

"That's a very dangerous message to send to people of Iran, but also to the people of the world -- that you should never come to an agreement with the United States because at the end of the day, the operating principle of the United States is 'what's mine is mine, what's yours is negotiable,'" he said. "The situation is creating an impression globally that agreements don't matter."

Zarif, in town to attend meetings at the United Nations, said if Washington leaves the deal, Iran has many options to consider, including complaining through a dispute mechanism set up in the agreement, simply leaving the deal and restarting its nuclear activities, or more "drastic measures," which he declined to specify.

"We will make a decision based on our national security interests when the times comes," he said. "But whatever that decision will be, it won't be very pleasant to the United States."

Trump has been a vocal critic of the agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. In January, he decided to stick with the deal temporarily, but gave the Europeans a May 12 deadline to fix what he called its "terrible flaws."

Zarif made clear Iran had no intention of accepting new concessions.

Tehran maintains its nuclear program was peaceful, and Zarif said if Iran resumed its nuclear activities, it would not be for the purpose of developing a nuclear weapon. He noted that CIA Director Mike Pompeo recently said in testimony at his confirmation hearing to become secretary of state that Iran was not "racing towards a bomb."

"America never should have feared Iran producing a nuclear bomb, but we will pursue vigorously our nuclear enrichment. If they want to fear anything, it's up to them," Zarif said.

French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will both visit Washington in the next week, where they will try to convince Trump to remain in the deal. Zarif showed little optimism about such efforts, saying "to try to appease the President would be an exercise in futility."

"If the European countries want to preserve the deal they have to make it sustainable for Iran ... they need to impose pressure on the United States in order to compel the US, encourage the US to implement what it undertook under the deal," Zarif said. "Unfortunately, it hasn't been doing that."

The foreign minister accused the US of doing everything in its power to prevent Iran from engaging economically with the rest of the world, blocking Tehran from benefiting from the easing of sanctions under the deal.

"I don't think that a country that has been in breach for at least the last 15 months is in a position to make any new demands," he said.

Zarif also said it was "highly unlikely" that Iran would stay inside the agreement if the US effectively pulled out.

"It's very important for Iran to receive the benefits of the agreement," he said. "There's no way that Iran would do a one-sided implementation of it."

Zarif said that his country would be open to negotiations with the US over a prisoner swap if the Trump administration showed more respect toward Iran. In 2016, after months of secret talks between Iranian and US officials, Iran released four Americans in exchange for the US releasing seven Iranians in American jails.

Currently, five Americans are being held in Iran, including 81-year old Baquer Namazi, who is in failing health.

Zarif said many prisoners are being held in the US and elsewhere at Washington's request.

He also questioned claims by Western governments that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad launched a chemical weapons attack against the Damascus suburb of Douma earlier this month, saying there was insufficient evidence to reach such a conclusion. He defended the Iranian presence in Syria, but denied having any Iranian bases inside the country and said his nation's presence was limited to military advisers stationed inside Syrian bases.UTICA- The Masonic Care Community of New York unveiled a Master Plan for the Masonic Care Community Campus in Utica. Executive Director Robert Raffle said, As we celebrate the 125th Anniversary of this wonderful institution, we are looking forward to how we will take care of our residents.

On Saturday the Board of Trustees and local community members broke ground on a new project.

We are adding housing and a wellness center, said Jeffrey Williamson, Grand Master of Masonic. Its not only to help our brothers but also to help the community.

The Master Plan is to construct new housing on campus, update the Independent Living Community Acacia Village, implement a new child daycare, and make use of unused buildings.

Mayor Robert Palmieri told WKTV this is wonderful for the city.

The fact that they chose Utica New York is just a wonderful wonderful thing for us, said Palmieri. And that is the creation of jobs and quality of life.

The project is expected to start within the next year, and will roughly be finished by 2026. There is no set cost for the project yet.



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Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home pagePeople were shocked to learn that a Florida county commissioner was paying a married woman for sex twice a week, according to police.

The Hernando County Sheriffs Office said that one day, at approximately 6:00 p.m., deputies were called to a residence located at 4580 Tiburon Avenue in Spring Hill regarding a domestic disturbance.

The home is the primary residence of Hernando County Commissioner Nicholas Nicholson.

Upon arrival, deputies met with the female victim, Valerie Surette, 30, in the doorway of the residence.

The victim told deputies she had been involved in a heated verbal altercation with her husband, Kendel Surette, 33, and he threw a screwdriver at her, hitting her in the face.

Deputies noted that both the husband and wife had red, glassy eyes, and slurred speech, indicating they were under the influence of an unknown substance.

Physical evidence of domestic violence was present.

Kendel was placed under arrest for domestic battery.

During the investigation, information was obtained regarding allegations of additional criminal activity occurring within the residence.

As a result, the case was turned over to Hernando County Vice and Narcotics Unit.

A complete and thorough investigation was conducted by detectives in the Vice and Narcotics Unit, working in conjunction with Special Agents from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE).

The law enforcement investigators also maintained continuous communication and coordination with the State Attorneyas Office of the Fifth Judicial Circuit (SAO).

As result of the evidence in the case, the SAO has filed charges, which resulted in the arrest of 71-year-old Nicholson.

He was charged with own, establish, maintain, or operate any place, structure, building, or conveyance for the purpose of lewdness, assignation, or prostitution, and purchase the services of any person engaged in prostitution.

He was booked into jail and his bail has been set at $3,000.

Valerie told police that she worked as a stripper when she met Nicholson.

Nicholson offered her to move into his home in exchange for having sex.

Valerie and her husband moved into the commissioners home.

Nicholson paid Valerie $100 every Tuesday and $200 every Saturday in exchange for sex.

Valerie said that she felt like a sex slave.A man who terrorized people in his home country and was accused of rape and murder managed to get into the United States while seeking asylum.

51-year-old Mohammed Jabbateh, who has lived in East Lansdowne, Pennsylvania, for about 20 years, committed horrendous crimes during Liberiaas first civil war.

The war occurred between 1992 to 1995. Jabbateh and his family came to the U.S. in 1998. They applied for asylum and their request was granted.

According to prosecutors, during that time, Jabbateh, who was known as Jungle Jabbah, served as commander of a warring group.

He either personally committed horrific crimes or ordered acts such as rape, ritual cannibalism, mutilation, murder, and the use of child soldiers.

When his victims discovered that he was living in the United States, they alerted authorities and Jabbateh was arrested.

He was charged with two counts of fraud in immigration documents and two counts of perjury.

During the trial, about 24 people, including 17 Liberian victims, testified. According to the testimony, Jabbateh killed people and had their hearts cooked. He then fed the human meat to his fighters.

In one act of evil, Jabbateh ordered the killing of a man and his heart was removed. He then forced the wife of the towns chief to cook it.

He later killed the chief and ordered his widow to cook her husbands heart.

The defense attorney told the court that Jabbateh had been framed by accusers not because they had personal experiences with him but because of what group heas identified with.

However, Alain Werner, the director of Civitas-Maxima, a network of international lawyers which assisted prosecutors in the case, said that the victims had no reason to lie.

Jabbateh was ordered to serve 30 years in a U.S. prison. He will then be deported.After the Social Security Institute in Nicaragua (INSS) announced Tuesday a ruthless austerity package directed against the countrys pension system, the largest protests since the Sandinista Front for National Liberation (FSLN) returned to power in 2007 have erupted across the major cities, while the government of the long-time leader of the FSLN, Daniel Ortega, has called on its supporters, operatives and police apparatus to launch a Permanent Defense Mobilization.

The Nicaraguan branch of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) has recorded the deaths of 27 people, including a journalist, 43 disappearances, 20 detained, and dozens injured. These numbers have not been confirmed by the Red Cross. The FIDH is financed by the Ford Foundation and Open Society Foundation, tied to the US intelligence apparatus, but the Nicaraguan government has not countered this information.



On Sunday, as reports surfaced that police officials were being arrested for not complying with orders to repress demonstrators, Ortega announced that he was cancelling the pension reform and setting up a negotiation with the business chambers, the trade unions and the Church.

After government buildings, other infrastructure and FSLN headquarters were attacked, and some burned in Esteli and Managua on Friday night, the military was deployed in these two cities. The next day, in his first public address about the demonstrations, Ortega appeared next to military and police chiefs, appealed for reconciliation within the ruling class, defended tax exonerations for big business, and emphasized that FSLN has for decades been a bulwark of stability for bourgeois rule. Without referring to the repression or dead, he sought to sow fear, with warnings about a civil war, and criminalized protesters as agents of imperialism, gang members, drug traffickers and exterminators.

While reactionary organizations aligned with US imperialism are likely attempting to take advantage of the current crisis to exert pressure on the ruling clique, the demonstrations appear to be a genuine popular explosion against right-wing reforms demanded by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Initial protests on Wednesday were composed largely of pensioners and University students in the two largest cities of the country, Managua and Leon. Activists of the right-wing opposition, Broad Front for Democracy (FAD), have been rallying some demonstrations, clearly seeking to gain control of the protests. During the last two days, thousands more, mostly youth, have joined the wave of demonstrations in 11 other cities and several smaller towns. Students have been arrested and at least 37 people have been injured.

Starting on July 1, existing pensions are scheduled to fall 5 percent, while future pensions will be 12 percent lower. At the same time, the signed executive decree increases the social security contributions from workers and employers by 0.75 percent and 3.5 percent, respectively. Beyond denunciations by the bourgeois media and business chambers, these measures were not only suggested last year by the International Monetary Fund, but constitute a major diversion of income from the working class to the national ruling class and their imperialist bosses.

The FSLN political apparatus, including several media outlets controlled by the business clique around Ortega, the Sandinista Youth, all major trade unions, local government officials, and Catholic leaders, have organized concerts, demonstrations, and staged photo-ops in support of the INSS resolutions.

Moreover, videos from Managua posted on social media showed police pick-up trucks transporting groups of men wearing Sandinista youth t-shirts, who attacked demonstrators on Wednesday, targeting journalists. Similar incidents were reported in Leon and Masaya, while students barricaded themselves inside the Central American University (UCA) and the National Engineering University (UNI) to protect themselves against these pro-government shock groups and anti-riot police, who have used tear gas and rubber bullets against the demonstrators.

Vice-president Rosario Murillo, wife of Ortega, characterized the protesters as tiny groups that inflame and destabilize to destroy Nicaragua. The government suspended classes nationally on Friday, while the US embassy closed its offices and called on the forces of order to respect media and the rights of protesters.

On Friday afternoon, the international Western outlets celebrated that the local leader in Nueva Guinea, Francisca Ramirez, has called for peasants to march to Managua in protest of all of the reforms of laws in this country. Ramirez gained some fame internationally as the leader of the protests against the planned Inter-oceanic canal granted to the Chinese firm HKND.

In a dramatic about-face, the main business chambers and the all-powerful business council, Cosep, which have ruled the country hand-in-glove with the FSLN bureaucracy, have opposed the INSS measure and called for a lock-out by employers in the private sector on Monday, including a march for dialogue and peace in downtown Managua. So far, the only reported strike occurred on Friday afternoon by employees of the private bank Lafise.

In response, the government folded and announced talks with the Cosep about the INSS policies among other themes, with the business chambers calling on the weight of the funding to fall more heavily on the state finances and the workers.

All the major business chambers have used the increase of the quota required from employers to fund INSS to threaten workers with mass firings or dropping them from the social security program, which could potentially end up undermining the INSS finances. Their interventions in the current political crisis reflect a growing feud within the ruling class, which is losing confidence in Ortegas ability to contain social unrest within the country, especially as they prepare much more sweeping attacks against the social rights of the working class.

Government officials and FSLN operatives have justified the pension cuts as a measure needed to expand elderly health care; however, a source with access to the INSS financial records told Confidencial that the institution was simply approaching bankruptcy.

On Thursday, a worker in Managua in contact with the WSWS reported a complete media blackout of the protests. Daniel Ortega ordered to close down four TV channels, she indicated, adding that many are joining the marches, with a genuine desire to resist the INSS measure and attacks against freedom of the press, but do so with hesitation regarding those organizing them.

At the same time, Nicaraguans are relying on social media to avoid the government blackout. In fact, on March 12, Rosario Murillo announced that she was discussing with the president of Congress measures to revise social media access in the country, indicating it was damaging the ability to live in harmony.

The FSLN first came to power in 1979 under a petit-bourgeois nationalist movement, including Castroite guerrillas. They were voted out in 1990 as the government began imposing IMF-austerity diktats. The Sandinistas, however, kept a significant amount of control over the state bureaucracy and military during the following decade. Since returning to power in 2007, the self-proclaimed socialist government has only deepened the exploitation of the Nicaraguan working class as cheap-labor platform largely for US imperialism, diverting virtually all wealth back to investors abroad or the local client elite. The top 10 percent of the population receives as much income as almost the bottom 70 percent (ECLAC-UN Economic Commission for Latin America).

Close to 85 percent of the working population has incomes below the ECLAC threshold of four poverty linesinsufficient to keep out of poverty an average-sized household. This measure has remained constant since at least 2002. Moreover, since 2008, inequality has increased rapidly.

Central Bank of Nicaragua figures show that the percentage of economic participation (above 15 years old) jumped from 52 percent in 2009 to almost 75 percent in 2016, amid a demographic boom nearly doubling the overall working population and more than doubling foreign investments. Despite such a large growth of potential contributors to INSS, the INSS fund turned a $7.5 million surplus in 2012 to a $75.8 million deficit in 2017, which suggests that, proportionately, workers are being excluded more from the health care and pension system. Some analysts also suggest deliberate mismanagement and corrupt investments to favor the ruling clique around Ortega.

The Ortega faction of the ruling class has been compelled to deepen its austerity measures to repay interest payments that are growing about 20 percent each year and to counter the loss of Venezuelan aid in recent years. For this, it has turned more decisively to set up a police-state dictatorship to suppress growing social opposition.

Nonetheless, just like the local business chambers, US imperialism is threatening to end their tolerance of the corrupt FSLN bureaucracy, particularly by keeping under consideration the Nicaragua Investment Conditionality Act in the US Congress, which could end Managuas credit access from international financial institutions. Moreover, as the Trump administration pursues a more aggressive military and economic confrontation against its current major rivals, Russia and China, Washingtons pressure seeks to force the FSLN government to cut its growing ties to Moscow and Beijing or to install a regime that will.(CNN) -- Nashville police are asking residents to lock their doors and stay alert after a seminude gunman killed four people at an area Waffle House.

"Keep your doors locked, keep your eyes open. If you see this individual -- if you see a nude guy walking around this morning -- call the police department immediately," Metro Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron said.

Police are asking for the public's help in finding suspect 29-year-old Travis Reinking of Morton, Illinois. Authorities said the gunman arrived in a vehicle registered to Reinking, though the gunman was last seen walking away from the scene naked.

The melee started around 3:23 a.m. (4:23 a.m. ET) in Antioch, southeast of Nashville.

After sitting in the truck for a few minutes, the gunman came out wielding an "assault-type rifle" and fatally shot two people outside the Waffle House, police said.

"He then went inside the restaurant (and) continued firing," Aaron said.

Some witnesses suffered cuts on their faces from shattered windows. Two more victims inside the restaurant were fatally shot.

The carnage stopped only because of the heroics of a customer who heard the gunshots and hid near the restaurant's bathrooms.

Police said the customer monitored the gunman's moves from afar and leaped into action when he saw an opportunity to stop him.

"He saw the gunman looking at his rifle. At that point, the shots had stopped. So he decided to rush the gunman, actually wrestled that assault rifle away, tossed it over the counter. At that point, the gunman then fled," Aaron said.

"He is the hero here, and no doubt he saved many lives by wrestling the gun away and then tossing it over the counter, and prompting the man to leave."

Police said the assailant shed his jacket and fled on foot. Later Sunday morning, he apparently "clothed himself with a pair of pants," Aaron said.

"A man believed to be Travis Reinking was last seen in a wood line near Discovery at Mountain View Apts. on Mountain Springs Drive near the Waffle House," police tweeted. "The man was seen wearing black pants and no shirt."

So far, the motive for the shooting appears to be random, police said.

CNN's Janet DiGiacomo and Amanda Jackson contributed to this report.

TM &  2018 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - Saturday was Healthy Kids Day across the United States for the YMCA.

The Vigo County YMCA participated by hosting a celebration.

Vendors and organizations from the community spoke to families. All about wasy to keep kids healthy and active during the summer.

Organizers say events like these are important to keep the community engaged.

"I enjoy seeing how willing the community is to come out and help us promote healthy kids. How much our community really believes in healthy kids and promoting healthy families," said Ali Weber, Vigo County YMCA youth assistant director.

If you missed Saturday's event, don't worry.

Next weekend the Clay County YMCA will host their own Healthy Kids day.

The event will be held on Saturday April 28 beginning at 10 a.m.The Denver Post has been tough on Mayor Michael Hancock.

The paper's editorial staff said he's guilty of an "incredible breach of public trust" after he admitted to sending lewd text messages to a female police detective assigned to protect him.

But now Hancock is arguing the Denver Post must be saved.

He is decrying years of job cuts that have forced The Post to scale back news coverage. He's asking: "What can we do, as a government, to save The Denver Post?"

The newspaper "is a responsible, objective medium here in our city," Hancock told CNN's Brian Stelter on "Reliable Sources" Sunday. "We've got to believe that it's important for democracy, and for those of us who depend on getting good information in our city, that it survives. And I believe that to my core."

Like what has happened at many newspapers, The Denver Post's staff has been greatly reduced in recent years. The latest round of layoffs left about 70 journalists to cover a metro area of 2.8 million people and a state with 5.6 million.

Related: New York Times top editor on journalism's 'biggest crisis'

In response, The Denver Post railed against its owner, New York-based hedge fund Alden Global Capital, in a series of editorials. "[I]f Alden isn't willing to do good journalism here, it should sell The Post to owners who will," one piece read.

The paper's plight has caught the attention of concerned citizens. Together for Colorado Springs, a civics group, recently began corralling investors from around the state for an effort to purchase The Denver Post. At least $10 million has been pledged, but the group recognizes millions more will be needed.

Mayor Hancock hinted Sunday that the local government may step in to help.

"We move in and work with entities, institutions, private businesses everyday, to try to keep them in the city because this is about jobs. It's about an industry that is very important," he said, adding that he'd "love" to see The Denver Post sold to "responsible owners."

But it's unclear if Alden Global Capital would be willing to sell the paper or how much the firm would demand. Alden Global Capital didn't return messages from CNN.

"My hope is that [The Denver Post] survives, but I'm going to tell you it doesn't look like there's much of a lifeline for papers like the Denver Post," Hancock said.YALOBUSHA COUNTY, Miss. (WTVA) - A man from Water Valley is accused of mailing drugs from Seattle to his hometown.

Yalobusha County Sheriff Lance Humphreys confirms 34-year-old Devin Nicholson flew to Seattle and purchased 13 pounds of weed, pills and THC oil.

Nicholson is accused of shipping the drugs back to Water Valley this week. Humphreys says the drugs arrived Thursday around 3 p.m.

The U.S. Postal Service contacted the Yalobusha County Sheriff's Department. Nicholson was arrested Friday morning.

He's charged with trafficking a controlled substance. More charge are pending.

Humphreys says five pounds of marijuana is still in transit.LEHIGH ACRES, Fla. (AP) - A 22-year-old has been found guilty of killing his aunt, her pregnant daughter and her boyfriend at their Florida home.

Prosecutors say Brian Hyde used a machete to murder his aunt Dorla Pitts, 37, her daughter Starlette Pitts, 17, and her daughter's boyfriend, Michael Deon Kelly Jr., 19 in their Lehigh Acres home in 2015. Starlette was six months pregnant so prosecutors added the additional murder charge for her unborn child.

Authorities pulled over Hyde for driving erratically in his aunt's car.

A jury deliberated for nearly three hours Friday before finding Hyde guilty of four counts of second-degree murder.

He will be sentenced June 11th. Hyde faces life in prison when he is sentenced.

(Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)LEON COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - Sheriff Walt McNeil held his Sausage with the Sheriff event at Bradley's Country Store.

Guests were able to meet with the Sheriff and deputies just to chat, but also to discuss community issues.

"Just one example of how we can bring communities together around, in this case around sausage," said McNeil. "We can all fellowship and then become friends and become what we like to call a community that's connected which means were all working towards the same goals and outcomes and just a better Leon County, a better Tallahassee."

The Sheriff also said he wants the citizens to understand the community is a big part of what they do and working together helps make Leon County a safer place to live and work.1. Yes. There should be absolute certainty that the election was free and fair.

2. Yes. The audit could and should lead to stronger laws governing elections in the state.

3. No. Former President Trump wants the audit to further cast doubt on the 2020 vote.

4. No. Its a waste of money, an attempt by Abbott to gain favor among Trump backers.

5. Unsure. It seems unnecessary but it may provide some worthwhile findings.

Vote

View Resultsby Carina Lopez

MEXICO CITY, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The rush hour in Mexico City can last up to 12 hours, so top executives and government officials with deep pockets and tight schedules have long taken to the skies to get from one part of the town to another.

A few weeks ago, helicopter-hailing service provider Voom entered the local market, offering "low cost" airlifts to practically anyone who is pressed for time.

One-way fare ranges from 2,500 pesos (about 135 U.S. dollars) to 4,000 pesos (about 217 U.S. dollars), depending on the distance and other services like luggage transportation.

"Voom is the first on-demand helicopter reservations platform in the world that is accessibly priced, up to 80 percent less than other traditional helicopter services," the company's founder and executive director Uma Subramanian told Xinhua.

The company, which has just celebrated its first year of operations in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo, where it has served 3,000 passengers, launched out of Silicon Valley in 2016 as part of an Airbus innovation project. Earlier this year, it joined Airbus Helicopters as part of its expansion plan.

"We believe that with helicopters and existing technology, today we can offer an alternative to land transportation," said Subramanian.

"We're looking to offer urban air transportation so clients can get around quicker inside cities," she added.

The service is similar to land-based ride-hailing apps: one registers on the website and Voom connects him or her with authorized helicopter operators which maintain aircraft and heliports.

"Voom only works with the best operators in Mexico, like Pegaso and ASEA, which put five helicopters at the service of users," said Subramanian.

Users can reserve their rides up to a week ahead of time. Thursdays and Fridays are the most popular days to fly, according to the company.

The company plans to offer sightseeing flights as well, but for now it offers rides between different key points in the capital and the metropolitan area, such as the main international airport and a smaller international airport in Toluca, capital of the State of Mexico.

Alfredo Weitzner, who is constantly taking business trips, is one of Voom's frequent fliers.

"Whenever you fly you have to arrive hours earlier. With Voom, the benefit is that you're guaranteed to arrive on time for your flight," said Weitzner, an investment fund manager.

The service has helped him lower his levels of stress, he said, since he no longer worries about whether or not he will catch his flight.

According to experts, the next decade will witness the largest ever migration from rural areas to urban centers, meaning Mexico City and others like it will see worse traffic congestion.

Traffic jams cost local economies millions of dollars each year over lost productivity, as well as pollution and health issues.Hu Sishe (L2), vice-chair of Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, attends a press conference on April 20, 2018 in Trier, a city in western Germany, which will host a 3-month long exhibition series themed "Meet with China". starting from June 1. (Xinhua/Shen Zhonghao)

TRIER, Germany, April 20 (Xinhua) -- In the Western German city of Trier, the great thinker Karl Marx's hometown, people will have opportunity to stay close to exhibition series themed "Meet with China" from June 1 on, experiencing fascinating diverse Chinese culture.

Organized by Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), Directorate General of Cultural Heritage of State Rhineland-Palatinate and Association of German-Chinese Societies (AGDC), the monthly changing exhibition series will lively display local culture as well as social development of seven Chinese provinces and cities including Jiangxi, Shandong, Yunnan and Beijing, etc. with a variety of forms such as photos, videos and live shows.

Not only beautiful sights, but also cultural elements of Chinese characters like Confucius and author Lu Xun will be presented amid the exhibition, the vice-chair of the CPAFFC Hu Sishe told Xinhua at a press conference held Friday in the Forum Baths of Trier, a ruin of a Roman bath as location of the three-month exhibition series.

"In Germany, we haven't ever had any exhibition series from China in that density and diversity," said Kurt Karst, Chairman of AGDC.

We believed that visitors from near and far would marvel at the cultural diversity and beauties of China from June to September in Trier, he added.Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-22 02:49:50|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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RAMADI, Iraq, April 21 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi artillery carried out bombardment on the positions of Islamic State (IS) militants inside Syria near the border, Iraqi officials said Saturday.

Ahmed al-Mahalawi, mayor of the city of al-Qaim, some 400 km west of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, told Xinhua "the artillery of the Army's 8th Division stationed in al-Qaim is conducting almost daily bombardment on targets of the terrorist Daesh (IS group) on the Syrian side near the Iraqi border."

Mahalawi identified IS targets as positions and movement of the extremist militants, which were spotted by the Iraqi military units deployed on the Iraqi border with Syria.

An army's Lieutenant Colonel in al-Qaim confirmed to Xinhua that the Iraqi artillery near the border line with Syria "are shelling IS positions inside Syria from time to time when the extremist militants try to approach Iraqi forces deployed near the border."

The comments of the two officials came two days after the Iraqi air force carried out airstrikes on positions of IS militants inside Syria near the border.

A statement issued Thursday by the office of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who is also the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi forces, said the airstrikes were conducted to protect the Iraqi forces near the border with Syria in western Iraq.

"Such airstrikes would help accelerate the elimination of IS gangs in the (Middle East) region after we have eliminated them inside Iraq," the statement added.

Previously, the Iraqi air force carried out such preemptive airstrikes against IS militants inside Syria with Iraqi F-16 fighter jets.

On Dec. 9, 2017, Abadi officially declared full liberation of Iraq from IS militants after Iraqi forces recaptured all the areas once seized by the extremist group.Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-22 03:59:59|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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CHICAGO, April 21 (Xinhua) -- Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) agricultural commodities closed lower over the trading week which ended April 20, mostly on improved weather forecast and investors' technical selling.

The most active corn contract for July delivery fell 9.75 cents weekly, or 2.52 percent, to 3.765 dollars per bushel. July wheat delivery dropped 9.25 cents, or 1.96 percent, to 4.6325 dollars per bushel. July soybeans went down 14 cents, or 1.33 percent, to 10.5425 dollars per bushel over the week.

CBOT corn futures fell nearly 10 cents amid improved central U.S. weather. Analysts suggest that on a nationwide basis, planting dates correlate poorly with yield potential. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's climate update this week also suggests normal weather is most likely continuing into July.

However, the structure of world feed grain markets has changed enough to keep breaks shallow and short lived. Ethanol margins remain elevated, barley and feed wheat prices rest at multi-year highs.

Wheat futures fell as U.S. Plains sees a moderate boost in soil moisture this weekend. U.S. export demand is disappointing, and on rallies the United States' position in the world market only worsens.

This weekend' s rainfall won' t materially affect hard red wheat production after 5 months of dire drought. And assuming trend yields, major exporter stocks fall noticeably in 2018 while world wheat trade is expected to grow amid improved emerging market economic growth and a lack of new Northern Hemisphere wheat acreage expansion.

Russia may produce another big crop, but between now and July a heavier burden is being placed on mother nature relative to recent years. Longer term price trends are turning more bullish of wheat and sales are only advised on supply driven rallies.

Soybean traded lower through the week on large U.S. cash market supplies and a weak Brazilian real. Chinese demand is largely focused on Brazil, and U.S. sales and shipments remain seasonally slow.

However, domestic crush demand remains exceptionally robust, and National Oilseed Processors Association reported a record large March crush rate. Similarly strong margins have held through April, while weekly soybean meal exports remain strong.

Slow export demand, strong domestic demand, and delayed corn and spring wheat planting is expected to keep soybean futures in a wide range.Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-22 07:28:27|Editor: ZD

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Workers have lunch inside a tent on the Kubuqi Desert in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, April 20, 2018. Thousands of workers devote themselves into the desertification control of Kubuqi Desert in April and May every year, when they live on the desert, plant trees and set obstacles to fix the sand. By far, 25 percent of the Kubuqi Desert has gotten rid of desertification. (Xinhua/Liu Lei)Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-22 08:42:49|Editor: Chengcheng

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The owners hold their cats at the 1st Discover Dogs-All about Cats exhibition in Thessaloniki, Greece, April 21, 2018. The two-day exhibition kicked off here on Saturday. (Xinhua/Dimitris Tosidis)Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-22 08:02:58|Editor: Chengcheng

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A militant surrenders his weapon to government following security forces operation in Dera Bugti, Pakistan, on April 21, 2018. At least five terrorists were killed and heavy amount of weapon and explosives recovered during a search operation conducted by security forces in Dera Bugti area of southwest Pakistan's Balochistan province on Saturday, local media reported. (Xinhua)Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-22 08:40:41|Editor: ZD

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Manchester United's Romelu Lukaku celebrates winning the FA Cup semi-final between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley Stadium in London, Britain on April 21, 2018. Manchester United won 2-1 and advanced to the final. (Xinhua/Tim Ireland)

LONDON, April 21 (Xinhua) -- Ander Herrera scored the winner as Manchester United advanced into a record-equalling 20th FA Cup final at the expense of Tottenham at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.

Spurs suffered their eighth successive defeat in the FA Cup semifinals and left manager Mauricio Pochettino to continue to wait for his first trophy in the north London club.

England forward Dele Alli put Tottenham ahead after only 11 minutes, sliding home a finish from Christian Eriksen's cross. Jose Mourinho's side levelled on 24 minutes when Alexis Sanchez rose high to head Paul Pogba's cross past Spurs keeper Michel Vorm.

The former Arsenal striker created the winner in the 62nd minute, holding off Kieran Trippier and sending the ball into the box where Jesse Lingard set up Herrera for a low finish.

Mourinho, who lifted the League Cup and Europa League in his first season at Manchester United last term, was delighted after the match, "We deserve it. If we split the match into periods we were the best team for many of these periods. Even when they had the ball when we were winning we were totally in control."

Pochettino said, "I think every defeat is bad. It's difficult to accept but of course we are disappointed we are out and cannot achieve the final.

"We competed but not enough to win. We dominated the first half and were much better than Manchester United.

"To win a trophy when you face a side like Manchester United, Chelsea or Manchester City is not easy. But the most important thing is we are able to compete."

Manchester United will fight for the FA Cup title against the winner of the other semifinal between Chelsea and Southampton, which will be played on Sunday.LUSAKA, April 21 (Xinhua) -- The Zambian government has urged the World Bank to help it deal with the illicit financial flows in the country, a senior official said on Saturday.

The remarks were made by Minister of Finance Margaret Mwanakatwe when she attended the inaugural session of the 2018 World Bank/International Monetary Fund (IMF) Spring Meetings in Washington, the United States.

Mwanakatwe said that illicit financial flows were still a huge challenge for Zambia which needed concerted efforts to deal with.

"In order to eradicate the scourge, the World Bank must play a critical role in supporting the identification, tracking and prevention of infusion of illicit financial flows in local financial systems," she was quoted by a statement released by the Zambian Financial Ministry as saying.

Stakeholders have voiced their worries over illicit financial flows in Zambia, especially by multinational corporations and mining firms, which has deprived the southern African nation of the much needed funds for development.

Zambia loses about 3 billion U.S. dollars annually due to illicit financial flows, according to the Financial Intelligence Center, a government agency that tracks financial flows in the country.TRIPOLI, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Renewed tribal clashes in the southern Libyan city of Sabha killed one civilian and injured two others, military and medical sources said on Saturday.

The Sabha Medical Center said in a statement it received one dead and two wounded people, after receiving 11 injured people two days ago, including women and children.

A military source said that "the clashes renewed after militants of Tabu tribe fired indiscriminate shells on our headquarters, forcing us to fire back."

The source stressed that after the exchange of fire from both sides, the city is currently witnessing cautious calm with gunfire heard from time to time.

Sabha has been witnessing heavy clashes between rival tribes since February, which so far killed 10 people and injured more than 30 others, according to a medical report.

The clashes also displaced more than 200 families from their homes.

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya expressed concern on several occasions about the military escalation in Sabha, demanding to stop indiscriminate use of weapons in densely populated areas.Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-22 10:00:55|Editor: Xiang Bo

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CHENGDU, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Every day, villagers in Yibin County, southwest China's Sichuan Province, go into the hills to collect fallen leaves from camphor trees. The little leave has become their money spinner.

Fan Dechang, a resident of Hefeng Village, has hired several laborers to collect the leaves that have fallen from his over three-hectare camphor grove.

"Almost everyone in Hefeng is picking up camphor leaves," said Fan.

Fan made over 100,000 yuan (16,000 U.S. dollars) out of his grove last year. On average, villagers earned 14,000 yuan each from the leaves, and the total income it generated for the village was more than 10 million yuan last year.

Yang Jingwen used to be a migrant worker. One year he saved as much as possible and brought home 70,000 yuan, only to find his wife had earned more by collecting and selling leaves.

"I decided to stay at home after that," he said. Now his family can make more than 200,000 yuan from camphor leaves, or more exactly, the camphor oil contained in its leaves.

Camphor oil has been shown to be effective in the treatment of anxiety, acne, inflammation, muscular aches and pains. The oil can be extracted after distillation and rectification.

"The price for camphor oil has exceeded 120 yuan per kilo, I believe we will earn a good income this year," said Fan.

Not only Hefeng villagers, by nearby residents now all make a living thanks to camphor trees. Wu Shenkuan, from Qixing Village, earns 100 yuan a day by sweeping the leaves together, while Liu Zhengqin of Yuexi Village can make 120 yuan bagging them.

"I used to work away from home in Guangdong, now I can make enough money without leaving home," said Liu.

Yibin County was once covered with tea bushes, but due to low profits they were later replaced with camphor trees. Now the county has a total of 21,000 hectares of camphor groves, and produced over 10,000 tonnes of camphor oil last year, according to Wang Enping, chief engineer at the local forestry bureau. The total output value of the local camphor processing industry was 1.5 billion yuan in 2017, Wang added.

Song Tao, an official from the local government, said Yibin is introducing three enterprises to develop camphor oil products with higher added value.

"Only by moving up the camphor industry to high-quality development can local residents have a stable, long-term source of income," Song said.Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-22 11:56:07|Editor: Xiang Bo

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ASUNCION, April 21 (Xinhua) -- Paraguay will hold on Sunday its seventh general elections since the end of the dictatorship of Alfredo Stroessner in February 1989.

This election will bring an end to the five-year term of President Horacio Cartes from the conservative Colorado Party.

Paraguay, about 406,725 square kilometers in size, is the fourth least-populated country in South America, with a population of 6.95 million in 2017.

About 4,241,507 voters have been approved to cast ballots in the elections, including 2,163,150 men and 2,078,357 women. A further 38,170 overseas voters from Argentina, Brazil, the United States and Spain will also take part in the elections.

Voters will select a new president, a vice-president, 45 senators, 80 deputies and 17 governors. Seventeen departmental congresses and Paraguay's 18 envoys to the Mercosur Parliament will also be elected.

There are 10 candidates competing for the presidency. The leading two are Mario Abdo Benitez from the ruling party and Pedro Efrain Alegre from the Ganar Alliance.

The president-elect, whose tenure is five years, will assume office on Aug. 15.Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-22 12:16:10|Editor: ZD

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by Juan Limachi

LIMA, April 21 (Xinhua) -- After more than 500 years, Quechua, the language of Peru's ancient Inca civilization can again be heard in the halls of power, at least in the judicial branch.

Judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, clerks and other judicial officials in the Spanish-speaking country's capital Lima are taking a course in the indigenous Quechua language.

Judge Janet Tello Giraldi, president of the Commission for Vulnerable People's Access to Justice, inaugurated this week the first class, which was attended by 40 students selected out of a total of 700 who signed up.

The objective of the course "is for judges and those working in the judicial branch to learn this native language, and allow speakers of Quechua the right to justice," Tello told Xinhua.

During the early years of the Spanish conquest of Peru, the language of the indigenous population was commonly heard in legal cases as written testimony of the times show. But as Spanish became the dominant language, Quechua was slowly phased out.

Today, nearly 4 million Peruvians primarily speak Quechua. Most live in remote or marginalized areas, and those who need recourse to the legal system are often at a disadvantage due to the language barrier.

"We are going to need resources and political will to make this (knowledge of Quechua) understood as a real necessity in the use of legal services," said Tello.

For now, the training program is set to continue through 2021.

"We are already planning a second group, but it definitely won't accommodate the 700 people who signed up," she said.

In the first class, students, ranging from elderly judges to young clerks, learned basic phrases, including "What's your name?" (Imataq sutiki?).

The new initiative provides two fundamental human rights, said Tello, "the right to speak your mother tongue and the right to justice."

The beginner's course comprises 16 sessions over a two-month period, that will be followed by the next level and so on.

Student and Senior Judge Jorge Castaneda, who has more than 30 years of experience in the judicial system, said he has seen hundreds of indigenous plaintiffs and defendants over the years who struggled with the language barrier.

"Peru is a Quechua-speaking country, but regrettably, since the domination of the Spanish, we have forgotten our mother tongue," said Castaneda.

"As a judge, I have the obligation to know Quechua in order to understand and explain to people who come to the judicial branch, whether as plaintiffs or defendants," he said.

The course should be provided to higher courts across the country, he added.

"Firstly, speaking Quechua allows you to learn about the pain and suffering of the different sides (in a case), and secondly, the (Quechua-speaking) side that approaches the judge is going to have the confidence to explain his problem," said Castaneda.

Peru's Quechua-speaking communities are concentrated in the regions of Ayacucho, Apurimac, Cusco, Cajamarca, La Libertad, Huancavelica, Huanuco, Junin, San Martin and in Lima's more populous neighborhoods, home to many rural inhabitants who have migrated to the city.

The course is being taught by professor Raul Cisneros, a native Quechua speaker who studied languages and literature at Ayacucho's University of San Cristobal de Huamanga, and who exclusively spoke Quechua until his family moved and enrolled him in a public school at age nine.

Cisneros said he remembers that during Peru's years of political turmoil in the 1980s and 1990s, Quechua speakers who had been victims of violence and sought justice were often revictimized by a system that simply did not understand them and didn't try to.

Teaching Quechua "is a way for us to provide ourselves justice," said Cisneros, who also gives classes to the general public at a cultural center in Lima.

Cisneros and his students agree the course reflects a new awareness in Peru of the importance of valuing its cultural heritage and ancestral roots.Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-22 13:03:33|Editor: ZD

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Photo taken on April 21, 2018 shows the annual Flower Parade in Lisse, the Netherlands. Twenty huge flower floats travelled on Saturday along a 42-kilometer route from Noordwijk to Haarlemb during the event, attracting over one million visitors from Holland and abroad. (Xinhua/Ye Pingfan)HAVANA, April 21 (Xinhua) -- Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel met his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolas Maduro, on Saturday in his first public event after being elected president.

Maduro, who arrived in Havana on Friday night, received military honors at the Palace of the Revolution, with the two presidents then meeting in private.

Maduro was accompanied by Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza, vice-president for social development and Minister of Education Elias Jaua, as well as Oil and Energy Minister Manuel Quevedo.

Speaking to the press, the Venezuelan president said he had come to Cuba to "renew hope and shared dreams" after Diaz-Canel's election last Thursday.

"We must aim for the future, especially by looking 10 years ahead and laying out what can be done, what is necessary for our peoples. We come to lay deep foundations of a political, spiritual, moral union and above all of an economic union," he said.

Maduro also indicated that he wanted to talk with the new Cuban president not only about the bilateral relationship, but also about the current situation of Latin America and the Caribbean.

"Our true independence in this century is going to rest on the possibility of us building a powerful economic union. That is what we are going to aim for with President Miguel Diaz-Canel," he said.

In addition, he assured that Raul Castro, who remains the first secretary of the Central Committee of the ruling Communist Party of Cuba, will "lead the vanguard, directing the battle."

Prior to meeting Diaz-Canel, Maduro paid tribute to the island's national hero Jose Marti, laying a flower wreath in the capital's Revolution Square.

This is Diaz-Canel's first public event after being elected president with 99.83 percent of the votes cast by the 604 deputies of the National Assembly.

In his speech, the new president said Cuba's foreign policy would remain the same and the new government would not make "concessions" against Cuba's sovereignty, nor accept any foreign conditions, especially from Washington.

On Monday, Bolivian President Evo Morales is set to arrive in Havana to personally congratulate Diaz-Canel and discuss issues of mutual interest.OTTAWA, April 21 (Xinhua) -- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Saturday welcomed the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) decision to suspend all nuclear testing as a move in the right direction, according to Canadian broadcast network CTV Saturday.

"A declaration of suspension of nuclear tests is better than a nuclear test. I think it's a sign that perhaps things are moving in the right direction," Trudeau said at the Liberal Party convention in the Canadian port city of Halifax.

"I certainly think this is a small, but incremental and perhaps very impactful step in the right direction. I look forward to the bilateral visits between North Korea (DPRK) and South Korea," Trudeau said.

DPRK leader Kim Jong Un announced early Saturday that his country will discontinue nuclear tests and testfiring intercontinental ballistic rockets from April 21, according to the KCNA, the DPRK's state broadcaster.

The announcement came before Kim's summits with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump, expected to be held in late May or early June.Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-22 14:56:32|Editor: ZD

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WASHINGTON, April 21 (Xinhua) -- Christine Lagarde, managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Saturday called on the United States and China to resolve trade tensions through rules-based multilateral institutions.

At a press conference after concluding a meeting of the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC), the IMF's policy setting committee, Lagarde said that the United States and China should work on the basis of free trade and within the framework of the rules-based multilateral institutions.

"It is important that as a global community we keep trade open and ensure that we work within the multilateral system. We have to make sure that if there are disputes, those disputes are resolved," said IMFC Chairman and Governor of the South African Reserve Bank Lesetja Kganyago.

Lagarde's advice came as U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Saturday that he was considering a trip to Beijing to discuss trade issues with his Chinese counterparts.

"I am not going to make any comment on the timing, nor do I have anything confirmed, but a trip is under consideration," Mnuchin told reporters.

The Trump administration has recently threatened to impose tariffs on up to 150 billion U.S. dollars of Chinese imports, while China has vowed to retaliate against U.S. exports if the Trump administration moves forward with the tariffs.

Unilateralism and trade protectionism will inevitably harm others without benefiting oneself as the global economy is deeply integrated, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said Thursday.

Citing a report from the Brookings Institution, Hua said a U.S.-China trade war would result in a loss of more than 2.1 million jobs in 2,700 U.S. counties.Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-22 15:16:34|Editor: Liangyu

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TAIYUAN, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Some 78 paintings of Buddha statues stolen from Tianlongshan Grottoes are currently on display in Taiyuan, capital of north China's Shanxi Province.

Construction began on Tianlongshan Grottoes, notable for its Buddhist statues, during the Northern Wei Dynasty (534-550). The site includes 25 caves built during five Chinese dynasties.

However, many valuable statues were stolen and smuggled overseas during wars or illegally sold in 1920s.

Using colored pencils or Chinese ink, Zhang Jinfeng, a 46-year-old painter, is trying to revive the lost glory of the Tianlongshan Grottoes through painting.

Zhang was born in a village near the grottoes, and as a child was told how beautiful the grottoes had been.

"I often visited the caves. Once, when I was about to leave, a ray of sunshine came into the cave, lighting up a broken Buddha statue. It was beautiful although damaged," he said. "I was moved and thought I should do something."

Over the past seven years, Zhang has drawn pictures of stolen Buddha statues based on photographs and videos he found online or in books, or from pictures taken by friends who visited the statues in overseas museums.

"The images in his paintings look like the real Buddha statues," said Wang Ding, curator of Taiyuan Museum of Art. Wang saw the paintings during a rural inspection and decided to help Zhang organize an exhibition.

"I hope to use my own methods to arouse public awareness of cultural relic protection," Zhang said.

China Cultural Relics Academy has estimated that over 10 million relics have been smuggled out of China since 1840 during wars or due to illegal sales.by Raul Menchaca

HAVANA, April 21 (Xinhua) -- The United States is closely monitoring events in Cuba, seeking to take advantage of the current transition of power to push a regime change, some prominent political scientists have said.

"They are stalking, like wild beasts, because they think this is a moment of weakness in which they can attack," said Luis Rene Fernandez, a research professor at the University of Havana's Center for United States and Hemispheric Studies.

On Thursday, Raul Castro, 86, finished two terms as Cuba's president, passing the baton to his successor Miguel Diaz-Canel.

While Castro will continue to help make key decisions, as the first secretary of the Central Committee of the ruling Communist Party of Cuba (PCC), he will no longer be involved in the day-to-day management of national affairs.

Washington sees the absence of the heavily symbolic Castro name as a window of opportunity, Fernandez told Xinhua, noting that alongside his legendary brother Fidel Castro, who died in 2016, Raul played a role in the historic 1959 Revolution, whereas Diaz-Canel had yet to be born.

"Fidel Castro is physically gone. They always thought that by killing him, the Cuban Revolution could disappear because he was evidently a factor of strength," the academic said.

Former U.S. president Thomas Jefferson once said Cuba "would be the best addition to the union," a phrase that reflects Washington's attitude towards the island, said Fernandez.

Cuba's new government, he said, faces the challenge of maintaining a strong Communist party, strengthening institutions and continuing economic reforms as it grapples with a more hardline U.S. administration.

Though Castro's government has taken many steps to modernize the economy, "much still remains to be done," said Fernandez, referring to guidelines designed to be implemented between 2016 and 2021.

The guidelines, approved in April 2011 by the sixth Congress of the PCC and updated in April 2016, include some 300 measures.

"We must be prepared to face a tougher U.S. (foreign) policy, whoever the president might be," he added.

Political scientist Enrique Ubieta, who runs a cultural website called "La Calle del Medio," agreed the great challenge for Cuba's new president is that he represents a departure from the founding fathers of the socialist state, yet Ubieta remains optimistic.

"The founding fathers will no longer be there, but we have their teachings. And the (Cuban) people are better prepared in regard to politics and culture, in addition to being more united," said Ubieta.

For Ubieta, little has changed in Washington's policy towards Cuba, or Latin America in general, with the 19th-century Monroe Doctrine of U.S. supremacy over the Americas still relevant today.

The Trump administration "revealed to us the strength of history, not only with the issue of the Monroe Doctrine, but with the falsification of concrete facts to create pretexts to attack us," said Ubieta, referring to an ongoing scuffle over the alleged "sonic" attacks against U.S. diplomatic personnel in Cuba.

In August 2017, there were reports that the U.S. and Canadian diplomats in Cuba had fallen ill in Havana back in late 2016. The United States later accused Cuba of committing unspecified health-related attacks.

"Washington's behavior has been the same for all Latin America," said Ubieta. "Only the internal unity forged by Fidel Castro will allow us to survive in the future."PUL-E-KHUMRI, Afghanistan, April 22 (Xinhua) -- At least one civilian was killed and four others injured as a roadside bomb struck their car outside Pul-e-Khumri, the capital of northern Baghlan province, on Sunday, a provincial police spokesman said.

"A mine planted by militants struck a car in Khawja Alwan area outside provincial capital Pul-e-Khumri city at around noon today, killing one civilian on the spot and wounding four others," Zabihullah Shija told Xinhua.

Without blaming any militant groups, the spokesman said that Taliban insurgents are active in the area.

Taliban militants who are largely relying on roadside and suicide bombings are yet to claim responsibility for the attack.

Earlier in the day, a suicide attack in Kabul claimed 10 lives and injured 56 others.Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-22 16:46:50|Editor: Liangyu

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Giant panda "Xingbao" eats in its enclosure in Qianlingshan Park in Guiyang, capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province, April 22, 2018. Two giant pandas "Haibang" and "Xingbao" that have returned from Japan and Spain respectively met the public Sunday at Qianlingshan Park in Guiyang. The pandas will stay in Guiyang for three years of "scientific education." (Xinhua/Ou Dongqu)

GUIYANG, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Two giant pandas, born in Japan and Spain respectively, meet the public in southwest China's Guizhou Province on Sunday.

The two males, Hai Bang and Xing Bao, are on display for the public at Qianlingshan Park in Guiyang, capital of Guizhou. Hai Bang and his twin were born in Japan in 2010, while Xing Bao was born in Spain in 2013.

Xing Bao remained low-key, while Hai Bang walked into the shade, shaking his head and twisting his body.

"This panda is so cute. Is he dancing?" said Wu Yuqi, a primary school student who viewed the pandas.

Li Da, head of the panda enclosure, said that shaking head and tail is a habit of Hai Bang whenever he is nervous or happy.

"As China has proposed the coordinated development of people and nature, bringing the pandas to Guiyang allow more Chinese to understand the importance of wildlife diversity," said Li.

He said the park has a 37-member team taking care of the pandas.BUJUMBURA, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Two people were killed and at least 35 others injured in a grenade explosion Saturday night in northern Burundi, a police spokesman said Sunday.

The grenade attack happened at a business center at Gasenyi village, in Gahombo district in Kayanza Province, Burundian Police Spokesman Pierre Nkurikiye told a press conference in Bujumbura, capital city of Burundi.

Three suspects have been arrested, he said, adding that further investigations are underway.Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-22 17:01:52|Editor: Yamei

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DOHA, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Qatar has reiterated its readiness to hold a dialogue with the Arab quartet to resolve the ongoing Gulf dispute, local media reported late Saturday.

The spokesperson for Qatar's Foreign Ministry Lulwah al-Khater said the Qatari participation in the "Gulf Shield Joint Exercise-1", which took place in Saudi Arabia, could be a new chance to resolve the rift with the neighboring Gulf countries, said Qatari newspaper Al-Sharq.

The report said, quoting al-Khater, "so far, we do not see any solution at the required level, but the defense ministry announced the presence of a Qatari military delegation in Saudi Arabia to participate in the drill."

Al-Khater also said it is difficult to predict the reaction of other Gulf countries in the coming days.

On April 19, the Qatari armed forces announced that it had participated in the "Gulf Shield Joint Exercise-1" in Saudi Arabia from March 21 to April 16.

In June 2017, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt cut diplomatic ties as well as all air, sea and land links to Qatar, accusing the gas-rich Gulf state of supporting terrorism and aligning with Iran against Arab interests.

Doha has repeatedly denied the accusations.Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-22 17:06:53|Editor: Yamei

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MACHAKOS, Kenya, April 22 (Xinhua) -- At least 15 people were killed and more than ten others injured in two separate accidents across Kenya early Sunday, the police said.

Eight passengers were killed and six others injured in an accident involving a matatu (minibus) and a truck along the Mombasa-Nairobi highway at Mwambi area in eastern Kenya.

Machakos divisional police commander Joseph Tenai said the driver lost control of the 14-seat matatu and rammed into the lorry. Tenai said six people died on the spot while two succumbed to injuries in hospital.

"The eight died after the matatu they were traveling in crashed into a stalled lorry at Mwambi area on the Mombasa-Nairobi highway at around 3 a.m.," he said.

In another accident, seven people died after a Probox they were traveling in was swept away by floods in Githabai, Kinangop in northwest Kenya following heavy rains that pounded several parts of the East African nation.

Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet said there is poor visibility on most roads occasioned by bad weather in most parts of the country.

"We are appealing to motorists to be extra cautious particularly during this period of heavy rains that is hampering visibility," Boinnet said on Sunday.Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-22 17:21:56|Editor: Yamei

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JERUSALEM, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Israeli forces arrested 15 Hamas operatives in the Israeli-occupied West Bank early on Sunday morning, the military said.

According to a statement released by the military, the men are among 19 Palestinians arrested in the Ramallah area and the southern West Bank overnight between Saturday and Sunday.

They were arrested after being in touch with Khaled al-Din Hamed, a Hamas operative from the Gaza Strip, and other seniors in the Islamist organization, the statement said.

The suspects "were instructed to carry out different missions on behalf of the Hamas terror organization. In addition, the terror operatives received funds in order to promote Hamas actions in the area of their residencies," it added.

As part of the operation, the forces closed a printing house where Hamas "inciting materials" were printed.

The exposure of these ties showed the "incessant attempts" made by the Gaza-based group to initiate "terror activity" in the West Bank, the statement said without further elaboration.

"By transferring funds, providing missions and incitement, Hamas jeopardizes the wellbeing of Palestinian residents," it said.

The raid came amidst a six-week protest in Gaza, known as the "Great March of Return" starting on March 30, and expected to peak on May 15, the day after the 70th anniversary of Israel's declaration of independence but marked by the Palestinians as the Nakba Day, or "Day of the Catastrophe."

Israel has reacted to the rallies with live fire, killing dozens of Palestinians and injuring thousands more over the past weeks.Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-22 17:31:57|Editor: Yamei

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BEIJING, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Made-in-China microchips have made remarkable progress in supporting the development of key industries, according to an official from the Ministry of Industry and Information.

China's integrated circuit (IC) industry production volume stood at 156.5 billion yuan (about 24.9 billion U.S. dollars) in 2017, while the market value of the industry has reached 541.1 billion yuan, Diao Shijing, in charge of electronic information division, said over the weekend.

Chinese-made chips for mobile devices account for more than one-fifth of the global market share.

Hangzhou C-SKY Microsystems, which was acquired by Alibaba Group on Friday, has sold about 600 million embedded CPU chips.

China has developed a large production capacity for financial IC card chips and a comprehensive technological system for chips in the Beidou navigation system.

The country's high-end design capacity is also improving. Domestic design industry market scale rose from 104.7 billion yuan in 2014 to 198 billion yuan in 2017, the second largest value in the world.

China was picking up speed in building advanced IC production lines, which has led to growth in supporting industries, including equipment and materials.

China has achieved "fruitful innovative achievements" in the research and development of photoelectronic devices, according to Zhu Ninghua, deputy head of the Institute of Semiconductors under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

"Technological breakthroughs have been made in high-end photoelectronic devices," he said, adding China has grasped key technologies of medium-and low-end photoelectronic devices.Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-22 18:12:02|Editor: Yamei

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TEHRAN, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Former Tehran Prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi was arrested over involvement in murder, official IRNA news agency reported on Sunday.

Mortazavi was arrested in a city of northern Iran's Mazandaran province, and will be transferred to Tehran's Evin prison, IRNA said, quoting the country's Judiciary.

He was suspended from his position as Tehran prosecutor in August 2010 over the death of three antigovernmental protesters in the Kahrizak detention center in southern Tehran.

In November 2017, he received a two-year sentence for being an "accomplice to murder" and "illegal detention" of a person in prison during Iran's 2009 protests over the results of presidential election.

However, Mortazavi remained free more than four months after he was sentenced to prison.

The judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei said that an arrest warrant had been issued for Mortazavi, but the authorities had not been successful in arresting him.by Shristi Kafle

KATHMANDU, April 22 (Xinhua) -- With the onset of spring season, over 346 mountaineers are attempting to climb the world's highest peak Qomolangma on May.

According to Nepal's Tourism Department, the official government body which issues climbing permits for the Qomolangma expedition, altogether 38 Nepali and foreign teams have taken the permits for expedition this year.

Dinesh Bhattarai, director general of the Tourism Department told Xinhua, "This year, 346 mountaineers from 38 teams have received permits for Qomolangma. Among them, four are Nepali teams with 20 members while the remaining are foreigners from different countries."

The number is likely to increase within next week as many climbers have been approaching the department for the permits, leading to a high possibility of tourism revival of the quake-shattered country.

The majority of climbers have already reached the Qomolangma base camp, a seven-day trek from the nearest airport, for acclimatization where they will spend at least one and a half months to reduce the risk of altitude sickness.

An expedition to the world's highest peak usually takes 75 to 90 days, while the climbing window is short, depending on favorable weather, and generally falls after mid-May.

Besides expedition, this is also the prime time when trekkers gather in the base camp and surrounding locations like Kalapatthar and Gokyo Lake. Moreover, the Qomolangma base camp also works as the base camp for neighboring peaks like Lhotse and Nuptse.

Thus, Qomolangma, known as Sagarmatha in Nepali, is likely to see a congestion this season as over 2,000 trekkers, porters, guides and mountain enthusiasts are gathering in the base camp. But the government claims that it should not be termed as a traffic jam.

"Everest (Qomolangma) is a lifetime experience for many so they gather and attempt (to climb it) in this spring season. The expedition period can go up to 90 days while not all climbers reach the top of the world on the same day, so it does not arouse the question of traffic jam as often portrayed," an official at the Department of Tourism told Xinhua.

In 2017, the department had issued climbing permits to 43 groups among which 445 climbers succeeded in making atop the 8,848-meter peak.

Qomolangma has not only been an identity of this least developed country but also a major source of revenue. According to the Nepali regulation, every foreigner needs to pay 11,000 U.S. dollars as royalty while a Nepali climber has to pay NRs 75,000 (710 U.S. dollars) to scale the mountain. Every climber has to pay separately for a Liaison officer appointed by the government.

With the beginning of Qomolangma season every year, the issues of competitions, records and safety also arise. The Nepali government says its sole priority is on safety of the climbers and it discourages making records.

"Safety is the first concern for which we try to make the expedition agency and climbers responsible. We have always stressed on the availability of enough oxygen bottles and life saving drugs before the expedition team leaves for Lukla, the gateway to Everest," said Bhattarai.

The expeditions are carried by both foreign and Nepali agencies, usually led by those who have already stood atop the mountain several times, often with some world records.

This year, a majority of climbers are from the United States, followed by India and China. Over 54 Chinese climbers including a double amputee are trying their luck this spring.

Nepal's high hopes on Qomolangma revived since 2016 after the expedition was halted for two consecutive years in 2014 and 2015 due to a massive avalanche killing 16 Sherpa guides and a 7.8 magnitude earthquake killed 19 people.

The spring season is not all about Mount Qomolangma but it is also the favorable season for several other mountains. Altogether 698 climbers will attempt to climb 22 mountains of the Himalayan country this spring, including Ambadablam, Lhoste, Kanchanjunga, Nuptse, Manaslu, Dhawalagiri and Annapurna among others.HARARE, April, 22 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe's public hospital nurses have called off their one-week strike to pave way for negotiations after some of them were fired by the government.

The state-run Sunday Mail newspaper on Sunday quoted the nurses association as urging its members to return to work on Monday as the "collective job action has been highly politicized".

The association said it had not been able to negotiate with its employer after the dismissals.

"It is highly regrettable that our cause of collective job action has been highly politicized. This has portrayed us in bad light," the Zimbabwe Nurses Association said in a statement.

The Zimbabwean government on April 17 fired all striking nurses at government hospitals, two days after the strike, saying the nurses had refused to accept its 17-millon-dollar offer to improve their pay.

The government also said the strike was politically motivated. It ordered the Health Services Board to recruit unemployed trained nurses as well as retired nurses below the age of 70 to replace those fired.

The nurses were demanding better pay and improved working conditions.

The Sunday Mail said contrary to reports that 16,000 nurses had been summarily dismissed by government after the strike, only 5,093 or 30 percent of the entire nursing workforce had been identified for dismissal.

The paper quoted health minister David Parirenyatwa as saying that normalcy had been restored in all government hospitals and recruitment in all provinces was underway.

The strike by the nurses came after a month-long strike by the doctors last month.Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-22 19:31:45|Editor: Liangyu

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A stamp hobbyist shows one of the special stamps "Dream of the Red Mansion III" in Huainan, east China's Anhui province, April 22, 2018. China Post released the third set of stamps featuring the literature Dream of the Red Mansion and its characters. The Dream of the Red Mansion, written by Cao Xueqin living in the 18th century, is regarded as one of the four most famous classical Chinese literary works. (Xinhua/Chen Bin)Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-22 19:57:20|Editor: pengying

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BAGHDAD, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Up to 36 Islamic State (IS) militants were killed in airstrikes by Iraqi air force targeting IS positions inside neighboring Syria, the Iraqi military said on Sunday.

Acting on intelligence reports, the Iraqi fighter jets pounded the terrorist IS positions, including a meeting site for some IS leaders, leaving 36 terrorists dead, a statement by the Iraqi Joint Operations Command said.Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-22 20:02:22|Editor: pengying

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Local residents check a damaged car near the site of a blast in Kabul, Afghanistan, on April 22, 2018. Up to 36 people have been confirmed dead and 60 others sustained injuries as militants targeted election-related activities for the upcoming elections in the insurgency-battered Afghanistan on Sunday. (Xinhua/Dai He)

KABUL, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Up to 36 people have been confirmed dead and 60 others sustained injuries as militants targeted election-related activities for the upcoming elections in the insurgency-battered Afghanistan on Sunday.

In the first attack which occurred in Dashti Barchi district of Kabul at around 10:00 a.m. local time (0530 GMT), 31 people, mostly civilians, were killed and 56 others injured, according to Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish and hospital sources.

Hundreds of people were lining up to obtain Tazkira or National Identity Card to vote in the upcoming parliamentary and district councils' elections slated for Oct. 20 when a suicide bomber blew himself up.

The first parliamentary election in the post-Taliban Afghanistan was held in 2005 while the second parliamentary polls took place in 2010.

The voter registration process started on April 14 for the next parliamentary polls.

The parliamentary votes, originally scheduled in early 2015 following the presidential election, have been repeatedly delayed.

The hardliner Islamic State (IS) group claimed responsibility for the deadly attack in Kabul, which has been widely condemned by Afghans as a coward terrorist attack and an attempt to sabotage the election process.

"The attack on the site of voters' registration here in Dashti Barchi area of Kabul is to sabotage the upcoming elections in the country," legislator Aref Rahmani told Xinhua.

In the northern Baghlan province, a roadside bombing killed five civilians and injured four others at around noon Sunday.

Anti-government militants have abducted three employees of the voters' registration service in the southern Ghor province and shot dead two guards of the registration site in the eastern Nangarhar province over the past week.NEW DELHI, April 22 (Xinhua) -- At least 14 armed rebels, popularly called Naxals, were killed in India's southwestern state of Maharashtra on Sunday, a senior district official said.

The operation against the rebels, which started at around 9:30 a.m. local time, was carried out by the Maharashtra Police in the Gadchiroli district's Bhamragarh area.

According to Shekhar Singh, district magistrate of Gadchiroli, the search and combing operation is still on in the area where the operation against the left-wing rebels was launched.

"A few of the policemen who carried out the operation received injuries, but there are no deaths (of cops)," added Singh.

"The process of pulling out the dead bodies of the Naxals from the forested area is on, and the final number of the dead would be known once the search and combing operation is finished."

The rebels say they are fighting for land rights for tribal people and the rural poor. The insurgency began in the eastern state of West Bengal in late 1960s.Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-22 20:42:27|Editor: Liangyu

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FUZHOU, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday called for fostering new driving forces through informatization, to promote new development and make new achievements.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in a congratulatory letter sent to the first Digital China Summit, which opened Sunday in Fuzhou, provincial capital of east China's Fujian Province.

Digitalization, networking and the application of intelligent technologies, which have been greatly developed, are playing more and more important roles in promoting social and economic development, modernizing China's governance system and capacity, and meeting the people's ever-growing needs for a better life, he said in the letter.

Xi noted that the summit will show China's latest achievements in developing e-governance and the digital economy.

It will also enable people to exchange experience and perspectives about building a digital China, and help further build consensus, he said.

The summit will stimulate the enthusiasm, initiative and creativity of all sectors of society to build a digital China, as well as make informatization bring more benefits to the society and the people, Xi said.

Xi's letter was read at the opening ceremony Sunday. Huang Kunming, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, addressed the ceremony.

Huang urged implementing Xi's strategic thought and instructions on building China into an Internet power.

He also urged achieving breakthroughs in core technologies, promoting the upgrade of infrastructure, developing the digital economy and benefiting more from data resources.

The summit, which will run for three days until April 24, is jointly held by the Cyberspace Administration of China, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and the Fujian provincial government.

About 800 people, including officials, representatives of industrial organizations and experts, are attending the summit.MANILA, April 22 (Xinhua) -- The Philippine state weather bureau PAGASA advised Filipinos on Sunday to stay indoor and hydrated as the country's heat index sizzled to over 41 degrees Celsius in at least 14 areas.

The bureau said the heat index rose past 41 degrees Celsius on Sunday. In Sangley Point in Cavite province, the bureau said heat index rose to a high of 47.7 degrees Centigrade.

The heat index is the measure of the temperature that a person feels, and is essentially the "apparent temperature" felt by the human body, which is computed by factoring in the humidity as well as the ambient dry bulb temperature.

The bureau's scale classifies heat index temperatures from 41 to 54 degrees centigrade as dangerous. It warns that at this level "heat cramps and heat exhaustion are likely" and that "heat stroke is probable with continued activity."

"Stay indoors as much as possible. If air conditioning is not available, stay on the lowest floor out of the sunshine," the bureau said in an advisory.

The bureau also urged Filipinos to wear lightweight and light-colored clothing, adding that light colours will reflect the sun's energy.

"Drink plenty of water regularly. The body needs water to keep cool," it said.

It also said that water is the safest liquid to drink during heat emergencies. "Avoid drinking liquor because it dehydrates the body," it said.

Moreover, the bureau urged Filipinos to eat small meals. "However, eat more often. Avoid eating foods high in protein which can increase metabolic heat," the bureau said.

March to May is the summer months in the Philippines and are classified as hot and dry. June to October is rainy, with the months between July and September characterized by typhoons.

November to February is the coolest months and a good time to visit the Philippines as far as weather is concerned.Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-22 21:12:35|Editor: pengying

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DOHA, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Qatari customs officers have seized 7 kg of hashish on Sunday at the Hamad International Airport, preventing drug entrance to Qatar, according to a report by local media.

The illicit drugs were found inside secret pockets of a bag that belongs to one Asian passenger, Qatar-based English newspaper "the peninsula" said.

According to the country's customs officers, the bag was designed to hide the drugs in a form that they looked like a part of the bag design.GENEVA, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Diamonds in a meteorite that exploded over Sudan in 2008 provide compelling evidence of a "lost planet" that once existed at least four billion years ago in our solar system, according to a press release from Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) on Sunday.

An international team of researchers from Switzerland, France and Germany examined a slice of a so-called Almahata Sitta meteorite which exploded over Sudan's Nubian Desert in 2008. The Almahata Sitta meteorites are mostly ureilites, a rare type of stony meteorite that often contains clusters of nano-sized diamonds.

The diamonds in the meteorite had chromite, phosphate, and iron-nickel sulfides embedded in them, known as "inclusions," the EPFL press release said. These have been known for a long time to exist inside diamonds found on Earth, but this is the first time that they have been encountered in an extra-terrestrial body.

It is thought that these tiny diamonds can form in three ways: enormous pressure shockwaves from high-energy collisions between the meteorite "parent body" and other space objects; deposition by chemical vapor; or the "normal" static pressure inside the parent body, like most diamonds on Earth.

The research team calculated that a pressure of 200,000 bar (2.9 million psi) would be needed to form the diamonds they studied, suggesting the mystery planet was as least as big as Mercury, possibly even Mars. It is thought that the early solar system once contained many more planets.

"Many planetary embryos were Mars-sized bodies, such as the one that collided with Earth to give rise to the Moon. Other of these went on to form larger planets, or collided with the Sun or were ejected from the solar system altogether," EPFL said. "This study provides convincing evidence that the ureilite parent body was one such large 'lost' planet before it was destroyed by collisions some 4.5 billion years ago."

The research has been published in Nature Communications.Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-22 21:42:40|Editor: pengying

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RAMALLAH, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian National Authority (PNA) denounced on Sunday the partial demolition of a printing press by Israeli forces near East Jerusalem earlier.

The Palestinian ministry of information accused Israel of "piracy that comes as part of incitement against press establishments that reached 18 in total during the past two years in the Palestinian territories."

The press owner, Rajaee Hamid, confirmed to journalists that "Israeli forces partially demolished Al-Safa Modern Print Press in Bet Anan village, northwest of Jerusalem, and seized its equipment."

Hamid added that the Israeli forces demolished the external wall of the building before storming into it and confiscating printers and computers worth thousands of U.S. dollars, then handed him a military order to shut down the press and ban it from working, effective immediately, noting that he was not notified before.

The information ministry statement called on "all bodies that defend freedom of press to protect media institutions and printing presses in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolution 2222."

Last week, Israeli defense minister Avigdor Liberman issued a decision to shut down the "Elia for Media" organization which is allegedly a "terrorist group association" in East Jerusalem.

He tweeted that "the organization appears to a social organization for youth, but, practically, it recruits terrorist activists and equips them to prepare inciting video and support terrorist actions."

The director of the media organization Ahmad Safadi denied the Israeli accusations and stressed that the organization solely works to develop youth capacity in the media sector. He accused Israel of silencing Palestinians.WASHINGTON, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Police are searching for a naked gunman after four people were shot dead and at least three wounded at a Waffle House in the southern U.S. state Tennessee early Sunday.

Two of those who died were fatally shot in the parking lot outside the restaurant near Nashville, and one inside, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said.

A fourth person died at the hospital, according to an ABC News report.

The vehicle that carried the shooter to the site is registered in the name of Travis Reinking, a 29-year-old man from Illinois, who is accordingly identified as the suspect, the police said.

"3 persons fatally shot & 4 others wounded at the Waffle House, 3571 Murfreesboro Pike. Gunman opened fire at 3:25 a.m. (0825 GMT)," the police tweeted earlier.

"A patron wrestled away the gunman's rifle. He was nude & fled on foot. He is a white man with short hair," the police tweeted.

The shooting took place less than two miles (about 3 km) from the mass shooting that killed one and wounded nine at an Antioch church during Sunday morning mass in September.LONDON, April 22 (Xinhua) -- A no-deal Brexit would be disastrous for the British food and drinks industry, a report by a committee of British lawmakers warned Sunday.

The House of Commons Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Committee said a free-trade agreement with the European Union (EU) is crucial for an industry employing 400,000 people in Britain, a third of them EU nationals.

The report comes as a front-page article in the Sunday Times in London claimed Prime Minister Theresa May's team has privately admitted she may have to accept permanent membership of a European customs union.

May has insisted that Britain will leave the common tariff area so it can pursue free trade deals outside the EU. But the Sunday Times says one of May's political team told a meeting that she and senior aides "will not be crying into our beer" if parliament forces the government's hand.

May's Brexit cabinet, made up of her most senior ministers, is to meet on Wednesday to discuss trade before finalising Britain's stance ahead of a crunch EU summit on June 29.

In its report the BEIS committee says the government is almost out of time to negotiate an orderly trade system after the Brexit transition, risking a significant impact on consumers, businesses and workers in the processed food and drink sector.

In the report that examines the impact of Brexit on the processed food and drink sector, the committee said a no-deal would be disastrous for UK exports and must be avoided at all costs.

CONTINUED REGULATORY ALIGNMENT WITH EU URGED

The committee found that a future move by Britain to lower or remove tariffs could have extremely damaging consequences for British farming with only the prospect of very limited benefit to consumers in terms of lower prices.

MP Rachel Reeves, who chairs the committee, said: "The processed food and drinks industry is the UK's largest manufacturing sector, contributing 28.8 billion pounds (40.3 billion U.S. dollars) to our economy and employing hundreds of thousands of people throughout the country. British consumers are very discerning and rightly expect the highest food safety, animal welfare and environmental standards."

"Consumers also value the variety and choice of products when they do their shopping. The success of the industry has been highly dependent on participating in the Single Market and Customs Union."

Reeves said to ensure the continued success of Britain's food and drinks industry, the government must seek continued regulatory, standards, and trading alignment with the EU in the processed food and drink sector.

The report said the processed food and drink industry relies on just-in-time delivery of products with short shelf lives and is heavily integrated with supply chains spread across Britain and the EU for sourcing raw materials, processing goods and selling them.

The committee's report found that non-tariff barriers, in the form of border delays and increased bureaucracy, will have an adverse impact on UK competitiveness.

The report also highlights frictions at the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland as being of particular concern given that the food and drink sector is highly integrated across the two countries. The report calls for a credible solution to avoiding a hard border to be found as soon as possible.Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-22 21:57:44|Editor: pengying

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TEHRAN, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) will visit Russia to attend an international conference on security issues, Tasnim News Agency reported on Sunday.

Ali Shamkhani will take part in the 9th International Meeting of High Representatives for Security Issues to be held in Russia's Sochi on April 25 and 26, said Alireza Zarifian Yeganeh, head of the SNSC's Communication and Information Center.

Shamkhani will deliver a speech about security situation of the Middle East and its political and economic developments as well as Iran's experiences and strategies in countering security issues and terrorist threats.

The Iranian official will also hold bilateral and multilateral talks with senior officials from countries participating in the conference.

The annual meeting is held in Russia at the initiative of Russia's Security Council.

The agenda of this year's conference includes international security issues, challenges fighting terrorism, international information security and spread of illicit drugs.NEW DELHI, April 22 (Xinhua) -- India on Sunday strongly condemned a deadly terrorist attack in Kabul, which left at least 52 people dead and 112 others wounded earlier in the day.

A suicide bomber blew himself up at a voter registration center in Afghanistan's capital city of Kabul on Sunday. The Islamic State (IS) group claimed responsibility for the attack.

"India strongly condemns the cowardly terrorist attack in Kabul and Baghlan today. What makes this attack particularly reprehensible is the fact that the terrorists and their backers chose to attack a voters registration center for the upcoming parliamentary and district council elections," said a statement issued by India's External Affairs Ministry.

It added: "The attack has resulted in the death of Afghans who firmly support and believe in the democratic process to empower themselves and make their voice heard. This is not only an attack on innocent civilians but also an attack on the democratic rights of the Afghan people."

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family members of the victims, and we wish a quick and complete recovery to the injured," the statement said.

India stands ready to extend all possible assistance, including treatment for those injured, it added.Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-22 22:12:50|Editor: pengying

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TEHRAN, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned the deadly terror attack in Afghanistan's capital Kabul on Sunday, which killed dozens of people.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi described the attack as the "criminal" act.

Qasemi extended condolence to the Afghan nation, government and the families of the victims.

He called for international collective measures to uproot terrorism in all forms.

Up to 36 people were killed and 60 others injured as militants targeted election-related activities for the upcoming elections in Kabul and its suburbs on Sunday.Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-22 22:27:53|Editor: ZD

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Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (1st R) meets with former Myanmar President U Thein Sein in Beijing, capital of China, April 22, 2018. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)

BEIJING, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday met with former Myanmar President U Thein Sein, vowing to promote the development of the China-Myanmar economic corridor.

Wang said the comprehensive strategic cooperation between the two countries witnessed a substantial progress, and China was willing to work together with Myanmar to push forward construction of the China-Myanmar economic corridor and inject new impetus to Myanmar's economic development.

He said China is glad to see that Myanmar made headway in its peace and reconciliation process and to play a constructive role in promoting peace talks.

For his part, U Thein Sein said Myanmar appreciated China's efforts in helping advance its domestic peace process as well as promote its economic growth and social development, and expected to push the Myanmar-China comprehensive strategic cooperation to a new high.Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-22 22:57:59|Editor: yan

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ANDROS, Greece, April 22 (Xinhua) -- An unparalleled collection of 80 vintage cars filled the roads of the Cycladic island of Andros for the 24th Spring Classic Car Rally organized by Philpa (Greek Federation of Old Cars).

"It is the first time we hold the Spring Car Rally in Andros, after three running years in Spetses island. The participants have cars built from 1920 to 1988. We hope locals will embrace the event and continue it here in the coming years," Nikos Kozanitis, member of Philpa told Xinhua on Saturday.

For his part, the mayor of Andros Theodosis Sousoudis praised the event and its contribution to the tourist activity of the island. "We are glad and honored that we host the Spring Classic Car Rally in Andros. It has a positive impact on our island since such events are also recognized globally," Sousoudis told Xinhua.

This rally is not about speed. It is about precision. "The Spring Classic Car Rally is a regularity trial. The winner is the one with the least penalties during the route," Kozanitis explained.

The rules are as follows: each team can choose in which category they wish to compete with a route scheduled prior to departure.

This schedule contains information about the designated speeds and target arrival times for each segment of the route.

There is the classic regularity with a maximum average speed of 50 km per hour or the new "Master Trophy" category which has been recently introduced by the Philpa Federation for 2018.

In this category, the participants make a "gentlemen's agreement" to compete using only the vehicles' original instruments and hand-held stopwatches.

But, above all, the race is a celebration of beauty: of these beautiful cars and the landscape.

The classic cars followed the specially-designated route from the cosmopolitan Batsi village to the capital of Andros, Chora through some of the picturesque villages of the island with sandy beaches and small harbors such as Palaiopoli, Messaria, and Korthi.

Upon arrival on the finish line, the classic cars took their places in the stone-paved square in Chora which is surrounded with many cafes, creating a fabulous display and evoking memories of another era. "It's like a mobile museum," Kozanitis noted.

Locals and visitors gathered to marvel the remarkable classic cars including prestigious industry names like Bentley, Buick, Jaguar, Porsche, Rolls Royce and Alfa Romeo.

"It's care and love for classic cars," Kozanitis stressed saying that the aim is to maintain them as living examples of an era long gone and as cultural monuments.

Member of FIVA, the International Federation of Classic Cars, PHILPA is the oldest and largest Classic Car Club of Greece, established more than 45 years ago.

All these years, PHILPA has embraced the historic car with many activities and events.

"From 13 to 16 September, the International Rally 2018 will be held in the island of Crete thanks to its outstanding coastal and mountain routes," Kozanitis said.Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-22 23:18:03|Editor: yan

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CAIRO, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Egypt condemned on Sunday the recent deadly terror attack that targeted a voter registration center in in Afghanistan's capital Kabul, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The Islamic State (IS) group claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing that took place on Sunday in Dashti Barchi district of Kabul, leaving at least 36 people dead and 60 others injured.

"The Egyptian government and people stand in solidarity with the Afghan counterparts in the face of abhorrent terrorism," said the statement, calling on the international community to take a decisive position to eliminate the funding sources of terror groups.

The attack in Kabul came a few months ahead of Afghanistan's parliamentary elections scheduled to be held in October.

Later on Sunday, a roadside bombing in the northern Baghlan province killed five civilians and wounded four others.

Afghanistan has been battered by insurgency over the past couple of decades with the presence of different militant groups including the most dominant Taliban, in addition to al-Qaida and recently the IS.

Egypt also has been suffering terror activities at home that have killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers as well as civilians since the army toppled former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013.Sorry, this news has been deleted.Qatar has reiterated its readiness to hold a dialogue with the Arab quartet to resolve the ongoing Gulf dispute. (Reuters photo)

DOHA, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Qatar has reiterated its readiness to hold a dialogue with the Arab quartet to resolve the ongoing Gulf dispute, local media reported late Saturday.

The spokesperson for Qatar's Foreign Ministry Lulwah al-Khater said the Qatari participation in the "Gulf Shield Joint Exercise-1", which took place in Saudi Arabia, could be a new chance to resolve the rift with the neighboring Gulf countries, said Qatari newspaper Al-Sharq.

The report said, quoting al-Khater, "so far, we do not see any solution at the required level, but the defense ministry announced the presence of a Qatari military delegation in Saudi Arabia to participate in the drill."

Al-Khater also said it is difficult to predict the reaction of other Gulf countries in the coming days.

On April 19, the Qatari armed forces announced that it had participated in the "Gulf Shield Joint Exercise-1" in Saudi Arabia from March 21 to April 16.

In June 2017, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt cut diplomatic ties as well as all air, sea and land links to Qatar, accusing the gas-rich Gulf state of supporting terrorism and aligning with Iran against Arab interests.

Doha has repeatedly denied the accusations.ADDIS ABABA, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Prevention of conflicts rather than administering existing conflicts should become priority for Africans, urged participants at the 7th Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa on Sunday.

The forum, held in the northern Ethiopia city of Bahir Dar from April 21-22, drew hundreds of participants, including current and former heads of state and government, high-ranking government officials, experts in peace and security, members of academia, youth representatives and the media.

Former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said African nations should stop blaming external actors for conflicts and instead work toward building local capacity and infrastructure that can build sustainable peace and security.

"The tens of billions of U.S. dollars spent on the peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) could have been used instead to build up the country's infrastructure and support better governance," he said.

Instead of planning for management of existing conflicts, nations should instead use finances to prevent conflicts in the first case, Desalegn said.

He called on African states and the global community to identify early on potential conflict hotspots and adopt clear and transparent discourse to avoid conflicts.

Desalegn said the African Union and member states should be concerned about and strive to prevent potential conflict in what he called the militarization of the Red Sea strait.

His warning was echoed by AU Commissioner for Peace and Security Smail Chergui, who pointed out that Africa's Sahel region, beset by criminals and terrorists, is at its root suffering from bad governance.

"AU member states should contribute funds that go into ensuring the continent's security challenges like Darfur and Central African Republic are resolved and potential new ones are averted," he said.

Chergui said management of present conflicts and prevention of future ones are impacted by fragmentation of efforts by the international community and the lack of compelling narratives to engage in sustainable conflict prevention.

"Compelling peace and security narratives help us to engage in sustainable conflict prevention and coordinate effective response to transnational security threats," he said.

Outgoing Tana Forum chairperson and former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, for his part, said conflicts in the DRC, South Sudan, Burundi and Somalia resulted from failures of conflict resolution efforts.

He called on the AU, instead of devoting too much time to its Agenda 2063 vision, to focus on present peace and security challenges that disproportionately affect the youth.

U.S. envoy to the African Union, Mary Beth Leonard, said intervention in crises when especially governments turn abusive should be one way to prevent conflict outbreak.

Leonard mentioned the case of the South Sudan civil war, which she said has been ongoing mercilessly since December 2013 because of lack of compelling threat of retaliation to perpetrators of the conflict.

South Sudan has been embroiled in more than four years of conflict that has taken a devastating toll on the people, creating one of the most severe refugee crises in the world.

The world's newest nation descended into violence after a political dispute between President Salva Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar led to split in the army, leaving soldiers to fight alongside ethnic lines.ABUJA, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Four worshippers have been confirmed killed following a suicide attack on a mosque in Nigeria's northeastern town of Bama early Sunday, a local official and the police said.

At least eight others were wounded after two suicide bombers, a male and female, detonated their improvised explosive devices inside the mosque during a morning prayer in the town located in the northern state of Borno, according to the officials.

Buba-Shehu Gulumba, head of the Bama local government area, said the suicide bombers hit the mosque as locals gathered for prayer at 5 a.m. local time.

Gulumba told Xinhua three persons died on the spot and one other died while receiving treatment at a local health facility.

In a statement, local police said it cordoned off the area and had beefed up security around the town.

Bama, located about 67 km southeast of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno, has witnessed many attacks by Boko Haram, a Jihadist militant organization based in northeastern Nigeria.

In late 2014, the town was taken over by the terror group but liberated early 2015 by troops.

The United Nations believes the terror group has killed more than 20,000 people since 2009.KATHMANDU, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Language, art and culture are the tools to connect Nepalese and Chinese closer, Ganesh Prasad Timalsena, Chairman of National Assembly of Nepal, said here on Sunday.

During the launch of at least a dozen books translated from Chinese to Nepali and English languages, Timalsena made such remarks.

"Through these books, Nepali people can have a better understanding about China, its art and culture and overall development," he said, adding that it will boost the friendship between the people of the two countries.

Stating that Nepal can take benefits from the development and prosperity of the northern neighbor, Timalsena expressed hope that the Belt and Road Initiative will bring immense opportunities to the Himalayan country.

On the occasion, at least 12 books of five different Chinese publications were released, which were translated and published by Nepal-based Current Publications.

Some of the translated books are Key Concepts in Chinese Thought and Culture, Fun Reading About China, Tibetan Arts, Tibet from All Angles, and some folk story books for children, among others.

Kiran Gautam, President of Current Publications, told Xinhua that their publishing house plans to translate and publish at least 100 Chinese books by the end of 2018.Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-23 00:28:22|Editor: ZD

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BEIJING, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold an informal meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 27-28 in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the announcement Sunday, after talks with visiting Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

Xi and Modi will have strategic communication on the world's profound changes, and exchange, in an in-depth manner, views on overall, long-term and strategic issues regarding China-India relations, Wang told a joint press briefing with Swaraj.

The last meeting between Xi and Modi took place in China's southeastern city of Xiamen last September after the ninth BRICS summit.

Wang said socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era, while India is at a critical period for its development and rejuvenation.

On this background, Xi and Modi decided to hold this informal meeting, which will help deepen mutual trust between the two leaders, make strategic judgement on the world pattern and China-India relations, and guide the two countries to set new goals and open up new prospects for the the bilateral ties, Wang said.

"This not only benefits the two countries and peoples, but will also exert significant and positive influence on regional and world peace and development," he said.

Calling the two nations "natural cooperation partners", Wang said their common interests far outweigh their disputes. "It is an inevitable choice of the two countries to stick to long-term friendship, mutual beneficial cooperation and common development."

He said the two countries will keep close coordination and make good preparations for the leaders' meeting, so as to help make it a "new milestone" in the history of China-India relations.

"The two countries should take the opportunity of the leaders' meeting to cement strategic trust, deepen substantial cooperation, properly settle disputes and realize common development, therefore contributing to regional and world peace and development," Wang said while holding talks with Swaraj.

Swaraj, for her part, said the decision to hold an informal meeting between the two leaders revealed the strong willingness of both sides to strengthen strategic communication.

India is ready to work with China to deepen leaders' friendship through the meeting, enhance trust between the two countries and promote India-China strategic cooperative partnership to a new high, she said during talks with Wang.

Swaraj is on a working visit to China and will attend the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) scheduled for Tuesday in Beijing.

At the joint press briefing, Wang said the two countries would enhance coordination on the SCO platform, and work together for fruitful outcomes of the upcoming SCO summit in east China's coastal city of Qingdao in June, with China taking the rotating chair.

China congratulates India on becoming a member of the SCO, Wang said.

The two countries will work with other member states to promote the SCO to play a more constructive role in boosting regional security and stability as well as prosperity and development, Wang said.Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-23 00:33:23|Editor: yan

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CHENGDU, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Huang Yi, Party chief of Qingping Township, in southwest China's Sichuan Province, has received countless calls asking the whereabouts of fireworms.

In recent years, many parents have brought their children to visit Jiuding Mountain in the township, to view fireworms, which were almost extinct in the mountain due to mining activities.

Jiuding Mountain, one of China's four phosphorite mining bases, has a reserve of 170 million tonnes.

Huang said that phosphorite industries once accounted for 43 percent of local industrial revenue and could provide 30,000 jobs. But the mines and construction projects have taken a toll on the environment.

"We can't continue the old ways of polluting first, treating second," said Shi Lei, deputy mayor of Mianzhu, which administers Qingping Township. "We must take the initiative to transform our industries."

Last year, all the mines on the mountain were closed. A team of environmental police cooperated with river chiefs to patrol day and night.

As China observes the 49th Earth Day, Sichuan Province is seeing environmental improvements.

In Xingfu Village in Sichuan's Qingchuan County, the transformation of the local fishing industry in recent years has also highlighted the government's efforts to put more focus of protecting the environment.

Li Huangui, 47, is a resident of Xingfu, which meaning happiness in Chinese. Li used to farm fish, raising them in net cages.

In 1996, locals were forced to relocate after the construction of the White Dragon Lake reservoir inundated their land. With less land to grow crops, villagers in Xingfu began to raise fish in the reservoir.

Li started farming fish in 2006, when he returned from being a migrant worker in the city. He bought more than 40 cages and had one of the biggest fish farms in the village. His business started to profit in 2008, and annual revenue reached about 200,000 yuan (31,800 U.S.dollars).

"At its height, there were more than 900 cages in the village," said Shen Lianxue, a village official.

While the fishing industry grew, the water quality in the lake plummeted, threatening the safety of drinking water.

"When the wind blew, you could smell the odor of dead fish," Li said. "Dead fish were scattered everywhere around the lake."

The deteriorating water quality also threatened Li's business, with fish yield decreasing and costs rising significantly.

In 2014, the local government banned the fishing industry, and helped local farmers to move into the tourism industry.

Li answered the government call by closing his fish farm and opening a guesthouse where he provides catering services and accommodation for visitors.

"Currently, my profit is around 100,000 yuan a year," Li said. "Although it does not compare to the past, I am looking at long-term development."

After several years of protection, the lake's water quality has greatly improved, according to the county government. The area near White Dragon Lake has become a popular tourist destination.

"I believe the future will be better," Li said.Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-23 01:03:26|Editor: yan

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LONDON, April 22 (Xinhua) -- A tug of love battle between the devoted parents of a terminally ill child and the might of Britain's legal system is entering its closing stages.

A decision by the highest court in Britain has paved the way for life-support systems keeping 23-months old Alfie Evans alive to be switched off in one of Britain's best known children's hospitals, Alder Hey in Liverpool.

The decision means the young boy, suffering from a mystery brain disease, will die soon after. He has been living in a coma for well over a year after being struck down with a mystery illness.

In what has become every parent's nightmare, the plight of his dad and mom Tom Evans, 21, and Kate James, 20, is being followed across the world through their social media site.

The only slight hope of a reprieve is a last ditch appeal to the European Court of Human Rights by Alfie's parents. They want their desperately sick son to be flown to a children's hospital in Rome which has offered to take him as a patient.

The legal system in Britain has sided with doctors at Alder Hey who insist nothing more can be done to save Alfie.

Hundreds of parents, many clutching banners saying "Alfie's Army" and "Save Alfie", have protested outside the hospital, leading to Alfie's parents make a plea for them to stay away because of the impact it was having on other parents and their sick children.

The boy's parents have taken their battle to the High Court, Appeal Court and the Supreme Court, all to no avail.

Alfie's dad even flew to Rome and won support in their battle from the Pope, leader of the world's Roman Catholics.

Last week three Court of Appeal judges said that the "gold standard" in this case should be about Alfie's best interests. They ruled that the original order to withdraw life support should be upheld. The Supreme Court then denied a request to appeal for a second time. That paves the way for life support to be switched off by doctors.

Alfie's dad Tom Evans told local media in Liverpool: "This is not justice. This is a cruel, murderous bureaucracy. We have instructed our lawyers to submit an urgent application to the European Court of Human Rights. We will not give up. We will continue to fight, by all means available to us within the law, to save our son's life."

Delivering the latest ruling, three Supreme Court judges said: "There is also no reason for further delay. There will be no further stay of the Court of Appeal's order.

"The hospital must be free to do what has been determined in Alfie's best interests. That is the law in this country. No application of the European Court of Human Rights Strasbourg can or should change that."

Following the latest ruling, Alder Hey Children's Hospital said in a statement: "The Supreme Court has upheld the decision of the High Court and the Court of Appeal confirming that 'it has been conclusively determined that it is not in Alfie's best interests to continue to receive treatment or to travel abroad for treatment'."

"The Supreme Court acknowledged that this was a desperately sad case... principally of course for Alfie's parents for they love their little boy dearly and want to do all in their power to keep him alive. But it is sad also for the people who have been keeping Alfie alive for so long, the doctors and nurses at Alder Hey hospital."

The statement added: "We understand that this decision is very distressing for Alfie's family at this very difficult time."by Maria Spiliopoulou

ATHENS, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Greek political leaders rejected on Sunday Ankara's proposal for an exchange of the two Greek servicemen detained in Turkey since March this year for the eight Turkish military officers who fled to Greece after the failed coup attempt in Turkey in July 2016.

"We welcome Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's statements on Saturday for peaceful co-existence of our peoples, but such remarks have value when they are accompanied by actions," Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos said in an e-mailed statement on Sunday.

"Friendship and good neighborship are not respected in the case of the two Greek servicemen... The suggestion of an exchange is unacceptable," the Greek leader stressed.

"It is really sad such a confusion over two servicemen that are held arbitrarily and Turkish citizens that have been granted political asylum, according to the rules of the International Law. Such confusion means ignorance of the International Law and of the international legality which is unacceptable," Pavlopoulos concluded.

A similar statement was issued by the Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras' office.

"We keep the positive part of the Turkish President's latest remarks, the shift to peace in the Aegean and the support to bilateral dialogue in significant sectors, including security. However we await to see actions, like a change in the provocative Turkish behavior in the Aegean," the e-mailed statement read.

"Regarding references for exchange in the case of the two Greek servicemen, we stress once again that it is unacceptable. Greece's and the entire EU's position is clear on this matter for the swift return of the two Greek servicemen without unacceptable prerequisites," the statement concluded.

The two Greek servicemen were charged with espionage in Turkey after crossing over the border in early March this year. They claim that they lost their way amid adverse weather conditions.

The eight Turkish servicemen flew to Greece on a Turkish military helicopter a day after the failed coup attempt in Turkey in 2016.

Greece's Supreme Court turned down in 2017 Ankara's request for their extradition to face trial on charges of treason as plotters. They all insist they are innocent.

The two cases have soured relations between the two neighboring countries which have unresolved territorial disputes.JASENOVAC, Croatia, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Top Croatian officials attended the official commemoration for the victims of Jasenovac concentration camp on Sunday in north Croatia.

"We came once more to pay respects to the victims of the Ustashe camp Jasenovac and their families and to condemn in the strongest terms the criminal regime in which Jews, Serbs, Roma and anti-fascists were killed," Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said.

Croatia has not yet banned the slogan "For home, ready!" used by Ustashe regime. For this reason, for the third year, representatives of Jewish and Serbian organizations and anti-fascist associations boycott the official commemoration in Jasenovac under the patronage of the Croatian Parliament.

"I hope this is the last year with three separate commemorations in Jasenovac," said Speaker of Parliament Gordan Jandrokovic.

There were no official speeches of the Croatian politicians at the commemoration, and no one from the Serbian government came to Jasenovac because of Croatia's ban on the arrival of Serbian Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin.

Jasenovac concentration camp was founded by Ustashe, the Croatian ultra-nationalist movement during the Second World War, in the Independent State of Croatia, which was created under the protection of fascist Italy and the Hitler regime.

On April 22, 1945, some 600 inmates attempted to escape from the camp, and around 90 survived. According to data of the memorial center of Jasenovac, between 1941 and 1945, 83,000 people, mostly Jews, Serbs and Roma, were killed in the camp.ABUJA, April 22 (Xinhua) -- At least 10 people were killed following gunmen's invasion of a farming community in the central Nigerian state of Kogi early Sunday, local police said.

Kogi police chief Ali Janga said at least five locals and five of the gunmen were confirmed dead Sunday afternoon.

Janga said the gunmen were shot dead in a crossfire with security operatives following the invasion of Kpanche town in Kogi.

Some weapons of the gunmen were recovered, the police officer said, adding five houses and an unspecified number of vehicles and other properties were set ablaze in the violence.File photo taken on Dec. 3, 2017 shows Xu Zhijun, Huawei's rotating CEO, introduces achievements of 5G technology during the release ceremony for world leading Internet scientific and technological achievements in Wuzhen, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

MOSCOW, April 22 (Xinhua) -- China is actively developing its own core Internet technologies and thus moving in the "absolutely right direction," a Russian cybersecurity analyst said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

Recalling several critical cyber attacks in many countries earlier this month, Vadim Ferenets said, "This showed the vulnerability of networks equipped with technologies of so-called market leaders."

"China and Russia cannot rely on one or more Western companies in this sphere," said the analyst and IT editor.

Ferenets has years of working experience in analyzing the information security market and joined the reputed Russian magazine Bank Review in 2016.

Commenting on a Chinese national conference on cybersecurity and informatization held from Friday to Saturday, Ferenets said, "Chinese companies are increasingly gaining ground in core information technologies."

At that conference, President Xi Jinping said China will endeavor to achieve breakthroughs in core information technologies and more resources will go into research, industrial development and policy-making.

Ferenets said China will be among the first countries to use the fifth-generation (5G) telecommunication technology, surpassing Western companies that dominated the 2G, 3G and 4G eras.

In the Russian analyst's view, China and Russia support cybersecurity on a global scale.

"The goals of our countries are simple: excluding an arms race in cyberspace, preventing conflicts in this sphere, involving the maximum number of countries in the negotiation process, because cybersecurity is equal for all," he said.

Ferenets said China is a country with global influence and it needs to establish a corresponding status in cyberspace so that its voice will be better heard in a world dominated by Western media.

To counter fake news and biased reports, developing countries should better use the Internet and express their positions more effectively, he said, adding that a monopoly on information must be a thing of the past.Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-23 04:53:57|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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Smoke is seen rising from Hajar al-Aswad area, south of Damascus, Syria, on April 22, 2018, as a result of the Syrian shelling and airstrikes on positions of the Islamic State (IS) in that area. The Syrian army is advancing in the battles against the IS in southern Damascus, Syrian SANA news agency reported on Sunday. (Xinhua/Ammar Safarjalani)

DAMASCUS, April 22 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army is advancing in the battles against the Islamic State (IS) in southern Damascus, Syrian SANA news agency reported on Sunday.

The infantry units of the Syrian army are advancing in the battle against IS in Hajar al-Aswad area in southern Damascus from several directions, capturing on the outskirts of that area, according to the report.

The Syrian warplanes have intensified airstrikes on IS positions in Hajar al-Aswad since dawn Sunday, in a bid to clear the area, said SANA.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Sunday that the IS militants refused to leave, fearing to be exposed to the Russian airstrikes when they are out in the open desert.

The IS entered Hajar al-Aswad and nearby areas in 2015 and the military operation started after Syrian army completely secured Eastern Ghouta, with the last rebel batch left their last strongholds in the Douma district a week ago.Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-23 05:34:02|Editor: yan

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GAZA, April 22 (Xinhua) -- A Palestinian man died Sunday of wounds sustained in clash with Israeli soldiers close to the border between eastern Gaza Strip and Israel, medics said.

Ashraf al-Qedra, spokesman of the Health Ministry in Gaza told reporters that Abdulla Shamali, 20 years old from Rafah town in southern Gaza Strip, died of wounds he had on Friday when he got an Israeli gunshot in his abdomen.

Al-Qedra said that since March 30, the beginning of rallies until now, 5,000 Palestinians have been injured.

Joining the rallies is part of a six-week activity organized by Palestinians factions, community leaders and political powers. The rallies will end on May 15, the Nakba Day, or Catastrophe.KHARTOUM, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Sudan's gold production in the first quarter of 2018 reached 36.5 tons with revenues amounting to around 778.548 million Sudanese pounds (42.9 million U.S. dollars), Sudan Minerals Ministry said on Sunday.

A report from Sudanese Minerals Resources Company indicated that the production by the traditional mining represents 88 percent as it registered 32 tons of the total production.

Statistics show that about one million Sudanese work in the traditional mining sector.

Sudan is seeking to make gold a major source of foreign currency after losing three quarters of its oil revenues due to the separation of South Sudan in 2011.

Around 461 companies are operating in the minerals field in Sudan, where the mining sector represents 40 percent of Sudan's minerals exports.

In 2017, Sudan's gold production reached 100 tons worth about 400 million U.S. dollars, enabling Sudan to rank the second among Africa's gold producing and exporting countries, according to Sudan Minerals Ministry.Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-23 05:54:05|Editor: yan

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MEXICO CITY, April 22 (Xinhua) -- As Latin America's second-largest economy, Mexico is showing strong dynamism and good balance between its internal and external sectors, said the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP) on Sunday.

In its weekly report, the SHCP said that, in 2018 to date, the Mexican economy had built on solid macroeconomic foundations.

"The International Monetary Fund (IMF), in its recent report on global economic perspectives, predicted the Mexican economy would accelerate from the 2 percent observed in 2017, to 2.3 percent in 2018 and 3 percent in 2019," it explained.

According to the ministry, this strong development is explained by a growth in external demand due to an improving U.S. economy, with which Mexico is modernizing NAFTA, along with Canada.

Internally, the SHCP said it saw a positive growth of private consumption, which has been bolstered by the constant arrival of remittances into Mexico, as well as job creation and salary growth.

"There is a good dynamic of formal labor, with around 370,000 positions being created in the first quarter of the year," read the statement.

The SHCP added that another factor driving this economic growth was the government's structural reforms, "which have contributed to increasing the Mexican economy's capacity to resist external shocks."

It also indicated that Mexico's growth perspectives were increasing. The ministry said the economy could grow between 2.5-3.5 percent for 2019, after 2-3 percent in 2018.

The country saw its GDP grow by 2 percent in 2017, down from 2.9 percent in 2016.Thank you for reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.KABUL: At least 58 people were killed in twin suicide attacks in Afghanistan's capital Kabul and in the country's Baghlan province during the ongoing voter registration process on Sunday.

The first blast took place around 10 am when a suicide bomber blew himself up among a crowd lining up to get access to an election-related registration site in Kabul, initially killing 52 people and injuring 112. The blast took place in front of a school located in Kabul's Qala-e-Nazir area.

Several women and children were among those dead and many others, who were wounded, still remained in a critical condition.

Hours later, insurgents placed an IED close to a voter registration centre in Pul-e-Khumri city in Baghlan province, killing six of a family and injuring five others, according to the Afghan media.

The family was driving past the centre in Pul-e-Khumri city when the IED detonated, health officials said.

Terror group Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for the Kabul attack while police said the attackers in Baghlan were Taliban.

The Afghan officials have decided to hold parliamentary and district councils elections in Afghanistan on October 20. The voter registration process started on April 14.

Two policemen have been killed and five people, including three election officials, have been kidnapped since the voter registration began.

Afghans will elect members to the 249-seat lower house of Parliament for a five-year term besides members of district councils.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, the UN mission in the country apart from the Indian and Iranian governments have strongly condemned the attacks.

The Government of India condemned in the strongest terms the 'cowardly and barbaric' suicide attack in Afghanistan's capital Kabul and in the country's Baghlan province which claimed the lives of at least 58 people.

"India strongly condemns the cowardly and barbaric terrorist attack in Kabul and Baghlan today (Sunday)," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

"What makes this attack particularly reprehensible is the fact that the terrorists and their backers chose to attack a voters' registration centre for the upcoming parliamentary and district council elections," the MEA statement read further.

While calling it an attack on the democratic rights of the Afghan people, the MEA said, "the attack has resulted in the death of Afghans who firmly support and believe in the democratic process to empower themselves and make their voice heard."

(With PTI inputs)Patna/Chapra: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday asserted that Naxalism will be "wiped out" from the country. Addressing an event organised by the Bihar BJP unit on the eve of Babu Veer Kuer Singh's 160th Viyotsav Diwas in Patna, he said the number of incidents related to the rebels has come down since 2013.

Also, the number of deaths due to Naxal attacks has come down to one third, Singh added.

"Naxalite's confidence is shattered. Naxalism will be wiped out from the country," he said at the programme attended by a galaxy of BJP leaders and union ministers.

"These Naxalites thrive at the cost of poor people. I would like to tell the poor of the country as well as those of Bihar that the Naxal leaders want them to remain poor, whereas their own children study in prominent colleges and universities, and some of them even study abroad. The Naxalite leaders have become crorepatis," Singh said, as per PTI.

 ,   @ITBP_official           .              .                  . pic.twitter.com/RmkcFXQST7  Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) April 22, 2018

Sh @rajnathsingh Hon'ble @HMOIndia and Sh @NitishKumar Hon'ble CM Bihar inaugurates the 6th Battalion ITBP Headquarters in Kotheyan, Jalalpur Chhapra (Bihar). Sh R K Pachnanda, DG ITBP welcomed the distinguished guests. #Himveer pic.twitter.com/47uWun2bKT  ITBP (@ITBP_official) April 22, 2018

Meanwhile, at least 14 naxals were killed on Sunday in an encounter with the police in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district, a senior official said. He said a team of C-60 commandos, a specialised combat unit of the Gadchiroli police, carried out the operation.

"Fourteen Naxals were killed in the encounter. The combing operations are still on," said Inspector General of Police Sharad Shelar, PTI reported.

He said the combing operation, which started in the morning, was currently underway at Tadgaon forest in Bhamragad. Director General of Police Satish Mathur congratulated the C-60 team which participated in the encounter.

The DGP said there was a possibility that Naxal leaders of "DVC ranks," Sainath and Sinu alias Srikant, were among those killed.

(With PTI inputs)Ahmedabad: Coming down heavily on the Special Investigation Team (SIT) which probed the 2002 Naroda Patiya riot cases, the Gujarat High Court said there were several "shortfalls" in its probe. A division bench of Justices Harsha Devani and A S Supehia also said the investigation carried out by the SIT, which was constituted on the directions of the Supreme Court in 2008, did not "inspire much confidence".

The high court had on Friday acquitted former BJP minister Maya Kodnani, along with 17 others, and upheld the conviction of 13 people, including ex-Bajrang Dal leader Babu Bajrangi. It also convicted three others who were acquitted by the trial court. "It is during the course of investigation by the SIT that the name of ...Mayaben Kodnani was revealed. From the evidence of the witnesses who have named Mayaben Kodnani, it emerges that many of them have referred to her having come in a white Maruti car. However, no efforts have been made to ascertain as to whether the said accused owned any white Maruti car at the relevant time," the court said.

"No investigation has been conducted to establish whether (Kodnani) used to travel in a white Maruti car, nor has any exercise been undertaken to establish that accused No.62 Kirpalsingh Chhabra was her P.A."

"There are several other shortfalls in the investigation conducted by the SIT, reference to which has been made at the particular stage in the judgement," it said.

The high court, while acquitting Kodnani, who was first made an accused by the SIT in 2008, said discarding investigations carried out by agencies before the SIT, or giving it less weightage, did not arise. "Considering the overall evidence which has come on record as well as the investigation carried out by the SIT, which too, does not inspire much confidence ...The court is of the view that the prior investigation ...Cannot be discarded and ignored while considering the credibility of a witness," it said.

The order of the trial court had relied upon the SIT findings over findings of earlier agencies, which the high court said "has no legal basis." "It is settled legal position that it is the first version which comes on record which is most significant," it said, while observing that the apex court ordered for an SIT to carry out "further investigation" and not "reinvestigation."

The SIT had verified statements of several witnesses and also recorded statements of new witnesses as part of its investigation.

The high court also criticised the investigating officer of the SIT, saying that witnesses' statements were recorded "in blatant breach" of the provisions of section 161 and 162 of the CrPC as he obtained signatures of the witnesses and police officers on their statements.

"One wonders whether the Investigating Officer (SIT) and such high ranking officers were not aware of these basic provisions of law," it said.

While upholding the conviction of former Bajrang Dal leader Babu Bajrangi and two others -- Prakash Rathod and Richard Chhara -- who were also charged with criminal conspiracy, the court considered the oral evidence of journalist Ashish Khetan, who later joined politics.

Khetan had carried out a "sting operation" on the three convicts. The court said that "extra judicial confessions" made by Bajrangi and two others in the sting operation were established by Khetan's oral statement. "The documentary evidence, which is in the nature of electronic recording, would therefore be in the nature of corroborative evidence to support the testimony of the witness," it said.

It also pulled up the special public prosecutor of the SIT for "not understanding that information/sting in the DVDs and CDs is in the nature of documentary evidence and has to be proved in accordance with section 65B of the Evidence Act."

The court said this observing that the SPP tried to focus Khetan's cross examination on aspects of "inducement, and the fact that the witness had carried out the sting under an assumed identity by using a fabricated identity card."

Chandigarh: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday announced enhancement of nine allowances on the pattern of the seventh pay commission recommendation and the introduction of a special allowance for child care to female government employees with disability. Addressing the senior IAS, IFS and IPS officers at a state-level function on the occasion of the 12th Civil Services Day in Panchkula, he announced enhancement of many Haryana-specific allowances of health and police departments. The increase in all these allowances would be effective from May 1.

Under the special allowance for child care Rs 1,500 which would be given to female employees with disability, per child monthly, an official release said.

Asserting that the state government has already given the benefit of seventh pay panel recommendations to its employees with effect from January 1, 2016, the chief minister announced to constitute a committee to revise the House Rent Allowance (HRA) admissible to the state government employees on the pattern of the Centre.

Under the guidance of Finance Minister Abhimanyu, the panel would make its recommendation both on the quantum of increase and the date from which it would be applicable. Among the nine allowances increased on the basis of seventh pay panel recommendations are fixed medical allowance (increased from Rs 500 to Rs 1,000), children education allowance (from Rs 750 to Rs 1,125 per month) and uniform and washing allowance for group D employees (from Rs 240 to Rs 440 per month).NEW DELHI: The legendary AK-47 assault rifle (Avtomat Kalashnikova model 1947) has been the backbone of many modern armies and it famed for its simple design, ruggedness, ease of use and maintenance. The AK series of rifles have proven their worth in all weather conditions and terrain. It has been one of the standard weapons of the Indian soldier too. Now, the Indian Army is planning to go for the AK-103 7.62x51 mm assault rifles for its soldiers.

The Army needs over 7,68,000 assault rifles for its soldiers and a team of Ministry of Defence and Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) officials are to begin talks with Russian officials for licensed production of AK-103 7.62x51mm assault rifles in India.

Just like the AK-47, the AK-103 rifle too is extremely easy to maintain and use. The first AK-103 was produced in 1994 at Kalashnikov Rifle Works at Izhevsk in Russia.

The AK-103 is gas-operated with rotating bolt action and has a 30-round detachable box magazine. It can fire bullets of the caliber 7.62x39mm in safe as well as fully automatic mode.

The rifle's length is 943 mm (37.13 in) while the barrel is 415 mm (16.34 in) long and its empty weight is 3.40 kg while the weight with a fully-loaded magazine is 4.1 kg. There is a front post and a rear notch on sliding scale to help the soldier take aim.

It can fire 600 rounds-per-minute and its range is 500 metres. The muzzle velocity of the AK-103 is 750 metres/second(2,461 feet/second).

Being a modern version of the AK-47 rifle, the AK-103 can also mount 40-mm under-barrel grenade launchers. Equipped with a plastic folding butt stock, the rifle is extremely convenient to carry by the soldiers and also has the option of fitting knife-bayonet. The AK-103 can be fired even with butt stock folded. It also has a standard mounting rail for installation of optical and night sights.

Apart from the Russian forces, the rifle is also being used by soldiers of India, Pakistan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, and Venezuela.PATNA: The Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) Class 10 and Class 12 results are expected to be out on May 12, 2018. After the announcement of results, they will be made available at Bihar Board's official website - biharboard.ac.in.

While more than 17 lakh students appeared for the matriculation (BSEB) 2018 examination this year, over 12 lakh students appeared for the intermediate (BSEB) 2018 examinations.

The BSEB has not announced any official date of the release of the results yet. Candidates are advised to keep checking the official website of the BSEB for any notification regarding the BSEB 2018 Class 10 and BSEB 2018 Class 12 examination results.

In 2017, the results announced by the end of May for Class 12 in June for Class 10 due to the elections. The results are expected to be announced earlier in comparison to the last year.

Last year, over 12.40 lakh students had appeared for the Bihar Class 12th Intermediate Examination 2017, which were held between February 14 and February 25. However, only 4.37 lakh students had managed to pass the board exam in 2017.

The results of BSEB 2018 intermediate exams for arts, science and commerce will be decalred at least three to four days prior to the declaration of results of matriculation exams. Last year too, the Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) had declared the BSEB Intermediate Result of 2017 stream-wise (Science, Commerce, Arts) on the same date.

Steps to check your BSEB Results 2018:

1. Visit the official portal of BSEB - www.biharboard.ac.in

2. Click on 'Bihar board results 2018'

3. Click on BSEB Class 10th Results 2018 or BSEB Class 12th Results 2018

4. Enter roll number and other relevant details

5. Click on 'Submit'

The students are suggested to download the results and take a print out of the same for future reference.

About Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB)

The Bihar School Examination Board is established for holding and conducting an examination at the end of the Secondary School stage, for prescribing course of studies for such examination and for carrying out such other objects and duties as may be considered necessary for the purpose as stated in the Act, Rules and Regulations of the Board.

Normally every year the Bihar School Examination Board conducts Annual Secondary School Examination in the month of February/March and Supplementary School Examination in the month of August/September on the basis of course/syllabus as prescribed by the state Government.

Apart from the aforesaid Secondary School Examination, the Board also conducts departmental examinations (not on yearly basis) such as Diploma in Physical Education, Certificate in Physical Education and Teachers Training Examination on such terms and condition as laid down by the State Government.NEW DELHI: Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal on Sunday her indefinite hunger strike. She had been on fast for the last 10 days seeking death penalty for those who have been convicted of raping minors. Calling it a historic victory, she said: "I was fighting alone but then I was supported by people across the country. I think this is a historical victory in independent India. I congratulate everyone on this victory."

She made the decision to end her hunger strike after the Cabinet approved an ordinance to give stringent punishment, including the death penalty, to those convicted of raping girls below 12 years.

President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday signed the ordinance allowing death for child rapists with immediate effect. The ordinance paves way for providing stringent punishment to those convicted of raping children.

The Ordinance amends the Indian Penal Code, the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012. The notification stated that since Parliament is not in session and President is satisfied that circumstances exist which render it necessary for him to take immediate action.

Maliwal began her fast on April 13 in the wake of rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua in January and other similar crime elsewhere.

Welcoming the Cabinet's decision to approve the ordinance, Maliwal had said, "Until something concrete happens, I will not give up. Until a system is there to ensure safety of the last girl, I won't give up. When the Prime Minister can suddenly bring an ordinance without anybody knowing about it, when he can implement such a big project, then why can't he do these few things? Till the time these are not done, my fast will not end," she had said on Saturday.New Delhi: The Government of India on Sunday condemned in the strongest terms the 'cowardly and barbaric' suicide attack in Afghanistan's capital Kabul and in the country's Baghlan province during the ongoing voter registration process that claimed at least 58 lives.

"India strongly condemns the cowardly and barbaric terrorist attack in Kabul and Baghlan today (Sunday)," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

India strongly condemns cowardly terrorist attack in Kabul & Baghlan today. What makes this attack particularly reprehensible is the fact that the terrorists & their backers chose to attack a voters registration centre for upcoming parliamentary & district council elections: MEA  ANI (@ANI) April 22, 2018

"What makes this attack particularly reprehensible is the fact that the terrorists and their backers chose to attack a voters' registration center for the upcoming parliamentary and district council elections," the MEA statement read further.

While calling it an attack on the democratic rights of the Afghan people, the MEA said, "the attack has resulted in the death of Afghans who firmly support and believe in the democratic process to empower themselves and make their voice heard."

The reaction from New Delhi came hours after a suicide bomber blew himself up among a crowd lining up to get access to an election-related registration site in Kabul around 10 am, killing at least 31 people and injuring 54 others.

Several women and children are among those dead and many others, who were wounded, still remained in a critical condition.

The blast took place in front of a school located in Kabul's Qala-e-Nazir area.

Hours later, insurgents placed an IED close to a voter registration centre in Pul-e-Khumri city in Baghlan province, killing six of a family, according to the Afghan media.

"This is not only an attack on innocent civilians but also an attack on the democratic rights of the Afghan people," the MEA statement said.

This isn't only attack on innocent civilians but also on democratic rights of Afghans. Our thoughts&prayers are with family members of victims, we wish quick&complete recovery to injured. India is ready to extend all possible assistance, including treatment of those injured: MEA  ANI (@ANI) April 22, 2018

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family members of the victims, and we wish quick and complete recovery to the injured. India stands ready to extend all possible assistance, including for treatment of those injured" the MEA statement.Beijing: Ten months after the pilgrimage was stopped following the Doklam standoff, India and China on Sunday agreed to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through the Nathu La route in Sikkim.

The decision was made during talks between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing. "We are happy that the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through the Nathu La route will be resumed this year (2018). I am confident that with Chinese side's full cooperation, this year the yatra will be a fulfilling experience for the visiting Indian pilgrims," Swaraj said during a joint press statement with Wang.

EAM @SushmaSwaraj : We are also happy that the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through the Nathu La route will be resumed this year. pic.twitter.com/L3maPwNHZj  Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) April 22, 2018

Swaraj and Wang on Sunday discussed a host of bilateral issues and ways to step up the pace of high-level interactions to improve the relationship. "We will work closely with the Chinese leadership to take India-China cooperation to new heights," she said

On his part, Wang said the bilateral ties have witnessed a good development and shown a positive momentum this year under the guidance of the leaders of the two nations.

Swaraj arrived in Beijing on Saturday on a four-day visit to take part in the foreign ministers' meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

Kailash Mansarovar Yatra:

Ministry of External Affairs organises the yatra from June to September each year through two different routes - Lipulekh Pass (Uttarakhand) and Nathu La Pass (Sikkim). The yatra, which holds religious value, cultural significance, is undertaken by hundreds of people every year.

Holding significance for Hindus as the abode of Lord Shiva, it holds religious importance also for the Jains and the Buddhists. It is open to eligible Indian citizens, holding valid Indian passports, who wish to proceed to Kailash-Manasarovar for religious purposes.

The yatra was stopped by China in the aftermath of the military face-off with India in 2017 at Doklam.

The Doklam standoff began on June 16 after the Indian troops intervened and stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the area claimed by Bhutan as it posed a security risk to Chicken Neck, the narrow corridor connecting India with its north-eastern states. Finally, the two armies 'disengaged' on August 28, 2017.

(With PTI inputs)PATNA: While trying to bring attention to the Unnao rape and Kathua gangrape cases, Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury on Saturday kicked a row after invoking a dialogue from the famous Bollywood movie Sholay. "Koi mahila bahar nahi nikalti hai aaj kal. Aaj ke din jab ladki ghar se bahar nikalti hai aur uska balatakar ho jata hai, thaane mein jab jaate hain tab yahi poocha jata hai 'Kitne aadmi they. (No woman goes out of her house today. Today, when a girl steps out of the house and she is raped, she goes to the police and is asked "how many men were there')," she said at an event in Patna.

The Congress MP was commenting on the situation for women in the country and claimed that the state of law and order has worsened in the present time.

#WATCH: Congress' Renuka Chowdhury says 'Koi mahila bahar nahi nikalti hai aaj kal...Aaj ke din jab ladki ghar se bahar nikalti hai aur uska balatakar ho jata hai, thaane mein jab jaate hain tab yahi poocha jata hai 'Kitne aadmi theyy' pic.twitter.com/T2KeZsf2QY  ANI (@ANI) April 21, 2018

She is not the only women MP to have come under fire for her comments on rape. Earlier on Saturday, Bharatiya Janata Pary (BJP) MP Hema Malini had said that cases of rapes and crimes against women are receiving more publicity now. "Abhi jyada iska publicity ho raha hai aajkal. Pehle bhi shayad ho raha hoga maloom nahin tha. (Such cases are receiving more publicity now-a-days. These must have happened earlier too but there was no information about them," she said. However, she added that such issues will be given importance and assured that action will be taken.

There has been a massive uproar across the country over the recent string of rape crimes against minors including horrific incidents from Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua, Uttar Pradesh's Unnao and Gujarat's Surat.

While in Kathua, an eight-year-old girl from a nomadic community was brutally tortured, raped for weeks before being killed, in Surat, the body of the minor girl with 86 injury marks was found. her post-mortem had revealed that the girl was raped and tortured for at least eight days, and was later strangled to death.

Unnao is also in the news after a victim alleged that she was raped by BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar. She had moved court seeking to include the MLA's name in the rape case after which her father was booked by the police under the Arms Act. Soon after he died in jail with a post-mortem report suggesting serious injuries on his body.New Delhi: The app-based cab operator Ola on Sunday gave a thoughtful reply to a man, claiming to be associated with a right-wing outfit, who had cancelled his ride after finding the driver assigned to him was a Muslim. Abhishek Mishra, a man who claims to be linked to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), had posted on Twitter that he cancelled his Ola booking on Friday after finding that the cab driver was a Muslim.

After cancelling the cab, Mishra took a screenshot of the cancellation and tweeted it out with a message saying that he does not want to give his money to jihadi people.

Cancelled @Olacabs Booking because Driver was Muslim. I don't want to give my money to Jihadi People. pic.twitter.com/1IIf4LlTZL  Abhishek Mishra (@Abhishek_Mshra) April 20, 2018

Mishra's Twitter post soon went viral and triggered a huge debate on Twitter with some siding with him and while others trolling him for inciting hatred and communal sentiments.

Interestingly, Mishra is followed on Twitter by bigwigs like Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Culture Mahesh Sharma and many others.

With his tweet creating a lot of buzz on the micro-blogging site, Ola also chipped in and tweeted a thoughtful reply to Mishra.

The cab operator put out a statement, saying that the company is a secular platform and doesnt discriminate between its customers and driver partners.

''Ola, like our country, is a secular platform, and we don't discriminate our driver partners or customers basis their caste, religion, gender or creed. We urge all our customers and driver partners to treat each other with respect at all times,'' Ola tweeted in its reply to Mishra's tweet.

Ola, like our country, is a secular platform, and we don't discriminate our driver partners or customers basis their caste, religion, gender or creed. We urge all our customers and driver partners to treat each other with respect at all times.  Ola (@Olacabs) April 22, 2018

Many who trolled Mishra, also advised him to stop buying fuel as it is imported from the Middle East and urged Ola to ban him from its platform.

However, defending himself from the flak, Mishra said, If they (Muslims) can run a campaign against Hanuman ji poster on cab... then they must be prepared for a reply.New Delhi: The Home Ministry has projected a budgetary requirement of more than Rs 3,50,000 crore for internal security, mordernisation of police forces and other related responsibilities during 2020-25.

This was conveyed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh to chairman of the 15th Finance Commission NK Singh here recently, officials said on Sunday.

The ministry has projected budgetary requirement of more than Rs 3,50,000 crore for the period 2020-2025 for internal security, central armed police forces, police modernisation, border security, disaster management and Union Territories, a ministry official said.

A detailed memorandum will be submitted to the Finance Commission later.

A presentation was made during the meeting which stressed that the responsibilities of the Home Ministry have increased manifold that includes diverse and varied internal security challenges, even though public order and police are constitutional responsibilities of state governments.

The capabilities of states alone are not adequate to meet the threats of insurgency and terrorism which have national and international links, the official said.

The home minister has pointed out that his ministry also has other challenges that include improving the sense of security amongst the public, making vulnerable sections such as women and children safer, improving the effectiveness of police, meeting cyber threats, providing immediate relief and rehabilitation during natural disasters etc.

He said due to concerted and coordinated efforts of the central government and the state governments, there has been a significant and steady improvement in the overall security situation in the hinterland, in the Northeastern states and in the areas affected by Left-Wing Extremism.

The HM said relentless efforts are needed to be made continuously in order to consolidate the gains and spread successes in the new areas.

The Finance Commission was briefed about the various schemes being implemented by the Home Ministry, which requires continued capital expenditure such as modernisation of police forces, Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS), immigration, visa, Foreigners Registration and Tracking (IVFRT), coastal security, border infrastructure, integrated check posts, another official said.

The commission was conveyed that further capital investment is also required to make appropriate use of new technologies for cybersecurity, border management etc, the official said.New Delhi: Over 600 academicians and scholars from across the globe have written an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing their anguish over the Kathua and Unnao rape cases and held his government responsible for the 'terrible state of affairs'. The academicians also raised concerns over the prime minister's "prolonged silence" on the issue and the "non-specific assurance of justice" for the victims of the two rape cases that have shocked the entire nation.

"We wish to express our deep anger and anguish over the events in Kathua and Unnao and the aftermath of these events; over the efforts of those administering the relevant states to protect the alleged perpetrators of these monstrous crimes; over the subsequent profoundly distasteful efforts of rationalization and the deflection and diversion that have been so much in evidence in the reactions of your party's spokespersons in the media," the letter read.

"We have observed that there has been a prolonged silence on your part over the 'terrible state of affairs' in the country and 'an undeniable association of violence with the ruling dispensation'," it added.

The signatories to the letter include academicians and scholars from universities across the globe including the New York university, the Brown University, the Harvard, the Columbia and prominent IITs, among others. The academicians also said the prime minister broke his "prolonged (and by now familiar) silence" with "wholly inadequate, platitudinous, and non-specific assurances of justice for the victims."

They further said the Unnao and Kathua cases are not isolated incidents, but part of a sequence of "repeated targets". "We send you this letter because it is our duty to do so; so that we are not guilty of silence; and so that callousness and cowardice might finally draw the line at the broken body of a little girl and the rape of a young woman," the letter concluded.

The letter comes on the day the Union Cabinet approved an ordinance to provide stringent punishment, including death penalty, for those convicted of rape of girls below 12 years, amid a nation-wide outrage over cases of sexual assault and murder of minors in Kathua and Surat and the rape of a girl in Unnao.New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold an informal summit in China's Wuhan city from April 27 to 28, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced on Sunday.

PM Modi will be visiting the central Chinese city at the invitation of President Xi, he said at a joint media event with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. "The two leaders will have communications of a strategic nature concerning the once in a century shifts going on in the world. They will also exchange views on overarching long-term and strategic matters concerning the future of China-India relations," Wang said.

"The informal summit will be an important occasion for them to exchange views on bilateral and international matters from an over-arching and long-term perspective with the objective of enhancing mutual communication at the level of leaders," External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said.

EAM @SushmaSwaraj : Prime Minister of India @narendramodi will visit China on 27 & 28 April for an Informal Summit with President of China Xi Jinping in the city of Wuhan. pic.twitter.com/SUs2VSAVDO  Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) April 22, 2018

EAM @SushmaSwaraj : The informal Summit will be an important occasion for them to exchange views on bilateral and international matters from an over-arching and long-term perspective with the objective of enhancing mutual communication at the level of leaders. pic.twitter.com/vD786LCelf  Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) April 22, 2018

Meanwhile, Swaraj and Yi on Sunday discussed a host of bilateral issues and ways to step up the pace of high-level interactions to improve the relationship.

"We will work closely with the Chinese leadership to take India-China cooperation to new heights," Swaraj said

On his part, Wang said the bilateral ties have witnessed a good development and shown a positive momentum this year under the guidance of the leaders of the two nations. "On the eve of the closing of China's National People's Congress this year, President Xi Jinping received a very important phone call from PM Modi," PTI reported.

He added that the call spurred a positive momentum in the dialogue process between the two countries. "Our two leaders had in-depth exchange of views and reached important consensus on furthering the China-India relationship. We must work very hard to implement the consensus between our two leaders. India's membership to the SCO has expanded the orgainsation's potential and its influence, as well as providing a new platform for the India-China cooperation and I believe that India will make a positive and energetic contribution to the organisation," Wang said.

Swaraj arrived in Beijing on Saturday on a four-day visit to take part in the foreign ministers' meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The EAM and Wang are met in the immediate backdrop of the recent meeting between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and top official of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) Yang Jiechi in Shanghai.

Following the Dokalam standoff in 2017 both countries increased dialogue to scale down tensions and improve relations with talks at various levels.

(With PTI inputs)NEW DELHI: A day after the Cabinet approved an ordinance to award death penalty to those who are convicted of raping children up to 12 years of age, President Ram Nath Kovind approved it with effect from Sunday.

The Cabinet - headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi - held a meeting on Saturday, where the ordinance was passed.

In case of rape of a girl aged under 16 years, the minimum punishment to be awarded has been increased from 10 years to 20 years, which is extendable to life imprisonment. The minimum punishment to those raping a girl aged under 12 will be 20 years imprisonment. The Cabinet also decided to put in place measures for speedy investigation and trial of rape cases.

The development comes at a time when there is a massive uproar over the cases of rape that surfaced recently.

Earlier, under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) Act, the maximum punishment for "aggravated assault" was life imprisonment while the minimum sentence prescribed was seven years in jail.

The government had on Friday informed the Supreme Court that it is actively considering amending the penal law to introduce death penalty to those convicted of sexually abusing children up to 12 years of age. "An ordinance today is the best way to deal with the issue. An amendment bill will have to wait (till July) when the Monsoon session commences," a law ministry official had said.

After the Nirbhaya case in December 2012, when the criminal laws were amended, a provision of death penalty in case the woman either dies or is left in a "vegetative state" after rape was introduced through an ordinance which later became the Criminal Law Amendment Act.

The recent incidents of cruelty against minors include that of an eight-year-old girl who was gangraped and murdered in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district and a nine-year-old who was found dead in Surat after she was allegedly raped for at least eight days before being strangled to death.New Delhi: Congress party on Sunday made yet another blistering attack on the Narendra Modi government at the Centre, saying that it posed a big threat to the Constitution. Accusing the Narendra Modi dispensation at the Centre of "systematically destroying" the Constitution, Congress said that its president Rahul Gandhi will launch a nationwide "Save The Constitution" campaign on April 23.

Congress also took to Twitter to make the announcement on Rahul Gandhi's 'Save The Constitution' campaign.

Atrocities against Dalits are rising and attempts are being made to undermine social protections like reservations. BJP's actions and inactions suggest that it is planning a major assault on the Constitution of India. It is time to #SaveTheConstitution pic.twitter.com/YSc9scrYwI  Congress (@INCIndia) April 20, 2018

'Save The Constitution' campaign focusses on rising atrocities against the Dalits across the country.

The party also attacked the BJP-led NDA regime of diluting the SC/ST Act despite rising atrocities against the members of the SC/ST communities in India.

''The past three years have witnessed an unprecedented rise in atrocities against Dalits. Despite this, the SC/ST Act has been diluted. The Modi Govt is a clear and present danger to the Constitution of India. It is time for us to unite and #SaveTheConstitution,'' it tweeted.

In a separate press conference, AICC Scheduled Caste Department Chairman Nitin Raut said that Rahul Gandhi will launch the campaign on April 23 at the Talkatora Stadium in Delhi and senior party leaders will join him.

Raut further stated that Congress party's scheduled caste leaders from block to national levels will also participate in the programme and the campaign would go on for nearly a year till April 14, 2019.

"The campaign would be taken up at the state-level by the party's respective SC departments to reach out to the common man at the village level," he added.

Importantly, the 'Save The Constitution' campaign from Congress comes at a time when the ruling BJP is holding "Gram Swaraj Abhiyan" across the country under which Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked party MPs and MLAs to spend a night in Dalit-dominated villages.

The Prime Minister's direction to party leaders came after violent protests erupted in parts of the country after a Supreme Court order allegedly diluted the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

During the press briefing, Raut said that the BJP and RSS leadership was systematically destroying the Constitution to wreck the country's social fabric to enforce their pernicious 'Manuwadi' social order that was contrary to what the Constitution had nurtured and protected.

"Ever since the RSS-supported BJP has come to power at the Centre, the Constitution has been under severe attack, in one form or the other, thereby denying the marginalised sections of society their constitutional rights," he said.

Raut said that the institutions such as the RBI, Supreme Court, Election Commission and erstwhile Planning Commission were all under threat.

"The RBI was sidelined while deciding on demonetisation. The Planning Commission was dismantled to establish NITI Aayog that has no accountability. The voice of four Supreme Court senior most Judges has been silenced and the Election Commission made to wait for government's approval to announce election schedules," he said.

The Congress leader concluded by saying that the BJP-RSS combine is set to dismantle the social security available for SCs, STs and other weaker sections.

(With IANS inputs)New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday asserted that BJP's reach was no longer confined to a particular class, urban centres or north India. He also underlined the support, during an interaction with the party's MPs, MLAs and other representatives through his mobile application, the BJP had received from backward sections of the society.

"BJP cherishes the phenomenal affection received from all sections of society, in all parts of India. It is a privilege that the party has got such a wonderful opportunity to serve 125 crore Indians. No stone will be left unturned to fulfil the aspirations of our fellow citizens," he said.

At the same time, PM Modi asked party leaders to refrain from making "irresponsible" statements, saying their responsibility has risen as public support has increased for the BJP, PTI reported.

They'll (media) obviously use parts of your sentences as per their convenience. It isn't media which is at fault. We'll have to control ourselves. Only they must give statements who've been given responsibility to do so:PM Modi in video interaction with BJP MPs&MLAs earlier today pic.twitter.com/jR1RfkDoia  ANI (@ANI) April 22, 2018

Further, he asked MPs and MLAs to take a resolve to solve four to five problems of the villages falling in their respective constituencies as he issued them several instructions to observe the ongoing 'Gram Swaraj' campaign between April 14 and May 5.

The BJP has not come to power due to mistakes of the Congress but because it has always stayed connected to the people and now their job in power is to solve problems facing the masses, PM Modi said.

The perception about the BJP that it was a party of a particular class and urban centres or north India has changed and it has emerged as an "all-touching and all-inclusive" organisation, he said.

He highlighted that it was the BJP which today had the maximum number of elected representatives, be it from the tribal communities, SC/ ST or OBC and urged the representatives for expanding the outreach to people.

PM Modi elicits how it has been BJPs connect with people and not mistakes of the Congress party which brought BJP to power in his address to BJP MPs and MLAs through Narendra Modi App. pic.twitter.com/pYuMfpv9Tx  BJP (@BJP4India) April 22, 2018

PM inquiring about water level in Brahmaputra, shows how well he knows whats happening across the nation during his interaction with BJP MPs and MLAs through Narendra Modi App. pic.twitter.com/nMlZO2v8hR  BJP (@BJP4India) April 22, 2018

PM Modi gives an exemplary example on how to contribute to ensuring good healthcare for people during his video interaction with BJP MPs and MLAs through Narendra Modi App. pic.twitter.com/T25PqqZYbQ  BJP (@BJP4India) April 22, 2018

PM Modi is a leader connected with the grassroots. Todays interaction with BJP MPs and MLAs through Narendra Modi App shows how he has a great pulse on the past, present and future! pic.twitter.com/qacCfSZkaE  BJP (@BJP4India) April 22, 2018

Glad that BJP MLAs and MPs were able to connect. Together, all of us will create a New India, which will make our freedom fighters proud. https://t.co/fTKniPGzjj  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 22, 2018

Thank you @sarbanandsonwal Ji. I agree with you on the importance of technology and once again emphasise on the need to use it as much as possible for transforming the nation. https://t.co/z3ZJlnkMrT  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 22, 2018

      ,    ,               https://t.co/cGu3WH1j23  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 22, 2018

BJP cherishes the phenomenal affection received from all sections of society, in all parts of India. It is a privilege that the party has got such a wonderful opportunity to serve 125 crore Indians. No stone will be left unturned to fulfil the aspirations of our fellow citizens.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 22, 2018

Taking on the criticism that his government had not created enough jobs, PM Modi said lifestyle and sources of livelihood have changed in villages as he emphasised his government's efforts to boost self-employment.

Those doing politics over employment figure may do so but the government will provide the masses with self-employment opportunities by developing skills of the youth, he said.

Talking of his government's ambitious health insurance scheme, 'Ayushmaan Bharat', PM Modi said wellness centres will be built in over 1.5 lakh panchayats by 2022 with the programme aiming to cover 10 crore families with a cover of Rs 5 lakh.

He also made a mention of several of his government's welfare schemes aimed at farmers, youths and women among others and asked his party's lawmakers to spread their reach.

PM Modi also answered questions from elected representatives of BJP across the country on various issues including skilling the youth, rural development and farmer welfare.

(With inputs from PTI, ANI and narendramodi.in)NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Earth Science has issued a severe weather warning for several states. While thunderstorm accompanied with squall and hail is likely at isolated places over SubHimalayan West Bengal and Sikkim on Sunday, thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds is expected at some places over Telangana, Tamilnadu, interior Karnataka, and Kerala.

A thunderstorm accompanied with squall is also likely at isolated places over Gangetic West Bengal.

As per the forecast generated by Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), moderate to rough sea conditions are very likely to prevail along and off the West coast of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

In a statement, the ministry has advised fishermen to be cautious while venturing into the Sea along and off these areas. There is a possibility of surging of waves during the high tide times, in the low lying areas of the coasts during this period.

Boats plying very near to the coasts may be avoided during this period as the coastal regions will experience its effect more. The boats may be anchored at a fair distance from each other, to avoid collision and damage.

For a change, heat wave conditions are likely to prevail in some parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand on Monday.NEW DELHI: An Air India flight experienced severe turbulence mid-air leading to chaos in the aircraft. Three passengers sustained minor injuries in the flight and some overhead oxygen masks also got deployed. A window panel also fell off.

The incident took place in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner (VTANI) soon after take off from Amritsar to Delhi on April 19. The turbulence continued for 10 to 15 minutes. Puzzled by the incident, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched a probe. It also informed the Aircraft Accident Investigation Board.

The duration of Amristar-Delhi flight is about 35 minutes. The flight had over 240 passengers when the incident happened. The officials said the flight experienced turbulence soon after take-off when the altitude was around 15,000 feet due to bad weather.

#WATCH Air India flight from Amritsar to Delhi experienced severe turbulence and three passengers sustained minor injuries. A window panel also fell off. DGCA begins probe (19.4.18) pic.twitter.com/WBp0v56oTy  ANI (@ANI) April 22, 2018

A 50-second long video clip of happenings inside that flight that has gone viral shows an air hostess trying to fix the window panel that came off and pacifying an elderly woman passenger seated on that particular window seat. The video clip has been circulated in WhatsApp groups and social media platforms. There has been no official statement from Air India about the incident.

As per reports, a passenger, who possibly did not have his seatbelt fastened, hit the overhead cabin because and suffered injuries and has been given stitches. All the three injured passengers were taken to the hospital when the flight landed in Delhi.

While the window panel broke, there was no damage to the outside window hence there was no de-pressurisation. The overhead panel cover of a seat also reportedly got cracks.

A similar incident had taken place in a Singapore Airlines flight in October 2014, while landing in Mumbai. Hit by sudden turbulence, 22 passengers and crew onboard the Airbus A-380 had been injured.Beijing: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Sunday discussed a host of bilateral issues and ways to step up the pace of high-level interactions to improve the relationship.

This was their first meeting after Wang was elevated as state councillor in March 2018 which makes him the top diplomat of the country in the Chinese hierarchy. He also continues to be the foreign minister.

Swaraj arrived in Beijing on Saturday on a four-day visit to take part in the foreign ministers' meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). "We will work closely with the Chinese leadership to take India-China cooperation to new heights," Swaraj said

On his part, Wang said the bilateral ties have witnessed a good development and shown a positive momentum this year under the guidance of the leaders of the two nations. "On the eve of the closing of China's National People's Congress this year, President Xi Jinping received a very important phone call from Prime Minister Narendra Modi," PTI reported.

He added that the call spurred a positive momentum in the dialogue process between the two countries. "Our two leaders had in-depth exchange of views and reached important consensus on furthering the China-India relationship. We must work very hard to implement the consensus between our two leaders. India's membership to the SCO has expanded the orgainsation's potential and its influence, as well as providing a new platform for the India-China cooperation and I believe that India will make a positive and energetic contribution to the organisation," Wang said.

Following the Dokalam standoff in 2017 both countries increased dialogue to scale down tensions and improve relations with talks at various levels.

Swaraj and Wang met in the immediate backdrop of the recent meeting between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and top official of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) Yang Jiechi in Shanghai.

Together we prosper! EAM @SushmaSwaraj and State Councillor and Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi discussed all aspects of our bilateral relationship to strengthen India-China multifaceted engagement. pic.twitter.com/rALF4WFPYf  Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) April 22, 2018

EAM @SushmaSwaraj : I conveyed our appreciation to the Chinese side for their confirmation on resumption of data sharing on Brahmaputra and Sutlej rivers in 2018. pic.twitter.com/36SnzkRyOE  Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) April 22, 2018

PM Modi to visit China from Apr 27-28 for summit talks with Prez Xi

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold an informal summit in China's Wuhan city from April 27 to 28 to exchange views on bilateral and international matters and to enhance mutual communication between the two leaders, Wang announced on Sunday.

PM Modi will be visiting the central Chinese city at the invitation of President Xi, Wang said at a joint media event with Swaraj after their talks. "The two leaders will have communications of a strategic nature concerning the once in a century shifts going on in the world. They will also exchange views on overarching long-term and strategic matters concerning the future of China-India relations," Wang said.

"The informal summit will be an important occasion for them to exchange views on bilateral and international matters from an over-arching and long-term perspective with the objective of enhancing mutual communication at the level of leaders," Swaraj said.

(With PTI inputs)New Delhi: Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday set in motion the process of consultation on the 'impeachment' notice against Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and held discussions with a number of constitutional and legal experts, including Attorney General KK Venugopal, and former top law officer K Parasaran.

The VP cut short his visit to Hyderabad and reached here to hold deliberations over the notice given by the seven opposition parties.

According to officials, Naidu spoke to former Lok Sabha secretary general Subhash Kashyap, ex-law secretary P K Malhotra and former legislative secretary Sanjay Singh on the issue.

He also held deliberations with senior officials of the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, they said, adding that Naidu also spoke to former Supreme Court judge B Sudarshan Reddy.

The officials said the vice president also spoke to the attorney general on the issue.

They also said Naidu continued with the deliberations till late in the evening and also spoke to K Parasaran, who was the attorney general during the Congress governments led by Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi and was also a member to the Upper House nominated by the party.

Also Read - Opposition gives notice for impeachment of CJI Dipak Misra; but a judge can never be impeached

Leaders of the opposition parties had on Friday met Naidu and handed over the notice of 'impeachment' against the chief justice of India (CJI) bearing signatures of 64 MPs and seven former members, who recently retired.

The opposition parties, led by the Congress, initiated the unprecedented step to 'impeach' the CJI by moving the notice levelling charges against him. The parties had briefed the media after handing over the notice to the Upper House chairman.

While reviewing the notice, the Rajya Sabha officials had mentioned that making public the contents of a notice before it is admitted by the chair is in violation of parliamentary rules.

According to the provisions in the handbook for Rajya Sabha members, no advance publicity should be given to any notice to be taken up in the House till it is admitted by the chairman.

The move to propose 'impeachment' notice against the CJI has led to a slugfest between the Congress and the BJP.

Meanwhile, the Congress said that the CJI should considering recusing himself from judicial and administrative duties until his name is cleared.

The BJP has said the Congress was trying to demean, degrade and denigrate the judiciary by moving the notice.NEW DELHI: Doctors of Indian Medical Association (IMA) and Association of Medical Consultants (AMC), Mumbai on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing disappointment over his remarks in London where he had highlighted malpractices of doctors and had also said doctors attend conferences abroad to promote pharmaceutical firms. In the letter by Association of Medical Consultants, the doctors wrote: "Your talk has irrevocably harmed the doctor-patient relationship of trust. We wish and hope that you can bring back the standing that we doctirs have, as trust, in one another is extremely important for recovery from illness."

Expressing sadness, Dr Ravi Wankhedkar of IMA said, "We are all saddened by PM Modi's remarks on Indian doctors, that also in a country(UK) where medical system is run by 70% Indians. Issues like medicine prices are in hands of government, not us. We humbly request PM to reconsider his remark."

Another IMA doctor Vinod Sharma said, "Shameful statement by PM. In conferences, we get to know new procedures and medicines. Also, the conferences abroad are never sponsored by pharma firms."

Dr Veena Pandit, a doctor from AMC, Mumbai said, "Yes some exist but to paint all doctors as unethical is really bad, that to on a public platform in a foreign country. Failure of successive Govts can't be blamed on doctors."

The statement from IMA read that it has always supported the use of generic drugs, but the only hitch is the issue of quality assurance."The current level of quality testing by the Centre is less than one percent of the total drugs manufactured in such a state of affairs how can doctors betray the confidence of the patients and support the populistic posturing of the Government?" IMA Secretary-General Dr. RN Tandon had asked.

The Prime Minister in "Bharat Ki Baat Sabke Saath" event, organised in London's Westminster recently, had cited examples of various international conferences allegedly funded by pharma companies, where doctors regularly participate. He had said that to end the nexus between doctors and pharmaceutical companies, which results in the sale of expensive medicines the Centre has launched generic stores in India.

"Doctors visit Singapore, Dubai to attend conferences; they don't go there because someone is sick. The pharma companies invite them for that. To finally break the resultant sale of expensive medicines the government has launched generic stores where medicines of similar quality are sold at cheaper prices," the Prime Minister had said.

(With inputs from agencies)Bengaluru: In the run-up to the forthcoming assembly elections in Karnataka, BJP's chief ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurappa on Sunday attacked the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government for rampant corruption and poor management of Bengaluru, which is also popular as the IT city of India.

In a series of tweets on Sunday, BS Yeddyurappa - the BJP strongman from Karnataka's dominant Lingayat community  today slammed the Congress government for the garbage menace in the Bengaluru city.

BSY, as Yeddyurappa is popularly known, said that due to the poor waste management, the Bengaluru city has been reduced to a 'Garbage City' under the Congress government.

Due to the garbage menace, Bengaluru's ranking has dropped from 7th position in 2015 to 210th position in 2017 in 'Swatch Bharat' rankings, the former Karnataka chief minister tweeted.

Terming the situation in Bengaluru as 'unfortunate', the BJP strongman vowed to revive the city if his party comes to power in the upcoming assembly elections.

''Bengaluru dropped from 7th position in 2015 to 210th position in 2017 in Swatch Bharat Rankings. It is unfortunate, our city is reduced to Garbage city under Cong. We will implement best practices from across the world to end this menace,'' BSY tweeted.

Bengaluru dropped from 7th position in 2015 to 210th position in 2017 in Swatch Bharat Rankings. It is unfortunate, our city is reduced to Garbage city under Cong. We will implement best practices from across the world to end this menace: Shri @BSYBJP #NewBengaluruforNewIndia  BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) April 22, 2018

BSY also used a hashtag #NewBengaluruforNewIndia to share his vision for the IT City.

He said that after coming to power in Karnataka, his government will focus on decentralising the industries. He also promised to offer more attracting incentives to those firm which will agree to set up their base a little away from Bengaluru.

The BJP leader said that his government's focus will be on developing new satellite towns to de-congest Bengaluru.

''I'll emphasize on decentralizing industries, offer attractive incentives to companies that will set up their bases little away from Bengaluru and focus on developing new satellite towns to decongest Bengaluru,''' BSY said in another tweet.

I'll emphasize on decentralizing industries, offer attractive incentives to companies that will set up their bases little away from Bengaluru and focus on developing new satellite towns to decongest Bengaluru : Shri @BSYBJP #NewBengaluruForNewIndia  BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) April 22, 2018

In one of his tweets, BSY stressed on the need to clean up the bureaucracy and the appointment of honest and upright officers in order to bring transparency and accountability in the governance.

''Its important to have honest and upright officers across bureaucracy. But when people wielding power are compromised, the state suffers. I will take all measures to correct the course and bring discipline in bureaucracy,'' the BSY said.

Its important to have honest and upright officers across bureaucracy. But when people wielding power are compromised, the state suffers. I will take all measures to correct the course and bring discipline in bureaucracy: Shri @BSYBJP #NewBengaluruForNewIndia  BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) April 22, 2018

Taking on the incumbent Congress dispensation in Karnataka for not doing enough to rein in rampant corruption across the state, BS Yeddyurappa said that within a month of coming to power, he will abolish the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and re-constitute the institution of Lokayukta with full powers.

He also vowed to initiate a thorough probe into every scam perpetrated by the ruling Congress in last five years and ensure that no culprit goes unpunished.

''Within one month of coming to power, I'll abolish ACB and reinstitute Lokayukta with full powers. I'll also order a comprehensive probe into every scam perpetrated by Congress is last 5 years. No culprit will go unpunished,'' the BJP strongman said.

Within one month of coming to power, I'll abolish ACB and re institute Lokayukta with full powers. I'll also order a comprehensive probe into every scam perpetrated by Congress is last 5 years. No culprit will go unpunished : Shri @BSYBJP #NewBengaluruForNewIndia  BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) April 22, 2018

There is an intense speculation in the political circles in Karnataka that BSY will directly challenge Siddaramaiah in the upcoming assembly elections here. The Congress party has, meanwhile, welcomed this, saying if BSY contests elections against Siddaramaiah, it will only help the Congress win in the state.

The assembly elections in Karnataka is slated on May 12 and the poll results will be announced on May 15.NEW DELHI: The Congress on Sunday announced a list of 11 candidates for the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections 2018. The list was released by AICC general secretary Mukul Wasnik.

The Central Election Committee of @INCIndia has selected the following members as Congress candidates for ensuing Karnataka Assembly Elections. #INC4Karnataka pic.twitter.com/Cb6OtgWLXL  Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) April 22, 2018

Last week, the grand old party had released its first list of 218 candidates. While Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will contest from two constituencies - Chamundeshwari and Badami, his son Dr Yatheendra will contest from Varuna constituency in upcoming Legislative Assembly polls.

With less than a month left for Karnataka to go to polls, both the ruling Congress and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have entered a high-pitched battle on the ground and on social media.

Last week, the BJP had released its first list of 72 candidates following a meeting of the party's Central Election Committee. The committee had met at BJP's Headquarters in New Delhi with party President Amit Shah and committee members including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj present.

Karnataka polls are scheduled to be held in a single phase on May 12 and the counting of votes will be done on May 15. VVPAT machines, apart from EVMs, will be deployed in Karnataka for the polls.

The date of notification is April 17 and the last date to file nominations is April 24. The scrutiny of nominations will take place on April 25 and the last day for withdrawal is April 27.

The 224-member Assembly expires on May 28 in the state where the Congress is currently in power, with 122 seats against the BJP's 43. Karnataka is one of the eight states where polls were scheduled this year.

While Siddaramaiah-led Congress is eyeing a second term in the state, BJP wants to spread its wings to the 22nd state.BENGALURU: Soon after it became clear that Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would file his nomination from a second seat in Badami in north Karnataka, a tweet from a Bharatiya Janata Party leader commenting on the decision irked the Congress veteran. When BJP General Secretary P Muralidhar Rao tweeted to the CM about his plans to contest the May 12 assembly polls from two constituencies, the CM instead of replying to his question asked him to tweet in Kannada or English.

BJP General Secretary P Muralidhar Rao for his Hindi tweet about his plans to contest the May 12 assembly polls from two constituencies, by asking him to tweet in Kannada or English.

Rao, who is in-charge of Karnataka, asked Siddaramaiah whether he was 'scared about winning Chamundeshwari seat in' Mysuru. "@Siddaramaiah ji are you scared? After much effort you chose Chamundeshwari seat, now after seeing that you will be defeated there you are searching for a second place. To end your doubt let me clarify that not only your two seats, but"entire Karnataka will be Congress Mukt (Congress free)," he said in a tweet in Hindi.

Replying to Rao in Kannada, Siddaramaiah tweeted, "Sir, tweet in Kannada or English. Don't understand"Hindi."

The CM will be filing nomination from Badami in north Karnataka on April 24 for the May 12 assembly polls. He has already filed his nomination from Chamundeshwari constituency in Mysuru.

Siddaramaiah has said that he was under pressure from Congress leaders from Bagalkote and Bijapur districts to" contest from Badami. Siddaramaiah had said that he had conveyed to the high command, his desire to contest only from Chamundeshwari constituency. "I have told the high command that I will contest from Chamundeshwari and not from two constituencies. However, the people of north Karnataka are pressurising the high command that I should contest from north Karnataka too," he said.

The Congress, in its list of candidates for 218 seats" announced on April 15, had named Dr Devraj Patil as its" nominee from Badami. But issuing of B-form (required to be filed by a political party mentioning the name of its approved candidate) to Patil has been put on hold.

Badami with a strong presence of Karubas, the community to which Siddaramaiah belongs, was seen as the second safe option for the Chief Minister as reports have suggested that the battle in Chamundeshwari will not be an easy one for him.

Siddaramaiah has won five times and tasted defeat twice at Chamundeshwari, from where he has been announced as the candidate. He has been representing Varuna constituency in Mysuru" since 2008, which has now been allotted to his son Yatindra.

(With PTI inputs)BENGALURU: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting Udupi in poll-bound Karnataka on May 1, the announcement was made by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in a quirky manner. The twitter handle of Karnataka BJP, which has been extremely active in the run-up to the elections, posted a photo from the popular American fantasy drama television series Game of Thrones to announce Modi's schedule for Udipi.

"PM Shri @narendramodi will be visiting Udupi on May 1st, 2018. He will be first visiting Udupi's Shri Krishna Mutt, and will later address a massive public rally in Udupi #ModiIsComing," BJP Karnataka tweeted. The photo posted along with the tweet has a message for Congress. It says, "Brace yourself Congress, Modi is coming."

PM Shri @narendramodi will be visiting Udupi on May 1st, 2018. He will be first visiting Udupi's Shri Krishna Mutt, and will later address a massive public rally in Udupi.#ModiIsComing pic.twitter.com/GTaUZghI2w  BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) April 22, 2018

However, soon after the photo was tweeted, Twitter users started asking the logic behind why the photo of Ned Stark, a character why had been killed in the series, was used.

remove this picture please..it does not make any sense..ned stark was beheaded in the series  santosh (@santosh2304) April 22, 2018

Rofl... Ned Stark first big character to die in GoT.. Rofl. I can't stop laughing at you.  Save Hinduism from Hindutva (@Mr_Sameer1) April 22, 2018

There is a strong BJP presence in Udupi. The party is also planning to organise over 12 public meetings by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to campaign for the party for the upcoming Assembly elections, voting for which will be held on May 12. The party is hoping that Modi's magic will work in favour of the party and will help them remove the Siddaramaih-led Congress government in the state.

The PM had previously held public meetings in Davangere and Mysuru in March where he had listed out the policies that the government had brought for the welfare of the people. He had also hit out at the Siddaramaiah for lack of development initiatives in the state.

The Karnataka and the BJP are in a direct fight in the state. While the BJP is putting all its might to win the election and make it the 22nd state where there it rules, the Congress is leaving no stone unturned to keep hold of the state. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi has been campaigning vigourously throughtout the state for the party.

Rahul, too, had visited Udipi in March where he had accused the BJP of dividing people despite its talk of dharma. "BJP people talk about dharma, but wherever they go, they divide people by pitting one against the other. On one side they praise Basavanna and Narayana Guru (social reformers), and on the other every day they indulge in things that these two great people fought against," he had said.Mangaluru: Congress president Rahul Gandhi will be in Mangaluru on April 27 on the sixth leg of his election tour. He will attend a campaign meeting at Bantwal constituency.

State Forests Minister and Dakshina Kannada district-in-charge B Ramanath Rai is the party candidate in the constituency. Rahul will also attend a district-level conference of the party with senior leaders on the day, PTI quoted party sources as saying.

He would then proceed to Dharmasthala temple town after addressing the people near Brahmashri Narayana Guru circle in Bantwal, the news agency further quoted sources as saying.

Rahul had come to the coastal region on March 20 and had held many road shows. He had also visited places of worship including Rosario Cathedral, Kudroli Temple and Ullal Dargah.

April 24 is the last date for filing nominations for Karnataka Assembly elections, while scrutiny will be taken up on April 25. The last date for withdrawal is April 27. Polling will be held from 7 am to 5 pm across the state on May 12. Votes will be counted on May 15.

Elaborate arrangements have been made to ensure peaceful voting amid tight security at 58,546 polling booths across 224 constituencies, using Electronic Voting Machines along with Voter Verified Paper Audit Trails, reports said.

As many as 450 polling booths are 'pink booths', managed by all-women officials, including police, in all Assembly segments.

The southern state has 4.96 crore registered electors, including 2.52 crore men and 2.44 crore women. Over 15 lakh are first-time voters in the 18-19 age group.

About 3.5 lakh security personnel will be deployed during the polling in the state.

(With Agency inputs)GADCHIROLI: Fourteen Naxals have been killed in an encounter with police in Etapalli's Boriya forest area in Gadchiroli district on Sunday. The encounter took place between Naxals and security forces on Sunday at around 11 am.

As per police, there was a base camp of Naxals in the area. Security forces had been conducting combing operations in the area for the last three days. They had a tip-off that Naxals from other areas will also be gathering in the area. The encounter went on for over 2 hours in which two district-level "commanders" of the proscribed outfit were also killed. The two have been identified as Sainath and Sainyu.

A team of C-60 commandos, a specialised combat unit of the Gadchiroli police, carried out the operation. "Fourteen Naxals were killed in the encounter. Combing operations are still on," Sharad Shelar, Inspector General of Police, said.

Director General of Police Satish Mathur congratulated the C-60 team which participated in the encounter. "This is a major operation against Naxals in recent times," Mathur said.

MUMBAI: At a time when the Punjab National Bank (PNB) is facing flak for the multi-million scam involving celebrity jeweller Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi, an ailing man in Mumbai died after one of the branches of the bank denied permission to his family to withdraw money for his treatment.

The man, who was not allowed to withdraw money from his own account, died in the hospital without treatment. Ganesh Kamble, an Account holder of Punjab National Bank (PNB), was suffering from paralysis.

Kamble's family members had approached the bank and requested the bank officials to allow them to withdraw money for his treatment. Refusing permission, the bank officials had told them that it is against the bank's rules and regulations.

The bank authority had asked Kumble's family to bring either Kamble along or his signature in order to withdraw the amount. It was after Kumble's death, the bank bothered to give away the money to his nominees.Mumbai: Actress Deepika Padukone has been enjoying a break after her last release 'Padmavati' and she is utilising all her time to pamper herself. The actress is often spotted spending time with her family members when not in the city or visiting a salon.

And this Sunday was no different. Deepika, snapped while exiting a salon, was all smiles as she made her way towards the car, was captured by the paparazzi. Check out her photos.

Deepika was wearing a white oversized striped shirt white-blue shirt with a pair of jeans. She rounded her look by wearing vintage glares.



On the other hand, she has been making headlines due to imminent wedding rumours with alleged beau Ranveer Singh. Even though the couple has never spoken about their relationship, the speculations around their wedding have refused to die down.

It was also reported that the actress's parents have chosen four dates between September and December this year for the wedding. The report said that the family is mulling to keep the ceremony extremely private with only close relatives and friends in attendance.

The report further claimed that Deepika-Ranveer's wedding preparations are going on with a full swing and the actress is fully utilising her free time to shop for her wedding with her mother and baby sister Anisha Padukone.Mumbai: The Centre has given its nod to an ordinance to amend the existing Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) Act, allowing courts to award death penalty to those convicted of raping minors, and Bollywood is all praise for it.

At the Dadasaheb Phalke Excellence Awards 2018 function, former actress and producer-director Divya Khosla also spoke in favour of the ordinance.

"I feel that parents should give good education to their children. Our Prime Minister is being cursed by people, which is not right. Parents also have a duty to understand their responsibility. Also, I feel women are considered very strong. But there are such people who consider women as physically weak. Hopefully, the law will serve as a deterrent for them," Khosla said.

Filmmaker Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, who made her debut with the 2016 hit comedy-drama 'Nil Battey Sannata,' backed the Centre's move.

"It is a good thing that such laws are being created so that all men should respect women. But on the contrary, every law has good and bad aspects. There is also a need to consider this as well," she said.

Calling for social change, she urged other filmmakers to throw light on sexual assault issues, as it was necessary to change the mentality of the society.

"I have always made films for social change. 'Nil Battey Sannata' is one of them. I believe that in the future, if necessary, we will make such films by taking a social change in the country," Tiwari added.

Actor Shahid Kapoor, who won the Best Actor Award for the film 'Padmaavat' at Dadasaheb Phalke Excellence Awards, also welcomed the central government's move to award death penalty to child rapists.

"A very harsh punishment is required to create a certain mindset in the people who even think of such horrifying crime. It is important to put something very strong as an example for them. I am very happy that the issue has been brought up. People cannot ignore it now since wrong things are happening every time," the star said.

Actress Shilpa Shetty also lauded the Centre's move as well, saying, "I think it (ordinance of POCSO Act) is a good step. People who do such horrifying crime should be punished in the harshest way possible. The crime itself is so brutal."

Actress Aditi Rao Hydari too voiced her support of the Centre's move to punish child rapists and said, "I am very happy that such a step has been taken by the government. It is a victory for every girl and her parents in this country. It is a great day to get this news."

Actress Kriti Sanon, while praising the move, stressed on the need to fast-track rape cases, so that justice could be served to the victims in a proper manner.

Terming the crime as "animalistic and horrible," she said, "Really glad that such a strong punishment would be given to such people. I am really happy that it has finally happened. I feel angry whenever I hear about such cases. But we have to fast-track such cases. I hope the government would address the issue for ensuring speedy justice to the victims."

Actress Tamannah Bhatia slammed the rise in crimes against women as "disgusting."

"These are so disgusting and are heinous crimes. The idea of rape is itself not good. I am happy about the strong punishment under the amended law. Rape is a crime that should be given the most brutal punishment," Tamannah asserted.

Meanwhile, veteran actress and prominent talk show hostess Simi Garewal welcomed the Centre's move and urged the government to take strict action against the offenders.

"This step is really good. I am unable to sleep at night when I hear about such cases. I don't know what is happening in our country. This is not our India. The government should not only punish the guilty, but they should be publicly punished, so as to instill fear among the people," she asserted.

The Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday approved the promulgation of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018, for effective deterrence against the commission of rape, thereby instilling a sense of security among women and especially young girls in the country.

Taking cognisance of the recent incidents of rape in various parts of the country, the Cabinet approved an ordinance to be promulgated to provide for stringent punishment for perpetrators of rape particularly of girls below 16 years, and the death penalty to be awarded to rapists of girls below 12 years of age.

The minimum punishment in case of rape of women was increased from the rigorous imprisonment of 7 to 10 years, extendable to life imprisonment. In case of rape of a girl under 16 years, the minimum punishment was increased from 10 to 20 years, extendable to life imprisonment.

The Cabinet also decided to put in place a number of measures for speedy investigation and trial of rape cases. It was prescribed that the time limit for investigation of all rape cases had to be mandatorily completed within two months. Furthermore, the time limit for completion of the trial of all rape cases was ascertained for two months.

The Cabinet also provided for a six-month time limit for disposal of appeals in rape cases. In terms of gangrape, the Cabinet stated that the punishment for the gangrape of a girl under 16 years of age would invariably be imprisonment for the rest of the life of the convict.

Among other provisions of the ordinance, the Cabinet prescribed that there would be no provision for anticipatory bail for a person accused of rape or gang rape of a girl under 16 years. It was also provided that the court would have to give a 15-day notice to the Public Prosecutor and representative of the victim before deciding bail applications in the aforementioned category.

In order to give effect to the legal provisions and to improve the capacity of the criminal justice system to deal with rape cases, the Cabinet stated that new fast-track courts would be set up in consultation with the states/Union Territories (UTs) and high courts. It also mandated the creation of new posts of public prosecutors and related infrastructure in consultation with states and union territories.

The Cabinet also provided for special forensic kits for rape cases to all police stations and hospitals, forensic labs in each state and union territory and dedicated manpower for investigation in a time bound manner.

Furthermore, the National Crime Records Bureau was directed to maintain a national database and profile of sexual offenders. This data will be regularly shared with states/UTs for tracking, monitoring and investigation, including verification of antecedents by police.

The Cabinet also stated that the present scheme of One Stop Centres for assistance to rape victims would be extended to all districts in the country.

Soon after, the Centre submitted its report while responding to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Advocate Alakh Alok Srivastava, seeking the maximum sentence of the death penalty to those offenders involved in the rape and brutal murder of children between the age group of 0 to 12.

The Supreme Court's three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra along with Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud, fixed the matter for further hearing on April 27.Actor Rajkummar Rao is appalled by the news of the rape of a four-month-old girl in Madhya Pradesh's Indore town and said that the whole of humanity should hang its head in shame.

"The whole humanity should hang its head in shame. We have officially become the worst form of creatures on planet Earth. Can we just hang these rapists asap?," the actor shared a post on Twitter on Sunday.

The whole humanity should hang its head in shame. We have officially become the worst form of creatures on planet earth. can we just hang these rapists asap? https://t.co/wzOTACESoV  Rajkummar Rao (@RajkummarRao) April 21, 2018

The shocking incident took place in the MG Road area of Indore. The body of the infant was recovered from the basement of a building in Indore, and as per police, the accused is the victim's uncle.

The accused abducted and raped the child in a vacant basement space, just 50 m away from where her parents were sleeping early on Friday. He later threw the child on the ground from a height which led to her death.New Delhi: Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu is the happiest man on earth. His current release 'Bharat Ane Nenu' is on a record-breaking spree and has collected Rs 160 crore worldwide.

The prince of Tollywood recently posted a romantic picture with his wife Namrata on Instagram, he wrote, "Thank you my love." In reply to this cute photo, Namrata responded with an adorable message. She wrote, "I love you too my love."

Check out the picture

Thankyou my love A post shared by Mahesh Babu (@urstrulymahesh) on Apr 21, 2018 at 11:25am PDT

Moments after the release of Bharat Ane Nenu, fans united to trend #MaheshBabu1stDay1stShow on Twitter. The power of the Superstar's pan India audience base was witnessed with a strong India trend on the networking platform. Social media was flooded with fans exhibiting their loyalty and commitment towards Mahesh Babu's films

Bollywood actor and filmmaker Farhan Akhtar has also lent his voice to the film. He made his Telugu debut by singing a song for Mahesh Babu in his upcoming film. Titled 'I Don't Know', the song is a foot-tapping number which is bound to become an anthem of sorts for sure.

The film also marks the Telugu debut of Bollywood actress Kiara and she plays Maheshs ladylove in the film

Keeping in mind the global fandom of the Superstar, the makers are planning to release 'Bharat Ane Nenu' forty-five countries.

Mahesh Babu plays Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh in the political drama.The film highlights the journey of a young graduate taking on the state to fight for the rights of his people. The film was released on the big screen on April 20, 2018.New Delhi: Putting all the baseless rumours to rest, supermodel Milind Soman has tied the knot with longtime beau Ankita Konwar in Alibaug in Maharashtra on Sunday. The couple opted for a traditional Maharashtrian wedding and the wedding ceremony was attended by close friends and family only.

Both Ankita and Milind were nicely colour-coordinated in white. The 27-year old bride kept it simple yet elegant with minimal make-up and traditional gold jewellery.

Check out the picture below:

The 52-year-old supermodel enthusiast had reportedly met Ankita's family in Guwahati, Assam last year to plan the wedding.

Milind surprised his fans and social media followers by sharing pictures with Ankita who is almost half his age.

Soman ringed in his 52nd birthday in Tromso, basking in the glory of Northern Lights last year. The dashing man also shared an adorable selfie with his ladylove on Instagram and thanked the fans for their love. For the uninitiated, Soman was earlier married to Mylene Jampanoi, his French co-star from their film Valley Of Flowers. He got married to Jampanoi in 2006 and separated from her three years later.Ghaziabad: Attacking Rahul Gandhi, BJP chief Amit Shah said on Sunday that people want to know as to what the Congress had done for the masses in the many years that it had ruled.

Addressing the concluding session of the BJP's 'Mahila Morcha' national executive meeting at a private institute, he said the top priority of the government was to ensure security on borders and handling terrorism strictly by adopting a zero-tolerance policy.

Without taking any names Shah said when our "enemy" had forgotten the incident in which our soldiers were beheaded by its Army, India launched surgical strikes to avenge the incident.

                                                       pic.twitter.com/fmNavl0MAb  Amit Shah (@AmitShah) April 22, 2018

Slamming Rahul, he said the Congress president keeps asking what had been done in four years of the Modi government. "The country wants to know that what Congress had done in its regime of 50 years for the masses," Shah asked.

The BJP government is providing loans to unemployed youths to make them self-employed. The opposition parties took jibe on the issue by talking of 'pakodas', he said. Any kind of job which involves hard work is considered dignified, Shah added, as per PTI.

On Saturday too, Shah had attacked Rahul and had said that BJP would rid Rae Bareli, the Lok Sabha constituency of former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, of 'parivarvad'.

Addressing a public meeting in Gandhi family's pocket borough, he had said Rae Bareli voted for top Congress leaders, but had not witnessed development since Independence.

"Rae Bareli has seen 'parivarvad' (dynastic politics) ever since Independence till this day and no development. I have come here to make it clear that the BJP will free Rae Bareli of 'parivarvad' and will start the campaign from today itself for taking it on the path of 'vikasvad' (development)," Shah had said.

(With PTI inputs)Washington: Jonathan Greenberg, an investigative journalist and author, has accused US President Donald Trump of lying about his wealth to get onto the Forbes 400 list.

The journalist says that an official from the Trump Organisation called to tell him in May 1984 to tell him how rich Trump was when Greenberg was reporting for the Forbes 400 - the magazines annual ranking of Americas richest people. Trump's holdings in the previous edition were valued at $200 million. This, Greenberg says, was only one-fifth of what Trump had claimed to own in his interviews.

In an article published in The Washington Post, Greenberg is quoted as saying - "The official was John Barron - a name we now know as an alter ego of Trump himself... Although Trump altered some cadences and affected a slightly stronger New York accent, it was clearly him... 'Barron' told me that Trump had taken possession of the business he ran with his father, Fred... 'You have down Fred Trump (as half owner), but I think you can really use Donald Trump now'. Trump, through this sockpuppet, was telling me he owned 'in excess of 90 percent' of his familys business... 'Barron' told me, he should be called a billionaire."

Greenberg claims that he suspected at that time that some of the assertions were untrue. He also says that he was proud that Forbes had called him on his distortions.

However, the journalist goes on to say that it took decades to unravel Trump's elaborate farce of projecting himself as one of the richest people in America. Greenberg adds that apart from being poorer than he said he was, Trump should not have been on the first three Forbes 400 lists at all.

To quote Greenberg from The Washington Post's article - "In our first-ever list, in 1982, we included him at $100 million, but Trump was actually worth roughly $5 million - a paltry sum by the standards of his super-monied peers - as a spate of government reports and books showed only much later... This was a model Trump would use for the rest of his career, telling a lie so cosmic that people believed that some kernel of it had to be real. The tactic landed him a place he hadnt earned on the Forbes list - and led to future accolades, press coverage and deals. It eventually paved a path toward the presidency."

"Eventually, nearly every one of Trumps pronouncements about his wealth unravelled. The number of apartments was the first problem. The commonly cited figure - that his family owned 25,000 units - began with the mention of 22,000 apartments in that fawning 1976 New York Times profile. In 1988, after I left Forbes, I counted the units and found fewer than 8,000. in... Another brazen claim was that Trump, not his father, owned the companys outer-borough apartments, which his father built beginning in the 1930s. Based on what Trump said during our 1982 and 1983 interviews, Id assumed that Donald and Fred each owned half, resisting the sons insistence that he had purchased 80 percent of the units or consolidated the holdings himself. Still, this comment went into the Forbes 400 records, and in 1985, after I left the project, Trump was estimated to be worth $600 million, and his father was off the list... It would be decades before I learned that Forbes had been conned..." he states in the article.

Greenberg has made the phone conversations between him and 'John Barron' (Donald Trump) on May 17, 1984, on July 15, 1982 public. He has also made the phone conversation between him and Trump's lawyer, Roy Cohn on June 21, 1983 public.Washington: Police were hunting on Sunday for a seminude gunman on the run after a pre-dawn shooting at a Waffle House restaurant in Nashville, in the southern US state of Tennessee left four people dead.

The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department wrote on Twitter that the shooting occurred in an area southeast of the city at 3:25 am.

Three of the victims died at the scene and a fourth at a hospital, while two others people were being treated for injuries, police said.

"A patron wrestled away the gunman's rifle. He was nude and fled on foot. He is a white man with short hair," the department said.

Having twice identified the shooter as "nude," police later tweeted that the gunman had shed his coat and was last seen wearing black pants but no shirt. Police said that "murder warrants are now being drafted against Travis Reinking," a 29-year-old from Morton, Illinois who was earlier identified as a person of interest.

Local police spokesman Don Aaron told a televised news briefing that Reinking had arrived in a pickup truck, and opened fire on people gathered outside the restaurant.

He then went inside the restaurant where more shots were fired, and a patron was hit, before someone was able to grab his rifle from him, Aaron said.

"This is a very sad day for the Waffle House family. We ask for everyone to keep the victims and their families in their thoughts and prayers," Waffle House wrote on Twitter.

Police posted a photo of an AR-15-style assault rifle, saying it was the weapon used in the shooting.

AR-15s have been repeatedly used by mass shooters in the US, where the debate over gun control is fierce and gun violence is frequent. AR-15 rifles were used to kill 58 people in Las Vegas last October, while Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz in February opened fire on his former high school with an AR-15, killing 17 students and staff members.

In the wake of the Florida massacre, student survivors launched a gun control campaign - drawing hundreds of thousands to demonstrations - and businesses including Walmart and Dick's Sporting Goods took measures to restrict access to assault rifles and firearms in general.

However, Congress remains deadlocked on the contentious issue. Meanwhile, an ABC News/Washington Post poll published Friday suggested that support for a ban on assault weapons has risen sharply in the past few months. Sixty-two percent of those polled said they support a nationwide ban on the sale of assault weapons, up from 50 percent in mid-February and 45 percent in late 2015.

"Assault weapons" were banned in the US from 1994 to 2004, when the prohibition lapsed.

But even when the ban was in effect, manufacturers came up with cosmetic modifications so rifles did not meet the official definition of an assault weapon, and other functionally similar semi-automatic rifles were never banned at all.112 Agency

Since the beginning of the day, the invaders carried out 31 shellings of the positions of Ukrainian forces, using weapons prohibited by the Minsk agreements. This is reported by the press center of the Donbas conflict headquarters on its Facebook page.



In the Donetsk sector, from 120-mm mortars and weapons of tanks, militants fired at our strong points in the area of Pavlopil. The aggressor also used mortars of 120 mm caliber to attack the defenders of Vodiane and Novotroitske, grenade launchers and small arms - in the vicinity of Avdiivka, Gnutove and Nevelske, large-caliber machine guns - near Novotroitske, Chernenko and Talakivka. In addition, near Pavlopil and Talakivka, the militants used infantry fighting vehicles and small arms near Krasnohorivka, Lebedynske and Butivka mine, and snipers fired on the defenders of Pavlopil and Novotroitske.



In the Luhansk sector, the enemy used 120-mm mortars to attack the Ukrainian positions near Novoleksandrivka, Katerynovka and Zaitseve. Of mortars with a caliber of 82 mm, fire was fought along the defenders of Novoseloivka, Luhanske, Novgorodske and Zaitseve. Also under fire from grenade launchers of various systems and small arms got our fortifications in the Krymske region, and large-caliber machine guns and small arms worked near Novosyolovka.



It is noted that as a result of the shelling, one Ukrainian defender was injured, another one - was wounded. The servicemen were taken to medical institutions and provided with qualified medical assistance.

Related: Defense Ministry employee spying for Russia arrested in Kyiv112 Agency

The official representative of the head of EU diplomacy Maia Kosianchich called on the Armenian authorities to immediately release all detainees during the protests in Yerevan. This is stated in a message on the website of the European Union.



"All those who were detained in the exercise of their basic right to gather in accordance with the law must be immediately released," she said.



Kosyanchich recalled that the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, in accordance with the law, is the universal and fundamental right of all citizens.



"The European Union expects that the Armenian authorities will fully respect this right and apply the law fairly and proportionally in accordance with Armenia's international obligations, including within the framework of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms," Kosyanchich quoted the website of the agency.



She also hopes that the short meeting between Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan and the leader of the opposition movement, MP Nikol Pashinyan, will not lead to further escalation of the conflict.



"It is extremely important for all parties involved to show restraint and act responsibly. We need an inclusive dialogue called by President Armen Sargsyan aimed at an immediate and peaceful settlement of the current situation," Kosyanchich stressed.



Let's remind, the protest action in Yerevan continues from April 13 because of the constitutional reform, according to which the form of government was changed, and the country instead of the presidential republic became parliamentary. The key person in the country is the Prime Minister. Ex-President Serzh Sargsyan was elected to the post of prime minister. It was because of his actions and his candidacy that protests began.



Sargsyan called an opposition MP and organizer of the protests of Nikol Pashinyan to a dialogue. Pashinyan responded to Sargsyan's proposal that he was ready to discuss only the issue of his resignation.



On the morning of April 22, a short meeting between Nikol Pashinyan and Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan took place at the Marriott Hotel in Yerevan. In response to Pashinyan's statement about the intention to discuss the terms of his resignation from the post of prime minister, Serzh Sargsyan accused the oppositionist of blackmail and left the hotel. After that, Pashinyan called for more protests, and the police began dispersing the demonstrators.



During the dispersal of the demonstrators, 228 people were detained by the police, and seven were taken to hospitals.

Related: Frosts approaching Ukraine: Temperature will fall to -5 C112 Agency

The Russian Federal Service for Supervision in the Sphere of Communications, Information Technologies and Mass Communications (Roskomnadzor) blocked a number of IP-addresses of the Google search engine. This is reported by experts in the field of cybersecurity, and the consequences of these actions are proved by users in social networks, according to Meduza.



So, the general director of the Diphost provider Philippe Kulin, who tracks the "unloading" of Roskomnadzor, said about the blocking in social networks.



As follows from his monitoring data, about 60 IP addresses of google.com were blocked.



Some users from Russia on the night of April 22 reported problems with access to google.com and a number of Google services.



According to the site Downdetector at 09:30 Moscow time, difficulties with access to google.com persisted in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Yekaterinburg and several other cities.



At the same time, the Russian domain of google.ru search engine works, the newspaper notes.



As you know, on April 16 Roskomnadzor began to block Telegram in Russia because the messenger's management refused to hand over the keys to encryption of the users' correspondence to the FSB.



Together with the Telegram servers, Roskomnadzor listed more than 18 million IP-addresses of hosting providers Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Digital Ocean, which the messenger used to bypass the locks, in the register of banned sites.



Locks of Roskomnadzor affected the work of many third-party sites that used to host blocked providers. At the same time, Telegram remains available to users.

Related: G7 outreach session on Ukraine to be held in Toronto today112 Agency

During the dispersal of demonstrators who resumed the procession after the failed morning talks of opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan with Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan, 228 people were detained by the police, and seven were taken to hospitals. This is reported by the agency "RIA Novosti" with reference to the police.



"At the moment, 228 citizens have been delivered to the police departments," the source said.



In addition, as the "News of Armenia" reports, 10 citizens who suffered during rallies are treated in Yerevan hospitals, of which 7 are delivered there today.



The agency also reports that the state of 7 wounded is satisfactory, and three - of medium severity.



Earlier, the Prosecutor General's Office of Armenia reported that three opposition MPs of the Armenian parliament Nikol Pashinyan, Ararat Mirzoyan and Sasun Mikaelyan were detained on charges of organizing and holding illegal mass meetings.



Let's remind, the protest action in Yerevan continues from April 13 because of the constitutional reform, according to which the form of government was changed, and the country instead of the presidential republic became parliamentary. The key person in the country is the Prime Minister. Ex-President Serzh Sargsyan was elected to the post of prime minister. It was because of his actions and his candidacy that protests began.



Sargsyan called an opposition MP and organizer of the protests Nikol Pashinyan to a dialogue. Pashinyan responded to Sargsyan's proposal that he was ready to discuss only the issue of his resignation.



On the morning of April 22, a short meeting between Nikol Pashinyan and Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan took place at the Marriott Hotel in Yerevan. In response to Pashinyan's statement about the intention to discuss the terms of his resignation from the post of prime minister, Serzh Sargsyan accused the oppositionist of blackmail and left the hotel. After that, Pashinyan called for more protests, and the police began dispersing the demonstrators.

Related: US aircraft carrier may stay in Mediterranean Sea to contain RussiaOpen source

The investigation team working in the PACE confirmed the fact of systemic external influence on the decisions of the assembly, as well as the activity of certain deputies contradicting the ethical standards. This is stated in the report of the group, which was presented to the PACE Bureau today, April 22, European Truth reports.



It is reported that Azerbaijan most actively developed the system of bribery, however, investigators specify that more than one country were caught in such activities.



"During our work, information was also received about non-standard situations related to other countries," said the head of the investigation team, Judge Nicholas Bratza.



The concentration of the investigation on Azerbaijan was due to lack of time, he clarified - the most accusations sounded regarding to this country.



He said that sufficient evidence was gathered against a number of deputies.



"7 members and former PACE members acted contrary to the ethical standards of the assembly," he said.



We remind you that allegations of corruption towards PACE deputies began to sound in 2012. Then a number of evidence was published that the Azerbaijani government systematically bribes the deputies. These accusations were ignored for several years, but in 2015 the Italian police detained ex-MP Luka Volonte - the investigation confirmed a number of charges.



After the appearance of new evidence, during the scandal with Pedro Agramunt, the PACE and the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe had to agree to create an external investigation team composed of former President of the European Court of Human Rights Nicholas Bratz, French judge Jean-Louis Brurieux, and ex-judge of the ECHR, Swedish ombudsman Jean-Louis Brurie.

Related: Holy Synod begins procedure of granting autocephaly to Ukrainian Orthodox ChurchThe cause of the explosion is unknown

An explosion was fired in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, near the voter registration centre, as 1TV reports referring to the sources in the health authorities.

According to the message, the incident happened in the western part of Kabul in the morning today. The cause of the explosion is unknown. At least six people were injured.

As Hashmat Stanikzai, city police spokesperson, informed 1TV medical workers and police officers arrived at the incident site. None of the groupings in the region has taken responsibility for the explosion.

Meanwhile, some mass media report on possible casualties on Twitter.

4 people were killed and 15 wounded in #Kabul PD6 blast near to voter registration center.#Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/tRMYy9EOfV  Pajhwok Afghan News (@pajhwok) April 22, 2018

It is remarkable that it is not the first tragic incident happened in the country recently. The members of Taliban radical movement kidnapped three staff members of Afghan electoral committee from the voter registration centre in Ghor province.

The parliamentary elections and elections to the district councils are to be held in October 2018, the voters registration started on April 14.

After the voters registration started, Ashraf Ghani, the President of Afghanistan, offered Taliban radical movement to return to the peace process as a political movement and participate in the elections, but they refused.Pyongyang, which announced the suspension of the nuclear test, can formalize its intentions

Open source

The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-ban Treaty Organization invited North Korea to join it, as Lassina Zebro, the Executive Secretary of the Organization, stated, DW reports.

Pyongyang, which announced the suspension of the nuclear test, can formalize its intentions.

The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty adopted by the UN in 1996 demands a widespread and secured in legislation denial of the nuclear tests.

The Treaty did not come into effect yet, as three states out of 44 havent sighed it yet  North Korea, India and Pakistan. 36 states have signed and ratified the Treaty, including Ukraine, Germany and Russia.

Earlier, Kim Jong-un, the Supreme Leader of North Korea, stated that Pyongyang suspends nuclear and missile tests and shuts down nuclear test site. North Korea expressed its readiness to discuss denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula with the U.S. at the meeting of Kim Jong-un with Donald Trump. North Korea insists the meeting with Trump to be held in Pyongyang. Geneva is another place being considered. At the meeting with Japanese PM, Trump stated that the talks with Kim Jong-un are to be held at the beginning of June.

Ukraine news on 112.internationalThe Agreement has to be approved in the EU Council and the European Parliament to come into force

Anna Cecilia Malmstrom, the European Commissioner for Trade, informed about an Agreement on free-trade between the European Union and Mexico reached on her Twitter.

Today we have concluded a deal with Mexico! @ildefonsogv @PhilHoganEU . Modern and comprehensive FTA in less than two years. Good for our consumers and buisiness. EU and Mexico partners for sustainable, rule based trade  Cecilia Malmstrom (@MalmstromEU) April 21, 2018

The Agreement has to be approved in the EU Council and the European Parliament to come into force.

The Agreement is aimed at the reduction of the dependence of the European trade on the U.S. protectionist barriers (including on steel and aluminum) continuing the policy of the bilateral agreements, the one with Japan in particular. The EU is conducting talks on such agreements with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Such deal was made between Brussels and Mexico 21 years ago in 1997, which concerned manufactured goods. Both parties intend to modify the agreements by adding agricultural production, service, food supplies, and to synchronize the standards of the labour legislation and the laws related to the environment preservation.Pavlo Klimkin, Ukraine's Foreign Minister, intends to raise the question of the destiny of Ukrainians illegally kept in Russia at the outreach session

Open source

An outreach session Ukraine is to be held today in Toronto within the meeting of Foreign Ministers of G7, as it was stated on the website of Ukraines Foreign Ministry.

Pavlo Klimkin, Ukraines Foreign Minister, pays a visit to Canada (Toronto) on April 22, 2018 to participate in an outreach session dedicated to Ukraines situation within the meeting of Foreign Ministers of G7, the message says.

Besides, it was stressed that Ukraine was interested in G7 assistance, including its support counterworking Russias aggression, the respect of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, the de-occupation of Crimea, counterworking of the propaganda and hybrid threats, the energy security issues, anti-Russian sanctions and reformation process in Ukraine.

As Pavlo Klimkin stressed, that he intends to raise the question of the destiny of Ukrainians illegally kept in Russia at the outreach session.

Already in Toronto. We will discuss Ukrainians illegally kept in Russia, including Volodymyr Balukh, at the meeting of G7 Foreign Ministers. They are trying to break a person for his pro-Ukrainian position, Klimkin wrote on Twitter.

Earlier, G7 Foreign Ministers are to conduct talks on international issues in Toronto on April 22-24.

The meeting of the Foreign Ministers of seven states  Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Canada, the USA, France and Japan  will be held under the slogan Building a more peaceful and secure world.

As to the agenda of the session published on G7 website, the sessions and bilateral meetings of G7 Foreign Ministers are to be held on April 22-23, and the Defence Ministers will meet on April 23-24.

Besides, a general session with the participation of Foreign Ministers and Defence Ministers is to be held on April 23.

Global challenges and questions of international importance will be discussed at the sessions. G7 Foreign Ministers will discuss effort on denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, relations with Russia and Ukraine, Syria crisis and the Middle East situation along with Israeli-Palestinian conflict.Iran threatened to restart nuclear programme, as Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iranian Foreign Minister, said in the interview for journalists in New-York on April 21, Deutche Welle reports.

Iran threatened to vigorously resume uranium enrichment if the U.S. pulls out of the international treaty made in 2015 on restrictions of Iranian nuclear programme.

Zarif also stated that Iran does not indent to get the nuclear weapon, and it is likely that the resuming of uranium enrichment programme will be a reaction to the USAs leaves the nuclear deal.

The Foreign Minister warned other states against talks with the U.S. commenting on the planned summit of Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un, the Leader of North Korea.

The U.S. is conducting talks under whats mine is mine principle and whats yours  can be discussed, he explained.

Earlier, Donald Trump threatened to pull out of the nuclear treaty with Iran unless the document is stiffened and new restrictions are imposed on the Iranian missile programme till May 12. Teheran refused any amendments.

Under this treaty, Iran was obligated to reduce the amounts of uranium enrichment and accepted the tougher international control over its nuclear programme.

The European Union prolonged sanctions against Iran till April 13, 2019 due to the violation of human rights in the state. Anti-Iranian sanctions were imposed in 2011.

Donald Trump, the U.S. President, prolonged anti-Iranian sanctions for a year. The new National Security Advisor will offer Trump to increase pressure on Iran.

These sanctions were prolonged by the U.S. President in 1997, 2010 and 2011 and 2012.Mario Cabrerahe directs a production of Agatha Christies first stage play.

The Adobe Theater announces its production of Agatha Christies first stage play, Black Coffee, which launched her second successful career as a playwright.

Fans of the great Belgian detective Hercule Poirot will be delighted when he and his friend Captain Arthur Hastings are summoned to visit a famous physicist, Sir Claud Amory. Set in the early 1930s, Sir Claud has come up with a secret formula for one of the deadliest weapons known to man. Too late to save the scientist, however, Poirot and Hastings discover on their arrival that he has been murdered and the formula stolen. Black Coffee is one of Christies most gripping country house murders, a superbly crafted whodunit with endless red herrings, subplots of infamous spies and an astonishingly prophetic storyline about weapons created through bombarding the atom.

Blackmail, the stolen formula, and family tensions contribute to the suspense. Will Poirot successfully employ his little grey cells to correctly deduce which of Sir Claud's house guests or family members is the killer? Of course he will! But will you?

Director Mario Cabrera says In her first play ever written, Agatha Christie introduces us to a character who went on to become one of the most famous detectives of all time as well as the only fictional character ever to receive a full-page obituary in the New York Times. Arriving at the estate just moments too late, one man instantly sniffs out a sinister brew of secrecy, treachery, and deception amid the households occupants. That man is Hercule Poirot. Like her other plays, Black Coffee is sophisticated and full of suspense, with just the right amount of humor tossed in for good measure. It is a formula that still works today. Please sit back and enjoy a cup of coffee in Sir Claude Amory's sitting room, and watch what this great cast helps unfold!

Appearing as the dapper detective Hercule Poirot will be Dehron Foster, and director Cabrera has attracted a top-notch cast from Albuquerques favorite actors, including Mike Eddie Dethlefs as Hastings and Neil Faulconbridge as Inspector Japp, Nick Fleming as Richard Amory and Fawn Hanson as Lucia Amory. Follow the Adobe Theater on social media for additional details about the cast and the show.

Black Coffee opens April 13th and plays through May 6 at The Adobe Theater, 9813 4th Street NW. Friday & Saturday evenings at 7:30pm, Sundays at 2:00pm. General Admission $20, Discount $17 (Seniors, Students, ATG/PBS Members, Military, First Responders). Opening Weekend Special: All Tickets $15!

Tickets: www.adobetheater.orgYEREVAN, APRIL 22, ARMENPRESS. The meeting between Armenias Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan and opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan has kicked off in Yerevans Marriott Hotel, ARMENPRESS correspondent reported.

Demonstrators are seen gathered outside the hotel.

The hotel is located in Republic Square, the main rally site of the demonstrations.

Member of Parliament Nikol Pashinyan, the leader of the ongoing opposition demonstrations in Armenia, announced about the upcoming meeting with Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan in the evening of April 21.

Earlier on Saturday, President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian had called for dialogue, and the MP reacted by offering the president to meet in the Republic Square, full of demonstrators. Surprisingly, the President agreed and arrived shortly.

President Sarkissian was seen walking down Abovyan Street with few bodyguards as he entered the heavily overcrowded square in downtown Yerevan.

The informal meeting lasted roughly 20 minutes. Although the meeting was caught on tape by reporters, the conversation wasnt heard.

The President then walked out of the square, waiving to the people.

Many have been detained during the protests in Yerevan.

Police have numerously called on the protesters to adhere to the law and maintain public order. However, sporadic incidents, including clashes and brawls, have been reported.

English translator/editor: Stepan KocharyanYEREVAN, APRIL 22, ARMENPRESS. Dialogue and negotiation couldnt take place in the presence of reporters, ARF faction secretary Aghvan Vardanyan told Armenpress, commenting on the April 22 meeting of Prime Minister of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan and opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan.

Aghvan Vardanyan said PM Serzh Sargsyan and MP Nikol Pashinyan maybe could find mechanisms to get out of the current situation.

I think dialogue and negotiation couldnt take place in the presence of mass media. It would be much better for the sides to reach a concrete agreement and be able to sit in front of each other and looking at each other to talk about the current issues. In that case it would be possible to find solutions. Its obvious that it is impossible to hold talks live in the presence of reporters, Aghvan Vardanyan said, adding that despite this the situation still remains tense.

He expressed hope that the PM and the MP will be ready to find mechanisms to give such solutions which will benefit both the country and the people.

The meeting between Armenias Prime Minister and opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan, leader of the ongoing demonstrations, launched on April 22 in the Marriott Hotel in Republic Square of Yerevan, the main rally site where every evening demonstrators gather to protest.

The meeting lasted only a few minutes.

The meeting was held in the presence of numerous reporters who were broadcasting live.

I am happy that you responded to my numerous calls to talk. Although I dont quite imagine how long we can negotiate in the presence of dozens of reporters, nevertheless I am happy, the Prime Minister said at the beginning.

MP Nikol Pashinyan responded by saying that there is a misunderstanding and that he has come to discuss the PMs resignation and peaceful transfer of power, rather than for dialogue.

Thats not negotiations, thats not a dialogue. That is simply an ultimatum, blackmailing the state and legitimate authorities. You do not realize the degree of responsibility, you didnt learn lessons from March 1 [2008]. And if we have to speak in that tone, then I am only left to once again advice you to return to the legal area and overall the limits of reasonable actions. Otherwise the entire responsibility falls on you, Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan said.

Pashinyan reacted by saying that the situation in Armenia has changed and the power has transitioned to the people.

A 7-8% parliamentary faction doesnt have the right to speak on behalf of the people. And I dont want to continue this conversation with you anymore. If you do not accept the lawful demand of the state, goodbye, PM Sargsyan said and walked out on the opposition lawmaker.

Before departing, the Prime Minister addressed reporters, saying: Dear reporters, you yourselves can make conclusions.

English translator/editor  Aneta HarutyunyanYEREVAN, APRIL 22, ARMENPRESS. As the meeting between Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan and opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan gave no apparent results earlier Sunday morning, the ongoing protests entered the 10th day.

After the meeting Nikol Pashinyan called on his supporters to continue civil disobedience peacefully and said that another rally will take place at 19:00 in Yerevans Republic Square.

19:27 - 251 people detained by Police as of 18:30.

19:00 - Hundreds of protesters gather in Republic Square, Yerevan.

18:34  Number of detainees reaches 232

17:48 - Several protesters discharged from hospital following treatment for minor injuries. Healthcare ministry says nine people remain in hospitals.

16:20 - Shant TV reporter Artak Khulyan claims to have been attacked, tased by unknown individuals while covering the protests in Erebuni district.

16:05  Large crowd of protesters gather in Garegin Nzhdeh Street oustide a police station where MP Ararat Mirzoyan and MP Sasun Michaelyan have been placed under arrest.

16:00 - Number of detainees grows to 192

15:43  Protesters block Saryan Str.  Pushkin Str. intersection in downtown Yerevan. Demonstrators use garbage bins and benches to obstruct traffic.

15:40  10 people treated in hospitals of Yerevan, 7 of whom were hospitalized on April 22.

15:17  A group of protesters attempt to block Gai Aven.  Nansen Str. intersection in the Nor Nork district.

14:52  MP Nikol Pashinyan, MP Ararat Mirzoyan and MP Sasun Michaelyan are placed under arrest, Prosecutor Generals Office said.

13:52  49 people detained by YPD as of 13:00

13:49  Police use loudspeakers to notify citizens on Article 33 of the law on freedom of assembly.

13:35  Police addresses on-duty reporters to maintain appropriate distance from locations of the ongoing demonstrations.

13:05  Priests of the Armenian Church begin walking in front of a march in Arshakunyats Avenue in an attempt to avoid a clash with police

12:52  Five people are hospitalized from Artsakh Avenue of Yerevan for minor injuries.

12:02  Police disperse rally in Erebuni district. Stun grenades are used. MP Pashinyan, MP Ararat Mirzoyan and MP Sasun Michaelyan are taken away by officers.

11:54  Police release statement demanding demonstrators to cease illegal actions, otherwise YPD will begin dispersing the protests.

Photos by Eduard Sepetchyan

English translator/editor: Stepan KocharyanYEREVAN, APRIL 22, ARMENPRESS. Yerevan Police Department (YPD) is using loudspeakers at demonstration locations addressing citizens to adhere to the law.

Officers are detaining protesters who fail to comply.

A crowd of protesters are marching through the city streets and the Republic Square.

49 people have been detained as of 13:00, police said.

Earlier police had released a statement, saying they are entitled to disperse the rally because the demonstrators are violating public order and endangering public safety.

Yerevan police (YPD) have dispersed a rally midday on Sunday in the citys Erebuni district under Article 33 of the law on freedom of assembly.

Initiators of the rally  opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan, MP Ararat Mirzoyan and MP Sasun Michaelyan, have been removed from the location of the rally by police officers, police said.

Earlier today, the meeting between Armenias Prime Minister and opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan, leader of the ongoing demonstrations, lasted only a few minutes.

The anticipated meeting took place in the Marriott Hotel in Republic Square of Yerevan, the main rally site where every evening demonstrators gather to protest.

The Prime Minister arrived without a tie, while the opposition MP was wearing his usual t-shirt and hat.

As expected, both the Prime Minister and the lawmaker arrived at the hotel at 10:00.

The meeting was held in the presence of numerous reporters who were broadcasting live.

I am happy that you responded to my numerous calls to talk. Although I dont quite imagine how long we can negotiate in the presence of dozens of reporters, nevertheless I am happy, the Prime Minister said at the beginning.

MP Nikol Pashinyan responded by saying that there is a misunderstanding and that he has come to discuss the PMs resignation and peaceful transfer of power, rather than for dialogue.

Thats not negotiations, thats not a dialogue. That is simply an ultimatum, blackmailing the state and legitimate authorities. You do not realize the degree of responsibility, you didnt learn lessons from March 1 [2008]. And if we have to speak in that tone, then I am only left to once again advice you to return to the legal area and overall the limits of reasonable actions. Otherwise the entire responsibility falls on you, Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan said.

Pashinyan reacted by saying that the situation in Armenia has changed and the power has transitioned to the people.

A 7-8% parliamentary faction doesnt have the right to speak on behalf of the people. And I dont want to continue this conveersaton with you anymore. If you do not accept the lawful demand of the state, goodbye, PM Sargsyan said and walked out on the opposition lawmaker.

Before departing, the Prime Minister addressed reporters, saying : Dear reporters, you yourselves can make conclusions.

After the meeting, Pashinyan resumed marching in the streets of Yerevan, while many began to call for another meeting and dialogue.

English translator/editor: Stepan KocharyanYEREVAN, APRIL 22, ARMENPRESS. Eduard Sharmazanov  Vice Speaker of the Parliament of Armenia, says the April 22 meeting of Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan and opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan failed as Pashinyan came not to negotiate, but to dictate his conditions.

Sharmazanov told Armenpress that since April 18 the leadership made calls for dialogue, tolerance and solidarity. On April 18, I, as Vice Speaker of the Parliament, spokesperson of the Republican Party, on April 19 President Armen Sarkissian, the ARF, then Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan, the political forces, yesterday already numerous political structures and NGOs starting from yerkrapahs up to the Georgian-Armenian Union, called for dialogue. Yesterday the meeting of the President and Pashinyan was held, and today the presence of PM Sargsyan is a vivid proof that the leadership sees the solution of the issue exclusively through dialogue, patience and solidarity. But I should note with regret that one of the sides, more precisely, Mr. Pashinyan, came not to negotiate, to hold dialogue, but to put preconditions or dictate his conditions. In such circumstances negotiation is impossible. He said live that he didnt come for dialogue. So what? It means he came to talk with ultimatums? This is the problem, Sharmazanov said.

Commenting on Pashinyans statements who blames the leadership in being inadequate, the Vice Speaker said Nikol Pashinyan and his actions are inadequate, rather than the leadership. During these days the Police demonstrated restraint and tolerance, but everything cannot be disturbed constantly. There is a political issue, lets solve, discuss it, make legislative changes, provide new rights to the opposition and discuss the political agenda. But to come and say that I have not arrived for dialogue, but to say that you must leave, in case when there is a legally elected parliament and leadership, this is not a dialogue. And from the very start todays talks failed as one of the sides didnt come for dialogue, we once again call for dialogue, tolerance, solidarity and solving the issue exclusively through political means, but never to dictate conditions by one group of the society, the Vice Speaker noted.

Asked what steps the leadership is ready to take to ease the compliant of citizens participating in protests and organizers of these actions, Sharmazanov said they are ready to hold dialogue within a political agenda. The leadership by its exclusively peaceful and tolerant actions showed that it doesnt need instability. We do not have enemies and adversaries in our country. All protesters, starting from the most radical ones up to the peaceful ones, are our brothers and sisters. But when you go to negotiations, you should know that there is a political agenda. You go and say that I have not arrived for holding dialogue. Refusal is the evil of everything. And today Mr. Pashinyan went to meet with an agenda  that is the refusal, rather than a dialogue. We propose dialogue which was talked about yesterday also by Mr. Edmon Marukyan and many political forces, rather than a refusal, and the place for dialogue is the Parliament, Sharmazanov noted.

Asked whether a new Sargsyan-Pashinyan meeting is possible, which Yelk faction MP Edmon Marukyan expressed a wish for, Sharmazanov said everything depends on Pashinyans position. We came for dialogue, and you saw via live broadcast that for the first time in history the countrys leader came to meet with the leader of protests. I do not remember such event in our newly-independent history. Neither Levon Ter-Petrosyan nor Robert Kocharyan [former presidents] went to meet. And also there hasnt been such an event when President Armen Sarkissian met with Nikol Pashinyan in the Republic Square. And all this, this energy can be used in a better way for the sake of the improvement, strengthening of our country, rather than against. Against is an evil, lets work for the sake of: including the leadership, the opposition, the protesters, the citizens, the reporters, we all. My call to everyone  lets sober up and move on through dialogue, Eduard Sharmazanov concluded.

PM Serzh Sargsyan and MP Nikol Pashinyan met on April 22 in the Marriott Hotel in Republic Square of Yerevan, the main rally site where every evening demonstrators gather to protest.

The meeting was held in the presence of numerous reporters who were broadcasting live.

The meeting lasted only a few minutes, after which the PM left the meeting hall. After the meeting, Pashinyan resumed marching in the streets of Yerevan, while many began to call for another meeting and dialogue. During the march in Erebuni administrative district opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan, MP Ararat Mirzoyan and MP Sasun Michaelyan, have been removed from the location of the rally by police officers.

Earlier first deputy prime minister of Armenia Karen Karapetyan also issued a statement calling on all political forces, the citizens of Armenia to demonstrate vigilance and soberness.

In a statement the Union of Georgian-Armenians called to sober up and move on through peaceful means.

The Pan-Armenian Association of Architects and Engineers as well addressed a statement calling to launch dialogue to peacefully solve the current situation.

English translator/editor  Aneta HarutyunyanYEREVAN, APRIL 22, ARMENPRESS. The Board of the Armenian defense ministry issued a statement over the ongoing events in Yerevan, the ministry told Armenpress.

The statement says:

The Board of the Defense Ministry of the Republic of Armenia is deeply concerned over the recent developments taking place in Yerevan.

The Armenian Armed Forces are out of political processes and ensure Armenias defense, security, territorial integrity and inviolability of borders every day, every hour. Nevertheless, its obvious that the organization of mass events through violation of law, the attempts to capture the only power formed in accordance with the letter of the law, to present ultimatums to the prime minister elected by a procedure according to the Constitution, are full of unpredictable developments which can seriously affect the escalation of the situation in the border, the preliminary signs of which are already being noticed.

According to intelligence data, Azerbaijans military-political leadership views the inner-Armenian developments as a significant factor to unleash a new military adventurism against the Republic of Artsakh. The further escalation of the situation contributes to this.

The attempts to capture the power, block the governmental buildings, hinder the traffic, paralyze the public administration system, undermine the normal life will inevitably lead to escalation of military threats facing us. The harmonized and stable mutual cooperation of all state structures is necessary for ensuring the countrys defense.

Undoubtedly, the Armenian Army is capable of resisting any encroachment of the adversary. But the domestic instability is a factor which in case of possible undesirable developments can only negatively affect the implementation of defense matters, the transfer of state from a peaceful to a war situation, the implementation of mobilization issues.

The Board of the Armenian Defense Ministry calls on the organizers and participants of non-privileged mass events and rallies to refrain from actions that can result in internal instability. Armenias defense mission is being carried out by tens of thousands of sons of the Armenian people at any moment of the day, whose confidence and determination significantly depend also on the current situation in the back, and the organizers citing the peaceful nature of the actions must remember not only about their consequences in the main rally place, but also about the dangers emerging for our commanders and soldiers standing in the frontline.

Vigen Sargsyan

Defense Minister of Armenia

Movses Hakobyan

Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces, Colonel-General

Mikayel Harutyunyan

Acting Chief Military Inspector, Colonel-General

Artak Zakaryan

First Deputy Defense Minister

Davit Pakhchanyan

Deputy Defense Minister-Chairman of the Military-Industrial State Committee of the Defense Ministry

Artak Davtyan

Deputy Defense Minister

Onik Gasparyan

First Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces, Mayor-General

Stepan Galstyan

Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces, Lieutenant-General

Tiran Khachatryan

Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces, Mayor-General

Andranik Makaryan

Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces, Mayor-General

Levon Mnatsakanyan

Defense Army Commander, Lieutenant-General.

English translator/editor  Aneta HarutyunyanYEREVAN, APRIL 22, ARMENPRESS. A reporter of Public Radio of Armenia, Ms. Liana Yeghiazaryan, has been injured when police began dispersing an opposition rally in Yerevan.

The reporter was able to reach the Public Radio headquarters by herself, where an ambulance was called in.

ARMENPRESS learned that the reporter is currently being examined by doctors in a hospital to see whether or not she suffered fragment injuries when police used a stun grenade.

English translator/editor: Stepan KocharyanYEREVAN, APRIL 22, ARMENPRESS. After the Saturday evening meeting with President Armen Sarkissian in Republic Square of Yerevan, opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan has presented their conversation inaccurately to the media and his followers, Mr. Sarkissians aide Hasmik Petrosyan told local media.

Petrosyan said the President had gone to Republic Square yesterday with the purpose of creating a chance for negotiations.

Nikol Pashinyan had presented his agenda. The President had said that the Prime Minister has his agenda, while the rest shouldve been discussed during negotiations. After all, this is the meaning of any negotiation  to hear one another and try to find the possible acceptable [option]. Nikol Pashinyan did not accurately present the conversation between himself and the President, Petrosyan said.

The President expressed regret that the talks didnt resume, which couldve de-escalated the situation, she said.

After the April 21 meeting with the president, opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan claimed that he will negotiate the transfer of power with PM Sargsyan the next day.

Earlier today, the meeting between Armenias Prime Minister and opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan, leader of the ongoing demonstrations, lasted only a few minutes.

The anticipated meeting took place in the Marriott Hotel in Republic Square of Yerevan, the main rally site where every evening demonstrators gather to protest.

The Prime Minister arrived without a tie, while the opposition MP was wearing his usual t-shirt and hat.

As expected, both the Prime Minister and the lawmaker arrived at the hotel at 10:00.

The meeting was held in the presence of numerous reporters who were broadcasting live.

I am happy that you responded to my numerous calls to talk. Although I dont quite imagine how long we can negotiate in the presence of dozens of reporters, nevertheless I am happy, the Prime Minister said at the beginning.

MP Nikol Pashinyan responded by saying that there is a misunderstanding and that he has come to discuss the PMs resignation and peaceful transfer of power, rather than for dialogue.

Thats not negotiations, thats not a dialogue. That is simply an ultimatum, blackmailing the state and legitimate authorities. You do not realize the degree of responsibility, you didnt learn lessons from March 1 [2008]. And if we have to speak in that tone, then I am only left to once again advice you to return to the legal area and overall the limits of reasonable actions. Otherwise the entire responsibility falls on you, Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan said.

Pashinyan reacted by saying that the situation in Armenia has changed and the power has transitioned to the people.

A 7-8% parliamentary faction doesnt have the right to speak on behalf of the people. And I dont want to continue this conveersaton with you anymore. If you do not accept the lawful demand of the state, goodbye, PM Sargsyan said and walked out on the opposition lawmaker.

Before departing, the Prime Minister addressed reporters, saying : Dear reporters, you yourselves can make conclusions.

After the meeting, Pashinyan resumed marching in the streets of Yerevan, while many began to call for another meeting and dialogue.

Earlier on Saturday, President Armen Sarkissian walked through hundreds of protesters to talk with the opposition leader in Yerevans Republic Square.

English translator/editor: Stepan KocharyanYEREVAN, APRIL 22, ARMENPRESS. Amid the growing unrest in Yerevan, reporter Artak Khulyan from Shant TV has claimed to have been attacked.

According to Shant TV, the reporter was on-duty in Yerevans Erebuni district covering the protests when suddenly unknown individuals stoned him and used an electroshock weapon on him.

In another case involving a journalist, reporter of RFE/RL Armenian service Naira Bulghadaryan has claimed that a police officer has thrown her camera on the ground in Republic Square, Yerevan.

The reporter approached Deputy Police Chief of Yerevan Valery Osipyan, who was on-site, asking why she was obstructed. Colonel Osipyan vowed to hold the officer accountable for. Police are carrying out a special operation. Maintain distance to avoid damages.

English translator/editor: Stepan KocharyanYEREVAN, APRIL 22, ARMENPRESS. Speaker of the Parliament of Armenia Ara Babloyan issued a statement over the current situation in the country, the Parliament told Armenpress.

The statement says:

Dear citizens of the Republic of Armenia,

Dear compatriots,

In recent days numerous citizens voice their complaint in streets and squares against the leadership of Armenia. Such complaint manifestations are typical to democratic countries.

Dear compatriots, I have followed closely all events, the rally process, the steps and rhetoric of organizers and law enforcement agencies. Unfortunately, in some cases violations, violations of rights of others have been recorded towards which the leadership always showed a balanced approach, sometimes going to concessions. Different international platforms, the Diaspora, civil society, numerous political forces, as well as the leadership made multiple calls for negotiation, organizing discussions and preventing the situation from escalation. The President of the Republic personally visited the most heated place of complaints and personally urged MP Nikol Pashinyan to come to a political dialogue. This was followed by the meeting of Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan and MP Nikol Pashinyan. Unfortunately, after this meeting it was obvious that Nikol Pashinyan is not inclined to political discussions, compromise aimed at solving this issue which should enable to prevent the possible heavy consequences, to calm down the situation and start a constructive work. In such circumstances by refusing from the political dialogue and choosing the strategy of everything or nothing, the organizers and leaders of the protests should understand that they take on them all further developments, including, the heaviest one, and will bear an adequate responsibility.

Therefore, assessing the current situation, understanding the states duty to establish order, I call on to show reasonableness, value the constitutional rights, duties of each us and sit at the political discussions table.

I am confident that the Republic of Armenia has all political and legal tools to reach the sound and reasonable solution of the issue.

I call on our citizens, all political forces, our sisters and brothers, our sons and youth to demonstrate restraint and tolerance.

I believe in the wisdom of our people.

English translator/editor  Aneta HarutyunyanYEREVAN, APRIL 22, ARMENPRESS. Amid the ongoing protests in Yerevan, President Armen Sarkissian released a new statement.

Earlier the president personally visited the heavily overcrowded Republic Square in Yerevan on Saturday to meet with opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan.

Dear countrymen,

The ongoing developments in our country have reached a dangerous line which can lead to irreversible consequences.

Unfortunately, contrary to an earlier achieved agreement, the negotiations were interrupted, when they might have led to de-escalating the situation.

Nevertheless, the destructive attitude and conduct must be abandoned, which can undermine the countrys stability, and we should continue seeking for opportunities for dialogue.

Thus, I call on all our citizens and our countrymen of the Diaspora to refrain from attempts of escalating the situation and to display restraint.

The security of Armenia and Artsakh must not be trialled.

The society shouldnt be divided on the eve of April 24 [Genocide commemoration day]. On that day, we must be display nationwide, in both Armenia and Diaspora, maximal restraint for the world to see, and commemorate the memory of our holy martyrs united and collectively, the president said in the statement.

Earlier on Saturday, President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian had called for dialogue, and the MP reacted by offering the president to meet in the Republic Square, full of demonstrators. Surprisingly, the President agreed and arrived shortly.

President Sarkissian was seen walking down Abovyan Street with few bodyguards as he entered the heavily overcrowded square in downtown Yerevan.

The informal meeting lasted roughly 20 minutes. Although the meeting was caught on tape by reporters, the conversation wasnt heard.

The President then walked out of the square, waiving to the people.

After that, news emerged that Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan will meet MP Pashinyan Sunday morning.

The meeting between Armenias Prime Minister and opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan, leader of the ongoing demonstrations, lasted only a few minutes April 22.

The meeting took place in the Marriott Hotel in Republic Square of Yerevan, the main rally site where every evening demonstrators gather to protest.

The Prime Minister arrived without a tie, while the opposition MP was wearing his usual t-shirt and hat.

As expected, both the Prime Minister and the lawmaker arrived at the hotel at 10:00.

The meeting was held in the presence of numerous reporters who were broadcasting live.

I am happy that you responded to my numerous calls to talk. Although I dont quite imagine how long we can negotiate in the presence of dozens of reporters, nevertheless I am happy, the Prime Minister said at the beginning.

MP Nikol Pashinyan responded by saying that there is a misunderstanding and that he has come to discuss the PMs resignation and peaceful transfer of power, rather than for dialogue.

Thats not negotiations, thats not a dialogue. That is simply an ultimatum, blackmailing the state and legitimate authorities. You do not realize the degree of responsibility, you didnt learn lessons from March 1 [2008]. And if we have to speak in that tone, then I am only left to once again advice you to return to the legal area and overall the limits of reasonable actions. Otherwise the entire responsibility falls on you, Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan said.

Pashinyan reacted by saying that the situation in Armenia has changed and the power has transitioned to the people.

A 7-8% parliamentary faction doesnt have the right to speak on behalf of the people. And I dont want to continue this conveersaton with you anymore. If you do not accept the lawful demand of the state, goodbye, PM Sargsyan said and walked out on the opposition lawmaker.

Before departing, the Prime Minister addressed reporters, saying : Dear reporters, you yourselves can make conclusions.

English translator/editor: Stepan KocharyanSTEPANAKERT, APRIL 22, ARMENPRESS. The defense ministry of Artsakh has released footage showing Azerbaijani manpower and military equipment movements and accumulations in the line of contact.

The defense ministry of Artsakh also addressed a disinformation which was spread by the Azerbaijani defense ministry. The Azeri defense ministry had claimed that an earlier statement of the defense ministry of Artsakh on heavy ceasefire violations by Azerbaijan is false.

Artsakhs defense ministry said the disinformation and propaganda style of Azerbaijan was fully predictable and is typical of Bakus military-political strategy.

The defense ministry of Artsakh debunked the accusations and released a video proving that Azerbaijani forces are indeed mobilizing equipment and manpower in the line of contact.

English translator/editor: Stepan KocharyanYEREVAN, APRIL 22, ARMENPRES. Hovhannes Nikoghosyan, the new spokesman of Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan, has commented on PM Sargsyans expression on not learning a lesson from March 1 at todays meeting with opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan.

PM Sargsyan and the opposition leader met very briefly today in the morning amid the ongoing protests.

Local media asked the PMs spokesman to clarify the expression, what the PM meant by it and whether it was a threat.

On the contrary. We regret that once again an attempt is being made to divide the society into black and white. We have a bitter experience of creating dividing lines in person of the 2008 post-election development, which required great efforts from the society and authorities for overcoming. These are the lessons which the authorities and the majority of the society have learnt from history, which now should be avoided at any cost. The President of the country went to the square yesterday for refraining Mr. Pashinyan from taking that wrong path for a second time, and for this reason the Prime Minister has made such a call today. The Prime Minister remains open for holding true dialogue and efforts in this direction are ongoing. False interpretations are inappropriate, Nikoghosyan told News.am.

March 1 is a colloquial term referring to the 2008 post electoral developments in Armenia, when mass protests turned violent and claimed 10 lives.

English translator/editor: Stepan KocharyanYEREVAN, APRIL 22, ARMENPRESS. Starting from mid-April 21 the tension in the Artsakh-Azerbaijan line of contact was maintained also overnight April 22, the Defense Army of Artsakh told Armenpress.

In order to assess the operative situation, Defense Minister of Artsakh, Defense Army Commander, Lieutenant-General Levon Mnatsakanyan on April 22 visited the military positions located in the eastern direction of the Army, got acquainted with the situation in the frontline, checked the combat preparedness level of the troops and gave a number of instructions for further actions.

Levon Mnatsakanyan said despite today the situation is tense, it is under full control of the Defense Army and all necessary measures are being taken to prevent the provocations of the Azerbaijani side.

Some change has been noticed in terms of movement of troops. If previously there wasnt such a movement, and the existing ones were mainly linked with issues on ensuring subdivisions involved in the combat duty, now there are movements of different nature, more of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles. Moreover, the movements are at different directions, rather than one. We follow their actions and will do everything in case of necessity. They again hold military drills since early April, this is linked with some occasions, Levon Mnatsakanyan said.

Commenting on the reason of such activeness of the Azerbaijani side, the Defense Army commander stated: I would consider that this activeness is linked with the inner-political situation in Armenia. I would call those who provoke such disorders to draw conclusion, to know that we have an ultimate task  that is the legal establishment of independence of the Artsakh Republic, and we all must direct our efforts for this purpose, rather than present opinions of some narrow groups as a reality.

Earlier on April 22 the defense ministry of Artsakh has released footage showing Azerbaijani manpower and military equipment movements and accumulations in the line of contact.

English translator/editor  Aneta HarutyunyanYEREVAN, APRIL 22, ARMENPRESS. The US Embassy in Armenia released a statement on the ongoing unrest in Yerevan as the demonstrations entered a 10th day.

The U.S. Embassy in Armenia strongly encourages police and protesters to adhere to peaceful, legal means for freedom of assembly as provided for by the Armenian constitution.

We urge the government to show restraint to allow for peaceful protest and we urge those exercising their freedom of assembly to do so responsibly, to avoid violence, and to prevent an escalation of tensions.

We are concerned over reports of violence against journalists and demonstrators; we emphasize the need for those responsible for violence against police or demonstrators to be held accountable under the law. A peaceful resolution requires meaningful political dialogue in good faith,

English translator/editor: Stepan KocharyanYEREVAN, APRIL 22, ARMENPRESS. First Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Karen Karapetyan has reacted to arguments of the opposition who claim that Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyans remarks about the March 1, 2008 events during todays meeting with opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan was a threat of a repetition of those events.

March 1 is a colloquial term referring to the 2008 post electoral developments in Armenia, when mass protests turned violent and claimed 10 lives.

Karapetyan told reporters during a Sunday press briefing that the remark of the PM was no threat whatsoever, rather a reminder about the bitter and cruel days of our history.

I am sure that everyone must draw conclusions from it, the First Deputy PM said.

Commenting on results of the Sargsyan-Pashinyan meeting, Karapetyan stressed that everyone, including himself, expect for this meeting to give certain options, a certain roadmap as to how to find a way out of this situation.

Negotiations or dialogue assume that someone comes to speak, to listen to one another, perhaps to find a solution, perhaps not. But when a meeting is ultimatum [in nature], it isnt a dialogue, he said.

In his words, it is obvious that one of the parties didnt come to negotiate, didnt come with the logic to try and find solution.

The meeting between Armenias Prime Minister and opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan, leader of the ongoing demonstrations, lasted only a few minutes Sunday morning.

The meeting took place in the Marriott Hotel in Republic Square of Yerevan, the main rally site where every evening demonstrators gather to protest.

The Prime Minister arrived without a tie, while the opposition MP was wearing his usual t-shirt and hat.

As expected, both the Prime Minister and the lawmaker arrived at the hotel at 10:00.

The meeting was held in the presence of numerous reporters who were broadcasting live.

I am happy that you responded to my numerous calls to talk. Although I dont quite imagine how long we can negotiate in the presence of dozens of reporters, nevertheless I am happy, the Prime Minister said at the beginning.

MP Nikol Pashinyan responded by saying that there is a misunderstanding and that he has come to discuss the PMs resignation and peaceful transfer of power, rather than for dialogue.

Thats not negotiations, thats not a dialogue. That is simply an ultimatum, blackmailing the state and legitimate authorities. You do not realize the degree of responsibility, you didnt learn lessons from March 1 [2008]. And if we have to speak in that tone, then I am only left to once again advice you to return to the legal area and overall the limits of reasonable actions. Otherwise the entire responsibility falls on you, Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan said.

Pashinyan reacted by saying that the situation in Armenia has changed and the power has transitioned to the people.

A 7-8% parliamentary faction doesnt have the right to speak on behalf of the people. And I dont want to continue this conveersaton with you anymore. If you do not accept the lawful demand of the state, goodbye, PM Sargsyan said and walked out on the opposition lawmaker.

Before departing, the Prime Minister addressed reporters, saying : Dear reporters, you yourselves can make conclusions.

English translator/editor: Stepan KocharyanYEREVAN, APRIL 22, ARMENPRESS. Armenias foreign minister Edward Nalbandian and justice minister Davit Harutyunyan on April 22 met with the heads of diplomatic representations accredited in Armenia, the foreign ministry told Armenpress.

Minister Nalbandian drew the attention of the meeting participants on the developments following yesterdays meeting with Ambassadors. He touched upon the statements of the Justice ministry, the law enforcement agencies which clearly outlined the violations of the Law of Freedom to Rallies and called on to stop the calls and actions aimed at violating the public order.

FM Nalbandian said the Armenian leadership and the spiritual leaders made numerous calls for launching dialogue. Even the President of the Republic went to the protest place to meet with the organizer and launch a dialogue. Today, on April 22, the expectation to calm down from the meeting of Prime Minister of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan and MP Nikol Pashinyan didnt happen, as the rally organizer used the meeting with the PM to present an ultimatum to the Armenian leadership, in fact denying the proposal to come to dialogue.

Commenting on todays statement made by the European Union, minister Nalbandian said the Armenian side shares the provisions expressed in the statement and not only completely respects the right to freedom of rallies, but also practically ensures its adequate use in accordance with Armenias legislation and international commitments. The minister stated that the rally participants must respect Armenias respective legislation while exercising their rights.

In his turn justice minister Davit Harutyunyan made clarifications over the Law on Freedom to Rallies and the international experience on ensuring freedom of rallies.

Minister Harutyunyan, talking about the arrest of MPs, said the rally organizers, ignoring the calls of the Police, continued their calls on disproportionate restrictions of constitutional rights of others and public interests, and a decision was made to suspend the illegal rallies. The rally organizers  Nikol Pashinyan, Ararat Mirzoyan, Sasun Mikayelyan, have been forcibly removed from the rally place and later have been arrested in suspicion of deliberately organizing and holding a rally by violation of the procedure prescribed by the legislation.

Heads of several diplomatic representations attached importance to the ongoing steps aimed at solving the current situation through dialogue, political means and within the law.

English translator/editor  Aneta HarutyunyanYEREVAN, APRIL 22, ARMENPRESS. First Deputy PM Karen Karapetyan says it was expected that the enemies of Armenia will be happy over the existing situation in the country.

Karapetyan was commenting on a footage of the Artsakh military which showed Azerbaijani mobilizations of manpower and equipment along the line of contact.

Asked at a press briefing on possible developments in Artsakh, Karapetyan said: I think it is predictable for everyone that our enemies are glad over this, moreover, we must not rule out that our external [enemies] can increase from this situation, when we will be focused on solving our domestic issues. Everyone, who is carrying out certain steps today, must always have this risk. I understand that leaders are always bold people, but boldness doesnt imply, you know what  machismo , we must fully understand what threats exist. Will it be good if we start having problems in Karabakh?

Karapetyan also added that an international media coverage even ended a report the following way  After all this is Armenia.

Do we like it when everyone is treating our country as if such situations are regularly likely here? Look, I dont have any right in any case to accuse our citizens for their different views and that they want to [express] their views and voice them, but I am asking everyone for a culture to be formed on convincing, presenting this view. You cant [express] your view by forcing others, disrupting the daily life of others, by imposing a regime. Its not black and white, you understand? Where will this lead to?

Azerbaijan began heavy ceasefire violations since Saturday afternoon in the Artsakh line of contact. Azerbaijani forces are using various caliber weapons in the violations, the defense ministry of Artsakh told ARMENPRESS.

The defense ministry of Artsakh released footage showing Azerbaijani manpower and military equipment movements and accumulations in the line of contact.

English translator/editor: Stepan KocharyanWe've detected that JavaScript is not enabled in your browser.

You must enable JavaScript to use craigslist.Remember that Trump associate who resigned as deputy finance chair of the Republican National Committee last week after news came out he'd hired Michael Cohen to negotiate a $1.6 million deal to buy the silence of Playboy model he impregnated? His name is Elliott Broidy and, The Intercept has a new story about how Broidy promised the Russian gas giant Novatek he get it taken off the U.S. sanctions list for a cool $26 million. Just another day in the shithole presidency.

In February 2017, Broidy sent a draft of the plan by email to attorney Andrei Baev, then a Moscow- and London-based lawyer who represented major Russian energy companies for the firm Chadbourne & Parke LLP. Baev had already been communicating with Novatek about finding a way to lift U.S. sanctions. Broidy proposed arranging meetings with key White House and congressional leaders and generating op-eds and other articles favorable to the Russian company, along with a full suite of lobbying activities to be undertaken by consultants brought on board. Yet even as he offered those services, Broidy was adamant that his company, Fieldcrest Advisors LLC, would not perform lobbying services but would hire others to do it. He suggested that parties to the deal sign a sweeping non-disclosure agreement that would shield their work from public scrutiny. The plan is outlined in a series of emails and other documents obtained by The Intercept. Broidy and Baev did not dispute the authenticity of the exchanges but said the deal was never consummated.

Broidy has made quite a bit of news today:

Elliott Broidy plotted to force Chinese dissident from US: Documents obtained by US daily show Republican fundraiser drafted plan in hopes of getting payoffs from China and UAE.

Seeking Foreign Money, G.O.P. Donor Pushed for Trump to Golf With Malaysian Premier

Image: Broidy Capital Management websiteNews / National

by Staff reporter

ZIMBABWE'S opposition parties had the rug pulled from under their feet after President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his military allies dramatically took over power last November, academic and human rights lawyer Brian Kagoro has said.Speaking at a Southern African Political and Economic Series (Sapes) discussion in Harare this past week, Kagoro said the opposition needed to find new narratives after its 'Mugabe must go' campaign premise was rendered redundant, NewZimbabwe.com reported."The 'Mugabe must go' narrative has been taken over by Mnangagwa and Chiwenga. They have done a very good job of it although they needed us to be in front of military tanks," Kagoro said.Kagoro said Mnangagwa's government also appears to have been accepted by the international community in contrast to the Mugabe regime which was effectively shut out by western countries for nearly two decades."Chiwenga and Mnangagwa are pushing a re-engagement agenda. A lot of people are believing them," said Kagoro, adding that the new government has also embarked on an economic reform agenda that is resonating with business locally and internationally."They are pursuing a particular type of economic reform; but we have not seen alternative voices to critic the new narrative."Kagoro also lamented what he described as a "dearth of intellectual capacity and leadership in the opposition".News / National

by Staff reporter

Zimbabwe businessperson Justice Maphosa, who is credited with sheltering that country's President Emmerson Mnangagwa from Robert Mugabe when he was president, is being investigated by the Hawks for allegedly committing a multimillion-rand fraud in the North West.Maphosa was convicted earlier this year in the commercial crimes court in Pretoria for defrauding the South African Revenue Service by submitting fake tax invoices for his companies, Big Time Strategic Consultants and Computer Ink and Media Solutions.He was given a suspended sentence of eight years after entering into a plea bargain to pay R843 080.40 by January 2019.Hawks documents seen by the Mail & Guardian confirm that the unit is now investigating a case of fraud involving Big Time Strategic Consultants, which received R234 254 446 for an information communications technology (ICT) audit and development strategy contract from the Moses Kotane municipality in the North West.Sources in the municipality said Maphosa has scored millions of rands from contracts with many other North West municipalities without following procurement processes.Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said he could not divulge the names of suspects and complainants.The treasury, which was roped into the investigation, discovered in its preliminary report that Maphosa's company was paid R78 091 622 more than the R156 162 824 that was budgeted for in the contract."We conclude that more than 72% of the total contract was paid within seven days of the appointment of the service provider; as a result, the municipality may have not received services," the treasury said in its report to the Hawks. The treasury confirmed that it was working with law enforcement agencies as part of a group of "expert witnesses".The investigation is also targeting municipal officials who may have contravened procurement processes in awarding the contract.Maphosa, who is known in Zimbabwe for hosting gospel festivals, has been credited by Mnangagwa for rescuing him from Zimbabwe when Mugabe was pursuing his former vice-president as part of a purge in Zanu-PF in November last year.According to the Hawks' commercial crime investigation unit, there are allegations of contravention of procurement processes, fraud and corruption in the municipality's ICT tender. Investigations revealed that it advertised the bid for only 13 days instead of the prescribed 30 days, and three other bidders were irregularly excluded."The procurement process followed to appoint the service provider was full of irregularities," the treasury said in its analytical report. "Payments were made for services that were not part of the scope of work as per the service-level agreement and were above the approved budgeted amount."The Hawks sent requests to the municipality for documents for these contracts but "my previous correspondence with your good office was ignored or you failed to respond," the investigating officer wrote. "A detailed information of the service rendered to the municipality, which include all invoices, inspection report of the work done, which was done by your good office, after the work concluded by Big Time Consulting Firm and this information must be annexed to the affidavit."Maphosa confirmed that the Hawks had contacted him. He said his company was appointed through the normal tender process and that all supply chain management processes were followed. He denied that his company was paid 72% within seven days of being appointed.He said his company was operating in only four municipalities and "this is hardly a monopoly. We find ourselves being vilified ... because of the times and political narratives shaping themselves around the political power bases, which unfortunately are municipalities."News / National

by Staff reporter

ZANU-PF'S primary elections will provide a few spectacles for political watchers as the ruling party readies for a crunch national ballot set for this July.The ruling party released its list of prospective candidates with challenges for some big-wigs as well as the unprecedented interest from military service personnel.Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) top spy Albert Ngulube, bashed by soldiers to a pulp during the military coup last November, has put his name up for Beit-Bridge East constituency.Ngulube was left for dead during the operation after he reportedly tried to resist a midnight raid by soldiers who placed former President Robert Mugabe under house arrest in the night of November 14.Opinion / Interviews

Former president Robert Mugabe's son-in-law Simba Chikore's name has been at the centre of a raging debate over government's controversial plans to set up a new airline, Zimbabwe Airways.There are allegations that the new airline, which recently brought its first plane bought from Malaysia was an attempt to fleece the government and collapse the struggling Air Zimbabwe.Senior reporter Xolisani Ncube (XN) yesterday spoke to Chikore (SM) about several issues surrounding the Zim Airways deal.Chikore believes the deal will transform Zimbabwe's aviation industry, but was being misrepresented in the media. Below are excerpts from the interview.XN: Who is Simba Chikore and where does he come from to be where he is, specifically in the aviation industry?SC: Simba Chikore is a simple Zimbabwean brought up by God-fearing parents. ,I went to primary and high school in Zimbabwe and when time came to go to university, I went to the British High Commission.I went to the Harare City Library, read books and scouted for a best university. I applied to over 20 universities.What I applied for was medicine because I was very good at biology and I loved it.I was accepted at about eight of the universities that I applied to and all were in the United States.The one I chose, I did so because it had nice pictures, and I was not well versed on statistics and other facilities.So, I was accepted at Saint Louis University for medicine. When I got to the university, my roommate would tell me that he was going to the airport and he would tell me stories from there.I asked him what he was doing and he said 'I am a pilot' and I started to grow interest in the aviation side of things.In fact, one day he took me on a flight because he had a private pilot licence and I realised this was beautiful.I asked my student advisor if I could change my major and she laughed and said 'yes you can change'. That is how I became a pilot.I was now studying aviation science to become a professional pilot and my minor was aviation airport management.It was a five-year programme. This was in 1997. My story is long and a lot happened.While at university, this is the time that things changed in Zimbabwe. It is the time that war veterans started to demand money and so on and so forth, the Zimbabwe dollar was falling against the American dollar.I got to a point where I had nothing. So I started to work, I applied to the immigration department for permission to work off campusI worked at MacDonald's. I started working in hotels, cleaning toilets, carrying people's bags, being a handyman.I worked in industries carrying heavy things like cement, detergents.That is what I had to do to stay in school. During on one of the holidays I was with my brother at Newlands shops [Harare], that was in 2004, and because I wanted to pursue a more advanced degree, the servant of God, Dr Ezekiel Guti called me on his cellphone and he said come I want to talk to you.I went to see him and he said I should not go back to school. It troubled me, he prayed for me and said if I wanted to go, I could but the Lord had told him that I should not go back to school.I told my brothers that I was no longer going back to school and we had to cancel my ticket, which was due the following day.The miracles that started to happen I can't comprehend.Without applying for a job, I heard that there was a jobXN: At that stage had you acquired any qualifications to be a pilot?SC: I was a commercial pilot at the time. I had my FA [flight attendant], a commercial pilot licence at that time.And and here I am, he [Guti] is telling me not to go back to do my advanced degree.By then my desire was to end up working for National Aviation Services [NAS] and here the man of God telling me not to go back to school.Against all my wishes and instincts, I decided not to go back.I went for an interview at Air Zimbabwe three months later and they hired me with about 550 hours of flight time.I was hired on the Boeing 737-200, classic at that time. Now we call it a Jurassic because it is so old.I was flying local flights, Harare-Bulawayo, Harare-Vic Falls, flying to Johannesburg, Cape Town, the DRC [Democratic Republic of Congo] and Mauritius. All these kind of flights.Exactly 12 months later, I was promoted to fly the 767 and now I was flying to Dubai, Singapore, China, London. I was doing all these flights.In 2009, January, I was sitting in Singapore and a funny thing happened, a pilot who was supposed to bring the aircraft there was sick and they called me to say you are supposed to stay longer.I was sitting there reading a newspaper and there was Qatar Airways employing pilots and that is the week I was supposed to come to Zimbabwe.Surprisingly, they had called me to say stay longer. I knew I was not ready for this and I took a book that I thought they were going to use during the interviews.I read the book for the whole week. I went to the hotel where Qatar Airways were doing the interviews, it was on a Monday and I asked if I could be allowed to come on Friday.I said I was not ready. They agreed. I was the youngest and the only black captain there and everyone was in their late 40s and they were looking at me saying what are you doing here?When I walked in for my interview, I was asked what aircraft do you want to fly, the 737 or the airbus 320 or the Boeing 777 and I said I have only flown the 777 but I would be happy to take any plane you assign me to.That is how I joined Qatar Airways flying the 777. Now I have over 7 000 hours on the 777 alone.From there I came back to Zimbabwe in 2016 and they were doing interviews for Air Zimbabwe and these interviews were for the top management.We went for the interviews with the board, interviews with the management, we did a four-hour interview with a company called IPC [Industrial Psychology Consultancy].They are the ones who were administering these interviews. In fact these guys can show you a video of me in those exams.It's not like these interviews were coming from me. You can talk to IPC, they can show you the same.After the assessment of maybe three or four weeks, they came back with the results and I was number one out of 134 people.Out of 134 candidates they were trying to find the CEO, COO and the executive manager.These are the top positions at Air Zimbabwe according to the organogram.And in his wisdom, the honourable Minister of Transport [Joram Gumbo] assigned me to the post of COO, which was the second position.And even then, you saw the outcry (laughs). I imagine if people knew that I was supposed to be the CEO, but that is in his wisdom and we were happy because what we wanted was the expertise.It wasn't about the position. It was about him putting a team that does proper turnaround for the first time.In the last 20 years, how many turnarounds has Air Zimbabwe tried?XN: What role did your father-in-law Mugabe play in your appointment at Air Zimbabwe?SC: At one time, His Excellency former president Mugabe called the honourable minister and myself.One of the things that he said to the honourable minister was that you cut no corners, no favouritism but I know that he is good at what he does, so go ahead and go through the interview processes, but you will cut no corners.That was our mandate even from the beginning. That was his way of management, but I know the honourable minister did not even need to hear that he is a very honourable man, he is a wise man and he is a professional.XN: How about reports that you were the former first family's pilot?SC: Absolutely not. The only extent to which I flew the former first family was by assignment at the airline (Air Zimbabwe).I was a pilot just like any other pilot. They would come up with a roster and maybe that the president is going to New York and they say which pilot performed well, who passed the exams, with no disciplinary record; those are the ones that are assigned and put on the flight.(The Mugabes) had no influence, I did not know him, I did not know his daughter, I had no relationship with her, it was just a job.XN: In 2016 when you went for the Air Zim interviews, did you foresee any trouble considering your relationship with Bona Mugabe?SC: Obviously, it did cross my mind, but then and now I still feel the same that Zimbabweans are smart enough to know the truth and that they are smart enough to separate issues.The media can say things this way or with bias, but I feel Zimbabweans can understand that Simba went to school in this profession and he deserves a chance to serve his own country after spending so many years and time developing himself that way.I feel that my position is my position as people see it. You could be in my position, you could have married the president's daughter and be in the same shoes, it could be your friends, it could be that guy outside, it could be anybody.So are we going to say that because that person is affiliated with the first family they must be denied a profession they spent money on and many years of hard work?And so we just say because you are associated we don't want to see you there?XN: At Air Zimbabwe there were reports that you were the de-facto CEO. How far true is this?SC: The first question is where did the reports come from? The journalists did not work at Air Zimbabwe.People on the streets never worked at Air Zimbabwe. Nobody who was saying all these things actually worked at Air Zimbabwe.But if you can find for me someone who worked with me and said that I behaved in such a way or that I took responsibilities that were not mine [I will be happy]. My point is I feel that people react according to what is said in newspapers or what perspectives look like according to them, but at no point did I exercise the role of the CEO, who was always my boss.At no point in my responsibilities did I have such authority to exercise the rights of a CEO.I only performed in my capacity as COO. And the COO in an airline is someone who has oversight over all operations and all operations in an airline are supported by every other department.In other words, an airline is there to take people from point A to point B.Everything else around, every other department is supporting operations so you don't have an airline unless you have got planes and crew.Finance is supporting that, marketing is supporting that, legal is supporting that, security is supporting that and so you can see how big the role is, it's not a small role.So it was my job to see that we have planes that work, we have got pilots, we have got cabin crew, we have got money, we have got fuel, we have the arrangement, we have got the slots and above me was the CEO.In that case, for me I continued as a professional and stayed quite because I knew what I was doing and without me performing those functions.If I had not done that, then the CEO would have had to perform these duties, making me redundant.XN: Were you happy with your tenure at Air Zimbabwe?SC: It was a big eye opener and it was very good for me to be there, to serve my country again because I had worked there before and I was coming to a company that I knew.I knew the ins and outs. I knew the culture. I knew exactly what I was up against.I knew the problems and I knew how to solve them and with the experience that I had gained outside it was everything.The thing was about vision and acknowledgement that I am here and you know what you want to be or where you need to be and the rest is easy because you are just trying to map your way from here to there.The problem is where you don't know where you are trying to get or what it should look like, then you are in trouble.XN: What were the challenges you faced when you joined Air Zimbabwe?SC: The biggest challenge which is there until now is the resistance to change, good change.Because people are afraid of change, people would rather stay with the status quo; people would rather see what they are used to.You tell people today we are doing things this way and I remember sitting in the boardroom and people would say "No", let us explain to you how we do it here.Then I would remind them we haven't done well, look at your history.You haven't done anything that the Zimbabwean people would be happy with regarding this airline and so we are not going to do that.I'm actually here to change what we have been doing for the better because it has not worked.So, at Air Zimbabwe it was a no-brainer, we only had to look at what we had been doing. Are you happy with that?Is Zimbabwe happy with that? Do we look good outside? Do we give a good picture of ourselves as a people that collectively this is what we come up with?XN: Do you think you had achieved what you had set out to do when you left the airline?SC: Not at all. The airline has a plethora of challenges and I remember one of the things I asked the minister before he assigned me there was: Will you let me do what's necessary to make a change, are you ready for the hard decisions that I have to make for a difference, to make the Zimbabwean people proud?I knew what we were up against and what we would have to do and so it was not nearly enough.I would have needed another five years to accomplish the vision of the honourable minister in terms of his brief to me to say I want to see this, I want to see an airline that goes on time, I want to see planes that are flying, I want to see a good crew, I want to see us go to destinations that the Zimbabwean people want to go, these kind of things.The stigma, the culture, the system, the skilled labour and all these kinds of thing that's what was lacking.XN: What is your role at Zimbabwe Airways?SC: After being assigned to Air Zimbabwe, the minister and his colleagues wanted to have a way to bring in to the country new assets that were not involved in big challenges, for example, in debt.We didn't want to have an airline that is impounded. We didn't want to have an airline, which had such stigma.Zimbabweans were calling their own airline Mazarura and things like this and so on and so forth.So the minister's vision was to create an airline that everyone is proud of, an operation that can go anywhere in the world.Why do we not fly direct to New York? Why do we not fly direct to London? Why do we not have our own airline that goes from here to China even though we have some big business between the two countries?It's because of those things, sanctions, stigma, unprofessionalism and all these kind of things.So what better way to do it properly and the way the minister decided to do it was standard internationally.What they decided to do was to have those planes with a different ownership.XN: There are allegations that you and the former first family own the airline. What is the correct position?SC: The interest in the extent of the former president was his simple support to also want a good airline.If you think back he chose to always fly the national airline so that he could put money in it.In fact, it survived that long because he chose to always use the national airline.I was there as COO. I saw all the numbers and I know exactly how they function.We would survive because today he is going there and we get a little bit of money.Those flights were paid up front in cash, that's what sustained the airline.Just like today, His Excellency President [Emmerson] Mnangagwa is supporting the airline.If the presidents stop flying Air Zimbabwe, watch and see what will happen, there will not be one flight.That's the extent to which we can say the former president was involved. When you talk about me, I am a professional and I am not going to go around trying to defend myself, people will know the truth and people are smart enough.If people are interested they can go to the registrar of companies to see who owns the company, they'll see the CR40, they'll see the CR6, they will see the stakeholder, and my name is not there.The company itself belongs to the government of Zimbabwe, the proof is there and it's public knowledge.I don't have to go loud and say they are not my planes, in fact where would I get that kind of money to buy the aircraft?XN: Your critics say you used state resources to acquire the planes and set up the airline.SC: That's conjecture. What I would say is it's so demeaning to the government itself that they are idle and see me take government resources to enrich myself and my family.We have got skilled people in this government, we have got people in finance, the minister of Finance and his whole team, we have the Reserve Bank governor and his team, we have got the Attorney-General's office who can do anything. I mean there are so many experts and for us to pretend and say Simba is so smart.We have all these offices and arms of government and they stood-by while I used government resources.XN: What have you been doing for Zimbabwe Airways?SC: For Zimbabwe Airways under the leadership of the honourable minister, we sourced for aircraft, we negotiated the purchase price, we did the maintenance that is required to make them brand new.What I mean by brand new is doing the required checks like C-check, which is done every two years so it's pretty much broke down and put back together again so it's a new aircraft, it's a reset button.We created the airline, the formation of it. We created the systems, we went and created relationships with Boeing, these are industry trade type of relationships that are necessary.We have with us experts from AITA, IOSA to centre the airline properly because the moment you take off you are going to be under audit to make sure that this airline is not like Air Zimbabwe that is banned in other places.We are making sure we do things properly, you have got the skilled labour, you have got the bells and whistles, you have got computers, you have got all the correct maintenance, you have got all the things that are required to be called a viable airline that would be allowed to fly to Europe, that would be allowed to fly into the United States.This is what we did, we did the hiring, we did the interviews, we did the finance, we came up with the designs, we did the engineering orders, and we did everything that was required.And that was my involvement until now with Zimbabwe Airways.XN: How far would you want to go with Zimbabwe Airways?SC: The honourable minister is talking every day about it whether in Cabinet or in parliament or on TV .It's so easy for us to have a five-star airline in Zimbabwe, there is nothing special about Qatar, Emirates or Etihad that are five stars and have proper operations.We in Zimbabwe have to be proud enough to support each other. To stop petty issues.To stop shooting someone down or something down that you do not even understand.Aviation is one of the most sophisticated and misunderstood areas, but yet everybody thinks they can talk about it and give a recommendation saying they can do this or they should buy this kind of plane.Aviation is not like buses, it's either you know or you don't know.People spend years in this industry just trying to understand it.As Zimbabweans we can have an amazing airline, we can change the perspective of Zimbabwe, we can bring in investment, we can change the GDP, we can increase tourism, we can have cargo at much less rates than paying Emirates who take your cargo from Lusaka to Dubai and from Dubai then it gets to you, you understand?The people who have fish food restaurants here can get fresh food every day when we have a direct flight from Beijing or wherever else they want their sea food from; you understand what I am saying?A lot of things we do, it is us who can choose to change them, so the vision really is five-star airlines, we have seen it and know what it looks like.We know exactly what to do, we just have to support each other.XN: Some point out that the planes you got from Malaysia are old and were decommissioned. Did you not take a risk by buying them?SC: I like what you are saying. This goes back to what I have just said that people talk about aviation as if they know, and very few people are experts in aviation.The public is not where you need to get this information.A decommissioned aircraft means a plane is not on the production line anymore.Today Boeing is still making 777s, so I would like to know that they decommissioned, what exactly are you saying?Point number two, an aircraft is endless in life, as long you are doing the required maintenance so it has no life span.Today we are still flying 737 from 1989, but if I do the maintenance today it's airworthy.Civil aviation will give me a certificate of air worthiness, I will change the seats, they will look nice, I will use the equipment that I want and I will fly anywhere in the world.You see my point? These are good aircraft, we got them at an amazing deal, and I would say about 5% of the value.A 101-year-old battlefield cross inscribed with the names of 57 Canadians killed in the Battle of Vimy Ridge returned to Toronto Sunday.

The wooden cross was hanging on display in a museum dedicated to the 48th Highlanders regiment in the basement of St. Andrew's Church in the city's downtown core.

The rare relic made the voyage back to France last year where it stood tribute to Canada's war dead at the new visitors centre  a short distance from the iconic limestone twin pillars at the Vimy Ridge memorial.

The large regimental Celtic-style cross of the 15th Battalion (48th Highlanders) was raised on the battlefield, shortly after the assault on Vimy Ridge started on April 9, 1917.

Etched on its surface are the names of 57 Canadian soldiers, most from the 15th Battalion, who were killed in the first hours of that assault.

Although there were other wooden crosses fashioned by regimental carpenters to mark the makeshift mass graves for soldiers killed in action, this is one of the very few to survive one of the world's most hideous conflicts.

Since the First World War, the relic has also crossed the ocean three times. Its return to Toronto was both a homecoming and a reunion for many Canadians who it helped connect with the stories of relatives and memories buried by the passage of time.

Orlando Wilcox is one of the soldiers honoured on the cross. He worked as a diamond setter before the war and enlisted with his twin brother, Lorenzo, who survived the war. Wilcox was only 27 at his death, according to his great nephew Richard Merritt.

Merritt attended the reunion ceremony at St. Andrew's Church Sunday.

He says seeing Wilcox's name on the cross has helped bring him closer to his great uncle's legacy. Wilcox's relatives previously inherited photos and a pistol before receiving his medals and a letter he wrote at the front last year from a B.C. man who found Wilcox on the battlefield.

"It's quite a remarkable story," said Merritt.

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Scott Keen's great grandfather, Edwin, was in the first wave of the battle. He was killed immediately by a bullet sometime between 5:15 and 5:30 a.m. on April 9, 1917. Seeing his name on the cross helped bring him closer to the man for whom he names his own son.

Keen first learned about his great grandfather's story two years ago and was at the church when the cross moved to France last year.

"I'm glad to be here today to be able to see it come back into its home," he told CBC Toronto.

"In a way it's a double-edged sword. The cross belongs with the men over there, but it's the only memory I have of my great grandfather, so it's really important for me to have it here."

This makes it a real-time partial record of the heavy Canadian losses in those pivotal opening moments of the battle.

The 15th Battalion was tasked with taking on the eastern edge of the ridge, which meant advancing over a longer distance, and through more German lines than other Canadian units. Despite their quick advance, this meant heavy casualties.

The regiment suffered 265 casualties during the assault.

The cross was brought over to Canada in 1923 by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, and had been on display for years in the regimental museum in Toronto, until it returned to France on loan for the 100-year anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.Authorities in Peru are investigating after an Indigenous spiritual leader was shot to death, a case that local media reports say resulted in the killing of a Canadian citizen in reprisal for the murder.

Olivia Arevalo Lomas, who was 81 and from the Shipibo-Conibo ethnic group, was shot twice and died at her home in the Ucayali region of the Peruvian Amazon rainforest on Thursday.

Arevalo Lomas was a leader in the community, an Indigenous rights activist and a traditional healer. Her killing has sparked local outrage following other unsolved murders of Indigenous activists who had repeatedly faced death threats related to efforts to keep illegal loggers and oil palm growers off Indigenous peoples' lands.

Canadian identified

Citing a spokesperson for Peru's Attorney General, Reuters reported that some villagers had blamed Arevalo Lomas's murder on Sebastian Woodroffe, a 41-year-old Canadian citizen, who lived in the region and who was believed to have been one of her clients.

Ricardo Palma Jimenez, the head of a group of prosecutors in Ucayali, told Reuters police found Woodroffe's body buried about a kilometre from Arevalo Lomas's home on Saturday, after a cellphone video recording of the Friday lynching was shared on social media.

Jimenez said prosecutors were exploring several hypotheses related to Arevalo Lomas's murder and that it was too early to name suspects in the case. No arrests had been made yet in connection with Woodroffe's death, he added.

"We will not rest until both murders, of the Indigenous woman as well as the Canadian man, are solved," said Jimenez in a phone interview with Reuters.

Global Affairs comment

Police called to the scene where the Canadian died cordoned off the area and exhumed his body, according to information provided by Jose Montalvo, director of the media outlet Gaceta Ucayalina.

"Canada extends its deepest condolences following the reported assassination of Olivia Arevalo Lomas, an Indigenous elder and human rights defender of the Shipobo-Konibo people in Peru's Ucayali region," Global Affairs Canada said in a statement emailed to CBC News on Sunday.

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"We are also aware that a Canadian was killed in a related incident. Consular services are being provided to the family of the Canadian," the statement said, without releasing an identity.

Peruvian police and media are reporting the Canadian lived in the Ucayali regional capital of Pucallpa, freelance journalist Dan Collyns told CBC News. He said both police and Peru's Attorney General are investigating his death.

On its website, the Office of Public Defender of Peru (the Peruvian Ombudsman) condemned the murder of Arevalo Lomas and said police are interviewing her relatives and possible witnesses. It also said the lives of Indigenous people are at risk with the increase in activities such as illegal logging, illegal mining and drug trafficking.The alleged murder of a Sri Lankan refugee claimant has several migrant worker groups calling on the federal government to make what they say are long overdue changes to Canada's immigration laws.

Accused serial killer Bruce McArthur is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Kirushna Kumar Kanagaratnam. The 37-year-old fled the civil war in Sri Lanka eight years ago. Police believe he was killed in late 2015.

McArthur, 66, is already facing first-degree murder charges in connection with the deaths of seven other men  many of whom are of South Asian and Middle Eastern descent and are from vulnerable communities.

Law makes migrants vulnerable

The circumstances of Kanagaratnam's arrival in Canada, which a CBC Toronto investigation uncovered last week, has members of the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, Workers Action Centre and the Caregivers' Action Centre imagining what might have been different for McArthur's latest alleged victim if the Canadian government granted permanent resident status more readily.

Syed Hussan, coordinator of the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, described his anger and frustration with Kanagaratnam's death in an interview with CBC Toronto.

"The first thing that happened to him was he was imprisoned and the last thing that happened to him was that he was murdered," Hussan said.

Kanagaratnam was one of 492 Sri Lankan asylum seekers on the MV Sun Sea, a cargo ship brought to shore off the B.C. coast in August 2010.

The passengers claimed refugee status due to the armed conflict between the Sri Lankan government and Tamil fighters, but were detained on suspicion that some of them had links to the Tamil Tigers terrorist organization.

Family members previously told CBC Toronto they believe Kanagaratnam went into hiding after the Canadian government denied his refugee application. Kanagaratnam's mother, Santhanaladchumy, says she last spoke to him in August 2015. Homicide investigators believe Kanagaratnam was killed between early September and mid-December  weeks after his family stopped receiving daily phone calls.

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"Every step of the way, Canadian law, Canadian society and the government failed him," Hussan said.

He believes the problem was a result of current immigration rules that were created by Liberal and Conservative governments over the years and allow for a precarious temporary status.

The result, he explains, is "vulnerability on top of vulnerability, that's neither moral nor just. I don't think that's the society any of us want to live in."

Hussan listed a number of sectors he believed are affected by instability, including farm workers, caregivers, other refugee claimants and international students.

Most of these, he said, come through the temporary foreign workers program, which according to the government website, "Allows Canadian employers to hire foreign nationals to fill temporary labour and skill shortages when qualified Canadian citizens or permanent residents are not available."

'Exploitation' built into immigration system

In 2017, there were 46,520 temporary foreign workers through the program as compared to a high of 115,940 in 2009. Canada admitted 286,465 permanent residents last year.

Anna Malla of the Caregivers Action Centre said among the centre's 1,800 members issues, such as workers paid less than minimum wage, not being paid for overtime and even violence, stem "from precarious immigration status."

She asserts many are afraid to ask for help because they don't believe they have the same access to social services as permanent residents.

With the temporary "immigration system there's exploitation built into that," she said.

At the Workers Action Centre, Deena Ladd said: "Canada has moved to a system of less and less folks being able to come into Canada with status and the ability to have citizenship and moving into supporting themselves and their family in the way that they would love to."

Ladd added her own family would have been excluded from immigrating to Canada in 1987 under current rules. Her father was a mechanic and mother an office worker, it was "easier to come in through the points system. Now it would be virtually impossible."

There's a harsh lesson in Kanagaratnam's death, she said.

"What workers need is the ability to come to this country with dignity and respect just as my family did, just as generations upon generations of people have come to this country and were able to get status and not be held in limbo."

'How did we let this happen?'

Most recently, Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen said it was time to change the 40-year-old policy regarding medical inadmissibility rules for immigrants.

Under the revised policy, newcomers won't be denied permanent residency if they or any of their children have developmental delays, special education requirements, or a hearing or visual impairment.

Last year, former Conservative leadership candidate Dr. Kellie Leitch vowed to deport asylum seekers caught sneaking into Canada after hundreds crossed the border near Emerson and Manitoba RCMP took them into custody.

But in the recent case of Kanagaratnam, there's more of a dubious legacy according to Ram Selvarajah, a community activist with the Tamil Workers Network.

"Here was somebody who had fallen through the cracks," he said.

"The community is struggling to figure out how do we support this. How did we let this happen right under our nose?"A Regina family bluegrass band is headed down to North Carolina to compete for a chance to take the big stage at a major roots music festival.

"Here we are, a little band from Regina. Who'd have thought? It's a great honour and very exciting," said Tim Mrazek, one fourth of local act Hummingbird Crossing.

They'll be heading to Wilkesboro, N.C., later this month for MerleFest, which bills itself as "America's top roots-based music festival."

MerleFest was founded in 1988 in memory of the late Eddy Merle Watson, son of legendary American guitarist and songwriter Doc Watson.

The festival, which routinely draws more than 75,000 attendees, has showcased stars like Dolly Parton, Willy Nelson and Natalie MacMaster, among other huge acts.

And Hummingbird Crossing won't be the only Saskatchewan representation at the festival this year  Saskatoon's Rosie & the Riveters will also be featured at the festival, along with performers like Kris Kristofferson, Steve Martin and Rhiannon Giddens.

In 2016, Kacy & Clayton, from Wood Mountain, Sask., also performed there.

Each year, MerleFest also features a 12-artist performance competition, with the winner getting to perform on one of the festival's larger stages. Hummingbird Crossing are the only Canadian group in the running this year.

A family affair

Each band in the competition gets 15 minutes to play three songs  one is fast, one is slow and one is instrumental.

Steve Johnson, a scout for MerleFest, heard the band two years ago at a music camp and invited them to the festival. The band members were ecstatic.

"It's been a lot of fun trying to get ready," said Hummingbird Crossing member Helen Chang. "If we go to MerleFest, it should be more something professional that comes out."

The group, which performs traditional and modern bluegrass, gospel and acoustic folk, is a quartet made up of people with family connections.

Story continues

Mrazek (who plays five-string banjo, guitar, mandolin and dobro) is married to Chang (fiddle, mandolin and guitar). Mrazek's sister, Jennifer Petriew (guitar, claw-hammer banjo and bodhran) and her husband, Vance Petriew (double bass), complete the band. All are part-time musicians.

When they're not playing in the band, Vance and Jennifer work in the information technology sector, while Chang is a family doctor and Mrazek is a naturopath.

Humble beginnings

Hummingbird Crossing was formed nearly five years ago. They started with what was intended to be a one-time performance.

"We started with a casual throw-together for a gospel night at church one year. It was so fun we started making music every Sunday when our families got together for dinner," said Mrazek.

"We stopped watching TV, started practising more and more and we started to sound better. Funny how if you make time for something, how that can work."

Hummingbird Crossing perform at MerleFest on April 28.If it weren't for a well-timed record sale in the 1980s, brothers James and Ian Boyd might not be marking four decades in business.

The pair were at a record show in New York City, selling copies of a newly-released Bruce Springsteen album  one which, at the time, was only available in Canada.

They sold more than 50 copies of the album at that show. Only days later, it would be released in the United States.

The profit they made allowed them to buy new records to sell at their Ottawa shop, Compact Music, which this weekend celebrated its 40th anniversary.

"We used to go to... record shows and stuff all over the place: Montreal, Toronto, Philadelphia, New York," James told CBC Radio's In Town and Out.

"We've been together all these years and, even though we do have our moments, it still works."

2 locations still thriving

Compact Music is one of the city's longest running independent music retailers, with two locations on Bank Street  one downtown and one in the Glebe.

The two brothers told In Town and Out they have plenty of amusing stories over the past four decades, including a time when the store got a mysterious envelope containing $150 from a former University of Ottawa student.

The student wrote that the money was to compensate the store for records he stole while in university.

"There's a lot of fun in what we do," Ian said. "Every day you'll always hear something new."

Changing times

The store's anniversary, coincidentally, fell on the the same date as Record Store Day.

The brothers said they witnessed first-hand the decline of vinyl and cassettes and the rise of digital music, even closing down their stores at one point around 1988.

But the pair eventually changed their minds and, a few years later, launched Compact Music all over again.

"We morphed our store a number of times," Ian said. "We've always felt we would go after the 20 per cent of people who value listening to music at home, and that would be our market. And [that decision's] always served us well."

Story continues

James said that one his favourite parts of the job is having the opportunity to listen to music some people may never hear.

"Really, the best music doesn't sell," he said.

"There are the ones where you can, you know, sell multiple, lots of copies. Then you get the smaller bands that do fine  but most people don't even know who they are."To we who refuses to let go of the word of God, victory belongs to us.

All of us will go through trials that will challenge us and test our faith to the greatest extent. Overcoming the impossible is to stand firm in faith and be so rooted in the word of God.

Whatever it is our experiencing, the bible is full of promises that provides the answer.

Simply we must not waver when the enemy tries to distract our focus. Keeping alive that strong faith in the midst of adversity and difficult circumstances is to continuously confess Gods word.

Confessing the word not only releases the power of God into the situation, but it builds faith into our heart, which empowers us to triumph through the storms of life.

Man is a tri-part being he is a spirit who possesses a soul and lives in a physical body. The spirit man is where the faith resides and from which faith proceeds. When we confess Gods word, we hear ourselves repeating the scriptures and the faith of God is then in our spirit. The word, is like a seed in soil planted in our heart, it will produce results.

Everything necessary for victory in life has been placed into the born-again spirit of a man. When we come face to face with hopeless situations, we shouldnt be waiting on God to do something... we should step out in faith and believe the power of God that is already living within us.

Ephesians chapter 1, verse 3 says, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. Healing, deliverance, abundance, and prosperity in spirit, soul, and body are spiritual blessings that belong to us.

Receiving a revelation of what already belongs to us is critical to being an overcomer in life. We possess the spirit of might, which is the ability to conquer anything. The Word says that we have received the fullness of His power John chapter 1, verse 16. Knowing and believing this, we no longer walk through life defeated by what the enemy charges us with.

Whether it is sickness, barrenness an incurable diseases, destitution, or emptiness, we have the victory. It is vital to confess Gods word to release the power and faith of God.

Philemon chapter 1, verses 4 and 6 says that we should acknowledge every good thing that is within us.

Declare

We as Christians are to declare what we possess spiritually through our relationship with God and to walk by faith, not by what we perceive. The spiritual realm, what we possess in our spirits, and the Word of God are more real than anything we might see in the natural realm. If we choose to come off the Word, we will see the end of our faith journey.

The main attack every person faces when in a faith battle is the enemy attacking the things we perceive with our senses to move us from our foundation in the word. The fight occurs during the time of releasing our faith and then seeing the actual manifestation come to be.

No matter what it is that Satan does to try and distract us, dont separate ourselves from the Word. If we stay in faith and keep our mind focused on the Lord, He will bring you out victoriously. Victory belongs to the person who refuses to let go of the Word.

Children of God the one true King, we are an overcomer and more than a conqueror! Press on and have faith even as tiny as a mustard seed because God is faithful.

Elizabeth Josic is from the Sunshine Coast and is a passionate about music and am always creating whether its painting, writing or designing. I can be found in the house of God a lot, I love people and the odd spontaneous adventures.A series of protests in Nicaragua that have turned violent has reached the city of Esteli. Telenorte, a news agency covering the city of Esteli, has reported that two university students were killed during the protests. Esteli is the epicenter of the Nicaraguan cigar industry.

The protests started after Nicaraguas National Social Security Institute (INSS) instituted a 5% tax that increased the contributions by both employers and employees in Nicaragua. The government has said this was necessary because the system is on the verge of collapse.

Protestors have ranged from university students to retirees. The protests started to turn violent on Thursday when riot police, military, and pro-government groups such as the Sandinista Youth confronted the protesters. The violence spread across the country as law enforcement and military were called in to dispense with the protests. While there are two reported deaths in Esteli, there have been reports of up to ten deaths nationwide and many injuries. Meanwhile, the government ordered the countries cable company providers to cut off independent television channels.

The U.S. State Department has issued a Level 3 Reconsider Travel advisory for travel to Nicaragua. This strongly cautions U.S. citizens to avoid travel due to serious risks to safety and security. It is the second highest advisory level behind Level 4 which is Do Not Travel.

Meanwhile safety, security and business operations concerns face many in the cigar industry who have their operations in both Esteli and throughout Nicaragua.

Hector Alfonso Sr., Operations Director at Espinosa Cigars and La Zona factory in Esteli said, Our concern first and foremost is to the safety of our employees and their families. At the same time, we are keeping a watchful eye on our facilities down in Nicaragua.

According to Alfonso, who has been in contact with people in Esteli, there were no reported problems from the cigar industry at this time, but cautioned the Nicaraguan cigar industry could see some short-term impacts on both the distribution and production ends.

The Pan American Highway, the road where cigars are transported from Esteli to be flown out of Managua, is of concern. If any of the protests block the highway, it could cause a short-term problem to those who are shipping product out of the factory and out of Nicaragua, commented Alfonso. At the same time, if the protests impact the workers ability to come into the factory, they may not show up for work thus impacting production.

Alfonso believes the Ortega government has had support from the university/college segment of the population in the past and the fact that many of these protests are coming from this sector is of great concern to the government.

Last night Black Label Trading Company owner James Brown, who lives in Nicaragua and is a partner in Fabrica Oveja Negra located in Esteli, described the activities taking place last night on his social media page: Riot police, rocks, tear gas, sirens & what sounds like gun shotswe are a bit nervous but ok. Sounds like things are quieting down. Going to be a long night tho!

James wife Angela also commented on her social media page, Its times like these that you realize how connected you are to the country you live in and its people. My heart is heavy with the conflicts of Nicaragua. Im optimistic things will come to a quick resolution but regardless we are here, its our home now! It only takes a few radicals to make a lot of press. The majority are handling the conflict with patience and grace.

The violence from the protests have been the worst since Daniel Ortega returned to power in 2006. Ortega was a part of the Marxist Sandinista junta that led to the overthrow of Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza. Ortega was elected President in 1984, but lost the Presidency in 1990 to Violeta Barrios de Chamorro. This was a period where many Nicaraguan businesses were nationalized, including the cigar industry. Following his defeat, Ortega tried unsuccessfully to run for President in 1996 and 2001. During this time, he moderated his position from Marxism to one of Democratic Socialism. In 2006, he returned to the Presidency.

The last few years have seen many concerns arise regarding Ortega. In 2014, the National Assembly removed Presidential term limits from the constitution, thus allowing Daniel Ortega to run for a third consecutive term. In 2016, his wife Rosario Murillo became his running mate and was elected Vice President. Questions of widespread election fraud continue to be raised. Some are viewing Ortegas Presidency as morphing into a dictatorship.

While Ortega was silent for a couple of days, today he said his government is willing to review the pension reforms that have triggered the violent protests. He has called for peace and invited those in opposition for talks.

Many feel that this Sunday will be a critical time in the aftermath of the protests. If the violence continues on a day generally reserved for religious services, it could indicate the violence may continue for some time.JavaScript is disabled on your browser.

CORDIS website requires JavaScript enabled in order to work properly. Please enable JavaScript.Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi had fled the country after the alleged bank fraud came to light. (Photo: File)

Mumbai: Punjab National Bank (PNB) on Saturday moved Hong Kong High Court against the disgraced jeweller Nirav Modi accused in the PNB loan fraud case.

The bank has also decided to approach the courts of other countries where Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi have assets and businesses.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), had earlier in April claimed to have traced Modi in Hong Kong and submitted a request to the authorities for provisional arrest of the disgraced jeweller.

Also Read: India awaiting Hong Kong's response on Nirav Modi's arrest in PNB fraud case

Raveesh Kumar, Spokesperson of the MEA had said that India has requested the Hong Kong authorities to surrender Nirav Modi based on the extradition agreement for surrender of fugitive offenders signed between the two sides in 1997.

Meanwhile, China had said that Hong Kong can accede to India's request to arrest fugitive Indian diamond merchant Nirav Modi based on local laws and mutual judicial assistance agreements.

Also Read: Hong Kong can take decision on Nirav Modi's arrest: China

Modi and Choksi had fled the country after the alleged bank fraud came to light. Their passports were revoked on February 23, 2018 after they failed to respond to show cause notices issued to them by the MEA on February 16.

A special CBI court in Mumbai has also issued non-bailable warrants (NBWs) against Modi and Choksi.

In February, this year, the second largest public sector bank PNB had detected fraudulent transactions at the Brady House branch. The biggest ever banking fraud of more than Rs 13,000 crore was allegedly committed by billionaire diamantaire Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi in connivance with some PNB officials.

(With PTI inputs)Jinnah had made a famous speech a few days before Independence in which he indicated that he wanted a secular Constitution. (Photo: AFP)

The post-colonial tradition of the Indian subcontinent has been one of religious and ethnic majorities ganging up against the minorities.

In Sri Lanka, the mostly Buddhist Sinhala speakers fought Lankas Tamils over religion and language. In India we wonder how Buddhists and Hindus can hate each other but that is the nature of majoritarianism. It always finds an enemy.

The Lanka civil war lasted over a quarter century and killed one lakh people, including several Lankan leaders and former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. It ended with a horrific attack on camps that included civilians.

In Bangladesh, the initial nationalism was based on language and unified Bengali Muslims and Hindus against West Pakistans militarism and imposition of Urdu. Surprisingly, M.A. Jinnah, a Gujarati who himself spoke almost no Urdu, wanted it imposed on the Bengalis.

The violence the resistance produced expelled the West Pakistan Army with the help of India in 1971. Unfortunately, one aspect of Bangladeshi nationalism then became religious. Attempts were made and continue to be made to Islamise the Constitution. The division of the polity has become secular versus communal.

Secular in this case means the Muslim party that wants to accommodate Hindus and communal is the Muslim party that sides with the religious extremists like the Jamaat e Islami. It is that 10 per cent or so of the minority population that takes up much of the focus of mainstream politics. We are of course familiar with this formulation.

In Pakistan, the initial majoritarianism was sought to be curbed by Jinnah. With the Punjabi Muslims of Lahore refusing to accept North Indian Muslim refugees coming from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, these families settled in Karachi. Violence began against the urban and well-off Hindu population of that city, whom we know today as our Sindhis. Jinnah made a few speeches that first attempted to stop the Hindus from leaving, because he wanted minorities to remain. But he was overwhelmed by the violence and gave up trying to stop the Sindhis from migrating, blaming India for his problems.

Jinnah had made a famous speech a few days before Independence in which he indicated that he wanted a secular Constitution. Jinnah said that the State should not recognise the citizen based on religion and stressed equality under the law.

He died a year later, having ruled with absolute authority and before the constituent assembly could really shape the laws. After his death the natural trajectory of the Pakistan movement took over and the laws began to be Islamised. Under Ayub Khan in the 1960s it was written that no non-Muslim could be Pakistans president. Under Z.A. Bhutto in the 1970s, a law came that banned non-Muslims from the post of Prime Minister.

Under Zia ul Haq in the 1980s came a flurry of Islamic laws, including whipping people for drinking alcohol, putting rape victims in jail if they could not prove the crime, and allowing murderers to escape if they paid the victims family blood money.

In the 1990s the then Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif attempted to pass an Islamic law, the infamous 15th amendment that would make him a permanent ruler. Such fervour also touched the rest of the polity.

A little later, Pakistans Supreme Court banned banks from charging interest saying it was unIslamic. Mr Sharif was removed from office recently and banned permanently from politics by the Supreme Court. It used a law that specifies that leaders should be good Muslims.

India was fortunate to be led for the first few decades by a party, Nehrus Congress, that was inclusive. Our Constitution has some upper caste Hindu majoritarian aspects, particularly in its Part IV, the directive principles. Such as touching upon cattle slaughter and prohibition of alcohol (strongly resisted by Congressmen who took the adivasi perspective). But for the most part the Constitution is a truly secular document and the best produced in South Asia. Nehrus and the Congresss inclusive instinct did not end there.

Today Indias Prime Minister tells the world that he has given more respect to Ambedkar than Congress. But the fact is that it was the Congress that gave Ambedkar the position in the Constituent Assembly and the Cabinet, despite his losing elections. Despite having a two-thirds majority, Nehru also accommodated S.P. Mookerjee, the Jana Sangh leader.

The first few decades of Congress rule hid the fact that we Indians are also like our brothers in Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan. We have a majoritarian instinct that is powerful and that is today asserting itself against the minority.

I dont have to demonstrate what I mean. One look at any days newspapers will produce the evidence.

The claim of the Hindutva leaders and intellectuals is that our majoritarianism is reactive and not proactive. The claim is that what we are doing is justified and it is not the same thing as was being done and is being done in the rest of South Asia.

But of course there is no difference.Zarif told reporters that Iran is not seeking to acquire a nuclear bomb, but that its "probable" response to a US withdrawal would be to restart production of enriched uranium. (Photo: AFP)

New York: Iran warned on Saturday it is ready to "vigorously" resume nuclear enrichment if the United States ditches the 2015 nuclear deal, and said further "drastic measures" are being considered in response to a US exit.

Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told reporters in New York that Iran is not seeking to acquire a nuclear bomb, but that its "probable" response to a US withdrawal would be to restart production of enriched uranium  a key bomb-making ingredient.

"America never should have feared Iran producing a nuclear bomb, but we will pursue vigorously our nuclear enrichment," added Zarif, who is in the United States to attend a UN meeting on sustaining peace.

US president Donald Trump has set a 12 May deadline for the Europeans to "fix" the 2015 agreement that provides for curbs to Iran's nuclear program in exchange for relief from financial sanctions.

Zarif's comments marked a further hardening of rhetoric following a warning earlier this month from Iranian president Hassan Rouhani that Washington would "regret" withdrawing from the nuclear deal, and that Iran would respond within a week if it did.

The fate of the Iran deal will be a key issue during French President Emmanuel Macron's state visit to Washington beginning on Monday, followed by talks with German chancellor Angela Merkel in Washington on Friday.

Zarif said the European leaders must press Trump to stick to the deal if the United States "intends to maintain any credibility in the international community" and to abide by it, "rather than demand more."

The foreign minister also warned against offering any concessions to Trump.

"To try to appease the president, I think, would be an exercise in futility," he said.

European leaders are hoping to persuade Trump to save the deal if they, in turn, agree to press Iran to enter into agreement on missile tests and moderating its regional influence in Yemen, Syria and Lebanon.

No one-sided deal

If the United States buries the deal, Iran is unlikely to stick to the agreement alongside the other signatories  Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia, said the foreign minister.

"That's highly unlikely," he said. "It is important for Iran to receive the benefits of the agreement and there is no way that Iran would do a one-sided implementation of the agreement."

European diplomats have argued that the deal could be salvaged without the United States, with a view to bringing Washington back in the fold at a later time, possibly under a new administration.

"The United States under the Trump administration has done everything it could to prevent Iran from benefiting from this agreement," Zarif charged.

The foreign minister warned of "drastic measures" under discussion in Iran.

Zarif declined to specify, pointing to "what certain members of our parliament are saying about Iran's options."

Despite the threats of a tough response to a US pullout, Zarif also left open the possibility of diplomatic action during a 45-day period to formally notify the withdrawal.

"Whether other things can be done during those 45 days... is a hypothetical question that needs to be addressed at that time," said Zarif.

A decision by Trump to walk away, he warned, would send a message to all governments "that you should never come to an agreement with the United States, because at the end of the day, the operating principle for the United States is, what's mine is mine, what's yours is negotiable."Washington reiterated support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russian aggression.

U.S. Acting Secretary of State John Sullivan has called on Ukraine to double its efforts in implementing reform, set up an independent anti-corruption court and raise gas tariffs, according to U.S. State Department speaker Heather Nauert.

"Today, Acting Secretary of State John Sullivan met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin, reaffirmed the United States ironclad support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression," Nauert tweeted.

"Acting Secretary Sullivan urged Ukraine to redouble reform efforts and adhere to IMF programs by adopting legislation to establish a truly independent anti-corruption court and raising gas tariffs to import parity levels," she wrote in a separate tweet.

Read alsoKlimkin at G7 FM meeting to speak of Ukrainian political prisoners in RussiaAs UNIAN reported earlier, on March 28, the Cabinet of Ministers decided not to raise gas prices for households starting April. The issue of the raise has been on the agenda of Ukraine's talks with the International Monetary Fund. The Fund insists that the cost of gas should be raised (equal) to the level of import parity. At the moment, the price should be raised some 30% to fulfill the requirement.

According to an UNIAN source familiar with the Ukraine-IMF talks, the Ukrainian government in the framework of its talks with the Fund offered a number of options for a more gradual raising of gas prices, while the IMF reportedly rejected all of them.Ukraine agrees with EU on conditions for next aid tranche

The terms will meet the priorities of the development of the Ukrainian economy, the press service of the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine reported.

If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+EnterThe United States is committed to maintaining its long-standing position as a global leader on humanitarian issues. We understand the importance and necessity of humanitarian assistance, even as we work to preclude the crises that spawn the need for assistance, said Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan.By helping those who bear the brunt of war, natural disaster, or the failure of good governance and policy, we preserve that chance for a more prosperous and more peaceful world for generations to come.

The United States is the single largest donor of international humanitarian assistance. In 2017 alone, we delivered more than 8 billion dollars in life-saving aid around the world.

Nonetheless, the need for humanitarian aid is ever increasing and changing. Just a decade ago, 80 percent of our humanitarian assistance went to victims of natural disaster. Now natural disaster relief accounts for only about 20 percent80 percent of aid goes to victims of disasters caused by humans. Much of that is due to carnage inflicted on civilian populations by terrorist groups such as ISIS and Al-Qaida, or due to vicious conflicts such as those in Libya, Syria, Iraq and Yemen.

Whats clear is that one government or one entity cant tackle these issues alone.

As we continue this humanitarian leadership, we will also continue to emphasize the importance of coordinated, effective, and efficient international responses, as well as the need for other governments and other actors in the private sector to step in to contribute to humanitarian efforts, said Deputy Secretary of State Sullivan.

A global response, with increasing financial support of multiple nations and groups, is essential to effectively moving more help to the many who are in need and to ensure a greater regional stability across the globe, he declared.

Nonetheless, Despite our best efforts, most of these crises, conflicts, and natural disasters are not going to stop anytime soon. Most will ultimately require a diplomatic solution  results that we are working toward each and every day. But, said Deputy Secretary of State Sullivan, until those solutions arrive, you can count on the United States to help everyone where we can to alleviate suffering and save lives.China has arbitrarily detained human rights lawyer Wang Quanzhang for over 1,000 days without trial. Mr. Wang, who defended political activists and members of religious minority communities, including members of Falun Gong and victims of land seizures, disappeared in 2015 along with many lawyers and activists in China who stood up for the rights of ordinary people in court.

Wang, who was eventually charged with subversion of state power, has not been heard from since his arrest. Fears for his well-being deepened after he was reportedly tortured with electric shocks.

Wangs wife, Li Wenzu, has worked tirelessly to seek justice for her husband. On April 4, the 999th day of Wangs enforced disappearance, Human Rights Watch reported that Li attempted to walk 100-kilometers from Beijing to the city of Tianjin, where Li believes her husband is being held. However, Chinese authorities reportedly picked up Li and returned her to Beijing before she reached Tianjin. According to Human Rights Watch, dozens of unidentified people blocked and even beat up friends who tried to visit her after her return.

Mr. Wang was arrested as part the so-called 709 crackdown. Beginning in July 2015, Chinese police rounded up and interrogated about 300 rights lawyers, legal assistants, and activists across the country.

While most of them have since been released, dozens, including prominent lawyers Xie Yang and Li Heping, were convicted of various crimes and sentenced to up to eight years in prison.

Arbitrary arrests have continued. In January, Yu Wensheng, one of Chinas most outspoken human rights lawyers and legal counsel for Wang, was detained by police near his Beijing home. Patrick Poon of Amnesty International said he suspected the detention of Yu was retaliation for a recent article attacking the partys top leadership: The message is clear, he said, dont ever criticize state leaders. . .or you will end up in jail.

In addition, civil rights lawyer Jiang Tianyong, who defended activists such as dissident lawyer Chen Guangcheng, was sentenced to two years in prison in November 2017.

U.S State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert, in a tweet on April 11, called on China to release Wang and all those detained during the 709 arrests, including Jiang Tianyong and Yu Wensheng.Afghan officials say the toll from a suicide bombing in Kabul has climbed to 31 killed and 54 wounded.

Afghan health officials had originally placed the death toll from the April 22 attack at four dead and 15 wounded.

The suicide bomber targeted a crowd that had gathered to pick up national identification cards at a voter-registration center in the capital.

The extremist group Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack through its mouthpiece, the Amaq news agency. Amaq did not provide evidence to back up its claim.

The attack took place in in a heavily Shi'ite-populated neighborhood in the west of the city, which has been previously hit by attacks claimed by the extremist group Islamic State.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah were among those to condemn the attack.

Afghanistan on April 14 began registering voters for long-delayed legislative elections scheduled for October.

Election officials have acknowledged that security is a major concern as the Taliban and other militant groups control large swathes of the country.

With reporting by AP and AFPYEREVAN -- Armenian protest leader Nikol Pashinian has been detained in Yerevan during an opposition demonstration.

Pashinian was detained shortly after failed talks between him and Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian. His current whereabouts is unclear.

Pashinian was confronted by masked police officers and other security personnel as he led a crowd of several hundred supporters marching to the city's southern Erebuni district. The police fired stun grenades to stop the march.

"People must liberate Nikol [Pashinian]," opposition lawmaker Sasun Mikaelyan told journalists before being detained himself by riot police, following 10 days of mass protests against an alleged power grab by Sarkisian.

Police also detained 49 protesters in the capital, official sources said.

The Armenian police later dismissed reports of Pashnian's detention and said in a statement that the opposition leader was "forcibly taken" from a protest rally in the capital.

"Despite repeated calls to stop illegal rallies, Pashinian continued leading a demonstration" in Yerevan, police said in a statement, adding that Pashinian and two other opposition lawmakers -- Mikaelyan and Ararat Mirzoyan -- "were forcibly taken from the site" as riot police dispersed the rally.

Earlier, Sarkisian walked out a meeting with Pashinian after accusing the opposition of "blackmail."

"I came here to discuss your resignation," Pashinian told the prime minister as the meeting began in Yerevan's Marriott Hotel.

"This is not a dialogue, this is blackmail," Sarkisian said before walking out of the meeting room where members of the media were present.

Before walking out, Sarkisian called on Pashinian, whose political alliance, he said, had "only six or seven percent of the vote" in parliamentary elections, not to speak on behalf of the people and not to issue ultimatums to the government.

Pashinian claimed Sarkisian had lost touch with reality and urged his supporters to turn out in larger numbers for peaceful civil-disobedience protests across the country.

He insisted that as long as the protests were peaceful the police should not break them up.

WATCH: LIVE broadcast of RFE/RL's Armenian Service from Yerevan

Sarkisian had said on April 21 that he sought a "political dialogue" with the protest leader.

"I will meet Serzh Sarkisian to discuss the conditions of his resignation and of [a] peaceful transfer of power," Pashinian said on April 21 on his Facebook page in a video message that came after nine days of mass demonstrations against Sarkisian's rule.

"I am deeply concerned about the inner-political developments. In order to avoid irreparable losses, I urge Nikol Pashinian to sit at the political dialogue and negotiations table. It should be done immediately," he said in a statement posted on his website.

Serzh Sarkisian was named prime minister after his 10-year stint as president ended two weeks ago.

Opponents says the shift effectively makes Serzh Sarkisian a leader for life. In a 2015 referendum, backed by Serzh Sarkisian, Armenia transitioned to a new system of government that reduces the presidency's power and bolsters the prime minister's role.

Pashinian met on April 21 with President Armen Sarkisian as protests mounted against Serzh Sarkisian's election as prime minister. The two Sarkisians are not related.

Flanked by bodyguards, Armen Sarkisian shook hands with the opposition lawmaker, and the two men spoke for around 10 minutes, before the president left the square.

Demonstrators in the Republic Square chanted "President, reject Serzh!" as Armen Sarkisian spoke with Pashinian.

Addressing the rally later in the evening, Pashinian said that during the brief conversation with the president he reiterated protesters' demand for the prime ministers resignation.

Pashinian said he told the president that he would only negotiate with the government "the terms of Serzh Sarkisians resignation and a peaceful transition of power."

Hundreds have been detained in Yerevan in recent days as police seek to stop opposition supporters from blocking streets and paralyzing the capital.

Protesters also rallied in Armenia's second-largest city, Gyumri and in Vanadzor, the third-largest city in the country of about 3 million people. Several protesters were detained in Vanadzor on April 21.

In Artashat, a town about 30 kilometers south of Yerevan, Arus Hakobian, a correspondent for RFE/RLs Armenian Service (Azatutyun.am), was assaulted while streaming live video for Azatutyun TV of an argument between government loyalists and opposition supporters.

Hakobian said that police officers present during the attack, which left the correspondent with a bloody mouth, did nothing to prevent the violence.

Armenian authorities have repeatedly warned journalists to stay "at a reasonable distance" from the sites where police are "carrying out their lawful actions."

The United States has urged both the authorities and protesters to exercise restraint and avoid violence, and Russia has said that laws should not be broken.

The OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) urged the Armenian authorities to protect and ensure the right to freedom of peaceful assembly in the country.

Serzh Sarkisian stepped down as president when Armen Sarkisian -- his handpicked successor -- was sworn in on April 9 after being elected by parliament. On April 17, parliament elected Serzh Sarkisian as prime minister -- a post that is more powerful than the presidency following the referendum.

With reporting by AFP, AP, Reuters, InterfaxTehrans representative in parliament has criticized the intelligence arm of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), accusing it of rights abuses.

In an open letter reformist MP Mahmoud Sadeghi has called upon IRGC intelligence director, mid-ranking cleric Hossein Taib to revise his style of management, noting that his subordinates ignore the legal standards set for investigations and neglect the legitimate and lawful rights of detainees.

According to the letter, published on Sadeghis Telegram channel on April 21, the reformist MP said his constituents frequently complain about the behavior of the IRGCs intelligence unit during various stages of detention and interrogation.

The IRGCs Intelligence Organization, closely tied to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, operates parallel to President Hassan Rouhanis Intelligence Ministry.

Considered the most fearsome intelligence entity in Iran, the IRGC unit expanded its dominance after the so-called reformist Mohammad Khatami won the presidential election in 1997. It has since detained scores of political and civil rights activists, including individuals affiliated with the religious-national activists and Iran Freedom Movement.

It played a pivotal role in suppressing widespread unrest and protests against the re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2009. At the same time, Khamenei issued an edict promoting the IRGC intelligence apparatus to the level of an organization practically on par with the governments Intelligence Ministry.

However, analysts and legal experts maintain that the existence of the Intelligence Organization -- and specifically its interference in cases related to espionage -- explicitly violates the Iranian Constitution.

Tehran MP and deputy parliamentary speaker Ali Motahari has said espionage and counterespionage operations are the exclusive domain of the Intelligence Ministry and the IRGC has no legal right to interfere.

Khameneis approved organization has detained several people charged with espionage, including Abdolrasoul Dorri Esfahani, an Iranian accountant and member of Rouhanis delegation in Tehrans nuclear talks with global powers that led to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2015.

IRGC intelligence agents detained several prominent environmentalists on January 24, including the Iranian-Canadian founder of Irans Wildlife Heritage, Kavous Seyyed-Emami. Two weeks later, it was announced that Seyyed-Emami had committed suicide at Tehrans notorious Evin Prison, an allegation that Seyyed-Emamis friends and family categorically rejected.

Seyyed-Emami and his fellow environmentalists were charged with espionage, while the chairman of the parliamentary Environment Faction, Mohammad Reza Tabesh, cited top officials of the Intelligence Ministry as dismissing the allegation.

The arrest of Seyyed-Emami and his fellow activists forced the deputy head of Irans Environment Department, Kaveh Madani, to leave Iran.

Since my return to Iran, without any warrant, not only have my personal hardware and social media accounts been broken into, but my citizen rights and privacy have also been violated right from the beginning, Madani wrote in his resignation letter last week.

Sadeghi noted in his letter that the IRGC agents treated Mr. Madani in such a way that Iranian youth have lost hope in participating in service to their homeland.

Referring to the environmentalists still behind bars at Evin, Sadeghi admonished Taib by saying, The way they have been treated clearly violates the legal rights of the defendants, who three months into their detention are still deprived of access to lawyers or meeting with their relatives.

Sadeghi said the IRGCs intelligence approach toward social and political issues had seriously damaged the publics opinion of the IRGC.

He also voiced dismay that IRGC intelligence authorities do not usually respond to MPs inquiries.French President Emmanuel Macron has urged his U.S counterpart, Donald Trump, to stick with the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers as long as there is no better option.

Speaking in an interview ahead of a three-day state visit to the United States starting on April 22, Macron said that he has no "plan B" for the nuclear deal.

Trump has set a May 12 deadline to either improve or scrap the accord providing Iran with relief from sanctions in return for curbs on its atomic program.

The U.S. and French presidents are expected to address the issue when Trump hosts Macron this week.

"Let's present this framework because it's better than the sort of North Korean-type situation," Macron told Fox News. He also said that that he wants to "complete" the nuclear accord by addressing Irans ballistic missile program -- a key demand of Trump -- and working to contain Iran's influence in the region.

The U.S. president has said that Iran is violating the spirit of the nuclear agreement -- which was negotiated under his predecessor, Barack Obama -- by continuing to test ballistic missiles, sponsoring militant violence in the region, and by supporting the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Trump has called on European powers to "fix" what he says are the "terrible flaws" of the deal, and demanded that new restrictions to be imposed on Tehran's nuclear and missile programs.

The other powers in the deal -- Britain, China, France, Germany, and Russia -- have urged Washington to remain in the pact, saying it is the best way to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

Tehran has always claimed that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. On April 21, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif warned that his country was prepared to resume its nuclear program "at much greater speed," if the United States withdrew from the nuclear deal.

"We have put a number of options for ourselves and those options are ready, including options that would involve resuming at a much greater speed our nuclear activities, said Zarif, who was in the United States to attend a United Nations meeting.

In separate remarks to reporters in New York on April 21, Zarif stressed that Iran was not seeking to acquire a nuclear bomb. But he said Tehran's "probable" response should the United States quit the accord would be to restart production of enriched uranium -- a key ingredient to the making of a nuclear weapon.

"America never should have feared Iran producing a nuclear bomb, but we will pursue vigorously our nuclear enrichment," he said.

Macron also called on Trump not to pull troops out of Syria after the final defeat of the extremist group Islamic State, saying that would "leave the floor" to Iran and the Syrian president.

A senior U.S. administration officials told reporters that the Syrian conflict, Iran's "malign activities in the region, and its nuclear and missile programs would be among the topics discussed by foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) leading industrialized nations meeting in Toronto on April 22-23.

The G7 comprises the United States, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan. With reporting by CBS, AP, AFP, Reuters, and the BBCBaku, Azerbaijan, April 18

Trend:

Over the past 24 hours, Armenias armed forces have 97 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said April 22.

Armenians were using large-caliber machine guns.

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, April 22

Trend:

Armenias criminal military-political regime is spreading false information in order to divert the public attention from the civil unrests, which have recently intensified in the republic, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry told Trend.

The ministry was commenting on the information spread in the media about the allegedly active movement of Azerbaijans manpower and military equipment on the contact line between the Armenian and Azerbaijani troops.

Mass rallies broke out in Yerevan and other Armenian cities on April 13 following former Armenian President Serzh Sargsyans nomination as prime minister. The opposition accuses him of ineffective governance and worsening of the economic situation.

Despite the protests, Armenias parliament elected Sargsyan prime minister on April 17. On April 19, opposition members tried to disrupt the new cabinet of ministers meeting, blocking entrances to government facilities and marching down Yerevan streets. About 3,000 people took part in a rally in the evening. As many as 123 people were arrested over the day.

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, April 22

Trend:

On April 21st, 2018 an EducationUSA Alumni Fair was held with support from the US Embassy in Azerbaijan and American Councils for International Education.

The fair was an opportunity for anyone interested in studying abroad to learn about opportunities at US universities. Students and their parents gathered to meet with US-educated alumni and US Embassy staff to ask questions about studying abroad.

More than 17 universities and various scholarship programs were represented at the Alumni Fair. Both Azerbaijani and American alumni of US universities were represented their schools and were available to talk about their universities and provide them with materials and brochures.Baku, Azerbaijan, April 22

By Anvar Mammadov - Trend:

The start of production of cars at the joint Azerbaijani-Iranian factory in the Neftchala industrial zone may stabilize prices in the automotive market of Azerbaijan, General Director of MBA Group consulting company, expert in the field of valuation Nusret Ibrahimov told Trend on Thursday.

According to the expert, the main factor that can cause price stabilization will be the quality of cars produced.

"If the cars produced at the Khazar factory meet the demand of the population in terms of quality, they will stabilize prices in the market and reduce dependence on imports. Otherwise, our market will still depend on imported cars," Ibrahimov said.

Ibrahimov noted that the new factory will have specific impact on the market after some time.

"As you remember, we assembled Samand cars in Shamakhi once in the past. But they were not in demand among the population, and after a certain time, their production stopped. It will also take time in this case. Only after a few months the production in Neftchala will have a certain impact on the market," the expert said.

In early April, the Azerbaijan-Iran automobile factory Khazar, situated in the Neftchala industrial zone, started production of the first cars.

The factory produces cars under the brand name of Khazar, and a number of models of Peugeot and Renault will also be assembled there. The annual capacity of the factory is about 10,000 cars. It is expected that in the future the cars will be delivered to Ukraine, Russia and Central Asian countries.

All cars produced at the factory comply with Euro 5 standards.

On August 6, 2016, a major Iranian automaker Iran Khodro and Azerbaijani company Azeurocar (subsidiary of AzerMash) signed an agreement to establish a joint automobile factory in the Neftchala industrial zone. The total cost of the project is estimated at 24 million manats. The Azerbaijani side has invested 75 percent in the factory, and the Iranian side has invested 25 percent.Baku, Azerbaijan, April 22

By Farhad Daneshvar  Trend:

Iran, a rice growing country, has reportedly permitted merchants to import the strategic product as the ongoing water crisis has triggered concerns in the country.

Following a decision by the senior government officials, from today on, importing rice from all crossings is legal and the importers only need to observe the regulations set by the standards organization as well as Health Ministry, an official with the countrys agriculture ministry told ISNA news agency on April 22.

Under the new directive, the merchants are allowed to import rice until July 22 and there will be no changes in the customs tariffs on the imports of the product.

Iran normally allows imports of rice in late September when the local farmers have concluded cultivating the cereal grain and again limits the imports in late July.

The Islamic Republic imported worth of $1.2 billion of rice over the last fiscal year which ended on March 21.

Rice producer turns into importer

Over the past several years Iran has turned into a large importer of rice as India and Pakistan have secured a strong position for their rice in the Iranian market.

In 2010, Iran imported $916 million worth of rice, out of which $369 million were from India, giving it a 40 percent share in the Iranian market. By 2014, the Indian share in Irans rice market had gone up to 89.51 percent ($1.28 billion in rice imports from India out of the total Iranian imports of $1.43 billion), Financial Tribune reported.

The share of Indian rice in Iran rose further to 92 percent in 2015 ($729.71 million). In 2016, the Indian share came down to 72.82 percent ($503.02 million).

By contrast, Pakistans export of rice to Iran fell from $124.76 million in 2010 to $15.64 million in 2014 and further to $3.47 million in 2015 before rising to $8.48 million in 2016.

Thus between 2010 and 2016, the share of Pakistans rice in Iranian market went down from 13.62 percent to 1.22 percent.

Being a water-scarce country, Iran is set to limit rice production, which will create a significant opportunity for rice exporting countries, including Pakistan.

Water crisis

The Islamic Republic of Iran Meteorological Organization earlier announced that about 97 percent of the country is experiencing drought to some degree.

Addressing the nation on the occasion of the beginning of the new Iranian year President Hassan Rouhani and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei mentioned drought as a problem that needs to be addressed.

Iran's total annual water consumption is approximately 93 billion cubic meters, out of which about 92 percent is used in agriculture (86 billion cubic meters), 6.6 percent in municipality (6.18 billion cubic meters), and 1.2 percent in industry (1.12 billion cubic meters), according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. According to the countrys officials, up to 70 percent of water used in the agriculture sector is being wasted.

Over the past months, Iran has seen several protests in different cities due to the drought.Baku, Azerbaijan, April 22

By Huseyn Valiyev  Trend:

"Park of High Technologies" LLC of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies attracts foreign vendors for the localization of production in the Pirallahi Technopark, the company told Trend.

The company informed that the issue is being discussed with potential producers of high-tech products. However, the Park did not disclose name of the companies.

"We are in talks with local CRM Group company, to have them localize their production here. In general, we try to create the most acceptable conditions for our residents, "the company said.

"Park of High Technologies" LLC was created under the decree dated Nov.5,2012 of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. The Park will become a territory with the necessary infrastructure, material and technical base and management structures for research in the fields of ICT, telecommunications and space communications, energy efficiency, development of new high technologies.Baku, Azerbaijan, April 22

By Farhad Daneshvar  Trend:

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said that his government will protect the peoples right to use social media.

Breaking monopolies and backing the domestic messaging apps do not mean imposing restrictions on other social media platforms. The people have right to choose and they can simultaneously use various social media platforms, Hassan Rouhani wrote on his Instagram account on Sunday.

A recent decision by the countrys Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to shut down his Telegram channel fuelled speculations about imposing an imminent ban on the popular messaging app.

The office of the supreme leader cited safeguarding national interests, ending Telegrams monopoly on the countrys social media and supporting domestic messaging apps as main reasons behind the decision.

In the meantime, the countrys First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri announced that he was quitting Telegram followed by a directive sent to all government departments telling them to stop using the app.

Supporters of Telegram estimate that about 40 million Iranians, almost half of the countrys population, use it, claiming that the app has become a source of income for hundreds of citizens across the country.

The Supreme Council of Cyberspace has earlier set five conditions for foreign messengers to operate in Iran.

Storing and processing Iranian users data inside the country, complying with the rules and regulations related to the protection of users' privacy as well as responding to queries from judicial authorities are among the stated conditions.Baku, Azerbaijan, April 21

By Farhad Daneshvar  Trend:

The Central Bank of Iran through its latest directive has officially banned trading all cryptocurrencies through the countrys banking system and other affiliated institutions, local media reported.

According to the reports, the directive was issued by the banking licenses and anti-money laundry department in mid-April.

A group of Iranians reportedly used social media and online services to trade the cryptocurrencies.

Mohammad Beigi, the Director of the Payment System department of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI), earlier said that trading the Bitcoin at the exchange bureaus of the country is against the law.

Those exchange bureaus that are engaged in selling Bitcoin are unauthorized, Ibena (Iranian banks and economy news agency) quoted him as saying.

The CBI move came amid the recent chaos in the Iranian currency market and only a few days after the central banks decision on imposing a ban on the sale of foreign currencies at exchange bureaus.

Last year rumors swept the media that the countrys ICT ministry was preparing to embrace the Bitcoin as a solution to bypass economic sanctions that previously disconnected Irans banking system from global commerce and finance.Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says Tehran is open to prisoner swap negotiations with the US if the Trump administration shows a "change of attitude."

Negotiations are a "possibility certainly from a humanitarian perspective, but it requires a change of attitude," Zarif said in an interview with CBS television's "Face the Nation" set to air Sunday.

Five Americans are held in Tehran, including 81-year-old Baquer Namazi, who is in failing health.

Zarif blasted the US administration for showing "disrespect" toward Iran, a frequent target of President Donald Trump's wrath.

Trump has said he wants to rip up the Iran nuclear deal, and his new National Security Advisor John Bolton has advocated for regime change in Tehran.

"You do not engage in negotiations by exercising disrespect for a country, for its people, for its government, by openly making claims, including this illusion about regime change," Zarif said, according to interview excerpts.

In January 2016, after months of secret talks between senior Iranian and US officials during Barack Obama's administration, Tehran released four Americans in exchange for seven Iranians being released in the United States.

A fifth American, identified as Matthew Trevithick, was also released separately as an "associated goodwill gesture."

According to Zarif, there are "many" Iranian prisoners being held in the United States or elsewhere at America's request, "including a lady who had to give birth in an Australian prison because of a US extradition request."Baku, Azerbaijan, April 22

By Farhad Daneshvar  Trend:

Iranian police have reportedly arrested the former prosecutor of Tehran, Saeed Mortazavi, who was earlier convicted to two years in prison for the death of prisoners following 2009 post-election unrests.

The Tehran prosecutor was detained in a villa in northern Iran, near the Caspian Sea, Tasnim news agency reported.

He was sentenced to prison back in December for "abetting and aiding" torture and the deaths of protesters arrested in 2009.

Since then officials said that Mortazavi disappeared from the public.Armenian opposition figure Nikol Pashinyan, leading ongoing protests in the country, said on Saturday that he would meet with Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan on Sunday morning to discuss the latter's resignation, Sputnik reported.

Since April 13, the Armenian capital has been hit by a series of protests against the appointment of ex-President Sargsyan as the countrys prime minister.

The protests turned violent on Monday and on the following the protesters announced the beginning of a "velvet revolution" in Armenia after Sargsyan was appointed as the head of the government.

"My meeting will be held tomorrow at 10:00 [6:00 GMT] at the Marriott hotel. The negotiations will be devoted to Sargsyan's resignation and the handover of power without any upheaval," Pashinyan said in a video address released on his Facebook page.Baku, Azerbaijan, April 22

Trend:

The meeting between Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan and opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan has ended without results, according RIA Novosti.

At the beginning of the meeting, Sargsyan stated that negotiations should not be held in the presence of journalists. Pashinyan said that only Sargsyan's resignation will be discussed.

"If you speak in this tone, then I have to advise you to return to the legal field and logical actions, otherwise all responsibility falls on you, choose," Sargsyan said.

Pashinyan said that no one dares to speak with him in language of threats, adding that the head of state does not realize the situation in the country. According to the leader of the opposition, the power in the country "passed to the people."Baku, Azerbaijan, April 22

Trend:

Armenian MP Nikol Pashinyan, who leads the protest rallies against Serzh Sargsyans election as prime minister, after the talks with the head of the government failed said that the demonstrations will continue, RIA Novosti news agency reported.

On April 22, the announced negotiations between Sargsyan and Pashinyan lasted several minutes. The prime minister said that the oppositionists actions are blackmail, and advised him to act within the law, threatening that otherwise Pashinyan would bear all the responsibility.

Sargsyan added that Pashinyan didnt learn his lesson from the events of March 1, 2008, when ten people were killed during the clashes of demonstrators with the police.

Our peaceful protests will continue, I urge not to succumb to provocations, Pashinyan told reporters in Yerevan. Our next protest rally will be held today at 19:00 (GMT +4).

Mass rallies broke out in Yerevan and other Armenian cities on April 13 following former Armenian President Serzh Sargsyans nomination as prime minister. The opposition accuses him of ineffective governance and worsening of the economic situation.

Despite the protests, Armenias parliament elected Sargsyan prime minister on April 17. On April 19, opposition members tried to disrupt the new cabinet of ministers meeting, blocking entrances to government facilities and marching down Yerevan streets. About 3,000 people took part in a rally in the evening. As many as 123 people were arrested over the day.Baku, Azerbaijan, April 22

Trend:

Several people were injured in the dispersal of the demonstration in Yerevan, RIA Novosti news agency reported.

The oppositions procession was stopped in Yerevans Erebuni district, and a few guards brought Pashinyan out of the crowd.

The injured were taken to the hospitals.

12:20 (GMT+4) Police in Yerevan used special means against the demonstrators, RIA Novosti news agency reported.

The oppositions procession was stopped in Yerevans Erebuni district, and a few guards brought Pashinyan out of the crowd.

On April 22, the announced negotiations between Sargsyan and Pashinyan lasted several minutes. The prime minister said that the oppositionists actions are blackmail, and advised him to act within the law, threatening that otherwise Pashinyan would bear all the responsibility.

Mass rallies broke out in Yerevan and other Armenian cities on April 13 following former Armenian President Serzh Sargsyans nomination as prime minister. The opposition accuses him of ineffective governance and worsening of the economic situation.

11:56 (GMT+4) Armenian police have detained the countrys MP Nikol Pashinyan, who leads the protest rallies against Serzh Sargsyans election as prime minister, RIA Novosti news agency reported.

The oppositions procession was stopped in Yerevans Erebuni district, and a few guards brought Pashinyan out of the crowd.

On April 22, the announced negotiations between Sargsyan and Pashinyan lasted several minutes. The prime minister said that the oppositionists actions are blackmail, and advised him to act within the law, threatening that otherwise Pashinyan would bear all the responsibility.

Mass rallies broke out in Yerevan and other Armenian cities on April 13 following former Armenian President Serzh Sargsyans nomination as prime minister. The opposition accuses him of ineffective governance and worsening of the economic situation.

Despite the protests, Armenias parliament elected Sargsyan prime minister on April 17. On April 19, opposition members tried to disrupt the new cabinet of ministers meeting, blocking entrances to government facilities and marching down Yerevan streets. About 3,000 people took part in a rally in the evening. As many as 123 people were arrested over the dayBaku, Azerbaijan April 22

Trend:

The EU demanded the release of detainees for holding rallies in Armenia and called on all parties to restraint, TASS reports.

"All those who were unlawfully detained in the course of exercising their legitimate rights to freedom of assembly must be immediately released", the EU stated.

Police detained 228 demonstrators protesting against Serzh Sargsyan's appointment as PM.

The leader of demonstrators Nikol Pashinyan and two more MPs - Ararat Mirzoyan and Sasun Mikaelyan - were later detained.

Mass rallies broke out in Yerevan and other Armenian cities on April 13 following former Armenian President Serzh Sargsyans nomination as prime minister. The opposition accuses him of ineffective governance and worsening of the economic situation. Despite the protests, Armenias parliament elected Sargsyan prime minister on April 17. On April 19, opposition members tried to disrupt the new cabinet of ministers meeting, blocking entrances to government facilities and marching down Yerevan streets. About 3,000 people took part in a rally in the evening. As many as 123 people were arrested over the day.French President Emmanuel Macron called Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Saturday to discuss the Syrian crisis, Sisis office said, Reuters reported.

Macron addressed the military strike that France, the United States and Britain launched in Syria a week ago, pointing out that it comes within the framework of international legitimacy, it said in a statement.

The three countries launched 105 missiles in retaliation for a suspected poison gas attack in Syria, targeting what the Pentagon said were three chemical weapons facilities.

Sisi expressed his concern over military escalation in Syria, which he said would lead to further deterioration and add to the complexity of the situation.

He also emphasized Egypts unyielding position that rejects the use of any internationally prohibited weapons on Syrian territories, the statement said.

He stressed the importance of conducting a transparent international investigation on the issue.

The three Western countries said their strikes were limited to Syrias chemical weapons capabilities and not aimed at toppling President Bashar al-Assad or intervening in the civil war.

Macron had instructed French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian to visit Egypt by the end of this month to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral relations, the statement added.At least two people were killed and nine others were injured in a shelling attack on Damascus' residential areas, Maj. Gen. Yuri Yevtushenko, the commander of the Russian reconciliation center for Syria, said on Saturday, Sputnik reported.

"Insurgents active in Muhayam al-Yarmuq carried out mortar shelling against living quarters of al-Tadamon, al-Midan, and al-Qadam in southern area of Damascus. Two civilians were killed, and nine ones were injured," Yevtushenko said.

He added that despite the ceasefire regime being established throughout Syria, the Russian-Turkish-Iranian Coordination Centre had registered several cases of ceasefire violation in the provinces of Aleppo, Latakia, Damascus, and Daraa over the last 24 hours.

Yevtushenko also reported that militants and members of their families started to leave the area of Eastern Qalamoun in Syria's province of Damascus.

"In course of reached agreements, the Russian Reconciliation Centre and Russian MP units started withdrawing insurgents and their families from Eastern Qalamun area," Yevtushenko said, adding that to that end "a temporary humanitarian corridor was opened [on Saturday] near Ruheiba."Renewed tribal clashes in the southern Libyan city of Sabha killed one civilian and injured two others, military and medical sources said on Saturday. according Xinhua.

The Sabha Medical Center said in a statement it received one dead and two wounded people, after receiving 11 injured people two days ago, including women and children.

A military source said that "the clashes renewed after militants of Tabu tribe fired indiscriminate shells on our headquarters, forcing us to fire back."

The source stressed that after the exchange of fire from both sides, the city is currently witnessing cautious calm with gunfire heard from time to time.

Sabha has been witnessing heavy clashes between rival tribes since February, which so far killed 10 people and injured more than 30 others, according to a medical report.

The clashes also displaced more than 200 families from their homes.

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya expressed concern on several occasions about the military escalation in Sabha, demanding to stop indiscriminate use of weapons in densely populated areas.Air France (AIRF.PA) unions said they would continue strike action into May, in addition to two further days in April, in a dispute over pay that has already cost the French carrier hundreds of millions of euros, Reuters reported.

The unions representing pilots, cabin crew and ground staff plan to go on strike on April 23 and 24, continuing a series of walkouts since the end of February, and said they would update members on new strike dates next week.

Unions are calling for a 6 percent pay increase for this year for Air France staff.

Management has proposed a draft agreement that runs for several years, including a pay increase of 2 percent for 2018. That draft agreement, which also contains a general wage increase of 5 percent over the 2019-2021 period, was open for signatures until April 20.

So far, the walkouts have cost parent group Air France-KLM 220 million euros ($272 million).

Each further day of strikes worsens the financial situation of Air France, affects customer confidence and increases the pressure on those staff not striking, Air France said in a statement.French authorities said they evacuated the major tourist attraction of Mont Saint-Michel after a man threatened police on Sunday, according Reuters.

A local bar owner heard a man uttering threats after he entered the site in the northwestern region of Normandy around 0530 GMT, district prefect Jean-Marc Sabathe told France Info radio.

For security reasons and in order to clear up any doubt, since we dont know his aim, Ive decided to evacuate the Mont, he said.

Mont Saint-Michel, which is surrounded by water at high tide, draws more than a million visitors a year to its abbey and other sites, making it Frances biggest tourist attraction outside Paris.French President Emmanuel Macron insisted Sunday that he has a solid relationship with President Trump, ahead of his Washington visit this week, but also appeared to caution the president about his aggressive stances on Iran, climate change and international trade, in an exclusive Fox News Sunday interview.

You cannot make a trade war with your allies, Macron said in the interview conducted on Friday in France. Its too complicated. If you make war against everybody, you make trade war against China, trade war against Europe, war in Syria, war against Iran - come on - it doesnt work. You need allies.

Macron spoke ahead of his visit this week to the United States that includes a dinner Monday with wife Brigitte, Trump and first lady Melania Trump at Mount Vernon, the home of America's first president, George Washington, on the banks of the Potomac River in Virginia.

The trip will mark the first time that Trump has hosted an official state visit since taking office last year and will include a state dinner Tuesday night at the White House and Macron making a joint address to Congress on Wednesday.Members of the Greek Rouvikonas anarchist group threw paint bombs at the buildings of the French embassy and consulate in Athens in protest at the involvement of Paris in strikes in Syria, local media reported on Sunday, Sputnik International reports.

According to the Kathimerini newspaper, at least one member of the group involved in the attack has been detained.

The Greek Foreign Ministry condemned the paint attack and stated that the country's authorities were searching for the perpetrators.

On April 14, France along with the United States and the United Kingdom carried out a missile attack on a number of targets in Syria, including the facilities in Barzeh and Jamraya, in response to an alleged chemical attack in Duma. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, a total of 103 cruise missiles were launched by the United States and its allies.An explosion ripped through a voter registration center in Puli Khumri city the provincial capital of Baghlan province hours after a deadly blast in Kabul left several dead or wounded, Khaama Press agency reported.

According to the local officials in Baghlan, at least six people including women were killed and five others were wounded in the explosion.

However another security official says at least seven people were killed and ten others were wounded after the blast targeted the registration center.

The official further added that the incident took place after an improvised explosive device was detonated near the registration center.

The incident in Puli Khumri city took place hours after an explosion ripped through a center established for the national identity cards in Kabul city.

According to Kabul police officials, at least twelve people have been killed and more than fifty other were wounded in the explosion.

No individual or group has so far claimed responsibility behind the incident but the ISIS militants have in the past claimed responsibility for such attacks.

The Taliban group in a statement said they have no links with todays explosion in Kabul city.Two people were killed and at least 35 others injured in a grenade explosion Saturday night in northern Burundi, a police spokesman said Sunday, Xinhua reported.

The grenade attack happened at a business center at Gasenyi village, in Gahombo district in Kayanza Province, Burundian Police Spokesman Pierre Nkurikiye told a press conference in Bujumbura, capital city of Burundi.

Three suspects have been arrested, he said, adding that further investigations are underway.Baku, Azerbaijan, April 22

Trend:

Russia has refused to participate in the further capitalization of the World Bank (WB), as the country doesnt agree with the new principles of the banks credit policy, as a result of which the biggest and most reliable borrowers of the bank - India and China, may stop supporting it, Russian Deputy Finance Minister Sergei Storchak said, TASS news agency reported.

For Moscow, this means that its share in the WB capital and, accordingly, the number of votes in the board of directors may be reduced, he noted.

At the same time, because of the banks current policy, the organization may lose financial stability, he added.

At the same time, he reminded that projects in the poorest countries can hardly be called profitable, and the WB, like any other credit organization, must earn money.

He reminded that the WB refused to finance projects in Russia.One person was killed and five others were injured, including one suffering life-threatening wounds, in an overnight shooting in San Francisco on the U.S. west coast, police said Saturday, Xinhua reported.

The man, who died in the shooting in the Bayview community late Friday, was a 20-year-old San Francisco resident, local TV reports quoted police as saying.

All the five men sustained injuries in the shooting, and the victim with life-threatening wound was 24 years old, according to police.

Police said the six men, who were mostly in their 20s, were standing next to each other and shot, and the law enforcement agency was investigating the incident as homicide.

No information on the suspect has been released yet.The US embassy in Armenia has called on the Armenian government to show restraint, TASS reports.

"We urge the government to show restraint to allow for peaceful protest," the embassy said in a statement on Sunday.

"We are concerned over reports of violence against journalists and demonstrators; we emphasize the need for those responsible for violence against demonstrators to be held accountable under the law," the embassy said.Police believe the suspect in a shooting that killed four people at a Waffle House early Sunday could be armed with two guns, despite the fact that authorities seized his firearms following a 2017 arrest, Tennessean reports.

Metro police released the details Sunday afternoon, as a manhunt continued for the suspect, Travis Reinking, 29, of Morton, Illinois.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation announced Sunday afternoon Reinking was added to the agency's top 10 most wanted list.

Four of Reinking's guns, including the AR-15 rifle police said he used Sunday, were seized after he was arrested by the U.S. Secret Service in July 2017 on charges that he he scaled a fence near the White House.

Following the arrest, Reinking was interviewed by local and federal authorities and his Illinois firearms authorization was revoked.KYODO NEWS - Apr 22, 2018 - 16:05 | Feature, All

Property owners will be able to rent out their homes to tourists just by notifying municipalities from June under a new law that is expected to kick-start the "minpaku" business in Japan ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralymics.

The law is designed to cope with a sharp increase in foreign visitors and a consequent shortage of accommodation, a trend expected to continue toward the Tokyo games.

Japan has seen a surge in inbound tourists in recent years, with the number hitting a record of over 28 million in 2017 and the government setting a goal of 40 million in 2020.

Offering accommodation in private homes has been allowed in Japan, but under the Hotel Business Law, a license was necessary. Under the new law, whose loosening of restrictions has already been trialed in specially designated zones, registration began last month before the law's enforcement on June 15.

The government has launched a website to explain the new system. Owners of private residences must submit necessary paperwork to prefectural governments or designated major cities, and the registration can also be made online through the central government site.

But some restrictions still remain. Rentals are limited to a maximum 180 days a year, and owners must abide by some rules, as described on the government website, including keeping a registry of guests, maintaining hygienic conditions and responding to complaints, if any, from neighbors.

Local governments can also set their own restrictions, depending on the local situation.

In Kyoto, the city assembly passed an ordinance in February to limit minpaku rentals in residential areas to the period from Jan. 15 to March 15, a relative off-season for tourism in Japan's former capital.

Kurashiki in the western Japan prefecture of Okayama has entirely banned the minpaku business in the city's historic quarter, popular among tourists.

While some uncertainty remains over prospects for the minpaku business, especially in regard to the response of local governments, companies are trying to exploit new opportunities in the fledgling market.

E-commerce company Rakuten Inc., travel agency JTB Corp. and railway operator Keio Corp., among others, have ventured into the industry, while U.S. online home-rental service Airbnb Inc. has tied up with Recruit Holdings Co., which provides housing information, in an attempt to secure a large number of houses and apartments for the minpaku business.

Seven-Eleven Japan Co. plans to enter the minpaku business in a tie-up with JTB, allowing foreign tourists to receive and return room keys at its convenience stores.

Some companies are also offering to shoulder the owners' burdens under the new law.

Matsuri Technologies based in Tokyo received an English email in January about access to a firework display in the location where the inquirer hoped to stay. In an exchange of emails, a staff member at Matsuri confirmed that the inquirer meant the annual Sumida River Firework Festival and wrote, "The venue is a 40-minute walk away."

Managing some 500 minpaku rooms, Matsuri processes reservations and replies to inquiries for owners. With the company frequently receiving questions from tourists such as "I cannot find the key" or "I don't know how to turn on the heater," more than 10 staff members work in rotation day and night.

Competition is increasing in the minpaku market. In addition to locations and prices, the promptness of replies to inquiries is key to attracting tourists.

"Unlike hotels, minpaku facilities have no front desk and the lack of immediate communication with owners can be fatal," Keita Yoshida, 25, president of Matsuri, said.

Intermediary websites for minpaku show time taken to answer inquiries, and tourists tend to favor agencies that are quick with replies. Ahead of the new law's enforcement, Matsuri has developed a computer system, including automatic email reply and translation functions, to attract more tourists.

A new qualification has also been created for property owners and other people who take lessons on minpaku-related laws and ways to avoid trouble with local residents.

More than 400 people have acquired the qualification since October 2016, with applicants deemed less law-abiding rejected, according to the Japanese Foundation for Promotion of Proper Lodging, which issues the qualification.

The qualification program is aimed at "contributing to the healthy development of the industry by eliminating covert minpaku facilities," said Kazutaka Otsuki, 39, managing director of the foundation.The results of the last Assembly polls had indicated that the secular space had been cornered by the LDF. The UDF will use the Assembly session as an occasion to reclaim the space.Jeff Bezos

Getty

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos was a smart and enterprising kid, as Brad Stone writes in his 2013 book "The Everything Store."

In sixth grade, at 12 years old, he practiced statistical analysis by designing a survey so students could rate the teachers.

Smart kids are more likely to hold leadership positions as adults, according to research. But it's still possible for kids who struggle academically to become successful.



Before Jeff Bezos was Jeff Bezos, he was "Tim."

As Brad Stone wrote in his 2013 bestseller, "The Everything Store," that was Bezos' pseudonym in the book "Turning on Bright Minds," which explored a gifted-education program in Texas where Bezos was a student.

Bezos' teachers told the book's author, Julie Ray, that he was "not particularly gifted in leadership." Yet Bezos demonstrated his precociousness in other ways, like when he designed a survey to rate the sixth-grade teachers at his school, in order to practice statistical analysis for math class.

Ray wrote that the survey was, according to Bezos, designed to evaluate instructors on "how they teach, not as a popularity contest." When Ray visited the school, Bezos had distributed the survey to classmates and was now graphing the teachers' relative performance.

Stone pulls out other telling tidbits from Ray's book. Bezos was competitive  he was trying to keep up with a classmate who claimed she read 12 books a week  and enterprising  he was creating a more affordable version of a contraption he'd seen in a store that created an illusion of an endless tunnel.

Yep. Sounds like the Bezos we know.

Smart kids are more likely to become leaders as adults

The fact that Bezos was such a remarkable kid also fits with current research on the predictors of success in adulthood.

One small study, conducted by researchers at Vanderbilt University, found that 320 students who had scored above the 1-in-10,000 level on the SAT before age 13 held more prestigious jobs at more prestigious companies by age 38 than the rest of the population on average.

Story continues

Another study, from researchers at Stirling University in the UK and University College Dublin, looked at a sample of 17,000 people and found that 10- and 11-year-old kids who demonstrated high cognitive ability were more likely to hold leadership positions as adults. (So much for Bezos' teachers' insistence that he didn't have leadership potential.)

Bill Gates, the former CEO of Microsoft, was similarly talented as a pre-teen. The Wall Street Journal reported that he read the entire World Book Encyclopedia series at a young age. By age 11, Gates' father told The Journal, Gates began asking his parents about topics like international affairs and business.

The moral of the story isn't that if you weren't such an impressive kid, you'll never achieve Bezos- or Gates-style success. You might! There are plenty of successful people who struggled academically or otherwise as children. Likewise, just because you're a smart kid or teenager doesn't necessarily mean you'll go onto become a CEO.

Still, it's worth noting this pattern.

It's also important to remember that Bezos was enrolled in a gifted and talented program when Ray met him. If teachers hadn't recognized his potential and he'd stayed with his "average" peers, he might never have blossomed into one of the most powerful people in the world.

NOW WATCH: A Wall Street chief economist explains what could be the saving grace for mega-cap tech companies

See Also:

SEE ALSO: Early Amazon interviews were so tough, one comment could disqualify a job candidate immediatelyFILE PHOTO: Euro coins are seen in front of a displayed Greece flag in this picture illustration, June 29, 2015. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/File Photo

By Jan Strupczewski

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Euro zone creditors are working on a debt relief offer for Greece that would be an incentive for Athens not to backtrack on reforms from its three international bailouts and to continue to stick to prudent fiscal policy, senior EU officials said.

Greece is to exit its bailout on Aug. 20 and return to market financing after eight years of living on cheap euro zone loans it got in return for painful reforms, after investors refused to lend to it in 2010 because of its ballooning deficit and debt.

Once the bailout ends, Greece will be free to set its own economic policy - a political turning point for the country that has long been forced to implement highly unpopular reforms suggested by the euro zone and the International Monetary Fund.

But many officials are worried that as time passes, Greek politicians will be under increasing pressure to loosen budget strings again, so they are seeking ways to make it worth Greece's while to be fiscally prudent as long as possible.

"The Greek government needs to stick to the implemented reforms and post-programme fiscal trajectory, which means sustained large levels of primary surpluses for an extended period of time," European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis told Reuters in an interview.

Officials say a well-designed offer of further debt relief for Greece could provide an incentive for Athens not to stray from the agreed reform path and keep a high primary budget surplus - the balance before debt servicing costs - of 3.5 percent of GDP, until at least 2022.

"We think it is fully realistic," Dombrovskis said. "We expect Greece being on track with the fiscal trajectory."

Another way of ensuring Greece sticks to sound policies would be through extending a precautionary credit line from the euro zone bailout fund ESM to Greece, because such a credit line comes with conditions.

But this is why Athens does not want it, and the euro zone neither can, nor wants to force Greece into some new bailout in disguise.

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NO NEW "BAILOUT IN DISGUISE"

"For me this is out of the question. It is something that would be unfair, that would not be legitimate," European Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs Pierre Moscovici told Reuters in an interview on the sidelines of the IMF spring meetings in Washington.

"We need to find debt relief which is convincing," Moscovici said, noting the basis for that was in a French proposal to link debt repayment to the pace of GDP growth - the faster the Greek economy expands, the higher the debt repayments.

"The last building block is the post-programme surveillance ... which ensures that reforms are pursued and that commitments taken by Greece on fiscal surpluses are realistic and are met. That is what we are working on," Moscovici said.

Officials said the euro zone offer would have to include some debt relief up front and some spread over time.

Because Greece will not have used all the money earmarked for it in the latest bailout, possibly up to 27 billion euros, this could be used by the euro zone to replace much more expensive IMF loans to Greece with its own, cheaper credit.

While there is no discussion of a reduction of the nominal value of the Greek debt, Greece might also receive back the profits made by euro zone national central banks on their portfolios of Greek bonds and see maturities and grace periods on euro zone loans extended.

As part of the debt relief plan, Greece is to present next week at a meeting of euro zone finance ministers in Sofia its own plan for boosting economic growth.

Euro zone officials say it is a crucial part of the plan, because no outside incentives for sound policy will work well if Greece itself does not believe in the suggested policy.

The last hurdle to qualify for the euro zone debt relief offer is for Greece to implement 88 so-called prior actions - final reforms agreed with the creditors - by the end of May, so that euro zone finance ministers can review and approve their completion at a meeting on June 21.

"When we conclude that chapter, it will have not only material, but also symbolic significance that those 10 years of crisis are over," Moscovici said.

(Reporting By Jan Strupczewski; Editing by Andrea Ricci)By David Brunnstrom and John Walcott

WASHINGTON, April 22 (Reuters) - U.S. administration officials are preparing for an unprecedented summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, but basic details, including where and when it will happen and negotiating tactics, are still being worked out.

The summit would be the first-ever meeting between a serving U.S. president and a North Korean leader, and will follow one between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Kim on Friday. Trump has said his meeting with Kim could take place in late May or June but has warned it could be called off if he did not think it could deliver the desired results.

Prospects were boosted on Saturday when Kim announced an end to nuclear and missiles tests, saying North Korea was scrapping its nuclear test site and pursuing economic growth and peace. U.S. and South Korean officials say Kim has said he is willing to discuss denuclearization, but he said nothing on Saturday about giving up his existing nuclear weapons.

Trump and other world leaders welcomed Kim's announcement of an end to testing, but some expressed doubts about North Korea's intentions. The U.S. president said on Sunday the crisis over its pursuit of nuclear missiles capable of hitting the United States was still a long way from being resolved.

"Maybe things will work out, and maybe they wont - only time will tell," Trump said on Twitter.

Trump's administration has said it wants North Korea's "complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization" but has offered few details of the strategy it will employ in talks.

It has vowed not to repeat mistakes of the past. Decades of unsuccessful engagement with Pyongyang, however, help define the contours of a negotiating process that could last years.

DENUCLEARIZATION

Getting Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear missile programs has been the aim of all international negotiations with North Korea since the early 1990s, yet last year it tested what is widely believed to have been an H-bomb and intercontinental ballistic missiles.

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Trump's CIA director and secretary of state nominee, Mike Pompeo, said this month he was optimistic a Trump-Kim summit could set a course for a diplomatic outcome with North Korea, but no one was under any illusion that a comprehensive deal could be reached at the meeting.

Pompeo, who spoke just after becoming the first serving U.S. official ever to meet Kim, suggested U.S. interests would be put first, saying the aim would be an agreement...such that the North Korean leadership will step away from its efforts to hold America at risk with nuclear weapons.

This added to Japanese and South Korean fears that Trump could seek a quick ICBM deal, while putting shorter-range missiles threatening the allies to one side. Experts say North Korea needs several more tests to prove its ICBM capability, making Kim's test freeze highly significant.

A de facto freeze since North Korea's largest and most recent nuclear test in September and its last missile test in late November, had already helped create conditions for talks.

VERIFICATION AND COMPENSATION

North Korea is seeking relief from international sanctions hurting its economy. In past failed deals, it agreed to give up its weapons program in exchange for aid, including fuel oil and alternative nuclear reactors, as well as security guarantees, which have included a U.S. pledge not to attack or invade.

North Korea also agreed in past deals to return to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and to invite International Atomic Energy Agency verification. Activity at its main Yongbyon nuclear reactor site will be a factor in future talks and Washington will want to see proof of the shutdown of its Punggye-Ri test site.

Pompeo has said North Korea should not expect rewards until it takes irreversible steps. He said the historical analysis was "not optimistic," when asked if he believed North Korea would agree to dismantle its nuclear program, but argued that in past negotiations, sanctions had been relaxed too quickly.

U.S. intelligence officials believe three rounds of U.N. sanctions last year significantly depressed North Koreas export earnings, one intelligence official said. But Kims willingness to negotiate seriously would depend on continued economic pressure, which required sustained Chinese and better Russian cooperation.

For now, one official said, "It would be foolish in the extreme to think Kim's ready to talk about abandoning his familys longstanding nuclear program right off the bat, or to take at face value any comments about denuclearization.

DETAINED AMERICANS

The White House has said three Korean-Americans detained in North Korea will be a factor ahead of a summit.

Trump said last week Washington was negotiating for the release of the men and there was "a good chance of doing it." But he did not reply when asked whether that would be a condition for going ahead with the summit.

PEACE TREATY

North Korea has long sought to replace the 1953 Korean War armistice with a peace treaty. The two Koreas have resumed this discussion, but South Korea has danced around the term "peace treaty" by referencing a "peace regime" or an "agreement to end hostile acts." Trump has said the effort has his "blessing" - if Pyongyang agrees to abandon its nuclear arsenal. (Reporting by David Brunnstrom and John Walcott; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)TORONTO, April 22 (Reuters) - Iran's "malign" regional activities, the Syrian conflict and North Korea will be discussed at a meeting of foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) major industrialized nations in Toronto, a U.S. official said on Sunday.

"A lot of the priority topics for us today include the way forward in Syria, Iran's malign activities in the region," the U.S. official said.

"We will be discussing North Korea and its nuclear program. I would say broadly non-proliferation will be a theme today in our discussions," the official said, adding other topics would include maritime security, the Ukraine conflict, Venezuela and Myanmar. (Reporting by Lesley Wroughton Writing by Michelle Martin Editing by Victoria Bryan)SEOUL, April 22 (Reuters) - Korean Air Lines chairman Cho Yang-ho said on Sunday his two daughters would immediately step down from their positions at the company.

One of the daughters, Cho Hyun-min, a senior vice president at the airline, is under investigation by police for possible assault after it was reported she sprayed water at people during a business meeting.

Her older sister, Heather Cho, made global headlines over a notorious "nut rage" incident in 2014, when she lost her temper over the way she was served nuts in the first class and ordered the Korean Air carrier to return to its gate at a New York airport.

She was briefly jailed but returned to work as an executive of Korean Air's hotel affiliate in March.

The father Cho said in a statement that he apologized to South Korean people and his employees. (Reporting by Heekyong Yang and Ju-min Park; editing by)FILE - In this Tuesday, April 3, 2018, file photo, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt attends a news conference at the EPA in Washington, on his decision to scrap Obama administration fuel standards. The fossil-fuels lobbyist tied to the bargain-priced Capitol Hill condo leased by Pruitt is taking early retirement as a result of the scandal. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt met in his office last year with a veteran Washington lobbyist tied to the bargain-priced condo where Pruitt was living.

Both Pruitt and lobbyist Steven Hart had previously denied Hart had conducted any recent business with EPA.

A spokesman for Hart confirmed Saturday that the lobbyist met with Pruitt at EPA headquarters in July 2017 to discuss efforts to preserve the Chesapeake Bay.

The admission about the meeting came after the lobbying firm Williams & Jensen filed a new disclosure report late Friday hours after Hart announced his early retirement as chairman. The firm's filing , first reported by The Hill, says Hart lobbied EPA during the first quarter of 2018 on behalf of Smithfield Foods.

The world's largest pork producer, Smithfield has been involved with efforts to clean up the bay since EPA fined the company $12.6 million in 1997 for illegally dumping hog waste into a tributary.

EPA's press office did not respond to questions about Pruitt's meeting with Hart.

Pruitt's connections to the prominent lobbyist have been under intense scrutiny since last month, when media reports first revealed that the EPA chief had rented a luxury Capitol Hill condo from a corporation co-owned by Hart's wife for just $50 a night. Pruitt's daughter, then a White House summer intern, also stayed at the condo.

On Pruitt's 2017 condo lease, a copy of which was reviewed by AP, Steven Hart's name was originally typed in as "landlord" but was scratched out. The name of his wife, health care lobbyist Vicki Hart, was scribbled in.

Pruitt's public calendar shows he meet at EPA headquarters on July 11 with the Smithfield Foundation, the pork-producer's philanthropic arm. The calendar entry does not include a list of attendees.

Pruitt's calendar does not disclose any 2018 meetings with Smithfield or its affiliates, the period covered by the report filed by Williams & Jensen.

Hart's spokesman, Ryan Williams, confirmed on Saturday that the lobbyist had met with Pruitt at EPA in July. In a statement, Hart disputed the legal filing made by his former firm.

Story continues

"I assisted a friend who served on the Chesapeake Bay Commission, and this is inaccurately being tied to Smithfield Foods," Hart said. "I was not paid for this assistance and any suggestion that I lobbied for Smithfield Foods is inaccurate."

Lobbying disclosures show Williams & Jensen has represented Smithfield for more than a decade, with Hart intermittently reported as working directly on the pork-producer's behalf. The firm reported receiving $70,000 from Smithfield in the first quarter of this year.

In a statement issued Saturday, Smithfield said it did not direct any contacts with EPA about the Chesapeake Bay.

"The objective, while laudable, was not undertaken at the direction of or on behalf of Smithfield Foods," said a written statement provided by Smithfield spokeswoman Diana Souder. "These activities were conducted at the request of a then former executive and current Smithfield Foundation board member, Dennis Treacy, in his personal capacity."

Treacy is a member of the Chesapeake Bay Commission, which was created by the states of Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania to coordinate on issues involving the bay. He did not respond to a phone message on Saturday seeking comment.

Pruitt denied in an interview earlier with Fox News earlier this month that there was anything improper with his rental of the condo from Hart's wife.

"Mr. Hart has no client that has business before this agency," Pruitt said. "It was like an Airbnb situation."

Hart also denied having any meaningful recent contacts with the EPA chief.

"Pruitt is a casual friend but I have had no contact with him for many months except for a brief pass by at the National Prayer Breakfast in 2018," Hart said last month.

Prior to being tapped by Trump to lead EPA, Pruitt served as the elected attorney general of Oklahoma. Williams & Jensen represents several clients with interests before the agency, including OGE Energy Corp., an electricity provider in Pruitt's home state.

Campaign finance records show Hart hosted a 2014 fundraiser for Pruitt's state re-election effort where more than three dozen OGE executives cut checks, even though he was running without a Democratic opponent.

Records show that once Pruitt arrived at EPA last year, he met with a lobbyist from Hart's firm and two executives from OGE Energy, which was then seeking to scuttle tighter pollution standards for coal-fired power plants. The company paid Williams & Jensen $400,000 in lobbying fees last year.

Pruitt's calendar also shows another meeting with OGE last month, though the agency provided no specifics about who attended.

Hart's spokesman declined to answer Saturday whether the lobbyist attended those or any other additional meetings with Pruitt.

___

Follow Associated Press environmental reporter Michael Biesecker at http://twitter.com/mbieseckU.S. President Donald Trump hailed big progress as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pledged to halt nuclear testing, a largely symbolic gesture that appeared aimed at softening the ground for talks between the two leaders.

Kim told a ruling party meeting in Pyongyang on Friday his regime would suspend tests of atomic bombs and intercontinental ballistic missiles after achieving its goal of building a nuclear arsenal, the official Korean Central News Agency reported. North Korea will shutter its Punggye-ri test site, a secluded mountain facility believed to be damaged after a hydrogen bomb test in September.

While the moves mostly affirm the status quo  North Korea hasnt conducted a major weapons test in almost five months  Kims remarks to a domestic audience could signal flexibility in upcoming talks with the U.S. and South Korea. Hes set to meet South Korean President Moon Jae-in on April 27 at a border village, possibly paving the way for an unprecedented summit with Trump in May or June.

Trump called Kims statement very good news for North Korea and the World. Big progress! Trump said in a tweet. Look forward to our Summit.

Later, he noted that North Korea would shut down a nuclear test site in the countrys Northern Side to prove the vow to suspend nuclear tests. A spokesman for Moon called Kims moves a positive sign.

Although U.S. and South Korean officials say Kim has expressed a willingness to discuss denuclearization, North Koreas media has steered clear of the term. Kims remarks made no commitment to give up the estimated 60 nuclear bombs and the unknown number of ICBMs he already has.

Read more: Here Are Nine Potential Locations for Trump-Kim Summit

Shin Beomchul, a professor at the Korean National Diplomatic Academy, called Kims comments a very carefully coordinated calculation to build hopes of the world that its open to changes that could possibly follow the summits.

Its still hard to tell from the statement if it has genuine intent to denuclearize, Shin said. Contents-wise, theres no real change in its position.

Story continues

Two U.S. officials who asked not to be identified said there was no reason not to believe Kims pledge was genuine. U.S. pressure had changed the calculus for Kim, one official said.

North Koreas arsenal represents the achievement of three generations of Kims and is so central to the regime that its status as a nuclear state is enshrined in the constitution. The weapons provide a potent deterrent to any U.S.-led military action similar to what occurred in Iraq, Libya or Syria.

Read more: How to Tell If North Korea Is About to Test a Nuclear Bomb

Past negotiations with Kims late father, Kim Jong Il, over North Koreas weapons program collapsed amid disputes over inspections, economic aid and U.S. security guarantees.

The Workers Party meeting expressed only general support for worldwide disarmament. Our decision to suspend nuclear tests is part of the worlds important steps for nuclear disarmament and our republic will join global efforts to completely suspend nuclear tests, Kim said.

North Korea has already effectively halted weapons tests since firing a missile in late November believed to be capable of reaching any city in the U.S. After that launch, which prompted the most restrictive United Nations sanctions yet, Kim declared his regimes decades-long quest for nuclear weapons complete and opened talks with South Korea.

Read more: Why Hope Battles History as Trump, Kim Plan to Meet

Meanwhile, commercial satellite imagery of the Punggye-ri site has shown no recent evidence of major activity, according to the 38 North website, which monitors North Korea. Tunnels there have caved in after each of the countrys six nuclear tests, said Hong Tae-kyung, a professor of geophysics at Seouls Yonsei University.

Theres even a possibility of radioactive leaks there, Hong said. Realistically, its highly unlikely they can be used for nuclear tests any more.

Still, North Korea has been feeling the weight of economic sanctions and Kims statements to the party meeting signaled a desire to prioritize the development of his impoverished country. That shift that could make any offers of outside aid or sanctions relief more appealing in negotiations.

Chinas Global Times newspaper, which is published by the Communist Party, called on Japan, South Korea and the U.S. to immediately lift all unilateral sanctions on North Korea. Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said in a statement that Kims promises would help promote a political settlement to the tensions.

Japan, however, expressed skepticism. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters Kims pledge wouldnt change how Japan handles the regime, Kyodo News reported.

We have made many promises with North Korea. We paid money on the condition that they would end a test facility and such, Finance Minister Taro Aso told reporters in Washington. But I remember that they just took our money.tammie jo shults

Thomas P. Milne / US Navy via Associated Press

Tammie Jo Shults gained praise for safely landing a Southwest Airlines flight after an engine exploded on Tuesday.

Shults was one of the Navy's first female fighter pilots, and she received a number of awards during her seven years of service.

Shults has also taught Sunday School at her church, performed volunteer work for at-risk children, and opened a cottage on her family's property to victims of Hurricane Rita.



Landing a plane with an exploded engine and a busted cabin window would challenge even the most experienced pilot.

But those who know Tammie Jo Shults, the pilot of a Southwest Airlines flight that made an emergency landing on Tuesday after an engine malfunctioned, weren't surprised she handled the situation with poise.

"Thats Tammie, thats Tammie, thats her," longtime friend Robert Bruce told The Dallas Morning News. "Shes not the type to panic."

Shults was praised for her conduct during and after the landing

Passengers on Flight 1380 praised Shults for her conduct during and after the emergency landing. While passengers reported emotional turmoil in the aircraft's cabin, an audio recording obtained by NBC between Shults and air traffic control paints a different picture in the cockpit. On the recording, Shults sounds calm as she reports hearing that a passenger "went out" a window.

Her mother-in-law, Virginia Shults, told The Washington Post she recognized Tammie Jo's voice when she heard the recording and wasn't surprised at her composure.

"It was just as if she and I were sitting here talking," she said. "Shes a very calming person."

After the flight landed, passengers remarked on how she addressed them individually to make sure they were alright.

Shults has declined to give interviews after the incident, but Southwest released a statement attributed to her and the flight's first officer, Darren Ellisor.

Story continues

"We all feel we were simply doing our jobs," the statement read. "Our hearts are heavy. On behalf of the entire Crew, we appreciate the outpouring of support from the public and our coworkers as we all reflect on one familys profound loss."

She had a decorated tenure in the Navy

Shults grew up in New Mexico and developed an interest in aviation from a young age, when she would watch Air Force planes fly over her family's ranch.

But she faced obstacles as early as high school. Once, when she attended a lecture about aviation given by a retired colonel during a career day, the speaker asked if she was lost because she was the only woman present.

"He started the class by asking me, the only girl in attendance, if I was lost," she said in Linda Maloney's book, "Military Fly Moms." "I mustered up the courage to assure him I was not and that I was interested in flying. He allowed me to stay but assured me there were no professional women pilots."

"I did not say another word. In my heart, I hoped that God had given me an interest in flying for a reason. I had never touched an airplane, but I knew flying was my future. My junior year in college, I met a girl who had just received her Air Force wings. My heart jumped. Girls did fly! I set to work trying to break into the club."

After the Air Force rejected her, Shults applied for aviation officer candidate school in the Navy. She was accepted, but Maloney, who also served in the Navy, told Business Insider that instructors were unsure of how to teach female students.

"The instructors were a little bit tentative and standoffish. I don't think they knew what to think to because the problem was there we so few of us," she said. "There were two or three women in flight school when I was there."

Shults was commissioned in 1985 and became an instructor pilot in Texas. While she was not allowed to fly combat missions, Shults rose through the ranks and eventually became one of the Navy's first female fighter pilots. By the time she left Navy in 1993, she had become a lieutenant commander, received a National Defense Service Medal, expert pistol Marksmanship Medal, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal twice, according to The Post.

She's an active member of her community

During her service, she would also meet her husband, Dean Shults, a fellow pilot. Both would later become pilots for Southwest Airlines. They currently live in the San Antonio area and have two children.

Shults is an active member in her community, Staci Thompson, a friend who attends the same church as Shults, told The Dallas Morning News.

"She would tell you everything she has shes been given from God, so she wants to share it," Thompson said.

Shults has taught Sunday School at her church, performed volunteer work for at-risk children, and opened a cottage on her family's property to victims of Hurricane Rita.

Her skillful, emergency landing on Tuesday, then, might be seen as just another act of charity.

NOW WATCH: Investors need to lower their expectations

See Also:

SEE ALSO: Here's what happened on the fatal Southwest Airlines flightDonald Trump greets James Comey as Joseph Clancy watches during the Inaugural Law Enforcement Officers and First Responders Reception in the Blue Room of the White House in Washington

Former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director James Comeys meticulously prepared memos of his meetings with US president Donald Trump were leaked to the press last night (April 19), within less than a hour of being shared with the House Judiciary Committee.

Republican members of the committee were planning to subpoena the Department of Justice to share them with Congress, in a highly unusual move.

For the most part, the 15 pages of memos flesh out the meetings with Trump that Comey detailed during his hearing in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee last June, including Trumps repeated demands for loyalty and his asking Comey to lift the cloud of the Russia investigation.

Staunch Trump supporters in Congress believe the leaked memos prove Trump didnt obstruct justice in the FBIs investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election:

These Comey memos were supposed to implicate President Trump? Really? On page 13 POTUS appears to instruct Director Comey to investigate and find the truth about whether his campaign team did anything wrong. There's nothing in here even approaching 'obstruction of justice.'  Mark Meadows (@RepMarkMeadows) April 20, 2018

(Meadows, the leader of the House Freedom Caucus, is not 100% accurate Trump doesnt tell Comey to find the truth about whether his campaign team did anything wrong anywhere in the memos.)

However, the full memos (read them here or here) may not help Trumps cause at all. They create a picture of a man completely disinterested in whether Russia meddled in the election that made him president, and obsessed with other issues:

Story continues

Trumps fixation on accusations of hiring prostitutes. The so-called golden showers report on Trump, released publicly two weeks before his inauguration, claimed Russia had compromising information on Trump, including information about prostitutes hired at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Moscow in 2013.

When Comey met with Trump on Jan. 6 of last year, he told him of the report and what it contained. Trumps first response was to suggest that he wasnt the kind of guy who needs to pay for sex:

During their next meeting on Jan. 27, Trump said that hed been reminded that he didnt sleep in Moscow on the night in question, and asked Comey to investigate the accusation to set his wifes mind at ease:

And on a Feb. 8 meeting at the White House, Trump mentioned that Putin had told him that Russia had some of the most beautiful hookers in the world, while again disputing the golden showers report:

(Trump had just tweeted the day before I dont know Putin.)

Then when the two talked on March 30, Trump brought up the issue again:

The Trump teams knowledge and interest in the FBIs investigation into Hillary Clintons emails. On their second meeting on Jan. 27, Trump and Comey dined alone in the White Houses Green Room. Here, the president talked nearly non-stop, Comey recalls, picking up topics of conversation only to discard them and return to them later, conversation-as-jigsaw puzzle as he says. (Thats the same way that Trump speaks when hes veered off his notes in a speech, or is doing a free-wheeling interview with the press.)

On the topic of the FBI investigation into Clintons emails, though, Trump knew the sequence of events very well, and walked through how they played out during his campaign, asking Comey along the way whether there was a revolt at the FBI after the agency said there was no case:

Later in the White House during the Feb. 8 meeting, then chief of staff Reince Priebus picked up the same theme, asking Comey why Clinton wasnt charged with gross negligence:

Relaying that Mike Flynn forgot to tell him a major world leader called. Flynn, the former national security adviser, was already on the outs with Trump on Jan. 28, Trump told Comey. (Flynn resigned on Feb. 13 over controversy about his contacts with Russia, after the Justice Department warned the White House he hadnt been upfront about them.) The president thought British prime minister Theresa May was the first world leader to call him after his inauguration, but Flynn forgot to tell him that it was actually someone else, Comey writes, spelling Mays first name incorrectly:



Comey and Trump talked about jailing reporters. After details of Trumps private conversations with Mexican and Australian (paywall) world leaders were leaked, the two spoke on Feb. 14 about how dangerous leaks are, and how to punish leakers. Maybe Trump should put a head on a pike as a message, Comey said. Maybe we should jail reporters, Trump said. Comey laughed as he walked out the door:

Sign up for the Quartz Daily Brief, our free daily newsletter with the worlds most important and interesting news.

More stories from Quartz:FILE PHOTO: Eugene Kaspersky, Chief Executive of Russia's Kaspersky Lab, looks on during an interview with Reuters in Moscow, Russia October 27, 2017. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo

By Jim Finkle and David Ingram

(Reuters) - Twitter Inc (TWTR.N) said on Friday that it has banned ads from Moscow-based Kaspersky Lab, saying the cyber-security company's business model conflicts with advertising rules and citing U.S. government claims that Kaspersky has ties to Russian intelligence agencies.

Twitter confirmed the ban in an email to Reuters after Kaspersky Lab co-founder Eugene Kaspersky disclosed the development in a blog post on Friday, saying that the company learned of the ban in early January.

The ban follows charges by Washington that Kaspersky Lab has close ties to intelligence agencies in Moscow and its software could be used to enable Russian spying, which prompted the Trump administration to ban its products from U.S. government networks.

Kaspersky Lab has repeatedly denied those allegations, saying it will open up its code for inspection so that experts can hunt for vulnerabilities in its products that could be exploited by intelligence agencies, and it has asked a U.S. federal court to overturn the American ban.

Eugene Kaspersky said in his blog post that he was surprised by Twitter's ban and asked the company to reconsider.

"We havent violated any written  or unwritten  rules, and our business model is quite simply the same template business model thats used throughout the whole cybersecurity industry: We provide users with products and services, and they pay us for them," he said.

Department of Homeland Security cyber-security official Jeanette Manfra said her agency has not instructed U.S. companies to punish Kaspersky.

"We laid out a very transparent process and how we came to our decision," to ban Kaspersky products from government networks, she said at a panel at the RSA security conference in San Francisco. "I would defer to the companies for how they made their decisions."

Kaspersky said in an email that Twitter was the only social media company to ban its ads.

But other social media companies have taken action regarding Kaspersky Lab.

Story continues

Facebook Inc (FB.O) in January said it had removed Kaspersky Lab from a list of anti-virus offerings to users.

When asked to explain its ban, Twitter said in an email, "This decision is based on our determination that Kaspersky Lab operates using a business model that inherently conflicts with acceptable Twitter Ads business practices."

Twitter also said it was responding to a Department of Homeland Security warning of a threat to national security posed by Russian government access to Kaspersky products.

It is rare for Twitter to ban specific advertisers. In October it banned Russian media outlets Russia Today and Sputnik, accusing them of interfering in the 2016 U.S. elections. Last month, Twitter banned cryptocurrency ads.

(Reporting by Jim Finkle in Toronto and David Ingram in San Francisco; additional reporting by Dustin Volz in San Francisco; editing by David Gregorio and Jonathan Oatis)Friday marks the 19th anniversary of the heartbreaking tragedy at Columbine High School and a day when students across the nation walked out of classrooms to protest continuing gun violence.

New research shows the correlation between increased unemployment and rising gun violence at schools.

Friday marks the 19th anniversary of the heartbreaking tragedy at Columbine High School and a day when students across the nation walked out of classrooms to protest continuing gun violence. In the aftermath of Columbine, and the many other school shootings such as Sandy Hook and Virginia Tech, parents and educators nationwide are wondering what can be done to prevent such incidents.

My colleagues and I have shed new light on the correlation between increased unemployment and rising gun violence at schools through our research. As our article in Nature Human Behavior states, this correlation can be seen on the national, regional, and city level.

With a direct link established between economic distress and school gun violence, there is not only a probable cause or contributing factor, but also the potential for improving job prospects and financial advancement as a mitigating factor.

Tragic dimension

The relationship between economic insecurity and gun violence in schools adds a tragic dimension to what is already known about the impact of unemployment and financial stress on families. Economic insecurity intensifies feelings of frustration, anger, fear, hopelessness, as well as a lack of safety. Now, this new research indicates that economic security, with lost hope and diminished prospects for a job, may link directly to gun violence in schools.

Although there has been extensive study of school shootings, there are many contradictory claims. For example, some past studies have seen no significant increase over time, while others believe a "copycat effect" has led to increased frequently. Other studies have tried to identify sociological and risk factors related to shooters in hopes of understanding and preventing incidents.

Story continues

In the past, society looked at various potential causes as well as causality, even heavy metal music and violent videogames , which have been largely debunked as inciting violence. Bullying and other social origins of school shootings also are thought to be contributing factors to the isolation and revenge fantasies of perpetrators.

Establishing a root cause of gun violence at schools required quality data. One of the initial problems encountered in this latest research was the lack of an established dataset, with the need to narrow down what could be defined as a school shooting.

The following guidelines were determined: a shooting must involve the discharge of a firearm (even by accident), it must occur on a school campus, and it must involve students or school employees. Of the 535 events that had happened between 1990 and 2013, only 379 events met these criteria. Further, only 6.6 percent of these events were the result of gang violence, and only 6.3 percent of these events had three or more deaths.

Examining the data

While the dataset included mass shootings, and many notable mass shootings took place at schools, the majority of these events did not take place on school campuses. Rather, most school-associated homicides , like other juvenile homicides, tend to be gang-related, drug-related, or otherwise linked to criminal activity or interpersonal disputes. The shooting occurs at a school because of the opportunity for attack.

In examining the data, there were distinct periods of time when school shootings were elevated, for example 1993 and 1994 and 2008-2010. This suggested that an outside factor could be considered a cause for the increases. Examining these periods of time, it became clear there was a congruence between periods of increased unemployment and more frequent episodes of school shootings.

The unemployment rate became a particular interest since it uniquely captures the difficulties faced by older students who struggle to get a job or who experience joblessness in their families. Unemployment is related to lowered self-esteem, diminished status and detrimental behavior, such as drug and alcohol abuse.

There is also evidence that minors whose parents are affected by high unemployment are more likely to believe that they will have difficulty getting jobs. Therefore, gun violence at schools may be a response, at least in part, to the lost hope for improving economic opportunities.

In addition to looking at unemployment, other proxies for economic insecurity include the home foreclosure rate, which has a significant financial and emotional impact on families, and consumer confidence.

The research also focused on the six cities with the most gun violence at schools: New York City, Detroit, Chicago, Memphis, Los Angeles, and Houston. As seen on the national and regional level, increases in the number of school shootings correlated with periods of higher unemployment in these cities.

23-year pattern

What matters is not that these incidents rise to the grievousness of Columbine or Parkland or even that they are well-known  it's unlikely that anyone living outside of the area at the time knows about the incident at Edward Tilden High School in Chicago (1992) or at Wayne State University in Detroit (1998)  but that when we examine the entire pattern in over 23 years, it is consistent in its relationship to economic insecurity.

Examining these findings, it appears that rising economic insecurity would have the most impact on students who are transitioning to the workplace. Diminished prospects for getting a job add to pressures that, as the data show, could lead to increased gun violence.

While gun violence at schools defies an easy solution, it appears logical that improving economic circumstances play an important role. As more students feel secure in their prospects for getting a job, shootings at the post-secondary level should decrease. For K-12 students, particularly those in urban areas, a lower unemployment rate may translate to the number of school shootings at least remaining stable.

More importantly, it's necessary to remain focused on deepening our understanding to address the root of these incidents. Recently the notion that all teachers should be armed as a preventative security measure has been advanced unfortunately, this is a reactive measure that does nothing to address this issue.

While improving school security is a worthwhile effort in general, these improvements show no measurable impact on slowing the rate of these incidents when we examine incidents at K12 schools.

These incidents of gun violence are unlikely to be cured by increasing school security without understanding or addressing why these incidents occur, unless we go so far as to destroy our notion of an educational institution and turn our schools into replicas of jails.

Commentary by Adam Pah, professor at Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

For more insight from CNBC contributors, follow @CNBCopinion on Twitter.





More From CNBC

AlanMvp wrote:

Hi All,



I am struggling between two schools. Hope to get more suggestions here.



Background:

1. Chinese Male (with H1B)

2. Got master degree from a U.S. school and worked in NYC for 4 years

3. Supply chain finance looking to switch into management consulting in the short term, probably PE/VC in long term

4. As an Asian male, I understand it's extremely hard to get management consulting job at MBB either in London or NYC. So location is not my concern, I ended up going back to China mostly



Johnson:

Pro

-Brand name one of Ivy League, especially useful in Asia?

-Current network in NYC, some potential referrals (but not in consulting)

- As I have H1B now, maybe possible to get an management consulting job in US?



Con

- Weaker in consulting or PE/VC (NOT BCG target school)

- checked class of 2019 Chinese internship list no one got into MBB





LBS

Pro

- Decent internship placement for Chinese students (some MBB)

- Different experience for me



Con

- No networking in London

- No brand name for parent school (basically it's a B-school, not many Chinese ppl know)



Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks in advance.Abhishek009

including funds for a new gym, a

( Including is used as a verb-ing modifier that makes the subject to have no verb, so now the subject proposal does not have a verb)



(seems like the parallelism is maintained. Hence correct answer)

( Parallelism is not maintained- I am not so sure and would ask someone else to shed some light because could it not be the case that we can take "a" common from the list of three identities that we are trying to make parallel such as John asked me to get a towel, carpet, and soap vs John asked me to get a towel, a carpet, and a soap. Which one is correct??)

( also a is wrong because we need to maintain the parallelism)

( for a is wrong because we need to maintain the parallelism)

1. Well Begun is Half done

2. He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask a question remains a fool forever.

3. The night is darkest just before the dawn Signature Read More

In your post, you highlight that D & E are wrong because of includes. However, includes is a singular verb and subject proposal is also singular, so the error in D & E does not seem to be Subject Verb. I was thinking that the error is the latter part of the sentence such as in D the wrong part is "also a" and in E the wrong part is "a new gym, for a"The school budget proposallarger auditorium, and three new school buses.(A) including funds for a new gym, a(B) included funds for a new gym, a(C) included funds for a new gym,(D) includes funds for a new gym, also a(E) includes funds for a new gym, for a_________________STORY UPDATED: check for updates below.

Is California governor Jerry Brown preparing to ban sales of the bible? No, that's not true. The claim was made by a website that habitually takes some real news and then adds a few paragraphs and an inflammatory headline to make it sound much, much worse than what is really going on in order to get people to click and share the article on social media.

The misleading story was published as an article on April 20, 2018 by YourNewsWire under the headline "California Gov. Jerry Brown To Ban Sales Of The Bible" (archived here) which opened:

Sales of the Holy Bible and Biblical based teaching is set to be banned in California in the near future thanks to Governor Jerry Brown and the state assembly who have combined to force a bill through the state assembly that claims the Bible promotes hate speech against gays, lesbians and transgender people. Assembly Bill 2943 will threaten the freedom of religion and First Amendment rights of Christians in California. Using the state's "consumer fraud statute" to restrict religious freedom and free speech, the bill seeks to ban sales of the Bible because it includes verses that fall outside what Gov. Brown considers "acceptable teaching" on sexuality issues. The controversial bill, which will also ban any form of speech or written material that promotes traditional Christian views on marriage and sexuality, has already made its way through the California state assembly after it was approved on the floor Thursday. The bill now goes to the state Senate for a vote.

In reality Assembly Bill 2943 is not an order from the Governor but an initiative from California Assembly Member Evan Low that still has to be voted on before it becomes law. It also doesn't ban the bible (or any religious books). The full text of the bill doesn't even mention the words "bible", "book" or "text" at all.

UPDATE: The bill passed in the California Assembly in 2018 but failed to be voted on in the Senate, it is currently listed as "Died" on the website of the California legisture after being inactive for too long.

The relevant parts of the bill are these lines:

1770. (a) The following unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices undertaken by any person in a transaction intended to result or that results in the sale or lease of goods or services to any consumer are unlawful: ... (28) Advertising, offering to engage in, or engaging in sexual orientation change efforts with an individual.

Selling bibles does not fall under this prohibition and nor would the sale of texts generally disapproving or criticizing homosexuality. It would ban advertisting for such books, therapies etc. if it was done with the explicitly stated goal of changing people's sexual orientation (i.e. gay conversion therapy etc.).

A bible ban would go directly against the First Amendment of the United States Constitution and would be struck down in a heartbeat by the Supreme Court.

But this bill doesn't limit anyone's free speech: people would still be able to say a certain sexual orientation is sinful or goes against religious teachings or should be considered immoral etc. Strictly reading this bill people would still be allowed to publish tips or methods to change one's sexual orientation as long as it would not result in "the sale or lease of goods or services to any consumer".

Confusion around the purpose of the bill seems to have mainly originated from a television interview with conservative politician Travis Allen that misrepresented the consequences of this bill by claiming it would ban the bible:

Snopes already pointed out the many inaccuracies in that interview:

FACT CHECK: Would a Proposed Law 'Ban the Bible' in California? Assembly Bill 2943 would prohibit the sale of Bibles in California. False In April 2018, the right-wing One America News Network (OAN) interviewed California State Assembly member Travis Allen, who is running for governor as a Republican, about Assembly Bill 2943, a proposed law currently before state legislators.

That makes the summary of the YourNewsWire article visible on social media completely inaccurate:

California Gov. Jerry Brown To Ban Sales Of The Bible The Bible includes verses that fall outside what Gov. Jerry Brown considers "acceptable teaching" on sexuality issues.

Governor Brown is not involved, the bible is not even mentioned in the bill and the phrase "acceptable teaching" is also not present anywhere in the text.

YourNewsWire has published several hoaxes and fake news articles in the past so anything they write or publish should be taken with a large grain of salt. Their Facebook page "The People's Voice" recently lost its verification checkmark according to a report from MMFA.

The Terms of Use of the site also make it clear they don't really stand behind the accuracy of any of their reporting:

THE PEOPLE'S VOICE, INC. AND/OR ITS SUPPLIERS MAKE NO REPRESENTATIONS ABOUT THE SUITABILITY, RELIABILITY, AVAILABILITY, TIMELINESS, AND ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION, SOFTWARE, PRODUCTS, SERVICES AND RELATED GRAPHICS CONTAINED ON THE SITE FOR ANY PURPOSE.

The site was profiled in the Hollywood reporter where it was described as:

Your News Wire, a 3-year-old website of murky facts and slippery spin, is published by Sean Adl-Tabatabai and Sinclair Treadway -- a Bernie Sanders supporter in 2016 -- out of an apartment in L.A.'s historic El Royale.

RationalWiki described it as:

YourNewsWire (styled as YourNewsWire.com[1]) is an Los Angeles-based clickbait fake news website known for disseminating conspiracy theories and misleading information, contrary to its claimed motto ("News. Truth. Unfiltered").[1]

A while ago we also reported that YourNewsWire had rebranded itself as NewsPunch by changing its domain name in an apparent effort to evade filtering/blocking. It appears the site has changed back to it's old name in the mean time but you can still see the NewsPunch name in the contact email address in the footer.

We wrote about yournewswire.com before, here are our most recent articles that mention the site:As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQThe Toronto-Dominion Bank, together with its subsidiaries, provides various personal and commercial banking products and services in Canada and the United States. It operates through three segments: Canadian Retail, U.S. Retail, and Wholesale Banking. The company offers personal deposits, such as chequing, savings, and investment products; financing, investment, cash management, international trade, and day-to-day banking services to businesses; and financing options to customers at point of sale for automotive and recreational vehicle purchases through auto dealer network. It also provides credit cards; real estate secured lending; auto finance; consumer lending; point-of-sale payment solutions for large and small businesses; wealth and asset management products, private banking, investment advisory, and trust services to retail and institutional clients; and property and casualty insurance, as well as life and health insurance products. The company also provides capital markets, and corporate and investment banking services, including underwriting and distribution of new debt and equity issues; advice on strategic acquisitions and divestitures; and trading, funding, and investment services to companies, governments, and institutions. It offers its products and services under the TD Bank and America's Most Convenient Bank brand names. The company operates through a network of 1,085 branches, 3,440 automated teller machines, and 1,223 stores, as well as offers telephone, digital, and mobile banking services. The Toronto-Dominion Bank was founded in 1855 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

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 2021 Market data provided is at least 10-minutes delayed and hosted by Barchart Solutions. Information is provided 'as-is' and solely for informational purposes, not for trading purposes or advice, and is delayed. To see all exchange delays and terms of use please see disclaimer. Fundamental company data provided by Zacks Investment Research.7 hours ago

Johnson eyes post-COVID economy as UK Conservatives meet

LONDON (AP)  British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was ready to take bold decisions to rebuild the economy after the coronavirus pandemic as his Conservative Party met Sunday for its first annual conference since 2019. The Tory conference opened Sunday in the northwestern city of Manchester as a shortage of truck drivers to delivery fuel across Britain continues to cause empty pumps and long lines at many gas stations.

Read Article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. 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Ltd., ZipLine Medical Hong Kong Limited, ZipLine Medical Inc., and eTrauma.com.Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel met with his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro Saturday in his first official act as the countrys leader.

Maduro is the first president to visit Diaz-Canel since he was selected by outgoing President Raul Castro to lead the islands government earlier this week.

The Associated Press was told that Castro did not attend the welcome ceremony for the Venezuelan president at the Palace of the Revolution. But in a marked change from the past, Cuban first lady Lis Cuesta was in attendance along with Maduros wife Cilia Flores.

Cuba had no first lady during the nearly six decades that the Castro family was in power. Castro was a widower when he took office 12 years ago and his older brother Fidel carefully guarded his private life.

The Cuban government selected 58-year-old Diaz-Canel as the sole candidate to succeed Castro on Wednesday in a transition aimed at ensuring the continuity of the countrys single-party system. The 86-year-old Castro will remain head of the Communist Party, but it is not clear how much power he will wield.

The meeting between Maduro and Diaz-Canel affirms the strong alliance between Venezuela and Cuba, which in essence receives oil for Cuban doctors and technicians who work in public health in the South American country.

But former President Castro has acknowledged that the political and economic crisis in Venezuela is having a negative spillover effect on the islands economy, and Cuba has sought to strengthen its alliance with China and Russia.

Official media have reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin called Castro and Diaz-Canel to affirm their shared interests, but did not offer further details.

Today, Bolivian President Evo Morales is expected to greet Diaz-Canel in Cuba. APWall Street analysts have given Greencore Group 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 Greencore Group wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.The following companies are subsidiares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise: 3Com International Inc., 3PAR Inc., Apogee, Aruba Networks Inc., Aruba Networks International Cayman, Aruba Networks International Limited, BlueData Software, Cloud Cruiser, Cloud Technology Partners, Cloud Technology Partners Inc., Compaq Computer (Mauritius), Compaq Trademark B.V., Cray, Cray Inc., EDS World Corporation (Far East) LLC, EYP Mission Critical Facilities Inc., H3C Holdings Limited, HP Enterprise Services Australia Pty Ltd, HP Financial Services (Australia) Pty Limited, HP Financial Services (Chile) Limitada, HP Financial Services (Japan) K.K., HP Financial Services Arrendamento Mercantil S.A., HP Financial Services Company (Korea), HP Financial Services International Holdings Company, HPE Government LLC, HPFS Global Holdings I LLC, HPFS Global Holdings II LLC, HPFS Rental S.R.L., Hangzhou H3C Technologies Co. Ltd, Hewlett Packard Caribe BV LLC, Hewlett Packard Colombia Ltda., Hewlett Packard Enterprise (China) Co. Ltd., Hewlett Packard Enterprise B.V., Hewlett Packard Enterprise B.V. Amstelveen Meyrin Branch, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Canada Co., Hewlett Packard Enterprise Canada Co. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Canada Cie, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Costa Rica Limitada, Hewlett Packard Enterprise GlobalSoft Private Limited, Hewlett Packard Enterprise India Private Limited, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Ireland Limited, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Luxembourg SCA, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Polska sp. z o.o., Hewlett Packard Pathfinder LLC, Hewlett Packard Taiwan Ltd., Hewlett-Packard (Israel) Ltd., Hewlett-Packard (M) Sdn. Bhd., Hewlett-Packard (Nigeria) Limited, Hewlett-Packard (Schweiz) GmbH, Hewlett-Packard (Tanzania) Limited, Hewlett-Packard (Thailand) Limited, Hewlett-Packard ApS, Hewlett-Packard Argentina S.R.L., Hewlett-Packard Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Australia Pty Ltd, Hewlett-Packard Belgium SPRL/BVBA, Hewlett-Packard Bermuda Enterprises LLC, Hewlett-Packard Brasil Ltda., Hewlett-Packard Bulgaria EOOD, Hewlett-Packard Caribe B.V., Hewlett-Packard Caribe Y Andina B.V. LLC, Hewlett-Packard Chile Comercial Limitada, Hewlett-Packard Cyprus Ltd, Hewlett-Packard Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Hewlett-Packard Egypt Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Financial Services (India) Private Limited, Hewlett-Packard Financial Services Canada Company, Hewlett-Packard Financial Services Company, Hewlett-Packard France SAS, Hewlett-Packard G1 SPV (Cayman) Company, Hewlett-Packard Gesellschaft mbH, Hewlett-Packard Ghana Limited, Hewlett-Packard GmbH, Hewlett-Packard Guatemala Limitada, Hewlett-Packard HK SAR Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Hellas EPE, Hewlett-Packard Holdings Ltd., Hewlett-Packard International Bank Designated Activity Company, Hewlett-Packard International Bank Public Limited Company, Hewlett-Packard International Sarl, Hewlett-Packard Italiana S.r.l., Hewlett-Packard Japan Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Korea Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Leasing Limited, Hewlett-Packard Limited, Hewlett-Packard Luxembourg Enterprises LLC, Hewlett-Packard Macau Limited, Hewlett-Packard Manufacturing Ltd, Hewlett-Packard Marigalante Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Hewlett-Packard Middle East FZ-LLC, Hewlett-Packard Mocambique Limitada - Sociedada em Liquidacao, Hewlett-Packard Nederland B.V., Hewlett-Packard New Zealand, Hewlett-Packard Norge AS, Hewlett-Packard OY, Hewlett-Packard Operations Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Hewlett-Packard Peru S.R.L., Hewlett-Packard Philippines Corporation, Hewlett-Packard Portugal Lda., Hewlett-Packard SARL, Hewlett-Packard SIA, Hewlett-Packard Servicios Espana S.L., Hewlett-Packard Singapore (Sales) Pte. Ltd., Hewlett-Packard South Africa (Proprietary) Limited, Hewlett-Packard Sverige AB, Hewlett-Packard Technology Center Inc., Hewlett-Packard Teknoloji Cozumleri Limited Sirketi, Hewlett-Packard The Hague B.V., Hewlett-Packard Venezuela S.R.L., Hewlett-Packard Vision Limited, Hewlett-Packard d.o.o., Hewlett-Packard s.r.o., Limited Liability Company Hewlett Packard Enterprise, MapR Technologies, New H3C Technologies Co. Ltd., Niara Inc., Nimble Storage, Nimble Storage Inc., Nimble Storage Israel Ltd, Nimble Storage Japan GK, Nimble Storage UK Limited, Plexxi, RedPixie, SGI (Silicon Graphics), Sapphire Holding Co, Scytale, Shanghai Hewlett-Packard Co. Ltd., Silver Peak, SimpliVity, Sinope Holding B.V., Trilead, UAB ES Hague Lietuva, and Unis Huashan Technologies Co. Limited.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.

Read MoreDuring a March visit to Nigeria, a group of Stanford physicians, including palliative care expert Karl Lorenz, MD, met a young woman with advanced breast cancer that had spread to her spine, leaving her partially paralyzed. Like 80 percent of cancer patients in the sub-Saharan African nation, she had been diagnosed with the disease at a very late stage. And she had waited two years before seeking treatment.

Patients are often impoverished, so they run the other way when they are faced with cancer. The cost, the fear and other cultural factors are all wrapped up in the reasons patients seek care late and are often lost to follow-up treatment, said Lorenz, MD, chief of the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System-Stanford Palliative Care Program. They may seek advice from an imam or from a pastor or the church. They might ask for prayers for healing, but they seek out nothing else. They may not be able to afford treatment, but they are hoping for the best.

Stanford physicians are hoping to change that outlook for Nigerias cancer patients through an ongoing and wide-ranging collaboration with the countrys ministry of health and doctors at the nations two major university-affiliated hospitals. The effort is spearheaded by Ami Bhatt, MD, PhD, an assistant professor of medicine and of genetics, who is committed to addressing global inequities in cancer care.

Its hard to be faced with people who are very similar to you but have been born into different circumstances and thus cant access the services that you have, Bhatt said. So Ive been driven by a sense of moral and social justice. I feel everyone should have access to the things my loved ones do, and its in my capacity to do something about it.

In Nigeria, the big leap of faith was that I decided I could do something about it, which was probably a bit audacious, but little by little we have been able to bring in more people, Bhatt added. And what you realize is with a relatively small part of your intellectual effort and energy, you can make big changes.

The Stanford clinicians said the collaboration is not a one-way street and that they believe there is a lot they can learn from their Nigerian counterparts.

Part of the dialogue we had is that we have things potentially to learn from them, said Lorenz, who is also a professor of medicine. Theyve managed to provide care with very little resources. We sometimes provide too much care to too many people, using too many resources. They provide the best possible care they can to as many people as they can with very few resources. We need to learn from one another.

High mortality rates

The collaboration began two years ago when Bhatt was approached by colleagues at the Clinton Health Access Initiative and the American Cancer Society who were looking for a partner in their efforts to improve drug access and cancer care in Nigeria, where cancer is prevalent and resources for diagnosis and treatment are severely limited.The antibiotic combination treatment piperacillin-tazobactam was significantly less effective than meropenem when treating potentially fatal bloodstream infections (BSI) caused by ceftriaxone-resistant Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae and should be avoided when treating these organisms, according to research presented at the 28th European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID).

Researchers from the Centre of Clinical Research at the University of Queensland determined whether piperacillin-tazobactam, a penicillin-based combination therapy, was as effective for treating BSI as the commonly used antibiotic meropenem. Their hypothesis was that definitive therapy with piperacillin-tazobactam was non-inferior to meropenem.

While there was no difference between the two groups regarding subsequent infections of drug-resistant bacteria or C. difficile, the difference in mortality rate was significant. Twenty-three patients, or 12.3%, treated with piperacillin-tazobactam died by the 30-day mark compared with seven patients, or 3.7%, who had been treated with meropenem.

"The use of piperacillin-tatobactam as definitive therapy for bloodstream infections caused by E. coli or K. pneumoniae with non-susceptibility to third-generation cephalosporins was inferior to meropenem and should be avoided in this context," presenting author Dr Patrick Harris concluded in his presentation.

During the last 10 years the rate of carbapenem resistance has been increasing exponentially worldwide. Researchers urgently need reliable data from well-designed trials to guide clinicians in the treatment of antibiotic resistant Gram-negative infections. Physicians face a situation where meropenem, which is commonly used for bloodstream infection, is suspected of driving resistance to carbapenem, a highly effective antibiotic agent that is usually reserved for known or suspected difficult-to-treat multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections.

Bloodstream infections carry a high risk for morbidity and mortality. Such infections are common in the hospital setting and they often are difficult to treat because K. pneumoniae and E. coli, the leading cause of BSIs, have developed resistance to cephalosporins, a class of antibiotics originally made from fungi.

The team enrolled adult patients from 32 sites in nine countries - most patients were recruited in Singapore, Australia and Turkey. The study included 378 patients between February 2014 and July 2017. Healthcare-associated infections were the most common, accounting for more than half of the infections in the study group. Most infections, 60.9%, originated in the urinary tract before spreading to the bloodstream. And 86.5% of the cases were caused by the E. coli bacteria.

Harris's team examined the primary outcome for these patients, which was mortality at 30 days after the randomisation. Randomisation occurred within 72 hours of the initial blood culture.

The team also noted secondary outcomes, those consisted of the number of days for each patient to reach the resolution of the infection, the clinical and microbiological success at day four, any relapse of the bloodstream infection or a secondary infection with an organism that was resistant to the trial drugs or Clostridium difficile, which is another type of bacteria that may lead to life-threatening symptoms and is sometimes a side effect of antibiotic treatment.

More information: Abstract no: O1121, The MERINO Trial: piperacillin-tazobactam versus meropenem for the definitive treatment of bloodstream infections caused by third-generation cephalosporin non-susceptible Escherichia coli or Klebsiella spp.: an international multi-centre open-label non-inferiority randomised controlled trial; session Late breaker: Clinical trials, 16:00 - 18:00, Sunday, 22 April 2018, Hall Q

Provided by European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious DiseasesA seven-day course of antibiotic treatment for Gram-negative bacteraemia (GNB), a serious infection that occurs when bacteria get into the bloodstream, was shown to offer similar patient outcomes as a 14-day course, according to research presented at the 28th European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID).

Researchers assessed several primary outcomes, including mortality and whether a patient was readmitted to the hospital or had to remain in hospital longer than 14 days. In the group of 306 patients treated with a seven-day course, 46%, or 141 patients, experienced these primary outcomes. In the group of 298 patients who received the longer treatment course, that figure was 50%, or 149 patients.

The findings of a 604-patient clinical trial presented by Dr Dafna Yahav from Tel Aviv University show that mortality rate and other outcomes are similar in the shorter treatment length. Additionally, the shorter treatment may allow patients to return to their everyday activity faster.

"In patients hospitalized with GNB and sepsis resolution before day seven, a course of seven antibiotic days was not inferior to 14 days, reduced antibiotic days and resulted in a more rapid return to baseline activity," Yahav said. "This could lead to a change in accepted management algorithms and shortened antibiotic therapy. Potentially, though we did not show that in our trial, it may lead to reduced cost, resistance development and adverse events."

GNB is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients. It occurs when bacteria get into the bloodstream as a result of an infection (e.g. a urinary tract infection), surgery or the inappropriate use of medical devices (e.g. catheters). There has been little data available to physicians to assist them in assigning the most beneficial length of antibiotic treatment.

Yahav anticipates that healthcare workers will implement shorter treatment protocols based on these findings. "Shorter therapy had no proven disadvantages. As true for all trials, before physicians use our findings to lead their therapy they should verify that our results are valid for their patients. We included patients that were stable at time of randomization, mostly patients with UTI (68%) and with Enterobacteriaceae as the causative organism (90%)."

Yahav and last author Mical Paul assessed the outcomes for patients admitted to three hospitals in Israel and Italy between January 2013 and August 2017. They analysed 90-day outcomes for 604 patients, 306 patients received a seven-day course of antibiotics and 298 patients received the longer 14-day treatment. Patients with ongoing sepsis or cases where there was an uncontrolled source of infection were excluded from the study.

Additionally, the researchers examined a host of other patient outcomes, such as mortality at 30 and 90 days, whether or not the patient developed secondary infections, if they developed a Clostridium difficile infection that can be common after antibiotic treatment. Yahav's team also noted total number of days patients were treated with antibiotics, remained in hospital, their functional capacity, how long it took them to return to everyday activities, any development of resistance or other negative side effects of treatment.

Thirty-six patients on the shorter treatment course, or 11.8%, had died at the 90-day mark compared with 32 patients, or 10.7%, in the longer treatment group.

In the shorter treatment group, the number of antibiotic days was reduced significantly. Those who were part of the short-term treatment arm were treated a median five days compared with those of the long-term arm, which were treated for a median 12 days. This resulted in a reduction of 1,551 antibiotic days and, Zahav said, had the benefit of allowing patients to return to regular daily activities faster. Patients in the seven-day group were able to return to baseline activities in a range of zero to just over eight weeks. The 14-day group saw a slower return to baseline activities, within a range of one to twelve weeks.

More information: Abstract no: O1120, Seven versus 14 antibiotic days for the treatment of Gram-negative bacteraemia: non-inferiority randomized controlled trial, session Clinical Trials, 16:00 - 18:00, Sunday, 22 April 2018, Hall Q

Provided by European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious DiseasesThanks to the availability of international content at local peering locations like NAPAfrica, Internet service providers are able to offer cheap, fast uncapped fibre services in South Africa.

This is according to Simon Swanepoel, managing director of Directel, which operates fibre-only ISP RocketNet.

Essentially, bandwidth has become free, and service providers need only recover their capital costs  such as links to peering points, and ports on switches.

NAPAfrica has done a great job in canvassing content providers and bringing international peers like Facebook, Google, Cloudflare, and Akamai in, said Swanepoel.

Netflix, YouTube, and other high-bandwidth services also have local content nodes in South Africa.

It is thanks to this explosion of content providers on NAPAfricas local network that new kids on the block like RocketNet can offer uncapped and unshaped services with no fair usage policy.

Swanepoel said around 80% of their total traffic is free  locally peered traffic through NAPAfrica.

It effectively drops our cost on expensive international links into London, where the traditional ISPs used to peer.

The arrival of international content in South African data centres was just one component for prices to come down like they have, said Swanepoel.

Fibre network operators like Vumatel, SADV, Octotel, and Frogfoot have created the demand.

By building large-scale networks into high-density areas, they have contributed to the reduction in price of last-mile connectivity.

Shift from wholesale

Liquid Telecom chief business development officer Willem Marais told MyBroadband they too have seen a shift in the wholesale market.

Customers like Internet service providers are procuring less international private leased circuit (IPLC) capacity and more IP transit.

Most of the ISPs no longer require their own international capacity to peer and to reach content services, said Marais.

They are also seeing a further shift in revenues to metro and last-mile services, away from IPLC.

That said, you still have the big content providers who need international capacity, said Marais.

What you will find is that revenues will remain flat or grow marginally on international capacity. What we will see is an increase in ISPs and businesses taking direct connectivity services into data centres and Internet exchange points.

Marais predicted that we will continue to see a significant increase in the amount of capacity businesses and ISPs take up, allowing the price per Mbps to decline.

This will allow price elasticity to continue, and for users to enjoy higher speeds at the same price, said Marais.

Now read: Fastest ISPs for Netflix in South AfricaAn Air Zimbabwe Airbus A320 has been sitting in South Africa for over three years after it came in for a major service.

According to a report by the Sunday Times, the airline cannot afford to pay for the service  resulting in the plane being stranded.

The plane is reportedly at SAAs workshops at OR Tambo International, with sources telling the newspaper that the service is yet to start.

The Airbus was brought to South Africa as Air Zimbabwe does not have technicians who can service the plane.

The standard service fee is $500,000 (R6 million), stated the report.

New parts for the plane then come to $1.2 million  with a total bill of $1.7 million (R20 million).

Air Zimbabwe spokesman Tafadzwa Mazonde told the Sunday Times that an acute shortage of foreign currency was the cause of the non-payment.

The last time Air Zimbabwe procured spare parts, it did so on a hire-purchase basis with a US supplier. The flag carrier failed to pay, resulting in the aircrafts seizure at Gatwick airport in the UK in 2012, stated the report.

It added that eight of 10 planes at Air Zimbabwe are currently out of service.YEREVAN.  Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan and leader of My Step initiative, MP Nikol Pashinyan are expected to meet in Marriott hotel at 10 am.

The reporters and activists are gathered at Republic Square in downtown Yerevan where the hotel is located. Among them is the head of Gyumri-based Asbarez Journalists Club Levon Barseghyan who was arrested on Saturday, but was later released.

On Saturday evening Pashinyan posted a video on Facebook saying he will meet PM in the morning.

After my yesterday's statement, after today's meeting with Armen Sarkissian, we received confirmation that Serzh Sargsyan is ready to meet and discuss this agenda. I will negotiate with Serzh Sargsyan about the terms of his resignation and transfer of power without shocks tomorrow morning, at 10:00 in Marriott hotel, he saidErdogan shares basketball video after rumors of serious illness

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Newspaper: Reporting, providing fake, false information to Armenia parliament inquiry committees to be criminalized?YEREVAN.  Armenian Prime Minister said opposition leaders intention to discuss his resignation is a blackmail to the state and the authorities.

Starting a meeting with the opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan, Serzh Sargsyan said he was happy that his calls for dialogue were accepted, but he has no idea how they can negotiate in front of press.

In turn, Pashinyan said there was misunderstanding, as his intention was to discuss their agenda, namely resignation of Armenian PM.

I came here to discuss conditions of your resignation and conditions of transferring power, therefore I call not to use dialogue term, said Pashinyan, head of Civil Contract party and leader of My Step initiative.

You do not realize the level of responsibility, you have not learned from the March 1 events, Sargsyan said once again warning Pashinyan of responsibility for further developments.

Mr. Sargsyan, I want to be absolutely clear. No one dares to speak to us a language of threats, and I do say that you do not realize the situation in the republic. The situation is not something that was 10-15 days ago, the situation in the Republic of Armenia has changed, you do not have the authority about which they inform you. The authority is in peoples hands, Pashinyan emphasized.

In turn, Serzh Sargsyan responded that the party having 7-8 percent of votes does not have right to speak on behalf of people. I do not want to continue the conversation, he said before leaving the scene.

Nikol Pashinyan to negotiate with Serzh Sargsyan on April 22

Armenian President arrives at Republic SquareYEREVAN.  Opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan urged to strengthen the protest movement.

His remark came after the meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan in Marriott Hotel on Sunday.

I urge Armenian citizens to continue campaigns of civil disobedience with renewed vigor, and today at 7:00 PM again gather atRepublic Square. You saw that Mr. Sargsyan is inadequate and has no control over the situation, opposition MP said.

During the meeting, Serzh Sargsyan recalled tragic events of March 1, 2008.

This means you did not learn the lesson from March 1, 2008, said Sargsyan.

Pashinyan, in turn, noted that Sargsyan threats have no legal basis, as their protests are peaceful.

I call on the police not to interfere with the freedom of assembly, even if they create certain restrictions, "he said.

Asked how to prevent possible bloodshed, if the demonstration is dispersed with the use of special means, Pashinyan said: Let them not threaten us with bloodshed. Mr. Sargsyan did not learn the lessons of March 1 and I am sure that he will draw lessons in the course of this political process.YEREVAN.  Head of Yelq parliamentary group Nikol Pashinyan, MPs Sasun Mikaelyan and Ararat Mirzoyan were taken away by security forces, Armenia Police said in statement.

MP Nikol Pashinyan continued illegal campaign along Artsakh Street, urging mass disobedience.

The Armenian Police declare that after the decision to end the rally, all actions of the organizers are illegal, and the participants of the rally are obliged to leave the venue of the rally, the statement said.

According to the statement, the opposition MPs Nikol Pashinyan, Ararat Mirzoyan, Sasun Mikaelyan were forcibly taken away from the venue of the rally.

As reported earlier, the protesters reached Artsakh Street where they were met by riot police with truncheons and shields. Nikol Pashinyan was taken by police.

During a meeting with the opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan on Sunday , Serzh Sargsyan said opposition leaders intention to discuss his resignation is a blackmail against the state and the authorities. I do not want to continue the conversation, he said before leaving the scene.

Pashinyan, in his turn, said that the protest actions will continue until Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan resigns.

Police use special means, take Nikol Pashinyan

MPs Sasun Mikaelyan and Ararat Mirzoyan taken away by police (PHOTOS)YEREVAN.  Heritage party urges Armenian citizens and all opposition forces to maintain poise and composure, not to resort to responsive violence, and never ever to surrender, the party said in a statement.

Today, April 22, Serzh Sargsyan, the Republic's de facto prime minister and chairman of the Republican Party of Armenia, an observer member of the European People's Party (EPP), ordered and effected the arrests of members of parliament Nikol Pashinyan, Sasun Mikayelyan and Ararat Mirzoyan, as well as hundreds of rank-and-file citizens who were peacefully protesting for justice in the country and particularly for his resignation.

This violent crackdown on the citizenry (including journalists) of Armenia, which for weeks has been demonstrating across the land in full compliance with the letter and spirit of pacific civil disobedience, constitutes an intentional and flagrant disrespect of Armenia's international obligations and commitments undertaken to the United Nations, OSCE, Council of Europe, and most recently the European Union.

Over the years, the Heritage Party, also an EPP partner, and its members have both spearheaded and taken humble part in the sequential stages of Armenia's quest to become a free, just, sovereign, and rightful member of the family of nations. One stolen election upon the next, graft and corruption, scores of political prisoners, and now the attempt by Mr. Sargsyan and his party to perpetuate his rule through fraudulent constitutional changes have brought the Armenian public to an unprecedented tipping point.

We demand 1) the immediate release of all detained compatriots; 2) the prosecution of all officials responsible for this crime against the Armenian people and all humanity; 3) the resignation of Serzh Sargsyan and appointment of an interim government; and 4) the conduct in short order of extraordinary parliamentary elections of the highest world standard.

The Armenian Cause is not only condemnation of and redemption for the Armenian Genocide or recognition and integrity of the Artsakh Republic. The Armenian Cause, as fountain of rights, means justice at Home.

We urge our fellow citizens and all opposition forces, in unison, to maintain poise and composure, not to resort to responsive violence, and never ever to surrender our struggle for the new Armenia that is bound soon to be born.

Leaders and villains come and go. The Nation, once together, is forever.STEPANAKERT.  Azerbaijani Defense Ministry issued a statement in order to cover up its provocation at the line of contact, the Karabakh Defense Army said in a statement.

Azerbaijani MOD said yesterdays statement about tension at the line of contact that was issued by Karabakh Defense Army was false and targeted at distracting public attention from unrest in Armenia.

This style of work was fully expected and fully complies with the strategy adopted by the military and political leadership of Baku.

In fact, as to the accumulation and movement of adversarys manpower and equipment on the contact line between the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and Azerbaijan, we suggest watching the video without comments, the Karabakh army said.YEREVAN. -- The U.S. Embassy in Armenia strongly encourages police and protesters to adhere to peaceful, legal means for freedom of assembly as provided for by the Armenian constitution, the embassy said in a statement.

We urge the government to show restraint to allow for peaceful protest and we urge those exercising their freedom of assembly to do so responsibly, to avoid violence, and to prevent an escalation of tensions. We are concerned over reports of violence against journalists and demonstrators; we emphasize the need for those responsible for violence against police or demonstrators to be held accountable under the law.

A peaceful resolution requires meaningful political dialogue in good faith, the statement reads.

Police said 228 people have been detained as of 4 pm.

After the meeting of Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan and My Step initiative leader Nikol Pashinyan, police used force against protesters on Artsakh Street in Erebuni districtand detained numerous protesters, including MPs Nikol Pashinyan, Sasun Mikaelyan and Ararat Mirzoyan. It is not clear yet where Nikol Pashinyan is kept. Mikaelyan and Mirzoyan are at Shengavit police station. All three were later arrested.YEREVAN.  In any case, avoid possible clashes with the police, do not respond to violence, My Step movement leader, MP Nikol Pashinyan said in his address to the protesters.

His message was read by MP from Yelq parliamentary group Lena Nazaryan, a member of the Civil Contract party. According to her, Pashinyan said that the fight should continue regardless of his presence.

Do not to stay on the street at night, she said.

The member of the Civil Contract party Ruben Rubinyan noted that the actions of civil disobedience will continue until Serzh Sargsyan steps back. He informed that the actions will start at 08.15 every morning.

If they provoke a clash, do not respond, change the place. Residents of the regions either join the protests in Yerevan, or hold actions at home. We do not forget about strikes, he said.

A short meeting between Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan and MP Nikol Pashinyan was held in Marriott hotel on Sunday morning. In response to Pashinyans intention to discuss conditions of his resignation, Sargsyan accused the politician of blackmail and left the hotel.

Later on police used force against protesters on Artsakh street and detained dozens of people, including MPs Nikol Pashinyan, Ararat Mirzoyan and Sasun Mikaelyan. The whereabouts of Pashinyan are unknown. Mirzoyan and Mikaelyan are at Shengavit police station. All three were later arrested.Home | News | General | 16-year old Nigerian student celebrated in US (photos)

A 16-year old student in the United States who is of Nigerian descent, Oluwatofunmi Oteju, has been celebrated after she was recognised as the Leader of the Year at Augsburg University.

According to Blackboxnigeria, Tofunmi as she is called was recognised at the ceremony held on Sunday, April 8.

READ ALSO: Lazy Nigerian youths comment: Critics inciting young Nigerians against Buhari Lai Mohammed

A freshman at the institution, the 16-year old received the award designed to recognize students who participated in the Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) during 2017 fall semester, was used by the University to celebrate students who demonstrated active involvement in student activities, student governance, and student life at Augsburg during the academic year.

Tofunmi alongside other awardees. Credit: Blackboxnigeria

James Tresland Porter and Angela Bonfigilio who are her international students advisor in their recommendation said the young lady exhibited strong leadership qualities.

In her short time here, despite her age, she has shown extreme maturity and leadership on campus.

The university wrote: She has stepped up this semester to come and welcome the new students and on her own has made sure to reach out to the new students and make them feel at home. She has already shown interest in being a board member next year for ISO and bringing her skills and talents to the group by helping with planning for ISO Banquet.

Tofinmi was recognised for her exceptional leadership skills. Credit: Blackboxnigeria

What has really impressed me about Tofunmi this semester is that she has taken on the task on her own to mentor the new first year students. She has tried to help them feel included on campus, helping them with time management, finding roommates and figuring out how things works.

NAIJ.com had reported that beautiful Nigerian girl Uwade Helen Akhere proved to the world that she is not only beautiful but brilliant after she won 11 scholarships to study in different American Universities.

18-year-old Uwade who is the daughter of a Law Professor at the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo state, Professor Jim Akhere got this after emerging tops in her academic pursuit at the Charlotte Catholic High School.

Her father is also a former Commissioner, in the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria and also the President of the Student Council the prestigious Charlotte Catholic High School Charlotte NC, USA.

Benue IDPs: Education amidst crisis | NAIJ.com TV

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CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: GeneralHome | News | General | Next to be sacked is the Nigerias immigration boss - Senator tells Buhari, reveals reason

- The deputy majority leader of the Senate, Emmanuel Bwacha, wants the head of the countrys immigration sacked

- Bwacha says his demand is because of the influx of armed militia into Nigeria

- He notes that President Buhari had earlier complained about such militia getting into Nigeria from Libya

The representative of Taraba South district at the National Assembly, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, has reportedly called for the sack of the comptroller general of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Muhammad Babandede.

Bwacha said Babandede needed to be sacked over the influx of armed militia from the Maghreb into the country.

READ ALSO: Sanusi reportedly blasts ministers for failing to meet with US investors

The Punch reports that Bwacha, a current deputy Senate minority leader, said this shortly after he inaugurated the rehabilitation of Wukari-Ibi road.

The senator recalled how President Muhammadu Buhari had said those attacking and killing people in Nigeria were trained in Libya by the late leader, Muammar Gaddafi.

We take the last statement of the president in the United Kingdom to mean that he has now seen the reality. All other statements he made on the issue in the past were falsehood from his spin doctors.

Now that he has the true picture of what is happening in Nigeria as far as insecurity is concerned, someone must lose his job if the president wants Nigerians to take him seriously.

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How can the militia from the Maghreb be penetrating our borders? What is the comptroller general of the Nigeria Immigration Service doing and what made our borders so porous to the extent that people are coming into the country to kill Nigerians?

He (immigration boss) must answer these questions, Bwacha queried.

NAIJ.com earlier reported that President Muhammadu Buhari condemned the regime of the late Muammar Gaddafi, former president of Libya, as one that produced violent people whose mission is to foment trouble and kill people indiscriminately.

President Buhari stated this while receiving Louise Mushikiwabo, Rwandan Minister of Foreign Affairs, who came as special envoy of President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, at the State House, Abuja, Tuesday, January 9.

Nigerian youths reply to President Buhari over 'lazy' comment. NAIJ.com TV

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CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: GeneralHome | News | General | Nigerian pastor who borrowed suit to marry as a secondary school drop out, celebrates 12th wedding anniversary

A Nigerian pastor has left many people touched after he shared his love journey with his wife while celebrating their 12th wedding anniversary.

The say love builds a type of hope and courage that will get you feeling you can conquer the world. It makes you to take risks with a subtle guarantee that it will catch you if you eventually fall.

The love story of Edet Effion Eneh and his wife is one that clearly depicts this. From being a school dropout with nothing visible to offer, his wife who was a medical student at that time still went ahead to marry him in his borrowed suit. Theirs is clearly a grass to grace life.

Now blessed with 5 children and a great job in the house of the Lord, Edet took to Facebook to mark their 12th wedding anniversary with a an inspiring message. He wrote: Exactly 12 years ago, against all unimaginable odds, As an undergraduate Medical Student, She agreed to March to the Altar with me to say 'I DO. 'She did not say 'I DO' to PROPERTY. Living in a rented one room sharing latrine toilet with over ten other co-tenants wasnt an appealing abode for a lady.

READ ALSO: Actress Stephanie Okereke showers husband with accolades as they celebrate wedding anniversary

She did not say 'I DO' to FASHION.

I had no good clothes then saved some worn out clothes including the cut and joined Suit that was 'wearing' me on the wedding day. I actually got that suit from my neighbor tailor on the very wedding day. Things were that bad... Very difficult. She didn't say ' I DO' to Academic Qualifications. I was a secondary school dropout struggling to enter the University.

SHE SAID I DO TO PROPHECY.Today, we SEE NOTHING BUT THE GLORY OF GOD. I STAND TO RETURN ALL GLORY TO THE ALMIGHTY GOD FOR PROVING HIMSELF FAITHFUL. MAY HIS NAME BE GLORIFIED. Please join us tommorow Sunday 22nd APRIL as we mark our 12 YEARS WEDDING ANNIVERSARY TO THE GLORY OF GOD.

READ ALSO: Former governor Donald Duke's daughter weds in grandstyle, releases stunning white wedding photos

Edet Effiong Eneh's story is just another proof that with love and God by your side, nothing is impossible to achieve and conquer.

Amazing!

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Would you tell your partner how much you earn monthly? on NAIJ.com TV:

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CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: GeneralHome | News | General | How 22-year-old herdsman allegedly killed his elder brother over missing cow

- A 22 year-old herdsmen in Nasarawa state, Bello Musa, is arrested while treating his injuries at a general hospital

- The suspect confessed to allegedly killing his brother with a machete

- Gunmen kill 5 in fresh attack on Kogi community

A 22-year-old herdsmen in Nasarawa state, Bello Musa, has been arrested for allegedly killing his elder brother, Abdullahi Musa, following a dispute over a missing cattle.

The Sun reports that the arrest was made by the homicide section of the state criminal investigation department of the Nasarawa police command, Lafia.

The police said the dispute between the siblings occurred when they tried to sell one cattle that had strayed and mixed with their own herd while they were grazing their cattle in Akuwate village in Doma local government area.

READ ALSO: Bukola Saraki visits injured sergeant-at-arms officer

Narrating to the police how the killing occurred, the suspect, Bello Musa said: My brother, Abdullahi and myself took our cattle for grazing. Later we discovered that one cattle which was not our own had joined our herd. We were three who made the discovery  Abdullahi, one Ibrahim and myself. Abdullahi and I agreed to sell it. Later he asked me to go and sell it in the market. As I was taking the cattle, it escaped from me. I returned back to tell Abdullahi. He did not believe me.

He accused of selling the cattle N300,000. I tried to explain to him, but he insisted that I sold the cattle for N300,000. My father tried to settle the matter, without success.

Abdullahi said that I must pay N300,000 for the cattle or he would kill me. I challenged him on why he would want to kill me over the cattle that escaped from me. Then he began making phone calls to his friends, telling them I am a liar and that I sold the cattle for N300,000. I became very angry and we started fighting. In the course of the fight, he injured me on my right hand and I cut him with my cutlass on the neck.

After inflicting the neck injury on his brother, Bello reportedly ran to the general hospital in Eleye area to treat his injury.

The observant doctor, who attended to him, became suspicious after listening to the story of how he sustained the injury. He carefully treated him and then made a call to the Eleye police station.

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A team of policemen came to the hospital and arrested him. He was subsequently handed over to the Nasarawa police headquarters where he was detained for further investigation.

The suspect then reportedly confessed to the police that he killed his brother and the said cutlass allegedly used in the killing was reportedly recovered by detectives investigating the case.

The deputy commissioner of police in charge of the state criminal investigation department, Lafia, Yunusa Akira, said while the deceased had since been buried in line with Islamic injunctions, the accused will soon be charged to court.

Meanwhile, the police in Lokoja on Sunday, April 22, confirmed the death of 10 persons when gunmen invaded Kpanche community in Bassa local government area of Kogi state.

The state commissioner of police, Ali Janga, told newsmen that the dead included five residents of the community while five of the armed bandits were killed during a cross fire with security agents.

He said that the bandits invaded the sleepy agrarian community in the early hours of Sunday but they were quickly repelled by a combined team of policemen and soldiers.

Nigerian herdsmen vs Nigerian farmers on NAIJ.com TV

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CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: GeneralHome | News | General | Just in: Nigeria has truly failed - Governor Seriake Dickson reacts to killings across country

The governor of Bayelsa state, Henry Seriake Dickson, said on Sunday, April 22, that the attacks, killings of citizens and destruction of properties across Nigeria by suspected militia and armed herdsmen show the symptoms of a failed state.

A statement by the chief press secretary to the governor, Francis Agbo, said Dickson made the comment at a national prayer conference in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa state.

According to the governor, Nigeria is seriously bleeding and divided more than ever.

READ ALSO: Bukola Saraki visits injured sergeant-at-arms officer

New Telegraph reports that the governor urged Nigerians to unite in prayers and resolve to work together to ensure fairness, justice, equity and equal citizenship.

In this country, Gods children, human beings irrespective of the God they worship are being slaught*red mercilessly, remorselessly in many parts of the country.

Our nation is bleeding, we must unite in prayers and resolve to do what is right and fair. Our nation should be a nation of fairness, justice, equity, equal citizenship and united by common ideals of being the greatest black nation, Dickson reportedly added while calling on the nations leaders to take the responsibility to stop the bloodletting.

According to him, this is the time Nigerians have to intensify prayers for the nation to overcome its challenges.

We are united by our common shared humanity and nationality, so injustice and unfairness anywhere should be a concern to anyone and everyone in our nation.

I join you in praying that the bloodletting, unnecessary killings in our nation under any shape or guise ends in Jesus name.

God should intervene so that people will feel the need to do the right thing, be fair and just to one another, he said.

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The statement added that the chairman and convener of Nigeria Prays, General Yakubu Gowon (retd), stressed the importance of prayers, saying this could help to solve Nigerias problems better and faster than military generals and soldiers could do with physical weapons of war.

Gowon expressed belief that God would honour the collective prayers and intercession for the nation, while also advising people to shun violence and retaliation.

NAIJ.com earlier reported that the police in Lokoja on Sunday, April 22, confirmed the death of 10 persons when gunmen invaded Kpanche community in Bassa local government area of Kogi state.

The state commissioner of police, Ali Janga, told newsmen that the dead included five residents of the community while five of the armed bandits were killed during a cross fire with security agents.

Nigerian youths reply to President Buhari over 'lazy' comment. NAIJ.com TV

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CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: GeneralHome | News | General | Boosting education: Dangote donates N120m worth of secondary school in Lagos

- A new well-equipped secondary school valued at N120m has been donated in Lagos by the Dangote Foundation

- The gesture was part of the foundation's move to boost education in Nigeria

- Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Dangote Group, said he has plans to implement a scholarship programme for less privileged children in the state

The Dangote Foundation said it has donated a well-equipped secondary school in Lagos valued at N120 million as part of its interventionist programme to boost education. The foundation has also offered annual free tuition to 250 indigent pupils.

Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Group, said this at the inauguration and handing over of the school with well-equipped laboratories to Nawair-Ud-Deen Comprehensive College, Idi-Oro, Mushin, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

READ ALSO: I live a simple life - Wamakko denies receiving EFCC invitation

In a statement signed by Tony Chiejina, the head of communications of the group, Dangote said: Aliko Dangote Foundation started in 1993 with the principle of `to whom much is given, much is expected and looking at the less privileged ones among us have compelled the foundation to provide some reliefs.

The four major goals of Aliko Dangote Foundation are education, health and nutrition, economic empowerment and disaster reliefs.

He said his education mission was targeted at reducing the number of out-of-school children, supporting talented and underprivileged young children to achieve their full potential as well as educating girls and women on health-related issues.

Dangote said apart from donating the school building, the foundation would sponsor 250 students whose parents might not be able to afford the yearly school fees.

In addition, he said furniture for both teachers and the students as well as a sound-proof high capacity generator had been provided to ensure constant electricity in the school.

He further stated: I have already authorised my foundation to come up with a strategic plan to implement a scholarship programme for desiring less privileged children in this community.

According to him, over the past five years, the foundation has spent over N4 billion in building of classrooms, scholarships, upgrading infrastructure across the various universities and behavioral change communication programmes targeted at girls and women.

Dangote said: We have just recently inaugurated the Dangote Business School in Kano, the only Business School in Nigeria that is well equipped.

We will also be inaugurating similar projects in University of Ibadan. We have done quite a lot in the education system and we are looking to do more. Investing in the young people to us means we are all working together to build a better Nigeria.

Dangote said in preparing youths to proffer solutions to present challenges, Dangote Academy was established in Kogi to provide specialised training and management skills that would suit the various sectors of the economy.

He pledged continued support to government in its quest to provide quality education to the population toward securing a great future for the country.

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Alhaji Ola Yussuff, the Chairman, Nawair-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Lagos, commended Dangote for the donation and for single-handedly undertaking to construct the college. He said the gesture was in line with Bill Gates recent call for serious commitment to the human capital development in the country and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

He urged other well-meaning Nigerians to emulate Dangote for his intervention in education and health sectors.

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com reported that Dangote had revealed that Nigeria losses N140 billion weekly due to the heavy gridlock on Apapa-Oshodi road.

Talking about this to journalists in Lagos on Tuesday, June 20, Dangote said: The economy loses more than N20 billion daily and N140 billion weekly. It affects businesses across the country.

"All our operations in the hinterland in Ilorin, in Kano are operating at 40 per cent maximum capacity."

Aliko Dangote invites IT billionaire Bill Gates to Nigeria | NAIJ.com TV

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CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: GeneralHome | News | General | Ahead of 2019, Nigerias 70-year-old ambassador to contest for governor of Cross River under APC

- Nya Asuquo, Nigerias 70 years old ambassador to Uganda, says the leadership of Cross River state has failed

- Asuquo says he would support any youth who has programmes better than his own

- He accuses the current government in the state of relying solely on the federal government for survival

Nigerias 70 years old ambassador to Uganda, Nya Asuquo, has reportedly declared his intention to contest the governorship seat of Cross River state in the 2019 election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Punch reports that Ambassador Asuquo, said he wants to contest for the seat because the current leadership in the state had failed.

He added that the state had become less productive as a result of poor governance.

READ ALSO: 16-year old Nigerian student emerges leader of the year in US University (photos)

Asuquo, who is reportedly the head of the Ikot-Offiong clan in the Odukpani local government area, however, said he would support any youth who had a better programme for the state.

I am entering the race because the current leadership has failed. Cross Riverians are seen to be less productive because of visionless leadership that has refused to look for the treasures hidden in their backyards. They have resorted to depending on federal allocation.

If a youthful candidate comes out today with a good programme, I will support him. We have had young people at the helm in the state, he was quoted as saying adding that the current zoning structure, which favours the northern senatorial district, should not be applicable in the 2019 election as he is from the south.

He also alleged that some leaders in the APC were planning to ensure that the governorship and chairmanship slots were handed over to the central senatorial district.

At every time there was a contest for governor, there were contenders from every zone and same thing for chairmanship position. In other words, there was no zoning in the state.

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However, zoning was defeated in APC in the last election. It was said that if the governor is coming from the north, the chairman of the party should come from the south.

But suddenly the drum player in Rivers state gave the governorship to the north and the chairmanship to central. We have been saddled with that problem till date, he said.

NAIJ.com earlier reported that Ben Ayade recently stated that his foreign trips are not self-serving, but in the states best interest.

"Ayade made the comment at the Margaret Ekpo International Airport, Calabar, after arriving from a nearly one month trip to Asia.

Nigerian youths reply to President Buhari over 'lazy' comment. NAIJ.com TV

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CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: GeneralHome | News | General | Sorrow as gunmen kill 5 in fresh attack on Kogi community

- Soldiers kill 5 bandits in Kogi state

- The state commissioner of police, Ali Janga, says unspecified number of vehicles, tricycles, motorcycles and other properties were set ablaze by the bandits

- Governor Bello sets up panel to investigate herdsmen killing in Kogi

The police in Lokoja on Sunday, April 22, confirmed the death of 10 persons when gunmen invaded Kpanche community in Bassa local government area of Kogi state.

The state commissioner of police, Ali Janga, told newsmen that the dead included five residents of the community while five of the armed bandits were killed during a cross fire with security agents.

READ ALSO: Sanusi reportedly blasts ministers for failing to meet with US investors

He said that the bandits invaded the sleepy agrarian community in the early hours of Sunday but they were quickly repelled by a combined team of policemen and soldiers.

Yes, five lives were lost in the village but operatives of the police mobile force and soldiers repelled them and succeeded in killing five bandits and recovered some weapons.

So far, normalcy has been restored in the area, Janga said in response to a message sent to him on the incident.

According to him, five houses and unspecified number of vehicles, tricycles, motorcycles and other properties were set ablaze by the bandits.

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He said that security agents would remain on ground in Kpanche while full investigation into the incident had commenced.

Meanwhile, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, the governor of Kogi on Tuesday, April 17, set up a judicial commission of inquiry to look into the suspected herdsmen attacks in the Ogane-Nigwu, Ojuwo-Ajimadi and Agbenema-Ife areas of the state.

The committee, which comprise fourteen men, is to determine the immediate and remote causes of the crisis in the affected communities, identify individuals or group of persons responsible for the mayhem.

The committee was also to ascertain the extent of damage done to lives and properties in the incidents and make recommendations for the restoration of peace and order as well as finding ways of preventing a repeat of such occurrences.

Nigerian herdsmen vs Nigerian farmers on NAIJ.com TV

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CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: GeneralHome | News | General | Alleged N5.7bn SURE-P Fraud: Im ready for trialEx-Gov Shema

as court rules on his motion to reclaim 13 seized properties

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

ABUJA  Former Governor of Katsina State, Ibrahim Shema, has declared his preparedeness to appear in court to defend fresh charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, preferred against him over alleged diversion of N5.7billion Subsidy Re-Investment and Empowerment Programme, SURE-P, fund. Ex Gov Ibrahim Shema

The former governor, via a statement that was signed by his media aide, Mr. Oluwabusola Olawale, said he was not afraid of a just, transparent and fair trial.

Shema who is billed to enter his plea before a Katsina State High Court on Monday, accused his successor in office, Governor Aminu Bello Masari of masterminding and sponsoring his trial.

He said: Our position remains the same since Governor Aminu Bello Masari started his persecution, intimidation and harassment of former Governor Ibrahim Shehu Shema, by setting up over 30 different Committees to probe Shema administration and granted over 200 media interviews to call him a thief and continue to sponsors media trial against him.

He also set up Commission of Inquiry, sponsor petitions to EFCC and ICPC, using Katsina State Attorney General Fiat to take Shema before Justice Maikaita Bako of Katsina State High Court while at the same time obtaining Fiat from the Attorney General of the Federation, curiously to take over Corruption case from ICPC before the same Justice Maikaita Bako to satisfy the interest of Governor Masari and his Co travellers.

He alleged that the state government influenced EFCC to take him before Justice Gabriel Kolawole of Federal High Court in Abuja over a subject matter that was pending before another court, saying he was about to be docked before Justice Babagana Ahmed of the Federal High Court in Katsina over same issues and allegations.

Former Governor Ibrahim Shehu Shema stands by his position that he is ready to defend himself in fair and just trial and therefore urging Nigerians and International Communities to read between the lines what is the motive of Governor Aminu Bello Masari who is behind trial of Shema for this desperation.

And with the fresh suit before Justice Babagana Ahmed of Federal High Court Katsina, we urge Nigerians and International Communities to monitor closely the planned arraignment of Shema on the slated date to understand the motive and agenda of the fresh suit.

We insist that Former Governor Ibrahim Shehu Shema is innocent and demands for transparent, fair and just trail based on the rule of law with the absolute belief that the God we worship is a just God who abhors injustice, the statement read.

Meanwhile, Justice Kolawole will on Monday, rule on an application Shema who is already being prosecuted on 22 counts of corruption and financial crimes, filed to reclaim his 13 properties that were seized by the EFCC.

The court had on an application by the anti-graft agency, ordered an interim forfeiture of the properties.

However, Shema, through his team of lawyers, filed a motion before the court seeking an order setting aside the interim forfeiture order made on November 1.

He contended in the motion that the properties were legitimately acquired, adding that the ex parte application through which EFCC obtained the interim forfeiture order was a brazen attempt to acquire his properties in the absence of a conviction.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: GeneralHome | News | General | UNDP GEF-SGP, NCF helping community forests to achieve REDD+ goals

say who can better manage the forest than those living in it?

By Kingsley Adegboye

Community forest contributes to the sustainable livelihoods of millions of rural people living in developing nations. Thus community involvement has the potential to improve the effectiveness, efficiency and provide more co-benefits from REDD+ project.

The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), through support from the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and Global Environment Facility, Small Grant Programme (GEF- SGP) is re-defining forest management, conservation of landscape and rural livelihoods in selected forest-edge communities (Ebok, Kabakken and Ebranta) in Boje, Boki Local Government Area of Cross Rivers State.

In 2017, NCF, with the support of GEF-SGP set up the Community-Based REDD+ programme (CBR+) to promote activities that boost poverty eradication, promotion of improved crop varieties and yields, gender empowerment, biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Through this funding, Ebok, Kabakken and Ebranta communities cultivated two acres of land respectively with improved cassava stem cuttings, set-up cassava processing mills, cultivation and domestication of Afang Gnetum africanum by community members and harvesting of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs)  bush mango Irvingia gabonensis as part of efforts to reduce forest loss through improved agricultural practices.

Proceeds of the harvest were shared among women and youth in the communities to supplement their income. In addition to the cassava, vegetable and NTFPs cultivation, the three communities commenced the cultivation of cocoayam on two acres each using improved farming methods and multiplication of planting materials (mini-set technology). In order to restore and cope with the impact of landslide-affected community forests, 4,000 tree seedlings raised by the beneficiary communities were planted to restore degraded forests.

To prevent hunting of animals in the wild, poultry (turkey) and snail farms were established in the three communities to enhance food security.

The estimated beneficiaries are 36 households comprising about 250 individuals and their income levels have improved by 10%. 15 forest eco-guards made up of 5 representatives from each community has been established. These eco-guards along with the Community Council of Chiefs make up the natural resources governance committee.

Mr. Tony Attah, the facilitator for community forest bye-laws at the training applauded NCF for the laudable strides made and called on the people to take full advantage of the opportunities that the CBR+ project presents. He also expressed his hope that the initiative could be expanded in the near future.

Part of the trainings focused on forest laws, ownership (government, private and local), delineation of forest boundaries, designing clear rules for access to forests resources and provision for monitoring and sanctioning violators, recognition of the rights of the community to help achieve improved forest outcomes.

Cross River State has over 50% of the forest cover in Nigeria. Akamkpa, Etung and Boki comprise the largest share of this forest cover.

CBR+ is a partnership between the UN-REDD Programme and the GEF Small Grants Programme to deliver grants directly to indigenous peoples and communities to empower them to fully engage in the design, implementation and monitoring of REDD+ readiness activities, and develop experiences, lessons, and recommendations at the local level that can feed into national REDD+ processes.

CBR+ supports community-based projects that complement UN-REDD National Programmes, national REDD+ readiness processes and strategies. Currently in its pilot phase, CBR+ is being implemented in six countries: Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Panama, Paraguay, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Nigeria.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: GeneralHome | News | General | Stop Dancing, Obi begs Nigerians

The former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi has called on Nigerians, especially those in authority to stop behaving like Emperor Nero, whom he said history told us was fiddling while Rome was burning. Obi spoke yesterday at the centenary celebration of Christ the King Parish Aba and the 57th annual Diocesan Synod of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Umuahia.

Explaining, Obi said that as Nigeria was today, the debt of 70 billion Dollars had been accumulated after 10 years the debt of Nigeria was totally written off. He also said that Nigeria had 10 million out of school children, thus breeding future disillusioned citizens that would become militants, kidnappers or members of Boko Haram in future.

The former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi (left) with the Methodist Archbishop of Umuahia, His Grace, Dr. Raphael Opoko (right) at the 57th annual Diocesan Synod of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Umuahia, yesterday.

Obi also said that while things were becoming increasingly difficult in the country, that those in authority, totally alienated from the people keep doubling the cost of governance rather than reducing it. Obi who also advised the Church to stop honouring those that manifestly contributed to the problems in the country, submitted that a country bedeviled by such hiccups should be at work on how to repair the damage rather than be dancing.

Obi who spoke amidst applause, advised Ministers of God to call those in authority doing badly and correct them after which, failing to heed the advise, they should admonish them from the pulpit. He said all hands must be in deck in the business of retrieving the country from those that have hijacked it.

In his speech, the Methodist Archbishop of Umuahia, His Grace, Dr. Raphael Opoko, who said he was instrumental to how Obi re-built Onitsha when he was there as Bishop, said that Nigerians need a crop of leaders like Obi to carry out reconstructive surgery on the country and make her healthy again.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: GeneralHome | News | General | No PVC, No Salary in Imo  Rochas Okorocha

Governor of Imo State , Rochas Okorocha made a new disclosure while addressing newsmen in Owerri on Saturday. According to him, in order to take part in various activities in Imo State, including receipt of salaries, civil servants must get their PVC .

Governor Rochas Okorocha who noted that many people in the state are not concerned about getting their voters card, stated that residents of the state will not be able to participate in socio-economic activities such as payment of salaries and getting admission into schools without the PVC.

On the I-dont-care-attitude of people of the state towards the collection of their PVCs, Rochas Okorocha said;

The government is going to initiate the policy of operation-show-your-PVC before you can enter the market to buy or sell and before you can do business or get anything from the government, and before your child can be admitted into schools. .

.

Even before workers receive their salaries from the government, they must show their PVC. We cannot allow the I-dont-care-attitude of our people towards the exercise to continue unchecked.

This is coming few hours after we reported that a Nigerian man, took to Twitter to disclose that he disqualified 3 job seekers for not having voters card.

On the voters card incident, @olagladstone tweeted;

I helped a friend to conduct interviews for staffing in her office yesterday, 9 candidates were in attendance. I disqualified 3 of them who claimed not to have PVC automatically. That makes my job easy. It begins from there, extending to Mechanic, Electrician etc.

If you dont care how decisions are made in your country, which has a direct effect on your future, I wonder if you would care what happens to an organisation you just work for. Their side was clear, they simply said Nig does not worth it. I wont take that from anyone.

I keep saying it, those who voted for candidates who cannot simply attend a national debate had done this country more evil than those they voted for. GEJ used the same statistics available to PMB, and in this video, he established the difference btw UNDERSTANDING and CLUELESS.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: GeneralHome | News | General | I remain a card-carrying member of APC - Lam-Adesina insists

- Lam-Adesina urges those insinuating a possible division in the Oyo state chapter of the APC before 2019 to forget about it

- He describes his relationship with the Tinubus political dynasty as very cordial

- The national chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus, says the APC has failed to fulfil any of the promises it made in 2015

A member of the House of Representatives, Dapo Lam-Adesina, has denied speculation that he is planning to defect from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to Alliance for Democracy (AD).

Lam-Adesina, made this known to newsmen on the sideline of a fund raising programme organised by the Old Students Association of Baptist Secondary School, Oke-Ado in Ibadan.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that there was wide speculation of possible defection of a group loyal to his late father, former Governor Lam Adesina from the APC.

READ ALSO: Breaking : Herdsmen mount road block, kill unsuspecting traveller in Benue

NAN reports that Dapo was a former commissioner in the state during the first term of Governor Abiola Ajimobi.

I remain a card-carrying member of APC under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari and the great Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. We are core progressives in my family.

I was born into a progressive family and we dont leave a house that we built for anyone, he said.

The lawmaker, who stated that the party was fully prepared for the 2019 general election at all levels, said the APC remained the party to beat.

Lam-Adesina urged those insinuating a possible division in the Oyo state chapter of the party before 2019 to forget about it, adding the party was united as ever.

I dont think there is any form of marginalisation in the party and if there is any, it will soon be resolved.

There is always a time to resolve issues in politics. We are going to the congress and the owners of the party will emerge, he said.

He described his relationship with the Tinubus political dynasty as very cordial, saying he enjoyed a father-son relationship with the Tinubu family.

The lawmaker said that he was handed over to the Tinubu on the death of his father, adding the relationship surpassed politics.

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Lam-Adesina, who recently inaugurated several projects across his constituency, said he was not yet satisfied with his achievements.

He said that he was not thinking about 2019, but how to do more for his constituents.

I have always been much interested in the welfare of the masses right from my school days. In my department then, I inaugurated a lot of projects that I financed.

I am not thinking about tomorrow, but projects to execute for the benefit of my people.

When I finish that, the people will decide themselves.

Meanwhile, the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has said no amount of intimidation will stop the party from defeating the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2019 elections.

Secondus made the statement on Saturday, April 21, in Asaba, the Delta state capital at the endorsement of Governor Okowa as the sole candidate of Anioma nation for the 2019 governorship election in the state.

He said the ruling party had failed to fulfil any of the promises it made in 2015 which made Nigerians to vote for President Muhammadu Buhari, the Sun reports.

APC official tells why his party could be voted out in 2019 on NAIJ.com TV

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Source: Naija.ng

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: GeneralHome | News | General | BREAKING NEWS: Miracle wins BBNaija 2018

After more than 12 weeks of entertaining events, Big Brother Naija finally comes to an end on Sunday, 22 April 2018.

From 20 contestants, only five remain in the house. These 5 are Miracle, Tobi, Alex, Nina and Cee-C and after a week of intense campaigning, the winner will be announced in a few hours.

As expected, NAIJ.com is on ground to bring you live updates straight from the house in South Africa. Stay tuned!

9:05: Miracle wins BBNaija 2018!!! He goes home with N45million worth of prizes. He won N1m in the Payporte games and N200K meaning he has N46.2m.

9:04: Miracle wins the Payporte games. Ebuka also reveals a total of 170million votes were casted in this year's BBNaija and 30million votes came in in the last week!

8:58: "I cant blame myself when i have issues with other people" Cee-C reveals as her most interesting moments come on screen.

8:55: As Miracle and Cee-C make their way onto the stage, a montage of Miracle's best moments plays.

8:48: OBO Davido makes his way back to the stage. This time he is performing Fall.

8:44: Thank you Big Brother! Ebuka turns off the final light in the BBNaija house as Miracle and Cee-C make their way to the stage.

8:42: As Ebuka slowly takes the housemates on a tour of the house, Miracle reveals he needs to pee!!!! Tension perhaps.

8:39: Kaffy is back again giving fans the latest shaku shaku dance style.

8:37: Team Cee-C and Miracle reveal their candidate will win BBNaija.

8:29: Tobi reveals she and Cee-C may become friends outside the house. He explains he has genuine feelings for Alex. Reveals he will slide in if Leo and Alex are not cool.

8:27: Dice Ailes takes the stage performing his hit track Otedola.

8: 23: Loud noises detected as Tobi evicted. The final two are Cee-C and Miracle.

8:18: Davido hits the stage one more time. This time performing his hit song Like Dat. OBO also gave out his t shirt and shoes.

8:13: Ebuka who has switched outfits asks if Alex and Tobi are friends with benefits, she says no. Reveals she and Leo can continue their relationship that is if he calls her first. She also explains she wrote Cee-C the apology letter because she doesn't want to hold things in her heart.

8:12: DJ Xclusive reveals he would love to work with the housemates who are musicians. He mentions he will like Bisola to sing the hook of that song.

8:10: Chatting with Bisola, fans of Alex reveal she will be fine and she gave them value for their money.

8:06: Alex has been evicted making her the last housemate to be evicted in this year's show. This leaves Tobi, Miracle and Cee-C as the final three housemates.

7:54: Ebuka introduces a montage of the most interesting moments of this year's show (Including his own killer outfits!).

7:50: Kaffy hits the stage with her amazing dancers.

7:46: Evicted housemates reveal who they want to win.

7:45: Nina reveals Alex or Miracle will win.

7:42: Nina makes her way to the stage. She reveals her relationship with Miracle continues. Reveals she is going to finish her education.

7:38: Legbegbe crooner Mr Real is performing on stage to the delight of fans.

7:37: Rico Swavey asks fans to stay tuned for more music from him.

7:34: Bisola chats with the former housemates, asks BamBam if she and Teddy A are official. She asks fans to watch this space. Lolu reveals he and Anto are not official yet.

7:30: Nina is the first housemate to be evicted!

7:28: Evicted housemates send in their messages!

7:26: Family members of the final five send them greetings.

7:25: Alex reveals when it comes to love, she should not be believed. Reveals she really likes Leo.

7:23: Tobi debunks rumours that he is a gossip, says he only discusses with his friends in the house. Said everything he talks about behind anyone, he says it in front of the person.

7:22: Ebuka asks Nina if she hid behind Miracle. She answers NO saying he taught her how to control her bad mouth.

7:20: Ebuka makes his way into the house as Biggie congratulates the final five for making it this far.

7:13: Ebuka announces that the winner goes home with N25million, a trip for two to an exotic location, an SUV worth N12m, electronics worth N3.3million. WOW!

7:12: Recap of evicted housemates Lolu and Anto's return to the country

7:09: Recap of last week's eviction currently showing

7:02: Davido hits the stage in South Africa.

7:00: Evicted housemates, Koko, K.Brule, Rico Swavey, Bitto, Vandora, BamBam, Teddy A, Dee One, Ifu Ennada spotted as the show kicks off.

6:55: Tekno hits the stage

6:45: Bisola to host the live eviction show in Lagos while Ebuka holds the fort in South Africa.

6:42: Davido visits the housemates before live show starts. Expresses his admiration for all of them.

6:40: BBNaija couple and evicted housemates Lolu and Anto seen hanging out together

6:38: Bassey, Debie Rise, housemates from BBNaija 2017 hit the stage doling out their own songs.

6:36: Housemates from BBNaija 2017 are also in the building. Kemen, Gifty, Marvis, Bassey, Debie Rise, Uriel, TBoss, Efe spotted

6:35: Team Nina, Tobi, Alex, Miracle, Cee-C all duly represented. So far, Team Tobi seem to be making the loudest noise.

6:30 - Fans of each final housemate start arriving to the venue of the live screening.

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BBNaija 2018: Heres why you should vote for Miracle, Alex and Tobi | Naij.com TV

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Source: Naija.ng

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: GeneralHome | News | General | Breaking: Suspected herdsmen block road, allegedly kill traveller in Benue

- Some suspected herdsmen have reportedly killed a man in Benue

- An unnamed source informed newsmen that the victim, Mtserikyaa Hiimo, unknowingly ran to a road block created by the herdsmen

- The source said the roadblock was mounted around Iorza and Jootar along Anyiin-Gbeji road in Logo local government area of the state

Suspected herdsmen, on Saturday, April 22, allegedly shot dead one Mtserikyaa Hiimo between Iorza and Jootar along Anyiin-Gbeji road in Logo local government of Benue state.

Newsmen gathered from an unnamed source that the victim unknowingly ran to a road block mounted by armed herdsmen on the axis of the town. The source said: We have been having cases of herdsmen coming out in their numbers and mounting roadblocks in communities around Logo local government area, the Vanguard reports.

READ ALSO: 70-year-old Nigerias ambassador joins Cross River governorship race on the platform of APC

They do it intermittently and kill unsuspecting victims and nobody knows where and when they would undertake the mission, but that notwithstanding, we have been consciously going about our daily activities."

Unfortunately, on Saturday evening the victim was coming in his car from Gbaji when he ran into the road block at Jootar on Anyiin-Gbeji road.

From what we gathered, the assailants who were dressed in military fatigue stopped their victim on that road and shot him severally after which they fled.

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The gunshot from the assailants attracted the locals who ran to the seen only to discover the victim dead in his own pool of blood but his killers were seen fleeing into the bush.

The matter was reported to the Police at Anyiin but his remains have been taken to the mortuary at Ugba the local government headquarters."

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com reported that Troops of 72 Special Forces Battalion on Monday, April 16, on Operation MESA at Yogbo in Guma local government area of Benue state encountered about 20 militia herdsmen at Teguma village while on patrol.

According to a statement sent to NAIJ.com by the director army public relations, Brigadier-General Texas Chukwu, four of the militia herdsmen were neutralized during the encounter while others fled following superior gun power.

TY Danjuma, Nigerian army and the herdsmen crisis | NAIJ.com TV

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Source: Naija.ng

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: GeneralHome | News | General | 4,765 Nigerian medical doctors currently working in the United Kingdom alone - Anyaoku

- Emeka Anyaoku says it is lamentable that Nigeria is categorized with war-torn countries lacking in healthcare facilities

- Anyaoku reveals that many medical doctors in Nigeria are leaving the country to work in better equipped hospitals abroad

- He recalls that after Independence, Nigeria was rated as the fourth in healthcare delivery, but this is no longer the case

Emeka Anyaoku, an elder statesman and third secretary-general, of the Commonwealth, has disclosed that over 4,765 doctors in the UK constituting 1.7 percent of the total workforce in the countrys medical sector are Nigerians.

The Nigerian Tribune reports that Anyaoku made the disclosure during the celebration of the 110th anniversary of the Iyi-Enu Mission Hospital and the launching of an ultramodern Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in Ogidi, Idemili North local government area of Anambra state.

Anyaoku said the hospital has been no exception from the general decline of institutions throughout the country.

READ ALSO: Buhari is not a bad product, I rescued Fayose and brought him to my house at 1am - Kalu reveals

People of my age (85), feel nostalgia for the old days in the early years of our countrys Independence. During that period, especially in the 1960s and 1970s, the Commonwealth ranked Nigeria fourth in the hierarchy of health sector efficiency countries.

In fact, at that time, ours was a country that itself was attracting medical tourism on account of the quality of the services offered by the University Teaching Hospital, Ibadan.

But today, it is lamentable that the federal governments endorsement of the world Health Organization ( WHO), recommendation that 13 percent of the national budget should be allocated to the health sector, as well as the African Unions Abuja declaration in 2001 that 15 percent of the national budget should be allocated to the health sector, only a paltry sum of between about 3.4 percent and 5.6 percent is allocated, he said.

The report added that Anyaoku said the result of this ridiculously low budgetary allocation to the health sector over the years, combined with what is most times referred to as the Nigerian factor, had been that the nation is assailed with ill-equipped hospitals that have very low grade facilities.

Indeed, most of our hospitals have been reduced to mere consulting clinics. Recently, we had a big shock to the national psyche when it was revealed that even the Aso Rock clinic that attends to the nations highest political leaders and their families was completely lacking in basic facilities like dr* gs and even syringes.

It is, therefore no surprise that when he visited Nigeria recently, Bill Gates, the chairman of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, in criticising Nigeria for spending relatively far too little on the development of its human capital, pointed to the nations health sector alongside the education sector as some of the most neglected," Anyaoku lamented.

He said Nigeria is mentioned as having the worst maternal mortality rate in the league of countries that have experienced long periods of devastating civil wars, and have no comparable human and materials resources like Nigeria.

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Yet, Nigerias dismal record and bad reputation in the health sector cannot come to anybody as a surprise, not when highly qualified Nigerian doctors are voting with their feet, fleeing and abandoning the country in droves to work abroad, he said.

Anyaoku commended the authority of Iyi-Enu Hospital under the leadership of the bishop on the Niger, Rt Rev Owen Nwokolo, for accepting the challenge of restoring the medical facility to its past glory.

NAIJ.com earlier reported that three hundred Nigerian doctors left the country in 2016, the national president, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Prof Mike Ogirima, revealed recently.

He said more doctors have joined the migration train this year. He did not give any statistics, although NAN learnt that 500 doctors sat for qualifying foreign medical exams to move out.

What does Nigeria need right now? (Nigerian Street Interview) | NAIJ.com TV

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Source: Naija.ng

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: GeneralHome | News | General | See late Gani Fawehinmis 44-feet statue as family endorses Ambode for second term (photos)

- The 44-feet statue was unveiled at the Liberty Park in Ojota to commemorate Gani Fawehinmi's 80th posthumous birthday

- Governor Ambode says the late Gani Fawehinmi will continue to remain a hero for some Nigerians

- Family members of the late Fawehinmi commend Ambode for his development efforts in Lagos state

The governor of Lagos state, Akinwunmi Ambode, on Sunday, April 22, unveiled a new statue of the late legal luminary, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, at the Liberty Park in Ojota, saying that the 44-feet edifice symbolises the phenomenon that the rights activist represented in his life time.

NAIJ.com reports that the statue was unveiled in commemoration of the 80th posthumous birthday of the late icon.

Ambode described the edifice as an affirmation of his administrations commitment to celebrate personalities whose action have helped to define the fortune and spirit of Lagos State positively over the years.

Family and government officials with the statue. Credit: Lagos Press

Eulogizing the relevance of the personal sacrifices made by Chief Gani Fawehinmi in leading the struggle for attainment of human rights and dignity especially during the military regimes which dehumanized many Nigerians, Governor Ambode said the late human rights activist would continue to remain a hero and role model for many till date.

READ ALSO: Buhari is not a bad product, I rescued Fayose and brought him to my house at 1am - Kalu reveals

We celebrate the invaluable contribution and personal sacrifices of Chief Gani Fawehinmi in the campaign for human rights and dignity, especially in Lagos State where he spent the greater part of his life.

Chief Gani Fawehinmi loomed large in the minds of the people, especially the underprivileged and vulnerable masses for whom he was ready to lay down his life.

"In the hallowed corridors of the law courts where he fought many battles, he was revered as a titan. Also his acts of philanthropy were borderless. He remains a hero and role model to many till date, Governor Ambode said.

Ambode, who was represented by the deputy governor, Oluranti Adebule, also seized the occasion to reiterate the commitment of his administration towards advancing human rights and upholding of social justice at all time, adding that his administration would continue to draw inspiration from Chief Gani Fawehinmis struggles and ideals in its quest to make life meaningful for Lagosians.

Some civil rights group members with the statue. Credit: Lagos Press

Although Chief Gani Fawehinmi is no longer in our midst; like all great men, he lives on in our hearts and memories.

"We will continue to keep his ideals alive and pass it on to the next generation. He will continue to inspire us as we forge ahead with the mission of building a better society. This monument stands as a testimony of his strength and courage," he said.

In his response on behalf the family, the son of the late activist, Mohammed Fawehinmi, thanked the state government and Governor Ambode, saying that apart from being a befitting representation to the legacies of their patriarch, the statue would place their fathers name on the global map.

I am totally overwhelmed. I want to say a big thank you to Lagos state government and another very big massive thank you to Governor Ambode. In all honesty, he is the man I least expected this to come from.

We understood when former Governor Fashola started this with a smaller statue and we were all glad that at least he remembered our mentor, our father, our leader in the human rights struggle and senior advocate of the masses.

"But now seeing this, I now started to say to myself that Governor Ambode has placed the name Gani Fawehinmi on a global map, Mohammed said.

Mohammed described Ambode as a very reputable accountant and one of the most outstanding Governors in Nigeria, adding that the governor was the first in the history of Nigeria to do something such gigantic and that the statue would enter the Guinness Book of Records.

Mohammed, who alluded to the massive infrastructural renewal and efforts to make Lagos rank among top global cities, also announced the decision of the Fawehinmi family to endorse Governor Ambode for a second term in office to continue the good works across the state.

We hereby endorse Governor Ambode for second term in office to continue the good works in the state, Mohammed said.

Also speaking, Femi Falana, a senior lawyer, described the statue as one of the best in the country. He thanked the state government for honouring Fawehinmi with such imposing edifice.

The monument we are unveiling today is one of the best in the country and it has to be so. We want to thank the Lagos state government for the investment in this edifice.

"We can assure you that many Nigerians or anybody who enters Lagos through this road will want to find out who is here and every day we are going to teach lessons about Gani Fawehinmi.

Gani Fawehinmi's statue at Ojota. Credit: Lagos Press

We thank the Lagos state government for rebuilding this statue. We were wondering when the former one was collapsing but we are sure this one can never collapse. It is very solid and very strong, Falana said.

On his part, National Secretary of National Conscience Party (NCP), Comrade Ayodele Akele, said the edifice was a wonderful 80th posthumous birthday gift to the family and associates of the late activist.

Akele, who spoke on behalf of the NCP, a party founded by late Fawehinmi, specially thanked the state government and Governor Ambode, saying that the government deserved to be commended.

I am totally flabbergasted by this wonderful edifice in honour of my icon, in honour of my mentor, late Chief Gani Fawehinmi. For me, this is a wonderful memory of late Chief Fawehinmi.

This would be auspicious gift to the posthumous 80th birthday of our mentor and this is wonderful.

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"For doing this to the memory of Chief Gani Fawehinmi, my humble self, National Conscience Party (NCP) and all its associates across the world say a big thank you to the Lagos state government and particularly Governor Ambode, Akele said.

On his part, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) represented by the deputy national president, Comrade Issa Aremu, also appreciated the state government for the statue, saying it was well deserved.

We appreciate the Lagos state government ably led by Governor Ambode for the honour done to our mentor, our leader, late Chief Gani Fawehinmi. For us to identify with this occasion is a total commitment because when the late chief was alive, he was with us totally.

Gani Fawehinmi's family with Lagos government officials. Credit: Lagos Press

"He was there on the streets joining our protests and several times when we were being harassed with black market injunctions, Chief Fawehinmi was always there to defend us, Aremu said.

Speaking at the event, the president of Women Arise, Joe Okei-Odumakin, commended the state government, saying that the legacies of the late Fawehinmi would continue to be remembered.

We are gathered here today at the statue of a great life wire of the human rights and pro-democracy movement. I want to specially thank the Lagos state government. I know that Gani Fawehinmi continue to live in the unconsciousness of the people, she said.

Nigerian youths reply to President Buhari over 'lazy' comment. NAIJ.com TV

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CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: GeneralHome | News | General | Killings in the country have become worrisome - Yakubu Gowon declares

- Former head of state, General Yakubu Gowon, says the activities of militant groups like Boko Haram and herdsmen are of serious concern to citizens

- He says the countrys leaders were having sleepless nights over the acts of brutality and wickedness across the country

- Governor Dickson reacts to killings across country

Former head of state, General Yakubu Gowon, has described as worrisome the widespread security challenges and killings in the country.

Gowon, who attended a special prayer summit in Yenagoa, said that he had prayed and hoped at the end of the Nigerian Civil War that the country would not go through that path again.

He spoke with journalists shortly after a special church service in Yenagoa on Sunday, April 22, The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

READ ALSO: Bukola Saraki visits injured sergeant-at-arms officer

Gowon, chairman and convener of Nigeria Prays, said the activities of militant groups, the Boko Haram and the killings perpetrated by the so called Fulani herdsmen were of serious concern to the leaders, elders and indeed, the citizens.

He explained that the countrys leaders were having sleepless nights over the acts of brutality and wickedness across the country.

Gowon called on Nigerians to give the requisite support to those in leadership positions in the bid to address the emergent security challenges in the country.

This is worrisome. When I recall the end of the civil war, I had hoped and prayed that Nigeria would never go through the same experience again.

This was what I prayed for and you can see how worrying it is.

All these spate of crises: Is it the militants, is it the Boko Haram, is it the so called Fulani herdsmen?

All sorts of things that are happening. Mans inhumanity to man, that is happening through out the length and breath of Nigeria.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app

Sadly, it is worrying to all Nigerians, and this is what all of us who are in leadership positions, your governor, and his assistants as well as all the governors throughout the country.

All of us who are leaders are concerned about it, and always aim for whatever we can do to put it under control.

But it is not only the leaders that can do it. They need the press and support of the people so that they can deal with the problem together.

And this is our prayer, prayer for the everyone in Nigeria and all Nigerians wherever they are. We hope for greater peace than what we have for now, Gowon said.

Meanwhile, the governor of Bayelsa state, Henry Seriake Dickson, said on Sunday, April 22, that the attacks, killings of citizens and destruction of properties across Nigeria by suspected militia and armed herdsmen show the symptoms of a failed state.

A statement by the chief press secretary to the governor, Francis Agbo, said Dickson made the comment at a national prayer conference in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa state.

According to the governor, Nigeria is seriously bleeding and divided more than ever.

New Telegraph reports that the governor urged Nigerians to unite in prayers and resolve to work together to ensure fairness, justice, equity and equal citizenship.

Nigerian herdsmen vs Nigerian farmers on NAIJ.com TV

[embedded content]

Source: Naija.ng

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: GeneralHome | News | General | Update: Saraki, Ekweremadu visit female Sergeant-at-Arms injured by invaders of senate chambers

By Henry Umoru

ABUJA- SENATE President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, Sunay visited a female Sergeant-At-Arms, Mrs. Sandra Davou who was on Wednesday injured when she and her colleagues struggled to stop thugs who invaded the Senate and stole its Mace.

In a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Senate President, Sanni Onogu, Saraki visited Mrs. Davou who lives in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and presently recuperating after she was treated and discharged from the hospital.

Saraki who was accompanied on the visit by his Deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu; Senator Isa Hamma Misau and Senator Baba Kaka Garbai, commended Mrs. Davou and her colleagues who had put up a spirited fight to prevent the invaders from gaining access to the Senate Chambers.

He also commended his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu and all his colleagues who successfully took charge and safeguarded the National Assembly and the nations democracy, adding that the visit was meant to thank and show appreciation to Mrs Davou and her colleagues for their hard work, commitment and courage.

Answering questions from reporters during the visit, Saraki who was away in Washington on official assignment at the time the incident occurred, said: I was told that few of our staff were injured during the invasion of the Senate last Wednesday, including Mrs. Sandra, who is very committed and hardworking.

She was taken to the hospital and discharged and we felt that for the sacrifice they made by putting their lives at stake beyond the call of duty for our democracy, we have to come and appreciate her.

I keep on emphasizing that what really defines a democratic nation is the parliament and the moment the parliament is not there, democracy does not exist.

So what she and her colleagues have done, fills us all with gratitude and therefore we have come here to thank her and show that we really appreciate what she and her colleagues did, he stated.

Saraki described last Wednesday, the day of the invasion, as a sad day and disgrace for the nations democracy and called for unity and firmness to eliminate all such undemocratic tendencies.

My colleagues and I have said that the day of the unfortunate invasion was a sad day for democracy. It was a disgrace to our country at large and that such things should not be associated with our country. We must ensure we stand firm as a country to nip all those kind of undemocratic acts that exist in the bud.

Meanwhile, former Minister of Defence, Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed has described the Wednesday incident where thugs stormed the Senate and went away with the Mace as akin to a Coup- detat, alleging that Nigeria as a country has descended to a level where the government of the day, would connive to subvert the nations democracy.

The former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PdP in a text message to Vanguard said, What happened at the Senate was akin to a coup detat. It is unfortunate that such attack can happen at the Senate which is the second of the three arms of government with all the security supposed to be in place. It is obvious that some forces over and above Senator Omo-Agege were at play for the thugs to pass through all the check points and escape with the mace unhindered. We have decended to such low level where the government of the day connives in the subversion of democracy.

Our democracy is under attack and in grave danger under this APC government. All democratic forces must join hands to save our hard earned democracy by making sure APC is defeated come 2019.

Meanwhile, both Senators Matthew Urhoghide, PDP, Edo South, Mao Ohuabunwa, PDP, Abia North and Clifford Ordia, PDP, Edo Central have separately condemned the attack on the Senate, describing the action as a threat to the nations democracy.

On his part, Senator Urhoghide said, The invasion of the Senate Chambers by  official thugs is extremely despicable because the action desicrated the santity and reverence for the upper, red chamber. The devious intrusion violated section 17 of the Senate Standing Rules of 2015, as amended.

Also it violates the provision of section 60 of the 1999 constitution as amended which empowers the National Assembly to adopt its procedure for conducting its business. Actions taken and processes followed from its adopted procedures ought not to be challenged and disrupted by these villains as they are not elected members of the Senate.

On his part, Senator Ordia said,  the invasion of the National Assembly and the removal of the Mace is highly condemnable.This is clear assault on our democracy.

For Senator Ohuabunwa,  it is a big threat and disgrace to Democracy. It is really unfortunate.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: GeneralHome | News | General | US A29 counter-insurgency aircraft coming in 2020

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

Jet

 US wants dialogue between FG and IPOB

The 12 A29 Super Tucano aircraft ordered by Nigeria from the United States to fight insurgency are not due to arrive until 2020, a senior United States administration official disclosed at the weekend.

Speaking ahead of President Muhammadu Buharis visit to the White House next Monday, the official said the high regard the Donald Trump administration accords Nigeria is underscored by the fact that Buhari would be the first African leader to be received in the Trump White House.

The US administration official who spoke to journalists on the basis of strict anonymity nevertheless affirmed that issues arising from past agreements between the two countries would be on the cards at the US  Nigeria summit, including the open declaration of assets.

The administration official also spoke on the United States commitment to free and fair elections in 2019, teasingly asserted that the countrys candidate for the presidential election would be Mr. Democratic Process. The official also said Washington would encourage open and frank negotiations between the Federal Government and the Indigenous People Of Biafra, IPOB.

Affirming that all issues involving the sale of the Super A29 Tucano aircraft have been cleared including receipt of an estimated $593 million from Nigeria, the official, however, said the aircraft were being built in Florida and would take at least two years to manufacture.

The planes have not been fully built, and we are looking at delivery at or about 2020 as you dont just pick them up because they have to be manufactured according to specifications.

The A29 Super Tucano is a light attack aircraft intended for counter-insurgency, close air support, and aerial reconnaissance missions in low-threat environments.

The estimated $539 million Nigeria paid for the aircraft the official disclosed included the cost of training for pilots, engineers, and spare parts.

The official observed that President Buharis visit to the White House was reflective of the premium the U.S gives to Nigeria noting that the Nigerian leader is the first African leader to be received by President Trump in the White House.

He said the warmth in relations was reflective in last weeks summit of African land forces co-hosted by the U.S. and Nigeria armies.

The US administration official restated the superpowers commitment to the tenets of the U.S.  Nigeria Bi-national Commission, one of which is the open declaration of assets by elected officials and their subordinates.

Sometimes it is difficult to implement (declaration of assets), but we will encourage that it should be followed through, the official who briefed selected journalists said.

Given the declaration of the Boko Haram as a terrorist group by the United States States Department, the official was tasked on what approaches the US would take on issues between the Nigeria government and IPOB.

On IPOB, we see that there is an aggrieved population that would want to have its views heard and we will encourage that there should be dialogue.

We always encourage dialogue as we did with NDA (Niger Delta Avengers), PANDEF. We didnt tell the vice-president to visit the Niger Delta, but we were happy that he did it and it worked, we are not colonialists but facilitators.

The administration official, however, affirmed that issues pertaining to free and fair elections in 2019 would be seriously encouraged by the US administration and resounded in actions ahead of the polls.

We are committed to doing more and more for Nigeria even more than we did in 2015.

Teasing the journalists as the briefing came to a close, the official asked, do you want to know who Washington would be supporting in 2019?

Our candidate is the Democratic Process! the official said in the background briefing ahead of the historic summit between President Trump and Buhari, the first African leader in Washington D.C. next weekend

TRUMP.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: GeneralHome | News | General | Nigeria paying lip service to womens cause  Kema Chikwe

Former Minister of Aviation Dr Kema Chikwe, on Sunday urged Nigerian women to pressurise the National Assembly into passing the Gender Equality Bill into law.

The former minister said that doing so would go a long way towards the liberation of women.

Chikwe, also a former Nigerian Ambassador to the Republic of Ireland, was speaking at a symposium organised by The Women Internationals (TWI) Circle Forum in Lagos.

Dr. Kema Chikwe

The theme of the symposium was, What Do Women in Nigeria Lack?.

She said:The solution to upgrading the status of women in Nigeria is the passage of the bill.

Political and non-political women actors must rise up to ensure the bill is passed.

Women are docile. Women have to be strong for us to have a better society.

It is not easy; we need individual courage and power to work together to ensure passage of the bill in the National Assembly.

Women need to reinforce themselves by organising more conferences in the struggle to liberate Nigerian women.

Theres so much lip service about women in Nigerian politics, Chikwe, the National Women Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said.

Chikwe further urged women to participate in activities aimed at ensuring national development.

She advised women to unite in a bid to end gender disparity.

According to her, in spite of the advocacy and sensitisation efforts, African women still face a lot of challenges.

She said that Nigerian women were still lacking education, good healthcare, love, courage, self-esteem, freedom, individual initiative, and power, among others.

She added that women in Nigeria lacked equal opportunities with their male counterparts.

In her opening remarks, Ms Chinny Okoye, the Founder, TWI, said, The time is now to take control of our lives and fight for our rights; we must ensure our voices are heard.

The women international is a self-improvement and personal development platform for women, focused on promoting the importance of reaching your full potential both in your personal and professional lives.

Now, more than ever, women are beginning to understand the importance of speaking out, to ensure that their voices are heard.

Women face a lot of challenges on a day-to- day basis. We carry so much on our shoulders. We go through so much in our work places and at home as well.

We struggle with so many issues; and being a Nigerian woman living in Nigeria does not help as our society, traditions and cultures have not equipped us to ensure that we move forward.

Enough is enough. Enough of sitting by the sidelines.

According to her, it may be a mans world, but women are stronger than they give themselves credit for.

Also speaking, Peace Hyde, a British Ghanaian, said that women had the potentialities to be great people.

She, therefore, urged women to always showcase their abilities and not their challenges.

Newsmen report that the forum is a platform where women converge to discuss issues of gender importance and development.

NAN

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: GeneralZimbabwe president Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa (EDM) once owned my heart as the world's most powerful man for a fortnight! I am on record as fighting his public battles for a fortnight! The only-one to achieve an almost total national and international rainbow following for a November 2017 fortnight! He had earned it over The Grace Mugabe/co-Vice President Phelekezela Report Mphoko most aggressive anti-Mnangagwa campaign! Marked by extreme undue denigration, Ice Cream poisoning and expulsion respectively from the then Vice Presidency to Mugabe few-men stampede! And his short-lived fortnight of exile and heroic return as a hoped-for Messiah! The Prince of hope! Immeasurable most undue humiliation from birds of the same feather that had successfully most humiliatingly off-loaded former Vice President Dr. Joyce Mujuru in the same manner that the same Mnangagwa was! Stabbed with his own sharpened spear! Mnangagwa had not only earned my heart but the hearts of multitudes in good will, good hope and in good faith!

The Rainbow multitudes all believed that EDM had become a highly refined product through The Grace Mugabe/co-Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko Sandhurst Mill in addition to his close to forty years eating from The Devil's high table! Learning never stops even in the most adverse of conditions! Yes! Multitudes in both ZANU PF and opposition ranks had expected lots of political and administrative common sense from EDM despite the fact that, at the time, he had committed to none other than his lost gainful employment and extreme humiliaation! Not for good governance issues but for power matrix between himself and Grace Mugabe! A rainbow revolution emerged inspired by assumed urgent political and administrative reforms out of the then prevailing governing Mafia! And, therefore, high quality of the respective citizenry life. EDM and retired General, Constantino Guveya Chiwenga, whom I both bravely and confidently qualified for the title "People's General" for a November 2017 fortnight over and after The Rainbow Revolution, have failed to rise above the restoration of their gainful employment, cheap Animal Farm prestige, and, therefore, forfeited the good will, good hope and good faith of the same rainbow multitudes that had taken to the streets enmasse in support of an assumed new qualitative political and administrative dispensation! They have lost not only my vote but the rainbow vote equally enmasse! They stand as qualified orphaned political paupers surviving on borrowed time. Any free and fair election stands as political bad news for EDM and entourage. And could be safely bade an early farewell as embarrassed statesmen on the street.

The Rainbow Revolution remains as guilty for management or incitement by assumption! Desperate action! EDM and Chiwenga surely had made no commitment to good governance! They went on a personalised mission to restore personal legacies and to round-up all those believed to have influenced their unceremonial dismissals from gainful employment within the Mugabe 37 year-old Animal Farm government. A well-defined personal conflict with their long-time partner-in-crime, disgraced former president, Robert Gabriel Mugabe. The Rainbow Revolution, in this way, became a misguided voluntary missile of restoration of a two man legacy of immeasurable social horror at the expense of the masses who were already chocked in excruciating poverty! The Rainbow multitudes in their expectant minds had seen the emergence and the enshrining of the long desired change! No normal Zimbabwean emerging from Mugabe's almost 38 years of hostage governance would govern the globe-trotting EDM fashion! Chartered Malaysian jets have gobbled the meagre millions of the already most fragile economy in wild chase of his lame quest for "Zimbabwe is open for business crusade!" His empty begging bowl to and fro was ever predictable! Surely which part of the world, be it the west, east, north or south would seek to invest in a collapsing busket! Invest in a government whose days are most visibly numbered! This loudly tells the world of how less sophisticated EDM as a Head of State was! No nation, as of now, would rise beyond those free consolatative/valueless Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs). EDM has continuously multi-million dollar globe-trotted in command of high-powered government delegations with a Chief among them, with highly restricted political common sense and came back empty-handed! Even to those look east Father Christmas nations like China that the government that he was part of, for almost forty years, as an influential politician, failed to honour financial obligations with! No normal person in The Rainbow Revolution ever thought that EDM would ever dream and find wisdom in governing without the most strategic partners in The November 2017 Rainbow Revolution! Driven by political greed, he negligently committed political suicide in this way in broad-daylight! EDM was carried more against Mugabe by the opposition, civil society, The Clergy and a section of ZANU PF. This stands as evidenced in the amount of revolt against him within the respective party in the form of multi-splits and the Grace Mugabe/Mphoko G40 most grave manifestations. Both the multitudes in The Rainbow Revolution and the entire world got fevered with mistrust upon EDM! Natural loss of confidence in EDM! There was no way that EDM could have build the desired empire without all key part-takers! Especially the late Morgan Tsvangirai whose party was electorally proven far superior to ZANU PF in terms of numbers and electoral performance since its formation about 29 years ago. In this way EDM would have surely instantly both opened Zimbabwe for business and attracted international mercies. For showing very little or zero political and adminstrative grey matter in the area between his ears, I withdraw and re-deploy my vote in the same manner as The Rainbow Multitudes! What he thinks was radical African economic transformation as compared to radical African nationalism has turned-out to be radical African Impoverishment pre-eminently marked by multiple draining flights and chartered jets in an already severely haemorrhaged economy. EDM proceeds into the 2018 elections as both a politically and administravely multi-fractured man! His short-lived glory as Head of State remains as Guiness Book of Records material! The 2018 elections stand to be a great moment of humiliation for EDM and entourage! EDM remains as most visibly non-presidential material of late! Political and administrative dust-bin material with many years of experience in governance but of zero political and administrative wisdom! Fares badly upon The MDC Alliance's youthful and witful Nelson Chamisa who fell into The Mugabe rough political terrain as a mere school-leaving youth about twenty years ago. Grew-up fighting running battles in opposition of Mugabe's Animal Farm administration. And now The MDC Alliance front foot.

The Zimbabwean citizenry has become poorer and more desperate with EDM! The public service collapsed the evermore! Health institutions reduced to fulltime death-traps! Doctors and nurses fighting in the battle frontlines with zero pre-requisite! weaponry! Hospital dispensaries maintained as empty shells! Medical personnel highly de-motivated and ill-equipped! In Chiwenga-Parirenyatwa unlimited horror and terror and yet expected to render high quality service on the job! Patients required to provide own sundries for theatrical and maternity procedures! Broken-down ambulances! Cash scarcity! Up-ward spiraling prices of basic commodities! Unemployment close to 100 percent! A disgruntled public service and substandard service delivery in local authorities! Delapidated roads infrastructure and non-accountability of the roads network Tall Gate proceeds! And a still missing Itai Dzamara in the EDM new political dispensation! Give Zimbabwe its Son Itai Dzamara EDM! Restore legacy with his unconditional release! Grant Itai Dzamara his freedom as top-most priority! The Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights must wake-up over the location and release respectively of the missing Itai Dzamara! And yet EDM bribery of traditional leaders with top of the range Isuzu Double Cab luxury vehicles for this economical non-functional sector! Came as top-most priority. A social gap-filler institution! The traditional leaders who are assigned to manage or manipulate the political/electoral nerve centre in their respective rural jurisdictions coercing all-subjects to vote in favour of EDM's ruling ZANU PF, a carry-over approach of the Mugabe fraudulent electoral legacy.

Evangelist Reginald Thabani Gola.

Cell 00263 775184749.

mail: regtgola@gmail.comRevolutionary greetings comrades. The struggle for change in Zimbabwe is for everyone, the young and the old, the employed and the unemployed. Therefore, an injury to one is an injury to all. The wound inflicted upon the nurses by the junta is the whole nation's wound. We can't sit down and watch military rule to nakedly unfold and continue to liquidate the constitution. The same nurses that the ill informed junta is treating like used condoms, are the same people who went to the streets to call for the resignation of Robert Mugabe. These are the same people who have worked for peanuts under the most grueling working conditions. They are the servants who have worked ceaselessly to save life in under resourced health institutions. Today they are treated like enemies of the state, traitors and useless other who can be disposed and replaced easily. Dear comrades, this a clear sign that Zimbabwe has been beseiged by our own army. Its an unadulterated sign that we are under a military rule. If we do not stand together as a nation and fight for the restoration of constitutionalism in our beloved country, then we are doomed. Always be reminded that real power is with the people and is the people.

Our top leadership who were catapulted by the coup to where they are today have no respect for the constitution. Our constitution died a painful death under the leadership of Mugabe and the 2017 coup drove the final nail on the coffin of constitutionalism. We as Zimbabweans also sanitised and legitimised the coup through going to the streets calling for the resignation of Mugabe. Little did we know that we are paving way for military rule. I therefore, submit that the November 2017 coup was a mere change of personalities at the helm and a continuation of the old order of Mugabeism. Mugabeism is a system of repressive rule where the institutions of democracy and constitutionalism are consciously undermined. It is a murderous system where those that are viewed as the voices of decent are silenced eternally. It is therefore, only us united Zimbabweans who can restore the rule of law in our country. Our government has proved that it is unwilling to precipitate upon our country democracy and constitutionalism. It has proved that it cares less about the plight of the poor workers and the unemployed. It is not interested in bettering the lives of the suffering millions.

The same top leaders care less about our disintegrating health system because they get their medical attention abroad. They have no faith in our health system. This explains why Chiwenga had the guts to fire the nurses who were fighting for a just cause. This move is meant to silence demonstrators of all shapes by the repressive regime. Our silence will mean the end of industrial action in our beloved country. It will mean the death of freedom of speech and expression.

The firing of more than 16 000 nurses who were involved in a peaceful industrial action, is a warning sign of what the junta is prepared to do to silence protesters. As NPP youth, we unapologetically condemn this move as unconstitutional and evil. What kind of a father responds to a request of sweets by his children by rewarding them with all sorts of stinging agents such as scorpions and snakes? We are therefore, ready to join the fired nurses in their fight for justice. The security forces and their handlers can fire us, horse pipe us and kill us for a just cause, but they will never completely silence the cry for resuscitation of the rule of law. They will never extinguish the flame of change. Dear Zimbabweans, this is the time for us to come together as a nation and say NO to the unconstitutional firing of nurses. It is time for us to fight along side our oppressed nurses. This is the darkest hour of their existance, hence they need our support through out these trials and tribulations. United we stand, but divided we are nothing better than injured lizzards. Rise Zimbabweans rise, this is the time for your redemption.

Victory is certain alutta continua

NPP National youth chairman

Khulani David NdhlovuHome | World | Africa | Zanu-PF releases names of aspiring candidates

The Zanu-PF national political commissariat has released names of all aspiring candidates in the forthcoming primary elections to be held on the 29th of this month.

The Zanu-PF National Political Commissar Retired Lieutenant General Engelbert Rugeje said the party has allowed members to exercise their democratic rights by voting candidates of their choice.

The primary elections have seen the party relaxing rules on the applicants willing to participate.

Of interest are 20 candidates who are battling it out in Mt Darwin South constituency.

Rugeje revealed that the decision by the leadership to allow the populace to select their preferred candidates is the basis for democratic elections in Zimbabwe.

He has indicated that the party has put up an arrangement where all the aspiring candidates in the primary elections will campaign at one venue with each one of them given an opportunity to sale him or herself to the electorate.

Rugeje said this was done to ensure no candidate denigrate other candidates in a move that will foster unity among the Zanu-PF members.

Apart from Mt Darwin South constituency which had 20 candidates, Zvimba North submitted a total of 14 candidates making it the second constituency with the largest number of aspiring legislators.

While some constituencies had so many candidates, other candidates in other constituencies were not contested and these include Buhera North, Bindura North and Matabeleland North constituency among others a development which shows popularity of the sitting legislators in these areas.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: AfricaHome | World | Africa | Trio steals 28 buckets of amacimbi

THREE Beitbridge men have been arrested for stealing 28 buckets of amacimbi valued at $720 from a harvester.

Thokozani Chirukure, Themba Machakari and Sydney Moyo sped off after they loaded Mr Lazarous Chimwango of Dulivadzimu area in Beitbridge's buckets of amacimbi into their vehicle, leaving him behind after he had asked for a lift.

Chirukure was convicted on his own plea of guilty to theft by Gwanda magistrate, Miss Nomagugu Ncube while his two accomplices were discharged after Mr Chimwango withdrew charges against them saying they had compensated him.

Chirukure was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment and three months were suspended on condition he does not commit a similar offence within the next three years. Three months were further suspended on condition he pays $720 restitution to Mr Chimwango by 30 May.

The remaining six months were further suspended on condition he performs 210 hours of community service at Beitbridge Magistrate Court.

Prosecuting, Mr Takudzwa Mafudze said Chirukure stole amacimbi on 14 April at around 12 midnight.

"On 14 April Chirukure and two other men were travelling in a silver Honda Fit vehicle when they were stopped by Mr Chimwango at the 149-kilometre peg along Bulawayo-Beitbridge Road.

"Mr Chimwango requested for transport to Beitbridge and he had with him 28 buckets of amacimbi. Chirukure assisted Mr Chimwango to load the buckets into the car while his accomplices remained in the car. After they had loaded the last bucket Chirukure jumped into the vehicle and directed the driver to speed away, leaving Mr Chimwango behind," said Mr Mafudze.

He said Mr Chimwango managed to get the vehicle registration number and he reported the matter to the police, leading to the arrest of the three men at West Nicholson. He said the stolen amacimbi were valued at $720 and nothing was recovered. In mitigation, Mr Chirukure said they stole in a bid to sell them to raise money.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: AfricaWhy law-abiding citizens are fleeing California

Its no secret that Americans are leaving California in droves: in 2011 the Los Angeles Times reported that more were moving out than in. In February, the San Jose Mercury-News did a front-page story on a group of tenants who planned to leave en masse to follow their landlord to Colorado. They complained that their expenses were going up and their quality of life was going down, which is a common criticism these days.

(Article by Brenda Walker republished from VDARE.com)

Retired engineer Carole Dabak spent 40 years living in San Jose and she packed up a couple months ago for Tennessee. She said she loved it here when she first came, but now is disappointed in how California has changed for the worse. We dont like it here anymore, she said. We dont like this sanctuary state status and just the politics here. She got a mention from Rush Limbaugh on February 10 as an example of the California Exodus.

California has definitely lost its luster.

One politician who left got an interview on Fox News Tuesday morning: one-time California State Representative Chuck Devorewas smart enough to leave in 2011:

He wrote an opinion piece for FoxNews.com posted below that brought attention to the subject. He hangs the Republican Partys failure in California on Gov. Schwarzeneggers leftward moves  an interesting analysis  but overlooks the changing demographics caused by extreme immigration.

Californias crazy one-party liberal politics is why I had to finally leave the state  and Im not alone, By Chuck DeVore, Fox News, April 16, 2018Twitters CEO, Jack Dorsey, infamously tweeted a link in early April to a story calling for a bloodless civil war to solve Americas problems. The piece, The Great Lesson of California in Americas New Civil War: Why theres no bipartisan way forward at this juncture in our history  one side must win was authored by Peter Leyden and Ruy Teixeira. The duo assert that this new civil war will follow a path blazed by California 15 years ago, namely, the crushing of the Republican Party. The Democrats won; the Republicans lost, they intone, California is the future Living and working in places like Washington and San Francisco as Teixeira and Twitters Dorsey do, tends to distort the view of the real world. Teixeiras and Leydens summary history of the California Republican collapse may seem convincing for people who didnt live it, as I did as a lawmaker in the State Assembly from 2004 to 2010. To summarize: Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected in 2003 as a populist, governed as a conservative for a year and then veered to the left to preserve his political hide, massively boosting spending and signing the Global Warming Solutions Act. Democrats then started winning elections. Conveniently left out of their narrative was Schwarzeneggers championing of the largest state tax increase in U.S. history and a terrible national electoral climate in the 2006 midterms, due, in part, to war weariness, and the 2008 election blowout coinciding with the onset of the Great Recession. In 2011, after spending my adult life in California, working in the once-thriving aerospace industry there, serving 19 years in the states National Guard and six years in the legislature, I picked up my family and moved to Texas.

Read more at: VDARE.comUniversity of Southern California unveils dismantle whiteness mural in latest insane attack on people based on the color of their skin

Students majoring in communications and journalism at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles are now being forced to walk beneath a giant anti-white billboard that was recently placed above the threshold to the building where their classes are held, according to shocking new reports.

Thats because the school recently gave permission to a militant campus feminist group called When Women Disrupt to install a racist art piece that demands the immediate removal of both misogyny and whiteness from USCs campus. The piece, which sits amid four giant paintings of women of color, can be found at one of the entrances to USCs Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism building.

As revealed by The College Fix, the prominent black and white signage, which When Women Disrupt produced with the help of students enrolled in a class entitled, Women: Designing Media for Social Change, isnt occupying its new home without controversy. But its supporters certainly dont care.

The installation is intended to spark dialogue, stated Annenberg communications professor Alison Trope in a statement to The College Fix.

To that end, the signage is meant to offer grounding of terms and ideas. There is no expectation that everyone agree with the statement offered by the artists, but hopefully viewers can acknowledge the experience of peers on campus around these issues.

Even though the all-caps statement depicted on the sign, DISMANTLE WHITENESS AND MISOGYNY ON THIS CAMPUS, is clearly racist against people with light-colored skin, Trope believes that it represents a positive change to USCs campus that will get people talking about what she believes is an important issue.

In fact, the text was derived from conversations with students about race, gender and class issues on campus. There have already been many generative conversations prompted by the work  by those who align with the sentiments and those who do not, Tropes statement adds.

When Women Disrupt feminist group still unhappy, says racist sign should have been placed on main thoroughfare

The only reason this type of installation was even permitted in the first place is because it takes yet another swipe at white people  which in 2018 America seems to be the only type of racism thats been institutionally sanctioned as acceptable. And yet, even this isnt enough for When Women Disrupt, which is already busy bitching about the fact that USCs administration refused to allow the art piece to be placed in a more prominent area on campus.

In an article published in The Daily Trojan, USCs campus newspaper, multiple students bemoaned the fact that a billboard demanding an end to whiteness couldnt have been placed on Watt Way, the main thoroughfare through which most USC students must walk in order to get to class.

Its placed in a very hidden area of campus where its not usually seen and I think that speaks to the administration and how they want to frame and direct the conversation and the impact  the fact that it is inward-facing not outward facing  all of these factors are intentional from the administration and I think this project would have been much more powerful if the artists were given more freedom, whined USC student Claire Porter.

Trope had similar feelings, stating that it was disappointing to her that every USC student isnt being forced to see DISMANTLE WHITENESS every single day of the week that they attend classes.

According to The College Fix the Annenberg Schools Off the Wall series, with the sponsored support of the Institute for Diversity and Empowerment (IDEA) and USC Visions and Voices, is directly responsible for this latest affront to white people.

See more examples of the cultism of the lunatic Left, visit LeftCult.com.

Sources for this article include:

TheCollegeFix.com

Annenberg.USC.edu

DailyTrojan.com

NaturalNews.comA South Korean court has fined two individuals found guilty of operating a bitcoin pyramid scheme that amassed over 26 billion won, approx. $24 million, from investors.

In a ruling on April 19, Judge Hwang Jin-jin of the Incheon District Court in Korea issued sentences in fines of $15 million and $8 million for two unnamed individuals found to operate a pyramid scheme that raked in 16 billion won and 10.6 billion, respectively.

According to Korean news agency Yonhap, the first individual  who faces the higher fine  is seen as the mastermind of the multi-level investment scheme based out of the Philippines that promised investors high returns through purported investments in bitcoin. The other individual, who served as chairman of the company managing the investments, is currently on the run with Interpol engaging in an active search for the fraudster.

In roughly translated statements, Judge Hwang reportedly said in a ruling:

The multi-level transactions is a risk to disturb the socio-economic order and mass production of many victims.

The considerably large fines were based on the volume of investment poured into the fraud by many victims, the judge added.

Cryptocurrency-related fraud continues to be prevalent in eastern Asia with scammers offering unrealistically high short-term returns by claiming to invest in cryptocurrencies to justify heightened earnings.

This month alone, law enforcement authorities and regulators from Vietnam, China, and the Philippines have cracked down on Ponzi schemes and warned the public against investments in multi-level schemes.

Vietnam, in particular, saw an unprecedented $660 million ICO-related fraud that conned over 30,000 investors across the country.

Earlier this week, Chinese police arrested multiple individuals operating a nationwide cryptocurrency pyramid scheme that saw over 13,000 participating investors contribute a total of 80 million yuan ($13 million).

In a notice on Wednesday, the Philippines securities regulator published a list of fourteen online cryptocurrency investment schemes, urging the public against any participation while warning operators of significant fines and criminal prosecution that includes sentencing of 21 years in prison.

Featured image from Shutterstock.



The post South Korea Dismantles $24 Million Bitcoin Pyramid Scheme appeared first on CCN.

Just experienced the worst interview i've ever been part of in 12 years of reporting in Hollywood. I sat down & one of the actors then proceeded to be a complete fucking asshole to me for 4 min and treated me like shit on the ground. Will never forget what happened.  Steven Weintraub (@colliderfrosty) April 21, 2018





hes on the avengers press tour rn so..........who dat





Edited at 2018-04-22 01:32 am (UTC) hes on the avengers press tour rn so..........who dat

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Damn his 2 other tweets about it are awful too. That makes me so mad. I wanna know who was such a prick.

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Well Chris Hemsworth is currently on a plane from Australia so it ain't him.

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He would never tbh.



If its one of the Avengers, my money is on Paul Bettany.

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Hiddleston flew to Los Angeles today from Shanghai so likely not him either.



Edited at 2018-04-22 02:38 am (UTC)

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Out of the people who actually did press today, I would guess Brolin.

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not that there was any doubt, but its a dude lol



Edited at 2018-04-22 01:53 am (UTC) not that there was any doubt, but its a dude lol

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name and shame the fucker! ontd detectives go!



It's gotta be a newbie, everyone else has been on multiple tours with no drama. Brolin? he's an asshole.

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But what exactly did he do/say? You can't just make blanket accusations like these and then give no details whatsoever. For all we know the actor could have simply told him he was a shit interviewer and it hurt his ego.

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My bet is on Bolin.



I know people are narrowing it down to actors who worked with Jessica Chastain too because of her reaction to said tweet.

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Butawhiteboy Cantbekhan

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I even replied to the tweet like "There's a woman beater in this cast, ya'll.

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This definitely sounds like Brolin. Wtf at people thinking its Mackie. I don't think Mackie would ever act like that.

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I have no doubt it's brolin. not sure how everyone on twitter decided it was mackie, since this sounds like something brolin would do. #notmycable

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lol shit, I came into this post specifically to see if this was being discussed. I could def see it being Brolin. Mackie is side-eyeable in some ways, but I can't see him being THAT bad. Well, this press tour didn't take long!

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This is why people think its Mackie.



http://collider.com/anthony-mackie-man-of-steel-marvel/



But I dont think so. Brolin sounds more likely although thats still pretty shocking. Even for him.

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https://instagram.com/p/Bh2k0V4nU0v MACKIE IS WITH SEB AND WINSTON TODAY and also fuck people who think he'd be an asshole like that anyway

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3 days til i see it! praying it's good.

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Im sorry your poll didnt work, OP. And now that your tags got eaten too? Livejournal is being a butt to you.

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awww ty, you're too sweet. And yeah posting anything from my phone is a risk anyway lol. the tag thing tho, I was like wtfff what do you mean add tags there's like 20 where'd they go!??!?! and I tested it and I was like grrrrrr

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This is gonna be the longest week until I see the movie. But I'm adamant to go in as spoiler-free as possible. I'm gonna avoid these posts (though I might ask if there are any post-credit scenes while peeking through my fingers).



Who's your favourite MCU character, ONTD?



Steve LOL *sobs*

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Steve is mine too, imma cry if/when anything happens I won't be able to handle it

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I'm stuffing tissues in all my jean's pockets. If Logan taught me anything, it's that yes, I can and will cry in a movie theater.

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Lol it's funny because I think ONTD might be the safest place to visit because the site is better with spoilers compared to others ones. (Like reddit who'll put spoilers IN their user names.

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Steve i mine too, though thor is a very close second. Im anticipating being a sloppy snotty ugly cry mess i

With this movie. I just cant believe they are making us wait a whole year for avengers 4. Ugh.

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Steves my fave too  we can all cry about it together in the posts that weekend

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Thor! I love him so much. I'm hoping he'll be okay but it feels like such a fools hope.

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Also, Burlington Coatfactory is a new high lmao

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lol I didn't make it up I read it ages ago, I've been waiting to use it ever since. Whenever I cross the border to go to Trader Joe's I have to pass Burlington Coat Factory and it just makes me laugh

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I hadn't seen it before so it killed me (kindly) lmao

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I need thursday at 7 to get here now. Ive been watching marvel movies all day and im so pumped for infinity war.

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I rewatched Ragnorak this morning and upon seeing the credit scene and I was legit "I'M NOT READY" lol



But also anxious for it to get here already.

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obligatory letitia just needs to be in everything.



I saw this recently and thought it was cute. pom is pretty funny and I did find tom's love for banana milk rather hilarious





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I thought it said porn is pretty funny and I was like WHY ARE THEY WATCHING PORN IN KOREA?

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Awww Pom's adorable, I'd laugh @ Hiddlestone's pompous ass too



I wanna try an asiatic pear now



Edited at 2018-04-22 02:15 am (UTC)

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Lmao he really was narrating his flavor journey like he was David Atttenborough. Tbh I found him v charming in this tho.

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Ok I watched it Pom is so cute and I'm jealous of the food, I want some.

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i'm fuckin hungry now!!!!

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Tom H the younger has two things to say the whole tour which are I don't know and they won't let me lmaooooo



In the video in the comments he says he doesn't even know if he's in the second part lol poor kid

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Here for MC underbite. Im not as excited for this movie as I thought I would a year ago. I just brought my ticket for Thursday night.



Also at AMC for not showing Black Panther at all as of last Thursday. I have to go to Studio Movie Grill instead on Monday.

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Burlington Coatfactory?



I snorted so hard.

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steves eye crinkles are precious

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My favorites are Steve, Bucky, and Peter Parker.

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Also Sebastian is apparently as bad as Tom Holland and Mark Ruffalo when it comes to spoilers.

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Ooooo did he let something slip?!?eta im not watching any interviews until i see the movie



Edited at 2018-04-22 02:29 am (UTC)

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Yeah he apparently let it slip about some cameos.

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yeah he blabbed about a scene, who with him in it. turtle man is hilariously bad at keeping his mouth shut.

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I'm thinking the characters he brought up won't show up until Avengers 4. None of the actors have even seen the movie yet and they were filming reshoots for both films at the same time.



Back when Sebastian was on GMA, he was even like, "I just filmed a scene yesterday that I still don't know which movie it'll be in." This is the weirdest press tour ever. No one has seen the movie or read the full script. They'll end up being just as shocked as we are, lol.

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Learn more about LiveJournal Ratings in Hello! Your entry got to top-25 of the most popular entries in LiveJournal!Learn more about LiveJournal Ratings in FAQ

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Fuuuck he's hot. The beard and the long hair just do it for me. I wanna sit on his face.



this makes me miss when my husband had long hair and scruffy facial hair. He is still hot but this lookis just so hot to me. Lol tmi sorryyyy

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Fuck he's pretty.

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Ugh, that beard. *sweats*

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I am 110% into this look.



I hate the blonde though, lol, it hasn't a good shade since Cap 1 although TWS was his best look (outside this one).

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LinkAnd also said the Wonder Woman film was a step back for women.

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Is he planning on making a bunch of Titanic spinoffs and sequels? idgi

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Me either

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mte. a film with iconic/cult status is different than 10 years of the same gd franchise in different iterations every year.

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I mean, the history of the Titanic is legit fascinating. I wish he had made spinoffs.

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I actually said this out loud. lol

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+ Avatar and its upcoming 4 sequels...

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Ummm hdu how could anyone get tired of the Titanic

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Avatar would have been a better example. There's always new information to be discovered about a real life event. Those docs are amazing.

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Im over superhero movies in general

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Agreed. If we had a ton of Interstellars/Arrivals/Contacts I would be here for that.

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THIS

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Yes pls

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OMG Contact...my childhood movie lol!

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watch Annihilation !!!

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MTE 10000%

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Same. I used to go to the movie theatre all the time to see new movies. But havent been interested in anything because its all superhero movies and Im over it. (Although not over Deadpool haha, I will see that one)

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Avengers and anything Marvel > blue people who live in the rainforest and have hidden oil in their trees.

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Ia



If he were working on anything other than BE avatar movies, I might give him more credit. But he's not.

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hell the fuck no and I dropped Avatar before even watching it



Edited at 2018-04-22 04:21 pm (UTC)

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No

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lmao irl

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Oh shut up, avatar

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Says the guy planning to make four sequels to his Ferngully remake. https://t.co/PuFRycCMoU  Scott Weinberg (@scottEweinberg) April 21, 2018



lol irl

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lmao burn bitch

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lmfao

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LMAO

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LMAO

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Justice for Annihilation. Best sci fi movie in a decade.

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annihilation was great but it was also a let-down tbh. the events in the shimmer should have been so much more sci-fi based. it was too tame for the most part. the last 30 minutes was a trip but it wasn't enough and it was a bit too weird and not sci-fi enough IMO

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i thank g*d everyday i got to see it in theaters. truly the best in a decade, and it's most apparent when you get to see it on the big screen (or i guess a really great home theater setup would work). it deserved better than our laptop screens.

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Agree. It was amazing in theaters. Will never forget the experience tbh. Truly #blessed

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Is it out of theaters already, or do you mean for the rest of the world outside the US?

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Agreed. Early reviews saying it's too sophisticated baffle me. It was a great movie, had some weird elements to it, but I don't get how most people couldn't just sit back and take it in? It didn't seem like it involved too much brain power.

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i thought it was good, but that's about it. The final act lost me.



The bear screaming as the woman was fucking terrifying tho.

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no it's AWFUL

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Honestly compared to the books the movie was kind of crap and took a huge step back from how well written the female case of the trilogy was written. I enjoyed it enough but it's really disappointing in comparison to its source material.

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best sci fi movie in a decade, yikes. Cameron is right. We need more diverse sci fi content if Annihilation is given this much credit lol.

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My theaters tossed it out after a week and a half (and had really bad showtimes set up for it, ugh). :(



I'm kicking myself for not getting to see it.

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Strongly disagree

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dude read the book, the movie was watered down shite in comparison

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yessss. It was an EXPERIENCE on the big screen and I'm so salty that its studio paid it dust. But I'm confident it'll live on as a cult classic.

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Hands down the best. It was all the things a sci fi movie should be. I loved it sooo much and am glad i saw it in theatre. It deserved to be seen there first by all and not netflix.

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I loved Annihilation but Ex Machina was a better Alex Garland film

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I booked tickets for Avengers this Friday. Black Panther got me back in the mood for these films. Tried watching Thor: Ragnorak yesterday and I knocked out lmao.



Edited at 2018-04-22 01:06 pm (UTC)

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Thor: Ragnorak was awful though

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I love Taika but that movie made me realize how much his humor can bring something to a screeching halt.

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FOUR MORE AVATAR FILMS, JAMES. FOUR MORE.



THEY COULD BARELY MAKE A POCAHONTAS 2 WHERE ARE YOU GONNA GET YOUR MATERIAL FROM NOW?

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Literally #whoaskedforthis because no one I know likes avatar IRL

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Lol mte

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C R Y I N G

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sis even with 4 more Avatars its just 5. And he's been shooting the sequel for what, a decade now?There are 20 Marvel movies in production rignt now

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Shut up.

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That's fine as long as the other Avatar movies get cancelled

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On the one hand, let people enjoy things, on the other, marvel really is a sausage fest

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audience fatigue? look at his imdb, 5 sequels to Avatar currently filming? seriously?

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Hes just saying this because hes worried those films will remain competition for the Pocahontas and the Tealights sequels hes currently filming

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Right. "Forget about those other movies... Pay attention to mine, instead!".

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he can get fucked, but also...i agree.

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Lmao same. I hate the guy but I don't disagree

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lmao

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Lmao yup

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LinkIits weird that Bernie Bros are still mad at Hillary even tho she didnt win.



Even when you bring up Trump theyre like Let me tell you how terrible Hillary Clinton is

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Its really kinda strange how a lot of Bernie bros seem to really hate Hillary more than Trump. Even after everything hes actually done in his presidency

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a lot of them jumped ship to trump, afaik. dumb as hale

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Like HC voters who still blame BS for her loss? 

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B.S. and jill stein.



I mean...

One stayed on too long and the other snatched donor money and disappeared so..

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I like people still using "Bernie Bro" in 2018 are telling others to move on from 2016 lol

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I think that every senator supported those bills except for like... 3? Something like that.



Anyway, I find a lot of the discussion around the issues of sex work to be exhausting and I guess I'd describe myself as anti-sex work, but not anti-sex worker which sounds insane but... it makes sense to me. lol. Idk. I think the Nordic Model of legislation and programs surrounding prostitution is the best model and I'd like to see the US take some cues from that.

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But have you read anything that explains how the Nordic model forces sex workers underground (where they have fewer options to screen clients and protect themselves) and increases the risk of contact between sex workers and cops? 

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probably not, since it's not true.





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The Nordic model puts sex workers in danger because it forces them underground.

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I'd describe myself as anti-sex work, but not anti-sex worker



I don't think that sounds insane at all. If there were just as many adult straight male sex workers, maybe I'd be w/e about it but we don't live in that world so

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The Nordic method isn't ideal, and tbh i don't think any law that requires any form of police intervention will work when, in many cases, the police are often the ones who target sex workers in general. the issue of both sex work and sex trafficking revolves around capitalism and we need to approach the topic with that in mind.

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Its a very complicated and complex situation. What IS the right way to go about it without exploiting sex trafficking victims?

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"The bill, which was introduced by Missouri Republican Rep. Ann Wagner, makes it a federal crime  punishable by up to 10 years in prison  to operate an interactive computer service with the intent to promote or facilitate the prostitution of another person. That means online publishers, like the recently shuttered Backpage.com, would be responsible if third parties are found to be posting ads for sex work  including consensual sex work  on their platforms."



Probably should be in the post. I doubt everyone will read the article.For anyone not reading, think craiglist and bakpage, etc.



Edited at 2018-04-22 09:36 pm (UTC)

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I mean do these sex workers offer a better alternative to shutting down online pages that inevitably are linked to sex trafficking?

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I mean IDK, I see both sides of the issue. Because consensual sex work is not the only thing that takes place on these sites. There is child trafficking, and non-consensual sex work that takes place as well so?????



I don't have a solution or anything just thought the gist of what the argument is should be somewhere around the post

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why is this bill wrong?

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It's ostensibly meant to protect trafficking victims, but it marginalizes actual sex workers. Men have been gloating about how this bill creates a "buyer's market" where they'll have power to mistreat sex workers and/or refuse to pay them with no consequences.

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Im just going to be blunt and ask.. if consensual sex workers know their job is illegal and often lends itself to children and women being violently raped and murdered - why not choose another job? If the job is really consentual surely they can think this isnt good for women, my fellow workers might actually be sex slaves, let me choose something else



If their sex work truly is consentual it really shouldnt be a problem.



I dont understand why consentual sex worked are placed at the same priority as trafficked people. One has a choice while the other doesnt, its clear that one group can help themselves while the other desperately needs intervention.

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Sex workers need websites like Backpage and Craigslist in order to screen their clients for safety purposes. By targeting these websites, the bill takes away important online avenues where sex workers can screen their clients. It means that most sex workers will probably have to go back on the streets and pick up random clients that they can't screen, which is much more dangerous.

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https://www.gimletmedia.com/reply-all/119-no-more-safe-harbor#episode-player



so good and informative the latest episode of reply all is exactly about the whole predicament with the billso good and informative

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Im really over this pop culture and politics crossover

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Me too. Who the fuck needs Cardi B's opinion on Bernie sanders or politics? And vice versa.

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ikr

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It seriously makes me want to vom

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One of the arguments was actually that provisions of the bill would make it even harder to prosecute sex traffickers. I honestly need to read up on this more before giving my opinion.



It passed the Senate with a vote of 97-2 only Ron Wyden and Rand Paul voting against it

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Ron Wyden 2020? His wife has NYC cred, and he has the West Coast.

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It is stunning just how many Congresspeople are a) ignorant of how sex work and sex trafficking actually work, and b) will pass bills that harm women, for the sake of popularity.

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I still can't believe people think Bernie would've won. Like, what?

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He beat Trump by double digits in every poll (and still does). Polling always showed it would be a close race between Clinton and Trump so the excuse that "polling isn't always accurate" doesn't apply here since the polling regarding Trump/Clinton was never that off. People just refused to believe that Trump could ever win.



Trump would have never won PA, MI, and WI against Sanders and Sanders probably would have won IA and OH as well. Also Jill Stein and Gary Johnson would have been total non factors. Sanders had his problems but he was still viewed as the more honest/likable candidate, especially compared to Trump. Sure republicans still would have voted for Trump and attacked Sanders relentlessly for being far left, but they still voted for Trump even with moderate, business friendly Hillary Clinton on the ticket.

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He wouldn't have won Wisconsin, either. The GOP there made sure that several hundred thousand Dem voters couldn't even vote. They just admitted it last week:



Top Republican Official Says Trump Won Wisconsin Because of Voter ID Law

The law blocked thousands of Wisconsinites from voting in 2016, predominantly in Democratic-leaning areas

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2018/04/top-republican-official-says-trump-won-wisconsin-because-of-voter-id-law/ They're delusional. Bernie was never taken seriously so he was never vetted by either the Dems or the GOP. Like Trump, he never released his taxes. His ties to Russia are still being investigated. His campaign manager, Tad Devine, has ties to Paul Manafort (they both worked on Ukrainian deals). He couldn't beat Hillary in the primary and polls are worthless. It's not about polls, it's about people who go and vote.He wouldn't have won Wisconsin, either. The GOP there made sure that several hundred thousand Dem voters couldn't even vote. They just admitted it last week:

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hope this show gets canceled soon

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And, ha ha ha ha, she once did a sketch on her show where she murders a stripper with a shovel. So many celebrities are ignorant about this shit. Here's Amy Schumer comparing herself to a sex trafficking victim in her dumbass psa.And, ha ha ha ha, she once did a sketch on her show where she murders a stripper with a shovel.

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Of course you would chose to single out a woman for this PSA - which ties in to a documentary about sex trafficking called "I Am Jane Doe" ffs, it's not her "comparing herself" to anyone - as opposed to the many white men who also participated. I see you.

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Cardi B was a stripper not a prostitute, though. I don't really think stripping is on par with sex work and the two operate very differently so I'm not sure why Cardi B is being asked to talk on behalf of sex workers.

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strippers count as sex workers

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But this bill specifically deals with prostitution. Stripping is legal. They're different fields with their own complex and unique challenges and issues.



Edited at 2018-04-22 09:52 pm (UTC)

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Do they really? I thought they had to actually offer sexual services (like actual sex) to be considered that

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They're a different type of sex work though and not only does the bill specifically apply to prostitution, but Cardi has been pretty defensive in saying she was never that kind of sex worker so I don't know if she's a great person to talk about it anyway.

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Stripping is generally counted as sex work.

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the internet definition of "sex work" includes posting nudes on tumblr depending on who's talking. stripping definitely is risky but i agree that it's not quite as risky as letting strange men fuck you in a hotel room. but actually measuring that risk is really difficult so idek

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The quote he did of Cardi was so fucking pathetic, I almost unfollowed him.

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yeah the relationship between politics and celebdom is sickening

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Can sex work truly be consensual?

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i think it can, but people often treat someone forced into sex work due to economic pressures as consensual and i don't feel that's quite right.

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No. lol. It's like 'choice feminism' to me. Like you're choosing to be a sex worker, but also how much of that is just like... this is a facet of the patriarchy. Choices aren't made in a vacuum and the very existence and gendered nature of sex work is part of a patriarchal society so how can it be a real equal choice?

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Nope. When I was a sex worker, I wanted to have consensual sex for money. Easy peasy. Your logic is motivated by anti-sex work ignorance.

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It can be, but most of the time it isn't.

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You can't buy consent

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It could be in a world without misogyny where women's bodies aren't seen as objects/mere commodities for male pleasure but sadly this is not that world.







Edited at 2018-04-22 10:03 pm (UTC)

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Consensual in the sense that it's the person's choice to do it? Yes.



The conversation about whether or not someone going into sex work due to financial instability or the inability to get a job otherwise is an issue of consent is one to be had though imo.

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No

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yes, but unfortunately a lot of it isn't and there's rampant power imbalances at play.

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Not under capitalism

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Nothing under capitalism or patriarchy is truly consensual tbh.

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no

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No imo.



1. Having sex for money when men hold the majority control over government; education, and capital is not an even playing field.



2. If you need to pay someone to fuck them, they dont really wanna fuck you and that aint consent. I dont understand how people can claim to care about consent and still be pro sex work.

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these are informative too



Here's what you need to know about #SESTA: https://t.co/rUAswGOVqM  Rewire.News (@Rewire_News) April 21, 2018





Sex worker and advocate Siouxsie Q on why new legislation will put her community at greater risk for exploitation and death https://t.co/YsYfzFj5Tb pic.twitter.com/dA7FWvTF4q  Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) April 13, 2018







the FOSTA/SESTA fight is an important one. thankfully I've seen a lot of support via twitter but a lot of people are wildly misinformed about the fight in general, backpage, what's in the court documents and that the feds don't give a fuck about what they claim to. I recommend following @melissagira on all of this who often tweets about everything going on in the legal system.these are informative too

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I've learned a lot from MGG, that's for sure. I still have mixed feelings about sex work and what the solution is to prevent exploitation, but I feel much better informed (and also am angry about things that never occurred to me before I followed her).

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Hed be ripped to shreds if he voted against it because the average American doesnt understand the nuance of this issue nor care enough to educate themselves.

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The fact that people in America (and across most of the world) tend to view sex workers of all kinds as either victims or whores means that it will be a long time before any legislation is put in place that actually reflects what that community really needs.

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mte, so many people aren't willing to admit that the topic is extremely nuanced and more complicated than they think. it's a mess all around.

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yeah ita. I'm 28 and I wonder if we will ever see that change in my lifetime. way too many people think it's strictly black and white.

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LinkOffer a personal message of sympathy...

You'll find individual Guest Books on the page with each obituary notice. By sharing a fond memory or writing a kind tribute, you will be providing a comforting keepsake to those in mourning. . From a Guest Book, you may log in with your Google, Facebook, Yahoo or AOL account to leave a message. If you have an existing account with this site, you may log in with that. Otherwise, it's simple to create a new one by clicking on the Create "Sign up" button and following the simple steps on the Sign Up page.As new competitors like Uber have emerged, the official taxis in Istanbul have often failed to keep pace with changing times and society

Istanbul's bright yellow taxis, ubiquitous and perennially honking for custom, appear ingrained in the daily life of the Turkish metropolis.

But could the fast-growing ride sharing app Uber make them a thing of the past?

Uber has enjoyed soaring popularity in Istanbul, where users appreciate the cashless payment system, security and convenience of hailing a cab by phone.

But, as in several other European cities, this has stoked antagonism with official taxi drivers, who have brought legal cases in Istanbul in a bid to have the app blocked in Turkey.

Tensions have also spilt over into violence, with Uber drivers complaining of being verbally harassed, beaten up or even shot at.

'Smear campaign'

Kemal Kuru, an Uber driver since last year, said he was cornered and beaten by a group as he set off for a concert hall in the Sisli district last month on a job.

"I went to pick up a customer around midnight but someone blocked the road and harassed me verbally," he told AFP.

"I got out of the car and all of a sudden 10 people attacked me... My teeth were broken and my lip was split."

Kuru said the assailants could not be immediately identified as they fled into the darkness. But he pointed the finger at taxi drivers.

"I believe our income is getting on their nerves and they think we are stealing their customers."

In March, shots were fired at an Uber vehicle in Istanbul's Kucukcekmece district. The driver escaped unhurt.

Uber drivers say they are easily targeted as the vans they generally drive are unusual in the city.

But representatives of official taxi companies condemn such accusationswidely publicised in the Turkish mediaas a stunt to discredit their business.

Eyup Aksu, head of the main taxi drivers' association in Istanbul, accused Uber of launching a "publicity campaign" in an attempt to influence the pending legal cases.

"Taxi drivers have never resorted to violence against Uber. This is a smear campaign to blacken the reputation of taxis," he told AFP in his Istanbul office.

'Taxis changing'

There are almost 17,400 official yellow taxis in Istanbul, providing an essential and relatively affordable service in a gigantic city where public transport often falls short.

But as new competitors like Uber have emerged, the official taxis have often failed to keep pace with changing times and society.

They have been slow to implement systems to pay by card, install panic buttons that help female passengers in particular feel more secure and are only now considering lights to indicate if the cab is occupied or free.

In a bid to trump Uber, Istanbul taxis are themselves now becoming part of a digital network called iTaksi that allows passengers to order them from their phone.

Aksu admitted some deficiencies in the taxi sector but said taxis were transforming to catch up with Uber's standards.

"We are shifting to luxurious taxi transport. We now have VIP transport in some touristic places and airports," he said.

'Pirates'

Meanwhile horror taxi stories abound in Istanbulnot just from incredulous tourists but also exasperated localsabout being over-charged, driven a circuitous route to ramp up the metre or being given fake change.

In a well publicised case, an Istanbul court this month handed a taxi driver a suspended jail term for having taken a Saudi passenger on an epic city tour rather than to the airport as requested.

But Istanbul taxi drivers insist they are working hard to make an honest living from a tough business where margins were already tight and now squeezed further by Uber's presence.

Taxi drivers rent their car from the owner of the licence, whose cost of 1.5 million lira (300,000 euros, $370,000) is well beyond most drivers.

The number of licence plates available for taxis has stayed stable as the city's population boomed, driving up their price.

Taxi driver Burhan Yuksek, looking for passengers in the busy waterside Eminonu district, said his business is suffering "hugely" because of Uber.

"I work by a hotel. We used to receive 40-50 calls daily from the hotel and currently it has dropped to 15-20," he said. "They are pirates. They are stealing our labour and bread."

Taxi drivers feel they have political backing, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan regularly pictured drinking tea with the taxi community.

In the bigger of two legal actions brought by taxi drivers' associations against Uber, an Istanbul court is due to resume hearing the case on June 4.

'Slavery to freedom'

The tension in Turkey is one of a number of headaches for Uber and its new chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi, who took over last August after founder Travis Kalanick was ousted following a series of scandals.

In London where its drivers number around 40,000, Uber lost its licence over its approach to reporting serious criminal offences and its criminal record checks for drivers.

But it is allowed to operate in the British capital pending an appeal set for later this year.

Uber also put a temporary halt to its self-driving car programme in the United States after an accident involving one of its cars near Phoenix killed a pedestrian.

In service for three years in Turkey, Uber has 5,000 vehicles and 8,000 drivers in Istanbul.

Vedat Kaya, of the Tourism and Development Platform, said Uber represented a "revolt against the taxi monopoly", adding that some 4,500 taxi drivers had already switched to work with Uber.

Former taxi driver Yavuz Sarac, who joined Uber last summer, says he did it after realising he would not own his own business "no matter if I work for 150 years".

"Uber has presented new opportunities. I've owned my business," he said, complaining that taxi drivers were exploited by the plate owners, while the Uber licence was much less costly.

"I earn a living for my family. To me, it is a kind of escape from slavery to freedom."

Explore further Uber returns to Barcelona with licensed service

 2018 AFPA photo released by the North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the state news agency of North Korea, shows a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea held on under the guidance of Kim Jong-un, chairman of the WPK and chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK, in Pyongyang, North Korea, April 9. / EPA-Yonhap





North Korea said Saturday that it has decided to suspend nuclear and missile tests and shut down its atomic test site, in a surprise announcement that could give momentum to its upcoming summits with South Korea and the United States.

The announcement came amid a diplomatic push to denuclearize North Korea, the main agenda for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's planned meeting with his counterparts from the South and the U.S.

"We will discontinue nuclear test and inter-continental ballistic rocket test-fire from April 21," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said, citing the outcome of a key meeting of the ruling party held Friday.

"The northern nuclear test ground of the DPRK will be dismantled to transparently guarantee the discontinuance of the nuclear test," it said, referring to the North by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

North Korea has conducted all of its six nuclear tests at the Punggye-ri test site in the northeastern province since 2006. The North's latest and most powerful nuclear test was conducted in September last year.

The report also said that North Korea will neither use nuclear weapons nor transfer nukes or nuclear technology under any circumstances, unless there are nuclear threats or provocation against it.

The decision was made at the plenary meeting of the central committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), which drew keen attention over whether the North would possibly unveil a shift in stance toward its nuclear programs.

The session was held before Kim sits down with President Moon Jae-in next Friday at the border truce village of Panmunjom. That meeting will be followed by a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump probably in May or early June. North Korea's denuclearization will top the agenda for those meetings.

Kim Jong-un claimed that as his country has completed the capability to mount a nuclear warhead on a missile and to develop delivery and strike means, there is no need to conduct more nuclear and missile tests.

"The mission of the northern nuclear test ground has thus come to an end," he was quoted as saying by the KCNA.

South Korea's presidential office and Trump welcomed North Korea's decision.

"North Korea's decision is meaningful progress for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, which the world wishes for," Cheong Wa Dae said in a statement.

"It will contribute to creating a very positive environment for the success of the upcoming inter-Korean and North-U.S. summits."In mid-December 2017 in Hanoi, more than a dozen leaders of Vietnams banking, finance and FinTech industry joined a roundtable luncheon hosted by EY to discuss developments in the sector and how competing interests can be aligned to drive future growth.

Finding synergies between legacy financial institutions and the more disruptive FinTech start-up players was a key part of the discussion, as was how these new developments in the financial services industry are facing the challenge of being ahead of a more conservative regulatory environment.

Finally, the discussion also addressed ways in which technology could be used to streamline services and drive down the cost of service provision using automation and other technological advances.

Competition and Cooperation

Like many industries in Vietnam, the FinTech sector has seen rapid growth in recent years. While it is difficult to gauge the exact amount of investment new FinTechs have attracted, an estimate published in Vietnam Investment Review from the Topica Founder Institute put the total investment in Vietnamese FinTech start-ups in 2016 at $129 million dollars, accounting for 63 per cent of all start-up contract value, with companies such as Payoo, VNPT E-pay, M_Service (Momo), and F88 leading in terms of deal value.

Much of the development in the sector has been driven by technology entrepreneurs from outside traditional financial institutions. This has created some tension between these digital disruptors and legacy banks as the latter have moved to also create tech products for their customers.

Nguyen Hoa Binh is the founder and chairman of NextTech, a digital commerce group with dozens of platforms and a presence in six Southeast Asian countries and the USA. He kicked off the afternoons discussion by sharing what he had learned from studying the development of the FinTech industry in China, which he saw as similar to the Vietnam experience.

He said banks have generally not welcomed the emergence of the FinTech companies. The partnership between FinTech players and the traditional finance industry has always been a struggle in the early days.

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We have seen similar struggles in recent years, particularly in the payment business. And then we moved to the lending business and we are facing similar difficulties.

Binh related his experience with establishing an online loan platform in which the entire process was conducted digitally, without any face-to-face interaction between the institution and the customer.

We started looking at the lending sector using a FinTech approach by using unconventional data points to evaluate the customers credit score in order to get them loans totally online, he said.

We launched the first and only platform in VN to ever give lending to consumers without collateral or without meetings, based on proper data analysis. So, we brought that platform to several banks and some were very interested in that and we explored it with some banks with a view to signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) but did not work out.

Considering the model of financial inclusion which is needed in Vietnam, the number of potential customers that are free and untouched is so huge, the potential is there for Vietnamese start-ups and Vietnamese banks, the question is who grows and by how much.  Varun Mittal | EY ASEAN FinTech Leader 

In response to the challenges the project faced, it was converted to a peer-to-peer lending model, where the platform connected those willing to loan money directly to the borrowers. Binh said the move had been a successful one, with currently a queue of some 500 lenders on the books. We find that the bank is not necessary, he said.

When questioned about the scalability of the operation, and the inherent risk of his company guaranteeing the loans, Binh pointed to the experience of Lending Club, a similar peer-to-peer lender in the United States. He said that after launching in 2008, they gradually moved into partnerships and now had about 60 per cent of their loans underwritten by traditional financial institutions.

In the long run, I am a big believer in the partnership between FinTechs and the financial sector, Binh added.

EY ASEAN FinTech Leader, Varun Mittal painted a positive picture of what the future of collaborations between FinTechs and banks could be because of the size of the potential market. Considering the model of financial inclusion which is needed in Vietnam, the number of potential customers that are free and untouched is so huge, the potential is there for Vietnamese start-ups and Vietnamese banks, the question is who grows and by how much.

Indeed, with a rapidly growing and relatively youthful population there is tremendous scope for growth in the retail banking sector. The US Department of Commerces country briefing paper on the Vietnamese banking system estimates that approximately 75 per cent of Vietnams 93 million people use limited banking services, while the remaining 25 per cent have not taken advantage of banking services at all.

Head of VP Direct, Shameek Bhargava said he thought the way forward was for institutions to support and form partnerships with FinTech operations. VP Bank believes strongly in encouraging and mentoring start-ups in Vietnam and has, as part of one of its initiatives, established co-working spaces for start-ups at their office in Hanoi and at a university in Ho Chi Minh City. VP Bank also conducts regular workshops and hackathons.

He said the obvious benefit of such a program was to get access to FinTechs doing new and interesting things. There are two propositions that I broadly pursue as part of this. The first is identifying start-ups or FinTechs where synergies exist between VP Direct and the start-up or FinTechs, where VP Direct could be the first anchor customer, because thats what a start-up needs  that one customer to start getting them momentum he said. Secondly, explore opportunities where we can participate financially or strategically to add value.

Bhargava also said he believed the digital sector was currently too fragmented, and that an organized process would assist in generating better support and development. A lot of these start-ups are operating with small boot-strapped capital, in some cases as little as 10 thousand dollars, they are going to run out of money every two months and that is not the way to sustain momentum or create scale. I think if we start looking at the ecosystem holistically and help build a few large FinTechs, capital will flow into Vietnam faster and folks are going to attract better funding.

In a move to encourage greater development and collaboration in the sector, EY Financial Services Leader for Vietnam, Duong Nguyen pointed to the FinTech Challenge Vietnam event being held from November 2017 through to May 2018. The event involves a global call for new FinTech proposals, with 30 semi-finalists chosen to enter an incubation period before demonstrations and pitches are held for up to 15 finalists at a national FinTech event in Hanoi.

The challenge is supported by the State Bank of Vietnam, as well as seven local banks and other organizations such as the Australian Government and the Asian Development bank. The goal of the project is to use technology to promote financial inclusion in Vietnam.

Meeting the Regulatory Challenge

The emergence of FinTechs has raised questions and posed challenges for regulators around the world. Should these new outfits offering digital financial products and services be regulated and subject to the same standards at traditional institutions, or should new sets of rules be created which reflect the unique nature of FinTech and the rapid emergence of new technology?

Some countries have adopted an approach that encourages innovation. This is the case in the UK, where the Financial Conduct Authority has a special office that works closely with FinTechs to guide them through the legal and compliance process. Other jurisdictions are making more modest reforms that would make some allowances for the new digital service providers while more or less still keeping Fintechs to the same standards as banks. This is the approach put forward in draft legislation currently before the House Finance and Banking Committee in the US.

In Asia, Managing Partner for EY ASEAN Markets, Liew Nam Soon pointed towards the work being done by the Monetary Authority of Singapore as setting the standard of how regulators are trying to meet the challenge of building a framework around FinTech models. Almost every month there is a new consultation paper coming out. So I would argue they are probably one of the most proactive regulators globally, he said.

In Vietnam, the rapidly evolving nature of the sector has outpaced both banking regulators and legislators. Several participants at the roundtable discussion noted the long amount of time it took even to be granted a pilot program license from the central bank.

Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV)s Senior Executive Vice President Tran Huong remarked on the strength of the regulatory framework around FinTechs in the UK, but also noted the length of time it had taken for his institution to be granted a pilot program license.

You have to be very patient, he said. But markets without innovation, without disruption, will not move.

Proposals often flounder when they confront a legal system design without anything like FinTech services in mind. In many cases, the necessary legislation and related regulations simply do not exist.

This was a situation faced by TP Bank CEO Nguyen Hung when his organization was developing virtual teller machines (VTMs), and submitted a proposal to the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV). His team had extensive meetings and a thorough vetting process from a range of departments at the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV).

Their conclusion was it was very good and more secure than traditional banks, Hung said. But when it came back to the legal department at SBV they said it did not comply with the current circular. And that they did not have the function to allow anyone to pilot something like that.

After further meetings with the central banks deputy governors and legal department, TP Bank was eventually granted a provisional license and TP Bank now nearly 50 VTMs throughout the country and is averaging around 1200 transactions per month per VTM, including opening accounts, transfers, withdrawals and deposits.

As one of the pioneers of FinTech start-ups in Vietnam, NextTechs Binh is all too familiar with the challenges faced by organizations looking to quickly take advantage of technological developments.

As a FinTech company, we are small. We are a bit more aggressive than the banks, we just do it, Binh said. It was the same in 2009 when we started out the first online payment system. It took us two years to get the pilot license. It is too long, and this is the problem with the regulatory system. It is limiting innovation. There must be some way to address that. That is our common problem.

However, EYs Duong said that SBV was aware of the need to develop policy around FinTechs and was taking active steps to do so. She said that the banking authorities had agreed to participate in a seminar in late December co-hosted by EY to discuss potential frameworks for digital banking.

On top of all the banks requests, we as independent consultants raised concerns that we are moving backward instead of towards the future if we do not recognize the trends, she said.

I think in the banking sector, the government and the State Bank of Vietnam have been quite open, but they have a lot of other things to consider and payments is the next thing. In order to have a decree at the government level will take a while. That is why they are very supportive of the seminar.

Duong also noted the recent launch of the Vietnam FinTech Association under the auspices of the Vietnam Banking Association. I think in Vietnam we need to be very patient, she added.

Innovation, Automation and Changing Attitudes

Vietnam is an increasingly connected country, and so it is a natural fit for the development of FinTech products. About 36 per cent of the population have a smartphone, and this is obviously much higher in urban areas. According to research from DI Marketing, for nine out of ten smartphone users, the device is their sole means of accessing the internet.

This fact, and the market potential for digital banking has spurred innovation according to Nam Soon. Just going around the region, listening to what is happening in Vietnam, there is a lot of innovation, actually more than some of the other ASEAN countries, he said, A large part is driven by the size of the prize.

Several participants at the roundtable mentioned the need to be adaptable in ways of thinking to take advantage of new developments in the banking sector.

Bhargava spoke about what it would take to make Vietnam a cashless society in the next decade. He believed that besides the obvious need for strong enablers to increase digital payment and bank account penetration like E-KYC, there should also not be competition between banks and other FinTech in terms of establishing digital acceptance. There should also be tax incentives for merchants to convert from cash to digital.

Ninety per cent of transactions in Vietnam happen through mom and pop stores which are 90 per cent cash. We need to think differently, and what we want to do now is turn it on its head, Bhargava said.

We can compete on customer experience, features and so on. But we should cooperate and pool capital to create digital acceptance and standardize it. So lets get every mom and pop store to accept digital payments, thats the only way we can make things cashless.

And to get those guys to accept digital payments, it is intuitively wrong to tell a merchant to pay the card companies two per cent and give a rental for a POS machine and stop accepting cash. We need conversely to incentivize merchants to embrace digital.

He continued, There is little value in the 2 per cent that acquirers charge merchants according to our belief. The real juice lies in capturing the data points related to those 90 per cent cash transactions that are going through, outside the banking system. This data would be valuable to the entire supply chain from manufacturers, distributors as well as companies that lend to small businesses. If we can incentivize merchants to capture that data, it gives us tremendous opportunities to monetize that data.

Using new technologies to streamline processes and reduce costs was also a topic touched on by FE Credit Innovation Centers Director, Nguyen Thien Tam. He explained how his organization was using technology, especially FinTechs, to increase efficiency in many of its operational activities.

We actively explore new opportunities to digitalize the customer lending journey and to automate the back-end operations, in particularly the on-boarding process to underwriting, customer service and finally collection. We try to reach out to FinTechs whenever possible to explore the opportunity to cooperate he said.

Our philosophy is we are not afraid to fail, and with that mindset we leverage on a lot of FinTechs, so we treat them as partners not competitors.

A fitting final word came from the digital entrepreneur Binh, when he spoke of the importance of keeping an open mind when it comes to new developments in the financial industry.

Whenever we have an innovative idea to change things, the conservative mind always thinks it is risky. But I find it is not that much, he said. In order to have disruption, evolution, you must give up the negative thinking. That is of very key importance for innovation.

Conclusion

Overall, the discussion at the roundtable reflected a positive outlook for the FinTech sector, and digital banking products in general, in Vietnam. Though the future may be bright, that light is still some way below the horizon as central bank authorities are supportive and taking steps to build a robust regulatory framework while trying to keep pace with the speed of innovation. In a sector moving so fast, it seem patience is the key.

This article was contributed by Ernst & Young. To read the full report, click here.

(By Ernst & Young)

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- ASEAN SMEs: Are you transforming for the future? | Ernst & YoungThe Supreme Court of Russia has ordered the St. Petersburg City Court to review an appeal against blocking bitcoininfo.ru, a cryptocurrency website, according to RAPSI, the courts press service.

In 2016, the Vyborgsky District Court of St. Petersburg granted a prosecutorial request to block the website, according to the court. The court held that information about bitcoin, as a mean of virtual payment and accumulation, violated Russian law.

The website, bitcoininfo.ru, is currently offline. According to easycounter.com, which tracks website traffic, bitcoininfor.ru got 85.7% of its traffic from Russian Federation, where it is ranked 884556.

St. Petersburg Court Evades Review

The St. Petersburg city court chose not to review the district courts decision on appeal.

In March, however, the city court canceled a decision of the court of first instance to block Internet sites that post information about bitcoin.

Crypto Regulation Remains Controversial

The regulation of bitcoin and cryptocurrencies continues to draw conflicting actions among Russian government officials.

Last May, the Oktyabrsky District Court of St. Petersburg decided to block websites that post information about bitcoin.

The St. Petersburg prosecutors office in February appealed the May 2017 court decision and overturned it. The prosecutors office appealed to the court in order to supervise the execution of laws on especially regime objects and acting on behalf of the Russian Federation and an indefinite group of individuals. The regional department of Roskomnadzor was the interested person.

The court in its decision said the free distribution of e-currency results in the use of cryptocurrency in the trading of drugs, weapons, counterfeit documents and other criminal activity. The court said cryptocurrencies, including bitcoins, support the growth of the shadow economy and cannot be used legally in the Russian Federation.

Also read: St. Petersburg court overturns ruling to block bitcoin-related websites

Story continues

Lawmakers Consider Proposals

Members of the countrys Ministry of Economic Development in February proposed changes to a proposal to regulate cryptocurrencies.

Members requested that transactional profits, as well as personal income, from cryptocurrencies should not be taxed. Furthermore, investment limit in ICOs should be increased from 50,000 to 500,000 rubles. Russian token holders would be allowed to invest in other tokens and participate in foreign exchanges. Members also proposed dropping the restrictions posed on non-residents for participating in ICOs.

The proposal cuts down on the stricter rules favored by the Deputy Finance Minister Alexei Moiseev, who said introducing tax exemptions is expedient, but the idea to increase the limit for individual investments in ICOs is debatable.

Featured image from Shutterstock.



The post Russias Supreme Court Calls For Review Of Bitcoin Website Ban appeared first on CCN.

Armenia's political turmoil deepened on Sunday with the detention of anti-government protest leader Nikol Pashinyan, shortly after Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian stormed out of talks on the tenth day of mass rallies against his rule. Pashinyan and two other opposition politicians "were detained as they were committing socially dangerous acts", the prosecutor general's office said in a statement. Armenian police earlier denied opposition MP Sasun Mikaelyan's report that Pashinyan had been arrested and his whereabouts are unknown. As a lawmaker, he is protected by parliamentary immunity and cannot be arrested without the approval of fellow MPs. It came hours after Sarkisian stormed out of talks with Pashinyan on Sunday morning, accusing him of "blackmail". The tense televised meeting in the capital Yerevan between the premier and Pashinyan lasted only a couple of minutes before the premier cut it short. Opposition supporters denounce Serzh Sarkisian's efforts to remain in power as prime minister after a decade serving as president. "I came here to discuss your resignation," Pashinyan, the leader of the opposition Civil Contract party, had told the prime minister in front of the cameras. "This is not a dialogue, this is blackmail, I only can advise you to return to a legal framework... Otherwise you will bear the responsibility" for the consequences, replied Sarkisian, a former military officer. "You don't understand the situation in Armenia. The power is now in people's hands," Pashinyan hit back. Sarkisian said the Civil Contract party "can't speak on behalf of the people", having scored only eight percent in a recent parliamentary election, during the brief talks. - Hundreds detained - Pashinyan then vowed to "step up pressure" on Sarkisian to force him to resign and called on police officers to "lay down arms and join in the protests". Bu instead security forces intervened using stun grenades and began dispersing the crowd in Yerevan's suburban Erebuni district. Hundreds of people were detained at protest rallies held across Yerevan during the day, police said in a statement, and seven protesters have sought medical help, according to Armenia's health ministry. Armenia's interior ministry said it took the decision to "disperse demonstrators, including those assembled in Yerevan's Republic Square." "In order to perform these duties, police are entitled to carry out arrests and use force. We urge protesters to comply with these and other lawful demands of policemen," the statement said. But tens of thousands of protesters defied the police warning and in the evening filled central Yerevan's Republic Square, an AFP journalist at the scene reported. "By beating up people, the authorities simply can't change the situation in their favour. Too many people don't trust Sarkisian. The genie is out of the bottle," a 32-year-old protester, Sona Petrosyan, told AFP at the rally. Another young protester who didn't give his name said: "We will gather here every day and hold peaceful rallies until Serzh Sarkisian resigns." The US embassy in Yerevan urged "the government to show restraint to allow for peaceful protest and those exercising their freedom of assembly to do so responsibly, to avoid violence, and to prevent an escalation of tensions". "A peaceful resolution requires meaningful political dialogue in good faith," the embassy said in a statement. The EU delegation to Armenia issued a statement expressing "concern" over the rapidly unfolding crisis. "The European Union reiterates that it is crucial that all parties show restraint and responsibility and urgently seek a negotiated solution," the statement said. Opposition supporters have criticised the 63-year-old leader over poverty, corruption and the influence of powerful oligarchs. Pashinyan had earlier announced the "start of a peaceful velvet revolution" in the landlocked South Caucasus nation of 2.9 million people. He called for a nationwide campaign of "civil disobedience", urging civil servants "to stop obeying Sarkisian". Under a new parliamentary system of government, lawmakers elected Sarkisian as prime minister last week. Constitutional amendments approved in 2015 have transferred power from the presidency to the premiership. After Sarkisian was first elected in 2008, 10 people died and hundreds were injured in post-election clashes between police and supporters of the defeated opposition candidate.Visitors to a zoo in southeastern China killed one kangaroo and injured another by throwing bricks at them in an attempt to get a reaction from the big marsupials, state media reported. A 12-year-old female kangaroo suffered a severely injured foot when it was struck by bricks and concrete chunks on February 28 at the Fuzhou Zoo in Fujian province, China Central Television reported. The kangaroo died days later and an examination by a veterinarian revealed that the cause of death was likely a ruptured kidney caused by being struck by the projectiles. A few weeks later, a five-year-old male kangaroo at the same zoo was slightly injured in a similar way, said the report posted on the network's website late on Thursday. The report included pictures of the first kangaroo's smashed and nearly severed foot, and of the animal receiving treatment via intravenous drip before it died. Visitors to the zoo were known to try to provoke the Australia marsupials to get them to display their signature hopping mode of locomotion using their powerful hind legs. The report did not mention whether anyone was punished over the matter, but it said the dead female would be stuffed and put on display and the zoo would look to install security cameras to deter visitors from harming animals in future. China's lightly regulated zoos and wildlife parks often make news for the wrong reasons, typically involving abysmal conditions in which animals are kept or insensitive actions by visitors in a country where the notion of animal rights is not deeply ingrained. Among recent examples, horrified visitors to an animal park in eastern China's Jiangsu province last June watched as tigers killed a donkey that was released into their enclosure by investors angry over a business dispute related to the zoo, according to media reports. A few months earlier, a zoo visitor died after he was mauled by tigers whose enclosure he entered in the city of Ningbo, south of Shanghai.The family of a Palestinian professor and Hamas member accused Israel's Mossad spy agency of assassinating him on the streets of Kuala Lumpur on Saturday. Malaysian authorities said Fadi Mohammad al-Batsh, 35, was killed by two suspects believed to have ties with a foreign intelligence agency in a drive-by shooting on his way to dawn Muslim prayers. Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, quoted by the state-run Bernama news agency, said Batsh was "an electrical engineer and an expert at making rockets". The Palestinian was "believed to have become a liability for a country hostile to Palestine", said Ahmad Zahid, who is in charge of Malaysia's security. The professor was to have left for Turkey on Saturday to attend an international conference, the minister said. He said Malaysian police would request the help of Interpol to track down the suspects, believed to be European nationals. In a statement from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, the victim's family said: "We accuse the Mossad of being behind the assassination." The Islamist Palestinian movement said Batsh, a research scientist specialising in energy issues, was one of its members. Hamas did not directly accuse Israel, which carries out air strikes in retaliation for cross-border rocket fire by militants in Gaza, of killing him, but it called Batsh a "martyr" -- a term used for people killed by Israeli forces. Contacted by AFP, an Israeli official refused to comment. - Mourners at family home - Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Seri Mazlan Lazim said one of the two suspects on a high-powered motorcycle "fired 10 shots, four of which hit the lecturer in the head and body. He died on the spot." "The police also found two empty bullet shells there," the police chief said, according to Bernama. He said that footage from closed-circuit television cameras near the scene of the shooting showed that the assailants waited for around 20 minutes in the area before attacking. "We believe the lecturer was their target because two other individuals walked by the place earlier unharmed. We will view the recordings of all the CCTV in the area," he said. The Palestinian representative in Malaysia, Anwar al-Agha, told AFP that Batsh, who was married and a father of three, was a lecturer in electrical engineering who had lived in Malaysia for the past 10 years. Asked if Mossad could be responsible for his killing, he said: "I cannot comment on this. We have to wait for the official investigation." The Batsh family urged Malaysian authorities to "arrest those responsible for killing him before they flee", and asked for the return home of his body to Jabalia in northern Gaza, where mourners gathered in front of their home. The Mossad is believed to have assassinated Palestinian militants and scientists in the past, but has never confirmed such operations. Hamas has accused Mossad of assassinating one of its drone experts -- Mohamed Zouari -- in Tunisia in 2016, and the spy agency is also believed to have been behind the 2010 murder of top Hamas militant Mahmud al-Mabhuh in a Dubai hotel.The pain of waiting 10 hours with her leg crushed by bodies under the rubble of the Rana Plaza factory was hell for Nilufer Begum. But the five-year wait for justice has been just as agonising. Bangladesh on Tuesday marks the fifth anniversary of one of the world's worst industrial disasters, a building collapse that killed more than 1,130 workers and spotlighted the Western clothing brands benefiting from the country's low wages. But there is mounting anger this anniversary over the glacial pace of the court case against those arrested in the aftermath of the tragedy. The weight of three bodies and rubble crippled Begum's right leg on April 24, 2013. The 38-year-old has had to undergo operations which have cost twice the $3,500 compensation she received, forcing her to borrow from relatives and charities. "I am counting the hours to my death. The muscles in my leg are wasting away. My kidneys are failing," Begum, who now runs a grocer's store near the factory ruins, told AFP. More than 2,000 injured workers from the nine-storey complex, which collapsed like a pack of cards, have similar stories. Many have spent all their compensation on medical bills, according to ActionAid Bangladesh. Begum says the slow wait for justice is the only thing that keeps her going. "None of us wanted to enter the factories that day," she recalled. "They forced us to work despite pillars that crumbled the day before. Five years have passed and no one has been tried or punished." "The building owner is having a great time in jail. All the other accused are out on bail. The factory owners and the managers who threatened to fire us if we didn't work are free," said the tearful mother of an 11-year-old boy. "So many of us have lost limbs or been crippled. But now everyone has forgotten us and the disaster," she added. - 'Witnesses missing' - Rana Plaza's collapse triggered international outrage. European and US clothing brands -- including Primark, Mango and Benetton -- were pressured to improve pay and conditions at the Bangladesh factories which employ some four million workers with wages starting at $65 a month, among the world's lowest. Groups which oversee safety upgrades say Bangladesh factories have improved. The 20 reported accidents last year was the lowest in recent years. A group representing more than 100 European brands still warned however that "major life-threatening safety concerns remain" among the 4,500 textile plants. The work to improve conditions has been faster than the trial of Rana Plaza owner, Sohel Rana, and nearly 40 others -- including factory officials and government inspectors who were charged with murder. Rana was jailed for three years last August for failing to declare his personal wealth to Bangladesh's anti-graft commission. He also faces the murder charges. Proceedings are dragging on and prosecutors say a verdict could take five more years. Prosecutor Mizanur Rahman blamed repeated adjournments. No witness has yet given evidence. "Some witnesses have already gone missing," he said. Union leaders said the painfully slow pace of the trial has "created a climate of impunity". "We thought the Rana Plaza disaster would help workers to unionise and hold protests for improved rights. But the opposite has happened," said Mohammad Ibrahim, a top labour activist. Ibrahim said garment factory owners use "local goons", the police and the government to crackdown on any hint of protests. - Owners' XXL influence - Garment manufacturers have an outsized influence given the $30 billion of textile exports account for some 80 percent of Bangladesh's total. Ibrahim was one of the 41 leaders detained in December 2016 when thousands of workers staged protests for higher wages. He said he received a death threat from police. "Some 1,700 workers were fired and none got back their job," he said. "The garment owners have become more powerful since the disaster." Whistleblower journalist Nazmul Huda was feted after the disaster for being the lone reporter to write and broadcast about the crumbling pillars at Rana Plaza before the collapse. His film is key evidence now. But Huda is now seeking ways to flee the country after he was detained for 42 days and charged with "inciting" workers' pay protests. "The police took me away in a car, blindfolded. I was cuffed and dangled on a rod in the car. Then, they beat me with sticks," he told AFP. "They hit me on my head and ears with gun butts. I barely can hear in my right ear," he said. Police rejected the allegations, saying Huda was detained for breaching internet laws. At weekends, Sultan Mollah visits the Rana Plaza ruins which are now a vast hole filled with hyacinths. Mollah has been gripped by guilt at having let his reluctant daughter go to do her shift that day where she perished in the collapse. "My heart is shattered when I think of her. I try my best to forget the past," he said. "But how could I forget when I see all these murderers roaming freely? No one has yet to face any justice and I doubt they ever will," said the 50-year-old father with his own personal agony.Israel's defence minister on Sunday dismissed claims the country's spy agency was behind the assassination of a Palestinian scientist in Malaysia, suggesting instead that his killing was a "settling of accounts". Speaking to Israeli radio, Avigdor Lieberman described the dead Palestinian, a member of Islamist militant group Hamas, as "no saint" and said he had been involved in rocket production. Fadi Mohammad al-Batsh, 35, was killed in a Kuala Lumpur drive-by shooting on Saturday, according to Malaysian authorities, with his family accusing Israel's Mossad spy agency of the assassination. Hamas said Batsh, a research scientist specialising in energy issues, was one of its members. "There's a tradition among terror organisations of blaming Israel for every instance of settling of accounts," Lieberman told public radio, noting the reports that Batsh's work involved improving the range and accuracy of rockets. "The man was no saint and settling accounts among terror groups and different factions is something we see all the time," he said. "I assume this was the case here too." An autopsy was being carried out Sunday on the body of Batsh, who was walking to dawn prayers at a local mosque in the Kuala Lumpur suburb of Gombak when he was shot by two gunmen riding a motorcycle, Malaysian officials said. At the crime scene, police markers indicated 14 bullets had been sprayed at the victim, some of them hitting a wall. Malaysian Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was quoted by the state-run Bernama news agency as saying Batsh was "an electrical engineer and an expert at making rockets". Militants in Hamas-ruled Gaza fire rockets at southern Israel, but usually without casualties. - 'Definitely Mossad' - Malaysia's police chief Mohamad Fuzi Harun said a task force has been formed to investigate the killing but would not speculate on the motive or whether foreign assassins were involved. Photos of the two suspects provided by witnesses showed they looked like Europeans, he told a news conference Sunday afternoon. When asked if there was evidence of foreign involvement in the killing, he said: "We want to ensure a complete probe. We are still investigating the motive. I urge people not to make any conclusion." No arrests have been made and the murder weapon has not been recovered, he said. Palestinian representative to Malaysia Anwar al-Agha said Fadi's body would be taken back to the Palestinian territories for burial. Mohammad Shedad, 17, a student and a relative of the victim, also blamed Mossad for the killing. "It is definitely the work of Mossad. Fadi is a very clever person, anyone who is clever is a threat to Israel," he told AFP outside the victim's Malaysian apartment. "Fadi is a Hamas member and knows how to make rockets. So (Israel) think he is dangerous." Batsh was married with three young children and had lived in Malaysia for 10 years. It was the second high-profile killing of a foreigner in Malaysia in just over a year. In February 2017 assassins smeared the banned VX nerve agent on the face of Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korea's leader, at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, killing him within minutes. The Mossad is believed to have assassinated Palestinian militants and scientists in the past, but rarely confirms such operations. Hamas has accused Mossad of assassinating one of its drone experts -- Mohamed Zouari -- in Tunisia in 2016, and the spy agency is also believed to have been behind the 2010 murder of top Hamas militant Mahmud al-Mabhuh in a Dubai hotel. In Iran, a total of five scientists -- four of them involved in the country's nuclear programme -- were killed in bomb and gun attacks in Tehran between 2010 and 2012 at the height of tensions over the country's nuclear ambitions. Iran has accused Mossad and the CIA of ordering the killings. Tensions between Israel and Gaza are high, with 38 Palestinians killed in four weeks of clashes along the border. On Sunday, Israel announced the arrest of 19 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, 15 of them allegedly affiliated with Hamas in Gaza "who were instructed to carry out different missions on behalf of the Hamas terror organisation," the army said.SMRT Trains chief operations officer Alvin Kek. (Yahoo News Singapore file photo)

SMRT Trains chief operations officer (COO) Alvin Kek has been arrested for drink driving.

According to a Straits Times (ST) report, Kek was detained at the Woodlands Checkpoint on Saturday (21 April) morning. Separately, the police said a 50-year-old man had been arrested at the checkpoint for drink driving at 5am that morning but gave no further details.

A spokesperson for SMRT said that the matter is currently under investigation and declined to comment further as it concerns a personal matter. The ST report said that Keks father died recently.

Prior to joining SMRT, Kek spent 14 years in the Singapore Armed Forces  where he attained the rank of colonel and served as a chief engineering officer.

He was one of the four former military men brought into SMRT in 2013 by chief executive officer Desmond Kuek and was appointed as SMRTs COO in February. Kuek will be replaced as CEO by former chief of defence force Neo Kian Hong on 1 August.

Last November, Kek was part of the media briefing following the Joo Koon train collision that left 38 commuters injured.

Related stories:

COMMENT: SMRT fiasco  The art of shooting oneself in the foot

Neo Kian Hong to replace SMRT chief Desmond Kuek on 1 August

SMRT: Why one general after another?

Shorter weekend operating hours for 7 MRT stations along NSL in MayBy Sandor Peto

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of Hungarians protested on Saturday against government control over the media, which they say helped Prime Minister Viktor Orban to a landslide election victory earlier this month.

The rally in Budapest was the second mass protest against Orban since the April 8 election, with demonstrators urging the fragmented opposition parties to join forces against the rightwing nationalist Fidesz party, which won two-thirds of parliamentary seats at the polls.

Since 2010, the Hungarian premier has increased his control over the media and put allies in charge of formerly independent institutions, while his stand on refusing to accept large numbers of migrants in Hungary has also brought him into conflict with the European Union.

In a Facebook post before the rally, organisers said state media has been turned into Orban's "propaganda machine".

"Our main goal is to dismantle Fidesz control over the public media ... but opposition parties also have a task as they are also responsible for this situation we are in," they said.

"Together with them, we must fight for a new, just and fair election law and an investigation of corruption cases."

Protesters gathered at the parliament, waving national and EU flags. In the same place last Saturday, tens of thousands had protested against what they see as an unfair election system.

As they marched peacefully towards one of the Danube bridges, protesters held banners with slogans such as "Viktor give us back democracy", "We want freedom of the press" and "Regime change".

THIRD TERM

"Today is the beginning of a process ... in government, I am sure that the opposition parties would not be able to cooperate. In opposition, I see more chance for that," said Adam Farkas, 21, a student.

"We disagree on many things ... but we all want to live in Hungary and the main obstacle to that is Viktor Orban."

Story continues

Orban won a third straight term in power after a strong anti-immigration campaign. The strongest opposition party in the new parliament is the formerly far-right Jobbik, which has recast its image to be a more moderate nationalist force. Its leader resigned after the election.

The leftist opposition parties are also in turmoil.

"It is not Fidesz which won the election, the opposition parties lost it," said Viktor Mikes, a 26-year old administrator at a multinational company. He said opposition politicians should all step aside, and that new people were needed.

"We should start with a clean slate," he said.

The election victory appears to have emboldened Orban to put more effort into his fight against the EU's migration policies and harden his stance on NGOs that he says have been meddling in Hungary's affairs.

In an interview on Friday on state radio Orban accused George Soros, the Budapest-born financier, of political activism in Hungary, saying his circle had supported the opposition.

"I know they won't accept the result of the election, they will organise all sorts of things, they have unlimited financial resources," Orban said.

The foundation of George Soros on Friday accused Orban of trying to stifle non-government groups, and said it could leave the country if parliament passes a "Stop Soros" law that would impose a 25 percent tax on foreign donations to NGOs that support migration.

The government says the legislation is meant to deter illegal immigration.

(Writing by Krisztina Than; Editing by Andrew Bolton)Aritz Parra

MADRID, Spain.- The Basque militant group ETA on Friday offered an unprecedented apology for the pain caused during its more than four decades of armed campaign for independence from Spain and France, and vowed not to return to violence.

ETA, which killed around 850 people including police, politicians and entrepreneurs, is due to announce its final dissolution early next month, ending one of Europes last standing violent nationalist conflicts.

After nearly half a century of car bomb attacks, shootings and kidnappings, the group gave up its violent campaign in 2011. One year ago, the organization also handed over to authorities most of its remaining arsenal.

ETA should have sincerely and unconditionally asked for forgiveness for the damage caused a long time ago.

In a statement published by Basque newspapers Berria and Gara, ETA acknowledged its responsibility for the pain caused by assassinations, torture, kidnappings and people forced to leave the Basque country, in a vague reference not only to ETAs victims but also to the plight of some of its own militants.

We want to show our respect to the dead, the injured and the victims that ETAs actions have caused, the statement said. We really are sorry. Spains government, which considers ETA a terrorist organization, welcomed the organizations move but said the apology came too late.

ETA should have sincerely and unconditionally asked for forgiveness for the damage caused a long time ago, the government of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said in a brief note. It added that Fridays announcement was nothing more than another consequence of the fortitude of the rule of law that has defeated ETA with the arms of democracy.PHILIP ISSA

Beirut, Lebanon | April 21

C hemical weapons inspectors collected samples from Syrias Douma on Saturday, two weeks after a suspected gas attack there followed by retaliatory strikes by Western powers on the Syrian governments chemical facilities.

The site visit, confirmed by the Organization of the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, would allow the agency to proceed with an independent investigation to determine what chemicals, if any, were used in the April 7 attack that medical workers said killed more than 40 people.

I wont find any hope in my heart until the Assad regime is held accountable and eradicated from government in Syria

Douma was the final target of the governments sweeping campaign to seize back control of the eastern Ghouta suburbs of Damascus from rebels after seven years of revolt. Militants gave up the town day after the alleged attack.

The U.S., France, and Britain blamed the President Bashar Assads government for the attack, and struck suspected Syrian chemical weapons facilities one week later.

The Syrian government and its ally Russia denied responsibility for the attack.

OPCW inspectors arrived in Damascus just hours before the April 15 strikes but were delayed from visiting the site until Saturday, leading Western officials and Syrian activists to accuse Russia and the Syrian government of staging a cover-up. I wont find any hope in my heart until the Assad regime is held accountable and eradicated from government in Syria, said Bilal Abou Salah, a Douma media activist who left the town after the government takeover. He said he feared Russian and Syrian government personnel destroyed potential evidence in the two weeks since the alleged attack.The Associated Press

INTERNATIONAL.- Cuban President Miguel DiazCanel has received his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro in his first official act as the countrys leader. Maduro is the first president to visit Diaz-Canel since he was selected by outgoing President Raul Castro to lead the islands government earlier this week.

The Associated Press was told that Castro did not attend a welcome ceremony for the Venezuelan president at the Palace of the Revolution on Saturday. Venezuelan first lady Cilia Flores and Cuban first lady Lis Cuesta were both in attendance.

Venezuela, Cubas key ally, in essence trades oil for Cuban doctors and technicians who work in public health in the South American country.

Tambien te puede interesar: Hungary: Anti-government rally focuses on media freedom

Miguel Diaz-Canel has been the presumptive next president of Cuba since 2013, when Raul Castro named the laconic former provincial official to the important post of first vice president and lauded him as neither a novice nor an improviser, high praise in a system dedicated to continuity over all.

Castro said nothing about how a young civilian from outside his family could lead the socialist nation that he and his older brother Fidel created from scratch and ruled with total control for nearly 60 years.

Exiles in Miami said DiazCanel would be a figurehead for continued Castro dominance. Cubans on the island speculated about a weak president sharing power with the head of the communist party, or maybe a newly created post of prime minister. No one who knew was talking. And no one who was talking knew.The Associated Press

SAN ANTONIO, Texas.- The driver of a big rig involved in the deaths of 10 smuggled immigrants in Texas last year was sentenced Friday to life in prison.

James Matthew Bradley Jr. pleaded guilty in October to a count of transporting the immigrants resulting in death and a conspiracy count. If he had gone to trial and been convicted, he could have faced the death penalty.

The life term Bradley received from senior U.S. District Judge David A. Ezra doesnt include the possibility of parole. At least 39 immigrants, most from Mexico and Guatemala, were inside the sweltering trailer found by San Antonio police last July in a Walmart parking lot.

Theres not a day or night that goes by that I dont relive this scene.

Its refrigeration system wasnt working and outside temperatures that day reached 101 degrees (more than 38 degrees Celsius). Eight people died inside the trailer and two others died after being hospitalized. Bradley, 61, was identified by prosecutors as hailing from Louisville, Kentucky, but he also had lived in Florida.

I am so sorry it happened, Bradley said in a video statement that his lawyers played in court Friday, the San Antonio ExpressNews reported. Theres not a day or night that goes by that I dont relive this scene. Ezra called Bradleys actions extreme by any measure, according to the newspaper.The Associated Press

INTERNATIONAL.- The mayor of a city in Frances Normandy region says a 103-year-old nun known as the White Angel to allied soldiers injured during a failed World War II raid has died. The city of Dieppe in Normandy said that a tribute to Sister Agnes-Marie Valois will be held on April 24 at the Canadian cemetery.

The ceremony is set to be attended by the Canada ambassador to France. Most of the soldiers killed or captured during the Aug. 19, 1942 raid in Dieppe were Canadian, as were the troops the French nun and nurse cared for.

Dieppe Mayor Nicolas Langlois says flags have been lowered to half-staff in the city to pay tribute to a great lady of our history.

Tambien te puede interesar: Hungary: Anti-government rally focuses on media freedom

Valois, who took vows as a nun in 1936 and also worked as a nurse at the Dieppe hospital, was living in retirement at a monastery when she died Thursday.

The Dieppe Raid of 1942 is remembered as one of the darkest chapters in Canadas military history. A 6,000-man force made up mainly of Canadians made an amphibious assault on Dieppe only to be repelled by the occupying Germans superior firepower. Of the nearly 5,000 Canadians who took part, 913 were killed.

Most of the nearly 2,000 taken prisoner remained in POW camps.Its not every day that a nation wakes up to discover its president is publicly claiming to have never heard of Mr. Magoo or Mr. Peepers. But these are extraordinary times for the United States, and so Saturday morning, its citizens faced a bizarre statement from the president claiming that he was unfamiliar with either of these characters, and therefore, could not have referred to Attorney General Jeff Sessions as Mr. Magoo or nicknamed Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein Mr. Peepers. Case closed! As the internet immediately noted, it seems unlikely that Trump, born in 1946, would have been unaware of childrens pop culture phenomena whose popularity peaked in his childhood and teenage years. But for those of us who, like the president, somehow managed to avoid all knowledge of Mr. Peepers, Mr. Magoo, and the other Mr. Peepers, Donald Trumps tweet raises a lot of troubling questions. Who is Mr. Magoo, anyway? Whos Mr. Peepers? Who is the other Mr. Peepers? Why are there two of them? And how likely is it Donald Trump has never heard of any of these people? Unlike so many other questions about Donald Trump and his administration, these have relatively clear answers.

Mr. Magoo

Mr. Magoo, reportedly Trumps nickname for Attorney General Jeff Sessions, was invented by legendary animator John Hubley in 1949. Hubley was then working at UPA, an animation studio formed by the people whod left Disney after the bitter animators strike in 1941, and the character remained with the studio even when its creator didnt. Magoo, a short, bald, old man voiced by Jim Backus, was originally conceived as a parody of right-wingers, but eventually became best-known for his poor eyesight and stubborn obliviousness. Shout! Factory released a box set of Magoos theatrical shorts in 2014; heres a clip from 1954s When Magoo Flew, which won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. Magoo has mistakenly gotten onto an airplane while believing hes in a movie theater:

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And heres Mr. Magoo causing mayhem in the construction and insurance industries both, in a clip from 1950s Trouble Indemnity:

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Besides being a constant presence at theaters when Trump was between the ages of three and thirteen (Mr. Magoo appeared in 54 theatrical shorts from 19491959; five were nominated for Oscars; two won), he was also all over television when Trump was a teenager. Not only were The Mr. Magoo Show, The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo, and Whats New, Mr. Magoo? explicitly based around the character, he also starred in a frequently-rebroadcast Christmas special. Mr. Magoo also returned to theaters in 1997, when Leslie Nielsen played him in a live-action film:

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The Washington Post broke the news that Trump derisively called Sessions Mr. Magoo on March 1.

Mr. Peepers

Mr. Peepers, Trumps alleged nickname for Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, is slightly more obscure than the omnipresent Mr. Magoo. But only slightly, at least for someone Trumps age. In fact, there are two completely separate characters named Mr. Peepers Trump might be familiar with, one from his childhood and one from the late 1990s.

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The first Mr. Peepers was Robinson J. Peepers, a mild-mannered, bespectacled science teacher played by Wally Cox on the NBC sitcom Mister Peepers. The show debuted in the summer of 1952Trump had just turned sixand ran for three seasons, going off the air in 1955. Mister Peepers originally aired in New York on Thursdays at 9:30, but by the end of its run had settled into a more child-friendly slot on Sundays at 7:30. Heres a clip from the UCLA Film & Television Archives restoration, in which Coxs Peepers interacts with his frequent foil, a young Tony Randall:

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For a clearer idea of what it might mean to nickname someone Mr. Peepers, heres another clip in which Peepers wins an award from Bird Magazine:

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But theres another Mr. Peepers Trump could have in mind, and this one makes for an even less complimentary nickname: Mr. Peepers was also the name of a character played by Chris Kataan on Saturday Night Live. This Peepers, presumably named for his sitcom predecessor, was an evolutionary missing link who communicated in claps and grunts while messily devouring apples. Heres the characters debut, in the Sept. 28, 1996 episode hosted by Tom Hanks:

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Kattan played Mr. Peepers in 12 sketches between 1996 and 2002. This was a more or less Trump-impersonation-free dead zone between Phil Hartmans early-1990s Trump and the glory days of Darrel Hammonds Trump in the aughts, and Peepers didnt appear on the same night as a Trump impersonation, for whatever thats worthmaybe the president didnt watch SNL any of the nights Kattan did the character. And maybe he really has never heard of either of the two Mr.

Peepers, just like he never heard of the one and only Mr. Magoo. Maybe he completely avoided movies and television in the 1950s and 1960s and 1990s and never gave Sessions or Rosenstein any nicknames at all. In that case, hell be delighted to know he frequently reminds us of some classic shows of those eras. Specifically, he has Bozos hair, Howdy Doodys fierce independence, and the effortless grace of The Chevy Chase Show, and if were all very lucky, his administration will have the staying power of Cop Rock.A suicide bomber struck a voter registration center in the Afghanistan capital on Sunday and killed at least 52 people. More than 100 were injured in the attack that targeted people who were waiting outside the center in Kabul. ISIS immediately claimed responsibility for what was the deadliest attack yet that seemed to specifically target preparations for the long-delayed parliamentary elections that are scheduled to take place in October. In a message, ISIS said our martyrdom brother targeted Shiite apostates.

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They all wanted to vote, Afghan shopkeeper Ali Rasuli, 26, told the AFP. Rasuli was standing at the end of a long line of people waiting to pick up their national ID certificates when the blast went off. All those people in line were merely following the instructions form government officials who have been pushing people to register at more than 7,000 polling centers across the country.

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Sundays bombing was the deadliest in Kabul since an ambulance stuffed with explosives blew up and killed nearly 100 people.

I strongly condemn the terrorist attack on voters' registration center in Kabul. I stand with those affected by this coward attack. Our resolve for fair and transparent election will continue and terrorists won't win against the will of the Afghan people.  Dr. Abdullah (@afgexecutive) April 22, 2018

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The Afghan government quickly condemned the attack but insisted it shouldnt deter from the goal of going forward with the elections. Our resolve for fair and transparent election will continue and terrorists wont win against the will of the Afghan people, Afghanistans chief executive Abdullah Abdullah wrote on Twitter. U.S. Ambassador John Bass said the Kabul attack was senseless, adding that it shows the cowardice and inhumanity of the enemies of democracy and peace in #Afghanistan.There was lots of anticipation in the small Georgia town of Newnan for what had been billed as the biggest gathering of neo-Nazis since Charlottesville last year that ended with one person dead. In the end, it was much ado about nothing as mere dozens of people showed up to celebrate Adolf Hitlers birthday and they were far outnumbered by hundreds of counterprotesters. But the town got ready for the event with a massive militarized police presence and it seems the approximately 700 law enforcement officers who were on hand were eager to do something so they quickly turned attention to the people who had gathered to protest Nazis. At least 10 were arrested.

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Illustrating the widespread concern about possible violence, an hour before the event began, Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle tweeted that he was praying for Newnan.

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Praying for Newnan. We must condemn the bigotry spread by hate groups. Our thoughts are with Sheriff Yeager, city officials, and all law enforcement officers who are working to protect residents and we hope the protests remains nonviolent.  Casey Cagle (@CaseyCagle) April 21, 2018

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Photos and video quickly spread on social media showing a very aggressive law enforcement force that targeted counterprotesters. Christopher Mathias of the Huffington Post wrote on Twitter that he witnessed the most over-aggressive policing Ive ever seen as police tackled and arrested protesters for wearing masks. One shocking picture shows a cop pointing guns directly at the counterprotesters.

I just witness the most over-aggressive policing I've ever seen in #Newnan. Tackling protesters and arresting them... for wearing masks. pic.twitter.com/Mf1e5cfKH2  Christopher Mathias (@letsgomathias) April 21, 2018

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A cop points a gun at a protester #Newnan pic.twitter.com/wsQuy6LqVx  Christopher Mathias (@letsgomathias) April 21, 2018

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Jack Smith IV, a senior writer at Mic also posted video of police rushing into crowds and arresting a person for wearing a red bandana on their face.

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Police rush into a crowded protest at the Nazi rally to snatch and arrest someone, allegedly for wearing a red bandana on their face  multiple protesters have been tackled and arrested for masks already today. pic.twitter.com/OdVXUpixHT  Jack Smith IV (@JackSmithIV) April 21, 2018

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Journalist Daniel Shular also posted a video showing arrests, including a point when an officer pointed his rifle at protesters and the press.

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Video of arrests in #Newnan with one officer pointing his rifle at protesters and press pic.twitter.com/72ODQjEx99  Daniel Shular (@xshularx) April 21, 2018

Mathias also posted a very telling photograph that shows how strange it is to see a town of 38,000 people with a police force that looks more like a military force than law enforcement for a small town.

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So #Newnan is a town of 38,000 and their police look like this today pic.twitter.com/zX54ATnCgH  Christopher Mathias (@letsgomathias) April 21, 2018

Despite the arrests there were no injuries and police declared the operation a success. Im so proud of the community, Newnan police chief Douglas Buster Meadows said, declaring he was very relieved there had been no violence. At least by the protesters.A Waffle House in suburban Nashville was the scene of chaos and mayhem early Sunday morning when a seminude gunman opened fire and killed four people. Two others suffered gunshot wounds in the Antioch shooting that took place at around 3:25 a.m. while another two suffered minor injuries. Police are on the hunt for the suspect who was wearing only a green jacket that was stuffed with ammunition when he opened fire using an assault-type rifle. When he fled on foot the suspect had shed his coat and was naked, according to police.

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The tragedy in the town located about 16 miles southeast of downtown Nashville could have been a lot worse if not for a patron that managed to wrestle the rifle away from the shooter. The 29-year-old Waffle House patron reportedly was trying to flee the scene when he saw the shooter struggle with the rifle. At that point he charged the shooter, wrestled the weapon away from him and threw it over the restaurants counter. He is the hero here and no doubt he saved many lives by wrestling the gun away, Don Aaron, a spokesman for the Metro Nashville Police Department said. A witness said that the patron in question charged at the shooter when he was reloading his rifle. If you see a nude guy walking around, call the police immediately, Aaron said in an interview. We believe he may be the suspect in this.

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Investigation on going at the Waffle House. Scene being processed by MNPD experts. This is the rifle used by the gunman. pic.twitter.com/lihhRImHQN  Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) April 22, 2018

Police immediately identified Travis Reinking, 29, of Morton, Ill. as the person of interest because the gunman arrived in a vehicle registered to him. Police later said that Reinking matched the descriptions of witnesses and is now seen as the main suspect in the case. Federal law enforcement agents are already familiar with Reinking due to previous interactions, Aaron said.

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BREAKING: Travis Reinking, 29, of Morton, IL, is person of interest in Waffle House shooting. Vehicle the gunman arrived in is registered to him. Gunman last seen walking south on Murfreesboro Pike. He shed is coat and is nude. See Reinking? Pls call 615-862-8600 immediately. pic.twitter.com/duoWCo5fC0  Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) April 22, 2018

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Witnesses said the suspect opened fire as soon as he got out of his car and didnt say a word. He did not say anything, a witness told the Tennessean. He pulled up, got out of his car and was all business. Two of those who died were shot outside the restaurant, one died inside while the fourth person died at the hospital. Although the shooter was naked when he fled, he apparently clothed himself with a pair of pants later Sunday morning, Aaron said. A man believed to be the suspect was seen wearing black pants and no shirt later in the morning near the restaurant where the shooting took place.

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A man believed to be Travis Reinking was last seen in a wood line near Discovery at Mountain View Apts. on Mountain Springs Dr. near the Waffle House. The man was seen wearing black pants and no shirt.  Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) April 22, 2018

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This is a very sad day for the Waffle House family. We ask for everyone to keep the victims and their families in their thoughts and prayers, the Waffle House said in a statement posted on Twitter.

AdvertisementPresident Donald Trump took yet another shot at the media on Sunday, this time aiming his fire toward sleepy eyes Chuck Todd from NBC. A day after he criticized the New York Times and the Washington Post, the president was mad Sunday morning after Todd said, according to Trump, we have given up so much in our negotiations with North Korea, and they have given up nothing. The truth, Trump went on to write on Twitter, was exactly the opposite. We havent given up anything & they have agreed to denuclearization (so great for World), site closure, & no more testing! Trump said.

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Sleepy Eyes Chuck Todd of Fake News NBC just stated that we have given up so much in our negotiations with North Korea, and they have given up nothing. Wow, we havent given up anything & they have agreed to denuclearization (so great for World), site closure, & no more testing!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 22, 2018

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Does Trump know something the rest of us dont? Or is he just confused about what denuclearization means and what North Korea has said? On Friday, North Korea said it would suspend nuclear and ballistic missile tests before a planned summit with South Korea. But North Korean leader Kim Jong-un never actually pledged to get rid of the countrys existing nuclear weapons and missiles.

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Analysts have struck a cautious tone over the promises precisely because North Korea has made similar promises in the past and they never amounted to much. North Korea has a long history of raising the issue of denuclearization and has committed to freeze its nuclear weapons programs in the past. We all remember how those pledges and commitments went down over past decades, Nam Sung-wook, a professor of North Korean Studies at Korea University in Seoul, told Reuters.

Trumps tweet is also a reminder that North Koreas Kim often means a very different thing when he refers to denuclearization than South Korea or the Western world in general. Whereas the United States and South Korea have long said denuclearization means dismantling North Koreas nuclear program, North Koreas Kim has talked about denuclearization of the entire Korean peninsula.

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When Trump criticized Todd, he appears to have been referring to this segment:

Kim Jong Un announced North Korea will stop nuclear testing, but @ChuckTodd asks some tough questions about other unresolved diplomatic concerns. pic.twitter.com/6Jk0Y2NoR1  TODAY (@TODAYshow) April 22, 2018

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With his response, Trump makes it clear he doesnt think he has given up anything to North Korea seemingly without realizing that sitting down for talks in and of itself is a victory for Kim. With his seeming concessions, Kim will be heading to the summits with a recognition from global powers that North Korea is a nuclear nation, which is something the country has long wanted. As one analyst told Axios on Saturday, the issues North Korea says it is willing to discuss, amounts to all the trappings of a responsible nuclear weapons state (which is what they ultimately wanted to be accepted as).

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In a second tweet Sunday, Trump made clear he knows the North Korean nuclear issue is a long way from being resolved, in a rare note of caution for the commander in chief. We are a long way from conclusion on North Korea, maybe things will work out, and maybe they wontonly time will tell, Trump wrote on Twitter.

AdvertisementLooks like its media-bashing Saturday for President Trump as he took time out from his busy Florida afternoon to deny another piece of Fake & Disgusting news, as he called it. A few hours after he criticized the New York Times, it was the Washington Posts turn. A piece that claims Attorney General Jeff Sessions threatened to quit if the president fired his deputy, Rod Rosenstein, notes the president has some interesting nicknames for the two men. Trump reportedly calls Sessions Mr. Magoo and Rosenstein Mr. Peepers. But the president said thats impossible because he doesnt even know who those people even are.

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The Washington Post said I refer to Jeff Sessions as Mr. Magoo and Rod Rosenstein as Mr. Peepers, Trump tweeted Saturday afternoon. This is according to people with whom the president has spoken. There are no such people and dont know these charactersjust more Fake & Disgusting News to create ill will!

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The Washington Post said I refer to Jeff Sessions as Mr. Magoo and Rod Rosenstein as Mr. Peepers. This is according to people with whom the president has spoken. There are no such people and dont know these characters...just more Fake & Disgusting News to create ill will!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 21, 2018

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This was not the first time it has been reported that Trump calls his attorney general Mr. Magoo but its certainly the first time Trump has denied it on Twitter. And his justification that he doesnt even know who the character is seems a bit suspect considering the old-school cartoon character is such an important part of popular culture. His tweet also means that Trump is claiming he had never heard of the sitcom Mister Peepers, which aired for three seasons in the 1950s. Many were immediately skeptical of Trumps claim.

Trump claims he doesn't know who Mr. Magoo is. He was one of the most popular cartoon characters of his childhood, extremely popular on TV and in films throughout the 50s, 60s and 70s -- and was revived in a live-action Disney movie in the 1990s. Trump is lying again.  The Daily Edge (@TheDailyEdge) April 21, 2018

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Is Trump actually suggesting he doesnt know who Mr. Magoo is? Im younger than Trump, and even I remember Mr. Magoo. His ability, and need, to lie  non-stop, and about everything  are remarkable. https://t.co/PF6cinbus9  John Aravosis (@aravosis) April 21, 2018

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 2021 Market data provided is at least 10-minutes delayed and hosted by Barchart Solutions. Information is provided 'as-is' and solely for informational purposes, not for trading purposes or advice, and is delayed. To see all exchange delays and terms of use please see disclaimer. Fundamental company data provided by Zacks Investment Research.Armenian famous actor Mkrtich Arzumanyan just posted a photo on his Instagram informing that he refuses his title of Honred Artist of Armenia.

I reject the power which is applied on unarmed people. I condemn the violence the power is applying on my nation. I refuse to persist this title.

Follow NEWS.am STYLE on Facebook, Twitter and InstagramThe famous actor from the Indian movie Uttaran- Nandish Sandhu is also worried about the situation in Armenian. The Bollywood actor has posted a video on his Instagram.

Really sad to see this happening. Its such a beautiful country and has such lovely people. Please, let it be that way. Breaks my heart to see so much violence and chaos. So many people physically and emotionally getting hurt... Please stop this. A successful Government is only when the citizens are safe, secure and happy. #armenia #spreadlove #peace#stopviolence,-writes the actor.

Follow NEWS.am STYLE on Facebook, Twitter and InstagramPrisoners complain about living conditions and treatment. Employees complain about violence and threats.

Tensions are running high at Schrassig's prison: In March, prisoners had organised a sit-down strike to protest against their living conditions and how they are being treated. Prison guards on the other hand, complain about increasing spurts of violence against the facility's employees. Recently, someone had also published threats against them on social media.

The prison guard union AAP reacted with a statement demanding a stop of the witch-hunt against guards. The Association of Penitentiary Agents of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg had a meeting with Justice minister Felix Braz on Friday afternoon to discuss the current situation. They declined to comment on the meeting

That same day, the justice minister also met with a delegation of prisoners from Schrassig to discuss the issues. It was made clear to them that while the ministry is prepared to talk about possible improvements to the penal system, such dialogue could only take place in an orderly manner and frame. Violent acts would not be tolerated; and the use of violence would trigger consequences.

Currently, it looks as if some groups of prisoners are trying to foment unrest. Braz trusts the prison's leadership team to restore calm and order in the facility.

Early Friday evening, the parliamentary commission convened upon request by the conservative (CSV) party. Violence against prison guards is a no-go for the CSV, says Leon Gloden. The justice minister, who had been invited to the meeting, emphasised that the dialogue was suspended for the moment, and that they would wait and see if the prisoners behaviour improves.

According to Braz, the threats published on Facebook had not been written by prison inmates, but had been published by ex-prisoners.A little over twelve months ago, a journalistic cohort of mine shed light on a quandary that had emerged on TripAdvisor. A thread, dated April 6, 2016 had caught his attention; it was called, Nam Du Island Ferry Sold Out Forever.

In it, the original poster  username: sampears0n from Dublin, Ireland  expressed his dismay at being told that ferries to Nam Du, which board from the Mekong Delta port town of Rach Gia, were off-limits to foreigners, or more vaguely; sold out forever.

Perplexed, Sam had not been alone, and several others chimed in online to share their frustration.

Unfortunately, unaware to anyone not keeping track of Vietnamese maritime boundary law, it had come to pass that without the express consent of local police, nor the presence of a non-foreigner, international guests were being refused ferry tickets to get to these tropical paradise islands.

A view of part of the archipelago from Nam Du Island. Photo: Vu Ha Kim Vy

Situated in the Gulf of Thailand, just 70km southeast of Phu Quoc, the 21 islands and islets of the Nam Du Archipelago, in Kien Giang Province, have remained largely untouched; sometimes referred to as a mini Ha Long Bay of the south.

Sunset at the main beach of Bai Men on Nam Du Island. Photo: Vu Ha Kim Vy

As the disgruntled writer correctly pointed out in his article, (he had attempted to reach the islands himself without success) the restriction was down to the government decree that had been published on September 3rd, 2015; number 71/2015/ND-CP to be exact.

Article seven required that any foreigner, permanently or temporarily residing in Vietnam, produce permits for entry into maritime boundary areas, as issued by provincial-level public security departments.

This was the reality that had confronted more than a few foreign travellers, and setting aside rumors of exactly why Nam Du had been reclassified as an important maritime boundary area, (one TripAdvisor user suggested a crackdown on the potential harboring of Interpol-famous celebrities) in short, the rule amounted to some heavy bureaucratic lifting.

Some quoted two or three-day waits in Rach Gia, uncertain telephone calls and confusing interactions with local officials. Fixers were said to be available to help you, although even this seemed to offer no guarantee.

Better perhaps, as was suggested by others in the thread, to cut your losses, get the next bus to Ha Tien and follow the herd to Phu Quoc. No sold out signs there.

Bai Men beach on Nam Du Island. Photo: Vu Ha Kim Vy

Whatever the official reasons, they are now of little consequence, because fast-forward to just over one year since the writers very reasonable gripe was published, and I can confirm that he and anyone else reading this can rejoice:

Foreigners can now buy ferry tickets to Nam Du without having to obtain an official permit.

The pictures between these words are my proof of four days of post-Tet relaxation spent in what can only be described as a very beautiful, tranquil part of the world. Whats more, all I had to do was send the ferry company a picture of my really quite handy Australian passport face page to make it happen. Sometimes timing is everything.

Not to rob you of the detail, the new law was actually put into effect as far back as December 29th, 2017, when the Chairman of the Kien Giang Peoples Committee issued Decision No. 2931/QB-UBND, which finally gave the sea, island and border areas near Nam Du official tourism status.

As a direct result, now when you arrive at the islands main port of Bai Chet, free from the hassle of requiring any kind of permit, theres one of those large red signs with an all-capped yellow font to greet you. It reads, Khu Du Lich Quan Dao Nam Du, which means Nam Du Tourist Destination- clear recognition of the fundamental shift in the islands status.

A sign of the times at Bai Chet, the archipelagos main port. Photo: Jon Aspin

For the record, included in the decision is the nearby Lai Son Island, where ferries will drop you off on the way to Nam Du, as well as the Hai Tac islands, which literally means pirate.

All of them offer idyllic beach landscapes, amazing sunsets, fresh seafood and plenty of opportunities to do very little. What they do not have yet is anywhere near the required level of infrastructure to develop the kind of tourism now very evident on Phu Quoc.

The overall result is a step back in time for foreigners used to a certain level of luxury, but do not let this trick you into thinking you will be alone; the restriction has never applied to the Vietnamese.

Boat operators ferry visitors to the tiny island of Hon Dau, part of the Nam Du Archipelago. Photo: Vu Ha Kim Vy

Under the new conditions, big budget resorts may only be a matter of time, and for those with an eye for opportunity, it may be an amber light.

At the very least, it seems the authorities are ready to listen to suggestions, including to those of the locals I spoke to, who had welcomed their newfound tourism status with open arms.

The road to everywhere on Nam Du Island. Photo: Vu Ha Kim Vy

Either way, whether youre a ground-floor investor or just looking for a few magical days away, I present to you again the Nam Du Archipelago; a location previously described by the original, unnamed writer as the most beautiful islands in Vietnam you cant visit.

Now you definitely can.A Vietnamese scientist has been honored with the UNESCO for Women in Science Awards for her successfully implemented research project which aims to create a gel able to treat wounds effectively and safely.

Nguyen Thi Hiep was among winners of the L'Oreal-UNESCO for Women in Science International Rising Talents 2018 award, given last month in France.

Jointly supported by UNESCO and cosmetics producer the LOreal Foundation, the program annually chooses the most prominent candidates out of 275 young female scientists to be awarded the LOreal  UNESCO fellowships, in order to encourage women on their scientific path.

Hiep, who has spent more than ten years studying biomaterials, is a doctorate lecturer in biomedical engineering at the Ho Chi Minh City International University  a member of the collegiate Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City, a prestigious higher education institution.

I was really surprised and proud. The honor is globally highly selective. I rejoiced to see Vietnams map appear in the ceremony, the 37-year-old talked of her award.

She owes the achievement to her project launched in 2013, entitled the '21st Century First-Aid Kit,' which aims to produce a type of gel that can be used for various wounds, to remove bacteria and help generate tissues at the injury rapidly.

The smart gel partly combines an acid aiding cell proliferation and migration, known as cross-linking hyaluronic acid, and complex molecules, or chitosan in technical terms.

Diversity in application of the product is enabled by other ingredients like silver and curcumin  a chemical commonly found in ginger.

She said that hemostatic materials, those that stop the bleeding, on the current market only provide a temporary effect, for the injured have to take them away after being hospitalized.

That is why she has desired to create the gel which obviates the need for the removal while serving as the substitute for lost tissues at the wound.

In the future Ill continue to develop the gel so that it can be used on cancer patients with tissue loss, she said.

Huynh Thanh Dat, director of the Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City, said Hieps ultimate goal with the award-winning project is to make products poor people and those facing limited access to medical care or living in remote areas or on islands can afford.

As a female scientist, she has tirelessly tried to make significant contributions to the growth of biomedical engineering, Dat said.

Hiep has tested the first-aid substance on pigs with promising results, and is planning to perform more clinical trials.

The greatest hindrance, she said, is money.

She needs mass sums purchasing chemicals for experiments, paying students working for her and keeping pigs, while the experiments are particularly prone to failure.

She has received VND2 billion (US$88,000) worth of assistance from a U.S. organization and is soliciting more from the Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City.

Her efforts are hailed with complements.

She won the first prize on the development of devices used in cell culture by Koreas Soonchunhyang University in 2011, a fellowship by the LOreal-UNESCO for Women in Science Program in 2016, and the ASEAN-U.S. award in 2017.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!NEW YORK -- A U.S. push to change the Iran nuclear deal was sending a very dangerous message that countries should never negotiate with Washington, Irans foreign minister warned as U.S. and North Korean leaders prepare to meet for denuclearization talks.

Speaking to reporters in New York on Saturday, Mohammad Javad Zarif also said that for French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel to try to appease the president (Donald Trump) would be an exercise in futility.

Trump will decide by May 12 whether to restore U.S. economic sanctions on Tehran, which would be a severe blow to the 2015 pact between Iran and six major powers. He has pressured European allies to work with Washington to fix the deal.

Macron and Merkel are both due to meet with Trump in Washington this week.

The United States has not only failed to implement its side (of the deal), but is even asking for more, said Zarif, who is in New York to attend a U.N. General Assembly meeting.

Thats a very dangerous message to send to people of Iran but also to the people of the world - that you should never come to an agreement with the United States because at the end of the day the operating principle of the United States is whats mine is mine, whats yours is negotiable, he said.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said earlier this month that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has looked at the Iran deal, hes seen what he can get and hes seen how he can push through loopholes and were not going to let that happen again.

Under the Iran nuclear deal, Tehran agreed to curb its nuclear program in return for relief from economic sanctions. Trumps predecessor, Barack Obama, struck the pact to try to keep Iran from building a nuclear weapon but Trump believes it has disastrous flaws.

Zarif said if Washington leaves the deal, there were many options being considered by Tehran, including complaining through a dispute mechanism set up by the agreement or simply leaving the deal by restarting its nuclear activities.

We will make a decision based on our national security interests when the times comes. But whatever that decision will be, it wont be very pleasant to the United States, he said.

When asked if Iran could stay in the deal with the remaining parties, Zarif said: I believe thats highly unlikely because it is important for Iran to received the benefits of the agreement and there was no way Iran would do a one-sided implementation of the agreement.

Iran has always said its nuclear program was only for peaceful purposes and Zarif said if Tehran resumed its nuclear activities it would not be intended to get a bomb.

America never should have feared Iran producing a nuclear bomb, but we will pursue vigorously our nuclear enrichment. If they want to fear anything its up to them, Zarif said.Here are todays leading news stories:

Society

-- A free route connecting Can Gio District in Ho Chi Minh City and Can Giuoc District in the southern province of Long An was inaugurated on Saturday morning with the total investment of VND54 billion (US$2.37 million), which was funded by the private sector.

-- The construction of a railway project linking the north-central Vietnamese province of Ha Tinh with Vientiane City in Laos is expected to cost $5 billion and take seven years to finish.

-- The north-to-south railway route was paralyzed for multiple hours on Saturday morning after the train SE8, running from Saigon to Hanoi, partially derailed in the south-central province of Binh Thuan at around 9:00 am.

-- A 30-year-old woman in Ho Chi Minh City died on Friday, two days after she received treatment for a food allergy that had caused severe itching at An Sinh Hospital in Phu Nhuan District. A representative of the infirmary stated that the cause of death would be announced next week.

-- Lieutenant Colonel Tran Van Dong, a 45-year-old police official at the Department of Police in the southern province of Binh Duong, was found dead by hanging inside a hotel room in Thu Dau Mot City on Saturday morning.

-- A 42-year-old man was killed and two other hospitalized after a violent confrontation broke out in the middle of a drinking party in Binh Chanh District, Ho Chi Minh City, on Friday night.

-- Police in Hoi An City in the central province of Quang Nam confirmed on Saturday afternoon they had arrested a gang of teenagers aged from 13 to 15 who had been stealing from foreign tourists since the beginning of this month.

Business

-- A meeting between leaders of Ho Chi Minh City and investors was convened on Saturday morning to seek investment into key projects designed to turn the southern metropolis into a smart city.

-- Vietnam has imported over 7,800 automobiles, of which 4,690 have less than nine seats, since the beginning of this year, according to statistics from the General Department of Vietnam Customs.

Lifestyle

-- The sixth edition of the musical concert titled Vietnamese Youth  The Story of Peace organized by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper took place at Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street in Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday night.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!ABC, Seven & Nine have dedicated ANZAC Day programming on Wednesday.

Coverage begins from 4:30am with Dawn Services and will continue to Villers-Bretonneux in France.

All times are AEST.

ABC:

The ABC live coverage of ANZAC Day marches in each state, the Gallipoli service in Turkey, and other services at home and abroad have become fundamental to the commemoration of Anzac Day for Australians.

2018 marks the 103rd anniversary of the action by Australian, New Zealand and other Commonwealth troops in Gallipoli in 1915.

The ABCs coverage will coordinate the key commemorative events from Australia, Turkey and France.



These will be broadcast on ABC, ABC News channel, and live streaming on ABC iview and Facebook throughout the day.

From 4.30am AEST, ABC will broadcast the ANZAC Dawn Service from Sydney, followed by the ANZAC Dawn Service from Canberra at 5.30am AEST.

This will be followed from 9am AEST with live local coverages of marches in all State Capital cities.



At 12.30pm AEST, the Gallipoli Dawn Service will commence from the Anzac Commemorative site located by the water at Anzac Cove in Turkey. The cove is on the Gallipoli Peninsula and following the landing became the main base for the Australian and New Zealand troops during the 8-month campaign. 450,000 people watched the telecast of the Gallipoli dawn service in 2017.

This year is also the 100th anniversary of the re-capture of the French town of Villers- Bretonneux by the Australians on Anzac Day in 1918. More than 8,000 attendees, including the Prime Minister of Australia, are expected at the dawn service, which will be broadcast live at 1.30pm AEST from the Australian National Memorial in Villers-Bretonneux.

As is customary, the Anzac Day Address by the Governor-General, His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC, will be broadcast nationally immediately before the ABC evening news bulletins at 7pm.

SEVEN:

4:45am Currumbin Dawn Service

Live coverage of the Anzac Day Currumbin dawn service.

6am Sunrise

3pm AFL

Its the traditional ANZAC Day clash from the MCG as the Magpies and Bombers pay their respects to our fallen heroes. Bounce time 3.20pm



NINE:

4:30am Nine News Special

Join the Nine News team for the Dawn Service live from the Cenotaph, Martin Place, Sydney.

5:30am Today

12:30pm Nine News Special

Join Nine News team live from Gallipoli for the dawn service.

1:40pm Nine News Special

Join Nine News as we remember the fallen from the 1918 Battle to Recapture Villers-Bretonneux.Former US President Barack Obama understood that the US government is a democracy that runs multilaterally. This means that its a government under which every party  whether theyre liberal or conservative or libertarian or whatever  gets a say in political matters, no matter whos been elected to be in charge. This is why Obama could never get his gun control laws passed: even though a Democrat was elected President and took up residence in the White House, most of the people in Congress were gun-toting Republicans. But Obama expected this, because he has spent his whole life working up the ranks in the American political system, learned the ropes, and it all culminated in an eight-year Presidential term.

The same goes even for another former President, George W. Bush, who knew the US government like the back of his hand. He grew up surrounded by politicians. His dad was the President a few years before he was elected himself (well, the legitimacy of the election is often brought into question). Sure, Bush made some controversial decisions, like invading Iraq after 9/11 with no just cause, but he knew that things get passed by Congress and theyre group decisions made by the majority of a bunch of people who are elected into power from all different political parties.

Donald Trump is trying to break the mould and its causing problems

Now, weve got the current President, Donald Trump, who ran in the election race back in 2016 with a focus on how he was a Washington outsider with no political background and a promise that he would shake things up in the government and be the voice for the ignored working classes.

For some reason, working-class American voters believed that a billionaire reality TV star would be a good representation for them in their government, so he was elected.

But since he has a very stubborn attitude about his ideas and his policies, Trump is not open to compromise and wont budge on anything. If he doesnt get his way, then hes mad and he retreats to his Twitter account to complain about it.

You can shake things up all you want  Obama got same-sex marriage legalised, after all  but if there are rules that keep the government running smoothly that have been in place for decades, then you have to follow them. Fairs fair.

Since hes never worked in politics before, Trump seems to have no idea what the role of President is.

He seems to believe that the President has absolute power and that the Democrats have no power to question his authority or vote against his bills. Hes wrong on every count and its not good for the US government. Its almost like thats why he ran for President  hes only happy when he gets his way, and he thought that the office of President would finally give him the power and the ability to get his way every single time he thinks up an idea.

Trump keeps taking America further and further back in time

The US government has followed the multilateral approach to settling political matters for almost a whole century now. With his Make America Great Again slogan and campaign, people were worried that Trump was bringing the US back to the 80s by copying the Ronald Reagan campaign.

With the Mexican border wall, people were worried that Trump was bringing us back to the 60s, with the Berlin Wall and all the Russia stuff and the Cold War. Then with the Muslim ban, we were going back to the racial segregation of the 50s. But if he totally disregards the government system that America has followed for decades, then hell bring us back to the 1930s! Lets hope he doesnt get all the way back to the 1800s, because we all know what was happening in America back then...LA PAZ (Reuters) - Bolivia will manufacture and market lithium batteries along with German company ACI Systems GmbH, which will invest $1.3 billion in the project, the country's manager of the lithium deposits told the Bolivian state radio on Saturday.

Along with Argentina and Chile, Bolivia is part of South America's so-called "lithium triangle," one of the largest global reservoirs of the key mineral for the production of car batteries.

"The German company ACI Systems has been selected as the strategic partner," Juan Carlos Montenegro, head of state-owned company Bolivian Lithium Deposits, or YLB by its Spanish initials, told Patria Nueva radio.

He said the joint venture deal will be inked as soon as possible so that operations can begin in about 18 months.

Bolivia has almost a quarter of the world's lithium resources.

(Reporting by Daniel Ramos; Editing by Chris Reese)Storyful

Health officials urged Orange County residents exposed to an oil spill to seek medical attention, as stretches of the countys beaches were forced to close on October 3.An initial irritation will be obvious. Additionally, contaminants may be absorbed through the skin. Even when an oil sheen may not be visible, dispersed and dissolved oil contaminants may exist in the water, Orange Countys health officer Dr. Clayton Chau said in a press release.Over 1,200 gallons of oily mixture had been collected from the ocean as of Sunday, according to the US Coast Guard. An investigation into the cause of the spill was ongoing.This video taken by Nadia Osline shows a slick of oil seen off the Huntington Beach pier. Credit: Nadia Osline via StoryfulA study published Thursday confirmed that the cracks identified on Mars' surface last year by the Curiosity rover are indeed evidence of ancient lakes that likely dried up about 3.5 billion years ago. The new study provides further evidence of what the climate on the Red Planet may have been like in its ancient past.

The study, published online in Geology, proved that cracks on Mars' surface previously photographed by Curiosity are indeed desiccation mudcracks which could have only been formed when wet sediment was exposed to the air. This conclusion was based on an analysis of a single area of rock known as Old Soaker.

Researchers used the Curiosity rover and data from its many tools, particularly the Mars Hand Lens Imager, ChemCam Laser Induced Breakdown Spectrometer (LIBS) and the Alpha-Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) to study both the physical appearance and the chemistry of the rock, which is described as no bigger than a coffee table.

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NASA/Arizona State University via Getty Images

The analysis revealed that cracks on the rocks were formed by exposure to air, rather than heat or the flow of water. In addition, the shape of the cracks suggests the occurrence of a single drying event on the planet, rather than multiple cycles of the planet getting wet and drying over. The position of the cracks, closer to the center of the ancient lake rather than along the edges, also suggests that the lake levels changed often, rising and falling dramatically over time.

"The mudcracks are exciting because they add context to our understanding of this ancient lacustrine system," lead study author Nathaniel Stein, a geologist at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, said in a statement, referring to the ancient lake system on the planet.

Story continues

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Scientists have known of the existence of ancient water on Mars for years. A 2015 NASA study that measured water signatures in Mars atmosphere suggested that ancient oceans may once have had more water than our own Arctic Ocean. However, because the planet has less gravity and a thinner atmosphere than Earth, this water evaporated into space over the course of several billion years.

Water still exists on Mars in the form of ice. In 2015, NASA scientists found a slab of ice just beneath Mars' surface that was estimated to be as big as California and Texas combined.

Some have even suggested that there may still be liquid water flowing on Mars. In 2015 NASA announced that dark features that appeared to be running down slopes on Mars were running water. However, more recent research suggests that these darker slopes are just sand.

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from NewsweekAbby Lee Miller spoke out about her cancer diagnosis for the first time on Saturday. The former Dance Moms star took to social media to share a selfie of her in the hospital, as she recovers from emergency surgery.

So much gratitude and love for those who listened, those who looked deeper and those who leapt [sic] into action, Miller captioned the Instagram photo. So much more I wish I could sayabout how quickly your life can change at the hands of others. Thanks for __

Miller broke her silence just days after her back surgery, which was initially done for what doctors thought to be an infection, E! News reports. However, Dr. Hooman Melamed, her orthopedic spine surgeon, went on to preliminarily diagnose her with Burkitt lymphoma, a form of non-Hodgkins lymphoma.

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4_21_Abby Lee Miller

Michael Buckner/Getty Images for LOGO

The 51-year-old, who was released from prison last month, had a multi-level laminectomy done early Tuesday morning after experiencing excruciating neck pain and a weak arm, People Magazine reports.

If we didnt do something, she was going to die, Dr. Melamed told the magazine. Her blood pressure was bottoming out. She was not doing well.

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Miller is now recovering from the nearly 5-hour procedure at Cedar Sinai Marina Del Rey Hospital. Her pathology results have yet to come in; therefore, her doctors havent decided Miller's treatment plan.

Were getting an oncologist involved and we have to figure out what the next steps are as far as chemotherapy or radiation or more spine surgery, Dr. Melamed said. Depending on the tumor type, depending on the sensitivity of the tumor  it just depends on the type but I feel more than yes, she will undergo chemotherapy or radiation.

Story continues

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from NewsweekBAGHDAD (Reuters) - An Iraqi air strike in Syria on April 19 has killed 36 Islamic State militants, including some of the group's leaders in Syria, an Iraqi military spokesman told Reuters on Sunday.

Iraqi warplanes had attacked an Islamic State explosives factory and other positions inside Syria on Thursday, a rare air assault across the border.

(Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein; editing by Maher Chmaytelli)A manhunt is under way after a naked gunman shot and killed four people at a restaurant in Nashville, Tennessee, before a customer disarmed him.

The gunman was armed with an AR-15 style assault rifle when he entered the Waffle House in Antioch, a suburb of Nashville, police said.

The customer has been hailed as a "hero" after he wrestled the weapon from the gunman, who then fled the scene.

Six people were shot in total, including two who were killed in the car park outside the restaurant. The gunman then opened fire on customers inside the Waffle House, killing one and wounding another, who later died.

Two more were wounded and are being treated at Vanderbilt University Medical Centre.

Nashville police identified the brave customer as James Shaw Jr.

Police spokesman Don Aaron said: "The shots had stopped so he decided to rush the gunman, actually wrestled that assault rifle away, tossed it over the counter and, at that point, the gunman fled."

The 29-year-old "hero" saved many lives, he added.

Mr Shaw, who was grazed by a bullet, told the Tennessean in an interview that he was "just trying to get myself out. I saw the opportunity and pretty much took it."

"When I was in the ambulance to hospital I kept thinking that I'm going to wake up and it's not going to be real.

"It is something out a movie. I'm OK though, but I hate that it happened."

The gunman entered the Waffle House restaurant shortly before 3.30am local time.

In a statement, police said he "was nude and fled on foot."

The suspect was wearing nothing but a green jacket, which he removed before fleeing.

Officers described the man as white, with short hair.

The gunman's vehicle was registered to Travis Reinking, a 29-year-old from Morton, Illinois, who police identified as a person of interest.

Police were searching for the man early on Sunday and it was unclear if he was armed with another weapon.

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A man believed to be Reinking was last seen on Mountain Springs Drive near the Waffle House, wearing black trousers and no shirt, police said.

They have urged the public to be vigilant and warned that he is to be considered still armed and extremely dangerous.

AR-15 assault rifles are commonly used in mass shootings in America.

The same gun was used by Nikolas Cruz who opened fire at a Florida school killing 17 people in February.

Stephen Paddock also used the same rifle to kill at least 59 people attending a concert from his hotel window in Las Vegas in October 2017.North Korea has condemned the U.S. and its alliance with Israel, which continued to experience deadly clashes between security forces and Palestinian protestors.

On Friday, the official Korean Central News Agency called the U.S. out for repeatedly defending Israel from criticism at the United Nations Human Rights Council, which U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley once called "a haven for dictators" and has threatened to pull the U.S. out of. Palestinians have threatened to lodge a complaint with the international body over rising casualties as Israeli forces reportedly opened fire on Palestinian demonstrators near the Gaza border, where dozens have been killed and thousands injured since violent protests erupted over Israel's historic and ongoing seizure of land.

"Israel's wild act of destroying Mid-east peace and mercilessly killing Palestinians is a hideous crime that deserves denunciations thousands of times," the state-run agency said of a commentary by North Korean Cabinet paper Minju Joson.

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"If the U.S. is interested in protecting human rights, it should keep pace with the efforts of the international community to denounce and check Israel's human rights abuses," Minju Joson wrote. "But, the U.S. chimed in with Israel in the eyes of the international community, fully disclosing that it is applying double-dealing standards in human rights and politicizing it."

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MOHAMMED ABED/AFP/Getty Images

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The rhetoric comes at a time of relative calm in the usually tense relations between Washington and Pyongyang, which the U.N. has also censured for reports of human rights abuses. After a year of sparring with President Donald Trump, North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un reached out to U.S.-backed South Korea in January, in an effort to end the decades-long conflict between them. The U.S. was hesitant in endorsing the talks, but Trump has since accepted a historic invite to meet Kim face-to-face, making him the first sitting president to meet a North Korean leader.

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As the anticipated late May or early June deadline for the meeting approaches, major rifts still exist between the two. The U.S.'s decision to gather the U.K. and France and attack suspected chemical weapon facilities belong to the Syrian government may have resonated with North Korea, another target of U.S. military threats and an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said the U.S.-led cruise missile strikes were "an action that was taken against weapons of mass destruction, and I think this gave a certain message to North Korea as well," according to the Agence France-Presse.

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SAID KHATIB/AFP/Getty Images

North Korea has defied increasingly heavy international sanctions to build a nuclear weapons program that the country argues is necessary to defend from potential invasion. Kim and his predecessors have been deeply critical of U.S. interventions and invasions across the Middle East and have deployed personnel to assist Arab states in their wars with Israeli in the 1960s and 1970s. It has also helped to fund left-wing Palestinian militias and has supported an independent Palestinian state.

North Korea called the U.S. a "cancer" and recommended it lose its U.N. Security Council veto privilege after Trump decided to recognize the disputed city of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, defying Palestinian counterclaims in December.

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from NewsweekBERLIN (AP)  Ireland-based Smyths Toys has reached a deal to take over more than 90 Toys R Us stores in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

In March, Toys R Us said it would be liquidating its U.S. business. Its German branch said in a statement Saturday that Smyths Toys has signed an agreement to take over its activities in the three countries, with 93 stores and four online shops.

Smyths Toys, which according to the statement operates 110 stores and online shops in Ireland and Britain, said it is confident of establishing and expanding its brand in continental Europe.

The deal requires approval by a U.S. court and other authorities. It foresees Smyths Toys taking over Toys R Us' regional employees and local headquarters in Cologne.

No financial details were given.

See Also:A man threatened security at Mont-Saint-Michel in France

A suspect is on the run after a security alert at a busy tourist attraction in France.

Tourists have been evacuated from the famous Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey in western France after a visitor reportedly threatened to attack security services.

Top level security services have launched a manhunt for the suspect, who remains at large.

Police said the man made the threat on Sunday, on one of the shuttles that carry tourists to the site on a peninsula in the English Channel.

Visitors are being turned away and a police helicopter flies overhead.

Tourists have been evacuated from the scene

Officers have expanded the search to neighbouring towns.

Jean-Marc Sabathe, head of the regional administration, told French media: I am ordering house-by-house searches to verify if the individual is still on Mont-Saint-Michel.

Its possible that the individual left the Mont with the flux of tourists, Sabathe added.

Its reported that the man made the threat when he was trying to stage a street performance, and got into an argument with a cafe worker.

Sabathe said the man was caught on CCTV making the threats.

Residents at The Mont have been told to stay indoors, the sites administrator Xavier Bailly told French media.A Texas charter school issued an apology after students were asked to list the positive aspects of slavery.

Aaron Kindel, the superintendent of the Great Hearts academies in Texas, issued the apology Thursday after an 8th grade history teacher at its school in San Antonio asked students to think about the positives and negatives about slavery.

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Getty Images

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He described the assignment as very inappropriate and entirely inconsistent with Great Hearts philosophy and culture.

In the 8th grade American History class students were asked to reflect on the differing sides of slavery. To be clear, there is no debate about slavery. It is immoral and a crime against humanity.

Kindel said that the teacher responsible had been placed on leave, and the issue was confined to one teacher at one of its schools.

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He said an audit would be performed of the teaching materials used in the class, and a textbook had been removed from use.

On Wednesday, parent Roberto Livar posted a picture of a worksheet his son was asked to complete at the school entitled The Life of Slaves: A Balanced View.

We are fully aware that there is a concerted effort by the far-right nationally to re-frame slavery as being not that bad and trying to revise the civil war as being about states rights and not about slavery, Livar told the Huffington Post. We were concerned that this assignment fell in line with that ideology and were naturally concerned, as well as other parents.

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Representative Joaquin Castro, a Texas Democrat, called the assignment absolutely unacceptable in a tweet on Thursday.

Story continues

A Wisconsin primary school was criticized in January after also assigning pupils an exercise to list the positive and negative aspects of slavery.

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from NewsweekNo part of your business has more contact with the public than the Customer Service department. Bad customer service can cause lasting damage to your brand, while good service can help your reputation for years to come. According to shopfy.com your business grows by selling to your current customers and having a lasting relationship. If you want to provide the best customer service possible, incorporate these ideas into your business.

1: Provide multiple contact methods

Some people want to talk on the phone to a real person, while other people get nervous in that sort of situation.

Provide multiple ways for people to contact your customer service department, including telephone, email, and online chat if you can. This allows the customer to remain comfortable and in control.

2: Be responsive

When your customers come to you with a problem, make sure to respond to them quickly. Ideally, you should get back to them within 24 hours of the initial contact. If you cant solve the issue in that time, provide them with periodic updates so they know you havent forgotten them. According to US News, it gives reasons why it is important to always have someone to deal with Customer Care issues.

3: Create a FAQ

Every website that has a customer service element should have a section for frequently asked questions (FAQ).

Your FAQ should address the most common questions or issues your customers have in a clear, easy to digest manner.

4: Provide good value

Reasonable pricing is a necessity when it comes to any business, but make extra sure not to accidentally gouge your customers with fees and surcharges that arent really necessary. Keep prices reasonable and competitive so customers know theyre getting good value along with great service.

5: Provide live chat

Your customers will come away very happy from virtually any problem if they can speak with a real, helpful person. If youre worried that live chat might be too difficult to implement, try the Olark support system, which is easy to install on any WooCommerce site.

6: Provide added value

If your customers experience a problem, you owe it to them to make sure that they receive something extra for their troubles.

If you can provide a discount or other incentive to get them to come back in the future, that will help mend any hard feelings.

7: Speak the customers language

While you may not be able to afford somebody who can communicate with an international customer in their native tongue, you can listen carefully to the way they speak about your industry. If they seem to have trouble understanding the basics, avoid using a lot of jargon with them. This will make them more comfortable with the experience.

8: Own up to the problem

The last thing a customer wants to hear when they reach out is an excuse that shifts the blame. Even if the customer is at fault, own the problem and sympathize with how frustrated they must be.

This removes any potential hostility.

9: Personalize emails

Whenever you email your customers about a concern, dont use a blanket greeting like, Dear Loyal Customer. Instead, create a field that uses their name. Personalized emails have a higher chance of people reading them and responding to them.

10: Develop useful supplementary content

If you can direct your customers to a blog entry or how-to guide that walks them through the trouble they are experiencing, you can demonstrate the usefulness of your website while you help the individual. Good, useful content pays in many ways, and customer service is another example.

11: Encourage confident, decisive solutions

Very little is more frustrating to a customer than a stuttering customer service representative who cant make a decision without going to management.

Train your customer service team to be confident and decisive when helping out. A wrong decision can be fixed behind the scenes more easily than an upset customer.

12: Set realistic expectations

If you cant fix something completely, dont tell a customer that you can. Businesses that overpromise tend to irritate customers more than those which set and meet reasonable expectations from the beginning

13: Follow up until the problem is solved

Dont let a customer fall by the wayside and get forgotten. Create a follow-up system that tracks the issue until it gets resolved. Even after you have solved the customers problem, send one last email to make sure that they are truly satisfied. This will remind them how valuable they are.

Customer service is extremely important to any business and especially important to an online model that relies on goodwill. By following the tips above, you will be able to keep your customers happy and make your own services process much more efficient.Broken Penis is not the kind of thing any man would like to think about, or so I'm told by someone who knows these things. For comedian, Ross Asdourian, the unthinkable happened. Broken penis man actually laughs about the painful experience. He just released a hilarious book about it.

Most people would bury the painful pelvic experience and hope to never relive it, but the Daily Mail reported that he released a book about the traumatic incident called "Broken Bananah: Comedy, Life, and Sex ...Without a Penis,'" on Wednesday.

Bookstr.com carried the coverage for the release party which was written by Hilary Schuhmacher.

She explained how Ross and the guests mingled and had a few drinks before "he read two chapters, hilarious chapters."

Broken penis can happen during intercourse

Broken penis has a medical term "known as corpus cavernosa rupture," according to the Sun. They cited Dr. Rajveer Purohit, director of reconstructive urology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York who explained what happens. In clinical terms, the "corpus cavernosa is a pair of sponge-like tissues that runs along the length of the penis."

These are what fill up with blood so a man can maintain an erection, he explains.

If they rupture (blowout), it can cause similar damage to that which Ross Asdourian suffered.

When Ross was engaged in some hot moments with an old flame from Uni four years ago, everything went wrong in a spilt-second and that was the end of his passion, for months to come. This was followed by complicated surgery and months of recuperation.

"Ross told CNN that "all men in the depths of their brain know that this is possible. And I will go a step further and say that most men have probably had scares where maybe it bent a little bit, myself included."

Broken penis is rare but it does happen

Broken penis is rare, but it does happen, and Daily Mail pointed out there have been more than one hundred reported cases in the USA.

It's not very likely that those who have experienced it are laughing much. It is also not likely that they crowdfunded to a write a book about it.

Ross seems to be the only person on the planet who experienced a broken penis and then wrote a laugh-filled book about his intimate demise.

Although the condition is extremely painful, Ross managed to have some coherent moments and News Com AU quoted his call to the emergency services. He said, Hi. I think Im going to need an ambulance. I believe I broke my penis.

The hilarious book is a must-read

According to Hilary Schuhmacher, who attended the release party, the book is "thoroughly" entertaining and she mentions how people who were at the reading were for 'gasping for breath' between laughter.

"Broken Bananah: Comedy, Life, and Sex ...Without a Penis," by Ross Asdourian is listed as available on Amazon.Birthdays are usually occasions for rejoicing and feasting. Relatives and friends gather on the occasion and wish many happy returns of the day and offer their blessings. They bring with them beautiful presents. But what happens when you have two birthdays?

Every summer the Mall outside Buckingham Palace, United Kingdom is filled with flag-waving, Union Jack-clad merrymakers. There's a series of gun salutes around London and people from all works of life gather to catch a glimpse of the Royal family as they stand on the balcony for the Queens birthday in an opulent birthday celebration known as Trooping the Color.

This year, the royal fans will be hoping to catch a glimpse of the engaged royals Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, as well as Princess Charlotte and little Prince George.

So, as the monarch turns 92, its a relevant question to ask.

Why does the queen celebrate two birthdays?

Queen Elizabeth II is Britains Longest Reigning Monarchand she turns 92 today. She was the first child of The Duke and Duchess of York, who later became George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Although she celebrated her birthday today with the royal family, shell also have another birthday in June.

Its a tradition that started 270 years ago in 1748, during the reign of King George II. The King was born in November, and he felt it would be too cold for a birthday celebration. In his bid to celebrate his birthday with the public, he sought for a good time of the year that would encourage people to attend his birthday parade which happens during the day.

King George II decided to declare a second birthday for himself in summer, so he could celebrate with the public. The June celebration was designed to help familiarize soldiers with the colors of regiment flags - but it now became the perfect time of the year to also celebrate the monarchs birthday.

The date of the celebration today varies as adopted by each country and is generally set around the end of May or start of June, to coincide with a higher probability of fine weather.

June became known as the Queens official birthday.

Apparently, her majesty has a private birthday with the royal family and then celebrates in June as well, in the summer, when the weather is warm and nice. So no, the Queen is not a mutant who ages twice as fast as everyone else. She just celebrates her ancestry twice because her ancestor wanted a nice parade.

How the queen marked her birthday?

Her Majesty spent the day with the royal family and then attended a special concert at the Royal Albert Hall, as the worlds oldest and longest-reigning monarch.Senator Chuck Schumer is just as much of a polarizing figure as President Donald Trump, and today Schumer will once again raise some eyebrows as he prepares to present his plan to propose legislation decriminalizing Marijuana.

According to NPR, The Democratic Senate Minority Leader from New York plans to introduce legislation on Friday to decriminalize marijuana on the federal level, adding a high-profile advocate in the effort to decriminalize, legalize and normalize marijuana use in America.

Good or bad? You make the call

The topic of marijuana always seems to bring out the argumentative side in people.

Millions will say it is fine, while others believe it is a crazy move to make this drug legal. Either way, everyone has an opinion. Whether you agree that it should be legalized or not, one point that Schumer makes everyone should agree with. Too many people are being unlawfully jailed for having a small amount of this drug in their possession.

CNN reports that Schumer told Vice News that he has "seen too many people's lives ruined because they had small amounts of marijuana and served time in jail much too long."

He is absolutely right. Whether you believe marijuana should be legalized across the entire country or not, some peoples punishment for being caught with very small amounts just doesn't seem right.

Take Bernard Noble for example. Noble is one of Americas most famous drug war victims, and a man who lost eight years of his life that he will never get back. Back in October 2010, two New Orleans cops found Noble holding two joints, an amount that turned out to be less than three grams of pot. He was arrested and sentenced to 13 years in prison.

That seems a bit extreme! Definitely, that punishment doesn't fit the crime. According to drugpolicy.org, Noble was paroled this past February, after serving nearly eight years behind bars.

Schumer went on to add that he will be "introducing legislation to decriminalize marijuana at the federal level from one end of the country to the other, the legislation is long overdue."

Schumer isnt alone in the fight

While some folks on Capitol Hill dont want any part of what Schumer is proposing, the New York Democrat isnt alone in his fight.

Former House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell both are swaying toward the move, even if it isnt as swiftly as Schumer. Boehner made headlines last week when he announced he was joining the board of a marijuana company and would now try to become a help advocate for legalization policies. McConnell, the Republican Senate Majority Leader, isnt as brazen as Schumer or Boehner, but he did lean toward their direction a bit last week.

McConnell introduced legislation to permanently decriminalize hemp, which is a nonpsychoactive byproduct of cannabis.

Schumer does note that if decriminalizing marijuana at the federal level passes, states will still have their say in the matter.

His proposal "will allow each state to ultimately decide how they will treat marijuana." Which means even though it would technically become a legal substance, states can still enforce certain laws on the product.

What do you think? Should marijuana be legal all across the US? Many will argue it is no different than alcohol or other stimulants that can be purchased legally. The debate rages on.Swedish DJ, Avicii, whose real name is Tim Bergling, was found dead on April 20 in Muscat, Oman. He died at the young age of 28. As fans mourn his untimely passing, his record company has revealed that Aviciis final work is incredible, magical music. While it is unclear when the music will be released by Geffen Records, executive Neil Jacobson has dubbed the music Aviciis best work ever. Jacobson also addressed rumors of substance abuse by the young DJ.

Swedish DJs final album is incredible

Before Avicii passed away, he was working on his next album.

Jacobson, who has worked with Avicii since his first hit record Levels was released, said he spoke with the Swedish DJ just two days prior to his death.

Can't really describe in words how sad I feel right now.. thank you for inspiring me and millions others. RIP @Avicii  pic.twitter.com/nthXoCiZqy  MARTIN GARRIX (@MartinGarrix) April 20, 2018

Best music yet from the Swedish DJ

While being interviewed by Variety, Jacobson said they were working together on the album and that it was the best music Avicii had produced in many years. He said he knows, as he has A&Rd all the Swedish DJs albums. Jacobson went on to say that Avicii was so inspired and was psyched about the music. He and Bergling had worked for a month on the album and had to mark end times on the recording sessions, as Avicii was known to work for 16 hours straight.

Jacobson said it was Aviciis nature to work that hard and that he had to be pulled out of the sessions.

Saying it was a tragedy to lose the young DJ, Jacobson went on to say that Avicii had produced some incredible, magical music. According to a report by Billboard, Jacobson has confirmed that there were several features on the new album, but he prefers not to say who they are.

He went on to explain that the DJ had a list of several people he was hoping to reach out to for the final album. Jacobson said that was the last communication he received from Avicii two days prior to his death, which he said was haunting.

Unclear what will happen with the final recordings

It is unclear what will happen to the recordings and whether there will be a posthumous Avicii album released.

Jacobson said he had no idea about a potential release. However, he did say he will be sitting down to talk to Neils family and that they will all put their heads together to work out what the Swedish DJ would want them to do.

Police found no criminal suspicion in death of Swedish DJ #Avicii https://t.co/xvNongEO0m pic.twitter.com/RvmZZik5LG  RT (@RT_com) April 21, 2018

The cause of Tim Berglings death has yet to be made public, but he is known to have been suffering from several health issues, one of which was acute pancreatitis. Police have, however, ruled out any criminal suspicion in the Swedish DJ's death.

Avicii had made the announcement in 2016 that he would stop touring. Variety did ask Jacobson about possible substance abuse issues.

However, Jacobson said he doesnt know but believes if the rumors were true, he would have spotted the problem. He went on to say that Avicii wasnt known to party, but would visit clubs to listen to the DJ.It was just last week when Fox News host Sean Hannity was revealed as a mystery client of Michael Cohen. In reporting the news, Hannity wasn't pleased with how NBC's Chuck Todd handled the story and took a cheap shot at him and his wife.

Crybaby Chuck Todd is a total hypocrite. Only conservatives have to disclose relationships? More coming.... https://t.co/lkeaHMKnZA https:// https://t.co/oLAfWdluGh  Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) April 20, 2018

Hannity on Chuck Todd

It's no secret that the majority of the hosts on Fox News have been in support of Donald Trump, with the network continuing to cater to viewers with political opinions on the right of the political spectrum.

While most on the network have stood by the president, no one has been a bigger cheerleader that host Sean Hannity. When the news broke earlier this month that the FBI had raided the offices of Trump's personal lawyer Michael Cohen in regards to his "hush money" payout to adult film star Stormy Daniels, Hannity was quick to rip into the decision. Fast forward just days later and Cohen told a judge that Hannity was one of his clients, creating conflict for the Fox News host.

Chuck Todd tears into Fox News for not taking action against Hannity over connection to Trump lawyer https://t.co/Qs7zwX4iaH pic.twitter.com/w0fv7oMn71  The Hill (@thehill) April 20, 2018

Once the story made the rounds, other networks covered the headline as expected, including "Meet the Press" host Chuck Todd.

In response, Sean Hannity's website ran a critical article of Todd, labeling him a "hypocrite" for not disclosing that his wife was a Democratic strategist. During a radio interview on Friday, Todd hit back at Hannity for the "ridiculious" cheap shot and "personal attack," stating, "He's bringing my wife into this!"

In a tweet sent out on April 20, Sean Hannity decided to respond.

"Crybaby Chuck Todd is a total hypocrite," Hannity tweeted, before adding, "Only conservatives have to disclose relationships?" Just hours later, Hannity returned to Twitter to once again refer to Todd as a "crybaby."

Twitter responds

Following his tweets against Chuck Todd, Sean Hannity was met with criticism. "Its fun watching client #3 squirm," one tweet read.

You know Sean, Ted Koppel was right about you. Youre very bad for America.  PatternAgainstUser (@pattern_against) April 20, 2018

So you admit you should have disclosed yours!  Arse Grammatica (@ArseGrammatica) April 20, 2018

Its fun watching client #3 squirm.  Gary R. (@GaryDR27) April 20, 2018

"So you admit you should have disclosed yours!" a Twitter user wrote. "You know Sean, Ted Koppel was right about you. You're very bad for America," another tweet stated. "So now you're doing the name calling. Such a professional. Conservatives do outnumber Progressives with illicit affairs, you already knew that though," an additional tweet noted.

What his wife does has nothing to do with his work, as yours has nothing to do with YOUR HYPOCRACY... It's YOUR ACTIONS ALONE that make you a tRumpOid HYPOCRITE... pic.twitter.com/TUZ4frCnQ8  TakeUSAbackfromtRump (@ea_neil) April 20, 2018

The fact that you can't discern the difference proves you are the #dumbestanchor. That asode though, I thought you guys were big on personal responsibility. Why can't you say 'I was wrong?' Why is your defense always, 'but they did this they're more guilty than me?' Sad.  Dave Rullo (@DaveRullo) April 20, 2018

So now you're doing the name calling. Such a professional. Conservatives do outnumber Progressives with illicit affairs, you already knew that though.  Donna (@donjoebe) April 20, 2018

"The fact that you can't discern the difference proves you are the dumbest anchor.

That aside though, I thought you guys were big on personal responsibility. Why can't you say 'I was wrong?' Why is your defense always, 'but they did this they're more guilty than me?' Sad," a social media user wrote. "What his wife does has nothing to do with his work, as yours has nothing to do with YOUR HYPOCRISY... It's YOUR ACTIONS ALONE that make you a HYPOCRITE," a follow-up tweet read.Apple has moved from first to fifth place in Laptop Mag's Best and Worst Laptop Brands survey last year. Lenovo, HP, Dell, Acer, Asus, and Microsoft all out raterApple's computers.

The company has shown little innovation as time has passed, and the innovation they have had failed rather quickly.

Apple's fall from grace

While the Apple company use to be an innovative brand, very little innovation has passed through the company's door in the past couple of years. The only recent releases from Apple have been minor changes to previous designs. Through the years, Apple has had the same interface.

Between their computers, laptops, and phones, they have all had similar interfaces with little to no changes to them. The most innovative device under Apple's belt is a three-year-old MacBook Pro. The two thousand dollar computer still has a soft keyboard and a power adapter that the company has so far abandoned. The laptops are not the only devices affected by Apple's Fall From Grace, the company's phones have fallen far from grace as well. In the last few quarters, the sales of Apple's laptops and phones have fallen.

Apple has attempted new, innovative, ideas such as the Apple Watch, but they never kick off. What really harms Apple's sales are the values of their products, The company uses the name they own to give products a high price, a very high price.

Their most affordable laptop is a thousand dollars and is now obsolete in our world of technology.

Toms Guide mentions Apple CEO, Tim Cook, says that combining two operating systems would water down one system for the other system, so Cook does not want to move MacBook's macIOS to IOS. Merging the two is thought to be a good idea due to the MacBook having screens that can be flipped, turning the laptop into a tablet-like device.

Apple may have a hard time rising from the ashes, but they will try their best to innovate new products and create more products that they are proud of and the customers enjoy.

In conclusion

Apple's computers (and perhaps other products) may fade out of existence if they do not try to create more innovative and price-effective products.

Even if their laptops fade out, their tablets and phones will still be on market, as long as they keep innovating the products. Apple is rumored to be releasing a new 13-inch MacBook with a retina display. Will this help Apple get back on top? We will have to wait and find out what happens next, to Apple's company and their products.The world can breathe a bit easier now because Kim Jong-un has taken certain decisions that will push the fears of a nuclear war into the background. The leader of North Korea has announced that he will put on hold the testing of nuclear and long range missiles and shut down the atomic test site. These are welcome signs ahead of the Summit Meeting to be held between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un.

Sky News reports that the decision was taken in consultation with the ruling party's full Central Committee. It had met to discuss and chalk out new strategies in view of changed circumstances.

Kim explained that the country has proved to the world its capabilities in the field of nuclear weapons. Hence, further work in this area can be stopped. The KCNA has added that the decision will help to build a socialist economy.

Reactions of the world

Kim Jong-un is scheduled to meet Moon Jae-in, the leader of South Korea, for a mini-summit before the main one with Donald Trump. Moon Jae-in has always wanted to reunify the Koreas ever since he took over the reins and feels the indications are positive. The North appears to be in a mood to normalize the relations with the South, especially after the 2018 Winter Olympics.

The US President has welcomed the announcement and added that he was looking forward to the summit meeting with Kim.

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has also welcomed the move. However, he feels it should be possible to verify the denuclearization. Japan will continue to pressurize Pyongyang to destroy its complete inventory of weapons.

Britain has said North Korea's plan to cease nuclear tests was a positive step. They will associate with concerned agencies in order to ensure a total denuclearization of the Korean peninsula through peaceful means.

China is the main ally of North Korea. They have also welcomed the announcement and hope that the country will now focus its attention towards developing its economy and improving the living standards of its people.

The future scenario

North Korea has been pursuing its nuclear ambitions for decades and has diverted its resources to develop nuclear missiles and ICBMs.

The country had ignored global condemnation and sent missiles flying towards Japan, an ally of the United States and had identified a couple of US targets for missile attacks.

Therefore, it had to face trade sanctions that have affected its economy. Kim Jong-un and his people will have to work hard to turn over a new leaf which will require tremendous determination. The summit meeting with Donald Trump is expected to define new boundaries and a revised code of conduct for North Korea.KAZ Minerals PLC, together with its subsidiaries, engages in mining and processing copper and other metals primarily in Kazakhstan, Russia, and Kyrgyzstan. It operates through Bozshakol, Aktogay, East Region and Bozymchak, and Mining Projects segments. The company operates the Aktogay and Bozshakol open pit copper mines in the east region and Pavlodar region of Kazakhstan; three underground mines in the east region of Kazakhstan; and the Bozymchak copper-gold mine in Kyrgyzstan. It also develops greenfield metal deposits; operates Koksay deposit in Kazakhstan, and the Baimskaya licence area in the Chukotka region of Russia; and produces and sells various by-products, such as gold, silver, molybdenum, and zinc. In addition, the company supplies and distributes heat, water, and electricity; and offers construction, project management, financing, management, sales and logistics, and repairs and maintenance services. The company was formerly known as Kazakhmys PLC and changed its name to KAZ Minerals PLC in October 2014. KAZ Minerals PLC was founded in 1930 and is based in London, the United Kingdom.

Read MoreRoyal Dutch Shell plc operates as an energy and petrochemical company worldwide. The company operates through Integrated Gas, Upstream, Oil Products, Chemicals segments. It explores for and extracts crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids; markets and transports oil and gas; produces gas-to-liquids fuels and other products; and operates upstream and midstream infrastructure necessary to deliver gas to market. The company also markets and trades natural gas, liquefied natural gas (LNG), crude oil, electricity, carbon-emission rights; and markets and sells LNG as a fuel for heavy-duty vehicles and marine vessels. In addition, it trades in and refines crude oil and other feed stocks, such as gasoline, diesel, heating oil, aviation fuel, marine fuel, biofuel, lubricants, bitumen, and sulphur; produces and sells petrochemicals for industrial use; and manages oil sands activities. Further, the company produces base chemicals comprising ethylene, propylene, and aromatics, as well as intermediate chemicals, such as styrene monomer, propylene oxide, solvents, detergent alcohols, ethylene oxide, and ethylene glycol. Royal Dutch Shell plc was founded in 1907 and is headquartered in The Hague, the Netherlands.

Read MoreMedtronic Plc is a medical technology company, which engages in the development, manufacture, distribution, and sale of device-based medical therapies and services. It operates through the following segments: Cardiac and Vascular Group; Minimally Invasive Technologies Group; Restorative Therapies Group; and Diabetes Group. The Cardiac and Vascular Group segment consists of products for the diagnosis, treatment, and management of cardiac rhythm disorders and cardiovascular disease. The Minimally Invasive Technologies Group segment focuses on respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, renal system, lungs, pelvic region, kidneys, and obesity diseases. The Restorative Therapies Group segment comprises of neurostimulation therapies and drug delivery systems for the treatment of chronic pain, as well as areas of the spine and brain, along with pelvic health and conditions of the ear, nose, and throat. The Diabetes Group segment offers insulin pumps, coninuous glucose monitoring systems, and insulin pump consumables. The company was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.

Read MoreIFG Group plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the intermediation and administration of financial service products primarily in the United Kingdom. It operates in two segments, Platform and Independent Wealth Management. The company offers platform services in retirement and wealth planning markets, including individual savings accounts and general investment accounts, as well as self-invested personal pension products; pension administration services; and independent financial advisory services to private clients and organizations. IFG Group plc is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.

Read MoreArconic Corporation manufactures and sells aluminum sheets, plates, extrusions, and architectural products in the United States, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hungary, Russia, and the United Kingdom. It operates through three segments: Rolled Products, Extrusions, and Building and Construction Systems. The Rolled Products segment provides a range of aluminum sheet and plate products for ground transportation, aerospace, industrial, and packaging markets; and roofing, architectural composite panels, ventilated facades and ceiling panels, spacers, culvert pipes, and gutters for building and construction markets. The Extrusions segment offers extruded products, including aerospace shapes, automotive shapes, seamless tubes, hollows, mortar fins, and high strength rods and bars for ground transportation, aerospace, and industrial markets. The Building and Construction Systems segment provides various products and building envelope solutions, such as entrances, curtain walls, windows, composite panels, and coil coated sheets for fabricators and glazing subcontractors under the Kawneer, Reynobond, and Reynolux brands. The company offers its products directly to customers, as well as through distributors. The company was formerly known as Arconic Rolled Products Corporation and changed its name to Arconic Corporation in Arpil 2020. Arconic Corporation was founded in 1888 and is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Read MoreBoardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates integrated natural gas and natural gas liquids and other hydrocarbons (NGLs) pipeline and storage systems in the United States. It operates interstate natural gas and NGLs pipeline systems, and integrated storage facilities, which are located in the Gulf Coast region, Oklahoma, Arkansas and the Midwestern states of Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. The company's pipeline systems contain approximately 13,880 miles of interconnected natural gas pipelines, directly serving customers in 13 states and indirectly serving customers throughout the northeastern and southeastern United States through various interconnections with unaffiliated pipelines. It also owns and operates approximately 455 miles of NGLs pipelines serving customers in Louisiana and Texas. In addition, the company has underground storage caverns having aggregate capacity of approximately 205.0 billion cubic feet of working natural gas and 24.5 million barrels of NGLs. It serves producers of natural gas, local distribution companies, marketers, electric power generators, industrial users, and interstate and intrastate pipelines. The company was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas. Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP is a subsidiary of Boardwalk Pipelines Holding Corp.

Read MoreThe following companies are subsidiares of Illinois Tool Works: A V Co 1 Limited, A V Co 2 Limited, A V Co 3 Limited, ACCU-LUBE Manufacturing GmbH - Schmiermittel und -gerate -, AIP/BI Holdings Inc., Accessories Marketing Holding Corp., Advanced Molding Company Inc., Allen Coding GmbH, Allen France SAS, Alpine Automation Limited, Alpine Engineered Products, Alpine Holdings Inc., Alpine Systems Corporation, Anaerobicos S.r.l., AppliChem GmbH, Arylux Hungary Elektromechanikus Alkatreszgyarto Kft, Avery Berkel France, Avery India Limited, Avery Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Avery Weigh Tronix, Avery Weigh-Tronix (Suzhou) Weighing Technology Co. Ltd., Avery Weigh-Tronix Finance Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix Holdings Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix International Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix LLC, Avery Weigh-Tronix Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix Properties Limited, Azon Limited, B.C. Immo, Beijing Miller Electric Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Berkel (Ireland) Limited, Berrington UK, Brapenta Eletronica Ltda., Brooks Instrument (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Brooks Instrument B.V., Brooks Instrument GmbH, Brooks Instrument KFT, Brooks Instrument Korea Ltd., Brooks Instrument LLC, Buell Industries Inc., CAPMAX Logistica S.A. de C.V., CCI Realty Company, CFC Europe GmbH, CS (Australia) Pty Limited, CS (Finance) Europe S.a.r.l., CS Mexico Holding Company S DE RL DE CV, CSMTS LLC, Calvia Spolka z Ograniczona Odpowiedzialnosci, Capital Ventures (Australasia) S.a r.l, Capmax Logistica S.A. de C.V., Celeste Industries Corporation, Coeur, Coeur (Shanghai) Medical Appliance Trading Co. Ltd, Coeur Asia Limited, Coeur Holding Company, Coeur Inc., Compagnie Hobart, Compagnie de Materiel et d'Equipements Techniques-Comet, Constructions Isothermiques Bontami C.I.B., Crane Carrier Company, Despatch Industries, Diagraph Corporation Sdn. Bhd, Diagraph ITW Mexico S. de R.L. De C.V., Diagraph Mexico S.A. DE C.V., Dongguan Ark-Les Electric Components Co. Ltd., Dongguan CK Branding Co. Ltd., Dorbyl U.K. (Holdings) Limited, Duo Fast de Espana S.A.U., Duo-Fast Korea Co. Ltd., Duo-Fast LLC, E.C.S. d.o.o., ECS Cable Protection Sp. Zoo, ELRO (Holding) AG, ELRO Grosskuchen GmbH, ELRO-WERKE AG, Elga Skandinavian AS, Elro Group, Eltex-Elektrostatik-Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Envases Multipac S.A. de C.V., Eurotec Srl, FEG Investments L.L.C., Fasver, Filtertek, Filtertek De Mexico Holding Inc., Filtertek De Mexico S.A. de C.V., GC Financement SA, Gamko B.V., Gun Hwa Platech (Taicang) Co. Ltd., HOBART Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Hartness International, Hobart (Japan) K.K., Hobart Andina S.A.S., Hobart Brothers International Chile Limitada, Hobart Brothers LLC, Hobart Dayton Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Hobart Food Equipment Co. Ltd., Hobart Foster Belgium, Hobart International (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Hobart Korea LLC, Hobart LLC, Hobart Nederland B.V., Hobart Sales & Service Inc., Hobart Scandinavia ApS, Hobart Techniek B.V., Horis, ILC Investments Holdings Inc., ITW (China) Investment Company Limited, ITW (Deutschland) GmbH, ITW (EU) Holdings Ltd., ITW (European) Finance Co. Ltd., ITW (European) Finance II Co. Ltd., ITW (European) Finance III Co. Ltd., ITW (Ningbo) Components & Fastenings Systems Co. Ltd., ITW AEP LLC, ITW AOC LLC, ITW Aircraft Investments Inc., ITW Alpha Sarl, ITW Ampang Industries Philippines Inc., ITW Appliance Components EOOD, ITW Appliance Components S.A. de C.V., ITW Appliance Components S.r.l.a, ITW Appliance Components d.o.o., ITW Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, ITW Australia Property Holdings Pty Ltd., ITW Australia Pty Ltd, ITW Automotive Components (Chongqing) Co. Ltd., ITW Automotive Components (Langfang) Co. Ltd., ITW Automotive Japan K.K., ITW Automotive Korea LLC, ITW Automotive Parts (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, ITW Automotive Products GmbH, ITW Automotive Products Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Bailly Comte, ITW Befestigungssysteme GmbH, ITW Belgium, ITW Brazilian Nominee L.L.C., ITW Building Components Group Inc., ITW CER, ITW CP Distribution Center Holland BV, ITW CS (UK) Ltd., ITW Canada Inc., ITW Celeste Inc., ITW Chemical Products Ltda, ITW Chemical Products Scandinavia ApS, ITW Colombia S.A.S., ITW Construction Products (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ITW Construction Products (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., ITW Construction Products AB, ITW Construction Products AS, ITW Construction Products ApS, ITW Construction Products CZ s.r.o., ITW Construction Products Italy Srl, ITW Construction Products OU, ITW Construction Products OY, ITW Contamination Control (Wujiang) Co. Ltd., ITW Contamination Control B.V., ITW Covid Security Group Inc., ITW DS Investments Inc., ITW DelFast do Brasil Ltda., ITW Delta Sarl, ITW Denmark ApS, ITW Dynatec, ITW Dynatec Adhesive Equipment (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., ITW Dynatec GmbH, ITW Dynatec Kabushiki Kaisha, ITW EAE B.V., ITW EAE Mexico S de RL de CV, ITW EF&C France SAS, ITW EF&C Selb GmbH, ITW Electronic Business Asia Co. Limited, ITW Electronic Components/Products (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ITW Electronics (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., ITW Epsilon Sarl, ITW Espana S.A., ITW FEG Hong Kong Limited, ITW FEG do Brasil Industria e Comercio Ltda., ITW Fastener Products GmbH, ITW Finance Designated Activity Company, ITW Finance Europe S.A., ITW Fluids and Hygiene Solutions Ltda., ITW Food Equipment Group LLC, ITW France Finance Alpha S.A.S., ITW GH LLC, ITW GSE ApS, ITW GSE Inc., ITW Gamma Sarl, ITW German Management LLC, ITW Global Investments Holdings LLC, ITW Global Investments Holdings Y Compania Sociedad en Comandita por Acciones, ITW Global Investments II Inc., ITW Global Investments Inc., ITW Global Tire Repair Europe GmbH, ITW Global Tire Repair Inc., ITW Global Tire Repair Japan K.K., ITW Graphics (Thailand) Ltd., ITW Graphics Asia Limited, ITW Graphics Italy S.R.L. in liquidazione, ITW Great Britain Investment & Licensing Holding Company, ITW Group France (Luxembourg) S.ar.l., ITW HLP Thailand Co. Ltd., ITW Holding Quimica B.C. S.L. Sole Shareholder Company, ITW Holdings Australia L.P., ITW Holdings I Limited, ITW Holdings II Limited, ITW Holdings III Limited, ITW Holdings IV Limited, ITW Holdings IX Limited, ITW Holdings Inc., ITW Holdings UK, ITW Holdings V Limited, ITW Holdings VI Limited, ITW Holdings VII Limited, ITW Holdings VIII Limited, ITW Holdings X Limited, ITW Holdings XI Limited, ITW Hungary Finance Beta Kft, ITW ILC Holdings I Inc., ITW IPG Investments LLC, ITW Imaden Industria e Comercio Ltda., ITW India Private Limited, ITW International Holdings LLC, ITW Invest Holding GmbH, ITW Ireland Holdings Unlimited Company, ITW Ireland Unlimited Company, ITW Italy Finance Srl, ITW Italy Holding Srl, ITW Japan Ltd., ITW Korea LLC, ITW LLC & Co. KG, ITW Limited, ITW Lombard Holdings Inc., ITW Lys Fusion S.r.l., ITW M FILMS II LLC, ITW MH LLC, ITW Meritex Sdn. Bhd., ITW Metal Fasteners S.L., ITW Mexico Holding Company S. De R.L. de C.V., ITW Mexico Holdings LLC, ITW Morlock GmbH, ITW Mortgage Investments II Inc., ITW Mortgage Investments III Inc., ITW Mortgage Investments IV Inc., ITW Netherlands Administration BV, ITW Netherlands Beta B.V., ITW Netherlands Finance Alpha BV, ITW New Universal LLC, ITW New Zealand, ITW Novadan Sp. Z.o.o., ITW PPF Brasil Adesivos Ltda., ITW Packaging Technology (China) Co. Ltd., ITW Participations S.a r.l., ITW Pension Funds Trustee Company, ITW Performance Plastic (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids Japan Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids Korea Limited, ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids OOO, ITW Performance Polymers (Wujiang) Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers ApS, ITW Performance Polymers and Fluids Group FZE, ITW Peru S.A.C., ITW Philippines Holdings LLC, ITW Poly Mex S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Polymers Sealants North America Inc., ITW Pronovia s.r.o., ITW Pte. Ltd., ITW Qufu Automotive Cooling Systems Co. Ltd., ITW Real Estate Germany GmbH, ITW Residuals III L.L.C., ITW Residuals IV L.L.C., ITW Rivex, ITW SMPI, ITW SPG Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Simco-Ion (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., ITW Slovakia s.r.o., ITW Spain Holdings S.L., ITW Specialty Film LLC, ITW Specialty Films France, ITW Specialty Materials (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., ITW Spraytec, ITW Sverige AB, ITW Sweden Holding AB, ITW Test & Measurement Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, ITW Test & Measurement GmbH, ITW Test and Measurement Italia Srl, ITW Test and Measurement Services Industry and Trade Ltd., ITW Texwipe Philippines Inc., ITW Thermal Films (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ITW UK, ITW UK Finance Beta Limited, ITW UK Finance Delta Limited, ITW UK Finance Gamma Limited, ITW UK Finance Limited, ITW UK Finance Zeta Ltd., ITW UK II Limited, ITW Universal II LLC, ITW Welding, ITW Welding AB, ITW Welding GmbH, ITW Welding Products B.V., ITW Welding Products Group FZE, ITW Welding Products Group S. DE R.L. De C.V., ITW Welding Products Italy Srl, ITW Welding Products Limited Liability Company, ITW Welding Produtos Para Solgdagem Ltda., ITW Welding Servicios Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Welding Singapore Pte. Ltd., ITW de France, ITW do Brasil Industrial e Comercial Ltda., Ideal Molding Technologies LLC, Illinois Tool Works (Chile) Limitada, Illinois Tool Works (ITW) Nederland B.V., Illinois Tool Works Norway AS, Impar Comercio E Representacoes Ltda., Industrie Plastic Elsasser GmbH, Inmobiliaria Cit. S.A. de C.F., Innova Temperlite Servicios S.A. de C.V., Innovacion y Transformacion Automotriz S.A. de C.V., Instron (Shanghai) Ltd., Instron (Thailand) Limited, Instron Brasil Equipamentos Cientificos Ltda., Instron Foreign Sales Corp. Limited, Instron France S.A.S., Instron GmbH, Instron Holdings Limited, Instron International Limited, Instron Japan Company Ltd., Instron Korea LLC, International Leasing Company LLC, International Truss Systems Proprietary Limited, Isolenge - ITW Sistemas de Isolamento Termico Ltda., KCPL Mauritius Holdings, Kester, Kester Components (M) Sdn. Bhd., Kleinmann GmbH, Krafft S.L., Loma Systems, Loma Systems (Canada) Inc., Loma Systems BV, Loma Systems sro, Lombard Pressings Limited, Lumex Inc., Lys Fusion Poland Sp. z.o.o., M&C Specialties (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., M&C Specialties Co., MAGNAFLUX GmbH, MEHB Holdings Limited, MGHG Property LLC, MOA Enterprises Inc, Manufacturing Avancee S.A., Meritex Technology (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Meurer Verpackungssysteme GmbH, Miller Electric Mfg. LLC, Miller Insurance Ltd., NDT Holding LLC, NOVADAN APS, Norden Olje AB, North Star Imaging Europe, North Star Imaging Inc., Nova Chimica S.r.l., Orbitalum Tools GmbH, PENTA-91 OOO, PR. A. I. Srl, PT ITW Construction Products Indonesia, Pacific Concept Industries Limited (Enping), Panreac Quimica S.L., Paslode Fasteners (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Peerless Machinery Corp., Penta Dnepr LLC, Penta Sever OOO, Penta Volga OOO, Polyrey, Premark FEG L.L.C., Premark HII Holdings LLC, Premark International, Premark International LLC, Prolex Sociedad Anonima, QSA Global Inc., Quimica Industrial Mediterranea S.L., Ramset Fasteners (Hong Kong) Ltd., Rapid Cook LLC, Refrigeration France, S.E.E. Sistemas Industria E Comercio Ltda., ST Mexico Holdings LLC, Sealant Systems International Inc., Sentinel Asia Yuhan Hoesa, Shanghai ITW Plastic & Metal Co. Ltd, Simco (Nederland) B.V., Simco Japan Inc., Societe de Prospection et dInventions Techniques  SPIT, Speedline Holdings I Inc., Speedline Holdings I LLC, Speedline Technologies GmbH, Speedline Technologies Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Speedline Technologies Mexico Services S. de R.L. de C.V., Stokvis Celix Portugal Unipessoal LDA, Stokvis Danmark ApS, Stokvis Holdings S.A.R.L., Stokvis Promi s.r.o, Stokvis Prostick Tapes Private Limited, Stokvis Tapes (Hong Kong) Co. Limited, Stokvis Tapes (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes (Taiwan) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes BVBA, Stokvis Tapes Benelux B.V., Stokvis Tapes Deutschland GmbH, Stokvis Tapes France, Stokvis Tapes Italia s.r.l., Stokvis Tapes Limited, Stokvis Tapes Limited Liability Company, Stokvis Tapes Norge AS, Stokvis Tapes Oy, Stokvis Tapes Polska Sp Z.O.O., Stokvis Tapes Sverige AB, Stolvis Holdings II S.A.R.L., Technopack Industria Comercio Consultoria e Representacoes Ltda., Teknek (China) Limited, Teknek (Japan) Limited, Teksaleco Ltd., The Miller Group Ltd, Thirode Grandes Cuisines Poligny, Tien Tai Electrode (Kunshan) Co. Ltd., Tien Tai Electrode Co. Ltd., Unichemicals Industria e Comercio Ltda., VR-Leasing Sarita GmbH & Co. Immobilien KG, VS European Holdco BV, Valeron Strength Films B.V.B.A., Veneta Decalcogomme S.r.l., Versachem Chile S.A., Vesta, Vesta (Guangzhou) Catering Equipment Co. Ltd, Vesta Global Limited, Viltronics Soltec, Vitronics Soltec B.V., Wachs Canada Ltd., Wachs Subsea LLC, Weigh-Tronix Canada ULC, Weigh-Tronix UK Limited, Wilsonart International Holdings LLC, Wynn Oil (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd., Wynn's Automotive France, Wynn's Belgium BVBA, Wynn's Italia Srl, Wynn's Mekuba India Pvt Ltd, ZF TRW (Engineered Fasteners and Components), and Zip-Pak International B.V..For Subscribers

Vols show it's better to be Heupel's iceberg than Pruitt's TitanicAgatha Christie is master of the whodunit, writing 66 novels, 14 short story collections, and a smattering of plays, such as The Mousetrap.

Her first play, Black Coffee in 1930, revolves around the detective Hercule Poirot, her most famous character (he appears in 33 of her novels). Great actors such as Charles Laughton, Orson Welles, Sir Peter Ustinov, Kenneth Branagh and many others have played the role over the years.

Black Coffee is now playing at the Adobe Theater in a solid production directed by Mario Cabrera and featuring Dehron Foster as Poirot.

Christie gathers an eclectic group of characters in the sitting room of Sir Claude Amory, an irascible physicist who has discovered the formula for the atomic bomb. Naturally such a formula would command a high price from foreign governments, and before long Sir Claude is murdered and the secret formula stolen (his murder happens very early in the play, so I am not giving away much). Poirot arrives to unravel the complicated plot and arrest the schemer.

Foster is excellent as the clever sleuth with the funny Belgian accent and waxed moustache, ingratiating himself on the characters and on the audience as well. The fun of an Agatha Christie play is of course watching him figure out who committed the murder and trying to figure it out yourself.

The cast is uniformly excellent, with an especially fine performance coming from Terri Ross as Claudes bizarre sister Miss Caroline. After her brothers untimely death she enters wearing an absurd outfit and entirely too much makeup. No one seems very disturbed by the old mans death, although when confronted by the unseemliness of her conduct she lamely pretends to grieve.

Sarah Runyan is quite good as the eccentric young niece Barbara, who makes no attempt to disguise the delight she feels over her uncles death. Her unaccountable infatuation with Hastings, Poirots usually trusty assistant (trusty when not infatuated himself) makes for much comedy.

While a whodunit murder mystery, Christie lightens things up considerably with character-driven comedy. Other amusing eccentrics include Sir Claudes stuttering assistant Raynor, nicely played by Eric Werner, and Dr. Carelli, an Italian with a thick accent and funny wig, amusingly portrayed by Rick Walter.

Naturally there is a love interest as well, with Fawn Hanson as the troubled young woman Lucia and Nick Fleming as her besotted husband Richard (Sir Claudes improvident son). The romantic Poirot takes much delight mending their distressed relationship.

In short, Christies play has a little bit of everything.

Nobody is credited with set design in the program, but the Victorian sitting room on the Adobe stage is a plausible facsimile of a manor house library. Carolyn Hogans period costumes and wigs are exquisite.

Christies plays are well crafted but tend to verbosity. There is a great deal of chatter and exposition before the plot takes off. As a whodunit most of the exposition is necessary, but the production is almost three hours long with two intermissions.

Black Coffee is playing through May 6 at Adobe Theater, 9813 Fourth NW. Visit adobetheater.org or 898-9222 for reservations.Adam is a comic book writer wrapped in a dark secret.

Ket is the overseer-cum-babysitter sent by his publisher to make sure he meets his deadlines.

Both dive deeply into Adams past to unearth the truth driving his work.

The world premiere of Mynx and Savage opens at the Vortex Theatre on Friday, April 27. The play continues on weekends through May 13.

Set in comic book primary colors, the play pits the superheroes that support Adam against his writers block and the true story he is afraid to tell.

He makes a living through Mynx and Savage; theyre two comic characters, said Ray Rey Griego, the plays co-director with Caitlyn Jones. Mynx is the superhero and Savage is the villain.

He had a friend when he was growing up named Jill, Griego continued. She was actually the creator of Mynx and Savage. Unfortunately, she died and he used her work to make his own.

Ket pushes Adam to dig into the secret of his characters birth.

Born in Akron, Ohio, playwright Rebecca Gorman ONeill left at age 17 to attend Dartmouth College. She went on to earn her masters in fine arts degree in dramatic writing at Carnegie Mellon University. Today she teaches playwriting, screenwriting, cinema studies and graphic novel writing at Denvers Metropolitan State University.

ONeills original play was one of the winners of the 2018 American Association of Community Theatres New Playfest. The production marks the first time the Vortex has been asked to premiere one of those selections.

Mynx and Savage stars Aleah Montano (The Taming of the Shrew, Burn This), Heather Donovan (An American Daughter), Chris Hughes (The Diviners, Santa Fes Theatreworks) and Gennaro Leo. It took us three months to cast the show, Griego said, because we wanted passion, focus, dedication and humanity.

The AACT New Playfest began in 2014. Every other year, juries of playwrights and directors cull hundreds of new scripts in multiple rounds of readings.

Mynx and Savage is one of six plays chosen for 2018 production.WASHINGTON  Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin expressed cautious optimism Saturday over efforts to resolve trade tensions that have rattled financial markets and clouded the global economic outlook.

Mnuchin held a string of meetings over the past three days with financial officials from China, Japan and Europe over the punitive tariffs the administration has unveiled in an effort to fulfill President Donald Trumps campaign promise to reduce Americas huge trade deficits.

In a session with reporters, Mnuchin refused to say how close the United States was to resolving the various trade disputes but did indicate progress was being made in the talks.

In his discussion with Chinese officials, Mnuchin said the two sides covered the proposals that Chinese President Xi Jinping has made to open the Chinese market. We are cautiously optimistic, Mnuchin told reporters, saying that he may soon travel to Beijing for further talks with the Chinese.

The United States and China are on the brink of what would be the biggest trade dispute since World War II. The US and China have proposed imposing tariffs of $50 billion on each others products and Trump is looking to impose tariffs on up to $100 billion more of Chinese goods.

The rising trade tensions dominated the three days of talks among top finance officials attending meetings of the Group of 20 major economies, the 189-nation International Monetary Fund and its sister lending agency, the World Bank.

The US get-tough trade approach was roundly criticized by many countries at the finance meetings but Mnuchin insisted that the United States was not trying to provoke a global trade war but simply achieving a more fair system for American workers.

The president has been very clear on what our objectives are, Mnuchin said. We are looking for reciprocal treatment. This is not about protectionism.

While the administrations America First approach rankled other nations, Mnuchin did announce a change in position with the World Bank, one of several multilateral institutions that Trump officials have criticized in the past. Last year, the administration said it was opposed to what would be the first increase in the World Banks capital resources since 2010.

But on Saturday, Mnuchin said the United States had dropped its opposition and would support the increase as part of a package of lending reforms.

The proposal, which was approved late Saturday by the World Banks policy committee, would provide the World Bank with a $13 billion increase in lending resources. The increase in capital was tied to a package of World Bank reforms in how loans are awarded.

World Bank President Jim Yong Kim hailed the action as a demonstration of renewed confidence in global cooperation.

Both the World Bank and IMF held meetings of their policy committees on Saturday. In a closing communique, the IMF expressed concerns that the rising trade tensions could dim what at the moment are bright prospects for the global economy, which is expected to grow this year at the fastest pace since 2011.

Trade tensions are not to the benefit of anyone, said Lesetja Kganyago, who leads the policymaking committee and is governor of the South African Reserve Bank. If there is a trade conflict, there could never be winners. We could all only be losers.

On Friday, Mnuchin had called on the IMF to do more to police countries running large trade surpluses, a role that has traditionally been left to the Geneva-based World Trade Organization. While many IMF member countries would object to such a broadening of the IMFs powers, the final communique did state, We will work together to reduce excessive global imbalances in a way that supports global growth. The communique did not spell out how this would be accomplished.

The IMF communique did list a series of threats to the current global upturn and finance officials pledged to work cooperatively.

Rising financial vulnerabilities, increasing trade and geopolitical tensions and historically high global debt threaten global growth prospects, the IMF communique said.

In his speech to the IMFs policy committee Saturday, Yi Gang, the head of Chinas central bank, said that global growth could be hurt by an escalation of trade frictions caused by unilateral actions, an obvious reference to Americas threatened tariffs against China.SAN ANTONIO  A Texas charter school has apologized after a teacher asked students in an eighth grade American history class to list the positive and negative aspects of slavery.

Officials at Great Hearts Monte Vista in San Antonio say the teacher who distributed the worksheet has been placed on leave and the school would be reviewing the history textbook associated with the lesson. The headmaster also plans to explain the mistake to the class.

KENS-TV reports that a spokesman for the books publisher, Pearson, says the company didnt create and doesnt endorse the worksheet the students received. Scott Overland says Pearson strongly condemns the implication that there was any positive aspect to slavery.

A parent of one of the students posted a picture of the worksheet on Facebook on Wednesday. U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro tweeted about it the next day, which drew attention to the issue.LOS ANGELES  A homeless man is facing a murder charge in what authorities say was a random attack on a California father, who was stabbed in the neck as his 5-year-old daughter sat on his lap in a crowded beachside steakhouse.

Jamal Jackson, 49, was charged with first-degree murder in the death of 35-year-old Anthony Mele. He was being held in Ventura County jail on a $1.5 million bail. It was unclear Saturday if he had an attorney to speak on his behalf.

Mele and his wife were eating dinner with their daughter Wednesday at Aloha Steakhouse in Ventura. The girl was sitting on her fathers lap when prosecutors say Jackson walked up and stabbed Mele in the neck.

Prosecutor Richard Simon said patrons and a restaurant employee followed Jackson out of the restaurant, even though he still had the knife. They kept track of him until police arrived and arrested him.

Mele was taken to a hospital and died Thursday after being taken off life support.

Its horrible, Simon said. You dont think youre going to be killed when you go out to dinner at a nice restaurant with your family and you didnt do anything.

Simon said the two men had not interacted before the attack.

He was just sitting there with his daughter in his lap, Simon said. Youre not supposed to die that way.

Meles loved ones started a GoFundMe page to help raise money for a funeral and to support his wife and daughter.

Meles Facebook page was filled with photos of his daughter and said he was a manager at an AT&T store.

Police confirmed Saturday that a bystander reported a man who turned out to be Jackson for disruptive behavior several hours before the stabbing.

According to the bystander, a man was yelling on the promenade not far from the restaurant about three hours before the attack.

Patrol officers were out on other calls so command center staff monitored the man  who turned out to be Jackson  via a pier security camera system for more than 20 minutes before determining he didnt seem to be a threat, police said.

Police are asking anyone who spoke with Jackson during that time to contact investigators.

The killing prompted the Ventura City Council to increase police patrols in the area and add staff members to monitor security cameras, among other measures.

We are extremely disheartened and infuriated by this criminal attack, Mayor Neal Andrews said in a statement. We will not tolerate this in our community. Nothing is more important than the safety of our visitors, residents and businesses.

If convicted, Jackson faces up to 55 years in prison. He has prior convictions for burglary and unlawful sexual intercourse dating back to the 1990s, according to online court records.

___

Associated Press writer Amy Taxin in Santa Ana, California, contributed to this report.Police say 20-year-old Clifford Patterson III was killed during a shooting in southwest Albuquerque, near 98th and Central, Friday afternoon.

APD Spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said the shooting involved multiple people and occurred within a vehicle.

Officers responded to the shooting around 4 p.m. in the 900 block of Gemstone SW and found Patterson dead.

Gallegos said another person was injured and taken to a hospital in stable condition.

Police have not said whether they have any suspects in the case.Prev 1 of 6 Next

Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

On a map, the unincorporated land in Sandoval County to the west of Rio Rancho looks like a sprawling neighborhood. Numbered streets crisscross the terrain to form a precise grid stretching out to the arid Rio Puerco.

But a trip out there reveals a very different sight.

Street signs have been torn down, or never existed, and so GPS is the only way to identify the dirt roads that weave over pitted terrain. Prickly pear and cholla cactus crawl across low hills interspersed with squat juniper trees.

In the 1960s and 70s, the AMREP Corp. parceled out one-half and one-acre plots of land to be sold to far-flung buyers. But today, few hints of development exist. Instead, the 43,629-acre Rio Rancho Estates Area from Southern to Northern boulevards SW and beyond, west of the city line, is largely vacant.

Mobile homes and trailers, mainly powered by generators and with wells or storage tanks for water, get fewer and farther between as you head west, and 657 miles of well-maintained dirt roads have helped the area become a popular spot for illegal dumping, said Lt. Keith Elder of the Sandoval County Sheriffs Office.

Elder said that almost 40 percent of all stolen cars that were recovered throughout the county last year were found within 21 square miles. Most of those, he said, were stolen from Albuquerque.

And, since August, the bodies of two slain Albuquerque residents have been left there  one burned, the other buried in the sandy, rocky terrain.

Otherwise, the land is used for recreation both legal and illegal  ATV riders zoom around curves and hills, and gun enthusiasts empty their rifles at makeshift targets.

Sunshine paradise

Rio Rancho was founded on a scam, County Commissioner Dave Heil said matter-of-factly when asked about the land in his district (District 4) that extends outside the city of Rio Rancho to the Rio Puerco.

Contemporaneous clips and history lessons tell the tale of how AMREP sales agents used brightly colored ads and aggressive pitches to ensnare thousands of buyers from around the world into the dream of owning a piece of the West. Some of those plots of land were incorporated into what became the city of Rio Rancho.

But other new landowners soon learned they had bought semi-arid desert grazing land that lacked water, utilities and other services, according to a federal indictment of four top AMREP officials as reported by the New York Times. Those officials were convicted in federal court of fraud, according to an article published in 1977.

Heil was one of those land owners. He said he was in his 20s and living in Cleveland, Ohio, working at his familys business, when he saw an ad for Rio Rancho Estates.

He still has the ad  well-coiffed, sun-soaked men and women lounge poolside or in the spacious lawn of a model home. The area is the sunshine paradise of the great Southwest, a hunters paradise and a carpet of green.

He bought five plots of land in a unit nearly adjacent to the Rio Puerco.

But Heil never developed that land and instead traded in the plots over the years to finance a home closer to town.

Its very barren out there, he said. I never even saw my lots. Like many people who had come out here, most people never find their actual lots, just know theyre out there.

These days, a spokeswoman for Sandoval County estimates that about 1,200 people live in the area, based on a 2010 estimate of more than 500 homes in the area. She said the county doesnt have a specific plan for the area.

In 2014, the county passed the Rio Rancho Estates Area Plan to lay out how the space should be divided into different uses in the future.

According to the plan, the state owns 1,100 acres of two truncated parcels of land, and the rest is divided into thousands of plots. Approximately one-third of those plots are still owned by AMREP, the rest are owned by individuals throughout the world.

The Rio Rancho Estates Area Plan addresses neighborhood preservation, land acquisition, water and environmental conservation, private sector development, limited commercial redevelopment and the potential for government intervention in larger-scale redevelopment.

Crime scenes

Although the barren expanse is largely ignored by the public on a day-to-day basis, it has cropped up in the news and court documents related to two separate gruesome murders out of Albuquerque in the past eight months.

One evening last August, around sundown, detectives say two men and a woman drove a Chevy Silverado king-cab to an off-roading area near 21st Street near Northern to bury the mutilated body of a man they are accused of killing over a drug debt. After they buried the body, police say their older red pickup truck got stuck in the sand, and a good Samaritan of sorts ended up digging them out.

Albuquerque homicide detectives later took a couple trips to the area themselves, driving up and down dirt roads, eating trail mix and searching  based in part on what the good Samaritan told them  for the spot where they believed 41-year-old John Soyka was buried.

In mid-September, they found his body buried in a shallow grave off a wide sandy road leading to the Rio Puerco. Six months later, APD crime scene tape remained ensnared in cactus spines at the scene.

Chase Smotherman and Mariah Ferry are charged in Soykas death. Mitchell Overhand, notorious for killing his parents as a teenager in the 1980s, was charged with tampering with evidence, because police believe he helped them bury the body. Their trials are pending.

Then, in January, another homicide investigation began about five miles southeast.

Sandoval County sheriffs deputies found the charred body of 65-year-old Marilyn Gandert of Albuquerque on a mattress by the side of 33rd Street, south of Ninth Street.

Although the roads are easy to find using GPS, the shoulder of 33rd Street is a barren dirt plot, populated only by shrubs and stones. A small memorial of candles and a cross marks the spot where Ganderts body was found.

No one has been charged in her death.

Shooting range

Some days, gunfire is a near constant echo as recreational shooters risk fines or even jail time if theyre caught by law enforcement. Piles of shotgun shells and bullet casings cluster on overlooks and in shallow gulleys.

On a chilly Friday afternoon, a Journal reporter and photographer accompanied Lt. Elder as he drove up and down the dirt roads in an unmarked Sandoval County Sheriffs Office SUV.

When Elder spotted a pickup truck parked in a wide rut, he made a U-turn and approached, police lights flashing.

Four young men from Albuquerque, ages 18 to 20, sheepishly handed over the AK-47 they had loaded for target practice. Elder ran the weapon in a national database to see if it had been stolen (it hadnt) and counseled one of the men who is enlisted in the military against getting in trouble.

He let them off with a warning.

They looked like theyre pretty decent kids, Elder said as he drove off. Let them go merrily on their way.

Elder said illegal shooting is one of the biggest problems in the area and one of the most frequent calls from nearby residents. But, he said, marksmen are just as likely not to get caught.

Unless someone drives up on you, or sees you shooting, or one of these residents hears it, you could basically go undiscovered, he said.

But dumping is also a problem.

Burned out carcasses of stolen, or at least unwanted, vehicles dot the landscape. So do rusted ovens. Old, rotten boats. Splintered televisions.

Over the past five years or so, the sheriffs office reported that between 25 percent and 50 percent of all recovered stolen vehicles in the county have been found in 21 square miles of the Rio Rancho Estates Area. In 2017, 11 stolen vehicles were recovered there, compared with 18 in the rest of the county, an area 177 times its size.

Many of those vehicles, Elder said, are damaged beyond recognition, making it impossible to know if they were reported stolen. He said its often more trouble than theyre worth to remove them.

Life off the grid

Those who do live in Rio Rancho Estates, in modest and isolated homes, tout the peace and quiet  despite the occasional target shooting  and the distance from the big city crime and commotion.

A man and his dog collect brush off the side of a dirt road. A pack of dogs prowls around a small property as their owners fix a broken down truck in the front yard.

A teenage boy peddles his bike as hard as he can up a hill and into a brilliant sunset as he races to borrow tools from his neighbors before night falls.

Alfredo Sandoval, who works for a landscaper in Albuquerque, told the Journal he bought his land 16 years ago for $18,000 and has built it up slowly as he and his wife raised three children. The oldest is about to graduate from Rio Rancho High School, eight miles away.

His property is located on Northern, closer to the edge of the city than the undeveloped mesa. But he still has to haul water from a well every other week even though a utility-size water tank looms within easy eyeshot. Its six miles to the closest gas station.

Today, Sandovals land includes a gazebo, complete with a picnic table, patio chairs and lights, and a fountain that bubbles in the front yard. His double-wide trailer sits next to a tool shed, and a 1-year-old Bernese mountain dog lazes about next to the propertys adobe wall.

All you hear at night are coyotes, Sandoval said, speaking in Spanish.Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

Editors note: A previous version of this story incorrectly identified one of the defendants, George Lowe, as a former chief of staff for Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska. The George Lowe who worked for Stevens has nothing to do with the Big Crow criminal case and is not a defendant in the case.

This is the story of an obscure Albuquerque-based government agency with a mostly classified mission that managed to stay alive by hook or by crook for 10 years after it was cut loose financially by its parent organization, the U.S. Army.

The agency was called the Big Crow Office Program, and its mission was to analyze electronic warfare testing data for the Army.

But the Army dropped the program from its budget in 1999. Despite that, Big Crow managed to keep its doors open as an Army agency at Kirtland Air Force base until 2009.

Federal prosecutors now claim that the programs funding hook was a politically connected lobbyist, and that the crook was an elaborate scheme to pay his company hundreds of thousands of dollars by funneling government funds through employees and subcontractors to keep the federal money faucet open through so-called congressional earmarks.

The elaborate subterfuge was necessary because it is illegal to use government funds to lobby for government funding.

Four men have been indicted in the scheme. Three have pleaded not guilty and are fighting the charges. A fourth key player recently pleaded guilty and has agreed to cooperate with prosecutors.

The indictment doesnt explain how Big Crow stayed alive between 1999 and 2004, when prosecutors allege that Milton Boutte, 72, then director of the Big Crow Program Office, conspired with Washington, D.C., lobbyists, including George Lowe, 55, to obtain money for the program from sources other than the Army, including the Department of Interior and the Alaska National Guard.

But the indictment charges that, beginning in 2004, Boutte, Lowe and two other men diverted more than $500,000 from federal contracts to pay for Lowes lobbying services. The scheme required using subcontractor companies run by Joe Diaz, 58, and Arturo Vargas, 54, both of El Paso, to create phony invoices to make the payments.

Charges against the men include conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to commit wire fraud against the United States, and making false, fictitious and fraudulent claims.

Three contracts

The Big Crow Office Program oversaw the use of two modified NKC-135 jet airplanes used as airborne electronic warfare laboratories to provide the Army an airborne platform with the capability of creating electronic warfare environments for the susceptibility/vulnerability analysis of missile and support systems.

Most of its work was considered classified.

The indictment centers on three contracts issued by the Department of the Interior and the Alaska National Guard. It isnt clear from court records why those agencies would need the services of the Albuquerque-based Big Crow office.

However, they paid more than $5 million to the Big Crow Program Office from 2004 through 2009, when the office was finally closed.

And, according to the indictment, more than 10 percent of that went to pay lobbyists, which prosecutors say is against the law.

Dismissal motions

Lowe, Boutte and Vargas are fighting to get the 48-page indictment dismissed.

Lowe, who admits lobbying for the Big Crow Program at least prior to 2004, argues that the charges are so old they hinder his ability to mount a proper defense.

His attorneys, Robert Gorence and Jason Bowles of Albuquerque, argue that many members of Congress whom Lowe and others lobbied on behalf of Big Crow  including the late U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici  are no longer in Congress and that their offices are long closed.

With their Congressional offices closed it would be impossible to obtain the documentation that would substantiate Mr. Lowes legitimate lawful lobbying activity, Gorence and Bowles wrote in a motion to dismiss. They also claim that physical evidence, such as bank records, is no longer available and should have been obtained at the start of the investigation in 2010.

The normal statute of limitations for white collar crimes is five years.

But under the 1942 Wartime Suspension of Limitations Act (WSLA), war temporarily stops the statute of limitations clock, and, at the wars end, the government has an extra five years to institute a prosecution.

In 2008, because the military actions in Afghanistan and Iraq lacked formal declarations of war, Congress passed a law giving prosecutors the same extra five years for modern military operations like those in the Middle East and Afghanistan.

Lawyers for Boutte, who now lives in Texas, argue that the indictment fails to spell out any criminal act or offense he may have committed.

Based on what is actually alleged and contained in the indictment, Mr. Boutte has been seemingly lumped into the indictment just because he happened to be the Director of Big Crow Program Office (BCPO) at the time, his attorney, Byrant S. Banes of Texas, said in a motion to dismiss the charges.

Prosecutors are fighting both dismissal motions, arguing that the 48-page indictment contains ample detail about the criminal charges and surpasses the standards required by law and court rulings.

They also say that, once the investigation began, it took Army criminal investigators a long time to unravel the many criminal allegations and leads they received concerning the Big Crow Program Office.

Although investigators and analysts devoted considerable time to examination of the various contracts, rather than endlessly attempting to untangle the Gordian knot of issues presented in the multiple contracts for the Big Crow Program Office, investigators eventually cut that knot down to a manageable segment, Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Vasquez said in court filings responding to the motions to dismiss.

Invoices questioned

The indictment outlines an elaborate scheme to cover up the source of payments to Lowe.

Prosecutors allege that Joe Diaz, president of a Big Crow subcontractor called Miratek, at the direction of Boutte, represented that Lowe and other lobbyists working with him were consultants and contractors and that their work was billed on an hourly basis under the category of Project Manager/Senior Auditor/CPA.

Miratek, a data analysis company with offices in Albuquerque and El Paso, allegedly structured and divided Lowes large invoices into multiple invoices with inflated hours of work so they would not be challenged by federal officials who processed them for reimbursement.

The indictment charges that Lowe initially charged Miratek $15,000 per month for his services and subsequently demanded and received larger sums, but they were broken down into smaller amounts through fraudulent invoices.

The indictment claims that in 2006  because Miratek was losing its minority-owned business preference after operating for 10 years  Boutte and Diaz sought out another small business to take Mirateks place in the scheme and to keep the federal money flowing.

Diaz recruited Arturo Vargas and Vargas P.C., a small accounting firm in El Paso, to create a new joint venture called Vartek LLC  claiming that Vargas P.C. was diversifying into the information technology field.

Prosecutors claim that Vartek was then used to submit invoices showing that Lowe and others were Vartek employees, to disguise the nature of the payments.

According to court records, as the program was ending in 2009, reports began to surface concerning misuse of government resources and fraudulent practices at the Big Crow Program Office.

The Army conducted an informal administrative investigation that found Boutte had misused his position to charter a Lear jet at government expense and that management and oversight of the contract by the Army had broken down.

By the time the Armys administrative investigation concluded, its criminal investigation was in the preliminary stages.

It centered on reports that Boutte and others at the Big Crow Program Office had misused government resources for personal gain and eventually led to the probe into contracting issues that are at the heart of the indictment.

Guilty plea

The guilty plea of Mirateks Diaz could present difficulties for the other defendants, because he has agreed to cooperate and testify.

He has an incentive. His guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to defraud the federal government and two counts of fraud each carry a potential 10-year prison sentence  which could be significantly reduced based on his cooperation.

In a series of admissions, Diaz detailed how the company created and submitted phony invoices to cover up the payments to Lowe, admitting that the contracts his company had with Big Crow were used to funnel more than $500,000 in lobbying fees to Lowe.

His guilty plea also details a dispute over the payments between Diaz and Lowe.

According to his guilty plea, Diaz told Lowe that the $530K Lowes company had received satisfied their agreement.

Lowe responded by email on Aug. 29, 2005: Well  You think wrong! You seem to forget that I am the one that placed those funds on that account. I have also received verification that they processed ALL of my invoices which total in excess of $850K and have diverted funds for other uses. That in and of itself is a major problem, it is known as diversion of funds.

I dont appreciate the tone of your email. I am meeting with my attorneys  to move forward. I will not be treated like this by you, Milt (Boutte), Ron and/or Joe (Diaz).

Later that same day, Diaz forwarded this email strand to one of his employees with the comment that Lowes lawyer talk is a big bluff  unless he wants to go straight to Leavenworth.

In his guilty plea Diaz admitted, I was aware that the diversion of funds to Lowe was illegal, and while I did not believe that Lowe would make good on this threat to report the diversion if his demands were not met, I directed Miratek to continue to make payments to Lowe based on demand from Boutte.

A sentencing date for Diaz has not been set.During World War II, U.S. Army Air Force airborne electronic countermeasure assets were given the code name Raven.

After World War II, a group of Raven officers, tasked with establishing a Strategic Air Command airborne electronic countermeasures course, adopted the nickname Crows.

The Armys airborne electronic warfare testing program utilized relatively large KD-135 aircraft supplied by the Air Force that were called Big Crows.

The Armys airborne electronic warfare testing program was thus dubbed Big Crow.

In 1971, the airborne component of the U.S. Armys electronic warfare assessment programs was consolidated at Kirtland Air Force Base and called the Big Crow Program Office.

In general, the office provided analysis of tests of surface to air missile defense systems, radar location systems and missile interception systems.

The Big Crow Program Office remained an agency of the Army, even after the Army stopped funding it in 1999. The Air Force provided aircraft until 2008, and the program closed in 2009.New Mexico is on high alert for fire danger, and already more than 100 unplanned fires have started in the state  all signs the 2018 fire season is heating up.

Dangerous and damaging fires are becoming all-too-common in our changing climate, and this years extreme drought has fire managers worried.

It takes money and good science to reduce the risk of wildfire to people and the lands that provide our water, habitat for wildlife and outdoor recreation.

But the good news is that Congress, the New Mexico Legislature and Gov. Susana Martinez have taken positive steps to accelerate thinning and removing overgrown brush and trees that act as fuel for future fires.

Last month Congress passed the Fiscal Year 2018 Omnibus Spending Bill, which is great news for national forests in New Mexico and nationwide.

The biggest win is that after a decade of work and many false starts, Congress agreed to a fire-funding fix that will cover the cost of fighting wildfire without robbing the USDA Forest Services program budgets.

For too long, increasing wildfire suppression costs have eroded non-fire programs in our land management agencies. That happened both on the front end when deciding allocations, and on the back end by leaving less for non-fire programs when agencies are forced to transfer funds as allocated fire funding levels are depleted.

The situation had gone from bad to worse: The costs of fighting U.S. wildfires topped $2 billion in 2017, breaking all previous records, and Forest Service spending on fire suppression in recent years has gone from 15 percent of the budget to 55 percent.

Many thanks to New Mexico Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich for their support of this bill, and to the entire Congressional delegation for sustained advocacy on behalf of New Mexico forests.

On a bipartisan basis, New Mexico legislators have also shown consistent support for restoring headwater forests, protecting our critical water sources and ensuring that residents have access to firewood and other wood products.

In 2016 the administration proposed, and the Legislature unanimously endorsed, an amendment to the Forest Land Protection Revolving Fund to authorize forest and watershed restoration.

This year, the Legislature made a general fund appropriation of $100,000. Its a critical beginning and a wise investment that will be leveraged with federal funding several times over. And when Gov. Martinez approved the states budget for fiscal 2019, she approved this funding for forest and watershed restoration.

Spurring this political momentum is a New Mexico coalition of non-profit, governmental and business organizations working diligently to protect the forests that we depend on. As part of The Nature Conservancys Rio Grande Water Fund, more than 60 agencies, businesses and organizations have joined together to use the best available science to protect water and forests for the 1 million people in central and northern New Mexico with a goal of restoring 600,000 acres in 20 years. The fund has already restored 70,000 acres and created more than 100 jobs since 2014. And, this kind of collaborative work is starting in other parts of the state as well, through coalitions working with the Lincoln and Gila National Forests.

The benefits of these policies and on-the-ground work are numerous: reduction of catastrophic fire; improved watershed health and water quality; creation of jobs; reduction of health impacts; protection of wildlife, and sustained and increased outdoor tourism.

This spring and summer, as we continue to share our concerns about drought and fire, lets continue to support these kinds of collaborative efforts that help protect the lands and waters of New Mexico for nature and people.Our children need nature. To grow up healthy, kids need a clean, beautiful, and accessible outdoors where they can play and discover the amazing world around them. Spending time with family while connecting with nature brings tremendous health and educational benefits to children. Fortunately, New Mexico has numerous spectacular and historically and socially significant outdoor areas, and we must do all that we can to protect them.

Much of New Mexicos array of scenic beauty has been enhanced and protected by a relatively little-known federal program called the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Created with bipartisan support 50 years ago, the LWCF has been the principal source of federal dollars for everything from Americas national parks and wildlife refuges to community parks, trails and ballfields in almost every state and county in the nation. The LWCF has done more to protect iconic landscapes, wildlife habitat, open space and healthy waters, and develop recreation opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts than any federal program in American history.

Unfortunately, at the end of the federal fiscal year, the sun will set on one of our countrys greatest conservation programs if Congress fails to reauthorize it.

The loss of the LWCF would not bode well for America. In New Mexico, the LWCF has funded numerous outdoor venues around the state, most recently expanding public access into the rugged interior of the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument and giving a boost to New Mexicos outdoor recreation economy. The LWCF has also supported the Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge in Albuquerques South Valley, which provides urban kids and families easy access to safe recreation and serves as an educational arena for students to explore the world of environmental science. State parks around our state have also benefited from LWCF, including Elephant Butte Lake, Mesilla Valley Bosque, Eagle Nest Lake and City of Rocks.

The Land and Water Conservation Fund is a brilliantly conceived idea that has enjoyed wide bipartisan support through more than 10 administrations. No taxpayer dollars are used for the LWCF. It does not add to our nations debt and does not burden our communities. The program is funded for up to $900 million per year by a small portion of the billions of dollars in annual royalties paid by oil and gas companies drilling offshore.

We are fortunate that many members of our New Mexico congressional delegation are well aware of the LWCFs win-win benefits and have fought hard for the program. Both Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich, New Mexico Democrats, have long advocated for the permanent reauthorization and full funding of the LWCF to ensure that our outdoor heritage and public lands will be protected for future generations to enjoy.

But the Trump administration has shown no interest in continuing the LWCFs legacy and has proposed reducing its funding by more than 90 percent in the 2019 budget. As a diversion, the administration is touting the National Park Restoration Act, which would attempt to address the deferred maintenance needs in national parks using revenues from increased drilling and mining on Americas public lands and waters. Thus it presents a Faustian bargain, putting our public lands and waters at risk of pollution in order to maintain existing park facilities.

This plan should in no way be confused with the Land and Water Conservation Fund. It is a distraction that Congress should not follow. Reauthorizing the LWCF must be the highest public lands conservation priority for Congress right now.

With its long and solid track record for local communities and all Americans, and for the health and well-being of our children, the programs value has never been in question. The challenge before this Congress is to act on fulfilling that value. In the bipartisan spirit that has characterized the LWCF since its inception, Congress must now come together to reauthorize and fully fund this great provider of public lands access and enjoyment.

New Mexico Voices for Children is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization advocating for policies to improve the health and well-being of New Mexicos children, families and communities. www.nmvoices.orgSAN DIEGO  In the Southwest, four governors are sending National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border. To understand how dangerous this could be, you can listen to politicians or poets.

Consider what California Gov. Jerry Brown  the only Democrat in that cohort  said last week at the National Press Club in Washington. Reluctant to honor President Trumps request for troops, but afraid to be seen as weak on immigration, Brown is in quite a pickle.

In his remarks to reporters, the governor of the Golden State downplayed his showdown with Trump. The president  who seems to enjoy using California as a foil  has accused the Democrat of undermining border security.

Last week, Brown  who claimed that California and the Trump administration are pretty close to an agreement  pledged to send as many as 400 National Guard troops to the border, but only on the condition that they not enforce immigration law or build a wall. (New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez has pledged 250.)

Trying to stop drug smuggling, human trafficking and guns going to Mexico to the cartels, that sounds to me like fighting crime, he said.

Hold on. Brown must think he is being clever, doing Trumps bidding but on his own terms. Yet how are the California National Guard troops supposed to fight crime  which isnt their job by the way  without interacting with illegal immigrants? Are troops supposed to arrest the human traffickers and not also take into custody the humans being trafficked?

Trying to catch some desperate mothers and children, unaccompanied minors coming from Central America? That sounds like something else, Brown said.

Agreed. To many Latinos, it sounds like someone is trying to bleach out the brown and make America white again.

Lets consult with a band of Mexican poets who have  as naturalized U.S. citizens living in San Jose, Calif., since the 1960s  used music to decipher the Mexican diaspora.

To unpack the experience of working-class whites in the Rust Belt, you turn to Bruce Springsteen. But to decode what it means to be an undocumented Mexican immigrant living on this side of the line, you need to soak up the wisdom of Los Tigres del Norte  a band that has sold more than 30 million records.

In their cultural battle hymn, Somos Mas Americanos, an undocumented immigrant stands up to Americans who mistake workers for invaders and assume a war footing.

Soy extranjero en mi tierra. Y no vengo a darles guerra. Soy hombre trabajador.

(Im a stranger in my own land. And I didnt come to make war. Im a working man.)

America is confused. We take in refugees from war-ravaged Syria  albeit a small number of them  but we wont even give refugees from war-ravaged Central America an asylum hearing. We make a big show about keeping out illegal immigrants; and the party that is doing much of the chest-thumping  the GOP  is hooked on contributions from businesses that use illegal immigrant labor. We portray illegal immigrants as dangerous criminals, then we hand them our children and the digits to our home security code so they can make our lives more comfortable.

Does this make sense to anyone who isnt binge-watching Fox News and following the rants of dimwits in New York and Washington who dont know the border from a burrito?

If tough-talking Trump and all the other anti-immigrant bullies are serious about stopping illegal immigration, they dont have to send soldiers and build a wall. All they have to do is find the courage to bite the hand that feeds them. Start locking up employers, and the illegal immigrants they hire will skedaddle.

But beware. This isnt as easy as picking on poorly educated non-citizens who dont speak English and cant defend themselves. Employers will fight back. And they know how to strike fear into the hearts of politicians with just six words: Im stopping payment on the check!

Americans love to complain about illegal immigration, but theyll never accept responsibility for it. Hire illegal immigrants? Who  us?

When Trump followed the lead of the last two presidents  one Democrat, one Republican  and ordered troops to the border, he let U.S. employers off the hook. He also told the world that its time to take up arms because the United States is being invaded. Truth is, a lot of the folks who come looking for work were pretty much invited.

E-mail: ruben@rubennavarrette.com. Copyright, The Washington Post Writers Group. His daily podcast, Navarrette Nation, is available through every podcast app.After two years of belt tightening and difficult austerity measures implemented to plug nine-figure holes and balance the state budget, revenues for New Mexico are once again soaring.

Revenue for the current budget year was up by $672 million through January compared to the same period last year, according to the state Taxation and Revenue Department.

Thats great news for our state. And while Roundhouse lawmakers will no doubt be tempted to go on a spending spree when they convene in January, they should hold off on that impulse because, as Senate Finance Committee Chairman John Arthur Smith points out, the states economy is still heavily reliant on a market-driven fossil fuel industry.

Were on the roller coaster of oil and gas, says Smith, a Deming Democrat.

While revenues are up right now, they can just as easily tank. Given the boom in the Permian Basin, specifically the production occurring in Lea, Eddy and San Juan counties, we doubt revenues will sink in the near future, but its a boom-bust industry so what goes up eventually comes down. And as the state revenues of 2017 vs. 2018 show  what a difference a single year can make.

Realizing that, lawmakers and the governor last year created a true rainy day fund to help the state ride out some revenue lean years. And there will be more than $15 million flowing into that fund thanks to the uptick in revenue this year.

Lawmakers and the next governor should consider pumping more money into that rainy day fund. Its not sexy, but its the financially responsible thing to do, and they and taxpayers will be glad they did it when the roller coaster that is our states revenue source takes a downturn.

Yes, were riding high now, but if history has taught us anything, its that our revenue stream is volatile and the highs dont last.

Of course, pouring more money into the rainy day fund doesnt mean lawmakers wont be able to tackle other priorities. Now is the ideal time to move forward on efforts like tax reform and expanding proven early childhood education efforts.

New Mexico desperately needs tax reform  from lowering and broadening gross receipts taxes, to eliminating pyramiding and local government double dipping on GRT, to establishing equity between brick-and-mortar and internet sales. Lawmakers began working on that project in the midst of the budget crisis in 2017, but those efforts went nowhere during this years legislative session. Lawmakers shouldnt wait for another budget crisis to try to get tax reform across the finish line.

The new revenues also give lawmakers the opportunity to continue investing in data-driven early childhood education. New Mexico already ranks 16th in the nation on 4-year-olds pre-K participation rates and 20th on spending. And a record number of students will start elementary school five weeks early this summer as part of the K-3 Plus program. Indeed, a record $28.8 million has been awarded to schools this summer for the program.

Given N.M.s struggles with child well-being, theres certainly more our state must do. The additional revenues give lawmakers the opportunity to build on whats already been done and to expand early childhood services like pre-K and even in-home visits with new parents. But funding these initiatives is not the end-all, be-all some would claim: key will be finding enough qualified individuals to deliver the services, then tracking their implementation to ensure the public is getting a meaningful return on its investment.

CHI St. Josephs Children, an Albuquerque nonprofit, has come up with a blueprint for rolling out these services. Part of the windfall New Mexico is experiencing could and should be invested in these programs  but it must include a mechanism for tracking outcomes not only to justify this spending but any expansion down the road.

Its ironic that a year ago, state leaders were fretting about how to plug a massive budget deficit and this year, the state is flush with cash. Given that level of volatility, its incumbent on lawmakers and whomever is elected governor to invest any new money wisely.

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  Over and over again, New Mexico lawmakers have rejected an ambitious proposal to tap into the states largest permanent fund and expand early childhood programs.

But supporters of early childhood services are enjoying some success anyway, gaining traction with increased funding from other sources.

In fact, New Mexico has doubled its spending over the last seven years on programs aimed at helping young children and their families.

The increase  from roughly $137 million in the 2012 budget year to $269 million this year  comes as proposals targeting the Land Grant Permanent Fund have failed in committee meetings or died without a hearing.

The spike in funding reflects a growing consensus inside the Roundhouse that early childhood programs should be a priority in New Mexicos attempts to interrupt the cycle of poverty by helping low-income families and young children.

But the debate over whether to tap the Permanent Fund is certain to continue.

Even with the increased spending, nonpartisan analysts working for the Legislative Finance Committee estimate there will be about $111 million in remaining statewide need for home visiting, pre-kindergarten and a program that extends the school year  on top of the states plan to spend about $306 million next year, a healthy increase over this years $269 million in funding.

Lawmakers disagree over whether the high-profile push targeting the permanent fund has played a role in the budget increase for early childhood services.

Sen. Carlos Cisneros, a Questa Democrat and vice chairman of the powerful Senate Finance Committee, said the campaign may have motivated lawmakers to find money elsewhere and protect the permanent fund.

It focused the attention on something that needed attention  something that had been neglected, he said in an interview.

But Rep. Larry Larranaga, an Albuquerque Republican who served as chairman of the House appropriations committee when the GOP held a majority in that chamber, said the permanent fund campaign wasnt a factor at all.

Lawmakers are simply trying to fund programs that boost student achievement, he said, in a state where test scores lag.

Weve put the money where we think the infrastructure is ready to use it correctly and get a good return for the investment, Larranaga said.

Cisneros is undecided on the merits of the permanent fund proposal, which would allow voters to decide whether to amend the state Constitution to allow an annual distribution of 6 percent of the fund each year, rather than 5 percent.

But Republicans and conservative Democrats at the Legislature have repeatedly blocked the proposal, arguing that it would damage the health of a fund that already provides hundreds of millions of dollars for schools and other beneficiaries.

Taking more money out now, opponents say, would slow the growth of the fund and, after about 26 years, mean less for schools and other beneficiaries than if the fund had been left alone at the lower distribution rate.

Allen Sanchez, who has led the campaign in favor of the constitutional amendment, said the political debate inside the Roundhouse has evolved over the last eight years, as the proposal has been repeatedly pitched to lawmakers.

Our states attitude has changed, said Sanchez, president of the nonprofit group CHI St. Josephs Children and executive director of the New Mexico Conference of Catholic Bishops. Were embracing early childhood programs.

Steady funding growth

Indeed, growth in the budget for early childhood programs has been steady, even as the state struggled with a budget crisis amid volatile oil and gas prices.

New Mexico expects to spend, for example, $23 million next year on home visiting programs  services generally aimed at helping expecting mothers and parents with young children. Thats up from just $2 million in 2012, according to LFC documents.

Also growing are a variety of other programs aimed at helping families and their children, from before birth through elementary school.

The state offers childcare assistance for low-income parents who work, pre-kindergarten to help prepare kids to start elementary school on equal footing, an extended school year at some schools and other services.

Altogether, spending for early childhood programs is expected to hit about $306 million next year, a 14 percent increase over this year, outpacing growth in the budget overall. The total includes a combination of state and federal money, not just the spending offered through New Mexicos general fund for basic operations.

I dont think weve funded anything else with that kind of increase year after year, said Larranaga, the Albuquerque Republican. Even despite the bad years that we had, we still took care of that.

How much still needed?

But Sanchez and other supporters of withdrawing more money from the Land Grant Permanent Fund say the increase is nowhere near enough, partly because the state has spent so little on early childhood in the past.

Legislative documents offer some estimates on the need for services.

For example, LFC analysts estimate that the $23 million earmarked for home visiting next year is roughly half what it would take to cover the total number of eligible clients.

Altogether, the analysts estimate about $111 million in unmet need for pre-K, home visiting and the K-3 Plus program that extends the school year at low-income or poor-performing schools. For other programs, they either dont have a solid estimate or dont forecast need beyond whats already provided.

Sanchez and other supporters of the constitutional amendment say the LFC figure grossly underestimates the need for services in one of the poorest states in the nation. They put the unmet need in the range of $400 million.

Each groups estimate relies on a variety of assumptions about how many people are eligible, who should be covered, what sorts of services should be provided and how much it would cost.

In any case, the latest proposal to increase distributions from the Land Grant Permanent Fund would generate about $150 million a year that would go to school districts and tribes to provide services to children before kindergarten. Schools or tribes could hire nonprofit groups to carry out home visiting programs, in addition to expanding their own pre-K or similar programs.

As part of the proposed amendment, another $26 million would go to other beneficiaries of the permanent fund.

The regular budget increases so far are a drop in the bucket compared to the need, said Rep. Antonio Moe Maestas, an Albuquerque Democrat and co-sponsor of the constitutional amendment.

Cisneros and Larranaga, in turn, say the traditional budget process is working.

I think we have a responsibility to children statewide, Cisneros said. I think weve met it, not at the optimum capacity, but certainly to a high degree.

Larranaga said lawmakers have done a very good job funding it this far.

And not every program necessarily spends the money effectively, he said.

Analysts for the Legislative Finance Committee reported in August that child care assistance hasnt shown evidence of boosting academic achievement. But they acknowledged it has other benefits for working families.

The analysts have been much more positive about some programs, such as pre-kindergarten and, if carried out correctly, K-3 Plus. When combined, in fact, the two programs appear to erase the achievement gap between different demographic groups when children participate in both, one analyst told the Legislative Finance Committee last year.

Analysts have also offered positive assessments of home visiting programs, saying theyve been shown to effectively reduce child abuse and improve health. But the programs should be carried out as part of evidence-based programming that targets high-risk, high-need families, according to the August report to LFC.

There have been instances, too, when early childhood programs dont spend all of the money theyre allocated and return some to the state for use the next year.

Helping young children

The increases for early childhood programs coincide with Republican Gov. Susana Martinezs tenure. Her office didnt respond to Journal requests for comment.

In any event, its clear New Mexico lawmakers are comfortable pushing more money into programs aimed at helping young children, even if skepticism remains about tapping into the permanent fund.

Advocates like Sanchez see the extra funding as progress, at least.

If someone is asking you for soup, Sanchez said, I dont care what kettle you get it out of.One of Mayor Kellers earliest memories is as a 4-year-old boy dropping a hamburger into the fountain at Civic Plaza while having lunch with his dad.

I still remember reaching down to the ice cold water and taking a bite out of it  it tasted like chlorine, Keller said to a crowd of city employees and Albuquerque residents at the unveiling of the redesign of Civic Plaza on Saturday afternoon.

Keller said the old fountain  while memorable  wasnt family friendly, used tons of water and was broken a lot.

As part of the $6.5 million dollar project, funded by Lodgers Tax Revenues, in its place are two LED-lit water features; an interactive fountain that shoots jets of water rhythmically into the air, and five large cubes, over which water flows, as intermittent bursts of water shoot from their tops.

The renovations also include a playground designed to look like a prickly pear cactus with ropes, nets to climb, alongside accompanying chimes and drums.

Across the plaza, at the Al Hurricane Pavilion, the city added a new sound system, giant projector screen and theatrical lighting.

We believe that Civic Plaza should be a great place in our city and a keystone in Downtown, he said.

Keller said the whole area is ADA accessible and thanked Mayor Richard Berrys administration for the foresight and investment into the redesign.

One thing that happens when we have transitions is new mayors jump in for old mayors and we inherit things, both good and bad, he said. This is a good thing.

By the end of summer, Keller said the city will add swings and slides to the play area and solar panels on eastern terraces to provide shade and energy.

Keller cut the ribbon on the redesign and watched with his wife as his two children ran through the fountains alongside several others, while Al Hurricanes voice carried across the plaza, his face stretched over a 16 by 30 foot screen tucked between a sound system on the opposite end.

Kate Loggins lamented forgetting a towel as she watched her daughter and grandkids run through the streams of water screaming and laughing.

Its all good, theyre happy, theyre having fun, she said. Thats what matters.

Loggins called the renovations a big improvement that will beautify Civic Plaza for residents and tourists visiting the city.

Its something unique, she said.

As for Keller and many others, Civic Plaza is steeped in nostalgia for Loggins, who performed there with the Filipino American Associations during Summerfest over 35 years ago.

I used to come here every single weekend, she said.

Loggins said she plans to visit often so her family can enjoy it as she once did.Days after the City Council reaffirmed Albuquerques immigrant friendly identity amid national controversy over changes in federal immigration enforcement, one of the areas most active immigration assistance charities says its still open for business and seeing a flush of clients.

That flush is fueled more by changes in federal enforcement practices than the citys immigration-friendly status, which bans the use of city resources to enforce immigration violations, staff at Catholic Charities of Central New Mexico said Friday afternoon during its weekly immigration consultation office hours in Albuquerque.

And we see the rush during tax season, said Isabel Otero, manager for Catholic Charities immigration services program.

Catholic Charities is one of several agencies in Albuquerque that offers free or inexpensive legal assistance for people seeking permanent residency status or citizenship for themselves or family members.

Of the 400-500 applications her office process a year, Otero said, about 99 percent result in some form of accepted application, though the federal approval process can be lengthy. About 95 percent of the applications are from individuals who moved to the U.S. from Mexico.

Staff also said Friday that there has been a recent influx of immigrants from the Middle East and Vietnam seeking help at the charity.

While Catholic Charities of Central New Mexico is funded mostly through government grants and private contributions, Oteros wing of the operation is funded by payments from the immigrants. Costs for her staffs legal services range from about $900 to $1,200.

Those costs are on top of the expenses for the charitys mandatory background check for immigration assistance clients, a $450 federally required health exam and the fees charged by the federal government, which are usually about $1,700 for an application, Otero said.

In addition to immigration assistance, Catholic Charities, located on Bridge just west of Goff, also offers high-end but low-cost child care, support programs for refugees, a housing assistance program for homeless people and families, and a substantial education system built for immigrants seeking to learn English and education certificates, such as a GED.PARIS  Of everything Emmanuel Macron has accomplished in nearly a year as Frances president, the most important may be his tough-love friendship with Donald Trump.

From their first bone-squeezing handshake to Macrons recent claim that he persuaded Trump to bomb Syria, its been an improbable relationship. And it will be on pomp-filled display starting Monday as Macron goes on a state visit to Washington, the first by any leader since Trump took office.

Macron calls Trump all the time. With other world leaders too wary or weak to woo the impulsive U.S. president, Macron calculates that its smarter and safer to talk to Trump than isolate him.

The 40-year-old moderate progressive, who had never held elected office before he won Frances presidential election, defended his overtures to the 71-year-old conservative Trump in an interview on the broadcast Fox News Sunday.

I am not going to judge  what should be your president, or to consider that because of these controversies or because of these investigations, your president is less credible, he said.

The French president has the most to gain from the three-day state visit. He wants to fortify his image as the face of todays Europe and the No. 1 defender of a liberal world order, as well as prove that France is essential to solving world problems such as Irans nuclear ambitions and international trade wars.

His aims may sound like French hubris or wishful thinking, but they are consistent with the France is back global strategy Macron has set for his tenure.

He talks regularly to Russian President Vladimir Putin and other controversial leaders, too. He also has tried his own diplomatic maneuvering in the Middle East with the goals of defending French interests and making sure Europe has a say in the regions future.

For all their camaraderie, Macron and Trump disagree on some fundamental issues.

Take global warming. Macron mocked Trumps campaign slogan by promising in a Twitter video he recorded in English to Make our planet great again! The video was posted moments after Trump announced he wanted to pull out of the U.N.-sponsored Paris climate accord last year.

Policy toward Iran is another point of discord. France is the most vigorous defender of the 2015 deal curbing Irans nuclear ambitions. Trump is threatening to abandon the agreement next month. Macron hopes to make progress this week on convincing Trump to stay onboard.

And then theres trade. Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel  who planned to visit Washington on Friday  have pushed back hard on Trumps steel tariffs and his America First vision, which threaten Europes powerful single market.

By design, Macrons state visit will be more about symbolism than substance, and no big breakthroughs are expected.

But over the long term, Macron hopes his rapport with Trump will help mitigate some of their policy differences. His office holds up the U.S.-French cooperation on missile strikes on Syria this month as a model for future joint actions.

So how has Macron managed to avoid annoying Trump, famously sensitive to slights?

He has played Trump very well, said Nicolas Dungan, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, a Washington-based think tank.

While other world leaders and veterans of Beltway politics have made Trump feel like an outsider, Macron accepts him and respects him rather than disdaining him, Dungan said. Its a very effective strategy of influence  through respect and treating him legitimately.

At least so far. Macron still runs the risk of getting tagged with Trumps vulgarity, which so far hes been immune to, Dungan said.

Macrons ease in speaking English probably helped in establishing a rapport  as did his ability to play the tough-guy game that Trump relishes.

Despite being smaller and younger than Trump, Macron has been able to spar in a way that begets admiration instead of resentment, starting with their first meeting at a NATO summit in May, where Macron took Trumps hand and wouldnt let go.

In Trumps confrontational world, Macron comes across as straight arrow, ready for a fight, said Francois Heisbourg, a former French government adviser and current chair of the International Institute for Strategic Studies. At their NATO meeting, Macron twists his arm. And this is the beginning of a great friendship, Heisbourg said.

The French presidents U.S. visit will highlight Macrons rather uncanny ability to get along with hard-line leaders, Heisbourg said. He is apparently the only one who can actually talk with all of them substantively, while at the same time not appearing to be jettisoning his own values.

Macron also hopes the Washington trip will also raise his profile everywhere else  from the EU to Syria and Israel-Palestinian peacemaking.

The trip will be a welcome distraction from Macrons troubles at home: He takes off the same day labor strikes are expected to halt a majority of French trains and a quarter of Air France flights.

As Macron prepares to be feted at two fancy dinners and give a special speech to Congress, the White House and Elysee Palace are stressing their likenesses instead of points of discord.

Both Macron and Trump are newcomers to politics with a background in business. And France is considered the first American ally, for helping the colonists win the Revolutionary War.

Macron will celebrate the long-running alliance by giving Trump an oak tree sapling from the site of one of the first World War I battles involving American troops, the Battle of Belleau Wood.

Its a sign of appreciation for the sacrifices America made for France and an apparent nod to Macrons concern for the environment.

He wants it planted in the White House gardens.

___

Darlene Superville in Washington contributed.LARGO, Fla.  Florida authorities went to a funeral home and used a dead mans finger to try to unlock his cellphone as part of their investigation.

Thirty-year-old Linus Phillip was killed by a Largo police officer last month after authorities say he tried to drive away before an officer could search him.

At the funeral home, two detectives held the mans hands up to the phones fingerprint sensor but could not unlock it.

Phillips fiancee Victoria Armstrong says she felt violated and disrespected.

Legal experts mostly agree that what the detectives did was legal, but they question whether it was appropriate.

Charles Rose, a professor at Stetson University College of Law, tells the Tampa Bay Times that dead people cant assert their Fourth Amendment protections because you cant own property when youre dead. But those rights could apply to whoever inherits the property.

___

Information from: Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, Fla.), http://www.tampabay.com.Would you like to receive breaking news notifications from The Post and Courier?

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Please enable notifications in your browser and reload the page.CAIRO  Cairo, known as the city of a thousand minarets, actually has over 3,000 mosques, and the country as a whole is home to over 100,000 Muslim houses of worship. Over 80,000 of these are controlled by the countrys Ministry of Religious Endowments, yet a recently published plan could pit the governments strategy against the wishes of Al-Azhar, Egypts top religious authority.

Most of Egypts mosques were buildings donated by their owners to the state on condition that they would not be sold or leased but turned into mosques. This conditional donation is known as a waqf, or endowment.

Al-Azhar rejected on March 28 a law allowing the state to change the endowment condition. In other words, Al-Azhar rejected giving the state the option to change the purpose and conditions of use of such donated premises, whether by selling or leasing them.

On April 13, the Egyptian Sawt al-Umma newspaper published an article about the governments plan to reinvest in some of the endowment properties in a different manner to change and ensure optimal purpose of use, despite Al-Azhar's rejection of the new law. Does this suggest that the relationship between the government and Al-Azhar is heading down a conflictual path?

Endowment includes the donation of buildings on condition that they are used as churches, orphanages or schools, while sometimes people donate agricultural lands, plots, real estate or bank deposits for the benefit of a specific person, a group of people or a community, such as families or villages.

In 1954, however, the state confiscated the endowments and announced that they are to be used for the public interest rather than the benefit of a certain group of people or a specific person, with the exception of mosques and churches that continue to be in the service of Muslims or Christians only.

Since that year, endowments have been under the supervision and management of the Ministry of Endowments, in accordance with the conditions set by the original owners with regard to the purpose of use.

The ministry tries to make a profit from the endowments in such a way to cover the facilities overheads and development projects as well as the salaries of their employees. According to the most recent data in January, the endowments assets reached about 180 billion Egyptian pounds (roughly $10 billion).

As the endowments assets increased, the state began to seek to amend their conditions. On Feb. 14, the government submitted to parliament a draft law allowing the prime minister to amend the condition of the purpose of use of any endowment facility in such a way to be used for the public benefit.

In an effort to pass the law, parliament discussed it at a meeting in the parliamentarian Religious Affairs Committee and sent a copy of it to Al-Azhar for assessment. In an official statement March 28, Al-Azhar rejected the bill, describing it as contradictory to Islamic law.

Hundreds of social media activists reacted to the statement, showing solidarity with Al-Azhar. One social activist expressed his fear that the state would change the purpose of use of some endowments that are now designated as mosques.

This prompted the Religious Affairs Committee to state in an official statement April 1 that it will no longer look into the bill and will work on finding alternative solutions to modify the endowments conditions.

In this context, Al-Azhar Deputy Imam Abbas Shoman told Al-Monitor, It is not permissible to change the endowments conditions because they are not owned by the state, which runs them according to the conditions of their original owners. This was agreed upon by all previous and current Islamic scholars.

Meanwhile, Abdul Fattah Idris, a former professor of comparative jurisprudence at the University of Al-Azhar, told Al-Monitor that changing the endowments conditions for the betterment of the community is not contradictory to Islamic law, stressing that confiscating the endowments in the 1950s and changing their targeted beneficiaries from one specific person or one group of persons to the public community is also seen as changing the donations conditions.

If the state wishes to change the endowments from being for the benefit of a group of people to the benefit of the public then it might as well change their purpose of use. Properties can be turned into a hospital serving thousands of patients, a school or a large investment project whose proceeds would go to the poor, for instance, Idris said.

He added, If we look at the endowments of mosques, we may find out that the number of mosques in Cairo exceeds the need of the Muslims and therefore other donated buildings could turn into something other than mosques. In areas with an insufficient number of mosques, endowments could be used as mosques.

Jaber Tayeh, head of the Religious Department in the Ministry of Endowments, told Al-Monitor, The ministry is against the draft law to change the endowments conditions because this would harm Egypts reputation to such a great extent, spurring talks that Egypt has become so poor that it is leasing or selling its endowments.

Osama Abu al-Magd, a member of the Religious Affairs Committee, told Al-Monitor, Parliament respects Al-Azhars take on the draft law and will look into alternative solutions. The state is mainly considering a property swap with the Ministry of Endowments. For instance, the state could swap a mosque located in an industrial area for another endowment facility in a different area that could be used as a mosque.

Seif al-Din al-Marsafawi, an independent political sociology analyst who has expressed opposition to President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, said that the draft law is likely to be the end of the honeymoon of Sisi and Al-Azhar.

He told Al-Monitor, The regimes attempts to control all state resources  including Al-Azhars endowments  is likely to cause tension between the two, as the latter will consider this as an infringement on its property."

He also expected Al-Azhar to galvanize other religious institutions, including the church, to take action against the law.

Yusri al-Azabawi, a political science researcher at Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, said that it is unlikely for the government or parliament to pass the law without the approval of Al-Azhar because the state upholds the principle that Al-Azhar and the church are partners, not rivals to the state. This means that the law is unlikely to pass without Al-Azhars approval, Azbawi said.CAIRO  Secretary-General of the Wafd Party Hani Sarie El-Din announced April 16 that the party has prepared a list of cadres to take part in the upcoming local council elections scheduled for early 2019. He pointed out that the party was keen to give the bigger share of the list to women and the youth.

But finding strong and well-known female cadres in the Wafd Party is not an easy task. Women do not currently fill any positions within the Wafd Party. Five candidates competed March 30 for the leadership of the party. While these candidates represented many segments of society, none of them were women or Copts. Bahaa Abu Shoqa, the former secretary-general of the Wafd Party, won the elections.

Of note, the Wafd Party adopts an objective approach in its relations with the current regime. While its members of parliament supported Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in many decisions, many of its members refused the Maritime Demarcation Agreement signed between Egypt and Saudi Arabia, which led Egypt to give up its sovereignty over Tiran and Sanafir islands to Saudi Arabia.

Yusri al-Azabawi, a researcher at the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, told Al-Monitor, The partys elections included many trends, ages, orientations and demographics. While the absence of women and Copts cannot be deemed as an indication of marginalization given that each party has its own age, political and demographic composition, the absence of women from a lot of Egyptian party leaderships remains a phenomenon that deserves to be explored.

The absence of women is more remarkable than the absence of Copts, considering that Copts represent about 15% of Egyptian society, while women represent about 50%, a rate that increases among the youth, who are supposed to be at the core of partisan work, he added. I think that the weak and immature partisan experience in Egypt did not care much about empowering women in partisan life. Party leaders were busy settling their struggle for partisan leadership. One example is the conflict between Noman Gomaa and Mahmoud Abaza over the leadership of the Wafd Party in 2006. [Egyptian] parties only embarked on including women in parliament after the 2014 constitution stipulated a quota for women on each partys list.

Only one woman has assumed the post of party leader in the history of partisan life in Egypt  Hala Shukrallah, a Christian who served as the head of Al-Dostour Party in the wake of the February 2014 partisan elections. However, Shukrallah resigned in August 2015 in protest against what she deemed to be confusion in the party's policy and failure to heed the demands of the people.

For her part, Sabah al-Saqqari ran in 2012 for the presidency of the Freedom and Justice Party, the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, but did not win.

In an attempt to identify the reasons behind the absence of women from the Wafd Party elections in Egypt and the Egyptian partisan life in general, Nihal Ahdi, the head of the Women's Union of the Wafd Party, told Al-Monitor that the crisis is not limited to the Wafd Party or to partisan life alone, as the problem is embedded in Egyptian society, which she described as patriarchal. Most Egyptians, she said, including women, favor men occupying partisan and local council positions.

She pointed out that the most important step that should be taken by the Wafd Party in the coming period and before the local council elections is to organize intensive awareness campaigns across Egypt to encourage women to elect women. Also, the historical role of women in political and partisan work needs to be highlighted because women participate more than men in the elections. Still, women chose to support men.

When female cadres make it to local councils and parliament and manage to earn the trust of the Wafd Party members, then they will be able to assume leadership positions within the Wafd Party, she said.

The Wafd Party was the first political party to allow women to join its ranks. Safiya Zaghloul, the wife of Saad Zaghloul, the first leader of the Wafd Party, led the women's secretariat in the party and was succeeded by Huda Shaarawi, one of the leaders of the Egyptian women's movement.

Abu Shoqa told Al-Monitor that women are not well-represented within Egyptian parties. And Sisis experience in the empowerment of women during 2017, which he declared as the year of women, showed that political parties are the ones who need women, not the other way around. Women assumed high positions without any partisan support. Sahar Nasr assumed the post of minister of investment and international cooperation, and Nadia Abdo assumed the post of governor of Beheira.

My presidential program for the Wafd Party is based on an integrated strategy that aims to empower women both within the party and in the local council elections, Abu Shoqa added.

Hoda Badran, the president of the Egyptian Feminist Union, ruled out that women will be allowed to assume higher positions in partisan life in Egypt.

Most Egyptian parties witness occasional splits when a certain group in the party rejects the leaderships policy, and developing a strategy to empower women at the expense of some party activists may lead to further splits. Women will not reap any benefits from being represented within parties plagued by splits, she told Al-Monitor.Seventy years of Israels independence is cause for celebration in Israel and a reason for mourning in the Palestinian Authority.

The Palestinian mass demonstrations along the Gaza fence will come to a climax May 14, just one day before the Palestinians mark Nakba Day  the establishment of Israel that the Palestinians see as a national catastrophe. On that day, the United States is expected to move its embassy to Jerusalem; and it is on that day that West Bankers are expected to take to the streets. Terror attacks against Israel could also take place.

A senior PLO official close to President Mahmoud Abbas spoke to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity about the importance of these days, saying, Nakba Day always reminds us of our tragic fate, how we lost our land, the Deir Yassin massacre [in 1948, during Israels independence war] and above all the tragedy of our refugees dispersed around the world. From 1988 to 1993, our leader Chairman Yasser Arafat understood that the Palestinian narrative had to be rectified. That Palestinian independence at last would happen alongside Israel, and not replacing it.

The official explained that the Oslo Accord emerged from that recognition. For the sake of statehood and peace, the Palestinians were ready to relinquish 75% of mandatory Palestine to Israel, provided they could establish an independent state on the 1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital. In Palestinian eyes, that was a historical compromise, recognized by then-Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and US President Bill Clinton. Yet since 1996, when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came to power, Israel reneged on the Oslo Accord and began to implement extensive settlement expansion and annexationist policies. The official said that Israel forces the Palestinians into a stateless existence, arguing that Israels legitimacy is the result of the Holocaust in Europe.

He added, 2018 and 2019 will be years of decision for the Palestinians. The Palestinians will have to choose whether to renew the armed struggle and whether to demand equal rights in a binational state. These dilemmas are exacerbated by the pro-Israeli policies of US President Donald Trump; the situation in that respect could change in 2020 with the next US elections.

An Israeli senior Ministry of Foreign Affairs official with access to Netanyahu spoke to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity about Israels historical narrative at 70 years of independence.

The official said, The birth of Israel was not due to the Holocaust, but despite it. The birth roots are biblical and the states legitimacy derives also from the international community. The Arab rejection of the 1947 UN resolution [Partition Plan] and the attack on the new Jewish state are the roots of the conflict.

He noted that Israel would not have occupied the West Bank and Gaza Strip had it not been confronted in 1967 by Egypt and Jordan. The official argued that except for Egypt and Jordan, Arab and Palestinian rejectionism continues. It is the refusal of the Palestinians to recognize the Jewish homeland that sustains the conflict. He also claimed with great self-confidence that today Israel is strong enough to protect itself against any Arab or Iranian threat, that it is an economic and technological powerhouse and the only democracy in the region. Trump has endorsed Israels right to be recognized by the Palestinians as the homeland of the Jewish people.

Indeed, both these narratives have clashed now for more than a century; they will never be reconciled. The Oslo process was an effort by the late Rabin, Shimon Peres and Arafat to create a new narrative of a mutual coexistence future between two states. In 1998, both parties were supposed to celebrate independence, side by side as coexisting states. That came to an end with the assassination of Rabin in 1995, and with it the end to any viable peace process.

These days, with Israel celebrating its 70th Independence Day on April 19, the problem has become more acute than ever before. The Israeli government has walked away from the readiness to share the historical land. It is dramatically expanding Israeli settlements all over the West Bank, while expanding its economic hold on it. Also, Netanyahus government maintains an almost hermetic closure on the Gaza Strip.

In parallel, 70 years to the Palestinian Nakba, it seems that the Palestinian leadership, both Fatah and Hamas, is drifting away from any peaceful coexistence strategy.

Both Israel and the Palestinians embrace the pre-Oslo narratives of mutual hate. And so, 70 years after independence, we find ourselves in clashing historical narratives, which sooner or later may again lead to violence and bloodshed. This does not leave much room to celebrate, except for the traditional ceremonies.Netanyahus false promise on Saudi Arabia?

Although King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia clarified the kingdoms position on Jerusalem at the Arab League Summit in Dhahran last week, the final communique was silent on the Gaza Strip, where Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have killed 32 Palestinians, including a 15-year-old boy, and wounded over 1,600 in protests that have taken place in recent weeks at the border with Israel.

Salman announced $150 million for the Islamic endowment in Jerusalem and $50 million for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, making up for the cut in US funding. He proclaimed the meeting the Jerusalem summit. The communique noted the illegality of the American decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, as we categorically refuse to recognize Jerusalem [Al-Quds] as the capital of Israel, where East Al-Quds will remain the capital of the State of Palestine, and added a warning against taking any action that would change the current legal and political status of Al-Quds.

Bruce Riedel writes that the stridency of the kings remarks  reflects growing unease in the royal palace that events in Gaza and Jerusalem are moving toward even more explosive unrest next month when the US Embassy opens in Jerusalem. The Saudis are uncomfortable that they have been widely perceived in the Arab world as colluding with Trumps son-in-law and adviser, Jared Kushner, to undermine the Palestinians claim to the holy city, a perception that damages the Saudi mantle as the defender of the holy mosques, which is crucial to the royal familys legitimacy. Pictures on TV of protesting Gazans burning Saudi flags and pictures of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have been blocked in the kingdom. Iran is actively labeling the Saudis as conspiring with Israel.

Daoud Kuttab adds, It is not clear exactly what made the Saudi monarch decide to raise the profile of Jerusalem. The kings son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman  who is also the kingdoms defense minister  had just concluded a wide-ranging tour in the United States on March 19-22 that included a visit to the White House.  Throughout his tour, Mohammed made little mention of Jerusalem. In fact, in one interview with The Atlantic, he appeared to be moving closer than ever before to unilaterally recognizing the State of Israel in an exchange that drew a striking headline. The Atlantics editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, asked, Do you believe the Jewish people have a right to a nation-state in at least part of their ancestral homeland? Mohammed answered, I believe that each people, anywhere, have a right to live in their peaceful nation. I believe the Palestinians and the Israelis have the right to have their own land. But The Atlantics April 2 version of the interview played up the statement by removing reference to Palestinians, with the subhead, In a wide-ranging conversation, Prince Mohammed bin Salman also recognized the Jewish peoples right to their own land.

Akiva Eldar writes that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is deluded by the false promise of a secret deal with Saudi Arabia, and thereby ignoring the potential for direct talks with the Palestinians. On Israel's 70th Independence Day, the Arab world is once again inviting it to become a full-fledged member of the region and enjoy security, recognition and peace with all Arab states, Eldar writes. This historic transformation, however, carries a price tag: the launch of serious peace negotiations for ensuring the establishment of an independent Palestinian state within the June 1967 borders, with its capital in the eastern part of Jerusalem."

Eldar considers Netanyahus misguided approach as a dual and even triple innovation, a real international startup enterprise. It promotes ties with pragmatic Arab states while sending snipers to kill unarmed Gaza Palestinians, deepening the Israeli occupation in the West Bank and East Jerusalem and touting US recognition of Jerusalem as the capital.  Although the summit met against the backdrop of the global-regional Syrian civil war and the direct conflict between Israel and Iran, the Israeli media largely ignored it. They were busy feeding the Israeli public juicy tales of a steamy love affair between Jerusalem and Riyadh, passionately united against their common enemy in Tehran. The local media quoted extensively from a New York Times report about 'understandings' between the Trump administration and the Saudis on an Israeli-Palestinian peace plan that includes turning the East Jerusalem village of Abu Dis into the capital of a future Palestine.

The unease of the kingdom and the Arab League with the protests in Gaza is linked to their opposition to Hamas. As we wrote here April 1, Hamas had planned the Great Return March on March 30 as a show of both force and desperation in the context of a crisis in Palestinian leadership and the alarming economic and humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip.

Shlomi Eldar explains, Hamas would like to turn the mass border protests into a weekly routine, beyond May 15. But the IDF plans to stop the protests by changing its tactics on the ground and target Hamas in particular. From the start, Israel has categorized the border protests as acts of terror, and it claims that Hamas is not only involved in the protests but also engages in terrorist activities such as planting explosive devices along the border fence and attempting to break through it. Israel's conclusion is that it must respond militarily to what it perceives as Hamas' armed confrontation along the border. Two days after the April 14 protests, the IDF announced it had recently uncovered another Hamas tunnel in northern Gaza. According to Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman, this is the longest, deepest and most impressive tunnel to be uncovered so far. An IDF spokesperson said on condition of anonymity that the tunnel was situated in the Jabaliya area, close to where the protests are taking place. Thus, the IDF prepared for the possibility that Hamas might use the tunnel to carry out terror acts under the cover of the demonstrations.  The timing of the announcement and the connection made between the uncovered tunnel and the protests were designed to send a clear message to Hamas: Be careful or you will pay a price for the continued protests. The longer the demonstrations continue, the more Hamas invests efforts in them and in the violence against IDF forces, which in turn will result in Israel ratcheting up its military responses to include Hamas targets in Gaza.

Eldars reporting foreshadowed the latest escalation, on April 20, including the IDF killing of a teenager, which Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman blamed on Hamas. The only culprits in the death of the 15-year-old boy in Gaza are Hamas leaders," Liberman tweeted. Those cowardly leaders hide behind women and children and send them forward as human shields so that they can continue to dig tunnels and carry out acts of terrorism against the State of Israel. I repeat to the residents of Gaza: To prolong your life, do not go near the fence.

Riedel suggests that the kingdoms shifting stance on the Palestinian issue is also related to a readjustment in Riyadhs expectations about the Trump administration. The Saudis have not been reassured by [Trumps] remarks since about the reasoning behind the airstrikes [on Syria] in which he has promised not to try to fix the troubled regions problems, Riedel writes. To the Saudis, Trump increasingly sounds like Barack Obama in advocating a strategy that leaves the Arabs to take care of themselves. Riyadh was mystified when Trump claimed Salman was ready to pay for America to stay in Syria. In fact, the Saudis long ago gave up on trying to topple Bashar al-Assad. They want Washington to do the heavy lifting. They arent going to pay for it.  The Saudis also are frustrated that Trump talks tough on Iran but has avoided confrontation with Tehran in Syria and elsewhere. 

The Saudis are not giving up on Trump, Riedel concludes. They have put their prestige behind the Trump administration by hosting him in Riyadh a year ago and with the crown princes extensive visit to the United States. They are encouraged by the dismissal of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and the promotion of Iran hawk John Bolton as national security adviser. But their expectations about the administration have been downsized. The adjustment is tactical and careful, led by Salmans Jerusalem summit.

Zarif: US-Iran meeting requires "respect"

As details emerge of the preliminary discussions in advance of a likely summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, European leaders may have a blueprint for making the case for the Trump administration to keep the US commitment to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) signed in 2015.

The stakes are high for both French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel when they meet with Trump in the coming week. While both countries have been discussing possible steps to address US concerns about Irans missile programs and human rights violations, they will also appeal for the United States to adhere to the JCPOA, which does not address missiles or human rights.

The European appeal to Trump should be that his laudatory approach to de-escalating the nuclear crisis in Asia is not of a piece with escalating the prospects for proliferation in the Middle East and Europe. The two tracks can and should be part of a broader and consistent appeal to prevent the risk of nuclear proliferation and conflict.

Irans nuclear program is a matter of European, as well as Asian, security. US allies in the Pacific, as well as Russia and China, understand the need for a reasoned approach to North Korea. European leaders, as well as Russia and China, can claim that Irans nuclear program offers just as grave a challenge for European security.

In an interview with Al-Monitor, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif raised the stakes for the Merkel and Macron visit when he said that because of what we have been able to do within the JCPOA on research and development, we can resume the nuclear program in a much more advanced way, still for peaceful purposes, but in a much more advanced way. So that's one of the options that is open to Iran and probably the most serious one.

Macron and Merkel might also suggest that Trump, who has proved willing for high stakes diplomacy with Kim, might consider the same with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. We suggested such an option here last month. Zarif, when asked in his interview with Al-Monitor whether Iran would consider such a Trump-Rouhani meeting, replied, I think any interaction, certainly with Iran, would require respect, and once President Trump is prepared to exhibit some of that.Saudi blockade has caused a chronic shortage of propane gas, forcing Yemenis to find alternatives to prepare food.

Sanaa, Yemen  When Yahia al-Amaris three gas cylinders ran dry, he scoured the entire Yemeni capital to find a place where he could refill them.

The 50-year-old walked to nearly every petrol station in Sanaa last month, hoping to find enough fuel to cook his family of seven their first hot meal of the week.

But he was turned away everywhere he went, either by the long queues or the announcements that tanker trucks had failed to arrive.

Cooking [propane] gas completely disappeared, he told Al Jazeera.

Since November, millions of Yemenis have been affected by a chronic shortage of fuel after Saudi Arabia tightened its blockade on Houthi-controlled ports and airports.

Attempting to force the Houthis, a group of Shia rebels who control large parts of the north, into relinquishing their grip on power, a major gas firm in Marib, a gas-rich region controlled by the Saudi-backed Yemeni government, slashed deliveries to rebel-held areas.





The blockade, which has only been partially lifted, had a devastating impact on the civilian population, with only a sliver of goods entering the capital of 4 million people.

The shortage of fuel forced factories to lay off their staff, taxi prices to increase astronomically and hospitals, which rely on diesel to power their generators, to start closing wards.

Fuel imports in March were less than one-third, 30 percent, of the national requirement, according to the UNs Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Power shortages have caused a burgeoning rise in demand for diesel and gasoline on the black market, and young men and boys have begun lining major thoroughfares, selling plastic water bottles filled with bright red or deep yellow fuel  at up to five times the normal price.

Primitive way of cooking

Al-Amari said he could afford to pay $17 (YR4,300) to fill one cylinder of gas in rebel-held areas, the cost in government-run areas is only $3.8 (YR950).

But, in a country where more than half the population lives on less than $2 a day, he quickly realised that cooking gas, like diesel, was a luxury and an alternative was needed.

We resorted to buying firewood because buying cooking gas became too expensive, he told Al Jazeera.

We now head to the market and buy sticks [firewood]. Thats how weve learned to cook.

Al-Amri said cooking with firewood had become the norm for several families he knew, with burning embers a frequent sight on the citys rooftops at night.

My wife prepares food on a make-shift stove on the roof, he said.

She places two bricks slightly apart with a space between them. Then, the firewood is cut into small pieces and placed between the bricks and then a cooking pan is placed on top.

Its a primitive way of preparing food but it works, he added.

We keep protesting, begging the coalition to lift the blockade, but they have deaf ears. Abdulla Almatari, 50-year-old resident of Sanaa

Burning rubbish

Standing at a busy interchange in front of a large pile of wood, Abdu Alghaili, a firewood dealer, said the gas shortage had led to a spike in his business, but left the poorest most vulnerable.

Customers are looking for anything as replacement for cooking gas, and firewood is their best choice.

I used to sell a bunch of sticks for $1.2 (YR300), but they now cost $4 (YR1,000).





I have to fetch the wood from outside Sanaa. I go to Hajjah [120km north of Sanaa] or Tehama [200km west] and spend around a week collecting the firewood before hauling it back in the truck. Its not an easy job.

Shabia Mantoo, UNHCRs Yemen spokesperson, told Al Jazeera that at a communal shelter for Internally displaced persons, Yemenis had resorted to burning rubbish to bake bread.

There are two million people who have been displaced by the conflict, the vast majority have been displaced for more than a year, so theyve exhausted all their resources and savings while in exile. Unsure of when the conflict will end, they are languishing in desperate conditions.

Many of the internally displaced Yemenis are increasingly being driven to rely on humanitarian assistance, indebting themselves or resorting to other negative coping mechanisms such as begging to try and sustain themselves while in exile.

Many are also drastically reducing their food intake as their purchasing power has reduced as a result of conflict and exile but food and fuel prices have also increased.

Ruthless devils

Abdul Malik al-Houthi, leader of the Shia rebels, has blamed the Saudi-led coalition for the worsening situation, accusing them of choking off supply lines and fueling the rise in black market trade.

There are traders who know how to benefit themselves and others reasonably, but then there are vampires who are only interested in achieving the biggest possible profit, al-Houthi said in a lengthy televised speech on the Al Masirah TV network.

The people that have disrupted the flow of gas are the same as the ones that turned it into an opportunity to make profit, they are vampires, ruthless devils.

The Houthi-run Ministry of Industry and Trade announced on April 11 that it had ordered 200,000 gas cylinders to meet the citys ever-growing demands, but it was unclear how they would source the propane.

Lots of commodities are no longer available, and if they are, theyre very expensive, said Abdulla Almatari, a 50-year-old resident of Sanaa.

We keep protesting, begging the coalition to lift the blockade, but they have deaf ears.

Hani Mohammed, a construction worker struggling to find work, said he resorted to using cardboard he found on the streets after giving up on cooking gas three weeks ago.

Ive had to adapt to the circumstance, the father of three told Al Jazeera.

When we tried firewood for the first time, it was strange. But now its normal.

Outside the capital, the shortages are even more devastating, with more than 10 million people requiring immediate humanitarian assistance.

I live in a war-torn country and have to accept these tough conditions, Mohammed said. Everybody does.Gaza Strip  In the middle of surgery, the operating theatre went pitch black for a few minutes. Only two tiny monitors showing the patients vital signs were visible. When the light came back on, powered by a generator, the medics continued their work.

Almost 2,000 people were wounded and required urgent medical attention as violence escalated in the border area of Gaza in the last several weeks.

Doctors and nurses said the current crisis had awakened the trauma of 2014 war in them, several expressing their frustration over not being able to do more for their patients.

Weakened by a shortage of drugs and medical supplies, severe restrictions on movement, a chronic energy crisis and a worsening economic situation, Gazas health sector is struggling to cope with the influx of wounded.

Hospital staff face dilemmas of prioritisation. Every day I have to make a decision; to discharge a patient or keep them in. Many of them live in poverty, and I know that if I discharge them, they will not get the care they need at home, says Dr Ahmad, a surgeon at Gaza Indonesian Hospital.

If I keep them here, we may not have enough hospital beds, Ahmad added.

Hospital personnel know what it means to struggle economically, as some cannot even afford the cost of transportation to come to work.

Still, every on Friday, the busiest day of the week, they are there; ready, calm and in control. They quickly assess each patient, comfort emotional relatives, and keep going, against all odds.Recent US-led coalition strikes in response to an alleged chemical attack in Douma, a suburb of Damascus, had Western analysts hoping for a tectonic change in Washingtons policy on Syria. Russia, on the other hand, was fearful that its previously unchecked influence in the battlefield was coming to an end.

The results of the joint US, UK and French strikes on three suspected chemical facilities were ultimately underwhelming and are unlikely to serve as a deterrent against the further use of chemical weapons by Bashar al-Assads regime.

That is not to say that US President Donald Trump blinked in the face of possible escalation with Russia. Just two months earlier, US warplanes attacked a pro-regime force in Deir Az-Zor, reportedly killing dozens of Russian mercenaries; the Russian government took days to acknowledge the attack and did not launch a military response.

While the April 14 strikes had limited effect on the ground, they did symbolically challenge the dominance of the Russian military in Syria. What is more important, they succeeded in transforming the conflict into a struggle between great powers. As rhetorical tension escalated before the strikes, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres himself pointed that out: The Cold War is back with a vengeance, he said.

Events of the past few months, indeed, have shown that the conflict in Syria has gradually assumed the character of a Cold War-style struggle. Just like during the Cold War of the 20th century, today, positive diplomatic engagement between Russia and the US has been reduced to communication and coordination to avoid direct military confrontation. In this sense, instead of political diplomacy leading the way in bilateral relations, it is the US and Russian militaries that have now taken charge and are in constant contact, coordinating de-confliction and de-escalation.

Militaries dominating diplomacy

That the April 14 Western strikes on Syria did not result in a decisive military operation by the US and its partners against Assads military facilities, and possibly Iranian-backed forces, was not surprising if one was to look at the conflict from a Cold-War perspective.

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In the days of the Cold War, tensions would build up very quickly, but would also drop unexpectedly. The Cuban Missile Crisis  the closest that the US and the Soviet Union came to an all-out nuclear war  is a case in point. Within 13 days, rhetoric escalated to threats of pre-emptive attacks, as both sides put their armies on high alert, only to quickly negotiate a de-escalation agreement to remove threatening missile installations. At least on two occasions, civilian and military leadership on both sides chose not to respond to provocations, eventually ending the episode with just one victim  the pilot of a US U-2 reconnaissance plane shot down by the Cubans.

In Syria today, the military brass of both countries treads carefully hoping to let off steam, despite Washingtons promises of using nice and new and smart missiles and Moscows threats of a swift retaliation. The heated political rhetoric coming from both capitals that all too often slides into blunt threats does not match the reality of how the military establishment handles the crisis.

What we are witnessing in Syria is a disconnect between the political and military dimensions of policymaking, as sabre-rattling has become a preferred mode of communication for diplomats, while the military has become the voice of pragmatism and sanity. Political hostility on both sides has resulted in an enormous vacuum in US-Russia relations which has been filled partially by their militaries. They have seemingly maintained the only functioning platform for dialogue to avoid confrontation.

A new front for Western confrontation with Russia

What makes the current crisis more explosive than any previous episode of diplomatic squabbles over Syria is the fact that it is now firmly linked to diplomatic confrontation between Russia and the West on other fronts.

This is evident in the decision of both France and the UK to participate in the US strikes on the Syrian regime. Despite what British PM Theresa May and French PM Emmanuel Macron said about the military strikes aiming to send a strong message against the use of chemical weapons, this is not why Paris and London joined Washington in its operation.

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Recently, diplomatic tensions between the UK and Russia escalated after the poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter in Salisbury. The expulsion of diplomats on both sides came as the climax of years of escalating diplomatic confrontation between the two countries.

French-Russian relations have also soured in recent years. Macron has not shied away from demonstrating just how upset he was by what he perceived as Russian meddling in the 2017 French elections that brought him to power. During Russian President Vladimir Putins visit to Paris, just days after the vote, Macron blasted Russian media for their reporting on France and called it propaganda.

From the Kremlins perspective, France and the UK are becoming more involved in Syria so that they channel their confrontation with Russia away from home. The idea is to have the pressure building up along the NATOs northeastern border released elsewhere, in the relative safety of what is wrongly perceived in Europe as a faraway conflict. For Moscow, its struggle against the growing influence of NATO at its borders was at the heart of its concerns during the Cold War.

Syria as a Cold War-era Germany

Moscow and Washington have come to realise that Syria is the most convenient place to make a point to each other. Neither Trump, nor Putin wants a military showdown in Syria, but with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) almost entirely defeated in Syria, the anti-terror campaign no longer produces the same political benefits as it used to just a year ago.

Moscow and Washington have lived off of the PR effects of their anti-terrorist campaigns in Syria long enough to understand that a lengthy process of political settlement of this conflict would not be as glorious as declarations of victory over ISIL.

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With anti-terror rhetoric exhausted, Syria has become hostage to a great power rivalry. Russia and the US will continue to seek maximisation of the returns on their investments in the Syrian crisis and will continue to play off their diplomatic confrontations on its territory.

Therefore, it is not inconceivable that Syria will take the role of Cold War-era Germany. It is likely that the two great powers, along with their allies, will use the country to set up new rules of the Cold War game and new red lines. The East-West-Germany divide devised by Moscow and Washington after World War II may get a whole new meaning in the Syrian context.

In this sense, the global diplomatic confrontation between Russia and the US will not bode well for Syria and its people. Just as the Cold War propagated proxy wars across the world, ignoring self-determination rights of various peoples, so is this diplomatic conflict likely to deny the Syrian people the right to choose their own destiny.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.Police accused of using live bullets on demonstrators as week of protests against Ortega and pension reforms continue.

At least 10 people have been killed and dozens injured as protests in Nicaragua are expected to continue into their fifth consecutive day on Sunday.

The demonstrations against the government of President Daniel Ortega kicked off on April 16 over alleged negligence in handling forest fires in the Indio Maiz Biological Reserve.

The movement broadened and responses began to turn violent two days later with news of changes to the social security institute, known as INSS. Sandinista Youth, aligned with Ortegas Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN), launched counterprotests in support of the reforms.

The Nicaraguan state has failed, 23-year-old student Flavio Latino, one of the youth organisers behind the recent protests against the government and the #SOSNicaragua movement, told Al Jazeera.

During the protests, which increasingly spread from the capital to other parts of the country, police fired tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets on demonstrators maintaining barricades and throwing rocks. Security forces have also been accused of firing normal ammunition.

The government also deployed the military in the capital, Managua, and other locations on Saturday, local media reported.

Meanwhile, government supporters allegedly targeted anti-government protesters and journalists.

The Red Cross reported on Saturday it had attended to 320 people during the protests, many affected by tear gas or injured by mortars, though it did not indicate who was using makeshift mortars.

An injured demonstrator is helped during the recent protests [Jorge Cabrera/Reuters]

According to the Nicaraguan Initiative of Human Rights Defenders and the Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights, at least 25 people have been killed, including a police officer, and at least 67 people have been injured at the hands of police and pro-government groups. According to the government, at least 28 police officers were injured. On Saturday, the government put the official death toll at 10 people.

One journalist, Angel Gahona, was reported killed on Saturday while covering protests in the coastal city Bluefields.

The first fatalities were reported on Thursday when two civilians and a police officer were killed in clashes. The same day, a number of television outlets were reportedly taken off the air.

We need to shut down the country to solve this in the face of the killings and the violence being generated on all sides of the protests Flavio Latino, youth organiser, #SOSNicaragua

According to Latino, since then, the focus of #SOSNicaragua shifted away from the social security reforms to demand an end to violence.

We need to shut down the country to solve this in the face of the killings and the violence being generated on all sides of the protests, Latino said.

The social security institute, known as INSS, had been sinking towards crisis. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) reported last year that INSS was on track to run out of liquid reserves by 2019, highlighting the need for reform.

Ortega calls for renew dialogue

The governments reforms, signed April 18 and set to take effect July 1, increased worker social security contributions by 0.75 percent, increased employer contributions by 3.5 percent and redirected five percent of retirees pensions to covering costs of health services.

Ortega, a former left-wing rebel who fought to overthrow the US-backed Somoza dictatorship in 1979, defended the INSS reforms on Saturday.

He said the reforms would be implemented gradually and were less drastic than options promoted by the IMF, such as raising the retirement age from 60 to 65.

He also accused allegedly US-backed right-wing factions of steering the protests to destabilise the government.

They want to destroy Nicaraguas good image that has cost us so much to build and to sow hate again, he said in a televised address, comparing the countrys recent history to its civil war past.

They dont want peace or stability for the country, he continued. What they want is to take power.

Ortega called for renewed dialogue with the private sector over the social security reform and welcomed modifications to implement the reforms in a better way.

The business trade organisation COSEP called for private sector workers to protest on Monday in support of dialogue and urged the government to create conditions to avoid more bloodshed.

Protests to continue

Latino rejected a business-led dialogue process, saying private enterprise and the government have both contributed to the countrys status quo. He said protests will continue until both the government and COSEP agree to conditions for dialogue that will first end the violence before broaching other issues on social movements agendas.

A statement signed the self-convened people outlined seven conditions, including immediately halting violence and including diverse social groups in the dialogue process such as students, indigenous and Afro-descendent people, environmentalists and other groups.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed concern over the violence and called on authorities to respect freedom of expression and the right to peaceful protest.

In Nicaragua, religious authorities also called for calm.

Riot police use tear gas on demonstrators [Oswaldo Rivas/Reuters]

Ortegas government has faced condemnation in recent years over plans to build an inter-oceanic canal, for hobbling political rivals, and consolidating power when his wife, Rosario Murillo, became vice president. Ortega has won three consecutive terms since 2007 after serving a first presidential term in the 1980s.At least 63 people killed in bombings targeting voter registration centres in Kabul and Baghlan province, officials say.

Bombings at voter registration centres in the Afghan capital, Kabul, and in Baghlan province have killed at least 63 people and wounded more than a hundred others, health officials said.

At least 57 people were killed in Kabul when a suicide bomber detonated his explosives at the doorway of an ID distribution centre in the city on Sunday, officials said.

Six more people were killed later in the day in Baghlans Pul-e-Khumri city, when their vehicle struck a roadside bomb near another voting centre. All six were from the same family.

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group said it carried out the Kabul attack, but no group has claimed responsibility for the Baghlan blast yet.

The Kabul bombing occured in the Dasht-e-Barchi area, where many of the countrys Shia Hazara minority reside.

Among the victims were many women and children, witnesses said.

After I heard a bang, I rushed to the site of the blast and, when I arrived at the scene, we helped many wounded people by carrying them to hospital, Bashir Ahmad, a witness, said.

Many of the victims were women and children who were here to get their identity cards and register for elections, Ahmad added.

Wahid Majro, spokesman for the public health ministry, said five small children and 21 women were killed in the attack. The toll could still rise, he told the Associated Press news agency.

{articleGUID}

In a separate development on Sunday, a traffic incident reportedly involving a convoy of foreign forces killed a child near the US embassy in Kabul, prompting protests in the area. Witnesses reported heavy gunfire near the embassy.

October elections

Attacks have multiplied in recent days in advance of the long-delayed parliamentary and district council elections scheduled for October 20 this year.

Last week, a voter registration centre was attacked in Ghor province, according to Tolonews, a local news website.

In that attack, unidentified gunmen, which a police spokesperson said belonged to the Taliban, kidnapped two police officers on site as well as three IEC workers.

Al Jazeeras Abdullah Shahood, reporting from Kabul, said there was uncertainty about the governments ability to secure the polls.

Elections are scheduled to be held in many areas that are under Taliban control. There is no chance that free polls could be held there, even as the government says it is trying to implement law and order there to allow people to vote and exercise their constitutional right, Shahood said.

Voter registration offices opened just last week as part of the long process to get Afghans properly registered for the October polls.

The Independent Election Commission (IEC) says it hopes as many as 15 million people will register for the polls, but the election commissioner admits registration turnout so far has been low.

President Ashraf Ghani issued a statement condemning the attack and said it cannot divert us from our aims or weaken this national democratic process.

Tadamichi Yamamoto, the UNs top official in the country, condemned the attack, saying he feels a deep sense of revulsion.

Compounding the callous disregard for the lives of civilians, the killing appears to be part of a wholly unacceptable effort by extremists to deter Afghan citizens from carrying out their constitutional right to take part in elections, he said in a statement.

ATTENTION  VISUAL COVERAGE OF SCENES OF INJURY BELOW

A man cries beside a wounded girl at a hospital after the attack in Kabul [Mohammad Ismail/Reuters]

Relatives of victims carry an injured man outside a hospital in Kabul [Mohammad Ismail/Reuters]

Relatives of the victims mourn at a hospital in Kabul [Mohammad Ismail/Reuters]Detention in Yerevan and call for velvet revolution come hours after televised clash between Pashinyan and the PM.

Armenias opposition leader has been detained by police at a protest in the countrys capital, Yerevan.

Nikol Pashinyan and two other opposition politicians were detained as they were committing socially dangerous acts, the prosecutor generals office said in a statement on Sunday.

Their whereabouts have so far been unknown.

Pashinyans detention came just hours after a televised clash with Serzh Sargsyan, Armenias prime minister.

Sargsyan walked out of a meeting where Pashinyan told him in front of the cameras that he came to discuss your resignation.

This is not a dialogue; this is blackmail, I only can advise you to return to a legal framework  otherwise, you will bear the responsibility, Sargsyan replied.

To which Pashinyan responded: You dont understand the situation in Armenia. The power is now in peoples hands.

Before walking out of the meeting room, Sargsyan said: A party that scored eight percent in [parliamentary] elections cant speak on behalf of the people.

Thousands have taken to Yerevans streets, calling for Sargsyans resignation [Getty Images]

After the meeting, Pashinyan encouraged his supporters to launch a velvet revolution to remove Sargsyan from power.

The protest movement, which has seen thousands of people take to the streets since April 13, is largely comprised of a network of self-organising opposition supporters built by Pashinyan.

Sargsyan was appointed prime minister this month after serving 10 years as the countrys president.

Protesters have called on him to step down, citing corruption and fears of oligarchic, authoritarian rule.

Sargsyan was about to complete his second and final term before Armenias semi-presidential government was changed to a parliamentary system, giving greater powers to the position of the prime minister, which does not face term limits.

Sargsyan had promised not to assume the role of prime minister, but his majority in parliament appointed him earlier this month.Demonstrations against newly-elected PM Viktor Orban continued on Saturday with a protest focusing on media freedom.

An estimated 100,000 took to the streets in Hungary to protest the media policies and campaign against non-governmental organisations by the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, according to organisers.

It was the second consecutive Saturday rally in the Hungarian capital, Budapest. Organisers said demonstrators were from diverse ideological backgrounds, from the left to right-wing nationalists.

Protesters carried signs accusing Orban of corruption and ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

They also called on the European Union to take action against illiberal government policies, specifically those targeting media freedom.

Orbans Fidesz party won national elections in April with 49 percent of the vote, maintaining its 133-seat absolute majority in parliament.

Media freedom

Much of Hungarys media receives funds from the state or has ties to the ruling party, causing many to allege pro-Fidesz propaganda.

In the weeks after the April 8 election, the main conservative opposition paper, Magyar Nemzet, ceased publication.

The paper cited Orbans restrictive media policies as a contributing factor for its closure. Magyar Nemzet was also facing financial woes.

Grassroots organisers have called for the establishment of an independent body to oversee media in the country, which have adopted talking points of the campaign against Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros.

The Fidesz campaign targeted NGOs and civil society for their alleged support of illegal migration consisting of asylum seekers, mostly from Muslim-majority nations.

Most of these groups receive funding from Soros, known for his support of liberal causes.

After the election, Hungarian weekly Figyelo published a list of names of civil society workers whose organisations received funding from Soros. The people were called Soros mercenaries by the pro-government paper.

Left-wing organiser and politician Atilla Vajnai said on social media that Hungarians had enough of Hungarys pro-government media, calling for a vote on a new media law.

Fidesz has said it will pass a legislative package called the Stop Soros bills that would place a tax on civil society organisations that receive foreign funding, as well as banning any new foreign-funded NGOs.

Protesters and members of the EU Parliament have called on the EU to initiate Article 7, which would suspend some of Hungarys rights as a member of the transnational body for its campaign against Soros and asylum seekers, among other reasons.

We will not back down

Fidesz politicians remain confident, however.

Orban has stated that Hungarian voters have spoken and given his party a mandate to pass the Stop Soros law.

At a debate in the EU parliament last Wednesday, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said that Brussels and the United Nations want illegal migrants to come to Europe.

Szijjarto stated this was against the will of the Hungarian people: No matter how many times George Soros goes to Brussels and the issue of illegal migration is put on the agenda; no matter how many allies Soros has in Brussels, we will not back down. Illegal migrants will not come here.Nawal Abu Hajeela, 58, is known locally as Khansaa of Gaza after 7th century Arab poet who lost four sons in battle.

Four framed pictures of four men hang on the wall in the middle of Nawal Abu Hajeelas living room in the Shujayea neighbourhood in the Gaza Strip.

Three are marked with the words the heroic martyr before their names.

Those are my sons who were killed, Nawal, also known as Umm Iyad, told Al Jazeera.

Her oldest son, Iyad, was 41 years old and father to four children when he died after a battle with cancer a year ago.

Her three other sons were killed in attacks or armed operations against Israel.

This is Adham, 21, who was a member of the Qassam Brigades [the military wing of the Hamas movement] and was killed in an operation attack against Israeli soldiers in December 2004, Umm Iyad said, pointing at his photo.

This is Ziad, 26, who was part of the Qassams night patrol and was killed in 2007 in an Israeli shelling. I was preparing for his engagement back then.

The biggest photograph is of Mohammed, 31, who was killed last week [April 12] in an Israeli shelling at the Gaza border.





Even though I knew that my sons had determined their paths in resistance, their loss is still difficult.

As a tribute to her sons, 58-year-old Umm Iyad is known locally as the Khansaa of Gaza, after a seventh century female Arab poet whose four sons were killed in the Battle of Qadisiyah.

Its a great honour to be named the Khansaa of Gaza, Umm Iyad said, and repeated what the Arab Khansaa said when she received the news of her sons death: Praise be to Allah who honoured me with their martyrdom.

I have hope that God will reunite me with them in heaven.

Umm Iyad has had a heavy load to bear from a young age.

She was married at the age of 15 and had 10 sons and one daughter whom she largely raised alone.

When my children were young, my husband worked as a labourer in Israel all day, which added more to my burden, she said.

After 22 years of marriage, Umm Iyad got divorced. She moved with her 11 children into a rented apartment in Shujayea.

That was the hardest chapter of my life, she recalled.

In addition to raising my children alone, I had to overcome a lot of the social challenges that society puts in front of a single, divorced mother.

Life after divorce

With the help of her two older sons and her family, Umm Iyad managed to get by.

Despite the divorce, she said, she was careful not to let that affect her childrens relationship with their father, who had remarried.

My sons pay their respects to their father and they always visit him, especially Mohammed. His father was devastated when he learned of his death, Umm Iyad said.

She continued: I had dreamed of sending my children to university in order for them to continue their higher education, but our harsh living conditions didnt allow for that to happen.

My older sons work as bricklayers to make ends meet, and my oldest, Iyad, worked as a government employee with the Palestinian Authority before he passed away.

Nawal Abu Hajeela with her family in Gazas Shujayea area [Hosam Salem/Al Jazeera]

Umm Iyad, a member of the social committee in her local mosque, is fiercely patriotic.

I raised my children to love their homeland. I always take part in any activity, demonstration or event related to Palestine, she said.

She participated in the first two Fridays of the mass demonstrations that were launched on March 30, calling for Palestinian refugees right of return.

Always on my mind

Umm Iyad said she supported her sons Adham, Ziad and Mohammed on the path they chose to resist against Israel in spite of, as she admitted, the difficulty of reconciling her mothers instinct with what the sacrifices she says her children had to make for their homeland.

News of her most recent loss, the death of Mohammed, came early on April 12, as an Israeli air raid targeted a group of Qassam members.

Mohammad, who was among the group, succumbed to his wounds in Gaza Citys Shifa Hospital.

Even though I was expecting to hear this news one day, I still feared his loss, Umm Iyad said.

Mohammed dedicated his life to resistance and believed in the right to restore his stolen homeland. He has been injured three times, and participated in three wars, especially against the 2014 Israeli offensive.

Greatest concern

Mohammed left behind five children. The eldest, Asem, is only six years old.

Im a grandmother to 29 children, nine of whom are orphans. Their future after the death of their fathers is my greatest concern now, Umm Iyad said.

Umm Iyad now lives with her unmarried sons Raed and Karam; her other four sons live with their families nearby.

Fighting to hold back tears as she looked at the photos of her four deceased sons, Umm Iyad said: They are always on my mind, and I miss them every minute.

I always pray to see them again in my dreams, she said.Malaysia deputy PM says suspects in killing of Fadi al-Batsh believed to be Europeans with links to foreign spy agency.

Kuala Lumpurs chief of police says the killing of a Palestinian academic in the Malaysian capital is an international issue that is being investigated from all angles.

Malaysian authorities said an autopsy was carried out Sunday morning on the body of Hamas member Fadi al-Batsh, a day after the drive-by shooting that Hamas and the victims family blamed on Israel.

We are investigating all angles. I have to investigate very carefully and deeply. This is an international issue, police chief Mazlan Lazim said.

Gazas ruling Hamas movement said al-Batsh was an important member of the organisation, accusing Israels Mossad intelligence agency of being behind the killing.

Calling him a loyal member, Hamas said al-Batsh was a scientist of Palestines youth scholars who made important contributions and participated in international forums in the field of energy.

The group initially stopped short of blaming Israel, saying only that he had been assassinated by the hand of treachery.

However, its top leader later accused the Mossad of killing him and threatened retaliation.

Ismail Haniyeh told The Associated Press on Saturday that based on previous assassinations Mossad is not away from this disgraceful, terrible crime.

On Saturday, he visited the mourning tent the armed wing of Hamas opened outside the house of al-Batshs family in Jabaliya in the north of the Gaza Strip.

Speaking to Al Jazeera in Gaza, al-Batshs father called on the Malaysian authorities to investigate the assassination with urgency.

Asked if Israel was behind the attack, Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman declined to respond directly, suggesting instead that the alleged assassination may have been the result of score-settling within Hamas.

We heard about this [killing] on the news, Lieberman told Israels Kan Reshet Bet radio. There is a tradition among terrorist organisations of blaming Israel for every settling of accounts, he added.

Israeli officials rarely make statements on alleged intelligence agency activity.

European suspects

Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Malaysias deputy prime minister, said the suspects were believed to be Europeans with links to a foreign intelligence agency, according to state news agency Bernama.

Al-Batsh was walking from his high-rise apartment to dawn prayers at a local mosque in the Kuala Lumpur suburb of Gombak when he was shot by two gunmen riding a motorcycle, officials said.

Malaysian forensic officers collected evidence at the crime scene where Palestinian scientist Fadi al-Batsh was killed [EPA]

At the crime scene, police markers indicated 14 bullets had been sprayed at the victim, some of them hitting a wall.

Outside the victims home in Kuala Lumpur, Mohammad Shedad, 17, a student and relative of the victim, also blamed Mossad for the killing.

It is definitely the work of Mossad. Fadi is a very clever person, anyone who is clever is a threat to Israel, he told AFP news agency.

Fadi is a Hamas member and knows how to make rockets. So [Israel] think he is dangerous.

Al-Batsh leaves behind a wife and three young children. He had lived in Malaysia for the past 10 years.

Ahmad Abu Bakar, 33, a foreign student studying in Malaysia, said he had known the victim for two years.

He is friendly and he preaches good things. He never preached any hatred. I am shocked by the killing, he said.

In December 2016, Palestinian drone expert Mohamed al-Zawari, was shot dead in Tunisia, with Hamas accusing Israel of killing him.

Israel is widely believed to have killed numerous Palestinian activists in the past, many of them overseas.New electoral law has citizens divided over upcoming general election happening for the first time in years.

Beirut, Lebanon  The last parliamentary elections in Lebanon were held nine years ago.

Since then, the country has seen its executive body sit vacant for two years, watched parliament extend its tenure twice, and witnessed a prime minister abruptly resign and just as suddenly retract his resignation.

A new electoral law, passed last summer, staved off a major political deadlock that threatened to leave the country without a parliament  and the bill set a vote deadline of May 2018.

But as the country prepares to put the new electoral law to the test, many Lebanese expressed scepticism and a lack of enthusiasm for the May 6 parliamentary elections.

Lebanon is heading toward one of the dullest elections since the end of the war in 1990, wrote political analyst Joseph Bahout in a recent article.

The upcoming elections promise no significant surprises and do not offer major political stakes, or programmes, mobilising the attention of voters, argued Bahout.





But observers face a difficulty making sense of the upcoming elections due to the time lapse since the last elections, Halim Shebaya, a political analyst, told Al Jazeera.

In nine years, so much has changed locally, regionally and internationally and it remains to be seen where the Lebanese public stand on many issues.

Lebanons decade of turbulent politics took place amid the influx of over a million refugees fleeing the Syrian conflict next door, a waste-management crisis that brought citizens of Beirut onto the streets, and major military operations to clear fighters linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group from the countrys remote border areas.

Due to the dire state of affairs in the country, there is undoubtedly a general sense of deep dissatisfaction with the performance of the parties currently in parliament, said Shebaya.

The million-dollar question is how will voters decide to channel this dissatisfaction.

Three types of voters

Bachar El-Halabi, a political analyst, conceptualised Lebanese voters into three broad categories.

First, he described the traditional voter who benefits directly from the clientelist system of traditional political parties.

The second type of voter wants to vote for alternative options, said El-Halabi, at least in theory, largely emerging from the so-called civil society.

Then there are Lebanese who have given up and are boycotting the elections, according to El-Halabi.

Many Lebanese citizens, speaking to Al Jazeera both on and off the record, expressed a sense of frustration with the countrys state of affairs. Most voiced scepticism that the upcoming elections will bring about real change in a country long governed by a power-sharing system of sectarian dynasties that accommodate clientelist politics.





Still, many said they would vote.

Marwan Tabbal, a surgeon, said he participated in the 2015 #YouStink demonstrations, the massive civil unrest movement protesting the countrys poor waste management system.

I was disappointed. Now that I look [back] at it, I think of myself as an idiot, said Tabbal. Nothing will change.

Yet, Tabbal said he would most probably be voting, to preserve something.

I am supporting the president, said Tabbal, referring to President Michel Aoun, the founder of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM).

FPM, otherwise known as the Aounist party, is the largest Christian party in the country and currently holds 19 seats in the 128-member parliament.

We struggled to bring this man to the presidency, and we need to support him, he added, referring to the 29-month deadlock that left the country without a head of state from 2014 to 2016.

Culture of zuama

Nour Hachem, a social media professional, said she was disappointed by the spectrum of available candidates and parties, but said she felt responsible to fulfil her civic duty as a Lebanese citizen.

Hachem said she would cast her vote for a party with little representation in the south, not out of ideological conviction but from a desire to protest the traditional domination of her home region by two major parties.

I dont need [Nabih] Berri or [Walid] Jumblatt to get me out of prison if I am innocent or to get me a bed in a hospital, Hachem said, citing the names of leaders of two major parties, the Amal movement and the Progressive Socialist Party, and referring to a long tradition of political patronage in the country.

These are our rights, and we should be able to get them without the help of any political party.

According to Hachem, its not only about [voter] education and political awareness. Its a culture.

This is our culture: to vote for the zuama, she said, using a term specifically referring to the local sectarian leaders in the regions of Lebanon.

Lebanon is divided this way. Our parents suffered from this; we are suffering from it now; and tomorrow, our children will suffer from it if we dont do anything about it, said Mohamed Abbas, an accountant, who will be voting for an independent political movement.

They dump waste, and we cant say anything about it  They get indebted with [billions of dollars] on the expense of the people, and we dont know where they are spending it.

The people are divided in a way that we cant do anything. Every party has its beneficiaries, and these people cannot revolt against them.

A complicated law

Speculation on voter turnout is even more difficult given the new, though complicated, electoral law, which is being tested for the first time.

Instead of a majoritarian voting system, which is what the so-called 1960 law was based upon, the June 2017 law introduced proportional representation.

Politicians promised this would grant seats to traditionally marginalised minorities and would shake up the sectarian composition of parliamentary blocs, thus weakening the historical hegemony of major political parties.

Based on this law, seats will be allocated proportionally according to candidate lists that political parties and various alliances put forth across Lebanons 27 sub-districts.





But the law added a twist to traditional proportional systems used elsewhere: the preferential vote.

Voters are now expected to cast two votes: one for a candidate list, and another for their single favourite candidate.

Usually, a proportional voting system increases voter turnout, because it ensures better representation, mainly for marginalised communities, explained political analyst Sami Nader.

But mixing the proportional voting system with what is essentially a one-man-one-vote system defeats the purpose, and kills the advantages of both voting systems, he said.

Although voters are not required to cast a preferential vote, if they do so, their favourite candidate must be included in the list they have chosen.

The real battle is [now] within the lists. The competition is over the preferential votes, said Nader.

And voters are feeling this. They would tell you they want X candidate, but they dont want their whole list. This is not an incentive for voters [to vote].

Maria Ashkar, a freelance artist, agreed. I should be able to vote for one person and not 10. Its like marrying someone; you dont want to marry them and their entire family  I feel like its completely unfair, she said.

I feel I should be able to vote for whoever I want without having the entire list onboard.

Different types of competitions

As a result of this hybrid system, the candidate lists that have emerged do not follow the traditional fault lines that have divided political parties and sects since Lebanons civil war.

To add to the complexity, in some districts, traditionally opposing parties have formed coalition lists together.

Yet in other districts, the same parties run against each other, noted parliamentary expert Rabih Kays.





Imagine Republicans and Democrats allying against the Green Party, said Kays.

Does that add up in your mind? In Lebanon it does. No one is against anyone, and no one is with anyone.

Its different types of competitions. Its diagonal and horizontal at the same time.

Although he backed the new law when it passed, Nader said now that he has seen its effects in the recent campaign cycle, he thinks the law impedes reform.

I think people will be voting for an individual and not for a programme. This is no dynamic for change, he said.

El-Halabi agreed, saying that participating in the upcoming elections would equal validation of a political class that is aiming to recycle itself through the election and regain its legitimacy, after illegally extending the mandate of the 2009 parliament twice.

I dont want to give them this legitimacy, El-Halabi said, adding that he will not be voting.Fatal shooting in Malaysia puts spotlight on Israeli spy agencys policy of targeted killings of Palestinian operatives.

The killing of 35-year-old Palestinian scientist Fadi al-Batsh in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur has taken the wraps off a covert programme of targeted killings of Palestinians deemed a threat by Israel.

Al-Batsh studied electrical engineering in Gaza before going on to earn a PhD in the same subject in Malaysia.

He specialised in power systems and energy saving and had published a number scientific papers on the subject.

Gazas ruling Hamas said al-Batsh was an important member of the group and accused Israels Mossad intelligence agency of being behind Saturdays incident.

Calling him a loyal member, Hamas said al-Batsh was a scientist of Palestines youth scholars who made important contributions and participated in international forums in the field of energy.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, al-Batshs father said he suspected Mossad of being behind his sons killing and appealed to Malaysian authorities to unravel the assassination plot as soon as possible.

According to the Israeli investigative journalist Ronen Bergman, who is one of the foremost experts on Israeli intelligence and author of the book Rise and Kill First, the murder of al-Batsh bears all the hallmarks of a Mossad operation.

The fact that the killers used a motorcycle to kill their target, which has been used in many other Mossad operations before and being done as a clean, professional killing operation far away from Israel, points to Mossads involvement, Bergman told A Jazeera by phone.

Identification of target

Identifying a target for assassination by Israeli intelligence usually runs through several institutional and organisational steps within Mossad, the broader Israeli intelligence community and the political leadership.

Sometimes the target is identified by other Israeli domestic and military services.

For example, al-Batsh could have been identified as a target through general collection of intelligence via units inside Israeli military and intelligence organisations that follow Hamas.

Al-Batsh could also have been identified through other Israeli intelligence operations and Israeli spy networks around the world.

Sources tell Al Jazeera that Hamas communications between Gaza, Istanbul (Turkey) and Beirut (Lebanon) are tightly monitored by Israeli intelligence networks. As such, the initial selection of al-Batsh could well have been made through these channels.

Friends of al-Batsh who spoke to Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity said he did not hide his ties to Hamas.

He was known within the Palestinian community for his ties to Hamas, one friend said.

The assassination process

Once al-Batsh was identified as a target, Mossad would then have evaluated available intelligence to decide whether he should be killed, what the benefits of killing him were and the best way to do it.





Once the Mossads specialised unit finishes its file on the target, it takes its findings to the heads of Intelligences Services Committee, which comprises the chiefs of Israeli intelligence organisations and is known by its Hebrew acronym, VARASH, or Vaadan Rashei Ha-sherutim.

VARASH would only discuss the operation and provide input and suggestions.

However, it does not have the legal authority to approve an operation.

Only the prime minister of Israel has the authority to approve such an operation.

Bergman says that Israeli prime ministers typically prefer not to take that decision by themselves for political reasons.

Oftentimes the prime minister would involve one or two other ministers in the decision to approve, which oftentimes includes the minister of defence, Bergman said.

Once the approval is obtained, the operation then moves back to Mossad for planning and execution, which could take weeks, months or even years, depending on the target.

The Caesarea unit

Caesarea is an undercover operational branch within Mossad in charge of planting and running spies mainly inside Arab countries and around the world.

The unit was established in the early 1970s, and one of its founders was a famous Israeli, spy Mike Harari.

Caesarea utilises its vast spy network in Arab states and the wider Middle East to collect information and conduct surveillance against current and future targets.

Harari then established Caesareas most lethal unit, known in Hebrew as Kidon (the bayonet), made up of professional killers specialised in assassination and sabotage operations.

Kidon members are often drawn from Israeli military branches including the army or special forces.

It is likely Kidon members who killed al-Batsh in Kuala Lumpur; sources told Al Jazeera.

Mossad targeted not only Palestinian leaders and operatives but also Syrian, Lebanese, Iranian and European ones.

Targeted killing operations

Caesarea is equivalent to the CIAs Special Activities Center (SAC), which used to be called Special Activities Division before its reorganisation and name change in 2016.

The CIA conducts its top-secret paramilitary missions  including targeted killing operations  through its Special Operation Group ( SOG), which is part of the SAC and bears some similarities to Mossads Kidon.

Bergman writes that, until 2000, which marked the beginning of the second Intifada in the occupied Palestinian territories, Israel had conducted more than 500 assassination operations that resulted in the deaths of more than 1,000 people, including the targets and bystanders.

During the Second Intifada, Israel conducted 1,000 more operations, of which 168 succeeded, he writes in his book.

Since then, Israel has carried out at least another 800 operations aimed at killing Hamas civilian and military leaders in the Gaza Strip and abroad.

Arab-Mossad cooperation

Mossad maintains formal organisational and historical links with a number of Arab intelligence services, notably the Jordanian and Moroccan spy agencies.

More recently, and in light of shifting alliances in the region and rising threats from armed non-state actors, Mossad has expanded its links with Arab intelligence agencies to include a number of Arab Gulf states and Egypt.

Mossad maintains a regional hub for its operations in the wider Middle East in the Jordanian capital Amman.

When Mossad attempted to assassinate Hamas leader Khaled Meshaalin Amman in 1997 by spraying a lethal dose of poison into his ear, it was a threat by the late King Hussein to revoke the peace treaty with Israel and close down the spy agencys Amman station and sever Jordanian-Mossad ties that prompted Israel to provide the antidote that saved Mashaals life.

In his book, Bergman cites Mossad sources to claim that General Samih Batikhi, Jordans spy chief at the time, was angry with Mossad for not keeping him informed about the assassination plot because he had wanted to plan the operation together.

Another Arab country that maintains strong ties to Mossad since the 1960s is Morocco, according to Bergmans research.

Morocco has received valuable intelligence and technical assistance from Israel, and, in exchange, [late King] Hassan allowed Moroccos Jews to emigrate to Israel, and Mossad received the right to establish a permanent station in the capital Rabat, from which it could spy on Arab countries, Bergman writes.

The cooperation reached a peak when Morocco allowed Mossad to bug the meeting rooms and private chambers of Arab heads of states and their military commanders during the Arab League summit in Rabat in 1965.

The summit had been convened to establish a joint Arab military command.

CIA and Mossad methods

Unlike Mossad and other Israeli intelligence organisations that have great leeway in deciding who to kill, the American CIA uses a strenuous multi-tier legal process that involves the CIAs Office of General Counsel, the US Department of Justice and the White Houses Office of Legal Counsel.

The execution of a targeted killing operation by the CIA ultimately rests on a Presidential Finding Authorization, which is a legal document often drafted by the CIAs Office of General Counsel and the Department of Justice.

The President Finding Authorization provides the legal authority through which the CIA can execute its targeted assassination missions.

A multi-agency review process, conducted mainly by lawyers at the justice department, the White House and the CIA, has to take place before the president puts his signature on the Presidential Finding Authorization.

It is estimated that Barack Obama, as the US president, authorised an estimated 353 targeted killing operations, mainly in the form of drone strikes.

His predecessor George W Bush authorised an estimated 48 targeted killing operations.

The legal process

A former senior CIA official told Al Jazeera on the condition of anonymity that the CIA does not decide who to kill.

The legal process makes it very difficult for the CIA to kill someone just because the CIA thinks he is a bad guy, he said.

Most of the CIAs targeted killing operations involve drone strikes and are based on authorisation by the president.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, Robert Baer, a former CIA operations officer, said: The White House must sign off on any targeted killing operation, especially if it is a high-value target.

It is a different case, however, if the operation is conducted in battlefields or during wars like in Afghanistan or Iraq, in which case field officers have more legal room to do their targeted killing.

In Mossad, the legality of any assassination of any target is much more liberal and does not involve legal constraints similar to those followed by the CIA, according to sources familiar with the process.

It is part of their national policy, Baer said, referring to the Israeli targeted assassination policy.

Follow Ali Younes on Twitter @Ali_reportsDescendants of Mindanaos Moro Muslims, Christian settlers and Lumad reminded to keep the promise to remain brothers.

North Cotabato, Philippines  Visitors at the brand new Cotabato Museum begin their tour by watching a short animated film.

Its crude compared with the average Hollywood cartoon flick, but the audience leaves the mini-theatre enchanted.

It tells the legend of two devoted brothers at the time when Islam came to Mindanao, the largest southern island in the Philippines.

One of them, Tabunaway, chose to embrace the new faith while the other, Mamalu, held on to his traditional beliefs.

Their parting of ways eventually set off what would become the bitter conflict thats tearing their descendants apart to this day.

More than 100,000 people have died in Mindanaos successive wars since the 1970s, according to several non-government research groups.

A diorama of the North Cotabato province. Moro Muslims and Christian settlers occupy most of the lowlands, including the marshes, while the Lumad live in the mountains. [JC Gotinga/Al Jazeera]

The conflict has also set the regions economy back by about $14bn.

Although the violence in Mindanao is often characterised as being between its native Moro Muslims and Christian settlers from the countrys northern islands, the reality is far more nuanced and complicated.

There is a third voice  the Lumad  caught in the fray.

The Lumad are an indigenous group composed of more than 100 distinct tribes.

In mythology, they are the descendants of Mamalu, who moved to the highlands when Islam became the predominant religion in the lowlands.

The Lumad are gentle by nature, leading simple lives close to nature.

A long history of discrimination and neglect by the government has left them desperately poor and vulnerable to many kinds of abuse, including the usurpation of their ancestral lands.

The Lumad were forced to fight.





In July last year, President Rodrigo Duterte said in a public speech that he would bomb the Lumads schools because they spread subversive ideas, accusing the group of supporting the communist rebels, the New Peoples Army (NPA).

At the Cotabato Museums inaugural ceremony, Dutertes secretary for the peace process, Jesus Dureza, said: More than 70 percent of the NPAs fighters are Lumads.

Children performing a traditional dance at the inauguration of the Cotabato Museum. [JC Gotinga/Al Jazeera]

The government has recently reopened channels for peace talks with the communist rebels, and Durezas lumping the Lumad with them was not necessarily an indictment.

Many Lumad leaders deny supporting the NPA, but not the fact that they have, in recent years, banded together their own small army to fight for their cause.

Although the Cotabato Museum tells history from three vantage points  the Muslim, Christian and Lumad narratives  it highlights that of the Lumad, not only because it is the least heard among them but also because it is the most ancient.

Everyone was a Lumad, said museum co-curator Antonio Montalvan, and that is what we want the Cotabato people to always remember, that they come from one source.

As visitors go through the museums collection of weapons and implements from Mindanaos centuries of warfare, they should have in mind that all of it are symbols of a broken vow.

That is if they had paid attention to the animated film at the start of their tour.

Before they parted ways, Mamalu and Tabunaway made a pact of peace  that even though their beliefs had become different, they would forever remain brothers.

The museum challenges their descendants to keep that promise.State-owned port operator should rethink its deal with breakaway region and work with the government, says Somali FM.

Somalias foreign minister said Dubai state-owned port operator DP World should reconsider its contract with the breakaway region of Somaliland and work with federal authorities so the East African countrys sovereignty is not violated.

We are asking DP World to reconsider these agreements, particularly the one in Berbera port since Somaliland is claiming to be a state independent from Somalia, Ahmed Isse Awad, told Reuters news agency on Friday.

Awad said DP Worlds agreement to develop an economic zone and port in Somalilands Berbera bypassed the legitimate authority of Somalia, triggering misunderstanding and disagreement that remained unresolved.

DP World, the worlds fourth-largest port operator based in Dubai, said in 2016 it would invest more than $400m to develop the Berbera port. The deal also included the government of Ethiopia, which took a 19 percent stake in the port.

Abu Dhabi agreed in March to train security forces in Somaliland  a region in northern Somalia seeking secession from the rest of the country.

Mogadishu dismissed the agreement and called on the United Nations to take action.

Somalias ambassador to the UN, Abukar Osman, said the agreement between Somaliland and the UAE to establish the base in Berbera is a clear violation of international law.

The Federal Government of Somalia strongly condemns these blatant violations, and reaffirms that it will take the necessary measures deriving from its primary responsibility to defend the inviolability of the sovereignty and the unity of Somalia, Osman said.

Relations between Mogadishu and Abu Dhabi have been frosty since June last year after Mogadishu resisted UAE and Saudi pressure to cut ties with Qatar following a dispute between the Gulf neighbours.

Somalia said it was neutral in the GCC diplomatic rift.

UAE suspended operations at a hospital it ran in the Somali capital last week as tensions grew.

The Mogadishu-based Sheikh Zayed Hospital, which offered free treatment mainly to poor and displaced people, closed late on Monday.

Also on Monday, the UAE said it would end its military training mission in the Horn of Africa country following reports that Somali officials had stopped a plane from the Gulf country from leaving an airport in the countrys Puntland region after Emirati military instructors on board refused to hand over their luggage to be scanned and searched.

The incident came just days after Somalias government seized several bags of money containing almost $10m in cash from a Royal Jet plane that arrived at Mogadishu Airport from Abu Dhabi.

Royal Jet is an airline based in Abu Dhabi, servicing the luxury market between the UAE and Europe.Syria: Qalamoun fighters arrive in Aleppo after evacuation deal

The fighters had to leave behind their heavy weapons and armoured vehicles.Islamabad, Pakistan  Thousands of people have attended a rally in Pakistans eastern city of Lahore demanding basic rights for ethnic Pashtun citizens and others.

Manzoor Pashteen, the leader of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), addressed protesters on Sunday, calling for an end to enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings and other alleged rights abuses committed by Pakistans military in its war against the Taliban.

Pakistans constitution says that if anyone has committed a crime, arrest them and bring them before the courts within 24 hours, said Pashteen.

But thousands of Pashtuns have been killed extrajudicially.

Pashteen, a native of the South Waziristan tribal district, once the birthplace of the Pakistan Taliban, led a movement that has expanded across the country in recent weeks to hold the military and government accountable for alleged excesses committed by security personnel.

The rally on Sunday was held in defiance of a government ban.

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The provincial government denied permission for the rally due to specific threats to the security of organisers of PTM, according to a statement.

Police also briefly detained at least five PTM leaders, including vocal military critic Ali Wazir, on Saturday evening, PTM leader Mohsin Dawar told Al Jazeera.

Meanwhile, the PTM, despite drawing thousands of supporters to its rallies, has received little coverage from Pakistans news television and print media.

Opinion articles on the group have been removed from several newspapers websites in recent days.

On Sunday, Pashteen appeared to blame Pakistans powerful military for the media blackout.

Right now, why are there restrictions on the media, on their lips to be sealed? asked Pashteen.

They want to be able to continue to disappear people, to kill them extrajudicially, to establish their own rule rather than that of the constitution.

Manzoor Pastheen (C) called for an end to enforced disappearances [Arif Ali/ AFP]

The army has ruled the country for roughly half of its 70-year history since independence from Britain. Its decade-long war against the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan has centred mainly on ethnic Pashtun areas.

While public criticism of the army is rare, the PTMs rallies have been marked by the openness of its leaders to call out the security forces.

For its part, the army has been critical of the movement.

Last week, army chief General Qamar Bajwa said the protests were engineered by foreign forces, and said his concern was they could reverse the militarys gains against armed groups.

Pashteen denied the claim on Sunday, saying the PTM was not anti-Pakistan and was only demanding constitutional rights for the Pashtuns, who make up 15 percent of Pakistans 207 million people.

{articleGUID}

Those attending the rally said it had been a rare event for Lahore, the political heartland of the ruling PML-N political party.

Protesters managed to circumvent the apparent media blackout by posting live video streams on social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook.

On Twitter, the hashtag #PashtunLongMarch2Lahore topped Pakistans countrywide trends on Sunday.

Others to address the gathering included leaders from the leftist Awami Workers Party (AWP), prominent rights activist and lawyer Hina Jilani and rights activist Amna Janjua.

Just being at this rally was the most electrifying experience  this was not a political rally, its a civil rights one, said Mubashir Zaidi, a television anchor and journalist.

I have never seen this in Lahore ever before, this mix of students and teachers and just people who wanted to be a part of this movement for equal rights. It was truly electrifying.About the show

A weekly programme that examines and dissects the worlds media, how they operate and the stories they cover. Watch The Listening Post every Saturday at 0830GMTPresident Donald Trump is not the first president who has had trouble with the Deep State. Harry Truman had a major problem, too, which revolved around the resistance by the State Department and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to his decision to recognize the state of Israel.

In the matter of Israel's recognition, Secretary George Marshall and other high-ranking officials at State and the CIA were adamantly opposed. In a series of contentious meetings as related by Clark Clifford, the State Department argued continually with Truman not to do it. It came to a point where a furious Marshall told the president that if he recognized Israel, Marshall could never vote for him again.

Such arguments are certainly not bad for our democratic form of government. A wise president welcomes and solicits advice and comments from his Cabinet. This is all part of good decision-making. The difficulty came in after Truman formally recognized Israel on May 14, 1948, for that did not end the resistance to his decision.

To his credit, once the decision was made, George Marshall let the president know that he would never agree with it but that he would not oppose it. Not so with the boys in the CIA. As Michael Doran of the Hudson Institute puts it:

The 'deep state' worked to reverse his decision. No sooner had Truman recognized Israel than the CIA secretly sponsored and funded the establishment of the American Friends of the Middle East. Outwardly a 'people-to-people' public diplomacy initiative, AFME brought influential Middle Easterners to the United States, helped them write and publish books and articles, and seeded Middle Eastern student organizations on American college campuses. It also lobbied Congress  against Israel. AFME was a remarkable instance of a CIA-confection front organization designed to counter official government policy, in this case seeking to delegitimize Zionism in domestic American politics.

Whether one agrees with Truman or not, to undermine his decision was patently wrong. He was the president. And this underhanded resistance was carried out by a CIA that was created just a year earlier by Truman himself as an organization that was to assist the office of the president by merely collecting intelligence, not undermining policy.

As to why Truman created the CIA in the first place: The CIA was to serve the president by consolidating intelligence reports from numerous sources. It was never intended to pursue its own policies. In hindsight, however, President Truman saw that he created a monster and regretted it. He came to realize that government bureaucracies sooner or later fall under the control of an elite whose belief is that the department is not necessarily accountable to the president or his Cabinet. Truman lived to see his CIA creation slip the bonds as to why it was established and become a quasi-independent entity, one that refuses to recognize the voice of its master, the president, and by extension the American people. As Truman bluntly said:

But it got out of hand. The fella ...the one that was in the White House after me never paid any attention to it and it got out of hand. Why, they've got an organization over there in Virginia now that is practically the equal of the Pentagon in many ways. And I think I've told you, one Pentagon is one too many. Now as nearly as I can make out, those fellows in the CIA don't just report on wars and the like, they go out and make up their own, and there's nobody to keep track of what they're up to. They spend billions of dollars on stirring up trouble so they'll have something to report on. They've become...it's become a government all of its own and all secret. They don't have to account to anybody. That's a very dangerous thing in a democratic society, and it's got to be put a stop to. The people have got a right to know what those birds are up to. And if I was back in the White House, people would know. You see, the way a free government works, there's got to be a housecleaning every now and again, and I don't care what branch of the government is involved.

They don't make Democrats like Harry Truman anymore. Or many Republicans, either.

What we have today is a State Department that is consistently pro-Arab and globalist in its reflexes, and that too often marches to its own drumbeat  a CIA whose incompetence is legendary yet does not blink in secretly meddling in the affairs of governments here and abroad, a politicized FBI and Justice Department, a radical EPA, and so on.

Harry Truman's situation pales in compassion to Donald Trump's. Of course, the bureaucracies of Truman's day were midgets compared to what they have since grown into in terms of size and arrogance. In Trump's case, highly placed people in the Deep State (FBI, CIA, and Department of Justice) actually went so far as to break the law in attempting to elect Hillary Clinton. When that failed, they continued to try to overturn the election result, which they did not approve of. That battle is still raging, and for the sake of the Republic, Trump has to be victorious

Harry Truman prevailed in the case of Israel, but his experience foreshadowed the general mindset of government bureaucracies. Part of the problem here is that when the bureaucrats undermine legitimate policy or drag their feet in its implementation, they seldom, if ever, personally pay a price for their disobedience. At most their actions are thwarted, but they live in the bureaucracy to fight another day.

As Harry Truman stated above, to have free government, every now and again, there needs to be a thorough housecleaning of the bureaucracies. This goes under the rubric of "draining the swamp," and now it's needed now more than ever.The American people have turned against Robert Mueller, and thats the least of his problems.

Late on the Friday afternoon of February 16, 2018, Mueller indicted 13 Russians for such heinous crimes as creating fake identities on Facebook and Twitter and organizing rallies, both for and against Donald Trump, as well as spending more than $100,000 on political ads -- all this, for the purpose of interfering with the United States Presidential Election -- keep in mind, not a single indicted person will ever see the inside of an American courtroom since there is no extradition treaty between our country and Russia.

After almost a year of investigating, thats all he had: fake Twitter and Facebook accounts, some minor rallies and a paltry sum spent on political advertising. The left went bananas ululating at the top of their lungs:

Smoking gun! Smoking gun!

It was the first time in years anyone on the left supported guns! Progressives and their adjuncts, the mainstream media, made it out to be a big deal, but for those of us looking closely, it smacked of desperation.

What has he done lately?

Well, there was

And then, there is

Actually, he did ask Rod Rosenstein to give a referral to Southern District of New York U.S. Attorney's Office for a warrant to search the office, home, and pied-a-terre of Michael Cohen. For Mueller, this was an attempt to distance himself from what many see as an abrogation of attorney/client privilege.

Yet, it was something he needed to do, because if he cant turn Cohen, hes beginning to realize he has nothing -- and there is the added advantage that taint team or no taint team, every single damaging thing found in those raids will either be leaked to him or leaked to the press.

Well, not nothing, he does have loads of prosecutable crimes committed by key Obama administration figures (including the big man himself), Clinton camp figures, FBI agents, active, retired, and terminated, especially, James the bitch is back Comey.

In fact, the more Mueller investigates Trump, the more he discovers crimes committed by the people who engineered his own appointment as well as his ideological brethren.

It was a shrewd, if underhanded, move by the special counsel, even if it was a Hail Mary. It looked as if he might finally be able to force someone to tell him what he wanted to hear.

Then, it happened. Donald Trump granted a pardon to Scooter Libby, who was the chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney during the George W. Bush administration.

In 2007, Libby was convicted of perjury as a result of the investigation into the leaking of CIA officer Valerie Plames identity. President Bush commuted Libby's 30-month sentence but didnt grant a pardon. Libbys alleged crimes happened a decade ago and according to the Washington Post:

Cheneys chief of staff Scooter Libby was dealt a severe injustice by prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald who knew early on that another official, Richard Armitage, had leaked Valerie Plames name. Fitzgerald asserted that Libby had lied to prosecutors rather than mistakenly recalled a phone call with now-deceased reporter Tim Russert. The case should never have gone forward (or, if it had, a memory expert should have been permitted to testify), and President George W. Bush should have granted Libby a full pardon before leaving office.

Why is that significant to Mueller and his investigation?

As the venerable Andrew C. McCarthy has pointed out, the warrant to search Cohens offices and homes would probably not been approved had the only crime been a violation of campaign contribution laws (the $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about the one night stand she had with the president more than a decade ago), which almost always involve only a return of the donations and a fine, with no jail time. There must have been evidence of other, more significant crimes. As of today, we dont know what those crimes might be, but it wouldnt be out of hand to assume they involve potentially substantial prison sentences.

Mueller is smart, because there arent many men Cohens age, with his money, who would be willing to do time to prevent Donald Trumps impeachment.

Most would probably say anything to avoid a five, ten, or even twenty-year prison sentence -- even something untrue.

Trumps pardon of Libby was brilliant. It sent Cohen a message that he wasnt going to go to jail. If the president was willing to pardon someone who worked for Dick Cheney, probably the man most hated by those on the left and the media, at least until Donald Trump came along, he would pardon Cohen as well.

The Libby pardon took all the air out of Muellers attempt to turn Cohen. I would have loved to be in the room when Mueller got the news -- time to hit the Johnny Walker Black heavy or beat his dog or something.

If anything, it shows Mueller that Donald Trump is a different kind of Republican. I like Mitt Romney and I think he would have made a decent president, certainly better than Barack Obama, who admittedly set the bar low. Yet, does anyone believe Romney would play dirty like Mueller plays? Or would he fold his hand and accept impeachment rather than fight?

Then something else happened. Rudy Giuliani joined Team Trump.

Trump and Giuliani together are an entirely different animal; they wont give up; they will fight to the death. Throw in Inspector General Horowitzs investigation (the report will drop in May) and U.S. Attorney John Hubers criminal investigation of the FBI (with grand jury power), as well as the public tiring of his witch-hunt, and Mueller must realize he is not on the winning side and unless he has evidence of something criminal on Trump -- and after almost a year that doesnt seem likely -- he cant possibly win. In fact, he must be wondering whether many of his witnesses are about to be charged with crimes themselves.

I think Mueller realizes this and has had enough. Hes a smart guy and I think he understands it is time to cut his losses and salvage whatever is left of his reputation.The momentum of non-biblical Protestant Christianity picked up more than 100 years ago with the publication in 1907 of Walter Rauschenbusch's book Christianity and the Social Crisis. In this work, Rauschenbusch, shortly after his return from studies in Germany, introduced what came to be known as the Social Gospel. This Social Gospel became the basis for the Federal Council of Churches, which, in 1950, became the National Council of Churches (NCC). The dogma of the National Council of Churches has been regularly updated and is now available online here.

The NCC has 38 church bodies as members. Among the 38, there is a wide variety of beliefs about social, political, and theological issues. The Episcopalian Church allows for ordination of openly homosexual individuals. Another member-"church" is the Swedenborgian Church. Their doctrine of salvation is not by Christ alone. They state three beliefs that should shock and offend every Christian believer: "(1) God gives everyone the freedom to choose their beliefs and live their lives accordingly[.] ... Salvation is available for people of all religions [my italics]; (2) The Second Coming has taken place  and in fact still is taking place. It is not an actual physical appearance of the Lord, but rather his return in spirit and truth that is being effected as a present reality; and (3) Heaven and hell are not rewards or punishments distributed on judgment day but the present inner experience we freely choose. We may choose to enjoy peace and openness, or to close ourselves in fear. Life is an opportunity for learning and spiritual growth."

The NCC briefly and vaguely asserts a belief in Jesus Christ and in the Holy Spirit and then goes on to discuss its true purpose, which is salvation by works not by grace. Their "creed" is right out of the playbook of the progressive left, where righteous living is based on commitment to the entire "social justice" program. In so proclaiming, they distort the gospel message. Eternal realities are pushed aside and have credibility only insofar as they manifest in the NCC social justice program. The idea of a living relationship with the living God through worship; prayer; the holy and eternal Word of God; amazing grace through faith; miraculous hope; and second chances for all of God's people, even if they happen to be white, male, straight, middle-class, and righteous patriots of these United States, seems to be marginalized, if not ignored, by the NCC.

The NCC states that it "stands in solidarity with Christians and with all who strive for justice around the globe." This is how the devil deceives. They do not say they stand with all who are born again (John 3:7). Presumably, that would be too limiting. Instead, they add the weasel words "with all" to put "social justice" first in their list of commitments.

Let's look at some of the items on their list of "just" demands:

1. "The rights of workers to organize, and to share in workplace decisions." Don't they know that in the Clayton Act (1916), it was affirmed that labor unions could not be challenged as monopolies and that in 1935, the Wagner Act affirmed the right of labor unions to organize? Are they really talking about the right to organize or the right to take control of the means of production, as Karl Marx advocated? Sure sounds like the latter. We know that some corporations have teams of assembly line workers meeting in brainstorming sessions, or systems of rewards for production and profit-increasing suggestions. But the presence of this item on their list implies to this writer that they have in mind workers' councils ("soviets") in the Leninist mode.

2. "A system of criminal rehabilitation, based on restorative justice and an end to the death penalty." We see nothing on their list about ending the death penalty for the unborn. If every single human being is precious in the sight of God, as they claim, why would this disaster of inhumanity not be condemned? A system of "restorative justice." What is it? Don't they realize that our prisons are filled with counseling and educational programs? Don't they realize that punishment must remain in any system of criminal justice? This writer at one point taught in the New York City public high schools. Each year, we were told to distribute the city's "Code of Discipline" to the students. This code covers a range of infractions from being disrespectful to one's teachers to bringing weapons to school. The different degrees of severity were listed along with the various possible "consequences" for the wrong actions. I would jokingly call the students' attention to the fact that "the P-word" never appeared in this comprehensive booklet  that is, the word "punishment." The same mindset that rules the NCC obviously rules the NYC Department of Education.

3. "Tax and budget policies that reduce disparities between rich and poor, strengthen democracy, and provide greater opportunity for everyone within the common good." Is this what Jesus taught? Did He complain that the people under Roman rule needed a fairer tax code? Do the authors of this item realize that 48% of the adult population of the USA pays zero income tax? Have they studied even basic economics to know based on the Laffer Curve that if the richest persons were charged 100% income tax, there would be no income to tax? Do they know that even when the rich were paying 77% income tax, in terms of percentage, there were even more "poor people" than there are today? Statements like this one by the NCC are among those reflexive slogans that are so popular with the left. It makes them feel they are standing against all the selfish rich ones while they remain without Christ and feathering their own nests. As little gods, by using a few well chosen words about the economy, they become puffed up by their self-righteousness, which they mistakenly think is the same as God's righteousness.

Let us continue to turn away from the godless and self-serving National Council of Churches and put our faith exclusively in the God of all creation, His Son, and the Holy Spirit. Let us strive in Christ to live as born-again Christians, unworthy of His love, yet lifted by it, and joyful in acknowledgment of His holy splendor.

Image: Bill Showalter via Flickr.The Senate GOP primary in Indiana scheduled for May 8 and the three major candidates vying for the nomination are all in trouble.

Whoever emerges from this scrum will probably be weakened in the general election next November where incumbent Democratic Senator Joe Donnelly awaits the winner.

Trump won Indiana in 2016 by 19 points so the Republicans targeted Donnelly's seat as a prime opportunity for a pick up. But all three major candidates, Todd Rokita, Luke Messer, and Mike Braun have been tarnished by scandals that have undercut the main themes of their campaigns.

The Hill:

Rep Todd Rokita (R-Ind.), one primary hopeful, is dealing with stories that are unraveling his campaigns narrative that hes the consensus choice for backers of President Trump. Meanwhile, a new report Thursday centered on Rep. Luke Messers (R-Ind.) previous drunk driving arrests, complicating his All-American persona. And former state Sen. Mike Braun, who fashions himself as the outsider in the race, is defending himself after a recent report showed he pushed to cut taxes and regulations on timber companies  an industry in which he himself has a significant financial stake.

Messer is the clear front runner in a poll released in January. But the sense among experts in Indiana is that Rep. Rokita is making up ground given his strong support for Donald Trump.

Except, Rokita jumped the gun a little and printed up yard signs that suggested he had Trump's endorsement. He doesn't. More damaging, an interview from 2016 emerged where Rokota, a Rubio backer at the time, criticized the president.

Messer has problems with his veracity. He replaced a lawmaker killed in a drunk driving accident without disclosing his 2 DUI convictions. This hasn't sat well with some GOP leaders and Rokita has blasted him for a "sin of ommision" in not revealing the convictions.

State rep. Mike Braun is bringing up the rear in the field. He fancies himself an outsider but has been shown to be just another grasping politician.

Democrats are obviously pleased that the GOP apppears to be eating its own.

Democrats are celebrating the attacks on the GOP candidates narratives, pointing to the brutal primary as a boon for Donnelly. Referring to the news cycle as Oppo-calypse Now, a reference to opposition research conducted by rival campaigns, Donnellys campaign wrote in a recent memo that the GOP will have plenty of ammunition and negative press to throw at each other over the next month, as stories seem to be coming by the day to wreck each candidates narrative. But the top Indiana Republican who spoke with The Hill pushed back on that idea, arguing that Republicans will have no problem competing against Donnelly in a state Trump won by 19 points in 2016. The stuff is going to come out now or in October, so which do you prefer? Any rational political mind would say now, the Republican said. You dont want anything to come out in October and upset a sure thing.

The Republican problem with Donnelly is that he is not a typical Democrat. He has voted with Trump more than 50% of the time, is pro-life, pro-gun, and opposed gay marriage until well after he was elected. He won in 2012 against Richard Mourdock by 6 points and his favorable rating is underwater.

He's vulnerable, but so far, no GOP challenger has emerged who could give him a serious run. A poll from last month shows Donnelly defeating Messer by 10 points. In deep red Indiana, Republicans should take that as a warning sign.In oh-so progressive Scandinavia, Finland tried and quickly discovered that the latest hot idea among the techno-lords of Silicon Valley (and their lackeys in the California Democratic Party) is a dud. The failed idea for the way the rest of us should live is so-called Universal Basic Income.

Universal Basic Income is a policy thats been lauded by tech leaders from Mark Zuckerberg to Elon Musk as a proposed solution to job loss due to automation. Last Sunday, it officially became part of Californias Democratic Party platform, signaling that the idea is beginning to enter the political mainstream at the same time Silicon Valley leaders are putting their weight behind it. Universal Basic Income is the idea that all citizens should receive a certain amount of money from the government, with no regulations on spending attached. In recent years, tech leaders have funded major projects in the space: Y Combinator Research piloted a program in Oakland that gave people $1,500 a month for a year, and Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes is funding a project in Stockton for working individuals. He just wrote a book advocating for the idea of giving every working person in the U.S. $500 a month. While UBI is still seen as a long shot on a national scale, the recent move signals that its entering the political mainstream in California. Democratic politicians in the state seeking party endorsement are supposed to read and get behind the party platform, including basic income.

Business Insider Nordic reports that this is such a bad idea that when Finland actually tried it, the failure was obvious so quickly that the experiment was terminated.

Since the beginning of last year, 2000 Finns are getting money from the government each month  and they are not expected to do anything in return. The participants, aged 2558, are all unemployed, and were selected at random by Kela, Finlands social-security institution. Instead of unemployment benefits, the participants now receive 560, or $690, per month, tax free. Should they find a job during the two-year trial, they still get to keep the money. While the project is praised internationally for being at the cutting edge of social welfare, back in Finland, decision makers are quietly pulling the brakes, making a U-turn that is taking the project in a whole new direction. Right now, the government is making changes that are taking the system further away from a basic income, Kela researcher Miska Simanainen told the Swedish daily Svenska Dagbladet.

The changes are narrowing the kind of people eligible:

The initial plan was for the experiment to be expanded in early 2018 to include workers as well as non-workers early in 2018, but that did not happen  to the disappointment of researchers at Kela. Without workers in the project, researchers are unable to study whether basic income would allow people to make new career moves, or enter training or education.

Hmm, where have we heard this fantasy before?

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Thursday that Obamacare facilitates the type of liberation that the Founders had in mind because it allows you to quit your job and become a photographer, a writer, a musician--or whatever. As you hear from these stories, this is a liberation, Pelosi said at a Capitol Hill news conference Thursday.

But of course, the hope (or fear) animating the techno-feudalists of Silicon Valley is different. Rick Moran stated it explicitly to me this morning:

The idea of a basic income is gaining steam because in 10 years, we may be looking at 15% unemployment due to automation and AI

Thats another fantasy that Ive heard before  in the 1950s and into the 60s, automation was going to throw millions of factory workers onto the unemployment lines, a horror that never quite developed because a private economy is far more dynamic than the straight line projections of futurists can grasp. Instead of mass unemployment, we developed a service economy. It wasnt automation but outsourcing that shuttered factories.

Right now, millions of truck drivers jobs supposedly are at risk because driverless big rigs are right around the corner. Maybe so, but right now there are few wrinkles to be worked out before 16 tons of truck comes barreling toward you on the highways with only a computer in charge. And when the change does come, there will be other jobs opening up.

The vision of a mass of people kept alive at a basic level (inevitably to be described as impoverished and unacceptable for a decent human being) is an inverted form of feudalism. The serfs are kept alive at a basic level, not through toil in the fields, but through their utility to serve as a voting bloc to legitimize rule by the overlords. Their dependents, who cant or who refuse to do useful work for others, will vote for their stooges to keep the checks coming. Hey, it beats work! Meanwhile, the productive classes  especially the petty entrepreneurs (aka, bourgeoisie)  are tolerated as a politically powerless faction to be taxed to pay for the subsidies to the idle.

What masquerades as generosity and compassion in fact is a mask for rule by an insurgent class that controls the high technology means of production, to use Marxs terminology.

They are going to have to try Oakland and Stockton, because Finland now refuses to be their test case. Idleness is not a path to happiness, whether it is welfare recipients or the idle children of inherited wealth. We are homo faber - our human nature is to act upon our environemnt to improve out lives, and has been since the dawn of history. When we don't act that way, trouble ensues.Finally, President Trump has the opportunity to expose to the world the fraudulent creation of a millions-strong group of phony Palestinian refugees being kept for use as a weapon to overrun Israels democracy via the right of return to a land most of them have never set foot in.

Unlike every other refugee group in world history, the 800,000 or so Arabs who fled Israel upon its founding 70 years ago have claimed the right to have refugee status inheritable for multiple generations. Arabs born in Jordan, Lebanon, or other countries  grandchildren and great-grandchildren of people who left Israel, somehow are still considered refugees by UNRWA (The United Nations Relief and Works Agency), the UN Agency specially established and funded to keep them semi-comfortable in "camps" (that look like cities) while being used as tools to agitate for the destruction of Israel. UNRWA has been supported by lavish subsidies  a billion dollars from US taxpayers in the last 4 years alone  in order to keep the descendants as a political tool for agitation against, and the eventual destruction of, Israel.

Oddly enough, the roughly 800,000 Jews who at the same time were expelled from the Muslim countries, where their families had lived for centuries, have no such rights. They were welcomed and quickly assimilated into Israeli society -- exactly as the Arabs who left Israel could have been in their new countries, instead of being kept in camps for generations. Nor do the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Germans who were expelled from Eastern Europe at the end of WW2 have the right to be considered refugees. They are just Germans, of course, getting on with their lives after a personal tragedy befell their ancestors long, long ago.

Now, President Trump is being asked by 51 members of Congress to declassify and publish a 2015 State Department report that investigated and determined how many genuine Palestinian refugees  people who were born or lived in Israel and fled  exist. The Middle East Forum reports:

The letter, sent by Rep. Doug Lamborn (Republican of Colorado) asks to declassify a State Department report on how many individuals currently considered Palestine refugees by the United Nations fit the U.S. government definition of refugee. The United States has provided over $1 billion to these refugees via the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) over the past four years. The Forum has long sought the end of U.S. recognition of fake Palestinian refugees who did not live in 1946-48 in what is today Israel. The letter reads in part: Just like your courageous action in recognizing Jerusalem as Israels capital and moving our embassy there, it is time to end the fiction of the right of return and bring the conflict one step closer to conclusion. The State Department report in question came in reply to the Kirk Amendment to the 2012 Appropriations bill which, inspired by the Forum, directed the State Department to figure out the number of real refugees. The 2014 and 2015 Appropriations bills reaffirmed this requirement. Finally, in 2015, the State Department delivered the report to Congress, but classified it, hoping thereby to conceal its contents from U.S. taxpayers. The letter is a prelude to the soon-to-be introduced UNRWA Recipients Act, which will (i) re-define Palestine refugee to exclude descendants, those with passports, and those living in the West Bank and Gaza. This will reduce the number of refugees from the current 6 million and growing to about 20,000 and dwindling; and it will (ii) require Palestinians who do not fit the USG definition but who wish to receive U.S. assistance to acknowledge that they are not Palestine refugees.

The letter can be read in its entirety here.

I am very optimistic that President Trump will respond positively to this request. The best part about it would be that the more cries of outrage that are voiced, the more attention is paid to the issue of phony refugees, bred as political tools by those in the Arab Muslim world who cannot tolerate a Zionist entity on land that was conquered by force and must, in their mind, forever remain Islamic lands, The Dar al Islam. The inclusion of a willingness to keep the subsidy spigot open so long as people acknowledge the reality that having been born outside of Israel, they cannot be refugees forecloses the possibility of claiming cruelty toward poor unfortunate victims. They just have to be honest to keep the money flowing.

Now that Israel has become useful to Sunni Arab rulers in fear of Iranian and Shiite domination, actual resolution of the multi-generational refugee situation can be imagined. Those of Palestinian descent living in Jordan can become the majority in that land, making it a de facto Palestinian state  which is the stated goal: a homeland for the Palestinians.

Hat tip: Mike NadlerMitt Romney, former GOP presidential candidate in 2012, came in second place at the Utah GOP convention's Senate nominating contest, forcing a June primary against state Rep. Mike Kennedy.

Romney, who had been undecided about a Senate run until recently, failed to win 50% of the vote, losing by a few tenths of a percentage to Kennedy.

The Hill:

In the final round of voting at the party's convention, state Rep. Mike Kennedy (R) won 50.88 percent of the vote, with Romney following with 49.12 percent. Because neither candidate secured 60 percent, the two will head to a June statewide Republican primary. Romney and Kennedy are running to succeed retiring Sen. Orrin Hatch(R). Saturday's defeat was a surprising turn for Romney, whose national profile far exceeds Kennedy's and who could count on a strong donor network and the endorsement of prominent Republicans, including Hatch and President Trump. When he made his bid official, Romney was considered a virtual lock for the GOP nomination and was not expected to face a serious primary challenger. Kennedy was first elected to the Utah state House in 2012. Romney's Senate bid, in contrast, is only the latest step in a long political career. A former Massachusetts governor, he ran for president in both 2008 and 2012. He failed to secure the nomination his first time, losing to Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), but won the GOP contest in 2012. He fell to former President Obama in the general election. In 2016, Romney made waves again when he urged Republicans to oppose Trump. He called Trump a "fraud" who lacked the character to be president.

To anyone who's been paying attention to Republican party politics since Donald Trump was elected, this is not a suprise. The GOP has undergone a transformation - especially at the grass roots level - and a politician like Romney, despite his prominence, is going against the tide.

In fact, it's Romney's familiarity that may be his biggest handicap. The former Massachusetts governor earned a reputation for moderate governance, despite his "conversion" to conservatism in 2012. This is poison to many GOP primary voters, and while Romney may eke out a victory in June and coast to an easy win in the mid terms, his day - and the day of Republicans like him - has already passed.

Romney has many fine qualities that stood him well in the business world, where he was very successful. But he was never a very good politician and was exposed as such by Barack Obama in the 2012 presidential election.The #NeverTrumps, who've mostly otherwise been known by the overused "neo-con," are confronting their worst nightmare:

That their much-reviled Donald Trump really is Making America Great Again.

Irwin Stelzer has a great piece in Weekly Standard describing the dawning reality, with a tasty opener:

Never say Never. Thats what some of the Never Trumpers are saying, and even more are thinking. Both in private. They are afflicted with a nagging suspicion. Trump might, how shall they whisper it, Make America Great Again. The tax bill has given the economy a bit of a tailwind, most Americans have more money in their pockets, and corporations have greater incentives to step up spending and to bring some funds home. The NAFTA trade agreement with Mexico and Canada likely will be revised to Americas advantage. The presidents decision to punish Assad for crossing the red line that Obama refused to enforce is popular and his decision to defer to his military advisers and keep the response targeted so as not to induce a response from Russia has met with broad approval. His threats against North Koreamy nukes are bigger than your nukesappalled the fastidious members of the establishment diplomatic community, but have led Kim Jung-un to say he will shut down a nuclear test site, suspend all missile tests and negotiate a peace treaty with South Koreas. Then there is China. Trump has done what previous administrations failed to do: forced China to make some concessions, opening at least a crack in the wall it has erected against imports. Majority-owned American financial firms will gain entry into several sectors, and tariffs on made-in-America automobiles will come down, while the United States tightens restrictions on intellectual property theft by the Chinese regime, in part by limiting Chinas ability to buy tech-heavy U.S. firms. Even dyed-in-the-cotton-apparel free-traders are now conceding that the presidents negotiating tacticthreaten to bring down the international system, unless it gets fixedis working. And should have been tried administrations ago.

It's a classic case of stolen thunder, given that neo-cons in general have always had this fascination with "American power," and some of them, such as Paul Wolfowitz, have been overly willing to use it as if we held it in unlimited supply. (Neo-cons, often ex-leftists, never were big on the laws of economics.) They thought the lefties were all in favor of American weakness and by contrast, that left them as the sole standard-bearers for American power and its projection.

Actually, lefties with their love of big government have never been all that unwilling to use American power to achieve their ends. Obama went hogwild with the drone strikes for assorted capricious and non-capricious reasons, Bill Clinton did the camel-butt strike to wag the dog, LBJ had the bombing of Hanoi - and they all have used and abused power significantly, especially Obama with his big and politicized government at home, too. There never was the dilemma between being in favor of power and not being in favor of power that the neo-cons imagined.

No, the issue was whether we would be leftwing and politicize everything, or instead respect choice, borders, rule of law, and individuals, including voters, consumers and 'the deplorables.' That's where the real fault-line lies, and it was Trump who seized on it, rendering the neo-con school of thinking sort of irrelevant. Which may be why so many of them disdained President Trump.

I've never been a big fan of heaping hate on neo-cons and #NeverTrumps for simply reading the situation wrong, or for their status anxiety, as some, such as Glenn Reynolds, have observed (NeverTurmps like to get invited to their Washington cocktail parties, and being a hate-Trumper is the best way to seem respectable), as some of pro-Trump people of the populist stripe have advocated. Their views are in the same family as ours and unlike leftists, they do show a capacity to read and recognize reality.

Welcome back.Pay up, Olaf! Those immigrants that have transformed life in Sweden in so many ways dont seem to taking jobs to support themselves the way ethnic Swedes do. And in a land of generous welfare benefits, taxes are going to have to go up, unless the new Swedes start behaving like the real Swedes when it comes to get-up-and-go.

Voice of Europe reports:

Chief forecaster of Swedens Economic Research Institute, Ylva Heden Westerdahl, points out that unless more immigrants enter the labour market in Sweden, taxes will have to rise. Sweden has a rights-based welfare system, which she calls generous, which includes healthcare and education. Heden Westerdahl has stressed that it is required for people to contribute to the system otherwise the labourers will have an even greater tax burden. Its serious that we have these differences in the longer perspective. Once you stay out of the labour market for a long time, you are forced to live off benefits, something that leaves a toll on the government finances, Heden Westerdahl told news outlet SVT.

To be sure, some immigrants manage to work.

Recently, SVT shared a story of a 35-year-old Kurdish single mother of five who has just taken her first job ever as a cleaner, having been in Sweden for 16 years. They intended it as an example of success for having undergone a tailor-made education course. Strong reactions on social media strongly suggest otherwise.

Only 16 years on the dole, getting educated for a meial job. What a success!

Of course, work can interfere with other valuable activities:U.S. citizen Andrew Brunson has been indicted in Turkey and is facing a 35-year sentence.

In the United States, a 35-year sentence generally speaking involves serious crimes with intent to harm.

Premeditated murder, especially of children or other vulnerable individuals

Premeditated murder of multiple people

Embezzlement or fraud on a large scale, such as Bernie Madoffs Ponzi scheme.

Welcome to the Kafkaesque world of the new Turkey.

Brunson languished in a Turkish prison for over a year before he was even formally charged. In March, the prosecution made it plain that they are seeking a life sentence for Brunson, and in April the prosecution released a document meant to bolster the claim that Brunson was a threat to the security of the nation.

The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), has translated this document into English. It is a rambling and incoherent mess, but the gist of it is that Brunson has been Christianizing the nation. The indictment also accuses Brunson of being part of a larger American goal to bring down Turkey and initiate a world war with Islam. No actions of Brunson support this claim. Instead, the document cites Protestants in America who intensely desire a final confrontation between Islam and the West.

And thats it. Thats the evidence in the 61-page indictment. What did Brunson do? When and where did he do it? How was it carried out? The very basic information in a standard police report is missing here.

This is projection of the highest order. It is Erdogan and his courts that are proselytizing. At last count, Christians made up less than 0.2% of the population. The threat is not from the Christian population but from the Sunni majority that seeks to get rid of them and anyone else who is not Sunni.

Proselytizing on the streets of Turkey is not allowed, but who knew that proselytizing within a church is also a crime now in Turkey?

The freedom of religion guaranteed by the Ataturk constitution not only does not extend to Brunsons church, but this indictment seems to indicate that in the new Turkey discussing Jesus within a church is a crime equal to murder. Brunsons 35-year sentence has made it clearer that the new Turkey is an entirely different animal, and churches, both those with tiny congregations and those in existence for hundreds of years, are all committing the crime of Christianization.

Here are the facts we know about Brunson:

Hes a devout Christian. He leads a congregation of about 25 people in the coastal city of Izmir, Turkey. He has been living in Turkey for 23 years and he has raised his children there. He was applying to renew his permanent residency visa when he was taken in for questioning and then imprisoned.

If the courts had any real evidence against Brunson, they would have released it by now. Instead, they make predictable but implausible charges of him being a spy for Turkish exile Fethullah Gulen. Then, when those dont stick, the prosecution decided to openly charge Brunson of being a Christian and wanting to grow his congregation in Turkey.

Through Pastor Brunsons case, Americans are learning that our American passports mean little in Turkey. Christian Americans living in Turkey are held in the same contempt as Christian Turks. Even the tweets of President Trump will not change the minds of Erdogans henchmen. They are making fools of themselves, exposing their sordid justice system of secret witnesses, unsubstantiated allegations, and a system rigged to view only Sunnis as worthy of a fair hearing. Its just too bad that their prideful display will make an innocent man suffer.Anticipating a large turnout, I arrived early this past Easter Sunday for the 7:30 AM Mass at St. John Neumann Catholic Church in Reston, Virginia. While "batting the breeze" with the ushers standing in the vestibule, I noted that the female parishioners passing us to enter the sanctuary were not wearing Easter bonnets  an observation of the congregation that remained unchanged from my later limited-view pew position.

On exiting the church after Mass, an usher with an expanded view from his position in the rear of the sanctuary said that neither had he seen a single Easter bonnet in the overflow crowd attending that morning.

Later, during brunch at J. Gilbert's restaurant in McLean, I recalled how, at one time, the Easter bonnet was a popular fashion statement for ladies to welcome the spring season and celebrate the day. Hollywood captured that popularity in the 1948 movie and song Easter Parade. The movie's theme song even won the Academy Award that year for Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture:

In your Easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it,

You'll be the grandest lady in the Easter Parade.

I'll be all in clover and when they look you over,

I'll be the proudest fellow in the Easter Parade.

On the avenue, Fifth Avenue, the photographers will snap us,

And you'll find that you're in the rotogravure.

Oh, I could write a sonnet about your Easter bonnet,

And of the girl I'm taking to the Easter Parade.

During my last cup of brunch coffee, I lamented the bonnet's disappearance and wondered what had caused the demise of this tradition. That curiosity prompted me to stop at the reception desk on leaving the restaurant and ask a young lady there why women had stopped wearing Easter bonnets. She answered, "What's an Easter bonnet?"So far, there has been little reaction because the change came so quietly. But on Friday, the US State Department issued an important document that refused to conform to the previously mandatory language that paid lip service to political correctnesss Palestinian Division. The Times of Israel reports:

The US State Department released its annual report on human rights violations around the world on Friday, and there was at least one discernible difference from past reports: It no longer refers to the West Bank as occupied. Whereas previous iterations of the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices had a section on Israel and the Occupied Territories, this years document refers instead to Israel, Golan Heights, West Bank and Gaza.

While not as visible as moving the US embassy to Jerusalem, this is still very significant. To use the language of Trump-haters, it is normalizing Israels hold on the lands it won in war  the way conquest, especially in defensive wars, works. Poland is not about to give back to Germany the territory that was taken at the end of World War 2. It's Gdansk, not Danzig. And the children and grandchildren of former Deutchlanders of Danzig are bot considered refugees, the way the descendents of Arabs who once lived in the territoty that is now Israel claim to be (with a right of "return" to a land they never set foot in).

Nor is the US about to hand over the lands it won from Mexico,as La Raza wants.

War and conquest is how pretty much every nation established itself as sovereign over whatever territory it rules. But for reasons as old as the Worlds Oldest Hate, Israel is held to a different standard. Except that now, the Trump administration is signaling that it no longer will follow the Israel-only rules, at least in choice of labels. Exactly as it is doing with another phony-baloney Israel-only shibboleth: that one can be born in one country, and yet be a refugee from another country

I want all those people who think Trump is Hitler to explain how this could possibly happen with Hitler in charge.Two renders depicting whats said to be the ASUS-made ZenFone Max Pro M1 leaked online on Sunday, having been shared by known industry insider Evan Blass. The images that can be seen above show two variants of the handset, though the companys recent product practices suggest the ZenFone Max Pro M1 may end up being available in many more color options than just black and silver. The smartphone appears to be featuring a metal unibody design, with its aluminum case essentially guaranteeing wireless charging wont be part of the package, which is unsurprising given the mid-range price bracket ASUS is said to be targeting with its upcoming offering.

The ZenFone Max Pro M1 will be reportedly be equipped with the Snapdragon 636, one of Qualcomms newer value-oriented chips which so far only found its way inside the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 and Meizus E3 lineup. The handset will also feature 4GB of RAM, two Nano SIM slots, and a separate tray for a microSD card, as per the same source. The renders themselves show a two-camera setup accompanied by a dual-LED flash unit on the back panel of the ASUS-created phone, as well as a rear-mounted circular fingerprint reader and a single front-facing imaging sensor. The lock screen of the handset and previous reports on the matter suggest the ZenFone Max Pro M1 may launch as part of Googles Android One program, i.e. run a stock version of Android Oreo out of the box.

The base model of ASUSs smartphone is likely to ship with 32GB of storage space, whereas a more premium variant with 64GB of flash memory and 6GB of RAM may also be in the works, industry sources claimed earlier this week. The Taiwanese manufacturer already expanded its ZenFone Max lineup with the Max M1 in late February, with the newly leaked handset boasting a nearly identical design, though its believed to be equipped with a 5.5-inch screen instead of a 5.7-inch one. The ZenZone Max M1 Pro is likely to be launched in select markets by late spring.ABCNews.com(WASHINGTON) -- Alan Dershowitz said prosecutors are engaged in "an epic battle for the soul and cooperation of Michael Cohen," the longtime lawyer to President Donald Trump whose office and hotel room were raided by the FBI this month.

Dershowitz, a Harvard law professor emeritus, told ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos on "This Week" Sunday that prosecutors could potentially be threatening Cohen with a long prison term if he fails to cooperate.

There is "a sword of Damocles hanging over his head," said Dershowitz, who appeared on a "This Week" panel of lawyers discussing the implications of the April 9 raids on Cohen's hotel room, home, office, safety deposit and cell phones.

After those raids, how serious is the threat to Cohen and Trump? Stephanopoulos asked.

Oh, its a very serious threat, Dershowitz said. They have enormous abilities to really put pressure" on a witness.

But the law professor also said he's not sure whether Cohen will "flip" to become a prosecution witness who could possibly give some kind of evidence against his client, Trump.

"I think its very hard not to flip when theyre threatening you with long imprisonment, but I dont think we know enough," Dershowitz said.

He added that Trump has "a unique weapon" on his side in any investigation -- the presidential pardon. However, he said in regard to Cohen, "I don't think he's going to be pardoned."

Cohen is under criminal investigation in the Southern District of New York and has been for months, court documents released on April 13 and obtained by ABC News confirm. According to the documents, Cohen is being investigated for criminal conduct that largely centers on his personal business dealings. Cohens attorney said the investigation started, in part, following a referral from special counsel Robert Mueller, who is heading the investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election and possible ties to Trump associates.

After the April 9 raids by the U.S. Attorneys Office in New York, Cohen and Trumps attorneys argued that many of the items seized fall under attorney-client privilege and therefore should not be viewed by prosecutors until they, or a neutral third party, have an opportunity to review them.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.President of ERCI support Catalonias independence. This is hardly a confession, given than for as far back as I can recall I have never been coy about it. And I support the right to self-determination in the understanding that any right is always asserted by the will to exercise it. A right that is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, but is thwarted and cannot be exercised, is not a right. Or, even worse, it is a symptom of a shortcoming in a system of liberties which becomes a flagrant violation of a democracys foundational principles.

In Catalonia we had a referendum on October 1 last year. That is what I testified before Spains Supreme Court. In other words, the Catalan people were given a chance to voice their views peacefully and democratically on the future of Catalonia by answering a clear-cut question. Holding a referendum is not a criminal offence. You only need to read the Spanish Criminal Code. In fact, this became apparent in 2005, when the holding of a referendum ceased to be classed as a punishable offence in Spain. That is to say, there was a debate on the subject and the Spanish parliament agreed that it would no longer constitute a crime.

On October 1 I exercised my right as a citizen by casting a vote along with over two million people. I was proud to be able to be heard at the polls, as I am a democrat before I am a supporter of independence. I have always felt that way. On a personal level, that day I witnessed another lesson in civic spirit by the Catalan people. Nobody was forced to vote and everyone who did, as ever, did so in a peaceful manner. Many even sported a proud smile.

Today the Spanish Supreme Court claims that there was violence on that day and it intends to hold the Catalan government to account for it. Yet Europes democracies have failed to see any violence at all. At any rate, what everyone saw was the Spanish riot police baton-charging against peaceful members of the public who were gathered at polling stations. What we all saw and were shaken by were images of a shock force that was unleashed against peaceful citizens, much to the dismay of the public opinion. For that reason millions of people chose to go on strike on October 3 as a protest against the use of force and against the images that disturbed all of us who support democracy. So much so that the Spanish socialist party (PSOE) announced that day a parliamentary motion to censure Spanish deputy PM Saenz de Santamaria as the mastermind of the police violence on October 1.

In what constitutes a deceit unbecoming of an impartial, democratic justice system, now they argue that all that violence the only kind we witnessed in the streets of Catalonia is down to the Catalan government and the citizens who turned out to vote. That is the only way for them to press charges which carry penalties of up to thirty years in jail. Holding people like ourselves responsible for any violence people who have always rejected violence unreservedly and whose actions have always been guided by profound democratic and pacifist convictions is not only a falsehood, but also perverse and immoral.

The same Europe that has been aloof, reticent or clearly opposed to Catalan independence is now questioning the crimes that we are being held for and has determined that there was no rebellion because there was no violence. In fact, what is at stake today in Spain is the very existence of a healthy democratic system, the separation of powers.

I am a member of Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya, a Catalan political party that was banned only during General Francos dictatorship, a party that has never concealed that as its name suggests it aims to establish a Republic; a political party that wants the kind of free and fair society which we believe would be best achieved with Catalonias independence.

A democratic vote where people express their views in answer to a clear, concise question is always a democratic success. Dialogue and compromise, which are the paths we have always insisted on, are the instruments of such a democracy. Asking us to renounce the right to self-determination is akin to asking us to renounce the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the founding principles of the UN. And we will never renounce democracy. Even less so today, when clearly there is a growing deterioration of basic rights and freedoms, when we can see that authoritarianism and injustice are breaking through. We are people of peace and also hungry for justice and thirsty for liberty. Our actions, words and deeds have proven that much, time and again. So did the hundreds of thousands who marched in the streets Barcelona city, as ever, peacefully and with a smile."Youve always been a man," a friend tells me. As surprising as it may sound, he meant it as a compliment. The meaning behind his words, translated from Manspeak, is to imply that Im not an intruder in the world of men but rather "one of them", "one of the gang". Thanks very much. This bizarre admittance into the male club is a friendly acknowledgment, but one that many women, many years ago, decided they did not need as a prerequisite to doing things and doing them in their own way. The time of asking permission for what is your right was over. Nevertheless, a lone woman participating in a political debate in a TV studio surrounded by eight male colleagues is still a reality. However, and this is the novelty the audience now see it as outrageous, as something of an aberration. It is not that it is a case of 8 against 1 because the 1 isnt against anyone, but the gender imbalance not to mention the presence of minorities!  is a symptom of an underlying malaise that has increasingly been diagnosed in society and which is increasingly rejected more forcefully.

The disproportionate nature of womens presence underscores their external condition, since women who attain positions of power are seen as having broken down barriers or having taken something to which they are not quite entitled. They are not something "normal" but rather a foreign body.

The fundamental problem that explains the still scarce presence of women in the public sphere is the difficulty in accessing positions of responsibility, with their subsequent visibility. If we want women, as a gender, to hold the place to which they are entitled within the structures of power and to represent them, we must reflect on the decision-making mechanisms by which people are chosen for such positions. The most widely-used procedure fails to give women power, not for meritocratic reasons but due to prejudice, convenience and intellectual laziness. This is particularly true in professions with a large presence of women such as journalism, law and medicine, where women as a group are still shamefully in the minority.

Womens first right is to be in the places where decisions are made and their second is to act accordingly. They must overcome what the Cambridge Professor, Mary Beard, calls "failed intervention" syndrome. In other words, to overcome and denounce the fact that ideas are not heard effectively until they are spoken or repeated by a male voice. Women must demand the right to be taken seriously. Which is why we must not accept mansplaining, those explanations expressed with great confidence by amateurs on issues in which the women being lectured to are, in fact, experts. One neednt be manly or think like a man to be listened to. We must demand to be like women and to behave like women, with everything this involves. It should no longer be necessary to do what Margaret Thatcher did, in taking elocution lessons to speak in a deeper voice in order to be heard.

According to Beard, "what we need is a form of awareness, as we had in the past, of what we mean when we speak of the voice of authority and how we have come to construct it". Does authority depend on ones height? Or weight? Or how deep ones voice is? Or ones ability to speak the obvious? Or does authority depend on ones capabilities and merits? Equality and the appreciation of talent in our society, key questions, will depend on the answer we are able to provide as a society. The access of women and minorities to public debate must be socially revolutionary. Changes in leaderships must naturally mean more transparency, more meritocracy and the same number of mediocre individuals of whichever gender in decision-making roles.

Once this happens, it will still be necessary for women to truly empower themselves. For them to take a step forward, without waiting for acknowledgment or consent from those that surround them. They ought to be willing to take the initiative, to be subject to fierce criticism on social media if that is the price they have to pay, to get rid of the Judeo-Christian guilt which forces them to comply with their masters, assuming that permanent suffocation is a sustainable, inevitable condition. They mustnt ask for help with raising the children, instead they must insist that education and childrearing are shared as a common pleasure and responsibility. Our society has changed a great deal over the last year. The 8 March feminist strike was a cry from a new generation connected with older generations that had worked for equality before. Many failed to predict the tsunami it became and perhaps even believe the wave has passed. Women are here to stay at all levels and are joined by male allies of their generation that live up to the aspirations of a fairer world. It will be long, difficult journey, but the world will change. At least ours will.Multiple states lack the ability to guarantee the accuracy of election outcomes in the event of a suspected breach.

The big picture: Five states  Louisiana, Georgia, South Carolina, New Jersey and Delaware  have no paper trails of votes. The other nine are in better shape, but still do not have all their counties machines spitting out a paper record.

The backstory: This is due to the direct recording electronic machines (DREs) these states use in some counties, which dont cough up a paper copy of cast ballots.

Why it matters: Russia is likely hacking again this year, according to intelligence directors. And a hacker who wanted to insert doubt in the outcome of an election would just have to target the counties and states that lack 100% verification capabilities.

What the 9 states are doing:The FBI is reportedly investigating whether the Russian government-funded news agency, Sputnik, has been operating as an undisclosed propaganda arm for the Kremlin, which would be in violation of the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), per Yahoo News.

Why it matters: "This is incredibly significant," said Asha Rangappa, a former FBI counterintelligence agent. "[T]his tells me they have good information and intelligence that these organizations have been acting on behalf of the Kremlin and that there's a direct line between them and the [Russian influence operations] that are a significant threat to our democracy."

Sputnik's former White House Correspondent, Andrew Feinberg, said an FBI agent and national security lawyer at the Justice Department questioned him for more than two hours on September 1 about the news agency's "internal structure, editorial processes and funding." Feinberg also said he turned over a thumb drive containing thousands of Sputnik emails and documents that he had downloaded prior to being fired in May.

"They wanted to know where did my orders come from and if I ever got any direction from Moscow," Feinberg told Yahoo News. "They were interested in examples of how I was steered towards covering certain issues."

Relation to Mueller's probe: The investigation is the latest in a string of efforts aimed at determining the extent of Russian government interference in the 2016 presidential election, though it's unclear whether the FBI's probe is related to Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. A spokesman for Muller emailed Yahoo news, "We are not confirming whether specific matters are or are not part of our ongoing investigation."

Sputnik's editor-in-chief, Mindia Gavasheli, told Yahoo News: "Any assertion that we are not a news organization is simply false... I think it tells about the atmosphere of hysteria that we are witnessing now."German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday defended the international Iran nuclear deal in an interview with Israeli TV, saying that while she understands Israels great worries, a partial framework is better than no agreement at all, AP reports.

Why it matters: Her defense comes ahead of a May 12 deadline, which President Trump set to withdraw from the agreement unless the deal's other major European signatories  Germany, France, and the United Kingdom  agree to enact "significant changes.

What they're saying: Merkel reportedly told Israel TVs Channel 10 that Germany will monitor developments "very closely to ensure that this agreement will be fulfilled.

Iran's foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told reporters that Trump's threats to pull out of the Iran nuclear agreement were sending a "very dangerous message" to other countries negotiating with U.S. Zarif said that, should the U.S. withdraw from the deal, the ultimate consequences "won't be very pleasant to the United States."

Mohammad Javad Zarif told reporters that Trump's threats to pull out of the Iran nuclear agreement were sending a "very dangerous message" to other countries negotiating with U.S. Zarif said that, should the U.S. withdraw from the deal, the ultimate consequences "won't be very pleasant to the United States." French President Emmanuel Macron, who will arrive in Washington this week for the first official state visit hosted by Trump, told Chris Wallace on "Fox News Sunday: "I don't have any plan B for nuclear against Iran, so that's the question we will discuss."

The backstory: Under the Obama-era deal, which Trump has repeatedly blasted as flawed, Iran had agreed to put limits on parts of its nuclear program in exchange for relief from economic sanctions.West Virginia voters will decide in November's general election whether to add an amendment to their constitution that would remove abortions as a constitutional right.

The big picture: West Virginia is one of six states with only one abortion clinic, joining Kentucky, North and South Dakota, Mississippi and Wyoming.

What they're saying: Andrew Beck, senior staff attorney for the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project, told Axios that lawmakers "are doing everything in their power" to close clinics down. He said there are "extreme politicians" in states that are beginning to feel emboldened in their fight against abortion because "they think it's in their political interest."

The other side: Steven Aden, Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel at Americans United for Life, told Axios that the "assertion that in some states only a single abortion provider remains because of onerous government regulation is completely false. Aden said clinics are closing for two reasons:

"Shoddy substandard providers that cannot comply with reasonable health and safety regulations." "Market forces. Abortion facilities are closing all over America as a result of the dramatic drop in demand for abortions."

What's happening:

Kentucky

Kentucky banned a common abortion procedure, known as "dilation and evacuation," NBC reported.

The ACLU argues that this "would result in 'extinguished access' to abortions,'" NBC reports.

Beck said the proposed law joins other efforts to restrict the clinic: one law required an ultrasound before having an abortion, and Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin said in 2017 that the clinic had an insufficient transfer agreement with local hospitals. Per NPR, the clinic "came within days of closing."

Per NBC, "a hearing on the ACLU's preliminary injunction request was set for June 5."

West Virginia

Voters will be deciding whether or not to add to their constitution: Nothing in this Constitution secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of abortion," per the Charleston Gazette-Mail.

Beck said it's "an effort by politicians to strip away legal protections and set the stage for attacking the clinic with future legislation."

Mississippi

In March, Mississippi's House and Senate passed through a bill that bans abortion after "15 weeks after their last menstrual cycle," the L.A. Times reported. Governor Phil Bryant signed it into law, and it was immediately contested by the state's last clinic.

Beck said this joins other efforts by the state "to close down the clinic and eliminate abortion access."

Flashback: Governor Phil Bryan signed a bill into law in 2012 that, per PBS, "would have required abortion clinic doctors to secure special privileges to admit patients into local hospitals." A federal court ruled against that in 2017, PBS reported.

North Dakota, South Dakota, and WyomingFrench President Emmanuel Macron criticized President Trump's foreign policy during an interview with Fox New Sunday's Chris Wallace, saying: "It's too complicated if you make war against everybody. You make trade war against China, trade war against Europe, war in Syria, war against Iran. Come on ... You need allies."

The timing: Macron will arrive in Washington on Tuesday for the first official state visit hosted by Trump.

Macron's full exchange with Wallace:

Macron: "I hope he will not implement these new tariffs, and he will decide on an exemption for the European Union. You don't make trade war with your ally."

Wallace: "But he has said that he is going to implement "

Macron: "He said, 'Exemption till May 1st.' Let's see what he decides on May 1st. I just say, 'Where are your priorities?' You cannot make a trade war with your allies. I'm an easy guy. I'm very simple. I'm straight forward. It's too complicated if you make war against everybody. You make trade war against China, trade war against Europe, war in Syria, war against Iran. Come on. It doesn't work. You need allies. We are the ally."Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin is expected to lead the United States' delegation to the inauguration ceremony of the new American embassy in Jerusalem on May 14th, Israeli officials told me.

The big picture: The Israeli Foreign Ministry and Prime Minister's office have started to prepare for the embassy event and for welcoming the delegation. The officials added the Israeli government wants to use the event to give diplomatic boost to U.S.-Israeli relations and to the Israeli efforts to convince other countries to move their embassies to Jerusalem. On May 16th, Guatemala is expected to move its embassy from Tel-Aviv to Jerusalem.

Who's coming: The officials said that, according to the information received at the Foreign Ministry and prime minister's office, another interesting member of the U.S. delegation will be President Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner, who also heads the U.S. "peace team" to the Middle East. While Israeli officials believe that Ivanka Trump will also be there, Axios' Jonathan Swan says that her attendance is not yet guaranteed. Rapahel Ahren reported last week in the Times of Israel that the couple was considering participating in the embassy opening.In a morning tweet, President Trump again addressed yesterday's news that North Korea would stop its nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile testing  and incorrectly claimed that the nation had also agreed to denuclearize.

A tweet previously embedded here has been deleted or was tweeted from an account that has been suspended or deleted.

Flashback: While it's possible that Trump knows something that we don't, a Bush 43 National Security Council official broke down yesterday's concessions for Axios: "Not a big deal to pause testing nuclear or missiles when summit is coming ... Totally reversible. Eye wash."

Another tweet from Trump on North Korea:Just one hour after his failed meeting with Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian, opposition leader Nikol Pashinian was detained by police on Sunday during yet another anti-government demonstration organized by him in Yerevan.

Pashinian was confronted by masked police officers and other security personnel as he led a crowd of several hundred supporters marching to the citys southern Erebuni district. The police fired stun grenades to stop the march.

Several other protesters, including Sasun Mikaelian and Ararat Mirzoyan, close associates of Pashinian, were also detained on the spot. Most demonstrators started moving back to the city center about 30 minutes later. Others stayed on and chanted Nikol!

Mikaelian was dragged away by policemen moments after urging the protesters to free Nikol and continue to fight for Sarkisians resignation. They want to strangle our freedom, come here, dont be afraid of anyone, he shouted.

In a statement, the Armenian police said Pashinian, Mikaelian and Mirzoyan were forcibly removed from the site of the gathering because of being the organizers of an illegal demonstration. The statement did not say whether they will be prosecuted.

Pashinian and the two other politicians are members of the Armenian parliament representing the opposition Yelk alliance. Law-enforcement authorities need the National Assemblys permission to charge and remand them in pre-trial custody. They can hold the three men in custody without a charge for up to 72 hours.

Earlier in the morning, Pashinian met with Sarkisian and again demanded his resignation. The premier rejected the demand and said Pashinian will bear full responsibility for his push for regime change.Massive rallies against Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian intensified on Sunday evening, with tens of thousands of people filling Yerevans largest square in the absence of Nikol Pashinian, the protest leader arrested earlier in the day.

The arrests of Pashinian and several of his close associates led other, younger members of his Civil Contract party to organize and address what was the biggest rally held since the start of the daily protests on April 13.

Lena Nazarian, the sole parliament deputy from Civil Contract not detained yet, read out an online statement by Pashinian calling on Armenians to continue to demand Sarkisians resignation with peaceful acts of civil disobedience. Pashinian also urged them to avoid any violent clashes with security forces. The crowd repeatedly burst into Nikol! chants.

Everything must remain peaceful, said Ruben Rubinian, a Civil Contract activist who moderated the rally.He said people must continue to block streets, hold marches and sit-ins, boycott classes and rally at Republic Square on a daily basis.

Citing safety concerns, Rubinian also made clear that all kinds of protest must end at 10 p.m. He who stays and acts on the street after 10 oclock has nothing to do with our movement, he said.

Pashinians wife, Anna Hakobian, also spoke at the rally. We must demonstrate until Serzh Sarkisian signs his resignation letter, she said. Serzh Sarkisian, please do that quickly.

Sarkisian, who took over as prime minister on April 17 after serving as president for ten years, rejected the demands for his resignation at a televised meeting with her husband held in the morning. Pashinian was detained more than an hour later.

As of Sunday night, the authorities refused to specify where Pashinian is being held. Opposition lawmakers tried unsuccessfully to visit him in custody. They were only allowed to see two other Civil Contract lawmakers detained in the morning.

Throughout the day the Armenian police again described the protests as illegal and threatened to disperse them. Both the United States and the European Union urged the authorities in Yerevan to avoid using force against peaceful protesters.

We urge the government to show restraint to allow for peaceful protest and we urge those exercising their freedom of assembly to do so responsibly, to avoid violence, and to prevent an escalation of tensions, the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan said in a statement. It expressed concern over reports of violence against journalists and demonstrators.

Echoing the EUs appeals, the U.S. mission also advocated a peaceful resolution of the crisis through meaningful political dialogue.

First Deputy Prime Minister Karen Karapetian said it is still not too late to start such a dialogue. I think it wouldnt hurt if political forces gathered [for talks,] he told reporters.

At the same time, Karapetian defended Pashinians arrest and accused the opposition leader of intransigence. He also dismissed Pashinians calls for fresh parliamentary elections, saying that the last legislative polls held in April 2017 were legitimate.

Virtually all major opposition forces, including businessman Gagik Tsarukians Prosperous Armenia Party, strongly condemned the arrest of Pashinian and other protest organizers and demanded their immediate release.

The Armenian National Congress (HAK) led by former President Levon Ter-Petrosian also voiced unconditional support for the people fighting for the establishment of democracy in a peaceful and constitutional manner.Trend:

Samir Nuriyev has been appointed the chairman of Azerbaijans State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture.

Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev signed an order on April 21 on the new composition of the Cabinet of Ministers.

Prior to this appointment, Nuriyev served as director of Azerbaijans State Housing Agency.Inam Karimov has been appointed Azerbaijans minister of agriculture.

He replaced Heydar Asadov on this post.

Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev signed an order on April 21 on the new composition of the Cabinet of Ministers.

Inam Karimov previously headed the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations under the President of Azerbaijan.Our cameras were at the Harbor Foundation's butterfly release at Ford Park on Saturday. Did we see you there?The former Tedfords restaurant which reopens under a new name next month

High-end restaurant Tedford's is to return to its former home with a new name, new head chef and revamped menu - just two months after relocating.

The business, housed within a historic former ship chandlers', has taken inspiration from its heritage and will be renamed Chandlers Seafood Belfast.

It will open at the beginning of next month.

It will focus on seafood with fresh local scallops, mussels and oysters added to the menu alongside other fish dishes.

Owners Sharon and Alan Foster, who also run Tedford's Kitchen on Lanyon Quay, which opened in 2015, decided "it was time for a change and refreshment" as the original Tedford's celebrates 18 years in business this year.

"We had been concentrating on Tedford's Kitchen and decided it was time for a refreshment of Tedford's," said Sharon.

"We were never exclusively seafood and that was a theme that was difficult to get away from.

"We originally branded as Tedford's Steakhouse but everyone still thought we were a seafood restaurant because of the restaurant that was there before us, but we only ever had a choice of a couple of fish dishes."

And so, embracing the establishment's reputation as a seafood restaurant, the couple have gone with a new theme with more local fish on the menu.

The rebrand also includes the refurbishment of the back of house and kitchen area of the premises.

It will be headed up by new chef Patrick Franklin whose previous roles include chef de partie at the prestigious Il San Pietro di Positano restaurant on the Almafi Coast in Italy. Most recently Mr Franklin was head chef at Harry's Shack in Portstewart.

Some of the managers at the restaurant's sister establishment will transfer over to Chandlers Seafood Belfast and up to 10 jobs will be created when the venue opens in two weeks.

In February the Fosters decided to relocate Tedford's to their more casual restaurant on Lanyon Quay.

Talking about the name change, Sharon explained: "We had been toying with loads of different names and because the building is listed as a ship chandler, with that above the door, we decided to go with that.

"And because we've always been known as a seafood restaurant, we put that in the name."

Sharon believes it will also appeal to visitors.

"We are seeing so many more tourists in Belfast and they love trying local fish dishes so it will work well," she added.Dance group Rise are through to the next round of BGT (Tom Dymond/Syco/Thames/PA)

A teenage survivor of the Manchester Arena bombing qualified for the next round of Britains Got Talent as she returned to the city of the attack to audition.

Hollie Booth, 13, and her dance troupe, Rise, performed to a medley of Ariana Grande hits less than a year after the youngster attended the pop stars concert where a suicide bomber killed 22 people including Hollies aunt, Kelly Brewster.

The 11 dancers, aged between 10 and 24 years old, performed the dance with wheelchairs in support of Hollie who spent weeks in hospital and had multiple operations following the suicide bombing.

She was praised by Simon Cowell for her efforts at the audition as the dance group received four yes votes from the judges.

Cowell said: Hollie  this is difficult  to get through what you went through and come out here and turn a negative into a positive is actually quite unbelievable.

What these people did, theyre cowards, and the fact that you can come on stage and do what you did and make such a positive statement with your friends, Im very proud of you.

In fact I salute you, he added.

Hollie broke her right knee and her left foot and leg as well as suffering nerve damage meaning she cannot walk without wearing a splint.

Also making it through was a priest who brought the crowd to tears with his moving rendition of REMs Everybody Hurts.

Father Ray Kelly, 64, from Oldcastle, County Meath in Ireland was one of Cowells favourite ever auditions.

The judge added: I thought your voice was beautiful, I loved the version of the song, this was everything weve been waiting for, genuinely.

A stand-up comedian who cannot speak also made it through after David Walliams told him it was one of the best stand-up routines he had ever seen.

Lee Ridley, 37, who performs under the name Lost Voice Guy, has cerebral palsy which has left him unable to speak thus meaning he used his iPad to deliver a unique comedy routine.

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Rock star pensioner, Jenny Darren, who sings AC/DCs Highway to Hell and a pair of balancing Vietnamese acrobats were also given four yeses by judges.

The episode, which was recorded in January, marked Ant McPartlins first appearance on TV screens since he was banned from the road for 20 months and fined 86,000 for driving while more than twice the legal limit earlier this week.

After McPartlin, of Chiswick, west London, was charged, ITV announced the Saturday Night Takeaway host would step back from his TV commitments, with co-presenter Declan Donnelly presenting the final two episodes of the show on his own.

While he is currently appearing in the pre-recorded auditions, ITV confirmed Donnelly will host the Britains Got Talent live shows without his TV partner of almost 30 years.Got a passion for music and think you can shake up the local radio scene? The BBC is looking for you.

BBC Northern Ireland is searching for new presenters who can display a genuine expertise and passion for music.

To enter applicants, between 18 and 30 years of age, will need to make a 60-second video reviewing a performance, gig or recent recording showing evidence of their musical expertise.

These videos will then need to be uploaded online on to a social media or video hosting platform of choice and then the link emailed to musicni@bbc.co.uk. The email must include a link to your video, their contact details and 150 words explaining why they should be selected for this opportunity.

The best 20 entries will then be invited to BBC Broadcasting House to take part in a presenting workshop with some of the applicants going on to present some digital content for BBC Northern Ireland and perhaps getting the chance to go on air in the future

Lynette Fay, BBC Radio Ulster presenter says: The BBC has such a rich tradition of music presenters on the airwaves so this is an amazing opportunity for all those budding young presenters to get a foot through the door.

"The best advice I can give to any aspiring applicants is to speak from the heart, dont over think it and be yourself. We are not looking for the best filming skills, just someone with passion who can make a connection with the viewer. Good luck to all  I will look forward to meeting up with the best 20 entrants at the presenting workshop on the 23 June.

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BBC Radio Foyles Stephen McCauley added: The BBC is very serious about engaging new up and coming presenters and this campaign for 18-30 year olds is a great opportunity for anyone with a passion for music who would like to try their hand at presenting.

"It couldnt be easier  simply use your own social media or video platform to upload the 60 second showreel and then send the BBC a link explaining why we should pick you. Lynette and I genuinely cannot wait to meet the best entrants on the 23 June to share some of our experience and knowledge of this industry.

Entries will be judged by a panel of BBC Northern Ireland presenters and production staff.

The video needs to be original, made specifically for this opportunity and the script needs to be the applicants own work.

Entries will be accepted until 11:59pm on Friday, June 1. Anything sent after this date will not be considered. Applicants must also be available to attend an audition day in BBC Northern Ireland on June 23 if successful. Further details can be found at bbc.co.uk/musicniMan left seriously injured after crash on Ballysillan Road in north Belfast. A car hit a number of parked vehicles before hitting the man as he walked in the area. Picture Colm O'Reilly Sunday Life

Man left seriously injured after crash on Ballysillan Road in north Belfast. A car hit a number of parked vehicles before hitting the man as he walked in the area. Picture Colm O'Reilly Sunday Life

A councillor has expressed her shock and dismay after an early morning crash in north Belfast left a pedestrian with life-changing injuries.

A car hit a number of parked vehicles on the Ballysillan Road before then hitting a pedestrian at around 3am.

The man - aged in his 40s - was taken to hospital with severe head and facial injuries.

PUP councillor Julie-Anne Corr-Johnston described the scene as "horrific" on Sunday morning.

"There is so much debris," the Belfast councillor told the Belfast Telegraph, "it is a horrific scene.

"Residents said they heard three loud bangs and one of them was the car hitting the pedestrian. There was a passing taxi at the time and thankfully there was a nurse inside who was able to administer first aid on the scene before the ambulance arrived.

"People will only be waking up to find their cars damaged and will have no idea what happened. But all our thoughts will be with the pedestrian.

"Police have said they are treating this as very serious."

The crash comes just days after mother of two Lisa Gow lost her life not far from Sunday's crash scene on the Ballysillan Road. She was hit by a stolen car.

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Councillor Corr-Johnston added: "There is a really dark cloud hanging over the community... this is just hard to stomach, I don't know where to begin to process this never mind comment on it.

"I am shocked, angry and frustrated. But the people of Ballysillan have hearts of lions and they will once again show that in the wake of this horrific incident.

"Sunday is a day for families and people coming together and my thoughts go out to all those involved."

Police have arrested a 29-year-old woman and have appealed for anyone with information, video or pictures to contact investigators.

The Ballysillan Road has been reopened.No referendum can change the moral truth that abortion is wrong, a Catholic bishop has said.

The direct and intentional killing of an unborn human would be just as immoral the day after it was legalised as it had been the day before, Bishop Denis Brennan added.

Draft legislation to be introduced if the referendum on repealing the Eighth Amendment is passed proposes unrestricted terminations be made available to women who are up to 12 weeks pregnant.

The bishop said: What repeal would mean is very clear, namely that the unborn boy or girl whose heart beats at 21 days, and the older unborn baby who has all of her/his vital organs at 12 weeks, will have no rights at all in Irish law, should people vote yes to repeal.

This 12-week-old unborn baby, who is now enjoying for the first time the ability to kick, to move and to yawn, would, in the first stretches of young life, be without the basic protection of the right to life itself.

A face without rights is not compatible with either reason or faith.

The poll is due to be held on May 25.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar launched Fine Gaels campaign for Yes on Saturday by characterising it as the compassionate answer for women with crisis pregnancies forced to travel abroad for abortions.

Today, Fine Gael Ministers, TDs and Councillors came together to call for a Yes vote in the referendum on May 25th. #8thRef

Heres why: pic.twitter.com/RhXpMTSYL3  Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) April 21, 2018

The bishop said: No referendum can change moral truth.

The direct and intentional killing, of an unborn human being, would be just as immoral the day after it was legalised, as it had been, the day before.

That any person, at any age, would have no rights at all is not, I believe, what a majority of Irish people want.

This is what repeal proposes and will come to mean were it to pass.

As voters, we are the unborn babys last line of defence.

I ask that you weigh carefully this responsibility and act in the best interest of the unborn child.

Abortion is currently only available when a mothers life is at risk, but not in cases of fatal foetal abnormality, rape or incest.

Mr Varadkar has said next months referendum could represent a coming-of-age moment when the nation stops cold-shouldering those in crisis.Germany has ramped up the rhetoric as the battle to wrench euro clearing from London after Brexit continues, with a top politician dismissing the Citys claim that fragmentation represents a risk to the financial system.

Tarek Al-Wazir, economy minister for the German state of Hesse, where the countrys financial centre Frankfurt is situated, said Londons own dominance over the euro clearing industry was in itself a concern for the EU.

He told the Press Association: If you look at the risks  everything concentrated in one place is, at the end, the riskiest thing you can have.

I dont think that if you have two places, for example, or three places (where euro clearing is based) that its more risky. I think the opposite is true.

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If you have the risk offshore  and dont forget from the perspective of the European Union the UK will be something like offshore  why should the European taxpayer accept that in case something goes wrong that you have to, in the worst case, help someone to survive if you have no possibility to somehow supervise what hes doing?

The comments come as rival European centres vie for the multibillion-pound market that could leave London as a result of Brexit.

The European Commission last year put forward proposals which would impose stricter supervision of clearing houses by EU central banks and the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), and in some cases force bigger operations to move operations to the bloc.

The move brings London one step closer to losing its dominance over the euro-clearing market, which settles business and trade conducted in the EU currency.

I am worried that some of the repercussions from Brexit could introduce risk back into the system that weve managed to reduce.City of London Corporations policy chairwoman

But Square Mile figures have argued that splitting up euro clearing will lead to higher costs and threaten stability, citing a liquidity squeeze that would reduce clearing houses ability to diversify their risks.

City of London Corporations policy chairwoman Catherine McGuinness has said that if euro clearing fragments, it could introduce greater risk into the system.

If we split bits of clearing well lose that netting  theres another question on cost, but by fragmenting clearing we could well introduce greater risk into the system. So thats a real issue, she said.

I am worried that some of the repercussions from Brexit could introduce risk back into the system that weve managed to reduce, Ms McGuinness added.

But Mr Al-Wazir also dismissed the idea of the greater cost implications, saying that it is simply an attempt to maintain clearing in London.

We also read what the cost of euro clearing relocation would be, but if you really look closely on what was written there, its just not true.

I understand what they do  or what theyre trying to do  of course they want to keep their business, I understand that.

Champions for London have also argued that the process of relocating all or part of a clearing business would be legally and operationally complex.

The Bank of England has tried to ease the burden on banks and financial firms by allowing lenders and clearing houses to continue using existing passport rights to operate in the UK throughout the Brexit transition period until the end of 2020.

A report conducted by EY for the London Stock Exchange in the wake of the Brexit vote in 2016 claimed that up to 83,000 clearing jobs could be lost over the next seven years if euro-denominated clearing leaves London.

It said that job losses could create a domino effect on other financial sectors, affecting up to 232,000 jobs across the UK.The bells of Dom Toren played three of Avicii's songs (MicheldeWinter/Getty Images)

The Netherlands tallest church tower paid tribute to the late DJ Avicii on Saturday by playing his songs using its bells.

The Swedish artist, real name Tim Bergling, was found dead in Oman on Friday afternoon.

On hearing the news, Utrechts carillonneur (chief bellringer) Malgosia Fiebeg announced on Twitter that the Dom Tower carrilon would play three of the 28-year-olds biggest hits in his memory.

At 11am on Saturday, the towers 13 bells rang out to the tune of Wake Me Up, Without You and Hey Brother.

Wake Me Up, Without You en Hey Brother van Avicii speel ik vanochtend om 11u op de beiaard van de #Domtoren #Utrecht  Malgosia Fiebig (@Malgosiafiebig) April 21, 2018

Reddit user Bafkonijn filmed the special moment and posted it on the site, where it has been viewed thousands of times.A police vehicle sits outside the Waffle House restaurant in Nashville (Sheila Burke/AP)

A gunman wearing nothing but a green jacket and brandishing an assault rifle stormed a US Waffle House restaurant and killed four people before dawn, according to police, before a customer saving lives by wresting the assailants weapon away.

The gunman shot people in the car park before entering the restaurant, where he continued firing until a customer grabbed the rifle, Nashville Police spokesman Don Aaron said.

Four people were also wounded before the gunman fled, shedding his jacket.

Authorities said they were searching for the suspect, 29-year-old Travis Reinking, and that they were drafting murder warrants for him.

Nashville police tweeted that the pick-up vehicle the gunman drove to the restaurant was registered to Reinking.

BREAKING: Travis Reinking, 29, of Morton, IL, is person of interest in Waffle House shooting. Vehicle the gunman arrived in is registered to him. Gunman last seen walking south on Murfreesboro Pike. He shed is coat and is nude. See Reinking? Pls call 615-862-8600 immediately. pic.twitter.com/duoWCo5fC0  Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) April 22, 2018

Witness Chuck Cordero told The Tennessean newspaper he had stopped to get a cup of coffee and was outside the restaurant when the chaos unfolded around 3.25am.

Expand Close James Shaw Jr, shows his hand that was injured when he disarmed a gunman (Larry McCormack/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp James Shaw Jr, shows his hand that was injured when he disarmed a gunman (Larry McCormack/AP)

He did not say anything, Mr Cordero said of the gunman, who he described as all business.

Mr Cordero said the man who wrested the gun from the suspect saved lives.

I saw the opportunity and pretty much took itHero customer James Shaw

Had that guy had a chance to reload his weapon, there was plenty more people in that restaurant, he said.

Police identified the man who grabbed the weapon as 29-year-old James Shaw, Jr.

This is a very sad day for the Waffle House family. We ask for everyone to keep the victims and their families in their thoughts and prayers.  Waffle House News (@WaffleHouseNews) April 22, 2018

Mr Shaw told The Tennessean in an interview that he was just trying to get myself out.

I saw the opportunity and pretty much took it.

The newspaper reported that Mr Shaw was grazed by a bullet, treated and released.

When I was in the ambulance to hospital I kept thinking that Im going to wake up and its not going to be real, Mr Shaw said.

It is something out a movie.

Crissy and I are deeply saddened by the tragic incident in Antioch early this morning, and we mourn the lives taken in this senseless act of violence. I encourage everyone in the Antioch area to take safety precautions as Metro Police continue to search for the suspect.  Bill Haslam (@BillHaslam) April 22, 2018

Im OK though, but I hate that it happened.

Mr Aaron, the police spokesman, said three people died at the restaurant and one person died at Vanderbilt University Medical Centre, where two others were being treated for gunshot wounds.

Medical Centre spokeswoman Jennifer Wetzel said one was in critical condition and the other was in critical but stable condition.

TriStar Southern Hills Medical Centre spokeswoman Katie Radel in Nashville said two people were treated for minor injuries and released.

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Mr Aaron said the gunman arrived at the restaurant and waited in the car park for four minutes before shooting two people outside.

At some point after the gunman entered, Mr Shaw grabbed his rifle and tossed it over a counter, Aaron said.

The gunman then fled and was seen walking, nude, on a road, authorities said.

Police were still searching for him amid a steady rain more than 10 hours after the shooting.

Mr Aaron said Reinking lived near the restaurant in the working- and middle-class Antioch neighbourhood of southeast Nashville, and police used yellow crime scene tape to block public access to an apartment complex about a half-mile from the Waffle House.

Reinking is originally from Morton, Illinois, and was known to both Illinois and federal law enforcement, Mr Aaron said.

The victims names were not immediately released.

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Whatsapp This photo provided by the Metro Nashville Police Department photo shows the rifle used in the deadly shooting (Police/AP)

Police initially described Reinking as a person of interest, but Mr Aaron later told reporters authorities were searching for a gunman we fully believe to be Travis Reinking.

I think its safe to say that person of interest and suspect in this matter is synonymous, he said.

This is a very sad day for the Waffle House family, the company said in a statement on Twitter.

Its a tragic day for our city anytime people lose their lives at the hands of a gunman. My heart goes out to the families & friends of every person who was killed or wounded in this mornings shooting. I know all of their lives will be forever changed by this devastating crime.  David Briley for Judge (@DavidBriley) April 22, 2018

We ask for everyone to keep the victims and their families in their thoughts and prayers.

Nashville mayor David Briley described the shooting as a tragic day for the city.

My heart goes out to the families & friends of every person who was killed or wounded, Mr Briley said in an emailed statement.

I know all of their lives will be forever changed by this devastating crime.

Congressman Jim Cooper, whose district includes Nashville, said in an emailed statement that the shooting shows the need for tighter restrictions on widespread civilian access to military-grade assault weapons.

Expand Close Hero James Shaw wipes tears away during a press conference (Wade Payne/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp Hero James Shaw wipes tears away during a press conference (Wade Payne/AP)

Tennessee governor Bill Haslam said he and his wife, Crissy, are deeply saddened by the tragic incident in Antioch early this morning, and we mourn the lives taken in this senseless act of violence.

Authorities say the suspect was arrested last year by the US Secret Service for being in a restricted area near the White House.

Mr Aaron said Reinkings firearms authorisation was then revoked at the request of the FBI.

Four weapons were seized, including the AK-15 that he allegedly used in the shooting at the Waffle House restaurant.

Aaron says the four guns were returned to the suspects father, who acknowledged giving them back to his son.

A Secret Service agent said Reinking had hoped to talk to President Donald Trump.

Special Agent Todd Hudson in Nashville said the suspect wanted to set up a meeting with the president.In response to my post about the freakishly long oath of office that Massachusetts once required (see Shortening the Massachusetts Oath of Office Probably Saved Lives (Apr. 17), somebody wrote to say it was remarkable that for 40 years Massachusetts had an oath that was obviously unconstitutional. He was referring to the first sentence, which required any high-level official to swear that I believe the Christian religion, and have a firm persuasion of its truth, and so plainly violated the First Amendments Establishment Clause until the oath was amended in 1821.

Probably because I was focused on the less important issue (to some) of the number of words involved, I just sort of skipped over this. On reflection it seems worth mentioning, because it may be surprising to learn that at the time, and for many years after, this requirement was totally legal.

It didnt violate the First Amendment initially for the simple reason that the First Amendment didnt yet exist. The states started drafting new constitutions not long after the Declaration of Independence, and the Massachusetts Constitution was approved in 1780. This was before even the Articles of Confederation were ratified (1781), let alone the U.S. Constitution (1789), which was drafted in response to the general recognition that the Articles of Confederation sucked. They said nothing about freedom of religion in any event, so from 1780 to 1789, there was no federal document that would have precluded a state from having such an oath.

But that was still true after the Constitution was ratified. There was no Bill of Rights and so no First Amendment until 1791. The Constitution itself did provide, in Article VI, that no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States, but the United States meant the federal government, not the individual states. And the First Amendment also did not apply to the statesit said (and still says) only that Congress shall make no law about religion. The states could do what they wanted.

And they did. Nine of the original 13 states, in fact, had some sort of religious test in their constitutions and continued to have them for many years. It looks like Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Massachusetts were the most tolerant of the nine, requiring only that officeholders had to be Christian (or willing to swear that they were, anyway). In the others, every religion was tolerated, as long as it was Protestant. For example, in South Carolina:

The Christian Protestant religion shall be deemed, and is hereby constituted and declared to be, the established religion of this State. That all denominations of Christian Protestants in this State, demeaning themselves peaceably and faithfully, shall enjoy equal religious and civil privileges.

S.C. Const. of 1778, Art. XXXVIII.

This was just slightly in conflict with the lofty stuff they were also saying about freedom (though less conflicting than, you know, slavery). But some people have always had difficulty seeing such conflicts, sometimes even within the same sentence:

That there shall be no establishment of any one religious sect in this Province, in preference to another; and that no Protestant inhabitant of this Colony shall be denied the enjoyment of any civil right, merely on account of his religious principles; but that all persons, professing a belief in the faith of any Protestant sect  shall fully and freely enjoy every privilege and immunity, enjoyed by others their fellow subjects.

N.J. Const. of 1776, Art. XIX. Its total religious freedom, you see, for those who observe the correct religion.

For its part, Massachusetts tolerated all religions, as long as they were Christian, and even made accommodations for the Quakers, who were specifically allowed to hold office even though they dont swear oaths. (They still had to make the basic statement, they just didnt have to use words like swear or so help me God.) The part about Christianity lasted until 1821, when the oath was changed to require true faith and allegiance only to Massachusetts and its constitution.

But again, that had nothing to do with the U.S. Constitution, because the Bill of Rights originally applied only to the federal government, something the U.S. Supreme Court confirmed in Barron v. Baltimore (1833). This didnt change until after the Civil War, when the 14th Amendment (and a few hundred thousand Union soldiers) put some restrictions on the states. Even then, the Court held in 1876 that the First Amendment did not apply to the states, and it wasnt until the 1940s that it changed its collective mind about the Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses, deciding that they applied to the states via the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment, and not until 1961 that it held this meant state religious tests were necessarily unconstitutional.

So, to Massachusettss credit, it got rid of the religious test 140 years before the U.S. Supreme Court required it. To the shame of Arkansas, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas, they still havent gotten rid of theirs entirely (even though its very unlikely the requirement could be enforced).

Quakers still probably have nothing to worry about, at least. One1 has even been elected Presidentalthough this article says that his Quaker background was part of his first cover-up. One suspects, though, that he was not all that committed to his faith, based on my understanding that Quakers also tend to frown on things like, lets say, bombing the crap out of Cambodia.Username: Password: or Register Thread Rating: 1 Vote(s) - 5 Average

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On the Lavash Trail in Armenia silversides

The bare necessities of life

User ID: kaput

04-22-2018 01:21 AM



Posts: 28,531









Post: #1 On the Lavash Trail in Armenia

Advertisement









https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhNyNt3LhcI



Our South Korean friends get the benefits of underground cooking: the group took part in a traditional Armenian bread lavash making process at the local house in Garni. And the three layer delicious BBQ assortment grill from tonir was a blast!

(Kotayk Province, Armenia, May 2014)



Any traveler to Armenia have tried lavash at some point. The paper thin bread may appear to be a simple concoction of water and flour, seasoned with salt, and the ingredients may be easy to get hold of, but making lavash requires a good deal of dexterity, skill, coordination and expertise, not to mention the right kind of oven!



Traditionally made by a small group of women, the dough is dealt out in small balls, which are rolled out into thin discs that are then stretched out on an oval cushion that is then slapped against the hot oven wall. The oven bears resemblance to a well, and the high temperature means the bread only needs 30 seconds to a minute of cooking time against the hot clay wall.



Lavash has made it into the UNESCOs list of intangible heritage of Armenian culture. Its not only the breads unique role in Armenian cuisine, but also the unusual technique for producing it coupled with the role lavash plays in the community that has influenced the local culture.



----------------------------------------



On the Lavash Trail in Armenia



In Yeghvard, Armenia





In Yeghvard, Armenia, home bakers offered us a platter of cheese and herbs to eat with the fresh lavash. (Photo by John Lee)



By Kate Leahy, Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage

SMITHSONIAN.COM

APRIL 20, 2018



The first lavash we ate after arriving in Yerevan came from the corner store near our rental apartment. It was pale and paper-thin, but durable enough to wrap around scrambled eggs and cheese. This lavash wouldnt be the lavash that changed our lives, but it served an important purpose: refueling our brains after two days of airports, layovers and plane seats.



The we in this story comprises chef Ara Zada, photographer John Lee, and me, a food writer. Our admiration and interest in Armenian food is what brought us together to form the team behind the upcoming cookbook Lavash. Ara grew up going to an Armenian school in Southern California, and he wanted to dig deeper into his heritage. John got to know Armenian food while teaching a food photography workshop at TUMO, an after-school digital media and cultural learning center for youth in Armenia. And I got hooked in college while writing my thesis on food and Armenian cultural identity.



Why is lavash at the heart of our story? Its the most culturally important bread in Armenia, added to UNESCOs intangible cultural heritage list in 2014. The act of baking lavash has also been documented in countless paintings. In the 1970s, President Gerald Ford even selected a print of Armenian Ladies Baking Lavash by Armenian American artist Manuel Tolegian for the White House Bicentennial Collection.



Yet lavash is also painfully misunderstood outside of the Caucasus. (One English-language cookbook suggests that tortillas make a good substitute. They dont.) In Armenia, even the factory-made lavash we ate for breakfast, which came in a plastic bag, was miles ahead of the impostors we had sampled back home. But it wouldnt be the last lavash we ate, either. If we wanted to learn how to make the real thing, we were going to need to venture much farther than the corner store.



...

Read more:



Give the gift of Smithsonian magazine for only $12! Sorry, no url shorteners/1cGUiGv

Follow us: @SmithsonianMag on Twitter Popurri Perez Prado

Armenia - Baking lavash in Garni villageOur South Korean friends get the benefits of underground cooking: the group took part in a traditional Armenian bread lavash making process at the local house in Garni. And the three layer delicious BBQ assortment grill from tonir was a blast!(Kotayk Province, Armenia, May 2014)Any traveler to Armenia have tried lavash at some point. The paper thin bread may appear to be a simple concoction of water and flour, seasoned with salt, and the ingredients may be easy to get hold of, but making lavash requires a good deal of dexterity, skill, coordination and expertise, not to mention the right kind of oven!Traditionally made by a small group of women, the dough is dealt out in small balls, which are rolled out into thin discs that are then stretched out on an oval cushion that is then slapped against the hot oven wall. The oven bears resemblance to a well, and the high temperature means the bread only needs 30 seconds to a minute of cooking time against the hot clay wall.Lavash has made it into the UNESCOs list of intangible heritage of Armenian culture. Its not only the breads unique role in Armenian cuisine, but also the unusual technique for producing it coupled with the role lavash plays in the community that has influenced the local culture.----------------------------------------On the Lavash Trail in ArmeniaIn Yeghvard, ArmeniaIn Yeghvard, Armenia, home bakers offered us a platter of cheese and herbs to eat with the fresh lavash. (Photo by John Lee)By Kate Leahy, Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural HeritageSMITHSONIAN.COMAPRIL 20, 2018The first lavash we ate after arriving in Yerevan came from the corner store near our rental apartment. It was pale and paper-thin, but durable enough to wrap around scrambled eggs and cheese. This lavash wouldnt be the lavash that changed our lives, but it served an important purpose: refueling our brains after two days of airports, layovers and plane seats.The we in this story comprises chef Ara Zada, photographer John Lee, and me, a food writer. Our admiration and interest in Armenian food is what brought us together to form the team behind the upcoming cookbook Lavash. Ara grew up going to an Armenian school in Southern California, and he wanted to dig deeper into his heritage. John got to know Armenian food while teaching a food photography workshop at TUMO, an after-school digital media and cultural learning center for youth in Armenia. And I got hooked in college while writing my thesis on food and Armenian cultural identity.Why is lavash at the heart of our story? Its the most culturally important bread in Armenia, added to UNESCOs intangible cultural heritage list in 2014. The act of baking lavash has also been documented in countless paintings. In the 1970s, President Gerald Ford even selected a print of Armenian Ladies Baking Lavash by Armenian American artist Manuel Tolegian for the White House Bicentennial Collection.Yet lavash is also painfully misunderstood outside of the Caucasus. (One English-language cookbook suggests that tortillas make a good substitute. They dont.) In Armenia, even the factory-made lavash we ate for breakfast, which came in a plastic bag, was miles ahead of the impostors we had sampled back home. But it wouldnt be the last lavash we ate, either. If we wanted to learn how to make the real thing, we were going to need to venture much farther than the corner store....Read more: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/la...V3mL4z2.99 Give the gift of Smithsonian magazine for only $12! Sorry, no url shorteners/1cGUiGvFollow us: @SmithsonianMag on Twitter Archangel

Michael

User ID: 1337

04-22-2018 03:18 AM



Posts: 14,103









Post: #2 RE: On the Lavash Trail in Armenia

Sounds like a good skill to have in case something strange comes across the bow. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 1337

04-22-2018 03:31 AM











Post: #3 RE: On the Lavash Trail in Armenia

Cooking in a hole in the ground?



Sounds great, can't wait to try it.



Great catch Silver.















By Sarah Slater

A wheelchair user who said that she was left humiliated and forced to miss a flight by an airline wants disabled travellers to be treated with the dignity they deserve.

Fiona Weldon, a lecturer and researcher at the national Anti-Bullying Centre in Dublin City University, experienced difficulties with two airlines - Ryanair and Are Lingus - when travelling earlier this year.

Fiona said: "I feel very strongly that disabled travellers should be treated with the same dignity and respect that is affording to non-disabled paying travellers.

"Why should I or anyone else be treated any differently just because they use a wheelchair?

Why can't Ryanair and Aer Lingus keep records of disabled passengers wheelchairs details and the type of support needed?

"It seems logical to me. I felt so small and my needs or feelings didn't matter, they were in charge and I was expected to behave and do what I was told."

On January 25 this year, Fiona, accompanied by her husband and family, travelled to London for a wedding on a Ryanair flight.

She sent in details of her electric wheelchair such as its height, weight, and type of battery used, to the airline.

"I also let them know that I would also need assistance from OCS mobility services on and off the aircraft both in Dublin and London and on my returning flights on January 29," she said.

"I was returning from London to Dublin or so I thought on January 29. I arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare. I had checked in online and sent in details of my electric wheelchair.

"When I arrived at the airport I went straight through security I believed that I had checked in. I had informed the airline of my assistance previously."

When Fiona presented herself at the boarding gate she was stopped because the hostess had no information about her details.

"I was told that I had not presented myself at the check-in desk," she said.

"They told me that they didn't know I was travelling.

"I had checked in online but I was told that this was not good enough. The Ryanair personal at the gate informed me that they could not take my chair onboard because it needed to go to a different area and it was a long way away.

"I have often travelled with Ryanair and they have taken my chair from me at the aircraft door."

The end result was that Fiona and her husband were not allowed on to the plane because she did not physically present herself at the check-in desk on arrival.

"I was told that I would have to go to the Ryanair help desk to seek assistance," she said.

"When the airline representative finally turned up at the desk they informed my husband and I that they would help us to book a later flight which meant going back through security yet again. It was a very long and drawn-out process."

"The Ryanair representative informed me that I may have to pay for the flight also. I told her that I would refuse to pay but thankfully she arranged a new flight for myself and my husband and I didn't have to pay.

"This experience ended up being a total nightmare, my lift was gone from Dublin and we ended up having to get a taxi from the airport which cost 70.

"It was madness, in all the flights Ive been on my wheelchair is always taken off my at the aircraft."

In a statement, Ryanair said: Wheelchair services at London Gatwick are operated by service provider Omniserv and London Gatwick is responsible for this service. 

"As per standard procedure, and as outlined in our email sent to this customer five days before her departure date, customers who have requested wheelchair assistance from the airport are asked to report to the special assistance desk at their departing airport at least two hours before departure."

"In this instance, this customer did not present herself to the airports special assistance desk and as a result, when she arrived at the boarding gate, there was no one from the airport in place to assist her and her wheelchair safely on board and the flight departed.

Meanwhile, Aer Lingus apologised to Fiona for the upset caused to her and her Personal Assistant while trying to board a flight in Lisbon, Portugal when she was returning from a conference there last month.

Again, Fiona contacted Aer Lingus and informed them that wheelchair assistance to her flight was needed.

When I arrived in Lisbon airport on the day of my departure, the ground hostess at the check-in desk did not receive any information regarding my wheelchair," she said.

"I told her that I had sent in the details the day before.

"She also wanted to check in my wheelchair with my suitcases. I told her that this was ridiculous."

"She proceeded to contact her supervisor and he said that I needed to leave my chair in the oversized baggage and that I was to carry my battery myself onto the plane, this I knew was ridiculous. It took an hour to sort it out.

"I went to the oversized baggage area with the OCS representative who had wheeled me over in a chair and gave in my electronic chair to their security people.

"We then proceeded to airport security where we were searched and again they wanted to know why I had my wheelchair battery.

"I told them that I was told that it must travel with me onto the plane. They were confused and so was the OCS person. They proceeded to ring to get authorisation  this was another waiting game and another 20 minute of a wait.

"We proceeded to the boarding gate after getting authorisation. Thankfully our flight was delayed coming from Dublin, with all the delays we had getting through the airport checks, we would have missed our flight back to Dublin.

"I then proceeded to my seat on the aircraft. I sat down and the air hostess asked me what was in my battery.

QOUTE "She was the third person in two and half hours to ask me the same question. She had to ask the pilot if it was OK to keep the battery with me. She came back to inform me that they needed to bring the battery to the hold where my chair was.

At this stage, it was an: Oh My God feeling. Both my PA and I and were exhausted by everything that had happened. We were both so stressed and just wanted to go home.

In response, Aer Lingus said: "While we did receive details of Ms Weldons wheelchair request through our Special Assistance form, the specific details of the wheelchair being electric were missed due to an administrative error.

"Lithium batteries are classed as hazardous goods and as such it is normal procedure to make checks on these items upon check-in.

"We recognise that this was not a pleasant experience for Ms Weldon and would like to apologise to her for this oversight and the subsequent difficulty she had while travelling back from Lisbon airport."

Fiona added: "I feel that it is of the great importance that this issue is highlighted and that it never happens again to anyone else.By Daniel McConnell, Political Editor

Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin has described as ridiculous the defence given by Communications Minister Denis Naughten when he said his call with a lobbyist for Independent News and Media (INM) was personal.

Mr Martin is demanding an apology from Mr Naughten, but will not call for his resignation.

Following the confirmation of a call between Mr Naughten and Eoghan O Neachtain, a lobbyist for Independent News and Media, Fianna Fail had shied away from a motion of no confidence in him.

However, yesterday at a 1916 Commemoration event at Arbour Hill in Dublin, Mr Martin said it is very important that the Taoiseach and Minister Naughten state unequivocally that what was done was wrong.

I think many people find the Ministers defence in the Dail as incredible. The Taoiseach started this by suggesting what happened initially was a personal view. You cant distinguish a personal view from his responsibility as a minister in relation to media mergers. That was a ridiculous statement to make, he said.

Secondly he compounded the original wrong by the manner of his defence in the Dail. I think the Taoiseach has to be categoric in the Dail, and so must the minister, that what he did was wrong. I think the minister should apologise for what he did.

"If its the Government view that this is something which is OK, then I do think we have a problem in terms of future behaviour, said the Fianna Fail leader.

Mr Martin said this matter needs to be pursued further. He denied he was simply posturing on the issue by ruling out a motion of no confidence.

No its not. Theres some very clear principles at stake and the behaviour - how ministers behave in terms of discharging their statutory repsonsibliities. We in the Dail must hold ministers to account and the Taoiseach to account. Its not just enough to put up the shutters and try defend the indefensible, he said.

Im surprised by the ministers performance in the Dail last week. I presumed he was going to come in and take a different approach and articulate in the different way on it, he added.

Ultimately all laws need to be enforced. There need to be penalties if those laws are not adhered to. All regulations can only go so far. Its the actually enforcement of regulation where we as a country tend to fall down. Enforcement of regulation in relation to lobbying is clearly something that should be looked at now in relation to what has happened."

Mr Martin also said he would shy away from door-to-door campaigning on the Eighth Amendment referendum, which is less than five weeks away.

As a legislator, we must take on board the views of all of the people and not to force our views on anyone. There is a mood out in the country for change in relation to the 8th Amendment itself and I will continue to advocate for that, he said.

And while he will use the media to speak out, he said he was unsure if the people want to be told what to do by politicians.

In terms of doorstep campaigning, my own sense is a lot of people want to be left to their own thinking...They are not overly enthusiastic about the prospect of politicians coming and telling them what to do. I will use public fora to articulate my own views, and others in the party with other views to mine will be on the airwaves articulating their views, he said.Minister of State for Equality, Immigration and Integration David Stanton has met with Cork students on the Yellow Flag Diversity committee.

North Monastery Secondary School became the first post-primary school in the county to achieve Yellow Flag status.The senior AMP legal executive accused of interfering with a supposedly independent report into breaches by its financial planning division has been stood down from a disciplinary panel run by the corporate regulator amid growing concerns about the close links between the financial services giant and ASIC.

AMP general counsel Brian Salter took leave from his corporate position on Friday - the same day chief executive Craig Meller was sacked - after the Hayne Royal Commission heard evidence that the Sydney-based company had lied to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission on at least 20 occasions and altered a so-called "independent" report prepared by law firm Clayton Utz.

Fairfax Media can reveal Mr Salter also holds a position on the Financial Services and Credit Panel which was set up by ASIC late last year. Members of the panel sit on ASIC's administrative hearings, where banning orders for misconduct by rogue financial planners might be considered.

ASIC's external advisory panel, a high-powered group used by the regulator to provide deeper understanding of "developments and systemic risks within the financial services industry", also has close links with AMP with three members associated with the troubled company including two former chief executives.AMP's chairman - at the time of printing - Catherine Brenner has a lot on her plate. For some, being chairman of a major listed company stuck in a rut more stubborn than Malcolm Turnbull's polling would be enough.

She must now pine for the days when parlous financial performance was her biggest problem. To recap, the Hayne royal commission revealed last week that AMP had a nasty habit of lying to the corporate regulator and that Brenner herself had helped doctor an independent expert's report into how the company might be ripping off its customers.

Time to get busy. Chief executive Craig Meller was told for the second time in a matter of months that his services weren't required, only this time the assessment was immediate. The chief counsel Brian Salter was stood aside. That left Brenner, alongside step-in chief executive Mike Wilkins free to announce reviews into all and sundry - presumably not so that she can then add her publisher notes at the margin.

Investors have been busy, too, whacking the share price down from just under $5.50 a month ago to Friday's close at $4.30. And that's before they've even heard what AMP's head of compliance Sarah Britt has to tell the commission on Monday.Australia's small businesses are missing out on a once-in-a-generation opportunity to tap into demand from the burgeoning number of middle-class consumers in South East Asia and China, new research suggests.

Just 27 per cent - or 734,000 - of Australia's small businesses have customers overseas, according to a report released by Australia Post on Monday.

Australia Post says more small traders could target overseas customers. Credit:Jim Rice

Even among small businesses that trade online, only 40 per cent are shipping their goods to customers internationally.

While small business exports have been growing - at a compound rate of 11.6 per cent between 2014 and 2016 - Australia Post's general manager of small business Rebecca Burrows said many traders were missing out on the chance to increase sales by targeting new markets.There's something incongruous about the privacy scandal that has rocked Facebook to its very core over the past month.

Despite the worst public relations crisis in its short history, triggered by revelations of data harvesting affecting millions of users, and resulting in chief executive Mark Zuckerberg being hauled before US Congress earlier this month, the company's underlying business remains relatively unscathed.

At least it seems that way. The #DeleteFacebook movement appears to have stalled, and few big advertisers have publicly walked away from the gigantic platform. Most strikingly, Facebook's share price is just 13 per cent below its highest peak (and still up more than 300 per cent since the company's IPO in 2012).

So who has got it wrong? Have politicians and legacy media (which competes with Facebook in online advertising markets) misjudged the impact of this episode ? Or are investors being dangerously complacent about the risks facing the company, and its long term future?The focus is on the smallest of details at the Australian War Memorial as preparations for Anzac Day ramp up, with as many as 60,000 people expected to attend this year's services.

About 150 staff and volunteers are working feverishly to set up, with much of the infrastructure needed for the biggest day on the war memorial's calendar put in place on Wednesday, ahead of last Thursday's full dress rehearsal.

Hamish Griffen and Rohin Ashkbar help set up for Anzac Day services at the Australian War Memorial. Credit:Elesa Kurtz

Australian War Memorial assistant director Anne Bennie said it was predicted up to 50,000 people would come to the dawn service, with as many as 10,000 at the national service later in the morning.

She said with events of this size, the biggest challenge was getting everyone on the same page.Tributes from Canberra's advertising and hospitality industries were flowing across social media on Sunday night following the death of Canberra businessman and entrepreneur Pawl Cubbin.

Mr Cubbin was the visionary behind many iconic Canberra restaurants and bars including Belluci's and Public in Manuka, Little Brooklyn in Kingston and Shorty's in Civic.

Canberra entrepreneur Pawl Cubbin has died suddenly. Credit:Graham Tidy

He was a co-founder of Regional Express (REX) Airlines in 2002.

But he was most well-known as Canberra's most prominent advertising guru, establishing Zoo Advertising in the late 1990s and working in recent times on marketing campaigns for the Brumbies, the Centenary of Canberra and for property giant Geocon.The only dog left behind at the RSPCA in Canberra after its record-breaking $29 adoption drive has at last found love - over the border.

Riding up front in the old Mercedes station wagon of his new owner (a "besotted" Bill Peisley from Queanbeyan), Cooper brushed off questions about the disappointments that had dogged his past six months at the shelter.

His big brown eyes stared into Canberra's soul in February when it was revealed every dog was adopted from the RSPCA's Canberra shelter during its $29 adoption weekend - except Cooper. Credit:Sitthixay Ditthavong

After being surrendered in November, the two-year-old bulldog boxer cross watched on as the shelter emptied around him during the February adoption weekend.

Instead of a home, Cooper found overnight celebrity, sparking an outpouring of love on social media that quicked turned into lines of people waiting at the gate to meet the eligible pooch. But it would be another two long months before he could head out those gates himself.Username: Password: or Register Thread Rating: 2 Vote(s) - 5 Average

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Page: 1 2 The Gulf Of Aden Vortex / Electromagnetic Black Hole : REAL OR FAKE ? LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 1337

04-22-2018 04:05 AM











Post: #16 RE: The Gulf Of Aden Vortex / Electromagnetic Black Hole : REAL OR FAKE ?

Advertisement



http://www.groundzeromedia.org/4-19-18-d...mless-pit/ Not sure if you posted this yet but Clyde Lewis summary: The Ghost Of LOP

Registered User

User ID: 1337

04-22-2018 04:07 AM



Posts: 41,648









Post: #17 RE: The Gulf Of Aden Vortex / Electromagnetic Black Hole : REAL OR FAKE ?

LoP Guest Wrote: (04-22-2018 04:05 AM) Not sure if you posted this yet but Clyde Lewis summary:



http://www.groundzeromedia.org/4-19-18-d...mless-pit/

Thanks , I posted a small section of it. I was trying to find the episode on sound cloud but in is strangely screwed up on that show and its not the correct one. Thanks , I posted a small section of it. I was trying to find the episode on sound cloud but in is strangely screwed up on that show and its not the correct one. I am so confused !!! LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 1337

04-22-2018 04:12 AM











Post: #18 RE: The Gulf Of Aden Vortex / Electromagnetic Black Hole : REAL OR FAKE ?

The Ghost Of LOP Wrote: (04-22-2018 04:04 AM) LoP Guest Wrote: (04-22-2018 04:02 AM) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Airpl...x_edit.jpg

Thanks for the links

Google Earth Pro has some historical images of that bay and those 3 bars are not there in the 10/06/03 satellite image. They show up in the 9/30/2009 satellite image.



They are each about 400 feet long and 100 feet wide. The 2/21/2014 satellite image shows a lot of ships surrounding the bars.



They could be artificial like the islands the Chinese are building, but they seem very symmetrical and I doubt the yemen government has the technology to build them. Google Earth Pro has some historical images of that bay and those 3 bars are not there in the 10/06/03 satellite image. They show up in the 9/30/2009 satellite image.They are each about 400 feet long and 100 feet wide. The 2/21/2014 satellite image shows a lot of ships surrounding the bars.They could be artificial like the islands the Chinese are building, but they seem very symmetrical and I doubt the yemen government has the technology to build them. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 1337

04-22-2018 04:12 AM











Post: #19 RE: The Gulf Of Aden Vortex / Electromagnetic Black Hole : REAL OR FAKE ?

LoP Guest Wrote: (04-22-2018 04:12 AM) The Ghost Of LOP Wrote: (04-22-2018 04:04 AM) Thanks for the links

Google Earth Pro has some historical images of that bay and those 3 bars are not there in the 10/06/03 satellite image. They show up in the 9/30/2009 satellite image.



They are each about 400 feet long and 100 feet wide. The 2/21/2014 satellite image shows a lot of ships surrounding the bars.



They could be artificial like the islands the Chinese are building, but they seem very symmetrical and I doubt the yemen government has the technology to build them.

This bay



https://www.google.com/maps/@14.0248281,...a=!3m1!1e3 This bay The Ghost Of LOP

Registered User

User ID: 1337

04-22-2018 04:14 AM



Posts: 41,648









Post: #20 RE: The Gulf Of Aden Vortex / Electromagnetic Black Hole : REAL OR FAKE ?

LoP Guest Wrote: (04-22-2018 04:12 AM) LoP Guest Wrote: (04-22-2018 04:12 AM) Google Earth Pro has some historical images of that bay and those 3 bars are not there in the 10/06/03 satellite image. They show up in the 9/30/2009 satellite image.



They are each about 400 feet long and 100 feet wide. The 2/21/2014 satellite image shows a lot of ships surrounding the bars.



They could be artificial like the islands the Chinese are building, but they seem very symmetrical and I doubt the yemen government has the technology to build them.

This bay



https://www.google.com/maps/@14.0248281,...a=!3m1!1e3

Strange. Strange. I am so confused !!! LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 1337

04-22-2018 04:30 AM











Post: #21 RE: The Gulf Of Aden Vortex / Electromagnetic Black Hole : REAL OR FAKE ?

The Ghost Of LOP Wrote: (04-22-2018 04:14 AM) LoP Guest Wrote: (04-22-2018 04:12 AM) This bay



https://www.google.com/maps/@14.0248281,...a=!3m1!1e3

Strange.

Revelation 13:1



And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore. Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names Revelation 13:1 LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 1337

04-26-2018 03:08 AM











Post: #22 RE: The Gulf Of Aden Vortex / Electromagnetic Black Hole : REAL OR FAKE ?

















The ACT government must explain why it will not establish a board of inquiry into allegations of abuse in youth detention, the Canberra Liberals say.

Opposition youth spokeswoman Elizabeth Kikkert said there was no proof government intervention had solved recent issues within the Bimberi Youth Justice Centre.

Opposition youth spokeswoman Elizabeth Kikkert, who says the government must address failings inside Bimberi. Credit:Jay Cronan

Youth Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith has provided little reason for Canberrans to believe her assurances that institutionalised violence at the Bimberi youth detention centre is a thing of the past, Ms Kikkert said.

She needs to state why a board of inquiry into Bimberi is not warranted in Canberra.Jessica Buntrock was angry when she saw the flyer. The 33-year-old skincare blogger has never been to Real Health in Sydney's Bankstown but her image appears on a flyer advertising its beauty and massage treatments.

Buntrock, who uses the brand name Jess Bunty on her blog as well as YouTube, Instagram and Twitter, lives on the Gold Coast and found out about the flyer when she was contacted by one of her 93,000 YouTube subscribers.

Skincare blogger Jessica Buntrock's photo was used by a Bankstown business without her permission.

Images of Buntrock, purporting to show her "before" and "after" a laser facial treatment at Real Health to combat acne and inflammation, had been photoshopped to show dramatic results.

"It's a very frustrating situation," Buntrock said. "I'm not looking for financial compensation, even though they're using my image for a commercial purpose. I just want them to stop using it."The state's roads agency has spent $30 million on a controversial project to replace the historic Windsor Bridge in far north west Sydney before construction of a new one has begun.

And with the most recent estimate putting the cost of the project at $50 million, the spending by Roads and Maritime Services so far has raised claims the final cost will blow out.

The government's plans for Windsor Bridge and its replacement have met stiff community opposition. Credit:Tamara Dean

A community campaign against the government's plans to demolish the 144-year-old bridge and replace it with a higher structure 35 metres downstream has dogged the project for the past decade.

Hawkesbury City Council opposes the plan on the basis that it will adversely affect the state-heritage listed Thompson Square, the oldest town square in Australia. It wants the historic Windsor Bridge retained and, over time, turned into one for use by cyclists and pedestrians.A woman has died in custody at Ipswich Watch House only hours after being arrested.

The 44-year-old from the outer Brisbane suburb of Ellen Grove was found dead in her cell about 2am on Saturday during a routine check.

The Ipswich Watch House. Credit:Google Maps

Police said she had been arrested on Friday evening for failing to appear in court and drug matters.

The Ethical Standards Command has launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death, which will be overseen by the Crime and Corruption Commission.Eight people were hospitalised and more than 10 kilometres of "gridlock" formed on the Bruce Highway, after two southbound multi-vehicle crashes on Sunday afternoon.

The first smash, involving two vehicles, happened about 3.45pm in Bells Creek and a second three-vehicle crash happened near Glenview just before 5pm.

Australian Traffic Network reporter Charlton Hart described the southbound stretch as "gridlock".

Mr Hart said beachgoers returning from the Sunshine Coast were caught in the delays, with southbound traffic stretching back more than 10 kilometres from Bells Creek to Tanawha.

Emergency services were on scene.A woman and a second man have been charged over the shooting death of a 24-year-old man in Petrie on Friday.

Jacob Bell was shot at a unit at Petrie just after midnight on Friday, with Luke Cunningham, 21, charged that day with his murder.

A woman came forward and was charged after police circulated her image at the weekend. Credit:Queensland Police Service.

On Sunday a 19-year-old woman voluntarily attended a police station and was arrested after officers had circulated her image hours earlier.

"We are just interested in hearing her side of the story," Detective Superintendent Tony Fleming told reporters.Race Discrimination Commissioner Tim Soutphommasane. Credit:Wolter Peeters

Panic over Melbournes so-called African gang crisis has dragged race relations in Australia to their lowest ebb in years, Race Discrimination Commissioner Tim Soutphommasane says.

Dr Soutphommasane, whose five-year term comes to an end in August, told Fairfax Media the saga had opened the floodgates to some of the worst prejudice and racism he had witnessed during his tenure.

The panic about African youth crime has undoubtedly done significant damage to racial harmony in Melbourne and Australian society more generally, he said.

There is never anything to be gained from focusing excessively on ethnicity and race around discussions around crime - there is very little to be gained from having race-based panic.Police have arrested two teenage boys in relation to a brazen weekend crime spree through Perth that ended in dramatic circumstances in Hamilton Hill on Sunday morning.

The two boys were arrested on Sunday night after an allegedly stolen Honda Jazz was stopped on the Mitchell Freeway around 9.20pm.

A Maddington boy, 16, was charged with Steal Motor Vehicle, while a 17-year-old boy from Yangebup was charged with Aggravated Robbery, Steal Motor Vehicle, No Authority to Drive and Stealing in relation to two separate incidents.

Both boys are due to appear in the Perth Childrens Court today.Lunaticoutpost.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program , anaffiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.Amazon, the Amazon logo, MYHABIT, and the MYHABIT logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.Don't be a pest to the forum.No profanity in thread-titles or usernamesNo excessive profanity in postsNo Racism, Antisemitism + HateNo calls for violence against anyone..This website exists for fun and discussion only. The reader is responsible for discerning the validity, factuality or implications of information posted here, be it fictional or based on real events. The content of posts on this site, including but not limited to links to other web sites, are the expressed opinion of the original poster and are in no way representative of or endorsed by the owners or administration of this website. The posts on this website are the opinion of the specific author and are not statements of advice, opinion, or factual information on behalf of the owner or administration of LunaticOutPost.Com. The owners or administration of this website can't be hold responsible for content hosted on sites that posters link to in; including, but not limited to, posts, signatures, private messages and such. This site may contain content not suitable for minors and if you feel you might be offended by such content, you should log off immediately.This site may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Users may make such material available in an effort to advance awareness and understanding of issues relating to civil rights, economics, individual rights, international affairs, liberty, science & technology, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material. The material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.In accordance with industry accepted best practices we ask that users limit their copy / paste of copyrighted material to the relevant portions of the article you wish to discuss (no more than 50% of the source material) provide a link back to the original articleIf you are a legal copyright holder or a designated agent for such and you believe a post on this website falls outside the boundaries of "Fair Use" and legitimately infringes on yours or your clients copyright please contact [email protected] This website is owned by :Marco ZwaneveldDrijfriemstraat 522516 XR The HagueNetherlands.I will not rent, sell, share or otherwise disclose your personal information to any third party.We might contact you from time to time regarding your purchases or the services (like forums and announcement lists) you have subscribed to.Some of the 3rd party advertisers on lunaticoutpost.com may use cookiesto track peformance and/or to serve relevant ads.If you wish to read more and/or opt out of such cookies, please visit: http://www.networkadvertising.org/choices/The federal governments new student loans watchdog has been inundated with complaints from people discovering they are in debt over loans issued without their consent during one of the biggest rorts in Australian education history.

Assistant Minister Karen Andrews says disillusionment with the system is the biggest problem. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

More than one year after the vocational education loan scheme known as VET FEE-HELP was scrapped, figures reveal that the VET Student Loans Ombudsman received a total of 4153 complaints between last July and December, the first six months of its operation.

Issues involved everything from providers making unsolicited contact to lure more students to people being offered laptops and other inducements to enrol into courses or not being given accurate information about qualifications and loans  all hallmarks of the VET FEE-HELP scheme.

But in a trend predicted to worsen, the biggest single complaint  566 in the final three months of last year alone  came from people who never knew they had a debt until they earned enough to reach the repayment threshold (currently $55,874).The number of Australians in publicly-funded tertiary education is projected to fall over the next decade due to declining participation in TAFE and the government's cap on university places, according to new research.

A paper by the Mitchell Institute at Victoria University, released Monday, predicts participation in government-funded tertiary education will fall from 1.65 million enrolled students in 2016 to 1.16 million by 2031, based on current trends.

That is primarily due to falling participation in public vocational education, which declined 6.6 per cent in the first nine months of 2017, continuing a trend that started in 2012.

The Mitchell Institute's modelling also estimates more than 200,000 university places will be lost by 2031 because of the effective cap brought in by the Turnbull government last year.

Under those changes, a freeze on university funding  with some exceptions  will apply for two years. From 2020, the growth in funding for student places will be capped by the growth of the working age population.Former Queensland deputy premier and treasurer Terry Mackenroth has been diagnosed with a lung tumour after being admitted to hospital with pneumonia.

Mr Mackenroth, who overcame lung cancer almost 20 years ago, says a tumour was found as part of routine testing for pneumonia and he's lucky it was caught early.

Terry Mackenroth served as Queensland's treasurer in the Beattie government. Credit:AFR

"Anyone who knows me knows that I am a fighter and I'll do whatever it takes to achieve a positive outcome," Mr Mackenroth said in a statement.

He did not specifically say if the tumour was cancerous or not.London: A British travel company says four Britons on a pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia have been killed in a bus crash.

Hashim Travel said the four were among 18 people on a bus travelling from Mecca to Medina on Saturday. The travel company says the bus collided with a gasoline tanker truck. It says other people on the bus were treated for injuries.

The Foreign Office called the collision near the town of Al Khalas in west Saudi Arabia a "serious road traffic accident." It said in a statement it is working to assist families of the people killed and injured. It didn't give further details.

Hashim Travel says it has organised pilgrimage tours for more than 15 years.

APSign up for our PoliticsNY newsletter for the latest coverage and to stay informed about the 2021 elections in your district and across NYC

To the editor,

Two steps forward, but one step back, came to mind when I read last weeks story about the Fourth Avenue bike lane through Sunset Park (Lane closure: Sunset Park Fourth Ave. bike path will skip a block for police parking, by Julianne McShane, online March 30). We learned that after all this time and effort to create a truly protected bike lane down Fourth Avenue, the Department of Transportation did an about face and nixed the protected lane at 29th and 30th Streets, thus requiring bikers to temporarily merge into car traffic. The reason for the switch is to accommodate street parking for the local Police precinct, some of it for precinct staffs personal vehicles.

You dont need to be a biking advocate to understand that protected bike lanes only work if they are continuous lanes, rather than a hodgepodge that increases dangerous conditions for everyone. Now, rather than a relaxing ride with your children (or a safe morning commute to work) youll once again need to worry about imminent death by car on a stretch known for extreme traffic conditions.

How did this come to be? The bike lane proposal was studied exhaustively for years, approved by all the relevant authorities and Community boards, and publicly announced. And then, after all of that, the rug was pulled out with no explanation to accommodate needless head-out parking for police and personal vehicles already blocking the sidewalk? Yes, police vehicles need a place to park, but the snap decision, without public comment or explanation, to maintain the status quo speaks to someone at DOT simply taking the unimaginative easy way out. Why cant these vehicles park in newly-reserved parking on the street next to the bike lane? Or on the side streets just 10 to 30 feet away? No one knows. And its not hard to imagine that no one thought to ask.

I hope this decision is not permanent, that cooler heads will prevail at DOT, and the lane can be protected once more. And while those cooler heads are thinking, they should get to work extending that Fourth Avenue lane all the way through Bay Ridge (dare to dream!)

Darren Schmidt

Bay Ridge

Works there, not here

To the editor,

Im not so sure that being ahead of the curve means that our children must be given a free rein to possibly place their well-being in peril  and spare us the statistics and the law. Ive worked with statistics my whole adult life, taught it and lectured it, and surprise, surprise! statistics can be manipulated and misinterpreted. As far as modern laws are concerned, they are enacted to appease and many are whimsical in nature. Did you know that in some California communities it is illegal for anyone to try and stop a child from playfully jumping over puddles of water? Im sure Lenore Skenazy likes that law.

Basically, Ms. Skenazy describes my upbringing to a tee, but times are not the same.

I grew up in Bensonhurst. I went to the park alone and came back safe and sound. My little league games ended at about 7:30 pm and I survived dusk. I even went to Yankee Stadium and Ebbets Field by subway  and yes I came home unscathed and alive. But that was then. Today with liberal politicians and activist judges siding with criminals, with wall-to-wall homeless and illegals, with the mentally ill released from mental institutions prematurely (or refusing to take their meds), we should be afraid to let our children out alone.

Im curiousWhen Ms. Skenazy let her 9-year old son ride the New York City subways alone, wasnt she afraid that something adverse might happen to him? That he might be kidnapped? Or robbed? Or get lost? Or be bullied? She is certainly not a child abuser as some have alleged, but why did she take a chance? To prove a point? Using her kid?

Utah is a wonderful state; Ive been there a few times and fell in love with the people and their way of life; I usually stay at the Marriott  where else? In Utah kids probably can be left alone, but in New York? Fugheddaboudit! And yes, Im referring to New York City, which New York State revolves around.

During an early business dinner in Salt Lake City, I realized that my parking meter had expired, so I excused myself and went out to insert more money in the meter. A traffic agent was about to issue a ticket, but noticed I was walking toward the carand waited

Is this your car?

Sorry, I lost track of time.

You mean you came here to put more change in the meter?

Yes

Well, thats different. Have a nice evening and walked away without writing a ticket. Would this scenario ever happen in New York? Its a different life in my back yard. Utah may have a little sleaze, but not so in New York  we have lots of sleaze.

As engineers, we design systems for the unlikely event when matters of extreme importance are at stake  and as parents, we must design our parenting for the unlikely event when matters of extreme importance are at stake  and our kids are matters of extreme importance. What can be more important?

Im afraid a law similar to Utahs in New York would be an invitation for the scum of the Earth to prey on our kids. Still, as nice as the people of Utah are, I dont agree with its law. Something awful only needs to happen once  to one kid what if that kid is mine? What if that kid is yours, Ms. Skenazy?Elio Valenti

Bay Ridge

Limit em!

To the editor,

I am sick and tired of the same voices and biased ideas by boys club politicians who delay, investigate and distract while they provide cover for each other as they steal our tax dollars.

Elected positions were never meant to be  and should not be  life-long careers. The very fact that they are is reason why and how easily we the people are being duped, because career folks know how to play the systems they define, create and manipulate via their management schemes to benefit themselves and their ilk alone.

This country has more than enough wealth to provide all (tax-paying) citizens with far more than is needed to meet subsistence; shelter, food and health care for those in especially dire straits; and excellent health care for all. Our infrastructure (roads, bridges, and airports, to name three) should be well cared for, top shelf.

Instead, we keep reading about career politicians retiring with fixed benefit pensions and lifetime healthcare in hand, along with kickbacks from the wealth/corporate ghouls they have represented and lucrative jobs awaiting their arrival. Some of those politicians were instrumental in increasing our deficit by a trillion dollars while giving huge tax breaks to billionaires.

Term limits, new blood every two terms should be mandatory. I believe this is our only opportunity to curb their ways and thus have our needs and concerns addressed.

This, along with limiting their opportunity to become money-driven lobbyists, or to completely eliminate that practice, will help to put an end to the continued nepotism, obstruction and outright theft of our tax money, and government.

Please vote with your considered minds and hearts come Nov. 6, 2018.

Barry Brothers

Homecrest

Double trouble

To the editor,

City traffic is a headache and motorists who observe bike lanes when double parking for alternate side regulations only make matters worse. Indeed in some instances trucks and large vans have had fender benders with these double parked cars while trying to navigate through these streets, especially when there are one or two cars still parked at the curb.

Im familiar with the usual arguments that double parking is not allowed anywhere  but long standing practice has modified that regulation. However now, with the introduction of bike lanes throughout the neighborhood (a move I heartily support) motorists have been forced to leave the lane free thus parking well into the middle of the street. It seems to me that cyclists would not be greatly endangered by lack of access to the bike lanes for 90 minutes once a week.

Of course motorists using common sense and double parking within bike lane get ticketed. The Traffic Department seems only too content with disregarding good judgement and writing hefty fees instead. Community boards should engage local police precincts and talk sense.

Neil Sullivan

Park Slope

Better slow than no

To the editor,

The B82 Limited makies no stops in the 10 blocks between Nostrand and Ocean Avenues. Anyone wanting to get on or off in those 10 blocks must take the regular B82.

Hence, overcrowding on the regular B82 and half-empty Limited buses. Does anyone know what the average passenger county is on a Limited busas compared to a regular bus? One passenger to five? One to 10?

Yes, the trip is slow. Kings Highway is a busy commercial strip and delivery trucks (and cars) are double parked. Will express buses eliminate this? Slow travel is preferable to eliminating bus stops.

And how does this plan serve the elderly and disabled?

Dorothy R. Goldberg

MidwoodPrime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold an informal summit in China's Wuhan city from April 27 to 28 to exchange views on bilateral and international issues and to enhance mutual understanding between them, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced here today.

Prime Minister Modi will be visiting the central Chinese city in Hubei province at the invitation of President Xi, Wang said at a joint media event with visiting External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj after their talks.

"The two leaders will have communications of a strategic nature concerning the once-in-a-century shifts going on in the world. They will also exchange views on overarching long-term and strategic matters concerning the future of China-India relations," Wang said.

China and India are "natural partners" in cooperation. "Our common interests far outweigh our differences. The two countries have no choice other than pursuing ever lasting friendship, mutually beneficial cooperation and a common development," he said.

"The summit will go a long way towards deepening the mutual trust between the two great neighbours. The leaders will reach a strategic conclusion about the global situation and the development of China and India. It will also set the general goals, identify new goals and create a new dynamic for the growth of China-India relations," he said.

Swaraj said she discussed with Wang the preparations for the informal summit between the two leaders.

"It will be an important occasion for them to exchange views on bilateral and international matters from an over-arching and long-term perspective with the objective of enhancing mutual communication at the level of leaders," she said.

"The meeting in Wuhan flows from the understanding reached by the two leaders last year that India-China relations are a factor for stability in a period of global changes, and we have a common responsibility for peace, security and prosperity in the world," she said.

Swaraj said both leaders will also discuss their respective national developmental priorities and explore the future direction of the multifaceted engagement between India and China with a view to strengthen their closer developmental partnership.

On bilateral ties, she said, the progress made by the two countries in the last few months has also contributed to building trust and understanding.

"We have agreed to maintain the momentum of these exchanges," she said.

She said the two countries have agreed that as two major countries and large emerging economies, the healthy development of bilateral ties was important for the emergence of an Asian Century.

"We believe that our commonalities outweigh our differences and that we must build on our convergences, while seeking mutually acceptable resolution of our differences," she said.

The minister also underlined the importance of maintaining peace and tranquility in the India-China border areas as an "essential pre-requisite" for the smooth development of bilateral relations.

Swaraj is in China for talks with Wang and to take part in the two-day meeting of Foreign Ministers of the eight-nation Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) from tomorrow.

Informed sources told PTI that it will be an informal summit meeting between Xi and Modi during which both leaders will try to work out a new paradigm for the bilateral ties bogged down with a host of disputes and differences.

This will be fourth visit of Modi to China after he came to power in 2014. He is again due to visit China to take part in the SCO summit to be held at Qingdao city on June 9-10.

The Modi-Xi summit meeting is taking place in the backdrop of series of high level interactions between both the two countries starting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang's visit to India in December, the first after Dokalam standoff.

It was followed by two meetings between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi and the visit early this year by Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale to Beijing.President Ram Nath Kovind last night promulgated Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance that will allow the government to confiscate properties and assets of loan defaulters who flee the country.

The president promulgated the Ordinance within hours of it being cleared by the Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 12, but could not be taken up for discussion and passage due to the logjam in Parliament over various issues.

The ordinance seeks to confiscate properties of economic offenders like diamond merchant Nirav Modi, who have left the country to avoid facing criminal prosecution.

The provisions of the ordinance will apply for economic offenders who refuse to return, persons against whom an arrest warrant has been issued for a scheduled offence as well as willful bank loan defaulters with outstanding of over Rs 100 crore.

It provides for confiscating assets even without a conviction and paying off lenders by selling off the fugitive's properties.

Such economic offenders will be tried under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The ordinance defines a fugitive economic offender as a person against whom an arrest warrant has been issued for committing offence like counterfeiting government stamps or currency, cheque dishonour for insufficiency of funds, money laundering, and transactions defrauding creditors.

A fugitive economic offender is one who has left the country to avoid facing prosecution, or refuses to return to face prosecution.

According to the ordinance, a director or deputy director (appointed under the PMLA, 2002) may file an application before a special court (designated under the 2002 Act) to declare a person as a fugitive economic offender.

The application will contain the reasons to believe that an individual is a fugitive economic offender.

Besides, the application will have information about his whereabouts, a list of properties believed to be proceeds of a crime for which confiscation is sought, a list of benami properties or foreign properties for which confiscation is sought, and a list of persons having an interest in these properties.

Upon receiving the application, the special court will issue a notice to the individual, requiring him to appear at a specified place within six weeks. If the person appears at the specified place, the special court will terminate its proceedings under the provisions of the Bill.

Any property belonging to the fugitive economic offender may provisionally be attached without the prior permission of the special court, provided that an application is filed before the court within 30 days.

Appeals against the orders of the special court will lie before the High Court.After moving the insolvency authority in the US, Punjab National Bank (PNB) has raised heat by approaching Hong Kong Court against billionaire jeweller Nirav Modi, who is accused of a Rs 13,000-crore fraud.

The bank plans to approach other jurisdictions where Nirav Modi and his associates have assets and properties as part of recovery process, a senior PNB official said.

Hong Kong authorities have been approached and recovery writ has been filed against companies of Nirav Modi, the official said without disclosing other details.

It is to noted that PNB recently hired lawyers to represent itself in the bankruptcy proceedings of the US-based Firestar Diamond, a group company of billionaire diamantaire.

The US Trustee Program oversees the administration of bankruptcy cases in the United States.

Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi, in connivance with certain bank officials, allegedly cheated PNB of over Rs 13,000 crore through fraudulent Letters of Undertaking (LoUs).

A Mumbai branch of PNB had fraudulently issued LoUs for the group of companies belonging to Nirav Modi since March 2011.

Meanwhile, China earlier this month said Hong Kong was free to accept India's request to arrest Modi on the basis of the local laws of the region and judicial agreements between the two.

While Hong Kong is part of the People's Republic of China, it is an autonomous region with its own laws.

On March 23, India's Ministry of External Affairs had requested authorities in Hong Kong to arrest Modi in connection with the alleged fraud from PNB.

A provisional arrest has to be made before a formal extradition can be requested.

Meanwhile, the Union Cabinet yesterday approved a proposal to promulgate Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance 2018 that provides for confiscating properties and assets of economic offenders like loan defaulters who flee the country, sources said.

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Page: 1 2 3 4 AMA about Israel DrVIP

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Post: #1 AMA about Israel

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if you have religious questions I have a thread for that over at the religious forum. Dreamily Resonant VIP mainly from a political historical POV.if you have religious questions I have a thread for that over at the religious forum. LoP Guest

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Post: #2 RE: AMA about Israel

why did he let that nutter shoot up the school? DrVIP

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Post: #3 RE: AMA about Israel

LoP Guest Wrote: (04-22-2018 04:19 PM) why did he let that nutter shoot up the school?

Israel the country. Israel the country. Dreamily Resonant VIP LoP Guest

lop guest

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04-22-2018 04:31 PM











Post: #4 RE: AMA about Israel

how rich can you get by being gifted by god a prime centralized trade hub for 6000 or so years? LoP Guest

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04-22-2018 04:34 PM











Post: #5 RE: AMA about Israel

Do any of your countrymen have an appropriate sense of shame for your county's history, for example illegal mass immigration, Irgun terrorism, driving Palestinians off their land at gunpoint, illegal occupation and settling of East Jerusalem and west bank, blockade of Gaza, treatment of the Palestinians under occupation, annexation of land by the wall, enabling of the Sabra and Shatila massacres, war in Lebanon, extra judicial executions, getting American boys to fight and die for your military goals in Iraq, Libya, Syria, manipulating American public opinion, controlling American foreign policy through AIPAC and other means?



Or is shame not a thing you do? DrVIP

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Post: #6 RE: AMA about Israel

LoP Guest Wrote: (04-22-2018 04:31 PM) how rich can you get by being gifted by god a prime centralized trade hub for 6000 or so years?

I dont know how to answer that question.

never heard of a case of Jew getting rich from trade just because that specific trade was dependant on the location of Israel.



dont forget for most of history Jews didnt have control over Israel. I dont know how to answer that question.never heard of a case of Jew getting rich from trade just because that specific trade was dependant on the location of Israel.dont forget for most of history Jews didnt have control over Israel. Dreamily Resonant VIP PioneerSpirit

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Post: #7 RE: AMA about Israel

LoP Guest Wrote: (04-22-2018 04:34 PM) driving Palestinians off their land at gunpoint, illegal occupation and settling of East Jerusalem and west bank, blockade of Gaza, treatment of the Palestinians under occupation, annexation of land by the wall,

So called 'Palestinians'. ...

They are all Muslims kicked out of other Muslim lands.

(or children of Muslims kicked out of other Muslim lands)

That is Israeli land. Israel was attacked. Israel defended itself.

The attackers lost land. Israel doesn't need to give the land back.

It's a lesson in warfare ... don't gang up and start a war against someone you can't beat.



Gaza isn't 'blockaded' as you imply.

Products that are used in Gaza to harm Israel are stopped.

But of course, the massive tunnel system that the people in Gaza have make it all get through anyways.

Massive tunnel system and nefarious products that are bought and paid for with

'aid money' to Hamas.

'Aid Money' ... billions stolen by Arafat (Egyptian) and sitting in Swiss bank accounts.



Israel never should have given away land in a 'peace' deal. Never.

The 'palestinians' won't ever really go with peace. Their leadership doesn't want it.

Peace would put them out of business. They wouldn't get any more 'aid' money

to wallow in and their positions of power would disappear. They thrive on hate.



Don't want a wall up? Then stop rocketing Israelis and stop bombing their busses

and shopping centers. Oh .. speaking of shopping centers ... here's what a 'palestinian'

shopping center in Gaza looks like under a supposed 'blockade'...











So called 'Palestinians'. ...They are all Muslims kicked out of other Muslim lands.(or children of Muslims kicked out of other Muslim lands)That is Israeli land. Israel was attacked. Israel defended itself.The attackers lost land. Israel doesn't need to give the land back.It's a lesson in warfare ... don't gang up and start a war against someone you can't beat.Gaza isn't 'blockaded' as you imply.Products that are used in Gaza to harm Israel are stopped.But of course, the massive tunnel system that the people in Gaza have make it all get through anyways.Massive tunnel system and nefarious products that are bought and paid for with'aid money' to Hamas.'Aid Money' ... billions stolen by Arafat (Egyptian) and sitting in Swiss bank accounts.Israel never should have given away land in a 'peace' deal. Never.The 'palestinians' won't ever really go with peace. Their leadership doesn't want it.Peace would put them out of business. They wouldn't get any more 'aid' moneyto wallow in and their positions of power would disappear. They thrive on hate.Don't want a wall up? Then stop rocketing Israelis and stop bombing their bussesand shopping centers. Oh .. speaking of shopping centers ... here's what a 'palestinian'shopping center in Gaza looks like under a supposed 'blockade'... "They notice that you notice" - Mothman Prophecies



A tradition cannot make an historical claim and then refuse to have it evaluated by history (This post was last modified: 04-22-2018 04:48 PM by PioneerSpirit .) LoP Guest

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Post: #8 RE: AMA about Israel

LoP Guest Wrote: (04-22-2018 04:34 PM) Do any of your countrymen have an appropriate sense of shame for your county's history, for example illegal mass immigration, Irgun terrorism, driving Palestinians off their land at gunpoint, illegal occupation and settling of East Jerusalem and west bank, blockade of Gaza, treatment of the Palestinians under occupation, annexation of land by the wall, enabling of the Sabra and Shatila massacres, war in Lebanon, extra judicial executions, getting American boys to fight and die for your military goals in Iraq, Libya, Syria, manipulating American public opinion, controlling American foreign policy through AIPAC and other means?



Or is shame not a thing you do?

LoP Guest

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04-22-2018 04:56 PM











Post: #9 RE: AMA about Israel



Quote: The Palestinian Authority continues to pay salaries to tens of thousands of former civil servants who have not worked for the past decade. Others include those who work for international aid groups or the United Nations, as well as some senior Hamas employees. http://english.alarabiya.net/en/variety/...-mall.html Never knew this, how true?? LoP Guest

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Post: #10 RE: AMA about Israel

PioneerSpirit Wrote: (04-22-2018 04:48 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (04-22-2018 04:34 PM) driving Palestinians off their land at gunpoint, illegal occupation and settling of East Jerusalem and west bank, blockade of Gaza, treatment of the Palestinians under occupation, annexation of land by the wall,

So called 'Palestinians'. ...

They are all Muslims kicked out of other Muslim lands.

(or children of Muslims kicked out of other Muslim lands)

That is Israeli land. Israel was attacked. Israel defended itself.

Israel didn't even exist until 1947. That was Palestine and it's population was only 11% Jewish in 1922 before mass illegal immigration. You are some kind of revisionist nut. Israel didn't even exist until 1947. That was Palestine and it's population was only 11% Jewish in 1922 before mass illegal immigration. You are some kind of revisionist nut. DrVIP

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Post: #11 RE: AMA about Israel

LoP Guest Wrote: (04-22-2018 04:34 PM) Do any of your countrymen have an appropriate sense of shame for your county's history, for example illegal mass immigration, Irgun terrorism, driving Palestinians off their land at gunpoint, illegal occupation and settling of East Jerusalem and west bank, blockade of Gaza, treatment of the Palestinians under occupation, annexation of land by the wall, enabling of the Sabra and Shatila massacres, war in Lebanon, extra judicial executions, getting American boys to fight and die for your military goals in Iraq, Libya, Syria, manipulating American public opinion, controlling American foreign policy through AIPAC and other means?



Or is shame not a thing you do?

Israel is pluralistic, you'd find MANY (too many) Israelis who would agree with you and say we must compensate.



I myself dont agree with you.

answering why would be an answer to a question you did not ask. Israel is pluralistic, you'd find MANY (too many) Israelis who would agree with you and say we must compensate.I myself dont agree with you.answering why would be an answer to a question you did not ask. Dreamily Resonant VIP DrVIP

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04-22-2018 05:01 PM



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Post: #12 RE: AMA about Israel

LoP Guest Wrote: (04-22-2018 04:58 PM) PioneerSpirit Wrote: (04-22-2018 04:48 PM) So called 'Palestinians'. ...

They are all Muslims kicked out of other Muslim lands.

(or children of Muslims kicked out of other Muslim lands)

That is Israeli land. Israel was attacked. Israel defended itself.

Israel didn't even exist until 1947. That was Palestine and it's population was only 11% Jewish in 1922 before mass illegal immigration. You are some kind of revisionist nut.

do you have a question? do you have a question? Dreamily Resonant VIP Wane. K . Kerr

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Post: #13 RE: AMA about Israel

The ringwood children where they used 100,000 children in experiments to cleanse the bloodlines



Can we have some more please LoP Guest

lop guest

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Post: #14 RE: AMA about Israel

DrVIP Wrote: (04-22-2018 04:59 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (04-22-2018 04:34 PM) Do any of your countrymen have an appropriate sense of shame for your county's history, for example illegal mass immigration, Irgun terrorism, driving Palestinians off their land at gunpoint, illegal occupation and settling of East Jerusalem and west bank, blockade of Gaza, treatment of the Palestinians under occupation, annexation of land by the wall, enabling of the Sabra and Shatila massacres, war in Lebanon, extra judicial executions, getting American boys to fight and die for your military goals in Iraq, Libya, Syria, manipulating American public opinion, controlling American foreign policy through AIPAC and other means?



Or is shame not a thing you do?

Israel is pluralistic, you'd find MANY (too many) Israelis who would agree with you and say we must compensate.



I myself dont agree with you.

answering why would be an answer to a question you did not ask.

Well it's encouraging to know there are at least some. American Jewish Inteligentsia used to be known for its moral stance and sense of social justice ( now an abused phrase ). The impression I get from outside now is that the overwhelming voice of Jewish politics in America and Israel is hawkish and bloodthirsty. Well it's encouraging to know there are at least some. American Jewish Inteligentsia used to be known for its moral stance and sense of social justice ( now an abused phrase ). The impression I get from outside now is that the overwhelming voice of Jewish politics in America and Israel is hawkish and bloodthirsty. DrVIP

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Post: #15 RE: AMA about Israel

LoP Guest Wrote: (04-22-2018 05:10 PM) DrVIP Wrote: (04-22-2018 04:59 PM) Israel is pluralistic, you'd find MANY (too many) Israelis who would agree with you and say we must compensate.



I myself dont agree with you.

answering why would be an answer to a question you did not ask.

Well it's encouraging to know there are at least some. American Jewish Inteligentsia used to be known for its moral stance and sense of social justice ( now an abused phrase ). The impression I get from outside now is that the overwhelming voice of Jewish politics in America and Israel is hawkish and bloodthirsty.

strange.



right wing Israelis like me usually dont like ameircan Jews and their political views because they are leftists and liberal.



but whatever.



if you have any questions, feel free to ask. strange.right wing Israelis like me usually dont like ameircan Jews and their political views because they are leftists and liberal.but whatever.if you have any questions, feel free to ask. Dreamily Resonant VIP Advertisement

















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Canadian humanitarian worker Peter Dalglish arrested in child sex investigation AnatoliyGolitsyn

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Post: #1 Canadian humanitarian worker Peter Dalglish arrested in child sex investigation

Advertisement New charity child sex abuse scandal is sparked after UN launches probe into 60-year-old former WHO and Unicef official arrested after 'being found with two boys at his home in Nepal'

Article:







Article: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-...Nepal.html (This post was last modified: 04-22-2018 09:30 PM by silversides .) LoP Guest

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Post: #2 RE: Dailymail implicates Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau with child sex scandal

not surprised AnatoliyGolitsyn

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Post: #3 RE: Dailymail implicates Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau with child sex scandal

Isabella

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Post: #4 RE: Dailymail implicates Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau with child sex scandal







"Dalglish, whose net worth has been estimated at more than 5 million, has met Canadian premier Justin Trudeau and Princess Anne through his humanitarian work."



Read more:

Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook How did you come up with the Daily Mail/Trudeau being implicated from this because that's some serious accusation."Dalglish, whose net worth has been estimated at more than 5 million,Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-...z5DQZ3DFXH Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook If you want to influence Trump, you got to be the last guy he talks to."



Steve Bannon (This post was last modified: 04-22-2018 08:35 PM by Isabella .) LoP Guest

lop guest

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Post: #5 RE: Dailymail implicates Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau with child sex scandal

Of course, almost all lefty politicians are pedophiles. LoP Guest

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Post: #6 RE: Dailymail implicates Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau with child sex scandal

LoP Guest Wrote: (04-22-2018 08:47 PM) Of course, almost all lefty politicians are pedophiles.

Or sympathizers/enablers. Or sympathizers/enablers. NormalIsSubjective



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Post: #7 RE: Dailymail implicates Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau with child sex scandal

MainStreetFatCat Wrote: (04-22-2018 08:09 PM) New charity child sex abuse scandal is sparked after UN launches probe into 60-year-old former WHO and Unicef official arrested after 'being found with two boys at his home in Nepal'

Article: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-...Nepal.html











As much as I dislike Trudeau, I can't help but wonder why you neglected to mention Bob Geldoff, Princess Anne or any of the many others he's met over his 30 year career, OP?







New charity child sex abuse scandal is sparked after UN launches probe into 60-year-old former WHO and Unicef official arrested after 'being found with two boys at his home in Nepal'





By Nick Craven, 21 April 2018





The United Nations has launched an investigation after a former senior official with links to a British charity was arrested over serious child sex offences.



Police allege they found 60-year-old Peter Dalglish with two boys aged 12 and 14 in the same room when they launched a dawn raid at his idyllic mountainside home in Nagarkot, near Kathmandu, Nepal, earlier this month.



Dalglish has held various posts, some senior, with UN agencies which receive more than 582 million a year in foreign aid from British taxpayers.



In his most recent posting in 2015, he was the UNs country representative in Kabul.



Detectives claim the lawyer-turned-charity boss has been abusing children in Nepal for 15 years after a young man in his mid-20s made historical allegations against him. Police say that medical and scientific evidence against Dalglish will be presented by prosecutors when he appears in court on Wednesday.



Officers said they were tipped off by workers from another charity three months ago, but also received intelligence from a foreign law enforcement agency more recently, and were following Dalglish prior to the arrest.



Initial investigations revealed that he had been targeting children from poor financial backgrounds and sexually abusing them, said Pushkar Karki, director of Nepals elite Central Investigation Bureau.



He claimed that Dalglish lured children away from their parents with offers to educate them, take them abroad and provide them with jobs.



He told The Mail on Sunday that Canadian-born Dalglish believed his status would make him invulnerable, adding: Those things made it easy for him to prey on those kids. And then they would be silenced, because he has got so much influence.



Staff at various UN agencies were urgently investigating Dalglishs past activities last week.



The married father-of-one founded global charity Street Kids International (SKI), which is now part of London-based Save the Children. He says he was inspired to help youngsters by the 1984 Ethiopian famine, which gave rise to Band Aid and Live Aid, and in his autobiography he writes of meeting Bob Geldof the following year at a camp in Sudan.



He recalled watching refugee children cluster around Geldof and observed: I have always believed that many kids come with a built-in radar that tells them which adults they can trust and which they should fear.



Dalglish, whose net worth has been estimated at more than 5 million, has met Canadian premier Justin Trudeau and Princess Anne through his humanitarian work.



About 15 years ago, he founded the Himalayan Community Foundation, providing healthcare and education to remote communities in Nepal.



Dalglishs UN career spans more than 30 years, and at various times he has held senior posts in the World Food Programme, Unicef, WHO, and UN-Habitat, the organisations home-building programme.



WFP said it was checking its records for the mid-1980s but had not yet found Dalglishs name  a spokesman added that he could have been a local appointment.



UN-Habitat revealed that Dalglish worked for it between 2010 and 2015, but there have not been any reports or allegations on any misconduct during his tenure. WHO said it was shocked at the allegations but added that no complaints had been made against him.



Save the Children said that Dalglish had never worked for the charity, adding: Save the Children acquired one of SKIs programmes and some of its assets in 2015. Unicef said they were reviewing their records. Sir Bob Geldof declined to comment.



Dalglishs lawyer Rahul Chapagain insisted his client was innocent and added: Charges have not be filed but he denies the allegations. He will plead not guilty.







Perhap's you're just explicating your own idiocy with another lame hatchet-job attempt. As much as I dislike Trudeau, I can't help but wonder why you neglected to mention Bob Geldoff, Princess Anne or any of the many others he's met over his 30 year career, OP?New charity child sex abuse scandal is sparked after UN launches probe into 60-year-old former WHO and Unicef official arrested after 'being found with two boys at his home in Nepal'By Nick Craven, 21 April 2018The United Nations has launched an investigation after a former senior official with links to a British charity was arrested over serious child sex offences.Police allege they found 60-year-old Peter Dalglish with two boys aged 12 and 14 in the same room when they launched a dawn raid at his idyllic mountainside home in Nagarkot, near Kathmandu, Nepal, earlier this month.Dalglish has held various posts, some senior, with UN agencies which receive more than 582 million a year in foreign aid from British taxpayers.In his most recent posting in 2015, he was the UNs country representative in Kabul.Detectives claim the lawyer-turned-charity boss has been abusing children in Nepal for 15 years after a young man in his mid-20s made historical allegations against him. Police say that medical and scientific evidence against Dalglish will be presented by prosecutors when he appears in court on Wednesday.Officers said they were tipped off by workers from another charity three months ago, but also received intelligence from a foreign law enforcement agency more recently, and were following Dalglish prior to the arrest.Initial investigations revealed that he had been targeting children from poor financial backgrounds and sexually abusing them, said Pushkar Karki, director of Nepals elite Central Investigation Bureau.He claimed that Dalglish lured children away from their parents with offers to educate them, take them abroad and provide them with jobs.He told The Mail on Sunday that Canadian-born Dalglish believed his status would make him invulnerable, adding: Those things made it easy for him to prey on those kids. And then they would be silenced, because he has got so much influence.Staff at various UN agencies were urgently investigating Dalglishs past activities last week.The married father-of-one founded global charity Street Kids International (SKI), which is now part of London-based Save the Children. He says he was inspired to help youngsters by the 1984 Ethiopian famine, which gave rise to Band Aid and Live Aid, and in his autobiography he writes of meetingthe following year at a camp in Sudan.He recalled watching refugee children cluster around Geldof and observed: I have always believed that many kids come with a built-in radar that tells them which adults they can trust and which they should fear.Dalglish, whose net worth has been estimated at more than 5 million, has met Canadian premierthrough his humanitarian work.About 15 years ago, he founded the Himalayan Community Foundation, providing healthcare and education to remote communities in Nepal.Dalglishs UN career spans more than 30 years, and at various times he has held senior posts in the World Food Programme, Unicef, WHO, and UN-Habitat, the organisations home-building programme.WFP said it was checking its records for the mid-1980s but had not yet found Dalglishs name  a spokesman added that he could have been a local appointment.UN-Habitat revealed that Dalglish worked for it between 2010 and 2015, but there have not been any reports or allegations on any misconduct during his tenure. WHO said it was shocked at the allegations but added that no complaints had been made against him.Save the Children said that Dalglish had never worked for the charity, adding: Save the Children acquired one of SKIs programmes and some of its assets in 2015. Unicef said they were reviewing their records. Sir Bob Geldof declined to comment.Dalglishs lawyer Rahul Chapagain insisted his client was innocent and added: Charges have not be filed but he denies the allegations. He will plead not guilty. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-...Nepal.html Perhap's you're just explicating your own idiocy with another lame hatchet-job attempt. (This post was last modified: 04-22-2018 09:08 PM by NormalIsSubjective .) NormalIsSubjective



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Post: #8 RE: Dailymail implicates Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau with child sex scandal

LoP Guest Wrote: (04-22-2018 08:47 PM) Of course, almost all lefty politicians are pedophiles.



Your righty pedo politicians deeply appreciate your support and mindless partisanship. Your righty pedo politicians deeply appreciate your support and mindless partisanship. Flic Vange

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Post: #9 RE: Canadian humanitarian worker Peter Dalglish arrested in child sex investigation

Voltaire: I detest your views but I would give my life to protect your rights to express them.



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04-22-2018 11:52 PM











Post: #10 RE: Canadian humanitarian worker Peter Dalglish arrested in child sex investigation

MainStreetFatCat Wrote: (04-22-2018 08:09 PM) New charity child sex abuse scandal is sparked after UN launches probe into 60-year-old former WHO and Unicef official arrested after 'being found with two boys at his home in Nepal'

Article: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-...Nepal.html



link to image: http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/0...693425.jpg



link to image: http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/0...812158.jpg

Don't attach this to Canadians, get away from the cities and we'll cut your balls off and make you eat them for this behaviour. Don't attach this to Canadians, get away from the cities and we'll cut your balls off and make you eat them for this behaviour. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 1337

04-22-2018 11:54 PM











Post: #11 RE: Canadian humanitarian worker Peter Dalglish arrested in child sex investigation

Canadians only donate to The Salvation Army. MAGNETO

lop guest

User ID: 1337

04-23-2018 12:02 AM











Post: #12 RE: Canadian humanitarian worker Peter Dalglish arrested in child sex investigation

Pedophilia is more common than anyone thinks.



Look at how Jimmy Saville raped and murdered hundreds of children. Provided them to government officials. But for some reason little investigation ever happens when it involves left leaning politicians.



I think it's because so many leftists advocate to abolish age of consent, or to lower it to 8-11 years of age.



Albert Kinsey and the American liberals were instrumental in essentially decriminalizing child rape.



If we could just unilaterally agree that raping children is bad we could do something. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 1337

04-23-2018 12:25 AM











Post: #13 RE: Canadian humanitarian worker Peter Dalglish arrested in child sex investigation









https://medium.com/@LoriHandrahan2/what-...249e0d6684



http://www.collective-evolution.com/2018...edophilia/



http://www.myrepublica.com/news/6219/



http://lfpress.com/news/local-news/londo...suspicions



http://www.newsweek.com/former-senior-un...pal-876783



https://www.sott.net/article/383068-UN-a...pedophilia









connected to the hillary huma sex tape release. of course they immediately had snopes (of course) "debunk" it but it's real and connected. NormalIsSubjective



User ID: 1337

04-23-2018 01:27 AM



Posts: 21,185









Post: #14 RE: Canadian humanitarian worker Peter Dalglish arrested in child sex investigation

bolbobiggins Wrote: (04-22-2018 11:50 PM)





Link? Link?















In this age of social media leaks and foreign election hacking, the ability to transmit sensitive personal information securely across borders is more valuable than ever.

Finland and Estonia, two of Europes most digitally advanced nations, are about to achieve just that.

Finns who cross the Baltic Sea to visit the former Soviet nation will soon be able to pick up their doctors prescription at any local pharmacy without worrying about prying eyes. Likewise, the around 100,000 Estonians currently employed in Finland will be able to have their paycheck sent to their home countrys tax authorities for quick and easy filing.

What makes applications like these possible is the first secure international data highway in the world dedicated especially to the needs of ordinary citizens. Based on open-source code, the so-called X-road has plenty of other potential applications, from the sharing of driver license data and death certificates to company data on the trade register.

Russian Threats

Security was a key consideration in its design. The two nations both neighbor Russia and are prepared to the teeth to counter modern hybrid warfare.

Estonias capital, Tallinn, hosts NATOs cyber defense center, while Helsinki is home to a research facility that specializes in hybrid threats. After Russias annexation of Crimea, in 2014, Finland quickly amended the law to allow its defense forces to engage little green men  a term used to describe masked soldiers in unmarked green army uniforms, allegedly pro-Russia, who were spotted in Ukraine during the crisis.

The data-exchange is secure because of its fragmented nature. When a party joins, it is able to share encrypted data with all other trusted users over the Internet, without the need to build new connections. Linking hundreds of databases, instead of relying on a centralized system, helps avoid a single point of failure and makes the cost of breaching the system excessive.

Estonia, which has been using the system domestically since 2001, was able to largely maintain data exchanges throughout the massive denial-of-service attacks of 2007.

Uuno Vallner, one of the Estonian X-road creators, says the system also protects from a potentially greater threat to citizens privacy: the misuse of data by officials.

Blockchain Technology

The X-road leaves traces of their actions, Vallner said in a phone interview, meaning abuses can be easily identified. Vallner also argues that the X-road is one of the first instances in which blockchain technology has been implemented on such a big scale.

More Resources

Read more on Estonias digital government Weighing security against privacy Check out the QuickTake on cybersecurityWatch this X-road introduction by the Estonian government

Now that the two countries systems are talking to each other, data between Finland and Estonia can begin to flow as soon as the relevant legislation is finalized.

Citizens wont notice any difference, said Maria Nikkila, senior adviser for information management at the Finance Ministry in Helsinki. Its like driving a car: if the engine is running and the car is moving, no one cares about what happens under the hood.

The X-road isnt particularly expensive. Finland spent about 70 million euros ($86 million) on the project, while developments and maintenance costs on the Estonian side run at around 20 million euros per year.

In theory, X-roads could facilitate European Union plans for electronic prescriptions to be shared across its member states. The main stumbling bloc is that many national authorities would need to de-centralize their network of servers for the system to work.

That requires a change of mindset, Vallner said.

Copyright 2021 Bloomberg.Photo: The Canadian Press

Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford has appointed candidates in nearly a dozen ridings ahead of the upcoming provincial election, and they include the son of a former premier.

With Ontarians set to go to the polls on June 7, the PCs released a statement Saturday announcing 11 appointees for ridings where a nomination meeting hadn't been scheduled.

They include Mike Harris Jr., the son of former Ontario premier Mike Harris, who led a Tory government in the province for nearly seven years from 1995 to 2002.

Harris Jr. has been appointed to represent the PCs in the riding of Kitchener-Conestoga  a seat currently held by a politician with a strikingly similar name.

Michael Harris  no relation to Harris Jr.  announced earlier this month he would not be running for re-election due to medical reasons.

He was later booted from the Tory caucus amid allegations of harassment from a former intern.

Another candidate selected by Ford on Saturday was Doug Downey, who was appointed to run for the Tories in Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte.

The party's former leader, Patrick Brown, had been nominated to run for the Tories in that riding, but the party's nominations committee announced in March that he would not be eligible to run.

Brown stepped down as the party's leader in January amid allegations of sexual misconduct, plunging the Tories into turmoil and leading to Ford's successful leadership bid.

Meanwhile, former PC leadership contender Tanya Granic Allen won the partys nomination to run as the Tory candidate in Mississauga Centre.

Granic Allen is social conservative whom the Ontario Liberal Party accused in a Saturday release of having "an addiction to hateful rhetoric."

Ford also issued a statement Saturday  his saying the PCs are "only 47 days away" from defeating the Liberals under Premier Kathleen Wynne.

"Help is on the way," Ford said. "We have a strong team of candidates who are committed to delivering change that works for the people."Photo: The Canadian Press

French authorities evacuated tourists from the Mont-Saint-Michel abbey and were searching houses Sunday on the famed outcropping in the English Channel for a visitor who apparently threatened to attack security services.

The exceptional and elaborate evacuation of one of France's most-visited tourist sites came after a string of sporadic attacks around France in recent years targeting police, some of them fatal.

Details of Sunday's threat were unclear, but the national gendarme service said authorities ordered the evacuation as a precaution. The suspect was still at large Sunday afternoon and an official with the gendarme service said the search was expanding to neighbouring towns.

An Associated Press reporter at the scene saw at least three police helicopters circling over the peninsula, notably famous for being isolated by high tides. The hilltop abbey, whose origins date to the 10th century, and surrounding sites attract more than 1 million visitors every year.

Thousands of tourists were affected by the evacuation, but the mood is calm. Some were taken out of their hotels, while others were blocked upon arrival.

"We wanted to go the mass at the abbey. But now we can't," said Clotilde, a 23-year-old from Paris who arrived Sunday morning.

Her friend Claire said, "We saw people walking back but we wanted to see as much as we could. So we tried to try to see it anyway but we were told to go back." The women wouldn't provide their last names.

There was contradictory information about the circumstances of the threat. An official with the national gendarme service said the man made the threat Sunday on one of the shuttles serving the site.

The head of the regional administration, Jean-Marc Sabathe, told broadcaster Francetvinfo that the man made the threat when he was trying to stage a street performance and got in an argument with a cafe worker. He said the man was caught on video surveillance cameras.

"I am ordering house-by-house searches to verify if the individual is still on Mont-Saint-Michel. It's possible that the individual left the Mont with the flux of tourists," Sabathe said.

The Mont's few permanent residents were being told to stay indoors, the site's administrator, Xavier Bailly, told broadcaster France-Bleu from his home.Photo: Trevor Rockliffe

The District of Peachland is under a boil water notice.

Turbidity levels in Peachland Creek increased over the 5 NTU threshold overnight forcing the boil water notice.

Interior Health asks all community members to drink boiled water or a safe alternative until further notice.

Water for drinking, washing fruits or vegetables, making juice or ice, or brushing teeth should be boiled for at least one minute.

The district apologizes for any inconvenience this might cause.Passengers who have been fully vaccinated leaving Brazil will be allowed to enter the UK without the need for isolation...Zero is the name of the game for Centennial goalkeeperAre Megachurches Biblical? Evangelical Professor Explains What Is 'Non-Negotiable' Christian Post Contributor | 21 April, 2018 by Stoyan Zaimov

A Southern Baptist Theological Seminary professor recently tackled the long-debated question of whether megachurches are biblical, pointing out that there are some key non-negotiable principles that every church needs to follow.

"The real question is one of obedience. Does this church look like the church of the New Testament? Are we carrying out what Christ has given us to do? That is non-negotiable, but size is never made a part of the command," said Hershael York, Victor and Louise Lester professor of Christian Preaching at Southern Seminary.

"We're not told to get to a certain size and split, nor are we told that a small church is ineffective. We're told to be faithful, specifically to the Great Commission."

York insisted that Scripture never makes size a qualification for a good church, and pointed to the history of the first church in Jerusalem, when Jesus talks to the Apostles about church discipline in Matthew 18.

"On the day of Pentecost we know that they are numbered 120 that gather together in the upper room. And then by the end of the day they've grown considerably," he said, noting that "3,000 were saved and baptized on that day" thanks to the Holy Spirit.

The professor said that scholars believe there could have been as many as 50,000 people in the church of Jerusalem at one point, too many to fill the temple court, which forced them to spread out to other sites.

"I don't think that you can say that a church is more biblical because it's small, or more biblical because it's large. I don't think either model is unbiblical," he continued.

"I think the question is obedience and effectiveness. Is the church obedient to what God has given us? Are they faithful to the Great Commission  are they making disciples, and baptizing them and teaching them to observe all things whatsoever He's commanded? Are they reproducing, making other churches?"

Read more about megachurches on The Christian Post.Egypt Cabinet Legalizes 166 Unlicensed Church Properties 21 April, 2018 by Samuel Smith/CP , |

The Cabinet of Egypt has passed legislation that purports to legalize 166 church properties throughout the nation that ranks as one of the worst countries in the world when it comes to Christian persecution.

The English-language magazine Egypt Today reports that the chief executive body of the Arab Republic approved legislation that was proposed by a committee established in 2017 to specifically study church applications submitted by Christians to gain legal statuses for their places of worship.

The committee was established after a law was passed in 2016 that aimed to protect Christian churches.

The law was cause for skepticism for some international human rights activists but was seen as at least a positive step by some Coptic Christians who said that it would hopefully force regional governments to provide a "justified decision" should they refuse to authorize a church.

The Middle East News Agency tallies the numbers at 102 churches and 64 church service buildings that will receive legal status as a result of a cabinet meeting Monday that was chaired by Prime Minister Sherif Ismail.

The agency notes that on Feb. 26, then-acting Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly ordered that the review of the churches' compliance with civil law be prioritized.

According to MENA, there are over 3,500 churches awaiting approval. Prior to the authorization of the 166 buildings, only 53 church properties had been approved for licensing.

Before the 2016 legislation, it was considered incredibly tough for churches to gain approval to build or renovate a church in Egypt, which is estimated to be 90 percent Muslim.

According to the cabinet, the legislation provides "respect for the provisions of the law and the constitution of providing all Egyptians for the right to practice religious rites."

"The legal statuses of 166 churches and a service building in several provinces around Egypt have been approved taking into consideration that all the requirements will be met within four months," a statement by the cabinet says, according to Middle East Monitor.

Read more about churches in Egypt on The Christian Post.'Hero' Southwest Airlines Pilot Tammie Jo Shults a 'Strong Christian' Whose Faith Guided Safe Landing Christian Post Contributor | 21 April, 2018 by Leah MarieAnn Klett

Tammie Jo Shults, the pilot hailed as a hero for safely landing a Southwest Airlines plane after one of the jet's engines failed, is a "strong Christian lady" whose faith contributed to her calm state amid the emergency, according to friends and family.

The 56-year-old Shults, an ex-Navy pilot and one of the first women to fly the "Top Gun" F-18 Hornet, was forced to implement a rapid descent toward Philadelphia International Airport on Tuesday when one of the two engines on her Boeing 737-700 blew and broke apart at 32,000 feet.

The explosion, which sent shrapnel smashing through a window midflight, killed one passenger and injured several others. However, many say the damage would have been much worse had it not been for Shults' calm and professionalism during the emergency landing.

"Most of us, when that engine blew, I think we were pretty much going, 'Well, this just might be it,'" said passenger Peggy Phillips, from Brandon, Texas. "To get us down with no hydraulics and a blown engine and land us safely is nothing short of miraculous to me. She's a hero, for sure."

A Christian who is married to a fellow pilot and has two children, Shults was once quoted as saying that sitting in the captain's chair gave her "the opportunity to witness for Christ on almost every flight."

Speaking to The Washington Post, Shults' mother-in-law said the pilot's faith gave her peace and wisdom during the frightening situation.

"I know God was with her, and I know she was talking to God," Virginia Shults said.

Sandy Green, Shults' neighbor, told Dallas News the pilot's heroism didn't surprise her.

"She's a strong Christian lady," she said. "She's a very confident person. She was doing her job. ... I'm so happy she was able to land safely, for all those people. So proud she was able to do her job."

On social media, many of the 144 passengers who survived the harrowing flight sang Shults' praises, crediting the pilot's quick-thinking and divine intervention for the safe landing.

"The pilot Tammy Jo was so amazing! She landed us safely in Philly," said Amanda Bourman on Instagram. "God sent his angels to watch over us."

Passenger Alfred Tumlinson told The Associated Press: "She has nerves of steel. That lady, I applaud her. I'm going to send her a Christmas card  I'm going to tell you that  with a gift certificate for getting me on the ground. She was awesome."

Another passenger, Diana McBride Self, thanked Shults on Facebook for her "guidance and bravery in a traumatic situation," adding that the pilot "came back to speak to each of us personally."

Read more about Tammie Jo Shults on The Christian Post.North Korean Christian Imprisoned for Faith Shares Powerful Words God Spoke to Her Amid Torture Christian Post Contributor | 21 April, 2018 by Leah MarieAnn Klett

A North Korean Christian tortured for sharing her faith while imprisoned in one of the country's notorious labor camps revealed how the Lord spoke to her during a particularly brutal beating, giving her the strength to survive.

Hea Woo, a Christian who survived her sentence and later escaped into South Korea, told ChristianToday that after being arrested, she was moved between 10 different prisons where she experienced "living hell."

Despite the horrific conditions, Woo, whose husband died during imprisonment, said "God was there" the entire time.

"I started to pray for the lost souls there who are dying without knowing Jesus Christ. I prayed to the Lord, saying: 'I want to be a salt and light in this place for these poor souls,'" she recalled, adding she was tortured several times for sharing her faith.

"I wasn't scared of the torture but I was scared that I might lose consciousness and in my unconsciousness I might deny Jesus' name," she said. "That was what I was scared of."

After enduring torture for four days, Woo "collapsed" and felt she couldn't stand anymore. Desperate, she cried out to God and was reminded of the verse from Jeremiah 33.3: "Call to me I will answer you and I will show you unimaginable things."

"So I was able to bear all the sufferings at the time," she said. "I was taken back to my cell and heard the really loud, audible voice of the Lord. It said: 'My beloved daughter, you walked on water today.' It was a really loud strong audible voice but no one else heard."

At that moment, Woo realized the Lord was there throughout her torture.

"I had to really thank Him that He was there with me," she said. "After that day I didn't get tortured. The Lord protected me."

Describing life in the prison camps, Woo said she shared a cell designed for 50 with 200 other inmates.

"There wasn't even space to stand properly," she said. "In one corner of the cell there was a toilet but to prevent the prisoners from escaping there were no windows in the toilet  only a hole in the floor. So it was really disgusting and the smell was so horrible. The people suffered headaches because of the smell and often we would get sick. Also there were lots of rats in the toilets."

When prisoners died, guards would break their bodies into two pieces, place them in a cart, and take them outside for cremation, Woo revealed. Because the crematorium was so small and there were so many dead bodies, inmates were sometimes forced to cut the dead bodies into small pieces with an axe, she said.

Read more about Christians in North Korea on The Christian Post.The New 'Red Line' Christians in China Are Being Warned Not to Cross Christian Post Contributor | 21 April, 2018 by Stoyan Zaimov

Christians in China are being forced to adhere to revised regulations on religion that were implemented in February which has led to strict government controls on their everyday lives, and have been warned about a "red line" they must not cross.

The state-approved Henan Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association and Henan Catholic Administration Commission have recently sent out a letter to believers, warning them that religious buildings will be closed by Communist Party authorities unless they adhere to all the new rules.

Some of the most notable restrictions prohibit parents from bringing their children to church, while religious venues are banned from holding training sessions. Both directives are part of the "principle of religion and education separation" outlined by the Religious Affairs Regulations.

"It was only propaganda and education previously, but now there is a red line, a high-pressure line, so take it seriously," the circular warned, according to an article in Ucanews.com on Wednesday.

Catholic churchgoers have said that representatives of the Religious Affairs Bureau of Huiji district have been ordering all youth to leave church mass, with local officials blocking children from entering houses of worship in both Henan's Shangqiu and Anyang dioceses.

"We do not know what will happen next," an unnamed source said.

The new regulations have also forced primary schools in Henan to warn parents that they are not allowed to breach the country's laws on the practice of religion.

"No one may use religions to disrupt social order, harm citizens or impede the national education system," read a letter by the Ninth Primary School of Linzhou city of Anyang and the First Primary School of Chengguan town of Xingyang city of Chengzhou.

"It is an offence for any organizations or individuals to guide, support, permit and condone minors to believe in religions or participate in religious activities," it warned.

Officials have also reportedly warned that schools are places "for the state to foster students to build up socialist society," with parents told they have an obligation "to nurture children in accordance with national laws and social requirements."

One pastor, identified only by the name John, said that the measures could be implemented nationwide, pointing out that for decades churches in China dared not to speak out over Christian persecution, "otherwise they would be attacked."

Read more about Christianity in China on The Christian Post.In 2020, we were the church on our heels. A global pandemic shut down much of our world. But the church has been on the move since it was birthed; it will continue to be on the move until God makes all things new.Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Today we're looking at the saga of King Solomon of Israel, the decisions he made, the impact he had, and the legacy he left behind. How did Solomon impact Old Testament history? What were some historical and cultural facts that played into Solomon's reign as king? And what larger biblical themes play out in regard to who God is in Solomon's story, and how can those truths apply in our modern world? We'll see that King Solomon was a clear example of how God blesses and calls those whom he loves, yet our propensity to sinfulness and pride mire even the most beloved of God. This all points us to the need for the savior Jesus Christ. King Solomon was both a testament to the goodness of God and the deceitfulness of sin. But we see that in the end, God has the final victory even in the life of King Solomon.

Solomon was the last son that King David had during his life, and Solomon was a result of David's marriage with Bathsheba, the woman he took from another man, whom he had killed (2 Samuel 11 NIV). Solomon was a child of David's old age. David had tired of constant war in the kingdom, and so he named his last son "Solomon" which means "the peaceful one" (Smith's Bible Dictionary). Nathan called him "Jedidiah" which means "beloved of God" which echoes the name of David "beloved" (Smith's Bible Dictionary). Nathan cared for and raised Solomon along with David and his court. When David was very old one of his other sons Adonijah attempted to claim the throne from Solomon but failed, and Solomon was made king over Israel.

Solomon reigned as king over Israel for 40 years, from about B.C. 1015-975 (Smith's Bible Dictionary). He achieved a great deal during the first half of his reign as king. The construction of the temple of the Lord began in Solomon's 4th year of reigning and was completed in his eleventh. He also constructed a giant palace, which began in his 7th year and was completed in the 20th. His reign over Israel saw the nation at the height of its influence and power, renowned across the world, wielding massive armies, huge treasure troves, and unparalleled wisdom in King Solomon himself.

Solomon is most well known for being an exceedingly wise king, at least in his early years. Famously, Solomon went up to the high place at Gibeon and made a sacrifice to the Lord (1st Kings 3). While there Solomon had a dream where he saw the Lord, and God offered to give him what he would ask for. Solomon famously replied: "...Give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?" -1st Kings 3:9 (NIV)

This response pleased the Lord, and so God gave Solomon great wisdom and additionally God gave Solomon wealth and honor. And God indicated that if Solomon would be careful to follow the instructions of the Lord he would have a long life, and there would be no one like him before or after (1st Kings 3:10-15 NIV).

God blessed King Solomon and his wisdom was unmatched in the ancient world. According to 1st Kings 4:32-34: "He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five. He spoke about plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also spoke about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. From all nations people came to listen to Solomon's wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom."

Unfortunately, King Solomon became greedy, prideful, and power hungry, expanding his wealth, taking many foreign wives, collecting thousands of horses and chariots, and accumulating great wealth, which are all acts clearly prohibited for kings in Deuteronomy 17:14-20.

Solomon established alliances with Egypt and Tyre through marriages. It's clear that during the reign of Solomon Israel became increasingly powerful, with his acclaim reaching across the ancient world (1st Kings 4:31 NIV). Many foreign kingdoms were feeble compared to the might and power of Israel at this time, coming to Solomon to offer up tribute.

According to 1st Kings 4:20-21 (NIV): "The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore; they ate, they drank and they were happy. And Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. These countries brought tribute and were Solomon's subjects all his life."

The high point for Solomon came at the completion of the temple of the Lord, with a great celebration and Solomon dedicated the temple to the Lord and prayed to God in regard to it (1st Kings 8 NIV). At the height of Solomon's accomplishments, the Lord once again came before Solomon in a dream. The Lord indicated His pleasure with the temple and the fact that His presence would abide there. But the Lord offered Solomon a choice: Observe the statutes of the Lord and follow all of His ways, you and your descendants, and you will be blessed and Israel will be great. But if you do not obey the Lord, and turn away from the Lord, the temple would come to ruin, and Israel would become a broken bygone country among the nations (1st Kings 9:1-9 NIV).

After this Solomon completed many great feats, he accumulated a massive army, many horses, great wealth, built great ships, high walls, and great cities. The whole world sought audiences with King Solomon, including the Queen of Sheba (1st Kings 10 NIV). He gathered 666 shekels of gold each year, and accumulated many jewels and rare treasures. He gathered massive amounts of silver, so much so that silver was as common as stones in Jerusalem. His wisdom was unparalleled among the nations and lesser kingdoms and peoples came before King Solomon offering tribute and wealth to Israel.

We see a great downturn in 1st Kings chapter 11, although Solomon had already been disobeying the Lord in other ways prior, Solomon's marriages with many women of foreign kingdoms truly began to change who Solomon was as a king. It says in no uncertain terms "His wives led him astray" (1st Kings 11:3 NIV). In 1st Kings 11 (NIV) it continues indicating: "He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites. So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done." King Solomon's heart was divided as he grew older, and his many wives and concubines guided him toward false gods. And despite all of Solomon's wisdom, the seduction of his wives, along with these false gods successfully turned his heart away from wisdom. The Lord had spoken directly to Solomon twice, and still Solomon turned away from the living God. And so the Lord spoke to King Solomon a 3rd time indicating His anger, and declared that the kingdom would be torn away from him, and he would be replaced by an unworthy subordinate (1st Kings 11:11-13 NIV). God also promised to raise up an enemy against the kingdom, though for the sake of David the Lord promised that these things would occur after Solomon had passed.

Trouble began to stir in Israel, and Jeroboam became powerful in the kingdom, but then rebelled against Solomon. Solomon tried to have him killed, but he fled to Egypt. King Solomon later died, and his son Rehoboam followed after him as king. Just as the Lord promised, due to King Solomon's disobedience, the kingdom of Israel was ripped apart and divided, and Rehoboam suffered greatly for Solomon's sins.

Solomon's legacy is quite full of contrary themes. King Solomon worshiped God almighty and established the temple, yet Solomon was later turned to foreign gods. "The Song of Solomon" is a beautiful book of the Bible depicting true love between husband and wife, yet later Solomon would give himself to foreign women, and eventually have 700 wives and 300 concubines. Solomon led Israel to great prominence and power in the ancient world, yet he enslaved over 160,000 people put to work in the forests of Lebanon (Smith's Bible Dictionary). King Solomon penned much of the book of Proverbs and most likely also penned Ecclesiastes, yet the foolishness of his decisions in disobeying the kingly laws of Deuteronomy, and his endless pursuits of treasure and pleasure ruined his kingdom. He left a lasting legacy of wisdom and power, yet the kings who followed Solomon were corrupt and ruined the progress Solomon had made. In fact, one can attribute the division of Israel into Judah and the northern kingdom to Solomon's slave labor programs, and his sexual immorality. The great kingdom Solomon had established once again dwindled into obscurity and would eventually be completely destroyed and driven into captivity in Assyria and Babylon.

King Solomon had so much wisdom, yet he was seduced by the pleasures of this life. He penned the proverbs, but those proverbs could not save him from the wayward woman he wrote about (Proverbs 5-7 NIV). Solomon asked for a discerning heart from God, yet later in his life the scriptures say Solomon's heart was divided. But perhaps the book of Ecclesiastes was Solomon's work of repentance, declaring that all the pleasures he sought were "meaningless, meaningless!"

So what can we learn about who God is from the life of King Solomon? I think there's several things we can learn.

Firstly, wisdom is exceedingly important to God. And God delights in giving his people wisdom. God is the source of all wisdom, and God is the one who grants wisdom. Wisdom does not have human origin, but is a gift of God, and God delighted in giving this gift to Solomon. Wisdom's importance is great; which Solomon wrote in Proverbs: "The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding" (Proverb 4:7 NIV).

Secondly, sin is exceedingly seductive, especially sexual sin. If the wisest man who ever lived could be seduced and carried away by sin's seductiveness, then it is clear that sin is exceedingly appealing. Solomon allowed the door to be opened to sin, and very often, once the door is open it is exceedingly difficult to close again. Perhaps pride was the chief sin that Solomon failed to recognize in himself. Perhaps Solomon thought "I can handle it" when he married the many women he married, and assumed that nothing could turn his heart from God. Yet that's exactly what happened. The influence of his wives led him to begin to worship false gods. Sin is seductive. And if the greatest and wisest king in Israel's history was seduced by sin, then we should be twice as concerned with shunning even the mention of sin.

Thirdly, we see that sin has serious, long lasting consequences. The sins of one man, King Solomon deeply impacted the history of Israel. The sins of Solomon can be directly attributed to the division of the nation into Judah and the Northern kingdom. Solomon's sin affected his son Rehoboam as well. Despite all of the accomplishments that King Solomon had as king, expanding the kingdom and building the temple, his sins meant that in the future the temple was destroyed and the nation was crushed by Babylon and Assyria. Similarly, in our modern day and age, we must be aware that our sins can have long lasting consequences on society. Our personal sins can affect our entire family, and the sins we allow in the public square can tear apart society all together. We often fail to recognize the full dangers of sin, and we must be aware of how pervasive and destructive sin is on society and our future.

Fourthly, God will have the last word. Despite all that Solomon accomplished, it all came to ruin. Yet God had the last word in the life of King Solomon. Despite all of Solomon's mistakes, God brought Solomon to repentance. In the book of Ecclesiastes Solomon wrote: "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil." God will have the last word in our lives, despite our sins, despite all our mistakes, God offers us chance after chance to repent and turn again to Him.

In conclusion, King Solomon had a massive impact on the history and life of the nation of Israel. He was a wise, Godly king for many years, but later allowed himself to be led astray. Solomon was a great king of Israel, yet his decisions caused much harm to the future of the kingdom. Today we can learn from the example of King Solomon, that seeking wisdom from God is a mighty quest to partake of; but we must also remember that sin can seduce and lead astray even the best of us if we under-estimate it's power.

References

Hindson, E. E., & Yates, G. E. (2012). The Essence of the Old Testament: a survey. Nashville, TN: B & H Academic.

Smith, W. (1884). Smiths Bible Dictionary. Chicago, IL: The John C. Winston Co.

Justin Steckbauer is the founder of Lifestyleofpeace.com. He is a graduate magna cum laude from Liberty University, currently holding an associates degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and a bachelors degree in the study of Religion. He is currently a graduate student at Olivet Nazarene University working on a masters degree in the study of Ministry. He is a cadet in training at the Salvation Army College for Officer's training (CFOT) as well.A Californian school has banned all Christian-based books from its library, claiming that it does not allow "sectarian materials on our state-authorized lending shelves."

A parent complained after Springs Charter Schools in Temecula, California, pulled all Christian books, those by Christian authors and those released by Christian publishers  including Corrie ten Boom's The Hiding Place.

Superintendent Dr Kathleen Hermsmeyer has defended the decision, insisting that all "sectarian materials" are inappropriate in a state-funded school.

"We do not purchase sectarian educational materials and do not allow sectarian materials on our state-authorized lending shelves," she said.

"We are a public school, and as such, we are barred by law from purchasing sectarian curriculum materials with state funds. We only keep on our shelves the books that we are authorized to purchase with public funds."

The Pacific Justice Institute (PJI), which works to defend religious liberty in the US, has urged the school to retract the ban, branding it an "alarming" move and a violation of the First Amendment.

"It is alarming that a school library would attempt to purge books from religious authors," a statement from Brad Dacus, President of PJI, reads.

"Indeed, some of the greatest literature of Western Civilisation comes from people of faith. Are they going to ban the sermons and speeches of Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr? What about the Declaration of Independence that invokes the laws of nature and nature's God?"

Dacus has condemned what he sees as "a major sweep...to eliminate the religious viewpoint."

"Libraries cannot engage in an open purging of books simply because they are of a Christian perspective," he added.

"We are calling on Springs Charter Schools to immediately reverse their ill-conceived and illegal book-banning policy."

In a letter to PJI, Hermsmeyer has insisted that the school has never discriminated against "Christian authors or publishing companies who create secular educational materials."Church attacked by mob in Egypt after applying for government license

A church that recently applied for a government license in Egypt's Beni Suef governorate has been attacked by villagers on the same day a committee came to inspect the building.

World Watch Monitor has reported that the Virgin Mary and Pope Kyrillos VI Church in Beni Meinin was attacked on April 14 just after inspectors from the Building Authority Committee came to visit the building.

The church, which has 700 members, has been in use for a decade, and it had applied for an expansion of the building.

Muslim villagers reportedly raided the church and some nearby Coptic homes at 7:00 p.m. after learning about the inspection.

"Many Muslim young men from our village and villages nearby gathered in front of the church building and began pelting it with stones and bricks while shouting 'Allahu akbar' [Allah is the greatest], and 'We don't want a church in our village,'" resident Medhat Halim said, according to World Watch Monitor.

"Windows and a door were smashed and some of the church's contents destroyed. They also pelted Coptic-owned houses next to the building. Five Copts received minor injuries," he added.

Police have arrested 20 Muslims and 12 Christians in connection with the incident, but some were released the next morning.

World Watch Monitor noted that 11 Muslims and nine Christians were initially detained for four days, but later extended to 15 days on charges of "gathering" and possession of unlicensed arms.

Villagers reportedly attacked more Coptic homes, just two days after the attack on the church. Christian resident Magdy Nady claimed that some villagers held a meeting in their mosque in an effort to incite people against the Christians.

"After the meeting they set fire to a wood store owned by my brother, and four other houses," Nady narrated.

Nady asserted that the police were conniving with the attackers, as five Christians were reportedly arrested while they were trying to extinguish the fires.

"We were attacked, our homes destroyed, some of us arrested  where are our rights? The Muslim villagers are now pressing us to reconcile under the condition that we close the church. We refuse to do that," he added.

At least 16 Copts were reportedly arrested by the police in connection with the attack on Coptic homes. Nady contended that the arrests were made so that the Copts would be forced into a Customary Reconciliation Session, in which the Christians would have to agree to give up their plans to obtain a license for their church in exchange for an end to the rioting.

Meanwhile, Egypt's Cabinet has passed a measure that aims to legalize 166 churches and buildings across the country.

The legislation, approved on Wednesday, was introduced by a committee that was created by the Cabinet to rectify the status of unlicensed churches.

The committee has been tasked with verifying the applications of congregations that want to obtain licenses for churches and attached buildings.

As many as 2,500 requests for licenses has been received by the Coptic Orthodox Church, with some of the church buildings dating back to 150 years, according to church sources.The Christian response when a friend betrays you

Trust is precious. It's a very important ingredient to every relationship, every friendship that we have. When trust is broken, the relationship will never be the same again: either the friendship will be restored only to a certain degree, or it will never be.

As Christians, our trust in people will be challenged. We are called to love a people who are as broken and fallen as we are. Christ has made us whole, but sin breaks all of us.

In this article we'll talk about one of the most painful experiences any Christian can have: the pain of having a trusted friend betray us. We'll briefly talk about how it happens and how we can respond to it.

When a friend cheats you

Cheating is bad. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines it as "defrauding by deception." Simply put, it's the act of deceiving, fooling, or treating someone unfairly so as to get an advantage.

Cheating is done in different ways for various purposes. Some will be surprised to know that cheating can also happen in the church. Christians can cheat on one another in order to gain a perceived advantage. James 4:1-2 tells us,

"Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask."

Cheating in church happens when a covetous or greedy person decides to take advantage of an unsuspecting, often kind Christian. And chances are, the unsuspecting Christian will only discover that he is being cheated after the bad deed has been done.

Because of this, some Christians give their possessions away to covetous people who disguise their intentions with words like "this is for the Lord."

Because of this, some Christians lose what they have to who they considered a friend because the "friend" was only after what they have.

What to do when you discover that a friend betrayed you

Have you ever experienced having a trusted brother or sister in the Lord take advantage of your kindness in order to gain something from you? If you have, here's what you can do.

1) Take ownership of what really happened

Oftentimes Christians don't really know that they're already victims of such a betrayal. You've got to recognize what happened, and call it as it is: cheating. You've got to own the unpleasant and unfortunate event in your life.

2) Forgive

Once you've owned the fact that you were victimized, it's now possible to truly forgive the friend who cheated you.

Some of us think that forgiveness is forgetting what happened and acting like it never happened. No, forgiveness is choosing to release the offense despite the fact that it happened. It doesn't deny the truth of the offense, but it doesn't hold on to anger against the offender.

Forgive your cheating friend. Own up to your loss and release the offense. Accept the truth that it can never be undone, but rejoice in the truth that you can move on.

3) Learn from it

After owning the unfortunate event and forgiving your offender friend, choose to move on from what happened.

This requires a realization that the friendship will never be the same again. Some will reconcile with offenders and be friends again after the offender repents; some will forgive and limit the relationship to mere acquaintances; and some will forgive and move on, not giving room for any reconciliation with the offender.

The option to reconcile and risk trusting the same person, my friend, remains totally up to you. What you must focus on, however, is to become wiser from this point on.A Houston woman has been charged with intoxication manslaughter after a multiple-car crash Saturday that killed a 3-year-old boy.

Lakendra Nicholson, 35, is being held in Harris County Jail on three charges, according to court records: intoxication manslaughter and two counts of intoxication assault.

Houston police say Nicholson was intoxicated behind the wheel Saturday in north Houston when her car ran into several vehicles near Crosstimbers and Airline Drive.

One of the cars Nicholson's car struck was a Pontiac, which then crashed into a pole. The wreck injured two women in the Pontiac and killed a 3-year-old boy who was in the car's back seat.

Nicholson is being held on a $70,000 bond.The curious keep coming.

They turn onto a gravel road 10 miles east of Waco and pass through a black gate leading to a rural complex where David Koresh  leader of an apocalyptic religious sect known as the Branch Davidians  and 75 followers perished in a firestorm on April 19, 1993. That came after six Branch Davidians and four federal agents earlier died amid a flurry of gunfire in the governments initial Feb. 28, 1993, raid on the 77-acre Mount Carmel property.

I was just really curious about seeing this memorial and seeing whats out here, said Eric Williams, a Seattle film producer who made it a point to visit the site during a leisure trip to Texas.

Nearby, a woman snapped a picture of a monument listing the names of Koresh and the other 81 Branch Davidians  including 18 children ages 10 or younger  who lost their lives in the 51-day federal standoff that ended in a nationally televised inferno.

Twenty-five years after the siege, interest in what happened outside Waco  and whos to blame  remains immense.

Evidence of that can be seen in the spate of recent television specials coinciding with the anniversary  from ABCs Truth and Lies: Waco to the Paramount Networks six-part miniseries Waco to the Smithsonian Channels documentary Waco: The Longest Siege.

The Waco Tribune-Herald, the local newspaper that launched a seven-part investigative series on The Sinful Messiah the day before the Feb. 28, 1993, raid, has published the articles online for the first time.

I think people would like for it to go away, but I dont think it has, said Bill Pitts, a longtime religion professor at Baylor University in Waco.

He said that just a few weeks ago, when he took a group of church history students to England, he stepped into a cab and the taxicab driver asked us where we were from, and so we told him.

And he said, Oh, I remember that, and he went on with the story of the Waco tragedy, Pitts said.

Other longtime residents say the popularity of Waco-based home-improvement experts Chip and Joanna Gaines of Fixer Upper fame has given this Central Texas city of 130,000  halfway between Dallas and Austin  a more positive image.

Its definitely faded, Chelsa Brindley Ressetar, director of advancement for a college-prep school in Waco, said of her hometowns association with the Branch Davidians.

I dont think you can brand a city based on an event that happened outside the town. I dont think that was fair, added Ressetar, who was a teen working as a store clerk when she first heard Blackhawk helicopters headed to the Mount Carmel complex.

Some dubbed Koresh the wacko from Waco, a term the Rev. George Johnson remembers hearing when hed travel out of town after the siege.

At some point, people realized how silly that was, said Johnson, who served 25 years as senior pastor of Wacos St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church and is now the presiding elder for the denominations district that includes Central Texas.

A new Davidian church

Still, many out-of-towners flock to the Branch Davidian site.

On a recent weekend, pastor Charles Pace said he counted 100 cars that came through the gate.

A sign near the entrance requests $5 donations from each car to maintain the property, of which Pace serves as trustee.

They (the visitors) need closure because they cant believe what the government did, but they also cant believe that David Koresh claimed to be God, said Pace, a Branch Davidian who greets visitors at a small church on the Mount Carmel site and teaches that the fire was Gods judgment on Koreshs apostate leadership.

Pace said he confronted Koresh about his blasphemous claims in 1984.

But Koresh refused to repent of his teachings, said Pace, who was leading a small house church in Gadsden, Ala., at the time of the 1993 standoff.

Pace said he returned to the Mount Carmel site in 1997 and later renamed the church The Branch, The Lord Our Righteousness after what he describes as the purification that took place. He said he lives on the property with his wife, daughter, son-in-law and youngest son.

Asked how many people attend the church constructed years after the fire, Pace replied: I dont have a number because its basically a cyber-church. I put studies online, and people will look at them. Some will write me and ask questions, and I will give them answers or make another study. I dont know what the number is. Thats all up to the Holy Ghost.

The few Branch Davidians who survived the fire and still live in the Waco area  including Clive Doyle and Sheila Martin  do not associate with Pace.

Texas Monthly recently reported that those survivors even now believe that Koresh was not a crazed cult leader, or a delusional narcissist, or even merely a gifted interpreter of scripture, but a genuine prophet of God.

Religious scholars, however, make a distinction between Koreshs followers seeing him as a messianic figure in the end times and believing he was the actual Messiah (as in Jesus).

Who started the fire?

As noted in the book Why Waco?: Cults and the Battle for Religious Freedom in America by James D. Tabor and Eugene V. Gallagher, federal officials spent months planning the Feb. 28, 1993, raid on the Branch Davidian complex.

At the time of the raid, 123 people  including 43 children  were inside the multistory building where Koresh lived with followers, including multiple wives and children he was accused of physically and sexually abusing.

The concerns of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, known as ATF, were based on allegations that the sect  an offshoot of a group that broke away from the Seventh-day Adventist Church  possessed illegal firearms materials and was possibly converting AR-15 semiautomatic rifles into machine guns.

Shortly after 9 a.m. that Sunday, an 80-vehicle convoy  including two cattle trailers pulled by trucks and loaded with 76 heavily armed agents  raced up to the property and halted in front as agents stormed the center, Tabor and Gallagher wrote. Overhead, two Blackhawk helicopters arrived almost simultaneously.

A shootout ensued that left four ATF agents and six Branch Davidians dead. Thus began the standoff, which would last seven weeks and attract worldwide attention.

FBI agents called to Mount Carmel after the failed raid can hardly be expected to have packed their Bibles, the Why Waco? authors suggested in the 1995 books opening. In retrospect, it would not have been such a bad idea.

More than two decades later, Tabor  a religion professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte  said he remains completely uncertain about who started the fire that claimed so many lives.

On the morning of April 19, 1993, federal agents used tanks to inject tear gas into the Branch Davidian building in an effort to force Koresh and his remaining followers to surrender. But at about noon, fire broke out in multiple locations in the building. Agents alleged that the sect had started the blaze, while survivors blamed the government for igniting the inferno.

Regardless of the fires cause, Tabor faults the FBIs tactical experts for failing, in his view, to understand Koreshs apocalyptic theology, based on the Book of Revelation texts about the Seven Seals and the Lamb, a mysterious figure with seven horns and seven eyes who would open those seals in the Last Days.

The FBI delivered to David the apocalypse that he expected to come in Israel in 1995, Tabor said  a statement the professor first made in a 1995 congregational hearing on what went wrong in Waco.

I dont believe anything David taught, OK? Tabor added. But its important to understand what he taught. And the plan was very simple. They believed that God would gather 144,000 people before the end. They would be armed and trained to go to Israel, and they would fight side by side with the Israelis in the Battle of Armageddon. That was their crazy idea.

But the FBI refused to view the Branch Davidians as sincere believers convinced through deep Bible study that Koresh was a final prophet, Tabor said.

Instead, agents portrayed the sects members as brainwashed victims and characterized Koresh as a cult leader, the professor said.

I dont think anybody understood their theology, responded Bob Ricks, who served as the FBIs main media spokesman throughout the standoff. We tried to get as many experts as we possibly could.

Ricks, now director of the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, bristles at conspiracy theories tying the FBI to the sieges deadly end.The FBI never fired a shot the last day. We did not start any fires, Ricks said at his Oklahoma City office. There have been multiple independent investigations, and they know that we did not do that. If you believed your government was that vile and corrupt  I mean, how could you even support a government of that nature?In his 32nd book, titled simply Faith, Jimmy Carter looks at how belief in God and others has shaped his 93 years.

To me, faith is not just a noun but also a verb, the former president writes in his latest  and possibly last  book.

Carter talked about his new book with Religion News Service, and why he is scaling back on teaching his popular Sunday school class in Plains, GA: The 39th U.S. president also explained why, after some consultation, he decided to speak at Liberty Universitys commencement this May.

Q: Of the 32 books you have written, more than half a dozen have focused on faith. Why did you decide to write one with just that word as its title?

A: My publishers felt that, with the world situation today, a lot of people have lost faith in basic principles that shouldnt be ever questioned: faith in democracy, faith in freedom, faith in equality, faith in the integrity of the truth, faith in the idea of education, faith in ourselves, quite often, faith in our fellow human beings.

And those losses of faith I think precipitated my using, you might say, 93 years of experience and trying to provide the answer of what does faith mean to us and how can we apply our existing faith or potential faith, if we dont have it yet, into answering these questions that face us in our daily life.

Q: You write, as you enter the last stages of your life, that you still have faith that the world will not self-destruct from nuclear war or environmental degradation. Why do you feel that way, especially with current U.S. tensions over Syria and North Korea?

A: Well, weve had those tensions for a long time and I think theyve been kind of exacerbated lately by the rhetoric that exists between the United States and other countries, including North Korea and Russia and involving Syria and other places. But this is something that I learned when I was first elected president, before I was sworn in: that I had the ability with 15,000 or more nuclear weapons, along with those owned by the Soviet Union, to wipe out all living creatures on earth.

And so that still is a responsibility or a duty that addresses every president in office.

The next real challenge for us is to learn how to apply, Id say, Christian and other religious principles in learning how to live with each other in harmony and mutual respect and even some elements of love with those with whom we disagree. And thats a major challenge thats very difficult to achieve, but I think its the most important thing that we face today.

Q: Why did you decide to speak at Liberty Universitys upcoming commencement, despite differences youve had with its leaders, political or otherwise, and can you give some hint of what you might say there?

A: I havent had any difference of opinion with the current president (Jerry Falwell Jr.). I had difficulties sometimes with his father. But I got the invitation, which was something of a surprise to me, and I consulted with my, I say, more moderate Baptist friends. And overwhelmingly they advised me to take a chance as one more step in a longtime effort to provide some element of reconciliation among Christians, and particularly among Baptists, who disagree with each other.

I think weve come a long way since I was in office as president, in overcoming that by applying the basic element of Christianity, that is, through the grace of God and our faith in Jesus Christ, were the same and theres no difference between us. And I think we have realized that the overwhelming things that bind us together are much more domineering and dominating in our lives than the differences that exist.

Q: You write that God is not my personal valet. What do you mean by that?

A: (Laughs) When I was younger I used to devote my prayers primarily to things that I wanted God to help me get or to do or to accomplish. As Ive gotten older and older, I realized that my main prayers  I didnt make this decision in advance  but my main prayers are ones of thanksgiving. And I had this feeling in particular when I thought a couple of years ago that I was going to die in a couple of weeks from cancer. I had cancer in my liver and also four places in my brain. And so I thought my life was about over and I realized at that time that I didnt have any fear of death. I was just grateful for the wonderful life that I had been granted.

Q: Youve announced plans to cut back on teaching Sunday school at your church, but I believe you still taught three out of the four Sundays in March. Why are you making this decision and is it a hard one for you?

A: I did. Ive cut back on my overseas travel already. Im going on 94 years old and my wife is 90 years old. Shes been quite ill lately. And so we both decided just to cut back on our extracurricular activities. We have a wonderful teacher when Im not there.

A lot of people in and around Plains, they come to our church; we only have about 30 members. I think we had 350 visitors this past Sunday, by the way, when I taught. But we need to strengthen our own church so that when Im no longer there, that it will continue to exist. And a lot of local Plains folks dont like to come to a church where were overrun with visitors that dont have much communication and so forth with each other, fellowship. Ill be teaching twice in this month. So Ill continue to teach but Ill give other teachers and other members of the church a chance to be in the forefront.

Q: The nation just marked the 50th anniversary of the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Why did you decide to serve as a mediator during a dispute with his children and what difference do you think that made?

A: I think it all worked out quite well, luckily, not because of what I did but because they were willing to ask me and others to help them. I just met with the three children of Martin Luther King Jr. on a number of occasions over a two-year period and eventually they decided themselves to resolve their differences, which had existed only in court with lawsuits against each other. So they finally have been able to work it out together. I helped a little bit but I was very glad to do it, and got to know them intimately and appreciate once again the great contribution that their father had made.

Q: Your book Faith seems to sum up not only your thoughts on faith, but your accomplishments over 93 years. Do you think this is your last book or do you still have more to say?

A: Well, I thought the last book was my last book. I wasnt intending to write this but my publishers felt, and I didnt disagree, that the general attitude around the world of disillusionment and a lack of faith in things that never change had become more of a problem.

Q: People often describe you as the 39th president and as a Habitat for Humanity homebuilder 

A: We do still do that.

Q: For what do you want to be remembered most?

A: Well, I wouldnt mind people remembering me as a Habitat volunteer. But also I would say in that White House and in The Carter Center weve tried to emphasize peace and human rights. And I try to be a champion of peace. I was able, and fortunate enough, to keep my country at peace for four years, which is kind of a rare achievement, and also to be a champion of human rights. So thats what Im proud of, among other things. I was blessed with a good wife and a good marriage.

Q: Do you still have faith as you look at these challenging issues that you have faced some of the time at the end of your life?

A: Thats the main thrust of the book. Despite the challenges that we face, based on my past experience and the past achievements of my country and the world, I still have faith in the ability of human beings to survive and to overcome the transient problems that face us all.More than a week after her son, Airman First Class Bradley Hale, was laid to rest, Charla Hale continues to search for answers.

A 2015 graduate of Montgomery High School, Bradley enlisted in the United States Air Force in 2016 and was assigned to Barksdale Air Force base in Louisiana.

"Bradley was always a sweet kid," Charla Hale said. "After graduating high school, Bradley immediately enlisted in the Air Force. It took about eight months for him to leave, which was the best eight months I've ever spent with him."

According to Charla Hale, Bradley, 20 years old at the time of his death, served his country with pride and was excited about his future as an Airman. While in the Air Force, Bradley Hale worked as an electronic warfare journeyman assigned to the 2nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron.

"After basic training, Bradley returned back home for a few weeks where he worked at the Air Force recruiting office; it was so funny to see my funny, goofy Bradley all grown up," Charla said. "His first duty station was at Barksdale Air Force Base for almost a year and planned to visit us this past holiday. But their orders were put on hold because they had a deployment coming up. He was excited to go to Guam; he had heard from other soldiers how it was a really good opportunity so he was excited."

Bradley Hale was on temporary assignment at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam when he was stabbed to death, reportedly by a fellow service member, March 27, according to his mother and other reports.

However, representatives from the United States Air Force did not respond to The Courier's requests for comment.

"Bradley was there for around two months of a six-month deployment and he had plans to come home to visit in August," Charla Hale said. "The only thing we know is that it was a fellow airman, which has made it all the harder to bear because they were like his brothers. We don't know anymore; and they are not willing to release any more information at this point, which I understand because it is under investigation and they don't want to compromise any portion of the case."

Charla Hale has asked a few questions, herself, to no avail, but Air Force representatives did promise to keep his family in the loop and Bradley's family will be invited to any court proceedings should a fellow Airman be extradited to Louisiana where they were based.

"Unfortunately, we were told there is not a precedent for this," Charla Hale said. "Normally, they were looking at a six-month to a year time frame to conclude the case, but because of the nature of the crime, it will be longer."

While at Montgomery High School, Bradley Hale was a member of the honor roll, marching band and the symphonic band, playing the bass clarinet for four years.

"Bradley had two little brothers and was always so patient and caring," Charla said.

He was also a member of the Interact Club, a volunteer group that provided services for the residents of Montgomery County through food drives and displaying flags for the veterans in the community. In his spare time, Hale enjoyed reading, listening to music and playing games.

During high school, Hale worked at Papa John's Pizza in Montgomery for two years. After graduating high school, he worked at Hugh & Jeff's Carwash and Grill in Dickinson prior to pursuing his dream of enlisting in the U.S. military.

"He will be sorely missed by everyone," Charla Hale said. "He touched a lot of lives; this is heartbreaking."

As a member of the armed forces, Bradley Hale was laid to rest at Houston National Cemetery April 10.A Houston man has been charged with capital murder after allegedly asking a woman to use her cell phone outside her Myrtle townhome as part of a robbery attempt, and when she refused, dragging her from her vehicle and shooting her multiple times, authorities said Monday.

The suspected gunman, 28-year-old Dondrick Flagg, was charged following the Saturday-night slaying outside of Reed Parque Townhomes in the 2500 block of Reed, authorities said.

The attack in southwest Houston occurred around 10:30 p.m., when Tiffany McKnight was returning from the store after buying dinner.

As she sat in her car, a man approached her and demanded to use her phone, but McKnight refused, according to Houston police. Then, the man got angry and dragged McKnight from her car and shot her repeatedly.

Neighbor Wendell Williams came out and attempted CPR on the 29-year-old mother as she lay on the sidewalk.

As he struggled to save her, the slain woman's mother rushed outside.

"Oh Lord, who shot my baby?" she cried, Williams recalled.

After the shooting, the gunman fled, ditching a semi-automatic gun as he ran, according to prosecutors. Officers set up a perimeter and scoured the area before catching the suspect hiding behind a building, according to police.

During a struggle, Flagg allegedly punched an officer in the face, police said. Officers eventually overtook the suspect and he was taken into custody.

McKnight died near her front door of a gunshot wound to the torso. Flagg was charged Sunday with capital murder and was being held without bond.

Police recovered the gun as well as a lanyard he was wearing, which was believed to be McKnight's, the prosecutor said. Four shell casings were found at the scene.

According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, Flagg has a number of prior arrests, including a burglary charge in Fort Bend County that netted a two-year prison sentence.

In 2010, the Houston man broke into a Sugar Land home and made off with a laptop, radio, four pairs of Air Jordans,an XBox and an iPod Touch, according to court records. Flagg was initially given deferred adjudication butwas later sent to prison after violating the terms of his probation.

Flagg is due back in court Tuesday on the murder charge charge.One person was wounded in a shooting at an after-hours club in west Houston, according to police.

Officers responded around 7:30 a.m. Sunday at a club in a strip mall in the 9800 block of Westpark, near South Gessner.Dressage is more than just knowing how to ride a horse. The discipline requires attitude, accuracy and obedience.

Aletta Husmann, 17, wanted an extra advantage for her thoroughbred so she brought him from Sugar Land Saturday morning to receive a blessing at Bellaire United Methodist Church. She was among 150 people to bring dogs, cats, fish and horses to the eighth annual Blessing of the Animals.

Considering my life is on his hooves, literally  it helps to know that God is watching over him too, Husmann said.

Husmann adopted the horse, now named Harvey, three days before the hurricane.

I drive from Bellaire High School to Sugar Land stables every day, Husmann said. I am in charge of taking care of him  water, exercise, training, so I spend about three hours at the barn at least every single day, which is kind of hard with AP classes and all that, but I make it work.

Seann Duffin, senior pastor of Bellaire United Methodist, told the crowd the story of the Noahs Ark and stressed the significance of pets. The whole world is Gods ark, a place where God is caring for and feeding all creatures, humans and animals alike, and God wants us to participate in that work. So when we care for, feed and love our animals, we are participating in Gods work and we are giving a witness to Gods love for all creation, Duffin said.

Debbie Ramos has brought her dog Duncan to three blessings since adopting him from Cocker Spaniel Rescue of East Texas about nine years ago.

He is now turning 11, so I definitely want to get him a blessing and make sure he has Gods protection. Ill keep him safe for as long as I can, Ramos said.

Faithful Paws Pet Therapy, a ministry of the Bellaire church, trained Duncan as a therapy dog.

I actually got him because I was scared of dogs, so they matched me with somebody with a good temperament, she said. He is very gentle, he has low energy and so that is what I needed to start off with. Now, I am comfortable with all dogs.

Diana Dulek brought Checkers, a 6-month-old kitten, to receive a formal blessing for the first time since she adopted him two months ago from Friends For Life.

The Kims brought their two betta fish, Perla and Bubble, because they are part of their family.

I wanted them to be blessed because they are cute, said Irene Kim, 8, who added she likes them because they swim and she had always wanted a pet.

Nonswimming pets received a bandanna to dress them up for pictures. I love seeing people with their pets. It is a family-fun, enjoyable event, said photographer Nikky Lawell, who has been volunteering at the blessing for four years.

Newlyweds Ashlee and Mac Newton came from Austin to complete the adoption process of Shaggy Dog with Westie & Scottie Rescue of Houston.

We wanted to give a dog a loving home, Ashlee Newton said. We were ready to expand our family too after getting married.COLLEGE STATION  John Clark of Bryan said the reason he and his wife, Janice, joined hundreds of others lining George Bush Drive to pay their respects to Barbara Bush on Saturday afternoon was a pure and respectful nod to the past.

"They're the epitome of the greatest generation," Clark said.

Barbara Bush was buried at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library Center and Museum on Saturday, and her final journey from Houston to College Station included a trek down the street named for her husband that forms the southern boundary of Texas A&M University.

"This is a once in a lifetime, unique experience," A&M student Emily Bracken said of why she stood along George Bush Drive to see the Barbara Bush funeral processional pass by. "She was just a genuinely kind person. Taking on the role of first lady is a huge task, and she did it with such grace and expertise. She made an impact on everyone's life."

Priscilla Parra of College Station brought her four children, including triplets, to see the motorcade despite a wet forecast. It drizzled only a little at the time of the procession.

"We're here to celebrate her life," Parra said. "We want to pay our respects, and we want to show our children that it's an honor for us to be a part of this community and, sadly, this event."

Barbara Bush, 92, died Tuesday in Houston, leaving behind a big family and her husband of 73 years. Clark made sure to include the witty, compassionate former first lady as part of what newsman Tom Brokaw once dubbed The Greatest Generation  not only her husband, a former President and World War II hero. College Station resident and Houston native Paul Pausky echoed Clark's sentiment that Barbara Bush was a role model for all.

"She was totally dignified, well-spoken and very well-schooled, and she treated everybody fairly and with respect," said Pausky, an A&M employee. "She raised a great family and did all the things you could ask for in somebody who's a matriarch and a leader of a family.

"She was a great role model for kids growing up in the country. Not just girls but boys, too."

The George H.W. Bush presidency from 1989-1993 was before A&M student Garrett Robertson's birth, but his mother, Donna Robertson, happily filled him in on Barbara Bush's legacy.

"The Bushes have had such a huge hand in our school here," Garrett Robertson said. "I was speaking to my mother and she grew up during the Bush Administration and she told me how much (Barbara) cared about everybody around her. And the pearls she wore, of course.

"You can tell it from generation to generation that what the (Bushes) did carries on."

Longtime Barbara Bush acquaintance Becky Lewis, too, slowly made her way to the edge of George Bush Drive to bid goodbye to a friend a final time.

"She was totally elegant, but down to earth," said Lewis, smiling at the memories. "She was very in-tune with everyone that she met."The 16-year-old Bhutanese refugee came to Dr. Sophia Banus clinic for international trauma survivors after attempting to kill himself. But before the psychiatrist could help, she wanted to know more about his life in the months and years before.

She learned that the boy was born and had lived most of his life in a refugee camp in Nepal after his parents fled genocide in their home country. She learned that he was the only person in his family who spoke any English, and that as a result, he has taken on many of his parents responsibilities since arriving in Houston. And she learned that he was struggling to adjust in his new school.

So its not just, This child was depressed and was suicidal and he tried to hang himself, Banu said. That wasnt his story. If you cant get a whole picture of who they are, rather than just Are you eating? Are you sleeping? Are you depressed?  then youre not getting the whole picture.

Banu shared the anecdote during the Refugee Mental Health and Wellness Conference held Saturday at St. Thomas Center for International Studies. The Alliance, the largest refugee resettlement agency in Texas, hosted the conference with support from the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants.

The goal is to educate mental health caregivers, social workers and advocates about unique mental health challenges faced by refugees and to spread awareness about the best ways to help them.

Houston has long been a hub for international refugees: More than 70,000 have been resettled here since the 1970s, according to the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and about 2,000 more come each year.

Studies have shown that upward of 40 percent of refugees, and as many as 90 percent of refugee children, suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, but getting them help can be difficult. Language barriers, lack of transportation and cultural stigmas often prevent refugees from seeking therapy.

Those who do seek help present special challenges for mental health caregivers.

Just the idea of depression is different in different cultures, said Dr. Mark Yurewicz, a psychiatry resident at Baylor College of Medicine. Some cultures dont think about depression but about soul loss, about the loss of their vitality. So the idea of even asking about being depressed might get lost in translation.

Banu, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Baylor and director of Harris Health Systems Clinic for International Trauma Survivors, said storytelling  and understanding the lives they left behind  plays a central role in her work to treat refugees.

She likes to ask what items they brought with them when they were forced to flee their countries  and what items they wish they could have taken. She asks about their lives in refugee camps, how long they stayed and whether they experienced violence there. And she asks them what is most difficult about their lives in the U.S.

Because, for them, its not just one trauma, Banu said. Its multiple, cumulative traumas that leads to PTSD or major depression, adjustment disorder or anxiety.

During a session with the Bhutanese teenager who had struggled to adjust since coming to Houston, Banu asked what he wanted most in the world. His answer surprised her and helped her understand and empathize with the boys plight.

He told her he wanted nothing more than to return to the refugee camp in Nepal  the only home he had ever known.

mike.hixenbaugh@chron.com

twitter.com/mike_hixenbaughThe U.S. car market may be entering into something of a golden age for off-road-capable vehicles, thanks mostly to an overall shift in consumer tastes away from cars and toward SUVs and trucks. Manufacturers in the U.S., Asia, and Europe are refreshing old designs and releasing new models. Here is a list of some of the more noteworthy ones.



Jeep Wrangler Rubicon

Guests drive a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon on a simulated off-road course at the Chicago Auto Show on February 8, 2018 in Chicago. Getty Images

The highest trim level available on the Jeep's most capable off-road vehicle, the Wrangler. Two locking differentials, choice of automatic or manual transmission, and a bunch of other features. Jeep redesigned the Wrangler for the first time in 10 years for the 2018 model year. The newest version aims to make the vehicle more "livable," said Jeep. Starting price: $40,995 (Base model Wrangler starts at $30,995.)

Ford F-150 Raptor

The Ford F-150 Raptor was modeled in part off desert-racing trucks, and is best suited for "overland" off-roading as opposed to rock crawling. Source: Ford Motor Company

The Ford F-150 Raptor is an F-150 truck essentially modded to include many of the attributes of desert racing trucks, with some added technology. Like many of the models on this list, the truck has a single locking rear differential. It has several drive modes, including a dedicated "off-road" setting. Ford Performance chief engineer Jamal Hameedi told CNBC the Raptor's suspension makes it the most comfortable F-150 to drive on roads as well. Starting price: $50,115

GMC Sierra AT4

The GMC Sierra AT4, the first of several models that will offer the off-road package. GMC is aiming the truck at customers who want a more premium pickup with off-road kit such as a locking rear differential and a 2-inch lift right off the shelf. Robert Ferris | CNBC

GMC unveiled the AT4 package prior to the New York Auto Show. GMC is positioning its off-road line as a more premium off-road vehicle, in keeping with the brand's overall identity. The truck has a locking rear differential and different drive modes, along with features typical of GMC trucks, such as the brand's unique lift-gate and a carbon-fiber bed. Starting price: Not released

Chevrolet Colorado ZR2

Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Concept Source: General Motors

The ZR2 is Chevrolet's Colorado mid-size pickup meant for off-roading but it has been built to handle everyday driving as well, Chevy says. The truck has just under 9 inches of ground clearance, locking front and rear differentials, like a Jeep Wrangler, and a suspension system Chrevrolet developed with supplier Multimatic that is also used in the Camaro. Chevrolet says the system helps make the ride more comfortable both on and off road. It also comes with a diesel power train option, which is unusual for these vehicles. Starting price: $40,360

RAM 1500 Rebel & 2500 Power Wagon

The 2017 Ram Power Wagon, a veteran in the off-road category, was introduced back in 2005, before many other well-known models. The truck has more than 14 inches of ground clearance. Source: Fiat Chrysler

The Rebel is a trim package available for the smallest full size RAM 1500 truck. RAM has redesigned the 1500 for 2019. It has a locking differential, tow hooks and other features. The massive 2500 Power Wagon is a veteran of this space, and the Power Wagon name has been around for decades, long before pickups were spun out of Dodge into the separate RAM brand. Starting price: $45,495 (Rebel), $52,295 (Power Wagon)

Land Rover Discovery/Land Rover Defender

Land Rover Discovery Source: Land Rover

For now, the Discovery is Land Rover's most rugged vehicle, said Jaguar Land Rover. The higher-priced Range Rover is certainly still an off-road capable vehicle, though it has often been favored just as much as a status symbol by wealthy drivers more likely to cruise through Miami Beach than barrel across the African savannah. Notably, the Discovery can ford bodies of water up to 33 inches deep. However, Land Rover plans to reintroduce its ultimate off-roader, the Defender, around the world in 2019. Starting price: $52,090

Toyota Land Cruiser

Toyota Land Cruiser Source: Toyota

One of the more expensive off-road SUVs, the Toyota Land Cruiser starts at about $85,000, and is marketed as much as a luxury SUV as it is an off-roader. But it does have four-wheel drive, one locking differential, and a drive mode selector for different terrain. Starting price: $84,315

Toyota TRD Pro Series

Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro Source: Toyota

The Toyota 4Runner SUV, and the Tacoma midsize pickup can be purchased with the TRD Pro package or the TRD off-road package. The Pro version is the most capable, but either are meant for off-road driving. TRD stands for Toyota Racing Development, which is Toyota's in-house performance shop. There are slightly less expensive TRD Off-Road and Off-Road Premium versions. Notably, the TRD Pro Tacoma can be bought with a manual transmission. Starting price: $41,520 (Tacoma TRD Pro)

Mercedes G-Class

Mercedes G-Wagon Source: DaimlerEmployers are fed up with the U.S. health care system.

That was my major takeaway from the National Business Group on Health's conference, which I attended this week alongside the benefits leads from some of the largest U.S. companies, including Amazon, Honeywell and IBM.

As you might expect, representatives from these companies talked about the innovative technology on the market and they talked up their new benefits and perks, like genetic tests and fertility treatments.

But the most of the conversations were focused on a more pressing issue: The rising cost of drugs.

Numerous studies have found that working Americans are paying more each year for health care services, which is putting pressure on household budgets. And many are complaining about it to the benefits departments.

Individuals and families don't have much power to change that, given the powerful, well-funded lobbies that are are fighting to preserve the status quo. And these lobbying budgets are increasing, with more policymakers turning their attention to the issue of drug pricing.

But large employers do have a lot of clout. And they seem ready for change.

On Friday, the National Business Group on Health's president and CEO Brian Marcotte put up a slide showing a word cloud, representing how employers felt about supply chain, which includes pharma companies, and the middlemen that take a chunk of the drug's list price.

https://twitter.com/chrissyfarr/status/987347712386502656

Notice the most prominent terms: "Convoluted," "a mess," "black hole."

In this current environment, some big companies are fighting back by teaming up to tackle one or more of the problems underlying rising costs. There have been many such coalitions over the years: the joint venture between Amazon, Berkshire and J.P. Morgan that was announced earlier this year; the Health Transformation Alliance, which includes IBM, Macy's and American Express; and Dossia, a group that once included Walmart and AT&T before it shut down in 2016.

These groups have struggled, in part because employers have very different goals. Some have workforces distributed around the world, while others are focused on a single region. That makes it difficult to prioritize projects and negotiate regional contracts.

Another issue is that employees haven't always welcomed the changes. As Dossia's former executive director pointed out in an interview, privacy is still a real issue.

That said, it's possible that the Amazon consortium will have a better shot. If the tech giant steps up to the plate to become a distributor of complex health care products, including prescription medicines, that could provide a real alternative to the current system.

Either way, I got a general sense at the conference that employers were unsatisfied. They asked tough questions, held companies in the drug supply chain to task, and seemed eager to learn about its complexities.

Let's hope they use their collective power for good.Gove and Johnson accused of jeopardising Brexit with leadership plots

Robbins at meeting where officials predict Cabinet resignations  Sunday Times

Brexiteers concerned over hybrid customs plan  Sunday Telegraph

Forget about trade deal if you stay in the Customs Union, Australia says  Sunday Express

Hopes of EU-UK security partnership fade  Sunday Telegraph

Rees-Mogg urges Government to call EUs bluff on Ulster border  Sunday Express

John Rentoul: How caving on the Customs Union could see the Prime Minister challenged

Cabinet big guns risk wrecking Brexit because they are too busy plotting to succeed Theresa May, it was claimed last night. Silent ministers have been accused of taking their eye off the ball  and giving Remainers a free rein to dictate the agenda. Top Tories are furious after a disastrous few days in which the EU has gained the upper hand in divorce negotiation. They believe Brexit champions Boris Johnson, Michael Gove and Andrea Leadsom need to get out and make the case. They had hoped last week would have been dominated with positive news about trade deals as 52 Commonwealth leaders descended on London for a summit. Instead, the talk was about a defeat in the Lords  and pressure from all sides for Mrs May to keep Britain in the EU customs union.  Sun on Sunday

There is no majority in the Commons for stopping Brexit, or for keeping the UK in the single market, because that would mean accepting the free movement of people. But there are more than seven Tory MPs who support a customs union, which is all that is needed to overturn the Tory-DUP majority. Hence the threatening noises coming from hard Brexit Tory MPs. Paul Goodman, editor of Conservative Home, reports one saying: If theres a cave-in on the customs union, I think there will be a leadership challenge. If 48 hard Brexit Tory MPs think she is going to sell them down the river, Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee, could suddenly be on TV announcing a vote of no confidence in the leader. It need not be a co-ordinated plot; it could be the accidental product of fear and mistrust.  Independent on Sunday

Bang goes Brexit if we fall for this customs con  David Jones MP, Mail on Sunday

Anti-Brexit peers are pitting Parliament against the people  Bernard Jenkin MP, Sun on Sunday

If the world feels good about Brexit, why dont we?  Dia Chakravarty, Sunday Telegraph

A border with the EU works for the Swiss and can work in Ireland  Dominic Lawson, Sunday Times

I was shouted down when I tried to speak up for Brexit  Baroness Falkner, Sunday Telegraph

Editorial:

Ministers must rein in their ambitions and focus on Brexit  Sun on Sunday

>Today:

>Yesterday: ToryDiary: The risks to May if she backs off leaving the Customs Union

May accused of ignoring Windrush warning for four years

Scandal being used to undermine fight against illegal immigration, Rudd says  Sunday Telegraph

Home Secretarys position untenable, claims SNP MP  Scotland on Sunday

Theresa May knew of the plight of the Windrush generation of Britons at least four years ago and failed to act, The Sunday Times has established. The prime minister claimed last week that the government was swift in responding as soon as it realised that elderly British citizens from Commonwealth countries were being dismissed from jobs, evicted from their homes, refused medical treatment and even imprisoned as they could not prove their nationality. A London MP, however, said he had been raising cases with ministers, including May, since at least 2014 when she was home secretary Amber Rudd, the home secretary, is set to distance herself from Mays hardline approach when the blueprint for a post-Brexit visa system is unveiled later this year.  Sunday Times

More:

Lammy lays into May over human cost of immigration policies  Sun on Sunday

Problem stems from European papers, please attitude, claims Rees-Mogg  Sunday Telegraph

Tories in new race row over ID checks for elections  The Observer

Comment:

Lack of resignations shows how our political culture has changed  Andrew Rawnsley, The Observer

We must put the outrage in perspective  Shaun Bailey, Mail on Sunday

Rudd wont reach Downing Street if she stays in Mays shadow  Adam Boulton, Sunday Times

Editorial:

Learn lessons from this fiasco as we head for Brexit  Sunday Times

Hunt warns social media giants over adult content

Jeremy Hunt has warned social media giants they face punitive action unless they stop children from seeing adult content on their sites. In a powerful intervention, the Health Secretary has accused companies including Facebook and Instagram of turning a blind eye to the harm being done to a whole generation of children. Firms could be hit with heavy fines unless they work out how to stop pre-teens from looking at age-inappropriate material. Mr Hunt has been angered by the companies failure to come up with effective child-protection strategies since he called in industry executives for a summit last November. The Cabinet Minister, who has three children aged three, six and seven, has been alarmed by growing evidence that allowing children to access such sites on their phones, tablets or laptops is exposing them to cyber-bullying and damaging their mental health.  Mail on Sunday

Why Im forcing big tech to improve childrens mental health  Jeremy Hunt MP, Sunday Times

Hammond sparks police pay row

concern that low morale is to blame for falling police numbers as the service struggles to cope with knife and gun violence. London has seen more than 50 killings so far this year.  Sunday Times

Chancellor criticised after Google tax falls far short of revenue goal  Sun on Sunday

A row has erupted over police pay, with the Treasury refusing to fund wage rises unless forces embrace reform. Philip Hammond, the chancellor, reignited feuding over public sector pay by telling the Home Office to link salaries to police productivity, rather than length of service, according to sources close to the talks. Last year Hammond signalled an end to the 1% cap on public sector pay rises but said he would wait for the advice of independent review bodies. The Police Remuneration Review Body is preparing to submit a report to the prime minister and home secretary next month. Last month NHS staff were offered their biggest pay rise in a decade but there are fears that police could miss out. The news comes amid

Truss faces backlash over Mumsnet support

Cabinet Minister Liz Truss has incurred the wrath of the transgender community  and risked angering the Prime Minister  by supporting Mumsnet users leading a backlash against militant transgender activists. Ms Truss, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, posted a magazine article on Twitter which praised the internet forum for letting its users question the tenets of transgenderism  such as whether self-defined gender trumps biological sex. Last night she was condemned by the transgender lobby as a terf, a derogatory term used for feminists they deem to be transphobic. Her intervention will be controversial in Downing Street because Theresa May has overseen a liberalisation of transgender rights.  Mail on Sunday

Trans athletes face tougher entry rules in female events  Sunday Times

Police face questions over handling of Elphicke allegations

Deal under caution last month over allegations of sexual touching, but did not put the rape allegation to him  months after it was first made.  Sunday Times

Griffiths speaks of abuse by left-wing trolls

Scotland Yard was last night facing questions over its handling of a rape allegation made against a senior Conservative MP by a female former member of his staff. The Sunday Times can reveal that Charlie Elphicke, 47, a former government whip and married father of two, is alleged to have forced a former aide to have sex when they were alone together. The alleged victim first contacted the Metropolitan police in November last year  at the height of the Westminster sex scandal  and was accompanied to her police interview by Stuart Andrew, a Tory whip. She has since provided a signed witness statement to specialist detectives working for the sexual offences command. It is understood that officers interviewed the MP for Dover and

A Tory MP whose wife had their first child a week ago has spoken of the horrific abuse by Left-wing trolls who targeted them after he clashed with Jeremy Corbyn in the Commons. Business Minister Andrew Griffiths and his wife Kate, celebrating the birth of daughter Alice, were subjected to an appalling hate campaign, with one Corbynista troll telling Mrs Griffiths: Hope your baby dies. The Mail on Sunday revealed the vile abuse four months ago, but did not disclose the couples name to protect mum-to-be Mrs Griffiths, who is in her late 40s. With mother and child home safe and well, the Griffiths have now broken their silence  and, incredibly, revealed how the trolls have carried on attacking them even after little Alice was born. After Burton MP Mr Griffiths announced her birth on April 11 at Burtons Queens Hospital, a Twitter troll posted a comment on the MPs Facebook page: FFS. I was hoping this c*** wouldnt breed.  Mail on Sunday

Manns daughter accuses Labour leadership of ignoring rape threats  Sunday Times

Comment:

Anxiety over Corbyns performance sees left ask if they could do without him  Dan Hodges, Mail on Sunday

Jones to step down as First Minister of Wales

and the country a fresh start.  Sunday Times

News in Brief:

Fix the immigration system to make a success of Brexit  Oliver Wiseman, CapX

Talking about the housing crisis means talking about immigration  Douglas Murray, UnHerd

Remainers cannot claim to have the constitution on their side when they invoke parliamentary sovereignty  JCD Clark, Brexit Central

Why Brexiteer ministers are so concerned at the moment  James Forsyth, The Spectator

The first minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones, is to stand down. His announcement yesterday took the Welsh Labour Party by surprise and follows criticism over the suspected suicide of a cabinet colleague last year. Jones had been under pressure since Carl Sargeant was found dead in November, four days after being sacked as a minister over allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards women. Although sources close to the Welsh leader say that he made the decision to quit in September, he resigned a day after lawyers for Sargeants son Jack wrote a letter accusing him of causing considerable distress to the family. Jones, 51, who has been first minister since the retirement of Rhodri Morgan in 2009, said his exit would give his family, his partyBernard Jenkin is Chair of PACAC (Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Select Committee), MP for Harwich and North Essex, and Chair of the Steering Committee of the European Research Group of MPs.

Michel Barnier continues to insist that if the UK leaves the EU Customs Union then there must be border checks on the Northern Ireland border. The time is approaching when the Prime Minister will be left no alternative but to confront this assertion directly. The UK is not going to build new checkpoints on our side. She has made this clear repeatedly. Nor will the EU or the Irish Republic on theirs. If they were to do so, that would be their responsibility, not ours.

The EU, as usual, is insisting we adhere to their legalistic doctrine, instead of helping to find and implement a practical solution. They do not wish to concede that an open frontier is consistent with anything less than full alignment of product regulation. But this is to continue letting the tail wag the dog.

Jon Thompson, head of HMRC, told the Treasury Select Committee that there is no need for infrastructure at the border. This view has been backed by Lars Karlsson, President of KGH Border Services, former Director of the World Customs Organisation, and Deputy Director-General of Swedish Customs. He recently gave evidence to the Exiting the European Union Committee, and said 

In the best of situations, the two partners would agree that this is a movement of goods from one territory to another where we could accept the lowest level of confidence when it comes to the legitimacy of legal trade moving from one to another. It could be a situation where this truck is then moving across the border; it passes a border without any new infrastructure; and it moves to the other side, i.e. what you would describe as a frictionless border.

The Prime Minister has sought to conciliate the EU by exploring an alternative arrangement  the proposed New customs proposals laid out by Government in new paper on future relationship with the EU, published last year. It explains that 

One potential approach the UK intends to explore further with the EU would involve the UK acting in partnership with the EU to operate a regime for imports that aligns precisely with the EUs external customs border, for goods that will be consumed in the EU market, even if they are part of a supply chain in the UK first. The UK would need to apply the same tariffs as the EU, and provide the same treatment for rules of origin for those goods arriving in the UK and destined for the EU.

I am in favour of testing new ideas like this, but the clock is ticking, and this one wont fly. Back in August last year, the government admitted this is an innovative and untested approach that would take time [five years] to develop and implement. No one serious has emerged to back the idea. So far I have found no academic, no business, nobody  except the CBI (which has also declared that it favours keeping the UK in the EU customs union).

Peter MacSwiney, the Chairman of ASM (UK) Ltd and of the Joint Customs Consultative Committee (JCCC), an HMRC-sponsored forum, said to the Treasury Select Committee of the customs partnership proposal to the Treasury Select Committee.

I am really unclear about this five years. I do not like the new customs partnership. I think it is a ridiculous suggestion. It seems to be based partly on the IPR [Inward Processing Relief] regime, which is probably the single largest regime within HMRC that has fiscal anomalies and non-compliance. It seems to be coupled with the enhanced end-use process, which again tracks goods. That was very unpopular with the trade when the UCC added some bells and whistles to it. I am very sceptical that that solution would ever work, but even if it were to be deployed I cannot see what HMRC is building.

Even if the idea did work, it would surely still require either a regulatory border for UK products not made to EU standards or UK conformity with EU laws, while importing goods that are not. So why would this serve any better than a standard customs frontier? Turkey has a customs union agreement with the EU, but the latter still insists on very substantial border infrastructure for goods on its frontiers with Greece and Bulgaria.

We must now end the uncertainty about the UKs future relationship, so that people can start planning for the future. The Governments August proposals contained two proposals. Only one works. The other is untested and complex, no least since it depends on tracking goods after they have entered the UK. We could have insisted a year ago that we would seek to negotiate the UK-EU free trade agreement on conventional terms under the WTO framework. The EU has agreed that the objective of the talks should be no tariffs and no quantitative restrictions, which is so obviously in the interests of jobs and prosperity on both sides. Why encourage the EU to carry on stalling on this? Arranging customs under the WTO framework is not rocket science. Its what the rest of the world does. The EU has no cause to threaten chaos by refusing to cooperate.

The Prime Minister has made it clear: it is only if we are outside any customs union that she can deliver on her policy. Only then will the UK be able to make free trade agreements. Julie Bishop, Australias Foreign Minister, confirmed this during the Commonwealth summit when she said: Australia is very keen to pursue a free trade agreement with the United Kingdom. I think that would be precluded if the United Kingdom were to rejoin the customs union.

And the UK must have full regulatory autonomy, as the Prime Minister confirmed in answer to a question. All she reasonably asks is that the EU should accept we are going to be like most countries, who are not in the EU, or in any customs union with any other country. They are able make their own laws and regulations.

Throughout these negotiations  from her Lancaster House Speech, through the Florence speech, to the critical Chequers cabinet summit, which rejected membership of any customs union  the Prime Minister has been consistent, principled and clear, and she deserves our support. She is also pragmatic and constantly seeking common ground. She chas ompromised a lot in order to get the final outcome that is in the UKs long-term national interest, but she has never wavered on the long-term objective: that the UK must take back control over its laws, borders, money and trade relations with other countries.

Theresa May did not vote for the UK to leave the EU. Even now, she refuses to adopt a different posture and pretend that she has been through some conversion. But she sees the clear implications of the British peoples decision to vote Leave. Her commitment to the reasons for leaving are a matter of keeping good faith with the British people. The ballot paper said Remain or Leave. There were no if or buts. She believes to avoid a real schism fuelled by a sense of betrayal in UK society  which the referendum vote laid bare  the Government must deliver the substance of the Leave vote, not some fudged Brexit in name only, which is the objective or the continuing Remain campaign.

We should respect continuing Remainers for their commitment to their own principles, and understand that many now feel bereft of an ideal in which they truly believed. But those continuing this campaign represent the minority of British society. The Prime Minister understands this. She understands that the British people have spoken, and that now there is no turning back.The key Cabinet Committee on Brexit is the European Union Exit and Trade (Strategy and Negotiations) sub-Committee. It has eleven members. Four of them backed Brexit: Boris Johnson, David Davis, Liam Fox and Michael Gove. Seven did not: David Lidington, Philip Hammond, Amber Rudd, Greg Clark, Gavin Williamson, Karen Bradley and Theresa May herself.

Williamson has taken to lining up with the original Brexit-backers in the committee. Bradley was added to it in February. The reason given was that Northern Irelands interest needed to be represented on the committee. This was a good point. But Bradleys presence on it was essential to the Prime Minister for another reason. With Williamson going over to the original Brexiteers, the committee was divided five-five. Bradley is nothing if not a May loyalist  she was a junior Home Office Minister under May until the latter, as Prime Minister, promoted her to the Cabinet as Culture Secretary.

Todays Sunday Times reports that in a meeting attended by Olly Robbins, the Prime Ministers chief Brexit adviser, officials predicted that were the Governments position on the Customs Union to change, Johnson and Fox would resign, but Davis and Gove would not.

If this account is correct, and the calculation of those officials is that the Government could withstand those two resignations, they should think again. As we wrote yesterday, May risks a leadership challenge if she abandons her position on the Customs Union. The resignation of even one of the senior Brexiteers could well spark one. The Foreign Secretary may not be the political force he was before the referendum, but he has two important Tory institutions onside: the Daily Telegraph and the Spectator. What they said and published in such circumstances would be important. The International Trade Secretary has been scrupulously loyal to the Prime Minister since his appointment  keeping out of the papers over Brexit negotiation differences and getting on with his job. He is popular with the grassroots, coming in fourth in our last Cabinet League Table. A Fox resignation could be even more damaging to May, in terms of the Partys internal dispositions, than a Johnson one.

Furthermore, this site is not at all sure that those officials are right about the Brexit Secretary. Resignation is not exactly anathema to him: remember the strange by-election he called over civil liberties.

Calculations are complicated by whether or not the Prime Minister would win any ensuing vote of confidence. What would the Environment Secretarys band of supporters in the Commons do? We can be sure that he would be loyal if he stayed in Cabinet. But we cannot be so certain of his backers  or of the large number of Conservative MPs, probably a majority, who believe that May cannot lead them into the next election.

As for Gove himself, he has been quiet in Cabinet and committee recently outside his brief, this site is told. It is conceivable that in such circumstances he might argue that while he remains opposed to Customs Union membership, the Government cannot ride roughshod over the will of Parliament. This would leave him well placed as a potential unity candidate in the event of the Prime Minister losing a leadership ballot.

Williamson would presumably not resign either. But he is the last man not to have a sense of what the grassroots are thinking. They will have the final word in any leadership election. And, according to this sites survey, Britain leaving the customs union, and being able to negotiate and sign its own trade deals, is their top negotiating priority.

Jesus, Tom, I was just speculating about a hypothesis. I know I dont know nothing, the Police Chief says to a gangster in Millers Crossing. We apologise for following in his footsteps. But if senior civil servants can do it, then so can this site. And so too will everyone else.

It is unlikely that the Cabinet Committee will turn turtle on the Customs Union before Commons votes on pro-customs union amendments on the EU Withdrawal Bill. The situation is further complicated by the possibility that no amendment can be tabled that would compel the Government to join a customs union. None the less, the position of those Cabinet Committee members is a crucial part of this chapter of the Brexit story as it lumbers towards its climax.

Seven organizations earned over $5.6 million in federal money to develop new tools to arm researchers with the latest insight and an increased collection of cybersecurity incident data to understand and counter cyberattacks.

"Cybersecurity research and development, and the ability to develop new solutions, will be enhanced significantly by having access to expanded, improved and new types of data resources," said William N. Bryan, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) senior official performing the duties of the under secretary for Science and Technology Directorate (S&T). "S&T continues to uniquely champion this R&D resource via the IMPACT project."

The Information Marketplace for Policy and Analysis of Cyber-risk & Trust (IMPACT) project supports the global cyber-risk research community by coordinating and developing real-world data and information-sharing capabilities, including tools, models and methodologies. To accelerate solutions for cyber-risk issues and infrastructure security, IMPACT enables empirical data and information-sharing between and among the global academic, industry and government cybersecurity research and development (R&D) community.

"The value of having a research infrastructure that delivers real-world, largescale and longitudinal data collection, provisioning and analysis to the R&D community is severely underestimated," said Erin Kenneally, S&Ts IMPACT program manager. "Too often, such an infrastructure is assumed to exist without deliberate budgeted resources. "IMPACT lowers the barrier to entry for cybersecurity R&D by addressing the operational, legal and administrative costs that otherwise impede scalable and sustainable data-sharing." The organizations earning the awards include:

Galois, Inc., Portland, Ore., was awarded almost $800,000 to develop a disclosure control system for sensitive IMPACT datasets. The "Framework for Information Disclosure with Ethical Security" effort is a scalable, fine-grained technical disclosure control system. It reduces risk for data providers by keeping non-anonymized data cryptographically secure for its lifetime on the IMPACT platform, thereby incentivizing the contribution of sensitive but valuable R&D data.

Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, was awarded almost $500,000 to create threat intelligence datasets. The effort"Real-World, Largescale Network- and Host-Level Threat Intelligence"will pull significantly from the malware analysis experience of the institution and its researchers to build the datasets and improve the utility of the datasets for use in threat-detection and remediation decision-making.

Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, was awarded $950,000 to develop a medical device cybersecurity data repository. This repository, which will be developed through an effort titled "Healthcare Data Generation and Curation for Cybersecurity Analysis," will enhance cyber protection of hospital clinical environments by providing the data cybersecurity researchers can use to develop monitoring rulesets and tools based on changes in response to threats to medical devices and networks. This knowledge will be broadly applicable in other environments.

Parsons Government Services, Inc., Pasadena, Calif., was awarded $749,989 to develop a system to enable organizations to understand their level of exposure to attacks on Internet infrastructure due to interconnectedness with other systems. The "Internet Risk Assessment and Mitigation" effort will enable an organization to examine its exposure to internet infrastructure risks in a systemic manner and take actions to mitigate the risks.

University of California San Diego Center for Applied Data Analysis (CAIDA) was awarded $1.5 million for the effort "Advancing Scientific Study of Internet Security and Topological Stability." UCSD CAIDA will help researchers counter large-scale Internet cyberattacks and incidents by developing datasets that target cybersecurity challenge problems and generating new datasets that reflect immediate threats, vulnerabilities and hazards to the nations critical communications infrastructure systems. It also will provide unique decision analytics-as-a-service (DAaaS) capabilities by allowing users to model threats in real time using a web application that is capable of fusing disparate control and data plane resources.

University of Southern California Information Sciences Institute, Los Angeles, Calif., was awarded over $650,000 to develop new cyberattack datasets. Through this efforttitled "Los Angeles/Colorado Application and Network Information Community"researchers will create foundational and derived datasets of various types of internet attacks as well as web-based services and installable tools for use by researchers. It will also provide DAaaS, with a combination of web-based services and installable tools for browsing Internet Protocol v4 and packet header data, capture high-speed data and detect internet of things devices.

University of Wisconsin, Madison, was awarded a $499,716 contract to create new capabilities to collect and fuse data to support decision analytics for the Homeland Security Enterprise (HSE). Under the "Datasets, Methods and Tools for Internet Security Decision Analytics" effort, the team will collect and provide internet physical infrastructure data, logs from web crawls and intrusion detection system and firewall logs. They also will develop methods to link physical layer maps of the internet with routing configuration and application traffic data to enhance risk analysis and on-demand measurement of the internet that are important to HSE (e.g., outages and attacks).

Gregory Hale is the editor and founder of Industrial Safety and Security Source (ISSSource.com), a news and information Website covering safety and security issues in the manufacturing automation sector. This content originally appeared on ISSSource.com. ISSSource is a CFE Media content partner. Edited by Chris Vavra, production editor, CFE Media, cvavra@cfemedia.com.

ONLINE extra

See related stories from ISSSource linked below.CORNWALL, Ontairo  Heroes, Villains, and all characters between gathered at the Benson Centre this weekend for the Cornwall and Area Pop Event.

This year, CAPE brought thousands of dedicated fans and exhibitors in for a once in a lifetime experience where guests could the meet the closest thing to real-life versions of pop culture icons.

I think its fantastic! The fourth year in a row and people are just as enthusiastic as in previous years, said Scott Beaudoin, a patron to CAPE.

Some special guests included Marie-Claude Bourbonnais, Rochelle Davis, Ari Lehman, Jason Warner Smith and Randy Havens.

Carol Sauve and Randy Sauve have brought the entire show together for the last four years since its conception.

This is our best Saturday yet. This is already beyond what we have done in the first year and there is still Sunday, explained Randy.

The show had a constant flow since the doors opened this morning at 10 am.

It doesnt get old for us, Simon Fontaine was amazing! said Carol Sauve after being asked about the Grinch.

This year the show filled the arena with close to 85 exhibitors with everything that is considered pop culture.

Many exhibitors fundraise for various groups and organizations like the Boys and Girls Club, and the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

The date for next years show has already been set for April 27 to 28.Gibraltar Welcomes Mein Schiff 6

TUI Cruises Mein Schiff 6 recently made her inaugural call at Gibraltar, where the rest of the fleet have already made their inaugural calls.

From nine calls in 2016, TUI has scheduled 24 calls in Gibraltar this year.

As is the norm for inaugural calls, there was an informal ceremony on board the Mein Schiff 6 where an exchange of plaques took place between the ships captain, representatives of the Gibraltar Tourist board, the Gibraltar Port Authority and the ships local agents Incargo.Maybe Florida cops wanted to avoid spending money on the likes of GrayKey or Cellebrite to unlock an iPhone. Or maybe Largo detectives just saw nothing wrong with going into a funeral home and pressing a deceased mans finger against his iPhones fingerprint sensor.

Regardless, the Tampa Bay Times reports Largo police unsuccessfully attempted to access and preserve data on the phone to aid in the investigation into Linus F. Phillips death and a separate inquiry into drugs that involved Phillip.

Phillip had been shot and killed by a Largo cop during a traffic stop. The attorney for the mans family claims what the detectives did was illegal, yet others claim it was legal but ethically wrong.

While Chaney said detectives didnt think theyd need a warrant because there is no expectation of privacy after death  an opinion several legal experts affirmed  the actions didnt sit right with Phillips family.

Victoria Armstrong, Phillips fiance, was at the Sylvan Abbey Funeral Home in Clearwater, Florida, when two detectives showed up and attempted to use his corpse to unlock his phone. Even if the cops cant be legally accused of violating a dead mans Fourth Amendment rights, their actions left her feeling disrespected and violated.

While the deceased person doesnt have a vested interest in the remains of their body, the family sure does, so it really doesnt pass the smell test, Charles Rose, director of the Center for Excellence in Advocacy at Stetson University College of Law, told the Tampa Bay Times. Theres a ghoulish component to it thats troubling to most people.

Had the police tried this while Phillips body was still in state custody, that might have been different, but John Trevena, the attorney representing Phillips family, claimed the officers improperly accessed his phone by using his fingerprint after his body had already been taken to a funeral home.

Trevena told Fox13, [Police] brought [his] cell phone over  an iPhone  and used his fingers in an attempt to try to open up the iPhone using the fingerprint press. Thats disgusting beyond words. Its also illegal and immoral. Theres no legal basis for them to be able to do that, and they should have gotten a warrant and certainly shouldnt be doing this after the body had been released to the funeral home.

How Phillip died

Lets rewind a bit and look at how Phillip died. Hed been pulled over by the cops due to his rental car having illegally tinted windows. The 30-year-old man pulled over into the parking lot of a Wawa gas station.

Fox13 reported that Officers Matthew Steiner and Prentice Ables tried to detain Phillip because they smelled marijuana, but he jumped into his car and tried to drive away, dragging an officer who was leaning through the window. Detectives said the officer was afraid hed be pinned between the car and the gas pumps and barriers, so he fired four times, killing Phillip.

Despite having previously been arrested for 22 felonies and serving two stints in prison, Phillips mother told Fox13 that her son was a docile, big teddy bear who would never try to run down a cop.

The Tampa Bay Reporter added that the lawyer Trevena claimed a witness said Phillip did not try to flee  the car didnt move until after he was shot, when he was no longer able to control the vehicle.

The officer over-reacted  and fired at Phillip.

There are other apparent contradictions, Trevena said. Largo police first said that Mr. Phillip tried to pin Steiner between the car, bollards and gas pump. Later, the department said Steiner was half in and half out of the car and narrowly avoided being run over when he fell to the ground after the shooting. And the reason given for the traffic stop  illegally tinted windows  doesnt make sense, the lawyer said, because the car was a rental. Even more disturbing, Trevena said, is the conduct of the police since the shooting.

Trevena was referring to police saying that the gas station surveillance video the family wanted to see didnt show the incident and shooting of the unarmed black man in March as well as the attempt to use the dead mans fingerprints to unlock his phone.

Lt. Randall Chaney told the Tampa Bay Times, We cant remember having unlocked a phone in that fashion, either at the scene, the Medical Examiners office, or the funeral home. Thats just kind of how new this part of the technology is.

Southampton Law School associate professor Remigius Nwabueze called the Largo detectives actions ethically unjustifiable even if the law provides no entitlement or legal rights after death to a deceased person.In an average year, about 500 acres of Connecticut woodland are burned by forest fires, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said.

The state experiences high forest fire danger in the spring, from mid-March through May, the DEEP said.

The DEEPs Division of Forestry consistently monitors the danger of forest fires, which can be ranked from low, to moderate, to high, to very high, to extreme. Daily updates on the forest fire danger levels can be found at http://www.ct.gov/deep/forestfiredanger.

During spring, DEEP sends daily advisories on forest fire danger levels to the state park forest field staff, fire departments and municipalities.

When the forest fire danger is classified at high, very high or extreme, the DEEP said, no one should burn brush on private property  even with a permit.

With the weather starting to really feel like spring lately, more state residents will likely make their way to the states parks, forests and open spaces. The DEEP urges anyone who does to be cautious of fires and to practice forest fire prevention.

Anyone who comes across a forest fire should remain calm and call 911 as soon as possible to report it, the DEEP said.

For more information on fire safety, contact DEEPs Forestry Division at 860-424-3630.STRATFORD  Center School is coming down.

The Town Council earlier this month OKd a contract with Standard Demolition of Trumbull to take down the school, a step that Town Hall is eager to take. Officials are salivating over the prospect of developing the 3-acre schoolyard because its situated in the center of town.

But first there will be community meetings to update neighbors, particularly those on Sutton Avenue, on the demolition.

There will be meetings later on, officials say, on the development that will replace the place where schoolchildren once played dodgeball and learned about algebra and Romania.

The first of these meetings will take place Wednesday, beginning at 7 p.m. in the First Congregational Church of Stratford at 2301 Main St.

Officials say that a number of town officials will be there along with the demolition contractor to answer questions about the project, such as its timeline, procedures and health and safety guarantees. The session is being organized by the Department of Economic Development.

Town Hall has set aside $730,845 for the demolition. Its not known when the wrecking ball will swing.

Town Hall will soon be hunting for developers to submit ideas for the schoolyard. First, a request for qualifications will be made public in order to find developers with the resources to take on the project. Then, a request for proposals will the made  this will deal with actual plan for development.

Nearby residents were adverse to an earlier plan, put forth by the administration of former Mayor John Harkins, to include a 600-space parking garage on the site. Since then Town Hall has scaled back that notion, but officials still say that it will still have to include parking component, along with apartments and shops.

Meanwhile, opposition to tearing down the school and developing the parcel seems to be waning.

No one has come to be with either favorable or unfavorable impressions, said District One Councilman Ron Tichy. We do want people to know whats going on and we do want their input, which is why I secured the First Congregational Church for this meeting.

Center School opened in 1970. The school was mostly closed and mothballed in 2005, housing only a small number students in special programs until 2015. It was small as schools go, with an enrollment of about 300 children at its peak.

The previous Town Council  led by Democrats  had wanted to reopen the building as a school, an idea that Republicans and many others dismissed as being unworkable and even foolish.

Jim Feehan, the former chairman of the school board, said that reopening the building as a school would cost nearly as much as building a new one; because it was decommissioned, it would have to brought up to current building codes.

And we dont need another school, he said at the time.

There was also talk of turning the building into a downtown community center, but nothing much came of that idea.

jburgeson@ctpost.comTwo former state Supreme Court justices worked behind the scenes to help kill Justice Andrew J. McDonalds candidacy for chief justice, Hearst Connecticut Media has learned.

From the moment Gov. Dannel P. Malloy nominated McDonald to lead the high court, C. Ian McLachlan, who served on the Supreme Court from 2009 to 2012, provided advice to Republican lawmakers on strategies to take McDonald down.

Peter T. Zarella, who served on the high court at the same time as McDonald, also participated in the secret effort to defeat McDonald.

Dozens of emails released under Connecticuts open-records law show Republicans were privately asking the former justices about McDonalds legal decisions.

Ian McLachlan, 75, was first contacted by his cousin, Republican state Sen. Michael A. McLachlan, of Danbury, on Jan. 8, hours after McDonald  who was the governors former Capitol lawyer and Stamford legal counsel  was nominated. McDonald has been a member of the Supreme Court since 2013.

Surprised by house vote, Ian McLachlan wrote to Senator McLachlan the day after Rep. Livvy Floren, R-Greenwich, sided with House Democrats to narrowly endorse McDonald. Floren is an airhead.

State Rep. William Tong, D-Stamford, co-chairman of the legislative Judiciary Committee, called the former justices remarks a new low in the historic defeat of a judiciary candidate.

Ian McLachlan also edited criticism of McDonalds nomination prepared for Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton, suggesting that references to gay marriage be eliminated. Boughton said Friday he vaguely remembered Ian McLachlan reaching out to him, but that Boughton never issued the statement.

By Jan. 11, Senator McLachlan, who served on the Legislatures Judicial Committee, was, on the advice of his cousin, requesting detailed case information from McDonald.

Ian McLachlan and Zarella, 68, are now both in senior roles at the Hartford firm McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter. Ian McLachlan did not respond to requests for comment. Zarella said by email Saturday that he had not had any contact with any legislator regarding McDonalds nomination.

A nomination withdrawn

Three days before McDonalds hearing in the Judiciary Committee, Zarella was forwarded a question that Senate Republican Leader Len Fasano had asked of McDonald on the issue of conflicts and recusals.

(McDonald) responds he was only asked (to recuse himself) once, wrote Michael Cronin, the chief legal counsel for Senate Republicans, on Feb. 23. There was no reply from Zarella to Cronin in the 144 pages released to Hearst by the Office of Legislative Management following a request under the states Freedom of Information Act.

Zarella, the former chairman of the West Hartford Republican Town Committee, was appointed by Gov. John G. Rowland in January 2001 and served three years with McDonald before retiring at the end of 2016.

In 2006, Zarella was nominated to be chief justice by then-Gov. M. Jodi Rell, to replace William J. Sullivan. But Rell withdrew the nomination a month later, after news broke that Sullivan had postponed the release of a controversial decision to possibly help Zarellas candidacy. McDonald was a state senator from Stamford and co-chairman of the Judiciary Committee at the time.

Zarella and McDonald were often on conflicting sides of major issues. Zarella opposed same-sex marriage and the 2015 repeal of capital punishment for death row inmates.

Exchange between cousins

On Jan. 17, McDonald, who would have become the nations first openly gay chief justice, told Senator McLachlan that no communications existed among him, the governor and the governors legal and criminal justice staff over the capital punishment repeal.

On Feb. 2, Ian McLachlan suggested the senator double-check the records of the state Office of Policy and Management for any such communications, evidence that could have sunk McDonalds nomination.

Two days before the Feb. 27 Judiciary Committee hearing, Ian McLachlan advised Senator McLachlan that in fighting McDonalds record on the death penalty repeal, pushing the narrative about racism might backfire because of Black lives matter.

The cousins arranged to meet before the committees hearing, which lasted 13 hours and ended in a tie vote.

As late as noon on the morning of the hearing, Ian McLachlan sent talking points to Senator McLachlan on arcane legal arguments, such as the differences in state rules on judicial responsibility.

According to the email chains, Zarella was also looped into the effort on Wednesday afternoon, March 7, when Ian McLachlan asked whether McDonald, as Malloys chief legal counsel in 2012, worked on the successful repeal of the death penalty that year.

I would be curious to know whether AM in fact lobbied for 12-05, Ian McLachlan wrote to Senator McLachlan, referring to McDonalds initials and that bill by its Public Act number after it was signed into law by Malloy. We certainly assume as counsel that he did.

Nearly all the emails were between the McLachlan cousins and the extent to which the ideas contained were shared among other Republicans is not clear.

Has vote been achy?

Senator McLachlan, a non-attorney, said he has regularly consulted Ian McLachlan during his 10 years in the General Assembly.

Zarella attended some of the cousins meetings to discuss the McDonald nomination, the senator said.

I know Peter, Ive met him. Ive had lunch with him, Senator McLachlan said Friday. They were trying to shed more light on what an issue is. Its what Im supposed to do and, frankly, its a good thing.

Fasano, of North Haven, said Friday he did not find it unusual that McLachlan would seek advice from his cousin.

Its the same thing as the judges who used to serve who spoke in favor of Andrew McDonald, Fasano said. People have the right to speak when they leave state service. There is nothing in these emails about sexual behavior, bias, belligerent behavior, or slanderous.

McDonald narrowly survived a 75-74 vote in the state House of Representatives on March 12, and was defeated 19-16 in the Senate on March 29, amid Republican claims of judicial activism. Democratic leaders blamed homophobia, dislike of Malloy and threats to judicial independence.

On Friday, Malloy called McLachlan and Zarella two cowards who undermined the judicial institution they formerly served by conspiring with Republican lawmakers rather than giving their opinions on McDonald in public testimony.

To try to do it any other way is far below the conduct you would expect from someone who served on the Connecticut Supreme Court, Malloy said. Its Trumpian politics infecting Connecticut. Most honorable people would show up at the public hearing and be subject to cross examination.

On the afternoon after the House vote, Ian McLachlan wrote to his cousins private email account. Has vote been achy? he asked. Not rock solid but Im continuing to pray, Senator McLachlan responded.Looking to get out of the states this summer?

According to travel site Kayak.com, median airfare to European cities is the cheapest it has been in three summers. "Across the board, low cost carriers and new flight routes are making travel across the pond even easier (and less expensive)," the site reports.For Subscribers Local leaders largely silent about district attorney situation

With the exception of one Somerset attorney, locals have been silent about whether DA Jeff Thomas should step down as his court hearings approach.Four words changed the political mood in 2015: Suit-boot ki Sarkar.

Rahul Gandhi, still derided as lacking in political acumen, had struck a nerve. Till then, throughout his twelve-and-a-half years as Gujarat chief minister and his first year as prime minister, Modi was regarded as a friend of big business. His economic policies were expected to be pro-capitalist: liberalisation on steroids. He dressed the part in monogrammed bandh galas and seemed more comfortable addressing NRIs in London and New York than in his constituency Varanasi (he visited the city for the first time, following his May 2014 landslide win, only in November 2014).

The suit-boot ki sarkar taunt from Rahul Gandhi made Modi take a sharp Left turn in 2015.

The suit-boot ki sarkar taunt changed that overnight. The expensive suits gave way to cotton Nehru jackets; big business was shunned; economic policies were increasingly aimed at the poor; the middle-class and small traders, the BJPs core vote base, were sidelined

Modi had taken a sharp Left turn.

Povertarian politics, mastered by Indira Gandhi in the early-1970s, was back. Privatisation of PSUs? Off the table. Tax reform for the salaried middle-class? No longer a priority. Less bureaucracy? More.

Turning Left on economic policy didnt mean Modi had entirely abandoned his natural reformist instincts. FDI was liberalised across sectors, start-ups encouraged, and big global defence deals signed.

Next month, Modi completes four years as prime minister. How has he done? Heres an assessment of the governments achievements, failures and works-in-progress.

Achievements

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) was legislated in 2016. By taking bank NPAs head-on, the IBC is proving to be a game-changer. Total bank NPAs are around Rs 9 lakh crore. The interest shown by leading Indian and global business houses (Tatas, Birlas, Vedanta and Britains Liberty House among others) in buying bankrupt companies with large bank NPAs but good underlying assets could, given sensible implementation of the IBC process, restore Indian banks to good health, enable them to restart lending to the corporate sector, and boost private investment. Clearly a blue-ribonned reform.

Rural electrification has been a major policy success. While last-mile connectivity has left many villages without power, the pace of rural electrification has been quickest in Indias history  pre- and-post Independence.

The pace of road building has been another outstanding success. Under the UPA regime, around 17km of roads were built per day. Currently, over 40 km of roads are being constructed daily. Moreover, if the methodology of counting road mileage constructed is changed to the globally recognised model of counting both lanes of a road and not just one, the figures would double under both NDA and UPA governments.

The National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS) is one of the boldest initiatives of the Modi government. It will provide medical insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh to 500 million low-income Indians. The scheme is budgeted to cost around Rs 10,000 crore annually (though critics say the cost could exceed Rs 80,000 crore).

Set to roll out on October 2, 2018, it is a long overdue step towards providing universal medical care. Setting up tertiary rural healthcare centres is obviously crucial for the scheme to work on the ground. It is a challenge the government faces given the rudimentary health clinics in rural areas and the shortage of qualified doctors.

The other key achievement during the NDA governments first four years in office is Mudra Yojana, under which loans are given to small entrepreneurs with little or no collateral. The scheme is designed to produce an army of self-employed who in turn will create employment through their entrepreneurial ventures.

Other standout successes have been the Jan Dhan Yojana, which has created over 312 million new bank accounts, the direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme, which has significantly cut pilferage, and subsidised LPG cylinders for the poor. Beyond these is the absence of corruption in the higher echelons of the government.

Thats where the good news ends. Corruption at lower levels remains endemic. It proliferates at state and local levels

Failures

A slew of governance failures have meanwhile taken the sheen off the Modi government. Indias defence budget has not kept pace with the countrys need to be prepared for a two-front war. Well below 2 per cent of GDP, a majority of the defence budget goes towards pensions, salaries and overheads to run a military of nearly two million men and women.

Many of the Modi governments missteps have originated in the ministry of finance (MoF). Demonetisation was poorly executed by the MoF. GST is burdened by an unnecessarily complex architecture. New income-tax forms require details never sought before. The raid raj is back. The result: an alienated middle-class, aggrieved traders and unhappy businessmen. All this would have a silver lining if tax collections rose sharply. They have increased but not significantly compared to previous years.

The Make in India scheme has been a mixed bag. Private and foreign investors have reacted cautiously. To get things moving, the government is focusing on defence JVs in India, beginning with the Rafale deal.

Many of the governments other schemes have been stalled by bureaucratic inertia. Some of the most poorly conceived policies have again come from the MoF: for example, the regressive long-term capital gains tax (which has slowed inflows into mutual funds) and a tax on angel-funded start-ups over Rs 10 crore whose shares are over-valued, according to the income-tax department (which, not being an investment bank, has no business determining the fair valuation of a start-ups shares).

Works in progress:

Aadhaar, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and the Ganga clean-up are three critical missions. Each has suffered a setback, but is back on track. Railway modernisation too is gathering pace. Several other initiatives remain to be activated: an enhanced MSP for farmers, rural housing, job creation, social inclusiveness, and law and order.

In its last year in office, the government must re-jig its communications strategy. It has talented professionals who could conduct daily briefings on current issues. A panel comprising the following could brief the media on a daily basis by rotation: Bibek Debroy (economics), MJ Akbar (foreign policy), Sanjeev Sanyal (banking), Amitabh Kant (governance), Piyush Goyal (investment) and Smriti Irani (politics). Perception is key. It will play a big part in 2019.

Overall, the Modi government has done well in patches, but failed in significant areas. Its electoral machinery is formidable. But after four years, judicial and police reforms remain in limbo, while a Lokpal is only now half-heartedly being put into place. Were it not for a fractured Opposition, the Modi government would likely be voted out in 2019.

It will take the combined efforts of Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee and Sitaram Yechuri to help the BJP escape that fate next year.

Also read: The politics behind move to impeach chief justice of India Dipak MisraThe mid-air freak accident, in which at least three passengers of an Air India flight were injured as a window panel came off, has once again brought the issue of air safety on the radar. While Indian airlines have performed better than many of global airlines  as far as the number of fatalities is concerned  unusual incidents, which can pose a serious threat to the passengers, continue to haunt various airlines of the country.

The accident comes close on the heels of the fatal Nepal plane crash in which 49 passengers died when the a US-Bangla plane crash-landed onto the field near the runway at Tribhuvan International Airport.

The Air India incident is being considered as a freak kind of severe turbulence, which lasted for about 15 minutes. According to a NDTV report, the passengers encountered up to three times the force of gravity. The turbulence started soon after the Amritsar-Delhi flight, Boeing 787 Dreamliner (VT-ANI), took off on April 19. One passenger, who might not have had his seat belt on, hit the overhead cabin, and was severely injured, while the other two sustained minor injured. Some oxygen masks also dropped and leaving the passengers terrified. There were 236 passengers and six crew members on board. The commanding pilot said that he had never seen anything like this.

Incidents of pilots being grounded for reporting to work in an inebriated state, or violating codes of conduct like fighting with a co-pilots, are plenty. But despite several checks and measures imposed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), such aircraft accidents are taking place.

In February this year, an Air India flight and a Vistara flight came dangerously close to each other in the airspace in Mumbai. The two planes had 261 passengers on board.

In February this year, a few passengers of a Bengaluru-bound GoAir flight alleged that the pilots had threatened to crash the flight. The passengers were shooting a video of the pilots coming towards the plane long time after the scheduled departure of the plane. The airline, however, denied the allegations.

Bird strikes or wildlife strikes are also common at India airports. In January, an Ahmedabad-bound flight had to abort landing at the Vallabhbhai International Airport as the pilot had spotted a cow running near the runway.

However, this mid-air turbulence is one-of-its kind. In 2014, a Singapore Airlines flight faced a similar situation while it was landing in Mumbai. About 22 passengers were injured.

In 2014, there were several air mishaps. Around 400 passengers and crew of an Air India flight from Jeddah to Mumbai had a mid-air scare and had to return after a cockpit panel showed that one of the doors was not properly locked.

In another incident, a large panel of the fuse-large of a Bangalore-bound Air India Dreamliner fell off mid-air.

In May 2010, an Air India Express flight flying from Dubai to Mangalore crash-landed into a gorge, killing 152 of the 160 passengers. This has been the deadliest crash the country has seen in the last decade.

According to the Annual Safety Report, 2017, a total of 2,499 occurrences were reported to DGCA in 2016. Occurrences include all sorts of incidents and accidents. Among these, seven were classified as accidents, 11 serious accidents and the rest were incidents in which safety appeared compromised. Comparing the level of improvement in air safety, the report shows data that there were 159 fatalities between 2008 and 2015, while in 2016 there was no fatality.

According to a written reply, submitted by the aviation ministry to Parliament, nine arlines had reported 24,791 snags in 2017: 9,689 by Jet; 4,903 by SpiceJet; 4,563 by Air India, 1,888 by GoAir; 1,367 by AirAsia;1,225 by Vistara; 793 by Blue Dart; 340 by IndiGo and 23 by Zoom Air. This led to indignation among other airlines that IndiGo has under-reported its snags.

Also read: Why the Sunderbans and Royal Bengal Tiger are in danger"So where will the plants, trees, water and wildlife go? They can't go to doctors, can they? And where will the Royal Bengal Tiger go," asked an anguished professor in the Department of Environment Sciences in Khulna University, close to the Sunderbans, in Bangladesh.

The wildlife will surely migrate, including the birds, the various kinds of river fish and sea fish, the crabs and dolphins, and surely, the majestic tiger, surviving in the only zone where man-eaters are allowed to roam free. They will perhaps move to the deeper core of the vast mangrove forests, stretching around 5,000 sq km in Bangladesh, and, then, perhaps, into the Indian Sunderbans in West Bengal, just about 3,000 sq km, across a fluid, watery and mangrove forested geographical boundary with no real line of control.

However, what will happen when even the Indian Sunderbans get polluted, losing its original chronicle of a saline tale foretold? Where will they go, and the tiger?

The Rampal thermal power project, currently in its first phase of construction, deep inside into the buffer and twilight zones of the Sunderbans in Bangladesh, is in grave and imminent danger. The signs are all there for the world to see.

A slated coal-fired power station at Rampal sub-division of Bagerhat, Bangladesh, near Khulna, is the monster that is threatening to change the entire ecological dynamics of this hot spot. A joint partnership between India's National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDP), the project is being branded as the Bangladesh India Friendship Power Company.

The proposed project, which is set to generate 1,320MW of power, over a territory of 1,834 acres of land, water bodies, and forests, is just about 14km north of the world's largest mangrove forest, Sunderbans, a UNESCO world heritage site.

Journalists are not allowed near the site, surrounded by the buffer forests and the shoreline of the beautiful saline estuary, Poshur, along with numerous ponds, fisheries, human habitations and fertile land. Civil society activists, intellectuals, foreign delegations and others are not allowed in the vicinity. Peaceful dharnas, demonstrations, wall writing, even leaflets are not allowed. The clampdown is near total around this gigantic project which has reportedly displaced around 50,000 people, half of them without a penny in compensation because they were daily wagers, fishermen, workers and migrants, with no land or ponds in their name.

Those who have fought and organised protests, have been effectively silenced. A local activist had his house burnt down with grave threats to his family. A long march from Dhaka to the site near Khulna, of about 10,000 people and more, led by professors of Dhaka University, students, and farmers/fishermen, was blocked near the project in 2016. After that there has been an eerie silence across the zone, as, locals say, with reportedly around five lakh people to be directly impacted by the project in the days to come.

"It is a kind of fascism," said a PhD scholar in Dhaka. Most of the intellectuals who have come out openly are blacklisted. The word, "Rampal" is not even allowed to be uttered in the classroom across university campuses.

"There is a strong anti-India feeling across Bangladesh, because Sunderbans is like a pearl for the nation, held with great pride. And this 50:50 project cannot hide the dominant reality - that India is the big brother," said a journalist. Another veteran academic in Dhaka said that since China is entering Bangladesh's political economy in a big way in, India wants to secure its geopolitical hold on what it sees as a "satellite" country in the sub-continent.

This professor had mobilised MPs in India. He said a CPI member of Parliament had raised the issue in Parliament but was told by the Indian government that it is a "friendship project" which will benefit Bangladesh.

Thereafter, the professor has been denied an Indian visa.

However, the uncanny truth is that knowing so well, and with authoritative documentation by experts and environmentalists, and with UNESCO opposing the project, why are both the governments hell-bent on playing with the delicate ecology of the precious landscape of Sunderbans?

Bangladesh has gas. It claims it has enough power. It has little coal. India wants to dump its huge stocks of coal. Hence, coal in lakhs of tonnes will be transported from India on huge barges on the waterway and river systems to Mongra Port next to Sunderbans. There have been coal spills in the past, devastating the ecology, which took years to recover. This will be low-cost transportation on water. A railway line is also being contemplated from Kolkata to Jessore near Khulna. Then, the cycle will be complete.

So what will happen to the gigantic amount of waste products, fly-ash, chemical waste, hot liquids, etc, generated by the thermal plant? Will they be dumped into the pristine waters and the estuaries?

As many as 300 industries are meant to be started in this protected zone, including Special Economic Zones (SPZ). Activists say India and its big business is keenly eyeing a big tradeoff in terms of its pound of flesh in terms of SEZs. Several cement and gas factories are already operating in the buffer zone, very close to the core area where the tiger lives, along with dolphins, crocodiles and other rare species, including precious trees like the Sundari tree, on whose name apparently, the Sunderbans is named.

Cement factories in Bangladesh have advertised that they will not use fly-ash in their products. So what will they do with the huge amount of fly-ash generated by the coal-fired project? Many new factories are coming up as complementary projects in anticipation of the big thermal power project. In other words, this ecological heritage site seems doomed in the first instance.

The professor at Khulna University said that consequent to waste and chemical disposal, the drastic changes will start happening, slowly and steadily. And since researchers are not allowed in the area, not even to mark the pug marks of the tiger, or study the dolphins, or document the flora and fauna, it might lead to an environmental disaster.

The water salinity will go down, thereby changing the soil and water content of what is a tidal river in this region, which leads to the sea and Bay of Bengal, with six hours of jwaar and six hours of bhata.

Mangroves will slowly start disappearing. Fish species and crocodiles, along with micro-biological objects, birds and other forms of bio-diversity will disappear or migrate. There will be increased man-animal conflict.

Gradually, it will impact the Indian side of the Sunderbans, which is protected by strict laws under the Environment Protection Act and the Wildlife Protection Act, with no industrial activity whatsoever almost 25km from the buffer zone. The tiger will start looking for new habitats. The mangrove forests might lose its originality because it can only thrive under certain fixed saline and temperature conditions. An ecological hot spot will gradually wither away.

That is why, top Bangladeshi newspapers are writing editorials and putting the story on page one. In India, the story is still invisible. However, in the days to come, Sunderbans, and its environmental disaster, will be the new magic potion for journalists, looking for that elusive Royal Bengal Tiger, in those thick green and yellow swamps of mangrove, watching you from a distance across the shore of the estuary, like all predators watch their prey.

Also read: Cash crush is a serious issue, will hit India hardRockwell Collins, Inc. designs, produces, and supports communications and aviation systems worldwide. The company's Interior Systems segment offers commercial aircraft seats; galley structures, food and beverage preparation equipment, and water and waste systems; oxygen and passenger service equipment; cabin lighting systems; and business jet and general aviation interior products. Its Commercial Systems segment provides cabin management systems; data link, frequency, very high frequency, and satellite communications systems; landing, radio navigation, and geophysical sensors, and flight management systems; situational awareness and surveillance systems and products; integrated flight controls; simulation and training systems; maintenance, repair, parts, and after-sales support services, and aftermarket used equipment. The company's Government Systems segment provides communications systems and products; radio navigation products, global positioning system equipment, and multi-mode receivers; avionics systems; precision targeting, electronic warfare, and training systems; simulation and training systems; space wheels; visual system products; maintenance, repair, parts, and after-sales support services, and aftermarket used equipment. Its Information Management Services segment offers voice and data communication services; flight support services; airport communications and information systems; train dispatching and information systems; mission critical security systems; and cabin connectivity solutions. The company serves original equipment manufacturers of commercial air transport, business and regional aircraft, commercial airlines, U.S. Department of Defense, other ministries of defense, other government agencies, defense contractors, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, and passenger and freight railroads, as well as airport, critical infrastructure, and business aircraft operators. The company was founded in 1933 and is headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Read More(GGP) (NYSE:GGP) posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July, 31st. The real estate investment trust reported $0.09 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.10 by $0.01. The real estate investment trust had revenue of $583.14 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $593.94 million. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 4.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $0.35 EPS.

View (GGP)'s earnings history.Resolute Energy Corporation, an independent oil and gas company, engages in the acquisition, exploitation, exploration for, and development of oil and gas properties in the United States. Its principal project area is located in the Delaware Basin portion of the Permian Basin, Reeves County. As of December 31, 2017, it had interests in approximately 27,100 gross acres located in the Permian Basin of Texas; and its estimated net proved reserves were approximately 53.4 million barrels of oil equivalent. Resolute Energy Corporation was founded in 2004 and is based in Denver, Colorado.

Read MoreThe following companies are subsidiares of Pearson: AEL (S) PTE Limited, ATI Professional Development LLC, Addison Wesley Longman Inc., Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers Inc., Aldwych Finance Limited, Americas Choice Inc., Atkey Finance Limited, Author Solutions, Axis Finance Inc., CAMSAWUSA Inc., CTI Education Group (Pty) Limited, Camsaw Inc., Casapsi Livraria e Editora Ltda, Centro Cultural Americano Franquias e Comercio Ltda., Century Consultants Ltd., Certiport, Certiport China Co Ltd, Certiport China Holding LLC, Certiport Inc., Cogmed Systems AB, Connections Academy of Arkansas LLC, Connections Academy of Florida LLC, Connections Academy of Iowa LLC, Connections Academy of Maine LLC, Connections Academy of Maryland LLC, Connections Academy of Minnesota LLC, Connections Academy of Missouri LLC, Connections Academy of Nevada LLC, Connections Academy of New Jersey LLC, Connections Academy of New Mexico LLC, Connections Academy of New York LLC, Connections Academy of Oregon LLC, Connections Academy of Pennsylvania LLC, Connections Academy of Tennessee LLC, Connections Academy of Texas LLC, Connections Education Inc., Connections Education LLC, Connections Education of Florida LLC, Dominie Press Inc., Dorian Finance Limited, Dorling Kindersley Australasia Pty Limited, EBNT Canada Holdings ULC, EBNT Holdings Limited, EBNT USA Holdings Inc., Edexcel Limited, Edexcel South Africa Pty Ltd, Education Development International plc, Education Resources (Cyprus) Limited, Educational Management Group Inc., Educational Publishers LLP, Embanet ULC, Embanet-Compass Knowledge Group Inc., EmbanetCompass, Embankment Finance Limited, English Language Learning and Instruction System Inc., Escape Studios Limited, FBH Inc., Falstaff Holdco Inc., Falstaff Inc., GED Domains LLC, GED Testing Service LLC, George (Shanghai) Commercial Information Consulting Co. Ltd, Global Education, Global George I Limited, Global George II Limited, GlobalEnglish, Globe Fearon Inc., Guangzhou Crescent Software Co. Ltd, Heinemann Education Botswana (Publishers) (Proprietary) Limited, Heinemann Publishers (Pty) Ltd, INTELLIPRO INC., Icodeon Limited, IndiaCan Education Private Limited, Integral 7 Inc., Integrated Analytics LLC, J M Solucoes Exportacao e Importacao Ltda, K12 Learning Services LLC, Kagiso Education Pty Ltd, Knowledge Analysis Technologies LLC, LCCI International Qualifications (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., LCCIEB Training Consultancy. Ltd, Learning Catalytics, LessonLab Inc., Lignum Oil Company, Linx Brasil Distribuidora Ltda., Longman (Malawi) Limited, Longman Australasia Pty Ltd, Longman Group(Overseas Holdings)Limited, Longman Indochina Acquisition L.L.C., Longman Kenya Limited, Longman Mocambique Ltda, Longman Romania S.R.L., Longman Swaziland (Pty) Limited, Longman Tanzania Limited, Longman Zambia Educational Publishers Pty Ltd, Longman Zambia Limited, Longman Zimbabwe (Private) Ltd, Longmaned Ecuador S.A., Major123 Limited, Maskew Miller Longman (Pty) Limited, MeasureUp LLC, Modern Curriculum Inc., Multi Holding, Multi Treinamento e Editora Ltda, NCS Information Technology Services (Beijing) Co Ltd, NCS Pearson Inc., NCS Pearson Pty Ltd, NCS Pearson Puerto Rico Inc., National Computer Systems Japan Co. Ltd, Ordinate Corporation, PN Holdings Inc., PT Efficient English Services, Pearson (Beijing) Management Consulting Co. Ltd., Pearson (Guizhou) Education Technology Co. Ltd., Pearson Affordable Learning Fund Limited, Pearson America LLC, Pearson Amsterdam B.V., Pearson Australia Finance Unlimited, Pearson Australia Group Pty Ltd, Pearson Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, Pearson Australia Pty Ltd, Pearson Benelux B.V., Pearson Books Limited, Pearson Brazil Finance Limited, Pearson Business Services Inc., Pearson Canada Assessment Inc., Pearson Canada Finance Unlimited, Pearson Canada Holdings Inc, Pearson Canada Inc., Pearson Central Europe Spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Pearson College Limited, Pearson DBC Holdings Inc., Pearson Desarrollo y Capacitacion Profesional Chile Limitada, Pearson Deutschland GmbH, Pearson Digital Learning Puerto Rico Inc., Pearson Dollar Finance Two Limited, Pearson Dollar Finance plc, Pearson Educacion SA, Pearson Educacion de Chile Limitada, Pearson Educacion de Colombia S A S, Pearson Educacion de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pearson Educacion de Panama SA, Pearson Educacion de Peru S.A., Pearson Education (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Pearson Education Achievement Solutions (RF) (Pty) Limited, Pearson Education Africa (Pty) Ltd, Pearson Education Asia Limited, Pearson Education Botswana (Proprietary) Limited, Pearson Education Hellas SA, Pearson Education Holdings Limited, Pearson Education Inc., Pearson Education Indochina Limited, Pearson Education Investments Limited, Pearson Education Korea Limited, Pearson Education Limited, Pearson Education Namibia (Pty) Limited, Pearson Education Publishing Limited, Pearson Education S.A., Pearson Education SA, Pearson Education South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Pearson Education South Asia Pte. Ltd., Pearson Education Taiwan Ltd, Pearson Education do Brasil S.A, Pearson Educational Measurement Canada Inc., Pearson Educational Publishers LLC, Pearson Egitim Cozumleri Tikaret Limited Sirketi, Pearson Falstaff (Holdings) Inc., Pearson Falstaff Holdco LLC, Pearson France, Pearson Funding Five plc, Pearson Funding Four plc, Pearson Funding Two Limited, Pearson Holdings Inc., Pearson Holdings Southern Africa (Pty) Limited, Pearson IOKI Spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Pearson India Education Services Private Limited, Pearson India Support Services Private Limited, Pearson Institute of Higher Education, Pearson International Finance Limited, Pearson Investment Holdings Inc., Pearson Italia S.p.A, Pearson Japan KK, Pearson Lanka (Private) Limited, Pearson Learning China (HK) Limited, Pearson Lesotho (Pty) Ltd, Pearson Loan Finance No. 3 Limited, Pearson Loan Finance No. 4 Limited, Pearson Loan Finance No.2 Unlimited, Pearson Loan Finance Unlimited, Pearson Longman Uganda Limited, Pearson Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Pearson Management Services Limited, Pearson Management Services Philippines Inc., Pearson Maryland Inc., Pearson Netherlands B.V., Pearson Netherlands Holdings B.V., Pearson Nominees Limited, Pearson Online Tutoring LLC, Pearson Overseas Holdings Limited, Pearson PEM P.R. Inc., Pearson PRH Holdings Limited, Pearson Pension Nominees Limited, Pearson Pension Property Fund Limited, Pearson Pension Trustee Limited, Pearson Pension Trustee Services Limited, Pearson Professional Assessments Limited, Pearson Real Estate Holdings Inc., Pearson Real Estate Holdings Limited, Pearson Schweiz AG, Pearson Services Limited, Pearson Shared Services Limited, Pearson South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Pearson Strand Finance Limited, Pearson Sweden AB, Pearson VUE Philippines Inc., Pearson in Practice Holdings Limited, Pearson in Practice Skills Based Learning Limited, Pearson in Practice Technology Limited, Penguin Capital LLC, Phumelela Publishers (Pty) Ltd, ProctorCam Inc., Reading Property Holdings LLC, Rebus Planning Associates Inc., Reston Publishing Company Inc., Rycade Capital Corporation, Shanghai AWL Education Software Ltd, Silver Burdett Ginn Inc., Skylight Training and Publishing Inc., Smarthinking Inc., Sound Holdings Inc., Spear Insurance Company Limited, Stark Verlag GmbH, Sunnykey International Holdings Limited (BVI), TQ Catalis Limited, TQ Clapham Limited, TQ Education and Training Limited, TQ Global Limited, TQ Group Limited, TQ Holdings Limited, The Financial Times (I) Pvt Ltd, The Learning Edge International pty Ltd, The Waite Group Inc, Trio Parent Holdings LLC, US Learning Services LLC, USLS Holdings LLC, Virtual Nerd, Vue Testing Services Israel Ltd, Vue Testing Services Korea Limited, Wall Street Institute Kft., Williams Education GmbH, eCollege.com, and Editions Du Renouveau Pedagogique Inc..The following companies are subsidiares of Xylem: Aanderaa Data Instruments AS, Beijing United Gas Meters Co. Ltd., Bellingham & Stanley Ltd., Bombas Flygt de Venezuela S.A., CMS Research Corporation, EmNet LLC, FARADYNE Motors LLC, Faradyne Motors (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Flow Control LLC, Flowtronex PSI LLC, Fluid Handling LLC, Godwin Holdings Ltd., Goulds Water Technology Philippines Inc, Grindex AB, Grindex Pumps LLC, HYPACK Inc, Heartland Pump Rental & Sales Inc., IMT b.v., Jabsco Marine Italia s.r.l., Jabsco S. de R.L. De C.V., Lowara UK Ltd, Lowara Vogel Polska SP ZOO, Lowara s.r.l., MJK Automation ApS, MultiTrode Inc., Multitrode Pty Ltd, Nova Analytics Europe LLC, O.I. Corporation, PCI Membrane Systems Inc., Pension Trustee Management Ltd, Pims Pumps, Portacel Inc., Pure Technologies, SELC Electronics Ltd, SELC Group Ltd., SELC Ireland Ltd, Safe Sea Services FZC, Sensus, Sensus (UK Holdings) Ltd., Sensus Australia Pty Ltd, Sensus Canada Inc., Sensus Chile SA, Sensus Espana SA, Sensus France Holdings SAS, Sensus France SAS, Sensus GmbH Hannover, Sensus GmbH Ludwigshafen, Sensus Italia SRL, Sensus Japan Kabushiki Kaisha, Sensus Manufacturing (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Sensus Maroc S.A.., Sensus Metering Systems (Fuzhou) Co. Ltd., Sensus Metering Systems (LuxCo 1) S.A R.L., Sensus Metering Systems (LuxCo 2) S.A R.L., Sensus Metering Systems (LuxCo 3) S.A R.L., Sensus Metering Systems (LuxCo 4) S.A R.L., Sensus Metering Systems (LuxCo 5) S.A R.L, Sensus Metering Systems IP Holdings Inc., Sensus Polska sp. zoo, Sensus Precision Die Casting (Yangzhou) Co. Ltd., Sensus SPA, Sensus Services Deutschland GmbH, Sensus Slovensko a.s., Sensus South Africa (Proprietary) Ltd., Sensus Spectrum LLC, Sensus UK Systems Limited, Sensus USA Inc., Sensus de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Sensus metrologicke sluzby s.r.o._Slovakia, Sensus Ceska republika spol. s r.o., Sentec Limited, Smith-Blair Inc., Texas Turbine LLC, Tideland Signal Corporation, Tideland Signal EMEA B.V., Tideland Signal LLC, Tideland Signal Limited, Tirinstal Investments Ltd, UGI Global Limited, Valor Water Analytics, Visenti Pte. Ltd, Water Asset Management Inc., Water Process Limited, Watercompany, Xylem (China) Company Limited, Xylem (Hong Kong) Limited, Xylem (Nanjing) Co. Ltd, Xylem Analytics (Beijing) Co. Ltd, Xylem Analytics Australia Pty Ltd., Xylem Analytics France S.A.S., Xylem Analytics Germany GmbH, Xylem Analytics IP Management GmbH, Xylem Analytics IP Management SCS, Xylem Analytics LLC, Xylem Analytics UK LTD, Xylem Australia Holdings PTY LTD, Xylem Brasil Solucoes para Agua Ltda, Xylem Canada Company, Xylem Delaware Inc., Xylem Denmark Holdings ApS, Xylem Dewatering Solutions Inc., Xylem Dewatering Solutions UK Ltd, Xylem Europe GmbH, Xylem Financing S.a.r.l, Xylem Germany GmbH, Xylem Global S.a.r.l, Xylem Holdings S.a.r.l., Xylem IP Holdings LLC, Xylem IP Management S.a.r.l, Xylem IP UK S.a.r.l., Xylem Industriebeteiligungen GmbH, Xylem Industries S.a.r.l., Xylem International S.a.r.l., Xylem Lowara Limited, Xylem Luxembourg S.a r.l., Xylem Management GmbH, Xylem Manufacturing Austria GmbH, Xylem Manufacturing Middle East Region FZCO, Xylem Middle East Water Equipment Trading & Rental LLC, Xylem Russia LLC, Xylem Saudi Arabia Limited, Xylem Service Hungary Kft, Xylem Service Italia Srl, Xylem Services Austria GmbH, Xylem Services GmbH, Xylem Shared Services Sp. Z.o.o., Xylem Technologies & Partners S.C.S, Xylem Technologies GmbH, Xylem Water Holdings Limited, Xylem Water Limited, Xylem Water Services Limited, Xylem Water Solutions (Hong Kong) Limited, Xylem Water Solutions Argentina S.R.L., Xylem Water Solutions Australia Limited, Xylem Water Solutions Austria GmbH, Xylem Water Solutions Belgium, Xylem Water Solutions Chile S.A., Xylem Water Solutions Colombia SAS, Xylem Water Solutions Denmark ApS, Xylem Water Solutions Deutschland GmbH, Xylem Water Solutions Espana S.A., Xylem Water Solutions Florida LLC, Xylem Water Solutions France SAS, Xylem Water Solutions Global Services AB, Xylem Water Solutions Herford GmbH, Xylem Water Solutions Holdings France SAS, Xylem Water Solutions India Private Limited, Xylem Water Solutions Ireland Ltd., Xylem Water Solutions Italia S.R.L, Xylem Water Solutions Korea Co. Ltd., Xylem Water Solutions Magyarorszag KRT, Xylem Water Solutions Malaysia SDN. BHD., Xylem Water Solutions Manufacturing AB, Xylem Water Solutions Metz SAS, Xylem Water Solutions Mexico S.de R.L. de C.V., Xylem Water Solutions Middle East Region FZCO, Xylem Water Solutions Muscat LLC, Xylem Water Solutions Nederland BV, Xylem Water Solutions New Zealand Limited, Xylem Water Solutions Norge AS, Xylem Water Solutions Panama s.r.l., Xylem Water Solutions Peru S.A., Xylem Water Solutions Polska Sp.z.o.o., Xylem Water Solutions Portugal Unipessoal Lda., Xylem Water Solutions Rugby Limited, Xylem Water Solutions Singapore PTE Ltd., Xylem Water Solutions South Africa (Pty) Ltd., Xylem Water Solutions South Africa Holdings LLC, Xylem Water Solutions Suomi Oy, Xylem Water Solutions Sweden AB, Xylem Water Solutions U.S.A. Inc., Xylem Water Solutions UK Holdings Limited, Xylem Water Solutions UK Limited, Xylem Water Solutions Zelienople LLC, Xylem Water Solutions(Shenyang) CO. Ltd, Xylem Water Systems (California) Inc., Xylem Water Systems Hungary KFT, Xylem Water Systems International Inc., Xylem Water Systems Japan Corporation, Xylem Water Systems Philippines Holding Inc., Xylem Water Systems Texas Holdings LLC, Xylem Water Systems U.S.A. LLC, YSI (China) Ltd., YSI (Hong Kong) Ltd., YSI (UK) Ltd., YSI Incorporated, YSI Instrumentos E Servicos Ambientais Ltda., YSI International Inc., YSI Nanotech Limited, and ylem Analytics Germany Sales GmbH& Co. KG.Hapag-Lloyd Aktiengesellschaft, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a liner shipping company worldwide. Its vessel and container fleets are used for the transportation of general and special cargo, various dangerous goods, and coffee, as well as reefer cargo covering pharmaceuticals. The company also offers bilateral EDI, a directly connected electronic data interchange; operates an e-commerce portal that provides real-time access to transport data, as well as services to manage customer's supply chain data and connect to their carriers through one interface, and mobile app that allows to manage shipping process; and provides e-mail, security information and verified gross mass services. In addition, it provides container transportation services. As of June 10, 2021, the company fleet comprised 241 container ships with a total capacity of 1.7 million twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU); and a container capacity of approximately 2.8 million TEU. Hapag-Lloyd Aktiengesellschaft was founded in 1847 and is headquartered in Hamburg, Germany.

Read MoreBerkshire Hathaway Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the insurance, freight rail transportation, and utility businesses worldwide. It provides property, casualty, life, accident, and health insurance and reinsurance; and operates railroad systems in North America. The company also generates, transmits, stores, and distributes electricity from natural gas, coal, wind, solar, hydro, nuclear, and geothermal sources; operates natural gas distribution and storage facilities, interstate pipelines, liquefied natural gas facilities, and compressor and meter stations; and holds interest in coal mining assets. In addition, the company manufactures boxed chocolates and other confectionery products; specialty chemicals, metal cutting tools, and components for aerospace and power generation applications; and flooring, insulation, roofing and engineered, building and engineered components, paints and coatings, and bricks and masonry products, as well as offers manufactured and site-built home construction, and related lending and financial services; and recreational vehicles, apparel products, jewelry, and custom picture framing products, and alkaline batteries. Further, it manufactures castings, forgings, fasteners/fastener systems, and aerostructures; and seamless pipes, fittings, downhole casing and tubing, and various mill forms. Additionally, the company distributes televisions and information; franchises and services quick service restaurants; distributes electronic components; and offers logistics services, grocery and foodservice distribution services, and professional aviation training and shared aircraft ownership programs. It also retails automobiles; furniture, bedding, and accessories; household appliances, electronics, and computers; jewelry, watches, crystal, china, stemware, flatware, gifts, and collectibles; kitchenware; and motorcycle apparel and equipment. The company was incorporated in 1998 and is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska.

Read MoreImperial Brands PLC, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, imports, markets, and sells tobacco and tobacco-related products. It offers a range of cigarettes, fine cut and smokeless tobacco, papers, and cigars; and next generation product (NGP) portfolio, such as e-vapour products, as well as oral nicotine and heated tobacco products. The company sells its products under various brands, including Davidoff, Gauloises, JPS, West, L&B, Bastos, Fine, Winston, News, Parker & Simpson, blu, Kool, Horizon, Jade, Cohiba, Montecristo, Romeo Y Julieta, Backwoods, Skruf, Golden Virginia, Rizla, and Knox in approximately 160 countries worldwide. It also provides logistics services that include the distribution of tobacco and NGP products for tobacco and NGP product manufacturers; and various non-tobacco and NGP products and services. In addition, the company is involved in the management of a golf course; marketing of papers; restaurant business; distribution of pharmaceuticals, POS software, and published materials and other products; printing and publishing activities; and provision of long haul transportation, industrial parcel and express delivery, advertising, and support management services. Further, it owns the trademarks; and retails its products. The company was formerly known as Imperial Tobacco Group PLC and changed its name to Imperial Brands PLC in February 2016. Imperial Brands PLC was founded in 1901 and is headquartered in Bristol, the United Kingdom.

Read MoreThe following companies are subsidiares of Danaher: AB SCIEX, AB Sciex Germany GmbH, AB Sciex LLC, AB Sciex LP, AB Sciex Pte Ltd., Accu-Sort Systems, Acme Cleveland Corporation, Advanced Vision Technology, American Precision Industries, Applied Biosystems, Applitek NV, Aquatic Infomatics ULC, Aquatic Informatics, Armstrong Tools, BC Distribution BV, Beckman Coulter, Beckman Coulter Australia Pty Ltd, Beckman Coulter Biotechnology (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Beckman Coulter Biyomedikal Urunler Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited [irketi], Beckman Coulter Canada LP, Beckman Coulter Commercial Enterprise (China) Co. Ltd., Beckman Coulter France S.A.S., Beckman Coulter G.m.b.H., Beckman Coulter Genomics Inc., Beckman Coulter Hong Kong Limited, Beckman Coulter Inc., Beckman Coulter India Private Limited, Beckman Coulter International SA, Beckman Coulter International Shanghai Trading Co., Beckman Coulter Ireland Inc., Beckman Coulter K.K., Beckman Coulter Korea Ltd., Beckman Coulter Laboratory Systems (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Beckman Coulter Limited Liability Company, Beckman Coulter Mishima KK, Beckman Coulter Nederland B.V., Beckman Coulter Nippon GK, Beckman Coulter S.L.U., Beckman Coulter Saudi Arabia Co.Ltd., Beckman Coulter Srl, Beckman Coulter Taiwan Inc., Beckman Coulter United Kingdom Limited, Beckman Coulter de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Beckman Coulter do Brasil Ltda., Beckman Finance ApS, Beckman Holdings Ltd., BioTector Analytical Systems Ltd, Biosafe S.A., Blue Software LLC, Cepheid, Cepheid AB, Cepheid Europe SAS, Cepheid GmbH, Cepheid HBDC SAS, Cepheid UK Ltd., ChemTreat, ChemTreat Inc., ChemTreat International Inc., Cispus Hong Kong Holding Limited, Cytiva, Cytiva BioProcess R&D AB, Cytiva Biotechnology (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd., Cytiva Biotechnology (Hang Zhou) Co. Ltd., Cytiva Europe GmbH, Cytiva Sweden AB, Cytiva Sweden Holding AB, DH Europe Finance II Sarl, DH Europe Finance Sarl, DH Holding Italia SRL, DH Japan Finance Sarl, DH Life Sciences LLC, DH Netherlands BV, DH Technologies Development Pte Ltd., DHKAB Company AB, DTIL Ireland Holdings Ltd., Danaher (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd., Danaher Hong Kong Limited, Danaher Medical ApS, Delta Consolidated Industries, Devicore Medical Products Inc., Easco Hand Tools, Esko, Esko BV, Esko Finance BV, Esko Graphics BV, Esko Software BV, FHAB Company AB, Fluke, G. Lufft Mess- und Regeltechnik GmbH, GE Biopharma, Gelman Sciences Inc., Gendex, Genetix Group, Gilbarco Veeder Root, Gilzoni Ltd., Global Life Sciences Solutions Austria GmbH & Co. KG, Global Life Sciences Solutions Germany GmbH, Global Life Sciences Solutions Korea Ltd., Global Life Sciences Solutions Manufacturing UK Ltd, Global Life Sciences Solutions New Zealand, Global Life Sciences Solutions Operations UK Ltd, Global Life Sciences Solutions Singapore Pte Ltd, Global Life Sciences Solutions USA LLC, Global Life Sciences Technologies (Shanghai) Co Ltd., Global Life Sciences Technologies Japan KK, Hach Company, Hach Lange Finance GmbH, Hach Lange GmbH, Hach Lange Sarl, Hach Sales & Services Canada LP, Hach Ultra Japan KK, Hach Water Quality Analytical Instru. (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., HemoCue AB, HyClone Laboratories LLC, Hybritech Incorporated, Hyclone Life Sciences Solutions India Private Limited, IDBS Group, IRIS International, Imaging Sciences International, Immunotech SAS, Immunotech Sro, Intabio LLC, Integrated DNA Technologies, Integrated DNA Technologies BVBA, Integrated DNA Technologies Inc., Integrated DNA Technologies Pte. Ltd., Iris International Inc., Joslyn Holding Company LLC, KVHG GmbH, KaVo, KaVo Kerr, Kaltenbach & Voigt, Keithley Instruments, Kipp & Zonen BV, Kollmorgen, Labcyte Inc., Laetus, Leica Biosystems Imaging Inc., Leica Biosystems Melbourne Pty Ltd, Leica Biosystems Newcastle Limited, Leica Biosystems Nussloch GmbH, Leica Biosystems Richmond Inc., Leica Instruments (Singapore) Pte Limited, Leica Microsystems, Leica Microsystems (UK) Limited, Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH, Leica Microsystems Cambridge Limited, Leica Microsystems IR GmbH, Leica Microsystems Inc., Leica Microsystems Limited, Leica Microsystems Ltd. Shanghai, Leica Mikrosysteme Vertrieb GmbH, Life Sciences Holdings France SAS*, Lifschultz Industries, Linx Printing Technologies, Linx Printing Technologies Limited, MDS Analytical Technologies, Marconi Data Systems, McCrometer Inc., Microtest, Molecular Devices, Molecular Devices (Austria) GmbH, Molecular Devices LLC, Navman Wireless, Navman Wireless OEM Solutions, Nihon Pall Ltd., Nihon Pall Manufacturing Limited, Nobel Biocare, OTT Hydromet Corp, Pall, Pall (Canada) ULC, Pall (China) Co. Ltd., Pall (Schweiz) GmbH, Pall Aeropower Corporation, Pall Artelis BVBA, Pall Asia Holdings Inc., Pall Australia Pty. Ltd., Pall Austria Filter Ges.m.b.h, Pall Corporation, Pall Europe Limited, Pall Filtersystems GmbH, Pall Filtration Pte. Ltd., Pall Filtration and Separations Group Inc., Pall France SAS, Pall GmbH, Pall India Pvt. Ltd., Pall International Sarl, Pall Italia Srl, Pall Korea Ltd., Pall Life Sciences Belgium BV, Pall Life Sciences Puerto Rico LLC, Pall Manufacturing UK Limited, Pall Medistad BV, Pall Netherlands BV Irish Branch, Pall Technology UK Limited, PaloDEX, Pantone LLC, Pelton & Crane, Phenomenex, Phenomenex Inc., Precision NanoSystems, QHC Ireland Finance Limited, Radiometer, Radiometer Basel AG, Radiometer K.K., Radiometer Medical ApS, Radiometer Medical Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Radiometer Turku Oy, Raytek, Reytek Corporation, SH Switzerland Finance Sarl, Sea-Bird Electronics Inc., SenDx Medical Inc., Shanghai AB Sciex Analytical Instrument Trading Co. Ltd., Sutron, Sybron Dental Specialties, TCIL Ireland Finance Ltd., Tektronix, Thomson Industries, Tianjin Bonna-Agela Technologies Co. Ltd., Trojan Technologies, Trojan Technologies Group ULC, VSS Monitoring, Videojet Do Brasil Comercio de Equipamentos Para Codificacao Industrial Ltda., Videojet Technologies (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Videojet Technologies Europe B.V., Videojet Technologies Inc., Viridor Waste Management Limited, Vision Systems Limited, Willett International, X-Ray Optical Systems Inc., X-Rite, X-Rite Europe GmbH, X-Rite Incorporated, X-Rite Switzerland GmbH, XOS, Yukon Hong Kong Holding Limited, and Zhuhai S.E.Z. Videojet Electronics Ltd..Magna International Inc. designs, engineers, and manufactures components, assemblies, systems, subsystems, and modules for original equipment manufacturers of vehicles and light trucks worldwide. The company operates through four segments: Body Exteriors & Structures, Power & Vision, Seating Systems, and Complete Vehicles. Its Body Exteriors & Structures segment provides body and chassis systems, as well as engineering and testing services; exterior systems, including fascia and trims, front end modules, front integration panels, liftgate modules, active aerodynamics, engineered glass, running boards, truck bed access products, and side doors; and roof systems, such as modular and textile folding roofs, and hard and soft tops. The company's Power & Vision segment offers dedicated hybrid, dual and e-clutch, and manual transmissions; engine drive plates and accessories; AWD/4WD products, rear drive modules, and hybrid and battery electric drive systems; transmission, engine, and driveline components; advanced driver assistance systems, camera systems, ultrasonic sensors, and electronic controllers; interior and exterior mirrors, actuators, door handles, overhead consoles, and camera monitoring systems; head, tail, and fog lamps; signal and other lighting products; and latching systems, door modules, window systems, power closure systems, hinges and wire forming, and handle assemblies. Its Seating Systems segment provides seat structures, mechanism and hardware solutions, and foam and trim products. The company's Complete Vehicles segment offers vehicle manufacturing and engineering services. It also designs, engineers, and manufactures tooling products. Magna International Inc. was founded in 1957 and is headquartered in Aurora, Canada.

Read MoreDTE Energy Co. operates as a diversified energy company, which engages in the provision of electricity and natural gas sales, distribution and storage services. It operates through the following segments: Electric, Gas, Non-Utility Operations, and Corporate & Other. The Electric segment engages in the generation, purchase, distribution and sale of electricity to residential, commercial and industrial customers in south-eastern Michigan. The Gas segment engages in the purchase, storage, transportation, distribution and sale of natural gas to residential, commercial and industrial customers throughout Michigan and the sale of storage and transportation capacity. The Non-Utility Operations segment engages in gas storage and pipelines, power and industrial projects, and energy trading. The Corporate & Other includes various holding company activities, holds certain non-utility debt, and holds energy-related investments. The company was founded in January 1995 and is headquartered in Detroit, MI.

Read MoreConagra Brands, Inc. engages in the manufacture and sale of processed and packaged foods. It operates through the following segments: Grocery and Snacks; Refrigerated and Frozen; International; and Foodservice. The Grocery and Snacks segment includes branded, shelf stable food products sold in various retail channels in the United States. The Refrigerated and Frozen segment comprises branded, temperature controlled food products sold in various retail channels in the United States. The International segment consists branded food products, in various temperature states, sold in various retail and foodservice channels outside of the United States. The Foodservice segment focuses in the branded and customized food products, including meals, entrees, sauces, and a variety of custom-manufactured culinary products packaged for sale to restaurants and other foodservice establishments in the United States. The company was founded by Alva Kinney and Frank Little in 1919 and is headquartered in Chicago, IL.

Read MoreVivint Solar, Inc. provides distributed solar energy primarily to residential customers in the United States. It owns and installs solar energy systems through long-term customer contracts. The company also sells photovoltaic installation products, as well as solar renewable energy certificates. As of December 31, 2019, it had an aggregate capacity of 1,294.0 megawatts covering approximately 188,300 homes. The company was formerly known as V Solar Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to Vivint Solar, Inc. in April 2014. Vivint Solar, Inc. was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Lehi, Utah.

Read MoreCAE Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and supplies simulation equipment and training solutions to defense and security markets, commercial airlines, business aircraft operators, helicopter operators, aircraft manufacturers, and healthcare education and service providers worldwide. The company's Civil Aviation Training Solutions segment provides training solutions for flight, cabin, maintenance, and ground personnel in commercial, business, and helicopter aviation; flight simulation training devices; and ab initio pilot training and crew sourcing services, as well as end to end digitally-enabled crew management, training operations solutions, and optimization software. Its Defence and Security segment offers training and mission support solutions for defense forces across multi-domain operations, and for government organizations responsible for public safety. The company's Healthcare segment provides integrated education and training solutions, including surgical and imaging simulations, curriculum, audiovisual and centre management platforms, and patient simulators to healthcare students and clinical professionals. The company was formerly known as CAE Industries Ltd. and changed its name to CAE Inc. in June 1993. CAE Inc. was founded in 1947 and is headquartered in Saint-Laurent, Canada.

Read MoreThe following companies are subsidiares of Prudential Financial: 210-220 E. 22nd Street SSGA Owner LLC, AIG Edison, AIG Star, AREF Cayman Co Ltd., AREF GP II Pte. Ltd., AREF GP Ltd., ASPF II - Feeder Fund GmbH, ASPF II - Verwaltungs - GmbH & Co. KG, ASPF II Management GmbH, ASPF III (Scots) L.P., ASSURANCE, AST Investment Services Inc., Adlerwerke CB Investment LLC, Administradora de Fondos de Pensiones Habitat S.A., Administradora de Inversiones Previsionales SpA, Aoba Life Insurance Company, Asia Property Fund III GP S.a.r.l., Assurance IQ LLC, Assurance Intelligence LLC, BSC CP LP, Braeloch Holdings Inc., Braeloch Successor Corporation, Brazilian Capital Fund GP Limited, Broad Street Global Advisors LLC, Broome Street Holdings LLC, CB German Retail LLC, CLIS Co. Ltd., COLICO INC., Campus Drive LLC, Capital Agricultural Property Services Inc., Chadwick Boulevard Investment Holdings Co. LLC, Cibecue LLC, Coconino LLC, Colico II Inc., Columbus Drive Partners L.P., Commerce Street Holdings LLC, Commerce Street Investments LLC, Coolidge LLC, Coral Reef GP, Coral Reef L.P., Coral Reef Unit Trust, Cottage Street Investments LLC, Cottage Street Orbit Acquisition LLC, DHFL PRAMERICA LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED, DICKENS AVENUE HOLDINGS VI LLC, DICKENS AVENUE PARTNERS VI (Ireland) L.P., DICKENS AVENUE PARTNERS VI (US) L.P., Don Cesar Investor LLC, Dryden Arizona Reinsurance Term Company, Dryden Finance II LLC, EVP II GP S.a r.l., EVP II Sweden Resi I GP S.a r.l., Edison Place Senior Note LLC, Essex LLC, EuroCore GP S.a r.l., European Value Partners GP S.a.r.l., Everbright PGIM Fund Management Co. Ltd., Flagstaff LLC, GA 1600 Commons LLC, GA 333 Hennepin Investor LLC, GA BV LLC, GA Bay Area GP LLC, GA Bay Area Investor LLC, GA Belden LLC, GA CLARENDON LLC, GA Cal Crossings LLC, GA Collins LLC, GA E. 22nd Street Apartments Holdings LLC, GA East 86 Street LLC, GA JHCII LLC, GA MENLO PARK INVESTOR LLC, GA Manor at Harbour Island LLC, GA Metro LLC, GA Mission LLC, GA TRITON INVESTOR LLC, GA W Paces LLC, GA/MDI 333 Hennepin Associates LLC, GIBRALTAR BSN HOLDINGS SDN BHD, GIBRALTAR INDIA SOLUTIONS LLP, Gateway Holdings II LLC, Gateway Holdings LLC, German Retail Income CP LP, Gibraltar BSN Life Berhad, Gibraltar International Insurance Services Company Inc., Gibraltar International Service LLC, Gibraltar Reinsurance Company Ltd., Gibraltar Universal Life Reinsurance Company, Glenealy International Limited, Global Portfolio Strategies Inc., Gold GP Limited, Gold II L.P., Gold L.P., Graham Resources Inc., Graham Royalty Ltd., Green Tree GP, Green Tree L.P., Greenlee LLC, Halsey Street Investments LLC, Hirakata LLC, IVP Fund GP LLC, Impact Investments Bridges UK S.a.r.l, Inter-Atlantic G Fund L.P., Inversiones Previsionales Chile SpA, Inversiones Previsionales Dos SpA, Ironbound Fund LLC, Jennison Associates LLC, Kyarra S.a r.l., Kyoei Annuity Home Co. Ltd., LINEUP LLC, Lake Street Partners IV L.P., MC GA COLLINS HOLDINGS LLC, MC GA COLLINS REALTY LLC, MC Insurance Agency Services LLC, Manor at Harbour Island LLC, Marble Canyon LLC, Maricopa LLC, Market Street Holdings IV LLC, Morenci LLC, Mulberry Street Holdings LLC, Mulberry Street Investment L.P., Mulberry Street Partners LLC, Mullin TBG Insurance Agency Services LLC, MullinTBG Insurance Agency Services, National Family Assurance Group LLC, New Savanna, Orchard Street Acres Inc., PAI Bay Farm LLC, PAI Bayrock Groves LLC, PAI Belvidere Farms LLC, PAI Big Cypress Farm LLC, PAI Corcoran 640 Ranch LLC, PAI DeKalb Farm LLC, PAI Delano 1500 Ranches LLC, PAI Flicker Orchard LLC, PAI Good Hope Farm LLC, PAI Hawk Creek Ranch LLC, PAI Hills Valley Ranches LLC, PAI Holly Hill Groves LLC, PAI Hunt Farm LLC, PAI Jackson Bayou Farm LLC, PAI Lake Placid Groves LLC, PAI Wallula Gap Vineyard LLC, PCP V Cayman AIV GP L.P., PEREF II Co-Invest 1 GP S.a r.l., PEREF II GP S.a r.l., PEREF II PV S.r.l, PFI EM-Tech Fund I LLC, PG Business Service Co. Ltd, PG Collection Service Co. Ltd., PGA Asian Retail Limited, PGA European Limited, PGI Co. Ltd, PGIM (Australia) Pty Ltd, PGIM (Hong Kong) Ltd., PGIM (Scots) Limited, PGIM (Shanghai) Company Ltd., PGIM (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., PGIM AVP IV GP S.a r.l., PGIM Advisory (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PGIM Agricultural Investments GP LLC, PGIM Agricultural Investors LP, PGIM Broad Market High Yield Bond Fund L.P., PGIM Broad Market High Yield Bond Partners LLC, PGIM Capital Partners Management (Feeder) VI LLC, PGIM Capital Partners Management Fund VI L.P., PGIM European Financing Limited, PGIM European Services Limited, PGIM Financial Limited, PGIM Fixed Income Alternatives Fund II L.P., PGIM Fixed Income Alternatives Fund L.P., PGIM Fixed Income Alternatives GP LLC, PGIM Fixed Income Alternatives II GP LLC, PGIM Foreign Investments Inc., PGIM Holding Company LLC, PGIM INDIA ASSET MANAGEMENT PRIVATE LIMITED, PGIM INDIA TRUSTEES PRIVATE LIMITED, PGIM Inc., PGIM International Financing Inc., PGIM Investments LLC, PGIM Japan Co. Ltd., PGIM Korea Inc., PGIM LTIF Berlin GP S.a r.l., PGIM LTIF Berlin MLP S.ar.l., PGIM LTIF GP S.a.r.l., PGIM Limited, PGIM Loan Originator Manager Limited, PGIM M Campus GP S.a r.l., PGIM Management Partner Limited, PGIM MetaProp Investor LP LLC, PGIM Netherlands B.V., PGIM Overseas Investment Fund Management (Shanghai) Company Ltd, PGIM Private Capital (Ireland) Limited, PGIM Private Capital Limited, PGIM Private Placement Investors Inc., PGIM Private Placement Investors L.P., PGIM REF EUROPE SCSp, PGIM REF Europe GP S.a r.l., PGIM REF Europe Member LLC, PGIM REF Intermediary Services Inc., PGIM Real Estate (Japan) Ltd., PGIM Real Estate (UK) Limited, PGIM Real Estate CD S.a.r.l., PGIM Real Estate Capital VII GP S.a r.l., PGIM Real Estate Carry & Co-Invest GP LLC, PGIM Real Estate Carry & Co-Invest GP S.a r.l., PGIM Real Estate Carry & Co-Invest L.P., PGIM Real Estate Carry & Co-Invest SCSp, PGIM Real Estate Co-Invest Holdings LLC, PGIM Real Estate Debt GmbH, PGIM Real Estate Finance Holding Company, PGIM Real Estate Finance LLC, PGIM Real Estate France SAS, PGIM Real Estate Germany AG, PGIM Real Estate Global Debt GP LLC, PGIM Real Estate Inmuebles S. de R.L. de C.V, PGIM Real Estate Italy S.r.l., PGIM Real Estate Loan Services Inc., PGIM Real Estate Luxembourg S.A., PGIM Real Estate MVP Administradora IV S. de R.L. de C.V., PGIM Real Estate MVP Administradora V S. de R.L. de C.V., PGIM Real Estate MVP Inmuebles IV S. de R.L. de C.V., PGIM Real Estate MVP Inmuebles V S. de R.L. de C.V., PGIM Real Estate Management Luxembourg S.a.r.l., PGIM Real Estate Mexico S.C., PGIM Real Estate S. de R.L. de C.V., PGIM Real Estate U.S. Debt Fund GP LLC, PGIM Senior Loan Opportunities Management (Feeder) I LLC, PGIM Senior Loan Opportunities Management Fund I L.P., PGIM Strategic Financing LLC, PGIM Strategic Investments Inc., PGIM USPF VI Manager LLC, PGIM Warehouse Inc., PGLH of Delaware Inc., PIFM Holdco LLC, PIIC Limited, PIISC Holdings (UK) Limited, PIM KF Blocker Holdings LLC, PIM KF Blocker V Holdings LLC, PIM USPF V Manager LLC, PLA Administradora Industrial SRL, PLA Administradora LLC, PLA Administradora S. de R.L. de C.V., PLA Asesoria Profesional II S. de R.L. de C.V., PLA Asesoria Profesional S.de R.L. de C.V., PLA Co-Investor LLC, PLA Mexico Industrial Manager I LLC, PLA Mexico Industrial Manager II LLC, PLA Mexico Residential Manager I LLC, PLA Residential Fund III Aggregating Manager LLC, PLA Residential Fund III Limited Manager LLC, PLA Residential Fund III Manager LLC, PLA Residential Fund IV Aggregating Manager LLC, PLA Residential Fund IV Manager LLC, PLA Retail Fund I Blue LP, PLA Retail Fund I LP, PLA Retail Fund I Manager LLC, PLA Retail Fund I Red LP, PLA Retail Fund II Aggregating Manager LLC, PLA Retail Fund II LLC, PLA Retail Fund II LP, PLA Retail Fund II Manager LLC, PLA Retail Fund II U.S. Carry/Co-Invest LP, PLA Services Manager Mexico LLC, PLAI Limited, PMCF Holdings LLC, PMCF Properties LLC, PPPF General Partner LLP, PR GA SCP Apartments LLC, PRAMERICA PRECAP VI GP (SCOTS FEEDER) LLP, PRAMERICA PRECAP VI GP LLP, PRECO ACCOUNT III LLC, PRECO ACCOUNT PARTNERSHIP III LP, PRECO Account IV LLC, PRECO Account Partnership IV LP, PRECO III GP LLP, PREFG Hanwha Manager LLC, PREI Acquisition I Inc., PREI Acquisition II Inc., PREI Acquisition LLC, PREI HYDG LLC, PREI International Inc., PRIAC Property Acquisitions LLC, PRICOA Management Partner Limited, PRISA Fund Manager LLC, PRISA II Fund Manager LLC, PRISA II Pooled Manager LLC, PRISA III Fund GP LLC, PRISA III Fund PIM LLC, PRREF II Fund Manager LLC, PRU 3XSquare LLC, PRUCO LLC, PRUDENTIAL CAPITAL ENERGY PARTNERS MANAGEMENT (FEEDER) LLC, PRUDENTIAL MORTGAGE SKP MEMBER LLC, PRUDENTIAL MORTGAGE SKP REIT LLC, PRUDENTIAL MORTGAGE SKP VENTURE 2 LLC, PRUDENTIAL MORTGAGE SKP VENTURE LLC, PT PFI Mega Life Insurance, Passaic Fund LLC, Pine Tree GP, Pine Tree L.P., Platinum GP Limited, Platinum II L.P., Platinum L.P., Pramerica (Hong Kong) Holdings Limited, Pramerica (Luxembourg) CP GP S.a.r.l., Pramerica (Scots) CP GP LLP, Pramerica Business Consulting (Shanghai) Company Limited, Pramerica EVP CP LP, Pramerica Financial Asia Headquarters Pte. Ltd., Pramerica Financial Asia Limited, Pramerica Fixed Income Funds Management Limited, Pramerica Fosun Life Insurance Co. Ltd., Pramerica General Partner LLP, Pramerica Holdings Ltd, Pramerica Insurance Agency (China) Company Ltd., Pramerica PRECAP I GP LLP, Pramerica PRECAP II GP LLP, Pramerica PRECAP III GP LLP, Pramerica PRECAP IV GP LLP, Pramerica Pan European Real Estate (Scots) LP, Pramerica Property Partners Fund (Scotland) Limited Partnership, Pramerica Real Estate Capital I (Scotland) Limited Partnership, Pramerica Real Estate Capital I GP (Scots Feeder) LLP, Pramerica Real Estate Capital II (Scots) Limited Partnership, Pramerica Real Estate Capital III (Scots) Limited Partnership, Pramerica Real Estate Capital IV (Scots) Limited Partnership, Pramerica Real Estate Capital IV GP (Scots Feeder) LLP, Pramerica Real Estate Capital IV GP Limited, Pramerica Real Estate Capital V (Netherlands) GP LLP, Pramerica Real Estate Capital V (Scots) Limited Partnership, Pramerica Real Estate Capital VI (Scots) Limited Partnership, Pramerica SGR S.p.A, Pramerica Systems Ireland Limited, Preco III (Scotland) Limited Partnership, Pru 101 Wood LLC, Pru Alpha Partners I LLC, Pru Fixed Income Emerging Markets Partners I LLC, PruVen Capital Partners Fund I L.P., Pruco Assignment Corporation, Pruco Life Insurance Company, Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey, Pruco Securities LLC, Prudential 900 Aviation Boulevard LLC, Prudential Affordable Mortgage Company LLC, Prudential Agricultural Property Holding Company LLC, Prudential Annuities Distributors Inc., Prudential Annuities Holding Company Inc., Prudential Annuities Inc., Prudential Annuities Information Services & Technology Corporation, Prudential Annuities Life Assurance Corporation, Prudential Arizona Reinsurance Captive Company, Prudential Arizona Reinsurance Term Company, Prudential Arizona Reinsurance Universal Company, Prudential Bank & Trust FSB, Prudential Capital Energy Opportunity Fund L.P., Prudential Capital Energy Partners L.P., Prudential Capital Energy Partners Management Fund L.P., Prudential Capital Partners Management Fund IV L.P., Prudential Capital and Investment Services LLC, Prudential Chile II SpA, Prudential Chile SpA, Prudential Commercial Property Holding Company LLC, Prudential Customer Solutions LLC, Prudential Equity Group LLC, Prudential Financial Securities Investment Trust Enterprise, Prudential Fixed Income Global Liquidity Relative Value Partners LLC, Prudential Fixed Income U.S. Relative Value Partners LLC, Prudential Funding LLC, Prudential General Services of Japan Y.K., Prudential Gibraltar Agency Co. Ltd., Prudential Global Funding LLC, Prudential Holdings of Japan Inc., Prudential Huntoon Paige Associates LLC, Prudential IBH Holdco Inc., Prudential Impact Investments Mortgage Loans LLC, Prudential Impact Investments Private Debt LLC, Prudential Impact Investments Private Equity LLC, Prudential Industrial Properties LLC, Prudential Insurance Agency LLC, Prudential International Insurance Holdings Ltd., Prudential International Insurance Service Company L.L.C., Prudential International Investments Advisers LLC, Prudential International Investments Company LLC, Prudential International Investments LLC, Prudential Investment Management Services LLC, Prudential Japan Holdings LLC, Prudential Legacy Insurance Company of New Jersey, Prudential Life Insurance Company of Taiwan Inc., Prudential Mortgage Asset Holdings 1 Japan Investment Business Limited Partnership, Prudential Mortgage Asset Holdings 2 Japan Investment Business Limited Partnership, Prudential Mortgage Capital Asset Holding Company LLC, Prudential Mortgage Capital Funding LLC, Prudential Mortgage Capital Holdings LLC, Prudential Multifamily Mortgage LLC, Prudential Mutual Fund Services LLC, Prudential Newark Realty LLC, Prudential QOZ Investment Fund 1 LLC, Prudential Realty Securities Inc., Prudential Retirement Financial Services Holding LLC, Prudential Retirement Holdings LLC, Prudential Retirement Insurance and Annuity Company, Prudential Securities Secured Financing Corporation, Prudential Securities Structured Assets Inc., Prudential Seguros Mexico S.A. de C.V., Prudential Seguros S.A., Prudential Servicios S. de R.L. de C.V., Prudential Structured Settlement Company, Prudential Systems Japan Limited, Prudential Term Reinsurance Company, Prudential Trust Co. Ltd., Prudential Trust Company, Prudential Universal Reinsurance Company, Prudential Workplace Solutions Group Services LLC, Prudential do Brasil Seguros de Vida S.A., Prudential do Brasil Vida em Grupo S.A., Prudential/TMW Real Estate Group LLC, Pruservicos Participacoes Ltda., QMA JP EM All Cap Equity Partners LLC, QMA LLC, QMA Wadhwani LLP, Quartzsite LLC, Residential Services Corporation of America LLC, Rio CP LP, Rock European Real Estate Holdings S.ar.l., Rock Global Real Estate LLC, Rock Kensington Limited, Rock Marty GP S.a r.l., Rock Oxford S.a r.l., Rock UK Real Estate Holdings S.ar.l., Rock UK Real Estate II S.a.r.l., Rockstone Co. Ltd., Rosado Grande LLC, Ross Avenue Energy Fund Holdings LLC, Ross Avenue Minerals 2012 LLC, SCP Apartments LLC, SENIOR HOUSING PARTNERS VI GP LLC, SENIOR HOUSING PARTNERSHIP FUND VI GP LLC, SHP IV Carried Interest LP, SHP V Carried Interest L.P., SMP Holdings Inc., SVIIT Holdings Inc., Sanei Collection Service Co. Ltd. (Kabushiki Kaisha Sanei Shuuno Service), Senior Housing Partners IV L.L.C., Senior Housing Partners V LLC, Senior Housing Partnership Fund IV L.L.C., Senior Housing Partnership Fund V LLC, Sterling Private Placement Management LLP, Stetson Street Partners L.P., Strand Investments Limited, TBG Insurance Services Corporation, TENSATOR HOLDINGS LTD, TF Proveedora S.C., TMW ASPF I Verwaltungs GmbH & Co. KG, TMW ASPF Management GmbH, TMW Management LLC, TMW Real Estate Group LLC, TMW Realty Advisors LLC, TMW USPF Verwaltungs GmbH, TRGOAG Company Inc., The Gibraltar Life Insurance Co. Ltd., The Keynes Dynamic Beta Strategy (US) Fund GP LLC, The Prudential Assigned Settlement Services Corp., The Prudential Brazilian Capital Fund LP, The Prudential Gibraltar Financial Life Insurance Co. Ltd., The Prudential Home Mortgage Company Inc., The Prudential Insurance Company of America, The Prudential Life Insurance Company Ltd., The Prudential Real Estate Financial Services of America Inc., The WMF Group, Thurloe Commercial Guernsey Limited, Times Square Center Associates, USPF V - Verwaltungs - GmbH & Co. KG, USPF V Carry LLC, USPF V Co-Invest LLC, USPF V Investment LP, United States Property Fund VI GP S.a r.l., Vailsburg Fund LLC, Vantage Casualty Insurance Company, Wabash Avenue Holdings V LLC, Wabash Avenue Partners V L.P., Wadhwani Capital Limited, Waveland Avenue Holdings I LLC, Waveland Avenue Partners I (Ireland) L.P., Waveland Avenue Partners I (US) L.P., Wellness Services Ecossistema De Bem Estar Ltda., Wellness Services SRL, Yamato Life, and Yavapai LLC.The following companies are subsidiares of Global Payments: ACTIVE Network - Communities and Sports, Active Network (HK) Limited, Active Network IPICO (CA) Inc., Active Network IPICO (US) Inc., Active Network IPICO Holdings (US) LLC, Active Network IPICO Holdings (US) LLC, Active Network IPICO Innovation Inc., Active Networks LLC, AdvancedMD, Athlaction Intermediate LLC, Athlaction Topco LLC, AuctionPay, Comercia Global Payments Entidad de Pago S.L., DEBITEK INC, Digital Dining LLC, Dinerware LLC, DolEx Europe S.L., Educational Computer Systems Inc., Ematters Australia Pty Ltd., Equifax Credit Services LLC, Ezi Holdings Pty. Ltd., Ezi Management Pty Ltd., Ezidebit, Ezidebit (NZ) Limited, Ezidebit HK Ltd., Ezidebit Pty Ltd., GP Finance LLC, GPC Financial Corporation, GPS Holding Limited Partnership, GPUK LLP, Global Payment Holding Company, Global Payment Systems Asia-Pacific (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd., Global Payment Systems LLC, Global Payment Systems of Canada Ltd., Global Payments - Caixa Acquisition Corporation S.a.r.l., Global Payments - Realex Payments Holding Limited, Global Payments - Servicos de Pagamentos S.A., Global Payments Acquisition Corp. 1 B.V., Global Payments Acquisition Corp. 2 B.V., Global Payments Acquisition Corp. 3 B.V., Global Payments Acquisition Corporation 2 LLC, Global Payments Acquisition Corporation 2 S.a.r.l., Global Payments Acquisition Corporation 3 LLC, Global Payments Acquisition Corporation 3 S.a.r.l., Global Payments Acquisition Corporation 4 S.a.r.l., Global Payments Acquisition Corporation 6 S.a.r.l., Global Payments Acquisition Corporation 7 LLC, Global Payments Acquisition Corporation 7 S.a.r.l., Global Payments Acquisition Corporation HK Holding Limited, Global Payments Acquisition PS 1 C.V., Global Payments Acquisition PS 2 C.V., Global Payments Acquisition PS 3 C. V., Global Payments Acquisition PS1-Global Payments Direct S.e.n.c., Global Payments Asia-Pacific (Hong Kong Holding) Limited, Global Payments Asia-Pacific (Hong Kong) Limited, Global Payments Asia-Pacific (India) Private Limited, Global Payments Asia-Pacific (Shanghai) Limited, Global Payments Asia-Pacific (Singapore Holding) Ltd., Global Payments Asia-Pacific Lanka (Private) Limited, Global Payments Asia-Pacific Limited, Global Payments Asia-Pacific Macau Limited, Global Payments Asia-Pacific Maldives Private Limited, Global Payments Asia-Pacific Philippines Incorporated, Global Payments Asia-Pacific Processing Company Limited, Global Payments Australia Pty 1 Ltd., Global Payments Australia Pty 2 Ltd., Global Payments Canada GP, Global Payments Canada Inc., Global Payments Card Processing Malaysia Sdn. Bhd, Global Payments Check Recovery Services Inc., Global Payments Check Services Inc., Global Payments Direct Inc., Global Payments Europe d.o.o. Sarajevo, Global Payments Europe s.r.o., Global Payments Gaming Canada Inc., Global Payments Gaming International Inc., Global Payments Gaming Services Inc., Global Payments Integrated, Global Payments Limited, Global Payments Process Centre Inc., Global Payments South America Brasil-Servicos de Pagamentos S.A., Global Payments UK 2 Ltd., Global Payments UK Ltd., Global Payments s.r.o., Greater Giving Inc., Heartland Acquisition LLC, Heartland Payment Solutions Inc., Heartland Payment Systems, Heartland Payment Systems LLC, Heartland Payroll Solutions Inc., IPICO South Africa (Pty) Ltd., JumpForward LLC, Maximum Solutions LLC, Merchant Services U.S.A. Inc., Modular Data Inc., NDC Holdings (UK) Ltd., NDPS Holdings Inc., PCAmerica LLC, Pay and Shop Limited, PayPros LLC, Payment Processing, Payroll 1 Inc., Realex Payments, SICOM Systems, Sabrir Invest S.L., Sentral Education, Spolecnost pro informacni database a.s., Storman Holdings Pty Ltd., Storman Software Inc., Storman Software Limited, Storman Software Ltd., Storman Software Pty Ltd., TeamPages Inc., The Active Network (Asia) Pte. Ltd, The Active Network (Aus-NZ) Pty. Ltd., The Active Network (EU) Ltd., The Active Network Ltd., The Active Network Ltd. (Chengdu), The Active Network Ltd. (Xian), Total System Services, TouchNet Information Systems Inc., UCS Terminal Joint Stock Company, United Card Service Joint Stock Company, VEPF III AIV VI-C Corp., VEPF IV AIV VII-C Corp., VFF I AIV IV-C Corp., Web Active Corporation Pty Ltd., Xenial Inc., Xpient LLC, eWAY, eWay Europe Limited, eWay Payments Asia Pte Ltd., eWay Payments Inc., eWay Payments New Zealand Limited, eWay Payments North America Inc., and eWay Payments Pty Ltd..Everest Re Group Ltd. is a holding company, which engages in the provision of reinsurance and insurance services. It operates through the following segments: U.S. Reinsurance, International, Bermuda, and Insurance. The U.S. Reinsurance segment writes property and casualty reinsurance and specialty lines of business, including marine, aviation, surety, and accident and health business, on both a treaty and facultative basis, through reinsurance brokers, as well as directly with ceding companies primarily within the U.S. The International segment offers foreign property and casualty reinsurance through Everest Re's branches in Canada and Singapore and through offices in Brazil, Miami, and New Jersey. The Bermuda segment comprises reinsurance and insurance to worldwide property and casualty markets through brokers and directly with ceding companies from its Bermuda office and reinsurance to the United Kingdom and European markets through its UK branch and Ireland Re. The Insurance segment writes property and casualty insurance directly and through brokers, surplus lines brokers, and general agents within the U.S., Canada, and Europe. The company was founded in 1999 and is headquartere

Read MoreAvient Corp. engages in the business of thermoplastic compounds. It specializes in polymer materials, services, and solutions with operations in specialty polymer formulations, color and additive systems, plastic sheet and packaging solutions and polymer distribution. The firm is also involved in the development and manufacturing of performance enhancing additives, liquid colorants, fluoropolymers and silicone colorants. It operates through the following segments: Color, Additives and Inks; Specialty Engineered Materials; and Distribution. The Color, Additives and Inks segment provides custom color and additive concentrates in solid and liquid form for thermoplastics, dispersions for thermosets, speciality inks, plasticols, and vinyl slush molding solutions. The Specialty Engineered Materials segment makes polymer formulations, services, and solutions for designers, assemblers, and processors of thermoplastic materials. The Distribution segment distributes engineering and commodity grade resins, including PolyOne-produced solutions, principally to the North American, Central American, and Asian markets. The firm's products include polymer distribution, screen printing inks, and thermoplastic elastomers. Its services include IQ design and color services. The company was founded on August 31, 2000 and is headquartered in Avon Lake, OH.

Read MoreThe following companies are subsidiares of Dominion Energy: 96WI 8me LLC, Alamo Solar LLC, Align RNG Arizona LLC, Align RNG Arizona-Snowflake LLC, Align RNG California LLC, Align RNG California-Corcoran LLC, Align RNG Grady Road LLC, Align RNG LLC, Align RNG Magnolia LLC, Align RNG North Carolina LLC, Align RNG North Carolina-Bowdens LLC, Align RNG Utah LLC, Align RNG Utah-Milford LLC, Align RNG Virginia LLC, Align RNG Virginia-Waverly LLC, Atlantic Coast Pipeline LLC, Azalea Solar LLC, BOE Holdings Inc., Blackville Solar Farm LLC, Blue Ocean Energy Marine LLC, BrightSuite Home LLC, BrightSuite Inc., BrightSuite Solar CT Inc., BrightSuite Solar SC Inc., BrightSuite Solar VA Inc., Buckingham Solar I LLC, CEA Americus LLC, CEA CO-Fort Morgan LLC, CEA Clovis LLC, CEA Dairy RNG Colorado LLC, CEA Dairy RNG Georgia LLC, CEA Dairy RNG Idaho LLC, CEA Dairy RNG Nevada LLC, CEA Dairy RNG New Mexico LLC, CEA Dairy RNG Texas LLC, CEA Greely LLC, CEA Mason LLC, CEA TX-Dimmitt LLC, CID Solar LLC, CNG Coal Company, CNG Power Services Corporation, Carolina Gas Transmission Corporation, Catalina Solar 2 LLC, Clean Energy Asset USA LLC, Clean Energy Enterprises Inc., Clipperton Holdings LLC, Consolidated Natural Gas Company, Correctional Solar LLC, Cottonwood Solar LLC, Cove Point LNG LP, Cove Point LNG Limited, DE Arlington Solar LLC, DE Fluvanna Solar LLC, DE Hanover Solar LLC, DE Henrico Solar LLC, DE King William Solar LLC, DE Louisa Solar LLC, DE Newport News Solar LLC, DE Powhatan Solar LLC, DE Virginia Beach Solar LLC, DECP Holdings Inc., Dairy RNG Holdings LLC, Dairy RNG NY LLC, Dairy RNG NY-Curtin LLC, Dairy RNG OH LLC, Denmark Solar LLC, Dominion ACP Holding Inc., Dominion Alternative Energy Holdings Inc., Dominion Atlantic Coast Pipeline LLC, Dominion Capital Inc., Dominion Cogen WV Inc., Dominion Energy Fuel Services Inc., Dominion Energy Gas Distribution LLC, Dominion Energy Generation Marketing Inc., Dominion Energy Inc., Dominion Energy Kewaunee Inc., Dominion Energy Marketplace LLC, Dominion Energy Nuclear Connecticut Inc., Dominion Energy Overthrust Pipeline LLC, Dominion Energy Payroll Company Inc., Dominion Energy Questar Corporation, Dominion Energy Questar Pipeline LLC, Dominion Energy Questar Pipeline Services Inc., Dominion Energy RNG Holdings II Inc., Dominion Energy RNG Holdings Inc., Dominion Energy Services Inc., Dominion Energy Solar CA LLC, Dominion Energy Solutions Inc., Dominion Energy South Carolina Inc., Dominion Energy Southeast Services Inc., Dominion Energy Technical Solutions Inc., Dominion Energy Technologies II Inc., Dominion Energy Technologies Inc., Dominion Energy Terminal Company Inc., Dominion Energy Wexpro Services Company, Dominion Equipment III Inc., Dominion Equipment Inc., Dominion Fairless Hills Inc., Dominion Fowler Ridge Wind LLC, Dominion Gas Projects Company LLC, Dominion Generation Inc., Dominion Greenbrier Inc., Dominion High Voltage Holdings Inc., Dominion High Voltage MidAtlantic Inc., Dominion Investments Inc., Dominion Keystone Pipeline Holdings Inc., Dominion Keystone Pipeline LLC, Dominion MLP Holding Company III Inc., Dominion Mt. Storm Wind LLC, Dominion Nuclear Projects Inc., Dominion Oklahoma Texas Exploration & Production Inc., Dominion Person Inc., Dominion Privatization Florida LLC, Dominion Privatization Georgia LLC, Dominion Privatization Holdings Inc., Dominion Privatization Kentucky LLC, Dominion Privatization Maryland LLC, Dominion Privatization Pennsylvania LLC, Dominion Privatization South Carolina LLC, Dominion Privatization Texas LLC, Dominion Privatization Virginia LLC, Dominion Products and Services Inc., Dominion Projects Services Inc., Dominion Resources Capital Trust III, Dominion Retail Gas Holdings Inc., Dominion Solar Construction and Maintenance LLC, Dominion Solar Gen-Tie LLC, Dominion Solar Holdings I LLC, Dominion Solar Holdings II LLC, Dominion Solar Holdings III LLC, Dominion Solar Holdings IV LLC, Dominion Solar Projects A Inc., Dominion Solar Projects B Inc., Dominion Solar Projects C Inc., Dominion Solar Projects D Inc., Dominion Solar Projects I Inc., Dominion Solar Projects II Inc., Dominion Solar Projects III Inc., Dominion Solar Projects IV Inc., Dominion Solar Projects V Inc., Dominion Solar Projects VI Inc., Dominion Solar Projects VII Inc., Dominion Solar Services Inc., Dominion State Line LLC, Dominion Voltage Inc., Dominion Wholesale Inc., Dominion Wind Development LLC, Dominion Wind Projects Inc., ESCT-SA-Suffield LLC, Eagle Holdco Solar LLC, Eagle Solar LLC, Eastern Shore Solar LLC, Enterprise Solar LLC, Escalante Solar I LLC, Escalante Solar II LLC, Escalante Solar III LLC, Four Brothers Solar LLC, Fremont Farm LLC, Granite Mountain Holdings LLC, Granite Mountain Solar East LLC, Granite Mountain Solar West LLC, Greenbrier Marketing Company LLC, Greenbrier Pipeline Company LLC, Greensville County Solar Project LLC, Hardin Solar Energy LLC, Hecate Energy Cherrydale LLC, Hecate Energy Clarke County LLC, Hope Gas Inc., Imperial Valley Solar Company (IVSC) 2 LLC, Indy Solar Development LLC, Indy Solar I LLC, Indy Solar II LLC, Indy Solar III LLC, Innovative Solar 37 LLC, Iron Springs Holdings LLC, Iron Springs Solar LLC, Louis Dreyfus Natural Gas, Maricopa West Solar PV LLC, Moffett Solar 1 LLC, Moorings Farm 2 LLC, Mulberry Farm LLC, Mustang Solar LLC, PSNC Blue Ridge Corporation, PSNC Cardinal Pipeline Company, Pavant Solar LLC, Phone House, Pikeville Farm LLC, Prairie Fork Wind Farm LLC, Public Service Company of North Carolina Incorporated, QPC Holding Company LLC, Questar Corporation, Questar Energy Services Inc., Questar Field Services LLC, Questar Gas Company, Questar InfoComm Inc., Questar Southern Trails Pipeline Company, Questar White River Hub LLC, RE Adams East LLC, RE Camelot LLC, RE Columbia Two LLC, RE Kansas LLC, RE Kent South LLC, RE Old River One LLC, Richland Solar Center LLC, Ridgeland Solar Farm I LLC, SBL Holdco LLC, SCANA, SCANA Communications Holdings Inc., SCANA Corporate Security Services Inc., SCANA Energy Marketing LLC, SCANA Pharmacy LLC, SRFI LLC, Scana Corporation, Scott-II Solar LLC, Seabrook Solar LLC, Selmer Farm LLC, Siler Solar LLC, Sol Madison Solar LLC, Somers Solar Center LLC, South Carolina Fuel Company Inc., South Carolina Generating Company Inc., Southampton Solar LLC, Summit Farms Solar LLC, Sussex Drive Solar Project LLC, TA - Acacia LLC, TWE Myrtle Solar Project LLC, The East Ohio Gas Company, Trask East Solar LLC, Tredegar Solar Fund I LLC, VP Property Inc., Virginia Electric And Power Company, Virginia Power Fuel Corporation, Virginia Power Nuclear Services Company, Virginia Power Services Energy Corp. Inc., Virginia Power Services LLC, Virginia Solar 201 Projects LLC, Wakefield Solar LLC, Wexpro Company, Wexpro Development Company, Wexpro II Company, Wilkinson Solar LLC, Wrangler Retail Gas Holdings LLC, and Yemassee Solar LLC.Wall Street analysts have given Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund 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 Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.Sanchez Energy Corporation, an independent exploration and production company, focuses on the acquisition and development of U.S. onshore unconventional oil and natural gas resources. It engages in the horizontal development of resources from the Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas. It also holds an undeveloped acreage position in the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale (TMS) in Mississippi and Louisiana. As of December 31, 2017, the company had assembled approximately 285,000 net acres in the Eagle Ford Shale; and owned approximately 37,000 net acres in the TMS. Sanchez Energy Corporation was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Read MoreThe following companies are subsidiares of Owens Corning: 0979301 B.C. ULC, AS Paroc, Asahi Glass - Composites Business, Crown Mfg. Inc., Deutsche Foamglas GmbH, Dutch OC Cooperatief Invest U.A., European Owens Corning Fiberglas SPRL, FOAMGLAS (Italia) SRL, FOAMGLAS (Nordic) AB, FiberTEK Insulation, Fibreboard Corp., Finefiber (Shanghai) Building Material Co. Ltd., Finefiber Insulation Co. Pte. Ltd., IBCO SRL, IPM Inc., InterWrap, InterWrap (Hong Kong) Ltd., InterWrap (Qingdao) Trading Co. Ltd., InterWrap Corp., InterWrap Corp. Private Ltd., International Packaging Products Pvt. Ltd., Inversiones Owens Corning Chile Holdings Limitada, Northern Elastomeric, OC Canada Finance Inc., OC Canada Holdings General Partnership, OC Celfortec Company, OC Latin American Holdings GmbH, OC NL Invest Cooperatief U.A., OC PRO CV, OC Steklovolokno AO, OCCV1 Inc., OCCV2 LLC, OCV (Thailand) Co. Limited, OCV Chambery France, OCV Chambery International, OCV Finance LLC, OCV Intellectual Capital LLC, OCV Italia Srl, OCV Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., OCV Servicios Mexico S.A. de C.V., OOO Paroc, Owens Corning (Australia) Pty Limited, Owens Corning (China) Investment Company Limited, Owens Corning (Guangde) Rock Wood Manufacturing Co. Ltd, Owens Corning (Guangzhou) Fiberglas Co. Ltd., Owens Corning (India) Private Limited, Owens Corning (Nanjing) Building Materials Co. Ltd., Owens Corning (Shanghai) Fiberglas Co. Ltd., Owens Corning (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Owens Corning (Tianjin) Building Materials Co. Ltd., Owens Corning (Xian) Building Materials Co. Ltd., Owens Corning Alloy Canada GP Inc., Owens Corning Alloy Canada LP, Owens Corning Argentina Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, Owens Corning Automotive LLC, Owens Corning BM (Korea) Ltd, Owens Corning CV GP LLC, Owens Corning Canada GP Inc., Owens Corning Canada Holdings B.V., Owens Corning Canada Holdings ULC, Owens Corning Canada LP, Owens Corning Cayman (China) Holdings, Owens Corning Celfortec Canada GP Inc., Owens Corning Celfortec LP, Owens Corning Composite Materials Canada GP Inc., Owens Corning Composite Materials Canada LP, Owens Corning Composite Materials LLC, Owens Corning Composites (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Owens Corning Composites (China) Co. Ltd., Owens Corning Construction Services LLC, Owens Corning Corporate Services LLC, Owens Corning Elaminator Insulation Systems LLC, Owens Corning Enterprise (India) Pvt. Ltd., Owens Corning Fabrics (Changzhou) Co. Ltd., Owens Corning Fiberglas (U.K.) Pension Plan Ltd., Owens Corning Fiberglas A.S. Limitada, Owens Corning Fiberglas Espana SL, Owens Corning Fiberglas France, Owens Corning Financial Services ULC, Owens Corning Finland Oy, Owens Corning Foam Insulation LLC, Owens Corning GlassMetal Services (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Owens Corning Global Holdings II Limited Partnership, Owens Corning Global Holdings Limited Partnership, Owens Corning HOMExperts Inc., Owens Corning HT Inc., Owens Corning Holdings 1 CV, Owens Corning Holdings 3 CV, Owens Corning Holdings 4 CV, Owens Corning Holdings 5 CV, Owens Corning Holdings Holland B.V., Owens Corning Hong Kong Limited, Owens Corning Industries (India) Private Limited, Owens Corning Infrastructure Solutions LLC, Owens Corning Insulating Systems Canada GP Inc., Owens Corning Insulating Systems Canada LP, Owens Corning Insulating Systems LLC, Owens Corning Intellectual Capital LLC, Owens Corning InterWrap Canada GP Inc., Owens Corning InterWrap Canada LP, Owens Corning International Holdings C.V., Owens Corning Japan LLC, Owens Corning Kohold B.V., Owens Corning Korea, Owens Corning Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Owens Corning Mineral Wool LLC, Owens Corning Non-Woven - Blythewood LLC, Owens Corning Non-Woven Technology LLC, Owens Corning Receivables LLC, Owens Corning Reinforcements (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd., Owens Corning Remodeling Systems LLC, Owens Corning Roofing S. de R.L. de C.V., Owens Corning Roofing and Asphalt LLC, Owens Corning Sales LLC, Owens Corning Science and Technology LLC, Owens Corning Supplementary Pension Plan Limited, Owens Corning Technical Fabrics LLC, Owens Corning Treasury Services LLC, Owens Corning U.S. Holdings LLC, Owens Cornings (Hangzhou) Fiberglass Co. Ltd., Owens-Corning Britinvest Limited, Owens-Corning Cayman Limited, Owens-Corning Fiberglas Deutschland GmbH, Owens-Corning Funding Corporation, Owens-Corning Veil Netherlands B.V., Owens-Corning Veil U.K. Ltd., Paroc AB, Paroc GmbH, Paroc Group, Paroc Group Oy, Paroc Limited, Paroc Oy Ab, Paroc Polska Sp. z o.o., Pittsburgh Corning, Pittsburgh Corning (United Kingdom) Limited, Pittsburgh Corning (Yantai) Insulation Materials Co. Ltd, Pittsburgh Corning Asia Limited, Pittsburgh Corning CR S.R.O., Pittsburgh Corning Europe N.V., Pittsburgh Corning France, Pittsburgh Corning Gesellschaft m.b.h., Pittsburgh Corning LLC, Pittsburgh Corning Nederland B.V., Pittsburgh Corning Singapore Pte. Ltd, Pittsburgh Corning Suisse SA, Qingdao Novia Polymer Co. Ltd., SIA Paroc, Soltech Inc., The Modulo /ParMur Group, Thermafiber, Thermafiber Inc., Transandina de Comercio S.A., UAB Paroc, UC Industries, and Vitro Fibras.Celanese Corp. engages in the provision of technology and specialty materials businesses. It operates through the following segments: Engineered Materials, Acetate Tow, Acetyl Chain and Other Activities .The Engineered Materials segment includes the engineered materials business, food ingredients business and certain strategic affiliates. The Acetate Tow segment serves consumer-driven applications and is a global producer and supplier of acetate tow and acetate flake used in filter products applications. The Acetyl Chain segment includes the integrated chain of intermediate chemistry, emulsion polymers and ethylene vinyl acetate (""EVA"") polymers businesses, based on similar products, production processes, classes of customers and selling and distribution practices as well as economic similarities over a normal business cycle. The Other Activities segment consists of corporate center costs, including administrative activities such as finance, information technology and human resource functions, interest income and expense associated with financing activities. The company was founded by Camille Dreyfus and Henri Dreyfus in 1918 and is headquartered in Irving, TX.

Read MoreSunTrust Banks, Inc. operates as the holding company for SunTrust Bank that provides various financial services for consumers, businesses, corporations, institutions, and not-for-profit entities in the United States. It operates in two segments, Consumer and Wholesale. The Consumer segment provides deposits and payments; home equity and personal credit lines; auto, student, and other lending products; credit cards; discount/online and full-service brokerage products; professional investment advisory products and services; and trust services, as well as family office solutions. This segment also offers residential mortgage products in the secondary market. The Wholesale segment provides capital markets solutions, including advisory, capital raising, and financial risk management; asset-based financing solutions, such as securitizations, asset-based lending, equipment financing, and structured real estate arrangements; cash management services and auto dealer financing solutions; investment banking solutions; and credit and deposit, fee-based product offering, multi-family agency lending, advisory, commercial mortgage brokerage, and tailored financing and equity investment solutions. This segment also offers treasury and payment solutions, such as operating various electronic and paper payment types, which comprise card, wire transfer, automated clearing house, check, and cash; and provides services clients to manage their accounts online. The company offers its products and services through a network of traditional and in-store branches, automated teller machines, Internet, mobile, and telephone banking channels. As of December 31, 2018, it operated 1,218 full-service banking offices located in Florida, Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Maryland, South Carolina, and the District of Columbia. SunTrust Banks, Inc. was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Read MoreTallgrass Energy GP, LP, through its interests in Tallgrass Equity, LLC, provides crude oil transportation services to customers in Wyoming, Colorado, and the surrounding regions of the United States. The company operates through three segments: Natural Gas Transportation; Crude Oil Transportation; and Gathering, Processing & Terminalling. It also provides natural gas transportation and storage services for customers in the Rocky Mountain, Midwest, and Appalachian regions; natural gas and crude oil gathering and processing services for customers in Wyoming; and natural gas liquids (NGLs) transportation services in Northeast Colorado and Wyoming. In addition, the company offers water business services, including freshwater transportation, and produced water gathering and disposal in Colorado, Texas, and Wyoming; crude oil storage and terminalling services in Colorado; and marketing services for NGLs and crude oil. Tallgrass Energy GP, LP was founded in 2013 and is based in Leawood, Kansas.

Read MoreTHE Justice Department says it welcomes the plan of a lawyers group to question the Bureau of Immigrations order prohibiting foreigners from joining rallies in the country. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra made the comment after the National Union of Peoples Lawyers said it would file a case questioning the restriction outlined in a 2015 order to the bureau signed by then Justice secretary Leila de Lima. The DoJ welcomes any legal action questioning the states sovereign right to restrict the participation of aliens in domestic political activities and internal affairs of our country, Guevarra said in a text message Saturday. In other developments:  Opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Sunday accused President Rodrigo Duterte of openly lying to the global community and thus alienating itself whenever it denies the existence of extra-judicial killings. The whole world knows about it and these deaths have been witnessed and documented by multiple credible sectors, individuals and organizations both foreign and domestic, Trillanes said.  Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III on Sunday expressed dismay with the European Unions alleged meddling in the affairs of the Philippine government. The Europeans are micro-managing us, Pimentel said. They want to run our laws on illegal drugs and even the Department of Justice. Their interference is too much.  A US State Department report citing concerns over the police killings in the Philippines should be taken as constructive criticism, the Commission on Human Rights said Sunday. Commission spokeswoman Jacqueline de Guia said they hoped the government would see the US report as an opportunity to show the world that the Philippines criminal justice system was working. It is important that we show our investigations are moving towards accountability, she said. Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said Saturday President Rodrigo Dutertes campaign against crime and illegal drugs protects the human rights of Filipinos. Reacting to the US State Departments latest human rights report on the Philippines, Cayetano said the governments campaign against criminality and trade in illegal drugs seeks to promote the welfare and human rights of all Filipinos and stop the country from becoming a narco-state. In a statement on Saturday, the NUPL said it believes Immigrations Operation Order SBM-2015-025, which prohibits foreigners from joining, supporting, contributing or involving themselves in whatever manner in any rally, assembly or gathering whether for or against the government is unconstitutional. The group issued the statement after immigration authorities apprehended 71-year-old Australian nun Patricia Anne Fox in her home in Quezon City. Fox was arrested Monday and was detained at the BI office in Manila, where she stayed overnight. She was ordered released on Tuesday after Immigration established that she holds a valid missionary visa and a properly documented alien. Fox was arrested following reports that she violated the conditions of her stay by engaging in political activities and anti-government demonstrations. Fox, who has been living in the country for 27 years, has made human rights and helping peasants her advocacies. She was arrested in 2013 for reportedly joining the protests in Hacienda Luisita. On Thursday, Malacanang said foreigners were prohibited by law to engage in any political activity in the country. Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque Jr. mentioned the prohibition in relation to President Rodrigo Roa Dutertes order to probe Fox. Roque said the Australian national was now under preliminary investigation to determine if she should be deported. with Macon Ramos-AranetaGerman luxury carmaker BMW expects 50 per cent of sales in India to come from SUVs under its X series, according to a top company official.

New Delhi: German luxury carmaker BMW expects 50 per cent of sales in India to come from SUVs under its X series, according to a top company official.

The company, which posted 11 per cent growth in sales of BMW range of vehicles in the first quarter of 2018 at 2,377 units, also said it is looking at double-digit growth for the full year despite challenges of price hike due to increase in customs duty.

"The X format is a very important format for us because if you look at it, it has contributed to about 30 per cent of our sales in the last 11 years," BMW Group India President Vikram Pawah told PTI.

More importantly, in the last two or three years, it has contributed about 42 per cent of the company's sales since the launch of new X1, he added. At present, BMW sells four models under the X series - X1, X3, X5 and X6 - at a price range of Rs 34.5 lakh to Rs 1.3 crore.

Last week, the company had launched all-new version of X3 priced at Rs 49.99 lakh and Rs 56.7 lakh ( all prices ex-showroom). Going forward, Pawah said,"what I expect is that with the X3 coming in and with the new X4 next year, clearly we should be looking at 50 per cent of sales coming through the X format."

In order to expand the luxury vehicle market in India, he said,"these are the models which will grow the market for us." When asked about expectations in 2018, he said BMW India is looking forward to "a very strong performance" having already clocked 11 per cent growth in the first quarter.

"We have already had a flying start to the year...We firmly believe that we will end the year with a strong double-digit growth," he added. On the possible impact of price rise following the customs duty hike, Pawah said:"When such change happens, it impacts customer confidence to some degree. Having said that the market is still very small and the growth opportunities are still there, specially with us because of the new models that we are launching." BMW India has increased prices of its vehicles in the range of 3.5-5 per cent from April.

In the Budget for 2018-19, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had increased customs duty on CKD (completely knocked down) imports of motor vehicles, motor cars, motor cycles from 10 per cent to 15 per cent.

The government had also raised customs duty on specified parts/accessories of motor vehicles, motor cars, motor cycles from 7.5 per cent to 15 per cent.Ruling out any possibility of dry coal shortage in the upcoming monsoon season, the Coal Ministry said it has sufficient stocks to meet the demand of power plants.

New Delhi: Ruling out any possibility of dry coal shortage in the upcoming monsoon season, the Coal Ministry said it has sufficient stocks to meet the demand of power plants.

The ministry, however, stressed that it expects power plants to lift their requirement in time to avoid any shortage which was witnessed last year after the rainy season. The ministry hopes that the electricity producers which faced fuel problem last time would be careful this year and pile up adequate stocks, Coal Secretary Susheel Kumar told PTI.

"No question of coal shortages at power plants. Because they have to have adequate stocks as per CEA guidelines (for) 21-22 days. They will keep stock. In any case they have faced problem last year so they know what are the problems. This year I am sure they are going to be careful," he said.

Power plants were hit by coal shortages in the second half of 2017 which affected power production in some states. The ministry said it is fully geared to meet the increased coal demand this time as it has adequate fuel. Moreover, the ministry has also charted out a plan on this year's production and supply.

"We are fully geared up because we have 55.5 million tonnes of stock at the mines and about 16.5 MTs are with the power plants. What we need to stock at the power plants is about 30 million tonnes and that's the attempt...So already we have adequate coal with us and there is plan which has been prepared for this year's production and supply," he explained.

"Power Ministry is also monitoring independently (coal stocks) and we jointly monitor that...This year that kind of a situation will not arise," Kumar explained further. Last time, he said, there was coal shortages because power plants had regulated their intake.

"(This year) They (power plants) will not regulate from their side. All those steps have been taken," the Secretary said.

In October last year, the Karnataka government had asked the Centre to ensure adequate supply of coal and early allocation of a coal block in Odisha to meet the severe fuel shortage faced by power units. In the same month, Rajasthan Urja Vikas Nigam had said that power generation at thermal power stations had reduced by 2,700 MW due to shortage of coal, forcing it to resort to load shedding in the state.

According to the Central Electricity Authority report, as many as 22 coal-based power plants were facing critical fuel supply as on April 18. While 11 plants had criticial stocks of less than seven days while another 11 had super critical stocks of less than four days.Benchmark indices the Sensex closed at 34,416, up by 223 points or 0.65 per cent while the Nifty closed at 10,564, up by 83 points or 0.8 per cent.

Buoyed by IMD forecast of normal monsoon, good Q4 results and strong inflows from DIIs; market continued its winning streak for the fourth consecutive week despite volatility in global markets and crude touching multi-year highs during the week ended.

Benchmark indices the Sensex closed at 34,416, up by 223 points or 0.65 per cent while the Nifty closed at 10,564, up by 83 points or 0.8 per cent.

The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index and S&P BSE Small-Cap index inched by 0.7 per cent and 1.07 per cent to close at 16,799 and 18,178 respectively.

The shortage of cash at ATMs and banks is stoking fears of a repeat of the chaos of November 2016. Unlike the 2016 cash shortage, which was the result of government policy, this one is driven by public nervousness. If not addressed quickly by the RBI, it could slow the pace of economic expansion  as consumption in regions facing the cash squeeze droops and small businesses run out of working capital  and erode the publics faith in the banking system.

With crude oil prices touching four-year high of $74 a barrel, diesel price has hit the highest level ever witnessed in countrys history, while petrol price has touched a near five-year high. Oil prices have also been supported by resurgent appetite for energy around the world. Global oil demand grew during the first three months of 2018 by the most since late 2010.

Near-term trend will be dictated by Q4 results, FII and DII activity, F&O settlement, the movement of rupee and oil price movement. For the week ahead, chartists predict range of 33,800-34,850 and 10,375-10,750 for the indices.

Stock Scan

Lemon Tree Hotels operates a chain of upscale business and leisure hotels and is Indias largest chain in the mid-priced hotels sector and third largest overall, on the basis of controlling interest in owned and leased rooms. The company designs, builds, owns and operates its hotels. The company offers three brands across various levels. Lemon Tree Hotels offers in-room amenities, cafe, recreation bar, pool and fitness center. It also offers business center and meeting rooms It also offers resorts, such as Lemon Tree Amarante Beach Resort, Goa and Lemon Tree Vembanad Lake Resort, Kerala. Buy on declines for target price of Rs 150.

Kaya Limited offers a comprehensive range of solutions that cater to a wide variety of consumer needs like Anti-aging, Brightening and Pigmentation, Acne and Scars, Laser Hair Removal, Hair Loss and Beauty Facials. It provides healthcare aesthetics, beauty and personal care products and services in India and abroad. The company has the largest international chain of skincare clinics in Middle East and has presence in e-commerce segment. Buy for target price of Rs 2,000 in medium term.

Datamatics Global Services is a global provider of IT, data management, BPM and consulting services to several Fortune 500 companies. The company has a fully integrated offering to support the digital transformation of organisations through Smart Processes, Smart Systems, Smart Devices and Smart Data. These solutions are powered by Robotics, AI and machine learning algorithms which offer improved business efficiency in the interconnected world.Buy for target price of Rs 225.

Futures & Options

Ahead of settlement week, the derivative segment witnessed brisk trading. Sentiment indicators like VIX, open interest, put/call ratio and implied volatility suggest mild correction in near term.

Highest open interest in the option segment was seen at 10,700 call strike and 10,500 put strike. Nifty range of 10,400-10,700 levels is predicted for the near future.

For Bank Nifty Futures, the highest open interest is placed at 25,500 call strike and 24,000 put strike. Track rollovers to spot possible winners of next series.

FMCG, Metal and IT counters were biggest gainers, rising 4-5 per cent while PSU Banks lost the maximum. Reporting healthy earnings and good outlook for FY19, TCS triggered rally in IT stocks. Use declines to buy TCS, HCL Tech and Wipro.

Aluminium and Nickel are leading the rally in base metals at LME with gains of 14 per cent and 19 per cent in last three months. Outlook looks good for both ferrous and non-ferrous industries. Buy on declines Hindalco, Vedanta, Tata Steel and JSW Steel.

With crude oil prices surging to three year highs, OMCs are on weak wicket. Mild weakness to continue for some more weeks, say watchers.Bank stocks continued to face selling pressure. Avoid for present. Apart from petrochemical and refinery businesses, telecom is the major component to look for in results of Reliance.

Results of Maruti Suzuki may give fizz to other auto stocks. Punters expect positive news from the management. Stocks looking good are Arvind, DCB Bank, Hindustan Zinc, Motherson Sumi, NALCO, NIIT Tech, Tata Global, Wockhardt and Wipro.When she tried to chase him, he saw it as a game (Photo: AFP)

Children tend to be curious about everything but leaving certain objects within their reach can be hazardous. There have been several incidents of kids hurting themselves with scissors and other objects, which is why parents need to be extra cautious.

In an alarming incident from China, a child was rushed to a hospital when he swallowed a nail clipper. The toddlers mother was using the clipper when he grabbed it and started running around.

When she tried to chase him, he saw it as a game and put the clipper in his mouth as he swallowed it. He was taken to the hospital where doctors found the object in his stomach and removed it with an endoscope.

The child was discharged without any major damage.SAVAR, BangladeshThe pain of waiting 10 hours with her leg crushed by bodies under the rubble of the Rana Plaza factory was hell for Nilufer Begum. But the five-year wait for justice has been just as agonizing. Bangladesh on Tuesday marks the fifth anniversary of one of the worlds worst industrial disasters, a building collapse that killed more than 1,130 workers and spotlighted the Western clothing brands benefiting from the countrys low wages. But there is mounting anger this anniversary over the glacial pace of the court case against those arrested in the aftermath of the tragedy. The weight of three bodies and rubble crippled Begums right leg on April 24, 2013. The 38-year-old has had to undergo operations that have cost twice the $3,500 compensation she received, forcing her to borrow from relatives and charities. I am counting the hours to my death. The muscles in my leg are wasting away. My kidneys are failing, Begum, who now runs a grocers store near the factory ruins, told AFP. More than 2,000 injured workers from the nine-story complex, which collapsed like a pack of cards, have similar stories. Many have spent all their compensation on medical bills, according to ActionAid Bangladesh. Begum says the slow wait for justice is the only thing that keeps her going. None of us wanted to enter the factories that day, she recalled. They forced us to work despite pillars that crumbled the day before. Five years have passed and no one has been tried or punished. The building owner is having a great time in jail. All the other accused are out on bail. The factory owners and the managers who threatened to fire us if we didnt work are free, said the tearful mother of an 11-year-old boy. So many of us have lost limbs or been crippled. But now everyone has forgotten us and the disaster, she added. Rana Plazas collapse triggered international outrage. European and US clothing brandsincluding Primark, Mango and Benettonwere pressured to improve pay and conditions at the Bangladesh factories which employ some four million workers with wages starting at $65 a month, among the worlds lowest. Groups which oversee safety upgrades say Bangladesh factories have improved. The 20 reported accidents last year was the lowest in recent years. A group representing more than 100 European brands still warned however that major life-threatening safety concerns remain among the 4,500 textile plants. The work to improve conditions has been faster than the trial of Rana Plaza owner, Sohel Rana, and nearly 40 others -- including factory officials and government inspectors who were charged with murder. Rana was jailed for three years last August for failing to declare his personal wealth to Bangladeshs anti-graft commission. He also faces the murder charges. Proceedings are dragging on and prosecutors say a verdict could take five more years.Prosecutor Mizanur Rahman blamed repeated adjournments. No witness has yet given evidence. Some witnesses have already gone missing, he said. Union leaders said the painfully slow pace of the trial has created a climate of impunity. We thought the Rana Plaza disaster would help workers to unionize and hold protests for improved rights. But the opposite has happened, said Mohammad Ibrahim, a top labor activist. Ibrahim said garment factory owners use local goons, the police and the government to crackdown on any hint of protests. Garment manufacturers have an outsize influence given that the $30 billion of textile exports account for some 80 percent of Bangladeshs total. Ibrahim was one of the 41 leaders detained in December 2016 when thousands of workers staged protests for higher wages. He said he received a death threat from police. Some 1,700 workers were fired and none got back their job, he said. The garment owners have become more powerful since the disaster. Whistle blower journalist Nazmul Huda was feted after the disaster for being the lone reporter to write and broadcast about the crumbling pillars at Rana Plaza before the collapse. His film is key evidence now. But Huda is now seeking ways to flee the country after he was detained for 42 days and charged with inciting workers pay protests. The police took me away in a car, blindfolded. I was cuffed and dangled on a rod in the car. Then, they beat me with sticks, he told AFP. They hit me on my head and ears with gun butts. I barely can hear in my right ear, he said. Police rejected the allegations, saying Huda was detained for breaching internet laws. At weekends, Sultan Mollah visits the Rana Plaza ruins which are now a vast hole filled with hyacinths. Mollah has been gripped by guilt at having let his reluctant daughter go to do her shift that day where she perished in the collapse. My heart is shattered when I think of her. I try my best to forget the past, he said. But how could I forget when I see all these murderers roaming freely? No one has yet to face any justice and I doubt they ever will, said the 50-year-old father with his own personal agony.Besides the king cobras, the forest and PFA personnel had rescued at least two rock pythons from the area in the last six months (Photo: AFP)

Berhampur: A 16-feet king cobra was rescued by forest officials today from Pendarabadi village in Odisha's Ganjam district and released in the natural habitat of Changudidei hill under Digapahandi forest range area, forest officials said.

The villagers noticed the snake in a farm field and informed the forest department staff, who rushed to the spot with the volunteers of Peoples For Animal and rescued it.

It was later released in the nearby Changudidei hillarea, said forest range officer of Digapahandi, Paramananda Panigrahi.

The length of the rescued king cobra was around 16 feet and a female, the PFA spokesman said.

The king cobra is a species of poisonous snake and the world's longest venomous snake.

He said the animal welfare organisation had rescued three king cobras from the area in the last one year and all of them were released in Changudidei hill. A 12-feet king cobra was rescued from Bhramarapur and another measuring 18 feet from Pudamari area.

Besides the king cobras, the forest and PFA personnel had rescued at least two rock pythons from the area in the last six months, he added.A minor girl was allegedly gangraped by three men on the pretext of giving her a job in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao. (Photo: PTI/Representational)

Unnao: A minor girl was allegedly gangraped by three men on the pretext of giving her a job in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao.

The victim said that the accused were close friends of her family and had offered help in finding a job after her father jailed her mother on false charges.

"My father got my mother lodged in jail on false charges. I was all alone after that and was looking for a job. One of the family friends offered to help me in finding a job. He then took me to his uncle's place, where I was raped by two of his uncles and him," the victim claimed.

She said that the accused even held her captive for a day and took her to her father's house later.

"My father gave them Rs 2 lakh for bringing me back. Even when I told my father that they raped me, he did not listen, he gave them the money and they left," said the victim.

A case has been registered against four people including the father of the victim in the case.

"We have filed a complaint in the matter under the relevant section of the Indian Penal Code (IPC)," said the police.

This comes on the heels of a series of rapes and murders which have the country by a storm.

In June, 2017, a 17-year-old girl was allegedly raped by BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar in Unnao.

On April 3, this year, the girls father was allegedly thrashed by the accused MLAs brother, Atul Singh Sengar, for refusing to withdraw the rape complaint and was arrested the same day. On April 9, he died in a hospital.

Earlier on Friday, a 14-year-old girl was allegedly raped by two youth in Uttar Pradesh's Kaushambi. The girl was allegedly lured by a woman of her village to a secluded spot and handed over to the youth, who raped her.

Also Read: Another rape in UP: 3, including woman, held for assault of 14-yr-old

On the same day, a six-month-old girl, sleeping next to her parents outside the Rajwada Fort in Indore, was taken away and raped in an isolated basement.

The accused, 21-year-old Sunil Bheel who was spotted on a CCTV camera carrying the baby, was arrested.

Also Read: When will it stop? 6-month-old girl raped, killed in Indore basement

In Uttar Pradesh's Etah, a nine-year-old attending a wedding with her family was allegedly raped before being strangled on Thursday night.

Also Read: Minor raped again: Man drags 9-yr-old from wedding function, rapes and kills her

On Wednesday, a 10-year-old girl was similarly raped and murdered at a wedding in Chhattisgarh.

Also Read: 10-yr-old Chhattisgarh girl raped, head smashed with stone; youth arrested

In Surat, an 11-year-old was raped and murdered and then her body was dumped earlier this month. She had 86 injuries and was also brutalised with blunt objects.

Also Read: 9-yr-old Surat girl raped, body found with 86 injuries in cricket ground

The rapes and murders follow a disturbing trend emerging across the country even as it is trying to come to terms over the kidnapping, gangrape and murder of an eight-year-old in Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir in January.

The minor went missing while grazing horses in Rasana village of Hiranagar tehsil of J&Ks Kathua district on January 10. A week later, her body was found in woods near her village. According to the police, the girl was drugged, raped for days and murdered.Suddenly, the pillion rider on the bike in the rear sprayed chili powder on their victims.

Tirupur: A knitwear unit staff and his friends successfully laid a cash trap to nab two miscreants in Tirupur who robbed mobile phones by spraying chili powder on their victims.

Police said Kamalakannan, 21, hailing from Madurai district and working as a merchandiser in a knitwear factory here, was returning home on his motorbike on Thursday night with his friend Anbuselvan when they were chased by a duo on another bike.

Suddenly, the pillion rider on the bike in the rear sprayed chili powder on their victims. As they collapsed, the duo took away Kamalakannans costly mobile phone and fled the spot.

Gathering his wits, Kamalakannan called the number of his lost mobile and contacted the robber. He offered to pay them Rs 15,000 cash and the robbers accepted the deal, police said.

When they traced their way back to the spot again, Kamalakannan and his friends caught the miscreants and handed them over to the police. Police identified the alleged robbers as Jeeva, 21, from Ramanathapuram district and Vignesh, 21, from Madurai district. The two were remanded to custody and further investigations are on.On Saturday, the accused Suraj Dey was produced in court and sent to three-day judicial custody. (Representational image)

New Delhi: A 29-year-old merchant navy officer was arrested by the Delhi Police for allegedly stalking and sending lewd messaged to five girls of a college in south Delhi. According to police sources, the man identified as Suraj Dey works as a senior officer with a Hong Kong-based merchant navy company.

The accused met one of the girls in a park and told her that he was looking for a PG accommodation for his friend. Following this, they exchanged phone numbers, reports suggested.

The girl told the police that couple of days later, the accused, a resident of Amar Colony, started misbehaving with her. She also said when she blocked his number, he sent her obscene messages from another phone number.

The police said that the accused later started stalking her.

The student filed a police complaint on April 17.

On the basis of the girl's complaint, the police arrested Dey and started investigations.

During the probe, the police found that the accused had been sending lewd messages to four more girls of the same college. He used multiple phone numbers to harass the girls, say police sources.

On Saturday, Dey was produced in court and sent to three-day judicial custody.The minor has been sent for medical examining by the police. (Representational Image)

Lucknow: Two minor girls were raped in separate incidents in Uttar Pradesh. In the first incident, a minor girl was raped by her uncle in Kannauj district in her own home when other family members were not present.

An FIR has been registered and police are searching for accused who is absconding. The minor has been sent for medical examining by the police.

In the second incident, a minor girl was raped by her father and three other men in Unnao district. The three men had promised a job for her and her father. The police have registered an FIR.As per media reports, at least 83 educational institutions in the country, having around 24,000 seats have applied for permanent closure. (Representational image)

New Delhi: The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) is planning to reduce intake of seats by almost 1.3 lakh in B.Tech and M.Tech courses, from the new academic year, starting from July this year.

In regards to this, students of Harcourt Butler Technical University in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur have blamed increasing unemployment and unwillingness to take up engineering as their future careers for the decision.

A student of the university welcomed the AICTE's move and told news agency ANI, "Many students are doing preparations for engineering. Parents also are worried about their child's performance. However, as per industry standards, they don't know proper engineering and hence, they don't acquire the practical knowledge needed today. It's good that the government is pushing for fewer seats so that children are admitted in good institutes and get a good and quality education."

Meanwhile, a professor at Harcourt Butler Technical University expressed concerns over the decision by the AICTE to reduce the number of seats in B.Tech and M.Tech courses.

"One of the major reason behind this is that AICTE couldn't provide job opportunities in the ratio in which they increased the number of seats. Such a situation only exists in private colleges. Government colleges have followed uniform standards in imparting quality education and practical knowledge in engineering, but for private colleges, it has been changing over the years."

Another professor at the university said as per the current industry standards, 96 per cent of passed-out engineers were not employable. Many Information Technology (IT) companies were laying off engineers as part of the cost-cutting move.

"Engineering students have not moved on with the industry standards. They need more practical exposure. Which is why students are not taking admissions in engineering colleges," the professor added.

Another student also voiced her concerns over the reduction of seat intake in B.Tech and M.Tech courses.

"In India, when a child is born, parents say that he or she will become an engineer. But they do not see the future prospects. The student may have passed out, but does not get a job anywhere. So, that student's value in the IT industry is zero and useless," the student said.

She further said that many private engineering colleges did not have proper laboratories for M.Tech students and the syllabus for engineering courses was not up to the current industry standards.

"Due to this, many of them are looking for different job prospects such as opening a start-up or making videos on YouTube. Admissions for engineering have become less over the years. Also, private engineering colleges do not guarantee the students proper jobs."

As per media reports, at least 83 educational institutions in the country, having around 24,000 seats have applied for permanent closure. Also, over 450 colleges have sought permission from the AICTE to discontinue some undergraduate and postgraduate engineering courses.Some people asked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to take action against Mishra for his post. (Photo: Twitter/@Abhishek_Mshra)

Mumbai: A Twitter post by a man, who claims to have links to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, has triggered a huge debate on the social networking site after he stated that he cancelled an Ola cab because the driver happened to be a Muslim.

"Cancelled Ola cab booking because driver was Muslim. I don't want to give my money to Jihadi people," his post read.

Cancelled @Olacabs Booking because Driver was Muslim. I don't want to give my money to Jihadi People. pic.twitter.com/1IIf4LlTZL  Abhishek Mishra (@Abhishek_Mshra) April 20, 2018

The man, Abhishek Mishra has claimed to be an active member of the VHP and the Bajrang Dal. His Facebook profile states that he is from Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya and works as an IT professional in Lucknow.

Reactions started pouring in on his controversial post, with some asking Ola to ban him from using the service. Others asked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to take action against him.

Replying to the reactions, Mishra put out a justification stating how people defamed Hindus and Hindu gods.

"People starts attack on me. Can I have no right to choose ? If they can run a campaign against Hanuman ji poster on cab, defamed Hindus and Hindus god in Kathua incident then they must be prepared for reply," his message read.

He also put out a Facebook post of a Uber customer who raised concerns over carrying Hindutwa symbols like 'Rudra Hanuman' on the cars.The incident took place on Outer Delhis Mangolpuri area when the mother of the infant, who is also a minor, had gone to look for a job leaving the child behind with her husband. (Representational image)

New Delhi: A two-month-old baby was allegedly killed by his 17-year-old father on the suspicion that he was born out of his wifes illicit affair. The father repeatedly punched the infant until he died, police said.

The incident took place on Outer Delhis Mangolpuri area when the mother of the infant, who is also a minor, had gone to look for a job leaving the child behind with her husband.

The incident was reported on Saturday evening when the mother returned home and found the baby lying motionless. Her husband was nowhere to be seen. She took the baby to to a hospital, where he was declared brought dead. She informed the police following which her husband was apprehended.

The teen told police that he suspected that his wife was having an extra-marital affair and that the child was someone else's. The two got married 10 months ago, the police said.

The juvenile had earlier been apprehended in several cases of mobile snatching and was currently unemployed.

In a similar incident, a mentally disturbed woman had allegedly decapitated her eight-month-old son's and mutilated his body in outer Delhi's Aman Vihar on the intervening night of April 19 and 20.

(With PTI inputs)Congress and six other parties had submitted an impeachment notice to Vice President Venkaiah Naidu on Friday against CJI Dipak Misra. (Photo: File/PTI)

New Delhi: Facing heat after the Congress and six other parties submitted an impeachment notice to VP Venkaiah Naidu, it will be business as usual for Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra beginning this week.

Supreme Court sources have said that Justice Misra maintains that the removal motion against him, based on frivolous allegations, has been propped up for political considerations and to deter him from discharging his duties as the CJI, according to a report in The Times Of India.

In a list released by the Supreme Courts registry on Saturday, the CJI, beginning April 23, will hear some important and contentious cases.

According to a Hindustan Times report, a five-judge bench led by Misra will continue to hear the Aadhar case on Tuesday. Around 35 petitions have been submitted which pose as a challenge to the governments ambitious project.

Apart from this, the top court will also hear a petition in the Kathua rape case. The petition, by the father of the victim, seeks to transfer the case outside Jammu and Kashmir as he has expressed fears of not getting a free and fair trial.

The Ram Janma Bhoomi dispute will also be heard by a three-judge bench consisting of the CJI.

As per the SC registry, the contentious issue of the ban on the entry of women between 10 and 50 years of age in Keralas Sabarimala temple will also be heard by a five-member bench headed by Misra.

The same five-judge bench will also hear a legal question on whether a Parsi woman would lose her religious identity if she marries a man from a different religion.

The CJI is also set to hear, as part of a three-judge bench, a petition that seeks reading down of section 377 of the Indian Penal code that criminalises same-sex relations.Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi attend a press conference after their meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing. (Photo: AP)

New Delhi/Beijing: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Sunday that both New Delhi and Beijing have agreed to work together on the issues like terrorism, climate change, sustainable development and global healthcare.

After holding bilateral talks with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of SCO foreign ministers' meet, Swaraj, while addressing a joint press conference here, said, "We (India-China) agreed to work together on issues like terrorism, climate change, sustainable development, global healthcare etc."

Swaraj further said China has also agreed to share data on Sutlej and Brahmaputra rivers in 2018.

"China has confirmed data sharing on Sutlej and Brahmaputra rivers in 2018. As it directly affects lives of people living there we welcome this," she said.

The foreign minister also announced that Kailash Mansarovar Yatra will resume this year through Nathu La.

Earlier in the conference, minister Wang Yi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Wuhan city on April 27-28, ahead of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in June.

Swaraj, who is on a two-nation visit to China and Mongolia, is in Beijing for a ministerial-level meeting of the SCO, where India became a full member in 2017.NEW YORKIran warned Saturday it is ready to vigorously resume nuclear enrichment if the United States ditches the 2015 nuclear deal, and said further drastic measures are being considered in response to a US exit. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told reporters in New York that Iran is not seeking to acquire a nuclear bomb, but that its probable response to a US withdrawal would be to restart production of enriched uraniuma key bomb-making ingredient. America never should have feared Iran producing a nuclear bomb, but we will pursue vigorously our nuclear enrichment, added Zarif, who is in the United States to attend a UN meeting on sustaining peace. US President Donald Trump has set a May 12 deadline for the Europeans to fix the 2015 agreement that provides for curbs to Irans nuclear program in exchange for relief from financial sanctions. Zarifs comments marked a further hardening of rhetoric following a warning earlier this month from Iranian President Hassan Rouhani that Washington would regret withdrawing from the nuclear deal, and that Iran would respond within a week if it did. AFP The fate of the Iran deal will be a key issue during French President Emmanuel Macrons state visit to Washington beginning Monday, followed by talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Washington on Friday. Zarif said the European leaders must press Trump to stick to the deal if the United States intends to maintain any credibility in the international community and to abide by it, rather than demand more. The foreign minister also warned against offering any concessions to Trump. To try to appease the president, I think, would be an exercise in futility, he said. European leaders are hoping to persuade Trump to save the deal if they, in turn, agree to press Iran to enter into agreement on missile tests and moderating its regional influence in Yemen, Syria and Lebanon.If the United States buries the deal, Iran is unlikely to stick to the agreement alongside the other signatories Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia, said the foreign minister. Thats highly unlikely, he said. It is important for Iran to receive the benefits of the agreement and there is no way that Iran would do a one-sided implementation of the agreement. European diplomats have argued that the deal could be salvaged without the United States, with a view to bringing Washington back in the fold at a later time, possibly under a new administration. The United States under the Trump administration has done everything it could to prevent Iran from benefiting from this agreement, Zarif charged. The foreign minister warned of drastic measures under discussion in Iran. Zarif declined to specify, pointing to what certain members of our parliament are saying about Irans options. Despite the threats of a tough response to a US pullout, Zarif also left open the possibility of diplomatic action during a 45-day period to formally notify the withdrawal. Whether other things can be done during those 45 days ... is a hypothetical question that needs to be addressed at that time, said Zarif. A decision by Trump to walk away, he warned, would send a message to all governments that you should never come to an agreement with the United States, because at the end of the day, the operating principle for the United States is, whats mine is mine, whats yours is negotiable.Siddaramaiah, who has already filed his nomination from Chamundeshwari constituency in Mysuru, has been saying he was under pressure from local party leaders in Bagalkote and Vijayapura districts to contest from Badami. (Photo: PTI/File)

Bengaluru: Ending suspense over contesting from a second constituency, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would file his nomination from Badami in north Karnataka on April 24 for the May 12 assembly polls.

Siddaramaiah has been maintaining that his desire was to contest from Chamundeshwari in Mysuru but he was under pressure from local party leaders to be in the fray from Badami, as it would boost the Congress' prospects in north Karnataka.

The chief minister would file his papers on April 24 between 2 and 3 pm, officials at the CM's office said.

Earlier an official tour programme circulated by the chief minister's office had said Siddaramaiah would file his nomination from Badami on April 23 afternoon but it was withdrawn, deepening the suspense.

Siddaramaiah, who has already filed his nomination from Chamundeshwari constituency in Mysuru, has been saying he was under pressure from local party leaders in Bagalkote and Vijayapura districts to contest from Badami but would leave the final decision to the Congress high command.

Siddaramaiah has been camping in Mysuru since Monday.

He has dedicated his entire schedule for campaigning in Chamundeshwari and Varuna, constituencies from where he and his son Yatindra are candidates respectively. He returned to Bengaluru on Saturday.

Siddaramaiah restricting his campaign to two constituencies has fuelled speculations that he was unhappy that the party central leadership had not allowed him to contest from two constituencies.

The Congress in its list of candidates for 218 seats announced on April 15, had named Dr Devraj Patil as its nominee from Badami. But issuing of B-form (required to be filed by a political party mentioning name of its approved candidate) to Patil has been put on hold.

Siddaramaiah's reported wish to contest from two seats was said to have met with stiff opposition from veteran party leaders Mallikarjuna Kharge and Veerappa Moily, after which it was decided to field Patil. Fielding Patil has led to internal squabbling within the local unit of the party with many including sitting MLA Chimmanakatti opposed to it.

Chimmanakatti has said if the chief minister is not contesting, he should be the candidate. Badami with strong Kuruba presence, the community to which Siddaramaiah belongs, was seen as second safe option for the Chief Minister as reports have suggested that the battle in Chamundeshwari will not be an easy one for him.

Siddaramaiah has won five times and tasted defeat twice at Chamundeshwari, from where he has been announced as the candidate.

JDS has vowed to defeat Siddaramaiah while the BJP's candidate in Chamundeshwari is considered a lightweight, amid allegations that there was a tacit understanding between the two parties. He has been representing Varuna constituency in Mysuru since 2008, which has now been allotted to his son.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru on Saturday, Siddaramaiah said he had conveyed to the high command his desire to contest only from Chamundeshwari constituency. "I have told the high command that I will contest from" Chamundeshwari and not from two constituencies. "However, the"people of north Karnataka are pressurising the high command that I should contest from north Karnataka too," he said.

The chief minister said he has not taken any decision and he will go by the decision of the high command.Union Minister Santosh Gangwar's statement comes amid an outrage over Kathua and Unnao rape cases that have taken the country by a storm. (Photo: ANI/Twitter)

New Delhi: Union Minister Santosh Gangwar on Saturday landed into a controversy on Sunday for saying that rampant incidents of rape in the country are unfortunate, but sometimes they cannot be prevented and one should not blow them out of proportion.

The minister told media, Itne bade desh mein ek do ghatna ho jaye to baat ka batangad nahi banana chahiye. (In such a huge country, if one or two such incidents have happened, one should not create an issue out of them).

Asserting that Central Government is actively taking action against such incidents, he added, "Such incidents (rape cases) are unfortunate, but sometimes cannot be prevented."

The minister's statement comes amid an outrage over Kathua and Unnao rape cases that have taken the country by a storm.

In the wake of these incidents, the Union Cabinet on Saturday approved the amendment in the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act putting a stamp on the death penalty for the rapists of children below 12 years of age. President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday gave his nod to the ordinance.

Also Read: President signs ordinance on death penalty for rape of children below 12

(With ANI inputs)The opposition parties, led by the Congress, initiated the unprecedented step to impeach the CJI by moving the notice levelling charges against him. (Photo: PTI/File)

New Delhi: Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday set in motion the process of consultation on the impeachment notice against Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and held discussions with constitutional and legal experts.

The vice president cut short his visit to Hyderabad and reached New Delhi to hold deliberations over the notice given by the seven opposition parties.

According to officials, Naidu on Sunday spoke to former Lok Sabha secretary general Subhash Kashyap, ex-law secretary P K Malhotra and former legislative secretary Sanjay Singh on the issue.

He also held deliberations with senior officials of the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, the officials said, adding that he is also likely to meet former Supreme Court judge Sudarshan Reddy.

Leaders of the opposition parties had on Friday met Naidu and handed over the notice of impeachment against the chief justice of India (CJI) bearing signatures of 64 MPs and seven former members, who recently retired.

Also Read: Opposition moves to impeach Chief Justice, Congress confident of numbers

The opposition parties, led by the Congress, initiated the unprecedented step to impeach the CJI by moving the notice levelling charges against him.

The parties had briefed the media after handing over the notice to the Upper House chairman.

While reviewing the notice, the Rajya Sabha officials had mentioned that making public the contents of a notice before it is admitted by the chair is in violation of parliamentary rules.

According to the provisions in the handbook for Rajya Sabha members, no advance publicity should be given to any notice to be taken up in the House till it is admitted by the chairman.

The move to propose impeachment notice against the CJI has led to a slugfest between the Congress and the BJP.

Meanwhile, the Congress said that the CJI should considering recusing himself from judicial and administrative duties until his name is cleared.

The BJP has said the Congress was trying to demean, degrade and denigrate the judiciary by moving the notice.Hyderabad: A 38-year old farmer-turned-politician was brutally murdered by four people at Mylaram village in Vikarabad district on Sunday afternoon in what could be a politically motivated crime.

The suspects waylaid Pendyala Srinivas, who was riding pillion and attacked him and the rider with wooden logs. While Srinivas died on the spot, the rider ran for his life through the fields.

DSP Vikarabad Sirisha Raghavendra said the motive was a land dispute between the families of the deceased and the killers. Special teams have been formed to nab the killers.

Srinivas from Mylaram village in Dharur mandal was the son of a former village sarpanch Lalamma. He was an active worker of the Telanagana Rashtra Samithi party and was well known in the village and considered to be the top contender for the post of sarpanch in the forthcoming panchayat elections. Being the son of a former sarpanch, his chances of getting elected were very strong, and this did not go down well with his opponents in the village.

According to the police, on Sunday morning, Srinivas and another person attended a marriage in a neighbouring tanda. Around 12.45 pm, when the two were returning home, four men came up on two bikes from the opposite direction, waylaid them and started attacking them both. The two men fell off the bike and were immediately pounced upon and beaten with wooden logs, with Srinivas being the main target.

Srinivas had severe injuries on his head, resulting in his instant death. Though land disputes are the main reason behind the murder, other angles are also being probed, DSP Raghavendra said.

Sources have confirmed that the names of the attackers are Dasu, Rathnam, Prashanth and Arun, all belonging to the same village and members of an opposition party. Dasu was involved in a murder case in 2013 investigated by the Yalal police. Srinivass body was handed over to his family after an autopsy. Security has been stepped up in the village as a preventive measure till the final rites are completed on Monday.Bengaluru: Amid reports of the May 12 Assembly polls likely to throw up a fractured verdict, the BJPs CM face B.S. Yeddyurappa has softened his stand vis-a-vis the Janata Dal (S) and its supremo, H.D. Deve Gowda.

In an interview with Deccan Chronicle, Yedyurappa said there was no question of having an understanding with the JD (S). But, as a mark of respect, we do not attack or criticise Deve Gowda because he is a former prime minister and he is from our state, he remarked. The BJP and JD(S) had come together to run a coalition government in the state in 2006-07 with Yeddyurappa as the Deputy CM.

The BJP state president however did not expect the JD(S) to make any substantial gains saying at the most, they might win 30-40 seats. He claimed the mood was against the Congress, adding that the more AICC president Rahul Gandhi visits the state, the more the BJP would benefit.

Replying to a query on whether the party had decided to take back tainted mining baron Janardhan Reddy into its fold, he replied, When he volunteered to help our candidates, as a strategy we used his service. Thats all.Yeddyurappa and Reddy were seen together at an election rally in Molakalmuru on Saturday.

Q&A

Struggling through a big crowd of party workers and leaders from north Karnataka to Kodagu, and reaching the meeting room is itself like winning a relay race. That is the scene one can witness at the BJPs CM candidate, B.S. Yeddyurappas residence in Bengaluru almost every day and Sunday was no exception.

Some wanted him to change the candidate announced for their constituencies and others wanted tickets for the constituencies for which the party is yet to announce its candidates. Before taking a chopper to four constituencies where he will campaign on Sunday, he sat for a quick interview. As ever, Mr Yeddyurappa was confident and belligerent, at times showing a soft corner for JD(S) supremo, H.D. Deve Gowda. He spoke about various issues concerning elections. Here are excerpts from his interview.

You say your party will win a clear majority. Not only that, you have been saying the Congress tally will come down to 60 or less. How is it possible?

I have toured the state thrice before the announcement of elections. The mood is against the Congress. No matter whatever the outcome of various news channel surveys, our party will get a clear majority. You will come to know in a weeks time about how the Congress will implode. The Congress is in a pathetic condition, the chief minister is going to lose in two constituencies and his son will also lose the polls. In the absence of strong leaders, the Congress candidates have to depend on money and local adjustments to fight the elections. What Siddaramaiah did to Dr G. Parameshwar in the 2013 assembly elections, will be done to him this time. The more All India Congress Committee president Rahul Gandhi visits the state, the more will we benefit.

How many seats will your party get?

Did you ever expect that the BJP would come to power on its own in UP? It (the win) will repeat in Karnataka. Our aim is to win 150 seats. I am confident.

Not only the Congress. even the JD (S) has been saying they will form the government on their own.

Who will trust the JD (S)? They cannot win the polls with false and non-pragmatic promises. At the most, they might win 30 -40 seats.

You do not criticise JD (S) in campaign speeches, thats why there is an impression that the BJP has a tacit understanding with JD(S)...

No. We are fielding 224 candidates. Thats a clear indication that we will fight both parties. No question of having an understanding with the JD (S). But, as a mark of respect, we do not attack or criticise H.D. Deve Gowda because he is a former prime minister and he is from our state.

You claim you will cross the 150-seat target. But on seeing your list many in your party say you will get, at best, 60 seats.

I can write and give you a list today (of the winners). Let us keep it in a sealed cover. After the announcement of poll results, we will discuss the outcome.

There is so much rebellion in the BJP that your claim of getting 150 seats seems a bit unrealistic. For instance the charges of Revu Naik Belamagi and Belur Gopalkrishna are cases in point..

Who said? What Mr Belamagi did was to hoist atrocity cases on Lingayats and there are nearly a lakh Lingayats in his constituency. He is sitting at Mr Kharges house and filing false cases. Now, how can you field him? I had in fact told Mr Gopalkrishna that we would make him an MLC. But he did not listen.

The Congress party seem to have dealt with the rebels more systematically than the BJP and your party might crumble with rebels upsetting your calculations.

No. We have been constantly in touch with those who could not get tickets or those who filed nomination papers as rebels. After Amit Shahs internal survey, we changed some candidates.

But many in the party say, Mr Yeddyurappa did not accept the list prepared by Mr Shah. You dominated and got your list approved..

No, not at all. After touring 224 seats, I gave suggestions and Mr Shah commissioned a survey for himself. When nearly 90 per cent of my suggestions concurred with his list, he approved those names. But ultimately, Mr Shah took the decision.

For the first time, there seems to be no wave in favour of any party. How do you analyse the situation?

Earlier, we did not have a government at the Centre but now we have a government. Programmes of the Modi government will help us. Lakhs of youth, enrolled for the first time, are with us. Dalits, both Right and Left together, are very angry with the government. Internally, we strengthened the booth committees. So, internally and externally, circumstances will favour us.

But you gave tickets to tainted politicos so this will go against you..

(agitated look) Tell me one thing. Case after case, the courts exonerated me. Siddaramaiah is an advocate. Doesnt he know this? You know that the ACB was constituted to harass opposition parties. Flimsy cases were filed against every leader in our party. People know this. After assuming power, I will scrap the ACB within 24 hours and give back the powers to the Lokayukta.

Mr Shah said the party had not taken in Mr Gali Janardhan Reddy. But you were with him on Friday to campaign for Mr Sriramulu. Isnt it a clear indication of him coming back to your party?

Neither did he ask for a ticket, nor did we give it to him. Yes, he was there to campaign for Mr Sreeramulu. When he volunteered to help our candidates in that region, as a strategy we used his service. Thats all.

This time you did a novel experiment in preparing the manifesto. Are you really serious? Because, many liberal thinkers say the BJP will divide society and does not go by manifestos..

(agitated look) If you ask me based on some foolish point of view of some people, what can I say? We are serious. They have given me a draft manifesto. I will go through it and then in a weeks time, we will unveil the manifesto. We want to give a big thrust to the farming sector, Rs one lakh crore for Krishna basin projects, constitute a big revolving fund etc.No one can weaken the bond between the Central and the State governments either, the AIADMK said in its official organ, Namadhu Puratchi Thalaivi Amma.

Chennai: Making a significant turnaround after slamming the Centre a couple of days back while alleging discrimination, the ruling AIADMK on Sunday said signs of its working with the BJP like a double-barreled gun in the political arena were visible and "no one can sever the ties" between the two parties.

Coming out strongly against the opposition DMK-led protests over the Cauvery issue, which the AIADMK said were only aimed at spoiling the warmth between it and the BJP, the ruling party said whatever be the number of protests and demonstrations, no one can sever the ties between the AIADMK and the BJP.

No one can weaken the bond between the Central and the State governments either, the AIADMK said in its official organ, Namadhu Puratchi Thalaivi Amma.

The signs are becoming visible for the AIADMK and the BJP to work like a double-barrel gun in Indian politics. The pathway is clear, the AIADMK said, while emphasising upon the need for the leadership of the two parties to chart out a roadmap for the purpose. A roadmap for it should be thrashed out by the high commands of both the parties. That is the need of the hour, the AIADMK mouthpiece added.

It said the State and the Central governments "working responsibly and are headed towards a final resolution of the (Cauvery) issue", while the DMK along with its allies was holding "unnecessary protests" sans public support, as it was apprehensive that the two governments, working in cohesion, would together resolve the issue.

The AIADMK paper also mocked at the DMK for now seeking an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss Cauvery after showing black flags to him during his recent Chennai visit. Asking if it was an act of "political civility," it said no other party could indulge in such politics burying self-respect.

Stating that the government had allowed protests, including the black flag demonstrations, keeping democratic ethos in mind, the AIADMK paper asked if the protesters succeeded in showing even a single black flag to Prime Minister Modi.

It may be recalled that the AIADMK leadership has been maintaining that a friendly relationship with the Centre was imperative for the progress of the state through proper financial sanctions and support. The DMK, however, has been unrelenting in its attack saying the ruling party was subservient to the Centre.

Notably, the AIADMK's assertion comes days after the same newspaper slammed the Centre accusing it of discriminating against TN's interests in multiple ways, including Cauvery and NEET, and asking the 'saffron party' to change its attitude so as to avoid hurting national unity and integrity.

AIADMK seems confused, says BJP

Still fuming from the last weeks attack in Namadhu Puratchi Thalaivi Amma, the BJP has chosen not to take too seriously this sudden stretch of friendly hand from the ruling AIADMK.

Last week they have written criticising the BJP and now they are saying we will be a double-barreled gun. They don't seem to know what it means to be a double-barreled gun. I think there is confusion in the AIADMK about its relationship with the BJP. Let them clarify; if they want alliance, let them come out openly, state BJP state general secretary Vanathi Srinivasan.

In any case, the BJP is not in alliance with the AIADMK. There is time to decide on alliances and our party leadership will take a call. Our government at the Centre is extending support to the state government for all its good endeavours and for implementing the people welfare programmes, she told DC.

Turning to the opposition agitations on the Cauvery issue, she said both the DMK and the Congress "are inciting the people against the Central government to cover up their own mistakes". Asserting that the Modi government alone could resolve the Cauvery issue, she said, Nobody other than us can resolve this issue amicably.New Delhi: His father having declared a war against erstwhile ally the NDA, Nara Lokesh, Andhra Pradesh minister for information technology, Panchayati Raj and rural development says talks of any alliance or of a federal front is too premature, but that Mr Naidu would now educate other regional parties on centre-state relations and how devolution of funds should happen.

Asked about TDs political future after its exit from NDA, Mr. Lokesh said, As far as TDP is concerned, right now our focus is on what are our rights and what was committed what we should get as a state. We have differed as justice has not been done to us. Right now the people of Andhra Pradesh want us to align with the political establishment that will give us special status and the 18 other issues which were promised to us as a state government.

About chances of an alliance with Congress in the future, he said, Right now our focus is on getting what is ours. So it is too premature for us to talk. Alliance is something which would be talked about closer to elections or post elections.

Asked wether that means the option is not closed, he said, No, But right now it is important that our focus is on educating other fellow states on what kind of injustice has been done to us. Lot of people do not know.Perhaps I am just old fashioned. Or, perhaps, the DNA of being a former diplomat still compels professional restraint in me. Or, perhaps, I have not made the transition to being a full-blooded politician. Whatever the reason, I do believe that when the Prime Minister, or the President, or the vice-president are on a state visit abroad, or are attending a multilateral event outside the country, the perennial slugfest of internal politics should momentarily be put on pause, or at the very least, not used to embarrass the dignitary who is, in that constitutional role, representing the country as a whole.

I say this, because on several occasions in the past  and most recently during Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to London for the Commonwealth Summit  the Opposition did nothing to reduce, postpone or put on hold, the adrenaline rush of political acrimony directed against him. The result was that even as he was interacting with the leaders of other countries, or speaking at the summit, anyone who was watching the Indian electronic media, or monitoring social media, or reading about what was being said about him and his government in India by his political opponents, would have wondered whether he was worth talking to in the first place.

It is a matter of pride that India is a vibrant democracy. With the next parliamentary elections around the corner, and with the Karnataka elections imminent, it is but natural that the political atmosphere will be charged, and accusations and counter-accusations will fly fast and thick at the slightest provocation. It may also be true that many of the accusations of the Opposition are not off the mark, and that certain incidents in the country at this time, such as the horrific Unnao and Kathua rape incidents, where the role of some BJP leaders was shockingly deplorable, and the PMs silence was disappointing to say the least, had outraged the entire country. It is but natural that some of the anger and hostility of this backdrop would cast a shadow when the PM was abroad, and could not be camouflaged merely by the pageantry of ceremonial pomp and sartorial elegance that is so visible when dignitaries go abroad.

But even so, it is hardly edifying when India publicly washes the dirty linen of its internal political acrimonies before a foreign audience. I believe Opposition leaders would be far more dignified  and, in the process, win far more public respect  if they said that so long as the PM is on a state visit abroad, and is speaking for India as a whole, there will be a temporary moratorium on the vicious slanging matches directed at him. Visits of this nature are but for a few days. Let the political attacks continue unabated until he leaves the shores of India, and let them resume the moment he returns. But, in the interim, some form of volitional restraint is perhaps desirable.

This advice applies to the PM himself. There have been instances in the past when he has brought up internal politics on foreign soil, especially when he is interacting with NRIs or the Indian community. This is equally undesirable, and  just like with the Opposition  he would win far more respect if he were to say that he would not like to speak of political differences at home. This feeling was voiced by a long-term ally of the BJP, the Shiv Sena. In the latest editorial of its mouthpiece Saamana, it asks the question: Is it right for the PM to speak on rape cases in a foreign country? Why should a picture be painted of India as witnessing a rise in corruption and rape cases and as an unsafe country? The editorial also mentions that PM Modi had made the same mistake by speaking about black money and corruption, and attacking the Opposition, when he was in Japan.

Of course, this criticism, while valid, also begs the question that if the Opposition is so sensitive about the right projection of Indias image when the PM is abroad, is it prepared to also put in abeyance the virulence of its attacks on him during this period?

When Mr Modi was in London, there were some protests against him there. Peaceful protests are not uncommon by some sections among those living abroad when a head of state or government comes visiting. But surely no one can condone the fact that in London, some protestors tore down the Indian flag from an official flagpole for the Commonwealth Summit. According to reports, an Indian journalist was also attacked at Londons Parliament Square. It was entirely appropriate for our high commission to strongly protest against such behaviour.

In a statement, the MEA said: The UK side has regretted the incident, including at the highest level. The flag was immediately replaced. We expect action, including legal, against the persons involved in the incident and their instigators.

A spokesperson of the UK foreign office said: While people have the right to hold peaceful protests, we are disappointed by the action taken by a small minority in Parliament Square. More importantly, the spokesperson reiterated: The visit to the UK by Prime Minister Modi has strengthened our relationship with India and we look forward to working even more closely together on a number of important areas. This is precisely the point. When a PM goes abroad he is there to discuss, at the highest level, issues that are vital to Indias interests, including economic interaction, investments, security, defence collaborations, technology, multilateral collaboration, and the fight against terror, apart from bilateral specific matters. His brief, and that of his political detractors in India, must be to ensure substantive gains in these matters, and not a continuation of the incessant linguistic vitriol that goes on at home.

Mature democracies run as much by the letter of the law, as they do by the spirit of national interest. When there is an enlightened combination of both letter and spirit, conventions emerge, of behaviour and custom, practice and restraints. It is time for all political parties to think of such conventions when Indias interests are being pursued abroad.The recent US, French and British missile strikes in Syria, purportedly in response to the Syrian governments use of chemical weapons, arouse many concerns The United Nations Secretary General declared that the action was not authorised by the UN Security Council and hence violated international law. Secondly, it was based on evidence, whose authenticity has subsequently raised considerable doubt. Thirdly, it damaged prospects for an early Syrian political settlement. Finally, it heightened Russia-US acrimony, further muddying already murky geopolitical waters.

The strikes were a sequel to Russia-West mutual recriminations over the poisoning of former Russian spy (and British intelligence agent), Sergei Skripal, who has lived in England since his release from a Russian prison in 2010. Shortly after he and his daughter were found unconscious in a park, British authorities declared that they were poisoned by a military-grade nerve-agent developed in Russia, which was therefore responsible for the crime. The US and European Union accepted this assessment, and many countries followed UK in expelling Russian diplomats from their capitals: UK expelled 23 and the US as many as 60.

Russia denied involvement in the Skripal poisoning and alleged that chemical weapon use by Syria was faked, offering its own evidence, which did not find traction in the West.

Putting aside the allegations and counter-allegations, it is difficult to find a credible motive for Russia to have either poisoned Skripal or to have let the Syrians use chemical weapons. Why should it wait for eight years after releasing a double-agent to eliminate him, and why choose a method which obviously incriminates it? In Syria, Russia was intimately involved in the Syrian forces campaign to liberate the Damascus suburb of Eastern Ghouta, which was making good progress. The UN Special Envoy for Syria had acknowledged that 90 per cent of this operation had been completed. At this stage, it would be senseless to launch a chemical weapons attack, which was certain to attract widespread international opprobrium. On the other hand, these developments helped UK Prime Minister Theresa May and US President Donald Trump in their domestic politics and furthered external US objectives. They diverted attention from a looming impasse in UKs Brexit negotiations. The public demonstration of the UK-US special relationship was also useful for UKs Prime Minister. President Trump deflected focus from uncomfortable developments in the probe on his personal business dealings. He demonstrated to critics in Congress and the media that he is not soft on Russia. Externally, transatlantic solidarity was strengthened and, thereby, US leverage in its various confrontations with Russia. The collective European attitude towards Russia was stiffened, just when some European countries were edging towards normalising relations with it. A wedge was driven between Turkey, which endorsed the strikes, and its Russian and Iranian partners in the Syrian political process. Strong calls resurfaced in the US for rigorous implementation of the 2017 sanctions legislation, CAATSA (Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act), which authorises sanctions against foreign companies engaging with Russian entities, particularly in defence and energy.

Beyond punishing Russia for its contraventions of international law, CAATSA is designed to further US strategic and commercial interests. It encourages US allies and partners that have significant energy and/or defence cooperation with Russia to turn to the US instead.

Germanys proposed undersea gas pipeline from Russia attracts CAATSA. Meanwhile, the US supports plans of other European countries to import US LNG to partially replace Russian gas supplies to Europe. CAATSA can also be applied against US NATO ally Turkey and West Asian partner Saudi Arabia, so that they can be nudged back to full dependence for their defence supplies on the US and other Western partners. Egypt, India, Vietnam and Indonesia face similar pressure.

CAATSA vests the power to impose sanctions with the US government, which may decide on whom to impose them and when. This is a powerful arm-twisting tool, which can be used to extract political and economic concessions from countries. The irony is that CAATSA cannot be applied to China, which has the most extensive defence and energy cooperation with Russia, which is today USAs most formidable strategic rival and which has the most skewed trade relations with the US. The extent of US-China economic interdependence would prevent the US from applying CAATSA to China. Therefore, even while going for Russias jugular, the US has eased pressure on China. President Trump has tweeted appreciation of recent Chinese promises to lower trade barriers and to enforce intellectual property rights. On another front, the Russia-China strategic partnership is developing in worrying directions. The acrimony with the West has increased Russias dependence on Chinas political and economic support. Their defence and energy cooperation has surged. Russia now supplies sophisticated weapons platforms to China, including the S-400 air defence system, which India is also seeking to acquire. Chinas investment in Russias hydrocarbons industry extends from Siberia to offshore Arctic fields. This Russia-China axis could threaten Indias political and security interests.

The Russia-US proxy war has resulted in Russia now hobnobbing with many jihadi elements that had humiliated the Soviet Union in Afghanistan in the 1980s. It may also be one motivation for Russias urge for an enhanced partnership with Pakistan, evidenced also by recent public Russian statements appreciating Pakistans efforts to fight terrorism. These are difficult challenges for Indian diplomacy. Faced with the CAATSA threat, US pressure on trade imbalance and potential pressure on our exchange rate policies, India has to concede ground in some areas to protect its interests in others. We need to convince the Trump Administration that a strategic partnership cannot be sustained by blackmailing or weakening one partner. Over two-thirds of the weapons systems with our Armed Forces is of Russian origin; we cannot shift overnight to alternative weapons systems without degrading our defence preparedness. For all the diversification of Indias defence acquisitions in recent years, we have not received from others the levels of technology transfers that Russia has been providing. Our US partners have to recognise and redress this problem. We also need to prevent a degradation of our strategic partnership with Russia by ensuring that we respect the vital interests of each other.

(The author is a former diplomat, now Convenor of the National Security Advisory Board. The views expressed are entirely personal)US President Donald Trump, British Prime Minister Theresa May and French President Emmanuel Macron have been under immense political pressure in domestic politics and the three countries acted even before it could be established that there was actually a chemical attack in Douma. (Photo: AP)

Alarmist voices are aplenty that the Syrian conflict is morphing into World War III. But, in reality, the US-British-French missile strikes on Syria were prompted by domestic considerations rather than military, political or humanitarian considerations.

US President Donald Trump, British Prime Minister Theresa May and French President Emmanuel Macron have been under immense political pressure in domestic politics and the three countries acted even before it could be established that there was actually a chemical attack in Douma. Russia was given advance notice of the attack knowing fully well that Moscow would alert Damascus, which it did. Russia claims that 71 out of the 105 missiles were shot down. The missile attack created no new facts on the ground. The military victory of the Syrian regime is a foregone conclusion. Moscow plans to boost Syrian military capabilities to ward off any such future aggression. German chancellor Angela Merkel telephoned Russian President Vladimir Putin on April 17 to discuss Syria and plan a face-to-face meeting. Macron too plans to visit Moscow in May. Suffice to say, the Germany and France do not have an enemy image of Russia and are tamping down tensions. The bottom line is that neither the western world nor Moscow seeks a military confrontation.

Clearly, prognosis of World War III is preposterous. The Indian diaspora in the Gulf has no reason to feel threatened by a holocaust. Having said that, Middle East continues to be a powder keg. The Palestine issue remains unresolved and Irans rise as regional power is a new geopolitical reality that the Sunni Arab regimes (Saudi Arabia and the UAE, in particular) are yet to reconcile with. Equally, the Wests cultural, political, economic and military dominance of the Middle East for the last two centuries is ending even as the western retrenchment coincides with Russias resurgence and the appearance of a new player on the horizon  China. Such historical transitions are bound to create turbulence. Finally, Israels military superiority in the Middle East is increasingly becoming irrelevant as hybrid wars replace conventional wars  Syria, Yemen, Iraq, for example  and consequently, the strategic balance remains shaken until a new equilibrium is reached.

Quite obviously, the Middle East crisis vitally affects regional security. But the 7-year conflict in Syria has not affected the security of the Indian community in the Gulf so far and it is unlikely to be any different in the period ahead. Simply put, none of the external powers involved in Syria  US, France, Russia, Iran Turkey, Saudi Arabia, etc.  can afford to disrupt the world oil market, since they are all stakeholders in energy security one way or another. Similarly, the conflict in Iraq or the insurgencies in Egypts Sinai and in Libya do not impact the security of the Gulf. The spectre of Islamic State no longer haunts the region, either. The conflict in Yemen may have a spillover, but the red line is whether Saudi Arabia gets destabilised, which is a far-fetched scenario as things stand.

If the simmering tensions between Qatar and Saudi Arabia lead to a conflict, Indian communities in the Gulf could get caught in the crossfire. But such a conflict can be virtually ruled out. The point is, the US Central Command is headquartered in Doha and Washington will not allow a flashpoint to arise. Nor is any outside party queering the pitch for an outbreak of hostility between Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

In the final analysis, a major threat to the stability and security of the Gulf region, where millions of Indians live and work, arises only in the event of an attack on Iran by an external power, which would most certainly lead to Iranian retaliation. In principle, such an attack can come from the US or from a US-led coalition with its regional allies. But then, Irans military posture is riveted on developing deterrence against external aggression and Tehran has been successful in developing the military capability to inflict unaffordable costs on any aggressor  US and Israel included. Besides, the US is well aware that a conflict with Iran will inevitably assume regional overtones and impact international security and could have grave consequences for the stability of the world economy.

Finally, if President Donald Trump tears up the Iran nuclear deal of July 2015, it can lead to serious downstream consequences such as Iran resuming its nuclear program. And if that happens, the latent regional tensions that have accumulated over time would erupt with a ferocity that is beyond anyones control. May 12 is the deadline by which Trump is expected to announce his decision. But the good part is that the US European allies are happy with the pace and tempo of implementation of the Iran nuclear deal and Tehran too has no intentions of jettisoning the deal. Macron and Merkel are travelling to Washington (April 24 and 27 respectively) to persuade Trump not to take precipitate steps.

The US-Iranian tango is complex and unpredictable, given the long history of American interference in Iran.

What complicates it further is that Irans regional influence is steadily expanding and Israel and Saudi Arabia are pushing for a US-led containment strategy against Iran. The Gulf regions security hinges on a new security architecture that includes Iran. However, that remains elusive.

(The author is a former ambassador)HONG KONGIt has been jokingly referred to as Botmageddon. But a surge in new, anonymous Twitter accounts across swathes of Southeast and East Asia has deepened fears the region is in the throes of United States-style mass social media manipulation. Maya Gilliss-Chapman, a Cambodian tech entrepreneur currently working in Silicon Valley, noticed something odd was happening in early April. Her Twitter account @MayaGC was being swamped by a daily deluge of follows from new users. I acquired well over 1,000 new followers since the beginning of March. So, thats approximately a 227 percent increase in just a month, she told AFP. While many might delight in such a popularity spike, Gilliss-Chapman, who has previously worked for tech companies to root out spam, was immediately suspicious. The vast majority of these new accounts contained no identifying photograph and had barely tweeted since their creation. But they all seemed to be following prominent Twitter users in Cambodia including journalists, business figures, academics and celebrities. She did some digging and published her findings online, detailing how the vast majority of accounts were recently created in batches by unknown operators who worked hard to hide their real identities. She wasnt alone. Soon prominent Twitter users in Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka noticed the same phenomenon -- a surge in follows from anonymous, recently created accounts, adopting local sounding names but barely engaging on the platform, as if lying in wait for someones command. While Facebook has received the lions share of international opprobrium in recent months over allegations it has been slow to respond to people and state actors manipulating its platform, Twitter has also faced accusations it has not done enough to rid the platform of fake users. Most bots are used for commercial spam. But they have been deployed politically in Asia before. During the 2016 Philippines presidential election, there was a surge of organized bots and trolls deployed to support the man who eventually won that contest, the firebrand populist Rodrigo Duterte. And after Myanmars military last year launched a crackdown against the countrys Rohingya Muslim minority, there was a wave of accounts that cropped up supportive of the government on Twitter, a platform that until then had very few Burmese users. With elections due in Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia in the next two years, many hit by the Twitter follow surge in Asia are asking whether the Silicon Valley tech giants are doing enough to stop fake accounts before they are given their marching orders. So far Twitter has found nothing untoward. A spokesperson for the company said engineers were looking into the accounts in question and will take action against any account found to be in violation of the Twitter Rules. A source with knowledge of the probe said they believe the accounts are new, organic users who were likely being suggested prominent Twitter users across Asia to follow when they sign up.Its something were keeping an eye on, but for now, it looks like a pretty standard sign-up/on-boarding issue, the source told AFP. But many experts have been left unconvinced by such explanations. AFP Are there really this many new, genuine users joining Twitter, all with the same crude hallmarks of fake accounts? Raymond Serrato, an expert at Democracy Reporting International who has been monitoring the suspicious accounts, told AFP. The issue of fake users is hugely sensitive for Twitter because a crackdown could severely dent its roughly 330 million audience -- the companys main selling point. In a 2014 report to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Twitter estimated some 5-8.5 percent of users were bots. But Emilio Ferrara, a research professor at the University of Southern California, published research last year suggesting it could be double that: 9-15 percent. Last week Pew Research Center released a report analyzing 1.2 million English language tweets which contained links to popular websites. Two-thirds of the tweets came from suspected bot accounts. Twitter Audit Report, a third party company that scans peoples followers using software to estimate how many are fake, suggests as many as 16 million of Donald Trumps 51 million followers are not real people. Jennifer Grygiel, an expert on social media at Syracuse University, New York, said the US presidential election has provided a blueprint for others to copy. Bad actors around the world have really followed the potential of social media to influence the political process, she told AFP. Twitter, she said, is a minnow compared to Facebooks more than two billion users. But it can still be influential because many prominent opinion formers such as journalists, politicians and academics have a major presence on the platform. If you can get information within this population, then youve scored, she said. Serrato, from Democracy Reporting International, said the fake accounts could still pose a threat even if they are currently inactive. The accounts can be used at a later date to amplify certain tweets, hijack hashtags, or harass people, he said. Grygiel used a more blunt metaphor. The risk is the accounts are sitting there like a cancer, she said. AFPEver since he completed his term as Punjab governor in 2015, Shivraj Patil has been leading a quiet life. He is barely seen or heard though he is spotted occasionally at Delhis India International Centre.

But he was pulled out of semi-retirement last week, making a series of appearances on several television channels. Since Mr Patil was the home minister in the Congress-led UPA government, he was much sought after by the media for his reactions to the acquittal of all the accused in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case.

With the BJP launching an all-out offensive against the Congress for coining the term saffron terror and defaming all Hindus, no senior Congress leader or other former home ministers (P. Chidambaram and Sushil Kumar Shinde) were available for their views. Surprisingly, even former Madhya Pradesh chief minister and senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh, who never misses an opportunity to lash out at the BJP and the RSS for its divisive agenda, refrained from commenting on the courts verdict.

As a result, it was left to Mr Patil to defend the Congress even though he was asked to step down as home minister in 2008 following the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

Nevertheless, Mr Patil made a valiant attempt to counter BJP charges, stating that the Congress did not use the term Hindu terror and that the party was of the firm belief that terrorism has no religion and that all perpetrators of terror attacks must be punished.

It is well-known that senior Congress leader and Chhindwara MP Kamal Nath wants the party to project him as the chief ministerial candidate in the year-end Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections. His colleague Jyotiraditya Scindia is also in the race for the same post.

But given the intense infighting in the partys Madhya Pradesh unit, Congress president Rahul Gandhi has steered clear of taking a decision, keeping all aspirants on tenterhooks. But the CM-hopefuls have not given up trying.

In fact, Mr Nath has taken a cue from former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijay Singh, who recently completed a six-month-long Narmada parikrama, and sought divine intervention for a decision in his favour.

Not only did Mr Nath put in an appearance during Mr Singhs padyatra, he recently took a helicopter to Jhoteshwar to seek the blessings of Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati. He also offered prayers at the Tripur Sundari temple and is learnt to have organised a yagna, apparently for good luck. It is now to be seen if Mr Naths prayers will be answered. Its all in the hands of God and Mr Gandhi.

After coming to power in 2014, the Narendra Modi government has spared no efforts to lobby with the member countries of the United Nations to make Hindi one of its official languages but to little avail. At present, the UN has six official languages  English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Russian and Arabic.

All the documents published by the UN are printed in these languages. But getting the same status for Hindi is an uphill task as Indias demand must be supported by two-third members of the member countries. In fact, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj admitted that the government had not met with success while replying to questions in Parliament.

Since Indias endeavours have not yielded results, the Modi government has settled for the second-best option, but at a price. It is shelling out nearly $2 million to hire a five-member staff (based in New York and Delhi) to translate and upload reports from the UN in Hindi on its official website and on the social media.

Needless to say, the southern states, which have always opposed the imposition of Hindi by successive governments, will not be happy with this development.

Congress president Rahul Gandhis move to send his own team of observers to poll-bound states to give feedback on probable candidates has sent his own party members into a tizzy as those aspiring for tickets are not sure if they will make the cut.

This has also confused the BJP, its main political rival. When Sonia Gandhi was party chief, there was certain predictability about this exercise as the observers deputed to recommend names of candidates and those seeking tickets enjoyed a cozy relationship. Their political rivals, too, had a fair idea of the names of Congress candidates, which enabled them to set their field in advance.

They picked their own candidates accordingly and, in many cases, set up independents or even entered into secret deals with Congress contestants. Mr Gandhi broke with the tradition in the recent Gujarat elections and followed it up in poll-bound Karnataka, resulting in considerable resentment among the old timers.

In fact, his selected observers have already been dispatched to Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh though these states are due to go to polls only in December. Predictably, both the contenders in the Congress and their opponents have been left to guess about the outcome of these visits.Lustre has not been added to the Supreme Court of India under the stewardship of present Chief Justice Dipak Misra. Some of his own senior colleagues have pointed a finger at him at a press conference last January, meaning they have appealed in the peoples court against the CJI. Even so, the move to seek his impeachment  initiated on Friday  by a clutch of Opposition parties, led by the Congress, appears misguided.

The current CJI is to retire in early October. Any setback caused to the image of the top court could have been set right by his successor without agitating the waters.

No CJI has been sought to be impeached before. That fact alone makes the move by the Opposition parties a landmark development, but it is a marker that has the potential to shake the faith of the ordinary Indian in the impartiality of the highest judicial forum of the land, even if it is clear as day that there is no chance of the move succeeding. That can be injurious to our none too robust democratic order before which lie many challenges already.

Constitutional provisions exist to impeach the CJI and a procedure is laid down for it. This suggests that our Constitution-makers did provide for a bad apple. But they made the definition tight. For all his perceived shortcomings, the present CJI has not crossed that mark. This may be apparent even to his detractors among his fellow judges and top lawyers who are openly critical of him.

The move to impeach the CJI began after the January 12 press conference of the four top judges of the apex court, among them Justice Ranjan Gogoi, who is slated to succeed CJI Misra. In essence, the CJIs most senior colleagues were saying that the CJI had made himself  and by implication the judiciary  subservient to the government and the ruling party.

It is hard to push that feeling away. The inability of the CJI to robustly challenge the executive on the issue of the elevation of Judge Krishna Bhatt to the Karnataka high court is a case in point.

Since the signatures of Rajya Sabha MPs for the impeachment process to commence were submitted to vice-president M. Venkaiah Naidu just the day after the controversial Loya judgment of the apex court involving BJP president Amit Shah, it has been speculated that the Opposition parties took their step in retaliation to this judgment. This may or may not be the case. Nevertheless, the demand of wider politics to challenge the BJP in the context of the perceived goings-on in the apex court does appear to have a bearing on the action of the Opposition.

What impact this may have on the remaining five months of the CJIs term is to be seen, though it is clear that the Chief Justice will not be impeached.There is much speculation in Dilli about the future of chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Sushil Chandra. Chandra is scheduled to retire in May-end, but it is being said that the Centre is likely to give him another extension. It may be recalled that Chandra was scheduled to retire last May but less than a month ahead of his retirement, he was re-appointed as CBDT chairman.

The speculation has been triggered by the fact that while the government is going ahead with the process of appointments for two posts of members in CBDT, it has not made any move towards filling the vacancy that would arise after Mr Chandra retires.

Curiously, some believe that there is a high likelihood that Mr Chandra may take over from 1984-batch IPS officer Karnal Singh as head of the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Mr Singh is rumoured to be tipped for the position of Vigilance Commissioner in the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC). Watch this space for updates.

Whistleblower fights on

Whistleblower Indian Forest Service officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi is still fighting an old battle. The Haryana cadre officer who is now posted in Uttarakhand, has accused Haryana forest department deputy secretary S.N. Roy of making "a false statement" before the Punjab and Haryana high court and sought criminal proceedings for perjury. Mr Chaturvedi is seeking compensation for the harassment meted out to him by the Haryana government.

According to sources, the Haryana government has filed a petition seeking quashing of the Presidents order recommending a CBI probe into the scams exposed by Mr Chaturvedi. According to Mr Chaturvedi, Mr Roy has claimed that Haryana had not passed any final order against which Mr Chaturvedi was entitled to file the memorial to President of India under the all-India service rules. Mr Roy has also claimed that memorial sent to President had to be referred to the state government as per the rules, but no such reference was made to or received by the state.

Mr Chaturvedi has further stated that a false and contradictory reply filed by Mr Roy reflects that state government has no respect left for sanctity of court and all these shenanigans were aimed at saving some politicians and bureaucrats from an independent CBI investigation.With just three weeks to go for the bellwether Karnataka Assembly polls, the Janata Dal (Secular), pitted against two national parties  the Congress and the BJP  is expected to anoint its nominee for chief ministers post if the other parties fall short of the required majority.

On Karnataka pivots the BJPs hope of launching the southern leg of its Congress-Mukt Bharat operation.

In an interview, former Prime Minister and canny JD(S) patriarch H.D. DEVE GOWDA refused to be drawn on which political force he will back in such a post-poll scenario, pointing instead at the coming together of many regional parties that could form a powerful, nationwide third force  a Peoples Front that could emerge as a viable alternative to both the Congress and the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Many, however, say that his main aim is to settle scores, and ensure the defeat of his former protege, present Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah. The running battle between JD(S) and the Congress leader has already led to an acrimonious campaign with the Congress dubbing the JD(S) as the BJPs B team, alluding to Mr Deve Gowdas son H.D. Kumaraswamys short-lived alliance government with the BJP in 2006.

Mr Deve Gowda, asserted confidently, and somewhat ambiguously, to VINAY MADHAV, that everything will change from now to polling day on May 12.

Mr Gowda will leave no stone unturned to ensure his party wins big. Else he risks becoming irrelevant not just in his home state, but also nationally.

Excerpts from the interview:

How important is this election for JD(S)?

If we cannot save a regional party today, when and where are we going to save it? There are a lot of issues haunting the state. The Cauvery dispute is a major issue. We have not benefited from the Supreme Court judgment. If the Cauvery Water Management Board is constituted today, we will be the losers yet again. Then, there is the Mahadayi water dispute. And we are also in a disadvantageous position vis-a-vis the Finance Commission. We have been neglected by the Union government all along. Just look at the parallel in AP, how Mr Chandrababu Naidu has walked out of the NDA. Look at Telangana, and at Tamil Nadu. It is the same.

So, what do we have to do in Karnataka? First, we have to survive as a regional party. How do we survive? How many times have they (national parties) ditched us? I wanted to elect Mr Siddaramaiah as chief minister (in 2004 following a fractured mandate). Mrs Sonia Gandhi and Dr Manmohan Singh did not agree and spoke of re-elections. We had no resources and we were compelled. Then, they (Congress leaders) took away people like Mr Siddaramaiah and Mr M.P. Prakash from my party. Meanwhile, Mr H.D. Kumaraswamy (his son), without even caring for me, joined hands with the BJP (2006). What did he achieve? In two months, allegations of him seeking Rs 150 crores bribe were levelled against him. Mr Sriramulu filed a case that the Chief Minister was conspiring to murder him.

When Justice Rama Jois gave his opinion on the takeover of NICE company, BJP ministers boycotted the Cabinet meeting for six hours. Even now, the House Committee unanimously recommends the takeover of NICE. Yet, the Congress has inducted Mr Ashok Kheny into their party and given him a ticket. As a regional party, we cant even offer protection to the people. Every leader, over the last 10 years has become wealthier, every one, worth over hundreds of crores.

Poll predictions are hinting at a hung Assembly in Karnataka. What do you see happening?

A lot of things will change from today to May 12. We are doing our best. Otherwise, why should I struggle so much at this age? I am not even contesting the next elections to Parliament in 2019.

Today, Mr Kumaraswamy has some image. Along with that, I am contributing some amount of my experience. We have a tie-up with BSP leader Mayawati and we have to wait and watch as to how much polarisation she can effect. Mr Owaisi is also supporting us. Telangana chief minister Mr K Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) was here. There is significant presence of Telugu speaking people in Karnataka. KCR has promised to send his deputy for campaigning in Karnataka and also promised to come for campaigning on certain days. We are doing other things as well. Just wait and watch.

You mean, on the possibility of an alternative forum of regional parties?

I have told them that I will not be active in electoral politics. I can take up an advisory role and would extend moral support.

However, where JD(S) would be placed in the Peoples Front depends on mandate of the people. That is why we are working so hard to come to power on our own.

Where would the Congress and BJP land, once the Peoples Front takes shape?

We have remained equidistant from both the Congress and the BJP during these elections to the state Assembly. When it comes to Lok Sabha elections, we have to take stock of developments across the nation during 2019 elections. All regional parties with a common agenda will come under one platform. There is a view that both the Congress and the BJP have to be kept out of it. I have not yet arrived at that point. I have told them that I would be part of that exercise only after the Karnataka polls. We dont know what circumstances would arise on that day. The Congress is not totally destroyed in the country. In some places like Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, it has its own strength, though not in power. In Uttar Pradesh, if SP and BSP join hands, the case is over. There is no space for Congress at all.

What about the Congress in Karnataka?

Here, the Congress is suffering due to Mr Siddaramaiahs onslaught particularly when he claims to be invincible. He is doing all sorts of things. So, I am not sure whether the Congress will retain the first place or land in second or third spot. The people are not fools and they know it all. How much money was looted in each project? What happened to BBMP scam involving about Rs 2000 crores? The government gave more prominence to announcements on Bhagyas to get votes at the cost of the exchequer. The entire administration has collapsed and police officers are complaining to the chief secretary. The DCs and SPs are transferred every three to six months. Who is there to ask?

What are the options available for JD(S) in the event of a fractured mandate?

I dont see such a situation arising, and I am working hard to prevent getting into such a situation. We have so many problems with Congress ruled state governments. And it was the same with the previous BJP government. They (BJP leaders) talk about a Modi tsunami but I dont see anything like that. Even in New Delhi there are so many problems. The judiciary, executive and Parliament have lost their charm. The failure of both the NDA and Congress are the cause for such a sorry state of affairs in the country.

The Peoples Front will start taking shape after Karnataka elections, and it is very important in the interest of the nation. In a small way, the results of Karnataka Assembly polls could be the precursor of political developments in future in the country.The recent claim that the reaction in India to the gang rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in J&K could bring India and Kashmir together is a measure of the depths to which chief minister Mehbooba Mufti can sink. At the same time, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, 49 ex-bureaucrats said, In post-independence India, this is our darkest hour and we find the response of our government, the leaders of our political parties inadequate and feeble. Mr Modi spoke on the issue belatedly.

This was a rape-murder with a huge difference. Besides gratification of lust, its objectives were political  to drive out the local Muslim population; prevent the nomadic Muslim Bakerwals and Gujjars from exercising their age-old right to have their herds graze in Jammu; and grab the lands. So that the demographic character of Jammu is not changed. The 18-page chargesheet filed in court deserves to be widely publicised. The efficiency of the J&K police disturbed Jammus Hindu politicians, who asked for a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation. This implies lack of confidence in the J&K police, which has borne the brunt of the fight against terrorism. Its men are Kashmiris. The Army and the Paramilitary are from outside. The DG of the J&K police, S.P. Vaid, argued, If we can fight terrorism, if we can fight stone-pelters, why cant we carry out professional investigations?

Since 1990s (J&K police) registered cases where such incidents have happened ... We have been taking (the cases) up with the government. It consistently refuses sanction for the prosecution of the Army men or the Paramilitary.

In March, at its HQ in Nagpur, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat extolled the Armys performance in Kashmir: You need power to establish the truth. He asserted that Kashmirs Muslims had accepted the faith of invaders. When PDP leader Mufti Mohammad Sayeed hailed his partys coalition with the BJP, he was being dishonest. The BJPs general secretary Ram Madhav tore up his pretensions with the agenda of alliance, which reflects the BJPs triumph on every major issue.

This dishonourable pact arouses wrath for two reasons. Kashmiris had voted hugely for the PDP to keep the BJP out. The PDP betrayed them by embracing the BJP. Secondly, the BJP increased its demands with the centres support; Ms Mehbooba surrendered. She did what no J&K chief minister had done before. She unveiled a statue in Jammu of their oppressor, the despicable Hari Singh, who in 1947 presided over the ethnic cleansing of Muslims. Can any Kashmiri sink lower than this? It is this perfidy and her tarnished image that drives the youth to militancy. The hundreds who lost their eyesight because of the use of pellet guns under her watch fuelled the revolt.

Much worse is yet to come. In Jammu, BJP leader Ram Madhav has demanded that the directive of the tribal affairs department ... be withdrawn, which forbade the eviction of tribals from forest land. He had also taken up with the Centre the issue of the 7,000 Rohingya Muslims in Jammu. Jammu citys population is nearly 500,000; Jammu Division is around six million. This is another threat of demographic (read communal) change.

It was left to Ms Mehboobas brother, Tourism Minister Tassaduq Mufti, to utter bitter truths in an interview on April 12: Today the truth is that while we are in control, we are no longer trusted. We were supposed to be partners in rebuilding this place but ... we have ended up being partners in a crime that an entire generation of Kashmiris might have to pay with their blood. He referred to the massiveness of the funerals given to slain militants which signified that the alienation has reached a level now where it can lead to bloodshed on a scale that doesnt find a precedent in history.

He might note another form of protest: the graffiti on the streets, art as a form of resistance. This year marks 30 years of militancy in Kashmir. No end is in sight to the peoples sufferings  but they will never surrender.

By arrangement with DawnRussia never recovered from this loss and it took it 40 long years to assert its military power once again when it defeated Nazi Germany in the greatest military offensive of the Second World War. (Representational image)

This is now expected to be Asias century, with the balance of world GDP shifting towards it. It now accounts for about a third of it, and is forecast to be over half of it by 2050. In 1950, it was less than five per cent of world GDP. With economic output comes geo-political weight. This change is recorded by defining moments in history.

A defining moment is when an event typifies or determines all subsequent related occurrences. A defining moment for a nation is when history takes a turn into a new path. History has few defining moments. To draw inspiration from them, we must first find our defining moments to venerate.

Asias first defining moment was when on May 14, 1905, a Japanese naval flotilla commanded by Adm. Togo Heihachiro, with his flag on the brand-new Mikasa battleship, destroyed the Russian armada led by Adm. Rozhestvensky and destroyed 35 of the 38 Russian warships. Adm. Rozhestvensky himself was rescued from his burning battleship Prince Suvorov and taken by the Japanese to Sasebo. This is considered the first time an Asian nation had defeated an European power.

But strictly speaking it is not quite true. The previous year the Japanese had attacked the Russian fleet at Port Arthur and in the engagement the Russians lost several warships, including the battleship Petropavlovsk with Adm. Stepan Makarov, Russias most charismatic admiral. It was to avenge this loss that Tsarist Russia had assembled a mighty armada to teach the Japanese a lesson. Russia never recovered from this loss and it took it 40 long years to assert its military power once again when it defeated Nazi Germany in the greatest military offensive of the Second World War.

Another great defining moment was when France was defeated in 1954 at Dien Bien Phu by the Vietminh forces led in battle by Gen. Van Tien Dung. Few military leaders have made such a profound impact on history. Van Tien Dung defined the spirit of a nation and its will to transform itself. Dung was possibly the greatest military commander of the last century, but he was Vietnamese and history will not be as generous to him as it is to Western commanders who achieved far less.

In his own country he deferred to his superior, the legendary Vo Nguyen Giap, who was the Vietminhs leader and later the North Vietnam Armys commander-in-chief and defence minister. Giap is generally credited with the NVAs historic victory over the French at Dien Bien Phu in 1954. But it was Dung who, as Giaps deputy, planned and commanded the assault on the French garrison and in the process humbled two famous French generals, Christian de Castries and Henri Navarre.

Military historians see this as one of the greatest battles of the 20th century and a defining moment in the history of Asia. The 16,000-strong French garrison made up of battle-hardened troops drawn from the French Foreign Legion and North African regiments were grouped into strongpoints named after various de Castries mistresses. The attack began on March 7 and the French capitulated on May 7, falling to tactics described by Giap as combined nibbling and attack. Bernard Fall has vividly narrated the drama of this battle in Hell in a Very Small Place, a classic piece of military writing if there ever was one. It signified the end of the era of European colonialism, just as Indias independence signified its beginning.

But Dungs greatest battles were yet to come. In the spring of 1975 he led the final offensive against the South Vietnam Army that led to the pell-mell flight of the Americans from Saigon and then the reunification of Vietnam. The final assault consisted of over 800,000 troops with tanks and jet fighters and the US-trained and armed South Vietnamese Army just collapsed in the face of the firestorm unleashed by Dung. We may never again see such a massive, furious and relentless campaign. The last American out scrambling atop the last Huey helicopter was John Gunther Dean, who later became the US ambassador in New Delhi and used to strut around as if he were some latter-day viceroy.

No Douglas MacArthur, no George Patton, no Bernard Montgomery or for that matter not even a Zhukhov or Chuikov can claim a record near as good as that. But they didnt fight 30-year wars either! A leading Indian news magazine once described an Indian general, in a memorable use of clanging metaphors, as having the dash of a Guderian, the strategic genius of a Rommel and the leadership qualities of a MacArthur etc  all to describe a man who took the Indian Army into the Golden Temple and then later into Sri Lanka! They had obviously not heard of Van Tien Dung.

American military historian Eugene Grayson places Van Tien Dung as among the great captains of warfare, with Wellington and Rommel. Great praise that, and Grayson should know. He served in Vietnam and was scarred for life by the lash of Dungs strategic and tactical genius and the ferocity and fighting abilities of the army he commanded. This army fought without air cover, without any worthwhile artillery and was pure infantry fighting man to man with automatic rifles. The legend of the AK-47 began in the rice paddies of Vietnam. Every round of ammunition, every grain of rice and every bandage was carried by streaming lines of porters carrying head loads for hundreds of kilometres walking in the darkness of the night and under the deep canopy of the tropical jungles.

His genius for innovation is best illustrated by the way in which field artillery pieces were dismantled into small pieces and carted up the hills around Dien Bien Phu and put together once again to rain down havoc of the French positions. Dien Bien Phu was chosen because French generals had decided that the hills were impenetrable and that there could never be any danger from artillery on them. How wrong they were?

The Americans have one great quality, and that is that they are generous to their vanquishers. They recognise greatness. When Dung died, every major US newspaper paid rich tributes to him. Today Van Tien Dung is required reading in all US military academies. They study each and every battle waged by him over and again. Dung was a self-taught strategic genius who didnt go to academies at either West Point or Sandhurst, or even Frunze. He was a schoolteacher who was picked by the great Vo Nguyen Giap who saw in him outstanding leadership qualities, which is what great generalship is all about.

When Konosuke Matsushita wanted to avenge Japans defeat in the Second World War, he built a great enterprise that wiped out the US electronics industry. What happened to us must never happen again. We must never fall behind again, he would tell his countrymen. Matsushitas first US acquisition was the well-known US television manufacturer Zenith, and the first thing Matsushita did was to shut it down. Akio Morita followed in his footsteps and so did Toyota, Honda, Nissan and others. The Japanese resurgence owes as much to the notion it has of itself, a sense of manifest destiny they call unmei korutai, and the national determination to realise that notion. This notion has spread across all of Asia, with South Asia being the only exception. We are truly exceptional. We do not read history, and when we do we often misread it.The Kathua rape is not the norm; most cases of child abuse take place within our homes and in our neighbourhoods.

The delay in making a public statement condemning the gruesome rape and murder of an eight-year-old child belonging to a Muslim nomadic tribe  Bakherwal in Jammu and Kashmir has become a subject matter of discussion in newspapers, television channels and the social media. Even the New York Times devoted an editorial to this issue.

Back home, in an interview, former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, known to be a man of few words, remarked that Prime Minister Narendra Modi must follow the advice he had given him (Dr Singh) when he occupied this post, and speak more often. Not making a public statement about an event of national concern sends out a wrong signal to the perpetrators of the crime  it tells them that they can get away with anything, remarked Dr Singh.

The New York Times commented that Mr Modi who tweets frequently and considers himself a talented orator, seems to lose his voice when it comes to speaking about the dangers faced by women and minorities who are frequent targets of the nationalist and communal forces that form the base of his party.

The incident has shocked the conscience of ordinary Indians across the length and breadth of the country. Public protests have been held in every major city condemning the gruesome and inhuman violence inflicted upon the young girl. The premeditated manner in which the girl was kidnapped, kept sedated, raped over and over again by several men, inside a temple and then strangled to death with her chunni is public knowledge now. As though this was not sufficiently brutal, she was then hit on the head with a stone to ensure that she doesnt survive.

The most chilling part of this narrative is the demand by special police officer Deepak Khajuria requesting the sutradhar of this macabre horror, Sanjhi Ram, to delay the inevitable murder, so that he can satisfy his lust one last time. By this time, the girl who had been starved, drugged and raped continuously over four days had been reduced to just a human shell. Penetrating the body of a listless and lifeless child is almost like raping a corpse, necrophilia, an utter debasement of the human mind.

What is worse, the lawyers of Kathua district court came out into the streets in defence of this police officer and prevented the crime branch from filing the chargesheet. Two BJP MLAs attended the rally supporting lawyers.

The news that shocked the nation, hit the national dailies on April 9, 2018. Through all this, for several days, the PM maintained a stony silence. It was left to minister of women and child development Maneka Gandhi to do damage control and make a public announcement, to calm down the angry protesters. Death penalty to all those who abuse children, she proclaimed. The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, enacted in 2012, a month before the Nirbhaya incident, to deal with sexual violence upon children, did not provide for death penalty. Hence the government will soon remedy this by bringing a suitable amendment to the act, the minister declared. As though this would bring justice to the victim.

The ministers statement served to douse the anger of some protesters who viewed the brutal gangrape and murder merely as a gendered crime, devoid of its political intent of ethnic cleansing.

No one paused to think that in the Delhi gangrape case, the accused were given death penalty not under the amended provisions of the IPC, but under the then prevailing provisions of rape and murder, viewing the offence as a rarest of rare occurrence. Criminal provisions cannot be applied retrospectively. So even if the law is changed today, it cannot be applied to an incident that took place in January 2018; the chargesheet is already filed and the trial is about to start.

If investigations were carried out meticulously, and the trial proceeds without obstruction and manipulation of witnesses, and the case ends in conviction, the trial court has the power to pronounce death penalty. There is no need for the sensational announcement to quell the protests. But the question is whether a fair trial is possible within the prevailing vitiated court culture where lawyers, considered to be officers of the court, are themselves involved in obstructing due process.

The PM spoke only after the Supreme Court took up this matter suo moto and issued notices to all concerned bodies of lawyers seeking an explanation. The PM issued a statement that the latest incidents have brought shame to our country and that our daughters will definitely get justice. But the assurances sound hollow in the wake of the delay in making this statement and describing the crime in broad generalities as incidents being discussed since past two days, as the New York Times editorial commented. The PM had adopted a similar approach when Muslims were being lynched to death by gaurakshaks (cow vigilante groups) some months ago, while shedding tears over the plight of Muslim sisters who are victims of triple talaq, an issue which is highlighted by his party as a weapon to beat the Muslims with.

Prof. Apooranand, a teacher at the Delhi University and a social activist, has commented that this incident cannot be clubbed together with the Unnao incident where an adolescent girl was allegedly raped by a sitting BJP MLA, as the two belong to different categories.

The motive for the gruesome violence in Kathua is to rid the area of the presence of the Muslim Bakherwal community. It is not the age of the victim that should shock us (even infants are sexually brutalised) nor should the brutality of the crime (humans are capable of unimaginable depravities) but the brazen support for the criminals displayed on the streets of Jammu which should lead us to panic and question how as a society we have reached this point.

Some people are drawing parallels between Kathua rape case and Nirbhaya murder case of 2012. But lawyers who defended the accused in the Nirbhaya case did not receive any support from the legal fraternity. In Nirbhaya case, violence was committed by social delinquents from the lower class and people of India rose in one voice to demand death penalty.

In comparison, Kathua is not a gendered crime. It is communal violence.

Womens bodies have been brutally violated during conflict situations to teach a lesson to the entire community. Remember, the Khairlanji incident wherein the bodies of dalit women were brutalised, violence inflicted upon women during Partition, gruesome sexual violence inflicted upon Muslim women during the Gujarat riots, including slitting the stomach of a pregnant woman and displaying the foetus before burning it in full public view to teach a lesson to Muslims.

It is the targeting of a community using the bodies of women and young children in the name of protecting the nation which should concern us. And it is the Prime Ministers delayed response in reassuring the Muslim minority of safety and protection which must disturb us.

Mr Modi thinks he has made amends by promulgating a draconian ordinance, which awards death penalty to those who rape kids under 12 years of age (earlier the stipulated minimum punishment was life imprisonment). With this he has succeeded in dousing the protests that were spreading. Now no one can blame his party for being a silent spectator at a time when an epidemic of brutal rapes was spreading in the countryside. Moreover, anyone who opposes the ordinance can be dubbed as pro-rapists.

But death penalty is not the answer; this reckless move will cause more harm to children as it does not place their interests at the centre of remedial measures. The gruesome Kathua rape is not the norm; most cases of child abuse take place within our homes and in our neighbourhoods. Rather than being a deterrent to child abusers, it will deter children from reporting their abuse when they know that a close family member will be hanged because of their complaint.The Yogi Adityanath government is having a strange impact on BJPs Muslim leaders and almost all of them are turning into Hanuman bhakts.

The Yogi Adityanath government is having a strange impact on BJPs Muslim leaders and almost all of them are turning into Hanuman bhakts. Recently, Mohsin Raza, the lone Muslim minister in the Yogi government, was seen offering prayers at a famous Hanuman temple on Hanuman Jayanti with his entire family in tow. The minister made sure that all television channels were present at the temple before he began offering prayers.

Another Muslim leader Bhukkal Nawab, who joined the BJP last year after quitting the Samajwadi Party and is now the BJP candidate for the Vidhan Parishad, was seen praying at a Hanuman temple  after informing the media of his schedule, of course.

While Mohsin Raza says that he likes praying to Lord Hanuman, Bhukkal Nawab now claims that there has been a tradition in his family to offer prayers at Hanuman temple though no one has seen him do so earlier.

However, their Hanuman leanings have not gone down too well with a section of the party leadership.

A senior party functionary said: We took them in because we wanted to send a message that Muslims were accepting the BJP with an open heart. We want them to remain Muslims and not convert since that would defeat the purpose.

Walk on the bridge sans smile

Odisha chief minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik is often found wanting in giving good poses for the camera during important occasions like inauguration of infrastructure projects or launching of various government programmes.

However, the CM barely fumbles in airing an aura of accomplishment when it comes to posing for camerapersons during inauguration of major river bridge projects. Well-aided by his public relations department officials as well as professional private PR personnel, the CM ensures that every bridge inauguration ceremony is held with aplomb and gets maximum publicity. As per the plan, the CM lands on the middle of the bridge and advised by PR teams to make a brief walk so that photographers and journalists have the opportunity to click him well.

Despite all such privileges and arrangements, the CM didnt really deliver while inaugurating the IB river bridge in western Odisha recently. Though the CM walked with elan as instructed by PR teams, he could not sport smile on the face.

When he posted pictures on his Facebook page, a follower wrote: Dear sir, you look upset. You are doing great work. Give expression like a king. Another follower wrote: Talk like a king. Sources said, the CM, after reading the comments, has promised a smile, during the next bridge walk.Twitter is under scrutiny in the United States where lawmakers suspect their platforms were used as part of a suspected Russian effort to sway the 2016 US presidential election in favour of Donald Trump.

Malaysian regulators will look into the activity of automated accounts on Twitter, known as bots, in the run-up to a general election if they get complaints about them, the communications and multimedia minister said.

Reuters reported on Friday that bots were flooding Twitter with tens of thousands of pro-government and anti-opposition messages, just weeks before Malaysias May 9 election. The information technology bureau of Prime Minister Najib Razaks ruling party, the United Malays National Organisation, said it was not behind the bots and it did not know who was.

Communications Minister Salleh Said Keruak said on Twitter that bots could be used anonymously by anybody and his ministry would respond to complaints.

As a regulator MCMC will work closely with providers such as Twitter and Facebook upon complaints, Salleh said late on Saturday, referring to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.

He did not refer to the Reuters report. Twitter and Facebook are under scrutiny in the United States where lawmakers suspect their platforms were used as part of a suspected Russian effort to sway the 2016 US presidential election in favour of Donald Trump.

The Kremlin has denied the accusations. Twitter allows bot accounts but with restrictions. In February, Twitter said it would no longer allow people to post identical messages from multiple accounts, cracking down on a tactic that Russian agents and others have allegedly used to make topics go viral.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.The move blocked access to millions of sites, including many Russian businesses.

Russias communications watchdog agency says it is adding some Google IP addresses to the state register of banned sites, as a dispute over a banned messaging app intensifies.

Russia has ordered the popular Telegram messaging app to shut down because it wont share its encryption key with intelligence agencies. The Russian Communications Agency on Monday began enforcing a court ban on the messaging app Telegram over its refusal to hand over encryption keys. Telegram, which was developed by Russian entrepreneur Pavel Durov, has refused to share data, citing privacy concerns. It has promised to keep the app running despite the ban.

Communications watchdog Roskomnadzor then blocked 18 networks that are used by Amazon and Google and host sites it believes Telegram is using to circumvent the ban. That move blocked access to millions of sites, including many Russian businesses.

Roskomnadzor raised the stakes by announcing it had added an unspecified number of Google IP address used by Telegram to the register of banned sites.

Google has long ignored a Roskomnadzor demand to store personal data on Russian servers.

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Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.Page not found! Unfortunately, the Massresistance link you selected has been moved or is otherwise not available. We apologize for the inconvenience. Hopefully, this will be restored soon! To home page: www.MassResistance.orgTwitter said on Friday that it has banned ads from Moscow-based Kaspersky Lab, saying the cyber-security companys business model conflicts with advertising rules and citing US government claims that Kaspersky has ties to Russian intelligence agencies.

Twitter confirmed the ban in an email to Reuters after Kaspersky Lab co-founder Eugene Kaspersky disclosed the development in a blog post on Friday, saying that the company learned of the ban in early January. The ban follows charges by Washington that Kaspersky Lab has close ties to intelligence agencies in Moscow and its software could be used to enable Russian spying, which prompted the Trump administration to ban its products from US government networks.

Kaspersky Lab has repeatedly denied those allegations, saying it will open up its code for inspection so that experts can hunt for vulnerabilities in its products that could be exploited by intelligence agencies, and it has asked a US federal court to overturn the American ban. Eugene Kaspersky said in his blog post that he was surprised by Twitters ban and asked the company to reconsider.

We havent violated any written  or unwritten  rules, and our business model is quite simply the same template business model thats used throughout the whole cybersecurity industry: We provide users with products and services, and they pay us for them, he said. Department of Homeland Security cyber-security official Jeanette Manfra said her agency has not instructed US companies to punish Kaspersky.

We laid out a very transparent process and how we came to our decision, to ban Kaspersky products from government networks, she said at a panel at the RSA security conference in San Francisco. I would defer to the companies for how they made their decisions.

Kaspersky said in an email that Twitter was the only social media company to ban its ads. But other social media companies have taken action regarding Kaspersky Lab. Facebook in January said it had removed Kaspersky Lab from a list of anti-virus offerings to users. When asked to explain its ban, Twitter said in an email, This decision is based on our determination that Kaspersky Lab operates using a business model that inherently conflicts with acceptable Twitter Ads business practices.

Twitter also said it was responding to a Department of Homeland Security warning of a threat to national security posed by Russian government access to Kaspersky products. It is rare for Twitter to ban specific advertisers. In October it banned Russian media outlets Russia Today and Sputnik, accusing them of interfering in the 2016 US elections. Last month, Twitter banned cryptocurrency ads.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.Apple had implemented world's first 3D sensing facial recognition technology on its iPhone X late 2017. Named FaceID, this authentication has created a new and more secure system for the users concerned about their devices. However, Android still seems to be struggling to implement to the OEMs available in the market. A new research suggests that Android phone manufacturers are most unlikely to launch 3D sensing models until the third quarter this year.

Digitimes Research suggests that this delay is due to an inadequate ability to integrate the required hardware and software for 3D sensing solution providers. The research states the current 3D sensing module is collectively developed by Qualcomm, Himax Technologies and Truly Opto-electronics, which is considered to be the most advanced 3D sensing solution currently available in the market. The research also suggests except for the Xiaomi's technology, all other popular Android maker's Qualcomm's Snapdragon 845 CPU has limited the use of this new 3D sensing solution. Xiaomi, however, uses its own 3D module for its high-end models.

On the other hand, the report states that Samsung and Huawei are not willing to utilise Qualcomm's chips, instead develop their own 3D algorithms. This suggests that these two OEMs would not be the primary manufacturers to launch models with 3D sensing technology. Considering this Samsung is highly unlikely to launch this technology equipped smartphone until they start developing their own AI chips and acceleration units while controlling algorithms by itself. Therefore, Samsung wouldn't be launching this tech implemented smartphone until 2019.

Research also mentions that "Huawei has already gathered its internal laboratories, HiSilicon Technologies and third-party developers to develop related algorithms and other solutions to integrate hardware and software products, it has yet to incorporate 3D sensors into its latest flagship P20 series products."

The research also believes Xiaomi had formerly projected to launch a top-end model, rumoured to be the Xiaomi Mi 7, which was supposed to be powered by a Snapdragon 845 chip packed with a 3D sensing solution in the first half of 2018. However, the research concludes that this implementation is likely to be put on hold until the third quarter of 2018. This is because of the low success rate for facial recognition caused by slow adjustment processes of related software at Qualcomm.

(Source)

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Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.Apple is planning to launch three different iPhone models this year, out of which two would feature OLED screens.

Apple had tied-up with Samsung for making its first OLED panel smartphone  the iPhone X last year. The company is most likely to stick with the same for the upcoming 2018's iPhones as well. A new report suggests Samsung would still be the Apple's backup solution for manufacturing OLED panels instead of the proposed LG's panels.

A report from the WSJ and other sources indicate that LG seems to have a difficulty in arranging with Apples OLED panel requirements. It also states that manufacturing problems have caused it to fall behind the schedule that many suppliers follow before beginning mass production for iPhones.

Usually, Apple is supposed to kick off the new iPhone's manufacturing slated in July. But LG's efforts in making the panels would most likely end up the company as a second supplier to Apple. This leaves Samsung to be the primary manufacturer for OLED panels supplier to the upcoming iPhones.

Apple has been reportedly requesting LG to begin the third round of prototype production for the 2018' iPhone. The company is believed to be struggling hard in ensuring the manufacturing issues won't hold back its next-generation devices. Last year, the iPhone X was delayed due to inefficient Face ID facial recognition models. However, Samsung becoming the primary supplier of the OLED displays may leave Apple to still keep the price of the iPhone expensive, which can be a bigger problem for the company.

The addition of LG making the OLED panels for Apple was planned to make iPhones available at a lower price. But, Samsung's displays cost up to 100$ per unit for the current iPhone X display, which eventually makes the iPhone expensive.

Apple is planning to launch three different iPhone models this year, out of which two would feature OLED screens. The other iPhone would most likely feature an LCD panel.

(Source)

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said in a statement that the shooting occurred at a Waffle House restaurant in Antioch, a suburb southeast of Nashville. (Photo: AFP/Representational)

Washington: A nude gunman shot dead three people and injured at least four more in the early hours of Sunday at a restaurant on the outskirts of Nashville, Tennessee, police said.

The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said in a statement that the shooting occurred at a Waffle House restaurant in Antioch, a suburb southeast of Nashville, at 3:25 am (0825 GMT).

A patron wrestled away the gunmans rifle. He was nude & fled on foot. He is a white man with short hair, the statement added.

A following statement named 29-year-old Travis Reinking, of Morton, Illinois, a village located some 450 miles north of Antioch, as a person of interest. Police said the suspect arrived in a car registered to Reinking.

They added the gunman, who had shed his coat, was last seen walking on Murfreesboro Pike, where the 24-hour diner is located.

Local media citing police on the scene reported the gunman was armed with an AR-15 assault rifle  a weapon commonly used by mass shooters in the US, where debate over gun control is fierce and shootings are all-too-frequent.

Reports added at least one victim was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, located in Nashville itself.

AR-15 rifles were used to kill 58 people in Las Vegas last October, while Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz in February opened fire on his former high school with an AR-15 style rifle, killing 17 students and staff members.

In the wake of the Florida massacre, student survivors launched a gun control campaign, drawing hundreds of thousands to demonstrations, and businesses including Walmart and Dicks Sporting Goods took measures to restrict access to assault weapons and firearms in general.

However, Congress is sitting on its hands when it comes to the issue.

Meanwhile, an ABC News/Washington Post poll published Friday suggested that support for a ban on assault weapons has risen sharply in the past few months.

Sixty-two percent of those polled said they support a nationwide ban on the sale of assault weapons, up from 50 percent in mid-February and 45 percent in late 2015.Residents inspect the site of a suicide bombing outside the voter registration centre. (Photo: AFP)

Kabul: Afghan officials say the toll from a suicide bombing in Kabul that targeted a voter registration centre has climbed to at least 31 killed and 54 wounded.

Public Health Ministry spokesperson Wahid Majro confirmed the toll from Sundays attack, originally placed at four dead and 15 wounded.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the blast, the groups Amaq news agency said.

Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danesh said a bomber on foot approached the centre where officials had been issuing identity cards as part of a process of registering voters for parliamentary elections this year. The attack follows several weeks of relative quiet in Kabul.

Pictures apparently of the immediate aftermath of the blast that were shared on social media sites showed four bodies, including women, lying on the ground and cars partially destroyed by the blast.

Voter registration centres have been set up across Afghanistan ahead of long-delayed parliamentary and district council elections due to be held in October and there have been serious concerns that militants might attack them.

Sundays blast took place in Dasht-e Barchi, an area of western Kabul inhabited by many members of the mainly Shiite Hazara minority, which has been repeatedly hit by attacks claimed by Islamic State.Sri Reddy, TV journalist-turned-actor, stripped in front of TV cameras last week to protest against the casting couch in the Telugu film industry.

She went on to accuse big names in Hyderabad of sexually exploiting her after promising her roles.

In a phone interview with Metrolife, she said she was out to expose the many murky goings-on in the film industry.

Why is nobody backing your protest?

This protest is very new to the Telugu film industry. There has been no protest of this sort in so many years. Those who are powerful and strong continue to become more powerful and strong. Nobody has dared to raise a voice against them. I have dared to do so. The theatres here are in the hands of four people. Small producers and heroes are afraid. But 35 supporting actors have come forward and narrated their ordeal.

What was the reason for your protest?

No girl from the Telugu film industry has been offered a chance in Telugu films. They are bringing heroines from outside. I entered the industry because I wanted fame. I love to see myself on screen. A few people cheated me. They promised to make me the lead in their films if I slept with them. They used me and left me. I have to be open when I say this, or else my protest will not be transparent.

Who are the big names involved?

Daggubati Suresh Babus son Abhiram (brother of Bahubali hero Rana Daggubati) promised me a role in his film. He forced me for sex. The studios are in the hands of powerful people. Celebrities are going to studios just to have sex.

What is your problem with senior actor Pawan Kalyan?

He said if I had any problems I should go to the police station rather than to the media. We look up to Pawan Kalyan as our leader. How could he tell people not to bring their problems to him? What leader is he, if he cant take care of the problems faced by women in the film industry? That night, Pawan Kalyans fan trolled all girls who had spoken out against him. They threatened women by saying they would pour acid on their faces, beat up their families and hunt them down to their homes. His fans made us very insecure. The next day, the girls apologised. I took to the mic and asked the girls to be strong and not say sorry. I told them that unless they spoke out, we wouldnt get justice.

What is director Ram Gopal Varmas role in all this?

He said that by protesting, I had touched a beehive. He said many producers and directors, not coming out on the issue, would now speak up. He is my advisor.

Did Ram Gopal Varma offer you money?

He offered me Rs 5 crore to close this matter with Suresh Babus son. I told him I am fighting for dharma. I told him I have to stand up because I am fighting for so many girls. These people are using so many . for one movie. I wanted to smash this culture.

What gives you so much confidence?

I am inspired by what Swami Vivekananda said: If you want to get something in your life, you have to eat, sleep and think of it and prepare for the good and bad of it. Only then will you get success. I am following this mantra.

What next?

If we dont get justice then we will go to Delhi. There is no Committee Against Sexual Harassment in the Telugu film industry because it has so much to hide.The Centre on Saturday approved a proposal to promulgate the Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance 2018, which would empower the government to confiscate properties and assets of economic offenders like loan defaulters who flee the country.

The ordinance is expected to re-establish the rule of law with respect to the fugitive economic offenders as they would be forced to return to India to face trial for scheduled offences. This would also help banks and other financial institutions to achieve higher recovery from financial defaults committed by such fugitive economic offenders, improving the financial health of such institutions, said sources in the government.

Though the Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 12, it could not be passed due to the logjam in Parliament over various issues.

The decision of promulgating the ordinance which was approved in the Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeks to confiscate properties of economic offenders  like Nirav Modi  who have left the country to avoid prosecution. The ordinance will come into effect after the Presidents assent.

The provisions of the ordinance will apply to economic offenders who refuse to return, persons against whom an arrest warrant has been issued for a scheduled offence as well as wilful bank loan defaulters with outstanding of over Rs 100 crore.

It provides for confiscating assets even without conviction and paying off lenders by selling off the fugitives properties. Such economic offenders will be tried under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

A fugitive economic offender is one who has left the country to avoid prosecution, or refuses to return to face prosecution.India is likely to ask the United States for exemptions from sanctions to clear its way to ink a deal to procure S-400 air defence missile system from Russia.

New Delhi has been negotiating a contract with Russias state-owned Almaz-Antey Corporation to procure the S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missiles. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Russian counterpart General Sergei Shoigu discussed the proposed deal when they met in Moscow on April 3 and discussed bilateral military cooperation.

Moscows envoy to New Delhi, Nikolay Kudashev, recently said that the negotiation on the contract might be concluded before Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosts Russian President Vladimir Putin in New Delhi for the annual bilateral summit next October.

Sources in New Delhi told the DH that the government was also assessing if the deal would make India liable for actions by President Donald Trumps administration in Washington DC under the Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).

The US Congress in July 2017 passed the CAATSA to impose sanctions on Russia, Iran and North Korea. Trump signed it into law in August 2017 and its scope was further expanded in October 2017.

The Section 231 of the CAATSA mandated secondary sanctions to any nation entering into high-value deals to procure military hardware from Russia. The proposed India-Russia S-400 deal is estimated to be worth about $ 5.5 billion (Rs 39,000 crore).

New Delhi and Washington already had some discussion on the possibility of the US granting India a waiver from the CAATSA sanctions, thus clearing the hurdle for it to ink the contract for procuring the missile system from Russia.

Sources said that New Delhi had conveyed it to Washington that India could not abruptly scale down its reliance on military hardware from Russia, given the decades-old history of defence cooperation between the two countries. It was also made clear that India-US strategic partnership, particularly the bilateral defence cooperation, might be at risk if the Trump administration did not assure New Delhi of the exemption from CAATSA sanctions, added the sources.

Russia claims that its S-400 air defence missile system is effective against offensive actions by US F-35 stealth multi-role fighter jets. What has of late prompted New Delhi to seek early conclusion of the negotiation on the deal are reports that Russia has already started supplying the S-400s to China.

India and Russia in 2016 inked an inter-governmental agreement for procuring the S-400 air defence missile system. Both sides have since been negotiating the contract.Taking a cue from Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, BJP ministers on Saturday took on the Opposition for submitting a notice for the impeachment of Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra.

Union Minister Vijay Goel dubbed the Opposition move as an attack on the judiciary, while his colleague Kiren Rijiju flayed the Congress for lacking trust in institutions.

The notice for CJI Misra's impeachment given by the Congress was a politically motivated attack on the judiciary and aimed at lowering the prestige of the office of the CJI, said Goel, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs.

The attack came a day after seven Opposition parties submitted a petition to Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu for removal of the CJI on five counts of misbehaviour and misuse of authority.

Jaitley, the leader of the BJP in the Rajya Sabha, had termed the Opposition move as a revenge petition aimed at intimidating one judge and sending a message to other judges. He pointed out that the petition was submitted after the falsehood of the Congress had been established in the Justice Loya death case.

Rijiju attacks Cong

If things do not turn out in their favour, the Opposition parties do not hesitate to attack constitutional bodies such as the Election Commission and the judiciary, the minister said.

Rijiju, the junior minister for Home Affairs, also targeted the Opposition parties, particularly the Congress, for lacking trust in institutions.

They dont trust Army. They dont trust CJI. They dont trust SC. They dont trust EC. They dont trust EVMs. They dont trust RBI. They dont trust PMO. They dont trust President. And they say Democracy is in Danger!! Rijiju said on Twitter.Tasleema does not remember the last time she lived somewhere she could call home.

As she fled Arakan in Myanmar to Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh and finally arrived in New Delhi, Tasleema, a member of the besieged Rohingya community, found that she was always on the move.

A fire in the only Rohingya camp in Delhi has displaced her again.

At least 44 shanties housing Rohingya refugees in southeast Delhis Sarita Vihar were gutted in a fire early last Sunday. It left 226 Rohingyas, including 100 women and 50 children, homeless once again.

Tasleema, 23, was among the 75,000 Rohingyas, the majority of them Muslims, displaced by two waves of violence between Buddhists and Muslims in Rakhine in 2012. Thousands of people fled Myanmar and took refuge in neighboring countries, including India.

"I have been on the move since I was 17. My children have been born as refugees and they are growing up seeing one problem after another," she told PTI.

The fire that broke out because of a short circuit in the electrical wiring system in the camp spread rapidly and razed it to the ground.

No casualties were reported, but the refugees lost all their belongings, including their UNHCR refugee cards which help prevent arbitrary arrests, detention and deportation.

The fire spread fast as many of our tents had plastic coverings and the houses that had gas cylinders burst, spreading the fire further," Abu Fazal, another resident of the camp, said.

Refugee Amina Begum noted how they had made peace with their situation and were trying to rebuild their lives, but the fire not only destroyed their shanties but also their hope of finally burying the horrors of the past.

"I had bought a sewing machine using which I started making clothes to earn a living but I even lost that machine in the fire. It is like we have been pushed six years back from where we started," Amina, 28, said.

Children in the camp still look for their belongings in the charred debris every day since the fire, she added.

We are still trying to cope up but what do I tell my children who lost all their toys and school books in the fire? Amina said through a tattered curtain in a tiny space where she was trying to put her six-month-old baby to bed.

Before the fire, the Rohingya refugees had constructed brick and mud huts. They are now living under plastic covers. The men sleep outside and the women inside some 20 makeshift tents covered with dupattas, clothes and mosquito nets.

NGOs representatives said the camps lacked basic services such as sanitation, healthcare, education facilities or drinking water and after the fire, the living condition in the shelter had further deteriorated.

"Children are especially vulnerable to mosquitoes and diseases and the makeshift camp is further increasing their vulnerability," said Syed Azhar, national secretary of the Students Islamic Organisation of India, one of the groups seeking to provide aid to the refugees.

Many refugees have lost their means of livelihood with the fire.

"The refugees had their own small society inside with small grocery and tailoring shops. Now they have to start from scratch," Azhar said.

The UNHCR, the UN's refugee agency, told PTI it had reissued cards to the 226 refugees that could act as their identification document.

As a matter of priority, UNHCR has re-issued documents to affected families. UNHCR ID cards help prevent arbitrary arrests, detention, and deportation of refugees and asylum-seekers and ease their access to essential services such as health and education and legal assistance. Temporary shelter arrangements are currently in place near the site. Other shelter options are being explored," UNHCR policy associate Ipshita Sengupta said in response to an email.

She said UNHCR and partners were closely monitoring the situation.

A coordination platform has been an establishment with UNHCR and partner agencies to take stock of assistance provided, identify unmet needs and coordinate response accordingly. We are working closely with the authorities for coordination of assistance and any other interventions as needed, she added.

But the refugees feared it was going to be a long haul.

"We were given a temporary shelter but for how long would we be able to live in this makeshift arrangement? I have a family of eight to support with six children and the living conditions here are worse than those in the camp," said a daily labourer living in the camp.

Myanmar had denied the Rohingya, who had lived for centuries in the Buddhist-majority country, citizenship since 1982, effectively rendering them stateless.

The Rakhine area in Myanmar witnessed a recent surge in violence when a Myanmar military operation in the countrys northwest in August sent nearly 700,000 Rohingya Muslims fleeing to Bangladesh.

The refugees reported killings, rapes, and arson on a large scale.

Asked if they ever want to return to Myanmar, many said there were days when they longed for their homes, but were scared at the thought of returning because they had heard that their extended families back home were still being subjected to violence.

"In Myanmar, we needed special permission to cross a radius of 10 kilometers, but things are different here. We are adjusting and even slowly trying to cope with the recent fire disaster. India is our home now and we feel safe here," Abu Saleem, another resident of the camp, said as he looked at his twins playing nearby.The collusion of the Polisario with terrorist groups in the Sahel-Sahara region has once again been singled out in a recently released report, commissioned by the European Commission.

The Sahel-Sahara region witnessed violent incidents involving MUJAO, the Polisario Front and Ansar Dine during the 2010-2016 period, said the report elaborated by Project Safte, an international research venture that conducts in-depth research on illicit firearms trafficking and on terrorists access to firearms.

The report titled Illegal Markets and the Acquisition of Firearms by Terrorist Networks in Europe was drafted by an international group of firearms experts and relayed by the Flemish Institute for Peace.

The document notes that collusion between the Polisario and the terrorist groups operating in the region was facilitated by the situation in Libya, the porous borders of the region countries and the inability of the central powers of some countries to monitor their vast territory.

The capacity of states in the Sahel region to monitor their borders is quite limited because the desert environment is traditionally a circulation area where the few official crossing points are easily circumvented by traditional smugglers and new traffickers, the report authors pointed out.

For Project Safte, the availability and circulation of weapons on the black market in the region has proliferated considerably after the fall of the Kaddhafi regime and the ensuing conflicts in that country. The Polisario Front took full advantage of this situation and now has a surplus of weapons, the report stated.

In addition to its involvement in terrorism, the Polisario, which amassed a relatively large arsenal with the support of Algeria and with the weapons it acquired after the fall of the Kaddhafi regime, is now engaged in the highly lucrative business of arms trafficking, the report underscored, noting that the Polisario now has enough weapons to sell and supply the regional market.

The report authors argue that in the absence of a solution to the Sahara issue, the area remains vulnerable to arms smuggling and trafficking, adding that it is difficult to determine how many weapons have been circulating in the area because of the instability prevailing in Libya.

The report, referring to experts analyses, warns that some of these weapons will also end up in the European Union. It recalled in this connection that in 2015, Europol publicly declared for the first time that firearms from Libya, Syria and Mali were available on the European black market and that these countries could become major suppliers of illegal firearms to the EU.Indias new-found enthusiasm for the Commonwealth, clearly shown through its participation at the prime ministerial level at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm) after almost a decade, is bringing forth interesting justifications, some valid, some exaggerated.

It is understandable that Britain, as it seeks new moorings in a post-Brexit world, should seek to consolidate its old colonial constituency  although in new garb  but India, which is the largest member of the organisation, needs to take a dispassionate view of the Commonwealths importance to its interests. For this purpose, a realistic analysis of the additional value the Commonwealth can now provide to Indias outreach to its members in Africa, the Pacific Islands, the Caribbean and Americas and Asia is essential.

In a media briefing on the eve of Prime Minister Narendra Modis departure abroad, the Ministry of External Affairs placed his presence at Chogm 2018 as part of Indias deeper engagement with multi-lateral organisations including Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

It also emphasised the Commonwealths commitment to democratic ideals, peace and justice and promotion of citizens rights and its niche position in promoting the welfare of small states and small island states and in giving them a voice on global issues of particular concern to them. The former aspects significance is over-rated for the cement that truly binds small states to major powers is material assistance not the attraction of democratic practices but the latter point can be leveraged by India to some

extent.

There can be no quarrel with India using the Commonwealth as one more platform to foster its engagement with these states. Its decision, announced during Chogm to double its contribution to the Commonwealth for its technical assistance to small states is appropriate. However, in using the Commonwealth it has to conscious that its basic engagement with the small states has to be direct. Indeed, it is so doing through the India-Africa summit process and the India-Pacific Island states meetings. The Commonwealth can only play a minor role in Indias diplomatic play and provide an additionality.

Notwithstanding the attention Britain devoted to Modi through rolling out a red carpet in London, coinciding a bilateral visit along with Chogm, making special gestures and by projecting that India will have a special role in the organisation the Commonwealths usefulness cannot be taken at face value. The Commonwealth is and will remain, at its core, a British enterprise. The fact that its leadership of the organisation, even if it will be symbolic, will remain with the British Royal family points in that direction.

For India in 2018, Parivaarvad should be as unacceptable in domestic politics as in modern international organisations; it is therefore regrettable that the Queen Elizabeth openly canvassed the Heads of Governments for Prince Charles to be her successor. It is noteworthy that Charles did not mention any Indian leader among the Commonwealth giants in a speech that he made at the inaugural ceremony.

Was he following the traditional British policy of equating India and Pakistan? Since no Pakistani leader is among the giants, did he avoid mentioning any Indian too? Besides, in what capacity he was allowed to make a speech when his mother opened the Chogm, is an obvious question. The leaders explicitly endorsed Charles as the next Head of the Commonwealth after their discussions at the Retreat. They did not prescribe a term of office for him.

Unless it is their intention to do so later, the Commonwealth will be denying international democracy even while it emphasises within the domestic jurisdictions of its member-states. As the leaders decide all issues by consensus, it would be appropriate for the government to reveal its stand on these decisions even if it did not wish to stand against the emerging consensus at the meeting.

The final communique revolves around the theme of a fairer, more prosperous and sustainable common future. The stress on a common future is timely for the world faces challenges that have a global impact and can only be tackled through intense international cooperation. Foremost among them is climate change.

This is of critical importance to India for its impact will be great on all parts of the country including the coastal areas. Small island member-states of the Commonwealth are also particularly vulnerable to climate change.

Blue Charter

Thus, the adoption of the Commonwealth Blue Charter which is designed to mitigate climate changes impact on the oceans is very relevant to India. It must now purposefully contribute to the development of the envisaged action plan. In the context of climate change, Indian negotiators did well to get a profile for the International Solar Alliance which is an Indian initiative.

Prior to Chogm, Indian diplomats had correctly cautioned that it was not the forum where countries like Pakistan, which is a Commonwealth member, could be named and shamed for being an epicentre of terrorism. However, it is noteworthy that the word terrorism was basically replaced by the term violent extremism in the main paragraph dealing with the phenomenon.

It is only in the section dealing with transnational crime that the meeting called for measures to strengthen cooperation to staunch the flow of terrorist financing. In this connection, it is satisfying that the implementation of the recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force are emphasised but Indian negotiators must in future work to ensure that references to terrorism are not avoided.

Some commentators have mentioned that Commonwealth is of special importance to India as China is not part of the group. Chinas shadow looms over many member-states of the organisation. It offers a different model of political practice and development and as it is eager to foster an international constituency it is leveraging its financial clout through assistance packages.

The Commonwealth heritage is all very good but small states and small island states that are living at the margins look for economic assistance. Hence, unless the larger Commonwealth countries can match China, its embrace will increase. India can play a part through its human capacity development programmes and by paying greater diplomatic attention to them. This would require sustained effort but it will give it direct advantage.

(The writer is former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs)Saturday virtually marked former minister G Janardhana Reddy's return to party politics.

The mining baron accompanied close aide B Sriramulu when he filed his papers as the BJP candidate here.

Reddy, the main accused in the illegal ore mining scam, had stayed away from the party for the past few years. He had spent more than three years in connection with the scam. Presently, Reddy is on bail and has been restrained from entering Ballari district by the Supreme Court.

However, Reddy's renewed association with the BJP comes just days after party president Amit Shah asserting that there was no question of the mining baron returning to the party.

But he seems to retain clout in the Ballari belt and the saffron wants to just cash in on that. In fact, he has taken up accommodations in areas of Molkalmuru taluk and Anegundi taluk in Koppal district bordering Ballari district.

On Saturday, Yeddyurappa underlined Reddy's importance for the party by saying that the BJP had gained strength equal to 10 elephants with the mining baron identifying himself with the party.

The former chief minister was addressing the gathering of party supporters after Sriramulu filed his papers.

He had a word of advice for party workers to work at the booth level and that big attendance need not translate into votes.

Yeddyurappa said Sriramulu's contest from Molakalmuru would help the BJP win all seats from Chitradurga and Ballari districts.

Sriramulu said the Congress was under an illusion that Siddaramaiah would win the election for them.

Reddy seemed to have hit the ground running, launching a scathing attack on the Siddaramaiah dispensation for its maladministration and calling the chief minister 'Siddaravana'. The former minister expressed confidence that the backward classes would throw their weight behind the BJP this time round.

He said Sriramulu would trounce 'Siddaravana' and that the voters of Molakalmuru should support the Ballari MP in this.

N Y Gopalakrishna, the nominee from Mundargi seat, said as chief minister Yeddyurappa had helped bring water to Molakalmuru from the Rangaiahanadurga dam, though he was a legislator from Molakalmuru from the Opposition party Congress.One antidote to the cynicism and pervasive doom and gloom of todays headlines is to look around at the good that is simultaneously happening  here in our own community. Nearly every day, I bump into ordinary Utahns who are doing selfless and extraordinary things to improve the lives of others.

Just the other day, my wife and I had a chance encounter at the Salt Lake City Urban Flea Market with a team from The Other Side Academy  a nonprofit program for people facing long-term incarceration and others who have hit rock bottom. As neighboring vendors at the market that day, we become better acquainted with the academy and its mission, and we were inspired by the teams palpable dedication to helping people find new and better ways to live their lives.

To help support its mission, The Other Side Academy operates a moving business and a thrift boutique in Murray. Its professionalism and selflessness were evident to everyone in our corner of the market. Members of the team were quick to help strangers load, unload and move boxes or large items. They loaned their moving supplies to anyone who asked, and at the end of the day they graciously packed up unsold items of other venders  including us  who were eager to donate to their cause.

In reflecting on our encounter with the academy, I was reminded, yet again, that one of the most personally rewarding aspects of my service as mayor of Salt Lake City was the daily interaction with people and organizations who are giving back to our community. Their myriad activities to which residents dedicate themselves is overwhelming: feeding the hungry, supporting refugees, housing the homeless, planting trees, serving as pro bono advisers, teaching reading and math skills, helping the elderly. 

I remember walking down the street one summer evening when the driver of a car spotted me and stopped to ask if I had a moment. He said he was looking for a volunteer project for 300 young adults who wanted to help the city in some way. We discussed some options and, ultimately, we were able to put his crew to work on restoration efforts along the Jordan River.

Another time while campaigning door-to-door, I met a resident who said he was eager to volunteer for the city and had been inquiring for some time. He described his skills and his frustration that no opportunity had arisen.

After dozens of such requests early in my first term, I realized there was a large and unfulfilled demand from people wanting to volunteer. Our city agencies described a range of challenges they faced in figuring out how to accommodate the requests  including supervision, materials and liability issues. To address the challenge, I decided to hire a full-time volunteer coordinator who helped develop a more systematic approach to incorporate the offers. That person stayed very busy, and the city benefitted from thousands of hours of assistance a month.

It was a good problem to have. No state has a higher rate of volunteerism than Utah. According to a 2017 study by the Corporation for National and Community Service, more than 43 percent of our adult population volunteers  significantly higher than the national rate of 25 percent. While the service commitment of faith groups plays an important role in our impressive numbers (nearly 65 percent of Utah volunteers are mobilized through their religious institutions, according to the study), we have seen increasing volunteerism  for a wide range of needs  from others who are not affiliated with a church.

The study also notes that Utah residents not only are the most likely Americans to volunteer their time, but they also volunteer far more of it. In 2015, for example, Utahns committed the equivalent of nearly 76 hours of their time for every resident, by far the most time of any state and well above the comparable national estimate of 31 hours.

Outside of Utah, our spirit of giving is well-known and respected. When people ask me why Utah is such a service-oriented state, I explain the Mormon commitment to service as a cultural underpinning. But I also point out that in our state, helping others goes beyond a doctrinal dedication. I believe our culture of service is contagious; we feed off the examples and generosity of others.

My encounter with The Other Side Academy  and witnessing the spirit of giving they exhibited  underscores this point. It was a wonderful, and positive reminder that even in these difficult and divisive times, we are surrounded by goodness and humanity.WEST VALLEY CITY  Republican delegates did not hand Mitt Romney the nomination for U.S. Senate on Saturday, pushing the 2012 presidential nominee into a primary election against state Rep. Mike Kennedy.

Kennedy edged Romney 51 percent to 49 percent in two rounds of voting among delegates at the Utah Republican Party state convention at the Maverik Center. A candidate needs 60 percent of the vote to win the nomination outright.

Also Saturday, delegates sent Rep. John Curtis, R-Utah, to a primary election against former state Rep. Chris Herrod, setting up a rematch of last year's primary election.

Romney, who was among a dozen candidates seeking the nomination, said he expected a primary election.

Frankly, given the fact that I collected signatures and the delegates dont like people who collect signatures, Im delighted with the outcome, he said.

Asked if he thought the delegates were punishing him, Romney said, I cant possibly imagine that Im speaking for the minds of the delegates, but I know that there were many people that were not enthusiastic about someone who gathered signatures.

Romney said signature gathering and the convention was the right thing for him and hes glad he did it that way.

"I think a lot of folks came on to my team that probably didnt expect they would," he said.

Kennedy, who did not collect signatures to guarantee a spot on the primary ballot, said he expected to win at the convention. He said his primary election strategy wont be any different, even though Romney was able to put $1 million from his presidential campaign into the Senate race.

There are a lot of delegates here who were in favor of him and we were still able to beat him, Kennedy, R-Alpine, said, promising to invest sweat equity in the race and court primary voters one at a time, just as he did with delegates.

Weve got 60 days to reach out to as many voters as we can, he said.

Kennedy said he believes he comes across as more conservative than Romney and that somebody whos lived and worked and raised his family in Utah, balanced a budget," is more compelling to voters.

You dont have to be high-powered and connected to Washington, D.C., to actually offer your services to the people, Kennedy said.

In the 3rd Congressional District race, Herrod forced Curtis into a primary with just over 41 percent of the delegate vote to nearly 59 percent for the incumbent congressman.

"Clearly, we would have loved to have had 12 more votes," Curtis said. "But we've done this before and we'll do it again."

He said he was not second-guessing his decision to gather voter signatures, even though that might have cost him delegate support, as it may have in last year's special election

"We'll wonder that forever," he said. "We didn't dare go forward without the signatures. With 9 percent of the vote last time, how do you ignore the fact you have to protect your flank?"

Curtis was at a fundraiser by the time the run-off results were announced, but Herrod and his supporters jubilantly greeted the media even though he barely made it to a primary.

I feel great. We knew from the very beginning the best we could have is a primary, Herrod said. He said this time hell beat Curtis in a primary election because there is not a third candidate on the ballot.

In last years special election to replace former Rep. Jason Chaffetz, Herrod was the winner with delegates, but Curtis won the primary by beating Herrod, a former state lawmaker, and Tanner Ainge, a lawyer.

When delegates narrowed the field of five candidates to Herrod and Curtis, the congressman who has been in office five months asked them to imagine how much more we can do without a primary and gave them his cellphone number.

Herrod emphasized his conservatism and told delegates, I am who I am and I believe in standing up for what I believe. If you send me back to Washington, I will do that.

In his speech, Romney said people characterized his race as David versus Goliath. But theyre wrong, he said, adding that no one is David and he isnt Goliath.

Washington, D.C. is Goliath. Im your neighbor. Im a man of faith. Im running to serve the people of Utah, he said.

Romney said Americas freedoms are under siege as the guarantees of the Constitution have been quietly eroded and stripped away.

Its time to restore the freedoms that are guaranteed by our Constitution, he said.

Kennedy, too, used the David versus Goliath story, also calling Washington, D.C., Goliath and saying, I am the stone ready to be flung at those who fight against liberty.

Debt is the biggest risk to the nations future, Kennedy said. I live on a budget. You live on a budget. Our government should live on a budget.

As Utah GOP delegates voted Saturday at the convention, CNN reported that Romney was noncommittal about whether he would back President Donald Trump in 2020.

"I will make that decision down the road," Romney told CNN on Saturday. "As a person of political experience, if I endorse someone, I'll want to know what's in it for Utah and what help would he provide for us on key priorities in Utah."

"So I'm not a cheap date," he added.

As expected, the convention turned into an hours-long debate about how to handle the deep divide over how candidates get on the primary ballot.

The more than 3,600 delegates finally decided to strike those issues from the agenda and move on to nominating candidates, but not before numerous and sharp exchanges with the acting chairwoman during the debate, Enid Mickelsen.

"Are you a slow learner?" Mickelsen, a former Utah congresswoman who headed the National Republican Convention's rules committee in 2016, asked a delegate who kept yelling after she'd warned the crowd against shouting out.

She was booed and later told she shouldn't speak to delegates in "such a patronizing manner," but held the stage through a series of votes about the contentious list of some 30 changes to the party's bylaws and constitution.

The changes stem from the party's ongoing legal battle against a 2014 law known as SB54 that allows candidates to gather voter signatures to guarantee a place on the primary ballot.

The vote by delegates to set aside considering the proposals, possibly until next year's state convention, allowed voting to finally start on Republican candidates.

Phill Wright, a leader of the effort by a faction of the party to keep the fight going against SB54, said before the convention convened that he didn't expect the debate to last long.

Wright, a state Senate candidate, said he hoped to remove what he termed "illegal" agenda items intended to weaken the powers of the party's governing State Central Committee that is controlling the lawsuit.

"They're trying to gut our party, take away our governing body and just leave the chair as a dictator. That's not going to work in a republic," Wright said.

Utah GOP Chairman Rob Anderson, who won the party's chairmanship over Wright a year ago on a pledge of ending the legal fight, warned in his opening remarks that the GOP is suffering from "metal fatigue," just like an aging aircraft.

He said Republicans "are divided because we choose to be divided. I stand here today to remind you, to remind all of us, we are better than this," urging those gathered "to choose to put aside our differences and instead embrace what unites us."

The Utah GOP lost its challenge to SB54 in U.S. District Court in Utah as well as at the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver. Backers of continuing the lawsuit are seeking a review from a full panel of judges at the 10th Circuit.

The convention kicked off with speeches by the state's Republican leaders and a tribute to retiring Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, that included shooting American flag confetti into the air.

Once voting got started, in the 1st Congressional District, Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, easily bested first-time candidate Chadwick Fairbanks with 68 percent of the delegate vote.

Bishop promised to continue to push Republican ideals on federalism, public lands, education and gun rights.

In the 2nd Congressional District, Rep. Chris Stewart, R-Utah, defeated challengers Ken Clark and Mary Burkett with 74 percent of the vote. Stewart pointed out that he did not gather signatures to guarantee a spot in a primary election.

I trust the caucus system, he said.

Rep. Mia Love, R-Utah, did not have a Republican challenger in the 4th Congressional District.

In multi-county races decided before the convention got underway, Rep. Dan McCay, R-Riverton, beat out Rep. Lavar Christensen, R-Draper, for the nomination to succeed retiring Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper.

San Juan County Commissioner Phil Lyman won the nomination to replace retiring Utah House Rep. Mike Noel, R-Kanab. Lyman spent 10 days in jail in 2016 for organizing an illegal ATV ride in a southern Utah canyon to protest federal lands policy.

Two Utah House incumbents, Rep. Brad Last, R-Hurricane, and Rep. Christine Watkins, R-Price, were forced into primary elections. Last will face Mark Borowiak, while Watkins will take on Jae Potter.SALT LAKE CITY  A bipartisan law the Utah Legislature passed this year  parts of it eight years in the making  gives voters a wider array of options to cast their ballots on or before Election Day.

"My argument has always been it's a citizen's right to vote," said Rep. Rebecca Chavez-Houck, D-Salt Lake City. "If you decide on Election Day at 3 o'clock in the afternoon that the spirit strikes you and you want to go vote but you forgot to register, you should be able to do that."

Under HB218, unregistered voters who are otherwise eligible to vote may cast a provisional ballot on Election Day or during the early voting period. The provisional ballot serves as a voter registration form.

The bill also enhances Utah's opt-in voter registration process while renewing or applying for a driver's license or state identification card to make it more clear. It also allows residents to choose party affiliation, request a mail-in ballot and keep their voter registration record private.

Counties that conduct elections by mail-in ballot must also provide a certain number of polling places for in-person voting. The legislation also gives counties more flexibility for conducting early voting.

"There's a little bit of something for everybody in this bill," Chavez-Houck said.

Weber County Clerk/Auditor Ricky Hatch said the legislation benefits county election officials and voters.

The Utah Driver License Division now automatically submits address changes to counties, reducing the number of vote-by-mail ballots that are returned undeliverable and saving money on postage, he said. About 16 percent of the population moves between elections, Hatch said.

The changes help voters because they now must make a choice to register to vote or not on the driver's license application before being able to complete it.

"This is a big win for voters because it sort of forces them to answer the question, 'Do you want to be registered to vote?'" Hatch said.

A lot of times people thought they had checked the box at the driver's license division but found during the election that they were not registered. County clerks told lawmakers during the legislative session that 1 in 3 eligible voters didnt check the box to update their registration in 2016.

Chavez-Houck, who pushed Election Day registration since former Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.'s Commission on Strengthening Democracy recommended it in 2009, said her goal was always to remove barriers to voting.

Republican lawmakers haven't shared her philosophy for making voting easier. Many, more so in the House than the Senate, see it as a privilege, not a right, and believe voters should have to make some effort to participate in elections.

Rep. Steve Handy, R-Layton, ran into opposition to his bill that would have automatically registered someone to vote when they sign up for a driver's license.

"Some more on the conservative right saw it more as a you're making it too easy for people to register to vote. They have to walk on fire or walk through glass to register to vote. I absolutely do not get this," he said.

Sen. Deidre Henderson, R-Spanish Fork, ran a similar bill that sailed through Senate but stalled in the House.

GOP House leadership eventually rolled the three lawmakers' proposals into one bill that went through six iterations, or "three weeks of real pain" as Handy put it, before reaching agreement.

"You've got a bill there that actually finds a unique, Utah-based solution to some of these outstanding items that really was designed to provide access to the ballot for everybody, transparency in the process and increase not only voter registration but, hopefully, increase turnout as well," said House Majority Assistant Whip John Knotwell, R-Herriman.

Keeping the opt-in voter registration process and making the affirmation clear and transparent on the driver's license application was key for some Republicans who ultimately supported HB218, as was maintaining in-person voting.

Knotwell said lawmakers who had problems with some of the individual proposals worked through the issues to come up with a "good, solid" election reform bill.

"You've got the people that were struggling with vote-by-mail, are supportive of this. People that were struggling with automatic voter registration are supportive of this. Folks that were struggling with Election Day voter registration are supportive now," he said.

While it stopped short of automatic voter registration through driver's license renewals, Hatch said he expects the legislation would lead to greater participation.

"I do think it will increase the number of voters on the rolls," he said. "The big question is how much."HONG KONG  President Russell M. Nelson looked over the largest crowd of Latter-day Saints to ever assemble in Hong Kong and waved goodbye by lifting both hands high in the air.

Many of the 4,200 members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints returned the gesture.

You are making a memory for us that we will never forget, President Nelson had just told them.

Its the love of the Lord that motivates them to show such kindness, the leader said. They love the Lord. They love the Lords work. And they have a natural desire to be close to the Lords leaders.

It is not about us. It is about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

Here in this city known for its skyscrapers, bridges, trade markets and shipping docks, President Nelson completed the Asian leg of his global ministry tour Saturday evening.

This has been a journey of joy, said Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

President Nelson  accompanied by his wife, Sister Wendy Nelson, and Elder Holland and his wife, Sister Patricia Holland  has visited seven countries in the past 10 days, addressing members and missionaries in Europe, Africa and Asia.

We have covered an amazing amount of geography and met a lot of people, said Elder Holland. The symbolism of this visit is as important as the actual stops.

Hong Kong

Since the creation of the Hong Kong Mission in 1949, missionaries have been actively teaching the gospel to the people of Hong Kong for 69 years, said Elder Zeno Chow, an Area Seventy in Hong Kong. We now have six stakes and two districts in the Hong Kong/Macau region with over 26,000 members.

I think Hong Kong is one of the remarkable cities of the world, Elder Holland said. It has been an anchor spot for so much of the church in Asia.

Still, church leaders noted the challenges that exist for the multi-generational Latter-day Saint families who make Hong Kong their home.

Hong Kong is a beautiful, exciting city, but it is an expensive place to live and the members work very hard, said Elder Randy D. Funk, General Authority Seventy and president of the LDS Churchs Asia Area. The young people are remarkable, often speaking Cantonese, Mandarin and English. Many leave for education and it is expensive for them to return to live here. Despite this, the church continues to grow.

The prophet visiting Hong Kong demonstrates "the Lords love to all people, including the Chinese," Elder Chow said. To be able to be instructed at the feet of a prophet is a great blessing to the local members.

The members felt the same way:

It is nice to be able to hear the words of a prophet specifically for Hong Kong, said Kristen Tsui, a young single adult working for the church in the area. It feels more personal when he is sharing a message for your region.

Three-generation families

One example of the gospel taking root in Hong Kong is the number of two- and three-generation LDS families from the region, including Peter and Christine Ko.

Missionaries knocked on the Kos door in Hong Kong in 1976 and didnt stop coming.

They kept coming on rainy days, on windy days, said Christine Ko, who finally wondered, What makes them so enthusiastic to have us come to their church.

She gained understanding and, with two of her three sons, was baptized.

Soon afterward she was diagnosed with pemphigus, an immune system disorder that causes the skin to blister. That prompted her siblings to suggest the disease was the result of joining a new religion.

As she was contemplating leaving the church, she received a call from her bishop. He asked how she was, expressed the love of the ward for her and hung up.

She never considered leaving the church again. Because of that call, "I understood God knows where I am and who I am, she said.

Years after her baptism, her husband followed her into the church.

When the Hong Kong China Temple was dedicated in 1996, the couple was sealed in the temple to their three sons.

Today, this three-generation family in Hong Kong includes four grandchildren. All three of the Kos' children work for the church in the Asia Area office.

Global Missionary Tour

Follow the Deseret News as we chronicle President Russel M. Nelson's travels through seven countries around the world.Whats next

Addressing the congregation in Hong Kong, President Nelson said things have been a little different for me in the past four months.

I have always been a praying person, he said, but answers are coming in the middle of the night, usually when I am fast asleep. Now my phone doesnt ring, but I still get calls for me and for [Gods] children.

Speaking to the members from the area, Elder Holland said whatever the disappointment, heartache or deprivation, God can turn every disadvantage to your opportunity and advantage."

President Nelson and Elder Holland will now head for Hawaii where they will conclude the tour after addressing members there.

Then President Nelson will go out again on another tour, he said. The church is established in more than 170 countries of the world.

We will get around to the other countries in time, he said.

Added Sister Nelson: We dont have time for jet lag.

Its a luxury we cant afford, said the fast-moving church president.Atu Tonga Maile Falevai, from Haateiho, Tonga, remembers when he was just a young boy, falling asleep on a cold, classroom floor to the sound of his mothers fingers typing. The boy and his younger sister had traveled from Tonga to Fiji with their mother so she could pursue her dream of obtaining an education.

I remember my sister and I having to sleep on the  floor some nights so that she [could] try her best to learn from her friends how to type and to submit assignments, he said.

After being away from school for many years, the 42-year-old mother of eight decided she wanted to finish her degree and decided that she would do what she could  even move to a different island with part of her family  to finish.

But because she had been away from the classroom for so long, the assignments were difficult.

I remember the struggles that she went through, Falevai said. Its been years since she was  [in] school, she couldnt even use a computer, so she would hand write all her assignments.

With the encouragement from her professors, she started from the beginning, first learning where her fingers needed to be placed on the keyboard; then, how to use the computer.

Long story short, my mother finally graduated and a couple of years later she went on to do her masters degree and graduated at age 50, he said.

That example his mother set has guided Falevai the past few years as he attended Brigham Young University-Hawaii.

My mothers example of sacrifice to gain an education brought me to stand here with you today, he said during commencement exercises on April 21. My mother has been my role model of dedication and commitment in every aspect of life, especially in obtaining an education.

Falevai is one of the 221 students  from 29 countries and 21 states  of BYU-Hawaii who earned a degree this semester. BYU-Hawaii is truly a wonderful and special place, college President John S. Tanner said during the graduation.

Held in the BYU-Hawaii Cannon Activities Center on campus, the commencement services included advice from President Tanner, a talk by graduate Falevai, remarks by Assistant to the Commissioner of Education for the Church, Mark B. Woodruff, and a keynote address by Sister Jean B. Bingham, Relief Society general president.

Sharing a message from the prophecy given by President David O. McKay at the founding of the school, President Tanner quoted, From this school, Ill tell you, will go men and women whose influence will be felt for good toward the establishment of peace internationally.

My message is simple: become the peacemakers that President McKay envisioned, President Tanner said.

Recognizing todays world is full of rife, wars and rumors of wars, violence and often roiling in enmity and hate, President Tanner said that it is through the gospel that all can find peace.

The gospel holds the key to peace, whether international, interpersonal or personal, he said. We can become peacemakers by living and sharing the gospel plan.

Sharing two simple but profound truths of that plan, President Tanner told graduates that first, the gospel embodies the plan  not a plan, but the plan  of happiness and peace.

And second, all are children of a Heavenly Father and hence, brothers and sisters, he said. We are one ohana as it were. Peace comes from treating each other as brothers and sisters. 

To become peacemakers internationally, you are going to need to be wise about how to balance less obvious but still important competing claims of unity and diversity. Peacemakers must learn to find unity amid diversity within the gospel plan for peace.

Sister Bingham said happiness in this life and in the eternities comes through obedience to the laws of God.

We can choose to obey or disobey the laws of man, she said. Consequences for disobedience sometimes occur immediately, sometimes later, and it is even possible to avoid negative consequences for a very long time in this fallen world.

But, regardless of how long someone can avoid consequences in this life, the time will come when he or she will stand before their Eternal Judge and receive their reward according to the laws of mercy and justice.

Compared to the laws of man, the laws of God are consistent and can be trusted completely, she said. From the time of Adam and Eve until today, God has given commandments that are designed for our happiness and eternal progress.

Examples such as the laws of obedience, tithing, chastity and consecration, all show that Heavenly Father has set His laws in place according to His perfect love and His absolute devotion to the redemption and exaltation of His children. They cannot be circumvented or changed simply because we dont like them or dont believe them.

Asking graduates why God gives commandments, Sister Bingham said, Is it to keep us down, in groveling subjection to Him? Is it to remove any opportunity for real fun in this world?

No, she answered. The opposite is true: God has given us commandments because He loves us, she said. He wants to spare us heartache, misery, and regret. He knows that the only way to be truly happy in this life and experience unbounded joy in the world to come is to follow Jesus Christs example of obedience to the laws of God.

Agency allows people to choose for themselves whether he or she will be obedient.

My young friends,  times will come in your life when you will be tempted to choose the lesser path, she said. It takes intentional, determined, time-and-again obedience to withstand the challenges you will inevitably face. 

In this, your day, you will fight against enemies that may seem overwhelming, but remember that the power that comes from obeying the commandments of God will allow you to overcome all things.

The Church News is an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The publication's content supports the doctrines, principles and practices of the Church.Google's decision to launch a new messaging service called "Chat" without end-to-end encryption shows utter contempt for the privacy of Android users and has handed a precious gift to cybercriminals and government spies alike, Amnesty International has said.

Communications on the new "Chat" service will not be sent over the Internet but through mobile phone carriers, like SMS text messages, according to reports.

In a statement to The Verge this week, a Google spokesperson confirmed that the new service will not use end-to-end encryption and that Google is "pausing investment" in its existing mobile messaging app "Allo" which has an option for end-to-end encryption.

"Not only does this shockingly retrograde step leave Google lagging behind its closest competitors -- Apple's iMessage and Facebook's WhatsApp both have end-to-end encryption in place by default -- it is also a step backwards from the company's previous attempts at online messaging," Joe Westby, a technology and human rights researcher at Amnesty International, said on Friday.

Amnesty International considers end-to-end encryption a minimum requirement for technology companies to ensure that private information in messaging apps stays private.

End-to-end encryption is a way of scrambling digital data so that only the sender and recipient can see it.

When it is in place, even the company providing the service is unable to access the content of communications.

"Following the revelations by CIA whistleblower Edward Snowden, end-to-end encryption has become recognised as an essential safeguard for protecting people's privacy when using messaging apps. With this new Chat service, Google shows a staggering failure to respect the human rights of its customers," Westby said in a statement.

In the wake of the recent Facebook data scandal, Westby said that Google's decision is not only dangerous but also out of step with current attitudes to data privacy.

"Google should immediately scrap it in its current form and instead give its customers a product that protects their privacy," Westby suggested.

Google is going all in on building the Rich Communication Services (RCS).

RCS is a communication protocol between mobile-telephone carriers and between phone and carrier, aiming at replacing SMS messages with a text-message system that is more rich, provide phonebook polling and transmit in-call multimedia.The OnePlus 6 launch could be just around the corner as the companys e-commerce partner in India, Amazon, has made a dedicated launch page notification webpage live for the upcoming smartphone. Users can now register to get notified when the device is launched by entering their email ID here and as soon as the device is available, they will receive all the relevant information like the price, launch offers, and availability. Amazon usually makes this service available when a device is set to launch in a couple of weeks.

The OnePlus 6 will be the companys first 2018 flagship smartphone and the OnePlus CEO Pete Lau and the companys co-founder Carl Pei have already revealed some of its specs. The device will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC and will come with 8GB RAM and 256 internal storage. Till now, the brand had only up to 128GB ROM variants. The company has also announced a new community review program under which 15 users will be given early access to the handset for writing an unbiased and unfiltered review, which covers every aspect of the upcoming device. After submitting the review, one will also get to keep the smartphone. Interested users can submit an application form to get into the Lab program and submission are open until May 3, 7:30 AM IST. You can learn more about this here.

The OnePlus 6 was also seen in a mock render, which was based on the ongoing rumours of the smartphone. It shows a vertically aligned dual-rear camera setup on the rear, with a rectangular fingerprint reader, and the notch on top of the smartphones display. The inclusion of a notch on the smartphones display was said to be done for providing more screen real-estate to users, said OnePlus. However, users averse to the notch will be able to hide it using a compatibility mode, which the company says works without a hitch for the top 1000 apps on Google Play Store.

As per a recent tweet by the company, the OnePlus 6 could gain IP67 or IP68 certification as well. If this turns out to be true, this will be the first waterproof or water-resistant device by the company. Lau had recently posted the first official camera samples captured from the smartphone. Lau showcased the bokeh performance and daylight shots from the smartphones camera, but the meta-data from the images was removed so that no details of the devices camera setup can be known. The OnePlus 6 is also said to come with gesture support, which could be somewhat similar to the ones seen on the OnePlus 5T. It could allow users to swipe up and hold from the right or left for multitasking, swipe from the left to go back a menu and more. There could also be an added feature of drawing symbols for booting to apps directly.

Further, OnePlus has announced a partnership with Marvel Studios for the upcoming movie and its speculated that the same as last year, when the company launched the OnePlus 5T Star Wars Limited Edition smartphone in collaboration with Disney India, there could be a special Avengers: Infinity War edition of the OnePlus 6 as well.Congratulations to Keith Walsh from Ballintra who won a Gold Medal and is Overall Runner Up in Perth at the World Butchers' Challenge earlier today.

Keith, from Eddie Walsh & Sons Craft Butchers in Donegal Town, has put social media in a sizzle locally with hundreds of people sending their congratulations to him as news of his fantastic achievement emerged.

Keith was representing Ireland for the second time this year in the Young Butchers International, Cutting & Cooking Competition in Perth, Western Australia earlier today (Sunday).

Keith recently took part in the Young Butcher of The Year Competition at the World Butchers Challenge in Belfast and performed very well. His performances there ensured his place to compete for a second time in Australia to take home a World Class Award for Ireland.

This event is sponsored by Lifeline Perth and Keith is sponsored by Lifeline Perth and Butchery Excellence Ireland to compete in this prestigious competition.

Keith butchered a Leg of Pork chump on, a Side of Lamb and Whole Boneless Rump which he presented for display. He also cooked a beef product of his choice and presented it restaurant style for judging.

Keith has been training for this competition for 12 months and has a wealth of experience behind the pan from the Butchery Excellence Butcher of the year Competition finals 2016 and 2017.

Keith is now on his way home from Perth and he's sure to get a very warm Donegal welcome on his return.Tbilisi Mayor Rules out Construction of Flats in Kindergarten Area

By Tea Mariamidze

Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze rejects the spread information that a residential complex will be built on the territory of 109 public kindergarten, located in the capitals Isani district.The Mayor explains the kindergarten building is damaged and needs to be demolished.We have the results of Samkharauli Expertise Bureau examination, which reads this building is dangerous for children. This is why we decided to distribute the children to nearby kindergartens, Kaladze said.The mayor said there are a total of 11 problematic kindergartens in Tbilisi, adding 5 of the buildings cannot be rehabilitated and need to be demolished.We are doing our best to solve the problems at these kindergartens by the end of this year, Kaladze said.The parents, of those children who go to the Kindergarten 109, protest the Mayors Office decision. They claim that the territory has been sold and a block of flats will be built there.Moreover, they refuse to transfer their children to nearby kindergartens.The parents blocked the road to the kindergarten on Tuesday, asking for proper explanations. Part of the parents claim that Samkharauli Expertise Bureau issued the result of the examination a month ago, however, they were notified that the kindergarten stopped functioning only on April 18.Deputy Mayor Ilia Eloshvili met with the protesters and offered them to set up a 10-member group, which would supervise the process of the new kindergarten construction on the same territory.The tender on construction of a new kindergarten has to be announced soon. The tender will take 3-4 months and the construction works  around one year, Eloshvili told the parents.The parents demand another study of the building is carried out, saying they do not believe the construction is useless.What is it?

Suzukis forgotten car. The Japanese brand has earned a loyal following with its Swift city car and its pint-sized Ignis SUV sibling, but the Baleno is its third compact car offering. Its slightly bigger than the Swift but still small enough the be considered a city car.

How many models can I choose from?

There are only two models to choose from, the entry-level GL and the GLX Turbo. Aside from more equipment - including keyless entry and ignition, reach-adjustable steering and automatic air-conditioning - the higher-grade model gets a different engine. As the name implies instead of the 1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine in the GL, the GLX Turbo has a 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine.One of the most vexing problems with spinal cord injuries is that the human body does not rebuild nerves once they have been damaged. Other animals, on the other hand, seem to have no problem repairing broken neurons.

A new study takes a comparative approach to pinpoint what happens differently in humans versus other animals to explain why they can successfully regenerate neurons while we instead form scar tissue. By learning from the similarities and differences, researchers hope to find new leads in the treatment of spinal cord injury.

"Humans have very limited capacity for regeneration, while other species like salamanders have the remarkable ability to functionally regenerate limbs, heart tissue and even the spinal cord after injury," said lead researcher Karen Echeverri, PhD, assistant professor in the department of genetics, cell biology and development at the University of Minnesota. "We have discovered that despite this difference in response to injury, these animals share many of the same genes with humans. This knowledge could be used to design new therapeutic targets for treating spinal cord injury or other neurodegenerative diseases."

Echeverri will present the research at the American Association of Anatomists annual meeting during the 2018 Experimental Biology meeting, held April 21-25 in San Diego.

Echeverri and her colleagues study an amphibian known as the axolotl or Mexican salamander. Native to lakes near Mexico City, the axolotl has become endangered in the wild as human activities have encroached on its habitat. Captive-bred axolotls are frequently used in biological research, both to learn from the animal's remarkable ability to regenerate body parts and to help inform conservation efforts.

When an axolotl suffers a spinal cord injury, nearby cells called glial cells kick into high gear, proliferating rapidly and repositioning themselves to rebuild the connections between nerves and reconnect the injured spinal cord. By contrast, when a human suffers a spinal cord injury, the glial cells form scar tissue, which blocks nerves from ever reconnecting with each other.

Echeverri's team traced the molecular mechanisms at work in each case. They found a particular protein called c-Fos, which affects gene expression, is essential to the processes axolotls use to repair injured nerves. While humans also have c-Fos, in humans the protein functions in concert with other proteins, in the JUN family, that cause cells to undergo reactive gliosis, which leads to scar formation. In axolotls, this molecular circuitry is carefully regulated to direct axolotl glial cells toward a regenerative response instead.

"Our approach allows us to identify not just the mechanisms necessary to drive regeneration in salamanders but what is happening differently in humans in reposes to injury," said Echeverri, adding that the work has implications for other types of injury, as well. "In addition to spinal cord regeneration, our work also focuses on other forms of regeneration including scar-free wound healing and limb regeneration."

Karen Echeverri will present this research on Sunday, April 22, from 3-3:30 p.m. in Room 11B, San Diego Convention Center (abstract). Contact the media team for more information or to obtain a free press pass to attend the meeting.

###

Image available.

About Experimental Biology 2018

Experimental Biology is an annual meeting that attracts more than 14,000 scientists and exhibitors from five host societies and more than two dozen guest societies. With a mission to share the newest scientific concepts and research findings shaping clinical advances, the meeting offers an unparalleled opportunity for exchange among scientists from across the U.S. and the world who represent dozens of scientific areas, from laboratory to translational to clinical research. http://www.experimentalbiology.org #expbio

About the American Association of Anatomists (AAA)

AAA is the professional home for an international community of biomedical researchers and educators focusing on anatomical form and function. Founded in 1888, and celebrating its 130th anniversary this year, the society Association advances anatomical science through research, education, and professional development. http://www.anatomy.org

Find more news briefs and tipsheets at: https://www.eurekalert.org/meetings/eb/2018/newsroom.The Experimental Biology 2018 meeting (EB 2018) will showcase exciting new research aimed at understanding contamination and improving the environment.

Assessing harmful environmental exposures in wildlife

Biomarkers offer a way to detect whether an organism has been exposed to harmful environmental contaminants and to measure how that exposure may be affecting the organism's health. Although many biomarkers of contaminant exposure and effect have been identified in people, it has been difficult to develop these biomarkers for wildlife because traditional methods require tissue or blood samples from the organism. Researchers from Griffith University in Australia are working to overcome this problem by optimizing biomarker discovery methods that use cultured cells from wildlife. They demonstrated the new method by culturing skin cells from a green sea turtle and exposing the cells to polycholorinated biphenyl (PCB) and perfluorononanoic acid, contaminants that commonly accumulate in sea turtles. Mass spectrometry analysis of the cells revealed many proteins that changed expression levels after exposure, including a previously identified biomarker for PCB exposure in sea turtles. By using cultured cells, the new method could offer a faster way to develop and confirm biomarkers of both exposure and effect without invasive sampling.

Stephanie Chaousis will present this research at the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) annual meeting from 1:30-2:15 p.m. Tuesday, April 24, in Exhibit Halls A-D (poster B295 802.7) (abstract).

A more sustainable way to make biodiesel

Scientists continue to search for more environmentally friendly ways to convert low-cost cooking oil and grease waste into biodiesel. Although using the enzyme lipase to speed up the conversion process is a promising approach, the enzyme's activity levels are not high enough for industrial-scale biodiesel production. Researchers from the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, examined whether nanoparticle-based formulations could boost lipase activity levels. Using lipase from the fungus Candida rugosa, they developed lipase nanoparticles, cross-linked lipase nanoparticles and lipase nanoparticles immobilized on iron oxide nanoparticles. All three nanoparticle formulations exhibited faster biodiesel production with more operational stability than traditional lipase formulations. They also demonstrated that using the right solvent increased activity even more. For example, enzyme activity increased 54-fold when the solvent 1,4 dioxane was used with lipase nanoparticles immobilized on iron oxide nanoparticles.

Hector Rivera will present this research at the ASBMB annual meeting from 12:45-1 p.m. Tuesday, April 24, in Exhibit Halls A-D (poster B256) (abstract).

Harmful bacteria found on ocean plastic

The ever-increasing volume of plastic debris entering coastal waters and oceans negatively affects water quality, wildlife and the environment. To better understand these effects, researchers from National University and the Scripps Institute of Oceanography in California are studying microbes that attach to plastic in coastal areas. After submerging three common types of plastic in Southern California coastal waters, they used DNA sequencing to identify microbes on the plastic at four time points between 3 and 40 days. They found that over 40 percent of the DNA sequences were from organisms that had not yet been identified. The three plastics each harbored different types bacteria, which also differed from the bacteria found in the surrounding water. Importantly, plastic retrieved at the early timepoints showed evidence of bacteria that could lead to human disease. The findings indicate a potential new route for plastic ocean debris to affect human health and the environment.

Ana Maria Barral will present this research at the ASBMB annual meeting from 1:30-2:15 p.m. Sunday, April 22, in Exhibit Halls A-D (poster B349 534.5) (abstract).

Prenatal effects of low-level marine toxin exposure

Domoic acid, a naturally occurring toxin produced by certain marine algae, can cause fatal central nervous system toxicity in people who consume highly-contaminated shellfish. Although government guidelines limit exposure to a tolerable daily intake of 0.075 milligrams per kilogram to reduce risks of toxicity from short-term exposure, effects of long-term low levels of exposure are not known. In a study of 20 pregnant monkeys, researchers from the University of Washington found that mother and fetus experienced similar exposure to domoic acid when the mothers received 0.075 or 0.15 milligrams per kilogram domoic acid daily for at least two months before pregnancy and for the length of pregnancy. The study also revealed that amniotic fluid may contribute to continuous domoic acid exposure in the womb. Some exposed monkeys showed subtle signs of neurological effects, such as tremors. Based on these new findings, the researchers suggest that the tolerable daily intake for domoic acid may need to be lowered to reduce human health risks associated with long-term, low-level exposure.

Sara Shum will present this research at the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics annual meeting from 12:30-2:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 24, in Exhibit Halls A-D (poster C167) (abstract).

EB 2018 is the premier annual meeting of five scientific societies to be held April 21-25 at the San Diego Convention Center. Contact the media team for abstracts, images and interviews, or to obtain a free press pass to attend the meeting.

###

About Experimental Biology 2018

Experimental Biology is an annual meeting comprised of more than 14,000 scientists and exhibitors from five host societies and multiple guest societies. With a mission to share the newest scientific concepts and research findings shaping clinical advances, the meeting offers an unparalleled opportunity for exchange among scientists from across the U.S. and the world who represent dozens of scientific areas, from laboratory to translational to clinical research. http://www.experimentalbiology.org #expbio

Find more news briefs and tipsheets at: https://www.eurekalert.org/meetings/eb/2018/newsroom/.Research into cancer can provide new insight into how this disease works and how it can be stopped. The Experimental Biology 2018 meeting (EB 2018) will showcase innovative research that could lead to new ways to treat and prevent cancer.

Potential treatment for pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), which makes up 90 percent of all pancreatic cancers, has a 5-year survival rate of less than five percent. The cancer is not only difficult to detect but treatment is often complicated by mutations in the p53 tumor suppressor gene that make the cancer cells resistant to chemotherapy. Researchers from the Human BioMolecular Research Institute, University of California San Diego and ChemRegen, Inc. developed a new compound that could be useful for treating pancreatic cancer. They previously showed that the compound killed PDAC cells with and without mutant p53 and strongly inhibited tumor growth in an invasive PDAC tumor mouse model. In new work, the researchers showed that the compound works by uniquely targeting two human cell death pathways: programmed cell death, or apoptosis, and the intracellular degradation system known as autophagy. They also showed that the compound's potency comes from its ability to induce crosstalk between PDAC cell death pathways.

Jiongjia Cheng will present this research at the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET) annual meeting from 12:30-2:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 24, in Exhibit Halls A-D (poster C197) (abstract).

Insights into chemotherapy-associated pain

Patients receiving anti-cancer drugs often experience debilitating pain because of a condition known as chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. Scientists don't fully understand why the drugs cause this condition, which currently has no treatment. In a new study, researchers from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio discovered that exposure to vinca alkaloids and taxanes chemotherapy drugs was associated with an immediate pain response activated through the peripheral nerves that detect pain stimuli. Their experiments revealed that the chemotherapy drugs cause overexcitation of sensory neurons by specifically activating the an ion channel (TrpA1) involved in pain perception. The study represents the first demonstration of direct activation of sensory neurons by anti-cancer drugs and supports a role for TrpA1 in the development of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. The findings could lead to new treatments for pain associated with chemotherapy drugs.

Nina Boiko will present this research at the American Physiological Society annual meeting from 7-8:30 p.m. Saturday, April 21, in the Sails Pavilion (poster SH16) (abstract); from 9:45-10 a.m. Monday, April 23, in Room 25C; and from 10 a.m.-noon Monday, April 23, in the Exhibit Hall (poster A518).

Highly potent NSAID inhibits colon cancer

Indomethacin is a highly potent nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that has shown anticancer properties in people and animal models. To find out if this drug inhibits colon cancer, researchers from University of Texas Health Sciences Center in Houston conducted a study involving unmodified indomethacin and indomethacin modified with phosphatidylcholine to protect against NSAID injury in the gastrointestinal tract. In cultured cancer cells from mice, doses of both indomethacin formulations significantly inhibited colon cancer cell growth in culture, with the phosphatidylcholine formulation showing slightly more potency at the lowest dose tested. Similarly, in mice injected with colon cancer cells, treatment with both forms of indomethacin brought significant reductions in the number of tumors compared to mice receiving no treatment. The researchers conclude that indomethacin and phosphatidylcholine-indomethacin are strong and effective inhibitors of colon cancer cell growth and hold potential for preventing, and possibly treating, colorectal cancer in people.

Lenard Lichtenberger will present this research at the ASPET annual meeting from 12:30 p.m.-2 p.m. Monday, April 23, in Exhibit Halls A-D (poster C243 701.9) (abstract).

Understanding what drives breast cancer growth

Cold-inducible RNA binding protein (CIRP) plays an important role in regulating gene expression and how cells respond to stress. To better understand CIRP's role in breast cancer, researchers from the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center are studying a mouse model of breast cancer that expresses CIRP at levels that are higher than normal. The researchers report that the increased levels of CIRP inhibited growth, progression and metastasis of tumors. These anti-cancer effects were associated with changes in immune system signals known as cytokines. Specifically, the mice exhibited decreased levels of cytokines that promote an environment favorable for tumor growth and increased levels of cytokines that create an antitumorigenic environment. The researchers continue to study the mechanisms involved in CIRP's ability to influence signaling between cancer and immune cells so that this information could be used to improve standard therapies and immunotherapeutic approaches for treating breast cancer.

Daniel Lujan will present this research at the American Association of Anatomists annual meeting during the Cell Biology Award Hybrid Symposium at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, April 22, in Room 11A (abstract).

EB 2018 is the premier annual meeting of five scientific societies to be held April 21-25 at the San Diego Convention Center. Contact the media team for abstracts, images and interviews, or to obtain a free press pass to attend the meeting.

###

About Experimental Biology 2018

Experimental Biology is an annual meeting comprised of more than 14,000 scientists and exhibitors from five host societies and multiple guest societies. With a mission to share the newest scientific concepts and research findings shaping clinical advances, the meeting offers an unparalleled opportunity for exchange among scientists from across the U.S. and the world who represent dozens of scientific areas, from laboratory to translational to clinical research. http://www.experimentalbiology.org #expbio

Find more news briefs and tipsheets at: https://www.eurekalert.org/meetings/eb/2018/newsroom/.Barcelona, Spain: Radiotherapy given in high doses over a shorter period of time is safe and effective for prostate cancer patients, according to research presented at the ESTRO 37 conference today.

The treatment, called ultrahypofractionated radiotherapy, involves hospital treatment every other day for two and half weeks, compared to every week day for eight weeks for standard radiotherapy.

Researchers say this method of giving radiotherapy saves time for patients. It also frees up radiotherapy equipment, saving money and benefiting other patients on the waiting list for treatment.

The study was presented by Professor Anders Widmark, a senior consultant based in the department of radiation sciences and cancer centre at Umea University, Sweden.

He said: "We already know that radiotherapy can destroy cancer cells in the prostate and that it has advantages over surgery and hormone therapy because it is less likely to cause impotence or incontinence. However, radiotherapy requires expensive specialist equipment and patients can end up on a waiting list for treatment.

"Ultrahypofractionated radiotherapy offers a number of practical benefits to patients as well as time and cost-savings for hospitals, so we wanted to test if it is as safe and effective as standard radiotherapy."

The researchers conducted a trial with 1,200 patients who were treated at ten hospitals in Sweden and two in Denmark between July 2005 and November 2015. All had been diagnosed with medium or high-risk cancer, where clinical factors suggest there was a risk that the cancer could spread if it was not treated. None had received treatment to block the male hormone testosterone, which can stimulate prostate tumours to grow.

Half of patients received standard radiotherapy of 39 treatments each with a standard radiation dose of two Gray (Gy), spread over eight weeks (78 Gy in total). The other half received ultrahypofractionated radiotherapy with seven treatments of high dose radiation of 6.1 Gy, every other week day for two and half weeks (42.7 Gy in total). Patients were monitored for an average of five years following treatment to see whether their cancer returned, indicated by a rising level of prostate specific antigen (PSA) and whether they suffered any side-effects.

Researchers found that at five years after treatment 83.8% of patients treated with standard radiotherapy had no signs of their cancer returning and in patients treated with ultrahypofractionated radiotherapy the figure was 83.7%.

Although patients who had the ultrahypofractionated treatment suffered slightly worse side-effects at the end of treatment, long-term side-effects were the same as those experienced by patients who had the standard treatment.

Professor Widmark added: "Previous research has already shown that it's possible to increase individual doses and give them over four to five weeks. Now we have shown that we can condense the therapy further, raising the dose at each hospital visit so that the whole schedule lasts only two and half weeks.

"This is the first large patient trial of this kind and it shows that ultrahypofractionated radiotherapy is just as effective as standard radiotherapy at stopping prostate cancer from returning. Importantly, it also shows that patients treated in this way do not suffer any more side-effects than those treated with conventional radiotherapy."

The researchers plan to continue to study the patients in the trial to check whether there are differences in their survival or side-effects in the longer-term.

President of ESTRO, Professor Yolande Lievens, head of the department of radiation oncology at Ghent University Hospital, Belgium, said: "Advances in radiotherapy mean that we are better able to locate and target tumours while minimising damage to nearby organs. In prostate cancer, this can mean men retaining urinary and sexual function. This also means that we can consider giving higher individual doses over a shorter time, as in this study.

"Results of this trial suggests that ultrahypofractionated radiotherapy is equal to conventional radiotherapy. For patients, that could mean they have to spend much less time travelling to and from hospital for treatment. For health services this could help them save resources and get more patients treated sooner."

###The number of work-related illnesses such as stress and burnout have increased sharply in recent years in Switzerland, according to a report by the NZZ am Sonntag newspaper.

Using previously unpublished statistics from the health insurer Swica, the Sunday newspaper reported that the number of cases of work-related illnesses had increased by 20% over the past five years. The number of cases of depression and other mental health issues had increased by 35%.

We are observing this development with concern, Swica director Roger Ritler told NZZ am Sonntag. We are particularly concerned about the increasing spread of mental illness.

The number of cases of rheumatism and chronic pain, which often have psychological causes, had increased by 30%, Swica found. Meanwhile, cases of heart-related diseases, viruses or cancers remained stable over this period.

Swica is the largest provider of daily sickness benefit insurance in Switzerland, representing around 30,000 affiliated companies and 600,000 employees.

Previous data on stress-related illnesses at work has typically come from employee interviews. A survey carried out by Health Promotion Switzerland, published in January 2018 found that one quarter of Swiss workers feel stressed at work. The Job Stress Index, carried outtogether with the University of Bern and the Zurich University of Applied Sciences, showed stress levels at work rising from 24.8% in 2014 to 25.4% in 2016.

Another recent study the Good Work Barometer commissioned for the Swiss Employers Association Travail Suisse  detected higher levels of stress in the workplace: 41% felt they were often stressed or very stressed at work.German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, who both face trade tensions with US President Donald Trump, on Sunday praised an EU-Mexico deal to boost economic ties.

Pena Nieto also voiced optimism that Mexico could reach a deal to overhaul the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which Trump has threatened to tear up if it is not revised to be more favourable to his country.

Merkel hailed as truly good news for Europe, Germany and Mexico the agreement in principle reached Saturday between Brussels and the Latin American country to modernise a 2000 free-trade deal, which is expected to be finalised by the end of the year.

We know we face common challenges, and we believe that multilateral cooperation can be an added value for all, the leader of Europes top economy said at the opening of the Hanover Fair on industrial technology, where Mexico is this years partner country.

And thats why we are working for free international trade based on common rules.

Pena Nieto said that Mexico, long a closed, protectionist economy, had changed into an open, export-based economy integrated with the entire world, with 12 free trade deals that grant it access to 46 countries.

The Mexican leader said that we have optimism as well that were going to be concluding the renegotiation of NAFTA, ensuring benefits for all its partners.

Merkel and Pena Nieto will Monday again visit the Hannover Messe, the worlds biggest industrial technology fair, where Mexico is the first Latin American partner country with exhibits by more than 110 companies and institutions.

Pena Nieto was also due to visit the Wolfsburg headquarters of German auto giant Volkswagen, which has its second-largest plant in Puebla, Mexico, before he continues his Europe visit in the Netherlands and Spain.

Merkel is due to visit Washington on Friday where, among several tricky issues, she will try to soothe tensions over Germanys large trade surplus with the United States.

Trump has also vowed punishing new US steel and aluminium tariffs, claiming foreign imports are harming US national security by undermining the domestic production needed for military readiness.

A temporary exemption for the largest foreign sources of the metals, including Mexico and Europe, is due to expire on May 1.

bur-fz/bocGerman Chancellor Angela Merkel denounced the emergence of "another form of anti-Semitism" from refugees of Arab origin in Germany, in an interview with Israeli television broadcast on Sunday.

We have a new phenomenon, as we have many refugees among whom there are, for example, people of Arab origin who bring another form of anti-Semitism into the country, Merkel told the private Channel 10 network.

Her remarks come after an alleged anti-Semitic attack Tuesday in Berlin caused a stir in Germany.

According the German tabloid Bild, the main alleged perpetrator, who surrendered to police, is a Syrian refugee who lived in a centre for migrants near Berlin.

In the interview, Merkel said the German government had appointed a commissioner to fight against anti-Semitism.

The fact that no nursery, no school, no synagogue can be left without police protection dismays us, she said.

Merkel also reaffirmed that Israels security was a central concern for Germany because of its eternal responsibility for the Holocaust.

But she rejected the possibility that Berlin would follow Washingtons example and move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

We must work for a two-state solution, and according to that, the status of Jerusalem must be clarified, she said.

The US move has angered Palestinians who see east Jerusalem, annexed by Israel, as the capital of any future Palestinian state.

Merkel also reiterated Germanys support for the continuation of the Iran nuclear deal, which provides for curbs to Tehrans nuclear programme in exchange for relief from international sanctions.

We think its better to have an agreement, even if its not perfect, than no agreement, she said.

Israeli leaders and US President Donald Trumps administration think the deal  signed in 2015 between Iran and the worlds five nuclear powers, plus Germany  is too lax.

Trump has threatened to restore sanctions against Iran and withdraw from the deal if his European partners do not fix it by May 12.Investigators said Sunday they have "a strong suspicion" of corruption involving a number of officials at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) over alleged bribes in a scandal dubbed "Caviargate".

An external probe said it had established that there was a strong suspicion that certain current and former members of PACE had engaged in activity of a corruptive nature in favour of Azerbaidjan, according to an investigative report released on the Council of Europes website.

PACE is the parliamentary arm of the Council of Europe, and is dedicated to upholding human rights, democracy and the rule of law. Its 324 principal members are made up of parliamentarians from 47 nations, including the 28 members of the European Union.

Several current or ex-members are suspected of having been bought by accepting bribes of caviar, carpets and stays in luxury hotels in Baku, Azebaidjans capital, the report said.

In exchange, they are alleged to have voted against a damning report in January 2013 into the situation of political prisoners in the former Soviet republic.

The investigation body found that, in their activities concerning Azerbaijan, several members and former members of PACE had acted contrary to the PACE ethical standards, the report said.

The parliamentarians involved are invited to suspend their activity while a (PACE) committee examines their situation on a case-by-case basis, PACE President Michele Nicoletti told reporters on Sunday.

The investigative report of more than 200 pages was prepared by three experts: the former French anti-terrorist judge Jean-Louis Bruguiere, Nicolas Bratza, the British ex-president of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), and the Swedish former ECHR judge Elisabet Fura.

Its publication comes on the eve of the opening of the PACE Spring Session.

With no legislative powers, PACE sits in Strasbourg for four weeks a year to discuss the defence of human rights or the fight against corruption.Privacy Settings

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NOTE: These settings will only apply to the browser and device you are currently using.French President Emmanuel Macron warned against showing any weakness towards Vladimir Putin -- while insisting he wants to work with the Russian strongman -- in remarks broadcast Sunday on the eve of his state visit to Washington.

Hes strong and smart. But dont be naive. Hes obsessed by interference in our democracies, Putin told Fox News Sunday, ahead of his departure for the United States, where Russia stands accused of meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

I do believe that we should never be weak with President Putin. When you are weak, he uses it, Macron said in the English-language interview.

And its fine. Thats a game, that he made a lot of fake news. He has a very strong propaganda, and he intervenes everywhere to fragilize our democracies. Because he thinks its good for his country.

I think hes a very strong man, hes a strong president. He wants a great Russia, added the French leader. He is extremely tough with minorities and his opponents, with an idea of democracy which is not mine.

I respect him. I know him. Im lucid. I want to work with him, knowing everything about that, Macron said, who described himself as having a permanent discussion with Putin, although they were disaligned on a lot of things.

Relations with Russia will be one of the issues topping the agenda this week as Macron is hosted by President Donald Trump, whose time in office has been clouded by suspicion that his campaign conspired with Russia to tilt the election in his favor, and by his own ambivalent attitude to Moscow.

Macrons comments also came as foreign ministers of the Group of Seven industrialized nations gathered in Toronto to seek a common front against what they view as Russian aggression in Ukraine, as well as Russias role in supporting Syrian leader Bashar al-Assads regime, and an alleged attempt to kill a defector on British soil.Sunday, April 22, 2018

The threat of nuclear war follows us like a shadow that we must absolutely turn around and face. For decades the United States and the international community have tried to negotiate an end to North Koreas nuclear and missile development, as well as its exports of ballistic missile technology. These attempts have included times of crisis, stalemates, and tentative progress toward denuclearization. The United States has pursued a variety of responses to the increasing challenges posed by North Korea, including military cooperation with U.S. allies in the region, wide-ranging sanctions, and non-proliferation mechanisms. Furthermore, the United States has engaged in two major diplomatic initiatives to have North Korea cease and desist in its nuclear weapons efforts in return for aid.

Recently, in early March, high-level discussions between North Korean and South Korean officials resulted in Kim Jong Un agreeing to abstain from conducting nuclear or ballistic tests while talks with the United States are arranged. It was then announced that Trump accepted Kim Jong Uns invitation to meet with him by May to achieve permanent denuclearization.

This planned meeting escalates hope for denuclearization and the establishment of peaceeach of which are imperative if this planet is to survive. I, myself, am extremely concerned about the possibility of nuclear warthe reality of how the Second World War ended with a nuclear bomb remains in my memory, including the photos of terrorized children running to escape death. You and I are not innocent bystanders. We each must contribute to peaceful efforts in all possible ways.

Relying on feminine energy is not enoughmale proactive energy is also needed. I beseech readers to contact and urge congressional members to pursue peace; to organize and conduct peace marches; to speak at rallies. In this way we are confronting the collective shadow and also activating archetypal energies of altruism, sublimation, and anticipation, which invigorates the healing of the whole of humanity. These are examples of conscious, affirmative actions.

We also can prepare for this historic meeting via the collective unconsciousthe portion of the individual psyche that houses the accumulated experiences of all preceding generations. Individuals can meditate on peace and pray for its attainment; groups can gather and meditate and pray; teachers can instruct students and guide them to contemplate peace; and moments of silence can focus on a peaceful planet. How do you feel impacted and affected by all of this? What ideas do you have for preparing for the upcoming meeting? Sharing would be of help and inspiration to us all.Almost any consumer can tell you that federal regulations restricting telemarketers from calling cellphones dont have much effect. But now consumers are taking matters into their own hands, suing telemarketers in federal court and winning multimillion dollar verdicts.

Federal telecommunication law allows consumers to sue telemarketers that violate the law, which prohibits sales or collection calls to cellphones without consumers written permission. Over a recent 17-month period, Texas consumers have filed 107 such lawsuits, the seventh most in the nation, seeking penalties of as much as $1,500 for each annoying call that theyve received. More than 3,100 similar cases have been brought across the country during that time period, an increase of nearly 50 percent from the previous 17 months, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Consumers are winning, too. Pivotal Payments, a Texas payment processor, last year agreed to pay $9 million to settle a lawsuit that accused the company of failing to ensure the company it hired to make marketing calls to 1.9 million consumers complied with federal law. Dish Network, the satellite television company, was ordered by a federal judge in North Carolina last year to pay $61.5 million to thousands of consumers on the national Do Not Call registry who received subscription pitches. And Wells Fargo reached a $14.8 million deal last year to settle a class action lawsuit over automated calls to cellphones to sell car loans.

Jarrett Ellzey, a Houston lawyer, last year won a $9.8 million settlement in a class-action lawsuit against the Philadelphia insurer ACE American Insurance, which allegedly called thousands of consumers on the Do Not Call list to sell hazard coverage.

They want the calls to stop, said Ellzey. Its driving them crazy.

The Federal Trade Commission created the Do Not Call list 15 years ago to stop unwanted phone calls from telemarketers, updating the 1991 Telephone Consumer Protection Act that restricted unwanted commercial calls to both landlines and cellphones. The agency also put tighter restrictions on calls placed to cellphones, devised at a time when cellphone plans had limited calling times and added hefty charges if limits were exceeded.

Telemarketers were prohibited from using automatic dialing systems phones and computer-generated voices to call cellphones or leave pre-recorded messages without express written consent. And consumers could revoke their consent to receive calls on their cellphones, including calls from debt collectors.

But the pace of the robocalls has only accelerated, as technology made it cheap for banks, insurance companies, retailers and others to use automatic dialers and pre-recorded messages and hope that consumers press 1 for more information. YouMail, an app that blocks robocalls, estimates that each American adult received an average of 100 robocalls to their cellphones and landlines last year.

The Federal Communications Commission receives more complaints about unwanted robocalls calls than any other category, logging 1.9 million during the first five months of 2017 alone. But it doesnt have the money or manpower to go after all the violators, so Congress gave consumers the right to bring their own lawsuits against companies that call without permission and ignore pleas to stop calling.

Tonya Stevens, 48, decided to exercise that right after she received nearly 1,850 calls from The Woodlands-based Conns to her cellphone over a 13-month period. She bought a washer, dryer and other merchandise on credit for about $5,000 in 2014, but within a few weeks, collections calls began coming to her cellphone, as many as 11 times a day, even though Stevens said she was paying her bill regularly.

Stevens, who lives in Bonham near the Oklahoma border, agreed to be contacted by Conns through her cellphone when she made her purchase. But she withdrew that consent a key factor in cases like this  by telling company representatives to stop calling and writing the same message on the memo line of her checks. Nothing worked, she said, until she hired a lawyer and filed a complaint with the Texas attorney generals office.

I was just fed up, she said.

Michael A. Harvey, a lawyer for Conns, disputed allegations that the retailer violated the federal telecommunications law, but because of the litigation, would not provide details of Stevens account. He added that Conns strives to create a positive experience for its customers, from the sales floor to when they pay off their accounts.

Daniel Ciment, the Houston lawyer who is representing Stevens, is planning to ask an arbitrator for $2.8 million in damages, $1,500 the maximum damage award for each of the calls to Stevens cell phone. Its not unrealistic, he said, pointing to an arbitrators decision earlier this year that Conns must pay a Tennessee consumer $311,000 for 424 calls the retailer made in a four-month period after the consumer told Conns to quit calling his cellphone.

It adds up quick, said Ciment.

Ciment is a small player in a cottage industry of lawyers that file these consumer protection claims, which can generate significant fees, particularly in class-action suits involving hundreds or thousands of consumers. Unlike many other types of civil cases, the lawyers dont have to prove damages for their clients to collect; the only need to show that telemarketers made unlawful calls.

But its not as easy as it sounds. While technology has made it easy for telemarketers to make the robocalls, technology has also made harder to trace the calls. Software, for example, can make calls appear to be coming from across town when theyre being place across the country  or on the other side of the world. In addition, telemarketers have moved operations offshore, which puts them out of reach of U.S. law.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce says these and other factors have led lawyers to target legitimate U.S. businesses rather than the unscrupulous scam telemarketers that the consumer protection law was meant to police. The lawsuits, which a few years ago were concentrated in just a handful of jurisdictions, have been filed in at least 42 states, according to the chamber, and given rise to a class of professional plaintiffs who are recruited by law firms and make a living by receiving phone calls and filing claims.

About four dozen law firms around the county file more than half of the total cases, the chamber said in a 2017 report, amounting to a group of serial filers that business groups describe as entrepreneurial law firms.

Its a profitable litigation model, said Austin lawyer Manny Newburger, who represents financial institutions, debt buyers, law firms, and collection agencies.

lynn.sixel@chron.com

twitter.com/lmsixelThe Texas Historical Commission plaque and the granite block and concrete base commemorating the Battle of Adams Hill that was on Montgomery Road off of Highway 90 on the way to Castroville near Blue Skies of Texas is missing. I stopped by it on the way to a volksmarch in Castroville (earlier this month) and there is nothing left, as you can see in the attached photo. Also attached are two pictures I took of (the marker) in 2013. Who owns the property where the THC marker was placed, Blue Skies? I also thought that THC markers were state property and didn't think even a landowner could just remove them at will.

 Martin Callahan

The marker is hidden in plain sight  sort of. On the Texas Historical Commissions online Texas Historic Sites Atlas, its said to have been placed in 1965 on W.T. Montgomery Road on the north side of U.S. 90 about two miles west of Loop 1604 and reported missing in April 2018. Other observers also noticed its absence from the spot where it was installed and alerted the commission and the Bexar County Sheriffs Office but have since clarified the situation in communication with both.

The marker used to be on the edge of a retirement community, Blue Skies of Texas (formerly Air Force Village II) at 5100 John D. Ryan Blvd. Still extant, it commemorates what it calls the Battle of Adams Hill. Thats right, Battle in quotes. The Handbook of Texas describes this Civil War military incident as the so-called Battle of Adams Hill, a May 9, 1861, confrontation between U.S. and Texas Confederate forces that occurred about 15 miles west of downtown San Antonio.

It was early in the war, and about 270 federal troops were making their way from Fort Bliss in El Paso to the Texas coast, where they were to evacuate by ship under the terms of their Feb. 16, 1861, surrender. Six weeks into a hard journey, their numbers reduced by illness and desertion, they heard that there was concern among Confederate officials in San Antonio about their presence, but their commander Lt. Col. Isaac Reeve decided to march on, halting on a high hill a few hundred yards from San Lucas Springs in southwestern Bexar County.

Thats where Reeve was approached by two Confederate officers, representing Col. Earl Van Dorn, Confederate commander of Texas, demanding unconditional surrender. With no actual hostile force in sight, says the Handbook, and his position a strong one, Reeve declined. He was soon surprised when Van Dorn arrived with cavalry, infantry and artillery  1,300 men and six field pieces, according to the marker text.

Reeve sent an emissary to inspect the Confederate forces; when he heard how outnumbered the federals were, says the Handbook, He resolved that resistance would be futile and surrendered his command to Van Dorn. Apparently, the Confederates were satisfied that this comparatively small, exhausted force wasnt much of a threat, and they retired, allowing Reeve to continue his march, under arms, at his own leisure. As the marker text says, the encounter ended without the firing of a shot.

At the time, the brief standoff was said to have happened at San Lucas Spring, says the Handbook, with later accounts putting it at Adams Hill, which is closer to Montgomery Road. It appears that the federal troops camped near San Lucas Spring, while the Confederate forces were half a mile away at Adams Hill, which the Bexar County Historical Commission identified as the (former) Air Force Village II neighborhood near Montgomery Road, says THC spokeswoman Leah Brown.

Markers are proposed to THC by county historical commissions, whose members also look out for the well-being of existing markers within their purview. Because the area Confederate forces decided to honor the treaty, the Adams Hill marker describes a critical incident that affected the county for years, said Bexar County Historical Commission Chairman Tim Draves, who also teaches history at the University of the Incarnate Word and researched the incident during the run-up to the removal. The not-quite-battle involved several prominent individuals, including Medal of Honor recipient Gen. Zenas Bliss, businessman John Kampmann, signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence Samuel Maverick and Texas Ranger William Tobin.

The marker move went through the proper channels, starting at the county levels. Blue Skies, owned the property where it was installed and requested the move because they wanted to sell the acreage that included the marker, Draves said. The request to remove, store and relocate the Adams Hill marker was approved by the commissions marker committee, headed by Felix Almaraz, Ph.D., professor of history at the University of Texas at San Antonio, and sent up the line to THC, which also blessed the plan.

Its not that Blue Skies didnt want the marker  in fact, its the opposite. The retirement community, originally for retired Air Force officers and their spouses, still has great respect for military history, manager Fred Ryder said. There were platting issues with the prospective buyer of the previously undeveloped land. When we were told the monument had to be moved, we contacted the historical commission and told them wed move it to a secure place within our gated community to safeguard it until theyd have time to help us site it properly in a place where it can be enjoyed by the public.

In its former location, the marker was about 20 yards off Montgomery Road. Youd have to trip over to find it unless you already knew it was there, Ryder said. A few weeks before the property changed hands in January, Blue Skies hired a construction company to remove the marker and transport it to safe storage. Partnering with the county historical commission, they arranged at that time for excavations to look for signs of Civil War encampments.

Now, Blue Skies is just waiting for professional advice to determine a replacement location. At this time, we dont have a scheduled THC staff site visit, Brown said, but we will coordinate with the Bexar CHC to identify a new site for the public to access the marker.

The county commission is appreciative of everyone involved in this so far, Draves said. Blue Skies is being a good civic partner, hosting the marker for a public purpose. As for those who reported it missing, he says, I wish we had a hundred more people keeping an eye on our historical markers.

This one would have been hard to steal, says Ryder. Youd have to have a strong back. The 10,000-pound marker is heavy as a car. When the construction company first came out here, they looked at it and said, Were going to have to come back with a bigger crane.

historycolumn@yahoo.com | Twitter: @sahistorycolumn | Facebook: SanAntoniohistorycolumnBarbara Pierce Bush, the wife and mother of U.S. presidents, was laid to rest Saturday following a funeral service in Houston where mourners affectionately remembered her as a tough but loving family matriarch who believed in helping others.

In a solemn ceremony lightened by frequent laughter and joyful hymns, a procession of American political icons, family members and friends honored Bush at the service at St. Martin's Episcopal Church on the city's west side.

As four former presidents looked on from the front row, including her beloved husband George H.W. Bush and eldest son George W. Bush, eulogists remembered Barbara Bush as the dedicated, resilient and sharp-witted cornerstone of a great American family.

Speakers recalled her love and compassion for all her family, her many friends, her countrymen  and her deep religious faith. About 1,500 people attended the 80-minute private service, which was followed by a private burial hours later at the Bush presidential library in College Station.

"She believed in and practiced the principles of honesty, tolerance, decency, courage and strength  and perhaps above all, humility," the Rev. Russell J. Levenson Jr., the church's rector, said in his homily. "She lived according to the mantra of the Bush family for many years: Don't get caught up in 'big me.'"

Barbara Bush died Tuesday at age 92 of complications from congestive heart failure and respiratory issues at her west Houston home. Her husband of 73 years, George Herbert Walker Bush, was by her side, having held her hand throughout the day. Her death set off a period of mourning throughout the Houston region and the country, as Americans celebrated the remarkable life of a local and national idol.

The day before the funeral service, thousands of people paid tribute Friday at a public visitation, where George H.W. Bush greeted mourners for a brief, yet poignant, part of the 12-hour procession.

Several of the nation's highest dignitaries attended Saturday's funeral, adding to a sense of reverence that filled the cavernous Gothic-style church. Former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, former first ladies Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton and current first lady Melania Trump watched from one side.

They were joined by foreign leaders such as former British Prime Minister John Major and former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. Several immediate Bush family members were seated on the other side of the aisle, including George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush. Representatives of other presidential families, past Bush administrations, members of Congress and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner also attended.

The elder George Bush, wearing socks emblazoned with books in homage to his wife's devotion to literacy, dutifully watched from the center, often with his daughter Dorothy's hand stroking his back. His wife's casket, draped in fabric that matched the altar, rested nearly within arm's length.

President Donald Trump, who drew the sharp-tongued wrath of Barbara Bush during the 2016 presidential election, decided not to attend "to avoid disruptions due to added security," according to a White House statement. Multiple presidents have skipped funerals for first ladies in recent decades.

Trump tweeted Saturday morning that he would be watching the 11 a.m. service from his Mar-a-Lago estate. Former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn also did not attend  he was already overseas; she was recovering from surgery.

Barbara Bush met with staff in August 2016 to plan her funeral arrangements, and she had been offering input up until shortly before she died.

The service was punctuated with periods of emotion, beginning with a moving rendition of "My Country, 'Tis Of Thee" by the St. Martin's Parish Choir. Daughter Dorothy "Doro" Bush Koch read an adapted passage on death from "Romeo and Juliet."

Six of Bush's granddaughters took turns tearfully reading from Proverbs on the theme of motherhood, a role that Bush had lovingly filled.

"Her children rise up and call her happy," read one line, striking a chord, "her husband too, and he praises her."

Three eulogists  historian Jon Meacham, longtime friend Susan Baker and son Jeb Bush  each painted a portrait of a devoted mother with a no-frills attitude. They offered deeply personal reflections on themes that echoed in the days after her death.

Jeb Bush, who served two terms as Florida governor, recalled how his mother deemed her style "a benevolent dictatorship," wryly adding that it "wasn't always benevolent."

"We learned how to not take ourselves too seriously. We learned that humor is a joy that should be shared," he said. "We learned to strive and be generous and authentic from the best role model in the world."

Jeb Bush said his mother taught her children to "sit up, look people in the eye, say please and thank you, do your homework, quit whining and stop complaining, eat your broccoli  yes, Dad, she said that." (George H.W. Bush famously was not a broccoli fan.)

"The little things we learned became habits, and they led to bigger truths," Jeb Bush said.

Even in her 90s, Barbara Bush could instill fear in misbehaving her grandchildren. But "every grandchild knew their 'Ganny' loved them," he said.

Jeb Bush said his mother would not have wanted him to get "weepy." He spoke animatedly but choked up once, momentarily, when recalling how his mother stopped dying her hair when it turned white.

"She was beautiful," he said, "to the day she died."

After his eulogy, Jeb Bush stopped to lean over his dad. They each patted the other on the back.

Speakers frequently returned to Barbara's seven-decade marriage to the only man she ever kissed.

The eulogists read from letters George H.W. had written to Barbara, professing his love in youth and old age. The elder seemed to get choked up during one such reading.

Meacham, who authored a defining biography of George H.W. Bush, told of visiting the couple in recent months and asking about George's survival during World War II, when his torpedo bomber was shot down over the Pacific Ocean by the Japanese. Barbara remarked that George must have survived for a reason, and George, wheelchair-bound as he battles Parkinson's disease, slowly raised his left hand and pointed at his wife and said, "You were the reason."

"Barbara Bush was the first lady of the greatest generation," Meacham observed.

Here, among the church community that the Bushes had been a part of for more than 50 years, was an attempt to honor Barbara Bush in the manner she would have wished: with gratitude and with strength.

Born in New York City in 1925, Barbara Pierce met her future husband at a holiday party three weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor. She was 16, he was 17. The couple married in January of 1945 and made their first move to Texas after he returned from the war and graduated from Yale University.

As George H.W. Bush's political career took off, and the couple had six children, Barbara Bush became the family rock.

"Barbara, the tough but loving enforcer, was the secret sauce of this extraordinary family," said Susan Baker, the wife of former Secretary of State James A. Baker III.

The family moved around, with George H.W. Bush rising from Houston-area congressman to CIA director, China envoy, vice president and finally president. By the end, they counted 29 different homes.

"Rather than bemoan their many moves, Barbara just laughed and said, 'One thing I can say about George: he may not be able to keep a job, but he's certainly not boring,'" Susan Baker said.

Still, their life was not without tragedy. In 1953, their daughter Robin died of leukemia at age 3. Barbara Bush was buried beside her at the family plot later Saturday, and speakers said she looked forward to being reunited with her in heaven.

Barbara Bush exuded fierce loyalty and practiced grace as her husband gained political clout.

Multiple speakers recalled how Barbara Bush helped shape the national discourse around HIV and AIDS when she visited a shelter for infected children and hugged them as well as an adult male patient in 1989.

"The images sent a powerful message, one of compassion, of love and of acceptance," Meacham said.

Barbara Bush's devotion to literacy also dotted each speech  her national literacy foundation has raised more than $110 million since its start  as did her kindness to many friends and acquaintances. Despite her immense public standing, she maintained an everywoman aura rooted in humility.

"Here in Houston," Levenson said, "we saw her at major galas, behind home plate at Astros games, praying here in the pews, catching up with a neighbor while pushing her own buggy in Walgreens."

The service, which ended with a blessing from the ninth Episcopalian Bishop of Texas, concluded with the hymn "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee." As the casket was wheeled up the center aisle, George W. Bush pushed his father's wheelchair behind it. Laura Bush walked beside them, and attendees waved or shook hands with the elder Bush as he passed.

All around him were people who loved his wife, his family. Rounding the corner, toward the church's exit, the elder Bush raised his hand to his forehead in a salute.

As several grandsons helped carry the casket from the church's front doors to a waiting hearse under a gloomy sky, the extended family followed, gathering at the edge of the walkway. In the hours to come, George H.W. Bush would travel 90 miles by motorcade to the Bush presidential library on the campus of Texas A&M in College Station to bury his wife in a private ceremony.

In her final days, as she rejected any further medical aid to focus on comfort care at home, Jeb Bush said he asked his mother about dying, whether she feared the end. Closing his eulogy, he recited her response:

"Without missing a beat, she said, 'I believe in Jesus,' and he is my Lord and savior. I don't want to leave your dad, but I know I will be in a beautiful place."

Mike Snyder, Robert Downen, John D. Harden and Brent Zwerneman contributed to this report.

jacob.carpenter@chron.com

emily.foxhall@chron.comWhen Sandra Garza got wind of the third annual Mission Reach Flotilla Festivals parade and costume contest, she remembered La Chalupa, a colorfully dressed character who carries fruit, vegetables and flowers downriver in a canoe.

Looking a lot like her Saturday, Garza took top honors in the decorate yourself contest that followed a kayak parade down the San Antonio River, winning $150.

It was an amazing feeling to receive first place, said Garza, a Rodriguez Elementary School data analyst. I was not expecting to place at all because of the competition. Everybody was very well-dressed and everybody had great costumes.

Put on by the San Antonio River Foundation in partnership with the San Antonio River Authority, the festival celebrates the renaissance of Mission Reach along the San Antonio River, an iconic waterway that saw five Spanish missions built along it 300 years ago.

The many who attended the festival, which could become an official Fiesta event next year, made the most of the cool, overcast day.

Art Gomez brought his 3-year-old son, Little Art, along with the rest of his family so they could relax, meet new people and listen to music.

A chance to get out with family, said Gomez, 52, of San Antonio.

Jennie Maldonado, a senior biology major at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, came up for the weekend to take in the atmosphere and Hispanic culture thats a Fiesta trademark. Though she hadnt been to Fiesta before, she knows its fun reputation.

Its a big party, said Maldonado, 21, of Brownsville.

Saturdays festival calls attention to an 8-mile stretch of river that runs from Lone Star Boulevard to Mission Espada. Mission Reach includes hike and bike trails, grand pavilions and overlooks, new landings for paddle watercraft, and educational and recreational amenities, as well as art and pedestrian bridges.

Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff said commissioners originally committed $200 million to the project in flood control bonds and hotel/motel taxes, with voters approving $125 million of that in a 2008 election. The Army Corps of Engineers has reimbursed the county $20 million, he said, calling the project the largest ecological restoration of an urban river in the United States. The city provided $6.5 million and $4.7 million came in private donations, among other funding.

Jim Campbell, a member of the San Antonio River Authority Board, called the Flotilla Festival a great event because were trying to  have geographical balance for Fiesta, so we want to pull some people to the South Side and expose them to the beautiful Mission Reach and the Mission County Park, and these great facilities and great atmosphere.

Its the only event to include a kayaking portion along the river and would have seen more participants if not for the gloomy skies that brought occasional rain to parts of the city. Around 80 people registered to participate in the aquatic parade, which boasted free parking and admission in a bid to boost turnout, but only 40 or so hit the water. Many had their dogs along for the ride.

Pulling out her cell phone, San Antonio River Authority spokeswoman Yviand Serbones-Hernandez showed a picture of a fairy dog wearing bright pink wings at the front of a kayak. That was part of a decorate yourself and your dog contest that highlighted the Flotilla Festivals billing as a family- and pet-friendly event.

The sight of so many fellow canines on the river was too much for Gordo, an 8-year-old Yorkie, however, who jumped in the water. He briefly submerged, giving his owner, San Antonian Nadia Galvez, a start, before surfacing and swimming to shore.

I was happy to see him enjoy Fiesta, Galvez, 34, said of the dog, who turns 9 next week. I dont know how much longer Im going to have him.

Al Arreola Jr. brought his dog Chewy, a Chihuahua rescue, because the festival was puppy-friendly. The president and CEO of the South San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, he described the river as an ecological jewel.

Fiesta, it seems, is a good time to celebrate it.

This is the time that San Antonians come together in the spirit of our culture, our heritage and our pride and its colorful, its alive and its full of energy and I think what San Antonio is today and what were going to continue to grow into in the future, Arreola, 36, said. Lifes a party.

sigc@express-news.netThe News in Brief

Georgian criminal bosses and 34 others detained in France and Greece



Four Georgian criminal bosses and 34 Georgian members of criminal groups were detained in France and Greece on April 16-17, through the cooperation with Georgian law enforcers, the Georgian Interior Ministry reported on Wednesday.



The operation named Caucase Normandie took place simultaneously in French and Greek cities to detain the suspects accused of robberies, keeping and selling of stolen items and money laundering.



The four criminal bosses detained are Lasha Shushanashvili , Aleksandre Kobaladze, Nodar Shukakidze and Merab Asanidze. Shukakidze and Kobaladze were detained in France, while Asanidze and Shukakidze in Greece.



Georgia, France and Greece have been cooperating for two years to detain the suspects, the Georgian Interior Ministry stated.



We cooperated with Europol, the Ministry added.



The Interior Ministry claimed they would continue active cooperation with foreign states to combat transnational and organized crimes.







Parliamentary Majority Announces Meeting to Settle Inner Disputes



The Georgian Parliament Speaker Irakli Kobakhidze has announced that the Georgian Dream ruling party will hold a meeting today to settle controversial issues.



We will gather at 9pm, in the format of the majority session. As for the agenda, it is planned to discuss current issues, including the ongoing process in the ruling team, Kobakhidze said.



Some of the majority members opposed to one another in the wake of voting for the opposition candidate in the Georgian Public Broadcaster board.

(By Mariam Chanishvili)



HOUSTON  Barbara Pierce Bush, the wife and mother of U.S. presidents, was laid to rest Saturday following a funeral here, where she was affectionately remembered as a tough but loving family matriarch who believed in helping others.

In a solemn ceremony lightened by frequent laughter and joyful hymns, a procession of American political icons, family members and friends honored Bush at the service at St. Martins Episcopal Church.

As four former presidents looked on from the front row, including her beloved husband and eldest son, eulogists remembered the Texas matriarch as the dedicated, resilient and sharp-witted cornerstone of a great American family.

Speakers recalled Bushs love and compassion for all her family, her many friends, her countrymen  and her deep religious faith. About 1,500 people attended the 80-minute private service, which was followed by a private burial at the Bush presidential library in College Station.

She believed in and practiced the principles of honesty, tolerance, decency, courage and strength  and perhaps above all, humility, the Rev. Russell J. Levenson Jr., the churchs rector, said in his homily. She lived according to the mantra of the Bush family for many years: Dont get caught up in big me.

Barbara Bush died Tuesday at age 92 of complications from congestive heart failure and respiratory issues at her west Houston home. Her husband of 73 years, George H.W. Bush, was by her side, having held her hand throughout the day. Her death set off a period of mourning throughout the Houston region and the country, as Americans celebrated the remarkable life of a local and national idol.

More than 3,000 people paid tribute at a public visitation Friday, where George H.W. Bush greeted mourners for a brief, yet poignant, part of the 12-hour procession.

Several of the nations highest dignitaries attended Saturdays funeral, adding to a sense of reverence that filled the cavernous Gothic-style church.

Former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, former first ladies Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton and current first lady Melania Trump watched from one side. They were joined by foreign leaders such as former British Prime Minister John Major and former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. Several immediate family members were seated on the other side of the aisle.

George H.W. Bush, wearing socks emblazoned with books in homage to his wifes devotion to literacy, dutifully watched from the center, often with his daughter Dorothys hand stroking his shoulder. His wifes casket, draped in fabric that matched the altar, rested nearly within arms length.

President Donald Trump, who drew the sharp-tongued wrath of Barbara Bush during the 2016 presidential election, decided not to attend to avoid disruptions due to added security, according to a White House statement. Multiple presidents have skipped funerals for first ladies in recent decades.

Trump tweeted Saturday morning that he would be watching the 11 a.m. service from his Mar a Lago estate. Former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn also did not attend  he was overseas; she was recovering from surgery.

Barbara Bush met with staff in August 2016 to plan her funeral arrangements, and she had been offering input up until shortly before she died.

The service was punctuated with periods of emotion, beginning with a moving rendition of My Country, Tis Of Thee as the proceedings began. Daughter Dorothy Bush Koch read an adapted passage on death from Romeo and Juliet. Six of Bushs granddaughters took turns tearfully reading from Proverbs on the theme of motherhood, a role that Bush had lovingly filled.

Her children rise up and call her happy, read one line, striking a chord, her husband too, and he praises her.

Three eulogists  historian Jon Meacham, longtime friend Susan Baker and son Jeb Bush  each painted a portrait of a devoted mother with a no-frills attitude. They offered deeply personal reflections on themes that echoed in the days after her death.

Jeb Bush, who served two terms as Florida governor, recalled how his mother deemed her style a benevolent dictatorship, wryly adding that it wasnt always benevolent.

We learned how to not take ourselves too seriously. We learned that humor is a joy that should be shared, he said. We learned to strive and be generous and authentic from the best role model in the world.

Jeb Bush said his mother taught her children to sit up, look people in the eye, say please and thank you, do your homework, quit whining and stop complaining.

The little things we learned became habits, and they led to bigger truths, Jeb Bush said.

Even in her 90s, Barbara Bush could instill fear in her grandchildren. But every grandchild knew their Ganny loved them, he said.

Jeb Bush said his mother would not have wanted him to get weepy. He spoke animatedly but choked up once, momentarily, when recalling how his mother refused to dye her hair when it turned white.

She was beautiful, he said, to the day she died.

After his eulogy, Jeb Bush stopped to lean over his dad. They each patted the other on the back.

Speakers frequently returned to Barbaras seven-decade marriage to the only man she ever kissed. The eulogists read from letters George H.W. had written to Barbara, professing his love in youth and old age.

Meacham, who authored a defining biography of George H.W. Bush, told of visiting the couple in recent months and asking about Georges survival during World War II, when his torpedo bomber was shot down over the Pacific Ocean by the Japanese.

Barbara remarked that George must have survived for a reason, and George, wheelchair-bound as he battles Parkinsons disease, slowly raised his left hand and pointed at his wife.

Barbara Bush was the first lady of the greatest generation, Meacham observed.

Here, in the church Barbara Bush and her husband had regularly attended, was an attempt to honor Bush in the manner she would have wished: with gratitude and with strength.

Born in New York in 1925, Barbara Pierce met her future husband at a holiday party at the age of 16. The couple married in January of 1945 and made their first move to Texas after he returned from the war and graduated from Yale University.

As George H.W. Bushs political ambitions took off, and the couple had six children, Barbara Bush became the family rock.

Barbara, the tough but loving enforcer, was the secret sauce of this extraordinary family, Baker said.

The family moved around, with George H.W. Bush rising from Houston-area congressman to CIA director, China envoy, vice president and finally president. By the end, they counted 29 different homes.

Rather than bemoan their many moves, Barbara just laughed and said, One thing I can say about George: he may not be able to keep a job, but hes certainly not boring, said Susan Baker, the wife of former Secretary of State James Baker.

Still, their life was not without tragedy. In 1953, their daughter Robin died of leukemia at age 3. Barbara Bush would be buried beside her at the family plot in College Station later that day, and speakers said she looked forward to being reunited with her in heaven.

Barbara Bush exuded fierce loyalty and practiced grace as her husband gained political clout. Multiple speakers recalled how Barbara Bush helped shape the national discourse around HIV and AIDS when she hugged a virus-stricken baby in 1989.

The images sent a powerful message, one of compassion, of love and of acceptance, Meacham said.

Barbara Bushs devotion to literacy also dotted each speech  her national literacy foundation has raised more than $110 million since its start  as did her kindness to many friends and acquaintances. Despite her immense public standing, she maintained an everywoman aura rooted in humility.

Here in Houston, Levenson said, we saw her at major galas, behind home plate at Astros games, praying here in the pews, catching up with a neighbor while pushing her own buggy in Walgreens.

The service, which ended with a blessing from the ninth Episcopalian Bishop of Texas, concluded with the hymn Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee. As the casket was taken up the center aisle, George W. Bush pushed his fathers wheelchair behind it, and attendees waved and shook hands with the elder Bush as he passed.

All around him were people who loved his wife, his family. Rounding the corner, toward the churchs exit, the elder Bush raised his hand to his forehead in a salute. As the couples grandsons carried the casket to a waiting hearse under a gloomy sky, the extended family followed, gathering at the edge of the walkway.

In the hours to come, George H.W. Bush would travel 90 miles by motorcade to the Bush presidential library in College Station to bury his wife in a private ceremony.

In her final days, as she rejected any further medical aid to focus on comfort care at home, Jeb Bush said he asked his mother about dying, whether she feared the end.

Closing his eulogy, he recited her response:

Without missing a beat, she said, I believe in Jesus, and he is my Lord and savior. I dont want to leave your dad, but I know I will be in a beautiful place.

Mike Snyder, Robert Downen, John D. Harden and Brent Zwerneman contributed to this report.AUSTIN  Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew White has unveiled an ambitious plan to expand gambling and improve education, proposed a statewide network of self-driving cars and called for debates with opponent Lupe Valdez  an idea supported by party star Beto ORourke.

Valdez, the former Dallas County sheriff, hasnt done any of that as the May 22 runoff looms.

She has addressed core issues in broad terms, but has yet to outline detailed policy proposals. Its unclear when she will do so.

Valdez also hasnt shown any eagerness to duel verbally with White before Democrats choose their standard-bearer for the November battle against Gov. Greg Abbott  although she said that of course she wants to debate the Republican incumbent if she is her partys nominee.

I dont care either way, Valdez told the San Antonio Express-News of debate prospects with White. Im fine, Im willing to do it.

Valdez is seen as the frontrunner after getting 43 percent of the vote in the nine-candidate primary to 27 percent for White, a Houston businessman who is the son of the late Democratic former Gov. Mark White.

She has little political reason to plunge into a vigorous back-and-forth with a runoff opponent whos trying to gain traction.

I dont think theres that much to gain, but if thats what the people want Ill have no problem with that, Valdez said. Its more important for me to get out to the voters. Its more important to listen to what they have to say.

Valdez said she isnt sure, however, how shell know if the people are eager for a debate.

ORourke, an El Paso congressman who is getting national attention in his barnstorming campaign against U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, said he would like to see a debate so he can decide whom to support.

But her stance doesnt matter to some Democrats who say a key part of Valdezs value to the ticket, if she wins the nomination, wont be in a longshot chance to beat the popular and campaign-cash-heavy Abbott.

Instead, they are counting in large part on the fact that she is Hispanic to help energize voters. Their hope is that she will help not only ORourke but candidates in legislative and congressional races, which Democrats have a reasonable chance to win.

I think its well understood in Democratic circles that Lupe Valdez was recruited for a very specific reason, said Democratic consultant Colin Strother, and its not because she has an intricate knowledge of school finance or property tax appraisals.

Instead, Strother said, she adds a lot of value to help energize our base vote, particularly in areas where it doesnt normally come out at a high level in the general election, which is the Hispanic community, particularly in South Texas and along the border.

Thats not a knock against her or her law enforcement experience, which Strother said he respects. But he said its important for Democrats to focus on the races they can win, and no reasonable Texas Democrat should be focused on trying to win statewide this cycle.

The fact is that Lupe Valdez is there to do one thing, which is help energize Hispanic voters in November and get them to turn out, said Strother. Its admirable that she has stepped up to do this. We need her here because she was a great sheriff and shes Hispanic. Thats a reality.

Valdez spokesman Juan Bautista Dominguez called the idea that she didnt get in to beat Abbott nonsense, pointing to a Quinnipiac University poll that showed either of the Democrats within single digits of the incumbent. Dominguez said that called into question the notion that the incumbent is invincible.

But Dominguez added that Valdez is uniquely positioned to build a winning coalition of voters Democrats havent been able to reach in the past and bring together Texans of all backgrounds, including Latino voters.

Some push back heatedly at the suggestion that her surname matters most, including Rep. Diego Bernal of San Antonio, one of a number of Democratic lawmakers who have endorsed Valdez.

I think thats insulting to her. They never say that about white people. They never say, Oh, this Anglo is running to drive up turnout among white people, Bernal said. I reject fully this idea that different rules apply to us than anybody else  Its like white people think white voters are objective, and Latino voters are somehow sheep.

No candidate of substance can run on profile alone, Bernal said. The question assumes, in a way, thats all she is  as if she hasnt spent her entire life in service breaking down barriers and being an officeholder with a tremendous amount of responsibility and policy-making authority.

Valdez, on paper, is a natural to carry a progressive message as a lesbian who has spoken movingly of her decision to come out, as well as the first Hispanic and first woman elected sheriff of Dallas County. She also won the support of Planned Parenthood Texas Votes after White started out the campaign by describing himself as personally pro-life.

But she lost newspaper endorsements to White ahead of the primary election after editorial boards found her lackluster or not sufficiently informed on state issues, and she hasnt filled out details on her stands.

She has sketched out a broad outline: On abortion, she wouldnt tell a woman what to do with her body; she backs equality for LGBTQ Texans; she favors investment in education and access to good health care; and, in response to a jab from Abbott, she declared she would indeed work to eviscerate a sanctuary cities ban he signed into law, which opponents say will inspire fear and lead to profiling.

White knows that he loses the diversity battle of the surnames.

My last name is White, he said. I think the best way to help Beto is with a strong candidate who can organize a campaign, who can raise the money and who can cast a vision. Ive made it clear in this runoff that Im that candidate who can do all three of those things. Thats how we help Beto win.

White makes the argument that as a moderate, he is in line with a majority of Texans, whom he says find themselves in the middle politically.

But his proposals arent necessarily going to stick in voters minds.

His education proposal includes some ideas that previously have been talked about, although not successfully pushed  like authorizing casinos in order to generate revenue for education.

His job-creation plan includes not only self-driving cars  a long-term prospect  but also an at-best-difficult plan to require gas stations to post what percentage of the oil in their fuel was pumped in Texas, with the idea that would prompt drivers to fill up with state-derived fuel and boost state energy jobs.

As for raising campaign cash, the next finance reports arent due until May 14. Neither White nor Valdez had raised much for a statewide race before the March primary, but White had made a $1 million loan to his campaign.

White on Twitter touted a May 3 fundraiser hosted by prominent Houston trial lawyer Richard Mithoff and his wife, Ginni, that is co-hosted by high-profile names including Paul Hobby, son of the former longtime lieutenant governor Bill Hobby, and star criminal defense lawyer Dick DeGuerin.

Abbott, who at last count had more than $41 million in campaign funds on hand, is looking past White to what he presumes will be a general-election battle with Valdez. She and Abbott are trading criticism, and they are making fundraising appeals based on their differences.

The months leading up to November will be a battle with Valdez about whether or not Texas will secure our border and protect our sovereignty, Abbott said on Twitter.

Theyve tangled when Valdez said that she wouldnt comply with all federal requests to detain unauthorized immigrants beyond their release date if they were accused of only minor offenses. She said she still cooperated with the federal government.

As the candidates say they are fighting for the future of Texas, Bernal said that Abbott is looking for an early chance to negatively define Valdez, using her to stoke the same kind of fears about the border, border security and Latinos that the president has.

I see him gearing up to turn her into a villain, as opposed to defending his own record, Bernal said. And I think that were better than that. Lets have a debate on the issues.

Peggy Fikac is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. Read more of her stories here. | pfikac@express-news.net | @pfikacAUSTIN  Former Dallas County sheriff Lupe Valdez says shes fine with the idea of debating Houston businessman Andrew White as they fight for the Democratic nod for governor, particularly if the people want her to do so.

But if youre one of those debate-loving people, its not clear how you would get the message to her.

Valdez came in first in the primary and so is considered the frontrunner in the May 22 runoff. When I asked her about White pressing for a debate, she said that she is devoting her time to listening to voters.

Its more important for me to get out to the voters. Its more important to me to listen to what they have to say. Its more important to me to care about the individual that needs public education, that needs health care. Thats where I need to be, she said.

But she also said she has no problem with a debate if thats what the people want.

How will she know if people want it?

Im not sure, she said. Im sure Ill know when I feel it. Im open to it.

Her spokesman, Juan Bautista Dominguez, said the campaign is actively exploring several proposals and trying to coordinate a time and place that will work.

That coordination, of course, is just part of what goes into a debate. Both candidates will have to prepare for any faceoff, and indications are Valdez will find a debate format riskier.

White gained newspaper endorsements before the primary after Valdez faltered under questioning by editorial boards, including an exchange with the Dallas Morning News in which she offered that she didnt know if the state spends $8 million or $8 billion on border control. Neither figure is correct  its $800 million.

A debate will leave her open to making similar mistakes, or being asked to provide specifics she doesnt yet have on her policy proposals, because she says she wants to call in experts and listen to voters.

White runs the same risk, but he appears certain of the basics and is armed with proposals such as increasing gambling, cutting business tax breaks and shifting money from border security to boost education spending. They appear to be thought-out and likely to earn at least a measure of Democratic support, although its another question entirely whether he could get them approved in a Legislature that is expected to stay majority Republican.

One exception is Whites plan to create a million Texas jobs by requiring gas stations to post signs saying how much of their fuel is made with oil pumped in the state. This is beyond a stretch, as experts have noted. Even if this could make it past energy lobbyists to be signed into law, and big logistical hurdles could somehow be met, its far from clear that people would pay more for gasoline based on its Texas connection.

Most important politically, Valdez could risk giving traction to White with a debate, since he is more in need of exposure more after trailing her in the March primary election. The runoff is required because neither got a majority of the vote, but Valdez racked up 43 percent to 27 percent for White.

Debates are for the media and your opponents, said Democratic consultant Colin Strother said. All they do is give your opponent an opportunity to catch a six-second snippet of you looking at your watch, saying something impertinent or misspeaking somehow.

As for it being good practice for the candidate who will face Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, Strother said thats largely a moot point. The likelihood of any Democrat winning against Greg Abbott in November is slim to none. And reasonable people have to acknowledge that.

Still, there are people besides White who want a debate so interested Democrats can take their measure.

Among them is U.S. Rep. Beto ORourke of El Paso, the star of the Democratic ticket who has gained national attention as he takes on Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz.

I really want to hear how they answer the questions. I want to make an informed decision, and I know other people in Texas do, ORourke said. I think weve got two great candidates. Lets hear what they each have to say on the issues that we care about most.

Peggy Fikac is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. Read more of her stories here. | pfikac@express-news.net | @pfikacWASHINGTON  The nine justices of the U.S. Supreme Court will take their seats Tuesday morning to hear a case that could remake the political map of Texas.

Hidden in the legalese of interlocutory injunctions and statutory defects is this simple question for the justices to dissect: Did the Republican-led state Legislature purposely draw its last legislative and congressional boundaries to subvert the voting power of Latino and African-American voters?

The answer, expected by June, could influence the racial and partisan makeup of the states political districts, culminating a long, high-stakes legal battle that has the potential to turn Texas a little more blue.

A possible finding of voting rights violations also could force the Lone Star State back under federal supervision for future election disputes, a civil rights remedy associated with the states segregationist past. Texas only got removed from federal preclearance requirements in 2013. Restrictions requiring strict federal scrutiny of all elections had been in place since the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

GOP FEARS: Some Texas Republicans say Trump may hurt them, help Democrats in November

The Texas case thus could be in a position to break new ground and will be closely watched for that reason, said legal court analyst Michael Li, writing for the New York University Law School Brennan School of Justice.

Since the states political boundaries came under challenge after the 2010 census, the case has involved at least 10 different plaintiff groups, the Justice Department, two Texas governors and several alliances of African-American and Hispanic voters.

They silenced the voices of minorities at the ballot box, said Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa, accusing Republicans of stacking the deck by drawing lines to both pack together and separate people of color to dilute their voting strength.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, in a recent statement welcoming the Supreme Court review, called a lower courts decision invalidating parts of the current district maps inexplicable and indefensible.

State Republican Party Chairman James Dickey argued that Texas political boundaries were fairly drawn and that it would take some serious overreach to redraw them.

Questions of legislative gerrymandering  drawing oddly configured district lines for partisan advantage  have been around since the dawn of the Republic. But the issue has reached a political crescendo this year as the electoral maps of at least eight states have been involved in redistricting litigation.

This week, Texas will move to center stage as the Supreme Court takes up Abbott v. Perez, a gerrymandering case that adds a racial overlay to the usual partisan redistricting narrative.

The Supreme Court also has taken up closely-watched cases from Wisconsin and Maryland  both allege partisan gerrymandering, by Republicans in Wisconsin, and by Democrats in Maryland.

WHY IT WORKS: Texas incumbents rarely lose

Nobody knows where the high court is headed with this cluster of redistricting cases, though some analysts suggest that alleged racial discrimination might be easier to remedy than discrimination based on party affiliation alone.

The Supreme Court threw out a GOP-drawn congressional map in North Carolina last year on racial grounds. But in past court rulings, the justices have expressed deep reservations about wading into the battles between Democrats and Republicans.

When it comes to raw partisanship, few legislative exercises match the smash-mouth brinksmanship drawing political boundaries after each decades national census. Texas might have set a new standard in 2003 when then-U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay of Sugar Land led an unusual mid-census redistricting push. That battle saw outnumbered Democrats in Austin flee the state to deny their Republican counterparts a quorum in the Texas House.

DeLays gambit ultimately worked. The number of Republicans in the states congressional delegation went from 16 to 21, helping cement DeLays position in the House leadership. Since the 2010 census, new redistricting maps have helped the GOP win 25 of the states 36 current congressional seats.

The new maps, first drawn in 2011  and then again in 2013 under court order  are the starting point of the case now going before the Supreme Court.

Minority groups say both violate federal law.

Deja vu all over again

If theres a sense of deja vu in this case, its because the 2003 maps also wound up before the high court, along with questions about diluting the voting strength of minorities. But the 2003 redistricting largely held up, with adjustments being ordered only to the majority-Hispanic Texas 23rd congressional district, now represented by Republican Will Hurd.

The new Texas challenge reflects a continuing search for what Justice Anthony Kennedy once called a workable standard for curbing aggressive gerrymandering. The standard remains elusive. And it is Kennedy who, once again, may be a pivotal vote in the latest Texas challenge.

No matter what the court decides, legislative veterans say its hard to keep the politics out. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, who chaired Texas legislative redistricting board in 2000, called it an inherently a political process, adding, Its just hard to know what alternative might be available.

One defense that might be used by the state is that it was pure partisan politics, not racial discrimination, that drove the configuration of the states current boundaries.

OPINION: Texans are in the mood to vote without meddling from anyone

The justices will be picking up the pieces from a pair of lower court rulings, including the decision of a three-judge panel in San Antonio which invalidated the boundaries of a pair of congressional districts and nine Texas House districts.

The congressional districts in question are District 27, centered on Corpus Christi, and District 35, a narrow stretch running from Austin to San Antonio - derisively called the fajita strip for its large concentration of Hispanics.

In addition to the two congressional districts, the case involves nine Texas House seats where a federal court ruled lawmakers diluted the strength of minority voters. Five of those districts are in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.. Bell County, south of Waco, and Corpus Christis Nueces County each have two districts that could be redrawn pending the outcome of the case.

If the U.S. Supreme Court rules against Texas, it could mean the creation of three Latino state House districts, said Jose Garza, a voting rights attorney for the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, one of the parties to the suit.

The number of districts that could be redrawn represents a small fraction of the 150 state house districts, although boundaries for nearby districts could be affected. However, the changes would not alter the balance of power in the Texas House where Republicans outnumber Democrats nearly 2 to 1.

But even if the case doesnt alter Texas overall GOP partisan advantage, it could set the stage for reform in how lines are drawn.

People are really frustrated about politicians choosing their constituents, whether theyre Republicans, Independents or Democrats, said Rep. Rafael Anchia, Dallas Democrat who represents one of the districts subject in the lawsuit.

BATTLE FOR TEXAS: Obama, Texas GOP prepare for battle over 2021 redistricting

In Congress, Democrats believe that a more representative distribution of minority voters could help them win two or three more House seats. But that is a distant hope.

U.S. Rep. Republican Blake Farenthold, a Republican facing a congressional ethics investigation for sexual harassment, recently resigned the District 27 seat, though as currently drawn it is still considered a safe GOP district. Democrat Lloyd Doggett now represents the 35th congressional district, a safe Democratic seat.

Also contested was Hurds 23rd congressional district, though the lower courts said that one can stand.

Ripple effect

While the battleground may be limited, any changes to the districts under challenge also could have ripple effects in their surrounding districts if the courts require them to be redrawn.

The high court in September blocked the lower court rulings requiring that the challenged districts be redrawn for the 2018 elections, a temporary victory for Republicans who have defended the maps.

The challengers  including the NAACP and the Mexican American Legislative Caucus  hinge their case heavily on the states rapid population growth between 2000 and 2010, the bulk of which was Latinos and African-Americans. Texas gained four congressional seats from the 2010 census, but Democrats contend that the Legislatures newly-drawn districts intentionally diluted the voting strength of the states minority population.

Its important for the political process in Texas that ultimately they draw fair districts, which means that as the population changes and grows, the political jurisdictions reflect the people in those districts, said U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, who represents a majority-minority district in central Houston.

IN PENNSYLVANIA: Court throws out congressional boundaries

The states GOP leaders have questioned in their court filings how the current interim maps can be construed as an unconstitutional when they were redrawn under court order. The plaintiffs have not come close to satisfying their burden of proving that the Legislature enacted the district courts own maps in a sinister effort to discriminate against minority voters, the state wrote in a brief submitted by Texas Solicitor General Scott Keller, former chief counsel to U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz.

Cruz was the states solicitor general in 2006 and made the arguments for Texas that years redistricting case before the Supreme Court.

Lawyers for the groups alleging discrimination have sided with the lower court rulings that in revising their district boundaries, Texas lawmakers failed to remove the purported discriminatory taint from the provisional court-imposed plans. For example, they noted that that two congressional districts under challenge remained identical from 2011 maps to the 2013 court-ordered revisions.

In the States telling, there was a brief, shining moment in 2013 when Texas history reversed course and the Texas Legislature fell all over itself to conform state conduct to a federal courts provisional observations, the challengers said. The district court rightly saw through the 2013 masquerade.

Whichever way the court rules, the redistricting saga is unlikely to end soon.

The 2020 census is now less than two years away, which will begin the next redistricting battle.

Andrea Zelinski contributed to this report.

kevin.diaz@chron.com

twitter.com/diazchronLooking for a loan? Bank locally. Need the best return on your investment? Look elsewhere.

The conservative nature of Connecticut-based banks has caused them to lag the nation in areas such as return on equity and interest margin, but outpace the country in loan quality, according to a Fitch Ratings report released this month.

Connecticut lags on some traditional bank measures, Christopher Wolfe, managing director of Fitchs Financial Institutions division, said. Loan quality tends to perform better, but profitability and capital seem to be below the national average.

While Connecticut has closed the gap between 2013 and 2017  the years analyzed for the report  on return on average assets, it continues to trail by a large margin in return on equity. In 2017, the national average return on equity was 8 percent compared to 5 percent percent for Connecticut.

Anthony Giobbi, chief banking officer at Newtown Savings Bank, and Richard A. Muskus, Jr., president of Stamford-based Patriot Bank, said Connecticuts competitive banking market also results in smaller profit margins.

The main reason why smaller community banks in Connecticut may face smaller margins as compared to larger regional or national banks is competition, Muskus said. This stems to both deposits and loans where deposit acquisition is facing pressure from a rate perspective, so higher rates are needed to attract those deposits.

Muskus said competitive loan rates and multiple banks in the mix can put pressure on net interest margins and potentially force banks to seek yield in other places, potentially increasing risk as a result.

Financial technology companies entering the commercial lending market add a new type of competition, Muskus said.

Its competitive dynamics, Wolfe said. If there are alternatives then banks may have to accept lower rates, making the margins thinner.

Giobbi pointed out there are 60 banks offering services in Connecticut, including 41 based in the state.

There are 1,182 bank branches in a state with between 3.5 and 3.6 million people, he said. When you do the math, theres a lot of banks.

Giobbi said Connecticuts high cost of living and of doing business affect the bottom line, as well.

Wolfe agreed, noting that lower profits stem from charging less to borrow and paying more for the money to lend.

Michael Sheperd, associate director at Fitch Financial Institutions, said shareholders typically look for a 10 percent return on equity. The national average is 8 percent, while Connecticut banks return on equity is about 5 percent, up from 3 percent in 2013.

Even the national banks are below that hypothetical threshold, but Connecticut banks are even lower, Sheperd said.

The trade-off to lower profits are higher-quality loans with fewer defaults and charge-offs, or debts that likely will not be collected. The report found that Connecticut outperformed other banks in net charge-offs and Fitch NPA (non-performing assets) Ratio.

In 2013, Connecticut banks net charge-off percentage of 0.13 far outpaced the national average of 0.31 percent. Last year the gap had closed to 0.12 percent for Connecticut and 0.17 for the other banks.

There is a lower rate of problem assets because banks in New England in general, and Connecticut in particular, are a little more conservative, Giobbi said, adding that the region withstood the 2008 real estate bubble burst better than the nation. The problems happened to a lot lesser extent in Connecticut. As a result (of the conservative nature of banks in the state), we have better-performing portfolios. You have to look at banks on a risk-adjusted basis. If theres lower risk, theres lower return.

Giobbi said his bank will rarely lower its rate to the point of being risky, despite the intense competition in the state.

We hold the line on price, he said. We arent going to chase a deal based on price.

Muskus added: At Patriot we maintain very structured underwriting guidelines that manage risk extremely well. Most of our Connecticut peer banks share the same general credit philosophy and approach, and as a result are able to enjoy higher-quality loan portfolio metrics and lower defaults.

Wolfe said Fitchs outlook for U.S. banks is stable with little upward or downward movement for the rest of 2018. Fitch does not rate individual states, but Wolfe expects Connecticut to hold course, as well.

Don Klepper-Smith, chief economist and director of research at DataCore Partners, said the report mirrors Connecticuts economy.

The two go hand in hand. Connecticut ranked 43rd in job performance last year, up only 0.1 percent, while consumer spending power as measured by real disposable income actually fell fractionally, he said. That said, it makes sense that Connecticut bank profits were challenged in the process due to lackluster economic activity.

On the plus side, were still at the top on income per capita metrics and greater overall wealth, he said. That would imply better loan quality, and thats exactly what we saw.

The writer may be reached at cbosak@hearstmediact.com; 203-731-3338It is one of the greatest American pastimes  fishing. Just ask my husband, fishing is right up there with God and family.

Even in Ohio, as long as a pond is properly stocked and maintained, you can find some pretty decent fishing spots.

Many soil and water conservation districts are holding their annual spring fish sales so that their residents can stock their ponds. But when is the best time to stock your pond? Some will say in the fall so the fish can acclimate to the climate, however, you can stock your ponds in the spring or in the fall.

Quite honestly, for recreational purposes, spring is a pretty good time of the year. And whether your pond is new or old, populations need to be replenished to optimize your fishing experience.

What to stock?

We encourage stocking your new or reconditioned ponds with the SWCDs fingerling fish such as largemouth bass, channel catfish and bluegills. Not only are fingerlings less expensive, but they are also recommended, as they do not lead to an unbalanced fish population.

For older ponds, we strongly encourage you to inventory the fish species in your pond, along with the size and age of your existing fish, as that will determine what species, amounts and size you should restock in your pond.

In addition to the sport fish, you will want to stock or restock fish species that are food sources for your sport species.

When purchasing fish from your local SWCD it is always recommended that you bring water from your pond in a large plastic trash bag lining a tote. Once the fish are placed in the bags for transportation, the bags can then be filled with oxygen and sealed so that you can safely and carefully transport your new species back to your pond.

Catch and release

And I know once you get those fish home, you are going to be anxious to go fishing. However, you must keep in mind good pond management practices. Largemouth bass and bluegills should be allowed to remain in your pond for at least three years so that they can grow and reproduce.

If you do decide to begin fishing before then, please practice the art of catch and release.

Also, pond owners do not want to overharvest their ponds because that can result in several problems  one being an unbalanced fish population.

Whats in your pond

There are a variety of ways a pond owner can track their fish population. You can keep a diary of what you catch and release, and choose not to release. Angler diaries are a great way to assist with pond management, fish populations and the quality of fishing within their pond.

Seining is a low-cost way of determining a ponds fish population. Utilizing a seine along the shoreline to catch newly hatched fish in late June or early July will give the pond owner an indication of their ponds fish population and spawning status.

With this information, a pond owner will know what needs to be restocked to balance the species population. The absence of or low numbers of young largemouth bass or small bluegills in the seine will alert the pond owner that the fish population needs to be adjusted and restocking needs to take place.

The SWCDs work with the best fish hatcheries in Ohio and also rely on the valuable information provided by our friends at Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife. I have looked to ODNRs Ohio Pond Management book for insight to help my local constituents with all of their pond needs. you can find the divisions newly revised book at https://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov.

I hope to see you all out fishing one day  it is great way to spend time with family and friends.Rent rises are predominantly static at the moment in the face of Brexit uncertainty, says the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA).

James Gray, TFA national chairman, told FarmingUK that most members were seeing little increase in farm rents, although there was evidence of some new tenants being prepared to pay over the odds to get a foot in the door.

"Our members' evidence on renewals is that they are not moving up. They are going nowhere at the moment," Mr Gray said.

The evidence from TFA members is slightly at odds with latest statistics released by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

Although the Defra figures are for last year - 2016-17 - they indicate that farm business tenancy (FBT) agreements were up by four per cent compared with the year before.

The average FBT rent in England was 219 per hectare, according to the farm business survey for England. Full agricultural tenancy (FAT) agreements were up one per cent at 181 per hectare. Average seasonal agreement rents were 149 per hectare in 2016-17 - down from 162 the previous year.

'Considerable variation'

James Gray said that rent levels could vary wildly from region to region in the United Kingdom and according to the type of land involved. This was reflected in the farm business survey report.

The report said that average rents tended to be higher for FBTs than for FATs, and to be higher in the East of England, East Midlands and West Midlands than in other regions. "There is considerable variation in rents at agreement level," it said.

"This reflects factors such as the quality of the land and that agreements may be for land only or may also include any combination of dwellings, buildings and other assets." Lowest rents were in the North West of England.

Whilst the Defra figures are from last year, the TFA is basing its evidence on regular reports from its members, so may be more up-to-date than the official figures.

"We get our evidence from members," said James Gray. "We have a rent database. When members settle with landlords we ask them to report in so that we know where rents are, rather than relying on anecdotal evidence. Our members' evidence is that they are not moving up. They are going nowhere at the moment."

'At odds'

He said that this seemed at odds with the Defra figures but one possible explanation was that there was anecdotal evidence of some very high levels being settled involving new tenancies.

"It is upsetting to see some of the figures people are prepared to pay to get onto the land," he said.

There was some evidence of individuals being prepared to pay far above the average rate at the moment, he said. "But we are not seeing these increases when it comes to renewals.

"It is difficult to escape the feeling that some agencies may be looking to crank up rents ahead of Brexit knowing that the figures are likely to fall back after Brexit.

"It is not wise for tenants to be settling at the moment, particularly with so many uncertainties." He said it was still unknown what any Brexit deal would look like and farmers were still not sure about what would replace CAP after the UK withdrew.

His words of caution were echoed by TFA chief executive George Dunn, who said: With all of the current uncertainty surrounding Brexit and future farm policy, now is not the time to be seeking increases in farm rents and it is pleasing to hear that most landlords are responding positively to calls for rent reviews to be put on hold for at least a further year.

With Brexit now just a year away, the right time to be looking at farm rents would be the autumn of 2019 or the spring of 2020," he said.

Abstain

The TFA welcomed the decision by the majority of its members landlords to abstain from rent hikes in the normal round of spring farm rent reviews this year, although it has said it was concerned to hear of a number of individual cases where landlords and national firms of agents were pushing ahead with what it described as unsustainable rent demands.

We are hearing some cases where landlords are pressing tenants to agree to rent increases and threatening arbitration if agreement cannot be reached," said George Dunn.

"Each case needs to be looked at on its merits, but we are advising our members not to agree to unnecessary rent increases.

He said: The rent review date is only the point at which either the landlord and tenant have to agree or an application has been made for the appointment of an arbitrator.

"The application for an appointment of an arbitrator does not mean that the dispute will proceed to arbitration.

"In well over 90 per cent of the cases where an arbitrator is appointed, rents are still agreed between the parties. The application for the appointment merely extends the time available for negotiations, he said.

Rather than having a sterile debate about levels of rent the TFA is encouraging both landlords and tenants to be engaging in dialogue to put in place plans for the post Brexit era.

"Change is coming and is coming fast and landlords and tenants must have a shared vision for addressing that change into the long term."A team of C-60 commandos, a specialised combat unit of the Gadchiroli police, carried out the operation.

Mumbai: Fourteen Naxals were killed in an encounter with the police in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district on Sunday, a senior official said.

He said a team of C-60 commandos, a specialised combat unit of the Gadchiroli police, carried out the operation.

"Fourteen Naxals were killed in the encounter. Combing operations are still on," Sharad Shelar, Inspector General of Police, said.

He said the combing operation, which started in the morning, was currently underway at Tadgaon forest in Bhamragad, around 750 kilometres from Mumbai.

The official said that two district-level "commanders"of the proscribed outfit, identified as Sainath and Sainyu, were among those killed in the encounter.

Director General of Police Satish Mathur congratulated the C-60 team which participated in the encounter.

"This is a major operation against Naxals in recent times," Mathur told PTI.The Centre's new draft rules governing the country's coastline have evoked a mixed reaction in Goa where environmentalists expressed concern over the norms while shack owners said their business will get a boost.

Panaji: The Centre's new draft rules governing the country's coastline have evoked a mixed reaction in Goa where environmentalists expressed concern over the norms while shack owners said their business will get a boost.

Early this week, the environment ministry issued the draft Coastal Zone Regulation (CRZ) Notification, 2018.

The notification, which proposes expanding the land area for development activities and tourism infrastructure while also simplifying the procedure for CRZ clearances, has been uploaded on the ministry"s website for public comments.

It has classified areas with a population density of more than 2,161 per square kilometres as per 2011 Census as CRZ-III. In such areas, `no development zone (NDZ)' measured from the high tide line on the landward side has been reduced to 50 metres from the existing 200 metres from the HTL.

In areas with a population density of less than 2,161 per square kilometres, designated as CRZ-III B, the NDZ continues to be 200 metres from the high tide line (HTL).

However, the NDZ shall not be applicable in areas falling within notified port limits.

"Temporary tourism facilities shall be permissible in the NDZ of CRZ-III areas. Such temporary facilities shall only include shacks, toilets, washrooms, changing rooms, shower panels, walk ways.

"Such facilities shall, however, be permitted only subject to the tourism plan featuring in the approved Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP)," the notification said.

The notification has allowed local communities, including fishermen, to facilitate tourism through `homestay' without changing the plinth area or design of facade of the existing houses.

The rules, if implemented in the current form, are likely to change the way Goa's 105-kilometre-long beach front looks.

Shack owners, who account for most of the economic activity in the coastal belt, have said the draft rules would help their business to a certain extent. Environmentalists, however, have expressed concern over the draft.

Antonio Mascarenhas, a former scientist with the CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), said the draft rules give a "blanket permission" to shacks (temporary huts on coast which sell certain food items) to come closer to beaches.

The presence of these structures has already started affecting the frontal dunes which would be destroyed further if these draft rules are implemented, he maintained.

"They would be detrimental to the state's ecology," he said, adding the draft rules have no scientific validity.

Mascarenhas said the issue of sand dunes has been given the least priority in the notification.

"Special emphasis should be laid on the ecological and geological role as well as functions of the coastal ecosystem, particularly beach dunes. These are more sensitive and more prone to human action," he said.

President of the Shack Owners' Welfare Society Cruz Cardoso said the proposed rules will help shacks on private properties, which were earlier facing hindrances.

"Seasonal beach shacks won't see any impact as they are already on the seafront," he said.

"Private shack owners had been demanding that the NDZ be reduced from 200 metres to 50 metres (from HTL) and this has been incorporated in the draft notification," he said.

Cardoso said Goa has 250 private beach shacks and around 360 seasonal ones (which are erected for certain months).DCW chief Swati Maliwal on Sunday ended her hunger strike after President Ram Nath Kovind promulgated an ordinance to give stringent punishment, including death penalty, for those convicted of raping girls below 12 years. She was on the hunger strike for the last 10 days at Rajghat.

New Delhi: DCW chief Swati Maliwal on Sunday ended her hunger strike after President Ram Nath Kovind promulgated an ordinance to give stringent punishment, including death penalty, for those convicted of raping girls below 12 years. She was on the hunger strike for the last 10 days at Rajghat.

As she congratulated the people for the ordinance, Maliwal noted that very few protests had achieved so much in such less time, and termed the government's decision a "historic victory" for independent India.

According to the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance 2018, new fast-track courts will be set up to deal with rape cases and special forensic kits will be provided to all police stations and hospitals in the long run. The ordinance stipulates stringent punishment for perpetrators of rape, particularly of girls below 12 and 16 years. The death sentence has been provided for rapists of girls under 12 years, officials said while quoting the ordinance.

The minimum punishment in case of rape of women has been increased from the rigorous imprisonment of seven years to 10 years, extendable to life imprisonment, they said. In case of rape of a girl under 16 years, the minimum punishment has been increased from 10 to 20 years, extendable to life imprisonment.

The punishment for the gangrape of a girl below 16 years will invariably be imprisonment for the rest of life, the officials said.

Stringent punishment for rape of a girl under 12 years has been provided with the minimum jail term being 20 years which may go up to life in prison or death sentence, they added. Ending her fast, Maliwal said, "Every day children aged three, four or six years are getting raped in a brutal manner. I wrote letters and issued notices. I even submitted 5.5 lakh letters written by citizens to the prime minister but in vain.

"After which, I decided to sit on a hunger strike. There was no strategy, but gradually people joined the movement across the country. It gained such a momentum that the prime minister after returning to India had to make an amendment in the law. I congratulate the people of India for this victory," she said.

The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief had been demanding death penalty for rape of minors and setting up of fast-track courts across the country to try rape cases, along with other demands.

Amid a nationwide outrage over cases of sexual assault on girls and women at Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir, Surat in Gujarat and Unnao in Uttar Pradesh, the Union cabinet had yesterday approved the ordinance to provide stringent punishment, including death penalty, for those convicted of raping girls below the age of 12 years.

Maliwal had yesterday written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioning her six demands, including the passage of the ordinance, recruitment of police personnel as per the United Nations standards and fixing accountability of the police force.

She had also sought that files relating to the recruitment of 14,000 police personnel - approved by the Union home ministry but pending with the finance ministry be cleared. Maliwal also put forth her demand for constitution of a high-level committee, comprising Delhi chief minister, home minister and Lieutenant Governor to review safety of women in the national capital.Swati Maliwal, whose indefinite hunger strike to demand death for rapists of children continued for the ninth day on Saturday, said she would end her fast at 2 pm on Sunday

New Delhi: Delhi Commission for Women Chairperson Swati Maliwal, whose indefinite hunger strike to demand death for rapists of children continued for the ninth day on Saturday, said she would end her fast at 2 pm on Sunday.

"I'm ending the fast, but the struggle will go on," the Aam Aadmi Party leader said while announcing her decision.

Earlier in the day, she said that she would continue her fast till the time an ordinance on the death penalty for rapists of children below the age of 12  which was approved by the Union Cabinet on Saturday  is not promulgated.

Maliwal has been on fast since 13 April in support of her demand in the wake of rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua in January and other similar crime elsewhere.

Welcoming the Cabinet's decision to approve the ordinance, Maliwal, said: "Until something concrete happens, I will not give up. Until a system is there to ensure safety of the last girl, I won't give up."

"When the prime minister can suddenly bring an ordinance without anybody knowing about it, when he can implement such a big project, then why can't he do these few things? Till the time these are not done, my fast will not end," she said and demanded the ordinance be immediately issued.

The DCW chief said: "I am happy that though, after nine days, the central government has taken the first step to (propose) death to rapists of small children within six months," she said and also appreciated the Centre's plan to increase the number of fast-track courts in the country to help avoid delay in justice in such cases.

However, Maliwal wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday on her other demands.

She said that just changing the law was not enough, its implementation was more important. Even more important was raising police resources and their accountability, she added.

"If police resources and their accountability is not increased, then do whatever, rapes will not stop," Maliwal said, adding that it was the Prime Minister's duty to determine police resources and accountability.

She said for the last 10 years, Delhi Police has been demanding 66,000 police personnel but nothing had happened till date. The direct impact of this is borne by the public, she said.

Police is only able to do VIP duties, not of the public and most police stations have less than half of the required strength, the DCW chief said.A member of Vishwa Hindu Parishad has drawn flak on social media after he recently tweeted about cancelling his Ola cab ride because the driver was a Muslim.

On Sunday, a Lucknow man claiming to be associated with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) tweeted about cancelling his Ola cab ride because the driver was Muslim.

Abhishek Mishra, who describes himself on his Twitter handle as a "Hindutva Thinker, digital and social media advisor, Vishwa Hindu Parishad," tweeted:

Cancelled @Olacabs Booking because Driver was Muslim. I don't want to give my money to Jihadi People. pic.twitter.com/1IIf4LlTZL  Abhishek Mishra (@Abhishek_Mshra) April 20, 2018

According to a report in Outlook, Mishra, who has a verified Twitter handle, is followed on social media by ministers of the Union Cabinet, including Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan. Mishra's tweet drew condemnation by other Twitter users including Congress MP Shashi Tharoor:

I remember an India where people who thought this way would have been ostracized rather than admired &"followed". We need to #BringIndiannessBack. https://t.co/410oU4JVuR  Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) April 22, 2018

Other Twitter users asked Ola and Twitter to take action against Mishra :

Shame on you and your distorted, sick mind.    Rahul Dev (@rahuldev2) April 22, 2018

Dont discriminate based on religion. When I get Hindu driver or Christian or whatever doesnt matter. Use your drive as an opportunity to connect with your community, not divide. Im sure the driver and you have more in common than you think.  Kamz K (@TuneInfinity) April 21, 2018

Dear @Olacabs you need to block this man from using your services because the safety of your drivers is at risk. Kindly take action.  Empowering Goa (@EmpoweringGoa) April 22, 2018

People like him are the real threat to our nation. This is not what we the Indians feel. Hate and hatred has no place in our society.  vibin (@vibin1245) April 22, 2018

@Uber_Support @Olacabs and @Twitter does this person deserve to be given right to use services provided by your organization, his views and vitriol is repugnant.  Fawad Khan (@Fawadnk) April 22, 2018

Mishra later posted another tweet defending himself:

People starts attack on me. Can I have no right to choose ? If they can run a campaign against Hanuman ji poster on cab, defamed Hindus and Hindus god in Kathua incident then they must be prepared for reply. https://t.co/GEWUVRvtwL  Abhishek Mishra (@Abhishek_Mshra) April 22, 2018

An Ola spokesperson, speaking to Firstpost, said, "The company does not subscribe to the views of individuals who want to create disharmony by using our platform". Ola also replied to Mishra's tweet:

Ola, like our country, is a secular platform, and we don't discriminate our driver partners or customers basis their caste, religion, gender or creed. We urge all our customers and driver partners to treat each other with respect at all times.  Ola (@Olacabs) April 22, 2018

According to a report in DNA, the company also stood up for its drivers in 2015 after one user asked for a Hindu driver. Ola shot back: Sorry, we do not discriminate against our drivers on the basis of their religion, according to the DNA report.Global rights groups, the Amnesty International and the CRY have termed the Union Cabinet's decision to introduce death penalty for rape of children below the age of 12 years a 'knee-jerk reaction'

New Delhi: Global rights groups, the Amnesty International and the CRY have termed the Union Cabinet's decision to introduce death penalty for rape of children below the age of 12 years a "knee-jerk reaction" and said it could possibly be a threat to the judicial process.

They said the government must ensure implementation of existing laws to protect children from sexual abuse instead of introducing the death penalty.

The government's decision to introduce death penalty through an ordinance is a knee-jerk reaction that diverts attention from the poor implementation of laws on rape and child protection.

"Studies have shown that most perpetrators are 'known' to child victims  introducing the death penalty in such circumstances will only silence and further endanger children. Both the Justice Verma Committee and India's Law Commission have questioned the deterrent value of death penalty in preventing crimes, Asmita Basu, Programmes Director, Amnesty International India, said in a statement.

She said the government must instead allocate "adequate resources for the effective implementation of existing laws, improve conviction rates and ensure that justice is done in all cases of child abuse."

"The President must not approve this regressive ordinance, as it does little to promote the best interests of children," she said.

The ordinance comes in response to nationwide protests against the alleged gang-rape and murder of an eight year old girl in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua region.

The ordinance will amend the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Evidence Act, the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act to introduce a new provision to sentence convicts of such crimes to the punishment of death.

Another NGO, the Child Rights and You (CRY) said violence against children needs to be curbed but this ordinance comes as a "knee-jerk" reaction and may pose a threat to the judicial process.

It is beyond debate that state had to act in order to curb violence against children, however, this ordinance does come as a knee-jerk reaction and may pose a threat to the judicial process.

"As in 95 percent of such cases children are assaulted by the people they know (Data source: NCRB 2014), there is a high probability of under reporting of sexual offences against children and that of justice never been able to penetrate thick walls of homes and neighbourhoods," said Komal Ganotra, Director of Policy and Advocacy at CRY.

They urged the government to address the bigger challenge on hand in carrying out investments in preventive mechanisms to make children safe at all the spaces  homes, schools, neighbourhood, parks, roads.

The National Crime Records Bureau's Crime in India report, 2016, highlighted that only 28.2 percent of the child sexual abuse cases brought to trial have resulted in convictions.

Despite the low conviction rates, recently four Indian states, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana and Arunachal Pradesh, have introduced the death penalty for the rape of girls below the age of 12 years.Kafeel Khan, an accused in the Gorakhpur tragedy, has written a disheartened letter from jail, claiming that he has been made a 'scapegoat.'

In the aftermath of the Gorkhpur hospital tragedy in August 2017, Dr Kafeel Khan was hailed in the media as a hero for arranging oxygen cylinders and preventing many deaths. Eight months later, Khan has written a disheartened letter from jail, claiming that he has been made a 'scapegoat' for an administrative failure.

Dr Kafeel is among the nine accused in the BRD Medical College and Hospital case where 63 children died within four days in 2017, due to disruption in supply of oxygen to the hospital owing to non-payment of dues to the vendor.

His letter from jail was released to the media on Saturday by his wife Shabista in Delhi, according to several media reports.

According to a report The Indian Express, the letter reads, "The moment I got that WhatsApp message on that fateful night, I did everything a doctor, a father, a responsible citizen of India would/should do." He added that he tried to save each and every life.

Khan's letter also recounts his encounter with Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath after the tragedy. As per a report in The Wire, he described the meeting in this manner 

"He asked, 'So you are Dr Kafeel? You arranged the cylinders?'

"'Yes sir.'"

He got angry, 'So you think by arranging cylinders you became a hero? I will see it'.

Khan is also reported to have spoken about abominable conditions in the jail, with 150 inmates cramped in one room. He also said that there are "millions of mosquitoes at night and thousands of flies in the day. Trying to swallow food to live, bathe half-naked with shit in the toilet with a broken door".

On 19 April, after getting his tests done, Khan had a brief interaction with the media during which he said, "It is a complete administrative failure and I have been framed. When the budget was not released from the higher level, from where could the payment have been made (for oxygen cylinders)?"

However, soon afterwards, the police bundled him into a vehicle and he was not able to answer as to why he did not get bail despite Manish Bhandari, the director of oxygen supplier firm Pushpa Sales, having got relief.

The state-run BRD Medical College is the single largest government-aided facility in Gorakhpur which also attends to the patients from nearby areas like Maharajganj, Deoria, Kushinagar, Basti, Siddharthnagar, Sant Kabirnagar, Ballia, certain areas of Bihar like Gopalganj and Siwan, besides border areas in neighbouring Nepal.

With inputs from PTIM Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday set in motion the process of consultation on the impeachment notice against Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra.

New Delhi: Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu set in motion the process of consultation on the impeachment notice against Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and held discussions with constitutional and legal experts, including Attorney General KK Venugopal, on Sunday. Naidu cut short his visit to Hyderabad and reached Delhi to hold deliberations over the notice given by the seven Opposition parties.

According to officials, Naidu on Sunday spoke to former Lok Sabha secretary general Subhash Kashyap, ex-law secretary PK Malhotra and former legislative secretary Sanjay Singh on the issue.

He also held deliberations with senior officials of the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, the officials said, adding that Naidu also spoke to former Supreme Court judge B Sudarshan Reddy.

The officials said the vice-president also spoke to the Attorney General on the issue.

Leaders of the Opposition parties had on Friday met Naidu and handed over the notice of impeachment against the chief justice of India (CJI) bearing signatures of 64 MPs and seven former members, who recently retired.

The Opposition parties, led by the Congress, initiated the unprecedented step to impeach the CJI by moving the notice levelling charges against him. The parties had briefed the media after handing over the notice to the Upper House chairman.

While reviewing the notice, the Rajya Sabha officials had mentioned that making public the contents of a notice before it is admitted by the chair is in violation of parliamentary rules.

According to the provisions in the handbook for Rajya Sabha members, no advance publicity should be given to any notice to be taken up in the House till it is admitted by the chairman.

The move to propose impeachment notice against the CJI has led to a slugfest between the Congress and the BJP.

Meanwhile, the Congress said that the CJI should considering recusing himself from judicial and administrative duties until his name is cleared.

The BJP has said the Congress was trying to demean, degrade and denigrate the judiciary by moving the notice.The post-colonial tradition of the Indian subcontinent has been one of religious and ethnic majorities ganging up against the minorities.

The post-colonial tradition of the Indian subcontinent has been one of religious and ethnic majorities ganging up against the minorities.

In Sri Lanka, the mostly Buddhist Sinhala speakers fought Lankas Tamils over religion and language. In India, we wonder how Buddhists and Hindus can have disputes, but that is the nature of majoritarianism. It always finds an enemy.

The Lanka civil war lasted over a quarter century and killed a lakh people, including several Lankan leaders and Indias Rajiv Gandhi. It ended with a horrific attack on camps that included civilians.

In Bangladesh, the initial nationalism was based on language and unified Bengali Muslims and Hindus against West Pakistans militarism and imposition of Urdu. Surprisingly, MA Jinnah, a Gujarati who himself spoke almost no Urdu, wanted it imposed on the Bengalis.

The violence the resistance produced expelled the West Pakistan army with the help of India in 1971. Unfortunately, one aspect of Bangladeshi nationalism then became religious. Attempts were made and continue to be made to Islamise their Constitution. The division of the polity has become secular versus communal. Secular in this case means the Muslim party that wants to accommodate Hindus and communal is the Muslim party that sides with religious extremists like Jamaat-e-Islami. It is that 10 percent or so of the minority population that takes up much of the focus of mainstream politics. We are of course familiar with this formulation.

In Pakistan, the initial majoritarianism was sought to be curbed by Jinnah. With the Punjabi Muslims of Lahore refusing to accept North Indian Muslim refugees coming from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, these families settled in Karachi. Violence began against the urban and well-off Hindu population of that city, whom we know today as our Sindhis. Jinnah made a few speeches that first attempted to stop the Hindus from leaving, because he wanted minorities to remain. But he was overwhelmed by the violence and then gave up tying to stop the Sindhis from migrating, blaming India for his problems.

Jinnah had made a famous speech a few days before independence in which he indicated that he wanted a secular Constitution. Jinnah said that the state should not recognise the citizen based on religion and stressed equality under the law.

He died a year later, having ruled with absolute authority and before the constituent assembly could really shape the laws. After his death, the natural trajectory of the Pakistan movement took over and the laws began to be Islamised. Under Ayub Khan in the 1960s, it was written that no non-Muslim could be Pakistans president. Under ZA Bhutto in the 1970s, a law came that banned non-Muslims from the post of prime minister.

Under Zia-ul-Haq in the 1980s, came a flurry of Islamic laws, including whipping people for drinking alcohol, putting rape victims in jail if they could not prove the crime, and allowing murderers to escape if they paid the victims family blood money.

In the 1990s, Nawaz Sharif attempted to pass an Islamic law, the infamous 15th amendment, that would make him a permanent ruler. Such fervour also touched the rest of the polity.

A little later, Pakistans Supreme Court banned banks from charging interest, saying it was un-Islamic. Sharif was removed from office recently and banned permanently from politics by the Supreme Court. It used a law that specifies that leaders should be good Muslims.

India was fortunate to be led for the first few decades by a party, Nehrus Congress, that was inclusive. Our Constitution has some upper caste Hindu majoritarian aspects, particularly in its Part IV, the directive principles, such as touching upon cattle slaughter and prohibition of alcohol (strongly resisted by Congressmen who took the Adivasi perspective). But for the most part, the Constitution is a truly secular document and the best produced in South Asia. Nehrus and the Congress inclusive instinct did not end there.

Today, Indias prime minister tells the world that he has given more respect to Ambedkar than Congress. But the fact is that it was the Congress that gave Ambedkar the position in the Constituent Assembly and the Cabinet, despite his losing elections. Despite having a two-thirds majority, Nehru also accommodated SP Mookerjee, the Jana Sangh leader.

The first few decades of Congress rule hid the fact that we Indians are also like our brothers in Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan. We have a majoritarian instinct that is powerful and that is today asserting itself against the minority.

I dont have to demonstrate what I mean. One look at any days newspapers will produce the evidence.

The claim of the Hindutva leaders and intellectuals is that our majoritarianism is reactive and not proactive. The claim is that what we are doing is justified and it is not the same thing as was being done and is being done in the rest of South Asia.

But of course, there is no difference.Actor-politician Kamal Haasan on Sunday wondered why the ordinance promulgated provided for the death penalty for rape of girls under 12 years alone and not for those aged between 14 and 16 and said families should bring up boys to act responsibly.

Chennai: Actor-politician Kamal Haasan on Sunday wondered why the ordinance promulgated provided for the death penalty for rape of girls under 12 years alone and not for those aged between 14 and 16 and said families should bring up boys to act responsibly.

"Why is the death penalty only for rape of girls aged under 12... what about 14, 15, and 16-year-olds, are they not children too.?It will take time for them too (14-16 year-olds) to blossom as women. I do not know how to view it," he said.

The Makkal Needhi Maiam chief was addressing his party workers and supporters through YouTube.

Answering a question on crimes against women and children and the rules he would bring in if his party was voted to power, Haasan said "rules can be formulated... even now death penalty has been prescribed."

Haasan had made known his views against the death penalty before he entered politics.

The MNM chief said the important thing was for families to change their mindset in the way they brought up boys.

"Just like we teach the values of chastity and honesty to girls, boys too must be brought up responsibly by families.

Sadly, this was not being done and boys were pampered and allowed to do what they wanted, 'just because he is a male', the actor said.

No government rule was needed to implement this, he said.

President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday promulgated the criminal law amendment ordinance, paving the way for providing stringent punishment, including"death"penalty, for those convicted of raping girls below the age of 12 years.

The actor turned politician said he had given deep thought as to why he should get into politics when leaders he respected like Mahatma Gandhi and reformist leader Periyar had stayed away from it.

"All along I was keeping quiet thinking I could toe a similar line. Had such leaders been alive today, there would have been a necessity for them to take part in electoral politics," he said.

Haasan said it was not a spur of the moment decision for him to join politics. It was a thought process lasting many years.

There was also some confusion in arriving at a decision but he overcame it, he said

The MNM chief said he had a "guilty" feeling as he wondered if politics was pushed to a bad phase due to "carelessness" of the general public and the media in monitoring the government and questioning it.

Haasan alleged that there was an arrogance among those in power and hence they were disinclined to answer people's questions. Such factors steadily pushed him towards getting into politics.

He replied in the negative when asked whether he ever regretted entering politics.

To a question, the actor said his brand of politics would be driven by people's welfare and he did not hanker for power.

To another question, he said "you decide what I should be... whether the Chief Minister or Leader of Opposition."

On eradicating caste, Haasan said it was a 'disease' and it should be eradicated.

Caste-based discrimination was a reason for poverty. Caste could not be eradicated immedately he said and called for a change from a personal level to facilitate it.

Stating that 'gram swarajya' was a possibility, he said his party has adopted already a village and more will be done.

He told his cadres to deal firmly and properly if political parties put obstacles during their welfare work.

"Those who pose obstacles for service to the people are anti-nationals, they should be dealt properly but without violence," he said.After pulling down a report on the alleged rape in Kathua, Dainik Jagran brought back the online version of the story that dismissed parts of the probe

After pulling down a report on the alleged rape of an eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua, one of Indias biggest Hindi dailies Dainik Jagran brought back the online version of the story that dismissed parts of the police investigation.

The piece made several claims including that there had been two post-mortem reports prepared in the probe and that the first report did not speak of any act of rape  implying that it was an addition carried out later by the Jammu and Kashmir Police's Crime Branch, Newslaundry reported.

The newspaper's editor, Kamlesh Raghuvanshi, told NewsLaundry that the report was pulled down because the reporter did not have valid records or facts to support the claims.

The report also quoted Raghuvanshi as saying that the story was first published by the print edition of the newspaper and was later picked up by the online edition. He also claimed that Dainik Jagran online edition was now in possession of the documents, which is why the story was brought back, adding that the story may be updated once the editors go through the documents.

According to BOOM, a fact-checking website, the Dainik Jagran report's main argument in support of several of its claims, including that the victim was not raped, was a second post-mortem report.

"While the first post-mortem report mentioned six injuries on the body of the child, the second post-mortem report claimed that while the hymen of the victim was found to be ruptured, it did not confirm rape," the Dainik Jagran report claimed, according to BOOM.

"When I saw the story in print, I wanted to check some of the facts which the reporter sent to me. I wanted to know that if he is mentioning the post-mortem report, does he have it or did he write the details by looking at the report? When I got the reports, I looked at them, and after being convinced of the details, we have brought back the online version of the story," Raghuvanshi was quoted as saying.

After the publication of the print story on Friday morning and the subsequent disappearance of the online version, the latter was resurrected at 6.53 pm in the evening, the report said.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police, however, has refuted the claims that Dainik Jagran made in its article. It issued a press statement on Saturday, saying the reports in a section of the media about the Kathua rape and murder case were false, and that medical experts confirmed the sedation, sexual assault and subsequent murder of the child.

Press release....Case FIR No 10/2018 dated 12.01.2018 Police Station Hiranagar Kathua. pic.twitter.com/ek2IsXDpsa  J&K Police (@JmuKmrPolice) April 21, 2018

"Constrained by the reports, it is to place on record that on the strength of opinion furnished by medical experts, it was confirmed that the victim was found subjected to sexual assault by the accused," the press release said.Wading into a controversy, Union minister Santosh Gangwar on Sunday said 'brouhaha' should not be created over one or two rape cases in a big country like India.

Lucknow: Wading into a controversy, Union minister Santosh Gangwar on Sunday said "brouhaha" should not be created over one or two rape cases in a big country like India.

The remarks come at a time when the country is witnessing public outrage over brutal rape and murder of a minor girl in Kathua and that of a 17-year-old girl in UP's Unnao allegedly by a BJP MLA.

"Such incidents (rape cases) are unfortunate situation... But sometimes you can't stop them. Government is active everywhere and taking action which is visible to everyone, " he told reporters in Bareilly on Saturday.

"In a big country like ours, if one or two incidents take place, brouhaha should not be created over it. This is not fair... Government is taking effective steps... Whatever is necessary will be done," he said.

Gangwar, who is BJP MP from Bareilly, holds protfolio of Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Labour and Employment.

President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday promulgated an ordinance to provide stringent punishment, including death penalty, for those convicted of rape of girls below 12 years.

Under the Criminal Law Amendment Ordinance cleared by a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, new fast-track courts will be set up to deal with such cases and special forensic kits for rape cases will be given to all police stations and hospitals in the long term.

In his first comments on the incidents of rape in Unnao and the sexual assault and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua, Modi had last week said that no criminal will be spared and daughters will get justice.

"Such incidents shake our sensibilities. I want to assure the nation that no criminal will be spared. Justice will be done. Our daughters will get justice, he had said at an event to inaugurate the BR Ambedkar memorial in Lucknow.

While in London to attend the just-concluded Commonwealth Summit, Modi had said that rape of a daughter was a matter of shame for the country.

In the Unnao case, the CBI arrested BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar on 13 April, after an Allahabad High Court order that he was influencing the "law and order machinery".The medical community has on Sunday expressed displeasure over Narendra Modi's remarks on doctors and pharmaceutical companies, media reports said.

The medical community has on Sunday expressed displeasure over Narendra Modi's remarks on doctors and pharmaceutical companies, media reports said.

In a public interaction in London, the prime minister had spoken about the cost of generic drugs and also criticised doctors for going abroad to attend conferences by pharma companies. In response to these statements, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) said that rather than focusing on the so-called nexus between doctors and pharmaceutical companies, the government must focus on the "mess in healthcare" in India.

"Indian doctors have brought international acclaim and repute due to their world-class proficiency and skill. Engaging in small talk and maligning the entire medical fraternity in India with a broad brush on foreign soil was certainly not expected out of the prime minister of the country...IMA expresses its displeasure on your unfortunate remarks," IMA Secretary-General Dr RN Tandon said to ANI. The report adds that IMA national president Dr Ravi S Wankhedkar urged Modi to reconsider his statement, as issues like medicine prices are in hands of the government, and not the medical fraternity.

Association of Medical Consultants(Mumbai) and Indian Medical Association write to PM Modi expressing disappointment over his remarks in London where he had highlighted malpractices of doctors and had also said doctors attend conferences abroad to promote pharmaceutical firms pic.twitter.com/FkVoNz2hmB  ANI (@ANI) April 22, 2018

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal also criticised Modi's statements, saying

I disagree wid Honble PM. Our docs have made India proud. The same docs have made revolutionary transformation in health sector in Del in last 3 yrs wid Del govt. Given proper working environment wid no political interference, our docs can transform health sector nationally https://t.co/OIZshTOpKr  Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) April 22, 2018

During an interactive session of the 'Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath' diaspora event at the Central Hall in Westminster, UK, Modi had said that doctors visit Singapore and Dubai to attend conferences, and not because someone is sick. "The pharma companies invite them for that. To finally break the resultant sale of expensive medicines, the government has launched generic stores where medicines of similar quality are sold at cheaper prices," Modi had said during the session.

Modi was in the United Kingdom for a four-day visit during the second leg of his three-nation tour of Europe, which also saw him going to Germany and Sweden.

With inputs from agenciesDTE Maharashtra will release the admit card for MHT CET 2018 on 24 April. Candidates must download their admit card from the official website.

DTE Maharashtra will release the admit card for MHT CET 2018 on 24 April. All candidates appearing for the entrance examination must download their admit card from the official website. Since the admit card is an important document, it is imperative for the candidates to download and print it to keep it ready for the examination day. One photo identity proof also has to be carried by the candidates to the exam centre along with the admit card. The final date to download the admit card is 10 May 2018.

MHT CET 2018 is scheduled to be conducted on 10 May. The examination will be held in offline mode. The MHT CET result will be declared on or before 3 June 2018.

Steps to Download MHT CET Admit Card

 To download the admit card, candidates must go to the official website

 They must enter their application number and password along with the security pin displayed on screen.

 After submitting the details, the admit card will be displayed on the screen,

 Candidates are advised to check their admit card for any discrepancies before downloading.

 A print of the downloaded admit card has to be taken.

If any mistakes are found in the admit card, then the candidates are requested to inform the concerned authorities as soon as possible for rectification.

Details mentioned in the admit card

 Name of the candidate

 Registration number of the candidate

 Roll number

 Test centre address

 Examination date

 Candidates signature

While reporting for the exam, a photo identity proof has to be produced by the candidates along with the admit card. Any one of the following photo identity proofs can be brought to the centre:

 Voter ID Card

 Indian Passport

 Aadhaar Card/E-Aadhaar Card with a photograph

 PAN Card

 Bank Passbook with a photograph

 Recent identity card issued by a recognized school or college

 Identity proof issued by a peoples representative on official letterhead along with photograph

 Identity proof issued by a Gazetted Officer on official letterhead along with photograph

 Candidates who fall under the Persons with Disabilities category and are claiming extra time during examination will be required to produce the specified documents which verify their eligibility.

It is important to note that ration card and driving license will not be accepted as identity proofs by the authorities.

Some Exam Day Guidelines for MHT CET

 Candidates are expected to arrive at the venue well before the examination timings since there will be security checks done.

 No items except the admit card and photo identity proof will be allowed inside the examination hall.

 Candidates will not be allowed to appear for the exam without the admit card.

 Adequate care must be taken to fill the OMR sheets as specified in the brochure while answering the questions in the examination paper.

 The appropriate response circles have to be circled completely with a black ink ball point pen only.

 Rough work should be done only on the blank space provided on the question booklet.

MHT CET is a 3-hour long offline examination which is conducted annually by DTE Maharashtra for admissions to the undergraduate engineering courses across the state of Maharashtra. Paper 1 will consist of Mathematics and Paper 2 is Physics and Chemistry. To qualify, candidates have to attempt both the papers. Seats are allotted on the basis of the candidates performance in MHT CET examination.Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday requested Union home minister Rajnath Singh to set up 1-2 more battalions of Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) in the state.

Patna: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday requested Union home minister Rajnath Singh to set up 1-2 more battalions of Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) in the state.

As of now, Bihar has two ITBP battalions.

"There are two ITBP battalions in Bihar, one at Saran and other at Katihar. I would request the home minister to set up one or two more battalions of ITBP in Bihar. We will give our full support and cooperation (for setting up the battalions)," Kumar was quoted as saying in an official release.

Kumar said this while speaking at a function organised on the occasion of the inauguration of ITBP's 6th battalion's buildings at Kotheya village in Saran district.

Rajnath Singh inaugurated the buildings.

Deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi and MPs Janardan Singh Sigriwal and Rajiv Pratap Rudy were also present on the occasion.

"I would request the Home Minister to create a 'system' wherein central forces should be made available at the request of Director General of Police (DGP) in times of tension for a brief period," Kumar said.

Thanking Rajnath for agreeing to the state government's request for setting up Rapid Action Force (RAF) unit in Vaishali district, Kumar said "RAF unit, at present, is called from Jamshedpur in times of tension. We have already made available around 29-30 acres of land for setting up RAF unit in the state. The work should expeditiously be completed on it."

Bihar is a disaster-prone state, the chief minister said, adding the state government needs the help of central forces in tackling situations like disasters and tensions and hence more battalions of central forces be set up in the state.India and Pakistan have squandered a lot of good chances to resolve the Kashmir issue, but there are still opportunities, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah has said

Srinagar: India and Pakistan have squandered a lot of good chances to resolve the Kashmir issue, but there are still opportunities, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah has said.

He outlined the need for a dialogue process both internally as well as externally to address the issue, saying the solution cannot be driven by the barrel of the gun.

There are clearly two dimensions (to Kashmir issue). It is not simply a matter between New Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir, nor is it a matter between Islamabad and J-K. A part of the state continues to remain with Pakistan and I belong to the part of the state that is with India, that acceded to India. So when we come to the way forward, both these dimensions of the problem will have to be tackled, he said.

He was speaking at an event on the path forward in Kashmir at the University of Berkeley in California in the US last week.

His speech was followed by a question and answer session where he spoke on varied topics, including on the current political situation in the country and the run-up to the general elections next year.

Abdullah, the working president of the Opposition National Conference (NC), wondered if the time had come to ask are we being overly ambitious and overly emotional in talking of getting Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) back.

Referring to the Kargil War of 1999 between the two neighbours, he said that even with the greatest of provocations that time, India respected the sanctity of the Line of Control (LoC).

In spite of the fact that we took losses on account of that, there were express instructions by the government of India that Indian planes and helicopters will not cross the LoC, that Indian troops will not cross the LoC. So, imagine even if with the provocation of Kargil we decided to respect the sanctity of the LoC, haven't we somewhere or the other, decided that perhaps this is the way and let's move forward, he said.

In this context, he said one of the ways to move forward is to sit down with Pakistan and once and for all, address this issue.

We can't do it with the international mediation. I think mediation is a word that particularly people in India have a lot of suspicion about. But facilitation is not something that we have a problem with. Perhaps friends in the right places can facilitate this process between India and Pakistan and address some of the suspicions that we have.

I believe that we came incredibly close during the time of (former Pakistan president) General Pervez Musharraf first with (former) Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and then with (ex-PM) Manmohan Singh, but time ran out for us because it took so long to finally put aside our suspicions of Musharraf as the architect of Kargil War that by the time we realised he was somebody we need to do business with, he wasn't nearly as powerful as we needed him to be, he said.

He, however, said there still was scope for forward movement. "...I don't believe that all opportunities have been lost, but we have squandered a lot of good chances and I hope we don't do that going ahead, he said.

Without naming the separatists, Abdullah called for an internal dialogue with all shades of opinion.

The path forward has to start from the dialogue process both internally as well as externally. It has to take in all shades of opinion. It is no good that the government of India often hides behind this false screen that they create that let Kashmiris first agree on something and then we will talk. Look, Kashmir is not going to uniformly agree on one thing, no matter what solution you work out whether it's part of something similar to Musharraf's four-point formula or it is drastically different from that.

The fact is that you are not going to get a 100 percent of population to agree on anything and therefore the effort has to be to bring in the majority of the population into whatever you agree and that can only be possible if we involve, in the dialogue process, those people, who at the moment we not only do disagree with but have kept away from that dialogue process. So, if we can agree to start talking to each other, start listening to each other rather than talking at each other, we can start addressing some of these problems, he said.

The NC working president said the state is facing a very unusual situation as the number of youths willing to pick up arms in the valley is more than the number of weapons actually available and stressed the need for political and economic measures to wean them away.

We need to create economic opportunities for the state. We need to create a promise of better future for the youngsters who are today being drawn to pick up the gun. It is a very unusual situation that we have in J-K today where there are more youngsters willing to pick up the guns than there are actually guns available.

And that sentiment needs to be addressed and it needs to be addressed both politically and in terms of giving them opportunities. Opportunities in education, opportunities in employment and hopefully creating avenues and opportunities for them beyond the boundaries of the state, he said.A pregnant woman claimed on Sunday immigration officials at the Petrapole border with Bangladesh made her wait for six hours before processing her immigration papers to allow her into India, police said.

Barasat: A pregnant woman claimed on Sunday immigration officials at the Petrapole border with Bangladesh made her wait for six hours before processing her immigration papers to allow her into India, police said. She said she fell sick due to the long wait under the sun.

The woman and her husband filed a complaint alleging harassment by immigration officials on Saturday at the border check-post in North 24 Parganas district, police said. A police investigation into the incident is underway.

She said she is a Bangladeshi citizen married to an Indian man for more than a year. They were returning to their home in Kolkata after visiting her parents in Bangladesh. The woman claimed an immigration official questioned her over one or two partly-torn pages in her passport, though she did not face a similar questioning on the Bangladesh side of the border.

She said the officer questioned her how she had a Bangladeshi passport when her husband was an Indian citizen.

"I requested the officer to allow me to leave owing to my condition but he paid no heed," the woman claimed.

Her husband said he contacted Petrapole police after she felt unwell. They later took her to a government hospital where she was provided medical assistance. After that, the couple returned to their Kolkata residence.Rajnath Singh lauded the efforts of the Nitish Kumar government in tackling Naxalism in Bihar, saying the number of Maoists incidents in the state has come down.

Chapra: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday lauded the efforts of the Nitish Kumar government in tackling Naxalism in Bihar, saying the number of Maoists incidents in the state has come down to less than half since 2013.

"I don't want to talk about the situation of Naxalism in other states, but I would like to mention the situation of Naxalism in Bihar. The number of Naxal incidents has come down to less than half here since 2013," Rajnath Singh said.

"I would like to thank Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi and police and para military forces for this (achievement)," he added.

For curbing Naxalism in the state, the Nitish Kumar government came in for fulsome praise by the Union home minister during a function on the occasion of inauguration of ITBP's 6th battalion's buildings.

The number of deaths has come down to one-third of what it used to be in the past due to Naxal attacks, the minister said adding the confidence of Naxalites too has been shattered.

The Home Minister also made an appeal to the poor of the country to be at guard against the Naxals' design to win their sympathies.

"I would like to appeal to the poor of the country and as well as those of Bihar that the Naxal leaders want them to remain poor whereas their (Naxalites') own children study in prominent colleges and universities and some of them even study abroad. The Naxalites leaders have become crorepatis," Singh said.

"There are elements who want to break the social harmony and try to create hatred in the country. I would like to especially appeal to the youths to fight and oppose such elements firmly," he said.

Both the Centre and the state governments are working for the development of backward regions, he said and appreciated Bihar government for posting a resounding 10 percent plus growth rate.

Singh said "Bihar's growth rate has increased tremendously during the NDA government. The state has clocked a growth rate of 10.3 percent which has happened for the first time, whereas the national growth stands at 7.3 percent. Both Nitish Kumar and Sushil Modi deserve praise for this."

Singh also termed as "historic" the Nitish government's step of enforcing complete prohibition in the state and said the decision had been taken for a better future of the state and its people.

"As a home minister of the country, I can say that the crime rate has gone down in Bihar after the enforcement of prohibition as compared to earlier (period)," Singh said adding that even the Prime Minister Narendra Modi had appreciated the prohibition in the state during the recent celebrations of Champaran stayagrah in Bihar.

Prominent among those who were present on the occasion included Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi and MPs Janardan Singh Sigriwal and Rajiv Pratap Rudy among others.External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a joint address at Beijing, where they announced that Xi Jinping and Narendra Modi will be meeting in Wuhan city in China to discuss bilateral ties

External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a joint address in Beijing, where they announced that Xi Jinping and Narendra Modi will be meeting in Wuhan city in China to discuss bilateral ties.

Swaraj arrived in China on Sunday on a four-day visit to take part in the foreign ministers' meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). Before the joint statement, Swaraj held a meeting with Wang to discuss India-China ties. The meeting assumed significance as the last meeting between the two leaders in 2017 was after the military standoff in Doka La.

Following the standoff, both countries increased dialogue to scale down tensions and improve relations with talks at various levels. Swaraj and Wang held the meeting in the immediate backdrop of the recent meeting between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and top officials of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) Yang Jiechi in Shanghai.

At the presser, Wang said that India is a natural partner for China. He announced that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a summit meeting in Wuhan city in China from 27 to 28 April to improve bilateral relations.

Modi will be visiting the central Chinese city for the "informal summit" at the invitation of Xi, Wang said. "We see socialism with Chinese characteristics entering a new era and India acts as a crucial stage in its development and revitalisation. It is against this backdrop that president Xi and Prime Minister Modi have decided to hold the informal summit," he added.

This will be the fourth visit of Modi to China after he came to power in 2014. He is again due to visit China to take part in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit to be held at Qingdao city on 9-10 June.

Regarding the SCO summit, Wang congratulated India for becoming a member of the organisation. "On behalf of the Chinese side, I once again offer congratulations to India on becoming a member of SCO and express a warm welcome to the minister for representing India for the first time in the SCO foreign ministers meeting," he said.

Sushma Swaraj also expressed "full support" from India's side to make the summit in Qingdao a success. Besides the informal summit and SCO, Swaraj said that the two sides agreed to work together on issues like terrorism, climate change, sustainable development and global healthcare.

She also confirmed that the Chinese side has confirmed the resumption of data sharing on the Brahmaputra and Sutlej rivers, which will help people living in the area. "China has confirmed data sharing on Sutlej and Brahmaputra rivers in 2018. As it directly affects lives of people living there, we welcome this," she said. "Also, Kailash Mansarovar Yatra will resume this year through Nathu La pass," she added. The yatra was closed over tensions related to the Doka La standoff.

Regarding the meet between Modi and Xi in Wuhan, Swaraj said that it would be a good opportunity to enhance mutual understanding and trust. "My discussion with minister Wang Yi was to prepare for the informal meeting between our leaders. It'll be an important occasion for them to exchange views on bilateral and international matters with the objective of enhancing mutual communication at the level of leaders," she said.

"The informal summit will be an important occasion for them to exchange views on bilateral and international matters from an over-arching and long-term perspective with the objective of enhancing mutual communication at the level of leaders," MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar added about the announcement.

With inputs from agenciesAt least three passengers were injured on an Air India flight from Delhi to Amritsar on Thursday after the aircraft encountered heavy turbulence, causing an inside panel of a window to fall off

At least three passengers were injured on an Air India flight from New Delhi to Amritsar on Thursday after the aircraft encountered heavy turbulence, causing an inside panel of a window to fall off and some overhead oxygen masks to be deployed.

#WATCH Air India flight from Amritsar to Delhi experienced severe turbulence and three passengers sustained minor injuries. A window panel also fell off. DGCA begins probe (19.4.18) pic.twitter.com/WBp0v56oTy  ANI (@ANI) April 22, 2018

The three passengers sustained minor injuries, according to ANI. Upon landing in New Delhi, the injured passengers were taken to the hospital.

Financial Express quoted reports as saying the turbulence level that AI 462  a Boeing 787 Dreamliner (VTANI)  faced was so high that a passenger bumped his head against an overhead cabin. The aircraft experienced high-level turbulence for 10-15 minutes. The report also mentioned that an inside window panel came off near seat 18A. However, the outside panel remained intact.

This was a freak high level turbulence. Air India and Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is probing it, The Times of India quoted a senior Air India official as saying. The report also mentioned there was a crack in the overhead bin near seat 12U too.

The DGCA has ordered an investigation into the incident and also informed the Aircraft Accident Investigation Board. There has been no official statement from Air India so far.West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjees moves to contest BJPs monopoly over Lord Ram appeared to have backfired.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjees moves to contest BJPs monopoly over Lord Ram appear to have backfired. Visits to recently riot-hit areas, both industrial and rural, indicate that Mamatas latest maneuvers have divided her Muslim and Hindu support base, alienated some of them and communalised the factional feuds in her party, Trinamool Congress (TMC) at the ground level.

Unlike BJP, which is openly playing its Hindu hyper-nationalist card and leaving no stone unturned to whip up anti-Muslim sentiments among Hindus in Bengal and elsewhere, secular nationalists a la Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav and Mamata constantly need to balance between the majority and minority community perceptions about them. In his effort to outsmart the Sangh Parivar at its own game, Rahul has resorted to soft Hindutva tactics from Gujarat to Karnataka largely by visiting temples while ignoring Muslims in his public discourse against BJP.

But Mamata cannot afford such high profile temple-hopping after having aggressively wooed the conservatives in the minority community that comprise more than 27 percent of the state population and which have been providing her solid electoral support since 2011. On the other hand, she cant ignore the growing impact of BJP among Hindus, particularly in industrial-urban and bordering areas, which are more vulnerable to anti-Muslim hate campaigns. So, she asked TMC men to hijack Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti processions from BJP-VHP and play greater Ram bhakts with the hope of poaching the saffron support base or winning the fence-sitters, particularly among Hindi-speaking people before next year's Lok Sabha polls.

But tightrope walking needs practiced skill, controlled body and mind, as well as firm props. Else, the player is bound to fall and sustain injuries which can be fatal. Evidently, Bengals prima donna of street politics has suffered not only due to absence of a disciplined organisation such as the RSS or CPM, but also because of her misjudgment of ground reality.

Apart from legitimising BJP brand of politics, she allowed the Sangh to fish the closet Hindutva men and women within her party and larger social catchment. The spate of recent riots have increased communal polarisation and replaced the traditional political rivalries. There is no dearth of communal elements, both Hindus and Muslims, in her camp. Preachers of Islamic orthodoxy are also spreading their wings among Muslims, both Bengali and Urdu-speaking.

Encouraged by Mamatas covert support to apologists for Bangladeshi Jamat-e-Islami leaders who have been facing charges of war crimes for collaborating with Pakistani Army in 1971 as well as her open support to the chauvinist All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on triple talaq, Wahabi-Salafi puritans are mounting attacks on Sufi and other syncretic traditions in rural Bengal.

Although Left and Congress are main losers of these dragnets of competitive communalism, widening holes in Didis reservoirs are unmistakable.

The chinks in Didis armor

In riot-hit Asansol, some Hindu TMC leaders, both Hindi and Bengali-speaking, accused their own government of being brazenly pro-Muslim while pointing to communal divide in the party. According to the men close to Bunty Chakorborty, a local TMC apparatchik in Chandmari at Rail Par area which was worst-hit in the recent flare up, they were part of Durga Puja and Ram Navami celebration for many years.

This year, party high-ups asked them to bring out a bigger Ram rally. Local TMC civic councilor CK Reshma, one of the elected members of BJP who crossed the floor and Chakroborty were among the party leaders who walked along the BJP-VHP men. They were told that some Muslim TMC councilors in adjoining areas would distribute sherbet to Ram bhakts to mark the communal amity.

However, the procession faced a hostile Muslim mob on its way which asked them to go mute. The rallyists refused, claiming there was no mosque closer by. An altercation ensued, leading to brickbats and injuries that snowballed into mutual violence for next two days.

We became prey to party infighting which turned communal. There was no substantial BJP-VHP presence but our supporters on both sides. Police did not protect the Ram rally when we were attacked. Nor did they turn up for hours when the riot spread the next day. The police faced mob ire when they tried to stop Hindu protest. It is no more a political fight against BJP. Babul Supriyo (the BJP MP from Asansol and Union minister) will win by a bigger margin next time if the government continues pro-Muslim bias, a TMC cadre said, requesting anonymity. Other TMC men sitting close to a Hanuman temple echoed him. They denied any anti-Muslim provocative slogans during the Ram rally.

Another Hindu TMC leader at Kalyanpur, who took the initiative to run a relief camp for affected Hindus aired similar sentiments. As the riot broke out and snowballed, most of our local leaders from both communities were either swayed by communal sentiments or preferred not to queer their own pitch by going against it. Mainly Hindus were at the receiving end in the Muslim-dominated Rail Par. They are now angry with us, he said. These words may sound like music to the ears of Supriyo and his party. The MP tried his best to stoke the fire on both the ground and digital media by harping on Hindu victimhood and Mamatas Muslim appeasement.

On the other hand, Muslim TMC leaders and supporters in Kasai Mahallah- Quereshi Mahallah as well as Gulzar Basti and Azad Basti, accused their Hindu counterparts of playing into the hands of BJP-VHP. According to them, anti-Muslim slogans from the Ram procession provoked the hotheads among Muslim youth.

The situation fast slipped out of our control due to initial police inaction and party infighting, one of them said, speaking of the condition of anonymity.

Another shared an audio clip of a song he claimed was played during the Ram rally. The Hindi song bears the signature tune of the Sangh Parivar as it threatens to replace words with swords to speak for the Hindus henceforth so that topiwalas bhi sar jhukake jai shri Ram bolega (that the cap-wearers will bow and hail him with Jai Sri Ram).

The district BJP-VHP leaders denied the charge of instigation but with a spin: They claimed that they could not be blamed if some participants raised unauthorised slogans or played such songs. We had approved only our standard slogans against cow slaughter and highlighting our resolve to construct Ram temple in Ayodhya, one of them said. Muslims, both TMC and Left supporters in neighboring Raniganj town, also complained of same type of provocation that had triggered riot there before Asansol.

That Hindu TMC men joined the VHP-BJP supporters in provocative Ram rallies angered many of our Muslim supporters. They are now accusing us of running with the hares while hunting with the hounds, a Muslim TMC corporator in Asansol said.

He admitted that conservative Muslim organisations had been gaining ground in the wake of BJP-VHP belligerence and Mamatas confusing politics. Tablighi Jamat and Jamat-e-Islami are active in the area in organising religious congregations including ijtema. Their indoctrination focuses on strict monotheism and separate identity of Muslims, opposed to Hindu-Muslim composite beliefs manifested in many mazars and dargas around.

TMC satraps

Rivalry among TMC satraps and their contradictory political compulsions also add to the ruling partys confusing politics. In Asansol, the power centres are divided between two camps led by Asansol north MLA and state minister Malay Ghatak and city mayor and Pandebeswar MLA Jiten Tiwari. Ghataks electors are mostly Muslims who dominate riot-hit Rail Par, while Hindi-speaking Tiwari, who aspires to be Mamatas nominee against BJP, banks heavily on saffron support base among upcountry settlers.

Accordingly, Tiwari has been courting Hindi-Hindu opinion makers and doled out Rs 5,000 to each of 146 sanctioned Ram Navami rallies from the civic fund. Local scribes witnessed him leading Ram rally with sword in hand last year while visiting Hindu-dominated areas with a saffron scarf around his neck.

The Ghatak camp is not happy with Tiwaris prospects and allegedly prevailed upon police to go easy in his constituency during the initial hours of riot while Tiwari reportedly pulled the strings at direction of the Opposition.

This resulted in the political and administrative paralysis that led to the deaths of at least four (from various faiths) in Raniganj and Asansol together. The chief minister, who herself began playing with fire, was angry with her minions and sent three senior IPS officers to control the damage as BJP clamored for central force.

Land factor

Clash of economic interests among ruling party apparatchiks appeared to have played a role in the riots. The infighting among dons like Joydeb Mondal, Haji Nanhe and Imtiaj Khan, who have switched side from the Left to TMC were also instrumental. One of the big bones of contention is the one kilometre long area of encroached government land that belong to the Indian Railways and Asansol-Durgapur Development Authority (ADDA).

Its not a mere coincidence that the epicenter of the riot was in and around the area.

Hindu TMC leaders complained that the party and government facilitated illegal settlements for newly migrated upcountry Muslims while Hindus got a raw deal. Muslim TMC men countered by blaming their counterparts for echoing BJP slurs to hide their real estate interests

A method in the madness

This is no one-off scenario as earlier visits to other riot-hit areas in Dhulagarh, Basirhat, and Nakasipara and elsewhere proved. As Sangh supporters continue to instigate violence through derogatory posts against Islam on social media and fomenting frenzy over local temple-mosque, Puja-Muharram disputes, many of Mamatas Muslim minions have landed in the trap. They exceeded their brief on streets, which only boomeranged on TMC government and party. Muslim mavericks who are not strictly under her control and happy to flex their muscles as a bargaining chip have only added to the mess.

The chief minister chided her two MLAs in Sakrail and Panchla in Howrah for paving road for the Sangh by pulling police in contra directions over the extension of route for a Milad-Un-Nabi rally through Hindu-dominated area and subsequent riot in December 2016.

Baduria and Basirhat in north 24 parganas, witnessed prolonged violent agitation by Muslim youth following a rabid anti-Islam Facebook post in July. Administrative inaction despite attacks on police and huge disruption of public life only strengthened Hindu perceptions about the TMC being a Muslim party.

It divided the party rank and file as a riot broke out in Basirhat, much to the pleasure of Sangh leaders.

An exasperated Mamata obliquely scolded overzealous Muslim agitators for troubling her but subsequently ate her words.

In Nadias Nakasipara last September, an intra-village dispute snowballed into a full-scale riot over temple-polluting. A Hindu panchayat head from TMC joined Hindu Jagaran Manch men in a march to police station and demanded action against neighbouring Muslims. In Dattaphukur, on the day of Holi, a flare-up over temple-polluting had the genesis in land disputes between two factions of local TMC which made room for BJP-VHP.

As Bengal increasingly slides to deadly communal polarisation, there are many examples of such incidents. It suits the Sangh best and Mamata as well. Its clear that she hopes to hold her fort by ensuring a bipolar fight with BJP in 2019. But Didis calculation may go horribly wrong if her own base gets divided.The DMK on Sunday hit out at the BJP-led the Central government on the Cauvery issue saying it was not concerned about the people and the farmers of Tamil Nadu.

Chennai: The DMK on Sunday hit out at the BJP-led the Central government on the Cauvery issue saying it was not concerned about the people and the farmers of Tamil Nadu.

Recalling a Supreme Court verdict of 2014 that banned the bull-taming sport 'jallikattu', DMK Working President MK Stalin said despite opposition to the ban and the state-wide agitations, the Centre had not allowed the sport subsequently citing the judgement.

"When the Supreme Court gave its order on the Cauvery issue directing compliance within six weeks, the Centre did not come forward to implement it," he said, addressing party workers at the wedding of a party functionary.

"This goes to show that the incumbent regime at the Centre is not concerned about the Tamil Nadu's people and the farmers. And there is a government here in the state which is singing paeans to the centre," he alleged.

The Cauvery water is crucial not only for the delta region including Thanjavur but also to other districts, he said.

During the previous DMK regime (2006-11), he said, his party's government had implemented the combined drinking water projects across the districts of Ramanathapuram, Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri utilising the Cauvery water.

"Not only for the agriculture in delta region, the Cauvery water is crucial for drinking water needs of the people in several other districts," he said.

Since the Cauvery has such an importance for Tamil Nadu, the protests were being held to retrieve the state's rights, he said.

Stating that he will be leading a human chain stir on Monday at Pudukottai on the Cauvery issue, he said across Tamil Nadu, the Congress party, the Dravidar Kazhagam, the CPM, the CPI, the MDMK, the IUML, the VCK, and the MMK will participate in the agitation.

It may be recalled that the Supreme Court had banned 'jallikattu' in 2014. The top court had held 'jallikattu' as violative of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, a Central Act.

The top court had ruled that a 2009 Tamil Nadu Act to regulate Jallikattu was repugnant to the PCA Act.

Following the raging protests seeking nod for holding the bull-taming sport, Tamil Nadu government in January 2017 amended the Central Act paving the way for holding the sport.Congress said on Sunday CJI Dipak Misra 'should consider recusing himself' from performing judicial and administrative work till the allegations of misconduct against him were cleared.

New Delhi: Days after seven Opposition parties gave a notice for the impeachment of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra, the Congress said on Sunday he "should consider recusing himself" from performing judicial and administrative work till the allegations of misconduct against him were cleared.

The Congress also attacked the BJP for coming out in "defence" of the CJI and said the ruling party was compromising the position and office of the chief justice as the neutral arbitrator and head of the judiciary and the party was doing great a disservice to the independence of the judicial system.

"The CJI must come out and tell the BJP not to politicise his office," Congress leader Randeep Surjewala told reporters.

He further said the CJI did not belong to any political party and questioned why he had to be defended by members and ministers of the ruling BJP.

The Chief Justice of India should be above suspicion, Surjewala said, adding that if CJI Misra's conduct had come under a cloud, he should consider recusing himself from performing his judicial and administrative duties.

"Caesar's wife must be above suspicion. And that's why we left it to his (CJI) conscience. If his own conduct is under a cloud, should he not consider recusing himself from performing judicial and administrative duties and submit himself to the inquiry so that the high office and his individual integrity are cleared?" Surjewala asked.

This will ensure that the process of law is followed in an appropriate manner, the Congress leader added.

Seven opposition parties led by the Congress had on Friday initiated an unprecedented step for the impeachment of the CJI, moving a notice accusing him of "misbehaviour" and "misuse" of authority.

Further attacking the BJP over the issue, another Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member Vivek Tankha wondered how the BJP could relate the CJI to Odisha.

He is the chief justice of the entire nation and belongs to the entire country, Tankha said.

Tankha, who is also an advocate, said as an MP, he was confident that the Rajya Sabha chairman would take an appropriate decision on the matter under the provisions of the Constitution.

"The country and citizens are looking for answers. And until then I feel the CJI should voluntarily submit himself for the inquiry," he said.

Speaking at the same press conference, senior advocate and nominated Rajya Sabha member KTS Tulsi said people took great pride in the integrity of judges.

But if there was even the slightest suspicion, it became the duty of Parliament to take note of that, he said.

"As MPs we are performing our duty with a very heavy heart but it is in the interest of the nation and interest of democracy that the inquiry should be held. And if no inquiry is held it would do much greater damage to the Supreme Court of the country," he added.The ordinance, which provides stringent punishment to those convicted of rape in a bid to protect children from sexual abuse, saw mixed reactions from the Congress party

An ordinance to pronounce death penalty to those convicted of raping a child up to 12 years of age was approved by the Union Cabinet on Saturday and promulgated by President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday.

The Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance 2018, which provides stringent punishment to those convicted of rape in a bid to protect children from sexual violence, saw mixed reactions from Congress as well leaders from other Opposition parties. While some of them welcomed the ordinance, a few had their reservations.

Senior advocate and Congress leader Salman Khurshid was one of the only Opposition leaders to show his trepidation about the ordinance, saying that the ruling government must rather focus on the root cause of these crimes.

"This is a sensitive issue and incidents that have taken place recently are shameful. The government should contemplate its decision. We need to address the root cause of such crimes, as there's a limit to which the judiciary can help," Khurshid said to ANI.

On the other hand, Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi said that while the party welcomes any severe measure to ensure that the accused in such crimes are brought to book, she questioned why it took so long for the law to be promulgated.

"What makes me question the intent of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Narendra Modi government is that why did it take them so much time to reach to this conclusion that a stricter law and stricter punishment would bring in the desired change," she said to PTI.

Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh did not hesitate to hail the decision, calling the ordinance a "revolutionary and necessary" step.

"Such criminals are a blot on the face of humanity and deserve no mercy," he said, adding that he was all for exemplary punishment in cases of rape of minors. "The measure would act as a deterrent to the heinous crime, which had shaken the nation to the core in recent months," the chief minister said in a statement.

Am all for Death for Rapists of minor children. Such men deserve no mercy and I welcome the Ordinance passed by the Union Cabinet today. Exemplary and deterrent punishment is the need of the hour.  Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) April 21, 2018

"No sane society can tolerate such a situation, where rape of minors, including babies less than a year old, was being reported every other day," he said. "The perversity which allows a man to commit the kind of atrocities that Kathua victim was subjected to, deserves the harshest punishment," he added.

What the anti-rape ordinance entails:

President Ram Nath Kovind promulgated the ordinance on Sunday, paving the way for providing stringent punishment, including the death penalty, for those convicted of raping girls below the age of 12 years.

The president's nod to the ordinance came after the Union Cabinet's approval on Saturday for tightening the law against people involved in rape, following a public outcry over cases of sexual assault and murder of minors in Kathua and Surat and the rape of a girl in Unnao.

"Whereas Parliament is not in session and the president is satisfied that the circumstances exist which render it necessary for him to take immediate action...Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (1) of Article 123 of the Constitution, the president is pleased to promulgate the following ordinance," a Gazette notification said.

The ordinance stipulates stringent punishment for perpetrators of rape, particularly of girls below 16 and 12 years. Death sentence has been provided for rapists of girls under 12 years.

According to the ordinance, in case of rape of a girl under 16 years, the minimum punishment has been increased from 10 years to 20 years, extendable to imprisonment for rest of life, which means jail term till the convicts "natural life". The punishment for gangrape of a girl below 16 years will invariably be imprisonment for the rest of life of the convict.

Stringent punishment for rape of a girl under 12 years has been provided with the minimum jail term being 20 years which may go up to life in prison or death sentence. Gangrape of a girl under 12 years of age will invite punishment of jail term for the rest of life or death, it said.

New fast-track courts will also be set up to deal with such cases and special forensic kits for rape cases will be given to all police stations and hospitals in the long term, according to the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance 2018.

The Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Evidence Act, the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act stand amended with the promulgation of the ordinance after the approval of the president.

With inputs from agenciesOn 31 March, Amit Shah was categorical about how the BJP had nothing to do with Gali Janardhana Reddy, the disgraced mining baron from Ballari.

On 31 March, Amit Shah was categorical about how the BJP had nothing to do with Gali Janardhana Reddy, the disgraced mining baron from Ballari. Either Shah was economical with the truth or he does not know what is happening in his party. That is because on Saturday, Reddy was the cynosure of all eyes when his close associate B Sriramulu filed his nomination papers as the BJP candidate from Molakalmuru in Chitradurga district.

Reddy was among the five people allowed inside the returning officer's office when Sriramulu submitted his papers and was also given a place on the dais in the company of BJP's chief ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurappa and Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan. Visuals of Reddy falling at Yeddyurappa and Chauhan's feet have gone viral, with BSY displaying affection for him by patting his back.

Reddy may be barred by the court from entering his home district of Ballari but his homecoming in the BJP seems more or less complete.

Both his brothers, Somasekhara Reddy and Karunakara Reddy have been given BJP tickets to fight this election from Ballari district. Though Janardhana Reddy and Karunakara Reddy are no longer on good terms, the fact that the BJP has fallen back on the Reddy brothers to wrest Ballari from the Congress is proof that the party does not treat them as political pariahs.

The process of rehabilitation of the Reddys began in November 2016 when Yeddyurappa and another former Karnataka chief minister Jagdish Shettar attended Janardhana Reddy's daughter's wedding. It was the big fat wedding, estimated to have cost Rs 500 crore. The Vijayanagara empire was recreated at Bengaluru's Palace grounds.

With chariots, foreign dancers, helipads, 1,500 hotel rooms, 2,000 cabs, 3,000 bouncers, the wedding hosted some 50,000 VIP guests. The timing of the marriage made it more of an eyesore as it came within days of demonetisation, when most of India was queuing up in front of ATMs to withdraw cash.

The BJP, which then boasted about its financial surgical strike, found nothing wrong in embracing Reddy. Not surprising, given that the youngest of the Reddy brothers had reportedly bankrolled the party's 2008 election campaign, besides helping the BJP government get additional MLAs when Yeddyurappa fell short of a majority. His track record in Ballari, where he is accused by the CBI of making mountains vanish while carrying out illegalities in mining, makes him a much feared person in the district.

In 2016, you could have given Yeddyurappa and the BJP the benefit of doubt that they were observing social niceties by attending a former colleague's daughter's wedding. But there are no such compulsions in 2018. It is obvious that a deal has been worked out with Reddy.

In fact, when Shah denied any relationship with Reddy, Janardhana and Sriramulu were very upset. Sriramulu, in fact, refuted Shah by saying that Reddy was a staunch supporter of the BJP and is with the party.

But the snub to Reddy, it would seem, was only for public consumption. Because the BJP cannot afford to ignore Sriramulu's caste clout. Though Reddy is often spoken of as the face of Ballari, he drew much of his political influence through Sriramulu, who is a member of the Valmiki-Nayaka community. Being a Scheduled Tribe, Sriramulu can make inroads into the Dalit vote bank in districts surrounding Ballari - Chitradurga, Gadag, Koppal and Raichur. That was also the logic behind making him contest from Molakalmuru, instead of from a seat in Ballari district.

What is the message that goes out with the optics of Yeddyurappa sharing the stage with Janardhana Reddy?

One, the BJP has no choice but to put up with Reddy because it fears Sriramulu could otherwise stage a revolt. The party has seen him do so in 2011 when he floated the BSR Congress. After winning three seats in the district in the 2013 Assembly polls, he returned to the BJP a year later to win the Ballari Lok Sabha seat.

Two, it exposes the BJP's lack of political strength in this part of Karnataka. That it is willing to go to any length to accommodate the entire Reddy parivar is a pointer to its hypocrisy and ideological bankruptcy.

Three, for the voter, it gives a sense of deja vu. In 2011, Karnataka's Lokayukta Santosh Hegde's report on illegal mining indicted the then chief minister Yeddyurappa and two Reddy brothers - Janardhana and Karunakara, besides Sriramulu. That report played a part in Janardhana Reddy going to jail and his mining empire going bust. From the electorate's point of view, the same familiar tainted faces are back together on the same stage.

During the time when Janardhana Reddy 'ruled' Ballari, his men were law. The apprehension now is that with the BJP backing the Reddy family to the hilt, it could be back to the days of the Rowdy raj. 12 May will decide if the voters in this part of Karnataka want the return of the 'Republic of Ballari'.Karnataka BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa on Sunday said he was ready to contest against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah from Badami.

Bengaluru: Karnataka BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa on Sunday said he was ready to contest against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah from Badami, if the party's national president Amit Shah asked him to do so.

"Our party's national president will decide whether I should contest or someone else. If I'm asked to contest, I'm ready. If he asks someone else to contest, they will contest," Yeddyurappa told reporters in Chikkamagaluru.

The former chief minister further said, "But it is certain that we will field a good candidate in Badami and defeat Siddaramaiah. BJP has already taken a decision in this regard."

Badami in Bagalkote will be the second constituency from where Siddaramaiah will be contesting the 12 May Karnataka assembly polls, the other being Chamundeshwari in Mysuru.

Ending suspense over contesting from a second constituency, the Chief Minister would file his nomination papers from Badami on 24 April.

Meanwhile, amidst speculation that he would be fielded against Siddaramaiah from Badami, BJP MP B Sriramulu on Sunday said he would abide by the party's decision.

"... the party will decide about my contesting from Badami. We are disciplined soldiers of the BJP... if the party asks me to contest from anywhere, I will contest," he told reporters.

Sriramulu has been fielded by the BJP from Molakalmuru constituency in Chitradurga district, and he has already filed his nomination from there.

Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, Siddaramaiah, who has already filed his nominations from Chamundeshwari constituency, has maintained that he was under pressure from local party leaders in Bagalkote and Vijayapura districts to contest from Badami as it would benefit Congress' prospects in the region.

To a question on speculation about B Sriramulu being fielded from Badami, he said "let them field anyone. I'm not worried about who the opponent is."

"Elections are fought on ideologies not between persons. We are fighting against communalism. We are fighting communal forces and we want to defeat communal forces," he added.

The chief minister also said that the people of Chamundeshwari have already decided to vote in his favour.

The Congress in its list of candidates for 218 seats announced on 15 April, had named Dr Devraj Patil as its nominee from Badami, but issuing of B-form (required to be filed by a political party mentioning name of its approved candidate) to Patil has been put on hold.

On Sunday, in the second list released by the party, Siddaramaiah's name was announced replacing Patil.

Badami with strong Kuruba presence, the community to which Siddaramaiah belongs, is seen as a safer option for the Chief Minister as reports have suggested that the battle in Chamundeshwari will not be an easy one for him.

Siddaramaiah has won five times and tasted defeat twice at Chamundeshwari.

He has been representing Varuna constituency in Mysuru since 2008, which has now been allotted to his son Dr Yatindra.Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said on Sunday there was nothing wrong in Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah contesting from two constituencies.

Bengaluru: Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said on Sunday there was nothing wrong in Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah contesting from two constituencies in the 12 May Assembly polls, and expressed confidence he will win both the seats.

To build Siddaramaiah's case, Kharge recalled even Prime Minister Narendra Modi contested the 2014 Lok Sabha polls from two seats  Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh and Vadodara in Gujarat.

He termed the reported fears about Siddaramaiah losing from Chamundeshwari seat in Mysuru as BJP's "false propaganda."

The Karnataka chief minister is likely to file his nomination from Badami in north Karnataka on Tuesday.

"He can contest (from two constituencies). What is wrong in that? This is the high command's decision. People in Badami wanted him to contest from there also," Kharge told reporters.

"Didn't Modi contest from two constituencies? Did any question arise then," the Congress floor leader in Lok Sabha asked.

Siddaramaiah has filed his nomination papers from Chamundeshwari. He has said he was under pressure from party leaders in Bagalkote and Vijayapura districts to contest from Badami, but he would leave the final decision to the Congress "high command".

Responding to a question if Siddaramaiah was contesting from Badami because of the fear of losing in Chamundeshwari, Kharge said: "It is a propaganda of BJP. They are experts. False propaganda is their job."

He said "circumstances" have forced the Karnataka chief minister to contest from two constituencies.

Badami has a strong presence of Kuruba community, to which Siddaramaiah belongs. The constituency is seen as a safer option for him as reports have suggested the battle on Chamundeshwari seat will not be easy for the chief minister.

Siddaramaiah has won five times and defeated twice in Chamundeshwari. He has represented the Varuna constituency in Mysuru since 2008. It's now been allotted to his son Yatindra.

Asked whether Siddaramaiah's candidature from Badami was an after-thought, as another candidate's name was announced in the first list, Kharge said changes happen in all parties.

In the second and final list announced by Congress on Sunday, Siddaramaiah replaced Devraj Patil from Badami constituency.

Patil's name was there in the first list announced on 15 April. But the issuance of the 'B-form' to him was put on hold.

Siddaramaiah's reported wish to contest from two seats, was said to have met with stiff opposition from Kharge and another leader Veerappa Moily, after which the party decided to field Patil.

Kharge and Moily reportedly opposed two constituencies for Siddaramaiah stating it will consolidate Vokkaliga votes in favour of JD(S) in Mysuru region, and it will also send a wrong message about the chief minister lacking confidence.

Asked whether Siddaramaiah will be the chief minister again if Congress comes to power in Karnataka, Kharge said: "There is no such question. This is a hypothetical question. High command will decide."

On the promulgation of an ordinance for stringent punishment to child rapists, Kharge said Congress welcomes all measures to protect women, children and Dalits, but he questioned why the central government was not implementing properly the existing laws.

"As you did not implement the existing laws like the Nirbhaya law properly, there is a 500 percent increase in crimes against women and children. This is an ineffective government," he alleged.Siddararamiah's decision to contest from both Chamundeshwari and Badami is an acknowledgement that Chamundeshwari could get sticky given how JD(S) and BJP seem to be having a tacit understanding to get the better of the Karnataka chief minister.

On Saturday evening, when it became clear that Siddaramaiah would contest from Badami constituency in addition to Chamundeshwari, P Muralidhar Rao, BJP general secretary in-charge of party's Karnataka unit, mocked the chief minister about feeling scared, and therefore, choosing a second seat to contest in the upcoming Assembly elections in the state. His tweet was in Hindi and predicted that not only would Siddaramaiah lose from both seats, Karnataka too would become a Congress-mukt (Congress-free) state.

Siddaramiah came up with a pithy retort, delivered in Kannada.

"Tweet in Kannada or English, do not understand Hindi," he tweeted to Rao.

The BJP leader had walked into that one, more so because Siddaramaiah has already branded BJP as a Hindi Hindutva party, not connected with the Kannadiga identity. Rao's sarcasm was felled by the one-liner.

Three hours later, Rao replied to Siddaramaiah in Kannada. In response, the Karnataka chief minister riposted: "I am happy I taught you to tweet in Kannada." Clearly, Siddaramaiah is unwilling to stop playing the regional identity card.

But the online jabs aside, the decision to make Siddaramaiah contest from two seats is an indication of who calls the shots in Congress, as far as Karnataka affairs are concerned. It is also an acknowledgement of how Chamundeshwari could get sticky given how JD(S) and BJP seem to be having a tacit understanding to get the better of Siddaramaiah. For the record though, Congress points to Narendra Modi contesting from Varanasi and Vadodara in 2014, to undercut the BJP's taunts.

The BJP has fielded a little-known local RSS worker Gopal Rao against Siddaramaiah. The ruling party at the Centre has never won Chamundeshwari and is not known to be a force to reckon with in the constituency. But the impression it conveys is that BJP has virtually retired from the contest, in order to help GT Deve Gowda of JD(S) mount a significant challenge to the chief minister. What is interesting is that Gowda was Siddaramaiah's poll manager during the time when the chief minister was in the Janata parivaar.

The 2.5 lakh voters in Chamundeshwari are dominated by over 70,000 Vokkaligas (Gowda's community) and OBCs (Siddaramaiah is a Kuruba, an OBC shepherd community), who along with Dalits and Muslims number close to 1.2 lakh. Lingayats count for about 30,000 votes and it is significant that the Suttur Mutt, that people in this part follow, has not yet spoken on the Lingayat religion issue. Given the numerical clout of the Vokkaliga community, Gowda will fancy his chances. More so, if BJP can help transfer a bit of the Lingayat vote to him. Siddaramaiah's friend-turned-foe Srinivas Prasad too would pitch in to move some of the Dalit votes away from the chief minister.

But is the contest as tough as it seems? A look at the data of the previous election reveals the Congress has always had a consistent vote share of around 35-38 percent in Chamundeshwari. Though part of it went to Varuna after delimitation in 2008, in most elections, it is either Congress or Siddaramaiah as an Independent in 1983 and subsequently as a Janata or Congress candidate who triumphed. The only time a non-Siddaramaiah Janata candidate won from Chamundeshwari was in 2013 when GT Deve Gowda won from the seat.

Besides, Siddaramaiah is working the emotional quotient in Chamundeshwari. Pegging 2018 as his tenth and last election, he wants the voters of Chamundeshwari who gave him a political life to elect him one final time.

But Gowda is hoping that the voters would not forget that Siddaramaiah "abandoned" Chamundeshwari for Varuna after 2006. And he will have Deve Gowda and HD Kumaraswamy campaign hard for him, to see to it that the chief minister bites the dust.

The chief minister's camp would also be concerned over reports about a package deal struck over Chamundeshwari and Varuna. The whisper campaign suggests that if BJP helps Gowda win in Chamundeshwari, the JD(S) would have to return the favour in Varuna, where Yeddyurappa's son Vijayendra will square off against Siddaramaiah's son Yathindra. The plan is to make the father-son duo nervous about its chances and make them sweat.

The Opposition, therefore, sees Badami as an insurance policy by Siddaramaiah. The sitting MLA in Badami, BB Chimmankatti had offered to leave his seat on condition that Siddaramaiah will contest from there. But when Congress gave the ticket to Devaraj Patil, Chimmankatti was upset. Patil's B-form was subsequently withheld.

"Badami will be symbolic because it will be for the first time in the history of Karnataka's electoral politics that someone of this stature will be contesting from both north and south Karnataka. It also helps Siddaramaiah look like a pan-Karnataka leader," points out Sugata Raju, a political analyst.

Siddaramaiah will also have the advantage of his Kuruba community's presence in Badami, roughly 50,000 of the 2 lakh voters. His candidature will energise the constituencies in Bagalkot district as well, thus helping Congress. The Bagalkot Lok Sabha seat has been a BJP pocket borough since 2004, with Gaddigoudar winning it thrice. Siddaramaiah moving into the Mumbai-Karnataka region is therefore with an eye on 2019 as well.

The question is whether BJP will allow Siddaramaiah an easy run in Badami or make BS Yeddyurappa face off against him. A presidential contest of sorts between the two chief ministerial aspirants would make Karnataka's political theatre really dramatic.The final line-up of candidates in Karnataka will become clear only after withdrawals on 27 April.

One is the ultimate party worker and loyalist, a totally committed RSS pracharak. The other is the shrewd politician, committed to winning elections and regaining the power he once had. BL Santosh, BJPs national joint organising secretary is the supreme backroom strategist, crunching numbers of caste and community equations in each constituency, directing party workers at the grassroots level. BS Yeddyurappa, a former BJP chief minister and again the BJPs chief ministerial candidate, belongs to the Lingayat community which holds sway in around 100 seats, understands the need to placate caste, occupational and community expectations in running an electoral campaign in the state.

Sitting above them, the final arbiter of all disputes and decisions on candidates, strategy and campaign themes at different levels is Amit Shah, who proved his organisational capabilities when he scripted BJPs massive victory in Uttar Pradesh. Today in Rae Bareily and tomorrow back in Karnataka, Amit Shah will do what he does best  set broad ideological parameters and micro-manage the resultant campaign.

Santosh, a Brahmin, a bachelor and a chemical engineer by training, is his man Friday in Karnataka, planning and organising Shahs schedule and meetings, and staying well out of the media eye. Yeddyurappa is the committed public face of the party, out there in the trenches, shaking hands, patting backs, giving interviews and making the required speeches to different voter segments as identified and defined by Santosh and his back room boys. Any bad blood between the two, and there was plenty in the past, Amit Shah has effectively bottled up for now.

Though the final line-up of candidates will become clear only after withdrawals on 27 April, the broad contours of the essentially three-cornered fight between the Congress, BJP and former prime minister Deve Gowdas JD(S), is getting clear. Caste and community numbers and expectations and their perception of which candidate can best deliver on those expectations will decide the winner. Hence, candidate selection, tailored campaign strategy for each voter segment based entirely on caste and community, and voter mobilisation and booth management (over 56,000 polling booths) is what Santosh and Shah are focusing on.

The joker in the pack remains the JD(S) and how well they fare in their traditional Vokkaliga strongholds of the old Mysore region which has over 50 seats. At 29 seats in the outgoing Assembly, any gains for them can come only at the expense of the Congress, especially a defeat of Chief Minister Siddaramiah in Mysores Chamundeswari seat, considered a JD(S) borough. A result the BJP would no doubt fervently wish for.

But would they be willing to help JD(S) in this. No one is talking about this. Yet, no one rules out the possibility of the BJP putting up weak candidates in some of these seats. After all, the Centres delay in deciding on Tamil Nadus demand for a Cauvery Management Board after the Supreme Court gave more water to Karnataka is obviously to placate the JD(S) core support, the farmers of the Cauvery waters region.

Also, BJP can hardly have missed noticing the continuing JD(S) anger at the Congress, especially after the party lost out in the Rajya Sabha polls recently when a number of their rebel members cross-voted for the Congress candidates. Though the two parties share power in the Bangalore city civic body, it was the second time that JD(S) had to forego the seat, as the rebel camp openly identified with the Congress, without quitting the party though. JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy had reacted vehemently to Rahul Gandhis charge that they are the BJPs B team. Congress must remember that it is B team of the JD(S), Kumaraswamy had said then. Quite a few of the JD(S) candidates are likely to be Congress rebels denied a ticket. How many BJP rebels they accommodate will also be significant.

Perhaps an indicator to the future is Kumaraswamys comment that the Congress will perish if we simply stand with the BJP and cough. After all, they did much more than cough in 2006 when they ditched the Congress and struck a coalition with the BJP. A possibility the BJP leadership is probably at least thinking of come 15 May, given what the party did in Goa to form a BJP-led government despite coming off second best at the hustings.

The author is former Editor-in-Charge of The Week.Rahul Gandhi keeps asking what the Modi government has done in the past four years when the country wants to know what the Congress did for the masses in its 50 years, BJP chief Amit Shah said on Sunday.

Ghaziabad: Rahul Gandhi keeps asking what the Modi government has done in the past four years when the country wants to know what the Congress did for the masses in its 50 years, BJP chief Amit Shah said on Sunday.

Shah said the top priority of the government, which is led by his party, was to ensure security on borders and handling terrorism strictly by adopting a zero tolerance policy.

The BJP chief was addressing the concluding session of the party's 'Mahila Morcha' national executive meeting at a private institute here.

Without taking any names he said when our "enemy" had forgotten the incident in which our soldiers were beheaded by its army, India launched surgical strikes to avenge the incident.

Attacking Rahul, he said the Congress president keeps asking what had been done in four years of the Modi government. The country wants to know that what Congress had done in its regime of 50 years for the masses, Shah said.

The BJP government is providing loans to unemployed youths to make them self employed. The opposition parties took jibe on the issue by talking of pakodas', he said. Any kind of job which involves hardwork is considered dignified, he added.

The previous governments were indulging in corruption, he alleged as he lauded the Modi government.

India will lead climate change conference in the coming years, Shah said. He also gave some important tips to women workers of BJP to ensure victory in the forthcoming parliamentary elections. Shah exhorted party workers to work 24x7 achieve the target.Congress president Rahul Gandhi will launch his party's nationwide 'Save the Constitution' campaign, aiming to highlight alleged attacks on the Constitution and Dalits under the BJP-led regime

New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi will on Monday launch his party's nationwide 'Save the Constitution' campaign, aiming to highlight alleged attacks on the Constitution and Dalits under the BJP-led regime.

Seen as the party's effort to reach out to the community ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the campaign launch is expected to be attended by former prime minister Manmohan Singh, party general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad, its senior leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Sushil Kumar Shinde among others.

Congress's present and former Dalit lawmakers, those holding offices in zilla parishad, civic bodies and panchayat samitis, the party's office-bearers attached to its regional units will also attend the event, aimed at sensitising the attendees on the current state of affairs with regard to the community.

The attendees are expected to take the message forward, holding similar campaigns in states to reach out to the community members, sources said.

"The Constitution is under threat in the BJP regime. The community is being denied opportunities in spheres of education and jobs. The programme aims to highlight these issues nationwide," a party leader said.

Dalits form roughly 17 percent of the country's electorate. There are 84 parliamentary seats reserved for candidates belonging to the scheduled castes. The BJP had bagged nearly half of the seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, reflecting on its success in politically key states such as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

The leader noted that only three-four of those seats were won by the Congress then.Reuters

A telecommunications standards organisation  GSMA  said on 21 April it is delaying implementation of a new cellphone technology due to a US government probe of alleged coordination between the group, AT&T Inc and Verizon Communications Inc to hinder consumers from easily switching wireless carriers.

GSMA said in a statement that the move to a global standard for eSIM technology is on hold pending the completion of an investigation by the United States Department of Justice.

At issue is a technology that could make carriers business more volatile. eSIM allows consumers to switch wireless providers without having to insert a new physical SIM card, an identifying microchip. That makes it easier to compare wireless networks and easily select a new service when desired.

This standard contains a wide range of features, including the option for the eSIM to be locked. In the United States, consumers would have this option; however, they would need to explicitly consent to this under specific commercial agreements with their mobile operator, for example when purchasing a subsidised device, GSMA said.

It added that it was cooperating fully with the Department of Justice.

Verizon on 20 April called the probe much ado about nothing, adding it has been working with the Justice Department for several months regarding the inquiry, according to spokesman Rich Young. AT&T also indicated it was they are working with the Justice Department.

Apple Inc and other equipment makers have complained to the Justice Department about wireless carrier practices related to eSIM technology, two sources familiar with the matter said. Apple declined to comment.IANS

More than 7,000 students visited the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT-D) as it opened its gates to school children on 21 April, showcasing a number of its innovations and technologies it developed in last one year.

A number of devises and gadgets were displayed at the 14th Open House, organised by the premier institute, which included flexicrutch, a special crutch to ease walking for disabled, nasal filters to block pollutants, and biodegradable tableware made of rice straw.

"I really liked the event. Especially the hologram," said Lakshya, a class 12 student of Adarsh Public School, Dwarka.

According to an IIT official, students from more than 100 schools came to see the innovations.

"I was surprised to notice that about 7,000 school children came to the Open House this time. Last time this number was around 3,000. Schools from all over Delhi, and even as far as Sonepat came to IIT to see the the products," B. K. Panigrihi, a faculty at the Electrical Engineering department of the institute, told IANS.

A total of more than 50 innovations, software and hardware both, were on display, he said.

Some of the other key projects on exhibition this year were the Street Sizing system for Chirala Handloom Cluster, Tactile Graphics: Representation of Visual Images through Raised Lines Adapted for the Sense of touch, OnBoard: a system that enables a person with blindness to safely board public buses without any dependency amongst many others.tech2 News Staff

LG is expected to introduce several new smartphones this year. The list includes an LG G7 ThinQ and an LG V35 ThinQ, both of which should arrive in May. The launch of the G7 ThinQ is set for 2 May in New York. Following these launches, we're also expecting to see the launch of a device code-named "Storm".

According to leakster Evan Blass, the smartphone to be launched after the LG G7 ThinQ will be code-named "Storm" and is expected to be the LG V40 ThinQ. The V40 ThinQ is expected to be launched in the late summer or early fall of this year. The ThinQ branding seen on the recent smartphones by the company indicates the presence of "AI" capabilities. The specification of the "Storm" is not known yet.

The company has also released a software update for the LG V30 smartphone which was launched in August 2017. The new software version VS99620b brings support LG's AI Cam and also adds ThinQ branding on the start screen of the smartphone. LG has also included security patches with the update. The camera of the smartphone now recommends four different filters that enhances the characteristics of a scene by optimising contrast, saturation and colour. The recommendations are based on 8 categories including people, pets, food, flowers, city, landscape (sea/sky), sunset or sunrise.

LG V40 is codenamed Storm. pic.twitter.com/fNqLUdNzsP  Evan Blass (@evleaks) April 20, 2018

V35 ThinQ (Emma) is arriving around the same time as G7 ThinQ (Neo/Judy), while V40 ThinQ (Storm) is the late summer / early fall flagship. https://t.co/dDLeTYwKEf  Evan Blass (@evleaks) April 20, 2018

A recent leak suggested that the G7 ThinQ would come in five colour variants including Aurora Black, Platinum Grey, Moroccan Blue, Moroccan Blue (Matte) and Raspberry Rose. The phone is also expected to come with an iPhone X-like notch on the top of the display. The smartphone is expected to be launched with a dual-camera setup vertically aligned at the rear side of the device. The LG G7 ThinQ is expected to come with 6 GB RAM and 128 GB or 64 GB of internal storage. The dual-camera setup is expected to feature a 16 MP and 8 MP sensor.A suicide bomber struck a voter registration centre in the Afghanistan capital on Sunday, killing at least 31 people, officials said.

Kabul: A suicide bomber struck a voter registration centre in the Afghanistan capital on Sunday, killing at least 31 people, officials said.

Public Health Ministry spokesman Wahid Majro said another 54 people were wounded in Sunday's attack, updating an earlier toll. General Daud Amin, the Kabul police chief, said the suicide bomber targeted civilians who had gathered to receive national identification cards.

The large explosion echoed across the city, shattering windows miles away from the attack site and damaging several nearby vehicles. Police blocked all roads to the blast site, with only ambulances allowed in. Local TV stations broadcast live footage of hundreds of distraught people gathered at nearby hospitals seeking word about loved ones.

The Taliban, who usually claim their attacks, denied involvement. That means the bombing was likely carried out by a local Islamic State affiliate, which has been behind past bombings in Kabul that targeted civilians. Both groups are opposed to democratic elections.

Afghanistan will hold parliamentary elections in October.

Last week, three police officers responsible for guarding voter registration centres in two Afghan provinces were killed by militants, according to authorities.

Elsewhere in Afghanistan, a district police chief in the northern Balkh province died of his wounds after being shot Saturday during a gunbattle with insurgents, according to Sher Jan Durrani, spokesman for the provincial police chief in Balkh. He said around a dozen insurgents were also killed in the battle, which is still underway.

Durrani identified the slain commander as Halim Khanjar, police chief for the Char Bolak district.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the killing.An explosion apparently caused by a suicide bomber hit a voter registration centre in the Afghan capital, Kabul, on Sunday, causing casualties, with at least four people known to have been killed, officials said.

Kabul: An explosion apparently caused by a suicide bomber hit a voter registration centre in the Afghan capital, Kabul, on Sunday, causing casualties, with at least four people known to have been killed, officials said.

The attack follows several weeks of relative quiet in Kabul and there was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Kabul police chief Abdul Rahman Rahimi told Tolo News television that the blast appeared to have been caused by a suicide bomber and had caused casualties but there were no immediate details.

An official from the ministry of public health said ambulances returning from the site had brought at least four dead and 15 wounded into city hospitals but the final toll was not known.

Voter registration centres have been set up across Afghanistan in preparation for long-delayed parliamentary elections due to be held in October and there have been serious concerns that they could be targeted by attacks.

Sunday's blast took place in Dasht-e Barchi, an area of western Kabul inhabited by many members of the mainly Shi'ite Hazara minority, which has been repeatedly hit by attacks claimed by Islamic State.By Erwin Seba HOUSTON (Reuters) - Former first lady Barbara Bush was remembered at her funeral on Saturday as a formidable but caring figure whose devotion to her family was matched only by her commitment to public service. 'She was our teacher and role model in how to live a life of purpose and meaning,' one of her four sons, former Florida governor and 2016 presidential candidate Jeb Bush, told the crowded Houston church

By Erwin Seba

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Former first lady Barbara Bush was remembered at her funeral on Saturday as a formidable but caring figure whose devotion to her family was matched only by her commitment to public service.

"She was our teacher and role model in how to live a life of purpose and meaning," one of her four sons, former Florida governor and 2016 presidential candidate Jeb Bush, told the crowded Houston church.

He then drew laughs with a nod to Bush's famously sharp tongue: "She called her style a benevolent dictatorship, but honestly, it wasn't all that benevolent."

Some 1,500 mourners, including governors, senators and former U.S. presidents, gathered at a televised but invitation-only service at the church to pay tribute to the matriarch of one of the country's most prominent political dynasties, who died on Tuesday at age 92.

Bush, the wife of the 41st president of the United States, George H.W. Bush, and the mother of the 43rd, George W. Bush, was lauded as an inspiration both to the country and her loved ones, a woman who leavened a strong sense of decency and honor with a self-deprecating wit she employed to great effect.

"She was candid and comforting, steadfast and straightforward, honest and loving," said the historian and author Jon Meacham, who wrote a biography of George H.W. Bush and was one of three eulogists whom Barbara Bush herself selected before her death.

"Barbara Bush and George Bush put country above party, the common good above political gain and service to others above the settling of scores," he said.

Former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, current first lady Melania Trump, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former first lady Michelle Obama were all on hand for the service.

President Donald Trump, who clashed with the Bush family during his 2016 campaign, did not travel to Houston. The White House said this week he wanted to avoid disrupting the service with added security.

In a Twitter post, Trump said his "thoughts and prayers are with the entire Bush family."

Former President Jimmy Carter was overseas and unable to attend.

Barbara Bush's longtime friend, Susan Baker, the wife of former Secretary of State James Baker, described her in a eulogy as a "tough but loving enforcer" whose 73-year marriage to her husband was a real-life fairy tale.

George H.W. Bush would write a letter to his wife on each wedding anniversary, Jeb Bush said, before reading aloud one such letter from 1994, a year after his father left the White House.

"I was very happy on that day in 1945, but I'm even happier today," he read, as his 93-year-old father squeezed his eyes shut and wept. "You have given me joy that few men know ... I have climbed perhaps the highest mountain in the world, but even that cannot hold a candle to being Barbara's husband."

Hours before the service, guests arrived at a different church several miles away to be bussed to the venue, walking past a throng of media.

Bush made it possible for her husband to have "the arc of his life," said Karl Rove, who served as a chief political adviser for George W. Bush.

As the service ended, Bush's grandsons bore her casket out of the church, with George W. Bush pushing his father in a wheelchair directly behind it.

Barbara Bush will be buried on the grounds of the George H.W. Bush Library and Museum at Texas A&M University in College Station, next to her daughter, Robin, who died of leukemia at the age of 3. The motorcade carrying her body will traverse both George Bush Drive and Barbara Bush Drive on its way to the burial site.

Members of the public paid their respects on Friday, when Bush lay in repose at the church. George H.W. Bush, seated in a wheelchair in front of the casket, greeted mourners in turn with a handshake.

(Reporting by Erwin Seba in Houston; Writing and additional reporting by Joseph Ax; Editing by Diane Craft and Matthew Lewis)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.The boats were practicing on Saturday for a race in the Taohua River in the city of Guilin when the accident happened

Beijing: Seventeen people were killed after two dragon boats capsized in southern China, authorities said on Sunday.

The boats were practicing on Saturday for a race in the Taohua River in the city of Guilin when the accident happened, said the fire department of the city of Guilin, capital of Guangxi region.

It was not immediately clear what caused the boats to capsize.

The fire department said on its official account on the social media site Sina Weibo that search efforts ended late Saturday and 17 people had been confirmed dead. A total of 60 people fell into the water.

The official Xinhua News Agency said eight boats and over 200 people had been deployed to the rescue.

Two organizers of the practice, from the village of Dunmu, were detained, Xinhua said.

China has sought to step up safety surrounding nationwide dragon boat racing during the Duanwu festival, which falls near the summer solstice and commemorates the death of the poet and minister Qu Yuan in the third century BC.President Donald Trump asserted that North Korea has agreed to 'denuclearisation' and a halt to testing while the United States had so far conceded 'nothing' in return.President Donald Trump asserted that North Korea has agreed to 'denuclearisation' and a halt to testing while the United States had so far conceded 'nothing' in return.

Washington: President Donald Trump asserted that North Korea has agreed to "denuclearisation" and a halt to testing while the United States had so far conceded "nothing" in return.

North Korea pledged this week to halt nuclear and missile tests as the two countries prepare for a summit between Kim Jong-un and Trump, but has not committed to giving up its nuclear weapons: Which Pyongyang views as a shield against the Western overthrow of its government.

"We haven't given up anything and they have agreed to denuclearization (so great for World), site closure, & no more testing!" Trump wrote on Twitter, apparently responding to remarks made by an NBC news host.

"We are a long way from conclusion on North Korea, maybe things will work out, and maybe they won't - only time will tell... But the work I am doing now should have been done a long time ago!" Kim said yesterday that his country would halt testing and close a nuclear test site, which Trump hailed as "big progress".

But observers warn those concessions could be easily reversed if Kim decides to do so.

Some experts meanwhile view the planned summit itself  and the legitimacy a meeting with a sitting US president confers on Kim and his government  as a win for Pyongyang.

"This is a great public relations effort by Kim Jong-un and I think people recognize that. I think everyone within the administration and Congress approaches this with skepticism and caution," Bob Corker, the Republican chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said on CNN's State of the Union.

"You can easily reverse that and all of us know that," said the senator, noting that Kim has begun "the meetings in a way that almost put the United States on the defensive."Donald Trump said the North Korean nuclear crisis is far from conclusion, striking a cautious note a day after the Norths pledge to end its nuclear tests raised hopes before planned summits with South Korea and the United States

Washington: US president Donald Trump said the North Korean nuclear crisis is far from conclusion on Sunday, striking a cautious note a day after the Norths pledge to end its nuclear tests raised hopes before planned summits with South Korea and the United States.

We are a long way from conclusion on North Korea, maybe things will work out, and maybe they wont  only time will tell, Trump said on Twitter.

....We are a long way from conclusion on North Korea, maybe things will work out, and maybe they wont - only time will tell....But the work I am doing now should have been done a long time ago!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 22, 2018

North Korea said on Saturday it was suspending nuclear and missile tests and scrapping its nuclear test site, and instead pursuing economic growth and peace.

World leaders welcomed the announcement, which came before the first North Korea-South Korea summit in more than a decade on Friday.

In a tweet minutes before sounding a more cautious tone, Trump interpreted the Norths statement as a pledge to denuclearize: Wow, we havent given up anything & they have agreed to denuclearization (so great for World), site closure, & no more testing!

However, Kims announcement did not include a commitment to scrap existing nuclear weapons and missiles, and there are doubts he would ever give up the nuclear arsenal his country has been developing for decades.

Kim said North Korea no longer needed to test nuclear bombs or intercontinental ballistic missiles now that his country had the weapons, and he would gear all efforts toward economic development.

Some have expressed doubts about the Norths intentions and South Korean President Moon Jae-in will be under intense international scrutiny when he meets North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Friday.

North Korea has a long history of raising the issue of denuclearisation and has committed to freeze its nuclear weapons programmes in the past. We all remember how those pledges and commitments went down over past decades, said Nam Sung-wook, a professor of North Korean Studies at Korea University in Seoul.

Although the Norths announcement is quite dramatic, its natural for the world to be extra sensitive to every word spoken by Kim, he added.

In Washington, Bob Corker, the Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the US government viewed Kims pledge with scepticism.

This is a great public relations effort by Kim Jong-un, Corker said on CNN. I think everyone within the administration and Congress approaches this with scepticism and caution.

Kim is expected to meet Trump in late May or early June, the first meeting between sitting leaders of the two countries. CIA Director Mike Pompeo, Trumps nominee to become the next secretary of state, secretly visited North Korea and met with Kim to discuss the summit three weeks ago.

Moon, who welcomed Kims announcement as a major step toward denuclearisation, is making Fridays summit his sole focus this week, staying in the presidential Blue House to prepare with no outside engagements, a Blue House official said on Sunday.

South Koreas presidential security service met officials from the military as well as the UN Command on Saturday to discuss security at the border truce village of Panmunjom, where the inter-Korean summit will take place, the official said.

For the past few weeks, South Korea has been renovating Peace House, on its side of Panmunjom, to prepare for the summit with Kim, who will be the first North Korean leader to set foot in the South since the 1950-1953 Korean War.

On Monday, the two Koreas will hold another round of working-level talks at the Tongil Pavilion on the North Korean side of Panmunjom to discuss protocol, security and media coverage of the summit.

Big progress

Moon now has a direct phone link with Kim on his office desk, instead of having to communicate through a hotline at the Joint Security Area in Panmunjom, which had been the main channel between the two sides over the Winter Olympics in February.

The two leaders are expected to talk over the newly installed phone for the first time this week, before the summit, South Korea said on Friday.

A senior US diplomat for East Asia, Susan Thornton, called North Koreas latest announcement a very positive step as she started a three-day visit to Seoul on Sunday, which will include meetings with South Koreas foreign minister as well as its top nuclear negotiator.

We are going to be doing a lot of close coordination with South Korea, allies and partners this week, the Yonhap news agency quoted her as saying.

South Korea said the Norths testing pledge signified meaningful progress that would create good conditions for successful summits with Seoul and Washington.

US officials say North Korea had in the past repeatedly reneged on denuclearisation agreements, the latest in 2012 when the North launched a long-range rocket after agreeing to a moratorium on missile testing.

Cheong Seong-chang, senior research fellow at the Sejong Institute think-tank, said a firm commitment to denuclearise could not be expected before negotiations with the United States began.

Kim cannot give up everything at once. What is clear is that he is showing his earnest willingness to pave the way for smooth negotiations, Cheong said.French president Emmanuel Macron is urging US president Donald Trump to stick with the Iranian nuclear accord, arguing there's no 'Plan B'.

Paris: French president Emmanuel Macron is urging US president Donald Trump to stick with the Iranian nuclear accord, arguing there's no "Plan B".

Macron told Fox News in an interview he thinks the 2015 deal curbing Iran's nuclear ambitions is imperfect.

But the French leader, who begins a state visit to Washington on Monday, asked, "What do you have as a better option?"

Trump has vowed to withdraw from the Iran deal by 12 May unless US and European negotiators agree to fix what he calls its serious flaws.

In his Fox News interview, Macron also argued against new tariffs Trump has threatened to impose starting 1 May, saying "you don't make trade war with your allies".

Macron plans to discuss the tariffs and to urge the US to stay involved in Syria during his visit.Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold a summit in China's Wuhan city from 27 to 28 April for a 'heart-to-heart' chat to explore a new paradigm for India-China ties

Beijing: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold a summit in China's Wuhan city from 27 to 28 April for a "heart-to-heart" chat to explore a new paradigm for India-China ties and find ways to address the contentious issues like the border dispute.

Conceived on the lines of the ice-breaking visit undertaken by late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1988 and his far-reaching talks with China's paramount leader Deng Xiaoping, setting a new tone for the relations after the 1962 war, the Xi-Modi dialogue in the central Chinese city of Wuhan was aimed at a working a new paradigm for the bilateral relations for the next 15 years, informed sources told PTI in Beijing.

At the "informal summit" with a few officials and aides at a picturesque location, the two leaders plan to spend several hours exchanging their vision and perspectives about global and domestic scenarios and explore ideas to address the contentious bilateral issues like the border dispute, they said.

The talks will focus on adhering to the principle that both countries should be sensitive to each other's concerns and aspirations, the sources said.

At the summit, Modi and Xi will try to work out a general framework for relations to move ahead without much of great expectations about the outcome, they said.

It is a leadership-driven summit, providing a leadership driven-direction and a way forward to more stable bilateral ties, the sources said.

While no major agreements were expected to be reached at the summit, the two leaders will have candid talks on the contentious issues like Xi's pet project, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) whose flagship project, the $50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has become a major stumbling block for the bilateral ties.

India protested about CPEC as it is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) disregarding India's sovereignty concerns.

Last year turned out to be an extremely complex and difficult year for Sino-Indian ties with a host of festering differences like China blocking India's entry into the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) as well as attempts to list Jaish-e-Muhammad leader Masood Azhar as a terrorist by the UN. The 73-day standoff at Doka La also hit bilateral ties.

The Wuhan summit is aimed at giving an "honest try" by the two leaders to work out an understanding at the top on the future course of relations to navigate through the maze of differences and build strategic trust and communication between themselves, they said.

It will be the fourth visit by Modi to China since he took over power in 2014 and a second bilateral visit. He made the first bilateral visit in 2015 followed by a visit to Hangzhou to take part in the G-20 summit in 2016 and BRICS summit in Xiamen last year.

He is again due to visit Chinese city of Qingdao in June this year to take part in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.

The two leaders decided to meet ahead of SCO meet as the summit of the eight-member group will offer little time and space for a lengthy interaction, the sources said.

The Modi-Xi meeting has been worked out by both sides following an understanding between the two governments that positive relations without much of tensions are most important for the development of both the countries.

While China sees India as a country of faster economic growth and safe destination for Chinese investments, and regard good ties with it is important for its peaceful rise, the thinking in India too is that peaceful relations with China is important for the progress of initiatives like the 'Make in India', they said.

At their summit, the two leaders were expected to have a "heart-to-heart" chat and look at the big picture of the bilateral ties, they said.

The summit is taking place as Xi, now regarded as the most powerful leader of China is poised for a longer tenure in the office after the last month's removal of the two-term limit for president.

The summit provides an opportunity for the 64-year-old Chinese leader to elaborate on the contours of his oft-stated Chinese dream of national rejuvenation, while Modi was expected to highlight the importance of campaigns like the 'Make in India' and his vision of "Vasudeva Kutumbakam", (the world as a single family) they said.

The Modi-Xi summit meeting is taking place in the backdrop of a series of high-level interactions between both the two countries starting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to India in December, the first after the Doka La standoff.

It was followed by two meetings between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi and the visit early this year by Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale to Beijing.A nude gunman shot dead four people and injured at least four more in the early hours of Sunday at a restaurant on the outskirts of Nashville, Tennessee

Washington: A nude gunman shot dead four people and injured at least four more in the early hours of Sunday at a restaurant on the outskirts of Nashville, Tennessee, police said.

The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said in a statement that the shooting occurred at a Waffle House restaurant in Antioch, a suburb southeast of Nashville, at 3:25 am (08:25 local time).

"A patron wrestled away the gunman's rifle. He was nude and fled on foot. He is a white man with short hair," the statement added.

A following statement named 29-year-old Travis Reinking, of Morton, Illinois  a village located some 450 miles north of Antioch  as a person of interest. Police said the suspect arrived in a car registered to Reinking.

They added the gunman, who had shed his coat, was last seen walking on Murfreesboro Pike, where the 24-hour diner is located.

Local media citing police on the scene reported the gunman was armed with an AR-15 assault rifle  a weapon commonly used by mass shooters in the US, where the debate over gun control is fierce and shootings are all-too-frequent.

Reports added at least one victim was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, located in Nashville itself.

AR-15 rifles were used to kill 58 people in Las Vegas last October, while Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz in February opened fire on his former high school with an AR-15 style rifle, killing 17 students and staff members.

In the wake of the Florida massacre, student survivors launched a gun control campaign  drawing hundreds of thousands to demonstrations  and businesses including Walmart and Dick's Sporting Goods took measures to restrict access to assault weapons and firearms in general.

However, Congress is sitting on its hands when it comes to the issue.

Meanwhile, an ABC News/Washington Post poll published Friday suggested that support for a ban on assault weapons has risen sharply in the past few months.

Sixty-two percent of those polled said they support a nationwide ban on the sale of assault weapons, up from 50 percent in mid-February and 45 percent in late 2015.Duterte said he had set a window for peace talks he is seeking to revive with communist guerrillas, urging the rebels exiled leader to hammer out a deal

Manila: Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte said on Saturday he had set a 60-day timeframe for peace talks he is seeking to revive with communist guerrillas, urging the rebels exiled leader to come home to hammer out a deal.

The conflict between the government and the New Peoples Army (NPA), the armed wing of the communist party, has raged for half a century and killed more than 40,000 people.

In February, a Norwegian diplomat met Duterte to try to convince him to restart negotiations that the president had scrapped in anger at what he considers duplicity by the communists.

Earlier in April Duterte ordered his cabinet to work on a truce to enable talks, but the communist rebels have rejected any preconditions.

Jose Maria Sison, leader of the Communist Party of the Philippines has been in exile in the Netherlands since his release from prison in the late 1980s.

I am talking to Sison now. It is an off and on thing (and) probably the military and the police have misgivings, Duterte said in a speech at a motorcycle clubs convention in Legazpi in central Philippines.

But my duty, my fundamental basic duty is to see to it that the country is peaceful, he said.

Duterte said he had created a small window (of) 60 days for the talks and urged Sison to come home to the negotiating table. He did not say when the 60-day period would start.

He said he would pay for the rebel leaders expenses, including his air fare.

Ending the conflict was among Dutertes priorities when he took office in 2016. But he abandoned peace efforts in November, infuriated by repeated rebel attacks during the talks.

On-off negotiations to end the revolt have been brokered by Norway since 1986.

Earlier this month Duterte said the rebels must agree to a ceasefire, stop extortion activities and abandon their proposal of a coalition government, before resuming talks.

Sison has said he is hopeful that negotiations could end the insurgency.Saudi forces on Saturday shot down an unidentified toy drone that hovered over a Riyadh neighbourhood home to royal palaces, state media said

Riyadh: Saudi forces on Saturday shot down an unidentified toy drone that hovered over a Riyadh neighbourhood home to royal palaces, state media said, prompting a security alarm in the capital.

"At 1950 (1650 GMT) a security checkpoint in Khuzama neighbourhood of Riyadh spotted a recreational remote-controlled drone," the Saudi Press Agency reported.

"Security personnel at the checkpoint dealt with it according to their orders and instructions in this regard," SPA added, implying that the drone had been shot down.

The statement followed unconfirmed videos on social media that appeared to show heavy volleys of gunfire in that neighbourhood, triggering speculation of a possible coup attempt.

But the government ruled out any major security breach, adding that an investigation had been launched into the incident.

Government officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the whereabouts of the Saudi king and crown prince during the incident.

Security around the palaces appears to have tightened in recent months as powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman oversees landmark social and economic reforms to prepare for a post-oil era, despite the risk of riling religious hardliners.

The 32-year-old prince has also overseen a major military shake-up and a royal purge as he consolidates power to a degree well beyond that wielded by previous rulers.

Last October a gunman shot dead two Saudi guards and wounded three others at the gate of the royal palace in the Red Sea city of Jeddah, according to the interior ministry.

Royal guards killed the gunman, identified by the ministry as a 28-year-old Saudi national armed with a Kalashnikov and three grenades.

Saudi Arabia is also embroiled in a long-running conflict with Iran-backed Huthi rebels in neighbouring Yemen, dubbed by the United Nations as the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Huthi rebels have repeatedly fired missiles into Saudi territory, including the capital Riyadh. Saudi Arabia claims to have intercepted most of them.External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday met her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi to discuss bilateral ties and step up the pace of high-level interactions to improve the relationship

Beijing: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday met her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi to discuss bilateral ties and step up the pace of high-level interactions to improve the relationship.

Swaraj arrived in Beijing on Saturday on a four-day visit to take part in the foreign ministers' meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

Reinforcing the positive momentum in our relationship! EAM @SushmaSwaraj warmly welcomed by Foreign Minister and State Councillor of China Wang Yi at the Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing ahead of their bilateral meeting. pic.twitter.com/wooyNLkpIH  Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) April 22, 2018

External Affairs Minister Smt. Sushma Swaraj arrived today in Beijing for a bilateral visit and to attend the Regular meeting of Foreign Ministers of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation #SCO @SushmaSwaraj @MEAIndia pic.twitter.com/MZHaZhMm1O  India in China (@EOIBeijing) April 21, 2018

This was their first meeting after Wang was elevated as state councillor in March which makes him the top diplomat of the country in the Chinese hierarchy. He also continues to be foreign minister.

In her initial remarks, Swaraj congratulated Wang on being elevated as state councillor and the special representative for the India-China boundary talks.

Their meeting is part of efforts by the two countries to step up the pace of high-level interactions to improve relations, official sources in Beijing told PTI before the meeting.

Following the Doka La standoff in 2017 both countries increased dialogue to scale down tensions and improve relations with talks at various levels.

Swaraj and Wang are meeting in the immediate backdrop of the recent meeting between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and top official of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) Yang Jiechi in Shanghai.The marijuana industry is growing like a weed. Sure, that's a corny way of putting things, but it also very accurately describes the fast pace and consistent path to growth for the cannabis industry at the moment.

In North America, according to research firm ArcView, legal marijuana sales soared 33% last year to $9.7 billion. With the expectation that compound annual sales growth will continue at an average of 28% through 2021, ArcView is calling for close to $25 billion in North American sales by 2021.

A big reason for this rapid surge in sales is the expected legalization of recreational marijuana in Canada by this coming summer. Canada would become the first developed country in the world, and second overall behind Uruguay, to have allowed the sale of cannabis to adults aged 18 and up. In the process, Canada is expected to add $5 billion or more in annual sales to an industry that's already benefiting from medicinal cannabis sales and exports to medically legal countries.

The U.S. pot industry is stuck in neutral

What's interesting about the marijuana industry is that, while Canada is leading the charge, it's the U.S. that could be the world's most lucrative market for weed -- if it were legal, that is. Despite an overwhelming number of respondents in U.S. surveys in favor of legalizing cannabis nationally, the federal government has remained steadfast in maintaining a Schedule I classification for pot. This places marijuana on par with drugs like LSD and heroin, implies a high propensity for abuse, and fails to recognize any medical benefits of the drug.

This Schedule I classification has additional drawbacks, too. It's made running clinical research into cannabis' risks and benefits nearly impossible, as researchers are drowning in red tape and a relatively small availability of federally grown cannabis. Meanwhile, marijuana-based businesses have virtually no access to basic banking services, including a checking account, and could be forced to pay an effective tax rate of up to 90%, if profitable, thanks to a more than three-decade-old tax code known as 280E.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions is very much at the heart of marijuana's lack of progress at the federal level. As no fan of pot, Sessions has repeatedly attempted to thwart expansion at the state level. In May 2017, he sent letters to a few congressional colleagues requesting that the Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment be repealed. This amendment, passed with each and every federal spending proposal, is what disallows the Justice Department from using federal dollars to prosecute medical marijuana businesses. Sessions' request has repeatedly fallen on deaf ears in Washington.

He was, however, successful in having the Cole memo rescinded on Jan. 4, 2018. Created by former Deputy Attorney General James Cole during the Obama administration, the Cole memo laid out a series of guidelines that legalized states would follow to keep the federal government satisfied and off their backs. Examples include keeping pot away from adolescents, and ensuring that marijuana grown within a state stayed there. Rescinding this memo, which Sessions intimated overstepped its bounds from the get-go, opened the door for state prosecutors to use their discretion in leveling cannabis charges against businesses and/or individuals.

This gray area of what is and isn't legal has been a regular source of investor consternation for months. Thankfully, it might have a solution.

President Trump changed his mind on cannabis, yet again

Last week, after consulting with Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), President Trump came to an agreement to end any potential federal crackdown on legal cannabis industries in states that have legalized in some capacity. In effect, Trump backed the idea of supporting the rights of states to choose what should happen with cannabis within their own borders. As you might imagine, marijuana stocks received a nice little boost after this morsel of news.

However, there's only so much faith that can be placed in Trump's promise to turn cannabis issues over to states considering how often his position on the subject has changed.

In 2016, during his campaign, Donald Trump suggested that he was "100 percent" behind the idea of legalizing access to medical marijuana, and kept an open mind to the idea of recreational weed, albeit with the need for additional clinical research on its risks and benefits. But in 2017, and even within the past few months, Trump's stance on cannabis had taken a decidedly negative turn.

To begin with, knowing full well that Sessions was an ardent opponent of cannabis, Trump recommended him for the position of attorney general. And while Trump has clashed behind the scenes with Sessions, their disagreements have never centered on cannabis.

Even more recently, it came to a head when Israel decided to shelve plans to export medical cannabis to the United States to placate President Trump. Israel is one of just a very small number of countries with a vision for cannabis exports, and it had planned on the U.S. being its primary source of revenue in this regard. If Trump had been "100 percent" supportive of medical cannabis, it seems confusing that he'd nix such an idea.

Yet, once again, Trump is backing the idea of states' rights when it comes to cannabis laws. Of course, this change in stance comes after Sen. Gardner had repeatedly blocked the Senate confirmations of Justice Department nominees in order to coerce federal cannabis reforms and protect Colorado's burgeoning pot industry, which generated $1.49 billion in sales in 2017. It appears to be more of a barter agreement than a true show of support for the domestic marijuana industry.

Regardless of Trump's stance on pot, avoid the domestic weed industry

The fact of the matter is that regardless of what Trump decides to do with cannabis -- side with states' rights or allow Sessions to wage war on cannabis -- investing in the industry, at least domestically, will prove far too risky.

Even if Trump protects already legalized states from federal prosecution, it won't change a thing with regard to the excessively high tax rates these businesses face, or the fact that researchers are bogged down in red tape. The fact remains that Congress is in no rush to act on cannabis reforms with Trump as president and Sessions as the country's attorney general, signaling that any chance of meaningful change for the industry could be, at minimum, three to four years out, and would depend on the 2018 and 2020 election results.

For the time being, investors are safest on the sidelines.Very sad to hear. I was fortunate to meet him last fall and spend a couple of hours at his place. We had a great time looking at his various projects and talking old trucks. He was very talented and I enjoyed seeing his creativity and artistic works first hand. A return to his place was on my list for this spring. A shame that I won't be making that trip now to see him again. Rest in peace, my friend.



For those who may only know him as Willowbilly3, his name is JB Hoffman from Belle Fourche SD.Agriculture is among the sectors likely to struggle most to attract workers after Brexit, a government adviser has warned.

Alan Manning, chairman of the Migration Advisory Committee said farming, food processing, hospitality and warehousing were all likely to struggle to attract enough workers after the UK leaves the EU in March 2019.

New immigration rules would hit lower skilled workers looking to come to the UK  making it difficult for industries such as agriculture which rely on recruiting temporary and full-time employees from overseas, said Prof Manning.

See also: How to attract and retain the best employees

It depends on what the future system is  but if one thinks it is going to bear down more heavily on lower-skilled migration, I think you would be looking at agriculture, food manufacturing, hospitality and maybe warehousing.

No hardened attitude

Prof Manning was giving evidence to the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee on Wednesday (18 April). His comments as Defra secretary Michael Gove dismissed suggestions Brexit has led to a hardening of attitudes on immigration.

Of all the countries in the EU, Britain is the country with the warmest attitude to migration from outside the EU, Mr Gove told BBC Radio 4s Today programme. Were the most immigration-friendly country in the EU.

Many farms and horticultural businesses continue to report difficulties recruiting staff. But so far the government has refused to introduce of a seasonal agricultural workers scheme that growers argue would help fill vacancies.

Less willing

In East Anglia, fruit growers Boxford (Suffolk) Farms said it was a hard sell but foreign workers coming to the UK helped support British jobs. It said the company group employed more than 300 seasonal workers  supporting the employment of 283 full-time UK staff.

UK workers were much slower at fruit picking, said Boxford (Suffolk) Farms in a submission to the migration committee. They were reluctant to take manual harvest jobs, didnt want to work long hours and were less willing to start early if the crop and weather dictated.

Without overseas workers, UK-produced food would become more expensive and sales would diminish. The worse-case scenario is of course that if there are no seasonal workers at all then UK grown fruit and veg will simply cease to be produced.TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's cryptocurrency exchanges should be regulated more like banks as they hold investors' assets while offering trading platforms, the chief executive of online brokerage Monex Group Inc said. SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE

Monex, Japan's No.3 online brokerage, on Monday completed the 3.6 billion yen ($33.6 million) acquisition of Coincheck Inc - the exchange hit by a $530 million digital money heist - in the most significant move yet by a major financial company into Japan's crypto sector.



Coincheck, like many of Japan's other cryptocurrency exchanges, holds customers' assets as well as "matching" those who want to trade digital money.



"Japan's exchanges do both matching and custodial services - they're close to a bank," CEO Oki Matsumoto told Reuters in an interview. "To someone in the financial industry like myself, it's common sense that regulations will get stricter."



There are currently 32 cryptocurrency exchanges operating in Japan. While rules introduced last year require exchanges to keep customers' and company assets separate, the practice has not been clearly defined.



At online brokerages such as Monex, in contrast, the separation of assets is strictly enforced, with customers' cash and stocks kept at third-party custodians such as trust banks.



Monex's purchase of Coincheck allows it to enter the cryptocurrency industry, using Coincheck's well-developed trading platform and customer base as a launch pad into a sector whose fast growth has attracted the attention of other firms.



Last week, Yahoo Japan said it would buy a stake in a Tokyo-based cryptocurrency exchange. Messaging app operator Line Corp is also looking to join the market, while Monex's larger rival competitor SBI Holdings Inc holds a license to run an exchange but has not yet begun operations.



Yen-based trades accounted for over half of worldwide bitcoin trades over the last 24 hours, according to data from cryptocompare.com.



As of March, 3.5 million Japanese trade digital money, regulatory data show, with a majority in the 20-40 year old age bracket coveted by financial firms as the country's population shrinks and ages.



The market has so far reacted positively to the gamble by Matsumoto, who held an account with Coincheck for three years before the exchange was hacked.



Monex shares have soared 66 percent since the brokerage said it was looking at buying Coincheck, touching their highest in a decade.



Still, Matsumoto, who mines cryptocurrencies, said few major companies would have had interest in the Coincheck deal.



"I don't think there would have been many firms ready to do so," he said. "It's an issue for management."



(Reporting by Taiga Uranaka and Thomas Wilson; Editing by Kim Coghill)Google annual developer conference 2018: what to expect News oi-Sandeep Sarkar Google can also possibly discuss the Daydream platform, which requires an update on an immediate basis as the platform was unsuccessful for the smartphones.

Google I/O which is the tech giant's annual developer conference is due this May and will be held from May 8 to May 10. The conference will be held at Mountain View California. Like every other time, Google will announce the Android P features for both the user base and the developers along with some other products that the company is working on. We will be covering what all could be expected during the I/O 2018:

Android P features:

Google has been announcing the new features that come along with its latest version of Android every year at the Google I/O conference. This year also Google might announce the latest features that might come with the latest version of Android. It is being reported that the tech giant will for sure discuss some of the new features in the Android P. Google will further be focusing on how it plans on making the new version of Android more secure for its users. Also, the company might discuss how the Play Protect has tried to free its users from the Malware that infects the Android devices. There is also a possibility that the company might announce the name of Android P considering the spring wallpapers that the tech giant announced a few weeks back which features Popsicle, pointing that the Android 9.0 could be named Popsicle.

Improvements in AR/VR:

Google can also possibly discuss the Daydream platform, which requires an update on an immediate basis as the platform was unsuccessful for the smartphones. Also, we might see an advanced hardware for the same, however, there is not enough evidence to support the claims. Google might also discuss ARCore considering the fact that the company supports a number of devices and ARCore apps which are widely available on the Play store also.

WearOS update:

It was recently that Google made some changes to its Android Wear and renamed it to WearOS. Also, Google has released a darker theme for the developers along with some improvements so that WearOS watch tries to save battery.

It is being speculated that users might be able to see an official WearOS 3.0 update announcement during the annual developer conference meet. It would be interesting though to see how the tech giant plans on competing with the Apple Watch.

That said about the Google I/O which is supposed to be held this May, we will further keep you posted with the updates related to the same, so stay tuned with us.

Best Mobiles in India

Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow NotificationsIn the media monitoring industry, David Ives said offering his clients next-level tracking capabilities is key to success.

Its been four years since Fairfield-based TVEyes moved its headquarters to a former print shop at 1150 Post Road. In that time, Ives, who founded the company 19 years ago, said growth on all fronts has been the primary focus.

The biggest change has come by way of product offerings, Ives said, with the business taking its tracking capabilities to a new level.

For 19 years, weve primarily been a word-spotting company, he said, but today the media monitoring company allows subscribers to track spoken words, as well.

TVEyes online search feature, which launched in January, includes monitoring for topics of interest in popular media specifically featured on platforms including YouTube and podcasts, as well as its traditional tracking of television broadcasts.

We are tracking the most popular content  videos that have been seen by a million or more people, Ives said. This is super powerful because some videos go viral, and if they say something good about your brand, thats awesome.

With a keyword, a user can keep tabs on how many times a given term has been mentioned around the world in real time. The service then takes it a step further by transcribing video and logging when the topic was discussed for later review.

Other products recently released include logo detection software, which allows users to spot a company logo in a commercial, video or in the background of a newscast or sporting event. TVEyes also offers advertising monitoring that keeps tabs on ads featured on all U.S. stations under the services coverage.

Were able to basically, in real time, tell you where an ad is running and estimate what it cost to put it there, Ives said, adding that the service has become a hit with political campaigns.

They want to know how much their opponent is spending and where they are spending it, he added.

Spreading the word

Since starting the business in his basement a mile from his current headquarters, Ives said TVEyes has grown to 25 employees with plans of hiring another six employees this year.

The last few years, word of mouth has really exploded our business, Ives said.

The broadcast-monitoring businesses allows users to keep tabs of coverage in more than 1,400 markets globally. The growing industry has been a popular tool for politicians, CEOs, celebrities and anyone looking to keep track of topics of interest in the media.

TVEyes has almost 4,000 direct customers along with partnerships overseas; the company operates in 15 countries in 12 languages. Through those partnerships, indirect users boost its customer count above 10,000, Ives said.

The business has worked with the last three presidential administrations, Ives said.

Politicians, more than anyone, have to follow those good and the bad stories, Ives said. Every station plays the story differently, so what happens is when you have a news story whether its good or bad, youre going to get it presented differently on one channel versus another one, and even internationally how Al Jazeera plays it or how BBC plays it is important.

Legal troubles

Along with growth, the past few years have also been marked by a legal dispute with Fox News, whose parent company sued over what it said was TVEyes improper use of its broadcast material.

In February, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit ruled in favor of Fox News, which argued the service exceeded the boundaries of fair use and would ultimately damage the companys bottom line.

Professor William Yousman, of Sacred Heart Universitys School of Communications and Media Arts, sees the lawsuit as part of a trend of media corporations attempting to safeguard as much of their profits as possible by cracking down on monitoring services.

Fox is the one that brought the lawsuit, but I am sure the other news (outlets) that they provide access to are watching this very carefully and they are probably happy with the outcome, Yousman said. I think it needs to be put in the larger context that for years now corporations have been attacking fair use, and theyve been trying to really limit what is considered acceptable use of copyrighted materials as a business strategy.

Yousman said Fox News prevailing in its case against TVEyes could pose problems down the line. To a company that relies on incorporating video clips in its tracking services, a court cracking down on or even barring the use of archived videos could be crippling to a business like TVEyes, as well as damaging to users who rely on tracking services for their jobs, research or for managing their brands.

Ives declined to comment about the case, stating it was an ongoing legal issue, but he said TVEyes would continue offering services while the issue is decided in court.

The value that we bring to our customers is well understood, and our customers understand that this is a requirement to do their jobs. Anyone in public relations and crisis relations has to have this capability, so its not going away, he said.GREENWICH  As the towns population ages, the mission of At Home in Greenwich to help seniors remain in their homes has never been more important.

And the nonprofit group just celebrated its 10th anniversary in town.

We make a very large community smaller because we are kind of like a club, said Lise Jameson, At Home in Greenwichs executive director. We try to do fun things, and our goal is to get people to know each other so they do things together and come to events we have together.

At Home In Greenwich provides transportation for members and maintains a list of vendors for services from house repairs to home health aides. But its mission goes far beyond that, providing a vital social connection for members and taking regular trips to places such as New York City museums  which can make a big improvement in quality of life for seniors, Jameson said.

We want to offer mutual support, and thats huge because when people get older their life gets a little narrower, she said. Their friends move. Their spouses die. Its good to have a group available to them like us because we do a ton of social things, which we feel is absolutely imperative.

Marilyn Chou, founder, past president, and current president emerita, said she is gratified to see how far the agency has come in the past decade.

For her, it is important that the members have become friends. And she is pleased that the services she and others wanted when At Home was founded are now in place.

I didnt want to impose on people as I got older, Chou said. Id had an incident where I was housebound for over a month, and I realized I was asking friends to take me to the doctors and bring me medicine and bring me food and even to make my bed at night. I realized this could happen 10 years later, and they would be older, and it would be harder for them to come by. I wanted to be independent without imposing.

Today, At Home in Greenwich has just under 200 members. Its accomplishments were celebrated last Tuesday at its annual meeting. First Selectman Peter Tesei and U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a town resident, offered commendations for its accomplishments.

The human factor is a key part of At Homes mission, President Michelle Beltrano said.

Having this assistance in such a personalized, individualized way allows a person to not only keep their independence, but it really directly lends to them keeping their dignity and self-respect in feeling the same as they always have, Beltrano said. You lose a lot of dignity. And you feel like you lose a lot of yourself if you need to move somewhere and have strangers take care of you, or have strangers you dont know coming in and out of your house. Having us help keeps a person whole.

Beltrano stressed that At Home is not a home health care agency  it is dedicated to allowing people to age in place.

We are a social club and a safety net, she said.

At Home in Greenwich is one of many groups inspired by the formation of a group called the Beacon Hill Village in Boston that helps elderly who want to age in place.

Longtime member Jack Smith said he knew the people who had started the Beacon Hill group. When he and his late wife, Ann Sethness, moved to Greenwich 10 years ago, they immediately joined up with At Home. Smith is glad he did because wants to remain independent even as he deals with more medical issues in his life.

I want to keep my life and yet have the services around me to get to the hospital a couple of times a week, Smith said. I want to make sure I can be there and still stay in my home. This is a community of people that want the same thing. We want independence and yet need some support to maintain that.

Smith praises At Homes services  especially the members trips to New York City. He compares it to having a large-scale Uber.

Friends start to disappear when they enter senior facilities, as they program their lives around the facilitys needs, Smith said. He didnt want to disappear, but that requires independence with assistance.

Membership typically costs $500 annually. Services such as transportation and social work visits by Jameson are rolled into the fee.

If you paid a fee per service of what we provide in one year for an individual, it could cost well over $1,500 a year, Beltrano said.

Those membership fees cover only about a third of the costs of operating At Home in Greenwich. That gap in funding is not covered by federal, state or town dollars. As a result, fundraising is critical and a yearly cabaret is held to garner community support. That event will be held Sept. 14 at the Delamar Hotel.

Beltrano knows how challenging it can be to get sponsors and support, especially when At Home tries every year to improve its bottom line.

But the loyalty of its supporters and the people who are eager to get involved continues to boost At Home.

To make At Home in Greenwich into a household name, Beltrano said there will be continued outreach into the community, including an April 26 event at McArdles.

We have the most amazing situation, Chou said. People really enjoy doing this. Our board looks at what we do every year and they want to do more. They want to improve. Its amazing to see how enthusiastic everyone is after every year.

Jameson agreed.

People grab onto the mission, she said. When they hear what we do and how we do it, people say, Oh I wish this had been around for my dad or my aunt or my neighbor. People can connect this to their own lives and a lot of people get involved because they know they might be in this situation and need something so they want to make sure its in place.

kborsuk@greenwichtime.comGREENWICH  The beach has always been a place of fun and relaxation, where people come to swim and unwind.

Beaches also have been highly contested places, not always available to everyone. Who gets to spread out a towel and sunbathe on the Gold Coast seashore of Connecticut, and in the town of Greenwich, has generated lawsuits, noisy protests, even arrests.

The long struggle to open beaches along the Connecticut shore is the subject of a new book. If not exactly beach reading, Free the Beaches by University of Virginia associate professor Andrew Kahrl lays out a compelling tale of social history, depicting the activism that made Connecticut towns open up access to residents-only beaches, if only in a limited fashion.

Against the backdrop of the civil-rights movement, and advances toward equality in housing and education, the book follows a parallel struggle over beach access for city residents who were shut out of the states long shoreline. The book recounts the activist career of Ned Coll, an idealistic social reformer dedicated to promoting spiritual causes and access to nature, as well as the efforts of a Stamford lawyer to open Greenwich beaches to nonresidents.

Its a story shaped by kids in swimsuits and Greenwich commuters in Brooks Brothers suits, and it centers on the clash between the ideals of a democratic society and the realities of race and class.

We are a very diverse nation, and sometimes were uncomfortable with that diversity. Sometimes were uncomfortable with truly public spaces, namely places that have unrestricted access, Kahrl said in a recent phone interview from Virginia. We like the idea of public space, but we also want to manage who actually enjoys access to it.

Who actually enjoyed the beaches in the 1970s was a relatively small cross-section of the public. Town beaches kept out nonresidents, and private beach associations monopolized a large swath of the Connecticut coastline. According to Kahrls research, of 253 miles of shoreline, with 72 miles of sandy beaches, only 7 miles permitted full public access, and those state beaches were intensely crowded during the summer.

Enter Ned Coll, a media-savvy firebrand who relished fighting for a cause.

Coll was a Jesuit-educated insurance executive from Hartford who turned to social activism. Acquiring an old bus, he showed up at beach communities all over Fairfield County, with kids from poor neighborhoods of Hartford. Using boats strapped to the bus, or exploiting beach-pass loopholes with the aid of sympathetic confederates, Coll and his band of young supporters made their way onto the white sands of the Connecticut shoreline, making a day at the beach an act of defiance.

Their pleasure was their protest, Kahrl writes.

The kids often carried a banner that said Free the Beaches, a phrase that gave the title to Kahrls book.

In one of his most audacious stunts, on July 4, 1974, Coll launched an amphibious invasion on the Madison Beach Club, ferrying in kids from a nearby boat. Coll strode ashore like Gen. Douglas MacArthur returning to the Philippines and planted an American flag in the sand. A parachute-jumper drifted from the sky above carrying a banner saying, Free Americas Beaches, and landed ashore.

Coll and his supporters also harangued commuters at the Greenwich train station in 1975, chanting slogans like Share the Summer, Cocktail Bigots and Money Without Class. Coll was once arrested in Greenwich, on a charge of criminal conspiracy to trespass, though the case was later dropped.

Despite such protests, the status quo was hard to shake. Then-Gov. Ella Grasso declared that Private property is inviolate, and the towns and beach clubs mounted a vigorous defense of their exclusionary policies for years.

Coll, now in his 80s and living in Barkhamsted in the north-central section of Connecticut, said he is still active in promoting greater access to nature, and a closer connection to spirituality. He said he was happy the book is bringing attention to those causes, but its still an ongoing effort.

What Ive tried to do is bring more spirit back into this country, weve lost our spirit, said Coll. He said he believes access to natural spaces, and public interaction, is more important than ever.

With the technology today, and all the cellphones, weve lost a lot of human, face-to-face contact, he said.

It took years, and some savvy lawyering, before the Greenwich beaches were pried open to nonresidents. Brenden Leydon, a Stamford lawyer, was turned away from Greenwich Point while jogging, and it irked him so much that he filed a lawsuit in 1998 that eventually won a decision in the states Supreme Court, defeating a major legal defense by the Greenwich town administration.

The book recounts Leydons successful lawsuit, which led to nonresidents ability to access Greenwich Point  providing they obtain a pass at an off-site location first. Leydons effort initially failed in Superior Court, but he persisted. The case eventually went to the state Supreme Court, which ruled in 2001 that Greenwich could not prohibit nonresidents from the beach. According to Kahrls book, Leydon spent $1,200 litigating the case, while the towns legal bill was put at $110,000.

The phalanx of lawyers representing the town against Leydon objected to nearly every utterance the lone attorney made in the Stamford courtroom during the cases initial trial.

Leydon, said he was impressed by the extensive research in the book, and the themes it explores.

Its good to see it brought up again, he said of the beach issue. Theres an important aspect to it  justice. Beaches really shouldnt be as closed off as they are in a lot of places.

The Stamford lawyer said he was pleased with his efforts to make beaches open to a larger section of the public. With a caveat. Its unfortunate that they grudgingly complied with what they thought they could get away with, he said.

Peter Crumbine, a town selectman during the beach controversy, said the eventual solution was a good compromise. He said Greenwich was no different from scores of other seaside municipalities up and down the East Coast that maintained a residents-only policy at recreational facilities.

The town had concerns that Greenwich Point would be overrun, which turned out not to be the case.

The actual situation was not as great as we feared, he said, It worked out all right. The former selectman said the current policy is difficult for town residents who have to get guest passes for friends who live outside Greenwich.

Though the focus is on the Connecticut shoreline, larger currents of American social history are never far away. Disputes over beach access  and hostility to minorities at the beach  has a long history in communities across the U.S. that Kahrl recounts in his book. The deadliest urban race riot of the early 20th century took place at a beach on the Chicago lakefront in 1919, touched off by the entry of a black youth  who died by drowning after being hit by rocks  into a white swimming area.

The issue of beach access is still controversial. Residents complaints about out-of-towners on Greenwich beaches have resurfaced in public ways over the years, at times with racial tones.

Access to the beaches will never hold a simple solution, it appears, but Kahrl said questions about managing desirable public space go to the heart of a society.

The fate of public space is really tied up with the fate of democracy. Democracy depends on the ability of people of different backgrounds to come together, as one scholar described it, in moments fortuitous association  thrust together, and you have to learn to get along, he said.

And a day at the beach, Kahrl said, can accomplish that.GREENWICH  Local human service agencies that have a shovel-ready project but need more funding to get started may be in luck.

The towns Community Development Block Grant Committee has extra money in hand and is looking to give it out.

About $270,000 is available, according to committee Chairman Alexis Voulgaris and town Community Development Adviser Tyler Fairbairn. The only restriction: The money must be used on capital projects that are ready to go.

Its a tight timeline, but I think we have projects in town that can meet that qualification, Fairbairn said at the committees meeting last week.

The block grant money goes out yearly to Greenwich agencies or nearby agencies that serve Greenwich residents in need.

The block grant program uses money from the federal department of Housing and Urban Development. Previously, the committee distributed $768,587 to nonprofits, including the Child Guidance Center of Southern Connecticut, which provides mental health treatment; Inspirica, which operates emergency shelters and helps people find housing; Abilis, which helps people of all ages who have developmental disabilities; and YWCA Greenwichs domestic abuse services program.

According to Voulgaris, the $270,000 comes from unspent funds as well as $246,000 that was set aside. The block grant allocations are typically done with a projected amount of money, but the exact funds are not finalized by the federal government until later.

Given the political climate in Washington, Voulgaris said the committee held back some funds in case the actual amount given was less than projected. She called it a shrewd move by the committee. Now that the grant amount is official, the $270,000 can then be used.

Its a fortunate situation, she said. We have the money, and we have to use it. You cant use it on service programs. It can only be used on capital programs, and it has to be ready to go in fiscal year 2018. We have a wonderful opportunity now.

The committee will review the options, because the funds could go to several projects. The alternatives will be discussed at its next meeting, which will likely be in the next six to eight weeks.

Local nonprofits and human services agencies can begin submitting requests to the committee, just as they typically do for the yearly block grant money.

The committee will form smaller teams to do evaluations and site visits, Voulgaris said. Final decisions will be made through committee discussions, which is the standard process.

One possibility discussed at last weeks meeting was to earmark some money for the River House Adult Day Center for building improvements. It is already set to receive funding for a program to remain open on certain nights, giving Greenwich seniors a place to go and freeing up an evening for their families or caregivers.

Its an incredibly wonderful organization, said Steven Rubin, a committee member. I was just blown away by them.

But Voulgaris said no decisions had been made.

Also, the CDBG Committee is changing its schedule. Previously, the committee used the calendar year and typically began its work during the summer, including reviewing all capital and project requests and doing site visits. But the committee will change its schedule to the fiscal year from July to June, and the consideration of yearly requests will begin in January 2019.

Almost all other towns in Connecticut are on the July 1 to June 30 calendar, Fairbairn said at Wednesday nights meeting. It allows the organization to get funding with a little more time to spend their funds. Its really a logistical issue for us.

Meetings to consider the requests for the next year will begin in February. That will be followed by site visits and debates about how to give out the grants.

First Selectman Peter Tesei appeared at Wednesdays meeting and praised the committees work. The committees recommendations must be approved by the first selectman and the Representative Town Meeting, but Tesei said he could recall making a change only once in 10 years. He attributed that good record to the committees thorough job in evaluating projects.

This is really important work, Tesei said. Providing services to the population this program does truly makes a difference in peoples lives.

kborsuk@greenwichtime.comGREENWICH  A police lieutenant who specializes in crisis negotiations won departmental honors for assisting an emotionally disturbed person.

Lt. Eric Scorca was recognized as the Greenwich Police Departments Officer of the Month for March.

According to the citation, Scorca was called to an incident involving a man threatening harm in March, during which the lieutenant successfully got an armed suicidal subject to put down his weapons and surrender to police.

Scorca also trains other officers in defusing situations involving people who are threatening harm.

Lt. Scorcas leadership in this area was instrumental to the successful resolution of two other incidents where people with knives were threatening to do harm to themselves, according to the Greenwich Police Department.

Scorca joined the department in 2002. He has also worked on a regional drug task force.Among other things, for a smartphone to be bang on trend these days it needs, a tall 18:9 display with minimum bezels (with a notch thrown in for good measure), a superb camera system and Artificial Intelligence and/or Machine Learning.

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are buzzwords being adopted and applied throughout our smartphones makeup, from the System on a Chip, all the way through to the operating system. So, is it just marketing hype, science fiction or is there fact being the fiction? Read on, and well provide a straightforward, and where possible jargon-free overview.

So whats the difference between Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

Artificial Intelligence is best characterized as the ability for a machine to exhibit practices including learning, behavior, and communication with no discernible difference from ourselves. Surely this belongs in the realms of science fiction? Well, if we ended here, then we'd agree but lets dig deeper.

Taking the AI generalization (General AI) described above lets narrow it down and pick a specific area that is more relevant for our subject matter - for example, Image recognition, and well call this Narrow AI.

Now, our smartphones didnt all of a sudden develop the ability to recognize and differentiate between a car and a plate of food overnight.

It was taught. The ability for a smartphone to truly learn something new in its purest form, that is, without intervention, is still a ways off.

I was part of a team that launched a loyalty card scheme for a major UK retailer, which today has circa 16 Million card holders. Now imagine the volume of data that we were collecting. A customer database containing all the information that all 16 million provided during the registration process including gender, age, children, address which we only added to overtime. A transaction database where every item purchased including date, time, store associated with that customer.

What insights and intelligence our systems would give us - but the reality was somewhat different. We didnt arrive at the office one day, to discover our insight systems had given a truth or trend that we hadnt contemplated. No, our insights were directly answering questions that we asked - how many women, matching a particular demographic, hadnt purchased a specific brand of perfume for example. We could take that insight and attempt to brand switch them. This was data mining, albeit on a massive scale with rules and logic created by us.

Now back to our smartphones, this is where Machine Learning enters the frame. Taking a practical example - Apple Photos People Album and lets assume for one moment that weve never tagged anybody previously.

When you first view the People Album it only shows photos where the geometry of a face has been identified, no names.

Pick a face with no name, select it and give it a name.

It will then attempt to confirm that another face is this person, at this point its only got the first face to work with so the offered up face the second time may be way off. So you tell it yes or no and repeat.eat.

With every iteration its learning more and more about that face from different angles, varying hairstyles, and what happens as it ages and so on. You, therefore, reach a point where you take a picture of that person, and its automatically tagged with the right name.

Supported Machine Learning - each iteration improves facial recognition accuracy

This is a prime example of Machine Learning being used to enabled Narrow Artificial Intelligence.

In our above example, we put in the effort to teach our smartphone about the faces of our friends as theyre unique to us. In our camera apps and supporting silicon that effort has already been put in by other companies providing a baseline. Theyve utilized Machine Learning to log and categorize a plethora of photos, so when you frame that perfect plate of food youre about to eat, your smartphone knows and applies the appropriate filters to take the best possible photo and tag it as a particular food type.

In the future, these Narrow AI areas will be expanded to better work together. Sticking with our face recognition theme, the iPhone X uses AI within Face ID to learn your face to unlock your iPhone in a multitude of different scenarios. Imagine a future where that process is automatically extended to the Photos app to better know about your face to assist in either the initial recognition phase or the addition of further pictures.

Dedicated Artifical Intelligence chipsets

At this juncture its pertinent to talk about silicon. When manufactures reference AI elements within their silicon, consider this in a similar vein to the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU). Whereas the GPU providers developers with a set of efficient accelerated APIs, for example, to display a polygon, within a specific coordinate space, and with a colored texture. The Artificial Intelligence silicon provides an efficient accelerated set of APIs that via neural networking support AI-related tasks.

Examples of chipsets including AI related hardware include;

Huaweis HiSilicon Kirin 970 neural processing unit (NPU)

Qualcomm's Snapdragon 845 Hexagon 685 DSP AI platform

Apple's A11 Bionic Neural Engine

Their neural network hardware can perform up to 100's of billion operations per second.

Fret not though, if your smartphones chipset doesn't contain any dedicated AI silicon, the process will be undertaken in software. It will be less efficient as it can't call on the support of the dedicated accelerated silicon but will use the GPU primarily and in some cases the CPU.

Qualcomm's Snapdragon 845 - its AI smarts are delivered by custom silicon

Developers

Until recently, while AI was accessible by the OS for its built-in apps and processes, it was harder for developers to implement local on-device AI tasks within their apps. In order to do so, they had to bring their own AI along for the ride or plug into a 3rd party provided framework such as Amazon's AWS Machine Learning. The landscape has changed though as both Android 8.1 and iOS 11 provide API's allowing developers to bring Machine Learning easily into their apps.

Android 8.1

The Android Neural Networks API (NNAPI) is designed for running computationally intensive operations for machine learning. NNAPI is designed to provide a base layer of functionality for higher-level machine learning frameworks (such as TensorFlow Lite, Caffe2, or others) that build and train neural networks.

iOS 11

Core ML is foundational machine learning framework used across Apple products, including Siri, Camera, and QuickType.

Privacy

Companies live and die by our data privacy utilizing some different approaches to ensure this. For some, the data never leaves the phone, and if it does, its tokenized. While for others encrypted data in the cloud provides additional opportunities to enhance and enrich the experience.

Moving forward, a level of permission sharing among friends and family will provide additional time-saving benefits to us all. Sticking with our theme of face recognition, sharing and receiving all the learning undertaken by a family and close friends ensures that if someone has put effort into teaching their photo library about their sons face, that knowledge is passed onto automatically to be applied to ALL their libraries.

Weve focused heavily on photography during this piece to keep both the article short and avoid jumping around, but other areas of AI and ML apply to:

Natural language understanding including speech and hand writing recognition

Utilise smartphone sensors to better understand whats happening in the users environment

Predictive interfaces, user workflow and content censorship/parental controls

Phone security

Enhanced image processing

Augmented Reality and AI vision

On device app/system management to further maximize battery life.

One final point before we sign off, if we ever see standards emerge in this arena it can potentially allow your intelligence to be shared between different manufactures devices and services. We know - wishful thinking.

So dont worry just yet. Your smartphone isnt capable of becoming self-aware in a similar vein to Skynet and tries to terminate you when you next lift your phone to your ear. What we are seeing is that now more than ever before, the smart part of our phones is truly starting to earn its moniker. So, for now, lets enjoy all the benefits that Artificial Intelligence through Machine Learning brings to our everyday interactions with our devices.

Weve only scratched the surface regarding this subject matter as the number of branches of AI is complicated, for additional reading click here for Wikipedia.Published on 2018/04/22 | Source

99 out of 100 Koreans use mobile or online banking, which is the highest level in Asia. But Korea has one of the poorest infrastructures to support it.

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Global consulting agency McKinsey said in a report based on a survey on 17,000 consumers in 15 Asian countries that Korea boasts the highest online banking penetration rate in the region. In Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore, the rate is 97 percent, and in China, India and Malaysia only 52 percent.

Some 90 percent of respondents in Korea also said they would be willing to open accounts with online-only banks, compared to 98 percent in Hong Kong, 80 percent in Japan and just 65 percent in China. Koreans said they would consider transferring 40 percent of their assets to online banks.

In Asia, only 10 to 15 percent of financial transactions are made offline.

Half of Asia's population are using banking services on their smartphones, ranging from 67 percent in China to 39 percent in India. Alipay offered by Alibaba and WeChat Pay offered by Tencent, the two top Chinese online malls, accounted for 94 percent of Internet-based financial transactions in the country.

But red tape in Korea is hindering growth, especially a regulation in Korea barring private businesses from owning more than a 10-percent stake in banks. P2P finance, which has been growing rapidly, faced a major obstacle last year due to the government cap.Published on 2018/04/22 | Source

Families of the 2014 ferry disaster victims mourn the loss of their loved ones at a memorial service in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province on Monday.

A government-sponsored ceremony was held at a memorial altar in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province to honor the victims of the 2014 ferry disaster on the tragedy's fourth anniversary.

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Ansan is home to Danwon High School, which lost over 250 of its students and teachers, who were on a school trip when the ferry sank. The tragedy claimed a total of 304 lives.

The service was attended by around 5,000 people, including Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon and political party leaders.

Many wept openly at the ceremony, especially the families of the victims, who for years could find neither peace nor closure as the search for bodies dragged on.

The site of the ceremony will be transformed into a memorial park for the victims.By Panos Kotzathanasis | Published on 2018/04/21

His next film, "Oasis", was a transitional one, since his focus started to change from male characters to female, although in the particular movie, it lies in both. At the same time, his way of shooting also changed. As Lee states: "I used to plan everything out and shoot the scenes accordingly, but with "Oasis", I tried not to script things. If I saw a pattern, I changed it. If you script things, you can only see the emotions of the main characters. We went through many takes with the supporting actors. And sometimes for the extras also. I think everything in the frame influences the main character's emotions. If their actions contradict this in any way, it can dilute the emotion. That's why I was so picky about these small details. Sol Kyung-gu told me that I could only see the drawbacks" (Source: Kim Young-jin, "Lee Chang-dong", Seoul, Korean Film Council, 2007).

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We will refer about this last aspect later in the text.

"Oasis" (2002)

The film sheds a rather realistic light in the lives of disabled people, through an extreme romance. This romance occurs between Jong-doo, a mildly mentally disabled man who has just been released from prison after his third conviction, revolving around a hit and-run that ended up with a man dead, and Gong-joo, the daughter of the victim who suffers from cerebral palsy. Jong-doo, after a reluctant reception from his family, visits the house of the deceased and meets Gong-joo, in a series of events that have him trying to rape her, her managing to avoid it, and him leaving a card with his phone number which eventually the girl calls, after her brother and his wife move out of the apartment they shared. As the two become closer, Jong-doo's already erratic behaviour becomes even more extreme, although the final consequences are not his fault at all.

Lee Chang-dong directs and pens a film that deals with a quite unlikely romance in order to portray in shuttering and occasionally disturbing (and even offensive) realism the circumstances of handicapped individuals. This approach makes it quite difficult to empathize with the characters, something the director seem to wish, presenting both as victims and as burdens to their families.

And if Gong-joo's behaviour is anticipated by society due to her illness, the same does not apply to Jong-doo, who is neither mentally disabled enough to be considered as a person who needs constant care nor intelligent enough to be left unsupervised. His behaviour occasionally seems evil but they are simply amoral and completely irresponsible, as the actions of a child who cannot understand that actions have consequences, with his older brother treating him as such in the most graphic fashion in one of the most memorable scenes in the film. Both of these situations torment their families, something, though, that does not obstruct them from exploiting them, even in the most manipulative way.

Among a number of impressive scenes, the one with the family dinner where Jong-doo presents Gong-joo as his girlfriend stands out, for the number of revelations it provides, as much as the depiction way people react towards handicapped people. The ending of the sequence provides the permanent cut of ties of the former with his family, with the consequences occurring after that implying the disastrous effects actions like that bring.

Add to all that some splashes of surrealism that have Jong-doo acting as a completely healthy person, the melodrama that takes over the last part of the movie and a truly shuttering finale and you have the backbone of a masterful social drama.

Moon So-ri gives an outstanding performance in the film, for which she won the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Emerging Actor or Actress in the 2002 Venice Film festival, among a plethora of awards, once more bestowed in one of Lee's films. However, around this time, the rumors about Lee being exceptionally hard on his actors came to the fore. According to Moon So-ri, who also starred in "Peppermint Candy". Lee is the kind of director who grabs the actor by the neck and silently says, "Hey, you. Look at this closely. This is you. This is you. Do you want to be a different person? No, this is you. Look at it directly and acknowledge it". The actor resists at first, but he or she has to do it anyway and eventually comes to accept it. Lee enjoys this painful process. Particularly in "Oasis", and again according to Moon, they had to shoot the rape scene more than ten times because Lee kept saying it wasn't enough. Even though she felt like fainting, Lee told her to go to the hospital to get a shot and come back for more takes.

Eventually however, and despite this awful experience, his actors want to come back when it ends, and Moon says, "When he told us to start over from the beginning, none of us understood. But we started over anyway and that's the power he has. He questions what he believes and then flips the situation-that's amazing". Lee does not deny the aforementioned; instead, he admits that he feels great pain on film sets, as if he is entering hell. (Source: Kim Young-jin, "Lee Chang-dong", Seoul, Korean Film Council, 2007).

Before his next film, Lee Chang-dong became Minister of Culture. Lee supported Roh Moo-hyun's candidacy since 2002, and after he won the elections, Lee served in the office from 2003 to 2004. On the political appointment, Lee said: "At the time of President Roh Moo-hyun's election campaign, one of the things he promised was that his Minister of Culture would be selected from the field of culture and art rather than a professional politician. Well, he got elected, and a lot of people recommended me as this new Minister of Culture. I never thought that this was an outfit that suited me particularly well, but had to accept it as one of those bitter cups one has to accept in the course of life". (source : http://asiancinefest.blogspot.gr/2008/05/acf-108-lee-chang-dong-e-interview.html)

During his term, Lee proposed a screen quota for independent film but his proposal met with fierce opposition by the Korean movie industry. However, he had some success and in October 2006, he was rewarded for his efforts with the Chevalier (Knight) order of the Legion d'Honneur (Legion of Honor) by the French government for "his contribution to maintaining the screen quota to promote cultural diversity as a cultural minister". It was delivered to the French embassy in South Korea by the French Minister of Culture, Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres during an official visit.

After all this, it was finally time for his next film. Lee Chan-dong said about "Secret Sunshine": "I went for normality in this film. And I think the nature of the film should be normal. I regret I couldn't find a way to make things even simpler"

"We decided on one thing, which is 'No long takes for this movie.' Instead, we tried to shoot the same shot from different angles, so we could use them in editing. But then again, that made things way too complicated. So sometimes we just went for long takes again".

However, according to the rumors, the movie was shot under an extremely tense atmosphere with Song Kang-ho and Jeon Do-yeon almost passing out from exhaustion. When asked about the subject, Lee said: "It wasn't that bad. We didn't particularly do more shooting repeatedly for the same shot than other times. " . (source: Kim Young-jin, "Lee Chang-dong", Seoul, Korean Film Council, 2007).

On another interview though, in 2011, Lee stated: "In the case of Jeon Do-yeon in "Secret Sunshine", she actually hated me during the shooting of the film. I mean she loves me now, after the shooting and the release of the film, but during the shooting she HATED me. Her character in the film hates God so I told her: "Imagine Him to be me, imagine your hate for ME".. Her hate for me was very useful for the film, for her acting". (source: http://screenanarchy.com/2011/08/iffr-2011-an-interview-with-lee-chang-dong.html)

"Secret Sunshine" (2007)

The script is based on the short fiction "The Story of a Bug" by Lee Cheong-joon and revolves around Lee Sin-ae, a woman whose husband recently died instigating her somewhat baseless decision to move to his hometown, Miryang (the literal translation of the town's name is Secret Sunshine) along with her little boy. On their way there, her car breaks down and Kim Jong-chan, a local mechanic comes to her help, with the two of them immediately becoming friends, although he seems to want much more from her. Sin-ae soon manages to adapt to her new environment, as much as her son does, despite some minor incidents of gossip, particularly with the help of Kim, who follows her around like a puppy. Soon though, another tragedy hits her already fate-stricken life, when on a night she is out drinking, her son is abducted. After the shocking events, Lee finds herself completely devastated, joining a local cult after the repeated pleas of a local pharmacist, and trying to fight grief that reaches the borders of madness. All the while, Kim stays by her side.

Lee Chang-dong directs a highly insightful, heart-breaking drama about a woman who finds herself completely unable to control her fate, and subsequently, her life, with devastating consequences. As the director deconstructs her, he makes a point of highlighting the fact that the disasters finding her are not only instigated by fate, as a general concept, but also by her poor decisions. In this manner, Lee avoids the reef of the melodrama, instead presenting a highly realistic drama.

The portrait of a woman that gradually succumbs to madness, not being able to fathom her misery and her responsibility, is definitely the focal point of the film, but is not the only one. Dealing with grief is another one, with Lee highlighting the fact that this is not always possible, particularly when combined with loneliness, which is another state-of-mind that seems to permeate Sin-ae. These two concepts benefit the most by the outstanding performance of Jeon Do-yeon, who presents her deconstruction and the fact that she is not completely logical from the beginning of the story, in the most impressive manner. Lee Chang-dong, as is his usual tactic with his protagonists, demanded a lot from her, having her present a number of psychological statuses and different behaviors, and she delivers to the fullest, anchoring the film in the process.

Another focal point of the film, although on a secondary level, is religion and particularly the concept of the cults, with Lee portraying it with documentary-like realism. The fact the Sin-ae finds some temporary solace in the cult, after some hard proselytizing from the pharmacist who seems to perceive her blights as an opportunity to draw her in, but does not avoid succumbing to madness in the end, presents Lee's comment on the matter, subtly, but rather obviously.

"Secret Sunshine" was, once more, a commercial success, as it sold 1,710,364 tickets nationwide in South Korea and received a number of awards in festivals, including one for Best Actress for Jeon Do-yeon, in Cannes.

Regarding his next film, "Poetry", Lee Chang-dong came with an idea, after reading about a real-life case where a small town schoolgirl had been raped by a gang of teenage boys. Lee wrote the lead character specifically for Yoon Jung-hee, a major star of Korean cinema from the 1960s and 1970s. Yoon later expressed satisfaction with how the role differed from what she typically played in the past, while Lee said about their cooperation that they had a very good relationship.

Lee says about the movie: "As far as "Secret Sunshine" and "Oasis" go, the stories and themes are more simple and this story is more complex. Before I actually made the film I didn't think of having it complex with many, many themes, but the event in the movie, the actual rape of a young girl by students and her suicide actually happened in real life so I didn't want to show it in a simple way. Many movies do it in that fashion, I didn't want to represent it in the way they do because it's not that type of movie. When I wrote the film, as I was writing it all the elements naturally became part of it, it developed in an organic way.

Poems are about things and occurrences that we don't see visually, it's the needing of beauty and meaning, that's what poetry can be. In a natural way there are many stories that interweave throughout the film, and the film's big scene is not just about the tragic event, but it also meets with what poetry is about, they interweave together."

"Poetry" (2009)

Mi-ja is an elderly woman who raises her teenage grandson by herself, since his mother has left him with her and moved to another city. She receives a pension from the state and works as a caregiver for a disabled man, but the money she receives is barely enough. Furthermore, she has to endure the beginnings of Alzheimer's that makes it difficult for her to remember even the simplest things, occasionally. However, she retains her cheerfulness and is almost constantly feisty, and even manages to attend some poetry lessons amidst all her issues. When the body of a dead teenage girl is discovered though, and her grandson, Jong Wook, seems to be involved in a case that is connected to the incident, along with a number of his classmates, she realizes she has to make some hard choices, while she has to raise a significant amount of money if she is to save him.

Lee Chang-dong uses the real-life case as a base but strays much away from it in order to focus on the life of the elderly in the country, and particularly the ones who live in the borders of society mainly because they have not secured a significant pension. In that fashion, we watch Mi-ja trying to survive on her own, almost without any help from the state or relatives for that matter, with the case of her grandson making her life even more difficult.

The generation gap is also presented, with her not being able to understand what her grandson is doing with his life and him treating her like a kind of a maid, with the sole exception of some games of badminton the two have. The first element is depicted quite thoroughly in a scene where Mi-ja is trying to use his computer.

Another comment regards society and the way it perceives justice, with Lee making a point of highlighting the fact that people think that money can make everything go away.

The film could have been a hard-hitting drama, but Lee implements a very different approach, which occasionally borders on comedy, through two axes. The first one is the concept of poetry and particularly the lessons and readings Mi-ja attends, which seems to stray completely away from the main case, but meets it in ingenious fashion during the end of the film. Through this concept, Lee also presents his thoughts on what is poetry and how people receive inspiration.

The second is Mi-ja herself, played with gusto and an almost constant cheerfulness by Yoon Jung-hee, who presents a woman who manages to retain her cheerfulness and smile despite her dire circumstances, in a measured but at the same time impressive performance.

The film won the Best Screenplay Award in Cannes, while Yoon Jung-hee received a number of awards for her performance both locally and internationally.

Lee Chang-dong's latest film, "Burning" is based on the short story "Barn Burning" written by Haruki Murakami, and will premiere at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival, where it was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or.

Written by Panos Kotzathanasis

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Part 1: hancinema.net/lee-chang-dong-retrospective-the-realistically-melodramatic-cinema-of-the-marginalized--part-1-117860.htmlLegacy of a lynching: State panel, victim's relatives revisit slaying

"Everyone has to be open and vulnerable to be honest about how their history affects how they respond to situations today," says NAACP leader.Actor Manoj Bajpayee, who turns a year older on April 23, has always managed to wow the audiences, be it in supporting roles in films such as Special 26 (2013), Raajneeti (2010), or the more recent Baaghi 2, and in leading roles in Shool (1999), Aligarh (2016), and the recent release Missing.

With so many films to his name, does Manoj believe  as many actors say they do  that its the impact of a role that matters and not the length of it? The actor says an emphatic no, adding that the amount of time one gets on the big screen definitely counts. Its very important for me. This is all rubbish [when someone says] that even a small role can make an impact, says Bajpayee, who has won National Film Awards, for Satya (2000) and Pinjar (2005). Yes, [a small role] can leave an impact, but people will forget you, because the hero or the people who have greater length of roles will take the accolades away at the end of the day. Ive done a few impactful guest appearances, but the success of the film and the credit always goes to the guy who has done the main role.

Sometimes, a film doesnt do well commercially, even with Manoj in the lead, but the overall experience is precious to him, and he cherishes his own work in the film. One such film was Neeraj Pandeys Aiyaary  the strong buzz didnt translate into viewer footfalls, and that was disappointing for Manoj, but he looks at the bright side.

He explains, Too much of shifting of dates definitely marred the release of the film. It was quite unfortunate, the manner in which the film was treated by certain sections, and that saddened me quite a lot. But, he says, hell still be proud of it. Aiyaary is going to be one of my best performances. I strongly feel that in terms of the script, it was one of the best by Neeraj. We greatly admire each other. I enjoy each and every moment of my time with him, as a friend, and as an actor in front of the camera, when I am being directed by him. This one is going to be very special in my filmography, says Manoj about the film, whose release date had to be pushed back twice to avoid a clash with more hyped or star-studded ventures.

Manoj is also happy about his recent release Missing. In it, he was reunited with actor Tabu after 18 years. They had last co-starred in Dil Pe Mat Le Yaar in 2000. On working with her after a long time, Manoj says, Tabu is a fantastic actor. We get along really well, and I have high regard for her a person and co-actor. For Missing, we got to spend a lot of time in Mauritius, shooting for something we believed in.

Interact with the author on Twitter/ @RishabhSuri02Setting the ball rolling to merge Chandigarh cadre with Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Police Service (DANIPS), the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) has invited objections to the proposal.

The MHA plans to merge all 23 sanctioned posts of UT deputy superintendent of police (DSP) with DANIPS, which also includes Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

The merger will allow transfer of Chandigarh-cadre DSPs outside the city.

Chandigarh as of now has no policy in place for promotion of its police officers and uses Punjab police service rules. Of 23 posts of DSP, 10 are filled by DANIPS officers.

Objections invited

MHA in a letter on April 20 has invited both suggestions and objections to the draft policy, uploaded on the Chandigarh police website, by May 19. These have to be marked to Hitlar Singh, under secretary in the Government of India.

The draft policy proposal states the merger is suggested to have uniformity in the composition of feeder grade for induction into the IAS/IPS from various segments.

Once the policy comes in place, posts in Chandigarh would be manned by the officers of entry grade of combined cadre of Delhi national capital territory (NCT) and UT police service and the Punjab police rules would no longer be applicable to Chandigarh police, said a senior officer of Chandigarh police.

According to the draft policy, all DSPs in Chandigarh who have been promoted from the post of inspector and are within two years of retirement on the date of notification will be allowed to opt to stay back here. Similarly all inspectors within two years of their retirement may also be allowed the option.

It is neither legal nor fair to apply the conditions of service of any particular state in the context of UT. It is prime facie in violation of the thematic spirit of the extant constitutional provisions, reads the proposal.

In 2016, UT administrator VP Singh Badnore had given in-principle approval to Chandigarh police service rules to strengthen the role and number of local cadre officers in the force.

Why the policy now

The tug-of-war between DANIPS and UT-cadre police officers has been going on for long, necessitating framing of a policy. A contempt application was filed before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), wherein three inspectors  Gurmukh Singh, Charanjit Singh and Dilsher Singh  have stated that they have been deprived of promotion to DSP rank in the UT police despite fulfilling eligibility as on February 15, 2016.

The tribunal in its order in April 2017 set aside appointment of DANIPS officers to DSP posts in Chandigarh. The CAT had directed the UT to consider the case of applicants and other similar situated persons for promotion to the post of DSP if found eligible as contemplated under Punjab rules.The Congress state unit on Sunday set an ambitious target of sending 10,000 workers for party president Rahul Gandhis Janakrosh Rally in New Delhi on April 29.

A decision to this effect was taken a meeting here attended by newly appointed Congress in-charge for Uttarakhand Anugrah Narayan.

Besides, the meeting discussed ways to boost the party in the state ahead of the 2019 general election.

Notably, the Congress had battled a wave of anti-incumbency, exit of over a dozen senior leaders and internal factionalism ahead of the state polls. As a result, it could go on to win 11 seats against 57 of the BJP in the February 2017 polls.

Narayan said time was ripe for the Congress to return to power at the Centre in 2019.

The main aim of Narayans visit to the state was to assess preparations for the Janakrosh Rally.

Interacting with party workers, he said all district and block-level representatives must give number of activists or vehicles they would take to Delhi for the rally.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had come to power after making false promises and the people were now wary of his glib talks.

We would be coming back to power in 2019 and the party activist need to start work at the ground-level, he said.

Congress state unit president Pritam Singh said he had a lot to say but could not do so as it would lead to many things. There are many problems in the party and I am trying to set them right.

He said the party high command had set a target of participation of 3,000 people from Uttarakhand in the Delhi rally.

A decision was taken to send 10,000 people from the state for the rally in Delhis Ramlila Maidan, he said.

Former chief minister Harish Rawat said though the time was ripe for the Congress, Prime Minister Modi and BJP president Amit Shah could bring up issues that would divert the attention of the masses, leading to their win.

We have to be very cautious, he warned.

Former party state president Kishore Upadhyay said the BJP had gained in the country at the expense of the Congress follies.

Rajya Sabha member Pradeep Tamta said there was no Scheduled Caste member in the All India Congress committee which was worrisome.

Leader of opposition in the state assembly Indira Hridyesh said 5,000 activists would attend the rally from the Kumaon region.

Traders were unhappy with the way GST was implemented in the country, she added.

Deputy leader of opposition in the assembly Karan Mahra said the need of the hour was to concentrate on the grass root-level workers as they were backbone of the party.After being appointed as the in-charge for party affairs in Uttarakhand, Congress leader Anugrah Narayan Singh feels his party has a chance to come to power in the next years general elections. In a conversation with HT, Singh said BJP has been losing ground too fast. Excerpts:

Why is the Janakrosh rally being held after 4 years of BJP rule?

This is the first big rally of Rahul Gandhi after becoming the president of the Congress party and is very significant. We waited for 4 years of the BJP rule, as now the people know very well about their functioning and can also judge which promises have been kept and which havent. The good performance by the Congress in Gujarat has shown that the people have become wary of the false promises of the BJP and the jumlebaaji of Prime Minister Modi. The Janakrosh rally will be the precursor to the establishment of the Congress government at Centre in 2019.

The Congress governments were accused of corruption. What do you say about it?

The BJP has been saying that the Congress did nothing in 60 years of rule. The All India Congress Committee (AICC) is preparing a booklet in which it will give details of the developmental works done in the past 60 years. Congress might have been accused of corruption, but the present government is way ahead. We want the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) to look into the Rafale Aircraft deal. The present government had made deal for 126 aircraft at the cost of 570 crore each. But now the cost has gone up to 1,570 crore for each (aircraft). The government has created a hullaballoo in the name of national security and threat from Pakistan and all sorts of weapons are being purchased at higher prices.

The Congress has suffered defeat in assembly elections. What is the way forward?

After the defeat, the Congress activists are back to work and know that the time is ripe, as the BJP government has been committing follies after other. Demonetisation and GST have led to harassment of the common people and traders and there is too much anger against the BJP. We have an opportunity at hand in the coming local body elections in Uttarakand. We are hopeful that we would be winning the local body polls and this would have a bearing on the morale of the Congress workers. The results would have an impact on the central government and show the anger against it.A two-month-old child was murdered in outer Delhis Mangolpuri area on Saturday, allegedly by his juvenile father who suspected his wife was having an affair and had raised doubts about the childs paternity.

The 17-year-old boy allegedly killed the child in his house when his wife, who is also 17, was not present at home, police officials said. The police said they suspect that the accused allegedly threw the babys body around as they found several of the infants bones fractured.

The parents of the deceased reportedly married 10 months ago and had been living together since. The baby boy was born two months ago, police officials said. The police said that both the childs parents are unemployed and the father has a history of involvement in petty crimes.

On Saturday afternoon, the mother had left the house for Connaught Place to look for work as she had heard about an opening for a salesgirl there. When she returned home around 6pm, she found the child lying on the floor with several injuries. She rushed the infant to a hospital where the child was declared brought dead, said additional deputy commissioner of police (outer) Rajendra Singh Sagar.

Upon questioning the accused, police officials learnt that for the past few months he had been fighting with his wife accusing her of having an extra-marital affair.

The situation allegedly worsened after the child was born. The mother told the police that the father often expressed doubts over the childs parentage and repeatedly refused to treat the child as his own. The mother also told the police that the father was a drug addict.

The boy has been apprehended, said ADCP Sagar, adding that the accused has confessed to have killed the child.

Police officials said they would seek legal advice in the case as both the parents are minors, so their marriage and the birth of the child may attract a case of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Juvenile Justice Act.Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal on Sunday ended her hunger strike after President Ram Nath Kovind promulgated an ordinance to give stringent punishment, including death penalty, for those convicted of raping girls below 12 years.

She was on the hunger strike for the last 10 days at Rajghat.

As she congratulated the people for the ordinance, Maliwal noted that very few protests had achieved so much in such less time, and termed the governments decision a historic victory for independent India.

According to the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance 2018, new fast-track courts will be set up to deal with rape cases and special forensic kits will be provided to all police stations and hospitals in the long run.

The ordinance stipulates stringent punishment for perpetrators of rape, particularly of girls below 12 and 16 years. Death sentence has been provided for rapists of girls under 12 years, officials said while quoting the ordinance.

The minimum punishment in case of rape of women has been increased from rigorous imprisonment of seven years to 10 years, extendable to life imprisonment, they said.

In case of rape of a girl under 16 years, the minimum punishment has been increased from 10 to 20 years, extendable to life imprisonment.

The punishment for gangrape of a girl below 16 years will invariably be imprisonment for the rest of life, the officials said.

Stringent punishment for rape of a girl under 12 years has been provided with the minimum jail term being 20 years which may go up to life in prison or death sentence, they added.

Ending her fast, Maliwal said, Every day children aged three, four or six years are getting raped in a brutal manner. I wrote letters and issued notices. I even submitted 5.5 lakh letters written by citizens to the prime minister, but in vain.

After which, I decided to sit on a hunger strike. There was no strategy, but gradually people joined the movement across the country. It gained such a momentum that the prime minister after returning to India had to make an amendment in the law. I congratulate the people of India for this victory, she said.

The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief had been demanding death penalty for rape of minors and setting up of fast-track courts across the country to try rape cases, along with other demands.

Amid a nationwide outrage over cases of sexual assault on girls and women at Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir, Surat in Gujarat and Unnao in Uttar Pradesh, the Union cabinet had yesterday approved the ordinance to provide stringent punishment, including death penalty, for those convicted of raping girls below the age of 12 years.

Maliwal had on Saturday written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioning her six demands, including the passage of the ordinance, recruitment of police personnel as per the United Nations standards and fixing accountability of the police force.

She had also sought that files relating to the recruitment of 14,000 police personnel - approved by the Union home ministry but pending with the finance ministry - be cleared.

Maliwal also put forth her demand for constitution of a high-level committee, comprising Delhi chief minister, home minister and Lieutenant Governor to review safety of women in the national capital.A 25-year-old merchant navy officer was arrested for allegedly stalking and harassing a Delhi University student, the police said on Sunday.

The incident was reported from southeast Delhis Amar Colony and the man was arrested on Friday, they said.

The student claimed that the man met her at a park a few months ago and had asked for her phone to make a call as his phones battery was out of charge.

He also convinced the girl to share her number and started messaging and calling her, the police said.

When she ignored him, he started sending her threatening and vulgar messages, following which she approached the police.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)Every time 46-year-old Laxmi sees the grey Rolls Royce entering the sprawling farmhouse at Dera Mandi she gets excited, swishing her tail slowly from side to side. With her eyes half closed, the elephant approaches the car knowing that her master has arrived with gifts in the form of food.

Elephants are known to have excellent memory. Laxmi remembers me and my car. I usually have to travel a lot. But whenever I get time, I visit the farmhouse. She gets excited with the very sight of my car, said Vivek Chand Burman, 85, chairman emeritus, Dabur India Ltd.

At present, there are seven domesticated elephants in Delhi, but the city may soon be left with just one  Laxmi.

The forest department has served notices to the owners of six elephants kept at Sangam Vihar in Wazirabad area to shift their animals out of Delhi. The allegations are the animals are kept in unhygienic conditions and that wild animals cant be kept in crowded urban areas.

The elephant owners were given a deadline of December 25, 2017, by which they were to inform the government where they would like to shift the tuskers. Plans were being made to move the healthy elephants to Rajaji Tiger Reserve in Uttarakhand, while the rest were to be taken to Kalesar in Haryana. The owners moved the high court again as they said they had identified a spot near Wazirabad, away from human settlement and near the Yamuna.

The Dabur elephant, though, has been spared the uncertainty.

Laxmi has an entire 2.5-acre farmhouse at Dera Mandi on the Delhi-Haryana border at her disposal. Far from the maddening hustle of the city, the bungalow boasts of sprawling lawns for the elephant to loiter around; a mud pool where she can wallow; a shed with fans and water sprinklers to cool off in when the mercury shoots up.

Laxmi shares her resort with two of her mahouts and a manager. They have been employed by Burman to look after his daughter and have been allowed to stay there with their families so they can provide round-the-clock care for the elephant. Unlike the elephants at Wazirabad, Laxmi seldom has to venture into the city.

Even though hired elephants were used to promote Dabur in villages in the 1930s, the Burman family chanced upon Laxmi in 1978 when she was just six . (Arvind Yadav/HT Photo)

Walking on metalled and tar roads can injure her legs. But as elephants are migratory animals and are used to walking long distances, we have her walk around in the lawns here. She walks around seven kilometres every day. It is only when Burman saab cant come to the farmhouse and still wants to spend time with her that she is taken to the Burman family residence on Prithviraj Road, said Md Ashraf, 58, one of the mahouts.

Even though hired elephants were used to promote Dabur in villages in the 1930s, the Burman family chanced upon Laxmi in 1978 when she was just six .

At that time she was owned by the World Health Organisation, which was facing difficulty in maintaining her. They were winding up one of their offices in Delhi and were looking to find an alternative sponsor for her. They approached me since I was an animal lover and I gladly accepted her, said Burman who doubles up as the honorary consul general of Nicaragua.

As she was alone, Burman bought a second elephant from Sonepur fair in Bihar. The animal died due to some disease.

Burmans love for animals is not confined to elephants. The family used to maintain four dogs, including a Siberian husky. They still have three cockatoos and a few budgerigars in their Prithviraj Road house. The dogs have all died since.

Whenever I am in Delhi, I try to spend time with them. I feed them with my own hands  walnuts and fruits for the cockatoos and bananas, apples and chapattis for Laxmi, said Burman.

Laxmi gets to eat sumptuous meals comprising fruits, chana, rotis and items made with pure ghee.

She has been with us for 40 years and has become a part of our family. Even my sons and other family members love her and sometimes spend time with her. But Laxmi would be the last elephant we will have. I would never bring in such an affectionate animal again. It hurts when they are gone. I have experienced that grief when I lost my dogs, he added.Away from the grilles, the high walls, X-ray scanners, armed guards and the overcrowded prison cells, a four-storey building inside Tihar jails 400-acre complex stands apart.

There are no iron gates or armed guards monitoring and frisking visitors here.

Located behind the office of the prisons director general, the building complex comprises the open and the semi-open jails. Delhi is one of the 17 states that has come up with such a facility.

At least 98 convicts with good conduct, who have served 12 years in prison, are lodged in the semi-open and the open-jail complex. Unlike the other 15,000 prisoners, who share cells or fit themselves into barracks, every prisoner in open jail complex gets a room.

It is their space earned through good work.

Explaining the difference between the semi-open and open jails, an officer said that open jail inmates, such as of Jessica Lal murder convict Siddharth Vashishta, better known by his alias Manu Sharma, get to leave the prison complex every day and return in the evening. They, however, cannot leave the city or spend time at any place apart from their workplace mentioned in the open jail transfer order, the officer said.

Those lodged in the semi-open jail, on the other hand, cannot step outside the prison and are assigned work within the prison complex, such as desk jobs in jail offices. The only similarity is that these prisoners live in the same building.

Open jail inmates are at a level higher than the semi-open ones. They can be released within months too, depending on the order of the sentence review board. Being shifted to open jails means they are no longer a threat to the society, said a jail officer.

In February this year, jail officials had conducted an inspection at the building. All but one inmate were found to be clean. The nabbed inmate, who was in a semi-open jail prisoner and had been convicted of murder, was caught with prohibited items.

We found him drunk with a liquor bottle lying next to him. He also had some narcotics stashed under his mattress. He was sent back to the normal prison and an inquiry ordered. Other inmates such as Manu Sharma, convicts of 1997 Connaught Place encounter and former Congress youth president Sushil Sharma, who was convicted for his wife Naina Sahnis murder, were found to be clean, said a jail officer. Jail officials said they were working on a draft proposal to start a womens semi-open jail soon.

Smita Chakraburtty, independent researcher and honorary commissioner for Rajasthan prisons, who works on prison reforms said, semi-open and open jails are a must in a civilized society. There is no scope for human cages. Jails are reformation centres. When there are facilities of open and semi-open jails, prisoners consciously reform themselves.The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) has begun building an underpass and two flyovers in south Delhis Mahipalpur area, a project that will make the drive from Vasant Kunj to the Delhi airport signal-free.

A deadline of March 2019 has been set for the constructions, which are crucial to decongest traffic to the airport that majorly relies on two major stretches  the Rao Tula Ram Marg (RTR)-Outer Ring Road stretch and the NH48 passing along the Delhi Cantonment from Dhaula Kuan. Traffic on both is usually heavy, particularly along the RTR where the delayed construction of a new flyover has significantly reduced usable space.

The underpass and the new flyovers, part of the Mahipalpur bypass project, on the Vasant Kunj-Mahipalpur stretch will particularly help south Delhi commuters, cutting by at least 20 minutes the time taken to reach airport from Vasant Kunj.

This project will also decongest the existing Mahipalpur flyover and the traffic below it. During peak hours, it takes around 40 minutes to an hour to reach the airport from Vasant Kunj, said a senior CPWD official, asking not to be named.

The underpass, approximately 700 metre long, will be constructed near the existing Mahipalpur flyover on National Highway-8.

One of the flyovers will come up near the northern access road (also known as airport approach road near Aerocity) and the other at the Vasant Kunj-Mahipalpur intersection.

Both flyovers will be single carriageway, with the road beneath used for the opposite lane traffic.

With the construction in full swing, authorities have cordoned off the area near Hanuman temple in Mahipalpur.

The senior CPWD official quoted above said the project was approved by the Unified Traffic and Transportation Infrastructure (Planning and Engineering) Centre in January and constructions began in March. We have completed around 5% to 7% work as of now, the official added.

The project will also provide a loop for commuters from Gurgaon going towards Vasant Kunj. This loop will start at NH-8 and merge at the underpass towards Vasant Kunj.

Experts said the project will bring much-needed relief to traffic.

Commuters going to airport from Vasant Kunj road have to face massive traffic in and around Mahipalpur area. These two bridges and the underpass will give some relief... Its significance will increase as the airport is enhancing capacity to 80 million passengers yearly by 2021. So such an arrangement is necessary for smooth traffic flow, said S Velmurugan, senior principal scientist in the traffic engineering and safety division at the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI).The Jawaharlal Nehru University is set to send out letters of warning to the parents of nearly 7,000 students --around 86% of total student strength --for failing to meet the varsitys new mandatory attendance rule.

Sources said that at least three MPhil/PhD students, all from the School of Arts and Aesthetics, have already been sent such warning letters dated April 16, issued by the office of the assistant registrar (evaluation). The letter tells the parents that their child has been reported by the Centre/School for remaining absent unauthorisedly for all days in the current winter semester 2018 till end of February 2018.

Considering future prospects of your ward, you are hereby requested to advise your ward to comply with the attendance rules, the letter further reads.

Students, however, criticised the universitys move of telling off adults, all of who were above the age of 25.

Simone Zoya Khan, the JNU Students Union vice president, expressed her disbelief when asked about the letters.

These are 27, 28, 29 year old research students. What do they mean by sending letters to their parents? Some research scholars are married and have kids. This is just the universitys way of undermining the voice and agency of the student. I mean, for BA or MA students I can understand. But for research scholars, it is just absurd, she said.

Sajjan Singh, JNUs assistant registrar of evaluation, said that they were to send such letters to the parents of any student who has failed to meet the required 75% attendance policy.

We have to send approximately 7,000 letters. But I am not sure how many have already been dispatched, he said. The JNU has a student population of around 8,100.

While mandatory attendance requirements are not new in Delhi universities, the rules usually apply to undergraduate students. Delhi University and Ambedkar University, for example, have a minimum attendance requirement for their undergraduate students mostly.

The acting dean of the School of Arts and Aesthetics, Mazhar Asif, refused to comment. JNU V-C, registrar, chief proctor, rectors 1-3, were all unresponsive to calls and text messages.What the MCU has achieved in the last 10 years is nothing less than Marvel-lous. With 18 movies across different franchises, there was more than enough room for things to go wrong. So many characters, directors and storylines meant a great deal of trouble in keeping them all tied together well enough that they still belonged to the same family.

To ensure that, Marvel employed a Nick Fury to start beading movies and their heroes in one pretty string. However, as Nick Fury couldnt be found in the far reaches of the galaxy or in another universe, the Infinity Stones were created.

From the first Avengers to Guardians of the Galaxy to Doctor Strange, these stones have served the dual functions of ensuring the linkage of films and to forebode a villain who is more evil, more dangerous than any these heroes have ever had to face.

However, it can sometimes be really difficult to understand the function, origin or the resting place of these stones. So here is a small primer to make you ready for the event of our lifetimes as the movie opens this Friday.

What are Infinity Stones?

Before creation itself, there were six singularities. Then the universe exploded into existence and the remnants of this system were forged into concentrated ingots... Infinity Stones, the Collector (played by Benicio Del Toro) said in the Guardians of the Galaxy.

The stones are never really named or their purpose explained in the films in detail. But this is where the nerds and their comic book knowledge have come in handy.

The six stones, Space, Reality, Power, Mind, Time and Soul, existed before the universe and therefore, even in their small sizes, contain power that few can even imagine. While they can cause enough mayhem individually, when clubbed together, they would spell certain victory for whoever wields them.

The Space Stone:

We met this one first in Captain America: The First Avenger as The Tesseract. Its a sparkly, bright blue cube that Loki also used to open a portal in the sky for aliens to swoop in and cause destruction all over New York in The Avengers.

The Space Stone allows its wielder to travel in space, anywhere in the universe. We got a good first hand view of it when Loki and Thor spin its handle to travel back to Asgard at the end of Avengers.

The Stones immense power also made it useful in making advanced weapons which is what Nick Fury was trying to do in Avengers and what HYDRA was after in Captain America.

It rested in Asgard for a few years after the New York incident until Hela rained hell over Thors home-planet in Thor: Ragnarok.

We last saw it in Lokis hands before he fled the planet with his brother and his people aboard a ship.

The Reality Stone:

Our introduction to this one was the most unpleasant of all. The Reality Stone was actually a slimy, red liquid Aether, when we first saw it in Thor: The Dark World. It was controlled by the elvish villain, Malekith and used on Loki and Jane Foster.

While the other relics often appear as stones, the Aether is fluid and ever-changing. It changes matter into dark matter. It seeks out host bodies, drawing strength from their life-force, Odin had said about the stone in the film.

The stone has the ability to bend reality around itself.

After Thor won the fight, the Stone was taken to the aforementioned Collector.

The Power Stone:

We first saw this one on Guardians Of The Galaxy and like The Avengers, this stone also made up a big part of the plot.

The Power Stone is a bright purple rock and is contained in an orb. For something called the Power Stone, it was lying unprotected in planets ruins until Star Lord/Peter Quill recovered it.

It grants unlimited destructive power to its owner and was misused by Ronan The Accuser in the film until he was defeated and the stone was given to the Nova Corps on Xandar for safekeeping. It still rests with them.

The Mind Stone:

It was introduced in The Avengers in Lokis blue Sceptre, but is indeed yellow. Yes, the bulb of the Sceptre glowed blue but after Loki was defeated and his weapon taken into custody by humans, it opened up to reveal a yellow stone resting inside.

The Mind Stone was used to artificially give Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver their powers. It is also what made Jarvis a sentient being (Vision) in Age of Ultron.

The mind stone lets the owner control the minds of others and is now stuck on Visions forehead as a glowing, yellow gem. It suits his red leathery skin quite a lot.

The Time Stone:

Perhaps the only function performed by Doctor Strange in the MCU was that it brought in the Time Stone. The bright green stone is encased in the Eye of Agamotto, who was Earths first sorcerer and the one to trap the stone in the eye thousands of years ago.

Doctor Stephen Strange uses it in the film to turn back time after Kaecilius destroys a city and create a time loop to strike a bargain with villain Dormammu.

Obviously, the Stone can manipulate time.

It is currently in Kamar-Taj, Nepal, under the security of Dr Strange.

The Soul Stone:

This is the one we know nothing about. We dont know the colour, the origin, the purpose or even where it is. From this point onwards, whatever follows is only speculation.

Currently, the number one suspect as to where the Soul Stone is resting is Wakanda. Marvel fans are wondering if the alien matter that crashed into Wakanda all those years ago was indeed The Soul Stone. The flower did give the Black Panther increased strength and transcend into a soul plane where the souls of ancestors lived.

Hopefully, Avengers Infinity War will finally reveal its whereabouts on April 27.

Check out our full coverage of Avengers: Infinity War here.An Air India flight from Amritsar to New Delhi last week, with 240 passengers on board, experienced turbulence leaving at least three people with minor injuries and causing a window panel inside the aircraft to break away, according to four airline officials.

Besides Air India, aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (AAIB) are probing the incident, which happened on April 19 soon after the flight took off from Amristar, one of the officials said.

The duration of Amristar-Delhi flight is about 35 minutes and on April 19, the flight was full with over 240 passengers, another official said.

The officials said the flight experienced turbulence soon after take-off when the altitude was around 15,000 feet due to bad weather.

At least three passengers had minor injuries and were given first aid after landing at the Delhi airport. Later, they took their connecting flights for onward journey, they added.

A window panel inside the plane also came off when the flight experienced turbulence, the officials said.

According to the officials, the turbulence continued for around 10-12 minutes.

There was no official statement from Air India about the incident.

A purported 50-second long video clip of happenings inside that flight showed an air hostess trying to fix the window panel that came off and pacifying an elderly woman passenger seated on that particular window seat. The video clip has been circulated on WhatsApp groups and social media platforms.Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu cut short his programmes here and proceeded to the national capital this afternoon.

His change of plan assumes significance in the wake of seven opposition parties, led by the Congress, initiating an unprecedented step to impeach Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra by moving a notice levelling charges against him in Rajya Sabha.

The Vice President is also the Chairman of the Upper House.

There was no official reason assigned for the sudden change in the tour schedule, government sources said.

The Vice President was originally scheduled to participate in the Convocation of Tata Institute of Social Science tomorrow. He was expected to visit Swarna Bharat Trust on April 24 and leave for New Delhi.

But he left in the afternoon today, one of the sources told PTI.

Naidu who reached the Telangana capital on Saturday and participated in a programme organised by ISCON this morning.

He was the chief guest at a graduation ceremony of a private educational institution in the city Saturday evening.With further financial support from the Centre becoming uncertain following the break-up in the TDP-BJP alliance, Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has decided to tap into all possible resources to mobilise funds for his dream project of giving capital Amaravati a concrete shape before the 2019 general elections.

Going by the pace of work, Naidu had been facing an uphill task to showcase progress due to the paucity of funds. But with financial agencies such as Housing and Urban Development Corporation (Hudco) and World Bank sanctioning funds, besides commercial banks agreeing to loans, the scenario may change soon. During a review meeting recently, the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA), which is overseeing the development of Amaravati, put the total cost of capital construction at Rs 48,115 crore, which might go up to Rs 58,000 crore in the next 20 years.

The Centre, however, gave only Rs 1,500 crore in the last three years, while the state sent proposals for another Rs 1,000 crore for this year.

But not a single rupee was allocated in the Union budget for Amaravati this year, Naidu said in the meeting. The TDP government has so far mobilised Rs 16,810 crore through financial agencies and bank loans. While Hudco sanctioned Rs 1,275 crore in December last year for infrastructure works such as roads, a World Bank loan for Rs 3,324 crore is expected in a month or two, which will be used for major arterial roads, flood mitigation and to upgrade village infrastructure.

Commercial banks are providing financial assistance of Rs 2,026 crore for the housing projects, APCRDA commissioner Cherukuri Sridhar said.Holding foreign drones as potential threat to aviation security, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has tied up with the Indian army to train personnel in identifying drones of Pakistani and Chinese origin, an officer of the force said.

A six-day-long training session was conducted last month in Gopalpur, Odisha, with more sessions planned for the personnel posted at 59 airports across the country. The official cited above was part of the first batch.

In Delhi, about 60-70 cases of unidentified flying objects being sighted have been reported but detection has not been done in any of those cases.

The involvement with army will help us not only in detection and identification of the drone but also tell us how to neutralise it. They call it Remotely Piloted Aerial System and during training, various types of drones were displayed. Those assembled in Indian and neighbouring countries are different and how to spot them was part of the training, the CISF officer said.

The ministry of civil aviation, which has come up with a draft regulation allowing the use of drones, but with some restrictions, has also formed a committee that would study the use of radar that can detect the drones.

There is focus on neutralising the flying object but we must first be able to detect it. So far, it is detected through naked eye but never traced (to its origin nation). World over, there is separate radar for detection of drones or any other small flying objects, which should be the priority for us, too, said a CISF officer posted at the Delhi airport.

The ministry is also testing technologies to capture drones.

We have already tested technologies that can capture them or block the communication system. Another technology which will be displayed (at future training sessions) would be on how to trace the operator of the illegal drone, said a ministry official.

The draft is open for public consultation and the ministry is soon expected to finalise the rule.The CBI has filed a charge sheet against commissioner, Goods and Service Tax, Sansar Chand in a corruption case, a first against a senior officer of the department, officials said in Delhi.

Besides Sansar Chand, the agency has also arrested his wife Avinash Kaur in the case last month and she has also been charge sheeted in the corruption case of receiving an alleged bribe of Rs 1.5 lakh from a Kanpur-based businessman, they said.

The Indian Revenue Service 1986-batch officer then posted in Kanpur is the first senior officer of the GST department constituted last year to face charges of corruption from the CBI, they said.

The agency has charged him and his wife along with 13 others with criminal conspiracy and corruption among others.

While Sansar Chand was arrested on February 2, 2018, his wife was arrested on March 21, 2018 and was sent to judicial custody by the Special CBI court, Lucknow.

The investigation revealed that Sansar Chand in criminal conspiracy with others was systematically collecting illegal gratification in lieu of various officials acts in connection to matters pertaining to Central excise department under its jurisdiction in Kanpur, an official said.

The agency in a late night operation on February 2, 2018 had arrested two superintendents of the department (Ajay Shrivastav, R S Chandel), one personal staff (Saurabh Pandey) and five private individuals, including the owner of Shishu Soaps, in a late-night operation in Kanpur and Delhi.

Besides these, five more including the wife of the officer have been charge sheeted by the agency under the corruption charges, they said adding that 11 persons have been arrested.

The agency has alleged in the charge sheet that Sansar Chand along with his subordinates used to collect bribes on monthly and quarterly basis from industrialists and businessmen, they said.

The bribes in cash were routed through hawala channels to Delhi through Aman Jain and Chander Prakash, both residents of Delhi, who used to deliver it to Chands wife, the CBI has alleged.

In one such case, Chand was allegedly seeking update on bribe from the owner of Shishu Soaps and Chemicals Limited, Manish Sharma, who sells his product under the brand name Rekha detergent when he was arrested, it alleged.

The bribe was received by Saurabh Pandey, the PA of Sansar Chand, on behalf of his boss and other officials from an employee of Manish Sharma, it alleged.

Sharma, who was seeking relief from the notices of the Central Excise Department, had given an assurance that he would soon pay the bribe for the months from February, 2018 to April, 2018 which was conveyed to Chand through his middleman Amit Awasthi and arrested superintendent Ajay Shrivastav, it alleged.

Investigation has revealed that Sansar Chand and his wife Avinash Kaur had demanded and accepted various valuable things for themselves and their relatives. During investigation a total 11 persons have been arrested and all are in prison under judicial custody, an official said.

During searches at the time of arrest, the agency had carried out searches at the premises of accused persons including public servants, private individuals, middlemen at Kanpur and Delhi which led to recovery of Rs 58 lakh and several incriminating documents including diaries, pen drives and documents of properties worth crores.China has agreed to resume sharing of hydrological data of the Brahmaputra and Sutlej rivers, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said in Beijing on Sunday, months after Beijing stopped the practice following the stand-off between Indian and Chinese troops at Dokalam.

The sharing of hydrological data is crucial to predict floods in Indias northeast region, prone to natural calamities.

Swaraj, who is on a four-day visit to take part in the foreign ministers meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), met her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and discussed a host of bilateral issues and ways to step-up the pace of high-level interactions to improve the relationship.

We also discussed the importance of strengthening people to people contacts in bringing our two countries closer to each other.

In this context, I conveyed our appreciation to the Chinese side for their confirmation on resumption of data sharing on Brahmaputra and Sutlej rivers in 2018 as this issue has direct relevance for people living in those areas, Swaraj said at a joint media event with Wang after their talks.

Last month, a team of officials of Indias Ministry of Water Resources held talks with their Chinese counterparts on the cooperation of trans-border rivers at the Chinese city of Hangzhou, the first after Beijing last year stopped providing the data.

Under the existing bilateral Memorandums of Understanding, China provides to India hydrological information of the Brahmaputra river (Yarlong Zangbo) and the Sutlej river (Langqen Zangbo) during the flood seasons.

Under the arrangement, China provides flood season data of the Brahmaputra river between May 15 and October 15 every year.

Last year, China stopped sharing data soon after the 73-day long stand-off between Indian and Chinese troops at Dokalam over Chinese militarys plans to build a road close to Indias Chicken Neck corridor connecting North-Eastern states.A 14-year-old girl was allegedly abducted by four people while she was sleeping in her house at a village in this district and then gang-raped after taking her to a secluded place, the police said on Sunday.

According to a complaint lodged by the girls family, the victim was alone in the house at the time of the incident on Saturday, they said.

After the girl came back to her house and narrated her ordeal to her parents, a complaint was lodged with the women police station last night, the police said.

A case under the relevant sections of the IPC and POCSO Act has been registered against the accused, they said, adding that during investigation, it was revealed that accused were from Jathlana and Mohri villages.

The accused are at large and efforts are on to nab them, the police said.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday said he was not a detractor of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but will always speak up when he doesnt approve of something.

I am not a critic of Modi, but I will speak on the issues where I dont agree (with Modi governments decisions), he said.

Sena, an ally of the BJP at the Centre and in Maharashtra, continually takes swipe at the prime minister and his party, especially through its mouthpiece `Saamana.

Speaking at the release of a Marathi book, Gof, penned by Senas Rajya Sabha MP and `Saamana executive editor Sanjay Raut, Thackeray said his father (late Bal Thackeray) had taught him to speak his mind.

RSS leader Sunil Deodhar, who is credited for the BJPs victory in Tripura Assembly elections, was present at the function.

If we come together as Hindus, there will be no division of votes. But if there are differences of opinion and views, then the question arises who is the real Hindu, said Thackeray.

You (Deodhar) have come back to Maharashtra after 28 years. If you hadnt left, this state would have fared better, the Sena chief said.

You gave your sweat and blood to install a BJP chief minister in Tripura, but what should one do when he makes laughable comments, Thackeray said, in apparent reference to Tripura chief minister Biplab Debs widely reported comment that Internet existed during the Mahabharat era.

The Sena was the first party to win an election on the issue of Hindutva, Thackeray pointed out.

We got our first MLA elected on the issue of Hindutva. Then others realised that Hindutva can be a political plank, he said.

In the last 25 years, we had a friendship based on Hindutva. But when `Achhe Din come, the Shiv Sena becomes unwanted. This is what hurts me, he said, taking a swipe at the BJP.

Those leaders who created India are no longer there. But there are many who preach. One is shocked on seeing how those who preach behave, he said.

Thackeray also said he doesnt run `Saamana as a business.

I never ask to see the Saamana editorial before it is printed, said Thackeray, whose name appears as the editor of the newspaper.Wading into a controversy, Union minister Santosh Gangwar on Sunday said brouhaha should not be created over one or two rape cases in a big country like India.

The remarks come at a time when the country is witnessing public outrage over brutal rape and murder of a minor girl in Kathua and that of a 17-year-old girl in UPs Unnao allegedly by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA.

Such incidents (rape cases) are unfortunate situation...But sometimes you cant stop them. Government is active everywhere and taking action which is visible to everyone,  he told reporters in Bareilly.

In a big country like ours, if one or two incidents take place, brouhaha should not be created over it. This is not fair... Government is taking effective steps...Whatever is necessary will be done, he said.

Gangwar, who is a BJP MP from Bareilly, holds protfolio of minister of state (Independent Charge) for labour and employment.

President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday promulgated an ordinance to provide stringent punishment, including death penalty, for those convicted of rape of girls below 12 years.

Under the Criminal Law Amendment Ordinance cleared by a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, new fast-track courts will be set up to deal with such cases and special forensic kits for rape cases will be given to all police stations and hospitals in the long term.

In his first comments on the incidents of rape in Unnao and the sexual assault and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua, Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week said that no criminal will be spared and daughters will get justice.

Such incidents shake our sensibilities. I want to assure the nation that no criminal will be spared. Justice will be done. Our daughters will get justice, he had said at an event to inaugurate the BR Ambedkar memorial.

While in London to attend the just-concluded Commonwealth Summit, Modi had said that rape of a daughter was a matter of shame for the country.

In the Unnao case, the CBI arrested BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar on April 13, hours after an Allahabad High Court order that he was influencing the law and order machinery.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Sunday called for the revival of the ancient Indian traditions and for integrating them with the modern education system, saying doing so would help fight issues such as war and global warming.

The 82-year-old monk was delivering a lecture on Role of Ethics and Culture in Promoting Global Peace and Harmony in New Delhi. The programme was organised by Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, which aims to preserve the history of the Indian independence movement, and Antar-Rashtriya Sahyog Parishad, a non-political society founded in 1978 with an aim to keep close interaction with people all over the world.

Serious discussions on how to include the ancient Indian traditions in educational system should begin. India has the capability to combine modern education with its ancient traditions to help solve problems in the world, the Dalai Lama said.

The greatness of the Indian civilisation is its spiritual brotherhood and harmony, he said, adding, it has produced the greatest philosophical thinkers and preachers who gave rise to the Nalanda tradition of Buddhism based on reason and logical conclusion.

A vast amount of what came to comprise the Tibetan Buddhism, stems from the teachers and traditions at Nalanda.

Nalanda is known for its Buddhist sites and monuments.

The Nalanda University, which attracted students and teachers from across the Indian subcontinent as well as China, Central Asia, and Tibet, was the most important Buddhist centre of learning in ancient and medieval India.

Citing quantum physics, which describes nature at the smallest scales of energy levels of atoms and subatomic particles, the Dalai Lama said the concept was explained 2,000 years ago by the Indian philosopher Nagarjuna.

Buddha was an ancient Indian scientist. I consider myself as half monk and half scientist, he said, referring to his deliberations with scientists.

Terming war, terrorism and religious violence products of materialism, the spiritual leader expressed his sadness over the violence against the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.

The Rohingya, who had lived for centuries in the Buddhist-majority country, are one the most persecuted people in the world. Myanmar had denied them citizenship since 1982, effectively rendering them stateless. Nearly 70,000 Rohingya people had to flee Myanmar to Bangladesh after a surge in violence and military crackdown on in August least year.

He expressed concern over global warming, explaining that the amount of snowfall in Dharamshala, the seat of the Tibetan government in exile, has reduced worryingly over the years.

Global warming has made life difficult for many people.

The Dalai Lama also said that Tibet may remain part of China if its geographical, cultural and linguistic autonomy is guaranteed. Tibet will benefit from economy of China.

Citing the success Chinese people achieved in maintaining their identity through hard work, he suggested Indians around the world, too, should spread their ancient traditions.

Try to revive ancient Indian traditions. Actual change does not come from prayer, it comes from action. Wherever Chinese go, they have a China Town. Why not an India Town by Indians?

The programme was the first the Dalai Lama participated in the national capital, since an event to mark 60 years of his exile in India was cancelled and another was moved to Dharamshala in early March. He was to attend both the events.

That development had happened in the backdrop of a media report that the Indian government had directed its senior functionaries to skip events organised by Tibetans.

At the outset of the 1959 Tibetan uprising, the Dalai Lama fled to India in March that year to escape a Chinese crackdown.A search is underway in Pakistan on Sunday to find an Indian national who went on a 10-day pilgrimage as part of the Sikh Jatha and has not returned home.

Amarjit Singh, 24, from village Niranjanpura in Punjabs Amritsar district, went missing in Lahore after failing to collect his passport from the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), the organisation that oversees religious pilgrimages for minorities in Pakistan.



Officials at the board said that Singh had arrived in Lahore along with other Sikh pilgrims to celebrate Baisakhi festival. His disappearance was only noticed when the entourage he came along with on April 12 embarked upon the return journey to India. The jatha returned to Amritsar on Saturday.

Singhs passport, like those of other pilgrims, was with officials of the ETPB, who immediately informed the higher authorities when Singh failed to collect it within the stipulated time.

An initial probe found that he disappeared upon reaching Lahore from Nankana Sahib. A search to find him is underway.

Pakistani media speculated that he may also have married a Pakistani as did Kiran Bala, who converted to Islam, and married a Lahore-based man.

Officials of the board and the Pakistans foreign office are yet to give any statement on the whereabouts of Singh.

He earlier reportedly worked in Malaysia, but had been living at home and helping his family with their agriculture business for past two months. (With inputs from agencies)For the next two months, Satyam Gupta will spend his evenings glued to YouTube. At 9pm sharp every night, he will find a quiet corner in his family home in Kanpur, hold his mobile phone in front of him, place a notebook in his lap, plug in his ear phones, and watch a serious-sounding man tackle every question in the world that he wants answers to, from the logic of Venn diagrams to the quirks of Indian Constitution.

The 21-year-old Gupta is one of the 25 million people who have applied for the 90,000 jobs advertised by Indian Railways. What he is preparing for is a highly competitive exam that will set off the largest recruitment exercise in the world conducted by Indias biggest employer. At 4.755 million applications for 26,500 positions (Automotive Loco Pilot) and 18.9 million for 62,907 positions (Group D: track maintainer, gangman, pointsman, switchman, helper, porter), the numbers are daunting for the applicants as well as the employer.

The only recruitment project that comes close is one Indian Railways last conductedin 2014, 9.2 million applied for 18,252 job openings advertised by the recruiter. Eleven hundred centres, 350 cities, 74 shifts, 25 days, a senior bureaucrat in the recruitment department rattles off the details of the examinations held then. Exams make up only one part of a massive process that goes from sorting applications to inviting objections, involves a shifting combination of workers and technology, and stretches over at least a year. Talking about the task waiting for the railways recruitment department over the following months, Ashwini Lohani, chairman of the railway board, called it a logistical challenge, but one that his staff is prepared to handle. We are taking every precaution to conduct the worlds largest recruitment exercise.

The only recruitment project that comes close to this is one the Indian Railways last conductedin 2014, 9.2 million applied for 18,252 job openings advertised by the recruiter (Burhaan Kinu/HT PHOTO)

Serious & non-serious

The exercise begins with weeding out non-serious contenders. The reasons for millions of Indians lining up for government jobs have been widely studied. At entry level, public-sector jobs are more in number than those in the private sector, promise better salaries and perks, and often come with long-term income security. A job in the railways is particularly coveted. Its the first choice for people who dont come from well-off families. They want government jobs as soon as possible. For a majority of jobs in railwaysdrivers, carpenters, techniciansyou only need to have passed Class 10, which really expands the target group, says Bhavya Mittal, chief mentor at Exam Formula, a YouTube channel offering live lessons for government exams.

This target group includes college graduates who dont have any faith in their degrees. I am anxious for a job and regular income, says Babulal Meena, who is shortly due to earn an undergraduate degree in commerce from a college in Karnal, but has no qualms about competing with 10th-pass aspirants for a runners job in the railways. You know what the level of education is like in colleges in India. You cant do anything with it. After three years, you get out with a degree but no knowledge.

The same reasons make fake jobs in the railways the easiest to sell. The ministry is currently investigating an audacious job scam in which eight people were interviewed for the position of ticket collector on the premises of Rail Bhavan, handed out appointment letters, and cheated of Rs 5 lakh each. Yet not everyone who applies for a railway job intends to land one. Many people apply without any intention of taking the qualifying exam, says Amitabh Khare, executive director of the Railway Recruitment Board. Tickets to travel by train to the allocated examination centre are free for people who apply under reserved categories, so many people use this opportunity to see new places. To deal with the abuse of exemptions, we have introduced a system of advance exam fee of Rs 100 that is later refunded. Of the 30.3 million people who started the application process, only 23 million completed it, he said.

Of the 23 million applications that the railways must sort through now, many are likely to have been filed by people who want to cheat in the upcoming exams. Many carry misleading photographs.

So the first sorting is done by a computer program that can filter out applications where the accompanying photo is of an animal or a building. But a software cant do much more than that in distinguishing actual candidates from fake candidates  it cant flag the photo of Salman Khan or Aishwarya Rai so then next level of sorting has to be done manually. Its a time-consuming process, Khare said.

Days into the announcement of this latest recruitment drive, Facebook groups dedicated to government jobs started brimming with speculations about the questions to be asked in upcoming railway exams. (Vipin Kumar/HT PHOTO)

The question paper

For the chosen candidates who the railways can trust to have applied in good faith, question papers must be created and secured. Questions span the usual field of study for competitive exams for entry-level jobsEnglish, reasoning, math, science, current affairsbut no question paper can resemble another. The questions are framed in English, translated in 15 Indian languages, and sent directly to the applicants computer screens. Irrespective of the level of encryption maintained between the subject matter expert who creates a question paper and the student who has to answer it, the recruitment department invests most of its energy in staying ahead of cheaters. The efforts include releasing ads that ask the applicants not to fall for exam touts and making sure that every student in a classroom receives a different set of questions.

Yet, danger lurks around every corner. Days into the announcement of this latest recruitment drive, Facebook groups dedicated to government jobs started brimming with speculations about the questions to be asked in upcoming railway exams.

What is measured in cusec?

Identify the diagram that best represents the relationship between profit, dividend and bonus.

Who won the last Wimbledon?

Misleading question papers leaked over WhatsApp on the eve of an exam now count as a routine menace for the recruitment authorities.

The last time we held exams, we got a cheating alert from a centre in Allahabad. We examined the papers of the 8-10 candidates suspected to having cheated. They had chosen the same answers all wrong. We are talking of merely one centre, where 254 students were taking their exams, but we added another stage to the exam, said a bureaucrat in the recruitment department on condition of anonymity.

After the question papers are made and secured, each applicant is allocated an examination centre. Even this routine step in the cycle is fraught with risk. What is the right time to inform an applicant about his or her centre? Too early and they may use the information to make arrangements for cheating; too late and they may not be able to reach the venue in time. Now we inform them about the city 10-15 days in advance and of the centre two days before the exam, said Lohani.

The final selection

Executed with a budget of Rs 300 crore, the exams are divided into three stages. The number of students shortlisted for the second stage is usually fifteen times the number of openings. Those who clear the second stage are put through a psychological assessment that tests their preparedness for specific jobs built around trains that require alertness or depth perception.

That done, lists are made of selected candidates, a long process in itself. We have to enter quotas under various categories: SCs, STs, OBC creamy layer, OBC non-creamy layer, ex-servicemen, physically challenged. There are internal calibrations to be made within each category. There are positions open to orthopedically impaired candidates from which the blind candidates will have to be excluded and vice versa, said Khare.

This may seem like the last step in the chain, but isnt. After the results are declared, everyone who has taken the exam is given a chance to object to the fairness of the process. On the objection tracker that regional railway recruitment boards put up on their websites, candidates can view the question paper, their own answers, and the correct answers. Large numbers of candidates take this opportunity to point out that the questions they were asked were wrong or their answers to those questions were right. Ninety five percent of time we are right. However, 7,200 questions are prepared. One of them could be framed wrongly. Or the translation may not be accurate. So each of these objections is responded to, said Lohani.

Outsourced

Parts of this process are outsourced to external recruitment firms. The selection of a company fit to accept the challenge follows a bidding process that takes months. To qualify, a company must show a minimum turnover of Rs 15 crore and should have conducted an exam involving at least 5 lakh candidates, among other criteria. While the railway ministry has yet to invite bids for this round of recruitment, it has previously collaborated with Tata Consultancy Services, which specialises in large-scale public-sector employment projects. Having set up 1.35 lakh computing nodes in exam centres across India, the company claims to have assessed a total of 100 million candidates so far, including 9.2 million assessments during the railways 2016 drive.

The scope of our work is extensive, says Venguswamy Ramaswamy, global head of TCS iON, the companys recruitment division. Application collection, centre allocation, question paper creation and distribution, conducting exams, objection management. Aside from the deployment of staff at exam centres, very little of the remaining process needs manual interference, he says. Every click is monitored. Errors are minimised. The system is still vulnerable to disruptive factors, from poor-quality infrastructure, to power outages, to cyber attacks, but the platform-centric activity has introduced a humongous amount of transparency to the process, in his view.

At his end, too, Satyam Gupta isnt leaving any aspect of his exam preparation to chance. Hes bought the right books, borrowed the right pen drives, joined the right Facegroup groups and subscribed to the right YouTube channels. This isnt even his dream job. Given his qualifications-- a bachelors degree in science-- he would ideally have liked to become an income tax inspector, but for now he just wants to be one of the final 90,000.He could be any white-collar worker, stepping out at 8am and returning by 6 pm after putting in a hard days work. Except that the place he leaves in the morning and returns to in the evening isnt a warm, comfortable home where he has family; its Tihar Central Jail.

Jessica Lal murder convict Siddharth Vashishta, better known by his alias Manu Sharma, has followed those timings since being transferred to the so-called open jail around three months ago in a reward for his good conduct, jail officials said. Five other inmates of Tihar, which holds about 15,000 prisoners, were similarly rewarded.

Many prison officials see the shift to open jail as the penultimate step before the eventual release of Sharma, 41, who has spent more than 12 years in the prison since being convicted in December 2006 of murdering Lal and sentenced to life imprisonment. He has spent at least 15 years in prison since the day he was arrested by Delhi police for the murder. The Delhi high court found Sharma, son of Congress politician and former minister Venod Sharma, guilty of the April 1999 killing of Lal. He pulled out a gun and shot Lal, a model who was tending an unlicensed bar at a private party, after she refused to serve him a drink well past midnight.

According to his open-jail transfer order, Sharma has to work with the eponymous Siddharth Vashishta Foundation (SVF), a non-government organisation (NGO) which claims to work for rehabilitation of prisoners and their children.

Open-jail inmates are allowed to step out of prison gates and work every day. They cannot leave the city or spend time anywhere but the place of work mentioned in the transfer order.

Two of the five other inmates also shifted to open jail were identified by prison officials as Vijay and Hashim, both murder convicts. The two work at a court complex selling products made by Tihar prisoners. HT couldnt ascertain the identities of the other three.

HT visited house number 1598F, Nangal Raya Extension, Janakpuri, west Delhi -- the address listed on his NGOs website  but residents of the neighbourhood said the place had been vacant for around eight months. At L-47, Lajpat Nagar -- another address mentioned on the website  the office was open but Sharma was not in. Kapil Vohra, who identified himself as an employee of SVF said Sharma could not speak to the press because it was against jail rules.

Siddharth ji (Sharma) asked jail officers for permission after you came to our office twice. He asked jail officials for permission to speak to you, but jail officials did not allow it because he is still a prisoner. He can only speak when he is out on parole later this month. He comes to office 2-3 times a week and spends the other days visiting prisoners in different jails and identifying those who need help, Vohra said.

Vohra said Sharmas NGO looks after more than 700 underprivileged children whose parents are in prison. Our NGO works closely with all prisoners and helps them get jobs. Some have got jobs as painters, security guards, chefs. We help the children with their schools, tuition and uniform fees.

Explaining the concept of open and semi-open jail, a prison officer said convicts who have a record of good behaviour and have spent at least 12 years in jail are eligible for transfer to open and semi-open jail. Jail officials said prisoners who have less than two years of their sentence left to serve are preferred for such transfers.

Tihars additional inspector general Raj Kumar confirmed Sharmas transfer to the open jail but did not comment on his case. I wont comment on the record of any individual in the open jail. Only those prisoners who have a good record inside prison are first shifted to semi- open and then to open jail. These are prisoners who have not violated any rule during their stay and have also not received any punishment, he said.

Transfer to open jail does not mean a prisoner will be freed because the decision to release a convict is taken by a board headed by the state home minister. The board takes into consideration different parameters before releasing any prisoner, Kumar added.

Still, according to a senior jail officer who did not wish to be named, once a prisoner who has been sentenced to life imprisonment completes 12 years in regular jail and two more in semi-open or open jail, the odds of his or her release are greater; that means the prisoner has completed 14 years in jail with a record of good conduct, to boot.

The Sentence Review Board, which decides on the release of prisoners, sentenced for life, first takes up the cases of those who have completed 14 years in prison.

Venod Sharma said he was travelling outside Delhi and could meet for a comment only next week.

When contacted about Sharmas work, an advocate who represents the NGO said: I do some pro bono work for the NGO called SVT, where they give me cases of poor jail inmates who are not having sound legal aid... However, I am not privy to Mr Sharmas personal information, which I think can be best obtained from Mr Sharmas family or his personal lawyer.

In 2009, Sharma was caught partying at a five-star hotel after securing parole on grounds that his mother was ill. He was caught at a party after an argument with the then police commissioners son. Sharma voluntarily returned to prison when his mother, who he claimed was ill, was seen at a press conference in Chandigarh.Airline major Jet Airways on Saturday said it has commenced the mandated engine inspection of four CFM56-7B engines which power some of the Boeing 737 aircraft in its fleet.

The development assumes significance as it comes after the US and the European civil aviation authorities -- FAA and EASA -- mandated inspections of all fan blades of CFM56-7B engines that has accumulated 30,000 flight cycles or more, under their latest Emergency Airworthiness Directives.

Jet Airways has received the latest Emergency Airworthiness Directives from the FAA and EASA which mandate an inspection of all fan blades of any engine that has accumulated 30,000 flight cycles or greater, a Jet Airways spokesperson said in a statement.

The airworthiness directives were issued after a fan blade failure involving a similar category of engine was reported in a recent incident in the US.

Jet Airways has commenced the required comprehensive checks to ensure full compliance of the directives within the stipulated period of 20 days. The airline has 4 engines that are impacted by the Directive with one already in scheduled maintenance, the statement said.

As the impact to Jet Airways is low, the inspections are not expected to cause any disruption to the airlines published schedule and will be conducted well in advance of the stipulated timeline.

Further, Jet Airways said that it is in close contact with both the aircraft and engine manufacturer as well as the airworthiness authorities in both the US and India to ensure it is kept apprised of any further developments or initiatives that may be required or recommended.

The airline is committed to implement any maintenance inspections or other directives that may be published by either the FAA, EASA or the DGCA as a result of the investigation of the recent event, the statement said.

Currently, Boeing 737s form the backbone of Jet Airways fleet and the airline operates 83 such aircraft with CFM56-7B engines.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)Kerala government on Sunday said it would provide Rs five lakh as immediate relief and extend all help to the family of Lithuanian tourist, Liga Skromene, whose highly decomposed body was recovered from near Kovalam, to be taken to her native place for the final rites.

Ligas family will be provided Rs five lakh as immediate relief, an official release said.

A highly decomposed body, with head severed,was recovered from Thiruvallam near Kovalam on Sunday and police had expressed suspicion it was that of Liga, who was reported missing since March 14.

Her husband Andrews and sister Ilze had identified her by the clothes on the body and colour of her hair.

Police are however awaiting DNA test reports to conclusively prove if the body was indeed that of Liga.

Kerala Tourism director P Balakiran, who met Ilze on Sunday on the directions of tourism minister Kadakampally Surendran, said the amount would be handed over to her soon.

The government would also take care of all expenses of their stay and tickets, he said.

Ilze informed Balakiran that the family wanted to take her body home and requested that the government take steps to remove legal hurdles, if any.

Meanwhile, Ilze told television channels that she planned to meet Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, seeking a proper investigation into her sisters death.

She said the jacket on Ligas body was not hers and that she could not have come to the deserted place on her own.

The body was found from a bushy, isolated area near a mangrove forest on the banks of the Karmana river.

Police are also probing all angles, including murder, to find the truth.

33-year-old Liga who had come for Ayurvedic treatment for depression, when she went missing from Kovalam.

Police had formed a Special Investigation Team and launched a massive search to trace Liga. They had also announced a reward of Rs two lakh for anyone providing information about the missing woman.

Liga was staying at a private Ayurveda treatment centre at nearby Pothencode.

Meanwhile, state Police chief Loknath Behara said Manoj Abraham, IG, Thiruvananthapuram range, would supervise the investigation relating to Ligas death.

In a statement here, he said while the identity of the deceased can be confirmed only after the DNA test, the probe team has decided that all angles in this death would be looked into, including suspicions/doubts of the family members.

The team has a kept an open mind and we will conduct a scientific and professional investigation.

The best of the Medico-legal and forensic experts would be made use of to cover all aspects, the release said.A 13-year-old girl was allegedly confined by a doctor in his clinic for three days and raped at a village in Muzaffarnagar, police said on Sunday.

The girl managed to escape from her confinement and report the matter to her father on Saturday, Circle Officer (CO) SKS Pertap said.

On the basis of a complaint lodged by the girls father, the doctor, Sonu Verma, was arrested and his clinic was sealed. Some objectionable material was also seized from the clinic, the officer said.

The complainant alleged that the doctor confined his daughter in his clinic when she had gone to bring some medicines, the CO said.

The officer said according to the girls father, the doctor had given her a sedative and raped her. The complainant also claimed that he along with villagers had launched a search in the area after she went missing, he said.

The matter is being investigated and the girl was sent for medical examination, Pertap said.A third year MBBS student of a private medical college in Bhubaneswar was found hanging inside his hostel room around 10.30pm on Saturday, said police.

Parents of the dead student, Nihar Ranjan Rout, 21, alleged on Sunday that his institute, Hi-tech Medical College and Hospital, pressured him to pay Rs 8 lakh because he had not fared well in his examinations.

Routs parents, who are from Soro in Balasore district, lodged a complaint at Mancheswar police station and alleged that their sons death was not a case of suicide but murder, said police.

According to preliminary investigation, it appears to be a case of suicide, said Bhubaneswar deputy commissioner of police Anup Kumar Sahu. The boy left no suicide note. We have recovered the body and sent it for autopsy. The investigation is on, he added.

Hi-tech Medical College and Hospital CEO Bhisma Rath said, Poor results and attendance could be the possible reasons for Nihar Ranjan Rout committing suicide. Rath added the students family was informed about pending fees amounting to Rs 8 lakh.

Earlier this month, a third year student of BSc (Nursing) of the college had attempted suicide by jumping off her three-storey hostel building. Her family members lodged a complaint with the police, blaming the college authorities for her suicide attempt.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ONPrime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday honoured bureaucrats for making Manipurs Karang the first cashless island of the country, and implementing the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and other priority initiatives of the Centre.

Modi awarded civil servants for smooth implementation of four priority programmes -- Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban and Rural), Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana, and for promoting digital payments.

Also, awards were given away for innovation in public service.

Karang island, a remote and backward region, was cut-off from the (Bishnupur) district due to insurgency for a long time. Incentives were provided for training towards digital payments and five POS machines were installed on the island, the award citation read.

Self-help groups and youth clubs were roped in for community mobilisation and parallel activities were conducted on the island for Aadhaar enrolment and opening of bank accounts, it read.

An online channel was launched to make people aware about digital payments. In addition, social media interventions were made for the purpose, according to the citation.

As a result, 92% of the bank accounts were seeded with mobile and 70% of them were seeded with Aadhaar.

The percentage of the electricity bills paid digitally increased from 78% to 97% in the last 20 months, it said.

Modi gave the award to Deputy Commissioner of the district for promoting digital payment. Besides, the officials concerned were honoured for popularizing electronic payment in Daman and Haryanas Sonipat.

Under the innovation category, awards were given to the Banka district administration in Bihar for reinventing education using technology, and to a group of officers for implementing the GST.

Senior IAS officers were appreciated for innovation in ease of doing business in India and for information, education and communication of Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin).

Awards for excellence in public administration were given away by Modi during the Civil Services Day function here.

Assams Dhemaji and Telanganas Karimnagar were awarded for the best implementation of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushal Yojana, aimed at adding diversity to the incomes of poor families and cater to the career aspirations of rural youths.

Himachal Pradeshs Kangra and Madhya Pradeshs Neemuch were awarded for the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin) aimed at providing pucca houses with basic amenities to all homeless people.

Puducherry and the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, Telangana, got the PMs award for implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) under which affordable houses are provided to the urban poor.

West Tripura and Maharashtras Beed were awarded for the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana -- a crop insurance scheme.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping will hold a rare informal summit in central Chinas Wuhan city on April 27 and 28 in a bid to strengthen sagging ties.

Its a new milestone in the China and India history, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said at a joint press conference with external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj in Beijing on Sunday.

Swaraj said the meet will be an important occasion for them to exchange views on bilateral and international matters from an overarching and long-term perspective with the objective of enhancing mutual communication at the level of leaders.

Modi and Xi are expected to spend hours in discussing perspectives about global and domestic scenarios and explore ideas to address festering bilateral issues like the border dispute.

Underlining its importance, Swaraj said the meeting flows from the understanding reached by the two leaders last year that India-China relations are a factor for stability in a period of global changes and have common responsibility for peace, security and prosperity for the world.

This will be Modis fourth visit to China since 2014. He is due to visit China again on June 9 and 10 to take part in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Qingdao city.

The meet has likely been separated from the multi-lateral SCO summit to underline the importance of Sino-India bilateral ties  it will emphasise that New Delhi and Beijing are moving ahead of the Doklam standoff.

Its informal summit, theyll be meeting in informal environment, agenda will be open, theyll spend lot of time over 2 day and therell be different kind of conversations, much more personal and interactive, former foreign secretary and Indian envoy to China S Jaishankar told ANI.

Luo Zhaohui, the Chinese ambassador to India, called it a historic informal summit in a tweet.

Wang said that meeting would be a new milestone in relations between the two countries.

We see socialism with Chinese characteristics entering a new era and India acts as a crucial stage in its development and revitalisation, It is against this backdrop that President Xi and Prime Minister Modi have decided to hold the informal summit, he said.

Swaraj also said that Beijing had agreed to resume data sharing on the flow of water in the Brahmaputra and Sutlej rivers, which originate in China and flow into India.

We are also happy that the Kailash Mansarovar yatra through the Nathu La route will be resumed this year, she added. The pilgrimage had been cancelled last year following the tense standoff between the militaries of the two countries at Doklam near the Nathu La route which lasted for more than 70 days, chilling bilateral ties and leading to the suspension of dialogue mechanisms between the two neighbours.

The Wuhan summit is expected to resurrect ties.

Chinese scholars on India have welcomed the move.

This meeting is very significant and the first informal summit (between India and China) of this kind, Lu Yang, south Asian scholar at the Institute of Belt and Road Initiative, Tsinghua University said.

It is not surprising that the two leaders are meeting before the SCO summit. The relations among top leaders or political strongmen are at least as equal as state to state or party to party relations. Political leaders now themselves try to take care of ticklish bilateral issues through informal ways of engaging with each other, Hu Shisheng, director of the Institute of South and Southeast Asian and Oceania Studies in Beijing said.

Swaraj, who reached Beijing on Saturday night, is officially here to attend the SCO foreign ministers meet on Tuesday in the run-up to the blocs summit in the coastal city of Qingdao in June. India and Pakistan were admitted to the China-led bloc in 2017.

During her stay in Beijing, Swaraj is also expected to interact with the foreign ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Pakistan.

Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman will also arrive here on April 23 to take part in the SCO defence ministers meeting the next day. Sitharaman is expected to meet her Chinese counterpart Lt Gen Wei Fenghe.A little over a year after the government expanded the ambit of its Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) to include the middle class (with annual income between Rs 6 lakh and Rs 18 lakh), the response has been lukewarm.

According to ministry of housing and urban affairs figures, since January 2017, when PMAY was opened to the middle income category , till the first week of April, only 27,000 beneficiaries have availed interest subsidy on loans for construction/acquisition of house. At the time of launch, the ministry had said that it intends to target 50,000 people from the middle income category in 2017-18 under the scheme.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had in December 2016 announced two new components of credit-linked subsidy to help the middle class, who till then were not included in the NDA governments flagship housing programme. As part of the scheme, those with an annual income of up to Rs 12 lakh can avail a four percentage point interest subsidy on a loan of Rs 9 lakh, while those with an income up to Rs 18 lakh would get an interest subsidy of three percentage point on a loan of Rs 12 lakh. In contrast, the number of beneficiaries under the Economically Weaker Section/Low Income Group (with annual income of Rs 6 lakh), who were included under PMAY from the very beginning in 2015, is much higher at 1.13 lakh.

Housing sector experts blame the tepid response to a slew of factors including poor awareness oft the scheme, stringent eligibility criteria, and the state of the real estate market. Vaijinath MG, chief general manager, State Bank of India, and head of the real estate and housing business unit at Indias largest lender, said: With many projects getting stalled and their costs rising, the confidence of buyers in the housing market was shaken. People were not inclined to buy houses in under-construction properties. But with awareness growing and the scheme getting a little more inclusive, the numbers are likely to increase.

In the middle-income category, the maximum number of applicants whose loans have been approved are from Maharashtra (7,276) followed by Gujarat (3,435), Karnataka (2,630), Uttar Pradesh (2,524) and Andhra Pradesh (1,280). According to the housing ministry, in the middle-income category, of the Rs 5,869 crore of loans that have been disbursed, the central subsidy is to the tune of Rs 564 crore; in the economically weaker section and lower income category, of the Rs 11,812 crore of loans disbursed so far, the central subsidy is Rs 2,441 crore. Sriram Kalyanaraman, managing director and CEO of National Housing Bank (NHB), regulator of all housing finance companies, said another reason for poor demand for the scheme in the middle-income group could be the provision in the scheme that those having an existing pucca house cannot apply.

During our interaction with banks, we were told this could be one of the reasons. A person belonging to the middle income group, even if he has ancestral property in his village, is ineligible. Inadequate last mile customer education was another issue that was flagged. Overall, the entire offtake is low because of sentiment. In some states RERA is yet to be implemented, said Kalyanaraman. His reference is to the The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, that was passed to protect home buyers. Most states are yet to appoint full-time independent regulators under the Act.

To help homebuyers from the middle income category, in November 2017 the government had tweaked the guidelines and increased the carpet area of houses eligible for an interest waiver. The carpet area was increased from 968 sq ft to 1,184 sq ft and from 1,291 sq ft to 1,614 sq ft for the two middle income categories. Amrit Abhijat, joint secretary in the ministry and the mission director of PMAY, said the progress was satisfactory but admitted that there is room for growth. With awareness increasing and the infrastructure in place, 2018-19 is the year we expect many more people from the middle income category to avail benefits under PMAY.

The ministry is expecting the number of beneficiaries in the category to go up to 100,000 in the 2018-19. Overall, since PMAY was launched, out of the 3.2 million houses sanctioned till December 26, 2017, in urban areas, merely 9% have been built, according to ministry figures. Till December 2017, of the Rs 22,757 crore sanctioned, the Centre has released Rs 12,916 crore.Ride-hailing company Ola on Sunday said it was secular and urged a customer not to discriminate after he started a Twitter firestorm by posting that he had cancelled his cab because the driver was a Muslim.

The company was responding to Abhishek Mishra, whose verified Twitter account says Vishwa Hindu Parishad and that he is a digital and social media advisor. His Facebook profile, which is linked to his Twitter account, says that he works in Lucknow and has responsibility of Vishwa Hindu Parishads IT cell.

Cancelled @Olacabs Booking because Driver was Muslim. I dont want to give my money to Jihadi People, said Mishra in a Tweet on Friday. He attached a screenshot of his Ola booking which named the cab driver.

At last count his post had been retweeted 545 times and liked 895 times with nearly 2,000 comments. Ola responded to Mishras tweet after people demanded that the company block his account.

Ola, like our country, is a secular platform, and we dont discriminate our driver partners or customers basis their caste, religion, gender or creed. We urge all our customers and driver partners to treat each other with respect at all times, it said.

Ola, like our country, is a secular platform, and we don't discriminate our driver partners or customers basis their caste, religion, gender or creed. We urge all our customers and driver partners to treat each other with respect at all times.  Ola (@Olacabs) April 22, 2018

Mishras account was also reported to Twitter. However, on Sunday evening, he posted a screenshot of a mail sent to him allegedly by the micro-blogging site, saying the content of the tweet did not violate Twitters terms.

Thanks to @Twitter and it's a tight slap on the faces those trying to suspend my account. pic.twitter.com/WSn2QK0Gp6  Abhishek Mishra (@Abhishek_Mshra) April 22, 2018

Several people supported Mishra, saying on Twitter that he had the right to his views.

As the controversy picked up, Mishra said on Twitter that he had a right to choose. In another tweet he referred to the alleged defaming of Hindu gods during protests over the Kathua rape and murder. He also spoke about a campaign against a poster of Hindu god Hanuman  an artwork that has been written about in news websites recently.

Hindustan Times has reached out to Mishra for his comment.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ONExternal affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday met her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi to discuss bilateral ties and step up the pace of high-level interactions to improve the relationship.

Swaraj arrived in Beijing on Saturday on a four-day visit to take part in the foreign ministers meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

This was their first meeting after Wang was elevated as state councillor last month which makes him the top diplomat of the country in the Chinese hierarchy. He also continues to be foreign minister.

In her initial remarks, Swaraj congratulated Wang on being elevated as state councillor and appointed the special representative for the India-China boundary talks.

Their meeting is part of efforts by the two countries to step up the pace of high-level interactions to improve relations, official sources here told PTI before the meeting.

Following the Doklam standoff last year both countries increased dialogue to scale down tensions and improve relations with talks at various levels.

Swaraj and Wang are meeting in the immediate backdrop of the recent meeting between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and top official of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) Yang Jiechi in Shanghai.Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu, who is examining an impeachment notice against Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, is learnt to have asked the secretariat of the Upper House of Parliament to see if there is precedent on opposition members making public the details of such a motion to the media before it is examined.

Informed sources said that Naidu was not happy with the way the opposition parties had held a press conference after submitting their impeachment motion to him.

They said details had been given to the media even before a decision was taken on it by the presiding officer of the Upper House.

The sources said that Naidu has asked the Rajya Sabha secretary general to look for precedent, if any, on the said issue.

Sixty-four members of the Rajya Sabha belonging to seven parties led by the Congress on Friday submitted the impeachment motion for the removal of the Chief Justice on five grounds of misbehaviour.

The motion was signed by 71 MPs, but seven have since retired, before the notice was submitted to the Rajya Sabha Chair.

Besides the Congress, those who signed the motion include members of the Samajwadi Party, BSP, CPI-M, CPI, NCP and IUML. Nominated member KTS Tulsi also signed.

This is the first time an impeachment motion has been brought against a Chief Justice of India.The 22nd Party Congress of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPI(M), approved an understanding with the Congress party ahead of the 2019 polls, but ruled out a political alliance. This is seen as a victory for CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, who favours a broad consensus among Opposition parties against the Narendra Modi government.

HT looks back at how the CPI (M) supported the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in 2004, the last time it forged an understanding with the Congress in national politics. The companionship ended in disaster.

Context

After the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, which threw up a hung Parliament but with the Congress emerging as the single-largest party, the Opposition came together to install a coalition government to keep the BJP out of power. The Left parties, with a record 61 seats, automatically became the anchor of such a coalition.

Senior leaders recall that then-Congress President Sonia Gandhi depended on then CPI(M) general secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet even to build consensus on the choice of Manmohan Singh as PM. Congress strategists Jairam Ramesh and Salman Khurshid sat with Sitaram Yechury and Prakash Karat to draft the common minimum programme (CMP) and eventually, the UPA came to power. CPI(M) was offered cabinet berths but it refused to join the government and only offered it outside support. Finally, the two sides came to an understanding and senior CPI(M) leader Somnath Chatterjee, a veteran parliamentarian, was elected as the Speaker.

Significance

The divorce between the Congress and the Left saw the decline of the CPI(M). It has now been reduced to just 11 members in the Lok Sabha.

The new tactical line that allows an understanding with the Congress is the first major victory of Yechury as the general secretary of the party.

The party will not form any pre-poll alliance with the Congress, but if a 2004-like situation arises, it will be ready to support a coalition against the BJP.

Questions, however, remain on the strength of the CPI(M) after its defeat last month in the assembly polls in Tripura, which it ruled for 25 years.

The party is completely marginalised and is fast losing its footprint in West Bengal  its biggest bastion in 2004  which it lost to Trinamool Congress in 2011 after 34 years of Communist rule.

What happened

The Congress-led UPA government functioned smoothly for the first three years with the support of the four Left parties: CPI(M), Communist Party of India, Revolutionary Socialist Party, and Forward Bloc. The Left contributed to the roll-out of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rrural Employment Guarantee Act  the UPAs flagship rural jobs programme  and supported the Right to Information Act. But it blocked disinvestment and opening up more sectors to foreign direct investment. Trouble started when the government decided to pursue an unprecedented agreement with the US government on nuclear energy in 2007. The CPI(M), ideologically averse to the US, threatened to pull out. The Centre formed a panel to negotiate with the Left. When PM Manmohan Singh became adamant about signing the deal, Karat announced withdrawal of support to the UPA in July 2008. The West Bengal lobby, Yechury and some other members of the party were opposed to the move, but Karat found support from the CPI (M)s all-powerful Central Committee. The CPI(M) even summarily expelled Chatterjee for not resigning from the Speakers post to vote against the UPA government.Diplomatic circles in Beijing were abuzz with speculation about an official announcement of Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to China for a bilateral meeting with President Xi Jinping ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in June.

The announcement is likely to be made after external affairs minister Sushma Swarajs talks with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing on Sunday evening.

Swaraj will hold key talks with Wang as the two countries continue efforts to get their relationship back on track following the Doklam face-off. Besides laying the groundwork for the SCO Summit in June, Swaraj and Wang are expected to take stock of bilateral ties.

Modis likely visit to China before the SCO Summit would send a clear signal that both countries are serious about resetting their relations, plagued by multiple festering issues such as the border dispute and damaged further by last years military standoff near the Sikkim border.

It would also give an opportunity to Modi and Xi to chart a course for the future as they negotiate old and new differences.

National Security Advisor Ajit Dovals unannounced visit to China earlier this month fuelled speculation it was in connection with Modis bilateral visit.

Swaraj, who reached Beijing on Saturday night, is officially here to attend the SCO foreign ministers meet on Tuesday in the run-up to the blocs summit in the coastal city of Qingdao in June. India and Pakistan were admitted to the China-led bloc in 2017.

During her stay in Beijing, Swaraj is also expected to interact with the foreign ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Pakistan.

Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman will also arrive here on April 23 to take part in the SCO defence ministers meeting the next day. Sitharaman is expected to meet her Chinese counterpart Lt Gen Wei Fenghe.

Swarajs visit to Beijing  the first after Wangs promotion to the rank of state councillor last month  is being seen as a crucial component in efforts by the two giant neighbours to reboot ties following the considerable cooling due to the Doklam standoff.

The agenda for the SCO foreign ministers meet is broad and covers regional security and terrorism.

As for the foreign ministers meeting on terrorism, I believe it is a purpose of the SCO to promote relevant cooperation in the field, foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a regular news briefing on Friday.

Security has been a priority of the SCO since its inception. So the upcoming SCO meeting will see participants exchanging views on the relevant issues. All participants will uphold the SCO spirit to take forward the development of SCO, Hua said.The Jaipur police on Sunday recovered the body of a 23-year-old woman who was allegedly murdered by her husband, an inspector with the income tax (I-T) department, on April 12 and buried her body on the premises of a rented house in Vadodara.

The body was buried about 6-7 feet deep in the ground. It is still intact and will be sent for a post-mortem, said Kavendra Singh Sagar, assistant commissioner of police, Malaviya Nagar.

The body was unearthed by a team of Jaipur police from the Vadodara house a day after the police cracked the mystery which has given the cops sleepless nights for over 10 days.

Munesh Foujdar had gone missing on April 11 and a missing person report was lodged by her father-in-law on April 12, the police said. Lokesh Choudhary, Muneshs husband, who worked in Vadodara, came to Jaipur on April 13 and started pressuring the police to find his wife, said Krishna Kumar Meena, sub inspector (SI) at Gandhi Nagar police station.

On Lokeshs suggestion that his wife has been abducted by bike-borne men, we obtained the CCTV footage from the area. We spent three days tracking everyone who looked even a little suspicious but no clue leading to the woman emerged, said the SI. Muneshs roommate then told us that they had gone out to have fruit juice on April 11 evening when she received a call from her husband.

Lokesh told her that both their lives were in danger and she should immediately switch off her phone and come with a friend of his to Vadodara, Muneshs roommate told the police.

The roommate informed the hostel owner who then informed Lokesh. The fact that Lokesh took two days to come to Jaipur after learning of her wifes disappearance aroused suspicion. Moreover, Muneshs father told us that when he asked for Lokeshs phone, he deleted all data from his phone. This confirmed our suspicion, said Meena.

After interrogation, Lokesh confessed to having killed his wife with the help of a friend and burying her. He was in a relationship with another woman and wanted to get rid of his wife, the police said. The hunt for Lokeshs friend, who assisted him in the gruesome crime, is still on.

Lokesh and Munesh got married in February 2017 but then Lokesh started an affair with another woman, he sent Munesh to Jaipur and asked her to prepare for a competitive exam. Munesh was living at the Jaipur hostel for a little over a month.A 40-year-old woman on Sunday allegedly committed suicide by jumping off the seventh floor terrace of her residential building in Four Bungalows, Andheri (West). The incident took place around 4pm, said the Versova police.

The deceased was with her mother-in-law at the time of the incident. The woman lived with her, and her husband works abroad.

She was rushed to a nearby private hospital, where she was declared dead on admission.

When asked whether she had written a suicide note, the police refused to comment

As of now, we do not know why she took the extreme step. We are investigating the matter thoroughly to find out why she did it and whether anyone drove her to commit suicide. We cannot share further details at this stage, said Kiran Kale, senior police inspector of Versova police station.A 65-year-old citizen was duped of Rs17.67 lakh by two cybercriminals who posed as senior executives of an insurance firm and tricked her into paying processing fee of Rs1 crore for her dead husbands health policy.

According to Manikpur police, the complainant, Uma Trivedi, a resident of Vasai (West) was the sole guardian of her 28-year-old autistic son after her husband, Ashok Trivedis death in 2007. Between July 2016 and May 2017, two women called up Trivedi posing as executives of an insurance company with whom Ashok had a policy.

The women asked her to pay money ranging between Rs38,000 to Rs2 lakh several times as processing fee for claiming the matured policy. Trivedi said, When I received the first call, the woman asked for my husband. She had all our details. When I said Ashok had died, she asked me for Uma. I said I am Uma, after which she told me that Ashok had started an insurance policy which had matured and I would be getting Rs20 lakh.

I sent the processing fee by cheque via a courier but she kept asking for more. After paying a couple of times, she told me I will be getting Rs1 crore as insurance money for which I have to pay a few more lakhs, she said. Trivedi said her neighbours warned her of a fraud but she got carried away thinking the insurance money would secure her sons future. I thought that they were genuinely calling from an insurance firm. I broke our fixed deposit account and our savings and gave them the money, she said.

When Trivedi approached the Manikpur police in May 2017 with a written complaint, they failed to register a case. Finally, they lodged a FIR on April 1, 2018, under relevant sections of the IPC and IT Act.Officers from the LT Marg police station arrested a Rajasthan native on Saturday who allegedly stole 93 kilograms of silver worth Rs37 lakh from his former employers shop.

The accused, identified as Buddha Ram Bishnoi, was arrested based on CCTV surveillance recordings.

According to police officials, Bishnoi and two others had broken into the jewellery shop on March 22 and robbed the silver stored there. Officials said although Bishnoi was not the mastermind of the theft, he was a part of the plan and execution as he was an ex-employee of the shop.

The complainant, identified as Manish Jain, owns a wholesale silverware shop in Zhaveri Bazaar in South Mumbai. He had told the police that he had two employees at any given time at the shop who order pure silver from Kolhapur and then sell it in the city through a courier company.

The police said that on March 17, Jain left the shop at 8.30pm. The main key to the shop was with him while one employee had a duplicate. In his complaint, Jain told police that on March 19, he got a call from one of his employees informing that the lock of the shop door was broken. When Jain went to the shop he noticed that 93 kg silver was missing from the locker. On checking the CCTV recordings, Jain noticed Bishnoi lurking around the shop before the theft. Based on Jains police complaint later, officials had been trying to trace Bishnoi and his accomplices. Bishnoi had worked at the shop for three months and was then fired. However during that time, he must have made a duplicate key of the locker, said an officer.

Investigating officers said Bishnoi was arrested under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.

We are now on a lookout for the mastermind of the theft, added the officer.The Kalachowki police have registered a case against two people for cheating around 29 people, mostly nurses and other staff, of the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial (MGM) Hospital, Parel, to the tune of Rs88 lakhs.

One of the accused is identified as Ishwar Tayade, a member of Republic Party of India (A), who had lost the MLA election in 2014. Under the pretext of giving flats to the staff at a cheaper rate, Tayde cheated the victims of Rs3 lakh each.

The complainant Anjana Chandvalekar, along with 28 others, had approach Kalachowki police last week and registered a case under section 406 (Punishment for criminal breach of trust) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian penal code.

Officers said that the victims claimed that Tayade, along with a few others, had several meetings at Neha Redekars , a staff member, residence in the MGM hospital staff quarters. Here, they promised flats to the staff with minimum rates through the government schemes so that they could get the governmental benefits.

Tayade, on the pretext of giving a flat, took almost Rs3 lakhs from each victim as expenses and processing fees in the past few years, which amounts to a total of Rs88 lakhs. He returned a minimum sum to the victims when he was questioned by the staff that approached him, said a police officer.

To the rest, Tayade just gave assurances but never gave them a proper answer, delaying it by giving excuses, added the police officer.

The police, during investigation, found Tayade to be a member of RPI (A) party. It was also found that he had been cheating people from since the past decade and kept changing his residence yearly, as his victims would reach his residence to claim their cash.

We have registered a case and are further investigating the matter. The accused are yet to be arrested. We have recorded statements of all the victims, who are mostly staff of the MGM hospital. Tayade had promised them that he would demand a plot from the government and build a complex, specially for the staff, added an official.After two major incidents resulted in flight disruptions during last monsoon, this year, Mumbai airport is better prepared to tackle similar situations.

The airport is now installed with Surface Awareness Guidance at Airport (SAGA) software, which will monitor real time ground movement and arriving air traffic, thus assisting authorities to tackle an impending emergency. The airport is the only one in the country to use this system.

Although the software was installed last year, it became fully operational in January 2018. SAGA is jointly developed by GVK and Altys Technologies. The software monitors and analyses ground movement of arriving and departing flights. The detailed live traffic analysis helps in eliminating delays related to runway.

The software captures every movement of an aircraft and vehicles on airside of the airport. The system marks departing aircraft in green and the ones arriving in blue. Other vehicles such as follow-me jeeps, wildlife jeep for birds and fire tenders are also tracked by the software.

Although the airport is equipped with Surface Movement Radar (SMR) for visual monitoring of aircraft, the system is only provides surface movement that can only be accessed by the air traffic controllers. The new software helps in asserting position of an aircraft and ensures reduced runway occupancy time by monitoring exit route and speed of the aircraft for Rapid Exit Taxiways (RET).

SAGA also helps in predicting time when an aircraft touches down and speed at which an aircraft is moving towards the taxiway. This helps us to understand what went wrong in case of any incident. The software saves data for more than a year, said an MIAL official.

The software also helps in parking stand occupancy details and responding operational vehicle movement to assist aircraft. One of the most important features of the system is that it strengthens safety and efficiency of operations in all weather conditions and peak traffic hours.

SAGA provides MIAL with detailed insight into operational performance, with a number of advanced statistical reports and alarm features. The application additionally provides an operational alert whenever excessive waiting times are detected on any airport segment, be it the runway, taxiways or apron. It is useful for the Airport Rescue and Fire and Apron Control at times of aircraft emergencies. The software is self-sufficient and collates data through five antennae spread across the airside. Inputs from SAGA are directly used to create reports on various parameters to be used by various departments. Mumbai airport is first and only in the world to be equipped with SAGA, said an MIAL spokesperson.

The system also helps in identifying and capturing details of aircraft en route Mumbai, during diversion in or out of the city.With the 2019 elections around the corner, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is set to rejig its organisation in Maharashtra, its home turf. NCP chief Sharad Pawar is expected to handpick the state party president in a party meeting this week.

Three leaders are said to be the frontrunners: Sunil Tatkare, incumbent state NCP president; Jayant Patil, former home and finance minister; Shashikant Shinde, and former water resources minister (Krishna Valley Irrigation Corporation).

Tatkare is looking for another term even as senior leaders close to former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar said he favoured Shinde. Patils name is also doing the rounds as he is said to be close to the party chief, and not considered to be in Ajit Pawars camp.

The decision is likely to be announced when the partys working committee will meet in Pune on April 29. It will indicate whom Sharad Pawar trusts, ahead of the crucial 2019 elections.

He handpicks the state president, who is then said to be a unanimous candidate of the extended working committee that includes all elected representatives of the party and senior functionaries.

If Patil is picked for the job, it will be clear that the NCP chief wants a trusted senior leader, mentored by him. Others factor that may support Patil candidature are the recent Maratha agitation, his clean image and bid to check Ajit Pawar. By naming Patil, a senior Maratha leader, for the post, Sharad Pawar aims to underline his commitment to the community.

If Tatkare, an other backward class (OBC) leader, is asked to continue, it will denote that Sharad Pawar wants to maintain the caste balance. On the other hand, Shindes elevation will highlight junior Pawars growing influence and possible dominance during the upcoming polls. Shinde is from the Maratha community.

He (Tatkare) led the party during crisis. We are now getting good response from people during the state-wide Halla Bol agitation, which was started against the BJP government. Now, he certainly would like to reap benefits of his hard work, said a senior party functionary.

After the irrigation scam, Tatkare, who was considered to be a confidante of Ajit Pawar, is said to have built a direct channel with the party chief. Tatkare succeeded MLA Bhaskar Jadhav after the partys dismal performance in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. He was appointed despite his name coming up in the multi-crore irrigation scam  one of the poll planks of the Opposition in the previous elections.

Tatkare said, I am yet to make up my mind. Let the party decide on this, as we always take this decision unanimously. I am happy that I was given four years to work for the party.

Patil is a senior leader from Sangli district of western Maharashtra and is among the second brass leadership created by the NCP chief. He was elected as an MLA for the first time in 1990 and has been winning from Islampur constituency in successive elections.

Allegations of scam have badly affected the partys performance in the 2014 elections. This time the party needs to be cautious over its faces, said a former senior minister.

Patil was unavailable for comment.

Shinde, a two-term MLA from Satara district of western Maharashtra, said, The decision has to be taken by the party, but I will be happy to take up this responsibility and. If given an opportunity, I will work with the best of my abilities.The police on Sunday afternoon recovered the body of an unidentified man, who was shot dead, near the main entrance of Delhi Public School HRIT campus in Muradnagar of Ghaziabad.

Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) Rajya Sabha member of Parliament, Anil Agarwal, is the chairman of the school and also of the HRIT group of institutions, which are located on the same campus.

The police said they received information about the body of a man, aged around 45 years, lying next to the guard room near the main entrance of the school around 3.30pm on Sunday. The man was found shot dead by officials and it is suspected that he was shot in the chest.

The school was closed on Sunday. There were four men, including guards, present inside the guard room. The rest of them are suspected to have opened fire. The guards have run away after the incident and we are trying to trace them. The identity of the victim is yet to be established, Vaibhav Krishna, senior superintendent of police, Ghaziabad, said.

According to the police, two guards, identified as Shiv Vijay and Uday Vir, of a private security agency operated by one Jagat Pal, were present in the guard room along with two persons, including the victim and one Trijpal.

We are trying to trace the identity of the victim with the help of his mobile phone. It is suspected that Vijay has a licensed gun, of 12 bore calibre. However, we have come to know that the gun is licensed in name of the father of the operator of the security agency. We are still investigating the incident and the motive behind the incident, a police officer said.

Officials suspect the four men in the guardroom were drunk and possibly got into an altercation that led to them firing at the victim. The police said they are also investigating the possibility of the gun going off due to a fault.

We have provided all the relevant details about the incident to the police and also the private security agency through which guards were hired. There is no staff of the school involved and the entire incident is between the guards and the deceased, Manish Bansal, accountant of the school, said.

In another incident at Khoda on Sunday afternoon, a property dealer, identified Subodh Yadav was shot at by an unidentified assailant near Matrika Vihar locality at his office. He was rushed to a hospital in Noida.

We have identified the assailant. It seems to be a case of personal dispute and the assailant is also a relative of the victim. We are investigating and the injured man is stable at present, Akash Tomar, superintendent of police (city), said.Odishas capital Bhubaneswar witnessed an unusual spectacle on Saturday. Daring the hot and sultry weather, nearly 15,000 workers and supporters of the Congress party thronged the Biju Patnaik International Airport to welcome their new leader, Niranjan Patnaik. From there, they took out a five-kilometer-long roadshow to the partys headquarters, where enthusiasts camped till midnight to listen to the new leadership team.

It was an unusual sight because, in recent times, such shows of political strength in Bhubaneswar have been limited to either the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) of chief minister Naveen Patnaik or the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is seeking to project itself as the principal opposition in the state. The Congress in Odisha has been in limbo, marred by widespread factionalism, a dysfunctional local leadership, and a steady exodus of workers who have switched to the ruling BJD or the BJP.

Suddenly, things appear to have changed. Congress president Rahul Gandhis decisions to put one of his close aides Jitendra Singh in charge of Odisha and then appoint Niranjan Patnaik as the chief of the Pradesh Congress Committee, seem to have given the party the shot in the arm it needed. Odisha goes to the polls in less than a year, concurrently with the 2019 general election.

Niranjan Patnaik is popular among party workers, resourceful, and a good organiser. A three-time minister in the state government, the 75-year-old is seen as someone who can carry squabbling factions along and turn the party around.

These hopes were on display during Saturdays roadshow and the meeting addressed by the new leadership. But there is something more to the newfound energy and enthusiasm of Congress workers in Odisha. They are sensing an opportunity in the loss of political momentum for the BJP in recent months.

The Congress partys image is seeing an upswing nationally and the BJP has taken a beating in Odisha following its defeat in a high-profile bypoll held last month in Bijepur in western Odisha - a relative stronghold for the BJP. Its candidate Ashok Panigrahi could not win even a third of the votes and lost to the BJD candidate Rita Sahu by a margin of more than 40,000 votes. Within weeks of Bijepur, the BJP suffered another setback when it could win only one of the 28 wards in civic body elections in Hindol and Attabira towns in central and western Odisha respectively.

The problem with the BJP, perhaps, is that despite working hard and sharing power in the state for nine years (2000-2009), it hasnt produced a compelling narrative for the people of Odisha. This could partly hinge on the fact that the BJP is still unable to meaningfully engage with Odishas strong regional identity - one that has been shaped more by the politics of assimilation than by aggressively highlighting cultural differences.

As a result, even in 2014, when an unprecedented pan-India wave helped Prime Minister Narendra Modi win a historic mandate, the BJP could win only 10 of the 147 seats in the Odisha assembly with a vote share of 18%. In most adverse conditions, the Congress could still win 16 seats and manage to keep 26% of the votes. The BJD, meanwhile, strengthened its grip further, winning 117 seats.

The Congress finished second in 74 assembly constituencies and the BJP in 36. Importantly, the assembly election was a three-cornered contest but the BJP wasnt in the reckoning in a majority of the seats, getting less than 30,000 votes in 95 constituencies. The average votes cast were 147,000 per constituency.

In effect, the grand show for the Congress on Saturday might indicate that a return of its rank and file to the party could be in the offing. For the BJP, on the other hand, the newfound vigor within the Congress could spell trouble. There is a possibility that the Narendra Modi- and Amit Shah-led BJP will have to reconsider its game-plan in Odisha. Above all else, it will have to consider if it needs to change its existing leadership in the state. At the moment, it appears to be advantage Congress.

(The author is Editor at Large, Hindustan Times. He tweets as @rajeshmahapatra)The cabinets approval on Saturday for an ordinance that seeks to award the death penalty to those convicted of raping children below 12 years has largely been welcomed by the public. Enactment of such a law would give, perhaps some of us, who believe in an eye for an eye a sense of satisfaction that this is what justice looks like. It could also, however, give a false sense of assurance that the government has done its job once there is a law in place; this is precisely what we need to guard against.

A number of studies suggest that often the death penalty does not act as deterrent to certain crimes. What is worrying is the prospect that when the punishment for rape and murder is the same, a rapist would not want the victim to survive to be able to testify against him and this may lead to an increase in instances of rape-murder.

It must be remembered that cases discussed in the media are a minuscule percentage of the number of such crimes that take place every day. In the case of sexual attacks against children, the Bharafound that in a majority of the cases, the offender was someone familiar to the child or indeed a member of the childs family. When the death penalty is a possible outcome of a trial, it will have a direct impact on the reporting of crimes against minors, specially when the perpetrator is a relative of the family.

As we have seen in the case of death penalty for gang rape, soon after the December 2012 assault and murder of a 23-year-old on a moving bus in Delhi, there was a case of gang rape in Bengal and up to 30 individuals were accused. In such cases, conviction, the rate of which is already quite low, falls even more because it is unlikely that any court will sentence such a large number of people to death. This is precisely the reason we need a nuanced debate on the effects of the death penalty on the conviction rate, and most importantly, whether it lowers the chances of survival for victims of such assaults.

There are multiple points of citizen-state interaction once an aggrieved party approaches their local police station for lodging a First Information Report (FIR). The FIR is then followed by an investigation, filing of a charge sheet, a trial, conviction and then comes the sentencing part. The governments entire focus often remains on the final step -- sentencing. Often the trial itself takes years and as time goes by, victims lose hope in the system. There is no real justification is preserving extremely stringent punishment with incredibly lax implementation. What one wants is certainty of punishment rather than its severity.

This is not to argue that state intervention was not needed. It was, but at a more initial stage of this citizen-state interaction, such as providing for ease of reporting, rather than the final one- -sentencing.

Other measures the ordinance provides for, with regard to speedy investigation for trial and assistance to victims, echo the well-researched and well-known suggestions of the Justice Verma Committee (2013) which also spoke of rape crisis centres and fast track courts. These have till date not been implemented.

It is important that we distinguish between well-meaning and high-sounding words and focus our demands on actual implementation of the changes suggested in the ordinance,which are significant but not new.

The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act already has a provision under which, if an FIR in case of rape of a child is not registered by the local police station, the police personnel face imprisonment for up to six months. In the case of a minor allegedly raped by a legislator in Uttar Pradeshs Unnao, an FIR was not registered for months on end.

Thus, existence of a law is not and should not be enough to pacify our anger against rape. These heart-breaking stories of violence demand a change that is more immediate and widespread, not the focussing of all our energies on the aftermath. It is time we get out of the ivory towers where we live and curse the monsters who are guilty of child rape; the monsters are among us. We need much more than the death penalty, we need to ask who and what perpetuates the rape culture, we need to rethink our education system,and our sexist customs and traditions.

(Saumya Saxena has a PhD from the University of Cambridge and specialises on family law in India. She worked with the Justice Verma committee in 2012-13.)In a raid on a flat in Kothrud on Friday, the Pune police have arrested a relative of Kalyani Deshpande, an alleged sex racketeer who is behind bars.

Nilesh Suryakant Deshpande, 42, the brother-in-law of Kalyani, was among the two persons arrested for prostitution. A woman from Uzbekistan was also found in the raid conducted by a team led by police inspector Sanjay Patil of the social security cell.

The second person arrested along with Nilesh was identified as Shiva Govind Mahavirsingh Tomar, 26. Both the arrested men were found to be residents of flat number T303 of Wonder Future Society of Dukkar Khind, located on the Pune-Bengaluru highway in Kothrud, according to the police.

Besides Deshpande and Tomar, a female agent named Jasmine was also booked in the case. However, only Deshpande and Tomar were arrested.

A case under Sections 370, 370(a) and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Sections 3, 4, 5 of Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act (ITPA), 1956, was registered at the Kothrud police station. The Kothrud police will investigate the case further. The police seized Rs 5,000, three mobile phones, passport of the Uzbek national from the flat which was being utilised for the flesh trade.

One of the mobile phones recovered by the police, which was being used by Nilesh, was found to be registered in the name of Kalyani Deshpande.

The first gang involved in flesh trade to be booked under the stringent law of Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (Mcoca), 1999, was the one led by Kalyani Deshpande. She has been involved in sex trade for the past two decades and was arrested in 2016. She has been in prison ever since.The highlight of TiECon Pune 2018 undoubtedly was the session with the legendary FC Kohli, former managing director and chief executive officer of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), and Ishaat Hussain, former chief financial officer of TCS.

At 94, Kohli needed no help to walk up the stage and more importantly, he recalled the minutest details of how TCS was set up and grew to be the multibillion-dollar giant that it is today.

The transistor came to India in 1949-50 and in 1968, we at the Tatas started using a computer to manage the grid in 1968. Today, you get power in your homes because of the computer the Tatas built in 1968, he said.

What made TCS a great company, according to Kohli, was the corporate values. In those days, people worked for the country; that was foremost on our minds. Even so, in those days former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was against computers. So we did the next best thing; we exported our work. That is how the TCS story began.

We hired freshers and trained them. Our training programmes were so thorough that we were almost like a university.

At TCS, we started an Adult Literacy Programme where we developed a software that would teach people to read a newspaper, albeit slowly, in their mother tongue, Kohli added.

The software was developed in 10 languages and handed over to the government, Kohli said, adding that nothing happened for the next 15 years.

Kohli said, My point is that if people in France can use French to talk to their computers, why cant we use Indian languages. Can you imagine the benefits of a computerised society?

Despite his age, Kohli is far from retired. When I gave up TCS about 15 years ago, the Tatas asked me what I would need. I asked for a secretary, space and all library access.

He now works with universities to ensure that the level of education gets better and better. Ishaat Hussain spoke about the financial aspects of the TCS initial public offer (IPO).

I was a man from manufacturing and was used to companies asking for money. However, at TCS, it was the reverse. We kept giving money. When we went public, it was after Infosys and at that time Infosys was 80% the size of TCS. Today, TCS is 2.5 times the size of Infosys, said Hussain.

He believes that offering ESOPs (employee stock ownership plan) which is a popular means of employee retention is a bad idea. Hussain said that employee stock ownership plans lead to unintended consequences such as propagating short-termism, aberrant behaviour in keeping stock prices up and loss of focus.

Talking about the value system of the Tata group, Hussain said that, We believe that profit is the outcome of the business, not the objective. While it is important to make money it should not become an obsession.

You need oxygen to breathe but you dont live for it. Two, it is important to make money but how you make it is even more important. Three what you do with the money you make is also important. He stressed that TCS used its money to put it back in the business, to reward all stakeholders and lastly give it back to the people.The family of Amarjit Singh, 24, who went missing while on a pilgrimage with a jatha (group) to Sikh shrines in Pakistan, said on Sunday that they had no contact with him after the beginning of the April 12-21 trip. A resident of Naranjanpur village, 44 km from Amritsar, had gone there as part of a 1,796-member group to celebrate Baisakhi at Gurdwara Panja Sahib.

His disappearance came to light on Saturday, the day the Lahore high court directed Pakistans interior ministry to decide within 30 days the fate of another jatha member Kiran Bala from Hoshiarpur district, who converted to Islam, took the name Amna Bibi, married a local man and moved the court for visa extension and eventual citizenship.

Amarjits younger brother Prabhjit Singh told HT on Sunday that on April 11 he dropped him off at a bus stop in Rayya from where he went to Amritsar, to head to Pakistan with the jatha. On April 12, in the morning, I got a call from him; he asked about the familys well-being but the call got disconnected. I tried to call him back but his number has been unreachable since.

The jatha coordinated by various Sikh groups, including the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), left for Pakistan via the Attari-Wagah land border.

Prabhjit further said Amarjit, who never attended school, went to Pakistan for the stated objective of paying obeisance only at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib. Before leaving home, he said that after paying obeisance there he would come back, he said. On Saturday evening, after the jatha returned without him, the family came to know about his disappearance from the police. We have given a written complain about his going missing to the Khalchian (area) police station, he said.

While the family members said they could not say what may have prompted Amarjit to go missing, the sarpanch of the village, Jassa Singh, said it could be a case of honeytrap. He said he had come to know from neighbours that he was on the phone a lot for the last two months. I have requested the police to investigate his call details, he said.

Father Rajinder Singh said Amarjit had gone to Malaysia last year as a construction worker and returned in December. He was now helping the family in farm work and was normal in behaviour. I appeal to the government of India to bring back my son, he said. Pata nahin oh kehde halaatan vich hona ae (We dont know in what circumstances he is)! said Amarjits mother, Gian Kaur, adding that it is the responsibility of the Union government to bring him back somehow.

Deputy commissioner (DC), Amritsar, Kamaldeep Singh Sangha said he had no information. Senior superintendent of police (SSP) (rural) Parampal Singh, however, said no case has been registered so far as the matter is under the jurisdiction of the immigration department.Jagtar Singh Tara, who is undergoing life imprisonment till death for the assassination of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh, has expressed threat for his life in Burial jail, Chandigarh.

Attending the hearing through video-conferencing in a case registered against him in Bathinda in November 2014 in the court of additional sessions judge Kanwaljit Singh Bajwa, Tara alleged that six officials in the Burail jail can eliminate him. Tara said this while expressing doubt over the death of Khalistan Liberation Force chief Harminder Singh Mintoo who died of cardiac arrest in Patiala Central Jail on Wednesday.

Taras counsel Harpal Singh Khara said after Taras allegations expressing threat for life, he moved an application in the court seeking protection and bring him physically in the next hearing of the case on May 11.

Tara is an accused in a case after Bathinda resident Ramandeep Singh, alias Sunny, was arrested in November 2014 with a handmade bomb and explosives.

Ramandeep was allegedly provided training by Pakistans Inter Services Intelligence in Bangkok and Malaysia as he was in touch with Tara who was absconding at that time and was arrested later.Six-year-old Armaan Singh saw his mother commit suicide, stayed with the body for three days despite strong stench emitting from it and survived on biscuits, chips and fruits.

The body of Jaspinder Kaur, 35, the wife of an armyman, was found hanging in the drawing room of her first-floor flat at Phase 7 in Mohali on Friday evening, three days after she committed suicide.

Jaspinder, who was staying only with her son in the rented flat, left a suicide note in Hindi saying that she was upset and no one should be held responsible for her death.

Police said she tried to end her life earlier too. They said she had strained relations with her husband, lance naik Ranjit Singh, who is posted in Ferozepur.

Jaspinders friend, Ratanbir Kaur, informed the police after neighbours called her up as a foul smell was emanating from the flat. She said no one responded to her repeated knocking on the door.

Deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Alam Vijay Singh said, The child had been sleeping on the sofa next to where the body was hanging. He is in shock.

Armaan told the police that he did not eat anything the day his mother hanged herself with her dupatta, but had biscuits, chips and fruits stacked in the fridge whenever he felt hungry over the next two days.

He used to take bath daily, change clothes and even go out to play with the children of the locality but did not tell anyone about his mothers suicide. Mummy had said I am hanging myself, you take good care of yourself.

The police said Armaan was studying in Class 2 at Dagshai in Himachal Pradesh till the last session and was yet to get admission in a local school.

Jaspinder Kaur

Child hints at physical abuse of victim, kin deny

Armaan has told the police that his father as well as his mothers male friend used to beat her. Papa and chhote papa (this is how he referred to his mothers male friend) used to beat mummy.

However, Jaspinders father Surjit Singh denied any physical abuse on his daughter. Lovingly, Armaan used to refer to his father as chhote papa, said Surjit, who hails from Jagraon and has retired from the Punjab education department.

He also said Jaspinder was to fly to Canada on tourist visa on the day she is suspected to have hanged herself. She was to go to Canada on April 17.

Jaspinder was a qualified nurse who, as per police, was working with a private hospital in Sector 70, Mohali, and was on leave these days.The Panjab University syndicate meeting that lasted only 20 minutes on Saturday witnessed an uproar over the vice-chancellors affidavit in the Punjab and Haryana high court suggesting governance reforms.

The members objected to vice-chancellor (V-C) Arun K Grovers submission in court, questioning his right to do so without bringing up the matter before the syndicate, the varsitys executive body.

Grover in the affidavit submitted on April 17 sought reforms in PU governance, raising the issue of groupism in the senate  varsitys apex governing body. The affidavit states that factionalism has reached such a level that discussions in the senate do not happen on merit anymore. It also puts a question mark on elections for deans of faculties and graduate constituency of the senate.

Even as the syndicate signed a resolution demanding withdrawal of the affidavit, Grover stood his ground.

Bone of contention The affidavit was filed during resumed hearing on poor financial health of the varsity and just four months ahead of Grovers retirement, who is completing his second term. The varsity has already initiated process of appointing his successor. Grover has had several run-ins with a section of senators during his two terms. The affidavit states that groupism is such that new initiatives for sustenance of the university are getting thwarted for want of consensus in the syndicate and senate while serious offenders are getting away due to technicalities. Referring to 15 members from the graduate constituency, the court was told that one needs only 2,000 to 3,000 votes to get elected. Also, the universitys resources and staff get stretched to extreme while conducting the elections, the affidavit stated. The affidavit also pointed out that during the election to deans of faculties, only those win who have support of senate members. It was suggested that deans should be appointed from among senior professors

In my personal capacity

Syndicate member Prabhjit Singh was the one to raise the matter when the meeting began on Saturday. He said he came to know about the affidavit through newspapers and its content disturbed him.

Taking names of senators such as Ronki Ram, BS Ghuman and GK Chatrath, who have remained deans, Singh questioned the V-C if he thought they got elected due to groupism.

Grover told the members that the affidavit was filed in his personal capacity, which raised further objections as to why it was then submitted on behalf of the university.

The members even objected to Grovers statement about factionalism in the PU senate. They said though there might be groups in the governing body, the V-C should not have maligned the institution.

On Grovers failure to bring up the affidavit before the syndicate in advance, one of the members did defend him, stating that he had the right to do so as he was just replying to the high courts query.

Walkout ends meet

Later, Grover walked out of the hall over the use of unparliamentary language by one of the syndicate members. The member had questioned the V-C over allegedly not allowing syndics to have tea with former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his visit to the campus for a memorial lecture earlier this month.

The meeting continued for some time under syndic Gurjot Singh Malhi till the V-C returned and adjourned it. The leftover agenda items will be taken up during the next sitting of syndicate on April 29. The syndicate was to discuss revision in fee structure, room rent in PU Guest House and rent of auditoriums, seminar halls and lawns on the campus among other important issues. However, no discussion took place.

After the meeting was adjourned, Grover sent a message to syndicate members, stating that he will not withdraw the affidavit but inform the court that he submitted it in his personal capacity.

I have been going to court hearings since October 20, 2016, and I have been saying the same things I said that day. It is my personal comprehension of the matter. I will not withdraw the affidavit but will inform the court that it is in my personal capacity, he said.Stating that the management of municipal solid waste was a major issue confronting the states of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) chairman SPS Parihar added that they had accelerated the process for the creation of a road map for a pollution-free country.

Parihar, in Mohali for a conference on environment, said, If the waste is segregated as dry and wet at the household level, management would be far easier. He added Himachal needed to take this up in aggressive manner, since there was hardly any space in the hill state for landfills.

Most of country not under pollution measurement radar

Parihar added, Three hundred cities are being monitored for ambient air quality. However, most of India is not even being assessed with respect to air pollution. Delhi and NCR remain in the spotlight for National Clean Air Programme, there are 94 cities that have failed to attain set levels or standards of ambient air.

He added the CPCB was acting. The road map to a pollution-free India has been accelerated. States have been instructed not to spare any polluting industry that needs to be closed. Such industries will be made to follow zero pollution norms in a time-bound manner, he said, claiming that the country lacked agencies and the equipment to certify the paraphernalia used in monitoring of air quality.

We are dependent the US to verify the working of our air monitoring equipment and stations. Pollution of water bodies in Punjab and the rest of India is also a concern, he added.

Only 3-5% e-waste is recycled

Parihar added that the country recycled only 3-5 % of the Electronic Waste (e-waste) it generated. Norms have been modified to enable producers to recycle the e-waste in a phased manner by employing intermediate agencies to collect it, he said, adding that to check plastic waste, enforcement needed to improve.

He added that the department of space had been contacted to explore the possibility of using satellite imagery for ground-based measurements with respect to ambient air quality. If this materialises, we would not require ground-based stations for assessing air quality.

He added Delhi had beaten the rest of the country in selling cleaner fuel. Delhi has become the first city in India to retail Bharat Stage-VI-grade petrol and diesel. This is much before its countrywide introduction in April 1, 2020, the CPCB chairman added.

National Green Tribunal acting chairperson justice Jawad Rahim said, So far, according to reports that have been submitted to us, Punjab and Haryana haveAn Islamic State suicide bomber killed at least 57 people including women and children and wounded 119 outside a voter registration centre in the Afghan capital Kabul on Sunday in the latest attack on election preparations.

The assaults underscore growing concerns about security in the lead-up to legislative elections scheduled for October 20, which are seen as a test-run for next years presidential poll.

There were anguished and angry scenes at Isteqlal Hospital where many of the victims were taken, with relatives criticising the Afghan government for failing to protect their loved ones.

Our patience is running out. This government should take responsibility for the lives of all these innocent people lost every day, a man called Hussain, whose cousin was wounded in the blast, told AFP.

Nobody will go to vote anymore.

A woman shouts and cries at a hospital after she lost her son in a suicide attack on a voter registration center in Kabul, Afghanista. (AP Photo)

The health ministry gave the latest toll for the attack, which was claimed by the Islamic State group via its propaganda arm Amaq.

The interior ministry had earlier said 48 people were killed and 112 wounded. Its spokesman was not immediately available to comment on the new toll.

They are civilians, including women and children, interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish said earlier.

The centre in a heavily Shiite-populated neighbourhood in the west of the city was also being used by people to register for national identification certificates, which they need in order to sign up to vote.

I found myself covered in blood, with dead people -- women and children -- around me, said Ali Rasuli, who had been standing in a queue outside the centre when he saw a fireball in front of him. He was taken to hospital with leg and abdominal wounds.

Sheets of paper and passport-sized photos lay scattered amid shattered glass and pools of blood on the street near badly damaged cars -- grim evidence of the force of the blast.

This senseless violence shows the cowardice and inhumanity of the enemies of democracy and peace in Afghanistan, US ambassador John Bass wrote on Twitter. NATO and the United Nations also condemned the bombing.

The last major attack in Kabul was on March 21 when an IS suicide bomber blew himself up in a crowd celebrating the Persian New Year holiday and killed at least 33 people.

An Afghan security forces member stands guard at the site of a suicide bomb attack in Kabul, Afghanistan April 22, 2018. (REUTERS)

Voter security

Ariana TV showed angry crowds shouting Death to the government! and Death to the Taliban!

A wounded man in a hospital bed wept as he told the network: I dont know where my daughters are. God damn the attackers!

A witness to the attack named Akbar told Tolo TV: Now we know the government cannot provide us security: we have to get armed and protect ourselves.

Elsewhere, a roadside explosion in the northern province of Baghlan on Sunday killed six people, including three women and two children.

President Ashraf Ghani condemned both attacks as heinous.

Afghanistan began registering voters on April 14 for the long-delayed legislative elections.

Officials have acknowledged that security is a major concern because the Taliban and other militant groups control or contest large swathes of the country.

Afghan police and troops have been tasked with protecting polling centres, even as they struggle to get the upper hand against insurgents on the battlefield.

Militants on Friday launched rockets at a voter registration centre in the northwestern province of Badghis, killing a police officer and wounding another person.

Officials blamed the Taliban for the attack.

On Tuesday gunmen attacked a voter registration centre in the central province of Ghor, kidnapping three election workers and two policemen.

Taliban militants released the five on Thursday.

Over the next two months, authorities hope to register up to 14 million adults at more than 7,000 polling centres for the parliamentary and district council elections.

Officials have been pushing people to register amid fears a low turnout will undermine the credibility of the polls.

Since the Persian New Year attack a tense calm had permeated the Afghan capital as people brace for the Talibans launch of its customary spring offensive.

The Taliban are under pressure to take up Ghanis peace offer made in February but so far the group has given only a muted response.

Some Western and Afghan officials expect 2018 to be a particularly bloody year.

General John Nicholson, the top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, told Tolo TV last month that he expected the Taliban to carry out more suicide attacks this fighting season.When the going gets tough, the summits get going. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet this week to discuss the state of the world rather than the state of bilateral relations.

Mutual concern about a crumbling global system is behind New Delhi and Beijings desire to set aside two years of confrontation and hold discussions at the highest level  national security advisors, foreign ministers, foreign secretaries and soon, the two leaders themselves.

Irritations like the border dispute are being kept off the agenda. Global concerns like trade, terrorism and the like will be on the list.

The basis of the so-called reset in India-China relations was outlined publicly by former foreign secretary S Jaishankar at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit in Singapore on April 13, say senior Indian sources.

With a new global order possibly emerging, he had noted, there had to be more common ground between players and it was important for larger countries even as they compete, to find common grounds and set rules.

Diplomatic sources say this recognition came several weeks after the Doklam crisis ended last year. When Indians and Chinese officials met, it was clear neither side wanted a repeat of the past year. In the discussions over the next few months, the two governments agreed larger issues needed addressing.

Indian officials say it had been clear even earlier that China was becoming increasingly concerned about global instability. In bilateral discussions, the Chinese would quiz Indians about the views of the US President Donald Trump regarding various issues. Beijing has also been alarmed by Islamic militancy in West Asia and renewed fighting in Afghanistan. Beijing sees Pakistan and even Russia as playing unhelpful roles in these regions. North Korea and the looming trade war with the US have only added to Chinas prioritising stability above all else.

Broadly, say several sources, Xi sees the Modi regime as a source of stability rather than a threat in all this turmoil. As MIT China expert M. Taylor Fravel noted, Contrary to the conventional wisdom, China views Indias rise as a positive development.

Beijing, which has struggled to restructure its economy in the past few years, is also impressed by Modis ability to carry out economic reforms and maintain growth rates.

New Delhi, for its part, believes it has successfully confronted a more powerful China on three counts  securing the Dalai Lamas succession, opposing the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and enforcing the status quo in Doklam  and can afford to take a break during a year of domestic consolidation.

None of these issues have been settled and there is full expectation that the two will cross swords over them at some point.

Senior Indian officials say there is no strategic shift in the India-China relationship. New Delhi will seek to undermine the BRI. China will block India from entering the Nuclear Suppliers Group. Both will be in contention for influence in the Indian Ocean. For now, however, the two countries have agreed the new priority is greater engagement over a world fraying at the edges.

There is so much instability, a senior Indian official noted recently, no government has a grand strategy today.Leaders of a Pashtun movement vowed to keep up with their struggle after Pakistani authorities cancelled permission for their rally in Lahore on Sunday and used sewage water and entrails of goats to disrupt it.

The Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) is fighting for restoration of human rights in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well as accountability for the Pakistan Army's actions in the tribal areas.

The provincial Punjab administration refused to grant permission for the rally at Lahores Mochi Gate. To make sure no rally was held, workers of the sanitation department flooded the ground with sewage water. Entrails of goats and other animals were also thrown about at the ground by government workers to create a pungent smell, independent observers said.

The PTMs request for holding the rally was rejected due to prevailing security circumstances, an official said.

Ali Wazir, a member of PTM, in a statement had appealed the people of Lahore to gather at Mochi Gate to learn about the ordeal Pashtuns were going through in war-hit areas.

We want to give details that dont reach you due to media censorship, a PTM member said. Various civil rights groups, including Lahore Left Front, Joint Action Committee and Women Action Forum, had announced support for the PTM event.

We have informed the police that come what may, we will hold the rally at Mochi Gate," a member of Left Front told local media.

He said the PTM had twice requested Lahore administration for permission but they denied. We have told them that we wont accept their undemocratic ban, which is a violation of right of association.

Activists were particularly upset that Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed of the Jamaat ud Dawa and Khadim Hussain Rizvi of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik, another extremist organisation, were allowed to hold rallies in Lahore without any hindrance.

Mosharraf Zaidi, a political analyst, commented on Twitter: Khadim Rizvi coddled by the Pakistani elite - civilian and military. Manzoor Pashteer (of PTM) demonised and denied NOC by the same elite. One spits at the constitution, The other demands constitutional raj. Why the dissonance?

The five demands made by the PTM include the repeal of the laws under which the Federally Administered Tribal Areas are governed and the integration of FATA into Pakistan.

One such law, the draconian Frontier Crimes Regulation, gives unlimited powers to the law enforcement agencies and no legal protection or recourse to the people who live in that area.

The PTM has also touched a raw nerve by criticising the military operation in their area, particularly in Waziristan.

Officials have conceded that in the war against terror, more than 50,000 civilians have been killed in militant attacks and military offensives in the region.

More than 6 million were displaced in dozens of military operations as hundreds of thousands of families lost their businesses and livelihoods. The PTM insists that the bulk of these casualties were in FATA. They say the authorities are yet to clear land mines planted at the time of the fight against militants.

The PTM is also protesting the imposition of curfews and the arbitrary measures imposed by the army during its operations there as this bring untold hardship on the people of the area.

They have also demanded that the victims of forced disappearances, many of whom they suspect are in military custody, be presented before the courts.

The PTM has also criticised the military's role of siding with one militant group against another. The movement also insists that militants have not been wiped out of the areas as the army chief claims.The suicide of a man from Ludhiana in the Indian state of Punjab being held at an immigration detention centre in Japan has sparked a hunger strike among detainees and revived concerns about conditions. Deepak Kumar was found dead on April 13 after apparently hanging himself in the shower at the Ushiku facility, northeast of Tokyo.

At least eight detainees, including Kumar, have died in immigration detention facilities since 2010, according to a tally by the Japan Association for Refugees (JAR), an NGO. Prompted by it, 70 people at the Ushiku facility refused food, according to an official, and reports say people held at other centres were also protesting.

Around 1,000 people are held in immigration detention centres around Japan, according to JAR. Last year, a Vietnamese man died in the Ushiku facility after having a stroke, and in 2014 two detainees, an Iranian and a Cameroonian died there. Eri Ishikawa, chair of JARs board, said, In three to five years, every year there has been a death among detainees.

Kumar appears to have committed suicide after learning that his provisional release request had been denied, according to Kimiko Tanaka, 65, a long-time activist. His request had been turned down in March, but he only learned about it on April 12, according to a detainee who was sharing a room with him, she said.

There was no reason for him to commit suicide, he was a courageous man and had a fighting spirit, said his brother, Sanju, from Ludhiana. He called me a day before his death and was in a good mood. He promised to call again in five days... We dont believe the authorities and demand that his death be investigated.

Tanaka said Kumar had applied for asylum, though it was unclear on what grounds. The man was detained almost the entire year after he arrived in Japan as a political refugee, she said. We have to once again realise the mercilessness of Japans immigration law and the refugee recognition law. A migrant detained under a deportation order can be held indefinitely, a situation Tanaka described as deeply damaging. Long-term detentions damage people mentally and physically, she said.

A friend of Kumars, who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity saying he was afraid of immigration authorities despite having legal residence, said he couldnt understand why Kumar was detained for so long. He didnt do anything wrong. He didnt get into a fight; he didnt steal anything. It doesnt make sense that he had to be put in prison for a year.

Activists and rights group have long urged reforms to the immigration detention system, including ending the practice of long-term detention, improving medical access and allowing independent oversight. They also criticise the governments stringent rules on granting refugee status. Last year just 20 people out of nearly 20,000 applicants received asylum. The government says most applicants are economic migrants, but activists and the UN say Japan imposes onerous evidence requirements that can be impossible to meet, even for those in real danger.

Authorities deny that detainees are being mistreated or neglected. We respect their human rights, said Daisuke Akinaga, an official at the Ushiku facility. We try to listen to them and meet their requests. For example, there was a complaint about cold inside the facility and we improved the situation, he said. Applications for provisional release are a different story. They have to go through proper procedures.

Detainees allege that if they complain about medical problems to guards, they are simply handed sleeping pills or anti-anxiety medication. We are concerned that around 20% of the detainees are given medication like sleeping pills, Ishikawa said. There is no independent mechanism to monitor the situation.

Detainees in immigration facilities have gone on hunger strike before, to little effect. But Tanaka said Kumars death and the perceived indifference of facility guards had caused widespread anger.External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj will hold key talks with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Sunday evening in Beijing as the two countries continue efforts to improve bilateral ties in the aftermath of a military standoff near the Sikkim border last year.

Swaraj, who reached Beijing on Saturday night, is here to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisations (SCO) foreign ministers meet on Tuesday, in the run-up to the blocs summit in June.

India and Pakistan were admitted to the China-led bloc in 2017.

Swaraj is expected to interact with SCO foreign ministers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Pakistan.

The agenda for the SCO foreign ministers meet is broad and covers issues including regional security and terrorism.

Security has been a priority of the SCO since its inception. So the upcoming SCO meeting will see participants exchanging views on relevant issues, ministry of foreign affairs spokesperson, Hua Chunying, said on Friday.

Swarajs visit to Beijing  the first after Wangs promotion  is being seen as crucial in the two neighbours efforts to reset ties in the aftermath of the Doklam military standoff last year.

Swaraj and Wang will lay the groundwork for the SCO summit in June, to be attended by PM Narendra Modi in the coastal city of Qingdao.

Swarajs visit also comes against the backdrop of growing speculation that Modi will have a meeting with President Xi Jinping in China in the days ahead.

Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman will arrive in Beijing on April 23 to take part in the SCO defence ministers meeting to be held the next day.

Sitharaman is also expected to meet her Chinese counterpart Lt Gen Wei Fenghe.Canadas largest school board has unanimously adopted a motion recognising November as Hindu heritage month in the countrys most diverse metropolitan area.

The motion was moved before the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) by 36-year-old trustee Parthi Kandavel. The board covers 583 schools and is the third-largest in North America.

Kandavel, whose father is of Sri Lankan origin and mother is from India, said he championed the motion because of a desire expressed by the community. While November is already observed as Hindu heritage Month in the province of Ontario, that was fairly symbolic, he said, while a similar observance for schools would have substance.

There is value and significance, he said as this decision will be reflected in the curriculum, strategies and events at the schools as students will have the opportunity to celebrate, learn and educate themselves about the faith.

While Hinduism is among the worlds oldest belief systems, the unfortunate reality is that many educationists were unaware of it, he said, and there were reports of students being bullied for being Hindus. The TDSB governs a student population of nearly 240,000.

The motion was co-sponsored by another trustee Avtar Minhas, who was gratified that it came as TDSB celebrated April as Sikh heritage month. We want every child to grow in this city of Toronto the way their culture is, there traditions are, he said, after the motion was passed in the presence of dozens of members from the Hindu community in the gallery observing the proceedings and cheering the outcome.

The TDSB decision is also important, Kandavel said, since the practices in education and equity it adopts tend to influence those later undertaken by other school districts within the province and across the country. They look at us for leadership and guidance, he said. There has already been interest expressed within school districts in the Greater Toronto Area or GTA with large numbers of students of Hindu background.

The next step after the passage of the motion will be interactions with community groups and throughout the school system so that a theme can be developed for November and also create lessons that can be used every year and activities based on the theme selected.

Posters will also reflect the theme and be placed in every school within the system. And since this entire month is aimed at educating children about Hinduism, there will be an element of play involved. And with Diwali falling in the first week of November this year, it will enhance the celebration of the first-ever year of the Hindu heritage month in Canadas largest city.President Donald Trump is wrongly claiming North Korea has agreed to denuclearisation before his potential meeting with Kim Jong Un.

North Korea said Friday it would suspend nuclear tests and intercontinental ballistic missile launches before summits with the US and South Korea. Kim also said a nuclear test site would be closed and dismantled.

The North stopped short of suggesting it has any intention of abandoning its nuclear arsenal. But Trump tweeted Sunday that the North has agreed to denuclearization (so great for World), site closure, & no more testing!

Sleepy Eyes Chuck Todd of Fake News NBC just stated that we have given up so much in our negotiations with North Korea, and they have given up nothing. Wow, we havent given up anything & they have agreed to denuclearization (so great for World), site closure, & no more testing!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 22, 2018

....We are a long way from conclusion on North Korea, maybe things will work out, and maybe they wont - only time will tell....But the work I am doing now should have been done a long time ago!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 22, 2018

South Koreas president has said Kim isnt asking for the withdrawal of US troops from the Korean Peninsula as a condition for abandoning his nuclear weapons. If true, it would seem to remove a major sticking point to a potential disarmament deal.NOTICE:

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MUGSHOTS.COM IS A NEWS ORGANIZATION. WE POST AND WRITE THOUSANDS OF NEWS STORIES A YEAR, MOST WANTED STORIES, EDITORIALS (UNDER CATEGORIES - BLOG) AND STORIES OF EXONERATIONS. OUR CONTENT REVOLVES AROUND CRIME, ARRESTS AND THE FIRST AMENDMENT. WE BELIEVE IN THE CONSTITUTION AND OUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT TO PUBLISH UNPOPULAR SPEECH. OPEN RECORD LAWS WERE WRITTEN TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC; BY INFORMING THE PUBLIC OF ARRESTS AND TO HOLD LAW ENFORCEMENT ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE HUMANE TREATMENT OF ARRESTEES. MOST OF, IF NOT ALL MUGSHOT LAWS WERE CRAFTED TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC FROM FEES FOR REMOVAL OF ONLINE MUGSHOTS AND TO FURTHER PROTECT THE PRESS FROM THOSE VERY SAME "MUGSHOT LAWS".WE DO NOT ACCEPT PAYMENT FOR REMOVAL OF ARREST INFORMATION AND/OR BOOKING PHOTOGRAPHS. MORE...Self-described "number one female rapper in Atlanta" Bali Baby has proven herself as one of rap's most exciting new voices through short blasts of attitude and charisma like "Iggady" and "Pretty," but on her more recent releases, she's been making an effort to expand her repertoire. "Yall said i have the  same flow  &  sounded the same  on all my songs SOOOO I completely switch it up now yall want the old me back LMFAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO," she wrote on Twitter earlier this month after dropping her moodier more melodic Bali Blanco EP. With "Backseat" off her upcoming Baylor Swift project, she's given fans yet another curveball, incorporating the sounds of pop punk into her confrontational rap style for a jarring but ultimately successful fusion of sounds. Of all the rock-influenced rap that's been emerging over the last year, Bali's is the only one that legitimately has the post-Rebirth sound people have ascribed to the recent genre experiments. Using all the tools that Wayne did on the album, down to a similar auto-tuned snarl, Bali is able to pull off the sound convincingly in a way Wayne did not. It's unclear how much of her new album will travel in this direction, and while it could be promising, we're still hoping to hear some more of that "same flow" Bali referenced in her tweet. It hasn't gotten close to old yet.

Baylor Swift is due out May 8th.

Quotable Lyrics:

I tell her hit my phone

Whenever Im alone

She say she like my ton

I tell her baby we drunk

Tell her baby come home

Cant wait to get you alone

Oh, oh, I cannot walk outside

Because I am known

I put my headphones on

Now Im in my zone

Cannot trust these bitches

They are some clones

They tuning in like Im an episode



Kanye West faced heavy backlash Saturday after he shared praise for Candace Owens, a conservative commentator known for her opposition to the Black Lives Matter movement, among other controversial views. "I love the way Candace Owens thinks," he wrote. It wasn't long before fans and academics alike spoke out against what read like an endorsement of her views from West, including rapper Azealia Banks.

The rapper has now shared a few more tweets which appear to be in response to the backlash over his original tweet about Owens. In them, he brings up the concept of the "Thought Police," who he feels are "suppress[ing] freedom of thought."

"People demonize people and then they demonize anybody who sees anything positive in someone whose been demonized," he continued. "People respect people for following the general trend and consensus... there was a time when slavery was the trend and apparently that time is still upon us. But now it's a mentality. ... self victimization is a disease."

Read his tweets below.

Kanye's initial tweet about Owens has caused further attention to fall on the right-wing pundit and her recent appearance at UCLA where she spoke of a "victim mentality versus victor mentality" in regards to Black Americans and said that those who bring up slavery must "like being oppressed." Azealia Banks has spoken out about her rhetoric. "How could you try and minimize the sufferance of your fellow black Americans and the entirety of our ancestry just to promote even more baseless social ideologies??" she said. "Black people are the ONLY people in the world who are forced by overly articulate logic to forget about the past and this is only done to make sure we have no plans for the future aside from adhering to more prescriptions of life from white supremacy."

Read further thoughts from fans who feel Kanye's praise for Owens is irresponsible here.Macklemore and his wife Tricia Davis welcomed their second daughter just before St. Patrick's Day, the rapper revealed in a recent interview tracked down by People magazine. "I haven't said this publicly," he said of his St. Patrick's Day celebrations. "Cue the airhorn. I spent it in the hospital... with my brand new daughter who was born right before St. Patricks Day."

The new child, whose name has not been revealed, is the second of Macklemore's children. Sloane Ava Simone, his first daughter, is now 2 and a half. The rapper has her name tattooed on his chest. View a picture of Sloane, via Macklemore's Instagram, below.

Neither Macklemore, nor his wife, have shared the big announcement on social media just yet.

Macklemore is currently on tour in the U.K. This summer, he will join Kesha on a co-headlining North American tour. View the full list of dates here. Last September, he released Gemini, his first project without Ryan Lewis since 2005. The project featured guest appearances from Offset, Skylar Grey, Lil Yachty, and Kesha. You can stream it here.Metro Boomin has shared a photo of himself holding a card that reads "Russ Is Whack" on Twitter. The superproducer tagged Russ in the post before expanding on the thought in a subsequent tweet. "and by whack I mean whack in spirit.. havent heard any music to come to that conclusion," he wrote.

Metro also retweeted the Montreal producer Kizzy, giving some context to why he is speaking out against Russ. The tweet references a 2017 VladTV interview Russ did in which he blamed producers for homogeny in current rap. "I lost all respect for @ russdiemon blaming producers for todays sound?" reads the tweet. "Like fuck outta here fam... you gonna blame metro, illmind, southside, sounwav, elite, dre, etc for all this? Sure maybe a specific person but not everyone... smh."

In the interview being referenced, Russ expressed his dissatisfaction with the current state of rap, but said that emcees are getting blamed when it is the beatmakers who should be held responsible. "People blame the rappers for the state of hip-hop, but rappers are not making the music. You gotta blame the producers," he said. "If a producer sends me a pack of 20 beats and theyre all wack and sound the same, I'm just fucked. I just have to pick the best of the worst. Its not the rapper's fault."



Both a rapper and a producer himself, Russ went on to argue that the best beatmaking was largely in the past. "Look who was holding down hip-hop: Dre, Scott Storch, Timbaland, Pharrell, Just Blaze, Swizz Beatz. Real dope music shit. They kinda just fell back for their own reasons," he said. "I don't see Dre beats surfing around or Kanye beats... all the dope ones fell back! That's why we're left with this pedantic, everything-sounds-the-same 140 BPM shit. The music is what this shit is built off of. The people responsible for making the music are the ones to blame... If all the dope ones leave and all we're left with is C+ producers, after a while that C+ might be our new A."

Russ shared his new single "Sore Losers" shortly after Metro's tweet. It is unclear if the song's release is intended to be a response to Metro.Blue-and-white Asian ginger jars spruce up a hall table in need of a pop of color. Heirloom Royal Delft plates become art when placed over a guest rooms headboard. Kitchen cabinets look welcoming in a soft shade of Wedgwood blue, and a dining room grabs a big wow lacquered in peacock blue.

Much-loved blue, paired with white, is a classic combination in home design. As a color trend it may wane, but it never completely leaves us.

Right now, its having a bit of a moment as homeowners use it on painted surfaces, upholstered furniture and in art and accessories.

Designer Nicolette Mayer  who has a new collection of wallpaper and fabric inspired by Royal Delfts blue-and-white earthenware  will visit Houston on Thursday for the Decorative Center of Houstons annual Spring Market, a day of speakers, panel discussions, book signings and showrooms opening their doors to the public. Shell be in the Scalamandre showroom with her new collection of 24 wallpaper and 16 fabric patterns.

As much as its timeless and forever, its like anything else, it goes through waves, Mayer said of the color theme. I really wanted to do a blue-and-white collection, but theres so much on the market. I wanted to do something really iconic and signature and beloved and recognizable.

More Information Decorative Center of Houston Spring Market When: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday Where: Decorative Center of Houston, 5120 Woodway Highlights: 10 a.m. keynote by Vern Yip; 1 p.m. Texas Design Week panel discussion; 2:15 p.m. Paloma Contreras and Ben Johnston discuss digital branding. RSVP: Events are free but RSVP at decorativecenter.com/events/ See More Collapse

Mayers collection isnt the only new blue-white entry in the design world. Martyn Lawrence Bullards collection for Perennials is loaded with blue. Mark D. Sikes, known for his blue-heavy interior design, continues to turn out products in blue and white, and in the past year, Christopher Spitzmiller started making his exquisite lamps, as well as a dinnerware collection, in marbleized blue.

Now a Florida resident, Mayer reached back to the early years of her childhood in South Africa and its heavy Dutch influence. She was surrounded by Royal Delfts blue-and-white earthenware, made for some 365 years in the Netherlands.

Back in the 1600s, the Dutch East India Company carried Asian porcelain from China to eager and affluent consumers in Europe. As wars in Asia diminished the availability and piracy on the high seas made transporting it increasingly dangerous, factories in the Netherlands geared up to make their own. Royal Delft and its Delft Blue are the most enduring.

The first Delft copies were very Chinese in nature and mimicked the Chinese themes, Mayer explained. Eventually they developed their own signature and hand. Thats when it became Delft and Dutch, and when it became special rather than being a poor imitation of someone elses art. It became unique to them.

The French, Portuguese and British did the same, and soon they were all producing patterns such as Spodes Blue Willow, which is still popular today.

Those highly collectible dishes, or larger urns, cachepots and ginger jars find their way into many homes, even when blue and white isnt an overriding decor theme.

Mayers idea for her collection began a few years ago when she she saw a Royal Delft booth at a trade show. She shared her love of the work and suggested a collaboration. Though the company had never allowed its patterns on anything other than porcelain, staff members were curious.

She designed an entire collection, flew to Holland and blew them away. Her designs are finally on fabric and wallpaper and run the gamut of full tribute to mild inspiration. Devoted Delft collectors will see their plates, jars and tulipieres in some patterns, others borrow themes in more muted designs that simply pay tribute to their origin.

Collectors want to see the traditional signature pieces, Mayer said. Then we also went crazy with Elements and Flora Fauna acid wallpaper that have a sheen to them. Theres a lot thats just simple and elegant for people who love blue and white.

Houston interior designers Sandy Lucas and Sarah Eilers, of Lucas-Eilers Design Associates, both love to use blue in design projects.

Blue and white is just classic. It dates way back as a very popular color, said Eilers, who grew up in a home filled with Williamsburg blue. I personally collect blue-and-white porcelain, and I rarely have a client who doesnt. Its calming, soothing and classic; it always works.

Lucas agreed and mentioned a few different ways shes used it. On one of her first design jobs, a client had a collection of Asian porcelain and kept it out of sight in a cabinet. Lucas pulled it out to be seen and used.

Though Delft may be centuries old, it can be employed in fresh, new treatments such as a bridesmaids luncheon Lucas recently hosted, using porcelain vases and cachepots holding bundles of flowers as centerpieces and blue-and-white paper placemats on a white tablecloth. In a recent design project, she showcased a clients antique porcelain collection on shelves backed with a beautiful shade of emerald green.

Even in homes that dont have blue-and-white upholstered furniture, wallpaper or rugs, the colors fit well as accents with any neutrals and with plenty of bright colors from turquoise to coral to a variety of greens.

Another part of the trend is that blue and white have left the kitchen and dining room and can be found in any room in the home. Plates and platters once relegated to a china cabinet now can serve as art on a wall in any room. Blue-and-white pots with flowers or plants are an easy go-to decor item, and you can find them in resale stores, antiques stores, big-box discount stores and high-end department stores.

Lucas and Eilers also noted that blue and white have inspired many contemporary artists. They noted artists with work at Gremillion & Co. Fine Art in Rice Village, including Leslie Parke, whose recent work shows oversized blue-and-white plates in a stream under water, inspired by her grandparents china collection.

Legendary New York designer Charlotte Moss, who visited Houston recently, said she has noticed a lot of blue and white.

Blue and white is one of those evergreen color schemes that just feels fresh, easy and breezy to most people. Its like your color scheme is an instant success story just because its blue and white, she said.

Moss cited the internet, with so many ideas on Pinterest and easy access to shopping simply by Googling a few words, as a springboard for the trend.

Youll see a beautiful room in a magazine and want to have it. You go to your device, and there it is. There are more products for sure, she said.

diane.cowen@chron.com

pinterest.com/ChronDesignStationed police car lights flashed some four blocks away from the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, venue of the 2018 "A Celebration of Reading."

The Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation's marquee event is always a hot ticket; in past years, J.J. Watt and former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton have each made surprise appearances.

And despite Thursday evening's top-notch lineup of esteemed authors - Jim Gaffigan, Candace Millard, Clive Cussley, Christine "C.K." Kerley and Governor John Kasich - much of the activity downtown surrounded the passing of Barbara Bush, former first lady and local literacy champion.

Inside on Zilkha Stage, VIP patrons paid their respects the Barbara Bush way: in navy blue, pearls and with plenty of laughter.

Trish Morille and Dr. Julie Baker Finck, BBHLF president, exchanged photos of unexpected memorials from across the country. While in Portland, Oreg., Morille snagged a Barbara Bush donut from a local bakery. And someone texted Finck the snapshot of a Plano billboard with the former first lady smiling in her signature pearls.

Last December, during the "A Celebration of Reading" Author Announcement Party hosted at Sue and Lester Smith's home, Barbara Bush gifted Sue a three-strand, oversize pearl necklace from her personal collection. En route to Sarofim Hall for the program, Sue proudly gestured to the precious trinket as camera bulbs flashed around her.

More than 1,900 filled seated for the 24th annual fundraiser, which by night's end, raised more than $2.4 million including a $150,000 surprise donation from the McIngvale family.

"Neil asked me to fill in for his mother, and to keep things upbeat," former Secretary of State James A. Baker said in his opening remarks. "I said I would try to fill her shoes, but I wouldn't wear the pearls."

Next, Ashley Bush spoke of her grandmother's love of gossip. "In fact, she told me about my engagement before my fiance did."

Finck shared her Barbara Bush-given nickname, the "Boss."

"Coming from the 'Enforcer,'" Finck said, acknowledging Barbara Bush's own moniker. "It's quite a compliment."

Sarahbeth Bush, who recently married Pierce Bush in Colorado, followed to introduce the first author, Millard, after sharing her own anecdote. "'Ganny' taught all of her children and grandchildren that it's OK to be strong, but it's also OK to cry - which is one of the reasons I fell in love with her grandson."

Millard discussed the common denominator shared by the subjects of her three biographies on Theodore Roosevelt, James A. Garfield and Winston Churchill: voracious reading.

Later, Cussler revealed that his biggest regret was never having met Barbara Bush in person.

After Kerley's high-tech, TED Talk-style presentation, Kasich and Gaffigan closed the show with hilarious personal stories from their respective youths.

"Mrs. Bush always worried that the program wouldn't be funny enough," Finck shared earlier in the day. However lengthy - "I have no idea how long I've been up here," Gaffigan admitted mid-speech - there was no shortage of laughs.

Dr. Russell Levinson, the former president and first lady's pastor for the past decade who will preside over the official funeral service at St. Martin's Episcopal Church, ended the evening on a poignant note. On Barbara Bush's final day, he read aloud Psalms 1-48 and the first two chapters of "Little Women," anointed her head with oil and prayed with the family as she slipped away. A neighborhood-wide power outage occurred during her last hour; when the lights flipped back on, she was gone.

Mary Sarah, "The Voice" reality-TV contestant, performed "The Climb" before joining Victoria White, Marquist Taylor and the 35-member Houston Gospel Choir for a powerful rendition of "Amazing Grace."

Afterward, top-level supporters dined onstage or in the Grand Lobby with the authors and announcers.

Festivities ended as they always do, with a good-natured, albeit competitive book swap of the best-selling titles placed in each swag bag - just like Barbara Bush would have wanted.We Texans dont suffer fools, and were even less fond of thieves.

Years ago, when some thieves ran across retiree Joe Horns Pasadena lawn with a bag of loot from his neighbors house, Horn fatally shot them both in the back. He not only escaped indictment, many Texans cheered him on and a few had his name emblazoned on their bumpers.

Honk if you love Joe Horn, the stickers read.

But Ive got a question for those Texans who believe death can be an appropriate penalty for stealing a bag of loot.

What should we do with a thieving, cheating bunch of politicians who continuously, decade after decade, rob the people of this state of their sacred voting rights?

What, pray tell, would Joe Horn do with the Texas Legislature whose members, a federal district court has found, have once again used creative gerrymandering to intentionally discriminate and steal the voting power of Texas minority communities?

Lucky for the lawmakers, they wont have to contend Tuesday with the barrel of a shotgun, only the stern-faced justices of the U.S. Supreme Court as they weigh in on the decade-old redistricting dispute.

Read more: Texas gerrymandering case before Supreme Court could change states political map

If this isnt a case youd normally follow because youre not a fan of falling asleep in your cereal bowl, think again.

Anybody rolling eyes at comparing a legislative process fraught with partisan politics with a criminal act doesnt understand the importance of redistricting. The once-in-a-decade redrawing of Texas political boundaries is boring and complex, yes, and thats why its so easy to cheat at it.

Gerrymandering is and always has been about protecting the incumbents. Today, those incumbents are largely Republican. But historically, Democrats engaged in the same process to protect their own.

The process of carving up communities in ways that resemble salamanders and fajitas, the process of cracking and stacking voters  busting them up or crowding them to dilute their overall influence  wards off qualified political challengers and limits voters choices. And thus, their voices.

When it comes to power in Texas, all roads lead to  or rather, originate from  redistricting. Crooked redistricting is one reason our elected representatives in Congress and in Austin dont look like the people they represent. Crooked redistricting is the reason so few Texas congressional districts are competitive.

Read more: How Texas oddly drawn districts compare to the rest of the U.S.

Mark Jones, political science professor at Rice University, says that although competitiveness is slightly up due to Trumps presidency, the numbers of districts in play for Republicans and Democrats are dismal.

Only three of 36 U.S. House districts. Only one of 31 Texas Senate districts. Only, at the most, 15 of 150 Texas House districts. No one should wonder why Texas has the lowest voter turnout in the nation.

So this case next week before the Supreme Court deserves attention.

Read more: Obama, Texas GOP prepare for battle over 2021 redistricting

The state is trying to reverse federal court decisions that found Texas Congressional and state House maps intentionally discriminated against minorities, a violation of the Voting Rights Act.

The case has taken a long and winding road to the high court. Federal judges in San Antonio have long since found that lawmakers intended to dilute voter strength of growing populations of Latino and black voters. The judges hastily redrew the maps before the 2012 primary elections, but those maps were supposed to be temporary. Lawmakers, however, decided in 2013 to permanently adopt the judges redrawn maps, and theyve been used for elections ever since.

Heres the problem: the hastily redrawn maps were flawed, leaving many of the problems that led to litigation in the first place, and lawmakers didnt change much in 2013.

The state, in a recent brief, argues that the maps cant be discriminatory because they came from the federal court.

But if the nearly inevitable litigation comes to pass, one would have thought there was one reasonably safe course available to bring it to an end  namely, enacting the three-judge courts remedial redistricting plan as the legislatures own, state attorneys write. Think again.

Yes, think again. Or perhaps, read again.

Those San Antonio judges stressed in 2012 that the maps were preliminary and not meant to imply they would pass constitutional muster during trial: Nothing in this opinion reflects this Courts final determination of any legal or factual matters in this case or the case pending in the D.C. Court.

Yes, as the state attorneys write, redistricting lawsuits may be inevitable. But for good reason. Texas has a long history of suppressing voter rights that continues today. It was just a year ago that a federal judge in Corpus Christi ruled that Texas lawmakers had intentionally discriminated against Hispanic and black voters in hurriedly passing a draconian voter identification law, an effort, the judge wrote, unexplainable on grounds other than race.

Read more: What happened on United was bad; whats happening in Texas is worse

The record is such that the very conservative 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals pointed out in the voter ID case that in every redistricting cycle since 1970, Texas has been found to have violated the Voting Rights Act, with racially gerrymandered districts.

It added: Texas is the only state with this consistent record of objections to such statewide plans.

For this reason, Texas redistricting plans were long subject to a process called preclearance in the Voting Rights Act whereby they were vetted for constitutional violations. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court struck down the list of states subject to that provision, arguing they shouldnt be punished for the sins of the past.

They left one exception: states that continue to sin in the present. Texas lawmakers of the ruling party are like thieves, grabbing as much as they can get while nobodys looking.

The Supreme Court and the Justice Department need to start looking. The outcome of the pending case on elections is uncertain. Even a ruling favorable to the civil rights groups isnt likely to drastically alter the political landscape.

But one outcome should be clear: Texas should be subject to preclearance again. State lawmakers have shown they cant be trusted.

Preclearance isnt like Horns shotgun. It likely wont stop the majority white, Republican-dominated Leislature from clinging to power by any means available. But maybe, if the feds are watching, the means available will no longer include robbing Texas voters of their constitutional rights.

lisa.falkenberg@chron.com

twitter.com/chronfalkenbergBen Carson, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, spoke at a press conference Friday at a fire station in Southside Place in central Harris County. He was joined by a number of state and local leaders, including Gov. Greg Abbott, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, and U.S. Rep. John Culberson, all of whom are Republicans.

The subject at hand was housing relief for Texas residents affected by Hurricane Harvey. Houston and Harris County are set to receive $2.3 billion of the $5 billion the department is sending to the state for that purpose.

City and state leaders have yet to decide how those funds should be spent, but it seems unlikely that Southside Place will see much of a cut. Like neighboring West University Place, its a standalone city and one that didnt experience widespread flooding.

As an outside observer, I would guess that Texans who live in either of these towns need property tax reform more than disaster relief. Theyre among the heroes of Harvey, too, of course, and I dont want to be cavalier about what any of my fellow Texans went through last year. But Ive been to Southside Place and West U. The houses seem to be in good shape. The streets are paved.

The same is not true of many places Harvey meandered through, and so the decision to hold this particular press conference in Southside Place raised some questions.

These guys came into a flood-stricken region where huge swaths of the city were devastated and held their press conference in a rich, white community that didn't flood? asked a friend who lives in West U.

It's beyond tone-deaf. It's insulting. It's beyond bizarre. It's almost like satire, he added.

Read more: Texas voters arent used to having so many options

Another friend had texted that morning, making a similar point in response to a tweet that President Donald Trump had sent, assailing OPEC for its role in oil prices, which are currently, according to the president, artificially Very High!

No good and will not be accepted! said Trump.

Is he trying to lose Texas? my friend asked.

Two days earlier, while assailing California Gov. Jerry Brown for signing sanctuary state legislation, Trump spurred Armando Walle, a Democratic state representative whose District 140 covers the north Houston area, to speak out.

Soooo many Sanctuary areas want OUT of this ridiculous, crime infested & breeding concept, Trump said.

Have been trying to show more restraint by not reacting to every dumb thing Trump says but this one. The nightmare continues, said Walle in a tweet.

Read more: Dreamers dont need forgiveness, they need and deserve documents

I was glad that Walle brought this matter to my attention, because I hadnt been paying attention to Trump when he made this particularly disgusting comment on Wednesday.

Like many Texans, I had other things on my mind. Thats usually the case. And this particular week began with the news that Barbara Bush, the former First Lady, was in failing health and had decided to discontinue medical treatment in lieu of comfort care.

She died on Tuesday, surrounded by loved ones who had gathered here in Houston. On Wednesday, former President George W. Bush offered words of comfort for the many Americans who were mourning his mother.

I am at peace with what took place, and the reason why is my mother was at peace, said Bush.

Read more: Barbara Bush, wife and mother of presidents, dies at 92

On Thursday, the White House announced that First Lady Melania Trump would represent the First Family at the funeral service held Saturday.

To avoid disruptions due to added security, and out of respect for the Bush Family and friends attending the service, President Trump will not attend, said the White House in its statement.

That same day, Trumps longtime crony and former campaign adviser, Roger Stone, launched a vicious personal attack on the Bush family matriarch via Alex Jones controversial website, InfoWars.

Since Ive never had the slightest respect for Stone or seen any value in his opinions, I wont repeat his ugly comments here. But I would like to note that he made them because Republican leaders like Abbott, whose support for Trump is unflagging, have enabled Stone to make such comments with impunity.

Those Republican leaders enabled Trump to do so, as well, of course, when they made him their partys presidential nominee. And they evidently believe themselves to be entitled to do the same. Thats why they held Fridays press conference in Southside Place.

This approach is not going over well with Texans, even Republicans. We expect more and have a chance to say so in November.

erica.grieder@chron.com

twitter.com/ericagriederYolanda Terence was panicking.

The car was long gone, the first floor of her Bear Creek home still in repair. But Hurricane Harvey was supposed to have spared the pearls.

They were nowhere to be found.

The 59-year-old adored everything about Barbara Bush - the first ladys mission to fight illiteracy. Her loving embraces of strangers of all kinds. Her warmth. And the pearls.

Terence - better known as Yogi - had a bracelet. And they were integral to the last tribute she had planned for her role model.

Eventually, she found them Saturday morning hidden in the bottom of a dresser drawer that had to be moved upstairs after Harvey. She fastened them on her left wrist to polish off her blue outfit -Bush's favorite color.

She had never met Bush. But like many others gathered in Memorial Park, the late first ladys life felt familiar. She reminded Terence of her mother, and of the duty she has to raise her seven grandkids with love and kindness.

Shes what we need more of, Terence said at the park, which flanked the route Bushs funeral procession took to her burial in College Station. She led others to want to be better, and I want to be just like her.

We may not all be Barbara Bush, she said. But we can all try to be like Barbara Bush.

Nearby, a woman in a blue dress stood solemnly with a bouquet of yellow daisies. She barely spoke English, but knew what people meant when they pointed to the pearls wrapped around her neck, greeting each compliment with a smile and a thank you.

Pattie Kerr, meanwhile, skipped the pearls in favor of running shoes and a sweatshirt. She, too, was inspired by Bush, who used to shop at the same Tanglewood grocery stores as Kerr.

She never acted like a celebrity or anything, Kerr said. She went to Sams Club and ate at Fuzzys Pizza. How awesome is that?

Kerr met the Bush family a handful of times. But she talks about them like theyre old friends.

She made you feel like you were the most important person in the world to her, Kerr said. Now I feel like a piece of Houston is gone. But she left behind so many gifts for us.

Soon after, a procession of police officers made their way down Memorial Drive.

Terence quickly put down her crossword puzzle and shuffled to the roads median.

One car went by, then another.

Then, around the bend, came a long, black hearse.

Terence nearly lost her breath.

In stunned silence she watched the car moved toward her, greeting Bush with a delicate, blown kiss as she passed a few feet away - a final goodbye to her icon and role model.

Then, the cars disappeared out of view. Terence pulled a napkin from her blue jacket and dried her eyes, her pearls dangling from her wrist.

I just wanted to say goodbye, she said.Hindustan Times via Getty Images BHOPAL, INDIA - OCTOBER 30: (Editors Note: This is an exclusive shoot of Hindustan Times) Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati during an interview with Hindustan Times, on October 30, 2015 in Bhopal, India. Sharpening his attack on Sai Baba, Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati in Bhopal on Friday released a poster in which Lord Hanuman is shown driving out the revered spiritual master with a tree trunk. Swami Swaroopanand said that the trust formed on the name of Sai was responsible to spoil Hindu dharma in the country. He also said that Sai Baba was projected superior to lord Hanuman and other Hindu Gods by the trust, which was unacceptable. (Photo by Praveen Bajpai/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

NEW DELHI -- Three days after the Shani Shingnapur temple in Maharashtra was forced to revoke a centuries-old ban against the entry of women into its inner sanctum, a leading religious figure in the country has warned that this development will lead to more rapes.

In a video clip, which was played by the Times Now news channel on Monday afternoon, Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati Maharaj said that instead of destroying the drugs which caused men to perpetrate sexual crimes, women had incurred the wrath of God by entering the temple.

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The religious leader said that incidents of rape would increase because women are now praying to Lord Shani.

Following months of activism and litigation, women started offering prayers at the Shani Shingnapur temple in Ahmednagar on Friday afternoon. But this stand against gender discrimination and the patriarchal monopoly over worship came with its fair share of detractors, who offered some really bizarre reasons to maintain the status quo.

This latest piece of wisdom from the Shankaracharya of Dwarka Peeth is by far the most irrational and offensive explanations against the entry of women into the Shani temple.

There are still quite a few temples which restrict the entry of women such as the Sabarimala temple in Kerala. The Shani temple victory has reinforced the movement for these temples to break with the past.

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In an earful to the Sabarimala temple officials today, the Supreme Court questioned why women who are going their menstrual cycles are barred from entering. "What right does temple have to forbid women from entering any part of temple, please argue on bedrock of Constitution," the court said.

With the exception of exhorting tradition, temple officials in Maharashtra failed to give a straight answer to why women should not pray to Lord Shani. The Shankaracharya has previously said, "Shani is a kroor (cruel) graha, hence women should beware of worshiping the deity."

Last week, the Bombay High Court said that if men can enter the temple so can women, and it was the state's duty to protect the rights of women. "There is no law that prevents entry of women in any place," said Chief Justice D.H. Waghela.

In fact, the Shani temple was so desperate to keep women out that they decided to bar men from its inner sanctum as well. It was only when a mob of men stormed the temple that its officials relented, begging the question whether this was really a victory for women.

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Also on HuffPost India:Vous etes confrontes a une infestation par la puce, la punaise de lit ? Voici plusieurs actions qui sont a mettre en uvre pour faire []It's a question that's been percolating for a long time, and it's finally boiled over after the allegedly racially motivated incident at a Philadelphia Starbucks recently: Can you really just hang out at Starbucks without buying anything?

It turns out, Starbucks doesn't really know the answer itself--or at least if it has a policy, it hasn't effectively articulated it to its workers.

Writing in the Wall Street Journal, Julie Jargon interviewed current and former Starbucks "partners." None of them could explain a clear, quantifiable, chain-wide policy on the issue.

"It's been a gray area at Starbucks for a long time," a Starbucks executive told her, and all of the baristas quoted in her article, headlined, "Starbucks Lacks Clear Guidance for Employees on Nonpaying Customers," agreed.

Making things worse, Jargon wrote, the coffee giant's business model envisions people using Starbucks as their "third place...a place to hang out that isn't home or work."

That squishiness could very well lead to illegal discriminatory treatment based on race, as allegedly happened in Philadelphia, where two black men who were apparently waiting for a third person to join them were ultimately arrested.

Result: protests, an in-person apology from Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson to the two men who were arrested, and a chain-wide, daylong shutdown next month for anti-bias training.

I was struck by sheer volume of comments on the article, and the fact that a strong plurality at least made the same point about the two-word phrase that was used repeatedly to describe people who hang out at Starbucks without buying anything: "nonpaying customer."

Christopher Olson: "I am confused by your headline. What's a 'nonpaying customer?'"

Ian Rood: "Non paying customer. That's like the term career criminal. This is exactly what's wrong with society."

Elizabeth Stevens: "Non-paying customer? What's that? And who wants them?"

Albert Connelly: "A 'nonpaying customer' is not a customer. It's a 'free loader.'"

Edward Yang: "We live in an Orwellian world with an oxymoron like "non-paying customers."

As a writer myself, and someone who has probably spent a few thousand dollars at Starbucks over the past 20 years, I think I see both sides here. Yes, "nonpaying customer" is an oxymoron.

But I also doubt it's the way that Starbucks looks at people. I'm 100 percent sure they've calculated the long-term value of people who pop into Starbucks to use the Wi-Fi or the bathrooms sometimes without making a purchase--but who also might be paying customers on other occasions.

So where's the line supposed to be? If I want to sit at a table for 30 minutes a couple of times a week and work on an article for Inc.com, should I have to buy something each time?

Or should I get credit in the Starbucks business model for the many times I've bought a coffee to go? Am I a customer on my writing-only visits, or only on the times when I step in and drop $4 on a latte? I'm the same person, right?Earth Day began in 1970, at a time when the US was ushering in the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act and there was broad consensus on the need for environmental action. Nearly 50 years later, problems like rising global temperatures, melting Arctic sea ice, and the demographics putting pressure on food production and resources like forests, can make you want to scream or bury your head in the sand. But there is hope! People are mobilizing and technological innovation promises a host of solutions.

Here are 10 things to celebrate this Earth Day:

1. Solar energy has become the fastest growing and cheapest source of electricity worldwide. It is powering the rural homes of the poorest in Bangladesh, and whole countries like Portugal, which produced an amount of renewable energy equivalent to 103.6 per cent of the country's total mainland electric energy demand in the month of March.

2. Analysts are betting on big improvements in battery storage technology. Although it isn't clear when the tipping point will come, battery storage could ensure a continuous supply of energy through the grid even when sources fluctuate, as in the case of solar power. Advances in battery storage would also accelerate the move to electric vehicles, with huge repercussions for our transportation systems.

3. Cities, including many in the US, are taking the lead on reaching the targets outlined in the Paris climate agreement. The C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, bringing together more than 90 cities representing over 650 million people and a quarter of the global economy, has several initiatives underway. One group of 13 leading mayors recently pledged to "transition to Fossil-Fuel-Free Streets by:

1) procuring, with our partners, only zero-emission buses from 2025; and

2) ensuring a major area of our city is zero emission by 2030."

4. China is stepping up with measures for better stewardship of the planet. Although its strong economic growth means overall emissions are still increasing, China has reached its 2020 "carbon intensity" targets ahead of time by implementing serious environmental policies and technological innovation.

5. "Circular economy" concepts are taking hold. Instead of continuing to mine resources, fashion them into products, use the products and then throw them away (the "take-make-waste" model), individuals, companies and policy makers are increasingly looking to a less wasteful "make-use-return" model of doing business. Apple has unveiled a disassembly robot named Daisy that can take apart up to 200 old iPhones per hour, recovering valuable materials for reuse. Disassembling 100,000 devices, Daisy can recover a host of materials, including 11 kilograms of rare earths, 770 kilograms of cobalt, and 1900 kilograms of aluminum.

6. More companies are making commitments to stop deforestation, and broad coalitions of stakeholders are tackling the problem. Satellite technology can help identify deforestation hotspots and track solutions. Here's just one example of corporate action : Taylor Guitars, a leading manufacturer of acoustic guitars, has projects in Cameroon and Hawaii to replant ebony trees and acacia koa trees. Guitar fingerboards and bridges are made from ebony wood, and koa wood is used for guitar backs, sides and tops, and these types of trees are being depleted. The company has launched long-term reforestation projects that won't pay off for decades, but could be crucial to the music of future generations. Founder Bob Taylor was quoted in his company's magazine as saying "Today Taylor Guitars buys mahogany from Fiji that some long-dead British guy planted 80 years ago. I want to be a long-dead American guy who planted trees that someone will make guitars from in the future."

7. Water conservation efforts are producing results. According to the US Geological Survey, US household water consumption is declining to mid-1990s levels. Efforts go beyond turning off the water while brushing teeth, and include regulatory changes and innovations in plumbing and infrastructure.

8. Packaging materials are improving. Dell and Ikea use "mushroom packaging" grown from agricultural waste products. Biodegradable and compostable bags are beginning to be introduced as substitutes for plastic bags. Organic and reusable food packaging solutions are appearing, and this year a Dutch supermarket introduced a plastic-free aisle.

9. More people, companies and organizations are calling for a carbon price or a carbon tax to introduce greater environmental accountability. The reasoning goes: why should limited natural resources be used for free, and why should polluting shared air and water not come with a price tag? Carbon trading markets exist, as well as offsets that are easy to purchase (for example, some airlines ask if you'd like to buy carbon offsets together with your ticket).

10. Individuals are stepping up with a multitude of small actions and solutions, starting with turning off the lights. Everyone must play their part. Richard Branson believes in a democratic process to solve global warming challenges, not just one or a few superhero solutions. For inspiration, check out Drawdown, the book, project and website launched by Paul Hawken. Hawken's researchers collected data, information and practical stories, creating what is something of an encyclopedia of solutions for climate change. And it is a work in progress, designed to be built on, with new solutions introduced as they are discovered.Sources within the Oman police force say there is no criminal suspicion in the death of Avicii, according to reports.

The Swedish musician  real name Tim Bergling  was found dead on Friday (20 April) in Oman at the age of 28. The cause of death has not been revealed.

Two post-mortems have been conducted with authorities ruling out foul play. We absolutely confirmed that there is no criminal suspicion of death, the police source told Sky News.

Avicii: a pioneer of EDM Show all 16 1 /16 Avicii: a pioneer of EDM Avicii: a pioneer of EDM DJ Avicii performs onstage during Rolling Stone Live SF with Talent Resources in 2016 in San Francisco Getty/Rolling Stone Avicii: a pioneer of EDM Avicii performing at the Palais Club in Cannes in 2010 Rex Avicii: a pioneer of EDM Avicii performs at the 2012 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival held at The Empire Polo Field in 2012 Getty/Coachella Avicii: a pioneer of EDM Avicii accepts the favorite electronic dance music artist award at the 41st American Music Awards in Los Angeles in 2013 Reuters Avicii: a pioneer of EDM Avicii performs during the 22nd Annual KROQ Weenie Roast at Verizon Wireless Music Center in 2014 in Irvine, California Getty/CBS Radio Inc. Avicii: a pioneer of EDM Avicii performs in 2013 to thousands at the Verizon Wireless Music Center Getty/CBS Radio Inc. Avicii: a pioneer of EDM Avicii performs at Wynn Las Vegas @ Park City Live! during the 2013 Sundance Film Festival in Utah Getty Avicii: a pioneer of EDM Avicii performs during the Denim & Supply Ralph Lauren Avicii Concert in New York in 2013 Rex Avicii: a pioneer of EDM Avicii accepts the Favorite Electronic Dance Music Artist award onstage during the 2013 American Music Awards in Los Angeles Getty Avicii: a pioneer of EDM Avicii performs during mPowering Action, a global mobile youth movement at Grammy Week launch, at The Conga Room at L.A. Live in 2013 Getty/Tribal Brands Avicii: a pioneer of EDM Avicii performing at Brooklyn's Barclay's Center in New York in 2014 Reuters Avicii: a pioneer of EDM Avicii backstage at the 2014 iHeartRadio Music Awards in Los Angeles where he won EDM Song of the Year Getty Avicii: a pioneer of EDM Avicii performs at Pildammsparken in Malmo, Sweden, in 2016 Reuters Avicii: a pioneer of EDM Avicii performs on the last day of the Rock in Rio Lisbon festival at Parque da Bela Vista in Portugal in 2016 EPA Avicii: a pioneer of EDM Avicii plays his last ever set before retirement at Tennents Vital, Belfast, in 2016 Rex Avicii: a pioneer of EDM Avicii on Table Mountain, South Africa, in January 2018 Reuters

Berglings publicist Diana Baron confirmed the hit-makers death in a statement: It is with profound sorrow that we announce the loss of Tim Bergling, also known as Avicii.

Recommended Dutch church bells pay fitting tribute to Avicii

He was found dead in Muscat, Oman this Friday afternoon local time, April 20th. The family is devastated and we ask everyone to please respect their need for privacy in this difficult time. No further statements will be given.

Bergling was best known for international hits such as Wake Me Up, Without You and Hey Brother. The musician quit touring in 2016, two years after having both his gallbladder and appendix removed following acute pancreatitis.

The official cause of death has not yet been revealed.To understand how Vladimir Putin is weaning Russians off foreign food, look no further than the apple trees growing in the Krasnodar region near the Black Sea, where a Soviet-era orchard once flourished. Theyre mostly from Italy.

Russia is the worlds largest apple importer because local varieties spoil faster than those grown in Europe or China and shoppers often prefer the taste of imported fruit. When farm operator AFG National Group sought to upgrade supplies in 2015, rather than use domestic crops, the company shipped in 143,000 trees from fields 1,900 miles (3,000 kilometers) away. Its new orchard near the Caucasus Mountains will produce about 8,000 tonnes of Gala, Red Delicious and Granny Smith apples this year.

Deciding to use the latest technology in planting orchards, we realised that, unfortunately, national research in this area lags behind the leading European and global trends, says Oleg Ryanov, who runs the orchard unit at AFG, which until the apple investment in Krasnodar was growing mostly rice on 70,000 hectares (173,000 acres) in southern Russia. From the very start, we took a cue from European countries.

Recommended How Russian food has bounced back

Increasingly, Russia is acquiring equipment and know-how from outside the country to expand agricultural output. Over the past decade, that strategy helped to create an exporting juggernaut for major crops like wheat and barley. But consumers still rely on foreign dairy, fruits and vegetables, so farmers are importing better seeds, greenhouses and even milking cows to improve domestic capacity.

Agricultural investment reached 374.7 billion rubles (4.7bn) in 2017, up 3.1 per cent from a year earlier, government data shows. While theres no estimate for how much of that went to foreign technology, such imports can be 20 per cent to 90 per cent of what it costs farmers to get new production operating, according to Agriconsult, a St Petersburg-based consultant.

The amount of imported equipment is large, says Andrey Golokhvastov, Agriconsults director general. Its expensive but reliable. There are some domestic substitutes, but they arent as effective.

The sense of urgency to remake homegrown agriculture has increased since Putin banned certain food imports in 2014  in retaliation for sanctions imposed by the EU and the US over Russian incursions in Crimea. And the government has stepped in to help subsidise investments, even as a weaker ruble makes all imports more costly.

Improved technology is paying off. Russias food imports in 2016 reached 23.6 billion rubles, down about 5 per cent from 2010, according to World Trade Organisation data. With the huge increase in grain production, the countrys total agricultural exports are up 16-fold since 2000. A decade ago, Russia was the biggest poultry importer. Since then, it has cut purchases by 80 per cent.

But further investment is needed to make Russia more self-sufficient, Putin told farmers recently at a forum in Krasnodar. In addition to importing more apples than any other country, Russia remains the third largest buyer of foreign tomatoes and second largest for imported cheese, based on weight.

The push for more spending on foreign equipment has meant a surge in business for European companies including DeLaval SRO in Sweden; GEA Group and Big Dutchman International in Germany; and Dutch greenhouse builders Certhon and Kubo Group, according to Agriconsult and company websites.

Kubo is expanding its production capacity after sales in Russia last year more than tripled, making up 25 percent of its global business, which also is growing in other countries, according to Henk van Tuijl, the companys export manager. That included metal structures, climate-control technology and equipment for 65 hectares of greenhouses. Shipments will increase this year, with contracts already signed for 70 hectares, he said.

Its an explosive growth, van Tuijl says. Theres a big demand for good and efficient production of vegetables. In Russia, they buy the highest level of technology.

TH Group, a dairy producer based in Vietnam, plans to invest $2.7bn on projects in Russia to sell in the domestic market. It hired a US-based company to supply about 1,100 milk cows for a Russian farm it opened in January. Similarly, French yoghurt maker Danone trucked 5,000 cows from the Netherlands and Germany to a farm in Siberia last year to ensure milk supply.

With the help of foreign technology, domestic apple production rose about 8 per cent last year, while the harvest of greenhouse tomatoes rose 11 per cent, according to the National Union of Fruit and Vegetable Growers (NUFVG) in Moscow. But even with the gains, Russia still bought about half of its apples from abroad and 60 per cent of greenhouse tomatoes, the grower group said.

AFG National Group is doing its part to boost apple supplies, investing 4.3 billion rubles since 2015 to plant 700 hectares with mostly Italian trees, which were each a year or two old, 1.8m high and delivered by refrigerated truck. AFG also has installed some Russian varieties.

Others are taking an even longer term approach. Some vegetable growers are looking to buy tomato and cucumber seed companies abroad, said Sergey Korolev, president of the NUFVG in Moscow. Domestic companies including Ros Agro Plc are trying to develop seed industries that will compete with the likes of Monsanto Co.

Without Russias own seed material, all that investment is in a big risk area, Korolev says.

 BloombergFergus Anckorn was a member 118th Field Regiment Royal Artillery and member of the Magic Circle, who aged 23 was captured by the Japanese in Singapore without firing a shot. What followed was a story of almost unimaginable suffering, stoicism, mental fortitude and endurance; he survived the ruthless regime that the Japanese Imperial Army imposed upon Allied PoWs working on the Burma-Siam Railway, the so-called Death Railway, while also surviving a number of brushes with death.

He earned the moniker of the conjuror of the River Kwai as he saved fellow prisoners lives by distracting and entertaining the guards so they allowed him to have extra food rations. His story inspired Lance Corporal Richard Jones, serving in the Household Cavalry, to retell his story in a card trick to win Britains Got Talent, in 2016, with Anckorn appearing alongside him in the final.

Asked about his wartime experiences, Anckorn replied calmly, I was blown up, I was shot, I survived a massacre, I was buried alive twice and I was up in front of a firing squad twice. Apart from that it was all right!

Born in Dunton Green, near Sevenoaks, Kent, in 1918, Fergus Gordon Anckorn was one of four children. His interest in magic was sparked after receiving a magic set for his fourth birthday; thereafter, he started to perform tricks at parties and, aged 18, became the youngest member of the Magic Circle.

Educated at the Judd School, Tonbridge, he left at 16, and encouraged by his father, a journalist, took a two-year journalism course at Regent St Polytechnic, though never pursued it as a career. After a couple of menial jobs, he began working as a clerk at the Marley Tile Co in Sevenoaks. With the outbreak of war in 1939, most of the clerical staff of enlistment age were summoned and sacked.

Anckorn's unit in 1941: most did not survive the war (Rex)

Anckorn was one of the first to be called up. After training at the Royal Artillery Barracks, Woolwich, south London, where he met the artist Ronald Searle, he joined the 118th Field Regiment Royal Artillery as a gunner.

Over the next two years, he continued to entertain his fellow comrades with his magic, while also being sent on different assignments around the country, one of which included guarding the beaches at Eastbourne during the Dunkirk evacuation. During this period, he also spent time in Joyce Green hospital, Dartford, following a severe skin condition; here he met Lucille Hose, a nurse, who soon became his fiancee.

In early 1942 the regiment was shipped off to India but were redirected to Singapore to re-enforce the garrison there. No sooner had the 118th disembarked in Singapore than they were dive bombed by Japanese Aichi bombers and Zero fighter-bombers. Anckorn sought refuge by diving into the dock but upon emerging discovered that five of his comrades had been killed.

'It's amazing what the human frame can put up with' (Rex)

Less than a week later, while driving a truck of munitions, he ran into an air raid and his truck was blown up by a bomb blast. He sustained a severe blow to the head, burns and shrapnel wounds, but worst of all, his right hand was almost severed, held on by a piece of skin. Barely alive, he was taken to Alexandra Military Hospital. Thanks to an orderly who recognised him in time, the surgeon did not amputate the hand as he was intending to.

Singapore was now under siege from Japanese forces and on 14 February the hospital found itself cut off from the retreating British troops and the advancing Japanese. Soon the hospital was swarming with Japanese combat troops, who perpetrated one of the worst atrocities of the war.

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Moving from ward to ward and bed to bed, the Imperial Army bayoneted patients to death or shot them, as well as nurses, doctors and auxiliaries. A surgeon, busy operating in the theatre, together with his anaesthetised patient was similarly dispatched. It was an indiscriminate blood bath.

Seeing the flashing bayonet blades heading his way, Anckorn, who was semiconscious and blood-stained all over, pulled a pillow over his face and awaited his fate, muttering poor Mum to himself. However, thinking he was already dead due to the blooded sheets, the Japanese went straight past him and he heard the cries of the man beside him. When he came round, everyone was dead except for me. Of the 72 on his ward, only four survived.

Some 200 patients and personnel were rounded up and, with their hands tied behind their backs with a slipknot of barbed wire, shoved into small rooms to asphyxiate; others were simply shot for sport and the rest sent to camps. In all almost 200, mostly British, were murdered.

Singapore, nicknamed the Gibraltar of the East, fell the following day with the capture of approximately 80,000 British, Indian and Australian troops, adding to 50,000 captured weeks before; Winston Churchill called it the largest capitulation in British military history.

Upon discovering he was alive, Anckorn was taken captive, and his arm was operated on in a rudimentary fashion. Found to be gangrenous, the wound was "disinfected" with maggots, which devoured his rotting flesh, and then had to be removed from under the skin without anaesthetic. The treatment worked and his hand was saved though it was almost crippled.

Anckorn, now a PoW with others from the 118th, were forced marched to Changi Prison and observed Japanese punishment as the road was lined with the heads of decapitated Chinese on spikes. He saw further brutality when an old Chinese woman was caught throwing a bread roll to the PoWs. Witnessed by the Japanese, she was tied by the ankles, hung upside from a tree over a fire and roasted alive.

Anckorn recalled, I never understood their mentality  Life was nothing to them and they had no fear of death. We were merely tools to build the railways  if we broke it didnt matter.

The prisoners taken captive during Japans advance towards the Malayan peninsula were treated abominably and subjected to brutal treatment and torture in sprawling prison camps across South-east Asia. Anckorn was sent north with tens of thousands of others to work on the notorious Burma Railway, immortalised in David Leans 1957 film The Bridge on the River Kwai.

Though still weak, malnourished and enduring savage beatings like so many PoWs, Anckorn started working on the Wampo viaduct, which consisted of wooden trestles alongside the river, nestling against the cliff side, all carved out by hand.

Working up to 16 hours a day in a loincloth and barefooted, the men survived on a few handfuls of rice a day. Food was scarce, forcing prisoners to eat anything they could find  from maggots to scorpions, from snakes to mice, cats and dogs  anything that moved, though many thousands starved to death.

One afternoon, Anckorn was ordered to make the 100-foot climb up the bamboo viaduct to apply boiling creosote to reinforce the wooden struts. However, he had an attack of vertigo and froze with fear. An enraged guard climbed up after him and threw the five-gallon creosote container over Anckorns head, causing blistering and swelling to his skin.

Fergus Ankorn (right) inspired magician Richard Jones, who won Britain's Got Talent in 2016 (Rex)

Fortunately, I had a banana leaf hat on my head, he recalled, which protected my face, but I was aware of my shoulders and chest suddenly roasting.

He said his goodbyes and was dispatched to the hospital at Chungkai camp in Thailand, seen by many as a cemetery, but three weeks later my comrades were all dead. If I hadnt been burnt I would have been dead too.

While there, he regained some of his strength and started to do some simple magic tricks to maintain morale. Word got back to the sadistic camp commandant, Osato Yoshio, who adored magic. As well as killing his pet dog for fun with a revolver, Osato had once forced six prisoners to line up in front of six guards outside his hut, then ordered his men to beat them until nearly dead.

Osato summoned Anckorn and gave him a small coin. He successfully made it disappear, and miraculously discovered it in an opened tin of fish sitting on Osatos table. A delighted Osato let him leave, along with the precious tin of food because it was deemed contaminated, as PoWs were seen as verminous.

Anckorn suddenly realised that he could supplement the meagre food rations by doing magic using the food as props.

One day Osato ordered Anckorn to perform for some high ranking visitors and wrote him a note so that he could obtain an egg from the Japanese cookhouse. He used the note, which did not specify that he needed a single egg, to obtain 50, which he immediately distributed to his comrades. He saved one egg for his trick and the performance went well; however, the next day he was summoned by the commandant to explain the whereabouts of the other 49 eggs. Aware he could be beheaded, As quick as a flash  I dont know where I got the inspiration from  I said, Your show was so important, I was rehearsing all day.

Osato nodded and let me go, Anckorn recalled. He probably knew that I was lying but it was enough to save his face  I couldnt perform that trick again for 40 years.

He was transferred to other camps and continued to perform magic but, one day in mid-August 1945, as the war drew to its conclusion, Anckorn thought his time was up. He and four others were bundled into a truck, unusual in itself as they always walked barefoot everywhere, and driven into the jungle. They were put against some trees, without blindfolds, and a machine gun was mounted onto a tripod. After 10 minutes of waiting for the inevitable for some reason they decided against it. Upon returning to the camp, they discovered that the war had been over for three days.

After liberation, Anckorn weighed just five stone and of his regiment of 980 taken prisoner, 250 survived. Of those taken prisoner in Singapore, two-thirds died there.

He was not allowed to return to Britain yet as he looked too horrible and needed fattening up. After three months of eating, he returned home, although he still weighed only six stone.

While in LondonAnckorn was tapped on the shoulder by someone he thought was a stranger, but was in fact Sir Julian Taylor, the surgeon who saved his hand at Alexandra Hospital. He later operated on his hand and wrist so that he could have movement again, allowing him to continue his conjuring and eventually become the oldest member of the Magic Circle.

He found it hard to adjust to civilian life and led a quiet life, combining his magic with his duties as a special police officer, as well as a shorthand teacher at West Kent College in Tonbridge.

Despite the horrors he suffered and witnessed, Anckorn was not a man for self-pity and even considered himself lucky. We all came through it  its amazing what the human frame can put up with and get away with.

He bore no grudges against his captors and learnt to read and write Japanese from a Japanese lady, who eventually paved the way for him to go over to Japan to give lectures about what happened.

In 2011, his memoir was published, Captivity, Slavery and Survival as a Far East POW: The Conjurer on the Kwai.

He married his sweetheart Lucille on 26 January 1946 and the couple had two children. She predeceased her husband. Anckorn is survived by his children.A man who has lived in the UK for 54 years was forced to miss his daughters wedding because the Home Office refused to give him a British passport.

Joseph Bravos parents travelled from Jamaica to England on the Empire Windrush and brought him to join them when he was seven years old in the early 1960s.

The 62-year-old electrician has paid taxes in the UK all his working life and applied for a passport in 2010, but was refused on the basis that the Home Office could not find any record of him.

Recommended Home Office urged to act on Windrush in 2014

When his daughter Charmaine became engaged and planned to be married in Cyprus in 2016, he applied again to the Home Office for a passport, providing them with his national insurance number and records from his doctor. Once again, he was refused, with the department failing to return the fee he paid for a passport.

He was told he would need to apply for British citizenship at a cost of at least 2,500 before he could apply for a passport, which he could not afford.

His daughter didnt want to have the wedding when I told her the bad news, Mr Bravo said, adding she was going to cancel it completely.

He continued: I wouldnt let her do that  everybody had already paid. But she was heartbroken.

On 4 April, Mr Bravo watched his daughter Charmaine, 32, walk down the aisle via FaceTime, and says he was left devastated.

Mr Bravo is of many Commonwealth citizens who came to the UK under a rule allowing freedom of movement between the 1940s and 1970s.

Despite having lived in the UK for decades, a number have begun to experience issues as a result of the Governments hostile environment policies.

As many as 50,000 have been left without documentation now needed to access work, housing, healthcare and other public services.

Mr Bravo said: I cant see how I can spend 54 years in the country and have them tell me that I dont exist.

Its like they are making out Im an illegal immigrant because they cant find records of me on their systems.

The whole thing is ridiculous to me Ive got a National Insurance number, a driving licence, I pay taxes.

He said he was concerned about future problems created by not having a passport, particularly since Charmaine lives in Australia. What if my daughters poorly in Australia and I want to go see her for the last time? I cant, he said.

What if shes has a child and I want to go and see my grandchild? I cant.

And I havent done nothing wrong, Im not an illegal immigrant, I havent stolen anything from anybody.

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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

The Home Office said in a statement: The Home Secretary has been clear, this is about people who have built their lives here in the UK and contributed so much to our society. We dont want them to feel unwelcome or to be in any doubt about their right to remain here.

The vast majority will already have documentation that proves their right to be here. For those that dont, we have established a new dedicated team to quickly help them get the documentation they need and ensure this is resolved as soon as possible.

Weve also set up a webpage and have been speaking to charities, community groups and High Commissioners to ensure advice and reassurance is provided to those affected.

"The department encouraged Mr Bravo to contact them and said it had no record of him holding a UK passport.

SWNS contributed to this reportBritish poet Benjamin Zephaniah has said Theresa May needs to fix up in response to the Windrush scandal that has been highlighted in recent days.

Sixty-year-old Zephaniah, one of the highest-regarded poets in Britain today, said the Prime Minister must act "immediately" to compensate those affected, but questioned whether even this would be enough.

It comes after her government has come under intense pressure over their handling of the Windrush scandal that has highlighted the plight of members of a generation of immigrants who arrived as British citizens in the mid-twentieth century.

Speaking on the Andrew Marr show, when asked what what his message would be for Ms May, Zephaniah said: We need justice, we need equality, and you need to fix up and put it right  now.

The poet, whose family was part of the Windrush generation, said not only the Caribbean community but the black community more widely were united on the issue, adding: We are all angry.

Asked whether the governments response had been adequate, he said: The government promised compensation after Grenfell Tower, it hasnt been forthcoming. Its good words but something needs to be done immediately.

Referring to the death of a man who spent the last year of his life trying to prove his immigration status, Zephaniah added: Id like to see heads roll, but how do you compensate somebody like the mother of Dexter Bristol?Britain will not get a Brexit deal better than the current single market, Japan's ambassador to the UK has said.

Koji Tsuruoka, who took up the role just over a fortnight before the referendum in June 2016, said Japanese firms are watching negotiations and will want to continue to be located in the single market after next March.

Car makers Nissan and Toyota have large factories in the UK and sell many of their cars into Europe from the UK.

Japanese Ambassador to the UK Koji Tsuruoka says his country has a 'high stake' in Brexit trade negotiations (Jack Taylor/Getty Images)

Mr Tsuruoka told the Observer: The reason that many of those companies have come is that this is the best gateway to Europe.

If that is in danger, if that is no longer sustainable, of course they will have to look at what they will have to do best.

I don't think the single market could be substituted by something and be better or even be the same.

Mr Tsuruoka has previously said Japan has a high stake in Brexit trade negotiations  40% of Japanese investment into the EU is spent in the UK  and firms cannot operate in the UK if it is not profitable to do so.

The ambassador also said he was told he did not have to worry about the result of referendum on Britain's continuing membership of the EU as British people don't make adventurous decisions.

Now I have to keep in mind that you don't predict what is going to happen in the UK, he told the paper.

It comes after the Trans-Pacific Partnership  which Mr Tsuruoka spent three years negotiating  was on the agenda as Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull met Theresa May on Saturday.

The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Show all 8 1 /8 The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Post-Brexit immigration workers sorting radishes on a production line at a farm in Norfolk. One possible post-Brexit immigration scheme could struggle to channel workers towards less attractive roles - while another may heighten the risk of labour exploitation, a new report warns. PA The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Customs union A key point in the negotiations remains Britain's access to, or withdrawal from, the EU customs union. Since the referendum there has been hot debate over the meaning of Brexit: would it entail a full withdrawal from the existing agreement, known as hard Brexit, or the soft version in which we would remain part of a common customs area for most goods, as Turkey does? No 10 has so far insisted that Brexit means Brexit and that Britain will be leaving the customs union, but may be inclined to change its position once the potential risks to the UKs economic outlook become clearer. Alamy The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Northern Ireland-Irish border Though progress was made last year, there has still been no solid agreement on whether there should be a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. To ensure borderless travel on the island, the countries must be in regulatory alignment and therefore adhere to the same rules as the customs union. In December, the Conservative Partys coalition partners, the DUP, refused a draft agreement that would place the UK/EU border in the Irish Sea due to its potential to undermine the union. May has promised that would not be the case and has suggested that a specific solution would need to be found. Getty The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Transition period Despite protests from a small number of Conservative MPs, the Government and the EU are largely in agreement that a transitional period is needed after Brexit. The talks, however, have reached an impasse. Though May has agreed that the UK will continue to contribute to the EU budget until 2021, the PM wants to be able to select which laws made during this time the UK will have to adhere to. Chief negotiator Michel Barnier has said the UK must adopt all of the laws passed during the transition, without any input from British ministers or MEPs. EPA The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Rights of EU citizens living the UK The Prime Minister has promised EU citizens already living in the UK the right to live and work here after Brexit, but the rights of those who arrive after Brexit day remains unclear. May insists that those who arrive during the transition period should not be allowed to stay, whereas the EU believe the cut-off point should be later. Getty The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Future trade agreement (with the EU) Despite this being a key issue in negotiations, the Government has yet to lay out exactly what it wants from a trade deal with the EU. Infighting within the Cabinet has prevented a solid position from being reached, with some MPs content that "no deal is better than a bad deal" while others rally behind single market access. The EU has already confirmed that access to the single market would be impossible without the UK remaining in the customs union. Getty The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Future trade agreements (internationally) The Government has already begun trying to woo foreign leaders into prospective trade agreements, with various high profile state visits to China, India and Canada for May, and the now infamous invitation to US President Donald Trump to visit London. However the UK cannot make trade agreements with another country while it is still a member of the EU, and the potential loss of trade with the world's major powers is a source of anxiety for the PM. The EU has said the UK cannot secure trade deals during the transition period. EPA The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Financial services Banks in the UK will be hit hard regardless of the Brexit outcome. The EU has refused to give British banks passporting rights to trade within the EU, dashing hopes of a special City deal. However according to new reports Germany has suggested allowing trade on the condition that the UK continues paying into the EU budget even after the transition period. Getty

Mr Turnbull said: Trade is clearly very high on your agenda, as it always is on ours. Trade means jobs.

That's why we persevered with the Trans-Pacific Partnership, got that signed despite the US dropping out.

I'm pleased to see your Government's interest in potentially joining that at a future date when you have left the European Union.

PAFacebook should be fined by the UK government to punish the technology giant for failing to protect peoples data, according to a majority of those polled by The Independent.

It follows the scandal that engulfed the social media company last month over allegations by a whistleblower that British consultancy firm Cambridge Analytica had improperly accessed user information.

It led to a public apology over the breach of trust from Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, including in several full-page advertisements in both British and American newspapers.

But according to the exclusive polling by BMG for The Independent, 60 per cent of respondents either strongly supported or somewhat supported the statement that Facebook should now be fined by the government over the revelations.

The statement asked: Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has acknowledged his company failed to properly to protect peoples data, amid claims details of millions of users were compromised. To what extent would you support or oppose Facebook being fined by the UK government as a result?

Just 10 per cent of those polled opposed sanctioning the company while 21 per cent said neither support nor oppose and a further 9 per cent replied, dont know. Similar results were reflected across all age groups.

Recommended Facebook stops users from benefitting from new data protection

The survey also comes after Mr Zuckerberg was summoned to give evidence to a parliamentary committee on how the social networks partners gather user data.

In a letter to Mr Zuckerberg, Damian Collins, the chair of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, said: It is now time to hear from a senior Facebook executive with the sufficient authority to give an accurate account of this catastrophic failure of process.

Accordingly we are sure you will understand the need for a representative from right at the top of the organisation to address concerns. Given your commitment at the start of the new year to fixing Facebook, I hope that this representative will be you.

It was a request rejected by the Facebook CEO, with the company instead offering to send a senior deputy to the hearing, which will take place next week.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 30 September 2021 The centrepiece One Thousand Springs by Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota is seen ahead of the beginning of the Japan Festival, a celebration of the countrys plants, art and culture running from 2-31 October, at Kew Gardens in London PA UK news in pictures 29 September 2021 The family of Betty Campbell unveil the bronze sculpture of her during the unveiling of the statue in Central Square, Cardiff, of Betty Campbell, Wales' first black headteacher PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2021 A sign referring to the lack of fuel is placed at the entrance to a petrol station in London AP UK news in pictures 27 September 2021 Police officers detain a protester from Insulate Britain occupying a roundabout leading from the M25 motorway to Heathrow Airport in London PA UK news in pictures 26 September 2021 Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer watches the Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur match at The Font pub in Brighton PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2021 Scottish pro-independence supporters hold a march and rally outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, Scotland Getty Images UK news in pictures 24 September 2021 Police officers remove two protesters from the top of a tanker, as Insulate Britain block the A20 in Kent, which provides access to the Port of Dover in Kent. The environmental activists have moved location after been banned from campaigning on the M25 motorway in London PA 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

Matt Hancock, the culture secretary, has previously suggested that under the Data Protection Bill  currently making its way through parliament  the government could fine social media companies for up to 4 per cent of their global turnover if they fail to play by the rules.

He said last month: This means Facebook, if it breaks the rules, could face bills of up to 1.1bn from May. And the bill also means that people will have the right to move all their data wholesale from one social network to another. So from May, if people lose trust in a social media platform, they can move to another one at the click of a button and this will concentrate minds.

After this weeks revelations I think its time that social media platforms come clean with what data they really hold on people and I want to see rules in place to allow people to have control over their own data. So were going to require much more transparency on how data is held by the big platforms and transparency over how advertising spend is used on them.In the late 1990s, he moved La Toque to Rutherford in Napa Valley, and for the next 10 years, its reputation for classic French food created with California ingredients put it on the must-visit list for visitors. His El Toque night, however, fell by the wayside. It was mostly a transient, tourist population who came to the restaurant, he said in a recent interview. It would have been hard for them to understand if they came in and I was serving tacos.

Ten years ago, with the opening of the Westin-Verasa Hotel in Napa, he took the opportunity to move from Rutherford to Napa, which was just beginning to develop its own vibrant restaurant scene, after years of being upstaged by Upvalley eateries.

And, in time, Frank decided to revive El Toque night. In Napa we have a strong core of local diners, he said. And it is the same here as it is in LA: no Latinos, no restaurants  also, no hotels, no wineries.

Also, he added, the recipes from his staff are responsible for me eating a lot of great Mexican food.It feels around a hundred political lifetimes ago that a bald, blue-sky thinker called Steve Hilton was padding around 10 Downing Street in his socks, excited by a new bestselling book on the relatively new discipline of behavioural economics, called Nudge.

The case study everyone recalls from that 2008 book, by two American behavioural economists called Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein, was that Amsterdam Schiphol airport had drastically reduced spillage in the mens urinals by etching a very realistic drawing of a fly next to the plughole.

Jet-setting gents relieving themselves suddenly had something to aim at. It was a simple, cheap and frankly ingenious solution to a problem, that involved subtly persuading people to change their behaviours  giving them a nudge.

This kind of thing had obvious appeal to a newly elected Cameroon Conservative party, with metropolitan elite credentials, absolutely no money to spend and a T-shirt wearing strategist with cool credentials that needed justifying.

The Nudge unit was born, or to give it its proper title, the Behavioural Insights team. Back then, in those simpler times at the start of this decade, clever ways to improve the implementation of government policy were what counted as a big deal.

Conservatism is not so cool these days. No one is hugging huskies. Steve Hilton is long gone, off to Silicon Valley from where he occasionally goes into bat for Donald Trump on Fox News, or dials to Newsnight to bemoan the malign influence of elites in the Britain he and his Google and Uber executive wife left behind.

But the Behavioural Insights Team is very much still going. It has even become a social-purpose company, providing its canny insights to governments around the world.

So what of nudges in an age of political earthquakes?

The Nudge unit fitted with the David Cameron and Steve Hilton narratives, says its director Dr David Halpern, in his glass walled office in Westminster, which just so happens to be in the same building as Conservative Central Office.

But it has itself evolved now. It has matured. It has matured beyond the way it was used in those days. It is less high-profile than it was, because for David Cameron and Steve Hilton it was almost emblematic to be able to say, You can do government in this different way.

In those days, its early days, it achieved notable successes like altering the wording used to encourage organ donation, and 100,000 more people a year started to do so.

Outside his office, Astroturf lines the walls. A staff whiteboard lists the dates of film club and fun Friday drinks. Dr Halpern is a policy person, not a political person. In his pre-Nudge days he was a founding director of the Institute for Government, and before that an experimental psychology professor at Cambridge.

We actually do much more by volume now we did back then, he says. But, as you know well, theres a lot else going on in the political narrative. That there is a lot more going on in the political narrative is the closest he can be persuaded to venture into an opinion on the current political quagmire. Quite what a Nudge unit might do under a Jeremy Corbyn government is a question he deftly swerves on many occasions.

We might have moved beyond being be the top novelty thing, but that doesnt mean were not doing anything. Its not as mainstream as it was, but its not far off. At least 10 departments have Behavioural Insight teams now.

Some of its successes are startling. For decades, universities have struggled with the challenge of widening access, of convincing capable and qualified pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds to pick up a Ucas form and apply to universities that are only too happy to take them.

An undergraduate at Bristol University called Ben wrote a personal letter, aimed at pupils from ordinary backgrounds who had done well in their GCSEs, telling them in straightforward fashion that universities were desperate for students just like them. They were all handsigned and sent to thousands of such pupils, via their schools, early in Year 12. Two years later, the pupils whod received these letters were 34 per cent more likely to be enrolled at a selective university than those who hadnt.

Its not quite so snappy as it used to be. Not so oooh, neat little nudge. Its now less catchy, in that Steve Hilton way. But what we do now is much more wide-ranging.

Halpern wont talk about Brexit, other than to say the Department for Exiting the European Union is, Not a big part of our work, lets put it that way. But he is keen to stress that away from the glare of the spotlight the nudge unit once had, life goes on.

Governments have still got to carry on doing lots of things, day in and day out. And in an interesting way, in a funny kind of way, we have more work to do now because one of the primary routes to doing normal government is shut off. Its not possible to push through legislation. There are far fewer green papers, white papers and so on going through.

But you still want to make progress on, say, obesity, or the ageing population, or cyber risks, there are still a million things going on.

Think what the Behavioural Insights Team was built for, he says. To find alternative policy solutions when you havent got alternative levers or legislation, or when you havent got much money. The actual environment were living in: its exactly that.

Its not high-profile because its not Theresas thing. Its not Steve Hilton saying Oh look at this supercool shiney thing. Now its more, Ok, lets use this thing.

And in what Dr Halpern calls the Brexit environment (in which the political system and parliament is so lucked up with this one thing) actually giving departments an alternative ways of getting things done is popular and effective.

Take productivity. A massive issue. What can we do to keep the dials moving? Departments can come to us and say what you can do to help us given other routes are shut off?

Rather than any specific policy success, Halpern characterises the Nudge Units greatest success as having smuggled into government a much, much tougher, empirical approach to policy.

The precise innovation he has smuggled in, as he puts it, is the randomised control trial. All nudges, including those letters to sixth formers, are measured against a control group who remain un-nudged, so the benefits can be precisely measured, and honed later down the line.

This is routine stuff in scientific experiments, but not so much in government policymaking. When a government introduces a new law, like the sugar tax for example, it impacts everyone at once, from day one. From a scientific perspective, this makes its success or failure much harder to gauge.

But this mini-revolution in evidence-based policymaking comes at a time when it seems as if the world, or least Britain and America seems to be turning away from evidence, and towards at best ideologically driven policy, or at worst emotion based. Even leaving Brexit and Trump aside, Theresa May had not been Prime Minister for more than a few weeks before the prospect of a return to grammar schools returned. Academics do not agree on much, but there are virtually no educational academics who think that the return of the grammar school would do what its proponents claim they do, which is to boost social mobility.

Governments spend billions on things and have no idea if they work says Halpern. I mean, Oh my god. When you someone writes the history of the BIT, the cool nudge bit will not be the most significant thing. It will be that the BIT helped introduce an empirical- and evidence-based approach to policy in government.

Sensible voices at the heart of government havent gone away then. Whoever would have thought?Theresa Mays team have reportedly accepted that she may have to bow to parliamentary pressure to keep Britain in a customs union with the European Union.

It follows an embarrassing defeat in the House of Lords last week when peers in the upper chamber voted in favour of a customs union after Brexit and reports that around a 10 Tory MPs are prepared to vote in favour of membership in the Commons.

The Prime Minister  since her Lancaster House speech in January 2017  has repeatedly insisted that Britain will leave the customs union in order to pursue free trade deals across the world.

But senior Downing Street aide told The Sunday Times that in a meeting last month it was said that the Prime Minister and her top team will not be crying into our beer if Parliament forces the governments hand on the issue.

While such a move would be popular with business leaders and pro-EU MPs, it would be hugely contentious within the Conservative party itself and would almost certainly enrage Brexiteers.

According to the newspaper officials in Downing Street predicted Michael Gove, the environment secretary, and David Davis, the Brexit secretary, will not resign in protest while the foreign secretary Boris Johnson and the international trade secretary would be likely to quit their Cabinet posts.

In response to the reports, a Downing Street source told The Independent: "Government policy hasn't changed -- we are leaving the customs union."

On Sunday, the shadow Brexit secretary, Sir Keir Starmer, also wrote to the Prime Minister offering to free up Wednesday this week in the Commons so that the government can bring forward a vote on the highly-contentious issue.

In his letter, he wrote: The government cannot indefinitely delay the passage of legislation through the Commons for fear of defeat on crucial votes.

If a decision is not made until June then that will leave just three months to negotiate the details of the final agreement.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 30 September 2021 The centrepiece One Thousand Springs by Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota is seen ahead of the beginning of the Japan Festival, a celebration of the countrys plants, art and culture running from 2-31 October, at Kew Gardens in London PA UK news in pictures 29 September 2021 The family of Betty Campbell unveil the bronze sculpture of her during the unveiling of the statue in Central Square, Cardiff, of Betty Campbell, Wales' first black headteacher PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2021 A sign referring to the lack of fuel is placed at the entrance to a petrol station in London AP UK news in pictures 27 September 2021 Police officers detain a protester from Insulate Britain occupying a roundabout leading from the M25 motorway to Heathrow Airport in London PA UK news in pictures 26 September 2021 Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer watches the Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur match at The Font pub in Brighton PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2021 Scottish pro-independence supporters hold a march and rally outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, Scotland Getty Images UK news in pictures 24 September 2021 Police officers remove two protesters from the top of a tanker, as Insulate Britain block the A20 in Kent, which provides access to the Port of Dover in Kent. The environmental activists have moved location after been banned from campaigning on the M25 motorway in London PA 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

The apparent admission came as David Gauke, the justice secretary, told the BBCs Andrew Marr programme that the government needs to make the case to MPs for leaving the customs union after Brexit.

Ahead of a fresh Commons showdown on the issue, he said: The job of those of us in Government is to persuade Parliament that the route going forward, leaving the customs union, but ensuring that we don't put in place unnecessary barriers to our trade with the European Union.

"We can make that case to Parliament. I think we can win that case. I think we have got to win that case and that is my determination."

And Liz Truss, the chief secretary to the Treasury, also told Radio 5 Lives Pienaar's Politics: It is very important that Parliament doesn't seek to bind the Prime Minister's hands.

"It's already a negotiation that has a lot of complex aspects to it."Issues facing the Windrush generation have absolutely nothing to do with the immigration reforms introduced while Theresa May was home secretary, according to a leaked email sent by a government whip.

In correspondence with a constituent, seen by The Independent, Mike Freer, who is an assistant whip at the Treasury, also accused Labour of opportunism and hypocrisy over the current Windrush scandal.

It comes as the Prime Minister and Amber Rudd, the home secretary, face escalating pressure over the governments handling of problems faced by members of the Windrush generation, who settled in the UK as British citizens in the mid-twentieth century.

On Sunday, Ms Rudd faced repeated calls from both Labour and the SNP to stand down from her position after stories flooded in from individuals from the Windrush era who have been declared illegal immigrants, threatened with deportation, denied access to NHS treatment and stripped of their jobs due to a lack of documentation.

Many have sought to place blame for the problems experienced by these individuals on the hostile immigration policy enacted by the Home Office while Theresa May was in charge of the department. They made it considerably harder for individuals to work, rent and open bank accounts without the right documentation.

The resulting political storm created by the revelations has led to both Ms May and the home secretary personally apologising for the treatment of Windrush citizens but Mr Freers leaked email strikes a remarkably less conciliatory tone.

The remarks from Mr Freer  also the MP for Finchley and Golders Green  came after a constituent emailed him querying whether he would sign Early Day Motion (EDM) 1182 in the Commons which calls for an independent review of the Home Office immigration policy and practice.

I have been appalled and ashamed to hear of the impact of hostile environment policy introduced by Theresa May, the effects of which are now coming to light with the Windrush scandal, the constituent wrote.

Apart from the terrible injustice to the many individuals concerned, ranging from losing their jobs, their homes, their right to health care, fearing deportation and being subjected to incredible levels of stress, what image of Britain are we projecting here?

 Dawn Butler says Theresa May could be accused of racism in wake of Windrush scandal

What must the EU27 nations make of this conduct? How can Britain present itself as an honourable and trustworthy negotiating partner when it treats its own citizens and people who have made honest mistake in such a dreadful fashion. It is truly shameful.

The buck stops with Mrs May, they added.

But in his reply  sent on Saturday morning  Mr Freer said: I am sorry to hear that you have been misinformed. It is so sad to see that opposition parties would seek to deliberately misquote and misinterpret what Theresa May said.

Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Show all 15 1 /15 Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK The ex-troopship 'Empire Windrush' arriving at Tilbury Docks from Jamaica, with 482 Jamaicans on board, emigrating to Britain. Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Jamaican immigrants being welcomed by RAF officials from the Colonial Office after the ex-troopship 'Empire Windrush' landed them at Tilbury. PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Alford Gardner who arrived in Britain in 1948 on the first Windrush ship to dock in Tilbury, Essex, speaking at his home in Leeds PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Alford Gardner in Leeds shortly after he arrived in Britain in 1948 on the first Windrush ship to dock in Tilbury, Essex PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Gardner was 22 years old when he boarded the ship in Kingston, Jamaica, with his brother Gladstone before they and hundreds of Caribbean migrants called on to rebuild post-war Britain disembarked the ship in Tilbury Docks PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Alford Gardner (right), during his RAF service in 1947 PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK The son of Ruth Williams, a Windrush-generation immigrant, wants to the leave the country after threats of deportation. According to his mother, Mr Haynes applied for British citizenship in 2016 but was rejected, despite Ms Williams having lived in the UK almost permanently since arriving from St Vincent and the Grenadines in 1959. Ruth Williams, 75, said she felt "betrayed" by Britain after the Home Office twice turned down applications for her 35-year-old son, Mozi Haynes, to remain in the country. Ms Williams is understood to have cancer and said she relies heavily on her son for support. PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK The British liner 'Empire Windrush' at port in 1954. Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Ruth Williams, 75, with her British passport. "I feel betrayed and a second class citizen in my own country," she said. "This makes me so sad and the Home Office must show some compassion. "I am unwell and almost 75, I live on my own and I need my son to stay here. I need my family around me and I cant face being alone. He has applied to the Home Office and been refused twice." PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK From the top, hopeful Jamaican boxers Charles Smith, Ten Ansel, Essi Reid, John Hazel, Boy Solas and manager Mortimer Martin arrive at Tilbury on the Empire Windrush in the hope of finding work in Britain. Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Jamaicans reading a newspaper whilst on board the ex-troopship 'Empire Windrush' bound for Tilbury docks in Essex. Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK After half a century in Britain, Anthony Bryan decided it was time to go abroad. But the decision set off a nightmare that saw him lose his job, detained twice and almost deported to Jamaica. AFP/Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Jamaica-born Anthony Bryan poses outside his home in Edmonton, north London. Now 60 and a grandfather, Bryan thought the issue could be resolved swiftly, as he legally moved to Britain with his family as part of the Windrush generation of Caribbean migrants after World War II. In 1948, the ship Windrush brought the first group of migrants from the West Indies to help rebuild post-war Britain, and many others followed from around the Commonwealth. A 1971 law gave them indefinite leave to remain, but many never formalised their status, often because they were children who came over on their parents' passports and then never applied for their own. AFP/Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Three Jamaican immigrants (left to right) John Hazel, a 21-year-old boxer, Harold Wilmot, 32, and John Richards, a 22-year-old carpenter, arriving at Tilbury on board the ex-troopship 'Empire Windrush', smartly dressed in zoot suits and trilby hats. Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Newly arrived Jamaican immigrants on board the 'Empire Windrush' at Tilbury in 1948. Getty

The Windrush issue is absolutely nothing to do with immigration reforms introduced under the [David] Cameron government. Then the policy was to make it harder for ILLEGAL immigrants to settle in the UK. The Windrush people were and are legal. Wholly separate and unconnected.

He then repeated the Prime Ministers claim in the Commons last week that the decision to destroy the landing cards of the Windrush generation was taken by the previous Labour government.

So it really is the height of opportunism and hypocrisy for the opposition to take some moral high ground, he said.

 David Gauke says he feels ashamed for what has happened with the Windrush scandal

Referring to the EDM, which he is forbidden to sign due to his position as a government whip, he added:  I have never signed EDMs as they are utterly pointless, wholly ignored in Parliament but costs over 1m to maintain.

When asked for comment by The Independent regarding the exchange, Mr Freer said: As the Prime Minister and Home Secretary have said, the situation that some members of the Windrush generation have found themselves in is unacceptable, and that's why it's right that the government has apologised and is offering help to those affected.

The point I was making in constituency correspondence was that some have deliberately sought to conflate this with measures to counter illegal immigration, which we know is a matter of public concern - and that the decision to destroy landing card documents was taken for the first time in 2009.Less than half of people from ethnic minority backgrounds believe there has been progress on racial prejudice over the past quarter of a century, according to a new survey mapping attitudes towards race and integration in Britain.

The poll coincides with the 25th anniversary of the murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence in an unprovoked racist attack in Eltham, south-east London, on 22 April 1993.

It also found that nearly four in 10 believe that violent crime against people because of their race happens more today than it did 25 years ago.

According to the survey by Survation for British Future, under half of ethnic minority respondents  43 per cent  believed that general levels of racial prejudice were higher in the year of one of Britains most high profile murders.

But one in three  33 per cent  said they thought levels of racial prejudice were about the same today as they were 25 years ago, while a further 16 per cent believed levels to be higher in 2018.

Respondents, however, were much more confident that levels of racial prejudice had decreased in the past 50 years since the Enoch Powells infamous speech, Rivers of Blood. Nearly six in 10  59 per cent  of those polled from across the UK said there was more prejudice back in 1968.

Among ethnic minority participants, 54 per cent said racial prejudice was higher at the time of Powells anti-migrant speech, in which he called for a policy to encourage those already in Britain to return to their country of origin.

The findings were more stark when the results were broken down with age. Two-thirds (66 per cent) of over-65s felt racial prejudice was worse in 1968, but young minority Britons are less confident with around half believing things were worse 50 years ago and 24 per cent claiming it was about the same today.

The director of the think tank British Future, Sunder Katwala, said: Britain feels very different to me today than it did 25 years ago. I was living on Elthams Well Hall Road at the time of the Macpherson report and my sense is of progress on attitudes to race since then  so its worrying that others dont share this confidence.

There is clearly still a problem with prejudice in Britain, even if it is confined to a minority today  most people can agree, no matter what our views on immigration policy, that its wrong to take it out on individuals because of the colour of their skin.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 30 September 2021 The centrepiece One Thousand Springs by Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota is seen ahead of the beginning of the Japan Festival, a celebration of the countrys plants, art and culture running from 2-31 October, at Kew Gardens in London PA UK news in pictures 29 September 2021 The family of Betty Campbell unveil the bronze sculpture of her during the unveiling of the statue in Central Square, Cardiff, of Betty Campbell, Wales' first black headteacher PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2021 A sign referring to the lack of fuel is placed at the entrance to a petrol station in London AP UK news in pictures 27 September 2021 Police officers detain a protester from Insulate Britain occupying a roundabout leading from the M25 motorway to Heathrow Airport in London PA UK news in pictures 26 September 2021 Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer watches the Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur match at The Font pub in Brighton PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2021 Scottish pro-independence supporters hold a march and rally outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, Scotland Getty Images UK news in pictures 24 September 2021 Police officers remove two protesters from the top of a tanker, as Insulate Britain block the A20 in Kent, which provides access to the Port of Dover in Kent. The environmental activists have moved location after been banned from campaigning on the M25 motorway in London PA 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

There is still much work to do before everyone feels that they are getting the same chances in life as their fellow citizens, regardless of the colour of their skin.

The poll surveyed 1,023 ethnic minority respondents alongside a nationally representative survey of 2,000 people of all ethnic backgrounds across the UK.

When respondents were asked whether they believed violent crime against people because of an individuals race occurred more or less than it did in 1993, just 20 per cent said less while 37 per cent thought it happened more in the current year. A further 31 per cent believed it is about the same in 2018 as 1993.

On racial discrimination faced when applying for jobs, 29 per cent of respondents thought it happened more today than in 1993, while an equal amount thought it happened less today and 30 per cent said it was about the same.

The Stephen Lawrence memorial concert will take place today, marking the 25th anniversary since his death, and a separate memorial service will also take place Monday, with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle expected to attend.

Polling was conducted by Survation on behalf of British Future and surveyed 3,556 UK adults aged 18+, including 519 from the West Midlands and 1,023 from ethnic minorities, online from 16-27 February 2018. Survation is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.Amid claims and robust denials of a state rescue, speculation now surrounds the escape of two convicted French pilots and claimed cocaine traffickers from the Dominican Republic.

The protagonists of the case dubbed Air Cocaine, Pascal Fauret, 55, and Bruno Odos, 56, were sentenced to 20 years in jail for drug trafficking in August.

The pair were free to move around under judicial supervision pending an appeals court hearing. They say they escaped custody on a speedboat to the Franco-Dutch island of Saint-Martin on 19 October, before flying to Martinique and, from there, back home on Saturday.

This was a personal initiative. It was not a team of spooks paid by the French state <p>The pilots' lawyer, Eric Dupond-Moretti</p>

A picture of the pair racing away from the island on a speedboat with another blurred-out individual surfaced on BFMTV, prompting speculation over possible accomplices.

Initial reports suggest Fauret and Odos had been dropped at sea by helicopter and picked up by boat. Then, there were claims a helicopter had been rented as a decoy to fool Dominican authorities. Fauret and Odos were arrested along with two other French nationals  Nicolas Pisapia and Alain Castany  in March 2013 while preparing to take off for St Tropez in a Falcon 50 jet. Some 26 suitcases, carrying 680kg of cocaine were discovered on board, and all four were imprisoned for 15 months while awaiting trial for drug trafficking. They deny knowing they were transporting cocaine.

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

Their lawyer Eric Dupond-Moretti said discussing details of the escape was out of the question and dispelled any suspicions the French government or secret services may have played a role. This was a personal initiative. It was not a team of spooks paid by the French state, he said.

Others disagree. BFMTV claimed an escape plan was organised with the help of retired marines and two former agents from the DGSE, Frances equivalent of MI6. The newspaper Le Figaro quoted security sources saying the operation in the Dominican Republic was organised from Paris.

Much focus was on the pilots claimed meeting with a Front National MEP and close adviser to the partys leader Marine le Pen on the day of their escape. Aymeric Chauprade tweeted a photo of the meeting. While admitting he was aware of elements of the operation he has denied active involvement, dismissing a bill in his name for an option on a helicopter printed by the magazine Valeurs Actuelles.

Meanwhile, Mr Pisapia and Mr Castany, the two Frenchmen left behind in the Dominican Republic, said they are afraid the escape will jeopardise the appeal they are hoping will overturn their sentences. Mr Castany told Le Parisien newspaper it was a nightmare and that he felt like he had been stabbed in the back by the pilots.Four people were killed and another four wounded when a man armed with a rifle opened fire at a restaurant and fled in the nude.

The gunman shot people in the car park of a Waffle House near Nashville, Tennessee, in the early hours, before entering the restaurant wearing only a jacket.

He continued firing until a hero customer grabbed the rifle and threw it over a counter in the restaurant, police said.

Recommended Usher hailed a hero after jumping on gunman in Nashville church

Authorities are using a helicopter in the hunt for the suspect, who they say is considered still armed and extremely dangerous.

Mr Aaron, the police spokesman, said three people died at the restaurant and one person died at Vanderbilt University Medical Centre, where two others were being treated for gunshot wounds.

Medical Centre spokeswoman Jennifer Wetzel said one was in a critical condition and the other was in a critical but stable condition.

TriStar Southern Hills Medical Centre spokeswoman Katie Radel in Nashville said two people were treated for minor injuries and released.

Detectives identified the suspect as Travis Reinking, 29, of Morton, Illinois, after finding the vehicle he allegedly used to drive to the restaurant was registered in that name.

A Waffle House customer saw the killer struggling to reload his AR-15-style assault rifle and managed to wrestle away the weapon from him, according to Nashville police, who issued a photo of it.

They said the gunman shed his coat after firing, and fled naked on foot.

They later added that a man believed to be Mr Reinking had been spotted nearby wearing black pants and no shirt, and were trying to track him down using a helicopter.

The shooting happened at 3.25am at the Waffle House in the suburb of Antioch, about 16 miles south-east of Nashville.

Authorities say the suspect was arrested last year by the US Secret Service for being in a restricted area near the White House.

Mr Aaron said Mr Reinkings firearms authorisation was then revoked at the request of the FBI.

Four weapons were seized, including an AK-15 of the type allegedly used in the shooting at the Waffle House restaurant.

Aaron says the four guns were returned to the suspects father, who acknowledged giving them back to his son.

A Secret Service agent said Mr Reinking had hoped to talk to President Donald Trump.

Special Agent Todd Hudson in Nashville said the suspect wanted to set up a meeting with the president.

According to The Tennessean, police believe the death toll could have been much higher if a hero had not intervened to grab the rifle.

Chuck Cordero, a witness, said: He really saved some people. Im positive he did. Had that guy had a chance to reload his weapon, there was plenty more people in that restaurant.

Police identified the man who grabbed the weapon as 29-year-old James Shaw Jr.

Mr Shaw told The Tennessean in an interview he was just trying to get myself out.

I saw the opportunity and pretty much took it, he said.

The newspaper reported that Mr Shaw was grazed by a bullet, treated and released.

When I was in the ambulance to hospital I kept thinking that Im going to wake up and its not going to be real, Mr Shaw said.

It is something out a movie. Im OK though, but I hate that it happened.

James Shaw Jr shows his hand that was injured when he disarmed a shooter inside a Waffle House (Wade Payne/The Tennessean via AP)

Authorities are appealing to anyone with information on Reinking to contact them.

In all, 35 officers from three precincts responded to the shooting, arriving to find two of the dead outside and one inside, police said.

The shooting will inevitably revive Americas charged debate about gun laws.

Nashvilles acting mayor David Briley said: Its a tragic day for our city anytime people lose their lives at the hands of a gunman.

My heart goes out to the families and friends of every person who was killed or wounded in this mornings shooting. I know all of their lives will be for ever changed by this devastating crime.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Theres clearly more to be said about these circumstances, but for now I ask Nashville to pray for and rally around these victims, and join me in thanking the Metro Nashville Police Department as it works to find and apprehend the shooter.

Pat Warner, head of public relations for Waffle House, called it a very troubling situation.

We are sending our corporate team from Atlanta and heading to Nashville now, Mr Warner told ABC. Our thoughts are with those affected.

Press Association contributed to this reportA Brazilian drug lord was found to be a life of luxury in a three-room cell complete with a conference room, plasma screen TV and library.

Jarvis Chimenes Pavao had been serving an eight year sentence for money laundering since 2009 at Tacumbu prison in Ascuncion, the capital of Paraguay, when police raided his cell after learning he was planning to escape.

Pavao had planned to use explosives to blow a hole in the wall of the prison.

Pavao's bedroom at Tacumbu prison had a treadmill (EPA)

Pavao's cell had a conference room, library and DVD collection (AFP/Getty Images)

Although he was due to be released next year, it is thought he feared being extradited back to Brazil.

He has now been transferred to a cell in a police "special operations unit" and his luxurious cell, which had air conditioning and en-suite bathroom, has been destroyed.

Jarvis Chimenes Pavao had his own clothes in his cell (AFP/Getty Images)

Jarvis Chimenes Pavao had a TV series about the life of Pablo Escobar among his DVD collection (AFP/Getty Images)

Pavao even had the full collection of DVDs for the series Pablo Escobar, which follows the life of the notorious Colombian drug lord known as the "King of Cocaine".

Prisoners at Tacumbu told AFP anyone wanting to stay in the luxury unit had to pay Pavao a one-off fee of $5,000 (3,778) and a weekly rent of $600, the BBC reported.

An investigation is now under way to see how the drug lord set up his luxury cell within the jail.On 20 February a young woman named Mirian arrived at the Texas border carrying her 18-month-old son. They had fled their home in Honduras through a cloud of tear gas, she told border agents, and needed protection from the political violence there.

She had hoped she and her son would find refuge together. Instead, the agents ordered her to place her son in the back seat of a government vehicle, she said later in a sworn declaration to a federal court. They both cried as the boy was driven away.

For months, members of Congress have been demanding answers about how many families are being separated as they are processed at stations along the southwest border, in part because the Trump administration has in the past said it was considering taking children from their parents as a way to deter migrants from coming here.

Officials have repeatedly declined to provide data on how many families have been separated, but suggested that the number was relatively low.

But new data reviewed by The New York Times shows that more than 700 children have been taken from adults claiming to be their parents since October, including more than 100 children under age 4.

The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit against the US government on behalf of immigrant parents who were separated from children at the border (REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez)

The data was prepared by the Office of Refugee Resettlement, a division of the Department of Health and Human Services that takes custody of children who have been removed from migrant parents. Senior officials at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which processes migrants at the border, initially denied that the numbers were so high.

But after they were confirmed to the Times by three federal officials who work closely with these cases, a spokesman for the Health and Human Services Department on Friday acknowledged in a statement that there were approximately 700.

Homeland security officials said the agency does not separate families at the border for deterrence purposes. As required by law, DHS must protect the best interests of minor children crossing our borders, and occasionally this results in separating children from an adult they are traveling with if we cannot ascertain the parental relationship, or if we think the child is otherwise in danger, a spokesman for the agency said in a statement.

But Trump administration officials have suggested publicly in the past that they were, indeed, considering a deterrence policy. Last year, John Kelly, President Donald Trumps chief of staff, floated the idea while he was serving as homeland security secretary.

If approved, the plan would have closed detention facilities that are designed to house families and replaced them with separate shelters for adults and children. The White House supported the move and convened a group of officials from several federal agencies to consider its merits. But the Department of Homeland Security has said the policy was never adopted.

Children removed from their families are taken to shelters run by nongovernmental organisations. There, workers seek to identify a relative or guardian in the United States who can take over the childs care. But if no such adult is available, the children can languish in custody indefinitely. Operators of these facilities say they are often unable to locate the parents of separated children because the children arrive without proper records.

Once a child has entered the shelter system, there is no firm process to determine whether they have been separated from someone who was legitimately their parent, or for reuniting parents and children who had been mistakenly separated, said a Border Patrol official, who was not authorised to discuss the agencys policies publicly.

The idea of punishing parents who are trying to save their childrens lives, and punishing children for being brought to safety by their parents by separating them, is fundamentally cruel and un-American, said Michelle Brane, director of the Migrant Rights and Justice program at the Womens Refugee Commission, an advocacy group that conducts interviews and monitoring at immigration detention centres, including those that house children. It really to me is just a horrific Sophies Choice for a mom.

Mirian has pinballed across Texas, held at various times in three other detention centres. She is part of a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of many immigrant parents seeking to prohibit family separations at the border.

Her sons name, along with Mirians surname, are being withheld for their safety. But in a declaration she filed in that case, she said she was never told why her son was being taken away from her. Since February, the only word she has received about him has come from a case manager at the facility in San Antonio where he is being held. Her son asked about her and cried all the time in the days after he arrived at the facility, the case worker said, adding that the boy had developed an ear infection and a cough.

I had no idea that I would be separated from my child for seeking help, Mirian said in her sworn statement. I am so anxious to be reunited with 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

Protecting children at the border is complicated because there have, indeed, been instances of fraud. Tens of thousands of migrants arrive there every year, and those with children in tow are often released into the United States more quickly than adults who come alone, because of restrictions on the amount of time that minors can be held in custody. Some migrants have admitted they brought their children not only to remove them from danger in such places as Central America and Africa, but because they believed it would cause the authorities to release them from custody sooner.

Others have admitted to posing falsely with children who are not their own, and Border Patrol officials say that such instances of fraud are increasing.

But even groups that support stricter immigration policies have stopped short of endorsing a family separation policy. Jessica M. Vaughan, the director of policy studies for the Centre for Immigration Studies, one such group, said that family separation should only be used as a last resort.

However, she said that some migrants were using children as human shields in order to get out of immigration custody faster.

It makes no sense at all for the government to just accept these attempts at fraud, Ms Vaughan said. If it appears that the child is being used in this way, it is in the best interest of the child to be kept separately from the parent, for the parent to be prosecuted, because its a crime and its one that has to be deterred and prosecuted.

The New York TimesThe Beverly Hills lawyer who represented two women who were paid in 2016 to keep quiet about their alleged affairs with Donald Trump has been drawn into the federal investigation focused on Michael Cohen, Trumps longtime lawyer and fixer.

That lawyer, Keith Davidson  who finalised another legal agreement with Cohen in recent months  was contacted by federal authorities in the wake of this months raid on Mr Cohens Manhattan office and has shared records with investigators, a spokesman said.

Mr Davidson has been contacted by the federal authorities regarding the Michael Cohen probe in the Southern District of New York, the spokesman, Dave Wedge, said on Friday. Mr Davidson was asked to provide certain limited electronic information. He has done so and will continue to cooperate to the fullest extent possible under the law.

Keith Davidson has called Mr Cohen a friend, and this month he defended his professional integrity to CNN (CNN)

Mr Davidson has reached multiple agreements with Mr Cohen  one of them negotiated in late 2017, when the men brokered the silence of a Playboy model who had had an affair with a major Republican donor and Trump ally. Mr Cohen also referred business to Mr Davidson after their earlier dealings leading up to the 2016 presidential election.

In 2016, Mr Davidson represented pornographic-film actress Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, and former Playboy model Karen McDougal in two separate legal agreements that required each woman to keep silent about an alleged sexual relationship with President Trump.

Ms Clifford, who received $130,000 (93,000) from Mr Cohen weeks before the election, has sued him, seeking to be released from that agreement, which her lawyer has argued is invalid because Mr Trump did not sign the contract.

Recommended Judge says Michael Cohen has to justify Stormy Daniels delay

Ms McDougal similarly sued American Media Inc., the media company that had paid her $150,000 for the rights to her story, arguing that she was deceived into accepting the terms. She said that Mr Davidson, acting as her lawyer, inappropriately pressured her and secretly colluded with Mr Cohen, who was not technically part of the negotiation. This week, AMI, the parent company of The National Enquirer, freed her from that agreement.

Yet another former Playboy model was represented by Mr Davidson in recent months, as he negotiated another agreement with Mr Cohen. Under that contract, Elliott Broidy, the deputy finance chairman of the Republican National Committee, agreed late last year to pay $1.6m (1.1m) to the woman, who had become pregnant during an affair with Mr Broidy. Mr Broidy resigned last week after reports of the agreement emerged.

Like Ms Clifford and Ms McDougal, the woman who settled with Mr Broidy has sought a new lawyer and is no longer represented by Mr Davidson.

Mr Davidsons past client list has included professional athletes Jalen Rose and Manny Pacquiao, as well as gossip-page regulars who placed him in the middle of the sex-tape cases of wrestler Hulk Hogan and onetime Playboy model and MTV host Tila Tequila.

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 Davidson has called Mr Cohen a friend, and this month he defended his professional integrity to CNN and said that Mr Cohen had encouraged him to talk to the media and spill my guts.

The investigators who have sought information from him are working separately from special counsel Robert Mueller, although the special counsels office referred certain information to them.

Among the evidence that the authorities in New York have seized are recordings of conversations that Cohen secretly made. Davidson, who works out of two offices in Southern California, would need to have agreed to the recording of any phone calls that he and Cohen may have had, as California law requires that both people involved in a conversation consent.

The New York TimesA 68-year-old man has been released from prison after serving nearly 25 years on death row.

Vicente Benavides was released from San Quentin State Prison on Thursday, after the California Supreme Court overturned his conviction for murder and rape. Local prosecutors said they would not re-try the case.

Leaving the prison on Thursday, Mr Benavides told reporters he was very happy.

The California native was convicted in 1993 of the rape and murder of his girlfriends nearly two-year-old daughter, Consuelo Verdugo.

According to a previous court decision, he told police that he had been babysitting the girl while her mother was at work, and that he briefly lost track of her. He found her outside, vomiting, and took her to the emergency room. She died a week later.

A forensic pathologist said at the time that the girl had died of anal injuries from being sodomised. Several doctors testified that the injuries were caused by sexual assault.

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

Nearly all of the professionals later recanted their testimony, with some of them saying they had not seen Consuelos full medical records at the time, according to the Supreme Court ruling. The records indicated there was no evidence of sexual assault at the time the girl was hospitalised.

It is unclear how Consuelo sustained her original injuries.

The Supreme Court overturned Mr Benavidess conviction in a ruling last month.

"The evidence now shown to be false was extensive, pervasive, and impactful," the court wrote.

Kern County District Attorney Lisa Green said in a statement that she would not retry the case. The change in the medical professionals opinions, she said, would greatly undermine their testimony in any re-trial regarding the physical abuse the victim suffered.

Therefore, our professional and ethical standards require us to decline to retry a case when, upon objective review the facts, there is insufficient evidence to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt," she added.

Mr Benavides is the fourth person exonerated from Californias death row since 1980, and the 162nd person exonerated from the United States' death row since 1973, according to the Death Penalty Information Centre.The new legislation does not put an affirmative duty on us to bring eligible cases to the courts attention, Gero said. We will handle each individual case as they are brought for our consideration.

San Francisco DA George Gascon is retroactively applying the act to misdemeanor and felony convictions dating back to 1975. His office announced in January that it would be reviewing, recalling and resentencing up to 4,940 felony marijuana convictions and dismissing and sealing 3,038 misdemeanors which were sentenced prior to the initiatives passage.

This will not require any action be taken by those who are eligible pursuant to Proposition 64, the San Francisco DAs Office said.

Napa County doesnt have the same capabilities as San Francisco and San Diego, though, so the convicted need to take initiative if they want to benefit from the new laws.

It would be a lot of work, Gero said. It could be hundreds  it could be thousands. We really arent equipped for that.A kangaroo has died in a zoo after visitors threw rocks at in an attempt to make the animal hop.

Onlookers repeatedly pelted the creature at Fuzhou Zoo in Chinas Fujian province.

Another kangaroo was injured during a second incident days later, according to the country's state-run China Central Television (CCTV).

A vet said the 12-year-old female died from a ruptured kidney after being hit. Staff had initially only treated her for an injured foot after failing to realise she was bleeding internally.

In the second incident, a five-year-old male suffered minor injuries after being struck by a concrete chunk.

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

Both kangaroos had been asleep when the attacks started.

Now, authorities say they will stuff the dead animal and display it with a warning to deter similar incidents in the future. Security cameras will be redirected to point not just at the animals but at visitors too.

It has not been reported whether anyone has been charged over either incident, which occurred in February.On Friday 13 April, inside a cramped Moscow courtroom, judge Yulia Smolina made Russian internet history. It took her just 19 minutes to agree to a government request to block the popular messaging app Telegram. The brutal efficiency of the decision  which took hold even before an appeal took place  suggested everyone thought implementation would be easy.

The reality has been anything but.

Communications regulator Roskomnadzor began implementing the ban last Monday, ordering internet providers to block access to the messaging app. A game of hide and seek ensued. As soon as the first subnets were blocked, Telegram switched its servers to alternate IP addresses. Regulators responded by blocking entire internet subsets  to general calamity. By midday on 19 April, it had banned a total of 18 million IP addresses (compare this to 38,000 in all previous years).

Many businesses, including parts of the banking infrastructure, were caught in Roskomnadzors net. On Sunday, Gmail and some other Google services went offline for many Russians, as the authorities shut down major networks they believed were being used to circumvent the ban.

Telegram, meanwhile, remained accessible to the vast majority of Russian users.

The Kremlin faced an embarrassing reality that the internet was stronger than its heaviest fist. But for many, the fear is that sharper impacts will now follow.

Once a largely free space, the Russian internet has been increasingly subjected to regulation and censorship.

The first blocklists appeared in 2012. Now, the decision of a remote Siberian village court is enough for a site to be struck off completely. Such, for example, was the fate that befell the countrys leading LGBT website, gay.ru, earlier this year  and any number of dating and porn sites the year before.

In 2015, a new law was passed forcing foreign tech companies to move Russian data to servers inside Russia. Most refused to comply, but that may change.

Kremlin hardliners have meanwhile made little secret of ongoing work to build an analogue to the Great Chinese Firewall.

The Chinese model is now one of three scenarios under consideration, said independent observer Konstantin Gaaze.

The first is to continue as if nothing has happened.

Russia could certainly continue its haphazard approach of blocking subsets and IP addresses. But if it is to appear remotely effective, it will need the agreement of Apple and Google  for example, to block the notifications the app is using to update users on new server addresses. In 2016, the tech giants did cooperate with the Kremlin to remove the much less popular LinkedIn platform from its stores, but it is unclear if they will do so in these more controversial circumstances.

On the other hand, Russia could choose to revisit and fudge the original court decision.

Or it could take a sledgehammer to the internet with a system of filters and whitelists.

The security council met on Thursday, and it appears no major decision has been taken, Mr Gaaze told The Independent. Things are likely to continue as they are until the inauguration in May  then it is anyones guess

Others are less sure that Russia can make a firewall work.

It isnt workable right now, as we dont have the technology to deal with the data involved, said Andrei Soldatov, author of The Red Web. China has been ready to lend a hand to the Kremlin, the security expert told The Independent, but the paranoia of Russias security services has prevailed.

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

There were high level meetings, but it seems the regulators have refused to accept Chinese help, he said.

Up until ill now, the Russian system has muddled through with a system of fear and selective punishment. The unexpected resistance of Telegram may change that.

The severity of Russias legislation has always been compensated by the lack of enforcement  that was the old adage, said IT entrepreneur David Homak. Telegram may not yet be blocked, but the Kremlin has shown it is ready for a battle, demonstrating strength in the most primitive sense .

In an interview with Izvestia, Roskomnadzors chief Alexander Zharov appeared to be clearing the way for a renewed assault on those tech companies refusing to move their data to Russia.

We will finish our compliance checks by the end of this year, he told the pro-Kremlin newspaper. If nothing happens  then obviously the question of blocking arises.

For Mr Soldatov, last weeks technical failure might be interpreted as political success.

After a week or two of this, the Kremlin might come to a view that its taken all the heat its possible to muster, he said.

At that point, nothing is stopping it moving against Facebook.After residents in Saudi Arabia's capital reported hearing rare bursts of gunfire on Saturday evening, followed by videos of heavy shooting that circulated on the Internet, the Saudi government said it had an explanation: Someone had flown a recreational drone, without authorisation, and security forces had shot it down.

A government statement said that guards at a checkpoint in Riyadh, the capital, observed the drone shortly before 8 p.m., in the Al-Khozama neighbourhood, where a palace belonging to King Salman, the Saudi monarch, is located. The security forces dealt with it according to their orders, the statement said.

It was a small remote-controlled toy airplane that came into restricted airspace and was immediately shot down, said a Saudi official who requested anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the news media.

The gunfire took place in the Al-Khozama neighbourhood of Riyadh on Saturday night (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

A retired government official who lives in the neighbourhood said that he heard gunfire, but it had only lasted a short time. It went on maybe for two or three minutes, he said, declining to be named. It is quiet now, he added.

Saudi security forces have been on high alert because of frequent attacks coming from Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition is participating in that country's civil war.

A Yemeni rebel group has fired dozens of ballistic missiles at Saudi cities and towns over the past few years, including towards Riyadh. In March, missile fragments plunged into a house in Riyadh and killed an Egyptian construction worker.

The Yemeni rebels, known as the Houthis, have also claimed to have carried out armed drone attacks on the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, as well as on Saudi territory.

Saudi Arabia is also in the midst of a sweeping social and economic transformation carried out by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The changes have included the easing of social restrictions  like the prohibition on women driving  but also a determined consolidation of power under Prince Mohammed that has sidelined rivals and landed dissenting voices in jail.

Saudi Arabia's camel festival Show all 11 1 /11 Saudi Arabia's camel festival Saudi Arabia's camel festival Camel festival The camel is a symbol of Saudi Arabia. The annual King Abdulaziz Camel Festival celebrates all things camel, with beauty contests and races. Thuymi Do Saudi Arabia's camel festival Camel festival This year, the massive 30-day event drew 600,000 people and more than 30,000 camels. When not rooting for the most beautiful camel or cheering along the fastest ones, theres plenty of other entertainment. Here people gather to watch a live music display. Thuymi Do Saudi Arabia's camel festival Camel festival This year the camel festival made international news when 12 camels were disqualified after receiving lip-plumping botox injections. Amid the scandal, theres more pressure than ever to make sure camels are all-natural and healthy. Here, men roam between camels to check theyre fit for display. Thuymi Do Saudi Arabia's camel festival Camel festival Camels are judged by the shape of their head, their height, their noses and more. In one enclosure, particularly rare and beautiful camels are on show. Thuymi Do Saudi Arabia's camel festival Camel festival Moving camels from one part of the festival to another is no simple task. A driver escorts an entire group. Thuymi Do Saudi Arabia's camel festival Camel festival Now theres a three-step process involving vets and camel experts to ensure no beauty beast gets a botox bias, said Dr. Fahd bin Abdullah Al-Sammari, general supervisor of the King Abdulaziz Foundation. Thuymi Do Saudi Arabia's camel festival Camel festival Men wait for the camel races to start. With 6,120 camels participating in the races in 2018, the festival set a new Guinness World Record. Thuymi Do Saudi Arabia's camel festival Camel festival A blue-eyed camel is placed into a separate enclosure, marked for its beauty. Thuymi Do Saudi Arabia's camel festival Camel festival Camel trainers relax beside racing camels before the excitement starts. This year the festival rolled out a brand new 8km track that accommodates 100 camels and 200 cars. Thuymi Do Saudi Arabia's camel festival Camel festival While most people watch the camel races from the outdoor stands, a special VIP tent is available for more luxurious viewing. Thuymi Do Saudi Arabia's camel festival Camel festival As the national anthem is played, festival attendees stand respectfully. Thuymi Do

In videos purportedly recorded in Riyadh on Saturday that were shared on social media, the sounds of heavy barrages of gunfire could be heard. The authenticity of the videos could not be independently confirmed.

A Saudi official told the Reuters news agency that King Salman was not in his palace when the shooting took place.

The Washington PostBritish holidaymakers are returning to Egypt and Turkey in droves this year, according to the Thomas Cook Holiday Report 2018.

The giant tour operator has sold 89 per cent more holidays to Egypt than at the same point in 2017, while 84 per cent more travellers have booked for Turkey than last year.

The increase in numbers to Egypt means visitor numbers to the Red Sea are now close to where they were for Thomas Cook in 2015.

On 31 October in that year, a Russian holiday flight crashed shortly after take-off from the main resort, Sharm el Sheikh, killing 224 passengers and crew.

It is believed that a bomb was placed on board the plane while it was on the ground in Egypt. Five days after the tragedy, the UK government banned British airlines from operating to and from Sharm el Sheikh.

The prohibition remains in place, despite Egyptian claims that security standards at its airports are now world class. For the past two years, the Foreign Office travel advice has read: The UK government will continue working with the Egyptian authorities to enable regular flights between the UK and Sharm el Sheikh to resume.

We are also liaising with travel companies so that they are able to resume flights and holidays in Sharm el Sheikh as soon as appropriate security arrangements are in place.

Because of the continuing ban, most British tourists stay in Hurghada and Marsa Alam, on the opposite shore of the Red Sea.

Thomas Cook said that 51 per cent of bookings for Egypt are for families. For Turkey, the figure is 61 per cent.

The company said: Clearly, the nations appetite for sunshine at a fair price fuels our demand to revisit these old favourites.

In February 2018, Thomas Cook became the first major UK tour operator to return to Tunisia, where 30 British holidaymakers were gunned down in a terrorist attack in June 2015.

Forty-four per cent of bookings to the North African nation of Tunisia are for families. Peter Fankhauser, Thomas Cook chief executive, said: We started with just a handful of hotels near to Hammamet where we were confident that we could offer the quality our customers expect.

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. 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Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. 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Our first flights sold out and bookings have been strong in the months since. Meanwhile, the Tunisian people have gone out of their way to make our customers feel welcome, recognising our commitment to rebuild the destination. As a result, we have increased our flight programme to 11 flights a week for this summer.

The Foreign Office warns: Terrorists are still very likely to try to carry out attacks in Tunisia.

Thomas Cook said a combination of security fears, together with the collapse of firms such as Monarch, are steering travellers back from independent trips to package holidays.

Ongoing political uncertainty, combined with the regrettable failure in recent years of several established holiday companies, has no doubt influenced the nations decision to think again about how they holiday, the firm said.

Thomas Cook is following its larger rival, TUI, in adding premium accommodation and offloading cheaper options. The firm reports five-star bookings are up 38 per cent. Self-catering bookings for summer 2018 are down 9 per cent.

If travellers are concerned about the economy, Brexit or any impending financial doom, they do a good job of hiding it, the firm said.

The move to buying on smartphones is continuing: 23 per cent of holiday bookings made online with Thomas Cook are on mobiles, while one in five of all bookings for Thomas Cook Airlines are made on a smartphone.Another chapter is closing in the story of devolved power in Wales.

Carwyn Jones unanticipated announcement this week that his tenure as Welsh Labour leader and First Minister will come to an end in the autumn is not simply a loss to the Labour Party in Wales: it is a loss to a nation for whom Jones has projected a solid image of competent leadership at the head of an underestimated country.

When he was elected in 2009, the former barrister was seen as a safe pair of hands within the party. He followed through. Jones successfully spearheaded the 2011 referendum on Welsh powers and consistently challenged Whitehalls domineering attitude on issues such as regional regeneration, austerity and Brexit. He also won successive election victories for Labour as their performance elsewhere in the Union crumbled. I saw for myself in a safe Tory seat in Cardiffs suburbs in 2015 just how easily Jones swayed non-Labour voters on the doorstep.

The deeply disturbing events of the past six months  Carl Sergeants passing and the three inquiries that have followed  have culminated in Jones' departure. The events have also played out against the backdrop of the continuing debate about OMOV (one member, one vote). In 2017, Welsh Labour determined that instead of OMOV it would retain the electoral college (which gives a large say to elected members, trade unions and affiliated bodies) to determine who would become its deputy leader. It is no secret that this decision was opposed by a large contingent of the Partys membership.

Labour under Jones has undertaken the hard graft to bring private enterprise to Wales. In 2016 Aston Martin made it clear that it was manufacturing its new DBX in St Athan due in part to its relationship with the government of Wales. Qatar Airways will be commencing direct flights with Cardiff within the month. The opportunities for development of the capitals service economy (with the growth of firms like Admiral) are limitless. In contrast to a Westminster government that rejects European business, Jones and others have worked to achieve partnership with big names to create jobs.

Now Welsh Labour must decide where the future of Wales lies. That task will require a leader as capable as Jones and as charismatic as his predecessor, Rhodri Morgan, to command respect and attention. There are a number of very competent potential contenders: they include finance secretary Mark Drakeford; general counsel for Wales, Jeremy Miles; health secretary, Vaughan Gething, and minister for children and social care, Huw Irranca-Davies. Jones formal departure in the autumn should see a new leader in place by the end of the year.

Enter the two potential obstacles to progress in this leadership election: Westminster and the assembly.

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Jeremy Corbyns popularity with the Labour membership in Wales is obvious. Only this weekend, in Welsh Labours first ever deputy leadership election, Julie Morgan AM won the membership vote by 2 to 1 on the back of a campaign in which she made clear her support for Corbyn. There is an increasing fusion between the views of the party membership in Wales and Corbyns revolution. Yet Welsh Labour has always retained a voice quite separate and distinctive from London for good reason. Wales greatest challenges are not always the same as those faced across the border. The Party must retain that separation in order to continue its appeal to the people of Wales.

Secondly, there is the assembly. Though many will criticise the comment, the fact is that the assembly remains a place without much theatre or renown. Some may argue that the absence of drama is to its credit. But were you to ask a Saturday shopper on Cardiffs Queen Street what the Assembly has done for them, the answer would, in all likelihood, not be positive. Despite the fact that the Assembly is filled with talented people, its image is one of mediocrity. That presents a problem for the leadership. The same perception must not engulf the future office-holder.

The next leader has a hard task ahead of them. Despite what many suggest, personality in politics is essential and Jones successor should have it in spades so that the Welsh people warm to them. But the future leader must also have the courage of their conviction, to ensure  just as every Welsh First Minister has to date  that Welsh Labour remains a force of its own in the kaleidoscope of modern British politics.In government circles the notion that the public might be offered a vote on the terms of the Brexit deal has long been taboo; something not to be discussed in front of the children; the great unmentionable.

Credit, therefore, is due to Steve Baker, minister of state at the Department for Exiting the European Union. As we report today, when he found himself before a House of Lords select committee this week he conceded, without any thumbscrews or bright lights, the possibility of a fresh referendum on the terms of our departure from the EU.

Indeed, Mr Baker was helpful enough to suggest that a vote on the deal would need to be held as soon as possible after the conclusion of talks with Brussels in the autumn. That would allow MPs to pass legislation for a referendum before the leaving date of 29 March 2019.

In one sense Mr Baker was merely stating the constitutional fact that parliament is free to debate and pass whatever it chooses. Parliament can always seek to amend motions, he said. However, in a government led by someone given to denying the obvious (nothing has changed), an acceptance of basic democratic principles feels like a welcome step forward.

Mr Bakers candour does not alter the prospects of a new referendum, which still depend on two things. One is a decisive shift in public opinion. This would have to be more than the small drift towards Remain recorded by the opinion polls since June 2016, and much more than the 2 per cent swing required to cancel the result of that vote.

In return for Mr Bakers plain speaking, it is worth The Independent reminding those campaigning to reverse Brexit that they need to do more than simply to repeat at greater volume their arguments from two years ago. Our view is that leaving the EU will be economically damaging, but many people do not believe it or think that it is a price worth paying for the kind of sovereignty they value.

A dramatic shift in opinion is likely, we suspect, only if the EU is prepared to offer new rules governing the free movement of people  rules that David Cameron did not even ask for in his renegotiation because he knew he would not get them.

However, even if British public opinion did swing against Brexit, a second change would be required to make another referendum possible. The Labour Party would have to change its policy. Jeremy Corbyns ambivalence about Brexit is well known, but he has allowed shadow ministers to say that the party has not called for another referendum, leaving open the possibility that they might still do so.

A shift in public opinion would, therefore, have to be sufficiently great to convince Mr Corbyn that a new referendum was required. The chances of that can only be guessed at.

Let us cautiously welcome Mr Bakers comments, therefore. He was right to say that parliament could ask for a further referendum if it chose to, and he was right to imply that the decision of the 2016 vote could legitimately be overturned by a further direct decision by the British electorate.

Mr Bakers openness does not make such a decision any more likely, but at least it allows for a sensible debate.The committee warned of the impact of no deal on the processed foods industry (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

Failure to secure a free trade deal with the European Union will be disastrous for Britains 28 billion processed food and drinks industry, MPs have warned.

The cross-party Commons Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee said a reversion to World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules would have a seismic impact on the countrys largest manufacturing sector.

It warned that without full access to EU markets, exports of processed products such as chocolate, cheese, beef, pork and soft drinks would suffer while consumers in the UK would face higher prices and less choice on the supermarket shelves.

The committee said British participation in the single market and customs union had led to an over reliance on EU markets which accounted for 60% of the 22 billion in processed food and drinks exports in 2017.

A no deal scenario would be unviable and unacceptable to the sector as, at least in the short term, the EU is the UKs main trading partnerBusiness, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee

It said the industry, which employs 400,000 people  a third of them EU nationals  would undeniably suffer if Britain left without a trade deal and was forced to fall back on WTO rules.

The EUs most favoured nation tariffs under WTO rules would be disastrous for UK exports and must be avoided at all cost, the committee said.

A no deal scenario would be unviable and unacceptable to the sector as, at least in the short term, the EU is the UKs main trading partner. It would also have serious repercussions for importers of UK products in the EU and the rest of the world.

The committee warned that if UK tried to lower or remove tariffs on imports after Brexit, the consequences for British farming could be extremely serious while the impact on prices in the shops was likely to be very limited.

It said that Britain should remain as close as possible to EU regulations warning that UK consumers would not tolerate any lowering of standards.

It also urged the Government to seek a deal on immigration which allowed the industry continued access to EU labour  both skilled and unskilled  on which it was heavily reliant.

The committee chairman Rachel Reeves said: The success of the industry has been highly dependent on participating in the single market and customs union.

To ensure the continued success of our food and drinks industry, the Government must provide clarity and certainty on our future relationship with the EU and seek continued regulatory, standards, and trading alignment with the EU in the processed food and drink sector.Lots of us remember long summers of blistered hands and broken backs. The rest of us have internalised sepia postcards of small donkeys hauling home baskets of dark sods to small cottages.

But for several years now, the EU has been trying to ban turf cutting in Ireland. The issue rages every summer; a stand-off between conservationists upset by the extinction of a very unique ecosystem that has taken more than 10,000 years to form, and turf cutters defending their turbary rights and traditions.

As another turf-cutting season approaches, tests are being carried out in North Kerry's Moanveanlagh Bog to resolve the issues there.

Moanveanlagh, close to the town of Listowel, has been designated a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) site, a category defined as "prime wildlife conservation areas in the country, considered to be important on a European as well as Irish level".

Last month, local turf cutters met with Heritage Minister Josepha Madigan on the future of turf cutting in their bog.

Denis Scannell's bog is part of his working farm. "It's affecting five or six of us very badly. We've reclaimed part of the bog down through the years and we won't be able to put out manure. It's a bigger problem than just the turf cutting. There are farmers around driven demented from it."

Expand Close Bringing in the turf for winter Williamstown Bog Co. Westmeath. Picture; Gerry Mooney / Facebook

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Whatsapp Bringing in the turf for winter Williamstown Bog Co. Westmeath. Picture; Gerry Mooney

An ancient tradition

"The Minister told us the tests will be finished by the end of April. The next stage will see if turf cutting can recommence at one end of the bog," Mick Looney says.

"Sure the amount we're cutting is only like a daisy in a bull's mouth. People have been cutting turf in Moanveanlagh for hundreds of years and the bog hasn't been destroyed. Turf cutting can exist hand-in-hand with the environment.

"There won't be any heritage to be maintained here anyway if the turf-cutting ban doesn't change. Back when I was a young lad, there was nine houses on my road. Now there are only two. It's the same story in all the parishes around us. That's what the Heritage Department is doing for us."

Surveys were carried out by the National Parks and Wildlife Service in the late 1990s, and 139 of our 1,500-plus raised bogs were designated as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) or Natural Heritage Areas (NHAs). The bog owners were told that from 2008 they would no longer be allowed cut the turf on their land.

They hadn't seen it coming.

'Rangers and gardai chased us off the bog'

Case study: Mick Looney (82) Moanveanlagh Bog, Listowel, Co Kerry

Expand Close Bringing in the turf for winter Williamstown Bog Co. Westmeath. Picture; Gerry Mooney / Facebook

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Expand Close Waiting game: Mick Looney. Photo: Don MacMonagle / Facebook

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Mick's ancestors have been retuwrning to the bog in Moanveanlagh since 1911.

"I remember going to school 70 years ago and I used to meet 24 men coming down different fields on our way to school. They'd be saving and drawing turf. It kept them going.

"Then the machine came and in a week it'd cut turf for everyone. It wasn't doing damage to anyone.

"We were cutting away until, out of the blue, an ad appeared in the Kerryman newspaper on December 19, 2002 saying that turf cutting in Moanveanlagh Bog was to stop. We'd a few meetings with the IFA and with Duchas (who were in charge of it at the time). The outcome of all this was that people that wanted to cut turf for themselves could continue and people who wanted to take compensation could take it."

Compensation was 500 a year or 15,000 if you wanted to sell your rights outright. "Some people took compensation but I didn't on principle. I didn't trust the people we were dealing with."

In late December 2012, another notice appeared in the Kerryman that turf cutting was to cease.

"We started to cut turf anyway in 2012 in breach of everything. Wildlife service rangers and gardai raided the bog and chased us turf cutters across the bog. It was 91 years to the week, the very week, that Con Dee had escaped across the bog."

(In 1921 the barracks in Listowel was burnt down. A troop of Black and Tans arrested four young unarmed men and decided to execute them. One of the four, Dee, decided, as he was going to be shot anyway, to make a run for it. He did, and almost immediately took a bullet in the thigh but kept running and was never recaptured.)

"Our contractor was summonsed, and he's been before the courts ever since. There have been engineers appointed to carry out tests and further tests. Nothing has happened for us cutters though.

"The experts in early days said Moanveanlagh was only selected because it is in pristine condition. And we've been cutting it since 1911 without damaging it. I don't see where there's any environmental damage. In the last few years it's become a wilderness, all the boreens leading in to the bog are overgrown."

The Moanveanlagh men met Minister for Culture, Heritage and The Gaeltacht Josepha Madigan on March 20 and were promised that tests would be completed by the end of this month. "I've been fighting with this thing for six long years and I asked the Minister, is it going to be another six years? At that stage it'll be too late for a lot of us."

The biodiversity question

The original plan was part of an EU commitment to reverse biodiversity loss by 2020, but turf cutting continued. In 2011, the European Commission issued a Reasoned Opinion - basically, a final warning - to Ireland to enforce the ban and warned that the state that it would face fines of up to 25,000 per day if turf cutting on the designated bogs didn't stop immediately. Cutters mobilised around the country; a few defied the ban and cut their bogs as usual.

Some conflicts do get resolved and, late last year, Minister Madigan published a new conservation management plan to cover the next five years. It includes plans to start restoration work on a number of bogs across the country and commits to further work relocating turf cutters to non-designated bogs.

"The cessation of turf cutting necessary for the protection of our designated raised bogs has had an impact on people's lives," she says. "This plan strikes an appropriate balance between Ireland's legal obligation to protect certain raised bogs and the needs of turf cutters, landowners and other stakeholders within these sites."

A compromise plan

The plan outlines that, where domestic turf cutting has had to cease, financial compensation is being provided and feasible alternatives have been and are being sought.

The Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht has so far provided in the region of 28.7m in compensation to those impacted by turf-cutting bans on protected raised bogs and is working to relocate turf cutters to suitable non-designated bogs.

It appears to be a workable compromise, at least for the cutters.

However, conservationists are still adamant turf cutting has to end. Full stop. Their point is that the value of our boglands goes beyond them being important wildlife habitats, they also function as carbon sinks. Friends of the Irish Environment, a group that has been extremely vigilant in campaigning for peatland protection, says bogs are vital for offsetting carbon emissions.

Tony Lowes, one of the directors of Friends of the Irish Environment, says that turf's day has long passed. "Turf cutting and environmental concerns cannot co-exist," he says.

The public good

"No one knew this when turf cutting was an annual rural event. It is now settled science that draining wetlands - including bogs - contributes to increased global warming, pollutes our waterways, and when burnt is many times more polluting than even coal - with public health implications. The public good must outweigh even long-held rights."

And while the Green Party welcomed Minister Madigan's new conservation plan, they say that our collective, ongoing reliance on fossil fuels must stop. The party's spokesperson for rural affairs, Malcolm Noonan, says that Government needs to ramp up funding to the National Parks and Wildlife Service to offer more protection to the 53 raised bog sites, and to fund local authority biodiversity officers in each functional area to promote greater awareness within the community of the importance of these unique habitats.

"We think that there is an opportunity for a 'just transition' to take place here, where turf cutters could not just be compensated but rewarded and indeed employed on interpretative sites and in restoration projects," he says.

"Turf cutting is over; it's no longer viable nor feasible in a state that is already way behind on meeting our legally binding climate commitments. Offering alternative rural enterprise and employment based around the bog habitats is a positive way forward for all concerned."

A day in the bog is more than just stacking sods to marinate in the Irish summer, and the Green Party is right to acknowledge that alternative enterprises and supports must be put in place for turf cutters. The fight was never just about fuel. Turf cutting in rural Ireland is about more than having a way of heating your home in winter. If it was, then every turf cutter would happily pocket compensation for not cutting their bog.

Turf cutting is about neighbours coming together and helping each other out. It's a social experience that helps fight rural isolation and loneliness. It's another social outlet like the rural shop, pub or post office that is gradually being lost.

Michael Fitzmaurice, turf-cutting-activist-turned-independent TD for Roscommon-Galway, says the bog is an important social place for rural Ireland where he remembers throwing sods of turf at the "old men" when he was a youngster.

"We'd call them old men, but they probably weren't that old," he says. "At dinner time they'd have a little fire lit and they'd be having a bit of grub. We talk about 'social inclusion' nowadays, but that was real social inclusion back then.

"You'd be there chatting away to the neighbours and having a bit of a meitheal (a gathering) going.

"It's fine for so-called environmentalists who have gas coming out of their backsides in Dublin," adds Fitzmaurice. "They don't always understand rural Ireland."

Fitzmaurice believes the turf wars can be resolved now, provided there is the willingness on both sides. "We've always said that where there was a viable option of a relocation bog two or three miles up or down the road, we'd no problem with that.

"But environmentalists need to see reason and understand the heritage and tradition of the Irish bog. There must be give and take here. It would be sad if environmentalists were the cause of this new plan falling apart. And whether people like it or not, the bogs are our private property."

@lorrainecath

Histroy of turf cuttingFinance Minister Paschal Donohoes vote against the share bonus plan at AIBs annual general meeting raises questions about how it got so far. Photo: Gareth Chaney Collins

The 1bn tracker mortgage scandal has put paid to AIB's plans for a new executive remuneration scheme, which would include share bonuses for around 80 management figures.

The bank only has itself to blame for having its bonus plan scheme shot down in flames. There can be few surprises in Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe's decision to scupper the plan, at least for now.

As recently as last October he said that bank customers in general had been treated "disgracefully" and that the past and current culture of the banks was "unacceptable" to him.

AIB did manage to come with a late surge in its handling of the crisis by pledging to pay everybody affected by the deadline, but the damage was done.

How could the minister sanction a bonus scheme, just months after that statement and when his own review into banking culture in Ireland has not been completed?

Donohoe's decision to vote against the share bonus plan at the AIB AGM does raise a few interesting questions all the same. How did this plan even see the light of day, only to be shot down in a very public way by the minister?

One would assume the proposed bonus scheme got as far as it did, only after consultation with all shareholders, including the Minister - who holds 71pc of the equity.

If that was the Minister's view, then how come the plan even got as far as it did? Admittedly, it was a relatively cautious plan as bank bonus schemes go. Those participating would only be able to have shares awarded to them after 2019 and a portion would be held back in the event that the bank's performance was negatively affected afterwards.

Similarly, the shares could only pay out to executives once all of the 20bn put into AIB by the State had been paid back. The scheme as proposed would not have seen executives receive real shares in their hands, for about five years from now.

It was a softly, softly approach to resuming bank bonuses at AIB which were canned back in 2008. Other shareholders don't seem to have a big issue with the scheme and even the proxy firms, which advise shareholders on how to vote on these things gave it a green light - albeit despite raising some issues.

Institutional shareholders are not politicians. They don't have to worry about the optics of banker bonuses possibly just months away from a general election. Donohoe has finely-tuned political antennae and knows the time is not yet right for this. Perhaps he believes it was the wrong scheme as well as the wrong time.

AIB chief executive Bernard Byrne has been left in a bit of a quandary. How does he retain key staff when he knows he cannot offer them this bonus scheme?

Donohoe has held out a fig leaf. He has proposed a review of banker remuneration to be conducted by outside consultants on whether the current pay caps and bonus ban are still fit for purpose.

This buys him some time but also says to executives with itchy feet, the situation might change fairly soon once there is enough blue daylight between the tracker scandal and the bonus scheme.

It isn't clear where it leaves Byrne himself. He appeared to jump the gun in January by suggesting to an Oireachtas committee that he would urge the Government to sell more AIB shares because they had risen so much in value. His more recent comments have been more restrained, emphasising how this is decision is a matter solely for government.

He has now gone ahead with putting together a bonus scheme that has been publicly shot down by the minister. Donohoe could have chosen to abstain and let the private shareholders decide, but instead he is voting against it.

Time is a great healer they say, but it will take a while - perhaps the far side of a general election - before Irish bankers can be hooked up with share bonuses in a state-controlled bank.

Online shopping frenzy delivers brighter outlook at An Post

An Post chief executive David McRedmond has made at least one speedy delivery this year. He announced a fairly rapid turnaround in the fortunes of the state company. Always one to see the glass half full rather than half empty, McRedmond heralded last week that the "future is bright" for An Post. With profits of 8.4m in 2017, compared to a previous year loss of 12.4m, why wouldn't he. The former Eircom and TV3 executive has acted quickly since taking up the job.

Firstly he convinced the minister to grant a 38pc increase in the price of a stamp. He then also restructured An Post into two distinct business, culled senior management numbers and shed more staff.

An Post has capitalised well on the growth in parcel deliveries and grown this business by 30pc. The bottom line was also boosted by the sale of its Cardiff Lane property in Dublin 2, which left a profit for the year of 37m.

This figure will make for interesting reading for all of those rural postmasters around the country. McRedmond has hired more consultants to take a look at the post office network, which buys him some more time. But it might be hard to actually close down post offices in a company where the future is so bright.

An Post's revenues last year returned to 2008 levels. Back then it had 10,970 full-time staff equivalents. Last year it was 9,905. The wage bill a decade ago was 599m and last year it was 562m.

Back in 2008, staff and postmasters' costs amounted to 70.5pc of wages, but last year they were just 58.9pc.

Online shopping is set to increase dramatically in the years ahead and An Post is now better placed to make the most of that opportunity. The thorny issue of rural post offices however, will not go away any time soon.

China can cushion the imminent Brexit blow to Irish beef industry

China may well prove to be a saviour for the Irish beef sector after Brexit. News that several Irish beef-processing plants have been cleared for 100m worth of beef exports to China could be just the beginning.

The Chinese are importing 600,000 tonnes of beef a year and consumption is rising. Some estimate that imports could double by 2020.

Unfortunately, while Ireland may be the first European exporter to access to marke we are late to the party.

Brazil started exporting beef to China in 2009. Last year it was the biggest supplier with 180,000 tonnes. In second place came Uruguay with 150,000 tonnes. Australia and New Zealand got into this market several years ago, and in 2016 the Kiwis exported 75,000 tonnes.

Chinese beef imports amounted to around 2.1bn in 2016. If that doubles by 2020 it would be worth around 4.2bn. How much of that can Ireland corner especially given that two Latin American countries, plus New Zealand and Australia, are in there ahead of us?

The patterns so far have shown that one country can overtake another in the Chinese market. Irish beef exports are worth about 2.5bn, with half of that going to the UK. A portion of it will be under threat after Brexit.

China could more than replace UK export losses if things go well. Right now the question is do we have enough cattle to sell there, and if so, do we have enough fodder?Under the guidance of chief executive Alan Walsh IPL will list on the Toronto stock exchange

When around 2,000 shareholders see a scheme of arrangement for the listing of IPL Plastics dropping through their letter boxes next week, it will surely be a surreal moment for many. For over a decade the company, known previously as One51, has been linked to a stock market listing - both by market commentators and the company itself.

And while a promise first made by former chief executive Philip Lynch to list the company is now finally being delivered upon, it is not quite in the form which anyone would have expected all those years ago.

The company started life as a ragbag of investments, holding stakes in firms as disparate as Irish Ferries owner ICG and bread business Pat the Baker, while its roots were very firmly set down in Thomas Street, Dublin. It was the most Irish of companies, born out of the Irish Agricultural Wholesale Society (IAWS).

When it lists in late June, the company will float on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TMX) and will be a pure play on plastics manufacturing, currently focused on North America.

Quite a transformation.

So what will the co-ops make of this latest in chapter in One51's corporate tale? The co-ops are a key group of shareholders but they have said very little publicly on the many twists and turns in the plot line of One51, which has recently been renamed IPL Plastics.

The co-ops have stuck with the company through thick and thin - and certainly there were some lean times, such as when the share price traded as low as 15c on the illiquid grey market - a halfway house which saw the stock traded on a limited basis.

For some, the listing marks the final step in a turnaround for the business. The stock is likely to list at around 2 a share as chief executive Alan Walsh delivers on the long-promised IPO. A company announcement last week put in motion a series of events to ensure the listing occurs within two months.

"The announcement on Tuesday made the whole thing real for the company. An IPO for One51 has been spoken about for years, but it's actually happening," said one source familiar with the firm.

However, not all shareholders are entirely enthusiastic about the Canadian listing. The route to Toronto started out in 2015 with the Irish company taking a majority stake in Canadian company IPL for 201m.

"This is a transformational deal for One51 but it's not just about scale, it's about strategic fit," said Walsh at the time. Few realised just how transformational it would be.

At the time of that deal, One51's minority partners were Fonds de Solidarite FTQ (FSTQ), a Canadian government agency which backs investment in Quebec and Caisse de Depot et Placement du Quebec (CDPQ) a long-term institutional investor that manages funds for the Canadian public sector.

Since then the Canadian investors have become ever more powerful, with CDPQ buying a 25pc stake from businessman Dermot Desmond in May 2017.

When this newspaper broke the story of a planned Canadian IPO last May, the company was still open to a dual listing in Dublin also. However, it is now only listing in Toronto.

In recent days Canadian media reported that the company's headquarters would move to Toronto. "The current head office in Ireland will become a secondary office," said the report. However, sources in Dublin insisted that Dublin would remain the company's head office. At present 80pc of revenues come from North America and the company management has previously expressed a desire to make a large acquisitions in Europe.

Irish shareholders will be keen to see a big deal to rebalance the business's geographic loyalties .

Price will also be a big issue for shareholders.

Many co-op shareholders hold stakes allocated to them through IAWS and will see plenty of upside in any listing. But others hark back to 2007, when the stock debuted on the grey market and enjoyed a lift of 20pc to see shares soar to 6.

"Some of them are very focused on the shares they bought at 3.50 and above," said one market source.

There are also concerns about the level of appetite there will be for the stock. After the listing Irish shareholders will continue to hold over 40pc of the shares, so there are potentially a significant block of sellers ready to exit.

Paramount to IPL's listing plans is ensuring a rush to sell will not destabilise the newly listed business.

In response to concerns among the IPO's underwriters, the company has put in a number of measures to mitigate this possibility - what market sources dub a 'structural lock-up'.

Firstly there is a share buy-back of CA$50m (32m). This equates to just over 7pc of the stock at the current share price. There is doubt in the market that take-up will be significant - newly listed stock debuts at a discount and usually enjoys a lift in price when it first trades.

However, taking the money could appeal to shareholders with a large chunk of shares - perhaps a million or more.

The second mechanism to allay the concerns of the underwriters is a six-month lock-in for stock. One new share will be given for every five IPL shares and initially these will trade on the grey market, mirroring the value of the TMX shares.

Again, the hope is that there will no rush to offload stock and destabilise the share price.

The listing is expected to take place in late June and a number of events must take place to pave the way for the flotation. Last Thursday there was a court hearing to set a date for approval the scheme of arrangement, which will be on May 17, the same day as the AGM. On Tuesday, the scheme of arrangement documents will be sent to shareholders. On April 30, the preliminary IPO prospectus will be filed in Canada. After May 17, an application for the buy-back scheme will be circulated. Later that month, a final prospectus will be filed, with the company expected to embark on its roadshow in June.

Many long-time observers argue that although the One51 journey has been a bumpy one with a surprising destination, the outcome is a good one for shareholders. "There are no tax implications, it is seamless in terms of the ability to trade those shares and they have a choice whether to hold that investment or sell it at the end of the day," said one source.Instead, the county should encourage the rebuilding of homes that were lost to last years wildfires, Dillon said. Many of those were small homes and second units that provided workforce housing, she said.

Measure C

Perez said he supports Measure C, the ballot initiative that would increase stream setbacks and limit the acreage of oak woodlands that could be converted to vineyards.

He said the existence of Measure C indicates a lack of leadership in county government. Initiatives, while not ideal, are a last resort when communities feel theyre not being listened to by those that are in control of what theyre trying to correct, he said.

Had the county been more proactive in regards to addressing the issue of our watersheds and our water quality, Measure C would not exist, Perez said, noting that the planting out of the valley floor has created more pressure to plant on the hillsides.

Dillon said shes neutral on Measure C, but if that ordinance came to us at the Board of Supervisors Id send it back to staff to be reworked.It's estimated that, by 2021, 95pc of data centre traffic will come from the cloud (stock picture)

It's estimated that, by 2021, 95pc of data centre traffic will come from the cloud - compared with 88pc today. That projected increase in demand is promising for Irish high-tech construction and engineering companies, which are already partnering in the development of the most innovative and large-scale data centres in Sweden.

Major Swedish projects driven by Irish construction and engineering companies include the Digiplex facility in Upplands Vasby, and three Amazon web services facilities in Katrineholm, Eskilstuna and Vasteras.

In March, Enterprise Ireland held a seminar on the construction sector at the World Trade Center in Stockholm, at which 40 Irish and Swedish companies participated.

The event featured presentations from Thomas O'Connor, director of Irish company Collen Construction, and representatives from Business Sweden, the Swedish Construction Federation, the Swedish Transport Administration, the Swedish Association of Public Housing Companies, Enterprise Ireland, and from 16 Irish companies. Ireland's ambassador to Sweden, Dympna Hayes, and Culture Minister Josepha Madigan also attended.

Tomas Sokolnicki, from Business Sweden, spoke about why construction in the Nordics has accelerated since Google opened a data centre in Finnish Hamina in 2009. Sweden's cool climate reduces the energy required to cool down data centres, and a stable electricity supply also makes it a favourable location for data centre construction.

Two Irish companies, Hanley Energy and Kirby Engineering, announced the expansion of operations in Sweden at the seminar, having recently won a number of significant new projects. Power management specialist Hanley Energy, which plays a key role in protecting data centres from problems caused by power supply issues, will open an office in Torshalla in Sweden.

"Sweden is an important market for data centre building," said Edward Pepper, head of operations at Hanley Energy.

"An establishment in the Swedish market, together with our new office, not only supports our growth plans, but also shows our commitment to our customers who expect support around the clock for 365 days a year. Customer demand is central to us, and our expansion in Sweden is part of the implementation of our vision."

With a turnover of 165m, Kirby was founded in 1964, and directly employs over 700 highly-skilled professionals.

Commenting on the expansion into Sweden, Dave McNamara, associate director for Kirby in Europe, said: "Although Kirby is relatively new to Sweden, we are positive about our growth and success in the market. This positive outlook is backed by our success so far in securing a number of high-profile projects, with more projects in the pipeline.

"Expanding our operations further in the Nordics region is a progressive step for the company both from a strategic and development standpoint, especially given the growth in the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing construction sector."

For Irish construction companies interested in opportunities in the Nordics, it is important to be familiar with local labour laws, follow union regulations, and listen to local advice. Take the opportunity to explore market intelligence and potential introductions with Enterprise Ireland. Staff in the region will assist you with local knowledge and contacts.

Enterprise Ireland recently published the Future Data Centre white paper, in collaboration with Datacenter Dynamics, analysing major changes that will impact design and construction trends over the next five years.

The white paper can be downloaded from the Irish Advantage website and offers a snapshot of the data centre construction landscape, major changes impacting design and build processes, regulatory and technological drivers of change, and strategies for smart design and construction.It is quite a scary proposition that as we head for the last stretch in the EU/UK Brexit negotiations, the Border issue appears to be one of the biggest stumbling blocks.

EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said so much himself late last week. "There are always difficulties, and risks of failures," he told France 2 television.

That was just after The Telegraph, a pro-Brexit publication, reported that Brussels had rejected a number of UK post-Brexit proposals outright including customs proposals in a bid to solve the border issue.

This report was largely rejected in Brussels circles as "overblown", with a statement from the EU side referring to British Prime Minister Theresa May's commitment to a legally operative "backstop solution" for Ireland/Northern Ireland as part of the withdrawal agreement.

However, it may prove a timely salutary warning for us as we enter into the final phase of talks and the choppy waters that lie ahead.

It highlights, again, how vulnerable we are with the Border issue not even close to resolution and also just how dependent we are on our European colleagues headed up by Barnier.

Let's face it, in the past few months the UK government has been exposed as having little understanding or interest in what a massive role the Border issue is for Ireland Inc - although arguably it is not their problem when you look at the bigger Brexit issues from their perspective.

Then there's the pressure on us over our corporate tax regime which is seen in many European circles as particularly lax and was raised again last week by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Macron's speech mainly called for a new European sovereignty in a bid to combat the wave of authoritarianism sweeping across Europe, particularly in the former Eastern bloc.

While this clarion call should be welcomed, especially at a time of growing democratic fragility in many EU member states, Macron also used the opportunity in his address to politicians in Strasbourg to highlight his plans for a new digital tax to help fund the EU budget.

Macron didn't exactly put flesh on the bones of his digital tax plans in the speech, but in the past he has advocated the taxing the revenues of the likes of Google, Facebook and Apple in the country where they are generated as opposed to the current system whereby these businesses are structured so the profits are booked in lower tax economies like Ireland, as well as some other European countries.

Of course, calls for tax harmonisation and a digital tax have sent successive Irish governments running for the hills but how long can this approach last especially when we need to keep Europe onside as we enter into some of the most sensitive Brexit talks.

In addition, concerns have now been long-raised about the sustainability of our 8bn a year corporation tax which is largely driven by these very multinationals that other bigger European countries want to regulate more and, of course, by changing the way they are taxed, extract tax revenue from them in their own jurisdictions too.

While Ireland could of course veto any move on tax harmonisation, that approach would not necessarily be helpful in our quest to build new alliances in the EU as our closest partner leaves the bloc.

The Irish Government, for its part, is more in favour of the OECD approach for a move towards a low rate, broad-based model.

Taxation troubles aside, it is the Border issue now that seems to be in the spotlight as we head into what is supposed to be the home straight in the Brexit talks.

In fact, some believe that the Irish government dropped the ball by letting the Border issue remain unresolved heading into the next round of talks which commence on April 30.

Whether or not that is the case is probably moot at this stage.

What is clear, though, is that some kind of border will have to exist post-Brexit.

But what form it will take, however, is still up in the air.

Certainly the EU seems to have rejected the idea of a 'technology' border - using CCTV and electronic pre-clearance systems - which was proposed by May.

How this would be workable is certainly questionable.

The 'backstop' plan, which would involve Northern Ireland remaining a member of the Single Market or Customs Union, has already been rejected by Brexiteers as well as the handful of DUP politicians that are currently propping up the minority Conservative Government.

So it looks like we are pretty much back to square one.

There's no doubt that Barnier's unique understanding of how the Border works is to Ireland's advantage and the Irish diplomats has worked very hard on our behalf in the talks but we can't take EU support for granted in these talks despite the sense of solidarity we have seen so far from other member states.

One thing is clear, the last thing we want is Britain crashing out of the negotiations without a deal because that would mean one thing only - a hard border - which would be the worst possible outcome for Ireland Inc.

It is arguable that the Government here is somewhat distracted by serious issues on the domestic front, not least the Referendum on the 8th Amendment of the Constitution which takes place on May 25 although the prospect of an election seems to have all but disappeared, at least in the short-term.

Quite apart from the great work being done behind the scenes at the diplomacy level, the Government now needs to look at the bigger picture.

We need to deploy troops on the ground in Europe, so to speak, and use our powers of persuasion to best effect as we head into the last round of negotiations.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, for example, should go on a European Brexit roadshow and build on the rapport he has established with Macron and other European leaders - tax difficulties aside.

And Tanaiste and Foreign Affairs minister Simon Coveney could spend more time in Brussels and London over the next few crucial weeks as could Minister for European Affairs Helen McEntee.

But there is one chink of light at the end of the Brexit tunnel too.

May is facing a House of Commons revolt this week over Britain's future customs arrangements with Europe after Labour MPs and Tory rebels joined together to force a vote.

Could the European negotiations team have been focusing on this weakness as they quietly pooh-poohed the British Brexit proposals out of the water?

I, for one, will be watching the debate on that parliamentary motion which is calling for an "effective customs union" when it takes place in Westminster this Thursday, very closely.

I won't be alone.IFG's current structure "fails to adequately recognise" the value of the financial services company's assets, according to one of its largest shareholders.

GVQ Investment Management, the investment manager for London-listed investment trust Strategic Equity Capital, told the Sunday Independent that it believes IFG is a "high-quality, undervalued business".

The comments were made after IFG informed the market of a major overhaul at boardroom and executive level.

Well-known businessman John Gallagher is stepping down as the company's chairman, while chief executive John Cotter is being replaced by non-executive director Kathryn Purves.

The overhaul comes after IFG was unable to conclude a deal to sell its financial planning and investment management arm Saunderson House.

Earlier this year the company publicly said it was considering a sale after a number of approaches. Saunderson is one of two major IFG assets, the other being pensions business James Hay.

"We weren't actively looking to change the management or the board. The company engages well with its shareholders, including ourselves as a major shareholder," GVQ said.

"In response to our and other's views, it explored how best to maximise shareholder value which, culminated in a sales process following inbound interest in Saunderson House. This transaction was pulled as the appropriate buyer wasn't found."

"As such, the decision was made for a new experienced team to come in... there are alternative routes to maximise the value of two high-quality assets, both of which are demonstrating strong operational progress.

"In our view, the current group structure fails to adequately recognise their value when one considers listed peers and other transactions in both the platform and wealth management space.

"We believe it is a high quality and heavily undervalued business."Andrea Linehan says Grid is benefiting from banks making slow decisions on lending to businesses who need capital quickly

The recent warning that banks are no longer making the effort to get to know small- and medium-sized businesses when they apply for a loan, struck a chord with Andrea Linehan.

Linehan, the commercial director with Grid Finance, is keen to stress that Grids model is much more business friendly, with staff around the country eager to dig into the fine details of a business hungry for capital.

Banks risk appetite when it comes to business lending is conservative, and they look to security first, and work their way back from there, she says.

Low-risk lending is their business model, and we dont want them to be doing anything else.

What we need is to bring in the other options and give businesses choice, and if that means providers coming in who have a higher risk appetite and have the capital providers who are willing to take that risk, then so be it, Ms Linehan.

Non-bank lenders like Grid have the capacity and willingness to do that, she adds.

Its hardly surprising that firms like Grid want to claim to be more attractive to borrowers than the traditional banks. But does a higher risk appetite equate to risky lending?

Not so, Linehan says.

Thats the stigma were trying to change, she says. Theres rarely acknowledgement of those really strong businesses which might not meet the criteria, but are exceptionally creditworthy.

The strength of those businesses are in the cash flow. The banks put a lot more emphasis on the security that a business can give.

They go straight to the security, see whats there and work backwards. From our perspective, we go straight to the cash flow and look at where the real engine is and look at how strong is that. Thats what we base a large portion of our decision-making on, the cash-flow strength.

Grid provides loans to Irish businesses via its online marketplace, which matches firms seeking to borrow with individuals seeking to lend money at a return.

Other products include invoice discounting, leasing and short-term cash flow loans, or cash advances, secured against money owed to the borrower from credit and debit card transactions.

Data from the Central Bank for the first half of last year showed that the SME lending market remains highly concentrated, despite continued reduction in the bank concentration of new lending flows.

The market share of the three main lenders in new lending flows at that point was around 82pc.

In the final six months of last year, data suggests that the market has become even more concentrated, with fewer banks holding an ever larger market share. This holds both in terms of outstanding credit and new lending flows.

Linehan said it is a very different picture in other countries, particularly in the US.

The level of competition over there and the choice for SMEs as to where they can access debt is extensive, not only from a cost perspective, but also a format perspective, Ms Linehan says. Theres lots of different debt products to choose from. Depending on the type of business you have and how your cash flow works, the ebb and flow of your trade, theres generally a debt product that exists over there that will suit.

Here in Ireland, its the vanilla product and heres the price of it, and if you fall within our remit, its a yes, and if you dont, its a no, and thats where the choice ends.

Linehan says the businesses that tap into Grids products are not being rejected by the banks, but are increasingly choosing Grid as an option rather than going to the more traditional lenders.

It comes down to businesses saying I have an opportunity, I need capital to be able to fund that opportunity but I need capital quickly, she says.

Its not about distressed businesses that cant get capital elsewhere.

Its about savvy business owners that are seeing business opportunities out there, and are being strangled by the slow nos and yeses at the bank. And they cant stay competitive because they cant move quickly.

Grid was started by CEO Derek F Butler in 2014. Linehan arrived after returning from a 10-year stint in the Middle East, where she developed commercial and leisure brands for the Omani Government.

Were an SME as well. This time last year there were only three of us in the business. We closed an equity round last summer, and were now at 22 people.

Weve had our own major growth spurt. The market is starting to lift again and the demand for capital is growing because of that and we, thankfully over the last few years, have built out all the ingredients.

Along with her day job, Ms Linehan is a regular speaker at conferences, summits and universities.

Topics range from financial inclusion, non-bank finance, crowdfunding, sharing economy, social entrepreneurship, fintech, Irish diaspora, minimal viable brands (MVB) and women in business.

Female business owners, she said, were among the most open to the peer-to-peer lending model.

The first concerns for business owners was that I am about to put my business out in the public ether and say Im looking for money. And it was perceived as a weakness, but only from the male perspective. Females didnt even think that way, Ms Linehan said.

Males have made up the bulk of Grids clientele, though, although she is seeing an increasing number of female entrepreneurs, particularly in the startup realm.

Is she a fan of gender quotas?

I go back and forth on this one. I dont think theyve been around long enough for us to understand the long term impact, Ms Linehan says.

It seems like a great idea, but I would be frustrated to sit on a board to see somebody, no matter what the minority is, sitting there and know that theyre not capable of that position but know that they got it because of that.This year Paul Dromgoole, his wife Angie and his brother Richard will celebrate 25 years in the hairdressing business. With three salons in Dublin - South William Street, Sandymount Road, and Arnotts Department Store - as well as one in the Manor Mill Shopping Centre in Maynooth, Co Kildare, their company Zeba Hairdressing employs 70 staff and has an annual turnover of more than 3m.

It's just after 9am on Monday when I visit the salon on South William Street and already the place is buzzing. Staff are warm, upbeat and engaging and there's a friendly yet professional feel to the whole place.

"We offer a full range of hairdressing services in all our branches, but our speciality is really cutting and colouring with hair extensions and the Brazilian blow out also having become firm favourites among our clients," says Paul. "Some 80pc of clients are women and 20pc men, a figure that is constantly on the up. And while most of our clients range between 20- to 60-years-old, we do have clients from as young at nine right up to 90," he adds.

Client profiles vary too depending on the location of their salons.

"Outside of the city centre, clients tends to be more locally based while here in this, our South William Street salon, we have built up a very well established and loyal client base, some whom work in the city while others travel into town and make a day of it," says Angie. "Our newest salon which we added just recently in Arnotts is getting a very eclectic mix of clients ranging from regular shoppers to those who to travel to Dublin and like to include a visit to this landmark store as part of their trip."

Key to the success of any such client-facing business is their staff. And all three are quick to emphasise the role their team play in the long term sustainability of the business.

"Our staff are such a vital part of our success and we continue to work hard and invest heavily in staff training and in developing a culture that supports the development of their careers as well as creating a working environment that is happy and fun. That's true for everyone from those who look after clients to the team of cleaners who keep the salons looking their best," says Paul.

Such has been their strategy that it has led to unusually high staff retention levels.

"We started with five employees 25 years ago - and all except one are still with us," says Paul.

Paul and Richard have been around the hairdressing industry all their lives. Originally from Beaumont on Dublin's northside, their mother was a hairdresser. Paul initially had set his sights on becoming an architect but while waiting to go to college, he got an offer of a part-time job in a salon. The part time role turned into a full-time job and he loved the business so much that he decided to make it his career.

"I found in hairdressing many of the things that had attracted me to architecture such as the focus on design and creativity," says Paul. "People like Vidal Sassoon also inspired me and particularly his very structured and almost architectural way of cutting hair."

It was while working for Peter Marks in Dun Laoghaire that Paul first met Angie. From Kincasslagh, Co Donegal, she too was a hairdresser. Paul worked for Peter Marks for over 11 years including time in their Grafton Street salon as well as later becoming manager of their Stephen's Green branch. "While being a stylist was rewarding and challenging, I always knew I wanted to open my own salon one day," says Paul.

A visit to New York would give him the final motivation he needed. "That trip stands out for me personally as the defining moment on my journey because I came across a salon there that reflected everything I thought a salon should be. From then on, I knew I had to pursue my dream of having my own salon. I chose the name Zeba because, in Persian, it means 'to beautify' and our mission isn't just to do hairdressing but to make our clients feel beautiful," he adds.

Having Angie and Richard involved has also been a huge part of the journey. Richard who also worked for Peter Marks in the early days had set up his own salon in Ashbourne in Co Meath and after six successful years, sold that business and joined the company.

Finding the right location for a salon is key and Paul's decision to locate on South William Street, though a risk at the time, proved an important decision for the business's future success.

"Back then, it was still just a side street and not the vibrant hub it is today" says Paul. "Building the team has also been key and I have been very lucky to find hard-working talented people who share my vision and my strong work ethic," he adds.

Paul insists that training and nurturing staff is vital. A lot of both his and Angie's time continues to be invested in the development and upskilling of staff. Central to this is ensuring that his front of house team try to match a customer with the right stylist to ensure that there is a perfect fit not just in terms of style and skill set but also personality.

Continuing to attract good staff remains high on his list of priorities. In this regard, the company set up Zeba Creative Team, which works on exclusive fashion shoots and hairdressing events across Ireland, the UK, Europe and the US - all of which helps staff wanting to work in the business. "The hair and beauty market is constantly changing," says Paul. "Launching in Arnotts was different to our traditional salon model but it is proving very successful. I am definitely open to expanding this model further. For now though, our focus is on maintaining and developing our current portfolio and ensuring that each site operates to the best of its ability."

"It's a very positive and rewarding industry to be involved," adds Angie. "This is because hairdressing staff are by their nature happy and outgoing and because it's about making people feel good as well as look good," she adds.

Zeba.ieAn Post has promised not to cut 2,000 jobs following fears sparked by a leaked government memo. Stock photo

An Post has promised not to cut 2,000 jobs following fears sparked by a leaked government memo.

The company was quick to respond to reports that stated it needed to lose 2,000 staff within the next four years.

According to The Irish Times, details were set out in a memo from Minister for Communications Denis Naughten at last Tuesday's Cabinet meeting. It said the Cabinet was informed An Post would need "on average 500 job losses per annum over a four-year period".

However, the State-owned postal service argued that the recommended 2,000 redundancies was from a strategic review in March 2017.

Speaking to the Sunday Independent, Anna McHugh, head of communications at An Post said: "Because we've been able to make a huge turnaround by restructuring the company over the past year, we don't envision anything like that level of staff cuts.

"A year ago, our financial situation was really serious and it was forecast that if we did nothing, An Post could lose 61m. But we've since got a grip on the business and saw a profit of 8.4m last year."

However, Ms McHugh agreed that changes within the postal industry over the next number of years will make job loses unavoidable, "but not in the magnitude of [2,000]".

Sean McDonagh, deputy general secretary of the Communications Workers' Union, reassured its members that there were no proposals impacting job numbers at the scale reported.

"In fact, the success of An Post in growing business particularly in the parcels and packets area has safeguarded jobs at the company," he said.Q: I have just turned 53 and am concerned about the recent moves by the Government to increase the State pension age. As the State pension age is to increase to 68 from 2028, I'm one of those who will have to wait until the age of 68 to get the State pension - and perhaps longer if the State pension age is increased further after the year 2028. Has the Government given any indications that the State pension age could increase any further? Joanna, Castleknock, Dublin 15

In the Government's 'Roadmap on Pension Reform', which summarises the Government's latest thinking on pensions, it has stated that one of its aims is that there will be no further increase in the State pension age prior to 2035 - other than those already provided for in 2021 and 2028. It has also pledged to ensure that any change to the State pension age after 2035 will be directly linked to increases in life expectancy.

The Government has also stated that it plans to give at least 13 years notice of any planned changes to the State pension age - before implementation begins. It will do the first review of State pension age in line with life expectancy in 2022 - which would allow for an increase in 2035.

Should the Government stick to the goals it has set out in its roadmap, if it does increase the State pension age beyond the age set for 2028, it will be 2035 at the earliest when it does so - and as you will have reached the State pension age before the year 2035, you have no further increases to be concerned about - bar those which will apply in 2021 and 2028.

Should I wait to start PRSA?

Q: The Government's auto-enrolment pension scheme is expected to begin in another four years. My boss doesn't offer a company pension but I had been considering opening a Personal Retirement Savings Account (PRSA). Should I hold off opening a PRSA until auto-enrolment?

Chris, Kilkenny city

You shouldn't hold off. The most important thing you can do in saving for retirement is to start early.

While the intention is to start auto-enrolment in 2023, there is no guarantee it will happen then or at all.

The money you save now can be generating returns for you by the time auto-enrolment starts. Then you can decide whether it continues to make sense to stick with the PRSA or to join an auto-enrolment scheme.

It is also possible that any tax relief you get on your savings now will be better than you can get when auto-enrolment is introduced.

Seasonal worker options

Q: I work for a hotel which closes for the winter and much of the spring. So I make most of my money in summer and early autumn. The hotel doesn't offer a company pension scheme to staff. Would I be eligible to join the Government's auto-enrolment pension scheme when it comes on board? Would auto-enrolment suit someone like myself who could only save into a pension over the summer and autumn?

Tom, Co Donegal

The Government hasn't yet published the full details of who will need to be included in a pension scheme when their employer doesn't have one.

It has however indicated that it will be people over the age of 23 who earn more than 20,000 per year. Anyone earning less than that may opt to join.

It would suit someone like you and it makes sense to save when you can most afford to. The Government is due to publish more details on how the auto-enrolment scheme will work before the end of June.

PRSA and auto-enrolment

Q: I've already got a PRSA. If the Government's auto-enrolment scheme comes in, will I be able to continue saving into that PRSA - and even if I can continue saving into my PRSA, would it work out better for me financially to simply close the PRSA and move into the auto-enrolment scheme?

Gemma, Ashford, Co Wicklow

You should be able to continue saving into your PRSA. However, it might work out better to move into the auto-enrolment scheme, particularly if your employer will have to pay into that as well. The charges are also likely to be cheaper in the auto-enrolment scheme. It isn't clear yet if you will be able to transfer your PRSA in. The Government is due to publish more details on how the auto-enrolment scheme will work before the end of June.

Saving into new scheme

Q: If the Government introduces an auto-enrolment scheme, how much of my income am I likely to have to save into it -and could I opt out of it at any stage?

Tadhg, Dingle, Co Kerry

The Government has indicated that with auto-enrolment, ultimately, where employees pay 6pc of their salary, employers would also have to pay 6pc and the Government would pay 2pc.

This Government contribution would be instead of the tax-relief people currently get. It is likely that it would take a number of years to get to that level of contributions and so contributions will start lower and be phased in over time. It is also not clear yet if the contributions would be based on your total salary or if there would be lower and upper salary limits that you wouldn't pay on. The Government has said that people will be able to opt out - probably after nine months.

Auto-enrolment abroad

Q: How does auto-enrolment work in other countries and which model might the Government follow when introducing it in Ireland?

John, Athlone, Co Westmeath

Britain is the first place to look at, being our closest neighbour. It introduced auto enrolment four years ago. Anybody who wasn't already in a pension scheme and earned over10,000 and was over the age of 22 had to be put in a pension scheme by their employer.

As a result, there are nine million people saving for a pension now that weren't four years ago. Opt-out rates have been much lower in Britain than expected with only one in 10 people opting out - and those are mostly older people close to retirement. However the contributions being paid into the British auto-enrolment scheme are low - although these are due to increase in April this year and again in April next year. There has been a lot of criticism that the rules are too complex.

New Zealand is the other system that the Government will probably look at closely as New Zealand had a similar population to us. In its system, anyone aged over 18 starting a new job has to be auto-enrolled in Kiwisaver. It hasn't been as successful as in Britain, as more people opt out of the New Zealand scheme.

The Government will have to decide what works for Ireland. The big issues are around who should be included, how much should be paid in, who pays what and who runs the scheme. Some countries allow funds to be withdrawn for hardship or something like a first home purchase.If you were to ask some of the best creative directors, PR practitioners and crisis management experts in the world to craft a story about the imminent departure of their boss, they might come up with something vaguely credible, possibly exciting or, at the very least, a farewell statement that might trigger a few tears.

Unfortunately for Martin Sorrell, the huge army of creative talent which he had at his disposal in WPP for the last 33 years would have struggled to put a positive spin on his swift and questionable departure from the company he founded.

Everything from the timing of his departure - which was announced late last Saturday night - right through to the scope of the investigation, its findings and the precise reasons for Sorrell's resignation remain shrouded in mystery. For a company that makes its money from advising other companies on how to communicate with the great unwashed, WPP has clearly chosen to ignore its own playbook.

What we do know is that earlier this month the board of the company announced that it was conducting an internal investigation into allegations of "personal misconduct" and misuse of company funds by Sorrell, something which he has vehemently denied. The company also said that the amounts involved were "not material" to WPP, whatever that means to a company that reported a turnover of 15.26bn in 2017.

The investigation was concluded last week, but its findings were not disclosed. Unless they are leaked - which is a distinct possibility - or shareholders demand that they are disclosed, they are likely to remain under lock and key, reinforced by watertight non-disclosure agreements, for the foreseeable future.

In his own carefully-worded statement, which was issued to staff late last Saturday evening, he said that "the current disruption we are experiencing is simply putting too much unnecessary pressure on the business, our over 200,000 people... that is why I have decided that in your interest, in the interest of our clients, in the interest of all shareowners, both big and small, and in the interest of all our other stakeholders, it is best for me to step aside".

For somebody who is well-known as a scrappy, defensive and often prickly individual who normally doesn't go down without a fight, quitting in such controversial circumstances has inevitably left many within the industry wondering what really transpired at a fateful meeting in London last weekend. To those who know him, quitting is not a word in his personal lexicon.

Many within the industry now think that it is difficult to envisage WPP without Martin Sorrell. While he has proved to be a divisive figure within the industry down through the years, he has to be respected for creating, acquisition by acquisition, a global marketing and communications powerhouse that employs thousands of hugely talented and committed professionals around the world, including Ireland where it has a sizeable footprint.

With the mind of an accountant and an ability to smooth-talk and charm clients, he also brought a financial discipline and rigour to the industry that, perhaps, was lacking in the 1980s. With a firm eye on the numbers flowing in every week from around the world, this often led to accusations about the media agencies within the group getting most of the love while the creatives took a back seat. When David Ogilvy, the godfather of modern advertising, once called him "an odious little jerk", it was a tag that hung around for a long time. Years later, Ogilvy changed his tune and, so the story goes, heaped praise on his diminutive boss.

One week on from the fall-out at WPP, the company's share price is down by 7pc and rumours of an imminent earnings downgrade accompanying its first quarter results later this month haven't helped. Some of the institutional shareholders which opposed Sorrell's generous remuneration packages in the past, now smell blood and one can be sure that some of giants of the private equity world have been running their slide rules over WPP over the past week.

Over the past year, however, the shares have declined by 34.4pc, a clearer indication of how the market perceives the company and the many challenges it faces. With a hefty net gearing of 63pc following a major acquisition binge over the last 10 years, many within the industry believe it may be forced to offload some of its businesses while ramping up its efforts to address its labyrinthine structure.

While the company has appointed Roberto Quarta as executive chairman and Mark Read and Andrew Scott as joint-COO, it seems unlikely that this interregnum will stave off some of the bigger questions that remain about the company's longer-term future.

With Sorrell now gone, the sale of some business units might well be an option but shareholders must surely also realise that, if it ever came to it, a break-up of WPP would raise considerably more than the 14bn at which it is currently capitalised.

And the irony in all of this is Sorrell will be one of the biggest beneficiaries.Disruptive technologies such as IoT, AI, robotics and blockchain are all hitting their critical inflection point at the same time, forcing industries to re-write their own value chains.

Digital transformation for the travel industry, specifically, has faced resistance, but is on the cusp of an entire revolution that will touch on every phase of the customer experience.

For digital rail platform Trainline, they've become market leaders in collating and creating a vast data pool from which they are using to create customer-facing innovations to make the travel experience smarter and as seamless as possible.

"Our main focus is to drive value from the data that our users give us either on the app or on the websites," Fergus Weldon, Head of Data Science at Trainline told Independent.ie.

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"From a customer perspective they need to research the trains that they are going to get on and to do that they need to search online. So every time somebody searches on our platform, we can see all the journeys that you searched for and the information that you got back.

"You see that for every user, which is about 6-7 million searches a day, tens of billions a year, and that provides a large foundation for a lot of the recommendation work that we do and a lot of the price prediction."

First created in 1997, Trainline now boasts around 600 employees across its main offices which are based in London, Paris and Edinburgh.

The digital transformation and service expansion was really apparent from the late 2000s and has been ongoing for the last decade.

From Ticket Alert, allowing notifications of advance (and cheaper) tickets for specific trips, and Best Fare Finder in 2008, the company then launched a basic app in 2009 which allowed for ticket purchasing the following year.

More recently, an AI-based tool BusyBot was introduced so that data submitted by the app users can be used to predict where there will be free seats in train carriages.

"We asked customers if their train was delayed or on time, if they got a seat or not, where they were based on the train. So then we could build this feature where customers are best informed where they might be able to get on; what part of the platform to stand at, what carriage might have free space," said Fergus.

"It's all about educating the customer, through the use of their own data, and providing a better end-to-end service experience."

Price is obviously a huge pain point for travellers and Fergus said that their Price Prediction tool can "stop people paying more for the tickets that they could have bought previously".

Trainline's strapline states that 'buying in advance could save you up to 43pc' but this latest data-led offering could shave off more.

"Prices rise quite steeply, especially as you get close to the day that you're due to travel. But, from a consumer perspective, they don't really understand that. In a large part, we're trying to educate people that they should be buying their ticket earlier," he said.

"Travelling by rain is more economical better for the environment. We want to be able to build the features to encourage that and facilitate a better service for customers end-to-end."Australia, one of the world's biggest shippers of liquefied natural gas and coal, has struggled in recent years with fuel and power supplies as the nation tries to balance environmental concerns and domestic needs against revenue and jobs from energy exports (stock picture)

Falcon Oil & Gas expects serious drilling activity to begin in 12 months' time at its major prospect, where a government ban on fracking has been lifted, enabling the project to proceed.

The prospect, in Australia's Northern Territory, had been put into abeyance after the moratorium was established.

The ban was lifted last week, but Falcon boss Philip O'Quigley said a new permitting process put in place will take three to six months to complete. In addition, monsoon-like weather will also delay the process, pushing a planned five-well programme back into 2019. The programme will be carried out in conjunction with Falcon's partner in the project, Australian business Origin.

Well tests carried out prior to the moratorium indicated what Falcon called "a very promising material gas resource".

The company is now free to seek to exploit the gas on a commercial basis. Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner, who lifted the fracking ban, admitted he could face a backlash from voters. "There are people who believe passionately on this issue one way or another. There comes a point in time, though, when you have to make a decision."

Fracking is controversial because opponents say there is a risk of groundwater contamination. It works by drilling into the ground and shooting rocks with a high-pressure mixture of water, sand and chemicals to release the resources inside.

A report commissioned by the Australian authorities found that "the challenges and risks associated with any onshore shale gas industry in the NT (Northern Territory) are manageable".

"The panel is of the opinion that with enactment of robust and rigorously enforced safeguards, the waters shall continue to flow "clear and cold out of the hills'."

Australia is home to the world's sixth-biggest reserves of shale oil and seventh-largest of shale gas, and the vast, remote Northern Territory remains in the early stages of exploration. The area "could have enough gas to serve Australia for almost 200 years", the nation's Resources Minister Matt Canavan said.

Australia, one of the world's biggest shippers of liquefied natural gas and coal, has struggled in recent years with fuel and power supplies as the nation tries to balance environmental concerns and domestic needs against revenue and jobs from energy exports.

(Additional reporting Bloomberg)Meladee took to the course on a recumbent tricycle while Hanoch rode a recumbent bicycle, which makes for an easier ride as you get older, he said.

We go on rides all over, but the scenery here is gorgeous, Hanoch said. And what I love about this event is that you dont have to be a professional to participate. Its about getting out there and having fun and supporting some worthy causes.

Roberto Reyes came down to Napa for Cycle For Sight with daughters Zoe, 11, and Ruby, 7. Before the start of the 15-mile family ride, Ruby danced around the starting grid, stopping only to erupt in a flurry of jumping jacks before hopping off again.

She may be a little excited, said Reyes, who lives with his family in Sonoma. Zoe and I have done this once before, but this is Rubys first ride.

Reyes said he likes the relaxed atmosphere of Cycle For Sight and opportunity to go on a big ride with his daughters in a safe environment.

This is the only big organized ride we do, Reyes said. We ride bikes in the mornings every weekend, but this one is special. It gets us out of the house, away from the TV and video games, and this ride supports local charities that not only help Napa out, but the whole Bay Area, so Im happy to support that.The chief executives of Google and Twitter may be next to follow Mark Zuckerberg into a gauntlet of congressional hearings.

US Senate Commerce Chairman John Thune said he's considering another public hearing on data privacy and spoke with representatives of Google last week, suggesting the company send CEO Sundar Pichai to answer questions.

"I've told them I'd like to have them come in and talk to us about data privacy and maybe some of the other social media platforms as well," Thune said in an interview. "It'll help to really know what they're doing, and it'll help and instruct what we might be thinking about doing. We haven't scheduled anything yet, but we're having conversations with them."

Facebook boss Zuckerberg spent about 10 hours over two days this month answering a barrage of questions from lawmakers in House and Senate hearings triggered by revelations that a British firm with ties to President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign harvested information from as many as 87 million Facebook users without their knowledge. The use of the data by Cambridge Analytica has prompted questions about internet privacy and calls for potential government regulation to protect personal data.

Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, who originally sought to schedule all three major social media company CEOs before Zuckerberg became the focus of the inquiries, said this week he may seek testimony from Pichai and Twitter's Jack Dorsey. He sent them letters the day of the Zuckerberg hearing asking about their data privacy practices and actions to counter foreign interference in US elections. He told them he wanted answers by April 25. Representatives of Google and Twitter declined to comment.

Grassley and Thune, whose committees jointly questioned Zuckerberg, have said they also will continue to probe Cambridge Analytica's alleged diversion of millions of Facebook profiles for political use.

"We're getting some more information from Facebook about other analytics firms that they did business with, and they're trying to quantify what that universe is and then we'll probably look at that whole issue with Cambridge and perhaps some other firms," Thune said.

Grassley said he still plans a public hearing on Cambridge Analytica.

Senate Intelligence Chairman Richard Burr also plans a hearing featuring the technology companies in a few months as his panel wraps up a report on Russia's use of social media to influence US politics.

BloombergHELLO AND GOODBYE: 'Austin Powers' star Verne Troyer entering the Celebrity Big Brother House

PHOENIX, AZ - MARCH 23: Actor Verne Troyer attends Muhammad Ali's Celebrity Fight Night XIX at JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa on March 23, 2013 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images for Fight Night)

Verne Troyer has died at the age of 49 (John Stillwell/PA)

Verne Troyer's death at the age of 49 followed an open struggle with alcoholism and depression.

The diminutive US actor and comedian, best known for playing Mini-Me in the Austin Powers spoof spy films, had been admitted to hospital in Los Angeles earlier this month.

Troyer was born in Michigan on January 1 1969 to poor Amish factory workers, growing up on a farm in the small town of Centreville.

The middle of three children, he was brought up in a strict household but said his parents left the religion when he was an infant.

Born with Achondroplasia dwarfism and reportedly one of the world's smallest men, he almost died from "cot death" as a baby, but said his small stature didn't restrict his ambitions.

He told the Guardian in 2015: "All my family is average-sized, apart from me. I didn't really think about my size until I got older, a few years before high school.

"It had never really fazed me that much."

He added that he once punched a classmate in the face for calling him a midget.

Troyer's first taste of the showbiz world came in 1994, performing as a stunt double in the film Baby's Day Out.

But it was in Mike Myers's Austin Powers spy comedy series that he found worldwide recognition as Mini-Me, a clone of villain Dr Evil, in the late 1990s.

Video of the Day

His much-mimicked trademark pinky-to-the-lip pose in the films was instantly recognisable.

In 2004 he reportedly married model Genevieve Gallen - but the union lasted for only a matter of months.

The actor's credits also include Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone, and Men In Black.

Troyer, who appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in 2009 and had stints on Celebrity Juice, was recently baptised while surrounded by family.

The statement on his death added: "Depression and Suicide are very serious issues.

"You never know what kind of battle someone is going through inside. Be kind to one another.

"And always know, it's never too late to reach out to someone for help."

Rather than sending flowers, well-wishers were told to donate to his "two favourite charities; The Starkey Hearing Foundation and Best Buddies".It's now about five weeks to the abortion referendum - and oddly, the campaign feels quite low-key so far. Yes, the topic is frequently heard on the airwaves, but not to the extent I would have previously assumed. Or maybe it's that this whole mess has been argued about on radio for so long and so loudly and angrily, that the current campaign isn't noticeably different to what we've been hearing for years.

That said, the fire started to crackle this week with a few blowouts on Liveline (Radio 1, Mon-Fri 1.45pm) and The Last Word (Today FM, Mon-Fri 4.30pm). One of the ironies of the Irish abortion story is this persistent notion that the only people opposed to repeal are religious-minded, which clearly isn't accurate - yet, in a further irony-upon-the-irony, this week's rows were religiously inspired.

First Liveline heard from Eoghan Murphy, who had taken his 10-year-old son out of a Communion-preparation mass because a pro-life campaigner was invited to address the congregation. Eoghan told Joe Duffy that he and his wife had planned to have "an age appropriate chat" about the whole thing, so removed their child from the church.

Another caller, Elizabeth, said: "We have had careful conversations with our children, and I felt it was inappropriate to have that conversation at a First Communion preparation mass." Their position is understandable, though I suppose the argument could be made that Catholic teaching is 100pc pro-life, and everyone knows this; in essence, "What did you expect to hear at mass?"

On The Last Word, Matt Cooper mentioned the recent comments of two bishops: Denis Nulty, who had spoken of "a sense that we are walking with our eyes closed into an era of eugenics", and John Buckley, who argued there was "scientific proof that an unborn baby is in fact a living breathing human being" and "the child in the womb is innocent of the circumstances of conception".

Sinead Slattery of the Pro-Life campaign agreed with some of their points, though interestingly, she pointed out that her objection to abortion is not from a religious but a human rights perspective.

She said hardly any babies with Down syndrome were born in countries with abortion - citing the UK and Iceland specifically. Matt asked what was, with all due respect, a pretty stupid question: "Where is the evidence that Irish people will be like that? We have a tremendous reputation for looking after people with Down syndrome."

Why wouldn't we, though? What makes us so special or so much better than British or Icelandic people? Slattery added: "It would be naive of us to think we'd be any different."

Also on was Gerry Edwards of pro-choice umbrella group Together For Yes, who described himself as "among the numbers who've had to leave the State after a diagnosis of fatal foetal abnormality". He was "very disappointed" with the bishops' comments, adding: "I could see the harm the Eighth Amendment was causing to my wife - and has done to me for many years."

I found it interesting that we had a pro-life woman and pro-choice man - proving this isn't as simple as "all pro-lifers hate women and want to control them". Anyway, expect plenty more of this over coming weeks.

Video of the Day

Finally, a quick nod to The Green Room's (Newstalk, Sat 8pm) cool little piece on the best use of silence and sound in cinema, nosed on new thriller A Quiet Place. Touching on Oscar-winning movie The Artist, Steven Benedict noted how audiences were so respectful of its "silent" status, they kept very quiet, almost to the extent of not laughing at the jokes - "as if they were terrified of disturbing these actors on screen".Irelands singing priest Fr Ray Kelly (64) wowed the judges of Britains Got Talent with his singing abilities last night.

The Oldcastle, Co Meath parish priest impressed Simon Cowell and the rest of the judging panel with his rendition of REMs Everybody Hurts.

Before he sang, Simon shared a joke with him: Let me ask you a question, do you do exorcisms?

Yeah we can work on David [Walliams] whenever you want. Do you want me to zap him now or later? Fr Ray joked.

Fr Ray told the judges of his recent success on YouTube. His version of Jeff Buckleys Hallelujah" at Chris and Leah OKanes wedding in Oldcastle went viral in 2014.

I was singing at a wedding at home in Ireland four years ago and it went viral on YouTube.

I said, my God, where did that come from, you know? For a guy 64 years of age, all of a sudden, to have this happen to you. I didnt know what was happening really.

The priest explained that he watches Britains Got Talent every year.

It has the edge on everything it offers you the chance to sing in front of the Royal family, so Im hoping that I get the BGT audience on my side tonight.

I thought maybe Id be the first singing priest to win Britains Got Talent, he added.

Video of the Day

He told the judges he chose the REM classic because: Its a song that#s near and dear to my heart. Being a priest you get in touch with a lot of pain, and a lot of joy and happiness as well so I suppose, its a song that I can [relate to].

Fr Ray took moved the judging panel with his performance, and he got a thumbs up from everyone.

Actor and author David Walliams described it as a beautiful performance.

While Alesha Dixon said: You just seem like the loveliest man. This is a beautiful audition. Well done.

Amanda Holden described his performance as brilliant and honest, and the whole congregation was behind you.

Simon admitted: I wasnt quite sure what to expect but this is one of my favourite ever auditionsIn just five weeks' time, voters across Ireland will take to the polls to vote on repealing the Eighth Amendment.

With the date looming, here's everything you need to know about registering to vote:

When is the referendum?

The referendum on the Eighth Amendment will take place on Friday, May 25 2018.

Who can vote in a referendum?

Any Irish citizen over the age of 18 can vote in the referendum if they are registered to vote.

If you are resident in Ireland but not an Irish citizen, you also have the right to vote in some of the elections.

Can Irish citizens living abroad vote in the referendum?

If you are an Irish citizen living abroad you cannot be entered on the Register of Electors. This means that you cannot vote in an election or referendum here in Ireland. The only exception to this is Irish diplomats and their spouses, who are on duty abroad and may cast their vote by post.

How do I know if I'm registered to vote?

If you're unsure if you are registered to vote, you can check here on the Referendum Commission's website. It's as simple as checking the Register of Electors and putting in your details.

How do I register to vote?

Application forms for inclusion on the Electoral Register, Special Voters List, Postal Voters List and Correction of the draft electoral register are available from all local authorities, post offices and public libraries.

Forms are also available here. Completed forms must be returned to your local authority before May 8.

Can you vote by post?

Normally, you must vote in person at an official voting centre. However, you may be able to vote by post if you are:

a full-time member of the Defence Force

a member of An Garda Siochana

an Irish diplomat or his/her spouse posted abroad

You may also be eligible for a postal vote if you cannot go to a polling station because:

You have a physical illness or disability

You are studying full time at an educational institution in Ireland, which is away from your home address where you are registered.

You are unable to vote at your polling station because of your occupation

You are unable to vote at your polling station because you are in prison as a result of an order of a court

You must register to vote 22 days (excluding Sundays and public holidays) before polling day for other elections or referenda. Applications for a postal vote must be submitted by April 28, according to Dublin City Council.

If you want to register to vote by post, you must fill out the PV2 form available here. In order to be included on this register, the person must already be on the Register of Electors.

Where is my local polling station?

This information is available on your polling card which will be sent out closer to the referendum.

A spokesperson for the Referendum Commission urged people to register as soon as possible.

The Referendum Commission urges everyone to check the register to ensure they are on it, so as they can vote on May 25th. You can do so by visiting checktheregister.ie, and if you are not on the register you can download the forms there to register.

"There is not much time left. The completed forms have to be brought to your local Garda station with proof of identity, certified, and then submitted to your local authority by Tuesday May 8th. Bearing in mind that there is a Bank Holiday weekend just before that date we would urge people to act as soon as possible.One more to go: Amy Huberman as Tara in Striking Out

Amy Huberman arriving on the red carpet at the IFTA Film and Drama Awardss 2018 at the Mansion House, Dublin. Photo: Michael Chester

Actress Amy Huberman attends the 2016 Oscar Wilde Awards at Bad Robot Studios on February 25, 2016 in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic)

Irish actress Amy Huberman has lent support to the Together for Yes campaign ahead of the upcoming abortion referendum.

The 39-year-old mother-of-two announced on Twitter this weekend that she was pro-choice for reasons including "compassion in crisis".

Firstly I believe each to their own, she said. And in turn the very essence of that being choice. As I see it, it isnt pro anything other than choice.

For basic healthcare, compassion, understanding, safety & Trusting Women.

The Striking Out star urged Irish people to make sure registered to vote, either way.

For me, reading accounts of many doctors and obstetricians saying how it has and is putting women at risk and in danger and how it is as it stands is exporting what is already here. For compassion in crisis.

Either way, register before May 8th #togetherforyes, the actress added.

Ireland will take to the polls to vote on the 8th Amendment on May 25.Dr Adedayo Adedeji, 63, arrives at the Old Bailey, London, where he and two nurses face prosecution over the death of 32-year-old Malawian-born Aisha Chithira. Yui Mok/PA Wire

A woman who died following a late-stage abortion procedure was discharged from the clinic despite vomiting and swaying so much she looked "drunk", an inquest has heard.

Aisha Chithira, 31, travelled to England from Ireland to have a termination at a Marie Stopes clinic in Ealing, west London, on January 21 2012.

She suffered a tear to her uterus during the "blind" procedure performed under anaesthetic, West London Coroner's Court heard.

Afterwards she vomited in a stairwell and complained of feeling unwell to her husband, but was helped into a taxi to a cousin's home in Slough by staff at the clinic. They had told her she could not stay overnight.

One of the nurses denied they had pressured her to leave because they had wanted to go home.

Corinne Slingo, representing Marie Stopes, said: "The taxi driver says he saw his passenger walking out of the building. He was quite shocked, she didn't seem with it at all.

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"She looked like she was drunk."

Reading from a statement, she added: "The nurse got her in a hug and she said 'don't do that, you will break my bones'."

Mrs Chithira's husband Ryan said he received a call from her at around 7.30pm as he cared for their daughter in Ireland.

"Aisha told me she had finished having the procedure and was going to get a taxi back to Slough," a statement read to the court said.

"She just said 'I cannot speak, I'm feeling too weak to speak' and then she ended the call.

"I kept ringing her but there was no reply, Aisha didn't ring back or reply to my texts - I thought at first she had arrived in Slough and just wanted to rest.

"Her sister called me, this was at 12.42am. She asked me where Aisha was and I said she was in Slough, she said she wasn't in Slough.

"Ten minutes later she called me back and said someone had called her and Aisha was dead."

The mother had suffered catastrophic internal bleeding and died the same night.

Dr Adedayo Adedeji, who performed the procedure, and nurses Gemma Pullen and Margaret Miller were charged with manslaughter by gross negligence and a health and safety breach but the case was dropped in 2016.

Dr Adedeji said they had noticed the tear during surgery but it had not been bleeding at the time.

Mrs Chithira, who was from Malawi but settled in the Republic of Ireland, had a history of non-cancerous growths around the womb called fibroids which made the procedure more complex.

The surgeon, who said he had performed around 2,000 terminations, said the procedure was performed "blind".

Expand Close Nurse Margaret Miller, 54, arrives at the Old Bailey, London, where she and two others face prosecution over the death of 32-year-old Malawian-born Aisha Chithira. Yui Mok/PA Wire / Facebook

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He denied the tear could have been caused by damage from his surgery or from him cutting a fibroid, adding: "There was no bleeding, it wasn't at the time that it was bleeding."

The delay in the bleeding starting could have been due to the drip Mrs Chithira was attached to for two hours following surgery, he added.

Acting senior coroner for west London Dr Sean Cummings is expected to continue hearing the case on Friday at 10am.Family doctors in Dublin North Central see more public patients than anywhere else in the country, with an average of 1,217 patients for each GP, a new study shows.

GPs in the area have an average of 188 children aged six or under on free visit cards, compared with their colleagues in the more affluent suburbs of Dun Laoghaire/south Dublin, who see an average of 89. However, south Dublin doctors have the highest average numbers of over-70s on free GP visit cards. GPs in south-east Dublin - an area that stretches from Sandymount to Sandyford - have an average of 96 older patients on their lists, those in Dun Laoghaire have an average of 85 while those in north Dublin have 25.

The figures were compiled by the Irish Patients' Association (IPA) ahead of the next round of talks on a long-awaited new GP contract due to start in three weeks.

The analysis of General Medical Scheme figures for 2016 shows that more than one in 10 patients on a GP's list is a child aged six or under. According to IPA director Stephen McMahon, the figure reflects the concerns of doctors who say free GP visit cards are clogging up their surgeries.

The figures also highlight the need for financial supports for GPs to be weighted in areas where doctors see greater numbers of medical card patients with complex and multiple conditions.

"This is the first in a series of analytical pieces on primary care, as the State begins the process on one of its largest contracts that it will sign on behalf of its citizens. In advance of a new GP contract, we need to understand the variation of workload," Mr McMahon said

The new talks come against the backdrop of a chronic shortage of family doctors, rural areas left without any cover, and surgeries closed to new patients. The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) and the National Association for General Practitioners (NAGP) claim a 38pc cut in fees and allowances and poor resourcing of primary care is driving the crisis. The Department of Health claims the cuts imposed during the financial emergency (FEMPI) are closer to 24pc.

Fianna Fail claims the Government is wrong. The scale of cuts was detailed in reply to a parliamentary question tabled by Fianna Fail TD Niall Collins. Three rounds of cuts in 2009, 2010 and 2013 included a 50pc cut to the capitation fee for patients in nursing homes; an 8pc cut to fees under the maternity and infant care scheme; a 15pc cut in fees under the Heartwatch scheme, along with a further 7.5 reduction in 2013; and an 8pc cut in leave cover, locum expenses, the rural practice allowance and other services.

Mr Collins said the scale of cuts "prove what GPs have been saying. That their fees and supports have been cut by almost 40 per cent, while the Government is trying to present it as though they have received a 24 per cent cut."

The Fempi cuts have become a flashpoint. The IMO and NAGP have called for their reversal, and NAGP chief executive Chris Goody has urged the Government to begin the process ahead of the contract talks, as a "goodwill gesture".

The HSE paid over 540m to GP practices and co-ops in 2016 in fees and allowances for services to patients under the medical card scheme. Doctors pay practice expenses, staff salaries and overheads out of the payments. Examples of current fees include a 982.81 once-off registration fee for 15 or more patients in the Heartwatch programme; 20,630.57-37,822.72 in practice supports for nurses and secretaries; a 434.15 annual capitation fee for treating over-70s in nursing homes.This vehemence of the division makes it particularly difficult to assess presidents and their moral "fitness" for office. Thomas Jefferson held many slaves, raping and reproducing with at least one. Was he morally unfit to be president? John F. Kennedy had multiple affairs, and Ronald Reagan was once divorced. What about them? Paula Jones accused Bill Clinton of trying to sexually assault her in a hotel room while he was governor of Arkansas. Was he morally unfit to be president? Many of us might say yes to some of these or others, but our answers may well have more to do with our political predilections than our professions of behavior we deem "moral."

Sex, of course, is not the only area of moral concern. Honesty is another. Well before Comey pronounced Trump morally unfit, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, was fending off Trump's accusation that Cruz's father was somehow tied to the assassination of Kennedy. Trump is "utterly immoral," Cruz said during the Republican presidential primary. "Morality does not exist for him." If definitions of morality are mutable when it comes to sex, they may be even more so when it comes to dishonesty and violence. Many presidents have cheated on their wives and otherwise exploited women sexually, but still more have lied shamelessly to the press and the public, upheld policies deeply damaging to African Americans and other citizens, and caused the deaths of millions worldwide.Unless you are wiling to put up a fight you will be neglected by our health system, the sister of a man who was paralysed in a freak gym accident has claimed.

Andrew O'Malley (32) was a fitness enthusiast who dreamed of becoming a professional bodybuilder when he suffered a devastating injury following an accident in a gym in Sligo on December 1 2016.

Andrew can now only move his head, neck and shoulders, he needs a tracheotomy and requires 24 hour care.

He has been in the National Rehabilitation Hospital (NHR) in Dun Laoghaire, South County Dublin since last June and his family are worried about what is next for him as they say the HSE aren't giving them suitable options.

His devoted sister Emma McCabe, who lives in Ballivor, Co Meath, told Independent.ie that she feels the current healthcare system is not focused on helping patients recover as much as possible.

Ms McCabe explained: "Andrew is very lucky that he has family around him to fight on his behalf but I'm sure there are people out there who wouldn't have that, God knows what would happen to them.

"If it wasn't for us Andrew would probably already be back in an ICU bed in Sligo General Hospital.

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"It's crazy the way the system is set up, without a fight you will be neglected."

She continued to say that her family would not have coped as well as they did throughout their ordeal without the help and support or Spinal Injuries Ireland.

Emma praised them, saying: "I first contacted Spinal Injuries Ireland (SII) when Ireland was still in the Mater Hospital, at the time I didn't even know why I was contacting them but they have been phenomenal.

"It was great to speak to people with experience in this area to see where we would go from there, they've visited Andrew and are a fantastic support to both him and our family.

"As well as emotional support they are great for advice on the services and supports he is entitled to, I wouldn't have had a clue about any of this before.

"I couldn't say enough good things about SII, without them there really is nothing else available to people in our position."

She added: "I don't think I would have been as hopeful about Andrew's future without them, I would have felt there were no supports and nothing out there.

"They really have given us hope."

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Earlier this week, Emma explained the heartbreaking story of how Andrew's life was turned upside down.

She explained: "Before the accident he was very healthy and loved fitness, ironically in the few years leading up to the accident he loved the gym and it became a real passion of his.

"Andrew was in the gym that day, like he was every day, he was doing a warm up on the squat machine and he was leaving the weights back when he slipped and some of the weights fell on top of him.

"He doesn't remember anything after that, we know an ambulance was called and he was brought to Sligo Hospital, mum and dad were called.

"They were reassured at first that he had hurt his back but that things were going to be grand, within the next few hours it was mentioned that he would have to be transferred to the Mater Hospital, it was only then that we started to realise that things were serious.

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"Up until this point we were told that he would probably need to be in a wheelchair for a while and that he would need physio but that he would be grand."

It was when they went to Dublin's Mater Hospital that they discovered the extent of Andrew's life-changing injuries.

Emma recalled: "We were called into the family room and we were told that he had broken his C3 bone at the base of his neck and completely severed his spinal cord.

"We were told that he was fully ventilated, he may never be able to breathe again independently or regain his speech (Andrew has since regained his ability to talk and was gradually weaned off a ventilator).

"There are no words for what it was like to think of that happening to our Andrew, the baby of the family, so fit and healthy.

"He is such a loving person, tactile person and he just loves life and loves people.

"The thing I miss most are his hugs and we knew that we had lost that part of Andrew but he is still so positive, he's still 100 per cent himself mentally and believes he can live a full life and is excited for the future but he is frustrated about where he is."

After six months in the Mater Hospital, he was moved to the NRH last June, initially he was only supposed to be there until last September, no other plan has been put into place and Emma fears time is running out as other patients will need the bed.

Emma, who is originally from Mohill in Co Leitrim, said: "His option at one stage was a nursing home but every nursing home has said that they don't have the facilities required for his level of care.

"We know there must be better options than him being in an Intensive Care Unit for the rest of his life, people ask us what we would like ideally but we don't know because nobody is telling us what options are available for him.

"We would like for him to be in independent living, like Cheshire Apartments, where people with disabilities have their own apartments and medical staff live on-site, but we have been told that Andrew's needs would be too severe for that, home care also isn't an option for us.

"An ideal just doesn't seem to exist for him but we're trying to find what is the closest we could get to that."

She also said that the limited amount of physiotherapy Andrew is receiving every week is taking a toll on his well-being.

"He started of with six hours a week of physio when he was first admitted, once his planned release date in September came he was put down to an hour and a half of physio a week.

"His muscle wastage is huge because he is literally not using the muscles and that's impacting on his general physical health.

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"It's also having a huge impact on his mental wellbeing, physio is the closest thing to the gym and his old life that there is, plus he also gets on really well with the physios in the NRH, who are all fantastic.

"But an hour and a half a week is cruel, it's hard to wrap your head around, we cannot wait for him to leave hospital for that to increase, that needs to happen now, for both his physical and mental well-being," Emma said.

While inspirational Andrew is staying upbeat about the situation, Emma said she fears for what his future holds.

She said candidly: "Andrew is pulling us through this, it should be the other way around but he is determined that he has a future and is determined.

"My eyes are now open to the failings of the HSE and until I see a firm decision has been made by them, it's hard to be excited about Andrew's future.

"It really is so frustrating, Andrew is so positive and he is ready to move on with his life, I am concerned that he has stayed positive for so long but how much strength can anyone in his situation have?

"He needs to know for certain what's going to happen, where is he going to go and will it be the best option for him?

"He wants to start living again, rather than just lying in a hospital bed."

Andrew's dedicated family know that whatever his long-term care is it will be extremely expensive, so they have set up a GoFundMe page to help cover the costs.

She said: "It's hard to know what exactly the GoFundMe donations will be used for but we know that whatever long-term care he ends up in, his living expenses will be so high.

"He'll need environmental controls for things like opening the curtains, turning on the lights, controlling the heating - things to make him more independent are really expensive."

In just 24 days the generous public has donated almost 19,000 and Emma says her family is blown away by the support.

She said: "The last 15 months have been so dark, with no hope, and now thanks to the page we are getting so much support, it's so heartwarming.

"People have been getting in contact who we wouldn't have heard from in years, they are coming out of the woodwork to give as much as they can, not just financially but also emotionally.

"It's the first bit of a silver lining we have seen in all of this, a bit of positive in all this gloom."

A HSE spokeswoman told Independent.ie that they are assessing Andrew's case.

She said in a statement: "I can confirm that a referral was received from the NRH for a residential service for Mr OMalley.

"To date the application for Fair Deal Nursing Home funding has been approved, however, due to his considerable care needs the only service locations available to accept him requires a nursing home top up payment.

"The business case has been completed which identifies two service options which are being considered.

"In addition, Mr O'Malley requires a motorised wheelchair. The NRH have recently provided the specifications for the chair and the HSE is currently progressing the purchase of same."The Duchess of Cambridge prepares a sprig of shamrock to attach to Irish wolfhound Domhnall, the Irish Guards regimental mascot. Photo: Getty

Soldiers in the Irish Guards regiment in the UK are calling for an 'honourable discharge' for their Irish wolfhound mascot.

Domhnall, a six-year-old dog loved by the soldiers, is too old for his ceremonial duties and should be allowed to enjoy retirement, they claim. The average lifespan of the giant breed is believed to be around seven years.

'Justice4Domhnall' graffiti has been sprayed on walls in the British Army regiment's barracks in Hounslow, London.

Soldiers claimed Domhnall had a 'dodgy hip' but an army spokeman said the dog was declared fit for work by vets.

"Domhnall has regular health checks - including two this week - to ensure he is being well looked after and fit for service," he said.

Domhnall is regularly on duty on public occasions and ceremonial events and is used to greet visiting VIPs and foreign dignitaries.

The dog was a gift to the regiment from the Irish Wolfhound Club of Ireland. The regiment has kept Irish wolfhounds as regimental mascots since 1902.

In 2014, President Michael D Higgins presented Domhnall with a ceremonial coat during his State visit to Britain in 2014.

The gift of the coat was a return gesture as the Irish Guards presented a coat to a wolfhound mascot at an Irish Army Fifth Battalion ceremony in Collins Barracks in Dublin in 1972 as a goodwill gesture.

The Irish wolfhound is a symbol of Ireland, along with the harp, the shamrock and the round tower.A body has been found in the search for Liga Skromane who has been missing in India for one month.

Liga, who is originally from Latvia but has been living in Dublin for the past five years, was last seen on March 14.

The 33-year-old had travelled to Kerala, India alongside her sister Ilze to take part in a wellness retreat on February 4.

According to local media reports, a fisherman discovered the body of a woman by the riverside in an isolated area near Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala.

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The grim discovery was made on Friday.

It's understood that Liga's sister Ilze and a friend are working with police to identify the body. A detailed forensic examination will be carried out to confirm the identity.

On March 14, Liga left the treatment centre and was last seen chatting to people at Kovalam beach. There have been no confirmed sightings of her since and she left her passport and phone in the resort.

Her husband, Andrew Jordan, from Swords, County Dublin, travelled to India when he heard of Liga's disappearance.

Last week, Ilze told Independent.ie that she thinks her younger sister is in trouble.

"Today, Liga is missing for one month. There has been no trace of her and the police have no leads."

She explained that Liga had been suffering from depression after a traumatic family experience last year and that the pair had decided to get away for a break.

"She was very depressed and wasn't sleeping so we came over to Kerala to take part in a six-week holistic Ayurvedic treatment. She had been responding well to the holistic treatments and was really engaging with the services.

"The last time I saw her was just before our 6:30am yoga class. She said she had a headache so she was going to walk on the beach instead but she asked me to ask the yoga teacher what time she could do a private session later so I know she intended to come back to the centre."

Ilze added that while Liga didn't take her phone, she did have enough money to get to and from the beach.

"I don't know what has happened to her but I can't stop thinking about it. I think she was taken by somebody or by a group. We started searching for her as soon as she went missing and it was very strange that nobody had seen her once she got to the beach. The beach is really busy and she's a tall, white girl so she would have definitely stood out."

Ilze added that she thinks Liga left the beach in a vehicle.

"The only way she could have left and not have been seen is if she left in some form of vehicle. I'm really concerned for her safety."

Ilze said that she will remain in India until her sister is found.

"My whole family is very worried. I can't leave her until I know what happened to her. Liga's boyfriend Andrew is coming out soon from Dublin to help search for her again. It's been so difficult but I'm very thankful to everyone who has shared our appeal looking for Liga online. It's nice to see how many people care in tragic times like this."Leanna Carr fought back after she was sexually assaulted by a man on the streets of Dublin

An American tourist has gone viral on Twitter after she punched a man for sexually harassing her on the streets of Dublin.

Leanna Carr (26) was walking from her hostel to the bus stop near Aston Quay on Tuesday when she felt someone grope her from behind.

I was walking in a hurry to catch my bus, when I felt someone grab my bum, hard. I turned around a little shocked initially, and said what the f*ck to him. He started laughing, and said oh youre an American... you probably liked it, she told Independent.ie.

I am never a violent person, and I have never punched anyone before... but I became so angry and had so much adrenaline that my reaction was to punch him. I got him on the cheek bone, hard.

While walking down the street in Dublin earlier this week, a man grabbed my butt. He proceeded to laugh hysterically and said youre an American, you probably liked it. Apparently traveling solo has made me a better person bc my first reaction was to punch him in the face pic.twitter.com/qJ82a3iimI  Leanna Carr (@Leanna_Carr) April 21, 2018

I started yelling a couple more things to him like dont ever touch a girl like that again, I could get you arrested. He became very mad and I thought he was going to hit back.

But there was an older couple next to us who saw the whole thing and the gentleman told the scumbag to keep walking. The man started laughing again and then crossed the street to disappear in the crowd of people.

The 26-year-old powerlifter was visiting Ireland as part of a three week trip to Europe. She was on the second day of her travels when the incident occurred, and the altercation initially left her feeling discouraged as a solo traveller.

Ive never travelled solo and for this to have happened made me a little nervous. My first reaction was a little guilt, wondering if I had done the right thing in the situation. I probably would have reacted differently, say if I had been in a dark alley alone with him. I guess I felt more confidence acting the way I did because it was still light out and on a busy street.

A post shared by Leanna Carr (@leanna_carr) on Jan 5, 2018 at 10:29pm PST

I dont think violence is always the answer, and I did get lucky that the altercation didnt end up badly for me. Going forward, I do think its important be trained for self-defence and be a little more cautious of my surroundings, especially while traveling alone. I think he will think twice before he does that again to a woman.

However, Leanna stresses that it didnt change her mostly positive trip to Ireland.

I was a little shaken and wanted to go home at first. I spent a couple days in Galway and went back to Dublin for another day, and I truly met the most amazing Irish locals who were very welcoming and kind. I realise situations like this could happen anywhere.

There are bad eggs wherever you go. I left Ireland with more positive than negative experiences. This situation just made me keep my guard up a bit, which is a smart thing to do when traveling solo internationally.

Leanna shared her experience on Twitter on Saturday morning, and has since gathered over 5,000 likes. The response has been mainly positive, and Leanna hopes it will raise awareness for everyday sexual harassment.

I didnt think expect it to have such a large reach, Its almost all been very positive. A lot of the responses were from women saying that I made the right decision, congratulating me and saying it was well deserved. Many locals from Ireland and Dublin apologised on behalf of the man who did this. Two or three people thought I fabricated the story... saying theyve never seen a person walk up to a complete stranger in Ireland and do this.

Maybe you havent seen it, but that doesnt mean it doesnt happen. No matter what country youre in. Sexual harassment happens every day from complete strangers and most women do not know the correct way to respond. In the past, I probably would have felt too shocked and timid to have dealt with the situation. I probably would have just walked away... and that man probably would have continued to prey on innocent women.

I never use Twitter and didnt write the post for attention, but Im glad it went viral. This is something that is very common and hopefully it encourages more women to feel comfortable and able to stand up for themselves if it does happen to them.A recent survey identified the Defence Forces as one of the best places to work in Ireland. The study, compiled by online recruitment company Indeed, based its results on thousands of employees' ratings on the site. We spoke to two recent recruits, who are based at the Curragh Camp in Kildare, to find out what life is like in the army and if it really is all swearing, shouting and early starts.

Private Kellie Sheehan (24), Carlow: 'My family were shocked when I broke the news to them. I don't come from a military background'

I was in my final year at university, doing a BA in language and translation studies at DCU. I was taking a break from my dissertation one day and saw an a recruitment ad for the Defence Forces. Joining the army had always been at the back of my mind but it wasn't something that I had properly considered. I'd always been active and I liked the idea of a career where you could be physically and mentally active. When I decided to apply I was at a crossroads in my life, I wasn't ready to do my masters just yet so I thought 'why not?' and I took the chance.

My family were shocked when I broke the news to them. I don't come from a military background. At the time of applying, I didn't know anyone who had been in the army but I knew this was something that I wanted to do. I'm an outgoing person and I enjoy physical activities. I'd been doing karate since I was eight-years-old and I love the discipline of it, the structure and the format. I'd also lived abroad for a while, in Spain, and I was keen to get into a job that could take me overseas.

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I finished my degree last summer and started my recruit training in October. It's a 15-week training course that teaches you all the basic military skills. It was a shock to the system at first. It really was tough. The first time I ever held a weapon, I thought 'What the hell is going on?' but you get used to it. There is a lot of shouting, of course, but there's a reason for that and it doesn't bother me at all. You need to know how to cope in an aggressive or hostile situation.

Sometimes I don't get a lot of sleep, especially if I'm on the night patrol. That can be disorientating at first but then you learn to adapt. All these activities are designed to train you to function in tough environments.

Every day we wake up between 6am and 6.30am, we get breakfast and then kick into training. Each day is different. Once we went up to the Glen of Imaal in Wicklow and we were in the trenches, role playing in different scenarios. That was exhausting but great fun. Even though it's challenging, I enjoy every second of it.

It can be hard to explain to friends and family what I actually do. Every time I go back to Carlow my mam and dad always ask what I've been getting up to. It's hard for anyone on the outside to really understand. I explain that I'm developing great skills and they seem happy enough with that.

One of the best parts of the job, for me especially, is the sense of community. It's all about teamwork here. Management are so supportive of outside commitments too. A lot of the recruits are involved in the GAA. There's never any hassle getting time off for training or games. They actually encourage it.

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There are a few girls here, I think there's about 6pc female recruits at the moment - which isn't a lot but it's improving all the time. There are five girls in my platoon and we all get along. You'd think it would be tough considering we live and work together but it's not. I definitely feel supported.

I finished my recruit training and have progressed to the second stage, which is called Three Star training. I'm in week eight of the 10-week programme. This programme is all about honing and fine-tuning your skills. I don't know what I'll do immediately after. I'll probably just take a week off to get my head together before making any major decisions.

There are lots of opportunities for career progression here, for example you can go on and do an engineering course, you can specialise in weapons, undertake a paramedics course, train to become a chef in the military. A lot of the courses here can be used in the outside world. I might do a course on the side, get as many qualifications as I can out of it. I'd also like to see how I can use my degree within the Defence Forces.

I'm glad I made the decision to apply. I couldn't cope with sitting in an office all day. I can never sit still for a minute. Now I get paid to run around all over the place.

Private Eoin Walsh (26), Kildare: 'It isn't the type of career where you can go out on the session a few nights a week, your performance would definitely suffer.'

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I was doing a strength and conditioning course in Newbridge College before joining the army. My dad had been in the army and always had good things to say about it. He was delighted when he found out I was joining.

I really like the idea of serving my country, that's what really drew me to the Defence Forces. It's been a goal of mine since I was a child.

I just finished my 15-week recruit training and now I'm on to the second stage, Three Star training.

It's been a great experience but it's been challenging, some days are really tough.

I get up at around 6am, shave, wash and head down for breakfast. The food isn't bad, it's better than I thought it would be. We pay for rations and a lot of the meals are subsidised so the cost of food is pretty reasonable.

After breakfast we get stuck into training. Some days we're out on the field and other days we're in the classroom. I like the variety. I do enjoy being out in the field though, I've a rugby background so I enjoy keeping fit.

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We're a close-knit group. After the first block of training we finished with 32 recruits, then we had 11 recruits from the Air Corps join, so there are 42 in all. We live and work in such a close environment that we have to get along. The work is so challenging that it brings people together.

We get out most weekends and can enjoy a social life. It isn't the type of career where you can go out on the session a few nights a week, your performance would definitely suffer. I play rugby for Newbridge College and they've always allowed me time off for training and matches, which is handy.

My dad left the Defence Forces after 25 years but he stays involved, he's still pretty active in the community. I can see myself making a proper career out of it too. There's great job security, it's challenging, you get to travel, you get to keep fit and you're treated well. I can see why it's considered such a good place to work.The sister of a Latvian woman found dead after she was missing in India for one month has paid tribute, saying her birthday wish and prayer to find her sister has come true.

The body of a female found in the search for Liga Skromane (33) was identified yesterday by her sister Ilze Skromane and husband, Dublin man Andrew Jordan.

Liga, who is originally from Latvia but has been living in Dublin for the past five years, was last seen on March 14.

The 33-year-old had travelled to Kerala, India alongside her sister Ilze to take part in a wellness retreat on February 4.

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According to local media reports, a fisherman discovered the body of a woman by the riverside in an isolated area near Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala. Her remains were discovered on Friday on a vacant plot with dense undergrowth.

Liga's sister Ilze Skromane shared a poignant tribute to her sister on Facebook today. She accompanied her words with a childhood photo of the pair and thanked people for all their love and support during their search.

"On 19th of April I was praying and praying to God to grant me one birthday wish.. please let me know where my Sister is, please let us find her, this not knowing is so hard to bare..," she wrote.

"On my birthday 20th of April afternoon two local boys found my Sister's remains.. It's been a long journey for my Sister, and she has been through a lot of suffering.. may her soul rest in peace now in the hands of all loving God..

"Our love for you My Dear Sister is eternal.

"We thank you all Dear Sisters and Brothers for all the love and support you have given us through this journey [sic]."

A post-mortem of the young Latvian woman will now determine the direction of a police investigation, a city police commissioner has said.

Read More

The condition and location of Liga's remains have made her kin suspect murder, but city police commissioner P Prakesh said it is too early to arrive at that conclusion.

He confirmed that a team of doctors, including forensic surgeons, would be conducting a post-mortem examination.

"Only after that can we know more about the nature of the injuries," he said.

According to the Times of India, Liga's sister requested the post-mortem to be conducted by private doctors of her choice, but was told by authorities it would not be legally possible. The proceedings will now be recorded on camera.

Disappearance

On March 14, Liga left the treatment centre and was last seen chatting to people at Kovalam beach. There were no confirmed sightings of her since and she left her passport and phone in the resort.

Her husband, Andrew Jordan, from Swords, County Dublin, travelled to India when he heard of Liga's disappearance.

Last week, Ilze told Independent.ie that she thought her younger sister is in trouble.

"Today, Liga is missing for one month. There has been no trace of her and the police have no leads."

She explained that Liga had suffered from depression after a traumatic family experience last year and that the pair had decided to get away for a break.

"She was very depressed and wasn't sleeping so we came over to Kerala to take part in a six-week holistic Ayurvedic treatment. She had been responding well to the holistic treatments and was really engaging with the services.

"The last time I saw her was just before our 6:30am yoga class. She said she had a headache so she was going to walk on the beach instead but she asked me to ask the yoga teacher what time she could do a private session later so I know she intended to come back to the centre."

Ilze added that while Liga didn't take her phone, she did have enough money to get to and from the beach.

"I don't know what has happened to her but I can't stop thinking about it. I think she was taken by somebody or by a group. We started searching for her as soon as she went missing and it was very strange that nobody had seen her once she got to the beach. The beach is really busy and she's a tall, white girl so she would have definitely stood out."

Ilze also said she believed Liga left the beach in a vehicle.

"The only way she could have left and not have been seen is if she left in some form of vehicle. I'm really concerned for her safety.

"My whole family is very worried. I can't leave her until I know what happened to her. Liga's boyfriend Andrew is coming out soon from Dublin to help search for her again.

"It's been so difficult but I'm very thankful to everyone who has shared our appeal looking for Liga online. It's nice to see how many people care in tragic times like this."Ken Fleming in his office and (inset) the four Ghanaian fisherman in his garage

An official with International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) says he was forced to bring four Ghanaian fishermen home to stay with him and his family in Dublin after they had been left with nowhere else to go.

Dubliner Ken Fleming, who has worked in the trade union sector for decades and is now the ITF Coordinator for Great Britain and Ireland, also tells us that it wasn't the first time he has brought fishermen in Ireland home to his house.

"My missus is just a very special person," Ken says when asked how his family reacted to his quick thinking last week.

The story of the four Ghanaian fisherman - Joshua Baafi (36), John Ninson (42), Noel Adabblah (31) and James Effirim (41) - began in January when they arrived in Belfast to begin work on what they were told were British-registered trawlers.

Instead the men were driven to Dublin where they allegedly worked on a mixture on British and Irish-registered boats before, on April 10, they were allegedly told there was no more work for them.

The four men arrived at Liberty Hall where they met Ken and they explained they were homeless, with no food or money.

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"It was late in the evening (April 12), I couldn't get any of my superiors in England but it is a long-term commitment, once you place one guy or four guys in accommodation you can't just tell them in three days time you have to get out now because I have spent enough.

"I decided that I needed time to think, the weekend was coming up and I said to them 'lads, there is only one alternative now, my garage'.

"'My house is full, but I would sleep in it in these circumstances. It has heaters in it. We'll have some food, we'll have some furniture in it and we'll have brand new sleeping bags in it. Are you on?"

The four men agreed and after a night in Ken's garage the gardai agreed to get involved the next day and they were able to house the men at the Baleskin Reception Centre.

"They are reasonably content," Ken says. "We have arranged for contact with their families, phone, anything else they need and they are quite content that their welfare is being looked after, as best as we can."

The four mens' situation is now being treated as a potential case of human trafficking.

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An Garda Siochana spokesperson told Independent.ie: "Gardai can confirm that the Human Trafficking Investigation and Coordination Unit at the Garda National Protective Services Bureau is assisting four persons as a result of a referral from the International Transport Federation."

Ken also said that it wasn't the first time he has used his home for emergency accommodation for fishermen.

"There was one crew from Cork, they were flying back to Ukraine and nobody had any English, I had a bottle of brandy that I brought home from my holidays. And there are pictures of me and them in my kitchen. Prost was the only word we all knew!"Minister for Transport Shane Ross has launched a scathing attack on "brass neck bankers" and insisted he will do everything in his power to prevent the return of bonuses for senior executives in bailed-out banks.

Responding to suggestions that bonuses could return following a Government- ordered review of bankers' pay, Mr Ross categorically stated: "Over my dead body".

"I have a view that bonuses are not acceptable - not today, not tomorrow, not ever," he told the Sunday Independent.

"The idea that bankers should come back and look for bonuses, which were the really ugly side of the Celtic Tiger, to be restored to them, is just unthinkable and unacceptable.

"The Independent Alliance went into Government to put an end to this type of chicanery and sleight of hands," he added.

The Minister said bankers who are demanding bonuses "don't have an ounce of humility" and should instead see their salaries slashed.

Mr Ross's broadside at bank bosses follows Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe's announcement that he plans to review the ban on bonuses in State-supported banks.

Last week, Mr Donohoe said he will use his stake in AIB to block a share-related payment for executives but said he would launch a review on the prohibition on performance-related payments for senior bank staff.

The move raised concerns that bonuses are set to return less than eight years after the taxpayer forked out 64bn to bail out failed banks.

The bonus ban applies to executives in Bank of Ireland, AIB and Permanent TSB.

Mr Donohoe and Mr Ross privately discussed the review of bank bonuses before it was officially announced.

Yesterday, Mr Ross said there is no one in Fine Gael pushing for bankers' bonuses to return and said he believes the campaign to see the payments return will "come up against a brick wall".

The former Sunday Independent columnist was a ferocious critic of the bonus culture in the banking system before he was appointed as a minister.

He insisted his position has not changed and said he will seek to block any move to lift the ban on bonuses.

"My views have not change. The banks are not reformed. It is clear they have learned nothing if they are putting pressure on Government to get performance-related pay. They have learned no lessons and haven't got an ounce of humility, that's what's staggering about it," Mr Ross said.

The minister said he received the backing of his Independent Alliance colleagues to block any return of bonuses.

He said the group will be making a "very strong submission" to the Government's review which will push to retain the ban on bonuses and seek to have bankers' pay dramatically reduced.

Mr Ross said some senior executives in banks are receiving more than 100,000 a year for what he considered part-time work.

The banks claim they need to offer bonuses and performance-related pay to attract and retain senior staff as the economy improves.

They claim lenders which were not bailed out are at more of an advantage because they can attract the best and brightest in the industry by offering bonuses.

AIB's board planned to offer a deferred annual share scheme rather than bonuses to senior executives.

The moves would have seen executives earning almost 100pc of their basic pay in shares. The proposal will be voted on at this week's AIB annual general meeting.

However, Mr Donohoe said he will use his share in the bank to block the proposal. Bank of Ireland also wants to bring back bonuses but Mr Donohoe will abstain on this vote which means it is likely to pass.Bertie Ahern gets angry at the line of questioning on German broadcaster DEs Conflict Zone, especially about his finances and the Mahon Tribunal. Full video can be viewed on independent.ie

Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin will today pay a warm tribute to the peace process work of former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, who has hit the headlines again after walking out of an interview in which he was questioned about his past finances.

Mr Ahern was putting the furore over the interview behind him yesterday by celebrating the birthday of his twin grandchildren.

The former Taoiseach's grandchildren, Rocco and Jay, turned 11 and the day placed a positive bookend on what had been a tough week for the former Fianna Fail leader.

It came days after Mr Ahern walked out of a one-to-one with Germany's international broadcaster after the interviewer questioned him about the findings of the Mahon Tribunal.

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However, in a speech today at the annual Fianna Fail 1916 Commemoration at Arbour Hill, Mr Martin is expected to say that the Good Friday Agreement would have been "impossible" without Ahern's leadership as Taoiseach.

He will say: "The scale of the problems which he and others overcame in that negotiation and in those which followed dwarf any that exist today - yet what we are seeing is a very real threat to the first agreed settlement in the history of this island".

Mr Martin was leader of Fianna Fail when Mr Ahern resigned from the party after the Mahon Tribunal report was published.

On German broadcaster DW's Conflict Zone, journalist Tim Sebastian asked Mr Ahern, in light of the fact that he could be running for President, to address issues including his past as "a finance minister without a bank account" and the fact that public inquiries said he "lied about the source of substantial sums of money" he had received.

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The interview was largely about the Good Friday Agreement until Mr Sebastian changed topic and questioned Mr Ahern on the findings of the Tribunal, saying: "They said you weren't truthful".

Mr Ahern responded by insisting he was "happy with [his] evidence" and that he had dealt with the issue "comprehensively". He added that he wouldn't be saying any more on the matter.

After further questions about the crash, Mr Ahern took off his microphone and - still maintaining a smile - walked out, saying: "I agreed to meet you on the Good Friday Agreement, we've done that so we're finished, thank you very much."

Sebastian had asked Bertie Ahern about his "own mixed fortunes" since the Good Friday Agreement. He questioned Mr Ahern about his resignation from Fianna Fail after the Tribunal found he did not truthfully explain payments made to accounts connected to him.

The tribunal did not find the former Taoiseach to be corrupt, but it resulted in Mr Ahern's resignation in March 2012. He had stepped down as Taoiseach in 2008 and as a TD in 2011. Mr Ahern has always rejected the report's findings.

"I'm quite happy I cleared my name," Mr Ahern told the programme.

When asked why the tribunal never reversed its decision, he replied: "No I mean, the tribunal gave its views, the tribunal gave its views".

Mr Sebastian asked: "They said you weren't truthful." To which, Mr Ahern replied: "No, they gave its views and I gave my evidence. I gave my evidence and I was very happy with my evidence, I was very happy with the situation that I gave and the tribunal is over and it's reported and that's it.

"I've definitely dealt with that issue and I'm not saying any more about that issue, I've dealt with it comprehensively," he stated.

When prompted about looking to run for the presidency with these issues "in the public domain", Mr Ahern replied: "That will be for another day, that will be for another day".

When Mr Ahern asked the interviewer to change the subject from the Mahon Tribunal, the journalist then said: "Let me talk about the economic crash"

Mr Ahern appeared reluctant, which led the presenter to ask: "Why you don't want to talk about these things?"

Mr Ahern replied: "I agreed to meet you on the Good Friday Agreement. We have done that so we are finished."

The pair also spoke about the current Northern Ireland political crisis and Brexit.

In his Arbour Hill speech, Mr Martin also targets the Government on Brexit, housing and public services.The former Taoiseachs wife looks at a photograph of her husband alongside children Ciaran, Eimear, Conor and Sean at the formal announcement of the handing over of his private papers to DCU

Maureen Haughey, wife of the former Taoiseach Charles J Haughey, has left more than 9m in her will, one of the largest personal legacies recorded in the Probate Office this year.

Papers show that Mrs Haughey, who was the daughter of Sean Lemass, divided her assets equally among her four children, Eimear, Conor, Ciaran and Sean, currently TD for Dublin Bay North.

Noted for her political shrewdness and unflappable demeanour even in the most turbulent moments of her husband's political life, she lived most of her married life in the Gandon-designed mansion, Abbeville, in Kinsealy, north County Dublin.

Following the death of Charles Haughey in 2006, she moved to a new, more manageable home on the edge of the estate close to her children.

Charlie and Maureen Haughey bought Abbeville in 1969 shortly after Mr Haughey had been re-appointed Minister for Finance in Jack Lynch's government.

In 2004, the 18th-Century mansion and 250 acres, much of it in woodlands and lakes, was the subject of a hotly contested bidding war between developers Johnny Ronan and Joe Moran.

Moran's Manor Park Homes won and paid 45m for the property to the Haughey family investment company, Larchfield Securities. But various redevelopment plans for the estate never got off the drawing board and the Haugheys remained in the house until Charlie's death.

In 2015, the Nashida family, headed by Norimasa Nishida, owner of the Japanese hotel chain Toyoko Inn International, bought the estate at a knockdown price of 5.5m from the receivers to Manor Park Homes, which was wound up in May, 2012 with debts of 135m.April is the cruelest month, wrote American-born poet Thomas Stearns Eliot in his epic poem The Waste Land, published in 1922.

In the Great War, the Battle of Seicheprey, fought on April 20, 1918, in eastern France near the German border, was Americas first major military engagement and it closely reflected Eliots poem.

When winters covering warmth had departed by April 1918, 318,000 American Doughboys had been sea-transported to France. Although impressive, it was far from the million-man American army which General John J. Black Jack Pershing wanted for a war-winning campaign. Nor were the Doughboys yet tried in combat.

There was mounting pressure by both Frances Premier Georges Clemenceau and Marshal Ferdinand Foch for Pershing to allow U.S. forces to be absorbed into the armies of France. To the French and British, the Doughboys were better than their staff officers who lacked command experience.

Gen. Henri Petain asserted U.S. units incurred two to four times the number of casualties than the French sustained in battle. The lean military situation was dire, due to the vast German offensive of March 21, 1918, which brought the Kaisers troops dangerously close, within 45 miles of Paris and decisive victory.Four years after a memorable night on which chef Alain Passard cooked at OX in Belfast alongside his old friends, Stephen Toman and Alain Kerloc'h, the French chef is returning to celebrate the restaurant's fifth birthday.

Passard will travel from his three-Michelin star Paris restaurant, L'Arpege, to cook in Belfast on Sunday and Monday, April 22 and 23. The evenings will raise funds for The Children's Heartbeat Trust, a cause close to chef Stephen Toman's own heart.

OX founders Stephen Toman and Alain Kerloc'h first met in Alain Passard's L'Arpege, became friends, and opened OX together in March 2013.

Passard has been both a mentor and inspiration to Alain and Stephen, and they were delighted to welcome him to Belfast to cook in OX the first time round.

They say that having him come back and cook in Belfast for a second time, now that their restaurant is firmly established, with one Michelin star already under its belt, is the best birthday present they could possibly receive.

OX has developed and matured over its first five years, with a constant focus on innovation and imagination.

Passard is famous for removing red meat from L'Arpege, and dedicating himself to cooking with his 'grand cru' vegetables, supplied exclusively from his own organic farm. The restaurant is currently Number 12 on the most recent World's 50 Best Restaurants list.

Alain Passard at OX runs for two nights, with each night featuring a six-course tasting menu with dishes created by both Alain Passard and Stephen Toman, and wines matched by Alain Kerloc'h.

A charity evening in aid of The Children's Heartbeat Trust, tickets will cost 220, to include a pre-dinner reception with champagne and canapes in OX Cave, next door to OX.

Front of house staff and chefs from OX travelled to Paris in advance of the birthday to spend some time in the kitchens and on the floor at L'Arpege, so that the entire team is familiar with the ethos and approach of this legendary Parisian restaurant, and so that the French team have already met their Belfast counterparts.

Bookings can only be made by email, on info@oxbelfast.com; oxbelfast.com

Bites...

HEALTHY PIZZA

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NKD Pizza has just opened its first Irish store on Orwell Road, Rathgar in Dublin 6. The base of NKD pizzas is what's different - the dough contains 10 different grains including quinoa and amaranth and proves for 48 hours, which is said to minimise the risk of bloating. nkdpizza.ie

TEAR AND SHARE IN CONG

Next Saturday, April 28, there's a BYOB Tear and Share Dinner in the Co Mayo village of Cong. The menu will be prepared by chefs from the Cong Food Village, and served in the Community Centre. Tickets are 30 and include a glass of wine.

congfoodvillage.com

NEW LOOK KNIGHTS BAR

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Courtly types might head to Knights Bar at The Clontarf Castle Hotel which has had a trendy retro makeover, and is serving a new midweek lunch menu designed by head chef Stuart Heeney that includes Clogherhead crab, Wicklow lamb, and air-dried Connemara ham. clontarfcastle.ieFrom Irkutsk we drive to Listvyanka, a small town on the shores of Lake Baikal. The 60 kilometre road runs through a white forest frozen under thick snow and was laid in just two months in preparation for what should have been a landmark state visit to Russia by the US President Dwight D Eisenhower in 1960. Constructed at the height of the Cold War, the 'Eisenhower Road' as it became known is our first introduction to Siberia and, like the American president, our destination is Lake Baikal - the world's oldest, deepest and biggest lake, famed for its unique and complex ecosystem.

The construction of the road proved premature and Eisenhower never made it to Lake Baikal; just before the planned visit the Russians shot a spy plane down and captured the American pilot Gary Powers and the trip was abandoned. Thanks to the renowned visitor who never came, Listvyanka became Lake Baikal's most popular tourist destination and the road remains today.

On reaching Listvyanka the plan is to embark on a rare ice-driving excursion and drive an AWD Mazda CX-5 powered by a 2.5-litre petrol engine and fitted with studded tyres across a 70km stretch over a frozen Lake Baikal. From there we will head east through the frozen Siberian forest before finishing in Ulan-Ude.

Over the winter, consistently cold temperatures freeze the surface of Lake Baikal to a depth of a metre or so. However, driving on ice is not without its risks - every few years this part of Siberia registers a major earthquake. Despite the stunningly beautiful surroundings, the harsh realities of the risks involved require expert guidance.

To ease our concerns about falling through the ice, we are given some clear instructions from our Russian guide Alex Simakin. First and most important is to drive slowly; the faster you drive, the more stress the ice is under, so speed has to be controlled and the brakes used sparingly. A convoy of 12 cars is to make the journey, so a distance of 50 metres must be maintained between each. As a last warning we are reminded not to wear our seatbelts, if we do break through the ice we'll have two minutes before the car sinks, for the same reason, it's also a good idea to make sure doors and windows are unlocked. It seems the fact that I can't swim matters little when dealing with the deepest lake on Earth.

A six-wheel vehicle manned by Emercom - the National Russian Safety Team - leads our convoy but it is not long before the difficulties of driving on ice become apparent. Fractured white with cracks, the texture of the ice is constantly changing and frozen ripples break through the ruffled surface.

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The light wind is not helping conditions either as it blows enough snow around to slow us down and reduce visibility. Melting sheets of ice are a constant concern and we cautiously proceed around slabs and shards of threatening ice. This edgy adventure takes a new twist; all progress is halted as we face a wide stretch of open water where the ice has completely cracked. The solution is provided by the safety team - the Russian crew build a makeshift wooden ramp across it with solid chunks of ice and random bits of wood. I try not to dwell too much on the laws of physics as I drive nervously to the other side.

Passing the halfway mark, we discover there are more immediate risks than going into the water. Successive cars to the front of the convoy are getting stuck in deep snow and the second part of the journey proves painstakingly slow as the entire group has to wait for each car to be towed from the snow. To get through requires speed but it is very easy to misjudge the depth, lose control and seconds later find yourself stuck.

The key is understanding the balance of the car to guide the CX-5 across. Thankfully the help of the two men in the tow truck is never called upon and the remainder of the crossing is more of the same - we slow to a crawl due to deep snow and menacing ice blocks.

And finally we emerge on land, the estimated four-hour crossing has taken close to eight hours but as we depart the ice for the last time I am reminded of the words of playwright Anton Chekhov in a letter he wrote to his mother after a visit to the lake in 1890: "It sent a shiver all over me . . . I shall never forget it as long as I live."

A world first route crossing of Lake Baikal in a Mazda CX-5 has been achieved but there was still a three-hour journey ahead of us. The snow-covered road to Ulan-Ude - capital of Buriana - is one of Russia's most dangerous and runs alongside the Trans-Siberian railway line that links Moscow to Vladivostok.

After 12 tense hours we arrive at Ulan-Ude just as the sun is going down and in the shadow of the largest head sculpture in the world, a 7.7 metre high bronze of Lenin's head.

The harsh conditions endured by this urban crossover may never again be encountered but it's reassuring to know just how unstoppable and capable it is.

And amid the thrill and terror of driving on ice we discover crossing a frozen lake demands, endurance, patience, faith, and a Mazda CX-5.A visitor pretends to make a phone call at the desk of a communist party bureaucrat at the DDR Museum in Berlin, Germany. Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Our travel expert goes back to travel basics in Berlin Mitte, the beating heart of Germany's capital.

10am: Chocolate O'Clock

Kreuzberg has hit peak-hipster. Prenzlauer Berg's provocateurs have become parents channelling a German version of Portlandia. But the galleries, museums and buildings of Berlin's Mitte (literally, the 'middle') are as iconic as ever.

Start your short break with a tart, truffle or praline at Rausch Chocolate Cafe on gorgeous Gendarmenmarkt. Don't miss the magnificent chocolate sculptures - they've made the Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate and even the Titanic from chocolate.

How: rausch.de; Charlottenstr. 60

2pm: Travel back in time

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Checkpoint Charlie, the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, Museum Island... they're all in Mitte. For an insight into daily life in the former East Germany, however, hit the interactive DDR Museum (7).

Forget 'Don't Touch' signs. Here, you can sit in a Trabi, step into a living room "with the original GDR smell" and marvel at the craze for nudist holidays.

It's not just 'Ostalgie', either. Exhibits like pressure cookers and twin-deck cassette players make you feel a wee bit dated yourself.

How: ddr-museum.de/en; Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 1

5pm: On Oranienberger Strae

The stroll from Monbijouplatz to Friedrichstrae is like an open-air party in summer - but you don't need sunshine to get the best out of Oranienburger Strae's bars, restaurants and cultural hubs.

The exotic New Synagogue (centrumjudaicum.de) is the largest Jewish place of worship in Germany, and the deliciously gruff Dada Falafal sees the signature dish scooped into balls and fried in front of your face.

If you're in a rush, grab it 'im brot' to go.

How: facebook.com/dadafalafel; Linienstr. 132

8pm: Check in - Monbijou Hotel

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A stone's throw from the courtyard bustle of Hackescher Markt, the Monbijou is a classy combo of compact rooms and loungey, atmospheric public spaces.

In winter, cosy up to the crackling fire; in summer, take your cocktail to the roof terrace. Book a corner suite for uber-Instagrammable views of the Berliner Dom framed by train and tram tracks.

How: monbijouhotel.com; rooms from 95.

Get there

Aer Lingus (aerlingus.com) and Ryanair (ryanair.com) fly from Dublin to Berlin Tegel and Schonefeld respectively. See also berlin.de.'My fork is in the middle. Just above my plate." My dining companion is trying to pass some of his salad across the table for me to taste. I reach out, but can't see or feel the fork or food. It's pitch dark, and I have no idea where anything is.

Eventually, after waving my hand around in the dark a bit, I feel the fork - mistakenly grabbing it food end first. I taste the morsel and come to the conclusion that it's avocado.

We're dining in the dark at a restaurant in Berlin - literally in the pitch black. Our waiter Hedi led us to our table - he is blind, so uses his other senses for orientation. I feel totally disorientated. I can hear the clink of plates and glasses, and people chatting and laughing. I had expected my eyes would adjust to some sort of twilight after the first few minutes, but when they don't and everything remains in total darkness, it feels a bit claustrophobic.

Hedi helps me sit into the chair and puts my hands on my cutlery and drinking glass. Pouring my bottled water into the glass is a comedy. When my first course arrives, it's two chicken skewers - not too taxing to eat in the dark, but I have to keep feeling the skewers to check I've eaten everything. Our main courses are trickier to get to grips with. We later find out the 'avocado' starter was, in fact, beetroot.

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The idea behind dining in the dark (unsicht-bar-berlin.de; from 41.50) is to give your eyes a break and let other senses take over - I don't feel my smell or hearing getting stronger, but my sense of humour does, with lots of giggles when we lose cutlery off the table and try to imagine the condition of the restaurant's floor.

We hear glasses falling off nearby tables and people colliding and apologising. When we eventually emerge into the light, my face is somehow covered in chocolate from dessert.

Dining in the dark is not unique to Berlin, but it's one of a series of fun and quirky experiences I'm enjoying on a short break in the German capital. When it comes to quirky experiences, there's nowhere like this creative, graffiti-filled city where anything seems to go.

My day also started out in darkness - on a fascinating Dark Worlds tour (berliner-unterwelten.de; 12) of an underground bunker. During World War II, when the city was being bombed by the allies, civilians sheltered in underground bunkers. Most have been destroyed, but a large air raid shelter still remains under the Gesundbrunnen underground station in the Mitte area - still intact, as it was part of the station.

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To reach it, we go through a metal gate from the station, into a passage and down some stairs. As we explore the concrete rooms and hear about life in the bunkers, the guide demonstrates with a torch how glow in the dark paint still remains on the walls (used in case of power cuts).

There are war artefacts in different rooms - everything from old beds and suitcases from various air raid shelters to tools, helmets and household items. One room has some old bombs in it. On a wall is a poster featuring the planes and flags of different 'enemy' countries in Europe. I am amused to see the Irischer Freistaat (Irish Free State) listed.

After the tour, I head to the Good Bank diner (good-bank.de), where rows of salad grow in glass cases behind the counter - you can't get fresher than salad leaves travelling a few feet to your plate. Leaves from the homegrown Salanova Chocolate Oak Salad are mixed with chicken, avocado, apple and cheese for a 'Chocolate Chicken Salad'. Scarlet Baby Kale is mixed with pulled beef short ribs on Swabian Spatzle noodles. Good Bank grows six species of salad - they take four weeks to grow, get 16 hours of light each day and leaves are harvested daily.

Over at the Surreal Museum of Industrial Objects (designpanoptikum.de; 9.90), the setting is more like Frankenstein's Lab than a museum. The space is filled with all sorts of crazy objects collected by owner Vlad Korneev who likes visiting scrap yards and wants to show everyone that "reality can be as interesting as fantasy". He shows myself and two other tourists around and then leaves us to browse in wonder - there's everything from old gym horses to dental devices, hairdryers, airplane ejector seats and even an iron lung breathing machine.

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Another crazy experience is the Deutsches Currywurst Museum (currywurstmuseum.com; 11 ) - an entire museum built around a sausage with curry ketchup. The museum is as tacky as I expect, but it's fun - with a mock-up hot dog van where you can play at serving currywurst, to all sorts of interactive exhibits in drawers, in smelly shakers and even a sausage-shaped couch.

It seems only fitting to end my visit at Madame Claude, the 'upside-down bar'. It's a typical Berlin dive bar, except all the furniture is on the ceiling, even beer signs are upside down. We start talking about 'The Upside Down' and ask the barmaid if they watch Stranger Things. She's never heard of it but promises to inform the manager.

That's Berlin. It sometimes keeps you in the dark and leaves you a bit upside down and often, reality is stranger than fiction

3 must-dos...

Berlin by Bike

A Berlin on Bike tour (berlinonbike.de, tours from 24) is one of the best ways to see the German capital. Youll get to visit cool areas like the Haus Schwarzenberg courtyard, a lively space with cafes and galleries where every square inch is covered in graffiti or large murals.

Sky-high dining

Boasting some of the citys best views, the 12th-floor Skykitchen (skykitchen.berlin, three courses from 71) has a Michelin Star but is a casual space where scallops meet plums and shimeji, and beef comes with poverade and flamed gnocchi  all creatively presented as delicious, miniature works of art.

Market forces

Hit the citys flea markets on Sunday afternoons  theres live music, food stalls and even a climbing wall on a tower at Raw Flohmarkt  take the U-Bahn to Warschauer Strae and cross the bridge. Nearby Boxhagener Platz has a selection of bric-a-brac mixed with antiques.

What to pack

Berlin is casual, so no need to dress up - though don't wear anything precious if dining in the dark in case of spillages. You can buy a Berlin Welcome card (berlin-welcomecard.de/en, from 19.90) at the airport and it includes public transport from the airport.

Getting There

Yvonne travelled as a guest of Aer Lingus (aerlingus.com), which flies from Dublin to Berlin Tegel Airport twice daily from 44.99 one-way including taxes and charges. For more info on what to see and do in Berlin, see VisitBerlin.de/en.

Where to stay

Yvonne stayed at Vienna House Andels (viennahouse.com), a slick modern hotel and home of Skykitchen in the Prenzlauer Berg/Friedrichshain area, where doubles start from 120; and at luxury boutique hotel Orania (orania.berlin) in arty Kreuzberg, where doubles start from 146  make sure to take in a hotel concert.

Read more:Model, food blogger and intrepid traveller Roz Purcell shares her insider tips for Berlin... bring an appetite!

Best brunch: Chipps

Rated number one on Lovin' Berlin (lovinberlin.com) for brunch, fate beckoned when I realised CHIPPS was right next door to my hotel. This has a fresh and modern interior, contrasting with a lot of other hipster Berlin eateries, and the menu is also part of its appeal with clever names for each brunch option. The portion sizes were generous, the staff friendly, and the location near Museum Island makes it the perfect stop for tourists. Plus, you can watch the food being made. There's always something comforting and reassuring about that!

Price: 7-9 for a main course; 3.5 per side (approx)

Roz's recommendation: If you like your avocados, go for the green horn, with a side of scrambled eggs (possibly the best I've ever had).

Details: Jagerstrae 35; chipps.eu

Best cheap n' cheerful lunch: Rissani

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Middle Eastern fare at Rissani

If you like your Middle Eastern food, and especially falafels, this is the place. The old saying 'never judge a book by its cover' applies... I had grim expectations when I arrived outside, despite the countless recommendations by locals, but I have never been so surprised by a place! Don't be fooled by the exterior or extremely low prices (the most expensive thing on the menu was 8, and that was a sharing plate for two), this place has substance and authenticity. I'm a huge fan of Lebanese and consider myself very hard to please, but Rissani hit the spot.

Price: Shawarmas from 2.50; main courses from 4.

Roz's recommendation: The falafel and hummus plate.

Details: Spreewaldplatz 4

Best for coffee: Cafe Silo

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Cafe Silo, Friedrichshain

I probably don't drink enough coffee to be an expert, but I'd like to think I know a good coffee when I taste it. And that's exactly what happened in Cafe Silo. Set in Friedrichshain, the minimalist interior, bare brick walls and wooden furniture all say hipster, but this is also a cosy spot in which to switch off. It may even rival Dublin's 3fe (3fe.com). It also serves some great food - favouring quality over quantity - including a mix of baked eggs and vegan options. Oh, and don't forget the cupping sessions!

Price: Coffee from 2.40, mains 8 and sides from 2.50.

Roz's recommendation: Bircher muesli and an Americano!

Details: Gabriel-Max-Strae 4; silo-coffee.com

Best for Vegans: Ohlala

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Oh la la!

Walking in and seeing the array of desserts displayed at this Friedrichshain patisserie, I had to double check that they were indeed all vegan and gluten free. And they were. Renowned for their crepes and homemade Nutella, Ohlala offers some of the most skillful baking I've ever scoffed... they do huge range of savoury options, too - including a huge, vegan ham and cheese crepe. The staff, an extremely happy bunch of people who were eager to chat, only added to the experience. Note that you may need to pre-book.

Price: From 4.50 for a crepe

Roz's Recommendation: Tresor top marks!

Details: Mainzer Str. 18; my-ohlala.com

Read More

Best for cake: Rootz

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Devil in the detail at Rootz

I came across this place by accident and it produced the best vegan cake I've ever had. They also have a great selection of teas. Set in one of the nicer spots of Kruezberg, you can get lost in time people-watching here, and everything on the menu is homemade with some serious stars including the peanut butter frosted devil's food cake, and a maple frosted pecan and sweet potato pie. I love it for a cold beer or juice outside in the sunshine.

Price: 2.80 per slice of cake, 4.90 for a main, 3.50 for a side.

Roz's Recommendation: Devil's food cake.

Details: Skalitzer Strae 75; rootz-berlin.de

Best hotel food: Michelberger

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Mixing it up at Michelberger

This casual dining spot is a great place to eat before hitting up the local bar scene. The restaurant is set in a hotel with an atmospheric lobby that has a thumping energy - Michelberger is one of the coolest places to stay in Berlin. There's a huge emphasis on organic, and locally-sourced food (an ethos attributed to their Irish chef, Alan). The food is fresh and modern with plenty of variety and vegan/vegetarian options.

Price: Starters from 12; mains from 20.

Roz's Recommendation: Smoked mashed potatoes

Details: Warschauer Str. 39/40; michelberger.com

Best pop-up: Bite club

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Pop-up grub at Bite Club

Running from 4pm to midnight ever other Friday in Kreuzberg, this gourmet food event is hosted right on the river with some serious skyline views setting the scene for the weekend. Bite Club mixes some of the best food Berlin has to offer with funky concept pop-ups and local craft beers. The atmosphere is set off by disco DJs and a mix of all ages with a common interest in food.

Price: The event is free

Roz's Recommendation: Not for the faint hearted, but try the Oyster mushroom burrito at the future breakfast stall!

Details: biteclub.de

Best random find: Fast Rabbit

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Roz tucking in at Chipps

If you're planning on visiting Berlin's most prestigious Sunday market, you have to try this place out! Situated right across from Mauerpark, Fast Rabbit is a local favourite serving up a signature dish known as "dirty rolls" - vegan wraps! They also collaborate with the smoothie and juice bar next door, and offer an array of raw sugar free desserts... if you hadn't had enough already!

Price: Vegan wraps from 4.50

Roz's Recommendation: Grilled veg, red lentils, lettuce, lemon hummus - 'The Oriental dirty roll'.

Details: Eberswalder Strasse; facebook.com/fastrabbitfood

Getting there:

Roz travelled to Berlin as a guest of Expedia.ie. Ryanair (ryanair.com) and Aer Lingus (aerlingus.com) both fly direct to the city from Dublin. Book a city break with Independent Travel here.A family enjoy a walk on Banna Beach in Co Kerry as the winter Sun sets over West Kerry. Picture: Domnick Walsh

Inchydoney, Co. Cork: Voted best in Ireland in TripAdvisor's Travellers' Choice Awards.

Camping on the coast at Derrynane, Co. Kerry

TripAdvisor has announced its readers' favourite Irish beaches, with Inchydoney bagging top spot for the second year running.

"To walk along the beach in the warm Irish sunshine isn't far short of wonderful," said one of the many users gushing about Inchydoney in the 2015 Readers' Choice Awards.

Although a West Cork beach tops the poll, however, four of the Top 10 are in Kerry - including Inch, Derrynane, Rossbeigh and Banna Strand.

The full list is as follows:

Inchydoney, Clonakilty, Co. Cork Derrynane, Caherdaniel, Co. Kerry Inch Beach, Dingle, Co. Kerry Lahinch Beach, Co. Clare Rossbeigh Beach, Glenbeigh, Co. Kerry Curracloe Beach, Co. Wexford Banna Strand, Co. Kerry Kulmurvey, Inis Mor, Co. Galway Salthill Beaches, Galway Portmarnock Beach, Dublin

Click the image above to view an expanded gallery.

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Salthill, Galway - its beaches ranked ninth on TripAdvisor's list.

Now in their 13th year, the Travellers' Choice Awards honour TripAdvisor's most outstanding properties and attractions across the globe.

The world's top beach was Baia do Sancho in Brazil.

TripAdvisor's Top 10 Irish hotels were also announced recently, with Harvey's Point in Donegal topping the poll for the third year running.

Kerry did pretty well there too - with four hotels in the Top 10.

Read more:

Read MoreI RECOILED at Government plans to introduce baby boxes to encourage potential parents to reproduce, for I know only too well a box wont help families provide security for children.

I recall vividly being unceremoniously presented with a plastic bag full of free baby products by a midwife when I gave birth to my daughter in 1998 in England.

I was a young student, anxious at how Id manage financially  but when I looked at my beautiful baby girl, I knew I had the fight in me to succeed.

Yet the pathetic bag of free baby wipes and a few nappies, along with some vouchers, never filled me with hope.

But in that moment, as I perused the measly items, I could never have predicted that almost 20 years later Id never be in a position to provide a stable home for my only daughter.

Instead, the reality has been far less idyllic. She was born into rented accommodation and unless theres a radical and drastic change in Government policy, she too could one day become a mother in rented housing.

That a grandchild of mine could one day grow up in rented homes is a dark thought indeed. And honestly, I want better for my family. I worked hard enough for better.

In almost two decades, Ive spent the value of a home on rent. Of course, this wasnt a conscious choice but one thrust upon me by State inequality.

Banking restrictions blocked my securing a mortgage high enough to buy a home in Dublin, where the majority of work is.

And the Government has failed to introduce an affordable housing model.

Many single parents like me have simply been locked out of the market. And no amount of baby boxes full of blankets and nappies will change this reality.

For owning a home in the capital in particular has become somewhat an option for the wealthy and certainly not single parents or couples on a modest income.

In Dublin the average house price is now 368,356. In fact the average price has risen by 50pc in just five years.

This is against a backdrop of increasing rents with Dubliners now paying almost 400-a-month more than during the Celtic Tiger, despite rent controls introduced by the Government in 2016.

Childrens Minister Katherine Zappone is apparently looking at the boxes as one measure to boost the declining birth rate in Ireland.

Statistics highlight that not only are birth rates dropping, but families are also having fewer children.

Fertility rates in Ireland have fallen from 2.1 in 2011 to 1.8 in 2016, according to the Sunday Independent.

I for one am hardly surprised, leaving me to wonder why the Government is.

Despite indications of a slowdown in growth, financial services group Friends First has predicted a house price increase of a further 10pc this year.

South County Dublin is the most expensive place to be a tenant, with an average rent of 1,995 just ahead of the south city (1,939) and the city centre (1,869).

If potential parents continue to pay obscene rents, of course it will be incredibly difficult to save for a mortgage deposit.

While the average full-time wage of 45,611  a figure compiled by the Central Statistics Office  is dwarfed by house and rental prices. Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy has vowed to build thousands of homes  including 50,000 social housing units by 2021.

However, supply remains the prominent reason for inf lated rent and house prices.

Minister Murphy is also proposing to make it a criminal offence for landlords in Rent Pressure Zones to raise the rent above the legally permitted 4pc.

But where is the affordable housing solution to allow families to grow and thrive?

I, like many parents, have moved several times. A landlady and later a landlord both apparently wanted their relatives to move in. On each occasion, this led to anxiety and stress for my small family unit

For it has also become increasingly difficult to find a rental home in Dublin. And I faced queues and competitions for a home  one Id never call my own. Single parents, who bring up children and work, seem to f lourish against the impossible yet in Ireland they are still bottom of the pile, with a system favouring wealthy couples.

No amount of baby boxes will encourage potential parents  whove understandably relinquished the aspiration of children due to the unlikely prospect of owning a home  to reconsider.

Perhaps its easier to let a dream die than allow the impossibility of achieving it be a torment forever.Alcohol and drugs are consumed and enjoyed by many, if not most, adults. The former is more widely used because it is legal.

This week the Green Party proposed bringing the laws on the two types of intoxicants more closely into line by decriminalising cannabis.

The proposal is not without possible downsides. Lifting sanctions on cannabis possession could lead to it being used more widely. As medical research shows that regular use of the drug can cause mental health problems for some, this is a clear negative.

But making decisions on such matters requires an assessment of the pros as well as the cons. Nobody, for instance, suggests vehicles should be banned, despite well over a million deaths on the worlds roads each year, because it would have a catastrophic impact, including for the distribution of food and medicines.

Among the best reasons to liberalise drugs laws is to starve criminals and crime gangs of their main source of income. In 1933 the US abandoned prohibition (of alcohol) because of the boon it proved to be for organised crime, a consequence that was not foreseen when the US constitution was amended in 1920 to allow the ban.

Ireland continues to experience serious gang violence, as criminals fight over the huge revenues generated by the business. People who are entirely uninvolved suffer and die. This is a big cost of prohibition.

A second, and closely related reason for changing the framework around narcotics, is law enforcement. Gardai are put in peril on a daily basis and a huge amount of money is spent containing feuds, preventing distribution, and prosecuting and imprisoning those who have broken drugs laws. This money could be saved by liberalisation.

A third argument in favour of decriminalisation and outright legalisation is health and safety.

Products that are peddled by criminals and subject to no regulation are usually of low quality.

They are often laced with toxic substances. There has been tragedy after tragedy caused by tainted drugs  and victims are not only hardcore addicts who may never have got clean, but also of dabbling kids who would be living normal lives today if the stuff they had taken had been produced in the same labs that make the medicines we buy in chemists.

A fourth reason in favour of the decriminalisation of possession of small amounts of narcotics is the effect a criminal record can have.

The implications of a drugs conviction can be life-changing, particularly for young people. Some will argue that knowingly breaking the law should come with sanction.

There is some validity to this argument. But penalties should be proportionate.

The lifetime career prospects of an 18-year-old convicted of possession can be massively changed as a result of a criminal record. That is not only bad for the individuals concerned, it is bad for society. People with records earn less, leading to less wealth being created and less tax being paid.

There is also a greater chance that someone who cant find employment because of a criminal record will end up depending on the State rather than contributing to it.

Yet another reason to bring drugs out of the black economy is the public finances. Treating them as alcohol is treated would allow tax to be levied on them. Having drug users contribute to the funding of public services, including the health services that some of them already need as a result of their habit, makes sense.

Last but not least is the liberty argument. Free people in a free society should ultimately be able to decide for themselves whether they want to take risks with their own health. Liberty is not enjoyed without cost and real freedom includes the freedom to harm oneself.

What of the downsides of liberalising drugs laws?

One of the strongest arguments against has always been the risk that it would turn vanguard countries into drugs hubs. For Ireland, becoming a European centre for narco traffickers is not an outcome anyone wants.

But as the winds of change blow across Europe and the US, this argument is looking weaker. Many American states have decriminalised and/or legalised marijuana without becoming magnets for junkies and mobsters. Closer to home, Portugals experiment in decriminalisation is being watched closely across the continent. It has not made the Iberian country a drugs haven. Nor has it led to a surge in cannabis use.

With change afoot, what are the prospects of a calm, reasoned debate on drugs?

Not good, if public debate on alcohol is anything to go by. The vocal extremists in the anti-alcohol lobby seem to believe that the downsides of excessive drinking can be ended if only the political will existed. They fail to acknowledge that intoxicating substances inevitably lead to harm whether they are legal or not. As with so many lobby groups, they talk of a growing crisis despite the fact that annual alcohol consumption per person has been falling for a decade-and-a-half.

For the hard-line illiberals in the anti-alcohol movement, no amount of tax on drink is enough and there is no downside from having the highest taxes on alcohol in Europe.

There may be a case for (even) higher taxes on alcohol as a means of reducing consumption, but such is the zeal of the lobby that it hasnt focused on increasing excise duties, which would flow into the States coffers and could be used to pay for treatment of excessive users.

Instead, it has successfully pushed minimum-pricing legislation, which causes higher profits for sellers of alcohol and a lower tax take.

Weighing up the pros and cons of policy measures in any area should be the main factor in how laws are framed.

With attitudes to drugs laws changing across the western world, the issue will likely rise up the Irish legislative agenda. The debate on drugs should be guided by reason, not neo-puritanical emotion.Premium

Dan O'Brien Opinion While we catastrophise about Covid, we ignore risk of running out of cash

We Irish view the world in an increasingly strange and unhealthy way. We catastrophise about Covid in a way other European countries do not. We focus on how bad the effects of the virus could get, on how many more restrictions might be imposed by Government and how helpless we are in the face of the virus.Premium

Eoghan Harris Opinion Misery media fails to give due credit to the Taoiseach

Taoiseach Micheal Martin must drive his advisers mad. Unlike Leo Varadkar or Donald Trump, he never bigs up success stories such as the effect of Level 3 Plus on Covid or his visionary Shared Island project. Last Friday, Tony Holohan and RTE cheerleaders seemed to imply Level 5 was responsible for the improved Covid situation. Not so.During the bombing of Baghdad in January 1991, I went with other journalists on an Iraqi government-organised trip to what they claimed was the remains of a baby milk plant at Abu Ghraib which the US had just destroyed, saying that it was really a biological warfare facility.

Walking around the wreckage, I found a smashed-up desk with letters showing that the plant had indeed been producing "infant formula" milk powder. It had not been very successful in doing so, since much of the correspondence was about its financial and production problems and how they might best be resolved. It did not seem likely that the Iraqi government could have fabricated this evidence, though it was conceivable that in some part of the plant, which I did see, they might have been manufacturing biological weapons (BW).

I was visiting a lot of bombed-out buildings at the beginning of the US-led air campaign and I did not at first realise that "the Abu Ghraib baby milk factory" would become such an issue. I was more impressed at the time by the sight of a Cruise missile passing quite slowly overhead looking like a large black torpedo. But, within hours of leaving Abu Ghraib, the true purpose of the plant there had become a topic of furious controversy. The CNN correspondent Peter Arnett, who was on the trip, had reported that "whatever else it did, it [the plant] produced infant formula". He saw a lot of powdered milk and, contrary to the Pentagon claim that the place was guarded like a fortress, we could only see one guard at the gate. Arnett did not deny the US government version that the place was a BW plant, but he did not confirm it either. He simply reported that "it looked innocent enough from what we could see".

Even such mild dissent from the official US version of the bombing turned out to be unacceptable, producing an explosion of rage in Washington. Colin Powell, the US chief of staff, expressed certainty that the Abu Ghraib plant had manufactured BW. The US air force claimed that it had multiple sources of information proving the same thing.

Arnett was vilified as an Iraqi government stooge by the US government. "This is not a case of taking on the media," said the White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater. "It's a case of correcting a public disclosure that is erroneous, that is false, that hurts our government, and that plays into the hands of Saddam Hussein." US news outlets, none of which had correspondents in Baghdad, vigorously toed the official line. Newsweek derided Iraq's "ham-handed attempt to depict a bombed-out biological weapons plant near Baghdad as a baby-formula factory".

It took years for the official version of the bombing to fall apart. Even though I had been in the plant soon after it was destroyed, I could not prove that it did not produce biological weapons, though it seemed to me highly unlikely. Media interest waned rapidly: the best study I could find about how the destruction of the milk factory was spun by official PR is a piece by Mark Crispin Miller, from which the quotes above are taken, published in 2003.

Proof came slowly, long after public interest had waned. A Congressional report in 1993 on US intelligence successes and failures in the Gulf War revealed the shaky reasoning behind the US air force decision to bomb the site. It turned out that "mottled camouflage" had been used on the roofs of two known BW facilities. The report said: "at the same time, the same camouflage scheme was applied to the roof of the milk plant". This was enough for the US Air Force to list it as a target. Confident official claims about multiple sources of intelligence turned out to be untrue. One has to burrow deep into an unclassified CIA paper on Iraq's BW programme, to find a sentence admitting that another plant, which was the real centre of Saddam Hussein's BW effort, was unknown to the US-led coalition and "therefore was not attacked during the war, unlike the Abu Ghurayb (sic) Infant Formula Plant (the Baby Milk Factory) that the Coalition destroyed by bombing in the mistaken belief that it was a key BW facility".

The story of the Abu Ghraib baby milk factory is worth retelling because it underlines - in the wake of the US, British and French air strikes on alleged Syrian BW sites on 14 April - the need for permanent scepticism towards claims by governments that they know what is happening on the ground in Syria or anywhere else.

But government duplicity is scarcely new and denunciations of it may obscure an even greater danger. Look again at the attack on Peter Arnett's story by the White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater who was wrong - and Arnett was right - in saying that it contained "a disclosure that is erroneous, that is false". But he adds correctly that it was a disclosure "that hurts our government and plays into the hands of Saddam Hussein".

So it was in a minor way and this brings us to a toxic attitude towards those who question the official version of events increasingly common in Britain and the US. It is overwhelming freedom of speech in Hungary and Poland and has already triumphed in Turkey and Egypt. In all cases, opinions diverging from those of the powers-that-be are branded as disloyal and unpatriotic and "false facts" are being spread by "useful idiots", to use two ghastly cliches much in use. Marginalisation of dissenting is followed by its criminalisation: Turkey once had a flourishing free press but now any criticism of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan or words or actions of which he disapproves can be labelled as "terrorism" and punished accordingly.

There is much tut-tutting in Britain by the commentariat about the spread of authoritarianism in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, but less so about the growing limitation on what can be freely expressed at home. Increasingly, anything less than full endorsement of the British government line about the poisoning of the Skripals in Salisbury or the suspected gas attack on civilians in Douma in Syria is characterised as support for Putin or Assad.

A telling instance of this new authoritarianism is the denunciations of a party of Christian clergy and peers who have been visiting Syria to meet church dignitaries and government officials. This is an understandable mission for concerned British Christians because Christians in Syria can do with all the solidarity they can get as they are forced to flee or are kidnapped or murdered by Isis, al-Qaeda or the Muslim Brotherhood. Like many Syrians, they see their choice as not being between good and bad but between bad and worse. They generally prefer survival under Assad to likely extinction under his enemies.

Visiting embattled members of the depleted Christian community in Syria is a good thing to do. And, yes, it could be said that the presence of British Christians in Damascus is very marginally helpful to Assad, in much the same way that Peter Arnett's truthful report on the baby milk in Abu Ghraib must have pleased Saddam Hussein. The Foreign Office said the Christians' visit was "not helpful" but then helping the British state should not be their prime concern.

None of the arguments currently being used in Britain and the US to smear those sceptical of the governmental and media consensus are new. The Bolsheviks used to denounce people who said or did things they did not like as "objectively" being fascists or counter-revolutionaries. When those being denounced, often only a preliminary to being shot, replied that they were no such thing, the Bolsheviks would reply: "tell us who supports you and we will tell you who you are". In other words, the only thing that matters is what side you are on.

 IndependentKatie Price aka Jordan arrives at The VIP Style Awards with boyfriend Leandro Penna in 2011

Katie Price aka Jordan arrives at The VIP Style Awards with boyfriend Leandro Penna in 2011

Cast your mind back to 2001, when helicopter was the preferred mode of transport in Ireland, toddlers owned their own homes, and bank managers ate caviar with soup spoons.

It was during this almost mythical time the VIP Style Awards sprang to life.

While the majority of Celtic Tiger beanos faded when the gold rush stopped, the Style Awards managed to survive it all.

Like Terminator T-800, or a giant red carpet cockroach - it seems nothing can bring it down. This year's shindig takes place next Friday night, and, as per usual, is being run by ringmaster Michael O'Doherty - barrister, magazine publisher, and the man who was brave enough to advise rugby star Shane Byrne to lose the mullet on Celebrity Come Dine with Me.

He thinks the longevity of the VIPs coincides with the demise of that much-loved Celtic Tiger wealth and virtue signifier: the ostentatious charity luncheon (complete with eye -watering novelty auction).

"After the recession, people were less willing to spend 2,000 on a bodhran Jim Corr once played, or a vial of Padraig Harrington's blood," O'Doherty says. "Guests never pay to be at the VIPs - it's invite only."

As a result, it is one of the longest-running red carpet events in Ireland's popular culture. The IFTAs started two years later in 2003: probably, after realising they were missing a trick.

Others have followed suit, and now there are a dime a dozen low-rent red carpet dos. Earlier this year, TV3 launched the Xpose Awards - a production so shaky it looked like it had been filmed by your Da (not mine) on a Sony Handycam.

"I think the VIPs is the oldest red carpet in Ireland," O'Doherty says. "Aside maybe from the People of the Year Awards which I believe began in 1762... But we always have the best guest list."

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It certainly is a curious bunch. Conor McGregor and GAA pundit Marty Morrissey nominated alongside our Beloved Leader, Leo Varadkar? Anne Doyle going head to head with Twink?

And there is always some poor eejit who takes it all too seriously: this year that accolade goes to Caitriona Perry.

The Six One news anchor has been canvassing for votes on social media signing off with #ReporterLife, #AnchorLife, and #NewDresses.

Of course, we all know the real reason the awards show gets good traction - because the VIPs inevitably results in very un-VIP behaviour.

In 2011, Lisa Murphy upstaged Katie Price by arriving in a completely see-through dress. That was the same year a well-known model was seen relieving herself in a potted plant in the corner of Krystle nightclub.

In 2016, Amanda Brunker was pelted with seagull droppings as she made her grand entrance at the launch, and had to ask reporters to help wipe her dress clean. In 2015, the MOD's trousers burst open, leaving him terribly exposed.

There was the time the VIP party bus broke down en route to Copper Face Jacks, leaving guests stuck on the quays for an hour. At the time, there was fierce speculation Twink was to blame. (Untrue, of course).

In 2008, one society lady was caught campaigning for votes by pushing pamphlets under the doors of hotel rooms, and in 2013 a TV presenter was stopped leaving the Marker Hotel after snaffling 12 goodie bags.

My personal favourite VIP story was the year I met two lads from the adjoining flats who had thrown on suits, and successfully crashed the awards ceremony in the Marker Hotel.

"We were watching telly," one of them said. "And now we're here with Rosanna Davison and Brent Pope." Ah, yes, Dublin's high life.

Last year was awfully tame, and to spice things up MOD has decided to come 'out of retirement', and once again deliver a hugely offensive speech during which he plans on tearing all the attendees apart. "No one is safe," he says.

Undoubtedly, ensuring it sticks around a while longer.

Time to leave the 90s behind in search of Eurovision glory

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What do you pack when you are going to the Eurovision?

Bunting with flags of all the countries taking part? Points cards? Glitter and glo sticks? A portable shrine to Bjorn and Benny?

It's not a question I've previously had to answer before, but this year I am going to Lisbon for the glorious kitsch-fest that is the Eurovision Song Contest.

Do I think we'll win it?

Win?! Of course not!

Ryan O'Shaughnessy's song is solid in an inoffensive way. Sadly, his act is just too similar to our previous two entries.

You may recall Nicky Byrne, twirling about in a two-tone leather jacket to 'Sunlight' in 2016, and Brendan Murray belting out ballad 'Dying to Try' in a stationary hot air balloon.

Both men failed to qualify.

At this stage, we clearly need something a little different from white, male solo artists who may have been considered cutting edge in the 90s/00s. Last year, after we failed to make it through, RTE's Head of Eurovision Delegation Micheal Kealy, said: "I'm not sure people appreciate how difficult it is to qualify these days It's a completely different competition to how it was when we used to win back in the 90s."

Which raises the obvious question of why they are sending 1990s-inspired acts.

I think RTE needs to get a bit of its Eurovision mojo back. It may also want to seem a bit more set on winning. Sometimes, the delegation looks defeated before they have even boarded the plane over.

Of course, I hope we qualify, but even if we don't I will be there watching Marty Whelan work a room, visiting the Eurovision village, searching for Loreen, and loading up on those delicious Portuguese custard tarts.

TOPS

Windbreakers

Big news thanks to the 'Dadcore' fashion trend.

whatsapp voice memos

Handy and potentially hilarious (if leaked/ sent to the wrong person).

FLOPS

Ed Sheeran movie cameos

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Apparently he's popping up in Richard Curtis's new film about The Beatles. A collaboration no one asked for.

Spooning robots

Aid a good night's sleep. Providing you can stop worrying about them rising up and destroying you.

SAY WHAT?

Shell bolt, shes bolted before

Feminist author Germaine Greer on why the marriage of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry won't last.Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive for a special concert "The Queen's Birthday Party" to celebrate the 92nd birthday of Britain's Queen Elizabeth at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Photo: John Stillwell/PoolEviaEReuters

The Duke of Cambridge, Lady Louise Windsor, the Princess Royal, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle take their seats at the Royal Albert Hall in London to attend a star-studded concert to celebrate the Queen's 92nd birthday. Photo: John Stillwell/PA Wire

Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive for a special concert "The Queen's Birthday Party" to celebrate the 92nd birthday of Britain's Queen Elizabeth at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Photo: John Stillwell/Pool via Reuters

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive at the Royal Albert Hall in London to attend a star-studded concert to celebrate the Queen's 92nd birthday. Photo: John Stillwell/PA Wire

Meghan Markle applauds Queen Elizabeth II as she takes the stage at the Royal Albert Hall in London for a star-studded concert to celebrate the Queen's 92nd birthday. Photo: Andrew Parsons/Sunday Times/PA Wire

Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend a special concert "The Queen's Birthday Party" to celebrate the 92nd birthday of Britain's Queen Elizabeth at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Photo: John Stillwell/Pool via Reuters

Meghan Markle looked stunning last night in a navy Stella McCartney cape dress, when she and her fiance Harry gathered to celebrate the Queens birthday in London.

The bride-to-be wore a statement 1,300 navy Stella McCartney cape dress and matching suede heels by Manolo Blahnik for an event in Albert Hall, which was attended by the extended British royal family.

Her gold clutch was by Naeem Khan.

The couple, who will wed on May 19, looked happily in love at the event.

Expand Close Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive for a special concert "The Queen's Birthday Party" to celebrate the 92nd birthday of Britain's Queen Elizabeth at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Photo: John Stillwell/Pool via Reuters / Facebook

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Meghan, who seems to have hit the ground running with her royal duties, beamed from ear to ear as she listened to performances by the likes of Tom Jones, and Sting and Shaggy.

Pregnant Kate Middleton didnt appear at the celebration, and her husband William sat in the royal box in front of Meghan and Harry.

Prince Harry took to the stage to wish his grandmother a happy birthday, saying: "Tonight we are celebrating the Queen's Birthday but Your Majesty, if you do not mind me saying, you are not someone who is easy to buy gifts for.

"But I think we have the perfect present," which referred to the Queen's Commonwealth Trust charity, which he was appointed president of the youth forum last week.

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He added: "As we celebrate your 92nd birthday this evening and in recognition of your incredible life of service, I am delighted to say that the Queen's Commonwealth Trust has now been launched to support young leaders around the Commonwealth.

"This organisation, in your name, will provide a platform for those working to make a difference in their communities across 53 countries. Happy Birthday Your Majesty."

Expand Close Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive for a special concert "The Queen's Birthday Party" to celebrate the 92nd birthday of Britain's Queen Elizabeth at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Photo: John Stillwell/PoolEviaEReuters / Facebook

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Whatsapp Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive for a special concert "The Queen's Birthday Party" to celebrate the 92nd birthday of Britain's Queen Elizabeth at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Photo: John Stillwell/PoolEviaEReutersThe voter registration centre, which was attacked by a suicide bomber in Kabul (Rahmat Gul/AP)

A suicide bomber has struck at a voter registration centre in the Afghan capital, killing at least 48 people in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group.

Public Health Ministry spokesman Wahid Majro said another 112 people were wounded in Sundays attack in Kabul, updating an earlier toll.

Gen Daud Amin, the Kabul police chief, said the suicide bomber targeted civilians who had gathered to receive national identification cards.

The large explosion echoed across the city, shattering windows miles away from the attack site and damaging several nearby vehicles.

Police blocked all roads to the blast site, with only ambulances allowed in.

Local TV stations broadcast live footage of hundreds of distraught people gathered at nearby hospitals seeking word about loved ones.

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility in a statement carried by its Aamaq news agency, saying it had targeted Shiite apostates.

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Afghanistan will hold parliamentary elections in October.

Last week, three police officers responsible for guarding voter registration centres in two Afghan provinces were killed by militants, according to authorities.

Afghan security forces have struggled to prevent attacks by the Islamic State affiliate as well as the more firmly established Taliban since the US and Nato concluded their combat mission at the end of 2014.

Both groups regularly launch attacks, with the Taliban usually targeting the government and security forces, and IS targeting the countrys Shiite minority.

Both groups want to establish a harsh form of Islamic rule in Afghanistan, and are opposed to democratic elections.Bullet holes are seen at a Waffle House after the fatal shooting (George Walker IV/AP)

A gunman wearing nothing but a coat stormed a Waffle House restaurant before dawn on Sunday and killed four people, according to police in the US.

Officers in Tennessee have credited a customer with saving lives by wresting a weapon away from the gunman.

The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said via its Twitter account that authorities are searching for 29-year-old Travis Reinking of Morton, Illinois.

Police said he was named as a person of interest because the pick-up vehicle the gunman used to drive to the restaurant was registered to Reinking.

Police spokesman Don Aaron said three people died at the scene and one person died at Vanderbilt University Medical Centre.

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Two other people were being treated there for gunshot wounds.

Medical Centre spokeswoman Jennifer Wetzel said one was in critical condition and the other was in critical but stable condition.

Mr Aaron said the gunman arrived at the restaurant, sat in the car park for four minutes and shot two people with an assault rifle.

The gunman then went inside and continued firing.

BREAKING: Travis Reinking, 29, of Morton, IL, is person of interest in Waffle House shooting. Vehicle the gunman arrived in is registered to him. Gunman last seen walking south on Murfreesboro Pike. He shed is coat and is nude. See Reinking? Pls call 615-862-8600 immediately. pic.twitter.com/duoWCo5fC0  Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) April 22, 2018

A 29-year-old male patron inside the restaurant grabbed the rifle from the suspect and tossed it over a counter, Mr Aaron said.

No doubt he saved many lives by wrestling the gun away and tossing it over the counter and prompting the man to leave, Mr Aaron said.

He called the patron a hero.

Mr Aaron said Reinking was known to police both in Illinois and in the federal system.

Its a tragic day for our city anytime people lose their lives at the hands of a gunman. My heart goes out to the families & friends of every person who was killed or wounded in this mornings shooting. I know all of their lives will be forever changed by this devastating crime.  David Briley for Judge (@DavidBriley) April 22, 2018

The suspect, wearing only a green jacket, shed the jacket after fleeing the restaurant.

Mr Aaron said he lived at an apartment complex in the area and, based on witness reports, went to the complex and put on a pair of trousers.

Mr Aaron said witnesses saw a man in a nearby wooded area, and police were still tracking the man, more than six hours after the shooting.

Nashville mayor David Briley said the shooting represents a tragic day for the city.

My heart goes out to the families & friends of every person who was killed or wounded in this mornings shooting. I know all of their lives will be forever changed by this devastating crime, Mr Briley said on Twitter.The man who wrestled the gun away from the Waffle House shooting suspect in Tennessee has said if he were going to die, the gunman would have to work to kill me.

Police are calling James Shaw Jr a hero for saving lives in the busy restaurant, but the 29-year-old Nashville resident said he only made a split-second decision to challenge the gunman and save himself from being killed.

At that time I made up my mind ... that he was going to have to work to kill meJames Shaw

Mr Shaw said at a news conference he had spent an evening out at a nightclub and entered the restaurant minutes ahead of the gunman.

He said he and another friend were seated at a counter when he heard gunshots, thinking at first that a stack of freshly washed plates had crashed down.

Then, he said, restaurant workers scattered and he turned and saw a body near the front door as the gunman burst in.

It was then he realised he had heard gunshots.

I looked back and I saw a person lying on the ground right at the entrance of the door, then I jumped and slid  I went behind a push door  a swivel door, Mr Shaw said.

He shot through that door; Im pretty sure he grazed my arm.

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At that time I made up my mind  that he was going to have to work to kill me.

When the gun jammed or whatever happened, I hit him with the swivel door.

Mr Shaw said it was then that they began wrestling, ignoring his own pain as he grabbed the hot barrel of the AR-15 weapon.

He was kind of cussing while we were wrestling around.

When I finally got the gun he was cussing like I was in the wrong, he said.

It wasnt any kind of talking between us; I just knew I just had to get that away from him.

Of the gun, he added: I grabbed it from him and threw it over the counter top and I just took him with me out the entrance.

Mr Shaw said after getting the man out of the Waffle House, he then ran one way and saw the suspect jogging or trotting another way.

Mr Shaws right hand was bandaged at the news conference.

He also said he had an apparent bullet graze on one elbow and fell and hit his knee as he escaped, landing in the hospital for a time early on Sunday.

He added he didnt see himself as a hero, but feels certain he wouldnt be alive if he hadnt succeeded.

I didnt really fight that man to save everyone else. That may not be a popular thing, said Mr Shaw, who was raised in the area, went to Tennessee State University and now works as a wireless technician for AT&T.

I took the gun so I could get myself out of the situation.

But he said he was glad to save other lives as well.

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At Sundays news conference, Waffle House chief executive Walter Ehmer joined police officers in thanking Mr Shaw for his bravery.

You dont get to meet too many heroes in life, Mr Ehmer said before addressing Shaw, who dabbed at tears in his eyes.

We are forever in your debt.

When Shaws father went to visit him in the hospital before he was released, he had one piece of advice for his son: Dont do that again.

I take no pride in him charging a loaded gun, James Shaw Sr said.

I do take pride in him helping save the lives of other people.

After the sons release from the hospital, the family went to church together.A police vehicle sits outside the Waffle House restaurant in Nashville (Sheila Burke/AP)

A gunman wearing nothing but a green jacket and brandishing an assault rifle stormed a US Waffle House restaurant and killed four people before dawn, according to police, before a customer saving lives by wresting the assailants weapon away.

The gunman shot people in the car park before entering the restaurant, where he continued firing until a customer grabbed the rifle, Nashville Police spokesman Don Aaron said.

Four people were also wounded before the gunman fled, shedding his jacket.

Authorities said they were searching for the suspect, 29-year-old Travis Reinking, and that they were drafting murder warrants for him.

Nashville police tweeted that the pick-up vehicle the gunman drove to the restaurant was registered to Reinking.

BREAKING: Travis Reinking, 29, of Morton, IL, is person of interest in Waffle House shooting. Vehicle the gunman arrived in is registered to him. Gunman last seen walking south on Murfreesboro Pike. He shed is coat and is nude. See Reinking? Pls call 615-862-8600 immediately. pic.twitter.com/duoWCo5fC0  Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) April 22, 2018

Witness Chuck Cordero told The Tennessean newspaper he had stopped to get a cup of coffee and was outside the restaurant when the chaos unfolded around 3.25am.

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He did not say anything, Mr Cordero said of the gunman, who he described as all business.

Mr Cordero said the man who wrested the gun from the suspect saved lives.

I saw the opportunity and pretty much took itHero customer James Shaw

Had that guy had a chance to reload his weapon, there was plenty more people in that restaurant, he said.

Police identified the man who grabbed the weapon as 29-year-old James Shaw, Jr.

This is a very sad day for the Waffle House family. We ask for everyone to keep the victims and their families in their thoughts and prayers.  Waffle House News (@WaffleHouseNews) April 22, 2018

Mr Shaw told The Tennessean in an interview that he was just trying to get myself out.

I saw the opportunity and pretty much took it.

The newspaper reported that Mr Shaw was grazed by a bullet, treated and released.

When I was in the ambulance to hospital I kept thinking that Im going to wake up and its not going to be real, Mr Shaw said.

It is something out a movie.

Crissy and I are deeply saddened by the tragic incident in Antioch early this morning, and we mourn the lives taken in this senseless act of violence. I encourage everyone in the Antioch area to take safety precautions as Metro Police continue to search for the suspect.  Bill Haslam (@BillHaslam) April 22, 2018

Im OK though, but I hate that it happened.

Mr Aaron, the police spokesman, said three people died at the restaurant and one person died at Vanderbilt University Medical Centre, where two others were being treated for gunshot wounds.

Medical Centre spokeswoman Jennifer Wetzel said one was in critical condition and the other was in critical but stable condition.

TriStar Southern Hills Medical Centre spokeswoman Katie Radel in Nashville said two people were treated for minor injuries and released.

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Mr Aaron said the gunman arrived at the restaurant and waited in the car park for four minutes before shooting two people outside.

At some point after the gunman entered, Mr Shaw grabbed his rifle and tossed it over a counter, Aaron said.

The gunman then fled and was seen walking, nude, on a road, authorities said.

Police were still searching for him amid a steady rain more than 10 hours after the shooting.

Mr Aaron said Reinking lived near the restaurant in the working- and middle-class Antioch neighbourhood of southeast Nashville, and police used yellow crime scene tape to block public access to an apartment complex about a half-mile from the Waffle House.

Reinking is originally from Morton, Illinois, and was known to both Illinois and federal law enforcement, Mr Aaron said.

The victims names were not immediately released.

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Police initially described Reinking as a person of interest, but Mr Aaron later told reporters authorities were searching for a gunman we fully believe to be Travis Reinking.

I think its safe to say that person of interest and suspect in this matter is synonymous, he said.

This is a very sad day for the Waffle House family, the company said in a statement on Twitter.

Its a tragic day for our city anytime people lose their lives at the hands of a gunman. My heart goes out to the families & friends of every person who was killed or wounded in this mornings shooting. I know all of their lives will be forever changed by this devastating crime.  David Briley for Judge (@DavidBriley) April 22, 2018

We ask for everyone to keep the victims and their families in their thoughts and prayers.

Nashville mayor David Briley described the shooting as a tragic day for the city.

My heart goes out to the families & friends of every person who was killed or wounded, Mr Briley said in an emailed statement.

I know all of their lives will be forever changed by this devastating crime.

Congressman Jim Cooper, whose district includes Nashville, said in an emailed statement that the shooting shows the need for tighter restrictions on widespread civilian access to military-grade assault weapons.

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Tennessee governor Bill Haslam said he and his wife, Crissy, are deeply saddened by the tragic incident in Antioch early this morning, and we mourn the lives taken in this senseless act of violence.

Authorities say the suspect was arrested last year by the US Secret Service for being in a restricted area near the White House.

Mr Aaron said Reinkings firearms authorisation was then revoked at the request of the FBI.

Four weapons were seized, including the AK-15 that he allegedly used in the shooting at the Waffle House restaurant.

Aaron says the four guns were returned to the suspects father, who acknowledged giving them back to his son.

A Secret Service agent said Reinking had hoped to talk to President Donald Trump.

Special Agent Todd Hudson in Nashville said the suspect wanted to set up a meeting with the president.Police attend the scene of an evacuation at Mont Saint-Michel, on Frances northern coast (Denis Surfys/AP)

French authorities have reopened Mont-Saint-Michel abbey to visitors after an earlier evacuation on the famed English Channel site for a visitor who apparently threatened to attack security services.

The evacuation of one of Frances most-visited tourist sites came after a string of sporadic attacks around France in recent years targeting police, some of them fatal.

The site reopened on Sunday afternoon and a trickle of tourists started returning to the Mont across a promontory that connects it to the mainland.

Several hours of searching failed to turn up the suspect, and police expanded their search to neighbouring towns, according to the national gendarme service.

Details of Sundays threat were unclear, but the gendarme service said authorities ordered the evacuation as a precaution.

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During the police operation, at least three police helicopters circling over the peninsula, notably famous for being isolated by high tides.

The hilltop abbey, whose origins date to the 10th century, and surrounding sites attract more than two million visitors every year.

Police officers patrolled the steep cobblestone paths leading up to the abbey, packed with restaurants and souvenir shops and normally packed with tourists and pilgrims 365 days a year.

Thousands of people were affected by the evacuation, but the mood was calm.

Some tourists were taken out of their hotels, while others were blocked upon arrival.

We wanted to go to Mass at the abbey. But now we cant, said Clotilde, a 23-year-old from Paris who arrived Sunday morning.

Some angry South Korean tourists shouted at an organiser trying to explain the situation.

Their group of 32 was turned back to Paris after being blocked from reaching Mont-Saint-Michel.

Tour guide Andrew Rui remained calm, however, noting that the evacuation was prompted by security reasons.

We cannot control the situation so we accept this phenomenon, he told the AP.

The regional prosecutors office opened an investigation into the threat, amid contradictory information about what happened.

An official with the national gendarme service said the man made the threat Sunday on one of the shuttles serving the site.

The head of the regional administration, Jean-Marc Sabathe, told broadcaster Francetvinfo that the man made the threat when he was trying to stage a street performance and got in an argument with a cafe worker.

He said the man was caught on video surveillance cameras.

I am ordering house-by-house searches to verify if the individual is still on Mont-Saint-Michel.

Its possible that the individual left the Mont with the flux of tourists, Mr Sabathe said.

Monks and nuns were told to stay inside the abbey during the evacuation, according to the gendarme service, and the Monts few other residents were told to stay in their homes.Three people were killed and another four wounded when a man armed with a rifle opened fire in a restaurant and fled "in the nude".

Police are still hunting for the suspect, who fired on diners at a branch of Waffle House near Nashville, Tennessee.

Three of those injured are in a critical condition in hospital, and one is critical but stable, ABC News reported.

Nashville police said the gunman was wearing only a green jacket when he opened fire but "shed his coat" after firing his gun and fled on foot with no clothes on.

A Waffle House customer managed to wrestle away the rifle from him, officers said.

Detectives identified the suspect as Travis Reinking, 29, of Morton, Illinois, after finding the vehicle he allegedly used was registered in that name.

The Waffle House is about 16 miles south-east of Nashville.

Pat Warner, head of public relations for Waffle House, called it a "very troubling" situation.

"We are sending our corporate team from Atlanta and heading to Nashville now," Mr Warner told ABC. "Our thoughts are with those affected."Former MI6 officer Christopher Steele's dossier on Donald Trump was denounced by the US president and his supporters as fake. The investigation into Trump's Russian connections, however, has shown much of it to be true. But two notable allegations have remained unproven.

Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, had vehemently denied the claim, made in the report, that he had met with Russians with ties to Vladimir Putin in Prague; insisting he had never even been to the Czech Republic. And then there was the lurid account of the US president using prostitutes while on a visit to Moscow, something he has strongly denied.

Cohen had sued Fusion GPS, an investigative firm which had commissioned Steele's report. But Cohen has now voluntarily dropped his legal action. It followed reports that US special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian links to Trump has found evidence that Cohen had, indeed, made a trip to Prague.

The claim that Trump had hired prostitutes to urinate on the hotel bed once used by Barack and Michelle Obama and the alleged filming of the same incident by Russian spies, has resurfaced in the memoirs of James Comey.

The former FBI director, who claims Trump fired him after he refused to drop the Russia inquiry, recounted the US president repeatedly bringing up, unprompted, the sex allegation - saying at one stage "there's no way I would let people pee on each other around me. I'm a germaphobe!" The theme continued, according to memos just released by Comey.

"The president said the 'hookers thing' is nonsense - but that Putin had told him 'we have the most beautiful hookers in the world'," one of the memos stated.

The memos, in which Trump was also shown to be speaking in unflattering terms about General Michael Flynn, his former national security adviser who has been subsequently charged by Mueller, were provided to Congress at the demand of House Republicans - who thought they would undermine Comey and the Trump investigation.

The consensus is that this move has turned out to be massively counter-productive.

"Honestly, I am aghast that they thought this was going to be helpful to the president and undermine Comey, therefore the FBI, therefore special counsel Mueller," said Jack Quinn, who had acted as Bill Clinton's lawyer. "I can't get over the fact that they made this calculation. I am sure the president is not going to be sitting up tonight writing thank you letters to them."

"It is the simple rule that barristers follow when questioning witnesses - you don't ask something without roughly knowing what the answer is going to be. What came out was hardly flattering for Trump."

The claim that Mueller's team has information about Cohen's visit to Prague came following a raid on his office and home by FBI agents. They were seeking information about payments made by Cohen to Stormy Daniels, a porn actress who claims that she had sex with Trump. But, according to multiple sources, there was also search for material pertaining to an investigation into alleged fraud, tax evasion, money laundering and Cohen's actions while working for Trump, as well as real estate purchases by Russian buyers.

Trump denies having sex with Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford. Cohen denies any wrongdoing.

While the Mueller investigation continues to expand, Donald Trump is facing difficulties finding lawyers to represent him. According to reports, five law firms have declined to defend the president.

Mr Trump has now turned to an old ally, Rudy Giuliani. His main role, the former New York Mayor told CNN, would be to interact with Mueller and bring things to a conclusion, as it "needs a little push".

Just prior to the election which brought Trump to power, just two days before FBI director James Comey dropped his bombshell letter saying Hilary Clinton would face a new email probe, Giuliani said: "We've got a couple of things up our sleeve that should turn things around."

At the time many wondered just how Giuliani acquired this knowledge. Now, with the Mueller investigation going full steam, Giuliani may find his old acquaintance asking him that same question - but this time with the power to demand an answer.

ReutersShake it, baby: French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump shake hands as they meet at the Elysee Palace in Paris last Thursday Photo: Kevin Lamarque

US President Donald Trump will look to pull off the ultimate charm offensive as he hosts French President Emmanuel Macron at a glitzy White House state dinner.

Wined and dined on multiple state visits during his tour of Asia last year, Mr Trump is paying it forward and celebrating nearly 250 years of US-French relations at the dinner on Tuesday.

Months in the making, it is the first state visit and first big soiree of the Trump era in Washington.

"It sounds like what they're planning will be spectacular," said Jeremy Bernard, who was White House social secretary in 2014, the last time the US feted a French president.

The White House has said little beyond the fact that dinner will be served, sticking to the tradition of trying to maintain an element of surprise for its guests.

In fact, Mr Macron will break bread twice with Mr Trump.

Expand Close President Trump in Paris on July 14 (hristophe Archambault/AP/PA) / Facebook

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Whatsapp President Trump in Paris on July 14 (hristophe Archambault/AP/PA)

On Monday, the president and Melania Trump will dine privately with Mr Macron and his wife, Brigitte, at Mount Vernon, the home of America's first president, George Washington, on the banks of the Potomac River in Virginia.

The White House said the setting will serve as a reminder of France's "unique status" as America's first ally.

Mr Trump ended his first year without receiving a foreign leader on a state visit, making him the first president in nearly 100 years to do so and heightening the stakes for Tuesday.

Dinner tickets are typically highly sought after by Washington's political and business elite.

A few inklings of who's in and who's out already are known: Christine Lagarde, head of the International Monetary Fund, is in, as are House Speaker Paul Ryan, and defence secretary Jim Mattis. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky was invited, but his office said he is unable to attend.

In a break with tradition, Mr Trump invited no Democratic members of Congress or journalists, said a White House official familiar with the arrangements. But at least one Democrat will be in the crowd: The office of Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards confirmed his attendance.

Expand Close French President Emmanuel Macron (L) shakes hands with US President Donald Trump, next to US First Lady Melania Trump, during the annual Bastille Day military parade on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris on July 14, 2017. CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULTCHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT/AFP/Getty Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp French President Emmanuel Macron (L) shakes hands with US President Donald Trump, next to US First Lady Melania Trump, during the annual Bastille Day military parade on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris on July 14, 2017. CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULTCHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT/AFP/Getty Images

Approximately 150 guests will take their seats in the State Dining Room on Tuesday, making for a more intimate affair than those held by President Barack Obama.

Mr Obama's guest lists numbered into the hundreds, requiring that the event be held in a tented pavilion erected on the South Lawn because no room in the White House can accommodate that many people.

Most of the responsibility for executing a flawless celebration falls to the first lady and her staff, including such key details as what is served (Mr Trump likes wedge salads and chocolate cake) and poured into glasses, who sits next to whom, who performs after dinner and what the decor looks like.

One big moment is the first glimpse of the first lady in her gown. Fashion details are kept secret until the first couple steps on to the North Portico on Tuesday night to welcome their dinner guests.

Former first lady Michelle Obama often used state dinners to showcase the talent of up-and-coming designers. Some designers have cited mr Trump's politics in refusing to dress the current first lady, a former model.

Still, a likely choice would be Dior, the French design house whose fashions Mrs Trump often wears, or Herve Pierre, the French-American who designed her inaugural gown and other looks.

The last time a Republican president hosted his French counterpart was November 2007 when President George W Bush welcomed the newly divorced Nicolas Sarkozy.

When Mr Macron's limousine first pulls up the White House driveway on Tuesday morning, Mr Trump, the first lady, White House and administration officials, and hundreds of invited guests will be waiting on the South Lawn.

The pomp-filled arrival ceremony is for the man who became the youngest president in French history when he was elected in 2017 aged 39 on his first run for office.

The visit also offers Mr Macron his first Oval Office meeting and a joint White House news conference with Mr Trump. There's also a State Department lunch hosted by vice president Mike Pence before Mr Macron and his wife arrive for the state dinner.French authorities are evacuating tourists and others from the Mont-Saint-Michel abbey and monument in western France after a visitor apparently threatened to attack security services.

The national gendarme service said the man made the threat on Sunday on one of the shuttles serving the site, on a peninsula in the English Channel.

An official with the gendarme service said the threat was vague, but prompted authorities to order an evacuation.

Police are searching for the man who made the threat.

A shuttle service official said large crowds are being evacuated or turned away and a police helicopter is flying overhead, but the atmosphere is calm.

The site is one of the most visited in France, with several thousand tourists a day.Sydney, Apr 22 (IBNS): Medication use climbed 10 percent per year among newly diagnosed dementia patients, a new international study led by the University of Sydney reveals.

Published today in Journals of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, the longitudinal study of nearly 2,500 people was done with scholars from Yale University and the University of Kentucky.

The number of people living with dementia around the world is 50 million and in Australia is currently 425,000. This has significant cost implications for healthcare systems with recent estimates suggesting that dementia will cost Australia more than $15 billion per year. Dementia is currently the second leading cause of death in Australia.

The key is to communicate closely with GPs, pharmacists and other health professionals

Dr Danijela Gnjidic, University of Sydney

Our study found that following a diagnosis of dementia in older people, medication use increased by 11 percent in a year and the use of potentially inappropriate medications increased by 17 percent, said lead author Dr Danijela Gnjidic, NHMRC Dementia Leadership Fellow and Senior Lecturer from the Faculty of Pharmacy and Charles Perkins Centre at University of Sydney.

Potentially inappropriate or unnecessary medications included sleeping tablets, pain drugs, depression drugs and acid reflux drugs (proton pump inhibitors).

These medications are typically recommended for short term use but are commonly used long term by people with dementia, she said.

A number of reasons may account for this, including inadequate guidelines, lack of time during physician patient encounters, diminished decision-making capacity, difficulties with comprehension and communication, and difficulties in establishing goals of care.

These findings are of major concern and highlight the importance of weighing up the harms and benefits of taking potentially unnecessary medications as they may lead to increased risk of side effects such as sedation or drowsiness, and adverse drug events such as falls, fractures and hospitalisation.

Further efforts are clearly needed to support better recognition of potentially inappropriate medications to minimise possible harms and warrants interventions to minimise such prescribing.

For Australians living with dementia and their caregivers (who commonly are responsible for managing medications for people with dementia), the key is to communicate closely with general practitioners, pharmacists and other health professionals to make informed decisions and to practice good medicine management techniques to minimise the risk of side effects.

Deprescribing unnecessary medications may improve an individuals quality of life and can reduce unnecessary healthcare cost.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

New Delhi, Apr 22 (IBNS): A day after the Union Cabinet cleared the ordinance to award death penalty to those convicted of raping children up to 12 years of age, President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday signed the executive order allowing the same.

The significant move came amid the nationwide outrage over the series of incidents of sexual assault of minor girls, including the one in Kathua.

Through this ordinance, the government amends the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act) 2012, allowing courts to award death penalty to those convicted for raping children below 12 years.

The ordinance would be now sent to the President for his approval

Presently under the POCSO Act, the maximum punishment for aggravated assault on minors is life in jail. The minimum sentence is seven years in jail.

Even while the Cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi met to discuss the issue, the rape and murder of an four-month-old infant in Indore sent fresh shockwaves across the country.New Delhi, Apr 22 (IBNS): Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance, 2018, has come into force as President Ram Nath Kovind has given his assent to the Union Cabinets decision to promulgate the said Ordinance.

Earlier, the Union Cabinet, in its meeting held on Saturday, decided to approve the proposal of the Ministry of Finance to promulgate the Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance, 2018.

Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance, 2018 (the Ordinance) lays down the measures to empower Indian authorities to attach and confiscate proceeds of crime associated with economic offenders and the properties of the economic offenders and thereby deter economic offenders from evading the process of Indian law by remaining outside the jurisdiction of Indian courts.

The need for the Ordinance has arisen as there have been instances of economic offenders fleeing the jurisdiction of Indian courts, anticipating the commencement, or during the pendency, of criminal proceedings.

The absence of such offenders from Indian courts has several deleterious consequences - first, it hampers investigation in criminal cases; second, it wastes precious time of courts of law, third, it undermines the rule of law in India.

The existing civil and criminal provisions in law are not entirely adequate to deal with the severity of the problem.

In view of the above context, a Budget announcement was made by the Government in the Budget 2017-18 that the Government was considering to introduce legislative changes or even a new law to confiscate the assets of such absconders till they submit to the jurisdiction of the appropriate legal forum.

Pursuant to the above announcement, the Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill, 2018 was introduced in LokSabha on Mar 12, 2018.

The Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill, 2018 was listed for consideration and passing in LokSabha on many occasions after its introduction. The Lok Sabha has since been adjourned sine die and both the Houses of Parliament were prorogued on Apr 6, 2018.Wikimedia Commons

New Delhi, Apr 22 (IBNS): The 6th edition of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) and Conclave of Chiefs is being hosted by Iran at Tehran from 23 to 25 April.

The Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Sunil Lanba, is leading a four member Indian delegation for the event.

The IONS was conceived by the Indian Navy in 2008.

The forum seeks to enhance maritime cooperation among navies of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region by providing an open and inclusive forum for discussion on regionally relevant maritime issues that would lead to common understanding on the way ahead.

The inaugural edition of IONS was held in February 2008 at New Delhi, with Indian Navy as the Chair for two years. This was followed by UAE from 2010 - 2012, South Africa from 2012 - 2014, Australia from 2014 - 2016 and Bangladesh from 2016 - 2018.

The IONS Charter of Business was agreed upon by the Conclave of Chiefs and brought into effect in February 2014.

A relatively young forum, barely in its 10th year of existence, it has grown into a formidable organisation with 23 members and 09 observers. As the founder nation, India will also be conducting commemorative activities in November 2018 at Kochi, for celebrating its 10th Anniversary this year.

The visit of the Chief of the Naval Staff is also aimed at consolidating bilateral naval relations between India and Iran and to explore new avenues for naval cooperation.

Admiral Sunil Lanba will also hold bilateral discussions with the Commander IRI Navy, and other participating Chiefs of Navy/ Head of Maritime Agencies.

20:53

India and Pakistan have squandered a lot of good chances to resolve the Kashmir issue, but there are still opportunities, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said.

He outlined the need for a dialogue process both internally as well as externally to address the issue, saying the solution cannot be driven by the barrel of the gun.





There are clearly two dimensions (to Kashmir issue). It is not simply a matter between New Delhi and J-K, nor is it a matter between Islamabad and J-K. A part of the state continues to remain with Pakistan and I belong to the part of the state that is with India, that acceded to India. So when we come to the way forward, both these dimensions of the problem will have to be tackled, he said.

He was speaking at an event on the path forward in Kashmir at University of Berkeley in California in the US last week.

His speech was followed by a question and answer session where he spoke on varied topics, including on the current political situation in the country and the run-up to the general elections next year.

Abdullah, the working president of the opposition National Conference, wondered if the time had come to ask are we being overly ambitious and overly emotional in talking of getting Pakistan-occupied Kashmir back.

Referring to the Kargil war of 1999 between the two neighbours, he said that even with the greatest of provocations that time, India respected the sanctity of the Line of Control.

In spite of the fact that we took losses on account of that, there were express instructions by the government of India that Indian planes and helicopters will not cross the LoC, that Indian troops will not cross the LoC. So, imagine even if with the provocation of Kargil we decided to respect the sanctity of the LoC, haven't we somewhere or the other, decided that perhaps this is the way and let's move forward, he said.

In this context, he said one of the ways to move forward is to sit down with Pakistan and once and for all, address this issue.





-- PTINew Delhi/Beijing, Apr 22 (IBNS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit China this month for an Informal Summit with the Asian nation's President Xi Jinping, officials said.

The Summit will be held in the Chinese city of Wuhan, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj announced on Sunday.

EAM @SushmaSwaraj concluding her Press Statement wishing Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi all success for SCO Foreign Ministers Meeting on 24th April. pic.twitter.com/F1Noz4YFjv  Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) April 22, 2018

Modi will visit China on Apr 27-28.

Swaraj said :"Prime Minister of India @narendramodi will visit China on 27 & 28 April for an Informal Summit with President of China Xi Jinping in the city of Wuhan."

She said: "The informal Summit will be an important occasion for them to exchange views on bilateral and international matters from an over-arching and long-term perspective with the objective of enhancing mutual communication at the level of leaders."

Sushma Swaraj earlier arrived in Beijing for a bilateral visit and to attend the Regular meeting of Foreign Ministers of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

She met China's Foreign Minister and State Councillor of China Wang Yi.

According to officials, both the leaders discussed various all aspects of bilateral relationship to strengthen 'India-China multifaceted engagement'.

MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted: "Together we prosper! EAM @SushmaSwaraj and State Councillor and Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi discussed all aspects of our bilateral relationship to strengthen India-China multifaceted engagement."



Image: Raveesh Kumar Twitter pageNew Delhi,/Kabul, Apr 22 (IBNS): India on Sunday condemned the suicide blast in Afghanistan's capital city Kabul that killed at least 31 people.

India said the incident reflected that it was an attack on the democratic rights of the Afghan people.

"India strongly condemns the cowardly and barbaric terrorist attack in Kabul and Baghlan today," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

"What makes this attack particularly reprehensible is the fact that the terrorists and their backers chose to attack a voters registration centre for the upcoming parliamentary and district council elections. The attack has resulted in the death of Afghans who firmly support and believe in the democratic process to empower themselves and make their voice heard. This is not only an attack on innocent civilians but also an attack on the democratic rights of the Afghan people," it said.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family members of the victims, and we wish quick and complete recovery to the injured. India stands ready to extend all possible assistance, including for treatment of those injured," it said.

At least 31 people were killed in a suicide attack on a voter registration centre in the Dasht-i-Barchi area of Afghanistan's Kabul city on Sunday, media reports said.

The incident left 54 others injured.

Hashmatullah Stanikzai, a Kabul police official, told Pajhwok Afghan News the explosion happened when a suicide bomber targeted civilians who had gathered to receive identity cards at 10am.

Dr. Wahid Majroh, spokesman for the Ministry of Public Health, told the news agency 31 dead and 54 injured individuals had been evacuated to hospitals from the blast site.

Police have blocked the road which led to the blast site.

According to reports, huge explosion was heard across the city.

Several vehicles have been reportedly damaged, reports said.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.

Guwahati, Apr 22 (IBNS): The troops of Assam Rifles have apprehended three NSCN-R militants in Nagaland, officials said.

According to the reports, the Dimapur battalion of Assam Rifles, under the aegis of HQ IGAR (North), conducted an operation based on specific information about presence of armed militants in general area Eros Line, Dimapur.

During the operation, the troops of Assam Rifles apprehended three militants from Apple Inn Hotel and recovered illegal arms and ammunition in possession from them.

The apprehendees were identified as Self Styled Lt Col Phumthyan Puimi, SS Leacy Abi Kinny, SS Leacy Kinito Kinnimi.

Security personnel had recovered one point 22 pistol with magazine, six live rounds, 15 numbers SP tablets, extortion booklets of shop tax, booklet of shop tax receipt, booklet of vehicle tax receipt and Rs 15,240 in cash.

The apprehendees alongwith recoveries were handed over to East police station, Dimapur for further investigation.



(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)

Kabul, Apr 22 (IBNS): At least 31 people were killed in a suicide attack on a voter registration centre in the Dasht-i-Barchi area of Afghanistan's Kabul city on Sunday, media reports said.

The incident left 54 others injured.

Hashmatullah Stanikzai, a Kabul police official, told Pajhwok Afghan News the explosion happened when a suicide bomber targeted civilians who had gathered to receive identity cards at 10am.

Dr. Wahid Majroh, spokesman for the Ministry of Public Health, told the news agency 31 dead and 54 injured individuals had been evacuated to hospitals from the blast site.

Police have blocked the road which led to the blast site.

According to reports, huge explosion was heard across the city.

Several vehicles have been reportedly damaged, reports said.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.

Terrorism-hit Afghanistan in 2018:

Afghanistan has witnessed several terrorism-related attacks this year.

Armed conflict in Afghanistan killed 763 civilians and injured 1,495 in the first three months of this year, the United Nations mission in the country said recently.

All parties to the conflict in Afghanistan must do everything in their power to protect civilians from harm, said Ingrid Hayden, the Secretary-Generals Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan. Afghan civilians continue to suffer, caught in the conflict, in ways that are preventable; this must stop now.

The 2,258 civilian casualties, documented from 1 January to 31 March by the UN Assistance Mission in the country, known as UNAMA, are at the similar levels recorded in the first three months of 2017 and 2016. Anti-Government elements caused 1,500 civilian casualties, up six per cent from the same period last year.

Suicide improvised explosive devices (IED) and complex attacks were the leading cause of civilian casualties  a new trend. The Mission found that combats on the ground were the second leading cause, followed by targeted and deliberate killings, explosive remnants of war, and aerial operations.Kabul, Apr 22 (IBNS): Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday condemned the suicide attack which claimed 31 lives in Kabul city and left 54 others injured.

Ghani tweeted: "I condemn the heinous terrorist attacks in Kabul and Pul-e-Khumri. I wish Allahs mercy upon those who martyred, speedy recovery to the wounded, and convey my deep condolences to victims families. I instructed relevant institutions to provide support and care to those affected."

I condemn the heinous terrorist attacks in Kabul and Pul-e-Khumri.

I wish Allahs mercy upon those who martyred, speedy recovery to the wounded, and convey my deep condolences to victims families. I instructed relevant institutions to provide support and care to those affected.  Ashraf Ghani (@ashrafghani) April 22, 2018

Afghanistan's CEO Abdullah Abdullah also strongly condemned the incident.

He tweeted: "I strongly condemn the terrorist attack on voters' registration center in Kabul. I stand with those affected by this coward attack. Our resolve for fair and transparent election will continue and terrorists won't win against the will of the Afghan people."

I strongly condemn the terrorist attack on voters' registration center in Kabul. I stand with those affected by this coward attack. Our resolve for fair and transparent election will continue and terrorists won't win against the will of the Afghan people.  Dr. Abdullah (@afgexecutive) April 22, 2018

Apart from leaders in Afghanistan, NATO and the US also joined the nation in condemning the latest terror attack in the capital city.

"I strongly condemn the attack on a voter registration centre in Kabul. #NATO stands with #Afghanistan in the fight against terrorism and for democracy," tweeted NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

I strongly condemn the attack on a voter registration centre in Kabul. #NATO stands with #Afghanistan in the fight against terrorism and for democracy.  Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) April 22, 2018

US Ambassador John Bass offered his condolence to the victims of the attack.

"I strongly condemn this mornings suicide attack on a voter registration center in #Kabul and offer my condolences to the victims and their families. This senseless violence shows the cowardice and inhumanity of the enemies of democracy and peace in #Afghanistan," he posted.

I strongly condemn this mornings suicide attack on a voter registration center in #Kabul and offer my condolences to the victims and their families. This senseless violence shows the cowardice and inhumanity of the enemies of democracy and peace in #Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/a2Y5oNN1m7  John R. Bass (@USAmbKabul) April 22, 2018

At least 31 people were killed in a suicide attack on a voter registration centre in the Dasht-i-Barchi area of Afghanistan's Kabul city on Sunday, media reports said.

The incident left 54 others injured.

Hashmatullah Stanikzai, a Kabul police official, told Pajhwok Afghan News the explosion happened when a suicide bomber targeted civilians who had gathered to receive identity cards at 10am.

Dr. Wahid Majroh, spokesman for the Ministry of Public Health, told the news agency 31 dead and 54 injured individuals had been evacuated to hospitals from the blast site.

Police have blocked the road which led to the blast site.

According to reports, huge explosion was heard across the city.

Several vehicles have been reportedly damaged, reports said.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.

Terrorism-hit Afghanistan in 2018:

Afghanistan has witnessed several terrorism-related attacks this year.

Armed conflict in Afghanistan killed 763 civilians and injured 1,495 in the first three months of this year, the United Nations mission in the country said recently.

All parties to the conflict in Afghanistan must do everything in their power to protect civilians from harm, said Ingrid Hayden, the Secretary-Generals Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan. Afghan civilians continue to suffer, caught in the conflict, in ways that are preventable; this must stop now.

The 2,258 civilian casualties, documented from 1 January to 31 March by the UN Assistance Mission in the country, known as UNAMA, are at the similar levels recorded in the first three months of 2017 and 2016. Anti-Government elements caused 1,500 civilian casualties, up six per cent from the same period last year.

Suicide improvised explosive devices (IED) and complex attacks were the leading cause of civilian casualties  a new trend. The Mission found that combats on the ground were the second leading cause, followed by targeted and deliberate killings, explosive remnants of war, and aerial operations.



New York, Apr 22 (IBNS): A suicide attack on a voter-registration centre in the Afghan capital Kabul which left at least 30 dead on Sunday, has been condemned by the UN mission in the country, UNAMA.

The UN family in Afghanistan feels a deep sense of revulsion at todays outrage, said the head of the mission, Tadamichi Yamamoto, adding that the killing appears to be part of a wholly unacceptable effort by extremists to deter Afghan citizens from carrying out their constitutional right to take part in elections.

Sundays attack took place when a suicide bomber wearing an explosive belt, blew themselves up near the election facility in the west of Kabul  an area mostly populated by Shiite Muslims, according to UNAMA.

Special Representative Yamamoto expressed his deep condolences to the family and victims, and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

News reports said that the ISIL extremist group had claimed responsibility for the bombing, and many women and children are believed to be among the victims.

Voter-registration began last week for parliamentary and district elections scheduled to take place on 20 October.

UNAMA said that since then, there have been a number of violent incidents around the country against the centres where citizens are required to sign up for the upcoming ballot.

Two police officers were shot and killed by armed assailants at a registration place in the city of Jalalabad on Thursday, and gunmen also torched a centre in Ghor; abducting electoral and security officials.

They were released the following day.

Photo UNAMA/Fardin Waezi.Kabul, Apr 22 (IBNS): A suicide attack on a voter registration centre in the Dasht-i-Barchi area of Afghanistan's Kabul city on Sunday killed at least 57 people, media reports said.

According to reports, the incident left 117 others injured.

Hashmatullah Stanikzai, a Kabul police official, told the country's Pajhwok Afghan News the explosion happened when a suicide bomber targeted civilians who had gathered to receive identity cards at 10am.

Police had earlier blocked the road which led to the blast site.

According to reports, huge explosion was heard across the city.

Several vehicles have been reportedly damaged, reports said.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.

Attack triggers widespread condemnation:

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday condemned the suicide attack which claimed 31 lives in Kabul city and left 54 others injured.

Ghani tweeted: "I condemn the heinous terrorist attacks in Kabul and Pul-e-Khumri. I wish Allahs mercy upon those who martyred, speedy recovery to the wounded, and convey my deep condolences to victims families. I instructed relevant institutions to provide support and care to those affected."

I condemn the heinous terrorist attacks in Kabul and Pul-e-Khumri.

I wish Allahs mercy upon those who martyred, speedy recovery to the wounded, and convey my deep condolences to victims families. I instructed relevant institutions to provide support and care to those affected.  Ashraf Ghani (@ashrafghani) April 22, 2018

Afghanistan's CEO Abdullah Abdullah also strongly condemned the incident.

He tweeted: "I strongly condemn the terrorist attack on voters' registration center in Kabul. I stand with those affected by this coward attack. Our resolve for fair and transparent election will continue and terrorists won't win against the will of the Afghan people."

I strongly condemn the terrorist attack on voters' registration center in Kabul. I stand with those affected by this coward attack. Our resolve for fair and transparent election will continue and terrorists won't win against the will of the Afghan people.  Dr. Abdullah (@afgexecutive) April 22, 2018

Apart from leaders in Afghanistan, NATO and the US also joined the nation in condemning the latest terror attack in the capital city.

"I strongly condemn the attack on a voter registration centre in Kabul. #NATO stands with #Afghanistan in the fight against terrorism and for democracy," tweeted NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

I strongly condemn the attack on a voter registration centre in Kabul. #NATO stands with #Afghanistan in the fight against terrorism and for democracy.  Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) April 22, 2018

US Ambassador John Bass offered his condolence to the victims of the attack.

"I strongly condemn this mornings suicide attack on a voter registration center in #Kabul and offer my condolences to the victims and their families. This senseless violence shows the cowardice and inhumanity of the enemies of democracy and peace in #Afghanistan," he posted.

I strongly condemn this mornings suicide attack on a voter registration center in #Kabul and offer my condolences to the victims and their families. This senseless violence shows the cowardice and inhumanity of the enemies of democracy and peace in #Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/a2Y5oNN1m7  John R. Bass (@USAmbKabul) April 22, 2018

The suicide attack on a voter-registration centre in the Afghan capital Kabul which left at least 30 dead on Sunday, has been condemned by the UN mission in the country, UNAMA.

The UN family in Afghanistan feels a deep sense of revulsion at todays outrage, said the head of the mission, Tadamichi Yamamoto, adding that the killing appears to be part of a wholly unacceptable effort by extremists to deter Afghan citizens from carrying out their constitutional right to take part in elections.

India and Pakistan also condemned the incident.

India said the incident reflected that it was an attack on the democratic rights of the Afghan people.

"India strongly condemns the cowardly and barbaric terrorist attack in Kabul and Baghlan today," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

"What makes this attack particularly reprehensible is the fact that the terrorists and their backers chose to attack a voters registration centre for the upcoming parliamentary and district council elections. The attack has resulted in the death of Afghans who firmly support and believe in the democratic process to empower themselves and make their voice heard. This is not only an attack on innocent civilians but also an attack on the democratic rights of the Afghan people," it said.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family members of the victims, and we wish quick and complete recovery to the injured. India stands ready to extend all possible assistance, including for treatment of those injured," it said.

Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement: "Pakistan strongly condemns the heinous and reprehensible suicide attacks that targeted innocent civilians at voter registration centres in Kabul and Baghlan provinces in Afghanistan, today.We are grieved at the loss of precious innocent lives in this brutal act of terrorism."

Terrorism-hit Afghanistan in 2018:

Afghanistan has witnessed several terrorism-related attacks this year.

Armed conflict in Afghanistan killed 763 civilians and injured 1,495 in the first three months of this year, the United Nations mission in the country said recently.

All parties to the conflict in Afghanistan must do everything in their power to protect civilians from harm, said Ingrid Hayden, the Secretary-Generals Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan. Afghan civilians continue to suffer, caught in the conflict, in ways that are preventable; this must stop now.

The 2,258 civilian casualties, documented from 1 January to 31 March by the UN Assistance Mission in the country, known as UNAMA, are at the similar levels recorded in the first three months of 2017 and 2016. Anti-Government elements caused 1,500 civilian casualties, up six per cent from the same period last year.

Suicide improvised explosive devices (IED) and complex attacks were the leading cause of civilian casualties  a new trend. The Mission found that combats on the ground were the second leading cause, followed by targeted and deliberate killings, explosive remnants of war, and aerial operations.

Image: UN websiteTwitter

Nashville, Apr 22 (IBNS): Four people were killed and four others injured when a semi-nude gunman opened fire at a Waffle House in Nashville on this morning, police said.

The gunman fled on foot and remains at large, the police said.

The shooting occurred around 3.25am in the Antioch neighbourhood of Nashville. A guest wrestled away the gunmans rifle, the Metropolitan Nashville police department said on Twitter.

Three people died at the scene and one was declared dead at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, the police said.

Vanderbilt spokesperson Jennifer Wetzel said one victim was in critical condition and the other was critical but stable.

Two other injured persons were treated for minor injuries and discharged from TriStar Southern Hills Medical Center in Nashville, said spokeswoman Katie Radel.

The police had identified a vehicle that is registered to a 29-year-old man from Illinois, who was described as a person of interest.

(Reporting by Sayantan Banerjee)During a recent papal visit in Italy Pope Francis was posed an extremely poignant and tricky question by a young boy from the crowd, something that anyone would struggle to find an answer for.

YouTube Screenshot

Also Read: In An Impromptu Mid-Air Wedding, The Pope Married Off Two Flight Attendants In Chile

The boy named Emanuele was evidently nervous while he stood facing the microphone during the Q&A session. The Pope told him to come whisper it in his ear.

He somehow mustered the courage and asked the Pope if his atheist father was in heaven.

Emanuele was crying for his father, who had recently died. According to reports, boy told the pontiff that his dad was an atheist, but a good man who had all four of his children baptized.

The pope reassured the heartbroken boy that his late father was in heaven because god is 'surely proud of him'.

According to the National Catholic Reporter, in his speech the Pope said,

"What a beautiful witness of a son who inherited the strength of his father, who had the courage to cry in front of all of us. If that man was able to make his children like that, then it's true, he was a good man."

"He was a good man. That man did not have the gift of faith, he wasn't a believer, but he had his children baptized. He had a good heart," he added.

Once Emanuele returned to his seat, Pope Francis told the crowd about their conversation, and how he dealt with his question.

Also Read: What It Really Means To Be Holy - Pope Francis Stopped His Popemobile To Check On An Injured PolicewomanIzumi Nakamitsu, U.N. undersecretary-general and high representative for disarmament affairs, has been named one of the World's 50 Greatest Leaders by Fortune.

She ranked 37th, becoming the only Japanese national to make the top 50 of the influential U.S. economic magazine.

Nakamitsu "has a reputation for clearheaded pragmatism," Brian Finlay, chief executive officer the Stimson Center, said. "Her diplomatic skills have been tested by the use of chemical weapons in Syria, but her quiet activism has helped prevent runaway conflict across the region," the think tank head pointed out.

Responding on Twitter, she said: "I am humbled by this. It is not about myself, but is a recognition of the importance of UN's disarmament work."

The 2018 list was topped by "The Students" who have been calling for a gun control in the United States since the shooting rampage at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida in February.Some of the greatest love stories are tragically heartbreaking and Amrita Pritam and Sahir Ludhianvi's story is one of them. In a conversation with Uma Trilok, who authored Amrita-Imroz: A Love Story, Punjabi poet, and writer Amrita Pritam recalled and told her:

Sahir asked Amrita, Why dont the two of us go and live in China?

Amrita, puzzled by Sahirs sudden suggestion of moving to China, answered:

Pinterest

What will we do living in China?

His vague and firm reply to her was,

"We shall write poetry.

And Amrita replied with great conviction and a genuine doubt,

We can write poetry here without going to China.

To which, Sahir had a heart-melting reply,

Yes we can, but if we go to China we will never come back."

Sometimes, proposals are not about gestures, they are just about words and this was one such proposal.

Pinterest

There is definitely much to their story and Indian filmmakers are gearing up to make a film on it. Even though the Amrita Pritam biopic has been delayed for a long time, fresh reports claim that Alia Bhatt and Abhishek Bachchan are likely to be roped in for the film that will be helmed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

BCCL

The film will be heavily inspired by poet Sahir Ludhianvi and his companion Amrita Pritam. While Abhishek Bachchan has already been confirmed for the role, the hunt for the leading lady is still on.

While concrete details around the film are still pending, we take you back to the memory lanes to recollect some of the most heartbreaking lines written by Amrita Pritam. The relationship between Amrita and Sahir were later unmasked in the letters they wrote to each other. He was in Lahore, she was in Delhi and the only way to express their love for each other were in form of letters.

Calling him Mera shayar, Mera mehboob, Mera khuda and Mera devta, Amrita's letters and poems were the testaments of her love for him. Read some of Amrita's most beautiful lines right here.

#1

#2

#3

#4

(Translation: It's good that you have gone to someone else now.. for I don't have to worry about retaining you with me anymore.)

#5

(Translation: I am ready to die but I have a fear- the land of burial grounds is on sale in this world)

#6

(Translation: My friends don't ask for more life for me because I don't have the strength to justify it again.)

#7

(Translation: I will meet you yet again

How and where

I know not

Perhaps I will become a

figment of your imagination

and maybe spreading myself

in a mysterious line

on your canvas

I will keep gazing at you.)

#8

(Translation: The night is dozing

from a human beings chest

someone is trying to steal

scarier than any theft

is the theft of dreams.)

#9

(Translation: I  there was a formless me.

This was the pledge of I

which took the form of water

and the pledge of you

which came into existence like fire

and the radiance of fire

started working on water

but that is about prehistoric times)

#10

(Translation: I was  and maybe you too

Maybe standing at a breaths distance

maybe sitting in the darkness of a look

maybe walking at the turn of feelings.

But that is..about prehistoric times)

#11He is not just one of the kindest stars we have in Bollywood today but Akshay Kumar is also one of the fittest ones! Shedding his superstar image every once in a while, Akshay loves to do things like common people. Just like most of us have 'special' plans for Sunday, Akshay too chose to begin his day in a chill mode.

Akshay was headed to Juhu beach in Mumbai during the early hours of the day and 50-year-old star was found playing volleyball with a group of young boys.

A post shared by Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) on Jul 20, 2017 at 1:06am PDT

Akshay took to Twitter to share his experience and he wrote,

Superb Sunday morning playing volleyball with these boys at Juhu beach today. Always been a believer of 'a little goes a long way' So what are you doing to stay fit this weekend? Do share your photos/videos/experiences using #FitIndia  pic.twitter.com/RY6PRGwD7U  Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) April 22, 2018

Superb Sunday morning playing volleyball with these boys at Juhu beach today. Always been a believer of a little goes a long way So what are you doing to stay fit this weekend? Do share your photos/videos/experiences using #FitIndia,.

Akshay has been inspiring everyone to adopt a healthy lifestyle and a few days ago, he had also posted a video of him hoola-hooping with a string of wooden balls.

He wrote,

Core training my way through the summer heat with these wooden beads...great for the back and stomach muscles. Als,o the best time of the year to sweat it out. Time for a #FitIndia,

Considering the fact that the superstar is also the face of Happy Heart India campaign and has been an unofficial ambassador of living a healthy lifestyle, he told IANS,

I have always wanted to be a part of something that spreads smiles and joy to people who need it the most. I personally believe that having a healthy heart guarantees a happier and longer life."

On the work front, Khiladi Kumar will be soon seen in two action-packed films Gold and Kesari.Bathing yourself squeaky clean every day might be physically and mentally gratifying, but a taking satisfying shower or two in a day might risk your skin from bacterial infection, not free your skin from it.

Washing your skin too often leads to it drying and cracking up, which allows germs and other microbes to enter your body, state the researchers at Colombia University.

ChadMillerFlickr.com

Yes, you are removing some of the odours you produce during the day, but you also end up removing the natural oil your skin produces.

I think showering is mostly for aesthetic reasons, says Dr Elaine Larson, an infectious disease expert and associate dean for research at Columbia University School of Nursing, reported Time.

People think theyre showering for hygiene or to be cleaner, but bacteriologically, thats not the case.

nensuria/Freepik

Washing your skin regularly strips away the natural oils produced by it and also disturbs the population of good immune building bacteria on the skin, says Dr C Brandon Mitchell, assistant professor of dermatology at George Washington University.

I think most people over-bathe, says Dr Mitchell. Your body is naturally a well-oiled machine. A daily shower isnt necessary.

ivanovgood/Pixabay

He also mentions that you probably dont need to shower more than once or twice a week, which is the frequency you should be looking to shower.

Both Dr Larson and Dr Mitchell suggest that you ditch the antibacterial soap that goes a long way to strip the body of its naturally secreted oils.

Certain chemicals found in antibacterial soaps, body lotions, and perfumes tend to disturb our bodys hormonal balance, found a study conducted by the University of California, Berkeley.

Hisulee/Unsplash

"Teen girls may be at particular risk since it's a time of rapid reproductive development, and research has suggested that they use more personal care products per day than the average adult woman," stated Dr Kim Harley, associate director of UC Berkeleys Center for Environmental Research and Childrens Health.

What you need to wash regularly is your hands, as well as your clothing, which tends to naturally collect grime and dead cells in your body, states Dr Larson.

Instead of washing your entire body, wash your armpits, butt and groin daily; these are the section of the body that produce strong-smelling body odour, states Dr Mitchell.

Matthew Henry/Pexels.com

Dr Mitchell also mentions that people with a dry scalp only need to wash their hair once every few weeks, while people with scalp issues like dandruff need more than a couple of washes a week.India in is the list of 20 countries that have pledged a total of about $100 million to the UN relief agency to help the Palestinian refugees across the Middle East. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres thanked the countries for promising the contribution at the Extraordinary Ministerial Conference in Rome on March 15, titled 'Preserving Dignity and Sharing Responsibility Mobilizing Collective Action for UNRWA'.

The other countries that have promised the contribution include Qatar, Norway, Turkey, Canada, India and Switzerland. Giving details of the pledges made by the nations, Guterres's spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters that the Emir of Qatar pledged $50 million in new contributions, while Norway pledged $13.6 million, Turkey $10 million and a doubling of their food aid, Canada $7.7 million, India $5 million and Switzerland $4.2 million.

"The Secretary-General encourages all Member States and the private sector to provide support to UNRWA in order to close the still critical funding shortfall. He reiterates that the services provided by UNRWA to Palestine refugees are essential and contribute to bring stability to the region," the spokesman said.Annu Malik owns 11 pairs of jeans but her favourite is the one ripped at the knees. She would wear it all the time if she could. In her spare time, she plays music on her phone and watches YouTube videos. Sounds like an ordinary 17-year-old? Except when Annu wears her jeans or plays Temple Run on her phone, its an act of defiance against patriarchal control.

Last December, after three girls eloped from the village of Ishapur Kheri in Haryanas Sonipat district, 120km from Delhi, the sarpanch called for a ban on jeans and mobile phones for girls. In his words, the village earned a bad name and families came to him pleading bachchon ko tight karna padega (children have to be disciplined).

tsnews/Representational Image

Four months down, the ban evokes mixed reactions. While some parents have enforced the rules, others say the decision is plain silly. Still others believe youngsters will do what they like anyway.

Annus parents, for instance, have not taken the panchayat ban seriously. My mother bought me the jeans, and my father taught me how to ride the bike. They ask, why we should allow anyone else to decide what we do, she says with an impish smile.

Jyoti Malik, who studies in Class XI at a private school in Nooran Kheda, a km from the village, says, If we have to wear salwar suits then the boys must wear kurta-pyjama. Why should they be allowed to wear jeans? To her, the ban appears unjustified. No one ever stops the boys. They lounge around all day, watch as much TV or YouTube as they like. But we are always being nagged: dont sit like this, dont talk too loudly, dont this, dont that....

Since everyone is not allowed to wear them in the village, jeans are something of a prized possession. The girls need to take a bus to Gohana town 14km away to buy a pair, which means they need to be accompanied by a parent or older sibling.

Why dont they stop minors from getting married instead of announcing these bans, asks Neeraj who is also in Class XI. Two of her classmates got married last year after Class X and did not return to school.

Neeraj is not allowed to wear jeans or step out of the house after she returns from school. My mother says sit at home and watch TV but no going out. If Im not allowed a phone either, what will I do, she asks.

Reuters/Representational Image

The Haryana village isnt the first to ban phones. Last year, Madora in Uttar Pradesh announced a fine of Rs 2,100 on women who are found using a mobile. In 2016, a panchayat in Gujarat cracked down on single women.

With or without the ban, access to phones remains limited for girls. They usually share the phone with an older sibling or the family and have access to it for a couple of hours in the day. This is in line with a gender gap that can be seen across the country. Less than 46% of Indian women own and use a mobile phone, according to National Family Health Survey 2015-2016. In urban areas, 62% women use a handset compared to 37% in rural areas. In Haryana, nearly half the women have access to a phone.

Geeta, the mother of a boy and a girl, says mobile phones are just trouble and should be banned for both men and women. Other mothers nod in agreement, chiming in about obscene pictures, long WhatsApp calls, and distracting images and videos.

But panchayat member Anil Tikaram Malik rubbishes the ban. Our children have to move forward. How can they if there are bans like these? We were not consulted when the decision was made, he says.

Krishan Kumar agrees, explaining with a sense of wonder how his seven-year-old can download and access a book he needs for homework without any help. Why should I stop him? Or my daughter? We have to learn to move with the times.

Representational Image

Yet Sarpanch Prem Malik remains firm in his resolve. Mobile phones spoil girls. It is not just me saying that. The village came to me and said jeans and mobile phones were spoiling our children. So I announced the ban. He says there has not been any action against those who have not adhered to it. There are stories about how the girls who eloped used mobiles to plot their escape.

Pramila Malik, panchayat member and Anil Tikarams sister, disagrees with her brother. There are bad things on the net. Girls should not see them, and where is the need to wear jeans? Saada peheno, saada raho (wear simple clothes, live simply), she says.

But the young girls will have none of it. We have nothing to hide. Its the boys who have the phone all the time and keep it locked with a password. If they are not doing anything wrong, why do they have a password? Manju, 17, says.Prime Minister Narendra Modi is making history one after the other. After making a historic visit to Israel in 2017, the PM set his foot on the Palestinian soil and became the first ever Indian Prime minister to do so. Modi was escorted by Royal Jordanian choppers and Israeli Air Force choppers on way to Ramallah.

History in the making. In a first-ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Palestine, PM @narendramodi on the way to Ramallah in a chopper provided by Jordan government and escorted by choppers from Israel Air Force. pic.twitter.com/Nx7AtyLS8W  Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) February 10, 2018

#WATCH Earlier visuals from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's journey to Palestine's Ramallah via a chopper, which was escorted by Royal Jordanian choppers by the King and Israeli choppers pic.twitter.com/ginxPzBTnV  ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2018

PM Modi made it clear that India hopes for return of peace in the West Asia region. During a joint press briefing with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, PM Modi said: "India and Palestine's relations have stood the test of time. I have assured President Abbas that India is committed to the Palestinian people's interests," he said.

He Visited the grave and memorial former Palestinian authority leader, Yasser Arafat.

Abu Ammar was one of the greatest world leaders. His contribution to Palestine is historical. He was a good friend of India. I paid tributes to him in Ramallah. pic.twitter.com/3E0bxCCSj5  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 10, 2018

PM @narendramodi at the Ceremonial welcome at Ramallah, Palestine. pic.twitter.com/kxCSe8sYkc  PIB India (@PIB_India) February 10, 2018

He announced that the exchange of students between the countries will be doubled from 50 to 100.

ap

Meanwhile, Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas said that Palestine relies on India's role and great standing on the international stage to facilitate the peace process with Israel.

ap

In a recognition of PM Modi's contribution to relations between India and Palestine, President Abbas conferred the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine on Modi after the conclusion of the bilateral meeting. The Grand Collar is Highest honour given to foreign dignitaries.

PM Modi and Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas witnessed the exchange of key bilateral agreements between India and Palestine.

ap

"It is my honour to welcome you as a great guest, on your first historic visit to Palestine which holds, to you personally and to the people of India, sentiments of love and appreciation. Indian leadership has always stood by peace in Palestine," Abbas had said after signing the agreements.An Air India aircraft flying from Amritsar to Delhi on Thursday ran into such severe turbulence that three passengers suffered injuries, the inside part of a window panel came off and some overhead oxygen masks got deployed.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner (VTANI) had a turbulent flight for 10 to 15 minutes, something that has puzzled authorities with the airline and aviation agencies probing the same.

BCCL/Representational Image

The turbulence on AI 462 was such that the head of a seated passenger, who possibly did not have his seat belt fastened, hit the overhead cabin because of a bump. The person suffered injuries. Two more had minor injuries. The inside of a window panel (18-A) came off. The outside window did not break and there was no de-pressursation. Passengers were naturally terrified, said sources.

Some oxygen masks also dropped during the severe turbulent phase of the flight. The overhead panel cover of seat 12-U got cracks. This was a freak high level turbulence. AI and Directorate General of Civil Aviation is probing it, said a senior AI official.

AFP/Representational Image

On landing in Delhi, the three passengers taken to hospital. Our emergency response and angels took care of the three injured passengers who were taken to a hospital on landing in Delhi. The passenger whose head hit the overhead panel got stitches. Two passengers suffered minor injuries. They are all fine and took their connecting flights after getting the first aid. The passenger who got stitches said he felt OK and the doctors said he could travel. Our angels were with him throughout, said the official.

DGCA has started probing this freak turbulence and also informed the Aircraft Accident Investigation Board. AI did not comment on this issue till the time of going to press.

BCCL/Representational Image

The parallel being drawn by investigators is with a situation faced by a Singapore Airlines flight in October, 2014, when it was descending to land in Mumbai. The Airbus A-380 was hit by a sudden turbulence, injuring 22 passengers and crew.

Turbulence can be really severe. The SIA incident of 2014 happened with the biggest commercial airliner, A-380, which saw many injuries. This weeks AI incident happened with a twin aisle Dreamliner. It is being probed, sources said.The Supreme Court on Tuesday made a significant observation with respect to the ban on liquor vends on highways. The court said that there was nothing wrong in states denotifying highways within the city to avoid shutting down of liquor shops and restaurants and hotels serving liquor. The observation came on a petition challenging a notification by the Chandigarh administration on denotifying state highways to escape liquor ban.

BCCL/Representational Image

The apex court also adjourned a plea accusing the Punjab government of bypassing its judgement on liqour ban on highways. The court, in its order, said that the purpose was to ban liquor sale on highways. The court said that the idea was to make sure no speeding drivers on highways are under the influence of alcohol.

The Supreme Courts observation brings huge relief for the states that were denotifying highways to avoid shutting shops within cities.

The recent case in point was that of Karnataka. Hundreds of liquor vends in Bengaluru and elsewhere in Karnataka along highways had shut shops in lieu of the SC order. With four major national highways criss crossing Bengaluru, high-end pubs and bars in the citys central business district like M G Road, Brigade Road and upmarket Indiranagar and Koramangala were the worst hit. According to records, Old Madras Road, MG Road and Hosur Road in the heart of the city, where high-end pubs and bars are located, have been tagged as highways, but they are not used as such and are being maintained by the city civic body Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). Earlier, following the Supreme Court order, the Karnataka government had asked the Centre to denotify about 858 km highways passing through the limits of urban local bodies. The state had also denotified parts of the state highways in a bid to save vends functioning along it.

BCCL/Representational Image

Similarly, states like Punjab and Haryana had also taken a similar route. The Punjab Assembly had amended the Excise Act, 1914 removing hotels, restaurants and clubs from the restrictions on serving of liquor within 500 metres of highways. Highways were also denotified in Chandigarh and Gurugram to avoid shutting down of liquor vends.

Hundreds of kilometres of national and state highways in states like Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and others were also denotified into local, municipal or district roads following the Supreme Courts order banning sale of alcohol along national and state highways.A Class-X boy created a Twitter handle using the name of UP director general of police (DGP) just to make local cops in Gorakhpur district take action in a cheating case in which his elder brother had been gypped of Rs 45,000. The cops, who had not been taking action on their complaint, acted swiftly and the cheat even returned Rs 30,000 to the minors brother and promised the remaining amount soon.

The boy and one of his friends involved in the case were detained and let off with a stern warning at the behest of the DGP. We took a reformative approach and let off both the school-going kids, as any action would have affected their future, DGP OP Singh said.

Twitter

The incident came to light over a month ago when the DGP office reported the matter to the Hazratganj police and subsequently a case was registered. The case was assigned to the cyber cell, which found that the Twitter handle, in the name OP Singh and displaying the DGPs photo, was being operated from a phone in Maharajganj police station area of Gorakhpur. The cyber cell worked on the case further and tracked the boy behind the cyber fraud.

Cyber cell inspector Arun Kumar Singh said that the boy was detained on Saturday. When questioned, he said that he got the idea from another boy of his village and then created the Twitter handle using his friends phone, said Singh.

The boy further told the cops that one Sadiq Ansari of Maharajganj had taken Rs 45,000 from his brother, promising him a job in Dubai. When Ansari did not keep his promise, his family lodged a complaint with the Gulharia Bazaar police but no action was taken.

According to the boy, on many occasions, he accompanied his family to the police station to pursue the case but did not get any help.

In his statement, the class-X student spoke about the other boy from his village who suggested to him to make a Twitter account in the name of the DGP and then instruct SSP Gorakhapur to expedite the case.

Twitter

The trick worked as the local police swung into action when SSP Gorakhpur directed Maharajganj inspector to take prompt action, citing Twitter instruction from the DGP. The local police called Ansari, who promptly agreed to return the money and even refunded Rs 30,000 while promising to pay the balance soon.

When the Gorakhpur police updated the DGP office on the case, they were stunned as no such directive had been sent in this regard.

The DGP office then registered a case with the Hazratganj police to prevent further misuse of the account as the student had later also given instructions to the Maharajganj police and UP 100 on multiple occasions.

State police chief s PRO Rahul Srivastava said that Twitter users can file complaints if they came across any fake Twitter accounts in the name of serving IPS/PPS officers @UPPViralCheck.It was only a matter of time before humanity revisited moon in a big way, and NASA's scheduled to start doing just that beginning early 2019.

The US aerospace agency is scheduled to begin work on the Lunar Orbital Platform "Gateway" by awarding project contracts to early next year.

Think of the Lunar Orbital Platform "Gateway" to be built around the moon similar to what the International Space Station is to earth right now.

According to a Bloomberg report, NASA's planning Gateway to be a staging area for exploring the moon and the first big step towards venturing into deep-space.

NASA

Eventually, NASA expects the lunar Gateway to function as an important space station for astronauts traveling to and from Mars.

At a recent space conference in the US, NASA;s Associate Administrator for Human Explorations and Operations, William Gerstenmaier, announced that the US aerospace agency has a goal of having four astronauts in orbit around the moon by 2025, thanks to "Gateway" of course.

earthrise

Trips to the lunar outpost "Gateway" will be aboard NASA's Orion, a spacecraft being built by Lockheed Martin, while the service module is supplied by the European Space Agency. The Orions first flight, without any humans onboard, is scheduled for next year.

Finally, we are going back to the moon in a big way. So excited!The worldas oldest person, a 117-year-old Japanese woman, has died. Nabi Tajima died of old age in a hospital Saturday evening in Kikai, Kagoshima Prefecture, town official Susumu Yoshiyuki confirmed.

Tajima, born on Aug. 4, 1900, was the last known person born in the 19th century. She reportedly had more than 160 descendants, including great-great-great grandchildren.

aShe passed away as if falling asleep. As she had been a hard worker, I want to tell her, aRest well,a a said Tajimaas 65-year-old grandson, Hiroyuki.

She became the worldas oldest person seven months ago after the death in September of Violet Brown in Jamaica, also at the age of 117. Video shown on Japanese television showed Tajima moving her hands to the beat of music played on traditional Japanese instruments at a ceremony to mark the achievement.

The U.S.-based Gerontology Research Group says that another Japanese woman, Chiyo Miyako, is now the worldas oldest person in its records. Miyako livesin Kanagawa Prefecture and is due to turn 117 in 10 days.Los Altos Voices for Peace present Dr. Sharat G. Lin on Prospects for Peace with North Korea.



North Korea is perhaps the single most demonized and least understood country on Earth. After 70 years of diplomatic isolation, relentless sanctions, and apparent threats of nuclear confrontation, what makes peace and reconciliation possible after a round of Olympic diplomacy?



Sharat G. Lin traveled to North Korea to see firsthand what the country is really like. He presents an eye-opening picture of a country few Americans have ever seen, and finds a viable road to peace with North Korea.



Dr. Lin is a research fellow and past president of the San Jose Peace and Justice Center. He received his Ph.D. in medical physics and nuclear medicine from U.C. Berkeley. He writes and lectures on global political economy, labor migration, social movements, and public health. He is also an educator, community organizer, inventor, photojournalist, artist, and peace dancer.



Free and open to the public



Sponsored by Los Altos Voices for Peace and the Los Altos Library For more event information: http://www.sanjosepeace.org/calendar_event...

Added to the calendar on Saturday Apr 21st, 2018 11:37 PMSouthwest Airlines Co. confirmed Friday it has sent $5,000 checks to passengers aboard a flight that made an emergency landing this week after an engine failed, killing a passenger.

The airline confirmed news reports from passengers it had sent the checks along with $1,000 travel vouchers. We can confirm the communication and gesture are authentic and heartfelt, the company said in a brief statement on Friday.

The CFM56 jet engine on Southwest flight 1380 blew apart over Pennsylvania on Tuesday, about 20 minutes after the Dallas-bound flight left New Yorks LaGuardia Airport with 149 people on board. The engine debris shattered a window on the Boeing 737 plane, killing a passenger  the first death in a U.S. airline accident since 2009. The plane made an emergency landing in Philadelphia.

The Federal Aviation Administration said late on Wednesday it was working to quickly finalize an airworthiness directive within the next two weeks that had been proposed in August 2017 after a similar engine failure in a Southwest plane in 2016, which it said would apply to 220 engines.

National Transportation Safety Board investigators on the scene were expected to wrap up their work in Philadelphia on Saturday, the agency said on Friday.

Southwest said after the incident that it was accelerating its existing engine inspection program out of an abundance of caution and expected to complete it over the next 30 days.

The company has declined to answer questions about the status of those inspections and whether the engine that failed had previously been inspected or whether the inspections have turned up any evidence of defects or metal fatigue.

The FAA order will require ultrasonic inspection within the next six months of the fan blades on all CFM56-7B engines that have accrued a certain number of takeoffs. Others more recently serviced will require inspections within 18 months, the FAA draft order said.

Airlines told the FAA last year that because fan blades may have been repaired and moved to other engines, the order would affect far more than 220 CFM56-7Bs, which are made by a partnership of Frances Safran SA and General Electric Co.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; editing by Jonathan Oatis)

Related:

Topics AviationAs the English National Ballet prepares to bring its stunning take on Giselle to Ireland, Ellie OByrne hears how the production has been informed by the Bangladeshi origins of the choreographer.

Pastoral scenes of German peasants at harvest time in the Rhineland are replaced by migrant workers in a desolate world of ghost factories in choreographer Akram Khans electrifying 21st century reimagining of Giselle, as performed by the English National Ballet.

Its the classic doomed love story of Giselle and Albrecht, the nobleman who falls in love with her, set in a bleakm landscape laden with geo-political commentary and a series of breath-taking visual tableaux: the moment at which the ruling class, dubbed The Landlords by Khan, make their entry is accompanied by an audible intake of breath from hushed audiences.

Soloist James Streeter, who plays the part of Albrecht, says audience responses create a magical atmosphere for the performers on stage.

You can hear a pin drop, he says. That tension and energy from the audience makes it onto the stage with us; we feed off that. Theres nothing like it, and we feel it throughout the whole show.

There are so many visual moments of surprise for the audience in this production that describing some would constitute a spoiler.

Chinese costume designer and art director Tim Yip, best known for his Academy Award-winning work on Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, is the man with the vision: his costume designs for the authoritarian figures of the nobles are fairy-tale, but the stuff of nightmares too.

Set to an ominously industrial score by composer Vincenzo Lamagna, and orchestrated by ENBs musical director Gavin Sutherland, its a stunningly original and contemporary work.

But ballet fans will be familiar with the tragic plot of the ballet, which remains unchanged: after Giselle dies of a broken heart, she is resurrected to save her high-born lover, before returning to the grave. Albrecht is left alone.

Each performance is both emotionally and physically taxing for Streeter: It takes me two hours to get over what weve just done. Im left there at the end with nothing, and its quite hard.

Physically, Streeter has been pushed to his limits by the choreography of London-born Khan, whose family is of Bangladeshi origin.

Khan is a classically trained Kathak dancer, and the fusion of movements born of Kathak tradition with ballet and contemporary is one of the most exciting things about this 21st century Giselle.

But they require the dancers of the English National Ballet to push themselves to extremes and work on an entirely new visual language. For Streeter, who worked with Khan on the critically acclaimed Dust, this challenge is a treat as well as a trial, a life-changing encounter that has changed his perceptions of dance.

We worked a lot on gestures and did hand exercises and stretching, Streeter says. Its amazing to see the precision and detail, and what can be achieved with the hands. I think anything like this makes you a more complete dancer. Taking what Ive learned from this, and putting it into such a classical role, changes what I think of that role.

Theres a satisfyingly dynamic machismo in what this fusion of styles brings to the male dancers roles: in particular, the character of Albrechts love-rival Hilarion, danced with animalistic fervour and extreme physicality, and with whom Albrecht shares an explosive  and physically taxing  fight scene.

Overcoming the pain can be a challenge, Streeter says. But speak to any dancer: theres never a day where you wake up and feel great, everythings fine today with my body, because youre putting your body through extremis, the limits of what you are capable of. We push ourselves to achieve and achieve and achieve, striving for the impossible, which is perfection.

Khans social commentary in the ballet is clear: the new peasant class are the dispossessed, the migrants, and the world they inhabit is one of ghost factories closed by globalising forces.

Almost a character in its own right, and dominating the stage, is a vast wall. What lies behind? We dont know, but its home to The Landlords, the noble class to which Albrecht belongs: engaged to Bathilde, a member of the upper orders, Albrechts dalliance with Giselle is a transgression.

It seems no coincidence that Khan, with his Bangladeshi heritage, has hit upon the modern setting of factories.

His terrifying reimaging of the ghostly Wilis in the ballet blanc of act two sees them portrayed as dead garment makers: sweatshop labour.

Its a powerful and pointed message. In Bangladesh, 3.5 million workers work in sweatshops, stitching the type of clothes that Giselles audiences, safe in the land beyond the wall, wear to the theatre each night.

Streeter, though, steers clear of political commentary, the better to focus on his task of interpreting Albrecht.

My concentration is on Albrecht, and using the original as an influence as well as what Akram Khan wanted to put across, he says.

It is a huge message, especially at this time, and its so relatable. Its having an impact on peoples emotions: everyone can relate to some part of the story, no matter what age they are or where theyre from.

Its Albrechts willingness to dabble in infidelity in the first place that causes him to fall in love with, and ultimately cause the death of, Giselle.

In the mid-19th century, it was regarded as a nobles right to take their pick of pretty peasant girls, but against a 21st century backdrop, this hardly makes him a likeable character, does it?

Streeter is keen to point out that Albrecht is as much the victim of social stratification as Giselle herself is.

I dont think he means bad: hes been put in a situation, he says. He didnt choose who he was going to marry. I think he believes that were all equal, and hes found his true love. He also does try to tell Giselle who he is, but she doesnt listen.

The role of Giselle in the production, which premiered in 2016 and has toured the UK and internationally since, was originally danced by Spanish lead principal dancer Tamara Rojo, also the English National Ballets artistic director and a formative force in the decision to enlist Khan for Giselle.

Now, its shared by lead principal Erina Takahashi, who is also Streeters wife, and two other lead soloists, Alina Cojocaru and Crystal Costa.

Although his first choice of partner in all roles is Takahashi, he says, hes also full of praise for Rojo.

Because weve worked a lot together, I can read her really well so even with one look, I know what shes saying, he says of Rojo. It shows what an incredible artist she is, that she can convey so much feeling, even through that first touch between Giselle and Albrecht that leads us through the ballet.

Its a role that will live forever for 31-year-old Streeter, and a formative experience in his dance career.

The great thing about what Ive learned from working with Akram is to never go into a show with any expectations as to whats going to happen, he says. Just allow yourself to be truly in the moment, and let that carry you through the performance. You cant help but go deeper then, when youre on stage.

Akram Khans Giselle is presented in association with Dublin Dance Festival. It runs from the 2nd  6th of May at Dublins Bord Gais Energy Theatre. Tickets: www.bordgaisenergytheatre.ieMembers of the Council of Australian Governments Industry and Skills Council have agreed, in principle, to support innovation precincts as part of a national industry and innovation policy.

Agreement to principles that support innovation precincts was forged at a meeting in Canberra during the week, with Jobs and Innovation Minister Michaelia Cash, saying she was pleased with the productive discussions that took place, and how committed the states and territories were to working together on industry and innovation policy.

The Australian Government is committed to job creation. Agreement to the Innovation Precinct Principles will help drive collaboration and innovation, and ensure states and territories are working together on activities to support innovation precincts around Australia, Cash said.

All jurisdictions support these outcomes.

At the COAG Council, we agreed that innovation precincts can deliver business and social benefits, leading to economic and employment growth.

COAG Council members agreed to collaborate to build on the agreed joint National Innovation Objectives from their last meeting, including:

Continuing to work together to help small businesses under the National Business Simplification Initiative, including helping to make it easier to employ a person, and agreed that they would look for opportunities to develop frameworks for tackling new regulatory challenges.

Finalising overarching governance to guide a system upgrade to make sure the Industry Capability Network system is effective in helping Australian suppliers access public and private contract opportunities.

Members were given a presentation by the Box Hill TAFE and CSIROs Data61 on new cyber security qualifications and other digital skills programmes.The telecommunications industry is still struggling with the disruptions caused by the rollout of the NBN and the transformation of communications delivery platforms, according to one key industry group.

John Stanton, chief executive of the lobby group Communications Alliance, raised his concerns following publication of the latest report revealing an increase in complaints as a proportion of services in operation to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman to 9.3 per 10,000 services over a three-month period. This is higher than the previous quarter at 8.7.

The TIO Complaints in Context report, for the three months from January to March 2018, reveals increased dissatisfaction with the complaints handling performance by the industry.

This result highlights that our industry is still struggling with the disruptions caused by the rollout of the NBN and the transformation of communications delivery platforms. Though the numbers are very disappointing, we are continuing our work on customer-centric initiatives with government, regulators and consumer representatives to improve the overall customer experience, Stanton said.

The CA says the customer satisfaction survey shows there is a need for continued efforts by the industry to address customer concerns.

The last two waves of the quarterly survey, carried out for Communications Alliance by Roy Morgan Research, on customers satisfaction with certain aspects of their communications services, contain mixed results, but also point to an increased dissatisfaction with complaint handling performance.

Just this week, Communications Minister Mitch Fifield questioned the manner in which the TIO had calculated the percentage rise of complaints relating to services delivered over the NBN.

In a statement, Fifield said that the TIO's claim of a 28.7% increase in complaints  the organisation recorded 84,914 complaints for the July to December 2017 period  held water only when compared to the July to December 2016 period.

"When you compare against the preceding six-month period (92,046 total complaints from January to June 2017) complaints actually decreased by 7.75%," Fifield said.

Fifield also contested the portrayal of the number of complaints about services delivered over the NBN; the TIO said it had registered 22,827 complaints in the July to December 2017 window, a rise of 204% over the figure for July to December 2016.

"This presentation could give the impression that responsibility for this figure rests with NBN Co."

The advice the government had received from NBN Co was that of these 22,827 complaints, less than 5% (1052 in total) were sent to NBN Co to be resolved, he said.

"This was over a period (six months to 31 Dec 2017) that saw a 39% increase in NBN premises activated," Fifield added.

Citing figures (seen above), he argued that in 2017 the rate of complaints for services delivered over the NBN had actually decreased by about 16%.

"Without this context and information about which party (NBN Co or retail service provider) is responsible for resolving customer complaints, organisations lack accountability, which, as today's TIO complaint numbers (irrespective of who is responsible for them) show, leads to poorer outcomes for consumers of telecommunications services," Fifield said.

However, he did acknowledge that, no matter where the fault lay, the number of complaints was too high and announced a review of the telecommunications consumer protections framework for a post-2020 environment.You have permission to edit this article.

Edit CloseTo voice their opposition to a proposed sand/clay mining operation along Old Dam and Zion roads, nearby residents erected a sign last year alerting the public to a petition against the project.Reddit 19 Email 1K Shares

Annihilation star Natalie Portman replied to the controversy stirred by her declining to attend the Genesis Foundation awards ceremony in Jerusalem in June because of her distress at recent events (the shooting down of unarmed protesters in Gaza by Israeli snipers at the order of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu).

She wrote at Instagram:

Let me speak for myself. I chose not to attend because I did not want to appear as endorsing Benjamin Netanyahu, who was to be giving a speech at the ceremony. Like many Israelis and Jews around the world, I can be critical of the leadership in Israel without wanting to boycott the entire nation. I treasure my Israeli friends and family, Israeli food, books, art, cinema, and dance.

She added But the mistreatment of those suffering from todays atrocities is simply not in line with my Jewish values.

She appears to be characterizing the Likud Partys punitive treatment of the Palestinian civilian population of Gaza, which the Israelis have blockaded since 2007, as an ongoing atrocity and to be characterizing the assassination by Israeli marksmen of the protesters as mistreatment.

Natalie Portman Says to Skip Israeli Ceremony Due to Netanyahu Speech

Prominent Likud Party member of the Israeli parliament Oren Hazan, a former casino manager in Bulgaria, said,

[She is] a Jewish Israeli, who on the one hand cynically uses her birthplace to advance her career and on the other is proud of the fact that she managed to avoid enlisting in the IDF [euphemism for the Israeli Army]. Shes an actress, but she is unworthy of any honor in the State of Israel . . . Sweetness can come from strength: I call on Interior Minister Aryeh Deri (Shas) to rescind Portmans Israeli citizenship. She left Israel at age four, and has no real connection to the State.

Hazan denies that there are any Palestinians, and is notorious for harassing families of Palestinians going to see imprisoned relatives (some Palestinians have been imprisoned for writing poetry or for Facebook posts, while several hundred children are being held for acts of protest against the Israeli military). He told one bus full of relatives, that the garbage they called loved ones would never see the light of day:

TRT World: Israeli politician harasses Palestinians

Political scientist Ian Lustick has estimated that there are as many as one million Israeli Jews living outside Israel, out of the alleged 6 million Israeli Jews (and 2 million Palestinian-Israelis). It is possible that they or significant numbers of them are being counted in the Israeli official statistics so as to make the Jewish population look larger than it is on the ground. Perhaps MK Hazan should strip them all of citizenship?Reddit Email 52 Shares

By Christine Steinmetz | (The Conversation) |  

Smart cities, digital cities, virtual cities, connected cities. Are these just trendy buzzwords? Perhaps. But these types of cities are supported by infrastructure that is more than bricks and mortar.

These cities are smart (thoughtful, people-centric), digital (driven by data acquisition, measured, analysed and sometimes exchanged) and virtual (experiential). And, as a result, they are connected, creating more potential interactions between people and their place.

Tel Aviv has a reputation as a non-stop city but is also known for its local governments use of smart technology to listen to and respond to residents needs and concerns.

Alexandra Lande/Shutterstock



Tel Aviv is one of these cities. Undoubtedly the 2009 book Start-Up Nation: The Story of Israels Economic Miracle contributed to its reputation as a non-stop city with innovation clusters teeming with companies at the cutting edge of technology.

However, Tel Avivs standing is not only built on commercial success  it has an internationally recognised local government. Winning first place in the 2014 World Smart City Awards not only boosted its profile on the international stage, but Tel Avivians, well, they actually have positive things to say about their local government.

A city that decided to change

This was not always the case. Municipal leaders had to do something to change how the community perceived them.

In 2011, the municipality organised focus groups with residents, heard their complaints and listened to what they said they needed. The municipality realised it needed to change the way it engaged with citizens. A cultural shift was needed, an internal one, to deliver an intelligent and active municipality.

Tel Aviv, like Detroit, is an urban laboratory; a test-bed for city projects that combine public and private efforts, startups and university centres. As Israels leading business centre, its main priorities are supporting high-tech companies and startups. Located in a geopolitically contentious region, challenges faced by Tel Aviv residents over the years have also driven a new wave of urban administration  emphasising transparency, trust and local government led by residents.

A key smart city initiative is the DigiTel Residents Club. DigiTel card holders have access to a personalised web and mobile platform that provides residents with individually tailored, location-specific services delivered via email, text messages and personal resident accounts.

Its the brainchild of Zohar Sharon, chief knowledge officer of Tel Aviv Municipality. In a recent interview, he told me: As a result of what we learned from the focus groups and unique knowledge-management processes in the municipality, we now have over 200 municipality staff from different departments, called knowledge champions, who feed data into the DigiTel platform.



Christine Steinmetz , Author provided



Daily updates inform residents about: road closures in their area, registering for school, local events, development or heritage conservation proposals requiring feedback, community greening initiatives, recycling, and invitations to public surveys. The card also gives residents access to discounted rentals of beach equipment, theatre and movie tickets, car-share rentals, and a variety of other services.

DigiTel isnt just one-way communication. Users tell the municipality what is happening in their area. They can feed back information about, for example, broken city signage or playground fixtures needing attention.

The municipality sees the community members as having wisdom: they are the most informed about what is happening in their local area.

Since starting as a pilot in 2013 the DigiTel Residents Club has spread citywide. It has almost 200,000 registered users (who must be aged 13 or older)  over 60% of the eligible population.

Sharon says:

We must understand that when we are talking about smart cities we must think first about the citys residents and how we can use smart tools to improve their quality of life. The local municipality must adopt a citizens-centric approach and deliver by push-tailored information and services to citizens, implementing a holistic approach, breaking silos and thinking about citizens actual needs. Today, because of our practice, we can see a tremendous change in the participation of residents in various community activities, greater involvement in city life and greater satisfaction from Tel Aviv municipal services.

The platform has expanded to include Digi-Dog for dog owners and Digi-Tuf (tuf meaning young children in Hebrew) for parents of children up to the age of three.

In India, Thane  one of the cities included in the Smart City Mission announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015  has launched DigiThane, with help from Sharon.

What can other cities learn from this?

To be a smart city is to know your people, know what they want, and know what they need. And you know what they need because they told you.

Many councils throughout Australia are under pressure to have a smart city strategy. Perhaps the way to become smart is to start small. This may not require reinventing the wheel, but really just sitting down and listening to what people need and figuring out how to deliver in the most economical and sustainable way.

As Sharon says:

We didnt create the technology  it was already being used by the commercial sector  we just adapted the technology to make it work for the public sector.

Christine Steinmetz, Senior Lecturer in Built Environment, UNSW

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

-

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Israel transportation: Bus company invests $2.2 million in electric road technology  TomoNewsBy Conn Hallinan | (Foreign Policy in Focus) |  

The unusual triple alliance coming out of Syria could change the regional balance of power and unhinge NATO  if it holds together at all.

The unusual triple alliance coming out of Syria could change the regional balance of power and unhinge NATO  if it holds together at all.

By Conn Hallinan, April 19, 2018 .

Share Print

opeth91 / Shutterstock

An unusual triple alliance is emerging from the Syrian war  one that could alter the balance of power in the Middle East, unhinge the NATO alliance, and complicate the Trump administrations designs on Iran.

It might also lead to yet another double cross of one of the regions largest ethnic groups, the Kurds.

However, the troika alliance  Turkey, Russia, and Iran  consists of three countries that dont much like one another, have different goals, and whose policies are driven by a combination of geo-global goals and internal politics.

In short, fragile and complicated doesnt even begin to describe it.

How the triad might be affected by the joint U.S., French, and British attack on Syria is unclear, but in the long run the alliance will likely survive the uptick of hostilities.

Consolidating Erdogans Grip

Common ground was what came out of the April 4 meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Meeting in Ankara, the parties pledged to support the territorial integrity of Syria, find a diplomatic end to the war, and to begin a reconstruction of a Syria devastated by seven years of war. While Russia and Turkey explicitly backed the UN-sponsored talks in Geneva, Iran was quiet on that issue, preferring a regional solution without foreign plans.

Common ground, however, doesnt mean the members of the troika are on the same page.

Turkeys interests are both internal and external. The Turkish Army is currently conducting two military operations in northern Syria, Olive Branch and Euphrates Shield, aimed at driving the mainly Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) out of land that borders Turkey. But those operations are also deeply entwined with domestic Turkish politics.

Erdogans internal support has been eroded by a number of factors: exhaustion with the ongoing state of emergency imposed following the 2016 attempted coup, a shaky economy, and a precipitous fall in the value of the Turkish lira.

Rather than waiting for 2019, Erdogan called a snap election last week, and beating up on the Kurds is always popular with right-wing Turkish nationalists. Erdogan needs all the votes he can get to implement his newly minted executive presidency that will give him virtually one-man rule.

Driving a Wedge in NATO

To be part of the alliance, however, Erdogan has had to modify his goal of getting rid of Syrian President Bashar Assad and to agree  at this point, anyhow  to eventually withdraw from areas in northern Syria seized by the Turkish Army. Russia and Iran have called for turning over the regions conquered by the Turks to the Syrian Army.

Moscows goals are to keep a foothold in the Middle East with its only base, Tartus, and to aid its long-time ally, Syria. The Russians arent deeply committed to Assad personally, but they want a friendly government in Damascus. They also want to destroy al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, which have caused Moscow considerable trouble in the Caucasus.

Russia also wouldnt mind driving a wedge between Ankara and NATO. After the U.S., Turkey has NATOs second largest army. NATO broke a 1989 agreement not to recruit former members of the Russian-dominated Warsaw Pact into NATO as a quid pro quo for the Soviets withdrawing from Eastern Europe. Since the Yugoslav War in 1999, the alliance has marched right up to the borders of Russia. (The 2008 war with Georgia and 2014 seizure of the Crimea were largely a reaction to what Moscow sees as an encirclement strategy by its adversaries.)

Turkey has been at odds with its NATO allies around a dispute between Greece and Cyprus over sea-based oil and gas resources, and it recently charged two Greek soldiers who violated the Turkish border with espionage. Erdogan is also angry that European Union countries refuse to extradite Turkish soldiers and civilians who he claims helped engineer the 2016 coup against him. While most NATO countries condemned Moscow for the recent attack on two Russians in Britain, the Turks pointedly did not.

Turkish relations with Russia have an economic side as well. Ankara wants a natural gas pipeline from Russia, has broken ground on a $20 billion Russian nuclear reactor, and just shelled out $2.5 billion for Russias S-400 anti-aircraft system.

The Kurdish Question

The Russians dont support Erdogans war on the Kurds and have lobbied for the inclusion of Kurdish delegations in negotiations over the future of Syria. But Moscow clearly gave the Turks a green light to attack the Kurdish city of Afrin last month, driving out the YPG that had liberated it from the Islamic State and Turkish-backed al-Qaeda groups. A number of Kurds charge that Moscow has betrayed them.

Will the Russians stand aside if the Turkish forces move further into Syria and attack the city of Manbij, where the Kurds are allied with U.S. and French forces? And will Erdogans hostility to the Kurds lead to an armed clash among three NATO members?

Such a clash seems unlikely, although the Turks have been giving flamethrower speeches over the past several weeks. Those who cooperate with terrorists organizations [the YPG] will be targeted by Turkey, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag said in a pointed reference to Frances support for the Kurds. Threatening the French is one thing, picking a fight with the U.S. military quite another.

Of course, if President Trump pulls U.S. forces out of Syria, it will be tempting for Turkey to move in. While the troika alliance has agreed to Syrian sovereignty, that wont stop Ankara from meddling in Kurdish affairs. The Turks are already appointing governors and mayors for the areas in Syria they have occupied.

Keeping the U.S. at Bay

Irans major concern in Syria is maintaining a buffer between itself and the very aggressive U.S., Israeli, and Saudi alliance, which seems to be in the preliminary stages of planning a war against the second-largest country in the Middle East.

Iran is not at all the threat its been pumped up to be. Its military is miniscule and talk of a so-called Shiite crescent  Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon  is pretty much a western invention (although the term was dreamed up by the Sunni king of Jordan).

Tehran has been weakened by crippling sanctions and faces the possibility that Washington will withdraw from the nuclear accord and re-impose yet more sanctions. The appointment of National Security Adviser John Bolton, who openly calls for regime change in Iran, has to have sent a chill down the spines of the Iranians.

What Tehran needs most of all is allies who will shield it from the enmity of the U.S., Israel and Saudi Arabia. In this regard, Turkey and Russia could be helpful.

Iran has modified its original goals in Syria of a Shiite-dominated regime by agreeing to a non-sectarian character for a post-war Syria. (Erdogan has also given up on his desire for a Sunni-dominated government in Damascus.)

War and Oil

War between the U.S. or its allies and Iran would be catastrophic, an unwinnable conflict that could destabilize the Middle East even more than it is now. It would, however, drive up the price of oil, currently running at around $66 a barrel.

Saudi Arabia needs to sell its oil for at least $100 a barrel, or it will very quickly run of money. The ongoing quagmire of the Yemen war, the need to diversify the economy, and the growing clamor by young Saudis  70 percent of the population  for jobs requires lots of money, and the current trends in oil pricing are not going to cover the bills.

War and oil make for odd bedfellows. While the Saudis are doing their best to overthrow the Assad regime and fuel the extremists fighting the Russians, Riyadh is wooing Moscow to sign on to a long-term OPEC agreement to control oil supplies. That probably wont happen  the Russians are fine with oil at $50 to $60 a barrel  and are wary of agreements that would restrict their right to develop new oil and gas resources.

The Saudis jihad on the Iranians has a desperate edge to it, as well it might. The greatest threat to the kingdom has always come from within.

The rocks and shoals that can wreck alliances in the Middle East are too numerous to count, and the troika is riven with contradictions and conflicting interests. But the war in Syria looks as if its coming to some kind of resolution  and at this point Iran, Russia, and Turkey seem to be the only actors who have a script that goes beyond lobbing cruise missiles at people.

FPIF columnist Conn Hallinan can be read at dispatchesfromtheedgeblog.wordpress.com and middlempireseries.wordpress.com.

Via Foreign Policy in Focus

Content under a Creative Commons Attribution licence



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Euronews from 2 weeks ago: Iran, Turkey and Russia meet for Syria summitReddit Email 103 Shares

By Hanaa Hasan | (Middle East Monitor) |  

The sight of yet another chemical attack on civilians in Douma on Saturday 7 April caused the kind of international outrage that the world now expects and has come to know so well. Scenes of children frothing at the mouth and videos of people shaking uncontrollably were denounced by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres as an outrage as the death toll climbed to over 78, at least 40 of whom died directly as a result of inhaling poisonous gas. The culprit was assumed to be the government of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, given its documented use of banned weapons in over 200 chemical attacks since the war began in 2011.

Two days later, the UN Security Council lived up to the predictions of paralysis, after the US and Russia used their veto power to prevent either of their respective resolutions on the issue from being passed. Undeterred, US President Donald Trump, who had tweeted that the animal Assad would have a big price to pay, moved to form a coalition along with Britain and France. By Friday evening, air strikes had hit several sites near Damascus. Even before the missiles reached their targets, though, what had previously been the claims of a small, if vociferous, section of Assads supporters had extended to commentators and analysts; questions started to be asked about whether or not the Douma attack was simply another example of fake news.

Such allegations are not new in the Syrian crisis. The regime has long accused opposition groups of faking incidents to support their cause, and Western media of inventing stories to tarnish Assads image. Russian websites have largely peddled a narrative sympathetic to their governments foreign policy in the region, portraying the Syrian opposition as armed terrorist insurgents violating national sovereignty. Over time, regional commentators and analysts have been known to verify news from state news agencies, as well as Russian and Iranian outfits, due to the stories often being backed by unreliable and incomplete evidence.

Read: US: Chemical weapons experts have not entered Douma

Yet, in recent months, such conspiracy theories in relation to the civil war have gained strength, particularly due to the influence of social media, with many now deeming the portrayal of Assad as the primary aggressor to be propaganda. The call for Western retaliatory strikes last week has further galvanised anti-imperialists  who oppose further intervention  to adopt the regimes narrative, positing it as the other side of the story.

The left and the far-right

The allegations of a Syrian conspiracy have, in a rare irony, united both ends of the political spectrum. The left has been keen to highlight the alleged lack of evidence implicating the Syrian government in the recent attacks, in an attempt to dissuade Western intervention. Journalist Max Blumenthal controversially summarised what he saw as the pattern of events in Syria, appearing to implicate the White Helmets civil defence group in faking the most recent attack, an oft repeated claim of the regime, despite the Nobel Peace Prize-nominated group being made up of non-partisan civilians.

The patterns clear now: When the Syrian army advances or liberates cities from NATO/GCC backed insurgents, insurgents allege a chemical attack. Sources are invariably insurgent activists, NATO/GCC backed White Helmets, & SAMS. Independent confirmation is impossible. Bombs away!  Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) April 9, 2018

In Britain, Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has also called for a UN-led investigation into who was responsible for the Douma attack, while accusing the British government of going to war without sufficient evidence of who the guilty party is. He was joined in his call by the former leader of the fascist British National Party (BNP), who tweeted his support for Corbyns position.

IF he sticks to his guns then for 1st time in my life I will vote #Labour  right now NOTHING is more important than resisting the psychotic rush to #WW3 of Boris & the #neocons Corbyn refuses to blame Assad for chemical attack in #Syria https://t.co/ifxqeFlqvd via @MailOnline  Nick Griffin (@NickGriffinBU) April 9, 2018

Right wing media outlets such as Breitbart and InfoWars, formerly strong supporters of Donald Trump, have also featured multiple articles on the administrations determination to invade Syria for its own interests, whilst maintaining that the evidence of Assads crimes is all but non-existent.

Between journalists and academics

The discussion has also extended to more mainstream journalists and academics. Earlier this week, acclaimed journalist and writer Robert Fisk wrote in the Independent of his trip to Douma alongside other reporters, all of whom were escorted by Syrian government officials. He tells of his encounters with several residents who claimed that they had no knowledge that a chemical attack had taken place; they said that most of these fake stories originated from armed Islamist groups. He also interviewed a Syrian doctor, who argued that whilst some people had suffocated on the night of the alleged attack, it was not as a result of toxic gas, but rather huge dust clouds in the area.

Fisks report seems to ignore the statements of the head of the largest medical relief agency in Syria, who told reporters this week that medics who responded to the suspected gas attack in Douma have been subjected to extreme intimidation by Syrian officials who seized biological samples, forced them to abandon patients and demanded their silence. It also excluded the fact that tens of thousands people are currently being tortured in jails of the Assad regime, many of whom have been arrested for speaking out against the governments atrocities; thats hardly an incentive for those who have survived a four year siege to do the same and give details of the use of chemical weapons.

Such realities also seem to have escaped a group of academics at some of Britains top universities who recently launched the Working Group on Syria, Propaganda and Media, a platform to examine the role of both media and propaganda and provide reliable, informed and timely analysis for journalists, publics and policymakers. Despite its very recent formation, the group has already attracted criticism for drawing upon Islamophobic tropes and ignoring the crimes of the Assad regime. Professors and lecturers from the universities of Edinburgh, Durham, Sheffield, Newcastle and SOAS feature among the groups members and advisory board.

The claims of some of the academics have ranged from the insinuations that the White Helmets organisation is a front for Al-Qaeda, to denial of the most recent Douma chemical attack, all based on the underlying theory that the West is exaggerating the Syrian conflict in a bid to undermine Russia on the world stage.

Public perception

The narrative surrounding the Syrian conflict has taken on a life of its own, demanding to be heard, and in the 21st century there is no better place to be heard than on the internet. In the wake of US air strikes in the past week, many have taken to social media highlighting that false allegations of weaponry have been used as a justification for war in the past, namely in the case of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Posts calling people to question the predominant narrative have been shared tens of thousands of times on Facebook and Twitter, asking why President Assad would gas his own people when he was allegedly on the brink of victory.

This questioning has been encouraged by several pro-Assad and pro-Russia activists, some of whom have garnered hundreds of thousands of followers, an equivalent following to that of mainstream journalists. Sarah Abdullah and Rania Khalek are two such commentators, both of whom boast of more than 120,000 followers on Twitter; they update their subscribers daily with the latest pro-Assad propaganda, popularising hashtags such as #SyriaHoax following atrocities committed by the regime.

Establishing nuance in the narrative

The international community is right to doubt the sincerity of further Western intervention in the Syrian conflict. Despite US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley vindicating the UN Security Council last week for failing to protect the people of Syria, the US has accepted only 44 refugees from the country in the past six months, a 99.3 per cent drop compared to a similar period under President Barack Obama. It is clear that the coalitions action on red lines extends only to temporary strikes on the country, thereby giving the Assad government the level of impunity needed to commit such atrocities again, safe in the knowledge that there will be few permanent or long-term repercussions.

However, the portrayal of the conflict as solely a proxy, imperial war between Russia and the West is reductionist, and ignores the sacrifices of the hundreds of thousands of Syrians who protested against the Assad regime demanding freedom and dignity. Contrary to the now prevailing discourse, denouncing further Western intervention whilst also condemning the atrocities of Syria and its allies are not mutually exclusive.

The narrative of the Syrian regime and Russia has proven itself to be untrustworthy time and again. Its conspiracies are not limited to the veracity of certain incidents, but extend to the nature of the conflict altogether and ultimately seeks to prolong the reign of President Assad. The absence of nuance in the current conversation indicates the worlds immunity to the suffering of the Syrian people after seven years of war, and a desire to attribute the bloodshed to more than just one party in an effort to justify the international communitys ongoing inaction. The mainstreaming of pro-Assad arguments is yet another warning sign of the growing ability of political bias to obscure facts in the so-called information age.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.

Via Middle East Monitor

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.



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Newsy: OPCW investigators arrive in Douma, SyriaThe trial of former Congolese militia leader Maro Ntumwa (dubbed the Moroccan) by a military tribunal in South Kivu, eastern DRC, opened on April 13 and continued this week.

The accused is charged with rape, sexual slavery, looting, attacks against a civilian population and on religious buildings committed between 2005 and 2007, reports our correspondent Claude Segenya. At the time, he was the right-hand man of Bedi Mobuli Engengela, dubbed `Colonel 106`, a former leader of the Mai-Mai militia who has already been convicted by a military court, he writes.

For Sylvestre Bisimwa, spokesman for the victims lawyers collective, this trial is a strong signal addressed to perpetrators and potential perpetrators of crimes.

Sentence in the US

Another former African warlord was also in the news this week: Liberian Mohammed Jabateh, who immigrated to the United States after hiding his past in ULIMO (United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy) between 1992 and 1995.

Nicknamed Jungle Jabbah, Mohammed Jabateh, 51, was sentenced on Thursday to 30 years in jail by a Philadelphia court, in an unprecedented trial linked to the 1989-2003 civil war in Liberia. He was found guilty of lying to US authorities during his request for asylum in 1998, and then his request for permanent residence. Although he was not charged directly with crimes committed in the West African state of Liberia, the American prosecutor brought witnesses to the atrocities of which he was accused as proof that he had lied when entering the US.

Victors justice

In Cote dIvoire, families of political prisoners are denouncing what they see as victors justice, seven years after the fall and arrest of ex-president Laurent Gbagbo, who is currently on trial before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. According to the Association of Wives and Families of Political Prisoners in Cote dIvoire (AFFDO), there are 300 political prisoners languishing in the countrys jails, writes our West Africa correspondent Maxime Domegni. The associations president Desiree Douati, who is herself an ex-prisoner, says these prisoners are sick and do not get any medical care. This is victors justice, she says. When President Laurent Gbagbo was arrested, the people who took power were supposed to bring reconciliation. But instead they decided to torture us.

These accusations are rejected by Abidjan Appeals Court Prosecutor Lebry Marie-Leonard. I know of no victors justice, he says. Justice has nothing to do with revenge.

Memorial to the Armenian genocide

Finally to Geneva, where JusticeInfo reported on the brand new memorial to the Armenian genocide. As Frederic Burnand writes, this work by artist Melik Ohanian pays homage to the Armenians massacred over a century ago in Turkey and to the many Swiss who have mobilized in their support ever since the first massacres. Composed of nine lamp posts with a teardrop for a bulb, this memorial expresses primarily the destiny of all the Armenians targeted, their descendants and all those who helped them, especially in Geneva, he writes.> > > Hazara Genocide Continues, Pashtun Terrorists Cover their Crimes Under the (...)Talbot's Tower is due to re-open to the public on May 3, members of Kilkenny City Municipal District heard last week.

Area engineer, Simon Walton, told members it was a tentative date for the official re-opening.

In February, the Kilkenny People reported that Talbots Tower was expected to be open to the public later this year as Kilkenny County Council had found a way around the iconic structures Japanese Knotweed problem.

Talbots Tower  which dates back to the 13th Century  represents the only surviving complete defensive tower of the City Wall circuit.

In 2015, the discovery of Japanese Knotweed resulted in the closure of the site and prevented public access until a survey was undertaken in December of last year to determine the extent of the infestation.

The survey found the Knotweed is contained within the boarded-off section of the site and a treatment plan is now in place for the eradication of the Knotweed which could take up to five years.

Proposed works for the pocket park site  including the installation of footpaths and gravel areas and the provision of up-lighting to illuminate the Tower and walls  hoped to have the site ready to open to the public by the spring of this year.Local author, historian and archivist John Kirwan will publish a new book next month on the history of one of the most famous Irish families - the Butlers of Ormonde.

Kirwan has produced some outstanding works on local history and his work - Kilkenny Families in the Great War - was an outstanding success.

The Anglo-Norman Butlers of Ireland arrived in Ireland in the retinue of Prince John, the youngest surviving son of Henry II and his wife, Eleanor of Acquitaine, who endowed him with the Lordship of Ireland. Some time before

1192, Theobald Walter, a knight, was granted the hereditary office of Chief Butler of Ireland, from which his numerous descendants took their surname.

With the Fitzgeralds of Kildare and Desmond, the Butlers of Ormond became one of the three most important Anglo-Norman or Old English families of the Irish Lordship, and later of the Kingdom of Ireland. In time they became more Irish than the Irish. Accompanying the office was the prisage of wines, which secured for the family the right to about one-tenth of the cargo of any shipment of wine that broke bulk in Ireland.

Theobald fitz Walter and his senior male descendants, the earls of Ormond (cr. 1328), enjoyed this right until the crown bought it back in 1811 (by Act of Parliament) for the very large sum of 216,000, from the heavily indebted Walter Butler, 18th earl, who was also first marquess of the second creation. In the medieval period it was often a bone of contention between other great Irish and Anglo-Norman lords and the Butlers particularly the Fitzgeralds of Desmond and Kildare.

In October 1328, Edward III created James Butler, the 7th Hereditary Chief Butler of Ireland, the eldest son of Edmond Butler, earl of Carrick (cr. 1315), the first earl of Ormond, under which derivation in the peerages of Ireland, England, Great Britain and the United Kingdom his senior agnatic descendants advanced and waned, depending on their personal abilities and their particular services to the English crown. As well as being created an earl, James was married to the kings first cousin, Eleanor de Bohun  herself a daughter of the Plantagenet, Princess Elizabeth, who was full sister to Edward II, and a daughter of Edward I  which bound him closer to the English crown. With the bride and the earldom came the palatinate of Tipperary, both of which were marks of great distinction. These came with extensive land grants. Eleanor, who was to live on until 1363, possibly lies buried in Gowran, where a magnificient memorial to a man and woman of rank survives from the fourteenth century.

The first five earls, all of whom bore the personal name of James, were pivotal political figures both here and in England. The 2nd earl, who was but six when he inherited, held many state offices. He used his daughters to create alliances with Gael and Anglo-Norman alike and by the time of his death in 1382, had secured the pre-eminence of his family in the south of Ireland, while at the same time shifting the focus of Ormond interest eastwards.

James the 3rd earl (a.13601405) successfully served Richard II and Henr IV, the latter in the French wars. In 1391, he purchased Kilkenny castle and its lands from the absentee Despensers. He maintained close relations with the royal court but had no difficulty in using Gaelic law and adopting elements of Gaelic culture when it suited him, and this despite the Statutes of Kilkenny enacted in 13667. The Anglo-Norman Butlers were well on the way to becoming more Irish than the Irish themselves.

Thomas, the 7th earl (c.14241515) spent the greater part of his life in England.

Hankford (1445) brought him extensive English estates, which, however, were not destined to give the succeeding earls of Ormond an English base, as these lands were inherited by his heirs-general  his daughters, the Lady Margaret Boleyn (grandmother of the unfortunate Queen Anne Boleyn the second wife of Henry VIII) and the Lady Anne St. Leger. When he died in 1515, he was chamberlain to Henry VIIIs first queen, Catherine of Aragon.

Sir Piers Butler (c.14671539) of the gaelicised Irish branch known as the MacRichard Butlers then came forth as the senior male claimant to the Ormond titles and lands. He was known generally as Piers Ruadh Butler, no doubt because of his red hair, a characteristic he shared with his eldest son and successor, James Lord Butler. His magnificent tomb can still be seen in the south transept of St. Canices Cathedral.

Of the later earls of Ormond, the greatest were perhaps the Tudor Thomas Butler known as Black Tom the 10th earl of Ormond and his great-nephew, James Butler the 12th earl who was created 1st duke of Ormond by a grateful Charles 11 on his restoration to the Crown of England, Ireland Scotland and Wales in 1660. Subsequently during the time of the second duke the family became Jacobits and for a time lost lands and titles but were eventually restored to the latter in 1791. Later they were created marquess of Ormond at least twice. Charles Butler the last earl-marquess died in 1997 aged 98 years having spent most of his adult life in the USA. His immediate predecessor, Arthur Butler 6th marquess and 24th earl presented Kilkenny Castle initially to the people of Kilkenny who subsequentally vested it in the Irish state. With the land came about 16 acres of land the personal gift of the 6th marquess who had to compensate the Ormonde Trust Settlement to the tune of 16,000 which in 1967 would have bought a very good farm in county Kilkenny.

The book is being published by Irish Academic Press and should be in the local bookshops in May. A formal launch of the book will take place in London  in the House of Lords - during this years International Butler Rally which will take place from July 5-8. Its only the third international Butler rally to be held outside Kilkenny since the society was founded in 1967.

The book will also give Butlers and their descendants throughout the world genealogical signposts to help them with their own family trees. Descendants include many an American president notably George Washington, and Queen Elizabeth 11 and her children which descent is through the Queens own mother, who was born Lady Elizabeth Bowes Lyon a direct descendant of James Butler 12th earl of Ormond (died 1688), who upon her marriage into the royal family became Duchess of York and later still Queen Consort of King George VI. Published by Irish Academic Press of Newbridge, Co. Kildare.Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.

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If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider subscribing to our ePaper and/or free daily Newsletter .

Support our mission and join our community now.A guest post from Mark Webster of New Endeavour Resources (N.Z) Ltd:

The recent decision by the New Zealand government to stop issuing Permits for offshore oil & gas exploration is misguided and counter-productive. It is highly likely that New Zealand has sufficient natural gas to support an LNG industry. Exporting gas to countries that currently utilise coal would have a real, material impact on global emissions, and be a game changer to the NZ economy, enabling NZ to fund the social, environmental, infrastructure, and regional development programmes that the government has prioritised. The current strategy will have minimal, and probably negative, impact on emissions, while removing a valuable source of revenue, with no substitute identified.

I am a New Zealander and a petroleum geologist. I started my career as a graduate in Petrocorp and left 13 years later as Chief Geologist. I have worked in the industry for 34 years, in New Zealand and overseas (in Australia, Canada, Thailand, Philippines, and Malaysia). I established a company (NER) with two experienced Australian colleagues, specifically to look for gas reserves in Taranaki. We see huge potential here and have been working hard to develop opportunities, attract investors to NZ, and unlock this resource. I dont believe anyone would define us as Big Oil; I drive a 2004 Toyota Echo.

Like most people in the NZ oil & gas industry, I also care about clean air, clean water, and a fair society, and am grateful daily that I am lucky enough to live on these lightly populated and isolated islands. I voted Labour in the last election because, like many others, I was concerned at the growing inequity in NZ, the need for communities to have to provide food and clothing for school kids, the woeful salaries we pay teachers, nurses and basically anyone who isnt in a position to yield financial clout. I dont like seeing our youngest and brightest burdened by debt when they successfully complete training or education, knowing home ownership is moving out of their reach and they will be responsible for a rapidly increasing aged population requiring care. I liked Labours promises to boost the regions, so Auckland doesnt become the hippo sitting at one end of the rowboat.

My argument is very simple. New Zealands hydrocarbon resource is predominantly gas (70% of reserves found to date). Natural gas emits approximately 50% less Greenhouse gas than coal, and 20% less than oil. We believe NZ is fortunate enough to have sufficient reserves (up to 30 Trillion cubic feet, or 6 more Maui-sized Fields) to develop an LNG (Liquified Natural Gas) export industry.

If 9 Tcf (less than a third of the resource) was exported as LNG to Asia, and displaced coal powered generation (something the government can control), the result would be a reduction of CO2 emissions of 48 million tonnes per year over 30 years. This represents 60% of New Zealands total 1990 emissions. Our target under the Paris accord is 11%, so New Zealand could rightly claim to be making a tangible, rather than token, contribution to this global initiative.

The following scenario illustrates the potential impact of an LNG industry. Numbers are indicative and based on the Wheatstone LNG project operated in Australia by Chevron, but upscaled from gas reserves of 4.5 Tcf to 9 Tcf.

An LNG development comprising 4 trains, producing approximately 18 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) combined over a 30 year lifetime;

Increased activity and economic prosperity in Taranaki;

An extension of the Maui pipeline from Huntly to Northland;

An LNG export facility in Northland, generating 7,000 jobs during construction, 30,000 jobs over the project lifetime $100 Billion in Crown revenues over 30 years Increase in GDP of $360 Billion over 30 years $40 Billion added to the regional economies in local contracts, services etc Reduction in global GHG emissions by 48 MTPA

A sovereign wealth fund ensuring a good standard of living for those who follow;

Investment in research into existing and new technologies to further reduce emissions from the resource, including carbon capture & storage, hydrogen fuel, LNG transport fuels etc;

High value education and training opportunities for the young;

Salaries for nurses, teachers etc that better reflect their value;

Money to repair and maintain schools and hospitals;

Money to fund DoC in both conservation programmes and to cope with the ever- increasing pressure imposed by tourism;

A regulatory environment that enforces compliance with safety and environmental standards;

An end to childhood poverty in NZ.

James Shaws argument in Parliament seemed to be that because renewables are attracting a lot (colossal I think was the word) of investment elsewhere in the world, we should also invest a lot of capital paying ourselves to build more renewable generation to sell electricity to ourselves. Seems to be an economic model similar to the Auckland property market, and thats worked well for the next generation. Its going to take a lot of electricity just to replace the energy currently provided by oil & gas, before we even think of how to power replacement (as yet unidentified) green industries and the fleet of electric vehicles. Say goodbye to those Central Otago landscapes as windfarms are built under urgency.

James also spoke of the declining market for fossil fuels. This is at odds with the forecast published by Shell last week which states the global demand for natural gas is expected to grow at an average of 2% per year (twice the rate of total energy demand) and LNG by 4% per year. An article in Oilprice.com on 31 March 2018 stated Chinas increased air pollution fight and its impact on the countrys gas demand will revolutionize LNG markets in the Asia-Pacific region, creating new opportunities for LNG producers from Australia, the U.S., Russia.In November the IEA predicted Chinas natural gas demand would increase from 210 Bcm (billion cubic metres) in 2016 to 400 Bcm by 2040 as the country shifts its emphasis to cleaner and more efficient sources of energy. New Zealand could be a significant producer for this market.

New Zealand is well ahead in the renewables game (thanks in no small part to the efforts of engineers, builders, scientists, lawyers and administrators who, I am guessing given the demographics of the time, would largely be represented by the group now dismissed as old white men by the Green Party), so it seems the only actual benefit from the current strategy is that NZ gets to adopt a pious self-righteous smugness and considerable additional debt to pass on to future generations.

NZ will continue to need oil and gas for several more decades. We can use our own, and control the safety and environmental standards, or we can spend money importing energy, and have little or no control over standards. The decision is not as simple as the options provided by Greenpeace in their typically insightful analysis: should we ban all fossil fuels (good) or continue oil and gas exploration (bad).

The ultimate irony, however, is having a state-controlled renewables electricity generator using a comedian on tv ads to tell us we should emulate Norway, a country with an enviable standard of living, and a higher uptake on electric vehiclesall built on a strong oil and gas industry. Thats what we want, wait, no we dont, but yes, we do, can we just have the good bits?

To claim the existing offshore Permits will run their course and potentially be converted to Mining Permits is misleading; companies will need to apply for a Mining Permit in the event of a discovery, from a government that has broadcast their position on oil and gas production. Mining Permits will either also no longer be awarded offshore, or each application will be declined. No company is going to invest in exploration in existing Permits with that uncertainty now hanging over them. There will be immediate cutbacks and job losses. I expect offshore Operators are already queuing outside MBIE to retract drilling (and financial) commitments that have been made. That will flow on to suppliers, contractors etc etc.

NZ is in the unique and fortunate position of already having a high proportion of renewables generation, and a gas resource which, if managed responsibly, can be of huge economic and social benefit without compromising the governments Climate Change goals.

The question I have for the coalition leaders is do you want to reduce global emissions, or do you want to stop oil and gas exploration? because they are different objectives with different strategies and different outcomes. The transition represents a huge opportunity for NZ to show some true leadership.

At the very least, have a moratorium on offshore blocks offers for 2018, work with industry to validate the resource potential, and review existing and emerging technologies for the use of the resource (and confirm the emissions associated with each scenario).

We cant export sunshine and good intentions.

I really regret wasting that vote nowUN Watch reports:

Despite accusations that it perpetrated yet another deadly chemical weapons attack on Saturday, Syria will next month chair the United Nations disarmament forum that produced the treaty banning chemical weapons, sparking calls by an independent monitoring group for the U.S., the EU, and UN chief Antonio Guterres to strongly protest, and for their ambassadors to walk out of the conference during the four weeks of the Syrian presidency.

The 65-nation Conference on Disarmament, based in Geneva, has also negotiated the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, considered the cornerstone of nuclear disarmament efforts, as well as the convention against biological weapons.

Having the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad preside over global chemical and nuclear weapons disarmament will be like putting a serial rapist in charge of a womens shelter, said Hillel Neuer, executive director of United Nations Watch, the Geneva based non-governmental organization. The activist group announced that it intends to hold protest events outside the UN hall featuring Syrian victims of their governments chemical weapons attacks.Participants of the "Start Me Up!" seminar on Australian startups listen to Australian Ambassador to Korea James Choi at D.Camp in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul, April 19. / Courtesy of Australian Embassy



By Yi Whan-woo





James ChoiManagua, Apr 22 (AFP) More than 20 people have been killed in a clashes between Nicaraguan police and demonstrators in a wave of protests over pension reform, a local human rights body said today.

The Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights said it was still trying to verify figures, but that at least 20 people had been killed since protests erupted in the central American country on Wednesday over plans by President Daniel Ortega to reform the nation's pension system.

"We are dealing with more than 20 dead, but we are verifying because there is a lot of misinformation, the situation is really serious and beyond our possibilities to confirm," the Center's director Vilma Nunez told AFP.

On Friday, the government put the number of people killed in two days of protests in the capital Managua and other cities at 10, the last official figure. The streets of Managua were rubble-strewn early Saturday after a night of clashes between police and demonstrators.

Nicabus, an international bus line with links to Costa Rica and Honduras, said it has been forced to suspend services due to the violence. Protest groups on Sunday announced a march to the Polytechnic University in the capital where hundreds of students have been holed up since Thursday.

In a bid to calm the protests -- the biggest of his 11-year presidency -- Ortega agreed Saturday to speak with the private sector about social security reforms, only to be rebuffed by Nicaragua's top private-sector business union.

They said there could be no dialogue unless the government "immediately ceases police repression." On Saturday local media reported that journalist Miguel Angel Gahona was shot dead by a suspected sniper in the city of Bluefields, on Nicaragua's Caribbean coast.

Journalists have reportedly faced attacks, been temporarily detained and had their work equipment stolen since the start of the protests. Meanwhile, four independent television outlets were taken off air on Thursday, although only one currently remains closed. (AFP) PMS

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh) [India], Apr 21 (ANI): Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MLA Nandamuri Balakrishna has stirred a controversy by making some abusive comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Addressing a public rally in Vijayawada on Friday, Balakrishna, who is the brother-in-law of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said, "Traitor, namak haraam (treacherous), come out and face people, they will beat you up and make you run. No matter where you go and hide, even if you hide in a bunker, Bharat Mata will bury you. Rebellion has begun and we will not stay quiet."

The MLA's vitriol was over the Centre's failure to grant Special Category Status (SCS) to Andhra Pradesh.

Following to his remark, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) called for Balakrishna's expulsion from the party and even threatened to file a criminal case against him.

Speaking to ANI, BJP leader Sudhish Rambhotla said, "Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Naidu's brother-in-law and party MLA Balakrishna talks like a lunatic. What is the kind of language he uses? Does he have sense? I think he has to be treated for mental illness. He has to be expelled from the party."

"Why has Chief Minister Chandra Babu Naidu ji not condemned his statement yet?" he added. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)A 22-year-old boy was arrested on Saturday after he allegedly raped his 46-year-old biological mother in Patan, Gujarat. The accused raped his mother while she was sleeping in the house, as reported by the Times of India. According to police, the accused in the case raped his mother on Thursday night around 1 am. He entered the mothers room, drunk and pretending to drink water and then forced himself upon her. Based on the reports, the police quoted the complainant and said that he also gagged her mouth while raping her on Thursday. The police also said that the mothers shouting and cry for help were not noticed by the neighbours as their fights were very common.

The boy was addicted to watching pornography and used watch obscene videos in front of his mother and sister. He had also asked for sexual favours from his mother in the past. The woman said in a statement that she was deeply shocked at her sons behaviour. After garnering courage, the woman told her husband who is a mason. The husband made a call to his elder son and he advised to lodge a police complaint. The police have arrested the accused and an FIR has been lodged against him under Sections 376 and 504 of the Indian Penal Code. The police have sent the woman for medical examination. Further investigation in the case is underway.

Earlier today, Union Minister Santosh Gangwar in a controversial statement said that one-or-two cases of rape in a country as big as India should not be hyped. Such incidents (rape cases) are unfortunate. However, sometimes you cant stop them. Government is vigilant everywhere, investigations are being conducted. In a nation as big as India, one or two incidents of rape should not be hyped, he said.

Incest rape  rape by a family member like a brother or father  is widely acknowledged as one of the most under-reported crime. According to data accessed from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the number of cases reported on incest rape in India, has increased by 43% from 346 cases reported in 2012 to 489 in 2013. The number of victims has increased from 350 to 501 in one year (between 2012 to 2013) and the maximum number of victims are minors, aged between 14 to 18 years.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 22, 2018 01:30 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).Mumbai, April 23: Are Indians losing their Indianness? In an act of encouraging religious discrimination and spreading hate against one religion, an Ola passenger cancelled his ride soon after he realised that the driver was a Muslim! Yes, you read it right. A verified Twitter User Abhishek Mishra, who is followed by Indian ministers, sparked a communal conversation on the micro-blogging site saying that he cancelled the trip as soon as he found out that the Ola driver was a Muslim. Mishra took to Twitter and said, Cancelled @Olacabs Booking because Driver was Muslim. I don't want to give my money to Jihadi People.

To this, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said, "I remember an India where people who thought this way would have been ostracized rather than admired & "followed". We need to # BringIndiannessBack".

I remember an India where people who thought this way would have been ostracized rather than admired &"followed". We need to #BringIndiannessBack. https://t.co/410oU4JVuR  Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) April 22, 2018

Mishra had booked the Ola cab from Lucknow's Butter Colony to Polytechnic Bus Stand in the same area. This act grabbed eyeballs and sparked a war of words on Twitter. While many supported Mishra, there were others who said that it was an act encouraging religious discrimination in the country, asking Ola to block such users.

Cancelled @Olacabs Booking because Driver was Muslim. I don't want to give my money to Jihadi People. pic.twitter.com/1IIf4LlTZL  Abhishek Mishra (@Abhishek_Mshra) April 20, 2018

Mishras Twitter Profile is Twitter Verified and is followed by Official Twitter Verified profile. He is also being followed by top brass leaders of the Narendra Modi Cabinet including Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan among others.

Drawing anger on his post, Mishra was flooded with Tweets. He took to Twitter again and said he has a right to choose. "People starts attack on me. Can I have no right to choose ? If they can run a campaign against Hanuman ji poster on cab, defamed Hindus and Hindus god in Kathua incident then they must be prepared for reply", he tweeted.

People starts attack on me. Can I have no right to choose ? If they can run a campaign against Hanuman ji poster on cab, defamed Hindus and Hindus god in Kathua incident then they must be prepared for reply. https://t.co/GEWUVRvtwL  Abhishek Mishra (@Abhishek_Mshra) April 22, 2018

It must be noted that SoftBank-backed cab aggregator Ola earlier this week said that it plans to add 10,000 electric vehicles, a majority being e-rickshaws, to its platform over the next 12 months as part of its 'Mission Electric' programme. The Bengaluru-based company is aiming to get one million electric vehicles on its platform by 2021 to boost the electric vehicle ecosystem in the country.

We could have ignored this tweet if this was one of a case by the random Twitter user, but, looking at his profile and the immense following, this instance is shocking and alarming!

Update: Ola Cabs replied to Abhishek in a tweet and tutored him on secularism and how they expect their customers to be one. Clearing their stand, the taxi service platform said they do not discriminate their driver or customers on the "basis their caste, religion, gender or creed". Calling for peace, the tweet further read, "We urge all our customers and driver partners to treat each other with respect at all times."

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 23, 2018 09:17 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).New Delhi, April 22: Prime Minster Narendra Modi on Sunday interacted with Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) through NaMo App. He advised them not to make controversial statements in media. The Prime Minister said, We commit mistakes and give masala to media. The moment we see a camera, we jump to make a statement as if we are great social scientists or experts ... and then these ill-informed statements are used by media. It is not the media's fault, reported The Times of India.

PM Modi also encouraged BJP lawmakers to utilize social media to connect with large number of people. The Prime Minister has also refrained party workers from commenting on every socio-political or cultural matter. He said that only designated spokespersons of the party would comment on issues and that to when necessary.

Prime Minister Modis interaction with party MPs and MLAs was to encourage them as the party prepares for a tough electoral year ahead. Karnataka is going to polls in May, and Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh going to polls in November-December. The PM also reiterated the need to concentrate on skill development. He also highlighted the advantages of Mudra Yojna for creating entrepreneurial environment in the country.

Prime Minister Modi also had discussion with lawmakers about the welfare of farmers and the development of rural areas. The Prime Minister also wanted the BJP lawmakers to highlight the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission on Minimum Support Price have been implemented so that the farmers can benefit from it. PM Modi also invited suggestions for the celebrations of 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi with focus on Swachhta Abhiyan. PM Narendra Modi will also be holding a similar interaction with party workers on April 26.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 22, 2018 07:40 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).English is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. Today, the language has an official or special status in at least 75 countries with a total population of over two billion. April 23 is observed as UN English Language Day, every year. The date was chosen as the popular English poet William Shakespeare passed away on the day.

The day was established by United Nation's Department of Public Information in 2010 "to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity as well as to promote equal use of all six official languages throughout the Organization".

Often English is referred to as a funny language for its various connotations and usage. On English Language Day, we take a look at some of the most interesting facts about the English language. Check them out here:

1. Approximately one new word is added to the English language every two hours.

2. 'I am' is the shortest complete sentence in the English language.

3. The English dictionary has 'ghost words' that mean nothing. They are non-existing words which appear due to printing errors.

4. The word 'swims' will be 'swims' even when turned upside down.

5. 'Oxyphenbutazone' is the highest scoring word in a game of scrabble. (Try next time)

6. 'Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosi' is the longest word according to the Oxford Modern English.

7. The shortest, oldest, and most commonly used word is 'I'.

8. The word 'girl' was initially used to refer to a 'child' or 'young person' regardless of the gender.

9. A pangram is a sentence containing every letter of the alphabet. For example, the sentence 'The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog'.

10. The phrase 'long time no see' is a literal translation of a Chinese phrase,

it comes from the Mandarin phrase 'hao jiu bu jian'.

11. 'Twyndyllyng' is the longest word in the English language without any vowels. Another commonly used word is ' rhythms '.

12. The colour orange was earlier referred to as geoluhread which means red-yellow in Old English. The change came in after English became a widely spoken language.

13. In the 1800s, the word 'dude' was used as an insult towards young men who regularly kept up with the latest fashions.

14. The longest English that can be spelt without repeating any letters is 'uncopyrightable'.

15. There are around 360-400 million native speakers of the English language around the world.

The UN first celebrated English Language Day on April 23, 2010. The UN general body has organised several events including photo exhibits, quiz, talks by English authors, on this day. The day also witnesses book-reading events, literature exchanges, poetry recitation and other related activities that promote the English language. English is one of the two working languages of the UN Secretariat and one of the organisation's six official languages.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 22, 2018 08:37 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).A cavern deep within and near the Radhausberg Mountain in Austria deserves a visit if you are suffering from chronic pains. Known as the Gastein Caves they are a popular healing spot in the world, thanks to the naturally emitted radon gas through the walls here. It may sound strange at first but once you feel the effect of the therapy here, you'd want to come back. This natural therapy can offer a cure for medical conditions like arthritis and other joint pain, chronic bronchitis and skin conditions as psoriasis.

The caves were found when people of Gastein started exploring the mountains in search of gold. They found low levels of radon gas seeping in through the rocks of the cavern. When combined with the humidity and the high temperature of outside, the caves were developed into a healing spot for developing the immune system. Such news spreads fast and it did not take long for people around the world to gather for this experience. It has been observed that the experience has worked for 90% of the people who visited here, which only helped these miraculous caves gain more attention.

One has to change and then take a train into the caves. It is a 40 minute to an hour-long session inside the hot caves. The therapeutic hot environment and the radon gas is said to activate body's self-healing powers. These healing messengers interact with the body's immune system and reduce the pain that you have been feeling. Magical right? It may get too hot and humid inside as the temperature levels can go upto 40 degrees, but that is the essence of the healing process. In case of any medical assistance, the staff is always there to help. At a time over 100 people can be a part of the session. The therapy not only cures your joint pain but also make your skin glow. They also offer a variety of spas later.

The natural healing therapy has been debated over due to the exposure to such high temperatures but it has worked on many people who opted for it. Plus, once you are out of the deep caves, you are treated to great landscape views which will only enhance your experience. It is one of the unique experiences of natural healing which one must take advantage of for healing well.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 22, 2018 01:34 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).Margot Robbie headlines Nissan Formula E launch

Apr 21, 2018, 2:01pm ET

Nissan has enlisted the help of the Oscar-nominated actor and Leaf driver.

Nissan has enlisted the help of actor Margot Robbie to promote their entry into the all-electric Formula E racing series.

At a launch event in Los Angeles, Robbie helped reveal the Formula E racer, said to have been designed to resemble "a supersonic bird taking flight," to a modest media gathering.

"I'm excited to see how it will help Nissan develop its EV offering further and bring new and exciting technologies to communities across the world," Robbie, the Nissan EV brand ambassador, said of the Formula E racer. "I'm used to driving small stick-shift cars but I love my Leaf," she explained.

Nissan global motorsport director Michael Carcamo said that it the development of the Formula E car worked in reverse, having taken technology and lessons gleaned from Nissan's Leaf EV. Typically, racing programs develop technology that trickles down to road cars. Carcamo also reminded the audience that Nissan has been involved with EVs the 1947 Tama electric car.

Nissan is the first Japanese automaker to join Formula E. The series will take place on street circuits composed of public roads in major cities, including Paris, Berlin, Rome, Zurich, Hong Kong, and a series finale in New York. The selection of city centers for race locations is meant to draw in audiences, who would not have to travel to a remote race track to watch the race. Carcamo said the typical Formula E audience is younger than traditional race series.

Live images by Ben Hsu.A minutes silence was held at a recent Laois County Council meeting as a tribute and mark of respect for the much beloved Laois Councillor Jerry Lodge.

The Fianna Fail Laois County Councillor for the Portlaoise Municipal District passed away, aged in his 70s, in a Dublin hospital on Tuesday evening, April 3 after a short illness.

It was Fianna Fail Cllr Paschal McEvoy who led the moving tributes to the late Portlaoise man at the April meeting of the Graiguecullen/Portarlington Municipal District meeting.

We all know Jerry was a great friend to many people. I got to know Jerry over the last four years, absolute gentleman, a unique individual who was calming.

He was a pure gentleman, he is a great loss to his family and his two children, his wife Patricia and Pauric and Damian, he said.

Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council, Cllr Padraig Fleming said Cllr Lodge was a man of great intelligence.

It is very sad. He was the longest serving councillor in Ireland over 51 years. He worked tremendously hard for people, he was great for Portlaoise and County Laois. He was a man of great intelligence, big into education and because of his experience he could see the wood from the trees," he said.

Fianna Fail Cllr Tom Mulhall said that Jerry had a calming effect.

Lord have mercy on councillor Jerry Lodge he was a great experienced politician, very diplomatic. He had a great way of getting around things, the type he was he wouldnt start an argument or finish an argument. Jerry had a calming effect, he was a through and through gentleman. He had a great way, he said.

Independent Cllr Ben Brennan said that Jerry would have made a top TD in Leinster House.

He was an honest, genuine man. I canvassed for three or four elections for him, he was unlucky he didnt make it. It was a pity he didnt, I felt he would have made a fabulous TD he was so honest, he could see a future.

"I reckon he would be one of the top TDs in Leinster House he had a great vision, he is a big loss to his family, it came so fast, I wish them well and hope they gain the strength from somewhere to accept his sudden death which was a tragedy. He is going to be sadly missed, he had a way of doing it, he was so experienced," he said.

Chair of the meeting, John Moran, agreed with the comments and added that Jerry will be missed a lot.

Fianna Fail leader, Micheal Martin attends Funeral of Cllr Jerry Lodge in Laois.AN ENERGY masterplan in Caherconlish /Caherline will help save the environment and money.

Over 150 attended an information evening in the Millennium Centre last week featuring many exhibitors and a presentation from XD Consulting Engineers, who produced the plan.

Caherconlish/Caherline is the first Sustainable Energy Community (SEC) of more than 100 in Ireland to deliver an energy masterplan. It has been 100% funded by the Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland (SEAI).

One of the driving forces behind it is local man Eddie OGorman. He said the plan includes a full energy usage audit of typical businesses, organisations, clubs, farms and households in the parish. The total number of homes in their SEC is slightly more than 1,000.

Speaking at the event, Mr OGorman said: We are all here to learn how we can work together to dramatically reduce our consumption of fossil fuels and reduce our electricity and fuel bills, retain more cash in our pockets by making our homes more comfortable and valuable with an improved BER rating up around an A or a B level. Based on the Energy Regulators Data the average household consumption of electricity is 5,300 kW-Hrs (units) and heating is 13,500 kW Hrs per annum.

Most homes in our area use oil and solid fuels for heating. Based on these statistics and quoted on the switcher.ie website the average electricity bill per home is 1,136 and the average cost for home heating is 945. 2,000 per annum in total energy spend.

Therefore, in our SEC area the average domestic energy spend is 2,000 x 1,000 (homes) equals 2m per annum. When all homes, farms, business and community buildings are included the total energy spend is over 4,500,000, explained Mr OGorman. He and fellow committee members are confident this project will reduce the average energy spend by at least 20% and up to 40% using insulation, efficient heating and electrical appliances together with renewable energy sources for water heating and electricity generation.

For example, our local Millennium Centre has the capacity to produce over 80,000 units of solar electricity per year on average using unobtrusive roof mounted panels. Installing electric heat pumps to replace the existing LPG heaters can reduce the heating energy costs by more than 50%

When all homes, businesses, farms, churches and schools are upgraded to efficient usage and energy generation is included, a huge reduction in energy usage and carbon emissions will be achieved which will enhance the living environment for present and future generations and provide long term sustainable viability for all sectors of our community.

This ongoing project will give a very worthwhile boost to consumer spending, due to retained saving, in our local economy. It will also generate local jobs during the installation phase and ongoing maintenance of systems, said Mr OGorman. For more information and how to get involved see www.facebook.com/SECMILL/FOUR years ago, Westbury father-of-three James Broderick was making the daunting homeward journey after being let go from his beloved job in Cork.

James, who grew up in a typical, working class household in Garryowen, had a high-salaried top position in an international bank after excelling in Dublin and the United States.

But still in his 40s, the redundancy in 2014 had brought down the curtains on his professional career, and it then seemed to be the final straw following his Parkinsons diagnosis in September 2012.

While passing through Buttevant, he pulled onto the side of the road and balled my eyes out. And that was when he made the crucial call to his wife Kelly.

Kelly, look, he said over the phone, I let you and the boys down and I am really sorry about that.

That is nonsense, she replied to her husband, still raw with emotion. We dont measure you by the salary or the title you have got in your job.

How lucky was I that my wife was so intelligent and understood the situation, while I couldnt grasp it, James tells the Leader.

And it was this love and understanding that helped pull James through this traumatic episodean experience more than 100 people in the Mid-West have to go through every year.

The Limerick city native is one of 770 sufferers in the region, which is expected to reach 1,540 by 2030, the UL Hospitals Group says.

Parkinsons disease is a progressive neurological condition, for which there is no known cure, and worsens over time.

And to create awareness on the disease and the services for people with Parkinsons, James, now 51, has been a strong advocate as secretary of the Mid-West Parkinons Association.

James first saw a neurologist in 2008 when he noticed a tremor in his hand and leg. At the time, Parkinsons had been ruled out, and instead, he was prescribed beta-blockers to calm the tremors.

But after doing a nuclear daTscan in 2011, which checks the levels of chemical dopamine in the brain, the results showed that James dopamine levels had depleted by 80%a key indicator of Parkinsons.

Though the neurologist at the Dublin Neurological Institute had informed him that the Parkinsons wasnt as severe as most cases, James early days of diagnosis were difficult to deal with, he admits.

My neurologist had said that I should get an MRI, so I went into Barringtons the first day and for whatever reason I couldnt do it due to claustrophobia or anything. I tried to do it in Galway and I couldnt do it. And then I said to myself: James, you just have to get on with it. I went into Barringtons again and I had the mask on for the MRI and I cried like a baby. I broke down uncontrollably. I was there for 20 minutes, just balling my eyes out. That was the day I accepted what was going on. That was the day I said to Kelly: I am going to work with this now.

James, through the Parkinsons Association, facilitates group meetings with other sufferers, including last Thursdays coffee morning at Bobby Byrnes, to mark Parkinsons Awareness Week.

At these events, dozens can share their personal stories and offer advice on everyday activities with which Parkinsons patients may struggle. James advice is simple: Information is power.

You dont want to go willy-nilly on the internet. If you can find a friend who listens, or someone who has Parkinsons, that will give you momentum. If you know someone who has Parkinsons and they are struggling with the illness, and they are struggling with whats going on in their lives, the best thing you can do is listen to them unconditionally.

James lives with his wife Kelly, his three sons Liam, Conall and Danny, and his four dogs, Charlie, Snowey, Panda and Snoopy.JOHNSON & JOHNSON (J&J) has been praised after the firm withdrew plans for a controversial wind turbine near its Plassey factory.

The Limerick Leader this week revealed, following a public outcry, that the firm is to go back to the drawing board, and resubmit plans for the 100m high structure this summer.

It came after a meeting between management at the firm, local residents and metropolitan area councillors.

One member present, Cllr Marian Hurley, who lives in nearby Annacotty said: It was great to have had residents questions answered directly by J&J executives at our second meeting last week. I welcome the decision to postpone the planning application to facilitate further engagement with local residents.

J&J had sought permission from Limerick City and County Council to construct a second structure near to its factory in Plassey, where it produces disposable contact lenses.

But in a statement released to this newspaper, the firm said: As a good neighbour, and as a major contributor to the local economy J&J Vision Care (Ireland) is happy to take more time to do further work to better understand the concerns raised.

Plant manager Barry OSullivan said a new application is likely by mid-June  but pledged to have local residents examine the proposals before they go to planners.

We have contact details for people with specific concerns in relation to the project, and we will be following up with these individuals to help resolve these, he said.

Residents have a number of concerns over the project, including the noise which is allegedly already emanating from J&Js first turbine, shadow flicker, and damage to the local scenery.

Questions have also been raised about the location of the new mast  and why it is planned to be 20 metres higher than the existing one in Plassey.

Fine Gael councillor Michael Sheahan said: Im not in favour of another mast there. Im not sure its the correct area to be putting it in. But for the moment, I am happy the application has been shelved, pending the resolution of the issues other residents have.

J&J says the new turbine is crucial to copperfasten employment at the plant, and to ensure its growth. Its also key, they say, to ensuring the company meets its environmental targets by 2020.

Mr OSullivan said if Irish energy regulations change, the company could look at installing a wind turbine further away from the Plassey site, potentially easing the concerns of residents. But at the moment, the firm, which has 1,500 workers on site each week, says this is not a possibility.

Cllr Sheahan, who met with council planning officials Friday, added: It shows good community engagement from J&J.

Senator Kieran ODonnell, who was present at a meeting of residents in Monaleen GAA club last week, added: These meetings have been very positive. They have agreed to work on this, and theyre going to look at this matter again, carry out technical work and consult with residents.

We are all looking for ways to tackle climate change, but it must be done in the context of consultation with residents.

Councillor Joe Pond, who organised last weeks meeting, said: Even though they are a multi-national company, J&J has listened to the concerns of local residents. Following last Tuesday nights meeting, there is now a dialogue between J&J and residents.

I hope the issues residents raised can be addressed. It shows the commitment J&J has to Limerick and Annacotty.A MAJOR new road plan presented this week could reunite the village of Mungret, councillors have said.

Representatives of the Mid-West National Road Design Office presented plans for safety improvements at the N69 Mungret and Bolands Cross.

The junction on the outskirts of the village, where the R859 and the N69 meet is considered to be dangerous, with a number of accidents reported in the vicinity.

A preferred option has been selected, to include advanced stop-lines, fresh traffic signage, and a cycle-track on both sides of the N69.

The local road, L1437-7 from the N69 will be designated as a no-entry area, while a religious sculpture will be relocated as part of the scheme.

A signalised junction will be put in place at the junction with the R859 and the N69, in the hope it will lead to much calmer traffic.

Footway improvements would also be introduced to Moores Lane under the scheme.

Fine Gael councillor Daniel Butler said these reforms will help developments in the village, and hopes it might pave the way for some new shops and businesses.

Fianna Fails James Collins referenced this weeks grant of permission to Irish Cement at its plant in Mungret.

This is the kind of thing that residents of Mungret deserve, as opposed to what is happening at Irish Cement. The N69 is a dangerous stretch because of traffic. But this is another piece of the jigsaw in laying together the social fabric of these communities.

He said he would like more information on the relocation of the religious statue, acknowledging it could prove to be an emotive matter.

Cllr Malachy McCreesh, Sinn Fein, described it as  a good news story for City West.

Fellow City West member John Loftus expressed scepticism.

This road is a nightmare. for speeding. Putting up a sign telling drivers to reduce their speed from 100kph to 50kph is not going to make a difference in my opinion, he said.A CLARE couple have praised a County Limerick garda who helped save the life of their baby, who had turned blue.

Garda Ken Butler, son of Mary and Martin Butler, who is originally from Murroe but stationed in Ennis, is also a Red Cross volunteer.

Two weeks ago Amanda Carmody and Michael Couglin were out for a walk with their nine-day-old baby Holly.

They ran to the garda station after their baby stopped breathing and turned blue.

They described the efforts of the gardai on duty that day as fantastic and spoke highly of efforts made by Garda Ken Butler, who kept them calm while administering assistance to their then nine-day-old baby.

Garda Ken Butler took Holly from me. At this stage, I was holding her face down, patting her back, trying to free her airways. He was fantastic, he was so calm. He talked us through everything he was going to do, and that he was going to do the baby Heimlich or back slaps.

He had Holly and he was hitting her on the back and then he had a little oxygen tube and he was holding it in front of her face. He told us what he was hoping for was to hear her cry and that a noisy baby was a happy baby. He did another pattern of back slaps and, at that point, Holly started to cry. The whole thing took about 20 minutes from the time we arrived in the buggy. He was very reassuring and everyone was great, Amanda told the Clare Champion. Recent graduate, Garda Patrick McCormack assisted his Limerick colleague.

Garda Butler said he was in the office when Garda McCormacks sergeant, Mark, who knew his qualifications, got him and told him that a baby had presented to the public office and was choking.

I went over and Michael and Amanda were at the public counter with Holly. She was breathing but she was coughing and spluttering and having difficulties. I took Holly and I had to do a few back blows to help clear the airways and she came back a better colour and had better breathing, so there was a bit of manual clearance of the area and then I gave her a bit of oxygen and monitored her, said Garda Butler.

The parents are eternally grateful to Gardai McCormack and Butler.

Holly was taken to hospital and made a full recovery.TWO solar farms, in close proximity, have got the green light from An Bord Pleanala.

Rengen Technologies have got the go ahead for a 30 acre at Grange Upper, Annacotty. And Terra Solar received planning for close to nine acres at Woodstown, Lisnagry.

The appellants against the Annacotty development were a group of residents. Lisnagry Residents Opposing Solar objected to Woodstown.

With regards to Annacotty, there was a total of 18 grounds of appeal. One was flooding.

In light of locally documented knowledge of flooding and poor drainage of adjacent lands, concerns have been raised with regard to the possible increased flood risk to adjoining lands, roadways and properties arising from the proposed development, they said. Other objections included ecology and wildlife provision, and road traffic.

Residents consider that the proposed development will endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard as the proposed access for the development is from an existing access located on the R506 between two bends and at a location where a maximum speed limit of 60km applies and where there is a history of accidents, they argued.

Glint and glare, proximity to family homes, fire, visual impact, health and safety concerns and ecology and wildlife provision were all listed as objections.

An Bord Pleanala said subject to 12 conditions the proposed solar farm would not seriously injure the visual and residential amenities of the area, would not endanger human health or the environment and would be acceptable in terms of landscape impacts and of traffic safety and convenience.

The Lisnagry Residents Opposing Solar in Woodstown said the Mulkear River is a SAC (Special Area of Conservation) - a prime wildlife conservation area and its status should not be diminished for the purposes of obtaining planning permission.

The appellants said there have been increases in flooding in recent years with unforeseen weather events.

Other objections included road access, traffic and site access, destroying the residential amenity of all the dwelling owners along this laneway, archaeology, fire and access and facilities for fire services, and health and safety.

As these farms are a relatively new phenomenon there is limited proven research about the effects of this land use on the occupants that reside in and around the confines of the site and beyond the road and river. A greater separation between such farms and the built environment should be imposed, they said.

An Bord Pleanala said subject to 11 conditions it would not have an unacceptable impact on the visual amenities of the area, would not seriously injure the residential amenities of property in the vicinity, would not be prejudicial to public health or impinge on water resources, and would be acceptable in terms of traffic safety and convenience.In the scan on the left, taken when the woman was lying down, her kidneys appear at the same level on both sides of her spine. In the scan on the right, taken when the woman was standing upright, her right kidney (seen on the left in the scan) falls into the pelvis. The left kidney (seen on the right in the scan) can be seen just below the ribs.This image was modified by Dr. Sood to clearly show the kidneys.

Generally, you can trust your organs to stay in one place. Sure, they may puff up with air or constrict to pump blood, but they do so in the same location in your body.

That wasn't the case for a young woman in Michigan, however, who told doctors she felt like "a ball was rolling inside of her" when she would go from lying down to standing up. The "ball," it turned out, was her right kidney.

According to a new report of her case, the 28-year-old woman had a rare condition known as a floating kidney. For nearly six years, she had experienced abdominal pain on her right side that felt worse when she was standing but better when she was lying down. She also told doctors that the pain was reduced toward the end of a recent pregnancy. [27 Oddest Medical Cases]

A floating or "wandering" kidney (known medically as "nephroptosis") is a condition in which one of the kidneys falls into the pelvis when a person stands up, said case report author Dr. Akshay Sood, a urologist at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit who treated the woman. In the woman's case, her right kidney fell more than 2 inches (almost 6 centimeters) down, or the length of two vertebrae, when she shifted positions from lying down to standing up, he said.

The reason some people have a floating kidney has to do with body fat. Ordinarily, the kidneys have a lot of fat around them to support them, Sood told Live Science. But sometimes, especially in thin women, there isn't enough fat to keep the kidney in place, so it falls into the pelvis when a person stands up due to gravity, he said.

When this happens, it causes a hooking or kinking of the blood vessels attached to the organ, and it also causes a bend in the ureter, a duct that passes urine from the kidney to the bladder, Sood said. Because of this bend in the ureter, it can't drain urine properly. As a result, urine flows back into the kidney and collects there, which can cause the kidney to swell up like a balloon and can lead to pain, he said.

Hard to diagnose

"A floating kidney is a hard condition to diagnose, and it's not that common," Sood said.

One reason it could be hard to detect the condition is that, if a CT scan is done, this scan is taken while the person is lying down, so the kidneys would look like they were in a normal position in the body, Sood said; therefore, doctors might not suspect that something is wrong. For the woman in this case, her problems and pain occurred only when she was standing, he added.

The woman didn't have pain when she was reclining because her kidney stayed in its normal position, and she also felt better in late pregnancy because her larger uterus provided support from below for the kidney, so it would not move down into her pelvis, Sood explained.

Another reason that some doctors might not have made the proper diagnosis in this case is that there has also been some controversy surrounding the diagnosis of a floating kidney, Sood said. About 20 to 30 years ago, floating kidney was overdiagnosed and overtreated in patients; as a result, some institutions emphasized the condtion less in medical training. That means that some urologists may have little knowledge of it, he said.

When scans were finally taken of the woman's kidneys in both a lying-down and upright position, the images showed that her right kidney had migrated downward toward her pelvis when she stood up. This confirmed the diagnosis of a floating kidney, Sood said.

To treat the problem and eliminate the woman's pain, doctors needed to do an operation known as a "nephropexy." In this procedure, doctors made small incisions in her abdomen and put stitches into the capsule of the kidney, which covers its outer surface, and tied it to the back wall of her body, Sood said. This holds the kidney in place and prevents it from flopping down, he said.

Since having the surgery, the woman no longer has symptoms or pain, and she has been doing fine, Sood said.

The case report was published April 17 in the journal BMJ Case Reports.

Originally published on Live Science.A plea agreement is in the works for a former United Independent School District employee accused of having a sexual relationship with a student.

Jesus Garza, 26, recently appeared before 341st District Court Judge Beckie Palomo for a final-pretrial hearing. He was indicted on two counts of indecency with a child by sexual contact, three counts of improper relationship between an educator and a student, three counts of sexual assault and one count of sexual assault of a child.

READ ALSO: Laredo man told police his Cadillac was stolen from strip club, charged with making false report

Assistant District Attorney Julia Rubio told the court that both sides needed more time to continue working on a possible plea agreement. Palomo reset the case for another final pretrial on May 8.

Victor Villafranca, Garza's attorney, declined to comment on the negotiations, but confirmed that a plea agreement was being discussed with the prosecutors.

Garza is a former physical education teacher's aide at United High School. He was arrested in March 2017 after an investigation revealed that he had communicated with a 16-year-old female student electronically and through phone calls, according to police.

Several sexual encounters between Garza and the student occurred at his house and in the backseat of his car, according to the criminal complaint.

The student underwent a forensic interview at the Children's Advocacy Center. She stated Garza "befriended" her around October.

READ ALSO: LPD: Intoxicated woman charged with child abandonment found dancing at Applebees

"(The girl) stated the friendship soon led to telephone conversations and electronic communications between the two. (She) stated that soon after, the relationship led to sexual relations when Garza would pick (her) up from school and take her to his home," the complaint states.

Garza allegedly sexually assaulted the girl at his home, the complaint adds.

Investigators spoke to Garza. He agreed to speak to authorities and said he had been in a "friendly relationship" that later turned sexual.

"Garza admitted that he knew the educator-student relationship was wrong, but he committed the sexual acts with (her) anyway," according to the complaint.

Garza resigned from UISD following his arrest. He has been out on bond since May 2017, records state.BUTUAN, Philippines - Junrey Manlicayan, a member of the Banwaon tribe, voted for President Rodrigo Duterte. He believed that Duterte, a fellow native of Mindanao island, understood the plight of indigenous communities like his, and that he could deliver on his promise to negotiate an end to the war with communist insurgents that has dragged on for 49 years.

But after Duterte declared martial law on Mindanao last year and peace talks fell apart, Manlicayan and many other indigenous Filipinos in this region bitterly regret giving him their support in the 2016 election.

"We made a mistake, and now we're suffering," he said. "It's sad to hear the propaganda that the NPA (communist rebels) are violating our rights, because in my experience most of the abuses against us have been committed by the military."

The worst recent incident, according to Manlicayan, was when soldiers invaded his village and framed a neighboring family by planting grenades in their house. The soldiers took them all away.

"It's like the government declared war on us," he said.

Duterte campaigned as a socialist, had a history of pragmatically dealing with the communist New People's Army as mayor of Davao City, and had support on the left as he began his presidency two years ago.

Over the past four months, however, Duterte has taken to angrily denouncing the rebels and relying on tactics reminiscent of his deadly "war on drugs" and of the government's battle with Islamist rebels last year in the city of Marawi. He has unleashed his security forces on the guerrillas and publicly offered cash rewards to any indigenous person who kills one.

The problem with Duterte's new strategy, analysts say, is that there is no easy military solution to this conflict. After five decades, the NPA knows how to operate within its jungle territory. Much of the fire and brimstone coming from the presidential palace actually strikes the very poor indigenous people trapped between the government and the communists.

For years, Philippine authorities have seen a connection between indigenous identity and rebellion, and this has helped open the door to indiscriminate suspicion of anyone not actively helping the military. Last year, Duterte said that 75 percent of rebel foot soldiers were "Lumad," or Mindanao indigenous peoples. Local groups said this number was vastly overstated, but the communists themselves acknowledge that many indigenous cadres are in their ranks.

In interviews with The Washington Post in several locations on Mindanao, members of indigenous tribes, religious figures, teachers and activists working in regions affected by this conflict accused the government of numerous human rights abuses. They said the army and police harass communities near rebel territory, stop crucial deliveries of food and medicine, and work with paramilitary groups that kill civilians. Simply for acknowledging these government abuses - or for refusing to make deals with mining and logging companies operating in the area, they say - they can be publicly tagged as sympathetic to the communists and therefore put in grave danger.

"I was accused of inciting protest, just because I was visiting families displaced by a military raid, and was taken in for interrogation," said Raymond Ambray, a Catholic priest working in an affected indigenous community.

Wearing a Kobe Bryant jersey in the heat of the night, he had traveled for several hours from his jungle encampment to meet at a coastal location he deemed safe for conversation. Just around the corner, military checkpoints stopped all passersby in front of large signs filled with photos of NPA "terrorists."

He said the problems certainly did not start with Duterte - in 2015, the administrator of a school founded by the church was murdered, alongside two indigenous people and residents said government-backed paramilitaries killed them. But conditions have worsened since their high hopes for a peace agreement were dashed in 2017, he said.

"A priest was killed just a few months ago, in northern Luzon," Ambray said. "I fear for my life now."

One indigenous rights group, Kasalo, called Duterte's cash-for-kill offer a "huge insult" to indigenous communities. Karapatan, a human rights group active in the region, says at least 126 extrajudicial killings took place alongside the counterinsurgency program by the end of 2017, and the number has continued to grow.

In early April, Duterte said he might be interested in resuming formal talks. But his daughter, Sara Duterte, the mayor of Davao, asked him to reconsider. She said the country should not "negotiate with terrorists" but rather take a "high-intensity" approach.

Spokesmen for the Philippine armed forces canceled an interview and did not respond to written questions for comment.

Representatives of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), which fields the NPA guerrillas as its armed wing, said they are open to resuming peace talks, without preconditions. Otherwise, "the Duterte regime leaves the NPA with little choice but to wage nationwide armed struggle to defend the people against state terror and fascist violence," they said in a written statement.

Interpretations vary as to why the peace talks ended. Ramon Casiple, executive director of the Institute for Political and Electoral Reform in Manila, said Duterte began negotiations in good faith but became frustrated with ongoing rebel operations, especially during the siege of Marawi, which began in July and prompted Duterte to declare martial law on the whole island.

"His patience ran out," Casiple said. "And since then, the military was given free rein to undertake operations."

Bishop Modesto Villasanta, chairman of a group of schools for indigenous Mindanao people in a region affected by the conflict, offered a different theory, which is shared by human rights groups and progressive religious leaders in the area. Now that Duterte is president, he is unwilling to go through with the social and economic reforms that are necessary to moving talks forward, Villasanta said.

"Our government has its hands tied by the economic interests that control the country," he said. "The rich benefit from current economic policies, so they make it very hard to change them."

He has been watching the exploitation of indigenous people by big companies for decades, he said, and now the failure of the peace process and the current crackdown might just drive more local people to join the Maoist insurgency, as many did under U.S.-backed dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

"I had the opportunity to meet (Duterte) several times when he was mayor of Davao, and we were even there together when some NPA prisoners of war were released," Villasanta said. "I always thought he was a really good person. But the man I see now as president is a far cry from that man I knew. He is going to war to avoid dealing with economic problems."

Not everyone wants peace talks to resume. Duterte is still hugely popular on his home island, where residents often trust him to do the right thing. And some indigenous people sharply oppose the guerrillas.

"We believe the military approach is delivering results, and we don't see any reason to stop and allow the NPA to simply try to recruit more of our people," said Samuel Behing, a leader in the Manobo tribe. He spoke passionately, wearing a shirt adorned with the "Duterte fist," a symbol of the president's tough policies and his political party.

He admitted he is not an impartial observer. In 2009, the rebels captured and summarily executed his father. He wants the army to fight them "down to the last NPA."

In a written statement to The Post, the CPP acknowledged that rebels mete out "capital punishment" to those they convict in their own "justice system."

But when asked about Duterte's statements and police activity, Behing quickly qualified his support.

"We don't like that (Duterte) offered us money to kill. Only those trained and empowered by the state should be killing," he said.

The Philippine National Police, he said, recently paid an unwelcome visit to his village.

"They planted guns and a bomb on some of our indigenous leaders," then arrested them, he said. "Witnesses saw them do it. I'm not sure why they would have done that. Perhaps they were afraid go back home without any accomplishments."

---

Erwin Mascarinas contributed to this report.

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Video: The Post's Emily Rauhala visited the city of Marawi in the Philippines after President Rodrigo Duterte declared the months-long battle against ISIS-aligned militants was over.(Emily Rauhala,Joyce Lee/The Washington Post)

Embed code:WASHINGTON - The lobbyist whose wife rented Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt a room in a Capitol Hill condo for $50 a night helped arrange a July 11 meeting at the agency related to restoration of the Chesapeake Bay, according to records and an EPA official.

Dennis Treacy, a former Smithfield Foods executive vice president who now sits on the board of the Smithfield Foundation, first reached out to an official in EPA's Office of Intergovernmental Relations last May to arrange the session as part of his role as the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's citizen representative.

Subsequently, Williams & Jensen Chairman J. Steven Hart - whose wife, Vicki, was then renting a room to Pruitt - called the administrator's aides to encourage them to take the meeting, according to an agency official who spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation.

The meeting, as well as a lobbying registration Williams & Jensen filed Friday stating that Hart lobbied EPA during the first quarter of this year on behalf of Smithfield Foods, suggests that Hart's business ties to EPA were more extensive than he previously has described. In interviews with The Washington Post and other media, Hart has said he did not lobby the agency in either 2017 or 2018.

The lobbying disclosure form states that Hart lobbied on Smithfield's behalf on "Issues relating to support for EPA Chesapeake Bay Programs." A statement by the firm noted that "an independent review of the firm's lobbying activity in advance of the quarterly filing deadline concluded that Mr. Hart had lobbying contact with the Environmental Protection Agency in the first quarter of 2018."

Both Hart and Smithfield Foods issued statements Friday saying the meetings were not connected to official firm business.

The New York Times first reported the new lobbying registration and the fact that a meeting took place. But the Times did not identify the date of the meeting, instead referring to an Aug. 1 session Pruitt also held with members of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

According to emails obtained by The Post, Treacy and Hart met with Pruitt in July. In an email sent July 10, Hart told Pruitt's chief of staff, Ryan Jackson, that he would accompany Treacy.

"Ryan - Dennis has [asked] me to join him tomorrow," Hart wrote. "He is a good guy and can be trusted. He is coming in as the business rep on the Chesapeake Bay Foundation - another of your controversies."

EPA's Chesapeake Bay program office oversees an extensive cleanup effort, which coordinates activities among the federal government, several Mid-Atlantic states and the District. The Trump administration proposed cutting the program's funding last year by 93 percent, but it has remained largely intact.

In his initial email to EPA officials, Treacy said that while serving in the Virginia state government, at Smithfield and in groups such as Virginia's Chamber of Commerce, "I have acquired a focused and unique view of environmental protection. I have seen it from all sides."

Hart - who said Friday that he was retiring as chairman of his firm due to the negative press surrounding Pruitt's unusual housing rental arrangement with his wife - said in his statement that he had "assisted a friend who served on the Chesapeake Bay Commission, and this is inaccurately being tied to Smithfield Foods." His statement continued, "I was not paid for this assistance and any suggestion that I lobbied for Smithfield Foods is inaccurate."

The Smithfield Foods statement said the meeting was not undertaken at the company's request. "The objective, while laudable, was not undertaken at the direction of or on behalf of Smithfield Foods," it said. "These activities were conducted at the request of a then-former executive and current Smithfield Foundation board member, Dennis Treacy, in his personal capacity."ROANOKE COUNTY, Va. - When the trees started coming down, Theresa "Red" Terry went up.

Now, the 61-year-old mother of three is perched on a platform 32 feet in the air between two oak trees, trying to stop a natural gas pipeline from coming through land granted to her husband's family by the king of England in colonial times.

For three weeks, she has endured rain, snow, hail, nighttime temperatures in the 20s and high winds. Her body is stiff and sore. When she huddles under a tarp to stay warm, it's usually too dark to read. She's bored.

Ten days ago, police said family and friends could no longer bring her food and water.

Officers are waiting at the base of the trees, around the clock, to arrest her when she finally comes down. Her 30-year-old daughter is in another tree, too far through the family's woods to see, also defying police.

They're trespassing on their own property.

As the stalemate drags on, "I stand with Red" has become a rallying cry for opponents of the Mountain Valley Pipeline, a 300-mile, $3.5 billion project being built by a coalition of companies led by EQT Midstream Partners.

It's the farther along of two gas pipelines planned in Virginia. An even bigger project, the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, is being built through the central part of the state by a coalition led by Dominion Energy, the state's largest utility. The two pipelines have thrown together environmentalists; although property rights advocates have tried to block them, the projects have won political and regulatory support at every turn.

With tree-clearing finally underway, an air of desperation is gripping opponents. A handful of other tree-sitters have blocked part of the Mountain Valley Pipeline's route in the Jefferson National Forest in West Virginia since February. A few more sitters went up trees in Virginia's Franklin County last week.

Last Wednesday, a group of Democratic state lawmakers from northern Virginia and Richmond joined with others from the southwestern part of the state to call on Gov. Ralph Northam, D, to slow both projects, a sign that the issue is expanding beyond a regional concern. Though Northam's office said there is nothing the governor can do, because the project has won federal approval, the State Water Control Board has approved a new 30-day comment period for the public to weigh in on whether waterway protections are adequate.

That has given Terry and her army of supporters some hope.

Sticking her head out from a plastic tarp one frigid morning last week, she vowed to carry on for "as long as I can." Down below, several uniformed Roanoke County police officers, two state troopers in full camouflage gear and a pipeline security official listened from a blue tent.

On Friday, pressure on her family grew. The pipeline company asked a federal judge to declare the Terrys in civil contempt, fine them for every day of violation, direct U.S. marshals to remove the tree-sitters and charge them for damages from the delay.

Coles Terry III - husband of one tree-sitter, father of the other - said he knew it would eventually come to that. "I'm here to support my wife and daughter in the trees, and that means doing anything I can," he said. "If that means sending me to jail, then OK."

- - -

The Terrys first heard of the Mountain Valley Pipeline when they got a notice in the mail a little less than four years ago. It seemed hard to imagine that something would intrude on their wooded enclave on Bent Mountain, southwest of Roanoke.

Coles Terry III, his brother, a sister and other family members own about 1,500 acres near the Blue Ridge Parkway - crisscrossed with streams, full of old hay fields surrounded by deep woods and narrow dirt lanes winding up rocky slopes.

As the pipeline project simmered along, the Terrys and their neighbors spent increasing amounts of time and resources fighting it. They attended public hearings, peppered the landscape with hand-painted anti-pipeline signs, attended rallies and supported anti-pipeline officials running for elections.

To them, the pipeline seems like a violation because it doesn't appear to yield local benefits. When the county first brought in electricity, Coles Terry III said, the family was happy to give up land for power lines to help their whole community. The gas that will flow under their property originates in West Virginia and will pass almost to the North Carolina line.

Invoking eminent domain, the pipeline builders offered to compensate the Terrys for using a stretch of their land. The family rejected the money and instead filed suit to stop the project. A federal judge ruled against them early last month.

That's when Red, as everyone knows her, took note of the tree-sitters blocking the pipeline route in West Virginia and decided she would do the same.

Her 61-year-old husband, a construction superintendent, worked with his son and other activists to build the stands and get them up into trees smack in the middle of the staked-off pipeline right of way.

After Red and Theresa Minor Terry took their positions, they were spotted by workers who came to clear trees. Day after day, the women could hear the chain saws getting closer.

Red's daughter, who goes by Minor, has lived on the mountain almost all her life, except during college. She keeps the books for a real estate company, which has given her time off in support of the protest.

The week before last, the tree-clearing got within sight of her perch.

"She was torn up. And I was sitting over here and every time one of these [trees] hit the ground it was like driving a nail in my head," her father said. That same day, police came to read her an official notice to get out of the tree.

"I was so proud of her," he said. "When they read the notice the second time and they asked her, 'Do you need help getting down?' She threw that tarp back and it's like, 'I don't need help getting down cuz I don't intend to come down.' And flipped the tarp back over top of her."

It wasn't until Thursday that police filed formal charges: trespassing, obstruction of justice and interfering with property rights.

- - -

With community sympathy running high for the Terrys - neighbors help sit watch all day and night; local restaurants supply food and host fundraisers - Roanoke County police say they're handling the matter as carefully as they can.

"We acknowledge that this is a very difficult situation for everyone involved," public information officer Amy Whittaker said via email. "But the fact remains that this has played out in the court systems and consistently rulings have been in favor of MVP. It is not the job of the Police Department to contest decisions made at the state and federal levels."

Emergency medical technicians stop by every afternoon to check on the women, who joke and chat with them and with the police. They haven't denied the women food and water, Whittaker said; it's available at the base of the trees if they want to come down and get it.

If they come down, though, they'll be arrested.

Pipeline officials are frustrated by the stalemate. They say that 86 percent of landowners in the route of the pipeline have accepted settlements to permit construction. The pipelines won erosion and sediment permits from the state in December, clearing the way for construction to begin.

The project has gone through extraordinary review. State officials agree that both gas pipelines have been subjected to the most detailed study they've ever seen.

But opponents are outraged that detailed review of stream-by-stream crossings was left to federal officials, despite a promise last year from Northam - when he was running for office - that the state would conduct its own review.

On Wednesday, more than a dozen Democratic lawmakers held a news conference highlighting Red Terry's protest and calling on the governor to do more.

"We're asking - urging - demanding that our good friend Ralph Northam . . . work with us to find common ground," said Del. Mark Keam, D-Fairfax, who was joined by other delegates from Prince William, Fairfax, Alexandria and Richmond to show solidarity with southwest colleagues.

"We stand together, and we stand with Red," said Del. Danica Roem, D-Prince William.

The push got the attention of the pipeline companies. That same morning, Dominion Energy put out a statement warning that attempts to delay the pipelines "will cost consumers and businesses hundreds of millions of dollars in higher energy costs."

On Friday, Northam commented on the pipeline standoff via email, reiterating that he has instructed state officials to conduct rigorous oversight.

"I recognize that there are many Virginians who would like to see this administration take whatever action we can to undermine or obstruct these projects," Northam said. "I am also quite certain that the owners of these projects would love for the state to conduct less stringent oversight and accountability of these projects in order to get them completed faster."

The only fair course is to let state and federal regulators do their jobs, he said, adding: "I am deeply sympathetic to the Virginians who are speaking out about these projects. I hope that, as we move forward, we can continue to engage in this discussion civilly and with the understanding that we all want what is best for this Commonwealth we love."

- - -

The protesters are trying to draw attention not only to the trees that are being cleared but also to the water so evident around the pipeline route. In at least one spot on the Terrys' land, a spring bubbles up from under a pile of cut trees and trickles off toward a rushing creek. The stakes marking the pipeline path run alongside the creek - at one point partway down a steep bank over the water - and through wetland areas filled with dark green skunk cabbage.

Water from Bent Mountain flows into the Roanoke River, which provides drinking water to the whole region and, along with tributaries, will be crossed by the pipeline hundreds of times. Opponents fear an environmental disaster.

Del. Sam Rasoul, D-Roanoke, has asked the state to suspend permits for soil-clearing to give more time to study water impact. He brought his children out to see Red and Minor Terry last week; on Thursday, a nearby Montessori class came out to see civil disobedience in action.

But state Sen. Charles Carrico Sr., R-Richmond, said he thinks the show has gone on long enough. He has seen protests over pipelines before in his mountainous part of the state, he said. "Once it was in the ground and everything's done, it's out of sight, out of mind. No one says anything about it," he said.

If you want to replace coal with cleaner energy, he said, natural gas is part of the solution. And as a former state trooper, he thinks police have been more than patient with the tree sitters. "If I had a warrant, I probably would've been climbing the tree. That's just the way it was in my day," he said.

As it is, police and protesters sit across from one another in the woods in uneasy balance. Activists supporting Red and Minor Terry occupy tents and lean-to's just outside yellow crime tape wound around the trees by the police.

Keeping warm over campfires, they wait, sometimes with coffee, sometimes beer. Every now and then, a musician comes out and the police will emerge and listen. On Thursday, a sergeant brought Chick-fil-A to the officers. At night, police shine lights on the base of the trees to make sure no one sneaks up or down.

When visitors watch or photograph pipeline work sites, the workers often stop and take photos of the visitors. If visitors step inside the pipeline work zone, it's trespassing; if workers step outside, it's also trespassing.

Tensions have flared. Minor Terry dropped her solar charger the other day and police refused to let her father give it back to her. Now, she's without light or cellphone.

And Red Terry had a bad day not long ago when she discovered that of all the supplies she and her husband had stockpiled on her platform, there was one crucial thing they forgot: cigarettes.

A heavy smoker, she called down to police that she needed BC Powder for pain and cigarettes to keep her calm. The police sent up a few aspirins, but said she'd have to come down to get smokes.

So she dumped out her waste bucket. Luckily, police weren't hit, because that could've meant an assault charge. But they expanded the crime tape to keep supporters farther away.

"I guess if I ever get too weak to give 'em a hard time they'd probably have to come get me," she said last week.

Her husband toggles between pride and fear.

"I can't say I married a level-headed, calm woman," he said. But it's no wonder, he added, that his wife and daughter are the ones up those trees, drawing a network of local support that's also largely female. "They're protecting their families. They're women - mothers, daughters, sisters - and they're protecting what they hold dear. Try to pull a cub away from a mother bear and you'll understand what I'm saying."

As the days wear on and pressure mounts, though, any resolution has an element of danger. Both Red and Minor Terry have vowed to resist if anyone tries to force them down. With Friday's court filing, federal marshals could be on the way soon to do what local police have so far resisted.

How will it end?

"Probably poorly for me and many of my neighbors," Red Terry said from high on her perch. But the community won't give up, she said. "They might've broken their hearts but they sure as hell didn't break their spirits. . . . I'm hoping maybe we can change a few things."

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Video: A mother and daughter sit in trees to block the Mountain Valley Pipeline from coming through their property. When they come down, police say they will be arrested.(Whitney Shefte/The Washington Post)

Embed code:When his moment of glory came, Jerry took his time.

On his way to being crowned El Rey Fido XVI on Saturday morning, the mixed breed rescue dog with an endearing underbite slowly sidled toward the front of the standing room crowd that was anticipating his coronation. He paused for pets. He walked in a circle, looking around at all the expectant faces.

Jerrys owners, Jill Rosenthal and her husband, Alamo Heights Mayor Bobby Rosenthal, had raised $30,000 to secure him the top title, but the dog seemed more interested in the multitude of unusual sights and smells around him at the Sheraton Gunter Hotel. Eventually, the emcee called his name to get his attention. Jerry, adorned in sparkly plum robes emblazoned with his new title, sat for his treat.

Hes gotten a little cocky with this. Hes gotten a little confident with this whole role of being the king, Bobby Rosenthal said.

The 16th annual El Rey Fido competition, now in its fourth year as an official Fiesta event, raised more than $50,000 for the San Antonio Humane Society. The crown goes to the top fundraiser, and the four runner-ups populate the Royal Court.

This years court featured a diverse group of pooches.

There was Squish, the brindle whippet mix whose semicolon face made him a social media star.

Im really proud of him, said Danielle Boyd, the veterinarian who rescued him, after he made his onstage debut.

There was Ellie, a black Chihuahua mix with the softest coat in all of San Antonio, per Humane Society staffers.

There was Alexandra, a Lab-Pointer mix who was rescued after being abandoned in a park as a puppy. She now salivates for string cheese and has completed a 5K race.

And there was Sam, a very spoiled Pembroke Welsh Corgi who moved to San Antonio from Fort Worth so his owner, Brenda Gutierrez, could attend the University of Texas at San Antonio. While he waited to make his grand entrance, Sam let out a few barks as he looked up at the bag of treats in Gutierrezs hands.

Plenty of other good dogs joined in for the celebration.

Rosette, a 13-year-old Bichon Frise, reposed in a stroller beside owner Cheryl Trevor, an accountant who has designed the bedazzled royal garb for the competition for more than a decade. Heidi, an 11-year-old Miniature Schnauzer, sat patiently on her owners lap but also showed her range, completing tricks in response to commands in Swedish.

The crowd also included hopefuls for next years competition, such as Bella, a West Highland White Terrier who wore a floral dress to match her owner, Amanda Infante.

Nancy Henderson attended with her Shih Tzu, Pandy, in tow. Henderson comes to the coronation every year to show her support for the rescue organization.

We do what we can to support those that take care of our animals, she said.

Lauren Caruba is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. Read more of her stories here. | lcaruba@express-news.net | @LaurenCaruba1 Afghanistan attack: At least six police officers were killed when a group of Taliban fighters attacked and overran their checkpoint in northern Sari Pul province. Zabi Amani, spokesman for the provincial governor, said Saturday that two other officers were wounded in the attack late Friday in Sayad district. He added that three Taliban fighters were killed and two others were wounded in a gunbattle that erupted after the assault. A Taliban spokesman claimed responsibility for the attack. Taliban militants have recently increased their attacks in the province. Earlier this month, 11 Afghan paramilitary forces were killed in Sari Pul.

2 Abortion referendum: Irelands premier urged his country Saturday to show compassion as he began a campaign to overturn some of Europes strictest abortion rules. Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said Irelands May 25 referendum on whether to lift a constitutional ban on most abortions is an opportunity to put compassion at the center of our laws. Abortion in largely Catholic Ireland is legal only in rare cases when a womans life is in danger. Thousands of Irish women travel each year to get abortions in neighboring Britain. Voters will be asked whether they want to retain or repeal the constitutional ban. If its repealed, parliament will be responsible for creating new abortion laws.This week, Carrieann Belton has taken up new her role as Acting Co-ordinator of Longford County Childcare Committee (LCCC).

Ms Belton, has been working in management within the Early Years sector for the last nine years in Co Longford.

Born and raised in New York City, the new acting co-ordinator is married to Ardagh native Gavin Belton and together the couple has three children.

She is very involved in her local community in Ardagh and feels fortunate that the County possesses, as she says, herself such a high level of quality Early Years Services and Educators.

Ms Belton also feels that she has a lot of experience and ideas to bring to the table in her new role at LCCC.

In Longford this year we have a number of services who have completed the National Siolta Aistear Initiative. Currently we are nearing the end of LCCCs delivery of the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion guidelines training (DCYA) with an 84 percentage uptake in the county, she explained, before pointing out that there had been an encouraging uptake of participants on the National Linc Programme under the AIM Initiative - a national led initiative to provide parents with access and supports.

Thanks to the Longford Leader for the lovely piece today on our new Co-ordinartor and Manager, Carrieann Belton Longford Leader @Longford_Leader @DCYAPress @KZapponeTD @Dingero  Longford Childcare (@LChildcare) April 18, 2018

Next month, Longford will see our first group of Early Years Educators graduate with a Bachelors of Arts Honours Degree in Early Childhood Education & Care (Level 8) with Carlow IT in conjunction with the Longford Womens Link (LWL) and well done to these graduates for their hard work and dedication to the Early Years sector.

These Educators are truly dedicated to their vocation and I am pleased to announce that this degree programme will be recommencing again in September for all those interested in attaining a higher level degree in Early Years Education.

There is an information session on the degree programme on Thursday, May 3 at 7pm in Longford Women's Link.

Meanwhile, over the last nine years, the new acting coordinator says she has watched the quality of care and education in the Early Years sector grow tremendously.

This, she adds, is primarily due to the educators on the ground and the various services that provide quality learning environments, family and child supports as well as ensuring the childcare government funded programmes are operated in line with DCYA guidelines.

In addition, continued Ms Belton, the adhering to TUSLA Early Years Regulations and the Department of Education and Skills Focused Inspections has provided a strong robust framework for the Early Years sector to operate within.

She says that her vision for Early Years education in Co Longford is to continue the forward planning momentum in line with national policies and legislations.

I also want to ensure that every child has access to a quality Early Years experience and that their identity and voice is heard and respected, she added.

I am excited for this new venture and looking

forward to working alongside our Early Years educators

Longford County Childcare Committee will continue to improve and expand on our excellent relationships with our local interagency groups and we will also continue to work collaboratively on a national level with the Department of Children & Youth Affairs, Pobal, TUSLA, Department of Education & Skills, Early Childhood Ireland, Barnados, NCCA and many more.

I am excited for this new venture and looking forward to working alongside our Early Years educators, children and their families and the wider community of Co Longford.

I also want to take the opportunity to congratulate Lorraine Farrell on her new role as the National Aistear Coordinator with NCCA.

Longford County Childcare Committee can be reached on Facebook and on Twitter @LChildcare and also at www.longfordchildcare.ie.

Read next:

Longford Women's Link appoints new chairperson

Longford County Councils main headquarters is in line for a sizeable facelift with both the main chamber and the construction of a new civic reception area under consideration, writes Liam Cosgrove.

Head of Finance John McKeon said he and his fellow members on the Councils executive would be undertaking a survey over the coming weeks to determine what advancements can be made to its civic headquarters.

However, he shunned calls for the suggested construction of a new headquarters, at least in the short term, on the grounds of the Councils former Connolly Barracks site.

It came after Cllr Mick Cahill had highlighted the need for a Council Chamber, that he maintained, had gone past its sell by date.

I think its been a long time coming how we look at how the chamber operates and works, he said.

If we have a civic reception here we just cant handle it with people on top of one another.

Cathaoirleach Cllr Martin Mulleady supported those pleas, arguing the point over the Chambers cramped setting.

I think the chamber with 18 members is too small, theres no point in saying otherwise, he said.

We cant hold an event here without people sitting on top of one another. I think anybody who is going forward as chairperson or as a councillor, this is something that has to be done.

There was no shortage of humour either, with the Drumlish representative commenting on the Chambers apparent lack of access.

God forbid someone came in and cleaned us all out, he sniggered, quickly followed by an unidentified Fine Gael member shouting back: Youd be first.

Not to be outdone, Cllr Mulleady said in the unlikely event of such an episode taking place that particular assailant would start with that (Fine Gael) side of the house.Advertisement

The researchers identified 644 practices that had issued at least one homeopathy prescription in a six-month period (December 2016 to May 2017). There were 2,720 homeopathy prescriptions in total costing 36,532 (mean 13,43 per item).They found that prescribing any homeopathy is associated with poorer performance at practice level on a range of standard prescribing measures. The association is unlikely to be a direct causal relationship, say the researchers, but may reflect deeper underlying practice features, such as the extent of respect for evidence-based practice, or poorer stewardship of the prescribing budget.Dr Goldacre said: "Although NHS expenditure on homeopathy is low, we believe the strong association between homeopathy use and poorer prescribing in general is more important than cost. It should raise concerns and may be of interest to those seeking to understand variation in clinical styles and the use of alternative medicine by clinicians."Source: EurekalertA British professor of philosophy once observed that if Buddha is the vital linkage of continuity from Rig Veda down to recent centuries of Indian culture, then Bodhidharma was the vital linkage of the continuity connecting India with China, Korea, and Japan.

Bodhidharma's existence can be traced back to around 5th century. Known to be the founder of Chan Buddhism in China, he mostly devoted his life to transmit its culture and follow its practices. Not only did he travel to China, but also to various parts of Asia to spread this form of Buddhism. As per various folklores and legends, he was the monk who began the intensive physical training at Shaolin Monastery that gave birth to Shaolin Kungfu or Shaolin Wushu. Some believe that Bodhidharma came from the West; there are many accounts and tales of his existence and life, though mostly layered and not absolute.

Becoming A Monk

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When Batuo or Buddhabhadra was laying the foundation of the first Shaolin Monastery, there was a prince in the southern part of India. His name was Bodhidharma and it is believed that he was the favorite son of the king, amongst the three brothers. Bodhidharma had a sharp mind and his brothers used to be very jealous of him. They even tried to assassinate him so as to become the next heir of the kingdom; however, they were unsuccessful as Bodhidharma remained untouched. Bodhidharma, in reality, was least interested in ruling the kingdom or in politics, he had decided to become a Buddhist monk.

Gaining Popularity In China

During 527 AD, Bodhidharma arrived in China and began practicing meditation there. At times his silence left his audience stunned and astonished. People began to observe him every day and started calling him Da Mo. He was later called by the Chinese emperor Wu where he imparted his knowledge to the king. His teachings made him popular and the king even erected many Buddhist temples in his kingdom. Soon Da Mo was famous in China and people regarded him as the great monk.

Nine Years Of Wall Gazing

 YouTube

As Da Mo reached the Shaolin Temple by crossing the Yangzi River in China, he went to a cave mountain, sat facing towards a wall and started meditating. At the time of his meditation, another monk named Shen Guang (who met Da Mo on the way and followed him across the river, after getting inspired from his wisdom) stayed outside Da Mo's cave and protected him from any dangers. Da Mo's meditation and wall gazing continued for nine long years. Time-to-time Shen Guang asked Da Mo to teach and impart him some knowledge; however, never received any answer from him. Legend has it that one day Da Mo's concentration became so intense that his own image got craved on the wall he was gazing at. Da Mo later shifted to the special room created by Shaolin Monks and meditated there for another four years. All these years, Shen Guang was protecting Da Mo until the day he broke his master's concentration.

Shen Guang (Hui Ke) Cuts His Arm

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As Da Mo turned down each request made by Shen Guang, one day Shen decided to break Mo's concentration while he was meditating. He took a ball of snow and hurled it in Da Mo's room. As Mo woke up from his meditation he confronted Guang and told him that he would teach him when red snow would fall from the sky. Affected by the same, Shen cut off his arm and his dripping blood turned into snow due to freezing temperature. He gave it to Mo, after which Mo decided to teach him. He later taught him the meaning of life by carving four different wells on a mountain, which resonated with four different aspects of life. Shen Guang later became the successor of Da Mo after his death, and carried his teaching throughout the world.

Teaching At Shaolin

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At Shaolin, the monks had poor physical shape and structure which disturbed Bodhidharma (Da Mo). Therefore, he instructed them techniques to maintain their physical condition and taught them meditation. The series of exercises are now known as the Eighteen Arhat Hands. As he took his departure from Shaolin, two manuscripts were discovered - The Yijin Jing and the Xisui Jing. He later traveled to parts of Malaysia, Indonesia, walked through Java, Bali, and Sumatra and transmitted Chan Buddhism.

Death And Mysterious Appearance

Bodhidharma died without a proper ceremony. His body was later buried on a hill behind the Shaolin temple. Three years after his death, Ambassador Songyun of northern Wei mentioned about having seen Bodhidharma walking with a shoe in his hand. As per the tales, on having met Bodhidharma, Songyun asked him the reason behind carrying a shoe in his hand to which he replied 'I am going home. Do not reveal this to anyone or you will meet with a disaster'. When Songyun told the emperor about it, he explained that Bodhidharma had died three years back and punished him for telling a lie.

Bodhidharma's grave was later exhumed and only a shoe was found inside! In the modern era, Bodhidharma has remained a subject of scientific research and is considered the founder of Chan Buddhism. Till date, to pay their respect to the founder of Shaolin Kungfu, the Shaolin Monks greet everyone using their right hand!Thank you for subscribing!

By signing up to this free newsletter you agree to receive occasional emails from us informing you about our products and services. You can opt out of these emails at any time.When Samantha Hess's marriage ended five years ago, she felt she was lacking a basic human need: Physical touch. As a woman in her late 20s living in Portland, Oregon, she found plenty of men interested in dating, but sexual contact was not what she craved - she wanted something platonic, and she couldn't find it.

"I was kind of an empty shell of touch deprivation," she said. "I thought, 'Why isn't there a Starbucks for hugs, where do I go for that?' So I realized that this is a thing that should exist."

In 2014 Hess opened a shop, Cuddle Up To Me, where trained cuddlers hold, stroke, and embrace customers in a nonsexual way. Landlords were initially wary about renting space to Hess for her business, but in the last few years professional cuddling has increased in popularity.

While paying for touch may sound awkward or unnatural to those who get plenty of it from partners or other close connections, for some people it is an antidote to a culture where casual physical contact seems elusive. The percentage of U.S. adults living without a spouse or partner has risen from 39 to 42 percent in the past 10 years and the rise in on-screen interactions means more socializing takes place without even the possibility of touch.

At the two-year-old website Cuddlist.com, which has trained around 400 professional cuddlers and connects clients to providers around the country, "Most clients are under some level of duress: Anxiety, stress, loss, or need," said co-founder Adam Lippin.

Some have a physical disability or post-traumatic stress or are on the autism spectrum, which can be a barrier to forming intimate relationships. "For the average person, you and me, we can be lonely and we can feel a need but it's not a starved kind of need," Lippin said. "For a lot of them this is a human connection that they've never had before."

The benefits of touch are well-documented, from 1950s experiments showing infant monkeys preferred more cuddly terry cloth "mothers" over wire mesh ones to 1980s Romanian orphanages full of touch-deprived children with severe emotional problems.

Studies show massage therapy to be associated with increased attentiveness, decreased depression and immune system boosts. Research has also found that touch positively influences people's social behaviors and relationships.

Yet the United States is among the world's most touch-averse cultures. Studies dating to the 1960s found that Americans tend to touch each other casually less frequently than people in France or the Caribbean.

And while today's parents may touch children more than they did in the mid-20th century when experts warned against it, two 1999 studies in Paris and Miami found that American adolescents still touched each other less than their counterparts in France and that American preschoolers touched their peers less and were touched less by their parents than French ones.

Tiffany Field, director of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine and author of the Paris and Miami studies, said little research exists on the benefits of professional cuddling, but she has seen interest grow.

"I think when anything like this is so increasingly popular, it's certainly functioning as something very helpful for people," she said.

At Cuddlist.com the average cost for an hour with a provider is $80, and the site has logged over 10,000 requests. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the business has a gender imbalance. Ninety-one percent of Cuddlist clients are male and three quarters of its providers are female.

To explain why, Kassandra Brown, a Cuddlist provider in Boulder, Colorado, recalled a client who said, "I'm here because men aren't allowed to touch anyone."

She realized he was right. "They can't touch men because that's gay. They can't touch women because that's creepy. They can't touch children because, well, everybody knows you'd be a pedophile if you touched a kid. So men can either touch a sexual partner or they can touch in violence."

Mark Stone, a divorced holistic kinesiologist in Chicago, started going to a professional cuddler after realizing he didn't know how to touch a woman in a nonsexual way.

"We so much embrace sexuality and we so much embrace sex in marriage and relationships with others that we lose that connection with just feeling safe in touching and holding," said Stone, 53. "I think a lot of guys don't know how to do that very well with their partners. They don't know how to hold a physical nonsexual space with a partner."

Damien, a 39-year-old engineer in Alexandria, Virginia who is single, goes to a cuddler every three months or so to relieve stress. The professional nature of the interaction makes him feel safe. Like other clients interviewed for this story, he did not want his last name published because he was concerned about others' reactions.

"You don't have a personal relationship with that person, which in some ways makes it easier being open with that person," he said. "These services allow you to share things pertaining to you and not worry about it going any further or spreading to people you don't know."

To differentiate from other, much older, professions that cater to the lonely, Lippin and his co-founder, Madelon Guinazzo, set strict rules on what does and doesn't happen in a session. Client and cuddler talk by phone before meeting and agree at the outset that it will not turn sexual; either party can end a session at any time.

Meetings are not limited to touch. Clients can talk about almost anything during a session, though discussing sexual fantasies about the provider is off limits. But they can lean against the provider, or hold hands, or spoon while they talk.

The need for such touch is primal, said Jean Franzblau, founder of the Cuddle Sanctuary, a four-year-old storefront business in Los Angeles that offers one-on-one sessions and has hosted over 300 cuddle events. "I believe it has something to do with evolution; when we're connected together in social groups we tend to survive."

While massage therapy might seem to be the perfect way to fulfill the need for touch, nonsexual cuddling addresses a deeper, more emotional need, professional cuddlers say.

"Massage therapy ethics are all about one-way touch," said Annie Hopson, a Cuddlist provider in Ellicott City, Maryland, who is also a massage therapist. "There was not a way for [clients] to be okay with saying, 'Could you hold me?' "

For some, being held by another person is a new experience. Steve Curry, of Northampton, Massachusetts, who has spina bifida, said that for much of his life, "as far as being in a touch relationship, most touch centered around my medical care needs, not emotional needs." He has two-hour cuddle sessions twice a month, and "it's never enough."

While most of Brown's clients are middle-aged men, she has a couple of female clients in their 20s, including one who spends 90-minute sessions getting her head stroked while lying on Brown's lap. "Both of them have said to me, 'It's really helped me to notice what I want and to ask for it, because in other parts of my life I do what others want me to do.'"

After professional cuddling, some clients say they are more comfortable initiating touch with friends, or they no longer flinch when someone touches them casually.

Some one-on-one cuddlers also host cuddle parties where strangers come together for a communal hug. Here, too, strict rules apply.

Professional cuddlers acknowledge that arousal is a danger of the trade and say that's not shameful as long as it is not pursued. If someone becomes turned on during a session, participants are advised to change to a position that is less stimulating.

"If there's sexual chemistry does that mean you have to act on it?" said Lippin. "You notice it, you let it pass."

Dan, 43, who works in finance, said cuddling sessions took the place of an intimate relationship for about a year when he didn't have one.

"I was aware that I needed contact with people," he said. "I had been to massage parlors that were not on the up-and-up. I'd leave there with feelings of shame or feeling dirty, and this was different." The fact that it was platonic made the sessions more rewarding, he said.

Nidhi, a 20-year-old college student in Chicago, said cuddling with Guinazzo helped her after her mother died during her freshman year.

"It reminded me a lot of being with my mom; it helped me reframe some of my grief and relive the moments I didn't get to have with her," she said. "I didn't feel like I was paying for touch, I felt like I was paying for therapy. Of all the kinds of therapy I tried this was the most effective."King Mohammed VI sent a congratulation message to Miguel Diaz-Canel who was elected President of the Republic of Cuba, saying that Morocco is willing to open a new page with Cuba.

In the message, the king extended wishes to Diaz Canel of full success and renewed Moroccos commitment to work together with Cuba in order to open a new page in their bilateral partnership based on mutual respect of the national values of the two countries.

The King said Morocco is ready to add new momentum to bilateral relations in multiple fields to the best interests of the Moroccan and Cuban people and also to contribute to strengthening south-south cooperation.

In June 2017, King Mohammed VI has appointed Boughaleb El Attar as Moroccos first ambassador to Cuba in decades. The diplomat will took his position shortly as he was handed his credentials by the Sovereign on Friday April 20.

The resumption of Moroccan-Cuban relations, which opens a new era for the two countries, comes after the private visit paid by King Mohammed VI to Cuba last year. It was the Moroccan monarchs first visit to the country since his enthronement in 1999 and the first ever made by a Moroccan king.

Since the 1960s, relations between the two countries soured as a result of Cubas backing to Algeria during the Morocco-Algeria military conflict of 1963. And in the 1970s, Havana declared its support to the enemies of Moroccos territorial integrity, the Polisario separatists.

Since then, Cuba has been providing the Polisario militias with military, vocational and educational training and was regarded as one of the separatists strategic bastions.

The decision of Rabat and Havana to resume diplomatic relations dealt a hard blow to the Algerian-backed secessionist group thanks to the royal proactive diplomacy, which scored another positive point against Moroccos enemies in one of their high-profile strongholds.US Troops Go to Court Seeking Vaccine Exemption for Those Who've Had COVID-19

The service members want the Defense Department to exempt those with natural immunity from the coronavirus vaccine order.If the great Space Race that began in the 1950s helped define technologies that would take satellites and mankind into space, a new kind of global competition today will define technologies that move at more than five times the speed of sound.

The U.S. Air Force this week awarded Lockheed Martin Corp. a contract to develop a prototype hypersonic cruise missile, or the Hypersonic Conventional Strike Weapon. The project -- one of two hypersonic weapon prototyping efforts the service is pursuing -- could cost as much as $928 million over the course of its lifetime.

The award comes as Pentagon officials say they fear the U.S. may be lagging behind in hypersonics, while rivals Russia and China have made hypersonic technologies national programs of record and have made recent advances. Like nuclear weapons, officials have said speedy weapons can act as deterrents, as well as game changers, in responding to conflict from hundreds of miles away.

"The Air Force is using prototyping to explore the art of the possible and to advance these technologies to a capability as quickly as possible," spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said in a statement.

The service did not specify a timeline for the contract, as "funds are not obligated on this contract vehicle until task orders are issued and awarded," Stefanek said on Wednesday.

Related content:

Aside from additional concepts underway from the Air Force Research Lab and DARPA, the Air Force is also setting funds aside for its Air Launched Rapid Response Weapon, known as "Arrow." According to the fiscal 2019 budget request, the Air Force is asking for roughly $260 million for the Arrow experiment.

'It just means it goes fast'

One company that specializes in rockets, engines, missiles and spacecraft has been rapidly prototyping a variety of concepts in hopes of gaining more footing in the hypersonics game.

Aerospace and defense tech company Orbital ATK has in recent months tested a partially 3-D printed hypersonics warhead and a 3-D printed supersonic combustion ramjet, or scramjet, engine part.

The company deemed both to be successful, and is waiting until the Defense Department chooses what type of weapons it may someday want to procure.

In its research and development phase, Orbital has been designing a hypersonic warhead to start preparing for "that day when somebody will want a hypersonic" mission, said Bart Olson, vice president of strategy and business development for Orbital ATK's defense group.

"They went from design to production to test in 60 days," said Michael Kahn, president of Orbital ATK's defense systems group.

In late March, the company for the first time tested a 50-pound warhead partially made with additive manufacturing, known as 3-D printing.

With the help of 3-D printing, engineers can work faster and make parts much more cheaply, Olson and Kahn said. Military.com sat down with both executives on April 10 during the annual Sea-Air-Space conference in National Harbor, Maryland.

"Three-D printing is a big deal for us, especially from the engineering perspective because you can design something ... that you can't build with conventional machines," Kahn said.

The challenges for any weapon going beyond Mach 5 speeds has been to prevent overheating and control how the weapon strikes a target, Kahn said.

Olson said its common to tailor the warhead to the effects needed. But in hypersonics, there's more of an emphasis on fragmentation at such high speeds.

Depending on launch platform -- air, land or sea -- the company is testing payloads from as small as 7 inches to 40 inches in diameter.

"We're involved in the entire tradespace," Olson said.

The 'secret sauce' to hypersonics? Their engines and propulsion, they say.

"We've been building hypersonic engines for many years, for NASA, the Air Force," Olson said. "We currently hold the record for the fastest air-breathing demonstration in history, which was a Mach 10-plus."

"We have motors that come in all shapes and sizes," he continued. "On the propulsion front, we've had numerous tests of solid propellant solutions and ... on the air-breathing side, all across the spectrum of need."

Kahn added how it's propelled shouldn't matter. "Hypersonics just means it goes fast," he said.

In January, the company announced a partnership with DARPA to study a possible integration of turbine and hypersonic engine technologies under DARPA's Advanced Full Range Engine (AFRE) program.

Orbital said they're encouraged by recent commentary from Mike Griffin, undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, who has zeroed in on hypersonics, but also other emerging technologies in an era where Russia and China continue to make vast strides ahead of the U.S.

The U.S.'s "earlier research work in hypersonic systems development was basically what our adversaries have used to field their own systems," Griffin told lawmakers this week.

"It is time for us to renew our emphasis on and funding of these areas in a coordinated way across the department, to develop systems which can be based on land for conventional prompt strike, can be based at sea, and later on can be based on aircraft," he said during a House Armed Services committee hearing on innovation.

There has been more of an "energy from DoD" to get hypersonics involved in major systems beyond just design phases, Kahn said.

"Up until now there's been a lot of design, a lot of testing, not a lot of fielding," Kahn said.

Olson added, "We're very encouraged by ... the new philosophy from new leadership to go on past it."

-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter ar @oriana0214.AGADEZ, Niger -- The Nigerien troops, 250 miles from their higher headquarters in Agadez, were at first reluctant to call their commanders with information about the unfolding battle simulation.

During Flintlock 2018, the largest U.S. special operations exercise in Africa, a contingent of Green Berets aimed to eliminate that hesitancy.

"I think they realized they can give feedback back up to the headquarters to provide senior level commanders tactical guidance and vision of the battle. This exercise definitely facilitated that conversation," said Capt. Neal, a detachment commander with the 3rd Special Forces Group who is identified by his first name only for security reasons.

Since 2005, U.S. special operations forces have been conducting the Flintlock exercise in western Africa. Yet this is the first year when the effort has focused on developing higher level command and control capabilities of the militaries in the region, where local forces are involved in a battle against militant groups that commanders say has gained momentum in recent years.

The transition from training centered on small unit combat skills to advising higher level teams coincides with shifts in how missions involving U.S. troops in Niger will be conducted.

In the wake of the October ambush in the Nigerien village of Tongo Tongo, the risk U.S. forces face in isolated parts of Africa was brought into focus. Four U.S. soldiers were killed in the attack while on a joint patrol with local forces.

"The threat has been increasing since last fall and Tongo Tongo was simply an indicator of that, and we have adjusted our activities accordingly," said Special Operations Command Africa commander Major Gen. Marcus Hicks, who was in Niger to observe the Flintlock exercise. "We mitigate risk as we always do."

Green Berets still conduct patrols with Nigerien forces; however, decisions on when to join Nigerien patrols are given more scrutiny now, Hicks said.

"I would certainly not say we have scaled back. If anything, we've probably increased focus on our personal investment and intellectual activity to better understand the threat," Hicks said.

Even ahead of the October ambush, there was growing recognition inside SOCAFRICA that more attention must be paid to ensuring local forces can conduct counterterror missions independently, a military official said.

That meant developing more command and control capabilities. At Flintlock, a joint multinational headquarters was set up in Agadez to manage missions in Niger, Burkina Faso and Senegal, where some 1,900 troops were war gaming in remote camps. The headquarters and ground forces coordinated air and ground operations and examined intelligence.

The larger aim is to help soldiers assigned to the new G-5 Sahel, a regional alliance, to be better prepared to fight groups that include Al-Qaida and Islamic State affiliates.

"Any time a country can solve its own security issues or threats, that's what you want and that's what we are trying to help with," Neal said.

Col. Brad Moses, commander of the Fort Bragg-based 3rd Special Forces Group -- the unit aligned with the SOCAFRICA mission-- said there was a concerted effort to make this year's Flintlock more about countering day-to-day threats local troops face.

"If we are going to come forward, we might as well tie it to something that is happening," said Moses. "At the end of this, everyone can go back and say they've learned more about our partners in Africa."

However, Green Berets say they will continue to roll in the dirt with their local partners, doing the kind of combat tactical work that has been a training mainstay.

"We are still training with tactical units across the continent. As those tactical units gain proficiency and capability and capacity, we are adding the focus on higher level command and control," Hicks said. "We are building capability and capacity to deal with threats we see in the Sahel and Lake Chad basin."Editor's note: On April 22, 2008, Marine Lance Cpl. Jordan Haerter and Cpl. Jonathan Yale were killed in Ramadi, Iraq when they faced down a truck bomb barrelling toward the gate of the compound they were guarding. For their heroism, they were both posthumously awarded the Navy Cross. Some believe they deserve the Medal of Honor.

Today marks the anniversary of the day the Marines came to my work and told me my son, Jordan Haerter, my only child, was killed in action in Ramadi, Iraq.

Jordan was a Marine with 1st Battalion, 9th Marines and had deployed just one month earlier. He was only 19. The deployment was to be a Police Transitioning deployment, teaching the Iraqi Police methods to keep the peace in their cities. Jordan's battalion would be replacing 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines, which Cpl. Jonathan T. Yale was a member of.

I traveled down from Sag Harbor, New York to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, meeting my parents and brother to say goodbye to Jordan at the battalion's send off.

I remember bracing myself to be able to hug him and say goodbye. I chose the words, "do your job and come home." Jordan was a kind and thoughtful young man. An entrepreneur, a quick wit, with a very dry sense of humor. A full life of good was ahead of him. Jordan's bedroom has changed very little since he's been gone. There are still Yankees posters, Marine posters, an American Flag and Cessna cockpit posters hanging on the walls.

He learned to fly at sixteen and a "shirttails" signed shirt is framed commemorating the accomplishment of his first solo flight.

I go into his bedroom to straighten up and dust and finally took the time to break down his computer and look at the papers in his desk.

I came across this short story he had written for an school assignment his senior year in High School. It is dated April 28, 2006, almost two years to the day before he was killed.

He writes of an imagined Operation Iraqi Freedom deployment.

Jordan Haerter

Short Story

4/28/06

My unit had been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom; that was a good thing. I was finally going to use the month's worth of training I had received. There was only one problem, no not a problem, more of an issue with being deployed. My job has one detail that no other job in the world has; I am required to take lives.

I didn't have a problem with the actual act, I knew I was going to be able to do that; my issue was with my thoughts before the fact. I was afraid that my thinking would prevent me from completing my job in a timely manner. If that were to have happened it would have been a real problem.

I talked about my thoughts with the older Marines; they usually just played it off as pre-combat jitters. The few that offered advice for me said things like, "just don't think about it." WHAT THE HELL; that is not advice, that is a completely blank statement to me. I'd never had to think about something so consequential, and I couldn't simply stop.

The cross-Atlantic trip was especially bad for me. I had done it before but this time was different, I wasn't headed for a friendly European nation, I was headed to a conflict. Even the sailors were looking at us differently; they knew what we were heading into but never talked about it. My thoughts took over my boredom and I began replaying my fantasy over and over. I envisions a hazy smoke filled, dark street with debris everywhere. A group of masked men armed with AK's and PKM's were approaching, weapons raised and ready to fire; well that was an easy ID. I would raise my rifle and then it would start, the sweat that comes from a life changing decision. I would sweat so much I could see my bones and my Kevlar became fused to my head. Then the dream would end, before I even felt my trigger. It bothered me that I could not see my round taking down a target.

When we came on station at Camp Fallujah, reality set in very quickly.

We were Marines, not some Army convoy jockeys, so we went looking for combat. My first firefight was intense, hectic and strangely long lasting. I was riding shotgun in the 2nd [High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles) in a 4 vehicle column when we were hit with small arms. We sped in the opposite direction of the incoming fire but ran into the largest road block I had ever seen, 3 burnt out tractor trailers and other assorted war debris. We immediately stopped and headed back into the fire. My driver was screaming "FIRE YOUR WEAPON!" and I did; I fired 270 rounds in under 15 minutes. When we got back to the camp we counted up casualties, no KIA, one wounded and 1 HMMWV wasn't going to see the U.S. again. I was happy that I could actually fire my weapon at the enemy but we were going so fast I didn't know what I hit.

The next couple weeks we were in a few more bad ambushes, and apparently it was our fault that our equipment was wrecked so we were ordered to perform foot patrols throughout the city. Most of the time these were routine, kick in a few doors, bag and zip tie some people and go home. One day, a day that will never be forgotten, we stacked up outside this pink house. Now if you have ever seen any pictures of Iraq, there are no pink houses ANYWHERE, so that made us wary of what was inside. I was the second one in the door and as I scanned my sector on my left, I saw the horrendous shape of a man pointing an AK at the first Marine in.

"Holy S---," was my reaction, the combatant was splayed out on the floor still clutching his hot weapon, finger on the trigger. I had done it, without questioning my judgment, as I was trained. The older guys were right; I worried all these months for no apparent reason. After all this I learned that I can easily take a life if that life is endangering mine or that of my fellow Marines.Key

Select Mineral List Type Standard Detailed Strunz Dana Chemical Elements

This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.Granite Age: Jurassic (145 - 201.3 Ma) Description: Several large Jurassic plutons of diverse composition occur in the northern and southern Snake Range. This group of plutons is represented in the Wheeler Peak Quadrangle by the Snake Creek/Williams Canyon pluton. A variety of isotopic geochronologic techniques, including U-Pb analyses of monazite and Sr whole rock analyses, yield an intrusive age of approximately 160 Ma for this body (Lee et al., 1986). The elongate, undeformed Snake Creek/Williams Canyon pluton is oriented roughly E-W with a larger eastern lobe in Snake Creek and has a total exposed area of 35 km2 (Lee et al., 1984; 1986). It is a compositionally zoned calc-alkaline pluton from a biotite-tonalite (63% SiO2) to the east grading into a biotite-granite (76% SiO2) to the west (Lee et al., 1986). The most mafic compositions are represented by rounded, cognate biotite-rich granodiorite xenoliths ranging in diameter from 3-15 cm, found throughout the pluton. Accessory minerals in the eastern portion of the pluton include biotite, epidote, titanite, magnetite, and allanite, whereas the central and western portions locally include garnet, ilmenite, and monazite primarily in aplite/pegmatite dikes and in felsic border phase rocks; apatite and zircon are ubiquitous throughout (Lee and Van Loenen, 1971). Within 10-20 m of the country rock contact, muscovite is often present together with or in place of biotite. West of Pyramid Peak in the Wheeler Peak quadrangle, extensive areas of the intrusion have been altered to a pyrite-muscovite quartz griesen, labeled Jgra on Plate 1A, associated with abundant quartz veins. These 0.05-5-meter-thick quartz veins strike approximately N60E, are steeply dipping, and have steeply plunging slickensides (Fig.9). They often contain the mineral assemblage muscovite-galena-wolframite (Smith, 1976). A hornblende-bearing, fine- grained granodiorite dike was mapped east of Pyramid Peak, and garnet-bearing aplite dikes are often found cutting the pluton near its contact with the country rock. Occasionally, somewhat more porphyritic equivalents of the pluton are found as dikes and in some parts of the pluton itself. In these, quartz, biotite, and plagioclase occur as phenocryst phases. The Snake Creek/Williams Canyon pluton has a sharp intrusive contact with the several units that surround it, including the Precambrian McCoy Creek Group Quartzite and the Osceola Argillite, and the Cambrian Prospect Mountain Quartzite, Pioche Shale, and Pole Canyon Limestone. Contact effects include the growth of muscovite, chlorite, biotite, and aluminum silicate minerals within argillaceous layers and calc-silicate minerals within calcareous layers. Pervasive retrogression of schists and slates prevents conclusive identification of the aluminum silicate porhyroblasts that grew in the aureole of the pluton, but euhedral outlines allow identification of the pseudomorphs as staurolite. Staurolite porphyroblasts increase in size and quality towards the pluton. Grey, elongate, prismatic grains with square cross-sections were tentatively identified in the field as andalusite, and other retrograded aluminum silicate porphyroblasts may include chloritoid and/or cordierite. Skarn assemblages in calc- silicate rocks include epidote, garnet, diopside, and actinolite. Metamorphic grade in the contact aureole rises from greenschist to amphibolite facies over horizontal distances of less than 1.5 km (McGrewandMiller,1993). In addition to the observed growth of certain minerals in the aureole of the granite, a penetrative cleavage is developed in pelitic units adjacent to the pluton. Systematic observation of the relationship of cleavage development to growth of contact metamorphic minerals indicate the two are coeval and that deformation was synchronous with granite emplacement (Miller, et al., 1988). This cleavage is discussed in more detail elsewhere in the text (source report). (OF93). Reference: National Park Service Geologic Resources Evaluation program. Digital Geologic Map of Great Basin National Park and Vicinity, Nevada. National Park Service. [54]The US welcomed Moroccos achievements in the field of human rights and democratic consolidation, underscoring in particular the protection of migrants rights and the policy of regularization and integration adopted by the Kingdom.

The Moroccan government cooperated with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other humanitarian organizations in providing protection and assistance to refugees, returning refugees, asylum seekers, and other persons of concern, said the US State Department in its annual human rights report, adding that the government also provided funding to humanitarian organizations to provide social services to migrants, including refugees.

The Department of State highlighted that the government has historically deferred to UNHCR as the sole agency in the country entitled to perform refugee status determinations and verify asylum cases.

UNHCR referred cases that meet the criteria for refugee recognition to the governments interministerial Commission in Charge of Hearings for Asylum Seekers within the Bureau of Refugees and Stateless Persons, the report stated.

The State Department underscored the exceptional regularization of persons in irregular situation under the 2016 migrant regularization program, recalling that the government continued to grant status to UNHCR-recognized refugees, temporary status to registered Syrians, and regularized migrant status to qualifying applicants under the migrant regularization program.

The report hailed Moroccos efforts to give migrants access to basic services, saying that recognized refugees and migrants were able to work and access health care and education services, including publicly funded professional and vocational training.

Besides, requests on behalf of women and children receive automatic approval, with immediate access to education and healthcare, the document stated.

The State Department recalled that in December 2016, Morocco launched the second phase of its migrant regularization program to provide legal status to migrants in exceptional circumstances.

The program, similar to the 2014 campaign, grants legal status to foreign spouses and children of citizens and other legal residents of the country, as well as individuals with at least five years of residence in the country, a valid work contract, or chronic illness.

As of October, 22,986 individuals had received status under the program, of the more than 25,000 requests submitted, the report recalled.

Regarding the obtaining of Moroccan nationality, the document noted that migrants and refugees may obtain Moroccan nationality if they meet the legal requirements of the Nationality Law and submit a request to the Ministry of Justice.

Morocco facilitated the resettlement of recognized refugees to third countries when necessary, or voluntary returns, in cooperation with UNHCR, the report added.

The government also provided temporary protection to individuals who may not qualify as refugees. In this connection, the report recalled that on June 20, World Refugee Day, king Mohammed VI instructed the government to admit 28 Syrians who had been stranded between the borders of Morocco and Algeria for two months.

Syrians and Yemenis benefit from exceptional regularization outside of the more permanent migrant regularization program, the report noted.

The report also shed light on Moroccan authorities efforts, in collaboration with their Spanish counterparts to break up trafficking networks and arrest human traffickers.AGerman luxury carmaker BMW expects 50 percent of sales in India to come from SUVs under its X series, according to a top company official.

The company, which posted 11 percent growth in sales of BMW range of vehicles in the first quarter of 2018 at 2,377 units, also said it is looking at double-digit growth for the full year despite challenges of price hike due to increase in customs duty.

"The X format is a very important format for us because if you look at it, it has contributed to about 30 percent of our sales in the last 11 years," BMW Group India President Vikram Pawah told PTI.

More importantly, in the last two or three years, it has contributed about 42 percent of the company's sales since the launch of new X1, he added.

At present, BMW sells four models under the X series - X1, X3, X5 and X6 - at a price range of Rs 34.5 lakh to Rs 1.3 crore.

Last week, the company had launched all-new version of X3 priced at Rs 49.99 lakh and Rs 56.7 lakh ( all prices ex-showroom).

Going forward, Pawah said,"what I expect is that with the X3 coming in and with the new X4 next year, clearly we should be looking at 50 percent of sales coming through the X format."

In order to expand the luxury vehicle market in India, he said,"these are the models which will grow the market for us."

When asked about expectations in 2018, he said BMW India is looking forward to "a very strong performance" having already clocked 11 percent growth in the first quarter.

"We have already had a flying start to the year...We firmly believe that we will end the year with a strong double-digit growth," he added.

On the possible impact of price rise following the customs duty hike, Pawah said:"When such change happens, it impacts customer confidence to some degree. Having said that the market is still very small and the growth opportunities are still there, specially with us because of the new models that we are launching."

BMW India has increased prices of its vehicles in the range of 3.5-5 percent from April. In the Budget for 2018-19, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had increased customs duty on CKD (completely knocked down) imports of motor vehicles, motor cars, motor cycles from 10 percent to 15 percent.

The government had also raised customs duty on specified parts/accessories of motor vehicles, motor cars, motor cycles from 7.5 percent to 15 percent.The apex exporters lobby Federation of Indian Export Organisations (Fieo) has written to the Reserve Bank and finance ministry seeking lifting the blanket ban on letter of undertakings (LoUs) saying it will further hurt exports by making them more uncompetitive.

The Fieo, promoted by the Commerce Ministry and industry, has written to Reserve Bank Governor Urjit Patel and finance ministry seeking reintroduction of the crucial trade finance instruments, but feels that the government will have to take the lead to end the stalemate, a top Fieo official has said.

"The LoUs were in operation for many years, so at the drop of a hat you cannot abolish such instruments...look at the utility of it. Such instruments are used globally, why deprive our exporters or importers of it?" Fieo director general Ajay Sahay told PTI.

Admitting that the lobby has so far underplayed the impact of the mid-March move by the RBI, Sahay said earlier Fieo felt that only the gems & jewellery sector used the instrument, but it has later transpired that others, including the employment-intensive textiles and leather industry, are also using LoUs.

When asked if the ban will impact exports, he said, "absolutely" and adding while the gems & jewellery sector will be the worst impacted, others will also be hit.

He pointed out that gems & jewellery exports have contracted by a massive 36 per cent following the regulatory actions, which employs 5 million.

He explained that the alternatives for LoUs like bank guarantees increase the cost by 1-3 per cent, hence making exports uncompetitive globally.

Sahay said the ban has also wrecked the planning of exporters who face the spectre of banks cancelling LoUs. He further said the association has taken up the same with the commerce ministry.

"That is putting a lot of pressure on exporters. We have taken it up with the commerce ministry. The commerce secretary is working with the finance ministry," he said.

On writing to the RBI and finance ministry seeking reintroduction of LoUs, Sahay feels that government will have to come out with "clear direction" in the matter.

The LoUs were banned following the discovery of the over Rs 13,000-crore Nirav Modi scam, the biggest fraud in domestic banking history early February. The instrument was allegedly misused by Modi and his henchmen in connivance with officials of state-run Punjab National Bank's at the Brady House branch in south Mumbai between 2011 and 2017.

"The kind of mess which has happened is not possible with normal importers-exporters. Who will give you that kind of LoU without any margin money or without any safeguards? Why are we talking about an exceptional situation and applying it across the sector?" Sahay asked.

Sahay said even as the country struggles to create jobs, such developments have led to a huge question mark over job retention.

"What will you do with these workers? Our biggest problem today is jobs. We should not talk about creation, we should talk about job retention. This is a huge challenge," he said.

He also expressed concern over the contraction in exports in employment-intensive sectors, stressing that the 9.8 percentage growth in exports to USD 302 billion looks good only on "the face of it".

"We should do some introspection. In the labour intensive sectors, we are losing out our competitiveness. Bangladesh, Vietnam and even Myanmar may be taking the lead in apparel exports," he said.

There is a major need to work on skilling to push our exports and labour law changes are also required, said Sahay.manufacturer of Titanium alloys in India.

India's crude steel output is expected to soar by 38 per cent to 140 million tonnes (MT) by the end of this year, Steel Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh said.

The country produced 101.4 MT steel in 2017.

Domestic crude steel production is likely to be 140 MT in this year, Singh told PTI.

The minister has earlier asked the industry to make full use of the resources available in the country to increase steel output.

India outstripped Asian industrial giant Japan to become the second largest steel producer in February as its crude steel output grew by 3.43 per cent to 8.434 million tonnes (MT) in the month against 8.296 MT of the latter.

According to global steel body Worldsteel, China occupies the top global position as far as steel production is concerned.

Under the National Steel Policy (NSP), the government has set a production target of 300 MT by 2030-31.Afghan residents weep for their relatives outside the Isteqlal Hospital in Kabul following the attack. Photo: Wakil Kohs/AFP/Getty Images

A suicide bomber killed at least 57 people in an attack on a voter registration line in Kabul on Sunday morning. Men, women, and children were among the dead, and at least 119 people were also injured in the attack, according to Afghan health officials. ISIS has claimed responsibility for the bombing, which targeted a neighborhood of ethnic Hazaras, members of the countrys Shiite minority, in the western part of the city.

The bombing was one of two attacks on Sunday which targeted Afghans registering to vote. Another, in the northern province of Baghlan, killed five people. The New York Times notes that there have been other attempts to disrupt the Afghan governments efforts to register voters over the last week, including smaller attacks on registration officers and election officials.

Parliamentary elections are scheduled for October, but have already been delayed for three years in the political turmoil that followed Afghanistans fraud-marred presidential election in 2014. Indeed, concerns about the fraud during that and the previous presidential election prompted the Afghan government to void the populations millions of existing voter identification cards, meaning that Afghans would need to obtain new ones in order to vote. Those cards were what people were lining up to get when the suicide bomber struck on Sunday.

Afghan residents inspect the site of the suicide bombing outside a voter registration center in western Kabul. Photo: Shah Marai/AFP/Getty Images

ISISs involvement in the attack in Kabul has not been confirmed. The besieged group has nowhere near the same power or hold of territory in Afghanistan that the Taliban has, but it has still been able to conduct attacks in urban areas of the country.

In January, more than 100 people were killed when an ambulance car bomb was detonated outside the countrys former interior ministry building in Kabul. The Taliban claimed responsibility for that attack.Fortis Healthcare | Aberdeen Standard Investments (Asia) Ltd increased stake in company to 5.02 percent from 4.96 percent earlier via open market purchases.

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As a face-saver, the Board of Fortis Healthcare this past week has decided to appoint a three-member advisory committee headed by Deepak Kapoor, former Chairman and CEO of PwC India to evaluate the bids and recommend the best offer.

The Board named Renuka Ramnath, founder of Multiples Alternate Asset Management and former MD & CEO of ICICI Venture and Lalit Bhasin, President, Society of Indian Law Firms & Managing Partner, Bhasin & Co., as members of the advisory committee apart from Kapoor.

The committee to be assisted by Standard Chartered Bank will meet on April 25 to assess the "binding offers", and make a final recommendation to the Board - which is scheduled to meet the next day.

With Radiant Life Care joining the fray on Friday - Fortis now has five offers on table, of which Manipal-TPG and Munjal-Burmans offers are binding.

Fortis Board also named Rohit Bhasin as the new director.

Bhasin, 58 is a chartered accountant - worked in senior roles in organisations such as Standard Chartered Bank, AIG and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). He was a senior partner in the Deals Practice of PwC and India Head of the Valuation and Strategy team.

The appointment of advisory committee and induction of Basin on the Board is expected to bring some semblance to the Board that is expected to take a final decision this week.

The Board is under pressure with some prominent shareholders and corporate governance experts raising questions on credibility of the board - that consisted of members associated with Singh brothers - the erstwhile promoters of the company.

Singh brothers now own less than 1 percent stake in the company.

Billionaire investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala earlier questioned the "sanctity of the deal" approved by board of directors appointed by shareholders who are no longer shareholders of the company.

Last week East Bridge Capital and National Westminster Bank Plc as Trustee of The Jupiter India Fund issued special notice to the healthcare provider seeking removal of all the directors on the Board.

The two investors for this purpose - called for an extra-ordinary general meeting (EGM) of Fortis Healthcare shareholders.

East Bridge and National Westminster Bank As Trustee Of The Jupiter India Fund together hold 12.04 percent stake in the Fortis.

The two investors have proposed three names for independent directors on the Fortis Board - Suvalaxmi Chakraborty, Chief Executive Officer (India) at State Bank of Mauritius, Ravi Rajagopal, Finance Director, Diageo and Indrajit Banerjee, management consultant.

Fortis Board said it has directed the management to organize the EGM at the earliest possible post completion of all administrative formalities.

Even corporate governance experts have suggested Fortis to appoint special committee to assist the Board in assessing the bid without waiting for changes to the board - that could take time.

To evaluate bids, shareholders need more credence at the board-level: all four members of the current board have been associated with either the Fortis group, Religare group, or Ranbaxy for long tenures in the past, proxy advisory firm IiAS.

IiAS said it believes the current board can get additional support in assessing the bids and coming to a decision among the complex sets of pulls and pressures, without necessarily waiting for board expansion.

"Considering that their credibility has been questioned, any decision the board takes, pertaining to the selection of the proposal, would have been questioned by the minority shareholders," said brokerage firm IIFL responding to the Board's decision.

"The formation of committee now cools off some pressure and it also gives some time for other non participating bidders to ready their bid. The bidders, who have already put forth their proposals, can also make the best of this time by offering the best, as the deal now goes in the hands of the independent evaluator," IIFL added.Wading into a controversy, Union Minister Santosh Gangwar today said "brouhaha" should not be created over one or two rape cases in a big country like India.

The remarks come at a time when the country is witnessing public outrage over brutal rape and murder of a minor girl in Kathua and that of a 17-year-old girl in UP's Unnao allegedly by a BJP MLA.

"Such incidents (rape cases) are unfortunate situation...But sometimes you can't stop them. Government is active everywhere and taking action which is visible to everyone, " he told reporters in Bareilly yesterday.

"In a big country like ours, if one or two incidents take place, brouhaha should not be created over it. This is not fair... Government is taking effective steps...Whatever is necessary will be done," he said.

Gangwar, who is BJP MP from Bareilly, holds protfolio of Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Labour and Employment.

President Ram Nath Kovind today promulgated an ordinance to provide stringent punishment, including death penalty, for those convicted of rape of girls below 12 years.

Under the Criminal Law Amendment Ordinance cleared by a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, new fast-track courts will be set up to deal with such cases and special forensic kits for rape cases will be given to all police stations and hospitals in the long term.

In his first comments on the incidents of rape in Unnao and the sexual assault and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had last week said that no criminal will be spared and daughters will get justice.

"Such incidents shake our sensibilities. I want to assure the nation that no criminal will be spared. Justice will be done. Our daughters will get justice, he had said at an event to inaugurate the B R Ambedkar memorial here.

While in London to attend the just-concluded Commonwealth Summit, Modi had said that rape of a daughter was a matter of shame for the country.

In the Unnao case, the CBI arrested BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar on April 13, hours after an Allahabad High Court order that he was influencing the "law and order machinery".As the Congress awaits the decision of Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on an impeachment notice moved by it and other parties against Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, it is considering moving the Supreme Court if the petition is rejected, party leaders said.

They said if the Upper House chairman did not find merit in the notice for the impeachment, the decision could call for a judicial review.

"The chairman's decision is open to being challenged. It is bound to go for a judicial review," said a Congress leader.

The Congress was also trying to build up "moral pressure" on the Chief Justice of India in the hope that he would step aside from judicial duty if an impeachment motion was moved against him.

Judges who faced impeachment had earlier stepped aside from judicial work and the Chief Justice should do the same, a party leader said.

"It is only a convention, though there is no legal or constitutional bar (on this)," the leader said.

The Congress also hoped that the decision on the motion would be taken soon.

"He (the RS Chairman) cannot sit on it indefinitely, though there is no deadline laid out in the Constitution," a legal expert said, citing the case of an anti-defection law where the court had said it should be decided within a "reasonable" time-frame.

Meanwhile, an official in Parliament stressed that making public the contents of a notice before it was admitted violated Parliamentary rules.

This assumes significance in the wake of the seven opposition parties, led by the Congress, initiating an unprecedented step last week for the impeachment of CJI Misra by moving a notice levelling several charges against him.

According to the provisions in the handbook for Rajya Sabha members, no advance publicity should be given to any notice to be taken up in the House till it is admitted by the chairman.

"A notice for raising a matter in the House should not be given publicity by any member or other person until it has been admitted by the Chairman and circulated by members. A member should not raise the issue of a notice given by him and pending consideration of the Chairman," according to Rule 2.2 of Parliamentary Customs and Conventions in the handbook.

A retired Lok Sabha official said the same rule also applied to the Lower House as it was listed under rule 334A of the procedure and conduct of its business.

The notice has been referred by Naidu to Rajya Sabha Secretariat officials, who are preparing the file and identified this violation, the official said.

According to the senior official in Parliament, a bulletin issued by the Rajya Sabha on December 8, 2017, reiterates the rule under parliamentary customs and conventions.

Leaders of the opposition parties had met Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, who is also the chairman of the Rajya Sabha, and handed over the notice of impeachment bearing the signatures of 64 MPs and seven former members, who had recently retired.Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah arrives at Vidhana Soudha to present the state budget in Bengaluru on Friday. (PTI)

Confirming public perception that politics is the most lucrative and completely unregulated business in the country, many a candidate contesting the Karnataka assembly elections has filed sworn affidavits affirming that they own mind-boggling assets.

Even those who were not in power in the last five or ten years have revealed spectacular growth in their incomes, adducing to the fact that once you are in politics the wealth graph can only keep going up.

Among senior politicians, Congress minister DK Shivakumar, who has filed his nomination papers from Kanakapura, submitted a 94-page affidavit about his assets, liabilities and two cases, which include recent charges of evading income tax, giving false information and being involved in economic offences.

Shivakumar, who describes himself as an educationist and social worker, has declared a personal wealth of Rs 619.79 crore  an increase of 188% since the 2013 elections when he had declared Rs 215.06 crore against his name. His wife, who is described as a housewife and landlord and three dependent children have a further wealth of Rs 221.58 crore, which is an increase of 472% since last election. The energy minister in the Siddaramaiah government says the family has total liabilities of Rs 228.25 crore.

Those who have known Shivakumar from his humble beginnings in Kanakapura taluk, say that until he entered politics in mid-1980s, he helped the family by supplying milk from home dairy and running a tent cinema. He has won five assembly elections as a Congress member and been a minister several times.

Whether in or out of power, he has used his shrewd business acumen to get into granite quarrying, iron ore export, land deals, education and real estate business among others. He also allegedly owns a number of benami properties. The Income Tax department conducted raids on him and his family members about six months ago, but the outcome is still not known.

While chief minister Siddaramaiah revealed assets worth a modest Rs 18.55 crore as against Rs 7.65 crore in 2013, his son, S Yatheendra, who is contesting for the first time from Varuna, declared assets worth Rs 23.80 crore and liabilities of Rs 8.77 crore.

Among the other chief ministerial aspirants, JD(S)s HD Kumaraswamy declared Rs 167.14 crore worth of assets as against Rs 137.77 crore five years ago. BJPs BS Yeddyurappa declared assets worth Rs 6.55 crore, showing a marginal increase of Rs 72 lakh over the last election.

But, if the leaders claimed that they were only modestly rich, a number of aspiring legislators are not at all shy of declaring gargantuan wealth, unmindful of the eyebrows being raised.

Congress candidate MBT Nagaraj, who is contesting from Hosakote on the outskirts of Bengaluru, has declared assets worth Rs 1,015 crore, up from Rs 545 crore last time. Nagaraj, a close associate of Siddaramaiah, claims that he is a real estate businessman. JD(S) Iqbal Huttur, a mining contractor, contesting for the first time from Bellary city, has declared assets worth Rs 590 crore. Another mining baron Anand Singh, contesting on behalf of Congress has declared assets worth Rs 125 crore.

It is to be noted that the candidates declaring of assets and liabilities, educational qualification and criminal cases being faced by them through affidavits was made mandatory only in May 2002 following a direction from the Supreme Court.

The returning officer has the power to reject the nomination papers if any of the affidavits are found to be containing false or inadequate information, but the gap between the last day of nominations and the scrutiny is so little that he hardly has any time go through all of them. Hence, the rejection of nominations at this stage is extremely rare and in case of any doubts, the candidates can be taken to court only after the results.

Besides, more crucially, as per existing law, under Section 125A of the Representation of the People Act (RPA), the punishment for filing of a false affidavit is only six months of imprisonment or fine or both.

The Law Commission headed by retired Supreme Court judge AP Shah had informed the Supreme Court  after the court had sought its opinion  that the filing of false affidavit was rampant and it can only be curbed if the punishment for the offence is enhanced to two years prison term from the present six months and the person disqualified from (future) elections.

Intermittently, there have been small efforts made by the Election Commission and the Income Tax department to tackle the menace of unaccounted money influencing the electoral outcome.

Before the 2010 Bihar assembly elections, the Election Commission wrote to the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to match the statements of assets and liabilities filed by all candidates with their income tax returns. Grumbling about the volume of work involved, all that the CBDT came up with was 10 cases of wrong PAN numbers being used by candidates.

In January 2014, the Election Commission had organised another joint meeting with CBDT where it was decided that the EC would sort out the affidavits into different categories and present CBDT with material in a format which would be easy to scrutinise. It is almost four years since the last Lok Sabha elections and whether anything has come out of that exercise is not known.

The Election Commission had also recommended to the Centre in February 2011 to amend Section 125A of the RPA and enhance punishment for filing false affidavits to two years imprisonment which is the minimum sentence required for attracting disqualification under Section 8A of the electoral Act. Both the then UPA and the present NDA governments have remained silent regarding ECs recommendation.

The Supreme Court is currently seized of a number of PILs filed by voluntary organisations like Association for Democratic Reforms and the Peoples Union for Civil Liberties urging automatic disqualification of candidates with criminal records, enhancement of punishment for filing false affidavits and so on. As late as September 7, 2017, the Election Commission reiterated its stand before the court that filing of false affidavits should be made grounds for disqualification.

As there is little chance of politicians acting in public interest, the only hope lies with the Supreme Court.The Congress on Sunday released its next list of 11 candidates for the May 12 Karnataka Assembly elections, announcing CM Siddaramaiah's candidature from Badami constituency. The CM will contest from the seat in place of Devraj Patil, as per the list. He is also contesting from Chamundeshwari seat.



Congress releases next list of 11 candidates for #KarnatakaElections2018; CM Siddaramaiah to contest from Badami (in place of Dr Devraj Patil) & KP Chandrakala (in place of HS Chandra Mouli,reportedly lawyer of Mehul Choksi). CM Siddaramaiah is also contesting from Chamundeshwari pic.twitter.com/43653PqO7w

 ANI (@ANI) April 22, 2018

The party also fielded KP Chandrakala from Madikeri seat, in place of HS Chandramouli, who is reportedly the lawyer of fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi.

On April 16, the Congress had released its first list of 218 candidates for the assembly polls.

Safe seat for Siddaramaiah?

The Congress, in its list of candidates for 218 seats announced on April 15, had named Dr Devraj Patil as its nominee from Badami. But issuing of B-form (required to be filed by a political party mentioning name of its approved candidate) to Patil was put on hold.

Badami with a strong presence of Karubas, the community to which Siddaramaiah belongs, is seen as the second safe option for the Chief Minister as reports have suggested that the battle in Chamundeshwari will not be an easy one for him.

Siddaramaiah has won five times and tasted defeat twice at Chamundeshwari, from where he has been announced as the candidate. He has been representing Varuna constituency in Mysuru since 2008, which has now been allotted to his son Yatindra.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Siddaramaiah said he had conveyed to the high command, his desire to contest only from Chamundeshwari constituency. "I have told the high command that I will contest from Chamundeshwari and not from two constituencies. However, the people of north Karnataka are pressurising the high command that I should contest from north Karnataka too," he said.

The Chief Minister had said he would go by the decision of the high command with respect to contesting from a second seat.

(With PTI inputs)Rajnath Singh

Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the government is serious in taking strong action against the economic offenders, who flee the country, and a bill to this effect would be bought in the Monsoon Session of Parliament.

He made the remarks at a meeting here, before the Union Cabinet gave its nod for promulgation of the Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance that provides for confiscating properties of escapees.

"The opposition levels allegations that some Nirav (Modi) and (Mehul) Choksi fled abroad. We will present a fugitive economic offenders bill before the Parliament soon," he said.

Singh said earlier economic offenders used to flee abroad and their properties were not seized, but now their assets will be confiscated under the bill.

The bill was first introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 12, but could not be passed due to continuous disruptions and adjournments in Parliament during the second half of the Budget Session.

The Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance empowers the government to seize the domestic assets of those deemed by a relevant court to be belonging to fugitive economic offenders.

The ordinance would lay down the measures to empower Indian authorities to attach and confiscate proceeds of crime associated with economic offenders and the properties of the economic offenders and thereby deter economic offenders from evading the process of Indian law by remaining outside the jurisdiction of Indian courts, the government said in a statement today.

The ordinance is expected to re-establish the rule of law with respect to the fugitive economic offenders as they would be forced to return to India to face trial for scheduled offences.

This would also help the banks and other financial institutions to achieve higher recovery from defaults committed by such offenders, improving the financial health of the institutions.

A fugitive economic offender is a person against whom an arrest warrant has been issued in respect of a scheduled offence and who has left India to avoid criminal prosecution, or being abroad, refuses to return to India to face criminal prosecution, the statement said.

Jeweller Nirav Modi and his uncle and business partner, Mehul Choksi are the prime accused in the multi-crore scam that hit Punjab National Bank. They fled India.

Liquor baron Vijay Mallya and former IPL chief Lalit Modi are two other such persons who are in foreign land and avoiding the law.Former Union finance minister Yashwant Sinha, who has been severely critical of the Narendra Modi Government's policies and style of functioning, today quit the BJP, alleging that democracy was under threat and key institutions were being undermined in the country.

The 80-year-old leader, who held finance and external affairs portfolios in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government but was sidelined in the party after Narendra Modi and Amit Shah came at the helm, made it clear that he would not join any other political party, saying he was taking 'sanyas' (retirement) from party politics and will now work for "saving democracy in the country".

Sinha made the annoucement in the presence of dissident BJP MP from Patna Saheb Shatrughan Sinha and opposition leaders like Congress' Renuka Chowdhary, Trinamool Congress' Dinesh Trivedi, rebel JD(U) leader Uday Narain Choudhary and AAP leaders Sanjay Singh and Ashutosh.

Lalu Prasad's son Tejashwi Yadav, who attended the function, compared Yashwant Sinha with Loknayak Jayprakash Narayan (JP) and urged him to take up a role similar to the one the socialist leader had played during Emergency to protect the country and Constitution.

"I am announcing from the land of Patna that I would no longer be the part of any 'party-politics' as I am taking retirement from it. And I am not going to join any party," Yashwant Sinha said while addressing a meeting of his newly launched apolitical outfit "Rashtra Manch" (National Forum).

"I took retirment from electoral politics four years ago... I am severing all my ties with BJP...I will not be the contender for any post in future," Sinha said and added in lighter vein that Shatrughan Sinha always says that those who have stature don't aspire for any post.

The BJP said it was not surprised and was "happy" with his decision as it was clear from his actions that he had been acting at the "behest of the Congress".

"Even as the finance minister in the NDA government, he proved to be once again a disaster. We are actually happy that he has called it quits and will look for his next employment in the party he seems to be great admirer of, which is the Congress party. So we wish him good luck," BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao said.

Sinha has been publicly opposing the Modi government on several issues like demonetisation, GST, Kashmir issue and farm distress.

In a newspaper article, Sinha had criticised Arun Jaitley over what he called the mess the finance minister has made of the economy after which Jaitley hit back calling him "a job applicant at 80 years".

Everybody in the BJP is living in fear. We are not, he had said launching the Manch on January 30 after publicly raising a banner of revolt.

The democracy "is under threat again," the former finance minister today.

He claimed the situation is not good in the country, adding "parliament session was curtailed, four senior most judges of the apex court held a press conference, election commission disqualified the membership of 20 AAP MLAs without giving them an opportunity to put forward their case".

Parliament session was shortened keeping in mind Gujarat elections, Sinha alleged.

The central agencies are working at the instance of the central government, Sinha alleged and added that they were "going after some particular individuals". "If there are problems on economic front or foreign policy, then the next government can bring it on track but if the democracy or democratic institutions die, then it will be difficult for any other government to revive these institutions and that's why we all have come together to save democracy," he said.

Dissident MP Shatrughan Sinha lashed out at the BJP leadership and dared the party to take action against him, asserting he is not going to quit the BJP.

Yashwant Sinha said his life would be dedicated to save democracy in the country. "People, country and freedom all are intact if if the democracy is intact in the country, but people will get to know the problem the day democracy is abolished in the country." He vowed that he along with "people's power would wipe out those under who democracy is under threat in the country".

A bureaucrat-turned politician, Sinha had joined the BJP in the early 1990's after a split in the Janata Dal and became its national spokesperson in June 1996. His son Jayant Sinha is minister of state for civil aviation minister.

RLD leader Tejashwi Yadav came down heavily on both central and state governments. "We are seeing you (Yashwant) with hope," Tejashwi, who is leader of opposition in Bihar assembly, said and claimed the BJP-led alliance will bite the dust in 2019 elections.

Training his guns at Modi, Tejashwi said that "a Prime Minister should be like that of a statesman and not like stuntman." "People say that BJP is dangerous party but I say that my uncle Nitish Kumar is more dangerous than BJP people. He (Nitish) stabs in the back and hence people need to be aware and alert of him (Nitish).

Meanwhile, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi attacked the rebel leaders, saying "those who consider themselves above the party and the country will soon find the land slipping from under their feet".

Samajwadi Party's Ghanshyam Tiwari, RLD's Jayant Choudhary and ex-Gujarat minister Praveen Singh Jadeja was also present at the event.India Economy

India has said the IMF, World Bank and other international organisations must develop and articulate a clear strategy for enhancing public debt transparency to mitigate the rising debt vulnerabilities of low income countries.

In an apparent move to address the issue of debt trap being faced by low-income developing countries (LIDCs), to which China's "predatory economics" is playing a significant role, top officials of India, the US and Britain used various platforms here during the annual Spring Meeting of the IMF and the World bank.

Economic Affairs Secretary, Subhash Garg, who is leading the Indian delegation in the absence of Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, raised the issue yesterday at the G-20 meeting of finance ministers. The finance ministers of the US, France, Germany and Britain also highlighted the issue in their address to the IMF.

Expressing concern over the rising public debt vulnerabilities in LIDCs, Garg, in his address to G-20 stressed that increasing debt burden in LIDCs is, "clearly, a massive hindrance" in addressing the Sustainable Development Goals.

LIDCs face challenges centered on equitable growth, resilience, finance and partnerships, and leveraging external public and private finance, he said.

To mitigate the growing debt concerns of LIDCs, he said the IMF and the World Bank and other international organisations must "develop and articulate a clear strategy for enhancing public debt transparency on both the debtor and creditor side.

He also emphasised on the need for strengthening bilateral and regional financing agreements.

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin called on the IMF and the World Bank to develop a joint action plan on debt transparency and sustainability.

"We call on the IMF and World Bank management to develop a joint action plan on debt transparency and sustainability to guide future work, ensure strong coordination between institutions, and boost visibility around these efforts, he said.

The action plan should include concrete steps to obtain more comprehensive debt data from member countries, to more clearly flag data deficiencies in debt sustainability analyses, and to enhance debt sustainability through strengthened use of debt limits and non-concessional borrowing policies, Mnuchin said.

Mnuchin said the rise of official bilateral, "plurilateral", and private creditor lending, especially to countries at high risk of debt distress, is complicating debt resolution processes necessary to re-establish debt sustainability.

"Increasingly we see instances where low Income countries have borrowed excessively, and unsustainably, from large, often non-transparent emerging sovereign creditors like China or private creditors, he said.

Clear restructuring rules do not exist for these cases, creating the risk of a complicated restructuring process, creditor losses, and a decline in real median incomes in the debtor country, the Treasury Secretary rued.

British Chancellor Philip Hammond, in his address to the IMF, expressed concern over the scale, nature and severity of rising debt vulnerabilities in LIDCs. Forty per cent of low income and developing countries now face significant debt related challenges, up from 21 per cent in 2013, he said.

"We call on the IMF and the World Bank Group to develop a joint action plan to help enhance debt transparency and address debt sustainability in LICs, Hammond said.

"This should also include the promotion of sustainable lending and borrowing practices, improving the prioritisation and effectiveness of investment and supporting debt resolution mechanisms, in close coordination with the Paris Club, he said.

The rapid, strong increase in debt in developing countries and the lack of transparent, sustainable financing practices call for greater international coordination, said French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire.

"More specifically, this involves reinforcing the Paris Club's position as the principal international forum for restructuring official bilateral debt, and expanding its membership to emerging creditors, as well as establishing and implementing principles of transparency and sustainable financing by public- and private-sector stakeholders, he said.

Germany's Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said rising public debt, particularly in low income countries is a cause of concern.

"To prevent debt from becoming unsustainable, the IMF can and should play a key role in monitoring debt developments and providing advice and technical assistance to member countries on prudent debt policies and sound public financial management," he said.

To prevent unsustainable debt developments in LICs, Germany attaches great importance to improved debt transparency and fully supports the work by the IMF and the World Bank as well as by the Paris Club on this topic, he said.

"One step towards more debt transparency could be debt registries, improving the available information on loans made to LICs. This would also contribute to implementing the G20 Operational Guidelines for Sustainable Financing as endorsed in March 2017, Scholz said.

Henri-Marie Dondra, Finance Minister of Finance Central African Republic, who spoke on behalf of the African countries, extended his support for greater debt transparency, more effective modalities for debt restructuring, mutually beneficial and sustainable lending practices and helping LICs make inroads toward the SDGs.China growth: Slowdown concerns in US and China, due to the trade war between the two countries, have caused global investors to worry. (Image: Getty Images)

Asserting that it has always been and will continue to be a force for world peace, development and the international order, China today told the World Bank that it is ready to work with the rest of the international community to champion a vision for global governance.

"As a developing country, we will run our own business well, and on that basis, we are ready to work with the rest of the international community to champion a vision for global governance that features extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, and to firmly uphold multilateralism, support multilateral trade system and strive for shared development and progress, China's Vice Finance Minister Guangyao Zhu told the Development Committee meeting of the World Bank here.

The year 2018 marks the 40th anniversary of the reform and opening-up of China and Beijing has introduced a series of major new initiatives to seek further opening-up and deepen the reform, he said in his speech during the ongoing annual Spring Meeting of the IMF and the World Bank.

Addressing the 97th meeting of the Development Committee, Guangyao said the world economy is picking up and major economies are growing in sync for the first time since the global financial crisis.

"International trade and investment have bottomed out. A new cyclical upswing can be expected for the global economy," he said.

"Meanwhile, deep-seated problems in the world economy have yet to be fixed. Multiple risks and considerable uncertainties come in the form of anti-globalisation sentiments, unilateralism, protectionism in trade and investment, high debts, asset bubbles, slowing down of potential economic growth and total factor productivity growth, and escalation of international and regional tensions, the top Chinese official said.

Guangyao said the technological revolution is producing increased impacts on the pattern of global development and also proved more than ever to be a double-edged sword.

The international development cooperation has been seeing new positive developments but is still faced with a complex and tough situation.

To meet these challenges, to keep the growth momentum, and to turn the cyclical recovery into sustainable growth, we need concerted global efforts, he said.

Calling for increasing financial strengths for the achievement of the international goal of poverty reduction and development, he urged the international community to push forward the voice reform and promote the development of a more fair and rational global governance system.

Seeking to optimise operation policies and business models of the World Bank to strengthen its competitiveness in international development cooperation, the top Chinese official emphasised on the disaster risk management and gender equality and promote global inclusive growth.A retreat to inward-looking policies poses the greatest risk to global growth, the current president of the G-20 group of countries has said.

A meeting of Finance Ministers from G-20 countries, which was chaired by its current president Argentina, noted that growth is firming and that they are going back to levels of growth equivalent to the pre-crisis level.

"We are back to growth equivalent to the one that we had prior to the crisis of 2008 and 2009. Of course, downside risks remain, although contained," Nicolas Dujovne, Treasury Minister of Argentina, said here.

In the absence of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, India was represented by Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Garg.

"Most of the participants pointed to the most important risks being the retreat to inward-looking policies, the impact of monetary normalisation in terms of the impact on the international economy, and then the geopolitical risks," Dujovne said after the meeting of G-20 ministers.

Noting that G-20 member countries recognised the importance of the technological change in which they are in right now, he said the group had a very positive view on the outcome that this will have in terms of growth in the medium and longer-term.

"But, of course, this is also a challenge for our citizens which are facing this dramatic change in the way in which we produce, consume, communicate," he said.

Observing that there is a very broad agreement that the outcome will be positive, but the future needs to be shaped, the Argentinian finance minister said in order to shape the future, there are some policy options that G-20 can adopt to make the transition smoother to this new environment.

"So in that aspect, we discussed how taxes and transfers, competitive conditions, public expenditure, data collection, can help us to live with this transition," he said.

Some of the conclusions of this meeting would be produce as a concrete policy toolkit in their next meeting of Finance Ministers and Governors, he said.

According to Federico Sturzenegger, Central Bank governor of Argentina, G-20 has identified two main sources of concern: the retreat to inward-looking policies and monetary policy normalisation.

Noting that there was general appeal for multilateralism on the first issue, Sturzenegger said there is certainly the view that a lot of work still needs to be done.

For example, the issue of trade in services, which is to some extent a pending agenda, was emphasised again in this meeting, he said. The idea that the gains from trade have to be evenly shared is a concern that was placed both by advanced economies and emerging economies, he said.I wish you hadnt asked me that. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Retiring Republican Senator Bob Corker has vowed not to campaign against his friend, Democratic former governor Phil Bredesen, who is running to take over his seat in what promises to be an unusually competitive race in deep-red Tennessee this fall. Bredesen is likely to face Republican Marsha Blackburn, the kind of conservative firebrand who represents everything, temperamentally speaking at least, that Corker is not.

Corker has said hell stand by Blackburn. But his clearly mixed feelings about the race have left him in an awkward spot, which was brought into sharp relief in a rather painful exchange on CNNs State of the Union Sunday morning.

Sen. Corker on Tennessee Senate race: "I'm supporting the nominee... I don't know what else to say." #CNNSOTU https://t.co/0CgUb0wRou  State of the Union (@CNNSotu) April 22, 2018

CNNs Dana Bash asked Corker about a recent Washington Post story, which reported that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had warned Corker about consorting with the political enemy.

Corker defended himself. Ive sent the maximum contribution to the Republican nominee on our side  Ive said I plan to vote for this person, he said, pointedly not mentioning Blackburns name.

Bash asked Corker directly why Blackburn was preferable to Bredesen, at which point the senator reached for the lamest justification he could find.

Well, I think most people in our state  it is a red state  will focus on the first vote she makes, and thats the vote to elect the majority leader, and at the end of the day I think thats gonna be a big factor in the race.

Besides the tepidness of Corkers sentiments, Mitch McConnell is not exactly a beloved figure among the kind of Republicans who will vote for Marsha Blackburn.

Bash noted that Corkers response didnt exactly constitute a ringing endorsement.

Corker laughed uncomfortably. Im supporting the nominee, he said. Ive worked with the nominee for some time, and I dont know what else to say, he concluded.

That much is clear.A Kentucky trucker who transported dozens of undocumented immigrants from Laredo to San Antonio in a sweltering tractor-trailer, resulting in the deaths of 10 people, was sentenced Friday to two concurrent life sentences without parole.

The judge equated the actions of the driver, James Matthew Bradley Jr., to torture.

My heart goes out to the families who have lost loved ones, Bradley, 61, of Louisville, said in a jailhouse video statement his public defenders played in court. If I could turn back the hands of time, I would.  There is not a day or night that goes by that I dont relive that scene.  I am so sorry it happened.

Bradley pleaded guilty in October to two counts of conspiracy to transport undocumented immigrants for profit, resulting in death.

Last July, Bradley was found with 39 immigrants in his tractor trailer in the parking lot of a Walmart on San Antonios South Side. Eight were already dead when police arrived, two more died later at area hospitals and the rest were hospitalized for treatment of heat-related injuries, some so severe that they had to continue getting kidney dialysis months later.

Federal prosecutors played a portion of video taken by the body camera of San Antonio Police Officer Hector Ybarra, and it showed bodies on top of one another. Some were lifeless; others barely moved and moaned and groaned. One survivor stumbled as he tried to help his fellow immigrants  among them his brother who died.

Ybarra, one of the first to respond, and a federal agent testified Friday about the grisly scene, where urine, feces, vomit and blood flowed or stained the inside of the trailer. The stench was overwhelming.

Ybarra said he offered water to the people inside but could hear only moans and groans and  as he was trained  poured water on the back of survivors necks to help cool them down. He checked for pulses as he went farther into the trailer.

As I got to the (front) of the trailer, it was increasingly hot and humid, Ybarra testified. Along with all my gear, all (the) urine and feces and vomit, I ended up throwing up myself, twice.

Ybarra had to step out of the trailer to compose himself.

Survivors told investigators there may have been more than 70 migrants and up to 200 in the trailer at one point, though many left in passenger vehicles that followed the trailer into the Walmart parking lot after Bradley called the smugglers.

Homeland Security Investigations special agent Cory Downs choked back tears as he recounted what he saw and learned during the investigation. He said the immigrants were told that, as soon as Bradleys tractor-trailer left Laredo, the cooling system in the trailer would turn on. But it never did because it was broken, something Bradley knew, and those inside realized by the time the truck passed a checkpoint just north of Laredo.

Officials later confirmed that an X-ray machine at the Border Patrol checkpoint was not working the night Bradleys rig went through with its human cargo.

They tried to cut holes (in the trailer) with what they had  keys, a knife, a Leatherman, Downs testified. Someone tried to claw their way through (the trailers wall). There was blood everywhere.  You could tell they just shredded their hands, or whatever they used.

At one point, the migrants trapped inside began hallucinating that they thought they saw someone with an oxygen mask and started dogpiling, trying to get access to the air holes.

Bradleys lawyers argued that his lack of education left him vulnerable and that he was duped by professional smugglers. Bradley dropped out of school by sixth grade and learned to drive a commercial truck from truckers while he hitchhiked around the country, the defense lawyers said.

In his early 20s, he paid a $54 fee to get his license but was never required to take a test for it, one of his lawyers told Senior U.S. District Judge David Alan Ezra.

But prosecutor Christina Playton countered that Bradley knew what he was doing because, rather than call 911, he called an acquaintance and one of the smugglers in the chain. Court records show he was paid $5,600 by the smugglers.

Playton also played a videotape of investigators talking to Bradley, who claimed he did not know he was hauling immigrants.

Why would you get in a refrigerated trailer? Bradley said. Why would anybody put them in there? Its airtight.

Playton said despite his IQ of 69, Bradley chose to become a willing participant.

It was death, but not just death; it was extreme and inhumane suffering, Playton said.

Ezra rejected a request by Bradleys assistant public defenders, Alfredo Villarreal and Kim Stevens, for a sentence of 63 months. The judge found the appropriate recommended guideline range was 360 months to life in prison on each count.

The judge said ranchers dont even treat their livestock as horribly as Bradley did and that his human cargo suffered in unspeakable heat  that it could only be equated with torture.

The defendant was fully aware of the conditions in that trailer, Ezra said. He knew there was no cooling in trailer, and he provided them with no water. The result was predictable and tragic.

U.S. Attorney John Bash said afterward that the sentence should serve as a warning to other smugglers and to certain U.S. employers.

Im talking about businesses knowingly hiring hundreds of illegal aliens. You are creating the economic incentive to subject people to exploitation and death, Bash said. That needs to stop, and were going to be looking at it very closely to figure out how we can eliminate the incentive to bring illegal aliens, to smuggle them here in these conditions, by going after employers who are knowingly, and in violation of federal law, hiring unlawful aliens.

Shane Folden, special agent of Homeland Security Investigations in San Antonio, said that of the surviving immigrants, 15 were deported and 14 remain in deportation proceedings.

Besides Bradley, Pedro Silva Segura, 47, an undocumented immigrant who lived in Laredo, pleaded guilty in the case. He is set for sentencing in June. No one else has been charged.

Guillermo Contreras is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. Read more of his stories here. | gcontreras@express-news.net | @gmaninfedlandThe Art Association of Jacksonvilles 61st Beaux Arts Ball is less than a week away.

The event, which will be at 7 p.m. Saturday at the JHS Bowl, will transport patrons to the historic, colorful neighborhoods of Puerto Rico via its theme, The Streets of Old San Juan.

The ball is the associations primary fundraiser, with proceeds used to promote art appreciation and education for all ages at the David Strawn Art Gallery and to fund renovations and upkeep for the historic gallery building.

This years general co-chairs, Christine Grojean and Brittany Henry, chose the San Juan-inspired theme because they felt the vibrant culture, rich history and colorful landscape of the Puerto Rican city would serve as a beautiful setting. Set designer Judy Tighe used her artistic talents to depict the candy-colored brick buildings and blue cobblestone streets of the oldest settlement in Puerto Rico, dating back to the 16th century.

In the coming days, volunteers will transport and build the set inside the JHS Bowl, adding various pieces of furniture and decor in preparation for rehearsals throughout the week. In all, 23 kindergarten, eighth-grade and senior high school students will learn their blocking this week in anticipation of the coronation on Saturday, when 2017 Beaux Arts Ball Queen Kathrine Spencer Hackett will crown her successor.

Patron and general tickets for the ball can be purchased in advance at the Strawn office by calling 217-243-9390. Tickets also will be available at the door, prior to the coronation.

The traditional reception for participants will immediately follow the coronation at the Strawn gallery. Dancing at Jacksonville Country Club will follow the reception and continue until midnight. The band Everyday People will perform.

Patron tickets, which are $40, include admission to the coronation, reception and dance. General tickets, which are $10, include the coronation and reception. An interpreter for the hearing impaired will be available at the coronation.

Also among Saturday evenings activities, a Puerto Rican-themed dinner will be raffled off, with half of the proceeds to benefit Unidos por Puerto Rico (United for Puerto Rico), an initiative to provide food, shelter and healthcare to people and businesses ravaged in the fall by hurricanes Irma and Maria.The Bush family on Saturday. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images

More than 1,000 people, including four former presidents and a range of boldfaced political names, attended a private funeral Saturday afternoon for Barbara Bush, the widely respected former First Lady, who died on Tuesday at the age of 92.

More than 6,200 people attended a public viewing on Friday.

Barack and Michelle Obama, Bill and Hillary Clinton, and of course, Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, all gathered at St. Martins Episcopal Church in Houston  though not President Trump, who spent the morning raging at a New York Times reporter. He said he would watch the service; it is not usual practice for a sitting president to attend a First Ladys funeral because of security concerns.

George H.W. Bush, whose health is shaky, was wheeled into the service by George W. Bush. The 41st president and Barbara Bush, who had a storied romance, were married for 73 years. Eight of Bushs grandchildren served as pallbearers, wheeling her coffin out of the church.

During the eulogies, speakers remembered Barbara Bush for her abiding humor, sternness, and faith.

Former Florida governor and presidential candidate Jeb Bush joked about his mothers famously no-nonsense demeanor. She called her style a benevolent dictatorship, but honestly, it wasnt always benevolent, he said. He also recalled the life lessons she had taught him:

"The little things we learned became habits, and they led to bigger things like: be kind, always tell the truth, never disparage anyone, serve others," Jeb Bush remembers the lessons his mother imparted on her children https://t.co/lkZ4Rvxh2r  CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) April 21, 2018

Presidential historian Jon Meacham called Bush the First Lady of the greatest generation, and praised her humanity and loyalty to country over party.

Barbara Bush "was candid and comforting, steadfast and straightforward, honest and loving," historian Jon Meacham says in his tribute to the former first lady https://t.co/FjzVARUwjf https://t.co/90hquLmaS2  CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) April 21, 2018

Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush, George W. Bushs daughters, read passages from the Bible along with the other granddaughters of the former First Lady.

And Reverend Russell J. Levenson Jr., the rector of St. Martins and Bushs pastor, reflected on her plainspoken nature. What an interesting thing to be a confidant to a woman who has no secrets, he said. What you saw was what you got.Sinohydro deal has turned out to ...Do these glasses make me look corrupt? Photo: AFP Contributor/AFP/Getty Images

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, who still has a job, must now confront yet another unflattering story in the endless parade of unflattering stories that is his life of late.

Politico reported on Saturday that the lobbyist from whom Pruitt rented a below-market room during the first months of his tenure also had business with the EPA  a fact that Pruitt has strenuously denied.

According to a disclosure form put out on Friday by the lobbying firm Williams & Jensen, J. Steven Hart lobbied the agency on issues relating to support for EPA Chesapeake Bay Programs during the first quarter of 2017, the opening months of the Trump administration. It was during this time that Hart and his wife rented Pruitt a room in their Capitol Hill condominium for the low, low price of $50 a night.

Pruitt had told Fox News earlier this month that Hart has no clients that have business before this agency, a statement that now looks straightforwardly wrong.

Hours before the form was released on Friday, Hart resigned from the firm.

Even before word got out about the whole blatant conflict of interest thing, Pruitt was a comically troublesome tenant, overstaying his welcome so badly that the Harts had to change the locks to force him out.

The cut-rate apartment is but one of the many ethical hurricanes bearing down on Pruitt. Theres his $43,000 phone booth; his gigantic security detail; his sky-high travel costs; the fact that he seems to have lied about approving generous raises to two cronies; and more. Unbridled corruption is nothing new for Pruitt, as a New York Times report on his shady background in Oklahoma makes clear  but the national spotlight is.

And recently, even Republicans who have turned a blind eye to the Trump administration graft right in front of them have been turning on Pruitt. (Senator Lisa Murkowski: The administration has a decision to make on Pruitt. Senator Bill Cassidy: The ethical lapses associated with Scott Pruitt are troublesome.) While they still appreciate his climate-killing policy initiatives, some lawmakers are getting sick of his sloppiness. Pruitt now faces a plethora of investigations concerning his conduct, including from Congress, the White House, and the EPA inspector general.

With the Senate confirming fellow clean air foe Andrew Wheeler as EPA second-in-command last week, there is little chance of a major policy shift if Pruitt does get the boot, making it easier for legislators who want to keep up the appearance of propriety to go after him.

But President Trump has shown no sign that he wants to can Pruitt just yet, even endorsing him in a tweet two weeks ago. Until Trump gets to the point where he begins to believe that the EPA administrator is more trouble than hes worth  a moment that may arrive any day, knowing our capricious president  Pruitt is likely to remain, even as the list of his sins grows longer and longer.Associated Press Writer

The former chief internal watchdog at the FBI has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a 6-year-old girl and has admitted he had a history of molesting other children before he joined the bureau for a two-decade career.

John H. Conditt Jr., 53, who retired in 2001, was sentenced last Friday to 12 years in prison in Tarrant County court in Fort Worth, Texas, after he admitted he molested the daughter of two FBI agents after he retired. He acknowledged molesting at least two other girls before his law enforcement career, his lawyer said.

Conditt sought treatment for sex offenders after his arrest last year, said his attorney, Toby Goldsmith.

"The problem these people have is they don't really feel like it is their fault," Goldsmith said. "The treatment doesn't work unless you admit you are the one who instigated it, and he did that."

Conditt headed the internal affairs unit that investigates agent wrongdoing for the Office of Professional Responsibility at FBI headquarters in Washington from 1999 until his retirement in June 2001, the FBI said. He wrote articles in law enforcement journals on how police agencies could effectively investigate their own conduct.

FBI officials said Tuesday they had no information to suggest that Conditt had any problems during his career and he was never the subject of an investigation.

Goldsmith said he was concerned about the safety of his client in prison given that he is a former FBI agent and an admitted child molester. "He's not going to be comfortable in the penitentiary," the lawyer said.

Goldsmith said his client had admitted that he had molested at least two other girls before he became an FBI agent more than 30 years ago, but that there was no evidence of any wrongdoing while he served in the bureau.

"It seems that he never did because he had stricter control at that time," the lawyer said.

Conditt could have faced life in prison, and prosecutors requested he get 50 years. The judge sentenced him to 12 years in prison, in part citing Conditt's decision to spare the victim the trauma of a trial, Goldsmith said.

Conditt's conviction is the latest controversy to strike the FBI's Office of Professional Responsibility.

Last year, FBI Director Robert Mueller transferred the head of the office to another supervisory assignment outside Washington, three months after rebuking him for his conduct toward a whistleblower.

That whistleblower, John Roberts, alleged the FBI disciplinary office had a double standard that let supervisors off easier than line agents.

Those allegations prompted investigations by Congress and the Justice Department inspector general. The latter concluded there was no systematic favoritism of senior managers over rank-and-file employees but there was a double standard in some cases involving crude sexual jokes and remarks.The owner of a Houston oilfield contractor once married to a sister-in-law of President Bush faces a drug possession charge after a young woman died of a cocaine overdose taken at his townhouse.

Robert Pace Andrews, 52, is charged with felony possession of a controlled substance. If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to two years in state jail.

Andrews was in Beijing on business and has not been arrested, his attorney told the Houston Chronicle for a story in Sunday's editions.

Andrews owns Houston-based oil industry contractor Andrews Technologies Inc. His former wife, Maria Bush, is now married to Neil Bush, brother of President George W. Bush and son of former President George H.W. Bush.

In 2003, Andrews sued Neil Bush's former wife, Sharon Bush, for slander for allegedly suggesting that Andrews' youngest son was Neil Bush's biological son. Sharon Bush denied the allegation, and DNA tests proved the boy was Andrews' son.

According to police records, Andrews called 911 on Nov. 2 to report a young woman had lost consciousness after taking cocaine at his west Houston townhouse. The woman, 19-year-old nightclub dancer Jessica Lynn Cloud, died on Nov. 3 at Memorial Hermann Northwest Hospital. After an autopsy, her death was ruled an accident.

According to court documents, Andrews allowed police to search his townhouse. they found a spoon that tested positive for traces of cocaine, according to a criminal complaint. Andrews was charged on Feb. 22.

Dee McWilliams, Andrews' criminal defense attorney, told the Chronicle that he was "cautiously optimistic" that the criminal case will be resolved swiftly.

Meanwhile, Geneva Cloud has notified Andrews that she will seek more than $1 million in damages for her daughter's death, said John Spalding, Andrews' civil defense attorney. No money has been paid so far, Spalding said.

___

Information from: Houston Chronicle, http://www.houstonchronicle.comA Waffle House in North Carolina. Photo: Jim Stratford/Bloomberg via Getty Images

A gunman armed with an AR-15 and wearing only a jacket opened fire at a Waffle House restaurant near Nashville early Sunday morning, killing four people, all in their 20s, and injuring four others.

Police have identified 29-year-old Travis Reinking of Morton, Illinois, as the gunman. Reinking fled the scene on foot, shedding his jacket in the process, and later putting on pants.

A man believed to be Travis Reinking was last seen in a wood line near Discovery at Mountain View Apts. on Mountain Springs Dr. near the Waffle House. The man was seen wearing black pants and no shirt.  Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) April 22, 2018

The suspect remains on the run from authorities, and has been added to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations Top 10 Most Wanted list. Police said he may be in possession of two more guns.

Reinking has a history with law enforcement. He was arrested by Secret Service agents for being in a restricted area near the White House in July 2017. After that incident, authorities seized four of his guns, including the AR-15 used in Sundays shooting, and revoked his Illinois gun license. But Reinkings father said he had given the guns back to his son. Police who searched his apartment could not locate all of the firearms, leading them to believe that he may still be armed.

Police said that Reinking sat in his truck for several minutes before opening fire in the Waffle House parking lot, injuring two people, then entering the 24-hour establishment in Antioch, Tennessee, with an assault-style rifle and shooting. Three people were killed at the scene, and another died in a nearby hospital. Police identified the victims as Joe R. Perez, 20, Taurean C. Sanderlin, 29, Akilah DaSilva, 23, and DeEbony Groves, 21.

HE HAS A NAME: 20 year old, Joe Perez was a victim of a mass shooting at a Waffle House in Tennessee.



He was a customer at the Waffle House and was killed outside in the parking lot. pic.twitter.com/gR3mNJYm20  Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) April 23, 2018

HE HAS A NAME: 29 year old, Taurean Sanderlin was a victim of a mass shooting at a Waffle House in Tennessee.



He was a cook at the Waffle House. pic.twitter.com/t7a2hiqX1i  Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) April 23, 2018

HE HAS A NAME: 23 year old, Akilah Dasilva was a victim of a mass shooting at a Waffle House in Tennessee.



He was a lover of music and supported local artists by making music videos. He worked at a local AT&T store. pic.twitter.com/9NTRb8jOFc  Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) April 23, 2018

SHE HAS A NAME: 21 year old, DeEbony Groves was a victim of a mass shooting at a Waffle House in Tennessee.



She was a student at Belmont University and a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority. pic.twitter.com/BvoZ3IaZZt  Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) April 23, 2018

The gunmans rampage ended when a patron wrested away his gun.

That man, 29-year-old James Shaw Jr., rushed the shooter and managed to toss the suspects rifle over a counter.

When he came in, I distinctively remember thinking that he is going to have to work for this kill, Shaw said. I had a chance to stop him and, thankfully, I stopped him.

James Shaw on tackling Waffle House shooter: "I'm pretty sure he grazed my arm. And it was at that time that I kind of made up my mind...that if it was going to come down to it, he was gonna have to work to kill me." https://t.co/7dVkZl5D7E pic.twitter.com/RrGgL7KJEv  Fox News (@FoxNews) April 22, 2018

This is 29 year old James Shaw. He tackled and disarmed the suspected white supremacist terrorist Travis Reinking who shot up a Waffle House in Antioch Tn. This is a real American hero. He saved many lives pic.twitter.com/nrEULqh89O  Tariq Nasheed  (@tariqnasheed) April 22, 2018

In the aftermath of the shooting, Nashvilles mayor pleaded for new gun laws.We were sad to hear about the death of former Midlander Barbara Bush. Our condolences go out to the family and those who knew the matriarch of arguably the greatest political dynasty in our nations history.

Our memories of the former first lady werent just about politics, but as a wife, mother, grandmother and someone who made an impact in our community and country.

We hope those who had their political issues with Barbara Bush or any of the Bush family give the rest of us a break over the next few days. Now is not the time for someones snarky comments driven by political bias, including those who didnt agree with her views of the current president.

RELATED: George and Barbara Bush, a 'storybook' 73-year marriage

Just because you have the right to say or post anything you want, doesnt mean it is the right thing to do.

Midland always will have a special place for the Bush family. We have the elementary school named for former President George H.W. Bush and, of course, the Bush family home.

On Wednesday, the home released the following concerning Barbara Bushs death.

The former First Lady exemplified the values that so many Midlanders cherish. Mrs. Bush was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and community servant. She worked tirelessly to serve Midland in the 1950s by working with many organizations teaching Sunday school, volunteering at Midland Memorial Hospital, raising money for the Community Theater, YMCA and Midland Symphony. She was also involved with other organizations including Cub Scouts and the Midland Womens Club (now Junior League). Later on, she worked with groups devoted to learning more about dyslexia, leukemia and other medical issues. Her greatest love was promoting family literacy, a cause with which she has been in the forefront for several decades.

RELATED: Bush family releases details on Barbara Bush's funeral, public visitation

The United States of America has lost a woman who exemplified in every way, the character of its greatest generation, the values that so many Midlanders hold dear. Mrs. Bush is a national treasure, and the goal of the George W. Bush Childhood Home is to preserve her legacy, and the legacy of her family, for the benefit of generations to come. We will continue to celebrate her life by telling her remarkable story and that of her family.

We hope those who want to celebrate Barbara Bushs life will consider making a donation to the literacy program at the Bush Childhood Home or donate books to the Laura Bush Bookshelves, which contain the many books the home freely gives as gifts to children who visit the presidential site.

We agree with childhood home officials that a donation would honor Barbara Bushs relentless determination to establish literacy as a value in every home.

***

George W. Bush Childhood Home

1412 W. Ohio Ave.

685-1112

Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; 2-5 p.m. Sunday

bushchildhoodhome.orgH John Voorhees III / Hearst Connecticut Media

BETHEL  A Bethel Girl Scout will be recognized for her courage at an award ceremony next month.

Danielle Wildman, a Bethel resident and senior at Nonnewaug High School, will earn the Courage, Confidence, and Character Award at the Scouts 25th annual Woman of Merit event from 5:30 to 9 p.m. June 13 at the Hyatt Regency in Greenwich.Months before the man suspected of killing four people at a Waffle House in Tennessee on Sunday became the target of a manhunt, authorities arrested him for trying to breach a barrier near the White House and later seized his guns.

Among the four weapons they took from Travis Reinking was an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle that police say he used at the Waffle House on Sunday. Two of the other weapons - a long gun and a handgun - are missing from Reinking's apartment, and as of Sunday evening, Reinking was still at large.

Reinking, 29, was trying to meet President Trump when he attempted to cross a security barrier at the White House complex in July, federal authorities said. After an investigation by the FBI office in Springfield, Ill. - near where Reinking lived at the time - state and local officials confiscated Reinking's guns and revoked his firearm license.

The guns, however, were later returned to Reinking's father, who has acknowledged that he gave them back to his son, officials said.

Under Illinois law, certain confiscated guns can be released to a family member, but Reinking could not lawfully possess the weapons in that state. It's unclear whether possessing the weapons was illegal in Tennessee.

A woman who answered at a number registered to Reinking's relatives in Morton, Ill., said, "We have no comment."

Authorities say the gunman, wearing nothing but a green jacket, opened fire at the Waffle House restaurant in Antioch, Tennessee, a community in Nashville, just before 3:30 a.m. He had been sitting in his pickup truck at the Waffle House for a few minutes, looking around, before he got out and immediately began shooting at customers in the parking lot, police spokesman Don Aaron said.

The man kept shooting as he walked inside, shattering the restaurant's glass windows. At one point, he stopped, presumably to reload. That's when police say a customer, James Shaw Jr., lunged at the gunman, wrestled the weapon away from him and tossed it over the counter.

Among the victims was 29-year-old Taurean C. Sanderlin of Goodlettsville, Tennessee, a restaurant employee who was fatally shot while standing outside.

The others killed were customers: Joe R. Perez, 20, of Nashville; Deebony Groves, 21, of Gallatin, Tennessee; and Akilah Dasilva, 23, of Antioch.

Two others - Shanita Waggoner, 21, of Nashville, and Sharita Henderson, 24, of Antioch - remain in critical condition at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, police said.

TriStar Southern Hills Medical Center treated and released two people with minor injuries from the shooting, hospital spokeswoman Katie Radel said.

Officials hailed Shaw's actions, which they said probably saved many people's lives. His elbow was grazed by a bullet during the shooting, and he was treated at a hospital.

"You're a hero. You're my hero. . . . We're forever in your debt," Walt Ehmer, Waffle House's president and chief executive, told Shaw at a news conference Sunday afternoon.

Shaw said he doesn't see himself as a hero.

"I want people to know that I did that completely out of a selfish act," he said. "I was completely doing it just to save myself. . . . I did save other people, but I don't want people to think that I was the Terminator or Superman or anybody like that."

He said the rifle's barrel was still hot when he grabbed the weapon away from the gunman.

"You have to reach or you're going to fold. . . . That's all I wanted to do, I just wanted to live," a teary Shaw told reporters.

The gunman fled the scene, cursing, Shaw said. Police said he took off the only article of clothing he was wearing less than a block from the restaurant. Two magazines were found in the jacket's pockets.

"He clearly came armed with a lot of firepower intended to devastate the south Nashville area," Aaron said.

Investigators believe Reinking went to his apartment, located less than a mile from the Waffle House, and put on a pair of pants before fleeing again. He was last seen in a wooded area near the apartment complex wearing only black pants, Aaron said.

The shooting rattled the working-class neighborhood in Antioch, where a masked gunman opened fire at a church last year, killing a woman and wounding several other people. Emanuel K. Samson, 26, was arrested in that shooting.

It also comes at a time of intensified debate over guns and a swirling controversy about the AR-15, a type of weapon used in several mass shootings recently and dubbed "America's rifle" by the National Rifle Association.

As the frantic search for Reinking continued Sunday, law enforcement and local leaders are, again, confronted with questions about gun control and people's right to own guns.

"You balance the rights of people to have this privacy, but on the other hand, there needs to be a coordinated effort, especially in terms of mental health issues, to make sure that weapons don't fall into their hands," Metro Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson told reporters at a news conference Sunday, adding that police suspect mental issues may have played a role in the Waffle House shooting, although the motive remains unknown.

"He's murdered four times with no apparent reason and no apparent motive," Anderson said. "So we're very concerned."

Nashville Mayor David Briley, D, seized on the moment to renew calls for stricter gun laws.

"For a moment, let's be honest about what happened. Last night, innocent Nashvillians were terrorized by a man with an AR-15. Let's be honest. Some people see these weapons as having a purpose of terrorizing other people. It's happening too much," Briley said.

Police said Reinking, who previously lived in Morton, Illinois, moved to the area last fall and worked in the construction industry. Aaron said he was fired from a job about three weeks ago and was later hired by another employer. Reinking had not been to work since Monday, Aaron said.

Months earlier, he had been charged in the D.C. Superior Court with unlawful entry, a misdemeanor, according to officials. They said he did not make any threats, and there was not much evidence at the time that he posed a danger to the public.

On July 26, Reinking entered into a deferred-prosecution agreement with the U.S. attorney's office. He was ordered to perform 32 hours of community service and to stay away from the White House for four months. The case against him was dismissed in November after Reinking met the conditions of the agreement.

By Sunday afternoon, the usually quiet and sleepy gated apartment community where Reinking lives was filled with nearly two dozen police cars, SWAT vans and other emergency vehicles.

Resident Dion Jones, who lives one building away from Reinking, said he never encountered him. He and his wife have lived at Discovery Mountain View apartments for nearly two years, he said.

"Everyone comes and goes at different times, and we just kind of keep to ourselves," he said. "I specifically picked this apartment out of all the ones in Nashville because it was gated and seemed quiet."

Jones, a regular at the nearby Waffle House, said he is worried for the employees whom he befriended on late-night trips there.

Other residents remain on edge.

"I just don't even know what to say, because it's like these shootings happen all the time," said Alexis Reid, 34, who was shopping across the street from the Waffle House on Sunday afternoon. "But one in your area, at a restaurant you've ate at, is a different thing."

Phillip Simmons, 46, who was visiting his son who lives in town, said he's disturbed by the thought of a loose gunman wandering around.

"I've got kids in the area, and the thought that they could have been there, and the fact that the cops haven't found this guy who is armed . . . I don't even know how to deal with it," he said. "What can I do? What can anyone do about this stuff?"

---

Sarah Grace Taylor in Antioch, Tenn., and Devlin Barrett in Washington contributed to this story.Editors note: This is the first in a series of 50 stories this year that will highlight Greater New Haven.

Telephone communications wouldnt be what they are today if it werent for a man named George Willard Coy.

Coy, who lived in Milford and worked in New Haven, is known as the inventor of the first commercial telephone exchange.

RELATED: SEE MORE FROM OUR TOP 50 PROJECT

It might be hard to imagine, but before Coys invention, phone calls were made person-to-person between two units  usually one at home and one at the office. But a switchboard allowed anyone with a telephone to connect with anyone else with a telephone within the same exchange. Coys switchboard was the first such invention in the world.

How it all began

The year was 1877. Alexander Graham Bell came to New Haven that April to demonstrate the telephone, which he had invented the prior year. He was speaking to a small crowd at Skiffs Opera House, and a disabled Civil War veteran who worked as a manager of the local Atlantic and Pacific Telegraph Co. was in the audience.

That man was George Coy. Inspired by Bells talk and demonstration of a phone call between Middletown and New Haven that ended up in an unintentional three-way call with a man in Hartford, Coy started researching the commercial application of telephones. He suffered a small setback when he learned a local Western Union manager had secured the rights to a New Haven Bell franchise and was already building lines.

This was a disappointment, but while forced to relinquish his plans, the project still absorbed his thoughts, and he never lost his enthusiasm for it, according to an interview with Coy run in the Telephone Bulletin in 1911.

When Coy found out the Western Union manager backed out of the franchise deal, Coy quickly jumped in and applied for his own Bell franchise. Thanks to the backing of partners Walter Lewis and Herrick Frost, the franchise was granted on Nov. 3, 1877.

As part of the franchise, Coy would make 15 percent on all leased telephones and 10 percent on all call bells leased or sold, according to a letter from a Bell Co. attorney saved in the telephone companys files housed in the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center at the University of Connecticut Library.

Competition way before Apple and Samsung

Coy had difficulty in securing outside help and even those interested in the invention rather discouraged his exchange as being too complicated,  according to the Telephone Bulletin article.

He at once found that he could not depend upon other than his own efforts and initiative to make progress, the article said.

There was also a dispute between Coy and Thomas Doolittle, of Bridgeport, over who should be allowed to do business in the Naugatuck River Valley, which Coy described as the cream of this county.

Once Doolittle agreed to give the Valley to Coy, Coy sent a letter back, saying, I shall take especial pains to help Doolittle if he wants any advice from me about running wires, etc.

While working out the details for his new venture, Coy was getting pressured by the telegraph bureau that employed him, saying he should stay away from the telephone business or he would lose his job there.

I am ready to push this telephone business and must decide very quickly what I will do, Coy wrote on Dec. 25, 1877, in a letter to a Bell Co. attorney.

A week later, Coy resigned from Atlantic and Pacific.

The District Telephone Co. was founded on Jan. 15, 1878, and on Jan. 28, it was ready to open for business in a small, rented office in the Boardman Building at the corner of Chapel and State streets in New Haven. Coy served as secretary and superintendent of the company.

Before circuit boards: The first switchboard

The first switchboard was built according to Coys design  3 feet wide and 2 feet high with 24 wires connected to three clock dials. It was assembled with a mix of teapot lid handles, millinery wire from hats, ladies bustle wire and carriage bolts. Galvanized iron wires were run on trees and house tops on a grounded circuit.

In the beginning, they used the cheapest materials because they just couldnt afford anything else, said Laura Smith, archivist at the Dodd Center, where a majority of the telephone companys historical documents reside. They just didnt have enough money to build the company.

Frost had advanced $600, and the three men started the company with a capital of only $5,000.

All the furnishings of the office, including the switchboard, were worth less than $40, an article on the Milford Hall of Fame website says.

When the exchange went live, there were 21 subscribers at $1.50 per month. By Feb. 1, 1878, when the first telephone directory in the world was published, in New Haven, there were 50 subscribers. Among them were 11 homes, three physicians, two dentists, four meat and fish markets, the police, the Post Office and the Register Publishing Co.

The New Haven Flour Co., New Haven Folding Chair Co. and the American Tea Co. were among the first stores to sign up for the exchange, according to the one-sheet directory now housed at the Dodd Center. Coy, Frost and Lewis were among the 11 whose private homes connected to the exchange, in addition to the Rev. John E. Todd, the first person listed on the one-page directory.

A long way to global calling

Still it was limited as only two conversations could be handled simultaneously and six connections had to be made for every call, according to the Milford Hall of Fame website.

The bottom of the directory noted that calls could only be made between 6 a.m. and 2 a.m., but after March 1 that year, the office was expected to be open all night.

The first telephones used were of the wooden case type, and used alternately as a receiver and transmitter, according to the Telephone Bulletin article where Coy was interviewed. The necessity for the subscriber to shift the receiver from ear to lips, and vice versa, made the conducting of the conversation an absorbing occupation.

At first, boy operators handled all calls at the switchboard. However, people complained about their rudeness, so eventually women were hired to handle all calls, according to a 1998 article in the New York Times. It was unusual for a business to employ women at that time, but by 1908, the company  now known as Southern New England Telephone  had opened the first operators school in the country for women.

Telephones increase in popularity

Customers continued to sign up for telephones. In 1886, there were 1,165 telephones in New Haven, and about 5,600 in total in Connecticut, according to an unsigned 1947 company letter in the SNET collection at the Dodd Center. By 1947, there were 600,000 telephones in the state  80,884 of them in New Haven, the letter said.

The principle was that the value of the service to subscribers increased as the number of subscribers increased, the letter said, adding that when the butcher, the baker and personal friends all had telephones, the average resident felt the need to have one, too.

The 1947 company letter also speculated that due to the demand in service, mobile telephone service, enabling people to telephone from automobiles, will be in operation soon.

Another 30 years went by before that happened.

Several decades after Coys invention, there were records questioning who had actually created the first commercial switchboard.

He was not given credit at the very beginning, Smith at the Dodd Center said. He himself had to prove that he did it.

Coy wrote letters providing drawings and descriptions of his idea, asserting that he did, in fact, invent it before anyone else.

Prior to 1877 there had been, according to Mr. Coy, no successful attempt to bring subscribers lines into touch with each other through a central agency, for commercial purposes, making it possible for any business house, officer or residence to call and be called from every other station connected to the system, according to the Telephone Bulletin article.

Many others who claimed to be first had simply operated private telephone lines, which were later connected to central offices and turned into exchange systems, Coy told the reporter for the article.

Coy eventually was credited with the honor of being first. But other companies across the country were quickly catching on and catching up, building their own telephone systems. In 1880, the National Telephone Exchange Association was formed and held its first meeting in Niagara Falls, New York, to ensure that all technologies developed across the country would be compatible with each other.

Coy moves on

Coy sold his shares and left the telephone company after just a few years and instead started working in telephone affairs in New York City, his Milford Hall of Fame biography says. Phone company records also say he worked in Baltimore in the 1880s.

Coy used the money from his shares to buy a large house on Broad Street in Milford, where he lived until the last years of his life. He died Jan. 23, 1915, at the Soldiers Home in Chelsea, Mass. His death certificate lists his occupation as a retired electrician. Coy is buried in Milford Cemetery, in a family grave where his wife and three children were later buried, as well.

The business of talking booms

The District Telephone Co. of New Haven became the Connecticut Telephone Co. in May 1880, when it received rights to serve all of Connecticut and Western Massachusetts. It later became the District Telephone and Automatic Signal Co.

In 1882, it merged with the Interstate Telephone Co. of New York to form Southern New England Telephone, which became a subsidiary of SBC Communications of San Antonio in 1998. SBC acquired AT&T and took that companys name. It later sold its Connecticut lines to Frontier Communications.

In 1998, when SBC Communications took over and moved communications headquarters to San Antonio, a large collection of the SNET history, including all the details about the first switchboard and telephone directory, were donated to the Dodd Research Center, which has the largest business collection in the state. Along with the donation was a substantial grant to help organize and preserve the records.

SNET was very proud of its history, said Smith, at the Dodd Center.

When the records were first donated in 1998, another librarian at the Dodd Center told the New York Times the same thing, adding that they kept things other companies wouldnt keep.

There was a concern that all this information not be lost, because of the personal pride they have in what they accomplished, William J. Uricchio told the Times. It is important for people to realize that Connecticut has long been a leader in communications.

The first telephone booth was invented in Bridgeport by Thomas Doolittle in 1878  the same man Coy had promised to help after a turf war about the Valley. The first coin-operated public telephone was installed in Hartford in 1889, according to a 2016 article in Time Magazine.

Doolittle also developed telephone lines using hard, drawn copper wire for better transmissions, similar to copper wire used in modern telephone lines, according to the New York Times.

The Boardman Building

While the early telephone company records are preserved from 140 years ago, the same cant be said for the building where those first phone calls were exchanged.

The Boardman Building was made a National History Landmark on Jan. 29, 1964, then known as the Metropolitan Building, according to the National Park Service . The designation was withdrawn in 1973, when the New Haven Redevelopment Agency got approval and funding to tear it down and turn the space into a parking garage.

George Willard Coy and the building where the first commercial switchboard was used may be long gone, but they are not completely forgotten.

Last fall, A Broken Umbrella Theatre company in New Haven performed its 11th original work called The Exchange, inspired by Coy and his invention. That project, performed during the City-Wide Open Studios in October, started with a mobile storytelling station, where people in retirement communities throughout the region shared personal stories about the telephone. The stories became the inspiration for the final production, according to the theater companys website.

The Milford Historical Society also included Coy in an exhibit featuring Milford notables in summer 2015, where he was said to be an inventor who changed the world.

Today, there are telephones not just in every home, business and public building, but in almost everyones pocket across the country.

In fact, the number of cellphones used in the United States exceeded the countrys population back in 2011, with 327.6 million phones in use compared to a population of 315 million, including Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, according to the Washington Post .

By 2016, more than half of U.S. homes only had cellphone service and had given up their landlines, according to a study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

Today, there are an estimated 7.2 billion mobile devices used in the world  and about 328 billion of them are used in the United States.WEST HAVEN  Nicks Luncheonette, the popular local favorite breakfast and lunch joint that is being displaced from its First Avenue home by the proposed The Haven upscale outlet mall, is now all set to move to a new location in the former Pizza Hut at 249 Saw Mill Road, its owner said.

But it will be two or three months after Nicks closes at the end of business Wednesday before it will be ready to reopen in the new location, said owner Nick Milas.

I wish I could stay here, but thats not possible, said Milas, who, with his wife, Irene, has grown Nicks over the past 26 years into one of West Havens favorite affordable breakfast and lunch spots.

He sold his property at 423 First Ave. to the developers proposing The Haven just over two years ago and has been continuing in the location on a month-to-month lease since then.

Nicks, which currently employs five people, originally was to have been out by Dec. 31. The Haven Group LLC has extended the date several times since then, due in part to requests from Mayor Nancy Rossis office.

Work has yet to begin on The Haven.

According to Milas, the new location  which will require some renovation before Nicks can move in  is going to be a little bit bigger, but will be pretty much the same thing as the current restaurant.

He expects that the new restaurant probably will require additional employees.

At Nicks on Friday, patrons were sorry to think of the place closing in its longtime spot but said theyll follow Milas when he moves.

Mark Sayers of Beach Street in West Haven said he has been a Nicks regular, mostly for breakfast  although he was eating lunch there on Friday  for 20 years. He expects to follow Milas to the new location and continue being a regular when Nicks opens on Sawmill Road.

Its quick, its fast and its tasty, said Sayers, who was eating lunch at Nicks counter early Friday afternoon. When youre going to work, you can get in and out in a hurry, he said.

But while he hates to see Nicks close in its current spot, Sayers said hes looking forward to seeing something finally happen with The Haven, which has taken years to get off the ground  and which many West Haveners still dont believe is coming.

He thinks The Haven will be good for West Haven.

Its difficult for me, Sayers said. I own property on the beach. I want the mall so his property value will go up.

All these houses are run-down, he said of the homes along First Avenue and its cross streets, many of which are currently boarded-up as The Haven prepares to move forward.

Also at the counter, Ken Phelan, a construction supervisor from Bridgeport who has been doing work in West Haven for the past year, also said hed follow Nicks to the new spot when it reopens.

Its quick and close, reasonable and it has good food, Phelan said.

The Milases have run Nicks for almost as long as the 32 years theyve been married, and their children, all grown now, pretty much grew up in the place.

The Haven Group Executive Vice President Matt Armstrong told the Register last month that The Haven upscale outlet mall project is alive and well, although it took longer than expected to complete the site acquisition.

Armstrong also said that the transfer of the city-owned Bayview Park  which was developed in part with federal funds and needed federal approval to be sold for development  also has taken longer than expected, but should soon be resolved.

The company has been working toward a particular leasing target and work is likely to begin once that threshold is reached, Armstrong has said.

Armstrong previously told the City Council that The Haven will be the only direct-waterfront, luxury retail center in the country, with 60 stores, seven restaurants and a public waterfront promenade.

It would pay $2 million in annual property tax and create more than $15 million in incremental sales tax for the state, he said.

The Haven would provide 800 full-time and 400 part-time jobs, plus 800 construction jobs using all Connecticut-based contractors, he said. The developers have spent $15 million to date, he said.

Developers Sheldon Gordon, who has since passed away, and Ty Miller proposed to build the waterfront development project in two phases. Miller is proceeding with the project despite Gordons death.

The first phase, proposed for an area along what is now Water Street south of Elm Street where the mouth of the West River widens into New Haven Harbor, would be 230,000-250,000 square feet with a waterfront promenade, open-air amphitheater and boat-launch ramp for non-motorized watercraft.

mark.zaretsky@hearstmediact.comAt least hes not brandishing his big nuclear button. Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

President Trump, during an otherwise routine Sunday morning Twitter attack, seemed to indicate that he does not fully understand what has been happening during negotiations between the U.S. and North Korea ahead of the summit he has agreed to have with Kim Jong-un. Going after Sleepy Eyes Chuck Todd of Fake News NBC for saying that the U.S. has already given up a lot in exchange for nothing from North Korea, Trump asserted that North Korea has agreed to denuclearization (so great for World), site closure, and no more [nuclear] testing!

Photo: Screencap/Twitter

We are a long way from conclusion on North Korea, he continued. Maybe things will work out, and maybe they wont  only time will tell . But the work I am doing now should have been done a long time ago!

While North Korean state media announced on Friday that the country was halting its testing of nuclear weapons and closing a site where those tests had been conducted, it insisted it was doing so because it had already achieved its goal of successfully developing nuclear weapons. Also, while U.S. officials have said that Kim Jong-un has agreed to discuss the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, that is no commitment to actually abandon its nuclear weapons program. North Koreas well-established dishonesty in diplomatic matters should also prevent any U.S. president from taking such assurances seriously  unless that president likes to boast.

Photo: Screencap/Twitter

Bob Corker, the Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said on Sunday that North Koreas announcement about halting tests was just a public relations move, that it has not committed to denuclearize, and it could easily reverse itself on such a statement if it had.

Trump also said on Sunday that the U.S. has given up nothing in exchange for North Koreas promises. Many analysts disagree about that, arguing that by agreeing to the summit in the first place, Trump has already given Kim the legitimization and respect he most wanted.

Its undoubtedly a good thing that Kim Jong-un and Trump are no longer taunting each other about nuclear button-pushing. Its also possible that the president has been paying attention in his briefings, does understand what North Korea has and hasnt committed to, and is just saying whatever he wants in order to attack a journalist on Twitter. But the presidents foreign policy tweets need to be taken seriously. We learned last week that one of his Fox & Friends-inspired tweets eventually led to missile strikes on Syria.

If President Trumps tweets dictate policy and military action, it would probably be best if North Korean propaganda didnt influence what those tweets say.San Antonio Police are currently investigating the shooting death of a 20-year-old man on the East Side Saturday night.

Sergeant Patrick Kelly said police are not currently looking for suspects as they believe the fatal gunshot wound may have been self-inflicted.An argument between neighbors escalated into a brawl that left one woman injured by a knife Saturday afternoon, San Antonio police say.

Sergeant Tim O'Connell said three residents from a home on the 1100 block of W. Gramercy Place went to a neighboring residence around 5:10 p.m. to recover property that was being held there.

RELATED: Heated argument results in fatal gunfight near Palo Alto College

O'Connell said that's when an argument started outside the home. A person within that group trying to recover the property then brandished a knife, according to O'Connell. A fight then ensued and at some point, the fight having moved inside the neighboring residence, a woman was stabbed by the knife.

The victim was transported to University Hospital in unknown condition but is believed to be non-critical, O'Connell said.

Police are still processing the scene, but said they believe the group trying to recover the property started the fight.

Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com

O'Connell said the three individuals they believe are responsible for the fight may face aggravated assault and assault charges.

Police did not say what the property was that the group of people were trying to recover. No other injuries were reported.

aluna@express-news.netSan Antonio Police believe high speed was a factor in the death of a man ejected from his vehicle after it rolled over during an accident on a Northwest Side neighborhood street early Saturday.

Flint Ellies, 46, was traveling south on the 6400 block of Timberhill Drive around 2:40 a.m. when his vehicle slide into the oncoming traffic lane, according to police.Imagine yourself in 2050, the first year in which not a single person in America has died in a traffic crash. If you have trouble picturing this reality, youre not alone. More than 100 people are killed every day on our roadways  a staggering number, but one we have come to accept as the price of mobility.

Here in San Antonio, fatalities have increased for drivers, bikers and pedestrians since 2014. Safety advocates gathering at the annual Lifesavers Conference here recently are all too familiar with the deadly trends. While we drive safer cars and know what causes crashes, we are still trending in the wrong direction  a 14 percent increase in fatalities over the last three years nationwide when it comes to motor vehicle deaths. In the state of Texas, not a single day has gone by since November 7, 2000, without a roadway fatality.

Its time for our acceptance of these deaths to stop.

The Road to Zero Coalition formed in 2016 with a vision of eliminating roadway fatalities by 2050. The coalition follows in the footsteps of Towards Zero Deaths and Vision Zero programs, such as the one here in San Antonio.

Working in concert with road safety researchers and experts, the 675 member strong coalition has identified obstacles and opportunities toward zero roadway fatalities. The just-released Road to Zero report outlines three major actions needed to get us to zero: doubling down on what works, accelerating promising technology, and prioritizing safety through culture change and a safe system approach.

It will take all three to get us to arrive at a future where zero is the norm.

Doubling down on what works begins with refocusing on successful traffic safety strategies that address familiar hazards such as speed, impairment and distraction, but also renewing our commitment to key safety habits such as wearing seat belts and reducing speeding. To date, tens of thousands of lives have been saved through these measures. Doubling down on proven countermeasures is an obvious step, but the reality is that we have a patchwork system across the U.S. and an inconsistent application of best practices.

Accelerating technology can help drivers avoid dangerous mistakes and assist with safe vehicle operation. We know existing technologies such as forward collision warning, lane departure warning, and blind spot monitoring can save upward of 10,000 lives per year, according to research from Carnegie Mellon University. We dont have to wait decades for fully-automated vehicles to penetrate the fleet  we must embrace the life-saving technology available today.

Finally, it will take a societal shift to not only expect safe roads, but also to demand them. We trail our international counterparts in addressing road safety, even as we expect 100 percent safe operations in aviation, marine, rail and transit. We know humans will make mistakes, but by improving the safety of the overall system, those fatal mistakes can become less likely.

In urban areas, this may mean slowing down traffic and changing roadway design to protect our most vulnerable road users. For rural settings, which have higher per capita deaths, improved crash notifications and access to trauma centers can reduce fatalities.

Despite the drumbeat of deaths and injuries on a daily basis, this is a public health crisis that is largely ignored  the cultural Novocain must wear off.

Every roadway death is preventable, and more than 100 deaths a day should make us outraged. As our children walk to school or we commute to work, safety should be a given. Zero roadway deaths for every family, neighborhood and community is within reach if we make a concerted effort to prioritize safety.

A sense of urgency, leadership and commitment must be applied in San Antonio, across the state of Texas and nationwide to ensure that everyone arrives home safely.

Deborah A.P. Hersman is the president and CEO of the National Safety Council, and chair of the Road to Zero Coalition, which aims to eliminate roadway fatalities by 2050. She spoke to the Lifesavers Conference in San Antonio on Sunday.In 2017, the Texas Legislature passed House Bill 2223 mandating that all higher education institutions develop and implement corequisite courses for developmental education.

According to the Dana Center at the University of Texas at Austin, Data strongly suggest that institutions see substantial gains in student success when students are placed in corequisite courses compared with those who entered in traditional remedial programs.

So what are corequisite courses?

Theyre remedial courses that piggyback on regular courses so students can move into a traditional academic setting quickly and efficiently. Students in corequisite courses take an extra hour or two in addition to their regular credit-bearing course.

They may have a scheduled writing lab course or mandatory tutoring  or both. It all depends on the level of remediation. Its up to each college to decide how to implement the corequisite requirement.

Last year, the Texas Tribune reported that 60 percent of all students who enroll in community college are not considered college ready. And its even worse for students taking remedial math because only 15 percent of students who take a math course designed to catch them up end up passing a single college-level math class.

By 2020, Texas will no longer provide remediation funding in developmental programs. Before corequisite courses, developmental students ran a gauntlet of remedial courses before taking any credit-bearing coursework.

In the past, some students enrolled in two semesters of developmental noncredit courses. Disillusioned, many just gave up and dropped out.

So what are colleges doing to prepare for the 2020 academic deadline when all community colleges will require at least three-fourths of their remedial students in corequisite courses? Some Texas colleges have downsized while others have eliminated developmental reading programs altogether.

At Palo Alto College, Diane Lerma, a former reading instructor, quickly returned to school to take graduate English courses at UTSA. The reading department became virtually nonexistent after faculty retirements, and after Lerma transitioned into the Education Department and became proficient as both an intensive writing practitioner providing pedagogy workshops for Catch the Next and the Alamo Community College District.

A graduate of Alamo College Districts master teacher certification program, Lerma is also presenting a workshop in May at Texas Lutheran University on validation theory and pedagogy.

Like Lerman, Ana Alaniz of CTN-affiliate South Texas College taught remedial reading and prepared herself before the coming of HB 2223. Alaniz says, I made myself marketable by taking the additional 18 graduate hours in English so I could not only teach INRW courses but also 1301 freshman English courses as well.

A lifelong learner, Alaniz earned her doctorate at Texas A&M-Kingsville and leads corequisite workshops for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

When asked about her developmental students facing major obstacles, Alaniz expressed reservations about moving too quickly.

My only concern about shifting into an accelerated model mandated by HB 2223 is that lower-level students  who have a greater achievement gap when faced with corequisitesmight give up Alaniz says.

Should college students be required to learn in 16 weeks what they didnt learn in public school? Yes, Diane Lerma says.

A recent Sunday New York Times article, The Draw of Community Colleges, points out that more middle-class parents are sending their children to community colleges because its more affordable. As more academically prepared students enter the fray, the competition widens as community colleges set the bar higher for developmental students.

Stay tuned.

Rafael Castillo teaches English and humanities at Palo Alto College and is director of publications and special projects at Catch the Next, Inc.Asked recently if he thought President Donald Trump would fire special counsel Robert Mueller, House Speaker Paul Ryan replied the White House had assured him no. To save face he will have to lead the charge to impeach Trump if the president fires Mueller. So far, Republicans excuse Trump and may pay a steep price come the midterms.

Ryan has said he will not seek re-election. He was facing a strong challenge from Randy Bryce, a Democratic steelworker. Ryan lost faith among many voters in his district because of his own doing. It was Ryan who pushed the tax cut to the upper 10 percent. Then he wanted to balance the budget by cutting entitlements such as Social Security. Clearly, he has lost the trust of voters in Wisconsin.

Pedro Martinez, Jourdanton

Self-promoter

Re: Union channeling grievances of small group, Brian Chasnoff, April 14:

It is becoming more and more apparent that Chris Steele of the San Antonio Firefighters Union is doing a great disservice to the union membership by his lack of attention to the position to which he was elected.

Instead of promoting himself and his own political agenda, he needs to sit down with the city to finally get a working contract in place for the membership. The union chief is acting like someone with a bigger job in mind  like maybe running for office?

In the meantime, our wonderful firefighters are being degraded by the antics of this man who does not have their interests in mind. If Chris Steele has so much time to play politics, maybe he should put the uniform back on and get down to some real work!

Carolyn Pinc

No comparison

Donald Trump: Carpet-bombing an empty Syrian military airfield at night  after several days of warnings  is not quite like a brilliant commando night raid on Osama bin Ladens secret lair, which inspired the free world.

Robert PaulUganda is set to host the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (Igad) meeting to discuss the free movement of South Sudanese, including refugees, in the eight-nation regional bloc.

The two-day consultative meeting on the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons is scheduled for Tuesday, April 24 through April 26 at Sheraton Kampala Hotel.

It will be attended by the ministers of foreign and internal affairs, MPs, immigration experts from member countries, Igad secretariat officials and partner UN agencies on refugee and migration issues.

With more than one million South Sudan refugees living in Uganda, the country hosts majority of displaced Sudanese in the region.

An estimated two million South Sudanese refugees live in the Igad nations, which include Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia, The Sudan and South Sudan and Uganda. Uganda is also the main supply route and major source of merchandise to and from South Sudan, making the former a strategic ally for the thriving formal and informal trade between the two nations.

Tuesdays meeting is a follow-up on first consultations, which Igad held with South Sudan government officials and other national stakeholders in Juba last year.

Mahamed Abdillahi, a communications officer at the Djibouti-based Igad secretariat, says experts will deliberate on the provisions of the protocol and provide a political endorsement to fast-track its negotiation and adoption before the close of this year.

The Protocol on Free Movement of Persons is enshrined in the 1986 agreement establishing Igad. It aims at facilitating the free movement of persons to enhance regional economic integration and development.

Once adopted, the protocol will also help in regulating the high volume of informal movement which currently takes place in the Igad region.

mugalu@observer.ug- Emir Sanusi reportedly criticised Nigerias handling of US investors

- He said ministers failed to show up for a meeting with them

- The Emir said Nigeria must live up to its position in Africa

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II has reportedly lashed out at ministers for failing to turn up at a meeting with investors saying this is not how the country should treat them.

The Punch reports that Sanusi made this observation on Saturday, April 21 at an investment programme organised by the Nigerian Embassy.

READ ALSO: Lazy Nigerian youths comment: Critics inciting young Nigerians against Buhari Lai Mohammed

The former Central Bank of Nigeria governor said there was no reason for the officials to miss the meeting.

He said: We had a meeting today with investors, we were supposed to start by 9am; we started at 10. When I came in, they took me to the ambassadors office to sit, when investors were waiting there. We had a list of people who were to be here, Vice-President, ministers, some of them are in town, but they havent come up.

You invite top investors, your ministers are in Washington and they do not come to talk to the investors about Nigeria. That is not how you attract investors. If you have this forum in the Rwandan embassy, I assure you President Kagame himself would be there telling people to come to Rwanda.

It was reported that only Rotimi Amaechi, the minister of transportation was present.

Sanusi said: Sometimes, it is about how we market ourselves, how we package ourselves. There is absolutely no reason for the Nigerian embassy to arrange a Nigeria is open for Business forum with ministers in town, with governors in town, and not have the coordination that they are actually here to meet with these investors.

There is no reason why we should start one hour late, and there is no reason why the public address system should not work. Because at the end of the day, this is the first point of the country.

The investors havent even come to Nigeria; so, what will be his experience in Abuja if he is having this experience in Washington?

Meanwhile, the presidency says it has uncovered plans by those described as Nigerian looters to disrupt the ongoing official visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to London.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), sources in the presidency told State House correspondents on Tuesday, April 10, that the alleged looters and corrupt elements had rented motley crowd of professional demonstrators to protest against President Buhari on his arrival to London.

The sources said: Barely 24 hours after President Muhammadu Buhari declared his intention to contest for another term in office as president of Nigeria, the camps of alleged looters and corrupt elements within and outside the country have been jolted.

This has forced them to push panic buttons including renting a motley crowd of professional demonstrators to protest against the president on his arrival into the United Kingdom.

Should President Buhari seek reelection in 2019? (Nigerian Street Interview) - on Legit.ng TV

Source: LegitA 16-year old student in the United States who is of Nigerian descent, Oluwatofunmi Oteju, has been celebrated after she was recognised as the Leader of the Year at Augsburg University.

According to Blackboxnigeria, Tofunmi as she is called was recognised at the ceremony held on Sunday, April 8.

READ ALSO: Lazy Nigerian youths comment: Critics inciting young Nigerians against Buhari Lai Mohammed

A freshman at the institution, the 16-year old received the award designed to recognize students who participated in the Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) during 2017 fall semester, was used by the University to celebrate students who demonstrated active involvement in student activities, student governance, and student life at Augsburg during the academic year.

Tofunmi alongside other awardees. Credit: Blackboxnigeria

James Tresland Porter and Angela Bonfigilio who are her international students advisor in their recommendation said the young lady exhibited strong leadership qualities.

In her short time here, despite her age, she has shown extreme maturity and leadership on campus.

The university wrote: She has stepped up this semester to come and welcome the new students and on her own has made sure to reach out to the new students and make them feel at home. She has already shown interest in being a board member next year for ISO and bringing her skills and talents to the group by helping with planning for ISO Banquet.

Tofinmi was recognised for her exceptional leadership skills. Credit: Blackboxnigeria

What has really impressed me about Tofunmi this semester is that she has taken on the task on her own to mentor the new first year students. She has tried to help them feel included on campus, helping them with time management, finding roommates and figuring out how things works.

Legit.ng had reported that beautiful Nigerian girl Uwade Helen Akhere proved to the world that she is not only beautiful but brilliant after she won 11 scholarships to study in different American Universities.

18-year-old Uwade who is the daughter of a Law Professor at the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo state, Professor Jim Akhere got this after emerging tops in her academic pursuit at the Charlotte Catholic High School.

Her father is also a former Commissioner, in the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria and also the President of the Student Council the prestigious Charlotte Catholic High School Charlotte NC, USA.

Benue IDPs: Education amidst crisis | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit- Mark Lancaster who is UKs minister of armed forces said they will be supporting Nigeria in the fight against terrorism

- He said the UK will give Nigeria 1m to fight Boko Haram

- He said it was in both countrys interest to end insurgency

The United Kingdom has promised to provide kits on counter improvised explosive device (IED) worth one million pounds to boost the fight against insurgency.

The United Kingdoms Minister of Armed Forces, Mark Lancaster, revealed this when he met with Nigerias Defence Minister, Mansur Dan-Ali, in London on the sidelines of the concluded Commonwealth meeting.

READ ALSO: Looters list: PDP started trouble by challenging FG - Uduaghan

The gift is part of the collaboration between the two nations to combat terrorism.

Its in both the UK and Nigerias interest that we tackle the issue of terrorism in Nigeria, Lancaster said. Both men are hopeful that the kit would be helpful in foiling bomb attack by Boko Haram on innocent Nigerians.

The Defence Minister said talks were held about terrorism, training of the Nigerian military and other global security issues.

Apart from security issues, Nigeria is also said to be receiving positive responses from prospective investors regarding doing business in Nigeria.

Nigerias Ambassador to the UK, George Oguntade, said that the recent feedback from investors were encouraging.

The Ambassador also said the process of obtaining Nigerian Visa has been made more effective.

He said visas could now be processed in only a matter of days as the delays that characterised the process in the past have been eliminated.

Oguntade said: We had a list of applicants that ran into thousands and that created a bad feeling between applicants for passports and the High Commission.

So much so that they were almost throwing stones at us here.

But we immediately took control of the problems, ascertained what the problems were and set to work to eliminate them and thank God we have succeeded.

Meanwhile, the presidency says it has uncovered plans by those described as Nigerian looters to disrupt the ongoing official visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to London.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), sources in the presidency told State House correspondents on Tuesday, April 10, that the alleged looters and corrupt elements had rented motley crowd of professional demonstrators to protest against President Buhari on his arrival to London.

The sources said: Barely 24 hours after President Muhammadu Buhari declared his intention to contest for another term in office as president of Nigeria, the camps of alleged looters and corrupt elements within and outside the country have been jolted.

This has forced them to push panic buttons including renting a motley crowd of professional demonstrators to protest against the president on his arrival into the United Kingdom.

Should President Buhari seek reelection in 2019? (Nigerian Street Interview) - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit Newspaper- Governor Abdullahi Ganduje inaugurates committee to immortalise late elder statesman, Maitama Sule

- He describes the late diplomat as a rare gentleman, intelligent and highly disciplined individual

- The national chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus, says the APC has failed to fulfil any of the promises it made in 2015

Kano state government has appointed former INEC boss, Prof Attahiru Jega, to head the committee mandated to nurture the Maitama Sule Centre for politics and democratic governance.

Governor Abdullahi Ganduje who inaugurated the committee in Kano said the centre was to immortalise the late elder statesman for his immense contributions to political and democratic developments in the country, The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

READ ALSO: Sanusi reportedly blasts ministers for failing to meet with US investors

The center will also be utilized for research and scholarly discourse for the advancement of politics and democratic governance, he said.

Ganduje also described late diplomat as a rare gentleman, intelligent and highly disciplined individual.

The governor mandated the committee to within eight weeks analyse function and long term programmes of the center, to determine appropriate name and location for the center and provide appropriate frame work among others.

Responding, Jega assured that the committee would undertake the assignment diligently.

Other members of the 15-man committee include Justice Mamman Nasir, Alhaji Bashir Tofa, Prof Mustapha Isa Ahmad, Prof Shehu Musa Alhaji, Prof Sule Bello and Prof Dahiru Yahaya.

Others are Mansur Ahmed, Tajuddeen Dantata, Ibrahim Haruna, Alhaji Muhtari Hassan, Alhaji Muhtari Maitama and representative of Kano emirate council.

Meanwhile, the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has said no amount of intimidation will stop the party from defeating the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2019 elections.

Secondus made the statement on Saturday, April 21, in Asaba, the Delta state capital at the endorsement of Governor Okowa as the sole candidate of Anioma nation for the 2019 governorship election in the state.

He said the ruling party had failed to fulfil any of the promises it made in 2015 which made Nigerians to vote for President Muhammadu Buhari, the Sun reports.

Source: Legit NigeriaThe president of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, has visited the home of a female sergeant-at-arms officer, Sandra Davou, who got injured during the scuffle that occurred when some thugs invaded the Nigerian Senate and stole its mace.

The chief press secretary to the president of the Senate, Sanni Onogu, in a statement made available to Legit.ng, said during his visit on Sunday, April 22, Saraki commended Davou and her colleagues who had put up a spirited fight to prevent the invaders from gaining access to the Senate chambers.

The Senate president who was accompanied on the visit by his deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Senator Isa Hamma Misau and Senator Baba Kaka Garbai, said the visit was meant to thank and show appreciation to the injured officer and her colleagues for their hard work, commitment and courage.

He also commended his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu and all his colleagues who successfully took charge and safeguarded the National Assembly and the nation's democracy.

"I was told that few of our staff were injured during the invasion of the Senate last Wednesday, including Mrs. Sandra, who is very committed and hardworking," Saraki said.

"She was taken to the hospital and discharged and we felt that for the sacrifice they made by putting their lives at stake beyond the call of duty for our democracy, we have to come and appreciate her.

"I keep on emphasizing that what really defines a democratic nation is the parliament and the moment the parliament is not there, democracy does not exist.

"So what she and her colleagues have done, fills us all with gratitude and therefore we have come here to thank her and show that we really appreciate what she and her colleagues did."

He also used the occasion to chat with members of her family and wished her speedy recovery.

Davou, who expressed appreciation over the visit said she was recuperating following the treatment she received at the hospital.

READ ALSO: Looters list: PDP started trouble by challenging FG - Uduaghan

See pictures of the visit below:

Bukola Saraki describes Sandra Davou as a brave woman, photo credit: Bukola Saraki

The Senate president tells Sandra Davou to refrain from coming to work until she is fine, photo credit: Bukola Saraki

Watch video of the visit below:

Read reactions of some Nigerians about the visit below:

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app

Meanwhile, the Nigerian police has recovered the Senate mace after it was stolen by hoodlums at the Red Chamber.

Legit.ng had reported that the hoodlums stormed the National Assembly on Wednesday, April 18, and forcefully took the mace away.

It was rumoured that Senator Ovie Omo-Agege representing Delta central had led the thugs to the Senate as a protest against his suspension.

The police commended the people of Abuja for their confidence in them in reporting when they spotted the mace under a flyover.

In a related report, a member of the House of Representatives, Hon Joseph Akinlaja (Ondo-PDP), said deputy president of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadus wisdom saved Nigeria a greater embarrassment when some hoodlums broke into the Senate chamber while plenary was on, attacked some persons and made away with the mace.

Legit.ng gathers that rather than panicking and scampering at different directions however, Ekweremadu, who was presiding, ordered that a back-up mace be brought and continued with the session.

Akinlaja said that Ekweremadu used common sense to avert further consequences over the incident. According to him, the decision of the Senate to continue plenary is commendable.

Lets talk about salaries of Nigerian senators | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit- Aliyu Wamakko insists that he had lived a simple life since leaving as governor of Sokoto

- Wamakko denies knowledge of invitation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission

- He says only God can bring him down

Aliyu Wamakko, a former governor of Sokoto state, has denied receiving any invitation to appear before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged corrupt practices claiming he had lived a simple life.

Wamakko told members of the correspondent chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on Sunday, April 22, in Sokoto that recent media reports to that effect were fake and concocted by mischief makers to tarnish his image.

It is a public knowledge that I live a simple life since from my class teacher status till I become the state governor and the present status.

READ ALSO: Exercise Ayem Akpatuma: Armed bandits arrested by Nigerian army in Taraba (photos)

I believe in God that gives power to whom he wishes and is Almighty that raised my political carrier to the present status and I have the belief that He the Almighty only could bring me down.

All the stories that Wamakko is being invited by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are fake and rubbish a calculated attempt of some detractors to tarnish my image

The dastardly publications in the dailies mischievously quoted a petition by some non-existent and faceless merchants of doom, linking Senator Rabiu Kwnakwaso and I to alleged mismanagement of over N18 billion when we were in office as state governors, he said as reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The former governor challenged those peddling the fake news to publish his bank accounts and other details to back their claim while noting that the purported petition did not emanate from the EFCC but from some chronic merchants of falsehood.

The EFCC is a reputable agency that has officials with respect and decorum, who will never use unethical language like the one used in the said publication.

During my tenure as Governor, I only visited United States and United Kingdom once each and were all based on invitations, he added.

The report said Wamakko listed some of his achievement as governor to include construction of five functional tertiary education institutions, 450 Primary Health Centers (PHCs) with staff quarters and ambulance, 5,000 houses, empowerment of over 500, 000 youths and construction of over 1000 classrooms and three boarding secondary schools.

He added that during his stewardship, all state owned shares doubled their returns, while the government also provided 42 township roads, rehabilitated four federal roads and raised the number of students sitting for JAMB exams from about 6,000 to 35, 000.

He further said he was among the first governors to pay the N18, 000 minimum wage and ensured that he cleared all salary and workers entitlements before handing over to the present government.

I am human capable of making mistakes, a loyal citizen that is not above the law, therefore I can submit myself for legitimate scrutiny and not this mere media trial, he said.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app

The Senator also described his relationship with President Muhammadu Buhari as cordial and mutual.

Our relationship is excellent, we do meet regularly to discuss myriad of vital national issues and there has never been a time when my request to see him was turned down, he said.

Legit.ng earlier reported that the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, hailed his elevation to the rank of a full police commission by the Police Service Commission (PSC).

Nigerian youths reply to President Buhari over 'lazy' comment. Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit- A new well-equipped secondary school valued at N120m has been donated in Lagos by the Dangote Foundation

- The gesture was part of the foundation's move to boost education in Nigeria

- Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Dangote Group, said he has plans to implement a scholarship programme for less privileged children in the state

The Dangote Foundation said it has donated a well-equipped secondary school in Lagos valued at N120 million as part of its interventionist programme to boost education. The foundation has also offered annual free tuition to 250 indigent pupils.

Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Group, said this at the inauguration and handing over of the school with well-equipped laboratories to Nawair-Ud-Deen Comprehensive College, Idi-Oro, Mushin, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

READ ALSO: I live a simple life - Wamakko denies receiving EFCC invitation

In a statement signed by Tony Chiejina, the head of communications of the group, Dangote said: Aliko Dangote Foundation started in 1993 with the principle of `to whom much is given, much is expected and looking at the less privileged ones among us have compelled the foundation to provide some reliefs.

The four major goals of Aliko Dangote Foundation are education, health and nutrition, economic empowerment and disaster reliefs.

He said his education mission was targeted at reducing the number of out-of-school children, supporting talented and underprivileged young children to achieve their full potential as well as educating girls and women on health-related issues.

Dangote said apart from donating the school building, the foundation would sponsor 250 students whose parents might not be able to afford the yearly school fees.

In addition, he said furniture for both teachers and the students as well as a sound-proof high capacity generator had been provided to ensure constant electricity in the school.

He further stated: I have already authorised my foundation to come up with a strategic plan to implement a scholarship programme for desiring less privileged children in this community.

According to him, over the past five years, the foundation has spent over N4 billion in building of classrooms, scholarships, upgrading infrastructure across the various universities and behavioral change communication programmes targeted at girls and women.

Dangote said: We have just recently inaugurated the Dangote Business School in Kano, the only Business School in Nigeria that is well equipped.

We will also be inaugurating similar projects in University of Ibadan. We have done quite a lot in the education system and we are looking to do more. Investing in the young people to us means we are all working together to build a better Nigeria.

Dangote said in preparing youths to proffer solutions to present challenges, Dangote Academy was established in Kogi to provide specialised training and management skills that would suit the various sectors of the economy.

He pledged continued support to government in its quest to provide quality education to the population toward securing a great future for the country.

PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet!

Alhaji Ola Yussuff, the Chairman, Nawair-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Lagos, commended Dangote for the donation and for single-handedly undertaking to construct the college. He said the gesture was in line with Bill Gates recent call for serious commitment to the human capital development in the country and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

He urged other well-meaning Nigerians to emulate Dangote for his intervention in education and health sectors.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that Dangote had revealed that Nigeria losses N140 billion weekly due to the heavy gridlock on Apapa-Oshodi road.

Talking about this to journalists in Lagos on Tuesday, June 20, Dangote said: The economy loses more than N20 billion daily and N140 billion weekly. It affects businesses across the country.

"All our operations in the hinterland in Ilorin, in Kano are operating at 40 per cent maximum capacity."

Aliko Dangote invites IT billionaire Bill Gates to Nigeria | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit- Nya Asuquo, Nigerias 70 years old ambassador to Uganda, says the leadership of Cross River state has failed

- Asuquo says he would support any youth who has programmes better than his own

- He accuses the current government in the state of relying solely on the federal government for survival

Nigerias 70 years old ambassador to Uganda, Nya Asuquo, has reportedly declared his intention to contest the governorship seat of Cross River state in the 2019 election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Punch reports that Ambassador Asuquo, said he wants to contest for the seat because the current leadership in the state had failed.

He added that the state had become less productive as a result of poor governance.

READ ALSO: 16-year old Nigerian student emerges leader of the year in US University (photos)

Asuquo, who is reportedly the head of the Ikot-Offiong clan in the Odukpani local government area, however, said he would support any youth who had a better programme for the state.

I am entering the race because the current leadership has failed. Cross Riverians are seen to be less productive because of visionless leadership that has refused to look for the treasures hidden in their backyards. They have resorted to depending on federal allocation.

If a youthful candidate comes out today with a good programme, I will support him. We have had young people at the helm in the state, he was quoted as saying adding that the current zoning structure, which favours the northern senatorial district, should not be applicable in the 2019 election as he is from the south.

He also alleged that some leaders in the APC were planning to ensure that the governorship and chairmanship slots were handed over to the central senatorial district.

At every time there was a contest for governor, there were contenders from every zone and same thing for chairmanship position. In other words, there was no zoning in the state.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app

However, zoning was defeated in APC in the last election. It was said that if the governor is coming from the north, the chairman of the party should come from the south.

But suddenly the drum player in Rivers state gave the governorship to the north and the chairmanship to central. We have been saddled with that problem till date, he said.

Legit.ng earlier reported that Ben Ayade recently stated that his foreign trips are not self-serving, but in the states best interest.

"Ayade made the comment at the Margaret Ekpo International Airport, Calabar, after arriving from a nearly one month trip to Asia.

Nigerian youths reply to President Buhari over 'lazy' comment. Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit- Emeka Anyaoku says it is lamentable that Nigeria is categorized with war-torn countries lacking in healthcare facilities

- Anyaoku reveals that many medical doctors in Nigeria are leaving the country to work in better equipped hospitals abroad

- He recalls that after Independence, Nigeria was rated as the fourth in healthcare delivery, but this is no longer the case

Emeka Anyaoku, an elder statesman and third secretary-general, of the Commonwealth, has disclosed that over 4,765 doctors in the UK constituting 1.7 percent of the total workforce in the countrys medical sector are Nigerians.

The Nigerian Tribune reports that Anyaoku made the disclosure during the celebration of the 110th anniversary of the Iyi-Enu Mission Hospital and the launching of an ultramodern Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in Ogidi, Idemili North local government area of Anambra state.

Anyaoku said the hospital has been no exception from the general decline of institutions throughout the country.

READ ALSO: Buhari is not a bad product, I rescued Fayose and brought him to my house at 1am - Kalu reveals

People of my age (85), feel nostalgia for the old days in the early years of our countrys Independence. During that period, especially in the 1960s and 1970s, the Commonwealth ranked Nigeria fourth in the hierarchy of health sector efficiency countries.

In fact, at that time, ours was a country that itself was attracting medical tourism on account of the quality of the services offered by the University Teaching Hospital, Ibadan.

But today, it is lamentable that the federal governments endorsement of the world Health Organization ( WHO), recommendation that 13 percent of the national budget should be allocated to the health sector, as well as the African Unions Abuja declaration in 2001 that 15 percent of the national budget should be allocated to the health sector, only a paltry sum of between about 3.4 percent and 5.6 percent is allocated, he said.

The report added that Anyaoku said the result of this ridiculously low budgetary allocation to the health sector over the years, combined with what is most times referred to as the Nigerian factor, had been that the nation is assailed with ill-equipped hospitals that have very low grade facilities.

Indeed, most of our hospitals have been reduced to mere consulting clinics. Recently, we had a big shock to the national psyche when it was revealed that even the Aso Rock clinic that attends to the nations highest political leaders and their families was completely lacking in basic facilities like dr* gs and even syringes.

It is, therefore no surprise that when he visited Nigeria recently, Bill Gates, the chairman of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, in criticising Nigeria for spending relatively far too little on the development of its human capital, pointed to the nations health sector alongside the education sector as some of the most neglected," Anyaoku lamented.

He said Nigeria is mentioned as having the worst maternal mortality rate in the league of countries that have experienced long periods of devastating civil wars, and have no comparable human and materials resources like Nigeria.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app

Yet, Nigerias dismal record and bad reputation in the health sector cannot come to anybody as a surprise, not when highly qualified Nigerian doctors are voting with their feet, fleeing and abandoning the country in droves to work abroad, he said.

Anyaoku commended the authority of Iyi-Enu Hospital under the leadership of the bishop on the Niger, Rt Rev Owen Nwokolo, for accepting the challenge of restoring the medical facility to its past glory.

Legit.ng earlier reported that three hundred Nigerian doctors left the country in 2016, the national president, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Prof Mike Ogirima, revealed recently.

He said more doctors have joined the migration train this year. He did not give any statistics, although NAN learnt that 500 doctors sat for qualifying foreign medical exams to move out.

What does Nigeria need right now? (Nigerian Street Interview) | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit- Some suspected herdsmen have reportedly killed a man in Benue

- An unnamed source informed newsmen that the victim, Mtserikyaa Hiimo, unknowingly ran to a road block created by the herdsmen

- The source said the roadblock was mounted around Iorza and Jootar along Anyiin-Gbeji road in Logo local government area of the state

Suspected herdsmen, on Saturday, April 22, allegedly shot dead one Mtserikyaa Hiimo between Iorza and Jootar along Anyiin-Gbeji road in Logo local government of Benue state.

Newsmen gathered from an unnamed source that the victim unknowingly ran to a road block mounted by armed herdsmen on the axis of the town. The source said: We have been having cases of herdsmen coming out in their numbers and mounting roadblocks in communities around Logo local government area, the Vanguard reports.

READ ALSO: 70-year-old Nigerias ambassador joins Cross River governorship race on the platform of APC

They do it intermittently and kill unsuspecting victims and nobody knows where and when they would undertake the mission, but that notwithstanding, we have been consciously going about our daily activities."

Unfortunately, on Saturday evening the victim was coming in his car from Gbaji when he ran into the road block at Jootar on Anyiin-Gbeji road.

From what we gathered, the assailants who were dressed in military fatigue stopped their victim on that road and shot him severally after which they fled.

PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet!

The gunshot from the assailants attracted the locals who ran to the seen only to discover the victim dead in his own pool of blood but his killers were seen fleeing into the bush.

The matter was reported to the Police at Anyiin but his remains have been taken to the mortuary at Ugba the local government headquarters."

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that Troops of 72 Special Forces Battalion on Monday, April 16, on Operation MESA at Yogbo in Guma local government area of Benue state encountered about 20 militia herdsmen at Teguma village while on patrol.

According to a statement sent to Legit.ng by the director army public relations, Brigadier-General Texas Chukwu, four of the militia herdsmen were neutralized during the encounter while others fled following superior gun power.

TY Danjuma, Nigerian army and the herdsmen crisis | Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit NigeriaBlog Archive Oct 2021 (6) Sep 2021 (67) Aug 2021 (62) Jul 2021 (54) Jun 2021 (50) May 2021 (58) Apr 2021 (44) Mar 2021 (57) Feb 2021 (64) Jan 2021 (93) Dec 2020 (82) Nov 2020 (62) Oct 2020 (50) Sep 2020 (45) Aug 2020 (51) Jul 2020 (56) Jun 2020 (53) May 2020 (70) Apr 2020 (66) Mar 2020 (169) Feb 2020 (211) Jan 2020 (184) Dec 2019 (54) Nov 2019 (56) Oct 2019 (55) Sep 2019 (63) Aug 2019 (54) Jul 2019 (69) Jun 2019 (56) May 2019 (65) Apr 2019 (68) Mar 2019 (72) Feb 2019 (76) Jan 2019 (62) Dec 2018 (55) Nov 2018 (69) Oct 2018 (90) Sep 2018 (82) Aug 2018 (58) Jul 2018 (36) Jun 2018 (47) May 2018 (44) Apr 2018 (64) Mar 2018 (63) Feb 2018 (68) Jan 2018 (92) Dec 2017 (85) Nov 2017 (64) Oct 2017 (82) Sep 2017 (54) Aug 2017 (89) Jul 2017 (60) Jun 2017 (86) May 2017 (84) Apr 2017 (62) Mar 2017 (86) Feb 2017 (91) Jan 2017 (113) Dec 2016 (109) Nov 2016 (100) Oct 2016 (82) Sep 2016 (95) Aug 2016 (84) Jul 2016 (84) Jun 2016 (99) May 2016 (93) Apr 2016 (106) Mar 2016 (145) Feb 2016 (125) Jan 2016 (103) Dec 2015 (83) Nov 2015 (80) Oct 2015 (100) Sep 2015 (111) Aug 2015 (94) Jul 2015 (98) Jun 2015 (151) May 2015 (125) Apr 2015 (109) Mar 2015 (122) Feb 2015 (113) Jan 2015 (135) Dec 2014 (131) Nov 2014 (115) Oct 2014 (146) Sep 2014 (112) Aug 2014 (128) Jul 2014 (94) Jun 2014 (104) May 2014 (140) Apr 2014 (132) Mar 2014 (81) Feb 2014 (89) Jan 2014 (141) Dec 2013 (100) Nov 2013 (96) Oct 2013 (99) Sep 2013 (94) Aug 2013 (95) Jul 2013 (95) Jun 2013 (91) May 2013 (139) Apr 2013 (179) Mar 2013 (73) Feb 2013 (76) Jan 2013 (85) Dec 2012 (59) Nov 2012 (71) Oct 2012 (85) Sep 2012 (70) Aug 2012 (71) Jul 2012 (53) Jun 2012 (51) May 2012 (52) Apr 2012 (52) Mar 2012 (69) Feb 2012 (76) Jan 2012 (70) Dec 2011 (60) Nov 2011 (54) Oct 2011 (57) Sep 2011 (75) Aug 2011 (72) Jul 2011 (64) Jun 2011 (76) May 2011 (56) Apr 2011 (73) Mar 2011 (114) Feb 2011 (71) Jan 2011 (80) Dec 2010 (92) Nov 2010 (82) Oct 2010 (73) Sep 2010 (95) Aug 2010 (86) Jul 2010 (81) Jun 2010 (76) May 2010 (71) Apr 2010 (74) Mar 2010 (74) Feb 2010 (82) Jan 2010 (101) Dec 2009 (108) Nov 2009 (182) Oct 2009 (136) Sep 2009 (102) Aug 2009 (120) Jul 2009 (151) Jun 2009 (136) May 2009 (180) Apr 2009 (145) Mar 2009 (113) Feb 2009 (113) Jan 2009 (124) Dec 2008 (108) Nov 2008 (69) Oct 2008 (89) Sep 2008 (76) Aug 2008 (75) Jul 2008 (87) Jun 2008 (80) May 2008 (99) Apr 2008 (93) Mar 2008 (115) Feb 2008 (147) Jan 2008 (162) Dec 2007 (124) Nov 2007 (95) Oct 2007 (67) Sep 2007 (42) Aug 2007 (78) Jul 2007 (75) Jun 2007 (123) May 2007 (110) Apr 2007 (108) Mar 2007 (92) Feb 2007 (136) Jan 2007 (119) Dec 2006 (41) Nov 2006 (34) Oct 2006 (12) Sep 2006 (13) Aug 2006 (13) Jul 2006 (16) Jun 2006 (12) May 2006 (21) Apr 2006 (38) Mar 2006 (27) Feb 2006 (25) Jan 2006 (18)In a nightmare for over 240 air passengers, an Air India flight from Amristar to the national capital last week experienced turbulence leaving at least three people with minor injuries and causing a window panel inside the aircraft to break away, according to four airline officials.

Besides Air India, aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (AAIB) are probing the incident, which happened on April 19 soon after the flight took off from Amristar, one of the officials said.

The duration of Amristar-Delhi flight is about 35 minutes and on April 19, the flight was full with over 240 passengers, another official said.

The officials said the flight experienced turbulence soon after take-off when the altitude was around 15,000 feet due to bad weather.

At least three passengers had minor injuries and were given first aid after landing at the Delhi airport. Later, they took their connecting flights for onward journey, they added.

A window panel inside the plane also came off when the flight experienced turbulence, the officials said.

According to the officials, the turbulence continued for around 10-12 minutes.

There was no official statement from Air India about the incident.

A purported 50-second long video clip of happenings inside that flight showed an air hostess trying to fix the window panel that came off and pacifying an elderly woman passenger seated on that particular window seat. The video clip has been circulated in WhatsApp groups and social media platforms.(Natural News) The resumption of domestic production of plutonium-238 has led NASA to reconsider the use of nuclear power sources in its future planetary science missions, according to an article from Space.com.

Back in December 2017, NASA needed to conserve its dwindling stockpile of nuclear fuel for the Mars 2020 rover and other, more critical missions. So it forbade the use of radioisotope power systems in designs for its Discovery space probe.

The sole exception was the use of radioisotope heater units (RHUs) to keep vital spacecraft parts from freezing. RHUs only needed a minuscule amount of plutonium-238 to work.

The ban affected one of the two finalists for the New Frontiers planetary science missions. The Dragonfly design planned to use a radioisotope power system because it would be sent to Saturns moon Titan.

Planned lunar missions were also affected. They needed a power source during the lunar nights, which last for two weeks.

As late as February 2018, NASA needed to bear in mind the available supply of plutonium and the efforts to restart production of nuclear fuel in the U.S.

We have some liens against the radioisotope power, said Jim Green, the director of the agencys planetary science division. The last thing we want to do is to select a mission and then not be ready to fly it. (Related: Avoiding Armageddon: Scientists experiment with ways to destroy or redirect threats from space.)

NASA approves use of nuclear power systems on new Discovery space probe

By March 2018, NASA has changed its tune. During the 49th Lunar and Planetary Sciences Conference, Green announced that the agency was reconsidering its ban on nuclear power for the Discovery competition.

According to him, NASA consulted with the Department of Energy (DOE) about plutonium-238 supplies. The DOE reported good progress on restarting production of the plutonium isotope.

NASA now believed it could afford to spare precious nuclear fuel for radioisotope power systems on the next Discovery mission. It will permit up to two multi-mission radioisotope thermoelectric generators (MMRTGs) on new designs.

The confluence of when that would happen, and when these two programs would really move out, just seemed to come together a little bit for us and would enable us to move in this direction, Green remarked.

NASA has just begun to plan its next Discovery mission. The agency projects a tentative announcement in September 2018, followed by a final announcement in February 2019.

The finalists will be selected in December 2019. By June 2021, NASA would have picked a winning design, which should be ready by 2026 at the latest.

Things are looking good for planetary science

NASAs planetary science division has been on a roll. During the conference, Green talked about the progress of other planetary science missions.

Furthermore, his division was getting a budget of $2.2 billion for 2018. Receiving clearance for the use of radioisotope power systems on the Discovery probe was the cherry atop this sweet birthday cake.

Overall, planetary science is doing incredibly well. This is spectacular. Planetary science has never had this high a budget, he remarked.

Attendees were thrilled about the expanded budget and the availability of radioisotope power systems for new planetary probes. But a number also raised concerns that the good news came at the expense of other NASA divisions or even unrelated federal programs.

Green reassured his audiences concerns about NASAs historical tendency to slash the budget of the planetary science division.

Many of us lived through some really austere times. Its now our time in the sun to shine, he said.

The Lunar and Planetary Sciences Conference is the biggest meeting in the field of planetary science. This year, it was held in The Woodlands, Texas.

For the latest developments in planetary and space science, visit Space.News.

Sources include:

Space.com

TheVerge.com(Natural News) You wont have to worry about how your coffee will taste like every time you make one, as researchers found a way to brew the perfect cup of coffee consistently.

In their study, the researchers looked at the factors that are involved in making espresso coffee  grinding and packing the ground coffee, the water pressure, and mineral chemistry. By working together with baristas, they developed a method wherein they can make espresso coffee with a consistent taste. The technique involves an optimization process that can be attained by changing the grinding size and brew ratio.

Christopher Hendon, one of the studys researchers, explained that the optimum extraction could be systematically determined by predetermining the coffee-to-water ratio and the water pressure. As a result, the barista will be able to repeatedly improve their espresso consistently, and reduce waste coffee mass at the same time.

In earlier research done in his lab, they looked at several factors that can affect the reproducibility of espresso. One of these factors is water hardness. Water hardness differs throughout the U.S., and it can change the flavor of the coffee. Hard water rich in magnesium and calcium creates a stronger flavor compared to soft water. This is a result of the compounds, such as caffeine, that stick to magnesium during the brewing process. Hard water also tend to be rich in bicarbonate, making the coffee more bitter.

The freshness of the coffee beans can also affect the taste of coffee. Newly roasted coffee has carbon dioxide and other compounds that evaporate quickly, making the coffee less flavorful. Nonetheless, the rate of evaporation can be slowed down by storing coffee in the fridge, which prolongs the shelf life of coffee.

When Hendon and his team focused on the process of grinding coffee beans and the brewing method, they found that the grinders used can greatly affect the taste of the coffee.

There is a point in grinding coffee beans when you make too many small particles, which stick together and result in reduced extractions, Hendon explained.

In addition, the water should come into contact with the coffee ground equally when extracting the espresso. This can be done by passing water through the coffee grounds in a systematic way. With a traditional drip-brew coffee pot, the water only flows mainly through the center of the grounds, while the grounds on the outside have minimal contact with water.

The study was presented at the 255th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS).

The benefits of coffee

According to the National Coffee Association, Americans drink more than three cups of coffee a day on average, which contribute to a $40 billion industry in the U.S. alone. Most people drink coffee to keep them awake and boost their energy. Moreover, there is increasing evidence of the health benefits of coffee.

One of coffees potential health benefits is that it may prolong life. Studies suggested that moderate consumption of coffee, or three to four cups per day, can extend the lifespan of the consumer. In a 2015 study published in the journal Circulation, researchers found that coffee consumption was linked to an eight percent to 15 percent reduction in the risk of death. The reductions were greater among those with greater coffee consumption. Other studies also suggested that drinking coffee may lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attack, heart failure, and stroke, Type 2 diabetes, Parkinsons disease, uterine and liver cancer, cirrhosis, and gout. (Related: Coffee  The Health Benefits of Beans & Brews)

Read more news stories and studies on food by going to Food.news.

Sources include:

ScienceDaily.com

Health.Harvard.eduA Bay Area man who worked as one of President George H.W. Bushs Press Aide recalls fond memories of his time in the White House as former First Lady Barbara Bush is laid to rest Saturday.

Sean Walsh of San Francisco was a deputy press secretary and says everyone who worked for the Bushes was never treated as staff, but as family.

He recalls watching a Star Trek movie on their couch one evening, I said relax, so she takes a pillow off the couch, puts it on the table, lifts my legs up and puts them on the pillow right, Walsh said.

As Deputy Press Secretary to the president, he got to spend a lot of time with them, including traveling to Saudi Arabia in the run up to the first gulf war.

She was there to hold those troops hands and say were supporting you, we care about you, Walsh said.

As the former first lady was laid to rest Saturday, Walsh says she embodied the sacrifice and dedication to family  a hallmark of her generation.

If you looked at the Greatest Generation, and the women of that generation, I think youd see Rosie the Riveter and Barbara Bush, Walsh said. Because they were the iconic images of support, dedication and self-sacrifice.

He worked for the president and former first lady for six years, joining the team when George H.W. Bush was Vice President and went on to work in the White House.A 64-year-old woman died, and a firefighter suffered a non-life threatening injury after a fire broke out in San Francisco's Inner Sunset neighborhood Saturday night, according to the fire department.

The fire ignited near the intersection of 8th Avenue and Noriega Street, damaging three residences in one building along 8th Avenue before being contained just after midnight, according to the fire department.

The victim was identified by the city's medical examiner as Jessica Summerville. She had lived in the apartment for a number of years, they said.

Neighbor Sam Meyer, who lived upstairs from Summerville, said he tried to help her get out.

"I just smelled the smoke and went down there and saw the fire," Meyer said. "She was a little out of her mind, and she was saying, 'I don't know.' She was babbling. She could have followed me right up the stairs. We were all yelling at her to come up, and she just wouldn't."



Meyer said he did not hear any smoke alarms sounding off inside the building.



A first-alarm response was called at 9:48 p.m. Saturday, according to the fire department. The blaze quickly became a two-alarm fire at 9:50 p.m. and a three-alarm at 10:09 p.m. Roughly 100 firefighters were on scene battling the flames.

A total of 12 people in the area of the fire have been displaced, according to the fire department. The Red Cross and San Francisco city services are helping those individuals.



A reported 100 firefighters were on site of a three-alarm fire in San Francisco Saturday night.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.A homicide investigation is underway in Massachusetts after a 49-year-old woman was found dead, authorities announced Saturday afternoon.

North Andover police received a call just before 12:30 p.m. for a reported death on Lincoln Street at a two-family home.

Arriving officers learned that an upstairs neighbor went into the basement and saw her 49-year-old female neighbor dead, according to the Essex district attorney's office.

Investigators are waiting for a search warrant and the medical examiner's office, the DA's office added.

The victim's identity has not been released, and no arrests have been made.

Authorities have not released any other details.

One neighbor described the neighborhood as peaceful and family-friendly, adding the ongoing police investigation's presence was hard to fathom.

"It's crazy, it's unbelievable, I'm mean, it's such a quiet neighborhood," he said.

Another neighbor said that she was a quiet woman, who lived in the house with her brother.

"She kept to herself," he said. "She was quiet. Really nice woman. I was looking for a job recently and she actually helped me out with the job opportunity so that was really sweet of her. Aside from that she kept to herself most of the time."Chicago White Sox pitcher Danny Farquhar is in critical condition at a Chicago hospital after suffering a brain hemorrhage, and the Chicago Cubs' leader is offering his support to the hurler.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo took to Twitter to offer his support and positive thoughts to Farquhar, who suffered the hemorrhage after pitching in the sixth inning of Friday night's game against the Houston Astros.

Rizzo tweeted that he is praying for Farquhar, and said that the incident is another reminder of "how precious life is:"

Prayers for @whitesox Danny Farquhar. Another reminder how precious life is. Stay strong and keep fighting. My thoughts are with his family.  Anthony Rizzo (@ARizzo44) April 21, 2018

He was rushed to a local hospital after passing out in the team's dugout, and is in critical, but stable, condition after the scary incident.

After the White Sox made the announcement, other MLB teams and players immediately wished him well and offered positive thoughts and prayers:

Sending positive thoughts to the Farquhar family and the White Sox organization.



Get well soon, Danny.  Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) April 21, 2018

The White Sox say they will provide more information on Farquhar's condition as it becomes available.In what was originally investigated as a self-defense shooting, a car dealership owner in northwest Indiana has been charged with murder.

According to the Times of Northwest Indiana, 50-year-old Esteban Ocampo was charged Saturday night with one count of murder, two counts of intimidation, and one count of pointing a loaded firearm at a man during what police believe was a dispute over a business transaction at the dealership.

Initial reports from police indicated that 30-year-old Markis Square was at the used car lot to rob the establishment and was shot to death by a customer, according to the Times. That story came from an eyewitness at the business, according to authorities.

According to the paper, Square leaves behind a newborn daughter and two sons.An Illinois man has become a person of interest, police say, after four people were killed in a shooting at a Waffle House restaurant in Tennessee early Sunday.

According to police, the gunman who opened fire with a rifle, killed four people and before fleeing the scene, had his gun wrestled away by a restaurant patron.

Police are searching for 29-year-old Travis Reinking from Illinois, who they named as a person of interest. Police later tweeted that "murder warrants are now being drafted against" him. The vehicle found at the scene is registered to Reinking.



Six people were shot at the Waffle House in Antioch, Tennessee, Metro Nashville Police said. Four of the victims died, and the two others are being treated at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. A hospital spokesperson said one patient was in critical condition and the other was in critical but stable condition.

Witnesses said the gunman arrived at the restaurant in a pick-up truck and began shooting outside just before 3:30 a.m, according to police. He then walked into the Waffle House and continued shooting.

Others were injured in the incident, and because the glass of the restaurant's front window was shot out, some people had cuts on their faces, police said.

A 29-year-old patron who attempted to flee the restaurant struggled with the gunman for the firearm, according to police. The patron grabbed the gun from the man and tossed it behind the counter, and then the gunman fled.

"No doubt he saved many lives by wresting the gun away and tossing it over the counter and prompting the man to leave," police spokesman Don Aaron said of the patron.

Police identified the customer as James Shaw, Jr, who was reportedly grazed by a bullet and later released from the hospital.

Shaw told the Tennessean that he was "just trying to get myself out. I saw the opportunity and pretty much took it."

Afghan captives held by the Taliban have been subjected to abuse, ill-treatment and actions that may amount to torture, the U.N. said Sunday  a statement that comes as the U.S. is trying to find a negotiated solution to the country's protracted war. The U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said it interviewed 13 detainees from a group of 53 recently rescued from the Taliban, mainly members of Afghan forces but also civilians and government officials captured by the insurgents. The group was freed on April 25 when Afghan troops raided a Taliban-run detention facility in the Khas Uruzgan district in southern Uruzgan province.

"When I was in the ambulance to hospital, I kept thinking that I'm going to wake up and it's not going to be real," Shaw said. "It is something out a movie. I'm OK though, but I hate that it happened."

Police said witnesses saw the man leave the restaurant and shed his green jacket, which had additional ammunition in it, and was left nude.

Aaron said the man lived at an apartment complex in the area and, based on witness reports, went to the complex and put on a pair of pants. He added that witnesses saw a man in a nearby wooded area, and several police dogs were tracking the man, some six hours after the shooting.

A motive has not yet been determined, and the investigation is ongoing. The FBI confirmed to NBC News that it was assisting in gathering information.

Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Ill., responded to the shooting on Twitter later Sunday, mourning the "innocent victims" and thanking first responders. He also called for a change in gun laws.

"Many will say now is not the time to discuss change. But now IS the time," Cooper wrote. "We can and must do everything possible to prevent these tragedies and keep Americans safe. That starts with restricting widespread civilian access to military-grade assault weapons."

Nashville Mayor David Briley said the shooting represents "a tragic day" for the city.

"My heart goes out to the families & friends of every person who was killed or wounded in this morning's shooting. I know all of their lives will be forever changed by this devastating crime," Briley said on Twitter.

Waffle House in a statement Sunday said the company is still gathering details on the situation and is deferring all questions about the incident to the Metro Police in Nashville.

"We are deeply saddened by this tragic incident," the company said. "Right now, our first thoughts are with the victims and their families, and we will be there for them in this most difficult time. Our condolences go out to them."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.When 15-year-old Lane Murdock initially heard a gunman killed 17 high school students and teachers in Parkland, Florida, she felt sad, but went on with her day as usual.

"The fact that I had such a numb reaction to something like this is not OK. This should not be a normalcy. This should not be OK," Murdock said.

The Ridgefield, Connecticut, sophomore, grew concerned about being initially unaffected by the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas. To her, and so many of her peers, mass shootings have become too common in the U.S.

"In the short time I've been in high school, we've had the Pulse, Las Vegas and the Florida shootings, Murdock told reporters in a February news conference.

Fed up with government inaction on gun control, on the day of the Parkland shooting, Feb. 14, Murdock created an online petition. It called for students to protest by walking out of their schools on April 20, the 19th anniversary of the Columbine massacre, in which two students killed 12 of their classmates and a teacher before killing themselves at a Colorado high school.

The day after the Parkland attack Murdock enlisted the help of two seniors at her school, debate team partners Paul Kim and Max Cumming. Kim said after the meeting he knew they were "onto something incredible."

"I was hearing from people all over the country that they wanted to participate," Murdock said.

She called the first 48 hours some of the busiest of her young life. In two days, her petition had amassed more than 150,000 signatures.

The work of the Ridgefield High School sophomore quickly attracted the attention of Connecticuts Democratic congressional delegation.

The lawmakers have pushed unsuccessfully for stronger national gun control measures since the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown. They see the wave of youth activism in the wake of the Florida shooting as a hopeful change in what's been in an unyielding debate over tightening federal gun laws.

"We are going to stand on their shoulders and were going to say, 'enough is enough,' and take action, U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, who appeared with Murdock at the Feb. news conference, said at the time. Thats what this is about now.

The Ridgefield students also received support from the Sandy Hook Promise, the advocacy group founded by families of the victims of the Newtown massacre. Mark Barden, whose 6-year-old son Daniel was killed in the Newtown school shooting, called the young people getting involved since the Florida shooting a force to be reckoned with.

"They are not going to be intimidated by corporate greed, theyre not going to be bullied by money and power. They want to fix this and theyre going to do it," Barden said.

More than 2,700 walkouts were scheduled to take place at 10 a.m. local time across the country, according to organizers.

"We're walking out to remember every single young person who has been killed by American gun violence," Murdock said in a statement Thursday. "We're walking out to talk about the real problems our country is facing, and the solutions that our leaders are too scared to dream up."

Friday's walkouts come one month after tens of thousands of students left class March 14 to protest gun violence in what historians called the largest youth protest movement since at least the Vietnam War. Days later, hundreds of thousands of teens and their backers rallied across the U.S. calling for tougher laws on guns and ammunition.

"We will not stop working," Murdock said, adding how its important for students to stay engaged and motivated.

Among the specific demands listed on the group's website, they are calling for universal background checks, asking lawmakers to vote against the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act  which would allow gun owners to carry weapons in any state, so long as they have a permit from their home state  and supporting other "common sense" gun control laws.

"Adults have been in power for a long time and not a lot has changed, Murdock said. "Its students time. Its our time."Hamden police are searching the person who robbed a man at knifepoint in a grocery store parking lot on Sunday morning.

Investigators say a man from North Haven was putting his groceries inside of his vehicle around 8 a.m. when he was approached by a man with a knife in the parking lot of Stop & Shop on Dixwell Avenue.

The man with the knife demanded the other man's groceries and cell phone before taking off. He is believed to have gotten into a red Ford Fusion with a Connecticut plate of AB47088. Police describe the driver of the car as a heavy-set woman. The vehicle was last seen traveling on Dixwell Avenue, according to officers.

Authorities are describing the man with the knife as being 18 to 21 years old, about 5'10" with a thin build and curly hair.

If you have any information about the incident, you're asked to contact Hamden Police at (203) 230-4030.A Tarrant County judge has pleaded guilty to tampering with government records and apologized to voters after a criminal investigation found he had forged dozens of voters' signatures to get on the ballot.

Embattled Justice of the Peace Russ Casey, who represents Northeastern Tarrant County and has an office in Southlake, pleaded guilty before a district judge Monday morning.

He was sentenced to five years of probation and resigned from his position.

BREAKING: Tarrant County Justice of the Peace Russ Casey pleads guilty to tampering with government records, admitting he forged voter signatures on petition to get on March ballot. Sentenced to 5 years probation. Also resigns. @NBCDFW  ScottGordonNBC5 (@ScottGordonNBC5) April 23, 2018

"I apologize to the citizens of Tarrant County, the Tarrant County Republican Party, my family and friends for the way that I have ended my judicial career," Casey wrote in a public statement. "Today's proceedings have begun my transition from public to private life. I ask for forgiveness and respect for our privacy as we go through this transition."

Prosecutors said they were pleased with the deal.

"The people of Tarrant County put a lot of trust in their elected officials and when an elected official violates that trust, there has to be consequences," said assistant district attorney Matt Smid.

Casey's case was on the plea docket Monday before Judge Wayne Salvant.

The Tarrant County Sheriff's Office investigated complaints from voters that their names were forged on Casey's petition to appear on the March 6 ballot in Precinct 3.

Amid the forgery complaints, the Tarrant County Republican Party removed Casey's name from the ballot in January after he formally dropped out of the race.

He was set to serve through the end of the year.

Separately, Casey was reprimanded by a state judicial panel for having an improper sexual relationship with a former clerk.

Bill Brandt, an Air Force veteran and pilot for FedEx, won the March primary after Casey withdrew from the race and is set to take office in January.

It is unclear what will happen to the cases currently in Casey's court.

Justices of the Peace in Texas handle issues like evictions, small claims and truancy.

Critics say Casey got off easy by avoiding any jail time.

Last year, a Grand Prairie mother, Rosa Ortega, was sentenced to eight years in prison for voting even though she is not a U-S citizen.

Just last month, another woman, Crystal Mason, was sentenced to five years in prison for voting even though she's a convicted felon.

"Tarrant County is a good place to be a white Republican elected official," said Aaron Harris, co-founder of Direct Action Texas, an activist group that helped investigate the forged signatures on Casey's petition. "Russ should have gotten jail time for this violation. The message that was sent today in Tarrant County is if you're an elected official and you commit a felony, we're going to slap you on the wrist and let you walk away and get on with your business."

Critics say Casey got off easy by avoiding any jail time.

Last year, a Grand Prairie mother, Rosa Ortega, was sentenced to eight years in prison for voting even though she is not a U-S citizen.

Just last month, another woman, Crystal Mason, was sentenced to five years in prison for voting even though she's a convicted felon.

"Tarrant County is a good place to be a white Republican elected official," said Aaron Harris, co-founder of Direct Action Texas, an activist group that helped investigate the forged signatures on Casey's petition.

"Russ should have gotten jail time for this violation," Harris said. "The message that was sent today in Tarrant County is if you're an elected official and you commit a felony, we're going to slap you on the wrist and let you walk away and get on with your business."

A Texas sheriff has fired a deputy who fatally shot an unarmed man during a confrontation in Houston.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez announced Friday that Deputy Cameron Brewer was being fired for failure to follow the department's use-of-force policy in the March 22 fatal shooting of 34-year-old Danny Ray Thomas. In doing so, Brewer chose not to use his Taser first in an effort to subdue Thomas.

Brewer was shot dead in a confrontation captured on police video. Thomas had his pants around his ankles and was unarmed as he advanced toward Brewer, despite warnings to stop.

Thomas' family is suing the county for wrongful death.

The Harris County Deputies' Organization criticized Gonzalez's decision and plans an appeal.A homeless man who randomly stabbed a man to death as he was holding his daughter in a crowded Southern California restaurant was reported just a few hours earlier for disruptive behavior but police ultimately determined he was not a threat, authorities said Saturday.

Jamal Jackson, 49, is facing a first-degree murder charge in the death of 35-year-old Anthony Mele. He was being held in Ventura County jail on $1.5 million bail. It was unclear if Jackson, who is also a convicted felon, had an attorney to speak on his behalf.

Mele and his wife were eating dinner with their 5-year-old daughter Wednesday at Aloha Steakhouse in Ventura. The girl was sitting on her father's lap when prosecutors say Jackson walked up and stabbed Mele in the neck.

Prosecutor Richard Simon said patrons and a restaurant employee followed Jackson out of the restaurant, even though he still had the knife. They kept track of him until Ventura police arrived and arrested him.

Mele was taken to a hospital and died Thursday after being taken off life support.

"It's horrible," Simon said. "You don't think you're going to be killed when you go out to dinner at a nice restaurant with your family and you didn't do anything."

Simon said the two men had not interacted before the attack.

"He was just sitting there with his daughter in his lap," Simon said. "You're not supposed to die that way."

Mele's loved ones started a GoFundMe page to help raise money for a funeral and to support his wife and daughter.

Mele's Facebook page was filled with photos of his daughter and said he was a manager at an AT&T store.

Police confirmed that a bystander reported a man  who turned out to be Jackson  for disruptive behavior several hours before the stabbing.

According to the bystander, a man was yelling on the promenade not far from the beachside restaurant about three hours before the attack.

Patrol officers were out on other calls so command center staff monitored the man via a pier security camera system for more than 20 minutes before deciding he didn't seem to be a threat, police said.

Police are asking anyone who spoke with Jackson during that time to contact investigators.

The killing prompted the Ventura City Council to increase police patrols in the area and add staff members to monitor security cameras, among other measures.

"We are extremely disheartened and infuriated by this criminal attack," Mayor Neal Andrews said in a statement. "We will not tolerate this in our community. Nothing is more important than the safety of our visitors, residents and businesses."

If convicted, Jackson faces up to 55 years in prison. According to online court records, he has prior convictions for burglary and unlawful sexual intercourse dating back to the 1990s.

If you would like to donate to a GoFundMe account set up for the Mele family, you may do so here. Note that GoFundMe deducts 2.9 percent of all funds raised, plus 30 cents per donation, in the form of payment processing charges.

Police are asking for the public's help as they search for an inmate who walked away from a reentry facility in Los Angeles.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation says Richard T. Tarin, 30, walked away around 2 p.m. Saturday from the Male Community Reentry Program facility, in the process removing his electronic monitoring device.

The CDCR described Tarin as 5 feet, 9 inches tall and weighing 178 pounds. He was serving a 5-year, 8-month sentence after being convicted of driving drunk and "causing great bodily injury," the CDCR said. He was set to be released on parole in November of this year.

Anyone with information about Tarin's whereabouts is asked to call 911 or local law enforcement agencies.A manhunt is underway for the gunman that opened fire with an AR-15 at a Nashville-area Waffle House early Sunday, killing four people, before his gun was wrestled away by a restaurant patron.

Police are searching for 29-year-old Travis Reinking from Illinois, who had previously been arrested and had his firearms seized by law enforcement after breaching the White House grounds. Reinking was added to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation's "Top 10 Most Wanted" list, and anyone with information about his whereabouts is encouraged to call 911. Reinking is 6 feet 4 inches, weighs 180 pounds and is considered armed and dangerous.



Six people were shot at the Waffle House in Antioch, Tennessee, Metro Nashville Police said. Four died; the two others are being treated at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Police identified the people slain as 29-year-old Taurean Sanderlin of Goodlettsville, a Waffle House employee; 20-year-old Joe Perez of Nashville; 21-year-old Deebony Groves of Gallatin and 23-year-old Akilah Dasilva of Antioch, who was critically wounded and later died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

The two wounded by gunfire are being treated at Vanderbilt, and police identified them as 21-year-old Shanita Waggoner of Nashville and 24-year-old Sharita Henderson of Antioch. Police did not specify their condition.

A motive has not yet been determined, and the investigation is ongoing with assistance from the FBI. But police did say that four of Reinking's weapons were seized after he was arrested in 2017 for crossing an exterior security barrier at the White House. At the request of the FBI, Reinking's license to possess firearms was revoked and the weapons, including the AR-15 used in the shooting, were taken away.

The weapons were turned over to Reinking's father, who acknowledged that he had given them back to his son.

Police said Reinking arrived at the Waffle House Sunday at 3:19 a.m. and sat in his pick-up truck for about four minutes before getting out. Nude except for a green jacket, he got out of his truck and started shooting, hitting and killing two people, police said. He then allegedly walked into the Waffle House and continued firing.



James Shaw, Jr, a 29-year-old patron at the restaurant, spoke at a news conference Sunday and said he was able to wrestle the firearm from the gunman.

Shaw said he was with a friend at the Waffle House when the shots rang out. As gunfire erupted, he slid on the floor to an entryway door. Bullets pierced the door and one grazed Shaw's arm before he sprang into action.

"I made up my mind that if it was gonna come down to it he was gonna have to work to kill me," he told reporters.

When the gunfire paused, Shaw said he pushed the door into the gunman and the two wrestled over the rifle. Shaw tossed the gun over the dining room countertop and shoved the gunman outside with him. Shaw ran around the restaurant while he said the gunman trotted away.

"Something was with me to run through that door and get the gun from him," Shaw said during his emotional remarks.



"No doubt he saved many lives by wresting the gun away and tossing it over the counter and prompting the man to leave," police spokesman Don Aaron said.



"I knew I had it in me," said Shaw, who has a 4-year-old daughter. However, he said he does not want to be thought of as "the Terminator or Superman" for his quick action.

"I want people to know I did that completely out of a selfish act: I was doing it to save myself. I did save people, but ... if I was going to die, he was going to have to work for it. It actually worked out to my favor."

Still, Waffle House CEO Walt Ehmer honored Shaw as a hero for "taking care of your fellow man."

"You don't get to meet too many heroes in life, but you are a hero. You're my hero," Ehmer said at the press conference. "You saved people's lives. ... They will think of you for the rest of their days. We are forever in your debt."

Police said Reinking left the restaurant and shed his jacket  which had additional ammunition in it  and walked nude to a nearby apartment he lived in to put on a pair of pants. He then retreated to a wooded area behind his complex, and a helicopter and several police dogs were tracking him.

TriStar Southern Hills Medical Center spokeswoman Katie Radel in Nashville said two people were treated for minor injuries and released after the incident. Police said that because the glass of the restaurant's front window was shot out, some people had cuts on their faces.



Nashville Mayor David Briley spoke at the conference as well, calling for increased gun control: "If we can all just come together for this and for the greater good we can take these weapons of war off the streets of our country."

He added: "Last night, innocent Nashvillians were terrorized by a man with an AR-15. It's happening too much. Enough is enough."

Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson said authorities suspect Reinking had "some mental issues" and that this is an area of gun law that needs particular focus.

"We have a crisis," he said. "You have people's rights to own weapons, but we got to look closely at people with mental issues ... and make sure weapons do not legally fall into their hands. That's what weve got to work on."

Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Ill., responded to the shooting on Twitter Sunday and also called for a change in gun laws.

"Many will say now is not the time to discuss change. But now IS the time," Cooper wrote. "We can and must do everything possible to prevent these tragedies and keep Americans safe. That starts with restricting widespread civilian access to military-grade assault weapons."

Cooper mourned the "innocent victims" and thanking first responders as well.What to Know Scott spent about an hour speaking with former Venezuelan political prisoner and mayor of Caracas, Antonio Ledezma

Members of the Cuban exile community also joined in on the meeting, including Rosa Maria Paya

Florida Gov. Rick Scott met privately Sunday with opposition leaders from Venezuela and Cuba.

The meeting took place at a hotel in Doral, a city which has become the heart of the Venezuelan exile community.

"Unfortunately we have seen so many people come to our state from other countries because theyve been persecuted, because they dont have liberties, because they dont have democracy," Scott told reporters after the meeting.

Scott spent about an hour speaking with former Venezuelan political prisoner and mayor of Caracas, Antonio Ledezma.

Ledezma said that among other requests, he asked Scott to assist with speeding up the process for political refugees seeking temporary asylum in the United States.

"We as Floridians and as Americans got to stand for liberties and peace, democracy, we got to do everything we can to help these individuals that are suffering," Scott said.

Members of the Cuban exile community also joined in on the meeting, including Rosa Maria Paya.

Scott said he will use what's left of his term to look for ways to help the people of Venezuela and Cuba, including encouraging the governors of other states to also take action against the regimes.What to Know Health investigators believe chopped romaine lettuce from Arizona is behind the 16-state E. coli outbreak that has sickened 53 people

Seven cases have been reported in New Jersey, several have been confirmed in New York and Connecticut as well

As of April 18, 53 cases have been reported in 16 states. Thirty-one people have been hospitalized, the CDC says

The U.S. Centers for Disease expanded its warning Friday surrounding a multistate E. coli outbreak tied to tainted romaine lettuce from Arizona, which has now sickened more than 50 people.

The agency said information from new cases of illness prompted them to caution against eating any forms of romaine lettuce that may have come from Yuma. Previously, CDC officials had only warned against chopped romaine by itself or as part of salads and salad mixes. But they are now extending the risk to heads or hearts of romaine lettuce.

People at an Alaska correctional facility recently reported feeling ill after eating from whole heads of romaine lettuce. The vegetable was traced to lettuce harvested in the Yuma region, according to the CDC.

[Photos-NY Subscription Service] Consumer Reports Ranks America's Supermarkets From Best to Worst

So far, the outbreak has infected 53 people in 16 states. At least 31 have been hospitalized, including five with kidney failure. No deaths have been reported.

Symptoms of E. coli infection include diarrhea, severe stomach cramps and vomiting.

The CDC's updated advisory said consumers nationwide should not buy or eat romaine lettuce from a grocery store or restaurant unless they can get confirmation that it did not come from Yuma. Restaurants and retailers are also being warned not to serve or sell romaine lettuce from the area.

"Unless the source of the product is known, consumers anywhere in the United States who have any store-bought romaine lettuce at home should not eat it and should throw it away, even if some of it was eaten and no one has gotten sick," according to the CDC. "Product labels often do not identify growing regions; so, throw out any romaine lettuce if youre uncertain about where it was grown."

These Countries Have the Highest Threat Levels for Traveling, According to the U.S. Department of State

According to the Produce Marketing Association, romaine grown in coastal and Central California, Florida and central Mexico is not at risk.

Yuma is roughly 185 miles southwest of Phoenix and close to the California border. The region, referred to as the country's "winter vegetable capital," is known for its agriculture and often revels in it with events like a lettuce festival.

Steve Alameda, president of the Yuma Fresh Vegetable Association which represents local growers, said the outbreak has weighed heavily on him and other farmers.

"We want to know what happened," Alameda said. "We can't afford to lose consumer confidence. It's heartbreaking to us. We take this very personally."

These Are the 30 Best Bang-for-Your-Buck Colleges in America, According to Forbes

Growers in Yuma typically plant romaine lettuce between September and January. During the peak of the harvest season, which runs from mid-November until the beginning of April, the Yuma region supplies most of the romaine sold in the U.S., according to Alameda. The outbreak came as the harvest of romaine was already near its end.

While Alameda has not met with anyone from the CDC, he is reviewing his own business. He is going over food safety practices and auditing operations in the farming fields.

Cases have been reported across the tri-state area, the most in New Jersey (7); New York and Connecticut have three cases each. Pennsylvania has the most (12) in this outbreak, followed by Idaho (10). Check the CDC's case count map.

[NATL-PHI-PHOTOS] Southwest Flight Makes Emergency Landing in Philly After Engine BlowsWhat to Know A Paterson police officer crashed into a parked car on Sunday and died, prosecutors said

It's not clear what caused officer Tamby Yagan to crash

No one else was hurt

A police officer crashed into a parked car in New Jersey on Sunday and died, officials said.

Paterson police officer Tamby Yagan was on-duty in a marked patrol car when he crashed into a parked vehicle, the Passaic County prosecutor's office said. The crash was on Getty Avenue just before 11 a.m.

Yagan was taken to Saint Joseph's Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, prosecutors said.

Paterson Councilman Luis Velez said losing Yagan is a heavy "loss for the city."

"In uniform he was the type of officer that would always orient people how to conduct themselves out there," Velez said "Without uniform he was a kind man."

No one else was injured. Yagan leaves behind a young son.

State police and prosecutors were investigating. Officials said it's unclear whether the officer died as a result of the accident or from a medical emergency.

The Passaic County Sheriff's Office and the New Jersey state police union tweeted condolences to the Paterson Police Department and the officer's family.

https://twitter.com/PassaicSheriff/status/988131496379797504

Top Tri-State News PhotosWhat to Know Two European tourists with measles visited three Jehovah's Witness facilities last week

One was in Brooklyn and the other two were in Orange and Putnam counties

It was at least the fourth time this year European travelers with measles visited the tri-state area

Two European tourists with measles potentially exposed others at three Jehovah's Witness facilities in the greater New York City area, health officials said Saturday night.

The two tourists visited the Kingdom Hall of Jehovahs Witnesses on New Jersey Avenue in Brooklyn between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on April 15.

They also visited Watchtower World Headquarters on Kings Drive in Tuxedo Park between 11 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on April 16 and the Watchtower Educational Center on Watchtower Drive in Patterson between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on April 17.

Officials urged anyone who was exposed and is suffering symptoms to contact a health care provider before seeking treatment in order to minimize exposure.

Symptoms include a fever, rash, cough, conjunctivitis or runny nose. Symptoms usually appear 10 to 12 days after exposure but may appear as early as 7 days and as late as 21 days after exposure, the state said.

This most recent incident marks the fourth month in a row that European tourists with confirmed cases of measles have traveled through the tri-state area. Officials previously warned of one incident in Manhattan and two at Newark Liberty International Airport.A 60-year-old woman and 53-year-old man died Saturday morning after a fire broke out in their Point Breeze home, investigators said.

More than 60 firefighters arrived at the two-story home, located on the 1400 block of South 23rd Street, shortly before 5 a.m. They battled very heavy fire from the first floor before finding the two bodies on the second floor.



Officials have not identified the victims though residents who knew them told NBC10 they were "great friends and neighbors" with "hearts of gold."

"I just talked to her yesterday afternoon, on my way home from work," Tyrik Wilson said. "She was standing outside. She was telling me about her daughter. And I told her I would come back and talk to her today."



Five other structures, including a recently renovated church, were also impacted, investigators said. At least 10 people and one cat have been displaced.

"Structures you can rebuild," Joyce Scott, of New Bethany Baptist Church, said. "But the fact that people lost their lives is very disheartening."



Officials told NBC10 that firefighters and investigators will remain at the scene all day to determine the cause of the deadly blaze. City inspectors are also checking the structural integrity of the damaged buildings.

Dozens of people held a demonstration outside the Center City Starbucks where two black men were arrested earlier this month.

Councilman Kenyatta Johnson, as well as 50 to 60 protesters, made up mostly of members of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity, gathered outside the Starbucks on 1801 Spruce Street Sunday around 3 p.m. Sunday Organizers say they are rallying in support of their fraternity brother Rashon Nelson along with his business associate Donte Robinson.

Nelson and Robinson, both 23, were inside the Starbucks back on April 12 and waiting for a third person to arrive for a business meeting. The manager of the store called police on them after they asked to use the bathroom, were denied because they hadnt bought anything, and sat at a table. In a 911 call, the manager told the dispatcher Nelson and Robinson were "refusing to make a purchase or leave."

The manager made the call at 4:37 p.m. Nelson and Robinson told "Good Morning America" they had entered the store at 4:35 p.m.

Officers arrived at the store at 4:40 p.m. and they requested backup and a supervisor, claiming Nelson and Robinson were causing a disturbance. As many as seven responding Philadelphia police officers then arrested the two men.



The third person Nelson and Robinson were waiting for, Andrew Yaffe, who works in real estate in Philadelphia, arrived as they were being hauled off in handcuffs. After spending hours in a jail cell, they were released after Starbucks declined to press trespassing charges.

"Knowing Rashon personally, the kind of man he is, college student, college graduate and a very personable young man, it was an absolute shock to me," said Reese Lovelace, a friend of Nelson's and member of Omega Psi Phi.



Video of the arrest sparked outrage, protests and calls to boycott the chain of 28,000 Starbucks stores worldwide.

Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson called the incident "reprehensible" and also met with the two men. The men also met with Mayor Jim Kenney and Police Commissioner Richard Ross. Ross apologized to the two men and admitted he failed miserably in addressing the arrests in a previous video message in which he defended how police handled the incident.

Starbucks plans to close all of its more than 8,000 US stores on May 29 for racial bias training in light of the incident.

The driver of a big rig involved in the deaths of 10 smuggled immigrants in Texas last year was sentenced Friday to life in prison.

James Matthew Bradley Jr. pleaded guilty in October to a count of transporting the immigrants resulting in death and a conspiracy count. If he had gone to trial and been convicted, he could have faced the death penalty. The life term Bradley received from senior U.S. District Judge David A. Ezra doesn't include the possibility of parole.

At least 39 immigrants, most from Mexico and Guatemala, were inside the sweltering trailer found by San Antonio police last July in a Walmart parking lot. Its refrigeration system wasn't working and outside temperatures that day reached 101 degrees (more than 38 degrees Celsius). Eight people died inside the trailer and two others died after being hospitalized.

Bradley, 61, was identified by prosecutors as hailing from Louisville, Kentucky, but he also had lived in Florida.

"I am so sorry it happened," Bradley said in a video statement that his lawyers played in court Friday, the San Antonio Express-News reported. "There's not a day or night that goes by that I don't relive this scene."

Ezra called Bradley's actions "extreme by any measure," according to the newspaper.

Bradley initially denied knowing anyone was inside the trailer, telling investigators he was transporting it for his boss from Iowa to Brownsville, which is on Texas' border with Mexico. But he raised suspicions by saying he had driven to another border city, Laredo, Texas, and stopped twice there before driving back to San Antonio, in the opposite direction from Brownsville.

Those who survived the ordeal described hellish conditions, saying they were reduced to crying and pleading for water due to the stifling heat. They eventually had to take turns breathing through a single hole in the side of the trailer.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security this week announced the "Operation Big Rig Campaign," which aims to discourage immigrant smuggling by distributing informational materials at 15 truck stops and other locales in South Texas.When Kenneth Walker emailed his former D.C. high school classmates last November asking for a kidney, he knew it was a stretch.

It is nearly impossible for me to come to terms with what I must ask of you, Walker wrote, and that is your help in finding a kidney donor so that I can have a chance to improve my quality of life.

Walker made the plea to his fellow Archbishop Carroll High School alumni  most of whom he had not spoken to in decades.

But one alum who lives across the country responded within minutes.

Ill take any tests you need, said Charlie Ball, who now lives in California.

On April 16, Walker received Ball's kidney during a transplant surgery at George Washington University Hospital, as previously reported by WTVR. Surgeon Joseph Keith Melancon said the operations went well. Ball was discharged the following Thursday, Walker on Friday.

Transplants are pretty close to drive-by operations these days apparently, Walker said in a phone interview with News4.



Walker, a journalist, was working as National Public Radio's Africa bureau chief in South Africa when he got sick and received the wrong treatment, he said. Eventually, the misdiagnosis led to his kidneys crashing multiple times, even going code blue once.

He traveled back to D.C. and was added to the list for cadaver donors from George Washington University Hospital, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Walker said he also started looking for live donors and began reaching out to friends, family members and colleagues, but none of them were a match.

Then, a friend from high school suggested that Walker send an email to their alumni group. He took the advice.

Well, how do you ask someone for a kidney? Walker said. I finally figured out the language I wanted to use, and everyone said you need to be as straightforward as you can be.

He got an email list from his former high school and sent out his request.

Walker said he was pleasantly surprised when Ball responded so quickly. But he wasn't terribly excited in case it turned out Ball wasnt a match.

Walker and Ball are 1969 graduates of Archbishop Carroll High School, but they didnt know each other too well during their time there. They do remember acting in their schools rendition of West Side Story. Their characters were in the same gang, the Jets.

When you're a Jet, you're a Jet all the way. From your first cigarette to your last dying day, Walker recalled the first lines to The Jet Song from the play. Ball also admitted that those are the only lines he remembers from the musical.

While the tests to see if Ball was a match were extensive, he had no complaints whatsoever, Melancon said. Ball did most of the tests in California and went to D.C. in March for the final tests.

I stayed willing, Ball said. Kennys sitting here waiting forever. Its easy enough to go to a local hospital to get the blood work and all the tests done.

The donated kidney started to work immediately in Walkers body, Melancon said. It was functioning normally after just a few days. Thats a great sign. It bodes very well for the future, he said.

Balls kidney was surprisingly young, and in very good shape for someone more than 60 years old, Melancon added. Ball said he was happy to know he was healthier than he thought.

Ball wasnt the only one from their alma mater to help out. Mike Houle, also a 1969 graduate of Archbishop Carroll High School, started a GoFundMe page to help Walker and Ball. He also started a Facebook page to post updates about the two.

Mike was my classmate and college roommate, Ball said. Hes pretty integral in this process.

Walker refused the money, saying that he didnt need it.

Because I lived here and didnt have extra expenses associated with my kidney transplant, I decided I didnt need any money. All of it goes to Charlie, he said.

Thats the kind of guy Kenny is, Houle said.

For Ball, the money was helpful. He used some of it for travel expenses and hotel stays. The rest is going to charity for kidney research to help raise awareness, he said.

In the meantime, Ball and Walker say they are on their way to a quick recovery.

Im not feeling like putting my roller blades on today, but maybe sometime soon, Ball said. I feel fantastic and grateful for the opportunity.

"Im feeling still pretty weak and tired and sore but otherwise remarkably well, Walker said.A D.C. firefighter has died a week after he was injured in a roadside crash in Pennsylvania, the fire department says.

Robert "Bob" Marshall was in critical condition after the crash along Interstate 81 on Friday, April 13.

Marshall was standing in front of his truck on I-81 that night when another truck rear-ended the vehicle, causing his truck to strike him.

D.C. Fire and EMS said Marshall was a 20-year veteran of the department.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and fellow firefighters," the department tweeted Saturday.

On Sunday, black bunting was hung up along the front of the Engine 29 firehouse on MacArthur Boulevard NW where Marshall worked.

"It's definitely empty today," firefighter Toree Holmes told News4.

Marshall's colleagues say he was the guy that held things together.

"Off-duty and on-duty he always just put everybody else ahead of himself, you know, no matter what. Good situation, bad situation," Holmes said.

He was the firehouse's cook, a vital role that Marshall fulfilled with the confidence of a gourmet chef.

"We're kind of a diverse group here. Everybody likes different stuff. He'd cook three different meals twice a day," said D.C. Fire & EMS Lt. Joe Boling.

Marshall was also an EMT and did ambulance duty in addition to fighting fires.

Boling said his dedication went beyond the firehouse.

"Christmas time Bob was the Santa Clause for the neighborhood. You know, he started on me in October," Boling said.A Massachusetts family is looking for a new preschool for their 4-year-old daughter because her current school has barred use of the term "best friend."

Christine Hartwell says her daughter, Julia, appeared sad recently when she came home from the Pentucket Workshop Preschool in Georgetown.

The little girl told her mother she was upset because her teacher told her she couldn't call one of her classmates her "best friend."

School officials did not comment. But, in a letter to the Hartwells they said, it had been their experience that the use of the term "best friend," even when used in a loving way, can lead some children feeling excluded.

Hartwell called the ban "outrageous" and "silly." She says children should be allowed to speak from their heart.More good news for Ofsted-rated outstanding school

PRIORS Court School has been crowned Educational Establishment of the Year at the Education Resources Awards (ERAs).

The school, which provides education and residential care for young people with profound autism and learning difficulties, was the only special school shortlisted in the category.

It is more good news for the Hermitage-based school, which was rated outstanding by Ofsted in January.

The ERAs is an annual event which celebrates outstanding success of suppliers and teaching professionals from the education sector throughout the UK.

Director of education at Priors Court Sue Piper said: It was such a privilege to be there to receive this award on behalf of everyone at Priors Court.

We pride ourselves on having exceptionally dedicated staff who consistently go above and beyond, which means that the young people we support are happy and able to make extraordinary progress in their learning and life skills.

This award is a testament to that and were delighted to be recognised in such a way.

Director of the British Educational Suppliers Association and chairman of the judging panel, Patrick Hayes, said: Winning an ERA is a clear sign to the education sector that you are leading the way, with the awards widely recognised by schools, local authorities and across the industry.The mathematical (and other) thoughts of a (now retired) math teacher,Washington: With economic reforms adopted in the last few years starting to bear fruit, India is poised to remain the fastest growing large economy in the world, and its GDP is expected to reach USD 5 trillion by 2025, a top Indian official has told the World Bank.

"India is poised to remain as the fastest growing large economy in the world. In 2018, we expect India to grow at over 7.4 percent," Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg told the 97th meeting of the Development Committee of the World Bank here on Saturday.

Giving an overview of the South Asian countries  Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka  Garg said India continued to be a beacon of growth in the region. "In the last few years, India has undertaken massive structural reforms toward formalisation of the economy and fostering digital financial inclusion," he said, adding that the country had grown at an average of 7.2 per cent per annum in the last four years and was continuing on the trajectory of sustained growth.

"India's GDP is expected to reach a volume of USD 5 trillion by FY2025 by leveraging on digitisation, globalisation, favourable demographics and structural reforms," Garg added.

Transformational reforms such as Goods and Services Tax (GST), and initiatives such as Insolvency and Bankruptcy code, recapitalisation of banks, and unclogging of infrastructure investments will support such elevated growth, he told the World Bank.

In the absence of the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Garg is leading the Indian delegation for the annual Spring Meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

India, he said, has accorded top priority to addressing its infrastructure deficit to sustain economic growth. Steps have been taken to mobilise funds from various sources for development of infrastructure which includes, inter alia, launching of innovative financial vehicles, he added.

India has begun undertaking a major programme of monetising brown field assets of Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs) as a separate asset class for infrastructure investments, Garg said.

"In the field of digitisation, India has completed the ambitious task of connecting 100,000-gram panchayats through high speed optical fibre network under phase-I of the Bharat Net project," he said, adding that it has enabled broadband access to over 200 million Indians living in about 250,000 villages.

The government also proposes to setup 500,000 wi-fi hotspots which will provide broadband access to 50 million rural citizens, Garg said.

Around 470 Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs) have been connected to the electronic National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) network providing a unified national market for agricultural commodities, he added.

Garg told the World Bank that one of the key features of India's economic performance in recent years has been the speed and scale of implementation of reforms. "Recent upgrade of the sovereign rating reflects India's strength, speed and scale of these ongoing reforms," he said.

Noting that India rolled out the GST in July 2017, Garg said within a short span of eight months, monthly earnings from GST have crossed USD 12.7 billion. The number of dealers registered in the GST database increased by about four million in the fiscal year of the roll-out which is about 60 percent higher than unique assesses registered earlier in the VAT network in the country.

India's massive leap in the Ease of Doing Business rankings from 142 in 2014 to 100 in 2017 is testimony to India's commitment to long-term reforms for an open and vibrant economy. This is also reflected in strong FDI inflows which have grown from USD 34.3 billion in 2012-13 to USD 60.1 billion in 2016-17, he added.

In the arena of financial inclusion, the Jan-Dhan Yojana, launched in August, 2014, has rapidly expanded banking services for the hitherto deprived sections, he said. Till date, over 313 million bank accounts have been opened and savings of about USD 11.510 billion has been mobilised under the scheme, Garg said.

For providing access to financial facilities by small businesses, India rolled out the Mudra Yojana in April 2015 and had supported over 115 million small businesses by sanctioning loans of USD 77.66 billion so far, he claimed.

Noting that India is pursuing a path of clean and climate responsible growth, Garg said the country aimed to achieve about 40 percent cumulative installed power capacity from non-fossil fuel based energy resources by 2030 with the help of transfer of technology and low cost international finance.New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday night promulgated Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance that will allow the government to confiscate properties and assets of loan defaulters who flee the country.

The president promulgated the Ordinance within hours of it being cleared by the Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 12, but could not be taken up for discussion and passage due to the logjam in Parliament over various issues. The ordinance seeks to confiscate properties of economic offenders like diamond merchant Nirav Modi, who have left the country to avoid facing criminal prosecution.

The provisions of the ordinance will apply for economic offenders who refuse to return, persons against whom an arrest warrant has been issued for a scheduled offence as well as willful bank loan defaulters with outstanding of over Rs 100 crore.

It provides for confiscating assets even without a conviction and paying off lenders by selling off the fugitive's properties. Such economic offenders will be tried under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The ordinance defines a fugitive economic offender as a person against whom an arrest warrant has been issued for committing offence like counterfeiting government stamps or currency, cheque dishonour for insufficiency of funds, money laundering, and transactions defrauding creditors.

A fugitive economic offender is one who has left the country to avoid facing prosecution or refuses to return to face prosecution.

According to the ordinance, a director or deputy director (appointed under the PMLA, 2002) may file an application before a special court (designated under the 2002 Act) to declare a person as a fugitive economic offender. The application will contain the reasons to believe that an individual is a fugitive economic offender.

Besides, the application will have information about his whereabouts, a list of properties believed to be proceeds of a crime for which confiscation is sought, a list of benami properties or foreign properties for which confiscation is sought, and a list of persons having an interest in these properties.

Upon receiving the application, the special court will issue a notice to the individual, requiring him to appear at a specified place within six weeks. If the person appears at the specified place, the special court will terminate its proceedings under the provisions of the Bill.

Any property belonging to the fugitive economic offender may provisionally be attached without the prior permission of the special court, provided that an application is filed before the court within 30 days. Appeals against the orders of the special court will lie before the High Court.New Delhi: Markets watchdog Sebi is mulling getting a forensic examination done on financial statements and disclosures made by ICICI Bank in last few years amid a controversy over alleged conflict of interest involving the lender's CEO Chanda Kochhar and her husband.

According to top officials, the capital markets regulator will also consult the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on the matter to avoid any intra-regulatory jurisdiction issues.

The forensic examination will focus on various disclosures made by the top private sector bank over the last few years, vis-a-vis the clarifications submitted by ICICI Bank to the stock exchanges in reply to queries made in the backdrop of a controversy regarding certain loans extended as part of a consortium to Videocon.

Officials said the examination will also cover the disclosures made at the time of Kochhar being appointed as CEO and Managing Director of the bank for the first time in 2009.

If required, Sebi will also seek details from the bank regarding various business dealings involving its top officials including Kochhar to look into alleged conflict of interest.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has been looking into the matter for any possible disclosure and corporate governance-related lapses at ICICI Bank, but has not come across any concrete proof so far, the officials said.

A probe by RBI in 2016 also did not find any 'quid pro quo' vis-a-vis ICICI Bank with regard to the loan extended to Videocon by the consortium which had the private sector lender as 'a small member', they added.

ICICI Bank landed in the controversy following allegations about a Rs 3,250 crore loan to Videocon Group, whose chairman Venugopal Dhoot has been accused of having business dealings with NuPower Renewables, operated by Chanda Kochhar's husband Deepak Kochhar.

Besides, questions have been raised about Avista Advisory, run by Chanda's brother-in-law Rajiv Kochhar, having advised some clients of ICICI Bank.

The bank, however, has denied all these allegations and its board has strongly defended the chief executive saying it has full faith and confidence in Kochhar.

Since RBI had already looked into the matter in 2016 and found no wrongdoing, the bank and its board members have been exuding confidence that the company would get out of the controversy unscathed.

Kochhar has been known as one of the biggest driving forces behind the phenomenal growth of ICICI Bank, especially of its retail banking operations which got redefined following the entry of this private sector lender in the Indian banking space.

Subsequently, she has played a key role in expanding the bank's business in other areas and its diversification, including the digital push in recent years.Mumbai: A police encounter in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district on Sunday successfully managed to kill 16 naxals.

A specialised combat unit of the Gadchiroli police, called the C-60 commandos, carried out the operation. "Fourteen Naxals were killed in the encounter. Combing operations are still on," Sharad Shelar, Inspector General of Police told PTI.

He said the combing operation, which started in the morning, was currently underway at Tadgaon forest in Bhamragad, around 750 kilometres from here.

The official said that two district-level "commanders" of the proscribed outfit, identified as Sainath and Sainyu, were among those killed in the encounter. Director General of Police Satish Mathur congratulated the C-60 team which participated in the encounter. "This is a major operation against Naxals in recent times," Mathur told PTI.

According to the Maharashtra Police, the encounter is the second biggest against naxalites in the country in terms casualties on a single day since the one conducted in Odisha's Malkangiri district in 2016 by the specialised anti-naxal force of the police, the Greyhounds. The claim has been backed up by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

(With PTI inputs)Guwahati: Two army personnel died while one was missing when an Army mini-truck skidded off into the Kundil river in Lower Dibang Valley district of Arunachal Pradesh in the early hours of Sunday.

According to Army sources, the team was on the Chapakhoa-Roing-Dibang route when the vehicles rear left wheel went off balance and into a landslide near the Iduli village area.

Search operation continues for the missing personnel. 

The incident took place around 3am. The army unit comprising 18 personnel were en route for a counter insurgency operation near the Assam-Arunachal border when their vehicle skidded off a bridge at Kabung village. Rescue operations are on, said Lower Dibang SP Sanjay Kumar Sain.

Two bodies had been retrieved at the time of filing this report.

Four soldiers sustained minor injuries in the accident and were provided medical assistance. The district administration started rescue operations with the help of police, locals, army officers and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

The army unit was traversing the Chapakhoa-Roing-Dibang route when the vehicle skidded off the track and fell into the fast flowing stream.New Delhi: Two men were arrested for allegedly stealing foreign currency worth over Rs 2 crore from a west-Delhi based businessman, the police said on Sunday.

Rakesh Godara, running a business of purchase and sale of goods and commodities imported from foreign suppliers, had filed a police complaint that foreign currency worth over Rs 2 crore had been stolen from him, they said.

In his complaint, Godara said that he had employed Ratan a month ago to assist in his business, but later sacked him due to his addiction to liquor. On April 11, he went to Kota to meet his daughter studying in an engineering college there, the police said.

The next day he was informed by his business partner that Ratan had come to Delhi on the pretext of some work and wanted to stay at his residence. Though Godara was initially reluctant to let Ratan stay at his house, but later took pity on him and complied, they said.

That night, Ratan got the other employees, staying at the house, drunk. He then opened the doors of the house to let his accomplices Daljeet and Jasbir enter and directed them to the place where the foreign currency was kept along with the Indian bank notes, the police said.

Daljeet and Jasbir fled immediately after stealing the money, while Ratan left the next day, they said.

On returning to Delhi, Godara tried on his own to search for the accused. After he failed to do, he approached the police.

After questioning the acquaintances of the accused, the police conducted raids in Sirsa, Chandigarh, Mohali, national capital region (NCR), Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra as the accused persons were constantly changing their locations, Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Vijay Kumar said.

Subsequently, Daljeet was arrested from Hauz Khas. During interrogation, he confessed that they had planned to flee to Bangkok, he said. The second accused Jasbir was arrested from Nanded in Maharashtra on the intervening night of April 18 and 19, and 2,42,500 Euros was recovered from him.

In subsequent raids across NCR, foreign currency worth over Rs 33 lakh, mobile phones worth a lakh and two passports were recovered from various hideouts of the accused, the officer said, adding the police are searching for the other accused.Washington: A record number of 20 Indian Americans are running for US Congressional elections this year.

Collectively they have raised more than USD 15.5 million, as per latest official figures, with seven of them raising over a million each.

With six months still to go for the November Congressional election, except for Hiral Tipirneni who is running for April 24 special elections in Arizona, the figure of more than USD 15.5 million raised by Indian Americans so far that could be a record in itself for any ethnic community in the US.

Traditionally, a significant amount of money is raised by candidates in the last two quarters.

As per the latest fund-raising figures released by the Federal Election Commission, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi from Illinois has raised maximum over USD 3.5 million. Krishnamoorthi is seeking his re-election from the eighth Congressional district in Illinois. Pitted against him is Indian American Jitender Digankar from the Republican party.

Indian-American scientist and entrepreneur Shiv Ayyadurai, who is running as an independent candidate for the US Senate seat from Massachusetts.

Three other Indian American Congressmen Ro Khanna, Dr Ami Bera and Pramila Jayapal each have raise more than a million each. Krishnamoorthi, Khanna, Bera and Jayapal are the four Indian Americans in the current House of Representative. They are collectively called Samosa Caucus.

According to Federal Election Commission Khanna, seeking re-election from California's 17th Congressional district had raised nearly USD2 million (USD1.92 million to be precise) till March 31.

He is followed by Dr Ami Bera (USD 1.7 million), who is seeking his fourth consecutive term in the US House of Representative from the seventh Congressional District in California.

Pramila Jayapal, the first ever Indian-American to be elected to the House of Representative has raised USD1.3 million. She is seeking her re-election from the seventh Congressional District of Washington State.

In addition to Jayapal, four other Indian American women are running for the US House of Representatives Hiral Tipirneni from eights Congressional District of Arizona; Aruna Miller from sixth Congressional District of Maryland, Anita Malik from sixth Congressional District of Arizona and Saira Rao from the first Congressional District of Colorado.

All four are from the Democratic party. This week all eyes are on Tipirneni as latest polls suggests that in the April 24 Special election she might create an upset by winning this Republican stronghold. She had raised USD 670,521 till March 31, according to FEC records.

Aruna Miller, who has to win the June 26 primaries to become party's nominee for the November Congressional elections has surprised many by raising more than USD 1 million till the last quarter.

Among other two women candidates, Rao has raised USD255,000 and Malik has raised USD64,000, according to FEC records.

Indian-American Aftab Pureva, who is seeking to enter the House of Representative from First Congressional District of Ohio on a Democratic ticket has raised USD 663,000. Recently the Democratic party identified him as a potential winner.

By raising more than USD 1.1 million for the June 26 primary against incumbent Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, young Suraj Patel has surprised many.

In the 11th Congressional District of New York two Indian Americans Omar Vaid and Mohan Radhakrishnan  are vying for Democratic primary on June 26.

Two have raised 31,000 and 16,000 respectively. Similarly, in the two Indian Americans Peter Jacob and Goutam U Jois  are running against each other for the June 5 Democratic primary in the Seventh Congressional District of New Jersey.

Sri Preston Kulkarni is headed for a primary run-off for the 22nd Congressional District of Texas on May 22. He has raised more than USD 178,000, FEC records reveal, Abhijit Das from the third Congressional District of Massachusetts more than USD 220,000 and Chintan Desai from the One Congressional District of Arkansas has raised USD 16,000.

In addition to Digankar, Harry Arora is the only other Republican Indian American in race for the Congress. Running from fourth Congressional District of Connecticut, Arora has raised USD192,000 so far.

A calculation of FEC figures, as of March 31 indicated, that all the 20 Indian-American candidates in the race for the Congressional elections this year have more than USD11 million in all for the rest part of the campaign.

FEC figures also reveal that these candidates have loaned more than USD 1.1 million to their campaigns. The list is topped by Arora with USD 500,000, followed by Abhijit Das (USD 283,000), Vaid (USD 105,000) Jois (USD 100,000), Tipirneni (USD 70,000), Radhakrishnan (USD 50,000), Kulkarni (USD 35,000) and Jacob (USD 10,000).

The current Congress has four Indian Americans in the House of Representatives, which is a record in itself.New Delhi: Three months on, the central government has finally acted on the Collegium's recommendation to appoint senior advocate Indu Malhotra as a judge in the Supreme Court.

Moving a step ahead, the government has forwarded Malhotra's file to the Intelligence Bureau (IB) for verifying her credentials, professional competence and provide inputs on other pertinent aspects before her name can be cleared.

Sources in the Law Ministry told CNN-News18 that the file was sent to the IB earlier this week by the Union Law Ministry.

IB, apart from collecting inputs on professional competence and personal integrity, is also supposed to ascertain veracity of complaints received against the person who is being considered for appointment to the constitutional position. A report is thereafter submitted by the IB to the government.

The government has moved three months after the Supreme Court Collegium recommended Uttarakhand High Court chief justice KM Joseph and senior lawyer Indu Malhotra for appointment as judges in the top court.

Justice Joseph's file is still under consideration by the Law Ministry and there is no further movement in his case.

Supreme Court judge Kurian Joseph, in his letter addressed to Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, had recently questioned the government's intent behind sitting over the recommendations.

In his letter dated April 9, Justice Joseph had cautioned the CJI that "dignity, honour and respect of this institution is going down day by day" because of the judiciary's inability to get judges appointed.

In February, most senior judge J Chelameswar had also criticised the government over stalling judicial appointment.

"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.Beijing: China is oscillating between using pressure and persuasion to get India on board its Belt and Road Initiative.

Forty years after China opened up its economy in 1978, the BRI is being seen as its next big economic push. The idea is seen as Chinese President Xi Jinpings dream project, so much so that it was included in the party charter at the 19th Communist Party Congress in November 2017. Now, with both prestige and growth at stake, China is looking even more keenly towards India.

Sources in Beijing working closely with the government said that for any project to be economically viable and workable in Nepal, it was getting difficult to avoid India. Similar was the case with the proposed China-Myanmar-Bangladesh-India economic corridor. They said they value Indias cooperation but it was India that has been hesitant.

Through connectivity, China is looking at finding routes into emerging markets, India being one of the biggest. It is no surprise then that China is, for the time being, showing signs of toning down. It is even willing to set aside territorial differences to push its Belt and Road Initiative with India.

There is no reason why we should not work together. We can settle disputes later, said a source.

It is this message that China is likely to communicate to External Affairs Ministry Sushma Swaraj as she meets her counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing on Sunday evening.

While China is showing indications of leaving aside even the most recent 73-day standoff over Doklam, India had a very clear reason for not being part of the Belt and Road Initiative and that still stands. India had boycotted the BRI summit in May 2017. The Ministry of External Affairs released a statement a night before the much-touted conference, saying it cannot and will not be part of the summit.

Indias concerns stemmed from the fact that the flagship project under BRI, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor challenged the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India as it passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

On May 13, 2017, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson had said in a statement that guided by our principled position in the matter, we have been urging China to engage in a meaningful dialogue on its connectivity initiative, One Belt, One Road which was later renamed as Belt and Road Initiative. We are awaiting a positive response from the Chinese side. Regarding the so-called China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which is being projected as the flagship project of the BRI/OBOR, the international community is well aware of Indias position. No country can accept a project that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Despite India voicing its concern, CPEC remains one of the significant projects under BRI that is taking shape in reality. China has already invested over $60 billion and the Gwadar port is operational. According to sources working closely with the Chinese establishment in Beijing, despite the challenges China is facing in Pakistan like security threat from Taliban, water and electricity problems and mountainous areas to cut through, it will continue to invest there.

These problems? So what? Our friendship will bear more fruits, another source said.

So with this contradiction in attitude, how does China intend to convince India? One thought in China is that since both India and Pakistan have been inducted into the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, China could utilise that forum to nudge the two sides to improve their bilateral relations.

Beijing believes the geopolitical issue can be managed in a way so as to allow Xi Jinpings Belt and Road dream to take shape. But India has a firm stand that outstanding issues with Pakistan, including Kashmir, will be resolved only through bilateral engagement. A third -party intervention has always been ruled out by India.

So as Sushma Swaraj and, later this month, Nirmala Sitharaman engage with their Chinese counterparts (NSA Ajit Doval has already met Politburo member Yang Jiechi), it is quite obvious that both the sides do believe that high-level exchanges will help realise the potential of closer development partnership between India and China, but how far these moves will help Chinas ambitious Belt and Road is still not clear.New Delhi: The CBI has filed a charge sheet against Commissioner, Goods and Service Tax, Sansar Chand in a corruption case, a first against a senior officer of the department, officials.

Besides Sansar Chand, the agency has also arrested his wife Avinash Kaur in the case last month and she has also been charge sheeted in the corruption case of receiving an alleged bribe of Rs 1.5 lakh from a Kanpur-based businessman, they said.

The Indian Revenue Service 1986-batch officer then posted in Kanpur is the first senior officer of the GST department constituted last year to face charges of corruption from the CBI, they said.

The agency has charged him and his wife along with 13 others with criminal conspiracy and corruption among others.

While Sansar Chand was arrested on February 2, 2018, his wife was arrested on March 21, 2018 and was sent to judicial custody by the Special CBI court, Lucknow.

"The investigation revealed that Sansar Chand in criminal conspiracy with others was systematically collecting illegal gratification in lieu of various officials acts in connection to matters pertaining to Central excise department under its jurisdiction in Kanpur," an official said.

The agency in a late night operation on February 2, 2018 had arrested two superintendents of the department (Ajay Shrivastav, R S Chandel), one personal staff (Saurabh Pandey) and five private individuals, including the owner of Shishu Soaps, in a late-night operation in Kanpur and Delhi.

Besides these, five more including the wife of the officer have been charge sheeted by the agency under the corruption charges, they said adding that 11 persons have been arrested.

The agency has alleged in the charge sheet that Sansar Chand along with his subordinates used to collect bribes on monthly and quarterly basis from industrialists and businessmen, they said.

The bribes in cash were routed through hawala channels to Delhi through Aman Jain and Chander Prakash, both residents of Delhi, who used to deliver it to Chand's wife, the CBI has alleged.

In one such case, Chand was allegedly seeking update on bribe from the owner of Shishu Soaps and Chemicals Limited, Manish Sharma, who sells his product under the brand name Rekha detergent when he was arrested, it alleged.

The bribe was received by Saurabh Pandey, the PA of Sansar Chand, on behalf of his boss and other officials from an employee of Manish Sharma, it alleged.

Sharma, who was seeking relief from the notices of the Central Excise Department, had given an assurance that he would soon pay the bribe for the months from February, 2018 to April, 2018 which was conveyed to Chand through his middleman Amit Awasthi and arrested superintendent Ajay Shrivastav, it alleged.

"Investigation has revealed that Sansar Chand and his wife Avinash Kaur had demanded and accepted various valuable things for themselves and their relatives. During investigation a total 11 persons have been arrested and all are in prison under judicial custody," an official said.

During searches at the time of arrest, the agency had carried out searches at the premises of accused persons including public servants, private individuals, middlemen at Kanpur and Delhi which led to recovery of Rs 58 lakh and several incriminating documents including diaries, pen drives and documents of properties worth crores.Ballia (UP): Claiming that Christian missionaries are a threat to the unity and integrity of the country, BJP MP Bharat Singh has accused the Congress party of working on their directives.

"Christian missionaries control the Congress. Sonia Gandhi, the mother of Congress president Rahul Gandhi works on the directions of these missionaries. These missionaries are a threat for the unity of the country," Singh said while talking to reporters here on Saturday.

Singh also alleged that the democracy in the north eastern states of the country has "weakened" due to "conversion of people there into Christianity".

"The North-East is under the influence of Christian missionaries. Democracy has weakened due to conversion of people into Christianity there. The conspiracies hatched by these missionaries are threat for the country," he added.

The Ballia MP, incidentally, had also alleged recently that the Christian missionaries were behind the vandalisation of the statues of the Dalit icon and key architect of the Indian Constitution, Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar.

Singh further said after the Supreme Court's decision on Justice BH Loya case, Rahul Gandhi should regret his stand.

"Congress does not believe in democracy. After Loya case ruling by the SC, the Congress, which tried to put BJP president Amit Shah in the dock stands exposed," he added.New Delhi: As the Congress awaits the decision of Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on an impeachment notice moved by it and other parties against Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, it is considering moving the Supreme Court if the petition is rejected, party leaders said.

They said if the Upper House chairman did not find merit in the notice for the impeachment, the decision could call for a judicial review.

"The chairman's decision is open to being challenged. It is bound to go for a judicial review," said a Congress leader.

The Congress was also trying to build up "moral pressure" on the Chief Justice of India in the hope that he would step aside from judicial duty if an impeachment motion was moved against him.

Judges who faced impeachment had earlier stepped aside from judicial work and the Chief Justice should do the same, a party leader said. "It is only a convention, though there is no legal or constitutional bar (on this)," the leader said.

The Congress also hoped that the decision on the motion would be taken soon.

"He (the RS Chairman) cannot sit on it indefinitely, though there is no deadline laid out in the Constitution," a legal expert said, citing the case of an anti-defection law where the court had said it should be decided within a "reasonable" time-frame.

Meanwhile, an official in Parliament stressed that making public the contents of a notice before it was admitted violated Parliamentary rules.

This assumes significance in the wake of the seven opposition parties, led by the Congress, initiating an unprecedented step last week for the impeachment of CJI Misra by moving a notice levelling several charges against him.

According to the provisions in the handbook for Rajya Sabha members, no advance publicity should be given to any notice to be taken up in the House till it is admitted by the chairman.

"A notice for raising a matter in the House should not be given publicity by any member or other person until it has been admitted by the Chairman and circulated by members. A member should not raise the issue of a notice given by him and pending consideration of the Chairman," according to Rule 2.2 of Parliamentary Customs and Conventions in the handbook.

A retired Lok Sabha official said the same rule also applied to the Lower House as it was listed under rule 334A of the procedure and conduct of its business.

The notice has been referred by Naidu to Rajya Sabha Secretariat officials, who are preparing the file and identified this violation, the official said.

According to the senior official in Parliament, a bulletin issued by the Rajya Sabha on December 8, 2017, reiterates the rule under parliamentary customs and conventions.

Leaders of the opposition parties had met Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, who is also the chairman of the Rajya Sabha, and handed over the notice of impeachment bearing the signatures of 64 MPs and seven former members, who had recently retired.The details of the violence and torture inflicted on a little girl in Jammu have become common knowledge to the world today. While the gory details stirred a kneejerk emotional reaction from almost everyone, it did not just stop there.

With growing momentum on increasing the toughness of child sexual abuse laws, the Centre wrote to the Supreme Court on Thursday with regard to the amendment of the Protection of Children from Offences Act (POCSO) 1980 under the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018.

According to sources, the Union Cabinet, led by PM Narendra Modi, has already approved the promulgation of the Ordinance, which will lead to changes such as reduction in the time limit of rape trials to two months and addition of more fast-track courts, among other things in addition to the provision of capital punishment.

Death is the only thing that a criminal is afraid of. That is why no other laws work. In my experience of almost 40 years, I have observed that execution is the only thing that can prevent such crimes, former Delhi High Court judge RC Chopra felt.

He was echoing the thoughts of hundreds of others, including Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi, who has sought a similar remedy.

If you look at the court order, it only asks for death penalty clause for severe cases. I feel all child rape cases should be given death penalty. These people are not just criminals, they are terrorists. They create terror through their activities. They need to be dealt with accordingly, Supreme Courts advocate on record Sneha Kalita told News18.

There can be no reformation of rapists, so that theory does not apply here. Child rapists specially are socially demented. Arming POCSO with capital punishment is bound to act as a deterrent against them, Kalita said.

But is it really an effective deterrent?

Many disagree.

Nowhere ever has capital punishment been helpful in preventing rape. If it had, why would there still be so much crime? There was a reason the world moved away from capital punishment. It undermined right to life and has proven problematic everywhere that it was practised in the world, former Supreme Court judge Ashok Kumar Ganguly told News18.

I understand that the crime which has brought on this onslaught of public interest in revising rape laws is heinous and absolutely unthinkable. But such a law of capital punishment will require a very strict and complicated set of guidelines for implementation which is bound to get hard for prosecution to follow leading to inaccuracies in judgment, he added.

He said that in the 2012 Delhi gang-rape, a case that people were now citing as reference in their demand for capital punishment, the accused were given capital punishment for murder and not rape.

There is no proof that either rape or murder was deterred by that move, the former judge said.

Professor (Dr.) Faizan Mustafa, Vice-Chencellor of the NALSAR University of Law in Hyderabad, was also against the amendments proposed benefits.

I am opposed to death penalty. This is regressive decision, the professor told News18.

A report titled Deterrence and the Death Penalty, released in 2012 by US-based National Research Council of the National Academies, analysed research done for over 30 years on death penalty acting as a deterrent to murder, only to conclude that death penalty had no impact on deterring or preventing murders.

Knee-jerk reaction?

Many feel that the move to amend POCSO is to win over public sentiment at a time when tempers are running high.

According to Asmita Basu, Programmes Director at Amnesty India, the move to add the provision of capital punishment may just be a bit hasty.

It seems that the government just wants to act out the popular sentiment without actually attacking the cause of the problem. No study has ever pointed out that capital punishment can act as a deterrent to anything, Basu told News18.

Rape laws need serious reflection as they must keep in mind the best interest of the child. In this case, capital punishment may actually lead to hampering the best interest of the victim, Basu said.

She was referring to the fact that in most cases of child sexual abuse, the perpetrators of the crime are often family members and/or close, trusted associates of the family.

It is already hard for children to report cases of abuse or violence due to familial pressure, lack of agency, shame. We come across many cases in which families try to protect the perpetrators to save the family name and honour. Sometimes, these accusations are not even taken seriously when mentioned. Add to that the threat of a death penalty and more such incidents of under-reportage may occur, Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia Director of Human Rights Watch, said.

Previously, activists have also raised concerns that death penalty may lead to more post-rape murder among minor victims as leaving a survivor would pose a greater risk of being caught and sentenced to death.

What should preventive measures focus on instead?

Referring to the move to amend POCSO as a short-term remedy, Meenakshi Ganguly told News18, It is easier for the government to just say oh look, we amended rape laws, now we hang child rapists. That can never be a systematic solution. We need to look at education, sensitisation and accountability of government to actually make any difference to rape numbers.

She stressed on the fact that there was still no structured education or development communication about rape and rape laws in the country and that existing rape laws like POCSO suffered from poor implementation.

Most of the special courts to be set up under POCSO are still underway, there is a lack of good police who understand rape and can conduct thorough investigations. Often victims are shamed and dismissed and in some cases, it takes time to even file FIRs. And when they do, conviction rates are low and sometimes the course of law is obstructed by political agents as we saw in cases of the Unnao and Kathua rapes. What good are laws when there is no implementation or when custodians of that law decide to break it? Meenakshi asked.

She added that along with laws, maybe the government also needed to invest in picking better leaders and learning when not to defend the accused.

Deterrent or Retributive?

In the last four months, at least four states, including Madhya Pradesh, have moved towards or proposed a move to incorporate capital punishment for raping children below a certain age.

Madhya Pradesh has already passed the bill adding death provision. Rajasthan has tabled a bill with similar changes and the state governments of Haryana and Karnataka have shown interest in amending their laws too.

Internationally, countries that punish rape with death (or a combination of death and life imprisonment) include Saudi Arabia, Japan, Iran, Pakistan, Cuba, Bangladesh, and in some states of the United States such as Florida and Louisiana. There are many other countries that use capital punishment as the response to a series of other crimes too.

Whether capital punishment can act as a true deterrent to crime was also questioned by Dr Suprakash Chaudhury of the Department of Psychiatry, Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences in Maharashtra.

One has to look at it this way. When we say death to the rapist, do we mean either a retributive action where the affected party is seeking retribution for a heinous crime or a deterrent action, which would act as a preventive factor against such crimes from occurring, the psychiatrist, who co-authored the review article Psychological Aspects of Rape and Its Consequences.

Another way is the reformative approach that will lead to reforming a criminal but society often does not want to go that way as then this person is expected to be reformed on taxpayers money, Chaudhury added.

Saying that punishing child rape with death penalty will lead to reduction in child rape is a fallacy. It may lead to some short-term reduction since the causes of rape are variable and subjective. But if the move is to signify retribution, to send a message, then death penalty for child rapists makes perfect sense, Chaudhary told News18.

By the end of 2017, 109 countries have abolished death penalty as a form of punishment in law for all crimes and 142 countries have abolished it in law and practice.New Delhi: Even as outrage continues over the Kathua rape and murder and a slew of such cases reported since, Union Minister Santosh Gangwar landed controversy when he suggested not to make a big deal out of such incidents.

Unfortunately, these things happen and sometimes you cannot stop them. The government is active and investigation is on. One should not make a big deal out of it if one or two such cases are reported in the country, news agency ANI quoted Gangwar as saying in Bareilly.

Aisi ghatnaye(rape cases) durbhagyapurn hoti hain,par kabhi kabhi roka nahi ja sakta hai.Sarkar sakriya hai sab jagah ,karyavahi kar rahi hai.Itne bade desh mein ek do ghatna ho jaye to baat ka batangad nahi banana chahiye: Santosh Gangwar,Union Minister pic.twitter.com/yy3JJQQ4oz ANI (@ANI) April 22, 2018

Gangwar, who is BJP MP from Bareilly, holds portfolio of Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Labour and Employment.

The Union Ministers controversial remarks came hours before President Ram Nath Kovind signed an ordinance promulgated by the Union Cabinet, providing for death penalty to those convicted of raping a girl under 12 years of age.

The move comes amid anger over the recent rapes of minor girls in Jammus Kathua, Uttar Pradeshs Unnao, Surat and in Indore, where a four-month-old infant was raped and murdered. Much of the anger has been directed at politicians for irresponsible comments and attempts to politicise the crimes for electoral gains.

In his first comments since the Kathua and Unnao rapes, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had last week said that no criminal will be spared and daughters will get justice. "Such incidents shake our sensibilities. I want to assure the nation that no criminal will be spared. Justice will be done. Our daughters will get justice," he had said at an event to inaugurate the BR Ambedkar memorial in New Delhi.

As per the latest ordinance, death sentence has been provided for rapists of girls under 12 years. The minimum punishment in case of rape of women has been increased from rigorous imprisonment of seven years to 10 years, extendable to life imprisonment.

In case of rape of a girl under 16 years, the minimum punishment has been increased from 10 years to 20 years, extendable to imprisonment for rest of life, which means jail term till the convicts "natural life". The punishment for gang rape of a girl below 16 years will invariably be imprisonment for the rest of life of the convict.

Stringent punishment for rape of a girl under 12 years has been provided with the minimum jail term being 20 years which may go up to life in prison or death sentence.Gangrape of a girl under 12 years of age will invite punishment of jail term for the rest of life or death, it said.

(With agency inputs)Mumbai: A total of 1,308 women from the country will, for the first time, perform Haj without the company of a 'mahram' or male guardian, Union Minister of Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Sunday.

The minister was in the city to participate in a training programme organised for Haj pilgrims. "A total of 1,308 women have applied to go for Haj without a 'mahram'. These women have been exempted from the lottery system and will be allowed to proceed to perform Haj," he told reporters. The minister said that it was the first time that women from India would be going for the pilgrimage without a male guardian.

Naqvi said that 3,55,604 applications had been received for Haj and this number comprised 1,89,217 men and 1,66,387 women. "This year, a total of 1,28,002 pilgrims will go to perform Haj through the Haj Committee of India. Wpercentprise 47 per cent of this number. Another 47,023 Haj pilgrims will go through private tour operators," he said. The pilgrimage will be held in August.

Naqvi said that women Haj assistants will be deployed to help women pilgrims and monitor facilities provided to them, adding that this too was a first-time feature for the country. "In 2017, the government paid Rs 1,030 crore to various airlines for flying 1,24,852 pilgrims. In 2018, the payment for this would be Rs 973 crore and the number of pilgrims would be 1,28,002," the minister said.

This figure is Rs 57 crore less than what was paid, he said. Naqvi said that the Union government's decision to allow Haj pilgrims to choose the embarkation point most suited to them, instead of the earlier practice of fixing such a point for them, was benefiting those going to perform Haj.

"Due to this new rule by the Union government, Haj pilgrims can board a flight from the airport most convenient for them. It has saved the government a lot of money," he added.Beijing: India and China have agreed to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through the Natha Lu route in Sikkim, Ministry of External Affairs said on Sunday, 10 months after the pilgrimage was stopped following the Doklam standoff.

The decision was made during External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj talks with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. "We are also happy that the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through the Nathu la route will be resumed this year.

"I am confident that with Chinese side's full cooperation, this year the yatra will be a fulfilling experience for the visiting Indian pilgrims," Swaraj said during a joint press statement with Wang.

The yatra was stopped by China in the aftermath of the military face-off with India last year at Doklam.

The standoff began on June 16 after the Indian troops intervened and stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the area claimed by Bhutan as it posed a security risk to Chicken Neck, the narrow corridor connecting India with its north-eastern states. Finally, the two armies "disengaged" on August 28.

Ministry of External Affairs organises the yatra from June to September each year through two different routes -- Lipulekh Pass (Uttarakhand) and Nathu La Pass (Sikkim).

The yatra, which holds religious value, cultural significance, is undertaken by hundreds of people every year.

Holding significance for Hindus as the abode of Lord Shiva, it holds religious importance also for the Jains and the Buddhists. It is open to eligible Indian citizens,holding valid Indian passports, who wish to proceed to Kailash-Manasarovar for religious purposes.Beijing: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold an informal summit in China's Wuhan city from April 27 to 28 to exchange views on bilateral and international matters and to enhance mutual communication between the two leaders, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi announced on Sunday.

PM Modi will be visiting the central Chinese city at the invitation of President Xi, Wang said at a joint media event with Swaraj after their talks.

"The two leaders will have communications of a strategic nature concerning the once in a century shifts going on in the world. They will also exchange views on overarching long-term and strategic matters concerning the future of China-India relations," Wang said.

"The informal summit will be an important occasion for them to exchange views on bilateral and international matters from an over-arching and long-term perspective with the objective of enhancing mutual communication at the level of leaders," Swaraj said.

Sushma Swaraj (L) shakes hands with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing, China, April 22, 2018. (Image: Reuters)

Swaraj is in China for talks with Wang and to take part in the two-day meeting of Foreign Ministers of the eight-nation Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) from Monday.

During the informal meeting, Xi and Modi will focus on working out a new paradigm for the bilateral ties bogged down with a host of disputes and differences, sources said.

This will be fourth visit of Modi to China after he came to power in 2014. He is again due to visit China to take part in the SCO summit to be held at Qingdao city on June 9-10.

The Modi-Xi summit meeting is taking place in the backdrop of series of high level interactions between both the two countries starting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang's visit to India in December, the first after Dokalam standoff.

It was followed by two meetings between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi and the visit early this year by Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale to Beijing.

The two countries also held 11th Joint Economic Group meeting and the fifth Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) here recently.

Besides meetings between officials from the two foreign ministries on both sides held working mechanism meeting on border affairs and cross border rivers as well disarmament and non-proliferation dialogue in which India's entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) was discussed and culminated in today's talks between Swaraj and Wang.New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday signed an ordinance providing stringent punishment, including death penalty, for raping girls below 12 years, a day after it was approved by the Union Cabinet amid nationwide outrage over the Kathua, Surat, Unnao and Indore rape cases.

"Whereas Parliament is not in session and the President is satisfied that the circumstances exist which render it necessary for him to take immediate action. Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (1) of article 123 of the Constitution, the President is pleased to promulgate the following ordinance," the gazette notification said.

The Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Evidence Act, the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act stand amended with the President's nod.

According to the Criminal Law Amendment Ordinance, new fast-track courts will be set up to deal with such cases and special forensic kits for rape cases will be given to all police stations and hospitals in the long term.

The ordinance stipulates stringent punishment for perpetrators of rape, particularly of girls below 16 and 12 years. Death sentence has been provided for rapists of girls under 12 years. The minimum punishment in case of rape of women has been increased from rigorous imprisonment of seven years to 10 years, extendable to life imprisonment.

In case of rape of a girl under 16 years, the minimum punishment has been increased from 10 years to 20 years, extendable to imprisonment for rest of life, which means jail term till the convict's "natural life".

The punishment for gang rape of a girl below 16 years will invariably be imprisonment for the rest of life of the convict. Stringent punishment for rape of a girl under 12 years has been provided with the minimum jail term being 20 years which may go up to life in prison or death sentence.

The measure also provides for speedy investigation and trial. The time limit for investigation of all cases of rape has been prescribed, which has to be mandatorily completed within two months.

The deadline for the completion of trial in all rape cases will be two months. A six-month time limit for the disposal of appeals in rape cases has also been prescribed.

There will also be no provision for anticipatory bail for a person accused of rape or gang rape of a girl under 16 years.

It has also been prescribed that a court has to give notice of 15 days to a public prosecutor and the representative of the victim before deciding bail applications in case of rape of a girl under 16 years of age.

The National Crime Records Bureau will maintain a national database and profile of sexual offenders. This data will be regularly shared with the states and the Union territories for tracking, monitoring and investigation, including verification of antecedents of sex offenders by the police.

After the Nirbhaya case in December 2012, when the criminal laws were amended, the provision of death penalty in case a woman either died or was left in a "vegetative state" after rape was introduced through an ordinance which later became the Criminal Law Amendment Act.

(With agency inputs)If you have developed a spare tyre, it is time you saw a doctor to assess your cardiovascular health as researchers have found that belly fat, even in people who are not otherwise overweight, is bad for the heart.

"People with a normal weight but a fat belly have more chance of heart problems than people without a fat belly, even if they are obese according to BMI (body mass index)," said study author Jose Medina-Inojosa from the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, US.

"This body shape indicates a sedentary lifestyle, low muscle mass, and eating too many refined carbohydrates," Medina-Inojosa said.

BMI, which is weight relative to height in kg/metre square, is used to categorise adults as underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese. However, BMI does not account for the amount and distribution of fat and muscle.

Central obesity is a store of excess fat around the middle of the body and is a marker of abnormal fat distribution.

This study tested the hypothesis that people with normal weight and central obesity would have more heart problems than people with normal weight and normal fat distribution.

From 1997 to 2000, the study enrolled nearly 1,700 people aged 45 years or older in the US.

Participants underwent a clinical examination and measurements were taken of weight, height, waist circumference and hip circumference.

Patients were followed-up from 2000 to 2016 for the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events such as as heart attack, stroke, and death from cardiovascular causes.

Participants with a normal BMI (18.5-24.9 kg/metre square) and central obesity had an approximately two-fold higher long-term risk of heart problems compared to participants without central obesity, regardless of their BMI, the study said.

"If you have fat around your belly and it's greater than the size of your hips, visit your doctor to assess your cardiovascular health and fat distribution. If you have central obesity the target will be waist loss rather than weight loss," Medina-Inojosa said.

"Exercise more, decrease sedentary time by taking the stairs or getting off the train one stop early and walking, increase your muscle mass with strength and resistance training, and cut out refined carbohydrates," he added.A luxury resort in the Maldives is set to open the world's first undersea villa, offering guests the chance to sleep with the sharks in a dream-like, watery marine setting.

In the race to bag the title of world's first undersea residence the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island looks to be in the lead, having announced that its US $15 million residence The Muraka will open later this year.

Named after the local Dhivehi word for coral, the residence will span two levels, with the lower space featuring a king size bedroom, living area, bathroom and spiral staircase that leads to the upper floor.

Guests sleep 16 feet (five meters) below sea level with 180-degree panoramic views of the Indian Ocean and its inhabitants: tropical fish, sharks, corals and other assorted marine life.

When they need to come up for air, guests can climb upstairs to the first floor, which houses a living space, two more bedrooms, bathroom, gym, butler's quarters, security quarters, kitchen, bar, and dining room.

The infinity pool and deck have been designed to face the direction of the sunset for optimum viewing.

The Muraka can accommodate up to nine guests.

The Conrad Maldives Rangali Island also became the first to open an undersea restaurant, the Ithaa, which is now in its 13th year.

The title of world's largest underwater restaurant, however, goes to its sister property the Hurawalhi Island Resort, which opened the restaurant named 5.8, in reference to its watery location 5.8 meters (18 feet) below sea level.

Meanwhile, Dubai is also in the midst of building the world's first underwater luxury resort which will be modeled after the city of Venice.

The Floating Venice will be located 4 km offshore from Dubai's mainland and feature an underwater space that includes guest cabins, restaurants, and underwater spa.

It's expected to open in 2020.Hyderabad: Amid the raging row over casting couch in Telugu film industry, the Telangana government on Saturday decided to form a special cell to look into complaints of sexual exploitation.

After a meeting with representatives of Tollywood, Minister for Cinematography T. Srinivas Yadav announced that the special cell will be created in the Film Development Corporation.

The decision came amid a huge row over complaints of sexual exploitation made by actress Sri Reddy, who hit headlines with strip protest and received support from women's organisations.

The meeting convened by the minister with members of Movie Artists' Association (MAA) and leading personalities of the Tollywood discussed the recent developments in Tollywood.

Yadav advised all to put an end to the controversy. He urged the industry representatives to ensure that such incidents do not recur.

On the row over MAA membership, he said from now onwards the Film Development Corporation will issue the membership cards.

The minister said if women artists face any problems, they could bring it to the notice of the police or 'She' teams of the police force, especially constituted to deal with sexual harassment.

He directed the authorities to provide proper facilities to women at the places of film shooting. The minister said the government would deal firmly with any complaints of harassment of women.

MAA president Shivaji Raja, actress Jevitha Rajasekhar, Tammareddy Bharadwaj, C. Kalyan, Parachuri Venkateshwar Rao, Naresh and officials of Cinematography, Labour and Police departments attended the meeting.

The meeting was called a day after popular actor and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan asked MAA and Telugu Film Chamber to immediately take steps to end the controversy.

Pawan had targeted some Telugu television channels for their coverage of Sri Reddy, who had abused his mother. He had called upon people to boycott three channels for what he calls making business out of nudity and profanity.

Sri Reddy, a television anchor-turned-actress, had created a sensation by resorting to strip protest against casting couch in Tollywood in front of the office of Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce here on April 7.

The actress, who started her career as a news reader on a Telugu channel and also did small roles in a couple of films, named a few prominent personalities of the industry. She had also targeted MAA for denying her membership.

MAA responded with a ban on the actress but later withdrew it after the National Human Rights Commission sent notices to the Telangana government and the Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry over her allegations of sexual exploitation.

The commission took suo moto cognizance of media reports about the allegations raised by Sri Reddy and a lack of grievance redressal mechanism for women in the film industry.Mumbai: Actress Sunny Leone is heading to South Africa to shoot Karenjit Kaur - The Untold Story of Sunny Leone. She says this year has been one of the best years of her life.

"It has been a very hectic year for me and that is exactly what I had been looking for . This is one of the best year of my life. I am currently heading to South Africa for the shoot of m1y biopic, and all excited to reunite with the team their," Sunny said in a statement.

Sunny, who welcomed her twins Noah and Asher in March, has also been keeping busy with her newly launched make-up range -- Star Struck by Sunny Leone.

The show Karenjit Kaur..., which will stream on the OTT platform ZEE5, revolves around the journey of Sunny, who was born as Karenjit Kaur in a middle class Sikh family in Canada.

It will trace her transition from being a little girl to becoming an adult film actress and from there to her rise in Bollywood.Hyderabad: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has prepared bands of men who are "rapist rakshaks", CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat alleged on Saturday.

Reacting to the Union Cabinet approving an ordinance on the death penalty for those convicted of raping children, she said it was an attempt to divert the attention from the government protecting the rapists of the eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua.

"We have heard about gau rakshaks and criminal activities which they indulged in. Today BJP is preparing and has prepared bands of men who are rapist rakshaks," she said and demanded that penalty should be there for those protecting the rapists.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of ongoing 22nd Congress of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), she pointed out that the statute books already provide death penalty for rarest of rare cases.

"In principle, the CPI-M is against death penalty. However, in this context, the actual problem is not that there is no death penalty on statute books. The actual issue is that those in government are defending the rapists," she said.

Karat said the ordinance was an attempt to divert attention from the grievous nature of assault on the basic judicial processes.

"I am afraid this has very little credibility because what is required is certainty of punishment. The Ordinance is not addressing the issue which is agitating the minds of people," she said.

The CPI-M meet passed a resolution strongly condemning horrific rapes of minors in Kathua and Unnao.

"The shame of Kathua is that the victim was selected because of her religion and accused were protected because of their religion. Top BJP leaders came on streets to defend rapists," she said.

The Marxist leader said that the national outrage made Prime Minister Narendra Modi break silence but it was too little, too late and it insulted the memory of the child and the family of the victim.

Replying to a query, she said that while CPI-M doesn't see incidents of rapes and sexual assault in terms of religion of the victims, in case of Kathua, the fact is that the victim was selected because of her religion.New Delhi: The Congress may have finally zeroed in on a face to take on Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Madhya Pradesh  nine-time Chhindwara MP and former Union minister Kamal Nath.

Sources said the choice of Kamal Nath has garnered support from ex-CM Digvijaya Singh, who until recently was seen as a potential challenger. Upon his return from the 3,300-km Narmada Parikrama, Singh said that he was not in the race for the CMs post.

I dont want to be CM but I am ready to unseat the BJP if the High Command allows, he said, indicating that he nevertheless wants to remain in the thick of state politics.

Party sources added that Singh had a plan at the ready for Assembly elections later this year, but would only share it with party president Rahul Gandhi.

Singhs support for Kamal Nath solves the Congress problem of plenty to some extent. Its three most high-profile faces in the state  Kamal Nath, Digvijaya Singh and Jyotiraditya Scindia  had been at loggerheads for some time.

With Singh seemingly bowing out, the race is between Nath and Scindia.

While Scindia was made the Campaign Committee head, thereby sending the message that he was the party face, some factors may work against him.

Sources said the top leadership is worried whether the young leaders charisma can match up to the Shivraj Singh Chouhans son of the soil image. Chouhan is known for his excellent connect with the people, Scindia is seen as a 'raja', owing to his royal heritage.

Kamal Nath, known for his shrewd manoeuvring skills, may come in handy against Chouhan, given his strong connect with the CMs critics. His negotiating and strategising skills were seen during his tenure as the Parliamentary Affairs Ministers in the UPA era.Voters pose outside a polling booth in Karnataka.



People were seen standing in queues to cast their votes in the early hours itself, factoring in that the temperature may go up later in the day. Also, it has been raining in different parts of south interior Karnataka for the last couple of days during the evening hours.



Senior citizens were seen in good numbers standing in queues at various polling stations to cast their votes early.



State BJP chief and party's chief ministerial candidate B S Yeddyurappa, and Pradesh Congress Committee G Parameshwara were among the first to cast votes in Shikaripura in Shivamogga and Yaggere in Tumakuru respectively.



Former prime minister HD Deve Gowda along with wife Chennamma cast their votes at Paduvalahippe in Hassan district. Film actors Ramesh Arvind, Ravichandran, also scion of Mysuru royal family Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar were among the prominent personalities to cast their votes early today.



There are reports about delay in polling due to some technical issues with the electronic voting machines (EVMs) from different parts of the state.



Election for the Jayanagara seat in Bengaluru has been countermanded following the death of BJP candidate and sitting MLA BN Vijaykumar.



The Election Commission has also deferred the polls for Rajarajeswari Nagar constituency to May 28 after a massive row erupted over a large number of voter ID cards being found in an apartment.



Suspecting something fishy, both Congress and BJP have pointed accusing fingers at each other in the matter. "Today people of Karnataka are standing in queues to create history & show the nation the way to liberal, progressive, peaceful & compassionate politics & governance. I thank them for their support & wish them well," Chief Minister Siddaramaiah tweeted.



Over 2,600 candidates are in the fray-- more than 2400 men and and over 200 women. The total voters including service electors according to the 2018 final rolls are 5,06,90,538, of whom 2,56,75,579 male voters, 2,50,09,904 female and 5,055 transgender voters.



Officials said 58,008 polling stations have been set up across the state, of which 12002 have been designated as "critical", with over 3,50,000 polling personnel on duty. Police have made elaborate security arrangements for the smooth conduct of polls that will go on till 6 pm.



"82,157 people have been deployed for poll duty that includes DSPs, home guards and civil defence, and forest guards and watchers," Karnataka DGP Neelamani N Raju said. This also includes about 7,500 personnel from states like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Chattisgarh, Kerala and Goa, she said, adding, central forces have been deployed.



One among the interesting aspects of this election is that four candidates who have served as Chief Minister of Karnataka are in the fray-- Chief Minister Siddaramaiah (Chamundeshwari and Badami), B S Yeddyurappa (Shikaripura), H D Kumaraswamy (Chennapatna and Ramanagara) and Jagadish Shettar (Hubli-Dharwad Central.)Bengaluru: The Congress released its second and final list of five candidates for the Karnataka assembly polls and there are notable inclusions as well as exclusions in it.

While NA Haris, whose candidature was earlier in doubt over an assault case against his son, has been fielded from Shanthi Nagar again, HS Chandramouli has been dropped after the controversy over his legal services to PNB scam accused Mehul Choksi.

In all, the party has replaced six candidates in its final list.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will replace Dr Devraj Patil in Badami constituency in North Karnataka, according to the updated list. Siddaramaiah is in the fray from the Chamundeshwari segment in Mysuru as well.

The party had ended the suspense over whether he would contest from two seats on Saturday night after a day of flip-flop. Siddaramaiah has been maintaining that his desire was to contest from Chamundeshwari in Mysuru but he was under pressure from local party leaders to be in the fray from Badami, as it would boost the Congress' prospects in north Karnataka.

The party has replaced its candidates in Jagalur (reserved for Scheduled Tribes candidate), Tiptur, Malleshwaram, Padmanaba Nagar and Madikeri.

In Madikeri, KP Chandrakala will contest the election in the place of Chandramouli.

The BJP has been attacking the Congress over Mouli's candidature, citing he had represented fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi. The saffron party had also alleged that the tainted businessman enjoyed the "patronage" of Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

The fate of another controversial pick, NA Harris, was also decided. He was re-nominated from Shanthinagara Assembly seat in Bengaluru, weeks after the party had put his ticket on hold over the assault allegations against his son Mohammad Nalapad.

The state Congress had earlier decided against giving him the ticket after his son generated negative publicity with the alleged assault on a youth at a high-end pub in Bengaluru two months ago. The party had felt that fielding him could cost them other seats in Bengaluru urban, which is a crucial segment.

However, after scouting for a suitable candidate who could replace Haris, the ruling Congress seems to have fallen back on the two-time MLA to again win the Muslim, Christian and Dalit-dominated Assembly seat in Bengaluru.

The Congress has fielded Dr B Inamdar, Vithal Dhondiba Katakdhond, Mallanna Niganna Sali and Syed Yasin from Kittur, Nagthan (reserved for scheduled castes), Sindgi and Raichur respectively.

The party has not declared a candidate for the Melkote segment, where it is likely to support Darshan Puttanaiah, who will fight the election on a ticket from Swaraj India.

The party had declared its first list of 218 candidates for the election to 224-seat assembly on April 15. The election is slated on May 12 and the poll results will be announced on May 15.Bengaluru: Karnataka BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa today said he was ready to contest against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah from Badami, if the party's national president Amit Shah asked him to do so.

"Our party's national president will decide whether I should contest or someone else. If I'm asked to contest, I'm ready. If he asks someone else to contest, they will contest," Yeddyurappa told reporters in Chikkamagaluru.

The former Chief Minister further said, "But it is certain that we will field a good candidate in Badami and defeat Siddaramaiah. BJP has already taken a decision in this regard."

Badami in Bagalkote will be the second constituency from where Siddaramaiah will be contesting the May 12 Karnataka assembly polls, the other being Chamundeshwari in Mysuru. Ending suspense over contesting from a second constituency, the Chief Minister would file his nomination papers from Badami on April 24.

Meanwhile, amidst speculation that he would be fielded against Siddaramaiah from Badami, BJP MP B Sriramulu today said he would abide by the party's decision.

"... the party will decide about my contesting from Badami. We are disciplined soldiers of BJP... if the party asks me to contest from anywhere I will contest," he told reporters.

Sriramulu has been fielded by the BJP from Molakalmuru constituency in Chitradurga district, and he has already filed his nomination from there.

Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, Siddaramaiah, who has already filed his nominations from Chamundeshwari constituency, has maintained that he was under pressure from local party leaders in Bagalkote and Vijayapura districts to contest from Badami as it would benefit Congress' prospects in the region.

To a question that Sriramulu was likely to be fielded by the BJP against him from Badami, he said "let them field anyone. I'm not worried about who the opponent is." "Elections are fought on ideologies not between persons. We are fighting against communalism, we are fighting communal forces and we want to defeat communal forces," he added.

The Chief Minister also said that the people of Chamundeshwari have already decided to vote in his favour. The Congress in its list of candidates for 218 seats announced on April 15, had named Dr Devraj Patil as its nominee from Badami, but issuing of B-form (required to be filed by a political party mentioning name of its approved candidate) to Patil has been put on hold.

Today in the second list released by the party, Siddaramaiah's name was announced replacing Patil. Badami with strong Kuruba presence, the community to which Siddaramaiah belongs, is seen as a safer option for the Chief Minister as reports have suggested that the battle in Chamundeshwari will not be an easy one for him.

Siddaramaiah has won five times and tasted defeat twice at Chamundeshwari. He has been representing Varuna constituency in Mysuru since 2008, which has now been allotted to his son Dr Yatindra.Mumbai: Tripura CM Biplab Deb invited a lot of jibes when he claimed that internet existed in the times of Hindu epic Mahabharata. Unfazed, he even defended the bizarre claim, saying his critics were ignorant.

His latest critic, however, is BJP ally and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, who said the Tripura CMs comments were laughable.

Speaking at the release of Marathi book Gof, penned by Sena's Rajya Sabha MP and Saamana executive editor Sanjay Raut, Thackeray directly addressed RSS leader Sunil Deodhar, who is credited for the BJP's victory in Tripura Assembly elections.

"You (Deodhar) have come back to Maharashtra after 28 years. If you hadn't left, this state would have fared better," the Sena chief said.

"You gave your sweat and blood to install a BJP chief minister in Tripura, but what should one do when he makes laughable comments," Thackeray said.

Speaking at the event, Thackeray added that he was not a detractor of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but would always speak up when he doesn't approve of something.

"I am not a critic of Modi, but I will speak on the issues where I don't agree (with Modi government's decisions)," he said.

Sena, an ally of the BJP at the Centre and in Maharashtra, continually takes swipe at the Prime Minister and his party, especially through its mouthpiece Saamana.

Thackeray said his father (the late Bal Thackeray) had taught him to speak his mind.

"If we come together as Hindus, there will be no division of votes. But if there are differences of opinion and views, then the question arises who is the real Hindu," said Thackeray.

The Sena was the first party to win an election on the issue of Hindutva, Thackeray pointed out.

"We got our first MLA elected on the issue of Hindutva. Then others realised that Hindutva can be a political plank," he said.

"In the last 25 years, we had a friendship based on Hindutva. But when 'Achhe Din' come, the Shiv Sena becomes unwanted. This is what hurts me," he said, taking a swipe at the BJP.

"Those leaders who created India are no longer there. But there are many who preach. One is shocked on seeing how those who preach behave," he said.

Thackeray also said he doesn't run Saamana as a business.

"I never ask to see the Saamana editorial before it is printed," said Thackeray, whose name appears as the editor of the newspaper.

(With PTI inputs)New Delhi: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) re-elected Sitaram Yechury as the partys general secretary for a second term on Sunday, bringing its 22nd Congress in Hyderabad to an end.

This is the second win for Yechury in as many days. His chances of being re-elected to the post had brightened with the party endorsing his political-tactical line, paving the way for an understanding with the Congress for 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

His election to the post for the second time was approved by the Left party's newly-elected 95-member Central Committee.

The 65-year-old leader had taken over as general secretary of the CPI(M) from Prakash Karat in the 21st party Congress, which was held in Visakhapatnam, in 2015.

"We had a momentous congress, detailed discussions and important decisions, we have taken in this congress. If any message that should go to rank and file and our class enemy is that CPI(M) has emerged as a united party," Yechury said in his speech on the concluding session of the party Congress.

Several names were being discussed in party circles as Yechury's successor in the run-up to the mega meet, which began here on April 18.

Former Tripura chief minister Manik Sarkar, Politburo member Brinda Karat and secretary BV Raghavulu were among the possible contenders, party sources had said.

Prakash Karat, Brinda Karat, Sarkar, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Kerala CPI(M) leader S Ramachandran Pillai and West Bengal leader Biman Basu are among the members of the Central Committee.

Yechury's political line had faced a major challenge regarding whether or not the CPI(M) should involve the Congress to take on the BJP. The party leadership had on Saturday chosen a middle path by deciding to amend the official draft on the issue by omitting the crucial phrase "no understanding" with the Congress, which was a victory of sorts of the "minority view" held by Yechury.

The official draft, backed by Prakash Karat, had said the party should unite all secular democratic forces "without having an understanding or electoral alliance with the Congress party".

But in the amended document, it is now written that the party can unite secular democratic forces "without having a political alliance with the Congress party", thus keeping the doors open for an electoral understanding.New Delhi: Rajya Sabha chairman Venkaiah Naidu cut short his visit to Hyderabad and returned to the national capital on Sunday to set in motion the process of consultations after an impeachment notice was filed against Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra by seven opposition parties.

According to sources, Naidu held deliberations with a number of constitutional and legal experts, including Attorney General K K Venugopal.

He also spoke to Subhash Kashyap, former secretary general of the Lok Sabha, PK Malhotra, former law secretary, Sanjay Singh, former legislative secretary and senior officials of the Rajya Sabha secretariat. He is also likely to meet former Supreme Court judge Sudarshan Reddy, sources said.

They also said that Naidu continued with the discussions till late in the evening and also spoke to K Parasaran, who was the attorney general during the Congress governments led by Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi and was also a member to the Upper House nominated by the party.

Subhash Kashyap, who was consulted by the Vice President, said that he feels the notice should be rejected out rightly.

"It's a completely politically motivated motion. I think the Rajya Sabha Chairman (Naidu) should outright reject it. This is a completely politically motivated motion aimed at lowering the prestige of judiciary. Secondly, there is nothing like impeachment for judges. That is only for the president. Judge can only be removed on the ground of proven misbehavior or incapacity. But even then the Chairman should not entertain it," he told News18.

This comes after Congress and six other opposition parties on Friday moved a notice for the impeachment of CJI Dipak Misra, accusing him of five counts of "misbehaviour" and "misusing" authority.

The opposition parties had met Naidu and handed over the notice for the impeachment with signatures of 64 MPs of the Upper House. The MPs who signed the notice belong to the Congress, the NCP, the CPI (M) and CPI, the SP, the BSP and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). The leaders of these parties earlier met in Parliament and gave the final shape to the notice for impeachment.

The parties had briefed the media after handing over the notice to the Upper House chairman. While reviewing the notice, the Rajya Sabha officials had mentioned that making public the contents of a notice before it is admitted by the chair is in violation of parliamentary rules.

According to the provisions in the handbook for Rajya Sabha members, no advance publicity should be given to any notice to be taken up in the House till it is admitted by the chairman.

The move to propose impeachment notice against the CJI has led to a slugfest between the Congress and the BJP. Meanwhile, the Congress said that the CJI should considering recusing himself from judicial and administrative duties until his name is cleared. The BJP has said the Congress was trying to demean, degrade and denigrate the judiciary by moving the notice.

(With PTI inputs)Kabul: An Islamic State suicide bomber carried out an attack at a voter registration center in the capital Kabul today, killing 57 people and wounding more than 100 others, said officials form the Afghan interior and public health ministries.

Public Health Ministry spokesman Wahid Majro said that among 57 who were killed in the attack, 22 were women and eight are children. Majro added that 119 people were wounded in the attack, among them 17 children and 52 women. "The tolls could still rise," he added.

Gen Daud Amin, the Kabul police chief, said the suicide bomber targeted civilians who were registering for national identification cards.

The large explosion echoed across the city, shattering windows miles away from the attack site and damaging several nearby vehicles. Police blocked all roads to the blast site, with only ambulances allowed in. Local TV stations broadcast live footage of hundreds of distraught locals gathered at nearby hospitals seeking word about loved ones.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement carried by its Aamaq news agency, saying it had targeted Shiite "apostates." The attack comes almost a month after another deadly attack by IS in which a suicide bomber carried out an attack near a Shiite shrine in Kabul that targeted attendees celebrating the Persian new year. That attack killed 31 people and wounded 65 others.

In a statement issued by the president's office condemned Sunday's attack and quoted President Ashraf Ghani as saying such "terrorist attacks" won't prevent people from participating in upcoming parliamentary elections.

Afghanistan will hold parliamentary elections in October and voter registration started a week ago.

Last week, three police officers guarding voter registration centers in two Afghan provinces were killed by militants, according to authorities.

Afghan security forces have struggled to prevent attacks by the local Islamic State affiliate as well as the more firmly established Taliban since the U.S. and NATO concluded their combat mission at the end of 2014. Both groups regularly carry out attacks, with the Taliban usually targeting the government and security forces and IS targeting the country's Shiite minority.

Both groups want to establish a strict form of Islamic rule in Afghanistan and are opposed to democratic elections.

Elsewhere in Afghanistan, at least five people were killed when their vehicle struck a roadside bomb in the northern Baghlan province. Zabihullah Shuja, spokesman for the provincial police chief, said four other people were wounded in Sunday's blast in Puli Khomri, the province's capital.

The Taliban routinely target security forces and government officials with roadside bombs, which often end up killing civilians.

In the northern Balkh province, a district police chief died of his wounds after being shot Saturday during an exchange of gunfire with insurgents, according to Sher Jan Durrani, spokesman for the provincial police chief. He said around a dozen insurgents were also killed in the battle, which is still underway.

Durrani identified the slain commander as Halim Khanjar, police chief for the Char Bolak district.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the killing.Washington/Seoul: U.S. President Donald Trump said the North Korean nuclear crisis is a long way from being resolved on Sunday, striking a cautious note a day after the North's pledge to end its nuclear tests raised hopes before planned summits with South Korea and the United States.

"We are a long way from conclusion on North Korea, maybe things will work out, and maybe they wont - only time will tell," Trump said on Twitter.

North Korea said on Saturday it was suspending nuclear and missile tests and scrapping its nuclear test site, and instead pursuing economic growth and peace.

World leaders welcomed the announcement, which came before the first North Korea-South Korea summit in more than a decade on Friday.

In a tweet minutes before he tempered enthusiasm about the North's statement, Trump interpreted it as a pledge to denuclearize: "Wow, we havent given up anything & they have agreed to denuclearization (so great for World), site closure, & no more testing!"

However, Kim's announcement did not include a commitment to scrap existing nuclear weapons and missiles, and there are doubts he would ever give up the nuclear arsenal his country has been developing for decades.

Kim said North Korea no longer needed to test nuclear bombs or intercontinental ballistic missiles now that his country had the weapons, and he would gear all efforts toward economic development.

Some have expressed doubts about the North's intentions and South Korean President Moon Jae-in will be under intense international scrutiny when he meets North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Friday.

"North Korea has a long history of raising the issue of denuclearisation and has committed to freeze its nuclear weapons programmes in the past. We all remember how those pledges and commitments went down over past decades," said Nam Sung-wook, a professor of North Korean Studies at Korea University in Seoul.

"Although the North's announcement is quite dramatic, it's natural for the world to be extra sensitive to every word spoken by Kim."

In Washington, Bob Corker, the Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the U.S. government viewed Kim's pledge with skepticism.

"This is a great public relations effort by Kim Jong Un," Corker said on CNN. "I think everyone within the administration and Congress approaches this with skepticism and caution."

Kim is expected to meet Trump in late May or early June, the first meeting between sitting leaders of the two countries. CIA Director Mike Pompeo, Trump's nominee to become the next secretary of state, secretly visited North Korea and met with Kim to discuss the summit three weeks ago.

Senator Tom Cotton, told CBS' "Face the Nation" he hoped the three Americans detained by North Korea would be released before any meeting. The Republican was unimpressed by the North's overture, saying it "is better than continued testing but it's not much better than that."

U.S. officials say North Korea had in the past repeatedly reneged on denuclearisation agreements, the latest in 2012 when the North launched a long-range rocket after agreeing to a moratorium on missile testing.

PROGRESS OR EMPTY PROMISES?

South Korea said the North's testing pledge signified "meaningful" progress that would create good conditions for successful summits with Seoul and Washington.

Moon, who welcomed Kim's announcement as a "major" step toward denuclearisation, is making Friday's summit his sole focus this week, a Blue House official said on Sunday.

For the past few weeks, South Korea has been renovating Peace House, on its side of Panmunjom, to prepare for the summit with Kim, who will be the first North Korean leader to set foot in the South since the 1950-1953 Korean War.

Moon now has a direct phone link with Kim on his office desk, instead of having to communicate through a hotline at the Joint Security Area in Panmunjom, which had been the main channel between the two sides over the Winter Olympics in February.

The two leaders are expected to talk over the newly installed phone for the first time this week, before the summit, South Korea said on Friday. (GRAPHIC: http://tmsnrt.rs/2CtuIJS)

A senior U.S. diplomat for East Asia, Susan Thornton, called North Korea's latest announcement "a very positive step" as she started a three-day visit to Seoul on Sunday.

"We are going to be doing a lot of close coordination with South Korea, allies and partners this week," the Yonhap news agency quoted her as saying.

Max Boot, a foreign policy adviser to Republican Mitt Romney's 2012 presidential campaign, warned that Kim was outmaneuvering the U.S. president.

"Hes stringing Trump along, making vague promises that he has no intention of keeping. And Trump, the rube who thinks hes a sophisticate, shows every sign of falling for the bait," he wrote in a Washington Post opinion piece.

Corker said Washington needed to be clear-headed about what a meeting with Kim could accomplish.

"To think that somebodys going to go in and charm him out of that is not realistic, he told the ABC "This Week" program. "Is there some progress that can be made? I hope so, but thats a big hurdle."Washington: The gathering of world finance ministers began with heightened anxiety about the potential damage a US-China trade war could do to the economic recovery but ended on Saturday with a door open to negotiations.

International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde, who has been urging countries to avoid damaging protectionism, said this weekend's spring meeting had "made progress towards dialogue."

And shortly after her comments, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced he was considering a trip to Beijing to hold talks on the trade dispute, a respite after weeks in which tensions had ratcheted ever higher.

China said on Sunday it welcomed the suggestion of a visit.

Tensions between the world's two largest economies have cast a shadow over this week's gathering of finance ministers, given concerns a trade war would undercut the global recovery.

President Donald Trump last month approved steep tariffs on tens of billions of dollars of Chinese imports, while Beijing has slapped duties on key US agricultural exports and has threatened to do likewise for the sensitive American soybean industry.

The heated trade rhetoric comes at a delicate moment, as Washington and Beijing are both seeking to address North Korea's nuclear program  which Pyongyang said on Saturday it would largely scale back.

The IMF's governing committee in a statement at the conclusion of the ministerial meeting highlighted the risks presented by "increasing trade and geopolitical tensions."

Lagarde in recent weeks has repeatedly urged member countries to steer clear of protectionism and warned the uncertainty around trade disputes could choke off investment, a key drivers of the current recovery.

"My key concern...is to help in the process of resolving those issues before they escalate to a point where they would hamper growth and stability," she told reporters at the conclusion of the meeting.

The IMF projects global growth of 3.9 percent this year and next but warns that the risks are tilted to the downside.

'Cautiously optimistic'

Mnuchin differed markedly from his counterparts, saying the risk to global growth was from unfair trade practices, rather than the trade tensions.

But his announcement of a possible China trip could reduce the heat in the dispute.

While the timing of his visit to Beijing is unclear, and he did not provide details on the topics to be discussed, he said "a trip is under consideration."

Among 18 bilateral meetings with his counterparts this week, Mnuchin said he had met with Yi Gang, governor of the People's Bank of China.

The meeting with central bank chief Yi did not focus on trade, but Mnuchin said he remained "cautiously optimistic" about the issue.

"The discussions were really around the governor's actions at the PBOC and certain actions they've announced in terms of opening their markets which we very much encourage and appreciate," Mnuchin said.

In his statement to the International Monetary Fund, Yi also warned that "an escalation of trade frictions caused by unilateral actions" posed a risk to the global economic outlook and called on countries to use "rules-based" multilateral organizations to resolve differences.

But he said China was committed to a series of reforms similar to those called for by the United States, including lower tariffs and protections for American technology.

"China will vigorously push forward the reform and opening-up of the financial sector, significantly relax market access restrictions, create a more attractive investment environment, strengthen the protection of intellectual properties and actively expand imports," Yi said.Wiesbaden: Germany's centre-left Social Democrats today elected Andrea Nahles, a combative and outspoken former labour minister, as the first woman leader of the 155-year-old party.

Known for her lectern-thumping speeches and occasional outbursts of child-like humour, the 47-year-old single mother joins Chancellor Angela Merkel at the top of German politics -- and as the woman who may one day seek her job.

"We're breaking though the glass ceiling in the SPD," said Nahles at the delegates' meeting in the city of Wiesbaden. "And the ceiling will stay open." Well-connected within her party, Nahles, a former leader of its Jusos youth wing, won 66 per cent of the vote, beating Simone Lange, 41, an ex-policewoman and mayor of the city of Flensburg.

The less than stellar result against an outsider reflected lingering resentment within the party against the decision, strongly promoted by Nahles, to once more govern as junior partners to Merkel's conservatives.

Electing a female leader is "a sign of progress that was long overdue," said the SPD's outgoing interim leader, Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, who called it "a historic moment".

In the lead-up to the vote, well-wishers had ironically expressed hope that Nahles would do worse than her predecessor Martin Schulz.

A repeat of his 100-percent party backing last year amid a euphoric "Schulz hype" would be seen as a bad omen given that in the end, he scored just 20.5 percent in the September 2017 general election, the party's worst post-war result.

While Schulz's roller-coaster ride in German politics has shuddered to a halt, the task of revitalising the dispirited SPD now falls to Nahles.

A survey last week by Infratest dimap found that 47 percent of respondents doubted that the party veteran is the right person to lead a "renewal", while just one third expressed confidence.

The challenge for her labour party now will be to at once govern responsibly with Merkel, and convince its dwindling band of working-class voters that it is still their champion.

Nahles vowed that the SPD will fight for social justice and welfare, declaring that "solidarity is what is most lacking in the globalised, neo-liberal, turbo-digitalised world".

She pledged a fight for decent wages as technology destroys traditional jobs, and a pro-EU foreign policy that also emphasises pacifism and international cooperation.

Nahles, from the party's left wing, scored some landmark successes under the previous Merkel coalition government, notably in introducing a minimum wage.

When voters declined to reward the SPD for such gains, the party initially vowed a muscular fight from the opposition benches.

Nahles at the time summed up the SPD's combative spirit against the Merkel government with a street brawler's phrase, telling journalists that "from tomorrow we'll smack 'em in the face".

When it turned out the SPD would likely rejoin Merkel after all, but drive a tough bargain in the process, she used a kindergarten taunt that loosely translates as "na-na na-na boo-boo".

It was not out of style for Nahles, who once mocked Merkel's party in the Bundestag with a slightly off-key rendition of the reality-denying theme song of Swedish children's book hero Pippi Longstocking.

While some find such performances grating, few underestimate Nahles, who, like Merkel, is considered a sharp strategist, hard worker and bareknuckle political operator.

When she invigorated her party with a passionate speech in January, the tabloid-style Bild daily paid her the questionable compliment of being "the only real guy" in the SPD.

Nahles, the daughter of a bricklayer, hails from a small village in the rural Eifel region where she still lives in her great-grandparents' farmhouse with her young daughter.

A church-going Roman Catholic, she has described herself as a conservative at heart, albeit one who fights for working-class people.

Nahles wrote in her high school yearbook that one day she wanted to be "either a housewife or chancellor".

She founded her party's first chapter in her home village and, while studying German language and literature, joined the SPD youth wing, which she headed from age 25.

In her career since, she has been a key figure in several crucial power plays and fought former chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's Agenda 2010 welfare cuts, telling him she had no time for "political machos".

Most recently she sidelined the two men who had dominated the SPD, Schulz and former foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel. Both are now watching German politics from the parliamentary backbenches.Jerusalem: Israel's defence minister on Sunday dismissed claims the country's spy agency was behind the assassination of a Palestinian scientist in Malaysia, suggesting instead that his killing was a "settling of accounts".

Speaking to Israeli radio, Avigdor Lieberman described the dead Palestinian, a member of Islamist militant group Hamas, as "no saint" and said he had been involved in rocket production. Fadi Mohammad al-Batsh, 35, was killed in a Kuala Lumpur drive-by shooting on Saturday, according to Malaysian authorities, with his family accusing Israel's Mossad spy agency of the assassination.

Hamas said Batsh, a research scientist specialising in energy issues, was one of its members. "There's a tradition among terror organisations of blaming Israel for every instance of settling of accounts," Lieberman told public radio, noting the reports that Batsh's work involved improving the range and accuracy of rockets. "The man was no saint and settling accounts among terror groups and different factions is something we see all the time," he said.

"I assume this was the case here too." An autopsy was being carried out Sunday on the body of Batsh, who was walking to dawn prayers at a local mosque in the Kuala Lumpur suburb of Gombak when he was shot by two gunmen riding a motorcycle, Malaysian officials said. At the crime scene, police markers indicated 14 bullets had been sprayed at the victim, some of them hitting a wall.

Malaysian Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was quoted by the state-run Bernama news agency as saying Batsh was "an electrical engineer and an expert at making rockets". Militants in Hamas-ruled Gaza fire rockets at southern Israel, but usually without casualties.

Malaysia's police chief Mohamad Fuzi Harun said a task force has been formed to investigate the killing but would not speculate on the motive or whether foreign assassins were involved. Photos of the two suspects provided by witnesses showed they looked like Europeans, he told a news conference Sunday afternoon.

When asked if there was evidence of foreign involvement in the killing, he said: "We want to ensure a complete probe. We are still investigating the motive. I urge people not to make any conclusion." No arrests have been made and the murder weapon has not been recovered, he said. Palestinian representative to Malaysia Anwar al-Agha said Fadi's body would be taken back to the Palestinian territories for burial.

Mohammad Shedad, 17, a student and a relative of the victim, also blamed Mossad for the killing. "It is definitely the work of Mossad. Fadi is a very clever person, anyone who is clever is a threat to Israel," he told AFP outside the victim's Malaysian apartment.

"Fadi is a Hamas member and knows how to make rockets. So (Israel) think he is dangerous." Batsh was married with three young children and had lived in Malaysia for 10 years. It was the second high-profile killing of a foreigner in Malaysia in just over a year.

In February 2017 assassins smeared the banned VX nerve agent on the face of Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korea's leader, at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, killing him within minutes. The Mossad is believed to have assassinated Palestinian militants and scientists in the past, but rarely confirms such operations.

Hamas has accused Mossad of assassinating one of its drone experts -- Mohamed Zouari -- in Tunisia in 2016, and the spy agency is also believed to have been behind the 2010 murder of top Hamas militant Mahmud al-Mabhuh in a Dubai hotel. In Iran, a total of five scientists -- four of them involved in the country's nuclear programme -- were killed in bomb and gun attacks in Tehran between 2010 and 2012 at the height of tensions over the country's nuclear ambitions.

Iran has accused Mossad and the CIA of ordering the killings. Tensions between Israel and Gaza are high, with 38 Palestinians killed in four weeks of clashes along the border. On Sunday, Israel announced the arrest of 19 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, 15 of them allegedly affiliated with Hamas in Gaza "who were instructed to carry out different missions on behalf of the Hamas terror organisation," the army said.Washington: It was three days before the most important dinner party she has ever hosted, but Melania Trump was not at the White House, triple-checking details. Instead, she was in Houston, Texas, to pay her respects to one of her predecessors, Barbara Bush.

The current first lady sat among several former presidents and first ladies in the pews at St. Martin's Episcopal Church for Bush's funeral service on Saturday, including former President Barack Obama, whom her husband, President Donald Trump, has often criticized. Michelle Obama was there, too; in January, she joked on a talk show about the way Mrs. Trump awkwardly handed her a gift box on the steps of the White House on Inauguration Day. Mrs. Trump hasn't seen or spoken to either Obama since then.

Also nearby was former first lady and 2016 presidential rival Hillary Clinton, a favorite target of the President's tweets, in which he likes to call her "Crooked Hillary", ribbing his former rival about investigations and emails.

And, naturally, there were many Bush family attendees. The President's constant primary campaign target, Jeb Bush, whom Trump nicknamed "low energy," delivered a eulogy to his mother.

In other words, the first lady was literally, and voluntarily, walking into a den of potential adversaries. But as has become a trademark reaction to the drama surrounding her husband, Melania Trump didn't let on that she cares about any of it, and she certainly wasn't letting it stop her.

"She was invited to attend and intends to pay her respects to not only Barbara Bush, but the entire family," the first lady's communications director, Stephanie Grisham, told CNN, adding Trump is "a confident woman.... I know politics will not be an issue."

The President was invited, too. But almost two days after his wife confirmed she would be attending the memorial service for Mrs. Bush, the West Wing released a statement saying the President would not, citing a desire not to cause undo disruption.

The services for Mrs. Bush capped a week that included hosting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife for two days at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, culminating in a dinner for the couple  a smaller dry-run, perhaps, for the mountainous task of the full state dinner that lies ahead in Washington.

State Dinner prep

Planning for Tuesday's state dinner, being held in honor of the official visit of French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, began months ago; it was then that Melania Trump started to think of the details, such as an ideal gift.

CNN has learned one of those gifts will be a framed section of upholstery from one of the chairs in the White House Blue Room. Featuring a golden eagle surrounded by laurels, the chair was part of the furniture suite inspired by Pierre-Antoine Bellange, who designed royal palaces in France and created the 53 carved and gilded pieces for the Blue Room, which he was commissioned to create by President James Monroe. Monroe had previously served as a diplomat in France and had taken a shine to French decor. Though President James Buchanan got rid of the set in a redecoration decades later, it was first lady Jackie Kennedy who found the spare pieces and brought them back during her quest to restore the White House. Kennedy worked with a French designer to reproduce missing items, including recreating the fabric through French textile firm Tassinari and Chatel.

The Marcrons will also receive from the Trumps a special photo album upon their departure, with pictures of their visit, as well as a Tiffany & Co. silver bowl, engraved with the presidential seal and the signatures of both Trumps.

The first lady has often sought to highlight history as she puts her stamp on White House events, say those familiar with her process.

Despite her willingness to buck precedent  arriving solo to Trump's State of the Union address, for example  a person familiar with Melania Trump's work in the White House said protocol is paramount, as is preserving tradition. That thoughtfulness is being reciprocated by the Macrons, as CNN has learned the Trumps will be gifted a four-and-a-half-foot tall European sessile oak sapling that will be planted in Belleau Wood, in Aisne, France, site of a landmark World War I battle in June 1918, where nearly 10,000 US Marines and Army soldiers were killed or wounded.

First Lady takes charge

So confident was Trump about her ability to handle something like a state dinner, with its myriad details, that the first lady would not hire an event planner to help, as previous first ladies have done in the past to manage the grandeur and spectacle.

For example, the final state dinner of the Obama administration, its 14th, was a tented affair for former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, held on the South Lawn of the White House for 400 guests. Michelle Obama wore a custom, chainmail Atelier Versace gown; Mario Batali cooked, and Gwen Stefani entertained.

For the Trump administration's first state dinner, there will be none of that. There will also be none of the paparazzi element that has come with past state dinners; celebrity supporters of the President are harder to come by than they were for Obama.

"A smaller, more elegant event allows a guest to have a more personal experience, and that is very important to Mrs. Trump," said Grisham, who confirmed the dinner will take place in the State Dining Room, which can hold about 100-150 seated guests.

"[The first lady] has a background in design, which played a major role in the decor throughout the State floor," Grisham adds of Trump's hands-on approach. "She has been very focused on the experience of the guests, and wants to ensure they are able to truly enjoy and remember the occasion. When you are invited to a dinner at the White House, it is very special to be able to sit in the State Dining Room. After all, this is the People's house, which is rich with history and tradition."

Current White House social secretary Rickie Niceta told CNN that Trump was aware the selection of the State Dining Room would limit the number of invitations, which could fuel criticism, but Trump "held firm" to the idea."

Niceta added that part of her job on behalf of the first lady is to make sure guests "feel special and welcome from the moment they arrived to how they will be bid 'goodnight."

One person who didn't give input on the night is the President.

"The President has been busy with his schedule. The first lady took all preparations for the state dinner under her own wing," said Grisham.

Mrs. Trump has also been doing some homework, educating herself about the protocol and history of these sorts of White House events. This is to ensure her selections for the Macrons' visit have meaning behind them, down to the china, flowers, color scheme and menu, which, while American, will highlight the influence France has had on American cuisine.

"Mrs. Trump selected every item and every detail for the dinner, from the entree to the chair cushions," said Niceta.

It's an indicator that the first lady, who moved to Washington full time only last June, seems to have gotten the hang of running an operation as massive as the White House.

"She has a solid grasp on all of her roles, which include mother, wife and first lady of the United States, both public-facing with events and engagements and behind-the-scenes with the renovations and preservation efforts at the White House," Grisham said.

Melania's team is "small, but mighty"

Trump has amassed a staff that has yet to experience the massive turnover happening in the West Wing. Stories of palace intrigue and heads on the chopping block don't emanate from the East Wing.

"We are a close-knit team," said Grisham.

They have lost at least three members -- two operations and advance directors, and Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, a former Manhattan-based senior adviser to Trump. The first lady unceremoniously cut ties with Wolkoff in February after it was revealed Wolkoff's events firm received more than $26 million for the work it did for the inauguration, a job unrelated to her duties for the first lady.

"We are currently at a staff of 10," said Grisham. "The team is small, but mighty."

"We are close-knit, we laugh lot," Niceta adds. "We are family."

As a boss, Trump is regarded as a straight shooter and is well liked by executive residence staff, a source with knowledge of the matter told CNN. Trump hasn't had the same level of public drama as her husband, whose West Wing hiring and firing foibles are frequently dissected by the media.

Managing the storm

Of course, considering the barrage of salacious headlines surrounding the President and his alleged affairs, it is somewhat understandable the first lady isn't particularly eager to make herself more accessible to the public -- something her predecessor, Michelle Obama, did with expertise.

It is a delicate push and pull, the role of first lady.

While undefined and unsalaried, it is still expected that the American people feel a connection to the partner of their leader, and a very private woman like Trump, unskilled and unfamiliar in the shoes of political spousehood, is still learning those ropes.

"She does value her privacy and that of her family, which is to be expected" said Grisham, who adds she doesn't let it interfere with her work.

There has even been a rampant rumor circulating for months in the power circles of Washington that Trump might be spending time in a home rented by her parents in a ritzy suburb in order to avoid life inside the White House bubble.

Grisham adamantly denies the gossip, and the house. "No such place exists," she said.

As for the stories that spew like water from a fire hose about chaos in the West Wing, alleged affairs, payoffs and investigations, Trump has chosen not to comment. And just as we've learned that she opted out of a South Lawn walk or Marine One ride with her husband in order to take her own separate motorcade -- and what that might mean -- the first couple was spotted on a date night on the patio of Mar-a-Lago, or at Trump's eponymous Washington hotel.

The dynamics of her marriage remain a mystery, but Grisham said Trump's own independent streak has provided strength in the face of so much judgment.

"She is accustomed to being in the headlines and recognizes the scrutiny that comes with it," she said.Nashville, Tennessee: At least four people died when a nearly nude gunman opened fire at a Waffle House restaurant near Nashville, Tennessee early Sunday, and police were issuing murder warrants as they hunted for the suspect.

The death toll could have been higher if not for fast action by a 29-year-old "hero" who snatched away the shooter's AR-15 assault-type rifle, likely saving many more lives, said Don Aaron, spokesman for the Metropolitan Nashville Police.

Police identified Travis Reinking, 29, of Morton, Illinois who was believed to live near the restaurant, as a suspect in the carnage. They said the gunman's vehicle was registered to him and a shirtless man wearing pants believed to be Reinking was spotted in woods near the restaurant.

"Murder warrants are now being drafted against Travis Reinking," police said on Twitter.

The gunman, who was naked but for a green jacket, shot and killed two people in the parking lot of the restaurant in Antioch, a section of southeast Nashville, shortly before 3:30 a.m. (0830 GMT).

He then entered the restaurant and opened fire, police said, killing one patron and wounding another, who later died.

One diner who had hidden near the restrooms dashed out and pulled the rifle from the gunman.

"The shots had stopped so he decided to rush the gunman, actually wrestled that assault rifle away, tossed it over the counter and, at that point, the gunman fled," Aaron said.

As he ran away, the shooter discarded the jacket, which contained additional ammunition, according to police.

Although police were referring to Reinking as "a person of interest," Aaron said "person of interest is synonymous to suspect" in this case.

Two people wounded in the shooting are at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. One is in critical condition and the other was in critical but stable condition, said hospital spokeswoman Jennifer Wetzel.

Police told CNN the gunman shed his jacket before fleeing on foot. It was unclear if he had another weapon. Local media reported a second shooting nearby might be connected to the Waffle House incident.

Police cautioned that the man is to be considered still armed and extremely dangerous.

The man who disarmed the shooter suffered non-life-threatening wounds, including an injured elbow, police said, and some patrons suffered facial wounds from shattered glass.Tokyo: The suicide of an Indian man being held at an immigration detention centre in Japan has sparked a hunger strike among detainees and revived concerns about conditions.

Deepak Kumar was found dead on April 13 after apparently hanging himself in the shower at the Ushiku facility, northeast of Tokyo.

At least eight detainees, including Kumar, have died in immigration detention facilities since 2010, according to a tally by the Japan Association for Refugees (JAR), an NGO.

Kumar's death prompted a hunger strike, with around 70 people at the Ushiku facility refusing food by Friday, according to an official, and reports that people held at other centres were also protesting.

Around 1,000 people are held in immigration detention centres around Japan, according to the JAR, and there have long been concerns about conditions, with a series of deaths raising questions about medical access and oversight.

Last year, a Vietnamese man died in the Ushiku facility after having a stroke, and in 2014 two detainees, an Iranian and a Cameroonian died there.

"One death in ten years is too much," said Eri Ishikawa, chair of JAR's board.

"But in reality, in these three to five years, every year there has been an incidence of death among detainees," she told AFP.

Authorities deny that detainees are being mistreated or neglected.

"We respect their human rights," said Daisuke Akinaga, an official at the Ushiku facility.

"We try to listen to them and meet their requests. For example, there was a complaint about cold inside the facility and we improved the situation," he said.

"Applications for provisional release are a different story. They have to go through proper procedures."

Calls for reform

Detainees at the facilities are generally facing deportation, but many are seeking asylum and can file for provisional release while their claims are being processed.

Kumar appears to have committed suicide after learning that his provisional release request had been denied, said Kimiko Tanaka, 65, a long-time activist.

"His provisional release request had been turned down in March, but he only learned about it on April 12, according to a detainee who was sharing a room with him," she said.

Kumar's brother Sanju told AFP that the family was devastated, and was calling for an investigation.

"There was no reason for him to commit suicide, he was a courageous man and had a fighting spirit," he said from Ludhiana in Punjab.

"He called me a day before his death and was in a good mood. He promised to call again in five days."

"We don't believe the authorities and demand that his death be investigated," he added.

Activists and rights group have long urged reforms to the immigration detention system, including ending the practice of long-term detention, improving medical access and allowing independent oversight.

They also criticise the government's stringent rules on granting refugee status. Last year just 20 people out of nearly 20,000 applicants received asylum.

The government says most applicants are economic migrants, but activists and the UN say Japan imposes onerous evidence requirements that can be impossible to meet, even for those in real danger.

'He didn't do anything wrong'

Tanaka said Kumar had applied for asylum, though it was unclear on what grounds.

"The man was detained almost the entire year after he arrived in Japan as a political refugee," she said.

"We have to once again realise the mercilessness of Japan's immigration law and the refugee recognition law."

Detainees allege that if they complain about medical problems to guards, they are simply handed sleeping pills or anti-anxiety medication.

"We are concerned that around 20 percent of the detainees are given medication like sleeping pills," Ishikawa said.

"There is no independent mechanism to monitor the situation."

A migrant detained under a deportation order can be held indefinitely, a situation Tanaka described as deeply damaging.

"Long-term detentions damage people mentally and physically," she said.

Detainees in immigration facilities have gone on hunger strike before, to little effect. But Tanaka said Kumar's death and the perceived indifference of facility guards had caused widespread anger.

A friend of Kumar's, who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity saying he was afraid of immigration authorities despite having legal residence, said he couldn't understand why Kumar was detained for so long.

"He didn't do anything wrong. He didn't get into a fight, he didn't steal anything. It doesn't make sense that he had to be put in prison for a year."Washington: A record number of 20 Indian Americans are running for US Congressional elections this year. Collectively they have raised more than USD 15.5 million, as per latest official figures, with seven of them raising over a million each.

With six months still to go for the November Congressional election, except for Hiral Tipirneni who is running for April 24 special elections in Arizona, the figure of more than USD 15.5 million raised by Indian Americans so far that could be a record in itself for any ethnic community in the US.

Traditionally, a significant amount of money is raised by candidates in the last two quarters. As per the latest fund-raising figures released by the Federal Election Commission, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi from Illinois has raised maximum over USD 3.5 million. Krishnamoorthi is seeking his re-election from the eighth Congressional district in Illinois. Pitted against him is Indian American Jitender Digankar from the Republican Party.

Indian-American scientist and entrepreneur Shiv Ayyadurai, who is running as an independent candidate for the US Senate seat from Massachusetts. Three other Indian American Congressmen Ro Khanna, Dr Ami Bera and Pramila Jayapal each have raise more than a million each. Krishnamoorthi, Khanna, Bera and Jayapal are the four Indian Americans in the current House of Representative. They are collectively called Samosa Caucus.

According to Federal Election Commission Khanna, seeking re-election from California's 17th Congressional district had raised nearly USD2 million (USD1.92 million to be precise) till March 31. He is followed by Dr Ami Bera (USD 1.7 million), who is seeking his fourth consecutive term in the US House of Representative from the seventh Congressional District in California.

Pramila Jayapal, the first ever Indian-American to be elected to the House of Representative has raised USD1.3 million. She is seeking her re-election from the seventh Congressional District of Washington State. In addition to Jayapal, four other Indian American women are running for the US House of Representatives Hiral Tipirneni from eights Congressional District of Arizona; Aruna Miller from sixth Congressional District of Maryland, Anita Malik from sixth Congressional District of Arizona and Saira Rao from the first Congressional District of Colorado.

All four are from the Democratic Party. This week all eyes are on Tipirneni as latest polls suggests that in the April 24 Special election she might create an upset by winning this Republican stronghold. She had raised USD 670,521 till March 31, according to FEC records. Aruna Miller, who has to win the June 26 primaries to become party's nominee for the November Congressional elections has surprised many by raising more than USD 1 million till the last quarter.

Among other two women candidates, Rao has raised USD255,000 and Malik has raised USD64,000, according to FEC records. Indian-American Aftab Pureva, who is seeking to enter the House of Representative from First Congressional District of Ohio on a Democratic ticket has raised USD 663,000. Recently the Democratic party identified him as a potential winner.

By raising more than USD 1.1 million for the June 26 primary against incumbent Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, young Suraj Patel has surprised many. In the 11th Congressional District of New York two Indian Americans Omar Vaid and Mohan Radhakrishnan -- are vying for Democratic primary on June 26.

Two have raised 31,000 and 16,000 respectively. Similarly, in the two Indian Americans Peter Jacob and Goutam U Jois -- are running against each other for the June 5 Democratic primary in the Seventh Congressional District of New Jersey. Sri Preston Kulkarni is headed for a primary run-off for the 22nd Congressional District of Texas on May 22. He has raised more than USD 178,000, FEC records reveal, Abhijit Das from the third Congressional District of Massachusetts more than USD 220,000 and Chintan Desai from the One Congressional District of Arkansas has raised USD 16,000.

In addition to Digankar, Harry Arora is the only other Republican Indian American in race for the Congress. Running from fourth Congressional District of Connecticut, Arora has raised USD 192,000 so far. A calculation of FEC figures, as of March 31 indicated, that all the 20 Indian-American candidates in the race for the Congressional elections this year have more than USD11 million in all for the rest part of the campaign.

FEC figures also reveal that these candidates have loaned more than USD 1.1 million to their campaigns. The list is topped by Arora with USD 500,000, followed by Abhijit Das (USD 283,000), Vaid (USD 105,000) Jois (USD 100,000), Tipirneni (USD 70,000), Radhakrishnan (USD 50,000), Kulkarni (USD 35,000) and Jacob (USD 10,000). The current Congress has four Indian Americans in the House of Representatives, which is a record in itself.Washington: U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin may visit China, in a move that could help defuse rising trade tensions between the world's two largest economies that threaten to derail a global economic recovery.

The United States has threatened to impose tariffs on $50 billion of Chinese imports in a bid to try and force Beijing to stop its companies from stealing American companies' intellectual property.

"A trip is under consideration," Mnuchin said at a press conference during the International Monetary Fund and World Bank spring meetings in Washington on Saturday.

"I am not going to make any comment on timing, nor do I have anything confirmed, but a trip is under consideration."

Beijing has threatened retaliation against U.S. exports if Washington pushes ahead with the tariffs. The risks of a spiraling trade war were highlighted when U.S. President Donald Trump told his trade team to identify another $100 billion in Chinese imports that could be hit with tariffs.

Mnuchin said he met with China's new central bank governor, Yi Gang, during the IMF and World Bank meetings and discussed the potential for China to open its markets to more foreign competition.

"I did meet with the Chinese here. The discussions were really more around the governor's actions at the PBOC (People's Bank of China) and certain actions they've announced in terms of opening some of their markets, which we very much encourage and appreciate."Dieppe: A French nun affectionately named "the white angel" by the Canadian soldiers she saved during one of the worst disasters to befall Allied forces during World War II has died aged 103, authorities said Saturday.

Sister Agnes-Marie Valois died on Thursday in a monastery, officials in the northern town of Dieppe said. She tended to wounded soldiers in the Dieppe Raid of August 19, 1942, when a 6,000-strong force of mainly Canadian but also British troops briefly seized the Channel port held by the Germans.

More than a thousand men in the allied force died, hundreds were injured and more than 2,000 taken prisoner. Valois stood up to Nazi soldiers to treat the injured, even persuading German officials to tend to some of the wounded and stealing German rations to feed the men.

Her actions earned her the Legion of Honour, France's highest order.

Valois often participated in annual commemorations of the battle, where she was reunited with the men she saved. "They loved her and she loved them. Whenever she met what she called 'my Canadians' she had a great big smile on her face," Tim Fletcher, a retired captain with Canada's Royal Hamilton Light Infantry, told the National Post newspaper.

The raid, codenamed Operation Jubilee, was the first time the Canadian army had engaged in the European theatre of the war. It is enshrined in Canadian history as an episode of great bravery against overwhelming odds.

Born in 1914 in the French city of Rouen to a family of industrialists, she trained as a nurse with the Red Cross before joining the Augustine order in 1936. Dieppe Mayor Nicolas Langlois said she would be remembered by the town, as well as by Canada, as a heroine.PM Narendra Modi, President Xi Jinping to meet in China on April 27-28

Beijing : Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to China to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on April 27-28, it was announced on Sunday.

This was stated by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj after their bilateral talks here.

The two leaders said Modi's trip to the Chinese city of Wuhan will mark a new start in bilateral relationship which was seriously strained by a 73-day military standoff between the two armies last year.

This will be the first meeting between Modi and Xi after the BRICS Summit at Xianmen and will come ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting at Qingdao in June.The first hint for visitors that Jan Degenschein has built a special house in Norwalk comes courtesy of the solar panels on the roof, sloped scientifically to take maximum advantage of sunlight in northern climes.

But confirmation arrives only when stepping over the threshold onto a marbled floor  which is actually the finished concrete slab of the house itself, warm to the touch on a cool April day.

With solar panels increasingly commonplace in Connecticut, still relatively rare are homes striving for the energy savings offered by the concept of so-called passive houses. Such homes are designed to produce more energy than they can use through a combination of energy generation technologies like solar panels; and a building envelope that uses thick walls, insulation and other measures to block the loss of heat or cool air from roofs, windows, joints and other points of vulnerability.

But the foundation is being laid to expand the adoption of passive-house design elements, through the states Energize Connecticut initiative in partnership with utilities Eversource Energy and United Illuminating, as well as building industry trade groups.

Energize Connecticut sponsors an annual Zero Energy Challenge awarding annual cash prizes of $5,000 or $10,000 recognizing the energy efficiency of a handful of newly constructed homes, with the most recent recipients including the new Degenschein residence in Norwalk, a Fairfield home owned by Mario and Barbara Smith, and a residence developed on Two Pence Road in Ridgefield.

It was inspired to promote a platform  for builders and homeowners to see whats possible in relation to building a super-efficient home, said Enoch Lenge, a supervisor of energy efficiency and spokesman in the Berlin offices of Eversource Energy, speaking of the Zero Energy Challenge. Weve always had a program available with incentives to build an energy efficiency home, but weve never given them a vision for how to get there. You look at  all the homes that have participated over the years, you can pick and choose what you want to learn.

A new exploration

The Connecticut Passive House trade group holds a forum on May 10 at Two Roads Brewing in Stratford on case studies, costing $20 at the door or $15 in advance for nonmembers, and information online at CTpassivehouse.org. Sharing lessons learned are Elizabeth DiSalvo of Trillium Architects in Ridgefield, the Westport architect John Rountree, and Chris Trolle, an engineer with BPC Green Builders of Wilton.

And in September, the Passive House Institute US holds its annual conference in Bostons Seaport district, with PHIUS currently certifying three Connecticut structures including a home at 17 Carol St. in Danbury designed and built built by Chris and Mike Trolle.

A noted architect himself in Rockland County, N.Y., Degenschein and spouse Alison chose Norwalks Cranbury neighborhood for the home they built for their retirement years, moving there in January in advance of the full completion of the house.

It was a new exploration for me, Degenschein said. We have built in a very efficient heating and air conditioning system. We put in a tremendous amount of insulation in the walls and ceiling. ... Its worked out really well  the amount of heating weve had during the winter plus all of the other electrical requirements has been maybe one-fifth of what we were experiencing in Rockland County. That is really a tremendous amount of savings.

You can walk barefoot

Like many, Degenschein did not go all in on a passive house, choosing to install elements as he and Alison deemed fit their goals. His home used double-glazed windows rather than the triple-paned requirement  he said the double glazing does the trick to his satisfaction  and he included a fireplace, which passive houses omit to prevent any uncontrolled exchange of air with the outdoors.

He skipped a few other emerging technologies as well on concerns about cost and the technology not being sufficiently advanced, to include battery storage for the power generated by the solar panels, such as the solar walls Tesla is promoting at its Greenwich showroom; and rooftop solar shingles sold by Tesla and other companies that generate power from the sun, with Degenschein opting instead to use standard solar panels.

The Norwalk house did not end up costing as much as one might expect  Degenschein estimates he spent about 15 percent more than he would have for a standard-built home, and says the energy savings will cover that differential. A Wolfworks-designed house in Mansfield that likewise won recognition in the Zero Energy Challenge offers its new owners an annual energy savings of $4,000.

Leading a tour of the new house in Norwalk, Degenschein took particular pride in the floor that could elicit favor in any Gold Coast manse  and which unobtrusively provides a daily reminder of the house built on the latest innovations in energy-efficient design.

Alison actually did this ... Its a way to have a really neat finish that is contemporary, Degenschein said. You can walk barefoot on the floor.

Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulmanSeveral state companies have been honored for doing business the right way.

Praxair, a Danbury-based industrial gas company, is among those named to the 2018 Worlds Most Ethical Company list by the Ethisphere Institute, a global organization that defines and advances the standards of ethical business practices.

It is the second consecutive year Praxair has been named to the list.

Our commitment to doing business the right way is the foundation of the strong relationships we build with all Praxair stakeholders, Steve Angel, Praxair chairman and CEO, said in a statement. There is no substitute for having a strong culture of integrity and ethics, both core values at Praxair.

Among the other companies on the list with headquarters or a strong presence in Connecticut include: Norwalk-based Xerox; The Hartford; New Haven-based Knights of Columbus; Iberdrola; Marriott; CBRE; General Electric; and Realogy.

A total of 135 companies across 23 countries and 57 industries were recognized on the list. Praxair is one of only three companies in the chemical sector. Companies are assessed based on the Ethisphere Institutes trademarked Ethics Quotient, which quantitatively grades on ethics and compliance, corporate citizenship and responsibility, culture of ethics, governance and leadership, innovation and reputation.

Over the last 12 years, we have repeatedly seen that those companies who focus on transparency and authenticity are rewarded with the trust of their employees, their customers and their investors, Ethisphere CEO Timothy Erblich said. While negative headlines might grab attention, the companies who support the rule of law and operate with decency and fair play around the globe will always succeed in the long term.

A gala for the 2018 honorees will be held on March 13 at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City. PepsiCo chairperson and CEO Indra Nooyi will deliver the keynote address.

Gender equality

Recognizing its transparency, diversity and inclusion, Praxair is a part of the first sector-neutral Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index. The GEI measures gender equality using of factors such as: employee policies; company statistics; community support and engagement.

The 2018 index is made up of 104 companies from a variety of sectors in 24 countries.

Being incorporated in Bloombergs Gender-Equality Index underscores our commitment to equality and ensuring that Praxair is an employer of choice for the diverse and vibrant workforce necessary to meet our customers needs, said Vanessa Abrahams-John, director of Global Diversity, Inclusion and Talent Acquisition for Praxair.

Other Connecticut companies on the index include Norwalks Diageo and The Hartford.

The (companies) leadership sets an important example that will help all organizations innovate and navigate the growing demand for diverse and inclusive workplaces, said Peter Grauer, chairman of Bloomberg.It is not possible to write about social issues and not get blowback from readers.

Sometimes, the words hurled at me are incendiary and downright ugly but I grew thick skin at a very young age and it takes a lot to hurt my feelings.

I have no problem with readers lighting me up when they disagree with what I have written  after all, this is a column of opinion  but I do have a problem when a reader is upset because he or she has misinterpreted what I wrote.

I had a reader react extremely negatively to my column last Sunday on marijuana when I called on black lawmakers to ensure the industry supplies jobs and ownership opportunities to black men who have been arrested again and again for selling it.

And I stand by what I wrote  and if I need to write another column about the many American families who are now held in high esteem but whose fortunes were built on illegal activities, I will.

The column made perfect sense to me. The state has many ex-offenders who are uneducated, unskilled and need to work so they can re-assimilate into mainstream society. One of the alleged purposes of closing prisons in the state was to shift funding away from punitive incarceration to rehabilitative services and re-entry into society. What easier or better way to get these ex-offenders employed but to put them in an industry they understand and are skilled in?

But in a highly charged email, a reader called me a racist because he thought the column called for the marijuana industry to be turned over to blacks as reparations for decades of arrests. He read it totally wrong  or so I thought  until a co-worker told me he also read the column that way.

Those were the only two comments I received that disagreed with my premise, but it tells me I need to clarify what I wrote because more readers may also have misinterpreted the meaning of the column.

What I am saying is that black men have spent decades in prisons and black neighborhoods have been decimated because of the illegal sale of marijuana. Now that it is becoming legal, the idea there will be just a string of white-owned, marijuana-businesses in black neighborhoods is just inconceivable and unsettling.

I cant imagine how anyone could feel differently.

Grants and other incentives must be made available to ensure black ownership happens. Indeed, a lot of my readers thought I didnt take the column far enough, telling me I should have called for all non-violent marijuana dealers to be released from prison immediately.

I am not alone in this thinking that black men continue to pay a high price for a drug the country is rapidly moving to legalize .

U.S. Sens. Corey Booker, D-N.J., and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. ., are among the senators who agree.

Booker introduced The Marijuana Justice Act in 2017, which calls in part for the bill to withhold federal funding from states that continue to criminalize marijuana and inordinately prosecute minorities  as well as create a federal fund that could be used for projects to reinvest and rebuild low-income communities through the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

But as a columnist who grabs an oar and wades into uncharted waters, I expect people to be charged up after reading it.

I have been told by readers  and friends for that matter  that I have conflicting views on social issues.

And that is true.

On some issues, I am rock solid conservative.

But on others, I am as liberal as they come.

And I am OK with the two sides of James.

To me, I could not be a good columnist writing about social issues if I didnt see both sides  and if I hadnt lived and continue to live both sides.

I am as comfortable ranting about the black community, single-baby mommas and their useless baby-daddies who are costing taxpayers a fortune as I am raging about the duplicity of a government that keeps them down by providing handouts and not opportunity.

I am at ease railing against Republicans for what I consider are policies that harm the poor at every turn but also dont back away from the Democrats who I believe have been sucker-punching the black community for decades.

I have no problem saying some undocumented immigrants drop anchor babies on us and use our Constitution as a protective cloak, but I also sympathize with immigrants such as Nury Chavarria, who sought sanctuary in a church to keep from being deported.

I have written before how James Baldwin inspired me at a young age to write but it was songwriter Paul Anka who wrote the following words that captured the essence of how I would live my life  good or bad  and I have never veered from:

For what is a man, what has he got, if not himself, then he has naught

To say the things he truly feels and not the words of one who kneels

The record shows I took the blows and did it my way.

So no, I dont follow the leader and the Pied Piper plays no tune that would make my feet follow. I am willing to take the blows for what I write and believe.

And when people question me about my sometimes controversial stand on issues, I tell them its because I am a human being with emotions, a free-thinking brain and as a veteran of the U.S. armed forces, I exercise the First Amendment proudly.

It is robots that have preset parameters and conditions and only speak when programmed.

James Walker is the Registers senior editor. He can be reached at 203-680-9389 or james.walker@hearstmediact.com. Follow him on Twitter @thelieonroarsNEW HAVEN  Sheldon Toubman says he is lending voice to the voiceless.

Toubman, an attorney with New Haven Legal Assistance Association and a longtime advocate for low-income families, said there is no movement in the legislature to assist some 13,300 individuals due to lose funding for Medicaid coverage.

He said it is unlikely they will be able to afford the premiums, deductibles and cost-sharing required of insurance through Access Health, the states exchange under the Affordable Care Act.

They are all working folks, they are all low-income. They are all struggling to try to support their families and they are all going to lose their health insurance on Jan. 1 unless the legislature, before the end of the session, which is May 9, does something to undo that, Toubman said.

This group represents the working parents and relative caregivers of children enrolled in HUSKY A, which is Connecticuts Medicaid program for children.

There has been almost no recognition from legislative leadership about what this is (the Huskey A cuts) and the harm it will bring, Toubman said.

Lawmakers in 2015 changed the income eligibility limits for this group of residents from 201 percent of the poverty level to 155 percent of poverty. This was further dropped in October 2017 to individuals at 138 percent.

While children remain eligible for coverage, Touban and Karen Siegel, of Connecticut Voices for Children said, some parents assume that once they no longer qualify for assistance, neither do their children.

Voices, in a study of the 11,209 caregivers who lost their coverage in 2015 due to the first change in income eligibility, found two years later that 8,822 were still without health insurance.

Toubman and Siegel fear a large percentage of the additional 13,300 caregivers will drop insurance in January when faced with competing priorities such as paying rent, buying food, covering utility costs or covering child care expenses.

Paying premiums and cost-share out of pocket can consume from 17 percent to 20 percent of household income for two parents in a family of four at 150 percent of the poverty level, Siegel said.

That is not a small amount of money and that is not inconsequential to a family living at or near poverty, Siegel said.

She said studies on Medicaid have found that people with this coverage are more able to work and work regularly because they can address chronic health care issues.

This has real consequences for real people, she said. Siegel said there is also the emotional and physical cost of unexpected medical debt from an accident or serious illness.

You have the constant worry that your family will have these catastrophic medical costs. There are a dual set of risks, Siegel said.

Under the current rules, a family of three making $32,209 would qualify for the Medicaid insurance for parents. As of Jan. 1, when the changes go into effect, a family of three could only make $28,676 to be covered by Medicaid.

Originally, when the legislation was passed in October, the Husky A changes were targeted to become effective in January 2018. Under federal rules however, recipients are entitled to one-year transitional coverage if any of their income is from a job.

This pushed off the effective date until January 2019.

To give you an indication that this is truly the working poor, only 3 percent of the Husky A recipients didnt have income from earnings, Toubman said.

At the same time that lawmakers in October imposed $11.3 million in cuts on the Husky A parents, it also cut $56 million in coverage for 113,000 senior citizens and the disabled who took advantage of the Medicare Savings Program.

While this fund supports some Medicare costs, it is underwritten with Medicaid money.

The seniors and disabled, who are not only a larger demographic but better organized than the Husky A caregivers, came by the busload to the Capitol to complain. Consequently, this issue is on the radar screen for lawmakers to reconsider.

Without the supplemental help from the Medicare Savings Program, they will now be responsible for the $134 per month premium cost of Medicare Part B, as well as cost sharing expenses for visits and procedures.

But unlike the Husky parents, who lose all their insurance, the seniors and disabled individuals will continue to have health insurance through Medicare.

Lawmakers are trying to put a budget together while accounting for a projected deficit this year of $363.5 million, as well as billions more through 2022.

It has been a convoluted ride so far with lawmakers restoring the Medicare Savings Program cuts in early January, only to have them vetoed by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who said the lawmakers numbers did not add up.

On Friday, Democrats and Republicans unveiled their budget proposals for fiscal 2018 and 2019.

Neither party offered to restore any funds for these working poor parents, Toubman said. They did restore some money for the seniors and disabled, but not all would be covered.

The Democratic plan dropped coverage for some 38,000 residents out of the 113,000 seniors and disabled, while the Republican plan cut off funds for 68,000, Toubman said.

Siegel said one of the reasons that the Husky A parents have not been lobbying as successfully is that they are working and have less time, and the effective date of implementation makes it feel less imminent. The Medicare Savings Program cuts go into effect in July.

As anyone who has experienced any sort of medical insurance knows, you get a lot of letters that you may not have read carefully, especially if it is not happening now, Siegel said. So I think that is part of why this issue hasnt risen to the level of noise that it really needs to.

This is an issue of the voiceless, Toubman said.

Still, the consequences for those who will lose the Medicare Savings Program are serious.

Voices has said those without discretionary income to cover premiums and cost-sharing requirements will go without essential treatment and medications, forcing some into emergency rooms and others into nursing homes.

As for the Husky A recipients, the cuts are bad for the state, Siegel said.

This is a short-term fiscal decision and in the long run term you are going to have increased uncompensated care costs. You are going to have more uninsured adults, she said.

Toubman said he is of the opinion that health care is a right for everyone and feels the government has an obligation to provide basic health care.

He said there is also a disconnect between what state lawmakers are saying about these cuts and what they said when Medicaid was threatened on the federal level by the Trump administration.

He said Malloy was very strong opposing the federal cuts in the Affordable Care Act and in June of 2017, he issued a press release saying this was an outrage because tens of thousands of people would lose their health care.

Our question is why does that not matter if the state does the exact same thing? Toubman asked.

He said at the federal level it came from an ideology, while here it is a budgetary issue, but it is the same thing on the ground.

On a map provided by Voices, every community has Husky A individuals who would be hurt by the cuts.

Bridgeport would be affected the most with 988 residents losing this assistance, followed by Hartford at 801, Waterbury at 765 and New Haven at 634.

Other communities with higher representation include: Stamford with more than 450, New Britain at 506, Danbury at 392, Meriden at 326 and Torrington at 221.

In Greater New Haven, West Haven has 249 recipients, East Haven has 132 recipients, Hamden has 187, Milford has 148 and Shelton has 126.

Every legislator has working poor parents in their districts that will be impacted, Toubman said.

mary.oleary@hearstmediact.com; 203-641-2577

Editors note: This story has been updated to reflect that Karen Siegel, Health Policy Fellow, was initially misidentified.After years of searching in the woods and weeds along the Quinnipiac River, two old friends with an insatiable curiosity about history finally found the Rev. John Davenport mystery stone.

Anthony Griego, one of the two searchers, told me the saga can be summed up this way: Two senior citizens embark on an Indiana Jones adventure.

Our story begins several years ago at the Waucoma Yacht Club, not far from the long-hidden stone. Griego, now 75, a retired New Haven police sergeant, and his pal, Charlie Salerno, now 88 and known for his playing with Charlie Salernos Clam Diggers Dixie Band, both belong to the yacht club. They were sitting together when Salerno told Griego what he had encountered about 25 years earlier.

Charlie told me about a mysterious stone he had seen with another friend of his, Tom Hall, Griego said. The stone had been pointed out to Tom many years before that by someone whose name has long been forgotten.

Griego was skeptical. I blew him off for about a year. I know the history of John Davenport (the co-founder of New Haven, with Theophilus Eaton). Why would John Davenports name be on a stone in the middle of a swamp in the Quinnipiac Meadows?

Griego noted, Charlie kept pestering me: Lets go look for the stone!

Then one day Salerno showed Griego the photo he had taken of that stone on the day Hall (who has since died) took him to see it. Griego looked at the stones inscription, clearly visible in Salernos photo: SOUTH BNDRY FARM c1638 and below that Rev. John DAVENPORT.

Suddenly, Griego was interested. His love of history had kicked in. He had to find that stone.

Griego, who keeps meticulous notes of everything, said he and Salerno set out in search of the stone on April 17, 2015. They went to the area where Salerno thought he had seen it all those years ago. They spent about an hour and a half looking in the woods. They couldnt find it.

I came home loaded with ticks, Griego said. We raked, we dug. There must be 100 boulders in those woods and fields. How do you find it?

They made several other attempts but still nothing.

Meanwhile, Griego and Salerno were making research trips, starting with the New Haven Colony Historical Society (now the New Haven Museum). The librarian showed them a book of New Haven colonial records and a reference to Davenports farme.

Their next stop was the Hagaman Memorial Library in East Haven, because that area along the Quinnipiac River once was part of East Haven. Checking some old maps, they learned that when Davenport came to what would become New Haven in 1638, he secured a piece of land near downtown  but in 1640 he was granted 600 acres along what we now designate as the Quinnipiac Avenue side of the river.

Davenport hired Marke Pierce to survey that land in 1646, Griego said. Pierce drew a map. Davenport never lived there. He hired Alling Ball to farm the land.

During another trip to that library in East Haven, Griego found a book which revealed that in 1724 Davenports great-grandson, Deodate Davenport, hired another surveyer, William Thomson, to re-survey the farm. Griego found Thomsons surveyors map from 1724 at the New Haven Colony Historical Society, with the help of librarian Jim Campbell.

It clearly shows the location on Davenports farm of a dowl stone as the southwest boundary marker, Griego noted.

In a detailed written report of his research and his quest to find the Davenport stone, Griego wrote: My best educated guess would be that Marke Pierce in 1646 marked that stone by chiseling the information on it.

But still Griego and Salerno hadnt found the stone. In 2016 Griego contacted Justin Elicker, executive director of the New Haven Land Trust, because the Trust owns the Quinnipiac Meadows Nature Preserve, which is open to the public. Griego told Elicker about his search for the stone. (Elicker told me he had looked into it but couldnt come up with any information.)

And then on July 17 of last year, Griego was eating at a City Point restaurant when he spotted Elicker at a nearby table. Griego reminded Elicker of his stone quest and Elicker, who had lost Griegos phone number, pulled out his cell phone and showed him a photo that had been sent to him. There was the stone, next to the corner of a

condominium and a deck.

As soon as Griego left the restaurant, he called Salerno, told him about the photo and said it included clues that would almost certainly lead them to the stone.

Charlie was as excited as I was, Griego recalled. I picked him up and we went out to look again.

We roamed around, Griego said. It took about a half-hour but we finally found the stone. We had to clear the heavy brush to locate it, but it was there.

I asked Griego how it felt to at last find that historic stone. It was a relief, he said. Such a relief!

Griego concluded his six-page report, The Rev. John Davenport Mystery Stone, written last year: When one sits on the deck of the Waucoma Yacht Club and looks across the Quinnipiac River, the stone has been there for 371 years, quietly resting in the wetlands.

Griego emphasizes the stone is on private property belonging to the condominium complexs owner and is protected by a state statute prohibiting unlawful destruction, disturbance or removal of a surveyors marker or monument.

When Griego and Salerno took me out to see the stone last Tuesday, we first checked in with Pat Finelli, who lives in the condo adjacent to that historic marker. I think its a wonderful thing, Finelli told us. They should do something to highlight it and preserve it.

Salerno agreed. It should be covered, or there should be some kind of iron fence around it.

As we were walking down to the stone, Griego said, Theres not much left in New Haven that has any connection to John Davenport. He noted Davenport eventually moved to Boston and died there.

When we came upon the stone, we stared down at it for a few moments. Then Salerno began digging away at the edges and the inscription with a stick, trying to make it clearer for the New Haven Register photographer. Griego warned Salerno not to damage it.

When Tom Hall showed this to me, I flipped! Salerno recalled.

But Salerno said when he called the New Haven Colony Historical Society at that time about 30 years ago to tell them about the discovery of the Davenport stone, the man who answered the phone told him, Were not interested in that type of article.

I was stunned, Salerno told me. I got so disappointed. I was brokenhearted!

When I called Margaret Anne Tockarshewsky, the executive director at the New Haven Museum, she noted Griegos research there and how he had been assisted by the librarians. Were glad he found the stone, she said.

As for Salernos report of his disappointing phone call, she said, Its unfortunate if people in the past didnt appreciate or understand what he was trying to do. I cant speak for them or our institution of 30 years ago.

I found out through Elicker that the person who provided the photo of the stone to him was Chris Ozyck, a landscaper who lives on Quinnipiac Avenue. Ozyck told me that one day about 20 years ago, while he was doing some weed whacking on the condominium property, I uncovered the stone and saw the writing. I thought, Oh, thats cool.

Ozyck sent the photo to Elicker after hearing he was trying to find that long-missing mystery stone.

Contact Randall Beach at 203-680-9345 or randall.beach@hearstmediact.comBoris Leonidovich Pasternak

The Nobel Prize in Literature 1958

Born: 10 February 1890, Moscow, Russia

Died: 30 May 1960, Peredelkino, Russia

Residence at the time of the award: USSR

Prize motivation: "for his important achievement both in contemporary lyrical poetry and in the field of the great Russian epic tradition."

Language: Russian

Boris Pasternak first accepted the award, but was later caused by the authorities of his country to decline the prize.

Prize share: 1/1Mario Vargas Llosa  Prose

English Spanish

Excerpt from The Storyteller

I FIRST became acquainted with the Amazon jungle halfway through 1958, thanks to my friend Rosita Corpancho. Her function at the University of San Marcos was vague; her power unlimited. She prowled among the professors without being one of them, and they all did whatever she asked; thanks to her wiles, doors of officialdom stuck shut were opened and paths of bureaucracy smoothed.

Theres a place available for someone on an expedition to the Alto Maranon thats been organized by the Institute of Linguistics for a Mexican anthropologist, she said to me one day when I ran into her on the campus of the Faculty of Letters. Would you like to go?

I had finally managed to obtain the fellowship to Europe Id coveted and was to leave for Spain the following month. But I accepted without a moments hesitation.

Rosita is from Loreto, and if you listen carefully you can still catch in her voice an echo of the delightful singsong accent of eastern Peru. She protected and promoted  as no doubt she still does  the Summer Institute of Linguistics, an organization which, in the forty years of its existence in Peru, has been the object of virulent controversy. I understand that as I write these lines it is packing its bags to leave the country. Not because it has been expelled (though this was on the verge of happening during General Velascos dictatorship), but on its own initiative, since it considers that it has fulfilled the mission that brought it to Yarinacocha, its base of operations on the banks of the Ucayali, some ten kilometers from Pucallpa, from which it has spread into nearly all the remote folds and corners of Amazonia.

What exactly is the purpose of the Institute? According to its enemies, it is a tentacle of American imperialism which, under cover of doing scientific research, has been engaged in gathering intelligence and has taken the first steps toward a neocolonialist penetration of the cultures of the Amazonian Indians. These accusations stem, first and foremost, from the Left. But certain sectors of the Catholic Church  mainly the jungle missionaries  are also hostile to it and accuse it of being nothing more than a phalanx of Protestant evangelists passing themselves off as linguists. Among the anthropologists, there are those who criticize it for perverting the aboriginal cultures, attempting to Westernize them and draw them into a mercantile economy. A number of conservatives disapprove of the presence of the Institute in Peru for nationalist and Hispanist reasons. Among these latter was my professor and academic adviser back in those days, the historian Porras Barrenechea, who, when he heard that I was going on that expedition, solemnly cautioned me: Be careful. Those gringos will try to buy you. He couldnt bear the thought that, because of the Institute, the jungle Indians would probably learn to speak English before they did Spanish.

Friends of the Institute, such as Rosita Corpancho, defended it on pragmatic grounds. The work of the linguists  studying the languages and dialects of Amazonia, compiling lexicons and grammars of the various tribes  served the country, and besides, it was supervised, in theory at least, by the Ministry of Education, which had to approve of all its projects and received copies of all the material it collected. As long as that same Ministry or Peruvian universities didnt take the trouble to pursue such research themselves, it was to Perus advantage that it was being undertaken by others. Moreover, the infrastructure set up by the Institute in Amazonia, with its fleet of hydroplanes and its system of radio communication between the headquarters at Yarinacocha and the network of linguists living with the tribes, was also of benefit to the country, since teachers, civil servants, and the military forces in remote jungle localities were in the habit of making use of it, and not just in cases of emergency.

The controversy has not ended, nor is it likely to end soon.

That expedition of just a few short weeks duration which I was lucky enough to be able to join made such a great impression on me that, twenty-seven years later, I still remember it in abundant detail and still write about it. As I am doing now, in Firenze. We went first to Yarinacocha and talked with the linguists and then, a long way from there, to the region of the Alto Maranon, visiting a series of settlements and villages of two tribes of the Jibaro family: the Aguarunas and the Huambisas. We then went up to Lake Morona to visit the Shapras.

We traveled in a small hydroplane, and in some places in native canoes, along narrow river channels so choked with tangled vegetation overhead that in bright daylight it seemed dark as night. The strength and the solitude of Nature  the tall trees, the mirror-smooth lagoons, the immutable rivers  brought to mind a newly created world, untouched by man, a paradise of plants and animals. When we reached the tribes, by contrast, there before us was prehistory, the elemental, primeval existence of our distant ancestors: hunters, gatherers, bowmen, nomads, shamans, irrational and animistic. This, too, was Peru, and only then did I become fully aware of it: a world still untamed, the Stone Age, magico-religious cultures, polygamy, head-shrinking (in a Shapra village of Moronacocha, the cacique, Tariri, explained to us, through an interpreter, the complicated technique of steeping and stuffing with herbs required by the operation)  that is to say, the dawn of human history.

I am quite sure that throughout the entire trip I thought continually of Saul Zuratas. I often spoke about him with his mentor, Dr. Matos Mar, who was also a member of the expedition; it was on this journey, in fact, that we became good friends. Matos Mar told me that he had invited Saul to come with us, but that Zuratas had refused because he strongly disapproved of the work of the Institute.

Thanks to this expedition, I was better able to understand Mascaritas fascination with this region and these people, to get some idea of the forcefulness of the impact that changed the course of his life. But, besides that, it gave me firsthand experience that enabled me to justify many of the differences of opinion which, more out of instinct than out of real knowledge, I had had with Saul over Amazonian cultures. Why did he cling to that illusion of his: wanting to preserve these tribes just as they were, their way of life just as it was? To begin with, it wasnt possible. All of them, some more slowly, others more rapidly, were being contaminated by Western and mestizo influences. Moreover, was this chimerical preservation desirable? Was going on living the way they were, the way purist anthropologists of Sauls sort wanted them to do, to the tribes advantage? Their primitive state made them, rather, victims of the worst exploitation and cruelty.

Excerpt from THE STORYTELLER by Mario Vargas Llosa, translated by Helen Lane.

Translation copyright  1989 by Farrar, Straus & Giroux, Inc.

Reprinted by permission of Farrar, Straus and Giroux, LLC.

Excerpt selected by the Nobel Library of the Swedish Academy.

To cite this section

MLA style: Mario Vargas Llosa  Prose. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Prize Outreach AB 2021. Sun. 3 Oct 2021. <https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/literature/2010/vargas_llosa/25169-mario-vargas-llosa-prose-2010-2/>A neo-Nazi rally outside of Atlanta on Saturday drew only a few participants and did not last very long.

But the event still upended Newnan, Ga., a city of about 38,000, for an afternoon as downtown shops closed and counterprotesters gathered. Hasco Craver, the assistant city manager, said more than 700 law enforcement officers were present from 42 agencies.

Members of the National Socialist Movement, a white nationalist organization that has been labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, gained a permit last month for a rally from 3 to 5 p.m. at a park. Organizers estimated the rally could draw 50 to 100 people, city officials said.WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah  Mitt Romney was forced on Saturday into a Republican primary for a United States Senate seat in Utah as he looks to restart his political career by replacing Orrin G. Hatch, a longtime senator who is retiring.

Mr. Romney, a former governor of Massachusetts and the Republican candidate for president in 2012, remains the heavy favorite to win the Senate seat in November. But he could have bypassed a primary altogether by earning a majority of votes on Saturday at the states G.O.P. convention.

Instead, the far-right party delegates preferred State Representative Mike Kennedy, who got 51 percent of the vote to Mr. Romneys 49 percent.

Voters will decide between the candidates in a June 26 primary. Mr. Romney had previously secured his spot on the ballot by collecting 28,000 voter signatures, but he said on Saturday that the choice was partly to blame for his loss.She will be meeting her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi - who was in India in December - and taking part in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) foreign ministers' meeting.

Swaraj is due to meet Wang tomorrow. She will participate in a meeting of the foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

The meetings, which are part of the preparations for the SCO summit to be held in the Chinese city of Qingdao in June, have become prominent as they are the first such meetings after India and Pakistan were admitted into the eight-member group past year. This will be Sushma Swaraj's first talks with Wang after he was elevated last month to be the state councillor.

Pakistan became a full member of the SCO in June past year and has been playing an active role in the organisation which was founded at a Summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Omar Narvaez no pudo con Zolani Tete en Belfast

Como el mismo Narvaez admitio en declaraciones formuladas en la capital de Irlanda del Norte, sus chances de exito son relativas: "el tiene todas las ventajas".

Chelsea win at Burnley closes gap on fourth-placed Spurs

Leicester then almost scored when McCarthy did well to fingertip Vardy's volley over the crossbar. Oliver Giroud came on to score a brace in Chelsea's 3-2 comeback win against Southampton.

Estamos listos para resolver nuestros temas con Panama  Maduro

En otro momento, Maduro destaco el discurso de Diaz-Canel en la clausura del proceso de constitucion de la IX Legislatura del Parlamento cubano, donde el nuevo presidente de la nacion antillana ratifico la continuidad del proceso revolucionario.

On Wednesday, China had said that its relations with India have seen "great strides" and the upcoming Swaraj's visit will further enhance "political trust" between the two countries.

The same day Sitharaman will take part the SCO defence ministers meeting.

On a related note, no meeting between India and Pakistan on the sidelines of Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which concluded recently, was held.Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London.

Besides meetings between officials from the two foreign ministries, both sides also held working mechanism meetings on border affairs and cross-border rivers as well disarmament and non-proliferation dialogue in which India's entry into NSG was discussed, as per PTI. She along with other foreign ministers of the group would call on Chinese President Xi Jinping on April 23, and will leave for Mongolia on April 24. The SCO - consisting of China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan - have Moscow and Bejing as one of their significant role players. The ministers from Pakistan will be attending the event in China while a number of issues will be likely discussed ranging from regional security and terrorism. Swaraj and Sitharaman would be in Beijing around the same time to attend their respective meetings.Westworld returns with more violence and mystery. And Savannah Guthrie talks with gymnasts who say they were abused by Lawrence G. Nassar, the former U.S.A. Gymnastics team doctor who is serving time in prison for multiple sex crimes.

Whats on TV

WESTWORLD 9 p.m. on HBO. These violent delights have returned. The future-historical epic is back for Season 2, with robo-women like Dolores (Evan Rachel Wood) and Maeve (Thandie Newton) in full rebellion. The show will also expand geographically, with a glimpse at an area of the park based on Edo-period Japan. Westworld remains a glorious production to look at, James Poniewozik wrote in his New York Times review, adding that the show is 50 percent better when it takes itself 25 percent less seriously. (And catch up on the many plotlines with our refresher on Watching.)

DATELINE: SILENT NO MORE 7 p.m. on NBC. The Karolyi Ranch in Texas used to be associated with glory, serving as the training ground for countless gold-medal-winning American gymnasts. But the ranch was one of the places that a team doctor, Dr. Lawrence G. Nassar, had molested gymnasts. In this special, Savannah Guthrie travels to the ranch  which will no longer be used by U.S.A. Gymnastics  to talk with its owners, Bela and Martha Karolyi, who have been accused by at least one gymnast of enabling Mr. Nassar but have denied any wrongdoing. Ms. Guthrie will also talk with the gymnasts McKayla Maroney, who will speak out for the first time about Mr. Nassar, and Aly Raisman.1. On April 22, 1970, millions of people throughout the country demonstrated on the inaugural Earth Day, calling for clean air, water and land. They were spurred by severe pollution and environmental disasters. And that year, in a bipartisan effort, the Environmental Protection Agency was created.

But now environmental rules are under threat as the Trump administration looks to roll back federal regulations. And the head of the E.P.A., Scott Pruitt, above, is under scrutiny for allegations of unchecked spending and ethics lapses, including his interactions with lobbyists.

Our investigative reporters found that many of the pitfalls he has encountered in Washington have echoes in his past.YouTube, now owned by Google, was dreamed up by Mr. Karim and two other former PayPal employees. They were initially depressed by YouTubes content: Theres not that many videos Id want to watch, one lamented.

The trip to the zoo was one of those videos.

The cool thing about these guys is they have really, really, really long trunks and thats cool, Mr. Karim says in the 19-second video, which has more than 48 million views. And thats pretty much all there is to say.

Remy Tumin wrote todays Back Story.

_____

Your Morning Briefing is published weekday mornings and updated online. Sign up here to get it by email in the Australian, Asian, European or American morning. You can also receive an Evening Briefing on U.S. weeknights.

And our Australia bureau chief offers a weekly letter adding analysis and conversations with readers.

Browse our full range of Times newsletters here.

What would you like to see here? Contact us at asiabriefing@nytimes.com.SHANGHAI  Want to avoid American tariffs? In China, a company called Settle Logistics says it knows a way.

Specifically, that way goes through Malaysia  a 4,600-mile diversion compared with sending a shipping container from China straight across the Pacific to the United States. But when those Chinese products arrive at an American port, they will look as if they had come from Malaysia, according to the company, and will be spared tariffs aimed at Chinese goods.

For those unfair trade barriers targeting our industries from certain countries, Settle Logistics says on its website, we can adopt other approaches to bypass those trade tariffs in order to expand markets.

Such zigzagging routes are called transshipments, and President Trump has used them to justify the trade fight he has picked with a number of countries. They could also take on new relevance should the United States and China carry out their threats to levy a total of more than $200 billion in tariffs against each other.Big banks are making it easy to zap money to your friends. Maybe too easy.

Zelle, a service that allows bank customers to instantly send money to their acquaintances, is booming. Thousands of new users sign up every day. Some $75 billion zoomed through Zelles network last year. Thats more than twice the amount of money that customers transferred with Venmo, a rival money-transfer app.

But the same features that make Zelle so useful for customers, its speed and ubiquity, have made it irresistible to thieves. Hackers and con artists have used the system to steal from victims  some of whom had never used Zelle or even heard of it until someone used it to clean out their bank accounts.

Interviews with more than two dozen customers who had their money stolen through Zelle illustrate the weaknesses that criminals are using in targeting the network. While all financial systems are susceptible to fraud, aspects of Zelles design, like not always notifying customers when money is transferred  some banks do; others dont  have contributed to the systems vulnerability. And some customers who lost money were made whole by their banks; others were not.

For the banks, Zelle is a big  and must-win  bet on where money is headed. As consumers become increasingly accustomed to splitting dinner checks, paying for their coffee and hailing an Uber without touching paper money, banks are rushing to stake their claim on the wallet of the future.

In recent years, apps such as Venmo (which is owned by PayPal), Popmoney, Square Cash and Apple Pay made digital cash transfers quick and simple. Banks were falling behind. So they joined up to create a rival product, run by Early Warning Services, a Scottsdale, Ariz., consortium that is jointly owned by seven large banks.Jessica Laine Morris and Graham Pere Garlinghouse are to be married April 22 at Forsyth Park in Savannah, Ga. Brandon Kaufman, a friend of the couple who became a Universal Life minister for the occasion, is to officiate.

The bride, who is 32 and will be taking her husbands name, is a third-grade teacher and department chair at Georgetown Day School in Washington. She graduated from Kansas State University and received a masters degree in elementary education from the University of Southern California. She also holds a certificate in advanced education leadership from Harvard.

She is a daughter of Beverly Raser Morris and Michael A. Morris of Topeka, Kan. The brides parents both work in Topeka. Her father is an independent financial consultant, and her mother manages the laboratory at Stormont Vail Hospital.

The groom, 31, is a supply chain manager at Ernst & Young in Washington. He graduated from George Washington University and received a masters degree in political science from Kansas State. He also received an M.B.A. from the University of Maryland.Johannah Kathleen Chase and Tim Allen Coates were married April 21 at Deity, an events space in Brooklyn. The Rev. Nick Coates, a brother of the groom who was ordained by the United Church of Canada, officiated.

The bride, who is 36 and works in Manhattan, is a program officer for the Walton Family Foundation, a philanthropic organization begun by the Walmart founders Sam and Helen Walton. The foundation, based in Arkansas, invests in the education of children, kindergarten through 12th grade, and works to protect rivers and oceans and the communities they support. She graduated from Cornell and received a master's degree in teaching secondary mathematics from Pace University.

She is a daughter of Tamara S. Hill of Dixon, Ill., and John W. Chase of Mount Morris, Ill. The brides mother is an English teacher at Reagan Middle School in Dixon. Her father, who worked in Rockford, Ill., retired as associate deputy of foster care and agency licensing for the Department of Children and Family Services of Illinois. The bride is a stepdaughter of Beth Nelson Chase. Her stepmother is the vice president of Bright Stars of Bethlehem, a nonprofit Christian organization.

The groom, who is 38 and also works in Manhattan, is a product marketing leader for government, which is a part of IBMs public sector business. He graduated from St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick, and received a master of public policy degree from Harvard.Maritza Carol Ebling and Matthew William Hillard were married April 21 at the Old South Church in Boston. The Rev. Jay Weldon, an Episcopal priest, performed the ceremony, with the Rev. Mike Bertram, a Roman Catholic priest, taking part.

The bride, 28, is a field engineer at Indico, a company in Boston that provides technology for businesses to build analytics systems to improve products, predict future sales and access new markets. She graduated from Wesleyan University.

She is the daughter of Gayane Zartarian Ebling and Thomas D. Ebling of Boston. The brides father, who is retired, was a chief executive of Demandware, a company in Burlington, Mass., that provides software services that enable other companies to design, implement and manage their own e-commerce sites, including websites and mobile applications.

The groom, also 28, graduated from Bowdoin College and, in December, received a masters degree in public policy from the University of Michigan.Stefanie Jill Cohen and Jonathan Ian Wasserman were married April 21 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in New York. Rabbi Marc Gellman officiated.

Mrs. Wasserman, 31, is a licensed clinical social worker in New York for Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital. She graduated from the University of Rhode Island and received a masters degree in social work from New York University.

She is a daughter of Sandra L. Cohen and Jeffrey D. Cohen of Dix Hills, N.Y. The brides father is a senior vice president of the Tiffen Company, a manufacturer of imaging equipment in Hauppauge, N.Y. Her mother is the founder and chief executive of Premiere Living Products, a company in New York that creates baskets, hampers and other storage products.

Mr. Wasserman, also 31, is a sportswriter for Bleacher Report in New York. He graduated from Syracuse and received a master's degree in journalism from Hofstra.You could have gotten all of his supporters into a phone booth, Mr. de Blasio joked recently.

But their bond, even then, appeared to many as one of political convenience.

Friends might be a stretch, said John Marino, another emissary deployed by Mr. Cuomo in that 2002 weekend when he withdrew from the governors race. They both respected each other. There was no question Andrew respected what Bill thought, and vice versa.

They climbed the ladder of New York politics in parallel steps. Mr. de Blasio to the City Council in 2001; Mr. Cuomo to state attorney general in 2006; Mr. de Blasio to city public advocate in 2009; Mr. Cuomo to governor in 2010; Mr. de Blasio to mayor in 2013.

There was mutual respect, too. Matt Wing, who worked for Mr. de Blasio as public advocate and later for Mr. Cuomo as governor, still vividly recalls watching Mr. Cuomos first budget address in 2011 over junk food with Mr. de Blasio.

I remember Bill and I both being impressed and more than a little inspired, Mr. Wing recalled.

Weeks after Mr. de Blasios inauguration on Jan. 1, 2014, Mr. Cuomo proclaimed, I dont have a better political friend than Bill de Blasio.

But the problems to come were already apparent.

On the day that Mr. de Blasios last Democratic opponent bowed out in September 2013 (Mr. Cuomo had not endorsed his friend until then), aides to Mr. Cuomo and Mr. de Blasio nearly came to blows over the speaking order at a unity rally. It was meant to be Mr. de Blasios day of triumph; Mr. Cuomo spoke longer.

The battle to be the alpha male of New York politics had only just begun.

V for Vendetta

This is hardly Andrew Cuomos first feud. He has quarreled with a parade of politicians in the last decade: Eliot L. Spitzer, David A. Paterson, Eric T. Schneiderman, Michael R. Bloomberg and Thomas P. DiNapoli. While he was HUD secretary in the 1990s, Mr. Cuomos clash with the departments inspector general was legendary. Before that, he tossed sharp elbows professionally for his father in the 1980s.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You have ideas about a project, said Maureen Drennan, but then when you go out there and shoot, things change.

The idea for the photographs shown here, Ms. Drennan said, was to document the Rust Belt of New York City: an industrial wasteland that would stand as a microcosm of the larger Rust Belt of the Midwest, where once-vital factories gave way to hulking wreckage and the anger that animated the 2016 presidential election.Or look to the United States, which once had 20,000 passenger trains roaring down a quarter-million miles of active track every day: a dynamic country fueled on the coal and steam of locomotives. After World War II, a powerful coalition of Texas oil interests and Detroit auto manufacturers helped push through the Federal Highway Aid Act of 1956 that jump-started the interstate highway system. Railroad companies were encouraged to dump passenger service, and this  among other factors  helped bring massive structural transformation to the country: broadening the footprint of suburban sprawl, addicting Americans to petroleum, changing agricultural and retail patterns and, as a footnote, sending the once-mighty American passenger train into the perpetual nursing home of Amtrak.

Other global examples, both historic and recent, show how state metamorphosis manifests in the railbed. Russia became a bicontinental power by extending its rails into Siberia. Benito Mussolini famously took credit for Italian rail upgrades. The British unified thousands of principalities in colonial India not through language but through railways, and when the government of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh sought to ramp up the economy in the mid-2000s, it cut hiring quotas at Indian Railways and promoted round-the-clock freight loading. China sought to hit six percent growth targets through the last decade by building a stupendous $508 billion network of high-speed trains knitting together its major cities. Last year, Kenya opened the Madaraka Express between the port at Mombasa and the capital of Nairobi that can carry 22 million tons of cargo a year, strengthening its dependence on imports and deepening its reliance on Asia.

The calls to reform Frances SNCF is partly coming from the outside  the European Union requires members to open railways to competition by January 2019. Still, Mr. Macron is taking aim at an institution that  for all its glories and faults  comes close to representing the soul of France itself, a representation of the permanent state indifferent to the winds of politics ever since Emperor Napoleon III provided a state guarantee of interest to bondholders in 1852, and instructed Georges-Eugene Haussmann to give the marbled palaces of railway stations an honored place in his redesign of Parisian boulevards.

Lines radiated outward from the Gare du Nord, Gare de lEst and Gare dOrsay, among others, creating a Paris-centric concept of the hexagonal nation that persists today: The historian Jules Michelet perceived it as a grand tool of unification. The chateau represents pleasure, the caprice of one man; the railway is for everyones use, bringing France together, bringing Lyon and Paris into communion with one another, he is reported to have said after a ride to Versailles. Gustav Eiffel made himself a celebrity engineer with railway bridges before he ever attempted a tower, and France remade its countryside with suburbs anchored to railway stations.

The heavy hand of Paris brought distinctively French touches: padded seats even in third class, an unwieldy timetable the size of a dictionary, the grandeur of the high-speed TGV, and a class of civil servants who call themselves cheminots with essentially a job for life and guaranteed sick leave, which created the old French joke that working for the railway must be dangerous because its employees are always getting ill.To the Editor:

Merger Medicine and the Disappearing Doctor (Sunday Business, April 8) describes the problem of a scarcity of primary care doctors, but I am skeptical that the proliferation of retail clinics and urgent care centers is the solution.

Primary care physicians tend to work regular business hours, and it is hard for working adults to keep daytime appointments. Many group practices schedule evening hours during the week to accommodate such people. Others use the internet to communicate with patients.

Although convenience is touted as a primary benefit of retail clinics, they are convenient only until they become busy. My wife had the experience twice (she wont go back again) of sitting for hours in a crowded urgent care waiting room with people who were coughing all over other patients. Moreover, retail clinics can never provide continuity of care, which much good research shows is superior to episodic care.

CVS and Walmart may generate lots of revenue from such clinics and therefore are happy to promote them. And some users may get the care they think they need conveniently. But the more satisfactory solution is to increase the number of primary care physicians, and for them to organize themselves to better serve their patients.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.

This past week, the City of New York removed the statue of a famous 19th century gynecologist, J. Marion Sims, from its perch at the edge of Central Park on Fifth Avenue. Because Sims had performed experimental surgeries on female slaves, an arts commission empowered with determining whether public sculptures were still deserving of display had determined that he should no longer be glorified, despite the advancements he furthered in medicine.

I wrote a column arguing that this was an exercise in easy virtue because the statue wasnt being destroyed or even removed from view; instead it was getting sent to Green-Wood cemetery in Brooklyn, a gorgeously landscaped urban green space and national historic landmark that receives more than a quarter million visitors per year.As Patrick Korellis remembers it, he arrived at the college support group in 2008 and introduced himself to the person standing closest to him, a young woman named Emily Haas. She was a junior at Virginia Tech, majoring in business. Mr. Korellis was a senior at Northern Illinois University, studying meteorology and geography.

They would later swap stories of the stereotypical college variety  about cafeteria food, campus life and their post-graduation plans  but first, Mr. Korellis and Ms. Haas connected over a horrific shared experience.

So, you were shot too? she said.

Two months earlier, Mr. Korellis had been in the front row of his oceanography class when a gunman burst into the lecture hall with a shotgun. Mr. Korellis ducked under his desk, waited for a pause between blasts and bolted for the door. He was hit in the back of the head and arm with shotgun pellets but managed to stagger out into the safety of the cold Midwestern winter. When he got to the hospital, he was bleeding and missing a shoe.

Ms. Haas could relate. One year before, she had been in French class when a gunman had walked in and killed the teacher. Ms. Haas huddled under her desk as her classmates were shot, and two bullets grazed her head. The gunman left to terrorize other classrooms but returned several times to kill more students, and then himself. Eleven students died in that small room.One of Amazons antagonists seized the moment last month with an unusual newspaper advertisement addressed to President Trump. The ad, from a nonprofit that advocates less government, attacked a Defense Department technology contract that Amazon intends to bid on, calling it a lucrative handout for the company.

A top think tank critic of Amazons market power also credited Mr. Trump on Twitter this month for blasting the internet retailers relationship with the United States Postal Service. And the head of a leading labor union said more Americans in both parties should speak out, as Mr. Trump has, about Amazons harmful effect on jobs.

As Mr. Trump has become Amazons basher in chief with his frequent Twitter attacks on the company and its chief executive, Jeff Bezos, the president has also become an unlikely ally for an array of Amazon critics. Most of them  from think tanks to advocates for local businesses  have struggled for years to build any momentum for their arguments, since Washington officials mostly held Amazon up as a beacon of innovation and shoppers saw little to dislike in its prices, selection and convenience.

Now what Trump is essentially doing is telling the political ecosystem: Here is how you achieve your business ends, said Blair Levin, a fellow at the Brookings Institution and a former chief of staff for the Federal Communications Commission. He is signaling: If you want to go after Amazon, go ahead. Load up your guns.Below are a few museums around the world devoted exclusively to our canine friends. At this rate, cats may start to wonder whats up.

Dackelmuseum, Passau, Germany

Mr. Kublbeck and Oliver Storz have been collecting dachshund memorabilia for a quarter-century. But the bulk of the collection  about 3,500 items  was acquired from a Belgian musician who sold it because he was getting married, Mr. Storz said. An array of books, drawings and porcelain figurines are now crowded into overstuffed display cases.

One object of note: a Waldi, the first official Olympic mascot, created for the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich. (Its a plush toy.) Dachshunds, which were bred in the Middle Ages to flush badgers out of their burrows, are the 13th most popular dog breed, according to the American Kennel Club. Fans including Pablo Picasso and Albert Einstein.

American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog, Queeny Park, Mo.

Just in case Park Avenue didnt already have enough dogs on display: Next year, the American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog is moving from its current home in suburban St. Louis to a ground floor gallery space in the Kalikow building, in Midtown Manhattan. The museum has more than 700 works of art, including paintings, porcelain figurines and sculptures, many donated to the museum by members of the club.

Alan Fausel, the clubs director of cultural resources, said the new museum would focus more on education and childrens programming. We want to get the museum to a different audience, he said. We want to tell the story of the dog, and we can do that through our collection.WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.  As negotiations over a summit meeting with the ruler of North Korea accelerate, President Trump on Sunday disputed any suggestion that he had made too many concessions at the outset of an unpredictable and potentially volatile diplomatic exercise.

From his Florida estate, Mr. Trump took to Twitter to criticize Chuck Todd, the host of Meet the Press, who questioned on that program and an earlier broadcast whether the president had gotten anything in return for the huge gift he had given the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, by agreeing to meet with him.

On Meet the Press, Marc Short, the White House legislative affairs director, had an answer teed up  that the North Koreans had given the United States an agreement to stop testing nuclear weapons.

But from his Twitter account, the president chose to address Mr. Todd directly.

Sleepy Eyes Chuck Todd of Fake News NBC just stated that we have given up so much in our negotiations with North Korea, and they have given up nothing, Mr. Trump wrote. Wow, we havent given up anything & they have agreed to denuclearization (so great for World), site closure, & no more testing!Yes, it has great significance, said Ramon Colas, a black anti-Castro activist who sought political asylum in 2001 and now lives in Mississippi. The Cuban revolution has historically been white, and seen from the outside as a revolution by white men, where black people were part of the crowd, spectators who were silent or applauded, but never participated.

Mr. Colas said the election, a process in which Mr. Castro and the Communist Party had full control, showed that the former Cuban leader has big ears and was willing to listen to the outcry from black civic and arts organizations. But he noted it would be even more noteworthy if the three black people on the council used their positions to push for racial equality.

Wouldnt it be great if they used those positions to say, As a black Cuban, I am against injustice against black people in Cuba?  he said. I doubt that they can do that. They are not allowed. Fidel declared that racism is a problem that ended.

If anything, Raul Castros move to shift high-ranking positions to black leaders was an acknowledgment that racism and discrimination had not, in fact, been solved by the revolution.

In his remarks on Thursday, Mr. Castro said the struggle to move beyond percentages continued.

We still have the battle of proportions, not just in numerical aspects, but qualitative  in decision-making slots, he said. Three women were elected vice president of the Council of State, two of them black  not only for being black, but for their virtues and qualities.

While inequality persists in the country, the Castro revolution did make important strides for black people.MANAGUA, Nicaragua  President Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua announced on Sunday that he was reversing a social security overhaul that had prompted days of protests in which up to two dozen people died.

We have to re-establish order, Mr. Ortega said in televised remarks. We cannot allow groups to impose chaos, crime and looting.

His announcement seemed to acknowledge that the protests, which started on Wednesday as a picket by college students against the social security overhaul, had become a serious challenge to his authority.

But it is unlikely to sway protesters who still have other grievances against his government  including Mr. Ortegas interference with the National Assembly, the law and the Constitution, like eliminating term limits. He is also widely criticized for having manipulated the Supreme Court, the elections council and mayoral races.KABUL, Afghanistan  Every big city has at least one street thats a must-see for visitors: Kings Road in London, Stary Arbat in Moscow, Paseo del Prado in Madrid, Via Condotti in Rome.

Kabul has Chicken Street.

Only two blocks long, this shabby lane full of competing aromas, lined with shops selling jewelry, antiques, knickknacks, artworks and, especially, Oriental rugs, has been a magnet for generations of foreign visitors looking for Afghan exotica. For decades, about the only thing missing has been chickens.

Now it is also missing foreigners.

Customers of any sort are thin on the ground. Most of the scores of shops have zero patrons at any given moment; one is unusual, two is a crowd.

But foreign visitors, once Chicken Streets mainstay, are so rare that their arrival creates a sensation. On some days its so bad, even the beggars dont bother to come to work, and the touts scarcely stir from their stoops.BEIJING  As the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, prepares for his meetings with the presidents of South Korea and the United States, China has found itself in an unaccustomed place: watching from the sidelines.

Worse, many Chinese analysts say, North Korea could pursue a grand bargain designed not only to bring the isolated nation closer to its two former Korean War foes, but also diminish its reliance on China for trade and security.

Such an outcome  a reversal of 70 years of history  remains a long shot, amid doubts about whether the North would agree to relinquish its arsenal of nuclear weapons. Still, China finds itself removed from the center of the rapidly unfolding diplomacy, and unusually wary about Mr. Kims objectives in reaching out to his nations two bitterest enemies.

Mr. Kims meeting with the South Korean president, Moon Jae-in, is set for Friday, and a meeting with President Trump  the first ever between leaders of the two nations  is expected to follow in May or early June. In a sign of just how much is suddenly on the table, South Korea recently confirmed that it was in talks with the North and with the United States about signing a treaty to end the Korean War, which halted in 1953, but never formally ended.SEOUL, South Korea  Two sisters accused of abusing Korean Air employees will be removed from management positions in their family-run corporate empire, the company announced on Sunday, four years after one of them became notorious for an episode of nut rage.

The executives, Cho Hyun-ah, 43, and Cho Hyun-min, 35, have become lightning rods for South Koreans who say that leaders of the family-run conglomerates known as chaebol, which dominate the countrys economy, often act as though they are above the law.

Cho Hyun-ah became infamous in 2014 when, as a Korean Air vice president, she flew into a rage after she was served macadamia nuts in an unopened package, rather than on a plate, in first class. Officials said she threw documents and insults at members of the flight crew and ordered flight attendants to kneel and beg for forgiveness.

Ms. Cho then ordered the Korean Air plane back to its gate at Kennedy International Airport in New York so that she could have the chief flight attendant removed.KABUL, Afghanistan  A suicide bomber killed at least 57 people on Sunday as they lined up at a government office in Kabul to register to vote, raising new concerns about the potential for violence to undermine Afghanistans long-delayed parliamentary elections.

The attacker detonated his explosives as the Afghan authorities distributed national identity cards in the western part of Kabul, the capital, part of a push by the government to get more people to register to vote. Wahidullah Majrooh, a spokesman for the Afghan Health Ministry, said the attack also wounded at least 119 others.

Among the dead were 25 men, 22 women and eight children, while two bodies were not identifiable, Mr. Majrooh said.

Public interest in the October elections has been alarmingly low because of voter fatigue after successive fraudulent elections and concerns about the threat to safety at polling stations posed by suicide bombers and other violence from groups opposing the government.One of the protest leaders, Ararat Mirzoyan, wrote on his Facebook page that he had been illegally detained along with Mr. Pashinyan and a third opposition politician, as well as other protesters.

A witness told Reuters that police officers armed with batons and shields had cleared at least one area of the capital where protests were taking place, but that demonstrators remained in other areas.

Demonstrators continued to march in large numbers in the capital, blowing vuvuzelas and sounding car horns, despite earlier attempts by the police to break up the march.

The police called on protesters to stop the situation from escalating, the news agency Interfax reported, quoting an official statement. If these demands are not fulfilled, the police has the right to take demonstrators into custody and to use force, the statement said, according to Interfax.

Mr. Sarksyan said his opponents did not learn the lesson of March 1, referring to a protest rally after his re-election in 2008, in which 10 people were killed in clashes with the police.At first glance Emmanuel Macron and Donald Trump seem to be unlikely allies. The United States will cease all implementation of the non-binding Paris Accord. It is an actual mistake  both for the U.S. and for our planet. The Iran deal was one of the worst and most one-sided transactions. To officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. I thought that it was a mistake. Macron, a young centrist, had won the French election by rejecting far-right anger. Trump had supported his rival, the staunch nationalist, Marine Le Pen. The two presidents first encounter last spring was awkward. Trump extended his arms and greeting, but Macron first approached Angela Merkel. And when they did greet each other, Trump gave Macron of his famous arm yanks. Their handshakes would come to take on a life of their own. Its being described as an epic handshake standoff. Alpha male kind of engagement. Thats what I call a French press. I think we just surrendered to France. It was the beginning of Macrons political courtship of Trump. Other European leaders, like Angela Merkel and Theresa May, have been wary of Trumps inflammatory rhetoric and periodic taunting of some of the United States most trusted allies. We work together does not mean that we are afraid to say when we think the United States has got it wrong. Retweeting from Britain First was the wrong thing to do. Macron has mostly tried a pragmatic approach. He shrugged off some of Trumps provocations. I think we should not overplay the situation and his tweets. At Bastille Day, Macron impressed his American counterpart with a military parade in Paris. One of the greatest parades Ive ever seen. And a promise of unconditional loyalty. There was also the 30-second handshake. Macron seemed to make a point of saying he and Trump were in close contact. I call him very regularly. Probably three to four phone calls during the past weeks. We have a very good relationship. But why would Macron so openly embrace a president whos unpopular at home and abroad? Its an attempt to burnish his reputation as a leader. Its also to bolster the perception that France is the key middleman between the United States and Europe at a time when the United Kingdom is grappling with Brexit and Merkel is struggling to hold onto power. But those are intangibles. On the harder issues of policy, experts say Macrons efforts to try and sway Trump on everything from the Iran deal to climate change have so far come up short.Speaking to delegates in the Western city of Wiesbaden on Sunday, Ms. Nahles, 47, laid out her vision for the party: focus on jobs in economically weak regions, impose taxes on international technology companies and overhaul the social welfare system, using the partys ability to create laws while in the governing coalition as an advantage.

We have not used up all of our ideas and visions for the future of our country within the bounds of a coalition agreement that expires in 2021, Ms. Nahles told party delegates, referring to the Social Democrats recent decision to enter another government under Ms. Merkel. We need a debate about the future that goes far beyond that which we hammered out with the conservatives and the place for that is within our party.

Ms. Nahles was elected with 66 percent of the vote, easily defeating her only challenger, Simone Lange, mayor of the northern city of Flensburg, who jumped into the leadership race on the premise that true change could come only through new faces.

The victory for Ms. Nahles marks the first time the Social Democrats have elected a woman as their leader  a role Ms. Merkel has had for the Christian Democrats since 2000. Despite the historical backing Ms. Nahles received from her party, however, many of the voters she is hoping to win over appear to be more skeptical about her ability to turn things around.

Only 33 percent of Germans expressed confidence that she could pull the party out of its slide, while another 47 percent said they did not believe she was up to the challenge, according to a survey before her election by the public broadcaster ARD.BARCELONA, Spain  Manuel Valls, a former prime minister of France who now finds himself largely on the sidelines there, has identified a path for a political rebound: as a potential candidate for mayor of Barcelona, Spain.

Mr. Valls, who was born in Barcelona, told Spanish national television that he was considering a bid to take charge of the capital city of Catalonia, running as a candidate for the Ciudadanos party, which has emerged as the strongest bulwark against secessionism.

Spain has a Constitution that is among the most democratic in the world, but there isnt any possibility for Catalonia to get out of Spain, said Mr. Valls, who was born to a Catalan father and a Swiss mother who eventually settled in France.

Municipal elections will be held in Catalonia and across Spain next year, after a botched declaration of independence last year by the separatist parties that control Catalonias regional Parliament.ZAR MOUNTAIN, Poland  High atop the ski lift at Zar Mountain in southern Poland, the villages below disappear. At first, they seem obscured by morning fog. But the yellow haze does not lift. It hangs heavy, the contrast with the white snow making it clear that something is off.

What is off is the air. Poland has some the most polluted air in all of the European Union, and 33 of its 50 dirtiest cities. Not even mountain retreats are immune.

The problem is largely a result of the countrys love affair with coal. Like elsewhere in Poland, most of the homes in the villages below Zar Mountain are still heated by coal. Some 19 million people rely on coal for heat in winter. In all of the European Union, 80 percent of private homes using coal are in Poland.

Coal, commonly referred to as black gold, is seen as a patriotic alternative to Russian gas in this country, which broke away from Soviet control three decades ago and remains deeply suspicious of its neighbor to the east. Burning coal is part of daily life.JABALIYA, Gaza Strip  He lay down among the tombstones in a cemetery beside his grandfathers house, his cousin said, in what passes for childs play in the grim reality of Gaza. Telling his cousin he hoped to be buried there, he scooped up piles of sand as if digging his own grave.

The boy, Muhammad Ayoub, then sneaked off on Friday, disobeying his mother, to join the weekly protest along the fence dividing Gaza from Israel. Shot through the head by an Israeli sniper, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, he was buried in the same small graveyard that night.

The Israeli military said it was examining his death.

Muhammads relatives and the Gaza health authorities initially said he was 15; his identity card showed that he turned 14 two months ago. His mother said he had wanted to be a shahid, Arabic for martyr, since kindergarten, even before he understood what that meant.

Muhammads world was circumscribed on one side by the Mediterranean Sea, where he liked to swim at dawn, and by the borders with Israel and Egypt, largely sealed for most of the two million residents of the Palestinian coastal territory, which is run by Hamas, the militant Islamic group.A very bold step: Top ex-diplomat on PM Modi-Jinping informal summit

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to China this week for an informal summit meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping on April 27 to 28.

Calling this a bold step, former foreign Secretary Jaishankar remarked, "They will be meeting in an informal environment. The agenda will be open. They will spend a lot of time over two days and there will be different kind of conversations, much more personal interactive."

In an exclusive interview with ANI, Jaishankar said PM Modi has always given importance to personal engagement with top world leaders. "President Obama, President Trump, President Putin, and to some extent PM Abe... PM Modi has often engaged people because personal leadership and engagement are very important. This seems to be the thinking with the Chinese as well," he said.

"The purpose of the informal summit is that leaders decide what they want to discuss. I don't think anybody should predict what they'll discuss. The fact that the two leaders are meeting, should answer the question," he said further on the issues to be taken up at the meeting.

"Indians should see it as a very sincere effort on the part of both countries and leaders to improve their relationships. It is in our national interest that it succeeds so good wishes over everybody should be there for the success of this summit," he added.

"When the world is going through a lot of uncertainty if India and China find a more productive relationship that would be very much to the benefit of the world. In fact, this was the thinking when last year Prime Minister Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Astana. The message out of that meeting was India and China relations are a factor of stability in an uncertain world. Many countries, especially in Asia, would welcome this news of this informal summit as indeed in India," Jaishankar said.

This will be fourth visit of Mr. Modi to China after he came to power in 2014. He is again due to visit China to take part in the SCO summit to be held at Qingdao city on June 9-10.

The Modi-Xi summit meeting is taking place in the backdrop of a series of high level interactions between the two countries, starting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang's visit to India in December, the first after Doklam standoff.

OneIndia News (with ANI inputs)

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Story first published: Sunday, April 22, 2018, 21:49 [IST]Congress may move SC if Naidu rejects impeachment notice against CJI

India

pti-PTI

As the Congress awaits the decision of Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on an impeachment notice moved by it and other parties against Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, it is considering moving the Supreme Court if the petition is rejected, party leaders said.

They said if the Upper House chairman did not find merit in the notice for the impeachment, the decision could call for a judicial review.

"The chairman's decision is open to being challenged. It is bound to go for a judicial review," said a Congress leader.

The Congress was also trying to build up "moral pressure" on the Chief Justice of India in the hope that he would step aside from judicial duty if an impeachment motion was moved against him.

The Congress also attacked the BJP for coming out in "defence" of the CJI and said the ruling party was compromising the position and office of the chief justice as the neutral arbitrator and head of the judiciary and the party was doing great a disservice to the independence of the judicial system.

"The CJI must come out and tell the BJP not to politicise his office," Congress leader Randeep Surjewala told reporters here. He further said the CJI did not belong to any political party and questioned why he had to be defended by members and ministers of the ruling BJP.

PTIDCW Chief ends fast after Cabinet approves death penalty for child rapists

India

oi-Madhuri

DCW chief Swati Maliwal on Sunday ended her indefinite fast after the Union Cabinet on Saturday approved an ordinance to award death sentence to rapists of children below 12 years of age.

Maliwal has been sitting on a hunger strike for past nine days at Rajghat in New Delhi.

Earlier on Saturday, the DCW chief said she would not end her fast until something concrete happens to ensure the safety of a girl child.

Taking to Twitter, Maliwal said, ''I will continue the fast until the ordinance is passed. Also, police resources and accountability needs to be increased. Really sad that some channels are playing false news that I have broken the fast. Praying to all news channels conscience to kindly not report the fake news.''

Earlier, the Union cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the death penalty for those convicted of raping children up to 12 years.

The move seeking the death penalty for child rapists comes in the backdrop of nationwide outrage over the brutal rape of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir, the alleged rape of a minor in Unnao by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator, and rising anger over a spate of such incidents being reported over the past few weeks.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 assembly elections: Congress releases final list of 11 candidates

India

oi-Madhuri

The Congress on Sunday announced a list of 11 candidates for the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections 2018. The list was released by AICC general secretary Mukul Wasnik.

The Central Election Committee of @INCIndia has selected the following members as Congress candidates for ensuing Karnataka Assembly Elections. #INC4Karnataka pic.twitter.com/Cb6OtgWLXL  Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) April 22, 2018

Last week, the grand old party had released its first list of 218 candidates. While Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will contest from two constituencies - Chamundeshwari and Badami, his son Dr Yatheendra will contest from Varuna constituency in upcoming Legislative Assembly 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Mumbai schools reopening: Classes to begin for students from this date

Maharashtra resident doctors to go on a strike from Friday

Maharashtra: 16 Naxals killed in encounter with police in Gadchiroli district

India

oi-Madhuri

16 Naxals were killed in an encounter with police in Etapalli's Boriya forest area in Gadchiroli district in Maharashtra on Sunday.

Yesterday, one Central Reserve Police Force personnel has died in a gun battle in Sumka's Kistram camp in Chhattisgarh while the security forces battled the Maoists when troops of 212 Battalion of CRP, 208 CoBRA with the Chhattisgarh police were carrying out a cordon and search ops near Kistaram camp in Sukma.

Deputy Inspector General of Police (South Bastar range) Sundarraj P told news agency PTI that the gunfight took place last night in Kastaram police station area when a team of CRPF was out on a search-cum-area domination operation.Maharashtra: Shiv Sena leader Sachin Sawant shot dead in Kandivali

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

Shiv Sena's deputy shakha pramukh Sachin Sawant shot dead in Kandivali's Gokul Nagar. Police investigation is underway.

As per reports, multiple rounds of bullet were fired at Sawant. Later, he was rushed to the Shatabdi Hospital in that area. The hospital authorities, however, declared him brought dead.

Sawant was riding pillion on a Royal Enfield bike with an associate. He reached Gokul Nagar between 8 to 9pm when someone called out to him from behind. As he turned around, two motorcycle-borne men came close to him and shot him in the chest, reports ToI.

46-year-old was associated with Sena for more than two decades and said to be promoted as shakha pramukh soon as per his colleagues.

In 2009, miscreants had attacked Sawant but no arrests were made in that case.Senas stinging column calls PM Mauni Baba Modi

India

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Oneindia Staff

The Shiv Sena on Friday launched a new attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for speaking about domestic issues abroad and said he is coming back "empty-handed" from the UK which has given shelter to fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led party, a constantly combative ally of the BJP, said one may have a deep dislike for the Congress or the Gandhi family, but speaking about domestic issues on foreign land does not suit anybody.

The party said Modi should follow the advice of his predecessor Manmohan Singh and speak more often. "(Former PM) Manmohan Singh has advised Modi to speak more often and to speak on time. He has also said that Modi's advice to him when he was the prime minister is now applicable to him as well," the Sena said in an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana'.

"The advice given by Manmohan Singh is only fair. Except bhakts, who are flying in the air, the whole country feels the same... However, what Manmohan Singh said was only a half truth. Modi may become a 'mauni baba' (mute spectator) in India, but he talks abroad," it added.

"Is it right for the prime minister to speak on an issue like rape on foreign land? Why speak about the insulting incidents abroad?" the Shiv Sena said.

"Why should a picture of prevalent corruption, rape incidents and an insecure country should be painted outside?" it said, adding that on a visit to Japan, Modi had spoken about black money and corruption in India.

"You may have enmity with the previous regime. You may also have a deep enmity with the Congress or the Gandhi family... Speaking about the incidents occurring in the country on foreign land does not befit anybody," the Sena said.Will continue to sell oil, Iran says on the day US sanctions get reimposed

While N Korea made sense, Iran comes up with threats against US withdrawal from N-pact

International

oi-Shubham

By Shubham

Just when the Donald Trump administration started to feel pleased with the development in the Korean Peninsula, new threats emanated from Iran - another member of what former American president had dubbed as the "axis of evil" in the early 2000s.

On Saturday, April 21, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said his country's atomic agency was ready with "expected and unexpected" reactions if Washington executed President Trump's threat of pulling out of a multinational nuclear deal, Reuters reported.

In his speech telecast on state television, Rouhani aired the caution referring a possible decision of withdrawal by Trump though he did not elaborate.

The previous Barack Obama administration tried to reach a peace deal with Iran and a pact was reached between Tehran, Washington and five other world powers to curb Iran's nuclear programme in lieu of relief to its economy which was put under stress by sanctions.

After his arrival, Trump called the pact one of the worst deals and also asked Britain, France and Germany to reach a consensus to fix the deal or else, threatened to stop extending the US sanctions relief.

On Thursday, April 19, US disarmament ambassador Robert Wood said the US was having "intense" deliberations with its European allies ahead of the May 12 deadline when Washington's sanctions on Tehran would resume unless Trump decides otherwise, the Reuters report added.

Europe has been urging the US not to take a drastic step saying dumping the deal would only lead to volatility in the region.

Iran said it would abide by the accord as long as other parties obeyed it but will "shred" it if the US withdrew.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif also echoed Rouhani's words saying Tehran's reaction to the US's withdrawal from the agreement would be "unpleasant". The country's state TV quoted Zarif as saying in New York, Reuters added.

The Iranian prime minister also said that his government sought prevention of instability in the foreign market exchange that might be caused by a possible exit by the US from the nuclear agreement.

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Story first published: Sunday, April 22, 2018, 9:31 [IST]Our economic growth is powered by combination of legacy industries and start-ups: PM Modi

PM Modi to visit China on April 27-28, hold informal meeting with Xi Jinping

International

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping during an informal summit on April 27 and 28 in Wuhan city, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced on Sunday.

According to news agency PTI, the two-day meet on April 27 and 28 will be an informal summit meet between President Xi and PM Modi during which both leaders will try to work out a new paradigm for the bilateral ties bogged down with a host of disputes and differences.

The announcement was made at a joint statement by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swarajand her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Sunday.

"We will make sure that the informal summit(between PM Modi and President Jinping on April 27-28) will be a complete success and a milestone in China-India relations," Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said.

"We see socialism with Chinese characteristics entering a new era and India acts as a crucial stage in its development and revitalisation. It is against this backdrop that President Xi and Prime Minister Modi have decided to hold the informal summit," Wang Yi further said.

Modi's possible visit for a standalone bilateral summit would be a big step in improving relations after the ties hit a low in 2017 over the Dokalam standoff.

Since 2015, Modi has visited China every year. While in 2015 he was on a bilateral trip, the PM was in China in 2016 for G-20 Summit followed by BRICS Summit in Xiamen in 2017.

The Modi-Xi meeting is taking place in the backdrop of series of high level interactions between the two countries starting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang's visit to India in December, the first after Dokalam standoff.

It was followed by two meetings between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi and the visit early this year by Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale to Beijing.

The two countries also held 11th Joint Economic Group meeting and the fifth Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) here recently.

Swaraj is in China for talks with Wang and to take part in the two-day meeting of Foreign Ministers of the eight-nation Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) from Monday.

OneIndia News (with PTI inputs)Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too.

April 20 is cannabis culture's high holiday, and the Democratic National Committee celebrated it with fervor this year: Blaze up, get silly, file a bizarre lawsuit accusing the Russian government, Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, and transparency activist group WikiLeaks of conspiring to steal an election.

The suit confirms that after more than a year, special counsel Robert Mueller still hasn't amassed the evidence required for a successful criminal prosecution, requiring proof "beyond a reasonable doubt." A civil suit lowers that bar to "a preponderance of the evidence."

But even that's a long shot. The only credible evidence produced so far implicates only the Trump campaign, not the other two defendants, and only to the same extent that it likewise implicates the Clinton campaign.

That is, both campaigns admittedly tried to tap "Kremlin-connected" sources (defined as "anyone who's ever been in Moscow") for dirt on their opponents. Donald Trump Jr. met with a Russian lawyer in hopes of getting the goods on Hillary Clinton. The Clinton campaign commissioned a British former spy to work his Russian regime sources for salacious tidbits on Trump the Elder.

Central to the suit's claims is alleged "Russian hacking" of the DNC's servers, followed by an embarrassing release of emails showing, among other things, attempts by DNC to rig the 2016 primaries in favor of Clinton and against her main opponent, Bernie Sanders. Problems with the case:

First, the DNC refused to turn those servers over to the FBI for forensic analysis, instead hiring a friendly cybersecurity firm to announce the results it wanted announced.

Secondly, metadata in the "hacked" files released by "Guccifer 2.0" indicates transfer speeds consistent with an internal source at DNC copying the files directly to a USB drive rather than an external hacker accessing the servers.

Thirdly, while the subsequent announcement by the US intelligence community of its conclusions claims methods and IP addresses "consistent with" Russian state hackers, those methods and IP addresses are also "consistent with" every other type of hacker on Earth.

Fourthly and probably decisively, the DNC makes the mistake of dragging WikiLeaks into the matter. The next time WikiLeaks gets caught making a false statement will be the first time. On the other hand, the leaked emails themselves demonstrate that the DNC lies constantly and without hesitation. When it comes to credibility, WikiLeaks is the gold standard and the DNC is something one tries to wipe off the bottom of one's shoe before entering a respectable household. WikiLeaks says no, its source was neither the Russian government nor any other state party.

This lawsuit is simply the latest version of what the DNC has been doing since 2016: Trying to fob off blame for its loss of an election it should have won in a walk off onto someone, anyone, but itself and its insanely poor choice of presidential nominee.

It's very a risky move. In civil suits "discovery" runs in both directions. We're about to learn a lot more about how the Democratic Party really works behind the scenes.Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too.

From Reader Supported News



(Image by Photo: Dennis Schroeder-NREL/Flicker) Details DMCA



Puerto Rico has made history by becoming -- briefly -- the largest US territory or state to be powered almost entirely by renewable energy.

The corporate media has done all it can to black the story out.

The rising grassroots movement to totally rebuild Puerto Rico's electric supply system with renewable energy and locally owned micro-grids poses a serious threat to the centralized, fossil-based corporate elite.

But two hurricanes and two human-error blackouts have opened the door to systemic change.

Here's how:

Last September, Hurricane Irma blew through the Caribbean, passing over enough of Puerto Rico to plunge tens of thousands of people into darkness. Many of them are still without power.

Then Hurricane Maria shredded the island's electric grid and blacked out its 3.4 million residents virtually in toto.

The island had two large wind farms, one of which was severely damaged. The other survived, but had no grid through which to distribute its electricity.

Some solar arrays on the island were also severely damaged.

But at a farm in Barranquitas owned by Hector Santiago, 244 solar panels kept some 2,500 light bulbs alight to maximize greenhouse plant growth. Much to the derision of his neighbors, Santiago had invested some $300,000 in the solar array. Small gas and kerosene-fired generators kicked back up around the island. But Santiago's solar array may well have been its biggest operating power station.

Over the following months, the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority tried to restore its rickety poles and wires, plus its network of obsolete gas and oil plants ... and the ancient coal plant that burns ore from Colombia.

Along the way, PREPA's director was fired, and Governor Ricardo Antonio "Ricky" Rossello Nevares has campaigned to privatize the utility, a move strongly opposed by democracy activists.

On April 8, as PREPA was bringing the island back up to near-total power, restoration workers felled a tree onto live transmission wires, knocking out power to some 850,000 customers.

Ten days later, PREPA proudly announced that it had restored power to 95.8 percent of the island's population. Some 62,000 customers were still in the dark. But PREPA was proud that each of the territory's 78 municipalities had at least some power.

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"Wonderful work! An insightful, integrative adventure into what makes humans flourish. Rob Kall shows us that we know how to do this, that most of human history was about connection and that there are ways to make it happen again. He offers real solutions and practical suggestions for taking back the world for community, connection and well-beingaway from hierarchy, exclusion, and destruction. A new handbook for the necessary revolution!"



Darcia Narvaez, Professor of psychology, Notre Dame, University, author of Neurobiology and the Development of Human Morality: Evolution, Culture and WisdomWould you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too.

By Dave Lindorff

It was a beautiful sunny day yesterday in Philadelphia, birthplace of the United States. Crowds of people took advantage of temperatures that were in the '80s for the second day in a row to stroll the streets of Center City, shopping and patronizing the various restaurants and coffee shops. The only sign that the US had just attacked the capital of another Middle East country with a shock-and-awe blitz of cruise missiles was a small group of Marxist protesters gamely standing in a line along 15th Street on the west side of City Hall, holding up signs criticizing the attack on Syria and pointing out how US military spending and endless wars are robbing schools, health care and other human needs of funding.

The hastily arranged protest by several dozen activists was not derided by the strolling tourists and passing drivers so much as it was simply ignored like a part of the scenery.

Totally missing was any protest action by the larger peace and justice organizations -- the ones that are calling themselves the "Resistance" to President Trump. Indeed, the so-called Resistance has been seeking pledges from supporters to come out on the street the moment Trump tries to fire special counsel Robert Mueller. Obviously the organization has a huge mailing list, but it didn't turn to it to call people to action in protest of Trump's criminal launching of an attack on Syria, ostensibly intended to "punish" Syrian leader Bashar Al-Assad for an alleged, but not proven, chemical attack on Douma, a suburb of Damascus on April 7.

How could they have taken action? The Democratic Party "leaders" of this "Resistance" -- people like Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) were actually cheering the Trump attack on Syria, as were many other Democratic members of Congress who keep talking about "resisting" Trump.

Never mind that the attack on Syria was both a major war crime under the UN Charter, a treaty drawn up largely by the US, approved by the US Senate and signed into law in 1945, or that Trump had absolutely no authority under the Constitution to launch the attack, since Syria posed no threat, imminent or otherwise, to the US or its allies.

It's almost as if the attitude among the broader "Resistance" movement against Trump just went, "Phew, that's over. At least he didn't attack the Russians and get us into WWIII!"

The response of the American public, save for a few dedicated souls like those gathered at the City Hall protest in Philly, has been largely ho-hum.

Uptown a bit at Temple University, students were strolling around the campus also enjoying the nice weather, some of them completely unaware that their nation had just launched a major attack on another country. There was no sign of protest there either. Indeed, a Google search for protest only turned up events relating to the earlier threats of action or to last year's launching of a smaller cruise missile attack on Syria by Trump. There were protests planned for today, and a few around the country for yesterday, but really one had to look abroad to Greece to find an example of a major protest against the attack on Syria, even though the US was joined by token forces from the UK and France, both members of NATO and the European Union.

We seem to have slipped into a situation like Orwell's 1984 in which the US government can simply say that war is peace, as the Trump administration is currently doing (claiming that it is committed to seeking a diplomatic solution to the civil war tearing Syria apart even as it trains and funds terrorist groups in that country and launches bombing blitzes into its cities), and the public just go about their business as though nothing is happening.

Of course this is nothing new. Even as Trump decries the alleged but unproven deaths of a few dozen "women and children" in the still unproven "gas attack" in Douma, blame for which -- if it occurred at all -- has not been determined, the US has been the primary supplier of weapons, including deadly cluster bombs, and the jets to deliver them, to Saudi Arabia for its now years-long deadly bombing campaign against the people of Yemen, the poorest country in the Middle East. That country's women and children have been dying by the thousands now for several years in this one-sided US-backed war. They're dying both directly from the made-in-America bombs being dropped by Saudi forces, and from an epic cholera epidemic and starvation that are the result of the destruction of the country's infrastructure -- all of this with hardly a murmur of protest from the American people.

The US media bear much of the blame of course. Prior to Trump's cruise missile attack on Syria, the nation's leading news organizations were awash in editorials calling for action, and were running propaganda photos and video images of allegedly poisoned victims (who looked surprisingly healthy). Meanwhile one struggles to find any reportage on the US role in perpetuating the ongoing horror of Saudi Arabia's war on Yemen. In fact, it's much easier to find a report about Yemen when that country's embattled Houti fighters manage to launch a retaliatory missile into Saudi Arabia than about the daily carnage caused by Saudi bombings of civilian targets in Yemen.

The decision by President Richard Nixon, in 1973, to end the military draft in the US and to convert the military into an all-volunteer force, combined with the development of remotely piloted drones and cruise missiles capable of wreaking destruction at a distance, have reduced US casualties to a miniscule number, allowing the American people to ignore what's being done in their name to innocent populations around the globe. Meanwhile, a media that simply do not question a military budget that this year, at $760 billion, exceeds half of the just-passed $1.33-trillion federal budget for discretionary spending.

Instead of honestly reporting the vast share of wasted tax revenues that go into supporting American militarism, the media resort to a sleight of hand that includes the separat payroll-tax funded Social Security and Medicare programs into the mix, thus reducing the military spending share of the budget to an artificially low 25%. The implication, which I've actually heard incorrectly stated on news programs, even on National Public Radio, is that military spending is "not discretionary" but is rather as unalterable as Social Security benefits. As one host of an NPR talk show put it in a program discussing the budget, without any correction being made, "Well, after you talk out the mandatory programs like Social Security, Medicare and Defense, it's hard to find anywhere to cut the budget."

This goes hand-in-hand with the generally accepted media description of America's men and women in uniform as "heroes who are defending our freedom" as they occupy, invade and assault or launch deadly "targeted killing" attacks by drone or special forces actions in dozens of nations around the globe -- nations whose people never travel more than a few miles from their native villages or towns, and whose countries pose zero threat to America or to American's vaunted if all to seldom-exercised freedoms.

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Future Market Insights (FMI) delivers key insights on the global sodium reduction ingredient market in its latest report titled, Sodium Reduction Ingredient Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 2015  2025. In terms of value, the global sodium reduction ingredient market is projected to register a robust CAGR of 11.7% during the forecast period due to various factors, regarding which FMI offers vital insights in detail.On the basis of application, the market has been segmented into sauce/dips/dressings, snacks, bakery products, cheese/butter, frozen food and others (beverages, baby food, and breakfast cereal). The snacks segment is estimated to account for 26.9% share of the global sodium reduction ingredient market by 2015 end, and is expected to register a healthy CAGR of 11.0% in terms of value over the forecast period. Snacks and frozen food segments are expected to contribute maximum revenue shares over the forecast period. Furthermore, continuous product launches by various key players is expected to fuel market growth during the forecast period. The bakery product segment is expected to register the highest CAGR of 12.8% in the sodium reduction ingredient market over the forecast period.Request For Report Sample@On the basis of ingredient type, the sodium reduction ingredient market is segmented into amino acid, mineral blends, yeast extract and others (hydrolyzed vegetable protein, trehalose, and nucleotides). Mineral blends is further sub-segmented into magnesium sulphate, calcium chloride, potassium sulphate, potassium chloride and potassium lactate. Among ingredient types, the mineral blends segment estimated to account for highest market share of 53.9% by the end of 2015 and is expected to be remain dominant during the forecast period.Growth of the global sodium reduction ingredient market is mainly driven by increasing consumer awareness and rising government promotion of intake of low sodium products across the globe. Moreover, increasing regulatory norms for food product manufacturers for reducing sodium level in their product is another factor boosting market growth. Furthermore, rising disposable income coupled with increasing number of health conscious people across the globe is also expected to fuel growth of the global sodium reduction ingredient market over the forecast period.The report provides global trends and offers detailed analysis and insights about the potential of the sodium reduction ingredient market across various key regions. North America is estimated to dominate the sodium reduction ingredient market with 32.0% value share by the end of 2015, and is projected to remain dominant through 2025. North America and Western Europe are collectively estimated to account for over 59.9% share of the total sodium reduction ingredient market in terms of value by end of 2015. The market in Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) is projected to register the highest CAGR of 13.2% in terms of value between 2015 and 2025. Key players in the sodium reduction ingredient market are constantly developing and launching sodium reduction solutions for various applications. Moreover, companies are undertaking technological upgradation, while integrating all processes in order to meet the changing manufacturing needs.Request For Report Table of Content (TOC):Key players in the global sodium reduction ingredient market are Cambrian Solutions Inc., Kerry Group PLC, Associated British Foods plc., Givaudan SA, E. I. Du Pont De Nemours and Company, Innophos Holdings, Inc, Jungbunzlauer Suisse A.G., Sensient Technologies Corporation and Tate & Lyle PLC.Major players operating in the sodium reduction ingredient market focus on making significant investments in research and development to broaden their product portfolio and gain competitive advantage in the market.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:Power Management Integrated Circuit Market Forecasted to Reach US$ 41,250 Mn Value by 2017 - 2027

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Future Market Insights presents a new report titled Power Management Integrated Circuit Market: Global Industry Analysis 2012  2016 and Opportunity Assessment 2017  2027 that studies the performance of the global power management integrated circuit market over a 10 year assessment period from 2017 to 2027. The report presents the value forecasts of the global power management integrated circuit market and provides important insights into the factors driving market growth as well as the factors restricting market growth. As per the assessment of Future Market Insights, the global power management integrated circuit market was estimated to be valued at nearly US$ 20,450 Mn in 2017 and is likely to reach a valuation of nearly US$ 41,250 Mn in 2027 and in the process exhibit a CAGR of 7.3% during the period of assessment 2017-2027.Growing Automation and Increasing Electrification in Vehicles to Have a Positive Impact on the North America Power Management Integrated Circuit MarketRequest For Report Sample@Due to the increasing electrification in vehicles, especially in hybrid and electric vehicles, the market for power management integrated circuits is receiving a huge boost in the North America region. There is a strong need for staying connected through smartphones and tablets, and in order to achieve this, the present day car drivers are opting for Bluetooth, cellular technologies and other telematics. All such features require semiconductors to distribute and control power through the vehicles. Safety features such as automatic emergency braking (AEB) are necessary for a road system that will accommodate self-driving cars. These factors are likely to fuel the growth of power management integrated circuit market in North America.On the other hand, automobiles are undergoing a digital revolution, and most of the leading automobile manufacturers in North America are investing significant resources in the R&D of vehicle automation to meet the ever changing demands and to enhance the experience of their customers. Power management integrated circuits have an important role to play in vehicle automation, and they are used in automobiles to optimally supply power to all the electronic components of the vehicle. This is also fuelling the growth of the power management integrated circuit market.Global Power Management Integrated Circuit Market: Segmentation and ForecastThe global power management integrated circuit market is segmented on the basis of application and region.By application, the industrial segment was estimated to be valued at nearly US$ 4,350 Mn in 2017 and is likely to reach a valuation of nearly US$ 8,200 Mn in 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 6.5% during the period of assessment 2017-2027.By application, the personal electronics segment was estimated to be valued at US$ 5,600 Mn in 2017 and is anticipated to reach a valuation of nearly US$ 11,500 Mn in 2027, displaying a CAGR of 7.4% during the period of forecast.By region, the North America power management integrated circuit market was estimated to be valued at nearly US$ 5,200 Mn in 2017 and is likely to touch a valuation of nearly US$ 9,950 Mn in 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 6.8% during the assessment period.Request For Report Table of Content (TOC):Global Power Management Integrated Circuit Market: Competitive LandscapeIn this report, some of the key players operating in the global power management integrated circuit market have been profiled in the competition landscape section. Some of these key players include ON Semiconductor, Texas Instruments, Analog Devices, Inc., Infineon Technologies AG, NXP Semiconductors, ST Microelectronics, Maxim Integrated, Cypress Semiconductor Corporation, Renesas Electronics Corporation, ROHM Semiconductor, Dialog Semiconductor, Skyworks, Semtech Corporation, Microchip Technology and Samsung.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:Document Management Software Market to Represent a Significant Expansion at 12.3% CAGR During 2018-2028

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Future Market Insights has analysed various facets of the global market for document management software in a new research publication titled Document Management Software Market: Global Industry Analysis (2013-2017) and Opportunity Assessment (2018-2028). The raw data obtained from secondary research has been filtered, well-furnished and arranged in a systematic format with the assistance of which key insights have been derived. The market is thoroughly analysed to gain intelligence on the various market trends changing the course of the market, the drivers that push the growth of the market, the opportunities that shape the future of the document management software market and the restraints that hinder the growth process of the global market. These various aspects have been analysed across key regions in the globe including North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific, China and Middle East and Africa (MEA) to gauge the intensities of these facets and their impact on the overall market expansion. Based on historical data and current scenario, future insights on the market based on value projections for a period of ten years have been included in this research report across each segment of the global document management software market.Request For Report Sample@Future Market Insights Observes the growth of the global document management software market is triggered by increasing demand for the software as it reduces the time needed for file location and retrieval. Moreover, it also covers additional functionalities such as storage, editing and making corrections, efficient consolidation of information, eliminates misfiling and enhances overall productivity and efficiency. The global market for document management software is projected to expand at a value CAGR of 12.3% during the period of assessment 2018-2028 and is estimated to reach a valuation of more than US$ 11 Bn by 2028 end.Growing Demand for Automated Workflow to Facilitate Market ExpansionAutomation has facilitated reduction in errors, improvement in quality and reduction in time in various processes. Document management software with automated workflow offers efficient operational workflow. Moreover, it reduces costly paper handling with smart routing of documents and saves time and money by reducing the need of photocopying, hand delivery and repetitive dropping. It also enables automated distribution, printing and overall document control. By centralizing documents and using automated workflow technology, it can timely route documents to stakeholders. The migration to automated workflow from manual workflow is pushing the demand of document management software.Disaster Recovery and Better Backup to Spur Demand for Document Management SoftwareDocument management solution includes disaster recovery and data backup plan. With digital archiving, paper documents are protected from various types of disasters. In addition, with this software, documents are easily traceable and can be conveniently tracked within different ranges of criteria. Moreover, since the documents are stored centrally, they do not get misplaced after viewing. They can be digitalised as well as archived during their entry point into the system.Segmental Snapshot of the Global Document Management Software MarketBy component, the software segment is expected to grow at a higher rate and is expected to lead the global document management software market in the coming years. With respect to services, professional services are gaining high traction.With respect to deployment, cloud is gaining high steam owing to ease of access and convenience at any point in time. Cloud based deployment is expected to showcase revenue sales of over US$ 6 Bn by end of the assessment period.Healthcare and BFSI sectors are showcasing high demand for document management software. Owing to high and ever increasing volume of documents, the need for subtle document management systems has risen. This has accelerated the use of document management software in these sectors. Healthcare, however, tops the table with respect to higher adoption and valuation, comparatively.North America is the largest region, followed by Europe. The market valuation in these regions is expected to go above or near US$ 3 Bn by 2028 end. China also has shown increased inclination towards use of document software. Document software market in China is projected to expand at a significant rate in the coming years.Request For Report Table of Content (TOC):Competition TrackingThe key players profiled in the report are Toshiba Corporation, IBM Corporation, OpenText Corp., Asite, Ideagen, Alfresco Software, MasterControl, Computhink, eFileCabinet, OfficeGemini, Adobe Systems Incorporated, SmartFile, Lucion Technologies, Intranet Connections, FOLDERIT and LogicalDOC.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 Achiote Powder Market to Witness Soaring Growth During 2016 - 2026

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Achiote powder is extracted from the seeds of ever green shrub Bixa Orellana, commonly known as annatto. Achiote is traditionally being used as spices, food color, and medicinal purpose and as commercial dye. Achiote is originated from Mexico and being used for decoration, rituals and in paintings since 16th century. It is traditionally being used as coloring and flavoring agent in Latin America.In central and South America seeds were originally used to make red body painted and lipstick, and hence achiote is sometimes called as lipstick tree. Oil can also be extracted from achiote and used in different dishes for giving them nice color. Apart from seeds plant leaves have medicinal properties and also used in skin diseases treatment.As looking at achiotes properties and important uses achiote powder global market demand is high.Request For Report Sample@Achiote PowderMarket SegmentationAchiote powder market is segmented on the basis of its applications in different industries. In condiments or spices, as a dye in textile industries, as food colorant in bakery and other food products, in cosmetics and in Pharmaceutical industries. Achiote powder is traditionally being used and sold as spice in the South American market. As containing color pigments it is being used in textile industry as natural dying agent .Uses of achiote powder in cosmetic industry is quite popular as traditionally being used in lipsticks as well as in skin infections. It has been popular as medicine recently due to its therapeutic properties like antifungal, antimalarial laxative, antibiotic and many more, and its medicinal properties have derived its market demand.Achiote powder market is further segmented on the basis of its forms. Achiote powder is available in market in different forms as water soluble extracts, mainly used in the water based food items and water based products. Another form is oil soluble extract for oil soluble products and cosmetics. And dry spray form is also available in market.Archiote powder market is later segmented on the basis of region asLatin America, North America, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Asia pacific excluding Japan and Japan. Where Peru from America and Kenya from Africa are the major exporter of achiote. Japan possess major import market for achiote powder as all synthetic coloring is banned in japan.Achiote Powder Global Market TrendsAchiote powder possess significant demand in all the regions due to its therapeutic, food ingredient applications. Increasing emphasis on Ayurveda medicines, natural dyes, and natural food colorants is a major trending factor for achiote powder market.Also banning of certain synthetic pigments/colorants by major players like Japan. And research and development in plant medicines sector is another market trend setter for achiote powder market due to its therapeutic properties.Achiote Powder Market DriversAchiote powder is in high demand due to its applications in several industries. Principle factor driving market demand are continuous rising demand for natural colorants products due to rising regulations on uses of synthetic color agents in food and other materials by various governments. Also growing health consciousness in consumers and hence rising market demand for natural products based cosmetics and pharmaceutical products becoming another market driver for achiote powder.In countries like Peru achiote powder uses and production is high as traditionally known for its medicinal properties. In Japan, Europe and North America markets achiote powder is highly sought due to high regulated uses of synthetic colorants. In Japan market the uses of synthetic colorants are banned and hence recent years Japanese market has grown as another major exporter of achiote powder. In Europe Netherlands and UK are the major users of achiote powder as a colorant for hard cheese and uses in margarine. In North America U.S. market is the major exporter of achiote powder from Peru.Request For Report Table of Content (TOC):Achiote PowderMarket Key Players:Achiote tree has been traditionally grown and marketed in Latin American countries, however Peru and Kenya are the major exporters of the achiote powder.Small volume producers and exporters market includes the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Colombia, Angola in Africa, and India, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines in Asia.Key players operating in achiote powder market include Brownana Gh Ltd.,MG Natura Peru SAC, Mama Sitas, Marven bio chem, Amerilure, Kolorjet Chemicals Pvt.Ltd., Denton Spice Company, SENSIENT Pharmaceuticals etc.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:Global Phospholipase Enzyme Market to Exhibit Steadfast Expansion During 2016 - 2026

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Industrial enzymes are gaining importance due to the increase in their applications and increase in demand for consumer foods, investment in the research and development of industrial enzymes and also the need for resource optimization and cost reduction are driving the market for enzymes ultimately the global phospholipase enzymes market. Changing lifestyles of the consumer and increase in their disposable income has resulted in the increase in the demand for consumer goods which has in turn resulted in the growth of phospholipase enzymes market. These aspects are anticipated to provide opportunities for emerging market players in global phospholipase enzymes market. Increasing consumption of products containing enzyme in developing regions is driving the market for phospholipase enzymes. Phospholipase enzyme is used as an emulsifier in aqueous food products such as sauces, bakery products and dressings. Rise in this end use application is expected to drive the phospholipase market. The global phospholipase enzyme market is evolved so far due to the mergers and acquisitions done in the global market. Enzyme industry giants like DuPont and Novozymes has acquired more than half of the market.Request For Report Sample@The use of phospholipase enzymes in industrial processes is increasing by enhancing the enzymes by protein engineering. Use of phospholipase enzymes in degumming process in which the removal of phospholipids from vegetable oil is done with the help of phospholipase enzyme. The application of phospholipase enzymes in cheese manufacturing process has significantly decreased the greenhouse gas emission acting as a more efficient product. Thus increase dairy industry is anticipated to drive market further during the forecast period. White biotechnology will act as a strong alternative in todays world where there is more demand for nonpolluting energy saving technical solutions. Use of phospholipase enzymes as an alternative for chemical processes is acting as a general trend in phospholipase enzymes market.Based on the product type the global phospholipase enzymes market is segmented into:Phospholipase A1Phospholipase A2Phospholipase CPhospholipase DBased on the end use industry type the global phospholipase enzymes market is segmented into:Food and FeedAgriculturePharmaceuticalChemicalIn terms of geography, the global phospholipase enzymes market has been divided in to five key regions including North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Middle East & Africa.The global phospholipase enzymes market is expected to register healthy CAGR during the forecast period. North America is anticipated to be the dominant market for global phospholipase enzymes followed by Asia Pacific and Europe. The market in Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow at highest CAGR over the forecast period.Key PlayersSome of the key players in the phospholipase enzymes market are Novozymes, Roche Custom Biotech, DuPont etc.The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections done using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to categories such as market segments, geographies, type, machine size and end use.Request For Report Table of Content (TOC):The report covers exhaustive analysis on:Market SegmentsMarket DynamicsMarket SizeSupply & DemandCurrent Trends/Issues/ChallengesCompetition & Companies involvedTechnologyValue ChainRegional analysis includesNorth AmericaLatin AmericaEuropeAsia PacificMiddle East and AfricaABOUT 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:In-Depth Forecast & Analysis on Protease Market for 2016 - 2026

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Protease are the enzymes which is having a vital importance because of its extensive applications in both physiological and commercial market fields. Protease enzymes are used in many variety of applications, largely in pharmaceutical and detergent industries followed by food industry. In view of the current developing environment friendly technologies protease enzymes are anticipated to have widespread application in leather treatment and several bio mediation processes. There is a considerable variance in the worldwide requirement of enzymes according to individual application. Microorganisms are the largest sources of the enzymes, with the help of established method of fermentation they can be cultured in large quantities in a short period of time. Microbial proteases hold the first position out of the three sources viz. animal, plants and microbial. Method of obtaining protease enzyme from plants is very time consuming and the yield is very low also it depends upon various factors such as availability of land for cultivation and suitability of climatic conditions.Protease enzyme used in pharmaceutical industries needs extensive purification before they are used and they are manufactured in small amounts, whereas the protease enzyme used in detergent and food industries are manufactured in bulk quantities. The use of protease enzyme replace the use of chemicals that are used in detergents. More than half of the market share is contributed by the technical enzymes for detergents, textile and paper & pulp manufacturing. The global protease enzyme market is expected to grow with a single digit CAGR during the forecasted period.Request For Report Sample@Based on the basis of Source, the Protease Enzymes market is segmented into:AnimalPlantMicrobialFungalBacterialViralBased on the application, the Protease Enzymes market is segmented into:Food & beveragesLivestock feedSoaps & detergentPharmaceuticalsOthers (textile & leather, waste management, chemical industries, silver recovery, photography, biofuel)Based on the Method of production, the Protease enzymes market is segmented into:FermentationExtractionBased on the Formulation, the Protease enzymes market is segmented into:Liquid formulationLyophilized powderOthers (granular and gel)Based on the Product, the Protease enzymes market is segmented into:AnimalTrypsinReninPepsinOthers (chymotrypsin, thrombin, elastase, cathepsin G)PlantPapainBromelainOthers (keratinases and ficin)MicrobialAlkalineAcid stableNeutralOthers (Proteinase K, Peptidase, Fungal acid protease)In terms of geography, the Protease enzymes market has been divided in to five key regions including North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Middle East & Africa.The Protease enzymes market is expected to register healthy CAGR during the forecast period. With wide application of cleaning and detergent industry North America has become a leader in the global protease enzyme market. North America region is at maturity level, Canada is expected to show healthy growth rate. In European region Germany is on the lead for protease enzyme market. The market in Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow at highest CAGR over the forecast period. Countries like China and India are major markets for protease enzyme as detergents and cleaning industries is developing and modernizing in these countries and are likely to provide abundant opportunities for the growth of the protease enzymes market.Request For Report Table of Content (TOC):Key PlayersSome of the key players in the protease enzymes market are ovozymes A/S, Chr. Hansen Holdings A/S, E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Associated British Foods plc, Koninklijke DSM N.V. etc.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:Collaborative Authoring Tools Market to Incur Meteoric Growth During 2016 - 2026

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With the increasing focus toward e-education and e-training, collaborative authoring tools have emerged as the key source enabling efficient use of resources based out at different locations across the globe. Collaborative authoring tools are software applications used to create content documents at one platform by various authors through creating efficient and effective communication between the authors. Collaborative authoring tools varies from simple tools that convert documents to web page to advanced software that provides variety of sophisticated applications. Wide application of these tools by training organization, developers, project and data oriented companies has significantly boosted the market growth, as it enables a real time communication between authors, unlike the conventional means such as emailing.The collaborative authoring tools are easy to operate and use WYSIWYG interface i.e. what you see is what you get. The authors accessing collaborative authoring tools have co-authoring functionality. This feature can be combined with collaborative review features for better precision for document creation and review process. Many of the working environments require collaborative writing as well as editing of the drawings, presentations, spreadsheets, and documents. Synchronous sharing, editing, revision, comments, group membership, etc. are some of the major features of the collaborative authoring tools used nowadays. These features of the collaborative authoring tools make them the backbone of the commercial industry.Request For Report Sample@Global Collaborative Authoring Tools Market: DynamicsDriversProduct features such as user commitment to easier, efficient and effective work processes and more involvement to the projects are the factors growing the market of collaborative authoring tools globally. Cost effectiveness, easy data sharing through provision of revision tracking are other factors fueling the market growth.Furthermore, ongoing research and development by service providers to develop more customized and user friendly solution is expected to create significant demand for collaborative authoring tools over the next few years.RestraintsCommunication issues and time zone issues are some of the factors which hinders the growth of collaborative authoring tools globally. Moreover, some of the other factors which hampers the collaborative authoring tools market growth is the type of training such as asynchronous learning, instructor led-training (ILT) required by the organizationTrendsRecent trends observed in collaborative authoring tools market is the growth of delivering mobile learning applications which are still in their early growth stage. Furthermore, the advanced features such as real time videos acts as a means of capturing expert knowledge and instructions.Global Collaborative Authoring Tools Market: SegmentationThe collaborative authoring tools are segmented on the basis of tool type, applications and region. On the basis of tool type, the collaborative authoring tools can be segmented into Google Docs, MS Office, MS Word, MS SharePoint, and others ( SELF, Etherpad, Moddle, etc.). On the basis of applications, collaborative authoring tools can be segmented into instant messaging, telephony, web Conferencing, E-mail server, others .On the basis of region, collaborative authoring tools can be segmented into North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific Exc. Japan, Western Europe, Japan, Eastern Europe, and Middle East and Africa.Request For Report Table of Content (TOC):Global Collaborative Authoring Tools Market: Key PlayersSome of the major key players of the collaborative authoring tools are:CM Group Luminosity SuiteIMC Content StudioKenexa LCMSAdobe PresenterLectora PublisherSana Software EasyGeneratorXyleme LCMSCrossKnowledge MohiveInfor ContentCreatorAdobe CaptivateABOUT 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:FOG (Fat, Oil & Grease) Removal Equipment Market: Global Industry Trend Analysis and Forecast 2017 - 2025

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FOG stands for Fat, Oil & Grease, which are the byproducts of food, chemical, pharmaceutical and various other industrial processing systems. FOG removal is important to prevent sewage blockages, which can further result in environmental pollution. FOG (Fat, Oil & Grease) removal equipment is used as a primary wastewater treating mechanism wherein the wastewater from kitchens or material processing industries, where fats, oils & greases are unwanted byproducts, is treated before letting the wastewater out to sewage.The mechanism works on the principle of buoyancy and relative coefficients of expansion of water and oil. Typical FOG (Fat, Oil & Grease) removal equipment consists of a tank with 2 or more separations, inlet, outlet and two way access from the top. The wastewater is made to flow through the inlet into the FOG (Fat, Oil & Grease) removal equipments tank after going through some heat treatment. The FOG elements in the heated wastewater liquefy and float over the stream. When the wastewater enters the tank, the solid particles settle to the floor and FOG are separated from the water in alternate compartments. The water thus obtained is drained out from the outlet.Request Report for TOC @FOG (Fat, Oil & Grease) removal equipment are available in various sizes and construction formats. They range from 5 Liters to more than 30,000 Liters and can be made of metal, plastic or cement as per the requirement. FOG interceptors are essential to regulate the clogging of sewage systems. Non-removal of FOG from wastewater might result in costly maintenance of sewage pipelines and hefty fees from county and landfill management units.Therefore, FOG pretreatment is a necessary affair for any restaurant, hospital, cosmetic factory or any unit that uses animal & vegetable fats for processing purposes. A good number of FOG (Fat, Oil & Grease) removal equipment are available in the market at competitive prices. However, as the equipment requires regular maintenance, a need for improvisation in this regard can facilitate higher sales numbers by promising better results with lower maintenance expenditures.FOG (Fat, Oil & Grease) Removal Equipment Market: Market DynamicsFOG (Fat, Oil & Grease) removal equipment finds widespread use in hotels, hospitals and cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries where fat, oil & grease are inevitable wastes produced along with the main products. With growing environmental concerns and strict regulations from government authorities, it is mandatory for every industry to pretreat wastewater before releasing into sewage.This has assisted the growth of the FOG (Fat, Oil & Grease) removal equipment market and can be considered as the key market driver. The growing demand for food processing and cosmetics industries has fueled the FOG interceptors market and many environmental agencies have come up with awards and recognitions for best sewage treatments, which has encouraged business owners to implement the technology in their hotels or plants. This has been seen as a new trend in the market for FOG (Fat, Oil & Grease) removal equipment.Overall, the market seems to be favourable due to various food processing, chemical and cosmetic industries coming up in various parts of the world. With the growing demand for pharmaceuticals and paints, the scope for the FOG (Fat, Oil & Grease) removal equipment market is expected to constantly expand in the coming years. The only restraint seen in this market is its high initial and operating costs.The system uses electricity and requires qualified professionals to clean the tank at least once a week. This is a hindrance; however, since the system is a mandate with any animal and vegetable processing industry, this is not expected to affect the market. In fact, this hindrance can prove to be an opportunity for existing and new players in the market to come up with a system that doesnt call for regular maintenance.FOG (Fat, Oil & Grease) Removal Equipment Market: SegmentationOn the basis of the construction, the global FOG (Fat, Oil & Grease) removal equipment market can be segmented into:MetalPlasticCementOn the basis of the tank volume, the global FOG (Fat, Oil & Grease) removal equipment market can be segmented into:Small (5 to 10L)Medium ( 10L to 1000L)Large (1000L to 20,000L)Extra Large (Over 20,000L)On the basis of the operation, the global FOG (Fat, Oil & Grease) removal equipment market can be segmented into:MechanicalHydraulicElectricHybridOn the basis of the end user, the global FOG (Fat, Oil & Grease) removal equipment market can be segmented into:Residential ComplexesBusiness EstablishmentsFood Processing IndustriesChemical & CosmeticsPharmaceuticalsHotels & HospitalsFOG (Fat, Oil & Grease) Removal Equipment Market: Regional OutlookThe market for FOG (Fat, Oil & Grease) removal equipment is booming in most developed regions, such as the U.S., Canada, Europe and Japan. The market is picking up in the APEJ region and is expected to grow strategically in the coming years. The market in MEA and LA regions have a similar scenario. These regions are seeing the most development and there is significant scope for FOG (Fat, Oil & Grease) removal equipment in these regions. Developed regions, however, already have an established market for the same, which are further projected to surge over the forecast period.Request to Sample Report @FOG (Fat, Oil & Grease) Removal Equipment Market: Market ParticipantsExamples of some of the market participants identified in the FOG (Fat, Oil & Grease) removal equipment market are:Yokogawa Electric CorporationDaiki Axis Co. Ltd.Environmental Equipment Co.Aqua Mundus LtdFogBusters, Inc.Astim Endustri Tesisleri ?malat Montaj Taahhut A.?.Fluence Corporation LimitedBio-Microbics, Inc.Cleveland Biotech LimitedProcess Wastewater Technologies LLCAbout UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:Turning the ship before it hits the icebergPolishing and Finishing Machines Market: Global Industry Trend Analysis and Forecast 2017 - 2025

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Surface polishing and surface finishing are two different operations performed on the surface of any material. Polishing, buffing and burnishing are all a type of mechanical metal finishing. Mechanical finishes are applied through the physical abrasion of a metal surface using a secondary media. The media can vary greatly and includes cloth, stone, metal and plastics combined with finishing compounds. The methods of application include wheel abrasion, blasting, tumbling barrels and vibratory finishers.A typical construction of polishing and finishing machine involves a detachable abrasive material attached to a spinner, a motor to rotate the spinner, gearbox and power source. The process takes place when the spinning abrasive material is rubbed against the work piece to give it a finishing touch. The spinning wheel generally spins at 7,500 SFM (Surface feet per minute).Request Report for TOC @Polishing and finishing machines are available in various formats with different abrasion materials. These machines can reshape and alter the finishing of any material as per the requirements. These machines are used in metal shaping industries, construction and tile manufacturing industries, clothing and shoe manufacturing industries, automotive and also in glass cutting factories. The polishing and finishing machines find a lot of use in industrial applications where aesthetics are of great importance to the end use customers.These kinds of machines come in different sizes and each application has its own requirements. Some are handy while some are hefty. Although the machines are doing well in the market, there is always scope for more improvement. A better polishing and finishing machine that can attribute to more aesthetic looks without altering the physical properties can change the fate of the market to a great extent.Polishing and Finishing Machines Market: Market DynamicsAs mentioned before, Polishing and Finishing machines are of immense importance to various end use industries. The principle driver for the market is growing demand for aesthetics in each and every industry. Plus, finishing is a must process in cases where altering of physical properties is required. As polishing gives a shiny finish and glossy appearance to the work piece or end use material, it is always preferred after the finishing operation. This can be stated as a new trend being followed in the market as customers prefer buying items that shine better.The market for polishing and finishing machines is expected to witness significant growth throughout the forecast period due to emerging leather, clothing, automotive, medical, jewelry, plastic, fiber & glass, furniture and tiles industries. With the introduction of newer technologies in these machines, the market is expected to experience new trends in near future. There is no particular constraints that might hinder market growth. The greatest benefit for these machines is that no substitutes for these machines have been introduced so far.Polishing and Finishing Machines Market: SegmentationOn the basis of mode of operation, the Global Polishing and Finishing Machines Market can be segmented into:Hand HeldSemi-AutomaticAutomaticOn the basis of applications, the Global Polishing and Finishing Machines Market can be segmented into:LappingSuper-FinishingOn the basis of the method used, the Global Polishing and Finishing Machines Market can be segmented into:Barrel Finishing MachineVibratory Finishing MachineAbrasive BlastingOn the basis of abrasive type, the Global Polishing and Finishing Machines Market can be segmented into:Flexible BeltBrushDiscOn the basis of end use industries, the Global Polishing and Finishing Machines Market can be segmented into:LeatherClothingAutomotiveMedicalJewelryPlastic, Fiber & GlassFurnitureTilesMetal ShapingPolishing and Finishing Machines Market: Regional OutlookPolishing and finishing operations are widely employed in every region of the world. The market for these machines is completely diversified and has vast scope across various industries. In APAC, NA and European regions, the market shows significant growth in the automotive, furniture, tiles and glass-cutting operations. MEA and parts of APEJ, such as India, China and Thailand, hold the highest market share in the jewelry industry, thereby contributing to the polishing and finishing machines industry indirectly. Due to the presence of largest glass and ceramic manufacturers, Japan, America and Europe are expected to take the polishing and finishing machines market to newer heights.Request to Sample Report @Polishing and Finishing Machines Market: Key PlayersSome of the market participants identified across the value chain of the Polishing and Finishing Machines market are:DeLong Equipment CompanyStephen Bader & Co., Inc.Almco - Finishing and Cleaning SystemsAbrasives Inc.Brusa & Garboli Srl.Tipton Corp.Vibra Finish LimitedPDJ Vibro LtdMTI CorporationHanley Wood Media, Inc.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:Rheometer Market: Global Industry Trend Analysis and Forecast 2017 - 2025

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A rheometer is a device used to measure the slurry or the way in which the liquid flows specially for those fluids that cannot be defined by the single value of viscosity; a rheometer measures the rheology of the fluid. A rheometer particularly measures the forces such as shear, which are associated with a flowing substance. The substance that flows is much thicker than the liquid. At the same time rheometer also measures the flow at different pressures. Rheometer can apply large changes in strain and stress to determine flow properties and viscoelastic properties and it can apply oscillatory motion to the spindles as well. A rheometer helps determine the viscosity of the fluid between the range of 0.01 and >1000 Pa.s.Request Report for TOC @The capillary rheometer, which is a type of rheometer, works on a principle in which a thermoplastic material is converted into liquid form by heating and is forced to flow through a capillary die. The quantity measured is normally the pressure, which is generated under normal conditions. The SI unit in which the viscosity is expressed is  eta or newton seconds per square meter (Ns/m2). Other data which can be measured by the capillary rheometer are extrudate swell, extensional viscosity, wall slip and thermal stability. Owing to the wide area of application of capillary rheometer it is expected that the sale of the capillary rheometer will grow at a significant rate among other types of rheometers.Rheometer Market: DynamicsThe growing usage of polymers across the globe is expected to lead the sale of rheometers during the forecast period, as there are various polymers whose determination of single value of viscosity is difficult to measure.Rheometer usually uses ultra-low friction air bearings, which makes it possible to measure low viscosity. Accessories used with a Rheometer, such as temperature control unit, makes the rheometer to be used in any condition thus, adding a positive impact on the growth of rheometer sales.High investment cost in setting up a rheometer and requirement of skilled labor to operate it are expected to act as barriers in the growth of rheometer market during the forecast period.Rheometer Market: SegmentationThe rheometer market can be segmented based on Type and Application.By Type, the rheometer market can be segmented as:Capillary RheometerDynamic RheometerTorque RheometerBy Application, the rheometer market can be segmented as:FoodPaints & CoatingsPolymersCosmetics and PharmaceuticalsPetrochemicalsOtherRheometer Market: Regional OutlookAsia Pacific is expected to witness a significant growth in the rheometer market during the forecast period owing to the growth in the food, paints & coating and petrochemical industries. The increase in application of rheometer in the cosmetics and pharmaceuticals end-use industries the sale of Rheometer is expected to increase at a significant rate thus, accelerating the growth of rheometer market in region.North America and Europe are expected to grow at significant rates during the forecast period, which can be attributed to the application of rheometer in the food and paints & coating industries, which are growing in both the regions. Research and Development by manufacturing companies to launch new models of rheometers with enhanced and improved functions is expected to lead the sales of rheometers during the forecast period, thereby contributing towards the overall growth of the rheometer market.Latin America and the Middle East & Africa are expected to witness steady growth in the rheometer market during the forecast period, which can be attributed to the steady growth of end-use industries that use rheometers.Request to Sample of Report @Rheometer Market: Key ParticipantsExamples of some of the key participants in the Rheometer Market are:Anton PaarThermo fisher ScientificA&D CompanyFreeman TechnologyFann Instrument CompanyBrookfieldBiolin ScientificATS RheoSystemsLamy RheologyTA InstrumentsAbout UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:Airport Fire Safety Equipment Market: Global Industry Trend Analysis and Forecast 2017 - 2025

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The aviation industry is highly cost intensive in nature and thus, any error or mishap can lead to immense damages to an airports infrastructure and cause significant economic loss. To cope up with the risks associated with airport accidents, airports are equipped with fire safety equipment. Emergency communication systems (ECS), fire extinguishers, fire suppression systems, fire alarm & detectors and smoke detectors are few such fire safety equipment generally installed AT airports.Many manufacturers are focusing on designing fire safety equipment which meet the demands of customers and are portable and easy to operate. Airport fire safety equipment are mainly installed either at airport terminals or the airside which consists of the cargo terminal, aprons/hangers, airport traffic control building and fire depot. That apart, the airport staff is also equipped with elite fire protection equipment to cope up with emergency situations. These include fire blankets, masks and other small scale equipment. Moreover, stringent government regulations for necessary installation of fire safety equipment are anticipated to have a positive impact on the growth of airport fire safety equipment market over the forecast period.Request Report for TOC @Airport Fire Safety Equipment Market: DynamicsStringent government regulations for mandatory installation of fire safety equipment at airside as well as airport terminals to ensure the safe working of an airport as well as safety of passengers is anticipated to increase the demand for airport fire safety equipment in the coming years. This is expected give a necessary boost to the growth of airport fire safety equipment market in the coming years. Moreover, manufacturers are focusing on constant innovation and introducing new products in the market which will be capable of handling fire accidents in a much efficient manner.This is one of the prime reasons which is anticipated to ramp up the airport fire safety equipment market in the coming years. Moreover, the governments of numerous economies across the globe are focusing on strengthening their transport infrastructure. In line with this objective, investments in construction of new airports and terminals are anticipated to increase in the coming years. This is anticipated to increase the demand for airport fire safety equipment, such as fire extinguishers, fire alarms and suppression systems. Furthermore, installation of fire sensors and detectors for improved fire detection at airports is anticipated to promote the growth of the airport fire safety equipment market in the coming years.Furthermore, increasing trend of integration of emergency communication systems and fire alarms is anticipated to further ramp up the airport fire safety equipment market. The slowdown in the aviation industry might derail the investments being made for the construction of new airports and terminals, this is anticipated to derail the demand for airport fire safety equipment in the coming years.Airport Fire Safety Equipment Market: SegmentationOn the basis of type, the airport fire safety equipment market can be segmented into:Fire ExtinguishersFire Suppression systemsEmergency communication systems (ECS)Fire AlarmFire BlanketsOthersOn the basis of layout of installation, the airport fire safety equipment market can be segmented into:AirsideAirport TerminalAirport Fire Safety Equipment Market: Regional OutlookIncreasing investments for the construction of new terminals and airports in MEA and Europe coupled with increasing passenger traffic will increase the demand for airport fire safety equipment in these regions. Moreover, anticipated growth of the commercial aviation industry in North America and Europe will further give a boost to the airport infrastructure in the country, which will subsequently ramp up the airport fire safety equipment market in near future. Furthermore, stringent government regulations for the mandatory installation of fire safety equipment in developing countries of Asia Pacific and Latin America region will give a boost to the airport fire safety equipment market over the assessment period.Request to Sample of Report @Airport Fire Safety Equipment Market: Key ParticipantsJohnson Controls International PlcUnited Technologies CorporationAmerex CorporationActivar Inc.Fike CorporationSiemens AGJactone Products LimitedRobert Bosch GmbHHochiki CorporationHatsuta Seisakusho Co., Ltd.Flamestop Australia Pty. Ltd.Desautel SasAbout UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:Military Gas Mask Market: Global Industry Trend Analysis and Forecast 2017 - 2025

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Military Gas Masks are masks used to prevent users from toxic gases and airborne pollutants. These masks not only form a cover over a users mouth and nose, but also cover eyes and other soft tissues on the face. The toxic materials may be gaseous in nature, such as chlorine and other poisonous gases, or particulates, such as viruses, bacteria and other biological agents developed from weapons. Most of the military gas masks are designed in such a way that they protect a user from all kinds of toxic materials.A military gas mask usually consists of transparent eye lenses, a flexible face covering piece, straps and filter cartridge canisters. Usually, depending on their use, military gas masks are either full face or half face type. Manufacturers are focusing on introducing new and improved military gas masks with flexible polyurethane lenses with a wide field of vision, with the facepiece made up of durable and soft rubber material. This will further increase the demand for military gas mask in the coming years, which would, in turn, create opportunities for augmentation of military gas mask market over the assessment period.Request Report for TOC @Military Gas Mask Market: Market DynamicsWith increasing advancements in warfare technology, the weapons being used increasingly include biological and chemical agents, which increase the risks for soldiers. Moreover, ongoing unrest in numerous countries across the globe is anticipated to increase the demand for effective soldier protection equipment considerably over the coming years. Growing tensions between countries and domestic terrorism will further magnify this warfare. This is anticipated to increase the demand for military gas masks over the assessment period.Moreover, growing use of chemical weapons in warfare techniques is compelling the government of numerous countries to increase their defense budget. This is one of the prime reasons which is expected to increase the confidence of investors and incite them to invest in the military gas mask market. Furthermore, increasing use of improved explosive devices which are explosive weapons that can be activated in numerous ways can lead to serious injuries on the battleground. Owing to this, the demand for improved air purifying respirators will increase considerably. Military gas masks will serve this purpose and thus, this factor will promote the growth of military gas mask market over the assessment period.Manufacturers are focusing on developing improved and reliable military gas masks to meet the increasing demand for applications in modern warfare techniques. Moreover, power cooled military gas masks are trending in the market which provide better safety characteristics and improved soldier comfort. However, evolving military warfare techniques and technologies pose a threat to the military gas mask manufacturers as they have to constantly invest in the research and development of new technologies to retain their market position. Moreover, threat of replacement is much higher, which may affect the confidence of investors and restraint the growth of the military gas mask market over the assessment period.Military Gas Mask Market: SegmentationOn the basis of type, the global military gas mask can be segmented into:Back or Front mounted type gas maskChin style gas maskChemical cartridge respiratorOn the basis of type of facepiece, the global military gas mask can be segmented into:Full faceHalf faceMilitary Gas Mask Market: Regional OutlookThe military gas mask market is anticipated to witness robust growth in North America, Europe and Asia pacific region over the coming years. This can be attributed to increasing investments in chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense weapons in North America and Europe.This is anticipated to increase the demand for effective protective equipment, such as military gas masks, over the assessment period. Moreover, developing economies of Asia Pacific are focusing on modernizing their warfare technique, which is anticipated to create opportunities for the augmentation of military gas mask market over the coming years. The military gas mask market is expected to witness sluggish growth in MEA region over the coming years.Request to Sample of Report @Military Gas Mask Market: Key ParticipantsExamples of some of the market participants identified across the value chain of the Military Gas Mask Market are:Avon Protection Systems, Inc.Metadure Inc.Jiangsu ANHUA Police Equipment Manufacturing Co., LtdShalon Chemical Industries Ltd.MSA Safety IncorporatedHoneywell InternationalThe 3M CompanyNEXTER GroupAll Safe Industries, Inc.Duram MaskAbout UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:Industrial Ultrasonic Humidifier Market: Global Industry Trend Analysis and Forecast 2017 - 2025

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A humidifier is a device or a system used to add moisture and retain specific level of humidity in a given space. Industrial humidifiers are used in industries when specific humidity level is required to be maintained for various applications such as to preserve material properties and ensuring a comfortable and healthy environment. An ultrasonic industrial humidifier is a device that is used in diaphragm vibrating at an ultrasonic frequency converting water droplets into cool fog. Humidifiers are mainly used to eliminate the static electricity generation in industries especially in the cooler regions where RH levels reaches below 35%.Static electricity problems are mostly prevalent in IT industries, as it is a major concern as it can wreak havoc on the computers by burning microchips, and wiping out memory cards. Static electricity is also a point concern in the printing, textile and automotive industries, among the other industries. Increasing adoption of industrial ultrasonic humidifier in various end-user industries such as IT, automotive, food & beverage, textile and healthcare is expected to propel the growth of the global industrial ultrasonic humidifier market over the forecast period.Request Report for TOC @Global Industrial Ultrasonic Humidifier Market: DynamicsThe continuous growth in high-tech environment and high speed technologies is generating the requirement of meticulous control of moisture control to eliminate static electricity generation and to ensure quality in manufacturing processes and preserving material properties, among others. Increasing need to control humidity is expected to boost the growth of the industrial ultrasonic humidifier market at a significant rate. Furthermore, the adoption of industrial ultrasonic humidifier for planting in indoor spaces such as greenhouses and warehouses particularly in the colder regions is anticipated to be another driving factor for the growth of the industrial ultrasonic humidifier market.With the industrial evolution the focus is shifting towards greener solutions, industrial ultrasonic humidifiers are the most environmentally friendly solutions to be capitalized in the industries, such as data centers, which is one of the most prominent consumers of industrial ultrasonic humidifiers.The consumers are increasingly switching their preference over to industrial ultrasonic humidifiers from steam humidifiers primarily due to high efficiency and its characteristics such as clean and much precise humidity control. The initial cost of industrial ultrasonic humidifiers are higher than that of steam humidifiers, but it compensated as the operation cost is much lower and the operation in much efficient, for instance an industrial ultrasonic humidifier can cut operating power cost up to 90%. Further ultrasonic humidifiers require less maintenance. These factors are expected to drive the industrial ultrasonic humidifier market at a significant rate over the forecast period.Global Industrial Ultrasonic Humidifier Market: SegmentationThe global industrial ultrasonic humidifier market based on the end-use industries can be segmented as:Automotive IndustryFood and BeverageTextile IndustryPaper and Pulp IndustryPharmaceuticalHealthcareIT IndustryElectronic industryGlobal Industrial Ultrasonic Humidifier Market: Regional OutlookIndustrial ultrasonic humidifiers are expected to be in high demand in the European region due to cool climatic conditions in the region. Further, incising adoption of humidifiers in various end-user industries, especially in the healthcare sector, for proper maintenance of humidification to assure clean and hygienic environment is expected to be the driving factor for the growth of the industrial ultrasonic humidifier market in Europe. The North America industrial ultrasonic humidifier market is expected to be driven due to increasing demand from the healthcare and IT sectors.Request to Sample of Report @Moreover, standardization of air quality by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) is further compelling industrialists to invest for humidifiers. Increasing industrialization along with growing awareness about maintaining right humidity level to assure high productivity driven by governmental initiative is expected to propel the growth of the industrial ultrasonic humidifier market in Asia Pacific over the forecast period.Global Industrial Ultrasonic Humidifier Market: Key PlayersExamples of some of the key players identified in the global industrial ultrasonic humidifier market are as follows:CAREL INDUSTRIES S.p.A.STULZ GMBHHumidifirst, Inc.Proqutech EngineeringPERFECT AIRCONDITIONING TRADING COMPANYAireven Pty LtdMist And Oz Technologies Pvt. Ltd.UCAN CO., LTD.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:Metal Forming Equipment Market: Global Industry Trend Analysis and Forecast 2017 - 2025

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Metal forming is a process in which metal undergo a deformation and is shaped according to the requirement without removing or adding any other material from outside hence the mass of the metal remains the same. Metal forming process allows to alter the shape & size of the metal and also fabricate the required parts. Forming is generally divided into three categories bulk forming, sheet forming and powder metal forming. Equipment used for the process of metal forming includes arbor presses, beaders machine, bending machine, chemical explosive metal forming machine, die casting machine, elastic membrane metal forming machine and many other. Metal forming is one of the significant process which has various advantages- enhanced productivity, flexibility of operation, enhanced properties of metal, saves material and cost effective. Metal forming equipment is used for the manufacturing of various products from daily used goods to the automotive parts.Request Report for TOC @Metal forming equipment involves several steps in the process of conversion of raw material into finished goods. Metal forming equipment are the equipment mainly used for producing finished and semi-finished products. Metal forming equipment has the ability to change the shape & size of the metal either in hot or cold condition under the application of pressure. Furthermore, metal forming equipment allow to manufacture products with the required dimension, productivity and mechanical property. Production involves many processes and many equipment are available in the market for the process of metal forming. For the process of metal forming several equipment are available which perform the following processes metal machining, metal forming, metal joining, nano fabrication, micro machining, ultra precision and metal finishing.Metal Forming Equipment Global Market: Dynamics and RestrainsIncreasing demand for the fabricated metal products in the global market is enhancing the demand of metal forming equipment. Fabricated metals have wide range of applications such as manufacturing of springs, boiler, cutlery, metal can, among others. This key factor is projected to drive the metal forming equipment market over the estimated period of time in the global metal forming market. There is a successive growth in the demand of metal tools and it is expected to continue in the same pattern in the global market in the near future.Advanced 3-D printing technologies which makes the manufacturing easy and less time consuming is estimated to fuel the demand of metal forming equipment in the global market in the coming future. Manufacturers are involved in improving the quality of metal forming equipment present in the market, this will enforce the consumer to replace their old metal forming equipment with the novel machines and this will accelerate the demand of metal forming equipment. Moreover, the automobile industry is continuously demanding for new and advanced metal forming equipment in the current rapid industrialization stage in the developed as well as developing economies across the globe.Metal Forming Equipment Global Market Segmentation:The Metal Forming Equipment Global Market can be segmented on the basis of end use industry and by sales channel-The Metal Forming Equipment Global Market can be segmented on the basis of end use industry as:AutomotiveManufacturingPrecision EngineeringConstructionOthers (defense, healthcare etc.)The Metal Forming Equipment Global Market can be segmented on the basis of sales channel as:OEMAftermarketMetal Forming Equipment Global Market: Regional Outlook:Asia-Pacific is expected to have the significant market value share of metal forming equipment market over the estimated period. Developing countries like India and China are acting as the significant players in enhancing the demand of automobiles which in turn supporting the growth of metal forming equipment global market over the forecast period. Europe, North America and Middle East Africa are continuously showing the infrastructural growth which in turn drive the constructional industry. Owing to this, metal forming equipment market is estimated to grow in the upcoming future in the above mentioned regions.Request to Sample of Report @Metal Forming Equipment Global Market: Key PlayersKey players in the global market of Metal Forming Equipment Global Market are:Dalian Machine Tool Group CorporationDMG Mori AGFAIR FRIEND ENTERPRISE CO., LTDBYJC-Okuma Beijing Machine Tool Co LtdKennametal Inc.Amada (India) Pvt. Ltd.Magna InternationalGF Machining SolutionsMakino Milling Machine Co LtdTRUMPFAbout UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:Flat Glass Market to Extent an Assessed Value of US$ 63 Bn by 2025

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The demand for flat glass across multiple end-use industries is expected to surge in the coming years. This rise in demand will boost revenue growth of the global flat glass market, which is projected to reach a valuation of more than US$ 89 Bn by the end of the forecast period in 2025, up from an estimated US$ 58 Bn by 2017 end. This is reflective of a CAGR of 5.5% in terms of value during the eight year forecast period 2017  2025.Request for Table of Contents @To study the performance of the global flat glass market over this eight year period, Persistence Market Research recently conducted an in-depth study of the global market and published the findings in a new report titled Flat Glass Market: Global Industry Analysis (2012-2016) & Forecast (20172025). Besides the value and volume projections, the report highlights the factors expected to impact the growth of the global flat glass market during the period 2017 to 2025.Global Flat Glass Market: Forecast by TypeOn the basis of Type, the global flat glass market is segmented into Annealed Glass, Toughened Glass, Laminated Glass, Coated Glass, Mirrored Glass, Patterned Glass, and Extra Clear Glass. The Toughened Glass segment is expected to hold the highest market share of about 27% by the end of 2025. Annealed Glass and Laminated Glass are expected to remain attractive segments and generate high revenue shares in the upcoming years.Request to Sample of Report @Global Flat Glass Market: Forecast by Manufacturing ProcessThe global flat glass market is segmented on the basis of Manufacturing Process into Float Glass, Sheet Glass, and Rolled Glass. The Float Glass segment is expected to hold the highest market share of more than 85% throughout the forecast period. This segment is anticipated to gain 140 BPS in market share in 2025 over 2017.Global Flat Glass Market: Forecast by ApplicationOn the basis of Application, the global flat glass market is segmented into Building & Construction, Automotive, Electronics, Furniture, Solar Applications, and Others. Building & Construction is expected to witness the highest growth in terms of revenue, with a projected market value of about US$ 63 Bn by the end of the forecast period in 2025.Request Report Multiple Chapter @Global Flat Glass Market: Regional ForecastPersistence Market Research has studied the performance of the global flat glass market across the key geographies of Asia Pacific, North America, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific is expected to observe relatively higher Y-o-Y growth in the coming years. This is also the largest regional market for flat glass, with a projected value share of more than 55% throughout the assessment period.Asia Pacific is estimated to create a total incremental $ opportunity of about US$ 18 Bn between 2017 and 2025. North America and Europe are expected to witness moderate growth and medium market share in the coming years. The Europe flat glass market is anticipated to remain ahead of the regional markets in North America, Middle East & Africa and Latin America in the near future owing to the presence of a large number of automotive OEMs that demand huge quantities of flat glass for various applications.Get full report now @Global Flat Glass Market: Vendor EcosystemSome of the top players operating in the global flat glass market are profiled in this report. Companies featured in the report include Asahi Glass Co. Ltd., Compagnie de Saint-Gobain S.A., Nippon Sheet Glass Co. Ltd., Guardian Industries Corp., Central Glass Co., Ltd., China Glass Holdings Limited, ?i?ecam Group, Xinyi Glass Holdings Ltd., Vitro, S.A.B. de C.V., Fuyao Glass Industry Group Co., Ltd., CSG Holding Co., Ltd., Luoyang Glass Company Limited, Schott AG, Taiwan Glass Ind. Corp., Phoenicia Flat Glass Industries Ltd., Obeikan Glass Company, Emerge Glass India Pvt. Ltd., Cardinal Glass Industries, Inc., Euroglas GmbH, and Scheuten Glass Holding B.V.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Professional Services Robots Market Expand at the Fastest CAGR of 19.2% by 2022

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A rapid growth in the service industries and the pressing need to adapt to the changing demand of the consumers, market challenges and a rapid advancement in technology with a backdrop of cut throat competition are the factors responsible for the growth of the professional services robots market. Robots have made their presence felt already in the realm of industrial automation where they are employed for carrying out repetitive tasks.Request for Table of Contents @However, with advancements in the fields of machine learning, artificial intelligence, cognitive science and adaptive computing are enabling the robots to assist humans in a variety of tasks. The development of technologically advanced robots that have an improved intelligence and can perform touch-sensitive tasks in a better manner and in addition also have the ability to interact with humans seamlessly will help their better adoption in fields such as healthcare.Request to View Sample of Research Report @The global professional services robots market is slated to touch a value of about US$ 7,400 Mn in the year 2022 and grow at a robust CAGR during the assessment period.As per the forecast of Persistence Market Research, the professional cleaning segment is slated to touch a value of nearly US$ 650 Mn in the year 2022. This represents a robust CAGR growth during the assessment period of 2017-2022. The professional cleaning segment is estimated to account for nearly one-tenth of the revenue share of the application segment by the year 2017 and is forecasted to lose market share by 2022 over 2017.Request Report Multiple Chapter @As per the forecast of Persistence Market Research, the inspection & maintenance segment will reach a value of about US$ 180 Mn in the year 2017. This represents a robust CAGR growth during the forecast period. The inspection & maintenance segment is forecasted to account for a miniscule share of the total revenue share of the application segment by the end of the year 2017 and is expected to lose in market share by 2022 as compared with the year 2017.As per the forecast of Persistence Market Research, the water-based segment is slated to reach a value of nearly US$ 1,800 Mn in 2022. The water-based segment is expected to gain market share by the end of the year 2022. The largest share is contributed by the North America region in the water based segment. Persistence Market Research forecasts the U.S. professional services robots market to exhibit a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 20% from 2017 to 2022.Get full report now @The report has also included the profiles of some of the leading companies in the professional services robots market like Kuka AG, Robert Bosch GMBH, AB Electrolux, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Boston Dynamics, Inc., iRobot Corporation, Gecko Systems International Corporation, Daifuku Co., Ltd., Yujin Robot Co., Ltd, Aethon Inc. and Elbit Systems Ltd.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,Telephone - +1-646-568-7751USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comDrain Cleaning Equipment Market is Anticipated to Expand at a Healthy CAGR of 2.6% by 2025

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In an in-depth assessment of the global drain cleaning equipment market, Persistence Market Research forecasts the global market for drain cleaning equipment to witness sustained growth during an eight year assessment period, owing to growing demand from the municipal and residential sectors. Persistence Market Research presents useful insights into the global drain cleaning equipment market in a new report titled Drain Cleaning Equipment Market: Global Industry Analysis 2012  2016 and Forecast 2017  2025 and highlights the historical and current market forecasts along with factors likely to impact market growth during the forecast period 2017  2025.Request for Table of Contents @To provide a deeper understanding of the global drain cleaning equipment market, Persistence Market Research has segmented the global market on the basis of product type (hand tools, power tools), application (municipal, residential, industrial), sales channel (distributor, retail outlets, online), and region (North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa).By product type, the power tools segment is expected to gain significant market share of about 71% by the end of 2025. This segment will gain an impressive 350 basis points in its market share in 2025 over 2017. The segment is slated to reach a market valuation of almost US$ 182 Mn by the end of 2025, witnessing a CAGR of 5.9%.Request to View Sample of Research Report @Among the various applications of drain cleaning equipment, the municipal segment is set to dominate the global market throughout the forecast period with a projected market valuation of US$ 104.5 Mn by the end of 2025. The industrial segment is expected to witness a steady growth in terms of value over the forecast period.Of the different sales channels in the global drain cleaning equipment market, the distributor segment will hold maximum revenue share of about 52% throughout the duration of the forecast period. The online segment is expected to gain a significant 170 basis points in 2025 over 2017.Among regions, the North America drain cleaning equipment market is projected to remain dominant throughout the forecast period, estimated to hold a consistent value share of about 39% during the forecast period.Request Report Multiple Chapter @Europe is expected to hold the second position with about 28% value share by the end of the forecast period in 2025. North America is anticipated to represent incremental $ opportunity of US$ 32.7 Mn during the period of forecast. The drain cleaning equipment market in Europe is expected to witness a steady growth in demand over the study period. In terms of market attractiveness, North America and Europe will continue to remain the most attractive regional markets for drain cleaning equipment during the eight year period 2017  2025.The report profiles some of the top companies operating in the global drain cleaning equipment market such as Mosco Corp., General Wire Spring Co., GT Water Product Inc., Electric Eel Manufacturing Co Inc., Gorlitz Sewer & Drain Inc., Spartan Tools LLC, Duracable Manufacturing CO, Ridgid Inc., Goodway Technologies Corp., Rioned UK Ltd., ROTHENBERGER Werkzeuge GmbH, Kam-Avida Enviro Engineers Pvt., Ltd., Asada Corporation, Lavelle Industries, Inc., Albert Roller GmbH & Co KG, Ken-Way Corporation, and Amsse Products India.Get full report now @The global drain cleaning equipment market is mostly consolidated with the prominent players holding about 40% share in the overall market in 2016. According to Persistence Market Research analysis, the global drain cleaning equipment market will witness the prominence of leading players mostly based in North America. While the Europe market will be marked by the presence of some regional players, Asia Pacific and Latin America will witness the dominance of several unorganized market players.To Know More Information @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Microphone Market to Develop Rapidly by 2025

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OverviewMicrophones or microphone chip or silicon microphones has extensive usage in high quality audio output devices. These devices are mainly used in smartphones and tablets for the high quality sound and with its quick technological development and advanced miniature microphones, they can be integrated in compact electronic devices. They are widely used in voice recognition, voice transmission, noise recognition and reduction of external noise. They also find application in automobile for driver assistance and positioning & navigation control, medical application in stethoscopes and many more. Recent developments in microphones have resulted in development of miniature microphones and that are widely used across the mobile industry and electronic products.Microphones are of many varieties that includes condenser microphone, electret microphone, dynamic microphone, ribbon microphone, carbon microphone, piezoelectric microphones, laser microphones and many others. Microphone consist of a sensitive part called capsule from where the voice is heard. Sound is converted to mechanical motion to electrical signals and sound is heard through capsule. Advancements in technology have also invented wireless microphone which is connected through a Bluetooth that works on radio transmitter. These devices have large scope in mobile phones, medical equipment, military equipment and many others.Global Microphone Market  Drivers and RestraintsThe Global Microphone Market is driven by huge adoption of smart phones and tablets. The market is experiencing huge decrease in the prices of the microphones because of increasing competition. Manufacturers have focused on making the microphones smaller in the size and more robust which has driven the market. Due to noise or dead spots that appears on the call has mainly beaten up the market. Also the integration of the microphone has restrained the global microphone market. The increase in demand from the emerging economies from countries like Africa, and India has shown to be good opportunity for Global Microphone Market.Request for Table of Contents @Global Microphone Market  SegmentationThe Global Microphone Market is segmented based on by type, by application.Global Microphone Market by Type:Analogue MicrophoneDigital MicrophoneElectret MicrophoneOthersGlobal Microphone Market by application:Medical instrumentsConsumer electronicsAutomotiveMobile phonesCommercial security and surveillanceSensing ApplicationIndustrial devicesGlobal Microphone Market  Region Wise OutlookThe Global Microphone Market is divided into seven regions namely North America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Japan, Latin America, and Middle East and Africa. North America is expected to lead the Global microphone market because of the high usage of mobile and other electronic devices in this region. APEJ is showing the dominance in the forecast period because of China, which is biggest market for manufacturing of TV, smartphone, tablet, gaming, and other electronic devices. Europe has the third largest market share in the Global microphone market which is followed by Middle East and Africa.Request to View Sample of Research Report @Global Microphone Market PlayersSTMicroelectronicsAAC TechnologiesOmronBosch SensortecInvenSenseMEMSensingDelphiNew Japan RadioGoerTekHaidenKnowlesCirrus LogicBSEInfineonNeoMEMS TechnologiesABOUT 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:Air India's new owner to be decided in next few days: Sources

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Understanding The Different Types of SME Loans in IndiaTiming cover / Timing belt cover Market to Witness Exponential Growth by 2025

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Timing cover / Timing belt cover: OverviewThe timing cover/Timing belt cover is an important equipment made to guard the timing chain of your vehicle from debris, dirt, and grit. The timing chain or belt of your vehicle controls the spinning of the crankshaft and camshafts in the internal ignition engine. As long as camshafts are rotating, the engines regulators are opened and closed in coordinated movement with each cylinders intake and exhaust strokes. Each vehicle engine contains timing belt which has timing cover.Timing belt cover has multi functions. The main purpose of timing belt cover is to protect timing belt from road debris. Debris can be a reason teeth broken and can push it off the pulley which can damage car engine. The estimated life span of a timing belt is between 60,000 and 1, 00,000 miles. Timing belt cover is responsible for keeping timing belt strong and protect for smooth operation. Timing cover/ timing belt cover is made of metal or plastic and works in association with timing cover gasket that prevents oil leakage onto the surface.Timing cover / Timing belt cover: Drivers and RestraintsKey drivers that drive timing cover/ timing belt cover markets of global include rising demand for vehicles, automation in industries along with domestic purpose. The macroeconomic factor which is responsible for the rapid rate of timing cover/timing belt cover is rising per disposal income, increasing industrialization, changing the work process of manufacturing industries and for market revenue growth globally. Other key driving factors of timing cover/timing belt cover are widely used of conveyers in industrial automation along with reducing the cost of operation globally.Timing cover/Timing belt cover is rapidly using in large lathe machines. The major restraining factor of timing cover/timing belt cover markets is less durability, owing to widely used in the heavy machine for automation. Hence timing cover/timing belt cover needs frequent service or replacements.Request for Table of Contents @Timing cover / Timing belt cover: Market SegmentationTiming cover / Timing belt cover market can be segmented into end-use, price, product types, and region.Timing cover / Timing belt cover market can be segmented based on application type as follow:-VehiclesTwo wheelerPassenger carLMV(Light motor vehicle)HMV(Heavy motor vehicle)ManufacuringOthersTiming cover / Timing belt cover market can be segmented based on price as follow:-PremiumEconomyTiming cover / Timing belt cover market can be segmented based on product types as follow:-PolycarbonatePlexiglassSegmentation Overview:-Timing covers/Timing belt covers are made of different kinds of material such as polycarbonate and plexiglass. Polycarbonate timing belt covers are more heat resistant than plexiglass and stronger. Timing cover/Timing belt cover can be segmented on application type such as the vehicle, Manufacturing, etc. Timing cover/Timing belt cover is used in two wheeler, passenger cars, LMV and HMV in vehicle segments. Among aforementioned vehicles, LMV had significant revenue share and expected to have high growth rate globally. Timing covers/Timing belt covers are widely used in manufacturing industries for automation globally. Timing cover/Timing belt cover can be segmented on prices such as premium price and economy price.Timing cover / Timing belt cover: Market Regional OutlookBased on the geographies, Timing cover/Timing belt cover market is segmented into seven regions -North America, Western Europe, Asia-Pacific except Japan, Eastern Europe, Latin America, Middle East & Africa, and Japan. Among the above-mentioned regions, North America accounts for a significant growth of global timing cover/timing belt cover market, owing to relatively high-value share of the global automotive market. Western Europe is followed by North America in the global timing cover/timing belt cover market. Overall, the outlook for the global timing cover/timing belt cover market is estimated to witness positive growth over the forecast period, owing to rapid growth of automotive, manufacturing and other industries.Request to View Sample of Research Report @Few players of timing cover/timing belt cover market include:-DialimBervinaJinhua City Liubei Auto Parts Co. Ltd.Nanchang Autocare Co., LimitedBotou Fortune Machinery And Packing Co., Ltd.Guangzhou Libo Industrial Belts Co., Ltd.Ningbo MayCz Transmission Belt Technology Co., Ltd.proformZykonAutozoneABOUT 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:Automotive Robotics Market Progresses for Huge Profits During 2017-2025

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Robotics is the interdisciplinary division of science and engineering that contain mechanical, electrical, computer science, and other engineering streams. Robotics accomplishes the designing, construction, operation, as well as utilization of robot. Also, these technology advancements are utilized to create machines that can substitute people. These robots are used in varied applications which are broadly segmented as commercial and household robots; the commercial robot adheres robots used in various industries including automotive, medical, agriculture, military and much more.Mostly and abundantly application of robotics is in the automotive industry. Among all type of automotive robotics products, articulated robots hold primary share in automotive robotics market worldwide whereas robotic controller component is emerging as a promising component that triggers the market of automotive robotics in the near future.Automotive Robotics Market: Market Dynamics and RestraintsGrowth in per capita income is rising the demand of automobile all over the globe, and today automotive industry became one of the demanding industry globally. The key players in this industry are well-known companies who has shown their presence in all the regions, hence growth in the automotive sector is directly driving the market of automotive robotics.The significant drivers that trigger the demand for robots in the automotive industry are persistence in high investment in production capacity of new or advanced automotive product line in evolving market, modernization in the key automobile producing regions such as US, Russia, Germany, India, China, Japan and many more., emerging need for saving product launch time, evolving need of alternative source for unskilled labor or eliminating issue of rising labor costs, and high demand for precision and quality control, among others.Request for Table of Contents @Automotive Robotics Market: Market SegmentationThe global automotive robotics market is segmented based on its product types, components, and applications.Based on its product types, automotive robotics market is segmented into:ArticulatedCartesianSCARACylindricalBased on its components, automotive robotics market is segmented into:ControllerRobotic ArmEnd EffectorSensorsDriveBased on its applications, automotive robotics market is segmented into:Primary Manufacturing Process RobotsCuttingWeldingPaintingSecondary Manufacturing Process RobotsMaterial HandlingPalletizingPackagingAssembly Of The ComponentsDis-Assembly Of The ComponentsAutomotive Robotics Market: Regional OutlookRegarding geography, the global automotive robotics market has been categorized into seven key regions including North and Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan, Japan, and the Middle East & Africa. The automotive robotics market is globally expected to register healthy CAGR during the forecast period. Despite the soft economy, consumers of North America are buying cars which raise the production in the automotive sector in countries such as Canada and the US, as well as North America one of the automobile manufacturing companies' hub this made, North America is a leading region in automotive robotics market.Western & Eastern Europe, as well as Japan, are the other regions which are known as the origin of key players from the automobile industry, the production of automobiles in these companies increased the demand for automotive robotics in Western, Eastern Europe as well as Japan making them other leading regions. Countries such as China, India are the principal countries in Asia-Pacific excluding Japan region, development wise, many industries such as automotive, electronics, and aviation are opening their factories in these countries, this generates the demand of automotive robotics market by making Asia Pacific excluding Japan as an emerging region.Request to View Sample of Research Report @Automotive Robotics Market: Key playersSome of the key players of global automotive robotics market include Yaskawa Electric Corporation, ABB Group, Yamaha Robotics, Comau SpA, Universal Robots, Denso Wave Incorporated, Staubli, Durr AG, Siasun Robot & Automation Co., Ltd., Fanuc Corporation, Rockwell Automation, Inc., Harmonic Drive System, Nachi-Fujikoshi Corp., Reis Gmbh & Co. Kg Maschinenfabrik, KUKA AG, and Panasonic Welding Systems Co. Ltd., among other major players in the market. Other players in the market of automotive robotics are Kawasaki Heavy Industries (Kawasaki Robotics), Omron Corporation (Adept Technology, Inc.), and Nabtesco Motion Control, 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:Cloud Security Software Market Exclusive 2018 Updates by Manufacturing Technology, Industry Size, Top Players Analysis and Forecasts Till 2023

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The 'Cloud Security Software Market, 2013-2023 Industry Research Report' is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the global Cloud Security Software industry with a focus on the Chinese market. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the Cloud Security Software manufacturers and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the industry. Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including its definition, applications and manufacturing technology. Then, the report explores the international and Chinese major industry players in detail. In this part, the report presents the company profile, product specifications, capacity, production value, and 2013-2018 market shares for each company.Through the statistical analysis, the report depicts the global and Chinese total market of Cloud Security Software industry including capacity, production, production value, cost/profit, supply/demand and Chinese import/export. The total market is further divided by company, by country, and by application/type for the competitive landscape analysis. The report then estimates 2018-2023 market development trends of Cloud Security Software industry. Analysis of upstream raw materials, downstream demand, and current market dynamics is also carried out. In the end, the report makes some important proposals for a new project of Cloud Security Software Industry before evaluating its feasibility. Overall, the report provides an in-depth insight of 2013-2023 global and Chinese Cloud Security Software industry covering all important parameters.Get Exclusive Sample Copy @The Global Cloud Security Software Market report titled Global Cloud Security Software Market Research Report 2018 has been added to huge data base of BusinessIndustryReports.com.Cloud security software gives security to cloud-based administrations or distributed computing architectures. Cloud security programming can be an independent arrangement or a suite of items. It centres on the security of key parameters, for example, consistence, administration, information assurance, design, and personality and access. The primary drivers for the worldwide cloud security programming market are the developing utilization of cloud administrations for basic information stockpiling and the sudden increment in cloud-particular assaults. Driven by different factors, for example, adaptability, cost sparing, and accessibility, an expanding number of organizations are exchanging their information to the cloud (however this is likewise presenting these organizations to different dangers related with distributed computing). A portion of alternate drivers for this market are the expanding utilization of cloud-based administrations in non-customary segments and the ascent in representative versatility. An ordinary cloud security arrangement offers highlights, for example, encryption, Identity and Access Management (IAM), endpoint observing, defenselessness filtering, interruption location, and application and informing security.Order Single or Corporate User License Copy Enable with 143 Premium Pages is Available @Major TOC Global and Chinese Cloud Security Software Market, 2018 Market Research Report:Chapter One Introduction of Cloud Security Software Industry1.1 Brief Introduction of Cloud Security Software1.2 Development of Cloud Security Software Industry1.3 Status of Cloud Security Software IndustryChapter Two Manufacturing Technology of Cloud Security Software2.1 Development of Cloud Security Software Manufacturing Technology2.2 Analysis of Cloud Security Software Manufacturing Technology2.3 Trends of Cloud Security Software Manufacturing TechnologyChapter Three Analysis of Global Key Manufacturers3.1 Company A3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Product Information3.1.3 2013-2018 Production Information3.1.4 Contact Information3.2 Company B3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Product Information3.2.3 2013-2018 Production Information3.2.4 Contact Information3.3 Company C3.2.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Product Information3.3.3 2013-2018 Production Information3.3.4 Contact Information3.4 Company D3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Product Information3.4.3 2013-2018 Production Information3.4.4 Contact Information3.5 Company E3.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Product Information3.5.3 2013-2018 Production Information3.5.4 Contact Information3.6 Company F3.6.1 Company Profile3.6.2 Product Information3.5.3 2013-2018 Production Information3.6.4 Contact Information3.7 Company G3.7.1 Company ProfileTOC Continued.!Ask Questions to Expertise @About us:BusinessIndustryReports.com is digital database of comprehensive market reports for global industries. As a market research company, we take pride in equipping our clients with insights and data that holds the power to truly make a difference to their business. Our mission is singular and well-defined  we want to help our clients envisage their business environment so that they are able to make informed, strategic and therefore successful decisions for themselves.Media Contact:Business Industry ReportsPune - 411002MaharashtraCall: +19376349940Email: sales@businessindustryreports.comAccounting Software Market Worldwide Top 10 Players 2023 Forecasts with Intuit, Sage, SAP, Oracle (NetSuite), Microsoft, Infor and Epicor

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Global Accounting Software Market Summary:Accounting software is a foundational technology for many companies, and as a business grows having a powerful, effective accounting solution becomes increasingly critical. Most accounting software packages offer the same basic features necessary for managing finances: accounts receivable, accounts payable, general ledger, billing and invoicing, purchase and sales orders, and reporting. Beyond basic functionality, the top accounting solutions offer additional features to give users more power, flexibility and customization. Oftentimes accounting solutions are closely integrated with other key software solutions. Most ERP solutions include an extensive accounting module, but buyers should also consider best-of-breed, standalone accounting software.This report includes market status and forecast of global and major regions, with introduction of vendors, regions, product types and end industries; and this report counts product types and end industries in global and major regions.Accounting Software Market Segment as follows:By Region / CountriesNorth America (U.S., Canada, Mexico)Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Italy, Russia, Spain etc)South America (Brazil, Argentina etc)Middle East & Africa (Saudi Arabia, South Africa etc)Get Exclusive Sample Copy @Accounting Software Market By TypeOnline Solutions Accounting SoftwareDesktop Solutions Accounting SoftwareAccounting Software Market By End-User / ApplicationManufacturingServicesRetailAccounting Software Market By CompanyIntuitSageSAPOracle (NetSuite)MicrosoftInforEpicorWorkday Unit4XeroYonyouKingdeeAcclivityFreshBooksIntacctAssit cornerstoneAplicorRed wingAsk Questions to Expertise @Major TOC of Global Accounting Software Market Size, Status and Forecast 20251 Market Definition1.1 Market Segment Overview1.2 by Type1.3 by End-Use / Application2 Global Market by Vendors2.1 Market Share2.2 Vendor Profile2.3 Dynamic of Vendors3 Global Market by Type3.1 Market Share3.2 Introduction of End-Use by Different Products4 Global Market by End-Use / Application4.1 Market Share4.2 Overview of Consumption Characteristics4.2.1 Preference Driven4.2.2 Substitutability4.2.3 Influence by Strategy4.2.4 Professional Needs5 Global Market by Regions5.1 Market Share5.2 Regional Market Growth5.2.1 North America5.2.2 Europe5.2.3 Asia-Pacific5.2.4 South America5.2.5 Middle East & Africa6 North America Market6.1 by Type6.2 by End-Use / Application6.3 by Regions7 Europe Market7.1 by Type7.2 by End-Use / Application7.3 by RegionsTOC Continued.!Get Discount @TOC Continued!About us:BusinessIndustryReports.com is digital database of comprehensive market reports for global industries. As a market research company, we take pride in equipping our clients with insights and data that holds the power to truly make a difference to their business. Our mission is singular and well-defined  we want to help our clients envisage their business environment so that they are able to make informed, strategic and therefore successful decisions for themselves.Media Contact:Business Industry ReportsPune - 411002MaharashtraCall: +19376349940Email: sales@businessindustryreports.comProperty Management System (PMS) Market Competitive Analysis by Oracle, eZee Technosys, InnQuest, MSI, Guestline, Frontdesk Anywhere and Northwind

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The Global Property Management System Market report studies the global Property Management System (PMS) market, analyzes and researches the Property Management System (PMS) development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeInnkeyPMSDJUBOHotelogixOracleeZee TechnosysInnQuestMSIGuestlineFrontdesk AnywhereNorthwindRDPWinMarket segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaMarket segment by Application, Property Management System (PMS) can be split intoCommercialResidentialGet Exclusive Sample Copy @Global Property Management System (PMS) Market Size, Status and Forecast 2025InnkeyPMSDJUBOHotelogixOracleeZee TechnosysInnQuestMSIGuestlineFrontdesk AnywhereNorthwindRDPWinProperty Management System (PMS) Market segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaProperty Management System (PMS) Market segment by Application, Property Management System (PMS) can be split intoCommercialResidentialAsk Questions to Expertise @Major TOC For Global Property Management System (PMS) Market Size, Status and Forecast 2025:Global Property Management System (PMS) Market Size, Status and Forecast 20251 Industry Overview of Property Management System (PMS)1.1 Property Management System (PMS) Market Overview1.1.1 Property Management System (PMS) Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Property Management System (PMS) 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 Property Management System (PMS) Market by End Users/Application1.3.1 Commercial1.3.2 Residential2 Global Property Management System (PMS) Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Property Management System (PMS) 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 InnkeyPMS3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Property Management System (PMS) Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 DJUBO3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Property Management System (PMS) Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 HotelogixTOC Continued!Get Discount @About us:BusinessIndustryReports.com is digital database of comprehensive market reports for global industries. As a market research company, we take pride in equipping our clients with insights and data that holds the power to truly make a difference to their business. Our mission is singular and well-defined  we want to help our clients envisage their business environment so that they are able to make informed, strategic and therefore successful decisions for themselves.Media Contact:Business Industry ReportsPune - 411002MaharashtraCall: +19376349940Email: sales@businessindustryreports.comIn light of Confederate flag demonstrations held outside of Bay City Western High School this past week, an event is taking place to celebrate the "commitment to all of the members of the mid-Michigan community," according to event organizers.

From 6:30 to 7:30 a.m. on Monday, April 23 the community is invited to Williams Township Park, 1080 W. Midland Rd. in Auburn to walk or run the trails together. Coffee will be provided at the community building event.

"If you don't want to walk or run, and just want to join us as a show of support, just come and grab a hot beverage with us," the event press release states.

Bay City Western High School alumni are also creating a scholarship for Bay City Western students who are leaders in making the community stronger through actions promoting positive race relations, diversity as a strength and social justice.

The award can be used for continuing education at a college or university, in the skilled trades or vocational training or for other opportunities enhancing skills or experience in community building.

Donations to the Bay City Western Creating Community award can be made online through the Bay Area Community Foundation.

"Out of diversity comes great strength and opportunity," the press release states. "We can all learn from each other and its in everyones interest to work toward building and maintaining a place where everyone feels welcome and valued."

School was called off at Bay City Western High School and Western Middle School on Thursday, April 19 due to threats related to people flying Confederate flags outside of the high school.

The group flying the rebel flag from their vehicles garnered a showing counter protests from Bay City Western and Central high schools as well as national news coverage. The story was covered by the New York Times, Washington Post and Fox News.The Midland County Board of Commissioners has unanimously approved a grant in the amount of $4,000 to fund scrap tire cleanups.

Michigan DEQ will reimburse Midland County up to $4,000 for actual costs related to the cost of processing and delivering scrap tires.

We do it as a courtesy and I think it is good public relations. It does help with our habitat for mosquitoes, said Card Doud, Midland County Mosquito Control (MCMC) director. The MCDC administers the tire drives for the county.

Last year, the MCMC conducted two drives, one in May and the other in July.

We didnt claim the full $4,000 last year because one of our drives we didnt quite fill the trailer so we didnt get the full $2,000. I think the total was right around $3,800, Doud said.

The county did not receive the full $2,000 reimbursement from the DEQ.

People are used to a September tire drive, Doud said. We didnt get people signed up. Well continue to work and I think as the years go on, they will get used to this process. This year, we wont have to do it in July. We can move it to August.

Throughout the year, residents do have the option of taking tires to CM Rubber Technology in Coleman. Unlike the MCMC tire drives, which are free, CM Rubber charges a small disposal fee.

The MCMC's first scrap tire drive for 2018 will be held on May 5 at Porter Township Hall, 4000 S. Nine Mile Road, Breckenridge. The drive will be from 8 a.m. to noon.

Appointments are highly recommended and the cheapest and best way to ensure the disposal of tires. Call 989-631-1668 to schedule an appointment and have the following information ready: name, address, and number of tires you wish to bring.

Up to 10-passenger size tires without rims can be disposed of free of charge with an appointment.

For more information about Midland Countys Mosquito Control Program: http://co.midland.mi.us/MosquitoControl.aspx.Petoskey competes for four quarters with TC West, comes up just shortGet the SC business stories that matter.

Our newsletter catches you up with all the business stories that are shaping Charleston and South Carolina every Monday and Thursday at noon. Get ahead with us - it's free.Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low 69F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low 69F. Winds light and variable.Michael Majchrowicz is a reporter covering crime and public safety. He previously wrote about courts for the Daily Hampshire Gazette in Northampton, Massachusetts. A Hoosier native, he graduated from Indiana University with a degree in journalism.David Slade is a senior Post and Courier reporter. His work has been honored nationally by Society of Professional Journalists, American Society of Newspaper Editors, Scripps foundation and others. Reach him at 843-937-5552 or dslade@postandcourier.comWatchdog/Public Service Editor

Glenn Smith is editor of the Watchdog and Public Service team and helped write the newspapers Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation, Till Death Do Us Part. Reach him securely on Signal at 843-607-0809 or by email at gsmith5@protonmail.com.Angie Jackson covers crime and breaking news for The Post and Courier. She previously covered the same beat for the Grand Rapids Press and MLive.com in Michigan. When shes not reporting, Angie enjoys teaching yoga and exploring the outdoors.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.Jamie Lovegrove is a political reporter covering the South Carolina Statehouse, congressional delegation and campaigns. He previously covered Texas politics in Washington for The Dallas Morning News and in Austin for the Texas Tribune.An Air New Zealand Dreamliner from Auckland turned back before it could make a fuel stop on Guam Saturday on its way to Tokyo because of a problem with the cabin's air system.

Air New Zealand Flight 99 returned to Auckland about two hours and 17 minutes into what was supposed to be a 10-hour flight, tracker flightaware.com shows.

An unnamed representative for the airline told New Zealand Herald the flight had been scheduled to make a fuel stop on Guam Saturday. The flight had 256 passengers.

Todd Scott, a passenger on board the flight, initially tweeted "AKL-Narita now diverting to Guam! Unconfirmed reports from insider @FlyAirNZ say it's a full-blown emergency! Eng issue means they have to descend. Altitude at 15,000 feet, so likely a pressurization problem.

However the New Zealand Herald quotes the Air New Zealand spokesperson as saying there was no problem with the engine or pressurization of the aircraft.

Air New Zealand released a travel alert that international flights using its Dreamliner face rescheduling or cancellations because of an earlier-than-expected need to conduct maintenance on some of the Boeing 787-9 engines, which the airline stated is a global issue.PULLED FROM THE RUBBLE: Civil defense workers unload bodies from a truck at their headquarters in Raqqa, Syria, March 8. On that day, they retrieved 11 bodies from the rubble, eight of them unidentified. Alice Martins/For The Washington PostJeff Aman today announced his official review of ECom Secrets.

PR-Inside.com: 2018-04-22 07:34:01

Press Information

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Jeff Aman

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# 354 Words

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Jeff Aman today announced his official review of ECom Secrets. Rumors are already starting to circulate among observers and die-hard fans within the Affiliate Marketing world, as the 'Live' date of ECom Secrets is finally here. Jeff Aman has also released three things fans, reviewers and critics can expect from the release in 2018.The first thing folks should expect is that the ECom Secrets may not be a 'stand alone' e-commerce product. This means that it may be a great addition if you are already well versed in the Ecom industry, but if you're a newbie then maybe it might not cover all the bases.As well as that, Jeff Aman will be laying out exactly what the ECom Secrets provides as well as what it doesn't provide.Finally, for die hard fans of the industry, they'll be interested to know everything about Ecom Secrets. It has taken This review has taken days to produce, from start to finish, from the initial idea to creating the final video. This should provide total satisfaction to Affiliate Marketing connoisseurs.And for more information about the review itself, more information can be found at: https://youtu.be/lBDbaJpHGyI Here are some of the teaching points in Ecom Secrets:1. What is working right now in 2018 in the eCom world!2. Why we advise our students to AVOID Aliexpress like the plague!3. Why Facebook is a spent force in the eCom world.4. Which traffic sources are exploding our businesses while other marketers are closing their doors.5. How one simple app resulted in over $55,000 in EXTRA sales in 2 months6. Which SECRET suppliers nobody else is using and are creating brand new products for us which result in us being the first to market every time.This may or not be for you. So make sure to do your due dilligence when looking at any online product.All Jeff Aman believes that eCom Secrets will be a good addition for those who are already familiar with the eCom industry. If you are brand new to the industry Jeff Aman suggests finding a more in depth training program that covers all the basics.Jeff Aman today announced his official review of VidIx Software.

Vidix review

PR-Inside.com: 2018-04-22 21:39:53

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PO Box 423 New Braunfels, Tx



Jeff Aman

CEO

3616580002

email

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# 364 Words

PO Box 423 New Braunfels, TxCEO3616580002

Jeff Aman today announced his official review of VidIx Software. Rumors are already starting to circulate among observers and die-hard fans within the Affiliate Marketing world, as the 'Live' date of VidIx is finally here. Jeff Aman has also released talking points about the software, reviewers and critics can expect from the release in 2018.The first thing folks should expect is that the VidIX may not be for you if you don't already have a successful blog. This means that it may be a great addition if you are already well versed in the blogging industry, but if you're a newbie then the software probably won't help you much.As well as that, Jeff Aman will be laying out exactly what the ECom Secrets provides as well as what it doesn't provide.Finally, for die hard fans of the industry, they'll be interested to know everything about VidIx. It has taken This review has taken days to produce, from start to finish, from the initial idea to creating the final video. This should provide total satisfaction to Affiliate Marketing connoisseurs.And for more information about the review itself, more information can be found at: https://youtu.be/pJm3zygNIBw Here are some of my thoughts on Vidix.1. Unless you already know how to rank for keywords on google then this software won't help you bring traffic.2. With Vidix you are able to add many different call to actions to your videos hosted on your wordpress site. However, Vidix won't necessarily help you if you don't know how to get traffic from your blog.3. One cool feature about Vidix is that you can add many different call to actions to the video pages you create with it, including an optin form.4. Once again, I'd like to stress, if you don't already know how to rank in the search engines then Vidix will not bring you any additional traffic.This may or not be for you. So make sure to do your due dilligence when looking at any online product.Also make sure that you are already getting traffic from your wordpress site if you want to start using VidIx to its full potential straight away.Malaria continues to be a major public health problem in 97 countries and territories in the tropics and subtropics.

Globally, approximately 214 million cases of malaria occur annually and 3.3 billion people in 106 countries are at risk of being infected. Approximately 438,000 deaths were attributed to malaria alone in 2015, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, where an estimated 90 per cent of all malaria deaths occur.

As a critical target of the Millennium Development Goals, in 2005, the World Health Assembly established a goal of reducing malaria cases and deaths by 75 per cent between 2005 and 2015.

Hence, over the past decade, there has been renewed interest in research and innovations in diagnostic methods, drugs and vaccines, and the development of control measures to eradicate malaria.

As a result, between 2000 and 2013, the incidence rates of malaria fell by 30 per cent globally, and by 34 per cent in Africa.

Malaria is one the endemic disease which has killed 400,000 babies and claimed so many pregnant women lives

In Nigeria

Nigeria suffers the worlds greatest malaria burden, with approximately 51 million cases and 207,000 deaths reported annually (approximately 30 per cent of the total malaria burden in Africa), while 97 per cent of the total population (approximately 173 million) is at risk of infection.

Moreover, malaria accounts for 60 per cent of outpatient visits to hospitals and led to approximately 11 per cent maternal mortality and 30 per cent child mortality, especially among children less than five years.

Malaria is caused by Plasmodium falciparum, and the mosquitoes Anopheles gambiae, Anopheles funestus, Anopheles arabiensis, and Anopheles moucheti are the major vectors that cause year-round transmission. Artemether-lumefantrine (AL) or artesunate + amodiaquine (AS + AQ) is the treatment regime adopted in 2004.

This devastating disease affects the countrys economic productivity, resulting in an estimated monetary loss of approximately N132 billion (~700 million USD), in treatment costs, prevention, and other indirect costs.

Since 2008, the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) in Nigeria has adopted a specific plan, the goal of which is to reduce 50 per cent of the malaria burden by 2013 by achieving at least 80 per cent coverage of long-lasting impregnated mosquito nets (LLINs), together with other measures, such as 20 per cent of houses in targeted areas receiving indoor residual spraying (IRS), and treatment with two doses of intermittent preventative therapy (IPT) for pregnant women who visit antenatal care clinics.

Due to these measures, the percentage of households with at least one LLIN increased to over 70 per cent by 2010, compared to only 5 per cent in 2008.

Level of coverage still a challenge

However, the way a country finances its health care system is a critical determinant for reaching Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

This is so because it determines whether the health services that are available are affordable to those that need them. In Nigeria, the health sector is financed through different sources and mechanisms.

The difference in the proportionate contribution from these stated sources determine the extent to which such health sector will go in achieving successful health care financing system. Unfortunately, in Nigeria, achieving the correct blend of these sources remains a challenge.

As Nigeria celebrates the World Malaria Day 2018, with the theme Ready to beat malaria the coverage of malaria in Nigeria is still far behind.

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World Malaria Day is an international observance commemorated every year on April 25 and recognises global efforts to control malaria.

Nigeria has 34,173 health facilities nationwide which include 30,098 primary health centres, 3,992 secondary facilities, and 83 tertiary facilities. The private sector constitute 33 per cent of all facilities in Nigeria, yet there is still a hole in our malaria coverage

Huge funds deployed over the years

Nigeria has benefited from support from various partners for malaria control. Currently, the largest funding partners are the Global Fund, the U.S. Government, and United Kingdom Department for International Development (DfID).

Other key partners include the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) and the WHO. There is also corporate sector support for malaria control including ExxonMobil, Chevron, Royal Dutch Shell, Dangote Foundation, and telecommunication companies. The Global Business Coalition through the Corporate Alliance on Malaria in Africa is galvanising corporate efforts to support resource mobilisation as well as to leverage the strength of this sector.

The headquarters of the World Health Organization (WHO) is pictured in Geneva [Photo Credit: VOANEWS]

In 2014, Nigeria had three approved grants for malaria from the Global Fund, the latter two designating the NMEP as the Principal Recipient. In March 2015 the country and the Global Fund signed the New Funding Model (NFM) grant totaling to over $400 million for two years.

The approved grant for Nigeria under the NFM was $400,253,346 to cover the period of February 2015 to December 31, 2016. The fund was managed by the NMEP ($308,577,343) and the Society for Family Health ($91,676,003) as Principal Recipients.

As of the end of January 2016, $279,554,526 was committed to support various malaria activities, including procurement of malaria commodities. The Global Fund included a requirement that the Nigeria Government to provide $22.5 million as counterpart financing for ITNs; however, the counterpart finance is yet to be provided.

The current Global Fund agreement, signed in 2014, originally required the Nigerian Government to provide $45.7 million in counterpart funding for net distribution. When the Government failed to provide those funds, during grant extension negotiations in 2017, the Global Fund agreed to halve the amount required to $22.5 million.

Treated mosquito nets help prevent against malaria.

To date, the government has not provided this amount. The current Global Fund grant ended in December 2017, and unless Nigeria government funds are provided prior to that grant expiration, counterpart funding requirements will not have been met.

As of April, 2017, a non-costed extension was granted for the Nigeria malaria grant, as well as a one-year grant with a new Principal Recipient, Catholic Relief Services, to implement long-lasting insecticidal net (LLIN) replacement mass campaigns in six states and continue implementation of the other malaria program activities through December, 2017.

The extension and one-year CRS grant will maintain the scope and scale of essential malaria services in 2017 and will be funded through reinvestment of unspent funds within the current grant.

In terms of activities, the Global Fund grant supports scale-up of prevention and case management activities in line with the NMSP 2014-2020. The key interventions are to attain universal coverage of ITNs through mass campaigns and continuous distribution channels.

About 10 states were included in the project and Kogi, with a prevalence of malaria in children of under five years of age of 5 per cent, was replaced with Plateau State with the parasite in children under five years of age of 36 per cent. Support to Kogi State was phased out in 2017. The projected population of the 11 states to receive PMI (Presidents Malaria Initiative) support in 2019 is 57.8 million.

The PMI is a U.S. Government initiative designed to cut malaria deaths in half in target countries in sub-Saharan Africa. It was announced on June 30, 2005, when President Bush pledged to increase U.S. funding of malaria prevention and treatment in sub-Saharan Africa by more than $1.2 billion over 5 years (FY2006-FY2010).

A recent additional resource for the states is the Saving One Million Lives Initiative (SOML) Program-for-Results (PforR) Project. The objective of this US$500 million World Bank-funded project is to increase the utilisation and quality of high impact reproductive, child health, and nutrition interventions. Still, external funding does not cover all technical assistance and implementation support needs for all health facilities within these 11 states.

The World Bank

Roll Back Malaria

Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership was launched in 1998 by the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the World Bank.

Its goal was to provide a coordinated global approach to fighting malaria.The RBM Partnership is the global framework for implementing coordinated action against malaria. It mobilises resources for action and forges consensus among partners.

The UNICEF logo is pictured on a building in Geneva. [Courtesy: voanewscom]

The Partnership is made up of more than 500 partners, including countries where malaria is endemic, their bilateral and multilateral development partners, the private sector, nongovernmental and community-based organizations, foundations, and research and academic institutions. The Global Malaria Action Plan defines two stages of malaria control: first, scaling-up for impact (SUFI) of preventive and therapeutic interventions, and then sustaining control over time.

Coverage and Implementation

Nigeria began implementation of Presidential Malaria Initiative (PMI) in the fiscal year (FY) 2011. PMI began with support to three states (Cross River, Nasarawa, and Zamfara).

In 2012, PMI expanded to six more states (Bauchi, Benue, Ebonyi, Kogi, Oyo, and Sokoto), and in 2013, added two more states (Akwa Ibom and Kebbi) for a total of 11 states.

A strategy review meeting held in April 2016 revisited the states for PMI support. States were selected based on malaria disease burden, coverage, presence of other donors, strength of state leadership, and security.

In 2016 2.7 billion US dollars was invested in malaria control and elimination, 74 per cent of the investment in 2016 was invested in some countries in Africa which are endemic of the disease larger percentage goes to the Sub-Sahara Africa where Nigeria is at the frontline.

Data shows that 76 per cent Nigerians lives in high transmission areas and 24 per cent in low transmission areas.

The Nigeria Malaria Indicator Survey of 2014-2020 objective is to achieve universal coverage with Insecticide Treated Net (ITN).

Universal coverage on malaria elimination is defined as one ITN for every two persons. PMIs goal is to support the NMEP in achieving and maintaining its targets for ITN coverage and use, especially in PMI-supported states.

PMI supports free mass ITN campaigns every three years and strengthening continuous distribution channels that include antenatal care (ANC) and immunisation clinics, schools, and community-based distributions where feasible and cost-effective.

Since 2010, PMI has procured a total of 40.7 million ITNs for mass campaigns and continuous distribution, and distributed over 60 million ITNs, including over 24 million ITNs procured by other partners. From December 2013 to May 2017, the NMEP and its partners says it distributed 60.8 million ITNs through mass campaigns in 23 states, including over 26 million ITNs in all the 11 PMI-supported states of Sokoto, Bauchi, Nasarawa, Kebbi, Cross River, Ebonyi, Zamfara, Benue, Akwa Ibom, Oyo and Kogi.

Data from two Nigeria Malaria Indicator Surveys (NMIS) show ownership of at least one ITN in a household increased substantially from 8 per cent in 2010 to 69 per cent nationally in 2015. The average number of ITNs per household doubled from 0.8 to 1.6 (2015 NMIS). Eight of the 11 PMI supported states had higher ownership of at least one ITN per household than the national average.

An expert speaks

Ladipo Olabode Taiwo, a public health practioner scores the Federal Govenrment low on disbursement of funds to tackle the ailment and also on accurate data gathering on it.

There has not been any concise figure/amount released by Nigerian government for the funding of malaria elimination in the country, he said.

He also explained that the states that are not under the PMI coverage for malaria are taken care of by Global Fund.

He spoke about the poor health financing been practiced by the Nigerian Government.

If not for PMI, Global fund and other NGOs who have supported the country in the health sector, the country health sector would be nothing to talk about.

He said malaria data collection in Nigeria is not 100 per cent accurate, or representative of what is happening.

The reason is that most of the data are collect at the lower level, and the states has just 24 hours to check the data and validate them, and most states do not have a data bank with the Federal Ministry of Health.

Isaac Adewole, Minister of Health.

He however said there is a decline in the cases of malaria in Nigeria, as a result of the management which was set up by the National Malaria Elimination Program.

The year world malaria day is an avenue to orientate and educate the citizens that malaria is curable and preventable, so that every body will be ready to beat malaria, Mr Taiwo added.Zaid Jurji is the Chief of Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) for UNICEF Nigeria. In this exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES Nike Adebowale, he talks about the WASH project, funding and the problem of open defecation in Nigeria.

PT: WASH is one of the projects the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) does in Nigeria. Can you tell us about what initiated the project?

Jurji: Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak on Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH). I have been the Chief of WASH in Nigeria for the past one year. This is one of the most critical sectors that affects everything else. It affects education, health which is one of the rights of the people, including children among other aspects.

I would not call UNICEFs presence here a support to a project or a kind of cooperation, it is much bigger and wider. Project issue is something that has a starting point and an end point. UNICEF has been in the country for more than 20 years and have been working in different areas. Our presence is needed in Nigeria and our role is based on the need within the country.

I will be speaking about the indicators of the campaign when it comes to the coverage of WASH. There is a big gap in that aspect. Now we have been talking about meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by 2030. By the year 2030, every person in Nigeria and other countries in the world should have access to safe drinking water and safe sanitation.

Again, it is not a project, it is a contribution to that big sector. UNICEF works strongly with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and also with ministries at the state level. Our role is supportive, the bigger role is for the federal ministries and state ministries. UNICEF and other development partners are here to support them fulfil their objectives.

PT: Goal 6 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2030 states Ensure water and sanitation for all. How far has UNICEF gone in helping Nigeria meet the 2030 target?

Jurji: The biggest responsibility arena is within the country, UNICEFs role is only supportive. UNICEF works more in the rural area as opposed to the urban areas. UNICEF and the Federal Ministry of Water Resources have signed a document called Partnership for Expanded Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH), which aims at meeting the SDGs under No. 6 by the year 2030.

Having a plan is one thing and bringing in the resources and having the commitment towards the fulfillment of the plan is something else and something that is bigger. I think you know that not long time ago, UNICEF with the National Bureau of Statistics undertook a Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), and this survey revealed the latest figure when it comes to water and sanitation. So when it comes to water coverage, the coverage is at about two-thirds of the population only. That means, only two-thirds of the population have access to safe drinking water sources.

Having access to sources is one thing but then the quality of the water that is been used by people for drinking purposes at the household level is different, because the source is somewhere in nature. It could be at the backyard of the house or in a vicinity people will have to go collect water from. From that point, the quality of water could be compromised as a result of so many factors. One of them is open defecation which we all know about.

Open defecation will pollute a safe drinking source. Once a defecation is done haphazardly around the source, it could easily get inside and contaminate the water sources. Another factor is construction of latrines wherever they are available. If they are controlled properly, like with the siting of the latrine, it could end up that sewage migrates from the pit into the water source and contaminate it. Now this is one thing.

During its journey from the source to the household, water is carried in pots, utensils and in cans. If these are not clean enough, even if the water was suitable for drinking, it becomes unsuitable. Now the water will have to be stored in the house and it is the same with the storage facility. Sometimes, hands get in touch with the water and if they are not clean, it could get water contaminated. So when we talk about two-thirds of the population having access to safe water source, when it comes to the households, this figure drops to less than 10 per cent. This is really alarming and worrying.

There are so many things that can be done by the people in the community to ensure they have safe drinking water. They should always wash their hands to prevent any possible contamination and also keep water storage very clean. Water taken from an unprotected source could be filtered using a piece of cloth or boiling water, which helps to kill all the pathogens. There are also tablets used to disinfect water and make it suitable for drinking purposes. All these techniques will have to be followed to render the water safe for drinking. So therefore, we need to work harder in that direction.

PT: How supportive will you say the Nigerian government has been towards achieving the target?

Jurji: A project or a programme is only a small component when compared with the overall need of the population. Nigeria is the largest country in Africa, with a population close to 200 million people. And when we say one third of the population needs to be served with sources that are suitable for drinking, we are talking about more than 60 million people. Of course, there will be an increase in that population and that figure will grow. So the previous UNICEF programme in the country, which has spanned over a period of four years, UNICEF was able to reach about five million people with safe drinking water sources. This is not enough.

The level of cooperation with the federal and state ministries has been excellent but we need more than that because we have a bigger target to achieve. Meeting the SDGs is the ultimate objective and for that, there are other measures that will have to be taken by the government.

First of all, meeting WASH objectives, we need to make WASH a priority in the national agenda. Budgetary allocation will have to be increased at the state level and also at the federal level. The state will have to show that this sector is important and for that, more resources are been invested. The budget will have to flow freely through the different institutions or sectors that we have.

The budget at the end will have to be divided into two parts. One part will cover capital investment to construct new water systems and sanitation systems in areas that have not been served before. The other part will be to cover the operations and maintenance of the existing systems. A system that is put in place is important, but to make sure that the system is functional at regular basis, is what matters at the end. Otherwise, it is like buying a car and if you dont take it to the mechanic to fix some parts, change the oil and others, it will develop a fault. Same goes to the water system, if you do not maintain those that have been put in place, all the capital investment will disappear. But if you maintain it, with a relatively small budget, you will keep it alive and it will continue to deliver the services they are meant to deliver.

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When it comes to maintenance and operations, this is an area we need to pay a bigger attention to. This is because it is an area that has far been neglected. In operations and maintenance, the state and the federal government have a role to play and other roles that have to be played by the community. Communities will have to pay for services, like a tariff. A tariff system is important to ensure that this recurrent operations and maintenance happens on day to day basis. So that at the end, they can get the water they need at the household level suitable for drinking. It is a responsibility for everyone  the community, state and federal government so at the end, we can fulfill this bigger objective.

PT: You have been the chief of WASH, UNICEF Nigeria, for a year now. What are the major challenges so far?

Jurji: The implementation of a programme in Nigeria comes with lots of problems, it is just like doing everything else. There must be one problem or the other. However, these problems are not major because at the end, we have been able to overcome them all. There might have been some delays, we wished we could have moved faster in the implementation. Because we get grants and grants are usually tied to a specific time span. Though we might be able to extend, but by extension we lose the opportunity of getting extra resources. This is however a minor point. The bigger problem is being able to meet the SDGs by 2030, and of course, this is not UNICEFs problem but a problem for the entirety of Nigeria. And since we are partners, we do feel for that.

As I mentioned earlier, WASH will need to become top on the national agenda. It needs to be treated as a priority. Making sure that this sector gets the attention it deserves, which is translated into increased allocation is very important. There should be a procedure to follow to ensure the flow of resources is done smoothly and that we do not only focus on capital investment but rather on the operations and maintenance parts, the current expenses, so that we keep previous investments alive and we make sure the services delivered to the people are of good quality.

PT  Open defecation has been a major challenge in Nigeria. With about 46 million people still practicing open defecation, what is UNICEF doing to help stop this menace in the country? And what is the progress report?

Jurji: The Federal Ministry of Water Resources has recognised that this is a big problem. In 2016, the ministry and UNICEF signed a document for a programme, which is a road map to render the country open defecation free by the year 2025. So it is a commitment and now we are planning to launch a campaign.

The campaign has a set of objectives. First of all, we want to make sure there is an appreciation that open defecation is a big problem within the country. You know, on the stage that the country decided that polio was an emergency, they formed a commission that was directly linked to the President and they launched a campaign and now, Nigeria is free from polio from the past 19 to 20 months, and hopefully, the country should be declared polio free in some months or years to come. This will be agreed between the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Federal Ministry of Health.

Zaid Jurgi, Chief of WASH, UNICEF during a recent presentation at a media dialogue on Water Supply and Sanitation in Jos, Plateau STATE (FILE PHOTO)

Why cant something similar be done for sanitation and to eradicate open defecation? So the campaign is a communication campaign which is aimed at two segments of the population. First is the decision makers. We want the issue of open defecation to become a priority for the decision makers to start to appreciate that this is a national priority that needs to be addressed. When this is acknowledged, sufficient budgetary allocation will be made available at the federal level, and those budgetary allocation should be used to incentivise states to come up with their plans on how to eradicate open defecation. For instance, if a states sets plans and promises to implement such plans to eradicate open defecation, whatever they put should be funds coming from the federal government.

The second one is aimed at the people themselves, those who still practice open defecation. We want to get into a stage by providing the necessary information to the people. We want them to start to appreciate that open defecation has a negative impact on their health, on the attendance of their kids to schools and on their economy. At the end, when people get sick because of disease as a result of open defecation, contamination of water, they will have to go see a doctor, which means expenditure. They will have to buy medicine, and also lose some of their time spent at work as a result of sickness. So we want them to get to a level of knowledge and change of attitude.

First, they will start to reject the idea of open defecation and they start to demand the construction of latrines, when they start to change their practices. So first, they get the knowledge to reject open defecation and then claim the need to have access to latrines and start to construct their latrines. Construction of latrines is something that should be done by the families themselves, it is their responsibility. So when they get to this level of knowledge, they start constructing their latrines.

We know construction of latrines will need some resources, which may not be available in such communities. But UNICEF is working on some tools to use so that people could have access to them within the communities. This can be done through Adashe. Adasheis a setup of solidarity where money is loaned to a family at a time, so they can construct a latrine. And the next month it goes to another family, and a third family and so on. So these are some of the things the campaign aims to achieve, though we are still in the planning stage we should be able to start in the next few months.

Our role is supportive, we cannot function on our own. So we are here to support the government of Nigeria. So far there are four LGAs that are Open Defecation Free in the country. These LGA are Dass in Bauchi State, Warji in Bauchi State, Obaliku in Cross River State and Yakur in Cross River State.

PT: Recently, you said Nigeria needs about $8.3 billion annually to fight open defecation in Nigeria, how much is the Nigerian governments contribution to this amount?

Jurji  From now till the year 2030, Nigeria needs about $8.3 billion annually until the year 2030 to meet the Sustainable Development Goal 6 water and sanitation by 2030. UNICEF is doing all its best to support Nigeria in achieving this goal. We have our plan, the Partnership for Expanded Water Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH), which is meant to address the needs of the rural communities only. The figure I gave is a comprehensive figure that was done on the basis of studies by the World Bank and it covers both urban and rural areas.

PT: How much has UNICEF spent so far as part of its support for the WASH project?

Jurji: Like I said, its over 20 years UNICEF has been working in Nigeria, so I do not have access to that figure. But I can tell you of the past country programme, UNICEF has spent an average of $50 million annually for WASH, for the period of four years. That is a total of about $200million in the period of four years. However, it is still a token when compared to the $8.3billion needed annually.

Our work is supportive and it is meant to institutionalise proper WASH work. Our work is community-based, so what we do usually is to first trigger the community to see that open defecation is something they should get rid of. And once this is done, they know that this a condition for them to have access to water system. Once the construction of water system is done, a WASH committee is formed from the community themselves so that they take over the management of the water system once it is completed. They take responsibility for everything that has to do with maintaining a certain standard in hygiene and sanitation. Issues that have to do with hand washing, maintaining clean environment and ensuring that the latrines are properly maintained is part of their responsibility.

Also, I mentioned earlier about the quality of water, the source and the households. These, people will have to make sure the source is free from any contamination. Also, the manner in which water is being transported to households and how the water is stored. All this is to ensure the water remains potable for drinking. Usually, our approach is to do that for an LGA wide and we make sure everything is covered in that LGA. This is the concept of our work and within that, we get involved in capacity building of institutions at the state, LGA and community level, to make sure that things are done in the correct way.

The way they do planning, constriction, the way WASHCOM delivers its duties. We have guidelines, procedures and standards for that and we make sure the people involved adapt to that. Our presence is not only to expand services but to make sure that the right setup is there because this is what it takes for the system to continue.

The project is mostly based on a public private partnership concept. In the communities, the authorities provide the piece of land while UNICEF puts the water system in place and then the private sector will construct the latrine. The private sector is underused in the WASH sector in Nigeria, despite the fact that the private sector is quite strong and capable. When it comes to managing water system, the water board might not necessarily have the capacity around those systems. They might as well use the private sector to do that, while the role of the authority should be more of regulating the services. To ensure that the quality of services meet the set standard.ADVERTISEMENT

Many Nigerian representatives were absent at an investment programme organised by the Nigerian embassy in Washington DC on Saturday.

The government officials, who were supposed to have sessions at the event, were conspicuously absent, raising worries that Nigeria might lose investment opportunities by their absence.

Daily Trust reports that officials who were billed to have sessions at the programme but were absent include the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo; the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun; Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kwachukwu; Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh; Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu; Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed; Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Kayode Fayemi; and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah,

Speaking to journalists at the programme on Saturday, the Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido, expressed displeasure at the absence of government officials at the meeting.

He said, For the person sitting in London and who has a billion dollars to invest, hes got Nigeria, hes got Ghana, hes got Rwanda, Kenya, South Africa. You may be the biggest economy, but he may decide that rather than go through the hassle of investing $500 million in nigeria, why not put $100 million in Ghana, $100 million in Rwanda, $100 million in Cote dIvore, just to have diversification benefit and the benefit of reaching out.

We had a meeting today with investors, we were supposed to start by 9am we started at 10. When I came in they took me to the ambassadors office to sit down, when investors were waiting down there. We had a list of people who were to be here, vice president, ministers, some of them are in town, but they havent come up.

Mr Sanusi, a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, said the ministers absence was not good for Nigerias efforts to attract investment opportunities into the country.

The emir said: You invite top investors, your ministers are in Washington and they do not come to talk to the investors about Nigeria. That is not how you attract investors. If you have this forum in the Rwandan embassy, I assure you President Kagame himself would be there telling people to come to Rwanda.

Sometimes it is about how we market ourselves, how we package ourselves. There is absolutely no reason for the Nigerian embassy to arrange a Nigeria is open for Business forum with ministers in town, with governors in town and not have the coordination that they are actually here to meet with these investors.

There is no reason why we should start one hour late, and there is no reason why the public address system should not work. Because at the end of the day, this is the first point of the country, he hasnt even come to Nigeria so what will be his experience in Abuja and he is saying if I am having this experience in Washington, what will happen when I go to Abuja, when I go to Kano, how do I get to see the governor will it take me 10 hours?

Daily Trust reports that the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Ameachi, whose name did not appear on the itinerary, appeared briefly at the meeting but disappeared after a few minutes.

The event had in attendance Wilbur Ross, United State Secretary of Commerce; Sergio Pimenta, IFC Regional Vice President ( Middle East and Africa); C.D Glin, President and CEO, U.S African Development Foundation ((USADF), among others.At least four persons were killed and eight others injured as two suicide bombers attacked a mosque in Bama town of Borno State in the early hours of Sunday, officials have said.

The attack comes about three weeks after the Borno State Government sanctioned the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to the badly destroyed community which was reclaimed from the Boko Haram.

The Sunday attack was the first since the return of Bama IDPs. But it has rekindled public concern on the security around the community, the second largest in Borno State after Maiduguri, the state capital.

Just before the IDPs were returned to Bama, the Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, was in Bama on a two days working visit.

During his stay in Bama, the military command there informed the governor that although the town has been secured, the security around it was unpredictable.

Notwithstanding the caution, the displaced persons, eager to return to their normal lives, were allowed to return to Bama.

The chairperson of the Borno State emergency management agency (SEMA), Yabawa Kolo, said four persons died and eight others were injured in the early Sunday morning attack. The dead included the two suicide bombers.

Earlier, sources from Bama who broke the news on social media indicated that the attackers were two young people, who sneaked into a mosque in the community during an early morning prayer.

One resident of Bama said the attack took place at a mosque around BAMA Dina area of Shehuri /Mairi/ Hausari ward of Bama town.

The victims evacuated to military hospital for further treatment of serious injuries, Abba Masta said.

Serious emergency medical attention needed with possible need of transportation to secondary health facility in Maiduguri for the survivors, Mr Masta, an active community leader in Bama, said.

He said medical services and facilities are still limited in the reclaimed town.

Currently, no any ambulance in Bama to aid the transportation of the survivors. But we are currently making follow up to military 21 brigade for possible assistance, he said.

In apparent confirmation of lack of essential facilities in Bama, the SEMA boss said all the casualties were later taken to Maiduguri special hospital for treatment.

The police, in a statement released on Sunday afternoon confirmed the attack and casualty.

At about 5.40am of today, 2 female suicide bombers infiltrated into Ajilari area in Bama town, Bama LGA and launched a suicide bomb attack on residents observing morning (Asuba) prayers, the police public relations officer, Edet Okon, said.

They detonated the IEDs strapped to their bodies, killing themselves and two other male victims. Eight other persons were injured and were rushed to hospital for treatment.

The corpses have also been evacuated. The Borno State Police Command had deployed men of the PMF and EOD personnel to render the area safe and return normalcy, he said.

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The police urged residents of the state to be vigilant, and at all times report suspicious persons to security agents.

The Chairman of the affected local government, Baba-Shehu Gulumba, explained that the incident occurred at about 5: 00 a.m., when Muslims faithful gathered for early morning prayers.

Mr Gulumba said that three persons died on the spot while one other died later at the Specialist Hospital, Maiduguri, adding that the wounded persons were also referred to the hospital for treatment.

The chairman noted that the state government, in collaboration with the military, police and other security agencies had deployed personnel and constructed trenches to fortify security in the town.

He said: We restricted movement from 6 : 30 pm in the town and called on people to abide by the restriction order.

Mr Gulumba stressed the readiness of the government to continue with the resettlement exercise, noting that the attack would not affect its implementation.

Suicide bombings is one of the strategies of the extremist Boko Haram group who clamour for an Islamic state in Northern Nigeria.

The group has been largely decimated by government forces but is still able to carry out attacks, mainly on soft targets in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.Billboards bearing the inscription; This project was funded by senator/honourable XYZ, are familiar sights in Nigeria. Planting those kinds of signboards is the common method federal lawmakers use in communicating how they are supposedly using funds allocated to them under the zonal intervention project system.

Such messages, usually left near ongoing, abandoned or completed projects, derive financial strength from a special fund earmarked for zonal intervention projects of federal lawmakers in Nigerias appropriation act.

The intention of the scheme is to ensure equity in the allocation of projects nationwide. In achieving this, the National Assembly yearly budgets an amount of which portions are ceded to lawmakers to execute projects in their constituencies.

In recent times, the budget for zonal intervention projects has been N100 billion annually.

However, the whole process of sharing the N100 billion has been shrouded in secrecy since the introduction of the scheme.

PREMIUM TIMES in this analysis beams search light on how the 109 senators and 360 reps members share the fund.

THE GENESIS

Constituency or zonal intervention projects in Nigeria refers to developmental projects sited in the constituencies of members of the state Houses of Assembly, members of the House of Representatives or Senators by various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies( MDAs) of government as appropriated in the budgets of the federation or state.

The idea of constituency intervention projects was first introduced during the early administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999. The leadership of the National Assembly had approached the executive (under Obasanjo) for approval of constituency projects claiming it was in response to frequent demands of their constituents for the dividends of democracy.

The Executive saw reasons with the legislators and approved constituency funds for them. However, from the start, Senators received N5million each, while each member of the House of Representatives got N3million as constituency allowance.

For this demand and subsequently, the lawmakers premised their arguments on the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy, as provided in Section 14(3) that: The composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity.. Often times. They cite Section 15(4), section 16 (1) (2) , Section 13(1) and other sections of the constitution to justify that it is a significant constitutional duty and responsibility of a legislator to ensure that projects are evenly distributed to all federal constituencies in Nigeria.

To further accede to the lawmakers demands, the Obasanjo administration agreed to embedding projects selected by legislators into the federal budget for implementation.

In the beginning, the projects were mostly restricted to water and rural electrification. However, as the years go by, and new administrations revisit the issue, the projects have leap-frogged cutting across all sectors while the funding has now sky-rocketed to about 4000 per cent increase.

HOW 469 FEDERAL LAWMAKERS SHARE 100 BILLION

In recent years, the budget of the Zonal Intervention Projects has been N100 billion, shared among the 469 senators and members of the House of Representatives in the six geo-political zones. Specific details on the projects, including project type, cost, and target sector have been kept secret in the past because lawmakers engage in self-enriching deals in the implementation of the projects. Thus constituents hardly know what should statutorily accrue to them.

Speaker Yakubu Dogara

For many constituencies, there has never been transparency around which projects were budgeted for, the funds released, or the estimated completion time for them. Often times, constituents worship their lawmakers whenever a project is completed with the believe that they used their personal funds in executing the projects. In reality however, this is not the case.

PREMIUM TIMES gathered from reliable sources that the annual N100 billion is always shared on an agreed 60:40 per cent ratio by the two legislative chambers. The House of Representatives takes the bulk with N60 billion and the senate with N40 billion. By interpretation, the 360 members of the lower chamber have N60 billion to initiate, implement or complete projects in their constituencies while the 109 members in the senate have N40 to do same. But the implementation does not follow this mathematically-sane order.

Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki

Of the fund budgeted for each chamber, only a fraction gets to the lawmakers. The fraction comes after series of permutations and deductions. This starts with the leadership of the house. Out of the N40 billion budgeted for the senate, the leadership of the chamber takes N20 billion to fund projects in their constituencies. The remaining N20 billion goes to about 100 other members of the chamber.

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The same formulae holds in the House of Reps. After a release of the N60 billion, the house leadership takes N20 billion while the remaining N40 billion goes for projects by other members.

Meanwhile, the N20 billion special funding for the chambers leadership does not exclude them from benefitting in the general fund as they still nominate projects to be funded with the N20 billion (senate), N40 billion (House or Reps).

After the first deductions, the remaining N20 billion (senate) and N40 billion (House or Reps) is shared equally to the six geo-political zones. In each geo-political zone, the fund is shared equally among states, then, among lawmakers who make use of the fund to implement projects within the constituencies.

This arrangement  equal distribution to regions  leaves some lawmakers with less fund than others. For instance, lawmakers from the North West which has seven states get less fund compared to South East with five states. Others are six.

N200 MILION PER HEAD ANNUALLY

Implementing the zonal intervention projects does not involve cash payments or any other form of payment to a legislator. The duties of the legislator is simply to identify the location and the type of project to be sited. Once this is done, it is included in the budget of the relevant MDA by the National Assembly. Even though the projects are advertised in line with the Public Procurement Act, only contractors nominated by the lawmakers are often awarded the contractors. At times some lawmakers nominate companies in which they have interests.

In some cases, contractors awarded jobs only move the cash to lawmakers who nominated them and the contracts are not implemented in some instances.

Projects to be initiated by lawmaker is determined by the amount allocated to him by the leadership of the chamber for which he belongs. Shehu Sani, a senator at the 8th assembly gives more insight to the sharing formulae.

The constituency project itself is given on a zonal basis and almost every senator will go with a constituency fund of about N200 million, but it is not the cash that is given to you.

You will be told that you have N200 million with an agency of government for which you will now submit projects equivalent to that amount. And it is that agency of government that will go and do those projects for you, Mr Sani said in an interview with The News.

With these revelations, it appears the two houses have devised a means of allocating equally to the lawmakers.

Subjecting Mr Sanis claim to calculation, if each senator gets N200 million from N20 billion earmarked for sharing, then the senate would have shared N21.8 billion of the fund.

CONNIVANCE WITH AGENCIES

Even though the lawmakers are not allowed direct access to the fund, they have devised several means of getting a cut from the zonal intervention project fund every year. One of such dubious means is by inflating the budgets of government agencies. An analysis of the capital expenditure of some relevant government agencies, which carry out zonal intervention projects, reveals the trend.

An examination of the capital expenditure of Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) between 2013 and 2017 shows an increasing trend of budgetary allocation.

In 2013, SMEDAN had a budget of N960 million but this increased to triple, at N2.7 billion the following year. The budgetary allocation stood at N778 million in 2015 and N1.8 billion in 2016.

Worthy of note is the agencys budget of 2017. While SMEDAN proposed N2.18 billion for capital projects this year, the lawmakers increased it to N9.52 billion, more than the budget of the last six years.

The reasons for this are not far-fetched; first, the lawmakers lodged most of their zonal intervention projects in the budget of the agency and secondly, this was made possible due to the nature of SMEDANs mandate.

The agency is saddled with the responsibility of promoting and facilitating developmental programmes, and support services to accelerate the development and modernization of MSME operations, especially in rural areas.

With this kind of mandate, the agency carries out projects like; trainings, sensitisation, youth and women empowerment, supply of materials e.t.c.

The non-quantitative nature of some of these projects makes them difficult to measure or track, thereby creating a fertile corruption ground for the lawmakers.

The lawmakers also lodge some of their projects in the budget of the Nigeria Directorate of Employment (NDE), Ogun-Oshun River Basin Development Agency (OORBDA), Lower Niger River Basin Development Agency (LNRBDA) and other river basin agencies.

The NDE had a budget of N1.1 billion in 2013, N884 million in 2014, N175 million in 2015, and N1.9 billion in 2016. The budget sky-rocketed to N4 billion in 2017.

WHICH WAY FOR ZONAL INTERVENTION PROJECTS?s

Parliamentary involvement in grassroots projects is not novel to Nigeria but the sharing formulae seems to be.

In 2013, Philippines Supreme Court unanimously declared pork barrel politics unconstitutional on the ground that it violates the principle of separation of powers. Similarly, in Kenya, the practice of constituency projects through a Constituency Development Fund (CDF) was the first in Africa in 2003. However, it was declared unconstitutional by Kenyas High Court in February 2015.

With the huge corruption surrounding the zonal intervention project arrangement in Nigeria, the country may need to go in the direction of Philippines and Kenya.A former governor of Osun State, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, and a former deputy national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olabode George, are currently engaged in a verbal conflict over the latters aspersions on the Coalition for Nigeria Movement (CNM).

Mr George had in a recent interview criticised the leaders of the movement which Mr Oyinlola heads as its national coordinator.

He had in the interview dismissed the CNM movement led by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, saying it would have no impact on the outcome of the 2019 elections.

The former Osun State governor knocked Mr George for his interview, eliciting a reaction on Sunday from the former PDP national officer.

I read today the untidy, uncharitable and irritable vituperations of Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola against my good self. I was rather astonished at the level of uninformed , reckless, misleading verbiage against me, Mr Georges statement read.

Prince Oyinlola was very junior to me in the military. I am very senior to him in age. It was my humble self and the late Chief S.M. Afolabi who introduced him to our former President and my Egbon Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. It was through me and the grace of God Almighty that he was elected Governor of Osun State.

Oyinlola should not dabble into issues he does not know anything about at all. I have served several generals with hundred percent loyalty. I have no grudge against our former President. I have a lot of respect for him. I greet him wherever we meet with deep respect and reverence as a well born Yoruba man.

Oyinlola, please dont start to open any can of worms that you do not know where it will widen and spill over. When one is sent a slaves errand, you should behave like a true, well born.

However, Mr Oyinlolas statement on Sunday noted that he only told Mr George, in a statement on Saturday, to stop throwing stones at his benefactors.

He said his admonition to Mr George was that as an officer and a gentleman, it was uncharitable to repay good with evil by attacking his (Georges) benefactors, particularly Mr Obasanjo.

If you are allergic to the singing of birds you wont build your house near the bush, he said.

If Chief George didnt want me to react to him, he wont call me and other promoters of the CNM all sorts of names as he did.

Our ancestors in Yorubaland did not recommend kolanut as appreciation for the kind of negative words Chief George used against me and other leaders of the CNM including Chief Obasanjo.

Chief George is my egbon by six years. I respect him and said so in my statement on Saturday. I observed he also said he was very senior to me in the military. He used the word very.

It will interest him to know that I joined the Nigerian Army on September 3, 1969 and was commissioned as an officer on September 11, 1971. I want my egbon to do his calculations and justify the word very that he used.

However, the fact of his seniority to me in age and otherwise, has always informed the respect I have for him. But I also know that his Ile Ife title, Atona Oodua, makes some demands of him which include civility in words and action and loyalty to friends and benefactors.

That was why I asked him to apologise to Chief Obasanjo and stop attacking anything and anyone that is connected to him.

Mr Oyinlola also denied the claims by Mr George that it was through his effort that he became governor, arguing that he became governor by the overwhelming support of the people of Osun State.

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The results of that election showed clearly that my support was rooted in the people and not in outsiders who neither voted nor funded my election. I know my leaders whose support was greatly invaluable, said Mr Oyinlola.

Olagunsoye Oyinlola

They were with me throughout the unprecedented three primaries which I won three times. Chief George started out as a backer of one of those I was contending with. He later switched over to the popular side which was mine. He did not vote in my election; he did not give me money. So how did he make me governor?

I also like to state that I combine the fine qualities of a prince and a gentleman officer and therefore I am not an omo that can be sent on any errand. Chief George will recall how I moved the entire Osun state PDP machinery in protest against the then President Obasanjo and walked away from the partys national convention in Abuja.

That was me and nothing has changed in the way I react when necessary. When I need to make my point, I do not need the prodding of anyone to do so. It is not everyone who acts based on such a conviction and I believe Chief George knows this.

I am also interested in the content of the can of worms which Chief George alluded to. I believe members of the public also look forward to it from our dear Atona Oodua.The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Sunday advised the federal government to disregard the counsel of British Prime Minister, Theresa May, on same sex marriage.

The advice is contained in a statement issued by Adebayo Oladeji, the Special Assistant on Media and Communications to the CAN President, Olasupo Ayokunle, in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Ms May, while speaking at the first joint forum at Commonwealth Head of Government Meetings in Westminster, said there should be no laws criminalising same-sex relationships across the Commonwealth.

She was quoted as saying: As the UKs Prime Minister, I deeply regret that those laws were introduced. As a family, we must respect one anothers cultures and traditions, but we must do so in a manner consistent with equality, as it is clearly stated in the Commonwealth

charter.

Nobody should face discrimination or persecution because of who they are or who they love and the UK stands ready to help any Commonwealth member wanting to reform outdated legislation that makes such discrimination possible.

The CAN president, however, noted that the position of Ms May was ungodly, satanic, reprehensible, condemnable and should be rejected by all right thinking people globally, especially in Nigeria.

He said that Nigerians had unanimously resolved to do away with same sex marriage.

He added that Nigeria cannot return to its vomit mainly because of a view canvassed by the British Prime Minister.

The statement reads: If we may remind the British authorities, the same-sex marriage contradicts the position of the Scripture and any human law that contradicts the Bible cannot stand.

God is the author of marriage and He stated it clearly that it involves a man and a woman.

In addition, The Bible states: A man will leave his father and his mother and he must stick to his wife and they must become one flesh. (Genesis 2:24).Jesus our Saviour confirmed that marriage should be male and female.Matthew 19:4.

The plan of God for marriage is very clear. Men and women are designed to complement each other so they may be capable of satisfying each others emotional and sexual needs and of providing children.

The Bible condemns homosexuality as an immoral and unnatural sin. Leviticus 18:22 identifies homosexual sex as an abomination, a detestable sin. Romans 1:26-27 declares homosexual desires and actions to be shameful, unnatural, lustful, and indecent. First Corinthians 6:9 states that homosexuals are unrighteous and will not inherit the kingdom of God. Since both homosexual desires and actions are condemned in the Bible, it is clear that homosexuals marrying is not Gods will, and would be, in fact, sinful.

This is the position of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and any government that dares to make same sex marriage lawful is not only asking for the wrath of God but that of the Christians and other well meaning Nigerians.

The fact that British authorities or all countries of the world practise or allow it does not make it right. Whatever that is ungodly is unacceptable to CAN and to Nigerians.

The British Prime Minister should take a lesson from all animals in the bush. As wild as beasts may be, they never contemplate till today indecent sexual relationship of same sex.

Same sex marriage is Sodomy and it was one of the major reasons God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah in the Bible. No human right should set aside the commandment of God. Man cannot be God to himself/herself.

Same sex marriage is not acceptable in Nigeria because it is human madness and CAN is confident that our government will never contemplate introducing it.

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For the sake of emphasis, CAN stands by the moral situations according to the Holy Book. We contend that on no account should our government bow to pressure by making Nigeria capitulate while embracing strange culture that allows barren amorous relationship between same sex, not in tandem with mother nature.

The sovereignty of Nigeria allows it to stick fervently to its good law, morals and values and to reject any influence by strange cultures from other climes that is anti-human. (NAN)ADVERTISEMENT

Participants at the maiden edition of the biennial Dipo Famakinwa Colloquium have demanded that immediate steps be taken to restructure Nigerias centralist governance structure in accordance with the principles of true federalism.

The event which held over the weekend in Ibadan was organised by the DAWN Commission, Yoruba Academy, and Afenifere Renewal Group to immortalise the lifetime of the pioneer Director General of DAWN Commission, Dipo Famakinwa, who passed on last year. The theme was Restructuring: ending the talk and starting the walk.

According to a statement released on Sunday and signed on behalf of the organisers by Ade Adeagbo, the participants, who cut across artisans, scholars, traders, politicians, self-determination groups, and university students, were unanimous in their demand for immediate actions from the executive and legislative arms of government towards restructuring the country. Many of the speakers at the event demanded concrete actions before the next general elections in 2019.

Festus Ogun, a student of Olabisi Onabanjo University said Nigeria will continue to be a risk unless it finds the courage to restructure while a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Niyi Akintola, said Those that still believe so much in the corporate existence of Nigeria should know that the present governance structure cannot sustain this country for another 25 years. It is totally impossible judging from global trends. This country will not move forward unless we restructure it.

Mr Akintola said the demand for restructuring will require appropriate confrontation because the Nigerian governance structure is oppressive and the only language understood by an oppressor is confrontation.

Another speaker, Yemi Alabi said Nigeria is overdue for restructuring because there is an agreement that the current administrative model can only bring more harm than good. She called for advocates of restructuring to stand for elective positions.

Government regulates our lives from birth to death. How then can we leave such important organ in the hands of those who do not share our ideals? Let us push forward our best restructuring agents into elective positions. That is when we can be walking our talk, she said.

Agitation for Restructuring will only begin when our political leaders, particularly the legislators and governors, start calling for it. If we cannot vote the right people who believe in restructuring into position, we cannot escape this doom bedeviling Nigeria.

Mr. Ogun buttressed this point saying restructuring will best be achieved through the instrumentality of law. Therefore, we must ensure that only men of goodwill represent us in the National Assembly.

Adekunle Olaiya, a barrister at law and Baale of Makoko community in Lagos State recommended the conduct of a referendum, even if informal, to prove that restructuring is indeed the desire of the people who have a right to determine how they want to be governed.

Other speakers at the event included Bamidele Ademola-Olateju, Adeyinka Bello-Olarinmoye, Habib Olalekan Hammed, Dotun Hassan and leaders of various trade associations.ADVERTISEMENT

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has blamed President Muhammadu Buhari for the misconduct of his ministers and other government officials who were absent at a scheduled meeting with investors in the U.S.

According to the party, the ministers abandoned the meeting with investors to gallivant in that country.

The PDP in a statement by its spokesperson, Kola Ologondiyan, said the officials had the temerity to pursue personal interests across the United States because they knew that even if their act was brought to the attention of the president, he will claim that he is not aware.

The party challenged the president to give an account of his ministers and other government officials who abandoned the meeting.

The government officials, who were supposed to have sessions at the event, were conspicuously absent, raising worries that Nigeria might lose investment opportunities by their absence.

Daily Trust had reported that officials who were billed to have sessions at the programme but were absent include the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo; the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun; Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kwachukwu; Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh; Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu; Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed; Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Kayode Fayemi; and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah.

The Minister of Transport, Rotimi Ameachi, whose name did not appear on the itinerary, appeared briefly at the meeting but disappeared after a few minutes, the report added.

The event had in attendance Wilbur Ross, United State Secretary of Commerce; Sergio Pimenta, IFC Regional Vice President ( Middle East and Africa); C.D Glin, President and CEO, U.S African Development Foundation ((USADF), among others.

Speaking earlier to journalists at the programme on Saturday, the Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido, expressed displeasure at the absence of government officials at the meeting.

For the person sitting in London and who has a billion dollars to invest, hes got Nigeria, hes got Ghana, hes got Rwanda, Kenya, South Africa. You may be the biggest economy, but he may decide that rather than go through the hassle of investing $500 million in nigeria, why not put $100 million in Ghana, $100 million in Rwanda, $100 million in Cote dIvore, just to have diversification benefit and the benefit of reaching out.

There is no reason why we should start one hour late, and there is no reason why the public address system should not work. Because at the end of the day, this is the first point of the country, he hasnt even come to Nigeria so what will be his experience in Abuja and he is saying if I am having this experience in Washington, what will happen when I go to Abuja, when I go to Kano, how do I get to see the governor, will it take me 10 hours?, an angry Mr Sanusi had said.,

This embarrassing development, according to the PDP is a clear reflection of the recklessness and laissez-faire attitude of the Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration towards governance, resulting in the biting economic recession and other woes plaguing our nation under President Buharis watch.

It is now clear to Nigerians why the APC and the federal government have not been able to attract any meaningful Foreign Direct Investment to the country in the last three years of President Buharis administration. Instead, the ones it inherited are pulling out.

How can APC government officials sent to attend investors meetings abandon their duties and engage in personal abroad? Painfully, they blame everybody but themselves for the choking economic situation of the country in the last three years.

The party also urged the National Assembly to summon the ministers involved.

It is now clear to all that the APC do not have the interest of our country at heart and Nigerians must spare no efforts in joining forces with the PDP to vote them out and reinstate a purposeful and productive administration, come 2019, the PDP said.ADVERTISEMENT

President Muhammadu Buhari has paid tribute to Nigerias foremost social critic and selfless legal luminary, Abdul Ganiyu Gani Fawehinmi, on his posthumous 80th birthday, describing the late legal icon as a true conscience of the nation, defender of democracy and peoples rights advocate.

As the world posthumously marks the 80th birthday of Mr Fawehinmi (22 April 1938  5 September 2009), President Buhari fondly remembers the legendary patriot for his altruistic services to the nation, which continue to be sorely missed.

The late Senior Advocate of the Masses was not an arm chair-critic, nor a rabble rouser who fomented trouble for its sake; but a serious minded, articulate, cerebral and compassionate promoter of fundamental human rights, social justice, equity, fair play and national development.

Gani was an extraordinary human being and a great reference for all progressive elements in society. He dared death and incarceration and was forced into prison 40 times without bowing to intimidation and molestation.

He fought for and stood by democracy with every ounce of his blood and immense intellect. He deserves a lingering respect, the president said in his tribute.

Although the fearless legal author and celebrated philanthropist passed on nine years ago, President Buhari admonishes Nigerians, young and old, to imbibe the good deeds of the Ondo State born, detribalised, learned man and Muslim leader (the Seriki Musulimi of Ondo town), for his doggedness, incorruptibility and fervent belief in the unity and progress of Nigeria as an entity.

The president notes that Mr Fawehinmi who would have been 80 years old on April 22, will never be forgotten as a committed pace setter and pathfinder for the democracy that we practise today.

The president therefore urges contemporary civil rights activists and human rights advocates in the country to emulate the late icon, through constructive criticism and useful suggestions as partners in the pursuit of national peace, unity and development.ADVERTISEMENT

The Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, says Nigeria is seriously bleeding and divided more than ever.

He said the continuous killings by suspected herdsmen across the country is symptomatic of a failed state. The governor called for prayers for the country to surmount all the challenges facing it.

A press statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Dickson, Francis Agbo, noted that the governor stated this during the National Prayer Conference organised by Nigeria Prays at the Ecumenical Centre, Yenagoa, with the theme: Lord Rend The Heavens.

He said Nigerians must unite in prayers and resolve to work together to ensure fairness, justice, equity and equal citizenship.

The governor lamented that the country is bleeding and urged leaders across the nation to take the responsibility to stop the bloodletting. He said the emergence of Nigeria Prays was more critical than ever before, as it encourages the different denominations to pray fervently for the nation.

His words: In this country, Gods children, human beings irrespective of the God they worship are being slaughtered mercilessly, remorselessly in many parts of the country. Our nation is bleeding, we must unite in prayers and resolve to do what is right and fair. Our nation should be a nation of fairness, justice, equity, equal citizenship and United by common ideals of being the greatest black nation.

We are united by our common shared humanity and nationality, so injustice and unfairness anywhere should be a concern to anyone and everyone in our nation. I join you in praying that the bloodletting, unnecessary killings in our nation under any shape or guise ends in Jesus name. God should intervene so that people will feel the need to do the right thing, be fair and just to one another.

Anyone who denies his fellow man justice is less human than his victim because what qualifies us humans created in the image of God is our belief in doing what is right and just. So I call for a just, egalitarian, fair Nigeria where everyone is proud to call his or her country. No one should play the ostrich.

The chairman and convener of Nigeria Prays, Yakubu Gowon, in his opening remarks expressed appreciation to Governor Seriake Dickson for giving Nigeria Prays the privilege of holding its National Prayer Conference at the Ecumenical Centre, which he described as a magnificent edifice built for Gods glory and the edification of man.

According to the retired general, Mr Dickson has demonstrated his faith in God by building the Ecumenical Centre and urged other state governors to emulate his noble and progressive initiative to provoke Gods blessings.

The former Head of State, who noted that prayers can solve Nigerias problems better and faster than military generals and soldiers can do with physical weapons of war, assured Nigerians that God will honour the collective prayers and intercession for the nation, while also advising people to shun violence and retaliation.

Also, the National Director of Nigeria Prays, Moses Aransiola, enjoined Christian faithful to pray fervently for the nation, adding that Nigeria Prays believes in the efficacy of prayer and praying for the country, as it is the patriotic responsibility of all Christians.

He further explained that the organisation has been carrying out its mission of mobilising Nigerians to regularly pray for the healing and transformation of the nation, through prayer rallies and to promote patriotism, transparency, integrity, incorruptibility in leadership and governance.

In a message, the President, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Felix Provide, who advised Nigerians to pray and speak good about the country, because when they curse the country, they automatically curse themselves, assured that, with Gods intervention, there would be a new Nigeria.

Some of the activities at the well-attended Nigeria Prays Prayer Conference include prayers for Nigeria, the 36 states and Abuja.ADVERTISEMENT

Less than a week after he made public he had been appointed spokesperson of President Muhammadu Buharis re-election campaign, radical lawyer Festus Keyamo reportedly faced verbal assault outside a court premises over his new appointment.

The incident happened on Friday at the premises of the Anambra State Federal High Court, Awka, Anambra State.

A civic group, Conscience Nigeria, confirmed the incident in a statement, but asked Mr Keyamo to ignore his attackers.

The aggrieved individuals allegedly accused Mr Keyamo of selling out by accepting to support Mr Buharis re-election bid and serve as its campaign organisations official spokesperson.

Mr Keyamo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, however narrated a different version of the incident.

Speaking in a telephone interview with PREMIUM TIMES Sunday evening, Mr Keyamo denied that he was attacked, saying a known PDP thug in the area committed the act. The lawyer, who spoke to our correspondent from Ghana, said he could not have been assaulted because the people are in support of the Buhari government.

First of all, the report was wrong; nobody attacked me, he told PREMIUM TIMES on telephone. There was no such thing. I went to do my normal legal work in Awka; I went to defend some persons in Awka.

When I was coming out of court, there were large number of people and they were all congratulating me and were very happy with me. Then one known PDP thug in that area who is not a businessman, a known PDP thug, was at a distance. He was just shouting that they will not vote for Buhari, they will not vote for Buhari. And some of the members of the crowd said Vote for your own choice now.

It was as simple as that. That was what happened and then I entered my vehicle and left. There was no such thing at all.

Mr Keyamo said the crowd would have lynched the PDP thug if he had physically attacked him because they were in support of Mr Buharis re-election campaign.

He said, I had kept quiet all the while, I didnt respond. There was no attack. Attack me? How? The crowd would have lynched him if he attacked me. There was a large crowd there who was also very happy with us, saying they will vote for the president. So he (PDP thug) was just a lone voice.

The human rights lawyer also explained that he is standing on the side of the Nigerian people who voted the present government by supporting the government.

This president defeated an incumbent. This president was popularly elected by 15 million Nigerians. It was a popularly elected government, not a military government, he said.

Anybody who is supporting this government like us is taking side with the majority of Nigerians at least until the next elections before we know whether those 15 million people have vanished or not. Anybody who is supporting the government now is taking side with Nigerians who elected him.

In its statement, Conscience Nigeria advised Mr Keyamo not to be distracted in his appointment as the Director, Strategic Communications for Mr Buharis 2019 presidential campaign.

A statement by the Executive Director of the organisation, Tosin Adeyanju, said courageous men and women are needed at this time to set a new agenda for the country and help drive the developmental agenda of the present government.

We are more than convinced that the political environment would be interesting in the coming months as Keyamo engage the people on this task of selling the candidature of Mr President which we are convinced has all it takes to get the job done, the group said.ADVERTISEMENT

A Nigerian soldier has been killed following an ambush by gunmen in Benue State, PREMIUM TIMES has learnt.

The soldier was riding on a motorcycle with another colleague when he was ambushed and killed around 2.00 p.m. in Gbeji, Logo Local Government Area, witnesses said.

The soldiers identify is not immediately known, but witnesses said he was amongst the troops of 72 Battalion attached to the states Operation Zenda.

His remains were taken to Makurdi Sunday evening, witnesses said. He was initially rushed to NKST Hospital in a nearby town of Anyiin. Witnesses however could not say whether the slain soldier was taken to the University Teaching Hospital in Makurdi or a military hospital in the state capital.

Based on figures by Defence Headquarters, the soldier is the 15th casualty suffered by the Nigerian military in the ongoing attacks linked to herdsmen.

A spokesperson for the Nigerian Army, Texas Chukwu, has not replied PREMIUM TIMES request for official comments on the incident.

The attack came three days after hoodlums killed a soldier in Gwer West, another local government in the state.

Soldiers responded to the killing by setting the community ablaze, killing at least one elderly citizen.ADVERTISEMENT

The U.S. says it will in 2020 deliver the 12 Super Tucano fighter jets and other weapons it agreed to sell to Nigeria to combat Boko Haram insurgents and other extremist groups.

A senior U.S. Department of State official made the disclosure during a background briefing with selected journalists at the U.S. Consul Generals Residence on Sunday in Ikoyi, Lagos.

The official, who confirmed that the Nigerian government had paid for the war planes, said sale of the aircraft with weapons and services worth over $400 million included bombs and rockets.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt that the propeller-driven plane with reconnaissance, surveillance and attack capabilities is made by Brazils Embraer.

Embraers second production line is in Florida in a partnership between Embraer and privately held Sierra Nevada Corp of Sparks, Nevada.

The Super Tucano is said to cost more than 10 million dollars each and the price could go much higher depending on the configuration. It is powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT 6 engine.

On the planned visit by President Muhammadu Buhari to the White House on April 30, the official said the Nigerian leader would be the first African president to meet U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House.

We are excited about the planned visit by President Buhari as the first African leader to be engaged by President Donald Trump at the White House.

The most important is that it is in Washington. It will be a very high level meeting; it will help the U.S. to also understand Nigerias projection.

There will be independent conversation on security, governance, the Lake Chad Basin and Nigerias role as a democratic leader in the region, the U.S. government official said.

Commenting on Nigerias 2019 general elections, the official said: U.S. will remain non-partisan as it had the commitment to continue to support Nigerias elections.

Well continue to help Nigerias security agencies to build capacity, not only in Nigeria but other countries in Africa, the senior U.S Department of State official said.

On the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the official noted that the electoral umpire had benefited from the U.S. in several ways in ensuring level playing field for all interested parties.

The official, however, tasked the Nigerian media to be professional in their reportage as the 2019 elections get close.

The media should be able to inform the public on the processes leading to the election proper; you need to educate the public on the importance of Permanent Voter Card (PVC), and this should not be left to INEC alone to handle.

The media should allow transparency in their relationship with politicians and in carrying out their responsibilities, he added.

(NAN)ADVERTISEMENT

Bamikole Omishore, a media aide to Senate President Bukola Saraki, has declined to confirm or deny reports that he fleeced the public treasury using his wife as a ghost worker.

The Punch newspaper reported earlier on Sunday that Mr Omishore, 35, enrolled his wife as a staff of the National Assembly and had been drawing salaries on her name.

.

The paper said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has commenced criminal investigation after learning that Abiola Omishore lives in the United States where she works as a nurse.

Mr Omishore, a Diaspora affairs aide to the senate president, would neither confirm nor deny the allegations when reached for comments by PREMIUM TIMES Sunday night.

For the avoidance of doubt, other than speculations and innuendos on pages of papers and websites, neither me nor my wife has received any copy of petition from EFCC or any other security agency. 

I will address issues contained in any petition against me when I receive it, he said in a WhatsApp message.

Mr Omishore did not respond to further requests for him to speak on the specific allegations raised against him in the publication.

The story said Mrs Omishore drew N150,000 in monthly ghost-working salaries from taxpayers money from her base in America. Mr Omishore was also accused of fabricating National Assembly identification credentials for his wife.

Over a three-year period, the accumulated fleece has entered millions, the paper reported. Sometimes the salaries for several months would hit Mrs Omishores bank account, said to be with GTBank, at once as if clearing backlog.

The allegations were contained in a petition filed against Mr Omishore by anti-corruption campaigners.

Abiola Omishore,, the wife of Bamikole Omishore

Wilson Uwujaren, a spokesperson for the EFCC, confirmed receipt of the petition and said investigations had commenced, the Punch reported.

A former banker in the U.S., Mr Omishore served as a digital media aide to Mr Saraki since 2015, during which he took on critics of his principal. He was named a Diasporan affairs aide in 2017, but he could still be seen releasing press statements on behalf of his principal while pushing back against unfavourable reports against the senate president.

Yusuf Olaniyonu, a spokesperson for Mr Saraki, did not immediately respond yo PREMIUM TIMES request for comments Sunday night.ADVERTISEMENT

The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, has blamed the crises facing the country on the failure of its leadership to embrace restructuring.

Mr Adams, who is also the National Coordinator of the Oduua Peopes Congress (OPC), spoke in Akure on Saturday, at a reception organised for him by the Ondo State Government.

He said the Yoruba nation would continue the struggle for restructuring, because it is the only way forward in actualising the vision of an economically buoyant and a politically stable Nigeria.

Without restructuring, how will Nigeria become an economic and political giant? asked Mr Adams. From time immemorial, resistance to transformation is as legendary as the creation of the world.

According to a Yoruba adage, the flood has the intention of destroying a house but the landlord will not allow it.

He said to change Nigeria would require courage, noting that he was certain the Yoruba nation as a bloc in Nigeria was determined to ensure the country was equitably restructured.

And there is no going back because that is the only way this country can survive, he said. Nigeria is going through various crises today because some leaders are stubbornly against restructuring.

Mr Adams assured that whether now or in the future, Nigeria would be restructured because that was the only way to guarantee peace and security in the country.

If this country is restructured in a way that every locality controls the instrumentality of security, the wanton killings of Nigerians will stop automatically, he said.

If this country is restructured economically, no finance commissioner will be going to Abuja every month to collect pittance in the name of monthly allocation.

If this country is restructured equitably, the current revenue sharing formula in which the federal government collects 52.68 per cent of centrally-collected revenues in the Federation Account, leaving states and local governments with 26.72 per cent and 20.60 per cent will stop.

If this country is restructured politically, responsible politicking, through independent candidature, will be introduced into our polity which will automatically knock out god fatherism from our politics.

To have an egalitarian society, restructuring is the answer. We want Nigeria to survive as a nation. That is why we are agitating that Nigeria must be restructured and our political and economic powers must derive legitimacy from the people.

The Ondo State Government and other indigenes of the state held the reception to honour Mr Adams over his appointment as the generalissimo of the Yoruba nation by the Alaafin of Oyo in January.

It was also in recognition of the fact that this is the first time a person from Ondo and Ekiti axis would be made the Aare Ona Kakanfo.A former minister of works and Ekiti governorship aspirant, Dayo Adeyeye, has described Saturdays ward congresses of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a charade, saying they were largely manipulated.

He also accused the committee deployed by the national headquarters for the congresses of bias, saying it failed to produce the materials at the wards.

The ensuing controversy seems to have undermined the truce brokered by the partys national chairman, Uche Secondus, and former Senate President, David Mark, last Wednesday ahead of the primaries.

Supporters of the three major aspirants of the party: Kolapo Olusola, the deputy governor of the state; Mr Adeyeye; and Biodun Olujimi, the senator representing Ekiti South, engaged in a battle of wits as the congresses held at the 177 wards in the state.

The congressed held to produce the delegates that would participate in the May 8 primaries of the party.

The state governor, Ayo Fayose, whose support for his deputy has been unmistakable, vowed to ensure Mr Olusola clinches the PDP ticket for the July 14 election.

Mr Adeyeye, a former spokesman for the PDP under the caretaker leadership of Ahmed Makarfi, called for the cancellation of the congresses due to alleged irregularities.

According to him, the congresses were brazenly manipulated in all the 177 wards. He accused the leaders of PDP ad-hoc committees sent to the 16 local governments of diverting the materials meant for the election.

There was a skirmish at Ikere Ekiti, the hometown of Mr. Olusola, as his supporters and those of Mr Adeyeye fought over control of the delegates of the local government council.

A former council chairman in Ikere local government, Banji Aluko, was manhandled by supporters of the deputy governor for allegedly working against his kinsman and supporting Mr Adeyeye.

Mr Aluko, while leading a group of youth to the secretariat of the party to register his protest over alleged irregularities, was suddenly attacked and beaten up by some thugs said to be loyal to the deputy governor.

He, however, accused the deputy governor and a member of the Ekiti State House of Assembly representing Ikere constituency 1, Wale Ayeni, of masterminding the attack.

Our group won election at Ogbonjana ward 7 and we were jubilating, only for these thugs to pounce on me and started beating me for no just cause, said Mr Aluko.

However, I have reported the case to the police and proper action will be taken against the sponsors.

Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who monitored the exercise, said although there were a few skirmishes, the congresses were largely peaceful.

There was no election anywhere in the state, those loyal to Fayose sat somewhere and wrote the list of delegates, Niyi Ojo, the spokesman for Mr Adeyeye, said.

What really marveled me was that, the committees sent by the national headquarters to conduct the election didnt go to the wards, they diverted it somewhere.

Meanwhile, the Publicity Secretary of the party in Ekiti State, Jackson Adebayo, told PREMIUM TIMES it was possible that Mr Adeyeyes field officers were not reporting to him the correct position of things.

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He said it was impossible for anyone to manipulate the process because option A4 was adopted where supporters queued behind their candidates.

We are not the ones conducting the election, David Mark and those conducting the election came from Abuja, and there is no way anyone can manipulate the process, Mr Adebayo said.

We used Option A4, those voting queued behind the one they wanted to vote for and it was so transparent, there is nothing to hide. The election has been concluded and the committees in charge are collating the results.Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Sunday urged Nigerians to draw strength from the legacies and exemplary life of the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi.

He urged them to do so in fighting poverty and improving the society for the benefit of generations to come.

Mr Ambode, who was represented by his Deputy, Idiat Adebule, made the call at the unveiling of the remodelled statue of late Fawehinmi at Liberty Park in Ojota area of Lagos.

The unveiling of the statue was in commemoration of the late activists 80th posthumous birthday.

Mr Fawehinmi, a Nigerian author, publisher, philanthropist, social critic, human rights lawyer, politician and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, was born on April 22, 1938.

He died on September 5, 2009 after a prolonged battle with lung cancer.

Mr Fawehinmi set up the National Conscience Party (NCP) and contested the presidential election in 2003.

Governor Ambode, at the unveiling the 44-feet high statue, described the late legal luminary as a relentless human rights lawyer, social critic and a towering figure in human rights activism.

This event is a celebration of the life and times of Chief Gani Fawehinmi as well as his contributions to the pursuit of the ideals of democracy and human rights.

Chief Fawehinmi remains a hero and a role model to many till date.

Late Lagos Lawyer and fiery human rights activist, Gani Fawehinmi

His memory would remain evergreen in our minds while his lifetime should encourage us to seek for greater good of the people in the society.

As a government, we draw inspiration from his struggles and ideals as we strive to make life meaningful for our people.

We will continue to keep his ideals alive and pass it on to the next generation, he said.

According to him, the monument stands as a testimony of Fawehinmis strength and courage.

He will continue to inspire us as we forge ahead with the mission of building a better society, Mr Ambode said.

The governor commended late Mr Fawehinmis family sustaining his legacies..

A legal practitioner, Femi Falana, described the new Fawehinmii statue as the best monument in the country.

Mr Falana said Mr Fawehinmi was a thorn on the flesh of dictators as he was totally committed to fundamental change  Change from poverty to prosperity.

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He appreciated Governor Ambode for investing in the remodelling of the statue in honour of Gani and his legacies.

Former Lagos Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos state [Photo credit: Instagram  akinwunmiambode]

It is a mark of greatness to honour great people like Gani who stood for justice, accountability, transparency and equity.

I want to appeal that the streets named after British administrators who carted away with our countrys resources should be changed to names of our countrymen who have contributed positively to good governance, Mr Falana said.

Ayodele Akele, Secretary, National Conscience Party (NCP), who also expressed happiness over the remodelling of the statue, said it was a birthday gift to the family, friends and associates of Mr Fawehinmi.

Also speaking, Isa Aremu, Vice President, Nigeria Labour Congress, described Mr Fawehinmi as defender of the masses who was always on the street to protest against bad governance.

Mr Aremu said Mr Fawehinmi also fought a legal battle to ensure that the Independent National Electoral Commission could register as many political parties as possible.

Gani is our mentor because he was with us totally on the street during protests.

The best way we can all honour him is to sustain his legacies, Aremu said.

The Convener of the Women Arise for Change Initiative, Joe Okei-Odumakin, said Mr Fawehinmi gave all his resources, time and energy to defend human rights.

We should imbibe all he lived and died for  justice, good governance, equity, accountability, adherence to rule of law.

Gani will continue to live in the sub-consciousness of all Nigerians, she said

The international Coordinator of Concerned Human Rights  Nigeria, Declan Ihekaire, who spoke on behalf of the civil society groups, said Mr Ambode had respected the interest of the civil society organisations.

When the old statue of Gani was being dismantled, we were not happy and we protested, but now we are very happy with the new statue.

This statue represents all that Gani lived and died for. He will continue to live on, he said.

Responding, the first son of the late Mr Fawehinmi, Mohammed Fawehinmi, who spoke on behalf of the family, thanked the state governor.

Im overwhelmed seeing this statue and Im saying a massive thank you to Governor Ambode for honouring our father with this statue.

It is an indelible work of Art that will place the name of Gani in the global map and it will go into the Guinness book of records no doubt  a statue of 44-feet, it is unbelievable.

I have a feeling that I will dream about this because when I attended the last unveiling of the old statue, for about three months consecutively I was dreaming of my father telling me things.

So, I think with this one he will still speak to me, he said.

Mr Mohammed appealed to Mr Ambode to listen to the yearnings of the residents of Lagos by scrapping the Land Use Charge.

We appreciate the governors efforts in driving development and making Lagos a megacity, but he needs to listen to the yearnings of the people,  he said.

Mr Mohammed also urged the federal government to intensify its efforts to address the challenges facing the country, especially the herdsmen killings.

According to him, the nations natural resources can be utilised to take the country out of its current challenges.

Earlier, the sculptor of the statue, Olurotimi Ajayi of Modupe Studio appreciated Mr Ambode for the opportunity to use creative arts to develop tourism as well as create employment for artistes.

Mr Ajayi also commended the state government for investing in the statue of Mr Fawehinmi, a promoter and defender of the rights of the citizens, as it would serve as an inspiration to the younger generation.

Visual arts feeds on perception. This statue will sell our local creativity and skills, and investors would be attracted.

A society that values its heritage and culture is educating and counselling the younger generation on positive pathway,  he said.

In his address, Steve Ayorinde, Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture said that the remodelling of the Gani Fawehinmi statue was part of the states strategy to enhance the aesthetic beauty of open public spaces and parks across the state.

Steve Ayorinde, Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture. [Photo credit: Official Facebook page of Steve Ayorinde.]

Mr Ayorinde said the remodelling of monuments across the state was to celebrate and immortalise worthy icons that contributed immensely to the development of Lagos State.

He said the statue was also informed by the desire of the state government to project and entrench the enduring legacy of the countrys foremost human right lawyer.

Mr Fawhinmi, he said, was also an activist, philanthropist and one of the icons of pro-democracy movement in Nigeria.

(NAN)The Dangote Foundation says it has donated a well-equipped secondary school in Lagos valued at N120 million as part of its interventionists programme to boost education.

The foundation has also offered annual free tuition to 250 indigent pupils.

Aliko Dangote, the Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Group, said this at the inauguration and handing over of the school with well-equipped laboratories to Nawair-Ud-Deen Comprehensive College, Idi-Oro, Mushin.

Aliko Dangote Foundation started in 1993 with the principle of `to whom much is given, much is expected and looking at the less privileged ones among us have compelled the foundation to provide some reliefs.

The four major goals of Aliko Dangote Foundation are education, health and nutrition, economic empowerment and disaster reliefs, he said in a statement by Tony Chiejina, the Head of Communications of the group.

He said his education mission was targeted at reducing the number of out-of-school children, supporting talented and underprivileged young children to achieve their full potential as well as educating girls and women on health-related issues.

Mr Dangote said apart from donating the school building, the foundation would sponsor 250 students whose parents might not be able to afford the yearly school fees.

In addition, he said furniture for both teachers and the students as well as a sound-proof high capacity generator had been provided to ensure constant electricity in the school.

I have already authorised my foundation to come up with a strategic plan to implement a scholarship programme for desiring less privileged children in this community.

According to him, over the past five years, the foundation has spent over N4 billion in building of classrooms, scholarships, upgrading infrastructure across the various universities and behavioral change communication programmes targeted at girls and women.

Mr Dangote said: We have just recently inaugurated the Dangote Business School in Kano, the only Business School in Nigeria that is well equipped.

We will also be inaugurating similar projects in University of Ibadan. We have done quite a lot in the education system and we are looking to do more.

Investing in the young people to us means we are all working together to build a better Nigeria.

Mr Dangote said in preparing youths to proffer solutions to present challenges, Dangote Academy was established in Kogi to provide specialised training and management skills that would suit the various sectors of the economy.

He pledged continued support to government in its quest to provide quality education to the population toward securing a great future for the country.

Ola Yussuff, the Chairman, Nawair-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Lagos, commended Mr Dangote for the donation and for single-handedly undertaking to construct the college.

Mr Yussuff said the gesture was in line with Bill Gates recent call for serious commitment to the human capital development in the country and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

He urged other well-meaning Nigerians to emulate Dangote for his intervention in education and health sectors.

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(NAN)Jerseyville, IL volunteer Alice McGowen received the Illinois Governor's Volunteer Service award for her service to Humanity Road.

By: Humanity Road

Alice McGowen, digital volunteer with Humanity Road

Contact

Cat Graham

***@humanityroad.org Cat Graham

End

-- Alice McGowen, a digital volunteer from Jerseyville, IL has received the Illinois Governor's Volunteer Service award for her service to Humanity Road. Alice has been disabled for 21 years and does most of her volunteering remotely from home on her computer. Technology and Computers were not her primary skillset and a challenge she needed to conquer in order to master her preparedness knowledge and help improve her outreach. Alice spent many hours studying and attending online courses to improve her skills. She now serves as the Team Leader of the Vulnerable Population/Service Dog Team for Humanity Road where she established the Disability, Accessibility and Functional needs social media awareness program and launched a new hashtag to track information for vulnerable population's #DAFN. In her role she not only supports her local area but national campaigns.Alice is a retired Certified Central Service Tech, and Certified Nurses Aid and lives in Illinois with her service animal, Annie. Alice's disability means she spends most of her days at home isolated from the public and her community, but that only helped to inspire her. Being interested in disaster preparedness she saw the need for building her go-bag for disasters but specializing it for her individual needs. As she searched for information, it dawned on her that many individuals who are disabled also face the same challenges and it inspired her to begin reaching the public via social media. Ms. McGowen launched a campaign for vulnerable populations to help fill that gap. She compiled and shared Illinois state and county vulnerable population registries and promotes them in social media. She is trained in CDC Crisis and Emergency Risk Communications (CERC), ADA Accessible Assembly Areas and is also the recipient of the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award from President Obama.Establishing a common hashtag in social media has greatly improved the chances of finding information for vulnerable populations and their caretakers. When she started her journey several years ago in volunteering her time online and packing her first go-bag she never planned on doing a regional or national campaign. The need for these types of services is great, and she has stayed with it for over four years. The public needs volunteers who can take the groundwork she has laid down and continue it at every state level, sharing vulnerable population registries and go-bag information geared specifically for each person's needs.Humanity Road ( https://www.humanityroad.org/ ) is an award winning top rated 501c3 nonprofit, recognized at the White House by the Department of Homeland Security for its contribution to disaster response and by the United Nations as one of the top 100 innovative humanitarian aid organizations in the world. Humanity Road leverages social media to monitor and provide aid information to the public impacted by disaster and the aid agencies responding. They are the industry leader for their mission specific reports that include early indications based on social media. The organization also engages in technology experiments, disaster preparedness exercises and training to improve situational awareness, community resilience and to speed the chain of care. Visit https://www.humanityroad.org/to learn more.TEL AVIV, Israel, April 22, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- DataRails, the spreadsheet management platform for enterprise companies, has won the Red Herring Top 100 Europe award, recognizing Europe's leading private companies and celebrating startups' innovations and technologies across their respective industries.

"We are honored and delighted to be Red Herring award winners," said Didi Gurfinkel, DataRails co-founder and CEO. "DataRails' innovative technology is reshaping the way enterprise companies around the globe harness the power of data. We take great pride in being recognized for helping companies reimagine their spreadsheets. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank our investors, customers and employees for helping us reach this point."

Red Herring Top 100 Europe selects the award winners from approximately 1,200 privately financed companies each year in the European Region. Since 1996, Red Herring has kept tabs on these up-and-comers, and the Top 100 list has become a mark of distinction for identifying promising new companies and entrepreneurs. Red Herring's editors were among the first to recognize that companies such as Alibaba, Facebook, Google, SalesForce.com, Skype, SuperCell, Spotify, Twitter and YouTube would change the way we live and work. Thousands of the most interesting and innovative companies have graced the Top 100 list over the years.

"In 2018, selecting the top achievers was by no means a small feat," said Alex Vieux, publisher and CEO of Red Herring. "In fact, we had the toughest time in years because so many entrepreneurs had crossed significant milestones so early in the European tech ecosystem. But after much thought, rigorous contemplation and discussion, we narrowed our list down from hundreds of candidates from across Europe to the Top 100 Winners. We believe DataRails embodies the vision, drive and innovation that define a successful entrepreneurial venture."

Red Herring's editorial staff evaluated the companies on both quantitative and qualitative criteria, such as financial performance, technological innovation, management quality, overall business strategy and market penetration. This assessment was complemented by a review of the track records and standings of similar startups in the same verticals, allowing Red Herring to make the list a valuable instrument of discovery and advocacy for the most promising new business models in Europe.

About DataRails

DataRails helps enterprise companies take control of and automate Excel-based business processes without changing the way users work. Its patented spreadsheet management platform harnesses the power of data through consolidation, version control and instant insights. DataRails also ensures a clear audit trail, security and regulatory compliance, and all from within the current Excel environment. For more information, visit DataRails.com.

Media Contact:

Asaff Levy

VP Marketing

DataRails

[email protected]

1-916-529-9669

Related Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTesuixjkEE

SOURCE DataRails

Related Links

https://www.datarails.com

The Taste Awards , also known as the Tasty Awards, ( http://www.thetasteawards.com/ ) is the premier broadcast awards show celebrating the best in food, fashion, and lifestyle programs. The mission of the Taste Awards is to recognize and acknowledge outstanding excellence in video and film content focused on food, drink, fashion, design, and home lifestyle.

Twice as Good http://twiceasgoodshow.com/ is an educational travel and cooking show for kids airing on PBS stations across the country featuring twin sisters Hadley Robertson and Delaney Robertson. Each episode is filmed in a featured city, state or region and highlights a renowned local guest chef cooking signature recipes alongside the co-hosts. In between recipes, the show introduces its viewers to the history and culture and science of the featured location. Twice As Good uses its recipes and ingredients as a platform to teach science, geography, math, and history. Now in its sixth season, Twice As Good is distributed to the PBS community across the country by NETA (the National Educational Telecommunications Association) and produced and presented in association with New Hampshire Public Television.

SOURCE Twice As Good Show

Related Links

http://www.twiceasgoodshow.com

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Send your newsWith the advent of the internet, people can become famous for literally anything. A video or picture can become viral within minutes of being Athens, GA (30605)

Today

Thunderstorms this evening followed by occasional showers overnight. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms this evening followed by occasional showers overnight. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%.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 The seedy reputation of weed is changing - quickly.

First of all, the correct name is cannabis, and 29 states and the District of Columbia have laws that legalize it in broad ways (and 17 others in very limited ways). Two major TV producers and an Oscar winner made a sunny sitcom about it. Legal U.S. sales are expected to top $11 billion this year, according to industry tracker BDS Analytics. And big names among both Republicans and Democrats favor rolling back federal regulations against it.

But the science lags behind the movement, largely because studying cannabis is so difficult. Truth is, there's a lot science doesn't know.

1. Many states allow medical marijuana. What can it do?

A. Manage pain.

B. Reduce nausea.

C. Reduce some type of seizures and muscle spasms.

D. All of the above.

Correct answer:

D. All of the above.

Cannabis has been used medicinally for thousands of years to treat conditions such as pain, inflammation and depression. It was a surgical anesthetic (!) in ancient China, and it was used to ease diarrhea during the 19th century cholera epidemic to prevent dehydration.

But as modern medicine changed from plants to powders and pills, cannabis fell out of favor. The first U.S. federal law against it was a tax act in 1937, and it was criminalized in 1952. Because the federal government still considers it illegal with "no currently accepted medical use," researchers who want to study it have to jump through all sorts of regulatory hoops. That means we don't have a lot of the high-quality evidence, obtained in clinical trials, that we expect with most medicines.

A huge problem, researchers say, is that the only U.S.-grown cannabis that scientists can use in clinical trials comes from the government's pot farm at the University of Mississippi. It has little variety and isn't representative of what commercial growers are selling.

Still, more and more research is being done. A 2017 report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine documented "conclusive or substantial evidence" that cannabis can help reduce pain, nausea and muscle spasticity related to certain diseases. Additional strong evidence indicates that cannabis products may be useful for other physical and psychological conditions as well, such as seizures in children, loss of appetite, sleep problems, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. Cannabis is most likely safer than alcohol for recreational users, and it may reduce opioid use.

It can have adverse side effects, too, especially for heavy smokers, including respiratory problems, memory impairment and an increased likelihood of abusing another drug.

2. What's the difference between medical cannabis and recreational cannabis?

A. The medical version requires a doctor's prescription.

B. The recreational version requires a budtender's prescription.

C. The medical version is more tightly regulated.

D. There is no difference.

Correct answer:

D. There is no difference.

The smokable dried plant material and its many other forms (liquid, concentrate, edible, etc.), are not approved or tested by the Food and Drug Administration and can only be "recommended" by a doctor, not legally prescribed. It varies by grower, of course, but it is the same product available in smoke shops where the sale of recreational cannabis is legal.

Unlike, say, an antibiotic you get with a prescription, there is no way to know the chemical composition of what you are getting or how much you should take. That leaves consumers with only the guidance of their dispensary's budtender.

Only two cannabis-related products can be prescribed in the United States. One contains a synthetic version of THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, and the other contains a related synthetic chemical. But most people don't tolerate them very well, for reasons we'll talk about in a bit.

3. Compared with the weed from "back in the day," today's pot is . . .

A. Less potent.

B. More potent.

C. About the same.

D. Depends on what you buy.

Correct answer:

B. More potent.

Unless "back in the day" for you means the past five years or so, the product is now much stronger, said Mark A.R. Kleiman, co-author of the book "Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs to Know."

"What was called marijuana when I was in college was probably 4 percent THC by weight," said Kleiman, who graduated in 1972. Now, he said, the average percentage of THC is "somewhere in the mid-teens," and growers claim some strains contain 25 percent or more. Part of the difference is that unlike today, the old stuff had leaves, seeds and stems mixed in with the THC-rich flowers. (Only flowers are sold now.) And a cultivation method that was formerly used only for a super-potent specialty product - allowing only the female plants to bloom, provoking the flowers to produce more THC - has become common. In addition, lighting and other growing techniques have greatly improved.

Still, partial credit if you picked the last answer. A few types of cannabis are intentionally bred to have lower concentrations of THC and higher concentrations of a compound called cannabidiol (CBD), which is said to be relaxing rather than "stoning."

4. So, in a quick and not-boring way, how does this much stronger cannabis work in our bodies?

A. It operates in a system named for cannabis.

B. It clouds our brains with smoke.

C. It shrinks frontal lobes so our brains have more room to think.

D. I'm bored already.

Correct answer:

A. It operates in a system named for cannabis.

In short, it mimics some of the brain's own chemicals. We have a chemical regulatory mechanism in our bodies called the endocannabinoid system - yep, named after the plant. The system helps regulate all sorts of things, including appetite, pain, seizures, digestion and heart rate.

This system contains two types of receptors, explained Ethan Russo, a neurologist and director of research and development for the International Cannabis and Cannabinoids Institute in Prague. When THC binds to the first type of receptors, which are mostly in our brains, it triggers a flood of pain-relieving, euphoria-inducing chemicals. We might become happily stoned, get the munchies and not remember our last sentence. Or, if the flood is too much, we might become paranoid, delusional and decidedly not happy.

CBD can mute some of those harsher effects by keeping THC from effectively binding to those receptors. That's why cannabis that is high in CBD may allow people to function normally without feeling "high" yet still get the therapeutic benefits, Russo said.

The other type of receptors are mainly found in the body rather than the brain, and they mediate pain and inflammation but have nothing to do with feeling stoned.

There are CBD oils and extracts, but most smokable cannabis on the market contains a lot of THC and very little CBD. Which brings us to . . .

5. Shops are full of strains that supposedly tailor the experience - Pineapple Express, Lemon Haze, Bubba Kush. What does science say about those?

A. Most claims are accurate.

B. Most claims are wrong.

C. Most claims are unproven.

D.Who is Bubba?

Correct answer:

C. Most claims are unproven.

Cannabis doesn't have just two ingredients; it contains hundreds of substances that may act in concert to produce what is called "the entourage effect." Growers have crossbred plants to tease out a little more of this and a bit less of that in an effort to create versions that have certain characteristics.

Anecdotal evidence and some scientific research supports the entourage effect. For example, Russo's research has shown that an aromatic cannabis compound called pinene may interact with other ingredients to reduce short-term memory loss.

So the effect may be real, but that still doesn't mean that all growers' claims are true. No regulations force growers or sellers to accurately represent what is in their products.

"You could buy Bubba Kush at one store and it would look, smell and taste very different than what you'd buy at another store," said Russo, a proponent of medical cannabis who says he favors research and sensible regulation so that people can use it in the safest and most effective ways.

As for "Bubba," it is a kind of generic nickname bestowed because part of the plant's origin is unknown.

Just like many things about cannabis.

Additional sources

Raphael Mechoulam, professor of medicinal chemistry at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem; "Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs to Know" by Jonathan P. Caulkins, Beau Kilmer and Mark A. R. Kleiman; "The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids: The Current State of Evidence and Recommendations for Research" by a committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine; Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies; University of California at San Francisco; BrainFacts.org; National Institute on Drug Abuse.KABUL -- A suicide bombing outside a voter-registration center in the Afghan capital, Kabul, has killed at least 57 people and wounded 119 others, officials say.

Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danesh said a bomber on foot targeted a crowd that had gathered to pick up national identification cards ahead of legislative elections later this year.

The dead and injured included many women and children, Public Health Ministry spokesman Wahidullah Majruh told RFE/RL.

The extremist group Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the attack in Dashte Barchi, a heavily Shi'ite-populated area in western Kabul, through its Amaq news agency.

The Sunni group has frequently targeted Afghanistan's Shi'ite minority, which they view as "apostates."

President Ashraf Ghani condemned the attack but said it "cannot divert us from our aims or weaken this national democratic process."

Tadamichi Yamamoto, who heads the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), said that the attack "appears to be part of a wholly unacceptable effort by extremists to deter Afghan citizens from carrying out their constitutional right to take part in elections."

Bilal Sidiqi, a spokesperson for Afghanistan's Independent Human Rights Commission, told RFE/RL that "attacking civilians at a public place is as barbaric, criminal, inhuman, and illegal as it can get."

There had already been several attacks on registration centers since Afghanistan on April 14 began registering voters for long-delayed parliamentary elections scheduled for October.

The vote is due to be followed by a presidential poll next year.

Election officials have acknowledged that security is a major concern as the Taliban and other militant groups control large swathes of the country.

With reporting by AP, AFP, and dpaYEREVAN -- Tens of thousands of Armenian antigovernment demonstrators have defied a police warning and gathered on Yerevan's central Republic Square after officers detained protest leader Nikol Pashinian.

Pashinian was detained during a demonstration in the Armenian capital, shortly after failed talks between him and Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian.

Two other lawmakers were detained along with more than 230 demonstrators following 10 days of mass rallies against an alleged power grab by Sarkisian. The three lawmakers' current whereabouts are unclear.

Pashinian was confronted by masked police officers and other security personnel as he led a crowd of several hundred supporters marching to the city's southern Erebuni district. The police fired stun grenades to stop the march.

Police later tried to disperse crowds gathered in various parts of Yerevan and there were clashes reported between officers and some protesters.

WATCH: Security forces disperse protesters in Yerevan, and detain several participants including Nikol Pashinian and Sasun Mikaelyan



Police said they detained 232 protesters by 5:30 p.m. local time(1330 GMT/UTC).

The Health Ministry said seven people were taken to hospital for problems related to the demonstrations.

More protesters were detained in the evening on the central Republic Square.

WATCH: Armenian security forces in Yerevan detained dozens of protesters who gathered on the city's central Republic Square on April 22.

The Interior Ministry said in a statement that it made the decision to "disperse demonstrators," adding that police were "entitled to carry out arrests and use force."

The Prosecutor-General's Office earlier said that Parshinian and two other detained opposition lawmakers, Sasun Mikaelian and Ararat Mirzoian, will be held for 72 hours.

It said in a statement that the three organized unsanctioned rallies and urged supporters to block streets and entrances to state buildings. It claimed that participants of those gatherings assaulted police officers.

The statement did not say whether there will be criminal charges against the three lawmakers, who are protected by parliamentary immunity. Their prosecution would require parliament to remove their parliamentary immunity.

Meanwhile, thousands of Parshinian's supporters marched in the capital chanting his name. The march was led by four priests in clerical outfits.

Earlier, Sarkisian walked out a meeting with Pashinian after accusing the opposition of "blackmail."

"I came here to discuss your resignation," Pashinian told the prime minister as the meeting began in Yerevan's Marriott Hotel.

"This is not a dialogue, this is blackmail," Sarkisian said before walking out of the meeting room where members of the media were present. The meeting lasted only three minutes, reporters said.

Before walking out, Sarkisian called on Pashinian, whose political alliance, he said, had "only six or seven percent of the vote" in parliamentary elections, not to speak on behalf of the people and not to issue ultimatums to the government.

Pashinian claimed Sarkisian had lost touch with reality and urged his supporters to turn out in larger numbers for peaceful civil-disobedience protests across the country.

He insisted that as long as the protests were peaceful the police should not break them up.

WATCH: LIVE broadcast of RFE/RL's Armenian Service from Yerevan

Sarkisian had said on April 21 that he sought a "political dialogue" with the protest leader..

"I am deeply concerned about the inner-political developments. In order to avoid irreparable losses, I urge Nikol Pashinian to sit at the political dialogue and negotiations table. It should be done immediately," he said in a statement posted on his website.

Serzh Sarkisian was named prime minister after his 10-year stint as president ended two weeks ago.

Opponents says the shift effectively makes Serzh Sarkisian a leader for life. In a 2015 referendum, backed by Serzh Sarkisian, Armenia transitioned to a new system of government that reduces the presidency's power and bolsters the prime minister's role.

Hundreds have been detained in Yerevan in recent days as police seek to stop opposition supporters from blocking streets and paralyzing the capital.

Protesters also rallied in Armenia's second-largest city, Gyumri and in Vanadzor, the third-largest city in the country of about 3 million people. Several protesters were detained in Vanadzor on April 21.

Armenian authorities have repeatedly warned journalists to stay "at a reasonable distance" from the sites where police are "carrying out their lawful actions."

In a statement on April 22, the U.S. Embassy in Armenia urged police and protesters to "avoid violence" and to "prevent an escalation of tensions."

"We are concerned over reports of violence against journalists and demonstrators; we emphasize the need for those responsible for violence against police or demonstrators to be held accountable under the law," it added.

And in a statement on April 22, European Union foreign-policy chief Federica Mogherini's spokeswoman said the EU expected the Armenian authorities to "fully respect this right and to apply the law in a fair and proportionate manner."

"All those who have been detained while exercising their fundamental right of assembly in accordance with the law must be released immediately," Maja Kocijancic added.

She also urged all parties involved to "show restraint and act responsibly," adding that an "inclusive dialogue" aimed at a peaceful resolution of the current situation was "essential."

The OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) urged the Armenian authorities to protect and ensure the right to freedom of peaceful assembly in the country.

Serzh Sarkisian stepped down as president when Armen Sarkisian -- his handpicked successor -- was sworn in on April 9 after being elected by parliament. On April 17, parliament elected Serzh Sarkisian as prime minister -- a post that is more powerful than the presidency following the referendum.

With reporting by AFP, AP, Reuters, Interfax, and Rikard Jozwiak in BrusselsThe URL has been copied to your clipboard

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Tens of thousands of protesters gathered on Yerevan's Republic Square on the evening of April 22 before speeches by Armenian opposition figures. Protest leaders have demanded the resignation of Serzh Sarkisian, who was recently named prime minister after serving 10 years as the country's president.Home to some of its most influential clerics, Qom is among Iran's most important cities, politically and religiously.

Thousands of religious authorities are based at its seminaries, and the city is also a frequent stop for politicians eager to brief senior ayatollahs in hopes of getting their approval for their plans and policies.

Yet at least one cleric wants to make Qom even more powerful by turning it into an independent country.

Ahmad Zadhoush, who heads a religious center in the desert city, has suggested that Qom should become like Vatican City, the world's smallest state and the home of the Roman Catholic Church controlled by the Holy See.

Zadhoush's Almourtaza Society trains clerics and organizes religious courses and conferences. He made the proposal in a post on the messaging app Telegram that was widely cited by Iranian media outlets.

"The time has come for Qom to become an independent country, a country with specific geographic borders, special flag, constitution, [a country] that will be recognized by the international community and will be hosting ambassadors from different countries," he wrote.

Zadhoush added that such a move could pave the way for Qom to become a leading center for Shi'a around the world.

A vast majority of Iran's 82 million citizens are Shi'a.

Zadhoush said that "the country of Qom" should be given several refineries or petrochemical plants to provide for its financial needs.

Hesamedin Ashena, an adviser to Iranian President Hassan Rohani, reacted to the proposal by telling Zadhoush "to do some research to find out who made the [same] proposal 40 years ago and why."

Ashena appeared to refer to comments by Shapour Bakhtiar, the last prime minister under the shah of Iran, who had said that the clergy should move to Qom to tend to religion and not interfere in politics and state affairs.

"I'm ready to build a wall around Qom, create a Vatican, and give it to them," Bakhtiar said in an interview days before the 1979 revolution that ushered in strict Islamic rule.

Bakhtiar, who was assassinated in Paris in 1991 by a suspected Iranian agent, made the comments in response to a threat by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the revolution and the founder of the Islamic republic, to form an interim government.

This week, the daily Qanoon criticized Zadhoush's suggestion and said such "reckless" comments can only create "chaos" in the country.

On social media, Iranians poked fun at the proposal.

Some welcomed it, saying that Tehran should cut ties with Qom, where many hard-line clerics oppose reforms and the opening up of the country.

"Qom will become a country. Iran will cut it ties. Oh God! Oh God! Is it possible?" documentary filmmaker Hossein Dehbashi said on Twitter.

Journalist and former political prisoner Ali Malihi said he would welcome the decision as long as all the clerics from across Iran moved to "the newly established country" of Qom so that they could live the way they wanted and let others have peace.

Amid the discussion, senior Qom-based cleric Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi criticized the authorities for treating Qom like an "ordinary city."

"If the authorities give importance to Qom they will see its national and international results," he was quoted as saying by Iranian media. "Qom has a huge capacity, if used. Islam, Muslims, the establishment and the country, everyone will benefit."An Iranian news agency affiliated with the judiciary is reporting that police have arrested a former Tehran prosecutor who faces a two-year prison sentence over the death of a prisoner arrested during Iran's 2009 mass antigovernment protests.

The website of the Mizanonline news agency said on April 22, citing an "informed source'" that Said Mortazavi had been identified and arrested in a city in the north of the country.

Mortazavi, former chief prosecutor for the capital, Tehran, was sentenced to two years in prison in November 2017 for complicity in the death of a person arrested during Iran's 2009 antigovernment protests.

Last week, judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei said that while a warrant has been issued for Mortazavi's arrest, the authorities had "not been successful in getting [their] hands on him."

Mortazavi's wife and lawyer had denied he was missing, but said he was looking to appeal the ruling.

During his six years as Tehran's prosecutor and before that as a judge, Mortazavi was linked to the closure of dozens of reformist publications and the jailing of dozens of journalists.

He is blacklisted by the United States and the European Union for "grave violations of human rights."

Canada has blamed Mortazavi for the 2003 death in custody of Iranian-Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi.

Mortazavi was suspended by the judiciary in 2014 in connection with the 2009 deaths of three protesters in a detention center in Tehran.

With reporting by AP, Mizanonline and ISNAFrench President Emmanuel Macron has urged his U.S counterpart, Donald Trump, to stick with the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers as long as there is no better option.

Speaking in an interview ahead of a three-day state visit to the United States starting on April 23, Macron said that he had no "Plan B" for the nuclear deal.

Trump has set a May 12 deadline to either improve or scrap the accord providing Iran with relief from sanctions in return for curbs on its atomic program.

The U.S. and French presidents are expected to address the issue when Trump hosts Macron next week.

"Let's present this framework because it's better than the sort of North Korean-type situation," Macron told Fox News.

He also said that that he wants to "complete" the nuclear accord by addressing Irans ballistic missile program -- a key demand of Trump -- and working to contain Iran's influence in the region.

The U.S. president has said that Iran is violating the spirit of the nuclear agreement -- which was negotiated under his predecessor, Barack Obama -- by continuing to test ballistic missiles, sponsoring militant violence in the region, and by supporting the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Trump has called on European powers to "fix" what he says are the "terrible flaws" of the deal, and demanded that new restrictions to be imposed on Tehran's nuclear and missile programs.

The other powers in the deal -- Britain, China, France, Germany, and Russia -- have urged Washington to remain in the pact, saying it is the best way to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

Tehran has always claimed that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

On April 21, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif warned that his country was prepared to resume its nuclear program "at much greater speed," if the United States withdrew from the nuclear deal.

"We have put a number of options for ourselves and those options are ready, including options that would involve resuming at a much greater speed our nuclear activities, said Zarif, who was in the United States to attend a United Nations meeting.

In separate remarks to reporters in New York on April 21, Zarif stressed that Iran was not seeking to acquire a nuclear bomb.

But he said Tehran's "probable" response should the United States quit the accord would be to restart production of enriched uranium -- a key ingredient to the making of a nuclear weapon.

"America never should have feared Iran producing a nuclear bomb, but we will pursue vigorously our nuclear enrichment," he said.

Macron also called on Trump not to pull troops out of Syria after the final defeat of the extremist group Islamic State, saying that would "leave the floor" to Iran and the Syrian president.

A senior U.S. administration official told reporters that the Syrian conflict, Iran's "malign activities in the region," and its nuclear and missile programs would be among the topics discussed by foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) leading industrialized states meeting in Toronto on April 22-23.

The G7 comprises the United States, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan.

With reporting by CBS, AP, AFP, Reuters, and the BBCIranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says Tehran will resume its nuclear program "at a much greater speed" if the United States withdraws from the landmark 2015 nuclear accord.

"If the decision comes from President [Donald] Trump to officially withdraw from the deal, then Iran will take decisions that have been provided for under the JCPOA and outside JCPOA," Zarif said, referring to the 2015 agreement.

The Iranian foreign minister, who is in the United States to attend a United Nations meeting, was speaking in an interview to be broadcast on April 22 on the CBS TV Face the Nation program.

"We have put a number of options for ourselves and those options are ready, including options that would involve resuming at a much greater speed our nuclear activities," Zarif said.

Zarif stressed, though, in separate remarks to reporters in New York on April 21 that Iran was not seeking to acquire a nuclear bomb.

But he said Tehran's "probable" response should the United States quit the accord would be to restart production of enriched uranium -- a key ingredient to the making of a nuclear weapon.

"America never should have feared Iran producing a nuclear bomb, but we will pursue vigorously our nuclear enrichment," he said.

Iran has always claimed that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

Trump has said Iran is violating the "spirit" of the 2015 accord by continuing to test ballistic missiles, sponsoring militant violence in the region, and by supporting the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The deal provides Tehran with sanctions relief in return for curbs on its nuclear program.

Trump has called on European powers to "fix" what he says are the "terrible flaws" of the agreement, demanding that new restrictions to be imposed on Tehran's nuclear and missile programs.

Trump has set a May 12 deadline to either improve or scrap the accord, which was negotiated under his predecessor, Barack Obama.

The other powers in the deal -- Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia -- have urged Washington to remain in the pact, saying it is the best way to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

A senior U.S. administration official has told reporters that Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron will discuss the nuclear agreement when they meet at the White House on April 23.

In an interview on April 22, Macron said that he had no "Plan B" for the Iran nuclear deal and that the United States should stay in the agreement as long as there is no better option.

Macron told Fox News that he wanted to "complete" the nuclear accord by addressing Irans ballistic missile program and working to contain Iran's influence in the region.



Meanwhile, Zarif also said in the interview that Washington must undergo "a change in attitude" before negotiations can begin over several U.S. citizens being held prisoner in Iran.

Negotiations are a "possibility, certainly from a humanitarian perspective, but it requires a change of attitude," Zarif said.

"It is important...for the [Trump] administration to show the ability to engage in a respectful dialogue," Zarif said.

At least five Americans are held being in Tehran and have been sentenced to prison in Iran on espionage-related charges.

With reporting by CBS, AP, and AFPThousands of people have rallied in the Pakistani eastern city of Lahore to call for an end to what they say are human rights violations by authorities in the country's tribal regions.

The April 22 rally was organized by the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), or Pashtun Protection Movement, a group started mainly by young ethnic Pashtun activists denouncing perceived high-handedness by security forces.

Manzoor Pashteen, the founder leader of the PTM, delivered an address criticizing the country's military and its actions in Pashtun-dominated regions of Pakistan.

"I urge professional soldiers not to follow the command of the generals and brigadiers. Refuse to obey their orders because they [generals] can get you killed like they did with people of Waziristan and other parts of the country," Pashteen said.

His group has protested since the January killing of 27-year old Naqeebullah Mehsud during what Pakistani police described as a raid on a "terrorist hideout" in the port city of Karachi.

Pakistani police claimed Mehsud was a member of the Pakistani Taliban, which his relatives in his native South Waziristan region deny.

The PTM has been calling for the removal of military checkpoints in tribal areas and an end to "enforced disappearances" in which suspects are detained by security forces without due process.

In the northwestern city of Peshawar on April 8, as many as 60,000 people took part in a demonstration to demand the protection of the rights of Pashtuns.

Pakistan's government rejects allegations that security forces or its intelligence service are responsible for enforced disappearances.

Authorities say military checkpoints are necessary in the tribal areas in order to combat Islamic extremist militants, including Pakistani and Afghan Taliban fighters.

With reporting by AP and ReutersGunmen have killed two Shi'a and wounded a third in southwestern Pakistan in the latest attack on the religious minority, officials say.

Police said three Shi'ite men were travelling together on the outskirts of Balochistan Province's capital, Quetta, on April 22 when attackers on a motorcycle opened fire on them.

"It is a sectarian target killing," said senior police officer Syed Attaullah Shah.

Quetta police chief Abdur Razzaq Cheema said the attackers fled the scene following the shooting and that a search was under way.

Cheema said both deceased men, identified as Ali Raza and Syed Zaman, were local officials in Shi'ite community organizations.

The extremist group Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility in a statement carried by its Amaq news agency.

Pakistan's Shi'ite Muslim community is frequently targeted by Sunni extremists who consider Shi'a apostates.

In a report issued on April 16, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said the country had failed to make progress on several issues over the past year, including on protection of religious minorities.

The report said that religious minorities continued to be targeted by extremists, citing attacks on Shi'a, Christians falsely accused of blasphemy against Islam, and members of the Ahmedi sect.

Last month, a report released by Pakistan's National Commission for Human Rights said that 509 members of the country's Hazara community, most of whom are Shi'a, were killed and 627 injured in terror-related incidents in Quetta during the last five years.

Resource-rich Balochistan, which borders Afghanistan and Iran, has been plagued by sectarian violence, Islamist militant attacks, and a separatist insurgency that has led to thousands of casualties since 2004.

With reporting by AP, Reuters, and DawnFrench President Emmanuel Macron has warned against showing any weakness toward Vladimir Putin while insisting he wants to work with the Russian president.

"He's strong and smart. But don't be naive. He's obsessed by interference in our democracies," Macron said in an interview ahead of a three-day state visit to the United States starting on April 23.

"Thats why I do believe that we should never be weak with President Putin. When you are weak, he uses it," he told Fox News.

Macron added that the Russian leader "made a lot of fake news. He has a very strong propaganda, and he intervenes everywhere around Europe and the U.S. to fragilize our democracies. Because he thinks it's good for his country."

U.S. intelligence officials concluded last January that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an "influence campaign" targeting the 2016 election, aiming to undermine confidence in U.S. democracy, tarnish the reputation of Democrat Hillary Clinton, and help Republican Donald Trump. Russia denies it interfered, despite substantial evidence.

'Extremely Tough'

Officials in Europe have also concluded that Russia attempted to meddle in elections there, including in France.

Macron described Putin as "a very strong man" and "a strong president" who "wants a great Russia."

"He is extremely tough with minorities and his opponents, with an idea of democracy which is not mine," the French president said

"I respect him. I know him. I'm lucid. I want to work with him, knowing everything about that," he added.

Relations with Russia will be one of the issues topping the agenda next week as Macron is hosted by President Trump.

Iran Deal

The 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers is also expected to figure prominently in discussions between the two leaders.

In the same interview with Fox News, Macron urged his U.S counterpart to stick with the deal as long as there is no better option. Macron said that he had no "plan B" for the nuclear accord.

Trump has set a May 12 deadline to either improve or scrap the agreement providing Iran with relief from sanctions in return for curbs on its atomic program.

The U.S. and French presidents are expected to address the issue when the two men meet.

"Let's present this framework because it's better than the sort of North Korean-type situation," Macron said.

He also said that that he wanted to "complete" the nuclear accord by addressing Irans ballistic missile program -- a key demand of Trump -- and working to contain Iran's influence in the region.

The U.S. president has said that Iran is violating the spirit of the nuclear agreement -- which was negotiated under his predecessor, Barack Obama -- by continuing to test ballistic missiles, sponsoring militant violence in the region, and by supporting the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Trump has called on European powers to "fix" what he says are the "terrible flaws" of the deal, and demanded that new restrictions be imposed on Tehran's nuclear and missile programs.

The other powers in the deal -- Britain, China, France, Germany, and Russia -- have urged Washington to remain in the pact, saying it is the best way to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

Macron's comments also came as foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) industrialized states gathered in Toronto, Canada, to seek a common front against Russia's aggression in Ukraine, its support for President Bashar al-Assad in the Syrian conflict, and the poisoning of a former Russian double agent and his daughter in Britain last month.

Britain blames Russia for the March 4 poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal with a nerve agent -- a charge that Moscow denies.

Along with the United States and France, the G7 also includes Britain, Canada, Germany, Italy, and Japan.

With reporting by AFPNews agencies are reporting that at least one person has been killed and 25 injured as a storm with gale-force winds rages through Moscow and surrounding regions.

State-run TASS news agency on April 21 quoted emergency services officials as saying most of the injured were in the capital, hit by "falling trees and unsteady or poorly fixed structures."

TASS reported that Russia's Hydrometeorological Center issued a "status orange" warning for Moscow overnight leading into April 22.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Twitter that a 12-year-old girl had been killed.

"The girl, who was in extremely difficult condition, could not be saved by the doctors. I express my deep condolences to her parents," he wrote.

He added that "there will again be an increase in wind. Be careful. Do not let the children out of the house."

Officials reported that train service was disrupted and flights had been canceled due to the weather.

Early on April 22, an official with the Emergency Situations Ministry said some 900 towns and cities in the central Russian regions of Vladimir, Ivanovo, Tver, Smolensk, Ryazan, Moscow, and Tula had lost power due to the strong winds.

"The, power supply to about 900 settlements with about 73,000 residents has been disrupted," the ministry said.

About 48 settlements in the Moscow region were affected, although power had been restored to "all socially important facilities," officials said.

With reporting by TASS, APA, and NEWS.amThe URL has been copied to your clipboard

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Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian walked out a meeting with protest leader Nikol Pashinian on April 22, accusing him of "blackmail." Pashinian told the prime minister in front of the media that he wanted his resignation. (RFE/RL's Armenian Service)High temperatures, humidity and long periods spent on the forest floor before harvest all favour the growth of mycotoxins on Brazil nuts, according to research by a local team of scientists.



They identified critical points for contamination throughout the supply chain.



Our research identified the critical points in the contamination of Brazil nuts by aflatoxins [a type of mycotoxin produced by fungi of the genus Aspergillus], and helped to establish measures to reduce contamination, said Marta Hiromi Taniwaki, a researcher at the Food Technology Institute (ITAL) in Campinas, Brazil, and principal investigator for the project.

Our research identified the critical points in the contamination of Brazil nuts by aflatoxins [a type of mycotoxin produced by fungi of the genus Aspergillus] and helped establish measures to reduce contamination. Marta Hiromi Taniwaki

The studys findings, published in the Journal of Food Microbiology, are feeding into the development of strategies by the Brazilian government to control mycotoxins, which are toxic substances produced by fungi.



Brazil is the worlds main producer of this type of nut.



The findings are also helping the country to ensure that international maximum tolerance levels for contamination are realistic. Tolerance levels are set in the Codex Alimentarius, a collection of standards recognized by the World Trade Organization as a benchmark in settling disputes over food safety and consumer protection.

In 2003, the European Union restricted imports of Brazil nuts because of concerns over higher levels of aflatoxins than allowed by its rules, which set a maximum of 4 micrograms (g) of total aflatoxins per kilo of Brazil nuts, or 2 g of aflatoxin B1 per kilo.



Now, according to Taniwaki, these levels are set at 15 g of total aflatoxins per kilo of nuts before processing, and 10 g of total aflatoxins per kilo of nuts ready for consumption. These levels are more in line with the requirements of producer countries, which include Bolivia and Peru as well as Brazil.

The research was a collaboration between ITAL and the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), and was supported by the BIOTA programme of Brazils research foundation FAPESP.

It tracked the hazardous fungi present in Brazil nuts from the moment the nuts fall from the parent tree Bertholletia excelsa in the Amazon rainforest, to the moment that they reach the consumer in supermarkets.

The researchers found a huge diversity of fungi in 172 nut samples collected from the Amazon rainforest, harvester communities, street markets and processing plants in Para and Amazonas States, as well as from supermarkets in Sao Paulo State. They identified the genera Aspergillus and Penicillium, in addition to Eurotium species, Zygomycetes, dematiaceous or black fungi, and toxins produced by some species of Aspergillus.

The highest levels of contamination by aflatoxins were detected in samples collected from processing plants before sorting, and from street markets in Para and Amazonas.

Nevertheless, the researchers found that sorting and drying by manual or mechanical means usually eliminated more than 98 per cent of aflatoxins.

They also found that aflatoxin-producing fungi came both from the forest  in the soil and undergrowth  and from bees that visit Brazil nut trees and scatter fungal spores.

Taniwaki says the period between when nuts are harvested and when they are transported to storage or processing is crucial. This is because the long time spent on the forest floor before harvesting favours fungal growth, as do high temperatures and humidity.

Taken from a newsletter by FAPESP, a SciDev.Net donor, and edited by SciDev.Nets Latin America and the Caribbean desk.



This piece was originally published by SciDev.Nets Latin America and Caribbean desk.St. Jude Children's Research Hospital researchers have made a discovery that expands the list of genes to include when screening individuals for possible increased susceptibility to childhood leukemia. The finding is reported online today in the journal Cancer Cell.

The gene is IKZF1, which encodes the transcription factor IKAROS that regulates gene expression. IKZF1 is the fourth gene identified that -- like the genes TP53, ETV6 and PAX5 -- can predispose carriers to develop B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Variants in IKZF1 can also influence how some patients respond to treatment.

Researchers found a rare IKZF1 germline variant in three generations of a German family affected by pediatric ALL. St. Jude researchers then analyzed data from almost 5,000 young ALL patients and found that 0.9 percent of patients with B-cell ALL, the most common pediatric ALL, also carried germline variations in IKZF1. Germline variants are usually inherited, carried in DNA found in most cells.

"This finding adds to the growing body of evidence that, while germline variations still account for a small percentage of pediatric ALL cases overall, more children than previously recognized inherit a predisposition to develop ALL," said Charles Mullighan, MBBS, M.D., a member of the St. Jude Department of Pathology.

Jun J. Yang, Ph.D., an associate member of the St. Jude Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Department of Oncology, added: "The results also show that germline variants influence the response of leukemia cells to specific chemotherapeutic agents." Mullighan and Yang are the study's corresponding authors.

"This will expand the number of genes to consider when screening for predisposition to leukemia, particularly B-ALL. And while not everyone carrying a germline IKZF1 variant will develop leukemia, these results will help us educate families about the potential risk of leukemia," said co-author Kim Nichols, M.D., director of the St. Jude Cancer Predisposition Division. As a group, Mullighan, Yang and Nichols have led research that identified the four known pediatric ALL predisposition genes.

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IKZF1 frequently mutated in leukemic cells

The discovery comes a decade after Mullighan and his colleagues reported that IKZF1 was frequently mutated in leukemic cells and a harbinger of poor treatment outcomes.

The search for germline IKZF1 variants associated with ALL susceptibility began in Singapore. Nichols and Yang were there to talk about germline genetics of ALL and inherited (familial) cancer. During that visit, co-author Rupert Handgretinger, M.D., of Children's University Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany, mentioned three generations of a German family with a germline variation in IKZF1 and a family history of B-ALL. Two of the five family members with the variant had developed pediatric ALL and died. The remaining three are apparently healthy despite having reduced numbers of B cells.

Targeted sequencing of IKZF1 in 4,963 children with ALL identified 43 patients with 27 IKZF1 variants, almost exclusively patients with B-ALL. "The pattern of IKZF1 variants was surprising because many of the variants were in regions of the gene that are rarely mutated in leukemic cells; these regions of the gene have not been well characterized," Yang said.

IKZF1 variants affect IKAROS function

Extensive laboratory testing found at least 22 of the 28 variants affected protein functions. For example, IKZF1 variants resulted in IKAROS migrating outside the nucleus, which is where the protein normally functions. In other cases, variants were associated with increased cell adhesion.

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"Based on existing models, we would have predicted only 60 percent of the newly identified IKZF1 variants would be deleterious," said Michelle Churchman, Ph.D., of St. Jude Pathology. Churchman, Maoxiang Qian, Ph.D., of St. Jude Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Geertruy te Kronnie, of the University of Padova, Italy, are the first authors.

IKZF1 variants require a second "hit" to cause cancer

"In IKZF1 and the other ALL predisposition genes, cells may require an additional cooperating mutation to develop into leukemia," Mullighan said. "While familial ALL is rare, these cases can point to genes and novel biology to examine in a larger patient population.

"This study demonstrates the power of sequencing large groups of seemingly sporadic cases that reveal the genetic underpinnings of the disease," he said.A new study of trial court judges suggests these arbiters of the law sometimes let their personal ideas about gender roles influence their decision-making. The findings, which are part of a broader study of judicial behavior, revealed that the judges were just as likely as laypeople to discriminate -- in ways that harmed both men and women -- in decisions involving child custody or workplace discrimination cases related to family caregiving duties.

Judges with more expertise in family law tended to engage in more biased decision-making than those with less experience in family court, said University of Illinois psychology professor Andrea Miller, who conducted the research.

"Judges tend to believe that their vast amount of legal training and logical thinking skills make them immune to these mistakes," she said. "This research is showing that judges are not as immune as maybe they think they are."

The study was conducted at the request of a group representing trial court judges. The judges wanted to know whether their own decision-making was affected by biases that could contribute to social disparities in the legal system.

"They were being very forward-thinking and brave, I think," said Miller, who took on the challenge while working as a postdoctoral researcher at the American Bar Foundation and is continuing the work at Illinois.

The overall sample involved 619 sitting trial court judges and 504 laypeople. All of the judges were asked about their legal expertise. Only those with recent experience on specific types of cases -- for example, child custody cases in family court -- were asked to analyze cases in those fields.

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The study evaluated 372 judges' decision-making in a child custody case and 514 judges addressing a workplace discrimination case. The judges read about the cases and then made decisions about how to resolve them. For this analysis, the only thing that varied in each case was the race and gender of those involved in the disputes.

"We're giving them identical case facts and we're only changing a couple of variables that should be legally irrelevant -- race and gender," Miller said.

After the judges made their rulings, they filled out surveys that tested their gender and racial attitudes. (The racial analysis will be published at a later date.)

"The gender ideologies test measured how much the judges consciously support traditional gender roles, where women are more or less confined to domestic caregiving roles and men are confined to more public, career-based roles," Miller said.

Judges in the shared-custody case were more likely than laypeople to give a mother more time with a child than a father. The judges gave mothers, on average, about half a day more time with their children than they gave fathers. Laypeople awarded 0.15 of a day more time to mothers. The judges' tendency to discriminate in this manner coincided with their traditional gender ideologies: The more they supported traditional gender roles for men and women, the more parenting time they gave to the mother in the case.

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"In the shared-custody case, the judges were influenced more by gender than the lay sample," Miller said. "An extra half day with a child each week amounts to nearly an extra month of time over the course of a year."

In a workplace discrimination case involving family caregiving, the gender of the plaintiff also affected judges more than laypeople.

"Overall, the judges and the laypeople both saw the woman's case as having more merit than the man's," Miller said. "But the more the judges supported traditional gender roles, the more likely they were to rule against a woman plaintiff on the merits. In other words, decisions in the woman's discrimination case were influenced by the judges' personal ideologies about the proper roles for men and women."

Miller said she wasn't surprised that judges can be influenced by the gender of plaintiffs.

"My first takeaway is that judges are human, just like the rest of us," she said. But she was surprised that judges' expertise in family law did not reduce their tendency to be influenced by their personal ideas about gender.

"The legal system is set up to believe that judges are superhuman logical thinkers and fair decision-makers," Miller said. "And this research shows that even people who are extremely motivated to be fair and make correct decisions are not immune to the same mistakes that everyone else experiences."

Miller is sharing her findings with the judges in the study and working with them to find ways to reduce the role of their personal biases in their courtroom decision-making.In a paper published in Profession, the Modern Language Association's journal about modern languages and literatures, a Saint Louis University professor discusses how he uses video games to teach Italian, allowing his students to master two semesters worth of language acquisition through one intensive class for students new to the Italian language.

Simone Bregni, Ph.D., associate professor of languages, literatures and cultures at SLU, started playing video games in 1975 when he was 12. By the mid-1980s, he was playing textual adventures, and soon realized his English was improving rapidly as he played. This revelation informed his research and teaching, as did his work for a leading Italian video game publication in the 1990s where he wrote a column on the history of video games and served as a correspondent reporting about the video game industry.

Bregni first began incorporating video games in the classroom in language labs in 1997. It was the introduction of a new generation of animated, interactive adventure games in 2009, however, that brought striking results to his students. Set in fully inhabitable environments, they enriched both language and culture.

"Games have now evolved," Bregni said. "They are interactive movies."

Though Bregni has used Final Fantasy, Trivial Pursuit, Who Wants to be a Millionaire, Heavy Rain and Rise of the Tomb Raider in his classrooms, one of the most useful games to teach Italian is Assassin's Creed II.

"In my Italian Renaissance literature course, for example, students explore Florence as it flourished under the Medici by playing Assassin's Creed II," Bregni says in the paper. "My 21st-century American students partake in the life of Ezio Auditore, a 20-something man from an affluent family, by wandering around a cultural and historical re-creation of 1476 Florence."

Bregni uses games to reinforce vocabulary and grammar, introduce cultural data and teach students to problem solve in Italian. He links specific game chapters to pedagogical goals, preparing students with vocabulary and grammar worksheets, applying them in the relevant game, and discussing and reflecting on them afterwards in a written exercise, a process he calls Identify, Acquire, Create (IAC).

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Recently, Bregni received a fellowship grant from SLU's Reinert Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning to use a state-of-the-art learning studio to develop a language course based entirely on gaming.

In a class called Intensive Italian for Gamers, all students made progress equal to two semesters of Italian over the course of a single fall semester. By the final, students were 3 to 5 points ahead of students in a traditional Italian course.

The class format was a hybrid with a flipped classroom and online instruction. On a typical day, Bregni led 30 minutes of traditional instruction, such as exercises to practice past tenses, for example, followed by 20 minutes of gaming.

"Studies indicate that a strong shared interest within a learning group will foster language acquisition," Bregni said. "We start with things that students know and can figure out, which is reassuring, and we build from there."

"I firmly believe that learning should be fun," Bregni said. "The fact that it is fun doesn't take away from the seriousness -- it's just more effective."

The Reinert Center and the language learning studio of the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures now have games that can be played in multiple languages, including Italian, French, Spanish, Russian and Chinese so that instructors and students can supplement their course work.

This semester, Bregni is conducting workshops about gaming and language acquisition at universities in several cities across Europe, including Saint Louis University's Madrid campus. In 2017 Bregni was awarded the the James H. Korn Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Award by the Reinert Center at Saint Louis University.The week that includes April 18 is always a time for San Francisco to celebrate rebirth, commemorating the city that rose from the ashes of the 1906 quake. But in 2018, it was also a week that focused on death with Reimagine End of Life, a citywide series of 175 events, including panels, readings, discussions, planning sessions and performances.

At UCSF on Wednesday night, and then at the Castro Theatre on the following night, Theater of War Productions presented Frances McDormand, David Strathairn and Marjolaine Goldsmith performing excerpts from Sophocles 2,500-year-old play Ajax, stimulating conversation among both panelists and audience members. The performances were hosted by private individuals as well as the UCSF School of Medicine and Jewish Family and Childrens Services.

The audience the first night  which was to focus on sudden death  was dominated by medical students and UCSF docs and staffers; and the panelists included UCSF provost Dan Lowenstein, med student Tiana Woolridge, Veterans Affairs geriatrician and palliative care specialist Rebecca Sudore and high school teacher Ken Baldwin.

The company was co-founded in 2009 by Bryan Doerries, whose translations make the Greek classics easily accessible to modern audiences, and who, after presenting events for almost 10 years, was an able emcee/facilitator.

His first presentations were to military personnel, enlisted men and officers, he writes in his 2015 book, The Theater of War: What Ancient Greek Tragedies Can Teach Us Today. Since then, the company has played in prisons, to audiences of homeless people, to communities particularly affected by gun violence. The issues tackled by the ancients are still issues: the guilt, depression and rage, the unwanted refuse of lifes struggles.

These particular excerpts were performed with so much force and conviction that you couldnt look away. It became clear from peoples precise quoting of the text during the after-performance discussion that many listeners had been taking notes; others admitted that theyd cried. Our core value as a company, said Doerries before the performance, is that the audience knows more than we do.

Medical school may be a stratified place, but in response to these issues  to the suicide of a principled person unable to deal with the consequences of his rage  students and faculty members shared their thoughts and emotions equally.

Stories poured forth, often shockingly personal revelations from friends and relatives of people who had attempted suicide, or achieved it, or been murdered. This was inevitable, said one man. Thats what I felt on the day that I jumped.

Sitting there, it was as if each comment was part of a one-on-one conversation, all the more remarkable because it had been initiated 2,500 years ago when the play was written. Davia Nelson, who as one of the Kitchen Sisters of NPR is a professional storyteller and story-listener, talked afterward about why the drama is such an effective starting point. Youve seen lamentation, she said, and youve seen howling, and its released something. Its tapped into the ancient.

You are not alone across time is how Doerries put it.

On Tuesday, April 17, the day federal income taxes were supposed to be due, George Barantseff did an errand at the Parkside Post Office at 28th and Taraval. In previous years, he said, there had been a line of taxpayers extending almost around the block. But even that has been disrupted by the option of filing online. There were so many online filers that the IRS computer system crashed, as has been reported. On Tax Day 2018, he emailed, all of the windows at the counter were fully staffed. But at 1:30 p.m., there wasnt a customer in sight. They were probably all at home, cursing at their computers.

Crime watch in the Sunset, from the Sunset Beacon via David Jensen: Battery, 3800 block of Noriega Street. ... The victim reported that the suspect, her co-worker, pushed her for no known reason. (Needed: A sliding scale to reflect the distance between a nudge and a shove. Is pushed exactly 50 percent of the way?)

Never criticize a man until youve walked a mile in his shoes, says the old saw, as quoted by Joe Mac. Then, says Mac, never mind. Youre a mile away, and you have his shoes.

On the other hand (or foot), shopping at Safeway, Jeannette Etheredge saw three scooters abandoned in the aisles.

Leah Garchik is open for business in San Francisco, (415) 777-8426. Email: lgarchik@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @leahgarchik

Public Eavesdropping

We never should have taught Grandma how to text.It was a cordial letter. One elected official writing to another.

Richmond Mayor Tom Butt asked Contra Costa County Sheriff David Livingston for an opportunity to visit the troubled jail in the city he heads.

The Contra Costa Sheriffs Office operates the West County Detention Facility, and the county has a contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain immigrants at the property near Point Pinole Regional Shoreline, a regional park.

Butt wants to visit the jail because hes concerned about the mounting allegations of mistreatment of inmates, which include women forced to relieve themselves in red biodegradable plastic bags and the denial of medical care.

He sent the letter to Livingston on April 5, the day after the Sheriffs Office arrested one of their own deputies, who it said was being investigated for having unlawful consensual sex with two female inmates. (Consensual is the word used by the jail. One of the inmates told me she and her friend were raped.)

The purpose of my visit is to gain insight and perspective of the general living conditions in the facility including that of ICE detainees, Butt wrote in the letter. The experience of detainees has been a continuing topic of intense interest and concern by many of my constituents and compels me to gain greater insight to be able to respond.

The response Butt received from Livingston: silence.

We havent heard anything. They just ignore us, said Butt, who added that his verbal requests to visit the jail have also been ignored. I feel disrespected.

Welcome to the club, Mayor Butt. Just think of how the inmates feel.

Its a constant topic of discussion around Richmond, and I dont have any predetermined opinions about it, but I do think we have an obligation to look into it, Butt told me. Clearly it puts the sheriffs department in a bad light. Just by being the location, Richmond gets tainted by this, too.

Butt isnt the only elected official getting the cold shoulder from Livingston.

State Assemblyman David Chiu, D-San Francisco, and three state senators  Jim Beall, D-San Jose, Cathleen Galgiani, D-Stockton, and Bob Wieckowski, D-Fremont  sent a letter to Livingston on April 5 urging reinstatement of a watchdog groups visitations to the jail.

We have received radio silence, Chiu said when I asked if hed received a response to the letter.

These allegations of violence, sexual assault and mistreatment of our immigrant family members in detention centers is incredibly troubling, and we need answers, Chiu told me. We need answers from those public officials who are sworn to uphold an oath to treat human beings with dignity and care.

In March, Livingston barred the watchdog group from sending volunteers to visit immigrants inside the jail to check on their well-being. The volunteers were with Freedom for Immigrants, a group formerly known as Community Initiatives for Visiting Immigrants in Confinement, or CIVIC.

The sheriff blocked Freedom for Immigrants the same day the Department of Justice filed a suit against California to challenge state laws that make it tougher for federal immigration agents to do their work here.

A spokesman for the Sheriffs Office pointed out that Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, D-Concord, has toured the jail, as have representatives from the offices of Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris, among other lawmakers. Representatives of the Consulate General of Mexico and the Consulate General of Guatemala have also been there, according to the spokesman.

A visit by immigration officials is scheduled for June. California Attorney General Xavier Becerras office, which is investigating the allegations, has requested a second visit. Perhaps Butt could be invited on one of those dates.

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.

Our priority is continuing to accommodate organizations, including higher-level elected officials and their staff at this time, the Sheriffs Office spokesman said. We will respond to Richmond Mayor Tom Butts request as time permits.

I bet if U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions wanted to visit West County, Livingston would roll out a red carpet flanked by deputies who passed a uniform inspection that was more meticulous than, say, his internal investigation into complaints of mistreatment of detainees.

Sessions is the point man for the current presidential administration, which is disdainful of human rights, especially the human rights of undocumented immigrants. And remember, Livingston was one of six California sheriffs who met with the man driving the White Houses anti-immigration policies in February 2017.

According to Rebecca Merton, Freedom for Immigrants national visitation network coordinator, there is a meeting scheduled with the Sheriffs Office for the first week of May. The group hopes to renegotiate the visitation program that began at the detention facility in 2011.

But the meeting has already been postponed once, Merton said. The Sheriffs Office said there are more than 20 advocacy groups that continue to have regular access to inmates and detainees.

It would be cruel and unusual to continue to not allow us to provide the critical support that people inside need to keep fighting their cases, Merton said.

Livingston is running for another four-year term this year  unopposed. As an elected official, he should be held accountable for his lack of leadership, lack of transparency and his unprofessional behavior  stonewalling other public leaders who want to know whats going on.

If he doesnt have anything to hide, he ought to say, Yeah, come on out. Take a look, Butt said.

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Otis R. Taylor Jr. appears Mondays and Thursdays. Email: otaylor@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @otisrtaylorjrHad Eureka Day merely taken anti-vaxxers to task without making fun of them, seriously considered where theyre coming from without elevating what remains a fringe view, that alone would have been plenty of achievement.

But Aurora Theatre Companys world premiere commission, seen Friday, April 20, achieves still more.

In envisioning a very liberal and very privileged Berkeley private school, Jonathan Spectors play is so crisply defined that you might have to periodically remind yourself that you havent already met these characters in real life. Don (Rolf Saxon) is the conflict-averse head of school who at various executive committee meetings with parents gets a balletic spring in his step from abstract nouns, scones and markering notes on tearaway butcher paper. Longtime hyper-involved volunteer Suzanne (Lisa Anne Porter, bouncing up and down with the enthusiasm of Richard Simmons) is equally vehement in bulldozing her views over everyone elses and then reproaching herself for doing so. Eli (Teddy Spencer), periodically breaking into yogic stretches, interrupts proceedings at such a spastic volume its as if hes still in a garage with the tech bros with whom he made his millions. Meiko (Charisse Loriaux) alternates between in-your-face candor  I find the best way not to put words in someones mouth is not to put words in their mouth  and the sort of panic that expands a clash with fellow parents into a rupture in the cosmos.

David Allen / Aurora Theatre Company

Josh Costellos direction makes this group as intimate as family. Over the years theyve constructed an elaborate shorthand and set of shared norms that firmly ensconce them in their Berkeley hills bubble (and Richard Olmsteds set, overlooking a spectacular Golden Gate panorama, only further isolates them from the base populace).

Its all initially impenetrable to newcomer Carina (Elizabeth Carter, who perfectly balances bafflement, fear and deference). But if the veterans are overzealous in correcting her every breach of decorum  No referring to children by their gender! No decisions without consensus!  Spector and Costello make clear that they also genuinely want to welcome her and her family into the school they deeply love and devote their lives to.

That goodwill raises the stakes when Don gets a letter from the health department telling him one of his students has contracted mumps. Fault lines slice across the room. No one is imprudent enough to lay his or her cards on the table, but Spector makes every apparent stab at diplomacy into a sly bid for power. Here, to speak is to set the terms of the conversation, which is to remove your opposition from consideration without even talking about it first.

David Allen

What follows is an ingeniously communicated total failure of communication. Framing and values become magic words that put the kibosh on any actual exchange of ideas. Uncomfortable is an all-powerful trump card. But the alternative is even worse. In one uproarious scene, Spector becomes one of the first playwrights to find a way to make a Facebook comments section cesspool work as live theater. As the executive committee hosts a Facebook Live for the rest of the schools parents, the torrent of their vitriol musters so much momentum as to become like a physical force in the room.

Spector proves as much a master of pathos as of comedy. The sickness of Eureka Day of course isnt just the automatic tearjerker that is ill children, but the polarization of our politics and the poverty of our discourse. We humans have no way of truly accommodating, either in language or in policy, an irreconcilable difference. Thats even if we do all the right things, like explain the life story that makes a view more understandable, then listen, then empathize. Even after all that, our flaw, that we must always pick a winner, prevails  which means someone has to lose.

Lily Janiak is The San Francisco Chronicles theater critic. Email: ljaniak@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LilyJaniak

Eureka Day: Written by Jonathan Spector. Directed by Josh Costello. Through May 13. One hour, 50 minutes. $33-$65. Aurora Theatre Company, 2081 Addison St., Berkeley. (510) 843-4822. www.auroratheatre.orgReliever Yusmeiro Petit came off the family medical emergency leave list Saturday after returning from Venezuela, where he visited his mother, Rubia.

Petit said that his mother is very ill and was so sedated that she didnt know he was there.

Hes doing OK, manager Bob Melvin said, adding that the trip home was something that was extremely important to him, and I understand why.

To make room for Petit, the As sent reliever Josh Lucas, who worked three scoreless innings the night before, back to Triple-A Nashville.

Three innings and 25 pitches? Melvin said. You dont see that often. When he did get into a jam, he was able to keep the ball down and get a double-play ball. First look was really good. Id be kind of surprised if we didnt see him again.

The As have numerous relievers performing well at Nashville, including Lucas and Lou Trivino, who was sent down Thursday, as well as Bobby Wahl and Jeremy Bleich, who is left-handed but not on the 40-man roster. The As are down to one left-hander after Danny Coulombe was sent down Friday.

With so many options at Nashville, how long will Oakland stick with right-hander Emilio Pagan, who gave up Mitch Morelands sixth-inning grand slam Friday? Pagan has allowed four homers, tied for the most among AL relievers with the Angels Luke Bard, who was designated for assignment Saturday. Pagan has given up runs in six of 10 outings, and opponents are batting .332 against him.

The As traded first baseman Ryon Healy to get Pagan, however, and the front office liked his metrics from Pagans first season with Seattle. He has options left, but given the relatively small sample size in April, its likely the team will give Pagan time to turn things around.

Given his difficulties, will Melvin change how he uses Pagan? Melvin said that Fridays situation  Pagan took over from starter Kendall Graveman with the bases loaded  probably would have gone to Petit had he been with the team, or to a second lefty (Coulombe) if the As had one.

But when guys arent available, you have to go to other guys, Melvin said. We still have faith in Pagan. He has a good riding fastball, maybe should have tried to use that at that point instead of a first-pitch slider, but sometimes you have to ride through some bumps with some guys and if it goes on too long, maybe you change up roles a little bit, but we still have faith in him.

Briefly: Catcher Josh Phegley (broken fingers) came off the disabled list and was optioned to Nashville. ... Liam Hendriks said he is making progress in his return from adductor tendinitis. The reliever is eligible to be activated Tuesday but is likely to be out a few weeks longer. ... Minor-league starters James Kaprielian and Daulton Jefferies threw to hitters for the first time since their Tommy John surgeries and both looked terrific, according to minor-league pitching coordinator Gil Patterson, who said Jefferies hit 93-94 mph, with Kaprielian touching 95 mph.

Susan Slusser is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer.The As are stacked with relief options at Triple-A Nashville, where it seems most of the bullpen is putting up zeroes.

Might that mean a short leash for struggling right-hander Emilio Pagan? Pagan has allowed four homers, including Mitch Morelands sixth-inning grand slam in Bostons 7-3 victory at Oakland on Friday.

Hes tied for the most homers allowed among AL relievers; the other, Luke Bard of the Angels, was designated for assignment Saturday. Pagan has given up runs in six of his 10 outings, and opponents are batting .333 against him.

The As traded young slugger Ryon Healy to get Pagan over the winter, however, and the front office was enthusasitic about his metrics from his first season with Seattle. Pagan, 26, has options remaining, but given the relatively small sample size available in April, its more than likely the team will give Pagan time to turn things around rather than sending him to Triple-A Nashville any time soon.

If theres a need at some point, though, Oakland is covered when it comes to relief pitching depth, given how well Lou Trivino and Josh Lucas performed in brief call-ups this week. Right-hander Bobby Wahl also is pitching well at Nashville, as is lefty Jeremy Bleich, and lefty Danny Coulombe was sent to Triple-A Nashville on Friday.

Given Pagans difficulties, will manager Bob Melvin have to change how he uses Pagan? Melvin said that Fridays situation - Pagan took over from starter Kendall Graveman with the bases loaded - probably would have gone to Yusmeiro Petit had he been with the team, or to a second lefty (Coulombe) if the As had one. Petit returned from family medical emergency leave Saturday.

But when guys arent available, you have to go to other guys, Melvin said. We still have faith in Pagan. He has a good riding fastball, maybe should have tried to use that at that point instead of a first-pitch slider. But sometimes you have to ride through some bumps with some guys and if it goes on too long, maybe you change up roles a little bit. But we still have faith in him.

The catch-22 with reducing a relievers role, particularly a young one, is that typically the workload is reduced, and certainly the opportunity to pitch in key situations dwindles. Last year was Pagans first in the big leagues and this spring his first ever in big-league camp; hes still learning. Without consistent work, a relievers woes can grow worse, and without work in tough spots, a young reliever sometimes might not develop quite as quickly.

Susan Slusser is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sslusser@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @susanslusserSan Francisco firefighters battled a big blaze in a residential building just south of Golden Gate Park late Saturday night that sent a plume of black smoke above the city.

Officials said the fire at 1808-1810 Eighth Avenue, near the corner of Noriega Street at the edge of the Inner Sunset and Forest Knolls neighborhoods, was reported after 9:30 p.m. and quickly went to a second and then a third alarm, requiring more resources to fight it and keep it from spreading.

More than 100 firefighters responded to the blaze. No injuries were reported, and buildings next to the one that was ablaze were evacuated by firefighters and police officers. Shortly after midnight, fire officials tweeted that the blaze was contained.

The building appeared to include three units, but there was no immediate indication of how many residents were displaced. The cause of the blaze was under investigation.

We are working VERY HARD to keep this from spreading to other exposures (homes), Fire Department officials said on Twitter before 11 p.m.

Soon they added, Currently NO injuries it is too early to know how many occupants will be displaced, however @RedCrossBayArea and City Services are standing by for recovery efforts.

At about 11 p.m., nearly a dozen neighbors stood on the corner of Eighth and Noriega, watching in silence as thick smoke spilled from the home. Some wore face masks. Others were wrapped in blankets.

Modesto Morales, 27, clutched his small dog, Chomper, who was wrapped in a white towel, as he watched the blaze.

Morales said he had been doing laundry in his garage down the street from the fire when he heard sirens. At first, he thought the sound was from the movie he was watching with his fiancee and paid no attention. Then he saw the lights of the fire trucks.

He ran back into his house, grabbed a surgical face mask and ran to the corner.

I saw the entire row of fire trucks on Eighth Street and so I followed the smoke, and Im here now, Morales said. By the time he reached the corner, he said, he saw a lot of smoke.

A firefighter approached the onlookers, asking if any of them were affected by the fire. They all shook their heads.

Hopefully everybody is OK. Hopefully these people have insurance. Im really glad to see the firefighters of San Francisco be so responsive, Morales said.

Sarah Ravani and Demian Bulwa are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com, dbulwa@sfchronicle.comNEW YORK  Fifty years ago Monday, Columbia University students angry about racism and the Vietnam War began a rebellion that fed a sense the country was in turmoil.

Starting at noon on April 23, 1968, student militants occupied Hamilton Hall, a main classroom building, and took a dean hostage for 24 hours. They stormed into the office of the universitys president, ransacked files and smoked his cigars.

Over the next few days, hundreds of students would seize a total of five campus buildings. The occupation attracted global attention. Black militant leaders Stokely Carmichael and H. Rap Brown visited the protesters. Chinas Chairman Mao Zedong sent a telegram.

Then, early on April 30, a thousand police officers swept in and cleared out the rebels.

In the club swinging, fist fighting, pushing and kneeing that marked the violent subjugation, the Associated Press reported at the time. One hundred students and 15 police officers were injured. Police made 700 arrests.

The protests were part of a year of global tumult that included Vietnams Tet Offensive, the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy and mass demonstrations at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

As Columbia prepares to observe the anniversary, some people who lived through the occupations see parallels with todays young activists, such as survivors of the high school shooting in Parkland, Fla.

When Parkland happened and I saw particularly the young women speaking angrily and passionately about what had happened and what had to change, I just heard my own voice, said Nancy Biberman, who was a student at Barnard, the womens college affiliated with Columbia.

Two grievances sparked the protests: Columbias ties to the Institute for Defense Analyses, a weapons research outfit, and a university plan to build a gym in a city park that would have separate doors for Columbia students and for the surrounding African American community.

Karla Spurlock-Evans was a freshman.

Being in that building, sensing the power of what can come when people who have a common goal that is righteous come together with goodwill and good intentions and love showed me that real change can be accomplished, said Spurlock-Evans, now dean of multicultural affairs at Trinity College in Hartford, Conn.

But support for the occupiers wasnt universal. Vaud Massarsky was a leader of a student group opposed to the protests called the Majority Coalition.

The press has ignored the great apathetic mass that was there to get a degree, said Massarsky, now a management consultant and author of detective stories.

Karen Matthews is an Associated Press writer.The public split between the White House and U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley last week over Russia sanctions threw a spotlight on her at-times uneasy relationship with President Trump, even as her deft rebuttal bolstered talk about her own future political fortunes.

Haleys rejoinder to a putdown from a close Trump adviser about message confusion  she declared that I dont get confused  was seized as a rallying cry among some women and echoed the audacity the former governor displayed while upending the old boys club in the South Carolina Statehouse. But the episode also called into question her standing on Trumps national security team ahead of tough decisions on North Korea, Iran and other fronts.

What distinguishes her from the star-struck sycophants in the White House is that she understands the intersection of strong leadership and public service, where great things happen, said Rob Godfrey, a spokesman for Haley when she was governor.

Haley, now considered to be on the shortlist of future presidential candidates, has consistently taken a harder line than Trump on Russia. While that, at times, has drawn Trumps ire, her hawkishness on other occasions has been appreciated by the president, who has allowed her to reprimand Moscow while he works toward a friendship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

That dynamic broke down last week. Trump was angry when he saw Haley on television discussing new Russia sanctions that she said would be announced the next day. He blasted her for being out of step with the rest of the administration, according to two White House officials. They commented only on condition of anonymity.

Despite Haleys words, no new sanctions were imposed.

Asked for an explanation, Larry Kudlow, the presidents new economic adviser, told reporters that Haley got ahead of the curve and he added, Shes a very effective ambassador, but there might have been some momentary confusion about that.

The next day, Haley hit back, releasing a statement to Fox News that read: With all due respect, I dont get confused.

Kudlow apologized but Haleys differences with the White House had already pushed into the open.

At the United Nations, responding to a shouted question about her relationship with the president, she simply said, Its perfect.

Haleys pushback struck a chord, becoming something of an instant feminist motto in the way it rebelled against what some saw as a patronizing comment from a powerful man. The words carried additional resonance considering Haleys place as one of the few prominent women in Trumps inner circle.

I feel sorry for Nikki Haley, said former Secretary of State Madeline Albright. She has been very tough up there making points. She makes very clear that shes representing the president. And all of a sudden shes put into this ridiculous situation of looking as though she is out there by herself on something.

Jonathan Lemire and Meg Kinnard are Associated Press writers.WASHINGTON  Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt met in his office last year with a veteran Washington lobbyist tied to the bargain-priced condo where Pruitt was living.

Both Pruitt and lobbyist Steven Hart had previously denied Hart had conducted any recent business with the EPA.

A spokesman for Hart confirmed Saturday that the lobbyist met with Pruitt at EPA headquarters in July 2017 to discuss efforts to preserve Chesapeake Bay. The admission about the meeting came after the lobbying firm Williams & Jensen filed a new disclosure report late Friday hours after Hart announced his early retirement as chairman. The firms filing, first reported by the Hill, says Hart lobbied the EPA during the first quarter of 2018 on behalf of Smithfield Foods.

The worlds largest pork producer, Smithfield has been involved with efforts to clean up the bay since the EPA fined the company $12.6 million in 1997 for illegally dumping hog waste into a tributary.

The EPAs press office did not respond to questions about Pruitts meeting with Hart.

Pruitts connections to the prominent lobbyist have been under intense scrutiny since last month, when media reports first revealed that the EPA chief had rented a luxury Capitol Hill condo from a corporation co-owned by Harts wife for just $50 a night.

Pruitts public calendar shows he meet at EPA headquarters on July 11 with the Smithfield Foundation, the pork-producers philanthropic arm. The calendar entry does not include a list of attendees.

Pruitts calendar does not disclose any 2018 meetings with Smithfield or its affiliates, the period covered by the report filed by Williams & Jensen.

Harts spokesman, Ryan Williams, confirmed that the lobbyist had met with Pruitt at the EPA in July. In a statement, Hart disputed the legal filing made by his former firm.

I assisted a friend who served on the Chesapeake Bay Commission, and this is inaccurately being tied to Smithfield Foods, Hart said. I was not paid for this assistance, and any suggestion that I lobbied for Smithfield Foods is inaccurate.

Lobbying disclosures show Williams & Jensen has represented Smithfield for more than a decade, with Hart intermittently reported as working directly on the pork producers behalf. The firm reported receiving $70,000 from Smithfield in the first quarter of this year.

In a statement issued Saturday, Smithfield said it did not direct any contacts with the the EPA about Chesapeake Bay.

The objective, while laudable, was not undertaken at the direction of or on behalf of Smithfield Foods, said a statement provided by Smithfield spokeswoman Diana Souder. These activities were conducted at the request of a then former executive and current Smithfield Foundation board member, Dennis Treacy, in his personal capacity.

Treacy is a member of the Chesapeake Bay Commission, which was created by the states of Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania to coordinate on issues involving the bay. He did not respond to a phone message seeking comment.

Pruitt denied in an interview with Fox News this month that there was anything improper with his rental of the condo from Harts wife.

Mr. Hart has no client that has business before this agency, Pruitt said. It was like an Airbnb situation.

Hart also denied having any meaningful recent contacts with the EPA chief.

Pruitt is a casual friend, but I have had no contact with him for many months except for a brief pass-by at the National Prayer Breakfast in 2018, Hart said last month.

Before being tapped by Trump to lead the EPA, Pruitt served as the elected attorney general of Oklahoma. Williams & Jensen represents several clients with interests before the agency, including OGE Energy Corp., an electricity provider in Pruitts home state.

Campaign finance records show Hart hosted a 2014 fundraiser for Pruitts state re-election effort where more than three dozen OGE executives cut checks, even though he was running without a Democratic opponent.

Records show that once Pruitt arrived at the EPA last year, he met with a lobbyist from Harts firm and two executives from OGE Energy, which was then seeking to scuttle tighter pollution standards for coal-fired power plants. The company paid Williams & Jensen $400,000 in lobbying fees last year.

Micheal Biesecker is an Associated Press writer.NASHVILLE  A nearly naked gunman wearing only a green jacket and brandishing an assault rifle stormed a Waffle House restaurant in Nashville early Sunday, shooting four people to death before a customer rushed him and wrestled the weapon away.

Authorities were searching for the suspect, Travis Reinking, 29, who they said drove to the busy restaurant and killed two people in the parking lot before entering and continuing to fire. When his AR-15 rifle either jammed or the clip was empty, the customer disarmed him in a scuffle.

Four people were also wounded before the gunman fled, shedding his jacket.

Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson said there was no clear motive, though Reinking may have mental issues. He may still be armed, Anderson said, because he was known to have owned a handgun that authorities have not recovered.

The AR-15 used in the shooting and the handgun were among four firearms that authorities took from Reinking after U.S. Secret Service agents arrested him in July for being in a restricted area near the White House, officials said. Special Agent Todd Hudson said Reinking was detained after refusing to leave the restricted area, later explaining he wanted to meet President Trump.

State police in Illinois, where Reinking lived until last fall, revoked his state firearms card at the request of the FBI, and the four guns were taken from him, authorities said. Nashville Police spokesman Don Aaron said the guns were returned to his father, who told authorities Sunday he had given the weapons to his son.

Authorities hailed the customer who intervened to stop a further bloodbath, 29-year-old James Shaw Jr., as a hero  though the father of a 4-year-old girl demurred and said he was just trying to survive.

Shaw said he first thought the gunshots were plates falling. When he realized what was happening, he took cover behind a door. The gun either jammed or needed a new clip, and that is when Shaw said he pounced after making up his mind that he was going to have to work to kill me.

Shaw said he was able to grab the gun and toss it over a counter. The gunman then ran away. He was seen walking, naked, on a road, officials said, but later was seen in pants after apparently returning to his apartment.

The dead were identified as restaurant worker Taurean Sanderlin, 29, and restaurant patrons Joe Perez, 20, Akilah Dasilva, 23, and DeEbony Groves, 21.

Sheila Burke is an Associated Press writer.1 Officer charged: An off-duty Los Angeles police officer has been charged with murder in a fiery freeway crash that killed three people. Prosecutors say Edgar Verduzco also was charged Friday with vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence in connection with the Sept. 26 crash. Verduzco appeared in court Friday but didnt enter a plea. Police said Verduzco was speeding on Interstate 605 when he crashed into the back of two cars. One burst into flames, killing the driver and two passengers. Two people in the other car were injured. If convicted, Verduzco faces a sentence of up to life in prison.

2 Lobbyist resigns: The fossil-fuels lobbyist tied to the bargain-priced Capitol Hill condo leased by Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt is taking early retirement as a result of the scandal. J. Steven Hart sent an email to friends and colleagues Friday announcing hes leaving Williams & Jensen, the powerhouse Washington lobbying firm where he served as chairman. Hart, 64, said he was planning to retire in November but that the intense scrutiny resulting from the unusual rental arrangement with the head of the EPA led him to expedite his departure. Media reports first disclosed last month that Pruitt paid just $50 per night for the condo to a corporation co-owned by Harts wife, who is also a lobbyist, initiating several ethics investigations.WASHINGTON  Countering resistance to President Trumps pick for CIA director, the spy agency has given lawmakers a declassified memo showing she was cleared years ago of wrongdoing in the destruction of videotapes showing terror suspects being waterboarded after the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

Gina Haspel is facing opposition from some Democrats and rights groups critical of her activities related to the shredding of 92 videotapes in 2005 and her overall role in the CIAs harsh interrogation program, which critics have portrayed as one of the shadiest chapters in the agencys history. The memo, however, did not satisfy opponents who want to know more details about her three-decade CIA career.NEW YORK  A mail carrier in Brooklyn stashed about 17,000 pieces of undelivered mail for more than a decade because he was overwhelmed by the amount he had to deliver, authorities said.

The carrier, Aleksey Germash, told investigators he made sure to deliver the important mail, according to a complaint filed in federal court.

Germash, a Postal Service employee for more than 16 years, was charged Thursday with detaining and delaying mail.

The services Office of Inspector General received a tip this month about a Nissan Pathfinder parked in Brooklyn with mailbags stuffed inside. When Postal Service agents visited the location, they found 20 blue post office bags packed with undelivered mail inside the vehicle.

Agents determined Germash, who worked at the post office in the Dyker Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, was the employee who lived closest to where the vehicle was found, the complaint said.

When investigators interviewed Germash, he said the vehicle was his and that he had hoarded the mail because he was overcome by how much he had to deliver, according to the complaint.

The amount of undelivered mail investigators retrieved was staggering: 10,000 pieces inside his vehicle, 6,000 in his apartment and 1,000 in his work locker. At least one item was postmarked in 2005, according to the complaint.

Germash was released on $25,000 bail. His lawyer, Michelle A. Gelernt, declined to comment Saturday. Germash could not be reached Saturday.

It was unclear what kind of mail Germash failed to deliver or if the retrieved mail would be delivered to its recipients. In past cases, the Postal Service has said recovered letters and packages in good condition were to be delivered. A spokesman for the Postal Service could not be reached Saturday.

Theft of mail by postal employees is not uncommon in a system that delivers more than 154 billion pieces each year and has nearly 336,900 mail carriers. The Postal Service investigated 1,364 employee mail cases and arrested 409 employees between October 2016 and September 2017, according to the service.

The majority of workers deliver mail intact, but a small number of employees abuse the publics trust by delaying or stealing the mail, the Postal Service said on its website. Some of the most egregious cases involve the theft of valuables like jewelry, money orders and bank checks, though abandoning thousands of letters and packages and hoarding them is not unheard-of.

In 2014, a Brooklyn mail carrier was discovered to have hidden 40,000 pieces of undelivered mail  a total of 2,500 pounds  over nine years. The carrier, Joseph Brucato, blamed excessive consumption of alcohol and depression. In 2015 a postal worker in Philadelphia failed to deliver more than 20,000 pieces of mail on his route and instead cached them in his car and home.

The phenomenon isnt new. In an article headlined A Lazy Letter-Carrier, The New York Times in 1874 reported on the arrest of a Maryland mail carrier who dumped 200 letters into a dock to avoid the trouble of delivery.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)

Fire crews have contained a three-alarm fire in the Inner Sunset District early this morning after it started late Saturday night, San Francisco Fire Department officials said.

According to fire officials, the fire was contained just before 12:10 a.m. today. Nobody was injured and fire officials did not know how many residents have been displaced. Fire crews will be at the scene throughout the morning to ensure safety of the scene and maintain a fire watch.

Fire officials said the fire started at 9:48 p.m. Saturday, and involved one building that has three addresses: 1806, 1808 and 1810 8th Ave.

More than 100 firefighters were on the scene a little more than one hour into the blaze, firefighter officials said Saturday night. Fire officials announced that the fired had been "held" to the address at 1808 and 1810 8th Ave. just after 11:15 p.m. Saturday.

Buildings in the area were evacuated. Fire officials didn't say if those evacuations have been lifted as of early this morning.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation. The Bay Area chapter of the American Red Cross and city services are standing by to assist anyone who may have been displaced by the blaze.

###SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)

Heroes including Daniel Ellsberg, the whistleblower associated with the Pentagon Papers, and Anthony Sadler, a man who stopped a French train terror attack, are on the bill at a San Francisco conference on heroism today, Sunday and Monday.

The Hero Round Table will present people from all walks of life that have performed acts of heroism, and is scheduled to run from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. all three days at the Marines Memorial Theater, 609 Sutter St.

The event is devoted to celebrating everyday heroism, and is run in partnership with the Heroic Imagination Project. This project translates research findings of social psychology into insights and tools individuals can use in their lives.

All proceeds from the event will go to Heroic Imagination Project's community outreach and education programs, the organization said.

###SEBASTOPOL (BCN)

A 19-year-old man was stabbed to death in Sebastopol this afternoon and police are searching for a suspect who fled the scene, police reported.

Officers responded to the stabbing at about 12:30 p.m. in a parking lot on Bodega Avenue near West Hills Circle.

The victim, Cory Alan Vaughn of Sebastopol, suffered significant stab wounds and died at the scene. An "associate" was giving Vaughn CPR, police said, but medics arrived and they were not able to resuscitate him.

Witnesses told police that there was a fight in the parking lot and disturbance at a nearby house party.

Anthony William Ibach, 18, of Sebastopol, allegedly fought the victim and stabbed him during the altercation. Ibach then fled the scene in a burgundy BMW sedan with a sun roof, according to police.

Police described him as a white man with brown hair and blue eyes who is 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighs about 185 pounds.

Officers said Ibach is armed and dangerous and anyone who sees him or knows his whereabouts should not approach him. Instead, they should contact Sebastopol police at (707) 829-4400.

###One person died and three people were displaced in a three-alarm fire that started late Saturday night in San Francisco's Inner Sunset District, fire officials said.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation. One firefighter suffered an injury described as not life-threatening.

Just after midnight, fire officials tweeted that the fire was contained. Fire crews will be at the scene throughout the morning to ensure safety of the scene and maintain a fire watch.

Fire officials said the fire started at 9:48 p.m. Saturday, and involved one building that has three addresses: 1806, 1808 and 1810 8th Ave., near Noriega Street and about six blocks south of Golden Gate Park.

More than 100 firefighters were on the scene a little more than one hour into the blaze, firefighter officials said Saturday night. Fire officials announced that the fire had been "held" to the address at 1808 and 1810 8th Ave. just after 11:15 p.m. Saturday.

Buildings in the area were evacuated. Fire officials didn't say if those evacuations have been lifted as of early this morning.

The Red Cross Bay Area is assisting the people who were displaced, two of whom are out of the country, according to fire officials.

A 19-year-old man was stabbed to death in Sebastopol Saturday afternoon and officers are searching for a suspect who fled the scene, police reported.

Officers responded to the stabbing at about 12:30 p.m. in a parking lot on Bodega Avenue near West Hills Circle.

The victim, Cory Alan Vaughn of Sebastopol, suffered stab wounds and died at the scene. Medical personnel tried but were not able to save him.

Witnesses told police that there was a fight in the parking lot and disturbance at a nearby house party.

Police said Anthony William Ibach, 18, of Sebastopol, allegedly fought the victim and stabbed him during the altercation. Ibach then fled the scene in a burgundy BMW sedan with a sun roof, according to police.

Police described Ibach as a white man with brown hair and blue eyes who is 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighs about 185 pounds.

Officers said Ibach is armed and dangerous and anyone who sees him or knows his whereabouts should not approach him. Instead, they should contact Sebastopol police at (707) 829-4400.

Six men were shot Friday night in San Francisco, and one of them has died, one other has life-threatening injuries and the other four's injuries aren't life-threatening, police said.

One man died in the shooting, which happened around 11 p.m. Friday at the area of Third Street and Quesada Avenue, according to police. The man who died was a 20-year-old San Francisco resident, police said.

Five other men suffered injuries in the shooting, according to police. One of the men sustained life-threatening injuries, while the injuries to the other four aren't deemed life-threatening.

All five of the surviving victims are San Francisco residents, according to police. The man with life-threatening injuries is 24 years old, police said.

According to police, the injuries suffered by the remaining four men are not life-threatening. The remaining four men are 26, 23, 31 and 19 years old, respectively.

Preliminary information is that the men were standing next to each other and six people were shot, police said.

Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call the SFPD 24-Hour Tip Line at (415) 575-4445.

A 40-year-old San Jose man was arrested on mail fraud charges Friday for allegedly embezzling more than $2 million from an Emeryville medical devices company, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

According to an indictment that was unsealed Friday morning, Dinesh Shankar's position at the company involved obtaining laboratory testing and quality assurance services for its company's medical devices.

Federal prosecutors said Shankar used his role at the company to initiate a scheme in January 2015 in which he created six fake entities, rented post office boxes associated with each entity and opened bank accounts under the names of the six entities.

The indictment alleges that Shankar submitted false invoices to the company for payment to the purported vendors and that after the invoices were approved the company sent checks, made out to the fake entities, to the post office boxes that Shankar rented.

The indictment alleges that the payments that were made to the entities totaled more than $2 million.

Shankar, who's charged with six counts of mail fraud, made his initial appearance before Magistrate Judge Donna Ryu in U.S. District Court in Oakland Friday and is scheduled to return to court on Tuesday to have his legal representation finalized.

Police are searching for a man who exposed himself at a public library in Milpitas on April 13.

The incident took place at the Milpitas Community Library on 160 North Main Street at 4:10 p.m. in the International Language section.

A library guest saw a man standing between two book racks with his genitals exposed and called police.

The man left the library when he noticed he was being watched and was last seen walking toward a parking structure, police said.

The suspect is in his 40's, is about 5 feet 10 inches in height, weighs about 170 pounds and was wearing a dark colored button-up shirt, dark colored vest, blue jeans, glasses and dark colored shoes.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Milpitas police at (408) 586-2400 or leave an anonymous tip at (408) 586-2500.

The Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters has mailed nearly 8,000 ballots for the upcoming June 5 statewide primary election to military and overseas voters, county officials said.

Federal and state law mandates that ballots for voters who are on active military duty or living abroad be sent earlier than other mail-in ballots, according to Santa Clara County officials.

Military and overseas ballots are mailed between 60 and 45 days before an election, while local ballots are mailed starting 29 days before an election. The former ballots are mailed earlier to make sure military and overseas voters have time to get their ballots in, county officials said.

To be counted for the June 5 Statewide Direct Primary Election, vote-by-mail ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received in the Registrar of Voters' office by June 8. This is the case for all mail-in ballots.

The last day to register to vote in the June 5 statewide primary election is May 21, county officials said. California residents can do so online at https://registertovote.ca.gov/.

###San Francisco firefighters are still battling a three-alarm fire in the Inner Sunset District that has been going for more than two hours, fire officials said.

The fire started at 9:48 p.m. and is burning residences at 1806, 1808 and 1810 8th Ave., according to San Francisco Fire Department fire officials.SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)

One person died and three people were displaced in the three-alarm fire that started late Saturday night in the Inner Sunset District, San Francisco Fire Department officials said this morning.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation. One firefighter suffered an injury described as not life-threatening.

The fire was contained just before 12:10 a.m. today. Fire crews will be at the scene throughout the morning to ensure safety of the scene and maintain a fire watch.

Fire officials said the fire started at 9:48 p.m. Saturday, and involved one building that has three addresses: 1806, 1808 and 1810 8th Ave., near Noriega Street and about six blocks south of Golden Gate Park.

More than 100 firefighters were on the scene a little more than one hour into the blaze, firefighter officials said Saturday night. Fire officials announced that the fire had been "held" to the address at 1808 and 1810 8th Ave. just after 11:15 p.m. Saturday.

Buildings in the area were evacuated. Fire officials didn't say if those evacuations have been lifted as of early this morning.

The Red Cross Bay Area is assisting the people who were displaced, two of whom are out of the country, according to fire officials.

###KABUL  As a crowd of Afghans lined up outside a voter registration center in Kabul on Sunday, a suicide bomber blew himself up, killing 57 people in the deadliest of a spate of attacks on Afghanistans upcoming elections, officials said.

Six people were also killed when a vehicle struck a roadside bomb near a voter registration center in the northern province of Baghlan, the fifth attack in a week on the election process, Afghan media reported.

The Kabul attack, in the western area of the capital in a neighborhood heavily populated with members of the Hazara ethnic group, was directed at a compound where government statistics officials were distributing national identification cards.

The death toll climbed steadily throughout the day, and by nightfall it stood at 57 people dead and 119 wounded, said Wahidullah Majrooh, spokesman for the Afghan public health ministry.

Witnesses said only two police officers were guarding the center, adding to fears that Afghan security forces were ill-prepared to stop insurgent attacks on parliamentary elections scheduled for October.

The bomber detonated his vest in the crowd before he could be searched by police, said Hashmat Stanikzai, a Kabul police spokesman.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack through its Amaq news agency, saying its target was Shiite Muslims. Most Hazaras are Shiite. The Sunni extremist group has claimed several high-profile bombings against Shiites in Afghanistan, including one at a mosque in October in which more than 50 people were killed.

A U.S.-led campaign of ground and air operations has reduced Islamic States presence in Afghanistan to several hundred fighters. But they have continued to claim devastating assaults on the heart of Kabul, illustrating the inability of Afghan forces to secure prominent public places.

Witnesses had complained to police a day before the bombing that there was far too little security at the registration center.

I argued with policemen and some more people came to support me, saying theres no security outside the compound and people shouldnt gather there, said Haji Zaman, a tribal elder. He said he called the head of the center and told him to shut it down because civilians could be at risk.

Shashank Bengali and Sultan Faizy are Los Angeles Times writers.MANAGUA, Nicaragua  President Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua announced Sunday that he was halts a social security overhaul that had prompted days of protests in which up to two dozen people died.

We have to re-establish order, Ortega said in televised remarks. We cannot allow groups to impose chaos, crime and looting.

The social security changes would have forced contributors to pay more into the system and retirees to receive 5 percent less.

Ortegas announcement seemed to acknowledge that the protests, which started Wednesday as a picket by college students against the social security overhaul, had become a serious challenge to his authority.

But it is unlikely to sway protesters who still have other grievances against his government  including Ortegas interference with the national assembly, the law and the constitution, like eliminating term limits. He is also widely criticized for having manipulated the Supreme Court, the elections council and mayoral races.

The Nicaraguan leader has faced protests before, but at no point since his 2007 re-election have so many sectors united against him in what has become the greatest test of his presidency. Experts say it is Nicaraguas largest popular uprising since the end of the nations civil war nearly 30 years ago.

If anything, students at Polytechnic University in Managua seemed galvanized by Ortegas Sunday announcement.

Dara Nicole Diaz, 18, whipped out her cell phone to read a long list of the students demands, which included the release of protesters detained in the past week and the resignation of the police chief.

This has been a dictatorship for almost 12 years, she said. The people cant take it anymore.

Ortegas announcement capped a weekend of intensifying pressure. The rallies had spread to cities around the nation and claimed up to two dozen lives, according to Cenidh, a leading human rights organization.

The government posted images of city blocks burning, government buildings in shambles and widespread ransacking of supermarkets with no police officers in sight  looting that some accused the government of staging to justify a crackdown.

Frances Robles is a New York Times writer.To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.

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A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!ACTU secretary Sally McManus said her organisation has been building an army as part of its campaign to change industrial relations laws at the next election. Over the next two weeks we will be hitting the streets and letting every single person in the country know that working people will change the rules so we can have more secure jobs, fair pay and enforceable rights at work," she said. The working people of Australia are taking this campaign to the next election and beyond, and we are prepared to fight hard, fight smart and change the rules. A spokesman for Workplace Minister Craig Laundy said he is meeting major employer groups and the ACTU to develop sensible reform that will not cost workers their jobs or destroy small business. He said the government would back business to create more employment and this had already delivered a record 415,000 jobs in 2017. By contrast, the ACTU and Bill Shorten would put all of this at risk by introducing a package of reckless policies that would risk local jobs and destroy local small business  you cannot look at their policies in isolation, Mr Laundy said.

The government will continue to proactively pursue workplace relations reform where it makes sense. The federal government would not support union calls or a return to 1970s-style industry-wide bargaining, abolition of the Australian Building and Construction Commission or re-establishment of the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal which would render family businesses uncompetitive. Of 894 residents polled in Gilmore, which stretches along the NSW South Coast from Kiama to Moruya, 81.4 per cent said they approved of a substantial increase to the national minimum wage. Former teacher Liberal MP Anne Sudmalis holds the seat by a margin of 3.8 per cent. Of the voters polled in the seat, 74.9 per cent said they approved of giving workers more rights and protections to improve job security.

Asked to choose between two statements, 54.1 per cent said workers needed more rights at work for less casualisation and better pay rises. The remaining 45.9 per cent said employers needed more flexibility to create jobs and give pay rises. Asked if getting paid sick leave and holidays was a top issue in the context of 40 per cent of Australians not having those entitlements, 44 per cent of those polled said it was. Another 38.7 per cent said it was important but not a top issue. On the subject of restoring penalty rates, 66.7 per cent were in support and 24.1 per cent disapproved. A little over 9 per cent said they didn't know. In the north Brisbane seat of Petrie, held by just 0.5 per cent by Luke Howarth, 35.7 per cent of the 835 residents polled said they thought the biggest cause of job insecurity was related to too many workers on temporary work visas replacing local workers. Just more than a quarter blamed the reliance of employers on casual workers and 23.6 per cent said it was too expensive for employers to create secure jobs in Australia.Foreign lottery disrupter Lottoland's latest attempt to appease Australian newsagents by offering them a profit-sharing arrangement is being examined by a state gaming regulator amid concerns it could be illegal.

The Gibraltar-based Lottoland's operations in Australia are under threat after the Turnbull government unveiled new laws banishing so-called "synthetic lottery" services, including Lottoland's, which let punters bet on lottery outcomes without having a ticket in the draw.

News and lottery agents are being offered a profit-sharing deal with online betting company Lottoland Credit:Jim Rice

The legislation followed intensive campaigning by lotteries operator Tatts Group and newsagency industry group, the Australian Lottery and Newsagents Association (ALNA). The organisations have been accusing the "fake lottery" service of cutting into small business owners' livelihoods and eroding tens of millions of dollars in vital tax revenue.

In a series of full-page newspaper advertisements, Lottoland has sought to appease the newsagencies, proposing a deal under which 4000 news and lottery agents would receive a 20 per cent cut of the profits from every bet on an overseas lottery that they referred to Lottoland. The agents, in return, would be asked to promote Lottoland's products in their stores."The start-up costs were very, very low and we kept them low on purpose," says Holt. "We haven't spent any money on advertising or marketing. The processing of the beef is all done off site, the slaughtering, butchering and delivering we pay third parties to do." Mount Moriac Beef's biggest cost has been investing in cattle which added up to about $35,000 this year. "They will be the breeding herd that will breed for us and hopefully in years to come the profits will go up and investment go down," says Holt. Holt grew up on her family's cattle station in the Northern Territory, Delmore Downs, which covers 330,000 acres alongside an additional 550,000 acres. Eliza Holt and James McKenna say selling direct to consumers is not easy. Credit:Amy Finch

Cattle were mustered by helicopter, a long way from her farm today of 130 acres where Holt and McKenna round the cattle up on foot with their two children in tow. "All the cliches you hear about small businesses are true, you ride the highs and the lows and it is difficult because you are often alone," says Holt. "But the feedback from customers has been fantastic, when they buy our beef and then contact us to say it's the best scotch fillet they have ever eaten, that is one of the highs." More satisfaction George Hamilton is one of the veterans of the paddock-to-plate movement, selling his lambs direct to customers in Sydney for the past seven years through his business Farmer George. The 57 year old has about 950 sheep on his 700-acre farm near Mudgee in New South Wales.

George Hamilton sells his lamb to consumers through his business Farmer George. "This way I have a little bit of control over where my lamb is going and I get more satisfaction supplying lamb to people who genuinely like good food," he says. "When we first started doing this it was much more profitable than [selling sheep at] the yards because commodity prices were not that good but now the commodity prices are high there is not such a good margin." Hamilton says the number of farmers selling direct is growing. George Hamilton says it's hard to compete with the big supermarkets. "A lot of people have got on the bandwagon of paddock to plate, but it's not that easy, there's a lot of work in it," he says.

Hamilton says it's hard to compete with the big supermarkets. "A challenge is having consistency of product," he says. "When I'm doing 20 lambs a week, it's hard to make a consistent product when Woolworths are doing 3,000 a day." Farmer George sells lamb from $150 for half a lamb and the business turns over around $120,000 a year with a margin of around $20,000. "In terms of farming we also produce wool which is our major commodity and the fat lambs are a sideline," Hamilton says. "You are not at the mercy of the markets so much with paddock to plate - you are setting the pace. It's also very popular now to be more involved in what farmers are doing and how they are doing it. We run the farm on holistic management practices which looks to sustainability and environmental stewardship ... I can't run as many [animals] but those I do are healthy and happy." Becoming price makers

Fiona Simson, president of the National Farmers' Federation, says there seems to be a rise in direct delivery. "Digitally people are doing their shopping and research online and there are certain standards they are seeking, whether it is vegetables or meat, and they can now access and order online and get [food] home delivered. It suits peoples lifestyle," she says. "People are very interested in the provenance of the products and we have the technology now to make that happen." Fiona Simson says farmers selling direct to consumers is relatively niche. Credit:Jacky Ghossein But Simson says farmers selling directly to consumers is still relatively niche. "We know for example the price point that the meat is delivered at, it is often a premium, people are buying a premium product and that doesn't suit every consumer," she says.

Simson says the advantage of selling direct for farmers is the opportunity to participate higher up the value chain. "Normally as a producer of the product, we are price takers not price makers," she says. "But the disadvantage is you have to be well set up for it, you have to kill the animals in an abattoir setting and it is finding spots that will do small numbers of animals from time to time is quite difficult. Also you have to be well set up in terms of administration and packing, so it requires a whole lot of different skills." Huge potential Holt is optimistic about the future for her fledgling business. "I think there is a huge potential in the Australian market from the farm to consumers," she says. "I think the Australian consumer wants to support farmers, its just difficult to do. When we started this, my husband said to me 'If it was easy, everyone would be doing it'."Jake Bugg

Factory Theatre, Marrickville, April 19









Anybody who had not heard Jake Bugg's speaking voice before this solo acoustic show was in for a surprise.

As he politely rebuffed the shouted requests that began from after opener How Soon the Dawn  "I think I'll pick the songs, OK mate?"  he was still the boy from the Nottingham council estate.

Jake Bugg has fine songs to marry to his unique voice. Credit:Tom Oxley

But when the 24-year-old opened his mouth to sing, there emerged a keening, nasally creature from somewhere between the American prairie and the moorlands near his English hometown.

Knowing the records did not diminish the surprise of hearing Bugg's vocals live. One could try and name the antecedents  Jimmie Rodgers, Bob Dylan, Nick Drake, all toking from a helium balloon  but in truth there's nothing else like it out there.Sweden's public broadcaster says police in Oman have conducted two autopsies on the body of Grammy-nominated electronic dance DJ Avicii, who died aged 28.

Public broadcaster SVT, citing information from an anonymous police official in Oman, reported on Sunday that the autopsies revealed nothing suspicious and foul play has been ruled out in the performer's death on Friday.

The broadcaster says the body has been cleared to be taken back to Avicii's native Sweden, where he was born as Tim Bergling.Stella Donnelly/Alex The Astronaut

Oxford Art Factory, April 18

Reviewed by Michael Bailey





Think Australian political pop and long-ago lyrics of burning beds or Vincent Lingiari's brave stand might spring to mind.

But this gig found the protest song alive and thriving in the guitar-picking hands of two 20-somethings.



Fremantle's Stella Donnelly certainly has the voice to get a message across: the purity of Joan Baez mixed with a Spotify-friendly sensuality.



She also has two great songs that, judging by their acclaim from this female-dominated audience, have become anthems for the #metoo movement since their release on last year's Thrush Metal EP.



Donnelly sang Boys Will Be Boys, written in response to the sexual assault of a friend, like the event it describes happened yesterday. Solo electric guitar lines gave pretty counterpoint to her anger at the excuses made and victim-blaming laid around such crimes.



Mechanical Bull, meanwhile, dropped the prettiness for a raw-throated battle cry, inspired by Donnelly's stint as a barmaid. "I need to be alone/You've been at my throat," she sang over and over, its threat toward those leering drinkers growing into a warning for every would-be Weinstein in the world.



Intensity gave way to goofiness for Donnelly's friend and co-headliner Alex the Astronaut (Alexandra Lynn to her mum, who was in the crowd and got a heartfelt apology from her daughter for swearing too much).



What the Sydneysider lacks in vocal range and guitar finesse she makes up for with her songs' conversational directness, instantly memorable melodies and utter lack of pretension.

Alex the Astronaut and Stella Donnelly

Lynn's naivety strayed a little too close to novelty on I'm Not Cool and Rockstar City, which came with clapping instructions.



But a growing worldliness was evident on new song Banksias Blooming, which reflected on the death of a high-school friend, and the killer couplet from Already Home, "There's billionaires for President/And parking fines at hospitals".



Then there was her one bona fide political song, Not Worth Hiding, the rallying cry of last year's same-sex marriage plebiscite. Hearing that anthem for acceptance bring the house down in this Oxford Street venue provided a special moment.



"Thanks for being so attentive to the serious stuff," Lynn told us.



When topical songs are as heartfelt and musically enjoyable as the best on offer tonight, our attention should be guaranteed.



If you're a woman, it pays to be agreeable, nice... and a bit of a moron at work. Credit:Shutterstock

New research has confirmed what many women already know: bosses want smart people working for them, but only if they're male.

A study published last month in the American Sociological Review showed that employers are also threatened by smart women.

Essentially, that smarter the woman is, the less appealing she is to employers.

Ohio State University sociologist Natasha Quadlin created resumes for 2,106 recent college graduates and sent off pairs of applications for entry level jobs.Steven Lewis from ACA Lawyers, which is running the class action with McLaughlin & Riordan Solicitors, will argue the claimants lost a combined total of at least $150 million as a result of the sudden shutdown of the program in February 2010.

More than 140 tradespeople will launch the legal action against the Commonwealth of Australia in the Victorian Supreme Court.

Installers and manufacturers affected by the Rudd government's failed home insulation program will seek $150 million in damages in a class action to be launched on Monday.

Over the course of the failed [home insulation program], not only was there tragic loss of life, but hundreds of respected and profitable businesses, large and small, were left in financial ruin, Mr Lewis said.

They had put their faith in the Commonwealths ability to run the multibillion-dollar scheme.

Encouraged by the government, many invested their life savings to be part of the program, only to have the rug pulled out from under them when the [program] was terminated, virtually overnight.

"A lot will depend on how the court views it and how the court decides to calculate the losses.

"[But] we say they have lost at least $150 million, at a minimum, and are entitled to that amount."Tributes are flowing for a "treasured" 11-year-old boy, who died after he was hit by a train in Sydney's south on Sunday night.

The boy with severe autism, who was non-verbal and non-responsive, left a respite care facility on Oatley Parade by himself about 7.15pm, sparking an extensive search by police and members of the community.

Just before 9.30pm police confirmed the boy was found dead at Oatley station.

Sydney Friendship Circle, a group for families of people with special needs, said the boy, named Alex, was a treasured son, grandson, brother and friend.

Today the world lost a beautiful angel. As we try to process this tremendous loss, your beautiful life flashes in front of us.A sophisticated drug trafficking operation between Ireland and Australia has been uncovered after a two-year transnational investigation into an established Irish drug cartel, which has led to the arrest of at least four Irish nationals in Australia and New Zealand.

The alleged drug ring is said to be linked to one of Ireland's most prominent crime gangs, the Kinahan cartel, a drug and money-laundering racket worth hundreds of millions of dollars, with networks stretching around the world.

The Kinahan cartel has previously been described as having made Ireland the main gateway for drugs into Britain, with the head of the gang Christy Kinahan considered "one of the biggest drug dealers in Europe" at a time.

Led by Ireland's national police, An Garda Siochana, the investigation has involved immense support from the Australian Federal Police and New Zealand authorities since 2016.South-east Queensland councillor Paul Bishop was one of the longest-serving cast members on Australian police drama Blue Heelers before jumping ship into politics.

After spending six years in elected office, the Division 10 representative for Redland City Council is returning to acting and co-starring in theatrical production Poison, set for its national premiere in Brisbane next month.

Blue Heelers actor turned councillor Paul Bishop (right) stars alongside Matilda award-winning actress Elise Greig.

He has continued his political duties throughout rehearsals, will remain in office during the performances and believes the two roles are very much alike.

"People say you have given up acting to become a politician  not at all," Mr Bishop said.A couple killed in a hit-run crash in Melbourne's outer east have been remembered as fun and well liked, a "ridiculously smart" woman and "one of the nicest guys you could ever meet".

Matt Goland, 38, and Bita Zaeim, 32, both died after the crash in Wantirna South early Saturday. Their deaths came just one year after they were married.

Police allege a stolen Lexus 4WD driving at "horrendous speeds" ran a red light and collided with their Holden Commodore about 1am. Police have charged two teenagers who allegedly fled the scene.

Originally from Iran, Ms Zaeim studied at university in Victoria before she was hired by a multinational company which specialises in managing software used in dental practice.In 1982, Jenny Rose Ngs body was found by her two oldest daughters with 30 stab wounds to her chest, throat, back and arms.

The two girls, aged nine and 10, were returning home from school for lunch when they found their mother in the living room.

Thier brother had remained at school, however their baby sister was in the apartment at the time of the killing.

Now, 36 years after she was killed, Victoria Police is attempting to find Ms Ng's killer, offering up to $1 million reward for information.

"As time passes, people may feel like there's less impact, it's not as important, people have moved on with their lives, they've lived with it and it doesn't mean so much anymore,'' one of Ms Ng's daughters told Fairfax Media in 2012. "But it does, it means everything.Walter Downing of the 57th Battalion wrote one of the most vivid accounts of the fighting at Villers-Bretonneux 100 years ago during the First World War.

The 24-year-old Melbourne law student was among thousands of Australian soldiers from the 15th Brigade who formed up in skirmish order in a small valley and assaulted the German positions on the evening of April 24-25, 1918. Downing described how "German flares of all kinds shot into the air  reds, whites, greens, bunches of golden rain. A storm of machine-gun fire came from the right and the front. Remarkably few were hit".

Then came a wild, terrifying roar as waves of Australian infantry from the 15th Brigade rushed the German positions, knowing that men from the 13th Brigade were doing the same on the other side of Villers-Bretonneux. Downing recalled a howling as of demons as the Australians surged forward with rifle and bayonet, their "fierce, low growl [as] of tigers scenting blood". Ordered to take no prisoners, they "killed and killed  there was no quarter on either side".

Such was the bloody calculus of this celebrated Australian action that succeeded in reclaiming Villers-Bretonneux after a brief period of German occupation. The two Australian commanders involved, brigadiers Pompey Elliott and Tom Glasgow, were well-aware of the risks: with just a few hours preparation, their plans involved long marches, little time for reconnaissance and their men attacking at night with no artillery support.A Dunsborough fisherman received a shock when a four-metre white shark circled his boat for 20 minutes.

Warren Brown was out fishing two kilometres offshore on Thursday morning when the shark swam up to his boat taking a nip at the motor.

Mr Brown said the shark hung around circling the boat eyeing them off around 7.30am.

Bugger me, it just had a go at the motor, Mr Brown can be heard saying in the video.It's an Anzac Cove riddle that took 50 years to solve: Who was V. W. Murray? And how did he die?

For 50 years, these questions "weighed" heavily on New Zealand couple Jan and Bruce Rosemergy after they found a thin metal strip with Murray's name on the beach at Anzac Cove in Gallipoli in 1968.

"It was absolutely deserted," Mrs Rosemergy recalled. Speaking from Hamilton, New Zealand, she said she and her husband were in their early 20s when they drove from London to Turkey in an old Morris. It was long before pilgrimages were popular with young Australians and New Zealanders, but they remembered feeling "the power of the place" as they walked on the beach under "the towering cliffs" where 60,000 Australians and New Zealanders fought. About 11000 died.

Vernon Murray (left) with his brother Percy in 1914. Credit:Justice and Police Museum

In the sand beneath their feet, they found a 11cm tag inscribed inscribed '32. TPR. MURRAY. V.W. 6TH'.Legalising marijuana for recreational use would boost the budget by up to $1.8 billion a year, the Parliamentary Budget Office has revealed.

The independent costing of the policy submitted by the Greens shows a tobacco-style 25 per cent excise on each sale with a 10 per cent Goods and Services Tax and a reduction in law enforcement would net $3.5 billion by 2020-21.

Marijuana tourists travelling to Australia would add up to "10 per cent of total sales", earning $130 million in revenue by 2020.

Greens leader Richard Di Natale said the boost would be used to fund drug education and treatment programs.

The Greens see drug use as a health issue, not a criminal issue," he said.All aged-care home will be required to provide flu vaccinations to all staff after more than 1100 people, the majority of them over 65, died of influenza-related complications last year.

Speaking at Tuohy Nursing Home and Aged Care in Perth on Sunday, Health Minister Greg Hunt and Aged Care Minister Ken Wyatt announced a new federal policy will make every aged-care facility in Australia offer employees the vaccine.

Aged-care homes will be required to offer staff the flu vaccine under a new Federal Government policy. Credit:Shutterstock

The government states that a vaccination rate of 95 per cent among staff is required to create herd immunity".

When we consider that, last year, only 91 of 2600 [aged care facilities] provided the level of mandatory vaccination rates, then it becomes important in the way in which all aged care providers consider the compulsory vaccination program, Mr Wyatt said.The Minister for International Development Concetta Fierravanti-Wells has blamed Australians for cuts to aid funding, justifying them with the statement that "you have to take the public with you".

The reality is the public are well ahead of her - not behind. Fierravanti-Wells should champion a response to reducing poverty that is as generous as the Australian people, rather than blaming citizens for the government's disgraceful cuts.

Concetta Fierravanti-Wells indicated foreign aid budget cuts have been driven by opinion polls. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

The Australian Survey on Social Attitudes highlights eight in 10 Australians support aid to create a safer world with less poverty. Yet Australians think our aid program is 10 times more generous than it really is. They assume our nation is doing its fair share but in reality our aid levels are at risk of dropping below recession-hit Greece.

Last year, the biggest share of online charity-giving in Australia was to aid and humanitarian charities -1.6 million Australians gave $920 million from their own pockets. And Australia was recently ranked the sixth most generous nation in the World Giving Index.Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is setting his sights on a big win for Australian farmers in a far-reaching trade deal with the European Union, insisting that fair access for rural produce is vital to expanding the $99.5 billion trade relationship.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull meets Australian military personnel after a wreath-laying ceremony at the weekend during the London leg of his trip. Credit:AAP

In a major speech in Berlin on Monday on security and trade, Mr Turnbull will point to the global threats to Europe and Australia as a powerful reason to strike a comprehensive agreement rather than give in to the protectionism on the rise in the United States.

He will send a clear warning that the trade deal cannot be held hostage to the vested interests of farmers, amid Australian concerns that the French agriculture sector will resist any genuine liberalisation.

The [free trade agreement] we are seeking will deliver for Australian producers and farmers as well as their European consumers, he will say in a keynote address to the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.Financial Services Minister Kelly O'Dwyer has refused to concede the federal government erred in delaying the banking royal commission, saying Labor's criticism it should have acted earlier was "a bit rich".

Ms O'Dwyer admitted she was appalled by shocking revelations at the royal commission but said the federal government would be wrong to "rush into these things as a stunt".

Financial Services Minister Kelly O'Dwyer said the federal government needed to "soberly and deliberately" consider the royal banking commission. Credit:Justin McManus

Her comments followed a week of scandalous evidence aired the royal commission, including that AMP had misled ASIC on 20 occasions while the Commonwealth Bank had charged fees to dead clients.Young people in Queensland's youth detention centres have caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage to television sets.

There were 72 TVs damaged by young people in youth detention centres from July 2016 to March 22, 2018.

The cost to replace or repair damaged television sets in Queensland youth detention facilities since July 2016 was more than $28,000.

The damage bill to replace or repair the sets came in at $28,997.95.

Child Safety Minister Di Farmer said many young people in youth detention had experienced significant disadvantage, often including drug misuse, violence, neglect, sexual abuse and mental health struggles.New Delhi: India's government has prescribed the death penalty for people convicted of raping children under 12 to help combat an increase in violent crime against women.

An ordinance was approved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Cabinet on Saturday and was being sent to the president for approval, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.

The ordinance will require the approval of Parliament within six months in order to become law. But in the meantime, suspects can be prosecuted using the ordinance.

Indian activists hold placards demanding rapists be hanged. Credit:AP

The move follows widespread outrage over the recent rape and killing of an 8-year-old girl in India's Jammu-Kashmir state, the alleged rape of a girl by a ruling party lawmaker in Uttar Pradesh state and several other rape cases involving girls in the country.My childhood in India was mainly an abundantly happy one. The generosity of people  sometimes the poorest people, was humbling. We had great friends. The sights, sounds and smells, the ancient buildings, the food, the colour and vivacity in the streets were magical. When we moved to the eastern suburbs of Melbourne in the early 1970s, I thought it was the dullest, greyest, most lifeless place imaginable.

India is one of my favourite places on earth. When I step off the plane onto Indian soil there is a deep, joyous, visceral sense of homecoming that I dont experience anywhere else, not even in Australia, where I have lived for most of my life, and where almost all my loved ones are.

Recent accounts of the rising rape rate in the subcontinent are chilling. For me, born and raised there, they are profoundly distressing.

But. Even as a child, I was aware of Indias dark side. In 1969, when I was 10, our home city of Ahmedabad was riven by communal conflict. Muslims and Hindus slaughtered each other in the street: many hundreds of people were murdered in a few days. It wasnt until the army imposed a 24-hour curfew and shot anyone who broke it that the carnage ceased. Of course, the hatred, fear and mistrust went on for decades.

A few years earlier, my mother and I were on a long train trip that took us through an area torn apart by language riots  people in the south protesting against the imposition of Hindi  the lingua franca of the north  as the national language. The train we were travelling in was stoned by rioting mobs.

And everywhere you look in India, poverty and disability are displayed. The homeless, the hungry, the breathtakingly disfigured, are all paraded in the street. The animals you see are often bone thin and cowed. For a dog lover, India is purgatory.

Currently, Islam and Christianity are the most criticised of world faiths, with militant extremism and child abuse prominent in our awareness. But every religion and ideology on earth has its dark side  has practitioners who distort or ignore its teachings in horrific ways. Mahatma Gandhi abhorred the caste system. Any belief or system  sexism, nationalism, racism or caste, that posits that some people are worth more than others, is twisted. Good beliefs, healthy religions are the ones that grow our hearts, rendering us more compassionate and sharpening our awareness of injustice towards those outside our circle.

Clare Boyd-Macrae is an Age columnist.Washington: US President Donald Trump says the North Korean nuclear crisis is a long way from being resolved, striking a cautious note a day after the North's pledge to end its nuclear tests raised hopes before planned summits with South Korea and the United States.

"We are a long way from conclusion on North Korea, maybe things will work out, and maybe they wont - only time will tell," Trump said on Twitter on Sunday, US time.

North Korea said on Saturday it was suspending nuclear and missile tests and scrapping its nuclear test site, and instead pursuing economic growth and peace.

World leaders welcomed the announcement, which came before the first North Korea-South Korea summit in more than a decade on Friday.West Palm Beach, Florida: US President Donald Trump on Sunday claimed North Korea had agreed to "denuclearisation" before his potential meeting with Kim Jong-un. But that's not the case.

North Korea said Friday it would suspend nuclear tests and intercontinental ballistic missile launches ahead of summits with the US and South Korea. Kim also said a nuclear test site would be closed and "dismantled" now that the country has learnt how to make nuclear weapons and mount warheads on ballistic rockets.

But the North has stopped short of saying it has any intention of abandoning its nuclear arsenal, with Kim making clear that nukes remain a "treasured sword".Havana: The streets brimmed with people going about their day, hauling handcarts of fruit down narrow side streets, shuffling along sun-faded esplanades, waiting impatiently at the crosswalks of busy intersections.

The new president of Cuba  the first non-Castro to lead the nation in decades  was talking. But no one seemed to be listening. The televisions at the bus station were tuned to other channels, while cafes airing his first remarks as president appeared largely empty. Radios, at least those in public areas, garnered little attention.

Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, who became Cubas new president on April 19, has spent his entire life in the service of a revolution he did not fight. Credit:New York Times

In the midst of yet another historic moment on an island with its fair share of firsts in recent years, the anointment of a new president last week passed with little fanfare in the capital.

Instead, a collective sense of apathy seemed to permeate Havana, a feeling that appeared to have been fostered, at least to some degree, by the government itself. There were no big public events to mark the arrival of President Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, the flag bearer of Cuba's new generation of leaders, or any banners in sight to fete him.Managua: Anti-government protests in Nicaragua entered a fifth day on Sunday as the death toll from the violence rose and looting was reported in some areas, aggravating the crisis around longstanding President Daniel Ortega.

Local media said a reporter was shot and killed during a Saturday live broadcast from Bluefields, a town on the Caribbean coast hit by the unrest. Graphic footage of the incident soon spread onto local and social media.

The Red Cross said at least seven people had died and hundreds had been injured in the demonstrations, while a local human rights organisation said it had registered 25 deaths.

The protests began on Wednesday over plans to increase worker contributions to social security and lower pensions, and some stores in Managua were looted over the weekend, witnesses said.The French can say adieu to "le veggie burger" and au revoir to soy steaks after their parliament banned the use of meaty sounding names for vegetable-based substitutes because they mislead consumers.

In what is seen as a victory for France's powerful meat lobby, the new bill adopted on Thursday will make it illegal for vegetarian food producers to use "steak", "merguez", "bacon" or "sausage" - or any other meat-related expression - to describe food that is not partly or wholly composed of meat.

The French can say adieu to "le veggie burger". Credit:Jennifer Soo

Even vegetarian products promising to have a "bacon taste" will be out of bounds.

"It is important to fight against false claims," said Jean-Baptiste Moreau, a cattle farmer and MP for La Republique en Marche (LREM) party, who proposed the law.Jerusalem: Iran and Israel are playing down prospects of a war despite trading blame for an unprecedented, weeks-long surge in hostilities between their forces over Syria.

A showdown between the arch-foes has loomed since February 10, when Israel said an armed Iranian drone launched from a Syrian base penetrated its territory. Israel downed the drone and, during a reprisal raid, lost an F-16 jet to Syrian ground fire.

The Israeli military shot down an Iranian drone that infiltrated the country early Saturday before launching a "large-scale attack" on at least a dozen Iranian and Syrian targets, including an Iranian jet, above. Credit:AP

On April 9, an air strike killed seven Iranian Revolutionary Guards at the Syrian base. Tehran blamed Israel and vowed unspecified retaliation, drawing Israeli counter-threats to broaden attacks on Iranian military assets in Syria.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a US television interview that further Israeli sorties in Syria would have "consequences". But he deemed major escalation as unlikely.MaidSafe Hosts its First European SAFE Developer Conference

International Attendees to Discuss SAFE Network Platform and MaidSafe Launches SAFE Developer Hub

MaidSafe, the developer of the world\-\-s first and only autonomous data network, will be kicking off its first international developer conference, SAFE DevCon in Scotland on April 23rd. There will be attendees from 18 countries at the event, where they will hear the latest product and strategy developments from MaidSafe, as well as have more detailed introduction to the key technology components in the SAFE Network and hear about the activities of fellow SAFE Network Forum community members. This invitation-only event is the first time MaidSafe is bringing its engineers, the community and developers together with the goal that this event becomes bigger every year. For those not attending there is also the opportunity to watch the event by livestream.

SAFE DevCon will see strategy presentations from David Irvine, the founder and CEO, MaidSafe and Viv Rajkumar, Chief Technology Officer outlining their vision for what the SAFE Network will look like in the future, as well as highlight key product development goals and the commercial focus for MaidSafe. Project Managers Krishna Rajkumar and Spandan Sharma will run question and answer sessions with attendees discussing both the front and back-end of the SAFE Network, giving attendees insights into key considerations when developing applications for the platform. There will also be sessions advising developers on how to get started using the network and how MaidSafe is looking to build out the ecosystem. Nick Lambert, COO, will discuss the importance of community to the future of the SAFE Network and there will be presentations by members of the SAFE Network community showing the applications and functionality they are building.

\We are very excited to be welcoming SAFE Network developers and supporters from as far away as Australia and Indonesia to the first European SAFE DevCon,\ said David Irvine, founder and CEO, MaidSafe. \This is an important step along the path of turning the SAFE Network into a vibrant, self-sustaining community and it will be great to learn from the experiences of those attending. In the coming year the pace of development for the SAFE Network is going to rapidly increase, as we near Alpha 3 and increase the functionality available. That means the support we provide the community has to become ever more sophisticated, hence why we\-\-re rapidly adding team members and launching new resources for Developers.\

To support developers MaidSafe is also introducing a new site, called the SAFE Developer Hub available at [https://hub.safedev.org]. It will be the location for information about applications being developed, provide advice and guidance on the technical framework for the SAFE Network and its APIs. Combined with the SAFE Network Developer Forum, the SAFE Developer Hub will enable developers to share ideas and expertise to improve the effectiveness of application development.

The Portal will focus on three key areas:

Consolidating information: MaidSafe will create a landing page for all topics related to development. This will guide users through key aspects of the SAFE Network such as the Authenticator, Vaults and the network flavours of local, mock and testnets.

Clearing pathways for developers: The site will start out with a bootstrapping guide focusing on four key areas: understanding the SAFE Network; Developing on the platform; Testing applications; and deploying applications.

Preferred programming language/platform: Developers can easily access their preferred platform and programming language via icons on the site and link to each of the GitHub repositories for each of the components. It will also have links to the RFC\-\-s (Request for Comments) and information about licensing and the various defensive patents MaidSafe has in place.

SAFE DevCon 2018 will be streamlined live via YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChDck5R_C9i6XTrS66tbwOw] during the day with each session also available after the event on the company\-\-s channel.Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Jesse Allen and Joshua Stevens, NASA Earth Observatory

This Earth Day, as people around the world take time to celebrate our planet, don't forget to pause and celebrate the grandeur and beauty of the U.S. national parks.

In celebration of Earth Day (April 22), National Geographic has released several pictures of national parks taken from space. Read more about them in this article from National Geographic Travel.

Shown here is a view of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, well-known for its plant and animal life (including black bears), according to the National Park Service's (NPS) website. Visitors can also enjoy mountain views, a historic mill and wildflowers ranging from hepaticas in late winter to asters in late fall.

The park is on the border of Tennessee and North Carolina, and in the satellite image you can clearly see the mountainous terrain and the streams coming down from the mountain.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Jesse Allen, NASA Earth Observatory

The Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the island of Hawaii is an excellent example of the power of volcanoes, which can erupt unpredictably  even as humans do their best to monitor these fiery beasts.

The park is located on the lower right side of the island in this image, in the area that appears brown, rather than green, because of the recent lava flows. The park is home to Kilauea, one of the volcanoes that created the island of Hawaii. It's one of the most active volcanoes on the planet.

Death Valley National Park

Jeff Williams, NASA

Death Valley in California is host to some of the United States' highest temperatures every summer, but despite this harsh, drought-filled environment, there still is a diversity of life within the borders, according to the NPS website. The nearby mountains have winter snow at the top, and when it does rain, there are fields of wildflowers in the valley.

This image shows the Badwater area of Death Valley National Park, where springs are contaminated with salt to create "bad water" in the basin. This zone is also the lowest part of North America, with an elevation of 282 feet (86 meters) below sea level.

Biscayne National Park

Jesse Allen, NASA Earth Observatory

While Biscayne National Park is extraordinarily close to the metropolis of Miami, it's also host to a diverse environment: coral reefs, islands and beautiful aquamarine waters, according to the NPS website. For history buffs, the park contains "evidence of 10,000 years of human history, from pirates and shipwrecks to pineapple farmers and presidents."

The image shows the varying depths of Biscayne Bay. The park includes portions of the bay, as well as the long, thin green strip of land on the left side of the image, and the park islands of Sands Key, Elliott Key, Totten Key and Old Rhodes Key.

Grand Teton National Park

Jesse Allen, NASA Earth Observatory

The NPS website says that Grand Teton National Park has one of the most memorable landscapes in the world, with just about any terrain you prefer  lakes, mountains, rivers and even big skies. You can also learn more about human history in the area, including homesteads, cattle ranches and trails likely used during fur trading with local Native Americans.

The satellite image shows the Wyoming mountain range, running vertically and capped in snow. The large lake to the right of the range is Jackson Lake, with Leigh Lake and the almost diamond-shaped Jenny Lake just below it. Grant Teton peak lies a little southwest of Jenny Lake.

Acadia National Park

Jesse Allen, NASA Earth Observatory

Featuring a mix of water, forest and wildlife, Acadia National Park in Maine was the first Eastern national park established. The park sits on Mount Desert Island, which is the double-lobed island just to the right and slightly above center in this image. The NPS says the park includes the tallest mountain that sits directly on the Atlantic coast (Cadillac Mountain), as well as historic carriage roads and a variety of wildlife.

Katmai National Park & Preserve

Jeff Williams, NASA

Katmai National Park & Preserve in Alaska is another highly volcanic area, but, surprisingly, a lot of animals thrive in the region. One of the goals of protecting this area is to preserve a habitat for migrating salmon as well as one of their predators  brown bears, according to the NPS website.

While the area is a harsh place to live, the blue and white hues captured in this image make the region appear very tranquil. Snow covers the peaks, with clouds creeping in on the left side, making it hard to tell sky from mountain.

Kenai Fjords National Park

NASA

Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska is full of glaciers and home to animals that thrive in cold environments. Today, the delicate ecosystem is threatened by climate change, according to the NPS website.

The image from space shows a terrain marked by a palette of bold colors. A channel of ice and snow flow into the rich blue water, surrounded by steep slopes painted in browns, grays and greens.

Grand Canyon National Park

Maps4Media / Getty Images

The Grand Canyon in Arizona is one of the most famous natural formations in the U.S. The park features excellent hiking and stargazing, and even offers the chance to go rafting down in the bottom of the canyon. Its size is breathtaking, at up to 18 miles (29 kilometers) wide and a mile (1.6 km) deep, according to the NPS website.

The image from space shows snow near the rim of the canyon, complementing the forbidding, jagged edges of the canyon and the vein of the Colorado River.

Yellowstone National Park

DigitalGlobe / Getty Images

The world's first national park (and one of the most famous), Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming receives visitors eager to see the Old Faithful geyser erupt, as well as a multitude of other geysers, mudpots and hot springs, according to the NPS website.

This image taken from space of the Grand Prismatic Spring (the largest pool, near the center of the image) and the Excelsior Geyser Crater (the deep blue smudge to the upper right of the Grand Prismatic), as well as the lesser-known (but perhaps less crowded) Opal Pool (upper left) and the Turquoise Pool (upper right).

Follow Elizabeth Howell @howellspace, or Space.com @Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.The DARPA Launch Challenge will offer prizes for companies what are able to launch small satellites on short notice from two different sites.

COLORADO SPRINGS  The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency announced a prize competition April 18 to demonstrate the ability to rapidly launch small satellites, a competition whose regulatory challenges may tower over its technical ones.

The DARPA Launch Challenge, formally announced at the 34th Space Symposium here but previewed at a February conference, will offer a top prize of $10 million to the team whose vehicle is able to perform two launches of small satellites, from two different sites, on short notice.

As currently envisioned, the competition will have teams perform a first launch in late 2019. The location of the launch site will be announced only weeks in advance, and teams will have only days to integrate and launch the DARPA-provided payload. [Military Space: Spacecraft, Weapons and Tech]

Each team that successfully carries out that initial launch will receive $2 million and will be eligible for a second launch at a different site, again on short notice. DARPA will then award prizes based on a combination of time to launch, mass launched and orbital accuracy. The exact scoring process using those factors is still being developed, Todd Master, program manager for the competition, said in a briefing here.

The winning team will receive $10 million, while the competition will also offer second and third prizes of $9 million and $8 million, respectively. All teams that qualify for the competition will receive $400,000.

The competition emerged from discussions DARPA had with the growing number of companies developing small launch vehicles. "We asked them what DARPA could do to help them be successful," said Fred Kennedy, director of DARPA's Tactical Technology Office, during a panel session at the symposium where he announced the challenge.

"We wanted to have them be successful not simply individually, but as a nascent industry to enable a new community of space access service providers, to remove the launch bottleneck and finally allow us to really fulfill the promise of the space domain," he said.

What emerged from the feedback DARPA received was a prize competition to enable a responsive launch capability. "Our goal is nothing short of a fully realized 21st century launch capability," he said, with multiple vehicles and launch sites that can launch on short notice and at low prices.

The competition is intended to encourage vehicles already under development to support responsive launch capabilities. "What we're seeing now is an emergence in the commercial industry of small launch capabilities that, interestingly enough, fits some of our goals with regards to rapid launch timelines and agile launch capabilities," Master said. "But you're not really seeing commercial customers ask for particularly responsive launch."

While such a competition has obvious technical hurdles associated with launching payloads into orbit on short notice, companies will also face significant regulatory issues. Teams will require commercial launch licenses from the Federal Aviation Administration, which are typically tied to a single launch site. While the National Space Council endorsed plans to reform the licensing process at its February meeting, companies could have to seek licenses for multiple sites, without knowing if they will need to launch from them as part of the competition.

Master said that regulatory reform will be a part of the competition. "Even to do the things we want to do in the challenge, we're starting to stress the FAA process," he said.

He said DARPA is working with FAA on some ways to provide a blanket launch license for competitors that covers launches from several sites, rather than one specific to a launch site and trajectory. "A big impact we're trying to make is improvements in that regulatory process so that we can all go faster."

DARPA will provide more details about the competition at an industry day May 23 in Los Angeles.

This story was provided by SpaceNews, dedicated to covering all aspects of the space industry.Welcome To SpoilerTV



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The King of the Delta Blues written by Anselm Richardson and directed by Greg Beeman. I adored this episode! Look for two major shoutouts to the fans  the Clockblockers! The main story concerns historical figure Robert Johnson (Kamahl Naiqui), and the theme of the importance of music runs throughout the episode. I really saw a great deal of Kripke influence throughout this episode.Look for more tension in the bunker. Connor (Paterson Joseph) is having a crisis  and hes not the only one. We learn several surprising things about Connor. We get another interesting team up. Intel on the initial mission comes from an unexpected source. The team travel to San Antonio, Texas, on November 23, 1936. Wyatt (Matt Lanter) is given his own mission  which has already been spoiled by the previews. Look for Denise (Sakina Jaffrey) to have a present for Garcia (Goran Visnjic).While there is plenty of tension on the mission, there are also plenty of lighthearted moments  and some fantastic music thrown it for good measure. Look for more Blues greats than just Johnson to make an appearance. Pay attention to the aliases the team uses  theyre brilliant!The writing, acting, and directing are all fantastic in this episode. Joseph, in particular, delivers a stand out performance. One fight scene is shot from some really creative angles that really enhance the scene. I continue to love how the show looks at history from a holistic viewpoint.There are some really nice moments between Connor and Rufus (Malcolm Barrett) and between Lucy and Garcia. Jiya (Claudia Doumit) has some shocking news for Rufus. And thats all Im going to spoil for now!It is bloody dangerous.Only if we give up hopeBut. I really have to peeThis baby was put together with tin foil and Juicyfruit.Keep them safe.And boom goes the dynamite.It wasnt us.To Hell with oblivion.Are you calling me a coward?This is me, returning the favor.Is it ok to keep secrets from someone you love?Your lips to Gods ears!I get what youre doing. Its a shameless manipulation.The day Connor Mason is officially, nobody.Wyatt! I need to speak with you.I dont need this crap! Im out of here!First? What are we dealing with second?!Get some clothes. Steal a car.Youre delusional.If youre not here to provide intelligence, what are you good for?On that day, in San Antonio, Robert Johnson and Don Law changed the world.You people are Philistines!We dont have time for your mid-life crisis!Life is but a walking shadow. A poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more.Oslo, April 22, 2018 (SPS) - Norwegian Foreign Minister Marie Eriksen stressed on Thursday that all the United Nations missions should monitor and report on human rights, including its mission in Western Sahara (MINURSO).



"Our main view is that all United Nations missions should have the mandate to monitor and report on human rights, which is the same for the MINURSO mission in Western Sahara," the Norwegian Foreign Minister said in response to questions before the parliament, therefore - she added- "we continue to support the extension of MINURSO's mandate to include monitoring and reporting on human rights through the contribution of all members of the Security Council, particularly France, which has not yet changed its position on the prevention of the extension of its mandate."



"We have raised the question of extending MINURSO's mandate with the French authorities since November last year in order to entrust its mandate in Western Sahara to include monitoring and reporting on human rights," said the Norwegian Foreign Minister. "We follow the human rights situation in Western Sahara through our own channels whether through our embassy in Rabat or by sending special envoys from the Foreign Ministry to the region, the last of which was in last February, where a representative from the Foreign Ministry was sent."



The Norwegian Foreign Minister affirmed, in the same context, that her country is working after each trip to the region to contact the Moroccan authorities to address all issues of human rights violations, and urged to pressure the Moroccan authorities to implement the UN Security Council resolutions on Western Sahara. (SPS)



062/SPS/TRANearly two years after New York police say a Stamford man was beaten, stabbed, burned and dumped in a shallow grave, a judge is set to make several pivotal rulings in the case.

Manhattan Supreme Court Justice James Burke is expected to decide Monday whether incriminating statements murder suspects made to New York Police Department detectives in the hours after Joseph Comunales death will be admissible in court and if the defendants will be tried separately.

James Rackover, 26, of New York, and Lawrence Dilione, 29, of Jersey City, N.J., have each been indicted on charges of murder, hindering prosecution, tampering with physical evidence and concealment of a corpse in the Nov. 13, 2016 slaying. A third defendant, Max Gemma, 30, of Oceanport, N.J., has been charged with hindering prosecution and tampering with evidence.

Police say a drug-fueled argument over cigarettes and cocaine led to the beating, strangling, stabbing and dismemberment of Comunale, a Westhill High School grad whose body was found buried in Oceanport.

The evidence is horrifying, Gemmas defense attorney Mark Bederow said during a pretrial suppression hearing last month. And Mr. Gemma has nothing to do with that. He is not charged with murder and there is no evidence that he was involved in any of the horrific conduct that was described.

The weeklong hearings culminated with Dilione testifying about what he claims happened the night of the murder.

According to the court transcripts, Dilione said he knocked out Comunale because he felt disrespected during an argument over cigarettes and cocaine in Rackovers posh Manhattan apartment.

I got up and I hit him, Dilione testified while being questioned by prosecutor Antoinette Carter. I hit him again two times, three max. I picked him up and I slammed him to the ground, which rendered him unconscious.

But reiterating what he originally told police, Dilione testified that it was Rackover who delivered the fatal beating, choking and stabbing of the 26-year-old Comunale.

Dilione testified Rackover started to hit Comunale when he was already unconscious, kicking, punching, slamming his head into the ground.

Rackover, an ex-con from Florida, was concerned theyd go to jail for a long time for what we just did, Dilione testified.

Ive got to get rid of him. Ive got to kill him, Rackover said, according to Diliones testimony.

Dilione claimed Rackover ordered him and Gemma to strip down.

My pair of jeans was used in strangling Joseph Comunale  I turned around and then I saw a knife being pulled out of Joeys head, Dilione testified.

Thats when Dilione said he told Gemma to leave.

Dilione described how Rackover then allegedly tried to dismember Comunale in the bathtub, but failed to get the blade through his shoulder.

Thats when he got angry and stabbed him in the body multiple times, Dilione testified.

Dilione testified he helped Rackover conceal the evidence and wrap Comunales body in sheets so they could remove him from the fourth-floor apartment.

I pushed the body out the window, Dilione testified.

Comunales body was then packed into the trunk of Rackovers 2015 Mercedes and taken to Oceanport where it was dumped behind a flower shop, Dilione testified.

Diliones attorney, Michael J. Pappa, pushed to have statements excluded from trial that his client made to investigators about the location of the body. Pappa argued Dilione was not read his rights and was questioned without counsel even though he said police knew his client had legal representation when he provided the information.

Pappa also argued his client should be tried separately, noting there are clearly antagonistic defenses, between Dilione and Rackover.

For my client to be tried with Mr. Rackover, it would be undue prejudice to my client, Pappa told the court, according to the transcripts.

Rackovers attorney, Maurice Sercarz, made similar arguments, stating police repeatedly questioned his client even though he says they were told, anymore questions and you are going to have to go through my lawyer.

Everything after that point should be inadmissible, Sercarz said.

Sercarz also pushed for his client to receive a separate trial, stating the defenses of each of the defendants are irreconcilably in conflict.STAMFORD  A group of Stamford High School freshmen will soon be heading to upstate New York to present their research and compete in a science symposium.

Teacher Sue Dougherty recently announced that Sasha Nunoveri, Astrid Lucero, Neisha Boiteux and Prish Kulkarni will participate in the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Program in Buffalo, N.Y.

The students have this opportunity thanks to a $7,500 grant from National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

GLOBE is an international science and education program in various high schools worldwide, consisting of 120 countries. The program provides students with the opportunity to participate in data collection and the scientific process. The purpose of students research is to contribute to the understanding of the Earth system and global environment.

According to its website, the GLOBE Program aims to prosper as a worldwide community of students, teachers, scientists, and citizens working together to better understand, sustain, and improve Earths environment at local, regional, and global scales.

Students conduct investigations and perform activities to gather information on the Earths atmosphere as well as implementing science protocols and the usage of scientific instruments to advance and improve their research.

Dougherty said the students will focus on aerosol and temperature measurements in the atmosphere, as they will be outside during the school day to acquire data. The students will use various measuring tools such as a sun photometer (used to measure aerosols) and an assortment of thermometers. The girls will deposit the information into the GLOBE database.

I felt a responsibility to these students who participated in the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP) and they worked hard to be finalists, yet they didnt compare to the upperclassmen who had experience in AP classes, Dougherty said.

Jude Infante is a Stamford High student and writer for the schools newspaper, The Round Table.STAMFORD  Three members of Mission 12 to the International Space Station recently visited their Toquam Elementary alma mater to congratulate a fourth-grader with a passion for space.

Senior Krantz Medeus designed a patch for the mission that won the high school division, while Alexander Barker designed a second patch, winning the K-8th-grade competition.

Stamford High students Grihith Manchanda, John Bolognino and Vedant Gannu were joined by their adviser and science teacher, Susan Dougherty, when they visited Toquam teacher Sarah Berkleys fourth-grade classroom.

I remember being in your seats looking up at people like me, Manchanda said. Ive always been interested in space  and look at me now  Im sending an experiment into space.

The boys explained they are testing how well yeast grows in space in order to see if we can make bread on Mars.

What is the most important thing for a space colony? Food. So we need to know if astronauts can grow food in space, Bolognino said.

Out of 11,000 schools, 30 are chosen to send an experiment to the International Space Station. The students have also been invited to the National Air and Space Museum in Washington to talk to other scientists sending experiments.

Im mind blown, exclaimed one student after Bolognino explained the importance of their experiment.

NASA sent some gifts to Barker for winning the patch competition. Dougherty gave Barker an aeronautics coloring book and a text about aeronautics.

At the end of the session, Dougherty presented him with his patch, explaining how it will go up into space with the experiment.

We dont know where his passion for space came from, Barkers mother said, but we will support him as much as we can.

Isabella Sorial is a Stamford High student and writer for the schools newspaper, The Round Table.A young man who was full of life was stabbed to death in a brutal and violent attack weeks before his 21st birthday, his sister said.

The victim, named locally as Kwasi Anim-Boadu, was knifed near Labour leader Jeremy Corbyns home in Finsbury Park.

The stabbing, in the early hours of Saturday morning, was the 39th fatal knife attack in London this year amid soaring violent crime which has seen more than 60 people killed in the capital in 2018 already.

In an emotional post online, the victims sister Naya wrote: My younger brother, my only brother got stabbed to death this morning. Guys this needs to stop. The pain I'm experiencing is indescribable.

A life cut short: Kwasi pictured with his sister / Twitter

A 21-year-old man was found nearby with stab wounds, and was taken to hospital in a non-life threatening condition. He was later arrested.

Kwasis sister today paid tribute to her younger brother, who she said was taken away from us in a blink of an eye.

Investigation: Forensic officers at the scene of the stabbing in Finsbury Park / EPA

She said: In the early hours of Saturday 21st of April 2018. Kwasi Anim-Boadu also known as Jnr was taken away from his friends and family in a devastating way. His life was cut short due to a brutal and violent mindless act of knife crime.

Kwasi was a young boy who was full of life, he brought joy to everyone around him through his conspicuous smile and heart-warming aura.

He was to turn 21 in May and had his whole life ahead of him. This has now come to an end. When we mention Kwasi it is all now memories and will only be memories.

She added: If you love our community-stop killing one another.

Kwasi, who also had nicknames Lavish and Junior, was pronounced dead in the street after being found injured on the Andover Estate.

His family are now raising money to cover the costs of the 20-year-old's funeral.

A friend posted online after the incident: "The good hearted are rare to find truss [sic] me and this was one of them".

Another friend tweeted: Heart shattered in to a million pieces. Stabbings are just statistics until they happen to a loved one.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said he was "deeply saddened" by "another life unnecessarily lost to violent crime on our streets".

He said: "The Met Police are using extra City Hall resources to fight this scourge and to remove violent criminals and weapons from the streets.

"We are also working tirelessly with the Met Police, community and youth groups, health and education services, and local and national government on preventing young people getting dragged in to lives of violent crime."

Police probe: officers at the scene of the attack in north London / EPA

A Scotland Yard spokesman said police were called to the scene of a stabbing in Seven Sisters Road at about 3am on Saturday and later discovered the 20-year-old in nearby Roth Walk.

A 21-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder, possession of an offensive weapon and affray.

The Met added: "At this early stage it is believed both males had been involved in an altercation involving a number of other people in the area of Roth Walk prior to the emergency services being called."A London woman who died following an awful attack near a major shopping centre has been named by police.

Julie Hunt, from Rainham, east London, was assaulted near Lakeside Shopping Centre in West Thurrock at about 8.30am on Friday.

The 47-year-old died at the scene near the A1306 Arterial Road, Essex Police said.

A large swathe of the road was closed in both directions on Friday morning while forensic officers carried out an investigation.

Unemployed Florin Ion, 31, of Ipswich Crescent, Birmingham, has been charged with Ms Hunt's murder and is set to appear at Basildon Crown Court on Tuesday.

Detective Superintendent Tracey Harman, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said officers have spent many hours taking witness statements, as well as reviewing CCTV and dash cam footage.

She said: "We now have a clearer picture around the circumstances of this awful attack.

"However, there are still a number of people we would like to talk to and we are making attempts to locate up to six drivers who are key witnesses in this investigation.

"Dedicated family liaison officers are continuing to support Ms Hunt's family during this investigation and I ask members of the community to respect their privacy during this difficult and distressing time."A Syrian refugee has launched a pop-up kitchen in Shoreditch to raise funds for the only childrens hospital in Aleppo.

Imad Alarnab, with charity Help Refugees, is inviting Londoners to eat falafel and save a life at his new restaurant on Columbia Road, with all profits raised going to Hope Hospital.

The hospital is the only paediatric facility in the region, serving more than 250,000 people, and providing incubators for new born babies as well as offering treatments for pregnant and postnatal women.

But in a month, if funds are not raised, Hope Hospital will be forced to close, Help Refugees have warned.

Now Londoners can experience the true taste of Syria at Imads Choose Love Kitchen, with 15 of the ticket price going towards keeping the hospital open.

Customers are served a three course traditional Syrian meal / @ThePositiveJournalist

Guests are served a traditional Syrian three course meal cooked by Mr Alarnab, one of Damascus most successful restaurateurs, with dishes ranging from smoked roasted pepper and aubergine dip to baba ghanoush, falafel and chicken and freekah lamb.

Mr Alarnab was a successful restaurateur in Damascus, with three restaurants and several cafes and juice bars.

But he was forced to flee the country in 2015 amid brutal civil war, which destroyed his livelihood.

And following a series of sell-out supper clubs in the capital, which the chef says has been a very welcoming city, Mr Alarnab has now set his sights on raising money "for the people who really need it".

The chef told the Standard: The restaurant is very important to me as its for a really good cause.

Especially when you know exactly the people who are getting the benefit, when you know they are very in need.

He added: For years I have had this dream. From the day I left Syria until today, I wanted to use my cooking to bring people together to experience the true taste of Syria.

"This restaurant is about giving something back; to the people of Britain who have welcomed me; and to the people of Syria who really need our help right now.

Mr Alarnab has continued to cook for others since he left Syria, travelling through Lebanon, Turkey, Greece, Macedonia, Hungary, Austria, Germany and France before arriving in the UK.

It was really difficult but it was nice because I was meeting new friends every day, he said.

He first met the team at Help Refugees in Calais, where he cooked for around 50 people a day from the steps of a church.

He said: It was very basic, we only had a picnic bowl and one knife. It was difficult to cook but we stayed for 64 days and cooked for many different people.

Help Refugees decided they wanted to join up with Mr Alarnab to create the new supper club around two months ago after seeing an increase in attacks in Syria.

Tom Steadman, of Help Refugees explained the idea behind the restaurant, which was put together in the space of a month.

He said: We wanted to do something that gives people a simple way to help.

This last month has been horrific in terms of the increase in attacks, and we realised we needed to do something.

He added: Everyone loves going out with their friends and this gives them a way to help.

People come and stuff their faces with falafel and they can help people.

Mr Alarnab said he wants the supper club to feel like a Syrian home.

He said: I want people to experience what its like back at our houses. A Syrian house is known for generosity.

He added: Syrian cuisine is not very popular. Its not the same as Turkish or Lebanese food. The thing is its amazing because its got a bit of everything, its really original.

This is why I want people to see that, thats why I want people to try it.

The chef and Help Refugees are hoping to become the sole breadwinners for Hope Hospital.

With an initial run from March 29 to the end of May, the restaurant is now taking bookings until the end of June and may continue to stay open beyond that time if fully-booked.

Mr Alarnab said he will keep changing the menu every other week.

From this week, the restaurant will serve traditional Syrian ice cream for dessert, which is only sold in Al-Hamidiyah Souq in Damascus.

Josie Naughton, chief executive of Help Refugees, said: The recent bombing campaigns in Syria have been absolutely atrocious and we knew we had to do something to help.

Working with Imad, we wanted to create something positive amid the chaos.

A place where the British public can see refugees contributing to the culture of Britain, and at the same time give people a simple, practical way to help those most in need.

Customers can buy a ticket online for 40, with two sittings for 20 people per night (and two per day on Sundays).

The pop-up operates a BYO policy and asks for a 5 corkage donation that will go directly to Hope Hospital.T he number of people searching "how to delete Facebook" online doubled in March - with Londoners most likely to want rid of their accounts.

The social media platform's reputation has suffered greatly in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica data scandal.

It is believed around 50 million users worldwide had their data accessed - with approximately one million victims based in the UK.

The new study, conducted by data firm Top10VPN found searches for "delete Facebook" had risen by 101 per cent in the UK compared to the previous month.

Simon Migliano, head of research at Top10VPN, said: The Cambridge Analytica data breach has confirmed the long-held suspicions of many social media users that their personal data is being used for various means without their explicit consent.

'Delete Facebook'- Londoners reveal why they gave up the social network

The backlash against what many would consider an egregious use of powers was immediate - with thousands of users in impacted countries swiftly looking to distance themselves from data-hungry sites like Facebook.

"The rocketing of search terms like delete Facebook' is evidence of a digital uprising of sorts against what has become the accepted norm in the last decade.

Mark Zuckerberg at Facebook Congress Hearing - In pictures 1 /15 Mark Zuckerberg at Facebook Congress Hearing - In pictures Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies during a Senate hearing AFP/Getty Images CEO of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg (C) takes his seat following a break in testifying before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee joint hearing on 'Facebook, Social Media Privacy, and the Use and Abuse of Data' on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC EPA Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies during a Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee and Senate Judiciary Committee joint hearing about Facebook on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC AFP/Getty Images An aide to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg closes a binder of notes left on the table as Zuckerberg takes a short break from testifying before a joint hearing of the Commerce and Judiciary Committees on Capitol Hill in Washington AP Grilling: The 5'7 CEO testifies before US senators in Congress Getty Images Senator John Kennedy looks on as Senator Lindsey Graham holds up the privacy agreement of Facebook as its CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies Reuters Facebook co-founder, Chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies before a combined Senate Judiciary and Commerce committee hearing in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill Getty Images Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaks with Senator John Thune and Senator Chuck Grassley following a joint hearing of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee and Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill AFP/Getty Images Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is surrounded by members of the media Reuters Facebook co-founder, Chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg leaves after he testified before a combined Senate Judiciary and Commerce committee hearing in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill Getty Images Facebook co-founder, Chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg arrives to testify Getty Images A audience member wearing a blue and green pointy wig, aiming to look like a Russian troll as Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies before a joint hearing of the Commerce and Judiciary Committees on Capitol Hill in Washington AP 100 life-sized cutouts of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg sit on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol Getty Images Mark Zuckerberg faced questions over the Cambridge Analytica scandal EPA Facebook co-founder, Chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies before a combined Senate Judiciary and Commerce committee hearing in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill Getty Images

Certain UK cities were especially quick to distance themselves - the largest surges in search terms notably centred on cities often known for innovation, such as London."

Across the country, "delete Facebook" was looked up most widely in the capital, with searches skyrocketing 139 per cent from 16,027 to 38,370.

Mark Zuckerberg: Social media regulation inevitable

Brighton came in second place, climbing by 129 per cent, while Bristol rose by 111 per cent.

Rounding up the top five were Scottish capital Edinburgh, rising 98 per cent, and Sunderland, where figures rose 95 per cent.

Internationally, the UK came fourth behind Canada (175 per cent), the US (132 per cent) and New Zealand (103 per cent).

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg told US senators his own personal data was shared in the data scandal which sent political shockwaves on either side of the Atlantic earlier this year.S ocial media giants have been threatened with tougher laws if they do not do more to protect children online.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt accused companies of turning a blind eye to their impact on children in a strongly-worded letter to platforms such as Google and Facebook.

The firms have been given just over a week to set out what steps they have taken to cut underage use, prevent cyber bullying and encourage healthy screen time, and what more they intend to do.

The Health Secretary warned that the failure of platforms to prevent young children using social media was "unacceptable and irresponsible".

He wrote: "In particular, progress on age verification is not good enough. I am concerned that your companies seem content with a situation where thousands of users breach your own terms and conditions on the minimum user age.

"I fear that you are collectively turning a blind eye to a whole generation of children being exposed to the harmful emotional side effects of social media prematurely.

"This is both morally wrong and deeply unfair to parents who are faced with the invidious choice of allowing children to use platforms they are too young to access, or excluding them from social interaction that often the majority of their peers are engaging in.

"It is unacceptable and irresponsible for you to put parents in this position."

The Health Secretary questioned whether social media giants had "sufficient will" to introduce solutions.

Mr Hunt stressed that the Government does not rule out bringing in new legislation to deal with the situation when it considers options in May.

The intervention comes six months after the Health Secretary set in train a working group on children and young people's mental health and social media that involved Facebook, Snapchat, Google and others.

In December, the Health Secretary publicly attacked Facebook for releasing a version aimed at children, telling the company to "stay away from my kids".T he Queen has "changed the rule book" for Meghan Markle because she was desperate to start royal life before marrying Prince Harry, experts have said.

Ms Markle, 36, has conducted more royal engagements than any other previous brides-to-be including Princess Diana and Kate Middleton.

The former Suits actress is set to wed Prince Harry on May 19 at St Georges Chapel in Windsor Castle.

She has accompanied her fiance to engagements in Birmingham, Northern Ireland, Cardiff and several in London.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend Commonwealth Youth Forum 1 /9 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend Commonwealth Youth Forum Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend a reception with delegates from the Commonwealth Youth Forum PA AP PA Getty Images PA Getty Images AP AP

She also spent Christmas with the Queen and the rest of the Royal family at Sandringham House, Norfolk - a first for any unofficial royal.

Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said: The royal rule book was changed to allow her to spend Christmas at Sandringham, the first royal fiancee to do so.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attend the Women's Empowerment reception hosted by Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson / Getty Images

A committed feminist, she is proof of a more inclusive royal family who will unquestionably benefit from her worldwide profile.

Her chemistry with Harry is perfection, the two are already making their mark together and she cant wait to hit the ground running to help others in the causes she believes in.

The worlds spotlight will be on the wedding which will be a magnificent piece of theatre and as a former actress she will know how to use her profile as a senior royal to champion the causes she so passionately believes in."

Ms Markle said she hoped to hit the ground running as she joined Prince Harry and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to discuss the Royal Foundation in February.

Meghan Markle backs campaign to get world's poorest girls into education

By next Wednesday, she will have taken part in five engagements in just six days, including joining Harry for official Commonwealth duties on behalf of the Queen.

The couple attended the Womens Empowerment reception at the Royal Aeronautical Society on Thursday night.

Getting on with it: Meghan Markle is embracing royal life with Prince Harry / Getty Images

Mr Fitzwilliams added of her busy schedule: Meghan will be a very different type of royal.

As soon as their long-awaited engagement was announced, she and Harry visited Nottingham and we saw how expertly she worked the crowds as she has subsequently in visits to other parts of Britain.

Meghan mania is a potent force and she has coped with the avalanche of press interest extremely well.

Ms Markle joined the royals for Christmas at Sandringham / Getty Images

Royal expert Phil Dampier revealed that the Queens pragmatic thinking has allowed Ms Markle to get so involved with royal work ahead of the wedding.

He told the Standard: These are very different times.

Being at Sandringham at Christmas and doing all of these pre-wedding jobs would not have happened 20 or 30 years ago.

The Queen as always is pragmatic and realises Meghan is desperate to get started and make a contribution.

The fact they are not married yet doesn't seem to matter anymore. At 36, she is the same age Diana was when she died. Meghan is a mature woman and wants to get on with it.

Ms Markle will also attend a reception celebrating Sydneys hosting of Invictus Games at the Australian High Commission on Saturday.

On Monday, she is scheduled to join Harry for the 25th Anniversary Memorial Service of Stephen Lawrence's murder.

Kensington Palace announced that Ms Markle will attend several events commemorating Anzac Day next Wednesday with Harry.

In contrast, Princess Diana made a handful of engagements after her engagement announcement to Prince Charles in February 1981, along with a few polo matches.A journalist was shot dead as he broadcast live on Facebook during anti-government protests.

Angel Gahona was reporting on unrest in the central American country of Nicaragua when shots rang out.

The journalist fell to the ground bleeding from the head, footage on Facebook Live showed.

He was describing a damaged cash machine while videoing with his phone as a cameraman filmed behind him in the town of Bluefields on Saturday.

The shot ended his commentary, sending Gahona tumbling down the steps in front of the building. He then lay prone as people screamed his name and rushed to help, the footage showed.

Neither authorities in Managua, nor Lissett Guido, a spokeswoman for the Red Cross in Nicaragua, were immediately able to independently confirm details of the incident, which quickly spread onto national, international and social media.

Nicaraguan media said Gahona, who was described as a journalist from the area, died from his injuries.

It was not clear who had fired the shot. Nicaraguan newspaper La Prensa quoted another journalist as saying only police and groups fighting the protesters were armed there.

Before the incident, the Red Cross said at least six people had died since protests began on Wednesday against government plans to increase worker contributions and lower pensions, causing a crisis for President Daniel Ortega.Countries & Areas

Search for country or area A Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan B Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burma Burundi C Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Costa Rica Cote dIvoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czechia D Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic E Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia F Fiji Finland France G Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Grenada Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana H Haiti Holy See Honduras Hungary I Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy J Jamaica Japan Jordan K Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan L Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg M Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Morocco Mozambique N Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria North Korea North Macedonia Norway O Oman P Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territories Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Q Qatar R Republic of the Congo Romania Russia Rwanda S Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Sweden Switzerland Syria T Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Tuvalu U Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom Uruguay Uzbekistan V Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Y Yemen Z Zambia ZimbabwePremier Viorica Dancila will meet on Monday, at 13:00 hrs, with the hospital managers, the agenda of the meeting featuring the topic of wages in the public health care system, informs a press release of the Government.

Prime Minister Viorica Dancila requested on Wednesday that the ministers of health, labour and finance identify by the end of this week "the issues that arise in the health system," so that solutions can be found.

"During this meeting, I would like to ask Mrs. Health Minister, Mrs. Labour Minister and Mr. Public Finance Minister to identify solutions, by the end of this week, to the issues that arise in the health system, so that we can find solutions," Dancila said in the government meeting.At the same time, the head of the Executive asked the three ministers to hold a discussions with the hospital managers where there are problems, in order to identify 'the necessary solutions.""Let them call the hospital managers where we have problems, to talk to them and identify the necessary solutions, so that we can put this topic behind us," Dancila further said.Conn HALLINAN

An unusual triple alliance is emerging from the Syrian war, one that could alter the balance of power in the Middle East, unhinge the NATO alliance, and complicate the Trump administrations designs on Iran. It might also lead to yet another double cross of one of the regions largest ethnic groups, the Kurds.

However, the troika allianceTurkey, Russia and Iranconsists of three countries that dont much like one another, have different goals, and whose policies are driven by a combination of geo-global goals and internal politics. In short, fragile and complicated doesnt even begin to describe it.

How the triad might be affected by the joint U.S., French and British attack on Syria is unclear, but in the long run the alliance will likely survive the uptick of hostilities.

But common ground was what came out of the April 4 meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Meeting in Ankara, the parties pledged to support the territorial integrity of Syria, find a diplomatic end to the war, and to begin a reconstruction of a Syria devastated by seven years of war. While Russia and Turkey explicitly backed the UN-sponsored talks in Geneva, Iran was quiet on that issue, preferring a regional solution without foreign plans.

Common ground, however, doesnt mean the members of the troika are on the same page.

Turkeys interests are both internal and external. The Turkish Army is currently conducting two military operations in northern Syria, Olive Branch and Euphrates Shield, aimed at driving the mainly Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) out of land that borders Turkey. But those operations are also deeply entwined with Turkish politics.

Erdogans internal support has been eroded by a number of factors: exhaustion with the ongoing state of emergency imposed following the 2016 attempted coup, a shaky economy, and a precipitous fall in the value of the Turkish pound. Rather than waiting for 2019, Erdogan called for snap elections this past week and beating up on the Kurds is always popular with right-wing Turkish nationalists. Erdogan needs all the votes he can get to imlement his newly minted executive presidency that will give him virtually one-man rule.

To be part of the alliance, however, Erdogan has had to modify his goal of getting rid of Syrian President Bashar Assad and to agreeat this point, anyhowto eventually withdraw from areas in northern Syria seized by the Turkish Army. Russia and Iran have called for turning over the regions conquered by the Turks to the Syrian Army.

Moscows goals are to keep a foothold in the Middle East with its only base, Tartus, and to aid its long-time ally, Syria. The Russians are not deeply committed to Assad personally, but they want a friendly government in Damascus. They also want to destroy al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, which have caused Moscow considerable trouble in the Caucasus.

Russia also wouldnt mind driving a wedge between Ankara and NATO. After the U.S., Turkey has NATOs second largest army. NATO broke a 1989 agreement not to recruit former members of the Russian-dominated Warsaw Pact into NATO as a quid pro quo for the Soviets withdrawing from Eastern Europe. But since the Yugoslav War in 1999 the alliance has marched right up to the borders of Russia. The 2008 war with Georgia and 2014 seizure of the Crimea were largely a reaction to what Moscow sees as an encirclement strategy by its adversaries.

Turkey has been at odds with its NATO allies around a dispute between Greece and Cyprus over sea-based oil and gas resources, and it recently charged two Greek soldiers who violated the Turkish border with espionage. Erdogan is also angry that European Union countries refuse to extradite Turkish soldiers and civilians who he claims helped engineer the 2016 coup against him. While most NATO countries condemned Moscow for the recent attack on two Russians in Britain, the Turks pointedly did not.

Turkish relations with Russia have an economic side as well. Ankara want a natural gas pipeline from Russia, has broken ground on a $20 billion Russian nuclear reactor, and just shelled out $2.5 billion for Russias S-400 anti-aircraft system.

The Russians do not support Erdogans war on the Kurds and have lobbied for the inclusion of Kurdish delegations in negotiations over the future of Syria. But Moscow clearly gave the Turks a green light to attack the Kurdish city of Afrin last month, driving out the YPG that had liberated it from the Islamic State and Turkish-backed al-Qaeda groups. A number of Kurds charge that Moscow has betrayed them.

The question now is, will the Russians stand aside if the Turkish forces move further into Syria and attack the city of Manbij, where the Kurds are allied with U.S. and French forces? And will Erdogans hostility to the Kurds lead to an armed clash among three NATO members?

Such a clash seems unlikely, although the Turks have been giving flamethrower speeches over the past several weeks. Those who cooperate with terrorists organizations [the YPG] will be targeted by Turkey, says Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag said in a pointed reference to Frances support for the Kurds. Threatening the French is one thing, picking a fight with the U.S. military quite another.

Of course, if President Trump pulls U.S. forces out of Syria, it will be tempting for Turkey to move in. While the troika alliance has agreed to Syrian sovereignty, that wont stop Ankara from meddling in Kurdish affairs. The Turks are already appointing governors and mayors for the areas in Syria they have occupied.

Irans major concern in Syria is maintaining a buffer between itself and a very aggressive alliance of the U.S., Israel and Saudi Arabia, which seems to be in the preliminary stages of planning a war against the second-largest country in the Middle East.

Iran is not at all the threat it has been pumped up to be. Its military is miniscule and talk of a so-called Shiite crescentIran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanonis pretty much a western invention (although the term was dreamed up by the King of Jordan).

Tehran has been weakened by crippling sanctions and faces the possibility that Washington will withdraw from the nuclear accord and re-impose yet more sanctions. The appointment of National Security Advisor John Bolton, who openly calls for regime change in Iran, has to have sent a chill down the spines of the Iranians. What Tehran needs most of all is allies who will shield it from the enmity of the U.S., Israel and Saudi Arabia. In this regard, Turkey and Russia could be helpful.

Iran has modified its original goals in Syria of a Shiite-dominated regime by agreeing to a non-sectarian character for a post-war Syria. Erdogan has also given up on his desire for a Sunni-dominated government in Damascus.

War with Iran would be catastrophic, an unwinnable conflict that could destabilize the Middle East even more than it is now. It would, however, drive up the price of oil, currently running at around $66 a barrel. Saudi Arabia needs to sell its oil for at least $100 a barrel, or it will very quickly run of money. The on-going quagmire of the Yemen war, the need to diversify the economy, and the growing clamor by young Saudis70 percent of the populationfor jobs requires lots of money, and the current trends in oil pricing are not going to cover the bills.

War and oil make for odd bedfellows. While the Saudis are doing their best to overthrow the Assad regime and fuel the extremists fighting the Russians, Riyadh is wooing Moscow to sign onto to a long-term OPEC agreement to control oil supplies. That probably wont happenthe Russians are fine with oil at $50 to $60 a barreland are wary of agreements that would restrict their right to develop new oil and gas resources. The Saudis jihad on the Iranians has a desperate edge to it, as well it might. The greatest threat to the Kingdom has always come from within.

The rocks and shoals that can wreck alliances in the Middle East are too numerous to count, and the troika is riven with contradictions and conflicting interests. But the war in Syria looks as if it is coming to some kind of resolution, and at this point Iran, Russia and Turkey seem to be the only actors who have a script that goes beyond lobbing cruise missiles at people.

counterpunch.orgAt 4am on April 14, the United States, France and the United Kingdom executed a strike on Syria. The Syrian Free Press reported:

US Navy warships in the Red Sea and Air Force B-1B bombers and F-15 and F-16 aircraft rained dozens of ship- and air-launched cruise missiles down on the Syrian capital of Damascus, an airbase outside the city, a so-called chemical weapons storage facility near Homs, and an equipment-storage facility and command post, also near Homs. B1-Bs are typically armed with JASSM cruise missiles, which have a 450 kg warhead and a range of 370 kms. US Navy warships launched Tomahawks, which have 450 kg warheads and an operational range of between 1,300 and 2,500 kms. The British Royal Air Force's contingent for the assault consisted of four Tornado GR4 ground-attack aircraft armed with the Storm Shadow long-range air-to-ground missile, which the UK's Defense Ministry said targeted 'chemical weapons sites' in Homs. These weapons have a range of 400 kms. Finally, France sent its Aquitaine frigate, armed with SCALP naval land-attack cruise missiles (SCALP is the French military's name for the Storm Shadow), as well as several Dassault Rafale fighters, also typically armed with SCALP or Apache cruise missiles. According to the Russian defense ministry, the B-1Bs also fired GBU-38 guided air bombs. Undoubtedly weary of the prospect of having their aircraft shot down after Israel lost one of its F-16s over Syria in February, the Western powers presumably launched their weapons from well outside the range of Syrian air defenses, with all the targets located just 70-90 kms from the Mediterranean Sea, and having to fly through Lebanon first.

Recapping the information on the strike, the US and its allies used the following assets:

 2 destroyers (USS Laboon, USS Higgins)

 1 US cruiser (USS Monterey)

 1 French frigate (Georges Leygues)

 5 Rafale jets

 4 Mirage 2000-5F

 4 British Tornado fighter-bombers

 Virginia-class submarine USS John Warner

 2 US B-1B bombers

Their ordnance brought to bear consisted of the following:

 The cruiser Monterey launched 30 Tomahawk missiles

 The destroyer Higgins 23 Tomahawks

 The destroyer Laboon 7 Tomahawks

 The submarine John Warner 6 Tomahawks

 2 B-1 bombers 21 JASSM missiles

 4 British Tornado GR4 fighter bombers 16 Storm-shadow missiles.

 The French Languedoc fired 3 MdCN land-attack missiles.

The US Pentagon reports the strike group targeted:

 76 missiles at the Barzah research center in Damascus:

(Source)

 22 missiles at an undefined "chemical" structure:

(Source)

 7 missiles against an undefined "chemical bunker":

(Source)

The Syrian anti-aircraft forces responded, firing a total of 112 air-defence missiles:

 the Pantsyr system fired 25 missiles and hit 24 targets;

 the Buk system fired 29 missiles and hit 24 targets;

 the Osa system fired 11 and hit 5 targets;

 the S-125 system fired 13 missiles and hit 5 targets;

 the Strela-10 system fired 5 missiles and hit 3 targets;

 the Kvadrat system fired 21 and hit 11 targets;

 the S-200 system fired 8 and hit no targets.

(Source)

The Russians have stated that the target of the raids and the effectiveness of the missiles have resulted in a big fiasco for the Americans:

 4 missiles were launched targeting the area of the Damascus International Airport; these 4 missiles were intercepted.

 12 missiles were launched targeting the Al-Dumayr Military Airport; these 12 missiles were intercepted.

 18 missiles were launched targeting the Bley Military Airport; these 18 missiles were intercepted.

 12 missiles were launched targeting the Shayarat Military Airport; these 12 missiles were intercepted.

 9-15 missiles were launched targeting the Mezzeh Military Airport; 5 of them were intercepted.

 16 missiles were launched targeting the Homs Military Airport; 13 of which were intercepted.

 30 missiles were launched targeting targets in the areas of Barzah and Jaramani; 7 of which were intercepted.

The effectiveness of the attack is called into question, especially in light of the prompt reaction of the civilian population that took to the streets in support of Bashar al Assad and the Syrian government only a few hours after the US-led attack.

(Celebrations the morning of the 14th of April in Umayyad Square, Damascus )

What emerges immediately from the Syrian/Russian and American narratives are contrasting assessments of the outcome of the attack.

We can certainly try to dispute some statements. The Americans repeated that at least two chemical-weapons laboratories together with a chemical-weapons storage center were affected. As evidenced by the images shot by PressTV a few hours after the attack, the structure is destroyed but there are no chemical contaminations. To confirm this, the television operators were able to perform interviews and live footage a few meters from the site of the strike without experiencing any physical effects, which would have been impossible were the American version of events true, given that the release of chemical agents would have made the whole area inaccessible.

Further confirmation comes from Ammar Waqqaf interviewed on The Heat on CGTV, claiming that his relatives were about 500 meters from one of the alleged chemical-weapons research centers attacked by the Americans. Ammar says that even in this case, no chemical agent appears to have been released, thus disproving Washington's claims.

Another important consideration concerns the targets. For Washington, the targets were limited to research laboratories (Barzah and Jaramani) and storage centers. But Moscow revealed that the objectives also included military bases as well as the civilian Damascus International Airport, namely: Al-Dumayr Military Airport, Bley Military Airport, Shayarat Military Airport, Mezzeh Military Airport, Homs Military Airport. These were mostly unsuccessful attacks.

In light of the foregoing, we can assume that the operational goal of the Americans was twofold. On the one hand, it was aimed at the media, to show a response to the (false) accusations of a chemical attack in Douma (Robert Frisk has just dismantled the propaganda and RT reminds us of the various false flags perpetrated by the US in the past to start wars); on the other, it was used by the military to actually permanently damage the Syrian Air Force, as suggested by the warmongering neocon Lindsey Graham. The failure of this latter objective could be seen in the following hours when the Syrian planes resumed operational tasks.

What does all this information tell us? First of all, the American goal was not to hit the non-existent chemical weapons or their production sites. The aim was to reduce as much as possible Syrian Air Force assets at different military airports. The mission was a failure, as reported by the Russian military envoy in Syria thanks to the air-defense measures of the Syrian forces as well as probably a high electronic-warfare (EW) contribution from the Russian forces present in the country. Very little has been leaked out in technical terms from the Russian Federation, which officially states that it did not contribute towards defending against the attack. It is probable that Russia played a decisive role in terms of EW, with its little-known but highly effective systems as demonstrated in previous attacks in 2017.

Moscow has no interest in promoting its cutting-edge EW systems, and often does not confirm the reports issued by more or less government agencies, as in the case of the USS Donald Cook in 2014. Yet Russia Beyond explains EW as probably being fundamental in foiling the American attack:

Before the electronic jamming system kicks in, the aircraft scans the radio signals in its zone of activity. After detecting the traffic frequencies of the enemy's equipment, the operator on board the aircraft enables the jamming system in the required bandwidth," a defense industry source told Russia Beyond. In addition to onboard systems, there are ground-based Krasnukha-4 EW complexes stationed around the Khemeimim airbase, Russias key stronghold in the Middle East. Their purpose is to suppress enemy "eavesdropping and weapons guidance systems. The Krasnukha-4 blinds enemy radar systems to targets at a distance of 250 km.

The general public is yet to understand that the American attack was a complete fiasco, much to the irritation of Lindsey Graham, thereby confirming Damascuss narrative, which presented Syrias response as decisive and effective.

The logic of the matter must also be considered. We know that the US and her allies launched 105 missiles aimed at various targets, including some military bases, but none of them hit the targets indicated, except for two buildings already emptied previously and a non-existent chemical-weapons depot. The Pentagon amplified the military report with the lie that only two research centers and a chemical-weapons depot were intentionally bombed with something like 105 missiles; this in order to account for the number of missiles launched and to drown out other assessments that contradict the preferred narrative. But it is ridiculous to believe that the US used 76 missiles to hit three buildings. A much more plausible explanation is that there were many more targets but only three of them were hit, this measly success carrying zero tactical or strategic importance.

We should ask ourselves what the real goal of Washington was. First, let us split the story into two parts. On the one hand we have a PR exercise, and on the other an intended military strategy. In the first case, Washington was able to pursue its self-assigned role as protector of the weak, like those victims of the alleged Douma chemical attack. The intended optics were those of a humanitarian intervention, in line with the Wests self-assigned role of regent of the post-World War II neoliberal world order. In reality, we know very well that US hegemony is based on millions of deaths in dozens of wars scattered around the globe. According to the fictitious narrative of the media, it all boils down to good-guys-versus-bad-guys, and Assad is the bad guy while the US is the good guy punishing the regime for the use of chemical weapons.

The success of PR exercise depends very little on the military outcome and much more on the story as told by the media. It is based solely on the affirmation of the role taken up by the US and her allies, that of being in the right and driven only by the noblest interests. But such a series of unreasonable lies has only served to drag the world into chaos, diminished the role of the mainstream media, and destroyed the credibility of practically the whole Western political class.

From a military point of view, however, the goals, intent and results show a far more disturbing result for Washington and her allies. Soviet-era weapons that were updated by Moscow and integrated into the Russian air defense infrastructure network severely degraded the effectiveness of the American attack. Washington wanted to ground the entire Syrian air force, hitting air bases with precision, but failed in this objective. It remains to be seen whether this attack was a prelude to something bigger, with the USS Harry S Truman Carrier Strike Group currently heading towards Syrian territorial waters. Following the logic of deconfliction with Russia, it seems unlikely that a more intense attack will occur, rumors even circulating that Mattis dissuaded Trump from targeting Russian and Iranian targets, being well aware of the risks in a Russian response.

Let us focus for a moment on the risks in this kind of scenario. We are told that it would have brought about World War Three. This is probably true. But the consequences could also entail something much worse for Washington than for the rest of the world. The rhetoric that an American attack on Russian forces in Syria would trigger a direct war between the two superpowers is certainly true, but perhaps it is wrong in its interpretation. The danger seems to lie less in the possibility of a nuclear apocalypse and more in exposing the USs inability to go toe to toe with a peer competitor.

While we cannot (and hope not to) test this hypothesis, we can certainly join the dots. If Soviet-era systems, with a slight Russian modernization, can nullify an American attack, what could the Russian forces do themselves? They could probably even block an attack of the scale visited on Baghdad, where several hundred missiles were directed towards civilian and military targets. It would be highly unlikely in such a scenario for Washington to peddle the false propaganda of a successful attack with little in terms of bomb-damage assessment commensurate with the number of missiles launched.

Already in the April 14 attack, the explanation that 76 cruise missiles were directed against three buildings is ridiculous but is nevertheless sustained thanks to the lies of the mainstream media and the paucity of available information. However, when thinking of 500 Tomahawks launched with limited damage to the Syrian infrastructure, even that would be impossible to sell to a very ignorant and deceived public. It would be the definitive proof of the decline in American military effectiveness and the potency of Russian air-defense systems. Just like during Putins presentation of new weapons some months back, when the Empire feels its core (military power) is threatened, it simply dismisses such reports as false, in the process becoming a victim of its own propaganda.

Yet one would only need to listen to the words of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, Michael Griffin, in a conference at the Hudson Institute where he explained how Moscow and Beijing capabilities are far more advanced in hypersonic and supersonic missile defense and attack capabilities. He openly explained that Washington takes about 16 years to implement a paper-to-service idea, while its rivals in a few years have shown that they can move from concept to practical development, gaining a huge advantage over rivals like Washington.

The problem is inherent for the United States in its need to keep alive a war machine based on inflated military spending that creates enormous pockets of corruption and inefficiency. Just look at the F-35 project and its constant problems. Although Moscow's spending is less than twelve times that of the United States, it has succeeded in developing systems like hypersonic missiles that are still in the testing phase in the United States, or systems like the S-500, which the US does not possess.

The S-300, S-400, P-800 anti-ship missiles and the 3M22 Zircon hypersonic missiles, in addition to EW, pose a fundamental problem for Washington in dealing with attacks against a peer competitor. The military in Washington are probably well aware of the risks of revealing the US to be a paper tiger, so they prefer to avoid any direct confrontation with Russia and Iran, more for the purposes of maintaining military prestige than out of a desire to avoid risking World War Three. If Russian forces ever were targeted by the US, in all probability Moscow would simply disable the electronics of the US ship rather than sinking it, leaving it to float in the Mediterranean uncontrolled for days.

The last fig leaf hiding the US militarys inadequacy rests in Hollywood propaganda that presents the US military as practically invincible. Accordingly, some sites have spread stories that Russia had been forewarned of the attack and that the whole bombing event was the same sort of farce as a year ago. In the first place, it is important to clarify that Moscow had not been given advanced warning of the targets, and the reason for this is simple: the attack was real and, as explained above, did not succeed precisely because of Moscow and Damuscuss effective parries and blocks.

In reality, Washington has failed in its military strategy, and the media have turned to the usual propaganda of chemical weapons and the need to enforce justice in the world and proclaim a non-existent success. In the meantime, Moscow fine-tunes its weapons and prepares to deliver the S-300 to the Syrian state and its allies (Lebanon?), effectively limiting Washington's ability to attack in the Middle East. This is a fitting conclusion for a story that has only damaged the status of the United States and her allies in the Middle East, bringing Syria closer to a final victory.Bruno MACAES

Having abandoned any attempt to join the Western global political order, Russia seems to have quickly found a new self-image: as the center and core of the Eurasian supercontinent, it can reach in all directions and provide a bridge between Europe and China on both ends. In this context, the Middle East has emerged as a central axis of Russias strategic concerns, perhaps for the first time in the countrys history.

In his recent book What Is Russia Up To in the Middle East?, Dmitri Trenin shows how the Middle East was always marginal to Russian geopolitical interests. When progressing south, Russian military expansion had its eyes on the Balkans or Istanbul, in some periods extending to British India, Afghanistan or northern Iran, but a serious push beyond those areas was never considered. Against Ottoman Turkey, Russia waged twelve wars. It took the czarist army half a century to prevail over the mountaineers of the North Caucasus. Russia also conquered Central Asia and invaded Afghanistan, a military adventure that left little appetite for a return to the heart of the Muslim world. But neither the Russian Empire nor the Soviet Union had ever fought directly in Arab lands. In 2015, something genuinely new and unexpected took place. Russia stepped into the Syrian conflict.

Any exercise considering what the Kremlins intentions and goals might have been has to start by noting how Syria offered a unique opportunity for promoting Russian strategic interests. By 2015 the United States had exhausted all choices there and showed signs of disinterest and disengagement. A Russian military intervention would constitute something of a revolution in global affairs. For the first time since the end of the Cold War, a country other than the United States would be projecting military force far away from its borders without consulting or involving Washington in the decision.

Syria had never been considered important for Russian national interests, but in the new global landscape that would quickly change. After all, Syria was a critical issue for Turkey and Iran. The refugee crisis was affecting the European Union in powerful ways and China saw the Syrian corridor linking West and Central Asia to the Mediterranean as potentially decisive for the Belt and Road initiative, its project of trade and infrastructure development across the Eurasian supercontinent.

With every other major actor reluctant to get involved in the Syrian civil war, Russia had an openingnot to solve the political and humanitarian crisis but to become the most important factor in any future solution.

Once these initial elements were considered, more interesting possibilities started to appear. Between 2013 and 2015, the Russian economy had been under extreme pressure, not so much because of the sanctions imposed after the Ukraine crisis but as a result of the precipitous fall in energy prices. As a major oil and gas producer, Russia had neglected to prioritize energy geopolitics, paying a steep price for that. While China, highly dependent on inward energy flows, had spent decades extending its influence and leverage in Central Asia, Africa, and South Americapreparing for all possibilities and diversifying energy supply routesRussia knew it had more energy resources within its borders than it could ever need and customers were forever assured a more or less mechanical result of a growing and more balanced global economy. But that set of assumptions neglected how other producers can hit your interests by manipulating market prices.

By 2015 the Kremlin was certain that the United States and Saudi Arabia were deliberately lowering oil market prices to squeeze Russia and Iran. With their budgets so highly dependent on oil revenues, Iran and Russia could be effectively pressured into limiting their expansionist agendas. One could even hope that they would become more inclined to abandon their nuclear ambitions, in the case of Iran, and aggressions against Ukraine, in the case of Russia.

At the end of 2015, a 10 percent cut in public spending in Russia was the best evidence of the growing stress from the pincer movement of international sanctions and low energy prices in an economy that depends on crude at $100 a barrel. Faced with a direct challenge, Russia decided that the Middle East was now the arena where its future would be decided.

One Map, Three Regions

In October 2017, Rosneft Chief Executive Officer Igor Sechin took the unusual step of presenting a geopolitical report on the ideals of Eurasian integration to an audience in Verona, Italy. One of the maps projected on the screen during the presentation showed the supercontinentwhat Russian circles call Greater Eurasiaas divided between three main regions. For Sechin, the crucial division is not between Europe and Asia, but between regions of energy consumption and regions of energy production. The former are organized on the western and eastern edges of the supercontinent: Europe, including Turkey, and the Asia Pacific, including India.

Between them we find three regions of energy production: Russia and the Arctic, the Caspian, and the Middle East. Interestingly, the map does not break these three regions apart, preferring to draw a delimitation line around all three. They are contiguous, thus forming a single bloc, at least from a purely geographic perspective.

Sechins map has a number of other interesting elements. As noted already, Turkey is left on the European side of the line delimiting the energy production core in the west. The same is true for Ukraine, which although unavoidable in this context is still an unusual inclusion in a map sanctioned by the highest echelons of Russian state power. If one looks at the world through the prism of energy geopolitics, then Ukraine is a European countrya consumer, not a producer.

Some of the most persistent foci of conflict in the contemporary world are located on the delimitation line between regions of energy production and energy consumption: eastern Ukraine, northern Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and North Korea. The fact may not be entirely coincidental. Many of these transition zones have become valuable prizes in the global fight for energy resources, with major powers often supporting rival internal factions in their bids for influence and control.

In other cases, the foci of conflict are transit hubs for energy flows, determining who has control over them in case of future conflict. More interestingly, transition zones are often fault lines between different political and economic models. It seems to be the case, for example, that the attempt to create a form of personal rule in Syria in the absence of oil wealth created the need for sectarian politics.

Sectarianismthe persistent promotion of mistrust and conflict between different ethnic or religious groupsfunctions as an alternative to oil, a form of compensation for the lack of oil resources such as those at the disposal of royal families of the Arab Gulf. It provides the ruling elite with a third method of obtaining consent from the governed, distinct from both oil patronage and the social rights of a developed democracy. Lost between two competing models, Syria has been unable to develop a genuinely stable variety of consensual politics.

The map illustrates an important point about Russias new self-image. From the point of view of energy geopolitics, Europe and the Asia Pacific are perfectly equivalent, providing alternative sources of demand for energy resources. Russia has been struggling to abandon its traditional orientation toward Europe, hoping to benefit from the flexibility of being able to look both east and west to promote its interests. It seems that Sechin and Rosneft can place themselves in that position much more effortlessly.

Sechins map subtly makes one finaland decisivepoint. As you consider the three areas it delimits, it becomes apparent that two of them are already led and organized by a leading actor: Germany in the case of Europe and China for the Asia Pacific. Production chains within these highly industrial regions are increasingly managed by German or Chinese companies, which tend to reserve the higher value segments for themselves. Their spheres of influence extend to all important inputs, with one glaring exception: energy. In order to address this vulnerability, the two regions of energy consumption will be attracted to the core region, where they need to ensure ready and secure access to energy resources. And their efforts may well be made easier by the fact that the core region of energy production lacks a hegemon capable of ensuring its survival as an autonomous unit in the Eurasian system.

One further and decisive factor must be mentioned here. As the United States drastically increased its oil and gas production over the last ten yearsa result of the shale gas revolutionits role in global energy geopolitics started to shift. Two trends have become dominant. First, Washington no longer sees the Middle East as critically important for its safety and prosperity. What was a constant of American foreign policy for almost a century now seems open to revision. If domestic supply can now take the place of imports, the United States is less pressured to invest in peace and stability in the Middle East. It is not difficult to speculate that its response to the Syrian civil war would have been differentmuch more active and resolutebefore the shale gas revolution. This fact naturally opened opportunities for Russia, already discussed above.

Second, the new energy abundance in the United States might justify using energy as a geopolitical toolsteering energy flows and influencing market prices so as to reward friendly states and punish others. As we have seen, the Kremlin grew convinced that the United States was doing just that with regards to Russia and Iran. Attempts to use energy markets to drive geopolitical outcomes reinforced Russias conviction that it needed to acquire higher levels of dominance in global energy markets, pushing it to intervene more actively in the Middle East.

It is from this perspective that Russias renewed interest in the region must be understood. By consolidating all three energy-producing regions under its leadership, Russia can take the decisive step in shaping the new Eurasian system. Its interests lie more decisively in organizing a common political will for the core region than in recovering the old dreams of integration with Europe.

That the Syria military intervention is now regarded as a successwhile the intervention in Ukraine led nowheremay point to the fact that the former, but not the latter, took into account the facts of geopolitics.

On the one hand, Russia feels at home in the Middle East. The pursuit of shifting goals against a background of persistent chaos or state disorder appeals to Russian strategic culture and its early success in Syria was quickly put to use. Suddenly Russia became an important interlocutor for every country in the region. Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Israel all have significant interests in Syria, so they all need Russia, the new effective overlord above Bashar Al-Assad. On the other hand, Russian leverage in Europe and China depends on the extent to which Moscow is able to increase its control over energy production. Efforts after 2013 to engage China as a growing destination for its energy exports suffered from the obvious difficulty that China had already developed a diversified pool of suppliers and was therefore in a position to dictate purchasing terms that Russia found unattractive.

That a deal was finally reached with Saudi Arabia at the end of 2016 to collectively reduce oil production and give a boost to global oil prices is a direct result of Russias ability to influence decisions in the Middle East. Less than a year later, the agreement achieved its objective of raising oil prices to a level of $60 per barrel. King Salmans visit to Russia in October 2017 was the first ever by a Saudi monarch. With Russia facing a new set of sanctions, Moscow now appears interested in exploring new sources of investment and capital. They may well include Saudi Arabia, following the announcement of more than $3 billion in potential investment deals upon the kings visit.

Energy Diplomacy

In two other maps, Sechin proceeded to show how energy projects offer the best example of Eurasian integration. Major companies from Europe, Russia, China and elsewhere typically pool capital and expertise, investing in exploration and refining projects from Scotland and Egypt to Vietnam and Indonesia. Eurasian integration implies the participation of energy consumers in energy production through investments in the shareholder capital of producers. Rosneft is a good example, with 50 percent of shares owned by the Russian state and stakes from BP, Qatar Investment Authority, Glencore, and CEFC China Energy.

Moscows attempts to spread itself across the Middle East can be understood through a series of deals signed in the last two years. The oil and gas giant LUKOIL, the second largest company in Russia after Gazprom, is in negotiations to start production at the newly discovered Eridu field in Iraq. Gazprom Neft, Gazproms oil arm, has taken exploration blocks in Iraqi Kurdistan while also operating the Badra field in southern Iraq. Rosneft has signed cooperation agreements in Kurdistan and Libya and has bought a 30 percent stake in Egypts giant Zohr offshore gas field.

The very same day he delivered his speech on Eurasian geopolitics, Sechin announced that Rosneft would take control of Iraqi Kurdistans main oil pipeline, boosting its investment in the autonomous region to $3.5 billion, despite Baghdads military action sparked by a Kurdish vote for independence. The move helped shield Kurdistan from increasing pressure from Baghdad.

Two weeks later, Sechin went on to sign a preliminary pact with the National Iranian Oil Company, the first step before a binding deal to participate in Irans oil and gas projects over the next few years, with investments totaling up to $30 billion and a production plateau of 55 million tons of oil per year.

Four Russian oil companies have even begun negotiating for opportunities in Syria, a venture driven as much by politics as by commercial interest. The aim is not to explore and extract Syrias modest petroleum reserves, of course. By actively participating in rebuilding and operating Syrian oil and gas infrastructure, Russian energy companies will be in control of a critical transit route for Iranian and Qatari oil and gas heading to Europe, bringing two rival producers closer to its orbit and tightening its stranglehold on the European gas supply. In 2009, Qatar proposed to run a natural gas pipeline through Syria and Turkey to Europe. Instead, Al-Assad forged a pact with Iran to build a pipeline from the Persian Gulf and then through Iraq and Syria and under the Mediterranean. This project had to be postponed because of the war. When it is resumed, Russia will be in control.

It is in the very nature of the Eurasian system described by Sechin that the core energy production regionprovided it is sufficiently united and organizedwill benefit from its central position, being able to pick and choose between east and west in order to obtain the most favorable terms. Russia and the Middle East are now part of the same geopolitical unit. It took the Russian military intervention in Syria for the world to start to come to terms with this reality.

thecairoreview.comThe US, UK, and French military strikes against Syria on April 14 paved the way for Russia to supply President Bashar al-Assad with S-300 air-defense missile systems. Any moral hurdles that might have blocked that deal were destroyed in the attack. With a range of 200 kilometers (120 miles), this air-defense system can engage as many as six targets at once, with two missiles trained on each target to increase the kill probability. This weapon will greatly enhance the Syrias government forces ability to repel strikes. Any attacker will have to think twice before violating Syrian air space.

The move might cause friction with Israel but it was not Russia who started this whole thing. Moscow has respected certain agreements in order to avoid any escalation. The purchase of the S-300 was suspended in 2013 after talks with EU leaders and Israel. On April 9, Israeli warplanes attacked the T4 air base in central Syria. A few days later, the US and its allies launched their strikes so as to give the impression that the Israeli raid was actually one phase of a joint operation. Russian President Vladimir Putin urged the Israeli PM to discontinue the strikes in a phone conversation on April 11. On April 16 and17 Israel launched another attack. Now the S-300 might be on its way. You reap what you sow.

Israels April 9 strike resulted in the death of Iranian servicemen. Iran said it would retaliate. As a result, both parties now have their fingers on the trigger.

A group of over 12,000 militants known as the Southern Front, along with armored vehicles, have amassed in southern Syria, bracing for an assault on the government forces. If they do so, that will be a breach of the agreement governing the de-escalation zone. Their mission is to capture the city of Daraa, which would become the capital of a US-controlled quasi-state outside of the Syrian governments control. The convoys providing arms and logistics are crossing the Jordanian-Syrian border under the guise of delivering humanitarian aid.

The attackers may use the violation of the de-escalation zone agreement by the Syrian government forces as a pretext for launching an assault. The militants may be plotting a chemical attack. Such a provocation would justify their actions and spur the involvement of the US and its allies.

The de-escalation agreement, brokered by Russia, the US, and Jordan, was reached in the summer of 2017. The region has been quiet since then. Now it is on the verge of a security breakdown. Assistant Secretary of State Wess Mitchell claimed on April 18 during a congressional hearing that the US was ready for an armed clash with Russia in Syria. The American forces stationed at al-Tanf, a US-controlled base in the east, could be involved. Theyll need air cover to increase the possibility of an incident between Russian and US planes. The assistant secretary did not elaborate but the message is clear. And it was a US official, not a Russian one, who resorted to such hostile rhetoric.

And what about Israel, which considers southern Syria to be an area of special concern? Why has its military decided to withdraw a squadron of fighters from a Red Flag multinational military exercise in Alaska, beginning on April 30? This is a time when Israel needs its aircraft close to home and ready for action.

It has been reported recently that the US has moved nuclear weapons onto Greeces Araxos Air Base. Its military has also deployed drones to the Larissa airfield.

Diplomatic moves are underway to direct developments away from the peace process advanced by Russia, Turkey, and Iran. On April 4, the leaders of these countries agreed to draft new peace initiatives. Those plans include Russian mediation to encourage Iran and the Persian Gulf states to take a seat at the negotiation table. If Russia achieves that, it will be a real diplomatic setback for the United States.

Attempts are being made to provide venues other than Astana and Geneva where a settlement of the Syrian crisis could be hammered out. Austria is offering to host talks in a new format in Vienna. French President Macron also wants a role in the settlement process. Nobody can explain why is it so important to add a new venue for the talks, if all those talks, wherever the meetings are held, are based on UN Resolution 2254. No doubt the US will endorse any place or format that will diminish Russias clout.

If you put all these facts and bits of information together, it leads to the conclusion that Syria is teetering on the brink of conflict, which could spoil all the significant achievements that have been reached so far to silence the guns and make the terrorist groups fade into the background.

On April 20, the Russian president held a meeting with his defense minister and chief of general staff. Syria topped the agenda. On the same day, the Russian foreign minister stated that Vladimir Putin was ready to meet Donald Trump in the US. This is a clear demonstration of responsible behavior and a firm intention to avoid a worst-case scenario. The US has influence over Israel, whose covert or overt support of the rebels in southern Syria is an open secret. Washington can prevent this situation from backsliding into a dangerous confrontation. It can also deliberately fan tensions in pursuit of its political goals. Whatever happens will be its responsibility. Russia has done everything possible to avoid an armed conflict.The new American secretary of defense is the first combat infantryman and combat commander to run the Department of Defense. Equipped with that background he sees a lot of problems his predecessors missed or underestimated. In particular, the guy at the top understood the seriousness of a growing problem in the military; not enough time to carry out all the required training and verification events. In other words, too much paperwork and pointless busywork. This degenerative process got worse once the Cold War ended in 1991 and throughout the 1990s there were more and more mandatory training and verification tests. Many of these new requirements were based online, which somehow supposed to make them less onerous.

By 2002 a U.S. Army study found company commanders had 297 days worth of mandatory training and testing events each year, but only 256 training days in which to get it done. This absurd situation got worse after 2002 and because many of these requirements were imposed in response to unfavorable publicity or political pressure (or both) one could not just quietly drop a lot of them. That would subject you to more mandatory sensitivity and ethics training. There was no mandatory reality training and verification so commanders had no choice but to pretend much of this useless training and verification took place. In some cases that wasnt enough and some recent fatal ship collisions in the navy were attributable to this requirements overload problem. The new secretary of defense had personal experience with this problem while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan and is now attempting to fix it without triggering a backlash that would have angry politicians imposing even more mandatory training. In addition to all the additional, and largely pointless, training requirements, there was more paperwork, even for tasks that had long been quite simple to accomplish. This was often of the typical bureaucratic bloat variety where you had to file a request for permission to file a request for a request.

This sort of thing is nothing new and is often called the Sukhomlinov Effect because of a World War I Russian Minister of War who exemplified it with his fancy uniforms and colossal incompetence. The Sukhomlinov Effect describes a common pattern that develops in armies during peacetime. Untroubled by an armed enemy (and the need to be practical and effective), armies tend to concentrate more on style than substance. That means that sharp looking uniforms become more popular than developing better fighting skills. You can see the snappy uniforms, but not the fighting skills. Thus men who "look" like generals (tall, ruggedly handsome guys with broad shoulders and splendid posture), who wear the uniform well, are more likely to be promoted. A frumpy looking fellow, who has the awesome tactical skills, will go unnoticed, and unpromoted. The Sukhomlinov effect has been compared to a vampire that makes its victims weaker and weaker over time.

This pattern tends to apply universally, with even sergeants being selected more for their bearing than for their battlefield abilities. It's often noted that, once a war begins, the peacetime leadership is often found wanting, and is quickly replaced with guys who can get the job done, even if they don't look so great. Troops who are successful in combat often partake of what might be termed the "Bandit look. This image derives from the ill-equipped, unkempt Mexican irregular troops, some of whom were bandits (at least some of the time), who outfought the splendidly attired French in the 1860s and the neatly uniformed Federales in the Revolution which began in 1911. These casually attired forces even outmaneuvered the comparatively well-turned out gringos under John J. Pershing, in 1916.

During the Vietnam War, most U.S. troops sported starched and pressed fatigue uniforms. The people at the numerous headquarters were particularly resplendent, with even their combat boots sporting a shine you could see your face in. Generals flitted about in helicopters featuring Simonize jobs any corporate limo would be proud of. In contrast, the Viet Cong and NVA wore dingy black pajamas. U.S. troops actually in the field, particularly those who were better led, soon adopted attire less elegant than that of their commanders. The best American forces, those actually able to go out there and beat the Viet Cong at their own game, on their home ground, regularly partook of the "Bandit" look that drove general Pershing and his troops nuts earlier in the century. Some extremely successful American commando units even preferred the black pajamas for some operations.

To a greater or lesser degree, in peacetime, all armies try to look good, and one way to do this is by concentrating on appearances to the exclusion of many more important concerns. When war comes, it's the army which has been least corrupted by such peacetime pathologies which win. The modern version of this involves piling on mandatory training courses and verification tests to ensure everyone has all the skills and social attitudes the government demands.

In the United States, the problem was there was never anyone in a position of authority to call out this insanity for what it was and fix it. Case in point were several scandals that made the news because of mandatory verification tests for the sailors who maintain and operate nuclear reactors on ships. By 2012 the U.S. Navy had already spent several years fighting allegations that there was pervasive cheating on the many qualification exams members of submarine crews must regularly take. This first made headlines in 2010 when the captain of the USS Memphis (an SSN, or nuclear attack submarine) was dismissed, along with ten percent of his crew, because they cheated on nuclear equipment qualification tests. After that former crewmen and officers on nuclear subs came forward pointing out that the practice was widespread. The reason was that the tests had been made more and more difficult, beyond the point where it made any sense. Rather than lose a lot of nuclear power system personnel, the officers tolerated cheating. More senior commanders, caught in the middle, looked the other way. The Navy insists that this has not, and is not, happening. It was, and it still is and the best commanders can do is wait for the periodic media and political outrage does not cost the navy too many valuable sailors and officers.

Three times between 2007 and 2012 the navy admitted to such cheating (twice on subs, once on a nuclear powered aircraft carrier). These incidents were revealed by inspections conducted by the high command. The Navy insists that there is no widespread cheating and that the tests are not excessively difficult. But sailors and officers who operate these nuclear power plants accuse the brass of covering their butts with the use of more tests and inspections while pressuring the senior officers on the ships (captains and heads of nuclear power departments) to keep their sailors in the navy. Many of these highly trained personnel are getting out of the navy, in part because of the poor leadership at the very top.

At the same time these cheating scandals were big news the U.S. has had to pay a lot more to keep experienced people with certain skills. Some types of submarine and nuclear power technicians were offered a bonus of up to $125,000 if they re-enlisted for another three years. This came about because, next to the SEAL commandos, the submarine service, especially nuclear power specialists (or "nukes"), is the most selective job and candidates require nearly as much training. These specialists have an easy time getting good civilian jobs if they get out. These civilian jobs had far fewer Sukhomlinov Effect problems since civilian firms that become too ineffective go out of business.

Meanwhile, the navy had to hustle to retain the services of over a thousand technical personnel to staff the nuclear power plants on submarines and aircraft carriers. The navy never lowered standards for nuclear power specialists. There has never been an accident with nuclear power plants used on hundreds of U.S. submarines and surface ships since the 1950s. This admirable safety record has not been easy to achieve, especially as more time had to be spent taking training verification tests. What the navy lost sight of was that the navy nuclear power program worked for many decades because the senior commanders were competent and understood what their subordinates had to put up with. Gradually that dedication and understanding was lost and the navy never acknowledged the problem. As the old saying goes, there are no bad troops (or sailors) only bad (ineffective) officers. And most of these inept leaders have a bit (or a lot) of Sukhomlinov in them because nothing hides failure (for a while) than new uniforms and more paperwork.Analyzing the weapons and tactics used to defeat ISIL in Syria and Iraq one surprising development emerged; the pervasive use of Predator and Reaper UAVs for finding targets, and dealing with the most difficult ones. Over 80 percent of all airstrikes depended on UAV surveillance, as well as nearly all the danger close strikes. These attacks, usually with laser guided missiles, are very close (often 20 meters or less) to friendly troops. These became more common and dependable (to not injure friendly troops) because of another innovation (ROVER) which is rarely mentioned in media reports. ROVER is a portable (now hand held) video terminal that allows air controllers and local commanders to view what the UAV (or even an aircraft equipped with a targeting pod) can see in real time.

The basic benefit of ROVER is that it allows troops to view real-time video from a UAV or aircraft overhead. Aircraft with targeting pods (like Litening and Sniper) or surveillance gear (like AC-130 gunships) are much more effective when the guys on the ground have a ROVER unit that can receive that video feed and share it with the airmen above. This kind of real-time, "common picture" capability makes air power much more effective and reduces friendly fire incidents. U.S. Special Forces troops and infantry unit commanders use ROVER to obtain a larger view (than their low flying Raven UAVs can provide) of the surrounding area. These ROVER devices use a built in antenna to get the video from overhead UAVs or aircraft. The original ROVER system, as well as the current one, was developed and sent to the troops in record time. So don't let anyone tell you this sort of thing can't happen. However, except in wartime, such rapid technology development usually quite rare.

ROVER came to be in 2002, when a Special Forces soldier, just back from Afghanistan, walked into the Aeronautical Systems Center at Wright Patterson Air Force Base and asked the technical people why his guys could not have a device that would allow them to watch the video being generated by a Predator, AC-130, or other aircraft overhead. In particular, the soldiers wanted the capability of the AC-130 getting video from a Predator that had spotted something the AC-130 was being sent to destroy. Since it was the Special Forces troops on the ground who were running, and fighting, the ground battle, it would help them a lot if they could see the real time video from Predators and combat aircraft. At that time the video was being viewed by people in the aircraft or the UAV operators (who were back in the United States, running things via a satellite link). The ground troops had to ask the air force what could be seen on the video and there was usually a delay in getting that information. It would be much better for all concerned if the ground troops could see that video in real time.

The air force geeks went to work and in two weeks had a ROVER prototype that Special Forces personnel could take back to Afghanistan. ROVER 1 was not terribly portable but the Special Forces could haul it around in a hummer and see what any Predators overhead were seeing. As expected this proved very useful. A few months later, ROVER 2 appeared which allowed troops to view UAV vids on a laptop computer. By late 2004, ROVER 3, a 5.5 kg (12 pounds) unit built to be carried in a backpack, was put into service. In the next five years ROVER got smaller, lighter and more capable. The smallest version was called Tactical ROVER, a 440 gram (one pound) hand held device that uses a variety of display devices (like helmet monocle, laptop, PC or tablet). Tactical ROVER was popular with the Special Forces, who often sneaked into hostile territory on foot and need to minimize their weight load.

The original ROVER gear was initially operated, mostly, by air force ground controllers. By 2012 there were some 4,000 ROVER units out there, this allowed platoon leaders and company commanders access, as well as Special Forces teams and some army or marine ground patrols. Since then the number of ROVERs has more than doubled as it was found useful to provide them to friendly forces (Kurds in Syria and Iraq as well as Iraqi commanders in general). This proliferation of ROVER terminals allowed more expert advice from experienced commanders, especially those who had been operating in an area (like an ISIL held neighborhood in Mosul or Raqqa) for a while and knew how the ISIL personnel were operating.

ISIL documents and prisoners revealed that the Islamic terrorists had deduced that there were no really effective countermeasures to the Reapers/Predators and how they were used. The Islamic terrorists knew little about ROVER although they heard that Iraqi commanders could see the UAV video. What they didnt realize was that many of these ROVER terminals had touch sensitive screens enabling the user to mark exactly where the target was, especially one that was concealed as best ISIL could manage. The ground troops had come to trust the skill of the UAV operators (communicating via satellite from a base in Nevada) to regularly hit small targets. This often meant having a Hellfire missile go down an alley and hit a specific window on one side of the alley. The ground troops didnt care if the guy firing the missile was in an aircraft overhead or back in the United States. If the UAV operators successfully carried out these danger close shots on a regular basis they were trusted and called on repeatedly.

Fighting in Mosul and Raqqa meant coming up against one successful ISIL tactics, using a lot of tunnels or holes blasted through basement walls that enabled ISIL fighters to appear unexpectedly near (and often behind) friendly troops. In situations like that successful danger close missile strikes were essential for the troops to prevail. ISIL survivors confirmed that many ISIL fighters were also surprised by this ability. That was because so few survived these danger close missile attacks and after the Mosul and Raqqa battles were over few of the surviving (and captured) ISIL defenders knew that sort of thing was possible. To the ISIL fighters, it seemed like some kind of magic how their fellow fighters died so quickly once in contact with Iraqi or Kurdish troops and that caused a number of the ISIL men to desert or surrender. It was difficult for ISIL defenders to surrender because these danger close would arrive so quickly after ISIL had made contact with the advancing troops. The speed with which these Hellfire attacks were called for and delivered was not only a surprise but usually fatal. But sl0wly survivors got back to report why well concealed ISIL defensive positions were so quickly spotted and destroyed.

Ground troops in Mosul and Raqqa considered the surveillance and precision airstrikes of the UAVs a decisive factor in the conquest of these two cities as well as a number of other urban areas. The commanders on the ground knew it wasnt magic but rather instant access to information and the ability to quickly act on it. This included calling in larger weapons (GPS/laser guided bombs) that were the primary weapon of larger aircraft. The Predator sometimes carried a 500 pound (227 kg) guided bomb but were most useful firing Hellfire laser guided missiles. Manned aircraft and their smart bombs were preferred in open country because the enemy could be spotted farther away. But in city fighting the Reaper and laser guided missiles was the primary weapon. Smart bombs were often called in when ISIL was fighting from a particular building that could be taken down with one or more bombs. But the most dangerous fighting was against an individual or small groups of ISIL gunmen suddenly appearing. Another vital service of Reaper and Hellfires was spotting and destroying rapidly approaching suicide car bombers. Gunfire was often insufficient to stop these vehicles, which often had armor attached to protect the driver. There was no protection from a Hellfire missile aimed at the engine.

By late 2016 it was widely known what the Reaper (Predator was being retired) could do in terms of surveillance, sharing that real-time video with front line commanders and acting quickly with laser guided missiles to deal with even danger close situations. It was a secret weapon that most ISIL defenders didnt find out about until it was too late.Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said on Sunday that he hopes the upcoming transfer of power from one civilian government to another will be peaceful.

Talking to the media, Bilawal said the country has weak democracy, adding that the way democracy progressed in the last 10 years has not happened before.

In response to a question, the PPP chief said he has a lot of expectations from the chief justice and hopes he will give him justice according to the law.

I cannot stop someone and only advise, he said, adding that judges do not speak themselves but through their judgments.

He then reiterated his criticism of ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharifs slogan of respect the vote, wondering where the slogan was when Nawaz removed his mother, slain premier Benazir Bhutto, from office in the 1990s.Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz President Shehbaz Sharif said he has not come to the city for political point-scoring.

While addressing the media after meeting Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan Bahadurabad faction leaders on Sunday, Shehbaz said he has clearly told the party leaders that he did not come to Karachi with any political agenda.

Shehbaz was received by MQM-P convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui at the party's Bahadurabad office.

Second visit to Karachi within a week was planned for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor conference, the PML-N leader said, referring to the session that will be held on Monday.

Shehbaz also addressed the persistent power issues of Sindh, mainly Karachi, during his speech, saying former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had decided in 2013 to restore uninterrupted power supply in Karachi.

But, the PML-N president added, it has been some time since the city of lights has been standing dimmed.

K-Electric is mainly responsible for the power crisis in Karachi, he said. But the city should get uninterrupted power supply during Ramzan, Shehbaz added.

Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that for the sake of progress in the metropolis, the ruling PML-N is standing beside the MQM-Bahadurabad.

The PML-N president also spoke about the security situation of Karachi, saying peace in the city was essential for stable law and order across Pakistan. Karachi is the face of Pakistan for the entire world.

However, Shehbaz said, peace has been restored in Karachi, which can be gauged from the fact that 80% of extortion has ended. The operation by Rangers [in Karachi] should be lauded.

At the occasion, MQM-P leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui in an apparent reference to the Pakistan Peoples Party, said that the government having an artificial majority in Sindh has been imposed upon on them.Director General (DG) Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor on Sunday said a jirga was held, on the army chief's instructions, to resolve the issues of traders from North Waziristan Agency.

The military's spokesperson, in the press statement, said there exists no issue that cannot be resolved through talks.

The decision to form a committee, under the supervision of NWA's political agent, to assess the losses incurred by Miramshah's shop-owners was taken in the meeting between tribal notables and civil-military leadership.

The shop-owners expressed complete satisfaction on the decision to form the committee and the role of Pakistan Army.

Major General Ghafoor added that residents of the tribal areas had joined hands with the forces to make great sacrifices for the establishment of peace, adding that operations conducted by the armed forces had eliminated terrorism.

The resolution of problems faced by citizens is the first priority of the state, said the DG ISPR. He stressed that he would not let the country's peace be put at stake by enemies of the state.

Tribal notables chanted slogans of 'long live Pakistan Army and Pakistan' at the end of the jirgah.

A statement issued by the political agent had also confirmed that a jirgah had been held to resolve the problems faced by the traders from North Waziristan Agency in Miramshah earlier today. DG ISPR Major General Ghafoor, GCO North Waziristan and civil leadership, including FATA's additional chief secretary, political agent and assistant political agent, were in attendance.

Discussions were held for the monetary compensation of the shop-owners in North Waziristan. President of the Traders Union was also in attendance of the meeting.

Earlier this week, on Friday, the traders had ended a protest sit-in in Islamabad after successful conclusion of talks with officials of the political administration.

The traders had been staging the sit-in since Monday, however, talks between a delegation sent by them and the political administration succeeded at the National Press Club on Friday.

The breakthrough occurred during a meeting of traders' representatives with DG ISPR Major General Ghafoor.

In a series of tweets later, the military's spokesperson said that economic rehabilitation of tribes had taken priority and mainstreaming of FATA remained a key to their empowerment and prosperity.Chile's President Sebastian Pinera, Ecuador's President Guillermo Lasso, and Dominican Republic's President Luis Abinader are the active top politician implicated in the leak. | Read More



Guwahati: While protests have erupted across the country over increasing of rape incidents, another gruesome rape incident has been come to light in Assam.





A 7-year-old minor girl was brutally raped by a person in Assams Tinsukia district.





The incident took place at Lajum village under Margherita police station in the upper Assam district on Friday.





According to the reports, the accused person 55-year-old Ainul Haque misled and took away the minor girl to his home and raped her.





Following the incident, the family members of the minor girl had informed police and Margherita police had arrested the accused person.





Mother of the victim girl said that, after returning home she described everything and we had immediately informed police.





On the other hand, the Officer-in-Charge of Margherita police station said that, police had arrested the accused person Ainul Haque after receiving a complaint against him as he allegedly raped a 7-year-old minor girl.





We had already conducted all preliminary investigation and formalities, the police officer said.





In last month, a 11-year-old girl was brutally gang raped and murdered in Assam's Nagaon district.



The revelations last week at the banking royal commission were shocking; the pressing issue now is what to do about them. The federal governments announcement on Friday of bigger fines and longer jail terms  although welcome - are nowhere near enough to stamp out the widespread and appalling behaviour, and pre-empt some of the obvious recommendations available to commissioner Kenneth Hayne.

Whats abundantly clear is that Justice Hayne must come up with something far more radical. The deluge of damning evidence is far worse than most observers expected, even after the unconscionable and illegal conduct uncovered by Fairfax Medias Adele Ferguson, and others, over the past four years. It represents a turning point for banking regulation in this country.

All eyes are on Kenneth Hayne. Credit:Eddie Jim

Conventional solutions relying on tougher laws and increased regulator funding will not work, as the banks cannot be trusted to overhaul their profit-driven advice cultures and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission cannot be trusted to effectively enforce those laws.

A structural solution is the only way. Financial institutions must be forced to sell off their advisory businesses. This will remove the unmanageable conflict of interest inherent in banks creating investment products while employing advisers to give purportedly independent recommendations to consumers about their investments.Take a moment to digest that. Now imagine our thief from our first example was granted the same leniency. Im sorry, Sir," our thief might tell the arresting officer. "Please dont lock me away. I didnt really commit a crime, you see. I simply suffered a breakdown in my internal processes that would have ordinarily prevented me from stealing the money. Imagine a sympathetic cop allowing our thief to sneak back into the elderly couples home and simply return the $2000 and escape all charges. Loading Welcome to the world of white collar crime in Australia: one set of rules for the ordinary crims, and another altogether for those who don a suit and tie.

In a sensational way, the bank royal commission is shining a spotlight on the extent of this misconduct and the laxity of law enforcement in the area. AMP stole the headlines last week, not so much for the underlying crime of fee theft - which we've come to expect from the banks - but for the attempted cover-up that ensued. Instead of confessing to the corporate cop, the commission heard how AMP hired independent legal advisers, who produced a report, which was redrafted 25 times, including to remove and reinstate the name of the banks chief executive. On 20 occasions, AMP admits it lied to the regulator. Lying to the regulator is illegal under the Corporations Act and can attract criminal penalties. If ASIC chooses to pursue them in the courts, that is. That is a major if. An analysis of ASICs so called enforcement outcomes  actions it takes to secure compliance with the law  published last year by Ian Ramsay and Miranda Webster from the Melbourne Law School provides a telling glimpse of the attitude the corporate watchdog takes to suspected crimes by financial institutions. Jacqueline McDowall told the banking royal commission that Westpacs bad advice had led to her family losing their home.

From mid 2011 to mid 2016, ASIC secured a total of 3484 enforcement outcomes. Of these, two-thirds involved criminal charges. The rest were non-criminal actions, like seeking civil penalties, dealing out "administrative outcomes", like banning individuals, entering into enforceable undertakings with companies or issuing public warning notices. But figures reveal ASIC tends to disproportionately pursue small business people - not the big end of town - with criminal charges, overwhelmingly going after them for not complying with liquidators when their business goes under. ASIC lawyers can prosecute these cases themselves, without going through the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions. When you exclude these small business targets, less than a fifth of all ASIC enforcement outcomes are criminal, involving potential jail time. And when you look only at enforcement outcomes against financial services providers, just one in 10 outcomes are criminal. While ASIC has indeed ramped up its enforcement action in the financial sector, their weapon of choice has been out-of-court administrative actions, like banning or disqualifying people, or getting them to agree to change their ways.

When it comes to financial advisers, ASIC prefers to simply ban them from further practice, rather than pursue criminal charges in court. In a separate academic paper, Professor Ramsay argues, with fellow corporate law experts Jasper Hedges and George Gilligan, that banning has, in fact, become the dominant mode of corporate law enforcement in Australia. The upward trend in unilateral administrative action by ASIC may partly be a reflection of ASICs increasing responsibilities and budgetary pressures and the reportedly cheaper and quicker nature of administrative action, they write. Courts have recently come to the view that simply banning or disqualifying white collar criminals from continuing their practices not only protects society from their misconduct, but also has an element of retribution akin to criminal punishment. In his 2005 decision to disqualify company director and comedian Steve Vizard from directing companies for 10 years, Justice Finkelstein reflected on this punitive aspect: I am confident the fear of losing both their position from business life, as well as their good reputation, will be an effective deterrent in the case of many a director who is contemplating a dishonest course for gain.Researchers at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University program the robot. Credit:Reuters video screen grab

A couple of engineers in Singapore have programmed two robots to assemble an IKEA chair.

This has been reported around the globe as news that presages the end of the world as we know it, with predictable headlines: Robots have done what no human can: assemble an IKEA chair in just 21 minutes; "We welcome our new robot overlords", etc, etc.

The difficulty of assembling IKEA furniture is a fruitful trope, but really, is it that hard? You only need one tool  which the underpaid Eastern European factory workers who put a flat-pack together never omit  and three different types of screw that will only fit in the hole they are meant for. You are about as likely to insert an IKEA hotdog in the wrong hole as one of their fasteners.

And the instructions come in a booklet of straightforward Esperanto-style pictograms  even the functionally illiterate can follow them.The Coalition government will expand the number of private contractors answering Centrelink calls by four-fold in a move the main public sector union has labelled a "damaging and cynical" response to job cuts.

An extra 1000 private contractors will answer calls from welfare recipients in a program Human Services Minister Michael Keenan said on Monday would cut wait times, after the number of calls meeting engaged signals last year reached 55 million.

The government will hire the additional workers, based in Australia, for three years in a program ramping up the number of contractors after a trial with 250 private call centre workers from multinational Serco.

Mr Keenan could not reveal the starting date of the expansion, nor the value of the program, saying it had to be put out to tender. Fairfax Media understands it will cost the government at least $200 million.A tram passes through a foggy street in Kew early on Monday morning. Credit:Eddie Jim

A heavy fog over Melbourne Airport that disrupted flights and triggered delays of up to two hours for passengers travelling to and from major metropolitan airports has lifted and flights have once again resumed.

On Monday, Qantas, Virgin, Jetstar and Tiger flights were cancelled and listed as being delayed throughout the morning as fog wrecked havoc and airlines cautiously cancelled and delayed domestic flights because of poor visibility.Sixty-five people were charged with possessing drugs and three men were admitted to hospital with suspected overdoses after a dance party at Sydney Olympic Park on Saturday night.

More than 12,700 revellers flocked to A State of Trance which ran between 9pm Saturday and 5am Sunday.

Police charged eight people at the rave with supplying drugs, mostly MDMA, and 55 people with drug possession.



Guwahati, April 22 : Three army personnel were died and four others injured while an army vehicle fell off the road and landed in Kundil river in Arunachal Pradeshs Lower Dibang Valley district.





The incident took place at Iduli village area when a team of 18 army personnel belonged the Madras Regiment went from Sadia in Assam to Lower Dibang Valley.





Two bodies recovered and search operation still on to find out third deceased army jawan.





Kohima based Defence PRO Colonel Chiranjeet Konwer said that, on the night of April 21-22, when the army was conducting search operations in Kundil Reserve Forest in the general area of Chappa Koa along Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border during relocation of the army columns, in the early hours of Sunday, one of the vehicles of the column skidded off the road and fell into a fast flowing stream.





While two soldiers lost their lives in the incident, one individual is still missing and four others received minor injuries. The injured have been provided medical assistance and search for the missing soldier is continuing, Colonel Konwer said.





The injured army personnel have been rushed to Chapakhowa First Referral Unit.



A light plane crashed off a runway north of Brisbane early on Monday.

Emergency services were called out to the Redcliffe Aerodrome just before 7am following reports a light plane had "come down", a police spokesman said.

The light aircraft "came down" at Redcliffe aerodrome on Monday morning, police said. Credit:Moreton Bay Regional Council.

The woman pilot, the sole occupant of the aircraft, was assessed by paramedics with no obvious injuries and transported to Redcliffe Hospital in a stable condition, an ambulance spokeswoman said.

A spokesperson for Moreton Bay Regional Council, which owns, operates and manages the aerodrome, said the pilot had experienced "some issues" attempting to land the aircraft.A man remains in custody after allegedly murdering an acquaintance at a home north of Brisbane.

Luke Cunningham, 21, of Nundah, allegedly shot 24-year-old Jacob Bell in the chest just after midnight on Friday following a dispute.

Scientific and forensic police officers scoured the Petrie street on Friday as detectives searched for the gunman. Credit:AAP/Albert Perez

Mr Bell, who was visiting Cunningham's unit at Petrie, died a short time later in hospital.

Cunningham was charged with Mr Bell's murder, as well as enter dwelling and commit an indictable offence.Harm minimisation has been officially central to Australias policies and laws on illicit substances for more than three decades  during which copious evidence has proved the catastrophic failure of the war on drugs and the associated increase in preventable harm and death.

A call by the Greens, led by former drug and alcohol doctor Richard Di Natale, for the legalisation and strict regulation of the recreational use of marijuana by adults has shoved drug policy into the spotlight with a federal election approaching.

There have been predictable, alarmist denouncements from the major parties. There have been crucial, careful cautions from medical experts about the dangers of marijuana, particularly to young people and to those with a pre-disposition to mental illness. And there have been other medical experts explaining international proof of effective, cost-efficient harm minimisation policies.

Many politicians privately agree prohibition has been counterproductive. Credit:AP

Dr Di Natales policy, which extends the Greens decision a few years ago to review its opposition to legalisation of any illicit drugs, is evidence-based and provides a basis for a broad, sensible policy discussion. Our appeal for rational debate is in no way an endorsement of substance misuse; it is purely about saving and rebuilding lives.WA Premier Mark McGowan says state law may be used in the future to stop livestock carriers from leaving if they breach animal welfare standards.

MV Awassi Express remains at Fremantle Port as it undergoes improvements to meet Australian airflow standards, after 2400 sheep died from extreme heat during a voyage to the Middle East in August 2017.

Shocking footage has emerged showing sheep dying in horrific conditions.

MV Maysora departed for Turkey last week with 77,000 sheep and 9500 cattle on board amid ongoing concerns about the industry.

Mr McGowan said he was willing to look at the legal options available under the Animal Welfare Act if there were breaches of Australian standards in the future.Sharks make WA an "environmentally wild place" compared to other parts of the world, but the state government is doing all it can to mitigate the risk of an attack, the premier says.

Alejandro Travaglini with his partner Tanya Hawthorne and two children at Royal Perth Hospital.

Alejandro Travaglini, 37, needed surgery to both legs after he was mauled at Cobblestones beach in Gracetown last Monday, while Jason Longgrass, 41, was bitten several hours later at nearby Lefthanders break, which had been closed.

WA Premier Mark McGowan said the state government was doing all it could to mitigate the shark risk, but there was also a degree of personal responsibility.

"We have helicopter patrols, we've put in place more swimming enclosures, we've got a subsidy program for people to use shark deterrent devices whether they're surfers or divers, we've got an enhanced monitoring program, we put new receivers in the ocean," he told reporters on Sunday.Former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce said allowing the partners of MPs to work in their office would help keep families together, and would not amount to a conflict of interest.

Speaking with Patricia Karvelas on ABCs National Wrap on Sunday night, Mr Joyce said it was "insane" that someone who qualified for a job could not do it because of their relationship.

Mr Joyce quit as deputy PM in February after 16 days of scandal over his affair with Vikki Campion, his former media adviser.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull later introduced a ban on ministers having sexual relations with their staff.Berlin: Malcolm Turnbull has admitted making a political mistake in rejecting a royal commission into the banks for more than 18 months, taking responsibility for the call but insisting he was right to put a priority on new laws to protect customers.

In his first public response to last weeks furore over the banks, the Prime Minister said commentators were right to say he would have had less political grief if he had acted sooner to launch the commission.

I understand when youre writing the political criticism, you say the government would have had less political grief if it had set up a royal commission two years ago  youre right, clearly, with the benefit of hindsight, he said at a press conference.

Having said that, you have to ask yourself, would we be able to get all the reforms done?This past week, he endorsed Kim's effort to reach a peace accord with South Korea's president, Moon Jae-in, which would formally end the 68-year military conflict in Korea. Inside the White House, some worry that Kim will use promises of peace to peel South Korea away from the United States and blunt efforts to force him to give up his nuclear weapons. "People don't realise the Korean War has not ended," Trump said with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan sitting next to him. "It's going on right now. And they are discussing an end to the war. So, subject to a deal, they would certainly have my blessing." The view from Japan Abe pointedly did not echo those sentiments. Japan is deeply skeptical of Kim's motives, and worried that its security concerns may not be taken into account in any agreement between either North and South Korea, or North Korea and the United States. Japanese officials dismissed North Korea's announcement that it was suspending nuclear and missile tests as "not sufficient" because it did not clearly state whether it included the short- and midrange missiles that are capable of hitting Japanese territory.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Credit:AP "Just because North Korea is responding to dialogue, there should be no reward," Abe said after spending two days with Trump at his Palm Beach estate in Florida, Mar-a-Lago. "Maximum pressure should be maintained, and actual implementation of concrete actions towards denuclearization will be demanded." Even China, which is accustomed to controlling its relationship with North Korea without interference from other powers, is chafing at the speed of events, and the increasingly warm feelings between Pyongyang and Washington. Chinese officials fear they will be sidelined in negotiations and that Kim will pursue a deal with the United States that places the North closer to Washington than Beijing. Much of the anxiety in Tokyo and Beijing stems from the unpredictability of the main players. Trump, who threatened in August to rain "fire and fury" on the North, is now talking about "good will" between Washington and Pyongyang. Kim has proved more adroit than many expected in orchestrating the diplomatic opening to South Korea and the United States. "They're doing a great job of appearing reasonable, but picking apart the maximum pressure campaign, and positioning themselves to be accepted as a nuclear weapons state in the future," said Evan S. Medeiros, a former senior Asia adviser to President Barack Obama.

Added uncertainty Adding to the uncertainty is the flux on Trump's national security team. Days after accepting Kim's invitation to meet, the president fired his secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, and his national security adviser, Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, was forced to step down. Now, Trump has entrusted the diplomacy to Mike Pompeo, the CIA director, whom he nominated to replace Tillerson and who is embroiled in a difficult Senate confirmation process. Pompeo traveled secretly to Pyongyang over Easter weekend to meet Kim, bringing along only aides from the spy agency. CIA director Mike Pompeo. Credit:AP Pompeo raised the issue of the detained Americans, according to a senior official. But much of his one-day visit was devoted to logistical issues, like the venue and date for a meeting, which is expected in late May or early June. The lack of involvement by the White House or the State Department, another official said, has limited the amount of substantive preparation for the meeting with Kim.

McMaster's hawkish successor, John R. Bolton, is another wild card. Two weeks before he was recruited as national security adviser, he said a meeting between Trump and Kim was useful only because it would inevitably fail, and then the United States could move swiftly on to the next phase  presumably a military confrontation. "It could be a long and unproductive meeting, or it could be a short and unproductive meeting," he said on Fox News. Since entering the White House, however, Bolton has stuck to a traditional definition of his job, brokering proposals to present to Trump, officials said. Even among officials who worry about war, there is sympathy for his view that "failing quickly" would be valuable. The United States, they said, should flush out Kim's intentions before he has another six months or a year to master intercontinental ballistic missiles. Bolton's presence has also not stopped Trump from praising Kim and voicing optimism  even excitement  about their looming encounter. On Friday, he tweeted, "North Korea has agreed to suspend all Nuclear Tests and close up a major test site. This is very good news for North Korea and the World  big progress! Look forward to our Summit." The administration viewed Kim's statement about halting nuclear tests as more intriguing than his acceptance of a continuing US troop presence because he made it to his own people. Still, they noted his unwillingness to rule out short- and medium-range missiles, which they said could divide Japan from the United States.

Officials also acknowledged the challenge of staying in sync with Moon, who is acting as a mediator between the United States and North Korea and who is deeply invested in ending years of estrangement between the North and South. Moon contends that it would not be difficult to broker a "broad" agreement between Trump and Kim in which North Korea commits to giving up its arsenal and the United States makes security guarantees, including a peace treaty and normalized ties, and offers aid that Kim needs to rebuild his economy. South Korea envisions a sequential process, starting with an agreement to freeze North Korea's nuclear program and ending with total denuclearization. The North, officials said, will insist that for each step it takes, the United States offer reciprocal incentives. Such an approach is not new: The George W Bush administration tried it with Kim's father, Kim Jong Il, in 2005. But the process could be open-ended if North Korea and the United States, mistrustful of each other, haggle each step of the way, as they did then. The key to success, South Korean officials said, is if North Korea and the United States can agree to narrow the time span between the initial freeze, which Moon has called "the entrance," and complete denuclearization, which he calls "the exit".

South Korean officials are banking on Kim's desperate desire to improve the economy and Trump's need for a diplomatic victory before the midterm elections in November. What happens then? Once they reach a broad deal, analysts said, Kim could move to dismantle production facilities for intercontinental ballistic missiles and allow access to nuclear sites in the North; the two leaders could exchange liaison offices in Pyongyang and Washington; and Trump could ease sanctions, especially those that affect ordinary North Koreans. Like their US counterparts, South Korean officials do not believe Kim will swiftly relinquish his nuclear weapons. But there is a growing belief in Seoul that he might ultimately bargain them away, if it helps him rebuild the economy. That is why some in South Korea viewed his announcement on testing as a hopeful sign. "It means that North Korea is willing to give up an ICBM capability that threatens the United States," said Cheong Seong-chang, a senior North Korea analyst at the Sejong Institute, a think tank in South Korea. "This is why it is good news for the Trump administration."Washington: A man who police say opened fire at a Waffle House restaurant near Nashville early on Sunday morning, local time, killing four and injuring several, once trespassed at the White House wanting to meet US President Donald Trump.

The man arrived at the restaurant just before 3.30am and shot two people outside with a rifle, killing them, Metro Nashville Police Department spokesman Don Aaron said. The man then went inside and fired several more shots, killing a third person.

A total of six people were shot, Aaron said. A fourth person later died in hospital. Two others remain in critical condition.

Police later identified the suspect as 29-year-old Travis Reinking.



Guwahati : Five people were died and four others injured in a road mishap in Arunachal Pradeshs Lower Siang district on Friday.





The incident took place near Ringi village while an ill fated Tata Sumo vehicle carrying 9 people on its way to Gensi from Sibe fell down into a 150 feet deep gorge.





Four people were died on spot out of which three male including driver of the vehicle and other injured persons in critical conditions were rushed to nearest hospital, where one injured person succumbed to his injuries.





According to the reports, all passengers were locals and they were identified by the villagers.





Meanwhile, four survivors are in critical condition and have been referred to Naharlagun for further treatment.







Aizawl, April 22 : The Anti-Smuggling unit of Customs Division in Mizorams Aizawl had seized 29 gold bars worth of Rs 9.16 crore and arrested a person in connection with it.





Deputy Commissioner of Aizawl Customs Division James Guite said that, based on intelligence input, the customs official had launched operation at Muallungthu area, outskirt of Aizawl on Saturday evening and seized 29 gold bars.





Customs officials had arrested a person named 55-year-old Hualzidinga, a resident of Mizoram-Myanmar border town Champhai Venglai in connection with it.





The top Customs official said that a Mahindra Bolero vehicle bearing registration no MZ-01K-8203 on which the arrested person was transporting the gold bars smuggled in from Myanmar.





A case has been registered vide Customs seizure case no 01/CL/IMP/CUS/As-AIZ/2018-19 and the arrested person was produced before a local court in Aizawl today.





The Customs Division in Aizawl had seized a total of 8.3 kgs of gold bars in last year.



Blast at Election Center in Afghan Capital, Dozens of Casualties

KABUL (Reuters)  A suicide bomber blew himself up outside a voter registration center in the Afghan capital Kabul on Sunday, killing at least 31 people and wounding more than 50, most of them waiting in line to receive identity cards, officials said.

ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack on a project of key importance to the credibility of President Ashraf Ghanis Western-backed government, which has pledged to hold parliamentary elections this year.

Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danesh said a bomber on foot approached the center where officials had been issuing identity cards as part of the registration process for voters for the election scheduled for October.

A spokesman for the ministry of public health said at least 31 people were confirmed dead and 54 wounded. The explosion destroyed cars and shattered windows in nearby buildings, leaving rubble strewn across the street.

It was the most serious attack in Kabul since about 100 people were killed in January by a bomb concealed in an ambulance.

After weeks of relative calm, the blast took place in Dasht-e Barchi, an area of western Kabul inhabited by many members of the mainly Shiite Hazara minority, which has been repeatedly hit by attacks claimed by ISIS.

There were women, children. Everyone had come to get their identity cards, said Bashir Ahmad who had been nearby the blast, which occurred despite heightened security measures following the January attack.

Voter registration centers have been set up across Afghanistan ahead of long-delayed parliamentary and district council elections due to be held in October and there have been serious concerns that terrorists might attack them.

President Ghani has been under heavy pressure from his international partners to ensure the elections are held this year, ahead of a presidential election due in 2019 although there has been widespread scepticism that they will take place.

They should be keeping the country safe, if they cant, someone else should be in their place, said Sajeda, who was wounded in the blast along with three other members of her family as they lined up for their cards.

Voter registration began this month but there have already been a number of attacks apparently aimed at disrupting the preparations.

Also on Sunday, a roadside bomb near a voter registration center in the northern city of Pul-i Khumri killed six members of a family and wounded three as they drove past the site although there was no indication the attacks were linked.

Unless the process of registering millions of voters, many of whom do not have national identity cards, can be completed before winter sets, the vote would almost certainly have to be postponed until next year.

According to U.N. figures, more than 750 people have been killed or maimed in suicide attacks and bombings by militant groups during the three months to March.

By Qadir Sediqi and Sayed Hassib

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Mesmerizing Footage Captures A Sea Pig In ActionNewly elected Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel (L) reacts as former Cuban President Raul Castro raises his hand during the National Assembly in Havana, Cuba, April 19, 2018.(Reuters/Adalberto Roque/Pool via Reuters)

Cubas New President Diaz-Canel Vows Defend Legacy of Castro Revolution, Keep One-Party Socialist System

HAVANACubas new president, Miguel Diaz-Canel, began his term on Thursday with a promise to defend the socialist revolution led by the Castro brothers since 1959, giving a sober speech that also emphasized the need to modernize the islands economy.

A stalwart of the ruling Communist Party, Diaz-Canel was sworn in to replace Raul Castro by the National Assembly in a carefully managed new chapter for the Caribbean island, aimed at preserving the political system.

The mandate given by the people to this house is to give continuity to the Cuban revolution in a crucial historic moment, Diaz-Canel, 57, told the assembly in his first speech as president.

He delivered a warm homage to 86-year-old Raul Castro, who took office a decade ago as his brother Fidel Castros health deteriorated. Fidel Castro died in 2016.

Castro will retain considerable clout as the head of the Communist Party until a congress in 2021. Diaz-Canel, praising the reforms he ushered in as president, said Castro would remain the leader of the revolution and would be involved in major decisions.

Stepping to the podium for a 90-minute-long parting speech, a relaxed-looking Castro gave the impression he would not quickly fade from sight. He sharply criticized U.S. foreign, trade and immigration policy under President Donald Trump.

Thursdays session was held on the 57th anniversary of Cubas 1961 defeat of a CIA-backed Cuban exile invasion at the Bay of Pigs, a victory that Havana celebrates as a symbol of its resistance to what Castros communists labelled as so-called American imperialist pressure for change of the communist government.

In 2014, Castro and former U.S. President Barack Obama reached a landmark agreement to renew diplomatic ties and improve U.S.-Cuba relations, which led to a rapid increase in U.S. visits and a money injection for the inefficient state-controlled economy.

There has been a renewed chill under Trump, who put a stop to doing business with some Cuban state-run companies and tightened rules for U.S. visitors. A spate of mystery illnesses among U.S. diplomats in Havana has also undermined trust.

Despite that, Diaz-Canel praised Castros move to renew relations with the United States. He said there would be no compromise in Cubas foreign policy but in a repetition of a long-held stance by Havana, he said he would hold dialogue with anybody who treated Cuba as an equal.

In Washington, a White House official said the Trump administration had no expectations Cuban people would have any greater freedoms under the new hand-picked leader, and had no intention of softening its policy toward the dictatorship.

Castro spoke highly of Diaz-Canel and gave his blessing to the younger man to take over from him as the powerful head of the Communist Party in three years. He also said the new president could serve two five-year terms, underscoring restrictions Castro imposed on himself after his brothers decades in power.

Sweeping Changes Not Expected

Diaz-Canels speech set a course for his first term, in which he will have to strike a balance between defending Cubas socialist system and reforming it enough to satisfy a young generation hungry for better economic conditions.

He confirmed expectations the transition would not herald sweeping changes to one of the worlds last state-run economies and one-party systems, promising there would be no return to capitalism, despite some locals wanting otherwise.

Diaz-Canel, who has risen the ranks of the Communist Party over three decades, said the period of continuity to the Cuban Revolution will be characterized by all that we achieve in the advance of the modernization of the economic and social model, without giving details.

He ended his speech like Fidel Castro used to, punching the air and shouting the revolutionary slogans motherland or death, socialism or death, we will win.

Of the 604 lawmakers present, 603 voted in favor of making Diaz-Canel president and unanimously for the other mainly middle-aged members of the state council, marking a generational shift from the elderly leaders who fought to topple U.S.-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista in 1959.

Economic Hardships

For many Cubans, struggling with economic hardships and frustrated with the governments emphasis on continuity of socialism rather than change to embrace a free market, the transition was seen as unlikely to bring much beyond the symbolism of a new leader.

He talked much about the past, nothing about the future and practically nothing about the present, said Monica Rivero, a 29-year old Cuban journalist based in Havana.

Cubans hope the next government can change into the Soviet-style centrally planned economy, which has failed to improve much under Castros limited market reforms. Those reforms have included allowing small businesses from hairdressers to restaurants, and encouraging some foreign investment.

In his speech, Castro reiterated his support for the reforms and for self-employment. He called for more austere government spending and responsibility over the countrys debt, but said a plan to unify the nations two currencies was causing a headache.

By Sarah Marsh and Nelson AcostaShooting at Tenn. Waffle House4 Dead, More Casualties

At least four people died when a nearly nude gunman opened fire at a Waffle House restaurant near Nashville, Tennessee, early Sunday, April 22. Police were issuing murder warrants as they hunted for the suspect.

The death toll could have been higher if not for fast action by a 29-year-old hero who snatched away the shooters rifle, likely saving many more lives, said Don Aaron, spokesman for the Metropolitan Nashville Police.

A man believed to be Travis Reinking was last seen in a wood line near Discovery at Mountain View Apts. on Mountain Springs Dr. near the Waffle House. The man was seen wearing black pants and no shirt.  Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) April 22, 2018

Police identified 29-year-old Travis Reinking of Morton, Illinois, as a suspect in the carnage. Reinking is said to live near the restaurant. They said the gunmans vehicle was registered to him and a shirtless man wearing pants believed to be Reinking was spotted in the woods near the restaurant.

Murder warrants are now being drafted against Travis Reinking, police said on Twitter.

The gunman, who was naked but for a green jacket, shot and killed two people in the parking lot of the restaurant in Antioch, a section of southeast Nashville, shortly before 3:30 a.m.

He then entered the restaurant and opened fire, police said, killing one patron and wounding another, who later died.

One diner who had hidden near the restrooms dashed out and pulled the rifle from the gunman.

The shots had stopped so he decided to rush the gunman, actually wrestled that assault rifle away, tossed it over the counter and, at that point, the gunman fled, Aaron said.

As he ran away, the shooter discarded the jacket, which contained additional ammunition, according to police.

Although police were referring to Reinking as a person of interest, Aaron said person of interest is synonymous to suspect in this case.

Two people wounded in the shooting are at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. One is in critical condition and the other was in critical but stable condition, said hospital spokeswoman Jennifer Wetzel.

Police told CNN the gunman shed his jacket before fleeing on foot. It was unclear if he had another weapon. Local media reported a second shooting nearby might be connected to the Waffle House incident.

Police cautioned that the man is to be considered still armed and extremely dangerous.

The man who disarmed the shooter suffered non-life-threatening wounds, including an injured elbow, police said, and some patrons suffered facial wounds from shattered glass.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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How Doctors in China Turn into MurderersTerrorist Attack in Kabul: 57 Dead, More Casualties

Update in the death toll; ISIS claims responsibility

A suicide bomber blew himself up outside a voter registration center in the Afghan capital Kabul on Sunday, killing at least 57 people and injuring more than 100, in the most serious attack yet on preparations for elections scheduled for October.

The ISIS terrorist group claimed responsibility for the attack on a project of key importance to the credibility of President Ashraf Ghanis government, which has been under international pressure to ensure long-delayed parliamentary polls take place this year.

Death toll rising as 57 killed, over 100 injured in #Kabul suicide #blast https://t.co/TRquFexVpy  RT (@RT_com) April 22, 2018

Those who died include 21 women and five children, reported the BBC, which added that another 119 people were wounded in the blast.

I found myself covered in blood, with dead peoplewomen and childrenaround me, Rasuli, 26, told the AFP news agency, giving just a first name.

They all wanted to vote, he added.

There have been four such attacks on voting centers since voting registration started about a week ago, the BBC reported.

Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danesh said a bomber on foot approached the center where officials were issuing identity cards as part of the registration process for around 10 million voters across Afghanistan. Registration began this month.

President Ashraf Ghani posted a tweet saying: I condemn the heinous terrorist attacks in Kabul and Pul-e-Khumri. I wish Allahs mercy upon those who martyred, speedy recovery to the wounded, and convey my deep condolences to victims families. I instructed relevant institutions to provide support and care to those affected, TOLO News reported.

President Ghani also issued a statement condemning the attack and said it cannot divert us from our aims or weaken this national democratic process.

A spokesman for the ministry of public health said at least 57 people were confirmed dead and 119 wounded, but the total could still rise.

The explosion destroyed cars and shattered windows in nearby buildings, leaving rubble strewn across the blood-stained street.

It was the deadliest blast in Kabul since about 100 people were killed in January by a bomb concealed in an ambulance and it came after repeated warnings that radical Islamic terrorists could try to disrupt the election process.

Tadamichi Yamamoto, the senior United Nations official in Afghanistan issued a statement condemning the attack.

Compounding the callous disregard for the lives of civilians, the killing appears to be part of a wholly unacceptable effort by extremists to deter Afghan citizens from carrying out their constitutional right to take part in elections, he said.

A suicide blast killed at least 12 people and wounded dozens more Sunday at a voter registration center in Kabul, Afghan officials say https://t.co/EIxKz1ZrJP  CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) April 22, 2018

After weeks of relative calm, the blast took place in Dasht-e Barchi, an area of western Kabul inhabited by many members of the mainly Shiite Hazara minority, which has been repeatedly hit by attacks claimed by ISIS.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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Guwahati, April 22 : The troops of Assam Rifles had apprehended three NSCN-R militants in Nagaland.





According to the reports, the Dimapur battalion of Assam Rifles under the aegis of HQ IGAR (North) conducted an operation based on specific information about presence of armed militants in general area Eros Line, Dimapur.





During the operation, the troops of Assam Rifles apprehended three militants from Apple Inn Hotel and recovered illegal arms and ammunition in possession from them.





The apprehendees were identified as Self Styled Lt Col Phumthyan Puimi, SS Leacy Abi Kinny, SS Leacy Kinito Kinnimi.





Security personnel had recovered one point 22 pistol with magazine, six live rounds, 15 numbers SP tablets, extortion booklets of shop tax, booklet of shop tax receipt, booklet of vehicle tax receipt and Rs 15,240 in cash.





The apprehendees alongwith recoveries were handed over to East police station, Dimapur for further investigation.



It has been nearly three years since Donald Trump descended his faux-gold escalator to announce an improbable run for president, and Republican politicians seem just as baffled by the reality TV star's future as they were the day he first launched this publicity stunt gone wildly wrong.

It is true that GOP leaders stand silent as President Trump trashes the rule of law, attacks federal judges and declares America's free press the "enemy of the people." These lap dogs even remain muzzled as younger Americans are chained to a future of crippling debt. And they shame the memory of the first Republican president - who gave his life ending slavery - by marching alongside a bumbling bigot who labels Hispanics "breeders" and "rapists," seeks to bar tens of millions of Muslims from entering the country, and defends white supremacy in the ugly aftermath of Charlottesville, Virginia.

And yet these same morally enfeebled enablers have become muted when asked whether they'll support their fearless leader's reelection bid.

"Look, I'm focused on opioids," muttered Tennessee's Lamar Alexander, suggesting that a U.S. senator is not mentally adept enough to fight a drug epidemic while also figuring out whether he backs a president in his own party. Alexander is not the only GOP senator to offer up tortured answers to this simple question.

Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, Texas, refused to answer, explaining that he had not given the question much thought because things could change in the time before the 2020 campaign revs up.

Senate Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Corker, Tenn., spent four days grasping for an answer to a question he called "unfair" before finally saying he didn't want to "make news." Other GOP lawmakers are no more eager to talk about the 2020 campaign than Trump himself wants to discuss the intricacies of Stormy Daniels' lawsuit.

But while the president and his team of misfit lawyers have reason to tread carefully under stormy legal skies, Republicans on Capitol Hill can relax. It's becoming clear that Trump will not be running for president in 2020.

This past week, White House office pools reportedly set up in anticipation of the next staff firing are shifting their focus to predicting which Trump family member will be the first to land behind bars. Special counsel Robert Mueller III's independent investigation into Russia may have inspired a defiant West Wing response, but the U.S. attorney's raid of Michael Cohen's home, office and hotel room has stirred more fear and loathing inside White House offices than at any time since President Richard Nixon battled Watergate prosecutors in the summer of 1973.

Now, even Trump's most steadfast allies are quietly admitting that the Southern District of New York's investigation poses an existential threat to his future, both politically and legally. Trump allies are telling the president his "fixer" could flip for the feds, just like Michael Flynn, Rick Gates and George Papadopoulos. In Washington and across the country, Republicans are sensingthe president is a wounded political figure, leading them to withhold their future support or - in one high-profile case - to challenge the president directly.

Which brings us to Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. The former South Carolina governor announced last Sunday that the United States would impose additional sanctions against Russia and President Vladimir Putin. Haley's declaration enraged Trump, despite the inconvenient fact she was only following White House policy and GOP talking points. Still, the president went behind his ambassador's back to assure the Russians he would kill any future sanctions. Other White House officials played down Haley's remarks, describing America's representative at the United Nations as "confused."

Haley's response to the charge was as sharp as it was telling.

"With all due respect, I do not get confused."

With those nine words, the ambassador declared that, unlike most other members of Trump's Cabinet, she would not allow herself to be humiliated by a political day trader, whose fitful 15 minutes of fame will come to a close long before a new president takes the oath of office in 2021.

Still, another scenario came to mind this week: How wonderful would it be for our daughters to see this woman - this daughter of immigrants - take a debate stage to coldly cut the Donald down to size, revealing to the world once and for all that this bloated emperor has no clothes?

What a sight that would be.8 hours ago

Johnson eyes post-COVID economy as UK Conservatives meet

LONDON (AP)  British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was ready to take bold decisions to rebuild the economy after the coronavirus pandemic as his Conservative Party met Sunday for its first annual conference since 2019. The Tory conference opened Sunday in the northwestern city of Manchester as a shortage of truck drivers to delivery fuel across Britain continues to cause empty pumps and long lines at many gas stations.

Read Article



Guwahati : While the Union government and the Indian army are trying to crack down the militant groups of North Eastern region, banned outfit groups United Liberation Front of Asom  Independent (ULFA-I), Peoples Liberation Army of Manipur(PLA) and CorCom, the umbrella group of 7 Manipur based outfit groups have planned to jointly attack on security forces in the region and launch combing operation.





The banned outfit groups had taken the decision during a meeting held in an undisclosed area in Myanmar recently.





A top source said that, the meeting was held in Myanmar soil in presence of several top leaders of ULFA (I), Manipur based outfit groups PLA, Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL), Peoples Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK), Progressive faction of PREPAK (PREPAK-Pro), Revolutionary Peoples Front (RPF), United National Liberation Front (UNLF) and United Peoples Party of Kangleipak (UPPK).





The outfit groups had also conducted a joint tactical exercise (training) in Myanmar.





ULFA (I) and CorCom have been jointly operating in East Assam and some PLA cadres had lost their lives during fighting with the Indian army in Assam.





The top source further said that, apart from ULFA (I), PLA and CorCom groups, several other outfit groups including Peoples Democratic Council of Karbi Longri (PDCK), anti-talk factional group of National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) have set up few new camps in Myanmar and started new recruiting drives in Assam and other parts of the NE region.





The militant groups of the region have continued their arms training in various locations in the region and neighbouring countries.



Kathmandu, Nepal: Though it is yet to confirm officially, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Nepal on the second week of upcoming May.





According to the media reports at India, Indian Prime minister Modi would come in Nepal on second week of upcoming May leading an India delegation.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's had just completed a state visit to India.



During the state visit of Primer Oli, Indian Primer Modi was invited in Nepal. Modi had also expressed his desire to visit Nepal.



WARNING for European visitors European Union laws require you to give European Union visitors information about cookies used on your blog. In many cases, these laws also require you to obtain consent.

As a courtesy, we have added a notice on your blog to explain Google's use of certain Blogger and Google cookies, including use of Google Analytics and AdSense cookies.Theres a new car-share company headed for Albertas big cities eventually.

This according to a statement issued to StarMetro on Saturday from Lyft, the popular Uber alternative.

The car-sharing company, which largely serves the United States, began operating in Toronto late 2017. It also runs its service in Ottawa, Hamilton and other Ontario cities.

Online, Lyft is looking to hire a local marketing manager and general manager in both Calgary and Edmonton.

We want to bring Lyft's affordable, reliable rides to Alberta and are beginning the process of building a team in anticipation of an eventual launch, read a statement from Lyft spokeswoman Chelsea Harrison. While both Calgary and Edmonton would be great fits for Lyft, we have no specific launch plans to share at this time.

Uber had a stop-start launch in Calgary with an illegal start in October of 2015, which the city fought in court, successfully securing a court-ordered injunction to stop services. Then, in 2016, after the city had figured out bylaws and tweaked them, the service began operating.

This new tidbit comes at a time when the City of Calgary is reviewing its livery bylaws. Next week, councillors will debate changes like eliminating taxi registration fees and hiking minimum licensing fees for TNC drivers from $229 to $265.

Lyft will offer consumers further choice in our market and add further competition, said Coun. George Chahal. We have a number of issues in the livery industry which we need to resolve to bring fairness back to the industry. We need to ensure we have a level playing field within the industry and over the next several months we will be conducting a full review.

Administrative fees for the car-sharing companies could change from a $15 per driver fee to a $5,000 to $50,000 fee for companies depending on the number of drivers they have on board  shifting the onus to pay from those behind the wheel to the larger companies running apps.

Chahal said hes bringing amendments to council on Monday, hoping to level the playing field for taxi drivers and ensure they can have a living wage.

With files from Trevor Howell

Helen Pike is a Calgary-based reporter covering urban affairs, civic accountability and diversity. Follow her on Twitter: @Metropike

Read more about:EDMONTON  Alian Sarkes just wants the war to stop.

On Saturday, he joined nearly two dozen demonstrators  several of them members of the Syrian community in Edmonton  to protest airstrikes against Syria by the United States, Britain and France.

I dont like wars, said Sarkes, a Syrian refugee who came to Edmonton in September 2016. I would like my country to stay out of the wars.

The Edmonton Coalition Against War and Racism (ECAWAR) organized the rally to condemn the April 13 airstrikes against the Syrian government in retaliation for a suspected chemical weapons attack that killed dozens of people.

ECAWAR strongly condemns this attack and stands with the people of Syria, who for seven long years have been subject to foreign-backed aggression and terrorism , the group said in an issued statement.

For his part, Sarkes says he opposes both Western-backed attacks on Syria as well as the extremists who have occupied various parts of his country during the strife.

Much of his hometown of Homs  a city located in western Syria  was destroyed in the ongoing civil war.

Everyone welcomes me (in Edmonton), especially when they know I am from Syria, they feel very sad about my country and my family, which is still in Syria.

Apart from his sister and her children, Sarkes says his fiancee also lives in Syria. The two plan on getting married once shes in Canada  a process being held up by the asylum sponsorship process.

I would like to get married here in my second home in Canada, in Edmonton, to have a new life, a new future, but full of peace.

Despite political differences within the community, most Syrians want peace, said Mazen Kasin, a member of the Syrian community in Edmonton who arrived in 2004.

There are different opinions about it, but at the end of the day our lands and our country and whatever is happening there is not something that can be accepted.

Syria was plunged into a brutal civil war following protests in 2011. Various factions  including the Syrian regime, extremist organizations and Western-backed rebel groups  have jockeyed for territory, causing millions to be displaced.

Kasin says its important for Canadians to take a stand against the war in Syria.

Whatever is happening in Syria, it happened before in Iraq and so many other countries, he said, referring to the nearly decade-long war in Iraq. There is always potential that is going to be replicated elsewhere, so people need to be aware and need to open their eyes and support us.

Peggy Morton, a spokeswoman for ECAWAR, echoed Kasins sentiments.

Were calling on Canadians to really take a stand against this, said Morton. We have seen the consequences: the huge destruction that took place in Iraq and in Libya, for example.

Shortly after the strikes, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a statement condemning the use of chemical weapons in the eastern city of Ghouta, where more than 40 people were killed and 500 injured  many of them children  on April 7.

Canada supports the decision by the United States, the United Kingdom and France to take action to degrade the Assad regimes ability to launch chemical weapons attacks against its own people, Trudeau said.

Trudeau went on to promise that Canada would continue to work with our international partners to further investigate the use of chemical weapons in Syria, adding: Those responsible must be brought to justice.

The prime minister was attending the Summit of the Americas in Peru, and was at a reception with U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence shortly before the news broke that the U.S. was preparing to launch strikes.

The Syrian government has denied responsibility for the attack.

Despite the protracted nature of the conflict, Sarkes says the Syrian community is hopeful the war will end soon.

We do not like wars, he said. Its enough for us.

With files from The Canadian Press

Read more about:MONTREALFor much of the past 166 years, the silver-spired church in St-Pacome, Que., has been nourishing souls.

But over the next few months, the church will be decommissioned and transformed for a new, secular mission: nourishing peoples stomachs.

The past decade has been a struggle for the church in the town of 1,700 people, which is 150 kilometres northeast of Quebec City.

Attendance at the weekly mass is down to 40 people, said Lisette Levesque, president of the parish council. The demand for baptisms is drying up. Weddings are nearly unheard of. The only steady services are funerals for the aging population.

But the reckoning came a little over a year ago when the churchs furnace blew. The price tag for repairs forced congregants to crowd into a smaller space within their heavenly white house of prayer for several months to cut down on heating costs.

It brought them to a realization facing communities all across the province. They would have to let the building  in need of $400,000 worth of work on the foundations, the roof, the windows and the doors  slip from their grasp.

We have no choice but to try and innovate, Levesque said. Our priest said its almost like a gift falling from the sky to have an offer like the one we had.

They found a potential saviour for their church just 450 metres down the road.

Inno-3B was founded in 2014 with the idea of employing the relatively new trend of vertical farming in far-flung areas to cut reliance on imported vegetables.

The original plan was to supply hydroponic growing towers to the north, giving mining towns and First Nations a year-round source of produce. The company was also working on a living vegetable system for grocery stores, whereby customers would harvest their own fresh lettuce and herbs.

They are now focused on selling and servicing the 10-metre towers to food suppliers and restaurant chains, betting they will opt for fresh local food over vegetables farmed and flown in from halfway around the world.

To demonstrate the product, company founder Martin Brault needed a place with sufficient height, which was difficult to find in the small town.

At one point, there was a call from the church council asking what they could do about their church, said Nathan De Baets, a company spokesperson. Thats when he got the idea. There is height, its close, we wouldnt have to move the employees and it would repurpose the church.

The excess heat from the LED lighting used to grow the vegetables would heat the building, which they also plan to turn into a community kitchen, a co-working space and a smaller area where locals can still gather for a weekly religious service.

Many communities are not so lucky.

Read more:

Quebec congregations rally as Catholic church plans more closures

Quebecs Religious Heritage Council spent $10 million to subsidize projects to repair, stabilize and upgrade more than 50 culturally significant churches last year.

But the legacy of the Catholic Church in Quebec is a landscape of spires and crosses stretching from one end of the province to the other. With church attendance down, those impressive buildings must find a new vocation or face the wrecking ball.

The diocese of St-Jerome, 60 kilometres northwest of Montreal, is expected to announce in mid-June how many of its 58 churches it intends to shut down. Heritage buffs fear the shuttering of a 235-year-old church in nearby St-Eustache that bears the scars of an attack by British forces during the 1837 Lower Canada Rebellion.

Church officials say those pleas should be heard by a higher power: the provincial government.

Our mission is not to manage heritage buildings. Its to announce the words of Jesus Christ, Msgr. Martin Tremblay, vicar-general of the diocese, recently told Le Devoir.

In Quebec City, an expert committee is looking at how best to spend $30 million set aside for the preservation of eight churches over the next decade, part of Mayor Regis Labeaumes re-election platform last fall.

But the reality in the dozens of other towns facing the same questions is more frugal.

In 2016, the town of Pierreville demolished its 160-year-old church rather than spend $750,000 on repairs. The razed patch of land was sold to a funeral home operator for $122,200.

Why wouldnt they have put the funeral home in the church? asked Emilie Vezina-Dore, general manager of Action Patrimoine, a Quebec City organization committed to the preservation of heritage properties.

She urged governments to consider creating tax incentives to help those tempted to purchase and maintain heritage buildings. In Ottawa, a bill introduced by Conservative MP Peter Van Loan that would have created tax breaks for repairing properties with a national or provincial heritage designation was defeated by the Liberal government last month.

The Ordre des Achitectes du Quebec recently called for an updated provincial policy that, among other things, encourages the transformation and repurposing of historic properties like churches.

The idea is to leave room for the imagination, the association wrote.

There are some great examples already. The Maison de la Litterature in Quebec City turned a church into a library. At the Ecole de Cirque de Quebec, soaring acrobats and artists have been making use of the vaulted ceilings of a former church in the provincial capital since 2003.

Other solutions are uncertain. Thirty kilometres up the road from St-Pacome, in the town of St-Germaine-de-Kamouraska, another group is hoping to win financing and approvals to proceed with the construction of a climbing gym and a co-working space in the 135-year-old church.

Several municipalities and business groups have also shown interest in Inno-3Bs project, whether theyre seeking a local supply of salad or the salvation of an outsized religious building in a tiny Quebec town.

God knows if it will work, but Levesque, the church council president, said the gamble is worth the risk.

My personal opinion, as Ive said to people, is that if we do nothing, the church will close its doors and will deteriorate all on its own  so we chose the lesser of two evils and hope that it turns out to be positive, she said.

If in five years we realize that it hasnt worked out, the results will be the same. Thats what were saying, but were staying confident. Its a young company, but its an innovative project.

Read more about:A group of academics has sent an open letter to the Attorney General of Canada and the federal Minister of Health calling for an investigation into opioid manufacturers to see whether they broke any Canadian laws in marketing the drugs here.

The Government of Canada recognizes that an opioid crisis is killing thousands of Canadians each year and that aggressive marketing of opioid products is one important cause of the crisis, says the letter, sent Friday, and signed by seven doctors, researchers and lawyers.

The letter calls for the federal government to probe the marketing of opioids in Canada and to directly compensate victims of the opioid crisis with funds recovered from opioid manufacturers with new legislation.

Similar legislation is in place for tobacco companies and the victims of their inappropriate marketing practices, the letter adds.

Canada is the worlds second-highest per-capita user of prescription painkillers behind the United States, according to the International Narcotics Control Board, which tracks countries prescribing levels. In December, the Public Health Agency of Canada said the number of opioid-related fatalities was expected to exceed 4,000 for 2017.

In 2007 in the United States, Purdue Pharma paid $634.5 million (U.S.) to settle criminal and civil charges for alleging that OxyContin was less addictive than other pain medications. In Canada, victims have pursued a civil suit, and the company has a proposed settlement for $20 million with $2 million going to the provinces and territories.

Dr. David Juurlink, a researcher at Sunnybrook Research Institute and a professor at the University of Toronto, and one of the signatories of the open letter, said in an interview Saturday the group is not suggesting Purdue Pharma (Canada) has engaged in illegal tactics, but we think that the possibility needs to be examined in a systematic way in the courts.

Our observation is not a particularly deep one, but we have seen on both sides of the border, a massive increase of prescribing of opioids, a massive increase in opioid-related deaths, a massive increase in addictions, and it is somewhat difficult to imagine that the tactics truly stopped at the border, Juurlink said.

In response to the open letter, a Purdue Pharma (Canada) spokesperson said via email Saturday that the Canadian operation runs independently from the U.S. company, and that their products and marketing have been compliant with government regulations.

Purdue Pharma (Canada) has always marketed its products in line with the Health Canada approved product monograph and in compliance with all relevant rules, regulations and codes, including the Food and Drugs Act and the Pharmaceutical Advertising Advisory Board Code, the email statement said.

This complex public health issue is a matter of deep concern to Purdue Pharma (Canada), the statement added. All stakeholders, including the pharmaceutical industry, have a role to play in providing practical and sustainable solutions ... Purdue Pharma (Canada) supports a research-driven approach to managing pain that may or may not include available prescription products, in combination with other effective pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments.

In regards to the Canadian class action suit, the Purdue Pharma (Canada) statement said the complaints stem from marketing activities that allegedly occurred primarily between 1996 and 2001.

To date, courts in Ontario, Nova Scotia and Quebec have approved the settlement as fair and reasonable and the settlement has not been approved in Saskatchewan. We are considering next steps. Purdue Pharma (Canada) has made no admissions of liability, the companys statement added.

Juurlink and the other signatories do not see their request for an investigation as a magic bullet in solving the opioid crisis, as it is a multi-faceted problem, but the hope is that any potential funds that come as a result could help victims.

Februarys federal budget earmarked $231 million for dealing with the opioid crisis, including improving access to treatment.HALIFAXThe Canadian government will lead trade missions for women, Indigenous and LGBTQ businesses and entrepreneurs later this year, International Trade Minister said Saturday.

The announcement was part of a speech promoting the Liberal government's progressive trade agenda at the party's national convention in Halifax.

"In 2018, Canada will lead a women business ministerial trade mission. We will also lead the first ever LGBTQ trade mission, and the first ever trade mission devoted to Indigenous business owners and entrepreneurs," Champagne said.

He offered no details about the missions, but said the idea is to promote the interests of those who have been ignored in the past.

"We want everyone in Canada to succeed," he said. "We are going to lead the way in the world, making sure that every community reaps the benefit of trade."

Champagne said too many groups  particularly workers, women, Indigenous people and youth  have not fully shared in the benefits of trade, and the country has to do better.

The first all-female trade mission was led by former Conservative Status of Women Minister Kellie Leitch in 2015.

Champagne told the audience of party faithful that although there are forces that oppose global trade, Canada is clear in signalling its path.

"Canada will fight for free trade, fight for the rules we need to govern it, and most importantly for the right and capacity of more Canadians from all walks of life to compete and win on the world stage," he said.

The minister cautioned that cross-border trade is facing its greatest resistance since the depression era of the 1930s.

Champagne said that's particularly true in places where traditional manufacturing has been disrupted by automation, mechanization and competition from abroad.

He said that has led to anxiety "in far too many corners of our country," and a rise in populist and protectionist forces in many parts of the world.

Champagne said Canada intends to buck the trend.

"Now is the time for a new approach to trade, and for more Canadians to have the tools to capitalize on it," he said.OTTAWANicola Di Iorio sleeps five hours a night, but he says thats enough to keep his motor going overtime  which is exactly what he has to do. For not only is he the federal representative for some 114,000 Montrealers, he maintains a side hustle as an active litigator who co-manages a gaggle of labour lawyers at a firm in Quebecs biggest city.

The Liberal MP for St-LeonardSt-Michel is, in effect, moonlighting as a labour lawyer, making him one of the few members of the House of Commons who have declared income from second jobs since the 2015 election, according to a Star analysis of records published on the federal Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioners website. In Di Iorios case, he also teaches classes at a local university, volunteers for three non-profit organizations, and is writing a book on labour law.

MPs ought to keep something that grounds them in the real world. Ottawa becomes quickly a bubble, Di Iorio said over the phone this week.

Obviously, being elected entails a crucial duty towards the 114,000 people that I represent. There are some moments where I absolutely have to be there, he added. The one group that pays the price is my family. The others, they are all well served.

Questions about MPs who get paid for other jobs while they hold office have come up in recent weeks, after another Liberal MP  Brampton Easts Raj Grewal  came under fire for inviting a construction executive, whose company pays him for legal work, to hobnob with Justin Trudeau and other high-ranking officials during the prime ministers trip to India in February. The federal ethics commissioner, Mario Dion, has given Grewal until May 4 to respond to allegations that this broke parliamentary conflict of interest rules, and has indicated that the circumstances meet the criteria to consider an investigation.

But those rules dont prevent MPs who arent parliamentary secretaries or cabinet ministers from getting paid for second jobs, Dions spokesperson, Margot Booth, explained. For those inside the executive branch of government, the MPs that work with the prime minister to propose laws to the rest of the legislature, stricter rules contained in the Conflict of Interest Act prevent their participation in outside activities. The rest of the MPs, however, are subject to a different, less restrictive set of regulations outlined in the Conflict of Interest Code, which allows elected representatives to get paid for second jobs as long as they dont use their office to advance their own private interests or those of someone else.

The Star pored over the record of each MP in the commissioners online public registry and found that 152 of 338 members in the House of Commons have declared additional sources of income since the 2015 election. Most of it comes from rental or farming properties, dividends on investments, and pension payouts from previous careers. A smaller group of 12 MPs, however, have declared employment or business income from private sources in the past two years, including from law firms, construction and land surveying companies, a management service organization, and a chain of department stores.

The Star reached out to each MPs office with questions about these sources of income. Three agreed to be interviewed, two responded by email, one declined to comment and six did not respond to the questions.

Duff Conacher, co-founder of the ethics watchdog group Democracy Watch, said MPs need to be extremely careful when engaging in paid work outside their duties as politicians. Controversies have erupted before the Grewal affair, including allegations that Trudeau used his prominence to enrich himself by charging thousands of dollars to deliver speeches at private events when he was an opposition Liberal MP five years ago.

Others have worked to keep up professional credentials, such as Conservative MP Kellie Leitch, who practised as a pediatric surgeon and received an exemption to continue practising medical work while she was in cabinet during the Harper era.

Conacher argues the law needs to be changed to include a clear job description for MPs that would outline how many hours per week they should devote to their duties on Parliament Hill. A similar proposal was floated in the United Kingdom, where a 2015 study by Transparency International found that 73 of the countrys MPs received more than $6 million during the previous year for external advisory roles, something which the authors said posed a significant risk of conflicts of interest.

Theyre serving the public and the public is paying their salary and the public has a right to know what theyre doing  all the time, Conacher said.

Di Iorio argued that its wrong to think of a zero sum calculation, where if an MP participates in activities outside parliamentary life theyre detracting from their value as an elected representative. In his case, he said, being a lawyer enriches his intellectual life, makes him more of a keen participant in House duties, and provides income that means he isnt beholden to his position as an MP.

The worst stuff that can happen to me is if I lose an election is that I get a substantial pay raise, he said. If Im not doing (legal work), then my sole focus has to be my re-election. But in my case, its not my sole focus  I am able to consider the interest of the greater good.

In terms of conflicts of interest, Di Iorio added that he takes on only those cases that involve private entities, like unions and their companies, and uses a different cell phone for matters outside his political work.

Scott Reid, a Conservative MP from eastern Ontario, said he also makes sure to keep his private work separate from his duties in the House. He is a senior executive for Giant Tiger, a chain of stores his father founded in 1961, and was appointed vice-chairman of the company in January.

Reid explained that an MPs job includes 26 weeks per year when the House is in session, which leaves more free time than most jobs, especially when a politician becomes more experienced and familiar with the requisite constituency work  helping resolve difficulties with passports, pensions and a whole range of other government issues  and partisan activity.

This kind of balancing act would not be possible in practice  nor would it be permitted by law  if I were in cabinet, he said. Nonetheless, there are practical considerations relating to juggling ones time.

For Erin OToole, a former cabinet minister and Conservative MP from Durham region, the current rules ensure that people from different backgrounds  from prairie farmers to lawyers and wealthy business owners  can enter politics without abandoning the activities of their previous life. OToole worked as a lawyer before he was elected in 2012, and briefly worked for the firm Norton Rose Fulbright last year before deciding to run for his partys leadership. He said he may try to find another firm to work a second job, so that he has something to go back to when his political career comes to an end.

In my case, the longer Im away from active service and the longer Im away from those clients, the bigger chance you have to start from scratch, he said. If you follow the rules to the letter, then I think youll be fine.

The 12 MPs who have declared employment or business income from private sources in the past two years:

Frank Baylis

Riding: PierrefondsDollard

Party: Liberal

Job: The Quebec MP has disclosed his involvement in 16 organizations. He is the director of five numbered companies and at least six other firms linked to the Baylis Medical Co., according to his disclosure, last reviewed in July 2017. It indicates that he receives employment income from Baylis Medical, a large multinational corporation that makes medical technology.

Explanation: Baylis said he was president of the company until he stepped down to run in the 2015 election. Now he sits on the board of advisers, which gives direction on how to run the company, he said. Baylis said he puts a few hours every week into it at night and on weekends, and keeps it separate from his duties as an MP. Theres great value that I derive from keeping it real, if you will, he said. People sometimes say policitians are lost in their own world.

Sukh Dhaliwal

Riding: SurreyNewton

Party: Liberal

Job: Dhaliwal receives employment and professional income from Dhaliwal and Associations Land Surveying Inc. The B.C. corporate registry indicates that Dhaliwal is the president and secretary of the company, which is based in Surrey.

Explanation: Dhaliwal did not respond to questions about his job for the company; when contacted by the Star on April 6, his office said he would be travelling abroad until April 14.

Nicola Di Iorio

Riding: St-LeonardSt-Michel

Party: Liberal

Job: Lawyer

Explanation: Di Iorio, who has worked as a university professor and a labour lawyer for more than three decades, was first elected in 2015. He remains active as a litigation lawyer at the Montreal firm Langlois Lawyers, which pays him business income, according to his ethics disclosure. In a lengthy interview with the Star, Di Iorio said he uses his own time and resources to complete this work, which is considerable: he still manages a team of 30 lawyers at the firm, and he even went to court to argue a case this month. Hes also writing a book on labour law. Di Iorio argues this activity doesnt detract from his duties as an MP; he claims to have considerable energy, and said his legal practice keeps him grounded outside the Ottawa bubble. I feel good practising law. It satisfies me more than watching TV, he said.

Ted Falk

Riding: Provencher

Job: Construction company president

Explanation: The Manitoba MP is the president and chief executive of Diamond Ready Mix Concrete. Falk has declared employment income from the company, and expects to receive business income and interest from a shareholder loan to the company this year, according to his disclosure. Falk did not respond to questions about this job from the Star.

Rheal Fortin

Riding: Riviere-du-Nord

Party: Groupe parlementaire quebecois

Job: Lawyer

Explanation: Fortins ethics disclosure says he received employment income from a legal practice until at least October 2017. Fortin, the former interim leader of the Bloc Quebecois, declined to comment when contacted by the Star.

Raj Grewal

Riding: Brampton East

Party: Liberal

Job: Lawyer

Explanation: According to Grewals ethics disclosure from Jan. 16, he will receive employment income from two entities  Gahir and Associates and Zgemi Inc.  through the course of this year. Opposition MPs have called on the ethics commissioner to investigate Grewals ties to Zgemi after news emerged that the Brampton MP invited the CEO of the company to events with Justin Trudeau and other cabinet ministers during the prime ministers trip to India in February.

Kellie Leitch

Riding: SimcoeGrey

Party: Conservative

Job: Board of Trustees for Dream Office REIT

Explanation: While many other MPs are involved as board members or directors of organizations outside their parliamentary work, Leitch stood out because she disclosed board retainer and trustee grant income from her role on the board of Dream Office REIT, a real estate investment trust. Leitch did not respond to questions from the Star about her role with the trust.

James Maloney

Riding: EtobicokeLakeshore

Party: Liberal

Job: Lawyer

Explanation: Maloney said he receives income from his partnership at the Toronto law firm Hughes Amys LLP, where he worked as a civil litigator for almost 20 years before he was elected. Hes still involved in a select few files with long-term clients, but said none of them involve the government. The situation was cleared with the ethics commissioner, he said, and the work is too minimal to interfere with his duties as an MP, which he called his full-time job. Theres really no magic to it, he said.

Phil McColeman

Riding: BrantfordBrant

Party: Conservative

Job: Employment income from P. Walker Corp.

Explanation: The MP told the Star that this is not a job. Instead, it relates to how he is a shareholder that owns a real estate/rental property investment. He said he spends about an hour per week of his own personal time dealing with this investment. The very few resources (home office) that are required are completely separated from my parliamentary resources, he said.

Erin OToole

Riding: Durham

Party: Conservative

Job: Lawyer

Explanation: OToole said he no longer does any job outside his work as a member of Parliament, but his ethics disclosure from last year noted that he received income from Norton Rose Fulbright. OToole explained that the law firm he worked for before he was elected no longer exists and, after the Conservative defeat in 2015, he wanted to establish a relationship with a law firm that could take his old clients and hold a place for him when his political career ends. But he walked away when he decided to run for the Conservative leadership, and doesnt work for the firm anymore. Still, he said he may try to find another home for some legal work so that he can maintain his credentials. It is something that, if the right place is there in the future, I might do, he said.

Scott Reid

Riding: LanarkFrontenacKingston

Party: Conservative

Job: Vice-chairman of Giant Tiger Stores Ltd.

Explanation: Reids father, Gordon, founded the chain of department stores in 1961 and remains the company chairman. In January, Reid was appointed vice-chairman, a role he cleared in advance with the ethics commissioner, Reid said in an email. He maintains an office next to his fathers at the Giant Tiger headquarters in Ottawa, and devotes considerable personal time to the company, particularly on weekends and holidays, he said. He is able to do this because his riding and the company are within an hours drive of Parliament Hill, but he has stepped away from his Giant Tiger work in the past, during more intense periods in the House. He said none of his office resources are used for Giant Tiger, and he routinely consults with the ethics commissioner to avoid any potential conflicts of interest.

David Tilson

Riding: DufferinCaledon

Party: Conservative

Job: President of ET Management Services

Explanation: Tilson did not respond to questions from the Star.Ontario is seeing a resurgence as the destination for immigrants after a more than decade-long slump in its share of newcomers to Canada.

The number of permanent residents settling in the province has rebounded to 111,925, or 39 per cent of the 286,480 new arrivals to Canada last year, from a low of 95,828, or 36.8 per cent of the 260,411 in 2014. In the past, more than half of newcomers settled in Ontario.

The vast majority of Ontarios newcomers  85,500 in 2017  settled in the Greater Toronto Area, which saw an increase of 5.4 per cent from two years earlier.

This past January alone, Ontario received 10,870 new permanent residents, up 48.6 per cent from 7,315 in the same period last year. Greater Torontos share was 8,600, 57.2 per cent higher than January 2017.

Experts said the immigration bump in the GTA and Ontario appears to be due to the economic downturn in Alberta, which saw immigrant arrivals drop to 42,100 last year from 49,200 in 2016, with its national share declining to 14.7 per cent from 16.3 per cent. The recent slump for Alberta comes after a decade in which its share of immigrants shot up dramatically, from less than 10 per cent in the past.

B.C.s immigration share has stabilized at around 13.5 per cent in the past three years after a steady decline from its peak of 17.8 per cent a decade ago. Quebec, which selects its own immigrants, had exactly the same share of the pie, at 18.3 per cent, last year as it did in 2008. Immigration to the rest of the country adds up to just under 15 per cent of the total.

Ontario, especially Greater Toronto, is again the place to go to for new immigrants. Both Alberta and British Columbia are not doing so well, said Jack Jedwab of the Canadian Institute for Identities and Migration.

In Alberta, the economy is bad. In B.C., it is hard to find an affordable place to live. In Greater Toronto, it is still the historical magnet for immigrant settlement.

Ontarios dominance as Canadas immigration hub had been under threat under the former federal Conservative government, as the province saw its share of immigration falling significantly from its peak of 53.6 per cent in 2005, when 140,528 of the 262,243 new arrivals settled in the province.

In the years after that, the Stephen Harper government pushed for the regionalization of immigration in an attempt to encourage newcomers to settle outside of the big three immigration gateway cities: Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver.

The goal was to spread the economic benefits and population diversity evenly across Canada, and alleviate the pressure of immigrant settlement on big cities infrastructure.

Debbie Douglas, executive director of the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants, said the Tory government introduced new criteria to limit skilled immigration to applicants in specific occupations only.

While Ontarios broad economic base can use any type of skilled immigrants, the occupational limitation favoured immigrants with sought-after skills in the oilpatch in Alberta, she said.

Then in the Harper governments final year, in 2015, Ottawa introduced the Express Entry system that shifted away from specific occupation criteria to a model that now focuses on attracting immigrants with Canadian education credentials and job experience.

Ontario was disadvantaged under the old system and the surge of immigration we are seeing now is partially the unexpected result of Express Entry, said Douglas.

When Ontario saw the first signs of an immigration surge in 2016  to 110,025 newcomers, from 103,610 the year before  Douglas said most observers believed it could be a one-time spike due to Canadas massive resettlement of Syrian refugees, the bulk of whom were sponsored to come to the province. Now, we are anticipating this trend to continue, she noted.

Sara Amash, a spokesperson for Ontario Immigration Minister Laura Albanese, said the government is not surprised immigrants choose the province because it remains the engine of economic growth in Canada.

Since 2014, Ontarios economy has grown more than Canadas and all of the other G7 countries. Our economy is getting stronger, businesses are creating record numbers of jobs and unemployment is at the lowest rate in almost two decades, Amash said in an email.

She, too, believes that the shift to the Express Entry selection system has had a positive impact on Ontario.

Given the federal governments commitment to increasing overall levels of immigrant landings, it is expected that Ontario will continue to receive higher levels of immigration over the next three years if its share of total Canada landings remains consistent with the recent past, Amash said.

Read more about:Russia is using Ukraine as a test ground for its information war against Western democracy, Ukraines foreign minister told G7 ministers meeting here on Sunday.

Foreign Affairs Minister Chystia Freeland wants the disruptive influence of Russia on the West to be a top agenda item, and she set the table  literally  for Ukrainian foreign minister Pavlo Klimkin to deliver that message to her G7 counterparts.

Freeland invited Klimkin to be part of Sundays talks, hosting him and other ministers at her home for a traditional brunch that was prepared by her own children.

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It was amazing how she organized it, in the sense of creating this friendly atmosphere of hospitality with ministers sitting around the table with her kids  what they had personally prepared, Klimkin told The Canadian Press in an interview Sunday afternoon.

Their conversation was decidedly less festive, with Klimkin pressing the G7 to make a strong, unified stand against what he described as Kremlin efforts to destabilize democracy through election interference and other cyber-meddling.

He said the petri dish for that strategy remains his country, which Russia invaded in 2014, annexing Crimea and occupying its eastern Donbass region.

Fundamentally, Ukraine is perceived by many and also by Russia as a sort of test range for testing Russian nonconventional warfare  hybrid war, Klimkin said.

He called this part of a bigger war against the democratic transatlantic community. Supporting Ukraine, he said, should be seen as a part of a bigger pattern.

Fighting along with Ukraine would give an immense asset to the whole democratic community in the sense of understanding Russian efforts to destabilize the western world.

Freeland views the clash of the forces of democracy and authoritarianism as a defining feature of our time, and she has singled out Russian President Vladimir Putin as a major disrupter.

Klimkin said all G7 ministers are committed to protecting democratic institutions. That includes the Trump administration in the U.S., where former FBI director Robert Mueller is leading the special investigation of possible collusion between Russia and the campaign that brought Trump to power in 2016.

Klimkin said he had a great meeting in Toronto on Saturday with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan.

We have clear, consistent bipartisan support on (Capitol) Hill. We have such support from the administration.

Trump has nominated his CIA Director Mike Pompeo as his next secretary of state, but Pompeo isnt in Toronto because he continues to face opposition to his confirmation.

The G7 foreign ministers began meetings in Toronto on Sunday about the worlds many peace and security challenges, with the ongoing tensions with Russia and the North Korean nuclear crisis taking centre stage

The gathering comes days after North Korea pledged to suspend testing of its nuclear and long-range missiles and close its nuclear test site, and days ahead of this weeks historic summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

Trump is also working on his own landmark meeting with the North Korean leader in the coming weeks, after dispatching Pompeo on a secret mission to meet Kim two weeks ago to lay the groundwork.

No date has been set, and there is uncertainty about what Trump might be able to accomplish.

Trumps envoy to Canada, Ambassador Kelly Craft, says her boss is leading international efforts to persuade North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons arsenal.

Concerning the upcoming meeting, President Trump is really carrying the water on the North Korea issue, Craft said in a statement to The Canadian Press. Its something weve also been working closely with Canada on.

Freeland co-hosted an international meeting on North Korea in January with Trumps recently fired secretary of state, Rex Tillerson.

Freeland announced that she and the European Unions high representative for foreign affairs, Federica Mogherini, will co-host a meeting of women foreign ministers in Canada this September.

Canada has made the advancement of gender equality a pervasive theme that cuts across all G7 discussions, and the foreign ministers meeting is no exception.

Freeland invited about a half-dozen non-G7 foreign ministers also attending the summit to a separate Saturday night dinner.

She said her male Japanese counterpart, Taro Kono, was the only man at Saturdays dinner table. She noted that she and the other female ministers are often in meetings where we are the only woman, and so Taro got to see a little bit what it was like.

Canada and Japan signed a military co-operation agreement on Saturday that will allow each others militaries to share equipment during joint exercises.

Freeland and Kono also met last month in Tokyo, where they affirmed their commitment to keep economic and diplomatic pressure on North Korea to end its nuclear program at this G7 meeting.

Freeland will be joined Monday by Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, who will lead his G7 interior minister counterparts in talks on terrorism and cybersecurity.

Read more about:A man is back on Canadian soil after being in an Ethiopian prison for 11 years.

Tears filled the eyes of Bashir Makhtal and his family members as they embraced Saturday at Pearson Airport for the first time in more than a decade. Makhtal was released from Ethiopia on Thursday and made his way home into the arms of his wife, brother, nieces and nephewssome of whom were born during his captivitymeeting him for the first time.

Makhtal was sentenced to life in prison in 2009 for terrorism-related charges after a trial that Amnesty International and Makhtals lawyer called unfair.

Canadian officials had been working for years to secure his release.

Makhtal was born in Ethiopia and settled in Canada after moving here as a refugee. He later moved to Kenya where he operated a used-clothing business.

He was working in Somalia in 2006, but fled back to the Kenyan border when Ethiopian troops invaded. He was detained at the border and summarily deported to Ethiopia, a move that Amnesty International called unlawful.

In 2009, Makhtal was convicted of terrorism-related crimes and was handed a life sentence without the ability to communicate with anyone outside of prison. His grandfather was alledgedly a member of the Ogaden National Liberation Front, a separatist group in Ethiopa. Gloria Nafziger, a campaigner with Amnesty, says Ethiopian officials believed Makhtal was connected to the group.

During that time, Makhtal claimed he was tortured and was further denied medical care there.

Amnesty International had been working on the case since it heard of his arrest and the torture he endured while being held captive.

We were afraid he would be sentenced to death, Nafziger said. This man never had a fair trial.

Nafziger said the Canadian government was working for years to try to negotiate Makhtals release. An access to information request by The Canadian Press in 2009 found hundreds of pages of records revealing the governments frustrated efforts to assist him.

At one point, Nafziger said, Ethiopian and Canadian officials had agreed on a prisoner transfer, but Makhtal refused, saying he was not guilty and would not come back to Canada just to be put behind bars again.

There were constant efforts being made, Nafziger said.

She added that Makhtal is exhausted and tired, but in very good spirits.

His emotional and psychological being will have to be taken care of now.Teacher Carrie Schoemer stayed home for nearly two years after her son was born because she was unable to find affordable licensed child care in her neighbourhood.

Amanda Munday was only able to go back to work in 2015 because her mother took early retirement to help with child care.

But the east-Toronto parents frustration over the acute lack of licensed care and punishing costs topping $2,000 a month may soon be over.

Last week, Ontarios NDP joined the Liberals in making child care a cornerstone of their platform in the June 7 provincial election.

These two parties understand that creating licensed child-care spaces at affordable prices is critical for women and families in my neighbourhood and across Ontario, says Schoemer, who finally got a toddler spot for 2-year-old Julian last fall.

Child care is an election issue for our family, no question, says Munday. We are not card-carrying members of any political party, so this will be a deciding issue for us. We are watching very closely what all the parties are saying.

Share your thoughts

The Progressive Conservatives have yet to weigh in, although a spokesperson said the party would make an announcement on this very important issue in the coming weeks.

So far, duelling daycare platforms in Ontario pit the NDPs $12-a-day scheme for kids under 4 against the Liberals promise of free child care for kids age 2 1/2 to kindergarten.

The NDP would start with infants and toddlers in 2019-20 and add kids 2 1/2 and older the following year. It would be free for families earning less than $40,000 a year and cost an average of $12 a day for most others. The richest parents would pay the full cost, although party officials could not provide income thresholds.

Within five years, annual provincial funding would spike to more than $5.4 billion from about $1.6 billion today, making child care the largest single investment in the NDP platform, unveiled last Monday.

The Liberals, who released their plan in a pre-budget announcement in March, would begin with free child care for kids age 2-1/2 to kindergarten and more fee subsidies for infant and toddler care, starting in 2020. Within three years, annual provincial funding would jump to $3.3 billion, according to the budget, which does not forecast spending beyond 2020-21.

While the two-page NDP plan sounds good, University of Toronto economics professor Gordon Cleveland says it is completely unrealistic.

Cleveland, who was hired by the provincial government last summer to research how to make child care affordable in Ontario, says more than 160,000 infants and toddlers would flood the licensed child-care system if fees dropped to $12 a day or less.

And yet, there are just 60,000 licensed spaces for this age group across the province, he notes. In the third year of an NDP mandate, demand for preschool spaces would exceed 181,000, far more than the current 106,000-space supply, according to Clevelands 322-page analysis, released last month.

The NDP plan would result in huge space shortages and long waiting lists, rather than affordable child care, Cleveland says.

That is why he recommended starting with preschoolers, a plan the Liberals embraced in their March 28 budget.

Our analysis shows that concentrating first on one age group  2-1/2 to 4 years  and doing it right would be a much better way to build a system of affordable child-care services for families, Cleveland says. This information was available to the NDP, and they have chosen to ignore it.

In Quebec, where universal, $5-a-day child care was rolled out over four years in the late 1990s, the government was forced to use home daycares, for-profit centres and undertrained staff to meet demand, Cleveland notes.

The lesson from Quebec is that creating a quality system takes time, he says.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath says if she were premier, her government would address parents most desperate need  infant and toddler care  with a system that promotes affordability for all children younger than 4.

Our plan is not based on your little ones age; its based on making sure everyone has child care they can afford, she told reporters last week.

Under an NDP government, about 70 per cent of parents would pay $12 a day or less for child care.

To tackle demand, the NDP vows to create 202,000 new licensed spots in its first four-year mandate  an increase of 51 per cent. To ensure quality, all expansion would be in public and not-for-profit centres only.

The Liberals in 2016 pledged to create 100,000 more spaces within five years. In their recent budget, they added another 14,000 preschool spaces to be created over the next six years.

Both parties talk about the need to improve child-care worker wages and working conditions, a key element in ensuring quality care. The NDP plan earmarks $375 million immediately, if elected, to boost the starting wage for all registered early childhood educators (ECEs) in licensed non-profit centres to $25 an hour. Currently, almost two-thirds of ECEs in Ontario earn less than $20 an hour.

The Liberals have promised a provincial wage grid for all child-care workers by 2020 to bring ECE earnings up to the level of those working in full-day kindergarten, or between $21 and $27 an hour.

Lyndsay Macdonald with the Association of Early Childhood Educators Ontario, says the NDPs plan effectively upped the ante for child care in this election.

Its great to see two major parties coming out of the gate with such strong child-care platforms, she says.

The association has been calling for a provincial wage scale for ECEs starting at $25 an hour and is delighted to see this reflected in the NDP platform, she adds.

You cant expand if you cant recruit the professionals to work in the centres. So this is huge.

However, the NDP plans lack of detail around support for workers and families currently using for-profit child care is a worry, Macdonald says.

Many child-care educators work in for-profit centres and many parents rely on these centres for care, she says. There doesnt appear to be a plan for them.

Laurel Rothman, interim co-ordinator of the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care, is also pleased child care seems to have become an election issue.

But she agreed with Cleveland that the NDPs plan to tackle the high cost of infant and toddler care as a first priority would be a challenge due to the lack of licensed spaces and trained ECEs to work in them.

Many more ECEs are required to work with infants and toddlers than preschoolers. And they require a physical space that is more specialized, Rothman notes.

Rothman and other advocates believe the Liberals promise of free child care for preschoolers is a game-changer and cant be ignored.

Clevelands analysis makes perfect sense  and has completely changed the debate, says national child-care expert Martha Friendly of the Childcare Resource and Research Unit.

Building a high quality system takes time  so you have to make choices, she says.

Starting with free preschool care introduces the notion of a public service that builds on full-day kindergarten for 4- and 5-year-olds and mirrors what many European countries offer for this age group, Friendly says, pointing to France and Belgium.

Munday, whose mother, Tina Grainger, cares for 20-month-old Everett and Fiona, 3-1/2, when she is not in daycare three mornings a week, says families in her neighbourhood are desperate.

Shes my saviour. Theres no way I could have returned to my job without her. It wouldnt be affordable with two kids. Id have to quit my job. And I make a good income, says Munday, who works for a tech start-up.

Schoemer, who has a 2-1/2-year-old in child care and a 5-year-old in before- and after-school care, hasnt read Clevelands report, but feels the Liberals focus on preschoolers makes sense as the next step after full-day kindergarten.

I just think the Liberal plan is more thought-out and ultimately more doable, she says. But I think wed all be happy with either party plan.

Its the silence, so far, from PC Leader Doug Ford, currently leading by a wide margin in the polls, that is more of a concern.

I am worried all this may be academic, if (the PCs) dont come out with an equally strong plan, Schoemer says. And end up getting elected.

LIBERAL AND NDP CHILD-CARE PLANS AT A GLANCE

Liberal plan:

Free for preschoolers and increased subsidies for infants and toddlers starting in 2020;

Provincial wage grid for all child-care workers by 2020;

100,000 new licensed spaces for kids younger than 4 by 2021;

Additional 14,000 spots for preschoolers by 2024;

Expansion favoured in public and non-profit centres.

NDP plan:

Free for kids under 4 in families earning less than $40,000 and an average of $12 a day for all but the richest families who would pay full fees;

Starting with infants and toddlers in 2019-20 followed by preschoolers the following year;

Immediate wage hike for registered early childhood educators in non-profit centres to bring starting pay to $25 an hour;

202,000 new licensed spaces for kids under 4 by 2021;

Expansion in public and non-profit centres only.

Source: Ontario NDP; Ontario government

CHILD CARE IN ONTARIO FOR AGE 0 TO 4

Fees are among the highest in the country and range from $9,000 to more than $20,000 a year;

Affordable for just 22 per cent of families;

63 per cent of families would use licensed child care if it was affordable;

161,000 spots;

Enough space for 23 per cent of children.

source: Gordon ClevelandTypically, they are charged with minor crimes and released on bail, on the condition they not drink or do drugs and that they reside at a certain address.

But they are addicts, or have mental health issues, or are homeless  and soon find themselves back in the court system for violating those conditions, not committing another crime. The cycle begins, and its one they cant get out of.

In such cases, the court system does not always do justice to those who get caught up in it  something Ontario is now working to address through a plan for innovative centres that include both legal and social services under one roof.

For some time, Ive been concerned about how our criminal justice system works in silos, Attorney General Yasir Naqvi said in an interview. It deals with criminal behaviour. It doesnt really look at homelessness, it doesnt really look at poverty, it doesnt really look at mental health or addiction. Theres a lack of that holistic approach.

How can we start looking at the totality of an individual and see some of the underlying factors that may be causing them to engage in criminal behaviour? said Naqvi, a lawyer who is also a former corrections minister.

Those questions  and a move provincially to promote community hubs  led to a look at the concept of Community Justice Centres. That in turn sparked plans for three in the province: in London, Kenora and Torontos Moss Park neighbourhood.

The provincial budget recently earmarked funds for the initial phases  $5.6 million this year, $4.6 million in 2019-2020 and $3.7 million in 2020-2021. More funding will come as plans are formalized.

No two justice centres are alike, as each is created by community members based on extensive local consultations, catering to specific identified needs.

In Moss Park, the issues are harm reduction, mental health and housing. In Kenora, its an approach that needs to includes Indigenous education and restorative justice practices to address the disproportionate number of Indigenous youth in the system, many coming from fly-in communities. (Satellite hubs are to being looked at for Sioux Lookout and Timmins.)

In London, youth 18 to 25 years old, representing one-third of all charges in the city, need mental health, substance abuse and employment support.

Community Justice Centres, while almost unheard of in Canada, operate in a number of other countries, notably the two-decade-old Red Hook centre in Brooklyn, N.Y. That centre is housed in a former school and has a courtroom, housing services, addiction services, youth programming, among other supports.

When an accused appears before a judge, an intake officer initially provides the judge with an update, said Naqvi, who visited the Brooklyn site last year, with status updates including treatment appointments the accused attended or missed.

The lawyers actually hardly spoke in that, Naqvi said. It wasnt adversarial at all, it was more of a conversation with the judge.

And this was the most remarkable thing  the judge spoke directly to the accused, and he spoke directly to the accused as a person, putting an arm around a shoulder, leaning away from the court microphone to ask how children are doing, reminding the accused that taking part in addiction treatment makes for a good parent.

That was the essence, Naqvi stressed. It was focused on human beings  and the flaws they may have, and have to try to reconcile.

In Toronto, it could mean that instead of being released from court and told to hop on public transit to access treatment, they just walk down the hall, said Karen Pitre, a special adviser to the premier regarding community hubs.

In the present model, the judge will say, You need a treatment plan and can you just get on the streetcar and go down the street to CAMH? And people walk out the door and they are gone.

Instead, at a justice centre, the accused actually has access to a social worker, someone they can point to, and say, You need to go talk to that person who is sitting at the back of the courtroom and they are going to help you put together a plan to deal with all the issues you are facing. 

Consultations in the three pilot cities continue, and determining the types of offences that should be dealt with is going to take some work, she said. With that and potential locations to sort out, theres no set timeline to get them open.

Such a system doesnt work for serious crimes. Even though the centres deal with lesser crimes, its not hug-a-thug, as critics may charge.

They are still held accountable for the criminal offences theyve committed, said London police Superintendent Bill Chantler, who was involved in the justice centre working group there.

I believe it is the correct approach and the most appropriate approach to addressing the issue of young adults becoming entangled in the justice system, he said. He said he hopes the approach helps decrease crime and recidivism rates as it has in Red Hook.

A Community Justice Centre would not only help address the underlying problems, he said, but also expedite charges, given London youth spend a disproportionate amount of time incarcerated.

Sioux Lookout Mayor Doug Lawrance said about 85 per cent of the inmates in the district jail in Kenora are Indigenous and most of them from north of his municipality.

They are not hardened criminals, he explained, but people who commit crimes because of drug or alcohol addiction. Whats needed is a detox centre, a safe injection site and housing, housing, housing, he said.

We need changes in the justice system so people are not (criminalized) but triaged and sent to the type of care that they need.

Such centres are open to the broader community to access services, which can include employment help, services for new immigrants or adult literacy classes.

Down the road, judging the centres success will not simply be based around recidivism rates, Naqvi said.

Our metrics are going to be much broader metrics than just whether you commit a criminal offence or not, he said.

We want to see that they are actually getting better housing, getting better health care access, and that all of those things are having an impact in that you dont have to engage in criminal behaviour.NEW DELHIOffenders who rape girls under 12 may now be subject to the death penalty in India, according to an ordinance passed by Indias cabinet Saturday after a nationwide furor over the rape and murder of an 8-year-old girl.

In an emergency meeting, Indias cabinet approved an amendment to the law protecting children from sexual offences that will set the minimum penalty for the gang rape of a child under 12 to life imprisonment or death, and the minimum for the rape of a child to 20 years up to a maximum sentence of life or death. It also doubled, to 20 years, the minimum punishment for the rape of a child under 16.

The new ordinance also calls for rape cases to be investigated in two months and trials to be concluded in the same span, as well as for new forensic labs and fast-track courts to be added.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been under fire for his response to the crisis sparked by the arrest earlier this month of eight suspects in the January rape and murder of an 8-year-old girl in the northern state of Jammu and Kashmir.

With a Muslim victim and alleged Hindu assailants, the case rapidly became polarized, and two legislators from Modis political party were ultimately forced to step down after they attended a rally in support of the accused. Around the same time, a legislator from Modis party was arrested for raping a teen in a separate case in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

On Tuesday, Indian Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi called rape and child sexual abuse in India a national emergency, with 100,000 such cases pending in courts.

The whole country was enraged, and it cannot happen that the central government does not listen to us. Some change will occur, Swati Maliwal, the chair of Delhis commission for women, told reporters Saturday. She said she will end a nine-day hunger strike she staged to protest government inaction over the controversial rapes.

Maliwal said she was happy about the governments move but said police still need more accountability and resources.

But others criticized the ordinance, arguing that the possibility of a death sentence will not act as a deterrent and that India needs to improve its prosecution and conviction rate for rape and child sexual abuse cases. Supreme Court lawyer Karuna Nundy says that the rate of rapes has not decreased since the death penalty for the crime was introduced in India in 2013.

The death penalty is easy political candy to hand out to angry and upset citizens, but its much harder to work on justice systems that guarantee swift, certain punishment for sexual assault or to limit the violent patriarchies that cause rape in the first place, Nundy said.

Swagata Raha, a legal researcher with the Centre for Child and the Law at the National Law School of India University at Bangalore, wrote an opinion piece Saturday for website ThePrint, arguing that the death penalty will make it difficult for children to come forward and disclose sexual abuse because 94 per cent of offenders under Indias Child Protection Act are relatives or otherwise known to their victims.

I feel its a very reactionary measure, and certainly not the change those of us who work in this space would like to see, Raha said.

In 2012, another highly publicized gang rape and murder of a young college student prompted India to tighten its rape laws and set up fast-track courts. Four men were ultimately convicted and sentenced to death in that attack. But incidents of reported rape have risen 60 per cent since then, to 38,947 in 2016, according to National Crime Records Bureau data.

A 2016 investigation by the Washington Post of nearly 400 fast-track rape courts found that those set up to speed the prosecution of rape cases do not always have the impact that advocates hope for.

Interviews with lawyers, activists and prosecutors showed that the quality and success of the courts vary widely. Some described proceedings bogged down from long waits for forensic evidence, police reports and repeated adjournments, with witnesses turning hostile and refusing to testify because they have settled the matter with the family of a suspect.

In New Delhi, for example, there was a backlog of 3,487 cases in the capitals fast-track courts, some of which had been languishing for years, the Posts investigation showed.

Read more about:ROANOKE COUNTY, Va.When the trees started coming down, Theresa Red Terry went up.

Now, the 61-year-old mother of three is perched on a platform 32 feet in the air between two oak trees, trying to stop a natural gas pipeline from coming through land granted to her husbands family by the king of England in colonial times.

For three weeks, she has endured rain, snow, hail, nighttime temperatures between minus-1 and minus-6 and high winds. Her body is stiff and sore. When she huddles under a tarp to stay warm, its usually too dark to read. Shes bored.

Ten days ago, police said family and friends could no longer bring her food and water.

Officers are waiting at the base of the trees, around the clock, to arrest her when she finally comes down. Her 30-year-old daughter is in another tree, too far through the familys woods to see, also defying police.

Theyre trespassing on their own property.

As the stalemate drags on, I stand with Red has become a rallying cry for opponents of the Mountain Valley Pipeline, a 500-kilometre, $3.5-billion (U.S.) project being built by a coalition of companies led by EQT Midstream Partners.

Its the farther along of two gas pipelines planned in Virginia. An even bigger project, the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, is being built through the central part of the state by a coalition led by Dominion Energy, the states largest utility. The two pipelines have thrown together environmentalists; although property rights advocates have tried to block them, the projects have won political and regulatory support at every turn.

With tree-clearing finally underway, an air of desperation is gripping opponents. A handful of other tree-sitters have blocked part of the Mountain Valley Pipelines route in the Jefferson National Forest in West Virginia since February. A few more sitters went up trees in Virginias Franklin County last week.

Last Wednesday, a group of Democratic state lawmakers from northern Virginia and Richmond joined with others from the southwestern part of the state to call on Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat, to slow both projects, a sign that the issue is expanding beyond a regional concern. Though Northams office said there is nothing the governor can do, because the project has won federal approval, the State Water Control Board has approved a new 30-day comment period for the public to weigh in on whether waterway protections are adequate.

That has given Terry and her army of supporters some hope.

Sticking her head out from a plastic tarp one frigid morning last week, she vowed to carry on for as long as I can. Down below, several uniformed Roanoke County police officers, two state troopers in full camouflage gear and a pipeline security official listened from a blue tent.

On Friday, pressure on her family grew. The pipeline company asked a federal judge to declare the Terrys in civil contempt, fine them for every day of violation, direct U.S. marshals to remove the tree-sitters and charge them for damages from the delay.

Coles Terry III, husband of one tree-sitter, father of the other, said he knew it would eventually come to that. Im here to support my wife and daughter in the trees, and that means doing anything I can, he said. If that means sending me to jail, then OK.

The Terrys first heard of the Mountain Valley Pipeline when they got a notice in the mail a little less than four years ago. It seemed hard to imagine that something would intrude on their wooded enclave on Bent Mountain, southwest of Roanoke.

Coles Terry, his brother, a sister and other family members own about 1,500 acres near the Blue Ridge Parkway  crisscrossed with streams, full of old hay fields surrounded by deep woods and narrow dirt lanes winding up rocky slopes.

As the pipeline project simmered along, the Terrys and their neighbours spent increasing amounts of time and resources fighting it. They attended public hearings, peppered the landscape with hand-painted anti-pipeline signs, attended rallies and supported anti-pipeline officials running for elections.

To them, the pipeline seems like a violation because it doesnt appear to yield local benefits. When the county first brought in electricity, Coles Terry said, the family was happy to give up land for power lines to help their whole community. The gas that will flow under their property originates in West Virginia and will pass almost to the North Carolina line.

Invoking eminent domain, the pipeline builders offered to compensate the Terrys for using a stretch of their land. The family rejected the money and instead filed suit to stop the project. A federal judge ruled against them early last month.

Thats when Red, as everyone knows her, took note of the tree-sitters blocking the pipeline route in West Virginia and decided she would do the same.

Her 61-year-old husband, a construction superintendent, worked with his son and other activists to build the stands and get them up into trees smack in the middle of the staked-off pipeline right of way.

After Red and Theresa Minor Terry took their positions, they were spotted by workers who came to clear trees. Day after day, the women could hear the chain saws getting closer.

Reds daughter, who goes by Minor, has lived on the mountain almost all her life, except during college. She keeps the books for a real estate company, which has given her time off in support of the protest.

The week before last, the tree-clearing got within sight of her perch.

She was torn up. And I was sitting over here and every time one of these (trees) hit the ground it was like driving a nail in my head, her father said. That same day, police came to read her an official notice to get out of the tree.

I was so proud of her, he said. When they read the notice the second time and they asked her, Do you need help getting down? She threw that tarp back and its like, I dont need help getting down cuz I dont intend to come down. And flipped the tarp back over top of her.

It wasnt until Thursday that police filed formal charges: trespassing, obstruction of justice and interfering with property rights.

With community sympathy running high for the Terrys  neighbours help sit watch all day and night; local restaurants supply food and host fundraisers  Roanoke County police say theyre handling the matter as carefully as they can.

We acknowledge that this is a very difficult situation for everyone involved, public information officer Amy Whittaker said via email. But the fact remains that this has played out in the court systems and consistently rulings have been in favor of MVP. It is not the job of the Police Department to contest decisions made at the state and federal levels.

Emergency medical technicians stop by every afternoon to check on the women, who joke and chat with them and with the police. They havent denied the women food and water, Whittaker said; its available at the base of the trees if they want to come down and get it.

If they come down, though, theyll be arrested.

Pipeline officials are frustrated by the stalemate. They say that 86 per cent of landowners in the route of the pipeline have accepted settlements to permit construction. The pipelines won erosion and sediment permits from the state in December, clearing the way for construction to begin.

The project has gone through extraordinary review. State officials agree that both gas pipelines have been subjected to the most detailed study theyve ever seen.

But opponents are outraged that detailed review of stream-by-stream crossings was left to federal officials, despite a promise last year from Northam, when he was running for office, that the state would conduct its own review.

On Wednesday, more than a dozen Democratic lawmakers held a news conference highlighting Red Terrys protest and calling on the governor to do more.

Were asking  urging  demanding that our good friend Ralph Northam  work with us to find common ground, said Mark Keam, a Democrat, who was joined by other delegates from Prince William, Fairfax, Alexandria and Richmond to show solidarity with southwest colleagues.

We stand together, and we stand with Red, said Danica Roem, a Prince William Democrat.

The push got the attention of the pipeline companies. That same morning, Dominion Energy put out a statement warning that attempts to delay the pipelines will cost consumers and businesses hundreds of millions of dollars in higher energy costs.

On Friday, Northam commented on the pipeline standoff via email, reiterating that he has instructed state officials to conduct rigorous oversight.

I recognize that there are many Virginians who would like to see this administration take whatever action we can to undermine or obstruct these projects, Northam said. I am also quite certain that the owners of these projects would love for the state to conduct less stringent oversight and accountability of these projects in order to get them completed faster.

The only fair course is to let state and federal regulators do their jobs, he said, adding: I am deeply sympathetic to the Virginians who are speaking out about these projects. I hope that, as we move forward, we can continue to engage in this discussion civilly and with the understanding that we all want what is best for this Commonwealth we love.

The protesters are trying to draw attention not only to the trees that are being cleared but also to the water so evident around the pipeline route. In at least one spot on the Terrys land, a spring bubbles up from under a pile of cut trees and trickles off toward a rushing creek. The stakes marking the pipeline path run alongside the creek  at one point partway down a steep bank over the water  and through wetland areas filled with dark green skunk cabbage.

Water from Bent Mountain flows into the Roanoke River, which provides drinking water to the whole region and, along with tributaries, will be crossed by the pipeline hundreds of times. Opponents fear an environmental disaster.

Delegate Sam Rasoul of Roanoke, also a Democrat, has asked the state to suspend permits for soil-clearing to give more time to study water impact. He brought his children out to see Red and Minor Terry last week; on Thursday, a nearby Montessori class came out to see civil disobedience in action.

But state Sen. Charles Carrico, the Richmond Republican, said he thinks the show has gone on long enough. He has seen protests over pipelines before in his mountainous part of the state, he said. Once it was in the ground and everythings done, its out of sight, out of mind. No one says anything about it, he said.

If you want to replace coal with cleaner energy, he said, natural gas is part of the solution. And as a former state trooper, he thinks police have been more than patient with the tree sitters. If I had a warrant, I probably wouldve been climbing the tree. Thats just the way it was in my day, he said.

As it is, police and protesters sit across from one another in the woods in uneasy balance. Activists supporting Red and Minor Terry occupy tents and lean-tos just outside yellow crime tape wound around the trees by the police.

Keeping warm over campfires, they wait, sometimes with coffee, sometimes beer. Every now and then, a musician comes out and the police will emerge and listen. On Thursday, a sergeant brought Chick-fil-A to the officers. At night, police shine lights on the base of the trees to make sure no one sneaks up or down.

When visitors watch or photograph pipeline work sites, the workers often stop and take photos of the visitors. If visitors step inside the pipeline work zone, its trespassing; if workers step outside, its also trespassing.

Tensions have flared. Minor Terry dropped her solar charger the other day and police refused to let her father give it back to her. Now, shes without light or cellphone.

And Red Terry had a bad day not long ago when she discovered that of all the supplies she and her husband had stockpiled on her platform, there was one crucial thing they forgot: cigarettes.

A heavy smoker, she called down to police that she needed BC Powder for pain and cigarettes to keep her calm. The police sent up a few aspirins, but said shed have to come down to get smokes.

So she dumped out her waste bucket. Luckily, police werent hit, because that couldve meant an assault charge. But they expanded the crime tape to keep supporters farther away.

I guess if I ever get too weak to give em a hard time theyd probably have to come get me, she said last week.

Her husband toggles between pride and fear.

I cant say I married a level-headed, calm woman, he said. But its no wonder, he added, that his wife and daughter are the ones up those trees, drawing a network of local support thats also largely female. Theyre protecting their families. Theyre women  mothers, daughters, sisters  and theyre protecting what they hold dear. Try to pull a cub away from a mother bear and youll understand what Im saying.

As the days wear on and pressure mounts, though, any resolution has an element of danger. Both Red and Minor Terry have vowed to resist if anyone tries to force them down. With Fridays court filing, federal marshals could be on the way soon to do what local police have so far resisted.

How will it end?

Probably poorly for me and many of my neighbors, Red Terry said from high on her perch. But the community wont give up, she said. They mightve broken their hearts but they sure as hell didnt break their spirits.  Im hoping maybe we can change a few things.WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday claimed North Korea has agreed to denuclearization before his potential meeting with Kim Jong Un. But thats not the case.

North Korea said Friday it would suspend nuclear tests and intercontinental ballistic missile launches ahead of summits with the U.S. and South Korea. Kim also said a nuclear test site would be closed and dismantled now that the country has learned how to make nuclear weapons and mount warheads on ballistic rockets.

But the North has stopped short of saying it has any intention of abandoning its nuclear arsenal, with Kim making clear that nukes remain a treasured sword.

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Trump nonetheless tweeted Sunday that the North has agreed to denuclearization (so great for World), site closure, & no more testing!

Being committed to the concept of denuclearization, however, is not the same as agreeing to it, as Trump claims.

South Korea, which is set to meet with North Korea later this week, has said Kim has expressed genuine interest in dealing away his nuclear weapons. But the North for decades has been pushing a concept of denuclearization that bears no resemblance to the American definition, vowing to pursue nuclear development unless Washington removes its troops from the Korean Peninsula and the nuclear umbrella defending South Korea and Japan.

South Koreas president has said Kim isnt asking for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the Korean Peninsula as a condition for abandoning his nuclear weapons. If true, that would seem to remove a major sticking point to a potential disarmament deal.

But that still doesnt address a North Korean arsenal that now includes purported thermonuclear warheads and developmental ICBMs developed during a decades-long cycle of crises, stalemates and broken promises.

Trump agreed to meet with Kim after an invitation was delivered by a South Korean delegation that had just returned from Pyongyang.

I told President Trump that in our meeting, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said hes committed to denuclearization, South Koreas national security adviser later told reporters on the White House driveway. Kim pledged that North Korea will refrain from any further nuclear or missile tests.

A place and date have yet to be set, but Trumps pick to be the next secretary of state, CIA Director Mike Pompeo, travelled to North Korea on Easter weekend to lay the groundwork for the meeting. Trump has called the talks a success, but its unclear exactly what was agreed to, if anything, as a condition for the leader-to-leader talks.

Look, this is a great public relations effort by Kim Jong Un. And I think people recognize that, Sen. Bob Corker, a Republican from Tennessee, said Sunday on CNNs State of the Union. But asked whether be believed the North would denuclearize, Corker offered caution.

Well, I dont think he said anything about denuclearizing on the front end necessarily, he said.

He added on ABCs This Week that its unrealistic to think that somebodys going to go in and charm Kim out of keeping his nuclear weapons.

Is it realistic that hes just willy-nilly going to do that? Absolutely not, Corker said. But, you know, progress can be made, freezing the program, who knows what hes  what his ambitions are as it relates to South Korea.

Sen. Tom Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas, was equally as skeptical on CBSs Face the Nation, arguing that North Koreas recent statements are easily reversible and that no announcement has been made about short- or medium-range ballistic missiles that threaten South Korea and Japan.

Well, I think this announcement on Friday is better than continued testing, but its not much better than that, he said. But I do think they show that the president has put Kim Jong Un on the wrong foot for the first time.

Asked what denuclearization means to both sides, White House Legislative Director Marc Short said on NBCs Meet the Press that there needs to be a sit-down meeting to make sure everyones on the same page.

But I think from our perspective, it means full denuclearization, he said. No longer having nuclear weapons that can be used in warfare against any of our allies.

Still, Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat from California, told CBS that if the president goes through with the meeting, its very important that it goes well and that there is an ability to put together some terms of an agreement that might exist.

The question, she said, is whether it lasts or not. And of course the reputation of the North Koreans has been that they dont necessarily keep their agreements.

Read more about:As outgoing Cuban president Raul Castro tells it, even too many of the radio and television newscasters in Cuba are white.

It was not easy getting the few Black broadcasters now on the air hired, Castro said in his retirement speech Thursday, a remarkable admission considering the state controls all the stations.

So it was all the more extraordinary to see last week how many women and Afro-Cubans were chosen for positions in the highest echelon of Cuban politics in the new government: Half of the six vice-presidents of the ruling Council of State are Black, including the first vice-president, and three are also women.

The new council will serve under the new president, Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, who took over on Thursday.

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That the first administration in 60 years without a Castro would include so many women and Black officials was notable in Cuba, where increasing business opportunities have only swelled economic racial disparities. The move also signaled the growing significance of the Afro-Cuban movement, marked in the past 20 years by artists, hip-hop musicians and intellectuals who are more willing to speak out about the problems affecting Black people on the island, experts said.

While official statistics reflect that less than 10 per cent of the population is Black, in reality, most estimates put the number far higher.

The Cuban government under the Castros has historically been viewed as one made up mainly of white men, especially those of advanced age. Although it has generally had at least one Afro-Cuban in a high-ranking position, cynics dismissed them as symbolic figures.

Although skeptics doubt that too much will change to address the disparities faced by many Black people in Cuba, even some of the governments harshest critics acknowledged that the diversity shift was an important development.

Yes, it has great significance, said Ramon Colas, a Black anti-Castro activist who sought political asylum in 2001 and now lives in Mississippi. The Cuban revolution has historically been white, and seen from the outside as a revolution by white men, where Black people were part of the crowd, spectators who were silent or applauded, but never participated.

Colas said the election, a process in which Castro and the Communist Party had full control, showed that the former Cuban leader has big ears and was willing to listen to the outcry from Black civic and arts organizations. But he noted it would be even more noteworthy if the three Black people on the council used their positions to push for racial equality.

Wouldnt it be great if they used those positions to say, As a Black Cuban, I am against injustice against Black people in Cuba?  he said. I doubt that they can do that. They are not allowed. Fidel declared that racism is a problem that ended.

If anything, Raul Castros move to shift high-ranking positions to Black leaders was an acknowledgment that racism and discrimination had not, in fact, been solved by the revolution.

In his remarks Thursday, Castro said the struggle to move beyond percentages continued.

We still have the battle of proportions not just in numerical aspects, but qualitative  in decision-making slots, he said. Three women were elected vice-president of the Council of State, two of them Black  not only for being Black, but for their virtues and qualities.

While inequality persists in the country, the Castro revolution did make important strides for Black people.

Before the revolution, social stratification was profound, with Black Cubans open to far less opportunity and enduring far more discrimination than their lighter-skinned fellow citizens. When Fidel Castro came to power after the revolution, one of his early edicts essentially sought an end to racism.

The result was that systemic racism as it exists in the Americas is far less present in Cuba, and social and educational opportunities generally more present for Black Cubans  even those living far from the capital. For many of the revolutions proponents, it was one of the major achievements at a time when the United States was requiring Black people to drink from separate water fountains.

Alejandro de la Fuente, a Harvard University Cuba studies professor who has written extensively on Afro-Cubans, said inequality diminished in several ways. His research showed, for example, that in the 1980s, the life expectancy gap between Black and white people was better in Cuba than in Brazil or the United States.

Also, the number of Black Cubans who attended college was close to the number of white Cubans, he found, whereas in the United States, twice as many white people as African-Americans attended university.

But the improvements, brought on by socialized education, were offset by the economic nosedive Afro-Cubans faced after the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1990s. More Cubans started living on cash remittances sent from the United States. And almost all the Cubans sending money from the United States were white.

De la Fuente noted that both of the Black women named to the council, Ines Maria Chapman Waugh and Beatriz Jhonson Urrutia, are engineers from eastern Cuba, which makes them an example of the kind of educational mobility possible for Black women in the country. De la Fuente said their promotions were largely symbolic, but still important.

Even if this was window-dressing, it would mean they feel the need to dress the window in a certain colour, and that is something one would not have said 30 years ago, de la Fuente said.

Only nine per cent of Cubans identified themselves as Black in the 2012 census, a sign that most Cubans dont see benefits to self-identifying as Afro-Cuban, he said. Most estimates have the number of Black people in Cuba much higher.

If you go by the one-drop rule like you have in the United States, Cuba is like 90 per cent Black, Colas said with a laugh.

Katrin Hansing, a professor at Baruch College in New York who is studying racial inequality in Cuba, said the presence of more Black people on the council was likely to be met with a collective shrug on the island. The economic disparities have grown so stark, she said, that more shantytowns are popping up on the outskirts of big cities, and people of colour largely populate them.

It wont change their socioeconomically difficult lives, Hansing said. The Communist Party will not change because there are three more Black people at the top.

In Cuba, many people interviewed agreed, and some did not even know the changes had been made.

In the neighbourhood of La Corea, marooned on the outskirts of Havana, most people had more pressing concerns to ponder than the racial balance of the countrys top officials. Heaps of trash were piled on street corners, covered in thick swarms of flies. A water leak from a pipe beneath the sidewalk flowed unchecked, leaving pools and summoning mosquitoes.

The neighbourhood contrasts sharply with the proud, if battered, colonial structures of Old Havana or the resplendent mansions of Vedado or Miramar. Homes are slapped together with rusty shards of corrugated metal or raw cinder block and cement. The streets are so worn in parts they are simply dirt.

In the largely Black neighbourhood, residents were somewhat divided on the meaning of the new racial composition of the government. Manuel Garro Gomez, 65, seemed to take the official line on the matter. Cuba says there is no discrimination and thats largely how it is, he said. Before the revolution, there was absolutely no relation between Black people and whites. Today we mix easily.

Down the street, Yasmani Santo, 30, once informed about the change, said it was a decent move.

This reflects the population a bit more, which I appreciate, he said. But Im not sure it will change anything. Referring to the neighbourhoods dilapidation, he said: People come and make promises to fix these things and nothing happens. Lets see if this new president does anything.

Abraham Jimenez Enoa, a writer and director at El Estornudo magazine in Havana, said racism was a part of daily life for Black Cubans, no matter what the state says. When he has dated white women, his friends offered snide remarks that he was trying to get ahead.

He said the police were more likely to stop a Black person, especially one who is carrying things like towels or sheets, which are items often pilfered from hotels by Cubans without money to buy their own.

In Old Havana on Thursday, Josue Soto del Sol, 10, smiled and then shrugged when he heard about the appointments of the three Black leaders. Its good, he said. We are all Black in Cuba.KABUL, AFGHANISTANA Daesh suicide bomber carried out an attack at a voter registration centre in the capital Kabul on Sunday, killing 57 people and wounding more than 100 others, said officials from the Afghan interior and public health ministries.

Public Health Ministry spokesperson Wahid Majro said that among 57 who were killed in the attack, 22 were women and eight are children. Majro added that 119 people were wounded in Sundays attack, among them 17 children and 52 women. The tolls could still rise, he added.

Gen. Daud Amin, the Kabul police chief, said the suicide bomber targeted civilians who were registering for national identification cards.

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The large explosion echoed across the city, shattering windows kilometres away from the attack site and damaging several nearby vehicles. Police blocked all roads to the blast site, with only ambulances allowed in. Local TV stations broadcast live footage of hundreds of distraught people gathered at nearby hospitals seeking word about loved ones.

Daesh has claimed responsibility in a statement carried by its Aamaq news agency, saying it had targeted Shiite apostates.

The attack comes almost a month after another deadly attack by Daesh in which a suicide bomber carried out an attack near a Shiite shrine in Kabul that targeted attendees celebrating the Persian new year. That attack killed 31 people and wounded 65 others.

In a statement issued by the presidents office condemned Sundays attack and quoted President Ashraf Ghani as saying such terrorist attacks wont prevent people from participating in upcoming parliamentary elections.

Afghanistan will hold parliamentary elections in October and voter registration started a week ago.

Last week, three police officers responsible for guarding voter registration centres in two Afghan provinces were killed by militants, according to authorities.

Afghan security forces have struggled to prevent attacks by the Daesh affiliate as well as the more firmly established Taliban since the U.S. and NATO concluded their combat mission at the end of 2014. Both groups regularly launch attacks, with the Taliban usually targeting the government and security forces, and Daesh targeting the countrys Shiite minority.

Both groups want to establish a harsh form of Islamic rule in Afghanistan, and are opposed to democratic elections.

Elsewhere in Afghanistan, at least five people were killed when their vehicle struck a roadside bomb in the northern Baghlan province. Zabihullah Shuja, spokesperson for the provincial police chief, said four other people were wounded in Sundays blast in Puli Khomri, the provinces capital.

The Taliban routinely target security forces and government officials with roadside bombs, which often end up killing civilians.

In the northern Balkh province, a district police chief died of his wounds after being shot Saturday during a gun battle with insurgents, according to Sher Jan Durrani, spokesperson for the provincial police chief. He said around a dozen insurgents were also killed in the battle, which is still underway.

Durrani identified the slain commander as Halim Khanjar, police chief for the Char Bolak district.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the killing.

Read more about:Ontarios fast-approaching election is shaping up as a classic danger/opportunity situation for the provinces New Democrats and their leader, Andrea Horwath.

Danger, because they risk being squeezed out in a classic show-down between Kathleen Wynnes Liberals and Doug Fords rising Progressive Conservatives.

Opportunity, because voters distaste for both of the above might just allow the Ontario NDP to make significant gains.

Whichever scenario becomes reality will depend very much on how the campaign unfolds between now and June 7. And so far the NDP is off to a good start with an election platform that has the virtue of being unambiguously progressive.

Pharmacare for basic drugs? Check. Expanded dental care? Check. Universal subsidized daycare? Check. More money for hospitals and schools? Check.

The New Democrats have clearly decided to outbid the Liberals for voters who believe now is the time to expand government, not shrink it, and fear the impact of a government led by Premier Doug Ford.

The Ontario NDP deserves credit, as well, for proposing to do this in a way that is at least relatively responsible from a fiscal point of view.

Its big promises would cost many more billions of dollars, and thats clear from the 98-page platform it released last week.

But the party wouldnt put all of that on the provincial credit card. It proposes to cover part of the extra cost by doing what a social-democratic party should do in the current circumstances: raise taxes on those who can most afford it.

Specifically, it would put an extra percentage point of tax on incomes over $220,000 and two points on those above $300,000. By doing that, along with raising the provinces corporate tax rate from 11.5 per cent to 13 per cent, it plans to keep the provinces budget deficit below the levels predicted by the Liberal government.

That makes sense. Theres nothing inherently progressive about running bigger and bigger deficits. New Democrats used to point to the example of the sainted Tommy Douglas, who produced 17 balanced budgets during his 17 years as premier of Saskatchewan. He always said taxpayers dollars should be spent on improving services, not sent to the banks to pay interest on debt.

Raising taxes is never popular, especially on the eve of an election. But the Ontario NDP should get extra marks for being honest about its intentions, and for refusing to simply pile on more debt to cover the entire cost of its promises. Thats especially important when the big credit rating agencies are starting to sound alarms about the provinces debt burden and the added interest expense that comes along with that.

All that being said, the NDP is asking voters to swallow a lot when it promises to cut hydro bills by a whopping 30 per cent.

This stretches credulity to the breaking point. Blaming rising hydro bills on the privatization of Hydro One and profit-taking by the private sector may play well with core NDP voters but its a remarkably superficial explanation.

The Liberals made their share of mistakes in the energy sector, but they did tackle some of the major challenges in that area. They tried to come to grips with the environmental challenge by phasing out dirty coal-generated power and encouraging clean alternatives. And they reinvested heavily in the energy system after many years of neglect by previous governments.

Those are expensive but necessary ventures, and the cost showed up on hydro bills. The NDP has no magic wand that will make those problems disappear, and voters are kidding themselves if they believe theres an easy and environmentally responsible way to slash the price of electricity.

In fact, its disappointing that the extensive NDP platform contains so little about the environment and climate change (just a couple of pages out of almost 100). For a progressive party, in particular, energy shouldnt be just about making sure consumers pay the lowest possible price. That has to be balanced against longer-term goals of sustainability.

Thats a hard conversation to have in a campaign dominated by a PC leader who offers little more than simplistic sound-bites. But it does have the merit of being true.

Read more about:No one understands the power of populism like a progressive populist.

Jerry Brown has been there. As the iconic governor of California  now in his fourth term  Brown understands the vagaries of politics, the volatility of public opinion, and the venality of powerful interests.

He ran (and lost) insurgent campaigns for the presidency, but he has dominated California politics longer than anyone alive. Now, at age 80, he is in the fight of his life  or, as he puts it, whats left of it.

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Not just his fight, our fight. Not just Californias battle, but Ontarios war to win or lose.

The governor has harnessed his power as a populist-environmentalist to lead the crusade against global warming  by pushing back against the climate-denier-in-chief in the White House. But he fears Donald Trumps thinking is contaminating Ontario, just as the poison of carbon infects the province.

It would be a tragedy if Ontario attempts to go backward, Brown warns in an interview.

There is an obligation to reduce carbon poison in the economy of Canada and the economy of the world  were all in it together, he tells me, after inviting me to hop in his car for the ride to the legislature where he will meet Lt.-Gov. Elizabeth Dowdeswell (herself an expert on global warming).

Time is a-wasting.

But the environmental times are a-changing in Ontario, and Brown can feel the chill wind blowing north over global warming. He worries that if voters here follow Americas lead by electing an anti-environmental leader, Ontario will change course on climate change  and leave California out in the cold.

Which is why he flew to Toronto this week seeking help for his counterattack against the U.S. presidents policies. Brown came, he saw, but he didnt quite conquer.

In fact, he barely got an audience. In an unprecedented move, the opposition Progressive Conservatives refused to let Brown address the legislature.

Given that California boasts the worlds sixth largest economy and is a major trading partner at a time of NAFTA upheaval, the snub came as a surprise. Instead of addressing MPPs from all parties, Brown encountered a province poised to vote in a new premier, Doug Ford, who vows to dismantle Ontarios cap and trade alliance with California and who has suspended his own Progressive Conservative Partys recent promise of a carbon tax.

Brown, who launched his career by campaigning against corrupt insiders and entrenched elites, is awake to the perils of populism gone awry  there and here. In a public speech after meeting Premier Kathleen Wynne, he warned Ontarians to be wary of Americas experiment with Trump.

He wants to get the message out that California is leading the charge against Trump, and that Canadians have joined hands with his state in a linked, market-based cap and trade program to lower greenhouse gas emissions at the lowest possible cost to the private sector. It was a Republican idea, embraced by his predecessor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, as the best way to achieve their bipartisan environmental goals.

Until Trump stood in the way. Brown worries that may happen here with the sudden Progressive Conservative promise to axe a carbon tax.

Is this the party position now? the governor asks me incredulously. Well, I mean, theyre following Trump.

Until recently, Ontarios four major political parties, like the two major parties in California, shared a non-partisan consensus on fighting climate change through carbon pricing. All that changed when Ford renounced his own partys election platform, doing everything in his power to do nothing about global warming.

Brown points out that daily changes in the price of gasoline dwarf the cost of cap and trade or a carbon tax  amounting to mere pennies at the pump. But if a populist keeps telling people theyre being ripped off, people will fall for it.

I think it can be just propaganda. If you say something over and over again, its like the Big Lie, he muses in our interview.

Removing cap and trade is political snake oil because no one will notice any tax relief in the future. Even were they to be successful I dont think they will see one dollar in their pocket, so its kind of a consumer fraud.

It takes a populist to know a populist. Brown, who has bounced back from political setbacks, believes people will wake up to what he calls an existential environmental challenge.

I would say this: If they think Trump is the saviour  you can go off the cliff, but then the rebound for the opposite will be all the stronger, so I would say it will be a very temporary deviation.

Brown believes the Trump tide will be turned back, whether or not it seeps across the border to Ontario. But he bats away a question about his environmental legacy, recalling a recurring line in his speeches:

This isnt for me, the aging governor likes to say. Im going to be dead. Its for you.

Martin Regg Cohn is a columnist based in Toronto covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @reggcohn is a columnist based in Toronto covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @reggcohn

Read more about:Below is a copy of article to be published this evening on Leimberg Information Services: Floridas version of the Uniform Directed Trust A...For AIADMK cadres, former chief minister Jayalalithaa was their 'amma' (mother), their eternal leader. But her successor and the incumbent Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palanisami has gone a step further, trying to establish himself as god (sami).

This week, Tamil cinemagoers, who rushed into theatres, which were shut down due to a 48-day-long strike, were in for surprise. A two-minute government advertisement was displayed on the screens before the movie commenced. The advertisement, released by the Tamil Nadu Film Chamber, lionised the deflating Palanisami administration, dubbing it the peoples government. The two-minute video, that has gone viral, shows a young woman in a wheelchair reaching a temple. The girl, who is the beneficiary of a government job, goes in to offer prayers. She performs archanai, a ritualistic offering for the gods. Another woman enters, telling the girl that her victory was an encouragement and inspiration for disabled people everywhere. In whose name should the archanai be performed, the priest asks the girl. The offering should not be in her name, she says, but in the name of sami. Sami does not mean god. To me, the god is our Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palanisami. The archanai is in his name. At these words, a large section of the audience in the theatre guffawed in surprise and amusement.

As the theatres opened after a long strike, people poured into watch movies; this was, sources say, a big opportunity for the state government to project its works. Of late, the administration has been reeling under several protests, and various contentious issues like Cauvery water board and sex scandals. Palanisamis government is widely considered non-performing by economic experts and political observers in the state. Even when Jayalalithaa was in power, her governments welfare schemes were played in the theatres as advertisements; she branded herself 'amma' and the 'saviour of Tamils'. She was even called 'Cauvery thai' (mother of Cauvery), for getting the Cauvery River Water Tribunal order published in the government gazette.

In a state like Tamil Nadu, cinema heroes are accorded a demi-god status. But Palanisami has gone a step further, and this latest advertisement has become fodder for social media memes and trolls. Palanisami was once the PWD minister in Jayalalithaas government, brought in as chief minister by AIADMKs jailed leader V.K. Sasikala. Palanisami is the third chief minister in this AIADMK regime, after Jayalalithaa and O. Panneerselvam.In the biggest crackdown in four decades in Maharashtra, security forces on Sunday gunned down at least 16 Maoists including some women in Gadchiroli district, an official said.

Among those killed were at least a couple of high-ranking unit commanders.

A fierce gunfight took place in a thickly forested area between the Maoists and security forces in which the rebels suffered huge reverses, according to the official.

The official said the gunfight took place in the Boria jungles on the border of Bhamragad-Etapalli taluka.

At around 7 am, a C-60 squad of police commandos was launching an anti-Maoist combing operations when they were suddenly attacked by the Maoists hidden there.

The police retaliated with firing and the bloody gunbattle continued for over five hours till 11 am.

"So far, we have recovered 16 bodies of Maoists including some women. The search operation is continuing in the forests to recover more bodies if any. The process is on to identify them," the official told IANS.

Officials believe that an entire active Dalam (unit) may have been wiped out in the gunfight along with its high-ranking commanders and other most-wanted Maoists.

Sunday's is the single biggest police action against Maoists in the past 38 years since the birth of the Naxalite movement in the district.

As it continued to spread in the region, adjoining districts like Chandrapur and spilled over to neighbouring states in central India, the police deployed specialist trained forces to tackle the growing menace.

In 2013, police eliminated six Maoists in Govindgaon in Aheri taluka. In December 2017, police killed seven Maoists in the forest of Kallade in Sironcha taluka.The Congress on Sunday hit out at the BJP for "defending" Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and said the latter should consider recusing himself from judicial and administrative work till he was cleared of the charge of "misbehaviour".

"If his (CJI) own conduct is under a cloud, should he not consider recusing himself from performing judicial and administrative duties and submit himself to an inquiry so that the high office and his individual integrity are cleared or the process of law is followed in an appropriate manner," Congress spokesperson Rajdeep Surjewala told a press conference in New Delhi.

"... the highest (law) officer of the country, an officer who is head of India's judiciary, an officer who heads the final temple of justice, an officer to whom people go to seek justice... Caesar's wife must be above suspicion. And that's why we have left it to his (CJI) conscience," he added.

"This will ensure that the process of law is followed in an appropriate manner."

In an unprecedented move, 64 members of the Rajya Sabha belonging to seven parties led by the Congress on Friday submitted an impeachment motion for the removal of the Chief Justice on five grounds of "misbehaviour".

Surjewala's remarks came in the wake of media reports that the CJI had decided not to recuse himself from administrative and judicial work in the Supreme Court.

Hitting out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Surjewala said the ruling party was compromising the position and office of the Chief Justice as a neutral arbitrator and head of the judiciary and the ruling party was doing a great disservice to the independence of the Indian judicial system.

"Does the CJI belong to a political party, ruling or otherwise? Does the CJI have to be defended by political parties or ministers in the government? Is it not a disservice to the CJI office? They are compromising the position and office of the CJI," Surjewala said.

He said Chief Justice Misra must tell the BJP not to politicise his high office and not to politicise the impeachment motion.

Vivek Tankha, chairman of the Congress' legal department, said, "He is the Chief Justice of India. He should voluntarily submit to any probe. He should regain public faith. Till then, he should think whether he should work as a Judge or not."

He maintained that the impeachment motion was not meant to insult or lower his dignity but to take the allegation against him to its logical conclusion.

Another Congress leader and senior advocate K.T.S. Tulsi said the nature of charges against the CJI was so serious that an enquiry should be ordered at the earliest.

"The enquiry will be able to protect the dignity of the office of the Chief Justice of India. If no enquiry is held, it will cause much greater damage to the Supreme Court prestige," Tulsi said.As the Congress awaits the decision of Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu on an impeachment notice moved by it and other parties, against Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, it is considering moving the Supreme Court if the petition is rejected, party leaders said.

They said if the upper house chairman did not find merit in the notice for the impeachment, the decision could call for a judicial review.

"The chairman's decision is open to being challenged. It is bound to go for a judicial review," said a Congress leader.

The Congress was also trying to build up "moral pressure" on the Chief Justice of India in the hope that he would step aside from judicial duty if an impeachment motion was moved against him.

Judges who faced impeachment had earlier stepped aside from judicial work and the Chief Justice should do the same, a party leader said.

"It is only a convention, though there is no legal or constitutional bar (on this)," the leader said.

The Congress also hoped that the decision on the motion would be taken soon.

"He (the RS Chairman) cannot sit on it indefinitely, though there is no deadline laid out in the Constitution," a legal expert said, citing the case of an anti-defection law where the court had said it should be decided within a "reasonable" time-frame.

Meanwhile, an official in Parliament stressed that making public the contents of a notice before it was admitted violated Parliamentary rules.

This assumes significance in the wake of the seven opposition parties, led by the Congress, initiating an unprecedented step last week for the impeachment of CJI Misra by moving a notice levelling several charges against him.

According to the provisions in the handbook for Rajya Sabha members, no advance publicity should be given to any notice to be taken up in the house till it is admitted by the chairman.

"A notice for raising a matter in the house should not be given publicity by any member or other person until it has been admitted by the chairman and circulated by members. A member should not raise the issue of a notice given by him and pending consideration of the chairman," according to Rule 2.2 of Parliamentary Customs and Conventions in the handbook.

A retired Lok Sabha official said the same rule also applied to the lower house as it was listed under rule 334A of the procedure and conduct of its business.

The notice has been referred by Naidu to Rajya Sabha Secretariat officials, who are preparing the file and identified this violation, the official said.

According to the senior official in Parliament, a bulletin issued by the Rajya Sabha on December 8, 2017, reiterates the rule under parliamentary customs and conventions.

Leaders of the opposition parties had met Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, who is also the chairman of the Rajya Sabha, and handed over the notice of impeachment bearing the signatures of 64 MPs and seven former members, who had recently retired.Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a summit meeting in China from April 27 to 28 to improve bilateral relations, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced in Beijing on Sunday.

Prime Minister Modi will be visiting the central Chinese city of Wuhan at the invitation of President Xi, Wang said at a joint media event, with visiting External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj after their talks.

Swaraj is in China for talks with Wang, and to take part in the two-day meeting of foreign ministers of the eight-nation Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) from Monday.

Informed sources told PTI that it will be an informal summit meeting between Xi and Modi during which both leaders will try to work out a new paradigm for the bilateral ties bogged down with a host of disputes and differences.

This will be fourth visit of Modi to China after he came to power in 2014. He is due to visit China again to take part in the SCO summit to be held at Qingdao city on June 9-10.

The Modi-Xi summit meeting is taking place in the backdrop of series of high level interactions between both the two countries, starting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang's visit to India in December, the first after Dokalam stand-off.

It was followed by two meetings between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi, and the visit early this year by Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale to Beijing.

The two countries also held 11th Joint Economic Group meeting and the fifth Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) in Beijing recently.A six-year-old girl was raped in Odisha's Cuttack district, following which a man has been arrested, police said on Sunday.

The girl is in critical condition and admitted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack after she was found unconscious in a school compound in Salipur area on Saturday night.

The accused, Mohammad Mustaq, a neighbour, has been arrested, the police said.

The girl was reported missing after she went to a shop near Jagannathpur Nodal Upper Primary school to buy chocolates around 6 pm on Saturday. As she did not return home, her family searched for her, but to no avail.

Later, she was found unconscious in the school around 7.30 pm.

"The accused lured her away with a chocolate. After raping her on the school premises, he attempted to kill her by throttling her," Salipur sub-divisional police officer P.K. Jena told IANS.

Health Minister Pratap Jena visited the hospital.

"A team of 13 doctors has been set up to treat the girl, who is in the Intensive Care Unite. Whether the girl was raped or not will be known after reports are received from various departments. However, the girl has several injuries on her body," the Minister said.The adage that failures can teach many lessons seems quite...Intro

Greetings! I am a political scientist , specializing in International Relations , my research and teaching focus on ethnic conflict and civil-military relations . I watch way too much TV, and I like movies as well so I tend to write about both and find IR stuff in pop culture. I rant alot about American politics and sometimes about Canadian politics. I like to take ideas I once learned a long time ago and apply them to whatever strikes my fancy.

A US push to change the Iran nuclear deal was sending a very dangerous message that countries should never negotiate with Washington, Irans foreign minister warned as US and North Korean leaders prepare to meet for denuclearisation talks.

Speaking to reporters in New York on Saturday, Mohammad Javad Zarif also said that for French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel to try to appease the president (Donald Trump) would be an exercise in futility.

Trump will decide by May 12 whether to restore US economic sanctions on Tehran, which would be a severe blow to the 2015 pact between Iran and six major powers. He has pressured European allies to work with Washington to fix the deal.

Macron and Merkel are both due to meet with Trump in Washington this week.

The United States has not only failed to implement its side (of the deal), but is even asking for more, said Zarif, who is in New York to attend a UN General Assembly meeting.

Thats a very dangerous message to send to people of Iran but also to the people of the world - that you should never come to an agreement with the United States because at the end of the day the operating principle of the United States is whats mine is mine, whats yours is negotiable, he said.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said earlier this month that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has looked at the Iran deal, hes seen what he can get and hes seen how he can push through loopholes and were not going to let that happen again.

Under the Iran nuclear deal, Tehran agreed to curb its nuclear program in return for relief from economic sanctions. Trumps predecessor, Barack Obama, struck the pact to try to keep Iran from building a nuclear weapon but Trump believes it has disastrous flaws.

Zarif said if Washington leaves the deal, there were many options being considered by Tehran, including complaining through a dispute mechanism set up by the agreement or simply leaving the deal by restarting its nuclear activities.

We will make a decision based on our national security interests when the times comes. But whatever that decision will be, it wont be very pleasant to the United States, he said.

When asked if Iran could stay in the deal with the remaining parties, Zarif said: I believe thats highly unlikely because it is important for Iran to received the benefits of the agreement and there was no way Iran would do a one-sided implementation of the agreement.

Iran has always said its nuclear program was only for peaceful purposes and Zarif said if Tehran resumed its nuclear activities it would not be intended to get a bomb.

America never should have feared Iran producing a nuclear bomb, but we will pursue vigorously our nuclear enrichment. If they want to fear anything its up to them, Zarif said.

ReutersThe following companies are subsidiares of Sysco: 2234829 Alberta ULC, 2234842 Alberta ULC, A. M. Briggs Inc., A.M. Briggs, Almacen Fiscal Frionet Caldera S.A., Almacen Fiscal Frionet Limon S.A., Appert's Foodservice, Arnotts (Fruit) Limited, Asian Foods, Bahamas Food Holdings Limited, Bahamas Food Services Limited, Brake Bros, Brake Bros Foodservice Ireland Limited, Brake Bros. Foodservice Limited, Brake Bros. Holding I Limited, Brake Bros. Ltd., Brakes Foodservice NI Limited, Buchy Food Service, Buckhead Beef Co., Buckhead Meat & Seafood of Houston Inc., Buckhead Meat Company, Buckhead Meat Midwest Inc., Buckhead Meat of Dallas Inc., Buckhead Meat of Denver Inc., Buckhead Meat of San Antonio LP, Buzztable Inc., CAKE Corporation, Central Seafood Co., Christys Wine & Spirits Limited, Clafra Aktiebolag, Colorado Boxed Beef Co - Specialty meat-cutting division, Corporacion Frionet Sociedad Anonima, Crossgar Foodservice, Crossgar Foodservice Limited, Crown I Enterprises Inc., Cucina Acquisitions (UK) Limited, Cucina Finance (UK) Limited, Cucina French Holdings Limited, Cucina Fresh Finance Limited, Cucina Fresh Investments Limited, Cucina Lux Investments Limited, Curleys Quality Foods Limited (Third Party), Davigel Belgilux S.A., Davigel Espana S.A., Desert Meats & Provisions, Distagro, Doerle Food Service, Doughtie's Foods Inc., Dust Bowl City LLC, Eko Fagel Fisk o mittemellan AB, Enclave Insurance Company, Enclave Parkway Association Inc., Enclave Properties LLC, European Imports, European Imports Inc., Figg Inc., Freedman Meats, Freedman Meats Inc., Freedman-KB Inc., Fresh Direct (UK) Limited, Fresh Direct Group Limited, Fresh Direct Limited, Fresh Holdings Limited, FreshPoint, FreshPoint Arizona Inc., FreshPoint Atlanta Inc., FreshPoint California Inc., FreshPoint Central California Inc., FreshPoint Central Florida Inc., FreshPoint Connecticut LLC, FreshPoint Dallas Inc., FreshPoint Denver Inc., FreshPoint Hawaii LLC, FreshPoint Inc., FreshPoint Las Vegas Inc., FreshPoint North Carolina Inc., FreshPoint North Florida Inc., FreshPoint Oklahoma City LLC, FreshPoint Pompano Real Estate LLC, FreshPoint Puerto Rico LLC, FreshPoint San Francisco Inc., FreshPoint South Florida Inc., FreshPoint South Texas Inc., FreshPoint Southern California Inc., FreshPoint Tomato LLC, FreshPoint Vancouver Ltd., Freshfayre Limited, Fruktservice i Helsingborg AB, GHS Classic Drinks Limited, Gilchrist & Soames Inc., Gilchrist & Soames UK Limited, Guest Packaging LLC, Guest Supply, Guest Supply Asia Limited, Guest Supply Singapore Pte. Ltd., International Food Group, Isakssons Frukt & Gront AB, J & M Wholesale Meats, J. Kings Food Service Professionals, J. Kings Food Service Professionals Inc., Kent Frozen Foods, Les Ateliers Du Gout, Liquid Assets Limited, M&J Seafood Holdings Limited, M&J Seafood Limited, Manchester Mills LLC, Mayca Autoservicio S.A., Mayca Distribuidores S.A., Menigo Foodservice AB, Mitshim Etatu Supply LP, Newport Meat Company, Newport Meat Northern California Inc., Newport Meat Pacific Northwest Inc., Newport Meat Southern California Inc., Newport Meat of Nevada Inc., North Star Holding Corporation, North Star Seafood, North Star Seafood Acquisition Corporation, North Star Seafood LLC, PFS de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Palisades Ranch Inc., Pallas Foods, Pallas Foods Farm Fresh Unlimited Company, Pallas Foods Unlimited Company, Pauleys Produce Limited, Promotora del Servicios S.A. de C.V., Restaurangakdemien AB, Restaurant of Tomorrow Inc., Rohan Viandes Elaboration SAS, SMS Bermuda Holdings, SMS GPC International Limited, SMS GPC International Resources Limited, SMS Global Holdings S.a.r.l., SMS International Resources Ireland Unlimited Company, SMS Lux Holdings LLC, SOTF LLC, SYY Netherlands C.V., SYY Panama S. de R.L., Serca Foodservice, Servicestyckarna I Johannes AB, Servicios Ameriserve S.A. de C.V., Shenzhen Guest Supply Trading Co. Limited, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) Bianchi Montegut, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) De Boiseau, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) De Garcelles, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) J.D. Lanjouan, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) Le Dauphin, Specialty Meat Holdings LLC, Stockflag Limited, Stockholms Fiskauktion AB, Supplies on the Fly, Sysco Albany LLC, Sysco Asian Foods Inc., Sysco Atlanta LLC, Sysco Autoservicio S.A., Sysco Baltimore LLC, Sysco Baraboo LLC, Sysco Bermuda Partners L.P., Sysco Boston LLC, Sysco Canada Holdings S.a.r.l., Sysco Canada Inc., Sysco Central Alabama LLC, Sysco Central California Inc., Sysco Central Florida Inc., Sysco Central Illinois Inc., Sysco Central Pennsylvania LLC, Sysco Charlotte LLC, Sysco Chicago Inc., Sysco Cincinnati LLC, Sysco Cleveland Inc., Sysco Columbia LLC, Sysco Connecticut LLC, Sysco Corporation, Sysco Corporation Director's Deferred Compensation Plan Trust, Sysco Corporation Employee's 401(k) Plan Trust, Sysco Corporation Executive Deferred Compensation Plan Trust, Sysco Corporation Good Government Committee Inc., Sysco Corporation Retirement Trust, Sysco Corporation Supplemental Executive Retirement Trust, Sysco Corporation Supplemental Unemployment Benefits Plan Trust, Sysco Detroit LLC, Sysco Disaster Relief Foundation Inc., Sysco EI VI S. s.r.l., Sysco EU II S.a.r.l., Sysco EU III S.a.r.l., Sysco EU IV Capital Unlimited Company, Sysco EU IV S. s.r.l.., Sysco EU V S. s.r.l., Sysco Eastern Maryland LLC, Sysco Eastern Wisconsin LLC, Sysco Foundation Inc., Sysco France Holding SAS, Sysco France SAS, Sysco George Town II LLC, Sysco George Town Limited S. s.r.l.., Sysco Global Finance LLC, Sysco Global Finance LLP, Sysco Global Holdings B.V., Sysco Global Resources LLC, Sysco Global Services LLC, Sysco Grand Cayman Company, Sysco Grand Cayman II Company, Sysco Grand Cayman III Company, Sysco Grand Rapids LLC, Sysco Guernsey Limited, Sysco Guest Supply Canada Inc., Sysco Guest Supply Europe Goods Wholesalers LLC, Sysco Guest Supply Europe Limited, Sysco Guest Supply LLC, Sysco Gulf Coast LLC, Sysco Hampton Roads Inc., Sysco Hawaii Inc., Sysco Holdings II LLC, Sysco Holdings LLC, Sysco Indianapolis LLC, Sysco International Food Group Inc., Sysco International Inc., Sysco Iowa Inc., Sysco Jackson LLC, Sysco Jacksonville Inc., Sysco Kansas City Inc., Sysco Knoxville LLC, Sysco Labs Europe Limited, Sysco Labs Pvt. Ltd., Sysco Leasing LLC, Sysco Lincoln Inc., Sysco Lincoln Transportation Company Inc., Sysco Long Island LLC, Sysco Los Angeles Inc., Sysco Louisville Inc., Sysco Memphis LLC, Sysco Merchandising and Supply Chain Services Canada Inc., Sysco Merchandising and Supply Chain Services Inc., Sysco Metro New York LLC, Sysco Minnesota Inc., Sysco Montana Inc., Sysco Nashville LLC, Sysco Netherlands Partners LLC, Sysco North Central Florida Inc., Sysco North Dakota Inc., Sysco Northern New England Inc., Sysco Philadelphia LLC, Sysco Pittsburgh LLC, Sysco Portland Inc., Sysco Raleigh LLC, Sysco Resources Services LLC, Sysco Riverside Inc., Sysco Sacramento Inc., Sysco San Diego Inc., Sysco San Francisco Inc., Sysco Seattle Inc., Sysco South Florida Inc., Sysco Southeast Florida LLC, Sysco Spain Holdings SLU, Sysco Spokane Inc., Sysco St. Louis LLC, Sysco Syracuse LLC, Sysco Technologies Cayman Ltd., Sysco Technologies LLC, Sysco UK Holdings Limited, Sysco UK Limited, Sysco UK Partners LLP, Sysco USA I Inc., Sysco USA II LLC, Sysco USA III LLC, Sysco Ventura Inc., Sysco Ventures Inc., Sysco Virginia LLC, Sysco West Coast Florida Inc., Sysco Western Minnesota Inc., The SYGMA Network Inc., Upsys, Victua SAS, Walker Foods Inc., Waugh Foods, and Wild Harvest Limited.Glencore plc produces, refines, processes, stores, transports, and markets metals and minerals, and energy products in the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. It operates through two segments, Marketing Activities and Industrial Activities. The company produces and markets copper, cobalt, nickel, zinc, lead, chrome ore, ferrochrome, vanadium, alumina, aluminum, tin, and iron ore. It also engages in the oil exploration/production, distribution, storage, and bunkering activities; and offers coal, crude oil and oil products, refined products, and natural gas. The company markets and distributes physical commodities sourced from third party producers and its production to industrial consumers in the battery, electronic, construction, automotive, steel, energy, and oil industries. It also provides financing, logistics, and other services to producers and consumers of commodities. The company was formerly known as Glencore Xstrata plc and changed its name to Glencore plc in May 2014. Glencore plc was founded in 1974 and is headquartered in Baar, Switzerland.

Read MoreTroy

Dozens of construction workers scramble over The News apartments in downtown Troy, working to get the 101-unit apartment building ready for its first tenants this spring.

It hasn't been easy. There's a growing shortage of skilled tradespeople that is projected to worsen. It is also being blamed for a nationwide shortage of housing.

"There's more work out there than can be handled," said Mike Choppa, director of construction for Rosenblum Companies, which is developing The News.

Labor shortages have been deepening for some time as older workers retire and young people pursue college rather than a trade.

The shortage has continued despite so-called prevailing wage laws in New York state that require publicly funded projects to pay wages equal to those in union contracts, providing workers with a middle-class living but which critics say boost the costs to taxpayers of those projects.

Home Depot this spring pledged to donate $50 million over the next decade to train 20,000 tradespeople nationwide, citing 158,000 unfilled construction jobs in the U.S.

The program is focusing on veterans and those about to leave the service, as well as at-risk youth.

Home Depot is working with the nonprofit Home Builders Institute, which has begun offering training at several military bases.

The state Labor Department predicts demand for construction workers to grow nearly 22 percent over a 10-year period through 2024, said state labor markets analyst Kevin Alexander.

The shortages exist despite attractive pay for skilled tradespeople.

An experienced brick mason or electrician can make $76,000 a year, while cement masons can bring in $80,000, according to Labor Department data.

An entry-level laborer, meanwhile, likely will earn $26,000.

The construction trades program at Questar III, the Board of Cooperative Educational Services program serving Rensselaer, Columbia and Greene counties, has seen steady enrollment, spokesman Dan Sherman said.

"Anecdotally, we always have (employers) reaching out to us" to hire graduating students, he said.

Lew Dubuque, executive vice president of the New York State Builders Association, said there's a stigma attached to pursuing a career in the trades that employers are trying to change.

More Information Times Union Job Fair The Times Union Job Fair will feature more than 60 exhibitors and recruiters including those seeking skilled blue-collar candidates. The fair is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday at the Albany Marriott hotel, 189 Wolf Road, Colonie. The event is free to job seekers. More details: timesunionjobfair.com See More Collapse

"That's the biggest struggle," Dubuque said. "We put a priority on workforce development."

Employers have reached out to area high schools to let students know what's available.

"There's a great career available as a carpenter, plumber of electrician. With an average salary of $46,000 for a carpenter, that's good money," he said.

Union locals operate apprenticeship programs, although the number of training spots available is limited, a spokeswoman for the New York State Building and Construction Trades Council said.

They also offer pre-apprenticeship programs, working with students who might consider a career in construction. The apprenticeship training is free, lasting four to six years.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

Upon completion, tradespeople can be assured a middle-class wage, she said.

The council also says that skilled trades people are mobile and can travel to places where there's a shortage, citing the construction of the massive GlobalFoundries semiconductor plant that drew workers from surrounding states.

Publicly funded projects in New York typically are required to pay a prevailing wage, on par with what union jobs pay and well above the minimum wage.

Critics have said the measure has boosted public projects' construction costs by billions of dollars a year.

"Prevailing wages is sort of a sore issue with us," Dubuque said. "With the homebuilders, your number one priority is affordability."

Each $1,000 increase in price, he said, leaves another 650 would-be buyers in the Capital Region unable to afford a house.

With a labor shortage, fewer houses are being built, likely boosting prices and perhaps cutting into demand for products Home Depot provides.

The Home Depot Foundation has been developing the training commitment over a couple of years to address the labor shortage and help train veterans and servicemen and women, spokeswoman Christina Cornell said Friday.

The program will soon be rolled out to military bases nationwide.

Later, it will be introduced in schools.

"We want to bring shop class back, from coast-to-coast," said Shannon Gerber, the foundation's executive director.

eanderson@timesunion.com  518-454-5323Are doctors to blame for opioid crisis? New Yorkers think so New Yorkers also blame pharma, government, and individual moral failings for epidemic

Are doctors to blame for opioid crisis? New Yorkers think so New Yorkers also blame pharma, government, and individual moral failings for epidemic

A large number of New Yorkers believe doctors are to blame for the opioid epidemic gripping their communities and nation, according to a Siena College poll released Sunday.

In a poll of nearly 1,400 New Yorkers taken in February, 53 percent said doctors who overprescribed opioids and allowed patients access to too many painkillers were "very responsible" for the current crisis. The pharmaceutical companies that promoted the drugs without fully warning of their addictive qualities were also to blame, according to 51 percent of survey takers.

"With no ambiguity about opioid abuse being a public health crisis, New Yorkers hold many groups responsible for the current epidemic," said Siena College Research Institute Director Don Levy.

Results from the same survey released last week found that more than half of New Yorkers have been touched by the opioid crisis, and one in four know someone who's died from opioid abuse.

Doctors and groups representing them take issue with the widespread public perception that they're to blame, though many admit that physicians undoubtedly played a role.

To be sure, New Yorkers held others accountable too: 37 percent believe the government didn't sufficiently regulate prescription painkillers; 34 percent blame the moral failings of individuals; 30 percent say a lack of public awareness programs, increasing socioeconomic issues and insufficient attention from federal law enforcement played a role; and 24 percent laid the blame with local law enforcement.

But when asked to pick a single contributor they believe is most responsible for the current crisis, most (26 percent) picked doctors who overprescribed.

"Clearly, the drugs came from somewhere and someone had to write the prescriptions, so without a doubt we are a part of this," said Thomas Madejski, president of the Medical Society of the State of New York, which represents the interests of both patients and physicians.

The opioid epidemic that's now killing 175 Americans a day has roots as far back as the 1980s, experts say, when government loosened restrictions around prescribing pain medication and began encouraging physicians to measure and treat pain as the "fifth vital sign."

"Opiates were the obvious way to treat pain," said Eric Schnakenberg, a physician with Community Care Family Medicine in Clifton Park. "We knew they could be addictive, but I don't think anyone knew at what quantity that addiction would start. If you broke your leg, would 50 oxycodones be sufficient to get you through recovery? Would 60 be the point where you started having problems? We didn't know."

By the late '90s and early 2000s, an increasing number of hospitals and physicians were being rated based on patient satisfaction and comfort. Where once opioids were used to reduce extreme pain in dying or chronically ill patients, there was more incentive than ever to prescribe them to patients after injuries and surgeries,

But doctors don't deserve the brunt of the blame, said Schnakenberg, who added that moral failings and government regulations also played a role.

While New York was relatively strict about monitoring prescriptions, other states had lax regulations in place when it came to monitoring who was getting the drugs and how much, he said. In 2013, in response to the growing epidemic, New York tightened its monitoring with the implementation of the Internet System for Tracking Over Prescribing (I-STOP), as did a number of other states.

"It quickly dried up what I'll call the 'legal' supply of drugs in the market  pills stolen from grandparents and medicine cabinets," said David Shippee, president and CEO of Whitney M. Young, Jr. Health Services. "And I don't think anyone, from a public policy perspective, really thought through the implications of that."

With supply down, drug dealers stepped in to meet the increased demand  though some theorize this would have happened regardless of prescription monitoring. Heroin, a cheaper and illegal opioid, soon flooded the streets. In recent years, the emergence of powerful synthetic opioids like fentanyl and carfentanyl laced into these drugs have been blamed for a sharp uptick in overdose deaths. Fentanyl, which the DEA says is roughly 50 times stronger than heroin, is typically prescribed to help manage pain in cancer patients. Carfentanyl, about 100 times more powerful than fentanyl, is not approved for use in humans and is used to tranquilize large animals, including elephants.

As the deaths continue to rise, two-thirds of New Yorkers don't believe government is doing enough, the Siena poll found.

When asked what government should do, 85 percent of New Yorkers said it should incorporate more drug abuse prevention programs in schools; 83 percent want more funding for treatment and rehabilitation, and education for the general public; 82 percent believe there should be better communication among law enforcement, medical institutions, treatment facilities and insurance providers; 79 percent want more funding for law enforcement; and 77 percent want more severe sentences for drug traffickers.

Part 2: Results from the Siena College Research Institute survey conducted in February 2018 as part of the "Prescription for Progress: United against opioid addiction" initiative. Part 2: Results from the Siena College Research Institute survey conducted in February 2018 as part of the "Prescription for Progress: United against opioid addiction" initiative. Photo: Jeff Boyer / Times Union Photo: Jeff Boyer / Times Union Image 1 of / 30 Caption Close Are doctors to blame for opioid crisis? New Yorkers think so 1 / 30 Back to Gallery

If they could pick just one thing to spend state money on, 25 percent of New Yorkers picked treatment and rehabilitation, while 22 percent want the root causes of addiction addressed, 19 percent want public education and awareness, 18 percent want litigation and regulation against those responsible for the crisis, and 16 percent want the criminal justice system to handle it.

"There is no one solution," said John McDonald III, a local pharmacist and state Assembly member.

In addition to education and law enforcement, he and others believe part of the solution lies in how society views addiction.

Moral failings may have led someone to abuse a substance in the first place, but once addicted, their ability to stop is no longer a matter of willpower but brain chemistry, and the science backs that up. Addiction is a brain disease, and it can be treated. But it will likely require lifelong upkeep.

"At a time in our nation's history when addiction is at its highest, we have the lowest workforce to treat it and an underpaid one at that," McDonald said. "We need to invest in that workforce with the full understanding that we are developing careers ... to do otherwise is just a disservice to the public."

Siena is releasing the results of its first-ever survey on the opioid crisis in batches. The first batch was released last week. The third and fourth batch will be released in coming weeks.

bbump@timesunion.com  518-454-5387  @bethanybumpNew Delhi

India's government on Saturday approved of the death penalty for people convicted of raping children under 12, responding to widespread outrage over the recent rape and killing of a young girl and other attacks on children.

An order was approved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Cabinet and was being sent to the president for his approval, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.

It will require the approval of Parliament within six months to become law. But in the meantime, suspects can be prosecuted under the order.

The move follows widespread outrage over the recent rape and killing of an 8-year-old girl in India's Jammu-Kashmir state, the alleged rape of a girl by a ruling party lawmaker in Uttar Pradesh state and several other rape cases involving girls in the country.

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Many protesters expressed particular anger at India's ruling Hindu nationalist party for initially siding with the accused in the Kashmir case. The young victim was a Muslim and the accused are Hindus.

A total of at least nine suspects, including a lawmaker from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and four police officials, have been arrested in the Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh cases.About 1,500 friends and family honored and remembered the life of former first lady, Barbara Bush with an emotional funeral service at the St. Martin's Episcopal Church in Houston on Saturday.

Many paid tribute to the Bush family matriarch by dressing in blue or wearing pearls, but the most touching tribute was from her husband, George H.W. Bush.Montgomery, Ala.

Elmore Bolling defied the odds against black men and built several successful businesses during the harsh era of Jim Crow segregation in the South. He had more money than a lot of whites, which his descendants believe was all it took to get him lynched in 1947.

He was shot to death by a white neighbor, according to news accounts at the time, and the shooter was never prosecuted.

But Bolling's name is now listed among thousands on a new memorial for victims of hate-inspired lynchings that terrorized generations of U.S. blacks. Daughter Josephine Bolling McCall is eager to see the monument, located 20 miles from where her father was killed in rural Lowndes County.

The National Memorial for Peace and Justice, opening Thursday, is a project of the nonprofit Equal Justice Initiative, a legal advocacy group in Montgomery. The organization says the combined museum and memorial will be the nation's first site to document racial inequality in America from slavery through Jim Crow to the issues of today.

"In the American South, we don't talk about slavery. We don't have monuments and memorials that confront the legacy of lynching. We haven't really confronted the difficulties of segregation. And because of that, I think we are still burdened by that history," said EJI executive director Bryan Stevenson.

The site includes a memorial to the victims of 4,400 "terror lynchings" of black people in 800 U.S. counties from 1877 through 1950. All but about 300 were in the South, and prosecutions were rare in any of the cases. Stevenson said they emphasized the lynching era because he believes it's an aspect of the nation's racial history that's discussed the least.

"Most people in this country can't name a single African-American who was lynched between 1877 and 1950 even though thousands of African Americans were subjected to this violence," Stevenson said.

The organization said a common theme ran through the slayings, which it differentiates from extrajudicial killings in places that simply lacked courts: A desire to impose fear on minorities and maintain strict white control. Some lynchings drew huge crowds and were even photographed, yet authorities routinely ruled they were committed by "persons unknown."

McCall, 75, said her father's killing still hangs over her family. The memorial could help heal individual families and the nation by acknowledging the painful legacy of racial murders, she said.

"It's important that the people to whom the injustices have been given are actually being recognized and at least some measure  some measure  of relief is sought through discussion," McCall said.

Combined, the memorial and an accompanying museum a few miles away at the Equal Justice Initiative headquarters tell a story spanning slavery, racial segregation, violence and today's era of swollen prison populations. With nearly 7 million people behind bars or on parole or probation nationwide  a disproportionate number of them minorities  the NAACP says blacks are incarcerated at a rate five times that of whites.

E.M. Beck, who studied lynching for 30 years and has written books on the subject, said the memorial might actually understate the scope of lynching even though it lists thousands of victims.

"I think it's an underestimate because the number and amount of violence in early Reconstruction in the 1870s will probably never be known. There was just an incredible amount of violence taking place during that period of time," said Beck, sociology professor emeritus at the University of Georgia.

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The memorial's design evokes the image of a racist hanging, featuring scores of dark metal columns suspended in the air from above. The rectangular structures, some of which lie flat on the ground and resemble graves, include the names of counties where lynchings occurred, plus dates and the names of the victims. The goal is for individual counties to claim the columns on the ground and erect their own memorials.

Not all lynchings were by hanging. The Equal Justice Initiative says it scoured old newspapers, archives and court documents to find the stories of victims who were gunned down, drowned, beaten and burned alive. The monument is a memorial to all of them, with room for names to be added as additional victims are identified.

The monument's opening Thursday will be marked by a two-day summit focusing on racial and social justice, to be followed by a concert Friday concert featuring top acts including Common, Usher, the Dave Matthews Band and The Roots.

McCall plans to view the memorial with her five living siblings. She says they suffered more than she did, since she was only 5 when their father was slain.

A newspaper account from the time said Bolling, 39, who owned a store and trucking company and farmed, was shot seven times near his store by a white man, Clarke Luckie, who claimed Bolling had insulted his wife during a phone call.

McCall, who researched the slaying extensively for a book about her father, said it's more likely that Luckie, a stockyard employee, resented her father, who had thousands of dollars in the bank and three tractor-trailer rigs and employed 40 people.

"He was jealous and he filled him with bullets," she said.Tokyo

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has finally broken his silence on what he plans to bring to the table during his summits with the South Korean and U.S. presidents, and it doesn't have a whole lot to do with tossing out his hard-won nuclear arsenal.

Instead, Kim appears to be maneuvering toward his own big "get"  the chance to sit down with President Donald Trump on an essentially equal basis as the head of a nuclear-armed nation. The end of North Korea's nuclear program, meanwhile, isn't looking any closer than it was before.

Ending weeks of ominous silence from Pyongyang, Kim laid out the new strategy at a meeting Friday of his ruling party's Central Committee that suspends underground nuclear tests and test-launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles. He also said the country's nuclear test site at Punggye-ri, already believed to be essentially inoperable, will be closed and "dismantled."

North Korea for decades has been pushing a concept of denuclearization that bears no resemblance to the American definition, vowing to keep pursuing nuclear development unless Washington offers ironclad guarantees of its security and removes its nearly 30,000 troops from the Korean Peninsula.

This time around, Kim seems to be more flexible than he had been previously regarding the troops. His latest statement also echoed Pyongyang's hope for security assurances and for the day when the world will have no nuclear weapons.

But it also unapologetically stressed that his country is now a nuclear power, and the message between the lines is that the United States should simply accept that and treat him as an equal.

Kim praised his policy of developing nuclear weapons as a "miraculous" success." A resolution passed by the committee afterward went on to explicitly state North Korea's promise to be a responsible nuclear power that would never use nuclear weapons "unless there are nuclear threats and nuclear provocations" against it.

Even so, the announcement, which also stressed Kim's desire to turn his focus to economic development, played very well in world capitals.

Trump immediately took to Twitter to praise the announcement as "very good news for North Korea and the World." Seoul and Beijing welcomed it. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a hard-liner on North Korea, tried to keep his response positive, though he stressed the need for vigilance to see what happens in the coming months.

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For sure, Kim's tone has changed.

Just last year, about the only messages coming out of Pyongyang were vitriolic threats of merciless retaliation and warnings of the gathering dark clouds of nuclear war. Now, Kim is claiming he can be more magnanimous because "a fresh climate of detente and peace is being created on the Korean Peninsula and the region and dramatic changes are being made in the international political landscape," according to the North's state-run media, which reported the announcement on Saturday.

There is also a lot of room for positive results to come from Kim's summits with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, set for next Friday, and Trump, expected in late May or early June.

The North and South may agree to allow more reunions for families divided by the 1950-53 Korean War. Kim is reportedly open to releasing three Americans now in North Korean custody. Experts point out that this is still Kim's opening gambit.Richmond, Va.

Ryan Kelly won a Pulitzer Prize this week for his photo of a car plowing into protesters at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va.  an image he snapped on the final day of his newspaper job before leaving to work at a brewery.

The photographer has joined a growing list of journalists who have won the profession's highest honor on their way out the door of a once-thriving newspaper industry now destabilized and seriously weakened by the internet.

Kelly, 31, said he was burned out and looking for a better quality of life.

"Bad hours, bad pay, high stress, low job security ... it all just sort of built to me being ready to move on," said Kelly, who now works as digital and social media coordinator at Ardent Craft Ales in Richmond.

Like Kelly, other Pulitzer winners said deteriorating conditions in the industry drove them out.

Digital titans Facebook and Google have captured the majority of advertising that once supported local journalism, Craigslist has wreaked havoc on classifieds and free news outlets have proliferated online. Circulation has declined, and newspapers have slashed jobs and reduced benefits.

Rob Kuznia, a reporter for the Daily Breeze of Torrance, Calif., made headlines in 2015 for having left the paper by the time he won a Pulitzer for an investigation into widespread corruption in a school district.

Since then, the reporter who won with him, Rebecca Kimitch, also has departed for a public relations job.

"I was done. I just didn't have the fight in me anymore," said Kimitch, who had been a journalist for about 15 years.

Working at a local newspaper meant being asked to do more with less, she said.

"You're just on your own. That level of stress is really overwhelming, and it just takes a toll," she said.

According to an analysis from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of people employed in the newspaper publishing industry fell almost 60 percent between June 1990 and March 2016.

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At the same time, the number of people employed in internet publishing and broadcasting rose from about 30,000 to nearly 198,000.

Laurie Garrett, a former Newsday reporter who won a Pulitzer for her reporting from what was then Zaire on an Ebola outbreak and has been honored with other top industry awards, echoed Kimitch's concerns saying: "What we've lost through years and years of budget cuts and corporate takeovers and stock market dividend-seeking and so on by the news industry ... we've lost that bench."

Garrett said that when journalism was at its peak  in the 1980s and '90s, she thinks  the industry was able to hold leaders accountable. Now, some of that has fallen to activist groups like Black Lives Matter or other citizen organizations, and the media has missed important stories, she said.

"You hear the outcry all the time: Where's the media and why weren't they there?" she said.

New York hedge fund Alden Global Capital bought one of America's largest newspaper chains, which included the Denver Post. Critics say it gutted newsrooms and drained profits. A Post editorial this month criticized its owner, saying, "When newsroom owners view profits as the only goal, quality, reliability and accountability suffer."

Charleston Gazette-Mail executive editor Rob Byers was laid off by new owners in March. Byers helped oversee reporter Eric Eyre's work on West Virginia's opioid catastrophe that won a 2017 Pulitzer Prize. Byers said readers "need to be willing to pay for news."In an ever-growing market where customers want something new literally every day, you either adapt, or you perish. Guess Vauxhall chose the second option. As reported by Telegraph , Vauxhall and Opel are terminating the contracts of all 326 dealerships in Britain as they battle to deal with plunging sales and a changing market. Yes, all of them! Read on to know more:

Britain is just the tip of the iceberg

Around 1600 dealers across Europe will be given two years notice from April 30, 2018 that the manufacturer is ending its relationship with them

Its not just the Britain dealerships facing the ax. Around 1600 dealers across Europe will be given two years notice from April 30, 2018 that the manufacturer is ending its relationship with them, and proposing a new contract with about two-thirds of them, inviting them to reapply for other brands under the PSA Group. Despite the major downfall, Vauxhall would still be Britains second-largest dealer network after the restructuring. This suggests about 200 or so dealerships will remain in the UK. Interestingly, just last year the PSA group (which owns Peugeot, Citroen, and DS) bought the loss incurring Vauxhall and Opel from General Motors for 1.9 billion.

Adverse effects on employment

The consequences of this dissolution will result in 12,000 people losing their jobs.

The consequences of this dissolution will result in 12,000 people losing their jobs. but Stephen Norman, Vauxhalls UK boss, insisted that staff would not lose their jobs as a "direct result" of Vauxhalls decision to refranchise the network. "Based on 42 years experience in the industry, and having been through four of these network refranchisings, I do not expect jobs to be threatened," he said. "Nobody is being sacked. The vast majority of franchises will continue as before."

Our Take

Vauxhall-Opel saw their sales graphs dip heavily in Britain last year.

Vauxhall-Opel saw their sales graphs dip heavily in Britain last year. They managed to sell just 195,000 cars compared to the 250,000 units sold in 2016. In comparison, Volkswagen sold almost the same number of cars with 200 dealers! This clearly shows that having 320-odd dealerships in a single country is a recipe for failure. In retrospect, manufacturers are getting out of their comfort zones to sustain - like Toyota getting into performance hatches, luxury brands taking the EV route, etc. - but Vauxhall and Opel succumbed to the pressure as they had no new, interesting product in their line-up. The move to downsize is not related to the UKs decision to quit the EU; as the Vauxhall CEO said, it was "something that would happen with or without Brexit". Given the fierce competition nowadays, could we see any other company going through this? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

References

Read more Opel news.

Read more Vauxhall news.

Source: AutocarIN ITS second pandemic budget, the Government will focus on agriculture and diversification and will seek more private sector engagement in the economy.

In an interview with the Sunday Express on Friday,WHEN he steps up to the podium this afternoon to deliver his seventh budget presentation, Finance Minister Colm Imbert will have a real dilemma: does he continue running the economy with borrowed funds and withdrawals from the Heritage and Stabilisation Fund (HSF) or does he opt, for the first time, to impose fiscal discipline on the population?Even before Covid-19 Trinidad and Tobago was in serious financial difficulties.

A declining energy sector and the persistent growth of public expenditure fuelled by reckless spending and incompetence explain the large fiscal gaps.-:- Message from Tripadvisor staff -:-

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We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.Hello, TripAdvisor Australia forum!

I would greatly appreciate some of your wise advice concerning my upcoming trip to Australia.

Let me start off by saying that, while I truly hope this will not be my only trip to Australia, I am trying my best to balance a 2-week trip (that's all the time I can get off work in one stint) that would justify the 24+ hours flight time from Europe with not cramming too much and ending up tired and frustrated.

I will take this trip in early September, travelling solo. I am a 30-something woman who likes hot weather, beaches, easy/ moderate hikes, ancient cultures and weird & wonderful nature. The other important thing to mention is that I do not drive, so will have to rely on public transport and short tours. I prefer to do my own thing and generally do not find the idea of a pre-planned multi-day tour particularly appealing.

Ive already got my visa and have booked the flights to and from Australia. The rest in still a work in progress So far, I have settled on Darwin and surrounds, Far North Queensland and Sydney as my 3 main locations (for many reasons, a main one being the time of year/ weather). I would also love to see Uluru/ Kata Tjuta, but I would really like to go there in another season (I would not enjoy the cold desert nights).

Ive done a fair amount of homework on this trip and what I have come up with so far is as follows:

- Day 1 (after a 24-hour flight from Romania): Arrive in Darwin early in the morning (have booked accommodation starting the day before, so I can go directly to sleep if I want). Spend the day getting over the jet lag and wandering around town. It will be a Sunday, so thinking of checking out Mindil beach market in the evening.

- Day 2: Tour to Litchfield

- Day 3: whatever Darwin city activities I didn't do on day 1. Maybe swim in the oceanfront lagoon, watch a movie at the Deckchair cinema in the afternoon/ evening. From what I gather, best not to swim in the ocean if I dont want to feed one of my legs to a crocodile

- Day 4: Day tour to Kakadu. Yes, I realize that Kakadu would benefit from 2 days, am still thinking it over (maybe if someone could suggest a smaller group tour they particularly enjoyed?). The main reason for visiting Kakadu for me is to see at least one of the ancient Aboriginal rock art sites (what say you, Ubirr or Nourlangie if I have to pick only one?)

- Day 5: Fly to Cairns, transfer to Port Douglas. Evening on the beach.

- Day 6: GBR snorkelling. I think I will go for a Low Isles snorkelling tour first. I am a fairly good swimmer in a pool, but somewhat scared of open water. So, I was planning to go for a lower level snorkel (with regards to currents, waves, the open-ness of the ocean) first. If I find myself to be confident, will definitely consider another trip, to the outer reef (suggestions? I would be inclined to go more for a fixed pontoon trip, such as Quicksilver, over Wavelength, due to the above reasons).

- Day 7: Mossman gorge.

- Days 8 & 9: Activities from: a second reef trip/ cape tribulation (via the adventure bus) and horse riding on the beach/the wildlife habitat/ others? Am open to suggestions!

- Day 10: Fly to Sydney. Depending on time of arrival, have a stroll on the waterfront/ the rocks area.

- Day 11: Bondi coastal walk. Or ferry to manly. Or both if I manage.

- Day 12: Blue Mountains (train to Katoomba, then the local HOHO bus), do one of the hikes there.

- Day 13: Slow day in Syd. Maybe Taronga zoo. Any museums you guys particularly like? Something with a definite Australian flavour?

- Day 14: Fly home.

Please critique the above itinerary and suggest anything I may not have found out about/ forgot.

Thank you in advance for taking time to help!

Cheers,

Claudia.Re: last trip to Vietnam with some mobility problems

3. Re: last trip to Vietnam with some mobility problems

I'm not sure Hoi An will have beach weather at that time of the year.

After a few days in Hanoi, Tet will be pretty much over.

Hoi An should be a bit more quiet; though with the influx of Asian visitors lately, it's not a certainty.

At any rate, they have built countless hotels, resorts, mini-villas, and homestays so you should be able to get a decent place to stay in a pinch.

Flights should be available as well, from Da Nang to Saigon, as the peak of travel would have passed. And there's always the train.

You could book a room in town for a couple of days and make the final decision once you get there (after checking out the weather).

Or you can check out the weather while in Hanoi.

Vung Tau is most often fine at that time of the year.

I like the location of the Grand a little better. It has a nice relaxed bar/lounge right at curbside where you have a frontal view of the Front beach seaside park.

I had only stayed at the Rex before 1975 as a youngster, and didn't pay attention to the changes over the years when we visited, including last November.

But we like the Grand. Our room is in the wing facing the park and the ocean. This wing has a huge, extended balcony out front. It looks down to the courtyard and the curbside bar/lounge mentioned above.

The lounge has food options that we didn't try.

The hotel has the best "Pho" and Vietnamese-style coffee that I have found so far in the country.

There are also a number of bars/eateries immediately to the south, across Nguyen Trai street.

A block further south is the hi-speed ferry dock, so it's really a convenient walk. If you call the concierge ahead of time, maybe they can even send a porter down to fetch you upon arrival.

The cute town church is but a few blocks to the northeast at Tran Hung Dao and Thong Nhat.

And the Rex is a couple more blocks to the north.

Cheers,

JohnHi folks,I'm travelling to Ho Chi Minh/Saigon on 01/05/18. Can anyone tell me are there still tuk tuks available to take me and my wife from A to B? I've read a lot of contrasting information on forums and throughout the internet and receiving a lot of conflicting information.

We went to Hanoi a few years and can't remember seeing any. We found them useful and cheap in Cambodia but it was the rainy season, hence we used them.

Some forums say Ho Chi Minh has never had TukTuks, some say they got rid of them four years ago and another said they used one last October. Can anyone settle this?

Thanks in advance.

David.Hello everybody,

Me and the boyfriend are currently planing to go to Japan somewhere around the 25th of October and stay for roughly 4 weeks. While Ive spend some months in Japan before (visiting Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Kyoto, Osaka, Tokyo, Yokohama, Hofu and Fukushima), my boyfriend is completely new to the country. Were trying to put together an intinerary that makes it both possible for me to show him some/revisit some places and see new things.

Right now it looks something like this:

Day 1-4: Fukuoka

Day 5-6: Hiroshima and Miyajima

Day 7-12: Kyoto, with day trips to Himeji and Nara

Day 13-14: Possible hiking the Choishi Michi - a bit worried about bears and the weather in November?

Day 15-17: Osaka, with a day trip to Universal Studios

Day 18-22: undefined, possibly Shinkoku?

Day 23-28: Tokyo, with day trips to Yokohama and Hakone.

We would in general love to do some hiking, so if youve got any suggestions for it (especially in November) that would be lovely. Also, do you think Shinkoku would be a good idea? Or would you maybe recommending visiting more than Fukuoka in Kyushu?

The boyfriend would also love to see some Sumo and take part in a tea ceremony, so we're all ears on that front as well.

Not planning on renting a car, just the 3 week JR Pass.

Any comments are greatly appreciated!

Best,

MarvinHi guys,

I am planning to drive to Tohoku region till Aomori from Tokyo during the Golden week with my wife and a friend. So can anyone tell me the crowd levels there as well as the traffic conditions on the way? Because, last year I drove to Kyoto in Golden Week, (Yes, it was a stupid Idea!!) and I got stuck in the traffic for 15 hours just out side Tokyo.

I hope this time, for the not well traveled region of Tohoku, traffic will not disappoint.

We did a Hokkaido road trip last Fall and absolutely well executed an Impossible plan, thanks to the beautiful and empty roads of Hokkaido.

So here is my detailed day by day plan: please let me know if you think I am trying to cover too much in this plan, but as you know, its super expensive to sty in Japan on vacation, I want to cover maximum in this region, so I can start exploring the other side of Japan.

Day 1 -29th April

Home (Tokyo) to Matsushima Bay (370 kms)

Leave really early and reach in time by 3 pm and do the Boat Ride: 1400 Yen per person.

Booked in Advance.

After the boat ride, drive to Ichinoseki for overnight stay. 90 Kms

1400/person. (Hotel is Booked)

Day 2  30th April

Ichinoseki to Geibikei (boat ride must) (15kms)

Leave early and go for Geibikei Gorge boat ride. 1600 yen per person.

After that, lunch and leave for Lake Towada for overnight Stay (225 kms) (Hotel is Booked)

Visit:

Ichinoseki - Gembi Valley (Optional) On the way

Geibikei (boat ride must) 1600 yen/person

Hiraizumi  visit one of the temples (Optional) if time permits.

We have to reach lake Towada by 5 at least. To enjoy the beautiful evening by the lake.

Next day morning, visit the Visitor center and rent a boat and take self boating ride on the lake. 1000 yen for one hour.

Day 3  1st May

Lake Towada Oirase Gorge Sukayu Onsen to Hakkoda Hotel (Snow Corridor) Seiryu-ji Temple Aomori city night stay (90 kms)

Places to Visit:

Lake Towada : General sightseeing and visit to Visitor Center. Boating on the lake. After breakfast, leave for Oirase Goreg.

Oirase Gorge : General sightseeing

Snow Corridor: Drive towards Sukayu Onsen and Hakkoda Hotel to view the Snow corridor.

Seiryu-ji Temple: Drive to Seiryu-Ji temple for a huge Buddha statue. Reach beafor 5 as it closes at 5.00 pm.

Then drive back to the hotel from the temple (Around 15kms)

Head out for a walk in Aomori City in the evening and go towards The Aomori Bay Bridge for the night cityscape.

Have dinner outside. Overnight at the Hotel. (Hotel is Booked)

Day 4  2nd May

Aomori city Inakadate (Rice field art) Hirosaki castle night stay (50 kms)

Places to see:

Aomori City: Quick city sightseeing and shopping.

Then drive to Inakadate to the Inakadate Village Reserve Cultural Property Center ( Address: Omagari-63 Takahi, Inakadate, Minamitsugaru District, Aomori Prefecture 038-1111 ) to view the rice paddy paintings from above. (35kms)

Then drive to Hirosaki Castle or Go to AirBnb home and park the car, then go to Hirosaki Castle (reach before 5, as it closes by 5) (12 kms)

Overnight to AirBnb home. (Very close 700 mts ) (Hotel is Booked)

Day 5  3rd May

Hirosaki castle Lake Juniko Night stay Akita (110 kms)

Leave very early and drive to Lake Juniko Visitor Center. The drive is Very Scenic. 95 kms

Lakes to Visit: Aoike Pond and some others

Leave for Akita for Night stay: 110 kms (Hotel is Booked)

Day 6 - 4th May

Akita to Kakunodate to Yamadera to Zao Hot spring - Night stay (239 kms)

We have to reach Yamadera by 3pm otherwise we will not have time to climb up that mountain and visit the temple.

If its too late to leave from Akita, Skip Yamadera and go to Kakunodate Samurai Village (65kms) and other sightseeing.

Then drive to the Lodge at Zao Hot spring for night stay. ( Kakunodate to Zao Hot Spring ) 203 kms (Hotel is Booked)

Day 7  5th May

Zao Hot Spring to Lake Okama to Ojikamiya (350 kms)

Leave very early from Zao Hot spring and go to Zao Creator lake, Lake Okama

Then drive back home to Ojikamiya

Guys please let me know if there are any other places to check out or I can replace any place from the above plan.

Really appreciate this,

Abhijeetfor #1) You have it exactly correct. The E train is easily gotten to while in Penn Station; look for blue circles with the letter E, and go to the "Uptown E" entrance. There are about 8 steps up, unfortunately from the main atrium of the station to the Uptown E train entrance. And get off the E train at "Sutphin Blvd/JFK" to get the Airtrain to your terminal ($5). No other steps except for the (about) 8 steps.

For #2) you could get escalators right to the street; the taxi has a fixed fee of about $55 + toll and tip = $70-75. That might be worth it, but again there is a lot of traffic, and the E train also does that trip to Sutphin Blvd in about 40 minutes. The Airtrain takes another 12 or so.Megabus does not always stop at the Port Authority. It has curbside stops in other areas.

Amtrak tickets are cheapest when booked at least two weeks in advance.

Within the city the subway will be cheaper and usually faster than cabs or car services such as Lyft. If you have any acquaintance with public transit in Philly, it won't be hard to figure out

Ask whomever you are staying with about transit to their place and the festival locations.

Edited: 3 years agoHow do I get from the airport (JFK, LGA, or EWR) to Manhattan?

What To Do During Layovers?

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Trip Reports: Families of Adults - Add yours!- Matiba left instructions on what his family should do upon his death

- The family members met and agreed to honour his wishes

- There will be two funeral services before his farewell on April 27

- Matiba passed away on April 15 at a Nairobi hospital after long illness

The late veteran politician Kenneth Matiba's farewell has reportedly been slated for Friday, April 27, but he will not be buried as many Kenyans would expect.

It has emerged the late former opposition chief never wanted a pompous funeral ceremony or burial and his family intends to honour all his wishes.

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Kenneth Matiba passed away on Sunday, April 15, at the Karen Hospital, Nairobi, after ailing for years.Photo:Victor Matara.

READ ALSO: Veteran politician Kenneth Matiba is dead

In January 1994, Matiba was quoted in the local dailies saying he did not wish to be buried or his funeral celebrated with dance and harambees (fund-drives).

If a man was not assisted while he was alive, why should people raise funds for him after he dies? When I die, there will be no fund-drives or fanfare, he reportedly said.

READ ALSO: Uhuru, Raila, Ruto lead Kenyans in mourning fallen veteran politician Kenneth Matiba

TUKO.co.ke has since gathered Matiba's family held a closed-door meeting and agreed to honour his wishes, which included cremation instead of burial.

The family had indicated Matiba will have two funeral services, the first one on Wednesday, April 25, at the All Saints Cathedral, Nairobi, and the final service on Thursday, April 26, at Ihura Stadium, Muranga County, a day to his final send off.

READ ALSO: Quick facts about fallen veteran multi-party democracy politician, Kenneth Matiba

Although it was initially not clear when, where and how Matiba will be buried, with the exception of government's announcement that he will be accorded a state burial, sources close to the family revealed he will be cremated at Langata crematorium in Nairobi on Friday in accordance with his wishes.

Matiba passed away on Sunday, April 15, at the Karen Hospital, Nairobi, after ailing for years.

He was 85 at the time of his death.

He will be remembered for his painful struggles, including detention without trial and torture, and spirited fight for multi-party democracy that Kenya enjoys today.

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.

Top 5 Facts About Uhuru Kenyatta - Raila Odinga Pact - On Tuko TV

Source: Tuko.co.ke- The seven were traveling in the ill-fated vehicle amid heavy downpour

- Hours earlier, eight people died in a fatal crash along Mombasa-Nairobi highway

- This brings total number of those who perished in accidents on Sunday to 15

- Also, motorists traveling along Narok-Mai Mahiu road have been advised to drive extra carefully

Another accident has claimed seven lives after a Probox was swept away by flash floods amid heavy rains.

The accident reportedly happened on the morning of Sunday, April 22, in Karati area, Kinangop, Nyandarua County.

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The seven accident victims were reportedly traveling in a Probox amid heavy rains in Kinangop, Nyandarua County on Sunday, April 22. Photo: ViralKenya/YouTube.

READ ALSO: 8 perish in fatal road crash along Mombasa-Nairobi highway

Kinangop Deputy County Commissioner, Joseph Nyameti, confirmed the tragic Sunday morning incident.

The accident happened at around the same time eight people were reported to have lost their lives in a road crash along the busy Mombasa-Nairobi highway.

READ ALSO: Seven people killed in grisly road accident involving a hearse along Mombasa Road

The Mombasa-Nairobi accident took place at Mumbi area in Machakos County at around 2.30 am on Sunday.

Machakos OCPD Joseph Tanei said a matatu traveling to Nairobi from Loitoktok in Kajiado County rammed into a stalled trailer and killed six people instantly.

Driver of the ill-fated matatu was among those who died on the spot.

Other passengers were rushed to Machakos Level 5 Hospital where two more victims died.

Bodies of the deceased were taken Machakos Level 5 Hospital mortuary.

READ ALSO: Mombasa Road blocked at Chyulu Hills as truck carrying cooking gas bursts to flames after accident

Meanwhile, motorists traveling along Narok-Mai Mahiu road have been advised to drive with extra caution and observe strict adherence to traffic rules.

The road has been blocked by soil and debris dumped by storm water.

Kenya Meteorological Department had warned of possible flash floods as a result of the heavy rains, especially in regions that are known to be prone to floods.

Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) on March 15, issued a statement cautioning road users to stay alert during the rainy season.

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.

Residents of Central Kenya react to Gathoni wa Muchomba's polygamy - On Tuko TV

Source: Kenyan Breaking News- The government said decision to import 100 doctors was not to punish local medics

- Each county is expected to get 2 doctors from Cuba

- 50 Kenyan doctors will also travel to Cuba for specialised training

- Kenyan doctors have opposed the move to import the Cuban medics

The Government on Monday, April 22, defended its move to import medical specialists from Cuba amidst rising opposition from Kenyan medics.

In an official communique, Chief of Staff and Head of the Presidents Delivery Unit Waita Nzioka clarified the decision to import 100 doctors was not to punish local practitioners.

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Waita revealed the government was looking for doctors who could leave the comfort of the city and serve in rural areas whenever needed.

READ ALSO: Uhuru makes history as he arrives in Cuba for a 3-day visit

Waita revealed the government was looking for doctors who could leave the comfort of the city and serve in serve in rural areas whenever needed. Photo: PSCU.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Kenya to source 100 doctors from Cuba as Uhuru strives to resuscitate the health sector

"Our efforts to boost access to specialised medical service at the county level is not a condemnation of our own professionals, rather, it is a mere recognition that we need more specialised doctors.

"And we need especially those doctors prepared to leave the comfort of big cities to go and serve in rural communities where they are more needed," said Nzioka.

While noting the doctor-to-patient ratio in Kenya remains one doctor to every 16,000 patients, the government stated the expatriates will handle complex areas of medicine.

The areas include,ontology, nephrology and dermatology.

He claimed specialists in these disciplines are few yet their services are in high demand.

READ ALSO: First batch of Cuban doctors to arrive in July after Uhuru's historic trip

President Uhuru Kenyatta while on an official state visit to Cuba, gave the go ahead for Kenya to bring in 100 doctors from the Caribbean nation. Photo: Uhuru Kenyatta/Facebook.

READ ALSO: Governor Anyang' Nyong'o in Cuba with Uhuru days after Raila signed deal with the president

Currently Kenya is at 14 doctors per 10,000 patients against the WHO recommended ratio of 44 doctors for the same number of patients.

"The underlying objective of the partnership is to build expertise and capacity at our grassroots Level four and five hospitals.

"As National Government, we remain committed to not only supporting our home grown medical professionals from technicians, nurses, clinical officers  and doctors, but to also deliver service demanded by our people," Nzioka said in a statement.

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Saturday, March 17, while on an official state visit to Cuba, gave the go ahead for Kenya to bring in 100 doctors from the Caribbean nation to bolster health gaps in county hospitals and advance the health sector.

READ ALSO: Photo of Uhuru, Kenyan delegation not taking notes at meeting in Cuba excites the internet

Kenya Medical Association (KMA) Secretary General Lukoye Atwoli urged the Ministry of Health to turn to foreign doctors as the last resort. Photo: Nation.

READ ALSO: Uhuru presides over unveiling of his fathers statue in Cuba

TUKO.co.ke understands the Senates Health Committee is slated to visit Caribbean island before May to finalise the deal, this has however irked member association.

Speaking on Saturday, April 21, the Kenya Medical Association (KMA) Secretary General Lukoye Atwoli urged the Ministry of Health to only turn to foreign doctors as the last resort.

In 2017, governments of the two countries signed a health agreement which included collaborative research projects between the two nations and training for primary health-care workers.

The agreement also includes the two countries embarking on advancing the capacity to undertake genetic engineering and biotech work.

Each of the 47 counties is expected to get two doctors from Cuba while 50 doctors from Kenya will soon travel to Cuba for specialised training.

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.

Uhuru and Raila full speech at Harambee House - on TUKO TV

Source: Tuko- CS Najib Balala had warned the residents that they will be prosecuted if they killed the monkeys

- The monkeys have been blamed for attacking and biting residents

- They have also been raiding farms and homes stealing food

Residents from different parts of Muranga County have started to hunt, kill and feast on velvet monkeys that have been declared a threat to food security in the region.

Unconfirmed reports started to emerge two weeks ago that monkey meat has become a delicacy and is part of the menu among some residents.

This prompted TUKO.co.ke to embark on a fact finding mission.

READ ALSO: Murang'a county govt launches hunt for monkeys seducing women and girls

A source directed TUKO.co.ke to Maragi village near Mukuyu market within the outskirts of Muranga town.

This was after being informed that some youths had killed and eaten meat from a monkey but hit a dead end as no one was willing to talk as it remains unclear whether the allegations were true or not.

Unconfirmed reports started to emerge two weeks ago that monkey meat has become a delicacy and is part of the menu among some residents. Photo Credit: TUKO.co.ke

It later emerged that their reluctance if indeed it was true was out of fear of reprisals from the Kenya Wildlife Service officials as eating of game meat is an illegal offence in Kenya.

The illegality had been reinforced two months ago by the Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife Najib Balala during his visit in the county.

Balala issued a stern warning to the locals that although the monkeys were a problem to them those caught killing them will be prosecuted.

READ ALSO: Murang'a county to use live bullets against monkeys terrorising women and girls

The CS had been invited by Muranga County Governor Mwangi wa Iria to help in containing the human-wildlife conflict by monkeys that eat and destroy the farm produce leading to huge losses to the farmers.

There have also been several cases where monkeys had attacked and bitten residents.

Others feared if exposed that they feed on monkeys it would lead to ridicule as the act appears primitive and ancient and could dent their stand in the society.

Balala issued a stern warning to the locals that although the monkeys were a problem to them those caught killing them will be prosecuted. Photo Credit: TUKO.co.ke

However, after much prodding, TUKO.co.ke was led to Embassy village where the allegations turned out to be true.

'Monkeys are so elusive to capture and what we do, we target and zero in one monkey and chase it down the hills and up the valleys aided by dogs. We also stone it as it hops from one tree to another until it gets tired. We then skin it and cook the meat,'' the source explained.

He also revealed that hunting and capturing monkeys is not a mean task as between 10-15 youths are involved.

We normally remove the internal organs of the monkeys like liver, intestines, heart and the like as we dont eat them. Instead we feed them to our dogs. The heaviest monkey we have eaten weighed 10 kilogrammes. All that we buy is unga,'' another man said.

At Thangira village in Makuyu location in the neighbouring Maragua Sub County, this is the area where tens of monkeys have been eaten by the locals.

They revealed that they feed on them as revenge for destroying their crops.

READ ALSO: Monkey bites nurse in Murang'a

Asked whether the meat is inspected they argued the meat is safe as monkeys feed on the same food as humans. Others said they are eating them for fun as they have enough food to eat.

Two and a half months ago, Muranga County Government initiated a programme to trap and relocate monkeys to the Aberdare forests as others were collected by officers from the Kenya Wildlife Service and taken to wildlife sanctuaries.

They revealed that they feed on the monkeys as a revenge for destroying their crops. Photo Credit: TUKO.co.ke

During his visit, Balala also ordered the reopening of KWS office in Muranga County with Muiruri Njoroge as the officer in charge.

Tuko.co.ke contacted on phone the Medical Superintendent for Maragua sub district Hospital Stephen Ngigi who said the men eating monkeys are courting death.

All primates monkeys included are custodians of some the dangerous viruses in the world including those that cause Ebola that is so common in Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Other viruses harboured by monkeys cause Marburg fever, dengue fever, rabies, and Rift Valley Fever,'' the medical officer said.

Ngigi also revealed that monkeys also carry the Human Papiloma Virus (HPV) that causes cervical cancer on women. He said that if a man gets the virus after eating meat from monkeys, the virus can be transmitted to women through sexual contact.

It is feared there could be an upsurge of eating of monkeys by Muranga residents, after traps were distributed to them by the county government and KWS to aid them in catching the primates.

Story by Mark Wachira, TUKO Correspondent.

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.

Amazing Story of DJ Euphorique: Uhuru Kenyatta's DJ (Person Documentary) | Faces of Kenya - on TUKO TV

Source: Tuko- The mother to the deceased admitted her son ate the poisonous cassava

- The children complained of stomach pains accompanied with vomiting

- The alleged seller of the poisonous cassava had been apprehended

A family in Nyabohanse village, Migori county was on Saturday, April 21, thrown into mourning when an eight year old boy died after consuming a cassava meal.

According to Kenya News Agency, at least 10 other family members were also admitted at Migori Level four hospital.

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READ ALSO: Mbinu ya 'pastor' kuwavutia vijana kanisani inafurahisha, tazama video

Pascaline Mukami, mother to the deceased admitted her son ate cassava which she had bought from a woman in the village.

She said the children started vomiting and complaining of acute stomach ache.

Pascaline Mukami, mother to the deceased admitted she prepared her son ate cassava which she had bought from from a woman in the village.

READ ALSO: Bungoma man sets wife ablaze for serving food late

Shortly children complained of stomach pains accompanied with vomiting then I rushed them to Nyamaraga Health centre for treatment, Mukami told the journalists.

Mukami reportedly boarded a boda boda to Migori Level Four Hospital to seek more treatment as her son was growing weaker.

"By the time I was taking my children to Migori Level Hospital I also felt stomach pains similar to those of my children. I dont know what to say; all my chicken are also dead after consuming the remains of the poisonous cassava, she added.

READ ALSO: 12 completely hilarious types of zones men end up in after being rejected by women

The alleged seller of the poisonous cassava had been apprehended and the police launched investigation into the unfortunate incident.

Nyabohanse Location Chief Chacha Mwita said the suspect will help them in locate the source of the deadly meal.

Cassava is a popular meal in parts of Western Kenya either for breakfast of supper.

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.

ALSO WATCH: Nairobi floods: Heavy rains rock Nairobi city (Kenya News) | on TUKO TV

Source: Tuko.co.keThe opposition UNC is urging the population to stand up and fight for their rights. During this morning's weekly press briefing, one opposition Senator and an opposition member of the house highlighted issues of mandatory vaccination and the PSC fiasco.White Labelling Solutions (WLS) is UBS's center of excellence for third party fund concepts and bespoke solutions. We specialize in structuring, launching and administering tailor-made traditional or alternative fund solutions for wholesale, institutional and wealth management clients in Europe, Middle East and APAC.



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The prospect of longtime Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan becoming PM sparked riots in Yerevan. Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron met in Berlin. The Russian Foreign Ministry produced more absurd statements. Early presidential and parliamentary elections were appointed in Turkey. Kim Jong-un announced halt to North Korea's nuclear tests.

Armenia's transition from the parliamentary-presidential to the PM-parliamentary (de facto) republic is not going smooth. While the very inauguration of President Armen Sargsyan, elected by Parliament, was generally calm, the outlook for the transition of former head of state Serzh Sargsyan to the prime minister's office caused mass protests initiated and led by opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan. It should be noted that the protests are quite regular in Armenia, so it is too early to talk about any radical change in the political situation in this Caucasian republic.

Ambassador of Poland in Ukraine Jan Pieklo called Ukrainians the largest group of foreigners in Poland, amounting to 2 million people. It should be understood that for a rather monolithic Polish society, such an amount of foreigners, even if they are truly necessary for the economy, is a real challenge. He gave a restrained comment on the prospects of restoring the monument to UPA soldiers in Hruszowice and stressed that there is a technical opportunity for Ukraine to obtain LPG through a terminal in Swinoujscie.

Angela Merkel received Emmanuel Macron in Berlin. The Germany - France axis today looks like the embodiment of stability in the European Union, therefore the contacts of the two leaders are of strategic importance for the future of the EU. In the German capital, measures were announced to "revive Europe," which should be implemented before June. On the eve of Berlin talks, Macron called the Nord Stream-2 pipeline project "a threat to the EU energy independence", which is probably not the only disagreement between the French president and the German chancellor.

MFA Russia continues its battle with the civilized world, fortunately, only in the information domain. However, their statements are becoming increasingly absurd., like charging London with involvement in the murder of Tsar Pavel I and Gregory Rasputin. Apparently, the use of automatic weapons in Africa to pacify local rebels and setting up concentration camps in the Transvaal are the two issues Russian diplomats are leaving for dessert. It should be noted that the excessively emotional statements by the Russian Foreign Ministry fail to remove questions about the "novichok" and Russian support for the Assad regime in Syria.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to hold early presidential and parliamentary elections in June this year. After the recent coup attempt in Turkey, a state of emergency is still in place and, according to the authorities, it will not hinder the election campaign. It is naive to believe that such a sophisticated leader as Erdogan went for early elections without trump cards in dialogue with his citizens.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, announced the termination of missile and nuclear tests and the closure of a test range in the north of the country. It is not clear yet whether the decision is the result of his talks with Mike Pompeo, but from the outside, it looks like a curtsey ahead of the meeting of the DPRK leader with the president of South Korea and U.S. president Donald Trump.

Yevgeny Magda of the Institute of World Policy

If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+EnterBudapest has not yet changed its rhetoric toward Ukraine following the elections as Ukraine expected.

Ukraine's accession to NATO would be beneficial to Hungary and the Hungarian community in Ukraine, but third countries, Russia in particular, are interested in worsening relations between Kyiv and Budapest, according to Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Vasyl Bondar.

"The problem of Hungary lies in it trying to use its NATO membership to meet its own goals, which we do not quite understand," Bondar said in an interview with RFE/RL, 112 TV channel reported.

"In the territory of Ukraine there are Hungarians who are part of Ukrainian society, and their security should be a key, so Ukraine in NATO would be a better thing for Hungary than otherwise, so I suspect that this is not Hungary's interest ... but in that of a third party. And it's no surprise, given certain facts," he said.

Read alsoHungary guided by imperial mindset of divided Austria-Hungary toward Ukraine - MFAAt the same time, Bondar specified that under the "third countries" he primarily refers to the Russian Federation.

"I do not want to put a blame on anyone ... But politically I can admit that Moscow's influence on Budapest, unfortunately, is growing, and this is a threat not only to Kyiv, but also to Europe, to the unity in NATO and to understanding of how Russia operates," he added.

At the same time, Bondar noted that the Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban enjoyed high popular support in the latest elections, which means that "he skillfully implements his internal policies, including politically exploiting the issue of national minorities and the Ukrainian education law containing a norm on minority languages."

Read alsoRomania says language row no justification for blocking Ukraine-NATO dialogue"We basically hoped that by achieving specific goals at the domestic front, Budapest will change its rhetoric because I don't think that Budapest is interested in deterioration of relations with Ukraine, having such a large community here ," he said, noting that after the elections in Hungary, its rhetoric toward Kyiv, unfortunately, has not changed.

"This confirms once again my assumption that it is not a Hungarian interest to have a bad relationship with Ukraine, this is the interest of a third party. We are prepared to reach a compromise on a reasonable solution to the problem but we will not go for ultimatums," Bondar said.

Earlier, Bondar said that Hungary has distributed more than 100,000 passports to citizens of Hungarian origin in Ukraine's Zakarpattia region.Even some radical politicians in Poland, critical of Ukraine, recognize there is a Russian trace behind provocations aimed at undermining relations between the two countries.

There is no actual crisis in relations between Poland and Ukraine, while there is a single issue that is being politicized by both sides, according to Vasyl Bondar, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

"In my opinion, strategic partnership with Poland and maintaining our historical remembrance are the two equivalent national interests, so here we have to retain balance of those two tracks. First of all have good, practical relations with Poland. We are developing trade, we have a common military battalion, we have more than a million Ukrainian citizens living in Poland. There are plenty of joint projects that are being implemented but of which there are few reports, for some reason. Therefore, we can't claim there is a crisis or problems in our relations," Bondar told RFE/RL.

There is one issue that has become political, being politicized by both sides, unfortunately, the diplomat believes.

This is an issue of "remembrance," which is being overly politicized and exploited by third parties to the detriment of relations between the two countries.

He clarified that "the public responds to certain statements" while matters of honoring the sites of remembrance have always been problematic, but the sides had managed to resolve them.

"The respective agreement was signed in 1994. The agreement was used to resolve all issues until parity was violated. This was when Poland started destroying "illegal" monuments. Then it was decided that the only way of political containment of destruction of Ukrainian monuments on the territory of Poland was to issue a statement on a possibility of banning exhumation in the territory of Ukraine. "

Read alsoPoland's Lech Kaczynski was "last great" regional leader: Ukraine's Yushchenko"It was an element of deterrence of the process that had already begun, and we really managed to contain it. That political statement did play its role, and now we have to look for a way out of the situation in the direction of a compromise," Bondar said, adding that he has a vision of such a compromise but wouldn't elaborate on it ahead of time.

"Even some Polish politicians who are radical and, say, rather critical toward Ukraine, constantly recalling UPA's 'crimes,' as they say, and 'genocide' during WW2, even these politicians recognize that Russian trace behind all provocations, in particular the shelling of the Polish Consulate in Lutsk, an attempt to block a motorway in Lviv region and the Rava-Ruska border crossing, and acts of vandalism against Polish monuments in Ukraine. There is a Russian trace here, indeed, and this is no conspiracy theory," said Bondar.

The diplomat explains that Poland's national interest is to defend their historic remembrance as they see it. To a certain extent, thanks to this Polish perception on history, Ukrainian society began to look at its own history with its own eyes, not from someone else's perspective.

Read alsoUkraine, Poland need unity in face of Russian aggression  Polish envoy"The Volyn issue is a really controversial one. But the issue is whether this is the question of the killing of Poles by Ukrainians, or a mutual conflict. If we now look at how it was happening in each of the villages, I think we will find a lot of evidence that this was a mutual war, not the extermination by a single party. Of course, there were crimes. And the crimes on both sides must be condemned. We shouldn't be afraid if it was UPA who committed them, but one shouldn't be silent if the units of Poland's Armia Krajowa were involved or some other military..." Bondar believes.

He adds that it would be an exaggeration to claim that the Poles do not recognize Armia Krajowa's crimes. "They do! For example, we know about the opening by presidents  late Kaczynski and Yushchenko  of a monument in Pawlokoma. There is a monument in Sagryn that has not been formally opened yet, where I was a month ago - we honored the memory of Ukrainians who died there. Again, these facts are being recognized in Poland. And even that part of the Armia Krajowa who committed crimes (and there is direct evidence of that)  they are equally being condemned.

Read alsoHead of Poland's National Remembrance Institute says cooperation with Ukraine could be renewed"We shouldn't say one-sidedly that there is a glorification of murderers. Just as we can't say that honoring UPA fighters buried in Poland is commemorating murderers of civilians. This is not really the case. Most of these fighters perished from the hands of the Soviet NKVD, not even from the Polish security service. We see that after a certain surge, the anti-Ukrainian issue has come to a halt and now it is not put to the forefront," the diplomat said.

"Kyiv's position is absolutely clear and understandable. We say: we do not have to be told who our heroes are. And we have clearly been heard. In turn, we don't tell Poland, whom they have to honor," said Bondar. "On the other hand, we see that historical truth requires from us some self-disclosure, not just one-sided talk. Let's take into account the interests of another side and defend our own. And this will be in this case a field for compromise."The minister has already met with U.S. acting secretary of state.

During a G7 foreign ministers' meeting in Toronto, Canada, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin will speak at a special event dedicated to the issue of Ukrainian national illegally held by Russia.

"At the G7 FM meeting I will discuss with my colleagues cases of Ukrainians illegally detained by Russia, in particular Volodymyr Balukhs one. Criminal Kremlin regime is trying to break this man for his open pro-Ukrainian position on Crimea," Klimkin tweeted.

According to the press service of U.S. Department of State, Acting Secretary of State, John J. Sullivan has already met with Klimkin in Toronto on April 21.

Read also"Pavlo's life in danger!"  Father of Kremlin's teen prisoner says son's health deteriorating dramatically"The Acting Secretary reaffirmed the United States ironclad support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. He urged Ukraine to redouble reform efforts and adhere to IMF programs by adopting legislation to establish a truly independent anti-corruption court and raising gas tariffs to import parity levels," reads the readout of the meeting.

Acting Secretary Sullivan and Foreign Minister Klimkin called on Russia to finally fulfill its commitments under the Minsk agreements and end its occupation of Crimea, according to the press service.The Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate has adopted the corresponding decision.

The Ecumenical Patriarchate is launching procedures required for granting autocephaly to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, according to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.

"The relevant decision has been taken by the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate following its receipt for consideration of a president's appeal to the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew for the provision of a tomos on autocephaly of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine, a Verkhovna Rada Decree in its support, as well as relevant appeals of hierarchs of the Ukrainian Orthodox churches," the president wrote on Facebook.

Read alsoUkraine's parliament backs appeal to Bartholomew to create independent UOCAs UNIAN reported earlier, at a meeting with leaders of parliamentary factions April 17, Petro Poroshenko announced that he and the hierarchs of the UOC of the Kyiv Patriarchate and Ukrainian Autocephalous Orathodox Church decided to officially address Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I with a request to grant autocephaly to the Orthodox Church in Ukraine, and called for the parliament to support the appeal.

On April 19, the Verkhovna Rada adopted a resolution on supporting the president's appeal to the Ecumenical Patriarch.

Russian President's Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said the Kremlin could support the creation of Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), calling it a "split."Housing concerns of Ukraine's navy personnel were over-amplified by Russian propaganda in a series of reports.

On April 18, RIA Novosti, Argumenty i Fakty, PolitNavigator, Moskovsky Komsomolets and other media span a story claiming that Ukrainian navy servicemen who left Crimea after it was annexed by Russia in 2014 threatened Ukrainian officials that they would return to the occupied peninsula and take Russian citizenship.

The source for this distorted claim was an open letter that a group of sailors wrote to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, calling on him to resolve housing issues that Ukraines naval personnel resettled from Crimea had been facing, according to Stop Fake, Ukraine's non-profit disinformation watchdog.

The open letter addresses housing concerns that naval personnel are confronted with on the mainland. Forced to leave their homes because of the annexation without any compensation, many of these naval personnel have struggled to find housing. They point out in the letter that they chose to remain faithful to their oath to serve their country, and because of that they and their families are facing social and housing difficulties. Previous appeals have fallen on deaf ears, they point out and in the four years since they were forced to leave their homes, these issues have not been resolved.

Read alsoRussia boosts navy presence in Azov Sea, provocations possible  Ukraine militaryAt the end of the letter, these naval personnel appeal to President Poroshenko to use his powers to resolve their housing issues, and express hope that Ukraines leadership will not remain indifferent to their plight.

We hope Ukraines leadership wont be indifferent in resolving this matter and wont induce naval personnel who finish their tour of duty to return to Crimea and take up Russian citizenship just to resolve the housing issue, thereby putting our lives and the lives of our families in danger, the servicemen conclude.

Russian media focused on this one and only sentence while completely ignoring an entire page of text that preceded the message, where the naval personnel point out that they have always been patriots of their country, followed orders, while many of them have been on combat missions in eastern Ukraine, and awarded for their service.

Read alsoFirst Deputy Chief of Ukrainian Navy Hladkiy dismissedAccording to Ukraines Defense Ministry after Russia annexed Crimea 3,991 military personnel, including 1,649 officers left the peninsula for mainland Ukraine.In the Donetsk direction, terrorists fired on Ukrainian positions from mortars and tanks.

Over the past 24 hours, on April 21, Russian-backed militants shelled Ukrainian forces in eastern Ukraine's warzone 47 times. A Ukrainian soldier was killed in action, two military were wounded, and another two  injured in the attacks.

"In the Donetsk direction, militants fired at the strong points of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the area of Pavlopil and Pishchevyk from proscribed 120 mm mortars and tanks," the press center of Ukrainian forces reported on Facebook.

The aggressor forces also engaged defenders of Vodiane and Novotroitsk from 120 mm mortars. Grenade launchers and small arms were used in the area of Avdiyivka, Kamenka, Hnutove, Verkhniotoretske, Vodiane, Lomakine, and Nevelske; large-caliber machine guns - near Pishchevyk, Novotroyitske, Chernenko, Hnutove and Talakivka.

In addition, near Pavlopil and Talakivka, terrorists used infantry fighting vehicles, as well as small arms near Maryinka, Krasnohorivka, Lebedynske, Shyrokyne, and the Butivka coalmine. An enemy sniper was active near Pavlopil and Novotroitske.

Read alsoUkraine reports 31 enemy attacks in Donbas, 2 WIA's on April 21In the Luhansk direction, the enemy used proscribed 120 mm mortars, firing on Ukrainian positions near Novo-oleksandrivka, Katerynivka and Zaitseve. The enemy also fired 82 mm mortars at the defenders of Krymske, Novoselivka, Luhanske, Novhorodske, and Zaitseve. Ukraine forces in the area of Krymske and Luhanske came under enemy fire from grenade launchers of various types and small arms. Those near Zaitseve were fired upon from grenade launchers, and those near Novoselivka  from large-caliber machine guns and small arms.

It is noted that the injured Ukrainian soldiers were evacuated to hospitals.

It was earlier reported that a serviceman of the 25th Separate Airborne Brigade died in a military hospital in Kyiv after being wounded on combat mission near Avdiyivka.The Donetsk water filtration station supplies water for hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians.

Centralized water supplies to the town of Avdiyivka in Donbas will be restored by Sunday evening as the staff of the Donetsk water filtration station have renewed their work, accompanied by OSCE observers, starting to reinstall equipment, according to a chief of the Donetsk regional military-civil administration, Pavlo Zhebrivsky.

The official cites emergency services reporting that the pumps are already working, filling in water reservoirs at the station.

"After that, the water will be pumped to Avdiyivka  by this evening, centralized water supplies to the town should be restored," Zhebrivsky wrote.

In turn, Ukrainian forces' HQ says military are also interested in the speedy resumption of operations at the station supplying water to hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians.

Read alsoVolker on recent attack on Voda Donbasa workers: "Targeting civilians is unacceptable""Headquarters of the Anti-Terrorist Operation is interested that escalation around the Donetsk water filtration station cease as soon as possible, uninterrupted operations be restored, and water supply be resumed to hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians living in both territories under Ukraine's control and temporarily occupied by the Russian-occupation forces," a speaker for the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Maksym Prauta told a Kyiv briefing Sunday, according to an UNIAN correspondent.

The Ukrainian side strictly observes Minsk agreements, including on a ceasefire near the sites of critical infrastructure across Donbas, the speaker said.

As UNIAN reported earlier, five personnel of the Donetsk water filtration plant have been wounded as they came under fire in a bus heading for work in Donbas, eastern Ukraine

On April 18, the station shut down all operations citing security reasons, the Voda Donbasa operator company said.

"The supply of drinking water to the government-controlled town of Avdiyivka, partly to Donetsk and the town of Yasynuvata [both are occupied by Russia], to the [occupied] village of Krasny Partizan [its new name  Betmanove], the [Ukrainian-controlled] villages of Kruta Balka and Verkhniotoretske has been suspended," the report said.

The facility is located near the contact line in eastern Ukraine hit by hostilities. Russia-led forces have repeatedly shelled the station in order to shift the blame onto the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

UNIAN memo. The station supplies water to towns and villages in government-controlled and Russian-occupied areas in Donbas: Avdiyivka (about 22,000 residents), Krasnohorivka, and Verkhniotoretske, as well as the temporarily-occupied Donetsk, Yasynuvata, and the villages of Vasylievka and Spartak. In total, it services about 600,000 people.The West needs constructive contributions from Russia to reach a peaceful solution, according to Maas.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Saturday urged Russia to help solve the Syria crisis as he set off for a meeting of foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) major industrialized nations in Toronto.

We need constructive contributions from Russia to reach a peaceful solution [in Syria], Maas told reporters before his flight, adding that this was equally true of the Ukraine conflict, which the G7 foreign ministers are also due to discuss, according to Reuters.

Russia is not a member of the G7 and will not be taking part in the meeting.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been very critical of Russias involvement in both the Syrian and Ukraine conflicts and backs continued European Union sanctions against Moscow. But Maas hails from her junior coalition partner, the Social Democrats, which has traditionally sought good ties with Russia.

Read alsoGerman minister tells Russia its behavior must changeGermany did not take part in the air strikes, but Merkel backed them as a necessary and appropriate action to warn Syria against further use of chemical weapons.

Since World War Two Germany has been reluctant to get involved in military missions abroad. Its limited engagements abroad have focused mainly on training, surveillance, medical rescue and peacekeeping.Gordon has used the cover of a successful businessman in the security industry. He was a captain in the KGB before joining the FSB after the Cold War ended.

In a sensational new development, British counterterror police are reported to have identified a Russian assassin believed to be connected to the Salisbury poisoning: a 54-year-old former FSB spy  codename Gordon.

The man is thought to use the cover name Mihails Savickis as well as two other aliases, The Mirror reported citing The Sunday People.

But police fear he has already flown back to Russia and they may never get the chance to question him.

Detectives believe there was a team of six behind the novichok chemical attack on double agent Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33.

He was a very intelligent, educated, ambitious and ruthless person, Boris said. He was handsome and personable and was quickly able to win a strangers trust.

Gordon has used the cover of a successful businessman in the security industry. He was a captain in the KGB before joining the FSB after the Cold War ended.

Read alsoPolice identify key suspects in nerve agent attack on Sergei Skripal  The TelegraphHe is on the FSBs Officers of Active Reserve list, a kind of spy territorial army called out for special operations including wet jobs as Russian spooks like to call their assassinations.

And he is known to have murdered at least one man when he shot an organized crime boss in Latvia during the 1990s.

Gordons cover name was revealed during nearly five hours of questioning by police on Monday of Karpichkov, who is on the same FSB hitlist as the Skripals.

The ex-spy believes that if Gordon was involved in the Skripal attack he could have been leader of the special ops group carrying it out because of his seniority.

Read alsoRussian infowar: Twitter battles rage over Salisbury caseThe two men knew each other when Karpichkov was an FSB major in Latvia  then part of the Soviet Union  and Gordon was a subordinate.

The codename Gordon was given to the spy by his FSB bosses.(@rukhshanmir)

The Audit Oversight Board (AOB) here on Saturday emphasized to all auditors and public interest companies that only the auditors registered with AOB can audit the financial statements of public interest companies.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Apr, 2018 ) :The Audit Oversight board (AOB) here on Saturday emphasized to all auditors and public interest companies that only the auditors registered with AOB can audit the financial statements of public interest companies.

According to a statement issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan AOB is an independent regulator established by the parliament in 2016 in line with international practices. The objective of AOB is to enhance the quality of audit of financial statements in public interest.

AOB has now registered audit firms that have satisfactory Quality Control Review (QCR) rating. AOB registers audit firms based on the recommendation of the Quality Assurance Board established by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP).

This list of audit firms is available on the website of AOB and it will be updated on an ongoing basis. The definition of a public interest company covers a wide range of entities including listed companies, public sector companies, banks, insurance companies, mutual funds, securities brokers and utilities.

Starting from 23 April 2018, AOB inspectors are beginning their fieldwork in Lahore and Karachi for a thorough review of ICAP's QCR framework. It may be recalled that Audit Oversight Board was established under part IXC of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan Act, 1997 in August 2016 to regulate the audit profession in Pakistan.ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Apr, 2018 ) :Federal Minister for Defence, Engineer Khurram Dastgir Khan is attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Beijing, China.

The Defence Ministers of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) are meeting in Beijing, China from April 21 to 25, said a press release issued here by the Ministry of Defence.

On the invitation of General Wei Fenghe, State Councilor and National Defence Minister of China, the Federal Minister for Defence is attending the summit.

Pakistan along with India attained full membership status of the SCO at the Astana Summit in 2017. China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan are the other member status of SCO. During the Summit, the SCO member countries would exchange views on the current international and regional security issues as well as other issues of common interest.ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Apr, 2018 ) :Minister of Tourism for Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) Fida Khan on Sunday said that GB government would exempt investors from tax for four years.

Talking to APP, he said Gilgit-Baltistan had dire need of establishing hotels and resorts in the areas to further promote tourism.

He lauded Lahore Chamber of Commerce for the cooperation in organizing a three-day Cultural Festival of Gilgit-Baltistan in Lahore.

He said that the festival was aimed to introduce GB culture and grabbing attention of national and international investors and business community. He said GB had great opportunities for investment in different sectors including tourism, fruits, organic food and gems and jewelery. Fida Khan said GB was full of natural scenes and rich of natural resources but need to explore them.(@rukhshanmir)

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Apr, 2018 ) :In `StartUp Cup compitition, the Retailistan, team from Karachi beat 17 other teams to take the top prize of Rs.1 million for the fourth edition of the American Embassy-funded event.

Minister of Information Technology and Telecommunication Anusha Rahman was the chief guest on the Occasion. The American Embassy's Deputy Chief of Mission, John Hoover, congratulated the finalists.

"We know your businesses can thrive," he said. "Nearly 90 percent of last year's finalists reported that their businesses grew thanks to the mentorship and training they received through StartUp Cup.

Retailistan developed a startup plan to change the consumer goods distribution model for small sized stores though mobile applications. and will use the prize to fund its business. The team is now eligible to participate in the Global StartUp Cup 2018, which will be held in the United States, he added.

Price Oye, a team from Islamabad finished in second place with its shopping intelligence service that matches consumers with trusted sites, and won 750,000 rupees. Third place was a tie, with 500,000 rupees going to Lahore based Eye Automate, who created a wheelchair that is operated by joystick or eye motion, and to Islamabad based Orbit, for its augmented reality educational application.

" Our investment in the StartUp Cup is just one part of the United States' robust program to support economic development and spur economic growth in Pakistan." More than 2,200 application were received and TiE selected 665 teams to participate in StartUp Cup training and activities, including workshops, mentoring opportunities, and judging sessions in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Faisalabad, Peshawar, and Gilgit.

In regional competitions held over the last six months, mentors chose the 18 teams that made it to the Islamabad finals. StartUp Cup is a locally driven business model competition open to any idea.

This innovative community-based approach is designed to increase the quality and quantity of entrepreneurs in the community, he added. Sarah Hashwani, president of TiE Islamabad, said she appreciated the Embassy's efforts to support economic growth initiatives for start-ups and was impressed by the teams that made it through the rigorous, six-month competition.

"Their business acumen has enhanced our belief that with the right support, start-ups will be an integral part of Pakistan's economy," she said.If you are currently a print subscriber but don't have an online account, select this option. You will need to use your 7 digit subscriber account number (with leading zeros) and your last name (in UPPERCASE).ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Apr, 2018 ) :Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has established a Private school Regulatory Authority to bring private educational institutions under effective government control.

A spokesman of the Provincial education Department told Radio Pakistan that Secretary Education will be the head of the authority.

The authority will ensure implementation of government policies in private educational institutions besides determining their fees. Its objective is to stop exploitation of parents by the owners of private educational institutions.Islamabad, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Apr, 2018) : Mayor Islamabad, Sheikh Anser Aziz has said that new mega development projects in Federal capital would be initiated soon after release of the funds by the federal government.

While addressing an event 'COSMONITE' organized by Rotary Club of Islamabad on late Saturday evening, Sheikh Anser Aziz said that first time in the in the history of federal capital, local body system was introduced and responsibility of gigantic task of development of city was handed over to the elected representatives of local government.

But due to limited financial resources it was a great challenge for the elected representatives to transform the federal capital into a model city. Mayor Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) however, said now federal government had approved funds for MCI principally to launch development projects in city.

He also said that to combat these challenges local government| (LG) was required support from all segment of the society. He further said that Islamabad was considered as second most beautiful capital of the world due to its green character and natural landscape adding that to improve its overall environment and maintaining its green character the local government had decided to involve all stakeholders.

He invited all Rotarians to come forward with innovative ideas so that Islamabad could be made most beautiful city of the world.

Sheikh Anser Aziz also invited national and multinational companies to come forward and take part in beautification of city under their corporate social responsibilities (CSR).

He said that MCI was already started beautification of different parks, play grounds, roundabouts and green belts with the help private sector. He also appreciated the efforts of Rotary Club for initiating projects in Pakistan to address the issues of underprivileged and deprived segment of the society adding that all projects of Rotary Club were contributing to improve the lives of less privileged class across the country and hoped that club will continues its welfare activities to serve poor and needy segment of the society generally in Pakistan and particularly in Islamabad.

The Mayor Islamabad also commended Rotary Club for extending gold medals to Pakistanis for their outstanding performance in different fields of life. This year Rotary club conferred gold medal to eminent scientist and former Chairman of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, late Dr Ishfaq Ahmed whose contribution towards building Pakistan nuclear programme and making Pakistan a nuclear power was exceptional.

Sheikh Anser Aziz also congratulated Rotarians including past and present presidents, District Governors and other members of the club for their tireless efforts in execution of different projects in year 2017-18.Islamabad, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Apr, 2018) : China says, Pakistan could get ample opportunity for balancing bilateral trade by participating in the forthcoming Shanghai international expo.

Currently, the bilateral trade is heavily in favour of China, and the Chinese government wishes, it should be corrected and there should be more imports from Pakistan, said Chinese ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing.

The trade imbalance is a matter of concern for him, and he is all-out to improve this situation, he remarked while talking to group of local media. Yao Jing said China welcomes Pakistan to participate in this Import Expo in Shanghai from November 5-10, 2018 as the Guest of Honor country.

China cherished the special friendship with Pakistan and it is line with that spirit. Pakistani businessmen may be allotted stalls at the expo free of cost. China encourages its private sector to have more and more interaction with the Pakistani side for bringing desired results in the bilateral trade.

The ambassador was confident that the business opportunities coming out from China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will considerably improve the trade volume between the two countries. Promoting industrial parks in Pakistan and establishing special economic zones under CPEC will be a big step forward to this direction, he added.

Expansion of China Pakistan Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA) is already in process, Inspection and Quarantine requirements and other issues are going to be settled.

China also gives full consideration to the concerns of Pakistan in talks on CPFTA, creates all possible conditions, so as to resolve concerns as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, more than 1,700 companies from across the world have applied to attend the Shanghai's expo. Over 900 applicants have signed contracts for the expo. Among them, 34 percent of enterprises are from the Belt and Road countries and regions.

The import expo "shows China's determination of opening-up and is set to be a launch place for the newest products," said Sun Chenghai, deputy director of the China International Import Expo Bureau.

The expo will be held in Shanghai from November 5 to 10. It will cover about 157,000 square meters. With the expo 200 days away, Sun said the bureau is creating a more welcoming environment for participants.

With the help of Big Data and cloud services, those attending will be able to take part in more convenient ways. The expo "shows that China is safeguarding free trade not only through words, but through deeds," said Yang Jianrong, director of the Council for the Promotion of International Trade Shanghai.

"Shanghai has taken actions to help enterprises, especially small and medium-sized businesses from developing countries, to have an easier access to Chinese market," Yang added.LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Apr, 2018 ) :A two-member bench of the Supreme Court on Sunday, hearing a suo motu notice of alleged corruption at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC), Lahore, ordered the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to investigate the matter.

The bench summoned Director General NAB Lahore Saleem Shahzad for April 28 while placing the name of Commissioner, Punjab Overseas Pakistanis Commission, Afzal Bhatti on the Exit Control List. The bench comprising Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and Justice Ijazul Ahsan passed the orders on a suo motu over a complaint, filed by Fareeha Majeed, who claimed that she was removed from her position after refusal to sign over-billed invoices.

During the proceedings, the chief justice questioned the appointment of Afzal Bhatti, a dual national, as the PIC board member, who also holds the post of Commissioner, Punjab Overseas Pakistanis Commission.

To a court query, Chairman PIC Board Khawaja Ahmad Hassan submitted that three inquiries were held into the matter but the charges were not proved. However, the chief justice observed that the matter would be investigated by NAB and adjourned further hearing while summoning the DG NAB Lahore.

The bench also sought record of Afzal Bhatti as Commissioner, Punjab Overseas Pakistanis Commission. APP/syh/rsdFederal Minister for Power Division, Awais Leghari Saturday said there was no power shortfall across the country as sufficient electricity was available to meet demand currently.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Apr, 2018 ) :Federal Minister for Power Division, Awais Leghari Saturday said there was no power shortfall across the country as sufficient electricity was available to meet demand currently.

Power load-shedding was being done only in areas of electricity theft and line losses regardless of rural or urban areas, he said talking to a private news channel. He said the government was ensuring transparency in the provision of electricity process and no preference was being given to any area on political influence throughout the country.

The minister said less electricity was being supplied to the feeders of higher power theft and line losses. He urged the provinces to cooperate with the federal government to stop power theft in their areas.

Awais Leghari said the government intended to introduce technology based system in the power distribution companies to enhance transparency and performance. He said all updates of electricity load-shedding schedule and all related information were being provided at Roshan Pakistan Application prepared by the government.

He said the government did not want to put burden on those customers who were already paying their bills regularly rather wanted to overcome loopholes. During the previous government, he said upto 16 hours load-shedding was being done in the country which had badly affected economic activities.

To a question, he said the federal government would extend all possible support to resolve matters of K-Electric.ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Apr, 2018 ) :World Wildlife Fund (WWF) -Pakistan in collaboration with Islamabad Wildlife Management board on Sunday officially launched the monitoring of plastic waste in the Margalla Hills National Park on the occasion of International Earth Day.

This theme for this year's Earth Day is, 'End Plastic Pollution'. Keeping with this year's theme for Earth Day, WWF-Pakistan in collaboration with the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board, started the monitoring of plastic waste in the Margalla Hills National Park, in compliance of section 21.4 (iv and v) of the Islamabad Wildlife Ordinance, 1979.

In addition to the launch, the activities will include hiking, bird watching, wildlife identification, soil making and clean up on the trail led by WWF-Pakistan's senior management and experts.

WWF also arranged nature excursion on Trail 5 Margalla Hills National Park on this Earth Day.

Across Pakistan like in the rest of the world, deforestation, pollution, climate change, poaching and unsustainable harvesting are changing our ecosystems making them incapable of supporting life.

WWF-Pakistan works on selected indigenous, endemic and keystone species with an aim to conserve their minimum viable population. Earth Day is now a global event and each year, more than 1 billion people in 192 countries now take part in this the largest civic-focused day of action in the world.(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Asuncion, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Apr, 2018 ) :The US-educated son of a top aide to Paraguay's late dictator is favoUrite to win Sunday's presidential election in one of Latin America's poorest countries.

Opinion polls give Mario Abdo Benitez of the ruling conservative Colorado party a clear lead over his centrist opponent, Efrain Alegre, in a two-horse race to succeed outgoing conservative President Horacio Cartes.

Voters showed little early enthusiasm as polling stations opened at 7:00 am (1100 GMT) and are due to close at 4:00 pm. Landlocked Paraguay -- sandwiched between Bolivia, Argentina and Brazil -- has enjoyed consistent economic growth under tobacco magnate Cartes, but has failed to shrug off persistent poverty, corruption and drug trafficking.

It remains a land of contrasts, still marked by the 1954-1989 dictatorship of General Alfredo Stroessner.

However, a new generation of voters among the electorate of 4.2 million -- born after the dictatorship responsible for the deaths or disappearances of up to 3,000 people -- seems ready to turn the page.

Forty-three percent of the population is aged between 18 and 34. Abdo Benitez was among the early voters on Sunday, rejecting criticism of his family ties to Stroessner. "I have earned democratic credentials in throughout my political journey," he said.

Polls in recent weeks have given Abdo Benitez, the twice-divorced son of Stroessner's personal secretary, a lead of 20 points ahead of 55-year-old Alegre in the race to succeed Cartes. However, the latest opinion polls predict a neck and neck finish and predicate an Abdo Benitez win on a turnout of less than 70 percent.(@rukhshanmir)

A row erupted Friday between Romania's government and President Klaus Iohannis over a proposal to move the country's embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Bucharest, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Apr, 2018 ) :A row erupted Friday between Romania's government and President Klaus Iohannis over a proposal to move the country's embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The foreign ministry announced that "a process of analysis and evaluation with the aim of transferring the embassy has been launched". Prime Minister Viorica Dancila of the left-wing Social Democratic Party confirmed Friday the government had adopted a memorandum on moving the embassy but added that other steps needed to be taken before a final decision.

In December US President Donald Trump sparked global controversy by announcing that the United States would move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. Romania would be the first EU country to follow suit.

- President 'not consulted' - Dancila was more cautious than PSD party chief Liviu Dragnea, who on Thursday pre-empted any official announcement and told the Antena 3 tv channel that the decision to move the embassy had been taken.

Meanwhile Iohannis's office said he had "not been consulted or informed over this process," adding that in his opinion the decision was "not based on firm, wide-ranging evaluations". Iohannis, who is from the centre-right and has expressed numerous disagreements with the government, pointed to the constitution, under which the president "approves the creation or shutting down" of diplomatic missions.

Emphasising that Romania's position on the Israeli-Palestinian question "had not changed", Iohannis said: "At this stage a transfer of the embassy would represent a violation of international law.

" "The government's initiative could eventually represent, at the most, the beginning of a process of evaluation...

which could only be finalised after the conclusion of peace talks," Iohannis added. - 'Balanced position' - Dancila confirmed on Friday that the government had adopted a memorandum outlining the plans.

"I assure you that we are responsible, we have judgement,... we will discuss this with all institutions, including the president," she told reporters. "When we get to a shared position we will make that public," she added.

According to Romanian media reports, Dancila will make an official trip to Israel next week. Israel's deputy foreign minister Tzipi Hotovely had visited Romania last week. Israel occupied mainly Palestinian east Jerusalem and the surrounding region in the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed it, declaring the whole city its capital.

However, neither move was recognised by the international community and the Palestinians see the eastern part of Jerusalem as the capital of their future state. As well as being the only country in the former Soviet bloc to maintain diplomatic relations with Israel after the 1967 war, Romania under its Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu also had close links to the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) under Yasser Arafat.

In its statement the foreign ministry emphasised Romania's "balanced position" in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the fact that Romania recognised Palestine as a state under the communist era.The number of men afflicted with osteoporosis is unknown.

This study aims to determine the prevalence of osteoporosis in men.

This was a prospective, observational study.

A total of 200 male attendants of patients attending endocrine outpatient department and who were >55 years were recruited for the study. All the patients with osteopenia and osteoporosis were advised lifestyle interventions, supplementation with calcium carbonate (1000-1500 mg/day) and 25-hydroxyl-Vitamin D (400-600 IU/day) and bisphosphonates if indicated. Vitamin D3 60,000 IU once a week for 8 weeks and once a month thereafter was prescribed to Vitamin D-deficient patients. Androgen-deficient patients were given replacements of either injectable testosterone or oral testosterone undecanoate.

Two sample t-test and paired t-test were used to compare pre- and post-test parameters.

Overall 80 (40%) subjects had low bone mass, 93 (43.5%) had Vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency, and 39 (19.5%) had androgen deficiency. Osteoporosis was found in 8.5% patients. All patients were above 70 years (Mean age: 73.82  2.79 years). Seventy percentage of these patients had low serum testosterone and 70% of patients had Vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency. About 31.5% of patients had osteopenia (mean age of 67.47  6.35 years). Thirty-five percentage of these patients were androgen deficient and 25% were Vitamin D-deficient/insufficient. Age >70 years, serum testosterone <3 ng/ml, Vitamin D <30 ng/ml were strong risk factors for osteoporosis. Vitamin D supplementation, androgen replacement, and bisphosphonate therapy had beneficial effect on bone mineral density (BMD).

Low bone mass was common (40%) in males over 55 years of age. Age >70 years, low androgen (<3 ng/ml), steroid use, and low Vitamin D (<20 ng/ml) were independent risk factors of male osteoporosis. Calcium and Vitamin D are effective in improving BMD. Androgen replacement has beneficial effect on BMD in hypogonadism patients.

Indian journal of endocrinology and metabolism. 0000 Jan [Epub]

Narendra Kotwal, Vimal Upreti, Amit Nachankar, K V S Hari Kumar

Department of Endocrinology, Army Hospital (R and R), New Delhi, India.

PubMed http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29535939Pope Francis ordains 16 deacons, including 11 for the diocese of Rome, during Mass at the Basilica of St Peter.

By Christopher Wells

On the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, Pope Francis ordained sixteen men to the priesthood, including eleven for the Diocese of Rome. In his homily, based on a pre-set formula for Masses of Ordination, the Holy Father called the new priests to not grow tired of being merciful. Think of your own sins, he said, your own miseries, the miseries that Jesus has pardoned. Be merciful!

The World Day of Prayer for Vocations is observed each year on the Fourth Sunday of Easter, also known as Good Shepherd Sunday. In each of the three annual lectionary cycles, the Fourth Sunday of Easter includes a Gospel focusing on the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd.



The website for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops notes, The purpose of the World Day of Prayer for Vocations is to publically fulfill the Lord's instruction to, Pray the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into His harvest. The Church fully appreciates all vocations, it notes, but on this Sunday concentrates its attention" on "vocations to the ordained ministries (priesthood and diaconate), to the Religious life in all its forms (male and female, contemplative and apostolic), to societies of apostolic life, to secular institutes in their diversity of services and membership, and to the missionary life, in the particular sense of mission ad gentes [to the nations].

The sixteen men ordained on Sunday come from all over the world: in addition to five Romans and three Indians, the new priests hail from Croatia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Colombia, El Salvador, Madagascar, Romania, and Peru.

May your teaching be nourishment to the People of God, the Pope said, and the perfume of your life be joy and support to the faithful of Christ. And, he added, may your word and example edify the House of God which is the Church.

Pope Francis encouraged the new priests to be intent on pleasing God alone, rather than themselves or other human persons, or seeking other selfish interests. They should be concerned, he said, only with service to God, for the good of the holy faithful People of God.Following a wry April Fools prank, several of Las Vegas most acclaimed independent chef-restaurateurs have confirmed that the Vegas UnStripped event is a reality, set for May 12, 2018 from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. (Pictured: Jamie Tran of The Black Sheep)

Under the full name The Feast of Friends presents Vegas UnStripped by Locals, the event will present dishes by more than 10 independent Las Vegas chefs at an undisclosed location in the Las Vegas Arts District. More information to follow, including beverage sponsors, entertainers and the not-to-be-missed afterparty.

Participating chefs include:

Brian Howard  Sparrow + Wolf; 2017 Best New Restaurant of the Year, Desert Companion

 Sparrow + Wolf; 2017 Best New Restaurant of the Year, Desert Companion Chris Decker  Metro Pizza/Lulus Bread & Breakfast; Bronze Medalist, International Pizza Expo 2017

 Metro Pizza/Lulus Bread & Breakfast; Bronze Medalist, International Pizza Expo 2017 Daniel Krohmer  Other Mama; 2016 One of the Best Restaurants in the Country, GQ Magazine

 Other Mama; 2016 One of the Best Restaurants in the Country, GQ Magazine James Trees  Esthers Kitchen; 2018 Best Italian Restaurant, Desert Companion

 Esthers Kitchen; 2018 Best Italian Restaurant, Desert Companion Jamie Tran  The Black Sheep; 2017 Chef of the Year, EATER Vegas

 The Black Sheep; 2017 Chef of the Year, EATER Vegas Justin Kingsley Hall  The Kitchen At Atomic; 2018 One of the Best Restaurants Near Fremont Street, Zagat

 The Kitchen At Atomic; 2018 One of the Best Restaurants Near Fremont Street, Zagat Ralph Perrazzo  BBDs; USA Today Best of New York, Top 3 Best Restaurants in Long Island

 BBDs; USA Today Best of New York, Top 3 Best Restaurants in Long Island Sheridan Su  Flock & Fowl/Fat Choy; James Beard Foundation Best Chef Southwest Nomination, 2018

 Flock & Fowl/Fat Choy; James Beard Foundation Best Chef Southwest Nomination, 2018 Khai Vu  District One/Le Pho/Mordeo Wine Bar; 2014 Ethnic Restaurant of the Year, Desert Companion

Im excited to be a part of creating more awareness of our local dining scene, said Chef Brian Howard. At UnStripped, you wont see anything phoned in. We are coming to impress.

The event is being produced by Las Vegas-based marketing consultant Eric Gladstone (under The Feast of Friends banner), who saw a growing need for the off-Strip scene to be recognized.

While the world knows Las Vegas Strip dining is incredible, said Gladstone, not enough attention is being paid to how great the off-Strip restaurants have become. They deserve their own spotlight.

The host of Telemundos Al Rojo Vivo news magazine, Maria Celeste Arraras, will soon add her name to the Las Vegas Walk of Stars. She is the first person born in Puerto Rico to receive this honor, held by a select group of superstars such as Juan Gabriel, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Luis Miguel, Vicente Fernandez and Jenni Rivera.

Maria Celestes star will be unveiled in a special ceremony on Tuesday, April 24, and installed in its permanent sidewalk home for public viewing the following day,Wednesday, April 25.

I owe this star to each and every one of the individuals who have stood alongside me during my career, and especially to the viewers who accompany me from home every day, Maria Celeste acknowledged.

Emmy-award winning journalist and investigative reporter Maria Celeste Arraras is one of the best-known figures in Spanish-speaking television. The lead anchor of Al Rojo Vivo con Maria Celeste, one of the most acclaimed news magazines on Hispanic television, she has also served as guest anchor of Noticias Telemundo and NBCs Today Show, and as a contributor to Dateline and NBC Nightly News. She has appeared on the cover of People en Espanol more than 14 times and graced the front of Newsweeks special issue on Women and Leadership: The Next Generation. She has been profiled in numerous prestigious publications, among them The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post and The Miami Herald.After a suicide bomber killed 57 and injured more than 100 in Kabul, Afghanistans Independent Election Commission fears insecurity might discourage people from participating in the upcoming parliamentary and district elections.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the suicide attack Sunday on an identification cards distribution center where hundreds of people had gathered to apply for ID cards for the upcoming election.

Afghanistan Independent Election Commissions deputy, Maazullah Dawlati, said insecurity will demoralize voters and disrupt the democratic process.

Security forces should do more to prevent the attacks, and to provide security for voter registration centers," Dawlati told VOA. "If we see that [security forces] are not able to prevent such threats, the commission would talk with the government leadership to find an answer, and things would get clear in the future.

Last Tuesday, Taliban fighters forcibly took away three commission workers and two members of the Afghan National Police Force from a voter registration center in central Ghor province. They were released after local elders mediated.

The Afghanistan Ministry of Interior (MOI) said the Afghan National Police are doing everything they can to provide security for registration centers.

Suicide and terrorist attacks are more complicated, and terrorists are utilizing new techniques to carry out attacks on civilian targets. We had forces present at the center where the suicide attack took place, and we are investigating it, MOI spokesperson Najibullah Danish told VOA.

Expert opinion

Security experts, however, blame the Afghan intelligence agency for such attacks, and fear insecurity might further delay the parliamentary and district election.

If we have strong intelligence, it would be very difficult for assailants to reach their targets. Our intelligence and reconnaissance are at best weak, and the enemies are using that weakness to achieve their objectives, retired Afghan army Gen. Zalmai Wardak told VOA.

Afghanistan parliamentary and district elections are set to be held October 20, 2018, after more than three years of delay. But experts predict they may be postponed further, due to insecurity and government intervention.



The Afghan government has reluctantly started this [election] process, and this [reluctance] could further delay the election. Unfortunately, the Afghan government is the decision-maker, not the election commission, Fazil Ahmad Manawi, former chairman of the Afghanistan Independent Election Commission told VOA.

The Afghan government, however, rules out any involvement in the election process.

The Afghan president has strictly instructed that no government employee or organization can intervene in the election process, Afghan presidential spokesperson Shah Hussain Murtazawi, told VOA.

The election would be held based on the commissions plans and on the scheduled date announced [Oct. 20]," he added.

Election opposition

During a ceremony to open voter registration earlier this month, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani again called for the Taliban to join the political arena and participate in the election.

"President Ghani asked the Taliban to act as a political party and participate in the elections, while utilizing the prevailing opportunity and the peace offer," an Afghan presidential palace statement said.

The Taliban rejected the offer and called on Afghans to boycott the election. In a statement sent to the media, the Taliban called the election fake and exhibitory, alleging the exercise is being staged at the behest of foreign occupation forces.

In a tweet on April 14, U.S. and NATO forces top commander in Afghanistan Gen. John Nicholson said the NATO alliance respected the electoral choices of Afghan voters and politicians.

During the 2014 presidential election, the Taliban reportedly cut off the fingers, ears, and noses of some voters who ignored the insurgents warnings not to vote.Tens of thousands of Armenian opposition supporters rallied Saturday for a ninth consecutive day to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Serzh Sarksyan, but he said the country needed his experience to tackle problems such as Nagorno-Karabakh.

Sarksyan was appointed prime minister this month after serving 10 years as president. The protesters accuse him of clinging to power and demand that he step down.

In this region with a complex geopolitics and at a time of new challenges we must ensure the stable development of the country and continue efforts aimed at a suitable settlement of the Karabakh problem, Sarksyan said in an open letter cited by the governments press office.

I believe these problems can be resolved. After that, other figures can take the helm, he said.

Nagorno-Karabakh

Nagorno-Karabakh, a mountainous part of Azerbaijan, is run by ethnic Armenians who declared independence during a conflict that broke out as the Soviet Union crumbled in 1991.

Though a ceasefire was agreed in 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia still regularly accuse each other of carrying out attacks in the area. The conflict flared up again in 2016 and saw a number of deadly incidents over the past year.

The leader of the protests in Yerevan, opposition lawmaker Nikol Pashinyan, said Sarksyan had agreed to talks with the opposition at a hotel in the capital Sunday morning.

Sarksyans spokesman was not immediately available to confirm the meeting.

Say no to Serzh

As on previous days, the protesters marched through Yerevan on Saturday waving national flags and chanting: Make a stand, say no to Serzh.

They blocked several streets in the center and staged sit-ins. Police detained about 200 activists.

Armenias new president, Armen Sarkissian, an ally of Sarksyan, on Saturday met with Pashinyan, the protest leader, and urged dialogue. Sarkissian was sworn in as president last week after being elected by parliament in March.

On Tuesday, the parliament voted to allow Sarksyan, who served as president of the small ex-Soviet republic from 2008 until this month, to become premier.

Under a revised constitution approved by a referendum in 2015, the prime minister now has the most power in Armenia, while the presidency has become largely ceremonial.

Armenia seceded from the Soviet Union in 1991 but remains dependent on Russia for aid and investment. Many Armenians accuse the government of corruption and mishandling an economy that has struggled to overcome the legacy of central planning.International chemical weapons inspectors face a dilemma.

Theyve been supplied by rebels with the coordinates of the burial site of dozens of victims of the alleged deadly gas attack that prompted earlier this month retaliatory U.S.-led airstrikes on Syria.

But to gain access to take samples from corpses, theyll need permission from Syrian and Russian officials, who they fear will obstruct them.

More than 40 victims of the suspected chemical attack on the Syrian town of of Douma on the outskirts of the capital of Damascus were buried in unmarked graves by insurgents, political activist Zaher ak-Sakat, a rebel commander and former Syrian general, told Britains Sunday Telegraph.

They hoped international inspectors would be able to access the site to collect samples from the hair, skin and clothing of the dead, possible crucial evidence to support claims the Syrian government mounted a gas attack.

They were buried just as they were found. It will be easy to get samples from the hair and clothes and eventually prove what was used, he said.

The United States, France and Britain remain convinced Douma was the subject of a chemical attack on April 7, basing their claims on open-source information and their own intelligence, which they said suggests chlorine and possibly a nerve agent, maybe sarin, were used.

The Syrian government and Russia deny any chemical attack took place, saying it was fabricated or staged by the rebels and the White Helmets, volunteer first responders who work in insurgent-held territory.

Samples being collected

On Saturday, a team of inspectors from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons entered Douma after being forced to wait for almost a week in the Syrian capital either for permission to start their work that will include sample collection, taking survivor statements and gathering video documentary evidence, or to gain clearance from U.N. security officials.

Frances foreign minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, said the delay amounted to obstructionism by the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad aimed at undermining the caliber of the probe.

The OPCW said its team visited one of the two sites reportedly bombed. Collected samples are to be sent initially to a laboratory at The Hague, and then analyzed by other labs, the agency said. Other information and materials have also been collected by the inspectors, it said.

The OPCW will evaluate the situation and consider future steps, including another possible visit to Douma, the watchdog agency said.

Important traces of toxic chemicals would likely still be present in the environment and from victims' remains, said Alastair Hay, an environmental toxicologist at Britains University of Leeds.

Nerve agents like sarin can be present in the environment for many weeks after use, and particularly if you look near the site where a weapon has exploded, he said. Autopsy samples, if available, will provide invaluable evidence, and nerve agents can be found in many organs, Hay told the AFP news agency.

But evidence of chlorine gas fades fast, toxicologists say.

Claims, counter claims

Rebels and activists accuse the Syrian government and Russians, who sent military police to Douma after the rebels agreed to withdraw after April 7, of removing forensic evidence of chemical weapons. The Douma attack has been the subject of a swirl of conflicting claims and counterclaims and rival theories, mostly fought out on the internet. The Kremlin has accused Britain of ordering rebels to stage an attack.

With any war crime in Syria receiving significant media coverage, there has been a concerted effort by pro-Kremlin and pro-Assad individuals and media outlets to spread claims attacking the Syrian Civil Defense (White Helmets), a major source of information and footage on war crimes in the conflict. These attacks generally fall into two categories: claiming that the White Helmets are al-Qaida or ISIS (or even sometimes both), and claiming that the White Helmets fake images of war crimes for gullible Western audiences and media outlets, said Elliot Higgins, a freelance investigative journalist.

Higgins geo-tagging tracking of the trajectory of missiles fired in a 2013 chemical attack was seen widely as important open-source evidence undermining Syrian government denials.

The Syrian government denies having ever used chemical weapons during the seven-year-long conflict. But U.N. and OPCW experts have blamed the government for four deadly gas attacks, including one on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun a year ago, involving the sarin nerve agent that left more than 80 people dead.

Since April 7, Russian and Syrian state-run television outlets have broadcast reports casting doubt on the Douma attack. Their reports have included testimony from local doctors and residents, and in one case a child, who said the whole incident was staged. But Douma residents have told Western reporters that testimonies were coerced.China said Sunday it welcomes the news that the U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is considering a trip to Beijing to talk about trade.



China's commerce ministry said in a statement, "The Chinese side has received information that the U.S. side hopes to come to Beijing to discuss economic and trade issues.China welcomes this."



Mnuchin said Saturday he is contemplating a visit to China for discussions on issues that have global leaders concerned about a potentially damaging trade war that could undercut a global economic recovery.



"I am not going to make any comment on timing, nor do I have anything confirmed, but a trip is under consideration," Mnuchin said at a Washington news conference during the International Monetary Fund and World Bank spring meetings.



Mnuchin said he discussed the possible trip and potential trade opportunities with the new head of China's central bank.



Tensions have escalated between the U.S. and China over Beijing's attempts to challenge America's technological prowess, raising the prospects of a trade war that could hinder global economic growth.



Mnuchin said he had spoken with a number of his counterparts that have been forced to deal with U.S. President Donald Trump's "America First" trade policies, including U.S. tariffs on foreign aluminum and steel and on up to $150 billion in Chinese goods. Some of the leaders, he said, were focused on exemptions from the tariffs.



He said he emphasized the U.S. is not trying to construct protectionist trade barriers with the tariffs. Instead, he said, "We are looking for reciprocal treatment."



Mnuchin also said he wants the IMF to do more to address what the Trump administration believes are unfair trade practices. He also called on the World Bank to redirect low interest loans from China to more impoverished countries.The European Union and Mexico reached an agreement Saturday on a new free trade deal, a coup for both parties in the face of increased protectionism from the United States under President Donald Trump.

Since its plans for a trade alliance with the United States were frozen after Trumps election victory, the EU has focused instead on trying to champion open markets and seal accords with other like-minded countries.

The agreement in principle with Mexico follows a deal struck last year with Japan and comes ahead of talks next week with the Mercosur bloc of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.

With this agreement, Mexico joins Canada, Japan and Singapore in the growing list of partners willing to work with the EU in defending open, fair and rules-based trade, said European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

For Mexico, a deal with the EU is part of a strategy to reduce its reliance on the United States, the destination of 80 percent of its exports. That has become more urgent, given Trumps push to rewrite the North American Free Trade Agreement.

The EU and Mexico wanted to update a trade deal agreed to 21 years ago that largely covers industrial goods. The new deal adds farm products, more services, investment and government procurement, and include provisions on labor and environmental standards and fighting corruption.

The European Commission said that, under the deal struck Saturday, practically all trade in goods with Mexico will be duty-free, including for farm products such as Mexican chicken and asparagus and European dairy produce.

The deal will for example cut Mexican tariffs of up to 20 percent on cheeses such as gorgonzola and increase EU pork exports, the Commission said.

It will also allow Mexican companies to bid for government contracts in Europe and EU companies for those in Mexico, including at the state level.

Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo said both sides had achieved a major update of their original accord.

It needed to be more ambitious in the agricultural sector, it needed to be more ambitious in services, it needed to be more ambitious in many of the elements that in the end we managed to agree on after two years of work, he said.

Guajardo said the deal would grant his country better access for products including orange juice, tuna, asparagus, honey, egg white albumin, as well as equitable access for meat products.

It is also set to recognize geographical indications for certain food and drink, a key EU demand.

Such indications protect agricultural produce, for example, dictating that the term champagne can only be used for sparkling wine from northern France.

It was not clear, however, how the divisive issue of manchego cheese had been settled. The EU says the term should only apply to sheeps milk cheese from central Spain, but Mexico has its own manchego made from cows milk.

Negotiators from both sides will continue to work on technical details to produce a final text by the end of the year.French President Emmanuel Macron is heading Monday to the United States for a state visit with President Donald Trump, looking to convince him of the need to keep a U.S. presence in Syria even after the defeat of Islamic State terrorists, and to give the European Union an exemption on new aluminum and steel tariffs.



"We will have to build a new Syria after war. That's why I think the U.S. role is very important," Macron told Fox News during an interview at the Elysee Palace in Paris ahead of the trip.



He described the U.S. as "a player of last resorts for peace and multilateralism."



Trump has said he wants to pull the estimated 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria as soon as possible, even as a week ago he ordered the U.S. military to join France and Britain in launching a barrage of missiles targeting Syrian chemical weapons facilities in response to a suspected Syrian gas attack. Trump's planned troop withdrawal comes after the fall of Raqqa, IS's self-declared capital of its religious caliphate in northern Syria.



"I'm going to be very blunt," Macron said in the interview. "If we leave ... will we leave the floor to the Iranian regime and [Syrian President] Bashar al-Assad? They will prepare a new war."



He said the U.S. and France are allied but that "even Russia and Turkey will have a very important role to play to create this new Syria and ensure the Syrian people decide for the future."

Macron also said that while the Iranian nuclear deal is imperfect, he does not see a better option and wants to see it remain intact while working to put in place ways to constrain Iran's ballistic missile program.

The French leader and his wife, Brigitte, are due to join Trump and his wife, Melania, for dinner Monday night. Trump and Macron will then hold meetings Tuesday before a state dinner Tuesday night.

Macron is also scheduled to give a speech to the U.S. Congress on Wednesday.

His visit is occurring as an international chemical weapons monitoring group said its team of inspectors has collected samples at the site of the alleged gas attack two weeks ago in the Syrian town of Douma.

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons said a report based on the findings and other information gathered by the team will be drafted after the samples are analyzed by designated laboratories.



The group added it will "evaluate the situation and consider future steps, including another possible visit to Douma."



The fact-finding team's attempts to enter the town were initially postponed for several days due to a series of security-related setbacks.



Emergency responders said at least 40 people were killed in the suspected April 7 gas attack, which the U.S. and its allies blamed on the Assad regime.

The Syrian government has denied using chemical weapons, a violation of international law, and invited inspectors to investigate.

They arrived in Syria on April 14, the same day the U.S., Britain and France launched missiles targeting three chemical weapons facilities in Syria.



Ken Ward, the U.S. ambassador to the OPCW, claimed on April 16 the Russians had already visited the site of the chemical weapons attack and "may have tampered with it," a charge Moscow rejected.



On April 9, Moscow's U.N. ambassador told the U.N. Security Council that Russian experts had visited the site, collected soil samples, interviewed witnesses and medical personnel, and determined no chemical weapons attack had taken place.



U.S. military officials have said the airstrikes were designed to send a powerful message to Syria and its backers, showing that the United States, Britain and France could slice through the nation's air defense systems at will.Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping this week, as the two neighbors work to ameliorate strained ties.

The two leaders will meet in the central Chinese city of Wuhan on Friday and Saturday, China's and India's foreign ministries announced Sunday.

Our common interests far outweigh our differences. The two countries have no choice other than pursuing everlasting friendship, mutually beneficial cooperation and common development, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi told reporters after meeting Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj in Beijing.

The summit will go a long way toward deepening the mutual trust between the two great neighbors, he added. We will make sure that the informal summit will be a complete success and a new milestone in the history of China-India relations.



Ties between the two countries have been strained since a 73-day standoff on Doklam plateau last June  a region in the Himalayas claimed by both China and India, as well as Bhutan. The confrontation started when China planned to build a road through the plateau, prompting India to send troops to block construction.Iranian police have arrested a former prosecutor known as the torturer of Tehran, who faces a two-year prison sentence over the death of prisoners following 2009 protests, Iranian media reported Sunday.

The official website of the judiciary, Mizanonline.com, said former Tehran prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi had been arrested, without elaborating. The semi-official Tasnim news agency said police detained Mortazavi in a villa in northern Iran, near the Caspian Sea.

Mortazavi was sentenced to prison by an appeals court in December. That court found him guilty of abetting and aiding torture and the deaths of protesters arrested after the disputed re-election of hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Wanted posters

Since that court decision, Mortazavi apparently couldnt be found by authorities.

They could not find him despite the arrest warrant, judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejehi said last week.

After the reports of his disappearance, wanted posters printed by activists began appearing around Tehran.

Mortazavis wife and lawyer denied he was missing, but said he was looking to appeal the ruling. His lawyer could not be immediately reached Sunday.

Photojournalist's death

Canada has blamed Mortazavi for the death in custody of Iranian-Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi in 2003. Iranian reformists accused Mortazavi of trying to stage a cover-up because he reported that Kazemi died of a stroke.

A government committee probing her death later found that she had died of a fractured skull and brain hemorrhage from a blow to the head. No charges were filed against Mortazavi.

He is detested by those pushing for social and political reforms. Critics have dubbed him the butcher of the press, and the torturer of Tehran because he was behind the closure of some 120 newspapers and the jailing of many journalists and political activists over the past decade.The event saw the participation of representatives from the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD); the Vietnamese Embassy and Commercial Affair in Malaysia; Malaysias Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry; and those from leading enterprises in processing, exporting and importing livestock products of the two countries.



In his opening speech, Deputy Minister of MARD Tran Thanh Nam said the livestock cooperation between Vietnam and Malaysia still remains modest compared to the potential, and opportunities and mechanisms for businesses of the two sides to strengthen links is limited.



He hoped that through the seminar, authorities and enterprises of the two countries would understand more about each other's situation and abilities, thus proposing ways to enhance cooperation between the two countries in the field.



Vietnamese enterprises such as Vinamilk and Minh Dang Groups introduced their activities and products. They said their products could meet the demand of the Malaysian market, expressing their wish to set link-up with Malaysian partners, towards exporting their products to the country in the near future.



Meanwhile, Malaysian businesses expressed their interest in some Vietnamese products such as beef, milk, dairy products, and animal feed.



They revealed that Malaysian dairy and beef firms respectively meet only about 60 percent, and 23 percent of the domestic market demand.



The Malaysian side affirmed it would consider the possibility of collaborating with Vietnamese partners to import those products in the coming time.



Malaysian enterprises also said they could cooperate with Vietnamese firms through providing technologies of processing and preservation of livestock products, and veterinary medicine.



Previously, on April 20, Nam had a working session with representatives from the Malaysian Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry, during which the two sides discussed measures to boost their agricultural and breeding collaboration.

VietnamplusIranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says Tehran is open to prisoner swap negotiations with the United States if the Trump administration shows a "change of attitude."

Negotiations are a "possibility certainly from a humanitarian perspective, but it requires a change of attitude," Zarif said in an interview with CBS television's Face the Nation set to air Sunday.

Five Americans are held in Tehran, including Baquer Namazi, 81, who is in failing health.

Zarif blasted the U.S. administration for showing "disrespect" toward Iran, a frequent target of President Donald Trump's wrath.

Trump has said he wants to rip up the Iran nuclear deal, and his new national security adviser, John Bolton, has advocated regime change in Tehran.

"You do not engage in negotiations by exercising disrespect for a country, for its people, for its government, by openly making claims, including this illusion about regime change," Zarif said, according to interview excerpts.

In January 2016, after months of secret talks between senior Iranian and U.S. officials during Barack Obama's administration, Tehran released four Americans in exchange for seven Iranians being released in the United States.

A fifth American, identified as Matthew Trevithick, was also released separately as an "associated goodwill gesture."

According to Zarif, there are "many" Iranian prisoners being held in the United States or elsewhere at America's request, "including a lady who had to give birth in an Australian prison because of a U.S. extradition request."A suicide bomber struck a distribution center for Afghan voters identification cards Sunday morning in Kabul, killing at least 57 people and wounding more than 100 others.

Interior Ministry spokesman Najeeb Danish told VOA that people were waiting in line outside the center to get their Tazkira, or identification card, to be able to vote in the election when the bomber detonated explosives strapped to his body.

Hospital sources have described condition of a least ten wounded people as highly critical.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the blast.

Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah has condemned the "terrorist" attack on the center set up in a Kabul school.

I stand with those affected by this coward attack. Our resolve for fair and transparent election will continue and terrorists won't win against the will of the Afghan people, Abdullah wrote on his official Twitter account.

President Ashraf Ghani launched the voter registration process last week, allowing the Independent Election Commission to prepare voter lists for the October 20 parliamentary and district council elections. This will be the first time in Afghani history that elections will be held on the basis of formal voters lists.



The attack occurred a day after a presidential spokesman in a statement released to media said that Ghani spoke to top army commanders by phone and instructed them to pay close attention to ensuring security of the voters registration centers.

The U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, John Bass, issued a statement following the attack: "I strongly condemn this mornings suicide attack . . . in Kabul and offer my condolences to the victims and their families. This senseless violence shows the cowardice and inhumanity of the enemies of democracy and peace in Afghanistan."



The Taliban insurgency has rejected the elections as staged-managed by the United States to bring to power Afghan rulers of its own choice and has urged the people to boycott the polls.



But Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, in a statement said it had no role in Sunday's attack.

The Islamic State Afghan branch has in recent months carried out repeated deadly attacks on civilians in Kabul and elsewhere in the country.

Meanwhile, Afghan officials have confirmed that bomb went off near the provincial capital of northern Baghlan province, killing at least six people, according to initial reports.

Provincial police spokesman Zabihullah Shujah told VOA the blast in Pul-e-Khumri was caused by a roadside bomb and there was no immediate claim of responsibility.

I condemn the heinous terrorist attacks in Kabul and Pul-e-Khumri, Ghani tweeted, naming the capital of Baghlan and saying he instructed relevant institutions to provide support and care to those affected.

The latest Afghan civilian casualties come as the United Nations in its recent report said that conflict-related violence has claimed lives of about 2,260 civilians in Afghanistan in the first three months of 2018, including more than 700 deaths.U.S. lawmakers this week strongly endorsed continued U.S. military engagement in Libya, calling it vital for building the country's unity and keeping it from becoming a hub for terrorism.

U.S. involvement in Libya has been a politically divisive issue ever since former President Barack Obama launched the U.N.-authorized military intervention aimed at saving pro-democracy protesters from a government crackdown in 2011. The intervention led to political chaos that continues to this day. Last April, President Donald Trump said the U.S. should have no role in the country beyond fighting Islamic State militants.

U.S. lawmakers said in a Wednesday hearing of the House Foreign Relations Committee's subcommittee on Middle East and North Africa that terrorist groups like IS thrive in Libya's power vacuum.

"Nearly seven years after [former leader Moammar] Gadhafi's removal, Libya remains mired in civil conflict, political division, lawlessness and economic crisis with few signs of abating anytime soon. ISIS and al-Qaida though seriously degraded are regrouping," said subcommittee Chairwoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Florida Republican.

Christopher Blanchard, a Middle East expert at the Congressional Research Center, echoed Ros-Lehtinen's concerns.

"The power of armed nonstate groups remains unmatched and there is a lawless atmosphere that persists. Militias, criminals and terrorists, including remnants of the Islamic State, operate with impunity in some areas," Blanchard told lawmakers.

Blanchard added that these groups posed risks to countries in North Africa, Europe and beyond.

Division, opportunity for IS

The U.S. and Libya's U.N.-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), have made little headway in overcoming disputes that have practically split the country into islands of power since 2014.

Frederic Wehrey, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said militant groups like Islamic State thrive in those porous security conditions.

"Though the Islamic State has dispersed to the desert ... it is still potent. It could easily exploit Libya's political divisions and the unwillingness of armed groups to confront it," Wehrey said. That's why achieving national reconciliation is so important, along with with improving the country's security, he said.

Alice Hunt Friend, a senior fellow at Center for Strategic and International Studies, said Libya's strategic location and proximity to Europe make it a favored target for proxy wars by outside parties. She said U.S. policy should recognize that ending the terrorist threat requires a political solution.

"Ending major violence and stabilizing Libyan politics to the point where powerful actors accept a single government will be the most durable way to address terrorism and humanitarian needs," she said.

"Yet the path to political equilibrium will likely be a long one. The international community including the United States should have a patient and realistic approach to Libyan politics."

US policy, presence

The U.S. military presence in Libya remains "limited and dispersed," according to Major Karl J. Wiest, a spokesman for U.S. Africa Command.

"A small number of U.S. forces transition in and out of Libya to exchange information with local forces, and they will continue to do so in order to help counter violent extremist organizations," Wiest told VOA.

At the policy level, a U.S. official familiar with the administration's policy stance said the U.S. still was actively supporting the U.N.-backed, Libyan-led process.

"We are steadfastly committed to partnering with the Government of National Accord to defeat ISIS and other terrorists and to promoting lasting stability based on political reconciliation," the official said. "The United States strongly supports the Libyan-led, U.N.-facilitated political process as the only means to achieve stability and security in Libya."

But some U.S lawmakers, including Ros-Lehtinen, said the U.S. should do more to show its commitment to Libya.

"It is past time to appoint a new U.S. ambassador to Libya, and soon as it is viable from a security standpoint, we need to reopen our embassy in Tripoli to increase engagement on the ground," Ros-Lehtinen said.

"More than anything, more than military aid, more than financial aid, Libya needs U.S. leadership. Leadership that can corral the various countries interfering in Libya, leverage our connections and help push the political reconciliation process forward," she added.

Representative Ted Deutch, a Florida Democrat, said U.S and UN cooperation is key to helping Libya move in the right direction.

"A coherent U.S-UN cooperation is needed to move the country forward in its path of integrity and stabilization," Deutch said.



VOA's Nike Ching contributed to this report.U.S. President Donald Trump will host French President Emmanuel Macron for a state visit this week as the Iran nuclear agreement hangs in the balance, and the expiration of EUs exemptions from steel and aluminum tariffs nears.

Macrons visit will be the first state visit of the Trump administration. Over the past year, Macron and Trump have forged an unlikely partnership. U.S. media dubbed the relationship a bromance and one of historys oddest diplomatic couples.

The Trump-Macron relationship is perhaps one of the most unexpected partnerships of the Trump era, observed Nile Gardiner, director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at Heritage Foundation in an interview with VOA. Clearly, Emmanuel Macron is very different to Trump in many respects ideologically, but the two leaders have formed a very pragmatic working relationship.

Iran deal

A senior administration official said the themes of the visit include celebrating the close ties between France and the United States, trade and investment issues, and security concerns, such as combating terrorism and the way forward in Syria.

It is expected that the Iran nuclear deal, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), will be front and center of the bilateral discussions. Analysts see Macrons visit, and German Chancellor Angela Merkels visit to the White House later in the week, as last-minute efforts to save the deal ahead of Trumps May 12 deadline for the U.S. to pull out of the agreement if the terms are not changed.

A senior administration official told reporters its difficult to say the degree of detail the two leaders will go into regarding the Iran accord. He noted the discussions between European allies and the United States are not quite done yet, so the timeframe for the president make a decision on the deal will be mid-May.

The presidents three priorities with respect to JCPOA are the sunset clause, the ballistic missile program, and more broadly, Irans malign activities throughout the region and throughout the world, the official said.

Trump has demanded these flaws be fixed in the 2015 deal Iran made with six major powers  the United States, Britain, Germany, France, Russia and China  to curb its nuclear program in exchange for relief from international sanctions that hobbled its economy.

Trump has called the agreement crafted under the Obama administration the worst deal ever negotiated. Trump contends Iran would quickly achieve nuclear capability at the end of the 10-year agreement and often assails its current military adventures in Syria, Yemen and Lebanon.

Heritage Foundation expert Gardiner said it will be very interesting to see what Macron has to offer.

Unless measures are taken to strengthen the deal, the deal should be dropped by the United States. I expect actually thats what the president is going to do, unless there is a convincing case made by European leaders that Europe is committed to fundamentally strengthen the agreement. We havent seen that commitment yet, he said.

Eric Jones, director of European and Eurasian Studies at Johns Hopkins University, also doesnt see Trump changing his mind about Iran after meeting with Macron, and he believes the Europeans see that as well.

Theyre hoping to convince the president they are going to introduce their own sanctions outside of the agreement in order to punish Iran for its behavior in Syria and other places, and that will be adequate reasons for the president to continue to waive U.S. sanctions under the deal where it stands. Thats what they want, a short-term achievement, not a long-term change in the presidents perspective, Jones told VOA.

US-European trade

Regarding trade, for Macron, extending the steel and aluminum exemption for the EU will be the first priority. A senior administration official said its hard to say if there will be any trade announcement following the state visit.

Jones said there are a lot of differences on trade, the most important of which is that Trumps team hasnt wrapped its collective mind around the idea that the European Union is a single trading entity.

President Trumps team has repeatedly approached not just France, but Germany and other European countries with the eye of making bilateral deals with these countries. Unfortunately, thats a category error. These countries cant make bilateral deals with the United States, so I think part of what President Macron is going to try to do, is better to push the conversation forward as a way of suggesting the United States should imagine the European Union as a single trading entity and a bilateral arrangement between the US and EU is what the White House should aspire to achieve, he noted.

WATCH: Trump Rolls Out Red Carpet for French Leader

Macrons state visit will start Monday with a tour of Mount Vernon and a private couples dinner hosted by Trump. Macron and Trump will meet at the White House Tuesday morning for a one-on-one session in the Oval Office, followed by a joint press conference. That evening, Trump will host Macron for a state dinner at the White House. On Wednesday, Macron will address a joint session of Congress.The Libyan navy said it has recovered the bodies of 11 migrants and rescued 263 others in two separate operations off Libya's western coast.

The migrants were from various sub-Saharan African countries, he said.

Libya is the most common departure point for migrants trying to reach Europe by sea. More than 600,000 crossed the central Mediterranean to Italy in the past four years, the vast majority from Libya.

The United Nations migration agency said through mid-April of this year, 18,575 migrants and refugees arrived in Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Spain by crossing the Mediterranean Sea.

The International Organization for Migration said that is less than half of last years pace.

More notable is the steep decline this year, to 9 percent, of the number of arrivals in Europe from 2016, which exceeded 200,000.

And yet, some of these attempts to flee conflict and poverty proved fatal. Last year alone, 3,116 people died attempting the crossing, according to the IOM, including 2,833 from Libya.

The conflict-riven country is regularly singled out for the exploitation and ill-treatment of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa.Police have issued a dragnet for a man who killed four people and wounded several others with an assault-type weapon in the middle of the night at a Nashville, Tennessee, diner.

Police have identified the suspect as 29-year-old Travis Reinking.

Witnesses said Reinking was wearing a green jacket and nothing else when he got out of his truck and shot two people in the parking lot of the Waffle House restaurant. He opened fire inside the restaurant, where three people died at the scene and a fourth later died at the hospital.

A customer tackled the gunman and tossed the weapons behind the counter before the suspect threw off his jacket and fled naked from the scene.

Nashville police chief Steve Anderson said Reinking came into the Waffle House with a "lot of firepower," carrying four weapons. Two guns were found at the scene, and Anderson said the suspect may be armed with two more.

The U.S. Secret Service said Reinking was arrested in July for being inside a restricted zone near the White House in Washington.

Nashville police said the FBI determined Reinking should no longer be allowed to own weapons and turned his guns over to his father, who allegedly returned the weapons to his son.

Police believe the attack was random and that the suspect may have mental issues.

They are calling James Shaw, Jr. - the young customer who tackled the gunman and grabbed the weapon - a hero who likely saved a lot of lives. Police chief Anderson said Shaw's reaction was "beyond belief." But Shaw is downplaying his actions.

"I was just trying to save my life. I'm no Superman," he quietly told reporters.

Reinking was allegedly armed with an AR-15 assault style weapon.

"People have had enough of this," Nashville mayor David Briley said. "These kind of weapons have to come off the street. Period."Mitt Romney was forced into a Republican primary in his bid for U.S. Senate in Utah after losing a nomination battle Saturday at the states far-right-leaning GOP convention.

Romney remains the heavy favorite overall to replace long-serving Sen. Orrin Hatch in November and said he was ready to keep campaigning hard.

If he had won the party delegate vote at the convention, he would have bypassed a primary altogether. Instead, he was edged out by state lawmaker Mike Kennedy, who got 51 percent of the vote to Romneys 49 percent.

GOP voters will decide between the two in a June 26 primary.

Romney secured his spot on the primary ballot by gathering 28,000 voter signatures but said Saturday that choice was partly to blame for his loss.

Romney, 71, went up against 11 other candidates at the convention, including one dressed as Abraham Lincoln, complete with vest and bow tie. Some candidates questioned Romneys past criticism of President Donald Trump.

Romney pushed back against critics who said hes an interloper in Utah politics by referring to his role in staging the 2002 Winter Olympics in Utah.

Some people Ive spoken with have said this is a David vs. Goliath race, but theyre wrong, Romney said in his speech. Im not Goliath. Washington, D.C., is Goliath.

Kennedy, a doctor and lawyer, framed himself as an underdog taking on the Romney machine. At one point, he pitched in to sweep up tiny paper American flags that had been shot from a confetti cannon hours before.

Delegate Matt Murdoch, 28, said he voted for Kennedy because hes a family doctor serving many of his neighbors in Alpine, south of Salt Lake City.

Stay-at-home mother Michelle Cluff said she liked Romneys experience and believes he is ready to get to work as a senator.

Romney was governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007. While in office he signed legislation that greatly expanded access to health care through state-level subsidies and individual mandates to purchase insurance, much like Obamacare.

Romney asked for delegates votes after spending two months on the campaign trail visiting dairy farms, taking selfies with college students and making stump speeches in small towns.

After his failed 2012 presidential campaign, he moved to Utah, where he gained popularity after running as the first Mormon presidential nominee of a major political party.

Hes worked to keep the focus on state issues rather than his history of well-documented feuds with Trump.

The two men have shown signs of making peace, and Romney has accepted Trumps endorsement for Senate. But Romney said Saturday he hasnt decided whether hell endorse the presidents 2020 re-election bid.Russia says it may block Facebook if the social media company does not put its Russian user database on servers in Russian territory. The warning Wednesday by the head of the countrys state media regulator Roskomnadzor comes just days after a Russian move to block Telegram, the encrypted messaging app. VOA's Iuliia Alieva has more in this report narrated by Anna RiceSaudi Arabian security forces said they shot down a recreational drone in the capital Saturday after online videos showing gunfire in a neighborhood where royal palaces are located sparked fears of possible political unrest.

The Riyadh police spokesman, quoted by the official Saudi News Agency (SPA), said a security screening point noticed the flying of a small unauthorized recreational drone at 7:50 p.m. local time (1650 GMT), leading security forces to deal with it according to their orders and instructions.

There were no casualties, and King Salman was not at his palace at the time, a senior Saudi official told Reuters.

The king was at his farm in Diriya, the official said, naming another area of the capital.

Amateur footage circulating earlier on social media showed loud gunfire that lasted for at least 30 seconds, leading to speculation online about a possible coup attempt in the worlds top oil exporter and questions about the whereabouts of the king and crown prince.

One video showed two police cars parked in the middle of a dark street. Reuters was unable to independently verify the videos authenticity.

Asked about the footage, the official said the drone had been shot down, and added that the government would introduce regulations for the use of recreational drones.

Radical change recently

Saudi Arabia has witnessed a series of radical political changes over the past year under the kings son, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has spearheaded reforms to transform the economy, open the country culturally, and impose a more tolerant form of Islam in the deeply conservative kingdom.

The 32-year-old leader ousted his older cousin as crown prince last summer in a palace coup and then jailed dozens of top businessmen and senior royals, including billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal and National Guard head Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, in an anti-corruption sweep.

Most of the detainees have been released after reaching settlements with the government.

Space for criticism has also narrowed in recent months following the arrests of prominent clerics and activists in an apparent bid to silence dissent.

Speculation of a backlash

Those moves have helped Prince Mohammed consolidate his position in a country where power had been shared among senior princes for decades and religious figures exercised significant influence on policy.

But they have also fuelled speculation about a possible backlash against the crown prince, who remains popular with Saudi Arabias burgeoning youth population.

Prince Mohammed returned earlier this month from a foreign tour that included the United States where he sought investments and support to curb Iranian influence in the region.

Riyadh and Tehran are locked in a decades-long struggle for supremacy that is being waged in several countries, including Yemen.

Iran-aligned Houthi fighters there have occasionally dispatched drones across Saudi Arabias southern border, but there was no apparent connection between that conflict and Saturdays incident in Riyadh.A British scientist is proposing a new approach to fighting the spread of malaria, a treatable mosquito-borne disease that kills hundreds of thousands each year, the vast majority of them young children in Africa. As Faith Lapidus reports, he is developing an antimalarial drug designed not for humans, but for mosquitoes.Somalia's finance minister said the country is winning in its effort to get the trust of international financial institutions and could receive debt relief as early as next year.

Abdirahman Duale Beileh, who participated in the spring meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank last week in Washington, said Somalia has passed [the] trust factor with international creditors following roundtable meetings.

They [IMF] have submitted their assessment, and they said Somalia has passed, he said. Somalia can be trusted. Somalia is back. And Somalia has to be supported to move with the clearance of arrears sometime next year.

Somalia owes an estimated $5.5 billion to international creditors, the Paris club, the non-Paris club and other international financial institutions. Beileh said those groups are working to see Somalia cleared of its debts next year.

They are all moving together in tandem, but they all agree that sometime next year, everything will be done, he said during an interview in VOA studios in Washington. Countries and organizations are also promising a pre-arrears clearance fund to be established for the assistance of Somalia.

Somalia and the IMF signed staff-level agreements aimed at monitoring Somalia fiscal reforms and increased revenue. Beileh said the government has successfully completed two IMF staff-monitored programs.

Rise in domestic revenue

In the first quarter of this year, the Somali government reported collecting $42.5 million in domestic revenue, the highest in a single quarter in recent history. In February this year, the government introduced a new 5 percent sales tax on businesses to further boost income.

Beileh said development and reconstruction projects by the international donors will be channeled through the federal government from now on. He said even if NGOs have to implement the projects, the government will set the priority and will monitor.

They will be trusting us with whatever enters the country, the federal government will be responsible and trusted. Its estimated to be over a billion dollars, Beileh said.

Despite the ministers statement, Somalia is still ranked the most corrupt country in the world, according to Transparency International. The Somali minister said the group ranked Somalia based on perception.

IMF knows our expenses. We give them a weekly report. We have agreed that they monitor, he said.

Beileh added that Somalia has improved its budget transparency and deserves to have a better ranking.

UAE dispute

Meanwhile, Beileh has opened the possibility that Somalia could return nearly $10 million seized from a United Arab Emirates plane at the Mogadishu airport on April 8 but said talks were ongoing.

He said Somalia is open for business and investment but that countries need to respect its sovereignty.

Somalia is a sovereign nation. We are determined that we bring back our dignity and our sovereignty, he said. Everybody is welcome to come, but I can tell you generally that Somalia is not a monopoly for anybody.

Beileh said UAE was a very friendly country that should go through proper channels of communication with Somalia's government.

The money is a lot of money, and I dont know what will happen if you just bring $10 million to U.S. ports without anybody knowing, he said. We have to know what this money is for. We have to know before the money shows up in the airport in a big plane. So, all these things create [an] unnecessary suspicious environment, which has to be dealt with, he said.

The UAE insisted the money was for the salaries of Somali soldiers and said Somali officials knew it was coming. The UAE has been training hundreds of Somali soldiers for several years. In retaliation for the cash seizure, the UAE disbanded military training centers and handed over trained soldiers to the Somali government.

Armenia's opposition leader was arrested Sunday, hours after the country's prime minister walked out of a televised meeting between the two.

Opposition politician Nikol Pashinyan was arrested Sunday in the Armenian capital of Yerevan, as he participated in one of the demonstrations that began last week when parliament elected Serzh Sargsyan prime minister after a decade serving as president.

Critics see the move as an attempt by Sargsyan to hold on to power.

Pashinyan has said he would like the demonstrations to be the "start of a peaceful velvet revolution," a reference to the protests in 1989 that ended communist rule in Czechoslovakia.

About 15,000 people began the rallies Wednesday at Yerevan's central Republic Square, with some holding posters that read "Make a step and reject Serzh."

The meeting Sunday between Sargsyan and Pashinyan was held with the aim of ending continuing anti-government protests. Sargsyan walked out of the meeting when Pashinyan told him that he came to discuss his resignation, to which the prime minister responded, "This is blackmail."

Sargsyan was nearing the end of his second and final term as president earlier this year when the country moved from a presidential to parliamentary system, empowering the position of the prime minister, which does not face term limits. In April, Armenia's ruling party moved to appoint Sargsyan as prime minister.





About 15,000 people began the rallies Wednesday at Yerevan's central Republic Square, with some holding posters that read "Make a step and reject Serzh."The U.N. refugee agency is appealing to armed groups in southern Libya to allow humanitarian access to thousands of people displaced by fighting to provide urgently needed relief.

Recent deadly clashes between armed groups in and around the southern Libyan city of Sabha have forced an estimated 1,900 families or more than 13,000 people to flee their homes.

U.N. refugee spokesman, Andrej Mahecic says humanitarian help in this region of Libya is desperately needed.

The displaced Libyan population in the south badly needs adequate shelter and basic household items including hygiene kits, sleeping mats, mattresses and kitchen sets," he said. "To make matters worse, humanitarian access in this part of Libya has been restricted for weeks and the situation remains extremely volatile. Many have sought refuge in local schools, hospitals and other public buildings.

Libya has been riven by division and conflict since the 2011 Arab Spring uprising, which toppled former dictator Moammar Gadhafi. Rival governments and multiple armed factions are keeping the society in a state of perpetual chaos. Tribal fighting is a regular and disruptive occurrence in the region of Sabha city, some 760 kilometers south of the capital Tripoli.

Mahecic says the UNHCR was able to seize, what he calls a window of opportunity this past week to deliver urgently needed relief items to hundreds of displaced families in the city of Murzuk. This town, one of the hubs of Libyas modern slave trade, is located about 135 kilometers south of Sabha.

Conflict has uprooted more than one-half million people throughout Libya. Mahecic says the UNHCR has increased its resources by 300 percent in recent months so that it can provide more humanitarian assistance to more people in need.U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday the United States has given up nothing ahead of his planned summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, while Pyongyang has already curtailed its nuclear weapons development.



The U.S. leader said on Twitter, "We haven't given up anything & they have agreed to denuclearization (so great for World), site closure, & no more testing!"



But Trump acknowledged that the eventual outcome of his talks with Kim, which could occur in late May or early June, is uncertain. Pyongyang yet to agree to dismantle its nuclear arsenal and, despite Trump's claim, has not agreed to the permanent denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

South Korea has said that the North has expressed interest in doing away with its nuclear weapons.

Watch related video by VOA's Michael Bowman:



"We are a long way from conclusion on North Korea, maybe things will work out, and maybe they won't - only time will tell," Trump said, "But the work I am doing now should have been done a long time ago!"



Trump, as is often the case, offered his thoughts after hearing television news commentary he didn't like, this time from NBC News anchor Chuck Todd.



The president said, "Sleepy Eyes Chuck Todd of Fake News NBC just stated that we have given up so much in our negotiations with North Korea, and they have given up nothing."



Todd said of Kim's overtures ahead of the summit, "He seems to be giving very little but making it seem like he's giving a lot."



The television newsman said, "There's not many pre-conditions the United States is asking for. So far in this potential summit, North Koreans have gotten a lot out of it. What has the United States gotten yet? We don't have a release of any of those Americans that they held captive, we don't have a pledge of denuclearization as the ultimate goal. There's a lot of things they are not promising that is raising some red flags."

Before the summit with Trump, Kim is set to meet Friday with South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

South Korean on Monday halted its broadcasts of propaganda messages and pop music across the border. South Korea's defense ministry said in a statement it hopes the move will help contribute to creating peace between the two countries.The World Banks shareholders on Saturday endorsed a $13 billion paid-in capital increase that will boost Chinas shareholding but bring lending reforms that will raise borrowing costs for higher-middle-income countries, including China.

The multilateral lender said the plan would allow it to lift the groups overall lending to nearly $80 billion in fiscal 2019 from about $59 billion last year and to an average of about $100 billion annually through 2030.

We have more than doubled the capacity of the World Bank Group, the institutions president, Jim Yong Kim, told reporters during the International Monetary Fund and World Bank spring meetings in Washington. Its a huge vote of confidence, but the expectations are enormous.

The hard-fought capital hike, initially resisted by the Trump administration, will add $7.5 billion paid-in capital for the World Banks main concessional lending arm, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Its commercial-terms lender, the International Finance Corp, will get $5.5 billion paid-in capital, and IBRD also will get a $52.6 billion increase in callable capital.

Lending rules

The bank agreed to change IBRDs lending rules to charge higher rates for developing countries with higher incomes, to discourage them from excessive borrowing.

IBRD previously had charged similar rates for all borrowers, and U.S. Treasury officials had complained that it was lending too much to China and other bigger emerging markets.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said earlier Saturday that he supported the capital hike because of the reforms that it included. The last World Bank capital increase came in 2010.

Cost controls

The current hike comes with cost controls and salary restrictions that will hold World Bank compensation to a little below average for the financial sector, Kim said.

He added that there was nothing specific in the agreement that targeted a China lending reduction, but he said lending to China was expected to gradually decline.

In 2015, China founded the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and lends heavily to developing countries through its government export banks.

The agreement will lift Chinas shareholding in IBRD to 6.01 percent from 4.68 percent, while the U.S. share would dip slightly to 16.77 percent from 16.89 percent. Washington will still keep its veto power over IBRD and IFC decisions.

Kim said the increase was expected to become fully effective by the time the World Banks new fiscal year starts July 1. Countries will have up to eight years to pay for the capital increase.

The U.S. contribution is subject to approval by Congress.This is one of our most exciting volcano tours! Halmahera, North Sulawesi and the Sangihe Islands are not only very scenic and interesting as well as nearly unspoiled by tourism, but also home to some of the country's most active (and often erupting) volcanoes, inclduing Dukono, Ibu, Lokon, Soputan and Karangetang.Stratovolcano 3562 m (11,686 ft)Ecuador, -0.08S / -77.66W(4 out of 5)1541, 1590, 1691, 1748, 1797, 1802, 1843, 1843, 1844, 1856, 1871, 1894, 1898-1906, 1912, 1926, 1929, 1936, 1944, 1955, 1957, 1960, 1972, 1973-74, 1976, 2002 (large eruption), 2004 (Nov) - 2005 (Jan), 2005 (June) - 2006 (March), 2008 (July) - ongoingExplosive and effusive.(5 days expedition to Ecuador to observe volcanic activity from close)

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One of the most bizarre landscapes on earth: Dallol is a vast and very active hydrothermal field creating a colorful array of hot springs, small geysers, salt towers, colorful lakes and ponds in the middle of the deepest part of the Danakil desert and the Karum salt lake.

A growing list of photo galleries taking during our expeditions in this fantastic part of the world, full of volcanoes, unspoiled nature and colors.

The activity of Mexico's most active and largest volcano has been picking up gradually during the past months. If you like to join a small group of volcano enthusiasts, join us, stay 5 nights near the volcano and move around for extended day- and night-time observation.

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Guardea near Terni - We have a beautiful, exclusive 10 acre-estate nestled in the hills with a large pool framed by lavender and rosemary plants. The property is extremely peacefu...Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue.

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Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 22/4/2018 (1260 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

BUTUAN, Philippines - Junrey Manlicayan, a member of the Banwaon tribe, voted for President Rodrigo Duterte. He believed that Duterte, a fellow native of Mindanao island, understood the plight of indigenous communities like his, and that he could deliver on his promise to negotiate an end to the war with communist insurgents that has dragged on for 49 years.

But after Duterte declared martial law on Mindanao last year and peace talks fell apart, Manlicayan and many other indigenous Filipinos in this region bitterly regret giving him their support in the 2016 election.

"We made a mistake, and now we're suffering," he said. "It's sad to hear the propaganda that the NPA (communist rebels) are violating our rights, because in my experience most of the abuses against us have been committed by the military."

The worst recent incident, according to Manlicayan, was when soldiers invaded his village and framed a neighboring family by planting grenades in their house. The soldiers took them all away.

"It's like the government declared war on us," he said.

Duterte campaigned as a socialist, had a history of pragmatically dealing with the communist New People's Army as mayor of Davao City, and had support on the left as he began his presidency two years ago.

Over the past four months, however, Duterte has taken to angrily denouncing the rebels and relying on tactics reminiscent of his deadly "war on drugs" and of the government's battle with Islamist rebels last year in the city of Marawi. He has unleashed his security forces on the guerrillas and publicly offered cash rewards to any indigenous person who kills one.

The problem with Duterte's new strategy, analysts say, is that there is no easy military solution to this conflict. After five decades, the NPA knows how to operate within its jungle territory. Much of the fire and brimstone coming from the presidential palace actually strikes the very poor indigenous people trapped between the government and the communists.

For years, Philippine authorities have seen a connection between indigenous identity and rebellion, and this has helped open the door to indiscriminate suspicion of anyone not actively helping the military. Last year, Duterte said that 75 percent of rebel foot soldiers were "Lumad," or Mindanao indigenous peoples. Local groups said this number was vastly overstated, but the communists themselves acknowledge that many indigenous cadres are in their ranks.

In interviews with The Washington Post in several locations on Mindanao, members of indigenous tribes, religious figures, teachers and activists working in regions affected by this conflict accused the government of numerous human rights abuses. They said the army and police harass communities near rebel territory, stop crucial deliveries of food and medicine, and work with paramilitary groups that kill civilians. Simply for acknowledging these government abuses - or for refusing to make deals with mining and logging companies operating in the area, they say - they can be publicly tagged as sympathetic to the communists and therefore put in grave danger.

"I was accused of inciting protest, just because I was visiting families displaced by a military raid, and was taken in for interrogation," said Raymond Ambray, a Catholic priest working in an affected indigenous community.

Wearing a Kobe Bryant jersey in the heat of the night, he had traveled for several hours from his jungle encampment to meet at a coastal location he deemed safe for conversation. Just around the corner, military checkpoints stopped all passersby in front of large signs filled with photos of NPA "terrorists."

He said the problems certainly did not start with Duterte - in 2015, the administrator of a school founded by the church was murdered, alongside two indigenous people and residents said government-backed paramilitaries killed them. But conditions have worsened since their high hopes for a peace agreement were dashed in 2017, he said.

"A priest was killed just a few months ago, in northern Luzon," Ambray said. "I fear for my life now."

One indigenous rights group, Kasalo, called Duterte's cash-for-kill offer a "huge insult" to indigenous communities. Karapatan, a human rights group active in the region, says at least 126 extrajudicial killings took place alongside the counterinsurgency program by the end of 2017, and the number has continued to grow.

In early April, Duterte said he might be interested in resuming formal talks. But his daughter, Sara Duterte, the mayor of Davao, asked him to reconsider. She said the country should not "negotiate with terrorists" but rather take a "high-intensity" approach.

Spokesmen for the Philippine armed forces canceled an interview and did not respond to written questions for comment.

Representatives of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), which fields the NPA guerrillas as its armed wing, said they are open to resuming peace talks, without preconditions. Otherwise, "the Duterte regime leaves the NPA with little choice but to wage nationwide armed struggle to defend the people against state terror and fascist violence," they said in a written statement.

Interpretations vary as to why the peace talks ended. Ramon Casiple, executive director of the Institute for Political and Electoral Reform in Manila, said Duterte began negotiations in good faith but became frustrated with ongoing rebel operations, especially during the siege of Marawi, which began in July and prompted Duterte to declare martial law on the whole island.

"His patience ran out," Casiple said. "And since then, the military was given free rein to undertake operations."

Bishop Modesto Villasanta, chairman of a group of schools for indigenous Mindanao people in a region affected by the conflict, offered a different theory, which is shared by human rights groups and progressive religious leaders in the area. Now that Duterte is president, he is unwilling to go through with the social and economic reforms that are necessary to moving talks forward, Villasanta said.

"Our government has its hands tied by the economic interests that control the country," he said. "The rich benefit from current economic policies, so they make it very hard to change them."

He has been watching the exploitation of indigenous people by big companies for decades, he said, and now the failure of the peace process and the current crackdown might just drive more local people to join the Maoist insurgency, as many did under U.S.-backed dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

"I had the opportunity to meet (Duterte) several times when he was mayor of Davao, and we were even there together when some NPA prisoners of war were released," Villasanta said. "I always thought he was a really good person. But the man I see now as president is a far cry from that man I knew. He is going to war to avoid dealing with economic problems."

Not everyone wants peace talks to resume. Duterte is still hugely popular on his home island, where residents often trust him to do the right thing. And some indigenous people sharply oppose the guerrillas.

"We believe the military approach is delivering results, and we don't see any reason to stop and allow the NPA to simply try to recruit more of our people," said Samuel Behing, a leader in the Manobo tribe. He spoke passionately, wearing a shirt adorned with the "Duterte fist," a symbol of the president's tough policies and his political party.

He admitted he is not an impartial observer. In 2009, the rebels captured and summarily executed his father. He wants the army to fight them "down to the last NPA."

In a written statement to The Post, the CPP acknowledged that rebels mete out "capital punishment" to those they convict in their own "justice system."

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But when asked about Duterte's statements and police activity, Behing quickly qualified his support.

"We don't like that (Duterte) offered us money to kill. Only those trained and empowered by the state should be killing," he said.

The Philippine National Police, he said, recently paid an unwelcome visit to his village.

"They planted guns and a bomb on some of our indigenous leaders," then arrested them, he said. "Witnesses saw them do it. I'm not sure why they would have done that. Perhaps they were afraid go back home without any accomplishments."

 Washington PostOTTAWA  Manitoba is set to receive a declining share of equalization payments over the coming decades, according to the federal budget watchdog, who also deems the provinces fiscal outlook unsustainable.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 22/4/2018 (1260 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  Manitoba is set to receive a declining share of equalization payments over the coming decades, according to the federal budget watchdog, who also deems the provinces fiscal outlook unsustainable.

In a detailed report, the Parliamentary Budget Officer reiterated what multiple economists have said about Manitobas long-term fiscal future: that if health spending is left unchecked, it will compound the provinces debt to unsustainable levels.

But the report, released last month, also examined the three major funds Ottawa transfers to the provinces, and found that proposed changes to these federal formulas wouldnt be enough to balance Manitobas books.

"The amount of equalization that Manitoba gets will go down, and eventually disappear over time," deputy PBO Mostafa Askari said in an interview.

"We put out this report to get people to think about the issues; many of them are long-term issues, but typically politicians don't like to think very long-term."

The report examined the healthcare transfer, the social transfer and equalization payments. For equalization, Manitobas share is set to drop under the current arrangement, as well as four scenarios suggested by parliamentarians.

"When we look at the numbers and we project them, equalization is not going to help Manitoba," Askari said.

Thats because equalization is based on "fiscal capacity," which is the ability to implement corporate and income taxes as well as the population.

Overall, Manitoba has good productivity and a growing, younger population. But those attributes make it less likely the province would be helped by changes to federal transfers, such as helping older provinces that have slower growth.

Meanwhile, the province is beset by a high deficit and tax burden.

"All these things together don't really give you a good picture for the future sustainability of the fiscal structure of Manitoba," Askari said.

The report also examined calls to tie health transfers to each provinces demographics, or to what each province spends on health. Right now, that funding is only tied to national GDP, and then divided on a per-person basis.

The report found that pegging the health transfer to age would help older areas of the country such as Quebec and the Maritimes, much at the expense of Manitoba, Alberta and other provinces with younger populations  unless Ottawa bumped up its incremental increases to health funding overall.

However, Manitobas population is projected to age toward the end of the century, which would put a bigger burden on the already high amount of health spending, Askari said.

"If you don't deal with that issue starting now, then over time that issue becomes bigger and bigger, and dealing with it becomes even more difficult. And that's really the message for jurisdictions that have this sustainability issue."

The third program the PBO examined was the federal social transfer, which supports post-secondary education, welfare and daycare. That funding is tabulated per capita, and grows 3 per cent each year, regardless of GDP.

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The report examined pegging that support to how much provinces spend on those programs, or changing the allocation based on the working-age population. Both situations would keep those transfers to Manitoba and Saskatchewan stable over the coming decades, instead of a gradual drop under the current arrangement.

The PBO report came after recurring questions from House and Senate committees about changing the three programs, which account for a quarter of federal spending.

Political parties have proposed tinkering with these formulas, which remain relatively consistent for Ottawa despite increasing burdens on provinces from health and education programs.

"There is this tension always between the province and the federal government on the transfers; it has been there for many years, and it will continue," Askari said.

The report had far more consequential findings for both Alberta and Newfoundland and Labrador, because equalization payments are calculated in part based on resource revenues. Even slight changes would drastically impact whether those provinces receive or contribute to equalization.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.caWilliam Lyon Homes (NYSE:WLH) posted its earnings results on Wednesday, November, 6th. The construction company reported $0.37 EPS for the quarter, topping the Zacks' consensus estimate of $0.30 by $0.07. The construction company had revenue of $466.90 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $487.15 million. William Lyon Homes had a trailing twelve-month return on equity of 6.98% and a net margin of 3.04%. William Lyon Homes's quarterly revenue was down 12.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.68 earnings per share.

View William Lyon Homes' earnings history.Arizona Mining Inc. acquires, explores for, and develops natural mineral resource properties in the United States and Canada. It explores for zinc, lead, silver, manganese manto oxide, copper, and gold deposits. The company holds 100% interest in the Hermosa property, which includes patented mining claims totaling an area of approximately 535 acres; and unpatented mining claims covering approximately 19,015 acres located to the southeast of Tucson, Arizona. It also holds interests in the Taylor Deposit and the Hermosa property. The company was formerly known as AZ Mining Inc. and changed its name to Arizona Mining Inc. in October 2015. Arizona Mining Inc. was incorporated in 1975 and is based in Vancouver, Canada.

Read MoreBeiersdorf AG is engaged in the development, manufacture, and distribution of skin and personal care products. The firm operates through the following segments: Consumer and Tesa. The Consumer segment concentrates on the international skin and body care markets. The Tesa segment manufactures self-adhesive products and solutions for industry, craft businesses, and consumers. It offers its products and system solutions to industry, craft businesses, and consumers. Its brands include Eucerin, La Prairie, Labello, and Hansaplast. The company was founded by Paul C. Beiesdorf in 1882 and is headquartered in Hamburg, Germany.

Read MoreZurich Insurance Group AG is a holding company, which engages in the provision of insurance products and related services. It operates through the following segments: Property and Casualty Regions, Life Regions, Farmers, Group Functions and Operations, and Non-Core Businesses. The Property and Casualty Regions segment provides motor, home and commercial products and services for individuals, as well as small and large businesses on both a local and global basis. The Life Regions segment refers to the comprehensive range of life and health insurance products on both an individual and a group basis, including annuities, endowment and term insurance, unit-linked and investment-oriented products, as well as full private health, supplemental health and long-term care insurance. The Farmers segment includes non-claims administrative and management services to the Farmers Exchanges, which are owned by policyholders. The Group Functions and Operations segment comprises the Group s Holding and Financing and Headquarters activities. The Non-Core Businesses segment includes insurance and reinsurance businesses that the Group does not consider core to its operations and that are therefore mos

Read MoreReinsurance Group of America, Inc. is a holding company, which engages in the provision of traditional and non-traditional life and health reinsurance products. It operates through the following segments: U.S. and Latin America; Canada; Europe, Middle East, and Africa; Asia Pacific; and Corporate and Other. The U.S. and Latin America segment markets individual and group life and health reinsurance to domestic clients for a variety of products through yearly renewable term agreements, coinsurance, and modified coinsurance. The Canada segment offers individual life reinsurance, and to a lesser extent creditor, group life and health, critical illness and disability reinsurance, through yearly renewable term and coinsurance agreements. The Europe, Middle East, and Africa segment serves individual and group life and health products through yearly renewable term and coinsurance agreements, reinsurance of critical illness coverage that provides a benefit in the event of the diagnosis of a pre-defined critical illness and underwritten annuities. The Asia Pacific segment comprises individual and group life and health reinsurance, critical illness coverage, disability, and superannuation thr

Read MoreThe following companies are subsidiares of The Procter & Gamble: "Procter & Gamble Services" LLC, "Procter & Gamble" LLC, Agile Pursuits, Agile Pursuits Franchising, Arbora, Arbora & Ausonia, Arborinvest, Billie, Braun (Shanghai) Co., Braun GmbH, Braun-Gillette Immobilien GmbH & Co. KG, Celtic Insurance Company, Compania Procter & Gamble Mexico, Compania Quimica S.A., Corporativo Procter & Gamble, Cosmetic Products Pty. Ltd., Detergent Products B.V., Detergent Products SARL, Detergenti S.A., Eurocos Cosmetic GmbH, FPG Oleochemicals Sdn. Bhd., Fameccanica Data S.p.A., Fameccanica Industria e Comercio Do Brasil LTDA., Fameccanica Machinery (Shanghai) Co., Fater S.p.A., Fountain Square Music Publishing Co., Gillette (China) Ltd., Gillette (Shanghai) Ltd., Gillette Aesop Ltd., Gillette Australia Pty. Ltd., Gillette Canada Holdings, Gillette Commercial Operations North America, Gillette Diversified Operations Pvt. Ltd., Gillette Egypt S.A.E., Gillette Group UK Ltd, Gillette Gruppe Deutschland GmbH & Co. oHG, Gillette Holding Company LLC, Gillette Holding GmbH, Gillette India Limited, Gillette Industries Ltd., Gillette International B.V., Gillette Latin America Holding B.V., Gillette Management LLC, Gillette Nova Scotia Company, Gillette Pakistan Limited, Gillette Poland International Sp. z.o.o., Gillette Poland S.A., Gillette U.K. Limited, Gillette del Uruguay, Giorgio Beverly Hills Inc., Hyginett KFT, Industries Marocaines Modernes SA, LLC "Procter & Gamble Novomoskovsk", LLL "Procter & Gamble Distributorskaya Compania", Laboratorios Vicks, Liberty Street Music Publishing Company, Limited Liability Company 'Procter & Gamble Trading Ukraine', Limited Liability Company with foreign investments Procter & and Gamble Ukraine, MDVIP, MERCK KGAA NPV, Marcvenca Inversiones, Modern Industries Company - Dammam, Modern Products Company - Jeddah, New Chapter, New Chapter Canada Inc., Olay LLC, Oral-B Laboratories, P&G Distribution Morocco SAS, P&G Hair Care Holding, P&G Industrial Peru S.R.L., P&G Innovation Godo Kaisha, P&G Israel M.D.O. Ltd., P&G K.K., P&G Northeast Asia Pte. Ltd., P&G Prestige Godo Kaisha, P&G Prestige Service GmbH, P&G South African Trading (Pty.) Ltd., PGT Health Care (Zhejiang) Limited, PGT Healthcare LLP, PPI ZAO, PT Procter & Gamble Home Products Indonesia, PT Procter & Gamble Operations Indonesia, Phase II Holdings Corporation, Procter & Gamble (Chengdu) Ltd., Procter & Gamble (China) Ltd., Procter & Gamble (China) Sales Co. Ltd., Procter & Gamble (East Africa) Limited, Procter & Gamble (Egypt) Manufacturing Company, Procter & Gamble (Enterprise Fund) Limited, Procter & Gamble (Guangzhou) Consumer Products Co. Ltd., Procter & Gamble (Guangzhou) Enterprise Management Service Company Limited, Procter & Gamble (Guangzhou) Ltd., Procter & Gamble (Health & Beauty Care) Limited, Procter & Gamble (Jiangsu) Ltd. China, Procter & Gamble (L&CP) Limited, Procter & Gamble (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Procter & Gamble (Manufacturing) Ireland Limited, Procter & Gamble (Shanghai) International Trade Company Ltd., Procter & Gamble (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Procter & Gamble Acquisition GmbH, Procter & Gamble Administration GmbH, Procter & Gamble Algeria EURL, Procter & Gamble Amazon Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Amiens S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Argentina SRL, Procter & Gamble Asia Pte. Ltd., Procter & Gamble Australia Proprietary Limited, Procter & Gamble Azerbaijan Services LLC, Procter & Gamble Bangladesh Private Ltd., Procter & Gamble Blois S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Brazil Holdings B.V., Procter & Gamble Bulgaria EOOD, Procter & Gamble Business Services Canada Company, Procter & Gamble Canada Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Chile , Procter & Gamble Chile Limitada, Procter & Gamble Colombia Ltda., Procter & Gamble Commercial LLC, Procter & Gamble Commercial de Cuba S.A., Procter & Gamble Czech Republic s.r.o., Procter & Gamble DS Polska Sp. z o.o., Procter & Gamble Danmark ApS, Procter & Gamble Detergent (Beijing) Ltd., Procter & Gamble Deuttschland GmbH, Procter & Gamble Distributing (Philippines) Inc., Procter & Gamble Distributing New Zealand Limited, Procter & Gamble Distribution Company (Europe) BVBA, Procter & Gamble Distribution S.R.L., Procter & Gamble Eastern Europe, Procter & Gamble Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Procter & Gamble Egypt, Procter & Gamble Egypt Distribution, Procter & Gamble Egypt Holding, Procter & Gamble Egypt Supplies, Procter & Gamble Energy Company LLC, Procter & Gamble Espana, Procter & Gamble Europe SA, Procter & Gamble Export Operations SARL, Procter & Gamble Exportadora e Importadora Ltda., Procter & Gamble Exports, Procter & Gamble Fabricacao e Comercio Ltda., Procter & Gamble Far East, Procter & Gamble Finance (U.K.) Ltd., Procter & Gamble Finance Holding Ltd., Procter & Gamble Finance Management S.a.r.l., Procter & Gamble Financial Investments LLP, Procter & Gamble Financial Services Ltd., Procter & Gamble Financial Services S.a.r.l., Procter & Gamble Finland OY, Procter & Gamble France S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Germany GmbH, Procter & Gamble Germany GmbH & Co. Operations oHG, Procter & Gamble GmbH, Procter & Gamble Grundstucks-und Vermogensverwaltungs GmbH & Co. KG, Procter & Gamble Gulf FZE, Procter & Gamble Hair Care, Procter & Gamble Hellas Ltd., Procter & Gamble Holding (Thailand) Limited, Procter & Gamble Holding France S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Holding GmbH, Procter & Gamble Holding S.r.l., Procter & Gamble Holdings (UK) Ltd., Procter & Gamble Home Products Private Limited, Procter & Gamble Hong Kong Limited, Procter & Gamble Hungary Wholesale Trading Partnership (KKT), Procter & Gamble Hygiene & Health Care Limited, Procter & Gamble Inc., Procter & Gamble India Holdings, Procter & Gamble Indochina Limited Company, Procter & Gamble Industrial - 2012 C.A., Procter & Gamble Industrial Colombia Ltda., Procter & Gamble Industrial S.C.A., Procter & Gamble Industrial e Comercial Ltda., Procter & Gamble Interamericas de Costa Rica, Procter & Gamble Interamericas de Guatemala, Procter & Gamble Interamericas de Panama, Procter & Gamble International Operations Pte. Ltd., Procter & Gamble International Operations SA, Procter & Gamble International Operations SA-ROHQ, Procter & Gamble International S.a.r.l., Procter & Gamble Investment Company (UK) Ltd., Procter & Gamble Investment GmbH, Procter & Gamble Italia, Procter & Gamble Japan K.K., Procter & Gamble Kazakhstan Distribution LLP, Procter & Gamble Kazakhstan LLP, Procter & Gamble Korea, Procter & Gamble Korea S&D Co., Procter & Gamble Lanka Private Ltd. Sri Lanka, Procter & Gamble Leasing LLC, Procter & Gamble Levant S.A.L., Procter & Gamble Limited, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing (Thailand) Limited, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Belgium N.V., Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Berlin GmbH, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing GmbH, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Procter & Gamble Manufacturing SA (Pty) Ltd, Procter & Gamble Marketing Romania SRL, Procter & Gamble Marketing and Services doo, Procter & Gamble Maroc SA, Procter & Gamble Mataro, Procter & Gamble Mexico Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Mexico Inc., Procter & Gamble Middle East FZE, Procter & Gamble Nederland B.V., Procter & Gamble Netherlands Investments B.V., Procter & Gamble Netherlands Services B.V., Procter & Gamble Nigeria Limited, Procter & Gamble Nordic, Procter & Gamble Norge AS, Procter & Gamble Operations Polska Sp. z o.o., Procter & Gamble Overseas India B.V., Procter & Gamble Overseas Ltd., Procter & Gamble Pakistan (Private) Limited, Procter & Gamble Partnership LLP, Procter & Gamble Peru S.R.L., Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals France SAS, Procter & Gamble Philippines, Procter & Gamble Polska Sp. z o.o, Procter & Gamble Portugal - Produtos De Consumo, Procter & Gamble Product Supply (U.K.) Limited U.K., Procter & Gamble Production GmbH, Procter & Gamble Productions, Procter & Gamble Productos de Consumo, Procter & Gamble RHD, Procter & Gamble RSC Regional Service Company Ltd., Procter & Gamble Retail Services BVBA, Procter & Gamble S.r.l., Procter & Gamble SA (Pty) Ltd, Procter & Gamble Satis ve Dagitim Ltd. Sti., Procter & Gamble Seine S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Service GmbH, Procter & Gamble Services (Switzerland) SA, Procter & Gamble Services Company N.V., Procter & Gamble Services Ltd., Procter & Gamble Share Incentive Plan Trustee Ltd., Procter & Gamble South America Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Spol. s.r.o. (Ltd.), Procter & Gamble Sports and Social Club Ltd., Procter & Gamble Sverige AB, Procter & Gamble Switzerland SARL, Procter & Gamble Taiwan Limited, Procter & Gamble Taiwan Sales Company Limited, Procter & Gamble Technical Centres Limited, Procter & Gamble Technology (Beijing) Co., Procter & Gamble Trading (Thailand) Limited, Procter & Gamble Tuketim Mallari Sanayii A.S., Procter & Gamble UK, Procter & Gamble UK Group Holdings Ltd, Procter & Gamble UK Parent Company Ltd., Procter & Gamble Universal Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Verwaltungs GmbH, Procter & Gamble Vietnam, Procter & Gamble d.o.o. za trgovinu, Procter & Gamble de Venezuela S.C.A., Procter & Gamble de Venezuela S.R.L., Procter & Gamble do Brasil S/A, Procter & Gamble do Brazil, Procter & Gamble do Nordeste S/A, Procter & Gamble-Rakona s.r.o., Progam Realty & Development Corporation, Redmond Products, Richardson-Vicks Real Estate Inc., Richardson-Vicks do Brasil Quimica e Farmaceutica Ltda, Riverfront Music Publishing Co., Rosemount LLC, SPD Development Company Limited, SPD Swiss Precision Diagnostics GmbH, Scannon S.A.S., Series Acquisition B.V., Shulton, Surfac S.R.L., Sycamore Productions, TAOS - FL, TAOS Retail, Tambrands Inc., Temple Trees Impex & Investment Private Limited, The Art of Shaving - FL, The Dover Wipes Company, The Gillette Company, The Gillette Company LLC, The Gillette co., The Procter & Gamble Distributing LLC, The Procter & Gamble GBS Company, The Procter & Gamble Global Finance Company, The Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Company, The Procter & Gamble Paper Products Company, The Procter & Gamble U.S. Business Services Company, This is L., US CD LLC, Vidal Sassoon (Shanghai) Academy, Vidal Sassoon Co., WEBA Betriebsrenten-Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Walker & Company Brands, and iMFLUX Inc..The following companies are subsidiares of Amphenol: ARCAS Automotive Group (Luxco 1) S.a.r.l., AUXEL FTG, AUXEL FTG India Pvt Ltd., AUXEL FTG Shanghai Co., AUXEL S.A.S., Air LB International Development S.A., All Systems Broadband, Amphenol (Changzhou) Advanced Connector Co., Amphenol (Changzhou) Connector Systems Co., Amphenol (Changzhou) Electronics Co., Amphenol (Maryland), Amphenol (Ningde) Electronics Co., Amphenol (Qujing) Technology Co., Amphenol (Tianjin) Electronics Co., Amphenol (Xiamen) High Speed Cable Co., Amphenol Adronics, Amphenol Advanced Sensors Germany GmbH, Amphenol Advanced Sensors Puerto Rico, Amphenol Air LB GmbH, Amphenol Air LB North America Inc., Amphenol Air LB SAS, Amphenol Alden Products Company, Amphenol Alden Products Mexico, Amphenol Antenna Solutions, Amphenol Assemble Tech (Xiamen) Co., Amphenol Australia Pty Ltd, Amphenol Automotive Connection Systems (Changzhou) Co., Amphenol Bar-Tec, Amphenol Benelux B.V., Amphenol Borisch Technologies, Amphenol CNT (Xian) Technology Co. Ltd., Amphenol Cables On Demand Corp., Amphenol Canada Acquisition Corporation, Amphenol Canada Corp., Amphenol Comercial, Amphenol Commercial Interconnect Korea Co., Amphenol Commercial Products (Chengdu) Co. Ltd., Amphenol Commercial and Industrial UK, Amphenol ConneXus AB, Amphenol ConneXus Ou, Amphenol Custom Cable, Amphenol DC Electronics, Amphenol Daeshin Electronics and Precision Co., Amphenol EEC, Amphenol East Asia Electronic Technology (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Amphenol East Asia Limited, Amphenol FCI, Amphenol FCI Asia Pte. Ltd., Amphenol FCI Connectors Singapore Pte. Ltd., Amphenol Fiber Optic Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Amphenol Finland Oy, Amphenol France Acquisition SAS, Amphenol France SAS, Amphenol Germany GmbH, Amphenol Gesellschaft m.b.H., Amphenol Goldstar Electronic Systems (Baicheng) Co. Ltd., Amphenol Goldstar Electronic Systems (Yulin) Co. Ltd., Amphenol Holding UK, Amphenol Intercon Systems, Amphenol Interconnect India Private Limited, Amphenol Interconnect Products Corporation, Amphenol Interconnect South Africa (Proprietary) Limited, Amphenol International Ltd., Amphenol Invotec Limited, Amphenol Italia S.r.l., Amphenol JET (Haiyan) Interconnect Technology Co., Amphenol Japan Ltd., Amphenol Kai-Jack (Shenzhen) Inc., Amphenol LTW Technology Co., Amphenol Limited, Amphenol MCP Korea Limited, Amphenol Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Amphenol Middle East Enterprises FZE, Amphenol Nelson Dunn Technologies, Amphenol Netherlands Holdings 1 B.V., Amphenol Netherlands Holdings 2 B.V., Amphenol Omniconnect India Private Limited, Amphenol Optimize Manufacturing Co., Amphenol Optimize Mexico S.A. de C.V., Amphenol PCD, Amphenol PCD (Shenzhen) Co., Amphenol Phitek Limited, Amphenol Printed Circuits, Amphenol Provens SAS, Amphenol RF Asia Limited, Amphenol Sensing Korea Company Limited, Amphenol Shouh Min Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Amphenol Singapore Pte. Ltd., Amphenol Socapex SAS, Amphenol Sunpool (Liaoning) Automotive Electronics Co., Amphenol T&M Antennas, Amphenol TCS (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Amphenol TCS Ireland Limited, Amphenol TCS de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Amphenol TFC Fios E Cabos do Brasil Ltda., Amphenol TFC MDE Participacoes Ltda., Amphenol TFC do Brasil Ltda., Amphenol Taiwan Corporation, Amphenol Technical Products International Co., Amphenol Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Amphenol Technology (Zhuhai) Co., Amphenol Technology Macedonia Dooel Kocani, Amphenol Tecvox LLC, Amphenol Tel-Ad Ltd., Amphenol Thermometrics, Amphenol Thermometrics (UK) Limited, Amphenol Times Microwave Electronics (Shanghai) Limited, Amphenol Tuchel Electronics GmbH, Amphenol Tuchel Industrial GmbH, Amphenol Tunisia LLC, Amphenol USHoldco Inc., Amphenol-Borg Limited, Amphenol-Borg Pension Trustees Limited, Amphenol-TFC (Changzhou) Communication Equipment Co., Anytek Electronic Technology (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd, Anytek International (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Anytek International Co. Ltd., Anytek Technology Corporation Ltd, Asia Connector Services, Berg UK Ltd., Blueline Product Limited, C&S Antennas, C&S Antennas Limited, CSA Limited, Casco Automotive (Suzhou) Co., Casco Automotive Group, Casco Automotive Singapore Pte., Casco Automotive Tunisia S.a.r.l., Casco Holdings Co. Limited, Casco Holdings GmbH, Casco Imos Italia S.r.l., Casco Logistics GmbH, Casco Products Corporation, Casco Schoeller GmbH, Casco do Brasil Ltda., Cemm Thome Corporation, Cemm Thome SK, Cemm-Mex, Changzhou Amphenol Fuyang Communication Equipment Co., ContactServe (Proprietary) Limited, East Asia Connector Services, Edwin Deutgen Kunstofftechnik GmbH, Ehrlich Werkzeug & Geratebau GmbH, FCI Besancon SA, FCI Connectors (Shanghai) Ltd., FCI Connectors Canada, FCI Connectors Dongguan Ltd, FCI Connectors Hong Kong Limited, FCI Connectors Italia S.r.l., FCI Connectors Korea Ltd., FCI Connectors Malaysia Sdn Bhd, FCI Connectors Sweden A.B., FCI Connectors UK Ltd., FCI Deutschland GmbH, FCI Electronics Hungary Kft, FCI GBS India Private Limited, FCI Japan K.K., FCI Nantong Ltd, FCI OEN Connectors Limited, FCI PRC Limited, FCI Taiwan Limited, FCI USA LLC, FCIs-Hertogenbosch B.V., FEP Fahrzeugelektrik Pirna, FEP Fahrzeugelektrik Pirna GmbH & Co. KG, FEP Fahrzeugelektrik Pirna Verwaltungs GmbH, Fiber Systems International, Filec Production SAS, Filec SAS, Friedrich Gohringer Elektrotechnik GmbH, GE - Advanced Sensors Business, Guangzhou Amphenol Electronics Co., Guangzhou Amphenol Sincere Flex Circuits Co., Guangzhou FEP Automotive Electric Co., Hangzhou Amphenol JET Interconnect Technology Co., Hangzhou Amphenol Phoenix Telecom Parts Co., Holland Electronics, Intelligente Sensorsysteme Dresden GmbH, Invotec Circuits Holdings Limited, Invotec Circuits Limited, Invotec Group Limited, Invotec Holdings Limited, Ionix Aerospace Limited, Ionix Holdings Limited, Ionix Systems Limited, Ionix Systems Ou, Jaybeam Limited, Jaybeam Wireless SAS, KE Elektronik GmbH, KE Ostrov  Elektrik, KE Presov Elektrik, Konnektech, Kunshan Amphenol Zhengri Electronics Co., LPL Technologies Holding GmbH, LTW Technology (Samoa) Co., LTW Top Tech (Samoa) Co., Lectric SARL, Martec Limited, Mocorp Holding A/S, Nantong Docharm Amphenol Electronics Co., PROCOM, PT Casco SEA, PerLoga Personal und Logistik GmbH, Piezotech, Piher Sensors & Controls S.A., Piher Sensors And Controls, Precision Cable Manufacturing Corp. de Mexico, Procom A/S, Procom Antennas AB, Procom France SARL, Pyle-National Ltd., RSI International Limited, S.C.I. Palin, SEFEE SA, SGX Europe SP. z.o.o., SGX Sensortech (IS) Limited, SGX Sensortech China Holdco Limited, SGX Sensortech China Limited, SGX Sensortech GmbH, SGX Sensortech SA, SSI Control Technologies, STEMFI SA, SV Microwave, Shanghai Amphenol Airwave Communication Electronics Co., Shanghai Amphenol Electronics Technology Co., Shanghai Tecvox Trading Co., Shenyang Amphenol Sunpool Automotive Electronics Co., Sine Systems Corporation, Skymasts Antennas Ltd., Societe dEtudes et de Fabrications Electroniques et Electriques, Spectra Strip Limited, TCS Japan K.K., TFC South America S.A., Tecvox Europe S.r.l., Telect, Telect Mfg., Telect de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Teradyne Connection Systems, Thermometrics Mexico, Tianjin Amphenol KAE Co., Times Fiber Canada Limited, Times Fiber Communications, Times Microwave Systems, Times Wire and Cable Company, U-Jin Cable Industrial Co., Zhongshan Feisaide Electromechanical Co., and i2s-sensors.The following companies are subsidiares of CVS Health: @Credentials Inc., ACS ACQCO CORP., ADMINCO Inc., AE Fourteen Incorporated, AHP Holdings Inc., AMC - Tennessee LLC, APS Acquisition LLC, ASCO HealthCare LLC, ASI Wings LLC, AUSHC Holdings Inc., Accendo Insurance Company, Accordant Health Services L.L.C., Active Health Management Inc., Administrative Enterprises Inc., AdvancePCS SpecialtyRx LLC, AdvanceRx.com L.L.C., Advanced Care Scripts Inc., Aetna, Aetna (Beijing) Enterprise Management Services Co. Ltd., Aetna (Shanghai) Enterprise Services Co. 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LTD., Aetna Global Benefits (UK) Limited, Aetna Global Benefits Limited (DIFC UAE), Aetna Global Holdings Limited, Aetna Health Holdings LLC, Aetna Health Inc., Aetna Health Insurance (Thailand) Public Company Limited, Aetna Health Insurance Company, Aetna Health Insurance Company of Europe DAC, Aetna Health Management LLC, Aetna Health and Life Insurance Company, Aetna Health of California Inc., Aetna Health of Iowa Inc., Aetna Health of Michigan Inc., Aetna Health of Ohio Inc., Aetna Health of Utah Inc., Aetna HealthAssurance Pennsylvania Inc., Aetna Holdco (UK) Limited, Aetna Holdings (Thailand) Limited, Aetna Inc., Aetna Insurance (Hong Kong) Limite, Aetna Insurance (Singapore) Pte. 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(R.C.S. Luxembourg), CCRx Holdings LLC, CCRx of North Carolina LLC, CHP Acquisition LLC, CP Acquisition LLC, CVS 2948 Henderson L.L.C., CVS 3268 Gilbert L.L.C., CVS 3745 Peoria L.L.C., CVS AL Distribution L.L.C., CVS AOC Corporation, CVS AOC Services L.L.C., CVS Albany L.L.C., CVS Bellmore Avenue L.L.C., CVS Care Concierge LLC, CVS Caremark Advanced Technology Pharmacy L.L.C., CVS Caremark Indemnity Ltd., CVS Caremark Part D Services L.L.C., CVS Caremark TN SUTA LLC, CVS Foreign Inc., CVS Gilbert 3272 L.L.C., CVS Health Solutions LLC, CVS Indiana L.L.C., CVS International L.L.C., CVS Kidney Care Advanced Technologies LLC, CVS Kidney Care Health Services LLC, CVS Kidney Care Home Dialysis LLC, CVS Kidney Care LLC, CVS Manchester NH L.L.C., CVS Media Exchange LLC, CVS Michigan L.L.C., CVS Orlando FL Distribution L.L.C., CVS PA Distribution L.L.C., CVS PR Center Inc., CVS Pharmacy Inc., CVS RS Arizona L.L.C., CVS Rx Services Inc., CVS SC Distribution L.L.C., CVS State Capital L.L.C., CVS TN Distribution L.L.C., CVS Transportation L.L.C., CVS Vero FL Distribution L.L.C., Campos Medical Pharmacy LLC, Canal Place LLC, Care Pharmaceutical Services LP, CareCenter Pharmacy L.L.C., Carefree Insurance Services Inc., Caremark Arizona Mail Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Arizona Specialty Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark California Specialty Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Florida Mail Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Florida Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Hawaii Mail Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Hawaii Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark IPA L.L.C., Caremark Illinois Mail Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Illinois Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Irving Resource Center LLC, Caremark Kansas Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark L.L.C., Caremark Logistics LLC, Caremark Louisiana Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Maryland Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Massachusetts Specialty Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Michigan Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Minnesota Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark New Jersey Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark North Carolina Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Ohio Specialty Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Pennsylvania Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark PhC L.L.C., Caremark Puerto Rico L.L.C., Caremark Puerto Rico Specialty Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Redlands Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Repack LLC, Caremark Rx L.L.C., Caremark Tennessee Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Texas Mail Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Texas Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Ulysses Holding Corp., Caremark Washington Specialty Pharmacy LLC, CaremarkPCS Alabama Mail Pharmacy LLC, CaremarkPCS Health L.L.C., CaremarkPCS L.L.C., Central Rx Services LLC, Claims Administration Corp., Cofinity Inc., Compscript LLC, Connecticut CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Continental Life Insurance Company of Brentwood Tennessee, Continuing Care Rx LLC, Coram Alternate Site Services Inc., Coram Clinical Trials Inc., Coram Healthcare Corporation of Alabama, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Florida, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Greater D.C., Coram Healthcare Corporation of Greater New York, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Indiana, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Massachusetts, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Mississippi, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Nevada, Coram Healthcare Corporation of North Texas, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Northern California, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Southern California, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Southern Florida, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Utah, Coram LLC, Coram Rx LLC, Coram Specialty Infusion, Coram Specialty Infusion Services L.L.C., Coventry Consumer Advantage Inc., Coventry Health Care National Accounts Inc., Coventry Health Care National Network Inc., Coventry Health Care Workers Compensation Inc., Coventry Health Care of Illinois Inc., Coventry Health Care of Kansas Inc., Coventry Health Care of Missouri Inc., Coventry Health Care of Nebraska Inc., Coventry Health Care of Virginia Inc., Coventry Health Care of West Virginia Inc., Coventry Health Plan of Florida Inc., Coventry Health and Life Insurance Company, Coventry HealthCare Management Corporation, Coventry Prescription Management Services Inc., Coventry Rehabilitation Services Inc., Coventry Transplant Network Inc., D & R Pharmaceutical Services LLC, D.A.W. LLC, Delaware CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Delaware Physicians Care Incorporated, Digital eHealth LLC, District of Columbia CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., E.T.B. INC., Echo Merger Sub Inc., Eckerd Corporation of Florida Inc., Employee Assistance Services LLC, Enloe Drugs LLC, Enterprise Patient Safety Organization LLC, EntrustRX, Evergreen Pharmaceutical LLC, Evergreen Pharmaceutical of California Inc., Express Pharmacy Services of PA L.L.C., FOCUS HealthCare Management Inc., First Health Group Corp., First Health Life & Health Insurance Company, First Script Network Services Inc., Florida Health Plan Administrators LLC, Garfield Beach CVS L.L.C., Generation Health L.L.C., Geneva Woods Health Services LLC, Geneva Woods LTC Pharmacy LLC, Geneva Woods Management LLC, Geneva Woods Pharmacy Alaska LLC, Geneva Woods Pharmacy LLC, Geneva Woods Pharmacy Washington LLC, Geneva Woods Pharmacy Wyoming LLC, Geneva Woods Retail Pharmacy LLC, Georgia CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., German Dobson CVS L.L.C., Goodhealth Worldwide (Asia) Limited, Goodhealth Worldwide (Global) Limited, Goodyear CVS L.L.C., Grand St. Paul CVS L.L.C., Grandview Pharmacy LLC, Group Dental Service Inc., Group Dental Service of Maryland Inc., Health Care Management Co. Ltd., Health Data & Management Solutions Inc., Health Re Inc., Health and Human Resource Center Inc., HealthAssuance Pennsylvania Inc., Healthagen LLC, Highland Park CVS L.L.C., Holiday CVS L.L.C., Home Care Pharmacy LLC, Home Pharmacy Services LLC, Hook-SupeRx L.L.C., Horizon Behavioral Services LLC, Idaho CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., IlliniCare Health, Indian Health Organisation Private Limited, Innovation Health Holdings LLC, Innovation Health Insurance Company, Innovation Health Plan Inc., Interlock Pharmacy Systems LLC, Iowa CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., JHC Acquisition LLC, Kansas CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Kentucky CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., LCPS Acquisition LLC, Langsam Health Services LLC, Lo-Med Prescription Services LLC, Lobos Acquisition LLC, Longs Drug Stores, Longs Drug Stores California L.L.C., Louisiana CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., MHHP Acquisition Company LLC, MHNet Life and Health Insurance Company, MHNet Specialty Services LLC, MHNet of Florida Inc., Managed Care Coordinators Inc., Managed Healthcare LLC, Martin Health Services LLC, Maryland CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Med World Acquisition Corp., Medical Arts Health Care LLC, Medical Examinations of New York P.C., Melville Realty Company Inc., MemberHealth LLC, Mental Health Associates Inc., Mental Health Network of New York IPA Inc., Meritain Health Inc., Merwin Long Term Care LLC, MetraComp Inc., Minor Health Enterprise Co Ltd., MinuteClinic, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Alabama L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Arizona LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Florida LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Georgia LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Hawaii L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Illinois LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Kentucky L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Louisiana L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Maine L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Maryland LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Massachusetts LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Nebraska L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of New Hampshire L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of New Mexico L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Ohio LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Oklahoma LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Oregon LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Pennsylvania LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Rhode Island LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of South Carolina L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Texas LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Utah L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Virginia LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Washington LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Wisconsin L.L.C., MinuteClinic L.L.C., MinuteClinic Online Diagnostic Services LLC, MinuteClinic Physician Practice of Texas, MinuteClinic Telehealth Services LLC, Mississippi CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Missouri CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Montana CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., NCS Healthcare LLC, NCS Healthcare of Illinois LLC, NCS Healthcare of Iowa LLC, NCS Healthcare of Kansas LLC, NCS Healthcare of Kentucky Inc. (Oh, NCS Healthcare of Montana LLC, NCS Healthcare of New Mexico LLC, NCS Healthcare of Ohio LLC, NCS Healthcare of South Carolina LLC, NCS Healthcare of Tennessee LLC, NCS Healthcare of Wisconsin LLC, NIV Acquisition LLC, Navarro Discount Pharmacy, Nebraska CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., NeighborCare Holdings Inc., NeighborCare Inc., NeighborCare Pharmacy Services Inc., NeighborCare Services Corporation, NeighborCare of Indiana LLC, NeighborCare of Virginia LLC, New Jersey CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Niagara Re Inc., North Carolina CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., North Shore Pharmacy Services LLC, NovoLogix LLC, OCR Services LLC, Ocean Acquisition Sub L.L.C., Ohio CVS Stores L.L.C., Oklahoma CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Omnicare, Omnicare Holding Company, Omnicare Inc., Omnicare Indiana Partnership Holding Company LLC, Omnicare Pharmacies of Pennsylvania East LLC, Omnicare Pharmacies of Pennsylvania West LLC, Omnicare Pharmacies of the Great Plains Holding LLC, Omnicare Pharmacy and Supply Services LLC, Omnicare Pharmacy of Tennessee LLC, Omnicare Pharmacy of the Midwest LLC, Omnicare Property Management LLC, Omnicare of Nebraska LLC, Omnicare of Nevada LLC, Omnicare of New York LLC, Oregon CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., PE Holdings LLC, PHPSNE Parent Corporation, PP Acquisition Company LLC, PRN Pharmaceutical Services LP, PT Aetna Management Consulting, Pamplona Saude e Beleza LTDA, Part D Holding Company L.L.C., PayFlex Holdings Inc., PayFlex Systems USA Inc., Pennsylvania CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Performax Inc., Pharmacy Associates of Glenn Falls LLC, Pharmacy Consultants LLC, Phoenix Data Solutions LLC, Precision Benefit Services Inc., Prime Net Inc., ProCare Pharmacy Direct L.L.C., ProCare Pharmacy L.L.C., Prodigy Health Group Inc., Professional Risk Management Inc., Pt. Aetna Global Benefits Indonesia, Puerto Rico CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Red Oak Sourcing LLC, Resources for Living LLC, Rhode Island CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Roeschens Healthcare LLC, RxAmerica, Schaller Anderson Medical Administrators Incorporated, Scrip World LLC, Sheffield Avenue CVS L.L.C., Shore Pharmaceutical Providers LLC, Silverscript Insurance Company, Soma Intimates, South Carolina CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., South Wabash CVS L.L.C., Specialized Pharmacy Services LLC, Spinnaker Bidco Limited, Spinnaker Topco Limited, Stadtlander Drug Company, Stadtlander Pharmacy, Sterling Healthcare Services LLC, Superior Care Pharmacy LLC, Sutter Health and Aetna Administrative Services LLC, Sutter Health and Aetna Insurance Company, Sutter Health and Aetna Insurance Holding Company LLC, T2 Medical Inc., TCPI Acquisition LLC, TargetPharmacy, Tennessee CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Texas Health + Aetna Health Insurance Company, Texas Health + Aetna Health Insurance Holding Company LLC, Texas Health + Aetna Health Plan Inc., The Vasquez Group Inc., Thomas Phoenix CVS L.L.C., Three Forks Apothecary LLC, U.S Healthcare Holdings LLC, U.S. Healthcare Properties Inc., UAC Holding Inc., UC Acquisition LLC, UNI-Care Health Services of Maine LLC, Universal American - Medicare Part D Business, Utah CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., VAPS Acquisition Company LLC, Value Health Care Services LLC, Vermont CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Virginia CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Virtual Home Healthcare L.L.C., Warm Springs Road CVS L.L.C., Washington CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Washington Lamb CVS L.L.C., Weber Medical Systems LLC, Wellpartner LLC, West Virginia CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Westhaven Services Co LLC, Williamson Drug Company LLC, Wisconsin CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Woodward Detroit CVS L.L.C., Work and Family Benefits Inc., ZS Acquisition Company LLC, Zinc Health Services LLC, Zinc Health Ventures LLC, bSwift LLC, and iTriage LLC.Rogers Communications Inc. operates as a communications and media company in Canada. It operates through three segments: Wireless, Cable, and Media. The Wireless segment offers wireless voice and data communication services to individual consumers, businesses, governments, and other telecommunications service providers; postpaid and prepaid wireless services under the Rogers, Fido, and chatr brands; and wireless devices, services, and applications to consumers and businesses. It provides its services to approximately 10.8 million subscribers. The Cable segment provides high-speed Internet, television, voice communication, and smart home monitoring services to consumers, businesses, governments, and wholesale resellers; and operates a transcontinental fiber-optic network that extends approximately 70,000 route kilometers, which provides voice and data communications and advanced services, including data centers and cloud computing to the enterprise, public sector, and carrier wholesale markets. Its service territory covers approximately 4.4 million homes. The Media segment owns the Toronto Blue Jays league baseball team and the Rogers Centre event venue; and offers television and radio broadcasting, multi-platform shopping experience, digital media, and publishing services. Rogers Communications Inc. was founded in 1920 and is based in Toronto, Canada.

Read MoreFiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V., together with its subsidiaries, designs, engineers, manufactures, distributes, and sells vehicles, components, and production systems. The company operates through five segments: North America, LATAM, APAC, EMEA, and Maserati. It provides passenger cars, SUV vehicles, trucks, and light commercial vehicles under the Jeep, Ram, Dodge, Chrysler, Fiat, Alfa Romeo, and Abarth brands; and luxury vehicles under the Maserati brand, as well as related service parts and accessories, and service contracts under the Mopar brand. The company also provides cast iron components for engines, gearboxes, transmissions and suspension systems, aluminum cylinder heads, and engine blocks under the Teksid brand; and designs and produces industrial automation systems and related products for the automotive industry under the Comau brand name. In addition, it provides retail and dealer financings, and leasing and rental services; and factoring services. The company sells its products directly, or through distributors and dealers in approximately 130 countries. The company was formerly known as Fiat S.p.A. and changed its name to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. in October 2014. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. was founded in 1899 and is based in London, the United Kingdom.

Read MoreSouth32 Limited operates as a diversified metals and mining company primarily in Australia, Southern Africa, North America, and South America. The company has a portfolio of assets producing alumina, aluminum, bauxite, energy and metallurgical coal, manganese ore and alloy, ferronickel, silver, lead, and zinc. It also exports its products. South32 Limited has a strategic alliance agreement with AusQuest Limited for exploration opportunity under at its Morrisey nickel-copper project. The company was formerly known as BHP Coal Holdings Pty Limited and changed its name to South32 Limited in March 2015. South32 Limited was incorporated in 2000 and is headquartered in Perth, Australia.

Read MoreThe gravity of the existential threat we face from Islamic Jihad is truly of epic proportions. It is essentially a battle pitting free-civilized man against a totalitarian barbarian. What is at stake is the struggle for our very soul - namely who we are and what we represent. The lives that were sacrificed for individual rights and freedoms that we've come to cherish are being chiseled away from right under our noses by the stealth jihadists. And many of us are in denial and totally clueless.



The left's appeasement and pandering to evil is nothing new. What makes their utopian delusions so infuriating and unpardonable is that it is not only they who will have to pay the consequences, and deservedly, so, they are thwarting and undermining our best efforts at resistance and are thus dragging us down in the process as well.







By Peter Lancz,, the head of the Raoul Wallenberg World Campaign Against Racism.Four people were killed and two others critically injured when a man naked from the waist down and wielding an AR-15 assault-style rifle opened fire at a Waffle House in Tennessee early Sunday, police said.

The suspected gunman was identified as Travis Reinking, 29, from Morton, Illinois. He was arrested in July for allegedly breaching a barrier at the White House and demanding a meeting with President Donald Trump, officials said.

Reinking had also threatened to commit suicide in May 2016 in a parking lot in Illinois and at the time his family told authorities he was having "delusions" involving Taylor Swift. He believed the singer was stalking him and harassing him, according to police records obtained by ABC News.

PHOTO: Metro Nashville Police Department experts investigate the scene of a shooting at a Waffle House near Nashville, Tenn., April 22, 2018. (Metro Nashville Police Department)

Early Sunday, Reinking ran from the scene after a patron at the restaurant wrestled the rifle away from him, police said. Police on Sunday evening were using dogs and a helicopter to search a wooded area near the restaurant where the gunman was last seen.

"He's murdered four times with no apparent reason, no apparent motive. So we're very concerned," said Chief Steve Anderson of the Metropolitan Nashville Police.

Anderson said a pistol belonging to Reinking had not be recovered and he should be considered armed and dangerous.

A witness to the shooting, Chuck Cordero, 50, told ABC News that he had just pulled up to the Waffle House in Antioch, a suburban area about 12 miles from downtown Nashville, when gunfire broke out.

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"He was only wearing a jacket and nothing else on," Cordero, a roadside-assistance worker, said of the gunman.

Police said two of the dead were shot outside the restaurant and one inside. A fourth person who was shot inside the restaurant later died at the hospital.

Two other people shot in the incident were in critical but stable condition at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. Other victims were struck by shattered glass.

Story continues

The person who wrestled the rifle away from the shooter is a "hero," police said.

Cordero used the same word.

"There's a hero," Cordero said. "I don't know what his name is, but there's a gentleman who was in there, who when this guy stopped to reload or stopped to do something with his gun, he took that opportunity and wrestled the guy till the gun went flying and then the dude took off running."

"I talked to him afterward and told him, 'You are a hero, man,' because had that guy reloaded, there were plenty more people in that restaurant," he said.

But the courageous patron, identified as James Shaw Jr., 29, refused to call himself a hero.

PHOTO: James Shaw Jr., 29, shows his hand that was injured when he disarmed a shooter inside an Antioch Waffle House, April 22, 2018 in Nashville, Tenn. (George Walker IV/The Tennessean via USA Today Network)

"I just knew it was me or him. It was that type of scenario," Shaw said at a news conference Sunday afternoon. "So I chose to go with what I wanted to go with and it worked."

Shaw said that when the gunfire broke, a bullet grazed his elbow as he ducked for cover near the restaurant's restroom. He said that when he saw the gunman look down at his weapon apparently to reload, he made his move.

"It was at that time I kind of made up my mind ... that if it was gonna come down to it, he was going to have to work to kill me," Shaw said.

Cordero said there were about 30 people in the restaurant at the time of the shooting.

He said the first victim, identified by authorities as Joe E. Perez, 20, of Nashville, was killed at the front door of the restaurant. Cordero said the second victim was a friend, a cook at the Waffle House identified by police as Taurean C. Sanderline, 29, of Goodlettsville, Tennessee, who was outside on a cigarette break when he, too, was fatally shot while trying to run from the gunman.

The gunman fired into the window of the restaurant, shattering it, before entering and unleashing more gunfire. Killed inside the restaurant was 21-year-old DeEbony Groves, from Gallatin, Tennessee. Groves was a student at Belmont University.

DeEbony Groves, 21, was killed in a shooting at a Waffle House in Antioch, Tennessee, on Sunday, April 22, 2018. (Provided)

"The entire campus community is shocked and devastated by how such senseless violence has taken the life of this young woman, an individual full of immense potential," the school said in a statement. "We extend our thoughts and prayers to her family and friends as they come to terms with unimaginable grief."

Akilah DaSilva, 23, of Antioch was also shot and later pronounced dead at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, police said.

"Once he started shooting inside I dropped to the ground and I started to crawl around my car because I didn't know if he was going to come after me," Cordero told ABC News. "So I was able to see his feet from underneath the car. Once he went inside I tried to run across the parking lot and I fell because my legs just ... I was scared."

Cordero said the shooter seemed to remain silent, saying nothing during the rampage.

But Shaw said the gunman was cursing at him for intervening "like I was in the wrong trying to save my life."

PHOTO: Metro Nashville Police Department released this photo of rifle used by gunman at Waffle House shooting near Nashville, Tenn., April 22, 2018. (Metro Nashville Police Department)

Don Aaron, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, said the suspect arrived at the restaurant in a gold-colored Chevrolet Silverado pickup at 3:19 a.m.

"Reinking sat in the pickup truck for three-and-a-half to four minutes just looking at people inside the restaurant," Aaron said. "After about four minutes, Reinking got out of his truck armed with an AR-15 rifle and started shooting."

He said Reinking was only wearing a green jacket with nothing on underneath, Aaron said.

Aaron said the gunman shed his jacket after Shaw wrestled away his weapon. He said the suspect fled on foot, leaving his truck parked outside. The truck was registered to Reinking, he said.

Police found several ammunition cartridges in Reinking's jacket, which he left at the scene, Aaron said.

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Aaron said police believe Reinking ran to a nearby apartment complex where he lives, put on a pair of pants and ran into the nearby woods shirtless.

Nashville police released a photo of Travis Reinking, 29, of Morton, Illinois, as a person of interest in the shooting at a Waffle House near Nashville, Tennessee, on April 22, 2018. (Nashville Police Department)

He said Reinking's has an Illinois driver's license and is known to law enforcement in Illinois. Reinking is believed to be from Morton, Illinois, but had been living in the Nashville area since the fall of 2017, Aaron said.

A motive for the shooting remains under investigation, Anderson said.

"We suspect some mental issues, but at this time there's no note, no verbal explanations," Anderson said. "So we don't have a motive at this time."

Todd Hudson of the U.S. Secret Service Nashville Office said Reinking was arrested on July 7, 2017, after he allegedly crossed an exterior barrier at the White House, breached a restricted area and refused to leave. Hudson said Reinking asked to meet with the president.

He was arrested on suspicion of unlawful entry and later interviewed by FBI agents in Illinois.

Three people were killed and four others wounded in a shooting at a Waffle House in Antioch, Tennessee, on Sunday, April 22, 2018. (Nashville Police Department)

Reinking entered a deferred prosecution agreement over the misdemeanor charge on July 26, which called for him to stay away from the White House for four months and perform 32 hours of community service, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia said. He met those conditions and the case was dismissed Nov. 17.

As a result of the White House arrest, Reinking's firearms license was revoked and his four guns were seized by the Tazewell County, Illinois, Sheriff's Office.

Matthew Espenshade, special agent in charge of the FBI's national office, said the bureau's agents conducted a thorough investigation of Reinking, including database reviews and interviews with people familiar with Reinking.

"After conducting all appropriate investigation, the FBI closed its assessment of Mr. Reinking in October of 2017," Espenshade said. "I feel confident that the FBI took the appropriate steps and did everything within our federal jurisdiction that we could at the time."

Anderson said the guns seized from Reinking were eventually turned over to his father, including the AR-15 rifle used in Sunday's shooting.

"It's my understanding the guns were surrendered to him [Reinking's father] and that's part of Illinois law because he could properly possess them," Anderson said. "At some point, he returned them to the son."

Anderson said only two of the Reinking's four guns have been accounted for: the AR-15 and another gun found in a search of his residence.

Two other guns, a hunting rifle and a handgun, have not been located and Anderson said he feared Reinking is now armed with them.

There were 35 officers from three precincts responding to the shooting, police said. The FBI and federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives agents were also assisting in the investigation.

BREAKING: 3 persons fatally shot & 4 others wounded at the Waffle House, 3571 Murfreesboro Pike. Gunman opened fire @ 3:25 a.m. A patron wrestled away the gunman's rifle. He was nude & fled on foot. He is a white man with short hair. pic.twitter.com/d1qxRxsGNx  Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) April 22, 2018

Pat Warner, director of public relations and external affairs for Waffle House, called it a "very troubling" situation.

"We are sending our corporate team from Atlanta and heading to Nashville now," Warner said. "Our thoughts are with those affected."

Police surround a Waffle House near Nashville, Tennessee, where three people were shot and killed on Sunday morning, April 22, 2018. (WKRN)

"We are deeply saddened by this tragic incident," Waffle House said later in a statement. "Right now, our first thoughts are with the victims and their families, and we will be there for them in this most difficult time. We are still gathering the details, and so we do not have much information to share ... This is a very sad day for the Waffle House family."

Nashville Mayor David Briley noted that the shooting came just seven months after another mass shooting at the Burnette Chapel Church of Christ in Nashville that left one person dead and seven injured. Emanuel Kidega Samson, a 25-year-old native of Sudan, was arrested and charged in the shooting.

"We need comprehensive gun reform to address mass shootings, domestic shootings, accidental shootings and homicides," Briley said. "If we can all just come together for the greater good, we can take these weapons of war off the streets of our country."

The mayor added: "Clearly the victims of this shooting deserve our prayers and our thoughts, but they also deserve leaders who will step up and take action and do something to get these weapons off our streets."intelillo airplanes_all_final1.jpg Illustration by Brown Bird Design

On Tuesday, a passenger on Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 was killed after an engine failed and a window shattered, resulting in the passenger being sucked halfway out of the plane at 32,500 feet. It was the first passenger fatality on a U.S. airline in nearly 10 years, and the National Transportation Safety Board has started an investigation to determine the cause of the incident. But weve been wonderingas have many of our readerswhat airlines are doing to make sure this sort of deadly failure doesnt happen again.

So far, the focus of the investigation is on the CFM56-7B engine that failed Tuesday. Its one of the world's most popular and widely-used jet engines, with more than 6,700 on commercial airplanes today. "I flew behind that exact engine for years, says former U.S. Airways Capt. John Cox. It's a reliable, powerful workhorse. On Thursday, the FAA announced that it will enact an Airworthiness Directive (AD), an official document that notifies airlines of a safety fault on a specific piece of equipment, for this specific engine type. The agency requires airlines to correct any safety issues mentioned in ADs, but the FAA hasnt yet released the exact wording for the one addressing the CFM56-7B. "The directive will require an ultrasonic inspection of fan blades, the agency said in a statement. Any blades that fail the inspection will have to be replaced.

Today, as before the incident, planes also undergo hours maintenance inspections, which come in wavespneumatics checks on the rudder and wing flaps one night, then hours of emergency tests on inflatable slides the next. Pilots also visually inspect the plane theyll fly before every take-off, says Cox, checking for leaking fluid or loose mechanical parts, signs that something is out of place. Ground crew mechanics also do more intense versions of the same walkthrough every day or two, depending on a given airline's policy, checking hydraulics that help the plane steer and oil levels, as well as visually inspecting the plane's engines for something called metal fatigue, or a weakening of metal due to repeated use, caused for example by flying hundreds of thousands of miles a year. "There should be inspection techniques and procedures in place to detect something like this before theres a catastrophic event, NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt told CNN on Wednesday. What we want to find out is why was this not detected ahead of time," he added, suggesting that metal fatigue could be one of the causes of the Flight 1380 engine failure. He said it could take up to 15 months for the NTSB to complete a full investigation.

Story continues

After Southwest Airlines Flight 1380: A Flight Attendant Reminds You to Listen to the Safety Briefing

One former flight attendant responds to the tragedy.

In fact, airlines shouldve been checking for metal fatigue already, according to a service bulletin for the for the CFM56-7B that engine manufacturer CFM International released last week. (Those bulletins arent the same as a recall but do serve as a heads-up that something could be faulty with a product.) And before that, another of the engines experienced a less-catastrophic failure in 2016, when a fan blade broke off and ripped a gash in the side of a different Southwest plane. As a result of that incident, the FAA proposed an AD on this exact engine type in August 2017; it had not been formally enacted as of Tuesdays incident. The August 2017 AD, addressing the 2016 accident, said: The investigation, however, into the root cause of the fan blade failure is not complete. This condition, if not corrected, could result in fan blade failure, uncontained forward release of debris, damage to the engine, and damage to the airplane. At that time, multiple U.S. airlinesincluding Southwestobjected the FAAs order that they inspect each of the 24 indivdual fan blades on hundreds of engines within 12 months, reports Reuters, saying that timeline was too short. But on Thursday, Southwest and CFM announced they would have all of the airlines CFM56-7B fan blades inspected over the next 30 days, according to a statement.

Other U.S. airlines have already started closer inspections of their planes using this engine. We kicked off our program to address the bulletin [last week] and we will be fully compliant, says United spokesman Charles Hobart. We will continue to ensure safety is our top focus at United Airlines," he said. In all, the carrier operates nearly 700 CFM56-7B engines. Meanwhile, "Alaska is accelerating the inspections of our aircraft engines, a spokesperson said by email. We began inspecting the fan blades in the engines of all of our 737 fleet after a 2016 airline incident involving another carrier, in advance of any pending FAA directive. We have been working aggressively to complete inspections sooner than recommended. As of today, we have engines on 25 aircraft left to inspect.

American Airlines told us it has 304 planes with these specific engines, and they too began voluntarily inspecting the CFM56-7B engines fan blades after the proposed AD from the FAA last year. Delta has already completed its inspection of its 185 aircraft that have these enginesit started last year after the AD was proposed by the FAA. JetBlue does not use this exact engine type on any of its planes.

Before your flight anxiety kicks in, know that fatal accidents are extremely rare," says Cox. "Last year alone, U.S. airlines flew 4.3 billion passengers without a single fatality. Not a single one. The most dangerous part of flying, honestly, is driving to the airport."A New York Times article published Friday laid out Donald Trumps pattern of bullying Michael Cohen, with eye-popping details and quotes from Trump insiders, like this one from Roger Stone: Donald goes out of his way to treat him like garbage. On Saturday morning, the presidentwho wont be attending Barbara Bushs funeral alongside his wife, out of respectwoke up and, what else, lashed out on Twitter, with a particularly laughable claim about one of the Times articles writers, Maggie Haberman:

Haberman, who won a Pulitzer earlier this month for reporting on Trump, has interviewed the president on numerous occasions. Theres even a picture of the two of them posing together in the White House:

Though that hasnt stopped him from lashing out against her before, as recently as March:

The article, which Haberman wrote along with Sharon LaFraniere and Danny Hakim, suggests that after years of being underestimated and berated by Trump, Cohen finally has the upper hand. Mr. Trumps lawyers and advisers have become resigned to the strong possibility that Mr. Cohen, who has a wife and two children and faces the prospect of devastating legal fees, if not criminal charges, could end up cooperating with federal officials who are investigating him for activity that could relate, at least in part, to work he did for Mr. Trump, the Times story notes. Cohens home was raided by the F.B.I. on April 9 and authorities collected thousands of documents, his computer, and his phone. As Vanity Fair reported this week, Michael Avenatti, the lawyer for Stormy Daniels, believes Michael Cohen is going to be indicted for some very serious, pervasive conduct. And under a threat like that, a flip seems likelysomething Trump may be trying to avoid by leaping to Cohens defense on Twitter.

A few minutes after Trump posted his tweets, Haberman posted one of her own, with a piece of information about the president shed received while researching for the article: When I was reporting this story, I said to one person whos observed the Cohen-Trump relationship that Trump has been abusive to him. The person replied, Hes abusive to everybody.Refinery29 is proud to present The Pipeline , our monthly commitment to highlighting young women who arent just making it in Silicon Valley  theyre thriving. This is your chance to hear the stories of the product designers, researchers, and engineers who are driving innovation and setting the stage for generations to come. These are the future faces of tech.

When Melony Mahaarachchi interviewed at SpaceX in 2010, she was asked a question that would make most candidates go into panic mode: We hire rock stars at SpaceX. You just presented a failed project. How do you expect us to think youre a rock star?

Mahaarachchi didnt skip a beat when she answered, Two reasons: Number one, rock stars are rock stars because they failed at the beginning and learned from their mistakes. Number two, be happy I failed before joining SpaceX so that failure is not at your cost.

Photo: Courtesy of Melony Mahaarachchi.

That searing reply was a bit unusual, but it was carefully crafted well before the presentation. Mahaarachchi, then applying for her first job, was different from many of her fellow applicants. The recent UCLA engineering grad was at least 10 years older, with two young children, and no summer internship experience. (I was busy doing summertime with my kids.)

But Mahaarachchi knew she was qualified enough to get the job as a mechanical design engineer and excel at it. So when an on-site interview was scheduled with only three days to prep, she started searching for a way to stand out in the competitive pool of candidates. Mahaarachchi was asked to create a 30-minute presentation on an engineering project. The audience would include her hiring manager, the VP of her prospective department, and the entire team of people in that department. She was also told that Elon Musk, SpaceX founder and tech wunderkind, might attend.

Mahaarachchi spent an entire day learning everything she could about Musk, reading blogs and biographies and watching every interview she could find on YouTube. She took notes: Musk liked going to Burning Man, he sold a computer game when he was 12, and as a student at the University of Pennsylvania, he reportedly turned a frat house into a nightclub. Since theres so much coverage of Musk, Mahaarachchi confesses she also found out about a lot of private things you should not know about your future boss.

Story continues

But the perceptive engineer derived a larger, more important message from her research on Musk and SpaceX: I realized he was a man with many failures. At that time, SpaceX had not even launched the Dragon.

So she decided to appeal to her future bosss history with losing, and present her senior project from UCLA  one which her entire team had failed. It was a risky, but clever move, that ultimately paid off. By the time she arrived home, Mahaarachchi had a job offer waiting in her inbox.

designed by abbie winters

Mahaarachchis journey to that first job was anything but usual, but it speaks to the persistence that has always defined her.

As the only daughter of three children growing up in a middle class family in Colombo, Sri Lanka, she was well aware of the limitations on her career. The cultures stigma is that women arent supposed to be in the engineering field because its a very masculine, male-dominant field where women are not going to survive, she says.

Although engineering appealed to Mahaarachchi, who liked applying what she knew to find solutions to problems, it was not an option. In high school, she was steered towards studying biology so she could become a doctor, a career deemed more suitable for women but one she had little interest in.

When she didnt pass the medical school entrance exam, coming up short by just a few points, she got married. Shortly after, she had a son and then a daughter. The birth of her daughter was a turning point. I realized I didnt want my daughter to face the same social stigmas and constraints I grew up with, Mahaarachchi says. I wanted to get out of the country because I wanted both my children to excel in education, but more importantly, I wanted to give my daughter the opportunity that I didnt have.

The go-getter acted on that goal: 15 years ago, Mahaarachchi applied to and won the U.S.s diversity visa lottery and moved her family to Los Angeles to start a new life. As her children started going to school and her husband began working, she saw an opportunity to pick up her own education where she had left off. She got into UCLA and pursued an aerospace engineering degree for what she describes as an emotional reason: She wants to help reverse the impact of climate change by increasing what we know about other planets, so those findings can be applied here on earth.

Entering school with a much younger cohort came with its own set of challenges. Even today, Mahaarachchi only tells close friends and family her age. I didnt want [others] to think that because I was older, I messed up my life at the beginning, she says of enrolling in UCLAs undergraduate engineering program.

designed by abbie winters

Mahaarachchi thrived during her time at SpaceX. The company was the perfect fit for the innovative energy bottled up inside of her: My mind is crazy with creativity. That job was so ideal for me because the company was always doing something new.

Mahaarachchi was part of the engine design team, where she was responsible for designing the electrical cabling for the Dragon, which made history in 2012 when it became the first commercial spacecraft to reach the space station.

Though she loved SpaceXs company culture, almost five years of office sleepovers, weekend work, and a 100 mile-long commute was unsustainable. In search of better work-life balance, she left to take a job at Boeing. But the slow pace felt unbearable after SpaceX, and she resigned after a few months. Now, shes found a happy medium  and is achieving new career heights  working at NASAs prestigious Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) on the Mars 2020 rover. Mahaarachchis team is in charge of designing the internal electrical layout for the car-sized rover, which will attempt to find signs of past life on the Red Planet when it ventures into space.

She's satisfied with the harmony she's found between her personal and professional lives. Its important to her that her family sees her as a role model, and that shes around for the milestones. She spent Friday helping her daughter, who was recently accepted to Boston University where she plans to study biology, prepare for prom. (Her son, too, is pursuing a career in STEM as a second-year engineering student at Berkeley.) Yesterday, I was designing for the Mars Rover. Today Im going to a nail salon and hair salon with my daughter," she says. "You wear so many hats as a working mom trying to balance life.

Mahaarachchi has every other Friday off and uses the time to speak at schools and robotic competitions, where she hopes her story will empower young girls. While she's often asked how she landed a job at SpaceX and what advice she has for prospective applicants, she always warns that her presentation is unlikely to work again. After all, true innovation isnt about copying something that has worked before, its about being the first one to try something new: Its not a novelty anymore  they have seen the failure project, so you have to be more creative to stand out."

Mahaarachchis Advice For Entering Tech Later In Life:

Understand The Value Of Life Experience

"When you're an engineer you are a leader. Decision-making is a daily part of your professional life. This is where life experience helps you. You make better decisions when you have experience, whether it comes from your personal life or professional life."

Use Age To Your Advantage

"Your decision to enter tech is more solid than others who are still figuring out whether tech is a good fit for them."

Don't Be Afraid To Ask For New Challenges

"[When I joined JPL] I knew what I wanted. I told my boss: 'Im not going to compromise. If Im going to take this postion I want to work for Mars 2020.'"

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With Me Too Rising, Google Maps The Spread Of A MovementWalmart employees may soon be able to wear jeans to work. (Photo by Tim Boyle/Getty Images)

Walmart began making headlines Thursday morning when it was reported that the nations largest private-sector employer would be testing a new relaxed employee dress code.

According to an internal memo obtained by Bloomberg, the retail chain announced that some stores would be testing a revised uniform that allows for blue jeans, jeggings, chinos, skorts, and shirts of any solid color. Although it sounds like a nice change from the infamous khakis and blue shirts with collars, people are bothered that the retail corporation seems to be doing the least it could do to save itself from an increasingly competitive labor market.

This isnt the first time that the discount department store is making the news for implementing a new dress code. Just four years ago, Walmart put into place the requirement of wearing either a white or blue collared shirt with khaki pants or black jeans, in addition to a Walmart vest. The reason behind the change was to make it easier for customers to find employees in the superstores. But now, the company is more concerned with pleasing the workers themselves.

As the nations unemployment rate continues to drop, Walmart is not the only store experiencing pressure to provide employees with reasons to stick around. However, with the various incentives that could be put in place to keep Walmart employees in their stores, dress code is not the most important.

This move comes after Walmart raised its starting hourly wages to $11 earlier in 2018, in addition to providing bonuses to employees of up to $1,000. The changes came in response to President Donald Trumps tax cuts, which created a shift in the big-box retail market overall. Walmart also increased paid parental leave at the time; however, some believe that larger management issues still dont make these minimal benefits worth it.

Walmart is testing out a new dress code in hopes of retaining more employees. Maybe if @Walmart allowed employees to work full time, gave them benefits, and a livable wage they could be able to stick around. https://t.co/J4H09cePxR  KATE BALL (@kate_ball) April 19, 2018

Walmart [cant keep employees]: lets uhhhh.relax the dress code. Thatll do it  Mr Zach (@zjsearle) April 20, 2018

Walmarts dress code isnt the reason ppl end up quitting its the shitty management thats the issue lmao  StillVibing (@YoungSaiyanGod) April 19, 2018

In terms of Walmarts dress code, the chain is known for having employees pay for the required uniform items themselves, which poses an additional monetary issue when the dress code is revised. However, Walmart spokesman Kory Lundberg told Bloomberg that the changes are not yet permanent.

Story continues

We are always testing new ideas and concepts in a small number of our stores, Lundberg said. Some of these tests are expanded while others are retired. We wont know next steps on this test until weve had a chance to learn what works and what could work better.

In the meantime, employees remain divided over a number of issues  but some are expressing their excitement over being able to have a broader range of outfit options for work.

Walmart relaxed their dress code and Im so happy about it. Its in test mode now, but no longer have to wear khaki and navy blue!  Joseph Kokoszka (@JosephKokoszka) April 16, 2018

Today is a good day because Walmart is expanding its dress code so I can dress like a human again  SpicyBoi (@NCremin) April 14, 2018

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

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 These women had their wedding at the Walmart where they work

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Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.



A billboard in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, calls out Rep. Rod Blum (R-Iowa). (Photo: Survivors Empowered)

On the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School mass shooting in Littleton, Colorado, billboards posted on roadsides across the country let local residents know how much money their lawmakers have accepted from the National Rifle Association.

On Friday, grassroots gun reform group Survivors Empowered launched a campaign called 30 Billboards Outside Cowardly Incumbents, inspired by the movie Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. The group bought ad space on 13 billboards in nine states, from California to Iowa to Alabama, and are fundraising for 17 more. Each sign lists the name of a local member of Congress and how much money theyve received from the gun lobby group.

The campaign is meant to highlight the influence of the gun lobby on lawmakers and put pressure on members of Congress to cut ties with the NRA and pass gun control legislation.

The NRA spends millions each year on lobbying and campaigns in an effort to get pro-gun lawmakers elected and gun control legislation blocked. In 2016, the NRA invested $30 million in Trumps presidential campaign and at least $20 million in GOP Senate campaigns, according to an audit obtained by the Center for Responsive Politics.

Many Americans really dont understand how the NRA works and controls politicians. People ask how come they wont stand up and do something. Well, because the NRA is in their pockets, said Survivors Empowered founder Sandy Phillips, whose 24-year-old daughter was killed in the 2012 mass shooting in a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado.

Were not afraid of the NRA, she added. What can they take from us? Theyve already taken our daughter.

Gun violence survivors are ready to change the world. They are putting up billboards across the US calling out members of Congress who take blood money from the NRA. https://t.co/jFOcAQ00Ry pic.twitter.com/35cJjNyiQq  Hollye Dexter (@hollyedexter) April 20, 2018

The billboard campaign launched the same day hundreds of students walked out of schools across the country to mark the anniversary of Columbine and call for legislative action on guns.

Story continues

In the wake of the Parkland, Florida, school massacre and the subsequent wave of student activism, young protesters have repeatedly called out lawmakers for their ties to the NRA. Last month, the NRA lobbied against gun regulations proposed in Florida, which included raising the minimum age for firearms purchases to 21 and banning the sale of bump stocks. The legislation passed.

There are a lot of Americans out there saying, Weve had enough and want these politicians called out, Phillips told HuffPost on Friday. Whats great is these students arent afraid  theyre showing better leadership than many politicians.

The billboards were placed in congressional districts of politicians who had received what the group deemed substantial financial support from the NRA. The contribution figures listed on the billboards were from gun reform group Everytown for Gun Safety and represented the total donations the NRA had made to the politicians over their careers.

While the billboards had been slowly going up over the past week, the campaign officially launched Friday with candlelight vigils planned at most locations. So far the billboards have been funded to stay up for about six weeks, Phillips said, but the group hopes to raise enough to purchase more billboards and keep them up through the November midterm elections.

Billboard in Coeur dAlene, Idaho, targeting Rep. Raul Labrador (R-Idaho). (Photo: Survivors Empowered)

Billboard in Omaha on NRA contributions to Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.). (Photo: Survivors Empowered)

A billboard in Des Moines naming Rep. David Young (R-Iowa). (Photo: Survivors Empowered)

Also on HuffPost

Students walk out at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School during the National School Walkout to protest gun violence in Parkland, Florida.

Students chant outside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School during the walkout.

Students from Stuyvesant High School walk out in New York City.

Students gather outside the White House in Washington, D.C.

Students participate in a march in support of the National School Walkout in the Queens borough of New York City.

Students from Grace Church School walk out in New York City

Students from Grace Church School walk out in New York City.

Students at Philadelphia High School of Creative And Performing Arts participate in the walkout.

A creative sign from Vasiliki Frantzis from Winston Churchill High in Maryland. Guns should be regulated because they are dangerous, she says. pic.twitter.com/2tRHR462x7  Marina Fang (@marinafang) March 14, 2018

Students at Wekiva High School in Apopka, Florida participate in the walkout.

Columbine High School student Leah Zunder holds a sign.

Students at Lane Technical High School in Chicago held signs in support of the walkout.

Students at Gov. Thomas Johnson High School participate in the #NationalWalkoutDay in front of the school. @frednewspost pic.twitter.com/Af1DpavJMh  Graham Cullen (@FNP_Cullen) March 14, 2018

Pretty remarkable over a 1,000 students sitting down and in silence for 6 mins now. #NYC School #Walkout with LaGuardia High School #Parkland #fightingGunViolence pic.twitter.com/azmqPAfwtk  Marta Dhanis (@MartaDhanis) March 14, 2018

Standing in solidarity at August Martin High School for the #NationalSchoolWalkout. Congress must act NOW to end gun violence. #Enough #EnoughIsEnough pic.twitter.com/5QjFI5a1Me  Adrienne Adams (@AdrienneEAdams) March 14, 2018

Rambler students lock arms in solidarity against gun violence. #StudentsStandUp #Enough walkout pic.twitter.com/CLmn7aGHNa  Eastern High School (@EasternHS) March 14, 2018

About 1,000 students, plus teachers, packed the balconies of the Westborough High School for today's #enough walkout, protesting gun laws. pic.twitter.com/aPiFIttuDr  Alison Bosma (@AlisonBosma) March 14, 2018

One month after #Stoneman Douglas, day of remembrance at Spanish River HS. 17 minute #NationalWalkoutDay. pic.twitter.com/xIGhckSwbg  Renee Richar (@RicharRenee) March 14, 2018

Students at Booker T Washington High School in Atlanta talking a knee as part of the #NationalWalkoutDay protests. pic.twitter.com/bZpU8kQNjl  Jamiles Lartey (@JamilesLartey) March 14, 2018

Students participate in the Woodland Hills Students Against Gun Violence Walkout. #NationalStudentWalkout pic.twitter.com/pgzbcVhAko  Andrew Rush (@andrewrush) March 14, 2018

Hundreds of students walk out of class across #Boulder County to protest gun violence https://t.co/kttjUpgoWi #nationalwalkoutday pic.twitter.com/iBzeSuULII  Daily Camera (@dailycamera) March 14, 2018

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- A nearly naked gunman wearing only a green jacket and brandishing an assault rifle stormed a Waffle House restaurant in Nashville early Sunday, shooting four people to death before a customer rushed him and wrestled the weapon away.

Authorities were searching for the 29-year-old suspect, Travis Reinking, who they said drove to the busy restaurant and killed two people in the parking lot before entering and continuing to fire. When his AR-15 rifle either jammed or the clip was empty, the customer disarmed him in a scuffle.

Four people were also wounded before the gunman fled, throwing off his jacket.

Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson said there was no clear motive, though Reinking may have "mental issues." He may still be armed, Anderson told a mid-afternoon news conference, because he was known to have owned a handgun that authorities have not recovered.

U.S. Secret Service agents arrested Reinking last July for being in a restricted area near the White House, officials said. Special Agent Todd Hudson said Reinking was detained after refusing to leave the restricted area, saying he wanted to meet President Donald Trump.

State police in Illinois, where Reinking lived until last fall, subsequently revoked his state firearms card at the request of the FBI and four guns were then taken from him, including the AR-15 used in Sunday's shooting as well as a handgun, authorities said.

Sheriff Robert Huston in Tazewell County, Illinois, said deputies allowed Reinking's father to take possession of the guns on the promise that he would "keep the weapons secure and out of the possession of Travis." Huston added that, based on past deputies' encounters with Reinking, "there's certainly evidence that there's some sort of mental health issues involved."

While Huston said it was unclear how Reinking reclaimed the guns, Nashville Police spokesman Don Aaron said that his father "has now acknowledged giving them back to his son."

Story continues

Phone calls to a number listed for the father, Jeffrey Reinking, went unanswered.

Meanwhile, authorities hailed the customer who intervened to stop a further bloodbath, 29-year-old James Shaw, Jr., as a hero  though the father of a 4-year-old girl demurred and said he was just trying to survive.

One hand bandaged, Shaw told reporters he first thought the gunshots fired around 3:25 a.m. were plates falling from a dishwashing station.

When he realized what was happening, he took cover behind a door as shots shattered windows. The gun either jammed or needed a new clip, and that's when Shaw said he pounced after making up his mind that "he was going to have to work to kill me."

Shaw said he was not a religious man, but "for a tenth of a second, something was with me to run through that door and get the gun from him."

They cursed at each other as they scuffled, Shaw said, and he was able to grab the gun and toss it over a counter. The gunman then ran away into the dark of the working- and middle-class Antioch neighborhood of southeast Nashville.

Authorities said he shed his jacket nearby and police found two AR-15 magazines loaded with bullets in the pockets. He was seen walking, naked, on a road, officials said, but later was spotted wearing pants but no shirt after apparently returning to his apartment.

Another witness, Chuck Cordero, told The Tennessean newspaper he had stopped to get a cup of coffee and was outside the Waffle House when the chaos unfolded.

"He did not say anything," Cordero said of the gunman, who he described as "all business."

Cordero said Shaw saved lives. "There was plenty more people in that restaurant," he said.

The dead were identified as 29-year-old restaurant worker Taurean C. Sanderlin, and restaurant patrons Joe R. Perez, 20, Akilah Dasilva, 23, and DeEbony Groves, 21. A police statement said Sanderlin and Perez were killed outside the restaurant, Groves was fatally shot inside, and Dasilva was critically wounded inside and later died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Aaron, the police spokesman, said two of the wounded were being treated for gunshot wounds at the medical center, where spokeswoman Jennifer Wetzel said one was in critical condition and the other was in critical but stable condition.

TriStar Southern Hills Medical Center spokeswoman Katie Radel in Nashville said two people were treated for minor injuries and released.

Aaron said Reinking had been employed in construction and lived near the restaurant, and police used yellow crime scene tape to block public access to an apartment complex about a half-mile from the Waffle House. Reinking is originally from Morton, Illinois.

"This is a very sad day for the Waffle House family," the company said in a statement on Twitter. "We ask for everyone to keep the victims and their families in their thoughts and prayers."

Nashville Mayor David Briley described the shooting as "a tragic day" for the city.

"My heart goes out to the families & friends of every person who was killed or wounded," Briley said in an emailed statement. "I know all of their lives will be forever changed by this devastating crime."

U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, whose district includes Nashville, said in an emailed statement that the shooting shows the need for tighter restrictions on "widespread civilian access to military-grade assault weapons."

Nashville Chief Anderson said there was no Tennessee law that would have barred Reinking from having guns, though weapons could be taken away if the suspect had serious mental health issues. That would require taking him to court and having his rights taken away because of illness, a sometimes lengthy and difficult process, Anderson said.

Police reports filed in Illinois showed past run-ins with authorities there.

In May 2016, Tazewell County deputies were called to a CVS parking lot where Reinking told officers that Taylor Swift was stalking him and hacking his phone, and that his family was also involved, according to a report released Sunday. Reinking agreed to go to a local hospital for an evaluation after repeatedly resisting the request, the report said.

Another report from the sheriff's office said Reinking barged into a community pool in Tremont, Illinois, last June and jumped into the water wearing a pink woman's coat over his underwear. Investigators believed he had an AR-15 rifle in his car trunk, but it was never displayed. No charges were filed.

___

Associated Press writers John Raby in Charleston, West Virginia; Ed White in Detroit; and Justin Pritchard in Los Angeles contributed to this report.Paris (AFP) - More than 300 French dignitaries and stars have signed a manifesto denouncing a "new anti-Semitism" marked by "Islamist radicalisation" after a string of killings of Jews, to be published in Le Figaro newspaper Sunday.

The country's half-a-million-plus Jewish community is the largest in Europe but has been hit by a wave of emigration to Israel in the past two decades, partly due to the emergence of virulent anti-Semitism in predominantly immigrant neighbourhoods.

"We demand that the fight against this democratic failure that is anti-Semitism becomes a national cause before it's too late. Before France is no longer France," reads the manifesto co-signed by politicians from the left and right including ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy and celebrities like actor Gerard Depardieu.

The signatories condemned what they called an "quiet ethnic purging" driven by rising Islamist radicalism particularly in working-class neighbourhoods. They also accused the media of remaining silent on the matter.

"In our recent history, 11 Jews have been assassinated -- and some tortured -- by radical Islamists because they were Jewish," the declaration said.

The murders referenced reach as far back as 2006 and include the 2012 deadly shooting of three schoolchildren and a teacher at a Jewish school by Islamist gunman Mohammed Merah in the southwestern city of Toulouse.

Three years later, an associate of the two brothers who massacred a group of cartoonists at satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo killed four people in a hostage-taking at a Jewish supermarket in Paris.

In April 2017, an Orthodox Jewish woman in her sixties was thrown out of the window of her Paris flat by a neighbour shouting "Allahu Akhbar" (God is greatest).

The latest attack to rock France took place last month when two perpetrators stabbed an 85-year-old Jewish woman 11 times before setting her body on fire, in a crime treated as anti-Semitic.

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Her brutal death sent shockwaves through France and prompted 30,000 people to join a march in her memory.

Condemning the "dreadful" killing, President Emmanuel Macron had reiterated his determination to fighting anti-Semitism.

"French Jews are 25 times more at risk of being attacked than their fellow Muslim citizens," according to the manifesto.

It added that some 50,000 Jews had been "forced to move because they were no longer in safety in certain cities and because their children could no longer go to school".An overwhelmed New York City postal worker stashed more than 17,000 pieces of mail in his home, car and work locker rather than delivering them, authorities said.

Aleksey Germash, 53, a 16-year Postal Service veteran from Brooklyn, was charged on Thursday with knowingly holding onto mail, according to the New York Daily News. Investigators said they found mail in his home, car and work locker that dated back to at least 2005.

Germashs attorney, federal defender Michelle Gelernt, had no comment when reached by HuffPost.

Germash was overwhelmed by the amount of mail that he had to deliver, but said he made sure to deliver the important mail, according to a criminal complaint obtained by CNN.

Postal Service investigators found the stash after a tip about a vehicle containing multiple blue mailbags filled with mail. The investigators say they discovered 20 bags of mail  containing about 10,000 letters  inside the vehicle on Wednesday, Pix 11 reports.

Germashs case has gone viral and is making national news headlines, but its not the first time for such a situation. Earlier this month, postal inspectors found around 60 bags of undelivered mail at the home of a postal carrier on New Yorks Long Island.

A 2008 Slate article exploring the issue of mail carriers hanging onto mail cited numerous similar cases, noting that the phenomenon dates back to at least 1874, when a postman in Rhode Island threw mail into the ocean. According to the article, the cases often involve large quantities junk mail, though in some cases mail carriers have been caught failing to deliver first-class mail as well.

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.By Dan Levine (Reuters) - A federal appeals court on Thursday said the U.S. Justice Department cannot deny public safety grants to so-called sanctuary cities that limit cooperation with the Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigration. The Seventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a lower court injunction in a case brought by the city of Chicago. The appeals court agreed the injunction should apply nationally while the lawsuit proceeds in federal court. The case is one of a number of battles between the administration of Republican President Donald Trump and Democratic state and local leaders over immigration, healthcare, the environment and other issues. Chicago sued last year after U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced he would cut off cities from certain Justice Department grants unless they allowed federal immigration authorities unlimited access to local jails and provided 48 hours' notice before releasing anyone wanted for immigration violations. The lawsuit contended that Sessions exceeded his authority by imposing new conditions beyond those Congress prescribed when it established the grant program. In its ruling on Thursday, a three-judge Seventh Circuit panel said its role was not to decide national immigration policy, but rather to protect the separation of powers between the branches of the federal government. "The Attorney General in this case used the sword of federal funding to conscript state and local authorities to aid in federal civil immigration enforcement," the court wrote. "But the power of the purse rests with Congress[.]" Justice Department spokesman Devin O'Malley said the agency believes it exercised authority given by Congress to promote cooperation with immigration authorities. "We will continue to fight to carry out the Department's commitment to the rule of law, protecting public safety, and keeping criminal aliens off the streets to further perpetrate crimes," O'Malley said. Trump made tougher immigration enforcement a centerpiece of his campaign and presidency, along with a pledge to build a wall at the U.S.-Mexican border. All three judges on the Seventh Circuit panel were nominated by Republican presidents. Police agencies in so-called sanctuary jurisdictions, like Chicago, New York and Los Angeles, have generally barred their officers from routinely checking individuals' immigration status, and from keeping anyone locked up longer than otherwise warranted at the request of immigration agents. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said on Thursday the city will stand its ground when it comes to immigrants. "We're not going to allow the Trump Justice Department to bully our values," he said. The grants at issue under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant, or Byrne JAG program, typically are used to help police improve crime-fighting techniques, buy new equipment and assist victims of crime. After a Chicago judge issued the nationwide injunction last September, the Justice Department said in a court filing it would be forced to delay grants to law enforcement across the country regardless of sanctuary status while the litigation proceeds. Edward Siskel, Chicagos corporation counsel, said on Thursday the city would continue to fight for the federal government to release withheld grant funds. (Reporting by Dan Levine in San Francisco; Additional reporting by Tracy Rucinski and Suzannah Gonzales in Chicago and Sarah Lynch in Washington; Editing by Toni Reinhold and Matthew Lewis)GOP move would change states process for replacing members of Congress who resign or die in office

John McCain, a six-term Arizona senator, was diagnosed last summer with an aggressive form of brain cancer. Photograph: Aaron Bernstein/Reuters

Arizona lawmakers are debating legislation that would keep John McCains Senate successor off the ballot in Novembers midterm elections, should the seat become open before the end of next month.

The bill, which could come up for a vote this week, would change the states process for replacing members of Congress who resign or die in office. Though Democrats are expected to block the measure, the effort has renewed speculation about McCains health.

McCain, a six-term Arizona senator and 2008 Republican presidential nominee, was diagnosed last summer with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. The 81-year-old has been with his family, absent from Washington, since December.

State Democrats accused Republicans of playing politics with the bill by trying to eliminate the possibility of two open US Senate seats in a year when the state could determine control of Congress. Nationally, the historic unpopularity of Donald Trump is fueling talk of sweeping Democratic gains.

Arizona Republicans are already defending the seat that will be vacated by retiring senator Jeff Flake. The battle to replace him is expected to be one of the fiercest  and most expensive  midterm races.

Where theres smoke theres fire, Democratic state senator Steve Farley, the assistant minority leader, told the Guardian. The effect of this bill would be to allow a Republican to serve in that [US] Senate seat without standing for election in a year when things arent looking like theyre going well for Republicans.

Republicans say that is not the their intent. Steve Yarbrough, the Arizona senate president, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Guardian. But he recently told the Hill: I think everybody was just trying to make this process fair. I think its unfortunately probably much ado about little. Its not like this is going to create some advantage.

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Debate on the issue erupted this week, when Republicans moved to amend the legislation one day after McCains office announced that he had undergone surgery related to an intestinal infection.



In the event McCains seat becomes open, Governor Doug Ducey, a Republican also up for re-election this year, will make an appointment. The seat would appear on the next general election ballot.



The Arizona secretary of states office has said that if the vacancy occurs before 31 May, voters will elect a new senator in this years general election. If the seat opens after that date, the appointee will serve through 2020.

By introducing an emergency clause to the bill concerning succession to vacated congressional seats, state senate Republicans proposed changing that deadline to 150 days prior to a regular primary election, or 31 March of this year. That would ensure that McCains seat did not appear on the ballot in November.

Without the emergency clause, the legislation would not take effect in time to impact the 2018 election.

The legislation was originally a bipartisan effort to clarify existing law on special elections, prompted by the resignation of Trent Franks, a US representative who stepped down in December amid allegations of sexual misconduct.

Farley said the emergency clause, which requires a two-thirds vote, was added quietly and without debate. Republicans will need support from several Democrats to pass the bill as amended. Farley said that will not happen.

And even if the bill were to pass the Arizona senate next week, it would still need to be approved by the state House. Whether Governor Ducey would sign such legislation also remains uncertain.Yerevan (AFP) - Armenia's political turmoil deepened on Sunday with the detention of anti-government protest leader Nikol Pashinyan, shortly after Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian stormed out of talks on the tenth day of mass rallies against his rule.

Pashinyan and two other opposition politicians "were detained as they were committing socially dangerous acts", the prosecutor general's office said in a statement.

Armenian police earlier denied opposition MP Sasun Mikaelyan's report that Pashinyan had been arrested and his whereabouts are unknown.

As a lawmaker, he is protected by parliamentary immunity and cannot be arrested without the approval of fellow MPs.

It came hours after Sarkisian stormed out of talks with Pashinyan on Sunday morning, accusing him of "blackmail".

The tense televised meeting in the capital Yerevan between the premier and Pashinyan lasted only a couple of minutes before the premier cut it short.

Opposition supporters denounce Serzh Sarkisian's efforts to remain in power as prime minister after a decade serving as president.

"I came here to discuss your resignation," Pashinyan, the leader of the opposition Civil Contract party, had told the prime minister in front of the cameras.

"This is not a dialogue, this is blackmail, I only can advise you to return to a legal framework... Otherwise you will bear the responsibility" for the consequences, replied Sarkisian, a former military officer.

"You don't understand the situation in Armenia. The power is now in people's hands," Pashinyan hit back.

Sarkisian said the Civil Contract party "can't speak on behalf of the people", having scored only eight percent in a recent parliamentary election, during the brief talks.

- Hundreds detained -

Pashinyan then vowed to "step up pressure" on Sarkisian to force him to resign and called on police officers to "lay down arms and join in the protests".

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Bu instead security forces intervened using stun grenades and began dispersing the crowd in Yerevan's suburban Erebuni district.

Hundreds of people were detained at protest rallies held across Yerevan during the day, police said in a statement, and seven protesters have sought medical help, according to Armenia's health ministry.

Armenia's interior ministry said it took the decision to "disperse demonstrators, including those assembled in Yerevan's Republic Square."

"In order to perform these duties, police are entitled to carry out arrests and use force. We urge protesters to comply with these and other lawful demands of policemen," the statement said.

But tens of thousands of protesters defied the police warning and in the evening filled central Yerevan's Republic Square, an AFP journalist at the scene reported.

"By beating up people, the authorities simply can't change the situation in their favour. Too many people don't trust Sarkisian. The genie is out of the bottle," a 32-year-old protester, Sona Petrosyan, told AFP at the rally.

Another young protester who didn't give his name said: "We will gather here every day and hold peaceful rallies until Serzh Sarkisian resigns."

The US embassy in Yerevan urged "the government to show restraint to allow for peaceful protest and those exercising their freedom of assembly to do so responsibly, to avoid violence, and to prevent an escalation of tensions".

"A peaceful resolution requires meaningful political dialogue in good faith," the embassy said in a statement.

The EU delegation to Armenia issued a statement expressing "concern" over the rapidly unfolding crisis.

"The European Union reiterates that it is crucial that all parties show restraint and responsibility and urgently seek a negotiated solution," the statement said.

Opposition supporters have criticised the 63-year-old leader over poverty, corruption and the influence of powerful oligarchs.

Pashinyan had earlier announced the "start of a peaceful velvet revolution" in the landlocked South Caucasus nation of 2.9 million people.

He called for a nationwide campaign of "civil disobedience", urging civil servants "to stop obeying Sarkisian".

Under a new parliamentary system of government, lawmakers elected Sarkisian as prime minister last week.

Constitutional amendments approved in 2015 have transferred power from the presidency to the premiership.

After Sarkisian was first elected in 2008, 10 people died and hundreds were injured in post-election clashes between police and supporters of the defeated opposition candidate.Protesters blocked traffic and clashed with security forces in the Armenian capitol of Yerevan on April 20, as demonstrations against the appointment of former president Serzh Sargsyan as prime minister entered their eighth day.

Sargsyan, who served as president from 2008 to early 2018, was elected as prime minister by parliament on April 17. Critics say his election is anti-democratic and have branded it as a power-grab. In 2015, Armenia held a constitutional referendum which lessened the power of the president and gave greater power to the parliament.

The state-owned ArmenPress news agency said several roads in Yerevan were fully or partially closed due to protests on April 20.

This footage shows demonstrators wrestling with police as they attempted to make arrests. Credit: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty via StoryfulLe Collectif Cheikh Yassine a organise un certain nombre dactivites et de festivites pour les enfants de Gaza sous le theme  La joie des enfants de Gaza pour lAid . Ces activites ont commence le premier jour de lAid et continue jusquau 4eme jour de lAid dans la bande de Gaza.



Plusieurs activites, ont ete organisees parmi lesquelles : des competitions recompensees par des prix, des jeux, des animations et des chants presentes par un groupe ainsi que des distributions de cadeaux et daides financieres.



Toronto (Canada) (AFP) - Canada will host the world's small but growing band of female foreign ministers for talks ahead of this year's UN General Assembly, Canada's Chrystia Freeland announced Sunday.

Freeland opened a meeting in Toronto of G7 foreign ministers with a session, co-hosted by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini, dedicated to her women counterparts.

Alongside the male chief diplomats from most of the G7 major industrialized powers, were female ministers from Ghana, Ecuador, Panama, Jamaica, Guatemala and Colombia.

Freeland said she and Mogherini had decided to host talks on September 21 and 22 ahead of UNGA just for these "inspiring" female foreign ministers.

"We are sure that such an initiative will give rise to some very constructive discussions," she said.

Mogherini explicitly linked the planned meeting to the subsequent UN event and added: "We believe that is going to be a very important way to open the doorway for understanding."

Freeland also noted that Japan's Foreign Minister Taro Kono had had dinner with the female envoys the night before.

"All of us women foreign ministers said we are often in meetings where we are the only woman, and so Taro got a little bit what it was like," she joked, thanking him.By Ben Blanchard BEIJING (Reuters) - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit China this week for an informal meeting with President Xi Jinping, as efforts at rapprochement gather pace following a testing year in ties between the two giant neighbors. The Chinese government's top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, said the two would meet on Friday and Saturday in the central Chinese city of Wuhan. "Our common interests far outweigh our differences. The two countries have no choice other than pursuing everlasting friendship, mutually beneficial cooperation and common development," Wang told reporters after meeting Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj in Beijing. "The summit will go a long way towards deepening the mutual trust between the two great neighbors," he added. "We will make sure that the informal summit will be a complete success and a new milestone in the history of China-India relations." Modi has sought to re-set ties after disputes over issues including their disputed border with Tibet and other issues. The discussion with Wang was to prepare for the informal summit, Swaraj said. "It will be an important occasion for them (Modi and Xi) to exchange views on bilateral and international matters, from an overarching and long-term perspective with the objective of enhancing mutual communication," Swaraj said. The Asian giants were locked in a 73-day military stand-off in a remote, high-altitude stretch of that boundary last year. At one point, soldiers from the two sides threw stones and punches. 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, apart from a corner of the disputed Kashmir region, also claimed by Pakistan, but involves India's neighbors Sri Lanka, Nepal and the Maldives.Modi's previously unannounced Wuhan trip is even more unusual in that he will visit China again in June for a summit in Qingdao of the China and Russia-led security grouping, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, which India joined last year. It is almost unheard of for foreign leaders to visit China twice in such close succession. Xi is also extending Modi the rare honor of a meeting outside of Beijing, which almost never happens unless there is a multilateral summit taking place. Modi's nationalist government has reversed course on its relationship with Beijing apparently after realizing its hard line on China was not working. Exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, who lives in India and who China considers a dangerous separatist, is also facing the cold shoulder. In March, 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. Other areas of disagreement remain however between Beijing and New Delhi. China has blocked India's membership of a nuclear cartel and it has also been blocking U.N. sanctions against a Pakistan-based militant leader blamed for attacks on India. (Additional reporting by Elias Glenn and Gao Liangping; Mayank Bhardwaj in NEW DELHI; Editing by William Maclean and Dale Hudson)Beijing (AFP) - Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet in central China this week, Beijing announced Sunday, as the Asian powers work to improve strained ties.

The two leaders will hold an "informal summit" in the city of Wuhan on Friday and Saturday, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said after talks with his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj.

"The summit will go a long way towards deeping the mutual trust between the two great neighbours," Wang said.

Xi and Modi "will set a general direction, identify new goals and create a new dynamic for the growth of China-India relations.

"This will benefit not just our two countries and peoples, but will also have an important and positive impact on peace and development in our region and the world at large," he added.

Swaraj said the summit will be "an important occasion for them to exchange views on bilateral and international matters, from an overarching and long term perspective, with the objective of enhancing mutual communication at the level of leaders."

Swaraj and Wang met in Beijing before a meeting on Tuesday of foreign ministers from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), a regional security grouping spearheaded by China and Russia.

China will host an SCO summit in June. India and its arch-rival Pakistan formally joined the bloc last year and Modi is expected to attend the summit, according to Indian media.

This week's meeting between Xi and Modi comes months after the two countries resolved a tense border standoff.

- Himalayan face-off -

Indian and Chinese troops faced off last June on the Doklam plateau, an area high in the Himalayas claimed both by China and by India's ally Bhutan.

The dispute began when Chinese troops started building a road on the plateau and India deployed troops to stop the project.

A crisis was averted in August when the two nuclear-armed nations pulled back their troops.

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"We believe that our commonalities outweigh our differences, and that we must build our convergences, while seeking mutually acceptable resolutions to our differences," Swaraj said.

"While making efforts to make progress in our relations in diverse areas, we underlined that maintaining peace and tranquility in the India-China border areas is an essential prerequisite for the smooth development of bilateral relations," she said.

India and China have a long history of mistrust as they jostle for regional supremacy.

China has fostered closer ties with Pakistan in recent years, while India is revamping its military and bolstering its partnership with the United States.

Both nations say they are committed to solving longstanding border disagreements through dialogue, but progress has been glacial.

India and China went to war in 1962 over Arunachal Pradesh, with Chinese troops temporarily capturing part of the Himalayan territory.

The dispute remains unresolved, with India considering Arunachal Pradesh one of its northeastern states while China stakes claim to about 90,000 square kilometres of the state.

In February Beijing lodged an angry protest with New Delhi over a trip by Modi to the state.

India has also raised concerns about an economic corridor China is building in Pakistan as the project cuts through Pakistan-administered Kashmir, disputed territory that New Delhi claims is illegally occupied.

But Modi called Xi in March to congratulate the Chinese leader on his re-appointment as president, with New Delhi saying both agreed that "as two major powers growing rapidly, bilateral relations between India and China are vital".Good Housekeeping

When Calls the Heart fans, we have some pretty big news: It's been revealed that Lori Loughlin will be reprising her role as Abigail Stanton. Here's how Erin Krakow reacted to the news.Gaza City (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - The death of a Palestinian teenager during protests along Gaza's border with Israel sparked condemnation and international calls for restraint on Saturday.

Rescue services and relatives said Mohammed Ayoub, aged 15, was killed by Israeli gunfire on Friday.

The Israeli army said Saturday it was opening an investigation into the death of the young Palestinian, who was killed during demonstrations that have brought thousands of Palestinians to the border for four consecutive Fridays.

A spokesperson for the European Union on Saturday called for a "full investigation" into the circumstances of the death.

"As we once again mourn the loss of lives, the EU calls on the Israel Defence Forces to refrain from using lethal force against unarmed protesters," a statement said.

"As stated repeatedly, the priority now must be to avoid any further escalation of violence and loss of life."

On Friday night, UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process Nikolay Mladenov wrote on Twitter: "It is OUTRAGEOUS to shoot at children... #Children must be protected from #violence, not exposed to it."

The teenager's father Ibrahim Ayoub told AFP his son "was standing far from the soldiers and not armed".

"Why are our children killed and Israeli children living a quiet life?"

Three other Palestinians were killed on Friday, bringing to 38 the death toll from Israeli gunfire since the start of "March of Return" protests on March 30.

High-ranking Palestinian official Saeb Erekat called on the International Criminal Court to open a "serious judicial inquiry into the crimes committed against the Palestinian people".

US envoy for the Middle East Jason Greenblatt called for moderation.

"As we mourn the tragic loss of a young life, we must all commit ourselves to avoid further suffering by responses to this death," he said.

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Israeli forces have responded to demonstrations along its border by firing live ammunition, injuring hundreds in addition to the deaths.

But Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Saturday reiterated that he held leaders of Islamist movement Hamas, which rules Gaza, responsible for the violence and the death of the Palestinian teenager.

"Those cowardly leaders who are hiding behind women and children and send them forward as a human shield, so that they can continue to dig tunnels and carry out terrorist actions against the state of Israel," he wrote on Twitter.

"I will again tell the habitants of Gaza Do not approach the fence."

Tens of thousands of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, wedged between Israel, Egypt and the Mediterranean, have gathered at the border since March 30 calling for Palestinian refugees to be allowed to return to their former lands now inside Israel.By Oswaldo Rivas MANAGUA (Reuters) - Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega said on Saturday he was ready to consider changing an unpopular social security overhaul that has sparked days of deadly protests and one of the biggest crises of his leadership. At least six people have died since Nicaraguans began demonstrating on Wednesday against the changes that increase worker contributions and lower pensions, in an unusually direct challenge to Ortega, a former Marxist guerrilla. In a televised address, Ortega said the benefit changes were not due to take effect until July 1, giving the government time to arrange talks with the private sector to review them. "We'll have to see what change can be made to this decree or whether we need to do a new one," Ortega said. "Hopefully, we can find a better way of making this change," he added. "Maybe we can find ways of covering part of what is being applied to workers and especially to pensioners." The Red Cross says at least five people have died in protests in Managua and another in the municipality of Tipitapa, northeast of the capital. Hundreds have been injured. Police have used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse protesters, and disturbances continued in Managua on Saturday. Most of the deaths have been due to firearms, said Lissett Guido, a spokeswoman for the Red Cross in Nicaragua, one of the poorest countries in the Americas. Guido could not confirm media reports that at least 10 people had died, and said any other fatalities must have occurred in areas the Red Cross had not reached. A Cold War antagonist of the United States, Ortega served a single term as president the 1980s and has held office continuously since his return to power in 2007. Through a mix of socialist policies and capitalism, Ortega has delivered a period of stable growth while tightening his hold on the levers of power. That has led critics to accuse him of attempting to establish a family dictatorship. Vice President Rosario Murillo, Ortega's wife, told local radio that "almost 10" people had been killed in the violence but did not give details. At least 28 police have been injured, she added. The government has argued the changes to social security are fiscally necessary, but hundreds of retirees began demonstrating on Wednesday after the government approved the changes. They were soon joined by thousands of students and business workers in cities around the nation, sparking clashes with police. At least three local television stations broadcasting the protests live have had their signals abruptly cut. The United Nations office on human rights has expressed its concern about the violence, and called on Nicaraguan authorities to stop further attacks on demonstrators and the media. (Reporting by Oswaldo Rivas in Managua; Additional reporting by Miguel Gutierrez in Mexico City; Editing by Matthew Lewis)By Oswaldo Rivas MANAGUA (Reuters) - Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega said on Sunday a planned overhaul of the welfare system that sparked days of deadly protests had been canceled, as he attempted to end the biggest crisis of his administration. Ortega has been on the defensive since demonstrations began on Wednesday against the plan to increase worker contributions to social security and to lower pensions. Ensuing unrest has killed at least seven people and sparked looting and panic buying. The pope, the U.S. government and business leaders all urged Ortega to stop the violence before he appeared on television and said the measures approved last week would be withdrawn. "The previous resolution of April 16, 2018, which was the resolution that kicked off this whole situation, is being revoked, canceled, put aside," Ortega said. The government argues welfare changes are needed to bolster Nicaragua's finances, and Ortega said talks would be held to draft a new plan to strengthen the social security system. But the government was stung by the protests, which one human rights group said had taken at least 25 lives. Stores in Managua were looted over the weekend, Reuters witnesses said. Late on Saturday, local media said a reporter was shot and killed during a live broadcast from Bluefields, a town on the Caribbean coast hit by the unrest. Graphic footage of the incident soon spread onto local and social media. The police crackdown on demonstrators and curbs on some media in the past few days have fueled broader criticism of Ortega, who has tightened his hold on the country's institutions since he took office for a second time 11 years ago. The U.S. State Department on Sunday called for "broad-based dialogue" to end the dispute and "restore respect" for human rights, urging the government to let the media operate freely. "We condemn the violence and the excessive force used by police and others against civilians who are exercising their ... right to freedom of expression and assembly," U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in statement. Lissett Guido, a Red Cross spokeswoman, said there were seven confirmed deaths and that the number would likely rise. The government had reported "almost 10" by late on Friday. Marlin Sierra, director of human rights organization CENIDH, said it had logged 25 deaths, mostly caused by firearms and rubber bullets. That number could not be independently verified. Most of the dead were aged between 15 and 34, she said. Pope Francis called on Sunday for an end to the violence and called for differences to be "resolved peacefully and with a sense of responsibility." Videos and photos posted on Nicaraguan media showed people standing ready to defend their stores, while others formed lines to stock up on gasoline and food in case of shortages. Nicaragua has been one of the more stable countries in Central America, largely avoiding the turmoil caused by gang violence or political upheaval that has at times plagued Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala in recent years. But top Nicaraguan business lobby COSEP has backed peaceful protests against the government, and said it would not enter talks with Ortega to review the social security plan until he had ended police repression and restored freedom of expression. A former Marxist guerrilla and Cold War antagonist of the United States, Ortega has presided over a period of stable growth with a blend of socialist policies and capitalism. But critics accuse Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, of trying to establish a family dictatorship. The country remains one of the poorest in the Americas. (Reporting by Oswaldo Rivas; Additional reporting by Miguel Gutierrez; Writing by Dave Graham; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Peter Cooney)President Nixon greeting supporters on his way to the Republican National Convention in 1972. He resigned two years later: Reuters

The Democratic Partys abrupt dropping of a multi-million-dollar lawsuit into the simmering cauldron that is the Trump-Russia affair took some folk by surprise.

Why risk complicating the life of special counsel Robert Mueller just when he may be getting to the endgame of his own investigation into all these allegations? Where did such a crazy idea come from anyway?

Watergate, thats where. In fact, scholars of that especially dark time, which eventually forced Richard Nixon from office, were asking a different question. How come the Democratic National Committee (DNC), which filed the suit against the Trump campaign, Wikileaks and the Russian Federation in a New York federal court on Friday, had taken so long about it?

They were a lot quicker off the mark last time. It was 17 June 1972 when burglars in business suits were arrested in the offices of the DNC at the Watergate complex in Washington DC, as they attempted to place bugging devices and photograph documents in the hope of gathering damaging information on Nixons opponents. Just four days later the DNC swung into legal attack mode.

On 21 June, Lawrence OBrien, the then DNC chairman, announced a $1m lawsuit against the Committee for the Re-Election of the President. It would be a full two years before Nixon boarded Marine One for the last time, yet OBrien even then spoke of a developing clear line to the White House, from the arrest of the five burglars. This is not partisan, its patriotic  It is our obligation to the American people, he declared. Nixons campaign chairman, John Mitchell, was, naturally, unimpressed and labelled the suit another example of sheer demagoguery.

This time the DNC is merely peddling a left-wing conspiracy theory, or so declared Roger Stone, a Trump associate and one of those named as defendants along with a now familiar cast of characters. They include former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner. NO proof or evidence, Stone wrote in a defiant email to Reuters.

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Roger Stone advised Donald Trump during his presidential campaign and reportedly remains a confidant to Trump (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

It may not enlighten much, but the urge to compare Trumps legal peril with Watergate has been irresistible almost since the moment he fired his FBI Director, James Comey, nearly a year ago. (We have been hearing a lot from Comey lately, as you know.) I was in the room on 16 May when Senator John McCain did exactly that at a Republican Party dinner in Washington. Weve seen this movie before. Its reaching Watergate size and scale, he said. This is not good for the country. Afterwards he told me he hadnt meant to take the parallels quite that far.

But its always been hard not to recognise them. Both scandals began with burglaries and invasion of DNC property. Forty-five years ago, it was physical in nature  locks picked and door latches taped for easy escape. In 2016, as the new lawsuit makes clear, a cyber crime was reported. With gleeful enthusiasm, it alleges, the Trump campaign encouraged Russia and its intelligence community to break into the DNCs servers and telephone systems, this time to dig up anything that could hurt Hillary Clinton and thereby assist Trumps run for the highest office.

During the 2016 presidential campaign, Russia launched an all-out assault on our democracy and it found a willing and active partner in Donald Trumps campaign, Tom Perez, todays DNC Chairman, asserted in a statement. This constituted an act of unprecedented treachery.

The Watergate complex (AFP)

We may be short of reaching Watergate size and scale because we dont yet have anything to match the so-called Saturday Night Massacre moment of 19 October 1973, when the then special prosecutor Archibald Cox issued a subpoena for copies of tapes made by Nixon in the Oval Office and the president reacted by firing him. First he had to find someone in the Justice Department to carry out the firing and the first two candidates refused and resigned. They were Attorney General Elliot Richardson and Deputy Attorney General William Ruckelshaus.

The threat of history repeating itself is what keeps Trump and his aides up at night. Some of it already has, including Fridays court filing by the DNC. But what terrifies his legal advisers more than anything else is Trump giving the process a huge nudge forward by falling into one very big and obvious Saturday-Night-Massacre trap by attempting to fire Mueller just like Nixon fired Cox.

That Trump would like to is no secret to anyone. Just last month he went after Mueller and his ongoing probe in one of his early morning Twitter rants. A total WITCH HUNT with massive conflicts of interest! he thundered. But the warnings of the dire consequences such an action would have continue to come at him from all quarters, including from Republicans on Capitol Hill. If he tried to do that, that would be the beginning of the end of his presidency, South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsay Graham recently predicted to CNN.

If Trump doesnt care to pay attention to history, then clearly the DNC and Tom Perez are. The lawsuit filed by OBrien all those years back may have come off as over-hasty and half-baked, but it worked. The DNC collected $750,000 from the Nixon campaign. On the day he left office.Getty

Donald Trump has hinted he believes the probe into Russian interference in US elections is illegal, the latest in a line of thinly veiled attacks that critics say are aimed at undermining the independent investigation.

The US president fired off the astonishing suggestion in one of his infamous late night Twitter posts.

He claimed the special counsel probe looking into Moscows links with his 2016 campaign was set-up following an illegal media leak  and seemed to conclude that meant the whole process was illegitimate.

James Comey illegally leaked classified documents to the press in order to generate a Special Council? [sic] he wrote. Therefore, the Special Council was established based on an illegal act? Really, does everybody know what that means?

Mr Trump has repeatedly called the enquiry  led by Robert Mueller  a politicised witch hunt. But the new outburst appears to go further by suggesting it should be ended according to US law.

The claim came just a day after Rudy Giuliani  the combative former Mayor of New York  revealed he had joined Mr Trumps legal term and was aiming to bring an end to the enquiry.

Yet many have already dismissed the presidents tweeted conclusions.

The leak referred to was a memo which former FBI director Mr Comey wrote documenting a 2017 meeting with Mr Trump, during which the president allegedly asked him to drop an FBI investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn.

Mr Comey revealed the memo to The New York Times after he was fired, apparently out of concern the president had tried to obstruct justice.

Just one day after the newspaper ran the story on 16 May, Mr Mueller was appointed special counsel by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.

But Mr Comey has previously said the memo contained no classified information and was, therefore, not an illegal leak.

In testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee last June, he said: "If I write it in such a way that doesn't include anything of a classification, that would make it easier for us to discuss within the FBI, and the government, and to hold onto it in a way that makes it accessible to us."

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Despite Mr Trumps continual criticism, the Mueller probe has evolved dramatically over the last year, and has resulted in a number of federal charges, indictments and pleas involving some of the presidents closest aides and some Russian operatives.

Earlier this month, in a surprising raising of stakes, the offices and homes of Mr Trumps personal attorney, Michael Cohen, were raided by investigators.

Prosecutors have not yet brought any charges specifically related to collusion.Eileen Fisher (Photo: courtesy of Eileen Fisher; art: Quinn Lemmers)

In honor of Earth Day, Yahoo Lifestyle is spotlighting Eileen Fisher, a company that champions sustainability, with the goal of being a fashion brand that will last for generations to come.

Through a circular design model, Eileen Fisher has rethought the way we buy, consume, reuse, and eventually discard our clothes to create a better future for our planet. We currently live in an era where the average American throws out 70 pounds of clothing and other textiles per year, 85 percent of which ends up in landfills. Eileen Fisher is one of the few fashion companies addressing the issue head on, acting as a leader for sustainable innovation and a model for other companies to follow.

For some labels, green fashion is just the latest trend sweeping the fashion industry. But for Eileen Fisher, its an area the company has been invested in since the 90s. I think that its easy to say this is a sexy story and we want to get it out there  but I feel like as a company, were not doing it for that reason. Were doing this because we believe in changing the earth, caring for the earth, and changing the way that we produce, consume, and think about clothing in our industry. I think that really sets us apart, Lilah Horwitz, Creative Lead of Renew, told Yahoo Lifestyle.

Compared to companies like Nike, which was criticized for subjecting its factory workers to toxic conditions and using sweatshops beginning in 1996, Eileen Fisher during that time had already begun fortifying its social consciousness programs, with goals that today include sustainability, human rights, and female empowerment.

A model wearing items from Eileen Fishers Resewn collection. (Photo: Courtesy of Eileen Fisher)

Fishers team has been busy developing new practices for green technology and employing sustainable fabrics like organic cotton, hemp, and Tencel in its collections. Our environmental vision is holistic, said Shona Quinn, the companys sustainability leader. We believe in paying attention to what happens in the field, the dyehouse and our customers washing machines. Our goal is to design out negative impacts  and design in positive change.

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In 2017, Eileen Fisher took a big step toward expanding its green initiative by creating its Tiny Factory, which is solely centered on enacting the companys sustainable programs. The factory is located in Irvington, N.Y., which is about an hour north of Manhattan  and is also the city Eileen Fisher calls home. The Tiny Factory may be a small operation, employing only 12 people, but its mighty. Its Eileen Fishers own David in a Goliath fashion world. This is where the company spearheads its five major sustainable programs: Renewed, Mended, Overdyed, Felted, and Resewn.

The lobby of Eileen Fishers Tiny Factory, in Irvington, N.Y. (Photo: Courtesy of Eileen Fisher)

Eileen Fishers sustainable programs. (Photo: Courtesy of Eileen Fisher)

Eileen Fisher has created an in-store program where customers can donate old Eileen Fisher clothes. It doesnt matter whether theyre in great condition, have imperfections, are discolored, or even posses a few holes. The company takes it all back, and it gets sorted in a meticulously organized system at the Tiny Factory. Clothing that is in perfect condition is simply cleaned and resold as part of the Renew program. Items that have small imperfections like a hole are simply mended using special techniques like boro and sashiko and made like new again, in a special celebration of their flaws. These items are then sold online at reduced prices.

Inside the Tiny Factory. (Photo: Courtesy of Eileen Fisher)

Clothing thats discolored or faded goes into the Overdyed program. At Eileen Fishers recent pop-up shop in the SoHo district of Manhattan, Horwitz showed me some pieces that had been overdyed with a beautiful shade of indigo. They looked like brand-new garments, tailor-made for the spring and summer months. It was impossible to tell the jackets and dresses were previously colored yellow, cream, or white.

Sorting at the Tiny Factory. (Photo: Courtesy of Eileen Fisher)

Felted is a special program that begins with old, damaged fabrics, layers them together, and reconstructs them into a new felted material that may become a coat, pillow, or a piece of wall art.

Resewn, the last program in the series  and my personal favorite  involves a masterful art that results in one-of-a-kind designs. After the Tiny Factory team deconstructs garments into separate fabrics, they reinvent the pieces into brand-new garments. But as Horwitz points out, Its really looking at the garments in their original state and trying to design into that, less thinking about them as textiles. Its the truest example of circular design from beginning to end.

Throughout all these programs, Eileen Fishers DNA is still present and thriving, fitting seamlessly with the brands main collections. But what I love most about the Resewn collection is that the results act somewhat like a quilt, telling a beautiful history of Eileen Fishers evolution through the years. For example, one garment from the Resewn collection may include a vintage jacquard fabric from the 1980s sewn with a silk fabric from the early 2000s onto a cotton fabric from 2016.

Three dresses from the Resewn collection. (Photo: Courtesy of Eileen Fisher)

Just as Resewn garments tie together different eras of time, the Eileen Fisher brand unites women of all generations: moms and daughters, women both young and old, women of all backgrounds and careers. The brands clean, minimalistic clothing caters to women who are 60 and women who are 25 because the designs are timeless, never fleeting or trend-based. As Horwitz says, Somebody can put their personality onto it rather than create the personality for them.  Its a beautiful canvas that you can wear just as a canvas or turn it into something else.

Since 2009, Eileen Fisher has taken back more than 800,000 pieces of clothing and donated $2 million to causes the brand supports. Three percent of what is produced every year is renewed or remade; the companys goal is eventually to make this 100 percent.

According to the companys Vision2020 web page, Our vision is for an industry where human rights and sustainability are not the effect of a particular initiative, but the cause of a business well run. Where social and environmental injustices are not unfortunate outcomes, but reasons to do things differently.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.By Dominic Evans and David Dolan ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Tayyip Erdogan's shock announcement of snap elections in June has caught Turkey's troubled opposition off guard and brought him within reach of his cherished goal, a powerful presidency with sweeping executive powers. The elections will finally trigger Turkey's switch from a parliamentary to a presidential system, a transformation Erdogan narrowly won in a hard-fought referendum a year ago. That vote was held, as the June 24 parliamentary and presidential elections will be, under a state of emergency which Turkey's allies including the United States say raises questions over their integrity. A masterful campaigner, Erdogan has won nearly a dozen elections and dominated Turkish politics since his Islamist-rooted AK party swept to power in 2002. He remains Turkey's most popular politician, admired by millions for championing the pious Muslim working classes and delivering airports, hospitals and schools during a period of strong economic growth. His opponents are ill-prepared to challenge him. Nine members of the pro-Kurdish HDP party have been jailed or detained pending trial, the main opposition CHP has yet to choose a presidential candidate, and the breakaway nationalist Iyi Party has only been in existence for a few months. Announcing the elections on Wednesday, Erdogan said Turkey needed to switch quickly to a powerful presidency to confront economic challenges and the war in Syria. Those two factors support his decision to go early. Economists don't expect Turkey to sustain last year's breakneck growth of 7.4 percent through to the scheduled Nov 2019 poll date, while Erdogan is enjoying nationalist acclaim for early military success across the border in Syria. "Erdogan has all odds stacked in his favor. From ... economic growth to the state of emergency which he has been using to crack down on opposition, to a near complete control of the media," said Soner Cagaptay, a fellow at the Washington Institute. The prize for the victor in June will be power almost unprecedented since the Turkish republic was created under Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, out of the ruins of the Ottoman empire nearly a century ago. "The office of prime minister will cease to exist. Erdogan will become head of state, head of government, head of the police, head of the army and head of the ruling party," said Cagaptay. "He will become the most powerful Turkish leader since Ataturk, and in some regards more powerful." The proposed powers were criticized by a leading European rights body, the Council of Europe, which said at the time of the referendum that the changes risked consigning Turkey to authoritarian rule. "What Turkey needs is a progressive constitutional democracy whose branches of government are actively involved representing the interests of its people," said David Phillips, Director of the Program on Peace-building and Rights at Columbia University. "That's not served by the new constitution which establishes the president as the primary purveyor of all powers." Erdogan says Turkey needs strong leadership to steer it through security challenges including confronting a network Ankara blames for a failed 2016 military coup, the war in Syria, and militant threats inside Turkey. Government spokesman Bekir Bozdag, defending the move to the new executive presidency, said the current system of mixed parliamentary and presidential rule was slowing the country down and the change would mark "the opening of a new era". He said early elections "will give great impetus to the economy, lift uncertainties and increase investments". "NUCLEAR OPTION" Despite government denials, speculation about early elections had swirled in Turkey for months. But few anticipated they would happen as soon as June. Erdogan had a "menu of options" in front of him, said Aaron Stein, senior fellow at the Washington-based Atlantic Council, including sticking to the November 2019 date or holding polls in July or August of this year. "He ultimately decided on the nuclear option on the menu in front of him ... because it would be the most effective for him to be elected," Stein said. Hours after Erdogan made his announcement, parliament voted to extend the state of emergency for another three months, which will cover the campaign and the vote. Since emergency rule was first imposed following the failed 2016 military putsch, 160,000 people have been detained, the United Nations said last month, accusing Ankara of mass arrests, arbitrary sackings and other abuses. The United States, an ally and NATO partner whose ties with Turkey have frayed badly over the last year, voiced concerns over the elections. "During a state of emergency, it would be difficult to hold a completely free, fair, and transparent election," U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said this week. The pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party (HDP) has seen 11 of its 59 lawmakers stripped of their parliamentary status. Nine are in detention, and the party says the election will be held with the country in a "war psychology". "We are entering the elections under a state of emergency and in an atmosphere where the media is censored," spokesman Ahyan Bilgen said, referring to the scant television air time given to opposition party rallies in last year's referendum. The new Iyi (Good) Party, led by former interior minister Meral Aksener, will put forward candidates for parliament but authorities have yet to rule on whether it has met requirements to stand. Aksener says she will run for president. The CHP party says its leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu is unlikely to run because it believes an elected president should not be the leader of a political party. Opposition parties have also criticized revisions to election regulations that will allow ballots that are not stamped by the local electoral board to be deemed valid, a move they say encourages electoral abuse. The government says voters still need proof of identity and that votes will be counted in front of party representatives, preventing fraud. "You cannot rig it," Erdogan's spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said this month. Erdogan's AK Party is confident of victory, saying its latest opinion poll suggested he enjoys 55 percent support. But many fear this time, an Erdogan victory will cement a lasting one-man rule in Turkey. "It's terrible news for Turkey because Erdogan has almost no graceful exit left," Cagaptay said. "His only exit is to keep winning, winning, winning elections." (Additional reporting by Gulsen Solaker and Ece Toksabay; Editing by Giles Elgood)Eric Garner's widow Esaw Garner speaks at a rally near the Brooklyn courthouse: REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz

Federal civil rights prosecutors have reportedly recommended charging the police officer involved in the 2014 killing of Eric Garner.

The Department of Justice is now weighing whether to pursue charges against Daniel Pantaleo, according to multiple reports, a New York City police officer who in 2014 placed Mr Garner in a chokehold after confronting him for selling untaxed cigarettes.

Deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein has held multiple meetings in which participants disagreed about how to proceed, according to the New York Times.

The Justice Department declined to comment.

With his dying words of I cant breathe as he struggled in Mr Pantaleos grip, Mr Garner - who was unarmed - became a symbol of the Black Lives Matter movement and its campaign against police brutality.

A focus of that activism has been the difficulty of convicting police officers who use lethal force on suspects.

In 2014, a Staten Island grand jury declined to indict Mr Pantaleo, setting off a wave of protests. Just over a week earlier, a Missouri grand jury brought no criminal charges against the officer who shot and killed Michael Brown in Ferguson.

As video of police killings has become commonplace, prosecutors have come under deeper scrutiny for their decisions about whether to pursue criminal cases.

In California, where anger has surged after police officers shot and killed Stephon Clark in his grandparents Sacramento backyard (Mr Clark was unarmed), legislators have introduced a bill that would make it easier to bring charges against officers who use lethal force.Investigators examine the damage to the engine of the Southwest Airlines plane - AFP

US and European airline regulators on Friday ordered emergency inspections within 20 days of nearly 700 aircraft engines similar to the one involved in a fatal Southwest Airlines engine blowout earlier this week, citing risks of a similar mishap.

The directives by the US Federal Aviation Administration and the European Aviation Safety Agency for inspections of CFM56-7B engines, made by CFM International, indicated rising concerns since a similar failure in 2016 of the same type of engine.

The engine explosion on Southwest Airlines flight 1380 on Tuesday was caused by a fan blade that broke off, the FAA said. The blast shattered a window, killing a passenger, in the first US passenger airline fatality since 2009.

"The unsafe condition," the FAA said in the order, "is likely to exist or develop in other products of the same design."

The inspections ordered are a sharp step-up from actions by both the European and US regulators after a Southwest flight in August 2016 made a safe emergency landing in Pensacola, Florida, after a fan blade separated from the same type of engine and debris ripped a hole above the left wing. The European agency had given airlines nine months to check engines, while US regulators still were considering what to do.

Ultrasonic inspections on fan blades that have been used in more than 30,000 cycles, or in service for about 20 years, will be required in the next 20 days, the agencies said on Friday. A cycle includes one take-off and landing.

That order will affect about 680 engines globally, including about 350 in the United States, the FAA said. The engine that blew apart on Tuesday's Southwest flight would have been affected, since the company said it had 40,000 cycles.

The coordinated 20-day measure partially resolves a gap in previous responses to the 2016 accident by the world's two largest and most influential aviation regulators, a person familiar with the discussions said and published documents show.

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The FAA in August 2017 drafted an order giving airline up to 18 months to carry out checks, but it had not finalized the measure by the time of Tuesday's fatal second accident.

The EASA had rejected a request by one airline to double the time allowed for checks to 18 months, matching the FAA's roll-out, saying data did not justify that.

How the Southwest Airlines tragedy happened

The divergence marked a rare difference of approach between the two agencies, especially on one of the world's most-used aviation products. CFM, which is jointly owned by General Electric Co and France's Safran, produces the CFM56 engine in factories based both in the United States and in Europe.

"It happens that there are disagreements about the right way to go in some cases, and this was one of them," the person familiar with the discussions said.

On Tuesday, however, when news broke that a second failure had taken place involving the same model engine, aircraft and airline - this time killing a passenger who was partially pulled through a gaping hole next to her seat - the two agencies agreed to act quickly, the person said.

An FAA spokesman said the agency disputed that it had not agreed with European regulators on the response to the engine issue. An EASA spokesman declined to comment.

On Wednesday, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairman Robert Sumwalt, the chief investigator of U.S. aviation accidents, said he could not yet say if the incident pointed to a fleet-wide issue. The NTSB declined to comment on Friday.

The damage to the Southwest Airlines plane Credit: PA

The FAA and NTSB have different roles. Investigators study the probable cause of single accidents and recommend possible changes to safety rules, while regulators have to assess whether safety risks could appear.

Several major airline officials said the order will primarily impact airlines with higher utilisation of aircraft covering shorter routes like Southwest.

Southwest, which had opposed efforts by the engine maker last year to shorten the FAAs earlier proposed deadline, on Friday said its maintenance programme meets or exceeds the new requirements.

United Continental Holdings said that it had begun inspections earlier after a recommendation from CFM. American Airlines said it does not have any CFM56-7B engines with 30,000 cycles and would not be impacted by the 20-day order. Delta Air Lines said it had begun complying and did not expect any operational impact to customers

Approximately 14,000 CFM56-7B engines are in operation.

CFM had initially recommended the inspections.

The European order requires that after the first inspection, airlines should keep repeating the process every 3,000 cycles, which typically represents about two years in service.

More than 150 have already been inspected.

Inspections recommended by the end of August will affect an additional 2,500 engines.Three days after a fatal accident on a Southwest Airlines flight involving a faulty engine, the Federal Aviation Administration on Friday issued an order for airlines to conduct emergency inspections of some engines of the same type as the one that exploded on the Southwest plane.

The FAA said airlines have 20 days to carry out ultrasonic inspections of fan blades on CFM56-7B engines that have made more than 30,000 flights. Such inspections, noted The New York Times, can detect flaws or cracks not visible to the unaided human eye.

Manufactured by CFM International, a joint venture between General Electric and Frances Safra Aircraft Engines, the CFM56-7B is one of the most widely used jet engines. The FAA said its directive would affect more than 350 engines in the U.S. and hundreds more worldwide.

#FAA Statement (4/4): The EAD https://t.co/NTqXpA3PY4 becomes effective upon publication. The engine manufacturer estimates todays corrective action affects 352 engines in the U.S. and 681 engines worldwide.



Full FAA statement available at https://t.co/CfDPmo5EOT.  The FAA (@FAANews) April 20, 2018

The emergency order comes amid increased scrutiny of engine inspection processes following the death of a passenger on a Southwest Airlines flight from New York to Dallas on Tuesday.

Jennifer Riordan, 43, was partially sucked out of the Southwest plane when the Boeing 737-700s engine exploded mid-flight and its debris smashed a window. Riordan died at a hospital after the plane made an emergency landing in Philadelphia. Several other passengers were injured in the ordeal.

The chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, Robert Sumwalt, said on Wednesday that the engine had blown up after one of its blades had broken in two places.

Story continues

The cause of the engine failure is still being investigated by the NTSB, but metal fatigue  which can cause cracks and other weaknesses that are not visible to the naked eye  has been suspected as a factor.

On the Sunday before the accident, a visual inspection of the engine had found no issues with it. Sumwalt said the cracks in the engine blade were more than likely not detectable from looking from the outside, reported the Times.

On Friday, the FAA said it was mandating inspections of certain engine blades after determining that the problem of cracks arising from metal fatigue is likely to exist or develop in other products of the same type design.

The agency said it had based its directive on a bulletin issued earlier in the day by CFM International, which recommended airlines carry out prompt ultrasonic inspections on fan blades on certain CFM56-7B engines.

Bloomberg noted that such inspections can be carried out without having to dismantle the engine and can be completed within about four hours per engine.

In conjunction with the planned Emergency AD from FAA, CFM has released its updated service bulletin to airlines. The CFM56-7B blade inspection criteria, as expected, adds total cycles, not just cycles since last shop visit. #WN1380 pic.twitter.com/uqrQ9iptHb  Jon Ostrower (@jonostrower) April 20, 2018

CFM International had issued a similar recommendation in 2016 after the failure of a CFM56-7B engine on another Southwest aircraft. An investigation into that incident is still underway, but the NTSB said it had also found evidence of metal fatigue.

Southwest had initially pushed back against CFM Internationals recommendation that inspections be completed within 12 months and had asked for more time last year, reported The Associated Press. The airline eventually did begin conducting inspections of certain engine fan blades. A spokeswoman told AP that the airline had already inspected about half of the engine blades identified by the manufacturers recommendation before this weeks accident.

In a statement Friday, Southwest said its existing maintenance program meets or exceeds all the requirements specified in the FAAs new order.

Several other domestic airlines, including Delta and American, also began inspections of certain engine fan blades last year following the 2016 incident, according to Bloomberg.

Though aircraft engine failures are very rare and the CFM56-7B engine has an otherwise excellent safety record, the two apparently similar engine failures have left some aviation experts concerned.

John Gadzinski, president of Four Winds Aerospace Safety, an aviation consultant, told HuffPost on Friday that the failures suggest that there could be a design flaw with the engine or something fundamentally wrong with the engine certification process.

There are very specific regulation guidelines to ensure that if an engine does fail, that it doesnt come apart and turn into little bombs. The housing of the engine is supposed to contain these fan blade failures, Gadzinski said. So its a fairly big deal for this kind of failure to happen.

This story has been updated with Southwests response to the FAAs new directive.

Also on HuffPost

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.New York (AFP) - The Federal Aviation Administration on Friday ordered emergency inspections of jet engines like the one that ruptured during a recent Southwest Airlines flight, leaving one passenger dead.

"Fan blade failure due to cracking, if not addressed, could result in an engine in-flight shutdown (IFSD), uncontained release of debris, damage to the engine, damage to the airplane and possible airplane decompression," the regulatory authority said.

In line with recommendations made earlier by engine maker CFM, the FAA ordered that all CFM56-7B engines that have performed 30,000 or more total accumulated flight cycles be inspected within 20 days.

That affects about 352 engines in the United States, or 681 worldwide.

Each inspection of the engines, which power Boeing 737 aircraft, takes about four hours, according to CFM International, a joint venture between America's GE Aviation and France's Safran Aircraft Engines.

It says about 150 of the engines have already gone through the process.

A cycle concerns a complete flight, from engine start to takeoff and landing to complete shutdown.

Once the inspections are completed, CFM recommended to repeat the process every 3,000 cycles -- about two years in airline service -- but the FAA did not require such a measure.

CFM also recommended that fan blades with more than 20,000 cycles be inspected by the end of August -- affecting an additional 2,500 engines.

Around 60 airlines use the CFM56-7B, according to the company, which said GE and Safran have mobilized about 500 technicians "to support customers and minimize operational disruptions" related to the inspections.

The directive comes after the left engine of Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 suddenly blew apart during a Tuesday flight from New York to Dallas.

The shrapnel shattered a window and depressurized the cabin, partially sucking a woman out of the plane.

Fellow passengers pulled the passenger -- identified as Jennifer Riordan, 43 -- back in, but she later died of her injuries. The plane made an emergency landing in Philadelphia.

Story continues

A first inspection of the Boeing 737's damaged engine showed that an engine fan blade was missing, apparently broken due to metal fatigue, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.

Southwest announced just hours after the incident that it would conduct additional inspections of its CFM56-7B engines.

A similar accident on a separate Southwest flight in August 2016 had forced the plane, equipped with the same engine, to make an emergency landing. There were no victims.

CFM and the FAA both called for inspections of the engines at the time, but the regulators did not publish a directive.The family of a Palestinian professor and Hamas member accused Israel's Mossad spy agency of assassinating him on the streets of Kuala Lumpur on Saturday.

Malaysian authorities said Fadi Mohammad al-Batsh, 35, was killed by two suspects believed to have ties with a foreign intelligence agency in a drive-by shooting on his way to dawn Muslim prayers.

Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, quoted by the state-run Bernama news agency, said Batsh was "an electrical engineer and an expert at making rockets".

The Palestinian was "believed to have become a liability for a country hostile to Palestine", said Ahmad Zahid, who is in charge of Malaysia's security.

The professor was to have left for Turkey on Saturday to attend an international conference, the minister said.

He said Malaysian police would request the help of Interpol to track down the suspects, believed to be European nationals.

In a statement from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, the victim's family said: "We accuse the Mossad of being behind the assassination."

The Islamist Palestinian movement said Batsh, a research scientist specialising in energy issues, was one of its members.

Hamas did not directly accuse Israel, which carries out air strikes in retaliation for cross-border rocket fire by militants in Gaza, of killing him, but it called Batsh a "martyr" -- a term used for people killed by Israeli forces.

Contacted by AFP, an Israeli official refused to comment.

- Mourners at family home -

Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Seri Mazlan Lazim said one of the two suspects on a high-powered motorcycle "fired 10 shots, four of which hit the lecturer in the head and body. He died on the spot."

"The police also found two empty bullet shells there," the police chief said, according to Bernama.

He said that footage from closed-circuit television cameras near the scene of the shooting showed that the assailants waited for around 20 minutes in the area before attacking.

Story continues

"We believe the lecturer was their target because two other individuals walked by the place earlier unharmed. We will view the recordings of all the CCTV in the area," he said.

The Palestinian representative in Malaysia, Anwar al-Agha, told AFP that Batsh, who was married and a father of three, was a lecturer in electrical engineering who had lived in Malaysia for the past 10 years.

Asked if Mossad could be responsible for his killing, he said: "I cannot comment on this. We have to wait for the official investigation."

The Batsh family urged Malaysian authorities to "arrest those responsible for killing him before they flee", and asked for the return home of his body to Jabalia in northern Gaza, where mourners gathered in front of their home.

The Mossad is believed to have assassinated Palestinian militants and scientists in the past, but has never confirmed such operations.

Hamas has accused Mossad of assassinating one of its drone experts -- Mohamed Zouari -- in Tunisia in 2016, and the spy agency is also believed to have been behind the 2010 murder of top Hamas militant Mahmud al-Mabhuh in a Dubai hotel.Beirut (AFP) - A family of three was killed late Saturday in a wave of regime shelling on a southern district of Syria's capital held by the Islamic State group, a monitor said.

Syrian troops are waging an intense bombing campaign against Yarmuk, a Palestinian refugee camp on the edge of Damascus, and nearby districts that are held by IS.

A woman, her husband, and their child were killed in the Yarmuk shelling, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Sunday.

"This brings to nine the number of civilians killed since the shelling escalated on Thursday," said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman.

The bombing and clashes continued into Sunday, Abdel Rahman said, with air strikes, artillery, and surface-to-surface missiles hitting the neighbourhood.

Yarmuk was once a densely-populated and thriving district of the capital, but it has been ravaged by violence since Syria's conflict broke out in 2011.

Syria's government imposed a crippling siege on it in 2012, and fighting among rebels and rival jihadists has exhausted residents.

In 2015, IS overran most of Yarmuk, and the small numbers of other rebels and jihadists, including from Al-Qaeda's former affiliate, that had a presence there agreed to withdraw just a few weeks ago.

Simultaneously, the Syrian army was finishing off the last rebel pockets in Eastern Ghouta, a suburb of Damascus that had been the opposition's main bastion near the capital.

Securing Ghouta has allowed the regime to refocus on Yarmuk, but the escalating shelling has sparked worries among humanitarian organisations.

The UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA said it was "deeply concerned about the fate of civilians" and thousands of refugees in and around the camp.The father of a 3-year-old girl who accidentally shot and injured her pregnant mother will be facing felony charges in connection with the incident.

Menzo Brazier of Michigan City, Indiana, was charged on Thursday with two felony counts of criminal recklessness and another felony count of neglect of a dependent.

The 21-year-old father allegedly left a loaded gun in the car with his girlfriend and two young children when he went inside a clothing store in Merrillville, Indiana, on Tuesday, according to ABC News.

Brazier placed the legal 9-millimeter handgun between the console and the front passenger seat, according to Chicago station WFLD. At some point, his three-year-old daughter grabbed the gun and pulled the trigger  shooting her mother, Shanique Thomas, who was seven weeks pregnant with her third child.

Thomas underwent surgery at a hospital and suffered nerve damage, according to the New York Post, but survived the shooting.

Thomas told police she was unaware that Brazier had brought a gun into the car, according to the Chicago Tribune. She was sitting in the drivers seat when she suddenly heard a loud pop like a balloon, according to a police statement. The 21-year-old told police she then realized [a] large amount of blood was coming out of her.

Investigators told ABC News the little girl fired the shot through the back of the driver seat. The bullet reportedly hit Thomas and exited the car through the front windshield.

A store employee told police that Brazier came out of the store and asked, Whats going on? and then grabbed his girlfriend and asked her, Did you shoot yourself?

He then became very upset and very flustered, according to witnesses.

Brazier allegedly told police the gun was loaded but that no bullets were chambered.

He also insisted he told his daughter not to touch his guns or knives, according to the Times of Northwest Indiana.

A police officer said in a court document that he observed Brazier asking his 3-year-old daughter after the incident, What did you do? Were you playing with daddys gun? ... You arent supposed to play with daddys gun, according to the court document.

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I know, the girl said.

Merrillville Police Chief Joseph Petruch told reporters on Wednesday that the shooting was an unfortunate, careless incident that shouldve been prevented and it shouldve never happened, according to the Chicago Tribune.

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.Saudi Arabia Minister of Finance Mohammed al-Jadaan speaks in Riyadh on Dec. 19, 2017

WASHINGTONSaudi Arabias finance minister, Mohammed al-Jadaan, says that the oil-rich kingdom is putting down major capital in its efforts to diversify the economy, investing money in technology and spending as if there is no tomorrow.

The tech push is part of the countrys effort to decrease its reliance on oil as Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman has stressed a need for a new direction in the nation. He has advocated a vision for 2030 that would see Saudi Arabia as a technology hub for the Middle East.

On the sidelines of the IMF/World Bank spring meetings in Washington, al-Jadaan told Yahoo Finance that the country aims to become a serious player in the world of technology and is investing heavily. He detailed a number of investment areas in tech including artificial intelligence, augmented reality and data mining where the kingdom is looking to attract talent and companies.

A lot of technology companies are being targeted by Saudi today, al-Jadaan said during a talk at the IMF on Saturday. Why? Because we think thats the future, [and] because we want to use them to bring that expertise and know-how into Saudi Arabia and build and maintain our talent. We think thats the future and we are investing in the future.

Crown Prince bin Salman recently finished a three-week tour across the United States. He spent a week on the West Coast meeting with a number of big names in tech, including Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson, and working to net agreements with companies such as Snap (SNAP), Amazon (AMZN), Google (GOOGL) and Apple (AAPL).

The Ministry of Finance announced recently its goal is to make Saudi Arabia one of the 15 largest economies in the world by 2030 with 22 programs and 74 projects the country seeks to complete by 2020. The country has recently rolled back some of its more clandestine laws, including restricting women from driving, as part of its push to attract outside capital.

al-Jadaan last year unveiled a four-year stimulus package of 200 billion Saudi riyals ($53.4 billion) intended to help businesses restructure debts, extend lending limits to companies that contribute to employment and fund small- and medium-sized enterprises. The kingdom announced in December that it was extending 53 billion riyals ($19.2 billion) to stimulate growth in the private sector.

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al-Jadaan said that he did see risks ahead, including cyber security, for which he said Saudi Arabia is developing an entirely new entity, and the countrys ability to implement its ambitious program.

One challenge I would lose my sleep over is capacity, he said. If theres anything that would challenge us seriously, its not design, its not planning, its implementation. So far we have been successful, but I would like to continue that success.

More from the IMF/World Bank meetings:

Dion Rabouin is a markets reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter: @DionRabouin.

Follow Yahoo Finance on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.PARIS (Reuters) - Russia is obstructing the access of international chemical weapons inspectors to the site of a suspected poison gas attack in the Syrian town of Douma, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Friday. Experts from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) arrived in Damascus last weekend to examine the site of the suspected attack in nearby Douma, which killed dozens of people and led to U.S.-led missile strikes. "At this time, inspectors from the OPCW still don't have access to the site of the gas attack in Douma," Le Drian said in a written statement. The obstruction is likely aimed at ensuring that proof of the attack disappears, he said, adding that the OPCW must have full, immediate and unimpeded access to the site. (Reporting by Mathieu Rosemain; Editing by Gareth Jones)PARIS (Reuters) - French authorities said they would reopen Mont Saint-Michel on Sunday after calling off an alert caused by a man threatening the police. The local government earlier evacuated the major tourist attraction after local bar owner heard the man uttering threats at the site in the northwestern region of Normandy. Police searched the site but failed to find him, district prefect Jean-Marc Sabathe told the BFM news channel. "All houses have been checked, all public and private venues were inspected by the police," he said. "I'm almost certain that he's gone." "End of the operation at Mont Saint-Michel ... All risks have been averted at the site," the local government said on Twitter. Mont Saint-Michel, which is surrounded by water at high tide, draws more than a million visitors a year to its abbey and other sites, making it France's biggest tourist attraction outside Paris. (Reporting by Emmanuel Jarry and Yann Le Guernigou; Writing by Mathieu Rosemain; Editing by Andrew Heavens)Toronto (Canada) (AFP) - The Group of Seven industrialized nations presented a stern common front against Russian aggression Sunday at their foreign ministers conference in Toronto.

But for all the talk of resisting the "malign activities" of Vladimir Putin's Kremlin, Washington's European partners are still concerned that President Donald Trump will tear up the Iran nuclear deal.

And all the G7 partners remain anxious for clues as to how the unpredictable US leader will handle a planned disarmament summit with North Korea's Kim Jong Un.

"There was G7 unity on opposing Russia's malign behavior," a senior US official told reporters, citing Moscow's failure to prevent Syrian forces from using chemical weapons and interference in Western elections.

The final joint statement from the talks will not be released until Monday, but officials from other nations confirmed that the ministers had taken a tough line on Russia's alleged crimes.

France's President Emmanuel Macron, who begins a series of meetings with Trump on Monday, said in an interview that the West must stand up to Putin's attacks on western democracy, including the spreading of "fake news."

"He's strong and smart. But don't be naive. He's obsessed by interference in our democracies," Macron told "Fox News Sunday" before setting off for Washington.

"That's why I do believe that we should never be weak with President Putin. When you are weak, he uses it."

Canada's Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland hosted the meeting and invited her G7 colleagues plus the European Union's representative to a working lunch to discuss the crisis in Ukraine, where Russian-backed rebels have seized an eastern region.

Later, she said G7 members had "reaffirmed our unity in support of Ukraine and a rules-based international order where state sovereignty and territorial integrity are respected by all."

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- Deadly nerve agent -

G7 capitals are also worried about Russia's support for Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad's regime in his country's brutal civil war and alleged attempt to kill a defector with a nerve agent on British soil.

The senior US official stressed that this month's joint US, French and British air strikes against Assad's chemical sites were "not a one-off but was part of a sustained allied campaign to reestablish the deterrent against chemical weapons, and that includes using military means again if necessary."

But, while the Western allies appeared united in their resolve to face down Russia, the European partners remain concerned that Trump may tear up the 2015 Iran nuclear deal next month.

Trump has threatened to abandon the accord unless European capitals agree to supplement it with tougher controls on Iran's missile program and future ability to enrich nuclear fuel.

His partners maintain that the implementation of the agreement under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) represents the best way to prevent Tehran from seeking the atomic bomb.

"We've been negotiating with the Europeans," a senior US official accompanying Acting Secretary of State John Sullivan told reporters. "We've made a great deal of progress but we're not there yet."

During a day-long series of talks, Sullivan stepped aside for a brief bilateral meeting with British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson.

As the pair sat down in the office of the chancellor of the University of Toronto, Johnson was heard telling his US counterpart "one of the things we are concerned about now is the JCPOA and where that is headed."

A French diplomatic source told AFP that: "Several G7 ministers, led by the French, made a strong appeal to the United States... As it stands, we must not throw the JCPOA out with the bath water."

The Europeans are willing to work on a supplement to the deal which would not abrogate it, and would toughen controls on Iran's missile program but "not give Iran a pretext to pull out, which would have disastrous consequences."

The ministers also discussed North Korea.

Last month, in one of the most surprising twists in world affairs for decades, Trump accepted an invitation from Pyongyang's autocrat to a summit to discuss to discuss his nuclear disarmament.

- Tougher nuclear controls -

The G7 members, including frontline state Japan, support efforts to convince Kim to end his efforts to develop a strategic nuclear missile arsenal, but are also keen to hear more from the US side.

Kim is sure to make wide demands of the West, and allies are keen to ensure that Trump does not give too much away to secure a historic deal.

After the foreign affairs meeting, the ministers will be joined on Monday by their domestic security counterparts and discussions will be widened to encompass counterterrorism and cyber security.Four more Palestinians were killed by Israeli soldiers on Friday and 196 were wounded as protests on the border between Gaza and Israel continue, according to reports.

Israeli media named the four dead protesters as Ahmad Nabil Abu Aqel, 25; Mohammed Ayoub, 15; Ahmad Rashad Al-Atamana, 24; and Said Abd Al-Aal Abu Taha, 19.

The protests began on March 30 as tens of thousands of Palestinians gathered in tents along the border to mark Land Day, an annual day of protest against Israels seizure of Arab land. Israels military deployed snipers ahead of the protests, and the military was given permission to open fire on protesters if there was extreme danger or if Palestinians attempted to cross the border into Israel.

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Thirty-four people have been killed and over 4,500 woundedmany by live firesince the protests began, according to Palestinian authorities. Following the first deaths, Israeli authorities said that rioting had occurred in multiple locations and that some of the protesters behaved violently. Israeli authorities said that protesters were burning tires and attempting to send kites with firebombs on them across the border to burn Israeli fields. Some protesters have attempted to cross the border fence.

Advocates, however, argued that the demonstrators are mostly unarmed individuals trying to raise awareness about the vulnerable situation in which so many Palestinians live.

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Protests are by nature a provocation. They are intended to get people to think about something differently by elevating the voices of dissenters. Despite the brutal repression of an Israeli military whose snipers have executed high orders to shoot protesters, leaving many unarmed Palestinians dead each week, the Palestinian protesters have succeeded in raising the profile of their plight, Yousef Munayyer, executive director of the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights, a Washington, D.C.-based coalition of organizations that oppose Israel's policies toward Palestinians, told Newsweek.

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This has come at a painful cost, and for the families of those who have been killed it is [an] irreplaceable loss, Munayyer added.

949063046

Mohammed Abed/AFP/Getty Images

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The government of Gaza, led by the group Hamas, which the U.S. and Israel consider a terrorist group, helped construct some barriers along the border this week to protect protesters. Meanwhile, some demonstrators have appeared defiant in the face of violence.

People came here knowing what the Israelis are up to. We know they have permissions to use live bullets against unarmed protesters, Muhammad Smiry, a protester in Gaza, told Newsweek after the first protesters died in early April. For me, I knew this is going to happen and I guess the others have the same feeling.

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from NewsweekFormer President George H.W. Bush paid a subtle tribute to his late wife, Barbara Bush, at her funeral on Saturday.

The former president wore a pair of socks decorated with stacks of colorful books, in a nod to his partners longstanding commitment to advancing literacy.

George H.W. Bush wore socks with books on them in dedication to Barbara at her funeral today.



Barbara raised over $110 million over 30 years for family literacy. pic.twitter.com/WqZvgB4J0Q  Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) April 21, 2018

Aides to George HW Bush say the former president is sporting what he calls book socks today  an ode to the former first ladys lifelong advocacy for literacy. ????  Jesse Rodriguez (@JesseRodriguez) April 21, 2018

The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, which the former first lady founded in 1989, is dedicated to enhancing educational opportunities for people of all ages. It has contributed more than $110 million to literacy programs in all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia. Barbara Bush, who has written multiple books herself, served as honorary chair of the foundation until 2012, when she handed over the reins to her daughter, Dorothy Bush Koch.

Barbara Bushs funeral took place at St. Martins Episcopal Church in Houston on Saturday, a day after thousands of people stopped by to pay respects during a public viewing. The service was attended by former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton and First Lady Melania Trump, in addition to the Bush family and about 1,500 other guests.

Barbara Bush died on Tuesday at age 92.BERLIN (Reuters) - German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Saturday urged Russia to help solve the Syria crisis as he set off for a meeting of foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) major industrialized nations in Toronto. The Syrian conflict has badly damaged already strained relations between the West and Russia, which backs President Bashar al-Assad. The United States, France and Britain conducted missile strikes against Syrian targets this month after a suspected chemical weapons attack that Assad and Moscow deny carrying out. "We need constructive contributions from Russia to reach a peaceful solution," Maas told reporters before his flight, adding that this was equally true of the Ukraine conflict, which the G7 foreign ministers are also due to discuss. Russia is not a member of the G7 and will not be taking part in the meeting. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been very critical of Russia's involvement in both the Syrian and Ukraine conflicts and backs continued European Union sanctions against Moscow. But Maas hails from her junior coalition partner, the Social Democrats, which has traditionally sought good ties with Russia. Germany did not take part in the air strikes, but Merkel backed them as a "necessary and appropriate" action to warn Syria against further use of chemical weapons. German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen told Bild am Sonntag newspaper that the German armed forces would have been capable of taking part in the strikes but added: "We weren't asked this time." Since World War Two Germany has been reluctant to get involved in military missions abroad. Its limited engagements abroad have focused mainly on training, surveillance, medical rescue and peacekeeping. SYRIAN PEACE TALKS Von der Leyen said the air strikes in Syria had reinvigorated peace initiatives, adding that it was crucial for the Syria peace talks in Geneva to get off the ground with all participants again. She said it was necessary to negotiate with Assad's government to achieve initial steps like a ceasefire and get humanitarian aid to suffering Syrians. Von der Leyen, a member of Merkel's conservatives, called for a tough stance against Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying: "President Putin doesn't value weakness. Chumming up to him or being soft doesn't make him any friendlier." She said it was important to insist that Russia keeps its commitments in the Minsk peace agreement before loosening sanctions imposed against Moscow over the Ukraine conflict. But she also stressed that it was important to remain willing to talk to Russia. Next week Maas is due to take part in an international conference on Syria in Brussels. He said humanitarian aid for people in Syria would be the main focus of that meeting. "I will again affirm our support for the peace process under the aegis of the United Nations. We urgently need a political solution for this conflict that has gone on for far too long," Maas said. On Monday Maas will fly to New York, where he will call for Germany to get a non-permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council. Von der Leyen said Germany needed to increase its defense budget by several billion euros by 2021 or it would not be able to meet its international commitments. (Reporting by Sabine Siebold and Michelle Martin; Editing by Gareth Jones)BERLIN (Reuters) - German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said North Korea's announcement that it would immediately suspend nuclear and missile tests was a step in the right direction but added that Pyongyang must reveal its nuclear and missile program. "To enter into a serious political process working towards the complete decentralization of North Korea, it is however necessary for Pyongyang to follow specific steps and to disclose its complete nuclear and missile program in a verifiable way," Maas said on Saturday. "This demand is in accordance with the expectations of the international community," he added. (Reporting by Michelle Martin; Editing by Victoria Bryan)If you are driving down the highway next year and see a gray whale tagging along with the car in front of you, its just the new Oregon license plate. And the swimming creature pictured on the plate is one with a serious comeback story.

The upcoming design is called the Coastal Playground and will be an option available through the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles, The Oregonian reported. Depicted on the vehicle tag are a mama gray whale and her calf swimming near the states coast. Sales of the special edition plate will support Oregon State Universitys Marine Mammal Institute, which works on whale conservation.

Gray whales have a complicated history on the Pacific coast. All around the world, the animals have had certain protections since the 1930s, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Fisheries Service. The Eastern North Pacific gray whales, which live near the western American coast, were previously on the endangered species list.

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But over the years, and with significant conservation efforts, they had recovered to near their estimated original population size and were not in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of their range. The Eastern North Pacific gray whale came off the endangered species list in 1994.

graywhale-merrillgosho_noaa

Merrill Gosho/NOAA

Scientists and other experts still monitor the whales.

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Meanwhile, the Western North Pacific gray whale population is still endangered, according to NOAA.

The Western North Pacific population remains highly depleted and its continued survival is questionable, the administration reported. This population is estimated to include fewer than 100 individuals.

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The marine mammals are massive, with their mottled gray bodies clocking in at about 50 feet long and 80,000 pounds, according to NOAAs description. These baleen whales might live as long as 80 years and tend to frequent shallow coastal waters, where aside from humans their only predator is the orca, also known as a killer whale.

Among the threats to gray whales is the commercial catching of the creatures, which greatly contributed to their depletion in the mid-19th and early 20th century and is done illegally today. They're also susceptible to collisions with ships, habitat loss and noise pollution.

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from NewsweekStandardbred participants that are fully entrenched in the industry tend to take some things for granted from time to time. For example, many prospective fans have no concept of what its like to be in the sulky. Simply put, its intense, its one of a kind, and its right here.

AnywhereAnytime got a big monkey off his back at Century Downs in Balzac, Alberta on April 15, as the Somebeachsomewhere brother to Thinking Out Loud popped the pocket late to post a maiden-breaking neck victory.

Footage of the win from the race bike  which was recorded via a camera that was mounted on the drivers helmet  has been produced by the Alberta Standardbred Horse Associations social media team. The footage appears below.

AnywhereAnytime is a new recruit into the operation of trainer/driver Dave Kelly, a Nova Scotia native that has really started to hit his stride in western Canada over the past few seasons. For more on Kelly, click here.

Kelly and AnywhereAnytime, who is also known as Frankie, were recently featured during the Horse Racing 101 event at Century Downs last month, where they paced a training mile demonstration and stood proudly for a mock win photo with all of the participants.

(With files from ASHA)Athens (AFP) - Greek president Prokopis Pavlopoulos on Sunday rejected the suggestion of a swap deal involving two Greek soldiers jailed in Turkey in exchange for Turkish soldiers wanted by Ankara over the 2016 failed coup.

Pavlopoulos ruled out the potential swap after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday said his government would consider the Greek soldiers' case if Athens extradited the Turkish soldiers.

"The exchange of the two Greek soldiers that are jailed with the eight Turkish soldiers that are in Greece is out of the question", said Pavlopoulos.

The two Greek soldiers were charged with espionage in Turkey after crossing over the border on March 2. They claim to have lost their way in the fog.

The eight Turkish soldiers fled their home country to Greece after the failed 2016 coup.

Greece's Supreme Court has ruled that the men will not be extradited, despite Turkish demands for them to face charges at home. The men deny involvement in the coup attempt.

"They (Greece) ask us to give back the Greek soldiers and we told them 'if you make such a demand, you should first give us FETO soldiers involved in a coup against our state'," Erdogan told the private NTV television in an interview on Saturday.

"If they are handed to us, we will consider" the situation on Greek soldiers, Erdogan said.

FETO is the name Ankara uses for the movement led by Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkey blames for masterminding the coup attempt.

Gulen, based in the US state of Pennsylvania, denies the accusations.

"When I spoke about a hostage situation of the Greek soldiers I was mocked. Sadly, I am confirmed by this proposal of exchange", the Greek Defence Minister, Panos Kammenos said on Saturday, commenting on Erdogan's interview.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras earlier this month demanded the release of the two soldiers, arguing that they should not be "pawns to blackmail".

A statement issued by his office on Sunday said that "mentions of a swap or offsetting the issue of the two Greek soldiers with other issues are unacceptable and therefore rejected".Emergency inspections will be carried out on hundreds of aircraft worldwide after an explosion aboard a Southwest Airlines flight led to the death of a passenger.

The announcement by the Federal Aviation Administration comes after a woman was almost sucked out of a window on a flight from New York to Dallas on Tuesday, after an engine failure due to a fractured fan blade".

Metal fatigue was believed to have led to a piece of a fan blade coming loose, according to investigators, which then smashed through the engine casing. Debris shattered a passenger window, which in turn led to decompression.

The authority fears the same problem could happen to other aircraft with the same engine model, and have ordered for almost 700 planes to be inspected, about half of which are in the US.

In an Emergency Airworthiness Directive, the FAA said: Fan blade failure due to cracking, if not addressed, could result in an engine in-flight shutdown (IFSD), uncontained release of debris, damage to the engine, damage to the airplane, and possible airplane decompression.

It added that the unsafe condition is likely to exist or develop in other products of the same type design.

The Southwest flight in question was on a Boeing Model 737-700 airplane powered by CFM56-7B model engines.

The FAA has now ordered for all engines of this type with more than 30,000 total cycles to be inspected within 20 days.

Evaluating what went wrong aboard the ill-fated Southwest flight, the investigators said the failure led to the engine inlet cowl disintegrating and debris penetrating the fuselage causing a loss of pressurization and prompting an emergency descent.

Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 had 149 people aboard when it made an emergency landing in Philadelphia.

Oxygen masks descended as the passengers endured a terrifying rapid descent.

Banking executive Jennifer Riordan, 43, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, was almost sucked out of her window when it shattered in mid-air. She was pulled back inside by fellow passengers but died from her injuries.

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It was the first time in eight years that someone died in a fatal accident aboard a US airliner.

Robert Sumwalt, chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), said the dangerous kind of engine breakup that occurred Tuesday  called an uncontained failure because pieces were shot out like shrapnel  should not have happened.

But he and other aviation experts have cautioned against drawing any broad conclusions yet about the safety of CFM56 engines or Boeing 737 jets.

CFM International says the engines are used on 6,700 planes around the world.

Uncontained engine failures are rare  there are about three or four a year, according to Mr Sumwalt.

It is not the first time an emergency of this kind has occurred.

A similar incident aboard another Southwest flight in 2016 also involved an engine fan becoming detached and was also associated with metal fatigue.

That plane also made an emergency landing but no one was injured.

Southwest issued letters of apology to passengers who were aboard Flight 1380. US media report that each was given a $5,000 cheque and a $1,000 travel voucher.

Southwest said in a statement earlier this week that it is accelerating its existing engine inspection program relating to the CFM56 engine family.

The accelerated inspections are being performed out of an abundance of caution and are expected to be completed over the next 30 days.

The accelerated checks are ultrasonic inspections of fan blades of the CFM56 engines.

In a further statement, they acknowledged the directive issued by the FAA, adding that their existing maintenance program meets or exceeds all the requirements specified in the Airworthiness Directive.

Additional reporting by agenciesNEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's cabinet on Saturday approved the death penalty for rapists of girls below the age of 12, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held an emergency meeting in response to nationwide outrage in the wake of a series of cases. The executive order, or ordinance, amends the criminal law to also include more drastic punishment for convicted rapists of girls below the age of 16, government officials said. The order, a copy of which was seen by Reuters, will come into effect once it is signed by India's president. India launched fast-track courts and a tougher rape law that included the death penalty after a gruesome assault on a young woman shocked the country in 2012, but India's rape epidemic has shown no sign of dying down. There were 40,000 rapes reported in 2016. The victims were children in 40 percent of those cases. Every day, newspapers carry fresh stories of sexual violence against women. The latest outpouring of national revulsion came after details emerged of the gang rape of an eight-year-old Muslim girl in a Hindu-dominated area of Jammu and Kashmir state. Local leaders of Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party had appeared to offer support to the men accused, adding to the public disgust. Protests around the country were also prompted by the arrest of a lawmaker from the BJP last week in connection with the rape of a teenager in Uttar Pradesh, a populous northern state that is governed by the party. More recently, a sexual attack on an 11-year-old girl was reported in Modi's home state of Gujarat. The post-mortem revealed the girl had been tortured, raped, strangled and smothered. NEGATIVE PERCEPTION Modi's failure to speak out soon enough during the latest bout of public anger fueled criticism that his government was not doing enough to protect women. With a general election due next year, Modi moved swiftly to remedy that negative perception by holding the emergency cabinet meeting as soon as he returned on Saturday morning from an official visit to Europe. The cabinet also prescribed measures for stronger punishment and faster trials in rape cases, a government document seen by Reuters showed. In cases of the rape of a girl below the age of 16, the cabinet increased the minimum punishment to 20 years from 10 years. The penalty for the rape of women was raised to 10 years from seven years. The document made no mention of the rape of boys or men. India's judicial system has been unable to keep up with the growing number of rape cases. The cabinet also recommended mandatory completion of rape investigations within two months and advised that trials should also be completed in two months. "Government has taken serious note of incidents of rape in various parts of the country," the document said. "While expressing deep anguish over such incidents, it has been decided to devise a comprehensive response to deal with the situation." The cabinet also approved the establishment of more fast-track courts to deal with rape cases, the appointment of more public prosecutors, and ordered police stations to be equipped with special forensic kits, among other steps. (Reporting by C. K. Nayak in NEW DELHI and Abhirup Roy in MUMBAI; Writing Simon Cameron-Moore; Editing by Andrew Bolton)Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has warned the United States not to pull out of the nuclear deal negotiated by President Barack Obama's administration. (Photo: Resul Rehimov/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

Irans top diplomat warned President Donald Trump to not pull out of the 2015 nuclear agreement, saying the United States would suffer extremely negative consequences if it did so.

If the decision comes from President Trump to officially withdraw from the deal, then Iran will take decisions that have been provided for under the [agreement] ... as the United States has a habit of saying, all options are on the table, The countrys foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, said in an interviews on CBSs Face the Nation Sunday.

The Iran nuclear deal was President Barack Obamas signature foreign policy achievement and is therefore, not surprisingly, reviled by Trump. During the presidential campaign, he called it the highest level of incompetence.

Trump, so far, has not pulled out of the deal, but he has given himself a May 12 deadline to either waive sanctions against Iran, as outlined in the deal, or to leave it. Five other countries  the U.K., Russia, France, China and Germany  are also parties to the agreement.

Zarif said the United States would suffer a serious blow to its international standing if it doesnt hold up its end of the bargain because it would show that the country cant be trusted.

It will lead to U.S. isolation in the international community, Zarif said. The reason that President Trump has not withdrawn from the deal over the past 15 months, in spite of the fact that he did not like the deal, has been the fact that everybody has advised the administration that this is not a bilateral agreement between Iran and the United States, and withdrawing from it would be seen by the international community as an indication that the United States is not a reliable partner.

It would not be pleasant for the United States  the reaction of the international community, and as I said Iran has many options and those options are not pleasant, he added.

Providing relief for Iran from crippling economic sanctions is central to the deal. In return, Iran promised to halt its nuclear program. But Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said that even if Trump refuses to waive the sanctions for Iran next month, that somehow doesnt necessarily mean the deal will collapse.

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Another option, as Trump sees it, is to renegotiate the terms of the deal. The administration may try to get its European allies to at least commit to changing the deal over the time, in return for the United States sticking with it.

Britain, France and Germany are looking at imposing new European sanctions on Iran over its ballistic missiles program and its role in the Syrian conflict in an attempt to keep Trump from pulling out.

On Sunday, Zarif said that any such side agreement between the other nations would be unacceptable to Iran.

What is important is for the Europeans to bring the United States into compliance because Iran has been in compliance with the deal, he said. Its been the United States that has failed to comply ... President Trump has made it very clear that it is trying to dissuade our economic partners from engaging with Iran and thats a clear violation of the deal.

Trump recently nominated Mike Pompeo, who was serving as his CIA director, to be his new secretary of state. Pompeo is expected to be more in line with Trump on Iran than was his predecessor, Rex Tillerson. He recently said he wanted to fix the nuclear agreement.

International experts, as well as U.S. national security officials, have said Iran is complying with the deal  even though it continues to pursue other policies that the U.S. administration believes pose a threat.

Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), chair of the Foreign Relations Committee, said he expects that Trump will pull out of the deal, unless something changes.

I do think if nothing changes with the three European members were dealing with right now on a framework, Corker said on ABCs This Week Sunday, I do think he will move away from the agreement on May 12.

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran's judiciary has arrested a former prosecutor who faces a two-year jail term over the death of a detainee after anti-government protests in 2009, state media reported on Sunday. Agents detained former Tehran prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi in northern Iran and were taking him to prison to serve his sentence, the judiciary's news website Mizanonline reported. Mortazavi was sentenced to two years in prison in late 2017 for complicity in the death of a man arrested after the pro-reform protests. Mortazavi had denied the charge. After Iranian media reported last week that Mortazavi had gone missing instead of turning himself in to serve his sentence, activists put up wanted posters of the hardline figure, whose role in curbing dissent has been condemned by human rights groups for years. During Mortazavi's tenure three detainees were killed and many tortured in a detention center south of Tehran after the 2009 nationwide demonstrations, according to human rights campaigners. Mortazavi first gained widespread attention in the early 2000s for his role in closing a number of reformist newspapers while heading the revolutionary court during the reformist presidency of Mohammad Khatami, who was despised by conservative hardliners for trying to liberalize the Islamic Republic. Zahra Kazemi, an Iranian-Canadian photo journalist, died in Tehran's Evin prison in 2003 in the midst of this crackdown on critical media. The Canadian government said Kazemi was tortured to death and accused Mortazavi of direct involvement. Mortazavi has denied the accusation. (Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Keith Weir)The field in Saturday nights Open Pace at Saratoga Casino Hotel was shrunk to five following a scratch but the feature still wound up being one of the evenings best races.

The quintet, which went for a purse of $14,500, was led throughout by veteran JK Panache (Jim Devaux) who was seeking his third Open Pace victory already on the young season.

After putting up fractions of :26.4 and :56 in lap one, JK Panache fought gamely when confronted by a first-over rival and following a third quarter of :27.3, JK Panache was still standing his ground. That was until midway through the stretch when invader Americanprimetime (American Ideal) fanned off his cover and charged down the center of the track before stopping the timer in 1:52.2 for his first local Open victory.

Americanprimetime, who returned $5.90 to win, is trained by Rick Dane, Jr. and was piloted by Phil Fluet. JK Panache was the runner-up in the feature for the third time already in 2018 while Some Attitude (Frank Coppola, Jr.) earned the show spot.

Live racing continues on Sunday afternoon at Saratoga with a matinee beginning at 12:15 p.m.

(Saratoga Casino Hotel)Tehran (AFP) - A former Iranian prosecutor has finally been taken to prison months after being sentenced over the death in custody of a protestor, the judiciary's news agency said Sunday.

The delay in starting Saeed Mortazavi's two-year sentence had caused anger and ridicule in recent weeks, with mocked-up "Wanted" posters appearing for the notorious former prosecutor online and around Tehran.

Mortazavi's lawyer was unable to confirm whether he had been taken into custody, telling the reformist ILNA news agency: "I have no information on this issue."

But the judiciary-linked Mizanonline news agency, citing an unnamed source, said: "The process of transferring Mortazavi to prison to serve his term is underway."

He "was identified and arrested some hours ago by law enforcement officers in one of the northern cities of the country," it added.

The former chief prosecutor for Tehran was sentenced last year over the death of a protester who had been jailed for taking part in the mass protests over alleged election-rigging in 2009.

In recent days, reformist lawmakers had demanded answers over why Mortazavi was still a free man, particularly after a judiciary spokesman said the authorities had "not been successful in getting (their) hands on him".

A journalist for the Ghanoon newspaper, Mira Ghorbanifar, tweeted earlier this month that she had phoned Mortazavi and he had calmly told her he was at home in Tehran.

Mortazavi is subject to sanctions by the United States and the European Union for "grave violations of human rights" including the arrest of "hundreds of activists, journalists and students" during the 2009 protests.

He was suspended from the judiciary in November 2014 in connection with the deaths of three protestors in Kahrizak prison, south of Tehran, in July 2009.

Mortazavi was ultimately found guilty in relation to one of the three deaths and sentenced to five years, but this was commuted to two years in November, with no possibility of further appeal.

He had already become a hate figure among reformists in the early 2000s, when he earned the nickname "the butcher of the press" for closing dozens of reformist newspapers and cracking down on dissident bloggers.An Israeli soldier walks near a military post close to the Druze village of Majdal Shams in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on the Syrian border - REUTERS

The head of Irans army, Abdolrahim Mousavi, threatened to annihilate Israel on Saturday as tensions escalated between the two countries.

At a ceremony in Tehran, Mr Mousavi warned that any acts of war against his country would put his country on the offensive.

Hands are on the trigger and missiles are ready and will be launched at any moment that the enemy tries to carry out its sinister plot against (our) lands, Tasnim news agency quoted him as saying.

His comments came a day after the Iranian Brigadier General Hossein Salami also issued a threat and said Israel could be destroyed if tensions escalate to war.

Salami added Israel would fade away in the next 25 years despite the support it receives from the United States.

"If any war happens , it will definitely be followed by your annihilation.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired back at Salami on Friday.

"We hear the threats from Iran. IDF fighters and the security branches are ready for any development. We will fight anyone who tries to harm us,"

Israeli prime minster Benjamin Netanyahu branded what he claimed was part of an Iranian drone shot down in Israeli airspace when he spoke at the Munich Security Conference in February Credit: LENNART PREISS/ AFP

Since 2013, Israel has carried out more than 100 airstrikes in Syria, primarily targeting the Iranian-funded Lebanese militia group Hezbollah and military convoys, but since the beginning of this year Israel expanded its involvement to increasingly target Iran directly.

A missile strike earlier this month, which killed seven Iranian military advisors from the country's elite Quds Force in the Syrian city of Homs, has been neither confirmed nor denied by Israel's government.

However, New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman wrote that a senior Israeli military official admitted to him that Israel attacked the Syrian base known as T4, in a separate attack. "It was the first time we attacked live Iranian targets - both facilities and people," the official reportedly said.

Last week, the Wall Street Journal also reported the Israeli military targeted an Iranian air-defense system at T4 and a drone deployment to try to prevent Iran from using the anti-aircraft battery against Israeli jets carrying out strikes in Syria.

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Israeli Armys spokesman, Brig Gen Ronen Manelis, said on Friday the path and analysis of the drone indicated that the aircraft was carrying explosives.

"Tel Aviv will be punished for its aggressive action," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghassemi told local press last week. "The occupying Zionist regime will, sooner or later, receive an appropriate response to its actions."

Iranian Foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif later said in a US television interview that further Israeli sorties in Syria would have "consequences". But he deemed major escalation as unlikely.

"I do not believe that we are headed towards regional war but I do believe that unfortunately, Israel has continued its violations with international law, hoping to be able to do it with impunity because of the U.S. support and trying to find smokescreens to hide behind," Zarif told CBS News.

"The easiest answer would be to stop - to stop these acts of aggression, to stop these incursions."New York (AFP) - Iran warned Saturday it is ready to "vigorously" resume nuclear enrichment if the United States ditches the 2015 nuclear deal, and said further "drastic measures" are being considered in response to a US exit.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told reporters in New York that Iran is not seeking to acquire a nuclear bomb, but that its "probable" response to a US withdrawal would be to restart production of enriched uranium -- a key bomb-making ingredient.

"America never should have feared Iran producing a nuclear bomb, but we will pursue vigorously our nuclear enrichment," added Zarif, who is in the United States to attend a UN meeting on sustaining peace.

US President Donald Trump has set a May 12 deadline for the Europeans to "fix" the 2015 agreement that provides for curbs to Iran's nuclear program in exchange for relief from financial sanctions.

Zarif's comments marked a further hardening of rhetoric following a warning earlier this month from Iranian President Hassan Rouhani that Washington would "regret" withdrawing from the nuclear deal, and that Iran would respond within a week if it did.

The fate of the Iran deal will be a key issue during French President Emmanuel Macron's state visit to Washington beginning Monday, followed by talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Washington on Friday.

Zarif said the European leaders must press Trump to stick to the deal if the United States "intends to maintain any credibility in the international community" and to abide by it, "rather than demand more."

The foreign minister also warned against offering any concessions to Trump.

"To try to appease the president, I think, would be an exercise in futility," he said.

European leaders are hoping to persuade Trump to save the deal if they, in turn, agree to press Iran to enter into agreement on missile tests and moderating its regional influence in Yemen, Syria and Lebanon.

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- No one-sided deal -

If the United States buries the deal, Iran is unlikely to stick to the agreement alongside the other signatories - Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia, said the foreign minister.

"That's highly unlikely," he said. "It is important for Iran to receive the benefits of the agreement and there is no way that Iran would do a one-sided implementation of the agreement."

European diplomats have argued that the deal could be salvaged without the United States, with a view to bringing Washington back in the fold at a later time, possibly under a new administration.

"The United States under the Trump administration has done everything it could to prevent Iran from benefiting from this agreement," Zarif charged.

The foreign minister warned of "drastic measures" under discussion in Iran.

Zarif declined to specify, pointing to "what certain members of our parliament are saying about Iran's options."

Despite the threats of a tough response to a US pullout, Zarif also left open the possibility of diplomatic action during a 45-day period to formally notify the withdrawal.

"Whether other things can be done during those 45 days ... is a hypothetical question that needs to be addressed at that time," said Zarif.

A decision by Trump to walk away, he warned, would send a message to all governments "that you should never come to an agreement with the United States, because at the end of the day, the operating principle for the United States is, what's mine is mine, what's yours is negotiable."(This April 17 story corrects to change the media source in paragraph 8 to The Israeli News Company.) By Dan Williams JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel released details on Tuesday about what it described as an Iranian "air force" deployed in neighboring Syria, including civilian planes suspected of transferring arms, a signal that these could be attacked should tensions with Tehran escalate. Iran, along with Damascus and its big-power backer Russia, blamed Israel for an April 9 air strike on a Syrian air base, T-4, that killed seven Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) members. Iranian officials have promised unspecified reprisals. Israeli media ran satellite images and a map of five Syrian air bases allegedly used to field Iranian drones or cargo aircraft, as well as the names of three senior IRGC officers suspected of commanding related projects, such as missile units. The information came from the Israeli military, according to a wide range of television and radio stations and news websites. Israel's military spokesman declined to comment. However, an Israeli security official seemed to acknowledge the leak was sanctioned, telling Reuters that it provided details about "the IRGC air force (which) the Israeli defense establishment sees as the entity that will try to attack Israel, based on Iranian threats to respond to the strike on T-4." The official, who requested anonymity, would not elaborate. Israels Army Radio reported that, given tensions with Iran over Syria, the Israeli air force canceled plans to send F-15 fighter jets to take part in the U.S.-hosted exercise Red Flag, which begins on April 30. "EXPOSED" Roni Daniel, military editor for The Israeli News Company, said the disclosure was a signal to Iran that its deployments in Syria "are totally exposed to us, and if you take action against us to avenge (the T-4 strike) these targets will be very severely harmed". According to Daniel, Israel was bracing for a possible Iranian missile salvo or armed drone assault from Syria. There was no immediate response from the IRGC or Syria. The Iranian death toll in T-4 was unusually high. "It was the first time we attacked live Iranian targets - both facilities and people," the New York Times on Sunday quoted an Israeli military source as saying. Iran, Israel's arch-foe, has cast its military personnel in Syria as reinforcements helping President Bashar al-Assad battle a seven-year-old insurgency. The Iranians have also described their cargo flights to Syria as carrying humanitarian aid only. An Israeli-Iranian showdown over Syria has loomed since Feb. 10, when Israel said an armed drone launched from T-4 penetrated its air space. Israel blew up the drone and carried out a raid on Syrian air defenses in which one of its F-16 jets was downed. "Israel is headed for escalation," Yaacov Amidror, former national security adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told Tel Aviv radio station 103 FM. "There could be a very big belligerent incident with Iran and Hezbollah." While not claiming responsibility for the T-4 strike, Israel has restated a policy of preventing Iran setting up a Syrian garrison. Scores of previous such raids went unanswered but Israel worries that changing conditions may now embolden Iran. Russia, which long turned a blind eye to Israeli actions in Syria while serving as a brake on retaliation by Iran or its Lebanese Hezbollah guerrilla allies, is now at loggerheads with Western powers over accusations, denied by Syria's government, that it has used chemical weaponry in fighting. (Additional reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin in London; writing by Dan Williams; editing by Mark Heinrich)Photo credit: Steve Thorne - Getty Images

From Popular Mechanics

Having scrapped plans to build a new fighter jet of its own, Japan's defense ministry has reportedly inquired to multiple international defense contractors, including Lockheed Martin and Boeing, about collaborating on a new stealth jet. Sources tell Reuters that Lockheed Martin is planning to respond to Japan's request with a formal proposal for a new fighter that would combine the F-22 and F-35 and could be superior to both of them."

Exactly how such a proposal could move forward is unclear. U.S. law bans the export of F-22 Raptor technology, so Lockheed would need to receive an exemption from the federal government-and its not clear whether they'd get it. Reuters says Lockheed has met with Japanese defense ministry officials to discuss the new jet design and is planning to submit the official proposal after receiving permission from the U.S. government. A Lockheed Martin spokeswoman told Reuters:



We look forward to exploring options for Japans F-2 replacement fighter in cooperation with both the Japanese and U.S. governments. Our leadership and experience in 5th generation aircraft can be leveraged to cost-effectively provide capabilities to meet Japans future security needs."

Japan has been working to build a new fifth-generation fighter called the F-3 to replace and support its F-2 and F-15J fighter jets, which are a variants of the F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-15 Eagle, respectively. However, the high costs of the F-3 program led the country to seek international cooperation on the project.

Another source told Reuters that any new jet built with international partners would need to include engines, radar, and other components built in Japan. The nation is already planning to purchase around 60 F-35s to modernize its air force, but reportedly the country also wants to acquire a new air superiority fighter by 2030 to deter Chinese and Russian jets. Japan hoped to buy F-22 Raptors more than a decade ago, but the 1998 ban on F-22 technology exports thwarted those plans and left Japan looking for another way to improve its air superiority.

Story continues

We are considering domestic development, joint development and the possibility of improving existing aircraft performance, but we have not yet come to any decision, a Japanese Ministry of Defense spokesman told Reuters.



Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Japan's leading defense contractor, produced a prototype stealth fighter known as the X-2 in 2016 as part of the Advanced Technology Demonstrator-Experimental (ATD-X). However, the $350 million price tag of that program led the defense ministry to seek other options. In addition to Lockheed Martin, Japan reportedly sent an request to Boeing, which produces the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, and BAE Systems, which worked on the Eurofighter Typhoon.



Photo credit: JIJI PRESS/AFP - Getty Images

"Boeing is very interested in working with the U.S. and Japan Governments in order to collaborate with Japanese industry on the next fighter program, building on their accomplishments and on our own experience," a Boeing spokesperson told Popular Mechanics. BAE Systems did not immediately respond to request for comment.

The plans for Japan's next-generation stealth fighter are still in the early stages, and it is not clear which contractor the country's defense ministry will work with-or if it will work with an international partner at all.

With two next-generation stealth fighters in development from China and Russia, the J-31 and Su-57, respectively, Japan wants to make sure it has something in the inventory that will allow its air force to dominate the skies over its island.

Source: Reuters

You Might Also LikeJapan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Saturday cautiously welcomed North Korea's pledge to halt nuclear tests and intercontinental missile launches but its defence minister warned Tokyo will continue to put maximum pressure on Pyongyang.

"We welcome it as a forward-looking move... but an important thing is whether the move will lead to the complete abandonment of missile and nuclear developments in a verifiable and irreversible manner," Abe told reporters.

"We want to watch it closely."

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pledged Saturday his country would halt nuclear tests and intercontinental missile launches, a move welcomed by US President Donald Trump and South Korea.

But Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera said earlier that Japan "can't be satisfied", because Pyongyang did not mention giving up short- and medium-range ballistic missiles.

Onodera said Tokyo would persist with its policy of putting pressure on Pyongyang so that it ultimately gives up its "weapons of mass destruction, nuclear arms and missiles".

Japan, a close US ally in the region, is in the direct firing line of North Korean missiles and saw two fly over its territory in 2017, sparking outrage and raising tensions to fever pitch.

Japan's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Taro Aso also voiced scepticism.

"(North Korea) has made a lot of promises and we paid money on the condition that they will give up experiment sites, but they continued," Aso told reporters in Washington, referring to Pyongyang's nuclear programme.

The North's declaration, long sought by Washington, comes less than a week before Kim meets South Korean President Moon Jae-in for a summit, ahead of a much-anticipated encounter with Trump himself.

Earlier this week, Abe held talks with Trump in Florida and displayed a united front on North Korea, including on the issue of Japanese abductees taken to North Korea, a major domestic issue.Managua (AFP) - A Nicaraguan journalist was shot dead Saturday while filming a confrontation between demonstrators and the police, amid a wave of protests against the government which have left 11 people dead.

Miguel Angel Gahona was killed by a suspected sniper in the city of Bluefields, on Nicaragua's Caribbean coast, local media reported.

"We believe a sniper fired the shot, it wasn't the young people... The only people who were armed were the police and riot police," his colleague Ileana Lacayo told television station Canal 15.

Since protests erupted on Wednesday -- the biggest in President Daniel Ortega's 11 years in office -- journalists have reportedly faced attacks, been temporarily detained and had their work equipment stolen. Meanwhile, four independent television outlets were taken off air on Thursday, although only one currently remains closed.

Nicaraguans have taken to the streets over a proposed change to the pension system, which would see workers and employers pay more toward the retirement system. The reform would aim to settle a $76 million deficit faced by the country's social security institute.

Ortega, in a bid to calm the protests, agreed Saturday to hold a dialogue with the private sector on reforming the social security law. However, Nicaragua's top private-sector business union said there could be no talks unless the government "immediately ceases police repression."

Following the president's speech, clashes between young protesters throwing stones and riot police using tear gas flared up in the capital Managua, with other marches taking place around the impoverished Central American nation.

According to Ortega -- who first governed in the 1980s, and returned to power in 2007 -- the protests are backed by anti-government organizations funded from within the United States to "sow terror and insecurity."North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks during the Third Plenary Meeting of the Seventh Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea - REUTERS

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un has announced Pyongyang will carry out no more ballistic missile tests and will shut down its nuclear test site, the latest olive branch from the regime as diplomacy in the region ramps up.

The declaration, long sought by the US, was welcomed by foreign powers including the UK, but analysts cautioned that the pledges also raised a number of questions.

The diplomatic gesture from North Korea comes less than a week before Mr Kim meets South Korean leader Moon Jae-in for a summit, and ahead of a much-anticipated encounter with US President Donald Trump.

"As the weaponisation of nuclear weapons has been verified, it is not necessary for us to conduct any more nuclear tests or test launches of mid- and long range missiles or ICBMs," Mr Kim told a ruling party meeting.

"The northern nuclear test site has completed its mission," he added at the gathering of the central committee of the Workers' Party, according to the official KCNA news agency.

Mr Trump welcomed the announcement and said he was looking forward to the summit.

North Korea has agreed to suspend all Nuclear Tests and close up a major test site. This is very good news for North Korea and the World - big progress! Look forward to our Summit.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 20, 2018

A message from Kim Jong Un: North Korea will stop nuclear tests and launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Also will Shut down a nuclear test site in the countrys Northern Side to prove the vow to suspend nuclear tests. Progress being made for all!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 21, 2018

The Foreign Office described the announcement as a positive step.

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South Korea's presidential office also welcomed the move as "meaningful progress" towards the denuclearisation of the peninsula.

Presidential official Yoon Young-chan said the North's decision brightens the prospects for successful talks between Seoul, Pyongyang and Washington.

China's foreign ministry said a shutdown on the tests would help ease tensions on the Korean peninsula and promote denuclearisation.

"The Chinese side believes that North Korea's decision will help ameliorate the situation on the peninsula," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

Japan guarded in its reaction

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe welcomed the announcement too but was a bit more guarded in his reaction.

"What is crucial here ... is how this development is going to lead to the complete, verifiable, and irreversible dismantlement of nuclear arms, weapons of mass destruction and missiles," he said.

"And I will keep a close eye on that."

Mr Abe said Tokyo would maintain its policy coordination with Seoul and Washington.

His defence minister, Itsunori Onodera, went further, saying Japan was not satisfied with North Korea's pledge and warning that Tokyo will continue to put maximum pressure on Pyongyang.

"We can't be satisfied," Mr Onodera told reporters in Washington, saying North Korea did not mention "abandonment of short-range and medium-range ballistic missiles".

The North's decisions were made in a meeting of the ruling party's full Central Committee which had convened to discuss a "new stage" of policies.

North Korea shifts focus to economy

In a significant policy shift, Mr Kim said his country would be focusing more on the economy now, rather than the military.

For years the impoverished North has pursued a "byungjin" policy of developing both the military and the economy, but Mr Kim said that as it was now a powerful state, "the whole party and the whole nation should now focus on the development of the socialist economy".

"This is the party's new strategic policy line," KCNA cited him as saying.

Attendees at the Third Plenary Meeting of the Seventh Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea Credit: Reuters

Martyn Williams, a North Korea analyst and journalist, said it was "a sign of his confidence in the country's position in the region now".

"With the successful nuclear tests, he clearly believes he is in a position of strength and there is geo-political balance on the Korean peninsula," he told The Telegraph.

He also said the sanctions on the regime had been taking their toll and this move could see them eased.

"Unlike previous rounds, China appears to have taken then much more seriously and the economy is suffering," Williams said.

Analysts cautious over announcement

Pyongyang has made rapid technological progress in its weapons programmes under Mr Kim, which has seen it subjected to increasingly strict sanctions by the UN Security Council, US, EU, South Korea and others.

North Korean launching of the Hwasong-15 missile which is capable of reaching all parts of the US in November 2017 Credit: AFP/ KCNA VIA KNS

Last year it carried out its sixth nuclear test, by far its most powerful to date, and launched missiles capable of reaching mainland United States.

Analysts said the move announcement was significant but noted the regime was not ruling out future tests.

"The precise language here is important," said Vipin Narang, a nonproliferation expert at MIT.

"Closing the testing site doesnt preclude atmospheric nuclear tests for example (or other sites). And missile tests could still be conducted under the guise of space launch vehicles."

Here are the six points just released by North Korea (H/T @nktpnd).



This is certainly a positive signal, but not a game changer. No mention of denuclearization, and easily reversible. Making sure that diplomacy has space to play itself out - nothing less, nothing more. pic.twitter.com/zFwti5vWNj  Abraham M. Denmark (@AbeDenmark) April 20, 2018

Nam Sung-wook, professor of North Korean Studies at Korea University in Seoul, said it was "sensational" that Mr Kim had personally declared plans to suspend nuclear development, but added that his remarks left a number of questions.

"It still does not seem clear if it means whether the North will just not pursue further development of its nuclear programmes in the future, or whether they will completely shut down 'all' nuclear facilities. And what are they going to do with their existing nuclear weapons?" Nam said.

The Koreas are technically still at war because their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty and the North has been engaged in a standoff over its nuclear and missile programmes that it conducts in defiance of UN Security Council resolutions.

But tensions have eased in recent months, with the North taking part in the Winter Olympics in the South in February and an exchange of threats of war with the United States and other bellicose rhetoric evaporating.

The meeting between Mr Kim and Mr Moon will only be the third summit between the rivals since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War and could prove to be significant in the global diplomatic push to resolve the North Korean nuclear crisis.

Hopes for US detainees

The US president confirmed this week that CIA Director Mike Pompeo made a secret trip to North Korea over the Easter weekend to lay the groundwork for the unprecedented upcoming summit.

The unexpected and clandestine meeting is believed to have taken place on April 1, the same day Mr Kim was also welcoming a delegation of K-pop stars to the North Korean capital, Pyongyang.

Mr Pompeo was given assurances by Mr Kim that a summit with the US president could be paired with the release of three detained US citizens, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Plans for a summit between Mr Trump and the North Korean leader were moving toward a mid-June rendezvous somewhere outside northeast Asia, people briefed on the meeting told the newspaper.

North Korea's nuclear history: key moments

Plans are moving ahead, meanwhile, for the summit between Mr Kim and Mr Moon on Friday.

The two countries installed a direct phone line between their leaders on Friday as they prepare for the first summit since 2007.

South Korea's presidential Blue House and North Korea's State Affairs Commission tested the hot line for four minutes, the office said.

"The call quality was very good and we felt like we got a call from our next-door neighbour," South Korea's director for the Government Situation Room, Youn Kun-young, told reporters.

An official talks on a phone for testing a hotline between the two Koreas at the Presidential Blue House in Seoul Credit: Reuters

Mr Moon will now be able to pick up his office phone to talk to Kim, instead of communicating through a hot line at the border village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone.

The leaders plan to make their first telephone conversation sometime before their face-to-face meeting on Friday at Panmunjom.Seoul (AFP) - Korean Air Chairman Cho Yang-ho on Sunday apologised for the "immature" behaviour of his two daughters and said they would both immediately resign from their company posts following separate controversies.

Cho Hyun-min, the younger daughter who is marketing executive at the South Korean flag carrier, is under police investigation for assault after she was accused of throwing water into a man's face at a business meeting.

Four years ago her older sister Cho Hyun-ah made global headlines for angrily kicking a cabin crew member off a plane after being served macadamia nuts in a bag rather than a bowl -- an incident quickly dubbed "nut rage".

"As chairman of Korean Air, as well as a father, I feel terrible about the immature actions of my daughters," Cho said in a statement.

"Everything is my fault and my wrongdoing. I apologise to the people."

The Korean Air chief added his two daughters will immediately step down from all positions within the company.

Seoul police said last week they were launching a formal investigation into the younger Cho, based on the testimonies of people present at the meeting.

Following the incident, the 34-year-old issued a wide-ranging email apology to "everyone" she had worked with for her behaviour, although she has denied throwing water in anyone's face.

The 2014 "nut rage" incident saw the older Cho, then the firm's vice president, forcing two flight attendants to kneel and beg for forgiveness on a Seoul-bound flight from New York before ejecting one of them from the plane before takeoff.

The incident was one of the most infamous cases involving offspring of one of South Korea's mega-wealthy business elite families, whose arrogance and bad behaviour regularly make headlines.

The notorious heiress was jailed but had returned to work as an executive of Korean Air's hotel affiliate in March.Elementary school teacher Trena Lebedz of Rodney, Ont. has had a love affair with Standardbreds since she was a young child. Shes now sharing that passion with her Grade 4 and 5 students by incorporating horses into their education curriculum. Shes hopeful that many of her students will make the trip with their parents and families to Mac Lilley Farms for the Mothers Day Open House to meet a mare and foal she owns.

Lebedz has a strong background in the industry and owns broodmare Dior Seelster, who gave birth to a Sportswriter colt at Mac Lilley Farms on April 5. Although his name is not yet registered, we plan to name the colt something related to his outgoing and spunky personality. Right now, we refer to him as 'Spunky' and hes proving to be a quick, strong and energetic colt already!

Our class is currently working on a poetry unit and the students are excited to write poems about my foal. They have followed Diors pregnancy, the foaling process, and the colts growth since he was born and continue to write about it in their literacy activities, explains Lebedz, who also uses videos and a Name The Foal contest as part of her equine curriculum. Shes also encouraging her students to submit their entries to the Youth Literary Derby.

Lebedz was born and raised on her familys farm in Rodney, Ont., and hasnt strayed far from the farm, purchasing an established Standardbred boarding farm on the other side of town. The affirmed animal lover owned her first Standardbred in 2014. Dior was her second Standardbred horse who came to her following the birth of her first foal. Her first colt was boarded and raised at my farm until he was weaned and then Dior went back to Mac Lilley this year to have her second foal, she explained.

Her great grandfather, J. Russell Miller, was an accomplished and successful horseman who owned, trained and bred many well known Standardbreds for more than four decades. As a kid I was always thrilled when we got to go to the track and watch a night of harness racing! Today, the family tradition continues as I now own, breed and board Standardbred horses.

My plan is to sell the colt in the 2019 London Select Yearling sale. The Lilley family at Mac Lilley farms have worked with our family going back four generations and will continue to do so as I renew and expand my involvement in Standardbreds and harness racing as an owner and boarding facility."

Mac Lilley Farms in Dutton, Ont. and Tara Hills Stud near Port Perry, Ont., will both be hosting Mothers Day Open House events for the general public on Sunday, May 13 from 1 to 4 p.m. to showcase their mares, foals, stallions and facilities, and in collaboration with the Standardbred Breeders of Ontario Association (SBOA) and Standardbred Canadas I Love Canadian Harness Racing Fan Club, will educate visitors about Standardbred breeding and harness racing.

Students in grades 5 through 8 are encouraged to write about one of the foals they see at one of these farms for the Youth Literary Derby, a juried, horse-themed writing contest with prize money.

The addresses for each of the participating farms are as follows:

Mac Lilley Farms

28322 Chalmers Line

Dutton, Ont. NOL 1JO

Phone # - 519-762-3423

Tara Hills Stud Farm

13700 Mast Rd.

Port Perry, Ont. L9L 1B5

Phone # - 1-877-828-6057By Jonathan Stempel NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York state lawmakers on Friday introduced legislation to give the state's attorney general and other local prosecutors the power to bring criminal charges against people pardoned by U.S. President Donald Trump. The bill is intended to close what New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman called a loophole in state law that could permit Trump to pardon people for state crimes, which he has no authority to do, as well as federal crimes. Passage could make it harder for Trump aides who might be pardoned to escape prosecution, even if special counsel Robert Mueller's probe into Russia's role in the 2016 presidential election were shut down. The law would do away with double jeopardy protections, which prevent people from being tried twice for the same crime, in cases of presidential pardon. The new legislation was introduced by Senator Todd Kaminsky and Assemblyman Joseph Lentol, who chairs the Assembly Codes Committee. Both are Democrats, as is Schneiderman, a prominent critic of Trump, who is a Republican. New York's double jeopardy law is "a recipe for trouble," and changing it would "substantially reduce the threat of lawless White House action," Schneiderman said in a statement. The state's assembly has a large Democratic majority. Republicans hold 31 of the 63 Senate seats, but effectively have a majority because one Democrat caucuses with them. A spokeswoman for Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo said this week that Cuomo believes "the federal legal system should not provide a basis for any wrongdoers to escape justice." (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)BAMAKO/PARIS (Reuters) - Homemade rockets shook the northern Mali city of Timbuktu on Sunday near U.N. and French military bases where Islamist militants launched a deadly suicide raid last weekend, France's army said. No one was hurt this time around as the two or three rockets exploded outside the U.N. "Super Camp" in Timbuktu and a nearby French base, an army spokesman told Reuters. Youba Cisse, a trader in Timbuktu, told Reuters he heard at least three loud detonations coming from the direction of the camp. The U.N. mission, known as MINUSMA, could not immediately be reached for comment. The April 14 car bomb and rocket attacks on the heavily fortified bases by militants disguised as U.N. peacekeepers killed one U.N. peacekeeper from Burkina Faso and wounded seven French troops. The raid, for which al Qaeada's local affiliate JNIM claimed responsibility, marked a particularly daring assault amid an upsurge in jihadist violence in Mali and neighboring countries. France's defense ministry said at least 15 assailants were killed when it scrambled fighter jets and attack helicopters to respond. U.N. peacekeeping and French military forces in northern Mali have faced near-constant attack over the past year by determined and well-armed jihadist groups seen as the gravest threat to security across West Africa's Sahel region. Western-backed operations against the groups have inflicted significant casualties, yet the jihadists have savvily exploited political and ethnic tensions to recruit new members. (Reporting by Adama Diarra in Bamako and Yann Le Guernigou in Paris; Additional reporting by Kissima Diagana in Nouakchott; Writing by Aaron Ross; Editing by William Maclean)BAMAKO/PARIS (Reuters) - Homemade rockets shook the northern Mali city of Timbuktu on Sunday near U.N. and French military bases where Islamist militants launched a deadly suicide raid last weekend, France's army said.

No one was hurt this time around as the two or three rockets exploded outside the U.N. "Super Camp" in Timbuktu and a nearby French base, an army spokesman told Reuters.

Youba Cisse, a trader in Timbuktu, told Reuters he heard at least three loud detonations coming from the direction of the camp. The U.N. mission, known as MINUSMA, could not immediately be reached for comment.

The April 14 car bomb and rocket attacks on the heavily fortified bases by militants disguised as U.N. peacekeepers killed one U.N. peacekeeper from Burkina Faso and wounded seven French troops. [L8N1RR1JL]

The raid, for which al Qaeada's local affiliate JNIM claimed responsibility, marked a particularly daring assault amid an upsurge in jihadist violence in Mali and neighbouring countries.

France's defence ministry said at least 15 assailants were killed when it scrambled fighter jets and attack helicopters to respond.

U.N. peacekeeping and French military forces in northern Mali have faced near-constant attack over the past year by determined and well-armed jihadist groups seen as the gravest threat to security across West Africa's Sahel region.

Western-backed operations against the groups have inflicted significant casualties, yet the jihadists have savvily exploited political and ethnic tensions to recruit new members.

(Reporting by Adama Diarra in Bamako and Yann Le Guernigou in Paris; Additional reporting by Kissima Diagana in Nouakchott; Writing by Aaron Ross; Editing by William Maclean)French leader set for state visit to Washington from Monday

Macron seeks to stop US withdrawals from Syria and Iran deal

Donald Trump meets Emmanuel Macron in New York, in September 2017. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

Touting a very strong personal relation with Donald Trump, the French president, Emmanuel Macron, on Sunday began an ambitious charm offensive intended to strengthen US commitments in Syria and Iran while heading off threats of a transatlantic trade war.

Prior to his departure for an official state visit to Washington, Macron likened himself to Trump in an interview with Fox News Sunday, a venue with a wide following among Trump supporters and likely to be watched by the president himself.

Both of us are probably the maverick of the systems on both sides, Macron said. I think President Trumps election was unexpected in your country and probably my election was unexpected in my country. And we are not part of the classical political system.

But if his emphasis was on political affinities, Macron faces a substantial challenge to guide his occasionally errant counterpart away from positions popular with his base and, in the case of Syria, at odds with his own recently stated intentions.

I want to get out, I want to bring the troops back home, I want to start rebuilding our nation, Trump said of Syria at the White House earlier this month, before declaring the US mission accomplished with missile strikes outside Damascus and Homs.

Macron will arrive in the US with the opposite message. We will have to build a new Syria after war, he said. And thats why I think the US role is very important to play.

Macron described a similarly ambitious plan to keep the US in the Iran nuclear deal, which the chairman of the Senate foreign relations committee last week predicted Trump would withdraw from in May.

Is this agreement perfect? said Macron. No. But for nuclear  what do you have? As a better option? I dont see it.

Macron has been framed as the best hope for co-opting Trump to European policy priorities, with a recent Der Spiegel cover depicting him standing next to a fiery Trump, holding a fire extinguisher as German chancellor Angela Merkel stands by.

Story continues

Macron will have an unusually strong opportunity to make his case in his multi-day state visit. He and Trump are to dine privately on Monday at Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington, before an official White House welcome on Tuesday and an address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday.

As a gift, Macron will offer Trump an oak sapling taken from Belleau Wood, north-east of Paris, where in June 1918 US Marines repelled a German offensive with such ferocity that they earned from their beaten enemies the nickname teufelhunden, or Devil Dogs.

Macron does seem to have surpassed other world leaders in establishing a rapport with Trump, whose envy he won when he hosted the US president for a military parade on Bastille Day  Were going to have to try to top it, Trump said.

Macron told Fox an interminable handshake between the two was not the contest of wills it appeared to be, but a moment of comity.

It was a very natural moment, I have to say, he said. And a very friendly moment. Dont worry.

One of the sharpest splits between Macron and Trump, however, may be over another world leader, Russian president Vladimir Putin, who Macron, unlike Trump, has a history of confronting.

Hes strong and smart, Macron said of Putin. But dont be naive. Hes obsessed by interferences in our democracies.

If the French president can convince his American counterpart on that point, no claim of a diplomatic coup might be denied him.Washington (AFP) - French President Emmanuel Macron seems, as much as any world leader, to have developed a rapport with his American counterpart Donald Trump.

But will their apparent bond help European capitals in their struggle to save the Iran nuclear deal from Trump's wrath?

The idea will be tested Monday when the young French leader begins a state visit in Washington, and European diplomats have a lot invested in what seems a tricky task.

There is not much time. Trump is due to decide by May 12 whether talks with Paris, Berlin and London on tougher anti-Iran measures have advanced far enough.

If he feels the "flaws" in the 2015 deal have not been adequately repaired, he may decide to withdraw his support, opening the way for renewed US sanctions that could torpedo the whole accord.

Europe would see this as a disaster, both in terms of the deal itself -- a central plank in their non-proliferation strategy -- and in terms of relations with Washington.

If anyone can talk down Trump, it might be Macron, who has better relations with the White House than his British and German counterparts Theresa May and Angela Merkel.

Paris was the first European ally to suggest tougher measures against Iran's ballistic missile programs to "supplement" the nuclear deal -- but will that suffice?

Trump also wants to reform the agreement itself to end the so-called "sunset clauses" that would allow Iran to progressively restart parts of its nuclear program after 2025.

Macron has urged Trump not to scrap the deal in the absence of an alternative.

- No 'Plan B' -

"I don't have any Plan B for nuclear -- against Iran," Macron told Fox News Sunday in an English-language interview, arguing that working to curb Tehran's missile program and contain its regional influence could be accomplished in addition to the 2015 accord.

"So that's a question we will discuss," he said, as he prepared to head to Washington.

Story continues

The West cannot unilaterally reopen the text, and Iran has said the deal is final and warned it is ready to relaunch its nuclear program -- which the West alleges is designed to produce an atomic bomb -- if it fails.

In addition, the agreement was the fruit of months of intense diplomacy between Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States -- under EU auspices.

Only Trump wants to rip it up.

"It's a dialogue of the deaf," complained one European envoy. A US diplomat acknowledged that getting Trump to buy in will be the "trickiest" part of the problem.

British, French and German representatives have been in deep talks with the US State Department's head of policy Brian Hook on what a supplemental deal would look like.

But the representatives complain privately that, despite progress with their American counterparts, they have no idea whether they are close to an agreement that the mercurial president would accept.

To appease Trump, European capitals are working on a document that would amount to a political engagement to prevent Iran from returning to the nuclear path after the 2015 deal starts to expire.

The Europeans could even call such a statement a new "deal," if it convinces the US leader to stay within the terms of the original and "true" agreement.

Therein lies the rub.

"He hates the deal," another European diplomat acknowledged.

- 'Fix this deal' -

All Hook can say is that once he comes to terms with his European partners, it will be up to Trump, in consultations with his hardline new National Security Advisor John Bolton, to decide.

"If we can reach an agreement, then that will be presented to the president by the secretary of state and the NSA, and then he will make a decision on whether he wants to remain in the deal or stop waiving sanctions," Hook said.

"We always have to prepare for any eventuality, and so we are engaged in contingency planning because it would not be responsible not to engage in it."

The appointment of Bolton, an avowed Iran hawk, fueled Europe's pessimism, as did the nomination of CIA director Mike Pompeo to become the next US secretary of state.

But Pompeo, who has always talked tough on Iran, played down the May 12 deadline in his Senate confirmation hearing.

"I want to fix this deal. That's the objective," he told lawmakers concerned that he might push for war.

"If there is no chance to fix it, I'll recommend to the president we do our level best to work with our allies to achieve a better outcome and better deal. Even after May 12th, even after May 12th, there's still much diplomatic work to be done."

As the deadline looms, even some of the more hawkish Washington pundits have begun to suggest the return of US nuclear-related sanctions could be postponed until a new fixed date.

But if all the talk fails and Trump follows his clear inclination to tear up the "terrible deal," there appears to be no alternative, at least from Europe.

After Macron's visit, there is only one from Merkel, whose chemistry with the US leader appears more toxic than productive, and then the ball is in Trump's hands.A postal worker who police say hoarded away more than 17,000 pieces of undelivered mail in New York City allegedly told investigators he was overwhelmed by the amount of mail he had to deliver.

The 16-year veteran of the department Aleksey Germash, 53, told officials that he "made sure to deliver the important mail."

He was charged Thursday in Brooklyn with delaying or detaining mail.

Federal officials say they arrested the employee after receiving a tip about a car owned by the teen that contained 20 full mail bags, the Associated Press reported.

Authorities also said they found 10,000 pieces of mail in his car, 6,000 pieces in his apartment and 1,000 in his work locker.

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Related Articles:Truro Harness Horse Owners Association President Steve Morton has said that he is optimistic about the upcoming season of live racing at Truro Raceway, which is scheduled to kick off this Friday (April 27) at the Bible Hill oval.

While speaking with the Truro Daily News, Morton explained that a short-term lease has been secured which will allow for the use of the grandstand during race days.

In February, Truro Raceway officially began a period of transition, as it made moves to separate its operations from those of the Nova Scotia Provincial Exhibition Commission. The moves included the introduction of a board of directors.

The Truro Daily News piece states that the THHOA is renting the track, stables and related facilities for $200 per month.

Were back in the grandstand, and I think well have enough horses for six full fields (on opening day), said Morton. Some people from Sydney, and some from P.E.I., have said theyd bring horses.

Truro played host to a qualifying session on Sunday (April 22), which saw a total of 40 horses put their nostrils on the starting gate. The eight-race docket was highlighted by Weather Hanover, who recorded the fastest win time of the session (1:59.1).

Chrissy Matheson, a media relations advisor with the province, has stated that it is up to the THHOA as to what services will be offered in the grandstand on race days.

The large majority of Truros summer race dates have been scheduled for Friday evenings, with a switch to Sundays in the fall. Morton conveyed to the Truro Daily News that the newly-formed board will be able to make the switch back to afternoon racing if it sees fit. To view Truros 2018 race-date schedule, click here.

(With files from the Truro Daily News)Gilberto Escamilla pleaded guilty to theft by a public servant: jeffreyw

A former youth offenders centre employee in Texas has been convicted of stealing more than $1.2m (860,000) worth of fajitas.

Gilberto Escamilla, 53, was jailed for 50 years after authorities discovered he was ordering the Mexican food to the Darrel B Hester Juvenile Detention Centre in Cameron County and selling it on for personal profit.

Suspicions were raised after a driver from a food company called the centres kitchen to tell them an 800-pound (363kg) delivery of fajitas had arrived. The grilled meat dish was not served at the detention centre.

Escamilla on Friday pleaded guilty to theft by a public servant.

It was selfish. It started small and got bigger and out of control, Escamilla told the court. It got to the point where I couldnt control it anymore.

Officials said he took $1,251,578 worth of fajitas and delivered them to his own customers, the The Bronsville Herald reported.

Cameron County Assistant District Attorney Peter Gilman the case was exceptional and asked the judge to sentence Escamilla to 50 years to send a message.A major moment occurred at St. Martins Episcopal Church in Houston on Saturday when former presidents, their wives, and current first lady Melania Trump gathered to say goodbye to the former first lady Barbara Bush. The matriarch of the Bush family passed away at the age of 92 on Tuesday.

George H.W. Bush, seated, with Laura Bush, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, and Melania Trump. (Photo: @PaulMorsePhoto  Office of George H. W. Bush)

Richard Grenell, formerly the U.S. spokesman at the United Nations and the national security spokesman for Mitt Romney, shared a historic photo gathering almost all of the living former presidents  George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and George H.W. Bush  and first ladies Laura Bush, Hillary Clinton, and Michelle Obama. Also joining the photo? Current first lady Melania Trump, posing arm in arm with Michelle. The group is smiling and relaxed, likely after the celebration of Barbara Bushs life.

Only Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter are missing from the photo. President and Mrs. Carter regret that they are unable to attend, the Carter Center in Atlanta said in a statement. President Carter will be on a private trip overseas, and although she is recovering, Mrs. Carter is not yet able to travel following her recent intestinal surgery.

Melania Trump was not joined by her husband, President Trump, who decided not to attend to avoid disruptions. Sitting presidents are not normally expected to attend services for former first ladies.

Photos of former presidents and first ladies arent that common and are often taken at funerals. Back in 2011 George W. Bush, former first lady and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, first lady Michelle Obama, former first lady Nancy Reagan, and former first lady Rosalynn Carter gathered for a photo before the funeral of former first lady Betty Ford at St. Margarets Episcopal Church in Palm Desert, Calif. Theyre pictured with members of the Ford family.

Story continues

Photo: AP Photo/Gerald R. Ford Library and Museum, David Hume Kennerly

Melania Trump honored former first lady Barbara Bush with several touching posts on her Instagram account. Of the service, she wrote, What a beautiful tribute to a wonderful woman.

She also shared a photo showing Texas law enforcement on the tarmac in Houston, thanking them for keeping everyone safe today.

And, in a truly thoughtful move, she took with her to the funeral several White House staffers who had served in the first Bush administration.

Mrs. Trump brought George Hainey, former head maitre d at the White House, and Buddy Carter, a current butler, to the funeral with her as invited guests, White House spokesperson Stephanie Grisham said. She knew they were very close to the Bush family and wanted them to be able to pay their respects.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.Jerusalem (AFP) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel denounced the emergence of "another form of anti-Semitism" from refugees of Arab origin in Germany, in an interview with Israeli television broadcast on Sunday.

"We have a new phenomenon, as we have many refugees among whom there are, for example, people of Arab origin who bring another form of anti-Semitism into the country," Merkel told the private Channel 10 network.

Her remarks come after an alleged anti-Semitic attack Tuesday in Berlin caused a stir in Germany.

According the German tabloid Bild, the main alleged perpetrator, who surrendered to police, is a Syrian refugee who lived in a centre for migrants near Berlin.

In the interview, Merkel said the German government had appointed a commissioner to fight against anti-Semitism.

"The fact that no nursery, no school, no synagogue can be left without police protection dismays us," she said.

Merkel also reaffirmed that Israel's security was a central concern for Germany because of its "eternal responsibility" for the Holocaust.

But she rejected the possibility that Berlin would follow Washington's example and move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

"We must work for a two-state solution, and according to that, the status of Jerusalem must be clarified," she said.

The US move has angered Palestinians who see east Jerusalem, annexed by Israel, as the capital of any future Palestinian state.

Merkel also reiterated Germany's support for the continuation of the Iran nuclear deal, which provides for curbs to Tehran's nuclear programme in exchange for relief from international sanctions.

"We think it's better to have an agreement, even if it's not perfect, than no agreement," she said.

Israeli leaders and US President Donald Trump's administration think the deal -- signed in 2015 between Iran and the world's five nuclear powers, plus Germany -- is too lax.

Trump has threatened to restore sanctions against Iran and withdraw from the deal if his European partners do not "fix" it by May 12.Police officers corner a group of counterprotesters at a neo-Nazi rally in Georgia on Saturday. (Photo: Christopher Mathias HuffPost)

NEWNAN, Ga.  A heavily militarized police force of some 400 officers aggressively patrolled a small neo-Nazi rally in this city 40 miles southwest of Atlanta on Saturday and arrested about 10 counterprotesters, many for the crime of wearing a mask.

Police officers arrived before the rally began and approached a group of about 50 anti-fascist protesters. They demanded the protesters remove their masks or face arrest. The officers  who wore bulletproof vests and helmets, and carried semi-automatic rifles  cornered the anti-fascist protesters, then grabbed those who were still masked, tossing them to the ground and handcuffing them.

At one point, an officer pointed what seemed to be a modified AR-15 at the faces of counterprotesters, none of whom appeared to be armed.

The lead officer in the arrests said the counterprotesters were breaking a state law regarding masks, likely referring to a seldom-enforced 1951 law originally aimed at combating hooded Ku Klux Klan members. Anti-fascist protesters  many belonging to chapters of antifa groups, known for sometimes violently confronting white supremacists  often wear masks to avoid being identified by both law enforcement and neo-Nazis.

Tense situation in #Newnan. Cops telling anti-fascists to remove masks or be arrested pic.twitter.com/dj7F9UW8EY  Christopher Mathias (@letsgomathias) April 21, 2018

The irony of enforcing masking laws to prosecute leftists is just incredible, said Molly, a counterprotester from Charlottesville, Virginia, who traveled to Georgia to protest neo-Nazis. She asked that her last name not be published for fear of retribution. Those are anti-Klan statutes.

And to be roughing up anti-Nazi protesters while handling literal Nazis with kid gloves... its absurd, added Molly, who said she saw one of her friends get arrested Saturday.

Story continues

The rally in Newnan was the latest, and one of the most pitifully attended, neo-Nazi events to be held in the South since the deadly Unite The Right rally in Charlottesville last August, when a neo-Nazi drove his car into a crowd of anti-fascist protesters, killing one person and injuring 19 others.

Certain seemingly innocuous items, including balloons, were not allowed at the rally. But Georgia has an open carry gun law, so people could bring their weapons; HuffPost saw one neo-Nazi and one anti-fascist protester carrying semi-automatic rifles.

The Newnan rally was organized by the National Socialist Movement, an older neo-Nazi group that favors explicit Third Reich iconography over the more coded racist memes of the so-called alt-right. Fewer than 30 NSM members, along with a small contingent of the white supremacist group League of the South, showed up for the event.

The city granted NSM a permit to hold the rally at Greenville Street Park, and security and police presence for the event is expected to cost taxpayers thousands of dollars.

NSM members arrived about an hour late for their rally. Then they stood on a stage in the park, looking out over hundreds of counterprotesters yelling from behind a fence some 100 yards away as police helicopters and drones circled overhead.

Jeff Schoep, the so-called commander of the NSM, rambled about the need to keep Confederate statues. He referred to himself and his companions as Alpha males and complained about men who look like homosexuals by wearing skinny jeans. He also lashed out against the Zionist media for portraying NSM as a hate group.

NSM members flanking him threw up Nazi salutes.

Schoep then left the stage to address a gaggle of reporters. When asked by HuffPost about NSM members throwing up Nazi salutes, Schoep claimed they were actually Roman salutes. He then threatened to have HuffPost removed from the park for being disrespectful.

At 5 p.m. local time, less than an hour after the rally had started, police appeared to pull the plug on the sound system. An officer speaking into a megaphone issued a dispersal order, warning the neo-Nazis that they would be arrested if they didnt leave the park. They left without incident.

Asked Nazi leader Jeff Schoep something he didn't like, he threatened to kick me out for being "disrespectful." Hasn't kicked me out yet. #Newnan pic.twitter.com/lE8kj26BwQ  Christopher Mathias (@letsgomathias) April 21, 2018

The paltry NSM showing was indicative of the gradually diminishing strength of the so-called alt-right since the Charlottesville rally last year. That rally, the largest of its kind of over a decade, was attended by upwards of 1,000 white supremacists.

Since then, alt-right figurehead Richard Spencer canceled a planned campus speaking tour after being humiliated by anti-fascist protesters at the University of Florida and Michigan State University. Last month, a domestic dispute precipitated the collapse of neo-Nazi group the Traditionalist Workers Party. Infighting has also severely fractured the rest of the alt-right.

NSM and League of the South now appear to be the white supremacist groups most willing to hold rallies. On Friday night, they held a meeting at a bar in Bremen, Georgia. The annual gathering is typically held on or near April 20, the birthday of Adolf Hitler.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

So #Newnan is a town of 38,000 and their police look like this today pic.twitter.com/zX54ATnCgH  Christopher Mathias (@letsgomathias) April 21, 2018

There were times on Saturday when Newnan looked as if it was under military occupation. Armored vehicles and heavily armed officers, some in military fatigues, patrolled the streets.

Ahead of the event, Newnan Police Chief D.L. Buster Meadows appeared to draw an equivalency between the racist and anti-Semitic neo-Nazis  who argue for creating a white ethnostate in America  and the anti-fascists showing up to protest them.

Neither one of these groups represent who we are and what we stand for, he told local news outlet The Newnan Times-Herald.

It was a sentiment shared by some of the other 39,000 residents of Newnan, a town whose city square is home to two monuments exalting the Confederate Army.

Jeff Nelms, a Newnan resident who works as a millwright, went to a friends gun shop Saturday to make sure no one vandalized the store during the days chaos. He called both the neo-Nazis and the anti-fascists scum.

Newnan resident Jeff Nelms went to his friend's gun store during the rally on Saturday to make sure no one vandalized it. (Photo: Christopher Mathias HuffPost)

Julio Gilgorri, 26, who has lived in Newnan for five years, had a different take on the anti-fascists arriving to drown out the neo-Nazis. Gilgorri was among hundreds of residents who attended a festival in the city square on Friday night, at which local businesses, churches and charities handed out #NewnanStrong T-shirts. Children drew chalk hearts and rainbows on the sidewalks, while adults wrote messages like Nazis suck.

Newnan has taken me in as a Hispanic American and someone whos looking for a new home. I felt accepted since the moment I stepped foot here, Gilgorri said. If we shut up and stay quiet and allow these guys to rally without any opposition, my opportunity might not happen for other people down the line.

Im absolutely glad that people are coming to be heard because, at the end of the day, there truly are more voices on our side than theirs, he added. History has already shown whos right here.

America does not do a good job of tracking incidents of hate and bias. We need your help to create a database of such incidents across the country, so we all know whats going on. Tell us your story.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story misstated the name of Greenville Street Park as Greenville State Park.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.Mitt Romney's anticipated political renaissance hit a roadblock Saturday after the 2012 Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts governor failed to win the Utah Republican Partys nomination, which means he must face 11 challengers in a June primary for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch.

Mitt Romney was involved in a car crash that killed a woman in 1968

Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Romney needed at least 60 percent of the votes from delegates at the Utah GOP convention Saturday to head to the November election unopposed, but he earned only 49.12 percent, CNN and other media reported.

Trending: Who Is Travis Reinking? Waffle House Shooting Suspect Sought by Tennessee Police

In a tweet late Saturday, he thanked delegates who had backed his candidacy.

"Thank you to all the delegates who hung in there with us all day at the Convention. I appreciate the support I received and look forward to the primary election," he wrote.

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Romney was considered the political favorite by political observers and U.S. President Donald Trump endorsed Romney in February.

The president said on Twitter in February that Romney will make a great Senator and worthy successor to @OrrinHatch, and has my full support and endorsement!

But Romney and the president have not always been political allies.

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Romney excoriated Trump in the 2016 presidential campaign and said he was a fraud who was playing the American public for suckers. Trump responded that Romney had choked like a dog in his 2012 campaign against President Barack Obama.

Despite the criticism, Trump briefly considered making Romney his Secretary of State.

Story continues

Romney said in February that he generally approves of Trumps agenda, but would call out the president if needed.

Im with the presidents domestic policy agenda of low taxes, low regulation, smaller government, pushing back against the bureaucrats, Romney said. Im not always with the president on what he might say or do, and if that happens Ill call them like I see them, the way I have in the past.

Romney was criticized by some delegates for being a latecomer to the state, moving to Utah relatively recently, CNN reported.

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from NewsweekManagua (AFP) - Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega scrapped Sunday a contentious pension reform that triggered four days of violence in which two dozen people were killed, but rioting students vowed to keep up street protests until he is ousted.

Since the clashes erupted Wednesday, pitting protesters against security forces and pro-government supporters, 25 people have died, according to the Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights.

"Among the dead are minors, students" and a journalist who was shot dead on Saturday while reporting on the chaos in the Caribbean city of Bluefields, the center said in a statement.

Officials on Friday gave a toll of 10 deaths but have not revised their figure since.

The protests were the worst experienced in the 11 years Ortega has led the country -- one of the poorest nations in Latin America yet also previously a relatively safe one compared to gang-ridden Central American neighbors.

The 72-year-old leftist president, a former Sandinista guerrilla, rules Nicaragua with his wife and vice president Rosario Murillo.

During talks with business leaders, Ortega announced he was revoking the April 16 pension reform of the Nicaraguan Institute for Social Security (INSS), "which acted as a trigger that started this whole situation."

He denounced the protesters for acting like criminal gangs.

His government said vehicles were torched and public buildings destroyed in the towns of Leon and Masaya.

- Looting, arson -

The controversial reform would have increased both employer and employee contributions and reduced benefits in a bid to tamp down on a climbing deficit.

Students played a major role in the wave of unrest that met that reform.

Ortega responded with a crackdown that saw the army deployed, independent media muzzled, journalists assaulted and pro-government demonstrators mobilized to counter the protests.

But they failed to contain the situation as looting broke out. And panicked residents rushed to stores and gas stations to stock up for what could they feared could be prolonged turmoil.

Story continues

Some protesting students said Ortega cancelling the pension reform was no longer enough.

"We are fighting not only for the INSS, we are fighting for all those years of pillaging of the people by the Sandinista regime," said one engineering student in Managua who identified himself as Cristofer.

"The struggle continues. Not a step backward," yelled another student outside the city's Polytechnic University. Others called Ortega a "dictator."

"We are fighting against the oppression that President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo are imposing on us," another student, Amalia Montenegro, told AFP as she gathered food to give to fellow protesters.

"We don't want a war."

Police later conducted a late-night raid on the university's headquarters, sparking chaotic scenes broadcast live on Facebook that saw activists injured.

- Deadly force -

Parts of the capital were strewn with rubble after clashes, and looting was in evidence. In some locations, armed store owners stood guard outside their premises to stop mobs from entering.

Ortega had tough words for the demonstrators, accusing them of acting like gangs "killing each other."

"We must reestablish order, we will not allow chaos, crime and looting to reign," he told business leaders, who had also opposed the reforms.

A doctor treating those wounded in the clashes, Eyel Almanza, said in an interview that police officers were resorting to deadly force.

"The wounds suffered by students have been from firearms. Anti-riot police had been using rubber bullets, but not any more -- they are using round pellets," he said.

Soldiers armed with rifles stood guard at public offices in Managua, as well as in the northern city of Esteli. The army said it was "providing protection to entities and strategic sites."

Police on Thursday said one 33-year-old officer had been shot dead.

- International alarm -

Throughout the protests, journalists have reportedly faced attacks, been temporarily detained and had their equipment stolen.

Four independent television outlets were taken off air on Thursday. By Sunday, only one was still barred.

The unexpected wave of violence in an otherwise relatively tightly controlled country has caused international alarm.

The United States denounced the "excessive force used by police and others," urging Ortega's government to allow journalists to work freely.

The European Union called the violence "unacceptable."

Analysts and business leaders said the protests were fueled by dissatisfaction that went well beyond anger over pension reform.

"This has not been seen for years in Nicaragua," said Carlos Tunnermann, a former Nicaraguan ambassador to the US.

"There is a malaise of the population not only over the reforms, but for the way in which the country has been run."

Former lawmaker Jose Pallais said "Ortega is making an analysis divorced from reality."

"He's not asking for forgiveness for the deaths, he's not taking measures to halt the repression or disband the paramilitary groups, and he is continuing the threat of using force," Pallais added.A woman in Iowa who left her four young children home alone while she went on vacation in Europe has been sentenced to two years of probation.

Erin Macke, 31, entered an Alford plea in February to four counts of child endangerment after leaving her children, then aged between six and 12, at their home in Johnston to go abroad to Germany in September 2017, reports Des Moines Register.

An Alford plea is where a defendant does not admit guilt to an offence, but acknowledges that prosecutors have enough evidence to secure a conviction.

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As part of her probation, Macke will not be allowed to have any contact with her four children apart from supervised phone calls. Polk County District Judge Carol Egly suggested Macke undergo counselling in order to help alter the order.

I believe these children need to have some sort of direct contact with their mother as soon as possible," Egly said.

Macke was sentenced at Polk County District Court on April 19. She could have faced up to eight years in prison, reports the Associated Press.

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1524215200160

Johnston Police Department

On September 21, 2017, Johnston Police were called to Mackes home to conduct a welfare check after receiving calls that the children were alone. Upon arrival, officers found Mackes four children, aged six, seven and two 12-year-olds, alone at the property with no adult supervision.

It was later found that Macke had left the country the previous day to go to Germany and was not scheduled to return home until October 1.

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Investigators confirmed Macke had made no arrangements to provide supervision or care of the children while she was away, authorities said at the time.

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Officers eventually made contact with Macke while she was in Germany and ordered her to come home. She was arrested upon her return on September 27.

According to court documents, Macke had intended to leave her children alone for the first two days until her brother was able to care for them, according to Des Moines Register. Macke is reported to have made arrangement with a neighbor to check on the children around three times a day.

In a statement read in court on behalf of Matthew McQuary, father of two of the children, said: Erin does not feel any remorse or responsibility for her actions.

Another charge of making a firearm available to a person under age 21 against Macke was later dropped as part of the deal for her Alford plea.

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from NewsweekThe manhunt for Waffle House shooting suspect Travis Reinking continued Monday morning as law enforcement agents are searching for the 29-year-old alleged shooter, who is still on the run and may be armed and dangerous.

Metropolitan Nashville Chief Police Steve Anderson said at a news conference that Reinking is most likely on foot and is probably still close to the area, unless he was picked up by a car.

Anderson also said that Reinkings motive in the shooting remains unclear, but he may have mental issues.

Reinking has had numerous brushes with the law that may demonstrate his mental state. He was most notably arrested by the U.S. Secret Service in July of last year after showing up in a restricted area near the White House and saying he wanted to meet President Donald Trump, police said Sunday,

MNPD officers, to include SWAT, have continued the search for Travis Reinking in the Antioch area overnight. There have been no credible sightings. The search will continue. All schools in the area have been cleared by officers. He was last seen Sun morn behind his apt complex. pic.twitter.com/ChY1ihCdKG

 Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) April 23, 2018

Upon his Washington, D.C. arrest Reinking reportedly declared himself a sovereign citizen, which is a term the FBI says is used by anti-government extremists, according to USA Today.

After an investigation of the White House incident by police in Illinois and the FBI, authorities removed four guns from Reinkings home and gave them to his father. Police say it appears his father gave those guns back, including the AR-15 assault rifle that Reinking allegedly used to kill four people and wound two others over the weekend.

Reinkings previous encounters with police also involved guns and offer further evidence of a potentially mentally disturbed young man.

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Video: Police Search for Shooter After Waffle House Shooting

In 2016, he told authorities in Tazewell County, Illinois that pop star Taylor Swift was stalking him and hacking his phone. Last June, an employee at Reinkings fathers construction company filed a report stating that Reinking came down from his apartment wearing a pink dress and holding a rifle, according to CNN.

Another report from last August details another incident in which Reinking wanted to file a report about 20 to 30 people tapping into his computer and phone and people barking like dogs,' the AP reported.

Reinking is still on the run after the Waffle House shooting, in which a heroic customer disarmed him when he stopped to reload his weapon.

Police say Reinking fled the scene naked, but returned home to put on a pair of pants before fleeing into some nearby woods.

TOP 10 ALERT: Travis Jeffrey Reinking, the suspect in this mornings deadly shooting at a Nashville-area Waffle House, has been added to our Top 10 Most Wanted list. He stands 64, weighs 180 pounds, and should be considered armed and dangerous.



Spot him? Call 911! pic.twitter.com/Y7dYiQepVJ

 TBI (@TBInvestigation) April 22, 2018

Authorities believe the gunman may still be armed with one of his guns, as they recovered only three of his four known guns after the shooting.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has added Reinking to its Top 10 Most Wanted List.

What happened?

BREAKING: 3 persons fatally shot & 4 others wounded at the Waffle House, 3571 Murfreesboro Pike. Gunman opened fire @ 3:25 a.m. A patron wrestled away the gunman's rifle. He was nude & fled on foot. He is a white man with short hair. pic.twitter.com/d1qxRxsGNx

 Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) April 22, 2018

Reinking allegedly shot six people, four fatally, when he opened fire in a Waffle House located at 3571 Murfreesboro Pike in Nashville.

Restaurant patron, James Shaw Jr., 29, stepped in and disarmed the gunman.

No doubt he saved many lives by wrestling the gun away and tossing it over the counter and prompting the man to leave, police spokesman Don Aaron told the Associated Press.

The gunman was wearing only a green coat when he opened fire. During the struggle over the gun, Reinking left his coat and fled the scene naked, police said.

The investigation is still ongoing and the crime scene is being processed, Nashville police said. Murder warrants are being drafted against Reinking, the police said via Twitter.

Who is the gunman?

BREAKING: Travis Reinking, 29, of Morton, IL, is person of interest in Waffle House shooting. Vehicle the gunman arrived in is registered to him. Gunman last seen walking south on Murfreesboro Pike. He shed is coat and is nude. See Reinking? Pls call 615-862-8600 immediately. pic.twitter.com/duoWCo5fC0

 Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) April 22, 2018

Investigation on going at the Waffle House. Scene being processed by MNPD experts. This is the rifle used by the gunman. pic.twitter.com/lihhRImHQN

 Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) April 22, 2018

Waffle House Update: Murder warrants are now being drafted against Travis Reinking.

 Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) April 22, 2018

Travis Reinking, originally of Morton, Illinois, was first identified by his truck in the parking lot of the Waffle House. He is described as a white man with short hair.

Police tweeted that Reinking shed his clothes and is either naked or wearing pants but no shirt, and is still at large, and was last seen in a wood line near Discovery at Mountain View Apartments on Mountain Springs Drive near the Waffle House. Channel 5 also reported that police dogs have been tracking him.

Anyone with information about Reinking is urged to call the Nashville Police Department at (615) 862-8600.

A man believed to be Travis Reinking was last seen in a wood line near Discovery at Mountain View Apts. on Mountain Springs Dr. near the Waffle House. The man was seen wearing black pants and no shirt.

 Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) April 22, 2018

Who are the victims?

A total of six people were shot. Three died at the scene and a fourth victim died at the hospital.

The victims were Taurean C. Sanderlin, 29, a Waffle House employee, and restaurant patrons Joe R. Perez, 20, Akilah Dasilva, 23, and DeEbony Groves, 21.

Waffle House: 6 persons shot, 4 fatally (3 died at the scene, 1 at the hospital). The 2 others are being treated at Vanderbilt. Search continuing for Travis Reinking. pic.twitter.com/ioR7cVq899

 Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) April 22, 2018

Two other people were wounded and are being treated at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Who stopped the gunman inside Waffle House?

James Shaw, Jr., 29, is being hailed as a hero after tackling Reinking to the ground while he tried to reload his AR-15-style assault rifle. Shaw wrestled the gun away from Reinking and threw it over the counter out of the shooters reach.

I was just trying to get myself out. I saw the opportunity and pretty much took it, Shaw told local media outlet The Tennessean.

This is James Shaw. He's a hero. His hands are burned severely from grabbing the assault rifle used to kill four people inside a Nashville Waffle House. He likely saved dozens of lives pic.twitter.com/WV7KQlzA2R

 Chris Conte (@chrisconte) April 22, 2018

Shaw had just gotten to the Waffle House with a group of friends after leaving a nearby fraternity party, according to The Tennessean. He recounted what happened during the shooting, saying he felt a bullet graze his arm as he dove for cover.

I remember I was like Dang, Im basically in a barrel,  Shaw Jr. told the newspaper. There is no place for me to go. When he came in, I distinctively remember thinking that he is going to have to work for this kill. I had a chance to stop him and thankfully I stopped him.

Describing his physical fight with the gunman to the paper he said he grabbed the gun and kept it down. He had one hand on it. I pulled it away and threw it over the bar.

A Channel 5 reporter tweeted that Shaw sustained severe burns from grabbing the hot gun. Shaw was released from the TriStar Southern Hills Medical Center for minor injuries around 7:30 a.m. Sunday morning, the Tennessean reported.

After pushing the gunman outside, Shaw told The Tennessean that he did not follow Reinking in case he had other guns, but he quickly flagged down other cars for help.

What was the motive for the shooting?

Police are still trying to determine why the gunman opened fire. At this time, they believe the shooting was random. They also do not know why the alleged suspect, Reinking, came to Nashville from his hometown in Morton, Illinois, 450 miles away. But according to The Tennessean, police believe he lives at the Mountain View Apartments near the Waffle House where the shooting took place.

What is the reaction to the shooting?

Waffle House, a 24/7 diner chain that is popular throughout the southern U.S., issued a statement after the shooting saying, This is a very sad day for the Waffle House family. We ask for everyone to keep the victims and their families in their thoughts and prayers.

This is a very sad day for the Waffle House family. We ask for everyone to keep the victims and their families in their thoughts and prayers.

 Waffle House News (@WaffleHouseNews) April 22, 2018

Nasvhilles Mayor David Briley also issued a statement, saying: Its a tragic day for our city anytime people lose their lives at the hands of a gunman. My heart goes out to the families and friends of every person who was killed or wounded in this mornings shooting. I know all of their lives will be forever changed by this devastating crime.

Its a tragic day for our city anytime people lose their lives at the hands of a gunman. My heart goes out to the families & friends of every person who was killed or wounded in this mornings shooting. I know all of their lives will be forever changed by this devastating crime.

 Mayor David Briley (@MayorBriley) April 22, 2018North Korea assured CIA Director Mike Pompeo that the American detainees would be a part of President Donald Trump's talks with Kim Jong Un. (Photo: Xinhua News Agency via Getty Images)

President Donald Trumps upcoming meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will likely involve the release of three American citizens currently detained in the hermit country, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday.

North Korean officials gave CIA Director Mike Pompeo assurances that the summit between Trump and Kim could be linked to the release of the U.S. citizens, the Journal reported, citing people briefed on the meeting.

Pompeo, the U.S. secretary of state nominee, secretly met with Kim over Easter weekend in preparation for Trump and Kims talks, which are expected to take place in May or early June.

Trump on Wednesday confirmed Pompeos secret meeting in a tweet, saying it went very smoothly and a good relationship was formed. He also said that details of his North Korea meeting were being worked out now.

Pompeo mentioned the release of the three Americans in his Pyongyang meeting, according to Reuters. At a joint news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday, Trump spoke positively about the release.

We are likewise fighting very diligently to get the three American citizens back. I think theres a good chance of doing it, Trump said. Were having very good dialogue.

The three Americans are believed to be U.S. businessman Kim Dong-chul, 62, of Virginia, who was charged with spying and stealing state secrets in 2016; Kim Sang-duk, who had been teaching at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology and was arrested in April 2017; and Kim Hak-song, who also worked at the Pyongyang university and was detained in May 2017, according to the Journal.

During Pompeos confirmation hearing last week, Pompeo told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that he was confident the U.S. could work on an agreement with North Korea for denuclearization.

Im optimistic that the United States government can set the conditions for that appropriately so that the president and North Korean leader can have that conversation and will set us down the course of achieving a diplomatic outcome that America and the world so desperately need, he said, according to The Associated Press.

Story continues

Also on HuffPost

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un shakes hands with a member of the special delegation of South Korea's President in this photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on March 6, 2018.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meets members of the special delegation of South Korea's President.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un greets a member of the special delegation.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meets members of the special delegation.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un shakes hands with a member of the special delegation.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (not in picture) meets members of the special delegation.

A dinner is prepared for members of the special delegation of South Korea's President.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meets members of the special delegation.

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.When elite North Korean soldier Joo Seung-hyeon made his way through the Demilitarized Zone, avoiding minefields and watchtowers to defect to the South, he thought he was going to a prosperous new life.

The reality was more complicated than that.

Ostracised by Southerners who he says see their Northern cousins as "poor, uncivilised barbarians", he was dismissed at countless interviews for menial jobs as soon as he revealed his thick accent. One restaurant paid him half the wages of Southerners.

But he persevered, eliminating his original tones by repeating radio broadcasts, earning a degree in his spare time, and following up with a PhD in unification studies -- the first such doctorate ever earned by a North Korean defector.

Now he has written a book detailing the challenges faced by Northern defectors in what has become a radically different society.

The peninsula has been divided since a 1950-53 war, with little official contact between the two sides. A summit in the DMZ at which North Korea's Kim Jong Un will meet South Korean President Moon Jae-in this week will only be the third such get-together.

More than 30,000 North Koreans have fled poverty and repression in their homeland since the end the war to make a perilous journey to the South, and are often held up as a symbol of human yearning for freedom.

The goal of unification is enshrined in South Korea's constitution and it welcomed them with great publicity, some of those arriving in the 1970s and 80s enjoying nationwide fame as "heroes."

But the fanfare died down as the trickle of defectors turned into a torrent in the 1990s, when a famine in the North left hundreds of thousands dead.

Public sentiment soured and now many defectors bemoan difficulties finding decent jobs or making friends, with most of their knowledge and skills deemed outdated or irrelevant, and many Southerners viewing them with suspicion and contempt.

Joblessness among defectors is seven percent, nearly twice the overall figure in the South, while their monthly income is about half the national average.

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About 20 percent of them fall victim to fraud, theft and other crimes, a study showed, noting many lose a state cash subsidy worth almost $19,000 intended to help them resettle.

- 'Scarlet letter' -

Joo defected in 2002, partly lured by the promise of a "free and prosperous life" blasted from giant loudspeakers set up by the South's army along the border -- where he used to broadcast the North's own propaganda.

Abandoning his guard post, it took him just 30 minutes to cross the DMZ, crawling under electric barbed wire fences and walking across minefields.

But South Korea's pressure-cooker society was a shock.

"I was suddenly thrown into this ultra-competitive world ruled by the survival of the fittest," he wrote. "This reality felt colder than the wintry night when I crossed the border alone.

"I realised that I... may never be able to remove this scarlet letter of 'North Korean defector'."

Even after graduating, more than 100 job applications in which he identified himself as a defector were rejected, but as soon as he hid the information he started securing interviews and even a few job offers.

Now 37, he teaches at several universities in what he described a "rare, lucky case".

His book tells many heartbreaking stories -- including one refugee who committed suicide after struggling to earn a college diploma but still being unable to secure a job.

Some see the refugees as "untouchables" -- another emigrated after South Korean parents at his child's school publicly protested that their offspring should not mix with his.

Joo is one of just nine soldiers to have crossed the land border to the South since 2000, the latest making global headlines last November with a daring escape under a barrage of gunfire from his colleagues in which he was hit several times.

But two of the others are in jail for drug use or attempted murder, and another became an alcoholic and died of liver cancer.

A fourth was left disabled after being hit by a car while handing out nightclub flyers. Another moved abroad.

"Many of the soldiers say they regret coming to the South," Joo told AFP.

But he has no such thoughts, adding he also sees "tremendous hope" in young defectors in their teens and 20s, who successfully integrate into the South's society far faster than older peers.

- Dark glimpse -

A government survey showed that almost a quarter of North Koreans in the South have at least once considered returning North due to homesickness.

Some do go back -- at least 20 have appeared in Pyongyang's state media in recent years, tearfully recounting their days in the "hell" of the South and saying they were treated like second-class citizens.

But Seoul accused Pyongyang of kidnapping some of them, their media appearances are largely believed to be scripted, and their fates are unknown -- rights groups say defectors face harsh punishment in the North.

"I have never agreed that the South's society is a hell," Joo told AFP. "But it broke my heart seeing those who risked their lives to come to the South killing themselves or emigrating elsewhere due to social discrimination and stigma."

And the issue offers a dark glimpse of some of the social difficulties that could await if the peninsula is one day reunified, he warned.

"North Koreans are very proud people who will never tolerate those who disdain their national and personal pride."(SEOUL, South Korea)  North Korea said Saturday it has suspended nuclear and long-range missile tests and plans to close its nuclear test site.

The Norths official Korean Central News Agency said the country is making the move to shift its national focus and improve its economy.

The North also vowed to actively engage with regional neighbors and the international community to secure peace in the Korean Peninsula and create an optimal international environment to build its economy.

The announcements came days before North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is set to meet South Korean President Moon Jae-in in a border truce village for a rare summit aimed at resolving the nuclear standoff with Pyongyang.

A separate meeting between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump is anticipated in May or June.

North Korea has agreed to suspend all Nuclear Tests and close up a major test site. This is very good news for North Korea and the World - big progress! Look forward to our Summit.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 20, 2018

The Norths decisions were made in a meeting of the ruling partys full Central Committee which had convened to discuss a new stage of policies.

The Korean Workers Partys Central Committee declared it a great victory in the countrys official byungjin policy line of simultaneously pursuing economic and nuclear development.

The committee unanimously adopted a resolution that called for concentrating national efforts to achieve a strong socialist economy and groundbreaking improvements in peoples lives.

To secure transparency on the suspension of nuclear tests, we will close the republics northern nuclear test site, the partys resolution said.

The agency quoted Kim as saying during the meeting: Nuclear development has proceeded scientifically and in due order and the development of the delivery strike means also proceeded scientifically and verified the completion of nuclear weapons.

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We no longer need any nuclear test or test launches of intermediate and intercontinental range ballistic missiles and because of this the northern nuclear test site has finished its mission.

North Koreas abrupt diplomatic outreach in recent months came after a flurry of weapons tests, including the underground detonation of a possible thermonuclear warhead and three launches of developmental intercontinental ballistic missiles designed to strike the U.S. mainland.

Some analysts see Kim as entering the upcoming negotiations from a position of strength after having declared his nuclear force as complete in November. South Korean and U.S. officials have said Kim is likely trying to save his broken economy from heavy sanctions,

Seoul says Kim has expressed genuine interest in dealing away his nuclear weapons. But North Korea for decades has been pushing a concept of denuclearization that bears no resemblance to the American definition, vowing to pursue nuclear development unless Washington removes its troops from the peninsula.OSLO (Reuters) - A Norwegian man suspected by Russia of espionage has admitted to being a courier for Norway's military intelligence, his Norwegian lawyer said on Sunday. Frode Berg, a retired former guard on the Norwegian-Russian border, has been detained since his arrest in Moscow last December, but had little knowledge of the operation he took part in, Berg's lawyer Brynjulf Risnes told daily Dagbladet and broadcaster NRK. "We're quite certain that what he did in Russia was partly to carry out tasks for Norwegian intelligence," Risnes told NRK, while adding that his client felt he had been let down by those who had sent him. "He did not understand the extent of this or how dangerous it could become," Risnes said. Dagbladet reported that on his arrest Berg was carrying 3,000 euros ($3,686) in cash, and that police suspected the money would be mailed to a Russian man to pay for information about the country's nuclear submarine fleet. Berg posted a picture of a snow-covered Red Square on his Facebook profile page early on Dec. 5, the day of his arrest, with the message "Christmas Time in Moscow!". The maximum penalty for espionage in Russia is 20 years in prison, while the minimum sentence is 10 years, Risnes told Reuters last year. Norway's military declined to comment. The foreign ministry said it was providing consular services. ($1 = 0.8139 euros) (Reporting by Terje Solsvik; editing by David Evans)Longa Mali (Cameroun) (AFP) - Killings, land grabs, corruption... tensions and violence are rising in eastern Cameroon as Chinese firms take advantage of a regulatory twilight zone to mine gold.

"There are constant conflicts between Cameroonians and the Chinese" over gold mining, said Narma Ndoyama, a farmer in Longa Mali, a small village in the middle of the mining area.

At the beginning of April, four companies were banned from mining in East Cameroon, according to Foder, a group that campaigns for protecting the environment and rural development.

One of them was the Chinese firm Lu and Lang, which is notorious in the region after one of its employees allegedly killed a Cameroonian who was looking for gold on land claimed by the company, according to Foder.

"Villagers rioted and killed the Chinese man" by stoning him, said Ndoyama.

The mining company resumed its activities at Longa Mali after a brief halt.

The Chinese "killed my son, but they did nothing" for me, said Philippe Balla, the victim's father. "They are working and no one bothers them."

Anger still simmers among locals over companies buying agricultural land "for crumbs", said Michel Pilo, who is the village elder for Mali, the area which encompasses Longa Mali.

"They devastate our fields," he said, saying a patch of land worth 500,000 CFA francs (750 euros, $925) was purchased for 80,000.

Farmers feel they have no choice but to sell, said a local official.

"You can't refuse because if you do your land will be dug up without the payment of any compensation," said the official on condition of anonymity.

Ndoyama is one of the few farmers to still have cultivable land.

He sees the encroachment of Chinese miners as a threat to his cassava farm.

"They are already alongside my field" where they are digging up the earth looking for gold.

"They haven't trampled on my land, but I am afraid they will," said Ndoyama.

Story continues

Locals have repeatedly called, in vain, for authorities to properly set property boundaries.

"I am waiting for my land to be surveyed to launch a case to save my farm," said Ndoyama.

AFP contacted several Chinese miners in the region who declined to discuss the complaints of locals against them.

- 'No transparency' -

"It is easy to vent anger against the Chinese, but who brought them in" to the region? said Gabriel Yadji, a representative of the eastern region in the mining ministry.

"It is Cameroonians that have led them to behave like they do," he added.

The process of gaining a mining permit is labyrinthine and none has ever been awarded for industrial mining. All mining is small scale.

The individuals who receive permits, Cameroonians mostly, rent or sell them to foreign companies.

"There is no transparency on the procedures to obtain mining permits," said Foder, which says it tried in vain to gain access to the register of issued permits.

The local press says the Cameroonian elite -- including generals, colonels, lawmakers, ministers and a nephew of President Paul Biya hold mining permits, but it is impossible to confirm the information.

The suspicions of corruption do not only surround the obtention of mining permits.

"The army protects the Chinese at all their mining sites to the detriment of nearby communities and it participates in intimidating them and racketeering," said one activist, who asked not to be named.

There is no official data on the amount of land being mined in eastern Cameroon, which is believed to be rich in mineral resources, but remains underdeveloped and mired in poverty.

While the government has created an agency to monitor the small scale mining industry, it does not have sufficient resources to monitor all production, an employee acknowledged.

"In many cases we are happy with Chinese companies declaring their production volumes themselves," said the employee.

Cameroon's legislation stipulates that 25 percent of gold production should be handed over to the government.

In 2017, Capam said it received 255 kilos of gold from miners across the entire country. That puts the value of nation's gold output at roughly $41 million.New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman tweeted on Saturday that a source quoted in her story derided by Donald Trump as a drunk/drugged up loser is likely former Trump campaign aide Sam Nunberg.

A story by Haberman and two other Times reporters on Friday examined the likelihood that the presidents attorney Michael Cohen will turn on his boss now that he is being investigated. It quoted two biographers, Nunberg and Trumps long-time controversial informal adviser Roger Stone. (Stone was quoted as saying that Trump goes out of his way to treat Cohen like garbage. Nunberg said Cohen has leverage on Trump and should maximize it now.)

Trump, infuriated by the story, slammed third-rate- flunkie Haberman in vicious tweets Saturday morning, and added the scathing drugged up insult about one of the sources, whom he didnt name.

It had to be Nunberg, Haberman tweeted, because the president is too afraid of bombastic, rule-breaking Stone to be that direct.

Both men have denied that Trump was referring to them. Not a reference to me, Stone told The Palm Beach Post. Nunberg told CNN: I have no idea who POTUS is talking about, so I have no response.

....non-existent sources and a drunk/drugged up loser who hates Michael, a fine person with a wonderful family. Michael is a businessman for his own account/lawyer who I have always liked & respected. Most people will flip if the Government lets them out of trouble, even if....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 21, 2018

Haberman slammed Trumps use of drugged up as showing little compassion for those struggling with drug problems, such as victims of the opioid crisis. She then named Nunberg as the target of Trumps vicious dig.

A few things - Trump is referring to @NunbergSam in his tweet. Hes too aware of what Stone could do to him to be that direct. Also, Trump has been abusive to all his staffers at various points, but continues to greet @CLewandowski_ better than most https://t.co/coxNMRVCUl  Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) April 21, 2018

Preet Bharara, the former U.S. attorney for the southern district of New York who was fired by Trump, responded to Habermans tweet, asking: Donald Trump is afraid of Roger Stone?

Story continues

Haberman answered: For years.

Donald Trump is afraid of Roger Stone? https://t.co/0pqSQu1LRK  Preet Bharara (@PreetBharara) April 21, 2018

Haberman also added a bit of new information from her reporting, revealing that one source told her that Trump is abusive to everyone.

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When I was reporting this story, I said to one person whos observed the Cohen-Trump relationship that Trump has been abusive to him. The person replied, Hes abusive to everybody. https://t.co/coxNMRVCUl  Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) April 21, 2018

The Times followed up with a story Saturday acknowledging Trumps criticism of the article, including his tweet that the newspaper was going out of their way to destroy Michael Cohen and his relationship with me in the hope that he will flip. The president also accused the Times of using nonexistent sources.

Times executive editor Dean Baquet said in a statement that the story is filled with named quotes on the record, and everything Maggie has reported from inside the White House has proven true.

Nunberg was subpoenaed last month to appear before a federal grand jury investigating Russian interference in the U.S. presidential election. He initially vowed to defy the subpoena and appeared on a series of news shows sounding dangerously defiant. At one point, CNNs Erin Burnett told him she smelled alcohol on his breath. Nunberg denied that he had been drinking, but added that he had taken anti-depressants that day.

Nunberg said the following day that he planned to comply with the order and would appear before the grand jury by the end of the week.

Here's CNN's Erin Burnett telling former Trump aide Sam Nunberg that she can smell alcohol on his breath. He says he hasn't been drinking. pic.twitter.com/tryye9AiqA  Jim Dalrymple II (@Dalrymple) March 6, 2018

Roger Stone is being investigated for possible ties to Russia hackers and talks with Wikileaks during the presidential campaign. On Friday he called the late Barbara Bush a vindictive drunk, and was promptly disinvited from speaking at an upcoming Florida GOP event.

Also on HuffPost

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.A gun being handled by a young mother in a town outside Cleveland accidentally discharged, sending a bullet into her two-year-old daughters chest and killing her, police said Saturday.

The mother, who investigators did not identify, owned the weapon legally and had a permit to carry a concealed gun, according to a statement from Wickliffe, Ohio, police.

Police and paramedics were called late Friday to an Econo Lodge in Wickliffe where they tried to resuscitate the little girl. She was pronounced dead a short time later at a local hospital. Three siblings in the hotel were unhurt.

The safety was on when I dropped the gun and the bullet shot her, the mother told a 911 dispatcher, Clevelands ABC-5 TV reported. The gun dropped, I dropped my gun. Shes gone. My babys gone. Shes not breathing at all. Shes gone.

Wickliffe investigators issued a statement extending condolences to the family of this beautiful little girl ... all indicators are that this is the result of a tragic accident.

As our detectives continue this investigation, we wish to extend our condolences to the family of this beautiful little girl. At this time, all indicators are that this is the result of a tragic accident. https://t.co/lXHtP93bRR  Wickliffe Police (@WickliffePolice) April 21, 2018

An investigation is continuing. The matter will be reviewed to determine what, if any, criminal charges should be filed, said a police statement. We are not releasing any names at this time as extended family is still being notified. This is truly a tragic situation; please keep this beautiful young child and her family in your thoughts and prayers.

It was a tragic addition to grim news this week concerning children and guns.

Shazeem Hayes, 19, of South Carolina, was sentenced on Friday to eight years in prison for the death of his girlfriends son, 2-year-old Jacarion Gladden, who accidentally shot himself in the chest last year with Hayes 9-millimeter pistol

Story continues

In Indiana, the father of a 3-year-old girl who accidentally shot and injured her pregnant mother faces trial on three felony counts. Menzo Brazier, 21, of Indiana, allegedly left a loaded gun in the car with his girlfriend and two young children when he went inside a store Tuesday.

All told, 1,678 children age 5 and under in America died of gunshot wounds from 1999 to 2016, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control.

Also on HuffPost

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.Houston (AFP) - Past presidents, family and friends came together Saturday to bid a tearful farewell to Barbara Bush, the matriarch of one of America's most prominent political dynasties, at her funeral in Texas.

Bush, who died Tuesday aged 92, was wife to the 41st US president and mother to the 43rd. She was remembered for her friendship, her wit and her strength.

The invitation-only service at St Martin's Episcopal Church in Houston was attended by four former presidents: George H.W. Bush -- Barbara's husband of 73 years -- their son George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, as well as other former senior officials.

First Lady Melania Trump attended but her husband President Donald Trump did not, with the White House saying his decision to stay in Washington was taken "to avoid disruptions due to added security."

"My thoughts and prayers are with the entire Bush family," the president wrote on Twitter, saying he planned to watch the funeral ceremony.

"It was my honor to travel to Houston to give my respects to Barbara Bush," Melania Trump said in a statement.

"My sincerest thoughts and prayers continue to be with George H.W. and the entire Bush family."

Video: Barbara Bush Remembered as an American Icon

For more news videos visit Yahoo View.

The public had the opportunity to pay their respects to Barbara Bush at a visitation the previous day.

"Barbara Bush filled our lives with laughter and joy," her son Jeb, a former Florida governor and presidential candidate, said during the service.

"She was our teacher and role model on how to live a life of purpose and meaning," he said.

"Mom got us through our difficult times with consistent, take-it-to-the-bank, unconditional but tough love."

- 'Strong, fun and feisty' -

Known for her trademark faux pearls -- which Jeb mentioned in his eulogy -- and tart comments about life in and out of Washington, Barbara Bush was in many ways a figure more popular among ordinary Americans than her high-flying husband and sons.

Story continues

She met her husband-to-be at age 16 when she was a schoolgirl and he was a student at an elite Massachusetts preparatory school, and they married in 1945 while he was on leave from wartime service.

Bush made history as one of just two women to be wife and mother to US presidents. Abigail Adams, who died in 1818, was the other.

"She was smart, strong, fun and feisty," said Susan Baker, wife of George H.W. Bush's secretary of state and chief of staff James Baker.

And she was "a remarkable and selfless companion to her beloved husband George. It was extraordinary how she managed their rambunctious household in 29 different homes in 17 cities," Baker said in her eulogy.

Bush was her husband's companion and advisor as they traveled the world, moving multiple times as he rose from Texas oilman to congressman, US ambassador to the United Nations and envoy to China, director of the CIA and eventually to the vice presidency and the White House.

But she made a point of avoiding direct involvement in politics, and the posturing that comes with it -- gaining a reputation for toughness, wry humor and straight talking.

Having undergone heart surgery in 2009, she was treated for years for Graves' disease, a thyroid condition. As her health failed in recent days, she was moved into comfort care at her home in Houston.

Barbara Bush is survived by five children, 17 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. She lost a sixth child -- daughter Robin -- to leukemia as a toddler.

She was buried at the George Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas, US media reported Saturday evening.Police detained a number of protesters in Yerevan on April 21, bundling a number of protesters into police vans on the ninth day of protests against the appointment of former Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan as prime minister.

The state-owned ArmenPress news agency said some 93 people had been detained by 4pm as the protests continued. This video shows a number of detentions. Elsewhere in the city authorities dragged a number of activists from cars that were blocking busy streets.

Sargsyan, who served as president from 2008 to early 2018, was elected as prime minister by parliament on April 17. Critics have said the election was anti-democratic and have branded it as a power grab. In 2015, Armenia held a constitutional referendum which lessened the power of the president and gave greater power to the parliament. Credit: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty via StoryfulImage from surveillance footage of a suspect the New York Police Department is seeking in conjunction with a hate crime investigation involving a subway assault. (Photo: NYPD)

The New York City Police Department is investigating an incident involving a Hispanic man, who was allegedly beaten and pushed onto the subway tracks Friday night at Manhattans Union Square subway station.

According to the NYPD, the suspect is a black man wearing a red hat and red T-shirt that displayed President Trumps campaign slogan, Make America Great Again. The suspect reportedly shouted racial slurs at the victim.

A press release sent out by the NYPD on Saturday said the incident occurred after the 24-year-old victim engaged in a verbal dispute with the suspect on board a 4 train as it approached the Union Square station.

The NYPD said the suspect made multiple derogatory statements regarding the victims ethnicity during the argument. After the victim got off the train, police said the suspect followed him onto the platform and punched him on his head multiple times before pushing the victim onto the tracks.

The victim was helped off the tracks by a friend and another person before a train passed by, police said. The victim was taken to a hospital and treated for injuries he sustained when he fell onto the tracks.

A police source confirmed to Yahoo News that the incident is being investigated as a hate crime and that the victim is Mexican. Local news station NY1 reported the suspect berated the victim for taking jobs away from Americans.

The NYPD is seeking public assistance in identifying the suspect. Police released a video of the suspect standing on the train platform. The NYPD described the suspect as a male, black, dark complexion, heavy build, wearing a red Make America Great Again hat, a red shirt with the words Make America Great Again in white letters, blue dungaree overalls, a black  jacket, and jewelry around his neck.

Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call the NYPDs Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).

Read more from Yahoo News:Protesters wearing masks were tackled and arrested by police in Newnan, Georgia, on Saturday, April 21, during a rally hosted by the National Socialist Movement.

These videos taken from the rally show police pointing guns at protesters before grabbing a masked demonstrator and throwing him to the ground. The protesters could be heard chanting hands up, dont shoot. Credit: Ryan Guillory Sr. via StoryfulProtesters wearing masks were tackled and arrested by police in Newnan, Georgia, on Saturday, April 21, during a rally hosted by the National Socialist Movement.

These videos taken from the rally show police pointing guns at protesters before grabbing a masked demonstrator and throwing him to the ground. The protesters could be heard chanting hands up, dont shoot.

A reporter at the scene also took video of police tackling one protester to the ground. When asked why the arrests were being made, an officer told the reporter it was because they were wearing masks. In these videos, an officer can be heard demanding a protester to remove the mask.

The National Socialist Movement is described by the Southern Poverty Law Center as one of the largest and most prominent neo-Nazi groups in the United States.

The City of Newnan had more than a month to prepare for the rally after the group applied for the first permits. More than 40 law enforcement agencies were present, and fences had been placed around the park where the rally was to be held.

City officials had said they had no choice but to approve the permit for the rally, which was to celebrate Adolf Hitlers birthday. Between 50 and 100 members of the group were expected. Credit: Grant Baxter via StoryfulDonald Trump has made America read again. Since the beginning of the year, every New York Times bestseller has been about the 45th president, according to CNN. And thats not to mention the classic dystopian novels that shot up the list in 2017.

But if youre an author writing about President Trump, would you do better with a book praising him or one critical of him?

To answer that question, we gathered data from the Times nonfiction list of bestsellers on every book explicitly about Trump since his election in 2016.

That gave us a list of seven books supporting Trump, including books like Understanding Trump by Newt Gingrich and Billionaire at the Barricades by Laura Ingraham, and ten that were more critical, such as Fire and Fury by Michael Wolff and Russian Roulette by Michael Isikoff and David Corn.

The results were clear: All of the books except Wolffs had a quick decline in sales after their first week on the list, which is not uncommon. The pro-Trump books spent a median of three weeks on the bestseller list, while books critical of Trump have done slightly better, spending a median of three and a half weeks on the list. Both types of books had a median highest rank of third place.

The list does not include James Comeys memoir, A Higher Loyalty, which is too new to be included in the data set. But Comeys book, which is highly critical of Trump, is already selling well.

Each book is graphed above by its cumulative weeks appearing on the Times bestseller list, even if there were weeks in between where it did not make the cut.The Queen turned 92 today - Getty Images Europe

On the day she turned 21, the then Princess Elizabeth pledged to dedicated her life to serving the Commonwealth, in what has become one of the best-known and most moving public declarations of her long reign.

Surrounded by her family, at the close of a week that has cemented her Commonwealth legacy for a new generation, the Queen celebrated her 92nd birthday in some style, with a Royal Albert Hall concert designed to honour all she has done for her country.

With a line-up of music from each decade of her reign, the concert marked not just, as Her Majesty put it, another birthday, but the culmination of a lively week which brought all corners of the Commonwealth to London.

Introducing the evening the Prince of Wales led the birthday wishes with a touching written tribute to his mother.

While all birthdays are special, this year, the Queens birthday falls at the end of the week-long Commonwealth Summit in London, which has brought together 53 countries.

The Queen's Birthday Party - in pictures

Tonight we reflect on the pledge made by the Queen on her 21st birthday in 1947 in South Africa, to serve the Commonwealth for her whole life.

With my father, the Duke of Edinburgh, at her side, the Queen has dedicated herself, throughout her reign, to serving the United Kingdom and the other countries of the Commonwealth.

Tonight we pay tribute to her devotion to duty, her steadfastness in times of uncertainty, and her vital role in uniting people from all walks of life through her enduring strength and humanity.

With my family, I join you in wishing my mother, the Queen, a very happy birthday.

The Royal Family were out in force once more, after spending the week dropping in to forums, roundtables and Buckingham Palace receptions to lend their support to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

the Queen celebrated her 92nd birthday in style with a Royal Albert Hall concert Credit: Andrew Parsons/PA

The Saturday night concert saw the Queen flanked by her son and heir, the Prince of Wales, who was this week secured in the position as the next Head of Commonwealth.

Story continues

Her grandsons, the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry, joined them, with Meghan Markle, who will become the newest member of the Queens Family at her Windsor Castle wedding in May.

Also in attendance The Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence.

The Duchess of Cambridge, who is expecting her third child any day now, stayed at home with Prince George and Princess Charlotte, able to watch the show on television along with millions of others from the comfort of her own sofa.

In a speech, Prince Harry wished his grandmother a very happy birthday, announcing the official launch of her Queen's Commonwealth Trust as a present.

Addressing her from the stage, he joked she is not always "easy to buy gifts for", saying the Trust and its work with future of the Commonwealth would be the perfect present.

"Your Majesty, happy birthday," he said.

The Prince of Wales attended after securing the position as the next Head of Commonwealth Credit: John Stillwell/PA

As the Duke of Cambridge whispered in her ear, perhaps explaining the finer points of who each performer was, the Queen clapped enthusiastically after songs from Luke Evans, singing Oklahoma, Sting and Shaggy, and Kylie, accompanied on stage by a group thrusting cowboys.

The undoubted stars of the show, though, were the George Formby fan club, led by Frank Skinner, Harry Hill and Ed Balls, who played a cheery rendition of When Im Cleaning Windows.

As footage of Formby from the 1930s played, the Queen was seen nodding her head in time as Prince Charles's and Prince William beamed on either side of her and the Countess of Wessex and Princess Beatrice danced in their seats behind.

Chosen to represent the full breadth of the Commonwealth, from Canadian Shawn Mendes to South African male choir Ladysmith Black Mambazo, some members of the line-up may have been more familiar to the Queen's grandchildren than her own generation.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attended Credit: John Stillwell/PA

But concert organisers were sure to be on safe ground with songs from Oklahoma and a ukulele performance from 40 members of the George Formby Society.

Formby himself is known to have been invited to play for Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret at Buckingham Palace when they were children, with the Queen rumoured to have once triumphantly claimed: I know all his songs and I can sing them.

The event was organised by the Royal Commonwealth Society, which has the Queen as patron and is 150 years old this year, and hosted for the BBC by Zoe Ball, who described it as what must surely be the best birthday party ever.The growing tension between two frequent targets of President Trump, former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe and his old boss, former FBI Director James Comey, was laid bare Friday morning.

Andy is upset and disappointed in some of the things Comey has said, McCabes lawyer Michael Bromwich said at a briefing for reporters Friday morning. Comey told the Justice Departments internal watchdog that McCabe never alerted him to disclosures he planned to authorize to The Wall Street Journal in October 2016. McCabe, who was fired last month after the Justice Department Inspector General determined that he lied about those disclosures, insists that Comey knewand that there are email and phone records that prove it. The IG has referred McCabe for possible prosecution to the U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C.

The open conflict between the two former associates reveals the stark reality of McCabes defense strategy, and its unlikely intersection with Trumps: Both McCabe and Trumps efforts to defend themselves against allegations that they acted improperlyMcCabe through self-serving leaks, Trump through attempts to influence the FBI investigation into his former national-security advisernow depend in large part on their ability to impeach Comeys credibility. Trump, whose new nickname for the former FBI director is Lyin Comey, has taken this a great deal further than Bromwich, who has attributed the disagreement between McCabe and Comeys version of events to Comeys fallible memory. But Bromwichs suggestion that Comeys recall may be faulty comes at a particularly sensitive time for Comey, who has been trying to convince the publicthrough the launch of a new book and a whirlwind media tourthat he can be trusted to recall the details of his private conversations with the president.

Recommended: Trumps Attacks on Comey Collide With Reality

Story continues

An attorney for Comey declined to comment.

Leaks about Trumps private interactions with both Comey and McCabe over the last year have rattled the president, who is under investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller for potential obstruction of justice. Mueller is also looking into whether officials involved in Trumps 2016 campaign aided a Russian influence operation aimed at helping Trump win the presidency.

Comeys memos memorializing his conversations with Trumpand McCabes memos memorializing his conversations with Comey about his conversations with Trumpcould make them important potential witnesses in that obstruction probe. Comey wrote in his memos that Trump asked him for loyalty, and to consider dropping the investigation into former National-Security Adviser Michael Flynn. Trump has characterized Comey, whom he fired last May, as a liar, and McCabe as biased due to a donation McCabes wife received from a political action committee run by a Clinton ally in 2015months before McCabe stepped into a new role as deputy director that gave him an oversight role of the Clinton email investigation. Trump may not be able to successfully harm either mans credibilitybut its possible that McCabe and Comeys conflict will do that for him.

McCabe was fired by Attorney General Jeff Sessions last month, days before he was eligible to retire, after an internal Justice Department probe found that he had lacked candor when investigators asked him about his role in authorizing a disclosure of information to the Journal, including when he was interviewed under oath. The IG report concluded that McCabe had tried to make himself look good by making senior department leadership  look bad. McCabe has denied misleading investigators.

Recommended: Four Things the Comey Memos Reveal

The Journal reported, based in part on information McCabe had authorized to be released, that McCabe had pushed back on what he saw as a request from a high-level DOJ official to slow-roll an investigation into the Clinton Foundation. McCabes disclosure revealed the existence of an ongoing investigation, according to the report, which violates longstanding DOJ rules. He then mischaracterized his role in the leak in conversations with both Comey and internal investigators, according to the report. Comey said during an appearance on The View this week that he ordered the leak investigation, but Bromwich said it was not clear to him whether that probe was targeted at McCabe specifically or at the bureau as a whole.

Comey was interviewed as part of the investigation, and a transcript of his remarks was made available to McCabe and his lawyers so they could present a rebuttal. According to Bromwich, that transcript of Comeys interview shows that his responses were vague when he was asked whether McCabe had alerted him to the media disclosures. Comey kept saying, I dont have a clear recollection, Bromwich said, citing the transcript. The IG report, however, paints Comey as unequivocal: McCabe definitely did not tell me that he authorized the disclosure, Comey told the inspector general, according to the report. I have a strong impression he conveyed to me, It wasnt me, boss, he purportedly added. Bromwich said on Friday that Comeys claims were a case of fallible memory, and that email and phone records that were not included in the IGs final report show that McCabe did not mislead the FBI director.

Recommended: White Evangelicals Can't Quit Donald Trump

McCabe was in constant communication with Comey, Bromwich said on Friday. Can he remember, specifically, the words he used when he told Comey that he had authorized the sharing of that information? He cannot, Bromwich said. He noted that McCabe, as deputy director, was allowed to authorize media disclosures, and would have no reason not to tell Comey about it. In an interview with MSNBCs Rachel Maddow on Thursday, Comey agreed that McCabe had this authority, but reiterated that McCabe did not consult him about the Journal disclosures.

The IG declined to comment when asked why the emails and phone records described by Bromwich had not been included in the final report. A nondisclosure agreement has prevented McCabes legal team from obtaining and releasing those recordsas well as an 11-page rebuttal memo summarizing those records and other informationto the public, according to Bromwich. DOJ and FBI employees who come under investigation are required to sign an NDA promising not to disclose materials that did not make it into the final IG report.

Im not saying they buried it, Bromwich told me when I asked why the IG had not included the emails and phone records in its final report. But they did not give them adequate weight. A spokeswoman for McCabe, Melissa Schwartz, said that the materials could be obtained via a lawsuit through the discovery process. McCabes attorneys are thinking of bringing a civil suit against the DOJ on McCabes behalf, Bromwich said, which would include allegations of wrongful termination and defamation.

Comey, for now, seems to be rolling with the OIGs findings. Good people lie, he said during his appearance on The View earlier this week. I think Im a good person, where I have lied. I still believe Andrew McCabe is a good person but the inspector general found he lied. The stakes are high for Comey not only because of his book launch, but also because he testified to Congress under oath last May that he never authorized anyone to leak about either the Trump or Clinton investigations. In a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing held just before Comey was fired, chairman Chuck Grassley asked him whether he had ever authorized someone else at the FBI to be an anonymous source in news reports about the Trump investigation or the Clinton investigation.

No, Comey replied.

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.By Rich McKay

(Reuters) - Mitt Romney's restart of his political career hit a roadblock Saturday. The 2012 Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts governor failed to win the Utah Republican Party's nomination, which means he must face 11 challengers in a June primary for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch.

Romney needed at least 60 percent of the votes from delegates at the Utah GOP convention Saturday to head to the November election unopposed, but he earned only 49.12 percent, CNN and other media reported.

Romney was considered the political favorite by political observers and U.S. President Donald Trump endorsed Romney in February.

The president said on Twitter in February that Romney "will make a great Senator and worthy successor to @OrrinHatch, and has my full support and endorsement!"

But Romney and the president have not always been political allies.

Romney excoriated Trump in the 2016 presidential campaign and said he was a "fraud" who was "playing the American public for suckers." Trump responded that Romney had "choked like a dog" in his 2012 campaign against President Barack Obama.

Despite the criticism, Trump briefly considered making Romney his Secretary of State.

Romney said in February that he generally approves of Trumps agenda, but would call out the president if needed.

"I'm with the presidents domestic policy agenda of low taxes, low regulation, smaller government, pushing back against the bureaucrats," Romney said. "I'm not always with the president on what he might say or do, and if that happens Ill call them like I see them, the way I have in the past."

Romney was criticized by some delegates for being a latecomer to the state, moving to Utah relatively recently, CNN reported.

Romney's campaign could not be reached for comment early Sunday.

(Reporting by Rich McKay; Editing by Stephen Coates)A giant indoor farm in China is breeding 6 billion cockroaches a year. This article turns a spotlight on the disgusting insect with apparently remarkable medicinal qualities at the worlds largest breeding facility, where the bugs outnumber the planets human population. Its no gag: cockroach milk is one of the worlds most nutritious and calorie-rich substances, scientist says

It is warm, humid and dark all year round, with freedom to roam to find food and reproduce. Fully sealed like a prison, it has strict limitations on access to visitors. From birth to death, inhabitants never see the sun.

The worlds largest cockroach farm is breeding 6 billion adult cockroaches a year and using artificial intelligence to manage a colony larger than the worlds human population  all for medicinal use.

It is part of the production process for a healing potion consumed by millions of patients in China, according to the government.

There are many cockroach breeding facilities in China, for use as an ingredient in medicine or as a source of protein for livestock feed. But no other facility can match the productivity of the farm in the city of Xichang, in southwestern Sichuan province.

Nearly 28,000 full-sized cockroaches per square foot are produced there annually, the Sichuan government said in a report submitted to Beijing early this year.

It is the first time in history so many cockroaches have been confined and bred in one space. The project had achieved so many scientific and technological breakthroughs that it deserved a national science award, the provincial government said.

Its no gag: cockroach milk is one of the worlds most nutritious and calorie-rich substances, scientist says

The facility achieved its unrivalled efficiency partly by being controlled by a smart manufacturing system powered by artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms, according to the report.

The system constantly collects and analyses more than 80 categories of big data, including humidity, temperature, food supply and consumption. It monitors changes such as genetic mutations and how these affect the growing rates of individual cockroaches.

AI is transforming China in many sectors, from powerful facial recognition systems capable of identifying 1.3 billion citizens in seconds to nuclear submarines that can help a captain make faster, more accurate decisions in combat.

In the cockroach farm, the AI system learns from past work, self-adjusting to improve cockroach production.

Dr Zhang Wei, former assistant researcher at the College of Mechanical Engineering at Zhejiang University, who was involved in the development of the system, told the South China Morning Post: There is nothing like it in the world. It has used some unique solutions to address some unique issues.

Rustling in the darkness

Zhang confirmed the use of AI technology in the project but declined to give details.

The farm is operated by the Gooddoctor Pharmaceutical Group of Chengdu, Sichuan. According to a 2011 report by the government newspaper Guangming Daily, a visitor must change into a sanitised working suit to avoid bringing in pollutants or pathogens.

There were very few human beings in the facility, the article stated. On shelves, floors and ceiling, the cockroaches were everywhere.

Hold your breath and (you) only hear a rustling sound, it continued. Whenever flashlights swept, the cockroaches fled. Wherever the beam landed, there was a sound like wind blowing through leaves.

It was just like standing in the depths of a bamboo forest in late autumn. The cool breeze blows, and the leaves rustle.

Could super-breed terrorise a city?

The sheer number of insects locked in the facility  the largest colony of cockroaches ever to have existed on the planet  conjures some nightmarish scenarios.

Professor Zhu Chaodong, the Institute of Zoologys lead scientist in insect evolution studies at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, said it would be a catastrophe if billions of cockroaches were suddenly released into the environment  be it through human error or a natural disaster like an earthquake that damaged the building.

To Xichangs near-800,000 inhabitants, one such accident could be terrifying, Zhu said. The farm is also located close to Xichangs Qingshan airport.

Multiple lines of defence must be in place and work properly to prevent the disaster of accidental release, Zhu said.

Cockroaches multiply rapidly in a suitable environment, said Zhu. Given Xichangs warm climate and ample rainfall, a dozen of them could infest an entire neighbourhood.

There are also concerns that the farms intensive reproduction and genetic screening would accelerate the insects evolution and produce super-cockroaches, of abnormal size and breeding capability, although Zhu said this was unlikely to happen.

Cockroaches are believed to have been around since the dinosaurs, surviving extreme environmental conditions that brought extinction for other species.

Every cockroach is a super-cockroach, Zhu said. Mother Nature has already done its job. There is little room left for us to make improvements.

Creating the potion

At the time of the government report, the farm had generated a total of 4.3 billion yuan (US$684 million) in revenue over the years by manufacturing a potion made entirely of cockroaches.

When they reach the desired weight and size, the cockroaches are fed into machines and crushed to make the potion, which had remarkable effects on stomach pain and other ailments, said the provincial government.

The potion has a tea-like colour, tastes slightly sweet and has a slightly fishy smell, according to the products packaging.

More than 40 million patients with respiratory, gastric and other diseases were cured after taking the potion on doctors prescriptions, according to the official report, which stated that the farm was selling it to more than 4,000 hospitals across the country.

The miracle-like cure

Cockroach has been an ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. In some rural areas in southern China, infants are still occasionally fed cockroaches mixed with garlic to treat fever caused by an infection or upset stomach.

The Chinese government financed nationwide studies into cockroaches medical value that, after more than two decades of laboratory investigation and clinical trials, had discovered or confirmed dozens of disease-fighting proteins and biochemical compounds with huge potential value in medicine.

Thousands of pages of Chinese medical journals have detailed findings suggesting the rejuvenating effect of the cockroach potion. It could stimulate regrowth of damaged tissues such as skin and mucosa, the sticky membrane on the surface of internal organs that is difficult to heal and causes chronic pain.

Patients suffering burns or serious stomach inflammations recovered faster with the potion treatment than without, according to numerous studies.

The potion is not a panacea  it does not have a magic power against all diseases, said a researcher experienced in cockroach-related medicines at the Institute of Materia Medica at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) in Beijing.

But its effect on certain symptoms is well established, and confirmed by molecular science and large-scale hospital applications.

Patients learn the Latin

There is a potentially major disadvantage to the potion, according to the CAMS researcher, who requested not to be named. The source of raw material, to most people, is disgusting, she said. That is an important reason why the use of the potion is not found in other countries.

Even in China, most patients might not know the liquid came from cockroaches.

The potion is not for sale over the counter. But still, you can find it. A pack containing two bottles of 100ml cost a bit more than 50 yuan (US$8).

On the packaging and in the user instructions, only one ingredient was listed: Periplaneta americana, the Latin name of the American cockroach, one of the largest cockroach species.

The internet has played host to lively discussions about the medicine, known as kangfuxin ye, or potion of recovery.

I searched for Periplaneta americana when drinking the potion. I saw the picture and spat it all on screen, wrote one user on Baidu Tieba, the large Chinese online community run by search engine company Baidu.

Several patients who had consumed the potion told they were not aware of its content when they drank it.

This is knowledge Id rather live without, said a young mother in Beijing who was prescribed it to accelerate recovery after giving birth a year ago.

I dont know the effect, but I healed eventually, said another patient, who took the potion to cure a back injury.

Disgusting but powerful

Han Yijun, a representative of Gooddoctor Pharmaceutical Group in Beijing, has denied the company misleads patients by referring to the giant cockroach by its academic name.

Our drug has been used in hospitals for many, many years and established an enormous number of fans, she said.

Some patients with chronic stomach illness were taking the potion regularly because it could relieve their pain significantly, she said.

They all know its made from cockroaches, Han said. It is a disgusting insect, but there are hardly any drugs on the shelves with the same effect.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Farm churning out 6b cockroaches a year  for medicine.

Follow us: Facebook and Twitter(Reuters) - U.S. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein told President Donald Trump last week that he is not a target of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, according to a source familiar with the probe. After the April 12 conversation with Rosenstein, Trump told advisers that he was not inclined to seek the ouster of either man since he is not the target of Mueller's probe. The conversation was first reported by Bloomberg. The Justice Department told Reuters it does not comment on conversations with the president. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. Mueller is investigating allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election and possible collusion with the Trump campaign. Russia has denied meddling in the election. Trump has said there was no collusion and has repeatedly called the Mueller probe a "witch hunt," raising concerns he might try to fire the special counsel or Rosenstein, who oversees the investigation. Under Justice Department policy, a target is someone who is believed to have committed a crime and is likely to face charges, while a subject is someone whose conduct is within the scope of an investigation, said Lisa Kern Griffin, a former federal prosecutor and a professor at Duke University School of Law. The Washington Post reported earlier this month that Trump is a subject of the probe. Griffin said the assurance from Rosenstein is not significant because the president could yet become a target of the investigation. "It is possible to progress from being a subject to being a target if the necessary substantive and structural support emerges later," she said. Griffin said one reason Trump is being treated as a subject, rather than a target, may be that Rosenstein is operating under assumption that a sitting president cannot be indicted. (Reporting by Steve Holland in West Palm Beach, Florida; Additional reporting by Jan Wolfe in New York; writing by Mohammad Zargham; editing by Eric Beech and Dan Grebler)MOSCOW (Reuters) - U.S. military strikes on Syria last week removed any moral obligation Russia had to withhold S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems from its ally Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday, according to RIA state news agency.

Lavrov was also quoted as saying that, prior to the U.S. strikes on Syrian targets, Russia had told U.S. officials which areas of Syria represented "red lines" for Moscow, and the U.S. military action did not cross those lines.

"Now, we have no moral obligations. We had the moral obligations, we had promised not to do it some 10 years ago, I think, upon the request of our known partners," he said according to RIA.

He also said that he was convinced Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump would not allow an armed confrontation between their two countries, RIA reported.

A Russian army commander has also said that Moscow would consider supplying S-300 missile systems to Syria following U.S.-led strikes.

The United States, France and Britain launched 105 missiles last week in retaliation for a suspected poison gas attack by government forces on a rebel-held area near the capital.

According to military analysts, the S-300 surface-to-air missile system would improve Russia's ability to control air space in Syria, where Moscows forces support the government of President Bashar al-Assad, and could be aimed at deterring tougher U.S. action.

(Reporting by Maria Kiselyova; Writing by Christian Lowe and Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by Peter Graff and Hugh Lawson)Russian minister Sergei Lavrov with Vladimir Putin (Getty Images)

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has said Moscow has plenty of evidence that Britain staged the alleged chemical attack in the Syrian city of Douma.

Mr Lavrov even claimed that chemicals made in Salisbury were used by the UK.

In an interview with the state-run Rossiya Segodnya news agency, he also alleged that the humanitarian organisation the White Helmets falsified videos showing people suffering the after-effects of the gas attack in the Syrian city.

He accused the rescue organisation of terrorist links.

Also, just recently, our defence ministrys troops liberating Douma found a stockpile of chemicals produced in Germany, Porton Down and Salisbury, among others, Mr Lavrov said.

Experts are now analysing the substances found there.

The attack on 7 April was the trigger for US, UK and French air strikes in Syria.

Theresa May has said there is irrefutable evidence that the Assad regime was responsible for the deadly atrocity.

Assad and his ally Russia have both denied that this is the case.

Two men ride a motorbike along a destroyed street in Douma (Getty Images)

The British ambassador to the UN warned earlier today that there is a possibility that Russia has tampered with evidence of the alleged chemical gas attack.

Karen Pierce said all the facts had not yet been established, and that Russia and Syria should allow inspectors to visit the site.

The visit to the area by inspectors from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has been put on hold after a team came under small arms fire and returned to Damascus earlier this week.

Ms Pierce, speaking to the Associated Press, said: We do look to the Russians and the Syrians to uphold the promises they made to the Security Council last week that the inspectors would be allowed in, that they would be escorted, that they would be safe and that they could have free access.

Speaking last weekend, Prime Minister Theresa May said there was no practicable alternative than to use force to deter the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime.

She added: This is not about intervening in a civil war. It is not about regime change.RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's King Salman was not present in his palace in Riyadh on Saturday when security forces shot down a toy drone in the area, a senior Saudi official told Reuters. "The king was at his farm in Diriya," the official said, naming another area of the capital. A spokesman for the Riyadh police said earlier that forces at a checkpoint in the Khozama district had identified the drone and "dealt with it according to their orders", without specifying if there were any injuries or damage. (Reporting By Rania Elgamal; Editing by Gareth Jones)Riyadh (AFP) - Saudi air defences on Sunday intercepted a ballistic missile fired by Yemeni rebels at the kingdom's southern border city of Najran, which set a farm ablaze, state media said.

"Saudi forces were able to intercept (the missile)," the Saudi Press Agency said, citing the Saudi-led coalition fighting Iran-backed Huthi rebels.

"But the shrapnel scattered over residential areas and caused a fire at a farm belonging to a citizen, without causing any injuries."

The missile was launched from Saada, the Huthi stronghold in northern Yemen, the coalition was cited as saying.

The coalition said another missile crashed in a Saudi desert on Sunday, without specifying a location, adding it caused no damage.

Sunday's strikes are the latest in a series of rebel bombardments on Saudi territory.

Saudi forces said they intercepted a rebel ballistic missile targeting kingdom's southern coastal city of Jizan on Friday, the second such strike in the area in over a week.

Earlier this month, Saudi forces said they intercepted rebel ballistic missiles fired at Riyadh and the south of the kingdom, where two drones were also shot down.

Saudi Arabia has since March 2015 led a coalition of Arab states fighting to roll back the Huthis in Yemen and restore its neighbour's internationally recognised government to power.

Nearly 10,000 people have since been killed in the conflict, in what the United Nations has called the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

In March, an Egyptian labourer became the first known fatality in a rebel missile attack on the Saudi capital.

Saudi Arabia accuses its arch-rival Iran of smuggling missiles to the Huthis -- a charge Tehran denies.After Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) said he was retiring, former Gov. Phil Bredesen -- a top Democratic recruit -- jumped into the race. (Photo: Leah Millis / Reuters)

Retiring Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) could muster up only lukewarm praise for his partys leading contender to replace him in Novembers election, and again offered kind words for the main Democratic candidate.

Im supporting the nominee, Corker said of Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) on CNNs State of the Union Sunday. I have worked with the nominee for some time. And I dont know what else to say.

After Corker chose not to seek a third term this year. Blackburn quickly declared her candidacy and is expected to win the GOPs Aug. 2 primary. The expected Democratic nominee is former Gov. Phil Bredesen.

Corker recently found himself in a bit of hot water after praising Bredesen and saying hes got real appeal.

He was a very good mayor [of Nashville], a very good governor, a very good business person, Corker told reporters last week. Look, Im not going to campaign against someone who Ive been friends with and worked with.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) later pulled Corker aside and told him his comments risked the party losing its thin majority in the chamber in November, according to The Washington Post.

And a day after Corkers comments, President Donald Trump tweeted his support of Blackburn.

.@MarshaBlackburn is a wonderful woman who has always been there when we have needed her. Great on the Military, Border Security and Crime. Loves and works hard for the people of Tennessee. She has my full endorsement and I will be there to campaign with her!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 19, 2018

On Sunday, Corker said he has donated to and intends to vote for Blackburn, but he again said he likes Bredesen.

Look, I have sent the maximum contribution to the Republican nominee on our side. I have said Im going to plan to vote for this person, he said. I was in a long meeting where ... [reporters] were asking me about Gov. Bredesen. He is my friend. Im not going to campaign against him, but I am supporting our nominee.

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When asked why Blackburn would be better for the state than Bredesen, all he said was that she is, at the end of the day, a Republican.

I think most people in our state  it is a red state  will focus on the first vote she makes, he said. And that is the vote to elect the majority leader. And I think, at the end of the day, that is going to be a big factor in the race.

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.MAHIKENG, South Africa, April 20 (Reuters) - South Africa's new president Cyril Ramaphosa visited North West province on Friday to try to quell protests over poor local services that have turned violent, after cutting short a trip to the Commonwealth summit being held in London.

Police Minister Bheki Cele said Ramaphosa would meet local officials from his ruling African National Congress (ANC) party at around 1000 GMT in a bid to defuse tensions.

"I am here to listen more than talk," Cele told local television. "The president, together with the deputy president, will be having a meeting in the area to see what decisions need to be taken to make the situation better."

Ramaphosa, who replaced Jacob Zuma as head of state in February, has staked his reputation on rooting out the corruption and mismanagement associated with Zuma's nine scandal-plagued years in power.

Unrest erupted on Wednesday in and around the city of Mahikeng in the province, located around 300 km (200 miles) west of South Africa's commercial hub Johannesburg.

South African media reported that cars were set alight, shops looted and roads blockaded by protesters calling for North West Premier Supra Mahumapeloa, a member of the ANC, to quit.

Police fired rubber bullets to disperse the crowds and made more than 20 arrests. One man died in a car chase between police and protesters, the Times Live news website cited a local police spokeswoman as saying.

"Service delivery protesters" seeking jobs, better housing, roads and hospitals frequently clash with police in South Africa, where weak economic growth has left more than one in four workers unemployed.

Ramaphosa cut short his visit to Britain on Thursday because of the demonstrations. Calling for calm, he ordered police to exercise maximum restraint and urged those with grievances not to resort to violence.

Foreign Minister Lindiwe Sisulu told state broadcaster SABC on Friday from London that neighbouring Botswana's decision to close some border points into North West province was a factor behind Ramaphosa's decision to leave the summit early.

Both countries are members of the Commonwealth, a network of 53 mostly former territories of the British Empire.

The president, a trade union leader turned businessman, has a reputation as a painstaking negotiator after playing a key role in talks to end white minority rule more than 20 years ago. (Reporting by Joe Brock, Dinky Mkhize and Siphiwe Sibeko Writing by Alexander Winning Editing by James Macharia and Catherine Evans)Southwest Airlines has sent passengers who were on the deadly flight that made an emergency landing earlier this week $5,000 checks, and $1,000 flight vouchers to help pay for immediate financial needs.

The checks were delivered alongside an apology letter from the airline, which was rated as the safest commercial flight provider in the world until the left side engine on Flight 1380 from New York to Dallas ripped apart, leaving a woman dead, and forcing the aircraft to make an emergency landing at Philadelphia International Airport.

There were 144 passengers, and five crew members, on the flight when the incident occurred Tuesday. Jennifer Riordan, a 43-year-old mother of two and bank executive died from injuries she sustained after she was partially blown out of a window that was shattered by the engine explosion.

Payments like the one Southwest made are not unusual for the circumstances, CNN analyst and transportation lawyer Mary Schiavo said on that cable news network.

It gets money in the hands of people that need it for counselling or something, Ms Schiavo said.

The letter says that the airlines primary focus is to assist you in every way possible, and was signed by Southwest Airlines president Gary C Kelly.

We value you as our Customer and hope you will allow us another opportunity to restore your confidence in Southwest as the airline you can count on for your travel needs, Mr Kelly wrote. In this spirit, we are sending you a check in the amount of $5000 to cover any of your immediate financial needs. As a tangible gesture of our heartfelt sincerity, we are also sending you a $1,000 travel voucher (in a separate e-mail), which can be used for future travel.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the root cause of the engine failure, and investigators have said that a broken rotor blade led to the catastrophe.

Investigators have said that it is possible that an undetectable crack  or at least one that is undetectable to the human eye  may have initially caused the rotor blade to break.Southwest Airlines cancelled about 40 flights Sunday as the airline stepped up efforts to inspect the engines of its Boeing 737 fleet on the heels of last weeks deadly engine explosion on Flight 1380.

The airline voluntarily announced inspections of engines in the CFM56 family  which powers nearly all of Southwests fleet  on Tuesday, after a passenger died when she was partially sucked out of an aircraft window that had been shattered in by the engine blast.

Inspectors now believe that the CFM56-7B jet engine failure occurred when one of the engines fan blades broke off and came loose. The mid-air incident forced the New York to Dallas flight to make an emergency landing at Philadelphia International Airport. CFM56-7B engines are the most common engines on Boeing 737s, which are the most common commercial aircraft in the world. Southwests entire fleet is made up of Boeing 737s.

Today, we have only canceled about 40 flights due to fan blade inspections out of a planned schedule of almost 4,000 flights. The cancellations are minimal (1% of todays flights), a Southwest spokesperson told TIME. We have minimized flight disruptions this past week through actions such as proactive aircraft routings to cover open trips and utilizing spare aircraft, when available.

Southwest said that the inspections were already scheduled and were not prompted by the Federal Aviation Administrations order on Friday that requires operators to inspect fan blades on certain CFM56-7B engines within 20 days. The airline did, however, acknowledge the FAAs directive on Twitter.

Heres our statement following an emergency airworthiness directive issued by the FAA. pic.twitter.com/s0m4P6p4I6  Southwest Airlines (@SouthwestAir) April 21, 2018

The announcement that Southwest was already accelerating its inspection process as a precautionary measure was posted by the airline last week: The accelerated inspections are being performed out of an abundance of caution and are expected to be completed over the next 30 days.

The FAAs inspection order applies to CFM56-7B engines, specifically engines with more than 30,000 total cycles from new, the directive reads.

The FAA says that the engine manufacturer estimates todays corrective action affects 352 engines in the U.S. and 681 engines worldwide.Aviation authorities in the U.S. and Europe have ordered airlines to conduct urgent safety checks of hundreds of engines of the same model as that which exploded mid-flight on a Southwestern Airlines this week.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Aviation Safety Agency gave airlines 20 days to conduct ultrasound checks of the engines CFM56-7B engines.

southwest airlines

DOMINICK REUTER/AFP/Getty Images

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According to the FAA, the checks will involve 352 engines on commercial aircraft in the U.S., and 681 worldwide.

"Specifically, engines with more than 30,000 total cycles from new must complete inspections within 20 days," the directive states.

Engine manufacturer CFM in a statement Friday called for engineers to inspect the engines more frequently.

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"CFM recommends ultrasonic inspections within the next 20 days to fan blades of CFM56-7B engines with more than 30,000 cycles since new," said CFM. "Also, it recommends inspections by the end of August for fan blades with 20,000 cycles, and inspections to all other fan blades when they reach 20,000 cycles."

It estimates that 2,500 more engines will be effected by the requirement to inspect fan blades with 20,000 cycles by the end of August.

A malfunctioning CFM56-7B forced a Southwest Airlines flight from New York to Dallas to make an emergency landing on Tuesday.

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Story continues

A female passenger was partly sucked from a window broken by debris from the engine, and though she was pulled back inside by passengers died of her injuries.

She has been identified as Jennifer Riordan, 43, a mother of two.

A jet engine completes a cycle every time it completes an engine start, takeoff, landing, and full shut down.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said following the incident that the planes engine had metal fatigue, and pieces had detached from it during the flight.

Southwest Airlines has already said it will carry out an inspection of all of its planes with the same model of engine within the next 30 days.

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from NewsweekAfter a racial incident that garnered national attention last weekend, Starbucks has required racial-bias training for all its employees. This move has the potential to positively impact America, but the company has an uphill climb.

Here's what happened. On April 12 a patron at a Philadelphia Starbucks captured a video of two black men being arrested, seemingly for doing nothing. The store manager called the police, saying the men had not bought anything and refused to leave. It turns out they'd only been in the store for two minutes and were waiting for a friend to order. The video quickly went viral, getting millions of views on Twitter and YouTube.

Starbucks first issued a terse, three-sentence apology that immediately sparked more backlash. Then, on Tuesday, the company said it would close all 8,000 of its nationwide stores on the afternoon of May 29, and give mandatory racial bias training to its 175,000 employees.

SEE ALSO: The largest protests in American history are happening now. Expect them to get bigger.

Considering the nearly ubiquitous place that Starbucks holds in America, experts agreed that such a training could have a wide-reaching social effects. If it's handled correctly.

@Starbucks The police were called because these men hadnt ordered anything. They were waiting for a friend to show up, who did as they were taken out in handcuffs for doing nothing. All the other white ppl are wondering why its never happened to us when we do the same thing. pic.twitter.com/0U4Pzs55Ci  Melissa DePino (@missydepino) April 12, 2018

The challenges and opportunities of anti-discrimination training

In their press release announcing the training, Starbucks said that in the weeks before May 29, it would develop a program that promised to address "implicit bias, promote conscious inclusion, prevent discrimination, and ensure everyone inside a Starbucks store feels safe and welcome." The release also listed a number of notable people who would assist in developing the program, like former Attorney General Eric Holder and NAACP President Sherrilyn Ifill.

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However, experts agree that it's a long road between one afternoon of training and an impactful change in behavior. And some were critical that it took a viral incident for Starbuck to address the issue, calling it reactive instead of proactive.

"I think that anytime that you do racial-bias training, being proactive is the best approach," Matthew Kincaid, founder of Overcoming Racism, a consulting organization that trains corporations and schools on eliminating racial bias, said. "They should invest in doing this as part of the onboarding training. They are acting reactively rather than doing something proactively and creating a culture."

Kincaid said that many employees might be turned off by the mandatory nature of the training, and may feel like they're getting blamed for something that happened in another store.

Many also question the efficacy of taking just five weeks to develop a plan for so many employees, and wonder about the consistency of such a broad training.

"The quality control is the question," Dr. Bryant Marks, Morehouse College psychology professor and founding director of The National Training Institute on Race & Equity, said. "I don't know how they're going to standardized the experience."

Starbucks to Close All U.S. Stores for Racial-Bias Education | Starbucks Newsroom

He said the best way to train so many people at once would be through video, but that might have an adverse effect on engagement. He added that it's better to have a trained professional lead a video than a sub-par leader initiate a live session, but either way, he said, it would be tough for the company to make sure the message was received equally by everyone.

All agreed, however, that if Starbucks is committed to educating its employees on bias and discrimination, the company will have to be in it for the long haul.

"This would have to be the beginning of an ongoing body of work." Marks said. "One training is good for raising awareness, but it's only the beginning of changing a culture. "

The debate on implicit bias training

On top of Starbucks' decision to provide training is the question of the type of training it plans to provide. The implicit bias program that Starbucks is enacting, the company hopes, would target biases that people act upon without active awareness. Implicit biases include things like associating black people with "criminality" or mischaracterizing the age and size of black people.

But there's an ongoing debate among psychologists and sociologists about the ability of this type of training to actually affect people's behavior. There are even some studies that say implicit bias training has an "often weak" result.

Marks approves of Starbucks' approach toward implicit bias training, because the situation that arose seems to have been caused specifically because of the Starbucks manager's unconscious bias towards to the two men. Though, of trainings, he said that what's most needed is a skilled leader.

"Any trainer worth their salt is going to acknowledge the levels on which bias can occur," he said.

Starbucks could have chosen other forms of training. Kincaid's Overcoming Racism program, for instance, specializes in training that helps inform people how to act on their behavior rather than merely pointing out that they have it.

"Racial-bias training helps us understand and recognize the biases that we have, but it doesn't help us promote actions," Kincaid said. "Anti-racism training helps us act against a system that ultimately hurts all of us. People understanding bias makes people more aware of that, but it doesn't change the system and people's thoughts and action."

His consultation consists of understanding not only a specific person's biases, but also understanding the underlying systemic bias and how to personally address it.

Starbucks would not offer Mashable further clarification as to how the company determined the best and most consistent course of action for the training.

Kincaid believes that a single training could not illicit the type of change that Starbucks claims to want to make. A shift in the company's culture would be needed, not only externally to customers, but also internally, regarding staffers' attitudes toward each other. And it will take some time.

"I don't believe that anti-racism or racial-bias training actually changes people's behavior in the long term," Kincaid said. "What does change people's behavior is changing the culture of an institution. When we belong to organizations, we adapt to the culture of that organization. I think Starbucks has to be very thoughtful about the policies that make this a place where something like this could happen."

But according to Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors, what happened in Starbucks "wasn't just racist, it was anti-black." She thinks whatever training happens should address that specifically.

"Not all trainings are created equal," she said. "And not all trainings are going to do the thing you want them to do. What is key is having an important conversation on historical anti-black racism."

This has been a very public affair for Starbucks, and one thing is sure: The ramifications of the company's decision is something others are keeping an eye on.

"I think the incident has a lot of CEOs across the country giving some deep thought to their training and their culture," Dr. Marks said. "And I think it's a watershed moment that could have a lasting impact."

Starbucks as America's problematic third place

In sociological disciplines, there is the notion of a "third place." The idea is that you have a place at home and a place at work, and a healthy civic system would have a third place where people can gather and constructively interact, like a church or the shopping malls of yore.

Many have thought for a while that Starbucks has become America's third place; it's a semi-neutral gathering place where people meet and interact. In fact, the company says on their website that it hopes to be a "third place between work and home." It would be hard to argue that the coffee chain has not made progress toward this goal, what with the number of stores, convenient locations, and relatively low-priced offerings.

But that's only part of the story.

As Cullors said, "For a lot of us, the way we know gentrification is happening is a Starbucks comes to their community."

Even in real estate terms there's something known as a "Starbucks Effect," meaning that proximity to a Starbucks raises value on homes. Historically working class or poorer neighborhoods are the ones that tend to feel this effect, with those raised values driving people out of their established communities.

Also Starbucks has stated they want to create a community atmosphere & purchases arent required to sit, use WiFi, etc. Employees have been on Twitter for days confirming this.  Nina Parker (@MzGossipGirl) April 19, 2018

Many, including Cullors, believe that the company should be more engaged with the communities they enter. Starbucks should put money into building up those neighborhoods, serving as a part of rather than a symbol against them.

The arrest of two black men only served to underscore this divide between what Starbucks wants to create and the reality of its place within some communities.

Still, some are finding positives in the event. Cullors thought it was important that the woman who took the original video was white.

"She was protesting what was happening," she said. "There's something about bearing witness, and in that witnessing disrupting what you're seeing. It was an amazing ally moment. We need more of that from white people."

Even though this training might be a public relations reaction to bad press, it's still a chance for a company that wants to be an integral part of American lives to positively impact its employees and customers.

But Starbucks needs to follow through on its intentions.

"Starbucks could become a conduit for this conversation, but it has to be in the heart of Starbucks and not something that comes with negative press," Kincaid said. "This work is being done, there are those out here who are having the conversation proactively. I really hope that this incident can be used to elevate the many warriors in this battle against racism all across the country."A North Carolina student who protested alone during last months national walkout for gun control wasnt alone Friday when he walked out again on the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School massacre.

Justin Blackman was the only student among 700 at Wilson Preparatory Academy who participated in the March 14 walkout to end gun violence. That demonstration took place exactly one month after the Parkland, Florida, school shooting that claimed 17 lives.

Blackman took video, which he later uploaded to Twitter, showing that he was the sole person at his school to take part in last months 17-minute protest.

Hello, Twitter, theres going to be like six people watching this hopefully, he said in the video. Im the only one from my school out here.

On Friday, Blackman walked out again as part of a nationwide event to remember the Columbine shooting in Colorado and protest gun violence. This time, he wasnt alone.

Justin is very opinionated, Blackmans mother, Megan, told CNN during his first walkout. Hes not a follower. Strong-minded.

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.Strasbourg (France) (AFP) - Investigators said Sunday they have "a strong suspicion" of corruption involving a number of officials at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) over alleged bribes in a scandal dubbed "Caviargate".

An external probe said it had "established that there was a strong suspicion that certain current and former members of PACE had engaged in activity of a corruptive nature" in favour of Azerbaidjan, according to an investigative report released on the Council of Europe's website.

PACE is the parliamentary arm of the Council of Europe, and is dedicated to upholding human rights, democracy and the rule of law. Its 324 principal members are made up of parliamentarians from 47 nations, including the 28 members of the European Union.

Several current or ex-members are suspected of having been "bought" by accepting bribes of caviar, carpets and stays in luxury hotels in Baku, Azebaidjan's capital, the report said.

In exchange, they are alleged to have voted against a damning report in January 2013 into the situation of political prisoners in the former Soviet republic.

"The investigation body found that, in their activities concerning Azerbaijan, several members and former members of PACE had acted contrary to the PACE ethical standards," the report said.

"The parliamentarians involved are invited to suspend their activity while a (PACE) committee examines their situation on a case-by-case basis," PACE President Michele Nicoletti told reporters on Sunday.

The investigative report of more than 200 pages was prepared by three experts: the former French anti-terrorist judge Jean-Louis Bruguiere, Nicolas Bratza, the British ex-president of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), and the Swedish former ECHR judge Elisabet Fura.

Its publication comes on the eve of the opening of the PACE Spring Session.

With no legislative powers, PACE sits in Strasbourg for four weeks a year to discuss the defence of human rights or the fight against corruption.Syrian regime forces and their allies shelled what they said were Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra positions on the southern outskirts of Damascus on April 20.

The offensive was launched after the initial failure of negotiations to evacuate Islamic State from areas including al-Hajar al-Aswad, and the Yarmouk camp, which houses a Palestinian population. There were at least 1,500 Syrian and Palestinians families besieged there, according to a Yarmouk Camp community group.

As the bombardment was ongoing, reports emerged of an agreement to withdraw by insurgents in the area. Reuters said the armys bombardment continued pending a full surrender deal.

This video was shared by pro-regime media and is described as showing heavy bombardment hitting al-Hajar al-Aswad and Yarmouk Camp in south Damascus. Credit: War Media via StoryfulThe Metro Nashville Police Department announced Sunday it is seeking Travis Reinking, 29, of Morton, Illinois, as a suspect in the Tennessee Waffle House shooting that left four people dead. Police first named Reinking as a person of interest, but updated his status as a suspect in the attack.

Update: Police said in a Sunday afternoon press conference they suspect Reinking of having "mental issues" and he was previously interviewed by the FBI and Sheriff's Department in Illinois over past incidents. A rifle and handgun are among the four weapons tied to Reinking, but Memphis police said he was not on their radar from any previous criminal incidents.

Update: Police confirmed the identities of the four victims killed in the incident in a Sunday press conference in which they described Reinking as still at large. Taurean C. Sanderlin, 29, of Goodlettsville, who was a Waffle House employee, was fatally wounded while standing outside the restaurant. Joe R. Perez, 20, of Nashville was also fatally wounded while standing outside. Akilah Dasilva, 23, of Antioch, was critically wounded and died later at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. And a 21-year-old woman whose family has not yet been appropriately notified was also among those killed.

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In July of 2017, Reinking was apprehended by the U.S. Secret Service outside the White House and later released, authorities said in the ongoing Sunday press conference.

BREAKING: Police identify the 4 people killed in this morning's shooting at Waffle House https://t.co/CQm7aStBi5 pic.twitter.com/IMiADO7yZt  WSMV News4 Nashville (@WSMV) April 22, 2018





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Update: Waffle House confirmed one of their employees was among the four people killed in the shooting, WSMV-TV's Nancy Amons first reported. Police issued murder warrants for the suspect and say they believe the shooting was random.

Reinking was named a person of interest in the Antioch, Tennessee, Waffle House shooting at 3571 Murfreesboro Pike near Nashville around 3:30 a.m. Sunday. Police said four additional people were wounded as a result of the attack. Witnesses pointed out to police the pickup truck the gunman arrived in early Sunday morning. The vehicle is registered to Reinking, who is from an Illinois town near Peoria, Metro Nashville police announced. The alleged gunman was last seen walking south on Murfreesboro Pike, where witnesses told police he shed his clothing at a nearby apartment. A massive manhunt began Sunday morning in a wooded area near the restaurant.

Court records first obtained by Heavy describe Reinking as caucasian, 64 and weighing about 180 pounds. Authorities said both the FBI and local Illinois police were aware of the suspect.

Screen Shot 2018-04-22 at 1

Metro Nashville Police Department

Nashville police posted several photos of the crime scene including an assault rifle left by the suspect. Don Aaron, spokesman for the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, told WTFV-TV that a Good Samaritan customer, later identified by The Tennessean as James Shaw Jr., 29, emerged from the bathroom and grappled with the Reinking for control of his weapon. Aaron told reporters Shaw was a "hero."

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First look at the outside of the suspected shooters apartment. @MNPDNashville crime scene unit still here @WSMV pic.twitter.com/CXZmFKE7r7  Kevin Trager (@KevinWSMV) April 22, 2018

I dont really know, when everyone said that (of being a hero), it feels selfish, Shaw Jr. told the The Tennessean. I was just trying to get myself out. I saw the opportunity and pretty much took it. He added that suspect was wearing a green bomber jacket when he briskly walked away from the scene. Another witness said the suspect left wearing only black pants.

Aaron also remarked on witnesses reporting last seeing the suspect flee scene while naked. "If you see a nude guy walking around this morning call the police department," he added.

Investigation on going at the Waffle House. Scene being processed by MNPD experts. This is the rifle used by the gunman. pic.twitter.com/lihhRImHQN  Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) April 22, 2018

Witnesses described the scene of the shooting to WKRN-TV, saying the white male shooter didn't utter a word throughout the entire incident. Three of the victims in the shooting were rushed to nearby Vanderbilt University Hospital. Two of the victims are in critical condition and one person died at the hospital. Multiple law enforcement agencies including Metro Police SWAT team and Tennessee State Police troopers are using dogs and aerial surveillance in the ongoing search for Reinking.

NEW PHOTOS: Travis Reinking, 29, of Morton, IL, Is Suspect In Nashville Waffle House Shooting



PLEASE SHARE! pic.twitter.com/ggVBsDBTM5  Breaking911 (@Breaking911) April 22, 2018

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from NewsweekWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron will discuss the Iran nuclear agreement at the White House on Tuesday, although discussions with European countries on addressing U.S. concerns about the 2015 deal were "not quite done yet," a senior administration official said on Friday. The official told reporters at a briefing that Trump would also discuss other issues with Macron, including the joint military strike on Syria this month following a suspected chemical weapons attack near Damascus. The deal reached between Iran, the United States and five other world powers put curbs on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. Trump has called the agreement one of the worst deals ever negotiated. In January he sent an ultimatum to Britain, France and Germany, sometimes referred to as the E3, saying they must agree to fix what the United States sees as the deal's flaws or he would refuse to extend the critical U.S. sanctions relief that it entails. "The Europeans, E-3 in particular, have been working hard in trying to address some of our most important or prominent concerns having to do with Iran's ballistic missile program, for example, the sunset clause in the JCPOA and so on," the senior administration official said, referring to the agreement by its acronym. "That work is not quite done yet." U.S. disarmament ambassador Robert Wood said on Thursday Washington had been having "intense" discussions with the three European allies ahead of the May 12 deadline, when U.S. sanctions against Iran will resume unless Trump issues new "waivers" to suspend them. Iran has said it will stick to the accord as long as the other parties respect it, but will "shred" the deal if Washington pulls out. "Iran has several options if the United States leaves the nuclear deal. Tehran's reaction to America's withdrawal of the deal will be unpleasant," Iranian state TV quoted Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif as saying in New York. (Reporting by James Oliphant; Writing by Mohammad Zargham; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Sandra Maler)Korean-American expert says Pyongyangs suspension of nuclear and long-range missile tests are not a denuclearization statement

A man watches North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Seoul on 21 April 2018. Photograph: Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Images

Donald Trump has saluted Pyongyangs suspension of nuclear and long-range missile tests ahead of planned talks with the US as very good news for North Korea and the world. A leading Korean-American expert on the region, however, was among those to sound a note of caution.

The suspensions went into immediate effect on Saturday, according to the state-run KCNA news agency. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is due to meet his South Korean counterpart next week, with a summit with Trump pencilled in to occur by June. Trump confirmed this week that CIA director and secretary of state nominee Mike Pompeo recently met Kim in North Korea.

On Friday night, Trump tweeted: North Korea has agreed to suspend all Nuclear Tests and close up a major test site. This is very good news for North Korea and the World - big progress! Look forward to our Summit.



A message from Kim Jong Un: North Korea will stop nuclear tests and launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles. Also will Shut down a nuclear test site in the countrys Northern Side to prove the vow to suspend nuclear tests. Progress being made for all!

However, Victor Cha, who has been seen as a contender to be US ambassador to South Korea, told Axios the North Korean statement was really a formalisation of discussions and a geopolitical ploy.

This is not a denuclearization statement, said Cha, now senior adviser and Korea chair for the Center for Strategic and International Studies. It is a statement that DPRK [North Korea] can be a responsible nuclear weapons state.

Kim Jong-uns government had already stated that they would halt all testing while in dialogue, Cha said. This statement formalizes that promise. [T]he statement talks about a test ban, no first use, and no transfer  all the trappings of a responsible nuclear weapons state  which is what they ultimately wanted to be accepted as.

Story continues

No one believes this, but if they can get Trump to agree, that is all they need.



Axios also quoted an unnamed national security council official from the administration of George W Bush as saying the North Korean statement was totally reversible eye wash, as it was not a big deal to pause testing nuclear or missiles when summit is coming.

In Sweden, US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley hailed the North Korean move as evidence of the success of the maximum pressure policy pursued since Trump took office. Part of that approach has seen Trump exchanging insults with Kim, a leader with aspirations to be able to deliver a nuclear weapon to the US mainland.

On Friday, Haley released a statement accompanying the release of the state departments Annual Human Rights Report in which she included North Korea among the worst human rights violators in the world.

Speaking on Saturday at an informal working meeting of the UN security council ambassadors, Haley said UN pressure and sanctions had enabled the isolation of North Korea until they had a good behaviour, and now we are seeing they want to come to the table.

UN secretary general Antonio Guterres told reporters the path is open for the peaceful denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.President Donald Trump's tweet slapping OPEC for high oil prices comes as gasoline prices are climbing and should go even higher this summer.

Trump told OPEC high prices are unacceptable just weeks before he is set to make a decision on Iran, which could send oil prices even higher.

The president also has jumped right smack into the middle of the oil market, as many players debate how high prices can go and whether the global oil glut is ending.

President Donald Trump's tweet on Friday slapping OPEC about high oil prices comes just weeks before he has to make a big decision on Iran that could send oil prices even higher.

As U.S. oil prices flirt with a near four-year high, Trump fired off a tweet Friday morning saying oil prices are "artificially Very High" and that will "not be accepted." That sent crude futures lower, with U.S. oil futures trading slightly down on the day.

tweet

It may sound like he's taunting the oil cartel of the 1970s that sent gasoline prices soaring. But, in fact, he is inserting himself into the oil market at a complicated time, just ahead of that May 12 deadline when he has to decide whether to extend Iran's nuclear deal.

If Trump ends the deal, the U.S. would sanction Iranian oil.

"Some may interpret this as a pre-May 12 Iran decision message," said Daniel Yergin, vice chairman of IHS Markit. Yergin said if the U.S. reinstates Iranian sanctions, it would not have the impact it did in 2012, when the U.S., then with allies, sanctioned Iran. But it could remove several hundred thousand barrels from the market.

The appointment of John Bolton, as Trump's new national security advisor, raised speculation that the president could be convinced to withdraw from that agreement.

U.S. allies are opposed to the U.S. exiting the deal, which bans Iran's nuclear program in exchange for the removal of stiff sanctions that severely limited its ability to sell oil. French President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled to visit the U.S. next week, and he is expected to encourage Trump to remain in the deal.

Story continues

"He sees the oil price going up. He knows it's not good for his approval rating. It's not good for the economy. Sentiment is the first thing to take a hit when gasoline hits $3 a gallon, " said John Kilduff of Again Capital.

Gasoline prices have been jumping , and are up 20 cents in the past month. Prices could be at four-year highs this summer, reaching $3 a gallon or more across a good chunk of the country. Analysts say any serious refining outages could send gasoline prices spiking.

But Trump's tweet could have interesting ramifications. It was aimed at a more complicated group than the Organization for Petroleum Exporting Countries of 40 years ago that was seen as a price manipulator and the bane of former President Jimmy Carter when it cut supplies to the U.S. in the 1970s.

OPEC was nearly written off two years ago as oil prices cratered. But the cartel created an alliance with Russia and other non-OPEC producers. Together, Russia and Saudi Arabia lead this alliance and have managed to keep supply from the market, bringing a massive global oil glut into balance in 16 months even as U.S. production has surged to record levels.

Both Russia and Saudi Arabia would like to continue their partnership beyond the expiration of their production deal this year, and were meeting in Saudi Arabia Friday while Trump was tweeting.

When asked about the tweet, Saudi Arabia Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih said: "Markets should determine price."

Helima Croft, head of global commodities strategy at RBC, said Trump is now signaling concern about the oil market, and that has spurred speculation that he could take oil from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

"I can understand Trump's anxietyHe's in a position to be concerned about higher gasoline prices," said Croft. "He is a wild card. We just don't know what he's going to do. The Bolton appointment would signal if we took him at his word, we're out of the deal but could flip at the last minute based on North Korea considerations. If he flips, it's a stay of execution but the [Iran deal] is only getting a stay of execution."

Trump is expected to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jung Un to discuss North Korea's nuclear program in June, and he could put off a decision on Iran until the next deadline in September.

Yergin said the SPR is supposed to be tapped for emergencies, and U.S. oil production and supplies are strong. "The SPR is supposed to deal with physical shortages, not managing the market," he said.

Trump has put himself right in the center of the debate about whether global supply is coming into balance and whether rising prices are justified. The U.S. added to the geopolitical premium when Trump decided to retaliate against Syria's chemical attack on its citizens.

A news report this week suggesting Saudi Arabia would not mind seeing prices in the $80 to $100 a barrel range helped send prices even higher, but analysts say $100 is unlikely without a sudden loss of significant supply, since it would dampen demand and ultimately send prices lower.

There is also the factor of growing U.S. production, which has jumped to a record 10.5 million barrels a day. Some shale drillers can produce oil at $20 to $30 a barrel, and higher prices could bring much more oil to market.

Scott Sheffield, the chairman of Pioneer Natural Resources, told an energy conference at Columbia University on Thursday that oil should be in the $55 to $65 per barrel range. "I don't think it does anyone any good to talk about $100 crude," he said.

In addition to Iran, Trump could also make a decision following Venezuela's elections to sanction its oil sector, another move that could send oil prices higher. Venezuelan production has been dropping rapidly, as its operations deteriorate and staff leave, and that reduced output has also been helping to balance the oil market.

The U.S. and other countries have expressed concern that the May 20 elections in the country will be an unfair effort to consolidate President Nicolas Maduro's power.

Trump's tweet also took aim at a key ally of the U.S. and longtime adversary of Iran  Saudi Arabia. Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, known as MBS, is trying to move the country away from its dependence on oil, and he just spent several weeks in the U.S. courting U.S. investors and considering investments.

"He had Mohammed Bin Salman in the oval office with a poster board of weapons and was making a lot of asks financially. This is a question for Trump, does he want Saudi Arabia to buy those weapons? Does he want the Saudis to invest in U.S. infrastructure?" Croft said.

Trump's first state visit was to Saudi Arabia and he is viewed as having a close relationship with MBS and his father King Salman. Croft said the U.S.'s closest Gulf allies, Saudi and the United Arab Emirates, are both the face of the new OPEC.

"If he's really concerned about OPEC policy, he should pick up the phone and call Mohammed Bin Salman," she said.





More From CNBC

President Trump speaks at a news conference, April 18, 2018. (Photo: Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

President Trump boasted that North Korea has already made several key concessions before his anticipated meeting with Kim Jong Un  whereas the United States has forfeited nothing.

On Twitter Sunday morning, Trump admonished Chuck Todd, moderator of NBCs Meet the Press, for voicing reservations about the anticipated U.S.-North Korea summit. Trump said only time would tell whether or not his efforts will be successful but insisted previous administrations had failed to act and he was doing what should have been done a long time ago.

Sleepy Eyes Chuck Todd of Fake News NBC just stated that we have given up so much in our negotiations with North Korea, and they have given up nothing. Wow, we havent given up anything & they have agreed to denuclearization (so great for World), site closure, & no more testing!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 22, 2018

.We are a long way from conclusion on North Korea, maybe things will work out, and maybe they wont  only time will tell.But the work I am doing now should have been done a long time ago!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 22, 2018

Trumps claim that North Korea has agreed to denuclearize is incorrect. In fact, whether North Korea would be willing to forfeit its nuclear arsenal remains perhaps the most important issue.

Kims central message has been that developing nuclear weapons and long-range missiles will enable him to deter enemy nations. His governments propaganda vilifies the United States as an imperialist power and insists nuclear weapons are essential to safeguarding North Koreas national sovereignty. The recent acceleration of North Koreas weapons program is a cause of deep concern for U.S. allies in the region like Japan.

Story continues

Trumps tweets after Todd questioned the preconditions behind Trumps planned summit with Kim, expected to take place in several weeks. Earlier Sunday morning on Today, Todd was skeptical of Kims supposed willingness to cooperate with the U.S.

He seems to be giving very little but making it seem like hes giving a lot. And hes giving off a tone of cooperation. Look, the tone in itself is a positive development. As a diplomatic overture, the U.S. would look terrible if they didnt accept that kind of overture and at least continue the conversation, Todd said.

Nevertheless, he continued, the United States hasnt asked for many preconditions ahead of this potentially historic summit  yet the North Koreans have already gotten a lot.

What has the United States gotten yet? We dont have a release of any of those Americans that they held captive. We dont have a pledge of denuclearization as the ultimate goal, Todd said. Theres a lot of things they are not promising that is raising some red flags.

Kim announced Saturday in a broadcast on the Korean Central News Agency, the governments news agency, that the nation would stop testing nuclear weapons and launching intercontinental ballistic missiles. He also announced the closure of a nuclear testing site in the northern region of the country.

This announcement was Kims opening move for setting the tone for his scheduled meetings with South Korean President Moon Jae-in next Friday and with Trump in late May or early June. Trump swiftly responded on Twitter.

North Korea has agreed to suspend all Nuclear Tests and close up a major test site. This is very good news for North Korea and the World  big progress! Look forward to our Summit.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 20, 2018

Read more from Yahoo News:By Lesley Wroughton and David Brunnstrom WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States labeled China, Russia, Iran and North Korea on Friday as "morally reprehensible" governments that it said violated human rights within their borders on a daily basis, making them "forces of instability". In releasing the State Department's global human rights report for 2017, acting Secretary of State John Sullivan also singled out Syria, Myanmar, Turkey and Venezuela as nations with a poor human rights record. Improved human rights in Uzbekistan, Liberia and Mexico were global "bright spots," Sullivan added. Michael Kozak, a senior State Department official who helped oversee the report, said he did not think policies by President Donald Trump's administration on freedom of the press, refugees, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights and other issues undermined the report or left the United States open to accusations of hypocrisy. The governments of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea "violate the human rights of those within their borders on a daily basis and are forces of instability as a result," Sullivan said in a preface to the congressionally mandated report that documents human rights in nearly 200 countries and territories. Countries like these that restrict freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly, allow and commit violence against religious, ethnic and other minority groups or undermine the people's fundamental dignity "are morally reprehensible and undermine our interests," Sullivan added. Sullivan said Russia's government "continues to quash dissent and civil society, even while it invades its neighbors and undermines the sovereignty of Western nations." "We once again urge Russia to end its brutal occupation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula, to halt the abuses perpetrated by Russian-led forces in Ukraine's Donbas region, and to address impunity for the human rights violations and abuses in the Republic of Chechnya," Sullivan said. Sullivan said the United States seeks to lead other nations by example in promoting just and effective governance based on the rule of law and respect for human rights. He said the right of peaceful assembly and freedoms of association and expression are "under attack almost daily" in Iran, drawing criticism from Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi. The Iranian state news agency IRNA quoted Qasemi as saying the report was "completely biased and politically motivated, and presented a distorted and unrealistic image of the conditions in Iran". 'QUITE A DISTINCTION' Critics in the United States and globally have accused Trump of giving short shrift to human rights as a foreign policy issue, and of cozying up to authoritarian leaders in Russia, the Philippines and the Middle East. Trump also frequently attacks the U.S. news media. "I think we make quite a distinction between political leaders being able to speak out and say, 'That story was not accurate,' or using even stronger words sometimes, and using state power to prevent the journalists from continuing to do their work," Kozak told reporters. Kozak said the standards used in the report, which is among the most widely read U.S. government documents, tended to be derived from international treaties or American law. "I think the report is very clear about the kinds of things that we consider to be inappropriate restrictions on freedom of the media ... using the legal system to go after members of the press, using physical force and so on. It doesn't go to the nature of discourse in a country," Kozak said. The report's release comes at a time of increased tensions with China over trade and other matters. It also coincides with deteriorating relations with Moscow over its support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whom Washington accuses of using chemical weapons on his own people, and U.S. accusations of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Sullivan accused China of spreading "the worst features of its authoritarian system" by restricting activists, civil society and freedom of expression. "We are particularly concerned about the efforts of Chinese authorities to eliminate the religious, linguistic and cultural identities of Uighur Muslims and Tibetan Buddhists, as well as restrictions on the worship of Christians," Sullivan added. Trump has agreed to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the coming months even as Washington increases pressure on Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons. Sullivan said Kim oversees one of the most "repressive and abusive regimes in the world" and accused Pyongyang of "systematically" neglecting its own people to "underwrite and fund its illicit weapons program and child labor." He also condemned what he called "ethnic cleaning" of Muslim Rohingya in Myanmar, and said those responsible for attacks against the Rohingya should be held accountable. (Additional reporting by David Alexander and Dubai newsroom; Editing by Dan Grebler and Will Dunham)Robert Beckhusen

Security,

We have some ideas.

Shoot Out: Russia's Deadly T-90 Tank vs. America's TOW Missile - Who Wins?

For all the videos coming out of the Syrian civil war, a one minute, 31-second clip of a U.S.-made TOW missile slamming into a T-90 tank got more attention than most. In the video uploaded in February, Russias most advanced operational battle tank met one of the United States main tank killers on the battlefield.

The T-90 was Russian made, but likely crewed by Syrian troops. The missile was supplied by the United States  most likely via Saudi Arabia or the CIA  to the Hawks Mountain Brigade fighting near Aleppo.

For the participants, the whole experience might have been terrifying. For most of the rest of the world, it was a chance to see what happens when state-of-the-art hardware from two major world powers violently collide in the Middle East.

The only good news is that nobody appeared to get killed. What happened to the tank  well, no one who watched the video was exactly sure.

(This first appeared in WarIsBoring several years ago.)

We saw the wire-guided missile bob toward the T-90, which was parked on a crest between two low-slung buildings. Then the missile hit the tanks turret with a tremendous flash which sent up a cloud of smoke. One of the crew members bailed and the video ended.

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There was no fire and the tank didnt brew up, meaning the fuel tank didnt ignite and burn the crew to death. (The Syrian army has lost thousands of tanks since the war began in 2011.) This one, it seemed, survived.

A recent photograph circulated on Russian military forums shows what the tank looked like after impact. Sure enough, the T-90s Kontakt-5 reactive armor appeared to save it. Reactive armor explodes outwards and stops incoming missiles from penetrating into the tank and killing the crew.

Story continues

The Research Institute of Steel, a Russian company which makes reactive armor plates for the T-90, was pleased. The crew lived, according to Russian press reports, and the only visible damage was on one of the T-90s two Shtora transmitters, which hanged limp in the photograph. However, the angle of the photograph only shows a glimpse of the side of the turret which was hit.

The Shtora is an electro-optical jammer designed to disrupt guided missiles. Its not clear if the jammers were switched on, or didnt work, when the Hawks Mountain Brigade opened fire. Russian media has also reported that the particular tank was an earlier version of the T-90, so more recent upgrades, such as the T-90A which boasts a modified turret, should fare better.

The photograph doesnt tell us much more than add more evidence to what everyone already expected  that the missile disabled the tank, but didnt destroy it. The T-90 was knocked out of the fight, and the Syrian army soon withdrew it to a repair plant, according to the Russian trade journal Military-Industrial Courier.

The main thing is that the armor appeared to accomplish its job. Losing a tank from the front line is one thing  it can always be replaced or repaired. The Syrian army was likely relieved to have saved the crew from being killed.

Robert Beckhusen is the managing editor of War Is Boring. This piece first appeared in War Is Boring here.

Image: Wikicommons.

Read full articleBy Lesley Wroughton and David Brunnstrom WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Friday labeled China, Russia, Iran and North Korea as "morally reprehensible" governments that it said violated human rights within their borders on a daily basis, making them "forces of instability." In releasing the State Department's global human rights report for 2017, acting Secretary of State John Sullivan also singled out Syria, Myanmar, Turkey and Venezuela as nations with poor human rights records. Improved human rights in Uzbekistan, Liberia and Mexico were global "bright spots," Sullivan added. Michael Kozak, a senior State Department official who helped oversee the report, said he did not think policies by President Donald Trump's administration on freedom of the press, refugees, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights and other issues undermined the report or left the United States open to accusations of hypocrisy. The governments of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea "violate the human rights of those within their borders on a daily basis and are forces of instability as a result," Sullivan said in a preface to the congressionally mandated report that documents human rights in nearly 200 countries and territories. Countries like these that restrict freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly, allow and commit violence against religious, ethnic and other minority groups or undermine the people's fundamental dignity "are morally reprehensible and undermine our interests," Sullivan added. Sullivan said Russia's government "continues to quash dissent and civil society, even while it invades its neighbors and undermines the sovereignty of Western nations." "We once again urge Russia to end its brutal occupation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula, to halt the abuses perpetrated by Russian-led forces in Ukraine's Donbas region, and to address impunity for the human rights violations and abuses in the Republic of Chechnya," Sullivan said. Sullivan said the United States seeks to lead other nations by example in promoting just and effective governance based on the rule of law and respect for human rights. 'QUITE A DISTINCTION' Critics in the United States and globally have accused Trump of giving short shrift to human rights as a foreign policy issue, and of cozying up to authoritarian leaders in Russia, the Philippines and the Middle East. Trump also frequently attacks the U.S. news media. "I think we make quite a distinction between political leaders being able to speak out and say, 'That story was not accurate,' or using even stronger words sometimes, and using state power to prevent the journalists from continuing to do their work," Kozak told reporters. Kozak said the standards used in the report, which is among the most widely read U.S. government documents, tended to be derived from international treaties or American law. "I think the report is very clear about the kinds of things that we consider to be inappropriate restrictions on freedom of the media ... using the legal system to go after members of the press, using physical force and so on. It doesn't go to the nature of discourse in a country," Kozak said. The report's release comes at a time of increased tensions with China over trade and other matters. It also coincides with deteriorating relations with Moscow over its support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whom Washington accuses of using chemical weapons on his own people, and U.S. accusations of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Sullivan accused China of spreading "the worst features of its authoritarian system" by restricting activists, civil society and freedom of expression. "We are particularly concerned about the efforts of Chinese authorities to eliminate the religious, linguistic and cultural identities of Uighur Muslims and Tibetan Buddhists, as well as restrictions on the worship of Christians," Sullivan added. Trump has agreed to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the coming months even as Washington increases pressure on Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons. Sullivan said Kim oversees one of the most "repressive and abusive regimes in the world" and accused Pyongyang of "systematically" neglecting its own people to "underwrite and fund its illicit weapons program and child labor." Sullivan said the right of peaceful assembly and freedoms of association and expression are "under attack almost daily" in Iran. Sullivan also condemned what he called "ethnic cleaning" of Muslim Rohingya in Myanmar, and said those responsible for attacks against the Rohingya should be held accountable. (Additional reporting by David Alexander; Editing by Dan Grebler and Will Dunham)By Michelle Nichols

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A U.S. push to change the Iran nuclear deal was sending a "very dangerous message" that countries should never negotiate with Washington, Iran's foreign minister warned as U.S. and North Korean leaders prepare to meet for denuclearisation talks.

Speaking to reporters in New York on Saturday, Mohammad Javad Zarif also said that for French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel "to try to appease the president (Donald Trump) would be an exercise in futility."

Trump will decide by May 12 whether to restore U.S. economic sanctions on Tehran, which would be a severe blow to the 2015 pact between Iran and six major powers. He has pressured European allies to work with Washington to fix the deal.

Macron and Merkel are both due to meet with Trump in Washington this week.

"The United States has not only failed to implement its side (of the deal), but is even asking for more," said Zarif, who is in New York to attend a U.N. General Assembly meeting.

"That's a very dangerous message to send to people of Iran but also to the people of the world - that you should never come to an agreement with the United States because at the end of the day the operating principle of the United States is 'what's mine is mine, what's yours is negotiable,'" he said.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said earlier this month that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has "looked at the Iran deal, he's seen what he can get and he's seen how he can push through loopholes and we're not going to let that happen again."

Under the Iran nuclear deal, Tehran agreed to curb its nuclear program in return for relief from economic sanctions. Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama, struck the pact to try to keep Iran from building a nuclear weapon but Trump believes it has "disastrous flaws."

Zarif said if Washington leaves the deal, there were many options being considered by Tehran, including complaining through a dispute mechanism set up by the agreement or simply leaving the deal by restarting its nuclear activities.

Story continues

"We will make a decision based on our national security interests when the times comes. But whatever that decision will be, it won't be very pleasant to the United States," he said.

When asked if Iran could stay in the deal with the remaining parties, Zarif said: "I believe that's highly unlikely because it is important for Iran to received the benefits of the agreement and there was no way Iran would do a one-sided implementation of the agreement."

Iran has always said its nuclear program was only for peaceful purposes and Zarif said if Tehran resumed its nuclear activities it would not be intended "to get a bomb."

"America never should have feared Iran producing a nuclear bomb, but we will pursue vigorously our nuclear enrichment. If they want to fear anything its up to them," Zarif said.

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Meredith Mazzilli)President Donald Trump was joined by other world leaders and nations Saturday in praising North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un's decision to halt nuclear and missile tests ahead of major summits aimed at achieving elusive peace on the Korean Peninsula.

As Kim prepared to meet South Korean President Moon Jae-in later this week and Trump sometime in the next month or two, the young ruler announced Friday that nuclear weapons and ballistic missile tests would cease immediately and that he would close a nuclear facility in the country's north to prove it. Hours later, Trump shared his reaction to the surprise news on Twitter.

"A message from Kim Jong Un: "North Korea will stop nuclear tests and launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles." Also will "Shut down a nuclear test site in the countrys Northern Side to prove the vow to suspend nuclear tests. Progress being made for all!," Trump tweeted.

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China also welcomed the development. Beijing has been Pyongyang's greatest ally since backing North Korea in the mid-20th century war against U.S.-backed South Korea that set the stage for current tensions. As North Korea developed nuclear weapons to deter a potential U.S. invasion, however, China joined in voting for international sanctions against its neighbor and has attempted to serve as a mediary between the U.S. and North Korea, officially called the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Kim has been more wary of Chinese influence in his country than his predecessors, however, and went over six years before making an official visit. He made his first trip to Beijing last month soon after inviting Trump to the first face-to-face talks between a North Korean and U.S. leader and appeared to shore up ties with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Saturday that his government hoped Kim would now focus on improving his country's economic situation, which has been ravaged by harsh U.S.-led sanctions.

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Related: North Korea's Kim Jong Un Says He Will Stop Testing Missiles Ahead of Trump Meeting

"We believe that the relevant decision made by the DPRK will help to further ease the situation on the Korean Peninsula, denuclearize the Peninsula and politically resolve the Korean Peninsula issue. Achieving the denuclearization of the Peninsula and lasting peace of the region serves the common interests of the people on the Peninsula and of the region and meets the shared aspirations of the international community," Lu said in a statement.

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"We hope that the DPRK will score achievements in developing its economy and improving people's livelihood. We support the DPRK and other relevant parties in addressing their respective concerns and improving their relations through dialogue and consultation. We hope that all relevant parties can join hands to take concrete actions and make their own efforts to achieve the lasting peace and common development of this region. China will continue with its positive role to this end," he added.

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Russia too said it supported the decision, but said the U.S. should respond by cutting regional military drills considered provocative by North Korea. Russia initially controlled the northern half of the Korean Peninsula after splitting it with the U.S. after World War II, but soon gave the reigns to Kim's grandfather, who founded the notoriously secretive state, built an ideological blend of socialism and self-reliance that lives on today.

"We consider this decision as an important step towards further easing tension on the Korean Peninsula and consolidating positive trends towards normalizing the situation in Northeast Asia," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"We urge the U.S. and the Republic of Korea to take adequate counter-measures aimed at reducing military activity in the region and achieving mutually acceptable agreements with the DPRK at the upcoming inter-Korean and U.S.-North Korean summits," it added.

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The statement said halting drills would be part of the "double freeze" approach developed jointly by Russia and China to solve the ongoing nuclear crisis. Russia and China both aim for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, but are also deeply critical of growing U.S. presence in the Pacific and have enhanced their own bilateral political and military ties as they rebalance global influence.

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The U.S.'s two leading allies in the Pacific also weighed in. A Twitter statement from the presidential Blue House in South Korea called the move "a meaningful step forward for the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, which the world aspirates" and "It will also contribute to creating a very positive environment for the upcoming inter-Korean summit and the success of the North American summit."

At a press briefing, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono said Saturday that the move "a step forward," but warned that it was "inadequate" without a public pledge to denuclearize altogether. The position was echoed by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who recently met with Trump to discuss the North Korean issue.

"I want to welcome these positive moves, but I wonder if this will lead to the complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement of its nuclear arsenal, weapons of mass destruction and missiles," Abe told reporters in Tokyo, according to The Japan Times. "Id like to keep a close eye on the developments."

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from NewsweekBy David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. has opened a probe into alleged coordination by AT&T Inc <T.N>, Verizon Communications <VZ.N> and a telecommunications standards organization to hinder consumers from easily switching wireless carriers, a person briefed on the matter said on Friday.

Verizon and AT&T acknowledged the government probe and said they were working with regulators.

At issue is a technology that could make carriers' business more volatile. Called eSIM, it allows consumers to switch wireless providers without having to insert a new physical SIM card, an identifying microchip. That makes it easier to compare wireless networks and easily select a new service when desired.

Verizon called the probe "much ado about nothing," adding that it has been working with the Justice Department for several months "regarding the inquiry," according to spokesman Rich Young.

The New York Times reported on Friday that the Justice Department had opened an investigation about five months ago after at least one device maker and one wireless carrier filed formal complaints with the Justice Department.

The Justice Department sent demands to AT&T, Verizon and the GSMA, an industry standards-setting group, on efforts to thwart eSIM.

Apple Inc <AAPL.O> and other equipment makers have complained to the Justice Department about wireless carrier practices related to eSIM technology, two sources familiar with the matter said. Apple declined to comment.

"The reality is that we have a difference of opinion with a couple of phone equipment manufacturers regarding the development of e-SIM standards. Nothing more," Verizon's Young said.

An AT&T spokesman said in an email: "Along with other GSMA members, we have provided information to the government in response to their requests and will continue to work proactively within GSMA, including with those who might disagree with the proposed standards."

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News of the probe comes at a critical time for AT&T which is being sued by the Justice Department to stop its deal to buy media company Time Warner Inc <TWX.N>.

The U.S. government has argued in a trial that is nearing completion that the proposed deal would spur AT&T to charge its pay TV rivals more for Time Warner content.

However, Judge Richard Leon, who will decide if AT&T will be allowed to buy Time Warner, is unlikely to consider a report of potential wrongdoing by the wireless giant because it is irrelevant to the merger trial under way in Washington, said Seth Bloom, a veteran of the Justice Department's Antitrust Division.

The Department of Justice and the GSMA, the telecommunications standard setting group, declined to comment on news of the investigation.

Shares of AT&T and Verizon dipped after the initial Times report, with AT&T closing down 0.4 percent at $34.67, and Verizon ending off 1.1 percent, at $47.90.

The person briefed on the matter told Reuters that other wireless operators potentially received inquiries from the government.

It is common practice for the Justice Department to send CIDs, the civil equivalent of a subpoena, to all major players in the industry because the agency wants evidence from companies that allegedly participate in any conspiracy as well as those outside of it, according to Ethan Glass, a former trial attorney with the Justice Department now at the law firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP.

The source said the Obama administration had investigated similar claims in 2016 but did not take any action.

Consumer advocates learned in February that Verizon was apparently planning to lock phones as an anti-theft measure, and later were told by industry participants that Verizon was working with AT&T in hopes of convincing the GSMA to create a standard for locking the phones, according to Harold Feld, a senior vice president at Public Knowledge.

Consumer advocates support the idea of an electronic SIM card, which is in the process of being rolled out, since it allows phone owners to bargain hunt and contract with any network or to shift networks easily while travelling, said Feld.

"I am very happy that the DOJ is taking its job as a cop on the beat very seriously," said Feld.

(Reporting by Munsif Vengattil in Bengaluru, Sheila Dang in New York and David Shepardson and Diane Bartz in Washington; Writing by Chris Sanders; Editing by Dan Grebler, Peter Henderson and Sandra Maler)By David Lawder and Leika Kihara WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Saturday he may travel to China, a move that could ease tensions between the world's two largest economies, as international policymakers acknowledged Beijing needs to change its trade practices. The United States has threatened to impose tariffs on up to $150 billion of Chinese imports to try to force changes in Beijing's industrial policies, which Washington says are aimed at acquiring American intellectual property. Mnuchin told reporters he was continuing to have discussions with his Chinese counterparts to try to resolve the differences over trade, but said he may go to Beijing. "A trip is under consideration," Mnuchin said at a press conference during the International Monetary Fund and World Bank spring meetings in Washington. "I am not going to make any comment on timing, nor do I have anything confirmed, but a trip is under consideration." Mnuchin also declined to say what he wants from a trade deal with China, adding, "If we have a deal, you'll know what it looks like when we have it." China has threatened retaliation against U.S. exports if Washington pushes ahead with the tariffs. The row, which comes as the world economy records its strongest growth in years, cast a pall over the semi-annual gathering of the world's finance officials. IMF Managing Christine Lagarde warned earlier this week that a U.S.-China trade war threatened to damage confidence, investment and growth. On Saturday, she told a press conference there would be no winners from such a conflict. "It is important that as a global community we keep trade open, we ensure that we work within the multilateral system that we have to make sure if there are disputes, these disputes are resolved," she said. Mnuchin said he met with China's new central bank governor, Yi Gang, during the IMF and World Bank meetings and discussed the potential for China to open its markets to more foreign competition. "I did meet with the Chinese here. The discussions were really more around the governor's actions at the PBOC (People's Bank of China) and certain actions they've announced in terms of opening some of their markets, which we very much encourage and appreciate." In a statement on Saturday to the International Monetary and Financial Committee, Yi said China would "vigorously" push forward the reform and opening of its financial sector, significantly relax market access restrictions, create a more attractive investment environment, strengthen the protection of intellectual properties and actively expand imports. Beijing announced on Wednesday that it would gradually eliminate ownership caps on foreign manufacturers of autos, aircraft and ships. Regarding trade with Japan, Mnuchin said the Trump administration wants a bilateral trade agreement and has had discussions with Tokyo about such talks. Japan wants the United States to rejoin the multilateral Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact, as it fears opening talks for a bilateral free trade agreement could put it under pressure to open up politically sensitive markets like agriculture. ADJUSTING TO TRUMP A year after U.S. President Donald Trump first rankled multilateral finance meetings with his "America First" trade agenda, some officials are starting to acknowledge he has changed the conversation on trade, even if they disagree with his tariff plans. "No one can be in any doubt that the U.S. has a valid point about intellectual property theft" by China, British finance minister Philip Hammond said on Friday. "It's been going on, on an industrial scale, over many years and we've been targets of it just as the U.S. has." At the same time, Hammond said using tariffs was the wrong way to settle trade disputes, and he was urging China to do more to open its markets to foreign competitors, particularly in services. A senior Japanese government official drew a clear distinction between Japan's trade issues with the United States and the U.S.-China dispute. "It's a separate issue," the official said on condition of anonymity. "If Trump can help change Chinas behavior, there is room for Japan to benefit." A European official at the meetings said policymakers were trying to reduce trade pressures during the talks, but added that they wanted to "make sure there is a level playing field on trade, that China is in the same framework that others share." Mnuchin said he was not trying to "recruit" allies to put pressure on China, but having discussions with other countries that have similar issues. "A lot of these issues are not unique to the United States." A number of officials expressed a desire for clarity on what the United States ultimately wants from China, and whether Trump will settle for lower Chinese auto tariffs, a short-term reduction in the U.S.-China trade deficit or hold out for fundamental changes in industrial policy. "I hope it is a negotiating strategy. But they need to articulate actions to be taken," said Robert Holleyman, a former deputy U.S. Trade Representative in the Obama administration. (Additional reporting by David Chance, Jan Strupczewski, Koh Gui Qing, Rodrigo Campos and Makini Brice; Writing by David Lawder; Editing by Paul Simao)TORONTO (Reuters) - A U.S. woman has been sentenced to life in a Canadian prison for her role in an aborted Valentine's Day mass shooting at a shopping mall in 2015, local media reported on Friday. Lindsay Souvannarath, 26, pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to commit murder. A Canadian man also accused in the plot, Randall Shepard, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2016. The two were accused of planning a mass murder and suicide at the shopping center in the Atlantic province of Nova Scotia. They were arrested at the Halifax airport after Souvannarath arrived from Illinois, allegedly to carry out the massacre. Souvannarath will have to serve at least 10 years before she is eligible for parole, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Her lawyer could not immediately be reached for comment. Souvannarath and Shepard were arrested after police received a tip about their alleged plans to shoot as many people as possible at the Halifax Shopping Centre and then kill themselves. A third man believed linked to the plot was found dead in a house in Halifax. The two men were childhood friends in Halifax and reportedly met Souvannarath online. All three admired the two teenagers who killed 12 students and a teacher in a high school shooting spree in Columbine, Colorado, in 1999, according to media reports. (Reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny; Editing by Tom Brown)DUBAI (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates said Qatari fighter planes intercepted a civilian aircraft carrying 86 passengers to Bahrain on Sunday, UAE state news agency WAM reported. Quoting its civil aviation authority, the agency said the UAE civilian craft had to take evasive maneuvers to avoid a collision. It did not name the airliner involved. Both countries have accused each other of a series of mid-air incidents since Abu Dhabi and other powers imposed travel, diplomatic and trade sanctions on Qatar in June. The UAE, along with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt, accuse Qatar of supporting regional foe Iran as well as Islamist extremists. Qatar has denied the charge and accused the four countries of trying to curtail its sovereignty. There was no immediate comment by Qatari officials on the accusation. (Reporting by Noah Browning; Editing by Edmund Blair and Andrew Heavens)LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's opposition Labour Party would likely broaden the Bank of England's mandate to include factors such as employment but would not seek to remove the central bank's independence, Labour's finance policy chief John McDonnell said on Sunday. "I'm quite attracted by the wider mandate that there is in America but we would retain Bank of England independence," McDonnell told ITV's Peston on Sunday show. Asked whether he thought such a shift was very likely, he said "Yes, it is." Britain is not due to hold another national election until 2022, and is currently governed by Theresa May's Conservatives. The Bank of England's interest rate-setting committee has a remit to maintain price stability and keep inflation at 2 percent, as well as supporting the government's objectives for growth and employment. The U.S. Federal Reserve has a mandate to promote maximum employment, stable prices, and moderate long-term interest rates. McDonnell said the party would publish its second report on the future of the Bank of England in late May or early June, and that he wanted as wide a debate as possible about what its aims should be. Last year, Labour said it would consider moving parts of the BoE to Birmingham, in central England, if it won power, arguing such a change was needed to reduce the economy's reliance on London's banking industry. Although Labour trails the Conservatives in most opinion polls, it is considered a viable future government given that May is undertaking a complex and divisive exit from the European Union without a parliamentary majority. That prospect has unnerved some in the British financial services sector, who fear for the status quo as a result of the shift towards a socialist agenda undertaken by Labour since left-wing leader Jeremy Corbyn took power in 2015. On Thursday, McDonnell, an outspoken critic of the banking system, offered London's financial services industry a new pact, giving banks a seat at the policymaking table if Corbyn replaces May, in return for higher taxes. (Reporting by William James; Editing by Edmund Blair and Dale Hudson)Investigators examine damage to the engine of the Southwest Airlines plane: NTSB/Handout

Airlines have been ordered to inspect engine components implicated in a Southwest Airlines crash.

A directive from the Federal Aviation Administration (FCC) gave operators 20 days to inspect fan blades on certain engine types.

The call for additional inspections reflected information gathered from the investigation of Tuesdays Southwest Airlines engine failure, the FAA said.

Some 352 engines in the US and 681 engines worldwide would be affected, the agency said.

Investigators have been looking into the engine failure that forced Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 to make an emergency landing in Philadelphia and caused the death of passenger Jennifer Riordan.

Ms Riordan died after being partially sucked out of a shattered window.

Southwest confirmed this week that it had sent $5,000 checks and $1,000 travel vouchers to passengers who were on board.

The National Transportation Safety Board said its on-the-ground inspectors would likely finish their initial work over the weekend. It asked any community members who had found fallen engine components to come forward, noting some pieces had already been provided.Its not every day an actress wins a coveted award, or declines to go accept it. But in this case, actress Natalie Portman did both, when she recently announced that she wouldnt be traveling to Israel to accept the Genesis Prize Foundation's Genesis Prize.

The presentation ceremony was scheduled for June 28, but was promptly cancelled, according to the statement, once the foundation learned through Portmans spokesperson that the actress could not in good conscience move forward with the ceremony.

Dubbed the Jewish Nobel by Time magazine, the award honors extraordinary individuals who serve as an inspiration to the next generation of Jews through their outstanding professional achievement and commitment to the Jewish people and Jewish values, such as social justice, tolerance and charity, according to a press release from the foundation. Former recipients of the million-dollar prize include former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and actor-director Michael Douglas.

Portmans decision not to travel to the award ceremony drew criticism from some, including Israel's minister for culture and sports, Miri Regev. "I was saddened to hear that Natalie Portman has fallen as a ripe fruit in the hands of BDS supporters," Regev said, associating the actress' act with the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement that protests Israel over its treatment of Palestinians and the West Bank.

But Portman denies any involvement with the movement and instead decided to release a statement on her Instagram, stating that her words had been mischaracterized by others.

A post shared by Natalie Portman (@natalieportman) on Apr 20, 2018 at 3:37pm PDT

I chose not to attend because I did not want to appear as endorsing [Israeli Prime Minister] Benjamin Netanyahu, who was to be giving a speech at the ceremony. By the same token, I am not part of the BDS movement and do not endorse it," she wrote in the statement. The actress continued by saying that she treasures her Israeli friends and family, Israeli food, books, art, cinema, and dance, but noted that the mistreatment of those suffering from todays atrocities were not in line with her Jewish values. Because I care about Israel, I must stand up against violence, corruption, inequality, and abuse of power," she said.

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The Annihilation actress closed out her statement by saying that the entire ordeal has inspired her to support a number of charities in Israel. I will be announcing them soon, and I hope others will join me in supporting the great work they are doing.

Sounds to me like Portmans decision to boycott the ceremony definitely falls in line with the mission of the award, and kudos to her for standing by her beliefs.

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Matt Smith Speaks Out About His "Best Friend" Claire Foy Being Paid Less Than HimAt Davis High School, many different people contribute toward the goal of student safety. StSyrian President Bashar Assad returned to France the prestigious Legion d'honneuror Legion of Honor awardhe received from then French president Jacques Chirac in 2001 after succeeding his father as Syria's strongman. Assad said he did not want the award from a state that is a slave to America.

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France grants the Legion d'honneur to around 3,000 people a year, including 400 foreigners recognized for their "services rendered to France" or for defending human rights, press freedom or other causes.





French President Chirac awards Assad the Legion d'honneur, (Photo: MCT)

Recently, many in France have called on the government to revoke the award due to the mass slaughter Assad was perpetrating on Syrian civilians in the protracted Syrian civil war.

The office of French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that "a disciplinary procedure for withdrawing the Legion d'honneur is underway."

A source close to the presidency, quoted in the statement, said the decision comes after the " participation of France in the tripartite aggression alongside the United States and the United Kingdom against Syria on April 14." Assad has been accused of a series of chemical attacks on his own people during the brutal civil war which has torn Syria apart since 2011.

"The ministry of foreign affairs... has returned to the French republic... the decoration of the Grand Croix of the Legion d'honneur awarded to President Assad by Jacques Chirac," said the Syrian foreign ministry.

"It is no honor for President Assad to wear a decoration of a country subservient to the United States that supports terrorists," the statement said.

Syria returning the award via Romanian diplomat (Photo: AP)

The award was returned to France via the Romanian Embassy in Damascus, which currently represents French interests in Syria.

Assad has become a pariah for Western powers while maintaining the support of Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose military intervention in the conflict gave Assad the upper hand against rebel opposition groups.

Putin himself is also a recipient of the Legion's Grand Croixdecorated by Chirac as well in 2006.

It is not the first time Macron has stripped a foreigner of France's highest honor. Recently he moved to withdraw the award from Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein who is facing a series of accusations of sexual harassment and rape.Hundreds Zionist Union activists demonstrated on Saturday in front the High Court of Justice in Jerusalem, in protest of attempts to legislate an override power and against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

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Attempts to legislate an override power allowing the coalition to bypass High Court rulings by special Knesset majority have been ongoing, especially in light of the African migrant crisis and attempts to circumvent a ruling issued by the court on the matter.

Protesters created a human wall surrounding the complex, as a symbol of the people's protection of its establishments. Some of the demonstrators called, "We had enough corruptioncorrupt, go home." Others held signs saying, "The country is going down the drain, the country is ours and not Netanyahu's," and "Take your hands off."

Zionist Union Chairman Avi Gabbay demonstrates against the override power (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg)

The Zionist Union Chairman Avi Gabbay said nothing will endanger the High Court's authority. "The court belongs to the people and serves the people. We won't allow anything to put it at risk. Neither words nor a D9 (a Caterpillar armored bulldozer alluded to in past remarks by Bayit Yehudi MK Moti Yogeved) could harm it," said Gabbay.

"This human chain is our common wall that symbolizes the people defending its High Court, a court that protects the people from tyranny. We've come here from all over the country to support Israel's justices and to say, 'You are not alone,'" Gabbay went on to say.

The Zionist Union chief also strongly attacked his fellow opposition party, Yesh Atid, by urging them to choose sides. "The ones who keep quiet, the ones who fear, the ones who don't fight for their values and don't courageously stand to protect them, can't talk about new politics," Gabbay accused.

"The override power was meant to change the core foundations of Israeli democracy, and it's a slippery slope. Is someone here familiar with (Turkish President Recep Tayyip) Erdogan or (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's coalition members? Probably not, since they don't exist," Gabbay concluded.

Adva, a resident of the north who came to demonstrate said it's of the essence to wage this war. "It will be tough, we have a government that does as it pleases, but if we all unite for this cause, (the attempt to enact an override power) won't go through," she said.

Citizens protest against override power and demand equality for all (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg)

MK Tzipi Livni also spoke about her will to live in a country that treats equally all of its citizens. "We want to live in a country with legal rights and a strong High Court of Justice," she said. "Prime minister, we are neither sour nor bitter. We are struggling, and will not allow you to execute your plans," she added.

"The Nationality Law (officially announcing Israel to be the nation state of the Jewish people) erases equality and the override power is meant to erase the High Court of Justice. If this process is completed, Israel will no longer be able to call itself the only democracy in the Middle East. Israel's rulers have no red lines and they step all over us. We have to put an end to this," she concluded.A Christian Arab from Nazareth joined the IDF of his own volition and served in the elite Golani Brigade. During his service, he was wounded in the Second Lebanon War and upon his discharge found another way to serve his country: combating the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign and improving ties between Israeli-Arabs and the state.

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Youssef Haddad, now 32, joined the army at the age of 18, although he knew of no family member or acquaintance who served.

Haddad spoke to Ynet about his decision to enlist, and said, "I felt that I was part of the state and I had to contribute so I decided to enlist in the army, specifically to Golani. At first, they could not guarantee that I would join Golani, but I insisted that I am volunteering for Golani and Golani alone.

Yusuf Hadad during his time in Golani

He added, "After a few days, I was contacted by the recruitment office with the promise that if my Medical Profile was good enough I would be drafted into Golani. Sure enough, my Medical Profile was 97 (the highest possible in the IDFed) and I began my service in Golani.

After his enlistment, Haddad completed a squad commanders' course with honors and was assigned to the 51st Battalion of the Golani Brigade. He spoke of the hardships he experienced as a soldier from the Arab sector: "When I went home to Nazareth, I would get teased , cursed at and spit at, and sometimes I was called a traitor. Because I am strong and believe in myself, I did not pay any heed and remained proud of myself."

'I told the doctor I will yet bounce a ball'

Ahead of Haddad's release in 2006, the Second Lebanon War broke out. During battle, he was wounded in the leg by a Russian-made Kornet rocket launched at his squad. "During the fighting I lost three commanders, seven friends and a soldier under my command. During the battle of Bint Jbail, four days before the cease-fire, a Kornet missile was fired at my force. It hit the wall next to me and as a result of my injuries, my leg was amputated and I was wounded in several other places on my body and face.

"During the entire rescue operation, I was fully conscious, and I remember how a reservist doctor said on the radio that if they do not rescue me soon, there will be nothing left to rescue by the evening. Eventually a helicopter came and during my evacuation our force was hit by additional rockets. During the process and with all the accompanying pain, I hummed to myself the Bob Marley song 'Dont Worry Be Happy,' (actually by Jamaican recording artist Bobby McFerrin) and I was taken to a Nahariya hospital.

Hadad sustained foot injuries

At the hospital, Haddad called his father, and revealed that immediately after he told him that he had been wounded, he lost consciousness. "I woke up two days later and the first thing I checked was that the entire package was complete. I saw that my leg was amputated and reconnected by a large device."

On the rehabilitation after the injury, Haddad said, "The healing process was very long. I told the doctor, 'I will yet play ball with this leg, you'll see,' but he cooled down the atmosphere a little. After several months of treatment and despite the odds, I returned to fitness and then I returned to the doctor and demonstrated bouncing a ball for him with my foot.

"The mental healing was not yet over though. I still have nightmares at night, and I tense up to every sound of an explosion and even a door slamming. I am dealing with this every day anew.

Hadad today

We need to integrate into the state

Youssef Haddad is currently advising a market research firm and has recently joined the Reservists on Duty organization, with whom he works against the BDS campaign and against resurgent anti-Semitism on campuses across the US. Simultaneously, he is establishing an association to strengthen ties between the Arab sector and the state.

"The Defense Ministry supported me immensely all the way and did not abandon me. Today I believe that just as I contributed to the state militarily, I can contribute in the PR arena and expose the lies disseminated regarding the State of Israel," he said.

As for the matter of national or military service in the Arab sector, Haddad said: "I encourage Arabs to enlist and serve as combat soldiers, and I also support national service, because we have to be part of the state and contribute to it.

"That is what will allow us to get ahead in life. The Arab MKs also need to focus on local issues like fighting crime, the advancement of women and povertyand not just Palestinian affairs."WASHINGTON -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif accused the US government of arrogance and belligerence, saying that Washington needed "a change in attitude" before any meaningful negotiations can begin over several US citizens being held prisoner in Iran.

"It is important... for the (Trump) administration to show the ability to engage in a respectful dialogue," Zarif said. "The United States needs to learn how to treat other sovereign nations, particularly sovereign nations who do not depend on the United States for continued existence."

Zarif spoke to CBS' Face the Nation on Friday; the full interview will be broadcast Sunday and portions of the transcript were made available The Associated Press.Some 4,000 people marched Saturday night in Tel Aviv in protest against government corruption and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, under the headline, "Bibi, take your hands off of the High Court."

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Protests, carrying signs saying "Crime Minister," chanted "(Police Commissioner) Roni Alsheikh, is a darling, Bibi against the state," "Corrupt go home" and "Get out of our High Court."

Demonstrators protest against government corruption (:  )

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Irit Edri, 45, of Tel Aviv, has been participating in anti-corruption rallies throughout the year. "I have a babysitter that sets me back NIS 200 every Saturday," she revealed. "I'm here because it's the only democratic thing to do to denounce governmental corruption."

"I've lived in England for 12 years and have chosen to live here, despite my British citizenship. My commitment is to leaving a better country to my children," she stated.

Roni, who has joined the protests only recently, claimed that the people were waking up especially due to the past week's events. "It's a fight for Israeli democracy, because we are a step away from becoming a dictatorship. Bibi has to understand that the 'sourpusses' half of the people will no longer remain silent," he exclaimed.

Citizens protest against attempts to legislate the override power bypassing the High Court (Photo: Roi Rubinstein)

Orly Zinger, 64, is one of the protest's organizers. "I guess there's a campaign of terror going on," she conjectured, "because it's impossible for Likud MKs to know Bibi and Sara and yet remain silent about the prime minister's conduct."

"We were not surprised by the turnout," she said. "There's a feeling the public's beginning to wake up, but it's not enough. The more belligerence Bibi shows, the more the people will rise against him. I'm sure the torch lighting ceremony's saga and his theft from (Knesset Speaker Yuli) Edelstein will get people to take to the streets."

Dan Adin, 47, said he went out to protest every Saturday for the past year, and sometimes even on weekdays. "I'm surprised that not everyone is here," he said incredulously. "People think someone will protect our democracy against Netanyahu. If we don't stop him, he'll do to our democracy what he did to Edelstein."

"This man has no boundaries, shame or brakes. As it stands, unfortunately, no one in our political system can stand up to him or stop him," he lamented.

When they arrived to Rabin Square, protesters called for Netanyahu to resign and chanted, "Bibi is corrupt, you don't have the mandate" and finished by communicating a message to Netanyahu's loyal ally Culture Minister Miri Regev, by crying out, "Tonight, Miri, there really is something to be proud of," paraphrasing the minister's slogan for Independence Day celebrations.

In Jerusalem, demonstrators supporting the Zionist Union gathered in front of the Supreme Court to protest against coalition efforts to grant the Knesset override power to bypass High Court rulings.

Dozens also gathered in front of Minister of Finance Moshe Kahlon's home in Haifa to renew the disabled's protest, which ended last February after the Knesset approved an increase to disability benefits.

Citizen holds sign saying 'Bibi Vs. the state.' (Photo: Roi Rubinstein)

Some 80 demonstrators demanded to increase disability benefits and old-aged pensions to equal minimum wage. Protesters held signs saying: "Kahlon decided to leave the elderly and disabled below the poverty line," and "We stand with the elderly and disabled, we wont vote for Kahlon."

Activists from the weekly protests in front of the Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit's residence in Petah Tikva joined the protest in Haifa and called Kahlon to withdraw his support from the override power legislation.

Environmental activists protesting against gas rigs at the Dor Beach area also joined the protest outside Kahlon's home.A US push to change the Iran nuclear deal was sending a "very dangerous message" that countries should never negotiate with Washington, Iran's foreign minister warned as US and North Korean leaders prepare to meet for denuclearization talks.

Speaking to reporters in New York on Saturday, Mohammad Javad Zarif also said that for French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel "to try to appease the president (Donald Trump) would be an exercise in futility."

Trump will decide by May 12 whether to restore US economic sanctions on Tehran, which would be a severe blow to the 2015 pact between Iran and six major powers. He has pressured European allies to work with Washington to fix the deal.Israeli security forces arrested 19 wanted Palestinians early Sunday, 15 of them being Hamas members who were arrested in the Ramallah area.

The IDF arrested Khaled al-Din Hamed, a Hamas member from the Gaza Strip, and other senior officials who were paid to carry out various missions in their area of residence on behalf of Hamas. A printing shop used for printing incitement materials was also shut down during the operation.The Palestinian Authority and Egypt's representatives in Malaysia have been trying to bring back to Gaza for burial the body of engineer Fadi Albatsh, who was assassinated there on Saturday.

Mahmoud Shakfa, the secretarygeneral of the International Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (IESCO), told the local New Straits Times that Albatsh's family requested to bury him in Gaza, and said the process might take up to three days.The family of Palestinian electrical engineer Fadi Albatsh, a Hamas member who was assassinated in Malaysia on Saturday, has been trying to bring his body back to the Gaza Strip for burial amid objections from Israel.

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"His father contacted us and expressed his hope to bury him in his hometown, Jabalia," said Dr. Mahmoud Shakfa, the general manager of the International Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (IESCO), where Albatsh taught.

"His family membersfather, mother, and siblingshave not seen him for the past seven years. Upon the family members' request, the embassies of Palestine and Egypt in Malaysia are arranging and coordinating to facilitate the procedure, it may take two to three days," he told the New Straight Times.

Poster of Albatsh near his home in Gaza (Photo: Reuters)

"Dont deny the right of the family members to see Fadi for the last time," he said.

Kuala Lumpur police chief Mazlan Lazim said Sunday that an autopsy was being carried out at a hospital after which the body would be released to the family.

"We are investigating all angles. I have to investigate very carefully and deeply. This is an international issue," Mazlan said.

Preparations were being made to bury Albatsh at the Batu Muda Muslim Cemetery in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, but the plan has been put on hold in light of the family's wishes.

In Israel, the Goldin family, whose son Lt. Hadar Goldin was killed in Gaza and captured by Hamas, demanded the government not to allow the return of Albatsh's body to Gaza for burial.

The family turned to POW and MIA coordinator Yaron Blum, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) Maj. Gen. Yoav Mordechai, and the Prime Minister's Military Secretary Brig. Gen. Eliezer Toledano, arguing that as long as Hamas was holding Lt. Goldin and Staff Sgt. Oron Shaul's bodies, as well as two living Israeli civilians, it cannot be allowed to bring Albatsh's body back to the strip.

The family noted that the mourners' tent set up in Gaza shows Hamas wishes to hold a large, public funeral for Albatsh.

Education Minister Naftali Bennett echoed the family's sentiments, writing on Twitter: "We must not allow for a member of Hamas's military wing, Fadi Albatsh, who was killed in Malaysia, to be brought to Gaza for burial, before the release of the bodies of Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul, so they could be brought for burial in Israel. I'll raise this demand with the prime minister."

Mourners' tent erected in Gaza for Albatsh (Photo: AP)

Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman shrugged off accusations that the Israeli Mossad was behind Albatsh's assassination.

"They always attribute to us. In the same way, you could put it on James Bond," he told Army Radio on Sunday morning. "If Hamas wants to deal with this, let them. We have no interest in dealing with this issue."

When asked about the demand from Bennett and the Goldin family, the defense minister said that "They are mostly probably turning to the media, not to the prime minister and not to me. There's a procedure, we don't allow bodies of Hamas terrorists into the Gaza Strip, and this was approved by the attorney general and stands the test of the High Court of Justice."

"What is relevant is that if they tried to bring the body in through Egypt and the Rafah crossing, we don't really have control over this, even though we already made our position known last night through the relevant channels," he added.

According to reports in Malaysia, the 35-year-old Albatsh was shot to death at around 6am by two assailants on a motorbike while he was on his way to his home in the Jalan Gombak neighborhood to a nearby mosque for dawn prayers.

The assassins shot 10 rounds at him before fleeing the scene. Local police said the assassins waited for Albatsh for 20 minutes until he arrived at the scene.

A Palestinian official who knows the family said the slain electrical engineer was a member of Hamas's military wing. "His importance in the military wing was not any less than that of Mohammad al-Zawahri," a Hamas drone engineer who was assassinated in Tunisia, he said.

Albatsh's father Mohammad told Ynet Saturday night that the Mossad was behind his son's assassination and disavowed any links he may have had with Hamas.

The father's statement ran contrary to an official statement put out by Hamas, which claimed him as one of their own members.

Albatsh's family members (Photo: Reuters)

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh told The Associated Press Saturday that based on previous assassinations "Mossad is not away from this disgraceful, terrible crime."

"There will be an unsettled account between us and it," Haniyeh said at the Gaza mourning tent, referring to Mossad. "We cannot give up on the blood of our sons, youths and scholars."

The deceased's father, meanwhile, insisted that his son "did not belong to any of the Palestinian factionsneither Hamas nor Islamic Jihad. His academic success (in electrical engineering), his studies and the international conferences he attendedall were things that may have motivated the Mossad to assassinate him."Iran is ready to resume its nuclear activities "at a much greater speed" if the US tries to change or backs out of the nuclear deal, its foreign minister warned in an interview with CBS' Face the Nation, set to air on Sunday.

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"We have put a number of options for ourselves, and those options are ready, including options that would involve resuming at a much greater speed our nuclear activities," Mohammad Javad Zarif said in excerpts of the interview released ahead of the broadcast.

He also argued that even if the other parties to the dealthe United Kingdom, Russia, France, China, Germany and the European Unionremain in the deal, Iran cannot stay bound to the agreement if the US withdraws from it.

Zarif speaking to Face the Nation

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"The rest of the world cannot ask us to unilaterally and one-sidedly implement a deal that has already been broken," he said.

In other interviews he gave on Saturday, Zarif said that for French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel "to try to appease the president (Donald Trump) would be an exercise in futility."

Trump will decide by May 12 whether to restore US economic sanctions on Tehran, which would be a severe blow to the 2015 pact between Iran and six major powers. He has pressured European allies to work with Washington to fix the deal.

Macron and Merkel are both due to meet with Trump in Washington this week.

"The United States has not only failed to implement its side (of the deal), but is even asking for more," said Zarif, who is in New York to attend a UN General Assembly meeting.

"That's a very dangerous message to send to people of Iran but also to the people of the worldthat you should never come to an agreement with the United States because at the end of the day the operating principle of the United States is 'what's mine is mine, what's yours is negotiable,'" he said.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (Photo: EPA)

US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said earlier this month that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has "looked at the Iran deal, he's seen what he can get and he's seen how he can push through loopholes and we're not going to let that happen again."

Under the Iran nuclear deal, Tehran agreed to curb its nuclear program in return for relief from economic sanctions. Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama, struck the pact to try to keep Iran from building a nuclear weapon but Trump believes it has "disastrous flaws."

Zarif said if Washington leaves the deal, there were many options being considered by Tehran, including complaining through a dispute mechanism set up by the agreement or simply leaving the deal by restarting its nuclear activities.

"We will make a decision based on our national security interests when the times comes. But whatever that decision will be, it won't be very pleasant to the United States," he said.

When asked if Iran could stay in the deal with the remaining parties, Zarif said: "I believe that's highly unlikely because it is important for Iran to received the benefits of the agreement and there was no way Iran would do a one-sided implementation of the agreement."

Iran has always said its nuclear program was only for peaceful purposes and Zarif said if Tehran resumed its nuclear activities it would not be intended "to get a bomb."

"America never should have feared Iran producing a nuclear bomb, but we will pursue vigorously our nuclear enrichment. If they want to fear anything its up to them," Zarif said.

'US needs a change in attitude'

In his interview with Face the Nation, the Iranian foreign minister also accused the US government of arrogance and belligerence, saying that Washington needed "a change in attitude" before any meaningful negotiations can begin over several US citizens being held prisoner in Iran.

"It is important... for the (Trump) administration to show the ability to engage in a respectful dialogue," Zarif said. "The United States needs to learn how to treat other sovereign nations, particularly sovereign nations who do not depend on the United States for continued existence."

US President Donald Trump (Photo: EPA)

Zarif spoke to Face the Nation on Friday; the full interview will be broadcast Sunday and portions of the transcript were made available to The Associated Press.

At least five Iranians, all dual-American citizens or green-card holders, have been sentenced to prison in Iran on espionage-related charges, as has Chinese-American Princeton graduate student Xiyue Wang.

Zarif said his government is open to talks on a prisoner releaseparticularly on health or humanitarian grounds; one of the prisoners, Baquer Namazi, is 81 and in poor health. But he said the current American attitude makes such negotiations impossible.

"You do not engage in negotiations by exercising disrespect for a country, for its people, for its government," he said. "Then you do not leave much room for a genuine dialogue."Transportation and Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz issued a warning to the Hamas leadership on Sunday, saying that if the terror organization makes good on its threats to carry out an attack against Israelis abroad, Israel will target its senior officials.

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While visiting the mourners' tent erected for Palestinian engineer Fadi Albatsh , who was assassinated in Malaysia , Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh threatened to avenge his death, which he blamed on the Israeli Mossad.

"There will be an unsettled account between us and (the Mossad)," Haniyeh said, implying that score could be settled with terror attacks abroad.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh; Israeli Minister Yisrael Katz (Photos: Reuters, Ohad Zwigenberg)

"I suggest Haniyeh to talk less and be more careful," Katz said in an interview with Ynet on Sunday. "Gaza is much closer than Malaysia."

Katz said an attack against Israelis abroad "would be crossing a red line," threatening that it would "lead to the resumption of Israel's targeted killing policy, and Hamas officials in Gazawith (Haniyeh) among themare expected to be hurt badly."

"Israel knows how to locate and hurt those Hamas officials who are directing" terror attacks against Israelis abroad, the minister warned.

"Haniyeh and his friends should be careful before they talk ... because Israel's ability to hurt them will be absolute, hard and swift," Katz went on to say.

Outside the mourners' tent for Albatsh in Gaza (Photo: AFP)

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad also threatened to avenge the assassination. "No matter how long it will take, we'll avenge the engineer's death. His blood wasn't spilled in vain," a statement from the terror group said. One of the PIJ's senior members is a relative of Albatsh.

Fadi Mohammad Albatsh, 35, was killed in a drive-by shooting on Saturday, according to Malaysian authorities.

He was walking from his highrise apartment to dawn prayers at a local mosque in the Kuala Lumpur suburb of Gombak when he was shot by two gunmen riding a motorcycle, officials added.

At the crime scene, police markers indicated 14 bullets had been sprayed at the victim, some of them hitting a wall. An iron grill hit by a bullet was dented.

The scene of the assassination (Photo: EPA)

Hamas said Albatsh, a research scientist specializing in energy issues, was one of its members.

Malaysian Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was quoted by the state-run Bernama news agency as saying Albatsh was "an electrical engineer and an expert at making rockets."

Kuala Lumpur police chief Mazlan Lazim said Sunday the investigation was ongoing. "We are investigating all angles. I have to investigate very carefully and deeply. This is an international issue," he said.

He added that an autopsy was being carried out at a hospital after which the body would be released to the family.

Malaysian police chief Mohamad Fuzi Bin Harun said on Sunday that no arrests had been made.

'He was no saint'

Hamidi said the suspects in the killing, who fled the scene, were believed to be Europeans with links to a foreign intelligence agency, state news agency Bernama reported.

He added that Batsh was active in pro-Palestinian non-governmental organisations, describing him as an expert in electrical engineering and rocket-building.

He could have been seen as "a liability for a country that is an enemy of Palestine," Zahid was quoted as saying by Bernama.

Hamas gunmen outside Albatsh's home in Gaza (Photo: EPA)

Albatsh's uncle Jamal Albatsh, speaking to Reuters in the Gaza Strip, said he believed Mossad was behind the killing because "Israel knows Palestine will be liberated by scientists".

Minister Katz shrugged off these allegations. "Israel doesn't comment on incidents of this kind. But based on what's been reported so far about the profession of the man who was assassinated, and based on the cries of despair from the heads of Hamas in Gaza, it turns out he wasn't such a great saint, and the citizens of Israel have no reason to shed a tear over him being gone," he told Ynet.

He added that "Hamas is part of the Iranian axis of evil in the area, and many elements in this regionnot just Israelhave an interest in hurting its capabilities."

Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman also brushed off the allegations on Sunday, telling Israel Radio, "We heard about it on the news. The terrorist organizations blame every assassination on Israelwe're used to that."

"The man was no saint, and he didn't deal with improving infrastructure in Gazahe was involved in improving rockets' accuracy," Lieberman added. "We constantly see a settling of accounts between various factions in the terrorist organizations, and I suppose that is what happened in this case."The professional assassination of electrical engineer Fadi Albatsh in Malaysia seems like an important operation aimed at thwarting a new ability Hamas has been trying to develop against Israel: the use of unmanned aerial vehicles.

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In fact, its another operation in a long list of assassinations that have been carried out both within and outside Gaza, against the minds taking part in the development of the strips aerial system.

Albatsh, who served as a lecturer in the field of electrical engineering and alternative energy, became a UAV expert as well recently. Although he had been living in Malaysia in recent years, he would occasionally visit Gaza. In one of those visits, he was recruited by Hamas to help with the drone issue and to assist in the effort to improve the precision level of the rockets produced by the organization.

Members of Hamas's military wing at the entrance to Albatsh's mourners' tent in Gaza (Photo: AP)

Albatshs assassination, and the efforts Hamas has been putting into achieving aerial abilities, should be reviewed in light of the technological and operational solutions the IDF has found for the terror organizations threats, both in the interception of rockets and in the detection and destruction of attack tunnels.

Because of the IDFs response to these threats, Hamas was forced to search for new offensive abilities, turning to the field of UAVs.

The Iron Dome system managed to intercept 89 percent of Hamass effective fire during Operation Protective Edge. In light of the improvements introduced into the anti-rocket defense system since then, moreover, it will likely be even more successful in the next conflict.

So far, Hamas has failed to come up with a solution to the Iron Dome. As a result, four years after Protective Edge, there has been no dramatic shift in severity of the rocket threat from Gaza.

A day after Protective Edge, Hamas resumed its tunnel digging, but the IDF didnt rest on its laurels either. Since then, it has come up with two solutions to the threat: the first is the underground barrierwhich is being built around the strip as we speak and will be ready by the end of 2019and the second is the lab created in the Gaza Division, in cooperation with Israels finest minds, which is successfully detecting all of the tunnels one after the other.

Scene of assassination in Kuala Lumpur (Photo: AFP)

Five Hamas tunnels have been destroyed in the past few months alone, with new measures that have made the tunnels completely unusable. As a result, Hamas has realized that all tunnels are going to be exposed and has decided to stop digging new ones.

Seeing its flagship project being gradually destroyed, and in a bid to maintain a military option against Israel, Hamas decided to focus its efforts on the UAV area. Like in other areas, Hamas is learning from Hezbollah and from Iran. Only two weeks ago, according to foreign reports, the Israel Air Force destroyed a large shipment of Iranian drones in the T-4 airbase in Syria.

But despite its best efforts, Hamas has so far been unsuccessful in obtaining advanced aerial abilities. Saturdays assassination, as well as the assassination of flight engineer Mohammad al-Zawahri more than a year and a half ago in Tunisia, come as another blow to the Gaza terrorists attempt to find an efficient offensive measure against Israel.Education Minister Naftali Bennett said Sunday the controversial bill proposal to give the Knesset override power over the High Court of Justice will be brought to a vote in the Ministerial Committee for Legislation next Sunday, even before the beginning of the parliament's summer session.

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The proposal, which is sponsored by Bennett's fellow Bayit Yehudi Minister Ayelet Shaked, determines that a mere 61 MK majority (out of 120 lawmakers) would be sufficient to reapprove legislation struck down by the High Court.

Bennett asserted the notwithstanding clause was the middle ground between giving the High Court absolute power to strike down lawswhich is the current situationand completely preventing the court from disqualifying laws.

Education Minister Bennett (Photo: Tal Shachar)

"The State of Israel is facing a historic opportunity: To pass the notwithstanding clause and lead to a reform in the fight against terrorists and in removing the illegal infiltrators, but also in curbing the exaggerated power of the court in Israel," Bennett said.

"This is why I informed the prime minister several weeks ago that we have to promote the legislation, but unfortunately not only did the bill we propose not go up for discussion, no other bill was raised in its stead," the Bayit Yehudi leader criticized. "After years of foot dragging, discussions and committees, it's time to act. We expect all members of the government to support the balanced lawit's time to move from words to actions."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to pass the broad legislation, but Kulanu leader Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon is opposed and demands the override power would only apply to the African migrants' issue , rather than any law.

South Tel Aviv residents, who support the deportation of African asylum seekers and refugees from Israel, welcomed Bennett's efforts to promote the legislation, which would help untangle the legal knot created after the High Court struck down legislation that would've allowed the expulsion of the Africans, who mostly live in their neighborhoods.

"We expect that together with Prime Minister Netanyahu and Finance Minister Kahlon, a bill proposal will be promote that leads to a quick and full solution for south Tel Aviv, which includes the rehabilitation of the neighborhoods," the residents said in a statement. "We hope the override power clause will pass in the coming summer session."

On Saturday night, thousands took to the streets in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv to protest against the prime minister's attempts to push the notwithstanding clause legislation.Natalie Portmans refusal to come to Israel has created quite a buzz. From The Washington Post to The Guardian, from The Telegraph to Reuters, the headlines are similar and homogenous: Portman wont visit Israel due to recent events.

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Most reports attributed the actress refusal to the events in Gaza, following claims that innocent people had been shot. In a clarification statement issued Saturday, Portman implied that she decided not to come to Israel because of the refugee issue.

But the clarification arrived too late. The refusal to come to Israel was seen, rightly, as a move aimed at reinforcing the boycott. Israels haters havent received such a significant gift in a long time.

The BDS movement is already celebrating following Portmans boycott, and no clarification is going to help (Photo: GettyImages)

The protest, any protest, is part of the democratic discourse. There is a difference, however, between the public debate in Israel and Portmans boycott, because Israel has been receiving a hefty, exaggerated and obsessive dose of demonization. Portman didnt help the relevant criticism; she helped the demonization campaign.

Countries like Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Finland, and definitely in the United States have been making decision on refugees and asylum seekers. The decisions generate criticism and a public debate, as well as judicial decisions. But no one has chosen to boycott those countries, or ceremonies that are held in those countries, or the leaders of those countries, because of controversial decisions.

When it comes to a boycott of Israel, or only of the Israeli prime minister, the boycott is much more serious, because Israel is the only country in the world forced to deal with a propaganda of horrors. The claims against Israel are based on a worldwide propaganda of lies. Its not that Israel cant be criticized. But people of moral and conscience should speak out against the propaganda of horrors rather than reinforce it.

Portmans move joins the march of double standards against Israel. When Israel defends itself against jihad organizations, like Hamas and Hezbollah, every Israeli response is turned into crimes against humanity. Is every country allowed to defend itself, excluding Israel? Are the US, France and Britain allowed to strike in Syriaalthough it doesn't pose an existential threat to themwhile Israel is forbidden to retaliate against those who are trying to harm it and who also happen to hold an ideology of annihilating Jews? The boycott supporters are not just hypocritical. They are carrying out a moral crime against one nation of all nations.

By refusing to come to Israel to receive the prize, Portman gave a prize to the anti-Israel propaganda

Dear Ms. Portman, weve had enough of these double standards, even when they come from those who claim to love Israel. Anyone who loves Israel should understand its a democracy. Anyone who loves Israel doesnt use double standards and doesnt boycott. Anyone who boycotts Israel bolster our haters, the demonization campaign and the boycott movement, which opposes Israels actual existence.

Portman says she doesnt want to bolster Benjamin Netanyahu by appearing beside him. Well, I have news for Portman. We constantly voice claims against the prime minister. Even you, Ms. Portman, have voiced blatant criticism against Netanyahu in the past. And although the prize committee includes a member representing the prime minister, the committee decided to give you the prize. Thats Israels democracy. We are proud of it.

We know that our law enforcement systems are functioning. We have already sent a president and a prime minister to jail. We arent proud of it, but we do take pride in the fact that Israel is a law-abiding state. The current prime minister is under investigation too, because Israel is a democracy and a law-abiding state. But a boycott? Absolutely not. That is not the way to fix something. Thats the most efficient way to bolster Israels haters.

The BDS movement is already celebrating following Portmans boycott and has even added her to its ranks. No clarification on the issue is going to help. By refusing to come to Israel to receive the prize, Portman gave a prize to the anti-Israel propaganda, which isnt fighting for a more liberal, humane or democratic Israel, but for Israels destruction. I assume that wasnt Portmans intention, but thats the result. Portman is invited to review the reactions, in the world and on social media, to her boycott announcement. If she has any integrity, shell realize she has made a mistake.Shajahan visits Bangladesh India Moitree Bridge site in Khagrachhari

BSS, Khagrachari :

Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan on Saturday said the Bangladesh-India land port development work will begin after completion of the construction of the bridge over the Feni river at Ramgar in the district.

"The construction of the land port will change the fate of the people in this hilly district... I urge all of you to cooperate in the development work," he said, talking to the journalists after visiting the construction site of Bangladesh-India Moitree Bridge over the Feni river at Ramghar.

Lawmakers Kujendra Lal Thripura, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Md Rashedul Islam, Khagrachari Zila Parishad Chairman Kongjory Chowdhury and Police Super Ali Ahmed Khan, among others, accompanied the minister during the visit.

Shajahan Khan said the construction work of the link road of the bridge in Bangladesh part and other related activities would begin soon.

Later, the minister joined a rally organized by the local Awami League and the audition round of a competition of Zila Shilpakala Academy.KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian police said Sunday an investigation is underway into the gunning down of a Palestinian man and that security is being beefed up in the country following recent high-profile assassinations.

Gaza's ruling Hamas militant group said Fadi Albatsh was an important member of the group and accused Israel of being behind his killing early Saturday in Kuala Lumpur.Malaysian police asked the public for help on Sunday in its investigation into the gunning down of a Palestinian man a day earlier, while beefing up security in the country following recent high-profile assassinations.

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Gaza's ruling Hamas terror group said Fadi Albatsh was an important member of the group and accused Israel of being behind his killing early Saturday in Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysia's national police chief, Mohamad Fuzi Harun, said Sunday that security has been beefed up and an investigation is underway to determine the motive behind Albatsh's killing.

Malaysia Police press conference about Fadi Albatsh (Photo: AFP)

"No arrests have been made and the murder weapon has not been recovered," Fuzi said at a news conference. "We need some help from the public actually. Anyone with information, please come forward."

"This is an unfortunate incident that we would like to have avoided, but it has happened," he added. "I give an assurance that we will do our best to improve the level of security, especially in Kuala Lumpur."

Malaysian police say the 35-year-old Albatsh was gunned down by two assailants who shot at least eight bullets from a motorbike as he was heading to a mosque for dawn prayers in Kuala Lumpur. It said closed-circuit television footage showed him targeted by assassins, who had waited for him for almost 20 minutes.

Malaysia Police press conference about Fadi Albatsh (Photo: EPA)

Fuzi dismissed claims police took almost an hour to response to the shooting after a video went viral on YouTube of a man who said he witness the shooting and tried to call the police 3-4 times, but received no answer.

The video, which was in Arabic, was later translated and posted on Facebook by another person. He made an error in the translation saying that the man had tried to call the police 43 times, the police chief said.

"The video is full of lies as we received the first call at 6:41am and dispatched a patrol car to the scene at 6:44am, and the car arrived at the scene at 6:49am, he said.

Hamas initially stopped short of blaming Israel, saying only that he had been "assassinated by the hand of treachery." But later its top leader accused Israel's Mossad spy agency of killing him and threatened retaliation.

The Israeli government had no comment. But Israel has a long history of suspected targeting of wanted Palestinian terrorists in daring overseas operations around the globe and has been linked to other assassinations as well, though it has rarely publicly acknowledged them.

Scene of the shooting (Photo: EPA)

Fuzi said Albatsh had lived in Malaysia for more than seven years and was a permanent resident of the country.

He had a degree in electrical engineering and lectured at a local university, according to Fuzi, who said he could not confirm reports that Albatsh was an expert in rocket making.

Photos of Fadi Albatsh (Photo: EPA)

He said Albatsh, who traveled locally and abroad to speak on Palestinian issues, was due to fly to Turkey for a conference when he was killed.

Fuzi said witness accounts showed that the assailants had European features, but that it was premature to confirm whether foreign agents were involved in the killing.

The nongovernmental group Humanitarian Care Malaysia said it had engaged Albatsh as an imam for the past few years to raise awareness on Palestinian issues in Malaysia.Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan asked Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh on Sunday to review the arrest of Lt. Col. (res.) Avi Farhan, who showed up at a Nakba march in Atlit where he waved the Israeli flag.

Palestinians commemorate what they call the Nakba or Catastrophe when hundreds of thousands fled or were driven out of their homes in 1948, when the state of Israel was created.

Erdan also asked the police chief to reexamine the arrest of teens who were caught putting up posters inciting against the Samaria Brigade commander on Independence Day.

"To arrest a man is to take his liberty and we have to make sure we act according to the law," Erdan added.Nicholas Rose, 26, of Irvine, California has been charged with hate crimes against Jews and attempts to threaten Jewish organizations after ammunition, anti-Semitic posters and a kill list detailing the names of Jewish community members he marked as targets were found in his home, the Orange County District Attorney's Office said on Thursday.

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The incriminating materials were found after a family member reported Rose's desire to kill Jews to the police. According to the KTLA television station, the kill list found at Rose's residence included prominent Jews in show business with the headline "Kill my first Jew."

The news report detailing the case

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The search of the premises led to Rose's arrest.

The Police found Rose's notes mentioning the St. Barbara Russian Orthodox Church in Lake Forest and the Beth Jacob Congregation and St. Paul's Greek Orthodox Church in Irvine as targets for his hate crimes. "The churches appeared in Rose's notes since he didn't approve of their sympathy for Jews," said the County District Attorney's Office.

Nicholas Rose arrested for hate crimes

The young Californian was indicted Thursday, and charged him with "three felony counts of attempted criminal threats, three misdemeanor counts of violation of civil rights and three sentencing enhancement counts for hate crimes," according to the Orange County District Attorney's Office.

Rose's pre-trial hearing date is scheduled to be on April 27. He faces a maximum sentence of six years and six months in a state penitentiary.

According to the Central Men's Jail, where he is currently held, the bail set for his release while he awaits trial is $500,000.

Rose's computer and cell phone were searched for more information that would help determine whether Rose is a member of a hate organization, according to Senior Deputy District Attorney Jeff Moore, who is prosecuting the case.

Moore also stated Rose's notes are unclear and rambling, and that he couldn't give any other information at the moment.A letter penned by Richard Wagner warning of Jewish influence in culture will be auctioned next week in Israel.

Tuesday's sale of the handwritten letter, dated April 25, 1869 and addressed to French philosopher Edouard Schure, could rekindle the debate in Israel on the controversial composer.

Wagner wrote in the letter that Jewish assimilation into French society prevents the observation of "the corroding influence of the Jewish spirit on modern culture," adding that the French know "very little" about the Jews.Air strikes pounded a jihadist-held area near Damascus on Sunday, footage broadcast by Syrian state TV stations showed, as the Syrian government stepped up efforts to wipe out the insurgency's last foothold near the capital.

Thick clouds of smoke rose from the al-Hajar al-Aswad area and the sound of jets could be heard in broadcasts from the area just south of Damascus that is controlled by insurgents from the Islamic State and Nusra Front groups.

UNRWA, the UN agency that cares for Palestinians, said two Palestinian refugee civilians - a father and son - had been killed in their home in the adjacent Palestinian camp of Yarmouk.An Iraqi air strike in Syria on April 19 has killed 36 Islamic State militants, including some of the group's leaders in Syria, an Iraqi military spokesman told Reuters on Sunday.

Iraqi warplanes had attacked an Islamic State explosives factory and other positions inside Syria on Thursday, a rare air assault across the border.Jack Teitel, who is serving two life sentences for killing two Palestinians, has been on a hunger strike since Wednesday, demanding to be released from jail.

Yair Ben David, who kidnapped and murdered the Palestinian boy Mohammed Abu Khdeir and is serving a life sentence, has also been on a hunger strike for 14 days.

The Israel Prison Service said that despite the fact the two are in the same prison, the hunger strikes are not related.Police detectives disguised as settlers arrested a teen from the Yitzhar settlement in the West Bank on Sunday.

The Jewish teen had an arrest warrant against him.

For the past few weeks, the police have been working to eradicate hate crimes against Palestinians in the West Bank.WASHINGTON - French President Emmanuel Macron said he has no "plan B" for the Iran nuclear deal and that the United States should stay in the agreement as long as there is no better option.

In a Fox News interview on Sunday, the day before he arrives in Washington for a three-day state visit, Macron also said the United States, France and other allies will have a "very important" role to play in rebuilding Syria after they defeat Islamic State militants.GAZIPUR: A view exchange meeting of Coordination Committee of Gazipur City Corporation was held with local journalists and law enforcers at Bhawal Conference Hall yesterday.Despite combative statements by the Islamic republic in the wake of a strike on an Iranian compound in the T-4 Airbase in Syria attributed to Israel , Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif clarified Sunday that Tehran saw no possibility of widespread military conflict.

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"I do not believe that we are headed towards regional war," Zarif told CBS's Face the Nation in the full interview released Sunday afternoon. He did, however, qualify his statement by saying that "Israel has continued its violations with international law, hoping to be able to do it with impunity because of US support and trying to find smokescreens to hide behind."

"And I do not believe that the smokescreens work anymore," he added ominously.

PM Netanyahu (L) and Iranian FM Zarif traded pointed words over Iran's involvement in the Middle East (Photo: Amos Ben Gershom/GPO, EPA)

In a ceremony at the General Staff in honor of Israel's 70th Independence Day, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu countered Zarif's remarks.

"This is the foreign minister of a country that sends armed UAVs (drones) against Israel and missiles at Saudi Arabia," the premier said at the event, also attended by Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot.

"I also heard his moderate remarks and there is a tremendous gap between his words and the actions of the Revolutionary Guards which are moving an army against Israel with the avowed goal of destroying the State of Israel. I am not impressed by words," Netanyahu stated flatly.

The prime minister also reiterated his confiendece in the army, which he said was "prepared for any possibility and any scenario." Netanyahu then raised a glass to both the state and its army.

PM Netanyahu (center), flanked by Defense Minister Lieberman (L) and Chief of Staff Eisenkot (Photo: Kobi Gideon/GPO)

The same Revolutionary Guards sent out threatening statements last week following the T-4 strike. Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi echoed their words, when he said Israel will "sooner or later receive the necessary responses to its recent crime and aggression."

"Gone are the days when the Zionist regime would hit and run. The resistance forces and Syria can defend their territorial integrity and national sovereignty," he asserted, before sending his condolences to the families of the Iranian casualties of the strike.

US disrespecting Iran, Zarif says

On the topic of the United States, the Iranian foreign affairs minister harshly criticized its conduct vis-a-vis its attitude towards other countries, emphasizing Iran. "The United States needs to learn how to treat other sovereign nations, particularly sovereign nations who do not depend on the United States for continued existence and who can live without US support not only for two weeks, but for 40 years," he said.

Zarif issued the aforementioned criticism, which may have also been a veiled shot at Israel itself, after interviewer Margaret Brennan asked him whether Iran would consent to holding talks with the US regarding the freeing of five American hostages held in Tehran.

"You do not engage in negotiations by exercising disrespect for a country, for its people. For its government by openly making claims including this illusion about regime change. Then you do not leave much room for a genuine dialogue," Zarif explained.

The Iranian also commented on the personal style of US President Donald Trump, stressing it required "a change of attitude And a change of language."





President Trump required a 'change of attitude and of language,' Zarif opined (Photo: EPA)

"It makes us uncomfortable to see the continuation of bloodshed in our region," he added, directing his next comments at Saudi Arabia and the US alike, "because there are some rather young and ambitious leaders who believe that they can have military victory in Yemen. They believe that they could unseat Assad."

In the preview of the interview broadcast Saturday, Zarif was shown warning that Iran was ready to "vigorously" resume uranium enrichment "at a much greater speed" if the US abdicated its part in the 2015 nuclear deal

The "probable" Iranian response to an American withdrawal from the nuclear deal, Zarif elucidated, was a return to enriching uraniuma key ingredient in nuclear bomb-makingdespite the fact Iran was disinterested in acquiring such capabilities, as per the minister.

Zarif speaking to Face the Nation

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Trump will decide by May 12 whether to restore US economic sanctions on Tehran, which would be a severe blow to the 2015 pact between Iran and six major powers. He has pressured European allies to work with Washington to fix the deal.

Iran disabused its Western partners to the deal of the notion it could be renegotiated, going so far as to threaten countermeasures if Washington bowed out, despite remaining vague on the details.

Earlier this month, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Trump will "regret" pulling out of the deal, and that Iran will retaliate for such an action "within a week."

Iranian President Rouhani said the US will 'regret' withdrawing from the nuclear deal (Photo: AFP)

Zarif himself previously said on the same matter that Iran had several options in case of a US withdrawal, and that its response will not be pleasant.

Macron: No 'Plan B' for nuclear deal

Concurrently to Zarif's interview, French President Emmanuel Macronwhose country is also party to the nuclear dealgave an interview to Fox News in which he said he has no "plan B" for the Iran nuclear deal and that the United States should stay in the agreement as long as there is no better option.

French President Macron said the US should stay in the nuclear deal so long as there was no better option (Photo: MCT)

In the Fox News interview Sunday, the day before he arrives in Washington for a three-day state visit, Macron also said the United States, France and other allies will have a "very important" role to play in rebuilding Syria after they defeat Islamic State militants.

President Donald Trump has said he wants US forces to leave Syria as quickly as possible, but Macron warned that Iran, which has been Syrian President Assad's most supportive ally, will overrun Syria if the countries exit too quickly.

Macron and Trump will discuss the Iran nuclear agreement at the White House on Tuesday, a senior US administration official said on Friday. They will also discuss the joint military strike on Syria this month following a suspected chemical weapons attack near Damascus, the official said.

President Macron (L) will meet President Trump at the WH on Tuesday to discuss the deal (Photo: AFP)

The 2015 deal reached between Iran, the United States and five other world powers put curbs on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.

"I don't have any plan B," Macron said. "Let's present this framework because it's better than the sort of North Korean-type situation."

Macron said he wanted to "complete it" by addressing ballistic missiles and working to contain Iran's influence in the region.The Conference of European Rabbis (CER) has been initiating and participating in rallies and engaging in public relations activities in the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik recently, as well as at the European Parliament in Brussels, coming out against a bill proposed by Iceland to impose a prison sentence on any person circumcising their son.

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The events were held by the non-Jewish opponents of the legtilation from Protestant and Catholic umbrella organizations in Europe and from the European Union.

CER further reported it has managed to mobilize senior US congressional and EU officials, as well as doctors and academics and heads of organizations of all faiths who called the proposal "anti-Semitic"and sent representatives to the protest rallies.

Rabbi Goldschmidt said the Icelandic bill was 'ill advised' (Photo: Eli Itkin)

With the firm backing of the media in Iceland, the rabbis expressed for the first time cautious optimism regarding the thwarting the initiative they claimed violated religious freedom.

President of the conference Rabbi Pinhas Goldschmidt warned that "the Nazis enacted such a law in 1933 and we know how it ended," adding he thought the bill, which passed its first legislative reading two months ago, was "ill advised."

"This move is not only a violation of the basic human right to freedom of religion or belief, but a sign that people of Jewish or Muslim background are not welcome in Iceland," he added.

Rabbi Goldschmidt explained that a proposal by rabbis and Jewish organizations to adopt a model approved by the Council of Europe, in Germany and the UKaccording to which ethical and medical standards will be anchored in regulation in order to enable the circumcision to be performedhas garnered much support from the public and the media.

While his group was "definitely optimistic" at the public support, the campaign was not yet over.

Bill 'questions our Jewish identity,' says Belgian chief rabbi

Belgian chief rabbi and member of the conference Rabbi Avraham Gigi explained at the Brussels conference the significance and historical and religious background of circumcision, saying it "occupied a central and critical place in culture, religion and Jewish identity."

Belgian Chief Rabbi Avraham Gigi said circumcision played a central role in all aspects of Jewish life (Photo: Wolfish, Brussels)

In his words, "Questioning the freedom of Jewish families to circumcise their children means undermining the most ingrained identity in their collective memory." Therefore, "When a particular country forbids circumcision, it is publicly declaring that no Jewish community is desirable there."

The conference of rabbis noted that the initiators of the law in Iceland came from Denmark, raising the fear that similar attempts will be made afterwards in other Scandinavian countries. "Opponents of circumcision in Denmark have already collected 30,000 signatures from citizens, out of the 50,000 necessary in order to initiate a legislative process there as well," an attendee said.

At the end of the conference, a communique was issued by the people and organizations that took part, calling on the Icelandic government and members of the country's parliament to immediately halt the proposal, which they claim violated the right of the child to belong to his family's religious tradition.

Rabbi Goldschmidt added that the proposal put forward by the rabbis and the Jewish organizations to adopt the model approved by the European Council, Germany and Europe, under which ethical and medical standards would be enforced in regulations to allow the performance of circumcisions, was gaining popularity among the public and in the media.

CER Vice President Rabbi Moshe Levin, who attended the Reykjavik conference, met with a parliament member opposing the legislation and discussed the alternative outline with him. "We are definitely optimistic," Goldschmidt said, but clarified that "the battle isn't over yet."

The Conference in Iceland was organised by The Protestant CEC and Catholic COMECE European umbrella groups and local religious leaders, who voiced their opposition to this bill and support for the Jewish and Muslim community.JERUSALEM -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel defended the Iran nuclear deal in an interview with an Israeli TV channel, saying an imperfect deal is better than no deal and that her country will "watch very closely" to ensure it is being fulfilled.

Her comments were broadcast Sunday, ahead of a meeting in Washington this week with President Donald Trump who vows to withdraw from the agreement by May 12 unless US and European negotiators agree to fix what he calls its serious flaws. Separately, French President Emmanuel Macron, a fellow defender of the Iran deal, begins a state visit in the US on Monday.

Merkel told Israel TV's Channel 10 that she can understand the "great worries in Israel, concerning what is emanating from Iran."German Chancellor Angela Merkel defended the Iran nuclear deal in an interview with an Israeli TV channel, saying an imperfect deal is better than no deal and that her country will "watch very closely" to ensure it is being fulfilled.

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Her comments were broadcast Sunday, ahead of a meeting in Washington this week with President Donald Trump who vows to withdraw from the agreement by May 12 unless US and European negotiators agree to fix what he calls its serious flaws. Separately, French President Emmanuel Macron, a fellow defender of the Iran deal, begins a state visit in the US on Monday.

The 2015 deal, negotiated by the US and other world powers, curbs Iran's nuclear program in exchange for easing economic sanctions. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vehemently opposed the agreement, saying it falls short of containing the nuclear ambitions of Iran, a declared foe of Israel.

German Chancellor Merkel said an imperfect Iran deal was better than no deal at all (Photo: AP)

Merkel told Israel TV's Channel 10 that she can understand the "great worries in Israel, concerning what is emanating from Iran."

"The issue on which we disagree is how we can best contain this," she said. "Prime Minister Netanyahu believes that the nuclear deal with Iran does not provide the security Israel desires. We believe it's better to have this agreement, even if it is not perfect, than to have no agreement. We will continue to discuss this, but Germany will watch very closely to ensure that this agreement will be fulfilled."

Germany remains one of Israel's closest allies, but the relationship has been strained at times over the Netanyahu government's settlement expansion in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, which the Palestinians seek for a future state.

"I think this situation causes some headaches because the two-state solution is not becoming more likely through a policy of settlement building," she said. "Therefore, we have a difference of opinion."

Location of the future US Embassy in Jerusalem. Germany will not be following suit with an embassy move, Merkel divulged (Photo: Atta Awisat)

She said Germany will not follow the example of the United States, which is moving its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem next month, in the wake of Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Reiterating long-standing policy, Merkel said the status of Jerusalem can only be determined in negotiations. The Palestinians seek the Israeli-annexed eastern sector as a capital.

Despite some policy disagreements, Germany will always have a special relationship with Israel, "stemming from the eternal responsibility we bear for the Shoah," she said, using the Hebrew word for Holocaust, the genocide of an estimated 6 million Jews by Nazi Germany.

Merkel said she is "saddened" that her country has not been able to snuff out anti-Semitism for good, and that to this day, Jewish schools, kindergartens and synagogues require police protection.

Footage of recent anti-Semitic attack in Berlin (:    )

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"We have refugees now, for example, or people of Arab origin, who bring a different type of anti-Semitism into the country," she said. "But unfortunately, anti-Semitism existed before this."

The chancellor, who was last in Israel in 2014, said she would visit in the second half of 2018, as part of high-level meetings involving Cabinet ministers from both countries.The Foreign Affairs Ministry held a multi-person panel Sunday on the requisite preparations for the impending opening of the new American Embassy in Jerusalem, slated to be inaugurated May 14

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While the administration of US President Donald Trump has yet to release any official word on the identities of the dignitaries expected to arrive from Washington to attend the opening ceremony, Israel's working premise is that an 800 person delegation will be sent to Israel headed by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

President Trump's eldest daughter Ivanka and her husband and Trump's special envoy to the Middle East Jared Kushner are also expected to attend.

The US Consulate in Jerusalem will become the embassy May 14 (Photo: Atta Awisat)

Others on the invite list are some 20 American lawmakers, along with all former American ambassadors to Israel. The Foreign Affairs Ministry plans to host all of the American officials at a special, festive reception held in its Jerusalem offices.

As for the opening ceremony itself, all of Israel's most senior officials have been invited to attend, including all ministers and a number of public figures.

Guatemala will be following suit and inaugurating its very own Jerusalem embassy two days following the American one, while the Foreign Affairs Ministry is diligently working to convince yet more countries to do the sameas yet unsuccessfully.

US Treasury Secretary Mnuchin will head the American delegation (Photo: AFP)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, said Saturday Israel has been holding talks with six countries to open an embassy in the capital.

Three of the aforementioned six countries have been revealed to be Romania, the Czech Republic and Honduras . While in the former two states the move has hit roadblocks due to internal political strife that has little to do with Israel, talks with Honduras have stalledprompting Tourism Minister Yariv Levin to visit the Central American country in an attempt to reignite them.

The identities of the three remaining countries remained unclear.Rental markets across Queensland are showing signs of improvement, according to the Real Estate Institute of Queenslands (REIQ) Q1 2018 Vacancy Rate report, released last Friday.

Regional Queensland, in particular, has delivered good results, following three years of lacklustre results.

Antonia Mercorella, CEO of REIQ, said regional vacancy improvements in the March quarter followed similar minor improvements in the December quarter.

Some of our markets, such as the Gold and Sunshine Coasts, remain uncomfortably tight, and we would like to see more investors enter those markets; however, APRAs tightened lending criteria is not encouraging investors to consider property, she said. The result is tight markets remain tight, despite good opportunities for landlords in those markets.

Greater Brisbanes vacancy rate eased by 0.1% to 2.7%, and remains a healthy market. Looking more closely at this region, the Brisbane LGA also eased by 0.1% to 3.1%, which indicates a healthy market for a second consecutive quarter.

The inner ring (0-5km radius) tightened, returning from the weak range to a healthy 3.5%. This is good news for this market, as it reflects good rental options for tenants and greater opportunities for landlords looking to secure good tenants.

The middle ring (5-20km radius) eased slightly, moving from the tight to the healthy range and registering a vacancy rate of 2.8%.

Its gratifying to see that all areas of the Brisbane rental market are operating in the healthy range and this [is starting] to impact speculation about oversupply, Mercorella said. The data shows a very resilient market capable of absorbing the perceived oversupply.

Ipswich tightened marginally, dropping from 3.1% to 3.0%. However, the suburb has maintained its position as a healthy rental market.

This area is really a growth corridor for Queensland and were seeing buyers and renters flocking to this part of the southeast corner. Its great news that the rental market is maintaining its stability and healthy status, Mercorella said.

The Gold Coast held steady at 1.1%. This market was measured in the months before the Commonwealth Games, and it will be interesting to observe market performance over the next two to three quarters as visitors leave the region.

Early next year, the Athletes Village will be redeveloped into a Health and Knowledge Precinct including mixed-use residential precincts with more than 1100 apartments, REIQ said.

Our hope is that these units will find investor buyers and this could contribute to easing the tight rental conditions in this beautiful part of the world, Mercorella said.

The Sunshine Coast, overall, has a vacancy rate of 1%. The Sunshine Coast is very challenging for renters who are looking for accommodation and we have said consistently for quite some time that this market would benefit from additional investor activity, Mercorella said. The upward pressure on rents, as a result of this tight vacancy rate, will serve to push this market towards unaffordable.

Related stories:News

St. Paul, Minnesota - A U.S. citizen pleaded guilty today to paying a 14-year-old girl for sex on multiple occasions in 2007.

Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Departments Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Lechleitner of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., Special Agent in Charge Tracy Corimer of HSI St. Paul, Minnesota and Attache Ransom J. Avilla of HSI Manila, Philippines made the announcement.

According to court documents, from in or about September 2007 until in or about December 2007, James Marvin Reed, then 52 years old, engaged in commercial sexual intercourse on multiple occasions with the then 14-year-old victim, and impregnated her, while he was working in the Philippines as a contractor for the U.S. Department of Defense. In 2016, he was arrested by Philippine authorities and returned to the United States for prosecution.

Reed pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place. His sentencing is scheduled in June before U.S. District Judge Donovan W. Frank in the District of Minnesota.

Trial Attorneys Ralph Paradiso and James E. Burke IV of the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) are prosecuting the case. CEOS Trial Attorney Kathryn Furtado also served as a vital member of the prosecution team at earlier stages of the litigation. The U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Minnesota also provided substantial assistance in this prosecution.Latest News

Muskogee, Oklahoma - Jerry Lynn Gragg Jr., 41, a former police officer with the Savanna Police Department in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, was sentenced today in federal court in Muskogee, to 100 months in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release. Gragg previously pleaded guilty to one count of violating the civil rights of a female whom he sexually assaulted during a routine traffic stop. As part of his sentence, Gragg must forfeit his law enforcement certification and comply with federal and state sex offender registration requirements.

According to court documents, on Jan. 21, 2017, Gragg, while on-duty, stopped a vehicle during the early hours of the morning while it was still dark outside. After approaching the vehicle, Gragg brought the female driver back to his marked patrol unit and directed her to sit in the front passenger seat. Given the coercive power of Graggs position as a law enforcement offer, and the physical disparity in size between Gragg and the victim, she could not escape from the patrol car. Thereafter, Gragg caused the victim to perform a sexual act on him against her will. Gragg admitted that he knew what he was doing was wrong and against the law, yet he did so anyway. Gragg further admitted that his acts included aggravated sexual abuse, which under federal law, requires force or putting the victim in fear of serious bodily injury, kidnapping, or death.

The Department of Justice will not tolerate the actions of law enforcement officers who exploit their authority and sexually abuse individuals in their custody, said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore of the Civil Rights Division. Graggs sentencing today reflects the Justice Departments commitment to holding officers who violate an individuals civil rights accountable for their egregious actions. The Civil Rights Division will continue to vigorously prosecute these cases.

"I commend the victim for her strength and courage to come forward and provide law enforcement with the information necessary to hold the Defendant accountable for committing this heinous act and for violating his oath to protect and serve his community." said U.S. Attorney Brian Kuester. "While the majority of law enforcement officers follow the laws they are sworn to uphold, this Office will continue to investigate and prosecute those who choose otherwise."

This deliberate abuse of authority is a disgrace and embarrassment to all members of the law enforcement community, said FBIs Oklahoma City Division Special Agent in Charge Kathryn Peterson. There is an added sense of betrayal when a fellow law enforcement official preys on the citizens he has sworn to protect.

This case was investigated by the Oklahoma City Division of the FBI and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation in cooperation with the Pittsburg County District Attorneys Office and the Savanna Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shannon Henson of the Eastern District of Oklahoma and Special Litigation Counsel Fara Gold of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.Latest News

Little Rock, Arkansas - The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas entered a consent decree of permanent injunction against defendants Cantrell Drug Company (Cantrell), and James L. McCarley Jr., Cantrells co-owner and Chief Executive Officer. The injunction permanently enjoins the defendants from distributing adulterated drugs in violation of the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

The entered permanent injunction stems from a complaint the Department filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas on Feb. 28, at the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). That complaint alleged, among other things, that the defendants distributed adulterated drugs in interstate commerce.

As part of the permanent injunction, defendants cannot resume manufacturing, processing, or distributing drugs until they comply with specific remedial measures. Those measures include submitting a remedial plan to FDA, which will provide for an independent expert to conduct inspection(s) of defendants facility, ensure defendants implement all recommended corrective actions, and ensure that defendants manufacturing and distributing of drugs will be in conformity with current good manufacturing practice. The permanent injunction provides that defendants cannot resume manufacturing, processing, or distributing drugs until FDA notifies them in writing that defendants appear to be in compliance with the ordered remedial measures.

Compounding pharmacies have a responsibility to ensure that they process drugs in a manner that meets the legal standards necessary to ensure the safety and quality of such drugs, said Acting Assistant Attorney General Chad A. Readler of the Justice Departments Civil Division. The Department of Justice will continue to work with FDA to ensure that doctors and patients can rely on the protections in the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

According to the complaint filed by the Department on Feb. 28, defendants drugs were adulterated because they were prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions whereby they may have been contaminated or may have been rendered injurious to health. The complaint also alleged that defendants drugs were adulterated because defendants failed to comply with current good manufacturing practice regulations.

Cantrell initiated voluntary recalls of drug products in 2016 and 2017. The 2016 recall, initiated due to lack of sterility assurance, involved 29 lots of unexpired sterile drug products. The 2017 recall, also due to a lack of sterility assurance, encompassed all lots of unexpired sterile drug products that Cantrell had compounded and distributed between Feb. 16, 2017, and July 19, 2017.

The Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act is designed to protect the public health, said U.S. Attorney Cody Hiland for the Eastern District of Arkansas. This enforcement action demonstrated our commitment to ensuring that when deficiencies are identified, they are properly addressed.

As a public health agency, the FDA is committed to fully implementing the regulatory framework set forth by Congress that helps ensure compounded drugs are made under appropriate production standards, said FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D. FDA is committed to taking action against compounders who do not comply with the requirements set forth in federal law.

The government is represented by Trial Attorney Raquel Toledo of the Civil Divisions Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon S. Smith of the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas, with the assistance of Associate Chief Counsel, Litigation, Jennifer Kang of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of General Counsels Food and Drug Division.Latest News

Kahului, Maui - Former police officer Anthony Maldonado, of Kahului, Maui, pleaded guilty today in federal court to one count of Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law in violation of Title 18, United States Code  242, and one count of Conspiracy to Commit Witness Tampering in violation of Title 18, United States Code  1512(k).

According to court documents and information presented in court, Officer Maldonado conducted a traffic stop at the Mala Wharf on Maui in September 2015. He used the opportunity to steal approximately $1,800 in cash from the fanny pack of the person who he stopped. When the victim later realized the cash was missing, he reported the theft to Maui police. After the report was filed, the defendant and four others attempted to bribe the victim to withdraw the complaint. Three co-defendants previously pled guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Witness Tampering.

Law enforcement officers must uphold their pledge to protect the members of their communities and conduct themselves with honor, said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore of the Civil Rights Division. The Justice Department will continue to enforce the law and protect the civil rights of all to be free from willful police misconduct.

Everyone should be able to trust that an encounter with law enforcement will not result in theft, said U.S. Attorney Kenji M. Price for the District of Hawaii. No one is above the law, least of all police officers who are charged with protecting our community.

Maldonados sentencing is scheduled for August 23 before U.S. District Judge Helen Gilmor. He faces up to 21 years in prison, a fine of up to $350,000, and a period of supervised release of up to three years.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Mary Hahn of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jill Otake and Marc A. Wallenstein from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Hawaii.Father, son killed in road crash

Father and son were killed among three persons as a private car hit a covered van at Bhaluka in Mymensingh on Sunday.

UNB, Mymensingh :

A father and his son were killed while another three injured as a private car hit a covered-van on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway at Nishinda in Bhaluka upazila on Sunday morning.

The deceased were identified as Kadir Master, 65, a village doctor and his son Jewel Khan of Jamirdia village of the upazila.

Mamunur Rashid, officer-in-charge of

Bhaluka Model Police Station, said the accident took place when a speeding private car hit the covered-van from behind around 9am, leaving Kadir dead on the spot, and four including his three sons---Jewel Khan, Bachir Khan, Biplob Khan-injured.

Locals took them to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital where Jewel Khan died while undergoing treatment, police said.Actress Princess Shyngle has advised ladies to quit relationships with men who cannot satisfy them in bed.

In a post on Instagram, the Gambian based in Ghana indicated that it will be a waste of time for any lady to worry herself in a relationship in which they do not orgasm.

Never stay in a relationship with someone who cant make you cum, she posted.

Princess Shyngle's advise come at a time when there is a lot of talk about the contribution of sexual satisfaction to the stability of relationships.

READ ALSO: I just 'chopped' a Bhim Nation girl and her 'tonga' was talking - Shatta Wale brags

The debate, which can be said to have existed for a long time now, was deepened by the confessions some Ghanaian men and women as published by a relationship expert, Lawrence Nana Bondzie, in February.

In most instances the cheating partners, especially the women, cited the inability of the lovers to satisfy them in bed.

Not wanting to be one of such people, Princess Shyngle has chosen not to waste her time on any such unsatisfying relationship and she is advising you [ladies] to do same.

READ ALSO: I'm crushing on Patapaa, I'd like to 'taste' him - Actress reveals

The Gambian actress' advise may sound too forward or even controversial but it definitely hits a chord if you consider almost every bunch of commercials you hear on radio or see on TV in Ghana these days includes a product promising to cure sexual weakness.

Moreover, Princess Shyngle has shied away from controversy during her stay in Ghana.

She was once reported to have stated she could go months without having an intercourse with a man because she satisfies herself with her toys.

Check out some of the trending news in Ghana in YEN.com.gh's video below:

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Source: Yen- The governing NPP elects Regional Officers to running the party's affairs for the next four years

- The regional elections are expected to end on Tuesday, April 24

Delegates of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are currently voting across the 10 regions of Ghana to elect executives who will lead the party for the next four years.

The elections are expected to continue till Tuesday, April 24, 2018.

Over 700 delegates are expected to converge at the Trade Fair Centre, La to decide who lead the party. There about 54 persons contesting various positions in the party in the region.

Photos from some of the centres of the NPP regional elections

READ ALSO: Apostle Safo launches G-Wagon like car

In the Eastern region, 644 delegates expected to cast their votes.

In the Ashanti Region, 40 candidates are vying for various positions with 909 delegates expected to cast their votes.

NPP regional elections underway . Photo Credit: Citinewsroom

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The contest in the Ashanti Region promises to a hot one, hence the deployment of 200 uniformed and plain-clothed officers to maintain order at the event grounds.

YEN.com.ghs checks from the remain regions indicate a peaceful and calm electoral process.

Massive police presence in the Ashanti Region. Credit: Citinewsroom.com.

The regional elections will pave way for the national election of the partys national officers ahead of the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections.

Watch the trending news on YEN.com.gh this week :

READ ALSO: Two men killed in daylight bank robbery

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Source: YenYEN.com.gh has sighted a video showing a group of protesters hooting and calling President of the Republic of Ghana Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo names.

The protesters were reportedly expressing their displeasure about the Ghana-US Military deal.

In the video which is said to have been recorded while President Akufo-Addo and his wife, Rebecca, went to the London School of Economics (LSE) the protesters were heard shouting Ghana is not for sale! and Akufo-Addo is a traitor! repeatedly.

READ ALSO: I'm crushing on Patapaa, I'd like to 'taste' him - Actress reveals

After what looked like a little wait, the President, in true statesman fashion approached the direction of the protesting Ghanaians and waved at them before setting off in a Range Rover parked for him.

The protests were organized by the Ghana Action Plan for African Resistance led by one Alhassan Baba in London.

READ ALSO: If your man can't make you orgasm, leave him - Actress tells women

Earlier Alhassan Baba had told the media that Were going to send the signal to the international community that majority of Ghanaians are not in favour of that agreement. The US has to go back to the negotiation table, President Akufo Addo needs to put the interest of Ghana first because its necessary that in every foreign policy the vital national interest of every country needs to be taken into consideration."

So you shouldnt abandon your national interest in the interest of another country and thats exactly what Nana Akufo Addo is doing to Ghanaians. So were going to highlight some of the defects of the agreement, were not saying there shouldnt be agreement, yes, theres global insecurity and we need to work together but looking at the content of this particular agreement its not going to benefit our country," he added.

Back in Ghana, another group is currently demonstrating in Tamale the Northern Regional capital over the Ghana-US Military deal.

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Source: YenSensational Ghanaian gospel group, Daughters of Glorious Jesus, have made a very touching revelation about their music career.

The renowned gospel trio, Daughters of Glorious Jesus, have said that the group played free shows for 10 years before it started charging for performances.

The group told 3FMs Miriam Osei Agyemang on 3FMs Urban Blend that they were singing out of passion and not necessarily because of money.

We played free shows for 10 years - Popular music group reveals

READ ALSO: Zylofon Media boss to contest Ghana's presidency?

Asked how they have been able to cope playing free shows, something some artistes do not do today, the group said it is their calling and that was our calling too.

We have scarified a lot and we are still sacrificing, they added.

They explained that as Daughters, they have their policies and they know when to charge and when to play free shows, because in the estimation they get blessings from some of the shows they play.

According to the group, their biggest blessing is to hear people testify that their music has inspired them to give their lives to Christ.

Made up of Cynthia Appiadu, Edna Sarpong, and Monica Owusu Ansah, the group has stayed together for the past 29 years and will be celebrating their 30th anniversary next year.

As a prelude to their 30th Anniversary, the group will be having a show dubbed Back-to-Back on April 22 at the Charismatic Evangelic Ministry, North Legon. The event is expected to be a celebration of how far God has brought the group and anyone who supports them as well as provide a platform for patrons to have a feel of all the songs the group has churned out.

READ ALSO: I won't mind making love to Patapaa - Actress reveals

Daughter of Glorious Jesus started as part of the choir of the Resurrection Power and Living Bread Ministries, then headed by the late Rev. Francis Akwasi Amoako in 1987.

Later, the General Overseer of the Church, Bishop Akwasi Asare Bediako, saw their potential and encouraged them to form a music group.

They proceeded to minister through songs at various church crusades and convention mostly for free.

They released their debut album Anwanwa do in 1990. Since then, they have won several awards consistently through a number of albums and hit songs.

In 2003, they released Aseda recounting their trails, tribulations and their miraculous deliverance from death.

READ ALSO: Don't date one man; Take as many as 5 - Gospel musician advises

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Source: YenOne of the scariest experiences you can ever have is when you have a case in court. Trust me, no matter how innocent or guilty you are, a good lawyer is all you need to say goodbye to the scary face of Nsawam Prison.

In Ghana, we have quite a number of brilliant and outstanding lawyers who know the law from A to Z. These are men and women of power who stand in for powerful individuals and even presidents in times of great judgment and uncertainty. Here are the names of such lawyers and the power they have.

READ ALSO: I won't mind making love to Patapaa - Actress reveals

1. Gloria Akufo

She is the attorney general of Ghana - a powerful position which places her as the lawyer of government. Gloria Akufo is also remembered for her role in the 2012 election petition which has been described as the determinant of Ghana's peace after the fiercely contested election.

2. Ayikoi Otoo

The lawyer remains one of the highly skilled brains in Ghana's legal system. Currently appointed the ambassador for Canada, Ayikoi Otoo is best remembered for saving the former general secretary of the NPP, Owusu-Afriyie, also known as Sir John from the anger of Judges after he was summoned over abrasive comments against them. Aykoi Otoo used his professional experience, diplomacy, tact, humour to prevent Sir John from being jailed.

3. Tsatsu Tsikata

Everyone knows this name. He is one of the greatest lawyers Ghana ever had. This was a fine brain who used intelligence, knowledge of the law and oratory to defend cases of national interest.

His display of intelligence and deep knowledge of the law saw him battle with the state over some allegations of financial malfeasance at the GNPC - a prolonged legal matter which finally got him jailed and later freed under the presidential pardon.

4. Samuel Cudjoe

Opuni is the client for Samuel Cudjoe

It takes much confidence and experience to be the lawyer of a client who has been slapped with allegations of corruption and whose name is all over the news for living a lavish lifestyle. In fact. Samuel Cudjoe is the lawyer we are talking about.

He currently is the lead counsel of the former CEO of Cocobod, Dr. Stephen Opuni. Although the attorney general has hinted the embattled Cocobod CEO could face up to 25 years in jail, Samuel's main job is to ensure that his client never sees the face of jail.

5. Tony Lithur

Tony Lithur is the lawyer to the former president of the republic, John Dramani Mahama. This is the man who makes sure that all allegations against the former president are torn down and that the former president is as clean as a white cloth.

READ ALSO: Nana Aba Anamoah jumps to Berla Mundis defense over comments by Mark Okraku Mantey

Tony Lithur was also part of the team of lawyers who secured victory for Mahama during the landmark election petition.

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Source: Yen- Ghanaian broadcaster, Nana Aba Anamoah, has referred to Mark Okraku Mantey as a 'Mr. Know-It-All

- This was in reaction to Mark's comments with respect to the choice of Berla Mundi as the host of the VGMA

- Berla Mundi co-hosted the VGMA on Saturday, April 14, 2018, with actor John Dumelo

Celebrated Ghanaian journalist, Nana Aba Anamoah, has taken a swipe at Mark Okraku Mantey, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Slip Music over his latest comments.

Information available to YEN.com.gh shows that Okraku Mantey said Berla Mundi, an actress and media personality, was the wrong choice as lead MC for the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA).

He is reported to have added that Berla Mundi experience as MC, was below the standards set by the organizers, Charter House, over the years.

Nana Aba Anamoah

READ ALSO: Dating one man is risky - Gospel artiste

Speaking with Naa Ashorkor on Joy FM's Showbiz A-Z, he said that "per the standards and track record of the Ghana Music Awards that I know, Berla Mundi should not have been the lead MC but a support."

This comment did not do down well with Nana Aba who tweeted that: "Mr. Know-It-All; @berlamundi works hard, so she earned this."

She went ahead to wonder if Okraku Mantey was wiser than the members of the Charter House team who selected Berla Mundi.

According to her: encouragement is oxygen to the human spirit. Someone should tell Mark that it pays not to always dull peoples sparkle."

On Saturday, April 14, 2018, Berla Mundi co-hosted the VGMA with actor John Dumelo. A number of controversial issues concerning the event became the subjects for discussion for days after the programme.

READ ALSO: We played free shows for 10 years - Daughters of Glorious Jesus

In this video, Ebonys father names some people he believes are guilty of his daughters death. The question of whether homosexuality should be legalized in Ghana becomes a bone of contention:

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Source: YenVeteran Ghanaian Journalist, Kwesi Pratt Jnr has described award-winning Ghanaian gospel musician, Joe Mettle as a man with humility and incredible honest heart.

According to him, he has pleasantly surprised at the musician level of honesty, adding that, his virtue must be emulated by all young Ghanaians.

Kwesi Pratt, Journalist

READ ALSO: Nana Boroo narrates how Kwame Sefa Kayi almost killed his passion for music (Video)

Joe Mettle who picked up three awards at the just-ended 2018 VGMAs has revealed that one of his competitors, Patience Nyarkos song was more deserving of the Gospel Song of the Year compared to his worship song, Bo Noo Ni which was less popular.

To him, Patience Nyarkos hit song, Obi Nyane Me was far popular than his worship song which featured Luigi Maclean, but explained that he won that category because his numerous fans voted him.

However, commenting on the issue on Peace FM, the Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt described Joe Mettle as unique and must be commended for his sincerity.

READ ALSO: Joyce Dzidzor begs Ghanaians for money in support of family

Ive seen it widely reported in the Newspapers that Joe Mettle has admitted that Patience Nyarkos song was more popular than his and that song should have won the award. Ive never heard such sincerity in my life. Hes acknowledged that someone else was more deserving of the award," he said.

Kwesi Pratt also added that, "His sincerity is incredible, I dont know him but what hes done is worth commending, his humility has stunned me. Hes really earned my respect, hes indeed unique".

READ ALSO: I won't mind making love to Patapaa - Actress reveals

In this video, Ebonys father names some people he believes are guilty of his daughters death. The question of whether homosexuality should be legalized in Ghana becomes a bone of contention:

Yen.com.gh is building a platform where Ghanaians can share local news and own experiences with each other. Witnessing an incident? Want to tell about a local problem? Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition? Your stories and photos are always welcome. Message us on Facebook.

Source: Yen.com.gh- A Nigerian musician, Guudy, has admitted that she has affections for 'One Corner' hitmaker, Patapaa

- According to her, she was hurt when Ghanaians mocked him during and after the VGMAs.

- She went on to say that she would love meet with him soon

Rising Nigerian Afro-pop musician, Goodness Amodu Ayomide, better known as Guudy, has revealed that she is attracted to Ghanaian musician, Patapaa.

According to her, she has conducted extensive research on the One Corner hitmaker, and is waiting for the day they will meet.

I really like Patapaa and I have totally fallen in love with him. Patapaa is a very smart artiste who rides on controversies confronting him to elevate his music career to the next level, she said.

Nigerian musician, Guudy

READ ALSO: Nana Aba Anamoah 'blasts' top music producer for 'attacks' on Berla Mundi

Speaking with komfaonline.com, Guudy who is currently in Ghana for a music project, disclosed that she was hurt when Ghanaians mocked Patapaa after the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA).

I was really hurt when a lot of Ghanaians on social media made fun of his outfit. I believe his suit was alright, as he looked very gentle that night., she noted.

To her, Patapaa remains one of the best musicians from Ghana.

Guudy , one of Nigerias rising female afro-pop stars, is convinced that Patapaa remains one of the smartest music artistes in Ghana.

I am in Ghana now to work on my latest tracks titled Pick My Call, Salo Mako which means Be serious, and Twane Dance.

I will love to featured Patapaa on one of them. But I am yet to meet his management. she revealed. Guudy has composed numerous songs, including Twale Mama and Yes Love.

READ ALSO: I have a crush on Patapaa - Ghanaian actress

In this video, Ebonys father names some people he believes are guilty of his daughters death. The question of whether homosexuality should be legalized in Ghana becomes a bone of contention:

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Source: YenPopular Kumasi-based radio presenter, David Annan, aka David Hammer has revealed that Ghanas showbiz industry is witnessing new trend which is contributing to the collapse of the sector.

According to Dave Hammer, spiritualism has rock the Ghana movie industry especially that of Kumawood.

Dave Hammer, Radio presenter

READ ALSO: Kwesi Pratt acknowledges Joe Mettle's incredible humility, honesty

Speaking on Time with Tracy show, the radio presenter disclosed that many Ghanaian actors and celebrities are consulting juju men across the country to seek spiritual protection.

Our creative industry is full of spirituality. Everyone has what protects him or her, Dave Hammer said.

The practice he said is contributing to the death of many Ghanaian celebrities within the showbiz industry.

He therefore advised that actors, musicians, models, dancers, presenters and other celebrities who encounter negative issues must pray about it directly to God.

If you hear any negative prophesy pray about it. God listens. You have to let the spirit of God lead you, otherwise any wind can blow you, he added.

READ ALSO: Nana Boroo narrates how Kwame Sefa Kayi almost killed his passion for music (Video)

Dave Hammer in his interaction said the development in the showbiz industry is so worrying that people many are quick to resort to juju or spirituality in one form or the other to settle matters.

You have to let the spirit of God lead you otherwise any wind can blow you I dont believe in negative prophecies. I dont believe it. If you believe thats where it can have an effect on me he pointed out.

In this video, Ebonys father names some people he believes are guilty of his daughters death. The question of whether homosexuality should be legalized in Ghana becomes a bone of contention:

READ ALSO: Joyce Dzidzor begs Ghanaians for money in support of family

Yen.com.gh is building a platform where Ghanaians can share local news and own experiences with each other. Witnessing an incident? Want to tell about a local problem? Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition? Your stories and photos are always welcome. Message us on Facebook.

Source: Yen.com.ghTurkmenistan beat Kyrgyzstan in Bangabandhu International Volleyball



Turkmenistan beat Kyrgyzstan by 3-0 set in their group B match second edition of Bangabandhu Asian Senior Men's Central Zone International Volleyball tournament held on Sunday at Shaheed Suhrawardy Indoor Stadium at Mirpur in the city.

In the day's match, Nurev Dovletgendi of the winning team was named the player of the match for his impressive performance.

In the day's second match, Nepal shrugged off their first match defeat as they bounced back to register straight 3-0 set victory in their second group A match also held at the same venue. Nepal lost to host Bangladesh by 1-3 set in their opening match on Saturday.

Turkmenistan will play their next group match against Uzbekistan while defending champions Bangladesh meet the Maldives in their respective group matches scheduled to be held tomorrow at the same venue.

Monalisa returns to acting

Sheikh Arif Bulbon :

After break of two years, popular TV actress and model Monalisa has started shooting of a play. On Sunday, she took part in a shooting of a play Aamra Bhindeshi Tara in the citys Uttara area under Raima Islam Shimus direction. Popular TV actor Afran Nisho is acting against Monalisa in this play.

Before two days of Pahela Baishakh, Monalisa has returned to Bangladesh. Later she took part in a show in a satellite channel and another show in a FM channel. But this time she started shooting by this place.

Basically story of play Aamra Bhindeshi Tara revolves with her. Director of this play Shimu told this correspondent, Story of the play demands Monalisa so I have taken her to act in the central role. If she would not agree to work then I could not start shooting of this play. This play will be aired in any satellite channel on the occasion of coming Eid.

Monalisa shared her feelings by this way, After returning country I couldnt take any leisure time. For this reason, I decided to start shooting of any play in the beginning of May. But I have liked story of Aamra Bhindeshi Tara so I started its shooting. Afran Nisho is my co-actor in this play. Both of us are enjoying a lot working in this play. I believe it will become a nice work.

Monalisa also informed that on the occasion of coming Eid, she will act in several numbers of plays and telefilms. Therefore, she will also perform as a model in different TV commercials.

Govt must answer what happened to the force disappearances

MEMBERS of around 80 families joined a programme under the banner of "Mayer Daak", a platform of disappearance victims' family members, from across the country on April 21st, as per report of a local daily. Speaking at the event, supported by rights activists, family members slammed the state for denying justice to their dear ones. According to them, the incidents of enforced disappearance took place in between early 2012 and late last year. Some victims never returned home while bodies of a few were recovered later.

While the families made repeated pleas for tracing the whereabouts of the missing people, the government on several occasions denied the involvement of law enforcement agencies in the incidents. Ferdausi Rahman, elder sister of missing BNP leader Sajedul Islam Suman, said only eight families, including her own, came to Jatiya Press Club over four years ago to join a programme seeking the whereabouts of their relatives. More families have joined in programmes over the years, but their pleas have fallen on deaf ears, she said, as per reports. Suman, General Secretary of Ward-38 BNP in the capital, along with five others was allegedly picked up by RAB-1 men from Bashundhara Residential Area in the evening of December 4, 2013.

The victims' families filed a writ petition with the High Court over the enforced disappearances and the case was pending at the court. They also sought support from the United Nations over the issue, but the government authorities concerned were yet to respond to the UN's queries. Since most of the people remain missing and are somehow related to the main opposition party, it seems sensible to speculate that they are no longer alive.

But why were they killed? If they committed some heinous crime it should be brought forth before the nation. But a complete obfuscation of the entire matter lends no credibility to the authorities as no one knows what happened.

These questions must be answered by the authorities. By not doing so a culture of impunity is created which allows the security forces to act as an extra-judicial force which is accountable to no one--since no one knows what they are doing in the first place. Why were they picked up really? And what happened to them? Who gave the orders and why? If these questions remain unanswered then the principle of no accountability will be established. This is not an acceptable state of affairs.





Father kills son to take vengeance on neighbour: Cops

Staff Reporter :

Twelve year old Ausar was killed by hired killer as per the direction of his father Zahid alias Jahangir to take the vengeance of the prior enemity on neighbour Helal in the city's Badda area.

Zahid discussed with prime killer Abdul Majid several times to make a trap for Helal Uddin alias Helu and cooperated with them to execute the plan, said Mostaque Ahmed, Deputy Commissioner (Gulshan division) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, to the reporters in his office on Sunday.

The killers led by Majid suffocated and stabbed Ausar to death and threw the body on a paddy field at Satarkul in Badda of the capital on April 17, said Mostaque Ahmed quoting the confessional statement of Majid.

Majid has primarily admitted his involvement with the murder in the court under Section 164 of CrPC. He was arrested on Friday by using the modern technology, the police official said.

The prime killer told the police that Ausar's father murdered his own son to trap Helal Uddin centering prior enmity, the DC said.

As per the information of Majid, law enforcing members picked up Zahid on Saturday. He also confessed his inovovment with the son killing, the cop official said. Zahid was also shown arrested in another case filed by Shamshul Haq, Sub-Inspector (SI) of Badda Police Station, the DC said.

"We arrested Zahid alias Jahangir, 50, for intentionally killing his son Ausar, with the help of Abdul Majid, 27, to trouble Helal and to exit him from Badda area on Friday," he said. Police recovered the knife used in the killing, he said, adding that the body of Ausar was recovered from a paddy field at Purba Padordiastho under Badda Police Station on April 18.

US-Bangla blames Nepal CAA for plane crash

Staff Reporter :

US-Bangla Airlines on Sunday claimed that there were some 'inconsistencies' in the initial probe report provided by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal on the crash of its aircraft at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport on March 12.

The report, disclosed on April 12, found no fault of the US-Bangla plane but skipped two vital issues related to the airport authorities, according to a statement of the US-Bangla Airlines, read out by its Chief Executive Officer Imran Asif, at a press briefing at Hotel Sonargaon.

Firstly, he said, the clumsy communications of the Nepal's Airport Traffic Control (ATC) with the Pilot Abid Sultan while giving permission to land was not mentioned in the report.

Secondly, he doubted the claim that a fire extinguishing team reached the spot within two minutes after the accident.

"We are doubtful about this information. Because, if the Nepal authorities had sent a fire extinguisher team to the spot within just two minutes, then lot of people would have been alive today," the CEO said.

He said it is also impossible to go to where the accident took place from the airport in such a short time.

The US-Bangla Airlines expressed surprise at the omission of ATC's "confusing" instruction to the pilot.

In the audio, uploaded shortly after accident by an unknown source, it was heard that multiple people from the ATC guiding the pilot to make landing with halting and confusing communications.

Nepal Airport Authorities had immediately transferred six of the controllers to unknown departments and remained tight-lipped about the reason.

"We don't know yet why they were transferred. But it's not usual to take such steps, if not found negligent," he said.

The tower first cleared pilots of the US-Bangla Airlines to land, then asked them to get on 'hold' elsewhere without cancelling the clearance, and at the same time it allowed another airline's plane to land.

"In our understanding, it is a violation of international rule to allow another aircraft to land or fly without cancelling the landing clearance given to previous plane," the CEO said in a statement.

The real reason behind the crash can now only be revealed by experts, who would be analysing the black box (sent to Canada) data and detailed probe report.

Flanked by two foreign aviation engineers, the US-Bangla top-shot also briefed the press about the airlines' strict maintenance procedure.BNP's 7-day progs

Staff Reporter :

The BNP on Sunday has devised new programme for seven days in connection with the party Chairperson Khaleda Zia's peaceful release from jail.

BNP Senior Joint-Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced the series of programme in a press briefing in the party's central office that started from Sunday. According to the announcement, BNP would form human chain across the country on April 25.

As per the new programme party's Dhaka north city unit on Sunday brought out a protest procession, while Dhaka south city unit will do it on Monday.

BNP will organise human chain in metropolitan cities and district headquarters on April 25.

The time and venue for human chain in Dhaka city will be informed later.

On April 26, BNP's student wing Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, will stage countrywide demonstration.

On April 27, prayer session will be held after Jumma prayer across the country praying for Khaleda's release and her recovery from sickness.

On April 28, Jatiyatabadi Jubadal will execute countrywide demonstration, while on April 29 Jatiyatabadi Swechchhasebok will do it.

Rizvi also announced that Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal would hold workers rally at Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital on May 1 to mark International Worker Day. BNP Joint-Secretary Generals Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, Khairul Kabir Khokon, central leader Abdus Salam Azad, Selimuzzaman Selim, Asadul Karim Shaheen and Munir Hossain, among others, were present.

Demands Khaleda`s release from jail, treatment at UH

Staff Reporter :

The BNP on Sunday brought out a protest procession in the city's Badda area demanding its Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia's release from jail.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir led the procession starting from Hossain Market and ended at central Badda at noon.

He before starting of the procession accused the government of jailing Khaleda Zia in a fabricated case.

The BNP leader said his party chief is seriously sick in the jail, but denied proper treatment.

He demanded Khaleda Zia's release to make a passage for her treatment in the city's United Hospital where she had taken treatment in the past. BNP Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas, Dhaka City North unit General Secertary Ahsanullah Hasan, Vice-President Bazlul Basit Anju, Joint-Secretary Shamim Parvej, Organising Secretary Anwaruzzaman Anwar, Juba Dal President Saiful Alam Nirob, General Secretary Sultan Salahuddin Tuku and Chhechchhasebak Dal General Secretary Abdul Quadir Bhuiyan Jewel, among others, were present. Two Senior Leaders of the BNP on Sunday met Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal requesting Khaleda Zia's better treatment at the city's United Hospital.

BNP Standing Committee Member Nazrul Islam Khan and Vice-Chairman Major (rtd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed met the Minister at his ministry at 11:30am. IG Prison Brigadier General Syed Iftekhar Uddin joined the meeting at 12 pm.

After the meeting, Nazrul Islam Khan told journalists that they found the Home Minister positive about their demand.

"Khaleda Zia is seriously ill in prison. She even cannot walk. So, we have requested the Home Minister to take immediate steps for her better treatment and proper medical tests. We found the Minister positive about our demand," he said.

"Our Chairperson has serious orthopedic problems. There are rods in her two legs. Her one eye has also become red. She is becoming weaker day by day. Her health condition is worsening gradually. She has confidence in the United Hospital. So we want her treatment there. We have asked the Home Minister to consider her case," Nazrul Islam Khan said. Replying to a query, the BNP leader said, "The Home Minister's statements seem positive in this regard. He also called the IG Prison to join our meeting, and we discussed everything in front of him. The Home Ministry and jail authority are enough to arrange Khaleda Zia's treatment in a private hospital.

Nazrul Islam Khan said, "We have gone to meet our party chief at the jail gate after getting permission from the authority but failed. Her relatives also returned from jail gate without meeting her. Firstly the jail authority said some different reasons for this. At last we informed that Khaleda Zia cannot walk. So, she failed to meet us as she cannot walk from first floor to ground floor."

"We asked the Home Minister to allow the former Prime Minister's relatives to meet her in first floor in the jail as she becomes happy and it helped her recovery from illness," he said.

The BNP leader said their chairperson requires physiotherapy for several consecutive days for her knee pain. But it is not possible in jail. If any wrong physiotherapy is given by nurses in jail, it may seriously affect her health, he added.

"The Home Minister also gave his consent about ensuring proper treatment of Khaleda Zia at a better place. We will now wait to see what steps the IG Prison takes. We hope they will take steps for our leaders' health checkup and treatment at the United Hospital," the BNP leader said.Suicide attack on Kabul voter regn centre kills 57

Eight-year-old Zahra is among those being treated in hospital. Photo: AFP

A suicide bomb attack at a voter registration centre in the Afghan capital Kabul has killed at least 57 people, officials say.

The dead include 21 women and five children, killed when the blast hit the queue outside. A further 119 people were injured.

The Islamic State group (IS) said it had carried out the attack.

Voter registration began this month for legislative elections which are due to take place in October.

IS's mouthpiece said a suicide bomber wearing an explosive belt had targeted the centre, which is in the Dashte Barchi area of western Kabul.

Dashte Barchi is heavily populated by members of Afghanistan Shia Muslim minority, who have been targeted by IS for their religion in the past.

Children were standing in line with their parents waiting to register when the bomb went off on Sunday morning.

There were no immediate details of how the bomb was detonated by the attacker but the force of the blast also destroyed cars.

"I found myself covered in blood, with dead people - women and children - around me," Rasuli, 26, recalled when he spoke to AFP news agency from his hospital bed in the city.

"They all wanted to vote," he added.

Passport-sized photos and forms littered the blast site along with broken glass and pools of blood.

Another wounded man, who wept as he spoke from his hospital bed, told local channel Ariana TV, "I don't know where my daughters are. God damn the attackers!"

The same channel, Reuters news agency reports, showed angry crowds shouting "Death to the government!" and, before the IS claim of responsibility, "Death to the Taliban!" There have already been at least four attacks on such centres since voter registration got under way a week ago.

Image copyright Reuters

Image caption Clothes and sandals littered the site of the attack

The legislative elections later this year will be followed by a presidential poll in 2019.

BBC research earlier this year found that the Afghan government had full control over just 30% of the country, with the rest of the country under significant threat from the Taliban, and, to a lesser extent, IS.

Afghanistan's interior minister told the BBC earlier this year that both IS and the Taliban were targeting civilians to provoke people against the government and create chaos.

Sunday's attack was Kabul's deadliest since at least 100 people were killed in a district full of government buildings and embassies in January.Tk 115cr JBC fund stuck at Farmers Bank

Special Correspondent :

State-run Jibon Bima Corporation (JBC) has sought Finance Ministry's intervention to get back its Tk 115.53 crore fund stuck in trouble hit Farmers Bank.

In a formal letter sent recently to the Senior Secretary of the Bank and Financial Institutions Division (BFID), Ministry of Finance, the JBC sought the help of the ministry in recovering the fund.

The demand was made at a time when the cash-strapped bank is consistently failing to pay back deposits held by other government agencies and individuals.

"We sought the ministry's intervention as the bank is consistently refusing to pay the fund. In the letter, we reported to the Ministry about the situation while seeking its directive and intervention in getting the money back," a senior JBC official told The New Nation yesterday wishing not to be named. He said the fund was kept at four branches (Mirpur, Gulshan, Motijheel and Imamganj) of Farmers Bank as eight interest bearing term deposits.

As one of the deposits of Tk 6.46 crore (Imamganj branch) got matured, the Jibon Bima Corporation on December 7 last year officially asked the bank to pay the money. The bank failed to pay on the plea of liquidity crisis.

The Corporation later asked the bank for returning all the deposits following rising concern over the liquidity crisis. The deposits made at Farmers Bank for one-year term expired in December last year.

"In fact, we want to pull out all our deposit in view of bank's liquidity crisis. We asked for the deposits for over the last four months, but the bank authorities failed to pay," said the official of Jibon Bima Corporation, adding, "Now, we fear the safety of the deposit. In this context, we lodged complaints with the ministry seeking its intervention to get back the fund. "

Md Ehsan Khasru, Managing Director of Farmers Bank, could not be reached immediately for comments.

Farmers Bank earlier also failed to pay back matured fixed deposits of a number of government agencies including the Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund (Tk 508 crore), the Mongla Port Authority (Tk 68 crore) and the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (Tk 38.59 crore) and Ansar-VDP Unnayan Bank (Tk10 crore).

According to sources, as of January 15 this year, the deposit at the Farmers Bank stood at around Tk4,500 crore. Of the amount, Tk1,800 crore of deposits came from different government institutions including the state-owned banks.BD to brief Rohingya issue

Staff Reporter :

The delegation of UN Security Council is coming to Bangladesh on a two-day official visit to discuss Rohingya issue with the top officials of Bangladesh government, diplomatic sources said.

The UNSC delegation comprising envoys from five permanent members (China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States) and 10 non-permanent members is scheduled to visit Rohingya camps and the zero line along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border to see the situation with own eyes.

The delegation will go to Cox's Bazar to meet Rohingyas in the camps on the same day. The delegation members are expected to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and top government officials on April 30, an official said. The visit of the UNSC was originally scheduled for April 27-28.

Bangladesh will inform the team the brutalities the Rohingyas faced in Rakhine State and steps taken by the government.

Earlier, Bangladesh urged the UN Security Council to undertake visits to Myanmar and Bangladesh to witness the humanitarian situation of the Rohingya amid continuous influx of the refugees.

Over 700,000 Rohingya refugees fled to Bangladesh, and the influx, though reduced in recent weeks, continues despite Myanmar's assurances of stopping violence in Rakhine.

On April 6, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina invited UN Secretary, General Antonio Guterres to visit Bangladesh to see physically the plight of Rohingyas who have taken shelter here amid persecution in Myanmar.

During the telephonic conversation, Sheikh Hasina also sought UN cooperation in implementing the agreement signed between Bangladesh and Myanmar over repartition of the Rohingyas.

On Thursday, April 19, US Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback said the Myanmar military and other authorities must be held accountable for the "horrific and organised violence" against Rohingyas.

The US diplomat said their country will continue to focus on the issue with great importance. "We're also in discussions about what additional actions should take place...the investigation is moving forward, and I think you'll find additional action in the days to come."

Earlier, the UN Security Council has been given green lights for paying visits this month to Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Peru's UN ambassador Gustavo Meza-Cuadra is the council President for April.

He said, according to an AP report, council members hope to visit Myanmar's western Rakhine state, where about 700,000 Rohingyas lived before fleeing to Bangladesh to escape a brutal military counterinsurgency campaign - and thousands still remain.Sufia Kamal Hall incident: It`s institutional harassment: DU teachers

A human chain was formed in front of Aparajeo Bangla, demanding security of life and protection of DU students on Sunday.

DU Correspondent :

Speakers at a human chain on Sunday termed the incident of Kabi Sufia Kamal Hall of Dhaka University (DU) an "institutional harassment" and urged the authorities concerned to ensure safety and preserve dignity of both teachers and students of the campus.

"Become a teacher first, then an administrator," said eminent Columnist Syed Abul Maksud said while addressing the human chain organised by Shocheton Shikkhokbrindo, a section of teachers of the university, at Aparajeyo Bangla.

DU Professor M M Akash of Ecomonics, Professor Asif Nazrul of law, Professor Robayet Ferdaous of Mass-Communication and Journalism, Professor Nurul Amin Bepari Songita Ahmed of Microbiology and Tanjim Ahmed Khan of International Relations, among others, addressed the human chain.

The same group of teachers on April 18 wrote an open letter to the DU Vice-Chancellor expressing their concern over the prevailing situation on the campus.

The rally protested Thursday's incident when authorities ousted three female students from Kabi Sufia Kamal Hall late that night.

The female students were driven out of the hall allegedly for spreading rumours using fake accounts on Facebook during an incident at the dormitory on April 10.

On April 20, the hall Provost Professor Sabita Rizwana said the students returned to their dorm on Friday after giving written statements that they would not "spread rumours" again.

Speaking at the protest gathering, Professor MM Akash said handing over the female students to their guardians in the darkness of the night is against the values of Bangladeshi culture.

The DU teachers' group also came up with six point demands. They are: a) Maintain teaching atmosphere for all teachers and students and ensure their freedom of speech;

b) Security to the teachers and students should be ensured and no steps against them can be taken except the specific rules and procedures;

c) Form a special cell to ensure that no students are affected by state forces or any other quarters;

d) Take legal measures against those who are directly involved with the untoward incident taken place during the quota reform movement;

e) Give exemplary punishment to those involved in the attack in the VC's residence and ensure security at all residential areas including the VC's residence on the campus;

f) Uphold the dignity of students and teachers, and ensure and safeguard their privacy.Broad daylight gunfight among AL rivals in city

Staff Reporter :

A man was killed and 10 others were bullet injured in a broad day light gunfight between two local groups of the ruling Awami League (AL) centering the supremacy in the locality of Beraid Union Parishad in the city's Badda area on Sunday afternoon.

The victim was identified as Kamruzzaman alias Dukhu, 35, a follower of UP Chairman Jahangir Alam and also a contractor of Crown Cement Factory.

Of the injured, nine were rushed to Apollo Hospital Dhaka in the city's Baridhara area. Among the injured, the identities of six are Sunny, Sharif, Kamal, Badal, Nazir and Taj.

Quoting the locals, police said that the incident took place at around 4:30pm in front of the Crown Cement Factory on the bank of Balu River under Bhatara Police Station.

Rivals reportedly belonging to local MP A K M Rahmotullah group and UP Chairaman Jahangir Alam group locked in clashes over previous enmity as well as centering supremacy in the locality, said the law enforcers.

However, members of the law enforcing agencies have so far failed to arrest any person in this connection.

"The clashes took place between the supporters of local MP AKM Rahmatullah and acting Beraid Union Parishad Chairman Jahangir Alam," said Kazi Wajed Ali, Officer-in-Charge of Badda Police Station.

A K M Rahmotullah said that he has no group there as he does not believe in any grouping. He said that he came to know about the incident but claimed that he had no idea about the rival groups.

Additional Police personnel were deployed in the area to avert any untoward situation, the police official aid.

Our country, our politics and advice should be ours

Awami League General Secretary and Minister for Road and Bridges Obaidul Quader left Dhaka yesterday on a three-day visit with a 19-member delegation on invitation of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party leaders. Obaidul Quader said they would hold high-level talks to further strengthen party to party relations.



Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Harsh Vardhan Shringla said the visit would "enhance the bonding between the level of political parties and level of people to people contact".



The visit is going to be the first of its kind since the ruling Awami League came to power in 2014 for the second consecutive term with Indian help. And this visit comes before the next general elections; scheduled to be held by the end of this year.



Need to be mentioned that the visit has stirred growing speculation in the political circles in Bangladesh about the timing of the visit and what the delegation will discuss to enhance the people to people relations before the elections.



The people are in the dark what the delegation will talk about without sharing the issues with people back home. Because Awami League interest to cling on power and the aspiration of the nation for a free and fair election is not the same. That is why the timing of the visit is raising question to create misgivings.



Evidently the delegation is visiting India to hold talks on upcoming election, we must say Awami League and the government should open such talks with the people and the opposition political parties within the country first. It is our country and our politics must be ours; advice should also be ours. The people of Bangladesh own the country and will decide its future. We don't need outside advice that may lead to another one party election.



Obaidul Quader and his powerful delegation comprising party residuum and executive committee members will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amith Shah, party secretary Ram Madhab and Speaker of the Lok Sabha Sumitra Mahajan.



Earlier this week Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in London and skeptics believe the next election should have partially dominated their talks. It may equally dominate talks of the visiting Awami League delegation this time in the Indian capital before elections.



Serious discussion is warranted within the country among various sections of our people but there is total refusal by the government to engage that way. This is very insulting for our people to find a big government delegation is going to India to have consultation with Indian leaders. It is very degrading for any independent nation.



It was obvious but a shame to admit, that India was a strong supporter openly or otherwise for the present unelected government to remain in power. That is the common impression because how an unelected government can continue in power. Where is the source of strength of such a government?



No government of a free nation should feel honourable to call itself elected without election. That is our disgrace, and we do not blame India to find our government so dependent on India. But if the people have any importance to India then India has to worry about the situation in Bangladesh. Bangladesh is not a too small country and under a competent leadership Bangladesh will be a force to reckon with.Tarique surrenders BD nationality, says Shahriar

UNB, Dhaka :

State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam has said Tarique Rahman, now acting chairman of BNP and living in London, surrendered his nationality by handing over his Bangladesh passport. "How does he play the role of BNP's acting chairman? He rejected Bangladesh nationality by surrendering his green passport," he said.

The State Minister made the remarks while addressing a reception hosted by the UK Awami League in honor of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in

The Prime Minister also mentioned that the government is continuing its process to bring him back.

Turning to the recent attack on Bangladesh High Commission in London where the attackers vandalised the portrait of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, she said how dare they do it!

"This is our High Commission, we got the High Commission as Bangladesh attained the Independence. These culprits insulted the pictures of the Father of the Nation storming into the High Commission...let me ask, where did they get so much courage from?" Hasina questioned.

Coming down heavily on the officials who were in the High Commission at that time for their reluctance when the culprits were vandalising it, the Prime Minister asked, "Why couldn't they take any step to do something against the vandalisation? This is my big question."

Hasina urged the expatriate Bangladeshis living in the UK to give a befitting reply to this heinous ransacking in the Bangladesh High Commission.

Branding Ziaur Rahman, Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman as killers, Hasina said the country has to be saved from these killers. She also mentioned that Tarique is continuing his terrorist acts living in London like what he did in Bangladesh.Richwood, TX (77531)

Today

Thunderstorms, some locally heavy early, then cloudy after midnight. Low 68F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms, some locally heavy early, then cloudy after midnight. Low 68F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%.Lena M writing in Atheist Republic flags up yet another clerical sex abuse scandal.







Photo Credits: Wikimedia



The Vatican police arrested Monsignor Carlo Alberto Capella  who was one of the church's diplomats accredited to Washington  on suspicion of possessing child pornography. Monsignor Capella was recalled from the Vatican Embassy in August and at that time the police in Windsor, Canada, said they had issued an arrest warrant for him on suspicion of possessing and distributing images of child abuse on the internet. After an investigation, which led to a warrant issued by the Holy Sees chief magistrate, Capella was arrested in the Vatican. The accusation is based on articles of the law signed by Pope Francis in 2013 which are related to images of child sexual abuse.



But this is not the first time Capella was accused of child porn abuse, and the Vatican tried to protect him at first. The Holy See was notified of a possible violation of laws by a member of their diplomatic corps accredited in Washington by the State Department, and the Vatican denied the United States request to waive diplomatic immunity. If the Vatican accepted this request, the offender could have been charged in the United States. At that time, the Vatican refused to identify the diplomat, but there were strong indications that it was Monsignor Capella.



According to The Guardian, Capellas case is the worst involving a diplomat since 2013 when former Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski faced charges of paying boys for sexual acts, downloading and buying pedophile material while he was the Vaticans ambassador in the Dominican Republic. He was recalled to Rome by the Vatican, arrested and stripped of his duties after an investigation by Dominican magistrates. He died at the hospital in 2015 at the age of 67 before his trial at a Vatican court could begin.



If convicted after his trial at the Vatican, Monsignor Capella could possibly face up to 12 years in prison. But this may not be likely since, in 2011, the Vatican held a trial for a priest who was a notorious sex abuser decades earlier,  he was found guilty of sexual abuse  but was only forced to retire and sentenced to a lifetime of "penance and prayer". Also, this inappropriate sentence came 27 years after the first complaints about him were made.



Although the Pontiff declared zero tolerance for the abuse that occurs in churches, it looks like the Vatican is not doing enough to prevent misconduct. This case may look like a step forward, but still the question remains why the Vatican refused to waive Capella's diplomatic immunity in the USA; then they arrest him and hold him for trial. If a man is guilty he should be adequately sentenced and "penance and prayer" is not that type of sentence.



The UAEs Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has completed a high level cooperation and coordination between concerned government entities as part of its mandate to manage the National Economic Register.



The TRA also oversaw the signing of memorandums of understanding (MoUs) between the Ministry of Economy and the local licensing authorities in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, and Dibba Al Fujairah.



The MoUs were signed during a meeting held at the Government Accelerators in the Emirates Towers in Dubai. The MoU was signed by Ahmed Al Hosani, director of Economic Registration Department in the Ministry of Economy, as well as officials and executive directors from the concerned licensing departments.



This MoU is in line with the directives of the Prime Ministers Office within the third batch of government accelerators, and falls within the path of smart services, one of the tracks of action emanating from the government meetings of September 2017.



The governments efforts in the context of the National Economic Registry aim to enhance the UAEs efforts in shaping the future as well as enhancing the economic competitiveness of the UAE and ensuring its leadership in the economic field, thus, attracting more investments.



Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori, Minister of Economy, said that the challenge of the National Economy Register is one of the pioneering projects that the Ministry of Economy is working to accomplish within the challenges of the third batch of the government accelerators in cooperation with TRA and a number of federal and local entities.



Al Mansoori added that the project contributes to enhancing the capabilities and enablers of the knowledge economy in the country by providing easy access to economic data, through a federal electronic platform that includes comprehensive and accurate information on economic licenses and entities, as well as the data of economic activities approved globally and unified in the country.



Moreover, it provides a variety of statistical reports useful to scholars and researchers in their studies, in order to serve the interests of all involved parties at the government level, as well as entrepreneurs, investors, and customers.



Al Mansoori indicated that the availability of accurate and updated economic data and information is one of the high priorities, which most of government entities are working to develop at this stage. The National Economic Register is a key step in this process. It provides a convenient mechanism for sharing accurate and instant information between local and national registers, as well as providing a database on licensed economic sectors in the country, the size and capital invested, and then provides accurate statistics and reports to support decision-makers.



Al Mansoori added that the Ministry of Economy is keen to coordinate with various entities at federal and local levels to apply best practices according to the latest international economic standards. The project aims to improve the needed time to exchange accurate and instant data between the local and national registers, and increasing the number of users inquiries in the National Economic Register by 55 per cent within 100 days of the challenge.



Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, TRA director general, said: Signing of memorandums of cooperation on the National Economic Register reflects the teamwork spirit among the participating entities, as well as the dedication to realizing the vision of our wise leadership to make a bright future for our generations.



It is an important step in the process of integration and flawless share of data between government entities, leading to the realization of the principle of a comprehensive government to serve customers of various segments. I want to seize the occasion to salute the brothers in the Ministry of Economy and the local economic departments for setting an example of consolidating the concept of joint national work. We are all partners in the challenge of the National Economic Register, and we are aware of its importance and impact on future projects in the process of a comprehensive digital transformation, he added.



This MoU aims to develop the investment environment through the establishment of a system that includes data of licensed economic establishments in the country, in order to simplify and facilitate access to data for new investors, researchers, government and private entities, and institutions concerned with national and international economic statistics.



The MoU also aims to enhance the business environment, research, and data science by providing economic data, improving the time taken to obtain accurate and instant data in the National Economic Register, as well as sharing and synchronizing data between the systems of concerned authorities, the ministry and other stakeholders. It also allows access to accurate statistics to serve decision-making, provide information and reports on economic activities and their development, and activate the unified guide for economic activities, according to the latest international classification of economic activities.



Under the MoU, all parties will work on the data integration of economic establishments in the systems of the concerned entities with the data of the National Economic Register, with the support and coordination of the TRA, in accordance with the applicable policies and legislation, and maintain its accuracy at all times.



Moreover, the Ministry of Economy will supervise the process of linking the systems of the concerned authorities, and the entities contributing in the National Economic Registry, in addition to providing registry services to the concerned authorities, participating entities, federal and local governments, as well as the public.



The National Economic Register serves as a national electronic platform for the exchange of accurate and instant data on the licenses of economic establishments among licensing entities, under the supervision of the Ministry of Economy. The platform aims to adopt the tools of knowledge economy, by providing accurate comprehensive and instant data on economic licenses issued in the UAE.



The National Economic Register serves various groups of stakeholders from different categories such as government entities, entrepreneurs, investors, and customers inside and outside the UAE. The National Economic Register is expected to become the first online destination to access data and economic information in the UAE.  TradeArabia News ServiceInjaz Bahrain, a non-profit organization that empowers Bahraini youth, and HSBC launched the latest edition of the More than Money programme, marking 11 years of partnership between the two entities.



The successful More than Money programme provides Bahrains youth with basic financial literacy skills. The initiative provides engaging and academically enriching learning sessions in economic education.



Over the past ten years, more than 18,700 Bahraini intermediate students have benefited from the programme. 1,805 students participated during the 2017-2018 academic year alone.



The programme was implemented by 73 dedicated volunteers who shared their professional knowledge and experience with students to prepare them for success in their future. The volunteers teach students the fundamentals about financial planning such as earning, spending, sharing and saving money, and also introduce essential information on basic entrepreneurship.



Duaa Mohammed, a student at Budaiya Primary Intermediate Girls School shared her experience in the programme, she said: I learned a great from the programme, especially on how to financially plan ahead and the crucial steps an aspiring entrepreneur would take to start their own business.



Zahra Hamza, a teaching volunteer from Batelco commented: Volunteering with the More than Money programme provides a great opportunity to give back to the community. This was essential to me as a volunteer because together with the students, we learned how to better manage the future with imperative planning skills. We studied and analyzed real-life situations with an improved understanding of business and fund management. The programme qualifies us to make the most of our potential in the future.



The joint initiative began in 2008 when HSBC Holdings teamed up with Injaz Bahrains parent organization Junior Achievement (JA) Worldwide to sponsor and implement More than Money programme around the world.  TradeArabia News ServiceDubai leads the world in quality of roads thanks to its relentless efforts to keep pace with the future needs marked by accelerating improvements of roads and transport means in the emirate, said Mattar Al Tayer, the director-general and chairman of the board of executive directors of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).



He was delivering a lecture at the American University in Dubai, titled "The Role of Youth in the Future of Transportation."



"The Dubai Self-Driving Transport Strategy stands out of other global strategies as the transition towards autonomous transport in Dubai is driven by the government, whereas in other cities and countries it is the private sector that steers the process," stated Al Tayer.



"Moreover, the Dubai Strategy spans the entire public transit network comprising trains, buses, marine transport means and taxis in addition to private vehicles, whereas many countries are focussed on a limited means of transit. The strategy involves a global competition for engaging advanced companies in smart mobility," he added.



In his speech, Al Tayer also unveiled plans for protecting the environment, raising traffic safety level, and reducing travel time from one place to another.



"The technological advancement of transport has opened new horizons for developing transit means such as the Hyperloop, driverless vehicles, and autonomous vehicles. All of these modes will be operating in Dubai, particularly as preparations for Expo 2020 are gathering pace," said the RTA chief.



Reflecting on the RTAs achievements since 2005, Al Tayer praised Dubais contribution to ranking the UAE as number one in the quality of roads worldwide over the past five years, according to the Global Competitiveness Report of the World Economic Forum in Davos.



Additionally, Al Tayer said the road fatalities in Dubai have dropped from nearly 22 cases per 100,000 of the population in 2006 to 2.5 cases per 100,000 of the population in 2017.



On the RTAs future aspirations, the top official said: "Our sights are focussed on five transit means that set the global trends and bring in new technologies such as the driverless transport, creative transit means, shared mobility, and transport on demand."



"The implementation of the Dubai Self-Driving Transport Strategy will reduce mobility cost by 44 per cent, curb demand for parking spaces by 50 per cent, cut carbon emissions by 12 percent, and curtail traffic accidents and associated losses by 12 per cent. It will also boost the happiness of people by offering them new mobility options," he added.-TradeArabia News ServiceDubai's Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) is set to open three new bridges this Friday as part of its Airport Street Improvement Project.



With this move, RTA completes the opening of all bridges on the Airport Street, which considerably contributes to easing the traffic flow, said a statement from the Authority.



A two-lane tunnel will be opened to serve the traffic inbound from the Airport Street heading towards Marrakech Street in July this year, it stated.



Mattar Al Tayer, the director-general and chairman of the RTA board of executive directors, said: "Bridges to be opened include a two-lane bridge to serve the traffic from Nad Al Hamar Street to the Airport Street. This bridge will ease the snarls resulting from the overlapping traffic at Nad Al Hamar Interchange between the first circular slope heading leftward from Nad Al Hamar to the Airport Street, and the second circular slope heading leftward from the Airport Street to Nad Al Hamar Street."



"The traffic on the first circular slope will be limited to U-turns in the direction of Nad Al Hamar Street," he added.



According to him, the upgradation of Marrakech-Aiport Streets Junction includes the opening of a ramp leading to Terminal 3 of Dubai International Airport that enables motorists access to the building without waiting at the junction.



"RTA will also open the bridge leading to the premises of the Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects (Ex location of the Dubai Airshow)," he added.



The Airport Improvement Project comprises upgrading four junctions. The first was Rashidiya junction, which includes the construction of two bridges on the Airport Street of three lanes in each direction.



The second includes upgrading the Airport-Nad Al Hamar Streets Junction through constructing a two-lane ramp to serve the traffic from Nad Al Hamar Street to the Airport Street.



The third includes upgrading Marrakech junction by construction of two three-lane bridges along with a ramp leading to Terminal 3 of Dubai Airport without waiting at the signal. It also includes construction of another bridge leading to the premises of Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects (formerly Dubai Airshow) and a two-lane underpass to serve traffic heading from Airport Street in the direction of Marrakech Street.



The fourth covers upgrading Casablanca Street junction by construction of an additional single-lane ramp to serve the traffic from Airport Street in the direction of Casablanca Street. It also includes building an alternative route for traffic inbound from Al Garhoud enabling direct access to Airport Terminal 1 and 3, besides increasing the number of lanes of Casablanca Street in the direction of Al Garhoud from 3 to 4.



Al Tayer pointed out that the opening of all bridges at the four junctions increases the intake of the Airport Street by 5,000 vehicles per hour. It would also step up the traffic safety and flow.



"The project is needed to cope with the sharp growth rate in the number of passengers using Dubai International Airport, which is expected to hit 92 million passengers by 2020," he added.-TradeArabia News ServiceGermany-based Siemens has won a contract to add 700 megawatts (MW) to the Rumaila Gas Power Plant in Iraq, which currently has a power generation capacity of 1500 MW.



Siemens will supply its highly-efficient SST-5000 steam turbines, ensuring the additional power supply comes at no extra fuel requirement while increasing the overall power plant efficiency to more than 50 percent by converting the facility into combined cycle mode. This upgrade delivered by Siemens equipment will supply around one million Iraqis with clean and efficient electricity



Siemens was awarded the contract by Sinohydro, the Chinese state-owned hydropower engineering and construction company. The developer is KAR Electrical Power Production Trading FZE Previously, Siemens had supplied five of its robust SGT5-4000F gas turbines to the plant, which was one of the first large-scale gas-fired facilities installed and commissioned in Iraq back in 2013. The upgrade works are scheduled for completion by 2020.



As Iraq rebuilds its power infrastructure, we are proud to be a long-term partner that supports the countrys development, said Jean-Claude Nasr, senior executive vice president, Power Generation at Siemens in the Middle East.



Siemens has been operating in Iraq for many decades and we are continuously looking at ways to cater to the countrys requirements for adequate power supply. This is the latest milestone in Iraqs journey towards upgrading its electricity supply, and we look forward to helping provide millions of Iraqis with reliable power supply, he added.  TradeArabia News ServiceUAE-based Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group said its flagship company Scientechnic has partnered with Datwyler Middle East for the exclusive distribution of its fire cables in the region.



The Swiss manufacturing company provides system solutions and services for future-proof ICT networks, fire safety cable systems and elevator cable systems in public and commercial buildings.



Datwlyers halogen-free safety cables are certified by Dubai Civil Defence and used for emergency lighting and fire alarm systems in residential and commercial buildings guaranteeing reliable power supply to the safety systems installed.



Scientechnics General Manager, Easa F. Al Gurg said: "As the importance of security investment in infrastructure continues to grow, this strategic partnership with Datwyler will help Scientechnic in offering extensive tailor-made solutions to a critical industry sector."



"By combining our proven expertise with distribution, trading and fire safety solutions, we can provide additional value to customers and clients in the region," he stated at the signing ceremony held in Dubai.



It was attended by senior officials of Datwyler Middle East including Asem Shadid, its managing director, Shaheer Shaban, the head of technical and project management and Ahmed Krayem, the sales manager of the Swiss company.



Stewart Panichiyil, the division manager of Industrial Stock Sales - which represented Scientechnic - and Mohammed Abdul Mubeen, the senior sales executive, were also present.



Scientechnic works in partnership with the best in the industry worldwide to provide 360 degree services right from design, supply, installation, testing, commissioning and maintenance of renowned electrical products and solutions, said Al Gurg.



Datwyler will join Scientechnics growing portfolio of world-renowned exclusive partnerships with brands like Siemens, Erco, Osram, Ledvance, Protec and RP-Technik, he added.-TradeArabia News ServiceSaudi Arabias Ministry of Labour and Social Development (MLSD) in the Makkah region has signed a nationalisation agreement with Al Nahdi Medical Company for the pharmacies sector in the Kingdom.



The agreement covers preparing and qualifying the young Saudi Arabian men and women for the labour market, by providing training programs offered by Nahdi Medical Company in their reputable academy, Al Nahdi Academy.



The signing ceremony was held in presence of Dr Abd Allah bin Ahmed Al Tawi, director of the branch of the Ministry of Labour and Social Development in Makkah region and Dr Youssef al-Harthi attended on behalf of Nahdi Medical Companys CEO Yasser Jawhergi.



The agreement comes under Al Nahdis strategy in line of the Saudi Vision 2030, to expand its community health services in cooperation with the Ministry of Labour and Social Development, along with activating the role of the private sector to support the Saudization programs, while creating real and sustainable opportunities for the Saudi Arabian youth to play their role in supporting the cultural and societal progress that the Kingdom is witnessing.



Dr Al Tawi has confirmed that this initiative is in a bid to enforce related decisions and programs that empower the Saudi youth to embark on their careers and enhance public-private partnership which helps carry out those plans.



Through this agreement with Nahdi Company, we also seek the growth of nationalization in the private sector in the different areas of the Kingdom, along with increasing the percentage of the national working force in the labour market, by enabling effective partnerships with the private sector, he said.



Jawhergi said: We are committed to create a sustainable and advantageous work environment for our citizens and society. Our goal is to achieve a real partnership between the public and private sector, in order to support the Saudi youth of both genders, and create new nationalization opportunities.



This initiative is considered to be one of the most important initiatives that agree with the Saudi Vision 2030, as it establishes an effective and real partnership between the members of our society, he added.  TradeArabia News ServiceEtisalat Digital has launched an IoT (Internet of Things) gateway solution to connect customers remote organisational assets securely to the enterprise network, giving them flexibility and efficiency in managing their connected assets.



IoT gateways are rugged routers deployed in multiple environments of business customers, like vending machines, payment kiosks, traffic lights, radars, digital signage, smart metering, etc. at remote locations and site offices using specific M2M (Machine-to-Machine) cellular communications.



Etisalat Digitals IoT gateway solution offers businesses an opportunity to purchase rugged routers to support their IoT deployments; the solution includes best in class M2M managed connectivity. These IoT gateways are engineered to be deployed out-of-the-box without additional programming and have the intelligence to stay connected. This one-stop-shop solution gives business customers IoT connectivity management with monthly instalments and support.



Alberto Araque, vice president, Internet of Things and Digital Payments, Etisalat Digital, said: Today Enterprises and Governments have a growing base of widespread valuable assets across UAE, GCC and even worldwide. The gateway solution will play a central role in the design and implementation of IoT systems, connecting those assets to a central command center where our customers will be able to simplify and automate processes and take informed decisions in real time.



This IoT gateway solution makes budgeting easier as customers can choose from a range of price plans to suit their requirements reducing their CAPEX. Customers will also improve their operational efficiency using Etisalat M2M managed connectivity (M2M control center).  TradeArabia News ServiceThe World Bank Group and the Government of Germany have announced new a strategic partnership to work towards a new and updated approach to reconstruction for peacebuilding in the Mena region.



The announcement was made during the 2018 Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington, DC, reported Emirates news agency Wam.



"Germany as one of the largest bilateral donors in the context of the regions crises is looking forward to this new strategic partnership that will guide the international communitys efforts in reconstruction. We need to think beyond simply rebuilding towards a more profound transformation of state and society relations," said Norbert Barthle, German Parliamentary State Secretary, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).



Drawing on the extensive experience of the World Bank Group and the Government of Germany in responding to a wide range of economic and social crises, both in the region and globally, the partnership will analyze and draw lessons from post-conflict situations in the Mena region. This analysis will consider a number of historical, political, and socio-economic factors, both in and between countries in the region.



A major component of this partnership is the "Building for Peace in Mena: Reconstruction for Security, Sustainable Growth and Equity" project, which is co-funded by the Bank and BMZ, along with other potential donors, and will bring together expertise from regional and international think-tanks.



"Germany has been a committed partner for development in Mena, and I am proud of this new initiative. It is a critical piece of thinking that will transform the way we work in the economic space between peace and war. Reconstruction is an opportunity to address the drivers of fragility and conflict; this initiative will lay the groundwork to rebuild for peace, stability, and prosperity in the region," said Dr Hafez Ghanem, World Bank regional vice president for Mena.





The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) announced today that Argentina will receive almost $2 billion in the coming years to develop the tourism sector.



The news was delivered to president Mauricio Macri during the forums annual Global Summit taking place in Buenos Aires.



In addition, 13 hotel chains said they are willing to build infrastructure to receive tourists, which will ensure greater development of the sector.



Before an audience of more than 800 executive leaders and ministers from G20 countries at the Hilton Hotel, president Macri emphasised that tourism in the country is growing nonstop and that the sector has huge potential in Argentina and is essential to peoples development, because it means more quality jobs.



Argentina has returned to the world convinced that it has a lot to offer. It wants to receive everyone and give them our warmth and affection. Tourism is development; it is giving us the opportunity to make a real transformation in thousands of towns and cities across Argentina, stated the president.



The number of foreign tourists has been growing uninterruptedly for a year, he continued. All over the world they are beginning to look at Argentina as an attractive and interesting destination. President Macri pointed out that flights and hotel occupancy, a sector that has been growing for 18 months, have both broken records.



As you know, in Argentina, as in the whole world, there are magical, unique places, and we want to share them because we know that by opening our doors and welcoming all those who want to visit us, we are getting closer and closer to the dream of a more open, plural and prosperous country.



Finally, the president underscored the natural wonders of the country, mentioning Iguazu Falls, the glaciers, the Patagonian beaches, the valleys and the Quebrada de Humahuaca, while noting that people here carry hospitality in their blood.



After announcing the investments, Christopher Nassetta, chairman of the WTTC, said that the group could not be more satisfied to be the immediate witnesses of the benefits of the investments that are taking place in Argentina.



The annual WTTC summit, which ends today (April 19), is being held for the first time in South America and aims to raise awareness of the industry and promote future investments through private enterprises around the world. - TradeArabia News ServiceThe Russia-Turkey Investment Fund, set up last year by the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and the Turkey Wealth Fund, aims to strengthen bilateral economic ties and increase investment flow between two countries, according to the RDIF head.

As Anadolu Agency writes in an article "Russia-Turkey investment fund to enhance bilateral ties", in particular, the parties will focus on infrastructure construction, healthcare and information technology sectors, RDIF CEO Kirill Dmitriev said. "The fund will see the RDIF and the Turkey Wealth Fund invest $500 million each targeting the projects that strengthen trade, economic and investment ties between Russia and Turkey," Dmitriev said. "Sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) play an important role in providing capital to stimulate economic growth," he said. "By investing in existing and developing businesses and major infrastructure and social projects they can continue to have a positive effect on the local and global economies. Furthermore, SWFs are intensifying mutual cooperation, acting as a sort of financial diplomat between countries when economic ties help to establish or further improve political relations between the states," he added.

The RDIF, established in 2011 to co-invest alongside top global investors and act as a catalyst for direct investment in Russia, to date has concluded more than 50 deals. "The fund invested and committed for this purpose 1.2 trillion rubles (around $20 billion) and also attracted over $30 billion of foreign capital into the Russian economy through long-term strategic partnerships," Dmitriev said. "Currently, we have reserved capital of $10 billion under management and invested in 20 projects just last year."

The Turkey Wealth Fund was established in 2016 as the country's sovereign wealth fund with aims to develop Turkeys strategic assets, to grow their value and thereby to provide funding for Turkeys priority investments. Its portfolio -- valued at around $40 billion -- includes shares of some 15 giant companies from various sectors.

Partnership with Turkish companies

"The RDIF continues to explore and build new partnerships across the world and investing in the most promising sectors of the Russian economy, including technology sector which is now becoming an important area for the RDIF and its partners," he said. Dmitriev also stressed the RDIF set up a number of new joint funds and platforms with partners from Israel, India, China, Vietnam, and Saudi Arabia among others last year.

"Joint investment funds established with Japan, China, the Middle East and other countries continue to boost economic ties and strengthen bilateral trade between Russia and our global partners," he noted. Speaking about cooperation with Turkish companies and the RDIF, he said: "We are currently developing joint projects with a number of other Turkish companies. For example, on the sidelines of the visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to Turkey, the RDIF and a prominent Turkish construction company MAKYOL have agreed to form a partnership to jointly implement infrastructure projects," Dmitriev said.

The RDIF head stated that the agreement foresees the joint implementation of investment projects in the infrastructure sector -- including road construction.

"In 2014 the RDIF and Turkish construction firm Ronesans Holding -- which has vast experience, expertise and technologies -- also agreed to jointly invest $400 million in Russia," he said, adding that the joint investments were channelled into healthcare, construction, real estate and infrastructure projects.Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan walked out of talks with opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan on Sunday, TASS reported.

The meeting was held at Marriott Armenia hotel on the central square of Yerevan - the Republic Square. Protesters gathered outside the building chanting slogans against Sargsyan.

"The political force, which garnered 7-8% in the election, has no right to talk on behalf of the people," Sargsyan said, noting that talking to him in this tone was unacceptable.

The Armenian prime minister called on the opposition leader to honor the law and left the meeting room. "What you offer is blackmail. You cant blackmail the state," he said, leaving the hotel.

Pashinyan said: "You dont understand the situation in the republic." At the meeting, the opposition leader said he would talk only about Sargsyans resignation.Police in Armenia have detained an opposition MP who has been leading anti-government protests, BBC News reported.

Nikol Pashinyan was picked up after Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan cut short a televised meeting between the two. During their three-minute confrontation Mr Pashinyan insisted that the PM should resign. Mr Sargsyan said it was "blackmail" and walked out.

The opposition argues that a recent constitutional change is an effort by Mr Sargsyan to retain power. The move - approved by parliament on Tuesday - strengthens the role of prime minister, which Mr Sargsyan only took on last week. He stepped down as president after reaching his two-term limit.

Sunday's events began with a meeting - attended by dozens of journalists - between Mr Sargsyan and Mr Pashinyan at a hotel in the capital Yerevan.

The exchange was brief. After the prime minister said he was glad his rival had "responded to my numerous appeals to negotiate", Mr Pashinyan struck an uncompromising note.

"I think there is a misunderstanding," he said. "I have come here to discuss the terms of your resignation and the terms of a peaceful and smooth transition of power."

Mr Sargsyan said that "this is not a dialogue, this is blackmail", and left.

Addressing the assembled reporters afterwards, Mr Pashinyan called on his supporters to continue their protests, which have continued for more than a week.

He was detained shortly afterwards, as riot police were dispersing thousands of protesters in Yerevan. His whereabouts are unclear.Armenias criminal military-political regime is spreading false information in order to divert the public attention from the civil unrests, which have recently intensified in the republic, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry said, Trend reported.

The ministry was commenting on the information spread in the media about the allegedly active movement of Azerbaijans manpower and military equipment on the contact line between the Armenian and Azerbaijani troops.Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey is facing a number of threats, and one of these is posed by its own strategic partners, as he highlighted that the U.S. does not sell some weapons to Turkey but it distributes them for free to PKK-linked People's Protection Units (YPG) terrorists in Syria, Daily Sabah reported.

"The U.S. sent 5,000 trucks loaded with weapons to northern Syria," Erdogan said, adding that this poses a direct threat to Turkey's security.

Erdogan also criticized the U.S. for failing to comply with the terms of an extradition treaty with regards to the extradition of Gulenist Terror Group (FETO) leader Fetullah Gulen, before it asks for the return of an imprisoned American pastor from Turkey.

"The U.S. should look at the steps it has taken and comply with the extradition treaty if it wants American pastor Brunson," Erdogan said, adding that the U.S. asking Turkey to release him is unlawful.Armenias police on Sunday used special means and started dispersing the rally in Yerevan, hauling off dozens of people, TASS reported.

Armenias police made a statement on Sunday, confirming the decision to disperse opposition rallies in Yerevan.

"We warn that in case there is no leader of the rally or he fails to meet the demands by police a reasonable deadline will be given for ending the rally," the statement said. "If the rally does not stop within this timeframe, police will disperse the gathering using special means envisaged by the law."At least five people were killed when their vehicle struck a roadside bomb in Afghanistan's northern Baghlan province, according to an official, mid-day.com reported.

Zabihullah Shuja, spokesman for the provincial police chief, says four other people were wounded in Sunday's blast in Puli Khomri, the capital of the province.HA NOI  A Vietnamese student team from the Wellspring School in Ha Noi has won the Innovative Poster Award of the First Lego League Jr. World Festival Expo, part of the three-day 2018 First Lego League event held in Houston, the United States, which wrapped up on Saturday.

The competition offers four top Innovative Awards, one in each category of Poster, Model, Programming and Research. This year is the first time Viet Nam has sent representatives to the competition.

The Innovative Poster Award this year was given to three teams: Team 14537, Wellspring of Viet Nam ; Team 6007, the Water Saviors of Tampa, Fla. and Team 9808, the Sea Mustangs of Sugar Land, Texas.

First Lego League Jr. World Festival Expo introduces children ages 6 to 9 to the world of science and technology. In this years Challenge, AQUA ADVENTURESM, 16,767 teams used Lego elements and Lego Education WeDo 2.0 to build and programme a moving model, and then share their discoveries about where water comes from and what happens on its way to people.

Team 12102, the student team of HCM City s Le Ngoc Han  Lac Long Quan Primary School , reportedly won the Model Design Awards at the expo. Team 14536, the student team from Hai Ba Trung Primary School, won the Building and Discovery Award. The Western Australian International School of HCM City also attended the First Lego League World Festival but did not win any awards.

The four Vietnamese teams beat almost 200 teams from 120 schools nationwide at the First Lego League Viet Nam 2018, which took place in HCM City on January 27-28.

First Lego League introduces students aged 9-16 to real-world engineering challenges by inviting them to conduct research projects and build Lego-based autonomous robots to complete tasks on a thematic playing surface. This years challenge, HYDRO DYNAMICSSM, tasked more than 280,000 students on 35,226 teams representing nearly 90 countries with improving the human water cycle.  VNSQUANG TRI  Four people died when a motorbike slammed into a truck parked along a road in the central province of Quang Tri on Saturday evening.

Ho Van Vinh, 16, and three other boys, including Ho Van Xep, 15, Ho Van Hoai, 14, and Ho Van ao, 13, were riding on the motorbike while traveling from mountainous Ta Rut Commune in the provinces Dakrong District to National Highway 9, prior to colliding with the parked truck.

Witnesses said the motorbike was traveling at a high speed and lost control before the accident occurred.

Xep, Hoai and ao died at the scene, while Vinh died after being rushed to a hospital.

Ho Si Nhung, head of the district police, said the investigation at the accident scene was completed in the evening, after which the dead boys were handed over to their families for funerals.

Boys in Viet Nam are not allowed to drive until they reach 18 years old, when they must pass a test of their driving skills. The four dead boys apparently violated the under-18 driving ban, as well as exceeded the maximum number of passengers allowed on a motorbike.

Police did not report whether the victims were wearing helmets, though it was noted that they were driving at a speed faster than is allowed on country roads.  VNSPen-tastic: The doctor owns 2,500 pens with different shapes and sizes.  Photo plo.vn

Viet Nam News by An Vu and Van Giang Some people collect luxury cars, scooters, expensive purses or limited-edition sneakers. For Dr Nguyen Van Xang, the only thing worth collecting is something most of us take for granted in daily life: pens. Born to a poor family with no opportunity to get a proper education, Xang has made a fortune out of adversity. He studied for free with a village teacher, and was even donated with nib pens, ink and writing paper. This schooling opened the door to the rest of his life. Xang is now a medical doctor and director of Khanh Hoa Province Hospital . To remember the teacher who gave him access to education, he keeps a nib as a treasure, which sparked his passion for pen collection. To him, every pen carries a nice memory, an aspect of human life and aesthetic style. Dr Xangs living room in My Gia town, Nha Trang City is an evidence of his great admiration for pens. Thousands of pens with different colours, shapes, sizes are displayed throughout the home. Some even have the shape of vegetables, fruits and injection needles. All of them are pens. I have a dozen pens the size of my biceps and some as small as needles. They have different values, Xang said, taking out a nib pen from a cupboard. This is the pen which led me to the treasure of knowledge. Each time I look at it, its like I can come back to my childhood. Because of my family circumstances, I was not able to receive a full education. But I was lucky enough to meet my first teacher, who was willing to open his home for a free class to children in the village. I was one of his students. Seeing me coming to class without pens and notebooks, he gave me a nib pen and a pot of ink. Each day, we went to class with our pens, practising every pen stroke. Day by day, I became more skillful, and the pen became my first friend who taught me how to grow up, Xang said.

Pen-riffic: The pens come in many shapes and sizes.  Photo plo.vn

Pens are life: Doctor Xang by his pen collection.  Photo plo.vn

In 1995, when Xang went to Germany to study otorhinolaryngologycare of the ear, nose and throathe was given a gift from his German teacher: a pen and a medical lamp. Ever since, the gifts have remained with him as reminders of his duty to seek strong professional knowledge.

After getting back to Viet Nam and going to Nha Trang City for work, he spent his free time looking at the pens as treasures to recall his childhood memories.

Wherever he travelled, he would buy one or two rare, unique pens to remember the visit. He has collected over 2,000 pens; they reflect the special experiences of his business trips, scientific seminars, or just strange encounters.

In 2009, when Barack Obama became the 44th president of the US and the first African American to hold that position, Xang wanted to obtain a president-shaped pen for his own possession. Therefore, he contacted his friends in the US to tell them about his wishes.

The pen is a sign of linguistic culture, expressing the knowledge, inner feelings and affection when spoken words cannot. At the same time, the pen is an integral tool for our lives. It delivers the thoughts and mindset, acknowledging the creativity of people, and collecting bittersweet memories in life. Therefore, each time I pick up a pen, I remember the difficulty and events I have been through, Xang said.

Collecting pens is a refined, enjoyable hobby to fill spare time. People who are fond of collecting things find fun and thrills by obtaining the objects they like. To any collector, the joy of observing their favourite items is indescribable, especially the ones which are rare and unique.

Xang can be found standing for hours, gazing at his pens. He enjoys their bright colours, the diverse shapes of their bodies and the memories they represent.

After stressful work hours, Xang leisurely watches his collection. Painstakingly cleaning every single pen makes me young again, and acts as a remedy for releasing stress, he said.

Moreover, his pen collection is a tool to educate his children to treasure the small but important things in life.

Recently, he has been recognised by the Vietnamese Guinness book as the man who has collected the most pens in Viet Nam. To me, collecting pens is not for reward, only for passion and memory keeping. I will never stop doing it, he said. -- VNSA delicious starter  Beef carpaccio, with pomelo and candied onions in ginger, soya wasabi dressing and crispy parmesan. VNS Photo The Nomad Quynh

Viet Nam News This year proudly marks La Badianes 10th anniversary. After all this time, the restaurant still never ceases to amaze customers with their dedication to providing exceptional food and service. The Nomad Quynh reports. La Badiane is one of the longest standing French restaurants in Ha Noi, and certainly no stranger to any lovers of French cuisine in the city. Founded in 2008 by three French friends, the restaurant has remained successful until now in upholding its famous reputation as one of the best French restaurants in the city, besides also being listed among the Top 500 restaurants in Asia. Chef Benjamin Rascalou  one of the founders  holds a special love for fusion food. After training in many prestigious establishments in France and having travelled to exotic lands all over the world, Rascalou finally settled in Viet Nam  the paradise of fresh spices and herbs  where he found endless inspiration to create his best fusion dishes. His love for spices is also reflected in the restaurants name  La Badiane, which means Star Anise. I still remember my first visit. It was around 2011, when there were still relatively few independent Western restaurants in Ha Noi. I remember stepping from the bustling streets outside into their peaceful patio and feeling like it was a different world. I remember being so impressed with the food  the complexity of flavours, the elaborate presentation  which was like nothing else I had tried in the city. Then, after years away from my hometown, I finally had several chances to return to La Badiane within the last few years, after it underwent a big renovation in 2015. There it was, still modestly tucked away on a quiet unassuming lane, amidst all the street food shops serving banh a and pho noodles. Inside, the renovation has given La Badiane a fresh look. A glass ceiling has been added to the entrance corridor which highlights their luscious green trees, and the patio on the first floor is now fully covered. Upon entering, guests will pass by the open kitchen where chef Rascalou and his team perform their amazing work. The main dining area is on the first floor, while the second floor is reserved for private events and functions. The interiors black and white theme adds to the restaurants classy and elegant look. Our most recent visit here was in March. Even though it was a weekday evening, the restaurant still seemed full. My companion and I were greeted at the door and ushered to our reserved table by a gracious hostess, before being offered the menu which features mouth-watering choices of a la carte as well as set meals. As usual, I opted for a set menu as from my personal experience those at La Badiane offer the best value and are too good to pass up. We took two Bistro menus at VN895,000/pax (net), each came with four dishes: Amuse bouche (appetiser), starter, main course and dessert. First for appetisers, we were served with two portions of seafood quiche topped with saffron emulsion and paprika. This Amuse Bouche (meaning mouth amuser in French) usually offers the first glimpse into each chefs individual culinary style, and here the quiche with its rich, creamy and well-balanced taste, further accentuated by the addition of saffron and paprika, was a nice introduction. This appertiser varies everyday depending on the chef. Next came the starters. The menu offers two options and we opted for one of each to share: beef carpaccio (with pomelo and candied onions in ginger, soya wasabi dressing and crispy parmesan), and salmon gravlax (with beetroot and asparagus mimosa, iodized Chantilly, passion fruit and citrus dressing). What Ive always liked most and found most impressive about La Badiane is chef Rascalous talent in putting together all kinds of spices, herbs, fruits, vegetables of different flavours, and then somehow magically whipping up incredible dishes. These starters were the perfect examples  all ingredients were fresh, of high quality and blended together very well, creating an explosion of taste. I cant tell which one I prefer as they were both equally tasty.

Warm and elegant setting inside the restaurant. VNS Photo The Nomad Quynh

Main course: The amazingly crispy crab and mushroom risotto with Cognac flamed bisque and parmesan emulsion. VNS Photo The Nomad Quynh

Our main courses were served next, and again we took two different ones to try. The first was crispy crab and mushroom risotto with cognac flamed bisque and parmesan emulsion, and the second being grilled goose steak with sweet potato mousseline flavoured with basil oil, roasted lychees and cocoa red wine sauce. It was one of the rare occasions that I have had goose steak, and while it was decent, the fact that it had to be cooked well done for safety reasons somehow made it less enjoyable for me, even though I loved the additional flavours of sweet potato and roasted lychees. For this course, the risotto was hands down the winner. The dish was cooked perfectly, the crispy crab making it more interesting and a bit of cognac with its strong flavour did its part in adding complexity to the whole taste.

To wrap up this satisfying meal, a selection of desserts from the chef was brought to us, including a raspberry tiramisu, a fruit salad bowl with Chantilly on top and a sweet chocolate spring roll with honey sauce. While the tiramisu and fruit salad were good, the item that stood out most for me was the sweet spring roll, which was such a decadent guilty treat that I wouldnt mind another serving even though my stomach was already very full by then.

As mentioned, La Badianes menu offers both options of set meals and a la carte. For dinner, besides the above Bistro menu, there is also the Degustation set at VN1,690,000/pax (net) in which one more cheese course is added. Meanwhile for lunch, besides a 2-course menu at VN350,000/pax and a 3-course one at VN395,000/pax, every week there is a special lunch set at VN695,000/pax that features 4 courses plus a glass of house wine. These sound like wonderful options for a nice business lunch, if you are looking to impress your partners.

No French meal would be complete without good wine, and La Badianes wine list is certainly no less impressive. You can find here some of the best from Bordeaux, Tuscany or Napa Valley, and besides the Old World red wines from France, Italy or Spain, there are also interesting New World ones from Australia, New Zealand and South America. And of course, wine pairing options for each set menu are available, feel free to ask the restaurant staff to assist you in this.

Ten years is a big mark in any restaurants lifetime. It proves their level of dedication as well as the loyalty and love they receive from customers. I believe that La Badiane, with such a talented and professional team behind it, will never stop striving for excellence and will continue to remain one of the best dining experiences Ha Noi has to offer.  VNS

La Badiane

Address: 10 Nam Ngu Street, Hoan Kiem District, Ha Noi

Tel: 024 3942 4509

Opening hours: Monday to Saturday: 11.30 to 14.00 and 18.00 to 22.00;

Sunday closed

Comment: One of the oldest French restaurants in downtown Hanoi, serving modern French fusion gastronomy in a relaxing and elegant setting. Reservations highly recommended.By Phan Trieu Hai

Ever since her 32nd birthday last year, Vy had been afraid of gaining belly fat. So instead of eating cheese and drinking lots of beer before sleeping, the couple only drank two small glasses of beer at dinner. The weather in Sai Gon encouraged beer consumption. Cao thought Sai Gon was the best place to drink.

This city had all sorts of problems: crowdedness, noise, heat, suffocation, traffic, lack of hygiene, pollution and beer was the solution that could dissolve all these issues in the fastest way. A gulp of beer enabled people to endure and relax, and made them irritable but energetic enough to do unexpected things.

Beer lovers would never feel tired of Sai Gon. Nor was there a better place for beer to show off its ability to excite, relieve stress, connect friends or accompany a solitary person.

Nevertheless, Cao rarely went out to drink. He wasnt social. Cao always wanted to be alone. His world was minimalist, just enough. And that world had become smaller ever since he got married, so much so that his wife condensed into a space just enough for the two of them, without any room left for anybody else.

That crowded space, along with several habits that had become rituals such as drinking in small glasses or getting in touch with each other through an old-fashioned desk phone, had formed a small kingdom with two people who focused on living and working according to their own standards. There, the big differences in age or height were gone. There, Cao felt comfortable and safe.

Or at least that was what he used to think.

Our city is getting more and more crowded, Vy said while pouring beer into two glasses which were lying neatly in her grasp.

Hmm.

Everybody flocks here to make a living, stays and procreates. I think its going to explode.

Cao remembered the sight outside the window of the express train which 36 years before had taken him down along the country to Sai Gon. A journey filled with leafy trees and bundles of thick wattle fruits threading through the train window. Was she talking about me? Cao thought silently.

If theres some better place to live, we should consider it, Vy said.

The best place to live was the most familiar place. Cao thought again. But instead of saying it out loud, he took his first sip of beer at dinner.

My friend has returned from America, Vy said. She went there to deliver her baby.

Cao often heard such stories but didnt care much. Because in order to deliver a baby, one would have to be able to fertilise first - an issue that had become increasingly difficult for many people. Only then could one afford to choose a place for delivery. There were so many things one couldnt control.

She was wearing her hanbok to cover her seven-month pregnant belly when going through customs.

Cao wasnt crazy about Korean soap operas, but could easily visualise a woman in a hanbok. Nevertheless, a seven-month pregnant belly underneath was something he couldnt imagine.

Have you ever thought about living somewhere else?

Where? Cao said, is there any place more comfortable than this?

Do you really think this is for us?

Sai Gon is filled with opportunities. You can still go wherever you want.

Vy pursed her lips, and looked straight at him. Cao thought he should stand up to get a beer, but didnt dare to. This conversation wasnt like previous ones. Vy spoke slowly, word by word, as if she were explaining a simple thing to a child.

Travelling is different from living. If there are better places for living, why shouldnt we try?

Cao felt his face burning.

If you keep comparing one thing to another, youll be miserable.

I dont compare. Those things are obvious. You see them but ignore them.

Only you think so.

Everybody has the same amount of lifetime, but their life stories are different. Why? Because of where they live, and what opportunities they have.

Vys fingers clutched at the edge of the table, the palms of her hands hidden underneath, the tips of her fingers subtly turning pale like a mountain climber using all of her energy to cling to a cliff. Cao didnt remember when she had last spoken at such length. Vy rarely spoke much. She often spoke succinctly, sometimes curtly.

A good place for one person may not be good for another person, Cao exhaled, stood up, and said Ill go get more beer.

Whats so good about a life without change?  Vy said, sighing.

***

In the summer, out of the blue a group of old friends organised a reunion. Cao saw several friends whom he thought had disappeared at sea many years before.

After telling their names, everyone needed a while to get used to the old men who had replaced the children who used to be close friends at 12. Everything remained the same in a different body.

Yet only Huy stayed the same even in appearance. Huy was still short and seemed unable to gain any inches in height throughout all the years. What Cao remembered most was the time after school, instead of going home the two of them would walk straight into Mac inh Chi cemetery, sit with their feet dangling on the white cement tomb and together read and re-read a book they had bought from a scrap vendor, Chekhovs Short Stories. Then one morning, Cao stood dumbstruck in front of the old wooden door of his friends house which was shut tight with a pitch black lock. Huy had disappeared with his family.

I still have that book, Cao said.

The book had followed Cao all those years, even though he didnt take good care of it. Every few years, it popped up somewhere, in an old drawer, under the bed and most recently, Cao found it lying among a pile of paper soon to be thrown away. Cao thought he would give Huy that book as a gift. It existed, because it belonged to somebody else. It could wait.

Two small glasses were replaced by three sparkling beer bottles, which made the atmosphere much livelier. Throughout the dinner, Vy listened to the two old friends taking turns telling silly stories: their reading Chekhovs love stories on a pile of deadly white human bones until dusk, having a crush on the same girl and more.

While the two men slowly turned into boys, Vy sat with her chin on her hands, smiling.

Cao realised Huy remembered many things from those years. All stories had Huy in it, but they mostly resided in Huys mind only. Perhaps space affected peoples memories, Cao thought. If he were a scientist, he could make money by researching how space affected emotion, how emotion nurtured memories. Not a bad idea for research. As the stories dragged on, they were solely told by Huy and thickened into a dense fog.

Cao wasnt listening as attentively as earlier. He was letting himself bob in that misty sea, contemplating the woman sitting in front of him flickering ethereally. She was too charming, too light-footed. As always. Ten years before, when he first saw Vy, he was dazed. That beauty didnt seem to change with time, yet he seemed to be re-discovering it now.

Cao realised his wife was more beautiful than most women he saw every day. When he didnt look, who would look at her? Cao felt annoyed. Through all those years, when she was forgotten, did those pairs of eyes and lips become invisible or quietly offer themselves to the crowd?

That night, drowning in his wifes brilliant beauty along with a little jealousy, Cao struggled to prevent the headboard of the bed from pounding into the wall while Vy bit deeply into a corner of the pillow to prevent any noise from disturbing the dining room where Huy was sleeping for the night on a long couch. If throughout all those years Cao had always been as powerfully aroused as he was now, perhaps they could have had a baby, Cao thought.

I dont want to have a baby now, Vy whispered.

Vys chest heaved. She looked like an exhausted salmon after a jump against the current. Yet not every salmon laid eggs. There were always exceptions.

If we had a baby, our meals would be more fun, Cao said as he slowly pulled a long thread of Vys hair from his mouth.

Babies arent for fun, Vy said quietly, unclasping her hands from Caos back, dropping them on her sides. First we have to make sure our baby will have a good life.

Cao breathed lightly, and covered her body with his shirt. Vy lay silently, closing her eyes, not to sleep but to think. There was a perfect stillness all around, outside and even in here. Cao found himself so cruel because he fell asleep at the usual time on the day he was reunited with his best friend after so many years of separation.

***

While Cao struggled to worm his way through the traffic in rush hour, Huy tried to get used to sitting in the back without holding on to the grab rail in the rear. Huy didnt want to betray the fact that he came from another place. The closer they approached their destination, the more nervous Huy became.

In the old days, when I first saw Lai sit by her piano, I understood that she was beyond our grasp.

Yes. In those days, that was what Cao thought too. Cao remembered how the lustrous dark brown wooden piano overwhelmed them all. He remembered the piano and the chair as a secret treasure, because the piano was filled with musical books inside.

I used to think that it was the only piano in Sai Gon. 

Or the most beautiful.

Surely it was, Huy said.

Lai was still living in a house just across the street from school. She was sitting in front of the house, resting on a fabric-covered chair whose corners were worn-out and torn. Lai recognised her two former fans, but only smiled gently as if today were Thursday, the only day of the week when the whole class finished school early at 3pm and dropped by to have a chat. She silently brought out two small plastic chairs and placed them by the door.

Huy and Cao looked at each other, then sat down.

Lai still looked petite and light-skinned even though she had a few marks of melasma on her cheeks - the sign of post-delivery in some women. Cao suddenly wondered since when he had started to pay attention to such details. Behind her were packs of coke and beer piled on top of each other reaching up to the ceiling. On the shop window Cao saw a wrapped gift bag containing a red box of Cosy biscuits, a bright yellow pack of Lipton teabags, a box of instant Nestle coffee, a bag of Bibica sweets and a dark brown bottle of a Lat wine. The cellophane wrapping paper looked dated and soft, dull and dusty.

Cao glanced at a few threads of hair on Lais head and a few crows feet around her eyes, which wasnt too bad for a single mom. He could still see clearly the spirit of the 12-year-old girl of old.

In those bygone years, nobody ever saw Lai sad. She cheerfully and easily glided past annoyances exactly like the way she was welcoming her two friends now, not too ardently but warmly. No wonder everybody liked her. No wonder on an afternoon at the cemetery, Huy and Cao tore away their pledge of brotherhood written on the cover of Chekhovs Short Stories when they argued which one of them had the right to pursue her.

The three friends sat in silence for a while. Lai turned a small electric fan to face her friends. The blades swirled crazily but didnt provide much relief.

I used to follow whatever my parents planned for me, Lai said, from career to relationships. Then I met a man, gave birth, broke up and did what Id never done before. Nothing in life happens as planned.

Everybody who was alive was writing his or her own book. Lai was telling her story. Cao didnt know if the book of his life was interesting.

Even without planning everything keeps flowing, Lai said. Life turned out to be simpler than what my parents feared.

Im different though. I always plan how to pay the bills. Rent, insurance, food, gasoline. Everything has to be accurate. Every month is the same. Always the same, Huy said.

I lived by habit, Cao thought. But perhaps habit was also a type of repetitive planning. It was fortunate that in those days neither one of them won their battle for Lai. Or else, whoever had her would have found himself in either a tragedy or comedy. Cao tried to focus on his friends stories.

Unable to read or deal with traps, Ive chosen to close my eyes and walk through them. I dont care about the ugly or beautiful scars theyve left, as long as I can walk through them, Lai said.

***

On his last evening in Sai Gon, Huy drank a lot. When the short hand pointed to ten, he said he would leave in five minutes. Huy often spoke thus about his intentions, which Cao found to be quite a good habit. It was always pleasant to find oneself with a plan, however small.

There was only a plate of cheese left on the table. This piece of cheese had been bought at the beginning of the year at a discount price. It had lost its freshness and turned a little dry, but still felt buttery. Cao brought three bottles of beer and put them down in front of each one of them.

The bottles clanked up against each other on the neck like a bundle of mangrove roots, then separated. The three sipped their beer gently. They had drunk a lot already.

Vy rested her chin on her arms for a while, then spoke without looking at Cao.

I think theres only one way for us.

Cao needed a few seconds to figure out who was speaking, and a few seconds more to understand whom Vy was speaking to. At last he realised Vy was addressing him.

Cao looked at Vy, but she was only staring at her bottle.

We can have a fake divorce, Vy said. After that, Ill marry a man who lives there.

Cao needed a long while to understand. Then his body, from the head to the neck to the shoulders, suddenly turned hard and numb.

Itll only take a few years, Vy took a sip of her beer and continued, Then everything will return to normal.

Everybody fell into a long silence. Cao felt his neck relaxing a bit, and seemed able to turn his head gently, but he didnt try. Only his two eyes seemed to be moving now. Cao saw Huy drinking silently. As for Vy, her face looked calm again, as if she were still indifferently listening to trivial stories.

What were you thinking when you said that?

Its just a plan. Well discuss it in detail.

How could you say that?

Cao repeated his question, chokingly. He felt he couldnt take in anything, even air.

If we can choose a better place to live, why dont we try? Vy said. You only have one life to live. Whether youre willing to change or not, your life will end anyway.

Were enjoying a better life than many people, so why should we change?

Huy gulped down his bottle in one go, then looked at his watch.

I have to leave.

Cao looked at Huy as if the latter were some stranger who had suddenly appeared in his house from out of nowhere. It took him a second to recognise his friend. Huy walked toward the desk phone to dial. Huy spoke to the switchboard operator, confirmed Caos address and phone number, than hung up. Since when did he remember Caos home phone? Huy said nothing, patted Caos shoulders gently and walked to the door. Vy followed.

Cao sat alone, listening to the clanking sound of Vy locking the gate from the yard.

***

Cao wasnt a mean person. Hed never complained about a dish, whether it was served on a china plate in an expensive restaurant or on a plastic plate on the sidewalk. He could adapt to annoying circumstances, like when he could still focus in a movie theatre despite others noisy conversations. Everything was something to experience, Cao thought. It was life. Whether it was ugly or beautiful, everything was worth enjoying.

Yet Cao had a bad instinct. Instead of simply looking at the surface, he often searched for the truth. Instant noodles for dinner would be normal if both he and his wife went home late. But it would be a different matter if it was the result of laziness and carelessness. He would consider a bunch of noisy customers disturbing his time in a restaurant on the weekend a mere entertaining show offered to him free of charge. But if they intentionally wanted to destroy his meal, it would be a different story.

That was why what Vy said that evening was as good as putting an end to their marriage.

***

For two weeks Vy didnt go home. Nor did she answer her phone.

Cao started to get used to living without her, and didnt need to fill his emptiness by trying to meet one friend or another like in the first few days after she left. Cao phoned her parents. In a calm and somewhat distant tone, they told him that she was alright, and that he had nothing to worry about.

Cao felt himself quite cruel because he felt fine. Ever since Vy proposed her crazy plan, she had become half a person in his mind. She appeared in his memory with only her left half or right half, half of her hair, one eye, one ear, one nostril and half of her mouth.

Of course half a person wasnt beautiful and didnt evoke any emotion. Cao found himself able to forget her very quickly. Yet he resisted, because if she was gone from his memory, which meant that she was right, then all those years were indeed worth nothing.

Downstairs, the desk phone rang loudly like a fire alarm or an ambulance siren, startling Cao.

It could only be Vy. Only Vy called the desk phone. It wasnt just the secret signal between the two of them amidst a topsy-turvy world dominated by social media, but also one of the foundations of their small family.

Yet at that moment, Cao felt weary to his soul.

He stood still, letting the phone ring until it stopped.

She would call back for sure, Cao thought. Women were emotional and impatient. Especially Vy. She couldnt wait for change to come to her, but must change herself right away.

Cao quietly opened the fridge, and took out the last bottle of beer. Holding the green bottle, he remembered he hadnt drunk beer in a glass for a long time. Did every collapse start with the breaking of a small principle? Suppose he was drunk in the old way now, would normalcy return?

Cao looked at the desk phone which was lying there in silence.

Ten minutes passed, but Cao felt like going through an eternity. She would call back for sure, Cao thought. She would call back. He still understood her better than anybody else.

Right then the phone rang.

Cao slowly put the beer bottle on the table, took a deep breath, suppressed the throbbing in his chest and picked up the phone.

Its me, Huy.

Cao tried to suppress a sigh.

Are you two drinking beer? Huy asked.

The signal buzzed a bit, then became clear again.

I just wanted to tell you Im getting married.

What? To whom?

Lai Huy said. Shes decided to follow me at last, for her childs sake.

Cao said nothing.

But its true love to me, well be a real couple, Huy said

For a childs sake. Cao didnt know that feeling. A real couple. Cao doubted it. After many years believing he had everything, Cao found himself empty-handed.

Hope you arent jealous.

No, not at all, Cao said quickly.

Huy hung up.

Cao remained dazed for a while, then slowly walked toward the table to pick up the beer bottle, and took a sip. The afternoon sunshine had been heating up the beer. Never before had he tasted such hot, bland, spiritless beer.

He needed to put the beer in the fridge. But instead of doing so, he sat down on the chair, and clasped his hands around the hot bottle on the table.

I need cold beer.

Cao tried to speak aloud, but his body didnt budge. He seemed to be cast to the wooden chair and turn into wood, unable to stand up anymore. VNS

Translated by Thuy LinhUruguay's president Jose Mujica waves at the press upon his arrival at La Moneda presidential palace in Santiago, on March 10, 2014. Claudio Reyes/AFP/Getty Images

[updated 2x below]

Uruguayan leader Jose Pepe Mujica, the worlds poorest president, wont be rolling up to the White House Monday in his beat-up Volkswagen Beetle. But the farmer and former guerilla, nonetheless, will have no trouble seizing President Obamas attention.

Just last week, Uruguay formerly launched it marijuana legalization law  Mujicas experiment  to equal parts praise and derision. Obama, though, may have to temper his criticism of the measure, an antidote to the U.S.-led war on drugs, after Colorado and Washington state legalized the drug, and as efforts to decriminalize pot intensifyin the White Houses backyard.

Mujica and other Latin American presidents have openly questioned a U.S. drug policy that has seen Latin America loose thousands of lives combating a drug that is legal in two U.S. states. And analysts speculate that Mujica will call on Obama to reexamine its hemispheric drug policy.

Mondays meeting, though, will also focus on a leaf of a different color. Philip Morris is suing Uruguay for $2 billion at the World Banks International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes  a sizeable sum for a country with a gross domestic product of $50 billion.

The worlds largest tobacco company argues that a 2009 Uruguayan anti-tobacco law  which requires that graphic health warnings cover 80 percent of cigarette packets  violates its intellectual property rights. The Uruguayan daily El Pais last week stated that Philip Morriss goal is to make the tiny nation a test case to keep other countries  the company is also suing Australia and Thailand  from implementing restrictive tobacco policy. And President Mujica, the newspaper notes, will ask Obama for help with the costly lawsuit.

Obama may have something to ask for in return. Last month, Mujica announced that Uruguay was willing to accept five Guantanamo Bay detainees  an offer that may offer Obama some relief as he pledges to shut down the facility. For Uruguay, its an exercise in realpolitik, as the country pushes for clout in a region dominated by powerhouses Brazil and Argentina, whose war over territory surrounding the River Plate ended in 1828 with the creation of Uruguay as a sort of buffer state.

And one cant help but wonder whether Mujicas past played a role in his offer to Obama. The former leader of the Tupamaros guerilla group spent 14 years in prison  over 10 in solitary confinement  for crimes against the Uruguayan government, including kidnappings and assassinations. They are a human wreck, Mujica said of the detainees in a March interview with the Associated Press. If the inmates of Guantanamo want to make their nests in Uruguay, they can do it.

Update (3 p.m.): During their meeting in the Oval Office Monday morning, Mujica made a point of highlighting Uruguays tough stance on smoking, which has been banned in closed public spaces since 2006.

Mujica told Obama, a former smoker, that 8 million people die worldwide due to smoking related illnesses. This is more than World War I [and] World War II, said Mujica through an interpreter. Its murder. We are in an arduous fight  very arduous  and we must fight against very strong interests.

Update (5/13 10 a.m.): Although the Mujica administration announced on May 5th that Philip Morris was suing Uruguay for $2 billion, the tobacco company insists that figure is erroneous.

Philip Morris, in an email to Al Jazeera, said Tuesday that the correct sum is $25 million, not $2 billion.

. . . .

Any views expressed on The Scrutineer are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera America's editorial policy.One of our primary missions here at WarbirdsNews is to help promote the preservation of aviation history and historical artifacts for the future. To ensure that this happens, it is essential to encourage younger generations to get involved in aviation, which is why we applaud and publicize the efforts of museums, groups and individuals in such endeavors. The Pacific Aviation Museum at Pearl Harbor near Honolulu, Hawaii has a full summers worth of youth activities for 2018, so we thought we would share them here

Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor

Offers Summer Youth Programs and Activities

June 2  Flight Adventures: 9 am  3 pm. Hands-on aviation and STEM-related activities for kids of all ages and their families, including a remote control program, flight simulator training, and open cockpits. Event will culminate with flight demonstrations by award winning remote control aircraft pilots from Warbirds West. Admission $5 per person, or free with Museum admission.

June 5  Midway Youth Day: This special event is for 6th-9th grade students. Program is free and registration is required. Participation is limited to 100 students. Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, located 1,300 miles from Oahu, was the center of WWII battle that turned the tide in the Pacific. Students will explore the importance of the battle, and learn about ongoing efforts to protect and preserve this important site. Midway Youth Day is held in partnership with NOAA and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, who in addition to the State of Hawaii, co-administer the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. Call (808) 445-9137 or email Education@PacificAviationMuseum.org for more information.

June 11-15  Flight School For Boys: 9 am  4 pm. A five-day adventure in the history and technology of aviation for 6th-8th graders. Immersive, hands on activities with an emphasis on Pacific aviation and fun. $330 per student ($290 for Museum Members) for the five-day program and includes all materials, lunches, snacks, and a Flight School logo tee shirt. Free add-on Family Membership for those who register at the non-member price. Membership is good through October 31, 2018. Call (808) 445-9137 or email Education@PacificAviationMuseum.org for more information.

June 19-22 & July 17-20 Explorers Club. STEM camp for grades 3-5, featuring hands-on activities that promote collaboration, critical thinking, and problem solving. Program cost is $240 ($210 for Museum members), and covers lunches, snacks, t-shirt, and all materials. Free add-on Family Membership for those who register at the non-member price. Membership is good through October 31, 2018. Call (808) 445-9137 or email Education@PacificAviationMuseum.org for more information.

July 23-27: Flight School For Girls: 9 am  4 pm. A five-day adventure in the history and technology of aviation for 6th-8th graders. Immersive, hands on activities with an emphasis on Pacific aviation and fun. $330 per student ($290 for Museum Members) for the five-day program and includes all materials, lunches, snacks, and a Flight School logo tee shirt. Free add-on Family Membership for those who register at the non-member price. Membership is good through October 31, 2018. Call (808) 445-9137 or email Education@PacificAviationMuseum.org for more information.

July 24: Happy 121st Birthday, Amelia Earhart! The Museum fronts

Luke Field on Ford Island, where Earhart ground looped her

Lockheed Electra on takeoff March 20, 1937, while attempting

her Round-the-World-Flight. Free birthday celebration cake and punch at 11 am.

July 30-August 1  Aviation Adventure: 9 am  4 pm. Coed residential adventure camp for teens. Students, ages 13  15, (or graduates of the Museums Flight School) will discover the ways aviation has transformed Hawaii and the Pacific region over the past century. Campers will work together to enhance teamwork, problem solving, and critical thinking. Overnight stay on the USS Missouri Battleship Memorial. Program fee of $340 ($300 Museum Members) for this three-day/two-night program includes all materials, meals, snacks, overnight lodging, and a logo tee shirt. Free add-on Family Membership for those who register at the non-member price. Membership is good through October 31, 2018. Call (808) 445-9137 or email Education@PacificAviationMuseum.org for more information.

Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor is located on Historic Ford Island, where bombs fell during the attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. Visitors to the Museum can see remnants from that day of infamy, including the 158-foot tall, red and white iconic Ford Island Field Control Tower, Hangars 37 and 79, and bullet holes in Hangar 79. Through its preservation and restoration of World War II fighter planes and accompanying artifacts in the Museums historic hangars, Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor shares the story of the vital role aviation played in the winning of World War II, and its continuing role in maintaining Americas freedom and peace.

Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. Its mission is to develop and maintain an internationally recognized aviation museum on Historic Ford Island that educates young and old alike, honors aviators and their support personnel who defended freedom in The Pacific Region, and to preserve Pacific aviation history. Contact: 808-441-1000; Marketing@PacificAviationMuseum.orgJay Keyser at MIT Press:

When the history of modern theoretical linguistics is written, Morris Halle will be one of its chapter headings. Together with Noam Chomsky, his influence was seminal in turning linguistics from a descriptive discipline in which taxonomy counted for much and explanation for very little into the first explicit theory of the defining feature of homo sapiens, the ability to formulate and express an infinite number of thoughts. In this respect, the revolution wrought by Morris Halle and his colleague, Noam Chomsky, was akin to the Galilean revolution of the 17th century. Both led to profound changes in the way scientists thought about their domains.

I first experienced this revolution when I was a young graduate student at Yale University. Morris, a member of the foreign language section at MIT, was giving a talk at an American Mathematical Society meeting in New York City. The year was 1959. Morris was 36 years old. His talk was on Verner's Law. The effect of that talk on me was electric. I had come from two years of very traditional philological study at Oxford University where I concentrated in Old and Middle English. I had one year of graduate study at Yale under the tutelage of scholars like Bernard Bloch. And here in New York I was listening to an approach to the study of diachronic linguistics that was as radical in its way as the Galilean program was to the neo-scholastics who preceded him. If Morris was right, then everything I had been taught was not just wrong, it was meaningless.

More here.Carlo Invernizzi-Accetti and Daniel Steinmetz-Jenkins in The Guardian:

Since Donald Trumps election, the American left has asked itself tough questions about what it must do to respond to his rise. An equally important conversation needs to happen over the future of the American right. In a democratic system based on alternation in power, the left has an interest in the kind of opponent it is confronted with. When the other side is captured by far-right populism, the damage to democracy can be great.

From that point of view, Christian voters are a constituency that can play a key role in moving the right away from the likes of Trump. Their overwhelming support for him at the polls was essential to his success, but it seems to be at odds with fundamental Christian principles. This suggests there is scope for a different kind of conservative movement in this country.

Christian democracy, a political ideology embodied by figures like Germanys Angela Merkel, contributed to establishing stable democracies in Europe in the aftermath of the second world war. The US was often deeply supportive of this process, yet never cultivated an analogous political movement at home. Now that it is facing a serious institutional threat of its own, it can perhaps learn from what it has long preached abroad.

More here.Sarah Churchwell in The Guardian:

Sadly, the American dream is dead, Donald Trump proclaimed when he announced his candidacy for president of the United States. It seemed an astonishing thing for a candidate to say; people campaigning for president usually glorify the nation they hope to lead, flattering voters into choosing them. But this reversal was just a taste of what was to come, as he revealed an unnerving skill at twisting what would be negative for anyone else into a positive for himself. By the time he won the election, Trump had flipped much of what many people thought they knew about the US on its head. In his acceptance speech he again pronounced the American dream dead, but promised to revive it. We were told that this dream of prosperity was under threat, so much so that a platform of economic nationalism carried the presidency.

Reading last rites over the American dream was disquieting enough. But throughout the campaign, Trump also promised to put America first, a pledge renewed  twice  in his inaugural address. It was a disturbing phrase; think pieces on the slogans history began to sprout up, explaining that it stretches back to efforts to keep the US out of the second world war.

In fact, America first has a much longer and darker history than that, one deeply entangled with the countrys brutal legacy of slavery and white nationalism, its conflicted relationship to immigration, nativism and xenophobia. Gradually, the complex and often terrible tale this slogan represents was lost to mainstream history  but kept alive by underground fascist movements. America first is, to put it plainly, a dog whistle. The expressions backstory seems at first to uncannily anticipate Trump and (at least some of) his supporters, but the truth is that eruptions of American conservative populism are nothing new  and America first has been associated with them for well over a century. This is merely the latest iteration of a powerful strain of populist demagoguery in American history, from president Andrew Jackson (1829-1837) to Louisiana senator Huey Long a century later  one that now extends to Trump.

More here.The marriage of sated appetites and adventurous conversation has a long history. In Ancient Greece, philosophical discourses were washed down with jugs of wine at banquets known as symposia. There was always a risk that some people would over-indulge. In the most famous description of a symposium, Plato describes how the guests, who included Socrates and Aristophanes, were expounding on the nature of love when they were interrupted by the arrival of a boozed-up general, Alcibiades. Table talk was considered an art to be mastered. Athenaeus, a Greek grammarian of the third century AD , wrote a 15-volume work entitled Deipnosophistae (The Learned Banqueters) about a series of dinners in which conversation ranged from philology to homosexuality.

In 18th-century France, the sharpest minds of the Enlightenment sparred in the salons of their aristocratic hostesses. Intellectual combat was a prerequisite of socialising. Over the last few years, there has been a flourishing of literary salons in London. These tend to be considerably less sharp-tongued then their precursors  often, they simply involve soft-ball interviews of authors with books to sell. But their popularity suggests that there is a demand for conversation that is both stimulating and intimate. The harder people work, the less often they see their friends and the more time they must devote, when they do, to a recitation of the chronicle of minor triumphs and disappointments known as catching up. Then comes gossip, gripes about work and family fortunes. Precious little time is left for truth and beauty. More formal occasions are little better: dinner-party chat can death-spiral with alarming speed into a collective lament over house prices, catchment areas and the intolerable expense of a loft conversion.

More here.Anyway, the aim of the patrol was to collect information for, a) suitability of road building, b) condition of inhabitants, c) numbers in villages and the size of villages, d) let the people see the Army, since an army patrol had never passed through here before. (Correction! Japanese army and Australian diggers in WWII.)

PORT MORESBY - I thought that I would write a long letter to everyone who regularly corresponds with me, at home in Brisbane and South Vietnam, and since I have just arrived  in from the bush, I have quite a bit, I wish to say, I decided to short cut it and have my  works published via the spirit duplicators.

This letter home was written by then Sergeant Edwinsmith on 8 May 1968. It offers a colourful description of an army patrol in Papua New Guinea pre-independence. In the letter, Sgt Edwinsmith describes a civic action Patrol from Wanigela to Gurney in April 1968 by D Company, 1PIR based at Taurama Barracks

On April Fools Day, I arose, breakfasted and was ready to move at 6:15am. We left 1PIR for Jacksons Airport to board an RAAF Caribous. After boarding, we headed for Northern District to Wanigela, which was the beginning of our 200 mile march. I was able to look at the Anglican Mission and school before having lunch with a medical sister, resident there. In all, I saw quite a deal of their work.

After all our supplies came in, we set out on our walk. We began our trek with a full pack and 6 ration packs. (Wow! What a weight.) We passed a seaside village with a crocodile skull displayed. This, we learnt later, ate a young girl (meri, in pidgin) before a villager shot it several days later.

We proceeded along the coast, avoiding the swamps further inland. We hired 3 canoes to carry our heavy 37 packs to a village where we were to make camp. We caught up with the canoes some 5 hours later at the village.

We had to cross a small river to our proposed camp site. I boarded a canoe with the gear, but found myself, mid-stream, bailing water out with a coconut shell. We camped in a coconut plantation that night amid rain, sand flies and falling coconuts.

The Anglican mission station at Wanigela

Next morning, (Wed 3.4.68), we encountered our first swamp. (What a smell! We walked through slimy water.) A river, we had to cross, was very deep but the boys <PIR Soldiers> found a sandbank out to sea and we waded to the opposite side in an arc. (Water was up to my chest.)

An hour later, we encountered a delta and swamp inland. This was crocodile country. Being a deeper, faster stream, we stripped, tied our clothes with our gear, in a water tight bundle, sprayed the opposite bank with 7.62mm shell fire, tied all our ropes together as a lifeline, posted several crocodile shooters on the embankment and then we started to cross (using flotation, remember Canungra boys??) (This was better than Tarzan and Jungle Jim.) I survived!

Later on after several hours in the swamps, we walked just under an hour on a mud bank. (With full pack on and boots sinking into the muddy water, I was exhausted. What a march! Before we camped for the night, a guide showed us fresh water, but we had to walk for a mile on a log bridge (single logs) through the swamp. I nearly died! At this point we left the coast. (At Sinafe??)

When we stopped, villagers would often sell or give us fruits, coconuts, yams, native foods, bananas etc. We moved into the mountain regions and stopped at a village with a space for an air drop of supplies. I slept in a native guest house that night (wow!) At Bininguni, we received our re supply and were now in the Milne Bay District.

Rain forest and razor back mountains became our change of scenery. The native tracks and trails led us in, over and down these tremendously steep ridges and mountains after mountains, it never stopped, one after the other, up and down. Since it rained every night or afternoon, the mountain streams were swift, fresh and cold.

Later that day, I received a pile of fruit for a razor blade. These mountain men (unlike the coastal ones) have had little to do with whites or civilisation. Palm Sunday was one of the hardest walks ever. On Monday, I loaded up with pineapples from the villagers. Tuesday we walked about 7 or 8 hours nonstop breaking only for 10 minutes each hour as we walked to the coast to a mission at Sira Sira in Goodenough Bay.

I went to bed (made by my batman) at the usual 6-6:30 pm. I did not freeze like I did in the mountains. We rise at 5am every morning. We started out early for the government station at Raba Raba and camped that night by a stream. Here we saw our first whites in 10 days. A trade store was handy for supplies and goodies.

Lt John Alcock and I (the only whites on this trip) had tea at the kiaps house (District Commissioner and Patrol Officer). An air drop came the next day. This was where I was to leave the patrol, but the powers to be decided to let me keep walking.

On Good Friday we rested and made damper from the items we bought at the trade store, which was better than rice as we were on P.I rations which was 90% rice. (However some European rations were flown in. Very generous!!)

Easter Saturday, we walked and walked. I had blisters all over my feet as they were continually becoming wet at every stream; every half hour or so a stream had to be crossed. Some of the boys feet were giving trouble also. Late Easter Sunday, we made camp at Dogura, the headquarters of the Anglican Mission, with hospital, teachers college, school and church.

I went for medical treatment the next day followed by morning tea with the 25 whites working there. I was shown the school and later invited to dinner. I met 2 bishops and other key staff. Lt John and I were invited back for drinks and tea. The boys played the school sport and took out the teacher trainees. In the evening we had drinks with 3 young teachers, 2 Australian and 1 English lass. We then dined with the Bishops. I met a friend of Br Williams there. Everyone was pleased to entertain the Army. What a time!

Second Lieutenant John Adock and his unit walk along a beach towards a village in Milne Bay Province

Next day it rained and we were climbing over cliffs, which was a bit dangerous. You could look straight down into the sea and watch fish, dolphins etc. swimming in the coral and rock reefs. Truly magnificent! It rained all day. We stopped in a grass church.

My foot, although it was attended to, became worse. I had no skin on the foot pad as I walked on raw flesh. The 2Lt had to hire a carrier to carry my pack. This helped a lot. Wednesday 17/4/1968 we rose at 4am and walked until lunch time. At a nearby village, we received our final resupply of rations before walking until 8pm along the peninsular towards East Cape, to catch up on lost time.

The people here were very friendly and they freely gave us coconuts and other food. The scenery was magnificent. Some of the coconut plantations were very large. At the end of the week, we were almost at the eastern tip. Many of the boys were having foot trouble and we were losing time. The carriers refused to walk a 5 mile stretch because of the terrain so a canoe was hired. I took some of the gear and helped paddle the canoe for much of the morning. It beat walking.

The reefs and scenery were magnificent. Later we crossed the mountains into Milne Bay. War remains still litter parts of the coast. A day or so later, we reached an Agricultural Station and had tea with the ag officer. Next day, as the road was open, we completed the last 15 miles by Admin. truck, reaching Gurney near the island of Samarai.

Gurney was our temporary headquarters where the remaining platoons of D Company meet up. I rested my feet for the next 3 days. We held several parades for ANZAC Day with the Lt Colonel and Brigadier in attendance. At our camp, I resumed the position of pay sergeant for 2 days updating paybooks and paperwork.

On Wednesday 1/5/68, I returned to Port Moresby via the RAAF aircraft. Civilisation at last! I certainly saw very beautiful country. Unfortunately my camera broke 9 days into the rugged trip. I have 5 days of stand down before resuming work again. What a fabulous experience for all concerned.(WHO) Police say Matthew Golden was traveling east on Interstate 80, when he heard an Amber alert for two missing children from Toronto, Iowa.

The car described in the Amber Alert was a silver sedan. Despite this description, Golden spotted a white panel van and decided that he had found the vehicle authorities were searching for.

"After ramming the vehicle probably more than once, he gets out of the vehicle and begins giving commands to the driver, and then he fires two rounds at him," Chief Stallman said.

The driver of the panel van was uninjured. Police say none of Golden's choices were correct.

Read More: http://bit.ly/2K3hVC1

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>>>MORE STORIESLOS ANGELES - Verne Troyer, the actor best known for playing Mini Me in the Austin Powers films has died at the age of 49, according to his official Facebook account.

A post on his Facebook page said the actor passed away on Saturday.



The Los Angeles Times reported that Troyer was hospitalized in early April.

The actor who starred in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me and Austin Powers in Goldmember, has also been in commercials, Comic Cons and even YouTube videos.

Depression and Suicide are very serious issues. You never know what kind of battle someone is going through inside. Be kind to one

another. And always know, its never too late to reach out to someone for help.

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Adverse Events Caused by Infanrix hexa Vaccine Results in 69 Deaths

Dr Puliyel analyzed the data and found that 97% of deaths (65 deaths) following Infanrix hexa , occur in the first 10 days and only 3% (2 deaths) occur in the next 10 days. Had the deaths been coincidental SIDS deaths unrelated to vaccination, the numbers of deaths in the two 10 day periods should have been the same.

The manufacturers of this vaccine GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) disclosed in a confidential report to the Regulatory Authority that about 72 babies died within 20 days of receiving Infanrix hexa. They reported that the deaths of these children were due to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and Sudden Unexpected Death Syndrome (SUDS) unrelated vaccination. However an Italian Court of Justice Nicola Di Leo ordered that it be made public and is now available on the internet (http://autismoevaccini.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/vaccin-dc3a9cc3a8s.pdf)

Analysis of the data shows that at least 69 out of 72 deaths reported were likely to have been caused by the vaccine.

Infanrix hexa combines vaccines against 6 diseases [namely Diptheria, Tetanus and Acelluar Pertusis (whooping cough), Hepatitis B, inactivated Poliomyelitis and Haemophilus influenza type B] in a single vaccine. The DPT vaccine, Hepatitis B, Hib and injectable Polio have been administered separately in the past. The newer combined vaccine is being promoted on the grounds that it reduces the number of injections given to babies. The safety of the combination is now being questioned.

The manufacturers had reported these sudden and unexpected deaths were not caused by the vaccine but were merely coincidental SIDS deaths. Dr Puliyel analyzed the data and found that 97% of deaths (65 deaths) in the infants below 1 year, occur in the first 10 days and only 3% (2 deaths) occur in the next 10 days. Had the deaths been coincidental SIDS deaths unrelated to vaccination, the numbers of deaths in the two 10 day periods should have been the same.

Dr Puliyel has published his findings on the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health PubMed Commons. This was being done he writes, to put it up for open review by the scientific community, on account of its urgency, as this is a matter that involves the lives of children and there is a continuing risk to children.















The difference between a successful writer and an unsuccessful one is getting published. Of course, you cannot be a successful writer unless you have your works published. Traditional publishers can make this a nightmare with lots of modifications, protocols, and outright rejections. Voila! Toronto writers can now rejoice because book self-publishing services like Agora Publishing is here to help writers become successful.

With Toronto book self-publishing services, your dream of owning a published book with your name written on the cover of its crisp flappable pages is about to become a reality. The advent and advance of digital technology propagated by Toronto book self-publishing will help you slip your ideas into the hands of waiting and eager readers without the obstruction and intimidation of editors and publishing houses.

There is a lot to be learned when it comes to publishing a book. An author who chooses the traditional publishing path may not care about this knowledge because the publishing house will take care of that for them. However, if you choose the path of self-publication, having this knowledge is not only important but paramount.

Growth in publishing industries

Every writer will notice that the publishing industry has grown tremendously over the years  but most of them are only out to exploit authors. It is important for an author to read the terms of publication carefully, and, if possible, try to learn from the experience of those who have published with a particular publishing house in order to avoid the trap of exploitative publication. You have to be sure that you are entering into a favorable partnership rather than signing off your hard work for pittance. Contracts, once signed, are usually hard to reverse.

Ownership of the rights of the book

The contracts authors often sign with publishing houses often involve putting a limitation on how the authors can use or promote their work. The publishing company often maintains a control over the authors book. This is totally unfair for a writer. When prompted to sign a contract by a publishing firm, it is important that the writer should take their time to read through the terms of the contract and get clarification where necessary to avoid a regrettable pitfall.

Getting an ISBN Number

Many publishing companies often claim that they can issue ISBN number but the truth is that there is a designated body that is permitted to issue this number. Every other claim by a publishing company concerning this is only a farce. It is also important to know that ISBN number ownership is not transferable. If a publishing company offers to sell you an ISBN bear in mind that they are not the owners of the number. Also, it is important to note that self-published authors can also get an ISBN for their book. There are clears steps through which this can be done without losing your rights.

Protect your book with a copyright

Since many authors are eager to get their book published, they jump onto self-publishing without giving a thought to the copyright of their work. Copyright protects your works from unauthorized reproduction or use. There is a body in charge of copyright and it is important to get to know how it works and get your book protected before placing it for sale on any self-publishing platform.

Place your book in the right genre

Sadly, many authors do not know what genres are. Toronto book self-publishing services like AgoraPublishing.com will help the author to identify the different genres that are out there and how to place their book in the right category so that it can be discovered by the right type of readers  and appreciated.Madang MP Bryan Kramer, who has conducted his own inquiries into the contract, said he will this week file a formal complaint with anti-corruption watchdogs against Governor Parkop.

The National Capital District contract, in which governor Power Parkop is alleged to be involved, is understood to be worth K250,000 a month for the provision of yoga instruction in the national capital.

KUNDIAWA  A controversy surrounding a contract awarded to Yu Yet PNG Ltd, a company associated with Malaysian national and fitness instructor Fazilah Bazari, has been referred to the Ombudsman Commission and police fraud investigators.

Mr Kramer said that, among stringent regulatory requirements of the PNG Investment Promotion Authority to conduct business in Papua New Guinea, a foreign enterprise must deposit startup capital of no less than K100,000 into a PNG bank account.

According to IPA records obtained by Mr Kramer and widely circulated in social media, Yu Yet PNG Ltd was registered with IPA on 6 June 2015 but did not meet this requirement.

Yu Yet opened opened a bank account on 21 August 2015 with just K5,000 and Ms Bazari had obtained a work permit and Yu Yet was able to conduct business.

By 14 October 2015, Yu Yet PNG bank account balance was K113, 613.50 which were proceeds of three National Capital District cheques totalling K143, 700 deposited between 24 August and 14 October.

If the cheques were for business (yoga classes) then the payments should have been deemed illegal because there was no IPA certification for the company to conduct business in PNG at that time.

The certification for Yu Yet PNG was eventually issued on 21 October 2015.

This chronology of events seems to indicate that NCD may have illegally facilitated a foreign enterprise with NCD taxpayers money to obtain IPA certification, and this is the crunch issue raised by Mr Kramer.

Prior to the revelation of this information, Governor Parkop had strongly denied any irregularities in the IPA certification.

I want to assure everyone that the Minister for Commerce, if you go to IPA, you will find that we didnt pay for that certification, Mr Parkop said.

How can we pay for that certification? We would be stupid to raise public funds to pay for a private certification.

Mr Parkop offered a defence against the allegations in Parliament on 4 April this year saying there were no irregularities involved in the IPA certification and, despite these facts being brought to his attention by Mr Kramer, the Governor still maintains there were no irregularities and in this has been supported by the Member for Chuave and Minister for Commerce and Trade, Wera Mori.

I like to dismiss the claims that Yu Yet PNG was operating illegally, Mr Mori stated.

Yes, it is a foreign company owned by one shareholder but it has been fully registered and it has met all requirements by IPA to operate.

Mr Mori reiterated the statement in The National newspaper last week, which drew a backlash from social media users across PNG.

Refuting Mr Moris claim, Bryan Kramer said, A foreign national who stated her job as a fitness instructor, set up a startup company with just K5,000 and relying on NCD ratepayers money (K140,000) which generously funded by the Governor of NCD was able to obtain its IPA certificate.

Yet our confused Minister of Commerce and Industry Wera Mori sees nothing wrong with this, Mr Kramer argued.

This hot issue that has spanned over many months has attracted a huge number of followers across PNG.

Ordinary Papua New Guineans are never happy when high profile corruption involving millions of kina does not see justice being meted out, and they seem to think this may be another example.

People get fed up when justice is constantly deferred only, in the end, to be dismissed or quashed in what people believe are dubious circumstances.

The whole nation will be keenly watching how this case will be handled if, as expected, it is referred to the Ombudsman Commission and police fraud investigators this week.https://www.aish.com/jw/s/24-Hours-in-Shanghai.html

Exploring the citys inspiring and little-known Jewish history during a one-day visit.

SHANGHAI  Chinas largest city of 23 million people features one of the most dazzling skylines in the world, a booming economy and a compelling mixture of Eastern and Western cultures.

But not many people are aware that Shanghai also offers visitors a fascinating glimpse into the history of one the most unique Jewish communities in the Far East. As a city that accepted about 20,000 Jewish refugees fleeing the Holocaust in Europe, Shanghai became known at the time as a Noahs Ark for Jews who had no other place to go.

Shanghais dramatic skyline

With only 24 hours to explore the city at the conclusion of an Asian cruise, I opted to take a half-day Tour of Jewish Shanghai. It was led by Dvir Bar-Gal, an Israeli-born journalist who has lived in Shanghai for the past 17 years.

With a style that was part history professor, part standup-comedian, Dvir taught our group of 15 tourists  mostly Americans  all about Shanghais Jewish past and took us to the sites that helped bring to life a Jewish community that once thrived here.

Dvir Bar-Gal at the Ohel Moshe shul

We met at the Fairmont Peace Hotel, which was built by Sephardic Jews from Baghdad, who were part of the first wave of Jewish immigrants to Shanghai in the late 19th century. This group included two prominent families  the Sassoons and Kadoories.

People came here with nothing and created an economic empire in the Far East, noted Dvir about the Baghdadi immigrants.

A second wave of Jews arrived in the 1920s, Ashkenazim fleeing pogroms and revolutions in Russia.

From the Fairmont, our group walked one block to The Bund, Shanghais pedestrian riverfront with a spectacular view across the Huangpu River to the citys enormous skyscrapers. It was at The Bund where Dvir told us about the third  and most famous  wave of Jewish immigrants.

Transit pass given to the Lejb Malin, student of the Mir Yeshiva in Shanghai,

From 1933 to 1941, Shanghai accepted about 20,000 Jewish refugees fleeing the Holocaust. Most came from Germany and Austria, which had stripped Jews of their citizenship and encouraged exile before turning genocidal. Outside of the Dominican Republic, Shanghai was the only place that allowed Jews to enter as it did not require a visa. In fact, by 1939 more European Jews had taken refuge in Shanghai than in any other city in the world.

Why did China offer Jews a safe-haven from the Nazis when so many other countries turned their backs? Dvir says it wasnt a conscious decision by the Chinese government. In fact, Shanghai at the time was an international city not completely under Chinese control. Several foreign powers, including the United States, France and the United Kingdom, claimed portions of the city and a visa was not required to enter Shanghai until August 1939.

Still, Dvir says once the Jews arrived, they were treated well by the Chinese, who have long been known for their lack of anti-Semitism. Dvir believes there are many reasons for this, including that the Chinese identify with Jewish suffering, relate to their status as an underdog and were oppressed themselves by foreign powers.

A Shanghai Jewish newspaper from 1941 on display at the Shanghai Jewish Refugee Museum

Jewish life in Shanghai prospered during the 1930s. At one time, there were six functioning synagogues and about 10 Jewish newspapers. Jews lived harmoniously with the Chinese in a section of town called the Hongkou District, which was dubbed Little Vienna because so many Austrian Jews lived there.

The Mir yeshiva in Shanghai

The final group of Jewish refugees to arrive in Shanghai included about 300 Polish Jews from the famous Mir Yeshiva, which ultimately became the only European yeshiva to emerge from World War II intact. The Jews from Mir Yeshiva first escaped in 1939 from Poland to Lithuania, where they received transit visas from the Japanese consulate general in Kovno, Chiune Sugihara .

All told, Sugihara issued more than 3,500 visas to Jews, earning him the title the Japanese Schindler. With the help of several overseas Jewish organizations, the Mir Yeshiva students and rabbis and other Jews who had received visas from Sugihara made it safely to Kobe, Japan, before arriving in Shanghai in 1941.

Monument depicting Jewish refugees from Europe at Shanghai Jewish Refugee Museum

During World War II, the Japanese occupied Shanghai, which ended the flow of foreign funds to the Jewish refugees, who were becoming increasingly impoverished. The Japanese also imposed restrictions on where Jews could live, creating a Designated Area for Stateless Refugees, better known as the Shanghai Ghetto.

Conditions in the ghetto were difficult but a vast majority of Shanghais Jews survived the Holocaust. Most emigrated to Israel, the United States, Australia and Hong Kong after the Communists took control of the government in 1949.

Dvir drove us by van to the citys Hongkou District where we walked through narrow streets and parks lined with blooming cherry-blossom trees to explore the traces of what once had been bustling Jewish life in the area.

The highlight was a visit to the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum on Changyang Road, which contains exhibits, monuments and an exhibition hall in which more than 140 photos are displayed with a multi-screen projection system. Dvir served as an adviser to the Chinese government when it opened the museum in 2007.

The museum also houses the former Ohel Moshe Synagogue, built by Russian Jews in the 1920s. It later became the hub of Jewish life when the community was ghettoized in the 1940s. After the war, the synagogue was confiscated by the Communists and converted into a psychiatric hospital. It reopened in the 1990s and was later restored to its original architectural style in 2007. The building has been inscribed on the list of architectural heritage treasures of Shanghai.

Ohel Moshe is not used for religious services and the city has only has only one other remaining synagogue  Ohel Rachel. The largest synagogue in the Far East, Ohel Rachel was built by the Sassoon family in 1920. But it currently does not host services on a regular basis and is not open to visitors.

With no functioning stand-alone synagogues, Shanghais current population of about 4,000 Jews have a choice of praying at one of three Chabad branches or in private venues.

The tour also included a visit to a home where Jewish refugees once lived and the former site of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, which provided immense financial support to Shanghais Jewish refugees during their years of hardship.

Dvir says about 3,000 tourists take his tour every year, a majority of whom are Americans.

Some people have some knowledge about Jewish life here, but it is vague, he says. It comes to life when they take this tour.

After the tour was over, I had a few hours left to enjoy Shanghai before I needed to return to my cruise ship. I chose to see a Chinese acrobat performance at a downtown theater where I watched an amazing array of gymnasts, jugglers and motorcyclists who speedily whirled their vehicles inside a cage.

Back on the ship at 10 p.m., I took one last look at the citys wonderous skyline  lit up like a pinball machine  and reflected on what I had learned during my 24 hours in this crowded and frenetic city.

Perhaps an exhibit at the Jewish Refugees Museum best sums up what a Holocaust historian has called the miracle of Shanghai.

Exhibit commemorating the visit of Yitzchak Rabin

In 1993, Yitzhak Rabin, the former Israeli prime minister, visited the site and inscribed the following: To the people of Shanghai for unique humanitarian act of saving thousands of Jews during the Second World War, thanks in the name of the government of Israel.

For information about booking a Jewish tour on a trip to Shanghai, email shanghaijews@hotmail.com. The cost for a half-day tour is about $70.Two competing narratives of the Civil War and the Southern Reconstruction will intersect once again this week.

This time, national attention over the opening of the nation's first-ever lynching memorial will serve as the backdrop.

Grand opening ceremonies in Montgomery for the National Memorial for Peace and Justice and the Legacy Museum will take place on Thursday, slightly more than one week after the Confederate monument debate re-emerged, dropped into the primary elections by Gov. Kay Ivey.

The two narratives - social justice and the Lost Cause - are likely headed for a collision during this year's gubernatorial campaign and in the halls of the state Capitol.

Some historians and social advocates believe Alabama could become the next "Ground Zero" over the debate of Reconstruction-era artifacts displayed in public venues.

This week, political celebrities from Al Gore to John Lewis arrive in Alabama for the memorial's opening. Oprah Winfrey has already toured the new museum.

The whole spectacle is set to occur in Montgomery, in a city that has long been associated with a split personality slogan: "Cradle of the Confederacy, Birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement."

"The two versions of history exist in tension, because one celebrates a nation that was established to perpetuate white supremacy and the other celebrates those who sought to dismantle white supremacy," said Fitz Brundage, chair of the Department of History at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. "And Montgomery, of course, is 'Ground Zero' for both."

Said Joshua Rothman, chairman of the history department at the University of Alabama, "The narratives sit side-by-side. When they are brought into the conversation with each other, you realize the narrative becomes more complicated than 'Yes, we have both.'"

Ivey campaign ad

The dueling discourse was on full display in gubernatorial politics last week, thanks to Ivey's campaign ad released on Tuesday in which the governor says that "folks in Washington" and "out-of-state-liberals" should not instruct Alabamians on what it should do with historical monuments.

The ad prompted fierce response from the NAACP, which accused Ivey of previously thwarting productive conversations about race relations. In addition, the Montgomery-based Southern Poverty Law Center has also pounced, calling Ivey's campaign ad "shameful."

Ivey's ad is a defense of the Alabama Memorial Preservation Act of 2017, which she signed into law 11 months ago. The same law is subject to an ongoing legal spat between the state and the city of Birmingham over the city's construction of a plywood barrier around a Confederate soldiers' monument at Linn Park.

Ivey's campaign, in the face of criticism from the NAACP last week, defended the law: "Our ad highlights a law that was passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor to protect all our historical monuments. We can't - and we shouldn't - change, erase or tear down our history. We should learn from all of it."

State Sen. Gerald Allen, R-Tuscaloosa, was the sponsor the preservation act during last year's legislative session. He applauded Ivey's campaign ad in an AL.com Guest Voices piece Friday. He also defended it during an interview with media personality Katie Couric during a recent episode of her National Geographic program, "America Inside Out."

"We've seen a wave of political correctness sweep the nation, and too often, these attempts have resulted in re-writing of the American story," Allen said. "This politically-correct movement to strike whole periods of the past from our collective memory is divisive and unnecessary."

The SPLC is angling to see what kind of legal challenges can be brought against a law that prohibits the removal of monument, memorial streets or buildings that have been on public property for more than 40 years. That includes most, if not all, of the Confederate monuments in Alabama.

"One of my personal concerns about this law is that it just doesn't prohibit any entity from removing these monuments for slavery, but it also stops schools from being able to be renamed," said Rhonda Brownstein, legal director with the SPLC. "It's particularly horrific that we are essentially forcing African American school children to attend schools named after men who fought to keep them enslaved."

One of those schools, Robert E. Lee High School in Montgomery, is over 80 percent black.

Said Brownstein: "Cities and school districts should have the authority if they chose and the community wants it, to remove the names of the people who fought to enslave their (ancestors)."

Preservation elsewhere

Alabama isn't the only state with a law protecting its monuments, artifacts or names.

In Virginia, home to the infamous "Unite the Rally" protest in which 19 were injured and one was killed, state law bans cities that attempt to "disturb or interfere" with historic monuments or memorials.

Virginia state lawmakers, earlier this year, killed efforts to change its laws. Pro-statue speakers compared the efforts to a cultural purge akin to burning books.

North Carolina also has a law on the books that prevents the permanent removal of most Confederate monuments on state and local property without legislative approval. Mississippi also has a law that prevents removal of monuments unless they block drivers from seeing the road.

Polling shows many white Southerners support efforts to protect the monuments. A NBC poll, released earlier this month, shows that 61 percent of Southerners oppose removing the Confederate monuments from public spaces. In Alabama and Mississippi, the support is 65 percent.

In August, a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll showed that most Americans support preserving the monuments in public places. But that poll also showed the issue is polarizing: Whites and Republicans largely supported preservation, while Democrats and minorities backed removal.

Republicans, who dominate state legislatures in the Deep South, have punished cities that have done away with the monuments. One recent example occurred last week in Tennessee, where the Republican-controlled House pulled $250,000 from the city of Memphis for its bicentennial plans as punishment for actions last year that led to the removal of two Confederate statues in public parks.

One Republican lawmaker compared the city's actions to the Islamic State in which the terror group destroyed ancient sites in Syria. A Democratic lawmaker countered by saying the Republicans orchestrated a "vile" and "racist" act.

Partisan split

The partisan split over the monuments is evident in the Alabama governor's race, where Republicans and Democrats hold opposing views.

The three Republicans opposing Ivey during the June 5 primary, all agree that historical monuments of any kind should be protected.

Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Alabama State Senator Bill Hightower of Mobile and evangelist Scott Dawson of Birmingham, stated their positions during Wednesday's GOP debate hosted by Reckon by AL.com at the Lyric Fine Arts Theatre in Birmingham. Ivey did not participate.

"I treasure our history, good or bad," said Hightower, saying that his daughter traveled to the Auschwitz concentration camp site in Poland and "it radically changed her life."

He said, "Some parts are ugly, and some are not. We don't want them vandalized and destroyed."

Dawson echoed former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's take in support of preserving the statues. "You have to be careful (on efforts to) erase history. How far do we go? The heritage of Alabamians, it's important to everyone. I would protect the monuments. I am going to protect the monuments."

Battle said the monuments in Alabama "reflect our history, whether you like our history or don't like our history."

But he said that the discussion about monuments is a distraction, brought up by Ivey, at a time when she won't attend the GOP governor debates.

Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox, one of the leading Democratic challengers for governor, agreed with Battle's take.

"At a time when rural hospitals are closing, opioids are ripping apart communities and our roads and bridges are crumbling, the issue Kay Ivey decides to highlight is Confederate monuments," said Maddox.

He said that Confederate monuments should be kept in museums.

"Accuracy and historical balance must be assured because, as we know too often in the Jim Crow era, these monuments were placed in defiance of basic human and civil rights," he said. "It's important we celebrate and recognize citizens and events that unite us, not divide us."

Sue Bell Cobb, former chief justice to the Alabama State Supreme Court, said she's concerned that Ivey's ad - which she calls "grandstanding" - may hamper the state's ability to attract development.

"Companies from out-of-state who are interested in locating in Alabama want to be sure they are making a sound investment, and monument drama will only serve to give pragmatic business leaders pause," she said.

James Fields, a former state lawmaker from Cullman, said the governor is trying to create a divisive issue at a time when she will not debate her opponents.

Said Fields: "We need to teach history in the classrooms, not the courtrooms. She knows that."

Democratic dispute

Despite the criticism from Democrats running for governor, little was done this legislative session to alter the preservation act.

And at least one Democrat looking to usher in change is blaming her own party for inaction.

"The Democrats need to stand up and be Democrats if they are serious about making change in the state of Alabama," said state Rep. Juandalynn Givan, D-Birmingham, who sponsored three bills addressing the act - one which called for its complete repeal, and another that would allow cities to opt out of it.

Her bills did not go anywhere during the legislative session.

"We have many, many issues that we are fighting, and I believe we should take positions, tough positions," Givan said. "And it cannot be those who chose to sprinkle the sugar on that we choose to take."

Said Nancy Worley, the chairwoman of the Alabama Democratic Party: "It did not seem to be an issue in the legislative session. The Republicans, I would give them credit at one thing, they are masterful at seizing emotional issues that hits people's hot buttons in terms of a current issue that does nothing to help people. It's showcasing."

Richard Fording, a political science professor at the University of Alabama, said the issue is "too much of a hot potato" for Democrats. He said the party, itself, is more mobilized than it has been in a long time following last year's special Senate election victory by Democrat Doug Jones over Republican Roy Moore.

"There is somewhat of a risk in mobilizing Republican opposition by raising this issue in this state," said Fording. "It's probably not going to be effective anyway."

But Givan said the Democrats are losing an opportunity to fight back against the supporters of the monument act.

And she said the opening of the EJI's lynching memorial and museum can spark "new life" into the debate.

"Those (Confederate) monuments speak of an era where someone said my black wasn't good enough and isn't beautiful enough and I didn't matter as a person or I didn't matter as a human," she said. "That was that era and that was how those men thought."

'Terrible idea'

Indeed, the debate over the fate of Confederate monuments - which stand in 56 of the state's 67 counties - boils down to a historical perspective of when they were constructed.

David Blight, a Yale University historian of the Civil War and Reconstruction, said one of the things often overlooked in the monument debate is that "these monuments were also in some ways primarily celebrations of the South's perceived victory over Reconstruction."

Said Blight: "To place a Confederate monument in your courthouse lawn or park was to honor the dead, no questions about it, especially those common solider monuments. But they were also a way to say, 'We defeated Reconstruction,' and defeated what the North tried to do in taking over the South. It's all over the rhetoric of the 'Lost Cause' movement and these unveiling speeches."

It's also included on the inscription of Alabama's most prominent monuments, highlighted by the 1898 Confederate memorial at the State Capitol in Montgomery: "The knightliest of the knightly race who since the days of old. Have kept the lamp of chivalry alight in the hearts of cold."

"We easily forget that in the consciousness of the people in the era, and many of them lived Reconstruction, this is what was at stake: Who was going to control race relations?" Blight said. "You honor the Confederate soldier and leadership and while we may have lost the war, we won the victory over Reconstruction."

He added, "In that sense, that's why these monuments matter and those issues are still with us whether it's race and equality and whether it's federalism."

Blight, though, said he supports preserving the "common soldier monuments" and that monuments should go untouched in cemeteries.

He believes the national furor in 2017 over the monuments, which led to destruction of a Civil War statue in cities like Durham, N.C., is something that historians frown upon.

"Just destroying them is a terrible idea," he said.

But the fate of the monuments depends on what kind of unknown events that may rise. For instance, Alabama removed Confederate flags above the capitol grounds in 2015, amid a rash of similar actions elsewhere following a massacre at a Charleston, S.C. church perpetrated by a white supremacist.

"(Former) Governor Robert Bentley said we would take the flags down from the statehouse grounds," said Rothman, the historian at the University of Alabama. "That made people angry, but they moved on."

Blight said the debate is likely not to resonate with much of the general public, even if it re-emerges publicly.

"People go by monuments every day in their lives and don't know what they are until there is some kind of politics to the issue around them which is what we've been learning since Charleston," said Blight. "It takes events to focus on these things."A Houston priest originally from Birmingham officiated the funeral Saturday for former First Lady Barbara Bush.

Rev. Russell J. Levenson Jr., a close friend of the Bush family and the rector at St. Martin's Episcopal Church - the site of Bush's funeral - delivered the homily at the service.

"What you saw was what you got,' Levenson said of Barbara Bush, the Houston Chronicle reported.

"She believed in and practiced the principles of honesty, tolerance, decency, courage and strength. And perhaps above all, humility. She lived accounting to the mantra of the Bush family for many years: don't get caught up in big me."

More from the Chronicle's coverage of the funeral:

Levenson spoke of how she was a highly visible figure in Houston.

"Here in Houston, we saw her at major galas, behind home plate at Astros games, praying here in the pews, catching up with a neighbor while pushing her own buggy in Walgreens," he said.

He said "the least of Barbara's virtues was patience."

"I think Barbara was becoming impatient. She was tired of waiting on the next chapter, so she welcomed it on April 17th," the day she died.

Levenson graduated with honors in 1984 in receiving his undergraduate degree from Birmingham Southern College. He graduated from Mountain Brook High School in 1980 and is former associate rector at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Mountain Brook.

He has been the rector at St. Martin's - the nation's largest Episcopalian church -- since 2007.

In an interview with Houston television station KHOU, Levenson remembered Bush as a "sweet, kind, genuine thoughtful woman."

"I will be honest: She probably doesn't like the fact that there is going to be a lot of fuss, but there is," Levenson told Houston television station KHOU. "This town, this nation, the world loves Barbara Bush."

KHOU reported that Levenson "has been more than a pastor to the Bushes. He's been a close friend. For 10 years, he has prayed with them, dined with them and been invited to their summer home in Kennebunkport, Maine."

"Being their pastor, priest, friend and confidant has been one of the greatest honors of my life," Levenson told KHOU.

AL.com reporter Greg Garrison contributed to this report.Update Monday, April 23:

Nashville police announced Monday that Reinking had been apprehended. No further details on the arrest were made available.

BREAKING: Murder suspect Travis Reinking is in custody. Arrested moments ago. pic.twitter.com/WwuDCXDCGQ  Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) April 23, 2018

BREAKING: Travis Reinking apprehended moments ago in a wooded area near Old Hickory Blvd & Hobson Pk. pic.twitter.com/00ukga37s6  Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) April 23, 2018

Earlier:

Police are continuing the search for Travis Reinking, the suspect in Sunday morning's deadly shooting at a Waffle House in Antioch, Tennessee.

The Tennessean is reporting multiple gunshots were head Monday morning as agents fanned out behind a church in Antioch as they searched for Reinking. Reinking has not been seen since Sunday.

Police said Reinking had an encounter with law enforcement days before the rampage when he stole a BMW and escaped while being pursued by police. The car was stolen from a Brentwood dealership last Tuesday.

Officials said Reinking was lost as they pursued him in heavy traffic.

Original story:

Police in Nashville are searching for Travis Reinking in connection to a deadly shooting at a Waffle House restaurant that left four dead.

According to police, Reinking, a 29-year-old from Morton, Illinois, opened fire in the restaurant parking lot early Sunday before entering the building. Witnesses said the gunman, believed to be armed with an assault-style rifle, was nude except for a green jacket, which he tossed before leaving the scene.

Three people died at the scene and one person later died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. At least four more people were injured.

The victims have been identified as:

Taurean C. Sanderlin, 29, of Goodlettsville,Tenn. Sanderlin was an employee of the Waffle House, fatally wounded outside the restaurant.

Joe R. Perez, 20, of Nashville. Perez, a patron, was fatally wounded outside the restuarnat.

Akilah Dasilva, 23, of Antioch, Tenn. Dasilva was wounded at the restaurant and died at the hospital.

Another person, a 21-year-old woman from Gallatin, Tenn., was killed. Her identity has not been released.

A patron identified as James Shaw Jr., wrestled the firearm away from the gunman, police said. The suspect then fled the restaurant.

Police identified Reinking after the pickup truck used by the suspected gunman was registered to him. Police said Reinking currently lives near the Waffle House, which is located in Antioch, Tenn.

Tennessee authorities said Reinking could be armed with as many as two firearms. He previously had weapons removed from his possession after a 2017 arrest near the White House, USA Today reports.

Reinking was arrested after being in a "restricted area" near the White House, according to the Secret Service. His Illinois firearms authorization was revoked after the arrest and four weapons were seized from him.

Among the weapons seized was the AR-15 used at the Waffle House, police said, adding they believe Reinking's father retrieved the weapons after they were confiscated and returned them to his son.

As of Sunday morning, police were using tracking dogs to search for Reinking. He was last seen walking south on Murfreesboro Pike. Law enforcement was advising residents to keep their doors locks and report any sightings of Reinking.

Police said murder warrants are currently being drafted against Reinking and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation named him to their most-wanted list.

TOP 10 ALERT: Travis Jeffrey Reinking, the suspect in this mornings deadly shooting at a Nashville-area Waffle House, has been added to our Top 10 Most Wanted list. He stands 64, weighs 180 pounds, and should be considered armed and dangerous.



Spot him? Call 911! pic.twitter.com/Y7dYiQepVJ  TBI (@TBInvestigation) April 22, 2018

Waffle House Update: Murder warrants are now being drafted against Travis Reinking.  Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) April 22, 2018

Waffle House issued a statement via Twitter.

This is a very sad day for the Waffle House family. We ask for everyone to keep the victims and their families in their thoughts and prayers.  Waffle House News (@WaffleHouseNews) April 22, 2018

Waffle House: 6 persons shot, 4 fatally (3 died at the scene, 1 at the hospital). The 2 others are being treated at Vanderbilt. Search continuing for Travis Reinking. pic.twitter.com/ioR7cVq899  Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) April 22, 2018

Investigation on going at the Waffle House. Scene being processed by MNPD experts. This is the rifle used by the gunman. pic.twitter.com/lihhRImHQN  Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) April 22, 2018When the University of Alabama announced that a self-identified white nationalist would no longer be speaking, some black students felt like it was a time to celebrate but uncomfortable feelings still remain.

Conservative campus organization Students for America First invited Jared Taylor in late-March for a speech tiled "Diversity: Is it good for America?" in late-March. As junior political science major Teryn Shipman started researching Taylor's work, Shipman said she was shocked at what she found. Taylor is the founder of American Renaissance, a website publishing research supporting how blacks are inferior to whites. During a recent interview with a Muslim-American female journalist, Taylor explained why her race didn't belong in the United States and why whites "deserve a homeland."

Shipman said Taylor's beliefs made her feel uneasy.

"I watched a video with a few other students and it just really makes you shift in your seat," Shipman said. "Like, 'Is this even real?"

But two days after SFAF initially posted about the event on the organization's Twitter on March 27, the group stated their faculty advisor stepped down. University officials explained in an email to students, faculty and staff that student organizations must have a full-time, UA faculty or staff advisor in order to be active. After giving SFAF time to comply with the university's policy, officials withdrew the group's registration status, making the group inactive and cancelling Taylor's event.

Shipman took the cancelation as a bittersweet victory. Although SFAF is currently inactive, university officials said the organization can re-register if a new advisor is found, giving them the opportunity to host events on campus. University President Stuart Bell stressed in a statement that the school didn't invite Taylor nor did it support Taylor's beliefs, but officials couldn't stop him from coming due to free speech laws.

"A lot of students did think that they would just find another group to host the speaker," Shipman said.

After the speech was first announced, it was rare to walk around campus and not hear Taylor's name, students said. Sophomore Alexus Cumbie started to hear rumors about a protest at Russell Hall, where Taylor was scheduled to speak. With that much energy congregating in one place, Cumbie said she couldn't see it ending well for anyone.

"I'm not sure how the people who make up Students For America First would have reacted to protests," Cumbie said. "This was open to the public, too. So it wouldn't have been just students there. Anyone could have come and you didn't know what energy they were coming with whether it's violence, peaceful or what."

Shipman said many students were upset by the university's response to Taylor's arrival. Bell encouraged students not to attend the event, but he didn't identify SFAF as the group who invited Taylor in his statement. Shipman said Bell used the same language in past messages regarding race relations this past school year.

"We receive emails all the time about robberies off campus which always have a black perpetrator but when it comes to race relations and how black students are affected on campus, emails are very vague. They are not genuine or authentic," Shipman said. "We don't see our administrators trying to comfort the black student population when things like this happen."

Student Noah Hawkins felt like the university's response was genuine and respected Bell's stress on safety. But he felt a little disappointment that there is a chance for Taylor to come back. Hawkins said students will have to advocate for themselves in a peaceful way.

"If the university won't stand up for our community, if the systems in place won't stand up for our community, then the people who care about the situation will have to do it themselves," Hawkins said. "It's a shame it has to be that way, but I hope that people will use it as a fire to connect with each other and support each other when things like this happen to promote a more inclusive campus."

Cumbie, who is a political science major, said free speech usually puts universities and students in a tough position. Auburn University tried to cancel a speech by white supremacist and alt-right leader Richard Spencer last spring due to safety concerns. A federal judge issued an order requiring the university to continue the event. Spencer celebrated the win by saying, "We won a major victory for the alt-right."

Cumbie hopes students keep one thing in mind if this were to happen again: free speech works both ways.

"Yes, (Taylor) does have freedom of speech, but you also have freedom of speech to condemn that," Cumbie said. "If you see something that is not right, you have to stand up and say something about it."

The same day Taylor was scheduled speak, the University's Black Student Union partnered with other diversity-focused organizations to celebrate its 50th anniversary. The "Celebration of differences" was at first believed to be a counter event against Taylor's speech. Hawkins, who helped organized the event, said the occasion was planned months ahead of time and the timing was not intentional.

Hawkins said he felt empowered as students and faculty of different faith, races, sexualities, and other lifestyles mingled with each other before the voices of the Afro-American Gospel Choir filled the Ferguson Center Ballroom. Students shared their own narratives through raps, poetry and songs during the open mic portion of the event. Having that much diversity in one area sent a clear message to those around campus, Hawkins said.

"It said that the range of what people care about and how people live their lives is wider than what our local lawmakers, student government and the administration here on campus realize," Hawkins said "I think that's important because we're a part of the people they are supposed to protecting and supporting. I understand that you can't please everybody, but what are you running the university for if not to better the students? Why run for office if you aren't there to support your community?"

But Cumbie said creating opportunities for diversity training or celebration is sometimes not enough if those who need to hear those different stories won't be attending.

"The programs are in place, but the participation isn't there," Cumbie said. "The only people who show up are the people who are aware of diversity. If you're a white person who doesn't care for that, you're not going. Your opinion is going to stay the same."

The announcement about Taylor's speech came a little over a week after the university condemned a student's video containing racist language. The president gave little details about the student or what the video contained, but did mention the student was no longer enrolled at the school. In January, Harley Barbour was expelled from her sorority after posting videos of herself saying the n-word and other slurs multiple times on social media. She is also no longer on campus.

Cumbie believes mandatory diversity training could end the cycle of racially charged events on campus. She hopes that after the initial training, students would not only become more aware of what they do or say, but also enroll in other classes and forums focused on diversity and accept a culture that's different from their own.

"If the goal of UA is to make students better citizens, you start there," Cumbie said. "You have to start at the injustice and the core of the discrimination that is happening on campus so that it doesn't continue out into the world when people graduate."Dana Hall McCain writes about faith, culture and politics for AL.com. Follow her on Twitter @dhmccain for thoughts on these topics and more.

You know that campy bumper sticker that says "It's hard to soar like an eagle when you're surrounded by turkeys"?

There ought to be one on United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley's car.

Haley is by all accounts a smart, principled leader. Since assuming the post at the UN, she has consistently signaled to the Russian delegation that the United States would not tolerate their bad acts. She called their meddling in the 2016 election an act of "warfare," demonstrating a willingness to call a spade a spade, even when her boss would not.

She has verbally blistered the Russian delegation for their support of Assad, particularly as it relates to chemical weapons use in Syria.

Last week, while making the rounds of the Sunday morning show circuit, Haley made it known that the United States was poised to roll out further sanctions on Russia. She was even specific enough to say that the formal announcement would come in the next 24 hours from the Treasury Department.

That kind of specificity doesn't line up with someone who's just spitballing and freelancing what they hope US foreign policy will be. That was clearly the communication she had received from the White House.

Then apparently the President's serotonin levels dropped, or he didn't like his sandwich at lunch, and thus the White House changed its mind about the sanctions. Haley hadn't gotten it wrong. Her boss just changed his mind, and no one bothered to communicate that to the Ambassador to the United Nations, who's essentially acting as a quasi Secretary of State since Rex Tillerson's exit.

The UN Ambassador whose schedule likely indicated that she would be doing media appearances on Sunday morning where this topic was a given.

So one of two things happened here. This was either gross incompetence on the part of the administration, or political back-stabbing of the worst kind.

There's plenty of evidence to support the former. Time and again since Trump's inauguration, it's been clear that the right hand didn't know (or understand, or care) what the left hand was doing. Despite his promise to surround himself with "the best people," the revolving door on the West Wing has created serious work product inconsistency, and relationships among whomever works there in a given week that aren't exactly marked by trust and mutual respect.

But the latter is a strong possibility, too. Trump is an egotist, and wants those in his orbit to only be praised on his schedule and his terms. Haley's willingness to speak more boldly than he, particularly with regard to Russia, demonstrates a degree of independence and a confidence. While she understands that her statements must ultimately exist within the boundaries of the administration's policies, she's also not asking Daddy for a script to read to the big, scary powers at the UN.

She's got this. Along with her own, very strong political brand.

And people recognize that. Nikki Haley has been a darling of the right not because of personality, but because of her obvious substance. You don't break two barriers to become the first woman and the first minority governor of traditionalist state like South Carolina (while others in state politics call you a "rag head") without knocking people's socks off with your intellect and leadership abilities.

Haley has watched this president repeatedly trample cabinet members and staffers who put their lives on hold to serve the country and by extension, to serve him. He is arguably the least loyal individual God ever created. (Don't believe me? Ask his wives.) But when he decided to throw Haley under the bus to explain away this week's Oval Office buffoonery, she sent a very terse message.

The words were, "With all due respect--I don't get confused," a direct response to new Trump economic advisor Larry Kudlow, who had tried to portray White House indecision on sanctions as a lack of understanding on Haley's part.

But the subtext was this: I'm not your girl. I will not play this game. I am competent and honest, and if you try to suggest otherwise to cover your own deficiencies in those departments, you'll pay.

Nikki Haley's a bull, guys. And this week, the White House got the horns. If they're smart, they'll get out of the pasture before she decides she'd rather be doing something else in 2020.To address development in central New York, Chiarenza said he would recruit business leaders from throughout the district and hold roundtable discussions to brainstorm ideas for boosting the economy.

"We've got the knowledge here," he said. "We've got electricity. We've got open space. It's all here. We've got rail. We've got the highway. We just need to reinvent ourselves to get some areas up and going."

With infrastructure as an issue on his platform, Chiarenza was asked if he has taken a position on the future of the Interstate 81 project. The I-81 viaduct has reached the end of its useful life and there are a few proposals being considered to either rebuild or replace the elevated highway.

For now, Chiarenza doesn't have a preference. He said he would listen to the community to determine what would work best for the region and its transit system.

While Chiarenza has lived and worked in Onondaga County, he is no stranger to the city of Auburn and Cayuga County. His late mother, Grace (Feocco) Chiarenza, was born and raised in Auburn. Joe Chiarenza recalled visiting his mother's family in Auburn when he was a child.Addressing the USs contribution to global climate change will require the participation and cooperation of the political right ... and the left. Surprised? Consider this:

Putting a price on greenhouse gas emissions (i.e. a carbon tax) is broadly recognized by economists, scientists and policy experts as the most important first step in tackling the global warming crisis we face. There is no debating that implementing any climate policy faces stiff headwinds in Congress, a resistance most often attributed to climate-deniers in the Republican Party. But there is movement among Republicans and Conservatives on the issue as evidenced by groups like RepublicEn, the libertarian Niskanen Center, and the Climate Leadership Council. Each of these right-of-center groups supports a market-based solution to climate change in the form of a revenue-neutral carbon tax. In the U.S. Congress, Republican members of the Climate Solutions Caucus and co-sponsors of the Republican Climate Resolution (including our representative, John Katko) are evidence that support for substantive climate change legislation could have support by the political right.

What is perhaps more uncertain than potential Republican support for meaningful climate legislation in the form of a carbon tax is support from the political left, as evidenced by the history of Washington states carbon tax referendum known as Initiative 732.What do 10,068 radiated turtles in a small home smell like?

What do 10,068 live radiated turtles in a two-floor home smell like? It was the stench that alerted the authorities to the home in Toliara, Madagascar. Soary Randrianjafizanaka, of the countrys environmental protection agency, the home was stuffed with the critters.The smell was overwhelming. But not in a lip-licking way  unless you enjoy the stink of urine and worse.

National Geographic has more:

Randrianjafizanaka helped count them as rescuers loaded them onto six trucks that made several trips to Le Village Des Tortues (Turtle Village in French), a private wildlife rehabilitation facility in Ifaty, 18 miles north of Toliara. It took until early the following morning to transfer all the tortoises to the rescue center.

Turtle village?

The majority of the turtles taken to the rehabilitation facility are doing well, now that theyve been cleaned up, moved into more suitable quarters, and provided with veterinary care. Unfortunately, close to 600 of the turtles have died since being removed from the house, due to dehydration or infection  the result of their long neglect.

Trading in rare turtles is outlawed in 182 countries.

The rate of hunting of radiated tortoises is similar to the hunting pressure on American bison during the early 19th century, where they were nearly hunted to extinction when they once numbered in the tens of millions, said Brian D. Horne, turtle conservation coordinator for the Wildlife Conservation Societys Species Program.

Of course, once upon a time, Westerners loved eating turtle. And if it was a local source of meat, surely many of us would eat them now. This story illustrates how something illegal creates a risky black market.

It wasnt ever so:

During the Great Depression, gopher tortoises became such an important source of meat for rural Southerners that they earned a new nickname, Hoover chicken that honored, so to speak, our president at the time, Herbert Hoover. That species is now federally threatenedin Louisiana, Mississippi, and western Alabama, and is under protection everywhere it occurs. Diamondback terrapins, the beautifully patterned turtles inhabiting brackish waters along the East Coast, were harvested so heavily for food that the U.S. government started to get concerned about their vastly depleted populations more than 100 years ago.

Turtle is food for the masses:

For centuries, the flavor was legendary, and, really, nothing said American democracy like turtle. The poor man could often find a few slow-moving specimens hanging out at the backyard well, even as the privileged man sought out its refined flavor. Two days after voting for independence in Philadelphia, on July 4, 1776, John Adams celebrated with a bowl of turtle soup; when the war was over, George Washington met with his officers at Fraunces Tavern in lower Manhattan for a farewell frolic; and Lincoln celebrated his second inaugural with terrapin stew. Before Aaron Burr murdered Alexander Hamilton, both were members of the elite Hoboken Turtle Club.

More turtles is desirable, then. Lets get farming

Karen Strike

Posted: 22nd, April 2018 | In: News, Strange But True, The Consumer Comment | TrackBack | PermalinkAfter a US-led-coalition strike on three suspected chemical facilities in Syria, President Trump announced that he would call on Arabs to take over the protection of Syria, after he recalls the 2000 US army troops on the ground there. Several Arab countries were to be asked to team up and form an Arab Coalition Army to "keep ISIS at bay in Syria."

According to CNN, The US is pursuing contributions from Egypt, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to help counter Iran in Syria by filling the void should the US significantly reduce its footprint in the country.

This idea was suggested in 2013 and then again in 2015, but it didnt come through. President Trump had also considered something similar in Afghanistan: replacing the American troops with private contractors.

At best, these are bizarre, wishful contemplations on President Trumps part; at worst, replacing the US ground troops in Syria with Arab forces is a dangerous, menacing suggestion. It actually proves that President Trump is unaware of the dynamics in the region.

For starters, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt will not join forces with Qatar in the near future. Even more so, Qatar is pro Iran and will not participate in an endeavour that will make it stand against Iran.

This while the Iranian forces have warned Saudi Arabia against such a move saying that it will not withstand 48 hours against Iran. An escalation is already brewing even before one Arab soldier sets foot on Syrian soil.

Even if Saudi Arabia may be drawn towards such an idea, it, along with the UAE, is fighting a war in Yemen, with the Houthis breaching the Saudi border regularly. This makes it unlikely for the Saudis to intervene with troops in Syria.

The Guardian goes as far as to extrapolate that Saudi Arabia may outsource recruitment for such a task to Pakistan and SudanSaudi Arabia replaces the US, one proxy, but sends the Sudanese instead, yet another proxy.

Indeed such a move will exacerbate the Syrian war further. As it stands, too many powers have come uninvited to Syria only to meddle in its affairs. Syria does not need further trespassers and encroachers.

But the worse part of all this is that Arabs will end up standing against each other, a notion that has always been considered shameful. Yes, Arab countries may think differently and choose different alliances, but they have rarely fought one another.

It is clear that President Trump, as he often does, did not think this one through.

Soon after President Trump came up with this idea, the Wall Street Journal reported that John Bolton, the new national security advisor to President Trump, called Abbas Kamel, Egypts Intelligence Chief, to pursue it further. He directly asked if Egypt would contribute troops and money to the US-led efforts in Syria so as to defeat the Islamic State (IS) in Syrias Northwest.

President Trump and his advisors have a highly visionary mind if they believe Egypt would fight the USs war in Syria in lieu of the US.

Egypt has refused to get involved in the Syrian crisis all along. Egypt had made it clear from the earliest moments of this war that it will take a neutral stance on the Syrian crisis even if it sides primarily with the national army and the legitimate government in Syria and even if it means going against several powerful Arab nations and the US.

Egyptian Foreign Minister, Sameh Shukry, announced that Egypt will not send any troops to Syria. Simultaneously, Mohamed Rashad, the former head of Egyptian General Intelligence, told news website Egypt Independent that Cairo's forces were not mercenaries, [to be] leased or ordered by foreign states to deploy forces in a certain area.

I doubt President Trump had considered Egyptians mercenaries since his farfetched idea entails financing the take over, too, but, undoubtedly, there is more to it than that.

Egypt must remain focused on its interior battle with extremists in Sinai and those arriving from the western borders, its troops and its finances directed towards its biggest challenge. It cannot spread its manpower and resources thin by fighting other wars, too.

And Egypt, realizing the outcome of international interference, has fought its war alone and will continue to fight it alone. It is enough that Egypt is losing its men while protecting its soil; it shouldnt be expected to commit even more precious souls towards the fight in Syria at the whim of the US. And as for keeping ISIS at bay, the facade for this suggestion, ISIS is near defeat in Syria.

More importantly, the Egyptian goals in Syria do not match those of the US, which aims to remove President Asaad and restrict the Iranian role while it supports the opposition forces.

President Trumps original instinct told him not to go into Syria further; he had better return to that notion. In fact, he wanted to leave Syria altogether. However, the establishment, the media, and those who want the MiddleEast to remain entangled and drawn into one war after another told him not to. However, if the US troops withdraw from Syria, it should not rest on someone else's, the Arabs', shoulder.

I can understand the Arabs getting involved in rebuilding Syria, bringing the Syrians together, and bringing Syria back into the Arab World, but to replace the US is a precarious escalation.

What the US needs to do is to stop digging deeper in Syria, and ultimately leaving Syria to fend for itself. A proxy army, in particular an Arab one, will not cut it.Director Meghna Gulzars next film Raazi has been eagerly awaited ever since the trailer of her film released recently.

Director Meghna Gulzars next film Raazi has been eagerly awaited ever since the trailer of her film released recently. Meghna says this is all thanks to the lead actress of the film, Alia Bhatt. If Alia had not come on board, the film would not have been made, says Meghna.

She adds, When she comes on the set, she does not only know her own lines but those of the other stars as well. She is well-versed with the nuances required and brings a lot more to the table.

On what drew her to the story, she says, This is a true story, powerful and rare. It showcases such immense sacrifice, valour, loyalty and righteousness. It seems almost flawless, but it is not. There is a beautiful duality in the story, especially in the girls character.

About Alias character and look, she adds, You will see her in a very different avatar. She will look more feminine and slightly more mature. She is completely in character and her hard work is visible.

On whether the film will release in Pakistan, Meghna says enigmatically, I will leave that to the very able producers.Over 450 colleges have sought permission from the AICTE to discontinue a few undergraduate and postgraduate engineering courses.

As per media reports, at least 83 educational institutions in the country, having around 24,000 seats have applied for permanent closure. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) is planning to reduce intake of seats by almost 1.3 lakh in B.Tech and M.Tech courses, from the new academic year, starting from July this year.

In regards to this, students of Harcourt Butler Technical University in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur have blamed increasing unemployment and unwillingness to take up engineering as their future careers for the decision.

A student of the university welcomed the AICTE's move and told ANI, "Many students are doing preparations for engineering. Parents also are worried about their child's performance. However, as per industry standards, they don't know proper engineering and hence, they don't acquire the practical knowledge needed today. It's good that the government is pushing for fewer seats so that children are admitted in good institutes and get a good and quality education."

Meanwhile, a professor at Harcourt Butler Technical University expressed concerns over the decision by the AICTE to reduce the number of seats in B.Tech and M.Tech courses.

"One of the major reason behind this is that AICTE couldn't provide job opportunities in the ratio in which they increased the number of seats. Such a situation only exists in private colleges. Government colleges have followed uniform standards in imparting quality education and practical knowledge in engineering, but for private colleges, it has been changing over the years."

Another professor at the university said as per the current industry standards, 96 per cent of passed-out engineers were not employable. Many Information Technology (IT) companies were laying off engineers as part of the cost-cutting move.

"Engineering students have not moved on with the industry standards. They need more practical exposure. Which is why students are not taking admissions in engineering colleges," the professor added.

Another student also voiced her concerns over the reduction of seat intake in B.Tech and M.Tech courses.

"In India, when a child is born, parents say that he or she will become an engineer. But they do not see the future prospects. The student may have passed out, but does not get a job anywhere. So, that student's value in the IT industry is zero and useless," the student said.

She further said that many private engineering colleges did not have proper laboratories for M.Tech students and the syllabus for engineering courses was not up to the current industry standards.

"Due to this, many of them are looking for different job prospects such as opening a start-up or making videos on YouTube. Admissions for engineering have become less over the years. Also, private engineering colleges do not guarantee the students proper jobs."

As per media reports, at least 83 educational institutions in the country, having around 24,000 seats have applied for permanent closure. Also, over 450 colleges have sought permission from the AICTE to discontinue some undergraduate and postgraduate engineering courses.The academicians and scholars termed Prime Minister Modi's response to rape cases as 'wholly inadequate'.

The signatories to the letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi include academicians and scholars from universities across the globe including the New York University, the Brown University, the Harvard, the Columbia and prominent IITs, among others. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: Over 600 academicians and scholars from across the globe have written an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing their anguish over the Kathua and Unnao rape cases and held his government responsible for the terrible state of affairs.

The academicians also raised concerns over the Prime Minister's "prolonged silence" on the issue and the "non-specific assurance of justice" for the victims of the two rape cases that have shocked the entire nation.

We wish to express our deep anger and anguish over the events in Kathua and Unnao and the aftermath of these events; over the efforts of those administering the relevant states to protect the alleged perpetrators of these monstrous crimes; over the subsequent profoundly distasteful efforts of rationalization and the deflection and diversion that have been so much in evidence in the reactions of your party's spokespersons in the media, the letter read.

We have observed that there has been a prolonged silence on your part over the terrible state of affairs' in the country and an undeniable association of violence with the ruling dispensation', it added.

Also Read: Here's what ex-bureaucrats say in an open letter to Narendra Modi

The signatories to the letter include academicians and scholars from universities across the globe including the New York University, the Brown University, the Harvard, the Columbia and prominent IITs, among others.

The academicians also said the Prime Minister broke his prolonged (and by now familiar) silence" with "wholly inadequate, platitudinous, and non-specific assurances of justice for the victims." They further said the Unnao and Kathua cases are not isolated incidents, but part of a sequence of "repeated targets".

We send you this letter because it is our duty to do so; so that we are not guilty of silence; and so that callousness and cowardice might finally draw the line at the broken body of a little girl and the rape of a young woman, the letter concluded.

The letter by the academicians and scholars comes days after 49 retired civil servants, in a strong worded open letter, held Prime Minister Narendra Modi responsible for the terrifying state of affairs and asked him to reach out to the families of the Kathua and Unnao rape victims to seek their forgiveness.

The letter also came on the day the Union Cabinet approved an ordinance to provide stringent punishment, including death penalty, for those convicted of rape of girls below 12 years, amid a nationwide outrage over cases of sexual assault and murder of minors in Kathua and Surat and the rape of a girl in Unnao.The victims father eked out living by selling balloons.

Bhopal: In a gruesome incident, a six-month-old girl was abducted, raped and then murdered in district headquarters town of Indore in Madhya Pradesh, the police said on Saturday.

The accused, Suneel Bheel (21), who committed the heinous crime early on Friday morning to avenge the snub he had received from the victims mother, was thrashed by irate mob gathered outside the local court where he was produced on Saturday.

The heartrending incident, coming in the wake of national outcry over the Kathua gangrape and murder case in which an eight-year-old girl was allegedly sexually tortured and murdered in Jammu in January, has left MP stunned and shocked. The ghastly incident has shaken my soul. Our society must introspect, CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan said.

According to the the police, the accused, a relation of the victim, kidnapped her when she was asleep with her parents outside the Rajwada Fort in Indore city and took her to the basement of a nearby commercial building where she allegedly raped her and thrown her on the floor leading to her death. The footage of a CCTV installed in the locality has shown him carrying the baby to the commercial building in the wee hours of Friday and later coming out of it empty handed. Post-mortem report has revealed injuries in her private part, head and face, the police said.

The victims father eked out living by selling balloons.Swaraj reached Beijing on Saturday on a four-day visit to take part in the foreign ministers' meeting of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

In her initial remarks, Swaraj congratulated Wang on being elevated as state councillor and the special representative for the India-China boundary talks. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi/ Beijing: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday met her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi to discuss bilateral ties and step up the pace of high-level interactions to improve the relationship.

Swaraj reached Beijing on Saturday on a four-day visit to take part in the foreign ministers' meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

This was their first meeting after Wang was elevated as state councillor in March which makes him the top diplomat of the country in the Chinese hierarchy. He also continues to be foreign minister.

In her initial remarks, Swaraj congratulated Wang on being elevated as state councillor and the special representative for the India-China boundary talks.

Their meeting is part of efforts by the two countries to step up the pace of high-level interactions to improve relations, official sources in Beijing told PTI before the meeting.

Following the Doklam standoff in 2017 both countries increased dialogue to scale down tensions and improve relations with talks at various levels.

Swaraj and Wang are meeting in the immediate backdrop of the recent meeting between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and top official of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) Yang Jiechi in Shanghai.Mr Sinha, however, made it clear that he would not join any other political party.

Patna: After criticising and protesting against the BJPs top leadership for months, Yashwant Sinha on Saturday finally announced his decision to leave the party to work towards saving democracy in the country.

I have had a long association with the BJP. Today I am severing my ties with the BJP, the 80-year-old disgruntled BJP leader said at an event organised under the banner of his Rashtriya Manch, a political front formed to highlight the failures of the BJP government at the Centre.

A battery of Opposition leaders, including Congress MP Renuka Chaudhary, Lalu Prasad Yadavs son Tejashwi Yadav, TMC MP Dinesh Trivedi, RLD leader Jayant Chaudhary and Sanjay Singh from AAP were present on the dais when Mr Sinha, a former Union minister in the Atal Behari Vajpayee government, made the announcement.

Mr Sinha, however, made it clear that he would not join any other political party.

Four years ago I had decided to separate myself from electoral politics, but now I have decided to quit BJP. I am not going to join any other political party, but have decided to launch a countrywide movement to preserve democracy which has been under threat since last several years, Mr Sinha said.

Shatrughan Sinha, BJP MP from Patna Sahib, was also present at the event.

In a no-holds-barred attack on demonetisations, Mr Sinha had written an editorial article calling it an unmitigated economic disaster, triggering a political storm.

During his speech on Saturday, Mr Sinha slammed the government for influencing the investigating agencies and the Election Commission.

Today my heart beats for my country as I strongly feel that democracy is under threat. Democratic institutions like Election Commission and investigating agencies have started functioning under the pressure of the government which is not right, he said.

A bureaucrat-turned politician, Mr Sinha joined the BJP in the Nineties and was appointed finance minister in 1998 when Atal Behari Vajpayee became the Prime Minister.Senior advocate and nominated Rajya Sabha member K.T.S Tulsi said people took great pride in the integrity of judges.

New Delhi: Having submitted a notice of impeachment against him, the Congress on Sunday demanded that Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra should recuse himself from performing judicial and administrative services till he was cleared of charges of misconduct. Sources said the Congress was also mulling over the idea of going to court in case Rajya Sabha chairperson M. Venkaiah Naidu does not accept the impeachment notice.

Attacking the BJP, it said the ruling party was coming out in defence of the CJI and compromising the position and office of the Chief Justice as the neutral arbitrator and head of the judiciary.

The CJI must come out and tell the BJP not to politicise his office, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala told the media.

Caesars wife must be above suspicion. And thats why we left it to his (CJI) conscience. If his own conduct is under a cloud, should he not consider recusing himself from performing judicial and administrative duties and submit himself to the inquiry so that the high office and his individual integrity are cleared? Mr Surjewala asked.

The impeachment notice has been moved on Friday by seven opposition parties led by the Congress. The other parties which signed included CPI(M), CPI, NCP, SP, BSP and the Muslim League.

Senior advocate and nominated Rajya Sabha member K.T.S Tulsi said people took great pride in the integrity of judges. But if there was even the slightest suspicion, it becomes the duty of Parliament to take note of that, he said.

As MPs we are performing our duty with a very heavy heart, but it is in the interest of the nation and interest of democracy that the inquiry should be held.

And if no inquiry is held it would do much greater damage to the Supreme Court of the country, he added.Birthday wishes

Call 281-422-8302 or email david.bloom@baytownsun.com to wish someone a happy birthday. We will print your birthday wish on Page 2 of The Sun.

Happy Birthday WishesThe victim said that the accused were close friends of her family and had offered help in finding a job.

A minor girl was allegedly gangraped by three men on the pretext of giving her a job in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao. (Photo: PTI/Representational)

Unnao: A minor girl was allegedly gangraped by three men on the pretext of giving her a job in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao.

The victim said that the accused were close friends of her family and had offered help in finding a job after her father jailed her mother on false charges.

"My father got my mother lodged in jail on false charges. I was all alone after that and was looking for a job. One of the family friends offered to help me in finding a job. He then took me to his uncle's place, where I was raped by two of his uncles and him," the victim claimed.

She said that the accused even held her captive for a day and took her to her father's house later.

"My father gave them Rs 2 lakh for bringing me back. Even when I told my father that they raped me, he did not listen, he gave them the money and they left," said the victim.

A case has been registered against four people including the father of the victim in the case.

"We have filed a complaint in the matter under the relevant section of the Indian Penal Code (IPC)," said the police.

This comes on the heels of a series of rapes and murders which have the country by a storm.

In June, 2017, a 17-year-old girl was allegedly raped by BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar in Unnao.

On April 3, this year, the girls father was allegedly thrashed by the accused MLAs brother, Atul Singh Sengar, for refusing to withdraw the rape complaint and was arrested the same day. On April 9, he died in a hospital.

Earlier on Friday, a 14-year-old girl was allegedly raped by two youth in Uttar Pradesh's Kaushambi. The girl was allegedly lured by a woman of her village to a secluded spot and handed over to the youth, who raped her.

Also Read: Another rape in UP: 2 and a woman held for assault of 14-yr-old girl

On the same day, a six-month-old girl, sleeping next to her parents outside the Rajwada Fort in Indore, was taken away and raped in an isolated basement.

The accused, 21-year-old Sunil Bheel who was spotted on a CCTV camera carrying the baby, was arrested.

Also Read: Is there an end? Another 6-month-old girl raped, killed in Indore

In Uttar Pradesh's Etah, a nine-year-old attending a wedding with her family was allegedly raped before being strangled on Thursday night.

Also Read: Man drags 9-yr-old girl from wedding function, rapes and kills her

On Wednesday, a 10-year-old girl was similarly raped and murdered at a wedding in Chhattisgarh.

Also Read: 10-yr-old C'garh girl raped, head smashed with stone; accused arrested

In Surat, an 11-year-old was raped and murdered and then her body was dumped earlier this month. She had 86 injuries and was also brutalised with blunt objects.

Also Read: 9-yr-old Surat girl raped, body found with 86 injuries in cricket ground

The rapes and murders follow a disturbing trend emerging across the country even as it is trying to come to terms over the kidnapping, gangrape and murder of an eight-year-old in Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir in January.

The minor went missing while grazing horses in Rasana village of Hiranagar tehsil of J&Ks Kathua district on January 10. A week later, her body was found in woods near her village. According to the police, the girl was drugged, raped for days and murdered.P Murlidhar Rao, who is in-charge of Karnataka, asked whether Siddaramaiah was scared he wouldn't win the Chamundeshwari seat in Mysuru.

Speculations are rife that Siddaramaiah, who has been fielded from Chamundeshwari constituency in Mysuru, will be opting Badami in Bagalkote district of north Karnataka as his second seat. (Photo: File)

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday hit out at BJP General Secretary P Murlidhar Rao for his Hindi tweet about his plans to contest the May 12 assembly polls from two constituencies, by asking him to tweet in Kannada or English.

Rao, who is in-charge of Karnataka, asked whether Siddaramaiah was scared he wouldn't win the Chamundeshwari seat in Mysuru.

"@Siddaramaiah ji are you scared? After much effort you chose Chamundeshwari seat, now after seeing that you will be defeated there you are searching for a second place."

"To end your doubt let me clarify that not only your two seats, but entire Karnataka will be Congress Mukt (Congress free)," he said in a tweet in Hindi.

Replying to Rao in Kannada, Siddaramaiah tweeted, "Sir, tweet in Kannada or English. Don't understand Hindi."

Speculations are rife that Siddaramaiah, who has been fielded from Chamundeshwari constituency in Mysuru, will be opting Badami in Bagalkote district of north Karnataka as his second seat.

Siddaramaiah has said that he was under pressure from Congress leaders from Bagalkote and Bijapur districts to contest from Badami, but maintained that he would abide by the high command's decision.

The Congress, in its list of candidates for 218 seats announced on April 15, had named Dr Devraj Patil as its nominee from Badami. But issuing of B-form (required to be filed by a political party mentioning name of its approved candidate) to Mr Patil has been put on hold.

Badami with a strong presence of Karubas,the community to which Siddaramaiah belongs, was seen as the second safe option for the Chief Minister as reports have suggested that the battle in Chamundeshwari will not be an easy one for him.

Siddaramaiah has won five times and has been defeat twice at Chamundeshwari, from where he has been announced as the candidate. He has been representing Varuna constituency in Mysuru since 2008, which has now been allotted to his son Yatindra.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said he had conveyed to the high command, his desire to contest only from Chamundeshwari constituency.

"I have told the high command that I will contest from Chamundeshwari and not from two constituencies. However, the people of north Karnataka are pressurising the high command that I should contest from north Karnataka too," he said.

The Chief Minister said he has not taken any decision so far and he would go by the decision of the high command.He was taken to the hospital where doctors found the object in his stomach and removed it with an endoscope.

When she tried to chase him, he saw it as a game (Photo: AFP)

Children tend to be curious about everything but leaving certain objects within their reach can be hazardous. There have been several incidents of kids hurting themselves with scissors and other objects, which is why parents need to be extra cautious.

In an alarming incident from China, a child was rushed to a hospital when he swallowed a nail clipper. The toddlers mother was using the clipper when he grabbed it and started running around.

When she tried to chase him, he saw it as a game and put the clipper in his mouth as he swallowed it. He was taken to the hospital where doctors found the object in his stomach and removed it with an endoscope.

The child was discharged without any major damage.Sent lewd SMSes to DU students, sent to 3-day custody.

In her complaint the girl alleged that initially she tried to avoid him, but he kept on stalking her.

New Delhi: A merchant navy officer has been arrested by the Delhi police on charges of allegedly stalking and harassing five Delhi University students. The accused was arrested on Friday evening after one of the girls filed a complaint against him. A local court sent him to a three-day judicial custody to Tihar jail on Saturday.

The police said that the man has been identified as Suraj Dey (25), a senior officer working with a Hong Kong-based merchant navy company. He is said to be a resident of Amar Colony in New Delhi.

DCP (Southeast) Chinmoy Biswal said Dey was taken into custody after a complaint was filed against him. The police said an investigation is underway and that it will take further action against the accused after receiving any other complaints.

According to the police, Dey had first met the complainant at a park months ago. He had introduced himself as a merchant navy officer. He told the girl that he was looking for a PG accommodation for his friend. Following this they exchanged phone numbers.

During preliminary investigation it was revealed that after some weeks the accused started sending messages to the girl on WhatsApp. He also sent her friend requests on social networking platforms. He later proposed the girl. However, she turned it down. The accused then started stalking and sending messages online.

The police said that he had even threatened the girl with dire consequences.

In her complaint the girl alleged that initially she tried to avoid him, but he kept on stalking her. She said that she blocked his number and his profile online but he kept calling her and sending obscene messages from unknown numbers and harassed her. When she confronted him, he started misbehaving with her.

Later, she filed a police complaint against him at the Amar Colony police station. A case was registered under relevant sections of the IPC.

During the probe, the police found that the accused had been sending lewd messages to four more girls of the same college. He used multiple phone numbers to harass the girls, say police sources.A combing operation will follow to prevent any retaliation from them.

The Gadchiroli police and their counterparts from surrounding states wanted the duo since long, the officials said. (Photo: PTI/Representational)

Mumbai: A team of the specialised C-60 commando unit of the Gadchiroli police gunned down 16 naxals in Tadgaon forest during a raid early on Sunday. The Gadchiroli police said that the encounter took place following a specific tip-off on the movement of the naxals in Bhamragad.

The count of naxals gunned down in the firing is likely to rise further, officials said. A combing operation will follow to prevent any retaliation from them.

Those killed also include two divisional committee (DVC) commanders identified as Sainath Bulesh Madiattram (34), and Vijendran Ranake, alias Srinyu. Officials said that while Sainath has 39 cases against him pertaining to offences including arson and assault, Srinyu has 51 cases. The Gadchiroli police and their counterparts from surrounding states wanted the duo since long, the officials said.

The operation began early in the morning and was undertaken by two companies of the C-60 commando teams. Luckily there have been no reports on injuries or casualties to any of the personnel from the commando team, said An-kush Shinde, divisional inspector general (Gadchiroli Range). He added, The gunfight began during the day before noon.

The gunbattle began after the naxals launched an attack on the patrolling party, officials said. The operation was still underway till late in the evening and the exact number of naxal casualties will be clear only after the area is cleared. The search for any clandestine explosives and more bodies is underway in the area.

According to the police, this was the time when naxals cross over the state border and enter Maharasahtra to rob contractors trading in tendu leaves. The police had also stepped up vigilance when they received input on the movement.The fugitives second wife and child, who are both Pakistani nationals, also figure on the list of witnesses.

Mumbai: The Thailand court hearing Indias extradition plea for fugitive gangster and alleged Dawood Ibrahim aide, Sayyad Muzakkir Mudassar Hussain, alias Munna Jhingada, has allowed the deposition of 41 Pakistani witnesses who are trying to establish his Pakistani origin. His second wife and children are in Pakistan, a fact that is being referred to as proof of his Pakistani nationality by the Pakistani witnesses, said Mumbai police sources. It is likely that among the Pakistani witnesses are Jhingadas second wife, said sources.

The court had turned down the request of letting these witnesses depose earlier in October 2017. The move came in the backdrop of a deposition by an officer (a deputy police commissioner) from the citys crime branch and a fingerprints expert from the state Crime Investi-gation Department (CID) before the court in 2017.

Pakistan had submitted its list of witnesses to the Thai court, which was turned down in October last year. The deposition, which is currently underway, is likely to be the last step before the decision on his extradition is taken by the Thai court, said a crime branch officer. Sources in the crime branch said the Pakistani witnesses are officials from the security establishment and local authorities who would claim before the court about Jhingadas alleged Pakis-tani nationality. The fugitives second wife and child, who are both Pakistani nationals, also figure on the list of witnesses.

However, Indias claims on Jhingada are stronger with the crime branch submitting clinching evidence to the Thai court. Jhingada studied in Ismail Yusuf College in Jogeshwari and was married to a woman in Mumbai and has children with her. His first family lives in Jogeshwari.

The dossier of evidence submitted by the crime branch, includes Jhing-adas college leaving certificate, his fingerprints on police records with details of six non bailable warrants against him. The list also includes the Red Corner Notice issued by the Interpol and the DNA samples of his parents and sister collected in July 2014 with formal permission from the Andheri magistrate Court.

Chain of events

After being released on bail in 1997, Jhingada allegedly fled to Dubai and then to Karachi in 1999 to join the D-gang

After staying there for a few months, he was sent to Thailand with a team to bump off Rajan in Bangkok

Rajan survived and Jhingada was arrested in 2002 and has been in the custody of the Thai police ever since

When India moved for extraditing him, Pakistan staked claim leading to a prolonged legal tussleIn claiming that it is the only party that can offer an alternative policy agenda, the CPI(M) has to fully and finally resolve the crisis within.

By changing its position on the Congress, as a potential partner in the run up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and afterwards, the CPI(M) has finally acknowledged that the BJP and its parent organisation  the RSS  is the main threat. And, it cannot pursue a politics that treats the BJP and the Congress as equal dangers.

The internally divisive and tortured process of arriving at this rather obvious conclusion at the just ended 22nd Party Congress in Hyderabad was evident to everyone outside the CPI(M), including the BJP, it must be assumed. To think that a political line to perverse and protect the purity of the CPI(M) by treating the BJP and the Congress as equally untouchable was as misguided as it was mischievous.

To justify equating the Congress and the BJP, the Karat line had drawn up a list of characteristics shared by the two parties  equally committed to neo-liberal economic policies, with the caveat that the Congress had pioneered it, practitioners of communal polarisation, the Congress being clubbed with the BJP because it tactically deploys soft Hindutva, and equally enslaved to US imperialism. As it happens, in the Karat worldview, these are characteristics shared by the regional parties as well, making them almost equally untouchable.

It took a series of shocks, the biggest being the decimation of the CPI(M) in Tripura and the real possibility of the same happening in Kerala, to convince the so-called hardliners led by former general secretary Prakash Karat and his backers the most prominent and eminent being Manik Sarkar of Tripura and a galaxy of leaders from Kerala that they had got it wrong. It took a series of further shocks to convince them that the political space is rapidly reforming itself in the run up to 2019 elections reflecting a change of mood and choice of Indias voters across states, including the crucial states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and more.

And, it took the threat by clearly a much larger number of the 765 delegates at the Party Congress than the Karat liners anticipated that the unprecedented should happen, of a secret ballot to find out what was the majority view and a couple of resolutions that suggested that the party should split to finally reach a settlement on what should be the CPI(M)s political position, otherwise known as its tactical line. The Karat-led hardliners would need to take responsibility for having brought the CPI(M) to a position where it is seriously weakened, politically rudderless and unattractive as a running mate for almost every regional party of consequence to the point of near destruction.

For almost a year now, starting with the 2016 West Bengal state elections when a seat sharing arrangement with the Congress was powerfully advocated by the state CPI(M), the internecine war of tactics has been wrecking the innards of the party. In January, the CPI(M) was so absorbed in its internal crisis over the now rejected draft  on what distance it ought to maintain from the Congress and other regional parties  that it forgot to notice what was happening in Tripura. General secretary Sitaram Yechury had been forced to submit his resignation and till the Hyderabad Party Congress, there was serious uncertainty of who would lead the party and how.

There are two questions that the CPI(M) needs to answer in public now that it has adopted a resolution that enables it to negotiate an arrangement with the Congress before and after the 2019 elections. First, how does this make it any more politically attractive as a proposition in the emerging race to put together partnerships and alliances by the regional parties against the BJP? (Despite its claims of being scientific and consequently empowered to read the trends, it failed to foresee that the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Samajwadi Party would join forces to fight the BJP.)

Second, how is the CPI(M) going to take forward the fight against the BJP, which is now clearly identified as the paramount threat to the secular, democratic, republican, constitutional values of our country? Does this change the identity of the BJP as being authoritarian but not fascist as Mr Karat once famously said?

In claiming that it is the only party that can offer an alternative policy agenda, the CPI(M) has to fully and finally resolve the crisis within. By averting the secret ballot and rejecting a resolution proposing a split, the party has merely salvaged itself.

The Karat line has been a key in the crisis of the CPI(M) for a very long time. It had prevailed in determining its relationship with the Congress in 2004 and again in 2008, by posing the crisis as a problem of exactly measuring the distance it should maintain from the Congress to avoid the risk of being compromised and complicit. In 1996, it had pushed the CPI(M) into what Jyoti Basu, then West Bengals formidable chief minister, had described as a historic blunder. It was the same line that undermined the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee governments legitimacy by questioning his policy and actions on land acquisition for industry in the context of Singur and West Bengals pursuit of investment partnerships that reflected a compromise with globalisation and neo-liberal economics.

The dilemma of the CPI(M) is how does it remake itself. It is at its lowest ebb today. Its failure to resolve the distance that it wants to maintain between its role as a party of the government and what it does when in power has queered its ideas of what it is  a Communist party that has incidentally opted to pursue parliamentary electoral politics within a democracy that is ideologically ambiguous about neo-liberalism and the constitutional commitment to socialism. It has never been able to draw the line and make it appear as a Lakshman Rekha between the party and the government, unlike the BJP, which has, till now, successfully convinced voters and supporters that it is separate and distinct from the RSS. Can it sort out what the party will do and what the party will do as and when it needs to govern?Always fighting to be safe, never stable enough to become strong  thats goals one and two evaporating right there.

This is about keeping Pakistan: first, safe; second, strong; third, prosperous; and maybe eventually all three at the same time.

Try and put the pieces together. Its not the easiest  partly because we dont have all the pieces yet and partly because the last pieces may not have been shaped yet.

But a picture sure is emerging.

It aint pretty. This isnt about Nawaz. Not solely about him anyway, and maybe not even particularly about him. This isnt about the election. Or not just the next election. Something bigger is unfolding.

Lets assume they win. The boys get their way and their allies  in the court, in the state, in the political class, in the media, in business and society, and on the far right  position themselves in support of the boys.

Great. Its their field, theyre in charge now. Everything wont be hunky-dory because weve already been told that Pakistan has powerful enemies waging sophisticated warfare against this state and its people. So forget the idyll and utopia.

This is about keeping Pakistan: first, safe; second, strong; third, prosperous; and maybe eventually all three at the same time. Safety comes first because if youre not safe, you dont exist. Fine. So how do they intend to achieve all of that?

Between the now old news of the missing bloggers and the new stuff with the media, between Afghanistan and India, the railroading of Nawaz and mainstreaming, Faizabad and the suppression of Pakhtun dissent, theres more a less a picture emergent.

The Nawaz stuff tells us this isnt about corruption. If it were about corruption, all theyd have to do is pick up three of Nawazs accountants and two of his lawyers, take them all to a safe house, hand them a pen each, place a stack of blank paper in front of them  and wait for the evidence to flow.

That, of course, never happens.

Instead, we have the silliness of an iqama and a few London apartments bought for a pittance in the early to mid-90s. The Nawaz stuff is about creating pliant efficiency: finding civilians wholl manage the states finances, grow the economy and support a predetermined national security and foreign policy.

Pliant efficiency is an unbridgeable contradiction. Its easy enough to find pliant politicians. But if heads-down, no-questions-asked subservience is your ticket to power, whats your incentive to govern efficiently?

Efficiency is hard, very hard. Its beyond most politicians anyway and if most of your time is taken up in affirming and reaffirming your pliancy, that doesnt leave much time for learning or enforcing efficiency. Efficiency, of course, can be found among technocrats. But by definition, efficient technocrats are smarter than the boys.

Trouble is, if youre smarter than the boss and know you can never become the boss  there is no lateral entry in the mil and the whole point is to increase control, not outsource it.

Pliant efficiency is a fools dream.

Turn to Afghanistan. Its still the same: strategic depth, that most unfortunate of misleading labels. Strategic depth is fairly simple: denial of space, primarily, to India in Afghanistan because greater Indian influence in Afghanistan means more trouble for Pakistan.

The instrument is also the same: leveraging Pakistani influence in Afghanistan via the Pakhtuns, i.e. the Taliban  either through a permanent war or a major slice of power after a political settlement.

But for all the talk of Afghan-led and Afghan-owned and intra-Afghan peace and the like, the problem is that Pakistans strategy in Afghanistan is fundamentally not about Afghanistan, its about India. Good luck carving stability from that.

And India itself? The implications of the Pakistani approach are: normalisation isnt likely, peace a chimera. But neither can India and Pakistan leave each other alone because of that small problem of a common border running the length of this country, nor will India and Pakistan leave each other alone because of Kashmir. A we-dont-want-war policy can only translate into a badly managed non-peace.

And then theres the domestic stuff. Mainstreaming militants, suppressing non-militant dissent, muzzling the media and handing a megaphone to the far right  its all of a piece. Fine. Eliminate the left, mobilise the right, further re-engineer society. The purpose, presumably, is to maintain internal predominance while aligning politics and society with the external  Afghanistan and India  policies.

The problem is, that configuration forecloses the prosperity goal. CPEC is not oil; Pakistan cant very well emulate, say, the Saudi model of religion, authoritarianism and wealth. If prosperity is foreclosed, that leaves finding strength and security from among a massively expanding, relatively unskilled, low-productivity populace with religiosity rampant.

So, like Al Qaeda presaged Islamic State, the TTP may just prove to be a precursor to something worse. That means forever wars at home.

Always fighting to be safe, never stable enough to become strong  thats goals one and two evaporating right there. Pick a different combination of events, choose another set of circumstances. The outcome is always the same: macho, fantastical policy colliding with reality and resulting in failure for all. Well, maybe not failure for the boys and their allies. But what a colossal waste of time for everyone else.

By arrangement with DawnThe ban follows charges that Kaspersky Lab has close ties to intelligence agencies in Moscow.

Twitter said on Friday that it has banned ads from Moscow-based Kaspersky Lab, saying the cyber-security companys business model conflicts with advertising rules and citing US government claims that Kaspersky has ties to Russian intelligence agencies.

Twitter confirmed the ban in an email to Reuters after Kaspersky Lab co-founder Eugene Kaspersky disclosed the development in a blog post on Friday, saying that the company learned of the ban in early January. The ban follows charges by Washington that Kaspersky Lab has close ties to intelligence agencies in Moscow and its software could be used to enable Russian spying, which prompted the Trump administration to ban its products from U.S. government networks.

Kaspersky Lab has repeatedly denied those allegations, saying it will open up its code for inspection so that experts can hunt for vulnerabilities in its products that could be exploited by intelligence agencies, and it has asked a US federal court to overturn the American ban. Eugene Kaspersky said in his blog post that he was surprised by Twitters ban and asked the company to reconsider.

We havent violated any written  or unwritten  rules, and our business model is quite simply the same template business model thats used throughout the whole cybersecurity industry: We provide users with products and services, and they pay us for them, he said. Department of Homeland Security cyber-security official Jeanette Manfra said her agency has not instructed US companies to punish Kaspersky.

We laid out a very transparent process and how we came to our decision, to ban Kaspersky products from government networks, she said at a panel at the RSA security conference in San Francisco. I would defer to the companies for how they made their decisions.

Kaspersky said in an email that Twitter was the only social media company to ban its ads. But other social media companies have taken action regarding Kaspersky Lab. Facebook in January said it had removed Kaspersky Lab from a list of anti-virus offerings to users. When asked to explain its ban, Twitter said in an email, This decision is based on our determination that Kaspersky Lab operates using a business model that inherently conflicts with acceptable Twitter Ads business practices.

Twitter also said it was responding to a Department of Homeland Security warning of a threat to national security posed by Russian government access to Kaspersky products. It is rare for Twitter to ban specific advertisers. In October it banned Russian media outlets Russia Today and Sputnik, accusing them of interfering in the 2016 US elections. Last month, Twitter banned cryptocurrency ads.'US under the Trump administration has done everything it could to prevent Iran from benefiting from this agreement,' Zarif charged.

Zarif told that Iran is not seeking to acquire a nuclear bomb, but that its "probable" response to a US withdrawal would be to restart production of enriched uranium. (Photo: AFP)

New York: Iran warned on Saturday it is ready to "vigorously" resume nuclear enrichment if the United States ditches the 2015 nuclear deal, and said further "drastic measures" are being considered in response to a US exit.

Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told reporters in New York that Iran is not seeking to acquire a nuclear bomb, but that its "probable" response to a US withdrawal would be to restart production of enriched uranium  a key bomb-making ingredient.

"America never should have feared Iran producing a nuclear bomb, but we will pursue vigorously our nuclear enrichment," added Zarif, who is in the United States to attend a UN meeting on sustaining peace.

US president Donald Trump has set a 12 May deadline for the Europeans to "fix" the 2015 agreement that provides for curbs to Iran's nuclear program in exchange for relief from financial sanctions.

Zarif's comments marked a further hardening of rhetoric following a warning earlier this month from Iranian president Hassan Rouhani that Washington would "regret" withdrawing from the nuclear deal, and that Iran would respond within a week if it did.

The fate of the Iran deal will be a key issue during French President Emmanuel Macron's state visit to Washington beginning on Monday, followed by talks with German chancellor Angela Merkel in Washington on Friday.

Zarif said the European leaders must press Trump to stick to the deal if the United States "intends to maintain any credibility in the international community" and to abide by it, "rather than demand more."

The foreign minister also warned against offering any concessions to Trump.

"To try to appease the president, I think, would be an exercise in futility," he said.

European leaders are hoping to persuade Trump to save the deal if they, in turn, agree to press Iran to enter into agreement on missile tests and moderating its regional influence in Yemen, Syria and Lebanon.

No one-sided deal

If the United States buries the deal, Iran is unlikely to stick to the agreement alongside the other signatories  Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia, said the foreign minister.

"That's highly unlikely," he said. "It is important for Iran to receive the benefits of the agreement and there is no way that Iran would do a one-sided implementation of the agreement."

European diplomats have argued that the deal could be salvaged without the United States, with a view to bringing Washington back in the fold at a later time, possibly under a new administration.

"The United States under the Trump administration has done everything it could to prevent Iran from benefiting from this agreement," Zarif charged.

The foreign minister warned of "drastic measures" under discussion in Iran.

Zarif declined to specify, pointing to "what certain members of our parliament are saying about Iran's options."

Despite the threats of a tough response to a US pullout, Zarif also left open the possibility of diplomatic action during a 45-day period to formally notify the withdrawal.

"Whether other things can be done during those 45 days... is a hypothetical question that needs to be addressed at that time," said Zarif.

A decision by Trump to walk away, he warned, would send a message to all governments "that you should never come to an agreement with the United States, because at the end of the day, the operating principle for the United States is, what's mine is mine, what's yours is negotiable."Foreign ministry officials here said the Indians High Commission representatives could not meet the Sikhs as they did not want to meet them.

Islamabad: Indian High Commission officials were on Saturday not allowed to meet the visiting Sikh yatrees (pilgrims) from India in Gurdwara Sacha Sauda, Sheikhupura by the Pakistani authorities for security reasons.

Foreign ministry officials here said the Indians High Commission representatives could not meet the Sikhs as they did not want to meet them.

The Indian high commission officials visited Gurdwara Sacha Sauda, Sheikhupura but were not allowed due to security reasons keeping in view the hostile environment. They just left, one official said late in the evening.

He added: You can say that the Indians also did not press with the meeting as the jatha (group) did not want to meet them.

Last week too, Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria was not allowed to meet the visiting Sikh pilgrims amid protests. Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal however, rejected Indian allegation that the High Commissioner of India was prevented from meeting the visiting Sikh pilgrims.

Indian allegations regarding prevention of meeting of the Indian High Commissioner with Sikh yatrees (refugees) are reprehensible attempts to try to mutate the truth. Indian HC agreed to cancel the visit due to Sikh protests against India for screening of controversial movie in India, he said.

Mr Faisal said the Secretary of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) had extended an invitation to the High Commissioner of India to attend the main function of Baisakhi and Khalsa Janamdin at the Gurdwara Panja Sahib on April 14.Terrorists target people at voter registration centre.

Wounded Afghan child Zahra, 8, is treated following a suicide bombing attack at the Isteqlal Hospital in Kabul. (Photo: AFP)

Kabul: An Islamic State suicide bomber carried out an attack at a voter registration centre in the capital Kabul on Sunday, killing 57 people and wounding more than 100 others, said officials form the Afghan interior and public health ministries.

Public hemlth Ministry spokesman Wahid Majro said among 57 who were killed in the attack, 22 were women and eight are children. Majro added that 119 people were wounded in the attack, among them 17 children and 52 women. The toll could still rise, he added.

Gen. Daud Amin, the Kabul police chief, said the suicide bomber targeted civilians who were registering for national identification cards.

The large explosion echoed across the city, shattering windows miles away from the attack site and damaging several nearby vehicles. Police blocked all roads to the blast site, with only ambulances allowed in. Local TV stations broadcast live footage of hundreds of distraught locals gathered at nearby hospitals seeking word about loved ones.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement carried by its Aamaq news agency, saying it had targeted Shiite apostates.

The attack comes almost a month after another deadly attack by IS in which a suicide bomber carried out an attack near a Shiite shrine in Kabul that targeted attendees celebrating the Persian new year. That attack killed 31 people and wounded 65 others.

A statement issued by the Presidents office condemned Sundays attack and quoted President Ashraf Ghani as saying such terrorist attacks wont prevent people from participating in upcoming parliamentary elections.

Afghanistan will hold parliamentary elections in October and voter registration started a week ago.Mr Wang, 64, succeeds his senior colleague Yang Jiechi who has now become a politburo member of the Communist Party of Chinas (CPC).

Beijing: India on Sunday said maintaining peace in the border areas with China was an essential pre-requisite for the smooth development of bilateral ties as external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj held crucial talks with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi to reset the relations after the Doklam standoff.

Ms Swaraj and Mr Wang also exchanged views on cooperation on multilateral arena and discussed their perspectives on counter-terrorism and collaborative efforts to address other global challenges, such as climate change and sustainable development.

Ms Swaraj arrived here on Saturday on a four-day visit to take part in the foreign ministers meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) from Monday.

She was received by Mr Wang at the Diaoyutai state guest house in Beijing ahead of their bilateral meeting.

This was their first meeting after Mr Wang was elevated as state councillor last month which makes him the top diplomat of the country in the Chinese hierarchy. He also continues to be the foreign minister.

Mr Wang, 64, succeeds his senior colleague Yang Jiechi who has now become a politburo member of the Communist Party of Chinas (CPC).

During the meeting, Mr Wang announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold an informal summit from April 27-28 in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

In her initial remarks, Ms Swaraj congratulated Mr Wang on being elevated as state councillor and appointed the special representative for the India-China boundary talks.

This shows how much trust your leadership has in your abilities. I think your new responsibilities will improve India-China relations, she said.

We will work closely with the Chinese leadership to take India-China cooperation to new heights, she said before the meeting.

While making efforts to progress our relations in diverse areas, we underlined that maintaining peace and tranquillity in the India-China border areas is an essential pre-requisite for the smooth development of bilateral ties, she said in a press statement with Mr Wang after the meeting.

Following the Dokalam standoff last year, both countries increased dialogue to scale down tensions and improve relations with talks at various levels.

Ms Swaraj said the two sides agreed that as two major countries and large emerging economies, healthy development of India-China relations was important for the emergence of the Asian Century.

We believe that commonalties outweigh our differences and that we must build on our convergences, while seeking mutually acceptable resolution to our differences, she said.

Ms Swaraj said as part of the preparatory discussions for the Modi-Xi summit, she and Mr Wang noted with satisfaction the progress made in ties since their last meeting in December in New Delhi.

The (Modi-Xi) meeting in Wuhan flows from the understanding reached by the two leaders last year that India-China ties are a factor for stability in a period of global changes and have a common responsibility for peace, security and prosperity in the world, she said.

Ms Swaraj said during her meeting with Mr Wang, they discussed the importance of strengthening people-to-people contact in bringing the two nations closer to each other.

She also conveyed Indias appreciation to the Chinese side for their confirmation on resumption of data sharing on Brahmaputra and Sutlej rivers in 2018. She expressed happiness that the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through the Nathu La route will be resumed this year.Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Jesus knows each of us and each of us should try to get to know Jesus. When the desire to live the relationship with Jesus, to listen to his voice and to follow him faithfully cools in our communities, it is inevitable that other ways of thinking and living that that are not coherent with the Gospel will prevail," said Pope Francis today before the Regina Caeli.

The Holy Father was inspired by the passage in the Acts of the Apostles in which "Peter openly declares that the healing of the crippled man, made by him and of which all Jerusalem was talking about, was done in the name of Jesus, because There is no salvation through anyone else (4:12).

But who is the Christ who heals? asked the pontiff before 30,00 people present in St Peter's Square. What does being healed by Him consist of? What does he heal us from? And through what attitudes? We find the answer to all these questions in today's Gospel, where Jesus says: " I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep" (Jn 10:11).

Jesuss self-presentation cannot be reduced to an emotional suggestion, without any concrete effect! Jesus heals through his being a shepherd who gives life. Giving his life for us, Jesus says to each one: 'your life is worth so much to me, that to save it I give all of myself'. It is precisely this offering of his life that makes him a good Shepherd par excellence, the one who heals, the One who allows us to live a beautiful and fruitful life."

"The second part of the same Gospel page tells us under what conditions Jesus can heal us and can make our lives joyful and fruitful. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father (Jn 14:15). Jesus does not speak of intellectual knowledge, but of a personal relationship, of predilection, of mutual tenderness, a reflection of the same intimate relationship of love between Him and the Father. This is the attitude through which a living and personal relationship with Jesus is realised: letting ourselves be known by Him; not closing oneself in oneself, opening oneself to the Lord.

He is attentive to each of us, knows our heart deeply: he knows our strengths and our faults, the projects we have achieved and the hopes that have been disappointed. But he accepts us the way we are, even with our sins, to forgive us. He guides us with love so that we can cross paths that are also inaccessible without losing the way. In turn, we are called to know Jesus. This implies an encounter with Him, one that arouses the desire to follow him, abandoning self-referential attitudes to set out on new paths, indicated by Christ himself and open to vast horizons."

Before the recitation of the Marian prayer, on World Day of Prayer for Vocations, Francis ordained sixteen priests. During the rite celebrated in Saint Peter's Basilica, the pope reminded them to be collaborators of Jesus, the "only High Priest of the New Testament".

"Conscious of having been chosen among men and constituted in their favour to attend to the things of God, exert Christs priestly work in joy and sincere charity, solely focused on pleasing God and not yourselves or men, for other interests. Only the service to God, for the good of the holy faithful people of God.

Finally, participating in the mission of Christ, Head and Pastor, in filial communion with your Bishop, commit yourselves to uniting the faithful into one family to lead them to God the Father through Christ in the Holy Spirit. And always hold before your eyes the example of the Good Shepherd, who did not come to be served, but to serve and to seek and save what was lost."

Six of the new priests come from the Redemptoris Mater Diocesan College, five from the Pontifical Roman Major Seminary, four from the Family of the Disciples, and one from the Opera Don Orione.

The pope also spoke about the World Day to the people present in Saint Peter's Square for the Regina Caeli. "Let us thank God so that he may continue to generate in the Church stories of love for Jesus Christ, to praise his glory and serve his brothers. Today, in particular, we are thankful for new priests whom I recently ordained in Saint Peter's Basilica. Let us ask the Lord to send many good workers to work in his field, as well as to multiply vocations to the consecrated life and Christian marriage."

Francis also said that he was "very concerned about what is happening in Nicaragua, where, following social protests, clashes occurred, causing some victims. I express my closeness in prayer to that beloved country, and I join the bishops calling for an end to all the violence and useless bloodshed; may the outstanding issues be resolved peacefully and with a sense of responsibility.Contact The Californians Robert Price at 661-395-7399, rprice@bakersfield.com or on Twitter: @stubblebuzz. His column appears on Sundays, Wednesdays and Saturdays; the views expressed are his own.ABOUT THE CANDIDATES

ANDY VIDAK

Age: 52

Occupation: Farmer/small-business owner

Family: 2 brothers and 2 sisters. Parents live in Tulare County.

Time living in the 14th District: lifelong resident.

Political offices held/sought: State Senator (2013 to present)

Board memberships/community activities: Member, Kings County Farm Bureau.

Education: Bachelor of Science Degree in Animal Business from Texas Tech

Criminal convictions (other than speeding tickets): None

Civil court judgments against you or any business you have had a financial interest in: None

What is the biggest challenge facing the 14th State Senate District and what is your solution to the problem?

Our south Valley 11% unemployment rate is completely unacceptable. Creating good-paying jobs here is my highest priority.

Four years in a row now, Ive co-sponsored a local job fair that matches as many as 80 local employers with folks looking for work.

Also, I co-authored legislation that provided a 50% tax credit for people who attend career technical education classes and I voted against job-killing energy regulations that would interfere with oil and gas extraction.

Why are you the best person to represent the 14th District?

For nearly five years, Ive represented this Senate District. Im a farmer and small businessman. People in our Valley already know I dont care about party labels.

For example, I helped negotiate a water storage compromise between Democrat and Republican legislators that led to the successful $7.5 billion bond that was passed by the voters.

Now, our Valley will have a reliable supply of clean water that includes critical water storage and vital groundwater clean-up.

How do you plan to make sure the voices of rural Central Valley communities in the 14th District are heard and respected in Sacramento?

If there is one thing Ive witnessed as I listen to people in our Senate District, its that our families struggle to make ends meet.

When the LA and San Francisco coastal elitists passed legislation raising our gasoline taxes by twelve cents a gallon, I voted against it.

To this day, Im working to repeal this burdensome tax. No one is going to kick dirt on our Central Valley families and get away with it.

RUBEN MACARENO

Age: 54

Occupation: CEO/Pres. for business and political consulting. (Previously: Executive Director, Coalinga Camber of Commerce)

Family: Single, two boys

Time living in the 14th District: 30 years

Political offices held/sought: 14th State Senate now, in Republican heavy AD26 in 2016 and 2014.

Board memberships/community activities: President and Founder of Latino Democrats of Central California, Member of Tulare County Democratic Central Committee, Member, California Democratic Central Committee, Development of Farmersville Chamber of Commerce, several community projects.

Education: Alumni Scholar, California State University, Los Angeles; Associate of Arts, Los Angeles College

Criminal convictions (other than speeding tickets): n/a

Civil court judgments against you or any business you have had a financial interest in: n/a

What is the biggest challenge facing the 14th State Senate District and what is your solution to that problem?

Jobs  We need to think outside the box in bringing in non-ag related businesses to the region. Recently, I sat down with Fresno State leadership to talk about bringing in a well-known Silicon Valley tech company into the valley which would generate many jobs and lure other similar companies. Not just additional jobs but higher paying jobs.

Water  Having plenty of water as well as affordable and clean drinking water is very important.

Why are you the best person to represent the 14th District?

Of all the candidates I am the most well rounded individual to address issues that need attention. I have a background in government, advocacy, non-profit, media, business and politics. I have been the head of a political party as well as head of a business organization. I have been a student and community leader for years my entire life. Most importantly I am the only candidate that has been a spouse and parent.

How do you plan to make sure the voices of rural Central Valley communities in the 14th District are heard and respected in Sacramento?

This is where experience matters. As a head of both a political party and business interest and in the array of disciplines, the skill of coalition is pivotal in bringing attention and support to our district. My leadership experience and skills includes the ability to cheerlead and champion the regions importance to the states and nations economy. This is key and important in a sea of many legislative colleagues advocating for their districts.

MELISSA HURTADO and ABIGAIL SOLIS did not return questionnaires by the deadline for this story.More information

The Kern County Board of Supervisors meeting begins at 9 a.m. Tuesday, in the county building at 1115 Truxtun Ave.

Public comment will be allowed on this item and others on the supervisor's agenda. Speakers are allowed two minutes to talk to the board.

The meeting agenda can be found at https://www.kerncounty.com/bos/AgendaMinutesVideo.aspx.VATICAN CITY (AP)  The Latest on the Vatican's response to clergy sex abuse in Chile (all times local):

9:05 p.m.

Pope Francis has thanked the 64 people who gave testimony to his envoys about Chile's sex abuse scandal, as well as the media for its "professionalism" in covering the case.

Francis said he felt "pain and shame" in reading the 2,300-page dossier his envoys prepared after a nearly two-week visit to New York and Chile to take testimony from victims, whom he praised for having had the courage to bare the "wounds of their souls" for the sake of truth.

While church leaders have long blasted the media for exposing pedophiles in their ranks, Francis thanked news organizations for respecting the victims' confidentiality while "respecting the right of citizens to information."

In words that laid bare his simmering anger, however, Francis made clear that Chile's bishops must now work to "re-establish confidence in the church, confidence that was broken by our errors and sins, and heal the wounds that continue to bleed in Chilean society."

___

8:55 p.m.

Pope Francis has thanked the 64 people who gave testimony to his envoys about Chile's sex abuse scandal, as well as the media for its "professionalism" in covering the case.

Francis said he felt "pain and shame" in reading the 2,300-page dossier his envoys prepared after a nearly two-week visit to New York and Chile to take testimony from victims, whom he praised for having had the courage to bare the "wounds of their souls" for the sake of truth.

While church leaders have long blasted the media for exposing pedophiles in their ranks, Francis thanked news organizations for respecting the victims' confidentiality while "respecting the right of citizens to information."

In words that laid bare his simmering anger, though, Francis made clear Chile's bishops must now work to "re-establish confidence in the church, confidence that was broken by our errors and sins, and heal the wounds that continue to bleed in Chilean society."

___

8:20 p.m.

Pope Francis has admitted he made "grave errors" in judgment in Chile's sex abuse scandal and invited the abuse victims he had discredited to Rome to beg their forgiveness.

In an extraordinary letter published Wednesday, Francis also summoned Chile's bishops to the Vatican for an emergency meeting in the coming weeks to discuss the scandal, which has badly tarnished his reputation and that of the Chilean church.

Francis blamed a lack of "true and balanced information" in his missteps in judging Bishop Juan Barros, a protege of Chile's most notorious predator priest. Francis strongly defended Barros, despite accusations by victims that the Chilean priest witnessed and ignored their abuse.

Francis sent the Vatican's most respected sex abuse investigator, Archbishop Charles Scicluna, to investigate the scandal. While the pope's letter doesn't reveal Scicluna's conclusions, Francis made clear the bishops needed to "repair the scandal where possible and re-establish justice."

___

6:15 p.m.

Chile's Catholic Church is bracing for revelations from a letter from Pope Francis to the country's bishops following a scandal over his strong defense of a bishop accused of witnessing and ignoring sex abuse by Chile's most notorious predator priest.

Jaime Coiro, spokesman for the Chilean bishops' conference, said the pope wrote it after receiving a report by Archbishop Charles Scicluna, the Vatican's longtime sex abuse prosecutor.

Francis sent Scicluna to investigate allegations of sex abuse cover-up by Bishop Juan Barros, a protege of the Rev. Fernando Karadima. The Vatican removed Karadima from ministry for sexually abusing minors.

Scicluna and his colleague, the Rev. Jordi Bertomeu, spent nearly two weeks in Chile and New York earlier this year interviewing Karadima's victims, who for years have denounced Barros' silence and were stunned by Francis' strong defense of him during his January visit to Chile.

Many of Chile's bishops, and members of Francis' own sex abuse advisory board, had questioned Barros' suitability to lead a diocese given claims by Karadima's victims that Barros stood by and did nothing while Karadima groped them.

___

5:35 p.m.

Pope Francis has written a letter to Chile's bishops following a scandal over his strong defense of a bishop accused of witnessing and ignoring sex abuse by Chile's most notorious predator priest.

Jaime Coiro, spokesman for the Chilean bishops' conference, said the letter would be released later Wednesday. In a tweet, Coiro said the pope wrote it after receiving a report by Archbishop Charles Scicluna.

Francis sent Scicluna to investigate allegations of sex abuse cover-up by Bishop Juan Barros, a protege of the Rev. Fernando Karadima, who was removed from ministry by the Vatican for sexually abusing minors.

Scicluna and his colleague, the Rev. Jordi Bertomeu, spent two weeks in Chile and New York interviewing Karadima's victims, who for years have denounced Barros' silence and were stunned by Francis' defense.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP)  A Vermont restaurant owner is offering a $100 gift certificate to the person who returns a life-size cardboard cutout of himself that was stolen from an airport.

Bob Conlon said Wednesday he has no idea why anyone would want to steal the advertisement for Leunig's Bistro. WCAX-TV reports Conlon would like the cutout back because it cost $350.

Police say surveillance video shows two women taking the cutout of Conlon the night of March 23. Officials say the unidentified women had just gotten off an inbound flight at Burlington International Airport.

Police previously said the advertisement has "significant monetary value."

___

Information from: WCAX-TV, http://www.wcax.com

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.HELENA, Mont. (AP)  An online pharmacy that bills itself as Canada's largest was fined $34 million Friday for importing counterfeit cancer drugs and other unapproved pharmaceuticals into the United States, a sentence that one advocacy group called too light for such a heinous crime.

Canada Drugs has filled millions of prescriptions by offering itself as a safe alternative for patients to save money on expensive drugs, and its founder, Kris Thorkelson, has been hailed as an industry pioneer for starting the company in 2001.

But U.S. prosecutors say Canada Drugs' business model is based entirely on illegally importing unapproved and misbranded drugs not just from Canada, but from all over the world. The company has made at least $78 million through illegal imports, including two that were counterfeit versions of the cancer drugs Avastin and Altuzan that had no active ingredient, prosecutors said.

After more than two years of struggling to get the international company to appear in U.S. court to face the felony charges, Canada Drugs and Thorkelson, struck a plea deal with prosecutors late last year.

On Friday, a judge in Missoula, Montana, approved federal prosecutors' recommended sentences that include $29 million forfeited, $5 million in fines and five years' probation for Canada Drugs.

U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen also sentenced Thorkelson to six months' house arrest, five years' probation and a $250,000 fine.

Canada Drugs also will permanently cease the sale of all unapproved, misbranded and counterfeit drugs and will surrender all of the domain names for the myriad websites it used to sell the drugs, under the deal.

An advocacy group had urged the judge to impose harsher penalties to deter future crimes.

"Counterfeiting oncology medications is a nearly untraceable and heinous health care crime," Shabbir Imber Safdar, executive director of the Partnership for Safe Medicines, wrote in a letter to the judge. "You put saline in a bottle, and when the cancer patient takes it, there is no evidence in the patient of the crime."

After the sentencing, Safdar called the penalties "a slap on the wrist and an insult to the victims of Canada Drugs' crimes."

Safdar said Thorkelson should receive prison time and that Thorkelson's and Canada Drugs' pharmacy licenses should be surrendered. The group also wants Canada Drugs to give up all of its internet domain names, including ones not named in the plea deal, to prevent the company from continuing to sell misbranded and counterfeit medicine.

Canada Drugs' and Thorkelson's attorneys did not return messages seeking comment.

Federal prosecutors wrote in court documents that the recommended sentence is appropriate. U.S. Attorney for Montana Kurt Alme said after the sentencing that Thorkelson and Canada Drugs jeopardized the health and safety of Americans by circumventing the Food and Drug Administration's approval process.

"As this case shows, American providers and consumers need to beware when purchasing drugs on the internet," Alme said in a statement.

The case is being handled in the U.S. state of Montana, where Canada Drugs bought another company for its drug inventory and customer list when it was expanding in 2009. Canada Drugs continued to deposit money into that company's Montana bank account from doctors' purchase of the illegally imported drugs before the proceeds were shipped to offshore accounts in the Caribbean, prosecutors said.

The company and two overseas subsidiaries pleaded guilty to introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce, and the subsidiaries also agreed to plead guilty to selling counterfeit drugs.

Thorkelson pleaded guilty to knowing about and concealing a felony crime.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.LAKELAND, FLA.  The Lakeland City Commission has set a date for when it will decide where to move a Confederate monument in the city's downtown and how to pay for it.

Lakeland commissioners to discuss relocation of Confederate monument

Options are: Veterans Park and Roselawn Cemetery

Cost of relocating monument also an issue

Anthony Bailee said he recently moved to Lakeland to be with his dad and to save Confederate monuments like the one in Lakeland.

"I'm very disappointed that they want to move it. It hurts because it's our soldiers that fought and made what this country is today," Bailee said.

For others in the community, it's a painful reminder of slavery, segregation and oppression. Something they'd rather not see towering over them every time they come to Lakeland's downtown park.

Lakeland NAACP President Reginald Ardis said it's one of the reasons his organization and many others pushed the city commission in December to approve relocating it.

"The monument represents the hatred of the days past and that hatred still lingers," Ardis said.

City staff offered two options in March: move it to Veterans Park or Roselawn Cemetery, where Confederate veterans are buried.

"We prefer they move it to Roselawn Cemetery. We've had a lot of our constituents who, some of them who fought in Vietnam, doesn't feel like the confederacy should be in Veterans Park with other military officers and other military branches," Ardis said.

However, new commissioner Michael Dunn has been pushing to keep the monument where it is. While he hasn't gotten any other commissioners to support him, he also finds the Veterans Park option problematic.

"The current city plan is to reduce the size of the monument to not tower over any other monuments in the area, so now you're tearing up the monument to place it there," Dunn said.

Dunn said he'd rather see the monument moved to private property downtown.

Another issue is the cost of relocating the monument, which city staff estimates will cost up to $225,000. The big question is, will that be funded through taxpayer dollars or through donations.

"I would not want to see city dollars expended for something such as that," Commissioner Phillip Walker said.

"I think folks that want it moved need to figure out a way to come up with the money," Dunn added.

The commission will be debating the issues during its May 7 meeting. Commissioners will also hear from the public before making a decision.Mayor inspects electric bus/CBC Charging stations top up buses on route/New Flyer

Canadian-built electric buses that re-charge at stations along the route are now in revenue service with Winnipeg Transit. Theyre made by the New Flyer Company in the Manitoba capital. Saturday, Mayor Tory inspected the New Flyer bus and all-electric buses made by two other companies, BYD of China and Proterra of California. The TTC will begin testing buses from all three companies in a purchase of ten from each firm in 2019. The vehicles eliminate emissions of any kind. The battery technology by which they re-charge permits them to run fuel free without overhead wires, and without constricting tracks that foul traffic and make any kind of breakdown a total nightmare. Of course no one at City Hall wants to talk about getting rid of streetcars yet. We can dream.In the run-up to the 21st Prism Awards taking place on Sunday, 22 April, we chatted to this year's cohort of young judges about their fresh approach to the judging process.

Unisa PR graduate Wynand Monyeseala.

What does this recognition and opportunity mean to you?

Briefly tell us about your experience in the industry.

Comment on the judging process.

What has the response been to this years entries?

What makes the winning work stand out?

Campaigns that not only increase the clients ROI and meet the judging criteria, but that also go beyond that by addressing issues that affect ordinary South Africans on a day-to-day basis and that come up with creative solutions as to how the issues can be addressed.

Prisa also introduced the Student Campaign of the Year in 2016. Why do you think its important that students and the next generation of PR professionals are included in such initiatives? The inclusion of young minds in such initiatives is vital because we are the future of the industry, and so that we can take over where the previous generation (our elders) have left off. What do you think young minds bring to the table?

What have you learnt working alongside the cluster judges?

Comment on the past, present and future state of PR.

What are you most looking forward to in terms of this years Awards?

In this series of interviews, we find out what theyve learnt working alongside the cluster judges and what their young minds bring to the table.What has made judging even more exciting this year is for the second time, we invited young communication enthusiasts from across the country to participate in the judging process, and selected 11 of the coolest, brightest minds who brought some really fresh insight to the process, says judge and founder of the Prisms Young Judges initiative, Palesa Madumo, executive director of strategy at Vuma Reputation Management.Here, our interview with University of South Africa (Unisa) public relations graduate Wynand MonyesealaTo me this is the beginning of a long journey as a PR professional. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience professionalism from both the entries and the senior judges, because they have been doing this for years.They have enough experience to groom me into being one of the very best PR professionals, and this is also an opportunity to observe the process with the intention of entering my own campaigns into the Prism Awards one day.I recently graduated from Unisa with a Diploma in Public Relations Management. I have been practicing PR for about four years now, assisting businesses mainly from my community (Ivory Park) with their PR, as there is a huge information gap within the community.The judging process in general is very exhausting, having to spend hours reading entries and having to debate those entries with people who have been in the industry for years. But at the same time, it is very interesting and informative. The same entries sort of give you an overview of how the PR industry looks at the moment and the senior judges make the process easier by providing guidelines on how to tackle the entries.Without disclosing any content, I would say this years entries were very competitive. Everyone made sure they submitted their best work of the year and it took us hours to finally come up with the winners. Competition was tough!We were looking for a special ingredient called the wow-factor...As times change, the industry also grows further and the importance of young minds is to bring fresh and innovative ideas that keep up with the current standards of life. The communications industry is very broad and it evolves daily, it therefore requires one to keep abreast with all the elements like target audiences and how to communicate with them. This may involve social media and all other technologies available.Working with cluster judges has taught me how to pay careful attention to detail when it comes to PR. Even the smallest mistake you make can result in your campaign being ineffective. They have also taught me how to look beyond what is being presented. Extra research is vital, especially when dealing with PR campaigns.The aim is not to cater for everyone but your research methods should incorporate everyone. One last thing I have learnt is how to be strict when judging campaigns. I should not compromise, if the campaign does not deserve to win it does not deserve to win, finished!PR has evolved enormously. With the current availability of technological devices, it is in a better place. Unlike in the past where press releases had to wait for the postman to collect and deliver them or to be faxed, digital media has made it possible for one to send a press release to the media and get published within a matter of minutes. As technology evolves, I think the future looks bright for PR.Above everything I am looking forward to meeting the teams behind the campaigns I have been judging. I already know who the winners in my cluster are, but I am just looking forward to congratulating everyone for the great job they have done.Flash sales on web-based marketplaces are increasingly becoming popular among electronic goods manufacturers. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this strategy? To begin with, we are the first television brand to go on a flash sale. Others have tried too, but for mobiles.

We have gone exclusively online. Thomson is Europes favourite brand and in India too, it was a household name for decades, till mid-2000s (it re-entered India in April 2018). During a flash sale the equity and visibility we generate is much higher than a regular sale. Is the sales model ...Wading into a controversy, Union Minister on Sunday said "brouhaha" should not be created over one or two rape cases in a big country like India.

The remarks come at a time when the country is witnessing public outrage over brutal rape and murder of a minor girl in Kathua and that of a 17-year-old girl in UP's Unnao allegedly by a BJP MLA.

"Such incidents (rape cases) are unfortunate situation...But sometimes you can't stop them. Government is active everywhere and taking action which is visible to everyone, " he told reporters in Bareilly yesterday.

"In a big country like ours, if one or two incidents take place, brouhaha should not be created over it. This is not fair... Government is taking effective steps...Whatever is necessary will be done," he said.

Gangwar, who is BJP MP from Bareilly, holds protfolio of Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Labour and Employment.

President Ram Nath Kovind today promulgated an ordinance to provide stringent punishment, including death penalty, for those convicted of rape of girls below 12 years.

ALSO READ: Prez Kovind gives nod to ordinance on death penalty in child rape cases

Under the Criminal Law Amendment Ordinance cleared by a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, new fast-track courts will be set up to deal with such cases and special forensic kits for rape cases will be given to all police stations and hospitals in the long term.

In his first comments on the incidents of rape in Unnao and the sexual assault and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had last week said that no criminal will be spared and daughters will get justice.

"Such incidents shake our sensibilities. I want to assure the nation that no criminal will be spared. Justice will be done. Our daughters will get justice, he had said at an event to inaugurate the B R Ambedkar memorial here.

While in London to attend the just-concluded Commonwealth Summit, Modi had said that rape of a daughter was a matter of shame for the country.

In the Unnao case, the CBI arrested BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar on April 13, hours after an Allahabad High Court order that he was influencing the "law and order machinery".Legal member must in power panels

It is mandatory that there should be at least one person of law as member of the central and state electricity regulatory commissions, the Supreme Court has declared, rejecting the governments view that the choice was only optional under the Electricity Act 2003. The court stated that such member should be a person, who is, or has been holding a judicial office or is a person possessing professional qualifications with substantial experience in the practice of law, who has the requisite qualifications to have been appointed as a judge of a high court or a district judge". This is because the commissions have an adjudicatory function and the trappings of a court. The Supreme Court clarified this rule as there have been differences of opinion among the high courts over the matter. The Madras High Court had held that there was no need for a legal person in the commission. On the other hand, the Gujarat High Court stated it was mandatory to have a judicial member. In view of the difference of opinion, a large number of cases involving power companies were transferred to the apex court for a final decision. The judgment was given in the leading case, State of Gujarat vs Utility Users Welfare Association.

Termination of contract held illegal

The Supreme Court last week upheld the award of the arbitration tribunal which found that the Madhya Pradesh Power Generation Company had wrongfully terminated its contract with Ansaldo Energia SPA and encashed bank guarantees. The firm was given contracts for refurbishing three thermal plants, and disputes arose over the performance of the work. The contract was terminated. The firm sought arbitration. The tribunal found there was misrepresentation by the state corporation with respect to the capacity of the plants and their operation parameters. The tribunal further stated the termination of the contracts was illegal as the state corporation had committed breach of a fundamental term in the contract regarding letter of comfort from the Power Finance Corporation. The district court set aside the award. The High Court, however, upheld the award. The state company moved appeal in the Supreme Court. While dismissing the appeal, the court modified the order with respect to one bank guarantee.

Arbitration over toll collection row

Once the Supreme Court or a high court finds that there is an arbitration agreement, it is not supposed to go further and examine the contract. This is the mandate of the Arbitration Act after the 2015 amendment to Section 6, the Supreme Court stated last week while appointing an arbitrator in the appeal case, IBI Consultancy India vs DSC Ltd. The Canadian IBI Consultancy group and its Indian subsidiaries had entered an agreement with DSC Ltd for installation and commissioning of toll collection and traffic control equipment along two expressways. Disputes arose over payment and IBI moved the Delhi High Court for appointment of an arbitrator. It rejected the request on the ground that since a foreign firm was involved, it has no jurisdiction to appoint an arbitrator and the power was with the Supreme Court. The appeal of IBI group was allowed.

Split order on coconut hair oil

Is coconut oil sold in small sachets as hair oil equivalent to the oil sold in large bottles? This question arose in a matter of Parachute and Shanthi brands as the excise appellate tribunal (CESTAT) held that it was the same for the purpose of the tax. If they are differently classified under the tariff headings, the tax liability will vary. Since the tribunals view went against that of the revenue department, the Commissioner of Central Excise appealed to the Supreme Court. The two judges wrote different judgments reaching opposite conclusions, especially about the position of law after the 2005 amendment to the Central Excise Tariff Act. Therefore, the appeals titled CCE vs Madhan Agro Industries were referred to a larger bench to be formed by the Chief Justice of India.

Temporary workers get protection

The Jammu & Kashmir High Court last week rejected the argument of Jammu & Kashmir Bank Ltd that the central industrial tribunal had no jurisdiction to decide on regularisation of its temporary workers. The bank had kept some employees since 2000 first on a temporary basis and then on contractual basis. The employees, who were initially, paid ~2,000 a month, asked the bank to regularise them, but the request was denied. Then they approached the central government which referred the demand to the central industrial tribunal under the Industrial Disputes Act. The bank argued that these workers were not covered by the Act. The tribunal rejected the contention and asked the bank to frame a scheme for regularisation failing which they should be absorbed. The bank appealed to the High Court. It affirmed the tribunals decision observing that the continuation of the workers in a temporary/contractual capacity for years together on paltry emoluments despite availability of vacant posts was aimed at depriving them of the status and privileges of the permanent workers and, therefore, would clearly amount to unfair labour practice".

Distributors liable for misbranded food

The distributor of a food product would be liable if it is misbranded or adulterated even if he did not know about the ingredients and quality, the Madhya Pradesh High Court stated while dismissing an appeal by Alkem Laboratories Ltd. A sugarless jelly was bought by a food inspector in Indore which was found to be misbranded following laboratory tests. The company was arrayed as an accused among others. It argued that the jelly was manufactured by a firm in Rajasthan and it was only a distributor. It did not know the contents or have the guilty mind which is essential to an offence under criminal law. The High Court rejected its plea to quash the criminal case against it under the Food Adulteration Act, stating that intention to commit an offence is not necessary in this case. The judgment explained: In Acts enacted to deal with a grave social evil or for ensuring public welfare especially in offences against health, it is often found necessary in the larger public interest to provide for imposition of liability without proof of a guilty mindAdulteration and misbranding of food is a rampant evil in our country. The channels of supply and the movement of goods from trader to trader, and fertile sources of adulteration and misbranding, make it extremely difficult in a large majority of cases to establish affirmatively that storage or sale of adulterated or misbranded food-stuffs was with a guilty mind.Fourteen Naxals were on Saturday killed in an encounter with the police in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district, a senior official said.

He said a team of C-60 commandos, a specialised combat unit of the Gadchiroli police, carried out the operation.

"Fourteen Naxals were killed in the encounter. Combing operations are still on," Sharad Shelar, Inspector General of Police, said.

He said the combing operation, which started on Saturday morning, was currently underway at Tadgaon forest in Bhamragad, around 750 kilometres from Mumbai.

The official said that two district-level "commanders" of the proscribed outfit, identified as Sainath and Sainyu, were among those killed in the encounter.

Director General of Police Satish Mathur congratulated the C-60 team which participated in the encounter.

"This is a major operation against Naxals in recent times," Mathur told PTI.On Monday, the Congress party will begin a series of protests and rallies across India that will continue for the next several months to galvanise party workers and the people at large in the run-up to the Karnataka assembly polls in May, and also the assembly polls in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh in November-December.

The first in the series of these meetings, protests and demonstrations will be the save the Constitution meeting here at the Talkatora Stadium. It has been organised by the Scheduled Castes cell of the Congress, and will be followed by a ...Iran and Israel traded blame on Sunday for an unprecedented, weeks-long surge in hostilities between their forces over Syria but played down prospects of a spillover into war. A showdown between the arch-foes has loomed since Feb. 10, when Israel said an armed Iranian drone launched from a Syrian base penetrated its territory. Israel downed the drone and, during a reprisal raid, lost an F-16 jet to Syrian ground fire. On April 9, an air strike killed seven Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps members at the Syrian base. Tehran blamed Israel and vowed unspecified retaliation, ...Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and will hold a summit meeting in Wuhan city China April from April 27 to 28 to improve bilateral relations, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced on Sunday.

Prime Minister Modi will be visiting the central Chinese city at the invitation of President Xi, Wang said at a joint media event with visiting External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj after their talks.

Swaraj is in China for talks with Wang and to take part in the two-day meeting of Foreign Ministers of the eight-nation Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) from Monday.

Informed sources said that it will be an informal summit meeting between Xi and Modi during which both leaders will try to work out a new paradigm for the bilateral ties bogged down with a host of disputes and differences.

This will be fourth visit of Modi to China after he came to power in 2014. He is again due to visit China to take part in the SCO summit to be held at Qingdao city on June 9-10.

The Modi-Xi summit meeting is taking place in the backdrop of series of high level interactions between both the two countries starting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang's visit to India in December, the first after Dokalam standoff.



It was followed by two meetings between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi and the visit early this year by Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale to Beijing.

The two countries also held 11th Joint Economic Group meeting and the fifth Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) here recently.

Besides meetings between officials from the two foreign ministries on both sides held working mechanism meeting on border affairs and cross border rivers as well disarmament and non-proliferation dialogue in which India's entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) was discussed and culminated in today's talks between Swaraj and Wang.In a major development, the has endorsed an ambitious package of measures that include a USD 13 billion increase in paid-in capital.

The decision came late on Saturday along with a series of internal reforms, and a set of policy measures that greatly strengthen the global poverty fighting institution's ability to scale up resources and deliver on its mission in areas of the world that need the most assistance.

World Bank President Jim Yong Kim hailed the decision as "historic" as Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde welcomed the move.

The package approved by the Development Committee of the Board of Governors consists of USD 7.5 billion paid-in capital for Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and USD 5.5 billion paid-in capital for Finance Commission (IFC), through both general and selective capital increases, a media statement said.

It also includes a USD 52.6 billion callable capital increase for the IBRD. The boost in capital will be augmented by a broad range of internal measures, including operational changes and effectiveness reforms, loan pricing measures, and other policy steps to create an even stronger

"The capital package for the IBRD and the IFC agreed to today builds on the strong commitment of contributors to the IDA, as demonstrated in the IDA18 replenishment, the successful launch of IDA in the capital market, and strengthened MIGA financial capacity," the statement said.

Following the decision, the combined financing arms of the are expected to reach an average annual capacity of nearly USD 100 billion between fiscal 2019 and fiscal 2030, benefiting all Bank Group members across the income spectrum.

"Through the historic agreement endorsed today, our shareholders have clearly demonstrated a renewed confidence in global cooperation, and we greatly appreciate this strong support from our member countries," Kim said.

"This boost in capital was essential for us to advance our efforts to mobilise additional finance for development to meet the aspirations of the people we serve," he added.

The package endorsed by the Development Committee follows through on shareholders' commitment to the World Bank Group to better assist all client countries in addressing global challenges while deploying scaled-up assistance to areas that most need financing.

Across client groups, the World Bank Group will be able to support drivers of long-term sustainable growth, including investments in human capital and resilience, the statement said.

The package also puts forward a robust commitment by the World Bank Group to further strengthen its operational model and effectiveness, it said.At least 20 militants affiliated with the terror outfit Islamic State (IS) have been killed during the operations of the Afghan armed forces in war-torn country's eastern Nangarhar province.

The militants have been killed during the operations conducted by the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces in three different districts of Nangarhar, namely, Haska Mina, Rodat, and Bati Kot districts, Khaama Press, quoted the Afghan Military, as saying.

This comes in tandem with various ongoing counter-terrorism operations in certain northern provinces as the militant and terrorist groups are attempting to expand their insurgency activities in the north.

The US military based in Afghanistan also conduct regular airstrikes against the IS, Taliban, and other militant and terrorist groups.

The US forces conduct airstrikes by using unmanned aerial vehicles in the province to clamp down the militants, according to the reports.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)At least four persons on Sunday were killed in a shooting at a Waffle House in Tennessee's Nashville area in the United States (US).

A few others have been reportedly been wounded.

According to the Metro Nashville Police Department, the gunman was naked except for a green jacket when he opened fire at 3:25 a.m (local time).

Police said the assailant shed his jacket and fled on foot.

The police have described the gunman as a white man with short hair.

"Keep your doors locked, keep your eyes open. If you see this individual -- if you see a nude guy walking around this morning -- call the police department immediately," CNN reported, citing, Metro Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron, as saying.

A customer wrestled away the rifle, the police said, and labelled him as "hero".

The police have identified 29-year-old Travis Reinking resident of Morton, Illinois as person of interest in Sunday's Nashville shooting.

"BREAKING: Travis Reinking, 29, of Morton, IL, is person of interest in Waffle House shooting. Vehicle the gunman arrived in is registered to him. Gunman last seen walking south on Murfreesboro Pike. He shed is coat and is nude. See Reinking? Pls call 615-862-8600 immediately," the Metro Nashville Police Department, said, in a tweet.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah said on Sunday that the party aims to make India shine before the world.

Addressing a gathering at the party's women's training camp in Ghaziabad, Shah said, "We aim to make India shine before the world. If that aim is to be achieved, election goals must not be restricted to 5, 10 or 15 years. The BJP must aim at winning from Panchayat to Parliament for next 50 years just like Congress did for 50 years after independence."

Shah added that BJP workers must keep in mind that party's only purpose is not to win elections but to take the country forward.

The BJP chief also asserted that the party has always worked for the betterment of society and its people.

Yesterday, Shah visited Rae Bareli, the Lok Sabha constituency of former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, and said soon the fortune of the same would change for good.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Beijing has refuted the reports suggesting that the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) under construction with Islamabad has "hidden" military or strategic bases, maintaining the commercial status of the project.

"I want to make it very clear, BRI initiative and with CPEC under it, it's purely a commercial development project. We don't have any kind of military or strategic design for that," said Chinese ambassador to Islamabad Yao Jing, in an exclusive interview with Voice Of America (VOA).

"There are some kind of doubts that maybe there are some things hidden in it. I think that when you have an objective lens to look at this project and to come to the ground to find this progress on the ground then you may have a better understanding of what we are doing here," Jing added.

The economic corridor is a multi-billion dollar project between China and Pakistan, as the former aims to develop ports, highways, motorways, railways, airports, power plants and other infrastructure in the neigbouring country.

The building of the CPEC project is a combination of building roads, rails, power plants and economic free zones in Pakistan.

Thousands of Chinese engineers are currently working on the project. When built, it will link Gwadar to Xinjiang region in China, through Khunjerab Pass, giving Beijing a secure and shortest trade access to international markets.

The expansion and operations of the deep-sea port of Gwadar, located in the south of Pakistan on the Arabian Sea, is at the heart of the $63 billion project. The strategically located port is operated by a Chinese state-run company, according to the report.

The Chinese Diplomat's remarks came in the backdrop of concerns expressed by both the United States (US) and India that China could attempt turning Gwadar Port into the military one.

India is against the CPEC project since it passes through the disputed Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) region.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)On the occasion of World Earth Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for collective work to mitigate the menace of climate change.

The Prime Minister took to Twitter and said, "On #EarthDay, let us reaffirm our commitment towards creating a better planet for our future generations. Let us work together to mitigate the menace of climate change. This would be a great tribute to our beloved Mother Earth."

In another tweet, he complimented those who are working towards promoting harmony with nature.

"I compliment all those individuals and organisations who are working towards promoting harmony with nature and ensuring sustainable development. #EarthDay," he added.

Echoing similar sentiments, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu urged the citizens to do their bit for the

"In Amaravati, we are focussing on providing green cover, promoting electric vehicles and energy efficient appliances to make the city eco-friendly. This #EarthDay, we urge the citizens to do their bit for the A green city is a happy city," Naidu said.

He also announced that the Andhra Pradesh is taking significant steps to ensure the conservation.

"In Andhra Pradesh, we are taking significant steps to ensure the conservation and preservation of our natural resources," he added.

On Earth Day, people in several parts of the world take out rallies, sign petitions, plant trees, clean up their towns, and roads in order to send a message to conserve and preserve the

This year, the theme of Earth Day is End Plastic Pollution.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Indian Medical Association (IMA) and Mumbai Association of Medical Consultant (AMC) has expressed disappointment over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement in London where he had highlighted alleged nexus between doctors and pharmaceutical firms and said that doctors attend conferences abroad to promote these companies.

The medical bodies have written a letter to the Prime Minister expressing their dissent over his statement.

In a press statement, IMA Secretary-General Dr R N Tandon said that the health system of the country would collapse without Indian doctors and added that the statement made by the Prime Minister is not accepted.

"Indian doctors have brought international acclaim and repute due to their world-class proficiency and skill. Engaging in small talk and maligning the entire medical fraternity in India with a broad brush on foreign soil was certainly not expected out of the Prime Minister of the country," Dr Tandon said in the statement.

"IMA expresses its displeasure on your unfortunate remarks," he added.

He also alleged that the doctors of India are being "suppressed and exploited" by every means possible and put the onus of the "mess in healthcare" on the Centre.

The statement further read that the IMA has always supported the use of generic drugs, but the only hitch is the issue of quality assurance.

ALSO READ: Modi in London: 'Bharat ki Baat' event, India-UK enhance ties; highlights

"The current level of quality testing by the Centre is less than one percent of the total drugs manufactured in such a state of affairs how can doctors betray the confidence of the patients and support the populistic posturing of the Government?" Dr Tandon asked.

He further assured the Prime Minister that the day the Central Government would be able to assure the quality of all the drugs manufactured in India, they will "find the doctors of this country wanting."

"India has a robust price control policy for drugs. This being so why does the government allow huge profit margin in the Pharmaceutical industry?" Dr Tandon asked.

"Why a pharmaceutical company allowed pricing the same drug categorised under different names with different profit margins?" he said, adding that the Indian doctors in no way control the price of drugs or stems.

IMA president Dr Ravi S Wankhedkar also expressed anguished over prime minister's statement and asked him to reconsider it.

"We are all saddened by Prime Minister Modi's remarks on Indian doctors, that also in a country (United Kingdom) where medical system is run by 70 per cent Indians. Issues like medicine prices are in hands of government, not us. We humbly request the Prime Minister to reconsider his remark," Dr Wankhedkar told ANI.

Meanwhile, AMC has also expressed displeasure over the remark and said that the talk of the Prime Minister on a foreign land should have highlighted the "good in India and not the bad."

"In general, we never talk negatively of our own countrymen, in front of external folks. India is already perceived as being corrupt by many polls and rankings. For our own Prime Minister to talk about corruption in medical practice on an international platform is extremely hurtful to the medical fraternity in India," the AMC said in a statement.

The AMC said that by singling out the medical fraternity and painting all with the same brush, the Prime Minister has "hurt, brought shame and humiliation to Indians as a whole."

It also noted that by the statement of Prime Minister Modi, the whole world will look with suspicion at the Indian doctors.

"Stricter pricing control on the pharmaceutical industry is required, and not pointing fingers at the doctors, as we do not control the pricing of medicines or stents. India's budgetary allocation for health is amongst one of the lowest in the world," the AMC said.

"The doctors cannot be made scapegoats for the failure of successive governments to provide affordable healthcare to our populace," it added.

The Mumbai AMC's Media communication Chairperson Dr Veena Pandit talking to ANI accepted that such practices exist, but raised an objection over putting all the doctors in this category.

"Yes some exist but to paint all doctors as unethical is really bad, that to on a public platform in a foreign country.Failure of successive Govts can't be blamed on doctors," Dr Pandit said.

The Prime Minister in "Bharat Ki Baat Sabke Saath" event, organised in London's Westminster recently, cited examples of various international conferences allegedly funded by pharma companies, where doctors regularly participate.

He had said that to end the nexus between doctors and pharmaceutical companies, which results in the sale of expensive medicines the Centre has launched generic stores in India.

"Doctors visit Singapore, Dubai to attend conferences; they don't go there because someone is sick. The pharma companies invite them for that. To finally break the resultant sale of expensive medicines the government has launched generic stores where medicines of similar quality are sold at cheaper prices," the Prime Minister had 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.)Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday advised Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmakers to think before speaking to the media to avoid controversies.

While interacting through video conferencing with the help of his 'Narendra Modi App', the Prime Minister said, "Sometimes our workers blame the media. But have we ever thought that we provide 'masala' (controversies) to media through our own mistakes? Whatever be the issue, we start speaking, as soon as we spot a camera."

He added, "They will (media) obviously use parts of your sentences as per their convenience. It is not media which is at fault. We will have to control ourselves. Only they must give statements who have been given responsibility to do so."

Prime Minister Modi also urged the BJP leaders to make full use of the potential of social media to connect with the people of this country.

BJP parliamentarians and party's lawmakers from the state assemblies took part in the conferencing. While interacting, Prime Minister Modi also sought suggestions from the leaders.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday urged the people not to divide the nation on religious lines as freedom fighters from both the religions have sacrificed their lives for India's independence.

"Don't divide the nation into Hindus and Muslims. If Chandra Shekhar Azad and Bhagat Singh sacrificed themselves for this nation, Ashfaqulla Khan sacrificed himself for India too" said Home Minister Rajnath Singh at an event in Patna on Saturday.

His comments came in the wake of communal flare-up which broke out in Bihar's several areas in the last week of March.

The home minister also spoke on the growing incidents of ceasefire violations by Pakistan.

He said the neighbouring country is being given a befitting reply for their cowardly acts.

"Pakistan wants to break the nation but they are getting a befitting reply by our security forces. Pakistan wants to spread hatred. Don't worry, they will be brought back on track. I assure you that we will not let the nation hang its head low," said the minister.

Singh was speaking at an event marking the 160th victory of Veer Kunwar Singh over British forces during the 1857 mutiny.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Congress on Sunday released the second list of 11 candidates for the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections.

In the new list, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah replaced Dr. Devraj Patil as the candidate from Badami constituency, while KP Chandrakala replaced HS Chandra Mouli as the candidate from Madikeri.

Mouli is reportedly the lawyer of fraudster businessman Mehul Choksi.

In addition, candidates for four other seats were also changed.

On April 15, the party released its first list of 218 candidates, in which it was announced that the Chief Minister will be contesting from Chamundeshwari constituency.

Siddaramaiah is contesting the elections from two seats- Badami and Chamundeshwari.

Karnataka will go to polls on May 12 to elect its representatives for the 225-member assembly. The results will be out on May 15.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A 59-year-old Mumbai-based diamond merchant Yatrik Zaveri took 'diksha' (initiation) on Sunday to become a Jain monk.

Yatrik is a partner in Motilal Dahyabhai Zaveri & Sons, one of the oldest diamond firms in Mumbai.

Yatrik, who chose to don the whites of a monk in the presence of family and friends, now wants to earn knowledge and serve society.

"He has done a lot for himself, now he wants to serve society," one of his relatives told ANI.

The diksha took place in Walkeshwar area of Mumbai. The religious ceremonies including his varshitap procession took place on Saturday.

Yatrik was born in Gujarat's Ahmedabad and joined the family business in his late teens.

He was drawn to the teachings of his guru Labdhichandrasagar Maharaj and decided to give up family and society to become a monk.

Yatrik said he was fortunate to get the support of his family.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Terming her acquittal in the 2002 Naroda Patiya riot case a victory of truth, former Gujarat Minister Maya Kodnani said on Sunday she always had a belief that her innocence would be proven.

"It is the victory of truth. I am glad that justice was served. Bhagwan ke ghar mein der hai andher nahi (There is a delay in God's home, but not despair)," Kodnani told ANI.

Kodnani, a gynecologist by profession, had been accused of inciting a Hindu mob, which resulted in the killing of 97 people in Ahmedabad's Naroda Patiya area during the Godhra riots.

In 2012, a local court found her guilty of the crime and she was sentenced 28 years in jail.

"When I was convicted I thought that this was God's examination, but I always had faith in God that I would come out of this, because I knew I was innocent," said Kodnani, who thrice has been elected from Naroda legislative constituency in 1998, 2002 and 2007.

"I don't know who framed me and with what motive but till this day, I pray to God to give wisdom to those people," she said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader also expressed gratitude towards her party, which she said, never ceased to support her throughout- from her conviction to her exoneration in the case.

On being asked if she would re-enter the political arena, Kodnani replied, "I am a BJP worker and a party worker is never active or inactive. I am of the belief that through BJP, I am working for my country."

On Friday, Gujarat High Court acquitted 17 accused, including Kodnani, in the case.

The riots in Gujarat began a day after Sabarmati Express was allegedly torched at the Godhra Railway Station on February 27, 2002, killing 58 people.

In all, officially, 1,044 people had died during the riots.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Indian Navy Chief, Admiral Sunil Lanba on Sunday began his five-day visit to Iran to attend the sixth edition of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS).

The Naval chief is leading a four member Indian delegation for the event.

The Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS)-2018 is being hosted by Iran. The event will be organised at Tehran from April 23-25.

The IONS was conceived by the Indian Navy in 2008. It aims to enhance maritime cooperation among navies of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region by providing an open and inclusive forum for discussion on regionally relevant maritime issues that would lead to common understanding.

The Naval Chief's visit is also aimed at consolidating bilateral naval relations between India and Iran and to explore new avenues for naval cooperation.

Admiral Sunil Lanba will also hold bilateral discussions with the Commander Iranian Navy, and other participating Chiefs of Navy/ Head of other maritime agencies.

The inaugural edition of IONS was held in February 2008 at New Delhi, with Indian Navy as the Chair for two years. It was followed by UAE from 2010 - 2012, South Africa from 2012 - 2014, Australia from 2014 - 2016 and Bangladesh from 2016 - 2018.

The IONS Charter of Business was agreed upon by the Conclave of Chiefs and brought into effect in February 2014.

A relatively young forum, barely in its 10th year of existence, has grown into a formidable organisation with 23 members and nine observers. As the founding nation, India will also be conducting commemorative activities in November 2018 at Kochi, to celebrate its 10thAnniversary.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)There will be no bilateral meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and their Pakistani counterparts on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in China.

Swaraj, who departed for a two-nation visit to China and Mongolia on Saturday, will participate in a ministerial-level meeting of the SCO on April 24, where India became a full member in 2017.

Meanwhile, on the same day, Sitharaman will take part in the SCO defence ministers' meeting.

Both events will be attended by the respective ministers from Pakistan.

On a related note, no meeting between India and Pakistan on the sidelines of Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which concluded recently, was held.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was also present to lead the Pakistani delegation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Former Foreign Secretary Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Sunday termed the upcoming informal meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping as a 'very bold step'.

Earlier in the day, Chinese External Affairs Minister Wang Yi confirmed in Beijing that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on April 27-28 in Wuhan city, ahead of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in June.

In an exclusive interview to ANI, Jaishankar said, "It is (PM Modi and Xi Jinping informal Summit) certainly a very bold step. The fact that they have agreed on an informal summit shows that the two leaders realise the importance of this relationship. They have taken on the responsibility themselves on putting it on a better course."

The former foreign secretary also said that in the past also Prime Minister Modi has held such meetings with former United States Barack Obama, incumbent President Donald Trump, Russian President Valdmir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe because in this day and age personal leadership and personal engagement is very important.

"And, I think this seems to be Chinese thinking as well that is why we have arrived at such an understanding," Jaishankar observed.

When asked about the difference between earlier meetings and this upcoming meeting, the former foreign secretary said, "I think what is different about this particular summit would be that it is an informal summit so the meeting will be in a very informal and casual environment. The agenda would be open, they'll spend lot of time over two days and there'll be different kind of conversations, which would be much more personal and much more interactive in comparison with the formal meetings."

He added that the upcoming informal meeting between Prime Minister Modi and Xi Jinping in a way actually shows a commitment of both the leaders to put their relationship on a much better footing.

Replying another question, the former foreign secretary said, "The whole purpose of an informal summit is the leaders decide what they want to discuss. So, I don't think anybody can predict or should predict what they would discuss."

When asked how Indians should view this meeting, Jaishankar said, "Indians should see it as a very sincere effort on the part of both countries and leaders to improve their relationships. It is in our interest that it succeeds so good wishes over everybody should be there for the success of this summit."

Replying a question that how the world would view this upcoming summit, Jaishankar, who is currently fellow, University, Sinapore, said in a place like Singapore there is a very strong sense that India, China relations should be a factor of stability.

He said good relations between India and China will benefit the world.

"When the world is going through a lot of uncertainty if India and China find a more productive relationship that would be very much to the benefit of the world. In fact, this was the thinking when last year Prime Minister Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Astana. The message out of that meeting was India and China relations are a factor of stability in an uncertain world. Many countries, especially in Asia, would welcome this news of this informal summit as indeed in India," Jaishankar said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on April 27-28 in Wuhan city, ahead of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in June.

China's foreign minister Wang Yi, while addressing a joint press conference along with India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, made the announcement on Sunday.

Yi also said China will make sure the informal summit between the two leaders will prove as a milestone in the relations of the two countries.

"We will make sure that the informal summit (between PM Modi and Chinese President Jinping on April 27-28) will be a complete success and a milestone in China-India relations," said Wang.

The announcement has come at a time when Swaraj is in Beijing for SCO foreign ministers' meet, which will be held on Tuesday. The meeting is being held in run up to the bloc's summit in Qingdao city in June

The informal summit is being seen as a move by the two countries to get their ties back on track following the Doklam stand-off last year, wherein troops from the two nations were engaged in an eyeball-to-eyeball standoff near Sikkim border between June to August.

Currently, Swaraj is on a two-nation visit to China and Mongolia.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj on Sunday held delegation-level talks with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.

Swaraj, who departed for a two-nation visit to China and Mongolia on Saturday, on April 24 will participate in a ministerial-level meeting of the SCO, where India became a full member in 2017.

On a related note, Wang Yi on Wednesday dwelled upon the tripartite relationship between China, Nepal, and India at a press conference in Beijing after meeting with Nepali Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali.

In response to a reporter's question on how to treat Nepal, vis-a-vis its relations with India, Wang Yi stressed upon three points.

"First, China, Nepal, and India are natural friends and partners because we are connected by mountains and rivers and are neighbors. No matter how the international situation and domestic agendas change, this basic fact will not change," Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry, quoted Wang Yi as saying, in a statement.

"Second, supporting Nepal's development should become the consensus between China and India. China and India are representatives of fast-growing emerging economies and should make their own development more beneficial to neighboring countries including Nepal. Nepal wants to serve as a bridge between China and India," the Chinese Foreign Minister added.

Wang Yi also threw light on the element of connectivity between the three countries.

"Third, build a three-dimensional interconnected network that spans the Himalayas. China and Nepal have reached a consensus on the building of the 'Belt and Road Initiative'.

"Interconnectivity is one of the top priorities. The common goal of the three countries should be to strive for mutual development and prosperity," Wang Yi said.

Swaraj's visit to China comes in the backdrop of the efforts made by both India and China to move past the tensions which arose after last year's Doklam standoff.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued severe warning for Friday and the following days, for several places across the country.

As per the statement by the ministry, thunderstorm accompanied with squall and hail is likely in isolated places over Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Bihar, and Uttarakhand, on Friday, while states of Uttar Pradesh, north Rajasthan, West Bengal, Sikkim, Jharkhand, Odisha, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Telangana, Karnataka, north Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala are very likely to experience thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds at isolated places.

Heavy rain is also on the cards for Jammu and Kashmir, south Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura.

On the other hand, heat wave conditions are very likely in one or two pockets over Vidharbha, as per the statement.

With strong winds expected to reach a speed of 25 to 35 kmph, gusting to 45 kmph with moderate to rough sea conditions along and off West Bengal Odisha coasts, the Ministry has advised fishermen to be cautious while venturing in to the sea along and off these coasts. The wind speed is expected to spike up to 40 to 50 kmph by Saturday.

On Saturday, thunderstorm accompanied with squall and hail are very likely at isolated places over SubHimalayan West Bengal and Sikkim. The conditions are to continue the next day as well.

Thunderstorm accompanied with squall are very likely at isolated places over Jharkhand and Gangetic West Bengal, out of which the latter is to experience similar conditions the next day too.

Odisha, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, south Chhattisgarh and Kerala are also very likely to face thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds at isolated places.

Heavy rain is very likely at isolated places over North Eastern states, namely south Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura.

Based on the forecast generated by INCOIS, moderate to rough sea conditions are very likely to prevail along the West coast of India and rough to very rough over southern parts of West Coast and Lakshadweep area in the morning hours, where the fishermen are advised to be cautious while venturing into the sea.

On Sunday, thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds is likely at isolated places over Telangana, Tamilnadu, interior Karnataka and Kerala.

Based on the forecast generated by INCOIS, moderate to rough sea conditions are very likely to prevail along and off the West coast of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and continue the next and the fishermen have been advised to be cautious while venturing into the sea along and off these areas.

As per the release, heat wave conditions are likely to prevail in some parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, and continue the next day.

On Tuesday, thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds is likely at isolated places over Telangana.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who is in China for Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)'s foreign ministers' meet, has got things rolling in the bilateral relations of the two countries, which became sombre post last year's Doklam standoff.

During the joint press conference of Swaraj and her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, China not only confirmed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping but it also agreed to allow Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, which was stopped by Beijing after the 72-day-long standoff.

Wang Yi confirmed that Prime Minister Modi will hold a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on April 27-28 in Wuhan city, ahead of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in June.

"We will make sure that the informal summit (between PM Modi and Chinese President Jinping on April 27-28) will be a complete success and a milestone in China-India relations," said Wang.

Commenting on the annual yatra, Swaraj said, "The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through the Nathu La route will be resumed this year. I am confident that with Chinese side's full cooperation, this year's yatra will be a fulfilling experience of visiting Indian pilgrims."

China has also agreed to share data on Sutlej and Brahmaputra rivers.

"China has confirmed data sharing on Sutlej and Brahmaputra rivers in 2018. As it directly affects lives of people living there we welcome this," Swaraj said.

She also said both New Delhi and Beijing have agreed to work together on the issues like terrorism, climate change, sustainable development and global healthcare.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Exiled Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) activist Nasir Aziz Khan has claimed that terror groups are flourishing in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Khan, a former spokesperson of the United Kashmir People's National Party (UKPNP) further said Pakistan is not ready to listen to Kashmiris living in PoK.

"Pakistan is not ready to listen to voices of Kashmiris of PoK. So, unfortunately, the unemployed youths have become soft targets of terror outfits," Khan said.

People who do not want to be a part of the so-called jihad in Jammu and Kashmir are kidnapped by the law enforcement agencies of Pakistan, he added.

Khan said that the local administration is not taking any action on youth involved in drugs, who are losing their lives and their future.

"Pakistan systematically introduced a thing where youngsters are involved in drugs, narcotics and local administration is not taking any action. They are losing their lives and future," he said.

Last month, political activists from PoK held a massive protest, which was organised by the UKPNP outside the United Nations Human Rights Commission headquarters in Geneva to highlight what they described as gross human rights violations committed by the Pakistani state.

The residents of PoK have alleged being treated as second-class citizens in territory under Pakistani occupation since 1947.

PoK has a Prime Minister and a President, but is ruled by Islamabad. The Prime Minister of Pakistan is the chairman and chief executive of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Council that manages all affairs related to the PoK.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)American actor and comedian Verne Troyer died at the age of 49 on Saturday.

The actor, who was born with the genetic disorder known as achondroplasia dwarfism, had openly battled depression and alcoholism, reported E!online.

The news confirming his death was announced on his Instagram account as the post said, "It is with great sadness and incredibly heavy hearts to write that Verne passed away today."

Talking about Verne, the post read, "Verne was an extremely caring individual. He wanted to make everyone smile, be happy, and laugh. Anybody in need, he would help to any extent possible. Verne hoped he made a positive change with the platform he had and worked towards spreading that message everyday. He inspired people around the world with his drive, determination, and attitude."

"On film & television sets, commercial shoots, at comic-con's & personal appearances, to his own YouTube videos, he was there to show everyone what he was capable of doing. Even though his stature was small and his parents often wondered if he'd be able to reach up and open doors on his own in his life, he went on to open more doors for himself and others than anyone could have imagined. He also touched more peoples hearts than he will ever know," the post added.

The post also addressed his issues in life and said, "Verne was also a fighter when it came to his own battles. Over the years he's struggled and won, struggled and won, struggled and fought some more, but unfortunately this time was too much. During this recent time of adversity he was baptized while surrounded by his family. The family appreciates that they have this time to grieve privately. Depression and Suicide are very serious issues. You never know what kind of battle someone is going through inside. Be kind to one another. And always know, it's never too late to reach out to someone for help."

"In lieu of flowers, please feel free to make a donation in Verne's name to either of his two favorite charities; The Starkey Hearing Foundation and Best Buddies," it added.

Troyer has worked in various movies like Austin Powers, Bubble Boy, Wishmaster and many others.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)In one of the biggest operations, security forces on Sunday gunned down at least 14 Maoists in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra, an official said.

Among those killed included at least a couple of high-ranking unit commanders.

A fierce gun fight took place in a thickly forested area between the Maoists and security forces in which the rebels suffered huge reverses, the official said.

More details of the operation are awaited.

Gadchiroli, around 900 km east of Mumbai, is considered a Maoist hub.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)In the biggest crackdown on Maoists in four decades in Maharashtra, security forces on Sunday gunned down at least 16 Maoists, including some women, in the state's Gadchiroli district, an official said.

Among those killed were at least a couple of high-ranking unit commanders, identified as Vijender N. Rauthu, 51, and Dolesh Madi Atram, 36.

Both carried big cash rewards on their heads and were wanted for many serious crime, ranging from murders, arson, attacks on security forces and kidnappings.

Around 7 a.m., a C-60 squad of police commandos had launched a combing operation when they were attacked by Maoists hiding in a thick forested area in Boria jungles on the border of Bhamragad-Etapalli taluka, the official said.

In retaliatory police firing and a bloody gunbattle that continued till 11 a.m., the rebels suffered huge reverses, he added.

"So far, we have recovered 14 bodies of Maoists, including some women. The search is continuing in the forest to recover more bodies, if any. The process is on to identify them also," the official told IANS.

Officials believe that an entire active 'dalam' (unit) may have been wiped out in the gunfight, along with its high-ranking commanders and other most-wanted Maoists.

It is the single biggest police action against Maoists in the past 38 years since the birth of the Naxalite movement in the district.

As it continued to spread in adjoining districts like Chandrapur and spilled over to neighbouring states in central India, police deployed specially trained forces to tackle the growing menace.

In February 2013, police eliminated six Maoists in Govindgaon in Aheri taluka of Gadchiroli whereas in December 2017, seven Maoists were killed in the forest of Kallade in Sironcha taluka.

Besides, in nearly a decade in the past, around 200 Maoists have surrendered under a Maharashtra government rehabilitation policy and are now leading reformed lives.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)In the biggest crackdown in four decades in Maharashtra, security forces on Sunday gunned down at least 16 Maoists including some women in Gadchiroli district, an official said.

Among those killed were at least a couple of high-ranking unit commanders.

A fierce gunfight took place in a thickly forested area between the Maoists and security forces in which the rebels suffered huge reverses, according to the official.

The official said the gunfight took place in the Boria jungles on the border of Bhamragad-Etapalli taluka.

At around 7 a.m., a C-60 squad of police commandos was launching an anti-Maoist combing operations when they were suddenly attacked by the Maoists hidden there.

The police retaliated with firing and the bloody gunbattle continued for over five hours till 11 a.m.

"So far, we have recovered 16 bodies of Maoists including some women. The search operation is continuing in the forests to recover more bodies if any. The process is on to identify them," the official told IANS.

Officials believe that an entire active Dalam (unit) may have been wiped out in the gunfight along with its high-ranking commanders and other most-wanted Maoists.

Sunday's is the single biggest police action against Maoists in the past 38 years since the birth of the Naxalite movement in the district.

As it continued to spread in the region, adjoining districts like Chandrapur and spilled over to neighbouring states in central India, the police deployed specialist trained forces to tackle the growing menace.

In 2013, police eliminated six Maoists in Govindgaon in Aheri taluka. In December 2017, police killed seven Maoists in the forest of Kallade in Sironcha taluka.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)At least 36 Islamic State (IS) militants were killed in airstrikes by the Iraqi air force targeting IS positions inside neighbouring Syria, the Iraqi military said on Sunday.

Acting on intelligence reports, the Iraqi F-16 fighter jets pounded the terrorist IS positions, including a meeting site for some IS leaders, leaving 36 terrorists dead, Xinhua news agency said quoting a statement by the Iraqi Joint Operations Command (JOC).

JOC spokesman Yahya Abdul-Rasoul told Xinhua that the attacks were carried out on Thursday, and that intelligence reports confirmed that 36 IS militants were killed and five IS leaders at the meeting site were among the killed and a sixth was wounded.

The airstrikes were reportedly carried out on the orders of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who is also the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi forces, aimed at protecting the Iraqi forces near the border with Syria in western Iraq.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Soldiers have been deployed across Nicaragua after at least 25 people were killed as anti-government protests hit the country.

The Army was deployed early morning on Saturday outside the city hall of Managua to protect the municipal office while soldiers were deployed in Esteli, 149 km north of the capital, to protect government institutions, Efe news reported.

The Nicaraguan Initiative of Human Rights Defenders and the Nicaraguan Centre for Human Rights reported that 67 students had been injured, 43 were missing and 20 have been arrested, while one TV station was torched and a few communication systems were blocked.

In a statement, the Army said its soldiers have been deployed to protect "strategic targets" and called for dialogue to address the growing unrest over a set of new social security measures.

In his first statement since the crisis erupted, President Daniel Ortega said the government was open to amending the social security reforms and had called for dialogue.

The social security reforms raised the percentage of salaries that employees and employers had to contribute to the Nicaraguan Institute of Social Security.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Celebrities like Anushka Sharma, Dia Mirza and Richa Chadha feel everyone should pitch in to make Earth a better place to live in.

On Earth Day, a global event observed on April 22 every year, actress-activist Mirza, the UN Environment Programme's Goodwill Ambassador for India, urged her fans and followers on Twitter to say no to plastic.

"Celebrate Earth Day with pledging to beat plastic pollution! Say no to single use plastics #BeatPollution #EarthDay2018 #EndPlasticPollution #CleanSeas," Dia tweeted on Sunday.

Actress-producer Anushka Sharma feels "so disheartening and terrible" to see people's plastic addiction destroy wildlife and mother nature. "This Earth Day, it's time to wake up, start acting and put an end to it now," she tweeted.

Designer Masaba Gupta notes "Earth doesn't need us to survive but we surely do".

"No action is any smaller, no job is going to be bigger than this. Do your own bit, a change starts when you start thinking, it starts from home. #EarthDay #GoBeyondPlastic," she tweeted.

This year, Earth Day focuses on mobilising the world to end plastic pollution, including creating support for a global effort to eliminate single-use plastics along with regulation for disposal of plastics.

Producer Ritesh Sidhwani feels "sustainability is key to survival and efforts are key to sustainability. Let our efforts be for ending the use of plastics, let's give it our best shot".

Actor Gautam Rode tweeted: "Let's make an effort towards a greener and a better world."

Actress Richa Chadha is doing her bit by taking small steps towards organic fashion choices.

"I am trying to do all I can to support the planet because we are putting an unnatural amount of pressure on it. This extends to fashion as well. My choices are not perfect, but I am trying every day," Richa said.

She feel everyone "should think about the wearability of clothes after a couple of years too, not just when they are in trend".

Veteran batsman Yuvraj Singh says "a healthy Earth means healthy all of us". "Let's (take a) pledge to protect our planet and make it more green and healthy and say no to plastic."

While celebrities were talking about taking steps towards creating a better tomorrow, actress Juhi Chawla shared a "heartbreaking sight" from the present.

"Just travelled to Delhi and Ahmedabad... the streets are a mess. It is plastic, plastic, plastic everywhere ... and cows foraging for food nearby. Wake up! Do your little... little drops of water make the mighty ocean," she tweeted.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Congress on Sunday hit out at the BJP for "defending" Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and said the latter should consider recusing himself from judicial and administrative work till he was cleared of the charge of "misbehaviour".

"If his (CJI) own conduct is under a cloud, should he not consider recusing himself from performing judicial and administrative duties and submit himself to an inquiry so that the high office and his individual integrity are cleared or the process of law is followed in an appropriate manner," Congress Spokesperson Rajdeep Surjewala told a press conference here.

"... the highest (law) officer of the country, an officer who is head of India's judiciary, an officer who heads the final temple of justice, an officer to whom people go to seek justice... Caesar's wife must be above suspicion. And that's why we have left it to his (CJI) conscience," he added.

"This will ensure that the process of law is followed in an appropriate manner."

In an unprecedented move, 64 members of the Rajya Sabha belonging to seven parties led by the Congress on Friday submitted an impeachment motion for the removal of the Chief Justice on five grounds of "misbehaviour".

Surjewala's remarks came in the wake of media reports that the CJI had decided not to recuse himself from administrative and judicial work in the Supreme Court.

Hitting out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Surjewala said the ruling party was compromising the position and office of the Chief Justice as a neutral arbitrator and head of the judiciary and the ruling party was doing a great disservice to the independence of the Indian judicial system.

"Does the CJI belong to a political party, ruling or otherwise? Does the CJI have to be defended by political parties or Ministers in the government? Is it not a disservice to the CJI office? They are compromising the position and office of the CJI," Surjewala said.

He said that Chief Justice Misra must tell the BJP not to politicise his high office and not to politicise the impeachment motion.

Vivek Tankha, Chairman of the Congress' Legal Department, said: "He is the Chief Justice of India. He should voluntarily submit to any probe. He should regain public faith. Till then, he should think whether he should work as a Judge or not."

He maintained that the impeachment motion was not meant to insult or lower his dignity but to take the allegation against him to its logical conclusion.

Another Congress leader and Senior Advocate K.T.S. Tulsi said that the nature of charges against the CJI was so serious that an enquiry should be ordered at the earliest.

"The enquiry will be able to protect the dignity of the office of the Chief Justice of India. If no enquiry is held, it will cause much greater damage to the Supreme Court prestige," Tulsi said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Releasing the final list of candidates for the May 12 Karnataka Assembly elections, the ruling Congress on Sunday announced a change of candidates in six seats and selected nominees for five other seats.

"The central election committee has changed the nominees in six seats and selected candidates for five other seats," Congress General Secretary Mukul Wasnik said in a statement here.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will contest from Badami in Vijayapura district in place of Devraj Patil in addition to Chamundeshwari in Mysuru.

H.P. Rajesh will contest from Jagalur (Reserved-Scheduled Tribe) in Davanagere district instead of A.L. Pushpa; K. Shadakshari from Tiptur in Tumakuru in place of B. Nanjaman; K.S. Renu from Malleshwaram in Bengaluru northwest instead of K.S. Renu; M. Srinivas from Padmanabhanagar in Bengaluru southwest in place of B.G. Naidu; and K.P. Chandrakala from Madikeri in Kodagu instead of H.S. Chandra Mouli.

The candidates for five other seats are N.H. Harris from Shantinagar in Bengaluru; K. Inamdar from Kittur in Belagavi district; V.D. Katakdhond from Nagathan (SC); M.N. Sali from Sindgi in Vijayapura; and Sayed Yasin from Raichur in the state's northwest region.

The Congress first list with 218 names was released on April 15 for elections to the 225-member house, including one nominated.

The party has decided not to field candidate from Melukote in Mandya district in support of Swaraj India candidate Darshan Puttanaiah, son of the state's farmer leader late K.S. Puttanaiah, who was a legislator from the same seat.

The party replaced Madikeri nominee Chandra Mouli as he was lawyer to the fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi, who fled the country in January after allegedly defrauding state-run Punjab National Bank along with his nephew Nirav Modi.

Yasin is the son-in-law of veteran party leader and former Railway Minister Jaffer Sharief.

Inamdar has been re-nominated from Kittur after he threatened to quit the party.

Harris, a two-time legislator from the prestigious Shantinagar segment in the city centre, also got re-nominated despite his son (Mohammad Nalapad) being in jail over a brawl at a city cafe on February 17.

Siddaramaiah, 69, filed his nomination on Friday from Chamundeshwari, which he has contested seven times and won five times since 1983.

Though he had won from Varuna in Mysuru district twice since the 2008 assembly elections, he shifted to Chamundeshwari, paving the way for his son Yatindra to contest from his home constituency. Yatindra too filed his nomination from Varuna on Friday.

Siddaramaiah is the party's second Chief Minister to complete a 5-year term after Devaraj Urs did so from 1972-78 in the southern state.

The veteran state leader joined the Congress from the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) in August 2006 after parting ways with the latter's supremo H.D. Deve Gowda and his second son H.D. Kumaraswamy, who is also contesting from Ramanagara and Channapatna seats in Ramanagara district, about 50km from Bengaluru.

Polling will be held in a single phase for 224 Assembly seats, including 36 reserved for the Scheduled Castes and 15 for the Scheduled Tribes. Votes will be counted on May 15.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Sunday praised Indias efforts in maintaining communal harmony and said that the countrys uniqueness lies in maintaining its secularism.

"India follows a tradition which is secular; it respects all religions and also equally respects the non-believers, which is unique. It is the greatness of the nation that different religions co-exist -- in the spirit of brotherhood and sisterhood," he said.

The Dalai Lama was speaking at the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library at the Teen Murti Bhavan here during an event co-organised by Antarrashtriya Sahayog Parishad.

"Civilisation of India has produced the most great thinkers and philosophers. The Indian community should make it clear that religious harmony is possible," the Tibetan leader added.

The Nobel Peace Prize laureate also emphasised on creating strong Indian communities in other countries, adding that the diaspora should focus on making 'India Town' like 'China Town' created by the Chinese in other countries.

"Whenever I meet Indians in other countries, I always suggest them to preserve their culture and tradition. The Indian community should be active to make others know their culture, they have the responsibility to promote their centuries-old traditions," he said.

On Tibet, the Dalai Lama said that the Chinese Constitution had recognised certain areas as Tibet and these should have the same rights for preservation of language and culture.

The Dalai Lama fled Tibet to India in March 1959. The Tibetan government-in-exile is based in Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)When hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees, escaping a brutal military crackdown in Myanmar, gathered near the Bangladesh border last year, a senior Bangladesh army commander was caught in a dilemma. He was wary of illegal incursions but at the same time didn't want to leave innocent men, women and children to die.

Lt. Colonel Manjurul Hassan, of the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB), was the first officer who was informed about some firing incidents across the border on the night of August 24-25, 2017. He didn't realise the seriousness of the matter and just ordered his forces to be alert.

Suddenly there was a barrage of calls, and firing incidents and bombings were reported from at least a dozen border posts. Hassan informed his seniors and left for the Ghumdhum Border Post where gunshots could be heard across the hills along the Naff river that divides the two countries, forming a 271-km boundary.

Then, on that dark night, he saw a flood of people running towards his side of the border. He ordered some of his troopers to take position with strict instructions not to open fire unless ordered to do so.

"I tried calling my counterparts on the otherside of the border (to know what is happening). But I couldn't establish contact," Hassan told IANS at the Ghumdhum border outpost, lying south of Naff, marking the border of southeastern Bangladesh and western Myanmar.

He said he saw people were crying, shouting and negotiating with his soldiers.

"I realised that they are innocents persecuted by their own people. The situation was different and I had to deal with it peacefully," Hassan said about "my first experience with this kind of humanitarian problem" that over the months snowballed into a major international refugee crisis.

They were Rohingyas of Rakhine state fleeing their homeland that doesn't recognise them as its citizens. They were speaking a language Hassan and his troops didn't understand. With some local help, he could decipher what they were trying to tell him.

"They said that (the Myanmar) army had cracked down on their villages, killing men, women, children -- people of every age. Their women were also reportedly raped. They were seeking shelter in Bangladesh, promising to return when situation became normal," Hassan recalled the broken conversations "etched in my memory".

He said it was a difficult decision to take. On the one hand, humans were escaping death and, on the other, his responsibility towards his country didn't permit him to allow in illegal entrants from a foreign nation.

The Rohingyas kept coming in droves. It was 11 p.m. and he asked his soldiers to collect all of them at the over six-kilometre stretch of no-man's land on the bank of the Naff river.

This prevented them from slipping into Bangladesh and also assured them that they were safe. The idea was to wait for orders from the government.

The next evening, as it rained heavily, gunshots were heard again. And then came the real challenge. This time the influx of Rohingyas was much greater than the previous night. They included new-born babies, critically-injured men, women, children and elderly people.

"A complete humanitarian crisis was unfolding in front of me. It was difficult for us to manage the crowd. BGB and locals were on their toes the whole night," Hassan said.

On August 26 morning, situation seemed better and many Rohingyas started returning to their country only to come back, many critically injured, hours later.

"On August 26-27 night, the government asked us to arrange food, water and medical facilities for the victims, but with the instruction not to allow them to enter as the exact situation was not known," he said.

The situation was even more frightening on August 28 when thousands of people carrying dead bodies started arriving from Down South through the Naff river.

"They had walked several days without food and water. Families were searching for their children, some kids lost their parents. Husbands were looking for their wives."

The government continued with humanitarian relief, including food and medicine. "Those critically injured were allowed treatment in local hospitals."

The same day, he said, "Our government decided to settle the ethnic minority at refugee camps in two border areas -- Kutupalong and Balukhali."

"So, this is the scenario. Till October, we received lakhs of Rohingyas. The Rohingya influx started decreasing day by day and now we have some 11 lakh refugees living here," said Hassan, who actually belongs to the Bangladesh Army and is currently on deputation heading the BGB's Cox's Bazar 34th Battalion.

(Rajnish Singh visited Bangladesh between April 15 and 18 as part of an Indian media delegation. He can be contacted at rajnish.s@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.)Appreciating the work of the BJP MPs and MLAs at the grassroot level, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said his government is focusing on education for children, opportunities for youth and medicine for the elderly.

He asked all the party MLAs to undertake at least one developmental work for villages under them which would help take the villages forward, and also invited suggestions to celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi with the focus on "Swachhta Abhiyan" (cleanliness drive).

"Your connect with people directly has ushered in a positive change by ensuring that schemes reach the grassroots as well as concerns of people reach the lawmakers. The BJP leaders should be involved in every work that is being undertaken in the society for the welfare of people," the Prime Minister said during an interaction with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs and MLAs through the "Narendra Modi" mobile app.

Answering a question on improving the lives of the people in the villages, the Prime Minister stressed on collective power of the people residing in villages.

"The development of villages is not a work of only the budget or the government... The people also need to be aware of their rights and duties. The biggest strength of any village is its unity," he said.

He also mentioned about social activist Anna Hazare's village, where he had stressed on cleanliness and how that village had now become a model for others to follow.

Speaking about the Mudra Yojna, he said that 11 crore people had already benefited from the scheme.

"Women in self-help groups are coming up with new employment opportunities in various sectors," he said.

Lauding BJP workers for the "Gram Swaraj Abhiyan" being held from April 14 to May 5, the Prime Minister urged the party cadres to ensure that the benefits of Mudra Yojana, Ujjwala Yojana and insurance schemes reach the grassroot level.

He urged the party leaders to hold regular Gram Sabhas, enhance their social media outreach, encourage the use of the BHIM app and further the movement of cashless transactions.

During an hour-long interaction, the Prime Minister also shared his views on the recently launched "Ayushman Bharat" scheme.

"The government wants to establish wellness centres for villages, so that people can avail the best healthcare facilities. The government is focusing on education to children, opportunities for youth and medicine for elderly," he said.

Speaking on agriculture, he said many farmers were unaware of a number of agricultural facts and schemes and that there was a need to organise campaigns to educate them.

"There is a need to highlight that the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission on Minimum Support Price have been implemented, so that the farmers can benefit from it," he said asking the lawmakers to organise workshops on the latest farming techniques in villages.

Mentioning the BJP's recent victory in Jharkhand in the Nagar Parishad, Nagar Panchayat and municipal corporation polls, the Prime Minister said the win reflected the people's faith in the of development of the BJP.

During the interaction, the Prime Minister also answered questions from elected representatives of the party across the country on various issues including skilling the youth, rural development and farmers welfare.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The European Union (EU) and Mexico concluded negotiations for a new trade agreement that will eliminate tariffs on virtually all products, the European Commission has said here.

"Today, we have concluded a deal with Mexico... (for a) modern and comprehensive FTA (free trade agreement) in less than two years. Good for our consumers and business. EU and Mexico (are) partners for sustainable, rule-based trade," European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmstrom said on Twitter on Saturday, Efe news reported.

The negotiation aimed to update the EU-Mexico trade agreement signed in the year 2000 regarding issues such as rules of origin, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, industrial property rights and the trading of goods, including agricultural products.

According to the European Commission, the new trade agreement will facilitate customs procedures, benefiting many EU industries, including in sectors like pharmaceuticals, machinery and transport equipment.

The new agreement also establishes sustainable development rules and both parties "committed to effectively implementing their obligations under the Paris Agreement on climate change," the European Commission said in a statement.

In addition, this would be "the first EU trade agreement to tackle corruption in the private and public sectors," the statement says.

"Trade can and should be a win-win process and today's agreement shows just that," European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said.

"Mexico and the EU worked together and reached a mutually beneficial outcome. We did it as partners who are willing to discuss, to defend their interests while at the same time being willing to compromise to meet each other's expectations," Juncker said.

The European Commission president added that, with this new agreement, "Mexico joins Canada, Japan and Singapore in the growing list of partners willing to work with the EU in defending open, fair and rules-based trade."

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Kerala Police said on Sunday night that a preliminary inquiry into the death of Latvian woman tourist -- whose decomposed body was found near Kovalam on Saturday -- does not suggest any foul play.

"There are no injuries to her body parts. But, the exact reason of the death can be established only after the chemical analysis report comes," said the police in a statement.

The body of Liga Skromane, 33, who had gone missing last month from here, was found in a highly decomposed state near Kovalam. Her sister Ilzie identified the body.

Earlier in the day, Ilzie said that they would meet Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday to seek a proper probe into the incident.

"Yes, we are going to meet the Chief Minister tomorrow (Monday) and we will seek a probe by the crime department or a special investigation team into what happened to my sister," Ilzie told the media, adding that she had also sought the help of the Latvian government in the case.

To the shock of both the bereaved family and the police, the head was found lying away from the rest of body, in a marshy spot near Kovalam.

Even though Ilzie and Andrew -- the partner of Liga -- came and identified the body, the police are now waiting for the DNA test results for confirmation.

The autopsy was conducted on Saturday at the medical college hospital here and the body has been kept at its mortuary.

Meanwhile, the Kerala government has announced an ex-gratia payment of five lakh rupees to the family of Liga and the Department of Kerala Tourism has informed Ilzie that the state government would bear the expenses of transporting the body to their home country.

It was late on Friday that fishermen found the body in a highly decomposed state and alerted the police.

The place from where the body was recovered is known to be frequented by small-time drug-peddlers, and empty bottles, cigarettes and a lighter have been recovered from the site.

Liga had come to Kerala along with her sister Ilzie for Ayurvedic treatment at a hospital on the outskirts of the capital city following complaints of depression.

She, however, went missing on March 14 and was last reported to have taken an auto-rickshaw ride to a tourist destination at Kovalam. She was not carrying a passport or mobile phone with her at that time.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Mont-Saint-Michel, an island commune in France, was evacuated on Sunday after an unidentified man threatened to attack policemen, according to police sources.

Dozens of police officers were deployed in Mont-Saint-Michel after a man threatened to 'kill cops', Sputnik News reported.

The Mayor of Mont-Saint-Michele confirmed that paramilitary police officers are currently looking for a suspect who shouted--'I will kill the cops'.

According to eyewitnesses, a helicopter flew over the scene.

"We were at the hotel and were asked to evacuate Mont-Saint-Michel. I could see that the shops were closed and everyone was evacuated," said a tourist.

Military police were conducting raids in the surrounding areas, though there were fears that the man had camouflaged himself among the tourists and left Mont-Saint-Michel, Efe news reported.

Mont-Saint-Michel, Normandy's most popular tourist site, receives three million visitors each year and has been on Unesco's world heritage list since 1979.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Cryptocurrency marketplace Coinbase has shut the account of whistleblowing website WikiLeaks' Shop for allegedly violating its terms of service -- which means it cannot convert payments like bitcoin into conventional money.

According to a report on tech website Engadget, Coinbase did not give a specific reason but it pointed to its legal requirement to honour "regulatory compliance mechanisms" under the US' Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.

Interestingly, WikiLeaks is calling for a "global blockade" of Coinbase, claiming that the exchange is reacting to a "concealed influence."

Earlier this month, several tech giants, including Google, Facebook and Twitter, cracked down on malicious cryptocurrency mining practices on their platform.

Google Chrome's web policy permitted cryptocurrency mining in extensions as long as it is the extension's single purpose and the user is adequately informed about the mining behaviour.

"Unfortunately, approximately 90 per cent of all extensions with mining scripts that developers have attempted to upload to Chrome Web Store have failed to comply with these policies, and have been either rejected or removed from the store," James Wagner, Extensions Platform Product Manager at Google, had said.

Extensions with Blockchain-related purposes other than mining will continue to be permitted in the Web Store, Google said.

Twitter confirmed to block cryptocurrency-related ads on the platform. In January, social media giant Facebook banned all ads promoting cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and ICOs.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)She was often hailed as the "Tiger Queen", and was easily the world's most documented and famous feline. But what made Machli unique was that she helped break the "monster" myth and showed that even the stunning wild cat could be human-friendly -- thereby also sending out a larger conservation message.

"The life of Machli is a message for conservation. It tells us that if you protect one tiger, you can create a jungle. For her millions of followers and fans across world, she was another Taj Mahal," award-winning wildlife filmmaker S. Nallamuthu, who followed the legendary and longest-surviving tigress of Rajashtan's Ranthambore National Park for nine long years, told IANS in an interview.

Nallamuthu, who tracked the tigress from her prime till the the end, is scheduled to screen "Meet Machli, the World's Most Famous Tiger" -- his third documentary on the magnificent beast -- here on Monday..

The documentary aims at reaching out to the masses, especially in the rural belts around forests, where one can't present facts and figures to convince the rural folk to leave tigers alone and not hunt them down. The film has been dubbed in 37 languages and is being screened across 147 countries.

Machli died at the age of 20 (the human equivalent 100 years) at Ranthambore on August 18, 2016. Her gene pool has generated at least 50 tigers, while she herself was the mother of at least 12 cubs. She was cremated in the forest with state honours and the Rajasthan government is planning to build a memorial at the spot where she died.

Sharing his experiences, Nallamuthu pointed out how one of Machli's granddaughters was rehabilitated to Sariska Tiger Reserve in 2008, after poachers stripped the forest of its last tiger in 2004. At present, Sariska has 13 tigers.

"This is a lesson we need to understand and take, especially to the uneducated lot and villagers that kill a feline just because its a tiger," he said.

His documentary, which is produced by Natural History Unit India for National Geographic channel, has been screened at several place across India and many other countries.

Nallamuthu now hopes to screen the documentary in the tiger-rich Dudhwa-Pilibhit region of Uttar Pradesh, where human-animal conflict is at its peak. Earlier this month, villagers slaughtered a tiger two-and-a-half km inside the core forest in Pilibhit.

"I received great response from the Hindi belt and look forward to screen the movie in Pilibhit area," he said.

According to Nallamuthu, Machli's life has unearthed a lot on ethology or animal behaviour, giving a broad perspective so humans can actually connect to a tiger -- apart from generating huge revenues for the forests and the tourism industry. Ranthambore is one of India's most visited tiger reserves.

"She would sit next to the forest safari jeeps, walk next to people, this helped in breaking the myth and throwing out the notion that tigers always kill people," Nallamuthu pointed out, adding that this makes it easier to convince rural folk who would kill a tiger without thinking.

"You can relate her life to a dramatic life of a human, the way she rises to power, pushes her mother out of her territory, finds a mate who later dies so she becomes a widow and goes on her own, struggles and scavenges. On one occasion she fights off a 14-feet-long crocodile... the list goes on," he said.

Speaking of her end, that makes his the only documentary that records the natural death of a tiger, Nallamuthu said that in a way it was painful, but the "Queen of Tigers" was as elegant as ever, making her death a kind of celebration, just like her life.

His first film was on Machli's separation from her mate and the second on her daughters. A fourth is in the making -- he is working on one on a tiger called Krishna.

(Kushagra Dixit can be reached at kushagra.d@ians.in)

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde has called on the US and China to resolve trade tensions through rules-based multilateral institutions.

On Saturday, Lagarde said both countries should work on the basis of the free trade and within the framework of the rules-based multilateral institutions, Xinhua news agency reported.

"It is important that as a global community, we keep trade open and ensure that we work within the multilateral system. We have to make sure that if there are disputes, those disputes are resolved," said International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) Chairman and Governor of the South African Reserve Bank Lesetja Kganyago.

Lagarde's advice came as the US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Saturday he was considering a trip to Beijing to discuss trade issues with his Chinese counterparts.

"I am not going to make any comment on the timing, nor do I have anything confirmed, but a trip is under consideration," Mnuchin told reporters.

The Donald Trump administration in the US has recently threatened to impose tariffs up to $150 billion of Chinese imports, while China has vowed to retaliate against US exports if the Trump administration moves forward with the tariffs.

Unilateralism and trade protectionism will inevitably harm others without benefiting oneself as the global economy is deeply integrated, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Thursday.

Citing a report from the Brookings Institution, Hua said a US-China trade war would result in a loss of more than 2.1 million jobs in 2,700 US counties.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Calling for a timely review of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)'s quota system, India has urged for the creation of a robust quota-based permanent resource base for the multilateral lender to mitigate risks to the international monetary system.

The call was made by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his speech at the International Monetary and Financial Committee that was delivered in his absence on Saturday by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Urjit Patel.

Patel is leading the Indian delegation to the Spring Meetings of the World Bank and the IMF which bring together finance ministers and central bankers of member countries.

"A strong quota-based permanent resource base for the IMF would serve to strengthen the Global Financial Safety Net (GFSN) and mitigate risks to the international monetary system," Jaitley said, as per the speech released by the Finance Ministry.

"We strongly support the shared multilateral commitment on completing the 15th General Review of Quotas (GRQ) by the 2019 Spring Meetings and no later than the 2019 Annual Meetings as we call for the realignment of quota shares of EMDEs (emerging market and developing economies) whose under-representation has increased further by 0.5 percentage points in the last update leading to under-representation of EMDEs by 7.5 per cent," he said.

Jaitley said although the quota increases under the 14th GRQ, the renewal of New Arrangements to Borrow (NAB) and bilateral commitments have helped in maintaining the current lending capacity, the IMF would continue to require sufficient resources "to respond to actual, potential or prospective financing needs going forward".

"We call upon the IMF to develop credible policy advice for rebalancing of the global economy while drawing attention to the adverse implications of policy spillovers on other countries," Jaitley said.

"The intensifying challenges to multilateralism call for unequivocal and forceful voice of the IMF and the WTO (World Trade Organisation) in favour of rule-based international trading system and against protectionism," he added.

In his address to the World Bank Development Committee Plenary on Saturday, Economic Affairs Secretary S.C. Garg noted that countries in India's constituency in the World Bank -- Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Sri Lanka -- are now the highest growing block in South Asia and in the world, with a combined GDP that will cross $3 trillion this year.

The Secretary expressed India's support for the shareholding review, "including development of dynamic formula and the capital package", the Ministry said in a statement.

On Saturday, the World Bank approved a $13 billion capital increase package that includes $7.5 billion of paid-in capital for the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the group's primary lending arm, and $5.5 billion for the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the group's private sector lending arm.

Following the capital increase plan, the combined financing arms of the World Bank are expected to reach an average annual capacity of nearly $100 billion between fiscal year 2019 and fiscal year 2030, it said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)India on Sunday strongly condemned the terror attacks in Afghanistan's capital Kabul and in the country's Baghlan province during the ongoing voter registration process that claimed at least 37 lives.

"India strongly condemns the cowardly and barbaric terrorist attack in Kabul and Baghlan today (Sunday)," the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

"What makes this attack particularly reprehensible is the fact that the terrorists and their backers chose to attack a voters' registration centre for the upcoming parliamentary and district council elections," it stated.

"The attack has resulted in the death of Afghans who firmly support and believe in the democratic process to empower themselves and make their voice heard."

Around 10 a.m., a suicide bomber blew himself up among a crowd lining up to get access to an election-related registration site in Kabul on Sunday, killing 31 people and injuring 54 others, officials said.

The blast occurred in front of a school located in Kabul's Qala-e-Nazir area. The dead included women and children while several wounded remained in critical condition.

Hours later, insurgents placed an IED close to a voter registration centre in Pul-e-Khumri city in Baghlan province, killing six of a family, Afghan media reported.

"This is not only an attack on innocent civilians but also an attack on the democratic rights of the Afghan people," the Ministry statement said.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family members of the victims, and we wish quick and complete recovery to the injured.

"India stands ready to extend all possible assistance, including for treatment of those injured."

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)India is turning into a global hub for investments due to the conducive environment provided by the Central government, Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti said on Sunday.

"The Union government is providing environment for the investment in different sectors, that's why in the last few years India is coming up as the global hub of investors," she said at the Global Investment Summit 2018 organised by the Abode 1st Group of Companies in Gurugram.

"The government is taking every possible step to make policies favourable to investors, and result of it we can see investment scenario being built up here," a statement from the organisers quoted the minister as saying.

She added that Non-Resident Indian businessmen and industrialists are also "expanding their businesses in the country".

According to Abode 1st Group of Companies MD Sandeep Singh Deswal, around 400 investors from around the world gathered for the event "and gave their principle consent to invest in different fields".

Abode 1st Group of Companies is a Gurugram-based group dealing in asset management, wealth management and interiors.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Iranian officials vowed on Saturday to retaliate the US threats to possibly withdraw from the landmark 2015 international nuclear deal and expressed assurance that that will not hurt the country.

Iran's economy would not be negatively affected by the possible withdrawal of the US from the 2015 international nuclear deal, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday.

Iran is prepared for the US President's possible decision to pull out of the nuclear deal internationally known as Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Xinhua quoted Rouhani as saying.

The recent reforms that the Iranian administration made to the currency market was a preemptive measure before the US likely decision against Iran, he said.

Besides, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran has developed technical plans to surprise the US in case it scraps the deal, he said at a meeting of governmental officials.

Last week, Iran's Central Bank (CBI) banned non-governmental forex market from buying, selling and transferring foreign currencies in an attempt to regulate and stabilize currency rates.

The new move by the Iranian government comes as the forex market in Iran went out of control and the value of local currency rial plunged sharply over the past weeks.

In the meantime, Iran's atomic chief said here on Saturday that Tehran would give a surprising response if the United States decides to scrap the 2015 international nuclear deal.

"We have said for several times that we hope that it would not happen, but we are prepared in a way to surprise the other side," Ali Akbar Salehi said.

Iran is ready for any scenario from a technical point of view, the chief oh Atomic Energy Organization of Iran was quoted as saying.

Iran can resume enriching uranium to purity of 20 percent in four days if Washington decides to quit the deal, he warned.

Besides, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told the CBS News on Friday that the Islamic republic is ready to resume its nuclear program if the United States pulls out of the nuclear deal.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Abbas Araqchi said that the US government's "obstructions" and moves against the 2015 nuclear deal has put the deal on the verge of collapse.

The JCPOA is an international agreement reached on July 14, 2015 between Iran and six world powers, namely China, France, Russia, Britain, the United States and Germany, plus the European Union.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly lashed out at the nuclear pact, in which the West promised to relieve sanctions on Tehran in exchange for a halt in Iran's efforts to develop a nuclear weapon.

Iran says it will neither tolerate anything beyond its commitment to the nuclear deal, nor accept changes to the agreement.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Iranian Foreign Ministry on Saturday rejected recent anti-Iran human rights allegations by the US as "biased" and "politically-motivated".

The US annual rights report about Iran is a "distorted and unreal picture from the current situation from the country," Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said in a statement.

"Not only is the US itself a big violator of human rights, but it plays a role in supporting other violators of the human rights including Israel and some reactionary regimes in the region," Xinhua quoted the statement as saying.

Qasemi also warned the US against interference in the internal affairs of other countries.

The recent annual report by the US State Department accused Iran of high rates of execution and restrictions on freedom of expression.

Iran has insisted that the reports about the Islamic republic are blind about "Iran's progress and determined efforts in this field".

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and French President Emmanuel Macron have voiced support for political settlement in Syria, the Egyptian presidential spokesman said in a statement.

"The two presidents expressed their support for all exerted efforts to settle Syrian crisis politically, stressing the importance of the participation of Arab states and the permanent members of the UN Security Council in this regard," said spokesman Bassam Rady said on Saturday, Xinhua reported.

During the phone call, Sisi reiterated Egypt's fixed position that rejects the use of any internationally forbidden weapons on the Syrian lands, urging for a transparent international probe into the issue in accordance with the international references and mechanisms, said the statement.

Sisi and Macron agreed to continue consultation and coordination.

The French President said that he has instructed his foreign minister to visit Cairo in late April for further discussions on bilateral relations and other issues of mutual concern, Rady noted.

A US-led coalition including Britain and France launched missile strikes on Syria on April 14 over allegations of Syrian government's use of chemical weapons.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)DCW Chairperson Swati Maliwal on Sunday ended her nine-day fast after President Ram Nath Kovind approved an ordinance to provide death penalty to those convicted of raping girls below 12 years, calling it a "historic win".

"I didn't expect that our protest will take such a large shape. It is a historic win for all of us who have been demanding stringent law to punish convicted rapists," the visibly frail Chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) said.

"I welcome the law and end my fast here," the 33-year-old told the media.

Maliwal went on an indefinite hunger strike at Rajghat and refused to break it despite failing health and requests from many till the government acted seriously against those who sexually assault young girls.

"People ridiculed me when I decided to go on hunger strike. But today I can say that a woman can achieve anything. I thank each and everyone for supporting our battle," she added.

Maliwal began her fast following the widely condemned rape and murder of an eight-year-old in Jammu and Kashmir in January and similar crimes elsewhere in the country.

"We had sent more than five lakh letters to our Prime Minister that were received by DCW but no action was taken. Finally, I had to take the step of going on fast. Our demands were so strong that the government had to bend and immediately take action to implement the new law," Maliwal said.

On Sunday, the President promulgated The Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018, which was approved by the cabinet on Saturday.

"But this is not the end of our fight, this is just the beginning. We have a long way to go. If the government doesn't implement the law within three months as promised, then I will again start my protest," she added.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping will have an informal summit meeting in China's central city Wuhan, which diplomats feel may mark a defining moment in the ties between the two Asian giants.

This was announced by India's visiting External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi after their bilateral talks.

The top leaders of the two fastest-growing economies will meet on April 27-28.

"As agreed between the two sides, President Xi and Prime Minister Modi will have an informal summit (meeting) from April 27 to 28 in Wuhan, Hubei province," Wang said.

"We see socialism with Chinese characteristics is entering a new era and India is at a crucial stage of development and revitalisation. It is against this backdrop that President Xi and Prime Minister Modi have decided to hold an informal summit," Wang announced with Sushma Swaraj standing by his side.

Modi is also slated to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation event on June 8-9 in the Chinese city Qingdao and will hold a bilateral meeting with Xi on the sidelines.

(Gaurav Sharma can be contacted at sharmagaurav71@gmail.com)

--IANS

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(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold an informal summit meeting in China's central city of Wuhan, a meet which may well be a historic one and a defining moment in the history of Sino-Indian ties.

The announcement by the Indian and Chinese Foreign Ministers Sushma Swaraj and Wang Yi respectively indicates a revival in ties between India and China, which faced a rough patch after the Doklam stand-off last year.

Modi's April 27-28 visit can be compared to the 1988 visit by then Prime Minister Rajeev Gandhi who met then China's paramount leader Deng Xiaoping and reset the bilateral ties after the 1962 war.

"As agreed between the two sides, President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have an informal summit meeting from April 27 to 28 in Wuhan, Hubei province," Wang said.

"We see socialism with Chinese characteristics is entering a new era and India is at a crucial stage of the development and revitalisation. It is against this backdrop that President Xi and Prime Minister Modi have decided to hold an informal summit," Wang announced with Sushma Swaraj standing by his side.

Wang said that both sides were working on the meeting for long and would make sure that the informal summit was a complete success and a new milestone in the history of China-India relations.

Modi will also visit China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in June.

So far, no Indian Prime Minister has visited China twice within nearly a month.

"In short, we will use the important meeting as an opportunity to achieve even better and faster growth in our bilateral relations from a new starting point."

The two leaders will have communications of a "strategic nature concerning shift going (on) in the world. They will also exchange views on long-term and strategic matters, concerning the future of China-India relations".

"In our view, the global situation is undergoing a profound change and China and India are growing rapidly and simultaneously. This makes for a more balanced international geometry and a stronger trend towards peace."

Sushma Swaraj said that Modi and Xi would have communications of a strategic nature.

"They will exchange views on long-term and strategic matters, concerning the future of China-India relations.

"We agreed that as the two major countries and large emerging economies, healthy development of India-China relations is important for the emergence of the Asian century," she added.

Besides the longstanding border dispute, a range of issues plagues India-China ties.

China's opposition to India's entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group and its application at the United Nations to declare Pakistan-based terror group chief Masood Azhar as global terrorist are some other irritants in the ties.

The key artery of Beijing's ambitious Belt and Road project -- China-Pakistan Economic Corridor -- is another sticking point in China-India ties as its route passes through the disputed Kashmir held by Islamabad and claimed by New Delhi.

(Gaurav Sharma can be contacted at sharmagaurav71@gmail.com)

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Launching a sharp attack on the Prime Minister, CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechuri on Sunday claimed that Narendra Modi, fugutive diamantaire Nirav Modi and former IPL Chairman Lalit Modi were looting the country.

The Left leader said people never knew that the country had so many Modis, but what is common among them is that "all were looting".

Yechury -- re-elected the Communist Party of India-Marxist General Secretary -- said the loot increased after the Modi government came to power in May 2014.

He said that though Modi had promised to waive loans of farmers, he waived loans of about Rs 3 lakh crore of big investors and industrialists.

"People's money kept in banks was looted. Those who did it escaped from the country and the government is not able to bring them back," he said.

Yechury was addressing a public meeting organised by the CPI-M on Sunday evening to mark the end of five-day party national conclave.

Yechury compared Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah to epic Mahabharata's 'Duryodhana' and 'Dushasana'.

The Marxist leader said there were 100 Kaurava brothers in Mahabharat but most people know of only two -- Duryodhana and Dushasana. "Similarly, people know only two in BJP -- Narendra Modi and Amit Shah," he remarked.

Yechury vowed to defeat the BJP-RSS combine and said the CPI-M was determined to defeat the communal forces and restore harmony in the country.

Voicing concern over increasing sexual assaults on children, he alleged that all those involved belonged to the BJP and RSS and no action was taken against them. "Instead of registering cases against them, victims are being booked. The women and children never faced this grave threat before this government came to power," he said.

On the third alternative proposed by Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao against both the BJP and the Congress, Yechury said the CPI-M would take a decision after seeing its policies.

Revealing that the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief spoke to him a few days ago about the proposed front, Yechury said a front for the sake of power would be of no help.

He recalled that an effort was made for the third alternative 20 years ago, leading to the formation of United Front government in 1996.

Yechury said that while their priority was to defeat the communal forces and appropriate strategy would be adopted at the time of 2019 general elections, the electoral alliances alone will not help. He underlined the need to build a mass movement to achieve the goal.

He pointed out that during Telangana's armed struggle, "the Communists protected 5,000 villages for three years from Nizam's 'razakars', the Congress government and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's Army".

Referring to the march of hundreds of red-shirt volunteers at the public meeting, he said such 'people's army' alone could give a befitting reply to the communalists.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Four people were shot dead and as many injured as a naked man opened fire at a restaurant in Tennessee early on Sunday, police said.

Residents have been told to lock their doors and stay alert as the man is on the run.

Metro Nashville Police said the gunman was naked except for a green jacket when he opened fire at about 3:25 a.m. at a Waffle House in Antioch, part of the Nashville area, CNN reported.

After shooting, he shed his jacket and fled stark naked.

"Keep your doors locked, keep your eyes open. If you see this individual -- if you see a nude guy walking around this morning -- call the police department immediately," CNN quoted police spokesman Don Aaron as saying.

During the shooting at the Waffle House, a customer intervened and snatched the gun away. "The man who wrestled the gun away is a hero," said Aaron.

The suspect is 29-year-old Travis Reinking of Morton, Illinois. The motive appears to be random, police said.

Authorities are asking for the public's help in finding the suspect who arrived in a vehicle registered to Reinking, though he fled on foot.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba on Sunday arrived in Tehran to participate in a three-day symposium aimed at strengthening maritime cooperation between different countries in the Indian Ocean region, an official statement said here.

During his visit, Lanba will hold bilateral discussions with the Commander of the Iranian Navy, and other participating chiefs of navies and heads of maritime agencies during the 6th edition of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) in Tehran between April 23 and 25.

He is leading a four-member Indian delegation to Iran for the IONS, conceived by the Indian Navy in 2008.

"The forum seeks to enhance maritime cooperation among navies of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean region by providing an open and inclusive forum for discussion on regionally relevant maritime issues that will lead to common understanding on the way ahead," a Defence Ministry statement said.

The inaugural edition of the IONS was held in February 2008 in New Delhi.

The charter of business of the IONS, which has grown into a formidable organisation with 23 members and nine observers, was agreed upon by the conclave of chiefs and brought into effect in February 2014.

As the founder-nation of IONS, India will hold activities in November 2018 at Kochi in Kerala to celebrate the IONS's 10th anniversary this year, the statement added.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday accused Iran of sending combat drones to attack Israel after Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif blamed Israel for violating international law.

The remark came in the wake of an interview Zarif gave to US' CBS TV news.

"I do not believe that we are headed towards regional war but I do believe that unfortunately, Israel has continued its violations with international law, hoping to be able to do it with impunity because of the US support and trying to find smokescreens to hide behind," said Zarif, Xinhua reported.

Netanyahu retaliated the comment during a toast to mark Israel's 70th Independence Day with Defence Minister Avigdor Liberman and Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot.

Zarif "is a foreign minister of a country that sent armed drones into Israel and fired missiles at Saudi Arabia," Netanyahu said.

"I also heard his moderate words," Netanyahu said. "There is a huge gap between his words and the actions of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, which advances an army against Israel with the stated goal of destroying the State of Israel," according to Netanyahu.

The hawkish leader said he is "not impressed by the words, I rely on this forum (Israel's top military command) and on the Israel Defence Forces that is prepared for every possibility and scenario."

The remarks came amidst elevated tension between Iran and Israel, following Israel's alleged airstrike at the T-4 airbase in Syria on April 9, killing at least 14 including Iranian nationals.

Israel has not officially commented on the attack. However, Netanyahu and other senior Israeli officials have repeatedly said that Israel will not allow Iran to establish a military foothold in Syria.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Actress-filmmaker Pooja Bhatt yearns to go back to the time when safety was a norm and people were "truly kind" to each other.

"Take me back... to times when life was more gracious, safety was a norm and people had the time to pause and be truly kind," Pooja tweeted on Sunday.

"Thank you Western Railways for this great initiative for women's safety and a morning that brought out my inner child," she added.

Daughter of veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, Pooja found fame with roles in "Daddy", "Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin", "Sadak" and "Zakhm". As a director, she has helmed "Paap", "Kajraare" and "Jism 2", among others.

On the work front, she is working on a book about her battle with alcohol. It will come out early next year.

-*-

We have officially become worst form of creatures: Rajkummar

Actor Rajkummar Rao is appalled by the news of the rape of a four-month-old girl in Madhya Pradesh's Indore town. He says the whole of humanity should hang its head in shame.

He tweeted on Sunday: "The whole humanity should hang its head in shame. We have officially become the worst form of creatures on planet Earth. Can we just hang these rapists asap?"

The sexual assault incident occurred in the M.G. Road area. The infant was abducted, raped and killed in a vacant basement space just 50 m away from where her parents were sleeping early on Friday. The accused has been arrested.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday approved an ordinance to provide death penalty for those convicted of raping girls younger than 12 years besides clearing another ordinance to confiscate property of fugitive economic offenders.

The President promulgated The Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018, approved by the Cabinet on Saturday that seeks to provide effective deterrence against rape and instil a sense of security among women, particularly young girls.

The ordinance amends the Indian Penal Code, the Indian Evidence Act, the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

The ordinance comes against the backdrop of the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir, the rape of a teenager in Unnao in Uttar Pradesh and similar crimes in other parts of the country.

The development puts in place a number of measures for speedy investigation and trial of rape cases including a two-month time limit for investigation, two months for completion of trial and six months for disposal of appeals.

It provides that punishment for rape of a girl younger than 12 will be a minimum 20 years imprisonment or imprisonment for life or with death.

Punishment for gang rape of a girl under 16 years of age will invariably be imprisonment for rest of life.

In case of gang rape of a girl below 12 years, punishment will be jail for life or death sentence.

The minimum punishment in case of rape of women has been increased from rigorous imprisonment of seven years to 10 years, extendable to life imprisonment.

In case of rape of a girl aged below 16, minimum punishment has been increased from 10 to 20 years, extendable to imprisonment for rest of life -- meaning imprisonment till that person's natural life.

The ordinance also provides that the court has to give notice of 15 days to the Public Prosecutor and the representative of the victim before deciding bail applications in case of rape of a girl under 16 years of age.

There will be no provision for anticipatory bail for a person accused of rape or gang rape of a girl under 16 years.

It also aims at strengthening investigation and prosecution including setting up fast track courts and special forensic labs in each state besides maintaining a national database of sexual offenders.

Kovind also promulgated The Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance, 2018, which followed the Punjab National Bank fraud case, in which the main accused, diamond trader Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi, fled the country after duping banks to the tune of over Rs 30,000 crore.

The ordinance lays down the measures to empower Indian authorities to attach and confiscate proceeds of crime associated with economic offenders and the properties of the economic offenders and thereby deter economic offenders from evading the process of Indian law by remaining outside the jurisdiction of Indian courts.

The Bill is expected to re-establish the Rule Of Law as economic offenders would be forced to return to India to face trial for scheduled offences.

This would also help the banks and other financial institutions to achieve higher recovery from financial defaults committed by such offenders and improve the financial health of such institutions.

--IANS

bns/him/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday approved an ordinance to provide death penalty for those convicted of raping girls below age 12 years besides clearing another ordinance to confiscate property of fugitive economic offenders.

The President promulgated The Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018, which was approved by the cabinet on Saturday and which seeks to provide effective deterrence against rape and instil a sense of security among women, particularly young girls.

The ordinance follows outrage over rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir and similar crimes in other parts of the country.

Following the President's approval, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO), The Indian Penal Code (IPC) and The Evidence Act stand amended.

The development puts in place a number of measures for speedy investigation and trial of rape cases including a two-month time limit for investigation, two months for completion of trial and six months for disposal of appeals.

There will be no provision for anticipatory bail for a person accused of rape or gang rape of a girl under 16 years.

It also aims at strengthening investigation and prosecution including setting up fast track courts and special forensic labs in each state besides maintaining a national database of sexual offenders.

Kovind also promulgated The Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance, 2018, which followed the Punjab National Bank fraud case, in which the main accused, diamond trader Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi, fled the country after duping banks to the tune of over Rs 30,000 crore.

The ordinance would provide for attachment and confiscation of the properties of the economic offenders in a bid to bring back defaulters of huge bank loans who flee abroad.

--IANS

spk/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Sunday said a record 1.75 lakh pilgrims from India will go on Haj this year after the Centre increased the pilgrims' quota for the second consecutive year.

"... for the first time after Independence, a record 1,75,025 pilgrims from India will go for Haj this year and that too without any subsidy," Naqvi said at a training camp organised for pilgrims at the Haj House in Mumbai.

Besides, the Minister said, for the first time, Muslim women from India will go for Haj without a "Mehram" (male companion).

"A total of 1,308 women applied for Haj pilgrimage without "Mehram". All of them have been exempted from the lottery system and allowed to proceed for Haj."

The total pilgrims this year include 19,000 pilgrims from Delhi, 14,500 from Lucknow, 14,200 from Mumbai, 11,700 from Cochin, 11,610 from Kolkata, 8,950 from Srinagar, 7,600 from Hyderabad, 6,700 from Ahmedabad, 5,550 from Bengaluru, 5,500 from Jaipur and 5,140 from Gaya.

A total of 4,000 pilgrims from Chennai, 3,250 from Varanasi, 2,950 from Guwahati, 2,800 from Nagpur, 2,100 from Ranchi, 450 from Goa, 430 from Mangalore, 350 from Aurangabad and 254 from Bhopal will also visit Saudi Arabia for the pilgrimage.

As many as 1,28,002 pilgrims -- including around 47 per cent females -- will go on the Muslim pilgrimage through the Haj Committee of India while 47,023 will opt for the services of private tour operators.

The Minister said 355,604 applications were received for Haj this year, including 1,89,217 male and 1,66,387 female applicants.

He said at least Rs 57 crore less will be paid to airlines this year even after ending the Haj subsidy. A total of Rs 973 crore will be paid to airlines for 1,28,002 pilgrims.

In 2017, the air fare for 1,24,852 Haj pilgrims totalled Rs 1,030 crore.

The Minister said the Centre is reviving the option of sending Haj pilgrims through the sea route and Saudi Arabia had given a green signal to the move.

"Officials from India and Saudi Arabia are holding discussions on necessary formalities and technicalities so that Haj pilgrimage through the sea route can be started in the coming years."

Naqvi said for the first time, the choice of embarkation points has also been given to Haj pilgrims, which has received an overwhelming response.

--IANS

rak/tsb/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Theatre personality Shaoli Mitra on Sunday stepped down from the post of Chairperson of Paschimbanga Bangla Akademi citing infrastructural issues and complaining of difficulties in carrying out her responsibilities.

"I don't want to be insulted at this age. Despite assurances from the government, nothing was done to improve the infrastructure," said Mitra.

In May last year, Mitra had informed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee about the problems.

Then in December, she had written to Banerjee expressing her wish to resign as the Akademi head, but decided to wait and watch after an assurance that the issues would be sorted out.

Mitra said she held two meetings with state Education Minister Partha Chatterjee.

In March she was assured that steps were being taken to mitigate her concerns.

"But, I have not received any communication from the government in the past one month, despite the assurances given to me in March.

"I was waiting for some concrete evidence that the government wanted me to return to the post. But, I have not got any such evidence about the government's intention. So, I have now informed the government formally that I have taken the final decision not to return to the post," said Mitra.

The daughter of late Bengali theatre doyens Sombhu and Tripiti Mitra has already communicated her decision to the Education Minister and the department's officials.

Mitra has headed the state-run regulatory body to promote Bengali language since 2012, when legendary author Mahasweta Devi resigned from the post.

She was one of the leading members of the civil society to have supported Banerjee in her Nandigram and Singur agitations during the last few years of the CPI(M)-led Left Front rule in the state.

--IANS

ssp/nir

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The Big Falcon Rocket, or BFR, which will be used to explore Mars  a goal that CEO Elon Musk hopes to accomplish by 2022  will be built in the Port of Los Angeles, media reports said.

According to a report in CNET on Saturday, the LA Board of Harbor Commissioners gave its unanimous approval to permit to build the BFR Mars rocket at a new facility on Terminal Island at the Port of Los Angeles.

The report said the new rocket manufacturing facility would be built on a 19-acre parcel on the mostly artificial island that's part of the port. The facility would provide employment to as many as 700 people, as per

The reason of building the rocket at the port and not at the company's inland headquarters in Hawthorne, California, is due to the size of BFR.

BFR would be so large that it would have to be transported on an ocean-going barge to Cape Canaveral, Florida, via the Panama Canal.

As per the information provided by Musk, SpaceX's huge new rocket would be nearly 350 feet tall and span 30 feet in diameter.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said on Twitter: "This is a vehicle that holds the promise of taking humanity deeper into the cosmos than ever before."

"And this isn't just about reaching into the heavens. It's about creating jobs right here on Earth," the Mayor added.

SpaceX would pay the Port of Los Angeles $1.38 million per year under its lease agreement for the Berth 240 location, Spaceflight Now website reported.Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister Y. Ramakrishnudu on Sunday said the state has convened a meeting of finance ministers of all states on May 7 to discuss what it termed the "adverse effects" of the terms of reference of the 15th Finance Commission.

He told reporters in Guntur that the state government will invite the finance ministers of all 29 states to discuss the impact of the terms of reference and consider a joint action plan.

He said that the states were already under stress on account of demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax (GST). He alleged that the 15th Finance Commission could be another setback for the states as its terms of reference indicate that the Centre will take away more powers from the states.

The proposed meeting by Andhra Pradesh's ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is the first attempt to rally the states since it pulled out of the BJP-led central government and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) over the demand for special category to the state.

The Kerala government on April 10 held a meeting of the finance ministers of the southern states, which demanded amendments to the terms of reference.

The Communist Party of India-Marxist, at its 22nd party congress that concluded here on Sunday, termed the terms of reference "anti-federal".

A resolution passed by the party meet said that the terms or reference were "intended" to reduce the share of the states in the overall tax devolution and "squeeze the fiscal space" available to them.

It also accused the BJP-led Union government of trying to use the 15th Finance Commission to "further centralise financial powers".

--IANS

ms/tsb/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)"Spider-Man: Homecoming" actor Tom Holland, 21, had to ask "Thor" star Chris Hemsworth to buy drinks on "Avengers: Infinity War" nights out.

"They were long days and we would go out for a couple of beers after filming ('Avengers...')," Hemsworth told dailystar.co.uk.

"When he is clean shaven, bless him, Tom Holland looks about 12 and the bar didn't think he was old enough to grab a beer, so we had to get it for him. So while he might be an Avenger and he might help save the world, he doesn't look old enough to get a beer," he added.

"Avengers: Infinity War" hits cinemas on April 27 in India.

Holland and Hemsworth star alongside actors including Robert Downey Jr, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Pratt and Zoe Saldana.

Hemsworth said: "We know the anticipation behind this movie and we know what it means to the fans...to have all these characters in one movie and have the worlds collide.

"Fans expect a lot and they are going to get it. Everybody has worked so hard and we are so proud of what we have produced."

--IANS

nn/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)US President Donald Trump on Saturday said that the former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had broken the law when he leaked classified documents to the press.

Trump fired James Comey in May of last year. In his dismissal letter, Trump said it was because he agreed with a Department of Justice assessment that Comey was unable to effectively lead the FBI.

"James Comey's Memos are Classified, I did not Declassify them. They belong to our Government! Therefore, he broke the law!", Trump wrote on his Twitter account, two days after the DoJ had delivered the memos to members of three separate House committees.

The seven memos in question, which purportedly detail conversations between Trump and Comey, are being treated as crucial pieces of evidence in the investigation -- set up in the wake of Comey's firing and led by special counsel Robert Mueller -- into allegations that the Russian government colluded with the Trump campaign during the 2016 presidential elections, Efe reported.

Comey leaked the memos to the New York Times to reveal what he said were Trump's attempts to block the investigation.

Trump has repeatedly dismissed the former FBI director's allegations, and on Saturday said that Comey had "totally made up many of the things he said I said, and he is already a proven liar and leaker".

The memos, which were written before Comey was sacked in May, allege that Trump called the Russia investigation a "cloud" over his administration, and that the president asked what Comey "could do to lift the cloud".

They also refer to Trump's denials of a salacious incident with prostitutes in Moscow in 2013, which was included in a dossier by former British spy Christopher Steele.

Comey's memos said that Trump "went on at great length, explaining that he has nothing to do with Russia ... was not involved with hookers in Russia... is bringing a lawsuit against Steele".

--IANS

qd/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)At least 58 people were killed in twin blasts in Afghanistan on Sunday while another 117 were injured, media reports said.

The first blast took place around 10 a.m. when a suicide bomber blew himself up among a crowd lining up to get access to an election-related registration site in Kabul, killing 52 and injuring 112, Xinhua news agency reported.

Around two hours later, a bomb went off close to a voter registration centre in Baghlan, killing six persons and injuring five others. All victims were members of the same family, Tolo News reported.

The family was driving past the centre in Pul-e-Khumri city when the IED detonated, health officials said.

The dead included women and children while several wounded in Kabul remained in critical condition.

Terror group Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for the Kabul attack while police said the attackers in Baghlan were Taliban.

Afghan officials have slated October 20 as the date for the upcoming parliamentary and district councils elections. The voter registration process started on April 14.

Two policemen have been killed and five people, including three election officials, have been kidnapped since the voter registration began.

Afghans will elect members to the 249-seat lower house of Parliament for a five-year term besides members of district councils.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, the UN mission in the country apart from the Indian and Iranian governments have strongly condemned the attacks.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)What you do in Bijapur will decide where you are headed in life, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh told Ayyaj Tamboli while posting him as the Collector about two years ago.

For Ayyaj, the son of a government school teacher and an Anganwadi worker from rural Maharashtra, becoming the first doctor from his community may have been a great achievement in itself; he doubled it with his selection into the IAS. In his role as collector, Bijapur  a district with a population of just 255,000 deep inside Bastar  he has truly experienced the defining moment of his ...What is it about the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) that any political party or movement that joins up with it ends in disaster? Does the problem lie with its ideology or its leaders or is it a combination of both? The RSS, which does a lot of good, needs to sit down and think about why its political manifestations bring grief to its associates. Had it been an isolated incident, it may not have mattered much.

But it is not. The first time this happened was when Jaiprakash Narayan (JP), who had started the anti-corruption movement in 1973, teamed up with the RSS in 1974. As it ...That Yechury was unanimously re-elected the party general secretary by the new central committee of the party, its highest decision-making body, was received with a sense of relief by delegates who attended the five-day conclave in Hyderabad. There had been fear that a contest might have divided the party. Unity was also the leitmotif of Yechurys speech during the concluding session of the party conclave. If any message that should ...

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Digital EditorA total of 1,308 women from the country will, for the first time, perform Haj without the company of a 'mahram' or male guardian, Union Minister of Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said today.

The minister was in the city to participate in a training programme organised for Haj pilgrims.

"A total of 1,308 women have applied to go for Haj without a 'mahram'. These women have been exempted from the lottery system and will be allowed to proceed to perform Haj," he told reporters.

The minister said that it was the first time that women from India would be going for the pilgrimage without a male guardian.

Naqvi said that 3,55,604 applications had been received for Haj and this number comprised 1,89,217 men and 1,66,387 women.

"This year, a total of 1,28,002 pilgrims will go to perform Haj through the Haj Committee of India. Women comprise 47 per cent of this number. Another 47,023 Haj pilgrims will go through private tour operators," he said.

The pilgrimage will he held in August.

Naqvi said that women Haj assistants will be deployed to help women pilgrims and monitor facilities provided to them, adding that this too was a first-time feature for the country.

"In 2017, the government paid Rs 1,030 crore to various airlines for flying 1,24,852 pilgrims. In 2018, the payment for this would be Rs 973 crore and the number of pilgrims would be 1,28,002," the minister said.

This figure is Rs 57 crore less than what was paid, he said.

Naqvi said that the Union government's decision to allow Haj pilgrims to choose the embarkation point most suited to them, instead of the earlier practice of fixing such a point for them, was benefiting those going to perform Haj.

"Due to this new rule by the Union government, Haj pilgrims can board a flight from the airport most convenient for them. It has saved the government a lot of money," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Sixteen Naxals were killed in an encounter with police commandos and CRPF personnel in Gadchiroli district in east Maharashtra today, a senior official said.

While senior police officers said death of top cadres in the gun battle is a possibility, Gadchiroli Police, in a press release, said the deceased included some high-ranking ultras.

The encounter broke out at Kasansur forest in Bhamragad between the ultras and a joint team of security forces comprising C60 commandos, a specialised combat unit of the Gadchiroli police, and personnel of the 9th Battalion of the CRPF, around 10 am. It lasted for 90 minutes, DIG (Gadchiroli) Ankush Shinde said.

"The ultras hiding in the forest started firing at the security personnel. The exchange of fire continued for about one-and-half hours. As per preliminary information, bodies of 16 Naxals were recovered from the forest," he said, adding that arms and Naxal literature were recovered from the spot.

"However, I could give the exact number (of deceased) only tomorrow," he told PTI.

Shinde said there are reports of injuries sustained by the security personnel.

On the identity of the ultras, he said, "There is a possibility of two 'DVC'-rank naxals Shrinu alias Shrikant and Sainath being killed in the operation."



The DIG said the bodies of the Maoists killed in the operation are expected to arrive in Gadchiroli late in the night for identification.

Addressing a joint press conference in Gadchiroli this evening, Inspector General of Police, Anti-Naxal Operation, Sharad Shelar and local SP Abhinav Deshmukh said security forces came under fire from Naxals hiding in the forest.

"The police fired in retaliation. A total of 16 bodies were recovered. There is a possibility of three to four women ultras among the deceased. However, it will be ascertained once the bodies arrive at Gadchiroli," Shelar said.

However, Gadchiroli Police, in a press release, mentioned the names of some slain naxals, including Shrinu alias Shrikanth (51), a native of Challgari in Telangana, who was deputy commander.

Another deceased ultra has been identified as Deepa alias Aamsubai, a native of Adilabad, who was involved in 82 cases of serious nature. Sainath alias Dolesh Madhi Atram, a resident of Gattepalli in Gadchiroli, who was a division committee member and Permili in charge was also among those killed, it said.

Earlier in the day, Maharashtra Director General of Police Satish Mathur congratulated the C-60 team which was involved in the encounter.

He said there was a possibility that Naxal leaders of "DVC ranks," Sainath and Sinu alias Srikant, were among those killed.

"This is the biggest success ever in the Dandakaranya area by any anti-Naxal force. There are no major injuries on our side," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A 19-year-old man was killed in an alleged robbery bid in Khindora village which comes under the jurisdiction of Niwari police station, an official said today.

Senior Superintendent of police Vaibhav Krishna told reporters here that the incident took place around 3.00am.

The deceased was identified as Parvez Alam, the SSP said, adding that the burglars took away his two mobile phones.

In second incident, a security guard of a private institute here gunned down his friend today over a heated argument, police said.

The watchman, Vijay, had an argument with his friend while they were drinking alcohol, the police said, adding that the deceased was identified as Praveen (35).

In another incident, a property dealer was allegedly shot at by a bike-borne assailant in Azad Vihar colony in Khoda, the police said.

The attacker was later identified as his co-brother Om Prakash Yadav, they said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)On a day President Ram Nath Kovind promulgated an ordinance proposing stringent punishment, including death penalty, to those convicted of raping girls below the age of 12 years, there were reports of sexual assault on two minor girls in Odisha.

The two girls - one aged six years and the other four years -- were allegedly raped in Cuttack and Kendrapara districts and one person was arrested, the police said.

The six-year-old girl was raped, strangulated and left inside a school campus at Jagannathpur village in Cuttack district presuming her to be dead last evening, they said.

The girl had gone to purchase biscuits in her village but when she did not return after some time and there was a power cut, her family members set out to look for her along with villagers.

"After a frantic search for over an hour the girl was traced lying unconscious and without clothes in the school campus with blood oozing from her head and mouth," the police said.

She was immediately rushed to a nearby private nursing home from where she was shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, Salepur sub-divisional police officer P K Jena said.

The condition of the minor girl is "very critical" as she suffered deep injuries in her head, face, neck and chest, doctors attending to her at the hospital said, adding there are injuries in her private parts.

A 25-year-old man of the same village was arrested today in connection with the incident, the SDPO said.

State Health Minister Pratap Jena visited the hospital and later told newsmen that a team of at least 13 doctors drawn from several departments are attending on the girl.

"The state government is bearing the entire cost of the treatment and the girl is under the special care of medicine specialists, pediatricians, psychiatrists, surgeons and radiologists in the ICU of trauma pediatric unit of the hospital," the minister said.

A case under the Pocso Act and IPC sections 376(2)(rape) and 307 (attempt to murder) was registered on the basis of a written complaint filed by the girl"s grandfather, Salepur police inspector D K Mallick said.

In the second case, a minor boy was taken in to custody today on the charge of raping a four-year old at Tikhiri village in Kendrapara district, police said.

The girl had been raped near the Paika riverbed on April 20 allegedly by the boy, who is student of a local school. The matter came to light following a complaint lodged by the girl's parents yesterday, they said.

Both the victim and the boy were medically examined and the sexual assault was confirmed, the police said.

The accused and victim's families are neighbours, the police added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)A group of 50 alumni from the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) across the country have quit their jobs to form a political party to fight for the rights of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes.

The group, which is waiting for an approval from the Election Commission, has named their outfit Bahujan Azad Party.

We are a bunch of 50 people, all from different IITs, who have quit our full-time jobs to work for the party. We have applied to the Election Commission for an approval and are meanwhile doing ground work, Naven Kumar, a 2015 IIT Delhi graduate, who is leading the group, told PTI.

The party members, however, do not wish to jump the gun and aim for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

We do not wish to do a hurried job and end up being reduced to just one of those small political outfits with big ambitions. We will begin with contesting the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections and then aim for the next Lok sabha polls, Kumar said.

The group, which includes members mostly from the SC, ST and OBC communities, feels that the backward classes have not received their due in terms of education and employment.

All set with a poster which has pictures of B R Ambedkar, Subhas Chandra Bose and A P J Abdul Kalam, among others, the party has already begun a social media campaign.

Once we have the registration, we will form small units of the party which will start working on the ground for our target groups. We also do not wish to pitch ourselves as a rival of any political party or ideology, Kumar added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)About 97 per cent Indian tourists are looking forward to travel 'sustainably' during their holidays to have an enriching experience and for this they will not mind doling out extra money, says a report.

A sustainable tourism implies that neither the natural environment nor the socio-cultural fabric of tourist destinations is impacted by the arrival of tourists.

According to a survey by Netherland-based travel e-commerce company Booking.com, around 97 per cent of Indian travellers want to travel sustainably in 2018 with 88 per cent of them willing to pay an extra premium to ensure the same.

It revealed that while 73 per cent of current Indian travellers always or often opt for sustainable travel, around 32 per cent are willing to pay at least 15 per cent more to ensure as low an impact on the environment as possible.

The survey found that Indian travellers are the most willing to pay the premium closely followed by Brazilians and Chinese.

The sustainability measures are not an inconvenience, as many Indian travellers indicated they engage in sustainable travel behaviour because it adds a positive experience to their trip, it added.

The survey was commissioned by Booking.com and was independently conducted among a sample of adults who have taken a trip in the last 12 months or plan to take a trip in the next 12 months.

About 12,134 respondents were surveyed from 12 markets, including Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Spain, France, India, Italy, Japan, Brazil, the UK and the US. From India, 1,018 respondents were surveyed.

The sustainable activities most enjoyed by Indians during vacations are buying locally made products instead of mass-produced tourist souvenirs (69 per cent), using public transport instead of a taxi (62 per cent) and to find a local restaurant that only uses local ingredients (61 per cent).

Indians also like skipping tourist highlights in favour of less busy and often more rewarding sights (48 per cent) and opt for a place to stay that is a certified eco-accommodation over a traditional hotel (58 per cent), it added.

"Sustainable travel is a subjective term that has different connotations for different people. Indian travellers are increasingly looking to explore and experience the world in a sustainable way. This research reaffirms that sustainable travel is within reach for all of us, which is encouraging," Vikas Bhola, head - Indian sub-continent, Booking.com, said.

Most Indians look for sustainable options as 75 per cent said they were motivated by the impressive natural sights, including rain forests, coral reefs, among others.

About 72 per cent also felt motivated by the positive effect sustainable tourism had on local people, it added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)For the first time in the country, a Sainik School here has opened its doors for girls.

As many as 15 girls from different family backgrounds have got admission in the Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey Uttar Pradesh Sainik School here in class 9 for the academic year 2018-19.

However, the journey for these girls was certainly not an easy one, as there were 2,500 aspirants vying for laurels.

School principal Col Amit Chatterjee said the girl students will undergo a strenuous routine beginning with PT exercises at 6 AM every day and then get ready for assembly prayers at 8.15 AM.

"After classes, they will return to their hostel and after a brief rest, participate in sporting events, before taking up studies at 7 PM," he told PTI.

Asked how the girls felt in their new environment, Col Chatterjee said, "They feel very proud to be part of the institution. They aspire to become famous one day in life."



The school's registrar Lt Col Uday Pratap Singh said, "Out of the 2,500 girls who appeared in the entrance examination, 15 were selected based on the results of the written examination and interviews. All these girls have been selected for class 9 for the academic year 2018-19."



"The girls hail from different family backgrounds like doctors, teachers, police officers and even agriculturists," he said.

Singh informed that a proposal to include girl students was sent to the Uttar Pradesh government last year.

"The existing infrastructure of the school has been improved for the 15 girl students using our own resources. One of the boys hostel has been vacated to accommodate the girls," he said.

The registrar exuded confidence that other Sainik Schools in the country will also emulate this example.

Commenting on the development, S T Mishra, a teacher at school, said, "The admission of girl students will also prove to be helpful for the boys as its will enable them to adjust and accommodate in the new environment. It will also help in providing a holistic perspective to the boy students."



Initially known as the UP Sainik School, the institute came into existence in 1960, thereby becoming the first such school to be established in the country and has been nurturing young talent for 57 years.

"After this, 27 such Sainik Schools were established in other parts of the country. In its journey of more than 57 years, the school has the honour of producing more than 1,000 military officers, and the first Sainik school in the country whose student was rewarded Paran Vir Chakra (Manoj Pandey)," Singh said with a sense of pride.

The school staff feel the move would usher in a new era in the history of the institution.

In July 2017, the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet approved the renaming of Lucknow's Sainik School in the name of Captain Manoj Pandey, who was martyred during the Kargil war.

The school is run by the UP Sainik School Society with chief minister of Uttar Pradesh as its chairperson. It is fully financed by the state government.

Local board of administration (LBA) with the Commissioner, Lucknow Division, as its Chairman and Principal of the school as the Secretary, is responsible for its efficient functioning on day-to-day basis.

This is the only military school in the country that does not come under the Ministry of Defence.

Captain Manoj Pandey was also an alumnus of Sainik School. He was an officer of 1/11 Gorkha Rifles who was posthumously awarded India's highest military honour, the Param Vir Chakra, for his exemplary courage and leadership during the Kargil War in 1999.

He died during the attack on Jubar Top, Khalubar Hills in Batalik Sector, Kargil. His actions have led to him being referred to as the "Hero of Batalik".

The school staff feel the move would usher in a new era in the history of the institution. It is the first Sainik School in India that was established in 1960 and has been nurturing young talent for 57 years.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)Actor politician Kamal Haasan today wondered why the ordinance promulgated today provided for death penalty for rape of girls under 12 years alone and not for those aged between 14 and 16 and said families should bring up boys to act responsibly.

"Why is the death penalty only for rape of girls aged under 12... what about 14, 15, and 16-year-olds, are they not children too.?It will take time for them too (14-16 year-olds) to blossom as women. I do not know how to view it," he said.

The Makkal Needhi Maiam chief was addressing his party workers and supporters through YouTube.

Answering a question on crimes against women and children and the rules he would bring in if his party was voted to power, Haasan said "rules can be formulated... even now death penalty has been prescribed."



Haasan had made known his views against the death penalty before he entered politics.

The MNM chief said the important thing was for families to change their mindset in the way they brought up boys.

"Just like we teach the values of chastity and honesty to girls, boys too must be brought up responsibly by families.

Sadly, this was not being done and boys were pampered and allowed to do what they wanted, 'just because he is a male', the actor said.

No government rule was needed to implement this, he said.

President Ram Nath Kovind today promulgated the criminal law amendment ordinance,paving the way for providing stringent punishment, including"death"penalty, for those convicted of raping girls below the age of 12 years.

The actor turned politician said he had given deep thought as to why he should get into politics when leaders he respected like Mahatma Gandhi and reformist leader Periyar had stayed away from it.

"All along I was keeping quiet thinking I could toe a similar line. Had such leaders been alive today, there would have been a necessity for them to take part in electoral politics," he said.

Haasan said it was not a spur of the moment decision for him to join politics. It was a thought process lasting many years.

There was also some confusion in arriving at a decision but he overcame it, he said



The MNM chief said he had a "guilty" feeling as he wondered if politics was pushed to a bad phase due to "carelessness" of the general public and the media in monitoring the government and questioning it.

Haasan alleged that there was arrogance among those in power and hence they were disinclined to answer people's questions. Such factors steadily pushed him towards getting into politics.

He replied in the negative when asked whether he ever regretted entering politics.

To a question, the actor said his brand of politics would be driven by people's welfare and he did not hanker for power.

To another question, he said "you decide what I should be... whether the Chief Minister or Leader of Opposition."



On eradicating caste, Haasan said it was a 'disease' and it should be eradicated.

Caste based discrimination was a reason for poverty. Caste could not be eradicated immedately he said and called for change from a personal level to facilitate it.

Stating that 'gram swarajya' was a possibility, he said his party has adopted already a village and more will be done.

He told his cadres to deal firmly and properly if political parties put obstacles during their welfare work.

"Those who pose obstacles for service to the people are anti-nationals, they should be dealt properly but without violence," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The End of Pax Americana Eventually Declared.

Ian Bremmer, CEO of Eurasia Group, screamed: We're now leaving away from Pax Americana from 1945 to 2016. Originally, US President Obama should have given a presentation to company executives from all over the world in this year's APEC CEO Summit in Lima, Peru. However, he skipped the opportunity along with Putin and Tordeau. Instead, the audience was force to listen to Bremmers presentation, which he not precisely but enthusiastically gave with full of ironies.

Since 2010, Ive been professionally participating a series of meetings on global affairs, which have been opened to company executives. While Im sometimes used to play a role as either panelist or even keynote speaker, I rather concentrate on how narratives in the global community are gradually changing. This is exactly why I dare to leave Japan for the APEC CEO Summit in Lima this time, even though lots of obligations due to the capacity of my own small-sized enterprises CEO could have hindered me from doing so.

Among these meetings and conferences Ive attended so far, it was unfortunately this APEC CEO Summit in Peru that inspired me only a little bit. Of course, some high-ranking politicians from the Asia-Pacific region got together thanks to the Peruvian governments endeavor and delivered speeches. However, the topics they touched upon and underlined were all the issues which western mass media have been repeatedly focusing on almost everyday. For example, Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minster of Singapore, highlighted how to proceed global growth. Or Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of IMF, picked up the issue of women empowerment and proudly announced some South American countries including Peru succeeded to do the right things in this regard.

On Day 2, even Mark Zukerberg, CEO of Facebook, was given an opportunity to speak out what he thought towards the future. According to his mindset, its global connectivity that really matters. By enhancing the connectivity on the globe, we can make much more people happier than before, he simply said. And Ian Bremmer, whom I mentioned at first, declared the end of Pax Americana, but never joined those who US status as the only superpower in the world to already lost. In his view, just the way how US behave themselves to protect their own national interest is about to change due to the next Trump administration. In addition, he tried to remind the audience of Trumps original profession: businessman. Trump is said to recognize the world affairs from the viewpoint of businessman. Thus, something dramatic, which the public opinion currently love to be concerned about, will never happen even under US President-elect D. Trump.

While listening to the speeches, I cant help from feeling a kind of urgency. The urgency for the global leadership to give explanations in detail on what really matters. Because of accelerating irregularity of solar activities, the climate has been dramatically changing, which is gradually leading the global economy to decline in an irreversible way. In spite of such a simple sequence of significant events on the earth and in human societies, the global leaders never tell the truth to their community with clear-cut logics to urgently call them on to react appropriately. Instead, they always touch upon only the above mentioned single issues relevant to this fundamental problem the earth is facing, which doesnt just enable their followers to understand what really matters.

As I frequently pointed out in my English columns, the global community wont be saved, unless even historical secret treasury hidden by selected ultrahigh-ranking leaders in China, Japan and the Occident will be massively poured into the global financial market. And as far as I was informed, 24th of November in this year is said to be the most critical for checking out whether a part of this secret treasury will really be exchanged into cash. Of course, all the panelists and speakers, who appeared on the stage in Lima this time, neither directly mentioned, nor implied it. I. e., either they dont know, or they pretend not to know the truth.

Because Pax Japonica will emerges abruptly in the next phase, somebody, who is authentically capable of explaining what it is and why Pax American will be replaced by Pax Japonica. In this mean, Ive not learned a lot here in Peru, but finally made sure what to do from now on.

Im about to leave Lima for Buenos Aires, where Prime Minister Macri, who also skipped the meeting, governs. From my viewpoint, the both countries will tremendously contribute to build up Pax Japaonica thanks to their esteemed populations with Japanese origins. Stay tuned.At least five people were killed and 11 injured when the mini-bus they were travelling in allegedly rammed into an unidentified vehicle in Rajasthan's Bikaner district, police said today.

The accident took place late last night on NH-11 in Dungargarh police station limits when the passengers of the mini-bus were on their way back home in Binadesar village after attending a marriage ceremony from Moondsar, they said.

In the tragic accident, Mahaveer Prasad (55), Lekh Ram (45), Govardhan Ram (45), Sukhram Jat (60) and Tola Ram (45) died while 11 others were injured, who are undergoing treatment at PBM Hospital in Bikaner, police said.

They said that efforts were on to trace the other vehicle involved in the accident.

According to police, a case was registered in connection with the incident and bodies were handed over to family members after post mortem.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The BJP, the junior ally in the PDP-led government in Jammu and Kashmir government, today accused opposition parties of playing dirty politics for their demand of a CBI probe into the alleged rape-and-murder of a minor girl in Kathua, saying only higher courts can transfer the case to the central agency as charge sheet has already been filed.

It also came down heavily on self-seeking politicians and separatists in the Valley for misguiding the youth and appealed to students to resume their classes as all the accused in the case were arrested and the judicial process has begun with the filing of the charge sheet by the Crime branch in the case on April 9.

The opposition in both Jammu and Kashmir regions are playing with people's sentiments, provoking them and playing dirty politics without showing any sincerity in addressing their issues, BJP state spokesperson Anil Gupta said in a statement here.

Referring to the verbal assault launched by the leaders of the Congress and the National Panthers' Party in support of a CBI inquiry into the Kathua case, Gupta accused them of playing a double game.

Incidentally, most of these leaders have a legal background and are well versed with the law. Yet they are misleading the people because they are not sincere in helping them but want to exploit them, he alleged.

The former Army officer said had these leaders been sincere, they would have appealed to the High Court for a CBI enquiry well before the charge sheet was filed in the appropriate Court by the Crime Branch. They were only trying to score political brownie points, he alleged.

He said the legal position is crystal clear, after the charge sheet was presented and all of them know it.

Now even the lower court hearing the case is not empowered to refer the case to CBI but can only seek additional evidence from Crime Branch. The authority rests only with the High Court or the Supreme Court to order a CBI enquiry, as and when approached and the Court is convinced of the need of a CBI enquiry. No executive authority holds any power to now refer the case to CBI, Gupta explained.

Yet these leaders, he said, continue to play with the sentiments of the people by holding protests and rallies.

None of them is interested in following the laid down legal procedure because they are more interested in publicity rather than action, he rued.

Similarly in Kashmir, the BJP leader said, Self-seeking politicians and separatists are misguiding the youth and encouraging them to launch agitation and protests at the cost of their studies without any justified reason.

When all the accused are already in police custody and the judicial process has begun there is no justification for the students to take to street but none of these politicians has tried to pacify the protesting students but to the contrary raised the passions through their communal and irresponsible statements, he alleged.

He also appealed to the the students to return to their classes and resume studies as the Centre has already proposed death penalty of raping children below the age and 12 and the state government also intends to follow suit.

Pen not the gun is the way to success and a bright future, Gupta told the protesting students.

To those demanding the trial of the case be shifted outside Jammu and Kashmir, he said, The law states that court is where the code is applied. Both Ranbir Penal Code and J&K code of criminal procedure are applicable in J&K only and hence the case has to be tried within the state only.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)BJP leader Satyajith Suratkal, who was an aspirant of BJP ticket from Mangaluru North (formerly Suratkal) and who was left out from the list,today said people were putting pressure on him to contest as an independent.

"People are putting pressure on me to contest as an independent," he told his supporters at Hosabettu.

The BJP had decided to field Bharath Shetty from the constituency.

Earlier, former MLA Krishna J Palemar had alleged that the party's Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel was responsible for him being denied the ticket for the seat.

Meanwhile, the party"s candidate Bharath Shetty attended the inauguration of the election committee office for the segment and said he had not lobbied for the ticket.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)To make India a global leader, the BJP needs to serve the nation for a longer time and party workers should work hard to win all elections from panchayat to Lok Sabha for the next 50 years, its chief Amit Shah said today.

Shah urged the party cadre to not rest till it emerges victorious in states like Kerala, West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu.

The BJP chief also elaborated on the measures taken by the government to empower women. In the Indian culture and society, women have a high stature equivalent to goddesses, he said.

His comments come at a time when there has been wide-spread outrage over Kathua and Unnao rape cases which have again brought the issue of safety of women to the centre stage.

Addressing the concluding session of the party's 'Mahila Morcha' national executive meeting here, Shah said the top priority of the BJP government was to ensure security on borders and handling terrorism strictly by adopting a zero tolerance policy.

"We have not entered for electoral success; we have joined it to make India great again and to ensure food, education and health facilities to the poor in the country," Shah said according to a party statement.

He said the BJP wants to make India, developed, secure and a country that influences the world.

"And to make India a global leader the party needs to serve the country for a longer time. Therefore, party workers should unitedly work hard to win all the elections from panchayat to Lok Sabha for next fifty years," he said.

He told party workers that they should not sit idle till the BJP does not win in Kerala, West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu.

Speaking on issues related to women, Shah cited various steps and measures taken by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government to empower them.

"We hail from a culture where women have been give the place of a goddess. They were given priority and have very high stature," he said.

Without taking any names he said when our "enemy" had forgotten the incident in which our soldiers were beheaded by its army, India launched surgical strikes to avenge the incident.

Attacking Gandhi, Shah said the Congress president keeps asking what has been done in the four years of the Modi government. The country wants to know what Congress had done in its regime of 50 years for the masses, Shah said.

The BJP government is providing loans to unemployed youths to make them self- employed. The opposition parties took jibe on the issue by talking of pakodas', he said. Any kind of job that involves hardwork is considered dignified, he added.

The previous governments were indulging in corruption, he alleged as he lauded the Modi government.

India will lead climate change conference in the coming years, Shah said. He also gave some important tips to women workers of BJP to ensure victory in the forthcoming parliamentary elections. Shah exhorted party workers to work 24x7 achieve the target.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)German luxury carmaker BMW expects 50 per cent of sales in India to come from SUVs under its X series, according to a top company official.

The company, which posted 11 per cent growth in sales of BMW range of vehicles in the first quarter of 2018 at 2,377 units, also said it is looking at double-digit growth for the full year despite challenges of price hike due to increase in customs duty.

"The X format is a very important format for us because if you look at it, it has contributed to about 30 per cent of our sales in the last 11 years," BMW Group India President Vikram Pawah told PTI.

More importantly, in the last two or three years, it has contributed about 42 per cent of the company's sales since the launch of new X1, he added.

At present, BMW sells four models under the X series - X1, X3, X5 and X6 - at a price range of Rs 34.5 lakh to Rs 1.3 crore.

Last week, the company had launched all-new version of X3 priced at Rs 49.99 lakh and Rs 56.7 lakh ( all prices ex-showroom).

Going forward, Pawah said,"what I expect is that with the X3 coming in and with the new X4 next year, clearly we should be looking at 50 per cent of sales coming through the X format."



In order to expand the luxury vehicle market in India, he said,"these are the models which will grow the market for us."



When asked about expectations in 2018, he said BMW India is looking forward to "a very strong performance" having already clocked 11 per cent growth in the first quarter.

"We have already had a flying start to the year...We firmly believe that we will end the year with a strong double-digit growth," he added.

On the possible impact of price rise following the customs duty hike, Pawah said:"When such change happens, it impacts customer confidence to some degree. Having said that the market is still very small and the growth opportunities are still there, specially with us because of the new models that we are launching."



BMW India has increased prices of its vehicles in the range of 3.5-5 per cent from April.

In the Budget for 2018-19, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had increased customs duty on CKD (completely knocked down) imports of motor vehicles, motor cars, motor cycles from 10 per cent to 15 per cent.

The government had also raised customs duty on specified parts/accessories of motor vehicles, motor cars, motor cycles from 7.5 per cent to 15 per cent.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)The DMK on Sunday hit out at the BJP-led the Central government on the Cauvery issue saying it was not concerned about the people and the farmers of Tamil Nadu.

Recalling a Supreme Court verdict of 2014 that banned the bull-taming sport 'jallikattu,' DMK Working President M K Stalin said despite opposition to the ban and the state-wide agitations, the Centre had not allowed the sport subsequently citing the judgement.

"When the Supreme Court gave its order on the Cauvery issue directing compliance within six weeks, the Centre did not come forward to implement it," he said, addressing party workers at the wedding of a party functionary here.

"This goes to show that the incumbent regime at the Centre is not concerned about the Tamil Nadu's people and the farmers. And there is a government here in the state which is singing paeans to the centre," he alleged.

The Cauvery water is crucial not only for the delta region including Thanjavur but also to other districts, he said.

During the previous DMK regime (2006-'11), he said, his party's government had implemented the combined drinking water projects across the districts of Ramanathapuram, Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri utilising the Cauvery water.

"Not only for the agriculture in delta region, the Cauvery water is crucial for drinking water needs of the people in several other districts," he said.

Since the Cauvery has such an importance for Tamil Nadu, the protests were being held to retrieve the state's rights, he said.

Stating that he will be leading a human chain stir tomorrow at Pudukottai on the Cauvery issue, he said across Tamil Nadu, the Congress party, the Dravidar Kazhagam, the CPI(M), the CPI, the MDMK, the IUML, the VCK, and the MMK will participate in the agitation.

It may be recalled that the Supreme Court had banned 'jallikattu' in 2014. The top court had held 'jallikattu' as violative of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, a Central Act.

The top court had ruled that a 2009 Tamil Nadu Act to regulate Jallikattu was repugnant to the PCA Act.

Following the raging protests seeking nod for holding the bull taming sport, Tamil Nadu government in January 2017 amended the Central Act paving the way for holding the sport.The CBI has filed a charge sheet against Commissioner, Goods and Service Tax, Sansar Chand in a corruption case, a first against a senior officer of the department, officials said here.

Besides Sansar Chand, the agency has also arrested his wife Avinash Kaur in the case last month and she has also been charge sheeted in the corruption case of receiving an alleged bribe of Rs 150,000 from a Kanpur-based businessman, they said.

The Indian Revenue Service 1986-batch officer then posted in Kanpur is the first senior officer of the GST department constituted last year to face charges of corruption from the CBI, they said.

The agency has charged him and his wife along with 13 others with criminal conspiracy and corruption among others.

While Sansar Chand was arrested on February 2, 2018, his wife was arrested on March 21, 2018 and was sent to judicial custody by the Special CBI court, Lucknow.

"The investigation revealed that Sansar Chand in criminal conspiracy with others was systematically collecting illegal gratification in lieu of various officials acts in connection to matters pertaining to Central excise department under its jurisdiction in Kanpur," an official said.

The agency in a late night operation on February 2, 2018 had arrested two superintendents of the department (Ajay Shrivastav, R S Chandel), one personal staff (Saurabh Pandey) and five private individuals, including the owner of Shishu Soaps, in a late-night operation in Kanpur and Delhi.

Besides these, five more including the wife of the officer have been charge sheeted by the agency under the corruption charges, they said adding that 11 persons have been arrested.

The agency has alleged in the charge sheet that Sansar Chand along with his subordinates used to collect bribes on monthly and quarterly basis from industrialists and businessmen, they said.

The bribes in cash were routed through hawala channels to Delhi through Aman Jain and Chander Prakash, both residents of Delhi, who used to deliver it to Chand's wife, the CBI has alleged.

In one such case, Chand was allegedly seeking update on bribe from the owner of Shishu Soaps and Chemicals Limited, Manish Sharma, who sells his product under the brand name Rekha detergent when he was arrested, it alleged.

The bribe was received by Saurabh Pandey, the PA of Sansar Chand, on behalf of his boss and other officials from an employee of Manish Sharma, it alleged.

Sharma, who was seeking relief from the notices of the Central Excise Department, had given an assurance that he would soon pay the bribe for the months from February, 2018 to April, 2018 which was conveyed to Chand through his middleman Amit Awasthi and arrested superintendent Ajay Shrivastav, it alleged.

"Investigation has revealed that Sansar Chand and his wife Avinash Kaur had demanded and accepted various valuable things for themselves and their relatives. During investigation, a total 11 persons have been arrested and all are in prison under judicial custody," an official said.

During searches at the time of arrest, the agency had carried out searches at the premises of accused persons including public servants, private individuals, middlemen at Kanpur and Delhi which led to recovery of Rs 58,00,000 and several incriminating documents including diaries, pen drives and documents of properties worth crores.An attempt to marry off over a 15-year-old girl to a youth, who is around eight years older than her, has been foiled by a team of rights activists, police and administration officials in Odisha's Ganjam district, a senior police officer said here today.

The marriage, which was about to get solemnized at a temple in Hinjili police station area of the district, was called off on Thursday after the police, the members of district child protection unit and senior child rights activists intervened, he said.

"We convinced both set of parents that the marriage is illegal and they agreed to postpone it till the girl attains the age of 18,"the inspector in-charge of Hinjili police station, P K Sahoo, said.

The father of the girl has also given an undertaking that there would be no move from his side to get his daughter married till she turns 18, he said.

"We did not register any case against the parents as they have agreed to abide by the law," he said.

The child marriage could be stopped because of the timely intervention by the police and the activists, said center coordinator of Childline, Ganjam, H K Ray.

Both the families are residents of a village in Sheragada block of the district, he said.

"The girl, a farmer's daughter, is a school dropout while the groom is an employee of a textile mill in Surat," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)China has agreed to resume sharing of hydrological data of the Brahmaputra and Sutlej rivers, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said here today, months after Beijing stopped the practice following the stand-off between Indian and Chinese troops at Dokalam.

The sharing of hydrological data is crucial to predict floods in India's northeast region, prone to natural calamities.

Swaraj, who arrived here yesterday on a four-day visit to take part in the foreign ministers' meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), met her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and discussed a host of bilateral issues and ways to step-up the pace of high-level interactions to improve the relationship.

"We also discussed the importance of strengthening people to people contacts in bringing our two countries closer to each other.

"In this context, I conveyed our appreciation to the Chinese side for their confirmation on resumption of data sharing on Brahmaputra and Sutlej rivers in 2018 as this issue has direct relevance for people living in those areas," Swaraj said at a joint media event with Wang after their talks.

Last month, a team of officials of India's Ministry of Water Resources held talks with their Chinese counterparts on the cooperation of trans-border rivers at the Chinese city of Hangzhou, the first after Beijing last year stopped providing the data.

Under the existing bilateral Memorandums of Understanding, China provides to India hydrological information of the Brahmaputra river (Yarlong Zangbo) and the Sutlej river (Langqen Zangbo) during the flood seasons.

Under the arrangement, China provides flood season data of the Brahmaputra river between May 15 and October 15 every year.

Last year, China stopped sharing data soon after the 73-day long stand-off between Indian and Chinese troops at Dokalam over Chinese military's plans to build a road close to India's Chicken Neck corridor connecting North-Eastern states.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)As the Congress awaits the decision of Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on an impeachment notice moved by it and other parties against Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, it is considering moving the Supreme Court if the petition is rejected, party leaders said.

They said if the Upper House chairman did not find merit in the notice for the impeachment, the decision could call for a judicial review.

"The chairman's decision is open to being challenged. It is bound to go for a judicial review," said a Congress leader.

The Congress was also trying to build up "moral pressure" on the Chief Justice of India in the hope that he would step aside from judicial duty if an impeachment motion was moved against him.

Judges who faced impeachment had earlier stepped aside from judicial work and the Chief Justice should do the same, a party leader said.

"It is only a convention, though there is no legal or constitutional bar (on this)," the leader said.

The Congress also hoped that the decision on the motion would be taken soon.

"He (the RS Chairman) cannot sit on it indefinitely, though there is no deadline laid out in the Constitution," a legal expert said, citing the case of an anti-defection law where the court had said it should be decided within a "reasonable" time-frame.

Meanwhile, an official in Parliament stressed that making public the contents of a notice before it was admitted violated Parliamentary rules.

This assumes significance in the wake of the seven opposition parties, led by the Congress, initiating an unprecedented step last week for the impeachment of CJI Misra by moving a notice levelling several charges against him.

According to the provisions in the handbook for Rajya Sabha members, no advance publicity should be given to any notice to be taken up in the House till it is admitted by the chairman.

"A notice for raising a matter in the House should not be given publicity by any member or other person until it has been admitted by the Chairman and circulated by members. A member should not raise the issue of a notice given by him and pending consideration of the Chairman," according to Rule 2.2 of Parliamentary Customs and Conventions in the handbook.

A retired Lok Sabha official said the same rule also applied to the Lower House as it was listed under rule 334A of the procedure and conduct of its business.

The notice has been referred by Naidu to Rajya Sabha Secretariat officials, who are preparing the file and identified this violation, the official said.

According to the senior official in Parliament, a bulletin issued by the Rajya Sabha on December 8, 2017, reiterates the rule under parliamentary customs and conventions.

Leaders of the opposition parties had met Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, who is also the chairman of the Rajya Sabha, and handed over the notice of impeachment bearing the signatures of 64 MPs and seven former members, who had recently retired.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)